iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- A deadly virus that spreads to humans from contact with infected bats, pigs or other people has in its latest outbreak killed 17 of 18 people confirmed to be infected and has led to the quarantine of 1,400 people in their homes.

The new outbreak of the Nipah virus in the state of Kerala in southern India began just a few weeks ago.

What is the Nipah virus?

It is a zoonotic virus, which means it is spread from animals to humans and infects both. Nipah likes to live in fruit bats, its natural host.

How does one get infected with Nipah?

The virus can spread to humans who come into direct contact with infected bats, pigs or other infected people, the World Health Organization says.

The spread of Nipah to humans from close contact with infected pigs -- that were infected by bats -- has occurred in Malaysia and Singapore. Person-to-person transmission has been known to occur in Bangladesh and India when people have contact with someone who is sick from Nipah. Eating certain foods, especially fruit such as raw date-palm sap, that are contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats, has been the most likely source of infection in recent outbreaks.

What are the signs and symptoms of Nipah virus?

Common initial symptoms are headaches and fever, followed by drowsiness, disorientation, and confusion. This leads to encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, and can progress to a coma. The virus can also cause respiratory illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.

For those who survive Nipah, long-term consequences of the virus can include persistent shaking and personality changes. Even after being exposed, the virus can live inside and be reactivated years later.

How long has been Nipah been around?

The virus was first identified in an outbreak in 1998 to 1999 among pig farmers and other people in close contact with pigs in Malaysia and Singapore. It got its name from the Kampung Sungai Nipah village in Malaysia where the outbreak occurred.

Of nearly 300 people who were infected, more than 100 died. In contrast, the virus caused a relatively mild disease in infected pigs. To stop the spread of Nipah, more than a million pigs were killed, causing a significant trade loss for Malaysia, the CDC says. No cases of Nipah have since been reported in Malaysia or Singapore.

Two years later, in 2001, a different strain of Nipah caused an outbreak in Bangladesh, and outbreaks have since occurred there almost annually. Also in 2001, a Nipah outbreak happened in Siliguri, India. Several other outbreaks have since occurred in India.

Other areas where fruit bats are found may be at risk for Nipah, including Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia, Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Is there a test for Nipah?

A Nipah infection can be diagnosed through a combination of tests. Tests of throat and nose swabs and of urine, blood, and the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain can detect the virus in the early stages of infection. Later, testing for antibodies can be performed.

Is there a vaccine or treatment for Nipah?

There is no vaccine to protect against Nipah infection in either humans or animals. There is also as yet no treatment to fight the virus in infected people. A drug, ribavirin, has shown some promise against the virus in the laboratory, but its effectiveness for humans carrying Nipah is still uncertain. There is a vaccine that has shown to help ferrets after they are exposed to Nipah, but it has not been tested on humans.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
It's easy to market a movie, right? You cut together a trailer with a lot of explosions, set it to a questionable hit song from ten years ago, make sure the title doesn't mean something racist in Slavic, and get that bad boy to theaters. There's not a lot of room for something to go horribly, hilariously awry ... is there?

5 That Time A Disney Legend Almost Got Mauled By A Lion



Jeffrey Katzenberg is the producer who helped kicked off the Disney Renaissance with The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, later leaving to start Dreamworks Animation and undoing all that good work with Shrek. But it could've ended even worse. At a Las Vegas video convention in 1994, Katzenberg decided to promote The Lion King with the help of a real goddamn lion. To the surprise of all, the beast did not want to sing a musical number. It wanted to eat Katzenberg.

Walt Disney Pictures Who could have foreseen?!

The lion briefly latched onto Katzenberg's back, then went after his leg while a couple of overwhelmed trainers swatted at it like ... well, like overwhelmed trainers swatting at a lion. Katzenberg made it out OK, and everyone involved learned a valuable lesson about dragging an apex predator into your lap to promote a children's movie. It's unclear why they had to learn this lesson, but they did.
Of course they were much too Machiavellian to admit it at the time. But when the architects of what is now the European Union set out their vision, they wanted a superstate that smashed down national borders, which removed countries own sovereignty and which rode roughshod over democracy.

Indeed, these founding fathers explicitly wrote the objective of ever closer union among the peoples of Europe into the 1957 Treaty of Rome.

Aware of the huge threat this posed, far-sighted British political leaders at the time, such as Labours Clement Attlee and Hugh Gaitskell, warned that national independence was incompatible with what was then called the European Economic Community.

Another man to realise that if Britain joined, this country would no longer be master of its own destiny and would lose the power to make its laws and control its own borders was the great historian AJP Taylor.

Historian AJP Taylor, whose brilliant TV lectures are currently being re-shown on the BBC Parliament channel, stated that the ultimate aim was political union run by an arrogant elite

As the author of books such as The Origins Of The Second World War, he could legitimately claim to have more knowledge than anyone else about European history and of Britains relationship with the Continent, and thus he warned as strongly as he could against the UKs membership.

Taylor, whose brilliant TV lectures are currently being re-shown on the BBC Parliament channel, stated that the ultimate aim was political union run by an arrogant elite whom he called, with heavy irony, top people.

Above all, he said that Britain had been most secure when we kept out of Europe, adding that meddling with European affairs has brought us nothing but toil and suffering. Predictably, our defeatist political Establishment failed to heed his wise words.

Not long after, in 1972, Edward Heath, the Conservative Prime Minister, set about negotiating Britains membership of the Common Market.

To win voters to his cause, he cynically misled the British people  telling them that this was only a free trade deal and we would not be giving away our national sovereignty.

in 1972, Edward Heath (pictured), the Conservative Prime Minister, set about negotiating Britains membership of the Common Market

He shamefully ignored the fact that it is in the DNA of the Brussels elite to destroy democracy of the kind that Britain has enjoyed for centuries and which it has spread across the world.

More important to these unelected panjandrums was the desire to yoke France and Germany together in a union so as to prevent a third world war after two terrible conflicts that desolated the European continent in the last century. Admittedly, that was a noble cause but it meant the ruthless creation of a European superstate.

It is no wonder that other countries rebelled against this challenge to their own sovereignty and sense of nationhood.

At the ballot box, the Danes (in 1992) rejected an extension of Brussels powers in the Maastricht Treaty, and the Irish followed suit in a referendum over the Lisbon Treaty in 2008.

Likewise, when crisis-hit Greece tried to assert its independence from the EUs economic policy five years ago, the bully-boys at the European Central Bank and in Brussels, backed by German bankers, mercilessly put a stop to the Greek mutiny. The consequences for Greek democracy  and the countrys economy  have been devastating.

The latest manifestation of this battle of wills between an authoritarian Brussels and individual nations trying to uphold democracy came this week with a set of extraordinary events in Italy.After national elections in March, Italian voters committed themselves to what to the EU elite is the ultimate heresy. They voted in their millions for politicians who said they were prepared to abandon the European single currency.

The result was that two populist parties, the League and the Five Star Movement, came together to try to form a government.

There is little surprise that the Italian people are increasingly fed up with EU membership. Italy has struggled since adopting the euro currency 18 years ago.

Deprived of the ability to manage its own economy, there has been no cumulative economic growth since then.

In recent years, Brussels has imposed unelected technocrats to run the Rome government with savagely austere economic policies. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs.

Seemingly blind to this human suffering and to this upsurge in democratic sentiment, Brussels officials vented their spleen against the Italian people.

Most outrageously, European commissioner Guenther Oettinger said the crisis would teach Italians not to vote for populist parties next time.

Without a shred of evidence and in a manner akin to those behind Project Fear in the run-up to the EU referendum in the UK, he said menacingly that the financial markets would punish Italy and that votes for anti-EU candidates risked destroying the Italian economy.

In other words, if Italians do not vote the right way the next time they go to the polls, they will be punished.

This from a man whose main claim to fame is having been the leader of the Christian Democratic Union in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg.

What we are witnessing, I fear, is a looming tragedy. If Italy stays within the EUs economic straitjacket, it faces more years tied to a broken system which has given it two decades of economic stagnation with one out of every three youths jobless.

Alternatively, if the Italians have the courage to back politicians who will pull their country out of the euro, I believe their economy will recover.

Italy is not alone in defending democracy against the Brussels despots.

In Eastern European countries, voters are in revolt against the EU on the issue of open borders and consequent mass immigration.

In Spain, too, the malign anti-democratic influence of Brussels is being felt.

Last year, during Catalonias independence vote, as the Madrid government panicked, state troopers were sent in and beat up pensioners, plastic bullets were fired at crowds and ballot boxes were torn from polling stations.

Last year, during Catalonias independence vote, state troopers were sent in and beat up pensioners, plastic bullets were fired and ballot boxes were torn from polling stations

And what was Brussels response to this brazen assault on the most fundamental human right of people to vote?

The European Commission said the Spanish governments proportionate use of force was necessary to uphold the rule of law.

What about the principle of democracy?

It seems that to Brussels, democracy is a dirty word.

For these unelected and unaccountable nabobs, democracy can be replaced with rule by bankers, bureaucrats and technocrats.

All this is an awful paradox, which I identified in this column last week.

The European Union was set up to promote peace and harmony across a continent that had been ravaged by two wars in which around 70 million people died.

But in a dark irony, it is now creating precisely the opposite result.

It is no exaggeration to say that Europe is riven by more hatreds, divisions and conflicts than at any time since 1945  and they are threatening to tear the continent apart.

How tragic if the vision of the EUs founders, who wanted to prevent another terrible war, were responsible for the collapse of parliamentary democracy.

And we all know what happened the last time that occurred, in the 1930s: voters turned to paramilitary bullies and nationalist dictators.

Looking like modern-day Three Musketeeers, a trio of former Cabinet ministers were photographed this week on their way to No.10 to talk Brexit with the Prime Minister. Damian Green, Amber Rudd and sacked Education Secretary Justine Greening are widely seen as potential backbench trouble-makers and bitter at their exclusion from the seat of power.

I take a different view.

Their Downing Street visit was an example of old-fashioned and decent politics whereby MPs express their concerns to the PM in private while also pledging their loyalty.

At long last, could an outbreak of common sense be breaking out in the Conservative Party over Brexit?
The 'Angelina Jolie' effect has seen the number of women choosing to have their breasts removed to reduce their risk of cancer double, new NHS figures have revealed.

The Hollywood actress, who carries a risky BRCA gene mutation, had a double mastectomy in 2013 after losing her mother, grandmother and aunt to the disease. It left her with an almost 90 per cent chance of developing breast cancer.

Three years before Jolie's procedure, just 234 women with a family history of breast cancer had NHS hospital appointments for a preventative mastectomy.

In comparison, however, there were 480 appointments for this kind of treatment in 2017, NHS Digital figures reveal. Some 51 of these were for women in their 20s.

Experts say the procedure should not be taken lightly but that it may be a good idea depending on their circumstances.

Becky Measures, from Derbyshire, became the youngest British woman to have a double mastectomy in 2006, aged just 24, when she found out she carried a BRCA gene mutation.

Angelina Jolie spoke publicly about having both her breasts removed in 2013, after she discovered she had inherited a gene mutation which meant she had an almost 90 per cent chance of getting breast cancer

A double mastectomy involves surgically removing both of a woman's breasts with the intention of preventing breast cancer.

HOW MANY APPOINTMENTS FOR PREVENTATIVE MASTECTOMY RELATING TO FAMILY CANCER HISTORY HAS THERE BEEN IN THE LAST 8 YEARS? This data, from NHS Digital, shows the number of appointments for preventative mastectomy relating to family cancer history for each year. 2009-10: 234 2010-11: 287 2011-12: 257 2012-13: 291 2013-14: 372 2014-15: 504 2015-16: 484 2016-17: 480 Advertisement

The procedure is usually reserved for women at very high risk of developing breast cancer, such as those with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation.

After her surgery, Jolie said: 'It was just that I thought that I had gained information that I wish my mother had have known and I wish she had the option.

'I wish she had the surgery in fact and it might have given her more years with my family and I wanted to just speak with other women and talk about options.

'That is simply that, it is an option. I don't encourage every woman to make the decision I made but I think it is really important that we all share anything we learn.'

The year Jolie's surgery hit the headlines, the number of NHS appointments surged by 35 per cent from 372 to 504.

The figures relate to the number of times a patient sees a hospital doctor to discuss the treatment, rather than those actually undergoing the procedure.

'Having your breasts removed should never be taken lightly'

Grete Brauten-Smith, clinical nurse specialist at Breast Cancer Care, said: 'While the so-called 'Jolie effect' undoubtedly increased awareness of the faulty BRCA gene, encouraging more women to ask about preventative surgery, having your breasts removed is never a decision taken lightly.

YOUNGEST BRITISH WOMAN TO HAVE THE PROCEDURE JUST 24 Becky Measures was just 24 when she had a double mastectomy in 2006 Becky Measures was just 24 when she had a double mastectomy in 2006, after finding out she carried the BRCA gene mutation which made her at high risk of developing breast cancer. Ms Measures is the daughter of Wendy Watson, who in 1992 at the age of 38, was the first woman in Britain to have a preventive double mastectomy to avoid breast cancer. Then 13 years later, having tested positive for the BRCA cancer gene, her daughter made the same stark choice. She said last year: 'I was only ten when Mum had her double mastectomy, so I was aware from a very early age of our family history. But it was never scary for me: it was simply a case of "Mummy is having this operation so she can be with you for a very long time". 'To be honest, I didn't think it would be anything I would have to deal with until I was in my 30s. 'But then we had the awful news that my cousin Helen had developed cancer at 29. I was only 22 then, but decided to have my own genetic test done. In January 2004 I learned I was positive for BRCA1.' She added: 'Because Mum had been through it, having a double mastectomy seemed the most logical step. I would have my breasts removed, then rebuilt without the lethal lymph-nodes and tissue inside me.' She then went on to opt to have her womb removed in a hysterectomy as a further precaution against the disease, after giving birth to her second child last year. Advertisement

'It can severely damage body confidence and recovery time after surgery disrupts every-day life, sometimes for months.

'However, many of these women will have witnessed the devastating impact of breast cancer first-hand and want to do all they can to avoid the trauma their mothers or grandmothers may have gone through.

'Vital' for women to talk about their options

BRCA1/BRCA2 GENES Both genes produce tumour suppressor proteins that help to repair damaged DNA and keep cells' genetic material stable. A mutation in either gene means its protein isn't made or doesn't work properly so that DNA damage isn't repaired correctly. This makes cells more likely to experience more genetic alterations that can lead to cancer, pushing the risk to 85 per cent. Preventative surgery can reduce the risk of cancer to 12 per cent - lower than that of the general population. A mutation can be passed on from a mother or father and you have a 50 per cent chance of inheriting it if your parent is a carrier. Advertisement

'More needs to be done to help women with a faulty BRCA gene take control of their future health.

'It's vital women can talk through all their options, including regular screening, and fully understand the risks and benefits of surgery before making any decisions.'

The rise in the number of appointments about the procedure could also be down to scientific advances, according to one expert.

Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK said: 'In 2010 we were only at the beginning of learning about the high risk gene and there wasn't much known about it then.

'A lot more is known now so I'm not surprised there has been a rise.

'There are two types of women who might consider a double mastectomy and that's someone who has had cancer once and found out they had the BRCA gene mutation so are at higher risk, or someone who has been tested for the gene and has a strong family history of breast cancer.

'It would be unusual for a woman in her 20s to need a double mastectomy'

'It depends very much on the patient  it's not necessarily an extreme step.

'If someone is a carrier of the gene fault their risk of getting cancer is high, so the procedure might not be a bad idea at all.

'But there are other options  it's all down to individual circumstances.

'It would be unusual for a woman in her twenties to need a double mastectomy.'

The procedure could be an option for young women if they were known to carry the Angelina Jolie gene and had a history of relatives developing cancer at a young age, Mr Ledwick added.

'Angelina Jolie having the procedure definitely increased awareness of it,' he said. 'It was incredibly brave of her to stand up and talk about it.

'Although it's only a small proportion of people who might be affected there were probably a lot of women who didn't know much about [the genetic risks].'
Scores of men with the most lethal form of prostate cancer have been brought back from the brink of death by a drug found to work where all others have failed in a groundbreaking British-led trial.

Some patients whose bodies were riddled with cancer have had Lazarus-like recoveries  and now show no visible signs of disease 18 months or more later, according to the doctor leading research into the treatment.

The medication, called pembrolizumab, is a type of immunotherapy that harnesses the bodys immune system to seek out and destroy tumour cells. It has already been shown to be highly effective in tackling other forms of the disease, including skin and lung cancer.

Scores of men with the most lethal form of prostate cancer have been brought back from the brink of death by a drug found to work where all others have failed in a groundbreaking British-led trial

Now, a new study led by The Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital in London has found amazing results in those with prostate cancer.

The disease is the most common form of male cancer: one in eight will be diagnosed with it during their lifetime. There are 47,000 new prostate cancer diagnoses annually in the UK alone, resulting in 11,000 deaths a year.

The trial looked at 258 men who had undergone numerous other treatments, including surgery, hormonal drugs and chemotherapy, to no avail. In many of them, the cancer had spread to their bones, usually a sign there is no more hope.

Men with otherwise untreatable prostate cancer could halt its spread and survive longer by undergoing immunotherapy treatment, a major trial in London has shown

But according to results being presented in detail tomorrow at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, more than a third of those treated with pembrolizumab were still alive after a year. And one in ten were still actively benefiting from treatment.

Researchers found those with the best response had types of prostate cancer with ultra-mutant cancer cells which change their genetic make-up quickly. Among these types are those linked to the BRCA gene, the mutation carried by actress Angelina Jolie, which is best known for raising the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

The results will bring hope to men such as BBC presenter Bill Turnbull, 62, who in March revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer which had spread to the bone. Last month he told how he had just had six rounds of chemo and was expecting to undergo more.

World-leading prostate cancer expert Professor Johann de Bono, of the Institute for Cancer Research, said: We hope for a cure but we cant call it that yet. However, many of the men who were at deaths door have been on the drug for more than 18 months and show no signs of the disease.

Such patients had experienced an amazing response, he said. Some of the patients on this trial are like Lazarus  they were dying of advanced disease. Some were almost too unwell to have any treatment at all and they have been resurrected.

Pembrolizumab, also known by its brand name Keytruda, is one of a new class of drugs called checkpoint inhibitors.

Prof de Bono said the drug was well tolerated by patients with relatively few severe side effects. He added: The next stage is to try and develop tests to help us better identify which patients will benefit most.

Prostate expert Dr David Graham at Levine Cancer Institute, North Carolina, said: These men have the most aggressive type of disease and have been through the gamut of what we have available now. These findings show the glimmer of promise for them.

Further trials will be needed before the drug, already licensed for certain types of skin cancer, lung cancer and lymphoma, is approved for routine clinical use in prostate cancer. It will then have to be assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to see if it is cost-effective enough for prostate NHS cancer patients to receive it.

Former BBC presenter Bill Turnbull, who revealed in March he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer

That is not a given, as a course of treatment in other cancers typically costs tens of thousands of pounds per patient.

The news comes as a major new study reveals that a simple blood test carried out in the GPs surgery could detect up to half of deadly lung cancers in the earliest stages.

Experts say the findings should pave the way for routine screening for heavy smokers and others at high risk of lung cancer.

Despite falling smoking rates, lung cancer is still Britains biggest cancer killer, claiming 35,000 lives every year.

But now results from the ongoing Circulating Cell-Free Genome Atlas study, also presented at ASCO, offer hope of much earlier diagnosis  and so better survival. Researchers looked at the ability of three different blood tests looking for free-floating DNA to detect cancer.

The tests picked up almost 90 per cent of late-stage cancers. More excitingly, it identified up to 50 per cent of early-stage tumours too.

Professor Geoffrey Oxnard, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the US, said: The beauty of a blood test is it could just be done in a local GP office.
The NHS will give a lifesaving cancer vaccine to teenage boys  but only if they identify as girls, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

New official advice makes clear that transgender girls  that is, those born male  will be offered the Gardasil jab so they fit in with their peers.

However, boys will continue to be denied the vaccine, which protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer among other forms of the disease.

New official advice makes clear that transgender girls  that is, those born male  will be offered the Gardasil jab so they fit in with their peers

Currently, all girls are offered the jab free on the NHS between the ages of 12 and 18.

Last night, the move to extend the vaccination programme to transgender boys was criticised as completely wrong and an example of medical discrimination.

Stephanie Davies-Arai, of parents group Transgender Trend, which is concerned about the rising number of children being diagnosed as transgender, said: It is wrong that one set of males should have it, while others cant. Its a form of discrimination against boys who identify as boys.

The Public Health England document states its HPV policy is being amended to include immunisation of transgender boys and transgender girls.

It explains that transgender boys  those born female  should be offered the vaccination to mitigate their risk of cervical cancer.

By contrast, it gives a social rather than a medical reason for offering it to transgender girls  those born male  simply stating: Transgender girls may be offered vaccination with their peers.

For the past decade, girls but not boys have been vaccinated against HPV infection on the NHS.

This is because historically more females have suffered from HPV-related cancers than males, as it causes the majority of cervical cancers.

About 1,500 women die annually in Britain from HPV-related cancers, including around 1,000 from cervical cancer.

The virus is spread by sex, intimate contact and kissing. Yet HPV kills some 650 men a year, mainly due to oral cancers.

While cervical cancer deaths are slowly declining, the number of HPV-related cancers in men is rising fast.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has argued inoculating boys would not be cost-effective, as most would be protected anyway as a by-product of female vaccination. On Wednesday, the JCVI will discuss the matter again.

The Mail on Sunday has been campaigning to end the vaccine apartheid.

Last week, we revealed how the Throat Cancer Foundation has launched legal action against Jeremy Hunt to force the Health Secretary to end the policy of giving jabs to girls only.

Public Health England declined to explain why it was extending the jab to boys who identified as girls, but not to others.
Come along, possums  its time to meet the real me! ...and prepare to be shocked as Barry Humphries unpacks stories from his very un-PC past that would make Dame Ednas purple wig stand on end. But then what did you expect from a comic genius who loves nothing more than making people gasp?

The purple wig is off. The gladioli have gone. Barry Humphries is being himself for once, but feeling his age. Mortality is on my mind, growls the 84-year-old Australian comedian most famous for his outrageous creation, Dame Edna Everage. Although I give the impression of abundant youth, I am teasingly on the brink of the bone orchard, the grave.

He rolls the word around in his mouth, as if somehow taking pleasure in declaring his imminent departure. Or at least faking it splendidly. Im not going to get morbid, because Im not morbid. I feel great. Apart from a cold, Im extraordinarily fit.

The purple wig is off. The gladioli have gone. Barry Humphries is being himself for once, but feeling his age

Thats just as well, because three years after apparently retiring from show business, Humphries is returning to the stage. Im more or less doing the show on doctors orders, you know? Keep going!

Next month hes performing a tribute to the Berlin cabaret scene of the 1920s, not in one of Dame Ednas sparkly dresses but as himself, or, rather, an exaggerated version of Barry Humphries  magnificent in a natty fedora, electric-blue jacket with pink silk pocket square, white shirt and raspberry trousers.

Today he talks about what its like to make risque jokes in a world turned politically correct, the struggles with alcohol that nearly killed him, and his troubled relationship with one of his sons  as well as revealing a remarkable story that suggests there may yet be forgotten skeletons rattling around his closet. But why is he back so soon after Dame Ednas Glorious Goodbye: The Farewell Tour?

The Dame declared herself a Housewife Superstar in the Seventies (left); Barry Humphries as Sir Les Patterson (right)

Some people tried to get Humpries sacked from a Radio 2 show after he publicly agreed with Germaine Greer that trans women are not really women

I was hoping she was finished, but at the end of my farewell show three years ago I said, Youve been a lovely audience, thank you very much, and would you promise me one thing? Will you all come along  and bring the kids  to my next farewell show?

The Dame declared herself a Housewife Superstar in the Seventies, before celebrity culture was even born, and then made merciless fun of it on stage, in television specials and on her own chat shows. They included The Dame Edna Experience, in which she treated Hollywood stars such as Sean Connery and Joan Rivers as if they were naughty children, sticking name badges on them and asking the questions nobody else dared. For this show, Im afraid I have to probe deeply...

She was never afraid of outright insults: Im trying to think of a word for your outfit... affordable! Audiences, too, were fair game. Do you live on an unpaved road, darling? It looks like you did your make-up in the car

She has been an obvious influence on everyone from Julian Clary and Caroline Aherne to Steve Coogan, Sacha Baron Cohen and Graham Norton.

Dame Edna only ever referred to Humphries as her manager  and he kept the character separate too, refusing so much as to utter her catchphrase, Hello possums!

Barry Humphries with cabaret star Meow Meow. Im a great enthusiast for the music, for the insolence it expresses  defiance, says Humphries

People love the Dame, but without the sparkly frocks Humphries lacks protection. Take the fuss two years ago when he agreed with his friend and fellow Australian Germaine Greer that the transgender Caitlyn Jenner (the former Olympic athlete known as Bruce) had no right to call herself a woman. I agree with Germaine. Youre a mutilated man, thats all. Self-mutilation, whats all this carry on? Caitlyn Jenner  what a publicity-seeking ratbag. There were calls for him to be sacked from a Radio 2 show for that, but Humphries survived. Times are changing fast though, so does the risky stuff still work?

Oh, it does because the world changes but these characters are very flexible and they change as well. And because I know them so well. I think to myself, I wonder what Les thinks about that?

Ah, Sir Les Patterson, his other famous creation, one more loved in Australia than here. The booze-soaked, lecherous Aussie cultural attache, whose jokes about sex, drugs, alcohol, Sheilas, Poms and foreigners are too filthy to print here. I dont swear or tell dirty jokes, says Humphries with a sly grin. I have a man who does that for me.

Sir Les was created way back to take the mickey out of sexist, racist attitudes  but doesnt he now risk being seen as the thing he was satirising? I think I should do a separate Les show, because political correctness has got so crazy that Les has got to come out and say it for us all. It is insane. I can hear the audience gasp sometimes, such as when old Les is talking about Japs. The Nips.

That kind of racial humour doesnt go down well these days, however satirical, does it? Except with the Japanese, he says, who laugh.

Humphries with Sean Connery in 1987; In an early incarnation of Les Patterson

So what does he feel when he hears other members of a modern audience gasp at the characters racism? I love making them gasp. I dont crave the sound of applause. I crave the sound of sharply in-drawn breath. Thats a good sound. Ive been good at getting that, and getting away with it.

What would the old groper Sir Les make of the Harvey Weinstein revelations and the #MeToo movement? I wondered when that would come up. Humphries tuts, unsure of himself. I dont know what I think about it. I told my wife, Dont be surprised if theres a knock on the door. Jokingly.

A knock from whom? Who knows whose knee I put my hand on in 1965? Its all about the wrong knee, isnt it? It is.

And now he tells a story that is perhaps more unsettling than he intends it to be.

When I was doing a show in San Francisco some 15 years ago, the stage doorman said, Theres a beautiful young blonde who wants to see you. I was just about to leave the theatre but the phrase beautiful young blonde resonated a little bit! So this lovely girl came up and she said, Oh, I just had to see you, because my mother is always talking about you. You had wonderful times together. Sometimes as a family we say, Mum, tell us another Barry story.

Humphries says he had no idea who the young woman was talking about.

She gave me a name which had no meaning for me at all. And so I said, When was this? She said, Well, it was in the Sixties. That explains it. I said, I dont have a very vivid memory of that decade.

Presumably that was because of the drinking? Yes, and everything else. And because it was a long time ago. She said: My mother will be very pleased Ive seen you. But oh, the things you two got up to! My wife was there with me, so when shed gone we had a laugh and I was a bit sheepish.

But then the woman reappeared. She came running back and said: I forgot to tell you, Im not your daughter.

How did he feel about that? A bit relieved, I can tell you...

Yes, but if there are things like that hes forgotten, and others are having their past brought up, does that not really worry him?

Of course not. If there was any likelihood that I was concealing some dark secret [from my wife] I wouldnt say that to her, would I?

Hes currently touring a show in Australia called Barry Humphries: The Man Behind The Mask, telling stories about his life, some of which are true. Hes always hidden behind masks, hasnt he? I suppose so. But I feel very comfortable talking to you. I dont feel I have to give a performance or anything.

Humphries with his second wife, Rosalind, and their daughters, Tessa and Emily, in 1965

Am I seeing the real Barry Humphries? Probably. As close as youll get. As close as anyone gets, except [his wife] Lizzie. I have been very lucky with my marriage.

Humphries has been married four times. The first was to Brenda Wright when he was 21, and lasted just two years. The second was to the dancer Rosalind Tong, with whom he came to England in 1959. They had two daughters, Emily, a painter, and Tessa, an actress. His third marriage was in 1979, to the surrealist painter Diane Milstead, who gave birth to two sons, Oscar, 37, a fine art dealer and journalist, and Rupert, who works in video games and co-wrote the huge hit Grand Theft Auto.

Was Humphries a good dad? On and off. His fourth wife is Lizzie, the daughter of the poet Sir Stephen Spender. They have been married for 27 years. Is he a good husband? I think I am. So why did the first three marriages go wrong? Because I didnt know what to do. I was very clever in some areas and very stupid in others. Most people would agree that I was not ready for marriage or early parenthood. But Ive come round to it. Ive survived in health and career. Ive lived a very happy life. Ive got two little grand-twins now, too.

Was it difficult being a father when he was always on the move to theatres or television studios? Yes. When people ask for my address I say, Business class lounge, terminal five, praying for an upgrade.

Can he not afford a first-class ticket of his own? Im very extravagant. And lazy. And quite well off, but not brilliantly.

Humphries struggled with alcoholism in his younger days and his son Oscar has written about going through the same. Oscar had this illness. Has it. And hes doing very well. Hes an abstainer. Hes about to get married. Im very proud of him.

An invitation looked unlikely last year, when the groom took to social media to complain he had been cut out of the will  and told at his own engagement party. Changing my name. F*** you for disinheriting me. I never wanted the little bit of money anyway. He later deleted the post and said it was an in-joke with a friend. Dad was invited to the wedding in March after all.

Are they close again now? Ive always been very close to him. It must hurt when a son goes public with his grievances against the father? It is hurtful. Youve just got to see its part of an illness, you know? I didnt have a phone number I could ring to complain about my parents. I didnt have a young Rupert Murdoch to call up.

Maybe not, but he did get a kind of revenge on his mothers stifling suburban ways by creating Dame Edna in her image, at least initially. I denied all connection, until it began to appear inevitable. I would see the roots of that character in her and in her sisters: Melbourne suburban aunties in the Fifties. In order to create a character who mercilessly satirises my childhood, I began to understand their point of view.

Barry Humphries and Lizzie Spender attend a service to celebrate Rupert Murdoch's marriage to Jerry Hall in 2016

What did she say when she came to see his performances? I dont think she ever did. She would have said something like, Why must you always draw attention to yourself? Which is true.

He laughs, but there is sadness in it. I have to laugh in retrospect, you know. It is painful. And it was painful.

His childhood is when an unlikely obsession with German cabaret began.

I was brought up in a city [Melbourne] that pretends to be in the Home Counties of England, or did in those days. We had elm trees. We didnt have aborigines. The first kangaroo I ever saw was at Whipsnade Zoo, when I came to England. We had Winston Churchill on the calendar behind the kitchen door. But at school there were a couple of boys who didnt have to attend chapel, and it turned out they were part of a very small quota of Jews allowed at Melbourne Grammar School.

Young Humphries became very close friends with some of those boys. One was born in Vienna in 1934, the same year as myself. Im happy to say hes still alive and a friend. But I learned a little bit about central Europe from them. My mother used to say, Barry, we dont know where you came from. That was a worrying remark.

Humphries was fiercely clever, precocious and  as his mother made no secret of thinking  odd. Jewish friends of mine would say, Are you sure your mother wasnt Jewish? So in a way, I subsequently felt in myself I felt I was a kind of Holocaust survivor.

Does he mean he felt an affinity with the families of his friends?

Yes. And also there was a refugee woman down the street who gave me stamps with pictures of Hitler on them. They were on letters from her husband in Germany. Suddenly the letters stopped, and we know what conclusion to draw from that.

His friends parents played recordings from the Twenties Berlin scene, which was satirical, sexy, avant-garde and rebellious. Performers took on flamboyant alter egos to say things that could not otherwise be said  which is pretty much what Humphries has done all his life.

The Nazis crushed cabaret culture when they came to power. In the second-hand bookshops of Melbourne I came across sheet music brought to Australia by German refugees, by composers Id not heard of. Their reputations were completely obliterated by the Nazis.

When Dame Edna retired, Humphries went back to his first love. I dug up that sheet music again and got an orchestra in Australia to create a little concert, which I annotate with personal stories.

Hes working with the Aurora Orchestra and the cabaret star Meow Meow to perform the songs in the UK. Im a great enthusiast for the music, for the insolence it expresses  defiance, says Humphries. I think it resonates for us now because theres a lot of fear in the air, behind the gaiety. Theres real uncertainty. People now fear for their jobs and worry about war and the rise of extremism just as they did in the Twenties, he says. You never know when its all going to come crashing down. And anyway, God can make me redundant any time!

Humphries is given an OBE at Buckingham Palace. He is still the flamboyant survivor of Sixties Soho who cant help saying outrageous things and getting away with it

Now hes switched to talking about himself rather than the state of the world, so what does he think will happen when he dies? The awful thing is, therell probably be a bit of a tribute. And theyll put together things that I perhaps would prefer were not included.

Such as? Jokes that went wrong. And theyll be talking about what they love to talk about: I stopped drinking alcohol 45 years ago, but they still go on about my battle with booze. All I would say is, it wasnt a battle. It was a defeat. Thank God.

He stopped drinking after a near-death experience in a mental institution in the Seventies. I said this is not on the menu for me. Youre a total atheist until youre in a foxhole and the bombs are dropping.

How does he think he will be remembered? I really dont care, he insists, I have no control over that.

I believe him. This is Humphries like we never see him, open and vulnerable  but now its time to walk to the photo-shoot and he hauls himself up, pulls down the brim of his fedora and strides off. Hes back in character: as Barry Humphries, the larger-than-life comic with a taste for sexy German jazz, a flamboyant survivor of Sixties Soho who cant help saying outrageous things and  mostly, even in this day and age  getting away with it.

Barry Humphries Weimar Cabaret is at the Barbican Theatre, July 11-29, barbican.org.uk
Michelle Keegan has always played tough roles. Her acting debut on Coronation Street was as feisty shop worker Tina McIntyre, and today shes best known as Army medic corporal Georgie Lane in the gritty BBC1 military drama Our Girl.

But if the 30-year-old Mancunian actress takes pride in the fact that she herself comes from a long line of strong northern women, she had no idea how deeply that toughness was embedded in her genes.

It was only during the filming of Who Do You Think You Are?, the television show where genealogists help celebrities trace their roots, that she learned her great-great-grandmother Elizabeth fought for womens rights alongside suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.

The 30-year-old Mancunian actress Michelle Keegan takes pride in the fact that she herself comes from a long line of strong northern women

I had always wanted to find out more about my ancestry because of my maternal grandmothers roots in Gibraltar and Italy, Keegan explains. So when the programme-makers approached me, I jumped at the chance.

We had been filming in Italy and the producers suddenly said we were going back to Manchester. I had no idea why. Then they showed me a 1911 census where my great-great-grandfather John had signed my great-great-grandmothers occupation as suffragette.

He was very proud and supportive of her  he also supported womens right to vote, which was very unusual at the time.

I felt incredibly proud and very emotional. I knew my great-grandmother Nora, but no one had ever mentioned this fact about Elizabeth. Elizabeth is also my middle name so I really feel very strongly connected to her.

When Keegan first saw that an E Pankhurst had been the local registrar for her great-grandmother Noras birth certificate, in 1904, she did not immediately recognise the significance of the link.

Then one of the producers said, Thats Emmeline Pankhurst, a leader of the suffragettes.

It turned out that like Emmeline, Elizabeth had been on the militant side of the suffragette movement  the side that rebelled, went on hunger strikes and got the press on their side to make a difference and win the vote. Its something I had no idea about. It was buried in our family history.

Today Keegan is best known as Army medic corporal Georgie Lane in the gritty BBC1 military drama Our Girl

It makes sense, though: my auntie Paula, who was in the Navy and is herself a strong woman, used to describe Elizabeth as a matriarch of the community up here, even as an old woman.

She was someone the neighbours went to when they had troubles. Shed listen to their problems. She even looked after everyones rent money.

I believe in fate and I think theres a reason I did the show this year. It marks 100 years since women got the vote and for me that was really important. Sadly we dont have any photographs of Elizabeth, but it makes me proud to think she fought so hard to get the vote for women.

Beneath her glamorous exterior (she was voted FHM magazines sexiest woman in the world in 2015 and has her own clothing line), Keegan also has a core of steel  recently filming the fourth series of Our Girl in the jungles of Malaysia, lugging a 50kg backpack in high humidity and 40C heat.

She trained at Sandhurst to prepare for the role and worked to learn the skills not only of a soldier but also those of a medic.

Im fitter than Ive ever been, she says. But in an age when an actresss job is no longer limited to the time in front of the cameras, or the red carpet, it has been learning what she should share with the public that has been one of the greatest challenges.

Im very aware of the impact of social media now  it comes with growing up in the public eye, she says. Im very aware of what I say and understand that it can be very influential. All I talk about on those platforms now is work. I keep my private life private.

Keegans greatgrandparents with her grandmother as a baby

Im lucky I have such a strong family, and great friends  nine of my girlfriends Ive known since I was little, and if Im away we stay constantly in touch. When I get back the first thing we do is all get together. It keeps me grounded.

Keegan, who appeared in Coronation Street from 2008 to 2014, has also found the constant scrutiny over the health of her marriage to Mark Wright  a former TOWIE star now working in Los Angeles as a TV presenter  something of a trial.

She admits its hard being apart (they try to see each other every three weeks) but doesnt understand the media refusal to accept that her career is also important to her. Why cant a newly married woman go off and do her job and a husband go off and do his? she says.

She believes women today really can have it all, and her advice to young women in the industry today (and no, she doesnt want to enter the #MeToo debate) is to grow a thick skin. Dont let comments on social media affect you. People make their awful comments hiding behind computers and phones. Dont listen to them.

Like her great-great-grandmother, Keegan is fiercely supportive of womens rights.

I would definitely describe myself as a feminist, she says. I believe in equality for women everywhere. Strong women support each other.

Our Girl returns on Tuesday and Keegans Who Do You Think You Are? episode is on Wednesday, both at 9pm on BBC1
The Museum Of Lost Art

Noah Charney

Phaidon 19.95

Rating:

Shelleys most famous poem is about a traveller who discovers a shattered statue in the middle of a barren desert. Once upon a time, the statue had been the centre point of a great city, but the city is now in ruins beneath the sand. The inscription on the pedestal of the statue reads:

My name is Ozymandias, king of kings,

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!

But this broken memorial is all that is left:

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.

The idea of an entire city obliterated may seem bizarre, but in fact there are many examples of such an event. For instance, Pompeii was buried by a volcano, and in 1945 Dresden was largely destroyed by bombs. In the past few decades, traces of 80 lost Mayan cities have been discovered beneath the forests of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

The Eruption Of Vesuvius by Pierre-Jacques Volaire, destroying Pompeii. The idea of an entire city obliterated may seem bizarre, but in fact there are many examples of such an event

On a more local level, just up the road from my home in Suffolk lies the village of Dunwich. Nowadays, its population numbers barely 200, but in the 13th century it was an international port, on a par with London. Over the years, repeated storms swept its buildings into the sea, among them all eight churches.

Nothing lasts for ever. As Stuart Kelly wrote in his much more thoughtful work, The Book Of Lost Books (2005), our entire world is only finite. All matter will eventually be spread as fine, interstellar dust, or concentrated in a black holes gorged interior. Loss is not an anomaly, or a deviation, or an exception. It is the norm. It is the rule. It is inescapable.

Borrowing a leaf from Kellys Lost Books, Noah Charney has compiled a book about all the art that has been and gone. Imagine a Museum of Lost Art, he begins. It would contain more masterpieces than all the worlds museums combined. Oh, yes? At first, this struck me as a monstrous overstatement, but, as one tots up the damage from theft, war, wanton destruction and natural disasters, one begins to realise that he may well have a point.

Students battle to save the books of the Florence Library after the flood of 1966. Up to three million books and manuscripts destroyed, and 14,000 works of art

The Museum Of Lost Art is a rag-bag of bits and pieces about pictures, sculptures and buildings that have disappeared from the face of the Earth. It is full of interesting material, ranging from potted biographies of master burglars to a resume of the damage inflicted on the city of Florence by the flood of 1966 (up to three million books and manuscripts destroyed, and 14,000 works of art). But it lacks focus or any clear intention: often it seems that Charney has bunged something in simply because it interested him, regardless of whether it had anything to do with the book.

For instance, he devotes four pages to his hazy, modish thoughts (the first post-modernist work of art) on Velazquezs Las Meninas, for no better reason than that this great masterpiece was ALMOST destroyed by a palace fire in 1734. Elsewhere, he rambles on about Camelot, which never existed. Of course, one of the troubles with an illustrated book about lost art is that most of the content cannot be illustrated, and perhaps his deviations were driven by pictorial requirements. Nevertheless, his choice of subject matter remains too random, his thoughts too unfocused.

Sometimes, he just writes gibberish. Of the destruction of the Twin Towers, he says: The buildings themselves did nothing objectionable  it was what they represented (or, in this case, what people did while inside them). He is never tempted to shy away from the blindingly obvious. At one point, he writes: Just because an object had the bad luck to have been lost or destroyed, by man or by nature, does not mean its place in history was insignificant. And at another: The desire to own rare objects of beauty and skilled craftsmanship gives artworks a value beyond the sum of their component parts. Well, whod have thought it!

His prose can be cumbersome, to say the least. Sometimes, I found myself having to read a particular passage two or three times, just to work out what he was trying to say. Try this, for instance: We will never know how many works were discarded or recycled by artists over the centuries without a second thought, in search of art that represents the way the artist wishes to be seen now, garnishing the historical record of their work. Sadly, he fails to tell the story of Francis Bacon asking an assistant to go back to his studio and destroy the sub-standard canvas on the left wall, and the assistant, muddling left and right, destroying the wrong one.

Van Goghs Portrait Of Dr Gachet, which is thought to have been cremated with its Japanese owner

The brief chapters follow an irritating format, beginning with an italicised paragraph written in the present tense  Christmas Eve in the Alcazar, 1734. Most of the occupants are at midnight mass  and then whizzing back into the past tense, and normal type. Then the original subject is summarily dropped, to make way for a breathless medley of other examples on the same theme  in this case, the Great Fire of Rome, the not unwelcome destruction of Tracey Emins grotty tent in the Momart fire of 2004, and so on  before, some pages later, returning to 1734 and the Alcazar.

Theres plenty here to keep one interested, from King Henry VIIIs blingy Field of the Cloth of Gold, with a pop-up palace 100m long, and the Kings armour decorated with 2,000oz of gold and 1,100 pearls, to Danny Boyles ramshackle opening ceremony for the London Olympics. On the other hand, much of this has very little to do with Lost Art. Why include the Olympics opening ceremony, for instance? Performance art appears briefly, only to vanish, argues Charney, and the Olympics ceremony is, he says, preserved only in pictures. In fact, it is also preserved on film, and millions have already watched it on YouTube. In fact, it has not been lost at all.

Some works of art have vanished in the most peculiar ways. In 1990, a Japanese businessman called Ryoei Saito bought Van Goghs Portrait Of Dr Gachet for $82.5 million, and then announced that, after his death, he wished it to be cremated alongside him. There followed understandable outrage from the art world, and then Mr Saitos spokesman said that he hadnt really meant it to be taken literally. But he died in 1996, and the painting hasnt been seen since.

Tracey Emins tent, which was lost in the Momart warehouse fire.

More famously, Sir Winston Churchills widow set fire to Graham Sutherlands merciless portrait of the great man, though not, as it happens, the version that is illustrated in Charneys book.

What is one meant to make of it all? Charney doesnt seem to be sure. His conclusion is headed LOST IS JUST ANOTHER WORD FOR WAITING TO BE FOUND, which may be true of a lot of stolen art, but certainly isnt true of art that has gone up in flames, or been destroyed in floods. Nor does he ever acknowledge that some art may be worth losing: in 1981, the sculptor Richard Serra erected a hideous 120ft-long, 12ft-tall steel wall across a plaza in Manhattan, which meant that residents had to walk round it to get anywhere. After a ruckus, a jury voted to dismantle it. Its now in storage, with Serra huffily declaring that hell never let it be seen again. Fair enough, but pity the poor storage workers, having to walk an extra 120 yards every time they feel like going for a cup of tea.
Scully

4 St Jamess Market,

London SW1Y 4AH

for the food:

Rating:

for St Jamess Market:

Rating:

Chickpeas. A small bowl of them, warm and just firm. Scented with curry leaves, a fat grunt of chilli and a pert citrus kick. The spicing is sublime: Madhya Pradesh small-town street corner, 40 years in the business, eternal queues, chana masala wallah good. Its one of those dishes that belt the words clean out of ones gob, transforming dumbstruck, awed silence into the broadest of silly grins. Two cynical restaurant critics, so delighted by these lovely legumes that the usual flow of lurid gossip is brought temporarily to a halt. Yup, that good. A dish of stripped-back, almost primal simplicity that manages to be both subtle and bold. As first impressions go, its lust as first sight.

The room is pleasant enough, with its shelves crammed with sauces, fish and soy, a pile of classic cookbooks and endless jars filled with fermented this and pickled that

Because Ramael Scully is one hell of a cook, no doubt about that. Maybe its something to do with being born in Malaysia and raised in Sydney, to a mother of Chinese/Indian descent, and an Irish/Balinese father. The sort of cross-cultural roots of which most chefs can but dream. Or the six years spent as head chef at Yotam Ottolenghis Nopi, a place where cuisines are swapped and shared with the same merry abandon as a Surrey Swingers ball. Or a surfeit of pulsing raw talent, with a palate paved in gold. Probably, though, its a combination of them all.

Sometimes, his dishes feel like some vast and noisy culinary sound clash, which could, in lesser hands, jar. Puffed beef tendon, like a huge, crisp bovine Quaver, comes with a cool, luscious oyster mayonnaise and an intense, umami-drenched, Thai prik-like tomato dip. A beautifully cooked piece of monkfish, muscular, firm and pure, comes topped with a splodge of honking, intensely fishy, lustily spicy sambal belacan, the sort youd find in a Malay food court, with all the rough edges left very much intact. It sits in a splendid and lip-puckeringly sour broth that takes me back to Sri Lankan shores. Vegetables are treated with equal aplomb  charred white sprouting broccoli comes enveloped in a thick, rich hug of salted egg yolk sauce, the sharp slap of Chinese black vinegar there to stop things getting too hot and heavy. And just when things seem overwhelmingly big, bold and booming, he pulls back and delivers the most elegant and delicate of pea and broad bean salads, with cumulus-light ricotta and pickled smoky aubergine, and the nimblest of dressings that gathers it all together. Then an early-season tomato salad, with shards of fresh coconut and green strawberries, packed with unexpected flavour, and drenched in a sour sweet tomato shrub that demands to be slurped. The whole dish pogoes merrily around the mouth, a fruit reveille wake-up call.

Not everything thrills. It rarely does. Deep-fried baby artichokes are decent, but the black shallot aioli, while looking suitably gothic, lacks an allium punch. While short-rib pastrami is wonderfully peppery, and a fine piece of cured meat, but the pistachio pesto stuff is cloying. Still, theres so much more to try. Halibut, wild garlic, vadouvan for a start. Service is charming, if occasionally a little too enthusiastic. I dont much like being called my friend. Even by my friends. Especially by my friends.

Candied butternut, cabbage sambal, apple shrub. Service is charming, if occasionally a little too enthusiastic

The room is pleasant enough, with its shelves crammed with sauces, fish and soy, a pile of classic cookbooks and endless jars filled with fermented this and pickled that. Although, with its open kitchen, blond wood, exposed vents and tattooed forearms, it is little different from its ilk, east London, Brighton and Bristol alike. Theres the usual vast fridge in the corner, too, with a glass door  a sexy side of beef on one side, and the biggest monkfish Ive ever seen, a brute of a beast winking its wanton wares. Not unlike the red light district of Amsterdam.

So why am I not totally besotted by the place? Scully is a rare talent, and I cant wait to eat more of his food. He runs a tight ship too.

Nope, the problem is where it sits, in the desolate St Jamess Market, the culinary equivalent of Dredds Cursed Earth.

This is the dead zone, no mans land, a contrived confection of a new London square, a place where great restaurants (Ikoyi) sit criminally underused, and others (Veneta) merely slip away into oblivion. He has to get out, before its too late. The food may be fantastic, but this place will devour your soul.

About 45 per head

What Tom ate last week

Tuesday

To the funeral of Reg Gadney, a truly great Renaissance man. Sandwiches and negronis after, then lunch at 45 Jermyn St.

Wednesday

Dinner at Barshu, Soho. The usual smacked cucumbers, boiled beef, hot and numbing beef and king prawns.

Thursday

Dinner with my editor at Roka in Aldywch. Sea urchin nigiri, o toro and chu toro sashimi.

Friday

To Ravenscourt Park and my kids school picnic. Salami baps, cherry tomatoes, Quavers. Then off to dinner at The Wolseley with the children.
The most controversial couple in Australian politics could have secured a tell-all interview for double the amount they settled for.

Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion last week accepted $150,000 from Channel 7 for participating in their first interview since the scandal was revealed earlier this year.

The former deputy prime minister came under fire when it was revealed he was having an affair with his former staffer - ending his 24 year marriage - who later gave birth to their son Sebastian.

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The most controversial couple (Vikki Campion left and Barnaby Joyce right) in Australian politics could have secured a tell-all interview for double the amount they settled for

Mr Joyce (pictured) last week accepted $150,000 from Channel 7 for participating in their first interview since the scandal was revealed earlier this year

The former deputy prime minister came under fire when it was revealed he was having an affair with his former staffer (Ms Campion pictured) who later gave birth to their son Sebastian

The Nine Network reportedly offered the new parents up to $300,000 for the highly sought after interview, Sydney Morning Herald reported.

However, Seven's Sunday Night program had already sealed the deal for a figure half that size.

'Seven had been chipping away at this for months. It wasn't just about the money, it was about the fact Seven started negotiating first and built up trust (with Mr Joyce and Ms Campion),' an insider told the publication.

Ms Campion's father, Peter Campion, revealed the lump sum went to a trust account for the five-week old's future 'health and education' including school fees, Cairns Post reported.

'Channel Nein (sic) didn't lose a bidding war with Seven because the story wasn't offered to anyone,' Mr Campion said.

'Nein's (sic) negativity is a fat, festering bunch of sour grapes because it wasn't their idea.

The Nine Network reportedly offered the new parents up to $300,000 for the highly sought after interview but the deal was already signed with Channel 7

Insiders revealed that 'Seven had been chipping away at this (tell-all interview) for months'

'Seven had the idea to explore the story and made Vikki an offer for the privilege, which she accepted.'

Mr Joyce was slammed for accepting money for the interview, despite asking for privacy earlier in the year, and has since taken personal leave where he is expected to return to Parliament in August.

The controversial couple are expected to reveal details of their relationship and their side of the story on Sunday Night months after the political scandal first broke.

Mr Joyce (pictured with Ms Campion) was slammed for accepting money for the interview, despite asking for privacy earlier in the year, and has since taken personal leave

Since the affair was revealed, the 51-year-old (pictured with Ms Campion) quit his Nationals leader position which left him with a pay cut from $416,000 to $203,000

The affair left Mr Joyce estranged from his wife of 24 years and four adult daughters.

The 51-year-old then quit his Nationals leader position which left him with a pay cut from $416,000 to $203,000.

Despite the publicly painful turmoil of her boyfriend, Ms Campion, said it was the price for love.

'I couldn't help it. You can't help who you fall in love with,' the 33-year-old said.

The highly anticipated tell-all interview will air Sunday, 8.30pm.
A loophole in Australia's breast cancer screening program allows foreign tourists to get free mammograms by simply walking into unregulated screening vans at the taxpayer's expense.

Women on holiday or visiting family in Australia are not required to provide a GP's referral nor a Medicare card, a Saturday Telegraph investigation revealed.

With mammograms in some Asian countries difficult to access and costing hundred of dollars, some women are exploiting the free service and even recruiting relatives from China.

A loophole in Australia's breast cancer screening program allows foreign tourists to get free mammograms by simply walking into unregulated screening vans (pictured) at the taxpayer's expense

Australia's mobile van BreastScreen program allows women to access the service, needing only to provide basic details and a local mailing address for results.

However, Cancer Institute NSW CEO and former Cancer Australia head Professor David Currow told Daily Mail Australia the mobile screening process was deliberately designed to promote ease of access for women.

'The service was set up to encourage women to participate and directly access the service without referrals ... to make the process as simple as possible,' he said.

'There are enough barriers to screening anyway.'

One woman, Sonia Kim, told the Telegraph she had never been asked for ID to access the service at a BreastScreen van in Strathfield in Sydney's inner-west.

Since the loophole has been exposed, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt (pictured) launched an inquiry on Friday to enforce strict eligibility requirements

'I heard ... that women on holiday here from different countries and non-permanent residents were using the service for free,' Ms Kim, a 56-year-old sales manager said.

Since the loophole has been exposed, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt launched an inquiry on Friday to enforce strict eligibility requirements.

'Mr Hunt has written to state and territory governments, asking them to review their own screening programs to ensure only eligible patients receive testing.' Mr Hunt's spokesman said.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he would take 'appropriate action' to close the loophole.

Another patient revealed she made her appointment over the phone, filling in the form when she arrived.





'The vans are great as you don't need to go to a surgery and wait to see a doctor, they park up near you,' she said.

'The counsellor said that most of these people bringing their relatives over are from China.

With mammograms in some Asian countries difficult to access and costing hundred of dollars, some women are exploiting the free service and even recruiting relatives from China

'It seems like these people realise they can get away with it, so they bring their relatives over here for a free mammogram.'

This is the first time the problem has been raised through official channels, Cancer Institute NSW CEO and former Cancer Australia head Professor David Currow said.

However, because no data has been collected due to the fact that women do not need to prove their residency or citizenship, the extent of the problem could not be quantified, he said.

Australia spends an estimated $287.7 million on BreastScreen each year.

Each state and territory manage their own scheme and there are no requirements from women to prove their residency or citizenship.

China specifically has no national breast screening program and mammograms cost upwards of $200.
A cow tied to the back of a trailer pulled by a ute has led to a grim discovery and a man being charged with shocking animal cruelty offences.

The 67-year-old man from the New South Wales mid-north coast will face court on two counts of convey animal unjustifiably inflict pain and being in charge of an animal fail to provide vet treatment.

Confronting images of the cows have emerged, including one of a calf that had succumbed to negligent treatment.

Police attended the man's property after they received images of a cow strapped to a trailer

The gruesome discoveries led to several charges being laid

On May 19th 2018, a concerned member of the public slowed down on the A1 Pacific Highway near Clybucca to confirm a vehicle was transporting a cow in a box trailer southbound.

Worried for the welfare of the cow and other travellers, police say the witness began taking 'a series of photographs of the accused vehicle and cow seated in the trailer.'

The matter was taken to police for further investigation.

In response to the allegations, Rural Crime Investigators working in the Mid North Coast jurisdiction approached the man at his Aldavilla property, near Kempsey.

A witness slowed on the freeway to take pictures of the cow in question (pictured)

She was concerned for the welfare of the cow (pictured) and safety of other road users

It was at this stage two cows were located, deceased, within a machinery shed.

Two others were in poor condition and had to be euthanised.

The cow that had been spotted in the trailer down the highway was one of the deceased, along with its calf.

The RSPCA were notified.

The man is due to appear in Kempsey Local Court on Monday 16 July 2018.
A burger joint has come under fire for being racist after naming one of its patties with a defamatory term given to Asians.

The 'Ching Chong burger' at Johnny's Burgers in Perth has caused controversy for it's racially insensitive name.

In a Facebook post the owner, Johnny Wong, said the burger had been on the menu for three years and is inspired by his Malaysian roots.

The Ching Chong burger (pictured) at Johnny's burger's in Perth has come under fire for it's racially insensitive name

The burger has apparently been on the menu (pictured) at the restaurant for three years

But local Lisa Chappell has stated an online petition to see the name removed, labelling it as offensive.

'Johnny's Burger joint serves up an extra side dish that is frowned upon by many. Racism!' she said.

'The offensively named Ching Chong Burger has sat proudly on Johnny's menu for many years, however enough is enough!'

'Help us stand up to racism and force Johnny's Burger Joint to remove this burger from their laminated menus.'

Ms Chappell visited the restaurant in April and was disgusted to find 'The Ching Chong' burger on the menu.

The mother-of two says she had wanted to leave after she saw it but her children had already opened their drinks.

She spoke to a girl at the counter who apparently apologised for the offensive burger name.

The restaurant has defended the burger name on social media, saying it is inspired by Johnny's Malaysian heritage

The petition for the restaurant (pictured) to change the name has received almost 100 signatures

Ms Chappell then got in contact with Mr Wong who refused to rename the burger.

The petition, which was started several weeks ago, has over 80 signatures.

Fans of the burger name have pushed back online claiming that because Mr Wong is of Asian decent he has the right to call his burger 'Ching Chong.'

The debate over if the restaurant should change the name of the burger has become heated, with one local personally attacking Ms Chappell online

Some have also made personal attacks at Ms Chappell calling her a 'half wit.'

In a Facebook post the restaurant thanked those who have offered their support during the controversy.

'We've recently received an overwhelming response of awesome messages that has inspired us to keep on doing what were doing,' they said.

Johnny's Burgers declined to comment when contacted by Daily mail Australia.
DNA from a tissue left in a trash can led authorities in April to arrest former police officer Joseph DeAngelo on suspicion of being California's notorious, elusive Golden State Killer, according to warrants released on Friday

DNA from a tissue left in a trash can led authorities in April to arrest a former police officer suspected of being California's notorious, elusive Golden State Killer, according to warrants released on Friday.

Documents released by a judge at the request of news outlets detail the case Sacramento County sheriff's investigators pieced together to obtain arrest and search warrants for 72-year-old Joseph DeAngelo, Jr, who is now facing murder charges in multiple counties.

DNA collected from the door handle of a car DeAngelo was seen exiting in Sacramento on April 18, and voluntary submission of DNA to private genetics testing and analysis companies also played a role in DeAngelo's arrest.

DeAngelo is suspected of terrorizing California by committing at least a dozen killings, roughly 50 rapes and over 100 burglaries throughout the 1970s and '80s, across the state.

In total, 123 pages of documents were released by Judge Michael Sweet, over the objection of DeAngelo's defense team.

DeAngelo appears here in Sacramento Superior Court on Friday in Sacramento, California

To crack the investigation that's been ongoing for 40 years, police zeroed in on DeAngelo by using genealogical websites to identify potential relatives of the killer based on DNA collected at a crime scene.

Investigators used DNA from a semen sample collected at the double murder of Lyman and Charlene Smith in 1980 in Ventura County to find one of DeAngelo's relatives and eventually the suspect himself, according to the warrants.

The crime scene DNA was entered into private DNA testing and analysis databases that are intended, in part, to find relatives and assess ancestry. Once a distance relative was matched to that DNA, detectives told The Los Angeles Times that they were able to close in on DeAngelo based on his age, employment and close proximity to the location of many of the Golden State Killer's crimes.

DeAngelo stands with his attorney Joe Cress (left) in a Sacramento, California jail court on Tuesday, locked in a cell

Cress stands next to his client DeAngelo appears in Sacramento Superior Court on Friday

After identifying DeAngelo as a suspect, investigators followed him to a Hobby Lobby located just outside of Sacramento in Roseville, and took a swab from the door handle of a car he exited on April 18.

The door handle sample matched DNA from semen found at a Golden State Killer crime scene, but didn't immediately lead to an arrest.

The reliability of so-called 'touch DNA,' which is how the industry refers to DNA collected when only a few human cells are left behind when someone touches an object, has been an issue of controversy among forensic experts.

Five days after the 'touch DNA' was gathered into evidence, investigators collected trash from cans left outside DeAngelo's home in Citrus Heights, California.

A piece of tissue plucked from the trash on April 23 proved to be the piece of evidence they needed to obtain an arrest warrant, according to the documents.

Sacramento County Sheriff officers take evidence bags out of the home of DeAngelo, in Citrus Heights, California on April 25

Authorities dig in the backyard of DeAngelo's home in Citrus Heights, California on April 26

DeAngelo was arrested on April 24 and has since been charged with 12 counts of murder in Sacramento, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Orange counties. Prosecutors haven't yet decided where he'll be tried.

Following his arrest, investigators began searching DeAngelo's house, vehicles and storage locker, as well as his computer and cellphone for anything else that may tie him to the dozens of murders and rapes he's suspected of committing.

Authorities said the Golden State Killer stole dozens of rings, watches, cufflinks and tie pins from his targets over the years that detectives hoped to find, along with an odd assortment of items that included women's purses, cameras, jewelry made from coins, china, a clock radio and a wooden bowl.

He also took drivers' licenses, photographs and other identification from his victims, according to the documents.

Detectives also hoped the killer might have kept three blunt objects containing blood, tissue and hair from four victims who were beaten to death. One of the weapons is described as 'possibly a metal sprinkler head.'

It's not clear what was recovered from the searches because a judge ruled that those records should remain sealed.

Law enforcement authorities process evidence at the home of suspected 'Golden State Killer' Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, in Citrus Heights, California on April 25

Sheriffs deputies are seen in front of the home of DeAngelo in Citrus Heights on April 25

These ski masks were collected from the home of DeAngelo and are believed to have been worn during many crimes perpetrated by the man suspected of being the Golden State Killer

The documents that were released said that through matching DNA, detectives were able to tie rapes in Northern California to several murders in Southern California, that had otherwise seemed unrelated and had kept authorities guessing for years.

The heavily redacted affidavits recounted chilling behavior by the Golden State Killer. The Sacramento County district attorneys office noted that the overwhelming majority of the material redacted was blacked out at the request of DeAngelos public defenders.

The documents told the story of how neighbors of Brian and Katie Maggiore reported numerous silent or lewd phone calls before the double murder of the Maggiores in Sacramento in 1978.

A 25-year-old woman in the community reported finding shoe prints outside her bedroom window and drawings in what appeared to be bodily fluids, according to the affidavit.

The Maggiores were shot while on a walk one evening. The attacker then fled, running through multiple neighbors' yards. To one, he said, 'Excuse me, I'm trespassing,' the documents state.

Authorities said the Golden State Killer stole dozens of rings, watches, cufflinks and tie pins from his targets over the years that detectives hoped to find

Suspected 'Golden State Killer' Joseph James DeAngelo, is seen at right while he was a police officer in 1979

A file photo of DeAngelo while working for the Simi Valley Police Department is seen here

The documents details how another couple was found beaten to death with a fireplace log in Ventura, and another was shot to death while tied up in Santa Barbara County.

The killer was known to be prone to 'explosive violence' when cornered, and once confronted by police or neighbors, he tended to never again attack within that same jurisdiction, the documents said.

Descriptions provided by those neighbors helped investigators draw their first composite sketch of the killer.

DeAngelo was a member of the police force for small towns in California until 1979, at which time he was fired for shoplifting a hammer and dog repellent in the city of Auburn. After that he spent decades working as a truck mechanic, living just north of Sacramento in a suburb, amidst the communities that had been rocked by sexual assaults and killings that are now attributed to the Golden State Killer.

DeAngelo has already been charged with the fatal shootings of the Maggiores in Sacramento and 10 more counts of murder in three other counties.

Detectives also accuse DeAngelo of a 13th killing, the fatal shooting of Claude Snelling in 1975 in Visalia, in the documents.
Gunman Andrew Newton (pictured in 1976) is still alive, his friend has told MailOnline

The real-life story behind the BBC drama into the Jeremy Thorpe scandal has taken a new twist after a MailOnline investigation.

The three-part series which concludes on Sunday evening and stars Hugh Grant as Thorpe tells how a gunman shot a dog dead while attempting to murder Liberal leader Thorpes lover Norman Scott.

Police had said they believed the gunman Andrew Newton had died and an investigation of a police cover-up in the 1970s was closed.

But detectives have re-opened the probe into the attack on former male model Norman Scott after MailOnline established that Newton is alive and living secretly under an alias in London.

Gwent police said they had believed that Newton had died although no death certificate had been located.

The matter is also the subject of a Panorama documentary on BBC Four on Sunday night.

But after MailOnline confirmed through two sources that Newton, who uses the alias Hann Redwin, was living in secret in London, police said they would be re-opening the probe.

Gwent police sources said despite previous enquiries leading them to believe Newton had passed away, new information had come to light that he was still living and his whereabouts were being sought.

The scandal surrounding Jeremy Thorpe (pictured) finished his political career and is the focus of a new BBC drama

Hugh Grant takes on the role of the Liberal leader in the drama, which is titled A Very English Scandal

We hope he can assist with the investigation said one Gwent Police source.

Former airline pilot Newton, 71, moved out of a 2million house in Chiswick, London, two years ago.

A neighbour who signed his mortgage papers as a witness said: We all knew about his past.'

The man - who wishes to remain anonymous - added: He was very popular with people in the street. He was very fond of going dancing and popular with the ladies.

Newton has kept up his love for flying and was also seen at an airport in Reigate, Surrey, with his close friend Patricia Frankham.

She confirmed to MailOnline that police were mistaken and that Newton was alive, adding: 'It was all so long ago. He doesnt want to say anything more. He says the truth will never come out. If it was, it would have at the trial (of Thorpe).

The botched attempt to kill Norman Scott (pictured) ended in a dog being shot by Andrew Newton instead

Newton has decided never to speak about the shooting of the dog and who put him up to it.

Gwent Police set up Operation Velum to investigate new claims in 2016 that vital evidence had been suppressed before the trial  and turned to Scott for help believing Newton had died.

His death was even reported in newspapers, but Newton never came forward to discount the theory.

Police will now attempt to speak to Newton to try and establish whether he can throw any light on the cover up claims.

Police and secret service were said to have hidden vital evidence into the shooting of Scotts dog. Scott managed to escape the gunman.

Former airline pilot Newton served two years in jail after being convicted of shooting dead a dog belonging to model Norman Scott - the homosexual lover of Thorpe, the former leader of the Liberal Party.

It was Newton's claim that he had been paid to kill Scott on the orders of Thorpe that led the politician and three other men being charged with conspiracy to murder in what was called the 'Trial of the Century'.

Thorpe and three others were found not guilty of conspiracy to murder at an Old Bailey trial in 1979.

Hugh Grant stars as Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe, who was sensationally acquitted of conspiracy to murder at the Old Bailey

It can be revealed that the airline pilot is still flying and keeps his light aircraft on a farm in the Surrey area having moved it from Redhill Aerodrome where he previously rented hangar space. He was described as 'decent man' who has been wrongly portrayed over the years, by one of his closest friends.

Rosalieve Dooley, who has known Newton for over 30 years, told MailOnline she is still in contact with him.

'Andrew is a very decent man and a highly intelligent man' she said. 'It is very wrong how people see him and he has always been very reluctant to speak up for himself. He has been portrayed wrongly in the past and I think this has hurt him.'

Former property developer Rosalieve, 68, of Heston, London, said she didn't think Newton had watched the BBC dramatisation of the Thorpe affair called 'A Very British Scandal.'

Former Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison plays the role of Newton in the BBC's take on the scandal as Hugh Grant plays Thorpe.

In the second episode, Newton is seen shooting a Great Dane called Rinka and his gun jams as he attempts to kill Scott on a deserted Exmoor National Park in Devon in 1975.

Jeremy Thorpe (pictured) was at the centre of the scandal that inspired the BBC drama

The portrayal of Newton, who was nicknamed 'Chicken Brains', brought back painful memories for twins Miranda and Claire Mayocras as their mother Caroline was in a relationship with Newton when she died in a fall climbing Mt. Eiger.

The 45-year-old divorcee had never climbed before when she set out on the treacherous mountain with Newton in Switzerland.

She plunged to her death while Newton, who had some climbing experience, survived.

An inquest into her death in 1993 was told Scotland Yard detectives had carried out an investigation as there appeared to be many unanswered questions.

Newton was cleared of any blame. The inquest was told Mayocras wasn't wearing a safety helmet and a Swiss hotelier had tried to persuade Newton not to attempt to climb the mountain as it was too dangerous and they did not have the right equipment.

Mayocras, an aerobics instructor, had no idea she would be mountain climbing only a few days before she left with Newton. Miranda told the inquest she had assumed her mother was going on a walking holiday in the Swiss Alps.

Her mother died from brain injuries after falling 900ft down the west face of the mountain when Newton lost his footing.

Miranda, then aged 18, told the West London inquest her mother had been 'dominated' by Newton and that she was scared about the climb and assumed they would be accompanied by a guide.

Scotland Yard liaised with Swiss Police as part of their investigation and ruled out any foul play.

Male model Norman Scott (pictured in 1979) was the lover of Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe

Coroner John Burton did not give a formal verdict on Mrs Mayocras's death as it occurred abroad but said she had died from a brain injury sustained in a fall.

The events of their mother's death and her relationship with Newton are still too painful for her twins Miranda and Claire to talk about.

'It is not something we ever talk about,' Miranda said. After appearing at the inquest Newton disappeared and began a relationship with property developer Rosalieve Dooley.

Patricia Frankham is the companion of Andrew Newton, who is also known as Hann Redwin

She told MailOnline Newton was one of her oldest friends and like many of his female companions have remained on good terms.

'Andrew is one of my oldest friends,' she said. 'I am not the only woman he has kept in contact with. To me he is a decent man.'

In a recent interview Norman Scott said he was the last surviving person involved in the Thorpe scandal.

The former Liberal leader died in 2014 and the three men who were charged with him have also passed away. Thorpe was sensationally acquitted on all charges but his political career was over.

Newton has made sure he has remained out of the public eye. The last documented mention of Newton was in 2015 magazine article for Pilot magazine in a feature on Redhill Airifield.

During the course of his visit journalist Nick Bloom mentions meeting Redwin and his companion Patricia Frankham. He said Redwin kept his Pipistrel motorised glider at the airfield and was an enthusiastic home builder of light aircraft.

Relatives of Ms Frankham told MailOnline Redwin had struck a deal to house his glider at a farm in the Surrey area.

Gwent Police said they were aware that Andrew Newton had changed his name to Hann Redwin.

'Enquiries were completed which indicated this individual was deceased.

'We have now revisited these enquiries and have identified information which indicates that Mr Newton / Redwin may still be alive.

'As a result, further enquiries will be conducted to trace Mr Newton / Redwin to assess if he is able to assist the investigation.

'Gwent Police has spoken to Norman Scott to inform him of this.'
Actress Jenny Seagrove has pulled out of a village fete  because it involves camel racing

Actress Jenny Seagrove has pulled out of a village fete  because it involves camel racing.

The 60-year-old  an ardent animal rights campaigner  is thought to have called it fundamentally wrong.

It is believed she sent an email saying she would not attend the annual jamboree organised by Ashtead Village Rotary Club in Surrey on June 8.

Woman of Substance star Miss Seagrove, who runs a horse sanctuary, had not been warned the fete included camel races.

Local councillor Patricia Wiltshire said: She wrote to organisers saying she was going to withdraw.

She feels like racing camels is fundamentally wrong.

But Rebecca Fossett, who runs the firm Josephs Amazing Camels, said the move was extremely unprofessional.

Miss Seagrove did not return calls for comment yesterday.
Charles Saumarez Smith, chief executive of the Royal Academy, said museums were becoming 'ageist'

Museums and galleries are trying so hard to attract the young that they are ignoring older visitors, an arts chief claimed yesterday.

Charles Saumarez Smith, chief executive of the Royal Academy, said even his own institution bowed to the ageist trend of valuing young people more highly.

Speaking at the Hay Festival, Mr Saumarez Smith, 64, said: A lot of the pressure from organisations like the Heritage Lottery Fund is to get young audiences.

But if you look at the demographic of the Friends [supporters of the RA], it tends to be older people who have the leisure time and inclination to come.

I have this issue constantly  we are constantly trying to promote the institution to a younger age group.

Yet, if I am honest, institutions are in danger of what I think occasionally and notice is an element of age discrimination  younger people good, older people not so good.

And being in the latter category myself, I am rather resistant to that.

Mr Saumarez Smith said the focus on the young and neglect of the older generation was prevalent even among the RAs own hierarchy.

Of a forthcoming BBC documentary, The Private Life of the Royal Academy, he said: I am conscious of the fact, and it was evident to me through the filming, that my communications team were extremely anxious to have as much of Tim [Marlow, the RAs artistic director], who is younger, more handsome and more televisual, and as little as possible of me.

Speaking at a festival in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, Mr Saumarez Smith, 64, said: Institutions are in danger of age discrimination  younger people good, older people not so good'

I only crept in by accident, giving them this guided tour at the beginning, and, when the film was shown, my director of communications thought, Hell, this shows an old man as chief executive.

Mark Bell, commissioning editor for BBC Arts, said: Cultural institutions including the BBC are acutely aware of this problem.

He added that he recognised it is older people who have time to go to the galleries and that attracting younger people to the arts is a challenge for our times.

Mr Saumarez Smith said the RA hopes to attract younger audiences by pulling in more tourists who tend to be younger and through more original shows from contemporary artists.

Among them is Marina Abramovic, a Serbian performance artist whose previous work includes the Lips of Thomas, which involved her cutting herself and lying naked on a block of ice.

She plans to put a charge of a million volts of electricity through herself at the RA in 2020. It will be the first time a woman has appeared in its main performance space.

Of the accusations of ageism, Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said last night: What [Mr Saumarez Smith] is saying might not be trendy or politically correct but its the absolute truth.

We do have an ageing population, wisdom comes with age and we need to value all our citizens equally.

He added that, in its RA documentary, the BBC should be making programmes that show impartially how we are as a country and not how theyd like us to be.
Families owe more than 200billion to the big High Street lenders on interest-only mortgages  sparking fears of a new debt timebomb.

Nearly a quarter of all mortgages from major banks and building societies are interest-only, analysis by the Mail reveals.

It means millions of customers face a huge bill when their loan term ends and they have to repay the initial amount they borrowed in a lump sum.

Families owe more than 200billion to the big High Street lenders on interest-only mortgages  sparking fears of a new debt timebomb

There are fears many will be forced to sell their homes. Experts also fear a slide in house prices if homes bought with interest-only money flood the market.

Interest-only mortgages were hugely popular in the 1990s and in the run up to the financial crisis. In 2006 they accounted for one in four home loans.

Jonathan Harris, of mortgage broker Anderson Harris, said: This is a timebomb. Im sure the problems are going to come home to roost as borrowers get to the end of their mortgage terms and are suddenly asked for the money back.

A lot of those people are going to be approaching retirement age  they wont have any options and they wont be able to refinance anywhere.

The banks may be forced to foreclose on these individuals and they could be perfectly decent people who have never missed a payment.
Davis' lawyer said that he did not know his friend, who pulled a gun out during the robbery, was carrying a weapon at the time of the incident

The judge in the case and prosecutor in the case said that the sentence was appropriate because a gun was used in the robbery

Davis was charged as an adult even though he was 15 when the crime was committed and his lawyer said he had no prior record

Dayonn Davis, 18, was sentenced this week to five year in prison followed by 10 years of probation

Dayonn Davis (pictured), 18, was sentenced this week to five year in prison followed by 10 years of probation

A judge and prosecutor said Friday that a five-year sentence given to a Georgia teen who stole a pair of $100 shoes was appropriate because a gun was used during the robbery.

Dayonn Davis, 18 was sentenced this week to five years in prison followed by 10 years of probation.

He was charged as an adult even though he was 15 when the crime was committed and his lawyer said he had no prior record.

Prosecutor Sadhana Dailey said in court that Davis contacted the owner of the Nike Oreos - so called because they're black and white - after seeing them for sale on Facebook, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

They arranged to meet at a Columbus park on Jan. 17, 2016.

Another male went with Davis to the meeting. When Davis tried the shoes on, he told the seller, 'These shoes is took.' The other male pulled out a gun and everyone fled, the newspaper reports.

'This was an armed robbery. It's not a theft. There's a big difference between a theft and an armed robbery,' Dailey told The Associated Press on Friday in a phone interview. 'The teen victim was robbed at gunpoint.'

Columbus police quickly identified Davis, who had the shoes in his closet.

A judge said Friday that the five-year sentence given Davis who stole a pair of Nike Oreos (pictured) was appropriate because a gun was used in the crime

Davis and an unidentified friend arranged to meet a shoe seller at Columbus' Shirley B. Winston Park, 5025 Steam Mill Road (pictured)

Davis initially told police no one else was involved but eventually gave a name, but the seller of the shoes couldn't identify the person in a photo lineup as the gunman, the newspaper reported.

Davis was charged with armed robbery and reached a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to robbery by force, which allowed him to avoid the mandatory 10-year sentence that comes with an armed robbery conviction, Dailey said.

'He got a break,' she said.

Muscogee County Superior Court Judge Bobby Peters (pictured) called the case an unfortunate situation and said he would rather it have been handled in juvenile court

Defense attorney Susan Henderson told Muscogee County Superior Court Judge Bobby Peters her client just wants to put the whole thing behind him and move on, the Ledger-Enquirer reported.

'He's been extremely remorseful,' she said. 'He's got his life on track now.'

She insisted Davis didn't know the other person would pull a gun. But the judge says that makes little difference in the eyes of the law.

'I was young at the time, so I wasn't in my right mind,' Davis told the judge.

Judge Peters called the case an unfortunate situation and told the AP he would rather it have been handled in juvenile court. Dailey said it was appropriate to charge Davis as an adult because of the seriousness of the crime.

Peters told the AP that Davis will likely be released on parole before completing his five-year sentence. Because it's a first offense, Davis' record can be expunged if he successfully completes probation, Peters said.

No one else has been charged in the case. It's not clear whether the person Davis identified as the gunman was actually the other person who was there, Dailey said.
Majid Mustafa (left) was convicted of a plot to drug his wife Renata Antczak (right) to discover if she was having an affair

The husband of a lawyer who vanished from home more than a year ago has denied killing her and said he feared being framed for murder if a body is found.

Police believe mother-of-two Renata Antczak was murdered and a major inquiry into her disappearance is continuing.

Now her dentist husband Majid Mustafa, who was convicted of a plot to drug her in attempts to discover if she was having an affair, has spoken out to defend himself for the first time.

Mr Mustafa, 48, who met his wife in Poland and moved with her to live in Hull with their two daughters seven years ago, was asked if he killed her in an interview with a Polish TV station.

He said: No, of course not. If every man whose wife wants a divorce will kill her the world will probably end.

Speaking about the police inquiry in which he was arrested as a suspect, he said: They took everything from my house, everything. When I went out of jail I didnt have even my underwear.

Last April Mr Mustafa, a Jordanian brought up in Iraq, went on trial at Doncaster Crown Court accused of trying to recruit a friend to get the date rape drug GHB to use on his wife. He wanted her thumbprint to unlock her phone to find out if she was having an affair.

The court heard he found out she was cheating by putting spy cameras in her car and using software to monitor her phone. Mr Mustafa initially denied the charge but changed his plea to guilty and was given a 12-month conditional discharge, having spent five months in custody.

Asked in the interview with Polsat News if he was afraid what would happen if his wifes body was found, he replied: I cant say I am not. But I am afraid only they will direct everything against me. That they will do everything to make me guilty even without the evidence.

Miss Antczak, 49, was last seen on April 25 last year when she returned home after taking her daughter Victoria, 12, to school. She left the house at 1pm and has not been seen since. Her husband claims he found a handwritten note in Polish headed Freedom Ritual.

Miss Antczak wrote: I am free. I am free from everything. I am free from marriage. I am free from all obligation. I am free from everything.

Mr Mustafa said at the time he feared his wife, who once worked as a lawyer in Poland but recently retrained as a healing therapist, was lured into some kind of sect or cult.

Last April Mr Mustafa, a Jordanian brought up in Iraq, went on trial at Doncaster Crown Court accused of trying to recruit a friend to get the date rape drug GHB to use on his wife

The hunt for her took a dramatic twist with her husbands prosecution for attempting to buy GHB. Despite this, the couples oldest daughter Magdalena Zaton, 24, is giving her father her wholehearted support.

She told the Daily Mail: Im working with the police. I try to help them as best as I can. I am in contact with my dad. I support him 100 per cent all the way.

Mrs Zaton married Piotrek Zaton several months after her mothers disappearance but said her wedding day wasnt a happy experience.

She added: We had to make some life-changing decisions. I take care of my sister. I hope my dad will come to live with us. I hope my mum will be found, thats the first thing that comes to my mind.

Asked whether her father has given her an explanation about what happened to her mother, Mrs Zaton said: I think thats between me and my dad.

Humberside Police made a fresh appeal for information on the anniversary of Miss Antczaks disappearance. Detective Superintendent Tony Cockerill, who is leading the case, said: Its heartbreaking to think that shes not been found, that her daughters have unanswered questions, and that she misses birthdays and Christmas, which I dont believe she would do.

He said no friends or family had heard from Miss Antczak. A Humberside Police spokesman said yesterday the situation remained unchanged.
Ted Knight, a firebrand of the 1980s so-called loony Left

A Trotskyite ex-boss of Lambeth Council is back in a senior role in the local Labour party.

Ted Knight, a firebrand of the 1980s so-called loony Left, was elected as a union representative to the south London councils campaign forum.

The committee presides over council candidate selection, campaign activities and election strategy across three parliamentary seats.

Mr Knight, a former icon of the far-Left, was elected unanimously on Wednesday.

A source at Lambeth Labour told The Times: Ted Knight is a relic from a very unpleasant era.

'He was primarily responsible for the self-indulgent rate-capping rebellion which left residents paying off debts from his illegal budgets for decades.

Mr Knight once flew to Nicaragua at the ratepayers expense to tell a bemused government of Sandinista revolutionaries

'The fact that he now has a seat on the committee sends a terrible message to our voters.

Mr Knight said: I have experience of local government. We [on the left] have many criticisms of the procedures that have been adopted in recent periods [by the council], particularly in the selection of candidates in local authority elections.

Mr Knight once flew to Nicaragua at the ratepayers expense to tell a bemused government of Sandinista revolutionaries: I bring you greetings from the people of Lambeth and solidarity with your revolution.

It is understood Labour moderates fear he could help to propel far-left allies on to candidate shortlists.

In the Eighties - when, under the leadership of Mr Knight - the council, the original loony left council, was dubbed Britains worst-run local authority.

The Town Hall spawned a series of criminal investigations and public inquiries, involving everything from fraud and blackmail to Mafia-style racketeering.
Sweets and chocolates will be removed from supermarket check-outs and stores will be banned from offering two-for-one deals on junk food, it was reported last night.

So-called 'guilt lanes' are set to be axed over concerns that they provoke children to pester parents for sweets as they prepare to pay.

The proposal will be part of the Government's child obesity strategy, which could also see a 9pm watershed on adverts promoting foods high in sugar and salt from 2020.

Sweets and chocolates will be removed from supermarket check-outs and stores will be banned from offering two-for-one deals on junk food, it was reported last night

A 'guilt lanes' ban was first mooted in 2013 and was expected to be party of the fish child obesity strategy in August 2016.

However the policy, along with proposed restrictions on adverts, was one of many removed when the strategy was watered down following criticism.

But according to the Telegraph, the Prime Minister will revive the 'guilt lane' ban as a proposal, along with the 9pm watershed for junk food ads.

Ministers will also consider a ban on the use of cartoon characters to promote junk food, and consult on laws to bar retailers from selling energy drinks to under-16s.

The proposal will be part of the Government's child obesity strategy, which could also see a 9pm watershed on adverts promoting foods high in sugar and salt from 2020

While healthy eating campaigners such as Jamie Oliver are expected to welcome the proposals, they are likely to be met with a fierce backlash from retailers.

Earlier this week it emerged the childhood obesity crisis was growing, with more than 22,500 ten and 11-year-olds now classed as being severely obese.

The Telegraph reports that documents outlining the strategy read: 'Where food is placed in shops and how it is promoted can influence the way we shop and it is more common for HFSS [high in fat, sugar and salt] products to be placed in the most prominent places in store as well as sold on promotion, eg with 'buy one get one free' offers.'

The Department of Health and Social Care said: 'We've always said our 2016 plan was the start of the conversation, not the final word on obesity. We are in the process of working up an updated plan, and will be in a position to say more shortly.'
Indian hit-and-run driver Puneet Puneet has made a final desperate plea in a New Dehli court as he faces extradition to Australia for killing a teenage student.

He sat next to his uncle face down throughout the trial, before wailing 'I will be killed! I will be killed!'

'It's been 10 years, from 2008 to 2018. Today was meant to be for final arguments but his counsel is using delaying tactics again with this application,' Bhaskar Vali, the Indian government prosecutor, told Judge Gurmohina Kaur.

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Indian hit-and-run driver Puneet Puneet has cried out and sobbed at an extradition hearing in New Delhi

He kept his face covered and down (pictured) as he made his way to the court house

Puneet cried out and sobbed at the extradition hearing in New Delhi as his lawyers said he smashed his head against a wall because he's mentally unbalanced.

Justice Kaur is deciding whether Puneet should be sent back to Melbourne for sentencing on his conviction for running into and killing Queensland student Dean Hofstee, 19, on October 1, 2008.

Puneet, who was a 19-year-old learner driver at the time, also seriously injured 20-year-old Clancy Coker.

Puneet was on bail and awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to culpable driving when he used a friend's passport to flee Australia in 2009.

Puneet, who was a 19-year-old learner driver at the time, also seriously injured 20-year-old Clancy Coker (scene pictured)

Police arrested him four years later in India, on his wedding day.

In court on Friday his lawyers were arguing Puneet was not mentally competent to be the subject of an extradition decision when the defendant began making high-pitched noises and calling for his uncle.

Judge Kaur stopped proceedings and said 'What happened? Stand up Puneet! Stand up! What happened?'

Puneet, with a bandaged head, fell into his uncle's arms and began crying hysterically, before he was removed from the courtroom.

Judge Kaur then asked 'Who was making those sounds? Was that him?'

Bhaskar Valli, the advocate for the Union of India, which handles extradition cases for the Indian government, said the defence argument about Puneet's mental health was 'yet another malicious application'.

Puneet Puneet (pictured) supposedly swallowed poison, and is not in any mental state to be extradited to Australia

The defence has previously argued Puneet would face racism in Australia if extradited, was gravely ill, was mentally unfit to face trial, and that the case was of a 'political character.'

The defence has also said Puneet suffered from kidney problems, schizophrenia, weight loss and at one point drank poison, due to his fragile state of mind.

'If he or his lawyers feel his mental state will not lead him into a safe environment, let him come forward so that we can verify this,' said Valli.

'This is not a man of good intent or bona fide character', he added, referring to Puneet's actions in fleeing from Australia nine years ago.

As arguments continued over when the case could proceed, Valli said 'Your ladyship has been extremely indulgent' over the various delays and postponements in the hearings.

Judge Kaur retorted by calling for a special hearing on Saturday to hear the full detail of the defence's claims over Puneet's mental health, and potentially offer a decision in the case.

Justice Kaur will provide a final hearing this Saturday.
Cancer patients are still at risk of the disease returning for years after their treatment on the NHS ends, a study suggests.

Researchers looked at more than two million US cancer survivors to determine the danger period during which they remained at 'high risk'.

But when the figures are compared with how NHS patients are treated, follow-up appointments conclude before this 'danger period' ends.

The study suggests ovarian cancer patients should see an oncologist for nine years  when they only do so for five years in England.

Cancer patients are still at risk of the disease returning for years after their treatment on the NHS ends, a study suggests

How fitness trackers could help victims Fitness trackers could help improve survival among cancer patients, a study suggests. Apps that record the amount of time people are in bed or active give clinicians a clearer picture of their patients' health, particularly if they are trying to give doctors an over-optimistic impression, researchers said. The technology could be used by the NHS, according to lead researcher Dr Jorge Nieva. The findings will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting this weekend. Dr Nieva, of the University of Southern Carolina, said: 'Our clinical interactions are relatively short with patients so we don't have a huge amount of time to put people through their paces to evaluate what their performance status actually is.' Advertisement

Meanwhile, lung cancer patients are getting five years of follow-up when they are recommended by the researchers to have seven years of appointments.

Joyce Robins, director of Patient Concern, said: 'This is such a life-changing disease and to think that after recovering you're on your own is very scary.

'It's terrifying that cancer patients are being abandoned like this. People should be getting the full follow-up they deserve at the time when they are still at high-risk.'

Respiratory physician Dr Richard Russell, a medical adviser to the British Lung Foundation, said: 'It's unacceptable that we don't have an evidence-based time frame for follow-up for such a high-risk disease.

'There is an urgent need to clarify this data in a UK population.'

The study on follow-up appointments for cancer patients will be presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual conference in Chicago.

The University of Texas monitored more than 2.3million cancer patients in the US and plotted how long their risk of dying remained abnormally high.

Dr Robert Dood, lead author of the study from the University of Texas, said: 'This study highlights the importance of monitoring some cancer patients for extended periods. Failing to monitor patients at greatest risk means opportunities to save their lives may be missed.'

Researchers looked at more than two million US cancer survivors to determine the danger period during which they remained at 'high risk'. But when the figures are compared with how NHS patients are treated, follow-up appointments conclude before this 'danger period' ends

The researchers found the exact danger period for ovarian cancer is nine years. It is seven years for lung cancer and colon cancer. The British Lung Foundation said those with lung cancer receive follow-ups for five years as standard. The charity Target Ovarian Cancer said patients also only receive five years of follow-ups.

Those with colon cancer are monitored for up to five years under the national guidance, with an option for further study, but the British Society of Gastroenterology says those with less severe polyps might be seen for only a year or three years.

An NHS England spokesman said: 'People diagnosed with cancer benefit from a personalised care and support package, making sure that patients get the right follow-up support after treatment.'

A spokesman for NICE, which sets guidelines for the health service, said: 'Our range of guidance provides advice on how doctors can work with patients to find out what they would prefer so together they decide what is appropriate for their circumstances.'
Theresa May is being warned as many as 20 MPs could rebel in a bid to get Northern Ireland to follow the Republic and liberalise abortion laws.

Number 10 insists the issue of abortion in Northern Ireland, which is still illegal despite the UK 1967 Abortion Act, is one for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

But a group of Conservative MPs are believed to be following Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt in calling for Westminster to take the decision.

The Times reports up to 20 Tory rebels could vote against the Prime Minster in the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill, which could be used as a vehicle to change the law in Northern Ireland.

Theresa May (pictured this week) is being warned as many as 20 MPs could rebel in a bid to get Northern Ireland to follow the Republic and liberalise abortion laws

The Government faces a tough week ahead as pressure mounts over the issue.

On Monday Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley will face an urgent question in Parliament, followed by a debate lead by Labour MP Stella Creasy on Tuesday.

Come Thursday, Mrs May will have to deal with the result of Supreme Court bid launched last year to change Northern Irish laws on abortion on human rights grounds.

Mrs Bradley will also have to face campaigners in the region on the issue.

In Belfast Northern Irish politicians are desperately scrambling to re-establish a power-sharing agreement to ensure they continue to preside over the law.

After Stormont collapsed in January last year, Northern Ireland is considerably more vulnerable to Westminster interventions.

The Times reports the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC), set up as part of the Good Friday agreement in 1998, is in talks to re-establish a Government at Stormont and stop any UK intervention on abortion.

A group of Conservative MPs are believed to be following Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt (pictured) in calling for Westminster to take the decision.

After two thirds of voters in Ireland backed reform, there have been calls for an end to the 'anomalous' situation in Northern Ireland.

But the Prime Minister faces a political headache over calls to act because her fragile administration depends on the support of the 10 Democratic Unionist Party MPs  who strongly oppose any reform to Northern Ireland's strict laws.

Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt  who is responsible for the women and equalities brief in Government  said the referendum signalled a 'historic and great day for Ireland' and a 'hopeful one for Northern Ireland'.

'That hope must be met,' she added.

Former women and equalities minister Nicky Morgan said the referendum result was 'a huge milestone in the history of the Republic of Ireland and, I believe, the right decision'.

Mrs Morgan and three other former holders of the women and equalities role  Amber Rudd, Justine Greening and Maria Miller  all back Ms Mordaunt in support for reform in Northern Ireland, the Sunday Times reported.

On Monday Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley (pictured with Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay) will face an urgent question in Parliament on Monday followed by campaigners in the region on Thursday

But DUP MP Ian Paisley said Northern Ireland 'should not be bullied into accepting abortion on demand'.

'The settled will of the people has been to afford protections to the unborn life and protect the life of the mother,' he said.

Commons Health Select Committee chairwoman and Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said: 'I would vote to support an extension of abortion rights to all women across the whole UK.

'As this is a devolved issue, if an amendment is not accepted by the Speaker, then there should at very least be a referendum in N Ireland on this issue.'

Labour MP Stella Creasy claimed more than 140 parliamentarians had already signalled support for an effort to change the law in Northern Ireland.

And Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said the Prime Minister should take advantage of the current lack of a devolved administration in Stormont and push for reform from Westminster.

Senior civil servants have been taking the majority of decisions within departments in Northern Ireland since the powersharing administration at Stormont collapsed 16 months ago.
A former reality TV star has said he was with Bronson 'Lizard Man' Ellery in a stolen car on the same night the murderer stormed a property wielding a sawn-off rifle and a machete, threatening to 'chop up' two people.

Five days later, Ellery, 24, the former bikie whose face and body was plastered with signature tattoos, was found dead in his Gold Coast apartment.

His body was discovered next to his ex-girlfriend Shelsea Schilling, 20, who he had bashed and strangled to death.

Christopher Paul Lowden, 23, a former reality TV contestant with a history of criminal offences, was one of five people inside Ellery's unit as the horrific murder unfolded, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

A former reality TV star (right) has said he was with Bronson 'Lizard Man' Ellery (left) in a stolen car on the same night the murderer stormed a property wielding a sawn-off rifle and a machete, threatening to 'chop up' two people

Five days later, Ellery, 24, the former bikie whose face and body was plastered with signature tattoos, (pictured) was found dead his Gold Coast apartment, in an apparent murder suicide

Lowden cannot be charged in relation to Ms Schilling's death or the failure to rescue someone in need because Queensland does not have a bystander responsibility law.

However, Lowden did plead guilty in Southport District Court on Friday to one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, the same car that was stolen the night Ellery invaded a home at Highland Park.

Lowden said it was Ellery who drove the car, but admitted he was a passenger, saying he did not steal the vehicle but knew it was stolen.

The former TV personality who featured on World's Strictest Parents when he was 16, has spent the past 20 months in jail.

Christopher Paul Lowden, 23, (left) a former reality TV contestant with a history of criminal offences, was one of five people inside Ellery's unit on the day of Shelsea Schilling, 20, (right) was bashed and strangled to death

Prior to 'Lizard Man's' death, the 24-year-old spent time in and out of jail including for breaching a domestic violence order Ms Schilling (left) had taken out against him

Lowden appeared on the show which featured misbehaving Australian teens who were sent overseas to 'strict' parents when he was 16.

The robbery charges against Lowden were dropped due to insufficient evidence, though he will be sentenced in relation to the stolen car on June 21.

Through Lowden's lawyer, Danielle Heable of Dib & Associates, he said he did not want to comment about Ellery, or the murder of Schilling.

However, he 'contended his innocence throughout the course of the matter' in relation to the robbery charges, Ms Heable said.

Lowden's criminal history includes offences such as fraud, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and theft.

Ms Schilling had gone missing three days before she was found dead in Ellery's apartment

The former TV personality (pictured) who featured on World's Strictest Parents when he 16, has spent the past 20 months in jail

Prior to 'Lizard Man's' death, the 24-year-old spent time in and out of jail including for breaching a domestic violence order Ms Schilling had taken out against him.

Ms Schilling had gone missing three days before she was found dead in Ellery's apartment.

After knocking her unconscious and suffocating her with a pillow, Ellery slipped into a suit and put on his favourite tune before taking a lethal mix of drugs and laying himself next to her lifeless body.

Another woman, Jasmine O'Neil, who was in the Southport unit when Ellery suffocated Ms Schilling, pleaded guilty last November to being involved in the home invasion.

She was sentenced to two and a half years prison and was released on parole on February 20.
After the alleged victims threatened to go to police and the pair planned to flee

With her partner the pair obtained the money through a fake ATM Ponzi scheme

Aimee Ploi Pitman, 26, allegedly fleeced $300,000 from the pocket of her father

A food blogger allegedly attempted to flee interstate after fleecing 17 people including her own father out of $1.9million.

Darwin-based Aimee Ploi Pitman, 26, who ran a popular lifestyle blog, was refused bail after facing court over the alleged Ponzi scheme.

Pitman was charged with seven counts of obtaining benefit by deception after convincing alleged victims to invest in ATMs that never existed or were owned by someone else, NT News reported.

Aimee Ploi Pitman, 26, allegedly fleeced $300,000 from the pocket of her father while conducting the fake ATM scam the court has heard

Prosecutor David Morters told the court that police believed Pitman and her partner, Colin Voeuk, 32, fleeced $1,896,000 off their 17 victims, including her own father.

While a small amount of the alleged scam money was put into the dodgy scheme, many of it was still missing.

'Police don't know whether it's buried in a back yard or not,' Mr Morters told the court.

Police alleged as part of the scam Pitman conned at least $300,000 from her own father.

But Pitman's lawyer, Matt Hubber, told the court that her father disputes the claim and says that the money he gave her was a leg up for her business.

Mr Morters said that while he was sure that Pitman's father wasn't being untruthful, he had changed his story since he first spoke to police and that maybe his concern over his daughter spending time in prison had influenced his story.

The scheme involved Pitman and her partner Colin Voeuk, 32 allegedly convincing customers to buy into a share of an ATM that didnt exist or was owned by someone else

It was also noted that Pitman's father had offered to put up a $10,000 surety for his daughter's release.

'The suspicion is he's been duped in the past, there's no reason he won't be duped in the future. This has been an ongoing fraud that has required many lies being told to many people by both defendants,' Mr Morters said.

Pitman had recently been sacked form her job as an admin assistant at the Royal Darwin Hospital where she allegedly tried to convince her colleagues to invest in the scheme, the court heard.

Mr Morters told the court that after the alleged fraudulent activity begun to unravel Pitman and he partner tried to flee the state and move to Melbourne.

After the alleged victims confronted the pair and threatened to go to police and they planned to flee the state and head to Melbourne (according to police stock image)

He told the court that the pair made plans to get jobs and a house in Melbourne after their victims threatened to go to the police.

Deputy Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris refused bail saying she had concerns that Pitman may re-offend.

Pitman and Voeuk will both return to court in August.

At the time of their arrest, Police said that they thought the scheme went for over two years and that their may still be unknown victims.

'NT Police believe there may be other victims of this scheme in the Territory and we urge anyone who has invested in an ATM in the past two years, who may have concerns about their investment, to please contact police on 131 444 or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,' Detective Superintendent Sanderson said in a statement.
Territory Families is refusing to release details on the circumstances surrounding the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl in Tennant Creek over the weekend.

Deputy Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro has said the victim and alleged perpetrators's notification histories should be released by the government department as it in the public interest.

Ms Finocchiaro said that if the department 'had a history with this family, or with the children involved, then it needs to come clean with Territorians about that and explain why a situation like this was left to occur.'

Territory Families is refusing to release details on the circumstances surrounding the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl over the weekend

This latest incident comes after after the rape of a two-year-old girl in the same town in February

'What we need to know is whether or not the department is being responsive enough or not understanding notifications,' she said.

'We cannot afford to wait any longer and see any other children not being protected the way they deserve to be.'

It is understood Territory Families Minister Dale Wakefield will not push for the information to be released, however, and declined to elaborate further.

'We cannot comment on the specifics of the case,' she said.

The girl was allegedly assaulted on Sunday and taken to Alice Springs for medical treatment.

The girl was allegedly assaulted on Sunday and taken to Alice Springs for medical treatment

Deputy Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro (pictured) said the victim and alleged perpetrators's notification histories should be released by the government as it in the public interest

Police say they are not investigating and referred the case to government department Territory Families because the incident did not involve an adult and only two children aged under 10, below the age of criminal responsibility.

The department described it as 'sexualised behaviour of two young children, there is no evidence of sexual assault'.

This latest incident comes after the rape of a two-year-old girl in the same town in February.

Police dropped charges against a 24-year-old male relative over that rape this week, after he had been locked up for more than three months, and charged another man, aged 25.

That prompted a report by Northern Territory Children's Commissioner Colleen Gwynne which was scathing of Territory Families' management of the girl, who along with her siblings had been the subject of 52 notifications to child protection agencies.

That report criticised Territory Families as having systemic cultural problems, including staff putting the right to privacy above protecting children, which meant information was not shared properly between police and agencies.

Territory Families rejected the report.

Federal Assistant Minister for Children and Families David Gillespie has cited such cases as representing a crisis and advocated for more indigenous children in care to be adopted, rather than reunited with families.

Last week a 50-year-old prominent Territory musician and community policeman was jailed for molesting a seven-year-old girl, also in Tennant Creek.

It is understood Territory Families Minister Dale Wakefield (pictured) will not push for the information to be released, however, and declined to elaborate further
One Nation's Brian Burston is refusing to quit his Senate seat, undercutting Pauline Hanson's power base unless she can force him out.

Senator Hanson sent her long-time supporter a letter on Friday demanding he resign from the Senate to allow her to pick a replacement.

'I no longer have confidence in you as an officer of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party,' Senator Hanson's letter said.

One Nation's Brian Burston (left) is refusing to quit his Senate seat, undercutting Pauline Hanson's (right) power base unless she can force him out

Senator Hanson (pictured) sent her long-time supporter a letter on Friday demanding he resign from the Senate to allow her to pick a replacement

'You describe yourself as loyal to me and now I ask that you demonstrate that loyalty to me by giving up your seat in the Senate to enable the party to appoint a replacement NSW senator.'

But Senator Burston, who first joined the party when it was formed in the late 1990s, is refusing to go.

This means Senator Hanson's crucial three-vote bloc in the upper house is cut to two, vastly undermining her influence.

'I will not be resigning from One Nation and I most certainly will not ever be resigning from my senate position,' Senator Burston told 2GB radio on Friday.

'I certainly will not be standing aside for Pauline to put in a crony that's a yes-man or woman.'

He has also launched legal action against Senator Hanson's chief of staff James Ashby for allegedly leaking the 'damaging revelation' that he was having a rectal examination when the party discussed its company tax stance.

'I no longer have confidence in you as an officer of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party,' Senator Hanson's letter (pictured) said

But Senator Burston (pictured), who first joined the party when it was formed in the late 1990s, is refusing to go

Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm confirmed he had talked to Senator Burston (pictured with Senator Hanson) after Friday's fracas and said he was determined not to resign

Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm confirmed he had talked to Senator Burston after Friday's fracas.

'He's determined not to resign ... but he will be voting independently from One Nation,' Senator Leyonhjelm said.

Senator Hanson broke down when she claimed on Thursday her colleague had stabbed her 'in the back' by trying to join a different party - which he has denied.

The crisis started when Senator Burston publicly revealed his plans to vote for the government's company tax cuts, after Senator Hanson reneged on a deal to back them.

Senator Hanson broke down when she claimed on Thursday her colleague (pictured together) had stabbed her 'in the back' by trying to join a different party - which he has denied

An intermediary also spent two weeks trying to set up a meeting with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party in NSW so Senator Burston could defect.

The party didn't want him - but Senator Burston claims he wasn't aware of the approach.

Queensland Liberal senator Amanda Stoker said it was to Senator Burston's credit that he wasn't 'flip-flopping according to the whims and needs' of One Nation's electoral prospects.

But Senator Hanson needed to re-evaluate her management style, she said.

'There comes a point where you say, "after 20 or so people have come and gone from my party room, maybe it's me",' Senator Stoker told the ABC.

21 people have either quit parliament, the party, been disqualified or expelled from One Nation while in parliament.
Turns out the Washington lobbyist, whose wife rented Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt a Capital Hill apartment for just $50 a night, had much more contact with the agency than previously disclosed.

Powerhouse lobbying firm Williams & Jensen amended its 2017 disclosure filings to show that former chairman J. Steven Hart contacted EPA on behalf of the Coca-Cola Company, pork producer Smithfield Foods and a board overseeing the finances of hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

This, despite repeated denials of lobbying by both men.

EPA chief Scott Pruitt (in May) and Washington lobbyist J. Steven Hart have denied that any lobbying occurred in 2017, but new disclosure filings show Hart did, in fact, lobby the EPA on behalf of Coca-Cola Company and Smithfield Foods

Williams & Jensen amended its required federal lobbying disclosures after an extensive review of Hart's emails, calendar entries and other materials.

Hart was forced to retire early as a result of the scandal that erupted following public disclosure of the EPA chief's unusual living arrangements.

Pruitt has denied wrongdoing, describing Hart as a personal friend from his home state of Oklahoma.

In a statement, Williams & Jensen said Hart had failed to fully disclose his lobbying activities to his own firm, resulting in prior reports omitting information.

Federal law requires lobbyists to file quarterly reports detailing their contacts with government officials, including the clients they were representing, what topics were discussed and how much they were paid.

J. Steven Hart was forced to retire from lobbyist group Williams & Jensen after it was revealed that Pruitt rented a Capitol Hill condo from Hart's lobbyist wife, Vicki, for just $50 a night

The prime Capitol Hill Condo that Pruitt is said to have rented from Hart's wife for a surprisingly low amount. Pruitt's daughter reportedly stayed in the condo while she was a White House summer intern

'Following press reports of a former member of our firm engaging in lobbying activity that had not been disclosed, we engaged outside counsel to conduct a review of relevant filings,' the firm's statement said.

'Following the completion of that review and the advice of counsel, today the firm filed amendments to several disclosure reports that include information that was not previously disclosed to our firm and therefore not included in the original filings.'

Both Pruitt and Hart have publicly denied the lobbyist had conducted any business with EPA in 2017.

At a May 16 hearing before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, embattled EPA chief Pruitt erroneously insisted that Hart had not lobbied the government last year.

'Steve Hart is someone that was not registered as a lobbyist in 2017,' Pruitt testified. 'He's a longtime associate and friend.'

Records showed that Hart was, in fact, a registered lobbyist in 2017, though at the time it had not yet been formally disclosed that he directly lobbied Pruitt's agency.

Federal law makes it a crime to 'knowingly and willfully' give materially false statements to Congress.

EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox did not respond to requests for comment Friday night about whether Pruitt still stood by his testimony.

At a May 16 hearing before a Senate appropriations subcommittee (shown) Pruitt testified that Hart was not a registered lobbyist in 2017, a statement records later proved to be untrue

It was reported that Hart and Pruitt met in 2017 to discuss preservation efforts of the Chesapeake Bay (stock) on behalf of Smithfield Foods's philant, which had been fined $12.6million in 1997 for illegally dumping hog waste into a tributary

A spokesman for Hart did not respond to phone calls or email Friday.

Pruitt's connections to Hart have been under intense scrutiny since March, when media reports first revealed that the EPA chief had rented a luxury Capitol Hill condo from a corporation co-owned by Hart's health care lobbyist wife, Vicki Hart, for just $50 a night.

Pruitt's daughter, then a White House summer intern, stayed in a second bedroom at the condo at no additional cost.

In March, Bloomberg News reported that Pruitts unusual living arrangement allowed him to pay a total of just $6,100 to use a bedroom in the condo for six months  in a prime Capitol Hill location where studio rentals range from $1,350 to $1,975 a month.

On Pruitt's 2017 condo lease, a copy of which was reviewed by The Associated Press, Steven Hart's name was originally typed in as 'landlord' but was scratched out. The name of his wife Vicki was scribbled in.

The AP and other media outlets reported in April that Pruitt had met in his office last year with Hart on behalf of the philanthropic arm of Smithfield Foods to discuss efforts to preserve the Chesapeake Bay.

Smithfield, the world's largest pork producer, has been involved with efforts to clean up the bay since EPA fined the company $12.6million in 1997 for illegally dumping hog waste into a tributary.

The amended disclosure report filed Friday by Williams & Jensen acknowledges the meeting between Hart and Pruitt constituted lobbying, as did additional communications by the lobbyist with Pruitt's staff to recommend potential candidates for a science advisory board and other positions appointed by the EPA administrator.

A spokeswoman for Smithfield did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

The new disclosure report says Hart also lobbied EPA in 2017 on behalf of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico about water quality and infrastructure in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

A spokesman for the oversight board did not immediately respond Friday to an email seeking comment.

The firm also disclosed for the first time that Hart had contact with EPA on behalf of Coca-Cola.

According to the reports, Hart lobbied the agency about clean water supplies, water conservation and 'environmental issues impacting the beverage industry, including hydrofluorocarbon replacement.'

Hydrofluorocarbons are potent greenhouse gases commonly used for refrigeration. Under the Obama administration, EPA had sought to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons because they contribute to global warming, but the effort was stymied after industries challenged the proposed ban in court.

In a statement issued Friday, Coca-Cola said the company has severed ties with Williams & Jensen.

'The Coca-Cola Company is committed to the highest level of integrity in all aspects of our business, and we expect our lobbying firms to uphold that same commitment,' the statement said.
A 36-year-old Iowa woman who pulled her eight-year-old son into the path of a train last month in a horrific murder-suicide told police she had information on two young girls that went missing back in 2012 prior to the jump.

Teresa Catherine Gerleman killed herself and her son Henry Fields on May 4 at the Belle Plaine train station.

Just before the killing she told police she had information related to the kidnap and murder of cousins Elizabeth Collins, 8, and Lyric Cook, 10, who were abducted from Evansdale, Iowa in July 2012.

The bodies of the girls were found seven months later and no arrests have been made in their murder.

Teresa Catherine Gerleman, 36, killed herself and her son Henry Fields, 8, on May 4 at a train station in Iowa, after she told police she had information on two girls who went missing in 2012

Their deaths have been ruled a murder-suicide. Police have searched her home after Gerleman approached police claiming to have information on the Evansdale, Iowa girls

She claimed to have information on cousins Elizabeth Collins, 8, (right) and Lyric Cook, 10, (left) who were abducted and killed from Evansdale, Iowa in July 2012

Police investigated Gerleman's home in Belle Plaine to search for evidence related to the murder-suicide, according to the Des Moines Register.

Investigators took four cellphones, two notebooks, two sealed envelopes and a handwritten notes from the home, according to court documents filed May 23.

Gerleman had told police she had knowledge about the Evansdale case for some time.

Mike Krapfl, a special agent in charge with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, said agents looked into the claims and also investigated Gerleman's mental state.

They found the information she gave was previous vetted with 'negative results', Krapfl told the Des Moines Register.

They also learned that Gerleman was a client at Genesis Development, a nonprofit that provides support to people with disabilities.

One of the support specialists Julie Croft told police that if Gerleman's house was searched, police might find information about a previous crime saying it had to do with 'the two girls in the woods near Evansdale', according to The Gazette.

Croft told police Gerleman had a six-page letter she kept in a box that she claimed was 'written by guys she used to hang around with that admitted to doing that'.

Agent Krapfl said Friday that investigators did find the letter Croft mentioned but said 'it's old information'.

Police still do not have a motive behind the murder-suicide, Gerleman pictured above with Henry

Investigators took four cellphones, two notebooks, two sealed envelopes and a handwritten notes from the home, pictured about right

The bodies of Elizabeth Collins, 8, (right) and Lyric Cook, 10, (left) were found seven months later and no arrests have been made in their murder

'But it was information we already had,' he said adding that in the context of Gerleman's 'mental state' police got no leads from the lengthy letter.

The Evansdale case shook Iowa in 2012, launching six years of investigation, search parties of as thousand people, and search warrants in several counties.

Their bodies were found in a remote area 20 miles northeast of Evansdale, a small town with just 5,000 people.

'We continue to execute search warrants when probable cause presents itself, as it did in the Belle Plaine case, as we continue to run out every lead,' Krapfl said.

Drew Collins, the father of Elizabeth Collins was unaware of the search warrant at Gerleman's home.

'I'll wait to see how it plays out before getting too excited. I had my hopes up and down so many times,' Collins said.

The community support specialist who told police about the letter also said Gerlemans medications made her 'feel like standing in front of a train' about three months earlier, police said.

Video evidence from May 22 revealed that Gerleman waited for a train operated by Union Pacific Railroad to approach the tracks at the 9th Avenue railroad crossing in Belle Plaine before crossing with her child.

After making it to the other side before the train crossed their path, Gerleman stepped back into the center of the tracks, pulling her child along with her, KCRG reported.

The mother stepped into the tracks at the 9th Avenue railroad crossing in Belle Plaine

The train was travelling from Chicago, Illinois to Nebraska when it passed through Belle Plaine at the spot where the mother took her own life, as well as the life of her son

The two were pronounced dead at the scene.

Union Pacific employees were interviewed, and video footage that was captured from the train was also reviewed before the final determination of a murder-suicide was made.

Investigators are yet to pinpoint a motive.

Her son Henry was a second-grader at Longfellow Elementary School.

After their death police went to their home and found the doors locked and the windows covered.

Gerleman had few family members as her parents are dead and she has no siblings, according to the warrant application.

'Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the deceased,' Union Pacific said in a statement released to NBC's KWWL.

The locomotive engineer and the conductor on board the train were immediately put in touch with counselors, the railroad company said.

The train was travelling from Chicago, Illinois to Nebraska when it passed through Belle Plaine at the spot where the mother took her own life, as well as the life of her son.
Preston Junior High School science teacher Robert Crosland (Pictured) was charged Friday.

An Idaho teacher accused of feeding a sick puppy to a snapping turtle in front of several students has been charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty.

Preston Junior High School science teacher Robert Crosland was charged Friday.

He faces up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted.

Superintendent for Preston schools, Marc Gee, told the Idaho Statesman that he heard about the charges and still reviewing the situation.

'Once we have seen the details, we will release a statement for the district,' he said.

The school is in rural Preston, where the 2004 teen cult classic film 'Napoleon Dynamite' was set.

The Idaho attorney general's office handled the investigation after Franklin County Prosecutor Vic Pearson cited a conflict of interest. Several parents came forward to say Crosland fed the puppy to the turtle on March 7 after school.

Crosland is accused of feeding a sick puppy to a snapping turtle in front of several students has been charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty. He is seen feeding a rat to the turtle in a different class

The school is in rural Preston, where the 2004 teen cult classic film 'Napoleon Dynamite' was set

Several weeks later, state officials seized the turtle and euthanized it as a non-native species. Individuals who want to keep snapping turtles as pets in the state must obtain a permit or face a possible misdemeanor charge.

Superintendent for Preston schools, Marc Gee (pictured), said he is still reviewing the situation

Attempts to reach Crosland at the school Friday were not successful.

The incident has drawn national criticism against Crosland with a petition to have the educator fired circling the internet, garnering more than 185,000 signatures so far.

'Unfortunately, on March 7, [Crosland] decided to feed one of those creatures - a snapping turtle to be exact - a puppy,' the petition reads. 'Please join in demanding that Robert Crosland be fired for this disturbing decision!'

A counter petition signed by community members, former students and current colleagues expressing support for the long-time science teacher has accumulated roughly 3,700 signature, the Statesman reported.

Preston School Board Chairwoman Joy Christensen said that the district will wait for criminal proceedings to conclude before making a decision regarding Crosland's future.
A man remains under police guard following a five hour police manhunt after he allegedly stabbed his grandmother to death and critically injured his grandfather.

A 71-year-old man flagged down a passing driver outside his home in Bega on the New South Wales south coast after he and his wife were allegedly stabbed at about 3.30pm on Friday.

His wife, 69, was rushed to South East Regional Hospital, where she died.

Her husband was airlifted to Sydney's St George Hospital, where he is fighting for life.

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An alleged fatal stabbing sparked a five hour manhunt by police in Bega on Friday, where they warned residents to stay indoors

South Coast Police District detectives, assisted by the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad, are now investigating the alleged incident. Pictured is Bega Police Station

Police have since confirmed the alleged attacker, 20, who then escaped in their car, is the couple's grandson.

Police began a large scale manhunt and warned local residents to stay indoors.

Police alleged the man, 20, attacked a motorist in the head with a hammer an hour later during an alleged carjacking on the Sapphire Coast Drive in Bournda.

He was also airlifted to St George Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

A female passenger escaped unharmed.

The man allegedly crashed 500 metres down the road and ran into bushland.

Police called in helicopters, negotiators and special tactical operatives to capture him and arrested him at about 8.20pm.

Thee man taken to the South East Regional Hospital.

Police are yet to lay any charges and said he's wasn't known to police prior to the alleged incidents.

One woman is dead and two men are in a critical condition following the alleged violent rampage on the NSW far south coast on Friday

Inspector Sue Charman-Horton that the incident is 'unusual' for the community but praised the strength of Bega residents.

'This is a very unusual event for places like Bega, specifically here,' she told media at a press conference on Saturday.

'Our staff put in so much effort and we know that the community will be supporting those families who are involved in this because of the strength of the community that we have.'

She would not comment on whether the incident was drug or mental health related.

The tragedy has rocked the Bega community .

'Normally it's a pretty quiet place,' resident Bob Russell told the ABC.

'We're only normally on the map for the Bega cheese, not for all the bad things.'

Rebecca Lupton added: 'We have been trying to think of what to tell her about why there is a policeman outside our house. Spun her a yarn this morning about someone getting hurt but not saying that there was somebody else responsible.'

South Coast Police District detectives, assisted by the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad, are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Australia's housing woes could be easily solved with one change that would put the country in line with its European counterparts, an expert has said.

Renowned futurist Phil Ruthven has argued that for the Australian housing market to meet the demands of the future, it needs to adopt a leasing model.

The model, common in Europe, allows tenants to lease rental properties on a long term basis, from five to 20 years.

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Renowned futurist Phil Ruthven says one small change to the industry could fix the countries housing issues

Mr Ruthven (pictured) says that Australia needs to move to a long term lease model which allows greater control for renters

It also gives tenants a lot more control over their homes, allowing more flexibility around decorating, renovating and keeping pets on the property.

Tenants in Victoria currently have the option of ten year leases but the whole country needs to embrace the model, Mr Ruthven told News.com.au.

'For years I've been advocating that it's better to lease than to own a home, but I don't mean renting, which is unstable, short-term and limiting,' he said.

He said that many countries in Europe, including France and Germany put less emphasis on home ownership and embrace long term leases, with positive effects.

'Renting is very degrading, in a sense, compared to leasing. We have to change our rental rules  they are backwards in Australia currently; it's antediluvian.'

'We're 50 years out of date compared with advanced countries, and that has to change.'

He says that many countries in Europe, including France and Germany put less emphasis on home ownership and embrace long term leases

Mr Ruthven did point to some positive changes in the industry that give renters more control.

He said the recent changes to Victoria's Residential Tenancies Act, which gives tenants the right to have pets, was a step in right direction but a complete overhaul was needed to give renters greater freedom.

For years, many Australian have turned towards renting as the dream of owning a home fades with high housing prices.

The last census showed that a total of 31 per cent of the population owns a house outright, 30.9 per cent rents and a further 34.5 per cent own a home with a mortgage, data from census 2016 shows.

The Victorian government has adopted long term leasing with tenants being able to apply for a ten year lease on some properties

'However, the proportion renting is slowly growing, while those who have the good fortune of owning their home outright are declining,' the Census release said.

Many industry insiders agree with Mr Ruthven's call to move the market to long term leases.

Home loan expert Mark Bouris recently argued that governments should be backing the idea of long term leases.

'I think we could end up there, maybe not right at the moment but we will end up there,' he said on his Channel Seven show the Mentor.

'Maybe the government should be doing something to encourage people to offer long leases and to people to take long leases and make them tradable.'

'I'd love to see that actually, I think it's great,' Bouris said.
An Australian hip hop rapper and father-of-three was allegedly glassed in the head while he was attending his father's wake at a home in Adelaide's south.

Daniel Smith, 40, otherwise known by his stage name MC Pressure in the group Hilltop Hoods, was taken to Flinders Medical Centre with head injuries after the private gathering became violent and spilled out onto the street.

Smith was reportedly hit in the head with a drinking glass by a 42-year-old man at a home on Istanbul Drive, Aberfoyle Park, about 11pm on Thursday.

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Daniel Smith, 40, (left) an Australian hip hop rapper in the group Hilltop Hoods (pictured) was allegedly glassed in the head while he was attending his father's wake at a home in Adelaide

Daniel Smith, 40, otherwise known by his stage name MC Pressure in the group Hilltop Hoods, was taken to Flinders Medical Centre with head injuries after the private gathering became violent and spilled out onto the street

The men were attending a wake at the house when a fight broke out.

'It was very loud, we could hear arguing and fighting on the street,' neighbour Chrystine Caple told 9 News.

Neighbours said up to ten people were involved in the fight, with one neighbour saying he heard a man shout: 'I've got a gun!' and 'You're going to pay for this.'

''There were comments of, "you've made me bleed, there's a lot of blood''.'

Ms Caple said neighbours called the police , saying the incident 'was pretty scary.'

The group recently announced they will play at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in Byron Bay next month

An Aberfoyle Park man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.

He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in July.

The hip-hop group from Adelaide has won eight ARIA Awards and are regarded as Australia's most successful homegrown hip hop act.

The group recently announced they will play at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in Byron Bay next month before going on a European tour.

The band is made up of founding members MC Suffa Matt Lambert and MC Pressure Daniel Smith, backed up by DJ Debris Barry Francis.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Hilltop Hoods and their management for comment.
The parking lot of a Pennsylvania mall was turned into a crime scene Friday evening after two men were shot and wounded following heated dispute.

Authorities said that the incident occurred at the Lehigh Valley Mall outside the Macy's department store around 7pm.

Police believe that a fight was started inside the retail giant before spilling out into public view.

Authorities said that the incident occurred at the Lehigh Valley Mall outside the Macy's department store around 7pm

Police believe that a fight was started inside the retail giant before spilling out into public view

'It does appear that part of the incident did occur in the Macy's and moved into the parking lot,' said Chief Michael Marks with the Whitehall Township Police.

The suspected shooter remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous, according to The Morning Call.

The condition of the two victims remains unknown. They are currently being treated at a nearby hospital.

An eyewitness told the Morning Call that the dispute began near the makeup counter and was followed by a woman screaming.

Another witness said that the confrontation involved nearly a dozen men with one woman yelling 'stop' at them.

The suspected shooter remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous

An eyewitness told the Morning Call that the dispute began near the makeup counter and was followed by a woman screaming

After police arrived to the scene of the incident, they cordoned off the parking lot and kept scores of shoppers away from their vehicles until late into the evening.

'Shootings are happening everywhere,' one person who chose to remain unidentified told the newspaper. 'You're not safe bringing your family to the mall.'

Megan Hakes, a spokesperson for Lehigh Valley Mall co-owner Simon Property Group, released a statement following the shooting.

'Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our shoppers and employees. We are grateful for the swift response to this incident by our security team and the Whitehall Police Department.

'As this is a police matter, all further inquiries should be directed to the Whitehall Police Department.'
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported the uncle and closest relative of six orphans back to Mexico.

The children became orphans just two months ago when ICE pursued their parents in a car chase that killed Mexican nationals Santo Hilario Garcia, 35, and Marcelina Garcia Profecto, 33, when they crashed into a utility pole.

It was later revealed that ICE mistook Santo for his brother Celestino Hilario Garcia, 33, who took in the six orphans ranging in age from 8 to 18 in light of the couple's passing, according to The Bakersfield Californian.

ICE agents returned to pursue Celestino at his Delano, California apartment and deported him on Wednesday, according to the United Farm Workers Foundation Executive Director Diana Tellefson Torres.

ICE deported Celestino Hilario Garcia, 33, the uncle of six orphans whose parents died in a fatal car crash in March after they were pursued by ICE agents

On March 13 Santo Hilario Garcia 35, and Marcelina Garcia Profecto, 33, died as they fled from ICE agents and their car crashed into a utility pole

'Still grieving the tragic deaths of their farm worker parents ... the six children of Santos Hilario Garcia and Marcelina Garcia Porfecto were dealt a new blow when ICE agents deliberately picked up their closest remaining family member, their uncle Celestino Hilario Garcia, at the Delano apartment building where both families live,' Torres said in a statement.

Not only was Garcia looking after his six nephews and nieces, he also has four children of his own and made a living picking grapes with his wife Lucy.

'ICE agents specifically targeted Celestino, also a farm worker, who has now been deported to Mexico, leaving behind a wife and four young children,' she added.

ICE issued a statement Thursday saying Celestino was illegally in the US.

'Wednesday, deportation officers assigned to ICEs Fugitive Operation Team arrested and removed Celestino Hilario-Garcia, an illegally present citizen and national of Mexico,' the statement said according to ABC23.

Santo Hilario Garcia and Marcelina Garcia Profecto left behind their six children, pictured above holding white balloons and mourning their parents passing at the funeral

Their uncle Celestino, a grape farmer, took in the six children(above) in addition to caring for four of his own, when he was deported by ICE on Wednesday

A child places his head on his parents coffin after they died in a car crash on March 13

Around 400 people gathered for the couple's funeral on April 2 in Delano, California, above

'In April 2009, an immigration judge issued him a final order of removal, and ICE removed him to Mexico twice, once in April 2009 and again in May 2009. He has three criminal convictions for driving under the influence,' the statement continued.

'ICE already contributed to the deaths of the parents of these six children who are now orphans,' Torres said in a statement.

'Can ICE be more callous in visiting even greater anguish upon this family that has already suffered so much? How much crueler can Donald Trumps immigration policies become? How many more casualties can be produced by the Trump administration's targeting of hardworking immigrant farm workers who sacrifice to feed all Americans?' she added.

On Thursday the United Farm Workers spokeswoman Leydy Rangel said the orphaned children have continued to live together in the same apartment complex as their uncle, but in a different unit.

The oldest of the six is also tying to gain legal custody of her younger siblings.

Days after their passing family and friends made a makeshift memorial at the crash site

The couple died as they evaded ICE agents and lost control of their vehicle and hit a utility pole

Rangel said the uncle was 'the closest thing that they saw as a father figure.'

'It is not fair that the law is angry with us, first they take away my brother-in-law and because of them, they lose their lives,' Celestino's wife Lucy said to Univision.

The orphan's parents died on March 13 after an ICE vehicle pursued them. The couple stopped at first but when ICE officers exited the car, the couple sped away.

Immigration authorities later said they mistook Santo for his brother Celestino.

No charges were made against the agents as the Kern County Prosecutor's Office said they had nothing 'to charge them with'.
A Vietnamese couple on vacation in America were violently stabbed to death in a double murder in a Las Vegas hotel room on Friday night.

The couple have not yet been named. Their bodies were found in their room at the Circus Circus hotel in Vegas on Friday after they failed to show up for a scheduled group tour of the Grand Canyon at 4pm.

Police say that the couple had recently arrived in Nevada after spending time in Los Angeles.

They were due to spend two nights in Vegas then go back to L.A. before flying home to Vietnam next week.

Both the man and the woman were stabbed 'multiple' times but no further information about their deaths has been given.

A couple travelling from LA was found stabbed to death in their hotel room on Friday

One person reported hearing an argument from the hotel room around 2am, but it wasn't clear who was involved, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The couple was a part of a tour group from Los Angeles that arrived to Las Vegas about two days ago, police say.

As of Friday evening the Metropolitan Police Department was awaiting the coroner's help in the investigation.

Alarm was raised after they failed to show up to their Grand Canyon tour group on Friday, police conducted a welfare check and found their bodies with stab wounds around 4pm

The incident took place in Las Vegas' glamorous strip. MGM Resorts International, who owns Circus Circus, says the hotel is working with Las Vegas police in the case

Police call it an 'isolated incident' and have no suspects, according to Fox5.

The hotel is located on the north end of the famous Las Vegas strip.

MGM Resorts International, the owner of Circus Circus, released a statement in light of the incident.

'Las Vegas Metropolitan Police is on scene and we are cooperating with their investigation.

LVMPD has indicated that there is no known threat to guest safety at this time,' spokesperson Brian Ahern with MGM Resorts said in an email to Fox.

The hotel is still open and running as police closed about half a floor within the building for the investigation.
One of the two survivors forced to abandon a luxury yacht in fierce storms and spent five days clinging to a dinghy in rough seas has broken his silence about the tragedy which claimed his mate.

Townsville man Anthony 'Johnny' Mahoney, 73, was sailing Katerina from North Queensland to Subic in the Philippines with Laurie Miller and the boat's new owner Lionel Ansselin when bad weather struck and the boat starting taking water.

The trio abandoned the yacht and were rescued five days later by a Filipino fishing boat, which took five hours to get them ashore.

Sailors Anthony Johnny Mahoney, Lionel Ansselin and Laurie Miller spent five days lost at sea off The Phillipines after abandoning thheir yacht. Mr Mahoney later died in hospital

Anthony 'Johnny' Mahoney with his late wife Shelley, who also died following a freak sailing accident in Malaysia in 2014

Suffering from severe dehydration and multi-organ failure, Mr Mahoney died in hospital hours later.

'In the hospital, I stood by his bed and told him to get his a**e in gear because he owed me a beer. But he never regained consciousness,' Mr Miller told The Courier Mail this week in his first media interview.

The trio set sail from Cairns on November 24 and refuelled in the Filipino port of Davao City before heading off again on December 11.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority received an alert beacon from the vessel on December 13 and two more EPIRB (distress) signals the following day 165 nautical miles from Davao City.

The Katerina was once owned by renowned American television newsman Walter Cronkite

Sailor Anthony Mahoney, 73, never regained consciousness after he and his crew were rescued after five days lost at sea

A former British Merchant Navy sailor with more than 40 years of ocean experience, Mr Miller, 69, told The Courier Mail it was his decision to abandon the yacht.

'It was my belief, wrongly as it turned out, that people were out looking for us and any minute now we would hear a helicopter or boat engine coming towards us,' the Cairns sailor told the publication.

'I think about it now, should we have stayed? But I think it was the right decision and nobody argued.'

The Katerina was discovered by authorities in the Philippines in near-perfect condition

'He was getting delirious. We were all struggling, but Johnny (pictured) more than us,' sailing tragedy survivor Laurie Miller said

Mr Mahoney's condition deteriorated over the five days lost at sea.

'He was getting delirious. We were all struggling, but Johnny more than us. We tethered him to the raft to keep him safe,' Mr Miller said.

The Katerina was discovered by authorities in the Philippines in near-perfect condition, despite being battered by huge seas.

The limited cruising yacht was designed by America's Cup boat architect David Pedrick, and had completed crossings of the Pacific, the Tasman and the Atlantic.

The 18 metre yacht was formerly known as the Wyntje while owned by US broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, and hosted Bill and Hillary Clinton.

The luxury yacht once hosted former US president Bill Clinton, his wife Hillary and their daughter Chelsea

Mr Miller's daughter, Kristy Cruise said at the time of the tragedy it was a miracle her father was alive.

'My brother spoke to him and he said they were smashed by terrible storms and every night the boat overturned and they were clinging on for dear life and the next day they would get back on and do it all again,' she said.

Mr Miller will return to sea for the first time since the tragedy next week to help deliver a boat to Fiji.
Howling winds and heavy rain is making its way across much of the east coast which has brought a freezing start to winter.

Residents have been warned to take shelter and stay away from fallen power lines and trees as gale force winds are expected to strike.

Damaging winds of up to 90km/h will batter Australia's east coast from the Mid North Coast through to the Illawarra Forecast District in New South Wales Saturday afternoon.

Howling winds and heavy rain is making it's way across much of the east coast which has brought a freezing start to winter

Residents have been warned to take shelter and stay away from fallen power lines and trees as gale force winds are expected to strike

Damaging winds of up to 90km/h will batter Australia's east coast (pictured) from the Mid North Coast through to the Illawarra Forecast District in New South Wales Saturday afternoon

Emergency services have warned people to move their cars away from trees and to park under shelter as well as secure loose items around the house and balcony

Emergency services have warned people to move their cars away from trees and to park under shelter as well as secure loose items around the house and balcony.

'Keep at least eight metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energized, such as fences,' State Emergency Service warned.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Jordan Notara told Daily Mail Australia parts along the NSW were hit with gusts of 89km/h that were 'experienced around mid-morning' and experienced waves as big as five metres.

Many shivered through the morning with some people waking to -6C near upper Hunter Valley, NSW.

Wet conditions are expected through the weekend until Tuesday with up to about 10 millimeters predicted every day.

While downpour and strong gale force winds are expected to hit parts of NSW over the coming week, snow is expected to fall in the state's alpine regions.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Jordan Notara told Daily Mail Australia parts along the NSW were hit with gusts of 89km/h and experienced waves as big as five metres

Many shivered through the morning with some people waking to -6C near Hunter Valley, NSW

Wild winds, huge rain bombs and downpours of snow will be dumped across the country as Australians prepare for a freezing start to winter (Melbourne pictured)

Wet conditions are expected through the weekend until Tuesday with up to about 10 millimeters predicted every day

Bureau of Meterology meteorologist Rose Barr told Daily Mail Australia Friday it was 'a little cooler than usual' in western parts of NSW with rain showers widely expected

Coastal showers are expected across NSW (pictured) along with showers in East Gippsland region of Victoria

Bureau of Meterology meteorologist Rose Barr told Daily Mail Australia Friday it was 'a little cooler than usual' in western parts of the state with rain showers widely expected.

'Showers are largely coastal, a few stations on the eastern side of Great Dividing Range saw one millimetre but more significant falls are confined to the coast,' Ms Barr said Friday.

The meteorologist confirmed that a wet weekend was expected, with showers set to continue across Saturday and Sunday.

The heavy rainfall is expected to ease up towards the end of next week.

There have been a number of wind warnings issued for NSW across Mid North Coast, Hunter and Metropolitan and Illawarra regions.

'Beach conditions in these areas could be dangerous and people should stay well away from the surf and surf exposed areas,' a statement read.

The meteorologist confirmed that a wet weekend was is expected with showers set to continue across Friday through to Sunday along the NSW coast (Bondi Beach pictured)

The meteorologist confirmed 'significant falls' would hit the coast (pictured) while the rest of NSW would remain fairly dry

Sydney (pictured) wasn't the only city shivering through the morning as Queensland had their coldest June morning on record

One person was seen braving the icy conditions as they went for an early morning dip (left and right)

'Abnormally high tides may cause sea water flooding of low lying areas along central parts of the coast during high tide tonight (Friday).'

The conditions could create the highest tide for the year by 0.5 metres with authorities reminding people not to 'drive, ride or walk through flood water'.

Parts of the Northern Ranges woke to a freezing low of -7C while further south, many in Victoria shivered through lows of -5.6C at Mt Hotham and -4.7C at the Snowy Mountains in the Alpine regions on Friday.

'In Melbourne we had a minimum temperature of 4.1C which was the coldest morning since the 17th of September last year,' BoM senior forecaster Michael Efron said.

The heavy rainfall is expected for NSW until it begins to ease up towards the end of next week

There have been a number of gale force wind warnings issued for NSW across Mid North Coast, Hunter and Metropolitan and Illawarra regions

Despite the gloomy weather, a bright rainbow popped through the clouds adding slight colour to the grey day at Bondi Beach (pictured)

'Some of suburbs were down to 1C or 2C, it was certainly a cold start to winter.'

As Sydney braces for large rain dumps, Melbourne can expect fairly dry conditions right across the weekend.

'There is shower activity far east of state, around East Gippsland, but the rest of the state is looking dry and sunny with light winds,' Mr Efron said.

Even the sunshine state felt the chill with parts of Queensland recording their coldest start to winter in more than a decade.

Areas in Darling Downs, west of Brisbane, recorded a low of -2.8C - making it the coldest June 1 morning on record.

The crisp start to winter will not last long in Queensland with temperatures expected to hit sunny maximums of about 23C across the weekend.

As Sydney braces for large rain dumps, Melbourne (pictured) can expect fairly dry conditions right across the weekend after reaching lows of -5.6C on the first day of winter

Areas in Darling Downs, west of Brisbane, recorded a low of -2.8C - making it the coldest June morning on record
Canada's finance minister has said that he believes the threat of retaliation against US trade measures will persuade President Donald Trump to back away from steel and aluminum tariffs, as the other G7 finance ministers delivered harsh words about the US policy and vowed reprisal.

Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau spoke on Friday at a meeting of finance ministers from the G7 in Whistler, British Columbia, saying the threat of retaliatory measures could work against Trump.

'We see that response as being a way to get us back to the table so the impacts actually don't happen,' Morneau said.

Morneau was hosting finance ministers and central bankers from the G7 group of rich nations at the mountain resort town ahead of the main summit next week, but fears of a trade war dominated the event.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced retaliatory tariffs of $12.8billion on a wide variety of US imports including metal, toilet paper, pizzas and ball point pens.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau (right) spoke on Friday at a meeting of finance ministers from the G7 in Whistler, British Columbia, saying the threat of retaliation could work against Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday announced retaliatory tariffs of $12.8billion on a wide variety of US imports including metal, toilet paper and pizzas

Delegates listen to a welcome ceremony during the G7 Development Ministers meeting at the G7 Summit in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada on Thursday

Canada's retaliatory tariffs don't go into effect until July, which in theory leaves plenty of time for Trump to reconsider his position.

Trudeau on Thursday made an emotional appeal, citing Canada's war dead who fought alongside America in WWII and Afghanistan, while taking a swipe at Trump.

'Americans remain our partners, friends, and allies,' Trudeau said. 'This is not about the American people. We have to believe that at some point their common sense will prevail. But we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration.'

Canada is America's largest source of imported steel, accounting for about 17 per cent of US steel imports by volume.

However, some critics accuse Canada of buying cheap Chinese steel and flipping it in the US for a profit, using NAFTA as a backdoor for China to avoid US anti-dumping regulations.

Trump announced on Thursday that exemptions from 25 per cent tariffs on steel and 10 per cent tariffs on aluminum imported from Canada, Mexico and the European Union would no longer be renewed after Friday, sparking talk of a trade war.

Australia negotiated a side agreement with the US and will continue to be exempt from the tariffs, as will Argentina and Brazil.

Trump has said the tariffs are necessary to preserve a US steel and aluminum manufacturing base, asserting that it is in the country's vital national security interests

This map shows the top 10 countries that export steel to the US, and their share of the total

Trump has said the tariffs are necessary to preserve a US steel and aluminum manufacturing base, asserting that maintaining some domestic capacity is in the country's vital national security interests.

Canada's Morneau told reporters that in a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, 'I expressed in strong terms our opposition to these tariffs in the steel and aluminum sector, our absolute view that this is absurd that Canada could in any way be a security risk.'

The finance minister said Canada's government isn't ready to discuss support or potential bailout packages for Canadian business sectors affected by the tariffs.

He said the focus now is to use the threat of retaliatory measures to pressure the US into reconsidering its own tariffs before any negative economic impact actually materializes.

The EU is also planning a tariff counter-strike and filed a request Friday for consultations with the World Trade Organization.

European leaders are incensed at the steel tariffs. Pictured: British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is seen with Steve Mnuchin on Thursday. Scholz reiterated that he viewed the US tariffs as 'unacceptable' and 'against the law'

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond (left) and US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin (right) sit with UK Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt during a meeting at the G7 Finance Ministers Summit in Whistler

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, left, welcomes US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross prior to their meeting at French Economy Ministry in Paris on Thursday. 'We have been attacked by those tariffs. We do not have any other choice but to respond,' Le Maire said

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Friday in Whistler: 'We must find a way to get out of this. That was said clearly by everyone and I think it was even taken on board (by the United States).'

'To that extent, we have laid a foundation to come to a better outcome at some point,' he added.

Scholz reiterated that he viewed the US tariffs as 'unacceptable' and 'against the law'.

Bruno Le Maire, France's economy and finance minister, said a G7 trade war should be avoided.

'On trade, this is a G6 plus one,' Le Maire said after stepping outside briefly from the talks in Whistler on Friday. 'We have been attacked by those tariffs. We do not have any other choice but to respond. We would have preferred not to take that kind of decision.'

Le Maire said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin wasn't surprised when confronted about the tariffs inside the talks.

The French official expressed hope that the discussion will lay the foundation for successful talks during next week's summit of G7 national leaders in Quebec's Charlevoix region.

'We think that the G7 (meetings) will be useful if at the end of the G7, the United States is aware of the possible negative consequences of their decision on the unity of the G7 - not only the economic unity, but also the political one,' Le Maire said.

A staffer tries to secure the flags blowing in the wind during a meeting for the G7 Finance and Central Bank Governors in Whistler, British Columbia on Thursday

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she was 'deeply disappointed at the unjustified decision' to apply the tariffs.

British Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond took a more conciliatory tone when he spoke with reporters in Whistler

'It worries all of us and we are very disappointed by the action that the United States has taken,' Hammond told reporters

Hammond said that he hoped that Friday's discussions could lay the groundwork for G7 leaders to reach an understanding with Trump on tariffs next week at the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Quebec.

'We know that the president has a very personal style,' Hammond said. 'He likes to deal personally with issues.'

The EU and Canada have both filed challenges with the World Trade Organization.

US business leaders, especially in industries that rely upon cheap steel, also spoke out against the tariffs.

The American Automotive Policy Council, which represents US automakers, slammed the tariffs saying they 'undermine the global competitiveness of the US auto industry and invites retaliation from our trading partners.'

In a statement, the US Chamber of Commerce said 'the current approachand the obvious retaliation that will occur in responseposes a serious risk of raising barriers and reducing Americans' access to vital global markets. Our businesses will lose customers, workers will lose jobs, and American consumers will lose family income through higher taxes and higher prices.'
A woman walking her dog on a remote road became the pack leader of ten little kittens who jumped out of the bush and followed her home.

Bree Taylor was walking her dog Koda along Branch Creek Road in Dalby, Queensland, when the kittens popped out of the grass.

'I just couldn't believe there were ten and I was just more surprised that all they wanted was a cuddle,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

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As soon as she got the kittens home she gave them something to eat and drink (pictured) and started the process of finding them new homes

'They were very hungry. I knew they were feral because they weren't hissing they were meowing and jumping on me. They definitely knew what a human was.'

She realised that someone had dumped the kittens by the roadside and they were hoping she had some food for them.

Bree said when she realised they weren't feral she was instantly worried they'd be run over.

'I was more nervous they were going to get run over by a truck and the fact I couldn't carry them all.'

Bree decided to walk the dog home before she came back for the stray kittens but as she took off, the large group started running behind her.

'They all followed me for about a kilometre.'

Bree Taylor was walking her dog Koda home when a litter of ten kittens (pictured) ran out from the side of the road

The ten starving kittens (pictured) ran after Bree when she started to walk the dog back home

Unable to keep up with the pace the smallest kitten became tired and Bree had to carry it home.

She said the little one got exhausted 'because it was so much smaller and it was freezing and it was at least a kilometre back home.'

'It laid down and didn't want to walk anymore.'

Bree has already re-homed seven of the kittens but she says people need to be more responsible with their pets.

Since she uploaded the photos of the kittens (pictured) Bree has been able to find new homes for seven of them

'If you cannot afford to desex your cat and your not breeding them for purposes don't own a cat.'

'They are incredible at reproduction. They have a huge impact on native wild life in the environment especially feral cats, which is most likely what these kittens would have turned into.'

'I hope they feel guilty for what they did. Cruelty is not on.'

The outpouring of support Bree received over social media was huge, with one woman from Western Australia donating $100 for kitten food.

'That was a big help,' she said.
The best and worst places for investors, renters and buyers to search for properties have been revealed in a new report.

The report shows Sydney's southern suburbs as increasingly becoming one of the best places to invest in, offering high rental return and the potential for a market surge.

The lesser supply of rentals and higher demand in particular suburbs in South Sydney have also increased the marketability of the suburbs.

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Houses in Sydney's south are particularly hot on the market right now for potential investors

Properties with water, whether that be pools or views were highly sought after on Domain.com

The best suburbs to invest have been listed as Grays Point, Oatley, Bronte, Annandale and Kingsford

Suburbs that are doing particularly well include houses in Grays Point, Oatley, Bronte and Kingsford, as well as units in Annandale.

Location Score analyst Jeremy Sheppard released figures in a report on the pages blog, discussing suburb rise and fall.

He said a standout aspect of suburbs Grays Point, Kingsford and Oatley in particular, was their demand.

People searching for properties heavily outweighed supply, which meant buyers would have to bid up prices to get the homes they wanted.

This ultimately pushes up home values in the area.

The prestigious lower north shore suburb of Mosman also rated well in Domain's review of searches on its buying, selling and browsing platform.

It was the most searched suburb for homes for sale, followed by Paddington, Randwick, and then Balmain, according to Domain Group's audience activity report.

Domain's Popular Searches Most commonly searched suburbs for buyers: The Blue Mountains: Leura, Katoomba, Blackheath Canterbury/Bankstown: Bankstown, Padstow, Revesby Eastern Suburbs: Paddington, Randwick, Surry Hills The Hills District: Castle Hill, Kellyville, Baulkham Hills Inner West: Harbourside Balmain, Marrickville, Newtown Liverpool/Fairfield: Liverpool, Casula, Edmondson Park Macarthur/Camden: Campbelltown, Camden, Oran Park Lower North Shore: Mosman, Neutral Bay, Chatswood Upper North Shore: Turramurra, Lindfield, Pymble Northern Beaches: Manly, Freshwater, Balgowlah Northern Suburbs: Epping, Hunters Hill, Ryde Parramatta: Parramatta, Merrylands, North Rocks St George: Hurstville, Bexley, Oatley Sutherland: Cronulla, Caringbah, Miranda Sydney: Sydney CBD, Pyrmont, Chippendale Western Sydney: Blacktown, Penrith, Quakers Hill Advertisement

However, not all suburbs are wise or safe investments.

Sheppard said in an interview with real estate talk, 'over the last few years the location score has been steadily declining.'

'Sky high prices subdue demand like nothing else.'

A lack of urgency also seems to be aiding in the steady decrease in the housing market.

Suburbs with high numbers of apartments continuously getting released onto the market, such as Parramatta and Blacktown, are among the riskiest to buy investment properties.

The most commonly used keyword when property hunting on Domain.com is 'pool', followed by 'waterfront' and 'views'.

'That obviously reflects where the market is. We're seeing very low growth if anything at all and that's because the demand has been very much balanced with the level of supply,' Sheppard said.

'The results reveal Sydney's market slowdown is well and truly entrenched with buyer demand waning. Vendors must become realistic about their pricing, or risk seeing extended days on market until they reprice appropriately.'
This is the moment police smashed an alleged illegal casino accused of operating for six weeks before a disgruntled gambler tipped them off.

Detectives have commenced an investigation into the suspected illegal casino after raiding a West End apartment last night.

Officers from the State Crime Commands Major and Organised Crime Squad seized cash, gaming equipment, poker chips and phones after executing a search warrant at the apartment at about 9pm.

A total of 21 people were detained while detectives commenced inquiries.

Detectives have commenced an investigation into a suspected illegal casino after raiding a West End apartment last night

A total of 21 people were detained while detectives commenced inquiries

A 38-year-old man was issued with a Notice to Appear in court after allegedly being in possession of cocaine.

Investigations into the suspected illegal casino are ongoing.

Detectives are appealing for anyone with information regarding illegal gaming activity in Queensland to contact police.
Charlie Gard's parents are engaged, honouring a promise they made to the toddler on his death bed.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates' little boy died after his life support was switched off against their will on July 28 last year following a bitter legal battle with Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Charlie was diagnosed with a rare mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome only seen in 16 other children.

He was aged just 11 months and 24 days when he died after his parents lost their legal fight to fly him to Rome or New York for experimental treatment.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates' little boy died after his life support was switched off against their will on July 28 last year, a week before his first birthday

Charlie pictured before he was left brain-damaged, deaf and blind after being diagnosed with a rare mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome only seen in 16 other children

The couple have now said that Chris had a 'father and son' chat with Charlie on his death bed, where he promised to always look after Charlie's mum.

The parents shared the news on Facebook last night. The full statement said: 'Today we launched The Charlie Gard Foundation, in memory of our beautiful little boy Charlie.

'We always said that if we could not help Charlie, then we would do our utmost to help other children in his name. This would be Charlie's legacy.

'We obviously miss Charlie terribly. In his short time on this earth he brought us so much joy and happiness.

'And even though we can't physically see him anymore, we strongly feel that he is with us every day and our memory of him continues to bring us the joy and happiness we received when he was here with us, although this is now heavily weighted with sadness.

'It has been just over 10 months since Charlie grew his wings and departed from this earth.

As well as their engagement, the couple also launched the Charlie Gard Foundation yesterday

The couple say they channeled their 'grief, anger and sorrow' into 'making something good'

'It has obviously been an incredibly tough 10 months without him but we have taken our grief, anger and sorrow and channeled it into making sure something good comes out of Charlie's short life.

'Charlie would not have wanted us to wallow in grief or just give up.

'Charlie was put on this earth to make a difference, and boy did he do that. And we will carry on in his name to make that difference.

'Just a couple of hours before Charlie passed away, I laid on his bed, held his hand and had a little father/son chat with him.

The couple hope their foundation will mean children like Charlie will have a 'brighter future'

'I told him many things. I told him how much he was loved, how much he would be missed and how proud we all were of him, amongst lots of other things.

'I also made a number of promises to him. Ones that I will never break.

'And one of those promises I made was that no matter what happens, I would always care for and look after his gorgeous mummy for him.

'So I asked Connie if she would do me the honour of becoming my wife and sharing mine and our beautiful sons surname. And she said YES!!!

'When the day comes that we get married, the most important person to us will not be there, but don't worry, he'll be up there watching, hopefully with a big smile on his face.

The couple want to use the foundation to invest in research and provide support to families

'We love you Charlie and your legacy will carry on. Me and the soon-to-be Mrs Gard will make sure of it.

They also announced they have launched a foundation to provide a 'brighter future' for other sick children.

The Charlie Gard Foundation aims to invest in research and provide support to families.

The couple, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, launched the foundation on Friday and said they were keen to fund research projects.

Last year, they had asked the High Court to rule that Charlie should be allowed to undergo a therapy trial in New York.

Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London said the therapy would not help and said life-support treatment should stop.

Mr Justice Francis ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street after analysing the case at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

Charlie's parents failed to overturn the ruling in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

They also failed to persuade European Court of Human Rights judges to intervene.

The couple raised more than 1.3 million to pay for therapy in America and said they wanted to establish a foundation with the donations.

'Our vision is to enhance the quality of life for mitochondrial sufferers through innovative research, family support, and raise much-needed awareness for this devastating condition,' they said in a statement on the Charlie Gard Foundation website.

'Mitochondrial-related diseases kill more children than childhood cancers, and it's our vision to change this statistic.

She said yes! The couple announced on Facebook they were engaged, 10 months after the tragic loss of their son

The couple have now said that Chris had a 'father and son' chat with Charlie on his death bed, where he promised to always look after Charlie's mum

'Our aims are to deliver hope for a brighter future  and one day find that all-elusive cure  and ensure we provide mito sufferers with every opportunity to get the very best out of life.'

Last month, the couple revealed they could have another baby in future but it will have a 25 per cent chance of being born with the same condition that took their son's life.

Speaking to ITV's This Morning, Connie said: 'We're not really thinking about having a child right now.

In total, 1.3m was raised for the toddler, his parents are now using it to start a foundation in his name

'All of this is really important to us - we can't bring Charlie back, but we can try to help people in the future, or other people here now, that's our focus right now.

'We'll think about it a bit further down the line - we can't wait until I get too old obviously.'

Charlie's life and tragic death touched millions around the world and was brought to the fore again after Alfie Evans' fight for life in Liverpool.

The toddler died in April, five days after his ventilator was removed against the wishes of his parents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20.

Charlie's illness left him with brain problems and doctors believed it was in his best interests to be allowed to die

They too had fought doctors to let them take their son elsewhere for care.

Connie and Chris said their thoughts were with his parents.

Mr Gard said: 'No one will be in more pain than they are in now.

'From a personal experience, obviously I do this day, nine months later, I can get very angry at the world and at life.

'I can get extremely upset - but my overwhelming feeling, and I imagine Tom feels it as well, is pride.

'Charlie was our little boy. He touched the hearts of people around the world, and so did Alfie.'
An alleged drug kingpin who lashed out at police while being arrested at Sydney Airport is reportedly the same man filmed in a confrontation with anti-gang enforcer Raptor 13 during former Comanchero boss Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi's funeral.

Peter Vaiusu, 34, and his brother Henry Vaiusu, 32, were arrested on Thursday as part of a police crackdown on organised crime in Sydney.

In dramatic scenes, Peter was allegedly seen trying to break free from officers and lash out at a camera filming him shortly during his arrest at Sydney Airport after arriving on a flight from New Zealand.

Peter (pictured left) reportedly filmed a confrontation between fellow Comanchero associates and police on their way to Mick Hawi's burial in February

The men appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Friday but did not apply for bail.

They will appear in Central Local Court on July 26.

It's since been revealed that Peter filmed a confrontation between fellow Comanchero associates and police on their way to Mick Hawi's burial after the ex-bikie boss was shot dead outside a Sydney gym in February.

The men were driving to Rookwood Cemetery in western Sydney when their limousines were stopped by police on King Georges Road.

Peter Vaiusu (pictured) is behind bars after he was charged with three counts of supplying prohibited drugs, possess ammunition, deal in proceeds of crime, resist arrest, participate in a criminal group, and aggravated firearms offences

A handcuffed alleged bikie (pictured) was caught trying to escape police during a dramatic arrest at Sydney airport on Thursday

As a group of Comanchero associates were ordered out of their cars and began arguing with an officer, Vaiusu began filming the altercation on his phone.

'Searching us for no 'f.....g reason,' he says as he momentarily turns the camera on himself.

Vaiusu boasted on social media in May 2017 that he had his life on track.

'Life on the ligit lane,' he posted on Facebook with a picture of him with a car.

'Family back together: check. Commonwealth card: check. L's licence: check. Mum n Dad proud: check.'

Peter Vaiusu (pictured) boasted on social media in May 2017 that he had his life on track

A 34-year-old was one of two bikie brothers arrested following an alleged seizure of $2.75 million in cash, 13 firearms and illicit drugs in Sydney. A suitcase containing the alleged cash is pictured

Police allegedly seized $2.75 million in cash and drugs including 1.15kg of cocaine, 1.1kg of ice, and 26 litres of GBL - also known as 'coma in a bottle - five sub-machine guns, two semi-automatic pistols, two revolvers, ammunition and a silencer found in a storage unit in Waterloo.

Vaiusu was charged with three counts of supplying prohibited drugs, possess ammunition, deal in proceeds of crime, resist arrest, participate in a criminal group, and aggravated firearms offences.

Police alleged they stopped a car in Sydney's Alexandria on Thursday afternoon and arrested his 32-year-old brother Henry.

'Life on the ligit lane,' Peter Vaiusu posted on Facebook a year ago with a picture of him with a car

Police allegedly found guns (like those pictured) including five sub-machine guns, two semi-automatic pistols, two revolvers, ammunition and a silencer

The men faced court on Friday following an investigation by Strike Force Raptor and the Drug and Firearms Squad. One man arrested (pictured) was wearing a hi-vis vest

He was charged with three counts of supply prohibited drug, deal in proceeds of crime, participate in a criminal group, and aggravated firearms offences.

Two other men were arrested during the car stop but released pending further inquiries.

Police also executed a search warrant at a home unit at Homebush, where they seized items relevant to the investigation.

Tactical Operations Unit police alleged they stopped a car at O'Riordan St Alexandria at 3.45pm Thursday and arrested a 32-year-old man

Two other men were arrested during the car stop but released pending further inquiries

Police also executed a search warrant at a home unit at Homebush, where they allegedly seized items relevant to the investigation

Detectives are pictured leading a man in handcuffs through the airport after he arrived from New Zealand on Thursday

The man allegedly resists the officer (pictured) and lashes out as he tried to escape at the airport
The Ukrainian government's faked assassination of an anti-Putin journalist has raised more questions after one of the would-be killers was revealed to be a well-known Russia-hating former monk.

Boris L. German, 50, appeared in court accused of hiring former monk Oleksiy Tsimbalyuk to carry out the killing of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko. Tsimbalyuk is alleged to have reported the alleged hit to Ukrainian counter intelligence, the SBU.

Yet Facebook pictures of Tsimbalyuk in the uniform of Right Sector, a Ukrainian ultranationalist that the Kremlin portray as a neo-Nazi group, and as a former deacon in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has cast doubt on Putin's involvement.

Oleksiy Tsimbalyuk is pictured in the uniform of the Right Sector, a Ukrainian ultranationalist that the Kremlin portray as a neo-Nazi group. The pictures are on his Facebook page which have raised suspicions as to why Russia would hire a Putin critic to carry out the killing

Tsimbalyuk is a former monk and prominient anti-Russia critic. He previously said the killing of Russia-backed militias in eastern Ukraine was an 'act of mercy'. The video was posted online

The New York Times reports there is a 10-minute video on Tsimbalyuk's Facebook, where he claims killing Russia-backed militias in eastern Ukraine was an 'act of mercy'. Tsimbalyuk's prominent anti-Kremlin rhetoric has raised doubts as to why Russia would hire him to carry out the planned killing.

Both German and Tsimbalyuk claim they worked Ukrainian counter-intelligence. Ukraine initially denied Tsimbalyuk worked for them but later backtracked. Ukrainian officials continue to deny that German works for counter-intelligence.

Ukrainian officials also claim that German has a list of another 30 targets which Moscow wants to wipe out - something he claims he has since passed onto Kyiv.

Prosecutors claimed German had been given a down payment of $15,000, half what he was promised for carrying out the hit.

German said: 'I got a call from a longtime acquaintance who lives in Moscow, and in the process of communicating with him it turned out that he works for a Putin foundation precisely to orchestrate destabilization in Ukraine.'

The murder was staged with Babchenko shown lying in a pool of fake blood - to flush out the killer, Ukrainian authorities claim

He claimed he took his orders from Vyacheslav Pivovarnik, a Moscow-based businessman who he claims works for one of Putin's personal foundations.

'Six months ago, my old acquaintance contacted me, an ex-citizen of Ukraine, now living in Moscow,' German told the court.

'He works in a personal foundation of Putin's - and is in charge of organising riots in Ukraine and planned acts of terror at the next presidential elections.

'He is called Vyacheslav Pivovarnik. This is not a fairy tale, there's nothing mystical here, everything has been proved.'

German said he knew no killing would take place as a monk would not kill an unarmed man.

Eugene Solodko, Mr German's lawyer, wrote on Facebook that his client was an executive director of Schmeisser, a Ukrainian-German firm which is the only non-state owned arms producer in the country which specilalises in manufacturing sniper rifle sights.

Boris German, who suspected of organizing an attempt on killing of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, sits in a cage during a court trial on a preventive punishment at the Shevchenkovsky district court in Kiev, Ukraine

German says he was working on behalf of Ukrainian counter-intelligence

Russia have also distanced themselves from the operation.

A spokesman for Putin said: 'No such foundation exists in Russia. Any allegations about Russia's possible complicity in this staging is just mudslinging. They do not correspond to reality.'

Senior officials in Ukraine have been on the defensive since Wednesday, when the head of security services announced they had staged the death of Mr Babchenko so they could track his would-be killers to Russian intelligence. The murder was staged with Babchenko shown lying in a pool of fake blood.

Babchenko appeared at a press conference a day after he was supposedly murdered to stunned reactions from waiting reporters.
A mother and her young lover kissed in court on Friday after being separated since trying to smuggle cocaine into Sydney.

Sami Trabelsi, 38, and Snjezana Stein, 50, were caught trying to smuggle the drug cocaine through the Sydney Airport in the lining of their suitcases in April 2017.

The couple were originally charged with importing 4kg of the drug, but now face charges of importing the amount contained in their respective suitcases, news.com.au reported.

Sami Trabelsi, 38 (pictured left) and Snjezana Stein, 50 (pictured right), were caught trying to smuggle the drug cocaine through the Sydney Airport in the lining of their suitcases in April 2017

The publication reported the couple kissed in the court dock on Friday after being largely separated since their arrest.

Stein, 12 years older than her young lover, smiled at Trabelsi and touched him on the arm as he was brought into court.

The couple appeared to still be in love as they face up to 25 years in prison for attempting to bring the cocaine into Australia.

In April 2017, the couple flew more than 16,000 kilometres from Dusseldorf, Germany's seventh biggest city, on a 20-hour flight to Australia before being caught.

The couple were originally charged with importing 4kg of the drug, but now face charges of importing the amount contained in their suitcases (pictured)

They were selected for baggage examination which 'found anomalies' in the suitcase linings, after which the powder was found and tested positive for cocaine.

The Australian Federal Police then tested the weight, purity and street value of the drugs.

The couple have pleaded guilty to smuggling the amount of cocaine found in their suitcases.

But the judge has delayed sentencing for the German couple until August after Trabelsi's lawyer argued Legal Aid NSW had only just been handed his file.

'It's regrettable,' the judge said in court.

'People on remand have very little opportunity to do rehabilitation programs until they are sentenced.'

The couple (pictured) were selected for baggage examination which 'found anomalies' in the suitcase linings, after which the powder was found and tested positive for cocaine
Five Brits have been accused by Spanish police of hate crimes over vigilante street protests in Magauf against African prostitutes blamed for tourist muggings.

The expats were fingerprinted and told they face a court summons after being ordered to attend a local police station.

The summons occurred after around 20 Nigerian prostitutes complained to police they had been insulted and assaulted by protestors who filmed them without their consent.

Britons arriving at a Guardia Civil station in Magaluf. The unnamed five were supported by family and friends after being detained

The unnamed Brits, who were supported by expat friends when they went to the Civil Guard station near Magaluf, say they are the ones being treated as criminals rather than the women,

They are believed to have been members of a Facebook group which has recently been shut down.

The group are expected to be ordered to court over the next few weeks so they can be questioned by an investigating judge who will decide whether to formally charge them with hate crimes and disturbing the peace.

The shock development in the ongoing battle to rid Magaluf of the prostitutes - which has led to ugly street spats and calls by the local mayor for the Spanish government to draft more police into the party resort - has caused consternation among British workers and businessmen.

Angry vigilantes took to the streets of Magaluf in an attempt to drive out prostitutes who taxi drivers say have been frightening away British tourists

One confirmed: 'The outcome with the police wasn't good. Our friends are being charged with hate crimes and are awaiting court. We have to rethink this again and change our tactics.'

A local travel worker added: 'Makes me laugh how these women can denounce and get listened to after all they have done and got away with.

'I suppose they think they have won now and they're laughing at everyone.'

One of those who now faces a court summons is a Magaluf bar manager from Darlington, Co Durham.

He confirmed he was among the Brits 'charged' with hate crimes and disturbing the peace, although the police accusation is not a formal judicial charge.

Formal charges if they occur are likely to be months away because of the slowness of the Spanish judicial system.

It is claimed that the women have come to Spain via organised crime in Nigeria, and they are blamed by local businesses for a drop in tourist trade.

The most recent figures for Mallorca as a whole showed a year-on-year fall of almost six per cent in the number of visitors to the island.

A rock thrown by one of the Nigerian women at the protesters who took part in vigilante action, which turned ugly this week

It was not immediately clear if street protests against the prostitutes would continue.

The British group coordinating actions against the women had made public its intention to make a daily stand against the 'prostitutes' who have robbed, stabbed, bullied and attacked not only holidaymakers but the residents and seasonal workers of Magaluf.'

It said on its social media literature, insisting on the need for peaceful protest: 'We will hold public demonstrations every night and prevent them from making a living preying on the people of Magaluf and together we will take back our streets, and make them understand that they are no longer welcome here and they are not wanted!

'If the police will not do anything about it then we will! There are less than 100 of them but we can number in the thousands! We will put an end to this together.'

Spaniards have also taken part in street protests. One earlier this week ended up turning ugly as African women were chased off the streets while being videoed on mobile phones to shouts of 'The tourists are not coming because of you.'

The British group coordinating the protests said it intends to make a daily stand against the prostitutes and preventing them from making a living

Spanish taxi drivers joined a late-night show of strength against the women by recording them with their mobile phones and chanting: 'No prostitutes on the streets'

Another of the protestors yelled: 'What happens if you go back to your own countries and rob people. They slit your throats, right?'

One of the women picked up a block of wood as she was pursued by a large group of men yelling: 'Get out, get out.'

A man who picked the prostitutes up in a car they had been taken to Magaluf's raucous Punta Ballena area in, was also confronted.

There were reports of pushing and shoving and some minor assaults, but no-one was seriously injured.

The new protest came after Alfonso Rodriguez Badal, the mayor of Calvia which includes Magaluf, urged the Spanish government to help the party resort tackle the problems posed by African street prostitutes in a letter made public on Wednesday.

He called for an urgent meeting with a central government spokesman for the Balearic Islands as he insisted more Civil Guard officers were needed to combat the criminal gangs controlling the women.

The women, Nigerians working for mafia organisations who help them reach Europe, have been blamed for targeting drunk Brits and stealing their valuables. Spanish authorities say they are victims themselves of criminal human trafficking gangs.

The Nigerian women have been brought to Spain by people smugglers in their own country

The women, Nigerians working for mafia organisations who help them reach Europe, have been blamed for targeting drunk Brits and stealing their valuables

On Thursday police revealed 12 people had been arrested on suspicion of bringing Nigerian women to Spain to work as prostitutes after they were subjected to voodoo rituals to make sure they obeyed.

Officers from Spain's National Police said the operation came as four women were about to be flown from the east coast city of Valencia to Majorca and Ibiza to coincide with the start of the start of the holiday season.

The problem of the Magaluf prostitutes has sparked a political row between the area's two main parties.

The opposition Popular Party in Calvia, the municipality Magaluf is part of, accused the area's socialist mayor of passing the buck to others and his PSOE party of 'showing little willing to take brave measures to deal with Magaluf's problems.'

A PP spokesman said in a statement: 'It's obvious that the number of assaults on tourists is higher every day.

One of the prostitutes being pursued by some of the protesters in Magaluf town centre

'This is a very negative factor for Magaluf's main source of income which is tourism.'

One of the Brits now facing possible prosecution, voicing the frustration he and many others felt, said as he left the Civil Guard station: 'The question that should be asked is why has Calvia let this go on for so long.

'Why have they not got rid of this problem?.'

Another added of his police summons: 'The Civil Guard didn't ask any questions. They just said I had been summonsed to the station because I had committed a hate crime.

'They said 18 women had gone down to the station and accused of us of hate crimes and that's not true.

'They photographed us and took our fingerprints as part of what they called protocol.

'We haven't done anything wrong. All we're trying to do is make our home a better and safer place for us and everyone else against robberies and assaults.

'We don't want these women thieving from the tourists and the locals.

'That's what they do every night. They know it, the authorities know it, so why haven't they done anything about it?'
A victim of a vile paedophile has recounted the horrors she experienced when she was raped in a 'lock-up room' as a child.

Martin James Cooper, 66, helped his wife Nancy run the Warminda Hostel in East Victoria Park, Perth between 1978 and 1983 when the abuse occurred, Perth Now reported.

Ann Peterson, a ward of the state at the time, was violently raped in a small dark storage space she called the 'lock-up room'.

Martin James Cooper, 66 who was once a hostel parent who oversaw wards of the State and was convicted of abusing eight children who were in his care up to forty years ago (stock image)

'If I had been naughty I would be thrown in and there was no way of getting out,' Ms Peterson said in court this week, the West Australian reported.

'He just grabbed me by the hair... he threw me in... and he came into the room after me,' she said. 'And as the door closed, a mattress fell down and I was trying to crawl into the corner of the room, trying to get away from him.

'I remember being wedged in the corner. Every time he is moving, my head is hitting the wall.'

Cooper was found guilty of 30 historical child sex offences on Wednesday for the abuse of four girls and four boys, who were aged between 11 and 16, but was acquitted of abusing a friend of one of the girls under his care.

Victims testified against Cooper and said the hostel had a culture of fear and intimidation, which included systematic acts of a violent and sexual nature.

Further testimony stated that Cooper would violently lead another girl around by her hair before locking her in a cupboard which was known as the 'lock up' where she was violently raped

The witness testimony detailed Cooper's actions, from offering boys beers to indecently assault a girl in his car, after which he proceeded to rape the girl in front of the boys.

Further testimony stated Cooper would violently lead another girl around by her hair before locking her in a cupboard which was known as the 'lock up'.

The female victim said she was violently raped inside the cupboard.

Judge Mark Herron described any decision of bail as 'highly unusual' because it was 'inevitable' that Cooper would be sentenced to jail time and remanded him in custody until his sentencing

Cooper would also abuse the children verbally with one victim saying he would call her 'ugly' and that she 'looked like a pig', the court heard.

Cooper's lawyer David McKenzie originally requested his client be released on bail until sentencing, due to early onset dementia and a string of health issues. The court denied the request.

Judge Mark Herron described any decision of bail as 'highly unusual' because it was 'inevitable' that Cooper would be sentenced to jail time and remanded him in custody until his sentencing.
A man has been arrested after trying to save his '$2,500 dog' from a fire that destroyed an entire unit block.

Angry black plumes containing asbestos poured out of a three-unit dwelling in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, just after 10am Saturday.

The property on Hayle Street was successfully evacuated but completely destroyed in the blaze, Nine News reported.

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Burning asbestos from the unit's roofing and walls created a hazardous environment and posed serious risks to onlookers, who were initially unaware of the threat

One of the residents, a 37-year-old man, refused orders not to enter the burning property and was arrested after having to be restrained by police.

'Miniature Schnauzer. I paid two and a half grand for him,' the man said while thick smoke billowed out of the units behind him.

As emergency crews fought to contain the blaze residents from nearby homes watching on from the street were urged to go back inside and shut all their windows.

Burning asbestos from the unit's roofing and walls created a hazardous environment and posed serious risks to onlookers, who were initially unaware of the threat.

Firefighters contained the blaze within 20 minutes of arriving and reported no one was treated for injuries at the scene.

Angry black plumes containing asbestos poured out of a three-unit dwelling (pictured) in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, just after 10am Saturday

Neighbour Michael Cook recalled the horror of watching the block become completely engulfed in just minutes, Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Mr Cook and his daughter ran to all surrounding properties to alert their occupants of the fire and tell them to evacuate.

Another man watched as the 37-year-old tried to re-enter his unit.

'We just heard a guy screaming out and then we came down and he was trying to get into the front door, it was all on fire,' Burleigh resident Anthony Robinson said.

The fire is not being treated as suspicious.
George Gilbey, 34, arrives at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court in southwest London

Goggle Box star George Gilbey, 34, punched his girlfriend and threw her TV at her as she cried: 'Please don't leave my baby without her mum,' a court heard.

Gemma Conway suffered injuries to her eye socket, bruising to her arms and legs and strangulation marks around her neck when the drunken TV star attacked her.

The reality TV star, who has also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, assaulted Gemma Conway at her flat in Twickenham, south west London, as their daughter slept upstairs.

He was also accused of causing around 400 worth of damage by throwing lamps, a TV and a baby gate at Miss Conway.

Gilbey, of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, denies assault by beating and criminal damage.

Magistrate Nicholas Bennett said: 'Mr Gilbey was unable to explain how the flat was damaged and how Miss Conway received her injuries so we find his account not to be credible.

'We found Miss Conway to be a credible witness who reasonably admitted where her recollections were unsure, but it did not undermine her evidence.'

He will be sentenced on June 7.

Alex Ng, prosecuting earlier told Wimbledon Magistrates' Court: 'It's an allegation of assault in a domestic setting.

'Gemma Conway will tell the court how she had an argument with Mr Gilbey and was attacked by him by punching.

'He damaged various domestic items, a baby gate, the television a lamp and other metal items. She called her mum. Officers arrived and the court can see pictures taken by officers of the injuries.'

Giving evidence, Miss Conway said she had been with the electrician for around two-and-a-half years.

Gogglebox star Gilbey (left) is accused of attacking his partner Gemma Conway (right)

She said: 'We had previously lived together but the relationship wasn't working. So I moved in to my own property and he was looking to move back into the area and had rented a room around the corner. He had only just moved in.

'He stayed in my flat for a couple of days while he was moving in. On March 16, essentially I never got to go out being a full time working mum.

'I had invited a colleague back to my house. I picked up my daughter en route from the childminder and then another colleague from work, in my capacity as a teacher, came to join us. I wouldn't class it as a party.

'George had been at the pub before I think, drinking and watching the Cheltenham Races.'

Miss Conway (pictured today at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court) said she had been with the electrician for two-and-a-half years

The school teacher told magistrates that during the evening she left the flat to pick up a bottle of prosecco from a local supermarket.

Gilbey had mentioned over text he would pop in to greet her friends, the court heard.

'As I returned I heard George's voice in the flat talking to my friends. I could see he was very drunk', she said.

After a brief chat he left, Miss Conway claims, but on his way out said to her 'you and my mum are finished'.

Miss Conway said: 'I just said to my friends that he had made a nasty comment to me so I opened the door and went after him. I said "what did you say" and he told me to "f*** off".'

The court heard that as her last friend left for the night, she bumped into Gilbey on the path leading into the property.

'I closed the door and sat down in the front room on the sofa. Then when George came in. He wasn't in for long when he dropped his bag and said 'you are a f***ing b***h'.

'Then from that point on I remember I had my arms up and he started to attack me with various objects in the room. It can see no rhyme or reason why it happened. I do not know.'

The woman said the star was 'glassy-eyed, stumbling and slurring his words'. She added: 'He gets louder when he gets drunk and he gets very sweary.'

Gilbey, his mother Linda and her husband Pete became favourites with Gogglebox viewers

The court saw pictures of 'strangulation marks' on Miss Conway's neck and bruising on her arms.

Images of the chaos allegedly caused by Gilbey in the flat showed a blood stained grey sofa with furniture and other belongings strewn across the room.

Miss Conway said: 'My arms were very swollen and lumpy. The bruising and marking didn't come out til a few days later. My arms went black. I was trapped on the corner of the sofa I couldn't move my legs, they were going up in the foetal position.

'He was just throwing things at me. At one point he had his hands around my threat. The whole time he was just calling me a f**ing b***h.'

Beginning to sob, she told the court: 'It panicked me as I could feel the strangulation. When the TV came on me I thought "I'm in real trouble here". I said to him "please don't leave my baby without her mum".'

Gilbey, whose daughter Miss Conway is turning two this month, is believed to have returned to his parent's home after the incident earlier this year. The trial continues.

The Gilbeys had forced to leave when he entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on Channel 5

Gilbey and Miss Conway met in 2015 at Royal Ascot in Berkshire and announced she was pregnant with their first child in February the next year.

Gilbey said at the time that becoming a father was 'going to totally change my life and I can't wait'.

Gilbey, his mother Linda and her husband Pete became instant favourites with Gogglebox viewers when they joined the show in September 2013.

But a year later they were forced to leave when Gilbey entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on rival Channel 5, which is deemed a rule breaker by producers.

Inside the house he became linked with Made in Chelsea star Stephanie Pratt, but he controversially later paired up with Edele Lynch after Pratt was evicted.

In 2016 the star admitted he blew most of his Celebrity Big Brother fee, losing 12,000 in one night at a casino, and was now working as an electrician again.
Nappies and surgical masks have washed up on beaches after a vessel lost dozens of shipping containers overboard in rough seas.

Boaters were warned to watch out for potential hazards after 83 shipping containers were lost in the waters off the coast of Newcastle, north of Sydney.

The 268-metre long, 50,000 tonne YM Efficiency was on a routine journey from Kaohsiung in Taiwan to Sydney's Port Botany on Thursday night when the fully loaded ship encountered wild seas and was hit by a five metre wave.

A further 30 containers on board the Liberian-registered ship were badly damaged.

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Fishermen and beachgoers have been warned to stay out of the water after 83 shipping containers fell from a container ship on Friday

A further 30 containers on board the ship were badly damaged (pictured)

While there are no hazardous materials reported inside the lost containers, they are a risk to other ships, fisherman and beachgoers.

A helicopter scoured the coastline on Saturday for the 40-foot containers while nappies, surgical masks and plastic containers are among the first debris to wash up on Jimmys Beach and Rocky Point.

Two containers were spotted about 100 metres off Fingal Head and Boondelbah Island, near Port Stephens, while sections of another container were found on rocks at Yacaaba Headland.

Boat captains between Sydney and Port Stephens were urged via marine radio to be on a 'sharp look out' for '40-foot containers at sea and on shore'.

The ship was operated by the Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation.

A spokeswoman said there were no dangerous goods or contaminants inside.

'There is no security concern about the condition of the vessel,' she told AAP.

'As for the containers ... Yang Ming will inform the customers and discuss with P & I (insurers) for follow-up.'

Roads and Maritime Service executive director Angus Mitchell has cautioned anyone from going into the water until a clean up is completed.

'A full manifest of the cargo on board the vessel, and the condition of the vessel, is being sought,' he said.

'It's now the vessel operator's responsibility to recover and remove the 40-foot containers.'

The YM Efficiency was travelling to Sydney from Taiwan when it was hit by a five metre wave in heavy swell 30 kilometres off the coast

Boat captains from Sydney to Port Stephens were warned via marine radio to watch out for potential hazards and derbis (pictured)

Fingal Bay residents spotted the stricken ship trying desperately to seek shelter in calmer waters on Friday.

'We watched it for three quarters of an hour and we could see it was having trouble,' Alan Phillips told 9 News.

Dave Pollard added: 'It was fairly erratic for such a big ship to turn that fast. I'd never seen a ship do that.'

There were no reports of injuries on board the ship.

The ship is located 12 nautical miles off the coast, the ABC reported on Saturday.

It's not expected to dock until Sunday, as authorities wait for improved weather.

Reports of container sightings can be made by calling triple-0 or the AMSA reporting hotline on 1800 641 792.
A man wanted on an arrest warrant is being sought by police with concerns about the welfare of a woman who may be travelling with him.

About 11.20am on Friday a 28-year-old man was assaulted in Rous Street Goonellabah, in the Lismore area by another male.

Police attended and a crime scene was established.

Police have concerns for the welfare of Hannah Schofield, 23, who is described as being 150 to 170cm tall with a medium build

The man was taken to Lismore Hospital and treated for head injuries.

Following inquiries police attended an address at Dunoon regarding the welfare of a woman who resides at the house.

The woman was not able to be located and police are now concerned for her safety.

Hannah Schofield is described as 23-years old, 150 to 170cm tall with a medium build. She has a fair complexion with long dark hair. It is believed she was last seen wearing dark clothing.

Police also wish to speak with 28-year-old Leon Edward King and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

He is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Island appearance, approximately 185cm to 190cm tall, of a large build, with black hair, with a black beard and moustache.

It is believed the pair are in the northern rivers region.

Anyone who sees Mr King of Ms Schofield, or believes they know his whereabouts is urged not to approach him but to contact Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Pedro Sanchez has been sworn in as Spain's new prime minister, bringing his socialist party to power a day after he ousted Mariano Rajoy in a no-confidence vote.

Sanchez, a 46-year-old economist with no government experience, took the oath of office before King Felipe VI in the Zarzuela Palace near Madrid.

His socialist party, which holds just 84 of the 350 seats in parliament, will lead a minority government supported by far-left Podemos, Catalan separatists and an array of minor regional parties.

The photogenic new leader has been dubbed 'Mr Handsome' and likened to Spanish actor Antonio Banderas.

Pedro Sanchez, 46, pictured at today's swearing-in ceremony, has become Spain's new prime minister and will head a minority government led by his socialist party

King Felipe VI watches incoming Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez during today's ceremony at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, a day after a dramatic no-confidence vote

It marks a stunning comeback for Sanchez, who was thrown out of the party leadership after two crushing election defeats in 2015 and 2016 but returned to the job last year.

Rajoy was toppled in a confidence vote yesterday after a court found former Popular Party officials guilty of receiving bribes in exchange for awarding public contracts, in a vast graft scheme between 1999 and 2005.

An absolute majority of 180 lawmakers voted for the motion on Friday to loud applause and shouts of 'Yes we can'.

The new PM has promised his 'main priority' will be to respect Madrid's deficit reduction commitments to the European Union.

The socialist leader, who must still name his cabinet, has also vowed to implement the 2018 budget designed by Rajoy's conservative Popular Party (PP) government.

Sanchez and his party are staunch supporters of the EU and the shared currency.

Sanchez (left) poses with King Felipe and outgoing prime minister Mariano Rajoy (right) today

Pedro Sanchez, an economist with no government experience, took the oath of office today and shook hands with King Felipe VI at La Zarzuela palace in Madrid

The incoming leader has also vowed to fight corruption and help Spaniards affected by years of public spending cuts under Rajoy's government.

He has also pledged to hold an election soon, although he has not specified a date setting a date.

Sanchez has pledged to open talks with the separatist leader of northeastern Catalonia, which is set to recover a large degree of self-rule when chief Quim Torra swears in his Cabinet later on Saturday.

The forming of a Catalan government will end the Madrid government's takeover of the region as part of its crackdown following a failed declaration of independence by Catalonia in October.

All of his allies in the no-confidence motion stressed their vote against Rajoy was not a blank cheque for Sanchez.

'Our 'Yes' to Sanchez is a 'No' to Rajoy,' is how Joan Tarda of Catalan pro-independence party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) put it in parliament.

Sanchez is Spain's seventh prime minister since the return to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
Amanda Millington, 42, abused a position of 'power and trust' has been jailed after stealing money

A fundraiser who abused a position of 'power and trust' has been jailed after stealing money from a charity for sick cancer patients.

Amanda Millington, 42, duped a barber into thinking key funds donated by well-wishers at a charity haircut event would be handed to Cancer Research.

She instead pocketed the cash, which the charity's director now says he hopes does not deter generous supporters from donating in the future.

Photographs from the charity event in July 2013 showed her smiling broadly and donning a Cancer Research t-shirt.

The barber had intended for the proceeds from the haircuts to be sent to Cancer Research after Millington contacted the charity for fundraising packages.

Millington forged a letter from the charity but put its logo in the wrong place which led to the Home Office to question its legitimacy.

After a probe by a local newspaper, Cancer Research confirmed it had not received the donation and had been chasing the 425 for months.

The long-time fundraiser for a number of charities including The Shannon Bradshaw Trust was then quizzed by police.

Millington, from Warrington, Cheshire, was sentenced to eight months in prison at Warrington Crown Court on Tuesday after being found guilty of fraud by a jury earlier this month.

The court heard, Millington had 'used her charity connections' to apply for fundraising packages to help Ilham Begde, of Ilham's Barbers, organise a charity haircut.

Mr Begde intended for the proceeds from the first 50 haircuts to be sent to Cancer Research after Millington contacted the charity for fundraising packages.

The incident came to light in 2014 when Mr Begde, a Turkish national, attempted to get his brother into the country and wanted to provide evidence of charity work to prove he was an outstanding citizen.

The court heard, a black mark was placed against Mr Begde and his brother was barred from entering the country for 10 years.

Millington was also a convicted benefit cheat who had falsely claimed more than 9,000 between November 2004 and August 2005

Millington had also hosted a charity fun day but none of the proceeds went to Cancer Research as promised.

Mitigating, John Banasko said: 'She has spent several years fundraising for The Shannon Bradshaw Trust and is a lady who is not in the best of health.

'She has her own family problems, being the carer of her son.

'She has done a lot of good work in the community but she has done some bad things as well.'

Recorder Simon Killeen said: 'In 2013, Mr Begde ran a barber shop and wanted to raise money from a charity haircut.

'The event took place and you received 425 from Mr Begde but it is clear from the evidence from Cancer Research what you had done.

'You had not paid a penny, it had gone straight into your pocket.

Speaking after the sentencing, Simon Ledsham, director of communities at Cancer Research UK, said: 'We welcome this conviction'

'You were in a position of trust, when you receive these packages from Cancer Research, you are expected to use them properly and return the money you raise.

'You did none of that, you lied about what you did.'

Mr Killeen explained how such actions are damaging to charitable organisations that rely on members of the public who raise money.

He said: 'They need to know they can trust these people who wear the emblems of the charity and these people are not just lining their pockets.

'People will stop giving money to these vital organisations which help medical treatments and research.'

Millington was also a convicted benefit cheat who had falsely claimed more than 9,000 between November 2004 and August 2005.

She claimed benefits as a single person when she was living with her partner.

Speaking after the sentencing, Simon Ledsham, director of communities at Cancer Research UK, said: 'We welcome this conviction.

'Cancer Research UK has been working with Cheshire Police to investigate the events.

'Cancer Research UK does not receive any government funding for our vital research, but relies completely on the commitment, dedication, generosity and honesty of our supporters fundraising on our behalf.

'We hope that this matter does not deter any of our generous supporters in the future.'
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Britain is forecast a 90 F (32C) 'Flaming June' after basking through the warmest May ever recorded - but sun-seekers will first have to contend with thunder, lightning and torrential rain.

The Met Office has revealed that this May was the UK's hottest ever after it released its provisional data for the month.

The average daytime maximum temperature was 17C (62.6F), just beating the previous all-time high of 16.9C (62.4F) set in May 1992.

But now it has issued a number of yellow weather warnings for England and Scotland as gloomy weather approaches.

Volleyball players are making the most of the glorious sunshine today in Weymouth after the Met Office warned thunderstorms and lightning across parts on Britain

Crowds have flocked to Wemouth's sandy beach to soak in glorious sunshine today. It comes after Britain was battered by torrential rain in recent days

The Met Office has warned Britain is facing further thunderstorms and spells of heavy rain before summery weather continues next week

Children play in the water as people today unwind on Weymouth beach, where temperatures are at a comfortable 60F (16C)

Crowds flock to Weymouth beach today as the coastal fog clears and the temperature rises. Meanwhile, thunder and lightning is crashing above parts of Scotland

Families enjoy themselves on Weymouth beach today. Tomorrow is due 27C - hotter than 21C Alice Springs, in Australia's outback - with sunny days ahead after storms halted

The average daytime maximum temperature in May was 17C (62.6F), just beating the previous all-time high of 16.9C (62.4F) set in May 1992. Pictured: Beachgoers enjoying themselves today in Weymouth

A couple strolls along Weymouth beach today as a girl plays in the water. The Met Office has issued weather warnings for heavy rain

Grey clouds role over an empty beach at West Bay on Dorset's Jurassic coast this morning and Britain prepares for further thunderstorms to come tonight and into tomorrow morning

A woman walks her dog along the beach at West Bay in Dorset this morning following days of thunderstorms and torrential rain for many parts of the UK

Waves laps at the edge of the beach in West Bay, Dorset this morning as a woman takes an early-morning stroll

Fitness-conscious West Bay residents were up early this morning to work out by the sky-blue sea. Britons will be making the most of the good weather before rain and thunder returns

But now it has issued a number of yellow weather warnings for England and Scotland as gloomy weather approaches which could bring localised flooding a disruption to transport

The Met Office has revealed that this May was the UK's hottest ever after it released its provisional data for the month showing high levels of sunshine duration and sweltering temperatures

Thunder and lightning is already crashing over parts of Scotland as the Met Office issue weather warnings for heavy rain across Britain

Forecaster Gregg Dewhurst told MailOnline: 'Today we have got the risk of thunderstorms developing across northern England, Scotland and eastern England as well.

'We can expect heavy downpours that could lead to localised flooding.'

Forecasters have rolled out yellow weather warnings for Central, Tayside & Fife, East Midlands, East of England, Grampian, Highlands & Eilean Siar, North East England, North West England, Northern Ireland, south west Scotland, Lothian Borders, Strathclyde, West Midland and Yorkshire & Humber.

Gregg said showers will be 'hit and miss and not everyone will see them' but that the risk of thunder, lightning and rain will continue into tomorrow and on Monday.

'We do have further weather warnings in place for localised flooding from heavy downpours... the next 24 to 48 hours will see further thunder storms.'

Tomorrow is due 27C - hotter than 21C Alice Springs, in Australia's outback - with sunny days ahead after storms halted.

Forecaster Gregg Dewhurst told MailOnline: 'Today we have got the risk of thunderstorms developing across northern England, Scotland and eastern England as well'. Pictured: People enjoy a fitness session by the beach in West Bay

Summer's sizzling start but wet and cool end was forecast by The Weather Company. The Met Office also forecast hot spells during June. The Weather Outlook predicted roasts pushing 32C. Pictured: A woman walks along the beach in Dorset's West Bay

Next week is expected to be mainly dry and settled as an area of high pressure dominates much of Britain, bringing with it plenty of sunshine

Temperatures today are set to reach highs of 26C while southern England will enjoy the best of the sun.

Next week is expected to be mainly dry and settled as an area of high pressure dominates much of Britain, bringing with it plenty of sunshine.

Summer's sizzling start but wet and cool end was forecast by The Weather Company.

The Met Office also forecast hot spells during June. The Weather Outlook predicted roasts pushing 32C.

The summer forecast boosts Trooping the Colour next Saturday, Royal Ascot from June 19-23, and the Isle of Wight Festival from June 21-24  but triggers rain worries for Wimbledon from July 2-15 and school holidays in late July and August.

After rain and thunderstorms tonight, the Met Office said Britain will see warm and sunny conditions return for much of the working week

After a more unsettled spell in mid-month, there are signs of warmer air returning later in June, Gregg from the Met Office said

Leon Brown, head of meteorological operations at The Weather Channel, said: 'The hottest weather is forecast in the first half of summer, with a warmer-than-average June and 32C highs expected.

'But the pattern of warmth from the continental changes in July, meaning a risk of rain for Wimbledon, with more unsettled Atlantic fronts forecast.

'August's school holidays look like seeing above-average rainfall, and below-normal temperatures at times.'

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: '27C would not be surprising on Sunday - and coming days see less thundery conditions, good sunny spells and warm temperatures.

'After a more unsettled spell in mid-month, there are signs of warmer air returning later in June.'

The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: 'Over 31C is possible during June.'
A 20-year-old woman who was killed when a BMW ploughed into pedestrians in Greater Manchester has been pictured for the first time.

Sophie Louise Smith died of her injuries after the crash in Trafford Park, Manchester, on Thursday evening.

Friends have been paying tribute to her on social media, calling her a 'beautiful young woman taken far too young'.

Sophie Louise Smith who died of her injuries after the crash in Trafford Park, Manchester

Friends have paid tribute to Sophie, calling her a 'beautiful young woman taken far too young'

The 20-year-old died of the injuries she suffered at the car meet on Thursday evening

Mourners left flowers and lit candles near the scene of the accident spelling out her initials

Mourners have left flowers and lit candles near the scene of the accident spelling out her initials, SLS, the Mirror reports.

Jade Jones wrote: 'I can't believe the news, so heart breaking such a lovely beautiful young woman taken far too young.'

Another friend, Ella Jayne Haslam, said: 'So sad to hear about this, RIP Sophie never thanked you enough for being my first childhood friend... such a lovely girl.'

Emergency services raced to the scene in Trafford Park, Manchester after five people were seriously injured when a BMW ploughed into them

Emergency services, including paramedica and police, attending the scene in Manchester

Police said the blue BMW 330D M Sport Auto Estate hit a crowd of people sending victims 'flying everywhere' at 9.49pm in an area known as 'The Magic Roundabout'.

One man said the incident happened while 'boy racers' were taking part in a car meet.

The driver failed to stop, police said. A blue BMW which is believed to have been involved in the collision was later found in neighbouring Salford.

On Saturday police arrested a 24-year-old man in the Swinton area of Salford, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He remains in custody for questioning.

A 21-year-old man who was arrested on Friday morning has been bailed pending further inquiries and a 26-year-old man arrested on Friday afternoon has been released under investigation.



Officers from Greater Manchester Police and a force helicopter were at the scene. A 21-year-old man has been arrested

Parts of Trafford Park, a huge industrial estate with stretches of long straight roads and roundabouts, much of it deserted at night, has become known locally as a place used as a race track for car enthusiasts, at times attracting dozens of spectators.

Ryan Currie, 23, of Didsbury, said he saw three people and a dog get 'launched into the air'.

He said: 'The car then drove through them and carried on without stopping.

'At this point I heard the dog yelping and running round, loads of people ran over to attend to the injured.

'A huge crowd gathered round, ringing ambulances and police.'

Four ambulances and a hazardous area response team were scrambled to the scene, along with three senior clinicians.

There is no evidence to suggest the incident is terrorism-related at this stage, according to officers.

Greater Manchester Police's Chief Superintendent Wayne Millar appealed for information today and said around 60 vehicles were at the car meet at the time.

He added: 'First and foremost our thoughts are with the victims and families at this very difficult time.

'On arrival of emergency services, they were faced with a horrific scene and such was the number of casualties it was declared a major incident.

'We've been working very closely with Trafford Council to deal with this, since February 2017 there's been a Public Space Protection Order in force for that area and during that time we've made a number of arrests, seized a number of vehicles, we've engaged with those that are participating in these car meets.

'We've also sent a number of warning letters and also reported a number of people for several offences.'

Police officers and a recovery vehicle were pictured at the scene of the crash this morning

This was the scene in Trafford Park yesterday morning. A car ploughed into a crowd of people on Europa Way, in Manchester, leaving several seriously injured

His colleague Jo Rogerson added: 'We now have a man in custody and we will be questioning him under caution as part of our investigation.

'This is an extremely serious incident that we are dealing with and I cannot stress the importance of people contacting us if they know something.

'Any information, no matter how insignificant people think it may be, could be the piece that we need so please, call us.'

A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said last night: 'We were called at 9.49pm to reports of a collision between a car and pedestrians.

'We currently have five patients, all in a serious condition.

'We have four ambulances, an advanced paramedic, a senior clinician and three hazardous area response teams (HART) at the scene.'

Officers are trying to determine how exactly five people were seriously injured in the crash

Sergeant Brian Orr, of Greater Manchester Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'Our investigation into this tragic incident is continuing and earlier today we made a further arrest.

'That man remains in custody and will be questioned later today, however I would continue to urge any member of the public with information that can assist us to please come forward.'

Information can be passed on to the Serious Collision Investigation Unit by calling 0161 856 4742 quoting incident number 2409 of 31/05/18 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A man has been charged with alleged murder following a five hour police manhunt after he allegedly stabbed his grandmother to death and critically injured his grandfather.

A 71-year-old flagged down a passing driver outside his home in Bega on the New South Wales south coast after he and his wife were allegedly stabbed at about 3.30pm on Friday.

His wife, 69, was rushed to South East Regional Hospital, where she died.

Her husband was airlifted to Canberra Hospital, where he is fighting for life.

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A man has been charged with murder following a five hour police manhunt after he allegedly stabbed his grandmother to death and critically injured his grandfather

South Coast Police District detectives, assisted by the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad, are investigating the alleged incident. Pictured is Bega Police Station

A man, 20, was taken to hospital under police guard and has since has been charged with murder and two counts of wounding with intent to murder.

He was refused bail and is expected to appear in Batemans Bail Local Court on Sunday.

Police confirmed on Saturday that the alleged attacker, 20, is the couple's grandson.

The tragedy has rocked the Bega community.

'Normally it's a pretty quiet place,' resident Bob Russell told the ABC.

'We're only normally on the map for the Bega cheese, not for all the bad things.'

A man was refused bail and is expected to appear in Batemans Bail Local Court on Sunday

Rebecca Lupton told 9 News she witnessed the 71-year-old man waving at cars.

'We came home yesterday afternoon after the school pick-up, and as we drove around the corner I saw the older guy waving,' she said.

'In hindsight that was when he was flagging down help because minutes later there was ambulances and police sirens. We're used to hoons coming down the street, we're not quite used to everything halting when the sound of that police siren starts.'

Police began a large scale manhunt and warned local residents to stay indoors after the man allegedly fled from the murder scene in his grandparents' car on Friday afternoon.

Police confirmed on Saturday that the alleged attacker, 20, is the couple's grandson

Police alleged the man, attacked a motorist in the head with a hammer an hour later during an alleged carjacking on the Sapphire Coast Drive in Bournda.

He was airlifted to Sydney's St George Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

A female passenger escaped unharmed. The man allegedly crashed 500 metres down the road and ran into bushland.

Police called in helicopters, negotiators and special tactical operatives to capture him and arrested him at about 8.20pm.

A man from the Bournda area said residents were told to stay indoors while the manhunt was underway.

'Police told the neighbours that he was in the vicinity and could be in their backyard,' the man told The Sunday Telegraph.

'For a lot of neighbours, it was quite concerning.'
Migrants living in Italy have been advised to start packing as the country's new populist leaders repeated promises to boot them out of the country.

At a rally in northern Italy, new Interior Minister and League leader, Matteo Salvini, warned: 'The good times for illegals are over - get ready to pack your bags.'

Salvinis appointment was described as a dream by one supporter, while another said on the politicians Facebook page that the new political lineup 'breathe a different air'.

'Around there is a festive air, you can see [it] in the looks of Italians who have confidence in this government. This is a government with the right people in the right places.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, centre, at the end of the ceremony of the anniversary of the Italian Republic (Republic Day) on June 2, 2018 in Rome, Italy

Newly appointed Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Minister of Defence Elisabetta Trenta and Senate President Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati attend the Republic Day military parade at the Vittoriano monument in Rome

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella arrives at the Republic Day military parade in Rome, Italy

Earlier today, Salvini joined Premier Giuseppe Conte and the rest of the newly sworn-in Cabinet to view the Republic Day parade in Rome.

Italy's aeronautic acrobatic squad flew low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag.

The national pride on display is a feature of every Republic Day, but it took on a particular significance this year after Italy on Friday ended three months of political and financial turmoil and swore in a government whose populist and eurosceptic leanings have alarmed Europe.

The Italian Frecce Tricolori aerobatic squad performs over the Vittoriano monument during the Republic Day military parade on June 2

Italian Army soldiers march during the Republic Day military parade in Rome, in a pomp-filled ceremony

Italian Special Forces officers march during the Republic Day military parade in Rome., as the nation's pride was on full display

Italy's new populist leaders commemorated the founding of the Italian republic by attending the pomp-filled military parade  and then promised to get to work creating jobs and expelling migrants.

The pledge of mass deportations to come was a reminder that Italy has a staunchly anti-immigrant, right-wing party in its governing coalition, and that the European Union will face a whole new partner governing its fourth-largest economy.

Conte, a law professor plucked from relative obscurity to head an unlikely governing alliance of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and League, said the celebrations transcended all the tensions of recent days.

Italian Army troops march during the Republic Day military parade

Italy's Minister of Labor and Industry Luigi Di Maio talks with Ettore Rosato of Democratic Party (PD) at the Republic Day military parade in Rome

Italian army soldiers march during a military parade on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the Italian Republic

'It's the celebration for all of us, of our republic,' he said.

Conte's Cabinet was sworn in after a last-minute deal averted the threat of a new election that could have turned into a referendum on whether Italy stayed with the shared European euro currency.

The political stability relieved financial markets on Friday, but Italy's European neighbours continued to express concerns about the eurosceptic bent and the heavy spending agenda of Italy's new government.

The Italian Frecce Tricolori aerobatic squad perform during the ceremony marking the Republic Day, captured in many a photo

From left, Italy's Justice Minister Alfonso Bonafede, Italy's Labour and Industry Minister and deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio and Democratic Party (PD) member Ettore Rosato look at the Italian Air Force aerobatic unit Frecce Tricolori (Tricolor Arrows) performing

The Frecce Tricolori Italian Air Force acrobatic squad flies over Rome's skyline on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of founding of the Italian Republic in 1946

'Italy is destroying itself  and dragging down Europe with it,' read the headline of Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, the cover of which featured a forkful of spaghetti with one dangling strand tied up as a noose.

While the magazine is known for such provocations, another Spiegel article last week drew an official protest from Italy's ambassador to Germany.

On Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned Conte and invited him to visit soon. Merkel's office said both leaders emphasised the importance of continued close bilateral cooperation.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte is greeted by people at the celebrations. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution

Conte has so far left policy specifics to the drivers of his improbable rise, his two deputies: Salvini and 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio.

Di Maio, the new economic development minister, reported for work after the parade to his ministry, which would have otherwise been closed for the holiday.

'Starting today, we get to work to create work,' Di Maio said in a Facebook video giving Italians a tour of the empty ministry. Di Maio is also the minister for labour, a combination he said made sense since the two ministries must work together.

Leader of the League party and Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, walks through the crowd

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, centre, is flanked by Roberto Fico, left, president of the Lower Chamber, and Rome's Mayor Virginia Raggi

Leader of the League party and Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, poses for a photo as he walks through the crowd on the occasion of celebrations for Italy's Republic Day

Offering the new government cautious support was Italy's small, far-right neo-fascist CasaPound party, which held its own Republic Day commemoration on Saturday. Banners featured images of a crossed-out EU flag and '#exIT' written underneath, a reference to calls for Italy to leave the 28-nation bloc.

The 5-Star-League agenda has no such plans, but Conte made clear he was irked by comments this week by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who said Italy had to stop blaming the EU for its problems and must take responsibility to address the poverty in southern Italy.

'That means more work, less corruption. Seriousness,' Juncker said in comments his spokeswoman later said he regretted.

In an unscripted blast from the parade route, Conte insisted Italy was not alone in facing cases of corruption and declared that 'we all have to work for legality'.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, left, flanked by Senate president Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, attends the celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome on Saturday, June 2

Conte's government faces mandatory confidence votes next week in parliament, where the two governing parties have a slim majority.

Republic Day commemorates the day, June 2, 1946, when Italians voted in a referendum to abolish the monarchy in favor of a republic, Italy's first.

The political upheaval that has created western Europe's first populist government this week has been dubbed the start of Italy's Third Republic.
Just one day after President Donald Trump announced the US-North Korea summit is back on, the US and Singapore are looking for ways to bear the cost of Kim Jong Un's accommodation, including the North Korean leader's preference for a five-star, $6,000 a night hotel.

The Washington Post reports that paying for North Korea's accommodation during the June 12 summit would conflict with US Treasury Department sanctions and require a waiver to be signed to temporarily bypass them.

Kim's trip to Singapore, which would be the furthest he would have traveled as leader, poses logistical and financial challenges for the cash-strapped nation.

This includes the use of the country's Soviet-era aircraft which is unlikely to make the entire 3,000 mile trip - requiring another nation to transport the leader, his staff and security.

Singapore has said it is willing to pick up some of the bill for North Korea as the leaders are set to meet in the wealthy nation in the coming weeks.

The meeting between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump will be held in Singapore on June 12 and the US is open to picking up the bill for Kim's accommodations

Kim Jong Un is reportedly requesting to stay at the five-star Fullerton Hotel in Singapore (pictured) which is priced at $6,000 a night for the presidential suite

The Washington Post reports that The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore is North Korea's lodging of choice.

The bill for the presidential suite is at least 8,000 Singapore dollars ($6,000) a night.

'Obviously yes, but it is a cost that we're willing to bear to play a small part in this historic meeting,' Singapore defense minister Ng Eng Hen said on Saturday.

Kim Chang Son, the de facto chief of staff for the North Korean government was seen this week at the centrally located, five-star hotel that is a refurbished government building overlooking the Singapore river.

He was in Singapore to meet the US planning team led by White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin to work out logistics for the summit.

Hagin is reportedly open to paying for Kim's stay.

North Korea's economy has been squeezed by a series of UN and unilateral sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The country has therefore required a foreign country to foot the bill for their accommodations and travel.

The US is expected to request the waivers to bypass the sanctions to cover the travel, which could draw scrutiny, according to the Post.

Among the potential venues mentioned as the site of the summit include the Shangri-la Hotel

In February, North Korea's travel expenses during the 2018 Winter Olympics were paid for by South Korea.

South Korea paid for the $2.6 million bill that covered 424 athletes' accommodations at luxury hotels and food.

However, Hagin is aware that the gesture to cover the cost could be perceived by North Korea as an insult.

'It is an ironic and telling deviation from North Korea's insistence on being treated on an 'equal footing,' said Scott Snyder, a Korea expert at Council on Foreign Relations.

There is no confirmation on the location for the meeting between Kim and Trump, although there are a number of sites in Singapore that can guarantee security protection, including hotels that have experience hosting high-security events, local media and a Singapore government official said.

Among the potential venues mentioned as the site of the summit include the Shangri-la Hotel, which hosted Indian Prime Minister and defense chiefs from around the world this weekend, and the Capella hotel on the resort island of Sentosa.

The 348-square meter Shangri-la Suite in the Valley Wing of the Shangri-la is priced at $10,000 for the June 12 night.
Villagers have praised a fire that destroyed an 'archaic' toll booth that charged drivers 12p in cash only and caused frustratingly long traffic queues.

Warburton bridge toll booth is suspected to have been reduced to ash by an arsonist who became fed up of waiting to cross the bridge.

The booth's owners, Peel Ports, are planning to replace the destroyed structure with a more modern toll.

But the suspected arsonist is being celebrated a hero as villagers proclaim they are 'free' from the tyranny of the toll.

Residents are praising a fire that reduced Warburton bridge toll booth to ash. It is thought someone became so fed up with the huge queues of traffic that they burnt it down

'We're all wondering who did it,' one resident told The Times.

'But it would not surprise me if someone didn't just burn it down again. Life has been so much better without it. It was hell but it's brilliant now.'

Another told the newspaper: 'I full understand why someone did it. It's like we're free.'

The booth on the bridge links the villages of Rixton in Warrington, Cheshire, with Warbuton in Trafford, Great Manchester.

But it has become such a headache for motorists that one resident paid to allow drivers to cross the bridge free of charge.

Diane Grant, 66, paid 30 so cars could pass through for free and she even began to receive donations in support.

Ms Grant believes someone was 'pushed to the limit' the night it was burnt down on May 10.

The blaze broke out in the booth at around 1.30am and had been unmanned since 10pm.

Owners Peel Ports are planning to introduce at video toll system - but also increase the fare.

Residents have spoken of hour their children did their homework in cars as they waited in the queues and one even missed a GCSE exam due to congestion.

Alisha Butters, 28, who lives near the booth, recalled when she had to give first aid to a man who had suffered a heart attack because the ambulance was held up in traffic.

The booth on the bridge links the villages of Rixton in Warrington, Cheshire, with Warbuton in Trafford, Great Manchester

But it has become some a headache for motorists that one resident paid to allow drivers to cross it free of charge

A spokeswoman for Peel Ports said that the company was committed to addressing local community concerns and recognised that both bridges required maintenance and upgrading.

She said that it would hold a public consultation and apply for a toll bridge order.

'It was committed to working with the relevant councils and action groups 'to speed up the process'.

Peel Ports confirmed that it was planning to undertake maintenance work on the high-level bridge, raise the weight limit from three to 7.5 tonnes, install an automated tolling system to help traffic flow, resurface the road and introduce HGV turning areas.
The man charged with shooting and killing police officer Daniel Baker in Tennessee was taken to jail in handcuffs which belonged to the man he's accused of murdering.

Steven Joshua Wiggins, 31, was captured on Friday. Police believe he spent the two days after the murder hiding in the woods.

He was arrested by a new trooper, who had been passing by when he saw Wiggins by the wood line and recognized his tattoos, Lieutenant Colonel Dereck Stewart told reporters following the arrest.

Wiggins was taken to hospital in Dickson County for evaluation and then was taken in for booking wearing an orange jumpsuit and Sergeant Baker's handcuffs.

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Steven Joshua Wiggins was booked in to jail on Friday evening wearing handcuffs belonging to Sergeant Daniel Baker - the police officer he is accused of murdering

Wiggins (pictured) was arrested on Friday after spending two days hiding out in the woods as police offered $46,000 for information leading to his capture

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Wiggins' arrest using a photo of him being placed into a police car on Friday.

His beard and clothing were covered in dirt and debris, while a rip in his jeans suggested he had been living rough following the fatal shooting.

Wiggins was found by Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Kevin Burch on Stinson Road in Bon Aqua, not far from where he allegedly killed 32-year-old Sgt Daniel Baker.

Steven Wiggins, a suspect in a Tennessee deputy's killing, is pictured being placed into the back seat of a patrol vehicle following his capture

His clothes were ripped and covered in mud from the nearby woods following his capture

Wiggins (left) complied with his arresting officers after he was found. He is accused of shooting Sgt Baker (right) on Wednesday

Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Dereck Stewart updates reporters on Wiggins' arrest during a press conference on Friday morning

Wiggins was found by Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Kevin Burch on Stinson Road in Bon Aqua, not far from where he allegedly killed 32-year-old Sgt Daniel Baker.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Dereck Stewart said during a Friday morning press conference that Burch trained his weapon on the suspect and ordered him to lie on the ground, at which point Wiggins surrendered without showing any resistance.

'He was totally obedient to the trooper's orders,' Smith said.

Sergeant Baker had attended a call out to a 'suspicious vehicle' on a local road on Wednesday.

He was found dead in his patrol car two or three miles away from the scene after his colleagues used the car GPS signal to track him when he stopped responding.

The deputy's family identified him as a father and husband who served in the US Marines.

A visibly emotional Dickson County Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe vowed to be there every step of the way until his deputy's loved ones get closure, even if it could take years for the criminal case against Wiggins to make its way through the legal system.

'If they have to wheel me into the courthouse, I'll be there,' he promised.

Dickson County Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe appeared deeply emotional during a press conference following Wiggins' capture, and vowed to fight for justice for his fallen friend

He wore a black band with the number 95 on it - Sgt. Baker's badge number - over his own badge

Dickson County Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe (left and right) choked back tears as he read a letter from Sgt Baker's widow, Lisa

Sgt Baker leaves behind his wife, Lisa, and their young daughter, Meredith (pictured)

Eight members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol are seen heading to Friday's news conference

Sheriff Jeff Bledisoe choked back tears as he read a statement from Sgt. Baker's wife

Struggling to keep his composure, and at times choking back tears, the sheriff went on to read a statement from Baker's widow.

There are no words to describe the level of devastation that myself and family are dealing with, Lisa Baker wrote. We the family of my husband and best friend Sgt Daniel Baker would like to convey our gratitude for the endless efforts of the law enforcement officers, EMS, fire and rescue, and volunteers in the apprehension of the two suspects that have forever changed our lives. Our deepest thank you.

The family and I would like to thank our amazing local community for the outpouring of love and support being shown during this most difficult and trying time.

Lastly, I would like to ask our family, friends and community to help our daughter, Meredith, to always know how wonderful and amazing her father is. His service and dedication to his country and community will always be remembered.

Baker joined the department in 2008 and came from a family of officers - both his father and stepbrother worked for the Spring Hill Police Department.

Following his murder, Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe said: 'There's not much I can say today but our hearts are shattered,' adding that Baker was 'one of the best.'

'This is one of our best deputies. He's a supervisor. He's worked his way up to sergeant on patrol, and he's one of the ones who put it all on the line every day to keep our community safe. He was doing that again today with a call about a suspicious vehicle,' Bledsoe added.

The TBI said a video recording allowed them to identify Wiggins as the suspect. Federal, state and local authorities searched for Wiggins over two days, following up on hundreds of tips.

Rewards totaling $46,000 had been offered for information leading to Wiggins' capture.

Wiggins was already wanted on charges of assaulting a woman and stealing her car when he was pulled over Wednesday, according to a report from the Kingston Springs Police Department.

A surveillance camera had caught a glimpse of Wiggins prior to his arrest (pictured)

Erika Castro-Miles, 38, (left) was said to have participated in the altercation that led to the eventual killing of 32-year-old Sgt. Daniel Baker. Wiggins is pictured in an old mugshot (right)

That woman, 38-year-old Erika Castro-Miles, was in the car with Wiggins when he pulled the trigger and is now in jail awaiting trial for her involvement in the policeman's death, according to court documents.

Castro-Miles claimed Wiggins slapped her face and pulled her hair. She also said he had a gun to her head and was 'going to kill her if she called the police.'

Wiggins was said to have taken Castro-Miles' car without her permission.

He had 'been doing meth all night and smoking marijuana,' according to Castro-Miles.

According to local news reports, an affidavit filed in Dickson County court says Castro-Miles was sitting in the car with Wiggins when he shot and killed the deputy. She fled the shooting scene Wednesday and hid under a house, the affidavit says.

Castro-Miles is currently being detained at the Dickson County Jail.

Baker was eventually found dead inside his patrol car two to three miles away from the scene. His GPS system was used to find his location after contact with Baker ceased

The deputy's family identified him as a father and husband who served in the Marines

The husband and father of one joined the department in 2008 and came from a family of officers

The procession for Sgt. Baker that escorted his body to the Medical Examiner's office in Nashville

'This is one of our best deputies. He's a supervisor. He's worked his way up to sergeant on patrol, and he's one of the ones why put it all on the line every day to keep our community safe. He was doing that again today with a call about a suspicious vehicle,' said Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe

Wiggins was wanted in connection to a domestic abuse dispute on Tuesday in Kingston Springs

Undated pictures show Wiggins has what appears to be Nazi tattoos.

He has been arrested for domestic abuse or assault at least eight times in the last 12 years.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched seeking donations to help Sgt Baker's widow and young daughter. As of Saturday morning more than $45,000 has been raised.

A Blue Alert was issued for the man described as being 6'1' and approximately 220lbs
A distraught mother said her two-year-old son died after the symptoms of his serious illness were missed until just hours before he passed away.

Vicky Southern said her toddler Alfie Coxon, from Runcorn, Cheshire, woke up on April 14 holding his ears and neck with a body temperature above 39C - way above the normal 36.9C.

A nurse at Halton General Hospital in Runcorn diagnosed Alfie with an ear infection and sent him home with antibiotics, Ms Southern said.

But just eight hours later, her son was declared dead by doctors at another hospital, who said he passed away from meningococcal sepsis. Ms Southern believes he may also have suffered from meningitis.

Ms Southern, 28, said key symptoms including his high temperature, cold hands and feet and sore neck were all signs which missed how serious his condition was.

Vicky Southern said her toddler Alfie Coxon, from Runcorn, Cheshire, woke up on April 14 holding his ears and neck with a body temperature above 39C

She said her son 'kept moaning' but the doctor reassured her he was fine to go home.

They were discharged at 2pm with antibiotics, although Ms Southern says she left without being given proper instructions on how to monitor his condition.

Alfie's auntie Jen Southern, speaking on behalf of Vicky, said she does not think the boy was seen by a doctor during his time in the urgent care centre.

Under the hospital's urgent care procedure, patients should been seen by a triage nurse who will prioritise the case urgency, and they are then seen by a clinical nurse practitioner or general practitioner.

The young boy's condition became worse as he started to be sick, dehydrated and less alert.

By 8pm he was rushed into Warrington Hospital A & E and tiny purple spots began to appear on his skin, while his hand and feet turned blue. Despite doctors best efforts to resuscitate him, Alfie passed away at 10.15pm.

The disease is caused by the same bacteria as meningitis but manifests as severe and potentially lethal blood poisoning rather than affecting the brain lining as meningitis does.

While it is possible to have both, the hospital has not confirmed whether Alfie had meningitis.

Meningococcal sepsis was recorded as the cause of death, a spokeswoman for the trust said.

His mother believes Alfie did not develop a rash until it was too late for a diagnosis to save him.

Although sepsis, which is a notoriously lethal condition in its own right, can cause similar symptoms to meningitis including a rash that does not fade under glass, the toddler's sore neck could have been further indication he also had meningitis, Ms Southern believes.

Young Alfie Coxon was just two years old when he passed away

Ms Southern, who also has two daughters, said: 'I had a meeting about the care Alfie had been given and although I can't fault Warrington [hospital] at how fast and quick they were getting the help Alfie needed, I wanted to make sure they knew my feelings about Halton hospital, (only) to be told lessons will be learned.

'So it's taken my son to die for lessons to be learned.'

Mel Pickup, Warrington And Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust chief executive, said: 'We extend our sincere condolences to Alfie's parents and family.

'Alfie's death is an absolute tragedy and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Alfie's family at this difficult time.

'We are supporting Alfie's family following Alfie's death from meningococcal sepsis.

'If the family wish to discuss anything further with us, their family liaison officer or paediatric consultant, we will support them.'
Photographs of Johnny Depp posing with fans in Russia over the last week have sparked fears among some that the actor is 'ill'.

Depp, 54, happily posed for two photographs with female fans before setting off for a performance with his band, The Hollywood Vampires.

The photographs were taken at the Four Seasons hotel in St. Petersburg.

The band performed in the city on Wednesday night after playing in Moscow two nights earlier.

The women shared them excitedly on social media afterwards but, among comments from other fans who told them how lucky they were to have met their idol, were concerns over Depp's appearance.

Johnny Depp appears in a photograph with a fan taken in St Petersburg, where he performed on Wednesday night

In a second photograph with a fan at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Petersburg, he appears in the same outfit

Fans took to social media to express concern over Depp's drastic appearance in the St. Petersburg photos

'I think that my hero looks ill,' said one concerned admirer on Facebook.

'He looks thin,' said another.

Others did not seem to recognize the Pirates of the Caribbean star at all.

'F*** me is that Johnny Depp?' remarked one Twitter user.

In the photographs, Depp appears with a slight smile. He is wearing a hat with the letters 'FUGLY' branded across the front and is dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

His t-shirt read: 'Stay humble or be humbled.'

In another photo, taken earlier in the week in Moscow, he was seen with sunglasses on and a hat while posing at a museum. That image provoked more concern with some calling him 'sick' and 'weak'.

At the time, he was posing at the Mayakovsky state museum which honors the late poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. During his visit, he was kind to staff and posed happily for other photographs where he appeared healthier and in good spirits.

A third image, taken in Moscow earlier in the week during a visit to a state museum, provoked more concern. Depp is pictured with one of the museum's staff

Others said the actor looked 'sick', 'weak' and 'thin' after seeing photos from him in Moscow

The museum was thrilled with his visit and shared a photograph of a note he left in a visitor book afterwards.

It read: 'I have been completely humbled by your hospitality and such proximity to the genius of Mayakovsky.

'All my respect, Johnny Depp.'

His European tour with the band comes as his seemingly endless legal woes continue.

During his visit in Moscow, Depp also visited the Mayakovsky museum where, in one image, he looked happy and healthy as he posed with staff

During his visit to the museum, Depp left a note to staff to say he was 'humbled' by their hospitality

Depp has been embroiled in a legal dispute with his former management company for months.

He claims they mismanaged his millions and left him vulnerable, a claim they insist is not true.

He is also being sued by former bodyguards who claimed that he forced them to work in a toxic environment at his home and that they sometimes had to act as a babysitter for the star.

Depp is pictured performing in Moscow on Monday, May 28. He is touring with his band The Hollywood Vampires

Some of the men worked for him during his marriage to Amber Heard which ended in astonishing acrimony and accusations of alcoholism, drug addiction and domestic abuse.

Depp denied her claims of physical abuse and his daughter and ex-partner Vanessa Paradis spoke out to defend him, insisting it was not true.

Heard was given a $7million divorce settlement after they parted ways. She donated it to charity.

Depp is pictured in June, 2017, at Glastonbury festival in England when he had a full head of hair and fuller face
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With just a week to go until Her Majesty's birthday the Household Division are today fine-tuning their routine ahead of the Trooping of The Colour, but the heat was too much for one of the troops.

A soldier collapsed in the heat and had to be carried away on a stretcher, a week after high temperatures were blamed for another soldier's fall at a rehearsal last Saturday.

Troops faced the same problem at the Trooping the Colour ceremony itself last year, when at least five guardsmen were stretchered away after fainting in their sweltering uniforms.

Today more than 1,400 officers and men are on parade along with 200 horses, 400 musicians from ten bands and corps of drums march.

The second rehearsal, which is known as The Colonel's Review, got underway on Horse Guard's Parade.

A total of 113 words of command will be given by the Officer in Command of the Parade, whose route extends along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall before turning back on itself.

During the ceremony next Saturday, The Queen will be greeted by a Royal salute and will carry out an inspection of the troops.

After the bands have performed a musical 'troop', the Regimental Colour will be carried down the ranks.

The Foot Guards and Household Cavalry will then march past the monarch while The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, rank past.

Later, Her Majesty will join members of the Royal Family on balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch an RAF fly-past.

A soldier collapsed in the heat and had to be carried away on a stretcher during the Trooping the Colour rehearsal

Soldiers in sweltering uniforms attended to their fallen comrade amid high temperatures on Saturday

Known as the Colonel's Review, the second and final rehearsal of the Trooping of The Colour is taking place ahead of Her Majesty the Queen's official birthday a week today. After the bands have performed a musical 'troop', the Regimental Colour will be carried down the ranks

More than 1,400 officers and men are on parade along with 200 horses, 400 musicians from ten bands and corps of drums march. Members of the royal escort are pictured making their way out of Buckingham Palace towards Horseguards Parade for the Colonel's Review today

A Sikh member of the Coldstream Guards wearing a turban as he takes part in the second rehearsal for the Trooping of The Colour which takes place Saturday June 9. His comrades are wearing the traditional 'bearskins', a type of ceremonial military cap that dates back to the 17th century

The first rehearsal known as The Major General's Review usually takes place two weeks before the actual Birthday Parade. The second rehearsal almost always takes place exactly two weeks before the actual Birthday Parade, which will broadcast live to millions of viewers around the world

The Trooping of the Colour has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century but its roots go back much earlier. Regiments colours were formerly used as rallying points that were carried between ranks to soldiers could recognise their regiments' colours

On the big day itself next Saturday, the Queen will travel down the Mall from Buckingham Palace in a royal procession with an escort of the Household Cavalry. She will receive a royal salute and then inspect her troops of the Household Division - foot guards and horse guards and the Kings Troop, Royal Horse Artillery

The Queen has attended the Trooping of the Colour every year of her reign except for in 1955, when she was unable to due to a rail strike. The monarch used to attend the ceremony on horseback but began riding in a carriage in 1987 after she and her mount were startled by Marcus Sarjeant, who fire six blank rounds from a starting revolver in 1981

More than 1,400 officers and men are on parade along with 200 horses, 400 musicians from ten bands and corps of drums march. A total of 113 words of command will be given by the Officer in Command of the Parade, whose route extends along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall before turning back on itself

During the ceremony next Saturday, The Queen will be greeted by a Royal salute and will carry out an inspection of the troops. After the bands have performed a musical 'troop', the Regimental Colour will be carried down the ranks

The Trooping of the Colour is also known as the Queen's Birthday Parade and has marked the official birthday of the sovereign since 1748. King Edward VII moved the ceremony to its June data because the weather during November, when he celebrates his actual birthday, was less predictable

After the bands have performed a musical 'troop', the Regimental Colour will be carried down the ranks. The Foot Guards and Household Cavalry will then march past the monarch while The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, rank past

Members of the Household Cavalry make their way down The Mall. Her Majesty used to wear uniform with medals and the riband and star of the Order of the Garter, the Order of the Thistle, or a combination of them, depending on which regiment was trooping its colour

Music has always been an integral part of the Trooping of the Colour and will see more than 400 musicians from ten bands and crops of drums march and play as one

A guard division makes its way down The Mall as more than 1,400 officers and men parade ahead of the Trooping of the Colour next Saturday. Tickets can be purchased for seated stands around Horse Guards Parade and are allocated by ballot. Prices cost 35 for the Trooping of the Colour itself, 10 for the Colonel's Review and 5 for the Major's Review

Members of the public are able to watch the grand ceremony by standing on The Mall or on the edge of St James's Park overlooking Horse Guards

The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again. Members of the Queen's Guard can be seen taking part in the Colonel's Review today along The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace
Janine Materna (pictured) says her 2016 run for Congress was derailed by a fake social media profile and wants to see charges laid

A woman who ran for state Assembly in 2016 says her campaign was derailed by a fake social media profile.

And now Janine Materna, 34, wants charges pressed over the creation of the page, which was allegedly run by New York lawyer Richard Luthmann, The New York Daily News reported.

The Staten Island woman said she was subject to threats from voters as a result of the Facebook page, which aimed to mimic her, but twist her opinions to anger potential voters.

The page made comments about Materna's positive thoughts on homeless shelters in some areas and desire to 'kill the Second Ammendment'.

Not only was she subject to threats from angry voters, but she lost her run at the assembly by a 35 per cent margin.

Materna said she was 'failed' by Facebook, and after she filed a police report, she was again 'failed' by prosecutors.

'Facebook failed me. Prosecutors have failed me and something needs to be done. This shouldn't be happening and I'm very disappointed,' she said.

Materna says she received threats from voters after a Facebook page similar to her official page was created, and shared opinions on homeless shelters and the second amendment under her name that she did not agree with

The page is alleged to have been created by New York lawyer Richard Luthmann (pictured) after private messages between him and an opposing candidate were leaked

Her lawyer, Andrew Stengel says in the current political climate, he is shocked Materna's report has not been followed up on.

'In a season where we're all screaming about Russia taking over elections, why isn't it a big deal here in New York?' he said.

Luthmann was accused of being the creator of the page in August 2017 after private messages between him and opposing candidate Ron Castorina were obtained by NY1.

'Janine Materna filed a committee,' Castorina is seen telling the lawyer.

'Time for a fake Janine Materna site...' Luthmann responded, before asking: 'Is there a picture of her with Hillary?'

'I'm looking for one,' Castorina replies.

Materna says she has been failed by Facebook and prosecutors and wants to see Luthmann charged for his alleged actions

The next day, Luthmann took to Facebook to claim attorney-client privilege on the conversation and appeared to concede he had published the page.

'Ron had nothing to do with the #BitterJanineMaterna Facebook page,' he wrote in a lengthy explanation published to his Facebook.

'I created it myself after I saw how upset Ron's mother became when harassing mail arrived at her house sent by a #BitterJanineMaterna campaign operative. This made Ron upset and angry.

'I was pissed about this #BitterJanineMaterna trick and decided - unilaterally and acting alone - that I would devise a real #DirtyTrick and school the #BitterJanineMaterna campaign as to a real #DirtyTrick.

'And yes, on Primary night last year, they felt as bad as Ron's mom did that day in her kitchen with a strange, threatening, and harassing envelope in her hands.'

Ron Castorina won the election uncontested after beating Materna in the Republican primary.

Materna has returned to her job as a senior business consultant.

DailyMail.com has contacted both Materna and Luthmann for comment.

Luthmann has not formally confirmed he was behind the fake page, but shared a lengthy explanation to Facebook friends the day after his private messages regarding the page were leaked

Luthmann made headlines in 2016 after requesting a judge allow him to face trial by combat.

The New York lawyer was the defendant in a case where it was alleged he helped a client hide money from his creditors.

After a frustrating start to the trial, he requested the judge allow it to be prosecuted by combat, which the judge ruled was a legal method of settling disputes in New York.

Unfortunately for Luthmann, who had already planned how he would win the fight, the judge did not grant the request.

Luthmann has not formally confessed to setting up the Facebook page, nor has he been charged over its existence.

The statute of limitations for charges to be laid will run out in September.
The seven adopted children of a serial killer who murdered ten people, including his seven biological children, say they can't believe their 'Poppy Cliff's' scary past.

Clifford Cecil Bartholomew, who assumed a new identity as Clifford Palmer, passed away 16 years ago aged 72, but his second family only recently learned about the extent of his killing, The Courier Mail reported.

One of Palmer's stepsons, Ralph Gray, said his family only knew about the murder of his former wife, who he had apparently caught cheating on him with another man.

The seven adopted children of a serial killer who murdered ten people say they can't believe their 'Poppy Cliff's' scary past. Ralph Gray (right) said revelations had shocked the family

It was only when the children cleaned out the contents of the family home in Victoria, where Palmer had lived with wife, Merle, for 22 years, they found his old criminal papers.

'I couldn't believe it, none of us can. To know the full story is horrendous - he just isn't the man we thought we knew. He never disrespected our mother and they hardly had a raised voice in more than 20 years together. He was a gentleman. He loved us and we all loved him,' Mr Gray said.

Palmer shot his wife Heather and their seven children, aged one to 17, along with his sister-in-law and her child in Hope Forest, South Australia on September 6, 1971.

He was initially sentenced to hang but was instead imprisoned for life before being released on parole in 1979.

Clifford Cecil Bartholomew (pictured), who assumed a new identity as Clifford Palmer, passed away 16 years ago, but his second family only recently learned about the extent of his killing

His second wife Merlyn Juliet Palmer died in 2012, aged 83, after marrying Palmer in 1983.

Her children believed their mother, a devout Christian, was motivated by her faith which transferred into a willingness to 'save the soul' of Palmer.

Son-in-law Roy Djurovitch, who learned of his murderous past after marrying Merle's daughter, Philomine, said he too was shocked at Palmer's heinous crimes.

'We all knew something or other about Cliff but it all became more evident clearing up Merle's belongings when we found his (prison) discharge papers,' he said

'He served his time and you have to forgive. But with what we've read now..if you knew the guy that we knew you'd never think it for one moment what he actually did.'

Son-in-law Roy Djurovitch (right), who learned of his murderous past after marrying Merle's daughter, Philomine (left), said he too was shocked at Palmer's heinous crimes

Mr Djurovitch said in the time Palmer was with Merle, he trusted him with his own children and never thought the elderly man was capable of hurting anyone.

Noeleen Paltridge was at the family's Fathers' Day gathering just hours before the murders - but had a lucky escape when her stepbrother drove her away from Bartholomew's farmhouse instead of staying the night because 'something wasn't right.'

She has been living in fear ever since, worried that her uncle would come after her to complete his crime.

After finding out about his death, the 55-year-old previously told the publication she hoped he died a 'horrible death' as his family suffered.

Palmer shot his wife Heather and their seven children aged one to 17 along with his sister-in-law and her child in Hope Forest, South Australia on September 6, 1971

Ms Paltridge wished she had the opportunity to ask Palmer questions 'face-to-face' before he died.

She said she was shocked the killer had remarried and that his release was a terrible mistake.

Bartholomew was said to have killed his wife after their relationship broke down when a younger man moved into their house.

She denied having an affair but Bartholomew's jealousy built up until he exploded with rage and killed her with a 22-caliber single-shot rifle.

It was said he killed the children because 'he could not bear to leave them behind.'

Bartholomew's killings are the worst incidence of a mass family killing in Australia.
Thieves have thwarted a climbers attempt to become the first European and youngest ever to climb Mount Everest from two sides consecutively, by stealing his bottles of oxygen.

British climber Rupert Jones-Warner and two Sherpas accompanying him up the North Col of Mount Everest found bags torn open in his storage tent, and six bottles of vital oxygen missing.

The gutting discovery was a double-blow for adventurer Jones-Warner, as a similar attempt in April 2015 came to an abrupt halt when, six weeks into his expedition, the Nepalese earthquake struck, and he was incredibly lucky to come out of it alive.

The Chichester man, 27, was hoping to become the first Briton to climb Mount Everest twice, by trying to climb both the Nepalese and Tibetan sides of the mountain

Jones-Warner embarked on a 70-day expedition, and on May 17 he described how he stood on the top of the world after successfully scaling the summit for the first time

Writing about that initial failed attempt on his gofundme page, he explained: Unfortunately, considering the devastating effects the earthquake had on Everest, and of course Nepal, it wasnt possible to continue with the expedition.

However, despite his 2015 projects failure, he got back on track with his original plan  and setting the record  from April this year.

The Chichester man, 27, was hoping to become the first Briton to climb Mount Everest twice, by trying to climb both the Nepalese and Tibetan sides of the mountain.

Jones-Warner embarked on a 70-day expedition, a massive physical and mental challenge, and on May 17 he described how he stood on the top of the world after successfully scaling the summit for the first time.

Several days later he determinedly set off for Tibet and his second summit attempt.

But, his second expedition was dealt a crushing blow. On his Facebook page he said that unfortunately he was forced to abandon my second summit attempt due to missing oxygen.

On the 23rd May I was heading up mountain and less than 24 hrs before summiting (which would have been two in a week) I found the oxygen that was supposed to be left at one of the camps was missing.

I cannot say at this point whether it was stolen or I was let down by the operator.

Jones-Warner went on: Because the weather window was closing in and we were limited for time, we were unable to go back for a second attempt. As a result we were forced to abandon.

Everything up to that point was running incredibly smoothly. I was paired with two awesome Sherpas. We even had special access to the mountain, when it had been closed to others.

I hate to say it, but unfortunately the attempt has been thwarted in a way that was out of my control.

In an interview with The Times upon returning home, Jones-Warner said it felt devastating to fall at the last hurdle. There has been a string of thefts on Everest this climbing season.

Close to 50 oxygen bottles have been stolen, the majority of which were taken in the aptly-named Death Zone, above 8,000 metres  putting mountaineers lives at risk.

TV presenter Ben Fogle cheated death on Mount Everest when his oxygen gear failed twice

Taking someone elses oxygen is equivalent to murder. It is a grave crime, said Phurba Tenxing Sherpa.

It has been alleged that budget climbing teams  Nepali operators offering cheap rates  could be behind the thefts.

Jones-Warner, who is recovering at home, has received praise on Facebook for tackling an amazing challenge, despite not making the second summit and breaking the record.

However, he is not the only climber to be affected by problems with his gear while climbing Mount Everest. Last month, TV presenter Ben Fogle had his life saved twice, by a Sherpa and an expedition leader, after his oxygen devices failed twice after passing the Hillary Step, the last hurdle on the way to the summit.

Fogle reported hearing his device exploding with a huge noise and he started to panic and hyperventilate, according to a story in the Sunday Times.
Meghan Markle's mother Doria Ragland says meeting the Queen was her favourite moment of the royal wedding, apart from the moment her daughter said her vows.

Doria, 61, looked emotional at the St George's Chapel ceremony on May 19 as she watched Meghan tie the knot with Prince Harry.

But her daughter and new son-in-law had done a 'marvellous job' of preparing her for the first meeting with the 92-year-old Queen, it is reported.

Harry told Doria 'stories about the Queen as a grandmother and what she means to him' to help her ease into the royal family, according to US Weekly.

The Queen and Doria pose for an official picture with the bride, groom and Prince Charles

Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland, arrive at Cliveden House Hotel on the eve of the wedding

A source said: 'Doria is saying the biggest highlight of the wedding, of course after watching her daughter say 'I do' to the man she loves, was meeting the Queen.

'It would have been extremely intimidating for anyone, but Meghan and Harry really did a marvellous job of preparing her [with] what to expect.'

Doria met the Queen the for tea at Windsor Castle the day before the wedding during the final preparations for the service.

On the day of the wedding the 61-year-old appeared to fight back tears as she took her seat in St George's Chapel, after accompanying her daughter from Cliveden House.

Doria Ragland takes her seat in the chapel at Windsor ahead of the wedding of her daughter

Meghan and Doria arrive at St George's Chapel as they arrive for the wedding on May 19

She was the only one of Meghan's relatives to attend the ceremony in Windsor.

The new Duchess's father Thomas Markle, who had been due to walk his daughter down the aisle, revealed days beforehand that he had suffered a heart attack.

Doria was seen chatting to Prince Charles inside the chapel and then posed outside with other members of the family including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

It was speculated that Doria, a yoga instructor and social worker from California, would take on the task of walking the bride down the aisle.

But Prince Charles stepped into the role instead and instead she beamed with pride from her seat in the chapel.
An autistic girl who received a social media message asking her to 'go kill yourself' has been pulled out of her school by her parents.

Angelina Joyce, 13, is now being home schooled after her mother removed her from a Queensland school amid fears her daughter will become the next Dolly Everett.

'Dolly', 14, from the Northern Territory outback, took her own life on January 3 after an onslaught of online harassment and bullying.

Angelina Joyce, 13, is now being home schooled by her parents after her mother removed her from a Queensland school amid fears her daughter will become the next Dolly Everett. Amy 'Dolly' Everett is pictured.

Angelina described her situation as 'really bad' and said she is being threatened and chased around the Chancellor State College in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland (street view is pictured).

Angelina's mother, Lindsay, told The Courier Mail her daughter is too afraid to return to Chancellor State College on the state's Sunshine Coast.

A boy at the school allegedly chased her daughter and said 'I'm going to kill you... I'm going to slash your throat,' according to the publication.

The school student then reportedly received an Instagram message from an anonymous social media user saying 'Go kill yourself b****'.

Angelina described her situation as 'really bad' and said she is being threatened and chased around the school.

Dolly's death sparked a national conversation about bullying - with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull saying more needs to be done.

'This year was really bad. I was getting threatened and being chased around the school. The only reason I'm still here - living - is because of my parents'.

An Education Department spokesperson told the publication violent behaviour is not tolerated and any threat to the student is being taken 'extremely seriously'.

The news comes after Amy 'Dolly' Everett's death by suicide on January 3 sparked a national conversation about bullying.

Her father, Tick Everett, invited her tormentors to her funeral so they could 'witness our family's devastation'.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Razan al-Najjar, 21, was fatally shot in the chest, while helping a wounded person

Thousands of mourners have attended the funeral of a young volunteer medic, described as 'an angel', who was killed by Israeli fire in violence on the border in southern Gaza.

Razan al-Najjar, 21, a volunteer emergency medical worker with the Gaza health ministry, was fatally shot in the chest near Khan Yunis on Friday.

Her funeral took place hours after the Israeli military reported its troops had shot dead a Palestinian who tried to ram a tractor into forces stationed in the West Bank.

Palestinian mourners carry the body of volunteer paramedic Razan al-Najjar, 21, into her family house during her funeral in town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, June 2

'With our souls and blood we redeem you martyr Razan,' cried mourners as her body was brought to her home for a last farewell before burial

Palestinians watch the funeral ceremony of Razan Al-Najjar. The Palestinian Medical Relief Society said al-Najjar was shot 'as she was attempting to provide first aid to an injured protester'

Their deaths brought to 119 the number of Palestinians killed in weekly demonstrations launched on March 30 in the Gaza Strip, an enclave controlled by the Islamist group Hamas and long subject to grinding Israeli and Egyptian embargoes.

Ambulances and medical crews attended al-Najjar's funeral today, with her father holding the white blood-stained medics' jacket she wore when she was shot, as mourners called for revenge.

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society said al-Najjar was shot 'as she was attempting to provide first aid to an injured protester', with three other first responders also hit by live fire on Friday.

Thousands of mourners attended the funeral of athe young volunteer medic, described as 'an angel', who was killed by Israeli fire in violence on the border in southern Gaza

The Israeli military said on Saturday it was investigating the apparent killing by its troops of the Palestinian volunteer during protests along the Gaza border

Palestinian mourners attend the prayer during a funeral service for a volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip

'Shooting at medical personnel is a war crime under the Geneva conventions,' the PMRS said in a statement, demanding 'an immediate international response to Israeli humanitarian law violations in Gaza'.

The UN envoy for the Middle East, Nickolay Mladenov, said in a tweet that 'Medical workers are #NotATarget!' and that 'Israel needs to calibrate its use of force and Hamas need to prevent incidents at the fence.'

Among the mourners attending al-Najjar's funeral were some she had treated when they were wounded at previous border protests. Her body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag and carried through the streets on a stretcher by mourners.

'With our souls and blood we redeem you martyr Razan,' cried mourners as the body was brought to her home for a last farewell before burial.

Residents said al-Najjar was a popular figure at the protest sites and pictures depicting her as an angel circulated on Palestinian social media.

The Israeli military said on Saturday it was investigating the apparent killing by its troops of the Palestinian volunteer during protests along the Gaza border.

It said that deaths such as al-Najjar's 'in which civilians are allegedly killed' by Israeli fire 'are thoroughly examined' by an internal military committee.

The Israeli military confirmed that its troops shot dead a Palestinian who tried to ram a tractor into forces stationed in the West Bank.

Its initial investigation revealed that a 35-year-old Palestinian from a village near Hebron tried to run over an officer with a Bobcat tractor. The attacker then turned around and tried to attack nearby Israeli civilians, the military said.

It added that a soldier opened fire, killing the assailant. No Israeli troops were harmed.

Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks.

Over 260 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in that time. Israel says most were attackers. The attacks have petered off in recent months as the Palestinian focus has shifted toward mass protests on the Gaza border.

A Palestinian protester holds a tear gas canister in his mouth during a demonstration along the border with Israel east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip on June 1

On Friday, the Palestinians protested for the tenth week in a row. The military said some hurled grenades and pipe bombs at troops behind the security fence

On Friday, the Palestinians protested for the tenth week in a row. The military said some hurled grenades and pipe bombs at troops behind the security fence.

Since March 30, Gazans have staged border protests demanding the return of Palestinians to land they fled or were expelled from during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, now inside the Jewish state.

The demonstrations are accompanied by smaller clashes as youths hurl stones at Israeli soldiers and attempt to breach the border fence, at times laying explosive devices on the fence or throwing grenades.

Palestinians have also been using kites carrying cans on fire to set ablaze Israeli fields, torching extensive patches of agricultural land near Gaza.

The Israeli army said today that Friday's violence included 'thousands of rioters' at five locations along the border, 'burning tires adjacent to the security fence and attempting to damage security infrastructure'.

Shots were fired at an army vehicle and a Palestinian had crossed into Israel, planted a grenade and returned to Gaza, it said.

Palestinian men carry an protester injured by Israeli forces during a demonstration along the border with the Gaza strip east of Gaza city on June 1

Palestinian protesters stand in smoke billowing from burning tyres during the demonstration

A Palestinian man uses a slingshot to throw a stone towards Israeli forces as smoke billows from burning tyres

Israel has drawn international condemnation for its use of deadly force during such mass demonstrations. But it has said that many of those killed were Hamas members and militants trying to launch attacks under cover of the protests.

The Palestinians say most of the dead and the thousands wounded were unarmed civilians against whom Israel was using excessive force.

In a statement published by the Palestinian official news Agency Wafa on Friday, Health Minister Jawad Awwad condemned al-Najjar's killing and said it violated international law.

The Israeli military said in its statement: 'The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) constantly works to draw operational lessons and reduce the number of casualties in the area of the Gaza Strip security fence. Unfortunately, the Hamas terror organization deliberately and methodically places civilians in danger.'

On Friday the United States, Israel's ally, vetoed a Kuwaiti-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution that condemned Israel's use of force against Palestinian civilians.

Later, a second, U.S.-drafted resolution that blamed Hamas for the violence and upheld Israel's right to defend itself failed to attract any other country's support when it was put to vote in the 15-member council.
Donald Trump spent his Saturday morning rejoicing in praise about the country's jobs growth and slamming the CIA, Democrats and the Mueller probe, in a string of three, early morning tweets.

In what has become somewhat of a weekend ritual for the president, he took to the social media site at around 7.30am.

First, he tweeted the words of New York Times economics reporter Neil Irwin who, in a glowing assessment of the economy on Friday, wrote an article under the headline 'We Ran Out of Words to Describe How Good the Jobs Numbers Are.'

Trump tweeted the headline along with a credit to Irwin.

Next, he moved on to Fox And Friends and its coverage of former CIA Director John O'Brennan who, on Friday, penned a scathing piece in The Washington Post about the president.

President Trump fired off three tweets on Saturday morning from Camp David

On Fox and Friends, former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino labeled Brennan a 'liar' and suggested his word was not to be trusted.

He said: 'John Brennan, no single figure in American history has done more to discredit the intelligence community than this liar. Not only is he a liar, hes a liar about being a liar.'

One of Trump's targets was Obama's CIA director John Brennan

It was in reference to Brennan's alleged role in the compiling of or leaking of the infamous 'dirty dossier' about Trump which was put together at the request of the Clinton campaign during the election but which contained unsubstantiated and widely disputed claims about the president's dealings in Russia.

On Friday, Brennan wrote: 'The esteem with which I held the presidency was dealt a serious blow when Donald Trump took office.

'Almost immediately, I began to see a startling aberration from the remarkable, though human, presidents I had served.

'Mr. Trumps lifelong preoccupation with aggrandizing himself seemed to intensify in office, and he quickly leveraged his 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. address and his Twitter handle to burnish his brand and misrepresent reality.'

Trump tweeted the remark along with another of Bongino's about the ongoing special counsel probe into Russian interference in the election.

'$17 million spent, its a scam Investigation. Americans are being worked. We now know there was Russian collusion, with Russians and the Democrats.

'The Mueller team is stacked with anti-Trumpers, who actually represented Clinton people (& gave $s to Crooked H,' Trump wrote, crediting Bongino again.

A few hours later, apparently with itchy fingers, he resumed his tweeting.

First, he credited golfer Byron Nelson by responding to a PGA tweet about hsi 1945 season.

'Now this is a record that will never be broken!' Trump said.

Next, he retweeted Kim Kardashian West, with whom he met earlier in the week to discuss prison reform.

Kardashian West had asked him to pardon Alice Marie Johnson, a first-time offender who is serving a life sentence for a 'non violent drug offense'.

Later, Trump resumed his tweeting and spoke of a variety of subjects with very little connection to one another, if any at all

Trump has not yet said whether he will let Ms. Johnson go free.

After retweeting the reality TV star, the president moved on to posting a video of his 'weekly address'.

Next, he tweeted his surprise about a New York Times article which reported Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accusing Beijing of using intimidation and 'coercion' to get its way in the South China Sea.

'Very surprised that China would be doing this?' he said, seemingly bemused.

After his brief reference to China, it was back to Fox News and his sworn enemy CNN.

President Trump is at Camp David for the weekend where he will prepare for his looming summit with Kim Jong-un. He is pictured leaving the White House on Friday

'Real Fox News is doing great, Fake News CNN is dead!' Trump wrote in response to a post about each network's ratings.

The president is tweeting from Camp David where he is spending the weekend with his family.

They departed the White House en masse on Friday but the First Lady was notably absent.

Melania has not been seen for 22 days since undergoing kidney surgery in Maryland.

She is said to be back at the White House but is yet to make a public appearance.

The president will hold meetings this weekend in preparation for his eagerly anticipated summit with Kim Jong-un on June 12.

The pair are scheduled to meet in Singapore in what will be a historic moment after decades of hostility between North Korea and the West.
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A huge event featuring US and British World War II vehicles along with enthusiasts in uniforms has taken place at the site of a training ground where troops prepared for the D-Day assault on the Nazis.

A convoy of a hundred and ninety war vehicles made their way onto Saunton Sands, at Braunton Burrows in North Devon, while in the skies above, a Spitfire was due to flypast.

The two day event also features pitched battles between American GIs and German Panzer troops.

Enthusiasts taking part in the event marking 75th anniversary of the founding of the the US Assault Training Center North Devon standing on and sitting inside a Sherman tank

A Sherman tank making its way along Saunton Sands as part of the 75 anniversary of the founding of the Braunton Burrows training area

A US Army jeep sits on the sand with some of the many other vehicles taking part. During the war, there would have been thousands of American troops stationed in the area

A participant pays homage to the history of the area with his United States Army uniform and jeep. The Americans were forced to accept the area for training as the British had taken all the other ones

A tank crew member stands on top of his armoured vehicle. During the war, the 16 square miles of the training area reverberated to the sound of explosions

The re-enactment groups taking part are are made up 'Americans' of First Wave 44 and 29th Infantry Division along with the British 2nd Devons Battalion, and the German 304 Panzer Grenadiers.

The event is in its fourth year and 2018 marks the 75th anniversary of the US Assault Training Center, North Devon which was based around Braunton Burrows and the surrounding beaches.

The 16 square mile area was the only British location in World War II where American D-Day troops learned and the tactics and skills of amphibious assault

It features ten miles of Atlantic coastline, beaches, cliffs, headlands and sand dunes and was absolutely vital for the success of the D-Day landings.

In total 190 vehicles from World War II are taking part in the event. Some of them can be seen parked on Saunton Sands beach

A participant gets into the full GI look complete with cigar as he stands beside his vehicle. In the war, there was accommodation for more than 4000 American troops at the Assault Training Center

A 'GI' looking the part in his sunglasses sits in a jeep along with three other participants in the special anniversary event

A group of participants dressed in GI uniforms. The beaches of the area were found to have the same sand as Omaha Beach, making them ideal for training for D-Day

A DUKW amphibious vehicle, also known as Duck, was a six-wheel-drive amphibious modification of the 2.5 ton CCKW truck used by the U.S. military during World War II

An M3 Half-track, known officially as the Carrier, Personnel Half-track M3. The vehicle was an American armored personnel carrier widely used by the Allies during World War II

Another M3 Half-track on the beach. The half-tracks were initially extremely unpopular and dubbed 'Purple Heart Boxes' in grim reference to the US Army's decoration for combat wounds, by American troops

An aerial on a jeep is adjusted while in the background, a Sherman tank is the object of visitors' attention

As the preparations for the landings began, all the good training ground had been claimed by the British.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul W. Thompson, the officer in charge of training US troops for their assault on the heavily-defended Normandy beaches had no choice but to accept the Atlantic coast near Braunton.

His job was to teach the troops how to neutralise the enemy beach defences and then fight their way inland.

Every part of the training ground was needed for training exercises using live ammunition, explosives, tanks, artillery and air support, according to a history of the area.

The beaches here were ideal for amphibious exercises and the nearby sands were soon found to be identical to those of what became known as Omaha Beach.

A woman dressed in a nurse's uniform of the era in front of a US army Jeep. The World War II Jeep became the primary light wheeled vehicle of the United States Military and its WW II Allies

British soldiers also feature in the two day event, though during the war the UK used other training areas to rehearse for the D-Day landings

Two the participants dressed in the uniforms of the Military Police driving a US - made Jeep on the beach

More British Military Police soldiers. The day features a mock battle between United States, British and Germany soldiers

While the GI was chomping on his cigar, this participant came as British Tommy complete with his pipe and helmet

A World War II vintage lorry pulling a gun along the beach as part of a reenactment that will feature a mock battle with 'German' forces

The Germans are also represented, in the shape of the 304 Panzergrenadiers who will 'battle' US and British formations the First Wave 44, the 2nd Devons Battalion, 29th Infantry Division

The 304th Panzergrenadier Living History Group was formed in 2013 and became part of the oldest WW2 re-enactment society in the country, the WW2 Living History Association

According to its website, the group has' gained a reputation for authenticity and a true representation of the German Panzer Grenadier'

In order to make the training more realistic, replicas of German pillboxes were built as the first units arrived in North Devon in September 1943.

A permanent camp comprising 505 Nissen huts was built to house 4250 men, who made their boisterous presence felt in the local pubs.

Earlier this year a village's annual war-time re-enactment has been scrapped because organisers fear it will cause offence.

The event has run for 25 years in the village of Levisham as part of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's event called Railway in Wartime, which pulls in tourists in their thousands.

Traditionally Levisham is transformed into 'Le Visham', a German-occupied French village, featuring actors wearing Nazi uniforms.

Past years have seen actors dressed as German soldiers patrolling the platform at Levisham station outside the Cafe du Bois.

But this year the railway's operators have pulled that part of the event out of its schedule citing the Equalities Act and the need to consider 'diversity and possible offence.'
Barnaby Joyce's girlfriend Vikki Campion (pictured) has declared the pain of having an affair with Australia's former deputy PM and ending his 24-year marriage was worth it

Senior Nationals have strongly denied claims made by Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion that they were pressured to have an abortion.

Claims by Ms Campion that some members of the coalition tried to 'stop the baby being born' are expected to be aired in Channel 7's Sunday Night interview.

Senior Coalition staffers, a National Party official and a National Party MP are rumoured to have made the comments, the Herald Sun reported.

All four were approached for comment by the publication. Three denied the claims and one was not able to be reached.

'I certainly didn't do it and I can't think of anyone that would have had the guts to,' one said.

Another said: 'It seems a very weird thing to say to a female staffer.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Leader of the Nationals Party Michael McCormack for comment.

It has also been revealed that nearly half of the $150,000 the pair stand to make from the interview may be taxed.

Despite the pain the affair caused to her much older boyfriend Barnaby Joyce, Vikki Campion said that was the price of love

The couple controversially accepted the sum from the Seven Network to tell their side of the political scandal.

Ahead of the Sunday Night program airing that interview, Seven's Sunrise breakfast show aired a clip of Mr Joyce's 33-year-old former media adviser.

'Everything was worth it for this,' she said, as she held the hand of her baby son.

Barnaby Joyce is estranged from his wife of 24 years Natalie and their four adult daughters as a result of the extramarital affair that forced him to quit as Nationals leader and deputy prime minister.

The affair between Barnaby Joyce and his former media adviser Vikki Campion caused his salary to halve from $416,000 to $203,000 as backbencher with no portfolio (the couple are pictured here at a bar at Glebe in Sydney's inner west last year before the news broke)

The backbench MP for the New South Wales seat of New England told the Seven Network he had let his family down.

'I failed, I failed, I failed, I failed, I failed,' he said.

The former accountant's salary has also halved from $416,000 to $203,000 after the affair raised character questions about the Catholic, family values politician who had last year campaigned against gay marriage.

Despite the personal and political pain that caused to her boyfriend, Vikki Campion said that was the price of love.

'I couldn't help it. You can't help who you fall in love with,' she said.

Joyce refused to accept sole responsibility for the revealing tell-all - which many are calling hypocritical given the politician's previous demands for privacy - due to the fact that Vikki will be interviewed as well

The pair's decision to go forward with the interview has angered Mr Joyce's own conservative side of politics.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was opposed to the paid media interview.

'It's not a course of action I would have encouraged,' he said.

Mr Joyce said the money from the interview would go into a trust fund young Sebastian and his mother.

His successor as Nationals leader Michael McCormack had a similar view point as the Prime Minister when it came to a federal MP accepting cash, albeit indirectly, for a paid interview.

HOW THE BARNABY JOYCE AFFAIR UNFOLDED 2016 May - Vikki Campion assists Barnaby Joyce's election campaign as media adviser, having previously worked with NSW government ministers and News Corp August - Campion joins Joyce's staff. She splits with fiance John Bergin, three months before they were due to wed. Friendship develops between Joyce and Campion December - Chief of staff Di Hallam reportedly seeks Joyce's approval to have Campion transferred out of office. Hallam later quits to take up departmental role 2017 February - Campion is photographed in a Sydney bar with Joyce, as revealed by Daily Mail Australia April - Barnaby's wife Natalie reportedly confronts Campion in Tamworth. Campion goes to minister Matt Canavan office as adviser. Natalie and Barnaby seek to make marriage work May - At New South Wales Nationals conference in Broken Hill colleagues describe Joyce as 'a mess' June - Natalie and Barnaby show up together at Canberra press gallery midwinter ball July - Campion leaves her $191,000 job in Mr Canavan's office after he quits frontbench over citizenship. She temporarily goes back to Joyce's office August - Campion moves to Damian Drum's office in a social media adviser position specially created for her. He already has a media adviser. In this time she oversees just 50 posts to Facebook Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is reportedly reassured by Joyce the relationship with Campion is over. Drum says he was told the same thing. Former Joyce chief of staff Di Hallam takes up a senior position with the Inland Rail project September - Natalie reportedly asks family friend, Catholic priest Father Frank Brennan, to counsel Joyce. Campion is seen managing Joyce media events at federal Nationals conference in Canberra October - Campion reportedly takes stress leave. Writ issued for New England by-election after Joyce quits over dual citizenship November - Natalie holidays in Bali with a daughter. Man in a pub in Inverell angers Joyce during election campaign by reportedly saying: 'Say hello to your mistress' December - Joyce wins by-election. Joyce tells parliament during same-sex marriage debate he is separated. Campion's redundancy package is approved. They move into an Armidale property provided rent-free by businessman Greg Maguire 2018 January - Joyce and Campion holiday in north Queensland and NSW north coast February - Joyce tells reporters Campion is now his partner. But denies she was his partner when she worked in Canavan's office March - Joyce casts doubt on the baby's paternity, calling it a 'grey area' and claiming journalists never asked him if Ms Campion's child was his April 16 - Sebastian Joyce born May 8 - Baby boy seen for the first time May 26 - Details emerge of Barnaby Joyce's paid $150,000 interview May 30 - Seven Network reveals Vikki Campion pressured to have abortion June 5 - Joyce announces he intends to re-contest the seat of New England at the next election June 21 - Natalie Joyce speaks out in a tell-all unpaid interview 2019 January 20 - Ms Campion and Mr Joyce announce they are expecting a second son June - The couple welcome their Thomas Michael Timothy Joyce Advertisement

'I wouldn't have done it, but you know that's a decision that Barnaby has taken,' he said.

Mr Joyce has taken personal leave for several weeks to spend time with Ms Campion and their son Sebastian.

Mr Joyce has refused to accept sole responsibility for the revealing tell-all - which many are calling hypocritical given the politician's previous demands for privacy - due to the fact that Vikki will be interviewed as well.

The former deputy prime minister said the decision was made after weeks of relentless media pressure that showed no signs of 'burning out', as the mother of his newborn realised she may as well benefit from the ordeal, New Corp reported.

'We tried for privacy,' said Mr Joyce.

'In the last fortnight we've had drones over our house. We've had paparazzi waiting for us outside Armidale airport... we've tried just burning this out and that didn't work.'

The couple, who now have a five-week old son Sebastian, has controversially accepted $150,000 from the Seven Network to tell their side of a major political scandal
The busboy who held Robert F. Kennedy after the senator was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in California has been speaking about the senator's final moments in 1968.

Juan Romero still struggles with everything that happened 50 years ago.

He had hoped to shake hands with RFK but ended up cradling the mortally-injured politician's head on the floor of the hotel's kitchen.

'I remember extending my hand as far as I could, and then I remember him shaking my hand,' Romero said on NPR's Morning Edition. 'And as he let go, somebody shot him.'

In an instant, he had Kennedy in his arms as both of them fell to the floor.

Juan Romero, 67, holds a photo of himself and the dying Sen. Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968

'I kneeled down to him and I could see his lips moving, so I put my ear next to his lips and I heard him say, 'Is everybody OK?' Juan Romero said recalling his last words, 'Yes, everybody's OK.' I put my hand between the cold concrete and his head just to make him comfortable.'

Clutching rosary beads, Senator Robert F. Kennedy lies wounded on the floor of the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968, after being shot following his victory speech in the California primary election, with wife Ethel at lower left

Photojournalists managed to captured the horrific moment as Kennedy lay dying while 17-year-old Romero searched for help and tried to make the senator more comfortable.

'I kneeled down to him and I could see his lips moving, so I put my ear next to his lips and I heard him say, 'Is everybody OK?' I said, 'Yes, everybody's OK,' Romero said. 'I put my hand between the cold concrete and his head just to make him comfortable.'

'I could feel a steady stream of blood coming through my fingers,' he continued. 'I remember I had a rosary in my shirt pocket and I took it out, thinking that he would need it a lot more than me.'

He added, 'I wrapped it around his right hand and then they wheeled him away.'

Photojournalists captured the tragic moment in black and white photos, Kennedy lying on the floor as Romero, 17, searched for help and did his best to make the senator more comfortable

After the event Romero said letters began to flood into the Ambassador Hotel, many of them addressed to 'the busboy' and some of them angry that he hadn't been able to prevent the assassination.

'One of them event went as far as to say that, 'If he hadn't stopped to shake your hand, the senator would have been alive,' so I should be ashamed of myself for being so selfish,' he said.

Romero said that he can't help but get emotional when he thinks of the late senator, adding he paid he respects to Kennedy in 2010 when he visited his grave at the Arlington National Cemetery.

'I felt like I needed to ask Kennedy to forgive me for not being able to stop those bullets from harming him,' Romero said.

Robert F Kennedy, Jr (left) believes that Sirhan Sirhan was not the man who killed his father, and sister Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (right) thinks he 'makes a compelling case'

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr has argued that the conviction of Sirhan Sirhan (pictured) put the wrong man behind bars for killing Robert F. Kennedy

Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy's daughter, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has joined her brother Robert F Kennedy, Jr, in calling for a new investigation into their father's 1968 assassination.

After personally reviewing evidence and visiting the convicted killer Sirhan Sirhan in prison in California, Kennedy, Jr has argued that the wrong man was put behind bars for killing Robert F. Kennedy who died on June 6, 1958.

'My father was the chief law enforcement officer in this country,' Kennedy, Jr told The Washington Post. 'I think it would have disturbed him if somebody was put in jail for a crime they didn't commit.'

Previously silent on the issue, Townsend has now agreed with her brother.

The former lieutenant governor of Maryland told the Boston Globe in an email on Thursday, 'I think Bobby makes a compelling case.'

But at least two of the nine other children of the late presidential candidate, former attorney general, and senator from New York, who was known as Bobby Kennedy, disagree with their brother, and now their sister.

Democratic Party politician and Senator from New York, Robert F Kennedy (1925-1968) begins his campaign for the Presidency at the Overseas Press Club in New York on April 1, 1968

Both Joseph P. Kennedy II and Kerry Kennedy stand against the idea of reopening an investigation into his death.

Joseph P. Kennedy II, the former congressman from Massachusetts, said in a statement:

'As we approach the 50th anniversary of my father's passing, I think what is most important is that our country and my family reflect on what my father stood for and fought for  a legacy promoting global peace, social justice, and civil rights.'

Kerry Kennedy, who is the seventh child of Bobby and Ethyl Kennedy and president of the Robert F Kennedy Center For Justice and Human Rights (which her mother founded), also appears to be against a fresh look at her father's assassination.

'The reason that people are interested in the circumstances of my father's death is because of what he did with his life,' she said. 'And I think we should focus on his life and not so much on his death  his moral imagination, his capacity for empathy, his quest to heal divisions, and his belief that one person can make a difference.'

Both Joseph P. Kennedy II (right) and Kerry Kennedy (left) stand against the idea of reopening an investigation into his death

U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy holds two fingers up in a victory sign as he talks to campaign workers at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, before being shot; Ethel Kennedy is at his left and his California campaign manager, Jesse Unruh, speaker of the California Assembly is at his right

One person who is trying to make a difference, at least in terms of who is held responsible for Bobby Kennedy's death, is Paul Schrade.

Schrade, now 93 years old, is a former United Auto Workers official who was with Bobby Kennedy when the candidate was shot on June 5, 1968, and was also wounded, himself.

Schrade, Bobby Kennedy and a group of people were walking through the pantry at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on the way to a news conference when the attack happened.

This was at a time when Secret Service security was not provided to presidential candidates. Two months prior to his death, civil rights leader the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr was killed in Memphis.

Wife Ethel Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy are seen here before the senator he was fatally shot on June 5, 1968 during his Presidential Campaign at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles

Robert and Ethel Kennedy are seen here with two of their children on June 25, 1957

This June 1968 file photo shows Sirhan with his attorney Russell E. Parsons in Los Angeles

Sirhan became Convict No. B21014 at San Quentin Prison on May 23, 1969

Kennedys Clash Over Whether To Reopen Investigation Into 1968 Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy Environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr told the Washington Post: 'I went there because I was curious and disturbed by what I had seen in the evidence. I was disturbed that the wrong person might have been convicted of killing my father. My father was the chief law enforcement officer in this country. I think it would have disturbed him if somebody was put in jail for a crime they didnt commit.' Former lieutenant governor of Maryland Kathleen Townsend Kennedy told the Boston Globe in an email: 'I think Bobby makes a compelling case.' Joseph P. Kennedy II, the former congressperson from Massachusetts, said in a statement: 'As we approach the 50th anniversary of my fathers passing, I think what is most important is that our country and my family reflect on what my father stood for and fought for  a legacy promoting global peace, social justice, and civil rights.' Kerry Kennedy, president of the Robert F Kennedy Center For Justice and Human Rights (which her mother founded), said: 'The reason that people are interested in the circumstances of my fathers death is because of what he did with his life. And I think we should focus on his life and not so much on his death  his moral imagination, his capacity for empathy, his quest to heal divisions, and his belief that one person can make a difference.' Advertisement

Schrade has been leading the charge since 1974 in arguing for the investigation to be reopened, based on his belief that Sirhan could not have shot the late Kennedy.

'Yes, he did shoot me. Yes, he shot four other people and aimed at Kennedy,' Schrade told the Post. 'The important thing is he did not shoot Robert Kennedy.'

Sirhan was apprehended at the scene that night, just hours after the presidential candidate had won the Democratic primary in California. He had a .22-caliber revolver that held eight bullets in his hand, and multiple pieces of evidence have been revealed to show he was tackled in front of Bobby Kennedy after firing two or three rounds.

Bobby Kennedy died the following day on June 6, 1968. Ethel was pregnant with their youngest child, Rory Kennedy, at the time.

But the autopsy showed the candidate was shot from behind, with evidence that indicated he was hit at close range. Schrade has also pointed to audio recordings of the incident that indicated that 13 shots were fired.

'Why didn't they go after the second gunman?' Schrade asked, in his interview with the Post. 'They knew about him right away. They didn't want to know who it was. They wanted a quickie.'

No other gunman was ever apprehended and the investigation was closed with Sirhan's conviction in 1969. He was first sentenced to death but that was commuted to a life sentence in 1972.

Sirhan is now 74, incarcerated in state prison in San Diego, and has lost all of his legal appeals and 15 bids for parole, the most rejection having coming in 2016.

Despite having pleaded guilty to the murder of Bobby Kennedy, Sirhan has consistently maintained he did not remember shooting him.

The scene in the hallway outside the emergency room of Central Receiving Hospital is shown here, where Senator Robert Kennedy was taken immediately after he was shot at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968

It's also been suggested he may have been subjected to coercive hypnotism after his arrest.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office and the Los Angeles Police Department declined to be interviewed.

Both entities consider the assassination of Bobby Kennedy to be a closed case.

His assassination occurred just over four and a half years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
An Australian family fighting to save their daughter from a deadly brain tumour in Mexico have launched a desperate appeal to find the funds to bring her back home.

Five-year-old Annabelle Nguyen, from Perth, was sent to Mexico for treatment by her parents after she was given less than a year to live three years ago.

After her parents originally claimed a cure had been found, Annabelle is now back in a coma and her the family say they can't afford to bring her back to Australia.

An Australian family fighting to save their daughter from a deadly brain tumour in Mexico are pleading with the Government to find the funds to bring her back home. Annabelle Nguyen is pictured in a coma in hospital

The five-year-old has been in a coma for 30 days, and friends of parents Sandy and Trung are now suggesting they should 'let her go'.

Mother Sandy Nguyen told Daily Mail Australia the family have 'nothing left' and will need $200,000 for a medical flight to bring her back to Australia.

'We have exhausted our funds,' she said. 'We have nothing...absolutely nothing left.'

Mrs Nguyen said she has spoken to Foreign Minister's Office in Australia and has now been referred to the embassy team in Mexico.

Annabelle Nguyen (pictured) at the age of two with her parents Sandy, Trung and sister Alyssa.

'I hope if they can't take us home, they can provide us financial help with the burden we are dealing with,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

On Facebook, Mrs Nguyen shared the grim reality of their situation in a post on Saturday night.

'Some people don't even know who we are but they advise me to let you (my daughter) go,' she said.

'I get very angry you know, how dare them to even have the courage to advise a Mum to let her baby go...unless you decide to, I won't let go of you, my baby.'

Annabelle was first diagnosed with a brain tumour known as Diffuse Intrisic Pontine Glioma in 2015 and was told there was no cure.

Annabelle was first diagnosed with a brain tumour known as Diffuse Intrisic Pontine Glioma in 2015 and was told there was no cure

After a global search for help, the parents took Annabelle to Mexico for expensive treatment.

Parents claim in January a scan revealed there was no evidence of the disease, but the tumour reappeared in an April scan.

Mrs Nguyen said her daughter is still 'fighting hard' and she is refusing to give up yet.

A Go Fund Me page set up for the family has so far raised nearly $40,000 and can be reached here.
A knifeman is being sought after a 22-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in east London  the latest attack being investigated after 24 hours of violence in the capital.

The victim is in a critical condition in hospital after being attacked in Cable Street, Shadwell, at 6pm on Friday.

A spokesman for the Met Police said they were called following reports of a stabbing.

Police officers stand next to crime scene cordon tape and a blood stained car covered by a tarpaulin after a man was stabbed in east London

A blood stained car was covered with a tarpaulin behind a police crime scene cordon tape after a man was attacked in the capital. He remains in critical condition in hospital

The Shard is seen behind police officers standing on duty next to a crime scene cordon and an evidence tent after a man was stabbed multiple times in east London

'Officers and London Ambulance Service (LAS) attended and found a 22-year-old male suffering from multiple stab wounds.

'The injured man was taken by LAS to an east London hospital where his condition is currently critical. His next-of-kin have been informed.

'A crime scene remains in place. No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.'

It follows the fatal stabbing of a woman on Thursday night in Brent, and a young man left critically injured after allegedly being sprayed with bullets from a machine gun, also in north-west London.

Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 8.43pm on Thursday night, to reports of a man suffering from gunshot injuries on Lawrence Road in Brent.

The injured 24-year-old man was taken to a central London hospital where he has today (Saturday) been reported by the Met Police as in a 'serious but stable condition'. A Honda car at the scene appeared to be peppered with holes, with one resident later tweeting that he counted about 17 shots.

A 43-year-old man was arrested for the womans death, after she was found 'unresponsive' inside a home in Neasden Lane.

Anyone who witnessed the stabbing in Shadwell on Friday night, or has information is asked to call Tower Hamlets CID by dialing 101 quoting reference number CAD5861/1JUN, tweet @MetCC or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
As thousands of revellers flooded towards Australia's most iconic New Year's Eve fireworks display, detectives worked feverishly to block a terrorist attack.

It was an impending threat Sydney police were determined to not let escalate in 2003, having established Operation Pendennis - Australia's biggest ever counterterrorism investigation.

Details of the night and the effort from investigators to keep the public safe have been revealed for the first time ever by Counter Terrorism Investigations Unit officer Detective Sergeant Peter Moroney, Daily Telegraph reports.

Det Sgt Moroney recalled the night he and more than 100 police officials tracked the activity of a dangerous group of radicals, who they suspected had plotted a catastrophic terror attack.

'You sit there thinking, you have no idea what is potentially about to come your way,' he said.

As thousands of revelers flooded towards Australia's most iconic New Years Eve fireworks display in 2003, detectives worked feverishly to block a terrorist attack

Police established Operation Pendennis - Australia's biggest ever counter-terrorism investigation which led to the subsequent arrest of Mohammad Omar Jamal (left) and Abdul Rakib Hasan (right)

The 44-year-old was one of a large task force of officers allocated to investigate a man he called 'Mahmoud' - a criminal-turned-Islamic radical.

The young Muslim man became involved in organised crime and was radicalised while serving time in jail, and later connected with Khaled Sharrouf, the notorious Islamic State supporter killed fighting in Syria.

Alarm bells first rang for Det Sgt Moroney when he passed Mahmoud towing a boat behind his car in December.

'You tortured yourself in your own head thinking, ''Don't be an idiot, the poor guy is towing a boat. Who cares?'',' he said.

But his police instinct kicked in and he knew better than to ignore it, given he was familiar with the growing hatred Mahmoud had for the West.

Khaled Cheikho (left) is the uncle of Mustafa Cheikho (right) - both are serving prison sentences

Alarm bells first rang for Det Sgt Moroney when he passed Mahmoud towing a boat behind his car in December - weeks before Sydney's famous fireworks display

A tracker on his car told police he had visited vantage points around Sydney Harbour in the fortnight before New Year's Eve.

The detective noted Mahmoud took his boat out at 11pm with Moustafa Cheikho, Khaled Cheikho, Omar Jamal and Abdul Rakib Hasan nine days out from New Year's Eve.

The group later formed what became known as the Pendennis Nine, a notorious Sydney terror cell that amassed bomb-making materials and weapons in 2005.

At one point, water police pulled up alongside the group of men huddled inside the boat at sea, who said they were fishing.

Mr Moloney explained the bizarre nature of the situation was heightened because there was no fishing gear or bait inside the vessel.

The detective (pictured) noted Mahmoud took his boat out at 11pm with Moustafa Cheikho, Khaled Cheikho, Omar Jamal and Abdul Rakib Hasan nine days out from NYE

Leader of the Sydney cell Mohammed Elomar (left) and Mazen Touma (right) who has been deradicalised in prison and released

They later learned Mahmoud had acquired a second vessel, and the race was on to find it before the famous fireworks started.

When it came to the day of New Year's Eve tensions flared as officers across the city worked to to locate the second boat - some kept watch on his house and car, while PolAir and the elite tactical operations unit were on standby.

An oil tanker due to arrive in the harbour was diverted earlier in the day, at a cost of about a quarter of a million dollars because it was perceived to be a potential target.

It was decided if Mahmoud's second boat wasn't found by 9pm, officers would confront him and ask him personally.

When asked however, Mahmoud denied having it and claimed he had sold it on.

Later in the evening after going through old phone records, Mahmoud's phone was recorded being used in a suburb in Sydneys southwest, where the boat was eventually found.

Mahmoud connected with Khaled Sharrouf (pictured), the notorious Islamic State supporter killed fighting in Syria after serving prison time

Mr Moroney and his offsider found the vessel, which was barely sea worthy, and they were immediately stood down.

While it was never exactly discovered what Mahmoud's plan for that night was, extensive detective work in the lead up as part of Operation Pendennis led officers to his dangerous friends.

In 2005 Mr Moroney and his team arrested Cheikho, Jamal, Hasan, Sharrouf and Mohamed Ali Elomar - all who were intertwined in the country's biggest terrorism plot.

The men were part of terror cells in Sydney and Melbourne which conspired terror attacks.

Detailed information about how the bust unfolded has been documented in Mr Moroney's book, Terrorism in Australia: The Story of Operation Pendennis, which will hit shelves next week.
An easyJet flight to Prague was cancelled and more than 140 passengers were removed from the aircraft after a group of revellers 'treated the plane like a nightclub'.

The holidaymakers were so disruptive that the flight from Bristol Airport didn't make it off the runway last night.

'A group of people were taken off the flight and one, a 32-year-old man, was later arrested for a public order offence,' an Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman said.

An easyJet flight from Bristol Airport to Prague was cancelled last night after a group treated the plane like 'a nightclub'

Policeman Nick Falconer shared pictures from the scene on Twitter showing several officers and police cars on the runway

Bristol Airport confirmed that one arrest had been made for a public order offence.

Policeman Nick Falconer shared pictures from the scene on Twitter showing several officers and police cars on the runway.

He described it as a 'pretty eventful shift' and revealed it was his first 'incident airside'.

The officer took this image from his vehicle and described the incident as 'pretty eventful'

Bristol Airport's police team released a statement on Twitter suggesting alcohol was a factor

Bristol Airport's police team released a statement on Twitter which read: 'Disappointing behaviour of a few who ruined a Friday flight from Bristol Airport, not just for their mates, but for the 140+ who's flight was cancelled as a result of their follow-up actions. It's an aircraft - not a nightclub.'

They used the hashtag #DrinkResponsibly, suggesting alcohol may have been a factor.

An easyJet spokeswoman said: 'easyJet was required to cancel flight EZY6267 from Bristol to Prague yesterday 1 June due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively onboard which caused a delay, the flight was further delayed and then cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

'easyJet's crew did everything possible to minimise the disruption for our remaining passengers who have been given the option of transferring their flight free of charge or receiving a refund.

'easyJet also provided hotel accommodation and meals for those passengers who required them.

'Our crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time.

'Whilst such incidents are rare, we take them very seriously, do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour on board and always push for prosecution.

'The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is easyJet's highest priority.'
One of the most celebrated barristers of his generation, Geoffrey Robertson QC was inspired to become a lawyer by reading Charles Dickenss Great Expectations as a 14-year-old schoolboy in Sydney.

He wanted to emulate the famous character of Mr Jaggers, the lawyer dedicated to saving the lives of wretches at the Old Bailey.

Yet nothing in Dickens could have prepared him for the sheer variety of his own remarkable career which, for nearly half a century, has seen him tangling with the great, the good and the frankly notorious.

He has represented governments, celebrities and the most ordinary of citizens in a series of landmark legal cases concerning human rights, terrorism, protection from the crushing power of the State and the importance of the publics right to know.

Impeccably connected and married for many years to novelist and commentator Kathy Lette, Robertson has been at the forefront of national life for the past five decades.

Perhaps it is no wonder that, while most in his position prefer to hide behind the cloak of discretion, he has made it his business to tell the unvarnished truth  and never more so than in his scintillating new memoirs, written with his trademark wit and insight.

They are a roll call of household names, whether he is preparing to skewer Princess Diana in the witness box, hobnobbing with a Beatle, hiding from assassins with Salman Rushdie, wooing Nigella Lawson, or defending Deepthroat, one of the most notorious pornographic films of all time.

Here, in our first extract from Rather His Own Man, the acclaimed QC recalls just a few his most extraordinary  and always uplifting  encounters.

Amal Clooney floored all the fashionistas in her legal robes

The press raved over Amal Clooneys outfit at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

I appeared with Amal in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

It was a serious case about genocide in Armenia, and the newspapers all sent their correspondents  their fashion correspondents, that is  who asked her: What are you wearing? Ede & Ravenscroft, she replied drolly  a couturier unknown on the catwalks of Paris: its the London tailor which provides legal robes.

Amals speech on the Armenian genocide must have been watched by every Armenian in the world. Her husband George tells the story of his Armenian car park attendants at LA Airport  when he next left his car, one shouted to another: Hey. This guy is married to Amal. He parks for free!

The press raved over Amal Clooneys outfit at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I appeared with Amal in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (pictured together)

It had been labelled World exclusive and the Sunday Mirror certainly caused a furore when in 1995 it published a story headlined Di Spy Sensation  The Most Amazing Pictures Youll Ever See

How Diana fixed spy camera case with $1million

It had been labelled World exclusive and the Sunday Mirror certainly caused a furore when in 1995 it published a story headlined Di Spy Sensation  The Most Amazing Pictures Youll Ever See.

The photographs, spread over seven pages, were of Princess Diana exercising in a gym, taken by a camera hidden in the ceiling by the gym owner, a man called Bryce Taylor.

The Princess, out to prove herself after her separation from Charles, was advised to take legal action. The High Court judge who first heard her claim asked me to represent Bryce Taylor, which would mean cross-examining the Peoples Princess.

I would need to explore under cross-examination Dianas two-faced attitude to privacy  she had told the tawdry secrets of her marriage to journalist Andrew Morton for a book which blackened Charless name.

However, on the evening before the trial of the century, there was a deal, and Dianas lawyers withdrew her claim, reportedly after depositing $1 million in Bryces Swiss bank account.

This was all swathed in secrecy, of course, so the Princess could claim to have won.

I was somewhat deflated, as always when a big case settles at the door of the court.

Its a condition my witty wife Kathy Lette called courtus interruptus.

... and the time I hid James Hewitt in my London attic

I also once advised Dianas lover, James Hewitt.

The press was in full pursuit after the story broke of his royal romance with the Princess, so he hid in a converted pigsty in the South of France and then prevailed on an Army helicopter pilot to fly him to North London, where he hid in our attic for a few days while I mulled over the 1351 Treason Act, which still punished with death any party to adultery with the wife of the monarchs eldest son and heir.

If James was bang to rights, Diana would have been guilty as an accomplice, although I had to doubt whether she would suffer the same fate as Anne Boleyn.

James hid in a converted pigsty in the South of France and then prevailed on an Army helicopter pilot to fly him to North London, where he hid in our attic for a few days while I mulled over the 1351 Treason Act

How The Beatles fell under the spell of their yogi  and a very shifty character called Magic Alex

I found myself in 2008 investigating events in the lives of The Beatles when they had fallen under the spell of a yogi called the Maharishi and had followed him to his ashram in India to learn more from his teachings.

Other worshippers had joined them  Mike Love of the Beach Boys, Donovan, Mia Farrow and a man called Alex Mardas, aka Magic Alex, one of John Lennons hangers-on.

I became involved because my client, the New York Times, had published an obituary of the Maharishi and Magic Alex decided to sue the newspaper for the imputation he was a charlatan and a rumour-monger. It was not difficult to argue that Alex  by now a seedy businessman in Athens  was a charlatan.

I found myself in 2008 investigating events in the lives of The Beatles when they had fallen under the spell of a yogi called the Maharishi and had followed him to his ashram in India to learn more from his teachings

He had come to London in the 1960s and found work as a television repairman, but with the aid of a vivid imagination and a copy of Popular Science magazine, he had convinced the Fab Four  John, in particular  that he was a genius who could produce fantastic electronic inventions.

They would include: an X-ray camera that could take photographs through walls; a force field that would surround their homes with coloured smoke; a house which would hover in the air, suspended on an invisible beam; magic paint that would make objects painted with it invisible; a flying saucer made from the V-12 engines of George Harrisons Ferrari and John Lennons Rolls-Royce; a 72-track recording studio more technologically advanced than EMI could offer at Abbey Road.

The Beatles paid him a large amount to proceed with these inventions, none of which came to pass.

The 72-track recording studio at Apple headquarters was built, but when they went there to record Let It Be it did not work, and they were soon back at Abbey Road with a furious George Martin, their producer, who could not believe their gullibility.

The case was settled out of court.

George Harrison is often depicted as curmudgeonly, but he was wickedly funny in private and his wife, Olivia, is always a delight

...but George was to dye for

George Harrison is often depicted as curmudgeonly, but he was wickedly funny in private and his wife, Olivia, is always a delight. He would sit on the beach in the late afternoon in the Seychelles, where he had a property, strumming a guitar, while elegantly dressed passers-by muttered disdainfully about allowing some old hippy on their private beach.

My wife once had a moment of doubt, when she received a message from Georges office asking her to take an unopened package to the Seychelles for him: passing customs with a secret substance for a Beatle did give her pause, so she took a peek. It was hair dye!

Nigella Lawson is as wonderful as she appears on television

Nigella would have made me a great wife!

Nigella Lawson is as wonderful as she appears on television. We were introduced by a friend who assured me Nigella would make a terrific wife  which I am sure she would have done. We were instantly attracted, and I loved her intelligence and wise insights into the literary and political byways of London establishments. She began to cook after we parted (if she had started earlier, who knows how things might have ended up?).

While I defended author Salman Rushdie in a blasphemy case brought by Muslim prosecutors, there was concern terrorists might choose his barrister as a target

Special Branch had me hunting for bombs...with an old broom

While I defended author Salman Rushdie in a blasphemy case brought by Muslim prosecutors, there was concern terrorists might choose his barrister as a target. I welcomed protection from Scotland Yards Special Branch, who said theyd show us how to look for bombs under my car.

We expected them to have high-tech equipment, but they brought us a mirror and showed us how to tie it to a broom. We did, and looked. But everything looks like a bomb under there, wailed Kathy [my wife]. We had some happy weekends with Salman and his police protectors at cottages in the countryside. Kathy noticed it was always the policemen who washed up.

There was only one occasion when I have been glad to have worn a legal gown: when I defended the pornographic movie Deep Throat in 1975

A stirring encounter with Linda Lovelace

There was only one occasion when I have been glad to have worn a legal gown: when I defended the pornographic movie Deep Throat in 1975. In those days they still had all-male juries for sex cases.

You are about to see a film, gentlemen of the jury, said the prosecutor. It will be for you to say whether it is an indecent importation.

The lights went down, and the star, Ms Linda Lovelace, left, came on to the makeshift screen.

Ninety minutes later, the lights came up. Nobody moved. The judge announced it was lunchtime and made his exit, in a crouching position. The jury remained stock-still in the jury box.

Come on, said the lady usher. Its lunchtime.

Still they did not move, those red-faced and sweaty 12 good men and true.

We barristers left court, our gowns wrapped loosely around us.

 Geoffrey Robertson, 2018.

Rather His Own Man: In Court With Tyrants, Tarts And Troublemakers by Geoffrey Robertson is published by Biteback on June 11, priced 25. Offer price 18.75 (25 per cent discount, including free p&p) until June 17.
Google is under fire for the second time this week after a Republican senator was labeled a 'bigot' in its top search results.

A photo of North Carolina senator Trudy Wade was displayed with capital red letters reading 'BIGOT' across the bottom in the Google search results for her name.

The search engine removed the photo and issued an apology to Wade, explaining how the image came to be the top photo on the Knowledge Panel, the area on the webpage that let's users access quick information next to search results.

This comes just days after Google's Knowledge Panel listed 'Nazism' as an ideology of the California Republican Party in its results.

A Google search for North Carolina Senator Trudy Wade produced a photo of her with the words 'bigot' written in capital red letters

Wade, a vocal Trump-supporter, is seeking re-election in District 27 against Democrat Michael Garrett for the second time

Google has apologized to Senator Wade and removed the photo altogether

Wade, a vocal Trump-supporter, is seeking re-election in District 27 against Democrat Michael Garrett for the second time.

Google explained that the image came from a student news blog and was immediately removed Friday.

'We apologize to Senator Wade that this image appeared in the Knowledge Panel in Search. Images that appear in the Knowledge Panel are either selected by verified users or are automatically sourced from sites across the web,' Google Communications said in a tweet.

'We encourage individuals with a Knowledge Panel to get verified to select their own image, which can help prevent this in the future,' their statement read.

Google's Knowledge Panel draws facts about any given subject from various sources, such as Wikipedia, which is crowd-sourced.

This was the second time in a week that a Google's search produced questionable results.

Less than a week before the California primary, Vice News reported that Nazism was listed as the ideology for the California Republican Party in the search results.

The error was once again listed in the Knowledge Panel' section of the search, followed by other ideologies like Conservatism, Market liberalism, Fiscal conservatism and Green conservatism.

Google has since entirely removed the 'Ideology' category from the California Republican Party's Knowledge Panel.

This comes just days after the search engine was slammed for listing 'Nazism' as an ideology for the California Republican Party

But California Democratic Partys search page stills lists its ideologies, among them Social liberalism, Modern liberalism and Progressivism.



A Google representative told Fox News the inclusion of Nazism in the search page was likely caused by an act of cyber-vandalism on one of the information sources.

This was not the result of any manual change by anyone at Google, the spokesperson told the network. We don't bias our search results toward any political party. Sometimes people vandalize public information sources, like Wikipedia, which can impact the information that appears in search.

The representative went on to say that the tech giant has systems in place to spot and correct vandalism in search results, but sometimes errors do occur, which was allegedly the case with Nazism.
Entire fourth and half of fifth floor of Harley Street building engulfed in flames

At least 10 fire engines and 72 firefighters were on scene of blaze in Marylebone

A fire has ripped through a six-floor building in central London's famous Harley Street with flames engulfing the entire fourth floor.

Dozens of firefighters battled the blaze in Marylebone and an elderly woman was rescued from the building, according to witnesses.

The fire engulfed the entire fourth floor and half of the fifth floor of the complex, which contains a dental clinic and eye clinic, just before 6pm on Saturday.

Firefighters tackling the blaze on Harley Street in Marylebone, which tore through a six-storey terraced building and engulfed the entire fourth floor

One witness Tweeted that a 'poor old lady' was rescued from the burning building

At least 10 fire engines and 72 firefighters attended the scene in Harley Street, which is famous for its cosmetic surgery clinics. By 8pm the crews had it under control.

Dramatic video shows firefighters aiming their hoses at plumes of smoke and the London Fire Brigade warned people to avoid the area.

A spokesperson said there were no reported injuries or fatalities and confirmed a woman was rescued via an internal staircase.

Emergency services received more than 30 calls as the fire tore through the building. The cause of the blaze is now under investigation.

A firefighter tackling the blaze in central London. The cause of the fire is under investigation

Scores of London Fire Brigade vehicles filling Harley Street, which is famous for its cosmetic surgery clinics

Cyclist London wrote on Twitter: 'Smoke pouring out at an unbelievable rate, even though some of upstairs windows are closed. Looks like a two level flat. Brickwork blackened. Poor old lady rescued.'

Social media users were quick to praise the efforts of the London Fire Brigade.

One Twitter user, posting a picture of a firefighter tackling the blaze on an elevated platform, wrote: 'Great job boys at this Harley Street fire'.
Shrugging off the Nazi era as a speck of bird poo in German history has drawn widespread condemnation for a far-right nationalist party leader.

Alexander Gauland, co-leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD), sparked outrage today when he said that Germans must take responsibility for 12 years of rule by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party, but argued that it was just a small part of Germany's history.

We have a glorious history and it, dear friends, lasted longer than those blasted 12 years, the lawyer told a gathering of the party's youth movement, according to the DPA news agency.

Alexander Gauland, faction leader of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party, has provoked outrage after dismissing 12 years of rule by Hitler and the Nazis as 'bird poo' in history

Hitler and the Nazis are just a speck of bird poop in more than 1,000 years of successful German history, he added, to applause.

SPD general secretary Lars Klingbeil tweeted: This is a shocking belittlement of National Socialism. It is a shame that such types sit in the German Bundestag.

Sweeping away such history was not a slip-up but a system, said Green Party leader Robert Habeck on Twitter.

The AfDs goal is to corrode German democracy. For this she must rewrite German history. Thats why sentences like Gaulands are not a slip-up but a system,' he said.

Green Party leader Robert Habeck said Gauland's comments showed the AfD's goal is to 'corrode German democracy'

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the secretary general of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Party, said Gauland's comments unveiled the true nature of a party hiding behind middle-class respectability.

Fifty million victims of war, the Holocaust and total war are just bird poop for Gauland and his party, she wrote on Twitter.

Katrin Goring-Eckardt, also of the Green Party, described Gauland's comments as a slap in the face to Holocaust survivors and their descendants, adding that they highlighted a need to push back against a hate-filled minority.

The Free Democratic Party's Marco Buschmann said politicians who systematically played down the Nazi dictatorship and the Holocaust showed how bleak their vision for Germany's future was.

The AfD, which welcomed its 30,200th member in May, is the biggest opposition party in Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, with more than 90 deputies.

Lars Klingbeil, SPD general secretary, said: This is a shocking belittlement of National Socialism. It is a shame that such types sit in the German Bundestag'

The party became the third largest in Germany's parliament after the 2017 election.

Gaulands comments come less than a year after he provoked outrage after telling an audience that Germans should no longer be reproached with the country's Nazi past, and they should take pride in what their soldiers achieved during the First and Second World Wars.

Hitler and his party ruled Germany from 1933-1945, in later years engineering the genocide of Jews in Europe. Millions of people were persecuted or perished under Nazi rule, including six million Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
The mission was to kill none other than the German head of state  Kaiser Wilhelm II. If the sortie succeeded, the course of the war would undoubtedly change, and perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives would be saved

Shortly before five oclock on the morning of Sunday, June 2, 1918  exactly a century ago this weekend  12 Airco DH.4 biplane bombers of the newly formed Royal Air Force fired up their 375hp Rolls-Royce Eagle engines and lumbered down a grass airfield near Boulogne in northern France.

Each aircraft was carrying two 20 lb Cooper Bombs, as well as one mighty 112 lb bomb. That was a heavy payload, and it meant that whatever 25 Squadron was targeting was going to take one hell of a pasting. The sortie was headed by the squadrons 27-year-old leader, Major Chester Duffus, a tremendously experienced Canadian pilot who had been credited with five kills while flying flimsy British F.E.2 fighter planes in 1916.

Normally, squadron leaders did not fly on such missions, as they were considered too valuable to risk. However, this sortie was of the utmost importance, and it needed a man of Duffuss calibre to make sure it went to plan.

At precisely 4.50am, the aircraft were airborne, and climbed to a height of 14,000ft. Their objective was 100 miles away and, with a top speed of just over 140mph, the crew hoped to reach the target near the French-Belgian border by 5.30am.

The aircraft crossed the front lines without incident, and at Le Cateau, about 25 miles from the target, they started their descent to 500ft. Duffus and his pilots and observers knew that the danger was now really mounting, as there were bound to be anti-aircraft guns in the area.

At 5.25am, the planes reached their target, or more specifically, their two targets. The first was the Chateau de Trelon, and the second was a train sitting on a newly laid siding off a branch line just half-a-mile north-west of the chateau. Built in the 18th Century, the chateau was the property of the Merode family, who had owned the estate since 1580.

However, during the war the building was occupied by the Germans, who used it as a military headquarters. That alone would have made it a juicy target, but on that Sunday morning, the Allies were hoping to bag a somewhat bigger prize than some top brass.

The aircraft crossed the front lines without incident, and at Le Cateau, about 25 miles from the target, they started their descent to 500ft. Duffus and his pilots and observers knew that the danger was now really mounting, as there were bound to be anti-aircraft guns in the area

In fact, their mission was to kill none other than the German head of state  Kaiser Wilhelm II. If the sortie succeeded, the course of the war would undoubtedly change, and perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives would be saved. Those 12 aircraft and their 36 bombs had a big job to do.

The Allied mission to kill the Kaiser has never been revealed until now. Although there have been occasional hints that such a sortie may have taken place, the truth finally emerged last week in a novel based on the mission written by a former colonel in the British Army Intelligence Corps. At the beginning of his book, author John Hughes-Wilson presents the smoking gun that shows that the mission really did happen. It comes in the form of a facsimile of a page from a journal kept by Lieutenant Archibald Roy Watts  an observer in one of the DH.4s.

Hughes-Wilson says: For a military historian this was the eureka moment  with the smoking gun being the discovery of an indiscreet pilots entry that recorded full details of the secret attack.

In his journal on June 2, 1918, Watts writes: Bomb raid on Kaisers chateau at Trelon. He goes on to briefly describe the mission.

Hughes-Wilson was given a copy of the journal by John Watts, the grandson of Archibald. In addition, John Watts also found in his grandfathers papers a wartime map of Trelon, which clearly shows not only the chateau, but also the location of the Kaisers train, captioned with the words Train imperial. Together, the map and the journal entry are conclusive proof that the sortie that day was an assassination attempt.

This hitherto secret hit raises some historically important questions. How did the British know the Kaiser was staying at Trelon? Who authorised the attack? What was the thinking behind it? And what would have happened had it succeeded?

The answer to the first question comes in the form of Lieutenant Frederic de Merode, a member of the family that owned the chateau, and who worked as a translator for the French army. One of his jobs was to interrogate German prisoners-of-war, and one told him the Kaiser was staying at the chateau.

The Allied mission to kill the Kaiser has never been revealed until now. Although there have been occasional hints that such a sortie may have taken place, the truth finally emerged last week in a novel based on the mission written by a former colonel in the British Army Intelligence Corps

Merode naturally supplied this information to his superior officers. Research in French archives reveals that at some point in June one of them, General Maurice de Barescut, wrote to an attache, Lieutenant-Colonel Leon de Cointet, informing him: Merode has told me, from a reliable source, that the chateau owned by his parents in Trelon, in the north, was inhabited by the Kaiser. In a nearby siding there was a train always ready to go that could allow him to escape immediately.

This information was passed to the British. It is at this point that the story starts to get murky. There is no archival evidence to show who received this vital piece of intelligence, and neither is there any documentation to show who made the decision to attack the Kaiser.

Any attempt to kill the Kaiser could only have been approved at the highest levels, says Hughes-Wilson, a former President of the Guild of Battlefield Guides. Responsibility for such an attack was way above the pay grade of even Sir Douglas Haig, Commander of the British Expeditionary Force. In my view, all roads lead to the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George.

If Lloyd George did indeed authorise the assassination attempt, he would have wanted his involvement to be kept absolutely secret. After all, he was ordering the killing of the first cousin of the King, George V.

If the raid was a success, Lloyd George presumably would have claimed that neither he nor the RAF knew that the Kaiser had been staying in the chateau. But, as it happened, the raid failed. The account in Wattss journal is succinct. He writes: Came down to 500ft and dropped bombs in turn and climbed up in formation again. Observers fired at village and train. One machine seen to land and burnt by pilot and observer. 1 A.A. [anti-aircraft] gun near Chateau and AA near Cambrai. Very active. No huns seen.

One of his jobs was to interrogate German prisoners-of-war, and one told him the Kaiser was staying at the chateau

The baldness of the entry masks the fact that the target was missed.

The bombing took place, but the castle was not hit, says Patrick-Charles Renaud, a French military historian and the author of a book called Through The Eyes Of The Poilus (the French equivalent of Tommy). The pilots had been briefed that the Kaiser was either in the chateau or on the train, and Renaud says: The planes preferred to attack the train station from where they thought the Kaiser was going to escape.

The reason the castle was not hit was that the smoke billowing from the explosions caused by the bombs dropped by the first aircraft obscured the building. Several cars in the courtyard were hit, and some 800 rounds of machine-gun fire were unleashed on the train.

It needs to be appreciated that air raids in 1918 were hopelessly inaccurate. In fact, the whole idea of accuracy was dismissed. That year, William Weir, a member of the Cabinet and the President of the Air Council, told Major-General Trenchard of the RAF not to worry too much about accuracy when bombing Germany, as all the pilots drop their eggs into the centre of town generally.

The idea of pinpointing a single building or a train was therefore almost absurdly ambitious, and it is hardly surprising the raid failed.

One aircraft was lost but the remaining 11 made it back to their airfield safely by 6.35am  just in time for a hearty Sunday breakfast. For 25 Squadron, it was just another day at work, as that summer they were flying some 29 bombing and observation sorties each month. But what of the Kaiser? If he had been in the Chateau de Trelon or on the train, he surely must have had a very lucky escape.

The truth is that the Kaiser was staying at the chateau, but had left it  by car it is believed just 19 hours before the raid. The British had been desperately unlucky and had only just missed their man

The truth is that the Kaiser was staying at the chateau, but had left it  by car it is believed just 19 hours before the raid. The British had been desperately unlucky and had only just missed their man.

It is tempting to speculate on what might have happened had the Kaiser indeed been blown to smithereens by a 112-pounder, or sawn in half by a Lewis gun.

At the time of the attack, the Germans were mounting their Spring Offensive, sometimes known as the Kaisers Battle. American troops had not yet been fully deployed in Europe, and the Germans were taking advantage. Since the offensive had started on March 21, they had made huge advances of several miles into Allied territory  the biggest gains since 1914.

The British and the French were very worried, so the idea of killing the Kaiser might have looked an appealing way of halting the German advance, or indeed, of ending the war. Had the Kaisers death resulted in at least a halt in the Spring Offensive, hundreds of thousands of lives would have been saved. The total figures for casualties and losses for both sides in the offensive alone was 1.5 million.

However, John Hughes-Wilson suspects that the killing of the Kaiser could have had the opposite effect. He says: You have to remember that Germany was in a terrible state at this stage. Four hundred thousand men were on strike in Berlin, and it looked as if revolution was around the corner.

Had the Kaiser been assassinated, he would have been a martyr and people might have rallied around the monarchy, and this would have made things more stable  which in turn would have meant Germany may have carried on fighting the war for longer, and not sought an armistice later that year.

If that had happened, of course many more lives would have been lost, rather than saved.

Although he did not lose his life 100 years ago, the Kaiser was to lose his throne in November 1918, in the wake of revolution in Germany. He lived until he was 82 and died in the German-occupied Netherlands in June 1941.

Today, it is still not clear if he ever knew how close he came to death at the hands of the RAF in this most secret of wartime missions.

lThe Kaisers Dawn: The Untold Story Of Britains Secret Mission To Murder The Kaiser In 1918, by John Hughes-Wilson, is published by Unicorn at 10.99.
American officials are in initial talks with Russian representatives in to arrange a summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Jon Huntsman, U.S. ambassador to Russia, has been in Washington working out the details for the meeting according to the Wall Street Journal.

'This has been an ongoing project of ambassador Huntsman, stretching back months, of getting a formal meeting between Putin and Trump,' the official said.

Early discussions for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are said to be underway

The purpose of a summit would be to resolve thorny issues between the two nations

Although both President Trump and Putin have already met face-to-face twice, both encounters have been but on the sidelines of larger international meetings.

Last summer the pair met during the G20 summit in Germany and in November at a summit in Vietnam.

The two nations have much to discuss including global conflicats such as Syria and Ukraine.

There are uncomfortable topics too including U.S. intelligence findings that the Kremlin interfered via social media in a bid to influence the presidential election.

Mr Trump invited Mr Putin to Washington during a controversial phone call to the Russian president in March when he congratulated him winning the presidential election.

In 2017 Trump and Putin met twice on the sidelines of international meetings such as Vietnam

The two leaders also met at the G20 in Hamburg, Germany in July 2017

Senator John McCain blasted Trump at the time, saying: 'An American president does not lead the Free World, by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections.'

At the time, Putin and Trump discussed a meeting in the 'not-too-distant future.'

Trump often spoke positively about Putin during his campaign, calling the former KGB spy a better leader than former President Barack Obama, and expressing a desire to improve relations with the Kremlin.

His consistent praise of Putin has seen many question the true nature of the relationship between the two men.

Last year, Trump told how Putin denied interfering in the U.S. election. Trump told reporters on Air Force One after meeting with Putin in Vietnam: 'He said he didn't meddle. I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it. I think he's very insulted by it, if you want to know the truth.'

Former presidents Obama and George W. Bush held summits with Putin within six months of taking office.
The Jeremy Thorpe affair, one of the last centurys greatest political scandals, was dramatically reignited last night after a key witness who police assumed was dead was found by The Mail on Sunday.

This newspaper discovered Andrew Newton  the man who allegedly tried to kill Liberal leader Thorpes gay ex-lover  living under an alias in Surrey.

Detectives are now planning to interview the former airline pilot over claims he hired a former school friend to murder Norman Scott, but stepped in himself when his friend changed his mind.

Andrew Newton  the man who allegedly tried to kill Liberal leader Thorpes gay ex-lover Norman Scott  living under the alias Hann Redwin in Surrey, pictured

Here is how Andrew Newton, posing as Hann Redwin, was photographed in 2004 at the Skin Two Rubber Ball in 2004 at the Hammersmith Palais in London

Four years ago, Dennis Meighan, now 71, admitted to The Mail on Sunday that in 1975 he was offered 13,500  the equivalent of 140,000 today  by Newton and a representative of Thorpe to silence Scott. They feared he was threatening to publicly reveal details of their affair, which took place at a time when homosexuality was still illegal.

Meighan agreed to the plan but later changed his mind and went on to confess to police, making clear Thorpes involvement. But he says his role was covered up by detectives to protect the politician, possibly at the behest of elements within the British Establishment.

Incredibly, even though he says he tried to do the right thing more than four decades ago, Meighan now faces possible prosecution himself for conspiring to murder Scott.

TIMELINE OF A VERY BRITISH SCANDAL EARLY 1975: West London tough guy Dennis Meighan says he was contacted by former schoolfriend, pilot Andrew Newton, asking if he could supply a gun. Pair meet in Shepherds Bush, West London, along with a representative of Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe. Meighan says he was offered 13,500 to kill Norman Scott. Meighan goes to Barnstaple, Devon, with a gun, but loses nerve and returns to London. West London hard man Dennis Meighan claims he was contacted by Andrew Newton who was looking for a gun OCTOBER 23, 1975: Newton lures Scott to Exmoor, and shoots dead his Great Dane, Rinka. He allegedly tries to shoot Scott, but the gun jams. Newton arrested. OCTOBER, 1975: Meighan visited by three policemen and he tells them about the involvement of Thorpes representative. Meighan is later summoned to Brentford police station and asked to sign a statement, which has no mention of Thorpe. NOVEMBER 1975: Newton charged with possessing firearm with intent to endanger life. MARCH 1976: Newton goes on trial in Exeter. Scott alleges Thorpe was behind the plot, but is steered off the subject by prosecution counsel. Newton found guilty, jailed for two years. Scott's Great Dane Rinka is shot dead AUGUST 1978: Thorpe and three other men charged with conspiracy to murder. 1979: Old Bailey Trial of the Century. All four men acquitted. 1994: Newton, under his alias Hann Redwin, features in the inquest of his girlfriend Caroline Mayorcas, who died in a climbing accident with him in the Alps. Foul play ruled out. 2014: Thorpe dies. The Mail on Sunday publishes Meighans account of the conspiracy and cover-up for the first time. 2016: We reveal Gwent Police have launched Operation Velum to investigate Meighans claims. 2017: Police and CPS say they believe Newton had died and the investigation into Meighans claims is closed. YESTERDAY: The Mail on Sunday tracks down Newton living under his alias in Surrey. Advertisement

Our interview with Meighan prompted, in 2016, the launch of an investigation into his claims. Operation Velum, as it was called, was conducted by Gwent Police, a force not involved in the initial inquiries.

But the case was dropped a year later after the Crown Prosecution Service announced that Newton, the only person who could corroborate Meighans story, was dead.

However Gwent Police yesterday conceded that Newton might still be alive, and reopened Velum.

And in what will cause further embarrassment, The Mail on Sunday yesterday tracked Newton down to a large detached house in Dorking, where he is living with his partner. Dressed casually in a blue shirt and jeans, Newton, who now calls himself Hann Redwin, was photographed returning home from a shopping trip.

After he bolted inside the house, his partner answered the door saying that hes not interested in talking about the latest development.

Newton is said to have taken on the role of would-be assassin after Meighan turned the job down. Newton was convicted of shooting Scotts dog Rinka in 1976.

Scott said Newton turned the gun on him, but it jammed.

Three years later Thorpe and three alleged co-conspirators  David Holmes, one-time deputy treasurer of the Liberal party, and South Wales businessmen George Deakin and John Le Mesurier (not to be confused with the Dads Army actor)  went on trial at the Old Bailey for conspiracy to murder.

All were acquitted. Yet if Meighans involvement in the affair had not been expunged, the outcome may well have been different.

Newton struck a deal to give evidence against Thorpe, and that arrangement may mean he still has immunity from prosecution today.

Millions of TV viewers have been enthralled by the BBC1 dramatisation of the affair, A Very English Scandal, starring Hugh Grant as Thorpe, which concludes tonight.

Police now want to prosecute Meighan even though he says his confession was ripped up by West London detectives more than 30 years ago. He said yesterday: Its crazy. I told the truth at the time and they wouldnt listen  why is this all coming out again?

They [the police] have got all the details, its all been said.

Deakin could now face a new investigation, too, as the only one of Thorpes co-defendants who is still alive. At their home in Port Talbot, Deakins wife said: He doesnt want to talk about it  and hes never met Andrew Newton in his life.

Senior CPS prosecutor Nicola Rees told Norman Scott in a letter in February 2017 and seen by The Mail on Sunday: Various key witnesses are now deceased, including Andrew Newton, who according to Mr Meighan was in the meeting during which the contract was agreed.

Gwent Police said yesterday: We have now revisited these enquiries and have identified information which indicates that Mr Newton may still be alive. As a result, further enquiries will be conducted to trace Mr Newton to assess if he is able to assist the investigation. Asked about the decision to re-open the inquiry, Meighan said: This is all I need. They covered it all up at the time  whats the point of doing this all again now? All I can say is sod em. Im not saying any more.

But the decision was welcomed by Scott, who said last night he hoped the truth would come out. The whole affair was covered up by the Establishment at the time and, until now, it seemed that Gwent Police was covering it up again, he said.

Meighan told this newspaper in 2014 that, after he confessed his role to police in 1975, he was shocked when they gave him a prepared statement to sign in which all references to Thorpe had been removed. He said: It also cleared me completely. It was a cover-up, no question, but it suited me fine. It meant Meighan never had to give evidence at Thorpes 1979 trial.

Thorpe, who died in 2014, always denied Scotts claims of an affair. But the scandal ended his career.

Some time after Meighan signed his statement, he was contacted by a reporter who arranged to meet him. I put the phone down, then it rang again, recalled Meighan. A Welsh voice said, You can still be nicked, boyo. It was clear my phone was bugged.

This is how the BBC show 'A Very English Scandal' dramatises the moment Andrew Newton, played by Blake Harrison shoots dead Norman Scott's dog Rinka before the gun jams

Assassins hold key to greatest political cover-up of 20th Century

They were two school friends from West London: one a former airline pilot, the other a petty crook with a hard man reputation.

Andrew Newton and Dennis Meighan hold the key to the cover- up of the most sensational political scandal in a generation  and yet it is they, rather than the British Establishment, now facing investigation.

Both men were allegedly hired to kill Norman Scott  Jeremy Thorpes former lover  more than 30 years ago. Out of the blue, Newton contacted his old pal in 1975. Meighan recalls that Newton asked if he could supply him with a gun. He knew I had a collection of antique firearms and knew I could get hold of a working gun.

Dennis Meighan claims his friend Andrew Newton and another individual claiming to be a representative of Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe, pictured left, offered him 13,500 to kill the politician's gay lover Norman Scott

Meighan said during the meeting Norman Scott, pictured, was described as 'a horrible piece of work' who was 'squealing and being a nuisance and had to be silenced'

They arranged to meet at an Italian restaurant in Shepherds Bush, West London, and Newton brought along a man who introduced himself as a representative of Jeremy Thorpe.

Meighan said: They spoke about Scott, said he was a horrible piece of work, and how he was squealing and being a nuisance and had to be silenced.

I didnt believe it at first, but eventually they convinced me. They wanted me to get rid of him and offered me 13,500.

That was a lot of money then and I agreed. I dont know why I said yes and I really dont know if Id have gone through with it.

At the time Meighan was in his late 20s. He said: I got in fights and did a bit of thieving, but nothing heavy. Id never killed anyone before.

A few days later he went to the pub where Scott was living near Barnstaple, Devon. I went to have a look more than anything, but the gun was in the car. As soon as I opened my mouth and everyone heard my London accent they turned and looked at me. Scott had been saying London gangsters were after him. I knew then I wouldnt be able to get away with it so I drove back to London.

I told Newton I was pulling out and he panicked because he was going to have to do it himself.

On October 23, 1975, Newton lured Scott out to Exmoor by pretending to be a minder hired to protect him from a hitman. After shooting Scotts dog Rinka, Newton then allegedly tried to shoot Scott, only for the gun to jam. Newton was arrested and I was visited by three policemen  at least thats what they said they were, said Meighan.

They knew about me from Newton so I admitted it all in a statement, mentioning Jeremy Thorpe and how I was hired by his representative. I thought theyd nick me, but they just said theyd be in touch.

Then I got a call saying I needed to go to Brentford police station where I would be given an envelope containing a statement. He said if I liked it I should sign it and go. I couldnt believe it.

The false statement, half as long as his original confession, exonerated Meighan  and this time made no mention of Thorpe.

Yesterday Meighan said of the BBC dramatisation of the scandal: It is a load of cobblers. They make Andrew out to be an idiot. He wasnt an idiot, he was just greedy. He is a clever boy, actually.

The last time I saw him was a few years ago when I popped down to Chiswick where he was living. He was building a plane in his house. He was a bit odd and had been brought up on his own by an Italian mum  he wasnt like the rest of the boys.

After the Thorpe trial, Newton melted away  but resurfaced in 1994 when he was caught up in another court hearing. This time an inquest into the death of his then girlfriend in a mysterious Swiss climbing accident. Newton was alone on the Eiger with Caroline Mayorcas when she fell to her death. Police ruled out foul play, however.

With the announcement that Gwent Police are now reopening their investigation into the conspiracy to murder Norman Scott, Newton and Meighan must revisit a chapter of their lives they thought had long been buried.

It has caused me so much grief, said Meighan. And it wont stop haunting me.
He is the devoted manservant who gave long years of service to the eccentric aristocrat feted for his famously decadent parties.

And now, after a long legal battle following the death eight years ago of his master Colin Tennant, the third Lord Glenconner, Kent Adonai has at last been rewarded with a multi-million-pound fortune.

The wrangling over the estate of Princess Margaret's old friend began when Lord Glenconner died in 2010, aged 83, and it emerged he had left everything to Adonai.

The legacy was contested by the aristocrat's family, who claimed he had not been of sound mind when he rewrote his will.

Now the case between Lord Glenconner's grandson and heir to the title, Cody Tennant, 24, and Adonai has finally been settled in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

The wrangling over the estate of Princess Margaret's old friend began when Lord Glenconner died in 2010, aged 83, and it emerged he had left everything to his manservant. Pictured: The Lord Glenconner at his home on Mustique in February 1985

The Mail on Sunday has seen the sealed legal document settling the dispute, with parcels of land and shares divided up between the young Lord and the former servant, signed by both men.

Adonai has inherited 27 acres of prime beachfront property, called the Beau Estate, ripe for development, which he says he will shortly put on the market for 22.5 million.

Cody meanwhile, was also left a stone carving of a Lingam, a Hindu representation of the phallus that symbolises the god Shiva.

Despite inheriting a fortune, Adonai said yesterday: 'I have not ended up with the correct share.' His main complaint is how long the case has taken while his main assets were tied up in the land, forcing him back to his former occupation of fisherman to provide for his family of seven children.

He said that if he had had access to funds he would have fought the case more vigorously.

He told this newspaper: 'I'm not at all happy with the changes to the will. Previously I had everything. The will was what Lord Glenconner wanted and what he told me, and the family knew that.

Kent Adonai has at last been rewarded with a multi-million-pound fortune, a staggering 20m. Despite inheriting a fortune, Adonai said yesterday: 'I have not ended up with the correct share'

'He wanted to leave a legacy behind. I've not ended up with the correct share.' He maintains unfailing loyalty to Lord Glenconner, dubbed 'The King of St Lucia', whom he calls 'Mr Tennant'.

He said: 'I didn't have the money to fight the proposals. If I'd had the money I'd have had four lawyers giving advice. In the end I just gave up, it was too much to fight them. Although I had a lot of support from the public.'

He added: 'My upset is the way they [the family] treated me. I can't say anything bad about Cody. But some of the family treated me very badly when Lord Glenconner was alive. When Mr Tennant was suffering with cancer I looked after him all the time. With the will, I wanted to preserve his legacy, so his name will live on here.

'I hope to have a bust of him made and placed where he is buried. The first thing I will do when I get money is have that bust commissioned. It will be his legacy.'

Yesterday, Lord Glenconner's 85-year-old widow told The Mail on Sunday: 'Everyone's happy. Kent's certainly not been done out of anything  I'd be pleased to be in his shoes.'

Meanwhile Lord Glenconner's grandson and heir to the title, Cody Tennant, 24, walked away with a stone phallus (right)

From her farmhouse home near the north Norfolk coast, Lady Glenconner added that the parcel of land awarded to Adonai was 'the best one, because it's the only one with a beach'. 'Kent also had a great deal from my husband even before he died  two hotels and a lot of land,' she said. 'He's well-off compared to my children.

'I'm very fond of Kent and he looked after my husband very well and he was well-rewarded over the years with quite a portfolio.'

Also mentioned in the legal consent order was a watch which once belonged to Lady Avon, widow of former Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, who was the godmother of Cody's late father Charles Tennant. According to the document, the watch goes to Adonai  not Cody.

Lady Glenconner said: 'That's very odd, because that has sentimental family value and carries the signature of Winston Churchill, who was Lady Avon's uncle.'

She added: 'Kent was very happy with what he got and so was Cody.'

Lord Glenconner's home Glen House, perched between the Pitons, is now in ruins. His parties there were as celebrated as those he held in Mustique in the 1960s and 1970s.
Texas police have released the dramatic footage of officers yanking a woman off the ledge of a 180-foot bridge known for being popular with jumpers.

The La Porte Police Department posted dash cam footage of three officers working together to pull a woman to safety in the middle of the Fred Hartman Bridge in La Porte, Texas.

In the 50-second video, which was time stamped 10.40pm on May 25, a woman can be seen sitting by herself, with her legs dangling off the rails of the bridge, as the patrol car stops several feet away.

La Porte, Texas police released dashcam footage of officer pulling a woman who appears to be contemplating suicide to safety. She was sitting on the edge of a 180 foot high bridge

Seconds later, an off-camera officer shouts out, 'Ma'am? How are you doing?'

The woman turns her head towards the voice for a split-second before looking straight ahead again.

'Ma'am, come talk to me. Ma'am, you're not in trouble, OK?' the officer says.

Meanwhile, a second officer comes into view, slowly approaching the woman. The off-camera officer tells him to 'distract her.'

The second officer, identified as C. Burnett, says something to the woman, who shakes her head in response.

He then loudly says, 'Hey, look at me!'

Unbeknownst to her, two officers  C. Cargile and C. Forsythe  are approaching her from behind. They signal to each other and then run forward in tandem, grabbing the woman and pulling her back onto the bridge.

As she cries, 'No! No!' officers can be heard saying, 'You're OK, you're OK.'

The officers arrived on the scene in response to a 911 call about the woman sitting on the bridge's railing. She was taken to a local hospital for observation and treatment

According to the Facebook post, police arrived at the bridge in response to a 911 call about the woman sitting with her legs over the bridge's outside rail.

The woman has not been identified, but police said that she was transported to a local hospital for treatment and evaluation.

The Fred Hartman Bridge sits 180 feet above the Houston Ship Channel and connects Baytown and La Porte, Texas.

Police in the area are said to regularly patrol the bridge, intent on stopping people from attempting to commit suicide there, according to ABC News.

'The officers made the right call pulling her off the bridge in case she was still contemplating because even a vehicle driving by can accidentally knock someone off,' La Porte Police Department Sgt. Bennie Boles told ABC News.

If you or anyone you know is in need of confidential support, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 or visit their website here.
Borough Market traders paused today for a minute's silence to remember those killed in the London Bridge terror attack ahead of the one-year anniversary tomorrow.

A large crowd of traders, shopper and tourists gathered to honour the eight people who lost their lives when terrorists drove a van into pedestrians on June 3 last year.

The minute silence commenced as the bell rang at 5pm to signal the end of trading.

A Borough Market trader holds his child close as he and other traders observe a minutes silence for the victims of the London Bridge terror attack

A large crowd of traders, shopper and tourists gathered to honour the eight people who lost their lives when terrorists drove a van into pedestrians on June 3 last year

Darren Henaghan, Managing Director at Borough Market, told The Sun: 'Traders and our friends wanted to come together and just have a moment's reflection and a moment's silence.

'Of course we are closed tomorrow, on the anniversary, and many of us will be going across to the cathedral.

'But we thought it was important just to come together in a quiet way so we can just pay our respects.'

The minute silence commenced as the bell rang at 5pm in the popular market to signal the end of trading

A year since three jihadists unleashed carnage on London Bridge, a senior counter-terror officer has warned that attack plots are being thwarted 'all the time'.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon urged the public to remain watchful as the UK threat level remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.

Mr Haydon, the senior national coordinator for counter-terror policing, told Sky News: 'I'd encourage all members of the public to remain vigilant.

Police and forensics teams at Borough Market in the aftermath of last year's terrorist attack

'The police and security services are working extremely hard, foiling and disrupting terrorist attacks all the time.

'It (the terror threat level) has gone to critical on two occasions, on the back of the Manchester and Parsons Green attacks, but we're currently at severe, which means an attack is highly likely.'

British spies have disrupted terror plots at a rate of roughly one per month over the past year, MI5 head Andrew Parker said recently.

A year since three jihadists unleashed carnage on London Bridge, a senior counter-terror officer has warned that attack plots are being thwarted 'all the time'

Mr Haydon's comments come as survivors of the London Bridge atrocity are to be joined by bereaved families, emergency service staff and politicians for a remembrance service at Southwark Cathedral on Sunday.

In tribute, candles will be lit by victims' relatives before an olive tree, called the Tree of Healing, is planted in the cathedral grounds using compost from flowers left on the bridge after the murders.

Eight people were killed and 48 injured when the three attackers  who were wearing fake explosive vests  drove a van across London Bridge.

They then began stabbing people on foot around the market in a lethal eight-minute rampage.

Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police.

The victims of the attack were Christine Archibald, 30, Xavier Thomas, 45, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39.
Boris Johnson has been given a 'licence to rebel' over plans to build a third runway at Heathrow to avoid destabilising the Government during the critical phase of the Brexit negotiations.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is expected this week to set out the noise, air quality and cost requirements of the project, before paving the way for a Commons vote by the end of June.

A two-mile runway is planned northwest of the existing airport, allowing an additional 260,000 flights a year by late 2025.

The Foreign Secretary  who once said he was prepared to lie down 'in front of bulldozers' to stop the airport's expansion  has not changed his view that a third runway would be a 'disaster' and 'barbarically contemptuous of the rights of the population' by putting their health at risk.

The Uxbridge MP has long advocated instead the quixotic option of providing additional landing capacity by building a new 'Boris Island' airport in the Thames Estuary.

Now, to avoid the embarrassment of the Foreign Secretary voting against the Government, MPs are likely to be given a free vote on the issue.

Pictured: Aircraft queuing for take-off at Heathrow Airport

Heathrow claims three-quarters of MPs back the new runway, but the Parliamentary arithmetic is complicated by the fact that Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, whose constituency includes the airport, is also opposed.

Business groups argue that with Heathrow operating at 98 per cent capacity, expansion is vital for economic growth  an issue made more urgent by the need to strike post-Brexit trade deals.

Mr Johnson will also be leaned on to be more muted in his criticism by only giving interviews on the subject to regional media.

A source close to Mr Johnson said: 'He hasn't changed his mind on the issue and isn't likely to do so now.'
Horrifying footage has emerged purportedly showing the aftermath of a double shooting in London.

Unverified video showing a man writhing in agony and covered in blood on the pavement emerged online after two men in their 20s were shot in Peckham last night.

Witnesses at the scene claimed one of the men had been blasted in the head with a shotgun.

In the gruesome footage, crowds of onlookers hover over a man with blood gushing from his face.

Pictures from the crime scene in Peckham show armed police wearing bullet proof vests surrounding a blue Ford focus with a shattered window

Witnesses claim the driver of the vehicle was blasted in the face with a shotgun

In the video one witness asks another man in the crowd: 'Were you in the car with him?'

A woman in a black vest top appears to be calling for an ambulance.

Both men were airlifted by the London Ambulance Service to a hospital in the capital for treatment.

In the gruesome footage, crowds of onlookers hover over a man with blood gushing from his face while a woman appears to be on the phone to the ambulance service

Pictures from the scene show armed police wearing bullet proof vests surrounding a blue Ford focus with a shattered window.

Officers attended the crime scene and cordoned off the street but no arrests have been made.

One of the victims is fighting for his life in hospital while the other's injuries are not thought to be as serious.

An air ambulance landed at a school playground near the scene of the incident.

Police confirmed a man was found with gunshot injuries and has been rushed to hospital. Another man was also found injured nearby

Police set up a cordon at the scene of the shooting in Peckham at around 8pm tonight

An air ambulance landed at a school playground near the scene of the incident in Peckham

A spokesman for the Met Police said: 'Police in Southwark were called to Wodehouse Avenue, SE5 at 7.56pm on Saturday, 2 June following reports of a shooting.

'Officers, including armed police, attended and found two men - both believed aged in their 20s - suffering gun shot injuries.

'One man has been taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service for treatment - he remains there in a critical condition.

'The second man has been taken to hospital for assessment. His injuries are not thought to be serious.

'No arrests have been made. A crime scene remains in place. Enquiries continue. The Trident and Area Crime Command has been informed.'

The red helicopter landed on basketball courts at the school to rush the victims to hospital

The shooting came just an hour after a man believed to be in his 40s was stabbed shortly before 6.50pm near Greenwich train station in south east London.

Another crime scene has been set up there, but no arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

A Met Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Claremont Street, SE10 at 1848hrs on Saturday, 2 June to reports of a stabbing.

'Officers and London Ambulance Service (LAS) attended and found a male suffering from multiple stab injuries.

'The injured man - believed to be aged in his forties - was taken by LAS to a south London hospital. We await an update on his condition.'A crime scene is in place. No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue. '

Both incidents come after a string of violent episodes in London over the past few days, including a man who was targeted in a drive-by shooting.

Earlier today a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a stabbing in Shadwell on Friday night.
The Legal Medical Institute said Saturday that Sixto Henry Vera (pictured) was found beside two burned out vehicles with a bullet wound to the head

Nicaraguan authorities say a U.S. citizen has been killed in the streets of Managua as violence and social unrest continue to grip the country's capital.

The Legal Medical Institute said Saturday that Sixto Henry Vera was found beside two burned out vehicles with a bullet wound to the head.

Employees at the Managua bar that Vera owned say he left Friday evening to help a friend who was under attack.

U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua Laura Dogu confirmed Vera was a U.S. citizen and condemned his death via Twitter.

More than 110 people have been killed in Nicaragua during clashes between forces loyal to President Daniel Ortega and opposition groups.

The unrest has been attributed to several different factors, including government cuts made to pension plans and the nation's social security system.

The cuts will immediately decrease pension payments by five per cent and increase employee social contributions by 0.75 per cent.

Employees at the Managua bar that Vera owned say he left Friday evening to help a friend who was under attack in the protests

Nicaraguan authorities say a U.S. citizen has been killed in the streets of Managua as violence and social unrest continue to grip the country's capital

Nicaraguan demonstrator Pablo Sanchez described the cuts as fundamentally unfair to the nation's retired population.

'I'm [protesting] because I'm indignant that my grandparents are going to receive five percent less of their already anemic pension, after having worked for 44 years, that's not money they are being lent, that's money they have paid in, so it bothers me,' Sanchez told Al Jazeera.

U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua Laura Dogu (Pictured) confirmed Vera was a U.S. citizen and condemned his death via Twitter.

The government's inability to control a raging forest fires in the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve has also stoked anger towards Ortega's administration.

The demonstrations first turned deadly on April 19 when two protesters and a police officer were killed in clashes.

Ortega claimed that the cuts were necessary in order to save the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute (INSS) from going insolvent, projected to be drained of liquid assets by 2019 if reforms were not made.

The government's heavy-handed crackdown has only emboldened demonstrators, leading to students and young professionals to take to the streets in droves and demand Ortega's immediate resignation.

Ortega has won three consecutive elections since 2007 after initially serving as president for one term during the 1980s.
President Donald Trump bashed Senate Democrats for 'resisting' the demands of the American people in his weekly address.

Trump fired at Democrats for shamelessly stalling the confirmation of more than 300 nominees into power on Capitol Hill on Saturday.

He added that his nominees face a longer average confirmation wait than any other president in US history.

In his weekly address Saturday, Trump bashed Senate Democrats for 'resisting' the demands of the American people

He claimed that Democrats deliberately stalled the confirmation of 300 nominees

Trump reprimanded the opposition effort against his policies dubbed 'the resistance', saying all Democrats are really resisting is the 'will of the American people'.

'From day one, Senate Democrats have shamelessly obstructed, stalled, and filibustered the confirmations of hundreds of talented men and women who are eager to come to Washington, D.C., to make a difference,' Trump said.

'They want to serve our country,' he added.

Trump gave the example of Isabel Patelunas, who he nominated last June to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Intelligence and Analysis.

'Now, almost a year later, this tremendously qualified professional with nearly three decades of intelligence experience is still awaiting confirmation. Shes given up so much. Shes left areas. Shes moved from homes and shes still not confirmed. Its a disgrace,' he said in his weekly address.

Last June Trump appointed Isabel Patelunas, above, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Intelligence and Analysis, a year later she is yet to be confirmed

Trump met with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Choi on Friday in Washington DC, a day before he bashed Democrats for their 'resistance' movement

Trump added that Democrats have heavily opposed his border security demands to avoid giving the Republican party and the president that victory.

'Democrats in Congress are also blocking urgently needed improvements to our border security. They dont want border security for two reasons. Number one, they dont care about it. Number two, they are afraid its going to make me and the Republicans look good and they dont want that. That comes before our country,' Trump said.

He said such efforts endanger US citizens and undermine national security.

'It is time for Senate Democrats to stop resisting the will of the American People. So very simply, stop resisting the will of the American People and to start working across the aisle to deliver for all citizens,' he urged his opposition party in his closing remarks.
A Michigan hunter who claimed that someone shot him in the neck with an arrow was arrested on Friday after admitting that he lied to investigators.

Michael Downey, 61, was charged with filling a false felony police report and arraigned at the Van Buren County District Court in Paw Paw, according to News Channel 3.

Downey told police on March 25 that an unknown suspect shot him with an arrow while he was hunting in the woods in Almena Township.

Michael Downey (Pictured), 61, was charged with filling a false felony police report and arraigned at the Van Buren County District Court on Friday

The injury proved so severe that he was rushed into surgery and treated at the hospital for an extended period of time.

Police said they spent hours probing the case before Downey confessed to fabricating the incident.

Authorities said that Downey's injury resulted from an accident of his own doing and had lied to detectives because he was embarrassed.

Downy allegedly admitted to finding an arrow in the woods and was carrying it when he accidentally fell.

A statement released following Downey's arrest said that Paw Paw police 'spent a considerable amount of time and utilized numerous resources such as the MSP lab and K9 during the investigation.'

Downey told police on March 25 that an unknown suspect shot him with an arrow while he was hunting (Pictured: Woods in Almena Township)

Police investigators said they spent hours probing the case before Downey confessed to fabricating the incident (Pictured: Back roads of Almena Township)

'The MSP has submitted paperwork to the court requesting restitution for the costs of these services.'

Before making his confession, investigators believed that the injury resulted from a suicide attempt, a claim Downey vigorously denied.

'I'm not that person. I have too much to live for,' the 61-year-old said in an interview with News Channel 3.

'I love the outdoors. The place most people call hell, I call home.'

Under Michigan law, if an individual is accused of lying to police about a felony, like armed robbery or attempted murder, the charge of falsifying a report will be a felony charge.

If found guilty, the conviction can be punishable to up to four years in prison and a possible fine of up to $2,000 fine, or both.
Everything about the tiny Swedish village of Fjallbacka screams holiday perfection. From my vantage point next to the church, I look down towards the harbour and a cluster of red-roofed, weather-boarded houses, set against clear blue skies and granite cliffs.

But Fjallbacka (population: 987) has seen more than 80 fictional murders take place within its confines, thanks to the works of Camilla Lackberg, the bestselling author who grew up here.

Do you see that diving board? asks Asa Cunniff, a nice Swedish woman who recently returned to the area after several decades living in Maidenhead. I look down to where the sun glistens on the water and see a jetty. In The Drowning, a body was found hanging from it, she says matter-of-factly.

Holiday perfection: The pretty harbour (above) in the tiny fishing village of Fjallbacka

Close to the border with Norway and a 90-minute drive from Gothenburg, Fjallbacka has some of the countrys most spectacular scenery (which is saying something) and is a hugely popular holiday destination for Swedes.

Ingrid Bergman loved it here too  she spent every summer on the nearby island of Dannholmen. Theres a small tribute to her by the harbour. Asa points out a photograph of a boy receiving a prize from Bergman for a sailing regatta. Thats Ingemar. He now runs boat trips, she adds.

Fortunately, away from Lackbergs Nordic noir novels, the only screams in summer are of children by the waterfront angling for ice creams and excited Lackberg fans spotting the locations for murders.

Asa has seen a huge increase in demand for her tours, particularly among Britons. She points out the waterside cottage that Lackberg still owns and visits regularly.

Black gold: Per and Lars on one of their lobster fishing trips

Bestselling author Camilla Lackberg (above)

As summer ends, the lobster season gets under way. Fishermen in the nearby village of Grebbestad run crustacean safaris. We set sail under cloudless skies with brothers Per and Lars. In these parts, lobsters are known as black gold and each one sells for about 40 a kilo.

They are highly prized since the cold water means that they grow slowly and have exceptional flavour.

Since this is an orderly society, every lobster is measured and the small ones and the pregnant ones (where eggs can be seen) are put back in the water. And since this is a civilised safari, we have fika  coffee and biscuits  during a break.

Another passenger brings out some schnapps and I feel myself becoming more Nordic by the minute. At the end, ten lobsters have been hauled in along with more than 20 crabs.

Back at Fjallbacka, I go for a walk along the Jungsklyftan, a dramatic gorge that towers over the village. The Preacher, Lackbergs second novel set in the village, starts with a small boy coming across a woman there he assumes is sleeping.

My hotel, the Stora Hotellet Bryggan, also features regularly in Lackbergs novels.

A keen cook, the author has even collaborated with the restaurant on the menu. Today, there are just a few other tables occupied as I watch the sun set over the water and I eat my lobster with a huge sense of contentment.
Continuing our series featuring the holiday memories of famous people, this week actress Amanda Redman, 60, recalls her lifetime of adventures.

My first holiday

I remember going to Tintagel in North Cornwall with my family when I was about seven. We drove there from Brighton, which took for ever. The area is so steeped in myths and I was fascinated by all the Arthurian legends. We visited Merlins Cave and I had a Cornish cream tea for the first time. I still adore them now.

First time abroad

We went to South Africa when I was 11. My dad Ron worked for publishers Hutchinson and he had to man the Johannesburg office for six months. It seemed so exotic seeing local women carrying baskets of fruits on their head. I went to school there and adapted quickly.

Soulmates: Amanda and Damien (above) on their wedding day in 2010

I remember being given biltong, a dry cured meat, and hating it. But I loved drinking root beer which I thought was alcoholic. And going to the drive-in hamburger joints was so exciting. It was just like being in the movies.

Most memorable school trip

We took a cruise to Moscow, Finland and Denmark when I was 16. It was in the 1970s and we were visiting these extraordinary places. It seems incredible now.

I remember buying vodka in Moscow, secreting it back on to the ship, and getting drunk in our cabin. I attended an all-girls grammar school but all the local state schools were on the trip too so there were boys on board. Of course there were shenanigans. Where theres a will

My honeymoon

My husband Damian and I headed to a beautiful private tropical island called Benguerra in the Indian Ocean in 2010. To reach the island, we flew by helicopter from Mozambique. Benguerra is the second-largest island in the Bazaruto archipelago and has white-sand beaches and turquoise sea. We had our own plunge pool and a butler and it was Margherita Time every day.

I am an all-or-nothing person. I work really hard, but when I relax, I can lie on a sunlounger for an entire day.

My holiday nightmare

I split up with my then-boyfriend during a trip to Morocco. We then had to stay together until we returned to Britain a week later because we were in the middle of nowhere. To say it was strained is an understatement  it was utterly horrific.

Family time: A young Amanda with her mother, Joan (above)

My best break

Damian and I went to Zanzibar in 1999, our first holiday together. It cemented our relationship and made me realise that he was my soulmate.

It was also one of the most magical places Ive ever been to. It was so romantic that I sobbed when I got there and couldnt stop crying. I had never seen a place so lovely in my life.

The stars were unlike anything else Ive ever seen, and as Damian is interested in astronomy, in the evenings we would lie on our balcony for hours just gazing up at the night sky and hed explain everything to me.

Dream destination

Bora Bora. Id love to go to the French Polynesian Islands. The beaches and the people look so stunningly beautiful. Anything to do with the South Pacific islands intrigues me because they are so far away. I loved the movie Mutiny On The Bounty and the book Moby Dick is a favourite too.

My husband has been there and every time it is suggested, he says I wouldnt like it and Id be disappointed by all the American chain hotels. But I will insist we go one day.
Like most contestants on Love Island Australia, Kim Hartnett has proven she has no issues with sharing intimate personal details on national TV.

In fact, the 22-year-old blonde bombshell has happily displayed both her personal life and her flawless physique for her entire modelling career.

On Friday, footage from the reality star's raunchy photo shoot for a publication called 'Babe Method,' surfaced online.

Blonde bombshell! Love Island Australia's single mother-of-one Kim Hartnett, 22, goes completely TOPLESS in a raunchy throwback photo shoot

In the video, Kim showcases her modelling chops in a range of skimpy outfits.

At one point, she was seen lying on a rug in the middle of a loungeroom, wearing nothing but lingerie and heels.

The Love Island star offered a range of seductive poses, risking a wardrobe malfunction as she loosened her bra strap.

Face the reality! Kim debuted on Love Island Australia this year

That risk was heightened significantly later, with the beauty stripping completely nude in bed, with just a white bed sheet shielding her modesty.

Kim's Instagram also contains several throwback modelling shots and raunchy sponsored posts.

In a snap taken from the shower, the contestant was pictured topless and lathered in a body scrub she was promoting.

She's not shy! On Friday, footage from the reality star's raunchy photo shoot for a publication called 'Babe Method,' surfaced online

'Perfect Saturday afternoon getting dirty with @mebodyscrub. Thank you for my silky smooth skin,' she wrote in the caption.

Kim's account also contains evidence of her past as a pageant queen.

In a snap from July 2016, the beauty proudly displayed the trophy she won at The Miss Hawaiian tropics out of all Australia and NZ.

Raunchy! Kim's Instagram also contains several throwback modelling shots and raunchy sponsored posts

'Cannot believe this just happened! Just won Miss Hawaiian tropics out of all Australia and NZ!! Will now be jetting off to America to represent Australia in the world final,' she beamed.

Modelling is just one aspect of Kim's busy lifestyle, much of which is occupied by being a single parent.

Kim gave birth to her son, Braxton, in 2015 - but has since split from the baby's father, Jamie White.
It appears her birthday bash was a success.

Actress Jenna Dewan and her daughter Everly got an early start on their errands in Los Angeles on Friday.

The happy-go-lucky stroll came one day after the newly single mom celebrated Everly's fifth birthday.

Footloose and fancy free: Jenna Dewan and daughter Everly Tatum take a stroll in Los Angeles one day after celebrating the little girl's fifth birthday

Laid back but cool: Dewan look casual and comfortable in a black skirt, white top and a sweater

Mom looked great in an ankle-length black-patterned skirt, a tight white top and a long grey sweater to keep out the slight chill in the air.

Her near shoulder-length hair looked glistening under the California sun.



As for her little girl: she was sporting a temporary tattoo on her arm. No doubt it is a left-over party favor from Thursday's birthday bash.

Happy birthday: Everly Tatum celebrated her fifth birthday with a unicorn-themed party

The 37-year old actor threw her a unicorn-covered party, complete with balloons and dogs wearing party hats.

Leading up to the party, Jenna posted a pic on Instagram with the caption: 'Happy birthday Evie!!!!!' across one image.

Mom and daughter were also seen holding her hand on their way to their car. Everly looked to be super excited in princess outfit.

Super excited! Everly holds hand with her newly single mom on her big day

Fashionistas! Jenna look sexy in jeans; while the birthday girl was adorable in a princess outfit

It's still unclear whether her dad, Channing Tatum, attended the party or had plans to host his own celebration for his little girl.

Dewan and Tatum announced they were separating on April 2nd.

'We're getting used to it. We're in a very positive energy together, trying to be the best parents to Everly. We support each other,' Dewan told Harper's Bazaar about co-parenting.

Jenna has had previous romantic relationships with Justin Timberlake and Shane West.

Happier times: the couple announced they were separating less than two months ago
American rapper Riff Raff's tour of Australia and New Zealand has been cancelled after a woman made sexual assault allegations against him online.

Eliza Stafford, of Melbourne, claimed in a Facebook post that the 36-year-old drugged and raped her after a 2013 gig. She has not yet reported the alleged incident to the police.

She alleged that she woke up to Riff Raff, real name Horst Christian Simco, having sex with her, after he gave her a 'party shot' of the opiate codeine backstage.

Allegations: American rapper Riff Raff's (L) tour of Australia and New Zealand has been cancelled after fan Eliza Stafford (R) made sexual assault allegations against him online

'In 2013 I was raped by a man whose stage name is Riff Raff. I went to his show because my boyfriend at the time was a huge fan,' Eliza claimed in a public post on May 31.

She said she was with her boyfriend when she was asked to go backstage mid-show, adding 'as a 19-year-old I was flattered and complied'.

The Australian claimed she was offered a '60ml party shot' from a 'branded vodka bottle'.

'I took the shot, it was syrup and I immediately asked what it was. Riff Raff and his support act told me that it was codeine and started laughing,' she wrote.

'I dont remember anything from that point.'

Accused: Eliza, of Melbourne, claimed the 36-year-old invited her backstage during a 2013 gig and gave her a 'party shot' of the opiate codeine (pictured, Riff Raff with Katy Perry in 2014)

Public post: She alleged in a Facebook post on Thursday that she remembers nothing after that shot and claims she woke up to Riff Raff, real name Horst Christian Simco, having sex with her

She alleged that several of her friends became worried when she didn't join them and were told by a girl backstage that she had been 'forced' into a car with Riff Raff.

'She didnt do anything. I had been actively fighting against them as she watched and they had eventually forced me in to a car,' Eliza wrote. 'She told my friends this, we were all young and they didnt tell anyone and I dont blame them.'

She continued: 'I woke up as Riff Raff was pulling out of me and getting in to the shower. I crawled - truly, on all fours -out of the hotel room and managed to get outside where I booked a taxi who wouldnt take me because I was too drunk.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted a representative for Riff Raff for comment.

Claims: Eliza alleged that Riff Raff had 'coerced her' into a car and taken her to the hotel room. She claimed she 'crawled out on all fours' and got a taxi back to her boyfriend's house

Eliza claimed she eventually got back to her boyfriend's house, who was allegedly 'angry' with her for 'blowing him off'.

'I was punished for 6 months within that relationship for what I did. I was raped and blamed myself for 5 years,' she wrote.

Stafford said she chose to go public with her story after learning that Riff Raff would be performing close to the advertising agency where she works next Friday.

'I will be 50 metres from my rapist all night,' she claimed.

Eliza added that six months ago she got in touch with the friends who were there that night to gauge how much they remember, claiming: 'They remember everything, we were children and didnt know how to respond.'

'I will be 50 metres from my rapist all night': Stafford said she chose to go public with her story after learning that Riff Raff (pictured with Katy Perry, Sam Smith and Chari XCX in 2014) would be performing close to where she works

She concluded: 'If you are planning on attending the Riff Raff show at the corner next week I urge you to reconsider.'

After the allegations were made, Australian music agency Audiopaxx announced their decision to cancel Riff Raff's Australia and New Zealand tour.

They said in a statement on Saturday: 'We have been made aware of allegations made against Houston rapper Riff Raff.

'Audiopaxx takes these matters seriously and does not condone any of this alleged behaviour.'

'In light of this, we have spoken to his management team and the scheduled tour of Australia and New Zealand has been cancelled, effective immediately.'
They are set to wed after he got down on bended knee in February.

And Idris Elba and his fiancee Sabrina Dhowre looked undeniably smitten as they attended the screening for his directorial Yardie at Picturehouse Central in London on Friday.

The 29-year-old beauty queen couldn't resist getting touchy-feely with her hunky 45-year-old actor other half as they celebrated his most recent movie venture.

Love: Idris Elba, 45, and his fiancee Sabrina Dhowre, 29, looked smitten as they attended the screening for his directorial Yardie at Picturehouse Central in London on Friday

It wasn't difficult to see why Sabrina had caught the eye of Idris as she stunned in her figure-flattering dress.

The casual, yet chic number boasted buttons down the middle, and she ensured to unbutton to the top few to put focus on her assets.

Falling at a stylish midi-length, the beauty, who was crowned Miss.Vancouver in 2014, boosted her height in towering white strappy heels.

Smitten: The beauty queen couldn't resist getting touchy-feely with her hunky actor other half as they celebrated his most recent movie venture

Wow: It wasn't difficult to see why Sabrina had caught the eye of Idris as she stunned in her figure-flattering dress

Glam: The casual, yet chic number boasted buttons down the middle, and she ensured to unbutton to the top few to put focus on her assets

A dewy coat of make-up enhanced her already striking features and complemented her tumbling, glossy raven tresses.

Idris also put on a stylish display himself as he dressed his physique in a black top, funky joggers and a satin bomber jacket.

He popped the question to the Canadian model during a prior screening of Yardie at east London's Rio cinema in February.

The cinema announced the news on its Twitter page, writing: "Another @riocinema first! Still 5 days to Valentines Day but @idriselba went down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend live on stage this morning before a preview of his film #Yardie ... She said yes and there was much clapping and cheering. (sic)"

Standing tall: Falling at a stylish midi-length, the beauty, who was crowned Miss.Vancouver in 2014, boosted her height in towering white strappy heels

Beauty: A dewy coat of make-up enhanced her already striking features and complemented her tumbling, glossy raven tresses

The glamorous couple made their red carpet debut as a couple in September 2017 after seven months of dating.

Despite looking completely besotted with one another, Idris once claimed marriage was off the cards just six months ago after two divorces.

He told Essence magazine in July 2017: Am I ever gonna get remarried? I dont think so. Yeah, I dont think so. Marriage is an institution of sorts. And Ive done it. Its not for everybody. Its not my lifes calling.

The director gave a rare glimmer into his private life when he confessed falling in love while making a movie was 'pretty special' in recent months.

Trendsetter: Idris also put on a stylish display himself as he dressed his physique in a black top, funky joggers and a satin bomber jacket

Together: The glamorous couple made their red carpet debut as a couple in September 2017 after seven months of dating

No luck: Despite looking completely besotted with one another, Idris once claimed marriage was off the cards just six months ago after two divorces

He was filming The Mountain Between Us alongside Titanic's Kate Winslet in Canada when he found himself smitten with beauty queen Sabrina.

Previously the Thor: Ragnarok actor was married to Kim Norgaard, with whom he shares daughter Isan, 17, and then Sonya Nicole Hamlin, whom he divorced just four months later.

He welcomed a son, Winston, with ex-girlfriend Naiyana Garth in 2014.

Softie: The director gave a rare glimmer into his private life when he confessed falling in love while making a movie was 'pretty special' in recent months

The One: He was filming The Mountain Between Us alongside Titanic's Kate Winslet in Canada when he found himself smitten with beauty queen Sabrina
The Logie Awards were held for many years at James Packer's casino in Melbourne, but a move to a smaller venue on the Gold Coast spells trouble for TV's Z-listers.

Near 200 guests, including soap stars, weather presenters and breakfast television hosts have reportedly been cut from from the invite list now that the event is being held at the ballroom at The Star.

Channel Nine will instead host a Logies viewing dinner and after-party at the nearby restaurant Nineteen for the snubbed guests, according to the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday.

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Better luck next time! 200 TV Z-listers 'WON'T get an invite to the Logie Awards' after the bash was moved to a smaller venue on the Gold Coast (pictured, this year's Bachelor In Paradise cast)

Logies organisers are said to be appeasing Melbourne's television community over the venue change by inviting as many guests from the city as possible.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted a Channel Nine representative for comment.

It has not been revealed who failed to make the cut for the awards, but one person who isn't invited is Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan.

The 51-year-old accused Channel Nine of only inviting its 'favourites' to attending the Logies, despite the whole cast contributing to the show's success.

Rumour has it: Channel Nine will instead host a Logies Viewing Dinner and after-party at the nearby restaurant Nineteen for the snubbed guests, according to the Sydney Morning Herald (pictured, Jessica Marais with her Silver Logie for Best Actress last year)

Awkward! One person who isn't invited is Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan, who accused Channel Nine of only inviting its 'favourites' to attending the Logies, despite the whole cast contributing to the show's success

Nasser also claimed he had been 'blacklisted' by the network after a publicist told him via text message they 'didn't want anything to do with him'.

Elsewhere, The Bachelor winner Alex Nation may have scored an invite to the awards last year but it's unclear if she will be attending this July.

The single mother hit the headlines on Friday when she revealed she was forced to return to full-time work because she couldn't make enough money as an 'influencer'.

She explained: 'The reality is for me, sponsored Instagram posts weren't sustainable enough.'

Exciting: The Block is up for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent (pictured, last year's winners Elyse Knowles and Josh Barker)

The Logies are set to take place on Sunday July 1 and the TV WEEK Logie Award nominations were revealed last week.

Amanda Keller, Tracy Grimshaw and Grant Denyer are up for the Gold Logie, while The Bachelor's Matty Johnson and Sam Frost have a chance at Popular New Talent.

Strong competition is evident in the Gold Logie category for Most Popular Personality on Australian television.

Amanda Keller for Network Ten's The Living Room has been nominated, along with The Wrong Girl's Jessica Marais and A Current Affair's Tracy Grimshaw.

Also featuring in the category are Foxtel's Andrew Winter, Family Feud's Grant Denyer and the Nine Network's Rodger Corser.

Who will win? Amanda Keller [L] and Tracy Grimshaw [R] are leading the Gold Logie Award nominations, which were announced last week

Not a surprise: The Wrong Girl's Jessica Marais has also been nominated for the Gold Logie

Rodger will also have a shot at taking home a trophy, having also been nominated in the Most Popular Actor category, alongside Home And Away's Ray Meagher.

The Project's Carrie Bickmore surprisingly failed to receive a nomination for the Gold Logie category.

She is however nominated in the Most Popular Presenter category.

Familiar face: Rodger Corser [pictured] has been nominated in the Most Popular Actor category, alongside Home And Away's Ray Meagher

The Bachelor's Osher Gunsberg also failed to receive a nomination in the Most Popular Presenter category, having been tipped by The Herald Sun.

Fan-favourite Asher Keddie has been nominated in the Popular Actress category for Offspring, and will compete against the ABC's Deborah Mailman, Jessica Marais and House Husbands' Julia Morris.

Meanwhile the Logies will have a strong reality TV component, particularly for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent.

In the running: The Living Room's Matty Johnson, who originated from The Bachelor franchise, has been nominated for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent

Household name: Reality star-turned actress Sam Frost has also been nominated in the same category as Matty

The Bachelor's Matty Johnson, who has appeared on panel of Network Ten's The Living Room has been nominated, along with Home And Away's Sam Frost.

TV programs will also be getting their nod, with Ten's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, Married At First Sight, My Kitchen Rules and The Block, all competing in the same category.

The 60th TV WEEK Logie Awards will take place on Sunday, July 1, 2018 at The Star Gold Coast in Queensland.

Fans will also have the opportunity to take part in live voting from Monday, June 25, right up until the end of the red-carpet telecast on Sunday, July 1.

Viewers can vote for their favourites from the shortlisted nominees at www.tvweeklogieawards.com.au.
American Reverend Michael Curry found himself as a fish out of water at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last month.

And the Episcopalian Bishop could soon find himself in unfamiliar surrounds yet again.

After shooting to international fame, the charismatic 65-year-old may be heading to Australia on a speaking tour, according to The Herald Sun.

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G'day, mate! The US reverend who stole the show at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Royal Wedding with his stirring sermon could be heading to Australia on tour

The paper claims celebrity agent Max Markson is 'heading to New York to close the deal' with Reverend Curry.

The tour will reportedly be titled 'The Power of Love', with savvy Max hoping to include a gospel choir to join the Bishop on stage.

It comes a fortnight after his 14-minute sermon at the Royal Wedding became an internet sensation.

The power of love! It comes a fortnight after his 14-minute sermon at the Royal Wedding became an internet sensation

Viral: Reverend Curry's sermon drew amused responses from members of the Royal Family

Standing at the pulpit, the Chicago-native referenced Martin Luther King Jr. and slavery during his lengthy speech, which drew amused responses from members of the Royal Family.

Speaking of how he thought his sermon went, Curry later told the Today show that he had no idea of the impact it would have.

'When I was finished I sat down and said to myself 'I hope that was okay',' he said.

Hallelujah! Since the wedding, the unlikely star has also appeared on Good Morning Britain and The View, and has been spoofed on Saturday Night Live

'I didn't know but I knew that they had asked me to come and that's me so I showed up,' he added.

Since the wedding, the unlikely star has also appeared on Good Morning Britain and The View, and has been spoofed on Saturday Night Live.

Last week, the father-of-two attended a Reclaiming Jesus rally in Washington DC, a protest held by senior Christian leaders in protest of President Trump's 'America First' policies.
The event was in honor of the charity, Step Up, which aides to help underprivileged teen girls.

And on Friday, Kaley Cuoco brought out her inner child as she attended the 14th annual Inspiration Awards, held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The bubbly blonde got playful in a ruffle, lip-print dress, accessorized with a matching belt.

On Friday, Kaley Cuoco, 32, brought out her inner child as she attended the 14th annual Inspiration Awards, held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel

The Big Bang Theory star paired her frock with a set of cotton-candy pink sneakers.

Kaley wore her long, blonde locks in waves and in a half-updo.

To complete her look, the actress added dark liner and a bright, pink lip.

A fun look: The bubbly blonde got playful in a ruffle, lip-print dress, accessorized with a matching belt

Kaley took to Instagram stories to give her followers a behind-the-scenes look at her evening.

The California native shared an image of herself making a silly face.

'Killing it,' read the caption.

In another snap, the star is seen sitting with sister Briana Cuoco, 29.

'@bricuoco & I loved our afternoon at the @stepupwomensnetwork event! Thank you for having us!'

'Killing it': Kaley took to Instagram to give her followers a behind-the-scenes look at her night

'I loved our afternoon': In another snap, the star is seen sitting with sister Briana Cuoco, 29

Also attending the event was Lacey Chabert, Jennie Garth and Beverley Mitchell, among others.

For the evening, the ladies looked lovely in their spring-turned-summer-inspired looks.

Although their wardrobe grabbed attention, their main focus was certainly the charitable event, which helped to ensure young adult success in the future.
She recently revealed filming Suspiria 'f***ed' her up so much she 'needed therapy.'

But Dakota Johnson looked fine as she stepped out in Beverly Hills on Friday.

The actress, 28, showed off her perfect pins in a short floral patterned summer dress.

Gorgeous: Dakota Johnson showed off her perfect pins in a short floral patterned summer dress as she stepped out in Beverly Hills on Friday

The 28-year-old beauty completed her look in pink Gucci flats, over-sized shades, and a large Chanel tote.

That same day the first posters from her upcoming horror flick Suspiria were unveiled.

A reboot of the 1977 Italian horror of the same name, it tells the story of a young American aspiring dancer travels to Germany to perfect ballet dancing at a famous ballet school in Berlin.

Style: The 28-year-old beauty completed her look in pink Gucci flats, over-sized shades, and a large Chanel tote

But while attending, students begin to disappear and she soon finds out that the school has a dark history involving witchcraft and gruesome deaths.

It will also feature Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia Goth and Tilda Swinton, while 68-year-old Jessica Harper, who played the lead role in the original, returns once again in a different part.

The posters, scrawled withing a spray-painted S, tease taglines such as 'Let mother take care of you'; 'Listen for the whispers'; 'Give you soul to the dance'; and 'tremble tremble!! The witches are back.'

Creepy: That same day the first posters from her upcoming horror flick Suspiria were unveiled

In April Johnson told Elle magazine that making the movie was so difficult it 'no lie, f****d me up so much that I had to go to therapy.'

Suspiria is slated for release on November 2,

Meanwhile, the 50 Shades star has been quietly dating Coldplay frontman Chris Martin since last fall.

Plot: A reboot of the 1977 Italian horror of the same name, it tells the story of a young American aspiring dancer travels to Germany to perfect ballet dancing at a famous ballet school in Berlin
Neighbours star Matty Wilson has pleaded for public assistance after his beloved French bulldog Timba was snatched off a street in Melbourne on Friday.

As of early Saturday afternoon, there was still no sign of the precious pet, with police also launching an appeal for her safe return.

Matty, 29, has taken to his popular Instagram account to share a snap of the adorable dog, accompanied by the caption: 'Please keep an eye out or spread the word.'

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'We know the power of the people': Neighbours star Matty Wilson has pleaded for public assistance after his beloved French bulldog Timba was STOLEN off a street in Melbourne

In the post, which was shared on Friday night, Matty also wrote: 'Our little girl has been stolen from Chirnside Park Officeworks at 2:20pm today whilst in the care of our dog sitter.

'Please spread the message however you can. Reward offered. She is microchipped & desexed. Officeworks didnt have any CCTV either.'

Clearly in distress, the actor - who plays Aaron Brennan on Neighbours - shared several more updates over the course of the evening.

Snatched: Matty appealed for the safe return of the pup, who frequently features on his Instagram page

'Thank you for all the concern. Sorry if it's OTT. We know the power of the people and that will bring her (Timba) home. Thank you so much again,' he wrote in one frantic post.

On Saturday morning, police also launched an appeal for the pup, releasing a statement claiming that investigators 'believe the dognapper unclipped Timba from her lead before taking her.'

Police also shared several photos of Timba in the hopes someone may recognise her and offer assistance.

'We know the power of the people and that will bring her (Timba) home': Clearly in distress, the actor shared several posts over the course of Friday evening

Track Timba down: On Saturday, police also launched an appeal to find the French bulldog, releasing several snaps of the pup

Using his public profile to help track down Timba, Matty also revealed he will be appearing on Ten Eyewitness News.

He told Instagram followers on Saturday: 'We (he and girlfriend Jessica Waters) are going to be on 10 news tonight talking about dog theft. If anyone has similar stories of dog snatching please let me know'.

Matty and Jessica welcomed Timba into their homes last August, and are smitten with the adorable dog, describing themselves as her 'parents'.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Beloved pup: Matty and partner Jessica welcomed Timba into their homes last August
She drove a $746,000 Rolls-Royce on the way to her 37th birthday last year.

And Roxy Jacenko hinted that her 38th will be just as decadent as she enjoyed a lavish pre-birthday dinner at Sydney restaurant Fred's - where a main course costs $120.

The PR guru seemed to be in great spirits as she cuddled up to her husband Oliver Curtis and her in-laws during the surprise celebration on Friday.

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'Wonderful surprise!' Roxy Jacenko beamed as she cosies up to husband Oliver Curtis during a lavish pre-birthday dinner on Friday night in Sydney

She also posed with Oliver's family in another Instagram shot, which she captioned: 'Early birthday celebration with the Curtis clan.'

The dinner was kitted out in Roxy's typically lavish style, featuring elaborate place-cards and extravagant bouquets of purple flowers.

Despite the glamorous setting, Jacenko kept things casual in a chic leather jacket and a faded slogan T-shirt.

Oliver, meanwhile, cut a dapper figure in a crisp white shirt and blazer for the family outing.

Looking good: Despite the glamorous setting, Jacenko kept things casual in a chic leather jacket and a faded slogan T-shirt

Family affair: She also posed with Oliver's family in another Instagram shot, which she captioned: 'Early birthday celebration with the Curtis clan.

Roxy's dinner comes a week before her actual birthday on June 8. The month is also the one-year anniversary of Oliver's release from prison.

Investment banker Oliver had an emotional homecoming last year with Roxy and their two children after serving a year behind bars for insider trading.

Jacenko hired a private jet to take daughter Pixie, six, and son Hunter, three, from Sydney to Cooma so they could meet Curtis as soon as he left the prison in rural NSW where he has been held.

Happy together: Roxy's dinner comes a week before her actual birthday on June 8. The month is also the one-year anniversary of Oliver's release from prison after spending a year inside for insider trading

Decadent: The dinner was kitted out in Roxy's typically lavish style, featuring elaborate place-cards and extravagant bouquets of purple flowers

Curtis was sentenced in June 2016 to a maximum of two years behind bars, but was released early on good behaviour.

The couple recently shared intimate details about the first time they had sex after his release.

'I had blue balls,' Ollie said on the Kyle and Jackie O show - as Roxy said she couldn't 'remember'.

'She made me wait... and it was atrocious,' Ollie added. 'It was actually alright, right back in the saddle!' he said, sharing a laugh with shock jock Kyle.
He moved to Melbourne to live with his girlfriend Carly Bowyer.

And Troy Delmege used a trip to Sydney to see his Married At First Sight co-star Patrick Miller as an opportunity to let loose during a boozy 'boys' night' on Friday.

The IT manager jokingly branded Patrick a 'f**king d**k' - prompting Patrick to quip that he was simply 'upset' because he had never liked his MAFS 'wife' Ashley Irvin.

'This guy is a f**king d**k!' MAFS' Troy Delmege lashed out at Patrick Miller during a boozy night out amid jokes that he's 'upset' because he 'never liked' his ex Ashley Irvin

Filming a clip for his Instagram Stories, Patrick begun: 'Alright so we're here on boys' night. What do you want to say Troy?'

Leaning in to the camera, Troy grinned and declared: 'This guy is a f**king d**k!'

Keeping a straight face, Patrick deadpanned: 'He's really upset. He's hurting. Just because he didn't like Ash.'

Troy and flight attendant Ashley, 28, broke up on Married At First Sight after agreeing that they weren't a 'perfect match' for each other.

Former flames: Troy and flight attendant Ashley, 28, broke up on Married At First Sight after agreeing that they weren't a 'perfect match' for each other

Antics: Filming a clip for his Instagram Stories, Patrick begun: 'Alright so we're here on boys night. What do you want to say Troy?'

Troy shocked fans when he struck up a new romance with his MAFS co-star Carly Bowyer, 32, with the pair now living together in Melbourne.

Carly recently confirmed the couple are still going strong amid rumours that they had split - and even confirmed to fans that Troy is 'no longer a virgin'.

The reality star wrote: 'Sure, we can drive each other crazy and we do fight but were totally in love (and Troy is no longer a virgin).

Boys' night: Leaning in to the camera, Troy grinned and declared: 'This guy is a f**king d**k!'

Jokers: Keeping a straight face, Patrick deadpanned: 'He's really upset. He's hurting. Just because he didn't like Ash'

'We are in this for the long haul and are excited about planning for our future (TBC ) I mean, Ive seen him brush his teeth, eaten his cooking and witnessed his dance moves and were still together. So it must be love.'

The subject of Troy's virginity has come under much scrutiny since he made his television debut in January. The star's sister, Tanya Delmege, told NW magazine her brother had never been sexually intimate.

Tanya claimed her brother is 'very churchy' and added: 'As far as I know, hes on the V-plates.'

Explosive relationship: Troy and Ashley endured several turbulent rows during their time on the controversial dating show

She commented that he might be waiting until he is really married, as opposed to the commitment ceremony featured on MAFS.

However, the kooky IT manager hit back to the same publication.

He stated that he hadn't spoken to his estranged sister since he was 20-years-old - at which time, he may have still been a virgin.
She is known for her fiery red tresses and putting audiences in hysterics.

And Isla Fisher was at the top of her game as she attended the press junket for her upcoming movie Tag in Los Angeles on Friday.

Showcasing her svelte figure in a navy floral-print dress, the 42-year-old actress posed with her castmates.

Fiery: Isla Fisher was at the top of her game as she attended the press junket for her upcoming movie Tag in Los Angeles on Friday

Parted down the middle, Fisher's famed, paprika-tinged locks fell in waves down her chest.

She added a few inches with a rose-colored heels as she posed and laughed next to Leslie Bibb, 43, and Annabelle Wallis.

The actress looked sultry as she smoldered in front of the lenses, and she added a touch of strawberry lipstick to complete her look.

Spring flower: Showcasing her svelte figure in a navy floral-print dress, the 42-year-old actress posed with her castmates

Casting off: Parted down the middle, Fisher's famed, paprika-tinged locks fell in waves down her chest

Wearing a shin-length olive green dress, Bibb looked stunning in her own right as she added a pair of elegant black stilettos.

The always fashionable Annabelle Wallis looked chic in a blue-grey suit with wide-legged pants.

She pulled the sleeves up on her jacket, exposing a variety of bracelets, and her long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders.

Touching: The male stars of the forthcoming flick about a group of friends who have been playing the same game of tag for 30 years were also in attendance for the press junket

The male stars of the forthcoming flick about a group of friends who have been playing the same game of tag for 30 years were also in attendance for the press junket.

Hannibal Buress, Jake Johnson, Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, and Jeremy Renner posed together for a number of scenes and looked like they hadn't stopped laughing since they began shooting the movie.

Based on an article published in the Wall Street Journal in 2013, the comedy follows the group of friends who every May reunite for an elaborate game of tag.

Jeff Tomsic helmed the movie, which is slated for a June 15 release.

Manly men: Hannibal Buress, Jake Johnson, Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, and Jeremy Renner posed together for a number of scenes and looked like they hadn't stopped laughing since they began shooting the movie

Fun: Wearing a shin-length olive green dress, Bibb looked stunning in her own right as she added a pair of elegant black stilettos
She's currently mending a broken heart after splitting from long-term boyfriend Adam Horsley.

So it is little wonder Imogen Thomas looked full of thoughts on Friday as she hit the pool during her trip to Greece, while looking sensational in a white bikini.

The 35-year-old former Big Brother star made the most of her curves in the white two-piece which boasted sculpted cups with jewelled adornments.

Hot stuff: So it is little wonder Imogen Thomas looked full of thoughts on Friday as she hit the pool during her trip to Greece, while looking sensational in a white bikini

The star poured her figure into the eye-catching bikini, which accentuated her ample bust as she gazed into the distance, while chilling poolside.

She teamed her bikini top with a pair of matching bottoms, which featured ties at the side of her hour-glass hips.

Imogen made sure to add a touch more glamour to her ensemble with a pair of statement gold earrings to accessorise the look.

Sexy: The star poured her figure into the eye-catching bikini, which accentuated her ample bust as she gazed into the distance while chilling poolside

All white? The 35-year-old former Big Brother star made the most of her curves in the white two-piece which boasted sculpted cups with jewelled adornments

Wow! Imogen's love split after six years was confirmed in a statement released to MailOnline last month

Sun safe! Imogen was keen to keep her skin fresh as she coated herself in suncream

Following a dip in the azure infinity pool Imogen topped up her sun cream by lathering the lotion over her tummy.

Imogen jetted off to Kassandra Bay Resort & SPA last Friday, celebrating her first solo adventure since her separation from boyfriend Adam.

The Welsh reality star and her ex are parents to daughters Ariana Siena, five, and Siera Aleira, two.

Bikini-clad beauty: She later grabbed a metallic straw bag and flip flops

Woah mama! Imogen jetted off to Kassandra Bay Resort & SPA last Friday, celebrating her first solo adventure since her separation from boyfriend Adam

Hot stuff! She smouldered as she headed out of the stunning pool

Living it up: The model was pictured outside London's Bluebird Cafe with her new male companion, after filling her social media feed with posts lamenting her split

She celebrated her departure with a glass of wine at the airport, writing to her followers: 'OMG! Am I actually at the airport (child free) off to my BFF wedding in Greece... oh am I excited!!!! (sic)'

Imogen's love split after six years was confirmed in a statement released to MailOnline last month.

The statement said: 'Imogen is completely heartbroken and devastated about the break up.

Sultry: She teamed her bikini top with a pair of matching bottoms, which featured ties at the side of her hour-glass hips

Candid: Imogen made sure to add a touch more glamour to her ensemble with a pair of statement gold earrings to accessorise the look

Topping up: Following a dip in the azure infinity pool Imogen topped up her sun cream by lathering the lotion over her tummy

'However, she has amazing friends and family who are very supportive and will help to get her through this difficult time.

'Her two beautiful children are her priority moving forward, and she will continue to focus on the positive things in her life such as her business Chasing Summer.'

Just two weeks later, Imogen was pictured was spotted sharing an extremely passionate kiss with hunky businessman Will Corlass.

Luxury: Imogen strolled across the lavish decking area which boasted wooden sunbeds with plush cushions

Smiling again! Despite insisting she was heart broken of the split Imogen let out a coy smile

Beach ready: The star stunned as she swept her wet hair back in the breeze

The model was pictured outside London's Bluebird Cafe with her new male companion, after filling her social media feed with posts lamenting her split.

Previously she'd written: 'My god have I had a dark day. Sure has been #mondayblues. Tomorrow is a new day.

'No man is worth my tears anymore. Losing my dad and most recently my uncle. I need to count my blessings I am healthy. My dad would be screaming at me now!! I need to be happy. It will take time but I will begin as of tomorrow,' she continued.

Imogen added the motivational hashtag: '#whatdoesntkillyoumakeyoustronger,' along with a heart emoji.

Quick dip: After floating around in the inviting pool made her way out on the steps
She is set to welcome her first child with her husband Declan Donnelly in September.

And Ali Astall kept her baby bump under wraps as she enjoyed a low-key walk with her pet dog Rocky in Chiswick on Friday afternoon.

The mother-to-be, 40, nailed casual chic as she was clad in a monochrome spotted blouse, tied in with a pair of form-fitting jeans, just hours before her husband was set to take the stage solo at the Britain's Got Talent semi-finals.

Bumping along: Declan Donnelly's pregnant wife Ali Astall kept her baby bump under wraps as she enjoyed a low-key walk with her pet dog Rocky in Chiswick on Friday afternoon

Opting for comfort, the talent manager strolled along the streets in box-fresh trainers by Nike - undoubtedly perfect for her pregnant form.

The blonde injected touches of glamour into her look as she sported stylish oversized sunglasses, and accentuated her beauty with a slash of red lipstick.

Ali appeared to be in good company as she was joined by her pals for the casual stroll - including a friend toting a Henry Hoover.

Off she goes: The mother-to-be, 40, nailed casual chic as she was clad in a monochrome spotted blouse, tied in with a pair of form-fitting jeans

Ali - who has acted as Ant and Dec's manager for over a decade - tied the knot to the 42-year-old host in Elswick, Tyne and Wear in August 2015.

They confirmed their baby joy in March this year, by sharing a sweet snap from their wedding day to Instagram.

Revealing the news in the caption, Dec wrote: 'The news has sneaked out a little earlier than we had hoped but Ali and I are delighted to be expecting our first child. Thanks for all the love, we really appreciate it.'

It was alleged that the couple first learnt they were pregnant soon after Dec left the Australian jungle after the last series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! finished in December.

Excited: Speaking at the BAFTA TV Awards earlier this month, 42-year-old host Dec went on to reveal the pair were expecting their new arrival in September

Speaking at the BAFTA TV Awards earlier this month, an excited Dec went on to reveal the pair were expecting their new arrival in September.

He told the Mirror on the red carpet: 'I just wish it would come out now, that we could fast-forward to having the baby. We want to get on with it  we cant wait.'

His famous sidekick Ant McPartlin has pulled out of all working commitments for the near future, as he recovers from his drink and drug addiction.

The Geordie star first revealed his battle in June 2017, but returned to rehab in March this year after pleading guilty to drink-driving.
They've been together for over two decades and share two sons Dylan and Paris.

And Pierce Brosnan proved that his close bond with his wife Keely Shaye Smith is stronger than ever as the pair were spotted after a business meeting in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon.

The screen star, 64, maintained his trademark dapper looks as he sported a sharp white shirt, which was teamed with a pair of grey trousers and smart brown brogues.

Loved-up: Pierce Brosnan proved that his close bond with his wife Keely Shaye Smith is stronger than ever as the pair were spotted after a business meeting in Los Angeles on Friday

Putting on a fashion-forward display, the former James Bond star accessorised with trendy aviator sunglasses and a black strap watch.

Meanwhile, Keely, 54, opted for a demure appearance as she was clad in a multi-coloured floral dress and simple black sandals.

The American journalist protected her eyes from the sun in a pair of cat-eye sunglasses, and was spotted carrying a binder with 'Girl's Like Us Songs' emblazoned on the front.

Suave: The screen star, 64, maintained his trademark dapper looks as he sported a sharp white shirt, which was teamed with a pair of grey trousers and smart brown brogues

The Pierce and Keely love story goes back to 1994 when the couple first set their sights on one another on a Mexican beach.

They didn't marry until seven years later in a romantic ceremony at Ballintubber Abbey, in Ireland in 2001.

The couple's love has blossomed over the years while raising their sons 21-year-old Dylan and 17-year-old Paris together.

Sweet: The Pierce and Keely love story goes back to 1994 when the couple first set their sights on one another on a Mexican beach

Although he is one of the best actors in Hollywood, it is evident that Pierce is a family man at heart as only last week he was offering his youngest son Paris some advice.

As Paris hits the runways and gets photo shoots under his belt as he breaks into the modelling industry, the Bond actor has been keeping a close eye on him.

Tagging in Paris in an Instagram post, he penned: 'Out in to the world they go ... do good things ... work hard, love life, be lucky, courage always, and dont forget to have lots of laughs...be kind... there ya go now lads.'
Neighbours star Matty Wilson pleaded for public assistance after his beloved French bulldog Timba was snatched off a street in Melbourne on Friday.

And on Saturday, the news everyone was waiting for finally came to fruition - the little pup was found safe and sound.

The 29-year-old took to Instagram to share the joyful news, posting an image of the dog and a lengthy caption thanking his fans.

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Heartbreak! Neighbours star Matty Wilson pleaded for public assistance after his beloved French bulldog Timba was snatched off a street in Melbourne on Friday

She's okay! And on Saturday, the news everyone was waiting for finally came to fruition - the little pup was found safe and sound

'TIMBA HAS BEEN HANDED IN. Thank you everyone so so much,' the actor began.

'Whoever had her, seemed to be spooked by all the social media attention and left her at a hardware store,' he explained.

'She will be back with us soon. Couldn't have done this without everyone's support and contribution. Thank you #Timbafound.'

Journalist Aneeka Simonis shared a snap of the dog on Twitter, perhaps after she was recovered, and explained she was safe and well.

She's safe: 'Whoever had her, seemed to be spooked by all the social media attention and left her at a hardware store,' he explained

Good news: Journalist Aneeka Simonis shared a snap of the dog on Twitter, perhaps after he was recovered, and explained she was safe and well

She wrote: 'Happy doggo news! Timba the frenchie has been found tied up in the same place she was stolen from on Friday. Her owners are overjoyed.'

It comes after a heartbreaking search was launched for the kidnapped pet, with police also launching an appeal for her safe return on Saturday afternoon.

Matty took to his popular Instagram account to share a snap of the adorable dog, accompanied by the caption: 'Please keep an eye out or spread the word.'

Appeal: It comes after a heartbreaking search was launched for the kidnapped pet, with police also launching an appeal for her safe return on Saturday afternoon

In the post, which was shared on Friday night, Matty also wrote: 'Our little girl has been stolen from Chirnside Park Officeworks at 2:20pm today whilst in the care of our dog sitter.

'Please spread the message however you can. Reward offered. She is microchipped & desexed. Officeworks didnt have any CCTV either.'

'Thank you for all the concern. Sorry if it's OTT. We know the power of the people and that will bring her (Timba) home. Thank you so much again,' he wrote in one frantic post before she was returned.
Elsa Pataky and her brood are just back from a trip to Stradbroke Island and it seems she's keen to relive the family holiday.

The 41-year-old took to Instagram on Sunday to share an image of her twins, Tristan and Sasha, both 4, staring out at the island's ocean at the weekend.

The actress captioned the image: Two old souls Checking the surf and pondering life's great questions. #brothers'.

Twins: Elsa Pataky and her brood are just back from a trip to Stradbroke Island and it seems she's keen to relive the family holiday, sharing a snap of her sons

Elsa and her twins, along with daughter India Rose, six, and husband Chris Hemsworth, 34, returned from their getaway on Saturday.

They had enjoyed the island beaches along with Matt Damon, his wife Luciana Barroso and their children.

Always down-to-earth, the family took the humble North Stradebroke Island ferry home at sunset.

Been away: Elsa and her twins, along with daughter India Rose, six, and husband Chris Hemsworth, 34, returned from their getaway on Saturday

Relaxed: They had enjoyed the island beaches along with Matt Damon, his wife Luciana Barroso and their children

While Elsa has made no secret about her love for Australia since moving to Byron Bay four years ago with her Thor star husband, she at first refused to relocate Down Under.

Shortly after they met in 2010, the A-list couple made a pact to never live in the other's home turf.

Speaking to Yahoo Be, the Spanish star revealed: 'We always said when we met, I'd never make you live in Spain, and he would never make me live in Australia because our families are so far away from us.'

Now a happy family home: While Elsa has made no secret about her love for Australia since moving to Byron Bay four years ago with her Thor star husband, she at first refused to relocate

After the birth of the twin boys, the Avengers actor persuaded Elsa to change her mind by moving to Byron Bay.

And the actress and model admits, she's never looked back.

'I love it and it's the best place in the world,' the mum-of-three said. 'It's worth it.'

And despite the long flight home to Spain, Elsa admitted: 'It's only a flight away.'
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She's famed for maintaining her famously toned physique throughout her career which spans over three decades.

And Elizabeth Hurley put her killer curves on full display once again as she attended the Epsom Racecourse for the 2018 Epsom Derby on Saturday afternoon.

The 52-year-old actress posed up a storm as she slipped into a perilously low-cut pink dress, embellished with a trendy dipped hem feature.

All eyes on her: Elizabeth Hurley put her killer curves on full display once again as she attended the Epsom Racecourse for the 2018 Epsom Derby on Saturday afternoon

Flaunting her slender pins, the stunning garment slashed at her legs, which were further complemented by a pair of pointed nude heels.

The Royals star oozed glamour as she sported an incredibly detailed peach fascinator, which was decorated with striking feathers.

Adding to her youthful-looking appearance, the golden-haired star opted for lashings of mascara, hints of foundation and a nude lipgloss.

Liz was joined by Millie Mackintosh, who put on a more demure display as she reunited with her fiance Hugo Taylor.

There's no such thing as too much fun! The 52-year-old actress put on an animated display as she engaged in a lively conversation with pals, as others enjoyed the drinks

Wow-factor! The model posed up a storm as she slipped into a perilously low-cut pink dress, embellished with a trendy dipped hem feature

Look at me! The Royals star oozed glamour as she sported an incredibly detailed peach fascinator, which was decorated with striking feathers

Having a good time: Elizabeth was spotted enjoying the races from the balcony as she watched the races with some friends

Looking good: Adding to her youthful-looking appearance, the golden-haired star opted for lashings of mascara, hints of foundation and a nude lipgloss

The former Made In Chelsea star, 28, showcased her style savvy ways as she slipped her slimline figure into a satin blue jumpsuit, embellished with a belt with cinched at her waist.

Upping the style ante, the reality star tied in her statement ensemble with a black oversized boater hat, and accentuated her height in a pair of monochrome tie-up heels.

The blonde beauty ensured all eyes were on her striking outfit as she opted for minimal make-up, and wore her tresses in a poker straight fashion.

Hand in hand: Millie Mackintosh put on a more demure display as she reunited with her fiance Hugo Taylor at the annual races

Turning heads: The former Made In Chelsea star, 28, showcased her style savvy ways as she slipped her slimline figure into a satin blue jumpsuit, embellished with a belt with cinched at her waist

Striking: The blonde beauty ensured all eyes were on her striking outfit as she opted for minimal make-up, and wore her tresses in a poker straight fashion

Chic pair: Meanwhile, screen star Helen Mirren oozed elegance as she attended the event with her husband Taylor Hackford

Sunglasses designer Hugo, 32, cut a dapper figure as he sported a glossy tailored suit, tied in with a crisp white shirt and a suave navy tie.

Looking every inch the sophisticated man, the TV personality accessorised with a pair of animal print frames and wore black brogues.

Meanwhile, screen star Helen Mirren oozed elegance as she attended the event with her husband Taylor Hackford.

The 72-year-old Prime Suspect star opted for a dazzling ensemble comprising of an elegant coat and chic dress while she was joined at the bash by her extremely dapper husband.

Striking: The 72-year-old actress commanded attention as she wore a polkadot skater dress, tied in with a matching trench coat

Go big or go home! Adhering to her superstar status, the Queen actress wore an elaborate black fascinator, embroidered with a huge bow and delicate details throughout

The actress commanded attention as she wore the polka dot skater dress, tied in with a matching trench coat.

Adhering to her superstar status, the Queen star wore an elaborate black fascinator, embroidered with a huge bow and delicate details throughout.

Good Morning Britain's host Charlotte Hawkins looked typically stunning as she wore a multi-coloured fascinator, while former track cyclist Victoria Pendleton flashed her legs in a lace-embellished frock.

Oh no! Dame Helen did not seem too impressed by one of the outcomes of the day

Getting into it: Dame Helen seemed to be particularly enthralled by the day's events

Time for a snap? The RED star was spotted trying to take a picture on her phone, as she watched the race intently

Stunner: Helen was a vision in the monochrome look which made the most of her age-defying frame

Snapping away: Dame Helen and her friends could be seen taking photos of the race while they watched from the balcony

Star-studded: Good Morning Britain's host Charlotte Hawkins (left) looked typically stunning as she wore a multi-coloured fascinator, while former track cyclist Victoria Pendleton (right) flashed her legs in a lace-embellished frock

The Queen also joined the thousands of racegoers that descended Epsom Downs Racecourse, and Her Majesty wore a lilac coat and matching hat, topped with a broach and floral arrangement.

Former Saturdays' member Frankie Bridge pulled out all the stops as she arrived at the races in a white skater midi, which was decorated with light-coloured stars and chains.

The 29-year-old singer injected even more elegance into her look as she wore nude strappy heels, teamed with a pale yellow fascinator.

Beaming with delight, the former S Club 8 star wore neutral-toned makeup and styled her hair into a trendy pixie cut.

Love Island's Chris Hughes also rocked up to the event, where he opted for his signature suave appearance - sporting a pastel blue suit with a light pink tie.

Royal presence: The Queen also joined thousands of racegoers that have descended on Epsom Downs Racecourse for Britain's biggest flat race on Saturday

Smiles all round! The Queen grins as she meets revellers at the Derby Day event

Stunning: Former Saturday's member Frankie Bridge pulled out all the stops as she arrived at the races in a white skater midi, which was decorated with light-coloured stars and chains

Enjoying the day: Frankie looked to be in high spirits as she watched the races from the balcony with a drink in hand

Stylish: The 29-year-old singer injected even more elegance into her look as she wore nude strappy heels, teamed with a pale yellow fascinator

Having a great time: Frankie could be seen enjoying herself with friends as they had fun at the glamorous event

Made In Chelsea star Charlie Mills looked incredibly dapper in his three-piece suit, and he was sure to turn heads in his elaborate ensemble.

The reality star wore a light blue waist coat over a striped shirt and cornflower blue tie, which he offset with a black blazer and top hat.

The event marks the 239th annual running of the Derby horse race, which offers a prize money of 1.5million to the winning house.

Saxon Warrior is the favourite to win today's race with bookmakers offering odds of 4/5, as the Irish-trained thoroughbred won the 2000 Guineas race at Newmarket in May.

If he is crowned the winner, he would then need to take first place St Leger Stakes racecourse in September to be the first horse since 1970 to win the Triple Crown.

The race has been won by the favourite or joint-favourite 42 times since 1900, most recently by Golden Horn, the 13/8 favourite, in 2015.

Dressed in his Sunday best: Made In Chelsea star Charlie Mills looked incredibly dapper in his three-piece suit

Stylish: The reality star wore a light blue waist coat over a striped shirt and cornflower blue tie, which he offset with a black blazer and top hat

Dapper: Love Island's Chris Hughes also rocked up to the event, where he sported a pastel blue suit with a light pink tie

Posing up a storm: The reality star looked dapper in his form-fitting attire, as he posed for pictures on the racecourse ahead of the busy day

Exciting: The event marks the 239th annual running of the Derby horse race, which offers a prize money of 1.5million to the winning house
Tim Robards has shared the romantic details of his proposal to Anna Heinrich, and it was all caught on video.

The 35-year-old tells Sunday's issue of Stellar magazine that his 31-year-old partner burst into tears when she was presented with the ring.

'I was already on my knees. I reached in my pocket, and I had a little box, and she just started bawling,' he tells the magazine.

A toast to the happy couple: Tim Robards has shared the romantic details of his proposal to Anna Heinrich, and it was all caught on video

Tim had whisked his love away for a romantic trip to the Chamberlain Gorge in Western Australia's Kimberly region.

Dressed in a collared shirt despite 40 degree heat, Tim took Anna out on a dinghy in the gorge and set up his drone to film the romantic moment.

'My heart's thumping. And I'm trying not to crash my drone and I'm also about to propose,' he said of the proposal itself.

The chiropractor popped the question by asking, 'What if I professed my love for you and said every moment in the last whatever years has been amazing?'"

The chiropractor popped the question by asking: 'What if I professed my love for you and said every moment in the last whatever years has been amazing?'"

Swooning! 'I was already on my knees. I reached in my pocket, and I had a little box, and she just started bawling,' Tim tells the magazine

The entire proposal was caught on film, with sound, by the drone above, but Anna has not seen the footage yet, she tells Stellar.

Tim has proven to be a fan of drones, flying one and capturing footage when the pair spent Valentines Day at The Residences in Sydney's Centennial Park last year.

Anna and Tim's upcoming wedding has been shrouded in secrecy ever since they announced their engagement in May 2017.

Droning on: The entire proposal was caught on film, with sound, by the drone above, but Anna has not seen the footage yet

Secret shoppers: The showbiz couple recently picked out their wedding rings with help from Bunda Fine Jewels in Sydney

Soon: In April, an insider close to the couple revealed the engaged Bachelor couple, 'will tie the knot in a lavish destination wedding over the Summer in Europe'

The showbiz couple weren't so quiet about picking out their wedding rings, as Anna and the hunk took to their Instagram stories last month to explain they were designing their own bands with help from Bunda Fine Jewels in Sydney.

In April, an insider close to the couple revealed the engaged Bachelor couple, 'will tie the knot in a lavish destination wedding over the Summer in Europe.'

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia in April, the source revealed that the reality TV duo 'will tie the knot in Italy, sometime in June this year.'

Scouting: Since the pair arrived in Italy earlier this week, they have been spotted enjoying the sights and surrounds of the popular wedding destination

Since the pair arrived in Italy earlier this week, they have been spotted enjoying the sights and surrounds of the popular wedding destination.

The high-profile couple met on the 2013 season of reality series, The Bachelor Australia.

Fated: The high-profile couple met on the 2013 season of reality series, The Bachelor Australia
She is one of the most elegant stars in showbiz.

And Dame Helen Mirren was once again proving herself to be a style maven as she put on an extremely stunning display while attending the Epsom Racecourse for the 2018 Epsom Derby on Saturday afternoon.

The 72-year-old Prime Suspect star opted for a dazzling polka dot ensemble comprising of an elegant coat and chic dress while she was joined at the bash by her extremely dapper husband Taylor Hackford.

A vision: Dame Helen Mirren was once again proving herself to be a style maven as she put on an extremely stunning display while attending the Epsom Racecourse for the 2018 Epsom Derby on Saturday afternoon

Dame Helen had the races style nailed as she opted for a coord style with the elegant headwear which truly allowed her to stand out from the crowd.

Adhering to her superstar status, the Queen star wore an elaborate black fascinator, embroidered with a huge bow and delicate details throughout.

The star-studded event marks the 239th annual running of the Derby horse race and is set to be worth 1.5million.

Last month the happy couple were out together again as Helen, who has won a Academy, Olivier and Tony Award, attended the 45th Chaplin Award Gala held to honour her five-decade career at Alice Tully Hall in New York.

Cute couple! The 72-year-old Prime Suspect star opted for a dazzling polka dot ensemble comprising of an elegant coat and chic dress while she was joined at the bash by her extremely dapper husband Taylor Hackford

Happy days! The couple oozed Hollywood glamour as they hit the race course

The actress looked every inch the screen siren as she hit the red carpet with her husband Taylor, 73 - who she passionately kissed in front of cameras.

Helen recently hit out at the impact Netflix has had on filmmakers, including her husband of 29 years, Taylor.

The actress candidly discussed the streaming service shortly after it was revealed the controversial company had pulled out of last month's Cannes Film Festival.

Stunner: Helen was a vision in the monochrome look which made the most of her age-defying frame

Oh no! Dame Helen did not seem too impressed by one of the outcomes of the day

The star, who confessed she watches movies on her iPad, told the i Newspaper: 'Its devastating for people like my husband, film directors, because they want their movies to be watched in a cinema with a group of people. So its a communal thing.'

Helen married her long-time partner Taylor on New Years Eve in 1997 and has admitted the thought of having children has never really crossed her mind.

'We got married in the end because we realised that we were going to be together forever.

Loved-up: The pair have been together for more than thirty years, and Helen has revealed she feels their relationship is stronger due to the late age they met

A royal wave: Helen married her long-time partner Taylor on New Years Eve in 1997 and has admitted the thought of having children has never really crossed her mind

The pair have been together for more than thirty years, and Helen has revealed she feels their relationship is stronger due to the late age they met.

She said on The Today Show last year: 'The great thing about finding a partnership later on [in life] is that you recognise it as such.

'You recognise the partnership level of this relationship as much as the love and the lust and all the rest of it.'
She's the model-turned actress who only decided to pursue acting two years ago.

And Elsa Cocquerel told The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday that she's thrilled to have received her first-ever Logie Awards nomination.

'Wolf Creek was my first job in Australia so I am still pinching myself,' the 24-year-old said.

'I am still pinching myself': Wolf Creek's Elsa Cocquerel, 24, revealed in The Sunday Telegraph that she's honoured to receive her first Logie Awards nomination

Recalling the moment she found out she was nominated for a Logie Award, for the Stan Original Wolf Creek, Elsa said: 'I got a message from a friend saying congratulations on your nomination.'

The brunette beauty continued: 'I genuinely had no idea. So I jumped online and saw my name against these other four actors and for me, that's what I am so honoured by the fact I am up against the other women in my category.'

Elsa has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and is up against Celia Ireland, Jacqueline McKenzie, Jenni Baird and Nicole Chamoun.

Recognised: Elsa has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category, for her role in the Stan Original Wolf Creek

The 60th annual TV WEEK Logie Awards are set to take place at Gold Coast's The Star on July 1.

The first season of Wolf Creek followed American tourist Eve, played by Lucy Fry, who is attacked by serial killer Mick Taylor.

Having survived the ordeal, Eve plans a mission of revenge.

Notoriety: Elsa began her modelling career five years ago, and only branched into acting two years ago

Season two, which premiered late last year, focused around Mick becoming acquainted with a bus full of international tourists.

Elsa began her modelling career five years ago, and only branched into acting two years ago.

Wolf Creek is her first major acting gig.
She is rarely seen looking anything less than sensational.

And once again, TV presenter and socialite Hofit Golan was pulling out all the stops as she put on an extremely steamy display with her rumoured boyfriend ahead of the Life Ball in Austria on Saturday.

The blonde beauty opted to go braless beneath a deeply-plunging red dress with a full and dramatic skirt - which was flawlessly positioned in a light gust of wind.

Alive or red! TV presenter and socialite Hofit Golan was pulling out all the stops as she put on an extremely steamy display with her rumoured boyfriend ahead of the Life Ball in Austria on Saturday

Hofit was wowing passersby in her dress, which gave cheeky hints of her stunning figure while catching the wind to perfection.

Her eye-popping cleavage was the only distraction from the stunning gown as she went braless beneath the incredibly striking look.

She wore her blonde locks in loose waves over her shoulders while briefly covering her flawlessly made-up face with over-sized sunglasses.

The blonde beauty boosted her height with a pair of staggering nude heels which elongated her legs, while she made the most of her frame in the ensemble.

Stunning: The blonde beauty opted to go braless beneath a deeply-plunging red dress with a full and dramatic skirt - which was flawlessly positioned in a light gust of wind

Stunner: Hofit was wowing passersby in her dress, which gave cheeky hints of her stunning figure while catching the wind to perfection

Her pal was more low-key as he rocked an open-necked purple polo shirt with jeans and a blazer before he stopped to buy her an ice-cream.

Hofit will join an epic list of stars at this years event, including Adrien Brody, Paris Jackson, Charlize Theron, Caitlyn Jenner, Kelly Osbourne, Brad Goreski, Rufus Wainwright, Katee Sackhoff, Cindy Bruna and Carmen Carrera.

Describing this year's event, the website lists: 'For the 25th Life Ball anniversary and its homage to The Sound of Music, Amra Bergman developed a technically sophisticated stage design that uses the entire City Hall of Vienna as its foundation.

Kicking back: Her pal was more low-key as he rocked an open-necked purple polo shirt with jeans and a blazer before he stopped to buy her an ice-cream

WOW! This year is the 25th anniversary of the annual Life Ball which is held as a fundraiser in order to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS

Stunner: Hofit is a regular face at some of the world's most glamorous celebrity events. In 2015, she spoke to Femail about her experiences of the social circuit, saying it can be exhausting

'The designer transforms Salzburgs meadows and mountains, components inspired by Edelweiss and traditional costumes as well as colorful butterflies and harts into a compact, flamboyant message to the outside world.

'An idyll that enchants for a little while and shows itself from its best side, like a dream world celebrated with the most beautiful sounds.'

This year is the 25th anniversary of the annual Life Ball which is held as a fundraiser in order to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The theme is An Homage to The Sound of Music which is set to be a 'visual extravaganza' held at City Hall square in Vienna.

Centre of attention: Hofit later changed into a plunging blue floral dress

PDA: The socialite stared deep into the eyes of her rumoured boyfriend

Happy: The pair couldn't take their eyes off another as they posed on some steps

Embrace: Hofit looked smitten as she posed up on the red carpet

Hunk: Hofit took to the catwalk with a hunky male companion

Walk off; She made her way up the red carpet showing off her statement gown

Smile: The socialite cracked a radiant smile as she walked along

Showstopping: The star looked stylish as she walked along arm-in-arm

Organisers have suggested that the event will reaffirm their commitment to fighting for all of those living with HIV and those impacted by the virus around the globe.

The festivities represent a multicultural and inclusive Austria but despite the hard-hitting message encourages guests to make the most of the event, with the after-party not starting until 5am.

Hofit is a regular face at some of the world's most glamorous celebrity events. In 2015, she spoke to Femail about her experiences of the social circuit, saying it can be exhausting.

She explained: After Cannes and Fashion Week, I cant wear earrings and my feet wont fit into a single pair of heels. My body rejects glamour. I dont brush my hair for ten days and I go on a beauty strike.

Radiant: The blonde beauty looked happy as she smiled for the cameras

Work it out: The star looked flawless as she soaked up the sun

Happy: Hofit chatted with a distinguished gentleman on the red carpet

Busty: The star posed up with model and actress Amy Jackson
She has developed her own signature quirky sense of style.

And Paris Jackson put on yet another kooky display as she attended the opening night of the Life Ball in Vienna on Friday in a daring velvet frock.

The model, 20, held her dress in place with one hand and her designer shoes in the other while posing barefoot at the event.

Quirky: Paris Jackson put on yet another kooky display as she attended the Life Ball in Vienna on Friday in a daring velvet frock

The daughter of Michael Jackson showcased her array of tattoos in the red number which included a tree situated by her ankle and a dragonfly adorned arm.

Paris accessorised her ensemble with an embroidered brown leather belt and a plethora of varying necklaces.

The striking beauty brushed smokey grey eye-shadow onto her lids while keeping the rest of her visage make-up free.

Much like her care-free nature Paris kept her ombre locks untamed as she caught up with pals at the event.

Partying: Paris accessorised her ensemble with an embroidered brown leather belt and a plethora of varying necklaces

The Gringo actress was honoured with the LIFE+ Award at the ball where she represented her late godmother's charity, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the annual Life Ball which is held as a fundraiser in order to continue the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The theme is An Homage to The Sound of Music which is set to be a 'visual extravaganza' held at City Hall square in Vienna.

Stunt show: Earlier this week, IMG model Paris set the record straight on her disappearance from the Christian Dior Cruise Collection show in France

Organisers have suggested that the event will reaffirm their commitment to fighting for all of those living with HIV and those impacted by the virus around the globe.

The festivities represent a multicultural and inclusive Austria but despite the hard-hitting message encourages guests to make the most of the event, with the after-party not starting until 5am.

Earlier this week, IMG model Paris set the record straight on her disappearance from the Christian Dior Cruise Collection show in France.

The presentation in a Chantilly chateau included several crop-cracking, side-saddled ladies recreating a Mexican rodeo with white horses.

'To be clear, I did not "storm out" of the show,' the 20-year-old daughter of the late Michael Jackson tweeted.

Hitting back: The daughter of the late Michael Jackson tweeted: 'I quietly got up and walked out trying my hardest to not cause a scene, because I do not support animals being branded and whipped'

'I quietly got up and walked out trying my hardest to not cause a scene, because I do not support animals being branded and whipped. Not trying to become enemies in the fashion world in any way, but I will always be myself.'

Paris - who boasts 4.6M social media followers - added: 'Furthermore, I was not "enraged," just taken by surprise and a little heartbroken.'

The Beverly Hills-born heiress concluded that she looks forward to the day where all high-end fashion houses will 'switch to no-fur and anti-animal cruelty.

Paris was only ten years old when the legendary King of Pop succumbed to 'acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication' in 2009.

Jackson now receives $8M annually from her estimated $100M inheritance as well as additional bonuses at ages 33 and 40 - according to Page Six.
She is well known for her portrayal of Sinead Tinker on Coronation Street.

And Katie McGlynn looked absolutely flawless as she arrived in style at the British Soap Awards at the Hackney Empire in London on Saturday.

The 24-year-old actress showed off her perfectly bronzed physique in perilously plunging wine-coloured dress which also boasted a thigh high split.

There she is! Katie McGlynn, 24, looked absolutely flawless as she arrived in style at the British Soap Awards at the Hackney Empire in London on Saturday

Going braless in the low-cut number, the beauty's garment also showed off her tiny stomach as well as her sculpted back.

Flashing a peek of toned legs, which were boosted in towering heels, Katie's dress added to the glamorous look as the soaring split caught the wind.

Her sleek blonde locks were tied into a chic ponytail and she accessorised with matching berry tasselled earrings.

Katie's stunning features were enhanced with a striking coat of bronzed make-up.

Flawless: The actress showed off her perfectly bronzed physique in perilously plunging wine-coloured dress which also boasted a thigh high split

She's got front: Going braless in the low-cut number, the beauty's garment also showed off her tiny stomach

The blonde's sighting comes amid her job could be in jeopardy in order to give the older and longer serving characters on Coronation Street better storylines.

Iain MacLeod was announced as the replacement for boss Kate Oates last week, and a source told The Sun that the cast of the ITV soap were concerned over the changes Iain might bring to the soap.

The source said: 'Kate was particularly popular with the younger stars.

'Her departure has left people worried the new producer will want to end the violent stuff and start again. And lots are worried about a cull.'

Meanwhile, the great and the good of the soap world have descended on The British Soap Awards 2018 hosted at Hackney Empire, in London for the biggest night of television star's calendar in the summer months.

Wow: Flashing a peek of toned legs, which were boosted in towering heels, Katie's dress added to the glamorous look as the soaring split caught the wind

EastEnders, Coronation Street, Doctors, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks will battle it out to see who lands Best British Soap, with all of their best stars up for nominations from Villain Of The Year to Best Actor.

Coronation Street has been shocking fans with explosive storylines, which have landed actors Jack P Shepherd and Connor McIntyre in the running for the Best Actor.

Dominating the awards tonight is Corrie with 16 awards, four thanks to the explosive Pat Phelan storyline seeing the villain unleash his reign of terror on the Weatherfield's residents which leads up to his murder.

Up for four awards, Connor's devious part has secured him nominations for Best Actor, Villain Of The Year, Pat Best Storyline and Best Male Dramatic Performance.

Babe: Her sleek blonde locks were tied into a chic ponytail and she accessorised with matching berry tasselled earrings

Jack's brave portrayal of his character David Platt being drugged, raped and then cutting himself in deeply harrowing scenes aired on Corrie secured him an envy-inducing nomination.

The Corrie stars will face tough competition in the Best Actor category as they will come against Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley and Michael Parr as well as Hollyoaks star Theo Graham.

Corrie also have secured two stars in the Best Actress category, Lucy Fallon and Catherine Tyldesley, who will fight off Lacey Turner from EastEnders and Emma Atkins from Emmerdale as well as Hollyoaks' Anna Passey.

This Morning star Phillip Schofield returns to hosting the British Soap Awards 2018, with the television presenter handing out the award duties for a decade since 2008.
Pete Davidson recently confirmed his relationship with Ariana Grande.

But his ex Cazzie David played coy about the news as she posted a sizzling snap of herself on Friday with the caption: 'Been in Africa, what'd I miss??'

And the daughter of Curb Your Enthusiasm's Larry David, 24, found support from the likes of Amy Schumer and Lorde among other celebrities.

Shade queen: Pete Davidson's ex Cazzie David played coy about the news of his new relationship with Ariana Grande as she posted a snap of herself on Friday with the caption: 'Been in Africa, what'd I miss??'

The I Feel Pretty star posted 'You're Amal' in the comments section as Cazzie resembled George Clooney's beautiful wife Amal in the snap.

And the New Zealand rock star added 'Youre so hot omg'.

Bruce Willis and Demi Moores daughter Tallulah joined the love fest with: 'Like is this the new [background] of my phone.'

Pete told Complexs Open Late with Peter Rosenberg on May 17 that he and Cazzie werent 'together anymore'.

Support: Amy Schumer posted 'You're Amal' in the comments section as Cazzie resembled George Clooney's beautiful wife Amal in the snap

Done: Pete told Complexs Open Late with Peter Rosenberg on May 17 that he and Cazzie werent 'together anymore'; (pictured September)

He added: 'Shell be great and shell be fine. I think shell be okay.'

On Wednesday, the SNL star confirmed his relationship with Ariana on Instagram.

The cute couple posed in Harry Potter robes for their debut photo as a couple, shared on his account.

Confirmed: On Wednesday, the SNL star confirmed his relationship with Ariana on Instagram

'The chamber of secrets has been opened,' Pete joked in the caption, sporting a Gryffindor sweater under his garb.

Ariana took note of his caption and came back with a fun pun of her own, writing 'u tryna slytherin (im deleting my account now).'

And Pete couldn't quite keep his hands off of his new girlfriend as he cuddled up to her in a sweet photo shared to her account on Thursday.
Overview of the meeting (Photo: vtv.vn)

During his meeting with President of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Toshihiro Nikai in Tokyo on June 1st, President Quang expressed his pleasure to pay a State-level visit to Japan on the occasion of the 45th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.

The two countries are witnessing strong and pragmatic cooperation development in various fields as well as the close exchanges between the two parties, parliaments, and the Vietnam-Japan and Japan-Vietnam parliamentary friendship alliances.

The President urged the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance to continue coordinating with the Vietnam-Japan counterpart to increase delegation exchanges and step up collaboration in economy, tourism, culture, people-to-people exchange, and human resources training.

He suggested building the Vietnam-Japan University into a leading education facility providing high-quality human resources for Vietnam and other countries in the region.

Toshihiro Nikai, who is also Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, said he was glad to welcome President Quang and his spouse and the high-level Vietnamese delegation in Japan.

He affirmed that his alliance will spare no efforts to promote the two countries cooperative relations in a more pragmatic manner in the time ahead, especially in delegation exchanges, investment, trade and human resources training./.
Her Corrie character Nicola Rubinstein was shot by her villainous father Pat Phelan on this week's episode, leaving her fighting for her life.

But Nicola Thorp wasn't going to let her character's potential death ruin her night, as she put on a glamorous display at the star-studded British Soap Awards 2018 on Saturday night.

The 28-year-old actress flaunted her cleavage in an elegant white gown, which had a cut-out panel at the front for added effect.

British Soap Awards 2018: Nicola Thorp stunned as she showed off her cleavage in an elegant white gown at the star-studded awards on Saturday night

Slipping her slim figure into the long-sleeved outfit, the star looked ethereal as she posed for cameras with her hands on her hips.

Pulling her brunette locks back into a glamorous up-do, the star opted for a striking palette of make-up including smokey eye-shadow and light pink lipstick to highlight her pretty features.

Stepping out in a pair of silver heels, the beauty kept her accessories to a minimum but she was sure to turn heads in her stunning outfit of the night.

Stunning: Slipping her slim figure into the long-sleeved outfit, the Coronation Street star looked ethereal as she posed for cameras with her hands on her hips

Stylish: Pulling her brunette locks into a glamorous up-do, the star opted for a striking palette of make-up including smokey eye-shadow to highlight her pretty features

On the beloved soap show, Nicola was last seen fighting for her life after she was shot by her father Phelan, after their heated argument took a turn for the worse.

Coronation Street has been shocking fans with its explosive storylines, which have landed actors Jack P Shepherd and Connor McIntyre in the running for the Best Actor.

Dominating the awards tonight is Corrie with 16 awards, four thanks to the explosive Pat Phelan storyline seeing the villain unleash his reign of terror on the Weatherfield's residents which leads up to his murder.

Up for four awards, Connor's devious part has secured him nominations for Best Actor, Villain Of The Year, Pat Best Storyline and Best Male Dramatic Performance.

Beautiful: Slipping her slim figure into the long-sleeved outfit, the star looked ethereal as she posed for cameras with her hands on her hips

Dramatic: On the beloved soap show, Nicola was last seen fighting for her life after she was shot by her father Phelan, after their heated argument took a turn for the worse

To be confirmed: It is unclear whether or not Nicola's character has survived the ordeal

Jack's brave portrayal of his character David Platt being drugged, raped and then cutting himself in deeply harrowing scenes aired on Corrie secured him an envy-inducing nomination.

The Corrie stars will face tough competition in the Best Actor category as they will come against Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley and Michael Parr as well as Hollyoaks star Theo Graham.

Corrie also have secured two stars in the Best Actress category, Lucy Fallon and Catherine Tyldesley, who will fight off Lacey Turner from EastEnders and Emma Atkins from Emmerdale as well as Hollyoaks' Anna Passey.

This Morning star Phillip Schofield returns to hosting the British Soap Awards 2018, with the television presenter handing out the award duties for a decade since 2008.

Too close for comfort: The star was dangerously close to a wardrobe malfunction as she got ready to leave her car

Wow: Coronation Street has been shocking fans with explosive storylines, which have landed actors Jack P Shepherd and Connor McIntyre (pictured) in the running for the Best Actor
She is known for her feisty portrayal of Kathy Beale who memorably returned from the dead in EastEnders in 2015.

And Gillian Taylforth looked better than ever as she dazzled on the red carpet at the British Soap Awards 2018, held at the Hackney Empire on Saturday.

The 62-year-old actress wowed in the figure-hugging gown with sweetheart neckline which flashed her ample cleavage as she confidently posed.

Scarlet siren: Gillian Taylforth looked better than ever as she dazzled on the red carpet at the British Soap Awards 2018, held at the Hackney Empire on Saturday

The stunning gown featured dramatic sequin embellished straps and side panels with a keyhole cut-out on the back.

Her blonde tresses were styled in a sleek updo with wavy strands framing her face while a rich palette of make-up accentuated her stunning features.

The great and the good of the soap world have descended on The British Soap Awards 2018 hosted at Hackney Empire, in London for the biggest night of television star's calendar in the summer months.

EastEnders, Coronation Street, Doctors, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks will battle it out to see who lands Best British Soap, with all of their best stars up for nominations from Villain Of The Year to Best Actor.

Fabulous: The 62-year-old actress wowed in the figure-hugging gown with sweetheart neckline which flashed her ample cleavage as she confidently posed

Coronation Street has been shocking fans with explosive storylines, which have landed actors Jack P Shepherd and Connor McIntyre in the running for the Best Actor.

Dominating the awards tonight is Corrie with 16 awards, four thanks to the explosive Pat Phelan storyline seeing the villain unleash his reign of terror on the Weatherfield's residents which leads up to his murder.

Up for four awards, Connor's devious part has secured him nominations for Best Actor, Villain Of The Year, Pat Best Storyline and Best Male Dramatic Performance.

Slinky: The stunning gown featured dramatic sequin embellished straps and side panels with a keyhole cut-out on the back

Jack's brave portrayal of his character David Platt being drugged, raped and then cutting himself in deeply harrowing scenes aired on Corrie secured him an envy-inducing nomination.

The Corrie stars will face tough competition in the Best Actor category as they will come against Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley and Michael Parr as well as Hollyoaks star Theo Graham.

Corrie also have secured two stars in the Best Actress category, Lucy Fallon and Catherine Tyldesley, who will fight off Lacey Turner from EastEnders and Emma Atkins from Emmerdale as well as Hollyoaks' Anna Passey.

This Morning star Phillip Schofield returns to hosting the British Soap Awards 2018, with the television presenter handing out the award duties for a decade since 2008.

Glowing: Her blonde tresses were styled in a sleek updo with wavy strands framing her face while a rich palette of make-up accentuated her stunning features
She has one of the most celebrated physiques in the soap industry.

And Jennifer Metcalfe dressed to impress as she arrived at the British Soap Awards, Arrivals at the Hackney Empire in London on Saturday.

The mother-of-one, 35, sashayed across the red carpet in a ruffled nude gown, the pretty pleats cascaded down the floor-length gown for a flirty vibe.

Wow: Jennifer Metcalfe dressed to impress as she arrived at the British Soap Awards, Arrivals at the Hackney Empire in London on Saturday

The nude coloured number looked sensational against her skin and she clearly had fun with it as she twirled up a storm on the red carpet.

Flaunting her sensational decolletage with the number's bardot neckline, Jennifer oozed daytime glamour in the number.

She added to the whimsical vibe with a casual plait, with a few loose tendrils framing her striking features.

The mother-of-one, 35, sashayed across the red carpet in a ruffled nude gown, the pretty pleats cascaded down the floor-length gown for a flirty vibe

Pretty: The nude coloured number looked sensational against her skin and she clearly had fun with it as she twirled up a storm on the red carpet.

She's got front: Flaunting her sensational decolletage with the number's bardot neckline, Jennifer oozed daytime glamour in the number

Relying on her naturally striking features, the star sported a simple slick of make-up, focusing on rosy blusher and dewy highlighter.

Jennifer welcomed her first child Daye in June 2017 with her beau Greg Lake.

And the TV queen recently admitted to OK! magazine that she ready to return to Hollyoaks in June as her feisty character Mercedes McQueen after going on maternity leave.

Talking about her return to the popular Channel 4 soap, she added: 'Daye is ready for nursery now and his next chapter, and Im ready to have a bit of a life as well.'

Beauty: She added to the whimsical vibe with a casual plait, with a few loose tendrils framing her striking features

Stunning: Relying on her naturally striking features, the star sported a simple slick of make-up, focusing on rosy blusher and dewy highlighter

Mummy: Jennifer welcomed her first child Daye in June 2017 with her beau Greg Lake

Back with a bang! The TV queen recently admitted that she ready to return to Hollyoaks in June as her feisty character Mercedes McQueen after going on maternity leave

Meanwhile, the great and the good of the soap world have descended on The British Soap Awards 2018 hosted at Hackney Empire, in London for the biggest night of television star's calendar in the summer months.

EastEnders, Coronation Street, Doctors, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks will battle it out to see who lands Best British Soap, with all of their best stars up for nominations from Villain Of The Year to Best Actor.

This Morning star Phillip Schofield returns to hosting the British Soap Awards 2018, with the television presenter handing out the award duties for a decade since 2008.
The Bachelor 20 champ Lauren Bushnell took the plunge in a leggy look for the Shiseido #Ultimune launch dinner in Malibu on Friday night.

The 28-year-old reality star flaunted a hint of cleavage in a white polka dot $79 Lioness 'Tell Me Lies' mini-dress and periwinkle RAYE stilettos.

The Oregon-born beauty wore her flaxen locks in coiffed waves and sported fully contoured make-up for the seaside soiree where she posed with personal stylist Michelle Infusino.

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'Magic hour': The Bachelor 20 champ Lauren Bushnell took the plunge in a leggy look for the Shiseido #Ultimune launch dinner in Malibu on Friday night

Lauren and Michelle then posed by the beach balcony with fellow influencer, Dominican lifestyle blogger Doralys Britto.

Bushnell and Infusino later took a seat at the dining table beside stylist Lindsay Albanese, who was rocking $17 Zara silver hoop earrings.

Missing from the former Alaska Airlines flight attendant's side Friday was her boyfriend of nearly a year, real estate investor Devin Antin, who popped into her FabFitFun Insta-story.

The Famous in Love guest star and the 29-year-old LA native - who originally met on Tinder back in 2015 - recently launched their new company, Dear Rose, from a winery in Cotes de Provence.

Signature pose: The 28-year-old reality star flaunted a hint of cleavage in a white polka dot $79 Lioness 'Tell Me Lies' mini-dress and periwinkle RAYE stilettos

Hey girl! The Oregon-born beauty wore her flaxen locks in coiffed waves and sported fully contoured make-up for the seaside soiree where she posed with stylist Michelle Infusino (L)

Influencers: Lauren and Michelle then posed by the beach balcony with Dominican lifestyle blogger Doralys Britto (R)

Hungry? Bushnell and Infusino later took a seat at the dining table beside stylist Lindsay Albanese (R), who was rocking $17 Zara silver hoop earrings

'I do see a future with him but I want to be 1000 percent sure before I get engaged and even more sure before I get married,' Lauren - who boasts 1.4M social media followers - wrote on Instagram in October.

'And for me that takes time. I've learned a lot of things in the last couple years and this is a big one. Marriage is such a special and sacred thing that should never be rushed.'

Bushnell previously announced she was ending her very public engagement to her Bachelor fiance, software salesman Ben Higgins, on May 15 of last year.

Also enjoying the Shiseido bash by the sea was two-time Grammy nominee Christina Milian.

Popped into her FabFitFun Insta-story: Missing from the former Alaska Airlines flight attendant's side Friday was her boyfriend of nearly a year, real estate investor Devin Antin (L)

Originally met on Tinder back in 2015: The Famous in Love guest star and the 29-year-old LA native recently launched their new company, Dear Rose, from a winery in Cotes de Provence

The 36-year-old Emmy winner wore a sheer white Alice McCall dress featuring ruched sleeves as well as black Tony Bianco stilettos and House of Fine Gold jewelry earrings.

The We Are Pop Culture designer's top bun and make-up were done by her pal David Rodriguez, who accompanied her to the party.

Milian (born Flores) mingled with The 90s Girl actress Jessica Hall flashing her lacy bra beneath a sheer yellow mini-dress and nude stilettos.

Make-up artist Karen Sarahi Gonzalez showed a lot of leg in a black maxi-skirt and bustier while 'Six-Pack Mom' Sarah Stage wore an orange long-sleeved JLUXLABEL pencil dress.

Nice view: Also enjoying the Shiseido bash by the sea was two-time Grammy nominee Christina Milian

Party time: The 36-year-old Emmy winner wore a sheer white Alice McCall dress featuring ruched sleeves as well as black Tony Bianco stilettos and House of Fine Gold jewelry earrings

Smile! The We Are Pop Culture designer's top bun and make-up were done by her pal David Rodriguez, who accompanied her to the party

See-through duo: Milian (born Flores) mingled with The 90s Girl actress Jessica Hall flashing her lacy bra beneath a sheer yellow mini-dress and nude stilettos
Penelope Cruz is 44-years-old but she still looks better than most actresses half her age.

On Saturday the Oscar winner turned up the heat in a blue, black and white dress at the 11th annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New Jersey.

The brunette bombshell - who has made over 40 movies, including All The Pretty Horses, Volver and Pirates Of The Caribbean - added strapped heels and a structured purse for even more glamour.

Hot stuff in the city: Penelope Cruz is 44-years-old but she still looks better than most actresses half her age

Ole! On Saturday the Oscar winner turned up the heat in a blue, black and white dress at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New Jersey

The dress came below the knee and had fancy pirate sleeves.

And the neckline was low enough to show off her cleavage. The star had on pretty makeup and delicate jewelry.

Overall she looked more Spanish royalty than Hollywood movie star.

She's got the look: The brunette bombshell - who has made over 40 movies, including All The Pretty Horses, Volver and Pirates Of The Caribbean - added strapped heels and a structured purse for even more glamour

The Blow star looks great in anything she wears.

So it was no surprise when the 44-year-old actress stood out at the splashy event.

The Assassination Of Gianni Versace actress was fresh off a flight from Madrid, Spain as she was seen at JFK earlier.

Belle of the ball: Penelope boosted her frame in a pair of navy stiletto heels, showing off her scarlett pedicure

Classic: The Blow star looks great in anything she wears. So it was no surprise when the 44-year-old actress stood out at the splashy event

Beauty: The stunning actress beamed for the cameras at the glitzy event in New Jersey

The mother-of-two and wife of actor Javier Bardem made her way through the terminal dressed casually.

She had on a tan trench coat with big brown buttons, a form-fitting striped top, worn- in blue jeans, and tan trainers.

The Ralph Lauren model carried a large beige purse on her shoulder.

She flew in: Also at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic was British actress Sienna Miller

She has the right shades on: Sunglasses with white on the top portion looked fun

Also at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic was British actress Sienna Miller.

The 36-year-old Alfie actress - born Sienna Rose Diana Miller - chose a semi sheer white lace summer dress with frills on the collar and sleeve.

For some reason the ex of Jude Law carried a basket; it may have been her purse.

Girlie cuteness: The 36-year-old Alfie actress - Sienna Rose Diana Miller - chose a semi sheer white lace summer dress with frills on the collar and sleeve

And the American Sniper star added beige strappy heels that showed off her toned legs.

Sunglasses with white on the top portion looked fun.

The New York born star has been working this year on National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

She loves the theater: The New York born star has been working this year on National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Freida Pinto was elegant as always.

The 33-year-old actress born in Mumbai chose a lovely yellow gold color for her dress.

The design was very detailed with gathering on the chest, fluffy shoulders, tighter ribbed material on the arm then a pirate sleeve on the end.

A 10! Freida Pinto was elegant as always. The 33-year-old actress born in Mumbai chose a lovely yellow gold color for her dress

Different and good: The design was very detailed with gathering on the chest, fluffy shoulders, tighter ribbed material on the arm then a pirate sleeve on the end

A pal: The looker was seen chatting with a female friend as they held hands

The star added floral Mary Jane heels that added quite the kick.

Before beginning her film career, Pinto was engaged to Rohan Antao, who had been her publicist at one point.

She ended the relationship in January 2009 and began dating her Slumdog Millionaire co-star

A bit wild: Jenny Mollen stood out in a black top with a long skirt that had lips and a tongue all over it

Her love: And she also posed with her husband Jason Biggs of American Pie fame; he kept it interesting in a blue blazer over a black top

After a six-year relationship, the couple separated amicably in December 2014.

She is now dating a handsome man, but his name has yet to be released.

Jenny Mollen stood out in a black top with a long skirt that had lips and a tongue all over it.

More color: Blair Eadie wore a lovely green dress with lace and a floral pattern. Rachel Hilburt chose a pink dress with red flowers on it and black heels

The belt had two red stripes accenting her small waistline after welcoming a baby recently.

And she also posed with her husband Jason Biggs of American Pie fame; he kept it interesting in a blue blazer over a black top.

Blair Eadie wore a lovely green dress with lace and a floral pattern. Rachel Hilburt chose a pink dress with red flowers on it and black heels.

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic brings patrons in from all walks of life for a unique and entertaining event that has few peers around the world.

Bouncing back and forth between the Will Rogers State Historic Park in Los Angeles and the Liberty State Park in the NYC region, the Polo Classic always mixes polo with fashion.
British actress Sienna Miller looked like a fresh breath of spring air at the 11th annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New Jersey on Saturday.

The 36-year-old Alfie actress - born Sienna Rose Diana Miller - chose a semi sheer white lace summer dress with frills on the collar and sleeve.

For some reason the ex-girlfriend of Jude Law carried a basket; it may have been her purse.

She flew in: British actress Sienna Miller looked like a fresh breath of spring air at the 11th annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New Jersey on Saturday

Girlie cuteness: The 36-year-old Alfie actress - Sienna Rose Diana Miller - chose a semi sheer white lace summer dress with frills on the collar and sleeve

And the American Sniper star added beige strappy heels that showed off her toned legs.

Sunglasses with white on the top portion looked fun.

The New York born star has been working this year on National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

She has the right shades on: Sunglasses with white on the top portion looked fun

She loves the theater: The New York born star has been working this year on National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Penelope Cruz is 44-years-old but she still looks better than most actresses half her age.

On Saturday the Oscar winner turned up the heat in a blue, black and white dress at the Polo Classic.

The brunette bombshell - who has made over 40 movies, including All The Pretty Horses, Volver and Pirates Of The Caribbean - added strapped heels and a structured purse for even more glamour.

Effortless: The stunner knows that natural beauty is best. Sienna's make-up was so minimal, that it looked like she wasn't wearing anything

Easy do: The beauty's hair was styled in simple curls

Blast from the past: At one point, she wore a pair of vintage-inspired shades

Hot stuff in the city: Penelope Cruz is 44-years-old but she still looks better than most actresses half her age

Ole! On Saturday the Oscar winner turned up the heat in a blue, black and white dress

The dress came below the knee and had fancy pirate sleeves.

And the neckline was low enough to show off her cleavage. The star had on pretty makeup and delicate jewelry.

Overall she looked more Spanish royalty than Hollywood movie star.

She's got the look: The brunette bombshell - who has made over 40 movies, including All The Pretty Horses, Volver and Pirates Of The Caribbean - added strapped heels and a structured purse for even more glamour

The Blow star looks great in anything she wears.

So it was no surprise when the 44-year-old actress stood out at the splashy event.

The Assassination Of Gianni Versace actress was fresh off a flight from Madrid, Spain as she was seen at JFK earlier.

Classic: The Blow star looks great in anything she wears. So it was no surprise when the 44-year-old actress stood out at the splashy event

The mother-of-two and wife of actor Javier Bardem made her way through the terminal dressed casually.

She had on a tan trench coat with big brown buttons, a form-fitting striped top, worn- in blue jeans, and tan trainers.

The Ralph Lauren model carried a large beige purse on her shoulder.

A 10! Freida Pinto was elegant as always. The 33-year-old actress, who was born in Mumbai, chose a lovely yellow gold color for her dress

Freida Pinto was elegant as always.

The 33-year-old actress born in Mumbai chose a lovely yellow gold color for her dress.

The design was very detailed with gathering on the chest, fluffy shoulders, tighter ribbed material on the arm then a pirate sleeve on the end.

Different and good: The design was very detailed with gathering on the chest, fluffy shoulders, tighter ribbed material on the arm then a pirate sleeve on the end

A pal: The looker was seen chatting with a female friend as they held hands

The star added floral Mary Jane heels that added quite the kick.

Before beginning her film career, Pinto was engaged to Rohan Antao, who had been her publicist at one point.

She ended the relationship in January 2009 and began dating her Slumdog Millionaire co-star

A bit wild: Jenny Mollen stood out in a black top with a long skirt that had lips and a tongue all over it

Her love: And she also posed with her husband Jason Biggs of American Pie fame; he kept it interesting in a blue blazer over a black top

After a six-year relationship, the couple separated amicably in December 2014.

She is now dating a handsome man, but his name has yet to be released.

Jenny Mollen stood out in a black top with a long skirt that had lips and a tongue all over it.

More color: Blair Eadie wore a lovely green dress with lace and a floral pattern. Rachel Hilburt chose a pink dress with red flowers on it and black heels

The belt had two red stripes accenting her small waistline after welcoming a baby recently.

And she also posed with her husband Jason Biggs of American Pie fame; he kept it interesting in a blue blazer over a black top.

Blair Eadie wore a lovely green dress with lace and a floral pattern. Rachel Hilburt chose a pink dress with red flowers on it and black heels.

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic brings patrons in from all walks of life for a unique and entertaining event that has few peers around the world.

Bouncing back and forth between the Will Rogers State Historic Park in Los Angeles and the Liberty State Park in the NYC region, the Polo Classic always mixes polo with fashion.

In her summer dress: Winnie Harlow, who was discovered by America's Next Top Model host Tyra Banks on Instagram, and became one of the 14 finalists of the twenty-first cycle in 2014, had on a beige top

Feminine: The stunning blonde looked very girly in her summer-time frock

Girl group: The lovely women looked better together at the event

Joining the gals: Joining the ladies was Darren Criss, 31
She was reportedly 'too busy' with work commitments to attend her son Brody's wedding in Indonesia on Saturday.

And Caitlyn Jenner stepped out at the LIFE+ Solidarity Gala prior to the Life Ball at City Hall in Vienna, Austria on Saturday, accompanied by gal pal Sophia Hutchins, 21.

The reality star, 68, looked sensational in a floor-length scarlet gown with cold-shoulder detail which showed off her statuesque frame.

Glamorous: Caitlyn Jenner stepped out at the LIFE+ Solidarity Gala prior to the Life Ball at City Hall in Vienna, Austria on Saturday, accompanied by gal pal Sophia Hutchins, 21

The former Bruce Jenner, who revealed her transition to Caitlyn in April 2015 wore her caramel flecked brunette tresses in a wavy half-updo while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky shadow, fluttery lashes and a slick of scarlet lipstick.

Model Sophia , 21, looked stylish in a Grecian-inspired white gown which showcased her slender figure.

Her platinum tresses were styled sleek and straight while her striking features were enhanced with silver shadow, mascara and a glossy rose lip.

Sophia and Caitlyn's bond hit headlines as the pair were rumored to be a romantic relationship.

Chic: The reality star, 68, looked sensational in a floor-length scarlet gown with cold-shoulder detail which showed off her statuesque frame

Elegant: Model Sophia , 21, looked stylish in a Grecian-inspired white gown which showcased her slender figure

Newlyweds: The pair's outing comes amid claims the former Olympian was reportedly 'too busy' to attend the nuptials of her son Brody and his partner Kaitlynn Carter in Nihi Sumba in Indonesia

A source close to the star has told Heat magazine: 'Cait really sees herself spending the rest of her life with Sophia.'

'She lost her support system when she fell out with her family and these days, it feels like Sophia's the only person she can count on.'

The pair's outing comes amid claims the former Olympian was reportedly 'too busy' to attend the nuptials of her son Brody and his partner Kaitlynn Carter in Nihi Sumba in Indonesia.

Superstar: Paris Jackson flashed her many tattoos in a glittering black strapless ballgown

Happy: The daughter of late King of Pop Michael Jackson accentuated her blue eyes with feline flicks of liner

Chic: Kelly Osbourne dazzled in a showstopping tulle gown as she held hands with model Kyle Farmery

Gothic glamour; Kelly, 33, kept her make-up smoky to highlight her alabaster complexion

Wow factor: The silk gown made the most of her slender figure and tiny waist

Statement; Kelly and Kyle joined Betty Who and Markus Molinari at the event

Blonde beauties; Kelly and Betty Who struck a powerful pose on the red carpet

Glamour: Kelly held hands with Kyle as she strutted into the glittering bash

According to TMZ, Brody is 'deeply hurt' that the person formerly known as Bruce Jenner did not make the wedding.

It did not appear that half-sisters Kylie or Kendall Jenner were there either and no Kardashians attended.

But Brody has said he was very happy to walk down the aisle with the pretty blonde even if several members of his family were not there to support him.

Style queen: Israeli socialite Hofit Golan shimmered in a pearl encrusted gown

Toned; The blonde beauty flaunted her peachy posterior in the gown

Handsome: Actor Adrien Brody looked dapper in a black suit for the charity event

Powerful: Singer Patti LaBelle wowed with her powerful vocals onstage

Glamour: The star showcased her platinum blonde bob as well as her vocals

Style star: Patti wowed in a black dress with dramatic silk cape

'I'm looking forward to living the rest of my life with Kaitlynn,' Jenner told the site earlier.

'Hopefully not too much changes. But having the ring and the commitment, that's really exciting.'

The Life Ball is an annual charity event to raise money for AID/HIV organisations, with this year's event paying homage to The Sound Of Music.

The 25th Anniversary of the charitable spectacle will include Charlize Theron, Paris Jackson and Dame Shirley Bassey, who are all representatives of AIDs charities, with Paris set to receive the LIFE+ Award on behalf of godmother Elizabeth Taylor's AIDs Foundation.

Stylish: Life Ball organizor Gery Keszler and model Rebecca Mir posed up

Breathtaking: The Life Ball is an annual charity event to raise money for AID/HIV organisations, with this year's event paying homage to The Sound Of Music

Stunning: The 25th Anniversary of the charitable spectacle will include Charlize Theron, Paris Jackson and Dame Shirley Bassey, who are all representatives of AIDs charities, with Paris set to receive the LIFE+ Award on behalf of godmother Elizabeth Taylor's AIDs Foundation
Karlie Kloss and her boyfriend Joshua Kushner walked hand-in-hand through the streets of New York City on Saturday.

In what was a warm, sunny day in the Big Apple, the 25-year-old model and 32-year-old entrepreneur both looked sharp in casual chic ensembles.

The couple have been together for around five years.

Saturday stroll: On Saturday, Karlie Kloss and her boyfriend Joshua Kushner walked hand in hand through the streets of New York

Known for strutting haute couture across runways around the globe, Kloss went for a more Hampton-y vibe while making her way south of Houston.

A beautiful unbuttoned cream cardigan was placed over her shoulders as the sun's dappled reflection warmed her uncovered chest.

Interlacing her fingers with her beau's, the former Victoria's Secret Angel smiled in a grey, crosshatched dress that reached just below her knees.

She pulled her blonde tresses into a simple bun and added retro, large black sunglasses to give a classic movie star feel to her look.

The 6ft2in Chicago native opted for comfort over height as she wore black flats during the couple's romantic walk.

Hamptons chic: In what was a warm, sunny day in the Big Apple, the 25-year-old model and 32-year-old entrepreneur both looked sharp in casual chic ensembles

Kushner's laid-back approach to weekend fashion featured a light blue, button-down shirt on top of slim navy chinos.

Rolling his sleeves to mid-forearm, Ivanka Trump's brother-in-law wore black suede Oxfords and had an orange string tied around his wrist.

It was rare sighting of the couple who like to keep their love life private.

Hand in hand: Known for strutting haute couture across runways around the globe, Kloss went for a more Hampton-y vibe while making her way south of Houston

Loved up: Karlie and Josh kept close as they stomped the streets of the Big Apple

Retro: Karlie accessorized with a pair of chic retro sunglasses

In an interview with Porter magazine, Karlie discussed the reason behind her choice to keep mum on her romance with Joshua.

'It's not like I've ever wanted to be so secretive about my private life, ' she began.

'Caroline Herrera always says, "A woman who's an open book is boring." There's no mystery anymore. I know in my life what really matters to me. I'm not trying to hide that from the world; I just really like having a more private private life. I've got nothing to hide, though!'
As one of Meghan Markles few British friends, Millie Mackintosh had been expected to be among the guests at the Royal Wedding.

But the former Made In Chelsea star, 28, was not at St Georges Chapel, Windsor, to watch Meghan marry Prince Harry  and The Mail on Sunday has learned she may have been snubbed by the groom.

A source says: Harry warned Meghan off Millie. He seemed to believe she was a blabbermouth and better off out of the loop.

Turning heads: Millie Mackintosh is pictured at the Epsom Derby in Surrey on Saturday. She is rumoured to have been snubbed by Prince Harry for the Royal wedding

Source claim the Duke of Sussex (pictured) warned Meghan against Millie saying she is a 'blabbermouth'

Harry doesnt often tell Meghan what to do, but he put his foot down.

On the big day, Millie posted photos on social media of herself watching the ceremony from her sofa.

Millie met Meghan a year before she started dating Harry. The pair were later pictured together at luxury hotel Soho Farmhouse.

The Royal couple are pictured kissing on their wedding day at St George's Chapel in Windsor

Millie Mackintosh exudes elegance in a midnight blue jumpsuit and black boater hat as she enjoys a day at the races with fiance Hugo Taylor

By Charlotte Dean for MailOnline

She recently enjoyed a raucous hen do surrounded by her closest pals.

But Millie Mackintosh reunited with her fiance Hugo Taylor for a day at Epsom Derby on Saturday afternoon.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 28, showcased her style savvy ways as she slipped her slimline figure into a satin blue jumpsuit, embellished with a belt with cinched at her waist.

Upping the style ante, the star tied in her statement ensemble with a black oversized boater hat, and accentuated her height in a pair of monochrome tie-up heels.

Sleek: The blonde beauty ensured all eyes were on her striking outfit as she opted for minimal make-up, and wore her tresses in a poker straight fashion

The blonde beauty ensured all eyes were on her striking outfit as she opted for minimal make-up, and wore her tresses in a poker straight fashion.

Sunglasses designer Hugo, 32, cut a dapper figure as he sported a glossy tailored suit, tied in with a crisp white shirt and a suave navy tie.

Millie and Hugo became engaged during a romantic trip to Greece in August last year, after one year of romance.

However, the pair have known each other since they were 16 and enjoyed a fiery six-month relationship in 2011, during their time on Made In Chelsea.

Fellow E4 stars Caggie Dunlop and Rosie Fortescue are believed to be bridesmaids at the wedding, alongside her close pal Zara Martin.

Hand in hand: The former Made In Chelsea star, 28, showcased her style savvy ways as she slipped her slimline figure into a satin blue jumpsuit, embellished with a belt with cinched at her waist

Despite dating on and off for years, the star recently revealed it took maturity and a number of wrong relationships for her and Hugo to realise they could work as a couple.

She explained to The Daily Mail's YOU Magazine of their reconciliation: 'We were both older, we were both in different places. He was respectful and sensitive, and I felt completely comfortable in his company.'

Revealing that the pair share the same goals in life, she added: 'We both want children in a few years time.

'Were open to the idea of living in Los Angeles for a while and were both so happy to be together again. Hes the man I want to be married to for life.'

The couple confirmed they had reconciled their romance in May 2016, shortly after Millie's divorce from rapper Professor Green.
There is a "very high chance" former Labor leader Mark Latham will run under a Liberal Democrats banner at the next state or federal election.

Mr Latham had renounced a return to politics after quitting the Labor leadership, but Liberal Democratic senator David Leyonhjelm confirmed discussions with him were ongoing.

"There's a very high chance he'll be running for us somewhere at either a NSW or federal election, or possibly both," Senator Leyonhjelm told AAP on Saturday.

"He's also on a political journey bringing him pretty close to the position and principles of the Liberal Democrats."

Mr Latham joined the Liberal Democrats in 2017, saying at the time that he supported "80-90 per cent" of the party's platform.

He has been helping the party establish new branches, while discussing the possibility of running as a candidate with its national executive.

Senator Leyonhjelm confirmed discussions had canvassed state and federal, upper and lower house options.

"It does appear as if he is interested in returning to politics," he said.

"We've had discussions with him about where and how."

But nothing was locked in, he said, adding his party was waiting on Mr Latham to come to a decision.

On Friday, Mr Latham declined to confirm if One Nation has also asked him to replace ousted Senator Brian Burston.

"I've been approached by representatives of four different parties wanting me to run in the senate," Mr Latham told the Nine Network.

"I'm not going to be talking about private conversations."

According to Senator Leyonhjelm, Mr Latham occasionally enjoys leading on the media as "good sport".

"Mark enjoys winding up the media," Senator Leyonhjelm said.
President Tran Dai Quang (right) and Speaker of the Japanese House

of Representatives Tadamori Oshima (Source: VNA)



The President met with Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives Tadamori Oshima in Tokyo on June 1st as part of his State visit to Japan from May 29th to June 2nd.

He said the two sides should closely coordinate and support each other at regional and international forums like the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The leader applauded Japans continued support for Vietnams socio-economic development through official development assistance (ODA).

He called on the Japanese lower house to pay more attention to exchanges between ministries, agencies and localities of the two countries.

Vietnam attaches importance to the extensive strategic partnership with Japan and regards the country as a leading and long-term partner, President Quang said, expressing his hope for more comprehensive and deeper Vietnam-Japan relationship, for the sake of the two countries people, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

For his part, Oshima expressed his delight at the outstanding and practical developments of the extensive strategic partnership over the pat time, emphasising high-level visits by the two countries leaders in 2017.

He said he was impressed by Vietnams active developments during his official visit to the country in May 2017.

The House of Representatives and the House of Councilors are ready to step up exchanges between Vietnamese and Japanese parliamentarians, contributing to promoting to the extensive strategic partnership in all spheres, he said.

The Speaker pledges to do his utmost, together with the lower house, to advance the bilateral ties to a new height.

Oshima shared President Quangs views on the need to maintain visits of all-level delegations and friendly exchanges between the two legislative bodies, especially young parliamentarians, considering this a foundation to ensure political trust, helping promote bilateral links in economy, trade, investment, culture, health care, national defence and security./.
Tiger Woods insists he remains in the hunt for a sixth Memorial tournament title despite blowing a sensational charge up the leaderboard on day two at Muirfield Village.

Woods, a five-time winner at the US PGA Tour event in Columbus, Ohio, turned on a vintage display which sent the large crowds into a frenzy when he holed out for eagle with a wedge from 95 yards at the par-5 11th.

The 14-time major winner raced out to six-under but an uncharacteristic series of missed short putts, and a late bogey, left him with a 67 on a weather-interrupted second round.

At five under, Woods sits six shots off the pace at the halfway mark.

Former amateur world No.1 Joaquin Niemann (68), from Chile, and Kyle Stanley (66) top the leaderboard at 11 under, while Byeong Hun An (67) sits outright third two shots back.

Woods' iron play was razor sharp, hitting 14 of 18 greens and, with an average proximity of 19 feet from the hole, he ranks first in the field for approach play.

He was also accurate with the driver, finding nine fairways from 14.

"I had control of pretty much everything but unfortunately I just hit terrible putts, which is not something I normally do," Woods said.

For the closing rounds, Woods says he will draw on experience from his astonishing record at the Jack Nicklaus-hosted event.

He won each edition between 1999 and 2001 before adding two more titles in 2009 and 2012.

"I've always felt comfortable here," Woods said.

"If I can get it going and I can play well like this on the weekend, then I've got a great chance of winning this tournament."
A Queensland man accused of shooting another man in the neck has been charged with 22 offences.

The 27-year-old was arrested on Friday over the alleged shooting of the 41-year-old, who was found at a Toowoomba intersection around midnight on Tuesday, police said.

His alleged victim was left with non-life threatening injuries.

Among the charges the alleged shooter faces are two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm and burglary.

He is due to front Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday.
The new president of Australia's peak medical body has thrown his support behind aspirations for indigenous reform put forward at Uluru last year.

Tony Bartone, elected to lead the Australian Medical Association last week, said the Uluru Statement from the Heart contained the building blocks necessary to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous health outcomes.

"Those aspirations and recognitions really speak to a number of emotional, physical, and broader social, environmental issues that really will address, as we say, the social determinants of health," Mr Bartone told the ABC on Saturday.
A government minister has labelled as "disappointing" the Australian National University decision to dump plans to introduce a degree on 'Western civilisation'.

ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt announced on Friday he was cancelling negotiations with the Ramsay Centre, headed by former prime minister John Howard, for fears such a degree would push a narrow view of history.

"Our unis should embrace the study of the values that helped to create them and our modern society. I hope other unis resist politically correct objections & ensure this generous bequest enables study into the foundations of our society," Education Minister Simon Birmingham tweeted on Saturday.
Hundreds of wild horses will be caught and removed from alpine areas in Victoria, under a new plan that the state government says its neighbour NSW and the federal government should also get behind.

The Victorian government is planning to trap and rehome the estimated 2500 wild horses in the state's Alpine National Park, or if that's not possible, put horses down.

Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio on Saturday challenged the NSW government to support Victoria's plan, after NSW backflipped in May on a plan to cull brumbies in its alpine areas.
The Nationals have preselected 21-year-old mental health worker Yvette Quinn to take on the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party in the NSW seat of Orange.

The minor party wrestled the seat off the Nationals by a narrow margin following a by-election recount in late 2016 - the first time in almost 70 years the party lost the electorate.

NSW Nationals Leader John Barilaro on Saturday described Ms Quinn as "tenacious, hard-working and down to earth" and said she had a strong connection to the central west stretching back eight generations.
Reigning two-time World Surf League women's champion Tyler Wright has won through to the final of the Bali event and will face American Lakey Peterson.

The Australian on Saturday took down event standout Silvana Lima of Brazil in the quarter-finals, followed by fellow Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb in the semis.

"These heats were a little slow for waves so I knew there wouldn't be a lot of opportunities," Wright said.

"Wave selection was super important as you had to make everything count. I made a few mistakes in my quarter-final so definitely got lucky, but was happy to clean it all up in the semi-final. The waves are really fun so tomorrow (Sunday's final) should be a great day."

After Stephanie Gilmore was eliminated in the quarters, Australian countrywomen Sally Fitzgibbons lost in the semi-finals to Peterson.

"When I saw that Steph was out, I think I let my emotions get the best of me," Peterson said. "I was pretty aware of everything and watched her heat closely."

In the men's, Australian Mikey Wright's dream run continues in Bali. The WSL wildcard is through to the semi- finals after defeating Brazil's Willian Cardoso.

The battle started slowly but, in a thrilling finish, the lead changed multiple times. In the dying minute, Cardoso was in a commanding position, with Wright needing an 8.36 when a set wave approached.

It seemed like Wright was too deep when he took off into the tube, but he came flying out a few seconds later and finished the wave with a series of power gouges. The wait for the score was intense, Wright was with sister Tyler when the score was announced and they celebrated Mikey winning by only 0.07 of a point.

"That was a really tough heat against Willian, he was surfing so good," Wright said. "It felt like a really long time waiting for that score to come. I was on the beach, but was so relieved when it came through. The waves have been so good and there's been so much good surfing in this event, I can't really believe I'm in the semis."

Tahitian Michel Bourez reached the last four by holding off high flying rookie Griffin Colapinto of the US to set up a showdown with Wright.

In the other semi, Jordy Smith will take on Brazil's Italo Ferreira.
Australia's largest contemporary art gallery will be built in Melbourne in a transformation of the city's arts precinct.

National Gallery of Victoria Contemporary will be a stand-alone gallery, built on the Carlton and United Breweries site on Southbank Boulevard.

Melbourne's entire arts precinct will also be redeveloped under the project, with 18,000 square metres of new and renewed public space, upgrades to the Arts Centre Melbourne, an Australian Performing Arts Gallery, expanded Australian Music Vault and education and research facilities.

The Andrews government will put in $208 million over two years to kickstart the planning and enable NGV and Arts Centre Melbourne to begin raising philanthropic funds.

"This once-in-a-generation redevelopment of Southbank and the arts precinct will create thousands of jobs and attract millions of visitors from across Victoria, Australia and the world," Premier Daniel Andrews said in a statement.

"It's a game-changer for our city that will cement Melbourne as the cultural capital of Australia."
A NSW man is due to face court after allegedly stabbing his grandmother to death and badly injuring his grandfather on the state's south coast.

The 20-year-old is accused of carrying out the attack at the couple's Bega home on Friday afternoon before stealing their car and then carjacking another vehicle during his getaway.

He allegedly bashed that car's 55-year-old driver with a hammer, leaving him in a critical condition.

The man's 71-year-old grandfather managed to escape onto the street outside and flag down a passing driver for help, however his 69-year-old wife later died at South East Regional Hospital.

The Daily Telegraph has reported the grandfather, who was flown to Canberra Hospital, told police his grandson was schizophrenic.

However Inspector Sue Charman-Horton wouldn't be drawn on the possibility mental health issues or drugs drove the attack, only going so far as to describe the man as "unwell" and saying he "certainly needed to be looked at".

Police charged the man with one count of murder and two counts of wound with intent to murder on Saturday night.

He was refused bail ahead of an expected appearance at Batemans Bay Local Court on Sunday.

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Indigenous elders, leaders and performers will gather to celebrate the 26th anniversary of the historic Mabo decision.

On June 3, 1992, the High Court ruled that Australia was not terra nullius, land belonging to no one, when Europeans arrived, resulting in the creation of native title law.

It was formal recognition that indigenous people had lived in Australia for thousands of years and had rights to their land, laws and customs.

The fight for ownership began in May 1982 led by Eddie Koiki Mabo, who died six months before the High Court decision.

Sunday marks 26 years since the court's final decision and in Brisbane, celebrations and performances will be held at Buyapa Park in West End as part of wider Reconciliation Week events.
US Secretary of Defence James Mattis (R) and Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich

(Source: qdnd.vn)



He made the proposals at a meeting with Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich on the sidelines of the 17th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 1st.

The US is taking into account the transfer of jet trainers and other equipment to Vietnam, the US officer said.

He used the occasion to thank Vietnam for hosting aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the central city of Da Nang last March.

The minister noted that the US welcomed Vietnams voice in the region and the world, and backs the countrys assumption of the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020.

He also appreciated Vietnams participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

The ministers highlighted practical outcomes of the Vietnam-US cooperation over the past time, saying these have matched the bilateral comprehensive partnership, contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world as well.

They agreed to continue existing cooperative realms in line with signed agreements, prioritising the settlement of war consequences, while maintaining dialogue mechanisms and high-level delegation exchanges.

Lich welcomed the USs continued coordination to soon kick-start the project on dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa airport as well as the countrys support for Vietnam to deploy the level-2 field hospital and a military engineering unit to a UN peacekeeping mission.

The Shangri-La Dialogue 2018 is set to last from June 1st-3rd in Singapore with the participation of defence ministers and officials from 50 countries worldwide and representatives from international organisations.

Mattis will deliver a speech on the US leadership in the Indo-Pacific region. Apart from the DPRK issue, Mattis will speak of the USs viewpoints on an array of regional matters.

Meanwhile, Lich is expected to address the third plenary session, focusing on changing security order in Asia.

Vietnam has been invited to attend the dialogue since the first editions.

This is the fourth time a Vietnamese Defence Minister has participated in the event, reflecting the countrys goodwill and wish to promote friendship and cooperation, and share experience with other countries in resolving common security challenges, thus building trust as a foundation to enhance cooperation for peace and development.

This is a good opportunity for Vietnam to voice its views on regional security issues relating to national legitimate interests, towards peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea./.
The historic Mabo decision will be celebrated at Melbourne's Federation Square, capping off Reconciliation Week.

In Mabo v Queensland, Meriam man Eddie Koiki Mabo challenged the notion of 'Terra Nullius' that Australia was a 'land belonging to no one', in the High Court of Australia.

His victory and the resulting decision recognised native title rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia for the first time since colonisation.

On June 3, 1992, it was ruled that the Meriam people of the Murray Islands were entitled to the possession, occupation, use and end enjoyment of the islands, setting a precedent for native title cases throughout Australia.

Mabo Day on Sunday will be celebrated at Federation Square with a family-friendly concert featuring performances by the acclaimed Torres Strait Islander dance troupe Gerib Sik, as well as live music from Luke Captain, Monica Weightman and Black Sistaz.
A bond forged 17 years ago has made rookie Andrew McCullough the "perfect" replacement for ex-Queensland skipper Cameron Smith as the new Maroons hooker.

When Queensland officially begins life without greats Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk in Wednesday's State of Origin opener, Brisbane rake McCullough faces possibly the most ominous task.

He has been handed the Queensland No.9 jersey left by record 42 Origin great Smith, who recently joined Thurston and Cronk in representative retirement.

It ended a decade-long wait for an Origin nod for McCullough, a veteran of 224 NRL games.

However, halfback Ben Hunt said his close friendship with McCullough, first forged when they were schoolboys in 2001, would help his mate step up in No.9 and make the new-look Maroons spine click.

In the absence of their Big Three, Hunt makes his Maroons No.7 debut combining with one-game pivot Cameron Munster in a spine that features rookie McCullough at nine and veteran fullback Billy Slater again calling the shots from the back.

Hunt and McCullough will play in a Queensland side together for the first time since the 2002 Maroons under-12 side but were rarely seen apart during their Broncos days.

Hunt enjoyed nine seasons at Brisbane with his close friend McCullough, some of it as flatmates, before leaving for a lucrative St George Illawarra move in 2018.

"The friendship (with McCullough) is extremely important (for the spine to work)," Hunt said.

"It's not just the mateship, it's the the bond we have together playing at club level for such a long time.

"It makes it easier for us both coming in as rookies kind of and be able to click pretty quick (for Queensland)."

Maroons prop Jarrod Wallace said McCullough looked like a "perfect" replacement for Smith at their Gold Coast training camp.

""It's like he has been here for 10 years," Wallace said of the 28-year-old McCullough.

"He is the perfect fit for Smithy."

Hunt is also feeling the heat as he takes over the No.7 reins from Cronk.

Maroons back-rower Gavin Cooper backed Hunt and McCullough to make a name for themselves on Wednesday night.

"Everyone keeps talking about big shoes to fill for Ben, same with Macca (McCullough)," Cooper said.

"Macca has come in to do his best impression of himself, he's not out here to be Cameron Smith.

"No one's going to be another Cameron Smith or Cooper Cronk.

"Those boys are out there on their own merit and they will do just fine."
A man has slammed a glass door on a NSW police officer's hands, causing severe injuries.

The constable was with officers who arrived at a home in Carlton, in Sydney's south, on Saturday night to arrest a man on an unrelated matter. Another man at the home then allegedly slammed a glass door on the hands of the constable, who standing in the doorway, shattering the glass panels and severely cutting the officer's fingertips and palms.

The constable was taken to hospital and will be off duty for some time as a result of his injuries. A 51-year-old man was charged with reckless wounding and hindering police. He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.
Two men have been stabbed and 12 people, most of them believed to be teenagers, have been arrested following a brawl outside a party in a Sydney suburb overnight.

Officers responding to reports of a brawl in Quakers Hill on Saturday night found two men had been stabbed. A 23-year-old suffered a non-life threatening wound under his arm while a 24-year-old had been stabbed in his torso and back. They are in stable condition in hospital.

Two adults and 10 juveniles were arrested at the scene and are being interviewed. Investigations are continuing and police are appealing for witnesses.
Trucks will be given more time to get through green traffic lights across Sydney under a NSW government trial set to ease congestion.

Wireless technology installed on trucks and about 100 intersections on important freight routes will allow the traffic signals and trucks to "talk" with each other to give trucks priority at lights, NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey said.

More than 100 heavy vehicles are involved in the trial, which extends the green light timing to allow trucks to cross the intersection, reducing the number of times they stop at lights.

"Heavy vehicles take a long time to stop and start, which can cause delays for all road users," Ms Pavey said in a statement on Sunday.

"This trial will detect a heavy vehicle approaching traffic lights and provide more green time, which will hopefully show us how we can ease delays for all motorists."

The trial will run for three months and if successful, the government will consider expanding the technology to emergency vehicles and buses.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis described Beijing's military build-up in the South China Sea as 'intimidation and coercion'

China's military build-up in the South China Sea and its deployment of high-end weapons systems in the disputed waters is designed to intimidate and coerce neighbours, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday.

His broadside at a security summit in Singapore drew a sharp rebuke from a Chinese general, who lashed out at "irresponsible comments" on the contested sea and insisted Bejing was simply defending its territory.

Speaking just 10 days before President Donald Trump is due to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Mattis also said the US military continues to support diplomats pushing for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Beijing has deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities, Mattis said.

China has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue.

He also blasted Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea.

But Chinese Lieutenant General He Lei issued a fiery response, telling the summit that "irresponsible comments from other nations cannot be accepted".

"As long as it is on your own territory you can deploy the army and you can deploy weapons," he said.

"It is for the sake of defending ourselves," he added, and warned Beijing would take "firm measures" if other countries sent ships and aircraft close to what it considers its islands in the South China Sea.

China claims almost the entire resource-rich sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

- Tariffs on close allies -

Mattis's address in Singapore returned to a theme that he and other senior US officials have hammered home since Trump took office -- that America is here to stay in the Asia-Pacific region and that allies should stick with Washington instead of aligning with Beijing.

But the message might be a tougher sell for Mattis, who is generally popular on the international scene, after his boss this week imposed metals tariffs on some of America's closest allies in the name of "national security".

Mattis said the US remains committed to the 'complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation' of the Korean peninsula

Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin asked Mattis whether he thought it was unproductive for Trump to pick fights with allies on trade.

"Certainly we have had some unusual approaches, I'll be candid with you," Mattis replied.

"But I'm reminded that so long as nations continue dialogue, so long as they continue to listen to one another and to pay respect to one another, nothing is over based on one decision, one day."

In a dig at China, which the Pentagon has accused of using "predatory" economics to exploit neighbours, Mattis said the US supports the peaceful resolution of disputes, "free, fair and reciprocal trade and investment" and adherence to international rules and norms.

Despite frequent warnings from Washington about China's rising might and the pitfalls of its "Belt and Road" global infrastructure initiative, Beijing has faced few consequences for its South China Sea build-up and sweeping territorial claims.

One modest exception came last week when the Pentagon disinvited China from biennial maritime exercises in the Pacific. Mattis characterised this action as an "initial response".

But "there are much larger consequences in the future when nations lose the rapport of their neighbours", he warned.

"They believe that piling mountainous debts on their neighbours and somehow removing the freedom of political action is the way to engage them. Eventually these things do not pay off."

Delegates hoping for clarity on Trump's intentions for a scheduled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim did not get much from Mattis, though he said the issue of the permanent deployment of about 28,5000 US troops in South Korea will not be "on the table".

Mattis has tried to avoid weighing in on the summit, deferring questions to the State Department and Trump's national security team.

"On the Korean peninsula, we hold the line with our allies, supporting our diplomats who lead this effort," Mattis said.

"Our objective remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."
US President Donald Trump (C) and North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol (L) pose for photographs at the White House on June 1, 2018

After a burst of hectic diplomacy, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un's nuclear summit is on course to go ahead -- but if it is to live up to the hype, both sides will need to make difficult concessions.

In what would be the first breakthrough in the fraught process, North Korea and the United States may sign a peace deal that could pave the way for a cautious thaw in ties.

"Can you believe that we're talking about the ending of the Korean War?" Trump asked rhetorically, marveling at his own diplomatic audacity.

The two countries have been technically at war for decades, even if their conflict was frozen by an armistice 65 years ago.

But what Washington is really seeking is the North's nuclear disarmament.

Pyongyang, however, has long insisted on becoming a respected nuclear state and -- while it may have suspended nuclear and missile tests -- surrendering its bombs is off the table.

So how can the circle be squared? How can the two parties arrive at what Washington says must be the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearization of the Korean peninsula?

Many are skeptical.

"We'll know right away if it's a failure," Center for Strategic and International Studies analyst Boris Toucas told AFP.

"For example, if Kim won't give written guarantees on denuclearization or if there's just a declaration of good intent without a roadmap."

The summit would be a challenge for the most seasoned diplomats and just last year neophyte statesman Trump was mocking Kim as "Little Rocket Man," while the young autocrat sneered at the "mentally deranged dotard."

- Man in a hurry -

The stakes have been raised still further by the accelerated timeframe. Trump may have conceded there will be no grand deal at the first meeting, but he wants a win before his first term ends in 2021.

North Korean leaders have been seeking face-to-face talks with a sitting US president for a quarter of a century, but Trump only agreed to meet Kim in March and now seems to be in a hurry.

So much of a hurry, in fact, that many in Washington worry he will naively make concessions without securing the North Korean arsenal.

But the cynics were also cheered that Trump now publicly accepts that the meeting is probably only the start of the process, and some former officials think some progress can be made.

Ambassador Joseph Yun was the US special representative for North Korea until days before Trump accepted the summit invitation, and is a veteran of backchannel talks.

He said that if the summit is to count as a success, both sides will have to make rapid concessions to build trust before a longer process leading to eventual disarmament and normalization can begin.

"The basic proposition that the United States is trying to tell North Korea is: 'You are safer without nuclear weapons than with nuclear weapons,'" said Yun, now an advisor at the US Institute of Peace.

North Korean leaders have long assumed the opposite: Only with weapons can they secure the Kim dynasty's survival and become a respected nuclear power like India, at the diplomatic top table.

But certain security guarantees may convince Kim to follow the diplomatic path after the summit.

"One, I believe in this particular instance would require what I call an 'end of war declaration,' that the Korean War, which technically ended with an armistice in 1953, is over," Yun said.

"Then you would require to have that, in effect, a peace treaty negotiation. And then, of course, along with that you need diplomatic normalization. So you can see it's a long drawn out process."

If the United States agrees to begin -- as Trump appeared to suggest it might -- peace talks to end the war and to open a diplomatic liaison office in Pyongyang, Kim might see the talks as useful.

Frank Aum, a former top advisor on North Korea to US defense secretaries and now also an expert at USIP, said Kim will have military demands.

For Pyongyang, "denuclearization" means not just surrendering its own bombs, but banning US strategic assets like F-22 stealth fighters, B1 bombers and carrier battle groups from its region.

But what must Kim give up in return?

"North Korea is probably ready to say that at the end of the day that they are ready to completely denuclearize, but there will be a comma and a fine print," Yun said.

Trump, who prides himself as a dealmaker, will have to negotiate this fine print so that Kim cannot delay indefinitely while international economic and diplomatic sanctions start to fray.

Kim, Yun said, should immediately put into writing what he has already agreed to do: halt his provocative tests of long-range missiles and nuclear devices.

He should also allow international inspections of his declared nuclear sites such as Yongbyon and -- crucially -- reveal his other, secret sites to make clear the scale of the disarmament task.

- Eventual disarmament -

Only then could US negotiators begin to judge whether the North Korean leader is serious about his eventual disarmament -- and US intelligence reportedly does not believe he ever will be.

For Yun, Kim's seriousness and the relative success of Singapore talks will only be confirmed "if there are deliverables that are concrete and quick, and that is clearly what our side will be looking for."

Experts worry that North Korean foot-dragging, encouraged by a China and Russia that have warned against precipitating the process, could prove intolerable to the Trump administration.

"Clearly, North Korea is looking at a phased process. China and Russia also agree," Aum told reporters.

"The US, on the other hand, wants to have an accelerated process that provides many of the denuclearization processes up front and then South Korea is in the middle."

Siegfried Hecker of Stanford University, who once ran the US atomic lab in Los Alamos, has said that from a technical point of view alone, verifiable disarmament could take 15 years.

Yun and Aum said interim concessions from both sides could get the process started within a year, but if it collapses, Kim may be happy to cut his losses and enjoy a technical win.

"The summit itself is already an enormous concession from Trump. It gives Kim enormous legitimacy on the international and domestic plane, even if in the end it fails," Toucas told AFP.
An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of "the business of war" garnered thousands of signatures, and some workers reportedly quit to protest a collaboration with the military

Google workers on Friday got word that the internet titan will retreat from a deal to help the US military use artificial intelligence to analyze drone video following an outcry from staff, according to reports.

The collaboration with the US Department of Defense was said to have sparked rebellion inside the California-based company.

An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of "the business of war" garnered thousands of signatures, and some workers reportedly quit to protest a collaboration with the military.

The New York Times and tech news website Gizmodo cited unnamed sources as saying that a Google's cloud team executive announced told employees on Friday that the company would not seek to renew the controversial contract after it expires next year.

The contract was reported to be worth less than $10 million to Google, but was thought to have potential to lead to more lucrative technology collaborations with the military.

Google did not respond to a request for comment.

Google has remained mum about Project Maven, which reportedly uses machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos for the Defense Department.

"We believe that Google should not be in the business of war," the employee petition reads, according to copies posted online.

"Therefore, we ask that Project Maven be cancelled, and that Google draft, publicize and enforce a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology."

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, an internet rights group, and the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) were among those who have weighed in with support.

"As military commanders come to see the object recognition algorithms as reliable, it will be tempting to attenuate or even remove human review and oversight for these systems," ICRAC said in an open letter.

"We are then just a short step away from authorizing autonomous drones to kill automatically, without human supervision or meaningful human control."

Google has gone on the record saying that its work to improve machines' ability to recognize objects is not for offensive uses.

The EFF and others stressed the need for moral and ethical frameworks regarding the use of artificial intelligence in weaponry.

"The use of AI in weapons systems is a crucially important topic and one that deserves an international public discussion and likely some international agreements to ensure global safety," the EFF said in a blog post on the topic.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman has spearheaded a string of policy changes in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia, including reinstating cinemas and allowing women to drive

Saudi Arabia announced another cabinet reshuffle Saturday with a heavy focus on culture and religion, as the kingdom undergoes a major image overhaul.

This is the second significant government change since the appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, son of the king, as heir to the region's most powerful throne.

The crown prince serves as deputy prime minister under his father, King Salman.

State news agency SPA announced King Salman had replaced the country's labour and Islamic affairs ministers -- and named a prince linked to the purchase of a Leonardo da Vinci painting of Jesus as culture minister.

Saudi Arabia for decades has combined its culture and information ministries.

The decree announced the culture ministry was now a separate entity under Prince Badr bin Abdullah, the man named by the New York Times as the mystery buyer of Da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi" for a record-breaking $450 million at auction last year.

The Wall Street Journal later reported that he was acting on behalf of Prince Mohammed. The Louvre Abu Dhabi has said the religious painting was "acquired" by the Emirati authorities and would be put on display there.

Non-Muslim worship is banned in Saudi Arabia, but the kingdom has hosted high-ranking Christian clerics in recent months, notably from Lebanon and France.

In April, the Vatican signed a memorandum for a meeting with Saudi officials every three years.

Ahmed bin Suleiman al-Rajhi, an engineer and private sector businessman, was on Saturday named labour and social development minister. Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh was named the new Islamic affairs minister.

Prince Mohammed, who has steadily consolidated his grip on power since sidelining his cousin as crown prince last June, has spearheaded a string of policy changes in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia, including reinstating cinemas and allowing women to drive.

Often referred to by his initials, MBS, the prince pledged a "moderate, open" Saudi Arabia in a televised keynote speech in October, telling international investors his country wanted "to live a normal life."

Saudi Arabia has been dominated by a harsh strain of conservative Islam since the 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque of Mecca by around 400 extremists, a reaction against what they saw as Saudi society's plunge into immorality with entertainment, including cinema and television, and women taking jobs.

A bloody military assault dislodged them two weeks later, leaving scores dead on both sides. Their influence, however, has remained.

Over the past year, Prince Mohammed has steered a modernisation campaign that aims to sell the country to foreign audiences and investors, with hundreds of billions of dollars pledged to projects that will boost tourism and entertainment.

On Friday, the crown prince earned a warning from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the jihadist group's Yemen-based branch, over his "sinful projects", which AQAP said included a WWE wrestling event hosted by the kingdom in April.

Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy, will welcome millions of Muslim faithful on their annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Islam's holiest city, come August.

The kingdom on Saturday announced it had set up a royal commission for Mecca, to be chaired by Prince Mohammed. No further details were made available.

The cabinet reshuffle comes as many activists remain behind bars, after at least 11 of them were detained last month.

They have been identified by rights groups as mostly veteran women campaigners for the right to drive -- and to end Saudi's male guardianship system, under which women must still secure the approval of their fathers, brothers or husbands to travel or study.

At least four activists have been released, according to Amnesty International. The fate of the others remains unclear.

Prince Mohammed is also seen as the driving force behind the detention of 200 royals and businessmen at the Ritz Carlton in November in what the government said was a crackdown on corruption.

Most have since been released, after reaching settlements with the state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on May 6, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Europe Monday to push his uncompromising stance on Iran to leaders eager to salvage the nuclear agreement after the United States withdrew.

Netanyahu, a fierce opponent of the agreement and the Iranian regime, will meet in turn with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Germany, France and the United Kingdom are three of the signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between world powers and Iran, aimed at keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The European leaders have been scrambling to preserve the landmark deal after slamming President Donald Trump's May 8 decision to withdraw.

The fallout from America rejecting the accord is likely to dominate the talks, with Netanyahu expected to firmly oppose European efforts to sustain it.

"I will discuss with them ways to block Iran's nuclear aspirations and Iran's expansion in the Middle East," Netanyahu said on Monday of his European meetings, noting the issues were "crucial to Israel's security".

After years lobbying against the 2015 deal, the decision by close ally Trump to ditch the accord has been greeted as a major triumph by Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader has brushed aside European insistence that the agreement is the best option to prevent Tehran getting the bomb, claiming that it in fact brought Tehran closer to becoming a nuclear power.

He also argues that a cash influx into Iran following the lifting of international sanctions as part of the accord has fuelled the expansion of Tehran's military influence in the region, especially in neighbouring Syria.

-'No alternative'-

But while the US retreat from the deal is a personal victory for Netanyahu, it also represents a leap into the unknown for Israel and the broader Middle East.

French President Emmanuel Macron (L), British Prime Minister Theresa May (C) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel speak following a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of an EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on May 17, 2018

While foes Iran and Israel have been kept at bay for decades, an unprecedented May 10 escalation in Syria that saw Israel bomb alleged Iranian targets after blaming Tehran for a rocket barrage, has sparked fears of open war.

"An Iranian departure from southern Syria alone will not suffice," Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

"The long-range missiles that Iran is working to station in Syria will endanger us even beyond the range of several kilometres from southern Syria; therefore, Iran needs to leave Syria altogether."

The Europeans have acknowledged concerns over Iran's regional role and its ballistic activities, but sought to maintain the JCPOA while creating a separate arrangement on these issues.

Contrary to what the US and Israel say, Europe insists the 2015 agreement works and Iran has abided by it.

"There is no alternative," the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday.

Merkel, May and Macron are still waiting for the Israelis and Americans to present another way to curb Iran's nuclear programme, but are under no illusions it will happen in next week's meetings, according to a European diplomat.

Divided on other issues, the Europeans have emphasised their cohesion on the JCPOA, fearing that ripping it up could benefit hardliners in Iran and push Tehran to resume large-scale uranium enrichment.

If that happens, the fear is it will once again make striking Iran a real option for Israel.

On Thursday, a former Mossad chief said that in 2011 Netanyahu had ordered him and the military chief of staff to prepare an attack on Iran within 15 days.

According to Tamir Pardo's interview on the Uvda television programme, such a directive could either mean "he really means it", or be a means to deliver a message, for example to the US, and perhaps drive it to take action.

Other major issues look set to be left on the sidelines in the talks with European leaders.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the spotlight after the worst military flare-up in Gaza since a 2014 war raised fears this week of yet another full-blown conflict in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave.

The exchange of fire came after scores of Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops during protests and clashes along the Gaza border.

But along with other subjects, such as bilateral relations or the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, it will likely remain overshadowed by Iran.

Expectations of any progress on the conflict with the Palestinians are low.

Peace prospects remain as distant as ever and the diplomatic process in limbo as the sides wait for a plan long promised by the Trump administration.
Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. To Lam (L) and Hachiro Okonogi,

Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission of Japan (Photo: VNA)



The consensus was reached at a meeting between Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. To Lam and Hachiro Okonogi, Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission of Japan, which took place on the sidelines of President Tran Dai Quangs state visit to the East Asian country.

The two sides reviewed Vietnam-Japan cooperation in law enforcement, noting that the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security had sustained regular links with relevant Japanese agencies.

Since 2013, Vietnam and Japan have taken turns holding five deputy ministerial-level security dialogues, creating an effective cooperative channel and contributing to the growth of the bilateral ties.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Japanese National Public Safety Commission have cooperated in different fields such as exchanging information, dealing with regional security, investigating transnational crimes, and ensuring safety for citizens of both nations.

The same day, Minister To Lam had a working session with Shunichi Kuryu, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency of Japan.

They discussed a training project between the two agencies to enhance capacity in ensuring cyber security and preventing crimes.

The officials also touched on increasing the exchange of experts in specific areas in the coming time to maintain national security and social order and safety in both countries./.
US director and producer Brian De Palma says he plans to tackle the story of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein

"Scarface" director Brian De Palma is to tackle the story of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood legend told AFP.

The maker of "Carrie" and "The Untouchables" said he was toying with the idea of dealing with Weinstein and the #MeToo movement the Hollywood producer unleashed after claims that he had raped and abused a string of actresses over the years.

"I have been following it very closely because I know a lot of the people involved," De Palma told AFP in Paris, where he has just published his first novel in French.

"This has inspired an idea for another book," he added.

"As a director you have to get actors' confidence and their love in order to be able to use their instrument in your movie. And to violate it on any level is just to me the worst thing you can do, just because of your gluttony or your lust," the 77-year-old said.

"I've heard stories over the years" about abuse and casting couches, the veteran filmmaker added. "I always reacted very strongly to anybody that was doing such things. And of course, you would hear stories about the most notorious people."

De Palma says he is writing a fictional script based on Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, charged with rape and sex crimes in New York.

De Palma said later that he was writing a script based on the scandal, "although my character will not be called Harvey Weinstein."

"But it is a horror film, with a sexual aggressor, and the story will take place within the film industry," he told the French daily, the Parisien.

De Palma defended his treatment of women characters in his films, arguing that the violence they faced was necessary for the stories to work.

- Is the male gaze over? -

"I would get that question year after year, and I would always give the same answer," he told AFP. "But fortunately Quentin Tarantino took over that problem. They started asking him that question and they forgot about me, thank God.

"I was accused of putting women in jeopardy and I said this is a suspense movie. A woman presents a more vulnerable creature. To me it was just part of the genre, and I never thought it was anything sexist," said the maker of the first "Mission: Impossible" film.

"I like women characters," said the director, whose has co-written his first novel with his wife, journalist Susan Lehman.

The Hitchcockian thriller "Les serpents sont-ils necessaires?" (Are Snakes Necessary?) has been published in French before it comes out in English.

De Palma said Hitchcock's film "Vertigo" was central to making him a film director. "I saw it in 1958 and it haunted me for the rest of my career," he told AFP.

Lehman, a former New York Times reporter, said the book brings the Hitchcockian chiller into the post-#MeToo age.

"Brian has a particular sort of macho sensibility, and I thought it would be interesting to see what happens if a sort of a feminine streak got injected into that," she said.

"What happens here is women take things into their own hands. And the men who are creepy and crude at best get what they deserve."

De Palma said the #MeToo movement was not just changing the pay and working conditions of women in Hollywood, but it could also fundamentally change what movies are about.

"It will be interesting to see when women start controlling the aesthetic what is going to happen. It would be interesting to see if their gaze is so much different than ours. Because a lot of movies are about the male gaze, what the male sees."

De Palma said he has just finished his latest film "Domino", a thriller set in Denmark with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Carice van Houten of "Game of Thrones" fame, and is planning his next -- another murder story -- "Sweet Vengeance", which will be shot in Uruguay.
People in China are using the power of hashtag campaigns to denounce attacks on gays and lesbians

When two women wearing rainbow badges were beaten up by security guards in an arty part of Beijing last month, social media users quickly jumped in to fight their corner.

China's LGBT community may not get much support from authorities, but in a sign of growing tolerance in Chinese society, people are using the power of hashtag campaigns to denounce attacks on gays and lesbians.

The two women were walking in Beijing's trendy "798" district days before the May 17 International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia when they were suddenly surrounded and beaten by a group of black-clad security guards.

A video showing one of the women being knocked to the ground went viral online under the hashtag #798beating, with users expressing their outrage over the violence.

Days later, the security company apologised to the women and promised to dismiss three guards, according to prominent activist Lu Pin.

The public shaming and subsequent apology came weeks after China's popular Weibo microblogging platform faced intense criticism for censoring gay content, with the hashtag #IamGay viewed 240 million times.

Weibo reversed course within days -- an unusual concession for the social network.

And in another incident that caused an online storm, a man in the southwestern city of Chengdu said his boss had punched his mother and used a homophobic slur against him after she had confronted the executive for sacking her son.

The groundswell of public support for the LGBT community may have alarmed Chinese Communist Party authorities, said Australian National University criminologist Borge Bakken.

"President Xi Jinping's regime is very nervous about everything. So they are cracking down on LGBT events, not particularly because these people are gay, but because they see their organising as a potential threat," the China specialist told AFP.

- Low-key -

In May, the Canadian embassy in Beijing flew two large rainbow flags in solidarity with the global LGBT rights movement.

Many gay rights activists remain optimistic that things will only get better for them in China

But outside diplomatic property, displaying the banner is not so easy in a country where homosexuality was still considered a crime 21 years ago and a mental illness until 2001.

Some groups have kept gay-themed events low-key until the government's position on LGBT organising becomes clearer.

Only about a dozen advocates met to mark the anti-homophobia awareness day on May 17 at a restaurant in Beijing, where they took pictures holding rainbow stickers and shared them online.

Earlier that day, Li Maizi, a prominent rights activist, said she was simply walking with rainbow stickers on her cheeks -- also in the 798 art zone -- when two security guards began to follow her.

"They only backed away when I looked one in the eye and asked if there was a problem," she told AFP.

Despite these recent controversies, Charlene Liu, founder of Shanghai Pride -- a public event taking place for the 10th year in a row in June -- was relatively upbeat.

"We are going to continue things like creating awareness in a peaceful manner, really showing people we are here, we exist," Liu told AFP.

"We are like normal people, we are like everyone else."

Liu said it was not clear whether gay people have been facing a greater number of attacks, but more people were using smartphones to record and post incidents online.

"Social media has come such a long way," Liu said.

"We might see it as an increase in these incidences, but we don't really have any data to show or to prove this."

- 'Foreign forces' -

Wuhan University students in central China shared screenshots on social media last month showing administrators warning them not to participate in an event to promote LGBT tolerance by wearing rainbow flags because of the activity's ties to "foreign forces".

A broadcaster that had the television rights to the Eurovision song contest in China blurred out flags being waved during the show and cut out a gay-themed performance. Gay content is forbidden on online streaming platforms.

Yet many gay rights activists remain optimistic that things will only get better for them in China.

"Since the 1990s, young people increasingly have generally higher acceptance of LGBT people," said Duan, media director of the Beijing LGBT Centre, who only goes by one name.

"The visibility of LGBT people is also getting higher and higher. In recent years, there are many activities held in various places."

In a sign of more official tolerance, Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily posted an essay promoting LGBT acceptance to its official Weibo account in response to the censorship debate.

The state-run China Social Assistance Foundation may also soon approve its first dedicated fund for LGBT groups, as long as they stay away from "foreign forces".

"This way, Chinese LGBT groups will enjoy more autonomy from foreign funds, and can function more effectively," the fund's organiser, Ah Qiang, told the Global Times.
One of the biggest drags on the country's balance sheet is national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines

The International Monetary Fund announced the release of the latest instalment of Sri Lanka's $1.5 billion bailout on Saturday, but warned that restructuring the loss-making national airline was essential to sustain economic recovery.

The IMF welcomed the island nation's increase in fuel prices last month -- a precondition for it to receive $252 million of the three-year loan approved in June 2016.

Sri Lanka's economy has been on the mend since the IMF bailout, but growth in 2017 was more sluggish than expected and at 3.1 percent was the slowest in 16 years.

The release of the latest tranche of the loan had been held up pending the government agreeing to raise fuel prices to recover production costs and do away with subsidies.

The IMF said the price hike by state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, in some cases by as much as 130 percent, was a "major achievement" that would reduce fiscal risk.

The price of kerosene oil, widely used in rural Sri Lanka for cooking and in lamps, was also more than doubled last month, while gasoline prices increased by just under 15 percent.

The IMF said Sri Lanka should also implement a pricing policy for electricity, which is currently subsidised for households and small businesses.

"It is essential for the authorities to implement an automatic pricing formula for electricity and a restructuring plan for Sri Lankan Airlines," IMF's Deputy Managing Director Mitsuhiro Furusawa said in a statement.

One of the biggest drags on the country's balance sheet is national carrier Sri Lankan, which has accumulated losses and debts of over $2 billion and is a huge burden on taxpayers.

The government has failed to privatise the airline due to a lukewarm response from investors while an attempt to find an international partner to revive it has also failed.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's real estate sector has been expanding rapidly -- raising concerns of a bubble -- and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has said the sector is under close watch to prevent fallout for banks.

"While financial soundness indicators remain stable, continued credit growth in the real estate sector warrants close monitoring," said Furusawa.
A prospective voter (left) checks her registration details with Zimbabwe Election Commission officials ahead of key polls, including for president, in July

Padded out with babies, dead people and phantom voters, Zimbabwe's electoral roll has long been a contentious feature of its elections and is accused of being the rotten core of vote rigging.

The list of voters eligible to cast ballots in elections due on July 30 will be a major focus for foreign observers deployed to the country in an effort to ensure the vote's credibility.

In previous ballots, manipulating the voter roll has been one of the strategies used to fix results.

In 2013, observer group Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network described the voter roll that was the basis of former president Robert Mugabe's final election victory -- a 61 percent landslide -- as "a systematic effort to disenfranchise" voters.

They estimated that around one million electors had been robbed of their political voice.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over from Mugabe with support from the military last November, has vowed a break with the past -- promising an election free of violence, intimidation and fraud.

To allay fears of phantom voters, Zimbabwe has produced a new register featuring biometric voter data for the first time.

In recent weeks, voters have even been able to inspect and verify their details to avoid problems on polling day.

"The biometric voter registration process captures one's biometric details hence it is envisaged that it will get rid of multiple registrations and dead people on the voters roll," said Tawanda Chimhini, director of the Election Resource Centre, a non-profit poll monitor.

- 'Something to hide'? -

A Zimbabwe Electoral Commissioon (ZEC) official checks names in the voter roll register which critics say has been padded out with babies, the dead and bogus names in the past to help rig elections

But poll watchers and opposition parties warn that will not be enough to ensure the election's credibility.

Demand for an independent audit of the register has intensified in recent weeks after voter registration closed on Friday.

"There must be an external audit of the voters roll," said Douglas Mwonzora, secretary general of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which organises elections, has so far refused to open the roll to public scrutiny, arguing that to do so would create confusion.

"It's rather sad that (the ZEC) have chosen not to do this because unfortunately it feeds the perception that they have something to hide," said Piers Pigou, the International Crisis Group's Zimbabwe researcher.

An independent audit of the voter register at various stages of its compilation is "the critical missing factor" in the much-anticipated and closely watched election, Pigou said.

"There is one fundamental problem that we are seeing here... and that is its failure to really invest and build credibility and confidence in this roll."

Sara Rich Dorman, a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh and author of the book "Understanding Zimbabwe", warned that Zimbabweans were hungry for transparency.

"We know that every voter roll since independence has been deeply flawed," she said.

- 'Old, problematic voter rolls' -

"The verification process this time seems substantially improved, but if the list is still based on old, problematic voters rolls, then we cannot be 100 percent confident," added Rich Dorman.

Activists also say that key constitutional changes adopted in 2013 have not yet been made law, which could threaten the constitutionality of the polls.

"A number of laws remain unaligned to the constitution of Zimbabwe, potentially threatening the constitutionality of our election including the independence of the ZEC... (and) the right to vote for the diaspora and prisoners," said Chimhini.

"The ZEC must be able to operate independently without the interference of the executive."

The opposition has complained that the ZEC is heavily stacked with former military personnel who could lean towards the ruling ZANU-PF power structure, and have called for it to be "demilitarised".

But for ordinary voters, the biggest concern will be that the elections are peaceful.

"People have to be very mature, no violence -- just cast your vote to build our nation in peace," said Victor Murembeni, 38, who registered to vote at the last minute.

Mnangagwa, 75, of the ruling ZANU-PF party will square-off against the MDC's 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa in the presidential race.

Chamisa replaced founding party leader Morgan Tsvangirai after the former trade union stalwart, who served as prime minister in a power-sharing government with Mugabe, died of cancer in February.

Former president Mugabe, 94, has not been seen in public in recent months, although he has been linked to a new political party made up of disgruntled former ZANU-PF members.

So there may yet be surprises to come in Zimbabwe's election other than the electoral roll.
Discussion of the Tiananmen crackdown is banned from books, textbooks, movies and is censored on social networks

Families of Chinese democracy protesters killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown have urged President Xi Jinping to acknowledge their suffering and "re-evaluate the June Fourth massacre" as its 29th anniversary approaches.

Open discussion of the crackdown is forbidden in China, where hundreds -- by some estimates more than a thousand -- died when the Communist Party sent tanks to crush demonstrations in the square in Beijing on June 4 1989, after student-led protesters had staged a peaceful seven-week sit-in to demand democratic reforms.

In an open letter to Xi dated "the eve of 2018 June 4th", the Tiananmen Mothers, an association of parents who lost children in the violence, said: "each year when we would commemorate our loved ones, we are all monitored, put under surveillance, or forced to travel".

"No one from the successive governments over the past 29 years has ever asked after us, and not one word of apology has been spoken from anyone, as if the massacre that shocked the world never happened," said the letter, which was released on Thursday by the non-profit Human Rights in China.

"The 1989 June Fourth bloody massacre is a crime the state committed against the people. Therefore, it is necessary to re-evaluate the June Fourth massacre," the letter said, calling for "truth, compensation, and accountability" from the government.

The protests are branded a "counter-revolutionary rebellion" by Chinese authorities and many on the mainland remain unaware of the crackdown, with discussion banned from books, textbooks, movies and censored on social networks.

The semi-autonomous territory of Hong Kong is the only place on Chinese soil where the anniversary is openly marked with a famous vigil in Victoria Park on June 4 each year.
The West Bank city of Hebron is often the site of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces, such as here on December 22, 2017

A Palestinian man who tried to hit Israeli soldiers with a small tractor in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was shot dead, the army said.

"The 35-year-old terrorist from Beit Ummar, northwest of Hebron, attempted to run over an (Israeli military) officer and soldier with a small Bobcat tractor," the army said, correcting an earlier statement saying the alleged assailant was driving a car.

The troops ordered the driver to halt, but "the terrorist turned around and continued driving with the intention to attack nearby civilians," it said in a statement.

A soldier on a nearby roof who saw what was happening then "fired at the terrorist, who was killed", it said.

Neither the Israeli army nor Palestinian officials published the alleged attacker's name.

Hebron, in the southern West Bank, is the only Palestinian city in the territory containing a Jewish community, comprising several hundred Israeli settlers under heavy military guard among some 200,000 Palestinians.

Separately, on Friday a 21-year-old Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border fence, where clashes were taking place.

Razan al-Najjar, a volunteer with the Gaza health ministry, was wearing the white uniform of a medic when she was shot in the chest.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, another 40 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli gunfire in Friday's clashes.

The Israeli army said Saturday that cases such as Najjar's, "in which civilians are allegedly killed" by Israeli fire, "are thoroughly examined" by an internal military committee.
A Chinese general Saturday lashed out at "irresponsible comments" on Beijing's military build-up in the South China Sea after the US defence chief accused China of intimidation and coercion in the disputed waters.

"Any irresponsible comments from other countries cannot be accepted," Lieutenant General He Lei said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

It came just hours after US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the security summit that China's military build-up and deployment of weapon systems in the contested sea was aimed at intimidating its neighbours.

Beijing has deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities.

China has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

The Chinese general, however, said Beijing's actions were aimed at "national defence".

"They are for the purpose of avoiding being invaded by others... As long as it is on your own territory you can deploy the army and you can deploy weapons," he said.

China claims most of the resource-rich sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Demonstrators confront anti-riot policemen as they protest against a proposed income tax draft law in front of the Prime Minister's office in Amman late on June 1, 2018

Hundreds of Jordanians demonstrated in the capital Amman for a third consecutive day on Saturday against price hikes and an income tax draft law driven by IMF recommendations to slash its public debt.

Protests have gripped the country since Wednesday, when hundreds flooded the streets of Amman and demonstrated in other cities to demand the fall of the government.

Last week the government adopted an income tax draft law, yet to be approved by parliament, aimed at increasing taxes on employees by at least 5% and on companies by between 20 and 40 percent.

It is the latest in a series of economic reforms since Amman secured a $723-million three-year credit line from the International Monetary Fund in 2016.

The loan, intended to support economic and financial reforms, has the long term objective of reducing Jordan's public debt from about 94 percent of GDP to 77 percent by 2021.

"This will be accomplished through reforms to bolster economic growth and gradual fiscal consolidation," the IMF says on its website.

Prices have steadily risen in recent years in Jordan, a country of 9.5 million which is burdered by poverty and unemployment.

On Thursday, the government announced it would raise fuel and electricity prices from Friday, sparking protests across the country. It later froze the move under orders from King Abdullah II.

But Friday night, hundreds of protesters were back on the streets outside the prime minister's office in Amman in demonstrations called by trade unions.

Some demonstrators blocked roads with their cars, while others held signs reading: "The people of Jordan will not kneel."

Protests were also held in several other cities, including Irbid and Jarash in the north, Zarqa in the east, and the southern city of Maan, which was rocked by deadly riots in the late 1980s over rising food prices.

Police said some demonstrators overnight "attacked" law enforcement agents and had "tried to attack public and private property".

Under the proposed new law, anyone with an annual income of 8,000 dinars ($11,000) or more would have to pay income tax, while businesses would face steep tax increases. Evaders would be heavily fined.

A majority of deputies -- 78 out of 130 MPs -- issued a statememt Friday saying they would vote against the draft legislation.

They said the income tax law does not serve the economic and social interests of the people.

Trade union representatives met on Saturday with Prime Minister Hani Mulki to demand the bill be revoked, but without any agreement.

The premier told reporters that more meetings would follow, while the head of Jordan's main union, Ali Obus, called for "the state to maintain its independence and not bow to IMF demands".
A picture taken on June 2, 2018 shows a general view of destroyed buildings in a rebel-held area in the southern Syrian city of Daraa

Syria's foreign minister on Saturday linked any talks on the future of a rebel-held southern region with the departure of US forces from another area bordering Iraq and Jordan.

Regime ally Russia has called for a meeting with the United States and Jordan on the future of the southern provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

In recent weeks, Damascus has sent military reinforcements to the two provinces, which comprise some of the closest rebel-held areas to the capital.

President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu about proposed talks.

"We have not yet entered into negotiations over the southern front," Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said at a press conference in Damascus.

"The indicator will be the withdrawal of the United States from our land in At-Tanaf" near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, Muallem said.

The United States and its allies have used a base in the area to train a force fighting the Islamic State group.

"Don't believe anything that is said about an agreement on the south until you see that the United States has withdrawn its forces from the At-Tanaf base," he said.

"It must withdraw its forces from At-Tanaf."

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem gives a press conference in the capital Damascus, in a handout picture released by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on June 2, 2018

"We have strived from the start to resolve the issue in the ways that we are used to, which are reconciliations," he said. "If it is not feasible, we will see what will happen."

Moscow-brokered reconciliation deals have seen rebels withdraw from several areas of Syria including opposition strongholds close to the capital, often after blistering regime offensives and sieges.

Last month, Washington warned Damascus it would take "firm" action if the regime violated a ceasefire deal for southern Syria that was negotiated with Russia and Jordan last year.

The warning came after regime aircraft dropped leaflets on Daraa, urging the rebels who control most of the province to lay down their weapons or face an offensive.

The United States is also present in the north of Syria, where it has been backing a Kurdish-led alliance fighting IS.

A Syrian rebel fighter sits holding a Kalashnikov assault rifle in a fortified area near s frontline in a rebel-held area in the southern Syrian city of Daraa on June 2, 2018

Muallem also criticised a US-Turkish roadmap for "security and stability" in the Kurdish-held city of Manbij near the Turkish border.

The agreement came after forces led by Turkey, who considers Syria's Kurdish militia to be "terrorists", in March seized the enclave of Afrin west of Manbij.

That had raised fears of a confrontation between Turkish troops and American forces based in Manbij.

"Not just in Manbij but also in Afrin and on every inch of Syrian soil, we consider Turkey to be an aggressor," the foreign minister said.

"Neither the United States nor Turkey has the right to negotiate over a Syrian city," he said, describing any such deal as "infringing on Syrian sovereignty".
This illustration picture shows a tablet and smartphone app for the Uber ride hailing company

Police in the US city of Denver have arrested an Uber driver for first-degree murder in the shooting death of his passenger.

Local media, citing the medical examiner's office, identified the victim as Hyun Kim, 45.

A witness called police shortly before 3:00 am Friday from Interstate 25, a highway in the Colorado city, to report that "an Uber driver... said his ride tried to attack him and the driver shot him," an officer stated in a court document.

Police unsuccessfully tried to save the life of the wounded man lying on the front passenger seat floor of the sedan, which had stopped perpendicular to a highway on-ramp, the document said.

Police arrested the driver, Michael Hancock, 29, at the scene and allegedly found a semi-automatic pistol in his waistband.

Hancock began to have trouble breathing and was taken to hospital where he was treated and released, police said.

A detective found 10 spent .40-caliber cartridges plus a blood trail on the shoulder of the highway, and there were several suspected bullet marks in the passenger area of the sedan, the court document said.

"We are deeply troubled by the events in Denver today," local media quoted an Uber spokesman as saying.

Uber, the dominant ride sharing company, has had similar problems in the past.

In December, police in Lebanon arrested an Uber driver for killing British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes after an attempted rape during a ride.

Two years ago, police in the US state of Michigan charged an Uber driver with six counts of murder after he allegedly went on a killing spree, seemingly at random, as he drove through the city of Kalamazoo.

Jason Dalton, 45, allegedly confessed to the murders, saying the Uber smartphone app instructed him where to go to shoot victims after taking over his "mind and body," the Detroit Free Press reported.

Uber officials said at the time that they were devastated by what had happened but said their system was extremely safe, and they had no plans to change their background check methods.
Vietnamese Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich (R) and

Defence Minister of New Zealand Ron Mark in Singapore on June 1st (Photo: VNA)



Meeting with Defence Minister of New Zealand Ron Mark, Minister Lich expressed his delight at the recent development of Vietnam-New Zealand relations, including defence ties. He noted the two sides have frequently exchanged delegations at all levels and supported each other at multilateral forums, adding that visits by naval ships have also contributed to their connections.

He thanked the Defence Ministry of New Zealand for effectively helping to provide English training for Vietnamese officers to take part in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The two ministers agreed to bolster cooperation in the fields matching their demand such as training, cyber security, search and rescue, and participation in UN peacekeeping activities.

Talking to UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Lich appreciated the UKs support for Vietnam to replace the British level-2 field hospital in South Sudan and improve English skills of officers preparing to join UN peacekeeping missions.

To bring defence ties on par with the countries strategic partnership, the two sides agreed to increase all-level mutual visits, effectively carry out dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, continue to complete and sign cooperation documents, support each other at multilateral forums, and enhance ties in UN peacekeeping.

At the meeting with Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Heng, the Vietnamese official congratulated Singapore and its army on successfully organising the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Retreat and the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting. He voiced his belief that the country will fulfil the tasks of ASEAN Chair in 2018, thus helping to maintain the blocs central role and leadership.

The two ministers shared the view that over the past years, especially since the signing of the bilateral defence cooperation agreement in 2009, their defence relations have grown positively and resulted in initial practical outcomes.

Authorized agencies have been coordinating actively to implement the agreement, focusing on delegation exchanges, personnel training, exchanges of young officers, cooperation between naval, air and military medicine forces, collaboration between strategic research institutes, and coordination at multilateral forums, they noted.

Minister Lich asked Singapore to support Vietnam when his country acts as ASEAN Chair in 2020./.
A taxi driver accused of raping and threatening a Japanese vacationer near a prominent Indian tourist destination has been arrested, police said Saturday.

The 30-year-old visitor said she had flagged down the driver's cab on Wednesday in Manali, a resort town in the Himalayan foothills popular with foreign travellers, to travel to a neighbouring town.

She was instead taken to an isolated location in a nearby forest and sexually assaulted in the driver's car, police said.

"She said she surrendered to him after the driver told her (that) if she resisted the rape attempt, he would call his friends to gang-rape her," regional police chief Shalini Agnihotri told AFP.

The woman filed a complaint with police after she was dropped at a nearby town by the accused, Agnihotri said, adding that a medical test confirmed she had been raped.

The driver, a Manali resident, was arrested by police on Friday based on the description given by the woman, who confirmed his identity after he was taken into custody.

India has a grim record of sexual violence, with nearly 40,000 rape cases reported countrywide in 2016.

Campaigners say the true figure is likely to be much higher given the social stigma around victims of sexual crimes.

Several foreign tourists have been sexually assaulted in Manali in recent years.

A 25-year-old Israeli woman was hospitalised in 2016 after she was raped by two men in the town, while in 2013 an American woman was raped by three men after accepting a ride in their truck.
Protesters hurled back stones at Indian security forces in the latest outbreak of violence in Srinagar

Police fired tear gas and chilli spray grenades to disperse thousands of mourners taking part in a funeral procession for a youth who died on Saturday after being run over by a paramilitary vehicle in Indian Kashmir.

Protesters hurled back stones at Indian security forces in the latest outbreak of violence in the divided region's main city, Srinagar. At least four demonstrators were injured, according to police and eyewitnesses.

"There were some incidents of stone pelting in downtown but our (policemen) exhibited restraint and used minimum force," Kashmir police inspector general S.P. Pani told AFP.

Kaiser Bhat, 21, died in hospital after being hit by a Central Reserve Paramilitary Force vehicle near the city's Central Mosque on Friday during a demonstration against alleged police violence.

A video that allegedly shows the armoured vehicle hitting protesters has been widely shared on social media.

It shows scores of protesters throwing rocks at a lone vehicle as it races towards a crowd. Other images show two youths under the vehicle, one crying for help.

It was unclear whether the victims were protesters or bystanders.

Officials said the driver has been charged with dangerous driving, while two other youths hit by the vehicle were still being treated.

"We have taken a strong note of yesterday's incident and will take strict action," S.P. Vaid, director general of Kashmir police, told AFP.

Authorities cut mobile internet services and put reinforced patrols on the streets Saturday, while separatist groups opposed to Indian rule called for a general strike.

Last month another protester was killed by a police armoured vehicle in Srinagar. Police initially denied involvement in the death until a video -- shot on a mobile phone -- showed the vehicle hitting the man.

Bouts of street protests have rocked the region for months, with almost daily clashes between government forces and protesters

Bouts of street protests have rocked the region for months, with almost daily incidents of clashes between government forces and protesters.

Friday's protest erupted in response to clashes last week between police and protesters near the Central Mosque that left nearly 50 people injured. Devotees alleged the police fired tear gas and shotgun pellets inside the mosque.

Militants have also upped their attacks on Indian troops after New Delhi ordered a 30-day halt to its military operations in the Muslim-majority region for Ramadan. Militants have rejected the offer.

Suspected militants hurled grenades at government forces at three separate locations in Srinagar, leaving four paramilitary troopers and two civilians wounded in the explosions.

Three similar attacks were carried out on Friday in Srinagar and southern Anantnag district. One of the targets was a ruling party lawmaker.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 but both countries claim the territory in full.

India has about 500,000 soldiers in the part of Kashmir it controls, where scores of armed groups are fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands, mainly civilians, have been killed in the violence since 1989.
Supporters of former Comoros president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi demonstrated in Moroni after Friday prayers against President Azali Assoumani's plan to hold a referendum in July to allow early elections

The Comoros opposition on Saturday demanded the "re-establishment of democratic institutions" in protest at a planned July referendum on constitutional reform, which could allow President Azali Assoumani to seek re-election.

Assoumani only took office in 2016 but wants to hold a fresh vote next year, two years early, so that he can remain in power beyond 2021 when his currently non-renewable term would otherwise end.

The referendum, scheduled for July 29, could change the current system -- which sees power rotate every five years between the archipelagos three main islands -- and allow Azali to run for two fresh five year-terms.

Friday saw demonstrations in several towns in the volcanic Indian Ocean archipelago off Africas east coast against the proposed poll, one of a number of controversial Azali initiatives.

He has suspended the constitutional court and also placed under house arrest opposition leader and predecessor Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, a leading critic who has urged protests against the vote.

Friday saw a third a straight week of protests and clashes between police and opposition supporters shouting "Azali out" after prayers at the Al-Qasimi mosque in the capital Moroni.

The secretary general of Sambi's party, Ahmed el-Barwane, was one of two people arrested there while another protest took place at Mbeni, the home town of Mohamed Ali Soilih, who Azali defeated for the presidency two years ago.

At Mutsamudu, capital of the island of Anjouan, one of three islands constituting the archipelago of some 800,000 people, police dispersed groups of youths demanding Sambi's release.

Opposition spokesman Mohamed Abdou Soimadou said the people want the "re-establishment of democratic institutions, notably the constitutional court, before any idea of a referendum".

He said there had been some 20 nationwide protests against the idea and "the people themselves have taken up the fight to demand a state based on the rule of law."

The Comoros, which became independent from France in 1975, has endured several political crises over the years including a spate of coups.

A new constitution was adopted in 2001 which stipulated the rotation of power every five years between the islands -- Anjouan, Grande-Comore, from where Azali hails) and Moheli.

Azali was previously in power after a bloodless 1999 coup. He stayed in office until 2006 after winning a first multi-party election and then handed power over after losing the poll that year to Sambi.
Flags line the entrance of the Fairmont Hotel in the Canadian town of Whistler as it hosts G7 ministerial meeting events

The United States faced unified opposition from the world's top economies to President Donald Trump's escalating, multi-front trade offensive at the end of high-level meetings Saturday soured by the imposition of tariffs.

G7 ministers urged US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who was at the event, to express their "unanimous concern and disappointments" to the White House over new US tariffs, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau told reporters.

Morneau, speaking at the end of the Group of Seven ministerial meeting, said that the finance ministers and central bank governors were unanimously opposed at the harsh US steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also expressed his anger as the meetings ended.

"I want to make it clear," Le Maire said, "that it is up to the US administration to make the right decisions to alleviate the situation and ease the difficulties."

He said that events next week "will depend on the decision the (US) administration is ready to take in the next few days and in the next few hours -- I'm not talking about weeks ahead," Le Maire said.

Outraged leaders from the world's major economies launched legal challenges Friday after announcing countermeasures to retaliate against harsh steel and aluminum tariffs that Trump allowed to take effect.

No joint final statement emerged from the G7 ministerial meeting, a sign of the strong discord as the world's major economies verged on open trade conflict.

The European Union and Canada are the largest US exporters of steel and aluminum respectively.

Trump's tariffs on America's largest foreign providers of the crucial metals upended the agenda for this normally convivial event for consensus-building among countries that account for about half of global GDP.

Finance ministers at this snow-capped mountain resort north of Vancouver, British Columbia instead spoke of exasperation and an abiding sense of betrayal by a long-time ally.

- Getting an earful from allies -

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (C) and his Jpanaese counterpart Taro Aso (R), attend the opening of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors conference in Whistler, British Columbia on May 31, 2018

Chairing the meeting, host nation Canada's Finance Minister Bill Morneau allowed participants to register grievances with Mnuchin one at a time, according to a Canadian source.

Behind the closed doors Mnuchin listened but spoke little, saying instead the discussion could continue at next week's G7 summit in the French-speaking province of Quebec at which Trump is expected to participate, according to several sources briefed on the talks.

But the week's whirlwind global developments in trade suggested de-escalation was unlikely. In Washington on Friday, Trump mooted the possibility of scrapping the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement in favor of seeking bilateral agreements with Canada and Mexico.

G7 governments were also digesting Trump's threats to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in US auto imports on purported national security grounds.

In China, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was due to conduct trade talks with Chinese officials even as Washington finalizes planned sanctions on Beijing -- including restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States, new export controls and 25 percent tariffs on about $50 billion in tech-sector goods.

The talks come despite Washington's apparent announcement last month of a truce with Beijing following talks in Washington last month.

China has threatened to hit back with tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in US goods -- as have Canadian, EU and Mexican authorities.

They have targeted goods manufactured in key US political districts that could weaken Trump's hand after November's mid-term elections.

The final list of Chinese imports affected by US tariffs will be announced June 15 and imposed shortly thereafter, while the proposed investment restrictions and enhanced export controls will be announced by June 30, according to the White House.

"China's door for negotiation remains open," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Friday.
Opposition MPs and their supporters gather on the May 13 Square on Antananarivo on May 26, 2018, to demand the resignation of Madagascar's President Hery Rajaonarimampianina

Madagascar's opposition condemned President Hery Rajaonarimampianina on Saturday for rejecting their nominations for a "consensus" prime minister, who it is hoped will lift a crisis sparked by controversial electoral reform laws.

Madagascar has been rocked by violent protests since April 21 that initially sought to oppose the new laws the opposition said were crafted to bar their candidates from participating in elections planned for later this year.

The Constitutional Court has ordered President Rajaonarimampianina to form a government of national unity with a "consensus prime minister" to avert a full-blown crisis.

"We nominated lawmakers Christine Razanamahasoa, Roberto Tinoka and Hanitriniaina Razafimanantsoa to be prime minister but they were all rejected by (President) Hery Rajaonarimampianina" said opposition parliamentarian Arnaud Tody during a well-attended protest vigil in the May 13 square in the capital Antananarivo.

Since April 21, hundreds of opposition supporters have occupied the square, initially to protest the president's proposed electoral reforms which they claimed were designed to bar their candidates from running in elections slated for this year.

But after those proposals were overturned by the courts, the protests have become a full-blown movement to oust Rajaonarimampianina.

Madagascar's Constitutional Court said on Friday that the current government must resign by June 5 and that the president should name a new prime minister by June 12 at the latest to avert a political vacuum.

The Constitutional Court ruled that the composition of the new unity government should proportionately reflect the outcome of the last legislative elections in 2013.

However, interpreting this ruling has triggered fierce debate between the government and the opposition.

Both sides say they hold the majority in parliament, where many legislators have switched allegiances since 2013.

"If the prime minister is not (picked) from among the 73 lawmakers who have led the May 13 square protests then there will be no solution" to the crisis, added Razafimanantsoa.

All of the opposition nominees are members of the Mapar party which is led by former president Andry Rajoelina.

"We hope that the president will choose a neutral political figure because we are looking for consensus -- not someone from one or other political camp," said senate leader and leader of the ruling HVM party Rivo Rakotovao.

Neither domestic nor international efforts to resolve the crisis have yet borne fruit.

The most recent effort, a gathering of the National Reconciliation Council that included government and opposition delegates, finished inconclusively on Friday.

Defence Minister general Beni Xavier Rasolofonirina threatened on Thursday to deploy security forces if the government and opposition fail to resolve the crisis politically.
Palestinian mourners carry the body of 21-year-old Razan al-Najjar at her funeral after she was shot dead by Israeli soldiers on the border in southern Gaza

Israeli aircraft pounded over a dozen militant targets in Gaza, the army said Sunday, after Palestinian projectile fire shattered a ceasefire reached just days ago after the worst flare-up since a 2014 war.

The latest escalation came hours after thousands of Palestinians attended the funeral of a young female volunteer medic killed by Israeli fire in violence on the border in southern Gaza.

In a first wave of air strikes, Israeli "fighter jets targeted 10 terror sites in three military compounds belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the Gaza Strip," the army said in a statement early Sunday.

"Among the targets were two Hamas munition manufacturing and storage sites and a military compound," the army said.

The strikes were retaliation to rockets fired at Israel, as well as "various terror activities approved and orchestrated by the Hamas terror organisation over the weekend," the army said.

The army listed a series of attempted attacks at soldiers on the border fence, as well as "damaging security infrastructure and igniting fires in Israeli territory with the use of arson kites and balloons".

A few hours later aircraft shot at "five terror targets at a military compound belonging to the Hamas terror organization's naval force in the northern Gaza Strip," the army said in a separate statement.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in Gaza.

On Saturday evening, militants in the Palestinian enclave fired two projectiles at southern Israel, where air raid sirens sent residents to bomb shelters.

The Iron Dome aerial defence system intercepted one of the projectiles, while the other was believed to have fallen short of its target and hit within Gaza, according to the army.

Early Sunday, four more projectiles were separately launched at Israel. Three were intercepted, the army said, with the fourth apparently hitting an open field.

- Mourners call for revenge -

Morning over the death of a young female volunteer medic killed by Israeli fire on the border in southern Gaza

No group in Gaza claimed responsibility for the projectile attacks, which came shortly after the Saturday funeral of Razan al-Najjar, 21, a volunteer with the Gaza health ministry, who was fatally shot in the chest near Khan Yunis on Friday.

Ambulances and medical crews attended the funeral, with Najjar's father holding the white blood-stained medics' jacket she wore when she was shot, as mourners called for revenge.

Gazans have since March 30 staged border protests demanding the return of Palestinians to land they fled or were expelled from during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, now inside the Jewish state.

The demonstrations have been accompanied by smaller clashes as youths hurl stones at Israeli soldiers and attempt to breach the border fence, at times laying explosive devices on the fence or throwing grenades.

Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave have also been using kites carrying burning cans to set ablaze Israeli fields, torching extensive patches of agricultural land near Gaza.

Following the funeral, several Gazans were wounded in clashes east of Khan Yunis, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

The Israeli army said "a terror cell" had infiltrated from southern Gaza. Soldiers shot at the Palestinians, who returned to the enclave.

The weekend launches were the first since Israel struck scores of militant sites in Gaza earlier this week in retaliation for a barrage of rockets and missiles fired from the territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the strikes that Israel's military had delivered the "harshest blow" in years to Gaza militants.

Palestinian Islamist groups in Gaza, including the strip's rulers Hamas, said a ceasefire deal was reached after the flare-up, although there was no confirmation from Israel.

- 'War crime' -

Addressing Najjar's death, the UN envoy for the Middle East, Nickolay Mladenov, said in a Saturday tweet that "Medical workers are #NotATarget!" and that "Israel needs to calibrate its use of force and Hamas need to prevent incidents at the fence."

Palestinian mourners carry the body of 21-year-old Razan al-Najjar at her funeral after she was shot dead by Israeli soldiers on the border in southern Gaza

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society said Najjar was shot "as she was attempting to provide first aid to an injured protester", with three other first responders also hit by live fire on Friday.

"Shooting at medical personnel is a war crime under the Geneva conventions," the PMRC said in a statement, demanding "an immediate international response to Israeli humanitarian law violations in Gaza".

Najjar's death brings the toll of Gazans killed by Israeli fire since the end of March to 123.

The demonstrations and violence peaked on May 14 when at least 61 Palestinians were killed in clashes as tens of thousands of Gazans protested the US transfer of its embassy in Israel to the disputed city of Jerusalem the same day.

Low-level demonstrations have continued since.

Speaking at Najjar's funeral, Khaled al-Batsh, one of the protest organisers, called on Gazans to "continue the return marches and break the (Israeli) siege with peaceful tools".
The Circus Circus hotel on the Las Vegas Strip is pictured in 2015, behind the later-demolished Riviera hotel and casino

A Vietnamese tourist couple has been found stabbed to death in their room at the Circus Circus hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, police in the US gambling center said.

"As a result of our initial processing of the room, we are able to confirm that it is definitely a double homicide," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Ray Spencer told reporters late Friday.

The killings happened overnight Thursday-Friday, he said.

The couple were part of a tour group from Vietnam and did not speak English, which complicates the investigation, Spencer said.

There was no information on possible suspects, and the identity of the victims had not been released.
Flags line the entrance of the Fairmont Hotel in the Canadian town of Whistler as it hosts G7 ministerial meeting events

Group of Seven finance ministers ended their annual meeting Saturday with US allies united in condemning Washington's aggressive protectionism, calling on President Donald Trump to reverse his decision to impose punishing metal tariffs.

The lack of common ground meant the dispute would continue into next week's G7 summit in Quebec, Canada, where Trump is expected to face other heads of state as the global economy verges on outright trade conflict.

At this snow-capped mountain resort north of Vancouver, British Columbia, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was the odd man out.

Major trading partners rebuked Trump's multi-front trade offensive while their governments announced countermeasures and legal challenges.

One after another, finance ministers and central bankers spoke of exasperation and an abiding sense of betrayal by a longtime ally.

Mnuchin, however, downplayed the disagreements and said the United States was committed to the G7 process.

Announcing the meeting's close, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the host government and five others had urged Mnuchin to relay their "unanimous concern and disappointment."

"We said that we were collectively hoping that he would bring the message back of regret and disappointment at the American actions and concern that they are not constructive," said Morneau.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also expressed France's outrage as the meetings ended.

"I want to make it clear," Le Maire said, "that it is up to the US administration to make the right decisions to alleviate the situation and ease the difficulties."

Avoiding trade war "will depend on the decision the (US) administration is ready to take in the next few days and in the next few hours -- I'm not talking about weeks ahead," he added.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told reporters the US tariffs were "a very severe problem" for transatlantic relations.

"No one understands that due to security reasons there should be extra tariffs on steel and aluminum," he said.

Trump's tariffs on America's largest foreign providers of the crucial metals that went into effect Friday upended the agenda for this normally convivial event for consensus-building among countries that account for about half of global GDP.

No joint final statement emerged from the G7 ministerial meeting, a sign of the strong discord now at the heart of the global economy.

How the White House would deal with this remained unclear.

As the ministers' meet ended, Trump was as bellicose as ever, taking to Twitter to denounce "stupid trade" in which he said the US saw foreign tariffs on its exports without responding in kind.

"When you're almost 800 Billion Dollars a year down on Trade, you can't lose a Trade War! The US has been ripped off by other countries for years on Trade, time to get smart!" he wrote.

Counting trade in both goods and services, the US trade deficit was $566 billion in 2017, a 12 percent increase marking its highest level since the 2008 Great Recession.

- Getting an earful from allies -

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (C) and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso (R), attend the opening of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors conference in Whistler, British Columbia on May 31, 2018

Chairing a meeting on Friday, Morneau allowed participants to register grievances with Mnuchin one at a time, according to a Canadian source.

Behind closed doors, sources briefed on the talks said Mnuchin listened but spoke little, saying instead the discussion could continue at next week's G7 summit in the French-speaking province of Quebec at which Trump is expected to participate.

Mnuchin said he had informed Trump of his discussions but that trade was only one of many issues on a full agenda.

"These are our most important allies or some of our most important allies. We've had long-standing relationships with all these countries that are very important across all different aspects," Mnuchin told reporters.

"I believe there was a comment out there that this was the G6 plus one. It was not. This was the G7. We believe in the G7."

The week's whirlwind global developments in trade suggested a quick de-escalation was unlikely.

Trump has suggested the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement might be scrapped in favor of seeking bilateral agreements with Canada and Mexico.

G7 governments were also digesting Trump's threats to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in US auto imports on purported national security grounds.

In China, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was conducting trade talks with Chinese officials even as Washington finalizes planned sanctions on Beijing.

Potential measures include restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States, new export controls and 25 percent tariffs on about $50 billion in tech-sector goods.

The talks come despite the Trump administration's apparent announcement last month of a truce with Beijing following talks in Washington last month.

China has threatened to hit back with tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in US goods -- as have Canadian, EU and Mexican authorities.
Protesters in front of the government building in Skopje

Thousands of supporters of Macedonia's rightwing opposition VMRO-DPMNE party took to the streets of the capital Skopje on Saturday to protest against plans to change their country's name, which has been at the centre of dispute with neighbouring Greece.

Zoran Zaev, prime minister of the former Yugoslav republic, said Wednesday that negotiations with Athens to resolve the 27-year-old dispute were in "the final stages".

Athens objects to the neighbouring state's constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, because Greece has its own northern province called Macedonia, and fears it may imply territorial ambitions.

The contentious issue has stymied Macedonia's hopes of joining the European Union and NATO, as Greece can veto its membership bids.

The VMRO-DPMNE will not support any constitutional bid to change the name of the country, said Hristijan Mickoski, new leader of the opposition party.

"We are very clear on this subject," he added during the protest march.

Former prime minister and VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski, who governed Macedonia from 2006 to 2016, was absent from the rally after being sentenced on Wednesday to two years in jail by a Skopje court for abuse of power over the purchase of a luxury Mercedes.

Hungary's firebrand nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a video message of support in which he hailed the party's "wise and courageous leaders... who won't bend under pressure from foreign powers".

Protests are also being organised for next week in northern Greece where some oppose what they see as a compromise solution being finalised between the Greek and Macedonian leaders.

The agreed new name will almost certainly contain "Macedonia", an outcome ardently opposed by many Greeks protective over their won northern province of Macedonia -- the cradle of the ancient empire of Alexander the Great.

Names in discussion have included "New Macedonia" and "Upper Macedonia".

According to a senior Macedonian official any name change agreed with Greece would have to be ratified by parliament and then put to a referendum.

In light of Greece's objections, the country joined the United Nations in 1993 with the unwieldy name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM for short.

But dozens of countries including the United States and Russia have already recognised the country as "Macedonia".
MADRID (AP) - Spain's conservative government appeared doomed Thursday to lose a no-confidence vote in parliament, with the center-left Socialist party poised to take power.

A Basque nationalist party's announcement that it would vote in favor of the motion spelled the almost certain end of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's mandate and foretold the stunning collapse of his minority government in a parliamentary vote Friday, when it will be short of support to survive.

Officials of Rajoy's Popular Party dismissed speculation that he might resign ahead of the vote.

Spain's Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez, unfocused right, walks past Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, background left, during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. Spain's opposition Socialists tried to persuade smaller parties to support their bid to oust Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government as they opened a tense parliamentary debate on their no-confidence motion. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

"The PP has faced up to all the problems that have come its way," party secretary-general and Defense Minister Maria Dolores de Cospedal told reporters, adding that Rajoy would be present for the ballot that is expected to oust him.

The impending downfall of Rajoy's government after ruling for nearly eight years came just days after the Popular Party's reputation was badly damaged by a court verdict that identified it as a beneficiary of a large kickbacks-for-contracts scheme.

The unexpected development injected a new element of tension into European Union politics and global financial markets, already unsettled by Italy's struggles to install a government since a March 4 election.

Under a Spanish law that prevents a power vacuum, Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez, who tabled the no-confidence motion, would immediately become the new leader of the 19-country eurozone's No. 4 economy and a prominent EU leader at a time when the bloc faces numerous challenges.

Unlike Italy's potential new leaders, Sanchez hasn't expressed skepticism about the EU or the continent's single currency, both of which are broadly popular in Spain.

In the no-confidence debate, Sanchez, 46, called on Rajoy to step down over the kickbacks scandal.

"Are you ready to step down here and now? Resign and everything will end," Sanchez told the prime minister as he listened from his seat in parliament. "Mr. Rajoy, your time is up."

Rajoy responded by accusing Sanchez of a power grab.

"Everybody knows that Pedro Sanchez is never going to win the elections and this is the reason for his motion, his urgency," Rajoy told lawmakers, reminding them that the Socialists lost two general elections under Sanchez's leadership and warning that a Socialist government would endanger the country's financial stability.

Sanchez promised to abide by a national budget recently negotiated by Rajoy. It includes substantial benefits for the Basque nationalists whose promised votes in the no-confidence debate opened the door for Sanchez to oust Rajoy.

Sanchez also vowed to open talks with separatists in the Catalan regional government over their demands for independence. That issue has dogged Spain for the past eight months.

Rajoy has been in power since December 2011, successfully steering Spain out of its worst economic crisis in decades during the eurozone debt crisis and achieving some of the strongest economic growth in Europe. Last year, gross domestic product growth reached 3.1 percent.

In the process, Rajoy faced down opponents who complained that the recovery came at the expense of austerity measures, just as he successfully stood up to Catalan secessionists.

But the strong economy wasn't enough to keep Rajoy in La Moncloa palace, the seat of government in Madrid, and he was undone by the corruption scandal. Last week, National Court judges delivered hefty prison sentences to 29 business people and Popular Party members, including some elected officials, for fraud, money laundering and tax evasion, among other crimes.

The Popular Party was fined 245,000 euros ($287,000) for benefiting from "an authentic and efficient system of institutional corruption." More damagingly for Rajoy, the judges questioned the prime minister's credibility when he said in court that he was unaware of the fraudulent accounting.

Sanchez appeared to have the absolute majority in the Congress of Deputies - 176 of 350 seats - required to unseat Rajoy.

But the coming months could be difficult for Sanchez to navigate, with a minority Socialist government needing to please Basque regionalists, Catalan separatists and anti-austerity parties in order to pass legislation in parliament. Rajoy has labeled that prospect a "Frankenstein government," while critics refer to Rajoy's government and party as "zombies."

Spain's anti-establishment Podemos party proposed Sanchez to form a broad coalition government and a left-wing alliance to win the next general election, which Socialists have promised to call before the end of this year.

"Today, finally, we are sending the Popular Party home," said Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, who called for Sanchez to implement an ambitious social agenda and to undo years of austerity measures by the conservatives.

Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera, whose center-right party is leading recent polls, formally announced his lawmakers would vote against the motion on Friday.

"I don't want a corruption-marred 'zombie government' but neither a 'Frankenstein government' with those who want to break Spain apart," Rivera said.

Spain's Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez addresses lawmakers during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. Spain's opposition Socialists tried to persuade smaller parties to support their bid to oust Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government as they opened a tense parliamentary debate on their no-confidence motion. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Popular Party leader addresses lawmakers during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. The lower house of the Spanish parliament is debating whether to end Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's close to eight years in power and supplant him with the leader of the Socialist opposition. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Popular Party leader addresses lawmakers during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. The lower house of the Spanish parliament is debating whether to end Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's close to eight years in power and supplant him with the leader of the Socialist opposition. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Spain's Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez addresses lawmakers during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. Spain's opposition Socialists tried to persuade smaller parties to support their bid to oust Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government as they opened a tense parliamentary debate on their no-confidence motion. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Popular Party leader listens to speeches during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. The lower house of the Spanish parliament is debating whether to end Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's close to eight years in power and supplant him with the leader of the Socialist opposition. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Spain's Prime Minister and Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy, lower row right, is applauded by his fellow lawmakers as he arrives to the main chamber during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. Spain's opposition Socialists tried to persuade smaller parties to support their bid to oust Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government as they opened a tense parliamentary debate on their no-confidence motion. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Spain's Prime Minister and Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy gestures to his fellow lawmakers as he arrives to the main chamber during the first day of a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Thursday, May 31, 2018. Spain's opposition Socialists tried to persuade smaller parties to support their bid to oust Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government as they opened a tense parliamentary debate on their no-confidence motion. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Hang made the statement in reply to reporters queries on Vietnams view on recent developments on the Korean Peninsula during a regular press conference of the Foreign Ministry in Hanoi on May 31.

Recently, the media reported that US President Donald Trump and leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un are expected to have a meeting in Singapore on June 12. It is expected to create a breakthrough for the DPRKs nuclear issue and bring everlasting peace to the Korean Peninsula.
WELLESLEY, Mass. (AP) - America's poet laureate is challenging college graduates to be guided by love, not just tolerance, as they tackle the world's problems.

Tracy K. Smith offered the advice Friday during her keynote speech at Wellesley College's commencement ceremony in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Smith says tolerance is the "bare minimum" and asks graduates to find love for strangers across all divides as they address issues including school safety and immigration.

Smith's speech applauded younger generations for facing tough topics such as racial bias and for being "unafraid of the notion of struggle."

Smith is in her second term as poet laureate, a post appointed by the Library of Congress. Her poetry book "Life on Mars" won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

Wellesley is a private women's college near Boston with about 2,500 students.
HONOLULU (AP) - Lava has burned down two buildings at a geothermal plant near Hawaii's erupting Kilauea volcano.

A substation and adjacent warehouse that stored a drilling rig at the Puna Geothermal Venture were covered by lava on Wednesday, according to a Thursday statement from Ormat Technologies, the Nevada company that owns the plant.

The main access road to the plant has also been covered and blocked by lava. An alternative access road remains open. Two geothermal wellheads were destroyed on May 28.

In this photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, crews make visual observations of lava activity at fissure 8, Thursday, May 31, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii. Fountain heights Thursday morning continued to reach 230 to 260 feet (70 to 80 meters) above ground level. The fountaining feeds a lava flow that is moving to the northeast along Highway 132 into the area of Noni Farms road. (U.S. Geological Survey via AP)

Meanwhile, county officials issued mandatory orders for residents of Leilani Estates to evacuate by noon and those in Kapoho Beach and Vacationland to leave by 2 p.m. or risk being trapped and unreachable by emergency crews.

Police said a 55-year-old man was arrested after he circumvented a traffic checkpoint and crashed his vehicle into a hardened lava flow.

Authorities said he was trying to get a look at lava and demanded passage through the checkpoint but was told by police to turn around.

About an hour later, the same man, whose name was not released, was brought back to the checkpoint by a resident with injuries to his head and face. The man told police he had smashed his truck into lava.

He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and cited for loitering or refusing to leave a designated evacuation zone and failing to wear his seat belt. He was released pending further investigation after being admitted to a hospital.

The Puna geothermal plant was taken offline and evacuated soon after the volcano began erupting on May 3.

Officials removed roughly 50,000 gallons of pentane, a flammable gas similar to lighter fluid used in power generation at the plant, to an off-site industrial park. The geothermal wells were also plugged to prevent the accidental release of toxic gases from the lava flow.

Kilauea has displaced thousands of residents and destroyed dozens of homes.
HONOLULU (AP) - The Latest on Hawaii's erupting Kilauea volcano (all times local):

2:25 p.m.

Police say they have arrested a 55-year-old man after he went past a traffic checkpoint and crashed his vehicle into hardened lava on Hawaii's Big Island.

In this photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, crews make visual observations of lava activity at fissure 8, Thursday, May 31, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii. Fountain heights Thursday morning continued to reach 230 to 260 feet (70 to 80 meters) above ground level. The fountaining feeds a lava flow that is moving to the northeast along Highway 132 into the area of Noni Farms road. (U.S. Geological Survey via AP)

Police say in a statement that the man demanded passage through the checkpoint but was instructed by police to turn around Thursday night. The statement doesn't say how the man got past officers.

About an hour later, a resident brought him back to the checkpoint with injuries to his head and face.

The man told police he had smashed his truck into lava. Authorities searched the area and located his 1993 Toyota pickup on a rural highway.

He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and cited for loitering or refusing to leave a designated evacuation zone.

An erupting volcano has been spouting lava, ash and rocks for nearly a month.

___

2:00 p.m.

The company that owns a geothermal plant near Hawaii's erupting volcano says lava has burned down a substation and adjacent warehouse that stored a drilling rig at the complex.

Ormat Technologies also said in a release Thursday that the main access road to the plant has been covered by lava. The buildings were destroyed Wednesday.

Two geothermal wellheads at the plant were covered by lava on May 28.

Due to a fast-moving lava flow, authorities have issued mandatory orders for residents of Leilani Estates to evacuate by noon and those in Kapoho Beach and Vacationland to leave by 2 p.m. or risk being trapped and unreachable by emergency crews.

Kilauea has been spouting lava, ash, and rocks since May 3.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration's decision to slap tariffs on its top allies could weaken Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' hand as he landed in Beijing on Saturday to try to fend off a trade war with China.

That, at least, is the view of many longtime trade analysts and China watchers.

"This is really the U.S. going it alone," said Philip Levy, senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs who was a trade adviser in the George W. Bush administration. "By assaulting all our allies, we leave ourselves standing unprotected and by ourselves in a way we really never have been."

In this May 19, 2018, photo, a worker positions a roll of steel plate at a dockyard in Qidong in eastern China's Jiangsu province. China appealed Friday, June 1, 2018, to its trading partners to reject "trade and investment protectionism" after Washington raised tariffs on steel imports and said it will impose curbs on Chinese investment. (Chinatopix via AP)

"We are alienating all of our friends and partners at a time when we could really use their support," added Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade negotiator who is now vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

After briefing reporters on the administration's decision to slap tariffs on imported steel from Canada, Mexico and the European Union, Ross arrived in Beijing for negotiations aimed at resolving a dispute over China's aggressive attempts to challenge U.S. technological supremacy.

Trade analysts say the Trump team should be enlisting its allies to present a united front to China. After all, U.S. friends like Japan and the European Union share many of the same gripes about China. They decry rampant theft of intellectual property and Chinese overproduction, which has flooded world markets with cheap steel and aluminum.

And in fact, U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer, Japan's economics minister, Hiroshige Seko, and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom did issue a vague statement from Paris on Thursday urging unidentified countries to do more to protect intellectual property and to reduce overcapacity.

But the U.S. undermined the alliance on Thursday by slapping key allies and trading partners - Canada, Mexico and the EU - with tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. All vowed to retaliate by penalizing American products.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, noting that Canadians and Americans have been allies for 150 years and fought and died together in World War II and in Afghanistan, took a shot at the Trump team:

"Americans remain our partners, friends, and allies," Trudeau said. "This is not about the American people. We have to believe that at some point their common sense will prevail. But we see no sign of that in this action today by the U.S. administration."

Now, the U.S. is turning to Beijing and to a standoff that has taken some confusing turns.

Last month, the administration proposed tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese imports to punish China for forcing U.S. companies to hand over technology in exchange for access to its market. President Donald Trump later ordered his top trade negotiator to seek up to an additional $100 billion in Chinese products to tax.

China responded by targeting $50 billion in U.S. products, including soybeans - a shot at Trump supporters in America's heartland. Rising tensions between the world's two biggest economies alarmed investors and business leaders.

But they breathed a sigh of relief earlier this month when the U.S. and China declared a cease-fire after talks in Washington. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said then that the trade war was "on hold." And the tariffs were suspended after China agreed to "substantially reduce" its trade surplus with America by buying more U.S. products.

The truce didn't last long. Trump, facing criticism from some in Congress for cozying up to Beijing, on Tuesday renewed his threat to impose the tariffs on China. His hardline trade adviser, Peter Navarro, charged Wednesday that Mnuchin's conciliatory comments about China were "an unfortunate sound bite."

Critics say the administration should be picking its trade fights far more judiciously.

"This is dumb," said Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska. "Europe, Canada and Mexico are not China, and you don't treat allies the same way you treat opponents."

"There's still a risk that this escalates into a trade war," Levy said. "Our allies and partners are going to be pressured by China to take their side. In this environment, it's hard for them for to be very pro-U.S."

____

Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Former hostage Joshua Boyle will be released from a Canadian jail with strict bail conditions that include an electronic tracking bracelet, a judge ruled Friday.

Boyle faces a string of charges, including sexual assault, following his release from captivity in Afghanistan last year. The alleged crimes occurred between Oct. 14 and Dec. 30 after he and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, returned to Canada. A publication ban bars reporting information that could identify the alleged victims.

Ontario Court Justice Robert Wadden issued the bail decision. Under the release conditions, Boyle will live with his parents, Patrick and Linda Boyle in Smiths Falls, Ontario. He must wear a GPS ankle bracelet that can track his movements.

Boyle and his wife were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan. The couple had three children during their five years in captivity. The family was rescued by Pakistani forces last October.

Boyle was arrested by Ottawa police in December and charged with offences including assault, sexual assault, unlawful confinement and causing someone to take a noxious substance.

Boyle, his wife and children had been living in an Ottawa apartment when he was arrested.
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) - Cristian Techera scored his fourth goal in two games and Yordy Reyna had a goal and an assist to help the Vancouver Whitecaps beat the Colorado Rapids 2-1 on Friday night.

Colorado (2-8-2) has lost seven in a row overall and four straight at home, tying the team record for both such streaks.

Vancouver (4-5-5) snapped a five-game winless skid, including a franchise-record four consecutive draws.

Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Cristian Techera (13) celebrates his goal against the Colorado Rapids during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, June 1, 2018, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Techera, who had his first career hat trick on Saturday, opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Reyna, at the top of the box, tapped it to Techera on the right side. He clutched as defender Tommy Smith slid by and ripped a left-footer just inside the near post.

Reyna first-timed a half-volley off Smith into the net to double the advantage in the 39th. Alphonso Davies' cross deflected off two defenders to Reyna for the finish from near the spot.

Colorado's Edgar Castillo blasted a rising left-footer from well outside the area to make it 2-1 in the 41st minute.

Vancouver Whitecaps forward Yordi Reyna (29) celebrates his goal against the Colorado Rapids with teammate Alphonso Davies (67) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, June 1, 2018, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Colorado Rapids defender Edgar Castillo celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, June 1, 2018, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Brek Shea (20) heads the ball away from the goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Colorado Rapids on Friday, June 1, 2018, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Vancouver Whitecaps forward Alphonso Davies (67) moves past Colorado Rapids midfielder Sam Nicholson during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, June 1, 2018, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard (1) blocks a shot by Vancouver Whitecaps forward Alphonso Davies (67) as Rapids' Deklan Wynne (27) defends during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, June 1, 2018, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Vancouver Whitecaps forward Alphonso Davies (67) heads the ball next to Colorado Rapids midfielder Sam Nicholson (28) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, June 1, 2018, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - A Pakistani official says gunmen have shot and killed one of his staff and wounded three security guards in the restive tribal region along the Afghan border.

Mohammad Ayaz Khan, the top administrator in North Waziristan, says Hamidullah Khan's vehicle was ambushed in a mountainous area late Friday night, and that a fourth guard is missing. The two are not related.

Hizbul Ahrar, an offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

A number of tribal officials have been assassinated in recent months as residents return to the area following a yearslong military offensive aimed at rooting out extremist groups.
WASHINGTON (AP) - After a week of hard-nosed negotiation, diplomatic gamesmanship and no shortage of theatrics, President Donald Trump has announced that the historic nuclear-weapons summit he had canceled with North Korea's Kim Jong Un is back on.

The June 12 meeting in Singapore, the first between heads of the technically still-warring nations, is meant to begin the process of ending North Korea's nuclear program, and Trump said he believes Kim is committed to that goal. The announcement puts back on track a high-risk summit that could be a legacy-defining moment for the American leader, who has matched his unconventional deal-making style with the mercurial Kim government.

Despite recently envisioning Nobel laurels, Trump worked on Friday to lower expectations for a quick breakthrough.

From left, former North Korean military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol, left, President Donald Trump, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, walk from the Oval Office, Friday, June 1, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

"We're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process," Trump said. He spoke from the South Lawn of the White House after seeing off a senior Kim deputy who spent more than an hour with him in the Oval Office. Much had been made of a letter his visitor was bringing from the North Korean leader, but Trump's comments left it unclear when he had even managed to take a look at it.

The president said it was likely that more than a single meeting would be necessary to bring about his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. He said, "I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end, not from one meeting."

In the latest sign of hostility cooling down but hopes kept in check, Trump said he had unilaterally put a hold on hundreds of new sanctions against the North, without Kim's government even asking. "I'm not going to put them on until such time as the talks break down," he said.

"I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore," Trump added, referencing his preferred term for the punishing U.S. economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in response to its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. But he said he would not remove current sanctions until the North took steps to denuclearize.

Trump warmly greeted Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's central committee, in the Oval Office, where a brief encounter meant for the hand delivery of a personal letter from Kim Jong Un became a longer discussion of areas of disagreement between the two countries.

After the meeting, Trump posed for photos with Kim Yong Chol outside the Oval Office, and they talked amiably at Kim's black SUV before he was driven away.

Trump told reporters he hadn't yet read the letter from the North Korean leader and added with a smile, "I may be in for a big surprise, folks." But minutes earlier, he had described the note as "a very interesting letter," and teased journalists about revealing its contents.

Later Friday, deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley confirmed that Trump had read the letter, but he did not reveal its contents.

Plans for the meeting in Singapore had been cast into doubt after Trump suddenly announced his withdrawal last week, only to announce a day later that it could still get back on track. White House officials cast the roller-coaster public statements as reflective of efforts by each leader to test the resolve of the other.

Trump cited increasingly bellicose statements from the North - and ignored messages about summit logistics - when he announced he was backing out of the summit in a strongly worded letter. He cited "tremendous anger and open hostility" by Pyongyang but also urged Kim Jong Un to call him. By the next day, he was signaling the event could be back on after a conciliatory response from North Korea.

Within days, three teams of officials in the U.S., Singapore and the Korean demilitarized zone began meeting on preparations for the summit.

Trump has declined to publicly acknowledge whether he's spoken directly with Kim Jong Un ahead of the talks.

Kim Yong Chol, whisked to the Oval Office by White House chief of staff John Kelly, is the most senior North Korean to visit in 18 years, a symbolic sign of easing tensions after fears of war escalated amid North Korean nuclear and missile tests last year.

Questions remain about what a deal on the North's nuclear weapons would look like. Trump said Friday he believed Kim Jong Un would agree to denuclearization, but the two countries have offered differing visions of what that entails. Despite Kim's apparent eagerness for a summit with Trump, there are many doubts that he would fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his guarantee of survival.

U.S. defense and intelligence officials have repeatedly assessed the North to be on the threshold the capability to strike anywhere in the continental U.S. with a nuclear-tipped missile - a capacity that Trump and other U.S. officials have said they would not tolerate.

Defense ministers from Japan and South Korea offered very different views of the North Korean leader at an international security conference in Singapore. Japan's defense chief urged caution in dealing with North Korea, while his South Korean counterpart said there was no reason to question the North Korean leader's sincerity.

Trump has promised that he will provide "protections" for Kim and his government in return for giving up the nuclear program. He also indicated that South Korea, China, and Japan would be prepared to invest in the North to boost its besieged economy.

Kim Yong Chol left his hotel in New York City early Friday for the trip to Washington in a convoy of SUVs. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the former CIA chief who has traveled to North Korea and met with Kim Jong Un twice in the past two months, said he believed the country's leaders are "contemplating a path forward where they can make a strategic shift, one that their country has not been prepared to make before."

Kim Yong Chol was allowed into the United States despite being on a U.S. sanctions list, and granted special permission to travel outside the New York area to meet with the president.

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Associated Press writers Christopher Bodeen in Beijing and Matthew Lee in New York contributed.

President Donald Trump talks with Kim Yong Chol, left, former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong Un's closest aides, as they walk from the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Friday, June 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Kim Yong Chol, former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong Un's closest aides, as after their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, June 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Chief of staff John Kelly walks along the Colonnade toward the Oval Office with Kim Yong Chol, former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong Un's closest aides, as he arrives at the White House in Washington on Friday, June 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump talks with Kim Yong Chol, left, former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong Un's closest aides, after their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, June 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump walks with Kim Yong Chol, left, former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong Un's closest aides, after their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, June 1, 2018, as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo follow at right. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
KHUZAA, Gaza Strip (AP) - Thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of medical workers in white uniforms, took part Saturday in the funeral procession of a colleague who was shot dead by Israeli troops the previous day along the Israel-Gaza border.

Razan Najjar, a 21-year-old volunteer paramedic, was shot as she tried to help evacuate wounded near Israel's perimeter fence with Gaza. She was the second woman among more than 115 Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli army fire since Gaza border protests began in late March.

U.N. officials condemned the killing of Najjar, saying that witness reports indicated she wore clothing that clearly identified her as a health worker.

Palestinian mourners carry the body of a volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar, 21, during her funeral in town of Khan Younis, Southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Najjar was killed by Israeli fire Friday during mass protests in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

"The killing of a clearly identified medical staffer by security forces during a demonstration is particularly reprehensible," said Jamie McGoldrick, the local U.N. humanitarian coordinator.

After Najjar's funeral, dozens of mourners headed to the fence and started throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers on the other side. The Palestinian Health Ministry said five protesters were wounded by Israeli fire.

Later Saturday, in a development that threatened to collapse an informal cease-fire, the Israeli military said two projectiles were fired from Gaza. One was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system and the other landed inside Gaza. Earlier this week, Gaza militants fired a large barrage at Israel, which responded with heavy strikes on Gaza installations.

Early Sunday, the Israeli military said fighter jets attacked three Hamas military compounds in response to the rocket fire. It said it struck a total of 10 targets, including weapons manufacturing and storage sites. Militants responded by firing another projectile that was intercepted, the army said.

Meanwhile, in the West Bank, the Israeli military said its troops shot dead a Palestinian who tried to ram a tractor into its forces.

The military said its initial investigation revealed that a 35-year-old Palestinian from a village near Hebron tried to run over an officer with a Bobcat tractor. The attacker then turned around and tried to attack nearby Israeli civilians, the military said.

It said a soldier opened fire, killing the assailant. No Israeli troops were harmed.

Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks. Over 260 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in that time. Israel says most were attackers. The attacks have petered off in recent months as the Palestinian focus has shifted toward mass protests at the Gaza border.

On Friday, the Palestinians protested for the 10th week in a row. The military said some hurled grenades and pipe bombs at troops behind the border fence. Some 40 Palestinians were wounded and Najjar was the only one killed.

The Khan Younis hospital said Najjar had a gunshot wound in the chest with an exit wound in the back.

The military said its troops operated "in accordance with standard operating procedures" and that it was investigating the incident.

Israel insists that throughout the weeks-long campaign its troops have fired only at instigators and that Hamas has been cynically using the demonstrations as cover to carry out attacks. But military officials have acknowledged shooting some people by mistake due to the crowded and smoky conditions of the protests.

On Saturday, the military said it thwarted a Palestinian attempt to damage the security fence surrounding Gaza and a group of militants briefly entered Israel before fleeing back into Gaza when Israeli troops opened fire.

Palestinians and human rights groups have accused Israeli forces of using excessive force, and of killing unarmed Palestinians who did not pose an imminent threat both in the West Bank and Gaza.

Najjar's body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag as the funeral procession started from the hospital and passed near her home in Khuzaa, a village near the Khan Younis that is close to the border and has served as one of five protest encampments across Gaza in recent weeks. She was the eldest of six siblings.

"I want the world to hear my voice ... what's my daughter's fault?" asked her mother Sabreen, dressed in black and seated on a mattress in her living room. "She will leave a large emptiness at home."

On May 14, when the protests peaked over the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, a 14-year-old girl, Wessal Sheikh Khalil, was the first female protesters to be shot dead. She was among more than 60 people killed that day, the deadliest since a war between Hamas and Israel ended in 2014.

The Gaza protests are being organized by the territory's militant Hamas leadership and are aimed at drawing attention to the decade-long Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the territory. The blockade, meant to weaken Hamas, has caused widespread economic hardship in Gaza. The protesters are also demanding the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war and their descendants.

Fares al-Kidra, a colleague of Najjar, said they were approaching the fence to evacuate a wounded man and, as they were leaving, three gunshots were heard and Najjar fell to the ground.

Al-Mezan, a Gaza-based rights group, said Najjar was 100 meters from the fence and wearing a clearly marked paramedic's vest when she was shot.

Social media videos, and one captured by Associated Press footage, showed Najjar and a cohort of medics walking toward the fence and raising their hands to reach a wounded man lying on the ground. Najjar wore a dark blue headscarf and a white coat with the logo of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, where she volunteered.

Izzat Shatat, 23, a volunteering ambulance worker, said he and Najjar were set to announce their engagement at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. He said he was worried and asked her not to go to the border area Friday but she refused.

"She helped all people. She has never refused to help. She was the first to run toward anybody when he is shot," he said in tears.

Relatives of Palestinian volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar, 21, mourn at the family house during her funeral in town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Najjar was killed by Israeli fire Friday during mass protests in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Palestinian protesters evacuate a wounded man near the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, during a protest east of Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Friday, June 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar, 21, center, is seen before being shot in her chest by Israeli troops while running with protesters to take cover from teargas fired by Israeli troop near the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, during a protest east of Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Friday, June 1, 2018. Najjar was fatally shot in the chest and died later at hospital, the Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Relatives of Palestinian volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar, 21, mourn at the family house during her funeral in town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Najjar was killed by Israeli fire Friday during mass protests in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Relatives of Palestinian volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar, 21, mourn at the family house during her funeral in town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Najjar was killed by Israeli fire Friday during mass protests in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Palestinian children watch the funeral of the volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar, 21, in town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Najjar was killed by Israeli fire Friday during mass protests in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Palestinian mourners chant angry slogans during the funeral of a volunteer paramedic Razan Najjar, 21, in Khan Younis, Ssouthern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Najjar was killed by Israeli fire Friday during mass protests in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
LONDON (AP) - Police are reopening an investigation into one of Britain's most notorious scandals because a main suspect who was thought to have died may be alive, the BBC reported Saturday.

The decision is the latest twist in the story of former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, who was accused of plotting to kill his gay ex-lover Norman Scott in the 1970s.

In 1975, Scott was driven to a remote rural spot by a man who fatally shot Scott's Great Dane, Rinka, in what Scott said was a botched murder attempt.

FILE - This 1967 file photo shows then Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe. Police say they will reopen an investigation into one of Britain's most notorious scandals because a main suspect who was thought to have died may be alive. It's the latest twist in the story of former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, who was accused of plotting to kill his former lover Norman Scott. (PA Photo via AP)

Scott maintained he had had an affair with Thorpe in the 1960s, when homosexuality was illegal in Britain, and that the Liberal lawmaker - one of the era's biggest political stars - wanted to silence him.

Andrew Newton, an airline pilot, was convicted of firearms offenses over the shooting of the dog. When he was released from jail in 1977, Newton said he had been hired to kill Scott and implicated Thorpe and three other men in the plot.

Thorpe and the three others were tried and acquitted of conspiracy to murder in 1979. Thorpe's political career was ruined, and he stayed out of the public eye until his death in 2014.

New information led Gwent Police to reopen the investigation in 2015. They closed it last year after concluding Newton was dead.

But the force told the BBC it had "identified information which indicates that Mr. Newton may still be alive."

The case is back in the spotlight thanks to the miniseries "A Very English Scandal," which stars Hugh Grant as Thorpe and Ben Whishaw as Scott.

Scott, who has long accused the authorities of burying evidence to protect Thorpe, told the BBC that police hadn't done enough to find Newton and "were continuing the cover up as far as I can see."
Vietnam and Japan agreed to expand the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to include more countries and regions for the future benefit of both nations, reported The Nikkei newspaper from Japan.

The leaders have discussed the possibility of launching negotiations on a bilateral social welfare agreement which will prevent the double payment of social security contributions for Vietnamese employers who have employees working in Japan and vice versa, the newspaper said.

Japan also pledged to provide Vietnam with JPY15.6 billion in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to build educational establishments for human resources training in the industrial sector, it added.

In addition to cooperation in economics, the Japanese media also highlighted Vietnam-Japan relations in East Sea issues, freedom of navigation, promotion of respect for international law, and the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

The two sides exchanged concerns over the current situation in the East Sea and shared common awareness of the importance of fostering peace and stability in the waters and of demilitarisation through diplomatic efforts, NHK Television reported.

PM Shinzo Abe spoke of his hopes that the two nations will continue taking their partnership in maritime security to new heights while pushing for the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. He stressed that the freedom of navigation is important to the regions peace and prosperity, reported Sankei, Mainichi, JIJI, and Kyodo News Agency.
PARIS (AP) - Surely, that's no way to treat a friend?

Rafael Nadal beat his old buddy Richard Gasquet for a 16th consecutive time Saturday, making theirs one of the most lopsided duels in men's tennis.

The Spaniard and the Frenchman were born 15 days apart in 1986. They've known each other since they were young prodigies. But with a racket in his hand, Nadal is ruthless with the player he calls "a good friend and a good person."

Spain's Rafael Nadal, right, hugs France's Richard Gasquet after their third round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, June 2, 2018 in Paris. Nadal won 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Nadal's streak against Gasquet stretches back to 2004. Gasquet hasn't taken so much as a set off Nadal in 10 years.

Their third-round match at the French Open on Saturday followed a familiar pattern: Nadal subjected Gasquet to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 pummeling.

At 16-0, Nadal's head-to-head record against Gasquet is now one of the most lopsided since the professional era began in 1968. Bjorn Borg went 17-0 against Vitas Gerulaitis; Ivan Lendl did likewise against Tim Mayotte. Roger Federer has 17-0 streaks going against Mikhail Youzhny and David Ferrer.

With his gentlemanly right-handed tennis, Gasquet quickly finds himself overpowered by the left-handed Nadal.

"When he plays on his backhand, he has an intensity which is monstrous," Gasquet said after the latest loss. "I really have trouble with his forehand that comes to my shoulder every time."

Here, some of the highlights (or lowlights if you're a Gasquet fan) from 14 years of Nadal dominating his friend from childhood:

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ESTORIL, Portugal, 2004: The streak starts: Nadal wins 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 on clay.

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MONTE CARLO, Monaco, 2005: In the semifinals, Nadal loses the opening-set tiebreaker before winning 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-3. That was the last time Gasquet took a set off Nadal on his favorite surface.

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ROLAND GARROS, Paris, 2005: Their first meeting at a Grand Slam. Nadal wins 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in the third round.

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TORONTO, Canada, 2008: After losing a mammoth tiebreaker, Nadal allows Gasquet just three more games, winning the quarterfinal 6-7 (12), 6-2, 6-1. That was the last time Gasquet took a set off Nadal.

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US OPEN, New York, 2009: Nadal dispatches Gasquet from the first round 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, their most lopsided Grand Slam match until Nadal again allowed Gasquet just seven games at Roland Garros on Saturday.

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ROLAND GARROS, Paris, 2018: "He's someone I really appreciate," Nadal said of Gasquet after beating him. "I'm just sorry that he had to play me again here."

Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after winning a point as he plays France's Richard Gasquet during their third round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, June 2, 2018 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

France's Richard Gasquet reaches for the ball as he plays Spain's Rafael Nadal during their third round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, June 2, 2018 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump fabricated history when it came to assessing the 2016 election, his achievements on the opioid epidemic and a congressman's voting record on taxes. Critics of his immigration policy got it wrong when they accused the Trump administration of taking 1,500 immigrant children from their parents and losing them.

The week in review:

TRUMP: "African-Americans vote for Democrats for the most part. You know, vast majority. They've been doing it for over 100 years." - Nashville rally Tuesday.

In this May 29, 2018, photo, President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Nashville, Tenn. Trump fabricated history when it came to the 2016 election, his achievements on the opioid epidemic and a congressman's voting record on taxes. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

THE FACTS: Not 100 years or anything close. Most African-Americans for much of U.S. history were disenfranchised, then prevented from voting until the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which outlawed racial discrimination in voting. Before then, those who could vote mostly backed Republicans until the 1932 election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose New Deal programs of economic relief helped spur a longer-term shift of black support from Republican to Democrat.

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TRUMP: "Some of these states, I won by 44 points." - Nashville rally.

THE FACTS: Not some. One. He won Wyoming with 70 percent of the vote in 2016, exceeding Hillary Clinton's 22 percent by nearly 48 points, according to Associated Press election data. His next biggest win came in West Virginia, where he won by 42 points.

Nationwide, Trump lost the popular vote. He garnered 46 percent to Clinton's 48 percent, but ultimately won the election based on an Electoral College system in which the votes of smaller rural states that generally backed Trump are weighted more heavily than big, Democratic-leaning states such as New York and California.

Under the U.S. system of electing presidents, Electoral College votes are set equal to the number of U.S. representatives in each state plus its two senators.

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TRUMP: "A.P. has just reported that the Russian Hoax Investigation has now cost our government over $17 million, and going up fast. No Collusion, except by the Democrats!" - tweet Friday.

THE FACTS: The AP did not report the cost is going up fast. It cited a Justice Department finding that the investigation over 10 months has cost $16.7 million, which Trump rounded up to $17 million. Of the costs assigned to the investigation, $9 million would have been spent even absent the investigation, the department said.

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TRUMP: "Not that it matters but I never fired James Comey because of Russia! The Corrupt Mainstream Media loves to keep pushing that narrative, but they know it is not true!" - tweet Thursday.

THE FACTS: Trump himself fed that "narrative." The president has said at least twice that Comey's firing in May 2017 was related to the FBI's investigation into whether Trump's campaign associates coordinated with Russia in an effort to sway the 2016 election. And his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, told Fox News in May that Trump fired Comey because the FBI director wouldn't publicly state that Trump "wasn't a target" of the Russia investigation. Trump's public rationale for firing Comey has shifted on multiple occasions.

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TRUMP, referring to Robert Iger, CEO of ABC's parent Walt Disney Co.: "Iger, where is my call of apology? You and ABC have offended millions of people, and they demand a response. How is Brian Ross doing? He tanked the market with an ABC lie, yet no apology. Double Standard!" - tweet Thursday.

THE FACTS: "No apology" is wrong. Trump should know that because he expressed satisfaction in December with ABC's statement that said, "We deeply regret and apologize for the serious error" by Ross, an investigative reporter.

Ross had reported that Trump, as a candidate, directed aide Michael Flynn to make contact with Russian officials during the campaign, a potentially explosive development. Ross changed his report hours later, saying his source stated that Trump's outreach actually came after Trump won the election, when presidents-elect might be expected to get to know foreign officials. ABC issued the apology, suspended Ross for four weeks without pay and said he would no longer report on Trump.

At the time, that pleased Trump, who tweeted: "Congratulations to @ABC News for suspending Brian Ross for his horrendously inaccurate and dishonest report on the Russia, Russia, Russia Witch Hunt. More Networks and 'papers' should do the same with their Fake News!"

Trump's revived wrath at ABC and Iger comes after the network canceled Roseanne Barr's show because of her racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, who was an aide to President Barack Obama. Iger tweeted that the cancellation was "the right thing" to do.

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TRUMP: "There is no one better to represent the people of N.Y. and Staten Island (a place I know very well) than @RepDanDonovan, who is strong on Borders & Crime, loves our Military & our Vets, voted for Tax Cuts and is helping me to Make America Great Again. Dan has my full endorsement!" - tweet Wednesday.

HE FACTS: He's incorrect about the tax cuts he signed into law in December. Donovan voted against them, one of the few Republicans to do so. He told AP on Thursday that Trump knew that. "The president was well aware," he said. "We've had discussions about my tax vote, the president and I." Donovan opposed the tax bill because he said it would mean a tax increase for his constituents. "With the state and local tax deduction nearly eliminated, this tax bill doesn't equal relief for far too many New Yorkers," he said at the time.

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TRUMP, sharing this tweet from broadcaster Rush Limbaugh: "If the FBI was so concerned, and if they weren't targeting Trump, they should have told Trump. If they were really concerned about the Russians infiltrating a campaign (hoax), then why not try to stop it? Why not tell Trump? Because they were pushing this scam." - Thursday.

THE FACTS: The FBI did tell the Trump campaign about threats posed by foreign intelligence services. What level of detail it disclosed has not been established. It is now well known that Trump aides had multiple contacts with Russian interests during the campaign and the FBI was investigating those contacts for any evidence of collusion between the campaign and Russia. It is therefore unlikely that the FBI would share specifics that might compromise its criminal investigation.

In August 2016, an FBI counterintelligence agent gave candidate Trump what is known within the bureau as a defensive briefing about the threats from foreign intelligence services. Such briefings are fairly standard and are intended to help campaigns guard against infiltration or hacking by foreign governments, such as Russia and China. Similar briefings were given to Clinton and the two vice presidential picks prior to the election, according to an October 2017 letter from Greg Brower, then the FBI's head of congressional affairs.

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TRUMP: "We got $6 billion for opioid and getting rid of that scourge that's taking over our country. And the numbers are way down. We're getting the word out - bad. Bad stuff. You go to the hospital, you have a broken arm, you come out, you're a drug addict with this crap. It's way down. We're doing a good job with it. But we got $6 billion to help us with opioid." - Nashville rally.

THE FACTS: That's misleading. One leading indicator of the opioid epidemic is down - painkiller prescriptions. Other indicators are up, such as the number of overdoses and deaths. And none of that has to do with the $6 billion enacted by Congress. The numbers are from 2017; the money is for this year and next.

Prescriptions for opioid painkillers filled in the U.S. fell almost 9 percent last year, the largest drop in 25 years. The total dosage of opioid prescriptions filled in 2017 declined by 12 percent because more prescriptions were for a shorter duration, fewer new patients started on them and high-dose prescriptions dropped. The numbers are from health data firm IQVIA's Institute for Human Data Science.

But overdose deaths involving opioids rose to about 46,000 for the 12-month period ended October 2017, up about 15 percent from October 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The numbers are preliminary because of continuing cause-of-death investigations later in the reporting period. They could go higher.

As well, the CDC says emergency department visits for overdoses of opioids rose 30 percent in the U.S. from July 2016 to September 2017. Overdoses shot up 70 percent in the Midwest in that time while increasing by 54 percent in large cities in 16 states.

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TRUMP: "Democrats mistakenly tweet 2014 pictures from Obama's term showing children from the Border in steel cages. They thought it was recent pictures in order to make us look bad, but backfires." - tweet Tuesday.

THE FACTS: He is correct about widespread misrepresentation of the photos on Twitter.

The photos, taken by AP, were from 2014, during the Obama administration, but were presented by liberal activists as if they showed the effects of Trump's immigration policy now. The photos were taken at a center run by the Customs and Border Protection Agency in Nogales, Arizona. One photo shows two unidentified female detainees sleeping in a holding cell. It's not clear that many prominent Democrats spread the photos, from a 2016 Arizona Republic story, though some did.

Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor now running for governor, tweeted that he was: "Speechless. This is not who we are as a nation." Jon Favreau, ex-speechwriter for Obama, tweeted: "This is happening right now." They and others deleted their tweets when they realized the mistake.

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JIM CARREY, actor: "1500 innocent children ripped from their mothers' arms at our border. Lost in Trump's 'system'. - tweet May 27.

THE FACTS: This didn't happen. Many Trump critics, Carrey among them, misrepresented the fate of nearly 1,500 minors who came to the border - without their parents - and were transferred by U.S. authorities to sponsors in the country.

The Health and Human Services Department followed up with such children by calling their households to check on them late last year, getting information on the whereabouts of most, officials said. But they could not account for 1,475 of them, in part because many sponsors didn't respond to the calls.

On that basis, Trump critics are calling the children "lost." But in that round of calls, the Trump administration actually had a slightly better rate of confirming such children's circumstances than the Obama administration did in 2016, according to an inspector general's report - 86 percent versus 85 percent.

The episode with the unaccompanied children and the 2014 photos distracted from what is actually happening. Under a Trump policy to enforce criminal charges against people crossing the border illegally with few or no previous offenses, separation of parents from children is bound to become more common, and that trend may have started.

A Customs and Border Protection official told lawmakers that 658 children had been separated from their parents at the border from May 6 to May 19, after border agents began referring every illegal entry to criminal prosecutors. This is in addition to hundreds more who were estimated to have been removed from their parents at the border since October.

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Associated Press writers Anne Flaherty and Chad Day in Washington, Mike Stobbe in New York, Carla K. Johnson in Seattle and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.

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NEW YORK (AP) - They might be the unluckiest pot smokers in New York.

Saying the government's war on marijuana has hit minorities too hard, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said last month that his office would stop prosecuting people for simple possession or public use of the drug as of Aug. 1. But that midsummer start date comes too late for the people still being dragged into court on the charge now.

College student Allain Laporte, 24, was pinched by police in April for smoking marijuana on a bench in Union Square.

Allain Laporte outside a Manhattan courtroom, during an interview, where he faced a judge on marijuana possession charges, Thursday May 17, 2018, in New York. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said last month that his office would stop prosecuting people for possession or public use of marijuana on Aug. 1. But that midsummer start date comes too late for people still being dragged into court on the charge now.(AP Photo/Verena Dobnik)

"I had no idea there were two undercover detectives across from me who waited till I almost finished the joint," he said. "They came up to me, confiscated the joint, patted me down, put handcuffs on my wrists and brought me to the precinct. It was embarrassing."

He was fingerprinted, photographed for a mug shot and put into a cell, barefoot, before being released.

On May 21, Laporte faced a judge with a lawyer from the Legal Aid Society at his side. His case was handled like most minor marijuana possession charges in New York City courts these days: The case was postponed, and if he has no further legal trouble for six months, the charges will be dismissed and the case sealed.

Still, Laporte said he resented the experience, and felt that if he were white, he wouldn't have been arrested in the first place.

"I feel as if it's unfair to me, because based on my race, or even my gender - I'm a male African-American - I just felt as if I shouldn't have gotten arrested for a minor misdemeanor such as smoking marijuana," he said.

Laporte's court appearance came six days after Vance, citing evidence of racial disparity in marijuana enforcement, announced that he will largely stop prosecuting people for possessing or smoking marijuana in August except for a few cases involving "public safety concerns." His office said it expected marijuana prosecutions in the borough from roughly 5,000 per year to about 200.

"The dual mission of the Manhattan DA's Office is a safer New York and a more equal justice system," Vance said in a statement. "The ongoing arrest and criminal prosecution of predominantly black and brown New Yorkers for smoking marijuana serves neither of these goals."

On the same day, Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, said the city's police department would be overhauling its marijuana arrest policies. Brooklyn's district attorney said he would also reduce prosecutions to a very small number.

And a task force created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo is also considering whether or not to propose legalizing marijuana for recreational use. For now, only medical marijuana is legal in New York, under strict rules with licensed sales.

Cuomo's leading opponent in the Democratic primary, Cynthia Nixon, supports legalization.

Meanwhile, Hector Rodriguez is angry that he's still caught in the old enforcement system.

"Hopefully in August, marijuana smokers won't have to go through this nonsense," Rodriguez, 38, a corporate chef with no criminal record, said after leaving a court appearance on a marijuana charge late last month. "There's rapes and murders. Go save a life, officer; why are you bothering me for marijuana?"

He was stopped by police in March for having a lit joint while walking with a friend through Greenwich Village.

In court, the judge waived fines and court charges that could have totaled $150, but, as with Laporte, any other encounter with a police officer in the next six months could get him arrested.

Nearly 90 percent of about 18,000 people charged last year with marijuana possession are New Yorkers of color, while evidence suggests use of the drug is generally not higher among African-Americans and Latinos than among whites, said Jared Chausow, the senior policy specialist at Brooklyn Criminal Defenders, which offers free defense attorneys.

The big question now, he said, is how much police and prosecutors will follow through on their public pronouncements that fewer people will be arrested.

"It's the difference between policy and practice," Chausow said.

New York state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Bronx Democrat, said Wednesday that if the state legalizes recreational marijuana, it should consider expunging the criminal records of people with past convictions for using the drug.

"If we're going to get to the point that it's going to be legal, why should people still have trouble getting jobs and have a record for something that is legal?" he said.
NEW YORK (AP) - Michael Grimm doesn't want to talk about his time in prison. He just wants your vote.

The former Republican congressman from New York City's Staten Island is fighting his party, his president and the stigma of a felony conviction in a no-holds-barred primary June 26.

Just two years out of prison, the amateur boxer with a fiery temper wants his old job back. And he has a legitimate chance to seize the nomination from the incumbent, Dan Donovan.

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2014 file photo, then-Rep. Michael Grimm, center, enters Brooklyn federal court before pleading guilty to a federal tax evasion charge in New York. Grimm doesn't want to talk about his time in prison. He wants your vote. Just two years out of prison he has a legitimate chance to seize the Republican nomination from sitting Congressman Dan Donovan later this month. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Just don't ask Grimm about his time behind bars for tax fraud.

"I'm done talking about it," Grimm said in a recent Associated Press interview, blaming his seven-month stay in a federal prison on a politically motivated Justice Department under the Obama administration. "It's a closed chapter in my life. I'm looking to the future."

President Donald Trump spotlighted the race this past week with a Twitter endorsement of Donovan, warning that a Grimm primary victory would risk losing the GOP's only U.S. House seat in the city.

"Remember Alabama," Trump wrote, likening Grimm to Republican Roy Moore, the Alabama Senate candidate who was nominated even despite being accused of molesting teenage girls and who lost the general election to a Democrat in the GOP stronghold.

Trump's decision to step into New York's turbulent GOP primary tests the strength of his influence in his hometown's only conservative pocket. The 11th Congressional District covers the quiet streets of Staten Island as well as a slice of southern Brooklyn.

It is truly the heart of New York's Trump country, and is home to many white working-class voters - police officers, firefighters and hairdressers - who have sent a Republican to Washington for most of the past decade.

Donovan, a 61-year-old former public prosecutor, isn't shy about highlighting Grimm's criminal history.

"Once you betray the community you don't get a second chance," Donovan told the AP as he toured the district this past week. "This race comes down to integrity: Who can the public trust?"

Grimm, 48, is a former Marine and FBI agent who represented the area from 2011 to 2015.

He survived a political firestorm in 2014 after his violent threat against a reporter on Capitol Hill was caught on video. A year later, Grimm was forced to resign after pleading guilty to felony tax fraud involving a restaurant he partially owned before going to Congress.

In an interview, Grimm suggested that Donovan dangled the possibility of a presidential pardon should he abandon his primary challenge. A Donovan spokeswoman denied the claim.

A spokeswoman for Trump, who pardoned one conservative supporter this past week and is contemplating other pardons, did not respond to questions about a possible pardon for Grimm, who insists his harsh sentence was politically motivated.

Does Grimm want a pardon?

"Of course! I don't know of anyone who wouldn't, especially in my circumstances," Grimm told the AP.

While Grimm's criminal history is a central issue in the race, so is Trump.

As in other Republican primary contests this year, the New York candidates have sparred over the strength of their loyalty to the Republican president.

Donovan, who has been active in New York City politics for decades, notes that Trump has endorsed him six times over his political career. Yet Donovan has had to explain voting against Trump's tax overhaul and plan to replace President Barack Obama's health care law.

"I vote with Trump 90 percent of the time," Donovan said. "I vote with my constituents 100 percent of the time."

Grimm's campaign released a new TV ad on Friday that says: "Every time it mattered, Dan Donovan voted against President Trump."

"Look, if they want a guy like Dan Donovan, who's about as exciting as a wet noodle, to represent them, they already have that," Grimm said in the interview. "I'm a Marine. Guys like me don't charge into combat because we don't have an aggressive personality."

He added: "I'm a fighter in every way."

On Staten Island, voters have strong opinions about Grimm's personality and his baggage.

Outside Tony's Brick Oven pizzeria on Bay Street, 61-year-old Victor Aasen said he's definitely voting for Donovan.

"The other guy is just full of drama," Aasen said, citing Grimm's threat against the reporter in Washington. "He's a hot head."

Later, Dennis Quirk, president of the New York State Court Officers Association, railed against Grimm's background after endorsing Donovan.

"I think it's a disgrace for someone who's a convicted felon to run for office," Quirk said. "He should be ashamed of himself."

Yet evidence of Grimm's appeal across the district is easy to find.

His red, white and blue campaign signs are plastered along businesses and homes up and down Staten Island's main streets. Constituents talk openly about his dedication to the district after Superstorm Sandy, which caused damage that's still being repaired in some cases.

Grimm is an aggressive campaigner who insists he can win simply by outworking his opponent.

At Andrew's Diner, he hugged a boy in a wheelchair and promised to write a letter of recommendation for another who hoped to go to West Point.

"I really feel that he was railroaded," 81-year-old Bob Demarest said of Grimm as he waited for his pancakes. "I want him back."

It's unlikely that the president will visit the district on Donovan's behalf. With far more consequential races across the country this fall, Trump is expected to focus his time and energy attacking vulnerable Democratic Senate candidates in Republican-leaning states.

Grimm, who says he maintains connections in the White House, recommends that Trump stay out of Staten Island.

"If I was legitimately advising the president, which I'm not, but if I was, I would say, 'Stay out of a race like this because I don't see how it would benefit him to get into such a contentious race,'" Grimm said. "By going into the race, he puts himself in a situation where he's going to lose."
BERLIN (AP) - The co-leader of the far-right nationalist Alternative for Germany party on Saturday dismissed the Nazi era as a "speck of bird poop" in German history, drawing swift condemnation from mainstream politicians and outrage on social media.

Alexander Gauland said Germans must take responsibility for 12 years of rule by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party, but argued that it's only a small part of Germany's history.

"We have a glorious history and it, dear friends, lasted longer than those blasted 12 years," he told a gathering of the party's youth movement, according to the dpa news agency.

Alexander Gauland, co-faction leader of the Alternative for Germany, AfD at the federal parliament Bundestag, attends a congress of the party's youth organization ' Junge Alternative', 'Young Alternative', at Seebach, Germany, Saturday, June 2, 2018. (Alexander Prautzsch/dpa via AP)

"Hitler and the Nazis are just a speck of bird poop in more than 1,000 years of successful German history," he said to applause.

The party, known by its German acronym AfD, became the third largest in Germany's parliament after the 2017 election. It is also the largest opposition party.

Responding to Gauland, the secretary general of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Party, wrote on Twitter that "50 million victims of war, the Holocaust and total war are just bird poop" for Gauland and his party.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Gauland's comments reveal the true nature of a party hiding behind middle-class respectability.

Katrin Goring-Eckardt of the Greens party called Gauland's comments a slap in the face to Holocaust survivors and their descendants and said they highlight the need to push back against a hate-filled minority.

"Those who say they understand the concerns of AfD voters haven't understood anything," she said.

Marco Buschmann of the Free Democratic Party said politicians who systematically play down the Nazi dictatorship and the Holocaust show how bleak their vision for Germany's future is.

Hitler and his party ruled Germany from 1933-1945, in later years engineering the genocide of Jews in Europe. Millions of people were persecuted or perished under Nazi rule, including six million Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) - A police spokesman says at least 15 people have been killed by cattle rustlers who attacked a village in Nigeria's northwestern state of Zamfara.

Muhammad Shehu tells The Associated Press the victims were killed late Friday in Zakuna village in what appeared to be a reprisal attack. Shehu says the cattle rustlers had been repelled in an attack earlier in the day but regrouped.

Cattle rustlers have killed scores of people in Zamfara state since January amid growing tensions in the area.

Insecurity remains a major problem in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. In the northeast, security forces continue to battle the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, which still carries out deadly suicide bombings and mass abductions.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Juan Romero was a teenage Mexican immigrant working as a hotel busboy 50 years ago when he was thrust into one of the seminal moments of the decade.

Romero had just stopped to shake the hand of Robert F. Kennedy on the night of his victory in the California presidential primary on June 5, 1968 when a gunman shot the New York senator in the head. Romero held a wounded Kennedy as he lay on the ground, struggling to keep the senator's bleeding head from hitting the cold floor of the Ambassador Hotel kitchen.

For almost a half-century, Romero blamed himself, wondering if he could have done more and often asked, what if Kennedy hadn't stopped for that brief moment to shake my hand? The torment ate at Romero so much he fled Los Angeles and resettled in seclusion in Wyoming.

In this undated photo provided by StoryCorps, Juan Romero, 67, holds a photo of himself and the dying Sen. Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, taken by the Los Angeles Times' Boris Yaro on June 5, 1968, at his home in Modesto, Calif. Associated Press Hollywood reporter Bob Thomas was on a one-night political assignment covering Sen. Robert F. Kennedy's victory celebration in the California presidential primary at the Ambassador Hotel when mayhem unfolded before his eyes. He heard pops of gunfire, then screams, and quickly rushed into the kitchen to see the dying Kennedy on the floor, blood oozing from his head. He found a phone and called the AP desk. "I've got a flash. Kennedy shot." Sirhan Sirhan was later convicted of Kennedy's murder. (Jud Esty-Kendall/StoryCorps via AP)

Today, nearly 50 years after that tragic early morning, the 67-year-old Romero doesn't bear the same guilt, thanks in part to the support of RFK fans who say the former busboy was an example of the type of people Kennedy sought to help in making racial equality and civil rights a cornerstone of his life's work.

Romero grants few interviews but recently made himself available for the Netflix documentary "Bobby Kennedy for President," StoryCorps and others to talk about the hope RFK inspired that remains with him 50 years later.

"I still have the fire burning inside of me," Romero told The Associated Press.

Born in the small town of Mazatan, Mexico, Romero moved to Baja California until his family received permission to bring him to the United States as a 10-year-old. The family lived in poor East Los Angeles and he attended Roosevelt High School the year that Chicano students started organizing walkouts to protest discrimination against Mexican-American students.

But Romero's stepfather "ruled with an iron hand," and the teen feared he'd face trouble at home if he took part. Instead, Romero got a job at the Ambassador Hotel as a dishwasher and later a busboy.

At the time, the young Romero didn't understand politics. Yet he knew that President John F. Kennedy had traveled to Mexico and saw footage of Robert Kennedy visiting Mexican-American farm workers in California. When Robert Kennedy announced he would run for president, Romero got caught up in the excitement.

"When I listened to Robert Kennedy, I felt he wasn't talking at us, but talking to you personally," Romero said.

Then came the day Romero met Kennedy. The day before the California primary, Kennedy and his aides ordered room service at the Ambassador Hotel. Romero was on duty and came into the room with a group of other busboys. He saw Kennedy toward the back - one hand held a curtain and the other gripped a phone. Kennedy put down the phone and waved Romero to come forward.

"All I remember was that I kept staring at him with my mouth open," Romero said. Kennedy grabbed Romero's hand with both hands and said, "thank you." For a moment, there was silence.

"I will never forget the handshake and the look ... looking right at you with those piercing eyes that said, 'I'm one of you. We're good,'" Romero said. "He wasn't looking at my skin, he wasn't looking at my age ... he was looking at me as an American."

The busboy walked out of Kennedy's room with complete happiness. Nothing would stop him from pursuing his dreams, Romero felt. "Now, they call it swagger," he said. "I had no doubt that I had just met the next president of the United States."

The next day, voters went to the polls. In some East Los Angeles precincts, polls closed early, not because of irregularities but because everyone had voted. Kennedy won on the strength of Mexican-American and black voters.

In the Embassy Room, Kennedy thanked supporters, including United Farm Worker co-founder Dolores Huerta. After his victory speech, Huerta tried to usher Kennedy to another room where mariachis were waiting to play for the victorious candidate. Kennedy walked downstairs and decided to go through a hotel kitchen and meet with reporters waiting on the other side.

In the kitchen, Kennedy raced through and waved to kitchen staff. Then, he saw Romero. Did he remember him from the day before? Romero stuck out his hand and Kennedy stopped to shake it. During that brief pause, a man ran toward Kennedy and opened fire. Several men, including Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson and Los Angeles Rams football player Roosevelt Grier, jumped on the gunman.

Romero ran to Kennedy. News photographers captured pictures of Romero next to the bloodied Kennedy - images that would be seen all over the world.

"Is everybody OK?" Kennedy asked. Yes, he said. "Everything will be OK," Kennedy said before losing consciousness. Romero put a rosary in Kennedy's hand. Wife Ethel Kennedy - at the time pregnant with their 11th child - ran to her injured husband and pushed Romero away. Romero turned and saw a group of men punching the gunman. "I felt my hand making a fist to join in," Romero said. "Then I thought, what's the point?"

The next day, Robert F. Kennedy, the man who had excited Latino, black, poor and anti-Vietnam War voters, was dead at the age of 42.

Dawn Porter, who directed "Bobby Kennedy for President," said it was an honor to speak to Romero and allow him to share his story for the Netflix documentary. He opened up upon meeting Kennedy aide Paul Schrade, who was wounded in the attack, for the first time in decades. The two shared their emotional memories.

"We just pointed the camera and let the two of them talk," Porter said. "It was powerful."

Conspiracy theorists later would accuse Romero of being a plant to help kill Kennedy. Others criticized him for being selfish for wanting to shake hands with Kennedy again. Those charges used to hurt Romero, who now lives in San Jose, California, and works as a concrete and asphalt paver. He has visited the grave of Robert F. Kennedy with his daughter Elda Romero at the Arlington National Cemetery.

He's still angry that Kennedy never had the opportunity to lead the fractured nation and tackle poverty and discrimination.

Romero, after 50 years, has accepted his place in history, even though he wished no one knew his name.

"People often say I was at the right place at the right time." Romero said. Then after a long moment of silence said, "No, the right place at the right time would have been me ... taking that bullet."

___

Associated Press writer Russell Contreras is a member of the AP's race and ethnicity team. Follow Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras
A 13-year-old Texas girl has been charged with stabbing her friend, 14, to death during an argument over a sleepover.

Nylah Lightfoot of Fort Worth, Texas was stabbed in the chest and neck when she went to pick up her clothes from her friend's home on Tuesday.

The victim's mother Anntoinette Carter claims that the mother of the suspect stood by and watched the altercation between the two girls unfold, without stepping in.

Nylah Lightfoot, 14, of Fort Worth, Texas was stabbed to death on Tuesday by her 13-year-old friend, who has been charged in her death

Nylah, pictured above, had gone to visit the suspect to retrieve clothes she left with her when she was stabbed in the chest and the neck and later died from her wounds

Carter says her daughter Nylah and the suspect were 'on-and-off friends'.

She added that Nylah asked if the suspect could sleepover, to which Carter said no, according to The Star-Telegram.

Then the suspect asked Nylah to come over and retrieve clothes she had swapped with the teen.

Then the two got into an altercation at the Fort Worth apartment complex and things turned deadly.

Police responded to a call around 3:30am early Tuesday morning.

The horrific stabbing unfolded at this Fort Worth apartment complex, police responded to a call around 3:30am on Tuesday

Nylah's mother Anntoinette Carter claims that the 13-year-old suspect's mother watched on as the teenager stabbed Nylah

Nylah's family say they want justice for their her death who was stabbed after the suspect was denied a sleepover

The little girl was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital for her neck and chest wounds where she was pronounced dead, the Tarrant County medical examiner's office says.

The 13-year-old suspect, who has not been named due to her age, was arrested Wednesday according to Fort Worth Police spokesman Bradley Perez.

She is held in custody pending trial in the killing of Nylah, as ordered by State District Judge Timothy Menikos.

She wore handcuffs as she made her initial appearance before a judge on Thursday, according to Fox4.

'Now I'm daughterless. And my heart feels like it's just been ripped out and stomped on,' Carter said.

Nylah's grandfather Dwight Roberts said he wants justice for her premature death.

'This is just a wake-up call for everybody. Not only my grandkids but other kids. When your parents tell you not to do something, don't do it. Just wait. Live another day,' he said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - No topic has dominated California's governor race like President Donald Trump. The Republicans want to be like him; the Democrats want to oppose him. But whoever wins will face a long list of challenges from housing and homelessness to health care.

Here's a look at some of the debates that have emerged during the race, which includes Democrats Gavin Newsom, Antonio Villaraigosa, John Chiang and Delaine Eastin and Republicans John Cox and Travis Allen.

HEALTH CARE

FILE - In this May 23, 2018, file photo, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox address supporters at the Sacramento County Republican Party headquarters in Sacramento, Calif. The heat for California governor is especially intense for Republican Cox and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, whom polls show to be in a tough fight for the second of two slots on the general election ballot. Democrat Gavin Newsom is the undisputed front-runner and is expected to advance. The primary is Tuesday, June 5, 2018, and more than 1.4 million ballots have already been cast by mail. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

All the Democrats say they support, at least in concept, "single-payer" health care - the idea that the government should pay for health coverage for everyone in the state, instead of the complex mix of employers, unions, individuals, Medicare and Medicaid that reins today.

But that didn't stop it from being a major sticking point between them.

Newsom was an enthusiastic supporter of a bill sponsored by the California Nurses Association that would implement a "single-payer" health care system. But it lacked key details, most notably a plan to cover the $400 billion cost. Chiang and Villaraigosa accuse Newsom of misleading voters with unattainable promises. Villaraigosa called it "snake oil."

For his part, Newsom calls his rivals "can't-do Democrats" too fixated on the challenges of single-payer health care.

Allen and Cox oppose single-payer health care.

IMMIGRATION

For the Republicans, California's "sanctuary state" law has been an animating issue the way health care has been for Democrats. Cox and Allen are resolutely opposed. They say repealing it would be among their top priorities.

The legislation, approved by the Legislature last year and signed by outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown, restricts local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It also prohibits jail officials from transferring inmates to immigration agents, unless they're convicted of certain crimes.

The Republicans say the "sanctuary" law protects criminals - a charge supporters dispute.

The Democrats all support the legislation and say California must do all it can to stand up for immigrants.

HOUSING

The candidates all agree it's too hard to build new housing in California but offer widely varying ideas for addressing the state's housing and homelessness crisis.

For decades, California has failed to build enough homes to meet demand.

Newsom and Villaraigosa have embraced plans to build 3.5 million new homes by 2025 - a target highlighted by the McKinsey Global Institute in 2016 as the number of new homes needed to catch up with current needs and keep pace with demand.

Chiang and Eastin say the target is unrealistic and have set goals they say are more achievable. The Democrats have also called for bonds of various sizes to build affordable housing.

Cox and Allen both look skeptically at housing subsidies. Cox advocates eliminating environmental and other regulations that he says slow construction and raise costs. Allen says cutting taxes could give people more money to afford high housing costs.

EDUCATION

Education hasn't been a prominent issue in the race, at least publicly. But it's driven a whole lot of the spending behind the scenes.

Charter school advocates - including former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Netflix founder Reed Hastings - have pumped more than $22 million into an independent campaign group supporting Villaraigosa.

Villaraigosa angered teachers unions as mayor, when he took over several failing schools and was critical of the union. He's touting improved graduation rates in LA during his time as mayor.

Newsom has called for more state oversight of charters - a top priority for the state's influential teachers unions, which have spent about $1.3 million supporting him as part of a coalition of unions.

Allen has called for more charter schools and advocates more "school choice" - the flexibility for parents to send their children somewhere other than the assigned neighborhood public school.

FILE - In this May 25, 2018, file photo, California gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a visit with veterans and their families in San Diego. The heat for California governor is especially intense for Republican Cox and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, whom polls show to be in a tough fight for the second of two slots on the general election ballot. Democrat Gavin Newsom is the undisputed front-runner and is expected to advance. The primary is Tuesday, June 5, 2018, and more than 1.4 million ballots have already been cast by mail. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

FILE - In this May 11, 2018 file photo Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, chats with constituents during a campaign stop in San Francisco. The heat for California governor is especially intense for Republican Cox and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, whom polls show to be in a tough fight for the second of two slots on the general election ballot. Democrat Gavin Newsom is the undisputed front-runner and is expected to advance. The primary is Tuesday, June 5, 2018, and more than 1.4 million ballots have already been cast by mail. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez,File)

Democratic California gubernatorial candidate, State Treasurer John Chiang smiles at a campaign stop at the Boyle Heights Senior Center in East Los Angeles, Friday, June 1, 2018. California's next governor faces a long list of challenges, from housing and health care to immigration. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

FILE - In this April 26, 2017 file photo supporters of single-payer health care march to the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. Health care is one of the sticking points between the major gubernatorial candidates in the June primary. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, file)

FILE In this Jan. 25, 2017 file photo protesters hold signs as they yell at a rally outside of City Hall in San Francisco. Immigration is one of the major issues between the gubernatorial candidates in the June primary. Republicans John Cox and Travis Allen are opposed to California's "sanctuary state" legislation while Democratic candidates, Gavin Newsom, Antonio Villaraigosa, John Chiang and Delaine Eastin support it and say California must do al it can to stand up for immigrants. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)
EPSOM, England (AP) - The Dubai-owned Godolphin stable celebrated its first victory in the English Derby on Saturday when Masar achieved a 16-1 upset victory in the 239th edition of the race.

Beaten into third in the 2000 Guineas last month by Saxon Warrior, William Buick's Masar turned the tables on Aidan O'Brien's favorite, which finished fourth.

"It's not easy to win the Derby, but we have won it," said Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who founded Godolphin. "I was jumping up and down in the final furlong. Horses are in my blood, I love them."

William Buick on Masar celebrates winning the Investec Derby during derby day at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Britain, Saturday, June 2, 2018. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

In a Godolphin double, Dee Ex Bee was second - running in the colors of Sheikh Mohammed's son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

Masar, trainer Charlie Appleby's colt, finished 1  lengths ahead of Dee Ex Bee.

"We came here with doubts about his effectiveness on the track and I'm not sure it suits," Dee Ex Bee trainer Mark Johnston said. "Because of the camber he rolled on to the one on his inside, but he rallied again up the hill so it bodes really well for the future."

Roaring Lion was third at Epsom, with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II watching the race.

Masar ridden by jockey William Buick coming home to win the Investec Derby during derby day of the 2018 Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Britain, on Saturday June 2, 2018. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Masar ridden by jockey William Buick coming home to win the Investec Derby during derby day of the 2018 Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Britain, Saturday June 2, 2018. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Racegoers attend derby day of the 2018 Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Britain, Saturday, June 2, 2018. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) - A Chicago firefighter has been charged with gun violations after his 14-year-old daughter posted a photo of herself online posing with his assault-style rifle.

The photo carried a message: "Don't worry, I won't shoot up Lane," referring to Chicago's Lane Tech College Prep High School. It's unclear when she posted the picture.

The Chicago Tribune says the 60-year-old firefighter was cited for failing to secure a weapon from a minor and possessing an assault rifle in the city. His daughter hasn't been charged.

Security at Lane Tech called police after the photo appeared on Snapchat. It isn't clear if the girl is a student at the school.

Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Emily Bolton says there was no credible threat. She says families were assured in a letter Wednesday.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Ariya Jutanugarn used two quick birdies at the U.S. Women's Open to put the pressure on leader Sarah Jane Smith.

With the momentum secured, the 22-year-old from Thailand was far from finished.

Jutanugarn shot a 5-under 67 in the third round Saturday, turning a three-shot deficit into a four-shot lead and creating an excellent opportunity to win her second major championship. Even Smith, who shot a 74 to fall back to second place, was impressed by Jutanugarn's relentless surge.

Ariya Jutanugarn, of Thailand, tees off on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Shoal Creek, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

"She's a spectacular player, obviously," Smith said. "Her length is just one part of her game. She hits it a long way, but her short game is impeccable. She rolls the ball beautifully.

"She's just the whole package."

Jutanugarn certainly looked like it on Saturday, combining long drives with a solid short game and putting. She made six birdies and just one bogey, rarely encountering serious trouble. When asked if her game had any current weaknesses, she immediately said yes, but then struggled to find one.

"Wait," she said grinning. "I'm thinking."

Jutanugarn started the third round behind Smith, but quickly gained ground on the Australian, making two birdies on her first three holes. She took the lead after Smith stumbled with back-to-back bogeys and then surged ahead with three straight birdies on the back nine.

She was at 12-under 204 for the tournament.

Smith started the tournament with back-to-back 67s, but didn't make a birdie in the third round.

"I think the nerves showed up in my putting," Smith said. "I didn't feel too bad, but I think when you are not getting the ball to the hole it probably proves that you are not letting it go."

South Korea's Hyo-Joo Kim was in third after shooting 68 and was six shots back.

It was a long, sweaty day at Shoal Creek, especially for those who had to complete their second round on Saturday morning before playing the third. Jutanugarn said she had a 4 a.m. wakeup call and played a total of 28 holes as the temperature hovered around 90 degrees with stifling humidity.

Jutanugarn didn't seem to mind, finishing with a 70 in the morning. She was able to rest a few hours before getting back on the course and birdied two of the first three holes to immediately put pressure on Smith, who has never won on the LPGA Tour.

Even though she was in a good mood after the third round, Jutanugarn admitted she was exhausted.

"I think I'm going to sleep pretty well," Jutanugarn said.

Smith had the advantage of finishing her second round on Friday before thunderstorms swept through central Alabama, but couldn't capitalize. She made seven straight pars before back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 dropped her one shot behind Jutanugarn.

Jutanugarn is trying for her ninth LPGA Tour win and her second major. She won the Women's British Open in 2016 and is coming off a victory at the Kingsmill Championship in May.

Michelle Wie started the third round in a tie for fourth, seven shots off the lead, but shot a 76 to fall out of contention. She won the U.S. Women's Open in 2014.

Two-time winner Inbee Park has an outside chance at getting back in contention. She shot a 71 on Saturday and was in a tie for fifth place, eight shots back.

"I have to give myself more opportunities at birdie because I feel quite good about the putter," Park said. "I just haven't been putting for many birdies."

The Shoal Creek course has taken a lot of rain over the past few weeks - including nearly an inch on Friday that forced the second-round delay - but still remained in relatively good shape. A day of sunshine certainly helped conditions, but more rain is possible on Sunday.

Sarah Jane Smith, of Australia, hits out of the bunker to the eighth green during the third round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Shoal Creek, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Su-Hyun Oh, of Australia, tees off on the ninth hole during the third round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Shoal Creek, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Michelle Wie watches while missing a putt on the seventh green during the third round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Shoal Creek, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Hyo-Joo Kim, of South Korea, tees off on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Shoal Creek, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Ariya Jutanugarn, of Thailand, tees off on the 17th hole during the third round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Shoal Creek, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - After delaying its airing in the aftermath of February's Florida high school shooting, Paramount Network is permanently scrapping "Heathers."

Representatives from parent company Viacom confirmed Saturday that the TV reboot of the 1988 movie black comedy about high-school murder and suicide will not air on Paramount or any other Viacom properties.

Viacom says the subject matter is not suitable in the current environment for channels it is attempting to make youth-oriented, but that it is open to the possibility of selling the anthology series to a more fitting outlet.

The show based on the film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater had been set to premiere in March, but was delayed after the Parkland, Florida shooting that left 17 dead.

The move was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
SINGAPORE (AP) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Saturday raised the prospect of additional American steps against China if its "militarization" of the South China Sea keeps apace. He said Beijing was intimidating and coercing others in the region by putting weapons systems on manmade islands.

President Donald Trump, backing the remarks by his Pentagon chief at an international security forum in Singapore, said on Twitter: "Very surprised that China would be doing this?"

Mattis said the Trump administration's recent decision to disinvite China from a multinational naval exercise this summer was an "initial response" to Beijing's island activity. Mattis called the U.S. action a "relatively small consequence. I believe there are much larger consequences in the future."

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis delivers his speech during the first plenary session of the 17th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-la Dialogue, an annual defense and security forum in Asia, in Singapore, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Singapore. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim)

China's reliance on military muscle to achieve its goals "is not a way to make long-term collaboration the rule of the road in a region that's important to China's future," Mattis said, when asked to elaborate.

"There are consequences that will continue to come home to roost, so to speak, with China, if they don't find a way to work more collaboratively with all of the nations who have interests," he said.

The bluster comes at a delicate time in U.S.-China relations, as the Trump administration is warily asking for China's help with North Korea ahead of a June 12 summit, while also threatening a trade war. Trump renewed his threat to hike tariffs on Chinese goods, just days before his commerce secretary's arrived in Beijing on Saturday for trade talks.

Mattis said there was little doubt about Beijing's intentions.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapons systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis said at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue.

China recently has deployed anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, electronic jammers and other equipment on the Spratly Islands, and landed a bomber aircraft at Woody Island.

Mattis also touched on Taiwan, a longstanding dispute between the U.S. and China. He said Washington will continue to provide defense equipment and services to Taiwan and oppose any effort to alter the status quo. China claims the self-governing island as its own territory to be brought under its control by force, if necessary.

But he also said the U.S. welcomes cooperation with China "wherever possible," and announced that he has accepted Beijing's invitation to visit soon. It was not immediately clear whether that invitation would stand after the conference.

Mattis' comments drew a pointed reaction from a Chinese official at the meeting.

Senior Col. Zhao Xiaozhuo said a U.S. move to send two warships into China's "territorial waters" was a violation of law, and an "obvious provocation to China's national security and territorial integrity."

Mattis responded that the question reflected a fundamental disconnect with the way international tribunals have spoken on the matter.

"We do not see it as a militarization by going through what has traditionally been an international water space," said Mattis of the U.S. ship movements through the South China Sea. "What we see it as, is a reaffirmation of the rules-based order."

Two U.S. warships sailed close to the Paracel Islands on May 27 in the latest freedom of navigation operation designed to challenge Beijing's claims. China protested the maneuver.

The previous week the U.S. had withdrawn an invitation for Beijing to participate in the exercise known as Rim of the Pacific. The Pentagon said the decision to disinvite the Chinese Navy was triggered by what it called strong evidence that China has deployed weapons systems on the islands. China says it is within its rights to build up defenses on islands in the South China Sea that it believes are its sovereign territory.

Many nations fear that Beijing will use the construction on the islands to extend its military reach and potentially try to restrict navigation in the South China Sea.

The Pentagon chief gave only a brief mention of the negotiations for the planned June 12 summit in Singapore between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump announced Friday that the meeting was back on.

Mattis said the Pentagon will "hold the line" and support the diplomatic effort to secure the "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's Green Party is demanding an investigation into the killing of its candidate for a congressional district in the central state of Puebla.

Juana Irais Maldonado is one of more than a dozen candidates who have been killed ahead of July 1 elections in Mexico.

Maldonado was running to represent the Huauchinango district.

The Green Party urged authorities Saturday to put an end to the violence and aggression faced by candidates for public office.

Local media previously reported that Maldonado and another party member were ambushed after departing a campaign event in a vehicle.
FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) - A Brazilian citizen who served time for trying to kill his wife in Massachusetts has pleaded guilty to killing his daughter and has been sentenced to life in prison.

Walter DaSilva pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder and admitted to killing Bristol Community College student Sabrina DaSilva in New Bedford in July 2016. The slaying came more than a decade after he was convicted of trying to kill her mother.

Walter DaSilva was deported in 1999 and again in 2012.

Prosecutors say he was upset his daughter was dating an older man and she didn't visit him where he lived in Connecticut on Father's Day.

Forty-seven-year-old DaSilva will be eligible for parole after 25 years.

The Standard-Times reports DaSilva said: "I believe everything comes from God and everything I'm getting comes from God."
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A police chase in suburban Kansas City ended with four people dead, four seriously injured and a driver charged with murder.

On Friday, police in Independence tried to pull over a Jeep, which fled into Kansas City and crashed into another car at an intersection.

Police say car passengers 29-year-old Aaron Daniel and 28-year-old Shawn Johnson of Kansas City were killed, plus a third person whose name hasn't been released.

Police say a 27-year-old woman in the Jeep also died. Three others in the Jeep and another person in the car were seriously injured.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office says 24-year-old Victoria Brown, of Kansas City, is suspected of being the Jeep's driver and has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder.

Prosecutors say more charges are expected.
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) - A Texas man has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for causing the 2016 crash deaths of a mother and her two children on Interstate 70 in Kansas.

The Wichita Eagle reports that 45-year-old Steven Johnson, of Houston, was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in March to one count of second-degree murder and two counts of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence. He was sentenced to 14.5 years on the murder count and nearly 3.5 years for each of the involuntary manslaughter counts.

Investigators say Johnson was driving a large box truck that crossed the interstate median on Nov. 15, 2016, hitting a car head-on. The crash killed 26-year-old Jessica Michelle Thompson, 6-year-old Jaydon Allan Thompson and 5-year-old Leah Michelle Thompson.

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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com
ROME (AP) - Italy's new populist leaders commemorated the founding of the Italian republic by attending a pomp-filled military parade Saturday - and then promised to get to work creating jobs and expelling migrants.

"The free ride is over," League leader Matteo Salvini, Italy's new interior minister, warned migrants at a rally in northern Italy. "It's time to pack your bags."

The pledge of mass deportations to come was a reminder that Italy has a staunchly anti-immigrant, right-wing party in its governing coalition - and that the European Union will face a whole new partner governing its fourth-largest economy.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte is cheered by citizens on the occasion of the celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Fabio Frustaci/ANSA via AP)

Earlier, Salvini joined Premier Giuseppe Conte and the rest of the newly sworn-in Cabinet to view the Republic Day parade. Italy's aeronautic acrobatic squad flew low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag.

The national pride on display is a feature of every Republic Day, but it took on a particular significance this year after Italy on Friday ended three months of political and financial turmoil and swore in a government whose populist and euroskeptic leanings have alarmed Europe.

Conte, a law professor plucked from relative obscurity to head an unlikely governing alliance of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and League, said the celebrations Saturday transcended all the tensions of recent days.

"It's the celebration for all of us, of our republic," he said.

Conte's Cabinet was sworn in after a last-minute deal averted the threat of a new election that could have turned into a referendum on whether Italy stayed with the shared European euro currency. The political stability relieved financial markets on Friday but Italy's European neighbors continued to express concerns about the euroskeptic bent and the heavy spending agenda of Italy's new government.

"Italy is destroying itself - and dragging down Europe with it," read the headline of Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, the cover of which featured a forkful of spaghetti with one dangling strand tied up as a noose.

While Spiegel is known for such provocations, another Spiegel article last week drew an official protest from Italy's ambassador to Germany.

On Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned Conte and invited him to visit soon. Merkel's office said both leaders emphasized the importance of continued close bilateral cooperation.

Conte has so far left policy specifics to the drivers of his improbable rise, his two deputies: Salvini and 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio.

Di Maio, the new economic development minister, reported for work after the parade to his ministry, which would have otherwise been closed for the holiday.

"Starting today, we get to work to create work," Di Maio said in a Facebook video giving Italians a tour of the empty ministry. Di Maio is also the minister for labor, a combination he said made sense since the two ministries must work together.

Offering the new government cautious support was Italy's small, far-right neo-fascist CasaPound party, which held its own Republic Day commemoration on Saturday. Banners featured images of a crossed-out EU flag and "#exIT" written underneath, a reference to calls for Italy to leave the 28-nation bloc.

The 5-Star-League agenda has no such plans, but Conte made clear he was irked by comments this week by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who said Italy had to stop blaming the EU for its problems and must take responsibility to address the poverty in southern Italy.

"That means more work, less corruption. Seriousness," Juncker said in comments his spokeswoman later said he regretted.

In an unscripted blast from the parade route, Conte insisted Italy wasn't alone in facing cases of corruption and declared that "we all have to work for legality."

Conte's government faces mandatory confidence votes next week in parliament, where the two governing parties have a slim majority.

Republic Day commemorates the day, June 2, 1946, when Italians voted in a referendum to abolish the monarchy in favor of a republic, Italy's first.

The political upheaval that has created western Europe's first populist government this week has been dubbed the start of Italy's Third Republic.

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Associated Press writers Frank Jordans and Karin Laub in Berlin contributed to this report.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte is greeted by citizens on the occasion of the celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Fabio Frustaci/ANSA via AP)

Leader of the League party and Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, walks through the crowd on the occasion of celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Claudio Peri/ANSA via AP)

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, center, is flanked by Roberto Fico, left, president of the Lower Chamber, and Rome's Mayor Virginia Raggi, on the occasion of celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Fabio Frustaci/ANSA via AP)

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte attends the celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Angelo Carconi/ANSA via AP)

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte attends the celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Angelo Carconi/ANSA via AP)

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte applauds on the occasion of the celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Angelo Carconi/ANSA via AP)

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, 3rd from left, is flanked by, from left, Senate President Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, President of the Lower Chamber Roberto Fico and Italian President Sergio Mattarella, right, during celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Angelo Carconi/ANSA via AP)

Leader of the League party and Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, poses for a photo as he walks through the crowd on the occasion of celebrations for Italy's Republic Day, in Rome Saturday, June 2, 2018. At an oath-taking ceremony in the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill, the new premier, political novice Giuseppe Conte, and his 18 Cabinet ministers pledged their loyalty to the Italian republic and to the nation's post-war constitution in front of President Sergio Mattarella. (Claudio Peri/ANSA via AP)
OWOSSO, Mich. (AP) - An official in a small Michigan county has resigned after being tricked into wiring $50,000 to an overseas bank account.

Shiawassee County apparently was the victim of a phishing scam. Financial administrator Patricia Fitnich believed that she was replying to an email from another county official about paying a bill.

A county administrator, Michael Herendeen, tells The Argus-Press newspaper that Fitnich had "done a number of fine things" over two years but she realized "this was a major mistake."

Police are investigating. Officials will see if insurance will cover the loss, but Herendeen says it seems unlikely.

Shiawassee County is about 80 miles (129 kilometers) northwest of Detroit. It has a population of 68,000.

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Information from: The Argus-Press, http://www.argus-press.com
At a meeting with New Zealands Defence Minister, Ron Mark, Minister Lich expressed his delight at the recent development of Vietnam-New Zealand relations, including defence ties. He noted the two sides have frequently exchanged delegations at all levels and supported each other at multilateral forums, adding that visits by naval ships have also contributed to their stronger connections.

He thanked the Defence Ministry of New Zealand for effectively helping to provide English training for Vietnamese officers to constructively take part in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The two ministers agreed to bolster cooperation in fields relevant to their demands such as training, cyber security, search and rescue, and participation in UN peacekeeping activities.

Talking to UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Lich appreciated the UKs support for Vietnam to replace the British level-2 field hospital in South Sudan and improve the English skills of officers preparing to join UN peacekeeping missions.

To bring defence ties up to the level of the countries strategic partnership, the two sides agreed to increase all-level mutual visits, effectively carry out dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, continue to complete and sign cooperation documents, support each other at multilateral forums, and enhance ties in UN peacekeeping.

At the meeting with Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Heng, the Vietnamese official congratulated Singapore and its army on successfully organising the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Retreat and the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting. He voiced his belief that the country will successfully fulfil the tasks of ASEAN Chair in 2018, thus helping to maintain the blocs central role and position of leadership.

The two ministers shared the view that over the past years, especially since the signing of the bilateral defence cooperation agreement in 2009, their defence relations have grown positively and led to initial practical outcomes.

Authorised agencies have actively coordinated to implement the agreement, focusing on delegation exchanges, personnel training, exchanges of young officers, cooperation between naval, air and military medicine forces, collaboration between strategic research institutes, and coordination at multilateral forums, they noted.

Minister Lich asked Singapore to support Vietnam when his country acts as ASEAN Chair in 2020.
Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster is to attend an Orange Order parade in Scotland.

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland confirmed the politician had accepted an invite to the parade in Cowdenbeath, Fife, later this month.

The organisations executive officer Robert McLean said he believed it is the first time she has attended one of the Boyne celebration parades in Scotland.

DUP leader Arlene Foster (David Young/PA)

He said: Shes been invited to be the guest speaker. The main speech would be by Arlene Foster.

He added that attendance by Northern Ireland politicians at Scottish parades was not unusual and former First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson had done so in the past.

Ms Foster was Northern Irelands First Minister until the collapse of the powersharing agreement at Stormont last year.

The parade on June 30 is one of the biggest in Scotland and involves lodges from Fife, Edinburgh, the Lothians and elsewhere in the central belt.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats in Scotland said Ms Fosters time would be better spent in Northern Ireland, where there is no devolved government in place following its collapse more than a year ago.

Labour MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Lesley Laird said: My advice to her would be to channel her energy into getting Stormont back up and running.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: With the Northern Ireland Assembly suspended I would have thought that Arlene Fosters time would be better spent reaching across the political divide at home rather than marching on the streets of a small town in Fife.

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Greens co-convener, said: If Arlene Foster does come across the Irish Sea shed be better off discussing how to avoid a hard Brexit, or learning about the importance of equal marriage or womens access to free, safe and legal abortion, rather than taking part in yet another sectarian march.
Former Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino has been appointed the new manager of LaLiga side Leganes.

The Argentine was sacked by Southampton in March after a run of just one win in 17 games left them in relegation trouble before the appointment of Mark Hughes saved their top-flight status.

The Spanish club announced on their official website that Pellegrino has signed a one-year deal to replace Asier Garitano.

Mauricio Pellegrino is the new manager of Leganes

Garitano guided Leganes from the third tier to LaLiga for the first time in their history and then led the club to the Copa del Rey semi-finals last season.

But he recently left to take charge of Real Sociedad, paving the way for Pellegrino to return to Spain, where he has previously managed Valencia and Alaves.
Rain washed out the second morning of Englands second Test against Pakistan at Headingley.

No play was possible before the scheduled 1pm break as the pitch and square remained firmly under covers.

Groundstaff worked to dry the outfield but persistent drizzle ruled out any chance of play, while the forecast was for disruption throughout the day including the threat of thunderstorms in Leeds.

Groundstaff work to clear the rain from the covers at Headingley

 The soppers going up and down the covers here at @EmeraldStadium as the umpires head out for a first look. The rain is still falling unfortunately. #YourYorkshire pic.twitter.com/bbn83CA1JD  Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) June 2, 2018

England returned to the ground looking to build on a dominant first day, with captain Joe Root alongside nightwatchman Dom Bess at 106 for two in reply to Pakistans 174.

Root was waiting to resume on 29 after openers Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings made 46 and 29 respectively on Friday.

Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Chris Woakes had earlier taken three wickets apiece, with only Shadab Khan offering much resistance for Pakistan with a rapid tail-end half-century.
A person has died after reports they were hit by a tram in West Bromwich, police said.

Officers were called to the Trinity Way stop in the West Midlands town just before 5am on Saturday.

British Transport Police said a person was pronounced dead at the scene after officers and medics from West Midlands Ambulance Service responded to reports that someone had been hit by a tram.

Tram station

Officers are now working to locate the persons next of kin and to establish how they came to be on the tram tracks, a spokesman said.

The force is yet to release any further details on the identity of the deceased, or whether they are a man or a woman.

The incident caused disruption on the Midland Metro line, which operates between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton, on Saturday.

Midland Metro said on Twitter the service was only operating between Wolverhampton and West Bromwich, with tickets valid on National Express buses and West Midlands trains.
Kyle Edmund crashed out of the French Open following a five-set defeat by Fabio Fognini.

The British number one, who needed lengthy treatment on a knee injury, was sent packing in the third round 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 by the Italian 18th seed.

It was a curious match, full of peaks and troughs from both players. Edmund seemed tetchier than usual, appearing distracted by camera clicks from courtside photographers as he went to serve.

Britains Kyle Edmund serves against Italys Fabio Fognini during their third round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena )

Fognini is famed for his fiery temper and did not disappoint, hurling his racket against the back wall after one rally went begging  but that was fairly tame for a man thrown out of the US Open last year for his bad behaviour.

Neither player looked fully fit, either. Edmund took a tumble in the first set which may have caused the knee problem, while Fognini at one stage had to have his ankle heavily strapped.

A stodgy match began with Edmund breaking the Italians serve in the first game, only to then have to contend with a lengthy delay when, at break point down, a spectator received medical treatment.

The 16th seed survived that, but then dropped serve twice as clay-court specialist Fognini took the set.

Edmund raced into a 5-1 lead in the second while Fogninis mood was put to the test when he was called for a foot fault.

But Fognini regained his composure and pulled both breaks back before Edmund called for the trainer. It seemed to do the trick, however, as the 23-year-old immediately broke to clinch the set.

Midway through the third set it was Fognini who summoned the trainer, and Edmund put his dodgy left ankle to the test by moving him all around the court in taking a 2-1 lead.

Yet whether his knee was still bothering Edmund, or fatigue was setting in, he looked sluggish in the fourth allowing Fognini to force a decider.

Fognini was becoming increasingly agitated as the fifth set progressed, either chuntering to himself, swatting imaginary balls away or complaining about the crowd.

Edmund just needed to keep his cool, it seemed. Yet when they reached 5-4, on serve, in Fogninis favour, the man from Sanremo pounced.

Two waspish forehands brought up 0-30, then Edmund missed a forehand and found himself facing three match points.

He saved the first, but sent a forehand long in the next rally and suddenly Britains last hope in the singles draw had tumbled out.
Maria Sharapova moved up a gear and into the fourth round of the French Open.

The two-time Paris champion, seeded 28, dropped just three games as she knocked out sixth seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova.

Sharapova is competing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015, following her 15-month doping ban and failure to qualify last year.

France Tennis French Open

The Russian was taken to three sets in round one by Hollands Richel Hogenkamp and had to dig deep again on Thursday to overcome Croatias Donna Vekic in round two.

But she secured a far more straightforward passage into round four with a 6-2 6-1 victory in just 59 minutes.

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza is now many pundits favourites for the title after dismantling Sam Stosur.

The Spaniard, seeded three, took just 62 minutes to see off Stosur, the former US Open winner, 6-0 6-2.

She said: I guess they say that because I played a good match. Its the normal thing.

But I believe I can hold a trophy not only here, I believe I can do it in every tournament I play.

Im pleased with my performance. Its never an easy match against a grand slam champion. She played a final here. Im pleased because I felt in control in the match.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova was a third-round casualty, the eighth seed going down in two tie-breaks to Anett Kontaveit.
Same sex marriage campaigners have insisted any deal to restore Stormont powersharing must include reform of a controversial voting mechanism that has blocked a law change in Northern Ireland.

Thousands of activists marched through Belfast to demand an end to the ban on gay marriage.

Demonstrators made it clear they would not support a revived powersharing executive if it was not accompanied by a radical overhaul of the petition of concern.

As many as 20,000 people, including former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, lined the sunny city centre on Saturday, according to Amnesty International.

Huge Crowd @ Marraige Equality March @ Belfast City Hall. pic.twitter.com/fO3eu8jesm  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) June 2, 2018

Chants of Change is on the way and You cant stop change rang through the air outside Belfast City Hall.

A majority of MLAs backed the introduction of same sex marriage the last time it was debated on the floor of the Assembly before the institutions collapsed almost 18 months ago, but the use of the petition of concern (PoC) by the Democratic Unionists rendered that irrelevant.

The petition, which is a peace process construct designed to protect minority views in a post-conflict society, means a proposal can only be passed in the Assembly if a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalist MLAs support it, rather than a straightforward majority head count.

March for marriage equality

The DUP is far from the only Stormont party accused of abusing the mechanism, with rivals also criticised for deploying it on other issues many claim have little to do with protecting minority rights.

The party has also said it is willing to scrap the petition entirely if others, including Sinn Fein, agree.

John ODoherty, a prominent activist with the Love Equality coalition campaigning for a law change, told the rally any future deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein needed to encompass reform of the PoC.

It has been almost 18 months since the Northern Ireland Assembly last sat, he said.

March for marriage equality

I know many of our MLAs are here today. We thank them for their support.

We know that at least 55 out of 90 MLAs now back equal marriage. Yet still they cannot deliver.

No party or group of MLAs should hold a veto over people lives, over peoples rights  and this campaign will not be held to ransom by those who seek to hold Northern Ireland back, who refuse to recognise the rights of LGBT people and our families.

Our message is clear  any return of the Executive and the Assembly must include real reform of the petition of concern.

Up front reform, not an afterthought or a postscript to any deal, or a can to be kicked down the road.

And to the DUP and those who seek to use this veto to deny us our rights  history will judge your actions.

Over 75% of people across Northern Ireland now support the introduction of marriage equality  and we will not be silenced.

We will not be deterred.

In a blunt message to Prime Minister Theresa May and Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, Mr ODoherty said human rights could not be based on postcodes.

The UK Government has come under pressure to legislate on the issue amid the ongoing absence of powersharing.

Armagh-born Labour MP Conor McGinn, who failed in a recent bid to change the law through a private members bill at Westminster, warned Mrs May the issue was not going away.

The message from the thousands here today in Belfast is loud and clear, he said.

It is a message for the Prime Minister and the Government, and it is: we love equality, we stand with LGBT couples, we demand the same rights as everyone else in the UK and the island of Ireland, and we want equal marriage now.

We are on the right side of history. We will not give up. This is not going away. And we are going to win.

Paula Keenan and her partner Pauline Dempsey, who got married in Dublin as they were unable to in Belfast, were among those at the colourful parade.

Im a Belfast woman, this is my home, all my major life events have happened here, except one, said Ms Keenan.

I had to leave my home and go to Dublin to get married.

So Pauline and I got married in Dublin  when we go to England, Wales or Scotland, were married.

I fell seriously ill in Spain a couple of years ago, Pauline sat by my bed for five weeks, the Spanish nurses and doctors addressed Pauline as my wife.

When we visit our son in Trumps callous America, even there we are a married couple.

We spend a lot of time in Dublin with Paulines family  again, were a married couple.

We spend Sundays in Ikea the same as all the other boring married couples.

As we head home from Dublin, about 56 miles up the road, we are suddenly no longer married.

Doesnt matter if its a hard border or a soft border, were stripped of our rights as soon as we cross it.

What kind of logic is that? It makes as much sense as Northern Irelands abortion laws  and they dont make any sense at all.

Actor Bronagh Waugh, who is heavily involved in the campaign, called on Mrs May to deliver on the promise of equality.

There can be no second class citizens in the UK or Ireland, she said.

Theresa May, we have a message for you. Prime Minister, it is unacceptable that your Government is now colluding in the denial of human rights to people in Northern Ireland.

We are not second class citizens. We refuse to be treated as second class citizens.
Serena Williams set up a French Open showdown with old foe Maria Sharapova following a routine win over Julia Goerges.

The 36-year-old American, three times a winner in Paris, swept aside the German 11th seed 6-3 6-4 in one hour and 15 minutes and will face Sharapova in a much-anticipated fourth-round clash on Monday.

The two players have had their public falling-outs over the years, but on the court Williams rules.

France Tennis French Open

Sharapova has won just two of their 21 meetings  including the 2004 Wimbledon final  and none in the last 14 years. They met in the Paris final in 2013 and in the quarter-final of the 2016 Australian Open, which was Sharapovas last match before a 15-month doping ban.

Williams, meanwhile, is playing her first grand slam since giving birth to her daughter in September.

Its been a while, and I think a lot has happened in our lives for the both of us in very different ways, said Sharapova.

I have spoken about that chapter for a long time now, and to be able to put myself back in these positions and to not shy away from these moments, to come out on centre court and want the challenge of moving forward and to be able to face Serena, I think that speaks for itself.

Serena Williams makes it three wins. Best performance of the tournament from her so far to defeat Julia Goerges 63 64. One break was the difference in each set. Impressively clean stuff from Serena. 20W/12UFE.



Its set: Serena vs. Maria, Round of 16 on Monday. #RG18  WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) June 2, 2018

Sharapova dropped just three games as she knocked out the sixth-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova.

The Russian, seeded 28th, was taken to three sets in round one by Hollands Richel Hogenkamp and had to dig deep again on Thursday to overcome Croatias Donna Vekic in round two.

But she secured a far more straightforward passage into round four with a 6-2 6-1 victory in just 59 minutes.

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza is now many pundits favourites for the title after dismantling Sam Stosur.

J'adore ce court et ce public!

Me encanta esta pista y este publico!

Love this court and this crowd! #SecondWeek #RG18 pic.twitter.com/gmt5CPRjdS  Garbine Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) June 2, 2018

The Spaniard, winner in 2016 and seeded third, took just 62 minutes to see off Stosur, the former US Open winner, 6-0 6-2.

Muguruza said: I guess they say that because I played a good match. Its the normal thing.

But I believe I can hold a trophy not only here, I believe I can do it in every tournament I play.

Im pleased with my performance. Its never an easy match against a grand slam champion. She played a final here. Im pleased because I felt in control in the match.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova was a third-round casualty, the eighth seed going down in two tie-breaks to Anett Kontaveit.

Top seed Simona Halep came through 7-5 6-0 against Andrea Petkovic and Caroline Garcia, the seventh seed, beat Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1 6-3.
England clubbed together to stay in control of the second NatWest Test and give themselves an obvious opportunity to square the series against Pakistan.

Theirs was a curiously collective effort on a rain-shortened day two at Headingley  where after play did not get under way until mid-afternoon, no one could muster a half-century but all contributed with a degree of significance to a stumps total of 302 for seven.

The first-innings lead is therefore 128, and the salvation of a drawn series  rather than seventh defeat in nine Tests  beckons if Joe Roots men can maintain their standards here.

Australia v England - 2017/18 Ashes Series - Fourth Test - Day Five - Melbourne Cricket Ground

Dom Bess, Root himself and Alastair Cook the previous evening all reached 40 but not 50  the former stumbling just a single short of adding a half-century as nightwatchman to the one he made in defeat on debut at Lords last week.

Consolidation was all that was required from England after their dominance on day one.

In the afternoon session, they achieved exactly that despite losing their captain.

Roots was the only wicket to fall, in aggravating circumstances as he pushed out for an attempted drive at a length ball from Mohammad Amir and edged behind.

It was an anti-climax for most of a full-house crowd, gathered in hope Root might choose his home ground to at last re-discover the knack of making hundreds.

Instead, he went for 45  and Bess was joined by Dawid Malan.

England v Pakistan - First NatWest Test - Day Three - Lords

With the floodlights in use throughout under heavy cloud cover and the threat of rain never far away, the pair calmly went about their work.

Crucially, the ball did not swing as it had for much of Friday  and a fair pitch contained runs if patience was exercised.

It was, and Bess took his rewards with a series of flat-batted front-foot shots square on the off-side.

Malan drove with impressive timing, down the ground and through the off-side, but fell prey to surprise bounce from Amir with the left-armers first ball straight after tea  a nasty one which took the shoulder of the bat for an easy catch to slip.

Then Bess had to go too just a single short of a notable achievement, edging an attempted cut at Shadab Khans leg-spin to a diving Asad Shafiq at slip for 49  and so missing out on a second half-century in successive innings at the start of his Test career.

England would have lost three wickets for 20 runs had Hasan Ali held a straightforward catch at midwicket when Jos Buttler, on just four, stabbed one there off a thick inside-edge off Shadab.

It was a poor shot, and a major let-off.

England v Pakistan - Second Natwest Test Match - Day Two - Headingley

Jonny Bairstow helped Buttler add 48 until he became the sixth consecutive batsman to fall between 20 and 50, in his case at the lower end of the scale when he got a thin edge behind off Faheem Ashraf  to the final delivery before the second new ball was available.

Chris Woakes kept Buttler company next, before he too went caught-behind when Mohammad Abbas this time got that new ball to nip away just enough off the pitch.

Buttler held firm to finish unbeaten on 34, and debutant Sam Curran helped him close out the day  hitting two consecutive boundaries in the last over to post the 300 and ensure he too could go to bed happy after his last day as a teenager.
Londons resolve against terrorism has never been stronger, Theresa May has said, ahead of a national minutes silence to commemorate the victims of the London Bridge attack.

The words #LondonUnited have been projected onto the bridge, marking the one-year anniversary of an atrocity which left eight innocent people dead.

Dozens more were injured during the June 3 violence when a terrorist trio drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge, before stabbing revellers in the nearby Borough Market with 12-inch ceramic knives.

Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police just eight minutes after the first emergency call was made.

A service of commemoration will be held at Southwark Cathedral this afternoon to remember those who died and were hurt, and honour the emergency services response to the attack.

Candles will be lit by relatives of the victims during the private ceremony, before an olive tree  known as the Tree of Healing  is planted in the cathedral grounds using compost from floral tributes left on the bridge in the aftermath of the murders last year.

A procession from the cathedral to Southwark Needle, at the corner of London Bridge and Duke Street Hill, will take place following the ceremony, and a minutes silence will be held at 4.30pm.

Ahead of the days commemorative events, the Prime Minister recalled the stories of courage which emerged from the attack.

She described it as a cowardly attempt to strike at the heart of our freedoms by deliberately targeting people enjoying their Saturday night with friends and family.

Incident at London Bridge

Mrs May said: Today we remember those who died and the many more who were injured, and also pay tribute to the bravery of our emergency services and those who intervened or came to the aid of others.

The many stories of courage demonstrated that night will always stay with me  such as Ignacio Echeverria, who died after confronting the terrorists with the only thing he had, his skateboard, and Geoff Ho, who spent almost two weeks in hospital after being stabbed in the neck as he shielded his friends.

Those killed in the attack were Canadian Christine Archibald, 30, James McMullan, 32, from Hackney, Frenchmen Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sebastien Belanger, 36 and Xavier Thomas, 45, Australians Kirsty Boden, 28 and Sara Zelenak 21, and Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria, 39.

Mrs May said the range of nationalities was a reflection of our great cosmopolitan capital, whose energy and values brings together people from across the world, and a tragic reminder that the threat from terrorism transcends borders and impacts us all.

A Tree of Healing will be planted in the grounds of Southwark Cathedral (Katie Collins/PA)

She added: My message to those who seek to target our way of life or try to divide us is clear  our resolve to stand firm and overcome this threat together has never been stronger.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the city would honour the victims of terror attacks through our actions and standing united against terrorism and in hope for the future.

He said: Our city faced some incredibly difficult times last year, with the terrorist attacks in Westminster, London Bridge, Finsbury Park and Parsons Green.

The cowardly terrorists who commit these horrific acts do so to try to divide us, to fuel fear and to change how we treat one another. Im proud of the way we have responded: standing united in defiance and staying true to our values and way of life.

The Dean of Southwark, The Very Revd Andrew Nunn, who will host the service of commemoration, said the Tree of Healing will be a constant reminder to us all of those who were harmed but also of the importance of our communities coming together to stand against violence in all its forms.

A digital book of hope will be available at Southwark Cathedral throughout the weekend for the public to sign.
The event drew the presence of Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Peccioni and a group from the Italian community in Ho Chi Minh City.

Addressing the ceremony, Italian Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City, Dante Brandi, said that throughout the 45 years of diplomatic relations, the relationship between Vietnam and Italy has been strengthened and developed, particularly after the strategic partnership agreement was signed five years ago.

He noted that the Consulate General will actively promoted cooperation with localities in the South of Vietnam to foster partnerships in potential areas of infrastructure, water and waste management, smart city development, agriculture-industry, and cultural exchange.

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Pham Duc Hai emphasised that Ho Chi Minh City is the leading locality in Vietnam when it comes to fostering relations with Italy, saying that the city will continue to cooperate with Italys localities to realize cooperation potential between the two sides.

Vietnam and Italy posted two-way trade revenue of US$624 million in 2017, up 5% compared to 2016. Italy is currently investing in 34 projects in Ho Chi Minh City with a total registered capital of US$69 million, ranking 25th out of 95 countries and territories investing in Ho Chi Minh City.
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, June 1 (Reuters) - As forces of the Saudi-led military coalition close in on the main Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, aid agencies fear a major battle that will also shut down a vital lifeline for millions of hungry civilians.

Senior aid officials urged Western powers providing arms and intelligence to the coalition to push the mostly Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab allies to reconvene U.N. talks with the Iran-allied Houthi movement to avoid a bloodbath and end the three-year war.

A coalition spokesman said on Tuesday that forces backed by the coalition were 20 kms (12 miles) from the Houthi-held city of Hodeidah, but did not specify whether there were plans for an assault to seize the Red Sea port, long a key target.

"The coalition ground forces are now at the doorstep of this heavily-fortified, heavily-mined port city," Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told Reuters. "Thousands of civilians are fleeing from the outskirts of Hodeidah which is now a battle zone."

"We cannot have war in Hodeidah, it would be like war in Rotterdam or Antwerp, these are comparable cities in Europe."

Troops from the United Arab Emirates and Yemeni government are believed to lead coalition forces massing south of the city of 400,000, another aid official said, declining to be named.

Last week U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock urged the Saudi-led coalition that controls Yemen's ports to expedite food and fuel imports. He warned that a further 10 million Yemenis could face starvation by year-end in addition to 8.4 million already severely short of food in the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

"LOOMING BATTLE"

"Hodeidah, the so-called big battle, has been looming now for 18 months with ups and downs," Robert Mardini, Middle East regional director for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told Reuters.

"It's a densely-populated area where any military scenario will risk coming at a huge human cost."

The coalition is carrying out air strikes in Yemen in support of restoring the internationally-recognised government, while Houthis have launched missiles into Saudi Arabia. Some 10,000 people have been killed and 3 million displaced.

Yemen traditionally imports 90 percent of its food, mainly through Hodeidah where U.N. inspectors check ships to ensure they do not carry weapons.

"It remains a lifeline for the highlands where close to 70 percent of Yemenis live. It's about the need to have commercial imports," Mardini said.

"Despite all the measures put in place by the Coalition to improve imports, what is reaching Hodeidah is very short of the needs."

Egeland called for Western powers - led by Britain, the United States and France - and Iran, which is allied to the Shi'ite Houthis, to help avert disaster. "The situation is screaming for more robust diplomacy on both sides".

"We are now in a race against the clock, to really get enough supplies in through Hodeidah which is very difficult given the continued severe restrictions on fuel and other imports by the coalition.

"War would mean nothing coming through." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay Editing by Richard Balmforth)
By Alison Bevege

SYDNEY, June 2 (Reuters) - Australia's second largest cattle station with a land area larger than Lebanon is for sale with the owners hoping for a domestic buyer in order to avoid government approval delays incurred by a foreign sale.

Clifton Hills Station in the northeast corner of the state of South Australia, near the centre of the country, covers 1.65 million hectares (4,077,239 acres) and has 18,300 head of cattle and approval for 21,500.

It is the latest station to be put on the market in recent months as cattlemen capitalise on favourable market conditions with upbeat beef export forecasts, good weather and a strong location, close to Asian markets.

Wally Cooper, managing director of stock and station agent Rural Property & Livestock, said he had fielded up to 60 inquiries for the station, including all stock, plant and machinery, mostly from domestic buyers.

"There have been some inquiries from the U.S, Asia, Central Europe and Hong-Kong-based capital groups," he told Reuters by telephone on Saturday.

The station's owners, however, are keen to sell to a domestic buyer to avoid the time it takes for foreign firms to get approval from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board.

Any foreign bid would attract government scrutiny and new rules were announced early this year. Concern over China's expanding interests mean that sellers of agricultural land must now market the holdings to Australians first.

One of the owners of Clifton Hills, Neil Dunn, told Reuters he was hoping the station would fetch up to A$50 million.

He said it could take up to 12 months to clear a sale to a foreign buyer, by which time the conditions would have changed, along with cattle prices.

"It's a whole different season," Dunn said.

"At the moment everything is good. Flood waters are just receding and there's a big massive area of feed to utilise."

"I don't know if 'discount' is the right word, but it is the preferred option to sell to an Australian buyer. Even if an international buyer has more money," Dunn said.

In April, it was reported that British private equity firm Terra Firma which bought Consolidated Pastoral Co (CPC) in 2009, was seeking more than A$1 billion ($775 million) for its Australian cattle stations: a 20 percent-plus premium to a 2017 asset valuation.

CPC's 16 properties across northern Australia have a 400,000 head carrying capacity and cover 5.5 million hectares (13.6 million acres), about the size of Croatia.

The business, which includes a 90 percent interest in two Indonesian feedlots, had A$881 million in assets, according to a March 2017 valuation.

An interested party who did not want to be identified confirmed to Reuters that the property was still on the market.

The CPC business is half the size of Kidman & Co which sold in late 2016 to Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart and her minority bidding partner, Chinese developer Shanghai CRED, after two China-led bids were rejected by the government. (Reporting by Alison Bevege Editing by Robert Birsel)
WELLINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - New Zealand loose forward Liam Squire is in danger of missing next week's June series opener against France after being cited for dangerous play in Super Rugby.

The Otago Highlanders flanker faces a ban after being adjudged to have committed a foul worthy of a red card when he led with his shoulder in a clear-out of Wellington Hurricanes scrumhalf TJ Perenara on Friday night.

Squire was in the frame to replace injured captain Kieran Read at the back of the All Blacks scrum in the first of three tests against the tourists at Eden Park next Saturday.

The 15-cap forward also spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin later in Friday's victory in Dunedin for aiming a swinging arm at Hurricanes winger Julian Savea during a scuffle. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka yesterday pointed out that he is not among the 118 individuals who received funds from the Central Bank bond scam.

He made this remark while responding to questions from journalists in Kandy. We are the ones who taught the government to earn money and the ones who raised our voices against corruption. Im not among those who received money from the bond scam. I dont know whether you are also among the 118, he told journalists.

He also emphasised that President Maithripala Sirisena might not be aware of who created 100-day-programme but it was issued with their election manifesto for the last Presidential Election.

Minister Ranawaka said the country would become unstable if only the Executive Presidency was changed as it was the core of the Constitution. Therefore, the entire Constitution should be changed, he said.

He said that before abolishing the Executive Presidency, a stable parliamentary system should be formed via implementing the old electorate system.

Minister Ranawaka said that he doesnt like to comment further on what the President said as he is the countrys head. (J.A.L Jayasinghe)
A Vietnamese delegation led by Permanent Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committees Commission for External Relations, Tran Dac Loi, attended the event.

Also present at the event were NCP Chairman and Nepalese Prime Minister, Khadga Prasad Oli, Nepalese ministers and parliamentarians, 300 domestic politicians, researchers and scientists, and more than 40 foreign delegates from 22 communist and workers parties worldwide.

Participants hailed Marx as a great thinker and philosopher who made significant contributions to society, in the effort of building a better life for all of humanity.

Marxs thoughts currently remain a lodestar for communist, workers and left-wing parties and labourers in many countries as the struggle continues for freedom, fairness, equality, peace, and prosperity.

Almost every speaker shared the view that communist and workers parties need to fully grasp and creatively apply basic principles of Marxism to build a path toward socialism that suits each countrys conditions.

Sharing experience in building socialism in Nepal, China, Vietnam, and Cuba, the delegates affirmed that socialism is the most effective and scientific solution for human kind to overcome the crisis of capitalism.

They underscored the importance of strengthening international solidarity among communist and workers parties at present as appealed for by eminent thinker Karl Marx.
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Located at No. 15, Vo Tran Chi Street, Tan Kien commune, Binh Chanh district, in the southern economic hub, the hospital was built at a total cost of VND4.5 trillion (US$197.3 million) from the State budget.

The facility covers an area of over 12,000 m2, including a basement and eight floors with 1,000 beds. It features ten functional rooms and 39 departments.

In particular, due to being tasked with focusing on the development of specialised paediatric techniques to be deployed for the first time in Vietnam, the hospital is equipped with modern devices, such as an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system, a hybrid operating room for cardiovascular surgeries, neurosurgery systems, a magnetic resonance imaging machine, and modern CT scanners.

The HCM City Children's Hospital covers an area of over 12,000 m, with 1,000 beds, a basement and eight floors.



It is also the first paediatric hospital in the country to deploy a nuclear medicine department and radiology department dedicated to paediatric oncology treatment.

Nguyen Thi Thu, Vice Chairwoman of HCM City People's Committee, affirmed that, together with the Children's Hospital 1 and Children's Hospital 2, HCM City Children's Hospital will help to save the lives of many child patients with complicated diseases in the city and localities in the South in general.

The citys senior official asked the hospital staff to make greater efforts to provide health care for paediatric patients and to meet the expectation from the Party, State and people in ensuring the best quality of treatment.

The hospital is equipped with a range of the latest modern technology.



Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien emphasised that the inauguration of the hospital, coinciding with the International Children's Day, reflects a deep humanitarian meaning in the policy of the Party, Government, National Assembly and the leaders of HCM City for the cause of caring for the people's health.

Operating partially since January 2017, the medical facility receives 1,200-1,300 visits every day and about 350-400 inpatients. Since its inception, the hospital has actively contributed to reducing the overload at the local Children's Hospitals 1 and 2.
Reporters, mostly from RoK and Japan, continued to stake out roads near the Fullerton Hotel, where the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s summit preparation team is staying, and its lobby.

Kim Chang-son, a senior DPRKs official leading the delegation arrived in the city state on May 28 and had a few rounds of meetings with the US delegation headed by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Hagin at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa.

The narrow road to the compound, the temporary home to the US officials, remained blocked by security guards. A security official cited an "important private event" there.

The two sides are in Singapore apparently to discuss the logistical details of the summit talks between the DPRK's leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump that will likely take place in Singapore later this month.

On the other side of this city state, the defense chiefs of Asia-Pacific and European countries were set to convene an annual security forum, called the Shangri-La Dialogue.

RoKs Defense Minister Song Young-moo began his trip to Singapore earlier on June 1 and the Pentagon chief, Jim Mattis, was also seen entering the venue, the Shangri-La Hotel.

Police, armed with rifles and pistols, conducted road blocks and stringent security checks around the hotel.

The hotel is among the top candidates to host the Kim-Trump meeting, given its history of serving as the stage for a number of major meetings and its location minutes away from bustling streets.
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Trump made the remarks at the White House after his almost two-hour meeting with a senior official from Pyongyang who delivered a personal letter from Kim Jong-un to Trump.

Washington and Pyongyang are going to start a relationship and it will start on June 12, Trump told reporters after his talks with Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee. The high-level DPRK official held a two-day meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York before heading to Washington on June 1.

Trump also described the widely anticipated summit as a "get-to-know-you" situation, saying that it "will be a process" and he believed the DPRK "wants to do the denuclearization."

"I think you're going to have very positive results in the end," said Trump, who also noted that probably more than one meeting was necessary "after years of hostility" and "years of hatred" between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Trump also revealed that he talked about the sanctions imposed by Washington upon Pyongyang during his meetings with Kim Yong-chol.

The White House host told reporters he did not want to use the term "maximum pressure" anymore as the two sides were getting along with each other.

Washington has kept the maximum pressure campaign against the DPRK, including slapping severe economic sanctions on the Asian country.

Trump talked to reporters after escorting Kim out of the Oval Office and posing for photos, along with Pompeo, before Kim's departure.

Trump referred to the letter from Pyongyang as "interesting."

Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley later confirmed to reporters that Trump had read the letter but did not reveal the content.

The back-on-track summit followed recent twists and turns and the whirlwind of diplomacy over the weekend.

Trump called off the summit in an open letter to Kim last week, citing "open hostility" from the regime. Following a conciliatory statement from the DPRK, he put the summit back on track, and officials from both sides have been continuing meetings on the inter-Korean border as well as in Singapore to hammer out the substantive and logistical details.

Trump said the Singapore summit could bring an end to the war.

"We're going to discuss it prior to the meeting," he said. "That's something that could come out of the meeting. I think, really, there's something that maybe could come out of the meeting."
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He made the remarks when receiving former US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, who is now the CEO and co-chair of the board of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI).

Lavrov recalled that during Moniz's tenure as secretary of energy in 2013, the two countries signed an agreement for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

"Since then, for reasons beyond our control, the work to implement this agreement and practical contacts have been frozen," the top Russian diplomat said.

Lavrov hoped Moniz in his current capacity could help restore bilateral cooperation in this field.

Headquartered in Washington D.C., the NTI says it works to prevent catastrophic attacks with weapons of mass destruction and disruption -- nuclear, biological, radiological, chemical and cyber.
Media leaders sign agreements of cooperation at the First Shanghai Cooperation Organization Media Summit in Beijing on Friaday FENG YONGBIN / CHINA DAILY

He calls for building a close-knit community with a shared future

President Xi Jinping called on media outlets on Friday to promote the Shanghai Spirit, expand practical cooperation and spread friendliness among the peoples within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Xi, who is also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to the First SCO Media Summit, held in Beijing on Friday.

The media are an important bridge for exchanges, cooperation and people-to-people connectivity among SCO countries, Xi said.

In todays world, where informatization is developing rapidly, the media play an increasingly significant role in connecting hearts and minds of people from different countries, he said, adding that he is confident the summit will play a positive role in building strength for the organization.

China resolutely supports the development of the SCO and is willing to join hands with all parties to build a more close-knit community with a shared future for the region and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

The summit, proposed by Xi in June last year at the SCO Astana summit in Kazakhstan, and with the theme upholding Shanghai Spirit for a new era of media cooperation, aims to promote exchanges and cooperation in humanities. Government officials and representatives from more than 110 media outlets from SCO countries attended the summit.

The SCO countries should strengthen unity and coordination and contribute more SCO wisdom and solutions to long-term regional stability and prosperity, said Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, in the keynote speech at the summit.

Hailing the summit as a landmark event for media partnership within the SCO, Huang said that in promoting the Shanghai Spirit, media outlets should build up the strength of shared future, demonstrate responsibility for safeguarding regional security, spread the dream of common development, tell the stories of peoples connectivity in their minds and hearts, and cooperate to build a shared communication network.

Huang voiced the hope that media will proactively advocate a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security perspective, keep close watch on the security situation and make the voice of peace and justice louder.

In addition, Huang said that against the backdrop of rising protectionism, media organizations should reflect the contributions the SCO countries have made in facilitating trade and investment, pushing for an opinion consensus in supporting economic globalization and anti-protectionism.

Echoing Huang, SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov said the Shanghai Spirit will be consistently carried forward in future cooperation within the SCO.

The spirit will continue to guide the SCO countries in expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation in various fields, safeguarding common interests and regional security and promoting cultural prosperity, Alimov said at the summit.

Over 20 cooperative agreements covering the fight against terrorism as well as such fields as economic partnership and environmental protection will be signed during the upcoming SCO Qingdao Summit, according to Alimov.

A series of political documents, including a Qingdao Declaration  the most important outcome of the summit  will also be signed, said Alimov, adding that the declaration will chart a new course for future SCO development.

The media can play a positive role in securing harmony among SCO countries, said Shafqat Jalil, director-general of Pakistan Broadcasting Corp, at the summit. Through responsible reporting, media can help promote regional peace and stability and ultimately realize a new fair and rational international political and economic order, he added.

An initiative for media cooperation among SCO countries was passed at the media summit, and a series of cooperation agreements were signed between governments and media organizations of the SCO on the sidelines of the summit.
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"Reproduction is a basic human right ... to have that taken away from you from causes that are not within your control is what I'm most concerned about."


By Fox News , May 01 , 2018





The error showed up in Google's Knowledge Panel, which pulls information from various sources from across the web, including Wikipedia.





"Google should apologize for labeling Republicans nazis," Wilson tweeted. Wilson is the founder of LearnTestOptimize, which describes itself as "a community platform for professionals working at the intersection of marketing, technology, and politics."

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Trump says June 12 summit in Singapore with DPRK's Kim back on

Kim Yong-chol, vice-chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee shakes hands with US President Donald Trump as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo looks on after a meeting at the White House in Washington, June 1, 2018. [Photo/Agencies]

US President Donald Trump said on Friday his summit with Democratic People's Republic of Korea's top leader Kim Jong-un would proceed as planned on June 12 in Singapore, and he looks forward to the day when he can take sanctions off the country.

"The process will begin on June 12 in Singapore," Trump told reporters after meeting with Kim Yong-chol, vice-chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, who delivered him a letter from DPRK's top leader Kim.

"I think it's probably going to be a very successful, ultimately a successful process," Trump said.

Kim Yong-chol arrived at the White House Friday afternoon after wrapping up a two-day meeting in New Year with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) shakes hands with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini at the eighth China-EU High Level Strategic Dialogue in Brussels, Belgium, on June 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BRUSSELS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Top diplomats of China and the European Union(EU) on Friday pledged to deepen strategic cooperation and safeguard multilateralism.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini co-chaired the eighth round of the China-EU high-level strategic dialogue in Brussels.

Reviewing the development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership established 15 years ago, Wang hailed a favorable situation featuring all-dimensional exchanges and cooperation covering various fields.

Noting that unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise in the international landscape, Wang said China and the EU, as two stable forces, should strengthen strategic communication, promote mutual strategic trust, and deepen strategic cooperation.

The two sides should jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard multilateralism and global free trade regime, he said, adding that both sides should make due contributions to tackle global challenges.

On economic cooperation, Wang said China is willing to promote mutual investment, and jointly construct the Belt and Road Initiative with the EU.

Mogherini, for her part, was on the same page with Wang on the importance of China-EU relationship.

She stressed that the EU is willing to work with China to uphold and strengthen the multilateral system with the United Nations at the core, and the rules-based international order.

Mogherini said the EU-China cooperation in various fields has reached unprecedented high levels after 15 years of development, with the two sides having similar positions and close coordination over a series of major international issues.

Mogherini highlighted the need to create synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's investment plan and strategy on connecting Europe and Asia.

"We agreed to explore complementarities and synergies in this field, that is crucial for both China and the EU," said Mogherini at a joint press conference with Wang following the strategic dialogue.

The strategic dialogue took place as the two sides are gearing up for the 20th China-EU summit slated for next month.

China stands ready to join hands with the EU to achieve results at the upcoming summit, thus sending out a positive signal of upholding and strengthening international order, said Wang.

Echoing Wang, Mogherini said the two sides have addressed a wide range of issues that lay the groundwork for the summit.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional hot-spot issues, including Iran nuclear deal, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, among others.





Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini attend a joint press conference at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)
The 19th Wanshou Forum, an international brainstorm focusing on reform and modern state governance, kicked off on Saturday in Anhui Province. (Zhu Lixin/ China Daily)

The 19th Wanshou Forum, an international brainstorm focusing on reform and modern state governance, kicked off on Saturday in Anhui Province, with experts hailing the event a great opportunity for intellectual cooperation worldwide.

Initiated by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the forum took place in Xiaogang village, which is dubbed as the birth place for Chinas rural reform. Around 200 scholars and political figures, who represent 66 political parties from 45 countries, have participated in the event, as well as communicating with each other on topics such as deepening reform and international economic cooperation.

Weve learned a lot of the history of Chinas reform during the forum, as well as how the reform has been implemented. The approach of openness and multiple forms of property are very important for developing countries to achieve modernization, and China has provided very important experience fortheir [future development], John Batchtell, National Chair of Cummunist Party USA, told Peoples Daily Online.

Echoing Batchtell, experts also attached great importance to Chinas rural reform, noting that Xiaogangs transformation from a commune style system to household responsibility system has dramatically changed Chinas economic landscape, marking the start of the countrys 4-decade reform and opening up.

Rural areas could be left behind when it comes to social and economic development. Its very important that ways are found to reinvigorate the life in rural areas, said Robert Griffiths, general secretary of the Communist Party of Britain, who added that Chinas rural reform is clearly being a success and has revolutionized the living and working conditions in the countryside.

Poverty plagues so much of this world of ours, including the U.S., where there are people living in abject poverty. The fact that China is on the verge of solving it is really a tremendous achievement, while the elimination of poverty is one of the most important content of Chinas opening and reform, said Batchtell.

The 19th Wanshou Forum, an international brainstorm focusing on reform and modern state governance, kicked off on Saturday in Anhui Province.

The 19th Wanshou Forum, an international brainstorm focusing on reform and modern state governance, kicked off on Saturday in Anhui Province. (Zhu Lixin/ China Daily)

The 19th Wanshou Forum, an international brainstorm focusing on reform and modern state governance, kicked off on Saturday in Anhui Province. (Zhu Lixin/ China Daily)
Letters

A few more questions Concerning the topic of the ARPA funding, this is what we now know: The Board of Supervisors knew of the Federal allocation of money in May 2021; the total amount the county received was 

Harvest Safety Even if you never drive on a country road, chances are that you will end up following a combine, tractor pulling a grain cart or wagon, or even a semi-truck hauling grain. Please be patient, the 

Board of Supervisors minutes not posted I have checked the Harrison County Board of Supervisors website weekly for five months. Sometimes, numerous times in one week. To this day, Sept. 21, 2021, the minutes of the weekly BOS meetings are 

COVID It is ironic the Federal Government appointees are blaming the unvaccinated U.S. citizens for the new COVID-19 explosion. When at the same time, people  900,000 so far and going up  are crossing the southern border, coming in hot with COVID in their body. Government appointees sprinkle these people into the interior of the U.S.

Safety At Rural Road Intersections Crawford County Farm Bureau Board of Directors wants to remind everyone when traveling on rural roads to slow down at intersections, especially where there is tall corn.

Read more letters
Hi community,



My CRS score is estimated at 430 without including my wife and child. When i get PR can i apply for my family?. If yes How.

Do they have to go through express entry draw?.
Hi,

I have applied to colleges in Canada for my undergraduate degree for Fall 2018. I am really concerend about proof of finds. I need to show around 22k CAD approximately. My father is an engineer who works for a private company in Saudi Arabia. The salary is good enough but not so good that we can save up huge amounts of money. So he doesn't have anything even close to $22k as of now. Classes will be starting in September and I will be applying for visa next month or in August.



We considered taking a loan. But I've heard that personal loan doesn't count. Here in Saudi Arabia, we don't have student loans. Only personal loans are available. I can borrow money but I don't know if that's the way to go.



My uncle owes around 17k CAD to my father. But there is no official documentation of that but a single transaction proof. This happened a year or 2 before. Can I take the money from my uncle and get a document prepared NOW stating that it was borrowed and now returned?
WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday fired off an angry tweet at a TV host who had made insulting comments against his daughter Ivanka earlier this week.

"Why aren't they firing no talent Samantha Bee for the horrible language used on her low ratings show?" Trump said in the tweet, referring to Bee's attack on her show "Full Frontal" on Wednesday.

In a monologue criticizing the administration's immigration policies, Bee, a comedian, used derogatory language to describe Ivanka, triggering an uproar.

Bee apologized for her comment the following morning, tweeting that she'd "crossed the line" and the insult was "inappropriate and inexcusable" but two advertisers of the show pulled out of their sponsorship.

"The comments expressed by Samantha Bee were offensive and unacceptable and do not reflect the views of our company. As a result, we have suspended our sponsorship of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," car dealer Autotrader said.

The White House also fired back at Bee, saying the language used by Bee was "vile and vicious."

The strong response from the White House was related to a recent incident of a similar nature, where a TV personality, who was a Trump supporter, was fired for tweeting racially discriminative language against a black Obama administration official.

Trump said in his tweet that the two incidents demonstrated a "double standard" employed by the media.

"A total double standard but that's O.K., we are Winning, and will be doing so for a long time to come!" Trump said.

In an earlier tweet, Trump also took issue with Bob Iger, the chief of TV network ABC who fired the pro-Trump actress, saying he expected an apology from ABC for "the horrible statements" that has been made against him.
Ottawa, Ontario  Today, on #WorldMilkDay , 4-H Canada is proud to announce a new partnership with Saputo Inc. (Saputo), together with their long-established brand, Armstrong Cheese. The partnership will see Saputo investing $660,000 over three years to give the next generation of dairy leaders and innovators the opportunity to positively impact their communities.

This national partnership will support the more than 4,200 youth members currently participating in 4-H dairy cow and goat programs across the country, providing them with grants, awards, and opportunities to attend provincial, national and international conferences to meet and share with other youth pursuing the same passion for dairy. The partnership will also help encourage youth members across the country to explore careers in the dairy industry through global internships and 4-Hs Careers on the Grow job search platform.

4-H Canada is very pleased to partner with Saputo, said Shannon Benner, 4-H Canada CEO. We are delighted to have this exceptional opportunity to pool our networks, know-how and resources. Together, we are investing in youth to ensure healthy communities and positive change for our world.

Join us and the 5,400 Saputo employees from coast to coast in Canada in raising a glass of nutritious milk in celebration. Follow the movement at #Saputo #4HCanada #WorldMilkDay .

- 30 -

About 4-H Canada

For over 100 years, 4-H Canada has been one of the most highly respected positive youth development organizations in Canada. 4-H Canada has close to 25,000 members and more than 7,700 volunteer leaders. Our goal is to help young Canadians Learn To Do By Doing in a safe, inclusive and fun environment. We believe in nurturing responsible, caring and contributing youth leaders who are committed to positively impacting their communities across Canada and around the world.

Source : 4-H-Canada
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.
China welcomes clarification from the United States on the unaltered visa policy towards Chinese citizens, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

It was reported Tuesday that the United States was planning to shorten the length of visas issued to some Chinese citizens.

According to media reports, the US State Department on Thursday announced that the US visa policy towards Chinese citizens has not changed. Chinese students who go to study in the United States can still receive visas with a validity of up to five years.

The US State Department stressed that the United States welcomes more and more Chinese citizens to visit the country.

China welcomes the US clarification, said spokesperson Hua Chunying at a routine press briefing. "Personnel exchanges are the foundation to boost cooperation in all fields between China and the United States. The facilitation of visas between the two countries is reciprocal and serves the common interests of the two peoples," she said.

Both sides should take more positive measures to make the personnel exchanges more convenient, and thus create better conditions for exchanges and cooperation in various fields, Hua said.
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China's domestically-developed J-20 stealth fighter recently took part in a nighttime training exercise with J-16 and J-10c fighters in an effort to further improve the combat capability of China's air force, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

One of China's J-20 stealth fighters during a nighttime exercise. [Photo: Xinhua]

During the exercise, the J-20 pilots used their aircraft's advantages in terms of situational awareness and stealth to gain air superiority, while the J-16 and J-10c fighters carried out precision strikes on ground targets.

The training sought to take full advantage of the different capabilities of the fighter jets, said He Xing, a pilot with the PLAAF.

The J-20 stealth fighter made its maiden flight in 2011. A unit of three jets made an appearance at the military parade to mark the 90th birthday of the People's Liberation Army last year.

The chief designer of the J-20, Yang Wei, said peacekeeping needs not only defense, but also offensive capability. The J-20 jets are a major part of efforts to modernize the PLAAF.

One of China's J-20 stealth fighters during a nighttime exercise. [Photo: Xinhua]
HBO "Real Time" host Bill Maher defended himself Friday night after critics spent part of the week equating his past jokes -- likening President Donald Trump to an orangutan -- to Roseanne Barr's Twitter post about a former adviser to President Barack Obama.

Many of the critics called for HBO to fire Maher, just as ABC fired Barr despite this year's success of her rebooted "Roseanne" comedy series.

During his opening monologue, Maher said four key facts made his ape jokes different than Barrs tweet, in which Barr had referred to Valerie Jarrett, a black woman and former Obama top aide, using an allusion to the "Planet of the Apes" movies.

One, Trump is an orangutan, Maher said. Two, white people have not been subjected to a racist trope comparing them to apes for hundreds of years.

Mahers third explanation was that his joke was a response to Trumps 2013 accusations that President Obama was not born in America and called for the release of the presidents birth certificate.

And four, Ive already been fired by ABC, Maher said, referring to his "Politically Incorrect" program, which aired from 1993 to 2002.

Some of Maher's critics contend he has been able to keep his HBO show on the air because he is a liberal, while Roseanne, a free-thinking Trump supporter, was fired.

Wait, Bill Maher makes comparisons to Trump being a gorilla all the time, tweeted conservative activist Charlie Kirk, director of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit that says it tries to educate students on "true free-market values."

Maher's comments "get classified as jokes by the media and he is of course allowed to keep his show and not have his life ruined, Kirk said.

But Maher himself is familiar with getting into hot water for inappropriate comments.

ABC canceled Mahers Politically Incorrect in 2002 following comments he made about the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The comedian argued that the labeling of terrorists as cowards was hypocritical, and that we [the U.S.] have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away, Bustle reported.

In an incident last year, Maher apologized after he was criticized for calling himself a house n----r on his HBO show. The network later removed his comment from future airings of the episode, calling it inexcusable.

Fox News Kathleen Joyce contributed to this report.
A new horror film inspired by disgraced producer Harvey Weinsteins actions is in the works from director Brian De Palma.

The director of "Carrie," "Blow Out" and "Dressed To Kill" told "Le Parisien" that hes working on a screenplay for an unnamed French producer. My character wont be named Harvey Weinstein, but it will be a horror film, with a sexual aggressor, and it will take place in the film industry, De Palma said.

Meanwhile, De Palma has "Domino," a thriller about a police officer seeking justice for his partners murder. That film has yet to secure a distributor. De Palma recently had a retrospective held at Cinematheque de Paris, in Paris, familiarity with Hollywood. I know a lot of the people involved, he told AFP. Ive heard stories over the years.

The script would tackle the thorny subject, but ultimately, it is a horror film, with a sexual aggressor, and the story will take place within the film industry.

The director also said the #MeToo movement would eventually change movie subjects and their treatment. It will be interesting to see when women start controlling the aesthetic, what is going to happen, he said. It would be interesting to see if their gaze is so much different than ours. Because a lot of movies are about the male gaze, what the male sees.

This story originally appeared in Deadline.
BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 287 overseas institutions have received quotas amounting to 99.46 billion U.S. dollars under China's Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) program to move money into the country's capital account, according to data from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

As of May 30, the quota in the RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) program came in at 616 billion yuan (96 billion U.S. dollars).

China's currency, the yuan, is convertible for trade purposes under the current account, while the capital account, which covers portfolio investment and borrowing, is largely run by the state in an effort to control capital flows in and out of the country.

To gradually open the capital account, the government introduced the QFII and RQFII programs in 2003 and 2011 respectively. They give foreign investors the right to move money into the account to encourage controlled flows.

The RQFII program is currently open to countries and regions including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Britain, Singapore, France, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Luxembourg.

The data also showed the quota under the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor program, a scheme that allows domestic investors to access foreign assets, totalled 101.5 billion U.S. dollars.
Johnny Depp has sparked concern after appearing dramatically different while touring Russia with his rock band.

Fans commented on Johnnys pale and gaunt appearance with some concerned that the actor has fallen ill.

Johnny showed off his extensive tattoo work as he donned a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan, Stay humble or be humbled.

Posing with supporters, he completed the look with several necklaces and distressed denim jeans.

Several fans commented on pictures shared by an Instagram account dedicated to the actor.

One concerned fanatic put: He looks pale here. Hope hes okay.

Another speculated: He looks like this for a new movie. He is fine and not sick.

One fan tweeted: Jonny Depp looks so bad, omg, is he ill or something?

Johnny is currently on a mammoth world tour with his rock supergroup, Hollywood Vampires.

The above pictures were taking at the Four Seasons hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor plays guitar alongside rock veterans Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.

Johnny will make a controversial return to the big screen later this year as he reprises the role of Grindelwald in Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

J.K. Rowling has had to defend her decision to cast Johnny following a turbulent few years for the star.

The actor was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife Amber Heard following their split in 2016.

The statement concluded: Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.

This story originally appeared in The Sun.
Now that Meghan Markle has officially tied the knot, it's time for her ex-husband, Trevor Engelson, to have his turn.

According to Us Weekly, Engelson is engaged to his health expert girlfriend, Tracey Kurland. The film producer reportedly shared the news on his Instagram account posting a photo of the couple with the caption, Luckiest guy I know! Get ready to party!

Like Markle, this would be the second marriage for Engelson, who began dating the former "Suits" star in 2004 and they wed nearly seven years later in the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in 2011. But the then-couple quietly divorced just two years later.

Engelson and Markle lived in Los Angeles together during the beginning of their marriage, but Markle soon made the move to Toronto to shoot her USA series. The distance reportedly put a strain on the couple's marriage and they cited irreconcilable differences as the reasoning for their split.

"The split with Meghan hit Trevor pretty hard. He went through a rough time during the breakup and that was only made worse when Meghan got together with Harry last year, a source revealed to The Sun in 2017 following Markle and Prince Harry's royal engagement announcement. He had to re-live it all again  this time in public. It wasnt the most amicable of divorces and there were hurt feelings on both sides. Now he has bounced back and things are looking great for him.

And though Engelson has moved on from his relationship with the now Duchess of Sussex, the TV producer was said to have pitched a TV series about loosely based on his relationship with Markle and her marriage into the British royal family.

But the 41-year-old has since pulled the plug on the idea after reportedly talking to some of Markle's friends.

Trevors project is currently on hold after several months of anguish for Meghan, a senior TV executive told The Sun. The plan was for the series to come out during the aftermath of the royal wedding later this summer, but things have changed.

According to The Sun, Markle also reached out to her ex about the show.

"The couple has barely spoken since their divorce, but she did reach out to him - with Harry's agreement - to thank him for not telling their story in public," a source said.

Engelson, who is mostly known for his work on the 9/11-themed drama Remember Me with Robert Pattinson, and also featured a brief cameo from Markle, is now a producer on the hit FX series "Snowfall." The show explores the early days of the crack cocaine epidemic in Los Angeles during the 1980s.

Fox News' Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
British actor Benedict Cumberbatch embodied a real-life superhero after reportedly saving a cyclist who was being attacked on the streets of London.

The star, who is known for portraying Sherlock Holmes in the hit BBC series "Sherlock," reportedly saved a food delivery cyclist after he was being beaten up by a gang of about four people, which The Sun reported were muggers.

According to Sky News, Cumberbatch was reportedly in an Uber with his wife, Sophie Hunter, when they spotted the victim. The star caught sight of the delivery man being hit over the head with a bottle and decided to take action.

Cumberbatch's Uber driver Manuel Dias told The Sun, I was taking Benedict and his wife to a club  but I didnt know it was him at first. I went to turn down into Marylebone High Street and we saw four guys were pushing around a Deliveroo cyclist."

He continued and said, My passenger jumped out, ran over and pulled the men away. They turned towards him and things looked like getting worse, so I joined in. He stood there instructing them in the street, shouting, Leave him alone."

The Uber driver then explained that it wasn't until later that he noticed his passenger was actually Sherlock Holmes, who also plays Avengers superhero Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematics Universe.

It was only then I recognized Benedict," he said. "Then it all got a bit surreal. Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just around the corner from Baker Street.

Dias added that fight with the attackers turned out to be no contest.

They tried to hit him but he defended himself and pushed them away. He wasnt injured. Then I think they also recognized it was Benedict and ran away."

Once the attackers had left, Dias said that the actor hugged the victim after asking if he was OK.

The incident took place on Marylebone High Street  just half a mile from the actor's fictional home of 221b Baker Street on his famous BBC series.

Benedict was courageous, brave and selfless," the Uber driver said. "If he hadnt stepped in the cyclist could have been seriously injured."

According to The Sun, Cumberbatch modestly said of his heroic actions, I did it out of, well, I had to, you know . . .

A spokesman for Deliveroo later told the outlet, "Deliveroo riders are heroes delivering millions of meals to hungry customers right across the country. Their safety is our priority and any violence against riders is totally unacceptable."

The company then thanked the famous actor for his swift rescue and said, "On behalf of everyone at Deliveroo: thank you so much."
Whataburger has apologized on behalf of a Texas employee who refused to serve a plainclothes detective because he was openly carrying a weapon. The chain has since announced they plan to initiate additional training for employees on their open carry policies for law enforcement officials.

On May 31, an unnamed Friendswood Police Department detective went into Whataburger at 214 E Parkwood Dr. with a gun at his side and a badge clearly visible next to it, KTRK reports. The law enforcement official attempted to explain to the manager on duty that he was with the police, but the manager refused to complete his order.

Authorities say the detective proceeded to exit the fast food chain, about 20 miles southeast of Houston, before tensions escalated.

TEXAS TEENS TAKE PROM PHOTOS AT WHATABURGER

As of June 1, Whataburger representatives had contacted the detective and apologized, according to the outlet. The iconic Texas burger joint later offered Fox News the following statement:

This was an unfortunate misunderstanding of our open carry policy, and we've talked to the detective to make this right. He was understanding, accepted our apology and said he plans to come back to Whataburger, a spokesperson said. Our company policy allows law enforcement with proper identification to open carry at our restaurants, and we'll be reinforcing this policy with employees through additional training.

We've also been in contact with the Friendswood Police Officers Association. We want to make it clear that this detective and all law enforcement are welcome in our restaurants and we're proud to serve them, they added.

BILL BELICHICK HITS CHICK-FIL-A DRIVE-THRU LOOKING SLIGHTLY EXASPERATED, INDIFFERENT, AND ANNOYED

Although Whataburger decided to ban the open carrying of guns across its 673 Texas locations when the Lone Star states open carry law went into effect in 2016, the chain created an exception to the rule for law enforcement officials, Dallas News reports.

Notably, this is the third time in recent years that the San Antonio-headquartered chain has quickly taken action in responding to similar situations.

In October 2017, Whataburger fired a Denison employee who cursed at two officers and refused to serve them. In September 2015, the chain fired a Lewisville worker who wouldnt serve two police officers.

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Karl Marx is being celebrated by Chinese President Xi Jinping as the greatest thinker of modern times. Western academics are celebrating Marx as a historic critic of the modern world.

Yet what all the pro-Marxist, pro-socialist speakers ignore is the human cost of Marxism.

In the name of Marx, Vladimir Lenin established the Soviet Union as police state that killed millions. Josef Stalin succeeded Lenin as the Soviet leader and proved even more ruthless and committed to killing.

Adolf Hitler led the National Socialist German Workers (Nazi) Party and socialism was central to his taking over the German economy and the German state  a fact the left makes every effort to avoid.

Mao Zedong was the deadliest Marxist of all and killed an uncounted number of millions to impose his will on China.

Fidel Castro turned a prosperous Cuba into a tragic police state in the name of Marxism-Leninism. And Venezuela has been shattered by socialism.

The academic left and its news media and Hollywood acolytes refuse to confront the horrifying record of Marxisms endless inhumanity.

This would be a good year to begin educating all those who have been lied to as a result of the American academic infatuation with Marxism.

We need a TV series on Marxism (and its evolution through Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, Castroism, etc.) so that Americans can come to grips with the horrors of centralized government and the cost of tyranny.

The desire of those with power to get more and more power seems insatiable.

Our Founding Fathers understood this and designed the Constitution to distribute power so no one person could establish a dictatorship. American exceptionalism is the opposite of Leninism.

Lenin used Marxs analysis and rhetoric to justify establishing a secret police-controlled totalitarian system. Within a remarkably few years, he had centralized authority and begun to lock up, torture and kill his critics.

When Lenin died, Stalin took his system of centralized power and refined it with even more brutality. Literally millions were starved to death as a matter of policy to break the middle-class farmers.

As an example of the grip Marxism had on the American news media and intellectuals at the time, The New York Times reporter in Moscow conspired with other reporters to avoid covering the famine and the mass deaths. Diana Wests book American Betrayal cites the evidence of this deliberate coverup.

Left-wing American academics have always had a soft spot for Marxist regimes.

One of the most widely read economic textbook writers and the first American to win a Nobel Prize in economics, Paul Samuelson, told college students in the 1961 edition of his best-selling Economics: An Introductory Analysis textbook, that the Soviet Unions economy was growing faster than the U.S. economy (never true).

This incorrect information continued to appear in subsequent editions of the textbook for more than two decades. Today the left argues that Marxism didnt fail in the Soviet Union  only the way the Russians tried to implement it failed.

In fact, I was told by someone who was at a dinner with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and a group of academics that when one of them made that argument Gorbachev responded: You would have to be an American professor to believe that.

Hitler studied the Lenin-Stalin police state and modeled much of his own totalitarianism on their design. There was a lot of the KGB in the design of the Gestapo. The central power of the state and its authority over people was central to Lenin, Stalin, Hitler and Mao. The individual human disappeared in the search for historic power and control.

We are about to witness a fascinating experiment in whether combining Marxism with big data can work. Xi Jinping is implementing a system by which Chinese people are heavily surveilled and assigned citizenship ratings based on their social media activity, patriotism, productivity, fitness routines and other behaviors. Those with low scores can be barred from commercial flights, some trains, and from having their children enrolled in some schools.

Deng Xiaoping saved the Chinese communists from popular rejection by advocating a system of free enterprise within the communist structure after Maos death. He argued that unless the Chinese economy was dramatically improved, China would not prosper. Further, he understood that if the system didnt reward the Chinese people, there would be a widespread rejection of the Communist Party.

In his famous Southern Tour of China in January and February of 1992, Deng made the case for free markets in which productivity  not politics  decided winners and losers.

Now Xi Jinping is reversing the market-oriented decentralization of Deng. As he made clear in his recent speech on Marx (have your web browser translate it), he regards Marx  not 18th century Scottish economist Adam Smith  as the central guide for Chinas future.

If indeed Marxism has defeated Deng Xiaoping in the corridors of Chinese power, we are in for a terrible experiment in tyranny. I wrote about President Xi Jinpings aggressive power gathering in China, in my new book, Trumps America: The Truth About Our Nations Great Comeback. I will doubtless write more on this in future columns, but for the moment, simply note that no experiment in Marxism has come out well.

Centralized control leads people to lie and cheat. Lying and cheating leads to the leadership demanding more secret police with more rules and more punishment. The system becomes a downward spiral in which humans are sacrificed to the power of the few.

This is Marxs legacy. President Xi should study it carefully before taking China off the path of economic growth and onto the path of tyrannical growth.
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Exuberant Democrats  carried along by the self-righteousness of their authoritarian and puritanical identity politics zealotry, and self-confidence in the supposedly inevitable electoral annihilation of President Trump and Republicans in November  are starting to see a long-cherished liberal dream as an imminent reality: California as a model for the whole nation.

Youll get the picture if you read a widely-shared article published earlier this year by Medium, written by tech guru Peter Leyden, headlined The Great Lesson of California in Americas New Civil War. The article is subtitled: Why theres no bipartisan way forward at this juncture in our history  one side must win.

The article describes California as the harbinger of Americas political future ... a model for America as a whole.

The fact that Democrats in California now have complete control of all statewide political offices, the state Legislature and local government in cities like San Francisco is touted as great news for working people.

The author celebrates the fact that political debates in California involve choices between different degrees of left, with other voices excluded  even though independents and Republicans still comprise a majority of voters in the state, according to the latest party identification data.

The vision of a Californiaized United States is captured in all its glory in the concluding paragraph of the article: America cant afford more political paralysis. One side or the other must win. This is a civil war than can be won without firing a shot. But it is a fundamental conflict between two worldviews that must be resolved in short order. California, as usual, resolved it early. The Democrats won; the Republicans lost. The conservative way forward lost; the progressive way forward began. ... California is the future, always about 15 years ahead of the rest of the country. That means that America, starting in 2018, is going to resolve it too.

Lest you think these are just the random ramblings of a Silicon Valley bubble-dweller, let me point out that the article was not just widely shared but publicly endorsed by such luminaries as the founder and CEO of Twitter. And I can testify from personal experience that this is exactly what members of the California liberal elite actually think. Its just that few of them say so publicly.

So wed better take this seriously. Democrats, as the old political adage goes, now want to do to America what theyve done to California. Its an alarming prospect.

Its true that California is the worlds fifth-largest economy; possesses (in my view) unparalleled natural beauty and cultural diversity; and has a spirit of openness and adventure  not to mention great weather  that makes it the best place in the world. Im a proud California resident and I wouldnt want to be anywhere else.

But increasingly, it seems that many of the Golden States extraordinary advantages are being recklessly undermined by a governor who likes to think of himself as a beacon of rectitude  but who has a record of bumbling incompetence, special interest corruption and ideological extremism that places him firmly on the Loony Left.

Lets start with the incompetence. Its surely quite an accomplishment for Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown to have presided simultaneously over a massive splurge in public spending and a reduction in public services. Health spending has ballooned, but actual health outcomes have not improved. Meanwhile, California is on the brink of a fiscal crisis.

So where has all the money gone? Thats where the special interest corruption comes in. Brown has repeatedly used public money to reward his  and his partys  paymasters in the public sector unions.

The generous pensions of public employees remain essentially unreformed  thats the main cause of the looming fiscal crisis. And while workers in the private sector suffer wage stagnation, Brown has thrown pay raise after pay raise at powerful unions like the prison officers.

In interviews, Brown poses as a responsible grownup holding back the tide of mayhem that his more liberal successors will inevitably unleash. But Brown is ending his California career much as he started it: on the fringes, ideologically extreme and the modern-day symbol of the Loony Left. You see it in his extraordinary position on immigration, pandering to the Democrats extremist open borders base with his utterly irresponsible sanctuary state preening.

And you see it in Browns bizarre championing of Proposition 47, which essentially decriminalized the theft of any item under $950. His stance has been a social policy disaster, giving a green light to drug-fueled crime throughout the state.

Above all, Brown will be remembered for his colossal failures on the economy and poverty. California has the highest poverty rate in the nation, the highest level of inequality  and at the same time, the highest taxes.

The cost of living, particularly housing and transportation, is accelerating out of control for working people. Its no surprise that the number of people moving out of the state has more than doubled in the last three years, with little compensating inward migration. Per capita, California is 46th out of 50 states in attracting newcomers from other parts of the country.

But the most shameful and vivid symbols of Jerry Browns failure must surely be the staggering, Third World-style homeless encampments on the streets of Californias big cities.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the homeless population in California rose by 14 percent from 2016 to 2017 to 134,000. In Los Angeles the increase was even worse  26 percent in one year. In sharp contrast, the national homeless population increased by only 1 percent in 2017, to about 553,000, driven primarily by the increase in California homelessness.

What a grotesque epitaph for this self-styled champion of the people. The truth is that Browns rule has been great for the rich; grim for the rest.

Now its rumored that Brown, who will shortly complete his fourth term as Californias chief executive, is eyeing a national future. He has run unsuccessfully for president three times: in 1976, 1980 and 1992. Party insiders are convinced he wants a fourth go at that too. Given his track record as governor, thats a frightening prospect for America.

Hubristic Democrats may survey their blue enclaves in the Golden State and dream of exporting their Loony Left revolution to the rest of the country. But any serious look at what life is actually like for working people in California should bring that fantasy crashing to the ground.

Well be debating all this on Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT on The Next Revolution on Fox News Channel  hope you can join us!
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At the historic summit in Singapore with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, now back on for June 12, President Trump should demand that Kim make a commitment to begin working toward nuclear disarmament. This should be the single focus of the meeting.

Such a pledge by Kim needs to be credible, realistic and verifiable. Despite the siren song of making history, if President Trump smells a trap  that Pyongyang is once again stringing us along, making only aspirational promises that wont ever be fulfilled  he should do what he has promised: cancel the summit again or walk out in the middle of it.

In an Oval Office meeting Friday with Kim Yong Chol  a vice chairman of North Koreas Central Committee and one of Kim Jong Uns most trusted advisers  President Trump agreed to hold the June 12 summit that he had canceled just a week earlier.

Significantly, President Trump tamped down expectations that the summit would end with a landmark agreement by North Korea to get rid of all its nuclear weapons, never build them again, and allow international inspectors into the country to verify its promises.

Instead, the president said his meeting with Kim Jong Un would be part of a process and could result in multiple high-level meetings.

Holding a getting acquainted meeting like this with Kim may turn out to be a brilliant move by President Trump, setting the stage for detailed and substantive talks in the near future. Or it may turn out to be a terrible mistake. History will be the judge.

Traditionally, presidential summits have been highly choreographed events where the U.S. president and the leader of another nation sign agreements already reached by their negotiators. President Trump has turned the process on its head, making the summit the opening round rather than closing one for what are sure to be very complex negotiations.

It will be a beginning, President Trump said Friday. I don't say and I've never said it happens in one meeting. You're talking about years of hostility; years of problems; years of, really, hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end.

All of that is true. This means that President Trump and Kim are at the start of what could be years of talks on an array of issues. Dealing with these complex issues would take even the most seasoned of U.S. administrations years  if not decades  to try and solve.

But despite the long road ahead, the Trump administration must forge a bedrock foundation for any future agreements: an iron-clad pledge that North Korea will indeed surrender its nuclear weapons and long-range missiles in an agreed timeframe that includes rigorous inspections.

This is where things could still fall apart  yet again. Thats because it doesnt seem that the Trump administration now has a firm commitment on denuclearization from North Korea. And until Friday, the administration seemed to be insisting that such a firm commitment was required by North Korea as the price for a summit with President Trump.

But I would argue that there is a plan to get us there  and keep America and our allies safe from North Koreas growing nuclear and missile arsenal.

The next few days, heading into the summit, are going to be of historic significance. President Trump is at Camp David this weekend, getting briefings to prepare for the summit. And work is almost certainly underway by the U.S. and North Korean officials on a joint statement or declaration they can issue at the end of the summit spelling out what the two nations have agreed on.

The U.S. side must insist that such a joint statement lay out a path that concretely commits Pyongyang to getting rid of its nukes and the missiles that can send these horrible weapons of mass destruction to the U.S. homeland, potentially killing millions of Americans. Nothing less is acceptable.

The Kim regime has likely pressed Washington on this point, unwilling to make such a pledge before any potential meeting, demanding a summit as the price of such a pledge.

The president, if my theory is correct, made an important concession to save the summit. The challenge now is to ensure that Kim keeps is his word  something he, his father and his grandfather have not done on past agreements.

History tells us that this is where things with North Korea usually go wrong. We know the Kim family diplomatic playbook: stall for time and take as long as possible in any negotiation, ensuring that the Norths nuclear weapons and long-range missiles become even more deadly with each passing day.

Team Trump should make it clear to the North Koreans that such tactics wont work this time because we are wise to their old tricks. That would also mean the summit could still fall apart, with President Trump canceling it again.

And the Trump administration must remain leery of the North even it gets an agreed upon text before June 12 for a joint statement to be issued at the end of the summit. Thats because North Korea could surprise us during the summit by demanding important changes to the text of a joint announcement. These changes could water down any nuclear disarmament agreement and turn concrete pledges into statements of intent that are meaningless.

This is where President Trump must stand firm, not falling into another obvious North Korean trap. He must insist that Pyongyang needs to keep its word. Theres always a first time for anything.

If Kim Jong Un persists in backing off from a strong nuclear disarmament pledge, President Trump must channel his inner Ronald Reagan, get up from the negotiating table and walk out. Thats exactly what President Reagan did in nuclear disarmament talks with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, forcing Gorbachev to back down.

While it might be tempting to push off a tough negotiation over North Koreas nuclear program, we must remember it was that program that nearly brought East Asia  and perhaps the world  to the brink of nuclear war.

North Korea needs to know that the price of being a member of the international community is giving up its nuclear arms. President Trump must not waver on that.

And like a boxer entering the ring, President Trump must keep his guard up when he meets with Kim Jong Un, remembering that he is confronting a ruthless adversary who will try to take advantage of him in any way possible.
The Pentagon is expected to take over background check investigations for federal government employees, tightening controls and tackling a backlog of workers awaiting security clearances.

Officials said that over the next three years, the Defense Department will take responsibility for all background investigations involving its military and civilian employees and contractors. An official said this week that the White House is also expected to give the Pentagon authority to conduct security reviews for nearly all government agencies as well.

U.S. officials said the move comes after revelations that a Navy contractor who gunned down a dozen people at Washingtons Navy Yard in 2013 maintained his security clearance despite concerns about his mental health and a prior arrest investigators never reviewed.

The security check system has seen delays in recent monthswith a backlog of approximately 700,000 people  including high-ranking federal officials who have waited up to a year to get clearance.

Just last month, President Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner received his permanent clearance 16 months after the president took office. The delay, according to Kushners attorney, was caused by the backlog in the new administration, and Kushners extensive financial wealth, which required lengthy review.

The transfer of responsibility from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to the Pentagon for nearly 3.6 million defense employees are already in the works. The program will involve a system of continuous checks that will automatically pull and analyze workers criminal, financial, substance abuse and eventually social media data on a more regular basis  rather than only ever five or 10 years as it is done under the current system.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is the executive agent for the new program, setting the guidelines for the security requirements, based on federal investigative guidelines. OPM and the Pentagon will carry out the vetting process, in conjunction with DNI.

An official said the changes would result in at least a 20 percent reduction in the backlog within six months.

During the first year of the program, the Pentagon will take over investigations for government employees seeking a renewal of their secret clearance, then over the next two years, will take on government employees seeing their initial secret clearance, and then move to employees seeking top secret renewals and initial clearances, according to an official.

Workers with secret clearance are re-evaluated every 10 years, and those with top secret clearances are checked every five years.

The program will cost an additional $40 million for fiscal year 2018 but the department expects to spend significantly less than the current $1.3 billion price tag for the program because of increased automation and other savings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hillary Clintons campaign claim in 2016 -- that she fully supported President Barack Obamas decision to order the Navy SEAL raid that would eliminate Al Qaeda leader Usama bin Laden -- made Vice President Joe Biden furious, a new book says.

Biden, whom the book characterizes as willing to fall on his sword for Obamas success, begrudged Clinton for misrepresenting her position on the decision, the book asserts.

The a** covering, opportunistic version really rattled him, an anonymous aide told Kate Andersen Brower, author of First in Line: Presidents, Vice Presidents, and the Pursuit of Power. An excerpt appeared this week in the Hill.

The a** covering, opportunistic version really rattled him.  Aide to former VP Joe Biden, referring to Biden's reaction to a Hillary Clinton speech

Brower covered the White House for Bloomberg News during Obama's first term, and has written for several other news organizations, including Fox News.

During a Situation Room meeting with top Obama officials on whether to strike the compound believed to be holding bin Laden, Biden wasnt the only one who voiced reservations about the plan, the excerpt says.

My sense is that [Clinton] was not sold on the idea either, says David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Obama, in the excerpt.

My sense is that [Clinton] was not sold on the idea either.  David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama

Yet in January 2016, Clinton was touting her role in the bin Laden raid in a stump speech that, Politico wrote, left audiences "riveted."

I was one of those who recommended the president launch what was a very risky raid ... because if all we had done was launch a missile and dropped a bomb, we never would have known [if bin Laden was dead], Clinton told a crowd in Ames, Iowa, Politico reported.

It was one of the most tense days of my life sitting there. For some of it we had the video but once they were inside we had no video, just an audio connection. ... And some of you who have followed this may know one of the helicopters hit the tail going into the courtyard and got disabled ... [but] because of the incredibly careful planning we didnt leave anybody behind.

"I was one of those who recommended the president launch what was a very risky raid."  Hillary Clinton, on the campaign trail in Iowa, January 2016

Clinton has been the subject of other recent books dealing with the former U.S. secretary of state and U.S. senator's 2016 campaign loss.

Ben Rhodes, a former adviser to Obama, details in his memoir, The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House, that theyd run against Clinton in 2008 with the same message that Republican candidate Donald Trump would use eight years later.

That message: Shes part of a corrupt establishment that cant be trusted to bring change, Rhodes writes in a preview featured in the New York Times.

Another memoir, Chasing Hillary, by Times reporter Amy Chozick, who followed Clinton on the campaign trail, writes of the Democratic nominees reaction the moment she learned of her defeat to Trump.

I knew it. I knew this would happen to me, she said, ... They were never going to let me be president, an excerpt in the New York Times reads.

But who was Clinton referring to as "they"? The former candidate has gone on to blame various groups for her election defeat -- including Democratic socialists, the "vast right-wing conspiracy," James Comey, white men and the press.
New Yorks disgraced former Republican Rep. Michael Grimm said its a no-win situation for President Trump when endorsing congressional candidates.

Grimm is campaigning for his old seat in the states primary this month. He is competing against incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan, R-N.Y., whom the president endorsed this week.

Out of respect for the president, I wouldnt advise him to get involved in House primaries because you either upset the grass-roots or the entrenched establishment, making it a no-win situation, Grimm told Fox News, adding that it was not a warning to avoid involvement.

Trumps endorsement of Donovan came with a reminder for voters of Alabamas special Senate election last year  when Roy Moore seized the Republican nomination but ultimately lost the general election to Democrat Doug Jones amid a sexual misconduct accusations.

Grimm, a former two-term congressman, FBI agent and lawyer, fell from grace in 2014 when he was indicted on 20 counts of tax evasion, hiring undocumented immigrants and perjury. Grimm pleaded guilty to one count of federal tax fraud  for paying undocumented workers under the table  and spent seven months of an eight-month sentence in a minimum security federal prison.

There is no one better to represent the people of N.Y. and Staten Island (a place I know very well) than @RepDanDonovan, who is strong on Borders & Crime, loves our Military & our Vets, voted for Tax Cuts and is helping me to Make America Great Again. Dan has my full endorsement! Trump tweeted this week.

He added: Very importantly, @RepDanDonovan will win for the Republicans in Novemberand his opponent will not. Remember Alabama. We cant take any chances on losing to a Nancy Pelosi controlled Democrat!

Donovan didn't vote with the president on tax cuts.

Grimm is honing in on that--releasing a new television ad Friday titled: Every time it mattered, Dan Donovan voted against President Trump.

Donovan, who has been in New York City politics for decades, has said that Trump endorsed him at least six times throughout his political career. He has had, though, to explain voting against Trumps tax overhaul and plan to replace former President Barack Obamas signature health care law  ObamaCare.

I vote with Trump 90 percent of the time, Donovan said. I vote with my constituents 100 percent of the time.

Grimms criminal history has been the central issue for the former congressman throughout the campaign.

The president this week pardoned conservative filmmaker Dinesh DSouza who pleaded guilty in 2014 for donating $20,000 to New York politician Wendy Long, allegedly going over the contribution limit by directing other donors to give to her. He was sentenced to five years of probation and eight months in a halfway house, and paid a $30,000 fine.

DSouza had claimed for years that he was unfairly singled out for prosecution and unfairly treated by the Obama administration.

When asked if Grimm wanted a presidential pardon from Trump, he replied: Of course!

I dont know anyone who wouldnt, especially in my circumstances, Grimm said, insisting that his harsh sentence was politically motivated.

The New York primary is set for June 26.

Fox News' Rick Leventhal and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
China's Internet giant Tencent announced on Friday that it has filed a lawsuit against the operators of Jinri Toutiao and Douyin at the Haidian District People's Court in Beijing for unfair competition. Tencent also said that it has suspended cooperation with the two companies.

Jinri Toutiao is an AI-powered news and information aggregation and sharing platform. Douyin is a popular short video sharing platform.

Tencent accuses the operators of Jinri Toutiao and Douyin of defaming by publishing a large number of negative comments, articles, and videos about the company through their platforms.

In the lawsuit, Tencent demands that the two companies cease engaging in unfair competition, apologize openly on social media, and pay 1 yuan (around 0.15 U.S. dollars) in compensation.

In response, the owner of Jinri Toutiao, Beijing Bytedance Technology Co. Ltd., filed a counter-suit against Tencent for unfair competition, according to a report from the Beijing News. The Beijing News report says the rapid development of Jinri Toutiao and Douyin has led to fierce marketplace competition between the companies, especially when it comes to short video sharing services.
214. 215. 216. 217. 218.

The goal is 218. But its unclear if theyll get there.

Well know soon if a coalition comprised of many House Democrats and some Republicans will successfully make an end run around the House GOP leadership. Securing 218 signatures on whats called a discharge petition in the House could prompt debate and votes on a sequence of immigration and DACA proposals. Such a maneuver goes against the wishes of GOP leaders.

The number of signatories to the discharge petition is locked at 213 since the House abandoned Washington May 24 for the Memorial Day recess. Eight House members signed the discharge petition that day, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and two Republicans: Reps. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) was the last member to sign, clocking in at 213.

But two questions: Can supporters obtain 218 signatures? And does anyone in the House truly want to be number 218? After all, the discharge petition rests on the dais in the chamber when the House is in session. There is a line for each signature, designated by a number. For good or ill, someone will bear the moniker Mr. or Ms. 218 if the discharge petition is to be successful.

House rules dictate the body can only consider a discharge petition on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. The original House calendar slated the House to meet on Monday, June 11  the second Monday of June. But House Republican leaders scrapped that date and re-tooled the week so the House would meet next Friday, not Monday. Little was said about this sleight of hand at the time. But the concern was obvious. The GOP brass didnt want discharge petition supporters to get two chances in June to go over their heads and deposit an immigration debate on the floor.

So, the next available date for a discharge petition to ripen for consideration comes on the fourth Monday of the month: June 25. However, House rules dictate that a discharge petition must command the necessary signatures seven legislative days in advance (e.g. - days when the House meets). In reality, this means supporters of the petition must marshal 218 signatures by around June 11. The next eligible discharge petition date in the queue falls on July 23.

Backers of the discharge petition are frankly running out of track. Due to resignations and a death, House membership stands at 428. Only 23 of the the chambers 235 Republicans have offered support for the petition. All but three of the Houses 193 Democrats have signed. Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Filemon Vela (D-TX) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) all represent border districts in Texas. That trio objects to the discharge petition because of President Trumps border wall. Theyre concerned one of the bills plonked onto the floor could prompt construction of the wall. But the House wouldnt get to 218 even if Cuellar, Vela and Gonzalez do sign. Whether its three signatures or five signatures, Democrats cant pull the discharge petition across the finish line themselves. The final signatures must come from Republicans.

But is that even in the offing?

Who might discharge petition supporters coax to sign?

The most obvious candidate to sign is Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). Issa is retiring after narrowly winning re-election last cycle in a swing district southern California. Issa has bucked his party before, voting nay on the final version of the tax reform bill.

At first blush, one might think Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) would be another possible signer. Donovan is a moderate Republican who also rejected the tax bill. Donovans the only Republican who represents any part of New York City. Donovans district covers all of Staten Island and a spit of Brooklyn. President Trump may hail from Queens, but Donovans district is Trump country. President Obama narrowly carried the district in 2012. But Mr. Trump won it by 10 points two years ago. Donovan is now locked in a tight primary with former Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY). The president just endorsed Donovan in his primary.

Moderate House Republicans or those who represent battleground districts fall into the next tier of scrutiny for the discharge petition. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) is a freshman in a district he flipped from blue to red last cycle. But DACA isnt a major issue in Omaha the way it is in some other U.S. cities. Other moderate GOPers or those who represent swing districts? Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) would be one. Hes retiring.

Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-WA) could be another possibility due to some of her moderate tendencies.

Then there are committee chairmen like House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) and Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX). But the biggest impediment to this troika signing is the fact that, yep, they chair committees. Royce, Frelinghuysen and Sessions serve in those roles serve at the pleasure of the Republican brass.

Still, Royce represents a district carried by Hillary Clinton, and he is retiring. Frelinghuysens district is a toss-up and hes quitting. Sessions also represents a district carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Who else? Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) represents a swing district on the border. But McSallys now running hard to the right to outflank other conservatives in a bid to capture the Arizona GOP Senate nomination.

So its not clear where discharge petition backers can unearth the final five to sign. House math is hampering them. There are only 428 members in the House and not the full membership of 435. A membership deficit of seven members could prove fatal to the effort. Consider this: Former Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) resigned. The late Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) unexpectedly passed away. Former Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) represented a district that may be in play this fall. Conyers and Slaughter would have signed the petition, few questions asked. Meehan may have been a candidate to sign as well.

The GOP leadership is scrambling to engineer agreement on a separate, conservative immigration bill and stave off the discharge petition revolt. At this point, its hard to see how that measure commands 218 votes. And, at this point, it could be a stretch for the discharge petition to muster 218 signatures, as well.
A Maryland state Senate candidate this week is facing scrutiny for reportedly campaigning for votes at a memorial service for a fallen firefighter.

North Beach Fire Department Chief Joey Keller told FOX 5 that hundreds of campaign cards and flyers for Republican candidate Roussan Rou Etienne Jr. were found on the cars of mourning attendees after the service for Rescue Captain Pat Osborn. Osborn reportedly suffered a medical emergency while on duty. He served at the North Beach Fire Department for 18 years.

Not only was it a death of one of our members thats been around here for a very long time, but it was a line of duty death so it makes it that much more emotional, Keller told FOX 5. I just thought it was very distasteful and so did everybody else that came out and found it on their car.

Etienne Jr. is reportedly the chaplain for the Baden Volunteer Fire Department in Prince Georges County.

Etienne Jr., according to his campaign website, pledged that success in his campaign would require strong and organized grassroots organization including vigorous door to door canvassing.

But Osborns family and friends have reportedly taken to Etiennes Facebook page to express their displeasure with campaigning at the Osborn memorial service.

I think anybody with any kind of common sense wouldnt do it at a funeral or anything where anybodys emotions are very high, Keller told FOX 5. I couldnt believe it because it is just in very poor taste.

Etienne Jr. will compete in the Maryland primary on June 26.

Etienne Jr. did not respond to FOX 5s request for comment.
A little-known Republican congressional candidate in Southern California has received $137,000 in campaign donations from Democrats from across the U.S. ahead of Tuesday's primary.

But John Gabbard -- a small business owner and Marine Corps veteran -- rejected the Democrats' help Friday, accusing the party of bringing its classic unethical tricks from the swamp in Washington to the shores of Orange County.

The Dems' backing of the GOP's Gabbard in California's 48th Congressional District seems to be part of an unorthodox strategy --- not to help Gabbard, but to ultimately help the Dems get one of their own candidates to emerge from Tuesday's primary and appear on the November ballot.

It's part of some $5.4 million that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spent on congressional races in Orange County in recent weeks, the Orange County Register reported.

Under California primary rules, the top two vote-getters Tuesday, regardless of party, will face each other in November. So if two Republicans top the field, the Democrats would be shut out of the general election.

That GOP shutout is likely to happen in the 48th District, because two of the candidates are well-known former Orange County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh and incumbent U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, the Register reported.

"The [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] machine is bringing its classic unethical tricks from the swamp in Washington to the shores of Orange County."  John Gabbard, GOP candidate seeking a U.S. House seat

So the Democrats' best hope of getting one of their own -- either businessman Harley Rouda or stem-cell biologist Hans Keirstead -- to finish in the top two may be to back Gabbard, and hope he siphons enough votes away from Baugh or Roherabacher to eliminate one of them and help a Democrat advance.

Robocalls and radio ads funded by Democratic organizations have lavished praise on Gabbards wartime service, touting him as a man who has traveled the world keeping America safe and who evacuated hundreds of Americans threatened during an African coup.

At least one politcal watcher says Democrats are making a big mistake with their opposite-party financing.

"That's the kind of game plan that really turns voters off. That money would be so much better spent just on get-out-the-vote efforts."  Jodi Balma, political science professor, Fullerton College

"That's the kind of game plan that really turns voters off," Jodi Balma, a political science professor at Fullerton College, told the Register. "That money would be so much better spent just on get-out-the-vote efforts."

Will the Democrats' plan work? Orange County voters will find out next week.

Click here for more from the Orange County Register.
Sophisticated surveillance devices that intercepted cellphone calls near the White House and other sensitive facilities around Washington, D.C., were discovered in an 11-month federal study last year, a federal official wrote in a May letter.

The letter detailed a trial program that used a series of cellular network sensors to discover the use of International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers, Ars Technica reported.

The communication from Christopher Krebs, acting undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security's National Protection and Programs Directorate, was sent to U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

DHS had previously written to Wyden on the matter March 26, Fox News reported in early April.

Homeland Security officials were concerned that other IMSI catchers, often under the brand name StingRay, were potentially operated by foreign intelligence agencies targeting U.S. officials, the report said.

It was not clear who was operating the StingRay devices, but DHS was concerned that foreign adversaries might be involved, the report said.

The IMSI catchers work by simulating phone towers to trick nearby phones into connecting, which allows the devices to collect calls, texts and data streams, the Washington Post reported.

The catchers must be near targeted devices in order to work and could also deliver malicious software to targeted devices in order to steal information or conduct longer-term monitoring of communications, the Post report said.

DHS was aware of reports that a global cellular network messaging system called SS7 was being used to spy on Americans through their cell phones, according to the Post, citing Krebs letter.

Krebs was nominated to assume a permanent role as undersecretary, but Wyden had opposed moving forward with his nomination, demanding more details on the IMSI catchers.

Krebs penned the May 22 letter in response to Wydens request.

This admission from DHS bolsters my concern about stingrays and other spying devices being used to spy on Americans phones, Wyden said Thursday in a statement. "Given the reports of rogue spying devices being identified near the White House and other government facilities, I fear that foreign intelligence services could target the president and other senior officials."

Meanwhile, two senior White House officials told Politico last month that President Donald Trump uses a cellphone that isnt equipped with sophisticated features to shield his communications.

The officials expressed concern that some of the president's communications could potentially be vulnerable to hacking or surveillance.

Wyden on Friday requested that the Federal Communications Commission conduct an independent assessment of the security of U.S. phone networks.
President Trumps legal team sent a letter to Special Counsel Robert Mueller in January outlining many reasons why the president should not sit down for an interview.

Fox News has obtained the letter, which offers a detailed look at the presidents legal team and its thinking about whether he should submit to an interview, including the argument that under the law and the U.S. Constitution, Mueller faces a high bar in trying to prove he needs in-person answers from the president.

Trump attorney Jay Sekulow and then-Trump attorney John Dowd challenged Mueller to prove there were questions remaining that had not already been answered in the avalanche of documents the White House and the Trump transition team provided to Mueller.

The letter, dated Jan. 29, 2018, was titled, Request for Testimony on Alleged Obstruction of Justice.

This letter will address the recent request by our office for an interview with the president, the letter began.

After laying out the areas of inquiry that Mueller has discussed with Trumps attorneys regarding former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former FBI Director James Comeys firing, the presidents attorneys challenged the need for an interview, arguing that all of the answers to your inquiries are contained in the exhibits and testimony that have already been voluntarily provided to you by the White House and witnesses, all of which clearly show that there was no collusion with Russia, and that no FBI investigation was or even could have been obstructed.

The attorneys also wrote that actions of the president  as the nation's chief law enforcement officer - could neither constitutionally nor legally constitute obstruction because that would amount to him obstructing himself.

Sekulow and Dowd expressed their displeasure at the encumbrance the investigation has subjected Trump to, writing, the special counsels inquiry has been and remains a considerable burden for the president and his office, has endangered the safety and security of our country, and has interfered with the presidents ability to both govern domestically and conduct foreign affairs.

The White House provided tens of thousands of documents to the special counsels office. Disclosures from the transition office number more than a million. In the letter, President Trumps attorneys noted the unprecedented access and voluntary cooperation in the collection of all documents requested from the White House, the Donald J. Trump For President Inc., and individual witnesses.

They also claimed that the two offices had developed a collegial and professional working relationship which encourages honesty and candor.

The attorneys reminded Mueller that the White House could have claimed executive privilege over the documents, but that the presidents desire for transparency exceeded the policy purposes for the privilege under the circumstances.

The letter laid out in detail arguments as to why the president could not have obstructed justice.

In the Flynn case, the attorneys' arguments included the following:

The president was not under investigation by the FBI.

There was no obvious investigation to obstruct since the FBI had concluded on Jan. 24, 2017, that Flynn had not lied, but rather was merely confused.

Former FBI Director Comey and his deputy, Andrew McCabe, testified  under oath  that there was no effort to impede the investigation.

The Flynn investigation proceeded unimpeded and resulted in a charge and guilty plea

In the Comey case, Sekulow and Dowd pointed out that the deputy attorney general and the attorney general both agreed, in writing, that Mr. Comey should be fired, for reasons unrelated to any investigation about Russian interference.

The attorneys also referenced the Oval Office meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and comments allegedly made by the president that Comey was a real nut job and that great pressure because of Russia has been taken off. Sekulow and Dowd said that if the comments as attributed were accurate, it does not establish that the termination was because of the Russia investigation, and that any president would not want someone he considered a nut job running the FBI.

The attorneys concluded their letter by informing Mueller that we have advised the president that  your inquiry thus far demonstrates that no obstruction of the Flynn investigation or Russian collusion investigation appears to have occurred. They also told Mueller on multiple occasions they have advised the president to decline to submit to an interview, writing the office lacked a focused demonstration of need for the presidents responses, which is required by law even when there are allegations of misconduct by high-level officials."

A source with knowledge of the investigation told Fox News the letter was intended to push back on Muellers request for an interview, to make him work to prove that he is lacking information about the case that can only be gleaned from an interview with the president.

Negotiations are still ongoing between Trump's legal team and the special counsels office for an interview.
President Trump on Saturday questioned whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller or the Justice Department was leaking letters from his legal team to the Fake News Media, again insisting there is No Collusion in the Russia Witch Hunt Hoax.

There was No Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country. Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? Should be looking at Dems corruption instead? Trump tweeted Saturday.

The president was referring to a letter obtained and published by The New York Times on Saturday dated January 29, 2018 from former Trump attorney John Dowd and Trump attorney Jay Sekulow to Mueller regarding a potential interview with the president.

"In order to facilitate a fair process, as a practical solution, without waiver of the Presidents constitutional and statutory privileges or objections, and in exchange for a rapid conclusion, we are willing to receive any further questions and provide you the answers to help you complete your report and resolve any other remaining questions you might have," the letter, now obtained by Fox News, read. "We are prepared to meet to discuss a final list of questions that you need to be answered so that the Nation may move forward, and so that we may preserve the dignity of the Office of the President of the United States."

The presidents tweet comes days after the special counsels office released its second statement of expenditures for the investigation into Russian meddling and potential collusion with Trump campaign associates during the 2016 presidential election.

Taxpayers have spent nearly $17 million on the Russia probe since it began in May 2017, according to the new spending report released Thursday.

Approximately $10 million was spent between October 2017 and March 2018. That includes $4.5 million spent by Muellers team and another $5.5 million spent by the Justice Department on other expenditures attributable to the investigation.

The department will continue to dedicate and leverage resources to maintain strong program and financial management controls, the DOJ said in the report. Management takes its program and financial accountability seriously and is dedicated to ensuring that funds are used in a responsible and transparent manner.

The president has repeatedly pointed fingers at Democrats for alleged collusion during the 2016 electionspecifically the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign for their move to pay $9 million through law firm Perkins Coie to fund the now-infamous, and unverified, anti-Trump dossier.

The president has also blasted the special counsel team, referring to investigators as Angry Democrats. 13 of the 17 investigators on Muellers team are registered Democrats, while at least nine have donated to Democratic candidates and causes. Mueller, though, is said to be a lifelong Republican.

Revelations of an FBI informant communicating with members of the Trump campaign  George Papadopoulos, Sam Clovis, and Carter Page  have set of new criticism from Trump for several ex-intelligence and law enforcement figures from the Obama administration.

The Justice Departments inspector general, Michael Horowitz, is now investigating any alleged impropriety or political motivation in the FBIs investigation into Russian interference and potential collusion with Trump campaign associates during the 2016 presidential election, following demands from Trump, who has dubbed the news of the informant as SPYGATE.

Trumps lawyer, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, said this week that he had drawn red lines for Mueller in talks over a possible interview with the president.

Giuliani told Fox News Thursday that Mueller would have to meet two conditions for an interview to take place: provide access to the spygate files as well as the memo penned by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein outlining the scope of Muellers authority in the special counsel probe.

The president also tweeted on Saturday that the U.S. must be treated fairly in trade.

The United States must, at long last, be treated fairly on Trade. If we charge a country ZERO to sell their goods, and they charge us 25, 50 or even 100 percent to sell ours, it is UNFAIR and can no longer be tolerated. That is not Free or Fair Trade, it is Stupid Trade! Trump tweeted.



Fox News John Roberts and Alex Pappas contributed to this report.
President Trump on Saturday said UNFAIR trade practices can no longer be tolerated, noting the U.S. must be treated fairly.

The president suggested that the countrys trade practices prior to his administration was not Free or Fair Trade, but Stupid Trade.

The United States must, at long last, be treated fairly on Trade. If we charge a country ZERO to sell their goods, and they charge us 25, 50 or even 100 percent to sell ours, it is UNFAIR and can no longer be tolerated. That is not Free or Fair Trade, it is Stupid Trade! Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon.

The presidents tweets come after the administrations decision this week to slap tariffs on allies Canada, Mexico and the European Unions steel and aluminum shipments to the U.S., resulting in an impending trade war. The White House also threated China with separate tariffs.

Europe, Mexico, Canada and China have vowed to hit back at U.S. goods.

Mexico plans to retaliate against the tariffs by targeting U.S. cheese, among other products, while Europe is threatening to target Kentucky bourbon and Wisconsin-based motorcycles Harley-Davidson. The jeans maker Levi Strauss is also on the EUs target list.

The president initially introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum in March but carved out an exception for Canada and Mexico during North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations.

The president instituted tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports earlier this year.

"We will not place any new tax on products made in the United States," Trump said in March. "You don't want to pay a tax, bring your plants to the United States."

He added: "We're urging all companies to buy American. That's what we want. Buy American."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Google search results for a Republican politician from North Carolina on Friday displayed a photo of the woman with the word bigot written across the bottom before it was taken down.

The photo that appeared on the right side of the page, first reported by Vice News, showed a photo of North Carolina State Sen. Trudy Wade with the word "bigot" written in capital red letters under her headshot.

The image result was removed later in the day, as a search of Wades name only provided her website, some brief background information and her party affiliation.

When contacted by Fox News, a Google spokesperson said that Information and images from our Knowledge Panels are automatically sourced from around the web. When we are alerted to issues like this, we move quickly to fix the problem, as we did in this case.

GOOGLE UNDER FIRE FOR LISTING NAZISM AS THE IDEOLOGY OF THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY

Individuals are also able to get verified for the ability to suggest edits and request to change their primary photos on Knowledge Panels, the spokesperson continued.

The company added that they urge individuals who have Knowledge Panels to become verified by using the provided link below the results box. In this particular instance, Google said Wades panel is not verified, nor does the company have a request for the action.

Wade did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment, however a legislative aide who spoke to Vice News was upset by the image, which they said isnt even current.

The lawmaker is currently up for re-election, facing off against Democrat Michael Garrett.

GOOGLE SET TO END CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT MAVEN MILITARY AI PROGRAM, REPORT SAYS

According to TrudyWade.com, listed in the Google results, Wade was a veterinarian for more than 30 years. Now she represents North Carolinas 27th district and has held the office since 2013, the site said.

This is not the first time this week that Google has faced an issue with its Knowledge Panel. On Thursday, an error in search results listed Nazism as the ideology of the California Republican Party.

The error, which was first spotted by political strategist Eric Wilson, listed "Nazism" alongside other ideologies such as Conservatism, "Market liberalism, Fiscal conservatism, and Green conservatism.

The error was later fixed. A Google spokesperson told Fox News that it was likely the result of vandalism on one of its sources.

Fox News Chris Ciaccia contributed to this report.
The North Carolina Republican lawmaker, whose Google results Friday yielded a photo of her with the word bigot across the bottom, fired back on Saturday, saying the tech companys apology rang a bit hollow.

State Sen. Trudy Wade released a statement on her website Saturday about the Google firestorm, saying that while I appreciate Googles belated apology, if Im being completely honest it rang a bit hollow.

The controversial image that appeared on the right side of the page, reported by Vice News, showed the word "bigot" written in capital red letters under Wades headshot. The image result was later removed, as a search of Wades name only provided her website, some brief background information and her party affiliation.

Wade in the statement said that after the controversial photo was discovered, an aide asked Google to remove the photo. She was told to find and contact the original author of the photo, and the post stayed up, the lawmaker explained.

Wade claimed that only after Drudge Report posted it to a national audience and it began to go viral on social media did Google do the right thing.

GOOGLE LISTS GOP NC STATE SENATOR AS BIGOT IN CONTROVERSIAL IMAGE

Google Communications tweeted last night, in response to Vice News story, apologizing to Wade and adding that Images that appear in the Knowledge Panel are either selected by verified users or are automatically sourced from sites across the web.

In this instance, the image was hosted on a student news blog. Upon being alerted to this issue, we immediately removed it from the Knowledge Panel, the company continued. We encourage individuals with a Knowledge Panel to get verified to select their own image, which can help prevent this in the future. To get verified, click the link below your Knowledge Panel.

A Google spokesperson told Fox News on Friday that when they are notified about problems such as Wades, they move quickly to fix the problem, as we did in this case.

The company added that in this instance, Wades panel was not verified and Google did not have a request for the action.

Google did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment on Saturday.

Wade represents North Carolinas 27thdistrict and has held the office since 2013, according to her website.

GOOGLE UNDER FIRE FOR LISTING 'NAZISM' AS THE IDEOLOGY OF THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY

The state lawmaker said Saturday that Googles alleged response was disconcerting considering a similar issue theyd had only a day before.

On Thursday, an error in Google's search results listed Nazism as the ideology of the California Republican Party. The error, which was first spotted by political strategist Eric Wilson, listed "Nazism" alongside other ideologies such as Conservatism, "Market liberalism, Fiscal conservatism, and Green conservatism.

The error was later fixed. A Google spokesperson told Fox News that it was likely the result of vandalism on one of its sources.

In her statement, Wade said yesterdays treatment of a conservative is nothing new. Not even close, adding that she thinks this behavior has become so common and fashionable because of the staggering bias of the news media.

The mainstream press  where many of us once looked for truth and reliable reporting  have become cesspools of elitism and intolerance, and the troubling lack of ideological diversity in newsroom across the country has sown seeds of hatred for years against conservatives  maybe especially against conservative women, Wade said. Its culminated in an unhinged assault on President Trump and anyone who dares to support him publicly. I guess its not terribly surprising that the liberal groupthink has started to permeate Americas corporations, too.

Fox News Chris Ciaccia contributed to this report.
A single-passenger bi-plane was recently forced to make an emergency landing on a Wyoming interstate, hitting a tractor-trailer carrying pigs in the process.

On May 31, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reported on Facebook that the small plane, en route from Colorado to Utah, lost power in its engine for reasons unknown. As the pilot attempted to land on Interstate 80 near Evanston, he hit the top of the tractor trailers sleeper berth in the descent, KPVI reports.

NFL PLAYER JERMAINE GRESHAM PRAISED ONLINE FOR PAYING DESPERATE PASSENGER'S BAG FEE



The impact caused the pilot to lose control of the plane. The plane then struck a variable speed limit sign and crashed on the north side of I-80 near milepost 8. The semi-truck came to a controlled stop on the right shoulder of the highway, the highway patrol said on social media.

No one was injured in the accident, authorities say, though the aircraft was severely damaged in the crash. The trucks sleeper cab also sustained damage in the incident. The fate of the pigs remains unclear at this time.

HOW TO TELL THE AGE OF THE PLANE YOU'RE FLYING ON

Moving forward, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Safety board plan to conduct an investigation.

In a post that has since won over 880 reactions and 730 shares on Facebook, commentators had a whole lot to say about the unusual scene.

That has to be one of the more unique accident reports. I'm waiting to see this on a insurance commercial for Farmers, one user wrote.

Sounds like the semi was hogging the road, another quipped.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS
Singapore (Peoples Daily) - The 17th Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), a multilateral platform on Asia-Pacific defense and security, opened in Singapore on Friday night, putting the challenges to Asia's security at the top of the agenda.

The Chinese delegation to Shangri-La Dialogue, headed by Lieutenant-General He Lei (center), arrives at the forum in Singapore on Friday. (Photo: VCG)

Over 600 delegates, including defense ministers and officials from some 40 countries and regions gathered at the Shangri-La Hotel for the three-day event.

As the largest developing country, and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China shoulders significant responsibility for maintaining security in the Asia-Pacific region, said Lieutenant-General He Lei, deputy head of the Academy of Military Sciences of the People's Liberation Army, who leads the Chinese delegation at this year's SLD.

The Chinese delegation will attend all the major activities of this dialogue to introduce President Xis philosophy of building a new type of international relations and a community of a shared future for all mankind, He told Peoples Daily at an interview.

In this years keynote speech, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the achievements of the India-China relations and looked forward to the prospects of furthering bilateral ties.

In regards to Modis speech, He said, His speech was positive and constructive, reflecting his friendship with China and his outlook on China-India relations is promising.

Since its launch in 2002 by the British think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Singaporean government, the Shangri-La Dialogue, officially known as the Asia Security Summit, has been held annually.
Construction on a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border wall kicked off Friday in San Diego, Calif., U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said.

Roughly 14 miles of the eight-to-10-foot-high barrier made out of scrap metal will be replaced with a "bollard-style wall" more than twice as tall, a CBP news release said.

The new wall will also include an anti-climbing plate, according to the agency.

The San Diego Sector wall construction is one of Border Patrols top priority projects, the statement said.

A solid barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border was among the key campaign promises made by Donald Trump when he sought the presidency in 2016, but numerous political obstacles have slowed the effort since Trump took office.

The current stretch of the wall dates to the 1990s and was built with Vietnam War-era recycled scraps of metal and old landing mat steel plates, the CBP said. While the barrier worked effectively, the agency said the cross border threat has increased and the materials needed replacing.

Under this Presidents leadership, we have a renewed commitment to secure our border, said Ronald Vitiello, CBP's acting deputy commissioner. The new primary wall project represents an important milestone in our work to secure the international border.

Under this Presidents leadership, we have a renewed commitment to secure our border.  Ronald Vitiello, acting deputy commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Not only does it significantly upgrade our existing infrastructure in San Diego, it also marks the third concurrent wall project in the U.S. and reflects CBPs unwavering commitment to secure our borders and protect our Nation, Vitiello continued.

The construction in San Diego follows projects already underway on two miles of wall in Calexico, California and 20 miles of wall in Santa Teresa, N.M., the CBP said.

The construction of this new substantial wall will improve overall border security, the safety and effectiveness of Border Patrol agents, the safety of the public, and will enhance the atmosphere for business and commerce in the area, said Rodney Scott, chief patrol agent for the San Diego sector.
Lava has burned down two buildings at a geothermal plant near Hawaii's erupting Kilauea volcano.

A substation and adjacent warehouse that stored a drilling rig at the Puna Geothermal Venture were covered by lava on Wednesday, according to a Thursday statement from Ormat Technologies, the Nevada company that owns the plant.

The main access road to the plant has also been covered and blocked by lava. An alternative access road remains open. Two geothermal wellheads were destroyed on May 28.

Meanwhile, county officials issued mandatory orders for residents of Leilani Estates to evacuate by noon and those in Kapoho Beach and Vacationland to leave by 2 p.m. or risk being trapped and unreachable by emergency crews.

Police said a 55-year-old man was arrested after he circumvented a traffic checkpoint and crashed his vehicle into a hardened lava flow.

Authorities said he was trying to get a look at lava and demanded passage through the checkpoint but was told by police to turn around.

About an hour later, the same man, whose name was not released, was brought back to the checkpoint by a resident with injuries to his head and face. The man told police he had smashed his truck into lava.

He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and cited for loitering or refusing to leave a designated evacuation zone and failing to wear his seat belt. He was released pending further investigation after being admitted to a hospital.

The Puna geothermal plant was taken offline and evacuated soon after the volcano began erupting on May 3.

Officials removed roughly 50,000 gallons of pentane, a flammable gas similar to lighter fluid used in power generation at the plant, to an off-site industrial park. The geothermal wells were also plugged to prevent the accidental release of toxic gases from the lava flow.

Kilauea has displaced thousands of residents and destroyed dozens of homes.
America's poet laureate is challenging college graduates to be guided by love, not just tolerance, as they tackle the world's problems.

Tracy K. Smith offered the advice Friday during her keynote speech at Wellesley College's commencement ceremony in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Smith says tolerance is the "bare minimum" and asks graduates to find love for strangers across all divides as they address issues including school safety and immigration.

Smith's speech applauded younger generations for facing tough topics such as racial bias and for being "unafraid of the notion of struggle."

Smith is in her second term as poet laureate, a post appointed by the Library of Congress. Her poetry book "Life on Mars" won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

Wellesley is a private women's college near Boston with about 2,500 students.
Police are investigating the homicide of two Vietnamese tourists who were found fatally stabbed in their Las Vegas Strip hotel on Friday.

The man and woman, whose identities have not been released, were found in a room at Circus Circus hotel and casino. Police Lt. Ray Spencer told reporters both victims were stabbed multiple times.

The couple were in Las Vegas as part of a tour group that arrived in Las Vegas Thursday night and were heading on a trip to the Grand Canyon on Friday.

Police said hotel security did a welfare check after members of group alerted the couple were not on the excursion, Fox 5 Vegas reported.

Spencer said investigators believe the suspect or suspects were involved in an argument that a person reported hearing in the room early Friday morning.

Police said there no suspects and they have made no immediate arrest.

Members of the group were brought in for questioning, but the language barrier provided some challenges, Fox 5 Vegas reported.

According to Spencer, there was no active threat to guest safety at the hotel.

Circus Circus is located near the north end of the Las Vegas Strip. MGM Resorts International, the hotels owner, said in a statement that they are cooperating with the investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Arizona police are on the hunt Saturday for a suspect believed to have gunned down an Arizona forensic psychiatrist who helped prosecutors with investigations in the high-profile 1996 killing of JonBenet Ramsey.

Steven Pitt, who also helped Phoenix police catch an attacker known as the "Baseline Killer"  who terrorized the city in summer 2006, was killed Thursday outside his office in Scottsdale.

Witnesses told police they heard a loud argument before shots were fired, although Sgt. Vince Lewis said he had no information on whether the killing was connected to the 59-year-old's work.

"We are not ruling anything out, but at this point, a loud argument probably suggests they knew each other either professionally or personally," Lewis also told NBC News, adding that police are trying to track down surveillance footage of the attack.

Investigators released a sketch of the suspect who fled the scene, described as a bald, adult white male who was last seen wearing a dark-colored hat, according to Fox 10 Phoenix.

During his career, Pitt assisted in the investigation into the death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, a beauty pageant star who was found dead at her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. A prosecutor cleared her parents and brother in 2008 based on DNA evidence.

Boulder County District Attorney Alex Hunter described Pitt in 1999 as a tough and tenacious.

"When I talked to different people about him," Hunter told the Phoenix New Times, "he came with really high marks. He gave us insights in terms of 'profiling' people that we were looking at that I thought were beyond all of our expertise, important, helpful stuff.

In the Baseline Killer case, police were able to arrest Mark Goudeau, who was then convicted of nine killings and 58 other charges, including kidnapping and rape. A jury sentenced Goudeau to death in 2011.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Japanese couple is facing $50,000 in medical costs after being assaulted in a public restroom at a Honolulu park, a Hawaii visitors' assistance organization said.

The couple was attacked Monday at the Mother Waldron Neighborhood Park, leading the Japanese consulate to issue a warning Tuesday for tourists to avoid public bathrooms in Kakaako, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported .

The man was hit in the face after entering the restroom, said Jessica Lani Rich, president of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii. Hearing a noise, his wife then entered the bathroom and was choked, causing her to briefly pass out, Rich said. Honolulu police had reported the encounter to the society.

The couple came upon a group of men injecting drugs inside the bathroom, according to the consulate's warning written in Japanese. Both the man and woman were punched in the face, leaving them with broken teeth, the warning stated.

The couple returned to Japan this week.

"It's really sad when our visitors are assaulted when they come to Hawaii to have a wonderful, dream vacation," Rich said.

The group has offered to solicit donations to help pay for the couple's medical expenses, Rich said.

"Their biggest concern is their hospital expense," Rich said. "(Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii) does not pay hospital bills, but we are trying to do what we can to raise money."

The city closed the park Tuesday for maintenance. The closure was announced before the attack occurred, and it's scheduled to reopen next month.

___

Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com
The deadly shootings of two women in Arizona on Friday are connected to the death of a forensic psychiatrist who was killed a day earlier, authorities said.

Veleria Sharp, 48, and Laura Anderson, 49, both paralegals, were fatally shot in a double homicide at a law office in Scottsdale on Friday afternoon, according to a news release from the Scottsdale Police Department.

Authorities said their deaths are related to the fatal shooting of Steven Pitt in Phoenix on Thursday.

Pitt, 59, is known for his work in assisting in investigations into the high-profile 1996 Colorado death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, as well as helping Phoenix police catch an attacker known as the Baseline Killer following a string of killings in the city in 2006.

ARIZONA FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIST WHO ASSISTED IN JONBENET RAMSEY CASE GUNNED DOWN OUTSIDE HIS OFFICE

Witnesses told police they heard a loud argument and gunfire Thursday outside Pitt's office, which borders on Scottsdale. Phoenix police have been investigating the shooting and previously said they had no information on whether the killing was related to Pitt's work.

Investigators released a sketch of the suspect who fled the scene, described as a bald, adult white male who was last seen wearing a dark-colored hat, according to Fox 10 Phoenix.

When authorities responded to Fridays shooting scene, police said officers found a woman who had been shot in the head.

The victim had walked to a bus parked in the intersection to ask for help, police said, adding that she ultimately died after being taken to a hospital.

YOUTUBER ARRESTED AT DISNEY WORLD FOR ACTIVE SHOOTER PRANK

Police said officers followed a trail of blood to a nearby business, where they found a second woman who died from a gunshot wound.

An investigation was ongoing, authorities said, adding that "there is an oustanding suspect."

Scottsdale Police Sgt. Ben Hoster said he couldnt get into the specifics of how the three deaths were connected, according to the Associated Press.

Police are also investigating a homicide that occurred at a business on Saturday, however Hoster said it wasnt clear if this death was related to the others.

Fox News Greg Norman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Georgia police say they are hoping for a miracle Saturday as they search for two teens feared to be dead after apparently getting swept away yesterday afternoon in an overflowing creek.

The Oconee County Sheriffs Office said the 18-year-olds fell into the water at Barber Creek in Athens around 3:45 p.m. Friday, and rescue crews using infrared cameras and dogs have yet to find them.

We hope for a miracle but we understand the reality, the department posted on its Facebook page early Saturday, noting that the water levels have dropped, but remain swollen because of recent rainfall and runoff.

Fox 5 Atlanta reported that the grandfather of Robert Bryant Wade identified him as one of the teens missing.

Bryant was a good strong going guy and this is a testimony of how strong the river is people this is real this is really realand these kids need to pay attention to this, Roger Smart told the station.

The grandfather said Wade  who was set to graduate high school this summer  fell in while walking on top of a dam that was only about an inch higher than the rapidly-moving waters. He added that the other 18-year-old jumped in to try to rescue him.

Police said they would not release the names of either teen until they are found.

We cant put crews in the water because the current is too swift, Oconee County Chief Deputy Lee Weems told Fox 5 Atlanta. Divers cant go in and we cant put a boat in itd just get washed immediately downstream. Were hoping the water will recede if we dont get any more rain.

Police also said the creek was the site of a Civil War battle.

"Barber Creek is the site of a short battle where the Athens Home Guard fought back Stoneman's Raiders during the Civil War," the Oconee County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook. "The dam and the surrounding beach area attract young people during the summertime in spite of the fact it is fenced and patrolled by security guards."
A former Apple employees penchant for Victorias Secret merchandise led to her arrest and conviction in a $243,000 embezzlement scheme, according to reports.

Authorities in New Jersey said Toni Ann Branca, 42, was sentenced Friday to three years in a state prison. She had pleaded guilty in January to a second-degree theft by deception charge, Law360 reported.

The former administrative assistant for Apple used a company credit card to make purchases at the lingerie retailer and at Gucci and Louis Vuitton shops, authorities said.

But it was the Victorias Secret purchases that Apple discovered first, leading to her undoing, NJ.com reported.

Branca, of Livingston, N.J., worked mostly from home, handling scheduling and travel arrangements for other Apple employees, the report said, and she was issued an American Express card for making purchases related to her job.

Investigators found that she submitted duplicate requests for reimbursement, to be paid straight to her bank account, and used the duplicate payments for her personal spending.

A review found that Branca racked up $110,000 in retail spending, the Philadelphia Voice reported, and paid back $95,000 prior to her sentencing.

Branca went on a lavish shopping spree at the expense of her employer, but ultimately she bought herself a state prison term," said Veronica Allende, director of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. "Our financial crimes bureau will continue to uncover these fraud schemes and bring those responsible to justice.
Eighteen years after Thomas Robert Duboyces birth on the side of a highway in Maryland, the Montgomery County police officer who helped deliver him is still by his side.

Robert Hunt was there for another big moment in the teens life Friday when he graduated from Oakdale High School.

Before the ceremony, they had us all gather in the gymnasium at Mount St. Mary's and one of my teachers came up to me and said someone who hasn't seen you in 18 years is here and he says he wants to see you, Duboyce told Fox 5 DC. I had no idea he was going to be there. But as soon as I walked out and saw him, I recognized him from pictures and everything. So it was a nice surprise seeing him there.

Hunt, a 24-year veteran officer, said the day he helped deliver Duboyce was probably the best thing that has happened to me in my career.

On Nov. 13, 1999, Hunt was completing a traffic stop on Interstate 270 around 1:30 a.m. when a van pulled over.

The husband, Joe, he gets out and he [says] my wife is in labor and I don't know what to do and kind of frantic, Hunt told Fox 5 DC. I grabbed a pair of gloves and I went around and she was in labor.

The baby was born with the umbilicial cord wrapped around his neck, but the mother, Melissa Deboyce, said Hunt helped deliver the baby really smoothly. She went on to give the child the middle name Robert as a tribute to the officer.

He did everything and the next thing I knew, we were on our way to the hospital and he was doing great, she said.

Melissa Duboyce told the station that the family and Hunt had kept in touch through Christmas cards, but him showing up Friday was special.

My husband passed away in August and it has been a really hard year and this was a really nice surprise, she said. So this is really a blessing and I am thankful for [Hunt] and his wife.
Photo taken is the newly-built roads of Nanmen village, Heishan town, Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone of Chongqing. The roads, built at an altitude of 1,000 meters, accelerate the pace of the village to get out of poverty. (Photo by Peoples Daily Online)

BEIJING, June 2 -- With Xi Jinping in charge, China's poverty-relief battle, the world's biggest and toughest, has made decisive progress and provides global poverty relief with Chinese wisdom and solutions.

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee reviewed a plan on Thursday on continued efforts in poverty alleviation.

Presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, the meeting stressed that the battle against poverty is one of the "three tough battles" that the country must win to build a moderately prosperous society by 2020. To achieve the goal, China needs to lift around 30 million poor rural residents out of poverty in the next three years.

"We must be aware of the difficulties and challenges in winning the battle, and must have a stronger sense of responsibility and urgency in poverty relief," said a statement released after the meeting.

DECISIVE PROGRESS

Poverty relief has always been on the top of the government agenda. In Xi's own words, "On the march towards common prosperity, no one must be left behind."

During a symposium on poverty alleviation in Chengdu in February this year, Xi said decisive progress has been made as China has made unprecedented efforts .

He attributed the success to the CPC's leadership, targeted strategies, strong financial support, and strict requirements for poverty elimination works.

Over 68 million people have been lifted over the poverty line -- per capita annual income of 2,300 yuan (361 U.S. dollars) -- in the past five years, with an average of 13 million each year.

As of the end of 2017, China had 30.46 million poor residents. China aims to eradicate absolute poverty by 2020, roughly 10 million each year.

During the past five years, the average annual income of rural residents in impoverished areas has risen 10.4 percent each year, up 2.5 percentage points above the average for rural residents.

About 3.4 million impoverished population has moved into new homes since 2012, and houses of more than 6 million poor population have been renovated.

China's poverty rate has dropped from 10.2 percent in 2012 to 3.1 percent in 2017, becoming the first country to complete the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals.

INNOVATIVE APPROACH

To realize the goal of eliminating extreme poverty in the rural areas by 2020, China is carrying out a basic strategy of targeted approach, which requires officials of all levels to identify who the actual impoverished people are and the factors that led to their poverty.

Each household or even family member is given a bespoke poverty relief plan.

In the past five years, more capable and suitable officials have been selected to guide poverty relief work at different levels. For example, officials with business savvy were sent to poverty-stricken villages, while officials with specialized industrial knowledge were sent to villages with an industrial base.

Besides, China has adopted various means to reduce poverty, including e-commerce, financing, tourism, relocation and improvement of infrastructure.

A total of 2.74 million impoverished families saw their income increased thanks to e-commerce poverty relief programs in the past five years, and 23,000 impoverished villages have benefited from tourism programs.

Nevertheless, in the eyes of Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, the poverty relief task was still arduous.

The work will shift to areas hit the hardest by poverty, put more emphasis on quality, and be more targeted and precise, Liu said. "We will work to foster local industries, create new jobs, relocate residents in poor areas...and strengthen aid to the aged, the disabled and people who are seriously ill."

GLOBAL GOOD

The achievements China has made in poverty alleviation have not only helped the development of its own human rights endeavor, but also greatly contributed to that of the international community with Chinese wisdom and solutions, and has been lauded globally.

China has realized "the most rapid large-scale poverty reduction in human history over the last 25 years," said a 2016 World Bank document, which was released after the World Bank's one-year research of worldwide poverty reduction efforts in partnership with the Chinese government.

"We should not forget the fact that China has contributed the most in world poverty alleviation in the past decade," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last year about China's poverty reduction achievements.

William Jones, Washington bureau chief of the Executive Intelligence Review news magazine, said ending poverty had long been regarded a major task for humanity, but until recently was seen as a "utopian dream."

"With China, that dream is now becoming a reality," he said.
A shirtless, knife-wielding man with a snake was fatally shot Friday in a tense confrontation with police at a Southern California strip mall.

Officers performed life-saving measures on the unidentified suspect, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Torrance Police said in a release.

I saw him threaten at least two people waved the knife at them, witness Brandon Hallock, who was at the mall in Torrance before police arrived, told Fox 11 Los Angeles.

He was sitting on the ground. They were trying to talk to him, asking him to put down that knife. They must have talked to him for a good ten minutes.

Police told Fox 11 that after trying to talk the man into putting his knife down, they shot him with a non-lethal "bean bug" multiple times.

But moments later, the man got up and approached the officers, police said. Thats when police opened fire.

Police said it was standard procedure and officers took all the proper measures.

I believe our officers used restraint in this situation as they tried less than lethal options officers did their best to deescalate the situation. Unfortunately, he did not comply with the officers' orders, Torrance Police Sgt. Ronald Harris told Fox 11.

Edged weapons were also recovered at the scene, police said.

Torrance is about 21 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.
The man believed to have killed his longtime girlfriend before setting her Georgia home on fire last week has turned up dead hundreds of miles away in Louisiana.

Patrick Nolans body was found in a hotel room in Gonzales and he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Sandy Springs Police Department announced Friday.

His longtime girlfriend, Amber Holliman, was found dead inside the burning home in Sandy Springs, about 16 miles north of Atlanta, on Saturday morning. The Fulton County Medical Examiner, who ruled the death a homicide, said she had blunt force trauma and a gunshot wound to her head.

Holliman reportedly had dated Nolan for 13 years and recently ended their relationship, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Nolan was being sought by police at the time of his death and was facing charges of murder, aggravated assault with intent to murder and arson in the first degree.

A native of Mississippi, Holliman, 39, was a single mother; her 18-year-old daughter had just graduated from high school and started working at The Rusty Nail restaurant with her mom.

I keep wanting to call my mom and ask her what to do, and I cant, Hollimans daughter, Payton, told WSB-TV. It was always me and her since I was little.

Payton Holliman said she considered Nolan to be her stepfather.

We let him be a part of our family, and he took my whole family, she said. I cant grieve yet until hes found. I cant do anything. Im stuck just missing her, and I cant accept that shes gone or anything until I get justice for her.

Family friends have set up a GoFundMe account to help Payton Holliman with funeral costs, her college tuition and other financial needs.
A 13-year-old Texas teen was charged in the stabbing death of her friend, with the victims mother alleging that an adult stood by and watched the altercation turn deadly.

Anntoinette Carter said that the suspect and her daughter, 14-year-old Nylah Lightfoot, were on-and-off friends, and they asked to have a sleepover at the Carter home. When she said no, the friend asked Lightfoot to come over and collect her clothes, KDFW reported.

When Lightfoot arrived at the apartment complex in south Fort Worth early Tuesday, the girls got into a physical fight. Carter said her daughter prevailed but the suspect retaliated. According to police, thats when the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Lightfoot several times.

TEXAS TEEN, GIRLFRIEND HIRE GUNMAN TO KILL MANS JEWELER FATHER, POLICE SAY

She was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Tarrant County medical examiners office said Lightfoot was stabbed in the neck and chest.

Carter alleged that there was at least one adult inside the home who stood by and watched the ultimately fatal brawl, The Star-Telegram reported.

Fort Worth Police spokeswoman Bradley Perez said that the suspect was arrested Wednesday, but because of her age, no further information was provided.

On Thursday the suspect was ordered by State District Judge Timothy Menikos to be held in custody pending the trial.

I'm daughterless, Carter said. My heart feels like it's been ripped out and stomped on."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The United States shot down an Arab-backed resolution on Friday that condemned Israels use of force in Gaza while calling for the protection of Palestinian civilians, instead authoring a proposal that omitted its allys involvement in the region.

The initial vote was on a resolution, drafted by Kuwait, which called for the secretary-general to propose ways to ensure international protection for Palestinians civilians and demanded that Israels military cease any use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force.

The U.N. Security Council vetoed the proposal  something the U.S. committed to doing ahead of Fridays vote.

It is resolutions like this one that undermine the U.N.s credibility in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said, speaking of the proposal's omission of Hamas.

She called it "grossly one-sided" in not mentioning Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.

"The resolution places all blame on Israel" and "is wildly inaccurate," Haley said.

The U.S. authored its own proposal condemning Hamas over the recent escalation of violence and demanded a stop to all violent activity and proactive acts in Gaza. It made no mention of Israels military action, or of protection of Palestinian citizens.

The council vetoed the resolution  with the U.S. being the only yes vote.

In two months of mass protests at the Gaza border, over 115 Palestinians have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli military fire. Israel says its troops were defending its border and accused Hamas of trying to attack under the cover of the protest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Tens of thousands of conservative opposition supporters are protesting outside Macedonia's main government building in the capital of Skopje to demand an early election.

The VMRO-DPMNE party, which ruled from 2006 to 2017, was holding a large anti-government demonstration Saturday against the left-wing government's one-year rule and wants an early election held in March or April next year.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, 43, took power in May 2017 after 11 years of conservative rule amid a deep political crisis sparked by a wiretapping scandal in 2015.

The opposition claims the government is incompetent, has devastated the economy, lowered wages and pensions and allowed corruption to flourish. It also claims the government has damaged national interests by negotiating with Greece over a possible new name for the country.
A Pakistani official says gunmen have shot and killed one of his staff and wounded three security guards in the restive tribal region along the Afghan border.

Mohammad Ayaz Khan, the top administrator in North Waziristan, says Hamidullah Khan's vehicle was ambushed in a mountainous area late Friday night, and that a fourth guard is missing. The two are not related.

Hizbul Ahrar, an offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

A number of tribal officials have been assassinated in recent months as residents return to the area following a yearslong military offensive aimed at rooting out extremist groups.
A family of 12 was killed by Islamic State militants in the northern Iraq village of al-Farahatiyah on Saturday, officials said.

Ammar Hekmat, the deputy governor of the Salahuddin province, said women and children were killed in the attack. It was not immediately clear why the family was targeted.

"We're not sure if one of the family members was a police officer, but ISIS has a presence in desert areas like Salahuddin, Mosul and Diyala," an Iraqi intelligence official said. "They carry out attacks in villages outside the cities to scare families and remind them they are still there."

Iraqi forces have driven ISIS militants from virtually all the territory it once controlled, but the group has continued to carry out targeted and sporadic attacks, mostly on security forces.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Saturday raised the prospect of additional American steps against China if its "militarization" of the South China Sea keeps apace. He said Beijing was intimidating and coercing others in the region by putting weapons systems on manmade islands.

President Donald Trump, backing the remarks by his Pentagon chief at an international security forum in Singapore, said on Twitter: "Very surprised that China would be doing this?"

Mattis said the Trump administration's recent decision to disinvite China from a multinational naval exercise this summer was an "initial response" to Beijing's island activity. Mattis called the U.S. action a "relatively small consequence. I believe there are much larger consequences in the future."

China's reliance on military muscle to achieve its goals "is not a way to make long-term collaboration the rule of the road in a region that's important to China's future," Mattis said, when asked to elaborate.

"There are consequences that will continue to come home to roost, so to speak, with China, if they don't find a way to work more collaboratively with all of the nations who have interests," he said.

The bluster comes at a delicate time in U.S.-China relations, as the Trump administration is warily asking for China's help with North Korea ahead of a June 12 summit, while also threatening a trade war. Trump renewed his threat to hike tariffs on Chinese goods, just days before his commerce secretary's arrived in Beijing on Saturday for trade talks.

Mattis said there was little doubt about Beijing's intentions.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapons systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis said at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue.

China recently has deployed anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, electronic jammers and other equipment on the Spratly Islands, and landed a bomber aircraft at Woody Island.

Mattis also touched on Taiwan, a longstanding dispute between the U.S. and China. He said Washington will continue to provide defense equipment and services to Taiwan and oppose any effort to alter the status quo. China claims the self-governing island as its own territory to be brought under its control by force, if necessary.

But he also said the U.S. welcomes cooperation with China "wherever possible," and announced that he has accepted Beijing's invitation to visit soon. It was not immediately clear whether that invitation would stand after the conference.

Mattis' comments drew a pointed reaction from a Chinese official at the meeting.

Senior Col. Zhao Xiaozhuo said a U.S. move to send two warships into China's "territorial waters" was a violation of law, and an "obvious provocation to China's national security and territorial integrity."

Mattis responded that the question reflected a fundamental disconnect with the way international tribunals have spoken on the matter.

"We do not see it as a militarization by going through what has traditionally been an international water space," said Mattis of the U.S. ship movements through the South China Sea. "What we see it as, is a reaffirmation of the rules-based order."

Two U.S. warships sailed close to the Paracel Islands on May 27 in the latest freedom of navigation operation designed to challenge Beijing's claims. China protested the maneuver.

The previous week the U.S. had withdrawn an invitation for Beijing to participate in the exercise known as Rim of the Pacific. The Pentagon said the decision to disinvite the Chinese Navy was triggered by what it called strong evidence that China has deployed weapons systems on the islands. China says it is within its rights to build up defenses on islands in the South China Sea that it believes are its sovereign territory.

Many nations fear that Beijing will use the construction on the islands to extend its military reach and potentially try to restrict navigation in the South China Sea.

The Pentagon chief gave only a brief mention of the negotiations for the planned June 12 summit in Singapore between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump announced Friday that the meeting was back on.

Mattis said the Pentagon will "hold the line" and support the diplomatic effort to secure the "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said he would be president for all Egyptians; those who accept me and those who oppose me," in a speech on Saturday after taking the oath of office to begin his second term.

"Egypt is for allNo one will be excluded except those who have chosen terrorism, violence, and extremism as a way to enforce their will and reign," El-Sisi said in a televised speech in front of the House of Representatives, where he gave the oath of office on Saturday morning to mark the start of his second four-year term.

El-Sisi said he was adamant on continuing the path" for the nation, free from any bias except of being "for the state."

The countrys best days are ahead of us, as long as intentions are sincere and hearts are honest," he said.

El-Sisi said he would continue with his promises, and would not spare an effort or postpone any work, and would not fear any challenge.

I'm certain of the magnitude and the history of our nation and my belief that the alignment of the Egyptian people is a guarantee of victory and crossing to the future, he said.

"This great nation has proved its resilience and underwent the battle of protecting the gains of the country and proving its real will," he said, praising Al-Azhar, which he described as the platform of moderate Islam, and the Coptic Orthodox Church, the symbol of peace and tolerance.

He also saluted the efforts made by the armed forces and the police, who have sacrificed their blood so the country's head remains held high, as well as Egyptian women.

"Now that the accomplishments of the first period have been achieved of our plan, I assert that I will put human development as head of the priorities of state through the upcoming period, as I believe that the real treasure of our nation is the human who has to be built on a comprehensive basis, in terms of mind and culture, to reintroduce Egyptian identity following attempts to tamper with it," El-Sisi said.

El-Sisi was first elected to office in 2014; in March he won 97 percent of the vote in a second election, securing a second term which will run until 2022.

The president said that issues of education, health, and culture would be at the top of his priorities through a number of projects and major programmes nationwide which aim to develop the Egyptian person in all fields.

He also added that the country will proceed towards boosting balanced relationships will all international and regional partners through an exchange of interests, without sliding into futile conflicts.

At the end of his speech, El-Sisi called on attendees to chant "long live Egypt" three times.

The president's speech received vocal support from the audience of MPs, who interrupted with recurrent standing ovations.

Ahead of the speech, the swearing-in ceremony stared with the national anthem and a celebratory 21-gun salute, with army choppers heard and seen around parts of the capital.

Parliament speaker Ali Abdel Aal then read a letter delivered by the countrys National Elections Authority which confirmed El-Sisis victory in the March elections.

He also delivered a speech pointing to the president's accomplishments in his first term.

El-Sisi then swore the oath of office, taken from Article 144 of the constitution, in front of the special session of parliament.

This is the second time that the current Egyptian president has directly addressed the house, with the first time being in January 2016 after the parliamentary elections, when he announced the transfer of legislative power from the president to parliament.

El-Sisi took his first presidential oath of office in 2014 in front of the Supreme Constitutional Court; the last president to be sworn in in front of parliament was Hosni Mubarak in 2005.

The Saturday session was attended by members of Prime Minister Sherif Ismails cabinet, top security officials, Al-Azhar head Ahmed El-Tayyeb, Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, and Grand Mufti Shawki Allam.

The parliamentary building in central Cairo has been decorated with Egyptian flags and other decorations around the entrances to mark the occasion.



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Borders make studies like this difficult to do

Studies comparing the two health systems are difficult to do because laws governing privacy effectively bar sharing patient data across international lines. However, this study was made possible because teams of collaborating investigators worked separately to analyze similar questions on each side of the border. The final analysis was completed using the findings of the HICOR team led by Shankaran and a BC Cancer Agency team led by Dr. Hagen Kennecke, who is now Medical Director of the Floyd & Delores Jones Cancer Institute at Virginia Mason in Seattle.

The raw data never crossed the border, said Kennecke. It was never mixed.

A Canadian oncologist now working in the U.S., Kennecke was careful not to judge whether one system was superior to the other. Both systems work, he said. Patients are getting treated and surviving much longer than they used to. The U.S. system is more expensive and treats more patients. One system is more cost-effective than the other. We can learn from each other.

Younger patients in the American cohort

Canadian researchers pulled data from 1,622 patients from the entire province of British Columbia diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer between 2010 and 2012. The American team used a smaller number of patients (575) who entered chemotherapy treatment between 2010 and 2016, and lived in 13 Western Washington counties. To assure similar cost comparisons, the team converted all cost data from both countries into U.S. dollars as valued in 2009.

The Washington patients were somewhat younger than the Canadian cohort because the HICOR researchers, at the time the analysis was done, did not have access to U.S. Medicare data. Instead, they relied on claims data from two large private insurers, Premera Blue Cross and Regence Blue Shield, which only had data for Medicare patients who also had Medicare supplement policies.

The researchers acknowledge that differences in median age (66 for Canadians, 60 for Americans) might have had subtle effects on direct comparisons of the two populations, so they are continuing to work on the project. The HICOR team now has access to the Medicare data, and will submit the results of their next analysis for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
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UK dairy processor, Meadow Foods has unveiled its Young Farmers Initiative to provide the next generation with key business skills and dairy industry knowledge.

The program, scheduled to begin in October 2018, will recruit 20 candidates between the ages of 20 and 35  although the milk buyer added there is no formal upper age limit.

See also: Young farmers grant scheme opens in Wales

All applicants must already be Meadow Foods suppliers.

Successful applicants will receive six hands on training days across the two-year program, covering subjects such as sustainability, accounting, milk-price forecasting, cost management and purchasing.

The courses will be taught by industry experts and Meadow Foods management staff and all travel training, travel and accommodation costs will be covered as part of the scheme.

Course sponsorship

Beyond the two-year program, applicants will also be sponsored by the processor to undertake an on-the-job agricultural or business course of their choosing.

Supporting young farmers is critically important to maintain the future of the industry, said Mark Chantler, chief executive at Meadow Foods.

By establishing this exciting new programme we aim to support the next generation of farmers and provide them with the hands-on training and funding needed to gain a wider understanding of the industry and further their careers in farming.

Interested applicants should contact the Meadow Foods liaison team on 01244 680 071 or visit Meadow Foods website for an application form.

The deadline for applications is 31 July 2018.
Farm leaders in Scotland have urged the Scottish government to support proposals to tackle the blight of livestock worrying.

Emma Harper MSP recently announced her intention to bring forward a private members bill to the Scottish parliament to address livestock worrying.

See also: Special investigation  Police fail to crack down on sheep worrying

NFU Scotland has now written to rural economy cabinet secretary Fergus Ewing seeking Scottish government support for the proposed Bill.

In the letter, NFUS has mapped out five areas it believes merit inclusion in any new legislative framework or guidance:

Livestock worrying to become a recordable crime All non-working dogs to be on a lead around sheep Police powers to issue dog control notices Police powers to seize dogs and have dogs destroyed Fines for offenders and full compensation to farmers

NFUS president Andrew McCornick said: Terrible events around Scotland this spring demonstrated the devastation caused by out of control dogs.

The graphic images of dead and mauled sheep and lambs have highlighted the impact of irresponsible dog ownership on farmers livelihoods and action is needed.

Blight on farming

Mr McCornick said the union welcomed Ms Harper s proposed Bill and had taken the opportunity to meet with her to discuss the issue.

Despite a vast amount of awareness raising by many stakeholders, including Police Scotland, livestock worrying remains a blight on Scottish livestock farming, he said.

There is no such thing as an irresponsible dog, only irresponsible dog owners.

This proposed Bill presents a genuine opportunity for Scottish government to back change that will make a massive difference to livestock keepers across the country.

Financial costs

Ms Harper said dog attacks were harmful to animal welfare but also had severe financial implications for farmers.

Livestock worrying is an enormous issue which I know is of concern to people across the agricultural sector, she said.

Mr Ewing said it was a criminal offence for a dog owner to allow their animal to worry livestock, and local authorities have the power to issue dog control notices.

The Scottish government had written to all 32 local authorities, seeking further information about how they use their powers, he told MSPs.

Working with partners, we will consider all practical measures that can effectively tackle livestock worrying by out-of-control dogs, said Mr Ewing.
Developments over the past few weeks in Syria indicate that Russia is trying hard to distance itself from Iran

Developments over recent weeks indicate that Russia is abandoning its alliance with Iran in Syria. It stood on the sidelines as Iranian and pro-Iranian forces in Syria came under brutal air attacks by international forces and then by Israel.

Many analysts now believe that Russia is distancing itself from Iran in order to avoid being dragged down into the vortex the international community is preparing for Iran.

On 17 May, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad made an unannounced visit to Sochi in Russia to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, who announced that his country expected all foreign forces in Syria to withdraw as part of the settlement process to the protracted Syrian civil war.

What Putin meant by foreign forces was not clear, since Russia, Iran, the US, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, the Kurds and others have troops or militias in Syria.

Some observers said the Russian president wanted to join the Western drive to curtail the Iranian presence in Syria and that he had Iranian military forces and militias in Syria in mind.

Putins statement also coincided with mounting US and Western pressures on Iran following US President Donald Trumps decision to renege on the Iranian nuclear agreement.

Some members of the Syrian opposition say the reason Putin summoned Al-Assad to Sochi was to tell him not to conclude economic agreements with Tehran and to reject Iranian requests to establish a naval base south of Tartous on the Mediterranean.

However, the Al-Assad regime is unable to stand up to the Iranians who have acquired considerable power over the Syrian government.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that military personnel from many countries were on Syrian soil and that they were all there illegitimately under international law. Russia was the sole exception, he said, since Russian forces were in Syria at the request of the Syrian leadership.

Russian Special Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev stirred speculation when he said that Putin had been referring to all foreign troops in Syria, including the Turks, Americans, Iranians and [the Lebanese Shia group] Hizbullah.

He said the remarks should be viewed as a political statement since the question of troop withdrawals from Syria was a complex matter because such measures must be implemented collectively in parallel with a stabilising process.

The chief source of tensions between Russia and the US (and Israel) with regard to Syria has been the Iranian presence for some time. Movements of Iranian-affiliated forces in southern Syria and the possibility of their approaching the Israeli border worry Israel, which fears a collapse of the US-brokered ceasefire.

According to the ceasefire provisions, militias affiliated with Iran must withdraw 25km from the border with Israel.

Iran has prodded the Syrian regime to move its forces southward, however, and into areas Israel regards as a national security zone. Iran has also intimated that it could deter Israel in the event that the confrontations escalate.

The Israeli response has been to launch a spate of stinging assaults against Iranian military targets in Syria, such as airports used by auxiliary forces allied with Iran, and Syrian army camps that have become facilities for Iranian-affiliated militias.

In tandem with the Israeli military escalation against Iran in Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured ruling Likud Party officials that we believe there is absolutely no room for any Iranian military presence in any part of Syria, according to a statement from his office.

Russia might also agree on the need to eliminate Iran from the Syrian arena, and it may not object to Israel striking Iranian targets in Syria. However, it would prefer any such strikes to be limited.

The Kremlin likely believes it necessary to prevent Iran from entrenching itself in southern Syria, not just for Israels sake but also because too deep an Iranian political, military and economic expansion in Syria would run counter to its own strategy in the country.

The Israeli strikes in Syria followed soon after the international powers began their escalation against Iran, starting with tripartite US, French and UK strikes on 14 April against locations probably connected with Tehrans military activities in Syria.

The strikes came within hours of Trump announcing his countrys unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Tehran and his intention to re-impose economic sanctions at the highest level against Iran.

Moscow remained mute in reaction to the tripartite strikes, even though it had been informed in advance of the targets which seemed closely linked to Iran.

It remained equally silent following the Israeli air attacks against Iranian targets in Syria, suggesting that the US and Russia are coordinating to up the pressure on Iran.

Iran has long been a close ally of Russia in Syria, with both countries committed to supporting the regime in Damascus and destroying the Syrian opposition.

However, their alliance was tactical, since Russia wanted military forces on the ground, which the Syrian regime was no longer able to guarantee, and Iran wanted air support and Russian cover for its expansionist plans in Syria.

However, Russia is also wary of potential Iranian reactions, and it has therefore chosen to scale down its relationship with Iran gradually while silently welcoming the interventions by regional and international powers to destroy the Iranian presence on the ground. It has also welcomed the new economic sanctions against Tehran.

The Russian-Iranian break-up cannot be quick or easy. Tehran will not readily sacrifice the military, social, economic and security inroads it has achieved in Syria, and it will not hesitate to cause problems for Russia if Moscow takes a direct and open stance against Tehran.

Iran controls numerous sectarian militias such as the Lebanese Shia group Hizbullah, the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces, and the Houthis in Yemen, all of which could stir up trouble when Iran asks.

It could also form jihadist movements targeting Russian and other interests and sowing instability in the Middle East.

Tehran is said to be brilliant at masterminding conspiracies, and it may have calculated on just such developments in its relationship with Moscow from the moment Russia intervened directly in Syria in 2015.

It has previously expressed its mistrust of Al-Assad, with media close to the Iranian president describing him as ungrateful to Iran.

On 21 May, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said that Iranian forces would remain in Syria as long as terrorism exists and the Syrian government wants them to and that no one can force Iran.

 Those who should leave Syria are the ones who entered the country without the governments permission, he said.

Russia sees Iran as a competitor for Syrias natural resources, reconstruction deals, and other economic projects. Iran is also competing with Russia over spheres of military and security influence, and it is militarily present everywhere the Russians are in areas under the Syrian regimes control.

Moscow is now using Al-Assad to pass messages to Tehran. Most likely, it, like the US, will work to prevent Iran from becoming a major regional power and keep it from posing serious competition to it in this important and volatile region.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 31 May 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly with headline: Syria, Russia and Iran

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In the lead-up to the formation of a new government in Iraq, rising Shia leader Muqtada Al-Sadr may be preparing to change the countrys politics

Since emerging as the biggest winner in the 12 May parliamentary elections in Iraq, Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr has been basking in the glow of the international media as the countrys new political leader who may even be a potential ally against Iran.

Instead of cliches in the world press of a maverick young cleric and an anti-American outlaw, Al-Sadr is now being welcomed as an eventual king-maker, a populist, or even a nationalist politician, anti-corruption crusader, and possibly Iraqs saviour.

For all of the drama of the Iraqi elections, Al-Sadr is now expected to take centre stage as the country prepares for a new government. Understanding the unusual political portrait of this powerful Shia leader is becoming more pertinent to stakeholders than ever before as a result.

A political bloc led by Al-Sadr won the countrys parliamentary elections in May, with his Thaaroun, or On the Move Towards Reform Alliance, winning 54 seats in parliament in the vote.

The 44-year-old Al-Sadr is not expected to become prime minister as a result, but his lists victory puts him in a strong position to pick someone else for the job.

Al-Sadr has long been viewed by US officials and the Western media as an unpredictable and enigmatic warlord who led an insurgency against US forces following the ouster of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Ostensibly, Al-Sadr is the last Iraqi politician who could expect US backing after Washington showed an inclination to see Iraqs incumbent Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi re-elected.

However, the possible emergence of a new Iraqi government led by Al-Sadrs coalition could open the way for US strategists to redraw his image if Washington is forced to deal with its former foe.

A closer look at Al-Sadrs new image drawn by Western pundits and diplomats shows a leader who is trying to reinvent himself from being a radical cleric and a sectarian militia chief to a realistic, composed, articulate and pragmatic political leader.

One key item in the new projection of Al-Sadrs re-invented leadership traits is the fact that he is among the few Iraqi politicians willing and able to stand up to Irans influence in Iraq.

For his part, Al-Sadr has successfully recast himself as a nationalist leader who joined a coalition of Iraqi secularists and communists campaigning on a non-confessional platform in the elections.

His coalition campaign programme put forward as its main goal rebuilding the Iraqi state on a civic and democratic basis and promoting anti-corruption policies.

Since his coalition was declared the winner of most of the seats in the next parliament, Al-Sadr has insisted that Iraqs new government should be made up of professional technocrats in order to stamp out sectarianism, nepotism and inefficiency.

Amid all of this, many are asking what Al-Sadr will bring to the complex Iraqi political scene of his own personality and skills in order to confront the daunting challenges and underlying conditions at play in Iraq.

Based on the experience of the last 15 years, it is safe to say that both objectivity and caution are required before making assessments of the results of Iraqs parliamentary elections and the turn of events they could unleash.

Analysts who claim to know with any certainty how Al-Sadrs leadership will crystalise in the coming weeks and months will be engaging in tenuous prophecies.

Indeed, deciphering Al-Sadr will remain an uneasy if not impossible task.

Many of the actions Al-Sadr performed following the declaration of his election victory may have been determined by his desire to position himself as a champion of Iraqi nationalism and reform in the face of the fierce competition and even opposition he is expected to face.

Since then, Al-Sadr has also emerged as the type of politician some of Iraqs Sunni neighbours are now hoping to see steering the countrys politics away from Shia Iran and towards reconciliation with the Iraqi Sunnis.

The most pertinent question now is whether Al-Sadr can live up to his own promises, as well as to the high expectations inside and outside of Iraq, becoming the man who can end Iraqs misfortunes and bring lasting peace to the beleaguered nation.

In a country racked by civil struggles and dominated by confessionalism, the success of any political leader will depend largely on his ability to meet underlying challenges that can be life-or-death issues.

Against this backdrop, any progress Al-Sadr can make in the coming few months should go beyond solutions to the political jockeying for position over forming a new government and towards achieving the broader political objective of rebuilding Iraq on a new basis.

As things stand, any breakthrough will entail forming a new government that will reflect the interests of all the blocs and get everyone on board. However, even this is unlikely to end the sect-based power-distribution system responsible for the governments dysfunction and all Iraqs ills.

Iraqs post-Saddam political system established confessional power-sharing arrangements that energised the countrys long-marginalised Shia majority and boosted its religious identity.

For Al-Sadr to succeed in ending confessionalism and restoring a broader sense of Iraqi nationalism, he will need not only to abolish the unwritten protocols of quota-based power-sharing, but also to overturn the entire political system, including by rewriting the constitution and the election laws.

Al-Sadr has so far backed the idea of rebuilding Iraq as a democratic and inclusive civic state, broadly defined by proponents as a political system built on individual representation and not on sectarian or ethnic identities.

He also advocates a sort of Iraqi nationalism that provides vague safeguards protecting the political and social rights of other ethnicities within the framework of a unified Iraqi state.

However, Al-Sadr, whose family occupies a leading position at the top of the Shia religious hierarchy, is unlikely to condone alternative political arrangements that will undermine the post-Saddam Shia empowerment and weaken the Shias de facto control over the state apparatus.

What the wishful thinking about a reinvented and transformed Al-Sadr fails to grasp is that the emergence of his group as the largest party in Iraqs elections does not mean that he holds real power in Baghdad and can push for a new direction for the country.

There are considerable limits and probably even too many red lines for the regions and Western policy-makers, who are now betting on Al-Sadrs win to try to engineer drastic changes in Iraq, especially if these entail a reversal of the status quo in the country by breaking the hegemonic control of the Shia establishment.

The half-baked analyses of Iraq that have become fashionable in the Western media should not be blind to simple mathematics, which says that even as the largest party in the incoming parliament Al-Sadrs bloc does not have a blank cheque to change the status quo.

The cold reality in Iraq, it has always turned out, is more complicated than that, and sooner rather than later betting on Al-Sadrs electoral victory to initiate reforms and change in Iraq will prove to be nothing more than cautionary tales.

The pundits and policy-planners will then realise that nothing in Al-Sadrs statements thus far indicates anything other than a more sophisticated marketing of himself as the most powerful and possibly the only leader of the Iraqi Shias.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 31 May 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly with headline: Deciphering Muqtada Al-Sadr

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Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian who tried to ram his car into them in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the Israeli military said.

A terrorist attempted to run over IDF (Israel Defence Forces) troops located at the site with his vehicle. In response, the troops fired toward the terrorist, killing him. No IDF troops were injured, the military said.

The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the man was killed but officials gave no further details on the incident which comes at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.

At least 119 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in weekly border demonstrations launched on March 30 in the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday Palestinian militants fired dozens of mortar bombs and rockets into Israel from Gaza, drawing Israeli air strikes.

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians collapsed in 2014 and a bid by the U.S. administration to restart them has so far shown no sign of progress.

The Palestinians are outraged at President Donald Trumps decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Palestinians have limited self rule in parts of the West Bank, where President Mahmoud Abbas holds sway. Gaza is controlled by the Islamist Hamas group, which Israel and the West designate as a terrorist organization.

Citing security concerns, Israeli occupation forces keep a naval blockade on Gaza and tight control of its land crossings. The Israeli military controls most the territory of the West Bank, where Israeli settlements have expanded over the years.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Flooding feared : Heavy rain puts Mehlem on alert

BONN/WACHTBERG Although the back-up water channel isnt finished yet, according to the city, everything was working. Still, many residents were alarmed after the thunderstorms on Friday.

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The severe thunderstorms on Friday aroused the worst fears among the residents living near the Mehlem creek. As reported, the construction work around the new back-up water channel will be completed in a few months. "We stood there at night with 20 people to safeguard the houses, and at the construction site nothing is happening," said an annoyed Mehlem resident. At the inlet on the Bachemer Strae, the water was retained at the sheet pile wall and then went into the construction site.

According to Peter Esch, director of the civil engineering office of the city of Bonn, this was the intention: "At the Mehlem stream, everything worked exactly as planned. We have narrowed the passage under the Bachemer Strae, so that only enough water can pass through to the point where it will not cause damage," said Esch responding to a GA inquiry. If more water would come, it would accumulate at this point and run into the back-up channel.

"Since the intake structure is not ready yet, last week we shortened the sheet piling that surrounds the trench a little so that the water can flow into the excavated area in case of a flood. He went on to say that the water ran for the first time into the channel. The last 20 to 30 centimeters could not drain, but would have to be pumped out.

"Retention worked well"

One resident complained that it had not worked, that a protective grate was so clogged that the water flowed to the right of it in search of a new path. The civil engineering office manager explained that the parts in place just above the construction site had done their job. Esch explained how the debris should be retained so that the grille, which is mounted on the intake structure, does not become clogged. He said it had worked well but he could not rule out the possibility of flooding again. But so far it had been a complete success.

Early Friday morning, two water gauges at the Godesberger creek reported high levels. One was at 5:22 am at the Pecher Strae measuring point, and the other at 6:15 am at the Marienforster Steinweg measuring point. "So this system works perfectly, but we have to readjust the thresholds here and there, because the alarm comes apparently a little too early," said Esch. The system needs to be calibrated over several flood events.

The storms that had swept over the city area since 5 am had caused problems in several places. According to the press office, the Bonn fire department was called out 16 times beginning in the early morning hours to pump out empty basements and keep an eye on the streams in Mehlem and Bad Godesberg. The population was informed about the potential for flooding as a precautionary measure via the warning app Nina, but at 8:18 am the fire department rescinded the flood warning.

Water in Bad Godesberg tunnel

At 5:41 am, authorities closed the Godesberg tunnel for safety reasons, because manhole covers had been washed up. "After driving through the road tunnel and removing these obstacles, the tunnel was cleared for traffic again," the city press office reported. In the church of St. Joseph in Beuel, lightning seems to have caused the organ to be out of order. Therefore, the organ concert planned for Sunday can not take place.

In Wachtberg, the fire department received only minor calls, none of them near the streams, according to fire chief Markus Zettelmeyer. Due to the heavy rains, either water stood in cellars or manhole covers had to be replaced again. At the Godesberger creek, there were high water level reports, but according to Zettelmeyer they were not critical.

The fire department warns in general that residents should not enter flooded cellars during heavy rains. Wet electrical sockets are dangerous and water pressure can cause doors to not open anymore.
bohlah at 2-06-2018 01:11 PM (3 years ago) (m)

A married 32-year-old official at an insurance firm in Lagos, Chioma (pseudonym) has accused her ex lover and business man, Orazu of molesting her during a visit to her residence  a three bedroomed flat in the Alakuko end of Ogun State  two weeks after she was delivered of a baby boy.

A married 32-year-old official at an insurance firm in Lagos, Chioma (pseudonym) has accused her ex lover and business man, Orazu of molesting her during a visit to her residence  a three bedroomed flat in the Alakuko end of Ogun State  two weeks after she was delivered of a baby boy.

However Orazu has denied there was any relationship between him and Chioma, claiming that the mother of three, her nephew, Kester, and her husband, Sanni, actually kidnapped him during a visit and demanded a ransom of N10m from his family.



Chioma told Saturday PUNCH that she struck a relationship with Orazu, who is in his 50s, in December 2008 at an event centre in the Nnewi South Local Government Area, Anambra State, while she was on holiday for Christmas celebration.



The graduate of Lagos State University explained that the relationship thrived till sometime in 2010 when she acquainted Orazu of her intention to quit the relationship on the grounds that she was getting married to her pastor husband. She said the move did not go down well with Orazu, who allegedly insisted on marrying her.



I told him he was married already with children and I couldnt be his mistress forever. He threatened to deal with me if I married another man, but I didnt take his threat seriously. We are from the same local government but different towns  I hail from Ofumeyi while he is from Ukpor, she explained to our correspondent in a chat last Friday.



Chioma stated that Orazu attended her marriage in December 2010 without any sign of animosity which made her to completely dismiss the threat, adding that she introduced him to her husband as her ex-lover at the event.



In January 2011 when my husband and I were back in Lagos, he called me several times. I told him the calling must stop because I am a married woman and I wouldnt want anything that would destroy my home. He stopped calling me until June 30, 2015, around 10pm when he called again. Initially, I didnt know he was the caller because I had deleted his number.



We exchanged greetings and he jokingly said I would have had many children. I told him I just had my third child ten days earlier. When he offered to come and greet the baby, I told him I would need my husbands consent before he could come. When I told my husband, he said I should give him our address since there was nothing between us any longer. On Friday, July 3, 2015, I sent the address to him, Chioma, who is now heavily pregnant, recalled.



The woman explained further that Orazu called her on July 4 and promised to visit the family the following day  Sunday. She said they waited for him until 5pm when her husband left for church in Ijaiye, an uptown community in Lagos.



The 32-year-old said when Orazu finally knocked at the gate of their residence around 9pm, she called her husband to ask if she should receive him at that time of the day.



My husband said I should let him in and that he was on his way home. We are the only family living in that compound and my nephew, Kester, who lived with us, had not returned from a tutorial class. He was preparing for GCE exams then. I asked the man why he came at such time. He said he went somewhere and that if he did not come that day (July 5), he might not be able to visit again.



As soon as I ushered him into the living room, he asked about my husband and I said he would be back soon. He said he cared for a soft drink and I went into my room to pick the money so I could send my first son, Victor, to buy it. Victor (born through another relationship) was 12 then, she added.



She said she was rummaging through her wardrobe for some cash when she suddenly felt a grip from behind, noting that as she turned back to ascertain the source of the force, she saw Orazu.



Chioma explained that she questioned his mission in her bedroom, but the businessman boasted he was set to punish her for dumping him. In a split second, they were reportedly entwined in a physical contest.



Before I knew what was happening, he raped me right in my bedroom. Victor rushed in while I was shouting, but he could not stop him. I was bleeding when he went to the bathroom to clean up. That was when my husband entered.



The moment he saw my husband, he wanted to force his way out, but my husband stopped him. Kester also came in at that time and they both beat him up. Soon, his wife called him to know where he was. He told her he was in Surulere. My husband collected his phone, put it on speaker and explained what happened to the wife. The wife exclaimed, Tobechukwu (Orazus middle name), you again!



We asked him to call his family to come so they could see what he did. If you are from Nnewi South, once you are married, you must not have sex with any other man. If you do so without performing cleansing afterwards, the womans husband will die. The man knows this because he is a title holder in his village. He called one of his younger sisters, Ijoma on the phone. The sister lamented that it was not the first time he would do such a thing and she initially disowned him, Chioma narrated.



She said Ijoma and other relatives of Orazu called in to beg her husband and offered to pay a sum of N300,000 for the cleansing. The insurance officer said she advised her husband to ignore the entreaties and report the incident to the police but he declined, saying it would result in stigma.



The mother of three claimed that Orazu suggested to stay with the family pending when Ijoma would pay the money.



He said the sister would not pay if he left our house. We did videos and audio recordings of the scene and took pictures with our phones for future purposes. We asked Kester to release his bank account into which Ijoma paid the money because the culture forbids my husband from touching the money.



He left our house on July 8, after the sister paid the N300,000. For days, I could not stand upright and was ashamed to tell our doctor what happened. I insisted Orazu would follow us to the village for the cleansing but he begged my husband not to expose him being a title holder. We travelled to the village and spent N250,000 on the cleansing and travelling.



On July 30, 2015, we returned to Lagos while Kester went to Benin (Edo State) to see his parents. The following day, my husband went to Seme for a church programme, she added.



Chioma told Saturday PUNCH that she just finished preparing breakfast for her children on Saturday, August 1, 2015, when three SARS officers came to pick her up with a promise that she would be released as soon as her husband turned himself in.



Orazus family had allegedly reported to SARS that the couple kidnapped him and demanded a ransom.



She said she was shocked when she met Kester outside handcuffed in a car brought by the operatives, adding that they threw her into the vehicle together with her baby and drove them to the SARS office at police command headquarters in Ikeja.



Their boss said my husband was a kidnapper. The Investigating Police Officer, one Mr. Alex, collected my phone and Kesters as well as the pictures I printed out from my phone.



He asked me to write a statement. I wrote the same statement five times but he tore them. He slapped me and beat me up. He asked me to write that my husband kidnapped Orazu and demanded N10m ransom. I said I would not write such because the man raped me; he only turned the case against us because my husband did not report to the police. After several threats, the IPO forced me to write what he wanted.



Ijoma who was also at the SARS office that day told Orazu that the case was off her hands, she said.



The woman told our correspondent that she bled and became unconscious inside a cell she was kept with her baby, adding that she was revived at the police hospital in Ikeja.



She said even though her husband reported at SARS office on Monday morning when he came back from the church programme, she was not released as promised.



On Thursday, my husband, Kester and I were arraigned in court. Kester was 16 years old then but the police lied that he was 18. We were granted bail and remanded in Kirikiri prison, which was another world entirely. I was there with my baby.



The warders asked me to bring my son to the prison clinic every day after bathing him. It was the Comptroller of Prison then that took interest in my case when she saw my baby in the clinic. I had spent about three months in the prison before my family knew about the matter and perfected my bail conditions.



My child contracted a disease in the prison, which made him to have difficulty with breathing. It was a Reverend Father that later assisted in paying for his medical treatment after I left the prison. Till now, he still suffers a relapse occasionally, she added.



Sanni, 38, who confirmed his wifes account to our correspondent, said he first met Orazu during their wedding in 2010. He explained that his second encounter with him was when he visited his wife in 2015.



The pastor said, Whenever I came back from church, I would do praise-worship in the living room and my wife and children would join me. I was there when Victor came to tell me that a man assaulted his mother. At that time, the man was coming out of the bathroom tying my towel around his waist.



As I was holding him, Kester came in from where he was attending tutorials. I beat him for returning home late because he was supposed to be back latest by 7pm. We both vented our anger on the man and beat him up.



Asked why he did not report the alleged rape to the police, the Imo State indigene said he had to forgive Orazu after his family said he was hypertensive and could die in custody if arrested.



He stated that he succumbed to the pressure from Orazus family and provided food for him throughout the time he volunteered to stay in our house.



Narrating his experience in police custody, Sanni said, They slapped me and hit my head with a plank. They tortured me and asked me to write a statement. They tore the one I wrote and started dictating what to write to me. They threatened to shoot me if I refused to comply. Kester and I left the prison on December 18, 2015 after spending about five months there.



However, Orazu, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, said he never dated Chioma and debunked the rape allegation.



He said he met the woman sometime in 2013 when she came to seek financial assistance from one of his younger sisters in the village so she could rent an apartment in Lagos.



The chief said he was not in touch with Chioma until July 2015 when she called him and requested that he visit her in the apartment she purportedly rented with the money.



Orazu said, She is lying. They kidnapped me and demanded N10m (ransom). SARS caught them. They kidnapped me in their residence. She was travelling to greet her people in the East to get money to rent an apartment in Lagos when some people she met in the bus told her about my sister and she collected her address.



I was in my sisters place that day when she came with a baby. I directed her to where my sister was. She told my sister she was homeless and my sister gave her money. After two years, she wanted me to see the house she rented with the money my sister gave her and I went there. Then, they kidnapped me and demanded N10m ransom. I was in the place for five days.



They stripped me and beat me up. My family reported to SARS. They asked my family to send money into the account they provided. The SARS placed a red alert on that account. The boy (Kester) wanted to withdraw the money when the bank alerted the policemen on duty who arrested him. The police then called SARS in Lagos to pick the boy. My family paid N300,000 into the account. It is a serious matter and it is already in court. They did not give me food throughout the period they kidnapped me.



When contacted for enquiries on the N300,000 paid into Kesters account, Ijoma said the matter was in court and asked this reporter to stop calling her.



If you want to know anything about it, go to the court and find out. Dont call this line again, please, she said.



In a chat with Saturday PUNCH, Kester said on his arraival from the tutorial class that day, he heard a noise as he was about to enter the apartment which prompted him to dash in.



I met my aunt naked while my in-law was struggling with the man who was also naked. When I knew he had raped my aunt, I joined my in-law to beat him. My aunt and I decided to involve the police and he started begging. He said he was a chief and if the news of his arrest got to the village, he would lose his title. My in-law is a soft-minded person; he bought into the plea.



The man personally suggested that his family would pay for the cleansing and he stayed in the house voluntarily for a couple of days until the money was paid into my account. He was not kidnapped, he said.



Kester stated that he had gone to a bank in Benin to withdraw money for his fare back to Lagos after the cleansing when he was apprehended. Narrating the alleged torture he was subjected to in SARS custody, he broke into tears, lamenting that the IPO smashed a plank on his leg to extract statement from him.



Then I was 16 and I told him (the IPO) my age. He said I was lying and tortured me to write that I was 18. The scar of the injury he inflicted on my leg is still there, he added tearfully.



Chiomas son, Victor, said he was playing with his immediate stepbrother, while the newborn baby was asleep when Orazu entered, adding that he retired to his room with the stepbrother.



He said, I was in my room when I started hearing a noise from my mothers room. I went there and met the man naked, forcing himself on my mum. She was also naked. I found condoms and some drugs he brought in. I shouted and asked him to leave my mum. He asked me to shut up and pushed me away. I didnt know what to do to him. I was shouting leave my mum when my dad came in. A few minutes after, my brother, Kester, also entered. They beat the man. He was crying and begging my dad for forgiveness.



2015 is the worst year of my life. When my mother was arrested, I thought she would come back in the evening. Two days after, we did not see her and didnt hear from anybody. My stepbrother was about two years then. We were going from street to street for three months begging for food. I could not cut my hair. We were afraid to go home; we slept in the bus at night. It was difficult for my mum to recognise us when she came back from the prison because we had become lean.



Our Correspondent gathered that the Office of the Public Defender, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, and a rights group, Esther Childs Rights Organisation, are following the case up at Ogba Magistrates Court.



The Coordinator of the organisation, Esther Ogwu, said, As a human rights group, we are worried about the harrowing experience the family went through as a result of this case. We are working with the OPD to ensure that they get justice.



The OPD Director, Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, confirmed that the agencys lawyers were representing the family in court.



She said, The first prosecution witness has been cross-examined and the case is for continuation of trial on June 21. We are representing all the defendants  the pastor, the wife and the nephew. We will give our best to make sure they are let off the hook.



The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said the command was able to establish the kidnap allegation against the family and denied the claim of using force to extract statements from them.



He said, In every case reported to the police, what the police try to find out is whether the person reported against actually carried out the act. We call it actus reus. Secondly, the police try to find out whether the person reported against had the intention to carry out the act against the complainant. When the police find a nexus between intention and the act and they are able to establish prima facie evidence against the suspect, it is incumbent upon the police to charge the matter to court for adjudication.



In this case, the whole ingredients that constitute the offence of kidnapping are complete. First, somebody was held within a circumscribed limit, depriving him illegitimately of his right to freedom of movement. Secondly, they demanded and received a ransom in exchange for his freedom. From my earlier description of what the police look for in a case, it is clear that there is a nexus between intention and the act.



It is immaterial why they kidnapped the man; what matters is that they kidnapped him. The allegation of torture is an afterthought and a ploy to smear the names of the police as an institution and the detectives that diligently investigated and charged the case to court. However Orazu has denied there was any relationship between him and Chioma, claiming that the mother of three, her nephew, Kester, and her husband, Sanni, actually kidnapped him during a visit and demanded a ransom of N10m from his family.Chioma told Saturday PUNCH that she struck a relationship with Orazu, who is in his 50s, in December 2008 at an event centre in the Nnewi South Local Government Area, Anambra State, while she was on holiday for Christmas celebration.The graduate of Lagos State University explained that the relationship thrived till sometime in 2010 when she acquainted Orazu of her intention to quit the relationship on the grounds that she was getting married to her pastor husband. She said the move did not go down well with Orazu, who allegedly insisted on marrying her.I told him he was married already with children and I couldnt be his mistress forever. He threatened to deal with me if I married another man, but I didnt take his threat seriously. We are from the same local government but different towns  I hail from Ofumeyi while he is from Ukpor, she explained to our correspondent in a chat last Friday.Chioma stated that Orazu attended her marriage in December 2010 without any sign of animosity which made her to completely dismiss the threat, adding that she introduced him to her husband as her ex-lover at the event.In January 2011 when my husband and I were back in Lagos, he called me several times. I told him the calling must stop because I am a married woman and I wouldnt want anything that would destroy my home. He stopped calling me until June 30, 2015, around 10pm when he called again. Initially, I didnt know he was the caller because I had deleted his number.We exchanged greetings and he jokingly said I would have had many children. I told him I just had my third child ten days earlier. When he offered to come and greet the baby, I told him I would need my husbands consent before he could come. When I told my husband, he said I should give him our address since there was nothing between us any longer. On Friday, July 3, 2015, I sent the address to him, Chioma, who is now heavily pregnant, recalled.The woman explained further that Orazu called her on July 4 and promised to visit the family the following day  Sunday. She said they waited for him until 5pm when her husband left for church in Ijaiye, an uptown community in Lagos.The 32-year-old said when Orazu finally knocked at the gate of their residence around 9pm, she called her husband to ask if she should receive him at that time of the day.My husband said I should let him in and that he was on his way home. We are the only family living in that compound and my nephew, Kester, who lived with us, had not returned from a tutorial class. He was preparing for GCE exams then. I asked the man why he came at such time. He said he went somewhere and that if he did not come that day (July 5), he might not be able to visit again.As soon as I ushered him into the living room, he asked about my husband and I said he would be back soon. He said he cared for a soft drink and I went into my room to pick the money so I could send my first son, Victor, to buy it. Victor (born through another relationship) was 12 then, she added.She said she was rummaging through her wardrobe for some cash when she suddenly felt a grip from behind, noting that as she turned back to ascertain the source of the force, she saw Orazu.Chioma explained that she questioned his mission in her bedroom, but the businessman boasted he was set to punish her for dumping him. In a split second, they were reportedly entwined in a physical contest.Before I knew what was happening, he raped me right in my bedroom. Victor rushed in while I was shouting, but he could not stop him. I was bleeding when he went to the bathroom to clean up. That was when my husband entered.The moment he saw my husband, he wanted to force his way out, but my husband stopped him. Kester also came in at that time and they both beat him up. Soon, his wife called him to know where he was. He told her he was in Surulere. My husband collected his phone, put it on speaker and explained what happened to the wife. The wife exclaimed, Tobechukwu (Orazus middle name), you again!We asked him to call his family to come so they could see what he did. If you are from Nnewi South, once you are married, you must not have sex with any other man. If you do so without performing cleansing afterwards, the womans husband will die. The man knows this because he is a title holder in his village. He called one of his younger sisters, Ijoma on the phone. The sister lamented that it was not the first time he would do such a thing and she initially disowned him, Chioma narrated.She said Ijoma and other relatives of Orazu called in to beg her husband and offered to pay a sum of N300,000 for the cleansing. The insurance officer said she advised her husband to ignore the entreaties and report the incident to the police but he declined, saying it would result in stigma.The mother of three claimed that Orazu suggested to stay with the family pending when Ijoma would pay the money.He said the sister would not pay if he left our house. We did videos and audio recordings of the scene and took pictures with our phones for future purposes. We asked Kester to release his bank account into which Ijoma paid the money because the culture forbids my husband from touching the money.He left our house on July 8, after the sister paid the N300,000. For days, I could not stand upright and was ashamed to tell our doctor what happened. I insisted Orazu would follow us to the village for the cleansing but he begged my husband not to expose him being a title holder. We travelled to the village and spent N250,000 on the cleansing and travelling.On July 30, 2015, we returned to Lagos while Kester went to Benin (Edo State) to see his parents. The following day, my husband went to Seme for a church programme, she added.Chioma told Saturday PUNCH that she just finished preparing breakfast for her children on Saturday, August 1, 2015, when three SARS officers came to pick her up with a promise that she would be released as soon as her husband turned himself in.Orazus family had allegedly reported to SARS that the couple kidnapped him and demanded a ransom.She said she was shocked when she met Kester outside handcuffed in a car brought by the operatives, adding that they threw her into the vehicle together with her baby and drove them to the SARS office at police command headquarters in Ikeja.she said.The woman told our correspondent that she bled and became unconscious inside a cell she was kept with her baby, adding that she was revived at the police hospital in Ikeja.She said even though her husband reported at SARS office on Monday morning when he came back from the church programme, she was not released as promised.she added.Sanni, 38, who confirmed his wifes account to our correspondent, said he first met Orazu during their wedding in 2010. He explained that his second encounter with him was when he visited his wife in 2015.The pastor said,Asked why he did not report the alleged rape to the police, the Imo State indigene said he had to forgive Orazu after his family said he was hypertensive and could die in custody if arrested.He stated that he succumbed to the pressure from Orazus family and provided food for him throughout the time he volunteered to stay in our house.Narrating his experience in police custody, Sanni said,However, Orazu, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, said he never dated Chioma and debunked the rape allegation.He said he met the woman sometime in 2013 when she came to seek financial assistance from one of his younger sisters in the village so she could rent an apartment in Lagos.The chief said he was not in touch with Chioma until July 2015 when she called him and requested that he visit her in the apartment she purportedly rented with the money.Orazu said,When contacted for enquiries on the N300,000 paid into Kesters account, Ijoma said the matter was in court and asked this reporter to stop calling her.she said.In a chat with Saturday PUNCH, Kester said on his arraival from the tutorial class that day, he heard a noise as he was about to enter the apartment which prompted him to dash in.he said.Kester stated that he had gone to a bank in Benin to withdraw money for his fare back to Lagos after the cleansing when he was apprehended. Narrating the alleged torture he was subjected to in SARS custody, he broke into tears, lamenting that the IPO smashed a plank on his leg to extract statement from him.Then I was 16 and I told him (the IPO) my age. He said I was lying and tortured me to write that I was 18. The scar of the injury he inflicted on my leg is still there, he added tearfully.Chiomas son, Victor, said he was playing with his immediate stepbrother, while the newborn baby was asleep when Orazu entered, adding that he retired to his room with the stepbrother.He said,Our Correspondent gathered that the Office of the Public Defender, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, and a rights group, Esther Childs Rights Organisation, are following the case up at Ogba Magistrates Court.The Coordinator of the organisation, Esther Ogwu, said,The OPD Director, Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, confirmed that the agencys lawyers were representing the family in court.She said,The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said the command was able to establish the kidnap allegation against the family and denied the claim of using force to extract statements from them.He said,

Post Reply I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist Posted: at 2-06-2018 01:11 PM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero
An Iranian military jet crashed on Saturday in the central Isfahan province, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, but the two pilots ejected before it came down in a desert area.

"The fighter ran into technical problems after departing the Shahid Babaei Air Base in Isfahan on a training flight and crashed mid-day near Hasanabad village," the air force said in a statement published on Fars.

Emergency teams arrived at the crash site, Fars said, and the pilot and co-pilot of the F-7 jet were taken to a hospital.

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nametalkam at 2-06-2018 03:33 PM (3 years ago) (m)

The senator representing Kogi West senatorial district in the National Assembly, Sen. Dino Melaye has vowed to approach the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands over his case with the Federal Government.

The senator representing Kogi West senatorial district in the National Assembly, Sen. Dino Melaye has vowed to approach the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands over his case with the Federal Government.

He made this known in a personally-signed terse statement posted on his Twitter page on Saturday morning.



Recall that Melaye is being prosecuted both in Abuja and Lokoja, Kogi State by the police.



Filing my case at the International Criminal Court of Justice in few days. Justice shall reign and must reign across the land,from the savannah to the hinterland,from the desert to the dark forests across the Niger. Let the bell of Justice reign EVERYWHERE. SDM.  Senator Dino Melaye (@dino_melaye) June 2, 2018

In Abuja, he is accused of attempted suicide and damaging government property, after he attempted to jump out of a moving police vehicle. Justice Olasunbo Goodluck has however adjourned the case indefinitely.



In Lokoja, the senator is accused of providing false information to police and supplying arms to thugs.



The controversial senator has however alleged persecution by the government.



The ICC has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, and it remains to be seen how Melaye will go about the case as the ICC does not entertain cases from individuals. He made this known in a personally-signed terse statement posted on his Twitter page on Saturday morning.Recall that Melaye is being prosecuted both in Abuja and Lokoja, Kogi State by the police.In Abuja, he is accused of attempted suicide and damaging government property, after he attempted to jump out of a moving police vehicle. Justice Olasunbo Goodluck has however adjourned the case indefinitely.In Lokoja, the senator is accused of providing false information to police and supplying arms to thugs.The controversial senator has however alleged persecution by the government.The ICC has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, and it remains to be seen how Melaye will go about the case as the ICC does not entertain cases from individuals.

Post Reply I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you Posted: at 2-06-2018 03:33 PM (3 years ago) | Hero
Somalia's militant Islamist group al Shabaab has retaken a small town in the centre of the country after it was abandoned by government troops, residents said on Saturday.

Fighting broke out in the town of Muqokori, about 300 kilometres north of the capital Mogadishu, late on Friday, almost a month after government troops ousted the insurgents.

"Al Shabaab attacked from various sides. After one hour of fighting, the government forces left and al Shabaab seized control," Hussein Nur, a local elder, told Reuters by phone.

The militant group claimed that 47 government soldiers had died in the fighting.

"We have their dead bodies," said Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's military operations spokesman, adding they had captured four vehicles and dozens of weapons.

The military said the insurgents were not in full control. and that soldiers had been withdrawn for strategic reasons.

"There were only a few soldiers there and they left the town for tactical reasons," Major Abdullahi Aden told Reuters, adding their positions were being reinforced.

Aden did not give details of casualties.

Al Shabaab militants are fighting to topple Somalia's Western-backed central government and to rule the Horn of Africa country according to a strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.

The group was ejected from Mogadishu in 2011 and has since been driven from most of its other strongholds across the country.

But it remains a formidable threat, with its fighters frequently carrying out bombings against civilian and military targets in Mogadishu and other towns in Somalia.

Separately, the group also attacked a military base in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland the same day, killing several soldiers.

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The Israeli occupation military said on Saturday it was investigating the apparent killing by its troops of a Palestinian nurse on Friday during protests along the Gaza border.

Health officials and witnesses said Israeli vforces shot dead 21-year-old Razan al-Najar, a volunteer medic, as she ran towards the border fence, east of the south Gaza city of Khan Younis, in a bid to reach a casualty.

The Israeli occupying military said Palestinian people had attacked its troops along the border with gunfire and a grenade.

In a written statement on Saturday, the military said it would investigate al-Najar's death.

Thousands of people attended al-Najar's funeral in Gaza on Saturday, including some she had treated when they were wounded at previous border protests. Her body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag and carried through the streets on a stretcher by mourners.

"With our souls and blood we redeem you martyr Razan," cried mourners as the body was brought to her home for a last farewell before burial.

Residents said al-Najar was a popular figure at the protest sites and pictures depicting her as an angel circulated on Palestinian social media.

Her death brought to 119 the number of Palestinians killed in weekly demonstrations launched on March 30 in the Gaza Strip, an enclave controlled by the Islamist group Hamas and long subject to grinding Israeli embargoes.

Israel has drawn international condemnation for its use of deadly force during the mass demonstrations.

The Palestinians say most of the dead and the thousands wounded were unarmed civilians against whom Israel was using excessive force.

In a statement published by the Palestinian official news Agency Wafa on Friday, Health Minister Jawad Awwad condemned al-Najar's killing and said it violated international law.

The Israeli occupation military said in its statement: "The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) constantly works to draw operational lessons and reduce the number of casualties in the area of the Gaza Strip security fence. Unfortunately, the Hamas terror organization deliberately and methodically places civilians in danger."

On Friday the United States, Israel's ally, vetoed a Kuwaiti-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution that condemned Israel's use of force against Palestinian civilians.

Later, a second, U.S.-drafted resolution that blamed Hamas for the violence and upheld Israel's right to defend itself failed to attract any other country's support when it was put to vote in the 15-member council.

The protests, dubbed the "Great March of Return" have seen thousands gather to demand the right of return to their families' lost homes or lands, now in Israel.

Israel rules that out, concerned it would lose its Jewish majority. Two-thirds of the two million Palestinians in Gaza are war refugees or their descendants.

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Fiat Chrysler will phase out diesel engines in its passenger cars sold in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) market by 2021, according to company executives presenting at FCA Capital Markets day in Balocco, Italy. The company, however, will still offer diesel in its light commercial vehicles across its brands.

Company executives also laid out broad as well as brand-specific electrification plansrunning the gamut from 48V mild-hybrids (mHEVs) and high voltage hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric vehiclesas well as alternative fuels.







Mark Chernoby, FCA Chief Compliance Officer, mapped the the four electrified systems against vehcile segments, with some additional specificity on the design on the propulsion system: i.e., P1 through P4. Click to enlarge.

Projected adoption of the different technologies varies by sales region, said Mark Chernoby, FCA Chief Compliance Officer. In 2022, the company expects that technology adoption will be :

EU28: 40% non-electrified, 40% mHEV (essentially the diesel replacement); and 20% high-voltage electrification.

China: 65% non-electrified, 20% mHEV, 15% high-voltage electrification

US: 65% non-electrified, 15% mHEV, 20% high-voltage electrification.

Brazil: 99% non-electrified and ethanol, <1% high-voltage electrification

More than 30 Group nameplates will utilize one or more of the electrification systems by 2022:





Brand highlights presented at the meeting included (Chrysler and Fiat brands were omitted):
A team from the University of Houston and Hunan Normal University in China has developed an active and durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst for water splitting that meets commercial crtieria for current densities at low overpotentials.

In a paper in the RSC journal Energy & Environmental Science, the report that together with a good hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst, they achieved current densities of 500 and 1,000 mA cm-2 at 1.586 and 1.657 V respectively, with very good stabilitysignificantly lower than any previously reported voltage.

The researchers said that their discovery sets the stage for large-scale hydrogen production by water splitting using excess electrical power whenever and wherever available.

Water electrolyzers are promising commercial apparatus to produce high-purity hydrogen with unlimited water resources, among which alkaline water electrolyzers are more appealing than that based on proton exchange membrane (PEM) in acid. This is primarily because low-cost electrocatalysts, instead of noble meal-based catalysts, can be utilized in alkaline media. However, efficient and mass hydrogen production in industry has not been widely deployed at present (<5% hydrogen production) due to the high cost of the noble metals as catalysts in acid and the low energy conversion efficiency of the non-noble metal catalysts in base. Although a variety of alkaline water electrolyzers have been constructed by designing robust electrocatalysts, most of them require cell voltages significantly larger than 1.8V to deliver 200 mA cm-2, unsatisfactory for the commercial requirements of 1.8-2.4 V for current densities of 200-400 mA cm-2. Zhou et al.

The researchers constructed their new OER catalyst using three-dimensional porous interwoven (Ni, Fe) oxyhdroxide nanorod arrays. These arrays are mainly derived from amorphous Ni/Fe (oxy)hydroxide mesoporous films on Ni foams synthesized by a simple stirring process.

They paired the OER catalyst with a MoNi 4 HER catalyst. The resulting system can be driven by different power sources, including an AA battery or a thermoelectric generator.

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China's military build-up in the South China Sea and its deployment of high-end weapons systems in the disputed waterway is designed to intimidate and coerce neighbours, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday.

Speaking at a high-profile security summit in Singapore 10 days before President Donald Trump is due to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the Pentagon chief also said the US military continues to support diplomats pushing for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Beijing has deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities, Mattis said.

China has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue.

He also blasted Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea.

Mattis' address in Singapore was the second time he had attended the summit since becoming Pentagon chief.

He returned to a theme that he and other senior US officials have hammered home since Trump took office -- that America is here to stay in the Asia-Pacific region and that allies should stick with Washington instead of aligning with Beijing.

- Tariffs on close allies -

But the message of inclusivity, cooperation and working with allies might be a tougher sell for Mattis, who is generally popular on the international scene, after his boss this week imposed metals tariffs on some of America's closest allies in the name of "national security".

Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin asked Mattis whether he thought it was unproductive for Trump to pick fights with allies on trade.

"Certainly we have had some unusual approaches, I'll be candid with you," Mattis replied.

"But I'm reminded that so long as nations continue dialogue, so long as they continue to listen to one another and to pay respect to one another, nothing is over based on one decision, one day."

Lynn Kuok, a senior research fellow at the University of Cambridge, said the US approach was a "risky gamble".

"The United States seems to think that it can antagonise partners in certain areas, whilst expecting cooperation in others," she told AFP.

In a dig at China, which the Pentagon has accused of using "predatory" economics to exploit neighbours, Mattis said the US supports the peaceful resolution of disputes, "free, fair and reciprocal trade and investment" and adherence to international rules and norms.

Despite frequent warnings from Washington about China's rising might and the pitfalls of its "Belt and Road" global infrastructure initiative, Beijing has faced few consequences for its South China Sea build-up and sweeping territorial claims.

One modest exception came last week when the Pentagon disinvited China from biennial maritime exercises in the Pacific. Mattis characterised this action as an "initial response".

But "there are much larger consequences in the future when nations lose the rapport of their neighbours", he warned.

"They believe that piling mountainous debts on their neighbours and somehow removing the freedom of political action is the way to engage them. Eventually these things do not pay off."

Senior Colonel Zhao Xiaozhuo, a PLA academic, told Mattis that US freedom of navigation operations, where US naval vessels sail close to Chinese-claimed features, are an "obvious provocation to China's national security and territorial integrity".

Mattis responded by saying there is a "fundamental disconnect" between China's views on the waters and how international tribunals view them.

"These waters, to us, are free and open international waters," Mattis said.

Delegates hoping for clarity on Trump's intentions for a scheduled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim did not get much from Mattis, though he said the issue of the permanent deployment of about 28,5000 US troops in South Korea will not be "on the table".

Mattis has tried to avoid weighing in on the summit, deferring questions to the State Department and Trump's national security team.

"On the Korean peninsula, we hold the line with our allies, supporting our diplomats who lead this effort," Mattis said.

"Our objective remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."

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Police fired tear gas and chilli spray grenades to disperse thousands of mourners taking part in a funeral procession for a youth who died on Saturday after being run over by a paramilitary vehicle in Indian Kashmir.

Protesters hurled back stones at Indian security forces in the latest outbreak of violence in the divided region's main city, Srinagar. At least four demonstrators were injured, according to police and eyewitnesses.

"There were some incidents of stone pelting in downtown but our (policemen) exhibited restraint and used minimum force," Kashmir police inspector general S.P. Pani told AFP.

Kaiser Bhat, 21, died in hospital after being hit by a Central Reserve Paramilitary Force vehicle near the city's Central Mosque on Friday during a demonstration against alleged police violence.

A video that allegedly shows the armoured vehicle hitting protesters has been widely shared on social media.

It shows scores of protesters throwing rocks at a lone vehicle as it races towards a crowd. Other images show two youths under the vehicle, one crying for help.

It was unclear whether the victims were protesters or bystanders.

Officials said the driver has been charged with dangerous driving, while two other youths hit by the vehicle were still being treated.

"We have taken a strong note of yesterday's incident and will take strict action," S.P. Vaid, director general of Kashmir police, told AFP.

Authorities cut mobile internet services and put reinforced patrols on the streets Saturday, while separatist groups opposed to Indian rule called for a general strike.

Last month another protester was killed by a police armoured vehicle in Srinagar. Police initially denied involvement in the death until a video -- shot on a mobile phone -- showed the vehicle hitting the man.

Bouts of street protests have rocked the region for months, with almost daily incidents of clashes between government forces and protesters.

Friday's protest erupted in response to clashes last week between police and protesters near the Central Mosque that left nearly 50 people injured. Devotees alleged the police fired tear gas and shotgun pellets inside the mosque.

Militants have also upped their attacks on Indian troops after New Delhi ordered a 30-day halt to its military operations in the Muslim-majority region for Ramadan. Militants have rejected the offer.

Suspected militants hurled grenades at government forces at three separate locations in Srinagar, leaving four paramilitary troopers and two civilians wounded in the explosions.

Three similar attacks were carried out on Friday in Srinagar and southern Anantnag district. One of the targets was a ruling party lawmaker.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 but both countries claim the territory in full.

India has about 500,000 soldiers in the part of Kashmir it controls, where scores of armed groups are fighting for independence or a merger with Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands, mainly civilians, have been killed in the violence since 1989.

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Russia has agreed to lift a ban on Egyptian potato exports from eight agricultural areas in the country, giving a green light for the resumption of the trade starting 6 June.

In an official statement, Egypt's Trade Minister Tarek Kabil said the decision to lift the ban, which was put in place in 2015, came following a meeting between the head of Egypt's Agricultural Quarantine Authority and Russian agriculture officials.

The two sides discussed the technical issues that were preventing the flow of agricultural imports and exports between the two countries.

Moscow originally imposed the ban due to accusations of brown rot contamination.

During the meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the joint Egyptian-Russia committee at the end of May, both Egyptian and Russian officials asserted the importance of limiting the ban to areas which have been proven to be contaminated with brown rot disease, and not from other areas, as imposed in past years.

According to the statement, Moscow's decision came after their Egyptian counterparts delivered test results requested by the Russians from some farms which Russia has been receiving shipments from, and Russian officials were assured of the quality of the produce and the compliance with health and sanitary arrangements.

Egypt has been imposing stricter regulations on agricultural exports, introducing a new system under which crops are inspected while in the fields, after harvest, and finally after they are prepared for export.

Last week, Bahrain lifted a ban on imports of guava from Egypt, and will resume imports starting next export season (2018/19).

Bahrain is the second Gulf country in recent months, after Saudi Arabia, to announce that it has lifted a ban on specific Egyptian agricultural products.

Egypt recorded a 13.9 percent increase in its exports of agricultural products during the first nine months of 2017, with the total amount of exports reaching 4.1 million tonnes compared to 3.6 million the year before, according to official data.

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Haiti - FLASH : Jovenel Moise relies on Taiwan to electrify Haiti





During his official stay in Taiwan which ends this Saturday, June 2, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24497-haiti-politic-overview-of-the-agenda-of-president-moise-in-taiwan-update.html , President Jovenel Moise visits the "Taiwan Power Company" also known as "Taipower", a state-owned company producing and distributing electricity (nearly 30,000 employees) submitted to the Taiwanese officials his project of electrification of Haiti.



"By the time I'm talking to you, Haiti needs 800 megawatts ..." declared Moise speaking to officials and technicians from Taiwan Power, the national electricity company deploring "[...] It is inconceivable that of every 100 Haitians, less than 30 have access to electricity. "



For Taiwan Power Company technicians, who were at home last year to evaluate the Haitian power grid, this project is feasible and they plan to return to Haiti next week to continue their studies.



Let's recall that the installed capacity in Haiti is between 250 and 400 megawatts but due to obsolete equipment and in poor condition, the available capacity is only 244 MW (World Bank ref. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23665-haiti-politics-haiti-has-the-lowest-electricity-consumption-rates-in-the-world.html ) In comparison, Taiwan has an available capacity of 45,000 MW.



According to Moise, the project of electrification of Haiti will be in 3 Phase stages:



Phase 1: Area of the metropolitan area

Phase 2: Construction of a national network

Phase 3: Network interconnection.



Note that in the Chinese proposal, the needs of Port-au-Prince and the metropolitan area were estimated at 600 MW) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24439-haiti-flash-china-ready-to-rebuild-port-au-prince-except-that.html



It remains to wait for the final report and the recommendations of the Taiwanese experts and essential point to know how high Taiwan is going or wants to contribute and under what conditions, to the financing of this ambitious project, whose costs probably exceed one billion dollars...



To be continued...



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24534-haiti-politic-towards-new-terms-of-cooperation-with-taiwan.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24497-haiti-politic-overview-of-the-agenda-of-president-moise-in-taiwan-update.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24439-haiti-flash-china-ready-to-rebuild-port-au-prince-except-that.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23735-haiti-politic-edh-promises-18mw-more-electricity-in-may.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23665-haiti-politics-haiti-has-the-lowest-electricity-consumption-rates-in-the-world.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23330-haiti-notice-call-for-expressions-of-interest-mini-grids.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Canada : $1 million for microfinance in Haiti





FINCA Canada and its financial services partner company FINCA Impact Finance announced that Deetken Impact, an asset management firm based in Vancouver, Canada, will provide a USD 1 million loan to FINCA Haiti SA for on-lending to individual, micro, small- and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs). The three-year loan facility is the first of its kind extended by Deetken to a FINCA Impact Finance subsidiary.



FINCA Haiti SA is a microfinance institution that currently serves more than 45,000 customers85 percent of whom are womenacross its eight branches. Last year, it distributed its first mobile loan via Moncash, a mobile banking system created with mobile operator Digicel now used by 13,000 FINCA Haiti clients.



In 2017, FINCA Haiti SA entered into a CAD 7 million partnership with FINCA Canada, part of a contribution agreement between FINCA Canada and Global Affairs Canada, to scale up financial inclusion efforts, targeting low-income Haitian women in particular, to help them increase their revenues and improve their familys living conditions.



According to FINCA Canada Executive Director, Stephanie Emond: With 85 percent of the poorest Haitians still unbanked, this partnership with Global Affairs Canada and Deetken Impact will extend our outreach to more women in Haiti. It will provide them with impactful financial services that enable them to increase their incomes, create employment in their communities and build brighter futures for themselves and their families.



Over the next five years, funding from Global Affairs Canada will enable FINCA Haiti SA to grow its network of branches and digital financial services and enhance its capacity to develop customer-centric and gender-sensitive financial products. Moreover, the funds will enable it to better serve smallholder farmers and agricultural businesses. The Deetken loan facility will provide FINCA Haiti SA with the capital needed to support its growth path to further financial inclusion.



We are proud to partner with FINCA for our first investment in Haiti, said Alexa Blain, Chief Operating Officer at Deetken Impact. This is an example of how public and private sector financing can, together, support the growth of impact businesses in emerging markets.



FINCA uses a blended funding approach, leveraging philanthropic and public funding to mobilize private sector investmentsloans and equityto bring the programs and social enterprises it supports to scale. The partnership between Global Affairs Canada and FINCA Canada enabled FINCA Haiti to directly attract private investments; since August 2017, it has mobilized more than $2.5 million in loans from private sector investors.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Security : The agents of PoliTour learn to swim





After the graduation of the 3rd Promotion of the Tourist Police (PoliTour) in February 2018 whose training began in mid-November 2017 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23514-haiti-security-graduation-of-the-3rd-promotion-of-the-tourist-police.html , the agents of this Promotion (44 men and 10 women) took an intensive course of 40 hours of swimming at the Carl's Swimming Club in order to complete their training.



On Friday, at the final session, the Chief Commissioner, Gary Verdilus, Director of Politour, thanked the Carl's Swimming Club Management and the training team for their contribution to the professional training of the members of the PoliTour, recalling "Learning to swim is essential for them both personally and professionally. In addition, this will allow the police of the 3rd Promotion of Politour to be at the same level as their colleagues of the first and second promotion."



Recall that the PoliTour, created under the Minister of Tourism Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin in 2013 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8356-haiti-security-acceleration-of-the-creation-of-the-tourist-police.html has for mission is to monitor the tourist sites and monuments of the country, guide tourists and take action against any individual adversely affecting the tourism sector.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23514-haiti-security-graduation-of-the-3rd-promotion-of-the-tourist-police.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-22253-icihaiti-security-the-tourist-police-celebrates-its-4th-anniversary.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11025-haiti-tourism-2nd-promotion-of-the-politour.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-10850-haiti-tourism-new-taxis-and-politour-in-toussaint-louverture-international-airport.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9540-haiti-security-graduation-of-the-first-promotion-of-the-tourist-police.html



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Haiti - Elections : Researchers in Haiti for a study on the prevention of electoral conflicts





A team of researchers from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Union (EU) currently in Haiti, met at the Diplomatic Salon of the Lower House the Deputy Myriam Amilca (VERITE) Vice President to administrative affairs of the Chamber of Deputies accompanied by the legislative Director, Mrs. Erla Pierre.



This meeting is part of a UNDP and EU approach, to conduct group discussions with key players in the electoral process and parliamentary frameworks, in order to carry out a global study on the prevention of electoral conflicts. The objective is to glean concrete experiences to identify the causes and risks of electoral conflicts.



This study will provide tools to reinforce the prevention of the risks of electoral violence and to foster a serene atmosphere during polling days.



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Haiti - News : Zapping...





5 people injured by bullets

According to Reginald Michel Spokesperson of the National Police of Haiti in the town of Thomonde, the incident occurred as a result of an altercation between a hougan (voodoo priest) known as "Baron" and residents. Antoine Valerus, another hougan who came to help his colleague opened fire on the residents injuring 5 people on the feet and legs. The police arrested the gunman and the wounded were taken to the hospital for treatment.



Seizure of contraband drugs

On Thursday evening, at Morne a Cabrit, a bus carrying contraband drugs from the Dominican Republic was seized by customs agents. The driver refusing to obey the orders of the authorities was pursued and apprehended.



ALERT : false message from the French Consulate

The Embassy of France in Haiti informs the public that a so-called message from the French Consulate circulates on social networks, which warns against the dangers that would run the use of a counterfeit toothpaste. The Embassy of France is alerting the public to the fact that it is a fake and this message does not emanate from his services and reserves the right to initiate any proceedings against the person (s) responsible for this false messages.



The CSPN does not show up in the Senate

On Friday, the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) invited by the CommissionPublic Security and Defense Commission, to explain about the order submitting to the Council approval the decisions of the Director General of the Haitian National Police, did not respond to the invitation. Prime Minister Lafontant, President of the CSPN, informed the Commission by letter that he was unavailable and asked that this meeting be postponed until next week.



Launch of a Technological Innovation Incubator

Saturday, was officially launched the Incubator Center for Technological Innovation (ALPHA HAITI). This Center is designed to support young entrepreneurs and promote the creation of new businesses in the digital economy.



The Anti-Smuggling Brigade in action

Friday at Le Morne in Cabrit during a search operation of a trailer from the Dominican border, conducted by the anti-smuggling brigade a 9 mm pistol was seized. After the finding of the Justice of Peace of the commune of Thomazeau, the driver was apprehended and put in deposit to the Commissariat of the Croix-des-Bouquets.



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The Middle East is on the threshold of a dangerous arms race which can only be solved through region-wide action and commitment

The recent statement of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave rise to several international concerns and reactions and raised the alarm just after the Kingdom noted that it will raise its military capabilities to equal that of its neighbours, especially Iran.

In spite of the statement being daring and candid in a way that goes in line with the crown princes personality, neither its content nor the argument upon which it was based contain any exceptional standpoint.

Many countries, if not most of them, always maintain a security balance between themselves and their neighbours.

It is no secret that the Middle East is a region of unrest and violent disputes from North Africa in its west through Egypt to the Levant in the east and the Arab Gulf to the south. Thus, waging an arms race is a natural result of the continuous conflicts in the region, whether it was conventional armaments or weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

The military expenditure in the region has reached unprecedented levels, whether through domestic manufacturing or increasing arms sales from abroad.

Israel and Iran were the first to develop their domestic military capabilities, including nuclear technology, whether for peaceful use for both of them or for military use for Israel.

Several reports mentioned that Israel possesses more than 200 nuclear warheads and high-precision missile systems. It is the only country in the Middle East that did not join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear country.

As for Iran, which has joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, there were mounting fears concerning its nuclear programme. This has driven the UN Security Council permanent members as well as Germany to reach an agreement with Iran (the JCPOA) in order to adjust the tempo and ambitions of the Iranian nuclear programme.

In spite of all this, there are justified concerns and reservations. The first is the time span of the deal and consequently its regulations which dont exceed few years. The second is related to Irans ballistic capabilities, i.e. the means of delivering lethal weapons. The third emanates from strong reservations regarding Irans tough regional policy through which it seeks hegemony.

On the personal level, I hope that the Middle East does not witness a nuclear arms race and I dont believe that the Saudi crown princes statement is a formal pronouncement of the launch of a Saudi nuclear programme. However, the real message of the crown prince is that the arms race in the region has indeed reached dangerous levels, including nuclear weapons along with the high-tech and means of delivery, and that is a matter that can no longer be tolerated.

Those sensitive issues require that we should be frank. Thus, we should expect that the countries of the region raise their armaments and develop their domestic capabilities in case of not responding to their security concerns. The high-tech weapons and lethal weapons wont be an exception and within this context, acquiring nuclear weapons will be an option.

These dangerous developments can only be avoided through dealing with the nuclear capabilities in the region and the disparity between the countries commitments regarding the possession of weapons of mass destruction. This can be done by joining the treaties on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and other weapons of mass destruction such as chemical and biological weapons, and setting regulations to the means of delivery.

As a first step towards this objective and instead of cancelling the nuclear deal with Iran, I suggest tackling the deals shortcomings seriously and comprehensively, especially as all the Middle Eastern countries, including Iran and Israel, agreed on principle to make the region a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.

Egypt expressed its readiness to join the Chemical and Biological Weapons Convention if Israel joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Hence, I suggest that a Middle Eastern negotiating group be set up under the sponsorship of the Security Councils five permanent members in order to ensure continuity and work under the UN umbrella. This should be carried out with the participation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), being the most technically concerned organisations.

This can be achieved under the umbrella of one big system that gathers all the regions countries and tackles different kinds of weapons of mass destruction, or all countries joining the existing treaties and adding some inspection procedures and the topic of the means of delivery.

Please note that my preferred choice is a blend of the two suggestions. The groups function and mission will be negotiating an agreement making the Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction before the end of the Iran nuclear deal. It will pursue its work in the framework of the Security Council resolutions related to this objective and their means of delivery in the Middle East.

In order to be certain of the negotiating parties seriousness and before the beginning of the negotiations, I demand that they submit letters in the Security Council in which they announce their commitment to achieving the aforementioned objective while the joint action plan for Iran's nuclear programme is valid.

They should also declare their commitment not to develop their own weapons of mass destruction during the ongoing negotiations. Within this context, the international organisations for banning weapons of mass destruction, the IAEA, the OPCW, and the CTBTO, can suggest some confidence-building measures and offer a better climate for negotiations and contribute to crystallising a verification system.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the Middle East is on the threshold of an extremely dangerous arms race. The regions countries and the world have only two options: either to begin serious and comprehensive negotiations ensuring the commitment of the countries of the region without exception to getting rid of the weapons of mass destruction whether nuclear, chemical or biological, or else bear the responsibility of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the dangerous repercussions of this proliferation, as a result of the international communitys inaction and its double standards.

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TRAVELLERS broke into a former restaurant which is due to be redeveloped and pulled pipes off the walls and threw radiators off the roof.

The group forced their way through the gate in the protective boarding outside the Nakhon Thai on the A4074 Reading Road in Cane End on Sunday.

They then barricaded the gate with a van and trashed the empty building, stripping away copper and lead and ripping out radiators and kitchen appliances.

Police were called after residents spotted people on the roof of the building, with some claiming they saw large items being thown off on to the ground below.

The site is boarded off as developer JPP Land, of Wargrave, has been granted permission to demolish the property and build six new homes. Police were called to the site on Monday, when the travellers refused to move but spoke to officers through a hole in the gate.

Younger members of the group sat on top of the barricade to relay messages.

The intruders were finally evicted at about 4pm.

The developers representatives have since visited the site to assess the damage and installed large concrete blocks at the entrance to stop vehicles being able to enter.

Chris Peters, the firms land and project manager, said: On Sunday we received a call from a number of locals and police informing us that travellers had broken in and moved on to the site.

They trashed the building, removed all the radiators, some lead from the roof, the kitchen appliances and copper from the pipes and cables.

The travellers vacated the site on Monday and we walked the site on Tuesday with the police to ensure there were none left.

Once we were certain the site was clear we replaced the chain and lock on the gate and put concrete blocks in front of both entrances to secure the site.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said there had been an unauthorised encampment at the site but the intruders had now left.

Plans to redevelop of the site were approved by South Oxfordshire District Council in April.

The development will include four detached and two semi-detached houses, all with vehicular access from the main road.

The developer said that despite the restaurant being marketed, no one had expressed an interest in taking it over.

The restaurant closed in late 2016. It was originally a pub called the Fox Inn, run by Punch Taverns.

It then became a number of different restaurants, all of which were unsuccessful.

Before becoming the Nakhon Thai, it was known as the Palm Tree, which served Indian food.

The 0.46-hectare site had been offered for sale at 750,000.

Simon Kitson, planning officer at the district council, said: Due to the scale of the site and the small size of Cane End, a successful business would arguably be heavily reliant on passing trade/customers from outside the settlement and its intrinsic local value is questionable as there are no other mutually dependent businesses in the vicinity.

Given the generally broad support for redevelopment as expressed by the parish council and the local community, officers are satisfied that the existing business is unlikely to be fundamental to the quality and convenience of day-to-day life in the settlement.
Hot Press is live at Forbidden Fruit today as the three-day Bank Holiday weekend festival kicks off at a sun-drenched Royal Hospital Kilmainham grounds.

Early trickles of crowds at Forbidden Fruit found themselves between two impressive - and equally immersive - homegrown Irish talents.

SYLK's brand of dark energy electronica on the Bulmer's Live Stage - the only Irish-only stage - feels an anomaly in the sunny grounds of the picturesque Royal Hospital, yet they confirmed their booking with eerie aplomb.

Their self-produced, icy, bass-heavy productions - an engrossing blend of the shadowy ambience of Burial and the fiery vocals of Kelela. Their shows clouded by the fumes of a smoke machine, syncopated drums shook the modestly sized tent.

Vocalist Taylor Doyle screaming on once occasion, "I think I fucking lost it".

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In an interview with Hot Press, the duo self-labeled their sound: "Controversy. Distortion. Manipulation

The first act to play the Original Stage were now festival veterans, Trinity Orchestra. Ranging from summery reinterpretations of house classic, 'Gypsy Woman' by Crystal Waters, to Britney Spears's 'Toxic' - their creative impulses show no bounds.

The shows continue for the day and well provide updates on proceedings as they come.
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iciHaiti - Estates General : Preparatory meeting with actors of vocational training





The Steering Committee of the General Sectoral States of the Nation (EGSN) met this week with representatives of institutions working in the field of vocational training. This sensitization and information meeting enabled the Committee to shed some light on concerns regarding the progress of the Estates General and to gather the suggestions of the actors involved in professional training in order to better adjust its methodology.



The participants pleaded for the promotion of small trades and the strengthening of training centers. Questions concerning the functioning of the National Institute of Vocational Training (INFP), the validation of the acquired experience, the setting up of a technical baccalaureate, the depoliticization of the education system were discussed.



During this preparatory meeting, documents related to the realization of the Estates General, such as the organization guide of the EGSN, flyers, fact sheet, were distributed to the participants.



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iciHaiti - Politics : Republican Senator Bob Corker visits Haiti





Thursday in the Primature, Republican Senator Bob Corker (Tennessee), Presidnet of the Foreign Affairs Committee, accompanied by Robin Diallo, Charge d'Affaires ai of the United States Embassy in Haiti, Melinda Crowley, Political Advisor and Caleb C. McCarry, a member of the team, paid a visit to the Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant.



The United States Embassy described the meeting between the two men as excellent and cordial, without any further information on the content of this meeting.



Subsequently, Senator Corker, on his fourth visit to Haiti, visited the GHESKIO Center facilities Haitian Kaposi Sarcoma Study Group and Opportunistic Infections / Haitian Group for the Study of Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections where he attended a demonstration of water treatment equipment.



Finally, he went to St-Luc Hospital, which received financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the construction of several sanitary blocks, which allowed this Hospital Center to increase its patient treatment capacity.



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After, many speculations in the B'town about Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, Ranbir finally recently got vocal about his dating rumours with Alia. well, and as not expected from him to speak much about it the actor actually revealed and accepted his relationship with the actress. Recently, in an interview with the GQ magazine, Ranbir made a statement saying, it is too new and that it needs space. He also said that he needs to let it 'cook a bit' as it's new to them.

As everyone knows by now that the duo will be seen together in Ayan Mukherjee's Brahmastra along with megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The team had recently wrapped up the first schedule in Bulgaria. A source close to the couple revealed to Hindustan Times, "Alia spoke about how getting to work with Ranbir was a dream come true for her and that she had a crush on the Saawariya actor."

The source added, "The two took off to Bulgaria, first for a recce with Ayan and then later for the film's shoot. Alia and Ranbir also spent New Year's Eve in Bulgaria and Alia's Instagram (photograph) was proof of their budding friendship."

Well, and yesterday we told you how Neetu Kapoor has been commenting on her recent posts while Ranbir real sister Riddhima Kapoor also gifted her a fine bracelet from her collection to Alia.

Meanwhile, the duo has started their prep for the next schedule of "Brahmastra" which is set to hit the theatres in 2019.
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In honor of its 25th anniversary, Tarangini School of Kathak Dance will be presenting a concert featuring Pandit Birju Maharaj (c) and Ustad Zakir Hussain June 8 in San Francisco, Calif. Also seen in the photo is Maharajs senior most disciple Saswati Sen (right). (Tarangini School of Kathak Dance/Facebook photo)
June 02, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Israel planned to bomb Iran and initiate an all-out conflict in the Middle East, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's former head of intelligence, who said he believed the move may have been illegal.

Tamir Pardo, who served as head of Israeli spy agency Mossad from 2011 to 2016, told local investigative program Uvda in an interview set to air Thursday that Netanyahu instructed his military command in 2011 to prepare for a strike against longtime foe Iran, which Israel has accused of developing nuclear weapons and supporting militant groups abroad. Pardo said then-Israeli chief of staff Benny Gantz informed the prime minister that the armed forces would be ready within 15 days.

"Its not something that youre permitted to do just for practice," Pardo said of Netanyahu's request, according to the Times of Israel. "If someone does that then it has two [possible] purposes: One purpose is that he really means [to attack] and the other option is that he is sending a signal, that someone out there should know," he added, suggesting it may have been a message to the U.S.

"In matters like these you have to believe people, they are the pilots," Pardo said in reference to Netanyahu and his administration. "So when he tells you, 'Begin a countdown process,' you understand that he isnt playing games with you. These things have tremendous implications."

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Pardo said that his first instinct was to look into the legality of the measure, which he said he would need to be "certain" was legal before carrying out, even though he was supposed to do so without question. He described the measure as tantamount to "launching a war," according to the Associated Press, and said he and Gantz ultimately protested.

In an interview last June, former Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barack told Israeli news site Ynet that he was a fervent supporter of attacking Iran at the time and that he was "more of a hawk than Netanyahu" on the issue. He said he faced opposition from various Israeli cabinet members, including Pardo's predecessor, Meir Dagan. Shortly after leaving the post in 2011, Dagan called Israeli plans to attack Iranian nuclear facilities "a stupid idea," as The New York Times reported.

No overt Israeli war on Iran was launched. Instead, Iran's nuclear program suffered a devastating campaign of targeted assassinations that a number of outletsincluding Newsweek and Politico tied to the Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency. Between 2010 and 2012, four Iranian nuclear scientists were slain and another injured by assailants using bombs and gunfire. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its responsibility. Iran has claimed its nuclear program was strictly for peaceful purposes, but the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia have cast doubt on this narrative.

The U.S. led an extensive campaign of international sanctions against Iran until reaching an unprecedented multilateral nuclear agreement that included China, Germany, France and the U.K. in 2015. The deal would lift nuclear-related sanctions against Iran in exchange for its limiting its nuclear production. Despite the International Atomic Energy Agency verifying Iran's compliance and pleas from the accord's other signatories, President Donald Trump exited the deal earlier this month.
Nicaragua: Extortion, Dialogue And A Longing for Peace

By: Tortilla Con Sal

June 02, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Recent experience confirms that the Latin American and the Caribbean right-wing, like the U.S. government, cannot be trusted to comply with agreements. That has been true for Cuba's revolutionary government in its direct talks with the U.S. authorities; for Colombia's FARC former guerrillas over government implementation of the peace agreement, and for Venezuela's government in the national dialogue with the political opposition. Likewise, misgivings prevail about the integrity of the National Dialogue for Peace in Nicaragua mediated by the Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Church as witness of the process. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Ever since April 23, violent right-wing extremists have murdered government supporters and bystanders; continued to attack municipal offices and police installations; vandalized and looted commercial property  as well as buses, taxis and private vehicles  and have shot and wounded numerous police officers. But the Episcopal Conference openly sides with the opposition, falsely suggesting that the violent opposition are victims. The dialogue process has only been kept on track thanks to the dour patience of the Nicaraguan authorities, led by President Daniel Ortega, and their determination not to allow provocations to sabotage the chance for peace.

Dialogue Without Conditions

On April 22, President Ortega asked the Catholic bishops to mediate a dialogue without conditions. The bishops, led by Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, accepted. But they took almost three weeks to agree the dialogue with an opposition made up of business organizations, students and opposition politicians. Everything suggested the opposition simply did not want dialogue. That was confirmed on May 11, when  after originally agreeing to mediate without preconditions  the bishops set out four aggressive preconditions involving a fundamental contradiction. Claiming to defend the rights of all Nicaraguans, the bishops insisted that the police be taken off the streets, implicitly leaving the violent opposition gangs free to continue their attacks.

President Ortega accepted the four preconditions of the bishops' provocative ultimatum, self-contradiction and all, noting diplomatically his government's agreement about the need to stop all violence, intimidation and aggression. He also expressed "our great concern about climates of fear in communities, where  far beyond peaceful protests, which we absolutely respect  acts of violence proliferate that destroy and damage the quality of life of Nicaraguans of all ages, who cry out to God for a return to normality." All through that same weekend, armed gangs attacked and intimidated people across Nicaragua, burning down a famous craft market in Masaya and setting up road blocks, the majority operated by masked thugs preventing freedom of movement.

Between the events of May 11 up to and including the day the dialogue finally began on May 16, the armed gangs attacked police installations and municipal offices in Matagalpa, Masaya and Jinotega. In Matagalpa, they shot dead two government supporters and a one-year-old girl. They also shot and wounded three police officers. In Masaya, they shot dead a government supporter. In Jinotega, they wounded two police officers. At one of the roadblocks, a female patient in an ambulance held up for hours went into convulsions and died before she could be stabilized.

These were the most serious of innumerable incidents of violence and intimidation by the right-wing opposition gangs. In response to these events, on May 12 Cardinal Brenes issued a general appeal calling for an end to all violence, omitting any explicit call on the political opposition to stop their violent provocations. The bishops' extraordinarily cynical statements, biased in favor of the opposition, falsely suggest that primary responsibility for the violence lies with the government.

Perverse Propaganda

That perverse propaganda line persists and also characterized the dialogue's opening session on May 16. Aggressive opposition students tried unsuccessfully to shout down President Ortega during his statement, while the mediating bishops themselves attacked the government for not withdrawing the police from the streets. In response, President Ortega pointed out that the opposition were responsible for the violence, and that the police had orders not to use their firearms and had indeed refrained from taking action.

He noted, however: "We cannot be in a country where one part of Nicaraguans has the right to terrorize and the other part has no alternative but to be terrorized, as currently thousands of families are." That opening session of the dialogue, with the bishops mediating entirely in favor of the opposition, was a triumph of resilient patience on the part of the government representatives in an atmosphere designed to provoke them. Subsequently, on May 18, the first session of direct talks ended with an agreement from both sides to work for peace and develop proposals covering the various issues to be negotiated. The day before, on May 17, a delegation from the OAS Inter-American Commission for Human Rights arrived to begin their investigation of the violent events from April 18 onward.

Even OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has conceded that dialogue in Nicaragua has worked in terms of promoting peace. For the moment, the government has defused the opposition violence and intimidation ordinary Nicaraguans have experienced for over three weeks now, while opposition forces absurdly pretend they are victims. Apart from the intimidation they have suffered, tens of thousands of workers and small businesses and farmers have been unable to work normally, and the cost to the economy currently runs to over US$200 million. As for the opposition, as usual, they are divided. Most of the business sector and their associated politicians are anxious to get the economy back to normal.

By contrast, the extremist political opposition led by ex-Sandinistas are not, This is logical enough, because the income for the NGO network they depend on is guaranteed by funding from the United States and Europe. Similarly, many of the students regret the damaging results of the violence, but others are more intransigent. The bishops, too, are divided. The most right-wing bishops continue to cynically exploit their mediation role in favor of the opposition, while others do not. Priests at grassroots level have played an important role, genuinely mediating, often in very difficult conditions and at some risk to themselves.

Divisions and Disadvantage

These divisions put the opposition and their supporters among the bishops at a disadvantage, up against a solidly united government team with vast experience and negotiating skills accumulated over more than 30 years. Some opposition leaders  such as Violeta Granera, a perennial client of U.S. government funding  are now so frustrated they have even accused Luis Almagro of treachery for not facilitating their extremist agenda as they had expected. The problem for the government in the negotiations is that whenever these opposition extremists feel they are losing ground, they can reactivate their violent terrorist gangs and plunge the country into chaos again.

Against that constant extortionist threat, the government is likely to sit tight, waiting for public opinion to force the extremists to back down. If the extremists withdraw from the talks, it will be very hard for the bishops to continue to insist  as they have done implicitly for weeks now  that the government allows violent opposition extremists to destroy public order when a clear majority in the country craves normality. While talks on issues such as institutional changes or social security and tax reform take their course, above all, people in Nicaragua want to be able to live, work and study in peace.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.

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Economist Jeffrey Sachs Rips Trump As A Gibbering, Delusional Threat



He calls for removal of the president using the 25th Amendment.





He might be a  Manchurian Candidate  who is working as a stooge for some foreign power to destroy the U.S., Sachs wrote on CNNs website Friday, referring to the spy movie thriller.

Much more likely, Trump is just mentally unstable and narcissistic, he added, calling the new announcement of tariffs on exports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union part of a psychopaths trade war.

Sachs, a renowned Columbia University professor who heads its Center for Sustainable Development and serves as a senior adviser at the United Nations, said no one expressed a single word of respect for Trump during his recent trip to Europe. Their question was: How did America fall so far so fast? Sachs wrote.

Trumps so-called policies are not really policies, he added. Trade wars are on, off, on hold, on again, within the span of days. ... Foreign companies are sanctioned today and rescued the next. ... Global agreements and rules are ripped to shreds. Trumps garbled syntax and disorganized thoughts are impossible to follow.

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Sachs has bashed Trumps economic actions several times. Earlier this year, he said the presidents tariffs prove he flunked economics and makes primitive errors because he hasnt a clue as to how the world economy works.

Regarding the steel tariffs, Sachs wrote for CNN, whatever US steel producers might gain from a trade war would be offset by the losses to steel users and consumers, plus the social costs of protecting uncompetitive jobs.

One of Sachs biggest targets has been the massive tax cuts and budget deficit, which he has labeled part of the war of Americas rich on the poor. We cannot afford tax cuts. The idea that somehow has gotten into our heads ... that oh, $1.5 trillion, that we can give away, is unbelievable in any serious country, he told Bloomberg last year. He called the redistribution of wealth in the nation a populism by the super rich who want more and more and more.
June 02, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The Dutch-led probe into the 2014 Malaysian airliner disaster has the hallmarks of a psychological operation to frame-up Russia and to justify further sanctions and aggression from the NATO powers.

The so-called Joint Investigation Team (JIT) released an update last Thursday on its ongoing probe into the MH17 air disaster over Eastern Ukraine, in which all 298 people onboard were killed. The JITs latest release moves the accusation of culpability closer to Russia, with the team claiming that an anti-aircraft Buk missile, which allegedly shot down the plane, was brought into Ukraine by Russias 53rd Brigade based in Kursk, southwest Russia.

Then on Friday, the day after the high-profile JIT presentation, a news report compiled by US-based McClatchy News and UK-based self-styled online investigative website Bellingcat was published claiming to have identified a senior Russian military intelligence (GRU) officer as being involved in the transport of the missile system.

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The Russian GRU officer is named as Oleg Vladimirovich Ivannikov. The report includes a photograph of the named man, who is said to have at least one residential address in Moscow and who used the call sign Orion. Tellingly, the McClatchy report claims that news of identifying the Russian military officer was not known by the JIT when it made its presentation the day before. But McClatchy reported that the Dutch-led investigators now want to arraign Orion.

Over the weekend, the Dutch, Australian and British governments upped the ante by formally accusing Russia, and demanding that Moscow pay financial compensation to families of the crash victims. Most of those onboard the doomed MH17 were Dutch, Malaysian and Australian nationals.

What we are seeing here is a choreographed sequence trying to give the public impression that developments in the probe are taking a natural course based on evidence imputing blame to Russia. The same technique of media psychological operation can be seen in the Skripal poisoning affair in which Moscow is blamed for trying to assassinate a former spy in England. Allegations, purported evidence, and then sanctions (expulsion of Russian diplomats) all follow a choreographed sequence.

On the MH17 incident, Russia has vehemently denied any involvement in the passenger planes downing. Moscow says its own investigation into the incident points to the Kiev regimes armed forces as being responsible, possibly using their stock of Soviet-era Buk anti-aircraft missiles. Significantly, Russias investigative results have been spurned by the JIT, while Moscows offers of contributing to the probe have been rebuffed. As in the Skripal affair, where the British authorities have also refused Russias offers of joint investigation, or Russias ability to independently verify the supposedly incriminating data.

In a dramatic twist, Russias Ministry of Defense said that the missile casing displayed by the Dutch investigators bore features dating the weapon to 1986 when Ukraine was a Soviet Republic. The Russian military said that all such Buk models were replaced by its forces in 2011. Therefore, the alleged offensive weapon presented by the JIT last week could not have come from Russian forces. Besides, Moscow denies that any of its brigades crossed into Ukrainian territory.

The JIT, which includes investigators from Holland, Belgium, Australia, Malaysia and  invidiously  Ukrainian secret services, openly acknowledged in its presentation last week that it is cooperating with the Britain-based Bellingcat website. The latter is cited for its analysis of videos purporting to show the transport of a Russian military Buk convoy through Eastern Ukraine at around the time of the airliner being shot down. Those videos have already been exposed as fabrications.

Now it seems rather strange that the JIT was reported by McClatchy as not knowing of Bellingcats next scoop published the following day in which it claims to identify a Russian military officer, named as Oleg Ivannikov or Orion, for being involved in coordinating the transport of the Buk convoy, which the JIT says came from the 53rd Brigade in Russias Kursk.

The JIT and Bellingcat have collaborated in a previous update to its MH17 probe, in 2016, when the dubious videos were presented as purportedly showing the Buk convoy traversing Eastern Ukraine back to Russia. Bellingcat was cited again in the JITs update last Thursday.

That raises the question of why the information claiming to identify the Russian military officer was not available to JIT, even though the latter has worked closely with Bellingcat before? It was the next day when the McClatchy-Bellingcat news report came out, seemingly separate to the JIT presentation.

The sequence suggests a concerted effort to build a public perception that clues into the cause of the air crash and the incrimination of Russia are being assembled in an independent manner. When, in reality, the sequence is actually a deliberately orchestrated media campaign, to more effectively smear Russia.

Bellingcats media activities indicate that it is not the supposed independent online investigative website it claims to be. During the Syrian war, it has helped to peddle claims that videos sourced from the White Helmets are authentic when in fact there is strong evidence that the White Helmets have been fabricating videos of atrocities on behalf of NATO-sponsored terrorists in order to smear the Syrian government and its Russian ally.

For the Dutch-led JIT to associate with Bellingcat as a source of evidence is a matter of grave concern as to the probes professional credibility.

Moreover, what is also fatally damaging to the MH17 probe is that the Ukrainian secret services (SBU) under the control of the Western-backed Kiev regime, which came to power in the NATO-backed February 2014 coup detat, is the source for much of the so-called evidence implicating Russia or the pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine for shooting down the MH17 airliner.

The dubious videos cited by the JIT and Bellingcat were sourced from the SBU. Those videos were purportedly posted on social media at the time of the plane crash by anonymous members of the public. The Russian government has dismissed those videos as fake.

The latest claims by McClatchy and Bellingcat of identifying a Russian military officer are based on allegations that mobile phone intercepts are attributable to the man named as Orion. Bellingcat appears to have expended a lot of effort trawling through digital phone books to identify the individual. The report also relies on embellishment of Orions alleged secret military career in Ukraine and South Ossetia by way of lending a sense of credibility and sinister innuendo.

However, the bottomline is that McClatchy and Bellingcat both admit that they are relying on the Ukrainian secret services for their phone intercepts, as they had previously for the videos of the alleged Russian Buk convoy.

The SBU and its Kiev masters have an obvious axe to grind against Moscow. Their partisan position, not to say potential liability for the air crash, thus makes the JIT and subsequent Western media reporting highly suspect.

Such close involvement of a Western media outlet (McClatchy) with a fake news engine (Bellingcat) and Ukrainian state intelligence is indicative of coordinated public psychological operation to smear Russia.

The prompt responses from Western governments calling for criminal proceedings against Moscow are further indication that the whole effort is an orchestrated campaign to frame-up Russia.
June 02, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Since the beginning of the Great March of Return on March 30, Israel has killed over 100 Palestinians and injured over 12,000. Only one Israeli, a soldier, has been injured in the context of the march.

Most mainstream western media coverage of Gazas march has systematically decontextualized the mass civilian protest, brushed off Israels weekly massacres as clashes, reified the boundary fence between Gaza and Israel a border, presented Palestinian protesters as Hamas pawns passively dying for photo ops and deployed other strategic falsehoods to dehumanize Palestinians fighting for their freedom. The net effect is the demonization of the march and the absolution of Israel of its murderous assault.

Some outlets have even portrayed the protests as a reaction to the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem, which was planned on the annual date commemorating the Nakba: Israels 1948 ethnic cleansing of over 700,000 Palestinians. According to Amnesty International, the embassy move intentionally undermines Palestinian rights and in effect condones decades of violations by Israel. And yet is just a manifestation of the larger Israeli policies of expansionism and ethnic cleansing, which have distorted the territorial integrity of the West Bank and devastated Gaza.

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What are Palestinians in Gaza protesting?

Since Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza in 2007, it has waged routine invasions that level infrastructure and kill thousandsa policy described by some Israeli analysists and politicians as mowing the lawn. According to the UN, Israels attacks, coupled with the siege, have rendered Gaza unlivable. Over 96 percent of Gazas water is unsafe for drinking and 57 percent of households are food insecure.

The Gaza Strip is often called the worlds largest open-air prison. Israel controls the maritime, aerospace and land borders of the coastal enclave.

The Israel military defies international maritime law by restricting Gazas fishers to six nautical miles from their shore, rather than the 20 stipulated in the Oslo Accords (signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the early 1990s). Moreover, it often guns down fishers and their boats even when they abide by its limitations.

Israel determines who and what can enter or exit Gaza. They control shipments of fuel, medicine, building supplies, and foodat one point allowing only the minimum calories each person in the strip could consume without starving.

The only two openings to the outside world are the Erez checkpoint and the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing. The former is the only point of passage for travelers between Gaza and Israel and almost impossible to obtain a permit to. The latter opened for only 35 days in all of 2017.

Almost 70 percent of Gazas population consists of refugees from other Palestinian cities who were forcibly displaced to the strip by Israel. Palestinians are stuck in Gaza, and they are demanding their right to return to their homes as enshrined in international law.

Clashes

In their coverage of the March, most mainstream media deployed passive language that hid Israels agency in its murder of Palestinian protesters, journalists and paramedics. One such term which obfuscates the extent of this one-sided massacre is clashes.

The Guardian, the BBC, ABC News and others reported on clashes in their headlines. This puts no clear emphasis on the victims, the perpetrators and the magnitude of the assault. One is led to believe that Israelis and Palestinians inflicted comparable damage and suffered comparable casualties.

The Economist even called on Palestinians to take up genuine non-violenceechoing Israeli army propaganda that the march was violent and brushing over the fact that Israel has subjected Gaza to its deadliest days since its 2014 assault on the strip.

It is inhumane to expect a massacred population not to resist.

One cannot equate the use of stones and molotov cocktails with the use of sniper-rifles and drones. These do not amount to two equal clashing sides. The former has proved incapable of inflicting violence, while the latter has enabled the summary executions and maiming of vast numbers of the Gazan population.

The fact is that Palestinians were the only victims of weekly massacres that only Israel committed. The death toll speaks to this: over 100 Palestinian dead to 0 Israelis.

Given the gross power disparity, the safety of the Israeli soldiers, and Israels shoot-to-kill policy, surely the term massacre is far more appropriate.

Passive language

In the same vein, outlets have also used misleading, passive language that absolves Israel of its agency and blames Palestinians for the violence.

In a tweet emblematic of this trend, The New York Times wrote, Sporadic rifle fire from the Israeli side of the Gaza border made clear that the Palestinian protests could elicit the sort of response that killed 20 people a week ago.

This tweet is deceiving on many levels.

Firstly, the term sporadic rifle fire masks both the perpetrator, Israel, and the systematic nature of the shootings. The article suggests that rifle fire simply exists on its own, with no agent creating it. This is especially farcical considering a now-deleted tweet from the official Israeli Defense Forces that nothing was carried out uncontrolled; everything was accurate and measured, and we know where every bullet landed.

Moreover, describing the rifle fire as from the Israeli side of the Gaza border pawns off responsibility from Israel by evoking the imagery of Israels bad neighborhood and of border disputes. Given the preponderance of drone warfare and snipers which have distanced Israeli soldiers from the border, this may simply have read, from Israel.

Thirdly, rather than kill and maim hundreds, the rifle fire simply made clear that the Palestinians were responsible for their deaths. It showed that they could, and in fact did, elicit the Israeli response. This evokes motifs of the fatalistic, uncivilized Palestinians dying for a photo opp. In this way, one doesnt question the brutality of the response, but only the Palestinians who elicited it.

Fourth, and perhaps most egregious, the people killed were all Palestinians.

Border

Media outlets frequently refer to the site of the clashes or confrontations as the Gaza border. The New York Times often uses that term, Israeli Military Kills 15 Palestinians in Confrontations on Gaza Border, they reported on the first week of protest. Doing so, however, implies zones of sovereignty for the respective states that do not exist across the Gaza-Israel fence.

As mentioned above, the siege has resulted in Israeli control over Gazas land, aerospace and maritime borders. In addition, Israel has imposed a buffer zone of uncertain size on Gazan territory, further illustrating the myth of demarcation of sovereignty.

Moreover, Israel has never defined its borders nor accepted the 1949 Green Line which the international community recognizes: a fact evident in its creeping annexations of East Jerusalem, segments of the West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights.

The protests are slated to continue on June 5 to commemorate Israels 1967 annexation of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights. The international community must bear witness and hold Israel accountable for its atrocities against the civilian population of Gaza. This requires seeing through media tropes that dehumanize Palestinians and whitewash Israels abuses.

Tamara Nassar is an assistant editor at The Electronic Intifada. She can be found on twitter @TamaraINassar.
June 02, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - In what's been called "the most racist jury 'award' in history," a Florida jury has decided there was really no problem with cops shooting and killing Gregory Vaughn Hill Jr., 30, in 2014 because he was playing music too loudly in his own garage while drunk. (Need we add, Hill was black?) The civil verdict marked the dismal end to a longstanding wrongful death suit filed by Hills family in 2016, two years after St. Lucie County sheriff deputies turned up at Hill's house in Fort Pierce following complaints he'd been playing loud "F.U. music" in his garage as a nearby middle school was letting out for the day.

When Hill heard the cops knock, he opened the garage door, saw them, and began closing it again, at which point deputy Christopher Newman shot him three times - once in the head, twice in the abdomen - through the door, because everyone knows that according to the impeccable standards of American jurisprudence, getting drunk, playing music and closing a garage door are punishable by death without a trial. Police later claimed he'd had a gun they told him to drop - a claim never proved - and then said they'd found a gun (unloaded) in Hill's back pocket; they also determined his blood alcohol level was almost five times the legal limit for driving, though probably pretty close to that of many people getting drunk in their garage while listening to music.

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Nonetheless, jurors found Newman, who had already cleared by a grand jury of criminal conduct, not guilty of unreasonable, negligent and excessive force under Florida's black-guys-are-scary law. Jurors were also asked to determine the amount of compensation to award Hills three children for their loss; the family was seeking $500,000, but jurors instead opted to give them $4 total - $1 to his mother for his funeral expenses, and $1 to each of his children.

The grievous punchline: The jury unfathomably found Hill 99% liable for his own murder because under the influence of alcoholic beverages to the extent that his normal faculties were impaired - that death penalty offense again - thus reducing the family's award, and law enforcement's liability, to pennies. The family's attorney called the ruling "punitive"; Hill's family wants a new trial; his fiancee vowed to "keep fighting until I get some justice." On Facebook, the sheriff's office declared, "We are pleased to see this difficult and tragic incident come to a conclusion" and wished everyone involved in the case the best." One concise comment summed up the general response: "Murderers."
By Andre Vltchek June 02, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The West likes to think of itself as a truly peace-loving part of the world. But is it? You hear it everywhere, from Europe to North America, then to Australia, and back to Europe: Peace, peace, peace! It has become a cliche, a catchphrase, a recipe to get funding and sympathy and support. You say peace and you really cannot go wrong. It means that you are a compassionate and reasonable human being. Every year, there are peace conferences taking place everywhere where peace is worshipped, and even demanded. I recently attended one, as a keynote speaker, on the west coast of Denmark. Peace is a Cliche: When the West Cannot Control the World Unopposed it Means War If a heavy-duty war correspondent like myself attends them, he or she gets shocked. What is usually discussed are superficial, feel-good topics. At best, how bad capitalism is, and how everything is about oil. Nothing about the genocidal culture of the West. Nothing about continuous, centuries-long plunders and benefits that virtually all Westerners have been getting from it. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter At worst, it is all about how bad the world is  all people are the same cliche. And, also, there are increasingly, bizarre, uninformed outbursts against China and Russia which are often labeled by Western neo-cons as threat and rival powers. Participants of these gatherings agree Peace is Good, and War is Bad. This is followed by standing ovations and patting each other on the back. Few heartfelt tears are dropped. However, reasons behind these displays are rarely questioned. After all, who would be asking for war? Whod crave for violence, terrible injuries and death? Whod want to see leveled, charred cities and abandoned, crying infants? It all appears to be very simple, and very logical. But then, why do we not hear too often that peace speech pouring from the devastated and still de facto colonized African or the Middle Eastern countries? Arent they suffering the most? Shouldnt they be dreaming about the peace? Or are all of us, perhaps, missing the main point? My friend, a great Indian writer and thinker, Arundhati Roy wrote, in 2001, reacting to the Western War on Terror: When he announced the air strikes, President George Bush said, "We're a peaceful nation." America's favourite ambassador, Tony Blair, (who also holds the portfolio of Prime Minister of the UK), echoed him: "We're a peaceful people." So now we know. Pigs are horses. Girls are boys. War is Peace. When it comes from the lips of the Westerners, is peace really peace, is war really a war? Are people in that free and democratic West, still allowed to ask such questions? Or is the war and peace perception just a part of the dogma that is not allowed to be questioned and is protected by both the Western culture and its laws? Such questions would sound almost violent and therefore illegal, if asked in the West. Someone could end up in Guantanamo for this, or in a secret CIA prison. A few weeks ago, I directly addressed young people  leaders of the left-wing East African opposition - at the Venezuelan Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Yes, they were boiling, they were outraged, determined and ready. For those who are not too familiar with the continent, Kenya has been, for years and decades, an outpost of the British, US and even Israeli imperialism in East Africa. It was playing the same role that West Germany used to play during the Cold War  a window shopping paradise, stuffed with luxury goods and services. In the past, Kenya was supposed to dwarf the socialist experiment of Tanzania under the leadership of Nyerere. Today, some 60 percent of Kenyans live in slums; some of the toughest in Africa. Some of these settlements, like Mathare and Kibera are housing at least one million people, in the most despicable, terrible conditions. Four years ago, when I was making my documentary film, in these slums, for South American network TeleSUR, I wrote: Officially, there is peace in Kenya. For decades, Kenya functioned as a client state of the West, implementing a savage market regime, hosting foreign military bases. Billions of dollars were made here. But almost nowhere on earth is the misery more brutal than here. Two years earlier, while filming my Tumaini near Kisumu city and the Uganda border, I saw entire hamlets standing empty like ghosts. The people had vanished, died  from AIDS and hunger. But it was still called peace. Peace it was when the US military medics were operating under the open sky, on desperately poor and sick Haitians, in the notorious slum of Cite Soleil. I saw and photographed a woman, laid on a makeshift table, having her tumor removed using only local anesthetics. I asked the North American doctors, why is it like this? I knew there was a top-notch military facility two minutes away. This is as close as we get to real combat situation, one doctor replied, frankly. For us, this is great training. After the surgery was over, the woman got up, and supported by her frightened husband, walked away towards the bus stop. Yes, all this is, officially, peace. During my work, in almost all devastated corners of the world, I saw much worse things than what I described above. Perhaps I saw too much  all that peace which has been tearing limbs from the victims, all those burning huts and howling women, or children dying from diseases and hunger before they reach their teens. When you do what I do, you become like a doctor: you can only stand all those horrors and suffering, because you are here to help, to expose reality, and to shame the world. You have no right to decompose, to collapse, to fall and to cry. But what you cannot stand is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is bulletproof. It cannot be illuminated by correct arguments, by logic and by examples. Hypocrisy in the West is often ignorant, but mostly it is just self-serving. So, what is real peace for the people in Europe and North America? The answer is simple: It is a state of things in which as few Western people as possible are killed or injured. A state of things in which the flow of resources from the poor, plundered and colonized countries is pouring, uninterrupted, predominantly to Europe and North America. The price for such peace? How many African, Latin American or Asian people die as a result of such arrangement of the world, is thoroughly irrelevant. Peace is when the business interests of the West are not endangered, even if tens of millions of non-white human beings would vanish in the process. Peace is when the West can, unopposed, control the world, politically, economically, ideologically and culturally. War is when there is rebellion. War is when the people of plundered countries say No!. War is when they suddenly refuse to be raped, robbed, indoctrinated and murdered. When such a scenario takes place the Wests immediate reaction to restore peace is to overthrow the government in the country which is trying to take care of its people. To bomb schools and hospitals, to destroy supply of fresh water and electricity and to throw millions into total misery and agony. As the West may soon do to North Korea (DPRK), to Cuba, Venezuela, Iran  some of the countries that are being, for now, only tormented by sanctions and, foreign -sponsored, deadly opposition. In the Western lexicon, peace is synonymous to submission. To a total, unconditional submission. Anything else is war or could potentially lead to war. For the oppressed, devastated countries, including those in Africa, to call for resistance, would be, at least in the Western lexicon, synonymous with the call for violence, therefore illegal. As illegal as the calls were for resistance in the countries occupied by German Nazi forces during the WWII. It would be, therefore, logical to call the Western approach and state of mind, fundamentalist, and thoroughly aggressive. Dedicated to my friend, a philosopher, John Cobb, Jr. Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Three of his latest books are his tribute to The Great October Socialist Revolution a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction:  Exposing Lies Of The Empire . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter . The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. ====== 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.
A$AP Rocky has denied that he was the one who told Pusha T about Drakes secret son Adonis.

The rumours started earlier this week after Pusha dropped the diss track in which he made lyrical jabs at Drake, accusing the Canadian star of being a deadbeat dad, wearing blackface, and also nasty made nasty references about his father Dennis Graham.

Source close to both parties claims that it was Rocky who gave Pusha-T the information about Drakes alleged child with former porn star Sophie Brussaux, but the A$AP Mob member has now taken to his social media page to deny the claims.

GET OFF MY DICK KEEP MY NAME OUT DAT GOSSIP BLOG SHIT. WHOS PROVIDING TIPS? QUIDDITCH ASS NIGGAS, RIDIN HARRY POTTER STICK 2 FIND DA SNITCH, he tweeted.

While Drake has addressed the blackface photos, he is still silent on the claims about him being the father of Sophies child.

Will he eventually reply though? Check out A$AP Rockys tweet below.

https://twitter.com/asvpxrocky/status/1002366753140244480
After the police shooting at the Ekiti APC rally, which has been widely reported as an accidental discharge, a Kano based police officer, Usman Chindo, has opened up on how he nearly killed his family as a result of same action.

At the rally held in Ado Ekiti, a police officer was said to have shot member of the seventh House of Representatives and erstwhile governorship aspirant; Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB) while trying to shoot the APC governorship aspirant; Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti state yesterday.

-Tori
A 38-year-old mentally disturbed man from Kwekwe has been spared a jail term for stabbing his wife to death with a kitchen knife after he mistook her for a lion, the court heard.

Godfrey Sibanda was spared jail after the Gweru High Court ruled that he was mentally unfit. Sibanda had appeared before High Court Justice Nicolas Mathonsi facing charges of murder.

In his defence, Sibanda said, I saw her appearing as a lion so I grabbed a knife and stabbed the lion; I then realized later that I had killed my wife. Justice Mathosi said, Sibanda should not be held responsible for his actions, because of his mental condition. Instead he should get some serious help, therefore I see it fit not to send him back to jail but instead should be transferred to a mental institution.



It is the States case that, Sibanda had a heated argument with his wife Moline Maimba (25) and he did not sleep at home that night. He then went home the next morning where he found his wife sleeping and stabbed her several times on the chest and the back. Gift Muradza their neighbour, rushed to their house when he heard Maimba screaming calling for help and found Sibanda on top of her stabbing her.

The court heard that a Russian psychiatrist from a mental hospital in Bulawayo confirmed that Sibanda suffered from a mental disorder, epilepsy and was also asthmatic as a result of substance abuse (cannabis abuse.)

It was also confirmed that Sibandas family had a history of mental illness since his mother was also a psychiatric patient. It is alleged that the family is possessed with an ancestral spirit. His two brothers are also mentally challenged and they have been seeking help from traditional healers for a long time.
Nigerian rapper Onome Onokohwomo AKA Yung6ix took to his Twitter page to call out his best friend who allegedly took his name to some spiritualist to make him forget the money he owes him.

The first class rapper said that borrowing friends money would make you lose your money and friend as the said frenemy has since blocked him from his social media accounts without paying up the debt accrued.

He wrote:

Cant trust no one these days, known my nigga for over 14 years and dude took my name to some spiritualist to make me forget money he owes. God over man. Your juju go pay my money if you no get, no weapon fashioned against me shall prosper. Blocking me wont change poo.

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A Nigerian woman has lost her job a week after criticising Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, on Twitter, Premium Times reports.

According to their report, in the July 5, 2017 tweet, Bolouere Opukiri described then-Acting President Osinbajo as a novice for travelling out of the country at a time President Muhammadu Buhari was receiving medical treatment in London and tension was flaring between the executive and the legislature.

In another post five days later, Ms Opukiri threw a shade at Mrs Buhari for railing against some hyenas and jackals within her husbands inner circle, suggesting that Ms Buhari might not be as classy as former first lady, Patience Jonathan.

The presidential amnesty office, where Ms Opukiri worked at the media unit, saw her abuse of government official as a threat to national security and summarily dismissed her as recommended by the public service rules.

Ms Opukiri told the paper her dismissal was a violation of her right to free expression as enumerated in the Constitution and vowed to challenge it in court.

Ms Opukiris employment letter implored her to be responsible in her conduct while on the job, but did not include a specific guideline about what she could engage in on social media.

Ms Opukiri said she was told that Mr Akande and other presidency officials mounted pressure for her dismissal. However the paper says they were unable to independently verify this claim.

She said the complaints were sent to Mr Akande following an online brawl she had with Segun Dada, another pro-government commentator on Twitter.

He insulted me as a fat woman and I responded that he should be the last person to call anyone fat because his wife is also fat by nature, Ms Opukiri said.

Mr Dada confirmed exchanging tense tweets with Ms Opukiri, which they both mutually deleted later, but strongly denied the allegations, saying he had never owned an iPad which was used to send the complaints to Mr Akande as indicated by the e-mail server.

I have not and will never be personally responsible for anyone losing their job, Mr Dada told PREMIUM TIMES in a message.

Mr Boroh could not be reached for comments. He was fired as head of amnesty office by Mr Buhari in March. His successor, Charles Dokubo, did not return PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments throughout the week. A spokesperson for the amnesty office made promises to return enquiries about matter but failed repeatedly.

Months after her dismissal, Ms Opukiri was re-engaged early last month by Double Helix Nigeria Limited, a new outsourcing firm contracted by the amnesty office, but she was asked to stop work within the first week. Tidal Streams had been dropped by the office shortly after Ms Opukiri left.

She said Mr Dokubo was asked to dismiss her again when he visited the State House early May.

They told him they were aware that I had been reinstated and he immediately took steps to get me fired once again to avoid offending the presidency, Ms Opukiri said. PREMIUM TIMES saw the May 2 employment offer from Double Helix, but could not independently verify claims that Mr Dokubo ordered her termination under pressure from the State House.

Emilia Achor, head of human resources at Double Helix, said the firm rescinded Ms Opukiris offer letter because it had the rights to do so. She offered no further explanation.
News report have confirmed that rapper Chief Keef was shot outside the W hotel in New Yorks Times Square early Saturday morning.

According to Billboard, the rapper was not hurt because the shooters missed. And law enforcement officers told TMZ that bullets hit hotel signage. The shooters, two back males, fled the scene before the police arrived.

Presently, it is unclear how many shots were fired, but only two shell casings had been discovered at the scene. Now, the police are searching for the men who carried out the attempted murder on the rapper.

TMZ adds that Keef was returning to the hotel after a night out when the man attacked him.

The rapper had yet to speak up as at press time.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Edgal Imohimi, on Friday said six out of ten young people are cultists in Lagos.

The police boss, who expressed sadness over the rising cases of cultism among youths in Lagos, called for a state of emergency on cultism. Imohimi spoke at a town hall meeting with some residents of Surulere area of the state.

He said ;

I instructed one of my officers to carry out a research on the reason for increase in cultism among the young ones, and it was revealed that it gives them a kind of advantage over their peers. For some, they joined to avoid being intimidated. Whatever reason it is, the blame is on us parents for not caring enough about our children 

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hammer with books-320 x 215

In that context, there were significant discussions last year pointing out the nullities in some judgments rendered by the CARF, which judges proceedings involving tax issues in Brazil before the federal executive branch.

Dissatisfied with the judgments before CARF, some taxpayers seeking resolution before the judiciary branch obtained favourable decisions to cancel tax claims upheld in a judgment decided by the casting vote at the CARF. Such decisions, obtained at the judiciary branch, determined the stay of proceedings at CARF in cases where the CARF Internal Regulations had not been fulfilled, among other reasons.

As long as there are no legislative changes in the CARF structure, which is the main administrative court in Brazil, we need to focus on the present moment. The aim of this article is to strengthen CARFs performance, so that it will once again be the main judge body in the cases involving federal taxes.

What is proposed with the present article is that the CARF should not become a mere jurisdiction of transition to the judiciary, maintained at the cost of significant funds from the public treasury.

For that purpose, it is important to remember that the Brazilian Constitution states that no one shall be deprived of freedom or of his assets without the due process of law(Brazilian Federal Constitution, Article 5, LIV) and which ensure compliance, in the administrative proceeding, with the broad defence and the right to adversary proceeding (Brazilian Federal Constitution, Article 5, LV). Based on these provisions, it can be noted that the constitutional configuration attributed to the administrative proceeding, especially to the tax proceeding  which has the power to expropriate part of the property of taxpayers , is very similar to the legal proceeding.

It is probable that many of the current problems identified in the judgments rendered by the CARF would be resolved if the fundamental guarantees were actually complied with in practice.

For that purpose, it is crucial that the council members of the tax authorities and of the taxpayers, in the exercise of the duties as administrative judges, adopt some precautions in order to ensure impartiality in the judgments.

In exercising these duties, the CARF council members are there to judge and, accordingly, they should not act as defenders of the parties, who are already advised by prosecutors of the national treasury and by lawyers duly enrolled with the Brazilian Bar Association.

Regarding the position of the judge in the judgment, the opinion of jurists is that the judge, because of his duty of impartiality, is placed between the parties, but equidistant from them: if he hears one of them, he shall not fail to hear the other (...) Only by summing up the partiality of the parties (one representing the thesis, the other, the antithesis) the judge may embody the synthesis in a dialectic process. (Cintra, Grinover e Dinamarco, Teoria Geral do Processo, 30th Ed., page 74).

In our opinion, without going into the merits of the current structure of the body, we understand that isonomic treatment between the parties to the litigation is an essential condition to ensure impartiality.

Therefore, situations like those recently disclosed by the press, whereby a former council member provided his opinion during the judgment session of an appeal filed against an appellate decision to which this same former council member was the reporting judge at a lower court of the CARF itself only distances the court from its true purpose.

It cannot be supposed that any privileges granted to the national treasury in the administrative judgments could be justified by the alleged principle of supremacy of the public interest.

In fact, anyone who practices tax litigation  either in the administrative jurisdiction or in the judiciary  has certainly faced decisions and arguments of the tax authorities that seek to justify the maintenance of a given tax requirement based on the so-called principle of supremacy of the public interest.

However, the application of this principle could never justify any mitigation of the fundamental rights and guarantees, given that there should be no superior public interest than the respect for the constitutional rules and the democratic institutions.

When there is any type of favouritism to any of the parties, as mentioned above, the impartiality that characterises the due process is impaired.

In summary, the administrative proceeding is a condition of validity of the tax assessment. In turn, the validity of the administrative proceeding is indissociably conditioned to compliance with the due process. In this line, the Federal Supreme Court and the Superior Court of Appeals have repeatedly adopted the position of declaring the nullity of appellate decisions rendered in violation of the due process, such as, for example, in MS No. 11.766/DF and in RMS No. 26.029/DF, reported by Justice Carmen Lucia.

This article was written by Joao Marcos Colussi and Gabriel Mendes Goncalves Issa of Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados.

The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws.  2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ.

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Telegram, one of the more popular messaging platforms out there, was facing a longstanding lockout from Apple, which meant the app couldnt receive any updates.

It appears that blockout has been lifted. The app was updated today, June 1, with the majority of the new software designed to address the GDPR privacy measures. Telegrams CEO, Pavel Durov, issued a tweet earlier today that thanked Apple for allowing the company to send out the update.

Thank you @Apple and @tim_cook for letting us deliver the latest version of @telegram to millions of users, despite the recent setbacks.  Pavel Durov (@durov) June 1, 2018

As it stands right now, it is not known how Russias ban of the Telegram app played into the global ban of updates for the app across Apples ecosystem. As a quick refresher, back in April Russia asked Apple to remove Telegram from the App Store, because the Russian government had demanded Telegram to hand over encryption keys but the messaging platforms executives refused.

Later, it was revealed that Apple was blocking Telegram app updates across the globe. But, whatever needed to be worked out behind-the-scenes appears to have been worked out. At least for now. Either way, Telegram has received its first update in weeks, which makes it GDPR-compliant, which is good for the international app.

A link to download and install the app from the iOS App Store is available below. Its a free app.

Download
Apples opening keynote of WWDC 2018 is scheduled to kickstart in just a couple of days from now. The company will be unveiling the next major release of iOS along with that of macOS, tvOS, and watchOS at the event.

Apple is holding WWDC 2018 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. It has already started decorating the venue with the WWDC 2018 artwork.

For folks who will not be attending the event live, Apple will be live streaming it so that they can watch it from the comfort of their home (or office). The opening keynote is scheduled for 10 a.m. PDT on June 4, Monday. If you are wondering what this translates into your local timezone, check out the table below.

* = Adjusted for DST or summer time (63 places).

Mon = Monday, 4 June 2018 (120 places).

Tue = Tuesday, 5 June 2018 (23 places).

If you dont find your city on the list, then head over to TimeandDate to find out at what time the WWDC Keynote will start in your time zone. Make sure to check out our article below to know how you can watch the WWDC 2018 opening keynote live on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or even Windows device.

Read: How to Watch WWDC 2018 Keynote Live

As always, well be bringing live and exhaustive coverage of the event, so dont forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and RSS. Lets hope that Apple has some surprises in store for us which manages to impress us.
It was a party atmosphere in the west of Czech Republic on Saturday as Juventus VP Pavel Nedved and his son Pavel Jr. returned home to suit up for Czech side FK Skalna in celebration of the club's 100-year anniversary.

In the black and white that is so familiar, the 2003 Balon d'Or winner played at the spot where he took some of his first steps as a player along side his son. The final result was 1-4 in favor of Banik on a day that will never be forgotten.
ADEN, Yemen, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The pro-government Yemeni forces sent reinforcements and armored vehicles bracing for an all-out military offensive against the Shiite Houthi rebels in the port city of Hodeidah on Friday, an army commander told Xinhua.

After making gains in the ongoing fighting with the Iranian-backed Houthis in the western coastal areas, the government forces are now bracing to dislodge the rebels out from the strategic port and from the whole city of Hodeidah, the army commander said on condition of anonymity.

According to the army source, Yemeni soldiers trained and well-equipped by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arrived from the port city of Aden to support the pro-government forces positioned near Hodeidah's airport.

The soldiers accompanied by professional snipers will participate in the anti-Houthi military campaign aimed at seizing control over Hodeidah province in the next days, the source said.

Meanwhile, ferocious fighting continued between the Houthi rebels and the pro-government forces in areas located around Hodeidah amid intensified airstrikes by Saudi-led warplanes.

An officer told Xinhua by phone that more areas around Hodeidah were seized by the pro-government forces on Friday morning, as the Houthi rebels started to withdraw to other areas inside Hodeidah.

A local medical official told Xinhua several people including civilians were killed in Hodeidah's fighting and shelling during the past few hours.

Military analysts said that the battle for Hodeidah will not be easy as the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have stuffed thousands of landmines and explosives all around the city.

Backed by the UAE, the newly-recruited troops alongside with Southern Resistance battalions made significant advances last week and liberated Durayhmi district and other surrounding areas from Houthi fighters in Hodeidah.

The Iranian-backed Houthis vowed to fight tooth and nail to maintain their grip over the strategic port city and dispatched elite forces from Sanaa.

The Yemeni forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE continue in making advancement during the battles taking place with Houthis on Yemen's west coast near the port city of Hodeidah, a crucial import hub for humanitarian supplies.

Local Yemeni observers said that the Houthis are facing a mounting pressure and failed to prevent the government forces push in the Red Sea coast areas.

The Houthi rebels are losing their grip on the western provinces and their territory is shrinking daily.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014.

Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The United Nations has listed Yemen as having the world's number one humanitarian crisis, with 7 million Yemenis on the brink of famine and cholera causing more than 2,000 deaths.
LA PINE, Ore. (AP)  A mother in La Pine has been cited for child neglect after her 2-year-old son ate homemade marijuana-infused candy police say she left unattended.

Multiple news outlets report 27-year-old Katelynn Joy on Wednesday allegedly discovered a partially eaten candy while at home but waited several hours before calling authorities.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office says the symptoms of the apparent THC overdose worsened during that time.

The sheriff's office says deputies and paramedics responded to the home and found the child in apparent distress. The sheriff's office says the overdose seemed life threatening by the time he was taken to a Bend hospital.

Authorities say he since has been released from the hospital and is under Department of Human Services supervision. Joy was also cited for endangering the welfare of a minor.
CAVE JUNCTION, Ore. -- One person is dead and another injured after a hit-and-run on Highway 199 around 1:50 a.m. this morning. Oregon State Police says 31-year-old Corey Fletcher and 23-year-old Andrea Ayala were arguing while driving. That's when Fletcher lept from the vehicle while it was still in motion. The driver, Ayala, stopped the vehicle and went to a nearby home to call 911.

Ayala then returned to the scene, she claimed Fletcher was alert and she began assisting him back to their vehicle. That's when an unknown vehicle traveling north on the highway struck both Fletcher and Ayala.

Police say the driver stopped momentarily, then fled toward Cave Junction. Fletcher was pronounced dead at the scene and Ayala was taken to the hospital with injuries.

Troopers were responding to a reported disturbance in the area when they were informed a vehicle had possibly struck an individual related to the disturbance.

Oregon State Police is now asking for assistance in locating the hit-and-run vehicle. If you witnessed this incident or have any information, please contact OSP Southern Command Center at 541-474-3174 - case number SP 18-201309.
FILE- In this Monday, April 16, 2018 file photo, Benedict Cumberbatch waves to fans during Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War red carpet fan event in Singapore. Food-delivery firm Deliveroo has thanked Benedict Cumberbatch after the "Sherlock" star reportedly fought off muggers who were attacking a cyclist working for the company. Uber driver Manuel Dias told the Sun newspaper that he was driving Cumberbatch and his wife Sophie Hunter along London's Marylebone High Street when they saw a cyclist being hit with a bottle. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim, File)
The Chinese delegation to Shangri-La Dialogue, headed by Lieutenant-General He Lei (center), arrives at the forum in Singapore on Friday. Photo: VCG

The 17th Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), a multilateral platform on Asia-Pacific defense and security, kicked off Friday in Singapore. Some 600 delegates, including defense ministers and officials from 40 countries and regions gathered in tightly secured Shangri-La hotel for the three-day event.

This year's keynote speech by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pinned high hopes on cooperation with China.

"No other relationship of India has as many layers as our relations with China. Our trade is growing. I firmly believe that Asia and the world will have a better future if India and China work together with trust and confidence, keeping in mind each other's interests," Modi said.

The remarks were welcomed by Lieutenant-General He Lei, deputy head of the Academy of Military Sciences of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), who leads the Chinese delegation to this year's SLD.

He praised the remarks as a friendly and positive gesture when addressing media Friday night.

Modi's remarks sent a signal of goodwill toward improving China-India ties, which had been soured by a military standoff last year, Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of International Relations, told the Global Times on Friday.

Modi administration needs improved China-India ties to help it win more votes in next year's election, said Hu. Modi's remarks also create a friendly mood that will help India better engage in next week's summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

"The India factor is what makes this year's SLD different from previous ones," Zhao Xiaozhuo, a research fellow at the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

"The Indo-Pacific strategy, and the quasi-alliance between the US, Japan, India and Australia will not last long." Zhao said.

On Friday, He Lei held bilateral meetings with high-ranking officers from New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Australia and Vietnam and is expected to speak at Saturday's session on strategic implications of military development in the Asia-Pacific region.

The mission of the Chinese delegation is to elaborate China's foreign diplomacy and its defensive defense strategy, as well as to show the confident image of China's military, said He.

From Washington's labeling Beijing a rival power in its National Security Strategy, to trade spats and Trump's withdrawal of China's invitation to participate in naval exercises, Sino-US relations have witnessed major changes which will be highlighted at this year's SLD.

Liu Lin, a research fellow at the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, acknowledged there have been twists and turns in Beijing-Washington ties during Trump's term, but added that the countries "should not lose control or descend into confrontation, and the two countries have reached consensus on this."

She told the Global Times that China and the US should take advantage of the SLD to deepen mutual trust and take concrete measures to ensure the smooth development of ties.

The anticipated summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which could take place on June 12 in Singapore, is another highlight of the SLD, which has allocated 90 minutes to discussion on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula on Saturday morning.

"Washington-Pyongyang interactions are unlikely to return to the previous mode that featured exchanges of threats," Zhao said. He believes that all countries look forward to the denuclearization on the peninsula as well as Washington's goodwill toward Pyongyang, but added an escalation of tensions could reoccur given the unpredictability of Trump.

"The military should be prepared for any emergency. China is happy to see peace on the Korean Peninsula, but has made full preparations for all possibilities and has the capability to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control," said Zhao.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, center, leaves his hotel in Beijing, Saturday, June 2, 2018. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has arrived in Beijing for talks on China's promise to buy more American goods after Washington revived tensions by renewing its threat of tariff hikes on Chinese high-tech exports. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Kashmiri women grieve near the body of Qaiser Amin Bhat, during his funeral in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir Saturday fired shotgun pellets and tear gas at hundreds of mourners in the disputed region's main city as they carried the body of a young man killed the other day after a paramilitary vehicle run over him, police and residents said. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, June 2, 2018. Al-Moallem said Iranian military advisers are embedded with Syrian troops but Tehran has no combat forces or fixed bases in the country. (SANA via AP)
BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- China here on Saturday expressed the hope and support for efforts by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States to meet each other halfway.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that the Chinese side hopes and supports the DPRK and the United States to actively push forward preparations for their coming summit.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will meet with leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled after recent twists and turns.

The DPRK and the United States have recently made positive progress on the summit, an important step to solving the Korean Peninsula issue politically. The Chinese side is "happy" for that, said Hua.

Hua reiterated that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a rare historical juncture. The summit between the DPRK and the United States is crucial to denuclearization and lasting peace on the peninsula.

She said that China expects the DPRK and the United States to reach an outcome that both sides and the international community want, so as to open a new era of denuclearization, peace and prosperity.
Seoul police applied for an arrest warrant for Lee Myung-hee on seven charges including assaulting staff and obstruction of business. The charges stem from video footage showing Lee assaulting a worker at a Korean Air construction site in 2014, plus testimony from victims claiming that she threw scissors at a maid in her home and kicked a chauffeur.

Police on Thursday sought an arrest warrant for Korean Air chairman Cho Yang-ho's wife on assault and other charges, while prosecutors raided the headquarters of the airline over alleged tax evasion and breach of duty.

A police spokesman said, "We decided to seek an arrest warrant, because she continues to deny the charges and pressure victims to reach a settlement, raising concerns that she will try to destroy evidence."

Police questioned Lee twice last month and interviewed around 170 witnesses, concluding that at least 11 people have fallen victim to her ungovernable rages.

Meanwhile, prosecutors raided Korean Air headquarters on suspicion that the chairman evaded taxes, embezzled company funds and breached his duties.

The raid came after prosecutors tracked suspicious transfers of money from bank accounts held by the Cho family and said they are looking for possible slush funds.

Cho's two daughters and son are also being probed by the Korea Customs Service and Ministry of Education. The two daughters, Hyun-ah and Hyun-min, are being investigated on charges of smuggling, while the son, Korean Air president Cho Won-tae, is alleged to have illicitly transferred to Inha University from a nondescript two-year college in the U.S. in 1998.

Cho Hyun-min also faces charges for assaulting staff in a scandal that points to congenital anger-management problems and a medieval sense of entitlement in the family, which runs the publicly traded Hanjin Group like a private fiefdom.


U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday met for 80 minutes in the Oval Office with a general he described as the second most powerful man in North Korea. Afterward, Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn that the June 12 summit in Singapore between him and North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, was back on. Trump, however, sought to quell some of the high expectations, saying the summit would "be a beginning" and subsequent discussions were likely to be needed to get Pyongyang to agree to denuclearization. "We're not going to go in and sign something on June 12th, and we never were," he said. "We're going to start a process." Trump declared he "never said it happens in one meeting," but that it "will ultimately be a successful process." Asked by VOA News whether the North Koreans had committed to complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization, Trump replied only that "we talked about a lot of things."



President Donald Trump, accompanied by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) speaks to reporters on the South Lawn outside the Oval Office in Washington on June 1, 2018, after meeting with former North Korean military intelligence chief Kim Yong-chol. /AP

 'Take Your Time' The president said he told Kim Yong-chol, the former head of North Korean military intelligence, "Take your time. We can go fast. We can go slowly." The president made clear that sanctions on North Korea would not be lifted, however, until the country agreed to give up its nuclear arsenal. As the negotiations over the Singapore summit play out in public, there is a sense among some observers that Trump and Kim Jong-un each have a clear sense of the deal they ultimately want to strike. Less clear is whether the U.S. and North Korean visions can match up in any meaningful way. "Singapore might be the first time people will have to put their cards on the table," a U.S. official said on the condition of anonymity. Upon his arrival Friday at the White House, Kim Yong-chol, who is under U.S. sanctions for links to cyberattacks against American companies, delivered a letter from Kim Jong-un. While Trump did not reveal the contents, he described the gesture as "very nice." Kim Yong-chol was then escorted to the Oval Office by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Trump, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo standing alongside, answered questions from a pool of reporters, including VOA, for about 15 minutes after he saw off the North Korean general.

President Donald Trump talks with Kim Yong-chol, former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong-un's closest aides, as they walk from their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on June 1, 2018. /AP

 Human Rights Discussion Trump was also asked if human rights was discussed on Friday. "We did not talk about human rights," Trump replied, but added that on June 12, "I think we probably will." North Korea's human rights record is considered among the worst in the world. Trump marveled at the apparent progress he has made with the Asian nation, considered by the U.S. military to be the biggest immediate security threat to the United States. North Korea is estimated to have more than a dozen nuclear weapons and has been quickly advancing its development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. "I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore," Trump told reporters, referring to his administrations sanctions campaign against North Korea. "Can you believe we're talking about ending the Korean War?" Trump asked reporters, adding that a peace treaty is "something that could come out of the meeting." The two Koreas, with China siding with the North and the United States allied with the South, have technically remained at war since 1950 despite a 1953 armistice. But the U.S. intelligence community has been more cautious all along. In its most recent Worldwide Threat Assessment issued in February, it said it doubted North Korea was willing to give up its fledgling nuclear arsenal. "Pyongyang's commitment to possessing nuclear weapons and fielding capable long-range missiles, all while repeatedly stating that nuclear weapons are the basis for its survival, suggests that the regime does not intend to negotiate them away," the report said. The U.S. president said that after relations were normalized with Pyongyang, China, South Korea and Japan were "going to help a lot" in building the economy of North Korea, which is ranked as the poorest country in Asia. Only one other senior North Korean official is known to have visited the White House. That was Vice Marshal Jo Myong-rok, who delivered a letter from then-leader Kim Jong-il to President Bill Clinton in late 2000. But that peace effort collapsed soon afterward with the election of George W. Bush, who as president cut off contacts with the North Koreans.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Court of Appeals has upheld a $409 million jury verdict against BP, the oil and gas-producing giant, for misleading gas station customers by tacking on a 35-cent debit card fee to their purchases without proper notice.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that the court Thursday upheld a Multnomah County Circuit Court ruling from 2014. The Circuit Court ruled that BP must pay the money to more than 2 million individual customers who bought gas in Oregon from ARCO and am/pm stations using their debit cards over nearly three years from 2011 to 2013.

The Appeals Court said the stations were independently operated, but beholden to follow rules handed down by BP.

Attorneys for BP have said the fee was clearly advertised and that the company wasn't misleading customers.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The part-owner of multiple Oregon medical marijuana dispensaries has pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor counts of willfully failing to file income tax returns.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that Matthew Price, part-owner and operator of Portland and Eugene Cannabliss dispensaries, acknowledged in court that he didn't file individual tax returns from 2011 through 2014 for income received from the operation of the dispensaries.

Prosecutors say the offense resulted in a tax loss of nearly $263,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Uram says the government will seek a sentence of one year and one day, which would allow Price to earn credit for good time and likely face less than a year behind bars.

Price's lawyer Whitney Boise said he'll argue for a probationary sentence.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Police are investigating a bomb threat that temporarily shut down the post offices on Gateway Street in Springfield and Willamette Street in downtown Eugene.

Springfield Police Lt. Scott McKee said the threat was intended for the Eugene location. However, all calls go through the Springfield distribution center and the call was received there.

As a precaution, McKee said both locations were evacuated. Police also used social media to ask people to avoid the area.

Shortly before 3 p.m., a specially trained dog was brought in to search for explosives but found nothing.

Just a few minutes after 3 p.m., employees at the Springfield location were allowed back inside and customers were allowed inside a short time later.

Eugene police were notified of the bomb threat at 2:10 p.m. when they received a call from the U.S. Post Office at 520 Willamette Street in downtown Eugene. The building was evacuated and the Metro Explosives Disposal Unit responded. The unit will continue checking the building to ensure it is safe.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Students at Holt Elementary got up close and personal with a Black Hawk helicopter from the Oregon National Guard, which landed near the school's parking lot Friday morning. It was all part of the school's Military Appreciation Day.

One class at a time the young students, many dressed in red, white and blue, got to sit in the driver seat and meet with the crew. School leaders said the opportunity not only allows the students to give thanks to the armed services but also learn about jobs they could have when they grow up.

"We have a female pilot today. It's really, really important to me that our girls who will grow up to be women understand all of their options, said Holt Elementary Principal Joyce Smith-Johnson. This is also a medical unit, and so they are talking to them about careers in the medical field so it's a really nice opportunity to expand and talk about things we can do.

The students also spent the week doing art projects honoring military members in their family and learned the national anthem.
DRAIN, Ore. -- The whooping cough outbreaks schools in Lane County have been experiencing have spread to Douglas County.

North Douglas Elementary School in Drain announced an outbreak on Friday after having two confirmed cases in the last month.

One mom KEZI talked to, Mary Guyer, said she thinks her son could be a third confirmed case.

When these outbreaks happen, students who haven't been immunized are required to stay out of school for three weeks after their last exposure.

There are 14 students at North Douglas Elementary who couldn't go to school as of Friday.

Guyer said she took her son to the doctor on Thursday and was told he likely has whooping cough.

She said shes frustrated that this has happened, possibly exposing her three other kids to the sickness.

I do get frustrated when parents choose to opt-out and dont take extra precautions to make sure that their kids, if they are sick, to keep them out of school where theres potential of an outbreak like this. It gets expensive for parents, Guyer said.

She said the doctor told her they should have the lab results from Seattle by Monday.

These recent outbreaks started in Lane County in April at Sheldon High School in Eugene.

There are now 131 confirmed cases affecting 31 different schools.
SAGINAW, Ore. -- Health officials are warning about possible dangers from debris from the Whitsell mill fire in Saginaw. Employees at the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency are concerned the ash and debris could contain asbestos.

They've collected samples that have tested negative for asbestos, but they can't guarantee all of the ash will be safe. They're warning residents who live south and southwest of the fire, in the direct line of the smoke, to use caution when handling the debris.

It's an older building, and we want to be cautious, said Jo Niehaus of the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency. There could be asbestos in some of the debris. That's why we went ahead and tested some of the samples. We are really happy to see the samples came back negative, but at the same time, we can't be 100 percent sure that 100 percent of the materials are free from asbestos."

If you see debris, wet down the material to make sure fibers don't break off and become airborne, officials say. Wear gloves and place debris into plastic bags. Then, double bag it and throw it in the trash.

The fire destroyed the Saginaw mill Sunday night, doing millions of dollars in damage. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP)  A central Iowa sheriff who asked one of his deputies to ticket him has pleaded guilty to a traffic violation.

The Messenger reports that Webster County Sheriff Jim Stubbs entered the plea in court Thursday to illegally driving an all-terrain vehicle on a highway.

Stubbs says he was heading for some family property a couple weeks ago when he turned onto U.S. Highway 169 for a brief stretch. He soon remembered that he could legally drive the ATV on county roads but not along highways.

He came upon the deputy who'd pulled off the highway and requested a ticket.

Stubbs says he wants to ensure "everyone's equal as far as the Sheriff's Department is concerned, and that includes me."

Magistrate William Thatcher commended Stubbs' honesty and fined him $132.50.
U.S. news reports said Friday that the State Department was expected to change its policy later this month for some visas issued to Chinese students.

The Associated Press reported this week that under the new policy, U.S. consular officers may limit how long visas are valid for Chinese students, rather than the usual practice of issuing them for the maximum possible length.

When contacted by Voice of America, State Department spokesman Richard Buangan, offered no details about the reported changes, but said, "All visa cases are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis according to U.S. law and applicable regulations."

"As always, although the majority of visa applicants receive full validity visas, consular officers have the right to limit visas as appropriate for the specific case," he said.


ROCHESTER, Minn.  A duo accused of stealing from a womans home while she was in the hospital giving birth are pleading guilty.

Jessi Fern Adams and Jason Ashley Richards, both 35 of Rochester, were arrested on March 8 after the woman came home from the hospital and called police. The woman told officers that video cameras at her home captured Adams, a neighbor, and Richards using a spare key to get inside. She said jewelry, a laptop computer, and a cell phone were stolen.



Jason Richards Jason Richards

Adams is now pleading guilty to two counts of 3rd degree burglary and Richards has entered a guilty plea to one count of the same charge.

Adams is due to be sentenced on July 16 and Richards sentencing is set for July 23.
CHARLES CITY, Iowa - Beginning the week of June 25th, Floyd County residents and business owners will see door-to-door inspections of all properties.

Data collectors from Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. of Cedar Rapids will be working on behalf of the Floyd County Assessors Office, inspecting all residential, commercial and industrial properties until the end of 2019.

If you're concerned about identifying the appraisors, don't worry; collectors will have a photo I.D. signed by county assessor Gary Vander Werf, and if a child is home, they won't enter without a parent or guardian present.

Diane Winter, who lives in rural Floyd County, says having these safe guards in place is a great idea.

"I love the fact that they're at least telling us about it and that they're starting to warn. They gave out pictures. It just makes you a little more secure when the person shows up, that you've at least seen something about it," Winter says.

If you have questions about the project, you're asked to contact the Floyd County Assessor's Office at 641-257-6152 or gvanderwerf@floydcoia.org.
MASON CITY, Iowa - Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was in Mason City and Clear Lake Friday evening as part of her 'Tour to Tell the

Iowa Story'.

Though originally scheduled to appear at the Farmer's Market in Mason City, Reynolds' team relocated to Jitters Coffee Bar to accomodate her schedule and the media.

Before the Governor's visit to North Iowa, a Polk County judge blocked the implementation of the Fetal Heartbeat Bill, which would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually within 6 weeks. Reynolds signed the bill into law early last month.

Despite the move, she has no regrets signing it into law.

"I said as Governor that I would do everything I can to protect the innocent and unborn, and I think it's immoral to stop a beating heart. If death is determined when a heart stops beating, then I think a beating heart indicates life. So I was proud that I was able to sign that," Reynolds says.

The Governor will head to Ft. Dodge Saturday morning, followed by stops in Urbandale, Red Oak and Council Bluffs.
Tashi Wangchuk Tenzing Sherpa was an eighth-grader when he began accompanying his sexagenarian grandfather (mother Pem Pems father) as he trekked to the Everest Base Camp along with many foreign climbers. He was just a baaje (granddad) for Tashi; but this carefree teen used to wonder why other people in the trekking group would give the old man the highest possible love and respect.

Gradually, Tashi recognised that he was not any other grandpa as his mother told him stories about struggles and successes of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first person to climb Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, 12 years before Tashis birth.

My baaje was already a hero for the world. Later, when I learned about what sorrows and sufferings he faced in his life and how he coped with them just to keep his family happy, I could not control myself from bursting into tears, he shares, This is how he became my biggest hero and truest inspiration.

As the world commemorated the 65th anniversary of the first successful summit of Mount Everest earlier this week (on May 29), Tashi, the heir apparent of Tenzing Norgays legacy, feels that his granddads contribution to Nepals fame in the world is not only unprecedented but imperishable too.

Who was Norgay?

Tashi later learned that Tenzing Norgay, born in the Khumbu region of Nepal in the bosom of Mount Everest in 1914, migrated to Darjeeling of India at the age of 18.

Living in Solukhumbu was too tough then. No crop would grow except potatoes, and that would also be insufficient, he recounts what he came to know from his mother, Nepal did not open the door of its mountains to foreign climbers until 1951; therefore Sherpas there would not find any job. Later they came to know that mountaineering activities were thriving in Tibet and began migrating to Darjeeling so they could find jobs to assist expeditions from there.

According to him, just a handful of families continued to stay in Khumbu region as just around five to 10 houses were there in Namche Bazaar then. On the other hand, Nepali Sherpas had established their own village named Tungsung in Darjeeling, which other people would call Zigzag Road.

Tenzing Norgay also joined multiple foreign expeditions to Everest from the Tibetan side after he migrated to Darjeeling. It took him around 20 more years to conquer the top of the world as a part of the British expedition. Though all members of the big team could not reach the peak, two persons including Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hilary set the world record by successfully climbing Everest, for the first time in history.

Why was it important for Nepal?

My baajes record is not only the first, it will last forever as there will not be the third person (after Tenzing Norgay and Hilary) to climb Everest as the first climber, Tashi proudly shares, This event is not only important for his personal fame, but for the overall identify of Nepal. You know there were many people who never heard of Nepal by then, but came to know that a Nepali Sherpa successfully climbed Mount Everest.

Tashis claim does not amount to exaggeration, at least for one reason: even today, there are thousands of people in the world who have not heard Nepal, but know that Mount Everest is the highest peak of the world.

Therefore, Tashi thinks that Nepal government should officially celebrate May 29 as the Everest Day or Tenzing Norgay Day. Whereas the government has recently trimmed its public holiday list, he even demands that the state declare the day as a public holiday and organise a multitude of activities from local to international level.

I wish the government took some serious initiatives to acknowledge my grandfathers contribution. From my side, I will also continue my efforts to keep his name bright and shining as much as I can.

Many records have been made on Everest after my granddads ascent; but most of them have already been broken and forgotten, he says, This is the only record on Everest that cannot be broken and a Nepali holds it. No one should forget this.

But, was he a Nepali citizen?

Sometimes Tashi gets irritated with comments that the Nepal government does not owe any tribute to Tenzing Norgay as he was an Indian citizen. He, however, thinks that this controversy is useless.

If you really understand history, you will know that my baaje went to Darjeeling just to save his life and family. Because his relatives were also living there, he built his house there and acquired Indian citizenship, he clarifies, It was not only Tenzing Norgay, but thousands of people from hills of Nepal had not acquired citizenship certificates as they did not need them. So no one should go after the fact that he did not have a Nepali citizenship.

Given that he put the flag of Nepal on the top of the world, please tell me why citizenship is still an issue, he questions and proposes an alternative solution, though it is just a fantasy now, After the summit too, he used to frequently come to Kathmandu. If our government had really wanted it, it could have convinced him to stay in Nepal; he could have changed the decision. This is what India and its Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did for our granddad.

Tashi claims that Tenzing Norgay had passports from both Nepal and India when he visited British Queen Elizabeth II after the summit.

Further, if the Nepali leadership really wished to own Tenzing Norgays contribution, it could have given the honorary citizenship to him, he suggests. If Edmund Hilary got the honorary citizenship of Nepal, there is no question that Tenzing Norgay cannot be a Nepali.

Bureaucrats here should have explored options to own and cash in on his contribution, but in fact they just tried to find how he can be made a non-Nepali, Tashi sounds quite emotional as he wraps up the talk about citizenship debate, Your love to your motherland comes from your heart and soul, not from a piece of paper called citizenship. We should be proud to regard Tenzing Norgay as a Nepali.

However, Tashi is happy that Tenzing Norgay has been conferred the Nepal Tara, one of the most prestigious medals awarded by the government of Nepal. So far, only two persons including Tenzing Norgay and first Nepali woman Everest climber Pasang Lhamu Sherpa have received this recognition.

So, what more is needed?

Recognising Tenzing Norgay as a Nepali is just one side of the story. Tashi thinks that there are many things that the government needs to do so as to give a due respect to his contribution.

Whereas Everest itself is a goddess for the Sherpa people, it is a priceless gift the god sent to Nepal and its people. It has to be conserved, respectfully.

By respect to the goddess, Tashi means that haphazard climbing activities should be controlled on Everest. For example, some climbers have recently used helicopters and drones to reach upper camps before climbing. It has to be stopped. Climbing means climbing; you have to walk on your foot from the very bottom, views the three-time Everest summitter.

Likewise, he suggests that the mountain should be kept clean. As the Nepal government collects hefty fees from the climbers, it should be able to offer clean environment to them. For that, strict policies and rules should be adopted and they have to be effectively implemented, according to him.

Last year, I was in North America to summit Mount Denali and they did not let us throw anything in the region. There were no coolies, no Sherpas; we had to carry all the bags on our own. We had to clean up everything, he remembers, This is what real mountaineering is. This is real adventure and fun.



Tenzing Norgay died when Tashi was 21. He was a Bachelors in Arts student at Delhi University and the final year examinations were ongoing when the baaje was in his deathbed in Darjeeling. Tashi could not see Tenzing Norgay on his last days. Perhaps, this is why he always felt that the legendary mountaineers some wishes could not be fulfilled.

He had a wish to visit Chitral, where his first wife and my grandmother died, and I had told him that I would give him company, Tashi remembers, I could never go to Chitral. I could never give him company sufficiently as long as he lived.

Perhaps this failure inspired him to take over the role as his successor, and make the towering figures personality even taller.

History does not repeat itself. That is why I will work to keep the history alive.
Hurricane Season, severe weather preparation tips





Severe weather emergency kit recommended by Weather Station Advisor



NASHVILLE  June 1 marks the beginning of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is advising Volunteer State residents how they can prepare and protect themselves before and after severe weather.



2017 saw a record-shattering amount of damage caused by 17 named storms. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma blasted the U.S. and left damages estimated at over $280 billion. It was the costliest hurricane season on record. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has reported that this years Atlantic Hurricane season will be near- or above-normal. Its crucial that Tennesseans not only know how to prepare for a storm, but also know what to do after disaster strikes.



Theres no way to stop severe weather but Tennessee residents can take steps now to be better prepared for it, said TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. I urge Tennesseans to check their homeowners policies, keep an emergency kit, and create a home inventory in the event that severe weather strikes.



TDCI and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) share the following tips to help your family prepare for severe weather:



 Create an emergency kit that includes bottled water, a first aid kit, flashlights, a battery-powered radio, non-perishable food items, blankets, clothing, prescription medications, eyeglasses, personal hygiene supplies, and a small amount of cash.

 Identify storm shelters available to you and your family. Prepare an evacuation plan and choose two meeting places: one right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency (like a fire), and one outside your neighborhood in case you cant return home.

 Reevaluate your existing homeowners policy at least once a year to ensure your policy provides adequate protection for your needs. It is important to note that traditional homeowners policies do not cover floods, so if you are at risk, you will need additional coverage.

 The majority of Tennessee homeowners are not covered by flood insurance. You can only purchase flood insurance through an insurance agent or an insurer participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). If you are in need of an agent that sells flood insurance, you can contact the NFIP Referral Call Center at 1-800-427-4661.

 Take steps to mitigate some of the potential damage to your home from natural disasters. Begin with a survey of your home and the area around your home to identify objects like yard debris that could compound damage to your home in high winds or under threat of wildfire.

 If you need to evacuate your home, turn off all utilities and disconnect appliances to reduce the chance of additional damage and electrical shock when utilities are restored.

 Keep a readily available list of 24-hour contact information for your insurance agent and insurance company. Make a list that includes your policy numbers, your insurance company and insurance agent's phone numbers, website addresses and mailing addresses. Also, check to see if the company or your agent has set up an emergency information hotline in case of storm damage. It is a good idea to store this information, and a home inventory, in a waterproof/fireproof safe or a safety deposit box.

 Create a home inventory. This can be invaluable when deciding what coverage options are right for you and your family.

 NAIC offers disaster prep guides for floods, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes.



If you are affected by a disaster:



 File your claim as soon as possible. Call your insurance company or agent with your policy number and other relevant information. You policy may require that you make the notification within a certain time frame.

 Cooperate fully with the insurance company. Ask what documents, forms, and data you will need to file a claim. Keep a journal of all conversations with insurance companies, creditors, and relief agencies.

 Be certain to give your insurance company all the information they need. Incorrect or incomplete information will only cause a delay in processing your claim.

 If your home is damaged to the extent that you cannot live there, ask your insurance company if you have coverage for additional living expenses.

 Take photographs/video of any damage.

 Make the repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your property (cover broken windows, leaking roofs and damaged walls). Dont have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement on the cost of repairs. Be prepared to provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made prior to the damage.

 If you are dealing with a company or person who promises to remove debris from your property, ask them to list the services they will provide in writing. Do not make the final payment until you have inspected the job and are happy with it. Check around for prices to make sure you are not overcharged.

 Maintain any damaged personal property for the adjuster to inspect.

 Ask the adjuster for an itemized explanation of the claim settlement offer.

 Save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs covered by your policy.

 Be wary of price gougers. Look for sudden dramatic increases in prices for necessities (such as gas, food, ice, water, other fuel, generators, and lodging) right before, during, or after a natural disaster. Keep a record of your transaction and record as many details as possible such as the location of the merchant, the date and time of your purchase, the method of payment, the price of the item in days prior to the sudden price increase, and the price you paid. You can report price gouging here.

 To file a complaint, visit www.tn.gov or call (800) 342-4029 or (615) 741-2218.

Published June 1, 2018














Despite being a student of geomatics, Pratichhya Sharma from Pokhara never thought how modern computer and mobile technologies embedded ideas of her science so that it could be available to everyone. She, of course, would use maps available on various websites whenever she would visit different places, but apparently had taken them for granted.

It was the story till 2016 March. Now, two years down the line, a student of Pashchimanchal Campus under the Tribhuvan University Institute of Engineering, Sharma is busy for around two hours a day mapping different places of Nepal and the world, that too voluntarily.

This transformation in Sharmas life perhaps is parallel to how digital mapping evolved in Nepal over these years.

Paradigm shift

Remember a time you had to visit some relatives place or any office around 10 years agoyou find a landline phone number, call them before you leave your home, ask for directions and exact location, reach somewhere nearby, ask people around, if they cannot give you any hint call your host again, confirm the place and go in.

Now, imagine yourself in the same situation todayyou have a map on your mobile phone, you search the place on the map, you find the exact location, the map shows you the direction with estimated time and available modes of transportation, you follow the route, the map pinpoints the location (the exact building) and you go in.

So, whats the difference? The amounts of time, energy and resources you spend in these two examples are of course very much dissimilar. But, the two situations are basically different in one respect only: your access to digital maps.

People often fail to take notice of it as maps, easily available on multiple websites and mobile phones, are taken for granted. Its there already when you buy your new phone. Just download the app and you have the map.

However, the task of mapping is way more difficult than searching a particular location on your device. Digital mapping is a very complex process. Millions of people like Sharma are involved in the process.

Youth in mapping

Sharma contributes to the Open Street Map, a digital map operated by the international organisation with the same name. (It is different from Google Mapsthe differences will be discussed later.)

Sharmas contribution to Open Street Map for the coverage of Nepal is second biggest. The top contributor is Shree Krishna Adhikari, Sharmas junior at the Campus. Since January 25 this year, he has created 2,131 changesets and 630,606 map changes on the Open Street Map (These are technical units used to measure contribution of mappers on the OSM). Besides Nepal, he has also mapped locations of Tanzania, Congo and South Africa among others.

For this 23-year-old youth, who has been migrated to Pokhara from his house in Kavre for the studies, mapping in the traditional paper format would only be a set of technical information difficult to read for laymen. However, digital mapping is a perfect mirror to society, according to him.

Sharma and Adhikari were introduced to mapping by a nonprofit company called Kathmandu Living Labs. The organisation hosts different sorts of training courses at multiple levels and interested youth can continue mapping after the training.

Sharma was a participant of the first edition of Digital Internship and Leadership training in 2016 whereas Adhikari is a member of the second cohort hosted in 2017. According to KLLs Pradip Khatiwada, total 30 people like the duo are volunteering for mapping Nepal on Open Street Map.

In fact, Khatiwada himself is a live example of new generations interest in mapping. An active social campaigner, Khatiwadas interest in mapping grew up, after observing how security officials used maps in their rescue efforts in the 2015 earthquake and joined the KLL team with a responsibility to coordinate among youth for its training and other events. He is also the fifth biggest contributor to Open Street Map for data of Nepal.

Khatiwada says he was a social science student and knew nothing about maps; highlighting that everyone could be a mapper if they really had a wish.

The other side of globe

Open Street Map is not the single type of digital mapping. More common than the OSM is Google Maps, a service offered by Google.

Differences between the two services are not apparent for users in general except in the design and appearance. However, in a closer look, the major difference is all about wideness vs openness.

Google (.com) is a for-profit private company whereas Open Street Map (.org) is a nonprofit organisation. You cannot easily edit Google Maps though you can suggest changes. Open Street Map is open to read and writeyou can not only download and use it, you also can point places you have visited and edit the data which are already there. Google Maps has limited offline use scope whereas you can have a full-fledged access to Open Street Map once you download it on your device.

For users, both have their own pros and cons. Because Google might have mobilised more resources to collect data, its coverage is wider than Open Street Map. The second, however, has data for limited places; but wherever they have data from, they are so detailed, even more detailed than Google. For example, if you check any location of Kathmandu city area on Open Street Map, it shows you exact block number and the name of alley or road.

No data is easily available on who or which companies work to update Google Maps in Nepal. According to Prijun Koirala, a member of Local Guide Nepal, a loose network of people involved in updating Google Maps and other information for Google in Nepal, three are 200 to 300 contributors like him in the country.

But, you as an individual can also approach Google and get an authority to contribute, he says, hinting there can be some other individuals who are contributing to Google, but not yet in contact with the network.

On the other hand, Open Street Map believes in the philosophy that everybody is a mapper, hence exactly figuring out who contributes to it is quite tough.

Of course, everybody can edit the map, Nama Raj Budhathoki, Executive Director of the KLL, says But, we have a global community of around 500,000 persons who constantly monitor the changes made and ensure that the data are truthful.

Budhathokis company is not restricted to mapping only. In fact, the company cannot survive on mapping as it is one of the least lucrative tasks the company does. However, it is our flagship project and we will continue even if we do not earn a single penny, he says.

Open data and mapping

Budhathoki is a pioneer of open data movement in Nepal. Open Street Map is one of the most evident and successful examples of global open data system, he says, This technology cashes on in the frustration people had with traditional mapping as traditional maps were not much user friendly and they could not have been updated.

Open Street Map believes in French philosopher and media scholar Pierre Levys idea that no one knows everything, but everyone knows something. For us, everybody is a mapper as they can map their locality better than any scholar from other places, Budhathoki shares, Our company is supporting the movement of Open Street Map to integrate local knowledge for benefits of everyone in the world.

Whereas openness is the unique selling point for Open Street Map, pro-Google people might question the reliability of data for the same reason. It is like Wikipedia, you can refer to it to know the basics, but cannot entirely rely on for authenticity, according to Koirala. Therefore, he thinks most business companies and members of the public use Google Maps, whereas people in social campaigning including those who work for national and non-governmental organisations work use Open Street Map just because it is open.

Open Street Map introduces itself as a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open licence. Actually, authentic maps should have been developed and upgraded by governments for the use of their citizens, but governments in developing countries like Nepal have fewer resources so that such open maps are more necessary here, according to Budhathoki.

But, the irony is that it is difficult to make people realise the importance of mapping in their everyday lives. However, after the devastating earthquake in April 2015, both people and the government are gradually learning why they need maps in their life.

Mapping for democracy and development

For Budhathoki, mapping is an effective tool to strengthen democracy. It is very apparent that maps are a key form of information they people need in everyday life and having an access to them to create, update and use is very important for peoples rule to thrive.

It is common people like you and me who face problems and who are forced to waste their money, time and resources if we do not have maps, he explains, The rich ride cars and they can survive when they know about few big streets. His claim suggests that the gap between walking class and riding class in Nepal is as wide as the one between the working and the ruling classes. And, it is the walking class who needs a map the most.

Further, it is an essential foundation for the journey towards development and prosperity. Whereas politicians make tall promises about elevating Nepal to the status of a prosperous country, Budhathoki says their talks cannot yield any fruit.

For development, you have to work. To work, you need to know the directions clearly. If you do not have maps, you get struck in confusion on where and how to move ahead. But if you have maps, you know your direction so that you can clearly go ahead, Budhathokis statement perhaps has multiple layers. The clarity and confusion he speaks of are not only about physical direction but also about our thought systems too.

It seems the country is, slowly but gradually, heading towards clarity from confusion. Budhathoki also feels the same as his company has been frequently asked by government bodies from central to local levels to help them develop maps and other software that ensure better service delivery. It has launched a grand project named Prepare Pokhara in association with Pokhara Metropolitan City in Kaski whereas agreements have been signed with Nilkantha Municipality of Dhading and Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City of Banke.

Our campaign is not only for mapping, we are advocating for open local governance, participation and democracy, Buthathoki says, But, at the foundation is peoples access to data and it is possible only when there are maps.

Perhaps, youth like Khatiwada, Adhikari and Sharma have rightly understood it. I cannot contribute money or anything else to my society, but if I contribute to mapping, I at least make an attempt to save the life of people during disasters, Adhikari says, adding he also volunteered to map affected locations during a recent Ebola epidemic in many African countries.

In overall, mapping is essential to development planning, he explains, Planners sit around the table and plan for development: making railways and highways. It is possible only due to mappers like us.
/ REUTERS



U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday urged China on Monday to maintain a secure border with North Korea, pressing Beijing ahead of his anticipated meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month aimed at denuclearization.



"China must continue to be strong & tight on the Border of North Korea until a deal is made. The word is that recently the Border has become much more porous and more has been filtering in. I want this to happen, and North Korea to be VERY successful, but only after signing!" Trump tweeted.



He did not elaborate on the significance of the North Korea-China border issue in any deal that might be reached on denuclearization. Trump has said his meeting with Kim will take place on June 12 in Singapore. China is North Korea's most important trading partner and it has consistently said it is fully enforcing U.N. sanctions against the North.



Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China had always fulfilled its international obligations, but that as friendly neighbors they, of course, had what he termed normal trading ties.



"There is absolutely no inevitable contradiction between these two," Lu told reporters.

North Korea last week threatened to scrap the summit with Trump if Washington continued to press for unilateral denuclearization.



In response, Trump said that as far as he knew, the meeting was still on track and sought to placate Kim by saying the North Korean leader would be protected as part of any deal.



Last week, Trump told reporters at the White House that the Kim was possibly being influenced by China after two recent visits he made there. (REUTERS)






After a week of hard-nosed negotiation, diplomatic gamesmanship and no shortage of theatrics, President Donald Trump has announced that the historic nuclear-weapons summit he had canceled with North Korea's Kim Jong-un is back on.

The June 12 meeting in Singapore, the first between heads of the technically still-warring nations, is meant to begin the process of ending North Korea's nuclear program, and Trump said he believes Kim is committed to that goal. The announcement puts back on track a high-risk summit that could be a legacy-defining moment for the American leader, who has matched his unconventional deal-making style with the mercurial Kim government.

Despite recently envisioning Nobel laurels, Trump worked on Friday to lower expectations for a quick breakthrough.

''We're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process,'' Trump said. He spoke from the South Lawn of the White House after seeing off a senior Kim deputy who spent more than an hour with him in the Oval Office. Much had been made of a letter his visitor was bringing from the North Korean leader, but Trump's comments left it unclear when he had even managed to take a look at it.

The president said it was likely that more than a single meeting would be necessary to bring about his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. He said, ''I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end, not from one meeting.''





President Donald J. Trump is presented with a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on June 1, 2018, by North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC. White House Photo by Shealah Craighead



In the latest sign of hostility cooling down but hopes kept in check, Trump said he had unilaterally put a hold on hundreds of new sanctions against the North, without Kim's government even asking. ''I'm not going to put them on until such time as the talks break down,'' he said.

''I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore,'' Trump added, referencing his preferred term for the punishing U.S. economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in response to its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. But he said he would not remove current sanctions until the North took steps to denuclearize.

Trump warmly greeted Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's central committee, in the Oval Office, where a brief encounter meant for the hand delivery of a personal letter from Kim Jong-un became a longer discussion of areas of disagreement between the two countries.

After the meeting, Trump posed for photos with Kim Yong-chol outside the Oval Office, and they talked amiably at Kim's black SUV before he was driven away.

Trump told reporters he hadn't yet read the letter from the North Korean leader and added with a smile, ''I may be in for a big surprise, folks.'' But minutes earlier, he had described the note as ''a very interesting letter,'' and teased journalists about revealing its contents.












North Korean envoy Kim Yong-chol, left, shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo looks on after a meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 1. / Reuters-Yonhap



South Korea welcomed the apparent revival of the historic U.S.-North Korea summit Saturday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as scheduled.



"It seems as if the road to a North Korea-U.S. summit has become enhanced and expanded," said Kim Eui-kyeom, a spokesman for Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.



"We will excitedly but calmly look forward to the historic meeting to be held in Singapore," he said in a short released statement.






U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, right, shakes hands with South Korea's National Defense Minister Song Young-moo before their bilateral meeting at the 17th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-la Dialogue, an annual defense and security forum in Asia, in Singapore, Saturday, June 2, in Singapore. / AP-Yonhap



The Pentagon chief made it clear Saturday that his country is not negotiating with North Korea on the future of American troops stationed on the peninsula, as the leaders of the two sides will soon meet here each other.



Speaking at a security forum, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis stressed that the fate of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea is not an issue to discuss with North Korea.



"That issue is not on the table here in Singapore on the 12th (of June), nor should it be," he said after a speech at a Shangri-La Dialogue session.



Hours earlier, President Donald Trump met with Kim Yong-chol, a top North Korean official, at the White House. Following the meeting, Trump said he plans to meet with the North's leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12.



The White House meeting is a highlight of a series of pre-summit consultations between the two sides taking place at Panmunjom on the inter-Korean border, in the U.S. and in Singapore.



The North has long claimed that the U.S. military presence in Korea is the major roadblock to regional peace and the reunification of the two Koreas.



Mattis said the issue of scaling down the U.S. military presence in Korea or withdrawing the troops is "subject to, one, the Republic of Korea's invitation to have them there, and the discussions between the United States and the Republic of Korea, separate and distinct from the negotiations that are going on with the DPRK." He used the official name of South Korea and the abbreviation for the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



He said the allies could talk about the matter in the future in case of significant progress in efforts to reduce regional security challenges, apparently referring to the North's nuclear weapons and missile program.



"Obviously, if diplomats can do their work, if we can reduce the threat, if we can restore confidence-building measures with something verifiable, then of course this type of issue can come up subsequently between the two sovereign democracies  the Republic of Korea and the United States," he said.



Asked about whether the Trump administration is maintaining its policy of "maximum pressure" on Pyongyang and leaving "military options" on the table, Mattis avoided a direct answer.



He merely reminded the audience that the U.S. has stuck to a "diplomatically led" approach, as shown at the U.N. Security Council with regard to sanctions on the communist nation for its provocations.



In the address, titled "U.S. Leadership and the Challenges of Indo-Pacific Security," the secretary reaffirmed Washington's pursuit of a complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of the North's nuclear arsenal. (Yonhap)


By Hwang Jae-ho



The North Korea-U.S. summit will be held this month in Singapore. Billions of international citizens are interested, tens of thousands of government authorities are tensed watching and thousands of reporters are getting ready.



It might have been better for South Korea if the summit were held in Panmunjeom. It might have been an opportunity to be naturally developed into three-party talks with the U.S. and both Koreas. It might have been an opportunity to complete the declaration of the end of the war between North Korea and the U.S.



Though Singapore is an unexpected location, far from the Korean Peninsula, there must be reasons for its designation: a small city-state, a state of the small giant, the late Lee Kuan Yew, but an influential country. I wondered what perspective Singapore has on this summit of the century, so I spoke with three Singaporean students who are studying in Seoul.





(from the left) Tay Tian Wen, a major in political science and economics of the National University of Singapore; Chong Xin Hui, a major in marketing of Singapore Management University (SMU), and Edwin Ong, a major in finance and operation management of SMU
A curious crowd gathers around a Western visitor and his bicycle circa 1899.



By Robert Neff



Warmer weather means more cyclists are taking to the bike lanes along the Han River and the streets of Seoul.



Korea has an extensive bicycle network allowing riders to safely travel throughout the country and visit places that only a decade ago were too dangerous to visit by bike.



But when did the first bicycle arrive in Korea? According to various sources, it was in December 1884 when 26-year-old Lieutenant Philip V. Lansdale, an American naval officer, rode his bicycle from Jemulpo [Incheon] to Seoul. Horace N. Allen  an American missionary doctor who witnessed the event  wrote:



"In 1884 one of our naval officers came to Seoul from his ship at [Jemulpo], bringing with him his bicycle, which was of the hold high wheel type. We went through the crowded main street, he on his wheel and I on a horse. As this appalling looking object came in sight, the throngs of people rushed to the middle of the street for a good view, and as it came nearer they fell back in unfeigned astonishment amounting to open-mouth alarm, as the strangest thing they had ever seen glided through the narrow passage left for it.



"As the high wheel and its rider passed and was seen to be harmless and simply another of the strange freaks of the newly arrived foreigner, they actually fell into each other's arms with laughter following the relief to their first surprised alarm."





Fording a river with a bicycle circa 1899.
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"

Maybe the best thing to come out of this summer of construction will be that it exposes the need for an alternate route around Angola."

 Bill Boyer, city engineer

Quote
Hi, all! Carolyn Kellogg, books editor here, back from a trip to Helsinki, Stockholm and Paris with the not-at-all groundbreaking news that these are delightful cities. Yes, I shopped at Paris Shakespeare and Company, but not enough  when decided I needed to return for more books, I couldnt get in because of the line of customers waiting to be let in the door. Glad to see the iconic bookstore is doing such good business. And now, heres this weeks books newsletter.

THE BIG STORY

For the last few years, Rachel Cusk has been wowing readers with her autofiction, novels semi-transparently based on real life. The latest is Kudos, which is as elusive and intelligent as the rest, with a twinge of mortality. Dustin Illingworth has our review.

Rachel Cusk, author of Kudos. (Siemon Scamell-Katz )

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HERE COMES A REGULAR

There was a band in the 1980s and 90s that never had a breakthrough hit, managed to get themselves banned from Saturday Night Live and imploded after the death of a founding member. But while others were much bigger, got richer and lasted longer, the Replacements have inspired almost as many books as they had records. Tod Goldberg looks at a stack of them, including the recent Lemon Jail by one-time roadie Bill Sullivan, and asks why this shambolic band holds such attraction for writers.

The Replacements in the mid-1980s, from left: Chris Mars, Paul Westerberg, Bob Stinson and Tommy Stinson (Twin/Tone Records )

BESTSELLERS

Entering our fiction bestseller list this week for the first time, at No. 1, is Michael Ondaatjes Warlight. This complicated, beautiful book is about siblings during and after World War II; Bethanne Patrick penned our review.

In its first week on our nonfiction bestseller list, starting out at No. 3, is I Love Capitalism by Ken Langone, the founder of Home Depot, telling his story of growing up poor on Long Island and eventually leading one of Americas most successful big box retailers.

You can find all the books on our bestseller lists here.

Ken Langone on Cardinal Timothy Dolans weekly SiriusXM show. (Cindy Ord / Getty Images )

MORE IN BOOKS

In this powerful interview, debut author Terese Marie Mailhot talks about writing her revealing memoir Heart Berries, being a single mom and from a community thats rarely represented in literature, and what it was like to hear her mentor Sherman Alexie had been accused of sexual harassment.

We have a summer books preview thats just the right size, with a new novel from Ann Tyler, a book about Bruce Lee, the memoir Old in Art School and a bakers dozen more titles. And we also have this review of a trio of sci-fi books bent on revenge.

Bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) revealed that hes close to broke after his literary agents accountant was charged with embezzling $3.4 million from the boutique company, which also managed the accounts of the estates of The Godfather author Mario Puzo and journalist Studs Terkel.

Because I was away last week, there was no newsletter to share these two terrific tributes to Philip Roth, who died May 22 at age 85, by Seth Greeland and David L. Ulin.

Philip Roth in 2010. (Nancy Crampton )

EXTRAS

One of my favorite online reads of the week is by Darran Anderson. The urbanist and author of the book Imaginary Cities writes about 19th century artist William Morris, known for his intricate floral textile and wallpaper designs. Morris attempted, in an effort to humanise both, to make art political and to make politics artistic, Anderson writes.

The way he describes Morris made me think of Charles Fletcher Lummis, the eclectic early Angeleno, first city editor of the L.A. Times and head of the L.A. Public Library from 1905-1911. One of the things Lummis did to build the nascent librarys collection was send out a sheet of stationery with LA Public Library  Autographs embossed across the top and a plea to improve the page. On Saturday, June 2, libraries citywide will revive that tradition and ask you to contribute your own autograph (and extras) on that re-created stationery. Visit a local branch or download a copy.

My colleague Carolina Miranda writes about art and culture at The Times with unique style and insight, but thats not her only skill. She joins Anthony Bourdain as he visits Westlake  Little Guatemala  and gets a taste of Los Angeles.

Thanks for reading!

The line waiting to get in Shakespeare and Company in Paris (Carolyn Kellogg )

carolyn.kellogg@latimes.com

@paperhaus
From its beginnings in the late 1860s, Compton has always been a place that has tested its residents, whether through natural disaster or societal ills.

The first settlers in the region arrived here in desperate straits. They came from Stockton, where the Gold Rush was going bust, looking for a place to put down stakes and make a living outside the collapsing gold mining industry.

They set up camp near the halfway point of the stretch of the L.A. River that ran from the pueblo to sea, a swampy region crisscrossed by creeks and subject to floods, one of which promptly deluged the nascent settlement soon after its founding.

This less-than-propitious beginning, combined with the fact that the nearest general stores were a hard 10-mile ride away and, as the citys official history puts it, gathering firewood required a three-day trip to the mountains near Pasadena, might have put off most settlers.

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The founders of the city of Compton, however, were not to be dissuaded by the hostility of the natural environment or lack of local resources. They gritted their teeth and set about building a town that incorporated as a city in 1888, just the eighth in Los Angeles County.

Despite the regular flooding that swamped the city as recently as 1962, Compton thrived in the 1920s, an era that saw the opening of the Compton Airport and Compton Junior College, and the growth of a bustling downtown business and retail district.

Much of that progress was undone in 1933, as the Long Beach earthquake devastated Compton, collapsing buildings across the city and killing nearly 120 across Southern California. Again, residents rolled up their sleeves and rebuilt.

In the late 1960s, Compton began to face perhaps its biggest challenge as the city, which had become home to many African Americans following the reversal of Southern Californias racially discriminatory housing laws, began to lose its middle-class residents to nearby communities such as Carson.

A general lack of economic opportunity caused by the deindustrialization of South Los Angeles, combined with the devastating effects of the crack cocaine epidemic, led to a skyrocketing crime rate in the 1980s and 90s.

Out of that turmoil arose one of the most important musical movements in American history, as such groundbreaking rap artists as N.W.A began to document the conditions in Compton.

The success of those pioneering acts laid the groundwork for a string of breakout rappers who have emerged from the city, a tradition carried on by contemporary greats such as Grammy Award-winning Kendrick Lamar.

Todays Compton, while still facing economic headwinds, enjoys a much-reduced crime rate and is in the process of rebuilding its commercial and industrial sectors.

(@latimesgraphics )

Neighborhood highlights

Hub city: Comptons location in the geographic center of the Los Angeles region and its proximity to freeways and the Metro Blue Line make it a choice location for commuters.

Farm life: For those looking for a semirural lifestyle in the heart of the city, Comptons Richland Farms neighborhood offers a rare opportunity to raise crops and horses.

Grassroots: Like their forebears, todays Compton residents have taken it upon themselves to help improve their city, as epitomized by groups such as the Compton Initiative and Unearth and Empower Communities.

Neighborhood challenge

A long road back: Although Compton has made great strides in recent years, the challenges it faces in terms of bringing investment and opportunity to the city are real, and entrenched.

Expert insight

Maya Anderson, whos been selling homes in Compton for seven years, said the citys consistent home prices have fostered a community of long-term residents.

You wont find many houses selling for more than $500,000 here, and thats a good thing, Anderson said. Its helped the city avoid the gentrification thats plagued other areas.

She said many of her clients are first-time home buyers whove lived in the area most of their lives, and the $300,000-$400,000 price tags make home ownership a possibility for people whod be stuck renting in other areas.

The City Council is relatively business-friendly, so neighborhood staples can flourish, and new restaurants will pop up every once in a while, Anderson said. She noted that two quintessential spots are Loretos Fried Turkey and La Dona Tamaleria.

Market snapshot

The majority of Compton fits into three ZIP Codes. On the west side, 90220, based on 33 sales, the median sales price for single-family homes in March was $395,000, up 18.8% year over year, according to CoreLogic.

On the east side, 90221, based on 20 sales, the median single-family home sold for $397,000, up 13.3% year over year. In 90222, the north side, based on 21 sales, the median home sold for $360,000, up 2.6% year over year.

Report card

Compton holds 24 public schools within its boundaries. Of those, Laurel Street Elementary scored the highest on the 2013 Academic Performance Index, at 898. Other bright spots are Tibby Elementary, at 873, and Jefferson Elementary, at 865.

The areas two largest high schools, Dominguez High and Compton High, scored 613 and 606, respectively.

Times staff writer Jack Flemming contributed to this report.

hotproperty@latimes.com
Benita Bikes DanceArt The company presents an interactive program. Culver City Senior Center, 4095 Overland Ave., Culver City. Sun., 1:30 p.m. Free. (818) 353-5734.

Louise Reichlin & Dancers/ Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers The company performs as part of the annual Lummis Day Festival. Sycamore Grove Park, 4702 N. Figueroa St., Highland Park. Sun., 4:25 p.m. Free. (323) 646-8331.

Spectacular Balanchine! American Contemporary Ballet revisits the legendary choreographers dances set to popular music from his era. American Contemporary Ballet, 700 S. Flower St., Suite 3200, L.A. Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 4 p.m.; ends June 17. $40-$500. (213) 304-3408.

Lula Washington Dance Theatre The L.A.-based contemporary dance company stages Washingtons Open Your Eyes, set to the music of Earth, Wind & Fire, plus works by Kyle Abraham, Tamica Washington-Miller, et al. Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood. Fri., 8 p.m. $25 and up. (323) 461-3673.

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Dance Around Town Local companies Syncopated Ladies, Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Versa-Style Dance Company and Contra-Tiempo performs. Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Cal State L.A., 5151 State University Drive., L.A. Sat., 8 p.m. $25. (323) 343-6600.
The Venice Architecture Biennale is a bit like being in a big city, where your every want and need can be instantly satiated.

Want to see architectural models floating in a giant pool? Check.

Need a room cleverly divided by a single, swooping sheet of paper? Done.

What about some bulbous inflatables that look like giant amniotic sacs? All good.

There are 60-plus national pavilions in the exhibition  all exploring some facet of architecture related to Freespace, the central theme established by biennale curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects in Ireland.

Uruguay takes on the nature of space in prison. Poland is displaying models of historic architecture floating in that aforementioned pool. And Denmark is presenting, among other things, a lightweight, webbed material for building temporary structures.

With so much to see, it can be hard to think about where to even begin. Here is a selection of seven pavilions worth checking out:

Israel: A Solomonic divide

The Israeli pavilion looks at how public spaces that are purportedly shared can function as sites of delicate political tangos  in this case, five contested holy sites in Israel held dear by Muslims, Christians and Jews.

In Statu Quo*, as the exhibition is titled, is an incisive look at how places such as Rachels Tomb, the Cave of the Patriarchs and the Western Wall are shared  or not  under strict protocols often overseen by the Israeli military. The show includes a fascinating color-coded 19th century model of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hand-painted in wood, showing how its functions are divvied up by various religious groups.

The Tomb of Rachel, an important religious holy site to Christians, Jews and Muslims, as seen at the end of the 19th century. U.S. Library of Congress

Other elements include architectural models that show unrealized plans for Jerusalems so-called Wailing Wall (including concepts by Louis Kahn and Isamu Noguchi) and an animated film by David Polonsky, of Waltz with Bashir fame, that examines the Mughrabi Ascent, the only entrance to the upper levels of the Temple Mount that is available to non-Muslims.

Its a clear-eyed pavilion that holds up a mirror to petty divisiveness  and the sort of thing that should have resonance well beyond the world of architecture.

The road leading to the Tomb of Rachel as it stands today  surrounded by the 13-ft. high security wall. Gili Merin

Curators: Deborah Pinto Fdeda, Ifat Finkelman, Oren Sagiv, Tania Coean Uzzielli.

Location: Israeli Pavilion, Giardini

Great Britain: Every man is an island

Enter the British pavilion and you will find nothing, just room after empty room containing only the occasional fire extinguisher (a nod to the local fire codes). Thats because this year, the curators havent installed anything in their building; theyve installed around it, draping the structure in a massive scaffold. Climb the steps to the top and youll find incredible views of Venice  and the peaked roof of the pavilion peeking through the scaffolding like an architectural island.

Great Britain left its pavilion empty, but built a scaffolding on the building that allowed visitors to walk on the roof. Carolina A. MIranda / Los Angeles Times

Island, as the installation is called, is certainly a nod to Britains geographic state. But it serves as a metaphor for other issues as well. In the age of rising seas, the scaffold provides an image of a building submerged. It also channels political isolation, a purposeful encircling of space  Britain in the age of Brexit. Its a simple statement with a tremendous amount of bite  likely why the installation picked up a special mention for national participation by the biennale jury.

In true British style, tea is served on the platform in the afternoons, allowing visitors to hang out and admire the views as they sip. Its a lovely gathering space. But in a city that sits on water, it also takes on the aspect of a raft  with the people aboard it resembling either the hardy survivors of a storm or the last bits of humanity in the moments before they become totally unmoored.

The British pavilion's rooftop peeks through scaffolding  creating an architectural island. Visitors were invited to sip tea on the roof. Carolina A. MIranda / Los Angeles Times

Curators: Caruso St. John Architects and Marcus Taylor.

Location: British pavilion, Giardini

Estonia: Honoring history

Say the word monument and you are likely to conjure images of old generals sitting atop gallant steeds or massive bas reliefs proclaiming the heroics of battles. These structures can often seem immovable, but they are not. The fall of a regime or the fall of an idea can be quickly followed by a quick round of statue-toppling. (Think: Confederate monuments in the American South.)

The nature of monuments and their permanence is explored in clever ways in Weak Monument, Estonias contribution to the Venice Architecture Biennale. This includes studies of monuments that were hastily removed, as well as monuments that were informally designated  such as the staircase in a park that became a site of pilgrimage after serving as a stage for important resistance speeches.

"Weak Monument" at the Estonian pavilion features studies to ironic non-monuments, such as the 1973 "Monument to Anti-International  Donkey Stable" by Leonhard Lapin. Tonu Tunnel / Pavilion of Estonia

The show opens with a story about the Estonian village of Torma, in which a statue of a kneeling warrior was placed facing east or west over the years, depending on where the village concluded its greatest threats came from.

Its a comic arbitrariness highlighted by the pavilions principal installation.

Located in a small, decommissioned baroque church, the curators have blocked all views of the altar with a temporary concrete wall. A park bench placed before it invites visitors to take a seat and contemplate the rear of the church.

Monuments, it turns out, are all about the direction we happen to be facing at a moment in time.

"Weak Monument" at the Estonian Pavilion looks at the ways in which monuments rise and fall Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times

Collaborators: Tom Avermaete, Toomas Paaver, Klaus Platzgummer, Margrethe Troensegaard, Charlotte Grace, Sandra Malk, Eik Hermann, Pavel Bouse.

Location: Former Church of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, Castello Fondamento, S. Gioacchin, 450

U.S.: Citizens of the world

What does it mean to be a citizen in the era of globalism and the internet? The United States pavilion raises those questions at various scales  municipal, regional, global and galactic  examining the complicated notion of how we define space within a group and how these dont always obey our established political boundaries.

Among the most intriguing installations are a work titled Cosmorama by the group Design Earth that explores how outer space is set to be defined by nation-states and big business, as well as an absorbing video presentation by several collaborators, including Diller Scofidio + Renfro and the Columbia University Center for Spatial Research, that looks at who does and doesnt have access to electrical power in spots around the world.

It contains some stark juxtapositions: Poor rainforest villages lie in darkness while mining concerns are brightly illuminated; Houstons lights bounce back after a major hurricane  Puerto Ricos do not. Citizenship does not mean equal access to resources.

Dimensions of Citizenship, as the exhibition is titled, packs a lot of ideas into a single show  too many  but it raises interesting questions. Among them: Is the very premise of the Venice Biennale, which is based on national identity, increasingly irrelevant in a global age?

At the U.S. pavilion, "In Plain Sight" by a team of architects and data specialists maps who has power on Earth. Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times

Curators: Niall Atkinson, Ann Lui, Mimi Zeiger

Location: United States Pavilion, Giardini

Chile: Stadium city

Too many architecture exhibitions are like reading a book on a wall: exhausting combinations of schematics paired with endless architecture-speak. The Chilean pavilion is an example of how a complicated urban phenomenon can be beautifully rendered as architectonic sculpture  and be more engaging as a result.

Stadium, as the installation is called, features a room-sized sculpture made of pressed earth laid out in the shape of a stadium. But on its surface is the imprint of a city. It looks both like an ancient relic and brutalist work of contemporary art.

The piece was inspired by a 1979 event, in which the regime of Augusto Pinochet gathered 37,000 inhabitants from marginal communities in Santiagos National Stadium to offer them title to lands they had squatted  the space of a city defined by one blustery act. (Video on one wall shows Pinochet acting the part of benevolent dictator.)

Its a charged piece, given that the stadium was also used as a place in which to jail and torture dissidents during Chiles 1973 military coup. But its the use of material that ultimately makes it so powerful: earth  and the histories and bodies that it bears  as the foundation for everything we build.

At the Chilean pavilion, earthen sculptures evoke the day in 1979 that the Pinochet regime used the Santiago national stadium to give squatters title to their land. Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times

Curator: Alejandra Celedon

Location: Corderie di Arsenale

Switzerland: House beautiful

The biennale is a very serious place full of very serious architectural ideas. Which makes Switzerlands wickedly humorous pavilion  devoted to the universal blandness of the contemporary home  a welcome respite from all the over-complicated high mindedness. Not that it sacrificed ideas for wit: the pavilion was the winner of the biennials Golden Lion Award.

Svizzera 240: House Tour looks much like any prototypical dwelling: white walls, wood floors, monochromatic counters  of the sort that have become a de facto part of the real estate open house. But as you proceed through the space, the architects begin to toy with scale: Average rooms lead to oversized doors that lead to hallways that shrink into Being John Malkovich proportions.

Its a joyful play on space  one that takes the world around us and turns it into something downright Escher-esque.

For the Swiss pavilion, a group of architects transformed a mundane apartment into a funhouse of scale. Carolina A. MIranda / Los Angeles Times

Participants: Alessandro Bosshard, Li Tavor, Matthew van der Ploeg, Ani Vihervaara

Location: Swiss pavilion, Giardini

Egypt: Free market

For Freespace, the curators of Egypts national pavilion analyzed the ways in which sidewalks and streets in Cairo are appropriated as sites of informal commerce  places where vendors of all stripes gather to sell used clothing, old electronics, furniture and food. Robabecciah, as the show is titled, features detailed analyses of how these spaces are used and how, despite efforts to clear them, they quickly return.

But it tells this story in a deeply humane fashion. Dangling from the ceiling are dozens of objects  including, pots, pans and an old drum  acquired at informal markets in Egypt. And on one side of the space a worthwhile short film captures a day in the life of an ambulatory junk peddler, a charming man who ends up on the receiving end of a tattered painting he admires so much that he finds himself reluctant to sell it.

The Egyptian pavilion explores the nature of informal markets such as the Souq Aljuma, above. Pavilion of Egypt

The pavilion doesnt propose any solutions to what might be described as the problem of informal selling. Instead, it seems to posit that this centuries-old system works best when left untouched.

That junk peddler? Architects and urban planners should be designing for him, too.

A view of "Robabecciah: The Informal City," Egypt's contribution to "Freespace." Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times

Curators: Islam Mosleh El MAshtooly, Mouaz Abouzaid and Cristiano Luchetti

Location: Egyptian pavilion, Giardini

ALSO
In the new HBO series Succession, premiering Sunday, Brian Cox plays Logan Roy, a lion-in-winter media tycoon with  how to put it  a succession problem.

Logans heir apparent is his son Kendall (Jeremy Strong), a recovering drug addict trying a wee bit too hard to put a 2.0 spin on his fathers ruthless omnipotence. Also in the mix is Logans misanthropic son Roman (Kieran Culkin), still sulking that he wasnt handed the keys to dads movie studio, and daughter Siobhan (Sarah Snook), the apple of Logans eye, if only she wasnt channeling her daddy issues into Democratic-machine politics.

As the pilot of Succession begins, Logan is dreading two things: pasture-hood and the related, imminent gathering of his extended family for his 80th birthday. The celebration plays out more like a U.S.-North Korea pre-summit, with comic relief provided by Logans first-born son Connor (Alan Ruck), a New Age neer-do-well, and a surprise guest in cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun), who, suffice it to say, personifies everything thats wrong with millennials.

Jesse Armstrong, the creator of Succession, is a satirist at heart. After writing acclaimed British sitcoms (Peep Show, The Thick of It), he moved on to satirical movies about the Anglo-American run-up to the Iraq war (In the Loop) and would-be terrorists (Four Lions). Some years ago, Armstrong wrote a screenplay about the inter-familial tumult in the house of Rupert Murdoch. The script, never produced, became a hot Hollywood property.

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Armstrong is living to regret it.

I think its quite sweet sometimes when people say to me, Well, theres this big media family, it must be Murdoch, Armstrong said recently of his new project. He was tucked into a table at a downtown Manhattan cafe with Cox, who referred casually to Armstrong as a genius.

Im like, Well, you know your TV networks  CBS is Viacom and Redstone, NBC is Comcast and the Robertses, ABC was the Disneys, Armstrong said. He included, as well, the Sinclair family, buying up local TV, and the Mercers, of the data-mining-firm Cambridge Analytica fame.

Granted, Logan Roy is Murdoch-ish. Kendall accuses the old man of being catastrophically in love with dead sector assets like TV and print, and Logans theme park division is littered with hush payments that would make Murdochs scandal-plagued Fox News feel unworthy.

Cox, for his part, said he hardly needed to do deep mogul research, preferring osmosis and discovery to locate the self-made Logan, a character he speaks of with a grudging affection. On stage and screen, Cox, a Scots actor, has ripped through everything from King Lear and Winston Churchill to Hannibal Lecter (pre-Anthony Hopkins) and Super Troopers. In Succession, he gives a bravura performance that is at once relatively wordless, weirdly relatable and funny.

In the Roy family, there is this trying to please the old man as a kind of modus operandi for all of them, Cox said. One of the problems they have  and its the deeper root of the story  is they have a sense of entitlement, but they dont know where that entitlement comes from.

And of course they are abused, he continued. The circumstances have abused them more than anything else. The father hasnt helped, but the circumstances abuse them.

The actor interrupted himself to reference a certain first family. I mean, I look at Kushner and Ivanka opening that stupid, stupid embassy in Jerusalem, when everybody knows this doesnt make sense. And why are they there? Not far away is mayhem.  And thats also what this show touches on, I think. It touches on that entitlement, on people being more and more taken away from the plot.

Asked what he meant by plot, Cox said, The main thing of what youre supposed to be doing in terms of how you enable your fellow man. Im an egalitarian, you know.

Armstrong admitted that Succession is more or less satirical, though for the record he prefers family show with tonal variety, a la The Sopranos. Viewers will come to recognize an aesthetic kinship with the HBO comedy Veep. Hand-held cameras push in to capture facial reactions and brutal inter-familial insults are slung. There is a lineage: Armando Iannucci, Veeps creator, directed In the Loop.

Frank Rich, a prominent Veep writer, is now writing on Succession. The other bold-faced name attached to the project is Adam McKay, Will Ferrells producing partner and the writer-director of 2015s The Big Short. McKay, who directed the pilot of Succession, said he thought a lot about the 2014 film Foxcatcher, which McKay called one of the great unrecognized masterpieces of the last 20 years that really sums up where were at as a country.

Foxcatcher, starring Steve Carell, is a true-crime story about a desiccated billionaire heir, John Eleuthere du Pont, who brings the have-not Olympic wrestlers Mark and David Schultz to his compound to create a dynasty in the sport and ends up killing one of the brothers.

Its about inbred, weird dynastic wealth and money eating itself, running headlong into something of virtue and fairness  wrestling, McKay said. I think thats the story of our times. Dynastic wealth rotting through values and morals, step by step, case after case after case.

------------

Succession

Where: HBO

When: 10 p.m. Sunday

Rated: TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 17)
Juan Romero has spent half a century trying to move on.

He gets up before sunrise, goes to work and paves another road or driveway in the San Jose area, strong as ever at 67.

He likes to have a cold beer or two with his work crew when they punch out at the end of the day, caked in dirt and sweat. He enjoys time with family and friends and doesnt look too far down the road.

But what happened at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles just past midnight on June 5, 1968, is always there, a shadow at the edge of his consciousness, and sometimes he retreats into it.

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Romero is 17, working as a busboy. He hears that Bobby Kennedy has won the California Democratic primary in a bid for the presidency of the United States. Romero rushes to the food service area Kennedy is passing through and reaches out to congratulate the man he had met the night before while delivering room service.

And then the shots, the screams, the commotion.

Kennedy goes down, flat on his back, a ghostly look in his eyes. Romero crouches to help, and the black-and-white photographs freeze forever the image of a young immigrant laborer at the side of fallen American aristocracy.

Next week marks the 50th anniversary of the murder of Robert F. Kennedy, which followed by two months the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and by five years the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

RELATED; The assassination of Robert Kennedy, as told 50 years later 

The country ruptured and heaved in the decade that gave rise to the civil rights movement, the antiwar movement and the Cultural Revolution.

We are, since then, evolved in many ways but deeply fractured and divided still.

There was a time I thought hope was dead. It was right there, lying on the floor, Romero told me several days ago in the downtown San Jose park where Kennedy delivered a campaign speech three months before his death.

Im not trying to be poetic, Romero said. But he wonders if there is a reason his image is burned into the pages of history, and whether his duty is to speak up about the man whose ideals he still honors.

Maybe I dont have the tools to become a politician and change the laws, Romero said. But maybe I can help everyone understand there were people who tried to correct injustice.

To him, compassion, tolerance, equal opportunity and social justice are worth fighting for, and he lives with the hope that a new leader  inspired, perhaps, by someone from the past  will step forward.

::

I always feel a twinge of guilt when I arrange another get-together with Romero, knowing that to survive, he needs to be defined by something other than the photos we all remember. But when we meet, I always get the sense that talking about his experience is still cathartic for him.

The first time was in 1998, on the 30th anniversary of the assassination. Romero had avoided the spotlight for a quarter of a century at that point, keeping his thoughts to himself. But he was unsettled by the racial division stirred by Californias Proposition 187, the ballot initiative to establish a citizenship screening system and deny some services to immigrants here illegally. He told me, at the time, that he wanted to remind people what Kennedy stood for.

We went to a San Jose restaurant owned by a relative of Romeros, ordered a couple of beers, and over the course of a few hours, it came gushing up  a torrent of sorrow, regret and pain. Romero wept and his body convulsed. It was as if a long-traumatized soldier could no longer keep a lid on a battlefield story that had haunted him for years, locked in the depths of his being.

Hed grown up in Mexico, moved to the U.S. at 10, began getting into trouble while going to Hollenbeck Middle School and then Roosevelt High in Boyle Heights. His unfailingly strict stepfather worked at the Ambassador and helped Romero get a job as a busboy to keep him off the street. Romero lifted a pair of rosary beads from the glove compartment of his mothers car and carried them in his pocket to ward off the temptation to miss school or be late for work.

Bobby Kennedy, candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States, checked into the hotel at the end of the California primary. Romero, who recalled homes in Mexico with photos of the pope and of John F. Kennedy, badly wanted to meet a Kennedy. He told other busboys hed do anything for them if they let him take a room service call from the candidate.

Romero and a waiter knocked at the door, then pushed two food carts into the room. Several people were present. Kennedy stood at a bay window, finished up a phone call and turned to the visitors.

He said, Come on in, boys, Romero recalls, the memory bringing a smile to his face.

I remember staring at him with my mouth open, and I see him shaking the hand of a waiter and then reaching out to me. I remember him grabbing my hand and he gave me a two-handed shake, said Romero.

He had piercing blue eyes, and he looked right at you. You knew he was looking at you and not through you  I remember walking out of that room  feeling 10 feet tall, feeling like an American. I didnt feel like I was Mexican, and I didnt feel like I was a busboy, and I didnt feel like I was 17 years old. I felt like I was right there with him.

The next night, when Kennedy won the primary and made his victory speech at the Ambassador, Romero pushed through the crowd, eager to congratulate him, and to shake his hand once more.

He reached out, and the bullets tore into Kennedy. Romero took out his rosary beads and tried to press them into Kennedys hand.

Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy lies on the floor at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after he was shot in the head. He had just finished his victory speech upon winning the California primary. (Boris Yaro / Los Angeles Times )

::

He was taken to LAPDs Rampart station for questioning, still in his white service coat.

I was trying to make sense of what happened and looking down at the blood on my right palm and between my fingers, Romero said.

He was questioned by police, but doesnt remember the details.

Everything was a blur.

Romero was released about 6:30 a.m. and caught the first of three buses, headed to Roosevelt High.

At Seventh and Broadway, I remember sitting there on the bus, still looking at my hands and all the blood, not realizing what happened and hoping my mom would grab me by the leg and say, Wake up, you lazy bum.

What made me realize it was real was that a lady was sitting in front of me reading the newspaper. I remember the lady showing me the picture and saying, This is you, isnt it? Thats when I first saw the picture, and I never wanted to see it again.

Kennedy had been rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital and was still alive when Romero went to school, but he died the next day.

Romero was tortured for years. In the immediate aftermath of the assassination, it disturbed him that Ambassador guests wanted to pose for pictures with him. In the months and years that followed, Romero let himself believe he bore some measure of guilt for Kennedys murder. If Kennedy hadnt paused to shake his hand, some had suggested, maybe Sirhan Sirhan  who is still locked up for the murder  wouldnt have had a clear shot.

Romero eventually quit the Ambassador and moved to Wyoming, then settled in San Jose and raised his family. Though he has tried to work hard, honor God and take care of family, he admits he is not a perfect man. His marriage fell apart and he said hes made some mistakes.

Romero doesnt suggest the psychic residue of having had a dying heros warm blood spill through his hands has anything to do with that. But he has admitted that something in him was broken, and even 50 years after the damage was done, revisiting June 5 fills his eyes and halts him mid-sentence.

In 2010, I went with Romero to RFKs grave at Arlington National Cemetery. Kennedy lies near a wall that bears the words he delivered the night Martin Luther King Jr. was killed:

What we need in the United States is not division  not hatred  not violence or unlawfulness, but love and wisdom and compassion toward one another.

Romero said he wanted to apologize to Kennedy and tell him he had tried his best to live a life of tolerance and humility. I told him he should trust friends who told him he had nothing to apologize for. But as he knelt at Kennedys grave, bowed his head and wept, Romero wasnt yet ready to unburden himself.

A few years later, I got an email from a woman in Germany who had seen that column and later became Romeros pen pal. Over time, she earned his trust and he began talking to her about his struggle to let go. In 2014, the woman and her husband visited California and accompanied Romero to the site of the assassination, where a school now stands.

It was, for Romero, another milestone on the path to his salvation. His friend from Germany told him that when she viewed the photos Romero could not bear to look at, she saw a brave young man who didnt run when shots were fired.

Romero emailed me in August of 2015 to say the cloud was finally lifting. When I visited him, he said that he had looked closely at the photos hed tried for so many years to avoid.

I saw a person in need, he told me, and another person trying to help him.

::

On our most recent visit in downtown San Jose, Romero was running late after a 10-hour paving job, and I waited for him in St. James Park. On March 23, 1968, an estimated 10,000 people had gathered in the park to hear Kennedy speak.

The parks RFK memorial is little more than a drab concrete landing base for pigeons, with an oxidized plaque thats barely readable. The park is a gathering place for homeless people, and Romero says he has stepped past campers when he sets a bouquet of flowers at the memorial each year.

I listened to a recording of Kennedys 1968 speech in the park and was struck by his eloquence, all the more so because his appeal to harmony and to our better instincts was a far cry from what passes for political oratory today. Kennedy began by saying the problems of the country and the world must be faced with candor and with truth.

And if there is one overriding reality in this country, it is the danger that we have an erosion of a sense of national decency, Kennedy said. Make no mistake. Decency is at the heart of the matter. Poverty in this country is indecent. Illiteracy is indecent. The death or maiming of brave young men in the swamps of Asia, that is also indecent.

It is also indecent for a man to work with his back and with his hands in the valleys of California without hope of ever seeing his son enter a university. It is indecent for the best of our young people to be driven to alienation and  the terrible exile of drugs and violence, to allow their hearts to wither in rage and with hatred.

This in my judgment in the year 1968 is a time to create, not to destroy. This is a time for men to work  with a sense of decency and not with bitterness. This is a time to begin again, and that is why I run for president of the United States.

Three months later, Kennedy was gone. Later that year, Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey for the presidency.

Lost in reverie, I missed Romeros arrival. I looked up from my bench and he was standing at the podium where Kennedy had stood.

We talked about the marvel of vanishing time, 20 years gone since our first visit, half a century shooting by like a comet. Romero was searching for peace of mind in Buddhism a few years ago, so it is evident to him  through experience and faith  that life is suffering and that nothing is lost in the universe.

But if the vapors of Kennedys goodwill still exist, so does todays toxic political atmosphere, with emphasis on our differences and what Romero sees as the scapegoating of people from the nation he was born to. In 20 years, he and I have gone from talking about citizenship screening to the building of a wall.

Weve made a lot of progress in 50 years, and in the last 20 years, but nowadays it seems like one step forward, two steps back, Romero said.

We spent a while in the park and then continued the conversation at a nearby dive I used to go to when I was in college. Romero took me back to June 5, to the Ambassador, to his flight from Los Angeles, to his long struggle to move beyond what he cannot forget.

He told me he was thinking of going back to Arlington once more.

I want to go there and just say, Hi, and explain that everything is going good, and Im grateful for his involvement in my life and that I will always respect his efforts for social justice. And to say that I will never forget the first time we met, and that Im sorry I couldnt do more for him.

Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez
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.

A Times investigation found that Dr. George Tyndall had been the subject of numerous complaints of inappropriate comments and touching during his nearly three decades at USC. Tyndall has strongly denied mistreating patients. He continued to practice until 2016, when a clinic nurse reported him to the campus rape crisis center, the newspaper reported.

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A university investigation determined that Tyndall sexually harassed patients with inappropriate pelvic exams and sexually suggestive remarks. He was allowed to resign quietly with a payout. His patients, who number in the tens of thousands, were not informed of the findings nor was the state medical board.

The case has sparked civil lawsuits and a Los Angeles Police Department investigation. More than 400 people have contacted a hotline that USC established for patients to share their experiences with Tyndall.

Last week, the Board of Trustees announced USC President C.L. Max Nikias was stepping down. Then on Thursday, the board elected as its chair Rick Caruso, a 1980 graduate whose private company owns the Grove and other shopping centers. Caruso had been one of the boards most visible members since the scandals broke, and promised a swift investigation that should be completed by the fall semester.

Following Carusos election, Willow Bay, dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, sent her school a note about the unthinkable allegations.

This is not the end of year letter I expected to be writing, she wrote. Instead, I write this note devastated by the news of the past few weeks.

She said she wants to reassure students that USC Annenberg remains committed to upholding the enduring values at the heart of our discipline, which include listening to and advocating for victims of abuse of power of any sort.

Other deans have sent similar messages.

Knott, in last weeks memo, called the Tyndall allegations a violation of the core responsibility we have to protect our students and that the voices of patients demand we take careful stock of the wrongs that were done  and resolve to do all we can to correct these abuses and ensure they never happen again.

In a Friday update following the Caruso announcement, Knott wrote that Price would convene students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and volunteers to help develop guidelines and standards for openness, transparency, safety and inclusion.

Elizabeth Daley, dean of the School of Cinematic Arts, says none of us have previously experienced this level of crisis. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )

Elizabeth Daley, dean of the School of Cinematic Arts, wrote in an email to students May 24 that USC is facing a level of crisis which none of us have previously experienced.

We have a sacred duty to ensure the safety of our students, Amber Miller, dean of USCs Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, wrote. It is deeply unsettling when even one student is put in harms way.

For all the frank language used by the deans, some faculty members said they are waiting for more concrete action.

Hilary Schor, a Dornsife English, comparative literature and law professor, said in an email that she would like to see more acknowledgment of the role administrators played in the scandal.

Schor said she found Millers  and USCs  words to be telling. One thing that Ive observed in institutionally empty statements is the even one student is put in harms way formulation is a useful way of ducking responsibility, she said.

USC, Schor said, has often released statements saying things such as one incident of sexual assault is too many.

The idea that you will eliminate all assault is noble, but unrealistic  violence exists, she said. The question is, what do you do when incidents occur?

Times staff writers Matt Hamilton and Harriet Ryan contributed to this report.

Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com

@Joy_Resmovits
California will ban state-funded travel to Oklahoma because of a new law there that lets private agencies deny placement of adopted children with same-sex couples, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra announced Friday.

Oklahoma is the ninth state to fall under Californias anti-discrimination travel ban, joining Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota and Kansas.

A California law that took effect last year prohibits state-funded travel to any state with laws that authorize discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

The Oklahoma law that earned the state a spot on the list allows private adoption agencies to refuse to place children for foster care or adoption based on religious or moral convictions.

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Over the objections of gay rights groups, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed it into law May 12.

California will not use state resources to support states that pass discriminatory laws, Becerra said. California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy.

The ban on state-funded travel to Oklahoma takes effect June 22.

The prohibition on travel to each state continues until the state repeals whatever laws California deems discriminatory.

California is a state of inclusion and has long stood up against discrimination in any form, within our borders and beyond, said Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), chair of the Legislatures LGBT Caucus.

Most of the laws that landed states on the list are framed by supporters as religious freedom protections. Several are similar to Oklahomas new adoption law.

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Twitter: @finneganLAT
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a home-invasion robbery in Northern California in which three teens were brutally beaten with a hammer, leaving one with a severe skull fracture, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Department.

The Watsonville teenager was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and robbery, Sgt. Brian Cleveland said Friday. The teen was not identified because he is a minor.

Investigators are still searching for others believed to be involved in the attack, Cleveland said.

Were hopeful that well identify them all and make arrests, he said.

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The assault occurred early Monday in the 100 block of Monte Vista Drive, a cul-de-sac in Aptos, an unincorporated community.

Carly Todisco with her teenage son, Alex, who was hospitalized after he and two of his friends were beaten with a hammer. (Todisco Family )

The boys were having a sleepover and were inside a converted garage room when a group of masked robbers broke in and attacked them with a hammer; at least two were asleep when it happened, according to Cleveland and the mother of one of the boys.

The robbers took items from the room and fled in a vehicle, according to the Sheriffs Department.

The injured boys were taken to hospitals. Two received medical treatment and were released. The third teen was taken to a trauma center for a severe skull fracture, according to a GoFundMe account that was created to help raise money for the teen and his family.

The boy, identified as Alex by family, was placed in a medically induced coma after having multiple seizures while being taken to the hospital. As of Friday afternoon, he was in stable condition, said his mother, Carly Todisco, 39.

Todisco said hours before the attack the boys were playing video games in the room.

This is the safest neighborhood in the world, said Suzanne Nickel, who has lived in the neighborhood since the 1970s. Its so out of left field. Everybody is appalled by what happened.

Nickel said she was happy to hear an arrest had been made.

I feel relief, and Ill feel more relief when they arrest the others, Nickel said. Ill feel even more relief when Alex is out of the hospital.

ruben.vives@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow @latvives on Twitter.
A wind-driven brush fire in Laguna Beach scorched 120 acres Saturday and threatened hundreds of nearby homes, but a mandatory evacuation order for more than 2,100 homes was eventually lifted.

The fire was originally reported to have burned more than 250 acres, but that was later downgraded, officials reported late Saturday. An aerial survey of the burn area was able to give firefighters a more accurate account of the acreage.

Fire crews also got a break late in the day as erratic winds appeared to die down.

Firefighters making good progress while wind has diminished somewhat, read a tweet from the fire authoritys public information office.

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A mandatory evacuation order for 1,500 residents of Top of the World, a Laguna Beach neighborhood, remained in effect Saturday night, fire officials said. But an evacuation order for 2,100 homes in Aliso Viejo was lifted at 9 p.m..

The biggest battle has been the thick brush that hasnt burned in over 100 years, and the erratic winds, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Tony Bommarito. Six air tankers and four helicopters had been enlisted to fight the blaze, he said.

He said 400 firefighters were on scene, assembled from many agencies around the region. The fire was 0% contained Saturday night.

There will be firefighters out there all night and all day tomorrow, Bommarito said.

The fire broke out shortly after 1:30 p.m. below the Top of the World scenic lookout point and behind Soka University of America, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

The flames chewed through brushed left bone dry by years of drought conditions across Southern California. The region saw a devastating fire season last year, with homes lost from San Diego and Bel-Air to Sylmar and Montecito. The Thomas fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties made history as the largest on record in California.

Experts have warned that the continued dry conditions make more big fires likely, and the Laguna blaze is shaping up to be one of the biggest in months.

The fire was burning in the hills above Laguna Beach and Aliso Viejo. It was consuming open space but moving toward hillside communities and suburban subdivisions.

Costa Mesa High Schools prom at Soka University was postponed a week due to the fire, school officials said.

(Los Angeles Times )

An evacuation center was set up at the Susi Q Center, 380 3rd St. in Laguna Beach. A Red Cross shelter was also opened at Aliso Niguel High School, 28000 Wolverine Way in Aliso Viejo.

There were no reports of damaged structures, and only one report of a minor injury to a firefighters leg.

cindy.chang@latimes.com

For more news on the Los Angeles Police Department, follow me on Twitter: @cindychangLA

christopher.goffard@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATchrisgoffard

UPDATES:

9:30 p.m.: This article has been updated with new information regarding mandatory evacuations.

8:40 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from the Orange County Fire Authority.

7:35 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from the Orange County Fire Authority.

6:50 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from the Orange County Fire Authority.

5:45 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from the Orange County Fire Authority.

4:45 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from the Orange County Fire Authority.

This article was originally posted at 4:20 p.m.
Los Angeles police said Friday no one would face arrest after a fight outside of a Little League fundraiser in Westchester earlier this year led to allegations of a hate crime.

On Thursday, Katrina Ross and her attorneys said she was beaten and choked by two people who used racial slurs after a fundraising event for the Playa del Rey American Little League at the Westchester Elks Lodge on April 28.

Det. Meghan Aguilar, an LAPD spokeswoman, said Friday that Pacific Division investigators on scene were not given any information about a potential hate crime or the use of slurs during the fight. The case has been closed and will not be presented for prosecution, she said.

At the time of the incident, nothing regarding race was brought to the officers attention, Aguilar said.

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A police incident report taken on the day of the incident did not reference a hate crime.

Aguilar described the incident as a battery and said both Ross, 44, and another woman involved in the fight suffered visible injuries. Ross has said she suffered a concussion during the altercation.

If he or she or whomever is involved is alleging that theres hate crime issues, thats something that could go back to the detectives, but at the time there was nothing indicating it was a hate crime, Aguilar said.

Officers at the scene were given conflicting reports as to who started the melee, according to Aguilar.

Ross contacted LAPD detectives days after the incident, asking for the case to be investigated as a hate crime, according to a letter provided by one of her attorneys, Britany Engelman.

In an e-mail to The Times, Engelman insisted that responding officers were informed of the hate crime allegation at the scene. She described the LAPDs decision to close the case as unfortunate.

We logically assumed LAPD was investigating this as a [hate] crime based on the information it has been provided. It is very surprising to learn  that they are not. Katrina Ross was never informed of this by LAPD. She has gone down to Pacific Division several times since the incident, as recently as last Friday, but she has never been able to speak with the detective because he has never been there when she went, Engelman said in the e-mail. LAPD has been nonresponsive to Ms. Ross.

Engelman also provided an e-mail in which a member of the Little Leagues board of directors wrote that one of the alleged assailants used the N-word to refer to Ross during the altercation.

The Del Rey American Little League has not responded to repeated requests for comment.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
Construction to replace barriers along a 14-mile stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border began this week just east of Border Field State Park in San Diego, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

It is the third barrier replacement project to begin this year. Similar projects in Calexico and in Santa Teresa, N.M., are already underway. Funded during the first year of the Trump administration, the San Diego project that got underway Friday will replace fencing that was put up in the 1990s.

Administration officials describe the barrier replacement projects as part of President Trumps promised border wall.

Under this presidents leadership, we have a renewed commitment to secure our border, said Ronald Vitiello, CBPs acting deputy commissioner. Not only does it significantly upgrade our existing infrastructure in San Diego, it also marks the third concurrent wall project in the U.S. and reflects CBPs unwavering commitment to secure our borders and protect our nation.

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None of these projects look like any of the border wall prototypes that were unveiled in Otay Mesa last year. Trump inspected them in March on a trip to San Diego.

In Calexico, two miles of fencing are being replaced by 30-foot bollards  posts set close enough together to prevent a person from passing through but still allow people on either side to see one another. The Santa Teresa version has an opaque steel plate at the top of its bollards that a Department of Homeland Security official explained is an anti-climb feature.

The San Diego project will be similar to the one in Santa Teresa  bollards with a steel plate at the top. The bollards in San Diego will be between 18 and 30 feet tall, and they will run from about a half-mile inland from the ocean to the base of Otay Mountain.

SLSCO, a Texas-based construction corporation, won a $147-million contract for the project.

Morrissey writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com
A West Hollywood man was sentenced to three years in state prison Friday after threatening in an email sent to an Aliso Viejo college in 2017 to go on a killing spree, prosecutors said.

David Kenneth Smith, 40, was convicted of making felony criminal threats in April, months after Orange County sheriffs deputies found several loaded rifles and shotguns inside his home.

Police were contacted by staff members at Soka University in Aliso Viejo in November, after Smith, a former student, sent a professor a link to a YouTube video that showed him sitting with a semiautomatic pistol on his chest talking about the university, authorities said.

Smiths YouTube channel contained several bizarre and disconcerting videos showing him praising the actions of other mass shooters. In one clip, titled What Good Does Killing Ever Do?, Smith debated engaging in suicide or mass murder.

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What should I do? Should I commit suicide and just die off in a corner where all of you folks out there are just  well, hey, I guess that problem took care of itself now, didnt it? Well never have to ever have any reckoning at all for what we did to him and so many other people, Smith says in the video, smiling nearly the entire time. Id rather go on a killing spree.

In the roughly 20-minute video that prompted police to investigate, Smith can be seen sitting shirtless in a bathtub holding a handgun near his chest.

I may be coming for a campus visit soon, he wrote below a link to the video in an e-mail sent to the Soka University employee.

Sheriffs investigators recovered four revolvers, three shotguns and two rifles from Smiths home, all of which were loaded, prosecutors said.

Smith was apparently angered by a punishment he received at the university for marijuana use in 2008, authorities have said.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
Once youre sheriff, youre sheriff for life, or so the thinking goes about an elected position that often receives scant voter scrutiny.

Two challengers to Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell in Tuesdays primary election want to break that tradition, arguing that crime is up, deputy morale is dangerously low, and McDonnell, an outsider who had never worn the tan-and-green uniform, has mismanaged the department.

McDonnell was elected in 2014 to lead the nations largest sheriffs department with a mandate to reshape a corrupt organization in the midst of a federal jail abuse probe that would ultimately lead to the conviction of numerous officials, including former Sheriff Lee Baca.

One of McDonnells challengers, retired Sheriffs Cmdr. Bob Lindsey, is in the unusual position of being backed by more money than the incumbent. Lindsey raised about $330,000 and an independent group supporting him collected $410,000, putting him well past McDonnells intake of $586,000.

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But experts think it would require even more funds  and a Baca-esque scandal  to unseat the sheriff, whose job has no term limits. Deputy grievances are unlikely to galvanize voters at large, analysts say.

Retired Sheriffs Lt. Alex Villanueva, whos supported by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and touts his 17 years as a street cop, has raised $27,000.

McDonnell, a 58-year-old former Los Angeles Police Department official, says his outsider status and experience at the top levels of law enforcement is crucial to implementing reforms, such as in the countys vast jail system, which he oversees. Incidents of serious force by jailers has fallen dramatically under his tenure. And although McDonnell says low morale is a chronic problem in the stressful law enforcement profession, he believes theres an upbeat attitude within his ranks.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell has raised $586,000 ahead of the primary Tuesday. A challenger is supported by about $740,000. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times )

McDonnells challengers say theres a darker mood inside the department.

At our current pace, we will see the murder of a deputy within our custody facilities, said Villanueva, who contends that jailers are now so restricted in how much force they can use that inmates are finding more opportunities to attack staff.

McDonnell acknowledged an increase in inmates throwing human waste at jailers, which he said is due to more violent state prison inmates being moved to the jails because of legislative mandates. He said life-threatening attacks on staff, like stabbings, are rare.

Villanueva, 55, of La Habra Heights, says he is the progressive choice who stood up to authorities early in his three-decade career and helped ban smoking in the jails. He says he would reorganize the department, including assigning civilians to more jobs, and would add thousands more officers for street duty.

Lindsey, 62, said he wants to enforce 2nd Amendment rights and pledged to smooth the process to obtain a concealed-firearm license. The Covina resident served 32 years in the department, including as captain over the professional standards division and most recently oversaw court security. He says many deputies are now being punished unjustly, discouraging proactive policing.

They dont want to be the first person to a call. They want someone else to be the first person to a call, because then that person gets in trouble for however they handled the situation, Lindsey said.

The challengers have focused on a rise in crime during McDonnells term. From 2014 to 2017, violent crime rose 15% and property crime was up 11% in areas patrolled by the Sheriffs Department. Crime went up each year since McDonnell took office, except from 2016 to 2017, when violent crime dipped half a percentage point and property crime dropped 3%.

Department statistics comparing the first four months of 2018 to the same period last year show violent crime and property crime overall have continued to decrease.

Retired Sheriffs Lt. Alex Villanueva says he is the progressive choice for sheriff. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times )

McDonnell said its normal for crime to fluctuate and that some of the increases could be due to Proposition 47, a measure that reduced some nonviolent offenses from felonies to misdemeanors and has led to early releases.

He said he rejects the idea that department policies should revert back to a system in which deputies would use more force and when inmates were more fearful.

Despite their slim chances of winning, the challengers have raised legitimate concerns about forced overtime and limits on training for deputies, issues the department will have to confront regardless of who is sheriff, the leaders of two deputies unions say.

Deputies do not seem to have the tools necessary, and theyre overworked. You couple that with budget faux pas, and spending money on image instead of substance. That hurts the public and employees, said Lt. Brian Moriguchi, president of the Professional Peace Officers Assn., which represents about 5,000 Sheriffs Department members including sworn officers, custody assistants and crime analysts.

Earlier this year, the department projected a $40 million deficit, in large part due to personnel costs including overtime. McDonnell has been criticized for spending money on changing the color of deputies belt buckles and correcting a minor grammatical error on patrol cars at a time when the agency struggles to hire law enforcers. There are at least 564 officer vacancies, but deputies advocates say the current 9,400-member force needs to increase by at least 1,500.

McDonnell defended the cosmetic upgrades to uniforms and equipment as minor expenditures in a continuous series of improvements hes making. He says the staffing shortage is a top priority and has added recruiters to his team.

Neither the Professional Peace Officers Assn. nor the Assn. of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, which represents about 7,900 rank-and-file deputies, have endorsed a candidate, though both unions supported McDonnell in 2014.

Both of McDonnells challengers say theyd loosen policies requiring deputies to document minor uses of force, which they say has tied up officers in paperwork when they could be fighting crime or undergoing training. Both promise to continue reforms in the jails as mandated by federal settlement agreements.

In a curious wrinkle to the race, first reported by Variety, an independent group supporting Lindsey, Mothers for a Safe L.A. County, received $235,000 from Proxima Media LLC, whose CEO is listed as Hollywood producer Ryan Kavanaugh. The embattled founder of Relativity Media donated to sheriffs candidates in the last election, including to Paul Tanaka, who is now in prison tied to the jail scandal.

Kavanaugh once had a concealed-weapons permit, but no longer does. He declined to comment.

Lindsey says he has no knowledge of the payment to the outside group and does not pay attention to its fundraising. The other competitors are not supported by independent committees.

One of the candidates will need to receive more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff Nov. 6.

Lindsey says hell win outright Tuesday. Historically speaking, thats unlikely.

Given the countys vast population  and a relative lack of voter awareness of the sheriffs election  a challenger would have to spend six to eight times more than an incumbent to begin to be a threat, said Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University.

He cited a study conducted by the university this year showing public opinion of the Sheriffs Department is higher than that of the Los Angeles Police Department  a positive association that will probably help McDonnell stay in place, he said.

The necessary conditions to defeat a sheriff are so difficult that it hardly happens, and hasnt happened for close to 100 years in L.A. County, Guerra said.

maya.lau@latimes.com

Twitter: @mayalau
Inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, children lay dying. Outside, the Coral Springs deputy fire chief repeatedly asked a Broward sheriffs commander for permission to send his medics inside the school but was rebuffed.

The incident commander advised me: She would have to check, Deputy Chief Michael McNally wrote in a report released Thursday by the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department.

At the time, the shooter had not been caught, creating a dangerous situation for all but a few specially trained SWAT paramedics who already were inside.

But McNally kept asking for permission for additional medics, assigned to a Rescue Task Force, to go into rooms that had already been searched and found to be safe, to quickly extract and treat the wounded. Again he said he was told by the sheriffs commander that she would have to check before approving this request.

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Even after authorities saw delayed surveillance video showing the shooter had fled the building, those Coral Springs fire rescue forces were not permitted in. By the time the whole building was deemed safe for them to enter, there was no need  everyone had already been brought out by police or were dead.

Reports of paramedics being kept, for their safety, from entering the school are another in a long line of miscues and missed opportunities in the Valentines Day tragedy that left 17 dead in Parkland, Fla. The FBI and the Broward Sheriffs Office had warnings before the shooting that the 19-year-old charged in the massacre, Nikolas Cruz, could shoot up a school, but they failed to intervene. An armed sheriffs deputy based at the school took cover outside instead of storming the building to confront the shooter. And school officials and mental health counselors failed to hospitalize Cruz for psychiatric treatment, despite serious concerns about his stability and his obsession with guns.

The latest records  some 80 pages  released by Coral Springs fire officials Thursday reveal more details of the chaotic response. One of the documents says the Broward Sheriffs Office failed to set up an effective central command post, contributing to the confusion and frustration among the medics. The same issue arose with the January 2017 Fort Lauderdale airport killings  the last major shooting the sheriffs office handled.

Its clear from the reports that Coral Springs officials were butting heads with the sheriffs offices commander at the high school, Jan Jordan.

The reports say Coral Springs Rescue Task Force medics were eager to get inside to help but were thwarted by Jordan. McNally said he asked six times for permission to enter, and my requests were denied.

At one point, Jordan told McNally that specially trained SWAT medics were already inside the buildings danger zones, but its unclear how many. An apparent argument ensued over the need for more medics, especially in safer areas that had been searched and where no gunman or bombs were found.

Jordan could not be reached for comment.

A sheriffs spokeswoman told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Thursday that during an active-killer incident, medics are sent in after it has been confirmed that the threat is mitigated. She said more information would become available once all the facts were gathered in the criminal investigation and various state reviews of the response were completed.

Tony Pustizzi, who was Coral Springs police chief at the time and has since retired, said Thursday that SWAT medics were in the building quickly but that their purpose is to assist police officers in case one of them is shot. Naturally, if they see other victims they will treat them. He said SWAT medics from the Coral Springs Fire Department pulled out at least two injured children.

Paramedics had set up a staging area just outside the school. Victims were carried or driven there.

McNally, however, wanted more paramedics to go inside the school and was pressing Jordan for permission because she was in charge. He declined to comment Thursday, saying hes not permitted to talk to the news media without department approval.

What he said is true, its accurate, Pustizzi said of McNallys report. He came to me and I tried to get a group to form up, but it was Broward Countys jurisdiction. We had to wait for an answer.

The Coral Springs Fire Department put out a news release on Feb. 26 saying it could not speak for the sheriffs office but believe that the Rescue Task Force paramedics were kept back because the sheriffs office probably thought it wasnt safe for them to go in, in accordance with how the response plan works.

During the initial phases of this operation, we could not confirm that the suspect fled, had been detained or was confirmed deceased, the news release states.

McNallys report makes clear he thought the sheriffs office had not set up a unified command structure, with leaders from each agency working side by side, including medics, the FBI and others, to coordinate the response and share information. McNally wrote that, as a result, on several occasions, I would have to track down the incident commander to submit fire department requests.

That concern seemed to be shared by an FBI agent on the scene, McNally wrote. The command post was inundated with too many people and made it impossible to establish and function under a unified command structure, the report says.

In the aftermath of the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting, the Sun Sentinel and the sheriffs own reports identified the lack of a unified command post as a contributing factor to a disorganized response that left thousands of passengers stranded on the tarmac for hours over unfounded fears of a second shooter.

At Stoneman Douglas High School, McNally wrote, fire officials could not find out which building had been cleared and searched. He also reported that his department learned of reports of more than 70 students in a drama classroom with unknown injuries. I did not receive feedback when they were found, he wrote.

The reports also show that the safety precautions that kept many paramedics out of the building also restricted the ability to airlift the wounded to hospitals. The Broward Sheriffs Office told Coral Springs that the countys air rescue crews would not fly patients until they could confirm the shooter was down, the reports say.

A Palm Beach County air ambulance company and the Coast Guard were called to send their helicopters.

Coral Springs fire officials wanted to get the helicopter in but they were told no by BSO originally, Pustizzi said.

Cruz had a high-powered rifle when he was captured. He could take out a helicopter, Pustizzi explained.

OMatz and Huriash write for the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
To the editor: Thanks to Jonah Goldberg for sharing the inspiring story of his recently deceased father-in-law, who came to the United States from communist-controlled Czechoslovakia, and for his testimony that immigrants, even those in the country illegally  are human beings desperate to make the American dream their reality.

How, then, can he draw a parallel between the poisonous, xenophobic attitude of the political right on immigration and the humanitarian and inclusive attitude of the left?

Given Goldbergs clear dislike of Donald Trumps presidency, I was surprised to read his statement, There is a kernel of truth on both sides. This reminds me of President Trumps infamous observation that there were very fine people on both sides of the demonstrations last summer between white supremacists and those who showed up to oppose them.

In this case, as in Charlottesville, Va., there is no equivalency.

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James Zimring, Tarzana

..

To the editor: I must have missed something in Goldbergs column. It certainly sounded as if his father-in-law came to America legally.

He was intelligent: Colorado State University offered him a scholarship, then he attended the University of Chicago to get a masters degree. He was not an unintelligent or violent man.

My maternal grandparents came here from Bohemia legally. My husbands grandparents came from Georgia, also legally. I am confident that those of us labeled anti-immigration are really just opposed to illegal immigration.

There are many roads on which to come to the United States, something that I support.

Doris Waterman, Newport Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: Messaging matters. Since before his election as president, Donald Trump had a documented record of unethical behavior, racist discourse and disregard for the truth. Many Americans and much of the mainstream media remain perplexed that President Trump gets away with this, wondering why Congress refuses to rebuke him. For those of us who study communication, the answer is obvious and more rhetorical than ideological.

In Rhetoric, Aristotle wrote about the available means of persuasion. Say what you will about Trumps incompetence as well as his despicable words and deeds. That may not matter when we have a president who understands, arguably more than any of his predecessors, that survival and success often are linked to controlling what language infiltrates the public sphere.

Several years ago, I published research introducing the concept of language-in-use. I argued that ascertaining the rhetorical effect of presidential discourse by analyzing public opinion poll data and votes may not always be the only or best metric. Instead we also need to know whether and how a presidents language is disseminated and utilized by others, including the media. After all, the use and internalization of even a few of a presidents carefully chosen words may reflect the internalization and acceptance of his larger narratives.

Not only is Trump astute about the power of language-in-use (what he calls branding), but he has mastered the art of utilizing that power. His employment of phrases like witch hunt and spygate  along with their dissemination by Trump surrogates  have had an impact, being internalized and repeated by others, thus eroding confidence in the eventual outcome of the Russia investigation.

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Until Trumps critics understand this rhetorical source of his influence, he may continue to escape accountability.

Richard Cherwitz, Austin, Texas

The writer is a professor of rhetoric and communications at the University of Texas.

..

To the editor: As I sort through the presidents latest spate of lies on spygate, I have concluded that his consistent mendacity has become even more outrageous and desperate. Without Fox News to amplify his false statements and the support of his fellow Republicans, Trumps attempts to deceive would probably be considered laughable by a majority of Americans.

But it frightens me to contemplate what the response of the White House would be to a true and dangerous national emergency.

Would we hear the truth from the president regarding what we should do and who is responsible for our peril? Or would he just blame the situation on Democrats, immigrants and the media while chaos and confusion are allowed to spread?

Can we really believe anything the president has to say, even in a situation where the security of our country was at stake?

Steven Schilling, Sierra Madre

..

To the editor: Recently I visited monuments that honor our nations greatest leaders. Now, I ponder what traits they have in common to appeal to our better angels.

These leaders inspire hope, not fear. The best presidents do not cater to our fears and conspiracies, but conquer our fears with a higher vision. They speak to all Americans, not just their tribe.

They stand as a moral example for the nation by word and deed. They are accountable and take responsibility for their actions. They are devoted to the truth rather than alternative facts.

We as citizens need to hold our leaders accountable based on the facts, respect for the law, and civility when discussing opposing opinions. Only then can we become the shining city that Ronald Reagan envisioned.

Ruth Larson, San Diego

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un both say they have the same ambitious goal  denuclearization of the Korean peninsula  at their upcoming summit in Singapore.

But the two leaders fundamentally disagree about what that looks like.



For the record: An earlier version of this story spelled the name of a senior research fellow at Harvard University as William Overhalt. The correct spelling is Overholt.

The dispute over the shape, scope and speed of a potential disarmament has stymied international efforts to halt or roll back North Koreas nuclear weapons program for three decades. It arguably poses the biggest obstacle to a successful summit now that the historic meeting is back on track for June 12.

Reconciling or finessing that gap  and determining what the secretive police state would get in return for handing over or dismantling its devastating nuclear arsenal  could make the difference between a deal or no deal after the formal haggling starts.

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The common mistake is to assume when the North Koreans talk about denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, theyre talking about giving up all their weapons, said Victor Cha, who headed Asian affairs in the National Security Council under President George W. Bush and who took part in nuclear talks with North Korea at the time.

Its not really the way we look at it, which is Crate it up and take it out, said Cha, who now heads the Korea program at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Rather, he said, North Koreans view denuclearization as a long-term aspiration, the way Americans talk of someday abolishing nuclear weapons from the globe. North Korea has a long list of other grievances, and could demand the removal of U.S. troops, or even the U.S. nuclear umbrella, from South Korea.

Its an endless list, said Michael Green, another veteran of Bush-era negotiations with North Korea. They will keep adding to the list of things we have to do in order for them to denuclearize until the cows come home.

Most experts say Pyongyang wants to be recognized as a full-fledged nuclear power with the weapons it has, but with global obligations, much as then-isolated Communist Chinas nuclear arms program ultimately was accepted after President Nixons historic visit to Beijing in 1972.

The broad parameters of a potential pact are well-established: The U.S. side wants North Korea to give up the estimated 20 to 60 nuclear weapons that it has built, as well as the massive infrastructure that created them, and presumably the ballistic missiles that can hurl them across the Pacific.

In exchange, Trump can offer U.S. security guarantees for the despotic regime in Pyongyang, better relations with Washington and its allies in Japan and South Korea, and easing of international economic sanctions that have strangled North Koreas ability to trade with the outside world. Trump has signaled that he wont offer a U.S. financial aid package, though he has suggested he would solicit Asian allies to do so.

Whether thats enough  or whether North Korea is really prepared to give up a vast weapons program that has consumed much of the impoverished countrys energy and resources for decades  remains to be seen.

Many former U.S. negotiators with North Korea are deeply skeptical of how much its leaders will relinquish, and whether they would allow the intrusive inspections needed to ensure the program isnt secretly restarting  as North Korea has done in the past.

As part of the recent thaw, Pyongyang announced a freeze on further nuclear tests  it previously conducted six  and last week blew up the entrances to its underground test site at Punggye-ri. It didnt allow international inspectors in to determine if the damage is reversible, however, and it could always lift its freeze.

For now, the two sides have yet to define denuclearization, a strategic ambiguity that could provide negotiating room or doom the diplomacy altogether.

The end goal for the Trump administration is what it calls complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization, jargon now so common its referred to as CVID.

In theory, that would require robust inspections and long-term monitoring of hundreds of North Korean military sites and buildings, most now secret, in a verification program far more intrusive than the 2015 nuclear accord that Trump recently abandoned with Iran.

One of Trumps chief complaints was the Iran deal focused only on its nuclear program, not its ballistic missiles or support for terrorist groups. In the case of North Korea, the administration has not made clear if it will seek curbs on Pyongyangs ballistic missiles  or its extensive chemical, biological and cyberwarfare capabilities, demands that would complicate a potential pact.

Behind the scenes, U.S. officials have sought to narrow their differences with Pyongyang in a rush of advance and even so-called pre-advance planning and talks in Washington, New York, Singapore and in the buffer zone that divides the two Koreas.

Trumps national security advisor, John Bolton, enraged North Koreans and nearly scuttled the sensitive diplomacy when he suggested North Korea should follow the Libya model. Libya gave up its nascent nuclear program in 2003 in hopes, largely disappointed, of economic benefits. Its leader, Moammar Kadafi, was brutally murdered during an uprising eight years later.

Most nuclear experts discount the idea of an immediate and complete denuclearization in North Korea given its vast program and deep distrust of Washington. They say full disarmament probably would require at least a decade and allow the two governments to build trust over time as they see results.

The summit represents a historic opportunity, said Siegfried Hecker, a former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and one of the few Americans who has toured North Koreas major nuclear facilities. But he said Washington will have to settle for a phased process, not a quick disarmament.

Hecker and two co-authors, Robert Carlin and Elliot Serbin, recently completed a study at Stanford University that argues full disarmament would take 15 years. After a halt in nuclear weapons and missile tests, they argue, initial stages would include ending production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium, either of which can power a bomb, and stopping exports of nuclear technology or expertise to other states.

Kim wants multilateral security guarantees, in particular a declaration from the United States that it wont seek to overthrow the Kim government, said William Overholt, a senior research fellow at Harvard University. The isolated nation also likely wants cultural and economic exchanges  and eventually some form of diplomatic recognition, he said.

Both sides quite reasonably dont trust the other, and it has to be a very permanent agreement that its hard for us to back out of, Overholt said.

The U.S. side also has a list of demands, although its far from clear how much it will get.

I think what the U.S. will settle for is at least a big down payment up front, where North Korea dismantles something, gives up something, blows up something, or ships out ICBMs, said Sue Mi Terry, a Korea expert, referring to the countrys intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Terry, a former CIA officer who worked in the White House under President Bush, said that could be followed by a more phased approach, like those attempted in past negotiations.

The most ambitious were the so-called six-party talks in Beijing after North Korea pulled out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003, raising concerns around the globe. After five rounds of negotiations, North Korea pulled out of the talks in 2009 and expelled all international nuclear inspectors from the country.

The Trump-Kim summit is complicated by the competing interests of other major Asian nations, notably China, South Korea and Japan.

Japan and South Korea both depend on U.S. guarantees of a nuclear response, if needed, if they are attacked. Any move to rescind that promise or withdraw U.S. troops could upset the alliances and lead to a regional nuclear arms race.

China, North Koreas major trading partner and closest ally, worries that Washington could gain an upper hand in a region where Beijing has exerted growing influence. Beijing also worries about the unlikely prospect that a future unified Korea could align itself with Washington.

Trump has made clear he is suspicious of Chinas motives, even as he has lauded President Xi Jinping for enforcing tighter sanctions on North Korea. Trump also has praised South Koreas president, Moon Jae-In, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, although he blindsided both when he initially agreed to the summit in March, and again when he said on May 24 that he was pulling out. On Friday, Trump said the summit was back on again.

Moon has played perhaps the most crucial role in the rapprochement between Kim and Trump, acting as a middleman at crucial stages.

Moon and Kim have met twice, including surprise talks last weekend that helped calm nerves in Washington and Pyongyang after testy public exchanges, and spurred diplomats to redouble their efforts.

Moon, like Trump and Kim, has spoken enthusiastically about complete denuclearization of the peninsula. But his definition is the most malleable.

He is more concerned with improving relations with North Korea, including a possible peace treaty to end the Korean War that sputtered to a ceasefire in 1953, but never technically ended. Moon suggested to reporters last week that he would leave it to Kim and Trump to define denuclearization.

Cho Myoung-gyon, Moons minister in charge of inter-Korean affairs, admitted that the gulf in definitions is huge, but he expressed optimism.

It wont be easy to narrow this gap and coordinate with each other, but our judgment is that its not impossible, said Cho. Our assessment is that they will reach a compromise.

Stiles, a special correspondent, reported from Seoul.

Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington 

noah.bierman@latimes.com | Twitter: @noahbierman
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger met with the Burbank City Council Thursday to talk about ongoing issues that affect both the city and the entire county.

Council members brought up several topics, such as the lengthy 5 Freeway project, possible double-tracking of Metrolinks Antelope Valley line and the ongoing housing shortage and homelessness issue in the region, and asked the supervisor if there were ways to address those issues.

Councilman Jess Talamantes told Barger the county needs to make sure Caltrans finishes its Empire Avenue interchange and Buena Vista Street project before the state agency gets started with the highly anticipated and dreaded demolition and reconstruction of the Burbank Boulevard bridge.

Barger told council members she has been disappointed with Caltrans delayed work on the project. She said she often takes the Golden State Freeway and doesnt like driving through the stretch that goes through the San Fernando Valley because of the ongoing work.

In addition to finding out what the timeline is for those projects, Councilman Bob Frutos asked Barger if there was a way to receive funding to clean up the post-construction debris left behind by Caltrans at Buena Vista and San Fernando Boulevard.

Sticking with the topic of transportation, Frutos said the double-tracking of Metrolinks Antelope Valley line from Roxford Street in Sylmar to Brighton Street in Burbank is necessary to bring residents who work in Burbank, downtown Los Angeles or the northeast San Fernando Valley to their destinations more efficiently.

Frutos said having two tracks on that line would help the city and county encourage workers to take Metrolink to work instead of driving on the 5 Freeway.

Barger said she has concerns about the states high-speed rail project, which she thinks will not reach Southern California. She added she and her staff will continue to push for the double-tracking of the Antelope Valley line.

It just does not make sense to invest in an infrastructure when we already have something in place that needs to be brought up, Barger said.

One of the largest issues affecting the county is homelessness, and Vice Mayor Sharon Springer told Barger that Burbank should be getting its fair share of the money the city will be generating through the Measure H tax, approved by voters during the March 2017 election.

Burbank is expected to generate about $6 million this fiscal year, but, so far, the city has received $77,000 from Los Angeles Countys housing authority to fund the citys Homelessness Incentive program.

Springer suggested the county look into working more closely with faith-based organizations to possibly provide temporary shelter for the homeless.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
A Burbank man and former elementary school teacher was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday for allegedly producing pornographic images of a former student when she was 15 years old.

The 11-count indictment charged 53-year-old Sean David Sigler with obtaining custody and control of a minor with intent to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. He was previously charged with production of child pornography, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

According to a sworn statement from Sandra Cornils, a special agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the now 17-year-old victim met Sigler when he was her fifth-grade teacher at Gardner Street Elementary School in Los Angeles.

When the girl moved on from elementary school, she remained in touch with the teacher, even helping out in his classroom.

He took steps to befriend her and other members of her family, Cornils said. [She] and Sigler began spending time together outside of the classroom.

The two reportedly began having sex when the girl was 15 years old. Sigler used a ride-sharing service to bring the girl to his home, allegedly gave her alcohol until she became intoxicated and then raped her, according to Cornils.

She said Sigler did this several more times over a 15-month period. He would also film and photograph the sexual encounters, she said.

Sigler was arrested by the Burbank Police Department in January after the girl came forward about the inappropriate sexual contact. Cornils said Sigler admitted to investigators to having an ongoing sexual relationship with the girl.

He also told police that he did film his encounters with the girl but had deleted the images after taking them.

However, that was not the case.

A search of Siglers electronic devices uncovered more than 350,000 images and videos, many of which included photographs of students in grade school. The devices also contained more than 6,000 images of child pornography featuring children as young as 5 years old.

Cornils said at least 600 of the recovered images and videos featured his former student. One video featured the girl appearing intoxicated and slurring her words.

Images of another girl Sigler taught at Gardner were found on his devices, some of which featured her face superimposed on pornographic images of the first victim.

Sigler worked as a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District from March 1998 to June 2016. He then went on to teach fifth grade for the Burbank Unified School District at Bret Harte Elementary.

He was placed on leave by the district when he was first arrested but has since been let go, according to Sharon Cuseo, Burbank Unified assistant superintendent.

Sigler remains in federal custody.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
A Huntington Beach blogger is pushing back against a school board members failed attempt to obtain a restraining order against him with a motion in Orange County Superior Court.

An attorney for Chuck Johnson, who manages HBSledgehammer.com, filed the anti-SLAPP motion May 8 against Ocean View School District trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin.

SLAPP stands for strategic lawsuit against public participation and is considered an attempt to intimidate critics by burdening them with legal costs.

Johnson claims Clayton-Tarvin tried to stifle his right to criticize an elected official by falsely claiming he threatened her with physical, rather than metaphoric, harm.

The petition argues that Clayton-Tarvins request for a restraining order, which was denied by Judge Timothy J. Stafford May 9, should be rejected if she failed to provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate how Johnsons criticism of the school board member on his blog, on social media and during school board meetings were meant as actual threats. Johnson is also seeking attorneys fees.

A hearing with Stafford on Johnsons motion is set for Wednesday in Superior Court.

On March 26, attorney Jeffrey W. Shields filed a petition for a restraining order against Johnson on behalf of Clayton-Tarvin, who alleged in court documents that Johnson threatened her online and at school board meetings, causing her to fear for my own safety and for that of my immediate family members.

Johnson at the time said the trustee tried to suppress his 1st Amendment rights and took his blog posts, Facebook comments and dark sense of humor too seriously and out of context, saying anyone who is afraid of metaphors has serious issues.

At one school board meeting, for example, Johnson told Clayton-Tarvin that her critics  ... want your head on a stick and Im going to give it to them.

Stafford rejected the school board members request and called her petition weak, adding that she knew the consequences of elected office. Stafford also criticized Johnson, saying he was not impressed with his explanations for his actions.

Stafford added that he didnt want to see either party return to court.

Both parties filed rebuttals in Superior Court affirming their stances. Clayton-Tarvins asserts that Johnsons comments fall outside the scope of constitutionally protected speech while Johnsons contends his words were not actual threats and are protected by the 1st Amendment.

My position is, and continues to be, that threats of violence by Mr. Johnson against me are not constitutionally protected and are properly outside the bounds of free speech, Clayton-Tarvin said in a prepared statement Friday. I look forward to the court addressing this issue at the upcoming hearing and am optimistic the court will agree with this position.

Johnson fired back with a statement of his own.

It has been established that she knew the statements were not a viable threat (i.e., she was on notice of this fact) before filing her suit, he said. The information establishing that she was told by the HBPD that there was no viable threat was known to Tarvin prior to the filing.

He said the complaint was filed to punish or chill free speech since they are protected  .

If the motion is dismissed by the judge, Johnson said in an interview that he will continue his legal battle.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella
A Newport Beach man who says he was banned from South Coast Plaza until 2022 for window shopping is suing the Costa Mesa luxury shopping mall in an effort to regain access.

Dale Phillips, a former homeless man who now works for ride services, wrote in his April lawsuit that he was a frequent visitor to South Coast Plaza from 2015 to 2017 and engaged in window shopping, eating and drinking, reading and partaking in the South Coast Plaza experience.

Phillips contends that on April 5, 2017, he was approached by two uniformed security guards in the mall who told him theyd had complaints about him and alleged he had stared into the Rolex watch store for an hour without making a purchase.

Phillips wrote in the civil complaint, which also names Rolex Watch USA as a defendant, that he was issued a trespassing warning that barred him from the mall and its parking lots until April 2022. He said he faces arrest for trespassing if he returns.

Phillips is alleging discrimination, deprivation of due process and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Hes seeking to be granted access to the mall along with the costs of the lawsuit, court documents show.

The suit, which was originally filed in Orange County Superior Court, was moved to federal court in Santa Ana in May at the behest of South Coast Plazas attorneys, according to court records.

Attorneys for the mall argued in a motion filed Thursday that the suit should be dismissed because Phillips has not presented sufficient evidence to prove his case.

A South Coast Plaza attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday. Mall spokeswoman Debra Gunn Downing said, We respectfully decline to comment.

Phillips, referring to himself in the third person, wrote in his complaint that he has suffered bouts of depression over the incident, having been banned from one of his favorite places. The strong emotions of fear and puzzlement exist until this day.

He said he has emotional mini-meltdowns from the thought of an Uber or Lyft customer asking him for a pickup and/or drop-off at South Coast Plaza.

Phillips wrote that he bought clothing and other merchandise from the mall when it was financially possible, but since his funds were limited, he often pondered his purchases over several visits.

Rolex, through its individual and shared advertising efforts with South Coast Plaza, induced [Phillips] to engage the company in a business relationship, directly and subliminally instructing him to partake in the dream of exclusivity and through an association with their brand through ownership of their fine watches, whether now or in the future, he wrote.

Rolex Watch USA, based in New York, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Judge Andrew Guilford is expected to hold a hearing on the case July 30, according to court records.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
More than two-thirds of Orange County teenagers experience some kind of dating abuse, according to a recent study by Chapman University researchers.

The study was completed for Lauras House, a Ladera Ranch-based nonprofit that provides domestic violence-related services to local residents.

Jennifer Ponce, prevention education manager of Lauras House, said the nonprofit hasnt been involved with a wide-ranging study like this before, but the group wanted to make sure it had a grasp on the scope of teen dating violence in the county.

Ponce said the groups employees were noticing that teen dating violence appeared  at least anecdotally  to be pervasive.

In particular, the nonprofit wanted to know the full extent of teen dating violence, which, in the groups definition, includes psychological, emotional and cyber abuse.

Michelle Miller-Day, a Chapman University communication studies professor and co-author of the study, said that before their research, there were very few studies that looked at teen dating violence with the inclusion of those forms of abuse. The majority of studies generally define violence as physical or sexual.

Chapman University assistant professor of communication studies Sam Dorros also co-authored the study.

Ponce said Lauras House used a 2008 study by Haven, an Oakland County, Mich.-based group that provides services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Titled Tween and Teen Dating Violence and Abuse Study, it states that one in three teens were in abusive or unhealthy relationships, and includes verbal aggression as part of its definition.

In comparing that study with Chapmans research, teen dating violence in Orange County is more than twice the national average.

Lauras House received the completed study in April. It took about two years to compile.

Study participants were taken from a random selection of 1,530 Orange County residents. Some requirements were that individuals had to have attended an O.C. high school and be aged 18 to 21.

Miller-Day said high school kids could not be surveyed due to ethical reasons, so researchers used an age range just after that period so the respondents memories would be as fresh as possible.

Out of the random selection, 270 had attended a high school in the county. Of that number, 72% were women and 28% men.

That pool of respondents was asked about acceptance of dating violence. Researchers then narrowed the group down to 206 based on whether the subjects had dated in high school or not.

Findings showed that 69% of the subjects who attended Orange County high schools reported some kind of dating violence during their teenage years. Teen dating violence tended to begin at 15 years old, but could start as young as age 11.

In breaking down the percentages based on the types of reported abuse, 34.5% reported at least one form of physical aggression (one or more times); 33.5% reported at least one form of sexual aggression (one or more times); 72.3% reported at least one form of psychological or emotional aggression (one or more times); 45.1% reported at least one form of cyber abuse (one or more times) and 44.2% reported being stalked in person or with technology (one or more times).

Psychological and emotional abuse included insults, manipulation, and feeling ignored, among others. Some examples of cyber abuse included looking at texts without permission, unwanted sexting or being pressured to send explicit images.

Miller-Day said she couldnt speculate as to why teen dating violence is so pronounced in Orange County. She pointed out that when the definition is expanded to include psychological aggression, a lot more people will be included.

However, you dont want to lessen emotional and psychological impacts; those can leave scars that last longer than physical abuse, Miller-Day said.

Ponce said findings from the study will enable Lauras House to better combat teen dating violence in the county.

I think this study will open a lot of doors for us, Ponce said. We will better be able to have this conversation and develop relationships with our school districts, colleges and universities. If we stop the cycle while these kids are young, then they wont carry these practices into adulthood.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter:@benbrazilpilot
Reasons to vote for Harley Rouda

As a current elected official representing 130,000 constituents over multiple cities in Orange County, I know that the people of Californias 48th Congressional District deserve better.

They deserve better than their current representative, Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, in Congress, and they deserve better than Democratic candidate Hans Keirstead. The Democratic Campaign Committee knows this, and thats why it endorsed entrepreneur and attorney Harley Rouda in the race.

The election to flip the 48th District from red to blue is receiving due national attention. Rohrabacher has been dubbed Vladimir Putins favorite Congressman for his close ties and work with Russia, and if we as Americans want to take back Congress, the 48th is as close to a front line as there is.

That is why the 48th needs Harley Rouda in the general election against Rohrabacher. From the beginning it was clear Keirstead was running just for his own self interests.

Rouda, a pragmatic candidate who has an expert handle on the issues, is already poised for national attention and can run circles around Rohrabacher on a debate stage. Rouda has been endorsed by grassroots and mainstream organizations, and more current members of Congress support Rouda than any other candidate in the race.

Californias unique jungle primary system has real potential to lock out any Democrat from making the November general election.

That scenario would be disastrous in any year, but now more than any other election in recent history we cant let that happen. Its time to speak and vote with one voice and make sure Rouda is on the November ballot.

The 48th deserves better than to just throw away a real chance at flipping this congressional seat and bringing back dignity to the district and our nation. We must choose country over party. We must choose Rouda on Tuesday.

Gina Clayton-Tarvin

Huntington Beach

The writer is a member of the Ocean View school board.

Reasons to vote for Hans Keirstead

I am writing this piece because I read the letter 48th District needs a centrist published in the Daily Pilot on May 30 by Tim Geddes of Huntington Beach. I was motivated to get another realistic perspective on Dr. Hans Keirstead, the candidate of choice, whom I support 100%.

I reside in Huntington Beach. I am a union member, I am fully employed, and I received my college undergraduate degree in marine biology. I became interested in politics recently because of the result of the 2016 presidential election.

The commentator mentioned that Keirstead was too progressive and that we needed a moderate. In my opinion he is a little of both, but he is also pragmatic. He can win by sticking to the issues that even Republicans and the like can relate to.

The top issue that sees no color is health care. Is Keirstead a Medicare-for-all kind of guy? The answer is yes.

However, he wants to first fine tune the current healthcare laws quickly to make capitalism drive down the cost of healthcare, but also introduce a bill down the road to implement Medicare-for-all without scaring people off who are not proponents of Medicare-for-all. Thats why Keirstead thinks logistically, and is strategic and realistic on how he can help Congress pass laws to make it happen.

Keirstead owns successful biotech companies and provides great benefits to his employees. He has the experience to work with the small business sector, which is the heart of Americas enterprise.

He will work with these constituents to maintain and strengthen the overall economy to successfully compete in todays global marketplace. Keirstead has done it. He came from nothing and became successful in life through his own right and relentless hard work.

Bottom line: Keirstead is all about issues first. Now more than ever, data and facts matter. It is what should drive policy-making. It is what shapes society. It is how it affects our lives.

I see Keirstead as a matter-of-fact kind of guy, who cares about what is occurring in our lives, with a touch of progressivism. I encourage everyone in the 48th District to support Keirstead.

Cindy Huynh

Huntington Beach

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Using classic songs from the 1950s and 60s in telling its story, The Marvelous Wonderettes opened this weekend at the Glendale Centre Theatre featuring a female quartet, singing tight four-part harmony, in costumes and hairstyles from those bygone decades.

The production features about 35 songs, including Sandman, Lollipop, Respect and Rescue Me, but director and choreographer Robert Marra said the show isnt a straight-on musical revue. Each character is unique, has her own storyline and her own connection to songs in the show.

At its core, its a jukebox musical, Marra said. But Roger Bean, who wrote it and created it, spent so much time tying together all of these songs and the characters they maintain within the songs, so that the storylines make sense. So, its really not a revue.

Beans work apparently paid off. All of the character arcs are completely justified, Marra said.

For The Marvelous Wonderettes, the Glendale Centre Theatre has broken from its traditional theater-in-the-round staging and created a thrust-proscenium setting, taking out some patron seats to make room.

Marra said as part of the gymnasium backdrop for the show, the four performers use not only the newly constructed stage but also the gym floor in the center of the theater during their numbers.

Local theater enthusiasts may remember The Marvelous Wonderettes had an extended run at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood some years ago. It was directed by Bean, who is an area resident.

Its also been produced at the Laguna Playhouse, Milwaukee Repertory Theater and in New York City.

It played Off-Broadway for a long time, said Marra, who has theatrical experience in New York City, where he was born and raised.

Marra, who was last seen at the Glendale Centre Theatre in the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat earlier this season, has been featured in several starring roles at the local venue, including productions of Brigadoon and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

This past production of Joseph was the fourth time hes played the main role, also having performed it in the original production at Glendale Centre Theatre and three productions there in between.

The Marvelous Wonderettes runs through July 7. For performance times and ticket information, visit glendalecentretheatre.com.

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @lamarkkellam
Although Carl Povilaitis was officially made Glendales new top cop in early May, there was one last bit of businesses that needed to be done so he could become bona fide  a swearing-in ceremony.

Hundreds of friends, family members and local dignitaries gathered at the Glendale Police Department on Thursday to honor Povilaitis as he was formally sworn in as the new chief of police. He had served as the departments interim chief since Robert Castro retired in December.

Rather than hold a search for a new chief to replace Castro, Glendale City Manager Yasmin Beers said it was a very clear decision to choose Povilaitis to take over.

Selecting Carl after his 27 years of service to this community was an absolute pleasure for me, she said. His leadership, his commitment to this organization and this community is truly unparalleled.

Povilaitis first started at the department as a patrol officer in 1990.

City Councilwoman Paula Devine said having Povilaitis as the new head of the police department was the easiest choice she has made since being elected to office in 2014.

During the ceremony, Povilaitis said he was truly humbled by this honor and thanked several people from throughout his life including his mother, Joan Condon, and sister Margaret Slaby. He also praised the men and women of the department as a premiere law-enforcement organization and said he couldnt be more proud of the officers.

It is committed to providing the highest quality law-enforcement services that any organization can provide in the United States, he said.

Of his tenure as chief, Povilaitis said he looks forward to working cooperatively with the city and community organizations.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Indian forces fired tear gas on Saturday at a funeral march for a man who was killed after paramilitary forces ran over him with a truck during an anti-government protest in the disputed Kashmir territory.

The violence came after photos of the incident from Friday were widely circulated and sparked fresh condemnation of Indias heavy military presence in Muslim-majority Kashmir, where government forces have long been accused of using excessive force.

In the Friday protest, demonstrators hurled stones, bricks and even a bicycle at the paramilitary vehicle as it drove through Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir. The vehicle reportedly ran over and injured three protesters, one of whom died several hours later.

When mourners staged a funeral march on Saturday for the victim, identified in Indian news media as Qaiser Amin Bhat, Indian police fired at the crowds with tear gas and shotgun pellets, causing some injuries, witnesses said.

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Mourners on Saturday carry the body of Qaiser Amin Bhat, who died after being run over by an Indian paramilitary vehicle the day before. (Dar Yasin / Associated Press )

The violent scenes unfolded despite the Indian governments declaration two weeks ago that it would halt operations against separatist insurgents in Kashmir during the ongoing Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The unusual cease-fire came after more than a year of intense Indian attacks that killed 218 alleged militants in 2017, the highest one-year total since 2010, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

Indias minister of home affairs, Rajnath Singh, was due to visit Kashmir next week and has expressed a willingness to meet with separatist leaders to discuss prospects for peace.

Pakistan, which has battled India for control over the Himalayan territory since both countries gained independence in 1947, responded to the Indian cease-fire by declaring a truce along their disputed border in Kashmir.

A protester throws a tear gas shell back at Indian police in Srinagar, the capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, on June 2, 2018. (Dar Yasin / Associated Press )

Critics said the actions by the Central Reserve Police Force, the paramilitary outfit deployed in Kashmir, that resulted in the protesters being run over violated the spirit of the cease-fire.

Cease-fire means no guns so use jeeps? tweeted Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The paramilitary force defended the driver, saying he was trying to avoid being harmed after a mob of protesters encircled the vehicle and attacked it with stones and bricks.

A spokesman for the force, Sanjay Sharma, said protesters were trying to lynch people inside the vehicle and the driver was trying to get out of the situation, the Hindustan Times reported.

Indian forces have long been accused of heavy-handed tactics to quell anti-government unrest in Kashmir. During major protests after the killing of a young militant leader in 2016, police fired live rounds and shotgun pellets into crowds, leaving hundreds with eye injuries.

Last year, Indian forces were criticized for lashing a Kashmiri man to the hood of a military vehicle as a warning to stone throwers.

Faisal Khan, a photographer who was at the protest Friday, said that the victims parents were dead and that he has two younger sisters. He was buried in a graveyard in Srinagar that is dedicated to those who died fighting Indian forces, Khan said.

The senior superintendent of police in Srinagar, Imtiaz Ismail Parray, said police reports had been filed against the driver for reckless driving and against demonstrators for attacking the vehicle.

On its official Twitter account, Kashmirs police force posted photos of demonstrators attacking the vehicle and said those who only shared images of the man trapped underneath were practicing selective journalism.

This you have not found worth a tweet.Selective journalism. pic.twitter.com/cE05jLy5i0  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) June 1, 2018

Parth M.N. is a special correspondent.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Shashank Bengali is The Times South Asia correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @SBengali
After eight months of political deadlock, Catalonias new regional government assumed power Saturday and promised to push for secession, prolonging the divisive independence conflict that led Spains prime minister to fire the Catalan parliament and assert control in October.

At a swearing-in ceremony in Barcelona  the seat of the regional government  Catalonias new president, Quim Torra, called an Oct. 1 secession referendum a mandate to push for independence for the prosperous northern region and continue the work of the previous Catalan government.

We assume the promise of advancing the construction of an independent state, Torra said at the ceremony, where his new Cabinet, relatives of imprisoned Catalan leaders and former Catalan politicians were gathered.

Torra called on Spains new central government  which earlier in the day also changed hands after the ouster of its previous prime minister  to negotiate with Catalonia government to government.

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Saturdays swearing-in ceremony marks the end to eight months of uncertainty over the governance of Catalonia. Spains central government had ruled Catalonia since Oct. 27, when then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy fired the regional parliament in response to its unilateral declaration of independence. The declaration came nearly a month after a low-turnout independence referendum organized by Catalonias government and deemed illegal by Spain showed a majority of voters wanted to secede.

Days after Rajoy dissolved the regional parliament, then-Catalan President Carles Puigdemont fled Barcelona for Brussels, fearing arrest. Several of his Cabinet members, including his vice president, were jailed on charges of sedition, rebellion and misuse of public funds, while others followed Puigdemonts lead and also fled the country.

To replace the Catalan government, Rajoy called for snap elections on Dec. 21 with the hope that parties opposing independence would win.

The prime minister, however, lost his bet. Pro-independence parties earned a combined majority of seats in the Catalan parliament but spent months debating who should be the next president. Members of Puigdemonts party, Together for Catalonia, argued the former president was the regions rightful leader and sought to find a way for him to rule in absentia.

That hope was short-lived. Last month, Spains Constitutional Court suspended a law separatist politicians had enacted that could have enabled Puigdemont to lead from Germany, where he was free on bond.

The region had a May 22 deadline to select a new leader before being forced to call new elections.

Torra, a lawyer and book publisher from Puigdemonts party, was narrowly elected May 14 after days of debate in parliament. Separatist parties selected the low-profile independentista as president for a simple reason: Torra was neither in jail nor in self-imposed exile.

The same morning that Catalonias government convened, a new prime minister assumed control in Madrid. Socialist Pedro Sanchez became Spains prime minister Saturday after Rajoys ouster in a no-confidence vote regarding corruption in his Popular Party.

A supporter raises a fist and waves the Estelada flag as a banner reading Free political prisoners and those exiled hangs from the balcony of the Generalitat Palace in Barcelona after the swearing-in of the new Catalan government on June 2, 2018. (Pau Barrena / AFP/Getty Images )

Sanchez has voiced a willingness to start a dialogue with Catalonias separatist government in what experts call a divergence from the confrontational approach of his predecessor.

The independentistas are going to have an interlocutor, said Gabriel Colome, a political science professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. This is a big change.

Still, Marc Sanjaume, a researcher at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, said while a new prime minister is good news for independentistas, changing the central governments attitude toward secession will be very complicated. The most feasible gain for separatists, he said, would be transferring imprisoned politicians from jails in Madrid to jails in Barcelona.

Saturdays swearing-in was at times emotional, with the spouses and siblings of jailed or self-exiled politicians reading letters their relatives had written to the new Cabinet, urging them to fight for independence.

Indeed, the former Cabinet was a specter in the room. Torra promised to remain faithful to the referendum results and the former governments independence declaration. He ended his speech thanking each member of the former Cabinet.

An immense hug to all of you, he said.

Several dozen supporters donning separatist flags gathered outside the government building Saturday morning.

Standing with her husband in the plaza before the ceremony, Conxi Sanchez said it was a relief to have a Catalan government after more than half a year of direct Spanish rule.

For now, at least we can govern, she said. We can fight so that the political prisoners are released from jail and the political exiles can return.

Mercedes Moya, 80, mother of Miquel Buch, the new secretary of the interior, drank coffee with her husband and cousins at a cafe next to the Generalitat as they waited to attend her sons swearing-in ceremony. The group was pleased, but not surprised, that the new government would continue pushing for independence.

Its the same as before, said Jaime Moya, a cousin, smiling. They are all friends of the other government.

When asked whether she was nervous about her sons new role, given that most members of Puigdemonts Cabinet are either in jail or have fled the country, Moya tensed.

Hombre, she said, using a Spanish expression meaning she was stating the obvious. I am a little bit.

Not all Catalans are satisfied with the new government. Torras main opposition in parliament is the anti-independence Citizens party, which argues Torras continuity with Puigdemonts approaches will make negotiation with the Spanish government impossible.

Despite opposition, the mood Saturday was triumphant.

As a growing crowd outside cheered lawmakers and government bigwigs such as former regional President Artur Mas and Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau as they exited the building after the ceremony, Torra appeared on a balcony overlooking the plaza. There, he pinned a banner with the Catalan and English phrases Llibertat presos politics i exiliats : Free political prisoners and exiles.

The crowd erupted with applause.

Bernhard is a special correspondent.
Appearing Friday at the ninth annual Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Festival at Sands Bethlehem Event Center, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse didn't hesitate to look ahead to next year.

Wrapping up the cooking demonstration that kicked off the weekend's festivities, Lagasse encouraged visitors to look forward to the festival's 10th anniversary.

The event, which this year runs through Sunday, has raised more than $2 million for the scholarship-providing Northampton Community College Foundation. Lagasse also hosts select NCC students for expenses-paid "externships" at his New Orleans restaurants.

By this time next year, though, the festival's host might change hands. Sands announced in March that it plans to sell the casino to Wind Creek Hospitality, an affiliate of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama, for $1.3 billion.

Lagasse's relationship with Sands includes three restaurants at Sands Bethlehem and other eateries at Sands-owned properties in Las Vegas.

Asked whether the sale of the Bethlehem casino would affect his involvement with NCC and the festival, Lagasse said he was "very optimistic" about the future.

"It's going to get even better," Lagasse said. "One way or another we're going to figure it all out."

Victor Bock, the executive chef at Sands Bethlehem, said he couldn't speak for the casino's new owners, but said that those involved with the festival were "fully committed" to continuing the relationship.

"I don't see any break in the future," he said.

During Lagasse's cooking demonstration, the celebrity chef walked guests through his process for preparing chicken and andouille gumbo, Hawaiian-style poke, and chicken with Champagne and 40 -- yes, 40 -- cloves of garlic.

"Those of you who know me know I sleep with garlic," Lagasse said.

In cooking the gumbo, he stressed patience in the preparation. Most people falter when they try to rush it.

"It's about building those foundations, step by step, season by season," he said.

When preparing the roux, he said, make sure you keep your attention on the roux the entire time -- don't go help your kids with homework or walk the dog, he warned.

He offered a handy guide for how long to stir: Drink two beers. By then, it should be a chocolatey brown color.

"Something on a bad day, I burn the roux so I can have two more beers," he said.

(Beer wasn't the only adult beverage he enjoyed. When Bock handed him a glass of white wine, Lagasse exhaled, "Thank God, Victor.")

Lagasse delivered folksy cooking advice throughout his appearance. For one, chicken skins should look like a suntan when cooked properly. He held up a pale chicken thigh, saying, "I mean, is that how you would want to look?"

When making poke, a raw fish salad from Hawaii usually made with tuna, use only the freshest fish, he said.

He prefers to pull cilantro leaves from the stem instead of cutting them.

"You want that aroma. I don't want to lose it on the board; I don't want to loose it on a knife," he said.

At one point, an audience member challenged Lagasse's poke preparation, suggesting that he might have overdressed it. Lagasse walked the finished dish directly to the questioner to try for himself.

With the demo complete, Bock revealed the NCC students who would win an all-expenses-paid externship at Lagasse's NOLA restaurants in New Orleans. In a surprise announcement, eight students were selected for the trip instead of the usual three.

The winners were: Gina Pearson, Andrea Moretti, Hannah Georgis, Luke Guensch, Kailee Dube, Rebecca Suta, David Kucharczuk and Mathew Campisi. Pearson was the first-place finisher of the mystery basket competition held to determine the selected students.

Andrew Doerfler may be reached at adoerfler@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @adoerfler or on Facebook.
Pennsylvania's conservative senator said Friday that Congress should wrest control over tariffs from the president.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey's comments via Twitter came a day after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum from Europe, Mexico and Canada in a move that drew immediate vows of retaliation.

The import duties threaten to drive up prices for American consumers and companies and are likely to heighten uncertainty for businesses and investors around the globe.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the tariffs -- 25 percent on imported steel, 10 percent on aluminum -- were to take effect Friday.

Toomey, a Republican from Lehigh County, has long been critical of Trump's call to use tariffs to address international trade imbalances.

In a statement after Trump's first State of the Union in January, Toomey said he hoped "the White House will reconsider its course on trade. Tariffs are taxes on consumers and are designed to snuff out competition. I will be actively engaged with the administration on all trade matters moving forward."

Earlier this week, Toomey announced he co-sponsored Senate Bill 2835 that would "suspend destructive taxes inflicted on the newspaper and publishing industries until the economic health of the industries is examined," according to a release from his office.

That measure, called the Protecting Rational Incentives in Newsprint Trade -- or PRINT -- Act of 2018, addressed American newspapers paying duties of up to 32 percent on uncoated groundwood paper from Canada.

Left, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., takes part in a televised town hall in July 2017 in Harrisburg. Right, President Donald Trump attends a Change of Command ceremony June 1, 2018, at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Pennlive.com file photo/AP Photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

On Friday, Toomey said he'll co-sponsor the Global Trade Accountability Act of 2017. It would require congressional approval for all unilateral trade actions, with an exception for the president to authorize actions for 90 days under certain circumstances.

This legislation, Senate Bill 177, seeks to rein in the president's power to impose "tariffs, i.e. taxes, (that) hurt American workers, employers and consumers," Toomey said via Twitter.

The senator said he doesn't buy the Trump Administration's argument a reliance on imported metals threatens national security.

"Claiming steel bought from our allies is a 'national security' threat weakens our credibility," Toomey wrote via Twitter. "If this devolves into a full-blown trade war, the resulting harm will undo all of the great economic progress we've made with deregulation and tax reform."

Claiming steel bought from our allies is a 'national security' threat weakens our credibility. These tariffs, i.e. taxes, hurt American workers, employers, and consumers.  Senator Pat Toomey (@SenToomey) June 1, 2018

The tariff tiff comes amid strong economic news for the United States.

Another month of strong hiring drove the nation's unemployment rate down to 3.8 percent -- tantalizingly close to the level last seen in 1969, when Detroit still dominated the auto industry and the Vietnam War was raging.

Employers added 233,000 jobs in May, up from 159,000 in April, the Labor Department reported Friday. And unemployment fell to an 18-year low.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
TROPHIES

By her own estimate, Barbara A. Green spends more than 500 hours a year doing volunteer work, serving on government boards for Blairstown Township and Warren County. She also donates her time to the county's domestic abuse and sexual assault crisis center. She got her start in volunteering early, as a kindergarten student collecting milkweed pods for life vests for U.S. sailors and pilots in World War II. For her lifetime of work, Green, a Blairstown resident, was named the Mary Louise Christine Outstanding Senior Citizen of Warren County.

The historic roots of the building at 428-430 Northampton St. in Downtown Easton have been hidden for decades by facades of white marble and corrugated metal. Now the property, an 1850s brick structure rebuilt in the 1870s, has been restored by developer Herman Mimnaugh and architect Bill Gittings. It once housed a pottery business, Sigal's women's clothing store and a Salvation Army thrift store. In the early 2000s, the previous owners separated the two original two buildings on the lot and created an enclosed green courtyard. Now Mimmaugh is adding high-end apartments to the mix. Gittings has recaptured the 19th century look of the facade. The blend of old and new will include a commercial space on the first floor.

Christopher Serrao, a sixth-grader from Readington Township, reached the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week. He survived the first round by spelling "archaic," but stumbled on "grunion," a small fish that visits California beaches to spawn. This was his second year competing at the national bee, following in the footsteps of his sister, Danielle Serrao, who competed in the national bee in 2016.

TURKEYS

Roseanne Barr says she pleaded with officials at Disney and ABC-TV not to cancel her sitcom "Roseanne," apologizing after posting a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett. Barr called Jarrett, an African-American and former adviser to President Barack Obama, the offspring of apes and the Muslim Brotherhood, after which sponsors threatened to yank their support. Barr initially blamed her post on the sleep drug Ambien, and lashed out at co-stars Sara Gilbert and Michael Fishman, who condemned Barr's message. Two days later comedian Samantha Bee demonstrated that offensive insults aren't limited to either side of the political spectrum. In in a segment on her weekly "Full Frontal" show about President Trump's immigration policies, Bee used a four-letter expletive to describe Ivanka Trump, which was bleeped. Bee apologized, as did TBS, but it didn't cancel the show. That was met with charges of a double standard in the industry from conservatives, including Trump.
A Warren County home was damaged Friday night by fire, with a lack of hydrants complicating firefighters' efforts, according to reports from the scene.

It was reported shortly after 8 p.m. at 1 Oakcrest Drive in Allamuchy Township.

Firefighters from departments in Warren, Sussex and Morris counties responded, reports from the scene indicated.

A tanker task force trucked in water as flames burned through the roof of the home, according to the reports.

There was no immediate word on any injuries or a cause.

Fire officials were not immediately available for comment Saturday.

According to reports from the scene, agencies responding included New Jersey State Police at Hope, Allamuchy Fire Department, Hope Volunteer Fire Department, Blairstown Hose Co., Independence Township Volunteer Fire Department, Mountain Lake Fire Co., Hackettstown Fire Department, Green Township Fire Department, Fredon Volunteer Fire Co., Budd Lake Fire Department and several rescue squads.

Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell contributed to this report from the scene.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Thinkstock photo

When is New Jersey's primary election?

It is Tuesday, June 5. Polls will be open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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lehighvalleylive.com file photo

Who can vote?

Registered voters who are affiliated as either Republicans or Democrats can cast a ballot in Tuesdays partisan primary. It is a closed primary, meaning voters can only nominate candidates from their own party.

Voters must have registered at least 21 days prior to the election. Unaffiliated voters can declare a party on Tuesday if they have not already done so. Anyone who is affiliated with a party but wants to change that had to do so 55 days before the election.

As of last Novembers general election, the county had 73,870 registered voters. As of last month, state data show the county had 28,305 unaffiliated voters, 28,717 Republicans, and 17,591 Democrats.

More information on the election process can be found on the Warren County Votes website and the New Jersey state department's elections division website.

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How do I know if I am registered?

If you are unsure, you can check your registration on the New Jersey state department website here.

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PennLive.com file photo

How can I find my polling place?

If you're not sure where to vote, the state department website can help you. Input your address here.

If you are unsure of your congressional district, you can enter your ZIP code on the U.S. House of Representatives website here.

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Who is running?

On the federal level, there are a few races that will affect Warren County. Republicans will have a choice in the U.S. Senate (Democrat Bob Menendez is running unopposed in his party), and in the two Congressional districts that cover Warren County. In the 5th, Democrat Josh Gottheimer is running unopposed; in the 7th, Republican Leonard Lance is defending his seat.

On the local level, there are municipal offices to be filled in every Warren County town except Phillipsburg and Pohatcong. Only a handful of those races are contested in Tuesday's partisan primary  they are listed below.

There is also a race (uncontested on Tuesday) for county freeholder. The two candidates, Republican James Kern III and Democrat John Massaro, will face each other in November.

Republican voters on Tuesday will also have a chance to select representatives on their local party committee.

There are no special ballot questions in Warren County on Tuesday.

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MORE: N.J. and Pa. election coverage from lehighvalleylive.com

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CONTESTED RACES

Only contested municipal races are listed below. Complete candidate lists for municipal and Republican committee races can be found on the county clerk's page of the Warren County website here.

A star (*) denotes an incumbent.

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U.S. Senate

Vote for 1

Republican

Brian D. Goldberg

Bob Hugin

Democrat

Robert Menendez (incumbent)

Lisa McCormick

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U.S. House, 5th District

Covers northern Warren County

Vote for 1

Republican

Steven M. Lonegan

John J. McCann Jr.

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U.S. House, 7th District

Covers southern Warren County and Hunterdon

Vote for 1

Republican

Leonard Lance*

Raafat Barsoom

Lindsay C. Brown

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Alpha

Borough Council (3-year term)

Vote for 2

Republican

Jennifer E. Gable

Louis J. Cartabona*

Jodie Smith

Democrat

Lisa LaCaruba

Alan Singleton*

John Schmidt Sr.

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Belvidere

Town Council (3-year term)

Vote for 2

Republican

Adam Znigrodski

Joseph P. Roth*

Linda Stettler

Deborah S. Tutka

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Frelinghuysen

Township Committee (3-year term)

Vote for 2

Republican

Christopher Stracco*

Debra Natyzak Osadca

Alan DeCarolis

Todd McPeek

David C. Boynton III

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Greenwich

Township committee (3-year term)

Vote for 1

Republican

Will Spencer*

Lillian McDermott

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Washington Borough

Borough Council (4-year term)

Vote for 4

Republican

Ronald A. Hartrum

Michael Paul Heinrich*

Paul E. Jones

Adam G. Zimmer

Scott E. Fulloon

Caren E. Hric

Dewayne Keith Norris*

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Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

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It's been a pretty full-on few months for Kanye West after getting caught up in beef with Drake as well as making multiple controversial statements such as his endorsement of Trump.

As expected, the new album has some pretty heavy lyrics including this lyric from 'I Thought About Killing You':

Today I seriously thought about killing you/I contemplated, premeditated murder/And I think about killing myself, and I love myself way more than I love you, so

The seven track album features guest appearances from Ty Dolla $ign, Kid Cudi, Jeremih, Valee, 070 Shake and Charlie Wilson plus a voicemail from Nicki Minaj at the end of 'Violent Crimes.'

The album is well worth the listen, you can check it out below:
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Is it Politically Relevant today to ask whether Nehru visited Bhagat Singh (...)

by Ram Puniyani

In the recently held Karnataka elections, Narendra Modi made statements which are not true, and which are made to raise the emotive pitch against his opponents. In a blatant lie, in a rally in Bidar, he asked: When Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt, Veer Savarkar, greats like them were jailed fighting for the countrys independence, did any Congress leader went to meet them?... One is surprised as to how this can be an electoral issue today! The central tactic of the BJP and communal organisations is to bypass the issues related to peoples needs and to distract the attention towards ones related to emotive issues. Issues which can put his opponents in a bad light have been regularly resorted to by Modi. For creating this Modi can go to the extent of saying untruths with great amount of confidence. In this statement-question raised, he is speaking a lie on one side and is also trying to glorify his icon, Savarkar, on the other.

As a matter of fact, the INC, while it had differences with revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, respected the high level of commitment and dedication of these young men. There are reports in The Tribune about Nehru visiting the jail to meet Bhagat Singh and his comrades, The reports in The Tribune, on August 9 and 10 of 1929, tell us about Nehru meeting the jailed revolutionaries, inquiring on them. Motilal Nehru had even formed a committee to demand the humane treatment for the revolutionaries on fast unto death. In his autobiography, Towards Freedom, Jawaharlal Nehru gives a very touching account of his meeting Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das and other young men: I happened to be in Lahore when the hunger strike was already a month old. I was given permission to visit some of the prisoners in the prison, and I availed myself of this. I saw Bhagat Singh for the first time, and Jatindranath Das and a few others. They were all very weak and bedridden, and it was hardly possible to talk to them much. Bhagat Singh had an attractive, intellectual face, remarkably calm and peaceful. There seemed to be no anger in it. He looked and talked with great gentleness, but then I suppose that anyone who has been fasting for a month will look spiritual and gentle. Jatin Das looked milder still, soft and gentle like a young girl. He was in considerable pain when I saw him. He died later, as a result of fasting, on the sixtyfirst day of the hunger strike.

The other aspect of the statement by Modi is to equate Savarkar with the dedicated young revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh. This seems to be a clever ploy to elevate Savarkar to the level to which he did not belong. While Bhagat was in jail, pending death penalty, he was requested by his family to seek clemency, which Bhagat refused. On the contrary he wrote to the British Government that since he and his comrades have been sentenced to death for waging war against the empire, he should be made to face the firing squad not just death by hanging. On the contrary Savarkar, after being sentenced for his role in the case of murder of a British officer, totally changed his stance in jail. From an anti-British role he wrote series of apology letters, he surrendered to the British and promised them to be of their help in future! He did remain loyal to the British after his release from jail.

As a matter of fact Congress in recognition of Savarkars initial role was trying to put pressure on the British Government for his release, but Savarkar was already writing petition after petition to British to release him. From 1920 the INC was asking for his unconditional release, but due to reasons best known to him Savarkar preferred to give a written undertaking, which in a way was total surrender. I hereby acknowledge that I had a fair trial and just sentence. I heartily abhor methods of violence resorted to in days gone by and I feel myself duty bound to uphold law and constitution (British, added) to the best of my powers and am willing to make the reform a success in so far as I may be allowed to do so in future. (From facsimile of Savarkars letter to the British authorities.) There are many such letters and the British did grant him clemency.

This act of his seeking pardon from the British was a betrayal of the freedom movement; his followers present it as a tactical ploy to get released so that he can struggle against British rule. As matter of fact after his release Savarkar floated the concept of Hindu nationalism, brought to the fore the word Hindutva (total Hinduness) and stated that there are two nations in the country, Hindu nation and Muslim nation! This was precisely the equal and opposite of the politics of Muslim nationalism being brought up by the Muslim League. This is what also contributed to the partition tragedy.

So Mr Modi on one hand speaks a lie about Congress leaders ignoring those struggling for freedom. On the other he puts Savarkar in the same category as Bhagat Singh. The Congress was trying to get Savarkar released. Bhagat Singh remained firm on his ideology and path of resistance against British power. For his principles he undertook a hunger strike in jail. Savarkar, on the other hand, buckled under the jail conditions and surrendered to the British. The methods like that of Goebbels methods being resorted to by Modi need to be opposed.

The author, a retired Professor at the IIT-Bombay, is currently associated with the Centre for the Study of Secularism and Society, Mumbai.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Challenge to Indias Pluralism

However justified Delhis Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Cuoto may be in calling fellow Catholic Christians to pray for a change of government at the Centre, he is guilty of committing a grave mistake of mixing religion with politics. In a pastoral letter, he has asked fellow priests to pray and fast for change in the 2019 elections, arguing that India faces a turbulent political future which threatens the countrys democratic polity.

Today, when India as a nation faces attacks from fascist and parochial organisations, it is incumbent upon the religious heads to speak out. Some may not consider it good for Indias health. If religious heads of different communities jump into the political arena, they no longer remain distant from politics as they should. The main criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi is that he wears the badge of Hindu chauvinism on his sleeves. He has divided the people to an extent that was never before.

So much so, several Christian leaders have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party Government of tacitly supporting the groups that are working for establishing a Hindu Rashtra, ignoring the interests of other religious and ethnic minorities. They allege that attacks against Christians have increased after Modi came to power.

There were as many as 736 attacks recorded against Christians in 2017 against 348 in 2016, as per an ecumenical forum that records Christian persecution in India and helps victims. We are witnessing a turbulent political atmos-phere which poses a threat to the democratic principles enshrined in our Constitution and the secular fabric of our nation, so writes the Christian protector. It is our hallowed practice to pray for the country and its political leaders, but all the more so when we approach general elections.

The pastoral letter carried a special prayer composed for the nations protection. It also asked parishes, religious houses and Catholic institutions to organise Eucharistic adoration every Friday and recite the prayer for the nation. The prayer read: Let the ethos of true democracy envelop our elections and flames of honest patriotism rekindle our political leaders in these troubled times as we see clouds eclipsing the light of truth, justice and freedom.

The move by the Delhi Archbishop has been welcomed by Indias Catholic and Christian leaders. Perhaps, other minorities may use this as an opportunity to ventilate their grievances. The Muslim leaders, particularly, may challenge Indias constitutional credentials. Already Asaduddin Owaisi, a Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad, speaks like the Muslim League leaders of pre-partition days. He probably believes that parochial politics will give him a countrywide importance as well as renew the atmosphere of confrontation between the Hindus and Muslims.

During my recent visit to Aligarh, I found the Muslim University living in the same make-believe world. They have not realised that there is no ummah other than India. A few years ago, there was an international conference at the AMU to revisit and rethink traditional solutions. The focus was to chart out a future course of action for Islamic unity. The outcome of the two-day conference brought out an interesting summary of how Muslims saw themselves then and how they would like to be seen in the future. One of the speakers from Egypt wanted all the sects under one umbrella and present a unified Islam to the world.

The answer to counter Hindu chauvinism is not Muslim chauvinism or, for that matter, Christian chauvinism. One prays that the Arch-bishops effort to bring about a change at the Centre would depend on his equation with the Hindus, who constitute 80 per cent of the Indian population, not any particular community. He has given an opportunity to the country to discuss how far India has slipped away from its objective of being secular, the ethos of the national freedom movement. The Archbishop should not be seen as a person who has reignited the fire of communal divide. Nor is it his purpose.

The scenario is similar to what happened during the Popes visit to Mexico before the recent elections in the US. During his visit, the Pope gave the first-ever Catholic mass that straddled the border between two countries. About two lakh people watched from the Mexican side of the border, and around 50,000 from the US. The visit provided the most iconic visual from his trip. It was also overtly political, directly aimed at influencing American politics.

In fact, the United States was in the process of choosing its next President. I recall immi-gration was right at the heart of that debate. If there was any doubt that the Pope wanted to affect Americas election by praying with immigrants on the US-Mexico border, he put it to rest on his trip back home. The presidential candidate, Donald Trump, was categorical about his immigration policy when he said: If elected, I would build a 2,500-kilometer-long wall along the border. He wanted to deport 11 million illegal immigrants. The Popes remark was equally caustic. He replied: A person, who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian!

However, the Pope later said that he would not advise whether to vote or not to vote. I am not going to get involved in that. I would only say that this man (Trump) is not Christian if he has said things like that. But the Pope had made it clear what he thought of Trump and his policies. He had clearly tried to influence the presidential race.

In fact, the Pope had called himself a political animal. In 2013, he had even gone on record as saying that a good Catholic meddled in politics. He viewed it as part of his religious duty. Perhaps the Delhi Archbishop has taken a leaf out of the Popes book. But unfortunately this is not what India needs to strengthen its secular polity howsoever much the RSS may try to emulate the extremists and push its agenda of Hindu Rashtra in India.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > After Karnataka

The decline of the National Democratic Alliance is by now a dated story. The few partners of the Bharatiya Janata Partywho are still formally in the Alliancemay be understood to be in the throes of a judicial separation, pending divorce. The contest in a Maharashtra bypoll directly between the BJP and Shiv Sena tells its own story. The Akalis may eventually have nowhere else to go, but this may not be the case with the mercurial JD(U); should the Hindutva forces create mayhem leading upto the next General Elections, Nitish Kumar may well find yet another canny platform to turn the tables.

What is new is the real and undeniable decline of the BJP. According to a very recent CSDS-Lokniti poll, the party has dropped seven percentage points in popular endorsement. Even more significantly, the Prime Ministers own endorsement as numero uno has come down from a previous fortyfour per cent to thirty-four, even as Rahul Gandhis has gone up from a measly sixteen to twentyfour. In other words, as per this poll, if one in three want Modi as the PM, one in four want Rahul Gandhinot bad for someone who has suffered the most vile forms of denigration imaginable.

This decline was first underlined by the showing in Gujarat where the two sons of the soil managed barely to cross the half-way mark. Indeed, had the Congress been a bit more receptive to alliance offers, the Party might have been in office in Mr Modis home State. The losses in the bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur were stunning blows to the BJP, however they may spin those traumatic defeats. And Karnataka has shown the Congress polling a higher percentage of votes, and, therefore, a larger share of the popular vote, than the marauding BJP which, as always, given he illogical vagaries of the first-past-the-post electoral regime, benefited in seats gained from the narrow and concentrated character of its vote-base. An occurrence that yet again underscores the need to make the Indian electoral system more truly representative. Imagine that friendly TV anchors, often still wet around the ears, should have the gumption to characterise that uplifting gathering of Opposition parties which together represent some sixtyfive per cent of the mandate cast in 2014 as a motley crowd and a ragtag bunch. It is a well-recognised fact of class-based democracies that a two-party dispensation is the preferred option of the ruling classes, however this may exclude the bulk of the populace. But if so homogenous a country as Germany can practice an electoral system which gives due place to the smallest of electoral expressions, how much more imperative for a country like India to be doing the same. And equally, how impertative to shift to a state-funded electoral system in order that the much-used phrase level-playing field does not remain merely a matter of lip-service but a reality on the ground.

If you have noticed, friendly electronic channelsand who is not friendly these daysare already busy rubbishing the prospect of any Opposition unity which, they are equally busy propagating, is calculated not to retrieve the republic, salvage democracy, re-establish democratic and constitutional institutions and practices, but just to malign Mr Modi and see the back of him because he has been doing such wonderful work. This concerted media blitz to pitch the coming days as a contest of personalities rather than of values dictates the cult phenomenon we now are witness to twenty-four-seven. It is of course a sad fact that educated Indians by and large have little attachment to democratic principles and can be astonishingly readily seen to back a strong, centralised persona who may well ride roughshod over processes and consultative practices but who can be trusted to get the job done in a jiffy. Whether or not the job gets done is of course another matter; if the current state of the economy, of the rule of law, of claims once made with respect to Kashmir and Pakistan, of social hate and vigilante violence, and much more are anything to go by, the job has clearly not been done, This then is the reason why propagation, image-peddling, selective vignettes of physical fitness at the highest levels, must take the place of any real demonstrable achievements on the ground, especially in relation to the immiserated lives of many many millions who still have neither drinking water nor assured electric supply not to speak of any steady incomes, despite tall and raucous claims to the contrary.

Yet, showmanship has always a short shelf-life, and a day comes when the chicks come home to roost. That time is here. There is reason to believe that the Opposition political forces recognise the moment and are sincerely preparing to grab it.

This, however, is not to say that anxieties expressed by thoughtful well-wishers of democracy and of the constitutional republic with respect to how Opposition unity may or may not shape are exaggerated or tendentious. Past examples of such federal endeavours do not encourage. If the current efforts at Opposition unity are to be any different, all those who came together on the stage at Bengaluru will need to realise that what they are opposing now is very very different from what they might have been opposing in the past, Indira Gandhi not excluded. They will need to recognise that if they fail now they may not only immessurably further strengthen those and that they oppose but cause the march to a transformed state and political system to become irretrievable. Memories of the Weimar should here be extremely instructive.

So, in terms of the nitty-gritty. what may be the call of the hour? First, it must be to acknowledge that if any one party or faction seeks to forground its own fortunes at the cost of the federal endeavour, everyones loss would have been complete at the outset itself. Second, every component of the federal front will need to openly acknowledge and embrace the relative strengths of all components in their own place and give due weight and deference to that fact. Third, that once it is understood and acknow-ledged as to who is best placed to push back the RSS/Bharatiya Janata Party in which arena, all units must pool resources to make the success of a single combined candidate a surety. Fourth, once the numbers are in, the entire front must set a historic example by acting not as units but as members of a new conglomerate in demo-cratically electing the leadership of the front.

There are States in which, clearly, the Congress is in direct contention with the BJP. Indeed, three such States are due to go to the polls in a few months. The front must lend what strength they have in these States to ensure the victories of the Congress candidates. In a slew of other States, likewise, some parties are unambiguously in leading political positions. Here the Congress must lend unequivocal support without falling to the temptation to foreground its own national predilections. Then there are a few other States where the Congress and some leading regional party find themselves as chief antagonists. If one-on-one contests are to be ensured, this contradiction will need to be resolved democratically rather than from purely partisan platforms. If this is achieved, a historic new politics would have been inaugurated in India.

One chief ploy of the friendly electronic channels is to constantly hammer the cult argumentwhat will be the face of the Opposition against the colossus, Modi. Aleready there is evidence that this trap is being astutely side-stepped by Opposition spokespersons. One fundamental ideological conviction of the Opposition must be that the call to a Presidential form of politics must be fought and defeated at any cost if India is to remain a democracy responsive to the infinite diversity of her polity and interests. Ambedkar must be recalled: that whereas the cult of Bhakti may be very well in matters of faith, it can only be fatal if it intruded in the nations political life.

The Opposition forces, now awake and active, must never for one moment forget that the compounding miseries of some eighty per cent of Indians look to them to provide a sincere new and alternate paradigm to what has been witnessed over time and over the last four years especially. Which means that after ensuring that they do not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the federal politics now underway must in all sphreres of policy return the republic to the people to whom it belongs, or ought to belong.

Last but not the least: secularism, although it constitutes an unamendable basic feature of the Constitution, has during the Modi era come to be the most reviled of concepts, to a point where even Congressmen and women fight shy of speaking up for the Muslim minority in particular. This has been for many perhaps the most tragic eventuality, indeed, atrocity, of the last four years of our national life. The new federal Opposition will have failed if it does not boldly rectify this gruesome distortion and reinstate the principle without which the meaning of the Freedom Movement and of the claims of democracy in India will always remain hollow.

The author, who taught English literature at the University of Delhi for over four decades and is now retired, is a prominent writer and poet. A well-known commentator on politics, culture and society, he wrote the much acclaimed Dickens and the Dialectic of Growth. His book, The Underside of ThingsIndia and the World: A Citizens Miscellany, 2006-2011, came out in August 2012. Thereafter he wrote two more books, Idea of India Hard to Beat: Republic Resilient and Kashmir: A Noble Tryst in Tatters.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Culture of Protest

In an amazing display of goodwill bus drivers of the Ryobi group in Okayama, Japan have staged a protest not by striking work but by continuing to drive, without charging fares from passengers. The Ryobi group is facing tough competition from another group, Megurin, which is offering reduced fares to passengers. The intended message is that the Ryobi drivers value the interest of passengers more than their own. This mode of protest is winning accolades from the people.

Protests, even if they are not violent, are usually associated with at least some form of aggression. It is common belief of social-political organisations that only militant action can yield quick and decisive results. Pacifism is considered a sign of weakness. But time and again, peaceful actions have proved to be effective. Mahatma Gandhi, who is often criticised for his philosophy and strategy of non-violence by the Right-wing Hindutva groups today in India, was the most effective among all groups which were trying to win independence for India from the British rule. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the Right-wing groups, did not even participate in the freedom struggle. In fact, its Deputy Chief Minister in Bengal, Shyama Prasad Mukherji, suggested to the British that the Quit India Movement of 1942 should be crushed lest it would create disturbances in the country.

Recently about 35-40,000 farmers belonging to the All India Kisan Sabha, associated with Communist Party of India-Marxist, organised a peaceful 180 km long march, demanding complete waiver of loans and electricity bills, implemen-tation of the Swaminathan Commission report and Forest Rights Act. The march started on March 5, 2018 in Nasik and ended at Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha in Mumbai on March 12. On the final day, when inside the Mumbai city, in a rare gesture the farmers marched in early hours of the day starting at 1 am so that morning office-goers and children going to appear for the Board examinations would not face any commuting problem or harassment. This was in stark contrast to the usual mindset guiding even small marches to hold the traffic to ransom. A march is considered to be successful only if it can cause disruption of traffic. The AIKS march will be remembered for a long time for its display of civility and thoughtfulness.

In countries like India, corruption and negligence of duty is not only a norm but considered smart things to do. The honest and diligent are ridiculed and/or not allowed to work and obstacles are created in their path. People in influential positions practice rampant nepotism, casteism and communalism. While merit takes a back seat, money power earns respect. It is interesting that most people in positions of power in our country today are still from upper-caste background, who also oppose the policy of caste-based reservation on the pretext that it dilutes merit. But it is the same set of people who promote mediocrity and corruption in public life. Their brains are put to work to camouflage corruption and to block genuine work at the behest of their politicla masters. It is not uncommon for a complainant to attract a false case if s(he) doesnt have political backing and for a resourceful and well-connected criminal to go scot free. Laws and rules are bent to suit the interest of the influential and rich people. Political groups try to take advantage of the administrative-legal system to serve their vested interests. This is the model of governance that todays India has created.

Since merit is no longer the criterion, except for a minuscule few, and political patronage is essential to become part of the coveted system, even the education system has been thoroughly corrupted. Teaching is a work accorded least priority in educational institutions and methods have been perfected by administrators, teachers and the students-parents, under willing political patronage, to beat the system. The whole emphasis is on getting high marks through foul means, if not fair, with scant regard for gaining knowledge.

Hence actions like those of the AIKS come as a fresh air in the backdrop of a gloomy and self- defeating scenario. If were to evolve into a mature and humane society, then well not only have to value such actions but also to replicate them. The destructive mind must be replaced by a constructive one. Selfish attitude must be replaced by a Samaritan one. Integrity and honesty must prevail over all kinds of corrupt practices. Love must replace hatred. A culture of respect for diversity must prevail over all kinds of caste, class, religious, gender, ethnic differences and biases. Every human being must be treated as an equal member of society. Interest of the self should be linked to higher level interests of the society and nature.

There are many dedicated and committed individuals who, regardless of the discouraging environment around them, continue to give their best to society. But such collective actions are few and far between. People come together, more easily, for disruptive rather than charitable causes. It is common belief that it is easier to mobilise people on sensational issues rather than on some society-building agenda. This is the dominant political culture in India today. A society which otherwise considers itself to be peaceful and humanitarian has given in to sectarian and fundamentalist thinking. Contro-versy is news and genuine actions commonplace.

The recent actions of bus drivers in Japan and farmers in Maharashtra, India, hold some hope for a better future. They are proof that seeds of the idea for a reformed society are alive and wait for an opportunity to germinate. The objective of all human activity, especially under adverse conditions when humans are likely to lose sanity, should be to create a supportive atmosphere so that the flower of humanity blooms.

Noted social activist and Magsaysay awardee Dr Sandeep Pandey is the Vice-President of the Socialist Party (India). He was elected to this post at the founding conference of the party at Hyderabad on May 28-29, 2011.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Against Neo-Liberal Violence

COMMUNICATION

Violence against people has become an organic part of the neo-liberal paradigm of governance in contemporary India. The recent state violence against anti-Vedanta protesters in Tamil Nadu is an exemplary case of such violence. The death toll in police action against the protesters is reported to be 13 in number. We are yet to know how many people suffered injuries. The state onslaught against the people took place on the 100th day of protests against the Sterlite Copper Plant of the Vedanta group. According to testimonies of local people, they heard more than 40 to 50 rounds of gunfire rained upon them by the Police. To put it in the words of a PUCL Communication: Nume-rous video recordings as also eye witness accounts state that the Police used professional Police sharpshooters, standing atop police vehicles, in mufti, to shoot directly at people leading the march, aiming to kill them. This much is also made clear by the fact that most of those killed seemed to have bullet wounds in the top torso or part of the body above the waist.

It may be mentioned in this connection that Sterlite plant was allotted land in Maharashtra in 1992, but it was forced to shift its plant to Tamil Nadu due to massive protest by the people of Ratnagiri. Reportedly, the Sterlite project received environmental clearance in 1995 even before the Environmental Impact Assess-ment (EIA). The present protest movement expressed concerns over pollution and health hazards connected with the recent expansion of the Sterlite Copper smelter plant of the Vedanta group in Tuticorin.

It is ironic that the day after the police onslaught on the protesters on May 22, 2018, a two-judge Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court gave an interim order to stay the expansion of the Sterlite plant.

We condemn the brutal methods adopted by the state power in Tamil Nadu to crush the peoples protests against the global corporate giant, Vedanta group.

Arup Kumar Sen

Kolkata
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Bypoll Mandate for Opposition Unity

EDITORIAL

It can be safely concluded that the result of the bypolls for several State Assemblies and Parliament (held on May 28) that have come out or are yet to be finally declared today have been a real thumbs-up for Opposition unity mainly for which reason the BJP, ruling at the Centre and in most States, has had to suffer severe reverses at the hustings this time.

The byelections took place on May 28 for four Lok Sabha seats (one in UPKairana, two in MaharashtraPalghar and Bhandara-Gondiya, one in Nagaland) and 10 Assembly seats (one in UPNoorpur, one in PunjabShahkot, one in BiharJokihat, one in KeralaChengannur, one in Karna-takaRajarajeshwari Nagar, one in UttarakhandTharali, one in West BengalMaheshtala, one in MeghalayaAmpati, two in JharkhandGomia and Silli), the Congress candidate in Maharashtras Palus Kadegaon having been elected unopposed.

The RLD has won the Kairana Lok Sabha seat, the winner being a Muslim lady, Tabassum Hasan (the BJP had refused ticket to any Muslim in UP); this is being interpreted as ganna, that is, sugarcane (for which the peasants are being denied their legitimate dues), having defeated Jinnah (the issue of Jinnahs portrait at the Aligarh Muslim University was played up by the BJP to foment trouble and polarise the people in the State for electoral benefit) in the bypoll. The NCP has defeated the BJP in the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency. The BJP, meanwhile, is reported to be winning the Palghar Lok Sabha seat as a consolation prize, being on the verge of defeating the Shiv Sena which had earlier held the constituency. There was, incidentally, no unity among the Opposition parties in this constituency which helped the BJP electorally. In Nagaland the sole Lok Sabha seat went to the NDPP which is part of the ruling NDA at the Centre. As for the 10 Assembly seats, the Oppositions SP candidate won the Noorpur seat in UP and the RJD defeated the ruling JD(U) in Jokihat in Bihar, the Congress emerged victorious in the Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat in Karnataka defeating both the BJP and its present ally in the State Government, the JD(S). The Congress also won the Shahkot Assembly seat in Punjab and Ampati in Meghalaya whereas the JMM took the two seats in Jharkhand. Maheshtala in West Bengal was bagged by the ruling TMC and Chengannur in Kerala by the ruling CPI-M.

The Shiv Sena in Maharashtra is not in the least satisfied by the way counting proceeded in Palghar in Maharashtra; it has accused the ruling the BJP of manipulating the EVMs, a charge that has been predictably refuted by the BJP. The Sena has also spoken of discrepancies during the counting and requested the Election Commission (which too earned its ire) not to announce the result of the Palghar electoral contest. It is for the EC to take the final decision on this score as we go to press.

Howsoever one may look at the results, these have clearly given a jolt to the BJP, perhaps for the first time in its four-year rule at the Centre. Precisely because of Opposition unity the BJP has suffered defeats in four bypolls at a stretchat Phulpur, Gorakhpur, Kairana and Noorpurin UP. This unmistakably displays the strength of Opposition unityhow it can qualitatively change the political scenario in todays India. It is time the BJP heeds the lesson from the mandate of the bypolls. In this context what is significant is the observation of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh: To take solid strides forward sometimes one has to take a step backward. Only the coming days will bring out the full implication of Rajnaths observation.

May 31 S.C.
SPRINGFIELD -- You deserve a break today, and you don't even have to go to the drive-thru to get it.

Springfield McDonald's restaurants and the food-delivery app Uber Eats, an offshoot of the hail-a-ride app Uber, announced Friday that drivers would now be available to bring you food from McDonald's to your home.

Uber Eats, which had been in Boston since 2017 and in Worcester since March, came to Springfield, the third-largest city in the commonwealth, in May.

Uber Eats website says it is delivering Springfield favorites including Fina's Bistro & Pizzeria, Old School Pizzeria, Khi & Eli's Food for the Soul, Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant, Malecon Bar & Restaurant, The Souper Sweet Sandwich Shop, Bueno Y Sano, the Try Me Too breakfast and lunch spot, Hummingbird Cafe Caribbean Restaurant, Frankie & Johnnie's Pizzeria, Panjabi Tadka and the An Cafe Vietnamese Restaurant. West Side restaurants being offered include Crepe's Tea House and the Janna Juice Bar and Grill.

For McDonald's, Uber Eats said the fast food giant's entire menu is available with the exception of soft-serve ice cream cones. Customers pay a booking fee for each order placed with UberEats, and menu pricing will vary based on restaurants. With the special code MCDSONEATS18 McDonald's customers will receive their first meal free, according to Uber Eats.

Customers can order at the Uber Eats mobile app or on UberEats.com. They can use the same account they use for Uber rides, according to the company. Uber Eats in Springfield is available to locations all over the city and in a sliver of West Springfield along the Connecticut River.
Boston police said a 58-year-old Mattapan man was stabbed to death early Friday morning, and they are asking for assistance from the public in finding his killer.

Police said in a release that Jocelin Nordeus was found stabbed near 535 River Street in Mattapan at about 2:50 a.m. Friday. He was transported to the Boston Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead from his wounds.

Anyone with information about Nordeus's death is asked to contact Boston Homicide detectives at 617-343-4470.

Anonymous tips can be called into the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word "TIP" to CRIME (27463) then the message.
WESTFIELD - Beautifying downtown is the goal of Westfield On Weekends' latest program.

WOW issued a call to artists to submit ideas and designs to decorate two downtown utility boxes in the city's Gaslight District.

According to program director Morgan Drewniany, the objective is to increase walkability and infuse the streetscape with accessible art.

"In Springfield, I coordinated murals on 26 boxes throughout the Cultural District to great success - three years later people still ask for maps! Now, on a smaller scale, in my hometown, I'm thrilled to begin a similar project to bring even more life to our downtown," said Drewniany.

The concept is not new, but this is the first project of its kind in Westfield. Boston, Northampton and Easthampton have all carried out similar beautification programs in their cities to great success, Drewniany said.

WOW received a grant of $1,600 from the Westfield Cultural Council to fund the project. The chosen artists will be paid $400 for their time and be reimbersed up to $75 for materials. There is no age requirement, but if an artist under 18 is selected, their parent/guardian must sign the contract for them and be on site during the painting.

"The applications will be judged blind -- without any identifying information such as age or name -- so there certainly is a chance for a young artist capable of coming up with a comprehensive design to be selected," said Drewniany.

The city owns the utility boxes, one of which is in front of Fast Feet on Elm Street, and one is in front of the new PVTA station on Arnold Street.

Drewniany said WOW hopes to find two artists of differing styles for the installation.

The theme all artists are asked to adhere to is "the history and future of Westfield," piggybacking on the upcoming 350th anniversary of the city.

Applications are due June 8 and are available at westfieldonweekends.com, along with details of the program.
CHICOPEE - The Veterans of Foreign Wars Chapter 625 has sold its headquarters on Front Street, citing an overall lack of interest in operating the bar and banquet hall and a decline in active members.

The Chapter, which was formed in 1920 and is named in honor of Army chaplain Lt. William F. Davitt, who was killed 90 minutes before the Armistice was signed and is believed to be the last American officer to die in World War I, will continue to exist. For now it will hold regular meetings in the Chicopee Public Library's community room, said Michael Sheehan, the chapter commander.

"The building was a bar and hall rental and it wasn't financially viable anymore," Sheehan said.

The Chapter members voted to sell the building, which has two floors each totaling 2,564 square feet, after many discussions about it. It was officially purchased in late April.

Hampden County Registry of Deeds records show it was bought by the Northeast Conference of 7th Day Adventists and Springfield Hispanic SDA Church for $220,000.

The chapter purchased the banquet hall and bar in the 1950s and has operated it ever since. When service members were returning home after World War II and later Korea, the hall was full and Chapter had more than 500 members, he said.

But service clubs and fraternal organizations have long been seeing declines in membership across the country. Now the chapter has 96 members and some of those are World War II veterans who are in their 90s, he said.

The Chapter did have DJ nights open for the public in recent years but members have not used the bar in large numbers for some time. The organization at one time could sell liquor at a lower rate than neighboring bars in the city, but it can't discount prices much now because the Chapter still must purchase supplies and pay expenses for running the bar, he said.

"We talked about how can we best serve this new generation of veterans and a bar is not what I'm looking for," said Sheehan, who served in the Iraq War.

In addition, there is a lot of work to continue to maintain the operations of the bar and hall and most of that was done by volunteers. The building was also not accessible to the disabled which was a problem since many members are older, he said.

"We were asking why are we spending all the time and energy on this," he said.

Chapter members did first reach out to other veterans organizations and members to see if anyone wanted to purchase the building but no one was interested. The church then put in an offer to purchase the property, Sheehan said.

Sheehan said he is hoping now the chapter members will be able to focus more on helping veterans and working on other veterans' issues since they no longer have to keep the bar and hall running.

The Chapter is primarily a service organization. It also works with students, holds the annual Voice of Democracy essay contest and awards annual scholarships.
A federal grand jury is looking into the overtime abuse scandal within the Massachusetts State Police.

Citing multiple sources, the Boston Globe reports that federal prosecutors have issued subpoenas to current and retired members of the former Troop E, which was charged with patrolling the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The federal grand jury is meeting in Worcester, the newspaper reported.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office is also investigating the alleged overtime abuse.

The news comes as Col. Kerry Gilpin, the head of the State Police, announced as part of ongoing internal audit that five additional troopers are allegedly involved the scandal. The State Police did not release their names in the announcement.

There are now over 30 current and former members of Troop E linked to discrepancies between overtime pay they've received and the hours they actually worked. Gilpin disbanded Troop E as part of a series of reforms.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Friday that the scandal is a "terrible stain" on the State Police and an "alleged scam" that's been going on for years.

The State Police's internal review included various overtime shifts, and Friday's announcement "marks the completion" of the audit of overtime shifts by former Troop E in 2016. Investigators within the State Police are now auditing overtime shifts worked in 2016.

An audit of overtime shifts in 2016 by other troopers outside Troop E did not find any discrepancies.
SPRINGFIELD -- A judge has ordered Springfield police to return $1,520 seized from the underwear of alleged drug dealer Asante Kamau during an illegal strip search.

In a ruling made public this week, Judge Jennifer Tyne denied a request by prosecutors to confiscate cash taken from Kamau after his arrest last year. Instead, the judge granted a motion by defense lawyer Matthew Hutchinson requiring police to refund his client's money.

The ruling marks the second legal victory in three months for Kamau, 35, of Springfield.

On April 13, 2017, he was searched by city narcotics detectives around 6:30 p.m. on Andrew Street, according to the arrest report. The search allegedly turned up a rock of crack cocaine from Kamau's underwear, leading to a charge of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute.

Police also took $1,520 from Kamau's pocket -- the alleged profits from drug sales he had conducted earlier in the day.

Kamau pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court, and was released on $460 bail.

In February, in a ruling that effectively ended the prosecution, Judge Mark Pasquariello barred police from using the drug evidence because the search violated Kamau's privacy.

The ruling came in response to a motion from Hutchinson, who claimed police violated his client's constitutional rights by strip searching him on a city street in daylight. The judge found that police took Kamau behind a building in an attempt to preserve his privacy, but should have taken him to police headquarters before conducting the search.

Hutchinson, a former prosecutor, then filed a second motion to force the police to return his client's money. Assistant District Attorney Kerry Koehler opposed the motion, arguing that the money was profits from drug sales.

The order to return the money was entered in the case file on May 4, without a copy of the judge's decision. Hutchinson said he received a copy of the judge's ruling earlier this week.

The case is scheduled for a final hearing on July 18.
WESTFIELD - As the banner hanging above the doors to St. Mary's Parish Church stated, the class of 2018 is not the last.

St. Mary's High School graduated 20 students Friday night and there was much to celebrate.

In addition to the normal pomp and circumstance associated with graduations, the commencement speakers reminded everyone that this class was almost the last.

"This was a tumultuous year," said guest speaker state Sen. Donald F. Humason. "It was filled with concern, fear, doubt, determination and finally success."

Humason referred to the announcement in March that the high school would close in June due to declining enrollment. But with a swell of support from St. Mary's and the entire community, the school will remain open at least another year.

Valedictorian Danielle Bovat said the class endured many trials and tribulations over the years, particularly this spring, but students overcame their challenges together and with "unwavering support from our community."

Bovat, who will attend Franciscan University in Ohio, encouraged her fellow graduates to rely on what they learned together as they move through life.

"Work hard, apply yourself and try new things," she advised her classmates. "Never be afraid to do the right thing and take the road less traveled."

The Rev. Frank Lawlor also commented on the events of the spring with a sense of humor and hope.

"In case you weren't aware, this was an exciting year," he joked.

"There were twists and turns, and despair, but in the end there was hope," he said.

Lawlor counted graduation day as one of the highs and asked graduates to "share this great spirit which has come alive this year."

He said the graduates refused to back down when they were fighting to keep their school open for future graduates.

"You plugged ahead and fought hard and awakened the giant spirit of St. Mary's," he said. "Take that with you through all aspects of life."

Bishop Mitchell Rozanski spoke of U.S. Marine Francis Drake, who was killed in action 75 years ago and whose remains were returned to the U.S. just last week. He told students that, like Drake, the actions of their past could make a difference in the future.

"Look back in confidence," he said. "Jesus challenges each one of us to have meaning in our own lives in a world that often seems to be torn by strife. He calls each of us to change the course of the world for the better - you are visible signs of that hope."

Lawlor asked the graduates to applaud their families and teachers and acknowledged Principal Kathleen Hogan-Friguglietti, who temporarily stepped into the role in January.

Lawlor asked Friguglietti, a parishioner who was retired, to take on the role through the end of the year when former Head of School Nicole Nietche took another job opportunity.

To honor Friguglietti's commitment, the first Principal's Scholarship was awarded Friday to graduate Olivia Mazza, who worked closely with Friguglietti the past few months.

Alumnus Matt Collins will take over as principal in the next school year.
A murder investigation is underway after a Hispanic male's body was found on a roadway in Holden, Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early's office said Saturday.

The body was found overnight by a passerby in a "remote" area of Reservoir Street, according to Early's office.

Authorities are asking anybody who saw something suspicious in that area to call the State Police barracks in Holden at 508-829-8410.

"The investigation is in its early stages," Early's office said in a Saturday morning release. "No other information will be released at this time."
WORCESTER -- Arguing that the 2018 election will determine what kind of state Massachusetts wants to be, Attorney General Maura Healey urged Democrats Friday to continue standing with her and helping her fight for the people of the commonwealth.

Healey, in a speech before delegates attending the Massachusetts Democratic Party's 2018 convention at the DCU Center in Worcester, touted her efforts to fight back against President Donald Trump and Republicans' "attacks" on clean energy, education and democracy.

Despite that work, the attorney general stressed that more must be done. She urged delegates to stand with her and other Democrats who are running this fall.

"This isn't just about one race or one election. This is about what kind of state - and what kind of country - we want to be," she told convention-goers. "The fact is, right now too many people, from Leominster to Lynnfield, Bourne to Buckland, are unsure what the next few years will bring. They're worried - about their future, their families, and their country."

Healey said she has heard from people across Massachusetts who are concerned about prejudice and discrimination, college affordability, opioid abuse and school shootings.

Those issues, she argued, are the "the true work of the Democratic Party" and why delegates gathered in Worcester Friday.

Taking aim at Gov. Charlie Baker, Healey stressed action and leadership is needed in Massachusetts.

"Time and again, the governor retreats to poll-tested safety rather than taking on the tough fights and leading. Playing it safe doesn't get the job done," she said. "We know we can do better."

Healey argued that Massachusetts can do better when it comes to addressing infrastructure, education costs and other issues.

"Democrats, are you ready to stand up? Will you stand up to make sure we end this opioid crisis once and for all? Will you stand up and vote 'yes' for civil rights and transgender equality this fall?" she said. "Will you stand up to make sure those at the very top pay their fair share? Will you stand up to protect every kid in every school from gun violence?"

Healey promised delegates she "will always stand with" them, adding that together they will " elect a Democratic governor who is ready to lead, not follow."

"We're going to re-elect Elizabeth Warren to the United States Senate. We're going to take back Congress. And in two years, we're going to fire Donald Trump!" she said.

Healey was among a handful of speakers to address delegates who attended day one of the Massachusetts Democratic Party's annual convention.
WORCESTER -- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez slammed Gov. Charlie Baker this week for complying with a Trump administration request for support at the United States' southern border with Mexico.

Gonzalez told reporters at the Massachusetts Democratic Party's 2018 Convention in Worcester Friday that he believes it's "wrong" for Baker to send a Massachusetts National Guard helicopter and two soldiers to help President Donald Trump crack down on border crossings.

The Democrat, who is looking to unseat the Republican incumbent this fall, added that he would reject such requests from the administration if sent to the corner office on Beacon Hill.

"As governor, I would be a very different type of leader on this. I would be sending signals to Donald Trump that we are not supportive of his immigration approach and that we would do everything possible to stand up for the values and interests of the people of Massachusetts, and of our country," he said. "We don't have that with Gov. Baker right now."

Gonzalez, a former health insurance executive and state budget chief under former Gov. Deval Patrick, argued that Baker "not only doesn't stand up to (Trump,) he helps him" with his immigration policies.

Maj. Gen. Gary Keefe, the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, told news outlets Friday that a helicopter and two-person flight crew are expected to be deployed to the southwestern border by the end of the month to help curb illegal border crossings and drug trafficking.

The troops will be working with the Arizona National Guard and the New Mexico National Guard, in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to State House News Service.

Baker's administration reportedly downplayed the move, offering that the request was relatively small and that Massachusetts has previously helped Democratic and Republican presidents with border operations.

News of the deployment comes just over a month after Trump ordered the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to deploy National Guard troops to the southern border to help federal border agents -- a move which has drawn pushback from some states, like California.

Gonzalez, who is one of two Democrats looking to unseat Baker in November, sought the state party's backing as delegates from across the state gathered in Worcester on Friday and Saturday.

He is expected to face Bob Massie, an environmentalist and entrepreneur, in Massachusetts' Sept. 4 Democratic primary.
WORCESTER -- U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, slammed President Donald Trump's response to Hurricane Maria Friday, arguing that the people of Puerto Rico deserve a president who will lead them, "not throw paper towels at them."

McGovern, in remarks to delegates attending the 2018 Massachusetts Democratic Party's convention at the DCU Center, contended that while the Trump administration "turned its back on their fellow citizens," Democrats will not.

"We believe that Donald Trump's response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was abysmal, it was shameful. ... The people of Puerto Rico deserve a president who will lead the recovery effort, not a president who throw paper towels at them," he said. "We Democrats will not turn our backs Puerto Rico. We will not turn our backs on the people of Puerto Rico."

McGovern, who is up for re-election this fall, added that Democrats "will be there with them in this recovery no matter how long it takes."

Thousands of Puerto Rico residents fled to the mainland United States in wake of the September hurricane, with many settling in Western Massachusetts.

Just under 400 families remained in Massachusetts hotels participating in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program as of early May.

FEMA announced last month that it would again extend the deadline for the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program through June 30, giving evacuees using the benefit another 60 days to solidify their long-term housing plans -- an issue which has plagued several families who relocated to Western Massachusetts.

McGovern also used his remarks to take aim at the Trump administration's immigration policies, as well as the White House's response to recent mass shootings at high schools in Florida and Texas.

The congressman stressed that Democrats oppose "building stupid, ridiculous wall" along the United State's southern border with Mexico, and believe in providing pathways to citizenship to those brought to the U.S. as children.

The party, he said, also "proudly stands with the millions of young people demanding action to end the scourge of gun violence."

McGovern said if Democrats win back control of Congress this fall, they will debate and vote on expanding background checks, as well as on banning bump stocks and assault weapons.

"No more moments of silence. No more excuses, it's time for Congress to develop a spine and stand up to the NRA and protect our children," he said.

McGovern further urged Democrats to "never give in," never give up and to never lose hope.

"I believe in the Democratic Party and I believe in you," he said. "Let's win."

McGovern was among a handful of speakers to address the more than 6,000 delegates who attended day one of the Massachusetts Democratic Party's annual convention.
WORCESTER -- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, pledged Friday to "persist" in her efforts to fight for working class Americans and to challenge President Donald Trump and Republicans, as she opened the Massachusetts Democratic Party's 2018 convention.

Warren, an oft-rumored 2020 presidential contender, thanked Massachusetts Democrats attending the Worcester gathering for helping her raise her voice by electing her the first female senator in the state's history six years ago.

The Democrat, who touted her work in Washington D.C., however, stressed that she's not done yet.

"I came here tonight to make you a promise: I'm just getting started," she told delegates and party activists.

The senator asked Democrats to raise their voices and help her "make the playing field level for working people once again" and "restore our democracy" by sending her back to Capitol Hill in November.

"I can't do it alone. But we can do it together. We will do it together," she said. "We will march together. We will run together. We will rally together. We will organize together. We will persist together. We will win together."

Warren added that "together, we will build a government that belongs to its people, an economy that gives everyone a fighting chance, and a future our kids and grandkids deserve."

She further pledged to continue "fighting back" when companies, like Equifax or Wells Fargo, "rip off" consumers; when groups like the National Rifle Association "stand in the way of the safety of our kids;" and when members of Trump's administration support policies that hurt students and working class Americans.

"Mitch McConnell can't shut me up. The Koch brothers can't buy me off. Donald Trump's racist tweets won't scare me off. ... And if you think I get under their skin now, just you wait," she said.

Warren told delegates that she's "in this fight all the way," arguing that the November election isn't going to be about just politics, but rather "democracy itself."

Following the November contest, she offered, Trump should "hear all of us loud and clear."

"The darkness of this political moment may seem all-consuming. But I've got a candle and so do you," she told Massachusetts Democrats. "And, together, we can light the path forward. Together, we can save this democracy. Together, we can put this country back on track."

Warren, who was among a handful of speakers to take the convention stage Friday, however, told reporters following her remarks that she has no plans to run for any office other than U.S. Senate at this time.

"I am not running for president. I was here to accept the nomination to run for a second term for the United States Senate," she said. "One of the points that I tried to make in my speech is how important it is to stay focused on the fights in front of us right now and to keep our attention with laser-like focus on the election in 2018."

The Democrat is expected to face at least three GOP challengers in November: State Rep. Geoff Diehl, the Massachusetts Republican Party's endorsed candidate; longtime political operative Beth Lindstrom; and Winchester businessman John Kingston.
HOUSTON -- Manager Alex Cora hasn't considered moving Drew Pomeranz to the bullpen and inserting Steven Wright into the starting rotation.

Pomeranz will keep his rotation spot, at least for now. Wright, meanwhile, will pitch in more high-leverage spots.

"I do feel that regardless of the result yesterday, he threw the ball well, especially in the last part of the start," Cora said about Pomeranz.

Pomeranz pitched 5 innings, allowing four runs, all earned, six hits and two walks while striking out five. He dropped to 1-3 with a 6.81 ERA in eight starts.

"The breaking ball was better," Cora said. "Sandy (Leon) felt it was his best breaking ball of the whole season. And then the fastball, you saw he used it late in the count and was able to get some swings-and-misses."

Pomeranz got two swings-and-misses on 26 four-seam fastballs and one swing-and-miss on eight two-seamers.

He got three swings-and-misses on 44 knuckle-curveballs and one swing-and-miss on the only changeup he threw.

Wright has a 2.25 ERA (four runs, 16 innings) and 1.19 WHIP. He has held opponents to a .167 batting average in six relief outings this season.

"Steven, I think the next step for us is honestly bring him (in) with traffic on the bases," Cora said. "I was hesitant about it because of the catchers, but they're framing knuckleballs. They're presented in the right way. They do an outstanding job. Yesterday, Sandy threw a runner out (with Wright pitching). He does an outstanding job of holding runners. So probably that will be the next step because the swings, they're very different.

"We know he can start at this level," Cora said. "He can be really, really good. But I do think he's becoming kind of like a weapon coming out of the bullpen. So his role is going to be bigger and bigger."
Logic says that our charity dollars would do the most good if we donated them to organizations that were the most effective  that is, if we treated donations like investments. But it turns out thats not how people generally behave when it comes to charitable giving: Donors tend to act more on emotion than rationality when choosing organizations to support. New research from Wharton marketing professor Deborah Small examines why thats so. Her paper is titled, "Impediments to Effective Altruism: The Role of Subjective Preferences in Charitable Giving," and was coauthored with Jonathan Z. Berman, Alixandra Barasch and Emma E. Levine. Small recently spoke with [email protected] about the paper and its implications for donors and organizations.

Podcast: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/maximizing-charitable-giving/
Wed., Oct. 13, 12-1 p.m.

History

Central Illinois holds vast and unique resources for genealogy and local history research. Not all such materials are online, of course. But getting started with digital collections and other online resources can help better prepare you for an in-person research visit to libraries, museums and archives. This program provides insight on how family research collides with local history to provide a personal collection to our communitys past. Join Sangamon Experience Director and Curator, Anne Moseley, and UIS student and graduate assistant for the Office of Engaged Learning, Anna Kanai, as they discuss how family research has impacted their research. 217-206-8663
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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- A dog on a cross-country flight was found dead in its cage upon arriving at its destination airport on Wednesday, according to the pet's owners and the airline.

I want to know what happened," said Michael Dellegrazie who with his girlfriend owned the Pomeranian named Alejandro. "The dog is not a pet. He's a member of our family.

Alejandro was sent on a Delta Airlines flight from Phoenix to Newark, New Jersey, where the couple is moving. The dog traveled in a kennel in the cargo hold of the jet.

There was a stop in Detroit at approximately 6 oclock in the morning," said Dellegrazies attorney, Evan Oshan. "Alejandro was checked on. He was fine. Then approximately at 8 oclock and 8:30 in the morning, the dog was again checked on, he was dead, and there was vomit in the cage, according to Delta,

In a statement to ABC News, Delta said, We know pets are an important member of the family and we are focused on the well-being of all animals we transport. Delta is conducting a thorough review of the situation and have been working directly with Alejandros family to support them however we can. As part of that review, we want to find out more about why this may have occurred to ensure it doesnt happen again and we have offered to have Alejandro evaluated by a veterinarian to learn more.

In 2017, 506,994 animals were transported on U.S. airlines, and of those, 24 died, according to Department of Transportation figures.

One recent case that got a lot of attention was in March when a dog died on a United Airlines flight after it was put in its carrier into an overhead bin. The pet's owners alleged that a flight attendant knew a dog was in the carrier when she told them to put it in the overhead bin. United said the attendant had not heard the passengers' telling her about the dog. After the incident, United said it was starting a new policy of issuing bright-colored tags to passengers traveling with pets.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Two drivers were injured in a collision on U.S. 31 near Stanton Street that sent one vehicle rolling into the median.

The crash happened about 8:40 p.m. Friday, June 2 in the northbound lanes of the highway.

Ottawa County sheriff's deputies said a Chevy Impala driven by 70-year-old Jenna Emery of Grand Haven was in the right lane and turned abruptly into the left lane.

Her vehicle was struck by a Ford C-Max car driven by Michelle Kunde, 47, of Battle Creek.

The collision caused Emery's vehicle to roll into the median and she was pinned in the car. She later was taken to Holland Hospital for treatment and was last known to be in serious condition.

Kunde had minor injuries and was taken to North Ottawa Community Hospital.

The crash caused police to close down the northbound lanes of U.S. 31 for a period.
LANSING, MI - Michigan lawmakers could vote to legalize recreational marijuana next week instead of sending it to the ballot under a plan being forwarded by Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive.

"I'm proposing that we adopt it and amend it and put it right under the (medical) marijuana law and regulate it," Meekhof said Thursday.

He has the votes in the Senate, he said, and is working with other lawmakers in the House to get around the opposition of House Speaker Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt.

Legalizing recreational marijuana hasn't always been a priority for Republicans. But a citizen-led ballot initiative called Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has gathered enough signatures to get the marijuana legalization law they've crafted onto a statewide ballot, where polling suggests the issue would be popular among Michigan voters.

But first, it goes to the state legislature. By Tuesday lawmakers are poised to either act as Meekhof has suggested or not act, which would send the issue to the statewide ballot.

So why the potential legislative pot legalization?

As proposed, the initiative would legalize and regulate marijuana for recreational use. Those over 21 could use marijuana, but would still be unable to consume it in a public place or drive under the influence.

Lawmakers have concerns about the proposal, though, and laws approved by voters are difficult for the legislature to amend. Per the constitution, it takes a three-fourths vote of the state legislature, while regular laws can be amended with a simple majority.

While Republicans have a majority in both chambers, they don't have a three-quarters majority, and Democratic leaders aren't willing to circumvent the voters on this issue.

That's part of the calculus for Meekhof, who served in the legislature as it grappled with how to amend the medical marijuana law voters approved in 2008. The citizen-written law had vagueness that resulted in court cases, uneven enforcement across the state, and, eventually, legislative changes. This time he sees an opportunity for the legislature to make changes earlier.

"It's just bad public policy for Michigan as was the 2008 ballot initiative, and it took us almost 10 years to get that under control. And I think we should do it now, so we can amend it by simple majority," Meekhof said.

The reason he thinks it's bad policy, he said, is a lack of regulation. But that's not the case, said Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol spokesman Josh Hovey. In drafting the proposal, he said, backers looked to the medical marijuana regulatory scheme the legislature enacted in 2016.

"We used that 2016 framework to draft our initiative, and we followed it very, very closely," Hovey said.

The proposal requires businesses to be licensed by the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and allows local communities to regulate where and when marijuana establishments can be open.

Hovey said if the legislature does adopt the proposal, it shouldn't be with the intent of changing it immediately.

"We're happy for the legislature to adopt our initiative as written. But we have a strong position that it doesn't need to be changed right away," Hovey said.

The group formed to oppose the ballot proposal, meanwhile, Committee to Keep Pot Out of Neighborhoods and Schools, is now supporting the adopt-and-amend route. Doing so could make better policy, said spokesman Mark Fisk in a press release, and avoid replicating issues observed in other states that have legalized.

"Lawmakers have a unique opportunity to right a wrong before it happens and learn from the painful experience of Colorado where drug cartels are setting up shop in neighborhoods," Fisk said in a press release.

Democratic leaders, however, aren't supportive of the adopt-and-amend route. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich is a Democrat from Flint, a city that suffered a water crisis under an emergency manager - a situation made possible after citizens struck down the emergency manager law, but lawmakers passed a similar one anyway. He sees parallels in this situation.

"They're assuming it's going to pass, and they're trying to circumvent that will of the voters," Ananich said.

He wants to see it go to the ballot, where people can have a say on the issue.

The adopt-and-amend proposal is also opposed by Leonard, the House Speaker. Though he doesn't support it, he pledges not to stand in the way if the rest of his caucus does.

"I personally do not support it, but I've been very clear that if the 55 votes are there we will put it up and we will give it a vote," Leonard said.

That said, he's not expecting it to pass.

"Some folks have said that there is momentum building for those that want to get it passed. I would liken that to the person that purchases five lottery tickets instead of one lottery ticket. I don't anticipate it happening. The support is not there," Leonard said.

The legislature, if it chooses to act, must do so by Tuesday. If both chambers pass the legislation, it remains fully in the legislative domain. If the chambers don't both act, it goes to the ballot, where Michigan citizens can vote on it in the Nov. 6, 2018 election.

Note: This article has been edited to include the first name of Sen. Jim Ananich.
SPRINGPORT, MI - Tammy Kuntz has been picked as the next Springport Elementary School principal.

She starts July 1 and succeeds longtime principal Janis Sanford, who is retiring June 30.

Kuntz comes to Springport from Rogers City Elementary School in northeastern Michigan, where she was principal. She's been in education 26 years, serving in a variety of roles from classroom teacher to administrator.

Kuntz was chosen from four finalists narrowed from a field of seven interview candidates who were picked from 20 applicants by a team of Springport teachers, administrators, a school volunteer and one Springport School Board member.

The team completed a site visit to Rogers City Elementary School before recommending Kuntz be hired. The school board officially offered Kuntz the Springport job on May 21.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- The driver who died when his car struck a car hauler on Stadium Drive May 16 may have used opiates before the crash, according to police reports.

Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers administered Narcan to Kevin AJ Alleshouse, who died on the scene of the crash in the 3800 block of Stadium Drive, due to "suspected opiate involvement," KDPS Sgt. Richard McCall wrote in a report. The Kalamazoo Gazette obtained 30 pages of police reports about the crash Friday, June 1, through the Freedom of Information Act.

Police say Alleshouse crashed a 2002 Ford Focus into the rear of a car carrier parked in the center turn lane on Stadium Drive at 6:48 p.m. May 16.

McCall wrote that officers and paramedics attempted to revive Alleshouse following the crash, "as it was apparent he used heroin and/or other opiates prior to the crash." Alleshouse was pronounced dead at the scene.

McCall wrote that Devon Wellington, who was a passenger in the car until the pair got into an argument at the corner of Stadium Drive and Drake Road and Wellington got out, was frantic at the scene. He said he recognized Wellington because he had been revived by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff and other officers after a heroin overdose the previous day, but at the time did not know of Wellington's involvement with Alleshouse.

Kalamazoo County sheriff's deputies later said Wellington exited the car at Drake Road and Stadium Drive because Alleshouse appeared to be having a seizure. He wanted to take over the driving.

But when he left the car, Alleshouse locked the doors and sped away. He crashed moments later.

Wellington told KDPS officer Allison Mistretta he and Alleshouse were at a gas station on South Drake Road when Alleshouse said he wanted to go to his girlfriend's house quickly. He said Alleshouse was gone for 15 minutes and appeared normal when he returned.

Wellington said he and Alleshouse got into an argument at the intersection of Drake Road and Century Avenue, and Alleshouse began seizing. He said he got out of the vehicle to move Alleshouse to the passenger seat, but Alleshouse locked Wellington out and sped off.

"Wellington told me he didn't originally think it was an overdose; however looking back he believes it could be," Mistretta wrote in a report.

A close friend of Alleshouse's said she talked to Wellington after the crash, and he told her he was with Alleshouse because he needed a ride. She told police Wellington said they bought heroin and both used it, according to a report written by Mark Komdeur of KDPS. The place in which Wellington claimed they bought heroin was redacted from police reports released to the media.

"Wellington told her he tried to get Alleshouse out of the driver's seat due to his poor driving and his fear of being found by the police," Komdeur wrote.

The friend said she believed Alleshouse had been clean from heroin for the past month.

A witness at the scene who said she was driving behind Alleshouse said he was driving erratically on South Drake Road. Another witness told police he saw Alleshouse "having a meltdown, shaking, leaning back in his seat and putting his hands up to his face" on Drake Road. The witness said once the car turned onto Stadium Drive, it swerved in the middle and eastbound lanes, then drove into oncoming westbound traffic before swerving back into the center lane and crashing into the car hauler.

Alleshouse's cause of death was significant blunt force trauma, according to information from a medical examiner contained in the police report.

One witness said the car hit the car hauler at 40 to 45 mph and did not brake prior to striking the hauler, which did not appear to have hazard lights on.

The driver of the car hauler, Herman Jackson Jr., said he parked the hauler in the left turn lane on Stadium Drive and left to get a vehicle from Seelye Kia. Jackson said he parked in the road because there wasn't enough room at the dealership parking lot, KDPS officer Sean Gilmour wrote in a report.

In a statement sent to media after the crash, Seelye Auto Group of Kalamazoo said the dealership has a dedicated, safe drop-off site on the 13-acre property where semitrailers can unload and turn around.

"The driver of the semi truck, in this instance, ignored the option of unloading in a clearly marked safe drop off point on the private lot off of Stadium Drive and instead opted to stop in the middle of the intersection in direct opposition to Seelye Auto Group's policy and clearly marked signs," Kalamazoo attorney Shaun Willis said in the statement on behalf of Seelye Auto Group.
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - An embezzlement charge against Fruitport Township's supervisor has been dismissed by the prosecutor's office after her former boss backed down on his claims against her.

Heidi Tice had been charged with embezzlement between $1,000 and $20,000 for purchases, including one that reportedly was for pornography, that were made with a credit card belonging to a gun shop where she was employed.

Tice told police she was authorized to make personal purchases with the card as long as she repaid the money, but her employer, Ronald Grasmeyer, told investigators she was not, according to a statement issued Thursday by the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office. Grasmeyer is owner of Grasmeyer Bros. gun shop on Holton Road in Dalton Township.

The prosecutor's office dropped the charge on Wednesday, May 30, after Grasmeyer indicated he had "reservations" about whether Tice actually embezzled and claims were made that Grasmeyer has a medical condition that impacts his memory, according to the office of Prosecutor D.J. Hilson.

Tice did not return a message left at township hall seeking comment.

Grasmeyer had contacted police in February 2017 with concerns about purchases made with the credit card, according to the prosecutor's office. Those charges were as much as $25,000, according to testimony at a preliminary examination on the case.

Tice was elected township supervisor in November 2016.

"An extensive investigation was completed by the Michigan State Police and based on the complainant's statements that he never gave permission to Ms. Tice to use the credit card for personal purposes, the Muskegon County Prosecutor issued charges of embezzlement of at least $1,000 against Ms. Tice," the prosecutor's statement says.

Grasmeyer reasserted his claim that Tice was not authorized to make personal charges with the card during the District Court preliminary examination last June, and Tice was bound over for trial in Muskegon County Circuit Court.

At the preliminary examination, Grasmeyer testified that a charge from a pornography web site prompted him to contact police. The porn site charge was linked to a minor child that Tice had custody over at the time, a prosecuting attorney said earlier. But that purchase led Grasmeyer to find other personal purchases that Tice herself allegedly made with the company card.

Shortly before Tice's trial was to begin on Wednesday, May 30, the prosecutor's office learned that Grasmeyer was planning to testify that he had "substantial reservations" about whether Tice had made unauthorized purchases with the credit card. In addition, Grasmeyer asked that the case be dismissed.

"Based upon the expected testimony of Mr. Grasmeyer, we have an ethical and moral responsibility to not proceed with the prosecution of Ms. Tice and have dismissed the charges," the prosecutor's statement says. "The fact that Ms. Tice is currently a public official played no role in our decision to file or dismiss these charges."

After the preliminary examination was held, Grasmeyer's attorney had contacted the prosecutor's office to say that Grasmeyer had a medical condition that "called into question Mr. Grasmeyer's memory," the prosecutor's statement says. However, requested documentation about that condition was never forwarded to the prosecutor's office nor were prosecutors allowed to speak with Grasmeyer's physician "to verify his claim," the prosecutor's statement says.
MACKINAC ISLAND - If you've seen the Ugly Anne's flashy red hull cruise past you in the Straits of Mackinac, you'll be forgiven if you swivel your neck for a second look.

What's a refurbished Maine lobster boat doing carrying tourists in Michigan?

To see the symmetry of this saltwater-to-freshwater venture, you've got to get a peek into the Up North marketing mindset of its owner and captain, Chris West.

After all, this is a guy who got into boating a couple decades ago just so he could reach the abandoned lighthouse he's intent on preserving off the tip of Wilderness State Park, near Mackinaw City.

West and his wife, Heather, started the Ugly Anne cruises as a way to get more people out on the water when they visit the area around Mackinac Island. It also was a way to feed his twin passions of tourism and celebrating the area's unique history.

The 40-foot boat is now motoring into her seventh summer in northern waters. West's team offers two tours each day. The 5 p.m. cruise highlights the area's past, delving into details about the high concentration of shipwrecks and lighthouses that dot the Straits. There's some Native American lore dished up, as well as tidbits about Mackinac Island, its Grand Hotel, and the marvel that is the Mackinac Bridge. No tour is the same as the one before.

"We try to do some of the interesting facts, some things people may not know about the bridge and island," West said. He leaves plenty of time for questions. "A lot of people just want to know what it's like to live up here."

The daily sunset cruise is lighter on history. It celebrates skylines created by the island and the Mighty Mac, and has many passengers whipping out their phones for the perfect Up North photo. There's music, and adult beverages are available.

West steers his patrons under the bridge, into Lake Michigan, then back under the span again and into Lake Huron, where they watch the sun sink into the watery horizon.

The cruises depart from Mackinaw City. They continue through mid-October.

The boat also can be booked for private tours and wedding parties.

Up North to East Coast, then back home

Raised downstate in the Saginaw area, West went up to Northern Michigan University in Marquette for his undergraduate studies in environmental science and marketing. He fell deeply in love with Northern Michigan.

During college, he worked summers at Wilderness State Park. It was there he learned about the chance to help save the long-abandoned Waugoshance Lighthouse, sitting in the northern tip of Lake Michigan. He created the lighthouse's preservation society, a nonprofit which to this day still works to raise funds for a massive restoration project.

West was giving a speech on this preservation work when a Michigan State University professor suggested he get his master's degree in tourism and marketing. It was a long haul, commuting from Mackinac Island to East Lansing a few days a week, but his master's degree was a springboard to his early career in tourism.

He held these positions on the island, then in Vermont and later in Gardiner, Maine, where he directed a main street revitalization group.

When he and Heather began thinking about coming back home to Northern Michigan, they knew they wanted to return with a solid tourism business idea.

"One of the things that I saw, there was a lack of things to do on the water," said West, adding the ferry services then were primarily for getting on and off the island.

"There wasn't anything to go enjoy on the water, other than for transportation."

Enter the Ugly Anne. A lobster boat since 1975, she'd been used to haul in winter delicacies in the Gulf of Maine. Summers saw the wooden vessel hauling charter fishing groups.

"I think it was probably like 'Deadliest Catch' on the Discovery Channel, just on a smaller boat," West said.

When the boat's owner died, his second wife put the Ugly Anne up for sale through a yacht broker. But there was a sentimental attachment. The woman didn't want the boat to go to just anyone. She'd turned down some offers - and she had some pointed questions for West when he came calling with an offer.

"I told her I was thinking of taking it back to Michigan. She said the only places she'd ever heard of in Michigan were Detroit and Mackinac Island. I told her, 'Well, I'm planning on taking it to Mackinac.'

"She thought it was a wonderful retirement for her old girl."

The Wests brought the Ugly Anne to Northern Michigan in the spring of 2011. She was retrofitted as a touring cruiser instead of a fishing boat. She can fit 33 comfortably.

Even with so many Michigan summers under her hull, West said he still gets a kick out of people's reactions when they see the boat. Especially Northeasterners who recognize its style as a "Downeast Lobster."

"It's definitely not the normal look. It's funny when people from the East Coast are here. It's a little bit of a surprise to them."

And the Ugly Anne still has a following in her own right. She was well-known in Perkins Cove, Maine, which sees a big influx of tourists from Boston and New York. "We still get people who will ask us how the boat is doing," said West, who is also Harbormaster for Mackinaw City and an EMT for Emmet County emergency services.

Connections from the Past, A New Generation

One fan is coming up to see her this summer. A Detroit woman whose grandfather built the boat in Maine has planned her first visit to the Ugly Anne. "It will be kind of a cool connection for her to get to see her grandpa's boat."

There are other firsts, too. Chris and Heather West, a nurse at McLaren Hospital in Petoskey, had their first child in February. Little Oliver recently got his first ride on his family's business. He's already a captain in the making.

"He was a smiley little guy, so I think we are going good so far."

What's in a Name?

And yes, there is a story behind the Ugly Anne's name. When West bought the boat, he was told the owner's first wife had been a woman named Anne. Now this was a woman used to living in a big city, and she wasn't particularly happy to be living in a small town in Maine.

"She was beautiful, physically, but her personality was pretty ugly," West explained. So when Anne's husband bought a boat, she asked him to name it after her.

He did. He had "Ugly Anne" painted on its backside.

"They got divorced fairly soon after that," West mused.

For more information on the Ugly Anne cruises, check the website or follow the company on Facebook.
A surprising casualty of the unprecedented Bay Area housing market, Morgan Hill Unified School District Board President Tom Arnett resigned from his post and is moving to Southern California.

Arnett, 33, a 2002 Live Oak High School alumnus, announced his departure plans to fellow board colleagues and school district officials at a May 30 special meeting.

His resignation will be effective at the end of June. Arnett is about half way through his four-year term on the board.

Its something I really regret that Im not able to finish that term and finish my service to the people who elected me to do so, said Arnett, who first joined the board in a June 2016 at-large special election and then again in a November 2016 trustee area election. I think I was able to leave a positive impact, but I do feel theres so much more Id like to stick around for.

Arnett, the head of household for his family of five, said the housing market was the major factor in his familys decision to move out of the same area he grew up in.

My salary cant keep up with Google, Facebook and Apples hiring, said Arnett, an educational researcher with a national, nonprofit think tank called the Clayton Christensen Institute. I really sympathize when teachers come to our district and talk about the challenges of living here on a teachers salary.

Board Vice President Mary Patterson said district officials will seek advice from the Santa Clara County Office of Education as how to proceed in finding Arnetts replacement. The board can appoint a new trustee or possibly place Arnetts Trustee Area 5 seat, with two years left, on the upcoming Nov. 6 election ballot, where four other MHUSD board seats will be decided.

Since the first time I ever met him on the campaign trail, I was thoroughly impressed with his thoughtful nature and willingness to hear all sides. Hes just genuinely kind and that is so lovely to have in a colleague, Patterson said of Arnett. The news is fresh and Im still taken aback by the loss for the board and loss for the community. But hopefully this is an opportunity for other outstanding members of the community, like Tom, to step in.

Trustee Gino Borgioli, who is recovering from full knee replacement surgery since being hit by a car about a month ago, was similarly impressed with Arnetts tenure on the school board, especially since taking over as board president.

He was just settling in to that in a pretty good way and I was pretty happy seeing him settle in so nicely, said Borgioli of Arnett. We still have a lot of things on our plate left going forward.I will miss him. I was terribly shocked.

Arnett moved back to Morgan Hill five years ago in 2013. He has two children, ages 7 and 8, who attend Charter School of Morgan Hill, and the youngest, age 5, who was in the Transitional Kindergarten program at P.A. Walsh Elementary School.

Weve been trying to buy a home ever since we moved back. On two different occasions, we were close. Both times there were issues and challenges that came up and we had to back out. And both times were were anxious about the level of debt we were taking on, Arnett explained.

The Bay Area housing market is among the most competitive in the entire country, with the median home sale price in Santa Clara County eclipsing $1 million.

Arnett, who will be moving closer to his wife Marys parents in Southern California, said he was simply priced out of the market. He had been renting a home in his designated trustee area.

In the midst of that struggle (to find an affordable home), we came up with the opportunity to hopefully find a place in the town in Southern California where my wife grew up, Arnett said.

The next two scheduled school board meetings, in which Arnett will participate, are June 5 and June 19. At that time, district leadership will review the boards options for replacing Arnett.

I didnt expect how much Id enjoy working with people in the communityand working together with others to do something thats bigger than any of us, said Arnett of his time on the board.
Former Afghanistan hostage Caitlan Coleman took the witness stand late Wednesday morning to give evidence against her estranged husband, Joshua Boyle, who stands accused of her physical, sexual and emotional abuse upon their return to Canada after five years in captivity.

Coleman, 33, is the Crowns central witness in the case against Boyle, who faces 19 charges, including assault, sexual assault and confinement.

Coleman is the complainant in 17 of those charges.

Boyle has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Coleman testified by closed circuit television from an undisclosed location in the Ottawa courthouse because she did not want to be in the same room as Boyle.

Her first 90 minutes of testimony unfolded the early years of their difficult, on-again, off-again relationship.

Coleman said she was just 16 when she met Boyle in an online forum for Star Wars fans.

At the time, she was being homeschooled in Pennsylvania, she said, and had a wide circle of friends. I was a big Star Wars fan.

When she met Boyle, he was in an online relationship with another woman from the same Star Wars forum. But they soon broke up and Boyle told her, Coleman said, that he was desolate and suicidal.

I was a bit smitten, she said. I thought I could be the one to rescue him. I became rather crushed on him.

They continued to flirt online for years as Boyle began seeing another woman from the same forum, Bailey, from Grimsby. Coleman said she talked to them both about their relationship issues.

At the end of 2005, Coleman said, Bailey broke up with Boyle and warned her that he was a very dangerous person.

Coleman said she became Boyles shoulder to cry on after the break-up. He started taking up all of my time: He said he couldnt face life anymore; said he was gong to kill himself. There were many nights I had to talk him down from that.

After three or four months, Boyle travelled to Pennsylvania to meet Coleman in 2006. Coleman told court that she found Boyle overwhelming in person.

He would hug me and hold me and hold my hand. My feelings just blew up again and I was very in love.

Boyle became the first man she ever kissed.

But when Boyle returned to Canada, their tug of war relationship began, Coleman testified. Boyle insisted they were just friends. Her emotional state depended on what he said to her, Coleman testified.

She visited him in Toronto in September 2006, but Boyle, she said, told her that Bailey was the love of his life. He pressured her to befriend Bailey so that she could advocate for Boyle with his former girlfriend, Coleman said.

He was laying this heavy ideology on me: If you love me, you will give me what I want, she said. I did love him.

Meanwhile, her own relationship with Boyle was going downhill, Coleman said. They often fought.

He would belittle me, calling me slut. We would have these big fights and I would cry a lot. I had some tough, depressing days.

Boyle, she said, criticized her for drinking alcohol, socializing with her friends and talking to other men.

If I said I was going to a party, there would be this hail of insults from him: Youre an alcoholic, out of control, a slutty 20-something.

But her self-esteem was so low, Coleman told court, that if Josh didnt think I was a good person, then I wasnt a good person.

They lived together in the summer of 2007, but their relationship continued on its roller coaster path. Coleman said Boyle told her she was not good enough or smart enough to be his wife.

She went back home in November 2007. Boyle, she said, made her feel that it was her fault that he didnt have a career as a journalist.

You and your problems and your incompetence are holding me back in life, Coleman quoted him as saying.

During their relationship, Coleman said, she began to self-harm and suffer wild fluctuations in her emotional state. Coleman said she would sometimes throw things at Boyle during their fights, or simply walk away from him.

She diagnosed herself as having borderline personality disorder.

In the summer of 2008, Coleman said, she broke-up with Boyle. But he barraged her, she said, with texts, phone calls and emails.

He would start calling me over and over again on the phone: 20 to 30 phone calls a night. He would keep calling, and calling and calling and calling.

Boyle threatened to kill himself, Coleman said, and she once called 911 because she thought he was serious.

Coleman cut off contact. The silence lasted a few months then in November 2008, Boyle announced he was getting married, she said.

Only later did Coleman learn that he was marrying Zaynab Khadr, a member of the notorious Khadr clan.

She wrote him an email: I forgive you for what you have done to me and I hope you have a good life.

Coleman began to see someone else, Michael. She was living on her own and planned to go back to college in the fall.

Then Boyle messaged out of the blue, she said, to see how she was doing.

It led to a meeting in August 2009 in Toronto with Boyle and his new wife. After that lunch, Boyle walked with her back to her hotel, Coleman said, and spilled out his feelings.

He said his marriage to Khadr was a sham: that it had been staged for the media, Coleman said, to improve the familys image.

Essentially, he wanted to marry me. I was the love of his life. He wasnt going to have a family with Zaynab.

They walked for hours and Boyle repeatedly professed his love, Coleman said.

I felt this was my true love, Coleman said, Right away, I wanted to go through that door.

In November 2009, Coleman committed herself to Boyle and the idea of getting engaged.

This would be the path I would go on, she said.
By ANI

VIDISHA: The overnight internet sensation, Sanjeev Srivastava, who has stormed the social media after his dancing videos from a wedding went viral, is a die-hard fan of yesteryear's actor Govinda.

In the video, Srivastava, who has been rechristened by netizens as 'Dancing Uncle', could be seen dancing to Govinda's chartbuster song-- "Aap Ke Aa Jane Se" from the 1987 movie Khudgarz.

Talking to ANI, a very elated Srivastava shared his amazement on the sudden fame.

WATCH | Dancing since 1982, my idol is Govinda: Man behind viral dance video

The middle-aged dancing uncle said, "This is an unreal feeling. I can't believe my dance video has gone viral. I thank everyone for the love and support. I have been dancing since 1982 and my idol is Govinda ji. Now I hope to get more opportunities."

"It is a big thing for me that so many people have liked me, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I am extremely happy that people like Raveena Tandon, our chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan have liked my dance. I have learnt to dance from my mother and Govinda is my role model."

Srivastava has garnered so much popularity that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister took to Twitter to praise Srivastava's electric performance. The chief minister said, "Professor Shri Sanjeev Shrivastav ji, who has been working in Bhopal, has created massive sensation over the internet in the whole of India. Believe it or not, there is something special in the water of Madhya Pradesh."
Biju E Paul By

Express News Service

ALAPPUZHA: They are still not out of their teen years. Yet, the determination in their voice tell us they have matured beyond their age. The whirlwind love story of H Hanize, 18, and Rifana Riyad, 19, could have been straight out a Bollywood tearjerker.

But the cupids are smiling at last after a division bench allowed them to live together disregarding the parental pressures. We are relieved after the court intervened to save our lives, Hanize told Express.

We faced difficulties because of our age. Rifanas family exerted tremendous pressure and told her to marry later. However, she realised that if the marriage is postponed, it will be blocked by her parents. This forced us to elope. Thats when her parents filed a suit in the court, he added.

READ | Kerala High Court allows teenage Muslim couple to be in live-in relationship

Hanize from Pathiyankaramuri, in Thrikunnapuzha, a coastal village of Alappuzha, fell in love with Rifana, from Zakaria Bazar, Alappuzha, while they were studying for Plus One in St Marys HSS, Alappuzha.

When they felt they were inseparable, they told their family and expressed interest to get married. But Rifanas family disagreed. So they eloped in the second week of April.

ALSO READ | High Court thumbs-up to teens live-in relationship

Rifanas parents lodged a complaint with the Alappuzha police, who produced them before the Magistrate court on April 22. The court allowed her to live with Hanize after it found Rifana was of marriageable age. But Rifanas parents approached HC claiming the police or the magistrate failed to check the age of Hanize.

Eventually, the court came to rescue of the lovers. The ego of parents led to the case. Now that the court has come to their aid, we hope a better life for the couple, said Saji Pathiyankara, a social activists from Thrikunnapuzha.
By PTI

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore's former premier Goh Chok Tong today jointly unveiled a plaque to pay tribute at the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes at Clifford Pier in the city-state.

Modi, who is here on the last leg of his three-nation tour, unveiled the plaque on the seafront where some of the Mahatma's ashes were immersed in 1948.

"Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and I unveiled a plaque marking the site where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed at the Clifford Pier in Singapore," Modi tweeted.

"Bapu's message reverberates globally. His thoughts and ideals motivate us to work for the greater good of humanity," he said in a tweet.

Emeritus Senior Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong and I unveiled a plaque marking the site where Mahatma Gandhis ashes were immersed at the Clifford Pier in Singapore.



Bapus message reverberates globally. His thoughts and ideals motivate us to work for the greater good of humanity. pic.twitter.com/Gdfzt0SICQ  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2018

A beautiful rendition of 'Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye', a favourite bhajan of Mahatma Gandhi, was sung on the occasion.

After Gandhi's death in 1948, his ashes were sent to various parts of India and the world, including Singapore, for immersion.

Earlier, Modi met Goh, a veteran leader and an advocate of deeper India-Singapore engagement.

"Had a productive meeting with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong," Modi tweeted after meeting Goh.

Modi arrived here on Thursday on the last leg of his three-nation visit.

He earlier visited Indonesia and Malaysia.
Captain Cook's Endeavour replica comes 'home' to Whitby

BBC News2 June 2018The full-scale copy of Endeavour was towed 40 miles by sea from Middlesbrough, arriving late on Friday.It is set to be transformed into a floating museum due to open later this year to mark the 250th anniversary of Cook's first expedition to the Pacific.Yorkshire-born Cook began his maritime career in Whitby.Crowds of people lined the harbour walls and watched from the surrounding cliffs as Endeavour arrived to a cannon salute and the sound of ringing bells.The replica, which was built in 1993 and had been based in Stockton-on-Tees, was bought by businessman and ex-naval officer Andrew Fiddler at auction in 2017.Mr Fiddler said: "It was fantastic to see the Endeavour coming through the harbour entrance in full glory and receiving a great Whitby welcome, knowing she will be staying put in her rightful home."We can now look forward to the final stage in her transformation, from being a rundown function venue to becoming an engaging and entertaining attraction."Unlike its Australian counterpart, the UK replica was never built to be sailed which is why it had to be towed down the coastline.The original Endeavour was first registered as the Earl of Pembroke when she was built in Whitby by ship builder Thomas Fishburn in 1764.She was built as a Whitby Cat designed to haul coal before the Navy commissioned and re-registered her as HM Bark Endeavour.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Mr Chan (front centre) meets members of the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland and the Fintech & Payments Association of Ireland.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan (right) attends a roundtable discussion with Minister of State at the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform of Ireland Michael Darcy (left).

Financial Secretary Paul Chan met Irish officials and representatives of the banking and business sectors in Dublin yesterday.

He attended a roundtable discussion with Minister of State at the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform Michael D'arcy and a group of key figures in Irish financial services.

They discussed the latest developments in green finance.

Mr Chan said a number of measures have been launched in the Hong Kong Budget this year to promote the development of green finance, including the Government Green Bond Programme with a borrowing ceiling of $100 billion to fund green public works projects, and a Green Bond Grant Scheme to subsidise qualified green bond issuers in using the Green Finance Certification Scheme.

He said Hong Kong and Ireland can collaborate in green finance given the latter's well-developed financial services.

Mr Chan then met Minister for Finance & Public Expenditure & Reform Paschal Donohoe to discuss global and European economic prospects.

They said they look forward to further collaboration in financial services, trade and other sectors.

Mr Chan later spoke with the National Treasury Management Agency, the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland and the Fintech & Payments Association of Ireland.

He said Hong Kong strives to provide an enabling environment for developing innovation and technology and fintech.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority will launch a Faster Payment System to allow banks and Stored Value Facility service providers to provide real-time, round-the-clock, cross-institution payment and fund transfer services to their customers, he added.

Mr Chan also paid a courtesy call on Chinese Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong.
A company owned by former president Robert Mugabe has been dragged to the High Court for failing to pay over $174 000 for potato seed acquired on credit in 2015.



According to court papers, in July 2015, Seed Potato Co-op (Private) Limited entered into a verbal agreement with Gushungo Holdings, owned by the former first family, in terms of which the former was to supply Mugabes company with potato seed on credit at a unit cost of $30 per pocket.

Between July 21, 2015 and September 24, 2015, it is being alleged that Seed Potato Co-op made 11 deliveries of the product to various farms owned by Gushungo Holdings.



A total of 12 761 pockets of potato seed worth $382 830 were delivered during the period to farms listed as Mwenewazvo, Gushungo Dairy, Highfield, Vusumuzi, Kaseplan and Iron Mask.



Seed Potato Co-op is the applicant in the matter while Gushungo Holdings is cited as the respondent.



Accordingly, defendant is currently owing the balance in the sum of $174 193, exclusive of interest. Despite several demands, defendant has neglected, failed and/or refused to pay plaintiff the sum of its indebtedness, the court heard.



Mugabes company has not yet responded to the summons, but was given 10 days within which to respond.



If you wish to oppose any of the plaintiffs claims, you must enter an appearance to defend by making an appropriate entry in the appearance book kept in the office of the registrar of the High Court of Zimbabwe at Harare within 10 days after service of this summons (Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are not counted as part of this 10-day period, nor is the day on which this summons was served).



If you do not enter appearance to defend, the plaintiffs claim will be heard and dealt with by the High Court without any further notice to you, the summons further read.

Of late, Mugabes family businesses have been in soup over debts.



Only last month, Mugabes family business, Alpha Omega Dairy (Private) Limited, was taken to court by a local property consultancy firm, Levgal Investments (Private) Limited over a $29 000 rental debt at its rented premises in Harares Southerton industrial area.



Levgal Investments, through its representative, Dawn Property Consultancy, cited Mugabes firm Alpha Omega Dairy, two senior employees Stanley Nhari and Joseph Zirebwa as respondents.

In May 2016, a South African plastics company in KwaZulu-Natal took Alpha Omega Dairy to the Harare High Court over a debt of more than R600 000 it says it was owed.









Blakey Investments said the previous year it had produced plastic products for Mugabes dairy farm in the Mazowe District about 20 kilometres west of Harare and was seeking an order to compel the Mugabe family business to pay the debt of $38 391.72 (R605 232.03). Daily News
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(Newser)  One of the most difficult high-speed motorcycle races on earthand one of the most deadlyis underway and has already claimed one life, reports the Washington Post. Each spring, the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy draws about 40,000 spectators to a tiny island perched between Ireland and Great Britain, in the Irish sea. They come to watch racers careen around a 37.7-mile circuit with more than 400 turns, at speeds of up to 200 mph, in an event sometimes called the Isle of Manslaughter." More than 140 racers have been killed in the 111-year history of the event, according to Fox. The latest casualty is Dan Kneen, 30, who lost control of his BMW on the first lap of the events Superbike practice session, reports the Guardian.

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During the trials, Kneen had posted a speed of 132.258, which was the third highest qualifying time. The course runs through a kaleidoscope of scenery: tiny villages, greenbelts, and the highest mountain on the island. For racers, the danger is part of the appeal. We all know that we accept the risks, past TT champion John McGuinness told the Guardian in 2007. Maybe were a bunch of hard-nosed bastards. Kneens father paid tribute to his son on Facebook: Dan lived for his racing and wild horses wouldnt have torn him away from it. I was happy for him; he was in his element and loving it, he wrote. Best wishes for all the other TT competitors. The TT show will go on." The event, which is actually a series of races, will run through June 8. (Read more motorcycle stories.)
(Newser)  More controversial expenditures at the Environmental Protection Agency have been revealed thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request: Last year, one of EPA chief Scott Pruitt's top aides spent $1,560 on fountain pens and $1,670 on personalized journals, the Washington Post reports. The order from Tiny Jewel Box, DC's "premier destination for fine jewelry and watches," was signed off on by Millan Hupp, whom Pruitt referred to as a "longtime friend" in congressional testimony last year, per CNN. That's significant because Pruitt has attempted to distance himself from pricey EPA purchases, blaming it on "career staff," but in this case it was a close aide rather than a career staffer who signed off on the purchase.

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The dozen pens, at $130 a pop, were engraved with Pruitt's signature and an EPA seal; a spokesperson says they are similar to purchases Pruitt's predecessors made "for the purpose of serving as gifts to the Administrator's foreign counterparts and dignitaries upon his meeting with them." Indeed, a $2,952 purchase was made from the same shop during the Obama administration. The EPA is also, of course, under fire for a $43,000 phone booth. Also Friday, it was revealed that the energy lobbyist whose wife rented Pruitt a DC condo at a great price had much more contact with the EPA than had been previously disclosed, the AP reports. Specifically, he was revealed to have lobbied the EPA last year despite Pruitt insisting he had not. (Read more Environmental Protection Agency stories.)
(Newser)  President Trump's upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un may not be Trump's only high-profile summit in the near future. The Wall Street Journal reports that a summit between Trump and Vladimir Putin is in the early planning stages. It's so early that the two nations have yet to pick a location or a date, but the US ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman, is reportedly focused on pulling it off.

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This has been an ongoing project of Ambassador Huntsman, stretching back months," a senior White House official tells the newspaper. Syria, Ukraine, nuclear-arms control, and a certain Robert Mueller investigation would be likely topics of conversation. The Hill notes that relations between the two countries soured in March over the poisoning of a former Russian spy. (During a March phone call, Trump invited Putin to the White House.)
(Newser)  Police are reopening an investigation into one of Britain's most notorious scandals because a main suspect who was thought to have died may be alive. The decision is the latest twist in the story of former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, who was accused of plotting to kill his gay ex-lover Norman Scott in the 1970s, per the AP. The BBC first reported the development. In 1975, Scott was driven to a remote rural spot by a man who fatally shot Scott's Great Dane, Rinka, in what Scott said was a botched murder attempt. Scott maintained he had had an affair with Thorpe in the 1960s, when homosexuality was illegal in Britain, and that the Liberal lawmakerone of the era's biggest political starswanted to silence him.

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Andrew Newton, an airline pilot, was convicted of firearms offenses over the shooting of the dog. When he was released from jail in 1977, Newton said he had been hired to kill Scott and implicated Thorpe and three other men in the plot. Thorpe and the three others were tried and acquitted of conspiracy to murder in 1979. Thorpe's political career was ruined, and he stayed out of the public eye until his death in 2014. New information led Gwent Police to reopen the investigation in 2015, but they closed it last year after concluding Newton was dead. But the force told the BBC it had "identified information which indicates that Mr. Newton may still be alive." No details were provided. The case is back in the spotlight thanks to the miniseries A Very English Scandal, which stars Hugh Grant as Thorpe and Ben Whishaw as Scott.

(Read more Britain stories.)
(Newser)  After four decades of hunting for the Golden State Killer, a pivotal piece of evidence that may have sealed the case was DNA evidence secretly lifted from the suspects car door at a Hobby Lobby parking lot in Roseville, Calif., reports the Los Angeles Times. Newly released court documents paint a picture of how detectives linked alleged rapist and serial killer Joseph DeAngelo to rapes and murders in California by matching DNA found at the crime scenes to DNA taken from the suspect. DeAngelo, 72, is a former police officer suspected of committing at least a dozen murders and dozens of rapes in the 1970s and 80s. The 123 pages of court documents detail how detectives built their case by entering DNA found at one of the crime scenes into genealogy websites. From there they were able to identify relatives of the suspect. After they narrowed their list by age and location, they had their suspect.

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The DNA from the suspect's car door was just one piece of a massive jigsaw puzzle that detectives assembled, CNN notes. The documents detail how detectives watched the suspects home in Citrus Heights, Calif., for three days. The day before DeAngelo's arrest on April 24, they sifted through a trash can outside his home in hopes of finding DNA samples, but only one piece of tissue had enough DNA for testing. According to the Washington Post, DNA from the tissue matched DNA from the 1980 rape and murder of Charlene Smith, a Ventura County interior decorator, and other homicides attributed to the Golden State Killer. Several victims have been attending court hearings on the case in Sacramentoone, who said she was raped by the suspect, told the Times that she is attending DeAngelos court appearances to "drill holes in the back of his head." (Read more Golden State Killer stories.)
New Delhi:

Soon, Airbus may start making planes in India, as Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has asked the aircraft manufacturer to build planes under the Make in India' initiative and contribute to the country's growing aviation sector.

Visited the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France. Growing Indian aviation sector, stress on regional connectivity leading to more demand. It is also an opportunity for global aircraft manufacturers," the minister tweeted after his visit to the Airbus facility in Toulouse on Friday.

Prabhu said that if Airbus decides to make aeroplanes in India, it will lead to job generation and will be a win-win situation for both.

"Impressed upon them to Make In India. We will work on a roadmap," the minister, who is on a visit to France, tweeted.

Airbus, currently, has over 300 aircraft flying in the Indian skies. It has ordered another 530 aircraft.

Airbus Commercial Aircraft, India president Srinivasan Dwarakanath, had in March, on the sidelines of the Wings India aviation event in Hyderabad, said that Airbus would be delivering one plane on an average per week to airlines in India over the next 10 years.

The company statistics estimated that India would need 1,750 new aircraft over the next 20 years (2017-2036), comprising 1,320 single-aisle and 430 wide-body planes, valued at $255 billion.

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New Delhi:

Flying high, the sky is the limit for the world of aircraft makers. As aircraft makers are soaring high, the profitability of airlines too touched $34.5 billion in 2017, the projected growth in 2018 is $38.4 billion, hence airline carriers are demanding new and more aircraft from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

The OEMs, over the years, have been extremely focused on manufacturing more aircraft to meet delivery schedules. The aircraft deliveries are likely to reach the record high in 2018 with all OEMs ramping up their production rate.

Meanwhile, Unuon Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has asked aircraft manufacturer Airbus to build planes under the Make in India' initiative and contribute to the country's growing aviation sector. Airbus, currently, has over 300 aircraft flying in the Indian skies. However, there are other aircraft manufacturers too. Let's take a glimpse of the world of aircraft manufacturers.

Top five Aircraft Manufacturers in the world | Know all about it

1. AIRBUS

Airbus stepped into the bizliner market in 1997 with their Airbus Corporate Jet, an executive segment of its A319 airline. In 2017, the company eased its naming system and renamed the three iconic bizliners as the ACJ 318, ACJ 320 and ACJ 319. The company offers executive segments of A330, A340, A350 and A380 for the VVIPs, government officers and other customers who demand extra space during long-distance journeys.

2. BOEING BUSINESS JETS

Boeing Business Jets got fame with its BBJ, which consist of the 737-700 series airframe with landing gear, the wing of the larger 737-800 series. Another version of the BBJ2 has 25 per cent more cabin space and its big brother the BBJ3 is inspired by the 737-900ER. Each and every Boeing jets, from the 737 to the latest 747-8 and the 787 are now available in VIP versions. Boeing dispatched its first 747-8 VIP in February.

3. BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE

Bombardier started as a snowmobile manufacturing firm in 1942 and has now grown into one of the worlds largest manufacturers of business jets and regional airliner. In the last decade, the company has launched numerous business jets like Learjet 40, Challenger 300 and 605, and Globar 5000 and 6000. The upcoming Learjet 85 will be the first all-composite business jet. In the month of May, the company introduced the Learjet 70 and 75.

4. CESSNA AIRCRAFT

Cessna started its venture by building its first airplane in 1929 and has since rolled out more than 190,000 aircrafts. Out of 16,000 business jets in the world, Cessna has produced one-third of them. For the growing Asian market, the company will produce The Sovereign and The new Latitude in China and develop a new jet in collaboration with Chinas Avic.

5. DASSAULT FALCON

Dassault Falcon builds airframes in its factory, which is located in southwest France. Dassault proudly own the Falcon 900 and 2000 families of business jets. The company recently manufactured the 7X tri-jet powered by the latest in fly-by-wire flight control technology and fighter-jet-style sidesticks in the cockpit. The next Falcon is reportedly named as the SMS and will consist of a twin-engine jet. The lower-cost Falcon 2000S will be certified later this year.

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Los Angeles:

Anne Hathaway, Jeff Bridges, Amy Schumer and Mark Hamill were among several Hollywood celebrities who wore orange clothing to voice their protest against gun violence in the country.

The stars took to social media using hashtag #WearOrange in support on National Gun Violence Awareness Day, a campaign by Everytown for Gun Safety with orange as the movement's colour.

The movement is being observed in the US since 2015. Hathaway, who was enroute, shared a selfie on Instagram and scribbled her shirt in orange to show solidarity for the cause.

The Oscar winner demanded for "peace" and "policy change" in gun control laws. "I am traveling and don't have anything orange to wear but I still wanted to be a part of today. Today I #wearorange to remember all those who have died, especially in schools, churches and movie theatres - spaces in which I grew up feeling safe but where the current generation cannot.

"I wear orange because, as per @newsweek, more children have been killed by guns since Sandy Hook than U.S. soldiers in combat since 9/11... I also want to thank all the responsible gun owners who do not feel threatened by the call for common sense gun laws. We need your voices more than ever (sic)," she wrote alongside her photograph.

Hathaway also acknowledged Hollywood's role in "the glamorisation of guns" - that she is dealing with the fact and recognising the issue can bring a change from within.

Bridges took to Twitter and uploaded a selfie wearing orange. "Today I #WearOrange to support National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Let us all honor victims of gun violence and stand in solidarity with survivors. Text ORANGE to 644-33 to find a Wear Orange Weekend event near you (sic)," the veteran actor wrote. Schumer, who turned 37 on June 1, urged people to wear orange to show support "as a sign to end gun violence".

"Hi! Tomorrow is my b'day. If you want to say happy birthday to me. Please do it by joining me for #wearorange day tomorrow. As a sign to end gun violence. Everytown.org can help," she wrote alongside her black-and-white photo on Instagram in which she can be seen kayaking.

"Star Wars" alum Mark Hamill tweeted, "Let's all #WearOrange for #NationalGunViolenceAwarenessDay honoring the 96 Americans killed every day with a gun and the 100's more injured."

Julianne Moore said she chose to wear orange as she wants to call out "government inaction" in dealing with gun violence rife in the country. "I #WearOrange because I believe that every American has the responsibility to change our culture and work to end gun violence. I wear orange to honour the lives that have been senselessly lost and to call attention to government inaction," she wrote on the microblogging site.

Elizabeth Banks tweeted, "Tomorrow I'm wearing orange because I am a mom and want safety for the kids in our country. Let's give a voice to those who are impacted by gun violence every day. #wearorange @everytown @momsdemand."

Rock band Pearl Jam also took to Twitter and pitched in by sharing a photo of the Wrigley Field arena lit in orange. The picture was captioned: "Honoring the more than 90 lives cut short and hundreds more injured by guns every day. @momsdemand #wearorange #ENDGUNVIOLENCE."

"Charmed" alum and activist Alyssa Milano carried the torch for African Americans, who are often the targets of gun violence due to deep-rooted stereotypes. "This is Xavier Monroe. He was shot and killed while hanging out at a bar with his friends. Black men like Xavier are 13 times more likely than white men to be shot and killed with guns. I #WearOrange for Black men in America who have to live with the threat of gun violence. #NoRA," the actor wrote alongside sharing Monroe's photo.

Actor-comic Billy Eichner tweeted, "Today I #wearorange because I'm not an irrational, fake-patriotic lunatic who values owning assault weapons over the health, sanity and safety of innocent children and adults getting massacred on a weekly basis in ways that occur in no other country on the planet."

Bryce Dallas Howard, Micheal J Fox, Don Cheadle, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Angela Bassett, Kate Walsh and Mayim Bialik also took to social media to spread awareness about gun violence. Everytown for Gun Safety also created anti-gun violence pins for the 2018 Oscars in the wake of Florida high school shooting that claimed 17 lives in February.

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New Delhi:

Hollywood Actor Jessica Biel, who was in 7Th Heaven, is finally stepping into her own in small screen with The Sinner.

The 36-year-old actor recently explains her return to small screen, saying she wanted to take control of her career. Jessica returned to TV with The Sinner in 2017 after a 15-year-long hiatus.

There wasn't like a driving force behind it. I got on a path of doing films. But, as we all know, the film industry has become very limited. I wanted to take control of my career again, which is what I had in mind when I started this small production company (Iron Ocean Studios). I felt that it was my duty to step into my own..." Jessica was quoted as saying by The Hollywood Reporter.

In the popular show "7th Heaven", the actor played Mary Camden for close to 10 years. Then for 15 long years, she made small appearances on TV. She also starred in films such as A Team, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Total Recall.

"I felt finally confident in my life, as a person  Also, television was changing: It's become such an incredible place where if you have a thought-out, interesting, fresh idea, you have a great opportunity, especially as a woman, to put something on television," she added.

The Sinner will premier on August 1 and the actor feels lucky and proud about being a part of it.

"I'll definitely be involved as a producer. I can't really say much at this point without giving anything away how much I will be involved on-screen -- that's still being developed and looked at. But lucky for me, no matter what I will always be able to be a part of the show and I'm very proud of it," Jessica said.
New Delhi:

As the political ardour is gaining pace for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, another Congress-triggered alliance is in the making to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the country.

Speculations had been rife that the Aam Aadmi Party and the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress are trying to forge an alliance in Delhi, mirroring the recent Congress-JDS coalition in Karnataka.

Congress leader Ajay Maken, however, on Saturday rubbished the rumours of AAP-Congress alliance in the national capital ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress Ajay Maken denies report of talks between AAP-Congress alliance ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. pic.twitter.com/5QyGocJ99c  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

As per the earlier reports, an informal talk regarding the AAP-Congress alliance was already started between both the parties on May 24. Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Ajay Maken were also present during the meeting. The Aam Aadmy Party approached the Congress for the alliance, with an offer of 5:2 ratio for seat sharing in Delhi, according to a source, who wished to remain anonymous.

The Congress, however, demanded three out of the seven seats for party leaders Sharmishtha Mukherjee, Ajay Maken and Rajkumar Chauhan. The party has demanded New Delhi, Chandi Chowk and North West Delhi in condition to forge an alliance with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP.

The speculations got another booster after Kejriwal on Thursday took to Twitter to praise former prime minister Manmohan Singh. "People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh," the Delhi CM tweeted.

People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh



Its dawning on people now -PM aa aaaa aaaa aa aaaa asaaaaa https://t.co/BQTVtMbTO2  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 31, 2018

On a related note, Kejriwal had always been a strong critic of Singh and in 2013 the AAP leader accused the former prime minister and his government of not taking proper steps to check corruption in the country.

Also Read | Byelections debacle - a wake-up call for BJP

However, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is yet to announce an official confirmation regarding the alliance.

Earlier on Friday, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP appointed Lok Sabha in-charges in five of the seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi. The appointees include Atishi Marlena and Raghav Chadha, who were recently removed from the posts of advisors to ministers followed by a recommendation from the Union Home Ministry.

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New Delhi:

A BJP worker was found hanging from an electric pole in Balarampur in Purulia district of West Bengal on Saturday. The BJP has alleged that the worker was murdered by the TMC supporters for taking part in a thana gherao protest organised by the BJP.

The BJP worker found dead has been identified as Dulal Kumar (32). The investigation of the incident has now been taken over by the Crime Investigation Department (CID).

"What TMC is doing under leadership&dictate of Mamata Banerjee isn't new. If action isn't taken immediately, we won't be able to face people. The biggest issue is nexus b/w TMC&police. Police is supporting& unleashing violence," said Babul Supriyo on 2 BJP workers found dead in WB.

"Strongly condemn this despicable act. All angles must be probed. Perpetrators of the heinous act must be punished. What role did J'khand border play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved. Let the truth be found by investigation," said TMC leader Derek O Brien.

This is the second incidence where a BJP party worker has been allegedly murdered by TMC workers in West Bengal.

Earlier, a dead body of Trilochan Mahato (18) was found hanging by a tree with a poster on his back on May 30.

"Being involved with BJP politics at the age of 18 claimed your life. I have been searching for you since the elections and now you are dead," read the poster in Bengali.

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New Delhi:

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday dismissed the reports that JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda had a say in ministry formation and portfolio allocation in the JDS-Congress cabinet.

I have come across media reports that Deve Gowda played a role in the formation of the ministry and allocation of portfolios. This is far from the truth. He only gave the nod to finalising the portfolio list" he told reporters in Bengaluru.

The Karnataka CM also denied any standoff between DK Shivakumar (Congress) and HD Revanna (JDS) for getting the energy sector for their respective parties.

"There is also no truth in the reported standoff between Revanna and DK Shivakumar over the energy portfolio."

"Shri Venugopalji (Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka KC Venugopal) held talks with Deve Gowda to finalise the (portfolio) list. He had no role in any issue pertaining to ministry formation and allocation of portfolios," he said.

Shivakumar is reportedly unhappy over the party high command not rewarding him with the Deputy Chief Ministers chair after he had kept Congress and JDS legislators together after the fractured mandate.

Earlier, Shivakumar had held the energy portfolio in the previous Congress government.

Kumaraswamy admitted he had asked for the finance portfolio since had had the massive responsibilities to fulfil the promised that he had made to the people of Karnataka.

The Karnataka CM said the JDS-Congress government would decide on next course of action after consulting legal and engineering experts, when asked about the setting up of the Cauvery Water Management Authority by the Centre.

"We will take the next course of action after discussing the issue on setting up of CMA by the central government with legal and engineering experts," he said.

In the gazette notification, the Ministry of Water Resources said it has framed a scheme constituting the CMA and CWRC to give effect to the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by the Supreme Court order.

On February 16, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to form CMA within six weeks in a verdict that marginally increased Karnataka's share of Cauvery water, reduced the allocation for Tamil Nadu and sought to settle the protracted water dispute between the two southern states.

Replying to a query, Kumaraswamy said the government would start work towards preparing the new budget in three to four days, which would also include new schemes.

Asked about the fate of the schemes implemented by the previous government, he said schemes benefiting the people would be continued.

"There is no question of their withdrawal or discontinuance," he said.

"We are also working towards conducting a joint session," (of the assembly), he added.

Meanwhile, JD(S) secretary general Danish Ali said the portfolios would be shared without any hassle.

"Congress and JD(S) will distribute portfolios to the aspirants without any hassle," he told PTI.

"We will take care. It is not a major problem for both of us," he said.

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New Delhi:

In a major crackdown on fake notes, a counterfeit currency note printing unit was unearthed in a house in Coimbatore on Saturday, a state police official said.

A huge pile of 6,000 fake notes with a face value of Rs 1 crore were seized and one person has been arrested in the connection, the official said.



The fake currency unite was busted when a vehicle check was carried out early in the morning. A young man was found carrying a large number of Rs 2,000 notes on his two-wheeler, police sources said. The notes seized were to the tune of Rs 83 lakh, they added.



Following the confession made by the accused, police searched a house in Velandipalayam in the city outskirts and seized more fake notes, meant for circulation, with a face value of around Rs 20 lakh, police said.



A computer, printer and a cutting machine were also recovered, they said, adding further investigations are under way.

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New Delhi:

Farmers across the nation continue to reinforce their protest, accusing the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of not keeping the promises it had made to farmers earlier.

"Farmers continue their protest in Ludhiana for the second day as they observe 10-day 'Kisan Avkash'," the news agency ANI reported.

In the wake of this massive protest, announced by Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, farmers from Friday stopped the supply of vegetables, fruits, milk and other essential items to various cities all over India.

Meanwhile, terming the farmersa strike an aunnecessary thinga, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said, aThey don't have any issues, they are just focusing on unnecessary things, not selling produce will bring losses to farmersa.

#WATCH: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar speaks on farmers' strike, says, 'they don't have any issues, they are just focusing on unnecessary things, not selling produce will bring losses to farmers.' (01.06.2018) pic.twitter.com/CFY7dzgj2g a ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

On the other hand, speaking about the 10-day-long strike, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture minister Balkrishna Patidar said, "It's 2nd June, where is the strike happening? No farmers are participating in the strike. Farmers are happy with the schemes CM has launched for them. They have faith that state and central government will solve their problems."

The left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) along with 130 other farmers' organisations called the nationwide agitation on June 1 and will continue to intensify their protest till June 10. They have also decided to call a Bharat Bandh on June 10 in protest against state government's apathy towards farmers.

The strike is effective in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, among other states.

Farmers continue their protest for the second day as they observe 10-day 'Kisan Avkash'. Visuals from #Ludhiana pic.twitter.com/jn4VXwBQTx a ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

Following this nationwide farmers' stir, the prices of vegetables are running at sky high at Delhi's Okhla vegetable market and other parts of the country.

The government failed to act on the assurance it had given to farmers earlier in 2017.

Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, Kisan Kranti Jan-Andolan and Kisan Ekta Manch said in a statement that government had failed to fulfil assurances given last year during the farmers' strike for loan waiver.

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New Delhi:

Indrani Mukerjea, the former INX Media head, who is on a trial for abducting and murdering her daughter Sheena Bora, was on Friday admitted to Mumbai's JJ Hospital.

Mukerjea was rushed to the JJ Hospital in South Mumbai's Byculla after she allegedly complained about chest pain on late Friday night.

"Indrani Mukerjea, former head of INX media who is on trial for the alleged murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, has been admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai after she allegedly complained about chest pain last night," the news agency ANI reported.

Indrani Mukerjea, former head of INX media who is on trial for the alleged murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, has been admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai after she allegedly complained about chest pain last night. More details awaited. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/Gf7LYjbUkm  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

Read | Indrani Mukerjea seeks divorce, sends notice to Peter Mukerjea in jail

Later in the day, Dr SD Nanandkar, Dean of JJ Hospital briefed the media about Mukerjea's health condition and said, she had complained of chest pain and the hospital authority will take care of the evaluation process accordingly. Mukerjea will be discharged in a day or two, till then she will be under observation.

Earlier in April, she was taken to JJ Hospital in a drowsy state and underwent a series of medical tests including CT scan, ultrasound and MRI. The reports of her blood tests pointed towards a poisoning or drug overdose.

Mukerjea, who allegedly abducted and murdered her daughter Sheena Bora on April 24, 2012, was taken to Arthur Road jail in August 2015. Her husband Peter Mukerjea, ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna and former driver Shyamvar Rai were also part of the conspiracy.

(More details awaited)

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who announced a new tri-lateral exercise in a partnership with Singapore, on Saturday met the former prime minister of the island country Goh Chok Tong. The prime minister has also unveiled a plaque marking the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes at Clifford Pier in presence of Tong.

Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi arrived in Singapore on the third leg of his five-day three-nation visit to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

During his visit to Singapore, Modi met his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob. Post that, they had signed and exchanged MoUs with an aim to strengthen India's relations and engagements with Singapore, which is a part of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Also Read | Another success? India set for tri-lateral exercise with Singapore

Here are the LIVE updates on PM Modi's visit to Singapore:

# 01:40 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for India after concluding his significant and successful three-nation visit to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

# 12:59 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region.

#WATCH Navy personnel chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' in the presence of PM Modi on board INS Satpura #Singapore pic.twitter.com/zx0KtmwUbI  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 12:49 PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region.

Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region. pic.twitter.com/GEsYTSZDX8  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 11:37 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Changi Naval Base in Singapore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Changi Naval Base in Singapore pic.twitter.com/DD6wQQnPk9  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 11:30 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi buys a painting at the Indian Heritage Centre using his RuPay card.

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi buys a painting at the Indian Heritage Centre using his RuPay card #Singapore pic.twitter.com/V47GdencQm  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 11:24 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Indian Heritage Centre in #Singapore pic.twitter.com/ds6X8C50j7  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

#11:17 PM: Singapore band performs Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram for PM Narendra Modi.

# 10:58 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum in Singapore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum in #Singapore. pic.twitter.com/sOaWZZZeYM  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 10:41 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Singapore's Culture Minister Grace Yien, visited Chulia Mosque.

#Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Singapore's Culture Minister Grace Yien, visited Chulia Mosque. pic.twitter.com/1kAhqtT6zz  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 10:03 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Singapore's Mariamman Temple.

# 09:56 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited National Orchid Garden, an orchid was named Dendrobrium Narendra Modi to commemorate his visit.

#Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited National Orchid Garden, an orchid was named Dendrobrium Narendra Modi to commemorate his visit. pic.twitter.com/yd6LhrQpbB  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 08:29 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis in Singapore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis in Singapore. pic.twitter.com/UFEyZEiCu3  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 07:40 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a plaque marking the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes at Clifford Pier. Singapore's former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong also present.

#Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled plaque marking the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes at Clifford Pier. Singapore's former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong also present. pic.twitter.com/W8uUs6bezs  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

# 07:04 AM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Singapore.

Earlier on Wednesday, PM Modi held a detailed discussion with Indonesia President Joko Widodo in Jakarta. He had also interacted with Chief Executive Officers and the Indian community in Indonesia.

On the second leg of his five-day three-nation tour, Modi met his newly-elected Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohammad in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. Modi and Mahathir discussed several bilateral issues and ways to increase trade and investment between the countries.

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New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday left on a five-day visit to South Africa to meet the top leaders of the country and attend events of BRICS and IBSA  the two major associations where India has been playing a key role.

"The External Affairs Minister will participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting on June 4, 2018 and chair the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting," the MEA said.

Swaraj will also attend a series of events marking the 125th anniversary of the historic incident where a youthful Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of a train in Pietermaritzburg railway station, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The train incident in 1893 proved to be a key point in Gandhis fight against racial discrimination in South Africa.

Swaraj will participate in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Foreign Ministers meeting on June 4 which is said to lay the foundation for the annual summit of the grouping in Johannesburg in July.

She is also set to chair a meeting of Foreign Ministers of IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa), another association to strengthen ties among the three countries on major global issues.

On June 6, Swaraj will visit the Phoenix settlement where Mahatma Gandhi had developed his philosophy of non-violence, the MEA said.

"She would also participate in a series of events on June 6-7, 2018 at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhiji's Satyagraha movement," the MEA said.

The two-day commemoration activities will also include release of joint stamps on Oliver Tambo and Deen Dayal Upadhayaa and a Youth Summit where 20 diaspora youth from Africa and five from India will give a speech on the relevance of Gandhis message of peace to the youth of current generation.

Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid activist and revolutionary leader.

"The year 2018 is an important year for India-South Africa relations as it marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th birth centenary of South African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela," the MEA said.

India and South Africa have extremely close and friendly relations which are rooted in history and the values of south-south cooperation.

"The visit of External Affairs Minister will further strengthen our close and long standing ties with South Africa," the MEA said.

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New Delhi:

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres paid rich tributes to the 163 Indian peacekeepers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty and thanked India for its "strong and sustained" support to peacekeeping.

"I thank the Government of India for their strong and sustained support to UN peacekeeping. You have indeed given a very strong contribution to global solidarity and to international peace and security," Guterres said while addressing a tea reception hosted by India at the world body's headquarters on the occasion of the International Day of Peacekeeping on June 1.

Gueterres also referred to the 125-strong women peacekeepers of the Indian Formed Police Unit deployed with the UN mission in Liberia, the first ever such contingent, and said, "They are an inspiration to all".

The UN leader said India had always been one of the largest troop contributing country to peacekeeping operations. And, stressed upon the need to recognise the enormous importance of women soldiers and women police for making a difference in local communities.

"This is a pioneer initiative from India that needs to be underlined," he said.

At present, about 7,700 Indian peacekeepers are deployed around the world, a majority in South Sudan and Congo.

In keeping with the tradition of honouring soldiers, Guterres paid tributes to the 163 peacekeepers from India who sacrificed their lives serving in various peacekeeping missions. He noted that India has lost the highest number of peacekeepers in UN peacekeeping's 70 year history.

Of the 3,737 peacekeepers who have died since 1948, 163 were from India, which is the highest total from any troop contributing country.

"The total 163 Indian peacekeepers, the highest number of all troop contributing countries, have given their lives for peace. We recognize their service and sacrifice as well as the service and sacrifice of all those from all countries that have fallen in the line of duty," he said.

Troop contributing countries have made enormous sacrifices and have troops in the "most dangerous locations in the world to protect the lives of citizens of other countries," Guterres said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi:

United States President Donald Trump, who received a sealed letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Friday said that the US-North Korea summit will be held on June 12 in Singapore as scheduled earlier.

Earlier, the US President cancelled the meeting with Kim Jong following the hostility and anger displayed by North Korea regarding the US-South Korea 'Max Thunder' military drills.

The ice between the two leaders melted after North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol on Friday arrived at the White House and delivered the personal letter written by Kim to Trump.

Though the matter of the letter is yet to be disclosed, as per the White House officials, Trump and Chol discussed the prospects of the US-North Korea summit during the highest level meeting, that lasted for about 90 minutes.

Read | PM Modi meets Singapore's Lee Hsien Loong; agrees to improve business access

Post their meeting, Trump expressed positivity regarding the growing relationship between Washington D.C. and Pyongyang.

Being asked about North Korea's commitment to denuclearisation, Trump said, "I think they want to do that".

"I know they want to do that. They want to develop as a country," he added.

Trump further said that his administration will no longer impose sanctions on North Korea.

Such high-level meeting between a North Korean official and a US president took place at the Oval Office after a gap of 18 years.

Read | Donald Trump faces criticism for pardoning Indian-American

North Korean military leader Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok delivered a letter to then US President Bill Clinton at the White House in late 2000.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called on the Bahrain government to take further action including the imposing of corporation tax to shore up its finances.

Over the medium term, the deficit is projected to remain sizable, with a rising interest bill as public debt continues to increase. Without further measures, non-oil revenue is expected to stagnate and growth to slow, said Bikas Joshi, the official who led the IMF team that visited Bahrain.

He went on to say that a large fiscal adjustment is a priority for the country for attaining long-term growth. Such a plan should comprise revenue and expenditure measures while protecting the most vulnerable, he said.

The implementation of a value-added tax, as planned, would be important. Additional revenue measuresincluding consideration of a corporate income taxwould be welcome. Consideration should also be given to better targeting subsidies and address the large wage bill.

Praising the positive sides of Bahraini economy, the fund said the countrys banking system remains well capitalised and liquid and the economy is being boosted by a recovery in oil production and rising refinery and aluminium production capacity. And the country received a boost in early April with the discovery of large new oil and gas reserves, the fund observed.
People in US have been discarding romaine lettuce from their homes, read on to know why...

People in US have been discarding romaine lettuce from their homes, read on to know why...

Romaine lettuce is a variety of lettuce that we commonly use in Bahrain. More than 200 people have been falling ill and the number of deaths the national food poisoning outbreak has caused in US is still unknown.

Health officials in US have been blaming the romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona for the food poisoning. The growing season has ended few weeks back but it is unlikely any tainted lettuce is still in stores or at peoples houses.

In some of the reported cases people have not been eating the lettuce but were in close contact with someone who was affected with the bacteria.

E-coli bacteria are not harmful but some of them produce toxins that can cause illness and some can be more severe.
Japan's government is to withdraw a recommendation to list nature-rich islands in the southwest of the country as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

Friday's decision followed last month's evaluation by a UNESCO advisory panel that said the registration should be deferred.

In February last year, the government submitted an application to list the islands of Amami-Oshima, Tokunoshima and Iriomote as well as the northern part of Okinawa Island. It said the area of about 38,000 hectares contains a large number of endemic and globally threatened species and is important for conserving biodiversity.

But the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, which advises UNESCO, noted that the nominated area does not meet its integrity requirements. It recommended that adjustments should be made.

Environment Minister Masaharu Nakagawa says the government will fully study the IUCN's evaluation.

He indicated that a revised application may be submitted by February 1st next year to seek a listing in 2020 at the earliest. - NHK
Police in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, are investigating the thefts of nearly 100 Buddhist and Shinto statues.

Investigators say thieves have made off with at least 98 items over the past 3-and-half years. They say in many cases, there was no one stationed at the targeted temples and shrines.

80 percent of the thefts took place in 2 cities, Iwade and Kinokawa, in the northern part of the prefecture.

Two of the statues stolen in Kinokawa date back to the Heian era, which lasted for about 400 years until the late 12th century.

Police believe a crime group is behind the thefts. They are working with local authorities and urging residents to install security cameras in their neighborhoods. - NHK
Japanese police dealt with cases of gruesome animal abuse on Friday as the severed head of one kitten and the stabbed body of another were found at a location in Fukuoka, and a monkey was euthanized in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, after being captured with an arrow stuck in its head.

In Fukuoka, a passer-by alerted police after finding the dead kittens at a garbage-disposal site in the morning.

One of the kittens had no torso, while the other had stab wounds in its abdomen, the local police said. They are investigating the case on suspicion of violation of the Animal Protection Law.

In Hikone, a monkey with an arrow penetrating its head was found on the premises of a housing material factory in the afternoon. - Japan Today
The Imo State Governor,Rochas Okorocha has said that the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA should, as a matter of fact, wind-up and fuse into the All Progressives Congress, APC.Okorocha in a statement signed by Sam Onwuemeodo his Chief Press Secretary said if the Party cannot fly again without brandishing Governor Rochas Okorochas name in a quite unfortunate manner it should, wind-up and fuse into the All Progressives Congress,APCOkorocha accused APGA of using his name to market their party but in a very wrong way. First, they came up with the ridiculous story of Okorocha wanting to return to APGA. And they never said anything that could convince anybody to believe them.He also said Chief Oye and his Cohorts in APGA are yet to recover from the deep cut the exit of Governor Okorocha inflicted on APGA, for the merger that saw the emergence of APC. They are yet to recover from the shock occasioned by that patriotic action by Governor Okorocha and they cant help the situation, aside talking about Okorocha and APGA as if something is left with the Party.The statement read thusThe All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, should, as a matter of fact, wind-up and fuse into the All Progressives Congress, APC, if the Party cannot fly again without brandishing Governor Rochas Okorochas name in a quite unfortunate manner.Innocent Nigerians who have been following events in the past three months would agree with us that the APGA elements have decided to be using Governor Okorochas name to market their party but in a very wrong way. First, they came up with the ridiculous story of Okorocha wanting to return to APGA. And they never said anything that could convince anybody to believe them.They never said whether he wrote to them or approached any of them, or even sent people to approach them on his behalf. They also did not mention what could be the attractions in APGA this time, that could make the Imo Governor thinking about returning to a Party he left with the soul and dropped it on the APC table. We kept quiet and never talked to them.Few days ago, the National Chairman of the Party, Chief Victor Oye had a Press Conference in Abuja and the target of the Press Conference was Governor Okorocha. Chief Oye heavily insulted the Imo governor unprovoked and unwarranted. He talked about how the Party would not accept Rochas again, without telling the world whether there was any application from Okorocha to that effect.It is obvious that Chief Oye and his Cohorts in APGA are yet to recover from the deep cut the exit of Governor Okorocha inflicted on APGA, for the merger that saw the emergence of APC. They are yet to recover from the shock occasioned by that patriotic action by Governor Okorocha and they cant help the situation, aside talking about Okorocha and APGA as if something is left with the Party.Infact, Oye and Co. are using Okorochas name as a marketing strategy for APGA. He could do that in a more refined manner than using insults and abuses. Governor Okorocha took the soul of APGA to APC and he did it in the overall interest of Ndigbo and Nigeria. He deserves accolades from reasonable sons and daughters of Igbo land.Chief Oye also tried to play down Governor Okorochas monumental achievements in Imo. And in case he has not read our claims on the governors achievements in Imo, we may repeat it here for his sake. What Governor Okorocha has achieved in Imo as governor have surpassed the grand total of the achievements of all those who had governed the State before him. We expect him to challenge us on this claim if he so wishes.Equally, Chief Oye should work and make APGA win another State in the South-East where there are five States and only one is APGA at the moment. And in 2011 Okorocha won his election for who God has made him to be and not because of APGA. If Chief Oye doubts this hypothesis let him make APGA to win in Enugu or Ebonyi that also have close boundaries with Anambra State that is controlled by APGA this time.Finally, Igbo people like Oye should learn how to celebrate their God-given stars like Owelle Okorocha instead of trying fruitlessly to run down such men.
Dino Melaye, Senator representing Kogi West, on Saturday disclosed that he will be heading to the International Criminal Court of Justice, I...

Dino Melaye, Senator representing Kogi West, on Saturday disclosed that he will be heading to the International Criminal Court of Justice, ICC, to get justice in his matter.

The embattled lawmaker revealed that he will be filing his case at the ICC.





In a tweet, the Senator stressed that justice must prevail in his matter and the country in general.





Filing my case at the International Criminal Court of Justice in few days. Justice shall reign and must reign across the land, from the Savannah to the hinterland,from the desert to the dark forests across the Niger. Let the bell of Justice reign EVERYWHERE. SDM, he tweeted.





Melaye is currently involved in a face-off with the Nigeria Police Force.





The lawmaker, who allegedly jumped off a police van conveying him to Lokoja, Kogi State recently, has since been arraigned in Kogi State High Court.





However, Melaye was granted bail by the court.




Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali NaAbba, has said he regretted leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All...

Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali NaAbba, has said he regretted leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2015.

NaAbba said this in an interview with Vanguard where he also accused President Muhammadu Buhari of running a one-man show.





The ex-Speaker, whose house was burnt down for supporting the PDP in 2011 but took the painful decision to leave for the APC, said his expectations for leaving the PDP to APC have not been met, adding that he only has regrets.





He said, My experience in the APC is such that I only have regrets to tell because I found a party that is divided and there is no unity of purpose.





It is a party that produced the president but the president does not work with the party. In fact the president does not work with anybody. He works only with himself.





That is one of the problems that he has. A lot of the people that worked with him for twelve years have left him because he does not even seem to know what is happening to him.





My experience in the APC is that in the last three years, there were only four or five caucus meetings. The time lag between the first one in February 2016 and the second one in October/ November 2017 was sixteen months.





I was not invited to the fourth and fifth meetings because in an interview with a Network I indicated my intention not to support Buharis re-election in 2019.





A situation where dissent is not tolerated in a democratic arrangement portends danger to our democracy. Therefore, the party and Buhari have become one and the same thing.





APC is an amalgam of interests that came together to do away with the PDP which by the grace of God they succeeded.





The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in now from the party. But instead of the president to coalesce the disparate tendencies within the party, so that it becomes cohesive, he decided to operate a one man show, working neither with the party nor the National Assembly.





The result is what we are seeing today in the congresses of the party across the country. Today the new PDP faction in the APC is saying it wants to opt out of the party. You can see very little of the former ANPP in the government.





The only visible tendencies in the government are a little of the ACN and the CPC and even the CPC, majority of members still feel marginalized.





The party is not being operated like a party because there is no connect between the president and the party. In almost all the states, it is the same thing going on between the governors and party members.




The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti says the state government is responsible for the shooting of Opeyemi Bamidele, a former membe...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti says the state government is responsible for the shooting of Opeyemi Bamidele, a former member of the house of representatives.





Bamidele was shot on Friday at the partys secretariat during a reception organised for Kayode Fayemi, the governorship candidate for the July 14 election in Ekiti.





Fayemi who resigned his ministerial appointment on Wednesday had returned to the state to kick off his campaign.





Taiwo Olatunbosun, Ekiti APC publicity secretary, accused Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti governor, of spearheading the disruption.





It was a smooth ride from Akure Airport to Ikere-Ekiti where thousands of supporters came out to give him a rousing welcome, the statement read.





Ikere-Ekiti journey to Ado-Ekiti, a distance of about nine kilometres, lasted two hours in a heavy traffic that was punctuated by four gunmen suspected to be agents of the state government who strategically positioned themselves at the partys secretariat in Ado-Ekiti for the attack.





fired gunshots aimed at Fayemi but hit a former lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, after the former minister had taken a few steps forward before the bullets hit the target. Theyfired gunshots aimed at Fayemi but hit a former lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, after the former minister had taken a few steps forward before the bullets hit the target.





The party said one of the assailants dressed in mobile police uniform was apprehended and he is now helping the police in their investigation.





Apart from Bamidele, the party said, other victims in the hospital included Olabode Joshua, Olanrewaju Gbenga, Adebayo Ogunjemilehin, Ogunmodede Oluwole and Alex Adeleye.





POLICE ARREST POLITICIAN BEHIND SHOOTING

Meanwhile, Caleb Ikechukwu, the Ekiti police spokesman, told newsmen that a politician masterminded the shooting.





Ikechukwu said the politician, who has also been arrested, conspired with the policeman to carry out the act.





The policeman, he said, was posted to a bank in Lagos but travelled to Ekiti for an illegal duty.





At about 17:00 hours, a policeman who accidentally shot Opeyemi Bamidele and one other has been arrested. The policeman is in our custody now, he said.





He is attached to 20 police mobile force (PMF) in Ikeja Lagos. He left where he was posted on bank guard duty somewhere in Ikeja for illegal duty in Ekiti state.





A politician conspired with the policeman and removed him from where he was posted in Lagos and both came to Ekiti for unofficial reasons. The politician has also been arrested.





The victims of the accidental discharge are currently responding to treatment at the hospital, and also the policeman who was mobbed is also responding to treatment in our protective custody.





The police PRO said he cant disclose the identity of the politician as investigations are still ongoing.




The camp of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has spoken on the comment attributed to President Muammadu Buhari on the Sovereign Wealth ...

The camp of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has spoken on the comment attributed to President Muammadu Buhari on the Sovereign Wealth Fund.





Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, on behalf of Jonathans Media Office, on Friday, reacted to the statement released through the Presidencys Twitter account, @NGRPresident.





The handle tweeted: Investing for the Future: The @nsia_nigeria has received cash inflows of $1.15 billion under the @MBuhari Administration: $250 million in 2016, $250 million in 2017 and $650 million in 2018.





According to Reno, the Buhari government

alleged that the past government, which created the Sovereign Wealth Fund in 2012, failed to save money in the fund after the initial $1 billion deposit it made into it.





He advised the Buhari government to respect the period of Ramadan and stop dishing out lies against Jonathan.





Omokri said: Such a lie, coming at a time when the President is meant to be fasting is shocking!





The truth is that after starting up the Sovereign Wealth Fund with an initial deposit of $1 billion in 2011, the Nigerian Governors Forum, led by Rotimi Amaechi and supported by other Governors who later joined the APC, took the Jonathan administration to court to declare the Sovereign Wealth Fund illegal and assert their claim that the Jonathan led Federal Government could not force them to save.





In fact, Mr, Rotimi Amaechi released a statement justifying his opposition to the Sovereign Wealth Fund on August 31, 2011.





Many attempts by the Jonathan administration to settle the matter out of court were rebuffed by Mr. Amaechi and his colleagues who had a hidden agenda to frustrate the plans by the Jonathan administration to save for a rainy day.





Working in tandem with Mr. Amaechi and his supporters in the Nigerian Governors Forum, the then minority APC members of the House of Representatives also filed another suit at a Federal High Court on the 7th of February, 2014, seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the Jonathan administration from operating the Excess Crude Account, from which they intended to source for money to fund the Sovereign Wealth Fund, and to pay all the proceeds of that account into the Federation Account for sharing amongst the three tiers of government.





As a result of these actions, the Jonathan administration paid the 36 states of the federation a total of N2.92 trillion from the Excess Crude Account between 2011 and 2014. Using the value of the Naira at that time that amount was just above $20 billion dollars.





It therefore amounts to historical revision for the Presidency to make these spurious allegations against the Jonathan administration,




On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, I slipped out of Nigeria. Where to? Beijing, in China, to attend an international seminar on National Governance for Presidential Advisers from Developing Countries.The two weeks seminar is under the auspices of the Graduate School of the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in collaboration with the countrys Ministry of Commerce.Ethiopian Airlines was the giant bird that ferried us on its wings, first to Addis Ababa, where we had about four hours stopover, and then to Beijing. Total flying time was about 15 hours.What do you do when such giant bird propels you through the air at almost dizzying speed? Forget all worries. Hand yourself to the divine powers. Eat. Sleep. Wake. Read. And sleep again. Life should be one long holiday, shouldnt it? But then, too much sunshine makes a desert. Too much leisure can also be boring at the end of the day.We landed in Beijing at about 5 p.m, Thursday (which was 10 a.m Nigerian time). I cleared Immigration, went through Customs, and exited from the airport. I was to be met by the organizers of the seminar, who would have my name displayed on a large piece of paper. I scanned all the names held aloft, none resembled mine. Or did they write it in Chinese?I was still wondering, when a smart young man, possibly in his late teens or early twenties walked to me. He was obviously Nigerian.Are you Mr Femi Adesina?I answered in the affirmative. He greeted me warmly, introducing himself as Ibrahim Bala, from Kano, in Nigeria, and a final year engineering student in Beijing. He had been following me on both social and traditional media, and requested for photographs. I gladly obliged.Ibrahim is obviously the face of the future Nigeria. Engaging, bright, good conversationalist, bold. He knew what he wanted, and went for it.Done with pictures, I told him my dilemma. He whipped out his phone, and called the number on the invitation letter Id been armed with from Nigeria. In a matter of minutes, two ladies showed up. One was Nancy, the other, Joy. They were to have been on hand to receive me, and apologized profusely. It turned out that the flight had landed about 30 minutes ahead of scheduled time. Talk of wind assisted flight. May the tail wind always assist you positively in the voyage of life. Amen, somebody!The seminar kicked off on Friday. There were delegates from at least 12 countries, across four continents: Nigeria, Republic of South Sudan, Uganda, Liberia, Serbia, Philippines, Ghana, Mauritius, Peru, Laos, Surinam, and Sri Lanka.Some countries had up to five representatives. But I was the only one from good, old Nigeria.The faculty was made of many professors, and other eggheads. The first friendship I struck was with Hon. Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, the Adviser on Economic Affairs to the President of South Sudan. When he heard that I was Adviser to the Nigerian President on Media and Publicity, he declared: Oh, your job must be very tough. You are the shock absorber. When they cant reach the Big Man himself, they will take it out on you. They come after you. Tough job. Same as mine. Everything about the economy in my country, I get all the blame.You would think Sabuni lived with us in Nigeria. He got the antics of people we call the wailing wailers perfectly. When you cant get to the boss, take it out on his aides. Cry and shout as if the world was coming to an end, over the flimsiest of all matters. Call the aides names, use foul words, abuse their father and mother at the same time.In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Sabuni said something which I considered spot-on: This seminar has identified a badly needed ingredient in the developmental agenda of developing countries. It calls for the establishment and maintenance of strong institutions which in turn are able to plan and implement projects effectively and efficiently. Institutions that are able to safeguard transparency, accountability, and integrity in the management of public affairs and resources for the common good.I agree. That is what President Muhammadu Buhari is trying to engender in Nigeria. And we will get there.An eye opening presentation was made by Prof Huang Xiaoyong, President, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Topic was The History and Outlook of Chinas Economic Development. And by the time he surfed through history, you would think pre-1978 China was Nigeria of recent times.The global power that is today China was nowhere remarkable till the late 1970s. It was a developing country as any other, far behind Europe and America, till the leadership caught a new vision, and launched the country out of the morass in which it was marooned.From 1949, when the modern China emerged, till 1978, it was like wandering in the wilderness. The economic foundation was weak. Progress was slow. The economy could not stimulate the initiative of the workforce, and failed to improve their standard of living significantly. There was no electricity, no water conservation and irrigation, transportation was mainly by rafts, the country was barely able to feed its massive population. This must surely remind you of our own dear native land. Nigeria we hail thee!But then, the paradigm began to shift from 1978. In fact, 2018 marks the 40th year of the Chinese miracle, when the country began to turnaround. Nigeria, too, is turning, and one day, our children will mark the 40th anniversary of that turn, championed by President Muhammadu Buhari.What did China do? It changed its development model to one driven by reforms, and opened up to socialist economic path with Chinese characteristics. And the result? The country has today moved from rafts to high speed train and home grown aviation. National income has increased 155 times. Grains output, which was 0.3 billion tons in 1978 had increased to 0.6 billion tons last year, thus guaranteeing food security for its over one billion population. Electricity, which was spasmodic, is now taken for granted, with a combination of hydro, fuel coal, gas, nuclear, renewable energy, and other forms. According to Prof Xiaoyong, China today has total stock of electricity higher than Europe put together.Again, there is social welfare/medical care cover for all elderly in both rural and urban areas. And many moreHow did China get there? How did it tread the road which Nigeria has just ventured into in the Buhari years, after decades of waste and official corruption?From being a closed society, China opened up. It established diplomatic relations with the US in 1979. It won the bid for the Olympics in 2001, which it successfully hosted in 2008. It entered the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, thus opening up its industries. The ruling party, CPC, formulated what it called Readjusting, Restructuring, Consolidation and Improving Chinas economy. Deng Xiaoping, the then President said revolution means the liberation of production, stressing that the essence of socialism is to liberate the productive forces, eliminate exploitation, eliminate polarization and ultimately achieve common prosperity.Between 1997 and 2007, Chinas economy had entered a new phase of balanced development, while conquering the Asian financial crisis.The initial turnaround took at least two decades, before the Eldorado of today. That is the same thing some people want done in three years in Nigeria, and had begun to wail endlessly that they were hungry, when their kitchens were virtually being restocked. Some other people are seated in judgment, asking the horse rider leading Nigeria to Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, to dismount in 2019. How did China keep the wailers quiet, both on the political and civil fronts?Financing reforms was a huge challenge, said Prof Xiaoyong. We had people living overseas, who were very wealthy. We encouraged them to bring foreign capital home, and because they had emotional attachment to motherland, they complied. We gave preferential taxation, exemptions, and so on. Foreign investors became enthusiastic, and came.Political stability was also very good. Without it, we could not have achieved what we did. China has its own model of democracy. The political parties must have a shared vision of the country, and the people must have a voice in shaping the future of the country.Shared vision of the country. Very much lacking in Nigeria. A government amasses foreign reserves as Umaru YarAdua did, the next one squanders it. The reserves are being built again, but may we never return to Egypt. Amen.China had to retire politicians who didnt share the vision of economic development. Nigeria must also do so in 2019, so that the current vision can be sustained for a better future.See some other things China has achieved in 40 years. GDP increased from RMB 364.5 billion in 1978 to 72.2047 trillion yuan in 2016. In 1978, China ranked 10th in terms of GDP, today it is second, following the USA.GDP per capita increased 10 times, with an annual growth of 10.1%. The country can feed over 1.3 billion people on its own. Nigeria has a GDP growth target of 7% by 2020, and has almost attained food self-sufficiency in three years of the Buhari administration. Who says the Chinese miracle is not possible with us? It is, and no mistake.China is today number one in Manufacturing, Industry, Commodity Trade, and Foreign Currency Reserve. All in 40 years. Nigeria can also get there, as long as we shut the door firmly against the rapacious suckers of the nectars of office.Today, President Xi Jinping is building on the achievements of his forebears. With the development of the countrys marketization and open door policy, China is working on promoting economic globalization, spreading prosperity round the world. Happily, Nigeria is on the positive side of that trend.Let me end on a lighter note. Since I got here, Ive been eating mainly rice and vegetables. Why? That is what I know and I am familiar with on the menu.The comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka the 1st cracked a joke sometime ago, which keeps ringing in my ears, though its not my first time in China.A man had attended a buffet lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Lagos. The food was attractively laid out, and he couldnt keep his eyes off any. When the stewards would tell him:This is broccoli. He would say: Put.This is rice.Put.This is spinach.Put.This is asparagus.Put.This is fish fillet.Put.These are prawns.Put.This is shakuku.Put.He didnt know what shakuku was, but he must eat everything. His plate was piled high, and he dug into the meal, till he undermined the foundation. His stomach became rotund, and he belched noisily. At least, it was free food by the organizers of the party.Our friend went home, and within the next hour, his stomach began rumbling, so much so that it sounded like peals of thunder. At another time, the sound was like a combination of thunder and bomb. And he did the Usain Bolt, running to the toilet. As he fled, he was shouting: It must be the shakuku. It must be the shakuku.Within the next hour, he showed clean pairs of heels to the toilet nine times, shouting; it must be the shakuku. It must be the shakuku.The lesson? Always eat what you know. The race track is where to show your fleet-footedness, not between the living room and the small room..Adesina is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari
Edgal Imohimi, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, on Friday said six out of ten young people in Lagos were cultists.

Edgal Imohimi, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, on Friday said six out of ten young people in Lagos were cultists.





He stated this at a town hall meeting with some residents of Surulere area of the state.





The forum was on  Partnership with Community for Crime Prevention.





Imohimi called for state of emergency on cultism, saying that cultism among youths in Lagos was alarming.





The Commissioner said, I instructed one of my officers to carry out a research on the reason for increase in cultism among the young ones, and it was revealed that it gives them a kind of advantage over their peers.





He added that, For some, they joined to avoid being intimidated. Whatever reason it is, the blame is on us parents for not caring enough about our children.









Imohimi appreciated the residents of Surulere for their support in crime fighting and criminality in their community, adding that the level of criminal in the area has drastically reduced.





He urged the residents of Surulere to continue to provide useful information to the police in their area, urging them to report any unprofessional conduct of police officers.





He also called on parents and guardians to monitor their childrens movement to prevent them from being used as political thugs during the forthcoming general elections.





Imohimi added, The election year is approaching and it is time we started talking to ourselves. Do not allow politicians to come and use your children as touts.




BOCA RATON, Fla., June 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Securities Arbitration Law Firm of Klayman & Toskes, P.A. (K&T), www.nasd-law.com, has commenced an investigation in light of recent criminal charges and regulatory action concerning Steven Pagartanis (Pagartanis), who worked at Lombard Securities, Inc. (Lombard) and Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. (Cadaret). Pagartanis was charged with two counts of first-degree larceny and two counts of second-degree larceny by Suffolk County, New York prosecutors for an alleged Ponzi scheme that Pagartanis operated. A separate action has been filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, New York. The SECs complaint charges Pagartanis with violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws for the alleged scheme, which the SEC believes amounted to an $8 million investment scam. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has barred Pagartanis as a broker.



According to securities attorney Lawrence L. Klayman, Esq., Lombard and Cadaret are responsible for adequately supervising its registered representatives. When brokerage firms fail to adequately supervise their registered representatives, they may be liable for any resulting investment losses sustained by customers. The charge levied against Pagartanis by the SEC, according to its complaint, seeks a judgement ordering Pagartanis to disgorge the gains from the alleged scheme, and to pay prejudgment interest and financial penalties.

The sole purpose of this release is to investigate the sales practices of Pagartanis in-connection with the sale of securities to his customers. Current and former customers of Pagartanis who held accounts with Lombard and Cadaret and have information relating to the manner in which Pagartanis represented these investments, are encouraged to contact the attorneys of Klayman & Toskes at (888) 997-9956, or visit our website at www.nasd-law.com.

About Klayman & Toskes, P.A.

K&T is a leading national securities law firm which practices exclusively in the field of securities arbitration and litigation, on behalf of retail and institutional investors throughout the world in large and complex securities matters. The firm represents high net-worth, ultra-high-net-worth, and institutional investors, such as non-profit organizations, unions, public and multi-employer pension funds. K&T has office locations in California, Florida, New York and Puerto Rico.

Destination: http://nasd-law.com/notice-to-clients-of-steven-pagartanis-the-securities-arbitration-law-firm-of-klayman-toskes-p-a-has-commenced-an-investigation-in-light-of-charges-of-first-degree-and-second-degree-grand-larcen/

Contact:

Klayman & Toskes, PA

Lawrence L. Klayman, Esq.

888-997-9956

lklayman@nasd-law.com

www.nasd-law.com
Mountain lion cubs Tacoma and Chinook will make their debut Saturday in an exhibit at the Bergen County Zoo.

The brothers were orphaned in Washington state last September when a hunter legally shot and killed their mother, who was away from the den, then realized she was nursing cubs and called authorities.

One of the brother mountain lion cubs is bottle fed just after arriving in Bergen County.

The Bergen County Zoo was on a list of places that accepts orphaned animals, so three weeks later a veterinary technician from the New Jersey zoo flew the boys home on her lap, said Alicia D'Alessandro, spokeswoman for the Bergen County Executive.

The cubs were just 2 to 3 pound fur balls when they arrived, and have since grown in the care of zoo personnel into 8-month old, 50 pound mountain lions.

Tacoma and Chinook were moved last month from a backstage area into a display area at Bergen County's Van Saun County Park. But, the public was not able to see them while they got acclimated to their new home.

Tacoma and Chinook in December when they weighed about 17 pounds.

They will be unveiled Saturday at noon in a ceremony with Bergen County Executive James Tedesco. Admission to the zoo will be free from 10a.m. until noon for those who are attending the mountain lion welcoming.

After that, regular zoo admission rates will apply.

The zoo at Van Saun park primarily includes animals from the Americas.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Here are a few ways to tell if your favorite Wawa needs a makeover or could soon be closing its doors: Is there enough parking? Can you fill up your vehicle's gas tank? Is it on a heavily-traveled, morning-drive time route?

If the answer is no to any of these questions, the days of operation for your favorite Philly-branded convenience store may be numbered.

Just ask the folks at the usually bustling Wawa on Warwick Road in Somerdale, across from Sterling Regional High School. The store appeared to be booming until it suddenly shut down late last month.

A Wawa convenience store in Somerdale recently closed after more than two decades of business.

All wasn't lost, though. A gleaming new super Wawa was already up and running on the White Horse Pike at Somerdale Road --less than a mile away -- with a much larger footprint, including gasoline pumps.

"Fortunately, this is not a sad story," said Somerdale Mayor Gary Passanante.

When one glass door at Wawa closes, it seems like another one -- if not three -- are almost always ready to open.

Throughout New Jersey, the recognizable shells of the older-style Wawas can still be seen in their reincarnated forms -- produce stores, off-brand convenience shops, delis or even a dentist's office.

The shift from the legacy stores to the newer models, featuring gasoline outside and improved layouts and offerings inside, sometimes means shutting down an existing store to be remodeled. Other times, it means closing it completely -- which was the case in Somerdale.

"We've evolved as our customer's needs have evolved," said Lori Bruce, a Wawa spokeswoman. "In our smaller stores customers tell us parking is the No. 1 issue. In addition, they wanted additional amenities, they wanted to be able to get fuel, a gallon of milk, coffee, a hoagie. As needs changed over the years our offers have evolved and that goes back to 1964 when we opened our first store."

Passanante said the older Wawa location was very successful -- a steady stream of foot traffic from students and staff at the high school across the street helped -- but the chain did not own the site and an existing lease was nearing an end.

The mayor said a new convenience chain -- Philadelphia-based Old Nelson Food Company which has 12 locations in the city and two in South Jersey already -- will be taking over the site of the former Wawa and may reopen the refurbished store as early as this month.

"We're happy to still have Wawa in town," he said. "The new store they opened is one of their newer designs. It's a great business for the community and the new store is doing gangbusters business."

If the one just around the corner isn't close enough, Wawa fans have plenty of options. Just over a mile from the newer store on the White Horse Pike is one of the legacy stores on Evesham Road in Magnolia. And 1.5 miles from the Somerdale location, another new Wawa is planned on the White Horse Pike in Stratford.

Wawas abound in South Jersey, particularly in Gloucester and Camden counties, seen here.

Four more Wawas are scheduled to open this year in New Jersey: in Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Rahway and Mantua Township. Plans are also in the works for two other locations on Route 130 in Brooklawn, the site of an iconic diner currently named the Metro Diner and farther up the road in Pennsauken at the site of the Connie Mack Pub.

The Pennsylvania chain now has over 800 stores in seven states. Bruce said Wawa plans to open up to 50 new stores a year for the foreseeable future, with at least 25 startups a year in Florida.

Wawa also has stores in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, and more than 200 in New Jersey.

One key in the Brooklawn and Pennsauken sites is both are on morning-drive routes on heavily-traveled roads. Passanante said that's no coincidence.

"They know their customers well and they know where to be positioned to take advantage of that," Passanante said. "That is first and foremost when they are looking for locations. They want to know what side the morning traffic is on and dinner traffic."

Passanante points to new locations of Royal Farms, a convenience chain competitor of Wawa nearby. Royal Farms, a Baltimore-based chain known for its signature fried chicken, entered the Jersey market with a store on the White Horse Pike in Magnolia last year on the opposite side of the road from the Wawa a quarter of a mile away. They have opened four more since and plans for another location on the White Horse Pike in Stratford were also recently approved.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
JERSEY CITY -- A 38-year-old Jersey City man is facing numerous drug charges after police say he was seen dealing heroin to two people near a school and a park, authorities say.

Antwon Hill, of Bostwick Avenue, was arrested Wednesday and charged with drug possession and possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of School 40, located at 88 Gates Ave., and within 500 feet of Columbia Park, the complaint says.

When he was arrested, he had 102 vials of suspected cocaine and 32 vials of suspected heroin, officials said. Hill was also charged with conspiracy for allegedly using a man as a lookout, the complaint says. Hill made his first appearance on the charges Thursday in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

At the hearing, the state moved to detain him through the course of his prosecution and a detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.
BAYONNE -- A homeless man with a history of run-ins with the law was arrested Wednesday after attacking a woman on a city street and fleeing on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, authorities said.

Just after 8 a.m., Patrick Marriner, 31, approached a woman walking eastbound on 21st Street toward Broadway and asked her for a cigarette. She told him she did not have any, but he continued to follow her.

As the woman, Doreen Kreiss, rounded the corner of 21st Street, Marriner put her in a headlock and began striking her in the face and head, authorities said.

"This guy was beating me like a man!" Kreiss, 49, told The Jersey Journal. "And I was fighting him like a man."

Kreiss tried to defend herself with a wooden stick she carries in her purse, but Marriner grabbed it from her before she was able to use it. He then fled east on 21st Street toward Avenue E after witnesses intervened, authorities said.

Witnesses flagged down officers in the area, gave them a description of the attacker and told them he was last seen running toward the 21st Street Light Rail station.

The officers tracked Marriner down at the station, but the train had already pulled away -- bound for the 34th Street station -- by the time they got there.

The officers relayed this information to officials at police headquarters, who advised NJ Transit to hold the train at the 34th Street Station until police arrived.

There, Marriner was placed under arrest and was charged with aggravated assault, and unlawful possession of a weapon, police said.

Kreiss was taken to a local hospital and was treated for injuries to her head, authorities said.

"(The police) were there within minutes," she said. "The way they handled everything was impeccable. Thank you to the head of the department and whoever was in charge (at the scene.)"

A background check for Marriner, meanwhile, yielded four outstanding warrants in Hoboken and one in Bayonne, as well, police said.

He made his first appearance on the charges stemming from Wednesday's incident on Thursday afternoon in Criminal Justice Reform Court. He is due back in court Tuesday for a detention hearing.

Staff Writer Michaelangelo Conte contributed to this report.
Southwest Airlines is investigating a woman's claims that a man sitting next to her masturbated during the entirety of a flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia on Tuesday.

The woman, identified by a number of media outlets as Elly Shariat, reported the man's alleged behavior on Twitter during the flight, saying that he placed his iPad on the tray table, and began watching multiple videos on a pornographic web site.

Uhh @SouthwestAir we have an issue. Ive spent this entire flight sitting next to a guy who has his iPad open on the tray table, watching porn, WITHOUT using headphones or anything, and twice now his body has started shaking in the throes of his orgasmic bliss. Im so disgusted. pic.twitter.com/3an0ukXXyt  the real elly-ice (@shariatPR) May 29, 2018

In another tweet, the woman said the man didn't "bother" to hide his penis and handed a flight attendant napkins that he used to clean himself up with after he ejaculated.

She then reached out to Southwest via Twitter to explain what was happening to her and they replied by saying, "This is never something that we want to have happen on one of our flights. Please be sure to reach out to one of the flight attendants onboard your flight."

She responded by saying that the man was in the window seat next to her and that the passenger on the other side of her was "dead asleep" and that she could not contact a flight attendant.

"There's literally no way to do that without putting myself at risk," she said in a Tweet.

Theres literally no way to do that without putting myself at risk. Hes in the window seat. Im in the middle. And theres someone dead asleep to my left. I cant move. Which is why I purchased WiFi to tweet you.  the real elly-ice (@shariatPR) May 29, 2018

Southwest then tweeted a response telling her if she was more comfortable she could report what happened after the flight landed.

"Fine," she tweeted in response. "I will stay aboard until everyone else gets off the flight, continuing the torture, because that's exactly what someone who is being assaulted like this wants to do."

She told Fox News that the man also grabbed her arm while he was having an orgasm and pinned it to the arm rest between them.

"The first time he was 'finishing,' he used his left hand and gripped my right forearm, pinning it down to the arm rest between us," the woman said in the Fox News article. "It made it clear to me how strong he was, given how forceful his grip was, which is why I felt uncomfortable and reached out to SW on Twitter -- hoping they'd ask my seat number and notify someone -- because I didn't know if he'd try to physically do anything else if I went to take a photo or video, nor did I want to find out."

She told TMZ that she did, in fact, wait until the end of her flight to report the incident, but that the man also waited "a little while" to get off the flight before he pat her on the head and said "Hope you enjoyed the show" before he left.

The woman said she spoke with the plane's crew who put her in touch with a supervisor who could "only offer her a dinner voucher," the TMZ article states.

Southwest issued a statement to NJ Advance Media on the incident.

"We are deeply disturbed by the behavior described Ms. Shariat, and we have contacted her to address her concerns and offer our apologies," a spokesperson for Southwest said. "Our internal reports indicate that the crew did not witness this incident during the flight - and it was not until the plane landed that they were made aware of the situation. Our crew then apologized to Ms. Shariat and assured her that they were not previously aware of the situation.

"This type of behavior on a flight would never be tolerated by any of our employees."

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.
By Bonnie Watson Coleman and William Castner



Today is national Gun Violence Awareness Day.

In New Jersey alone, roughly 1500 of our residents are shot each year and 270 killed by guns. This is a public health epidemic. And the infuriating part is Congress, with their collective heads in the sand, is completely indifferent to this crisis.



In stark contrast to Washington, Gov. Phil Murphy in his first 100 days alone has already elevated gun violence to be a paramount issue as he promised to do when he ran for office. The Governor has launched a historic multi-state States for Gun Safety initiative to curb gun trafficking; rolled back dangerous Christie administration regulations liberalizing concealed carry permits; placed $2 million in his budget for gun violence research; authored a "name and shame" executive order to expose the states exporting crime guns to our streets; and pledged to sign into law an important six-bill legislative package being advanced by majority leaders Loretta Weinberg and Louis Greenwald that includes a magazine clip limit.

Separate and apart from additional state legislation, there is even more we can do:



* First, in order to get new federal laws, we need a new Congress;

* Second, New Jersey needs to bring aggressive civil lawsuits against unscrupulous members of the gun industry placing our residents in harm's way;

* Third, because taxpayers are the top purchasers of firearms through our law enforcement agencies, New Jersey should examine using its market power to encourage gun manufacturers to adopt more responsible behavior including childproof technology;

* Fourth, New Jersey should also engage the business community and examine any public relationships with businesses, like financial institutions, that are directly or indirectly supporting the gun industry; and

* Finally, violence intervention programs that have been successful in other cities outside of New Jersey -- both school-based and hospital-based -- should be introduced here and mental health programs should be expanded.

The recent youth activism movement in particular has brought new energy to this fight as attitudes are changing and momentum is mounting to confront gun violence.

At a recent legislative hearing in Trenton, supporters of common sense reform such as Moms Demand Action & Million Moms outnumbered opponents of reform by roughly a 10-to-1 ratio. That would have been inconceivable even a year or two ago. We will need your help because unfortunately the gun industry will not adopt safety reforms voluntarily -- only aggressive actions will result in any meaningful change.



New Jersey has always led the way on gun violence prevention and under Governor Murphy it is poised to continue this fight. Stay tuned.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a Democrat, represents the New Jersey's 12th Congressional District.

William Castner, Esq. is senior advisor to the governor on firearms.
Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we intend to prove it. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends throughout. Here, they discuss the week's events, with prompts from Tom Moran, editorial page editor of The Star-Ledger.

Q. Let's start with Roseanne Barr's racist tweet, and ABC's quick decision to cancel her show. Any political fallout?

DuHaime: I don't think so. Roseanne was offensive before Twitter even existed. ABC looks phony, acting like they're somehow shocked by Roseanne acting exactly how she's acted her entire adult life. Her decision to play the victim while so many race to condemn and others use it as a chance to push their own racist views are more a reflection of society than a cause.

Roginsky: I couldn't have said it better myself. Roseanne is an avatar for everyone's grievances, both those who are repulsed by her views and those who embrace them. Long before ABC decided to renew her show, she was tweeting horrifically offensive conspiracy theories. She's got the right to freedom of speech, but others have the right to send Disney a message by boycotting their products as long as they aired her show. I suspect Disney got the message -- albeit, belatedly.

Q. Help us read tea leaves for the congressional primaries in New Jersey on Tuesday. Will the results tell us anything about President Donald Trump's strength going into November?

DuHaime: The metric people should watch even more than who wins is voter turnout. While Democrats generally have a higher raw number of voters because there's nearly a million more registered Democrats than Republicans in the state, I will be watching to see if the turnout disparity is higher than usual. Primary turnout (or lack thereof) often can be an accurate barometer of partisan intensity for the fall.

Roginsky: I don't think it tells us much about Donald Trump's strength in New Jersey, where he has never been popular. It will tell us, as Mike rightly pointed out, about how energized the base of both parties will be going into November.

Q. Among the new candidates in either party, who impresses you most?

DuHaime: The 11th District (Morris, Passaic, Essex, Sussex) seems to have been the one place where both parties have recruited multiple strong candidates, with Jay Webber, Tony Ghee and Pete de Neufville battling on the GOP side and Mikie Sherrill and Tamara Harris on the left. Beyond that, I haven't seen many new candidates break through very much in terms of fundraising or candidate appeal, except for maybe Sen. Jeff Van Drew (2nd District) who seems to be locking up a great deal of support against a challenge from the left.

Roginsky: Putting aside Senator Van Drew, who has been involved in New Jersey for a long time, I am very impressed by both Mikie Sherrill and Tamara Harris in the 11th District. I think it's wonderful that strong, accomplished women are making their mark so effectively. Both have a very bright future, regardless of who wins this primary.

Q. National Democrats hope to make Trump's ethics a key focus on the November campaign. Does that spell trouble for Sen. Bob Menendez, who has only a tiny lead over the GOP's Bob Hugin?

DuHaime: It will if the Democrats seem to have selective ethics, holding Trump to one standard and their candidate to another. Voters are sick of politicians who judgmentally condemn the other party's candidates for the same behavior they excuse in their own. I suspect it will be a fine line for Democrats to walk, and one that Bob Hugin will look to exploit.

Roginsky: Sen. Menendez has been a champion for New Jersey's families, while his opponent has been a stalwart supporter of President Trump and, as a pharmaceutical executive, gouged sick patients who needed life-saving drugs. On the ethical front, it's not even a close contest.

DuHaime: I am curious to see how effective that line of attack on Hugin will be with real voters over time. His company invents medicines that literally saved people's lives while also employing hundreds of New Jerseyans. I imagine there will be another side to that story told at some point.

Roginsky: I'm sure there will be. And I'm sure that we will hear from New Jerseyans who were fighting for their lives and suffered because Hugin cared more about profits than patients.

Q. Gov. Phil Murphy is facing tough pushback on his plans to raise taxes and legalize recreational marijuana. But I don't see him holding town halls or press conferences to make his case. Why is that?

DuHaime: To be fair, I think he's done a few. The governor has the bully pulpit here that no one can match. If he expects to get somewhat unpopular proposals through the Legislature, he needs to campaign for them. He has to sell the ideas to the voters, who will in turn ask their legislators to back them. Legislators very rightfully care what their constituents think and react to them. Neither proposal is an easy sell, but I expect we will see a more public push in the month ahead. As with any campaign, though, you need time to sell your idea, and time is running short for this budget, which must be adopted by June 30.

Roginsky: Gov. Murphy is very, very good in a town-hall setting and he is a great salesman. He did town halls repeatedly throughout both the primary and general elections, which were very effective. In this case, I truly believe there is no better substitute than the governor acting as his own messenger on issues that are important to him and taking his case directly to the voters, in person.

Q. A fresh poll from Monmouth University shows that only 54 percent rate the state as an "excellent" or "good" place to live, a new low. What should we make of that?

DuHaime: Criticizing New Jersey is like criticizing your own friend or family member. I can criticize my friend, but if you do, there will be hell to pay. New Jerseyans love our state but are self-aware enough to know that we have flaws -- high taxes, traffic, tolls, etc. Just don't let anyone from another state point out our flaws, or you will have a problem. But there's no place I'd rather live.

We have great schools, beautiful beaches, great colleges and universities, high-paying jobs, close to Philly and New York, and we don't even have to pump our own gas. We have more people jammed in per square mile than anywhere else in the country for a reason. It's great to live and work here. But with so many of us, there will be some traffic, and we bump into each other a lot, and we occasionally use colorful language. So what? It's part of our charm, so I won't be listening to the 46 percent who choose to dwell on the negatives. Screw 'em.

Roginsky: First of all, woe betide the out-of-staters who criticize New Jersey in my presence. As Gov. Murphy often points out, its location, workforce and quality of schools are all second to none. But the negatives -- from property taxes to a collapsing mass transit system -- are real. When I said earlier that Murphy is a good salesman, I also think that he can be a good salesman for the positives our state has to offer and the many ways we can work together to make it even better, so that by the end of his term, that 46 percent will be a much more diminished number.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
What's a day without reading about the Hudson County Democratic Party's civil war?

Well, it's like realizing there's no half & half in your Starbucks decanter. Or they ran out of that to-die-for almond, raspberry croissant at your local patisserie. Sorry, no caldo gallego today.

Cheer up because there's no end to Cirque la Politique Hudson des Noisettes. It's a three-ring event every day. We have the constant flood of vitriol in the battle for chairmanship of the county political party that will be decided in a couple of weeks. This will be followed by the use of barbwire and landmines for next year's county government election.

ABRACADABRA

Well, Amy DeGise this, Brain Stack that, Steve Fulop whatever and present HcDeadO Chairman and former Assemblyman Vinnie Prieto -- with the lucrative golden soft landing as chairman of the New Jersey Ports Exhibition Authority -- doing the puppet act for the status quo. When readers focus of these stories, the audience in their enrapture may easily fail to see the slickness of the prestidigitation, the misdirection.

All of this hubbub is not to secure the HCDeadO chairmanship, save the job of county Executive Tom DeGise, advance women in politics or control patronage, county government, politics and marijuana sales (kidding). This is about one main thing: The successful re-election of North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco. Sacco, who is also the state senator in the 32nd Legislative District, needs to win next May's township election or none of the items mentioned above in this paragraph will matter.

This is so much like a "Lord of the Rings" tale. Sacco is making many of the county's clueless Democrats jump through hoops, waste time, money and energy in a frantic crusade to stop Stack and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop from acquiring more statewide political influence. Sacco cares about the mission but only as much as it guarantees his return as mayor. This way he will always have Sauron-like countywide influence. Lose the local race and it's over.

When DeGise told Stack and Fulop that he's running for re-election anyway, after being told he's not in their plans, Sacco sat the county executive down at the Waterside Restaurant and made sure he was never going to change his mind. My sources say that DeGise's options were run or the exec and his government employed relations will face some misery. There's no gold ring in this story. Of course this would be de rigueur North Hudson politics.

And yes, it is also possible that the county executive truly is blind with anger and fully intends to compete. Why else would he acknowledge such a wonderful Father's Day gift as a daughter accepting the blindfold and cigarette.

Oh yeah, and should the younger DeGise suffer a slaughter, the elder will still have to run - to continue depleting resources that may otherwise be used in the North Bergen May election against the incumbent administration.

Sources say money will not be a problem when it comes to the North Bergen election. South Jersey Democrats - read that as insurance guy George Norcross and Senate President Steve Sweeney -- so despise Sacco that you can expect to see a super Political Action Committee (PAC) pop up with $1 million available just to make certain there's a new mayor in North Bergen, say sources.

Larry Weinstein 's school board race went poorly but he still aspires to replace Sacco in Township Hall. You can't always translate school political success to a municipal race. In the last municipal election Weinstein received 5,000 votes. How much of an impact was that vote total? Ask yourself what would be Stack's reaction if he gave up 5,000 votes? It would be seismic.

In the present atmosphere it would not be difficult to come up with another 2,000 votes or more in anti-Sacco votes.

BORDER CROSSING

For the past decade and a half, North Bergen has been growing a sizable Hispanic population. After New Year's Day, expect Kennedy Boulevard to resemble the Rubicon with a Stack army of 400 campaign workers crossing it every day to register some 4,000 new Hispanic voters.

The late West New York Mayor Anthony M. DeFino saw change coming for him and chose not to run again opening the door for Cuban-American Albio Sires. U.S. REp. Sires now backs Sacco and DeGise. Observers agree that Sacco is not DeFino and would rather get carried out in a box rather than quit. This would mean everyone with him will have their own boxes rather than negotiate a more acceptable solution.

The Sacco administration is also taking a beating every day with the coverage of alleged corruption at the North Bergen Housing Authority. There appears to be no end to the hammering the township is getting from the NBC New York TV I-Team investigation.

This comes after the indictment and convictions of members of the Department of Public Works who catered to public officials on the taxpayers' dimes.

It came as no surprise this week that outgoing HCDeadO Chairman and Sacco avatar Prieto has moved the county Democratic Party Committee meeting for deciding his replacement to the Kearny High School. The change was made to make it harder for the party committee contingent from Hoboken, Jersey City, and Union City to travel to the West Hudson municipality of Mayor Al Santos, a Sacco vassal. It just means more use of buses and a sour taste in the mouth of committee voters.

Jersey City Democratic Organization Chairwoman Barbara Stamato was not a happy camper. She called on DeGise the Younger to stand with her in demanding that the meeting be held in the county seat and DeGise's hometown. Yeah, Stamato was putting the heat on DeGise. I don't believe Sacco gave her permission to respond.

" ... As Amy knows, the plurality of the committee members reside in Jersey City and participation by members should be encouraged,' Stamato notes in a public statement. 'As Amy has touted the importance of Jersey City, it is imperative that she shows independence in this matter and ensures the committee members of Jersey City will not be discouraged from attending."

For one evening, June 12, Kearny will be the center of the Hudson County universe. Does the school have metal detectors?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Agustin C. Torres' columns appear on the nj.com opinion website on Saturdays and occasionally in the print edition of The Jersey Journal. Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com.
Following the announcement that bankrupt Toys 'R Us would close all its stores and layoff its 33,000 employees -- including 1,600 people at its New Jersey headquarters and 11 other locations -- the state's two U.S. senators and a House colleague on Friday called on the chain's owners to "support" those workers any way they can.

"We write to urge you to do everything in your power to support the thousands of Toys 'R' Us workers who will soon lose their jobs as the company closes its doors," it was stated in a letter dated June 1 and signed by Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, plus U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9th District).

In addition to sending the letter, the three Democratic lawmakers appeared together in the parking lot of a doomed Toys 'R' Us store in Totowa, accompanied by Toys 'R' Us employees, some who had worked decades for the retailer.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do without my job once I'm done," Cheryl Claude, a longtime assistant manager at a Toys 'R' Us in Woodbridge, said in a statement. "My husband works at BJ Wholesale - to add me to his health insurance is going to be half his paycheck. I feel I have done so much and to get nothing after 33 years is just wrong."

The letter summarized the ill-fated, debt-laden history of the chain following its purchase in 2005 by a consortium of investment firms made up of Bain Capital of Boston, and KKR & Co. and Vornado Realty Trust of New York, a deal that the letter said was "Flawed from the start."

The firms incurred $5 billion in debt to make the acquisition amid a flurry of heavily leveraged retail purchases just before the 2008 financial collapse. The lawmakers blamed the resulting $400 million in annual debt service, plus management fees the companies themselves collected from Toys 'R' Us even as its owners, for rendering the iconic toy chain too cash-poor to make the technological and other investments necessary to compete in a retail marketplace upended by the growth of online sales.

"Absent crippling debt payments, as well as a reported $470 million in management fees and payments to Bain Capital, KKR, and Vornado Realty Trust, we have little doubt Toys 'R' Us would be a profitable company and job creator today," the letter stated.

None of the three firms responded to requests for comment.

The lawmakers did not make concrete demands on the owners, for example, to provide severance pay, job placement services or other forms of assistance.

A spokesman for Menendez, Steven Sandberg, said one of the goals of Friday's event was to call attention to the injustice of the situation, in which the Toys 'R' Us owners will walk away from the chain's dissolution relatively unscathed, having already written down the debt and collected hundreds of millions in fees, while workers are set adrift, unemployed and unaided.

Sandberg added that Menendez, a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee, would use his oversight and legislative positions to minimize the opportunities for "corporate raiders" to ruin large employers and then walk away.

"There's something fundamentally unfair," Sandberg said, when the law allows that to happen.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook
ENESTop and ENESTfreedom data evaluate Treatment-free Remission (TFR) rates at 144 weeks among eligible Ph+ CML-CP patients who stopped Tasigna 



Findings further support durability and safety of TFR with Tasigna; nearly all patients who lost TFR regained major molecular response after restarting therapy



Novartis commitment to seek new solutions in CML continues with update of Phase III trial evaluating asciminib, an investigational BCR-ABL1 inhibitor

Basel, June 2, 2018 - New Novartis data from two long-term Treatment-free Remission (TFR) studies in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase (CP) will be presented during the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago. Results from the open-label Phase II trials, ENESTop and ENESTfreedom, show sustained TFR in patients treated with both front-line and second-line Tasigna (nilotinib) therapy. The 144-week trials evaluate the potential to maintain molecular response (MR) after stopping therapy in eligible adult patients with Ph+ CML-CP.

"Treatment-free Remission is a new treatment goal in CML," said Francois-Xavier Mahon, Cancer Center of Bordeaux, Institut Bergonie and lead investigator of ENESTop. "Clinical studies like ENESTop and ENESTfreedom offer evidence that when a Ph+ CML-CP patient achieves a deep molecular response with Tasigna, along with other eligibility criteria, s/he can attempt TFR and have a nearly 50% chance of remaining treatment-free long-term. These results confirm an exciting opportunity for eligible patients - the opportunity to reduce time on drug for a chronic leukemia."

Data from ENESTop, presented today in an oral session (Abstract #7003) show that approximately half (48.4%; CI 95%, 39.4%-57.5%) of patients with Ph+ CML-CP who are eligible to stop second-line Tasigna therapy maintained disease remission over a prolonged period of time in the absence of treatment at 144 weeks of follow up, almost 3 years[1]. Patients in this trial took Tasigna following a switch from Glivec (imatinib)*. ENESTop data also show that of the patients who restarted Tasigna due to loss of major molecular response (MMR=BCR-ABL/ABL <=0.1% IS), during the study period, nearly all (97.1%) regained MMR and 95.8% regained MR4.5 (BCR-ABL1 IS =< 0.0032%)[1]. Study authors stress that frequent scheduled and compliant monitoring is necessary to assess for loss of response. Results of ENESTop at 144-weeks are consistent with previously reported data at both 96- and 48-weeks.

A second long-term clinical trial, ENESTfreedom, is also part of the ASCO Scientific Program this week. The authors will report on TFR results at 144 weeks in patients who started front-line CML therapy with Tasigna. Results from ENESTfreedom will be shared with ASCO attendees on Monday, June 4 (Abstract #7063). In this trial, researchers found that almost half (46.8%; CI 95%: 39.6%-54.2%) of Ph+ CML-CP patients eligible to stop Tasigna treatment remained in MMR following treatment discontinuation[2].

"Novartis continues to redefine treatment options for Ph+ CML patients," said Samit Hirawat, MD, Head of Novartis Oncology Global Drug Development. "The importance of achieving deep and sustained responses with Tasigna has been demonstrated in our TFR clinical program, which is the largest among all oncology companies. These long-term trials deliver on our commitment to the patient community to continue to look for more and better solutions for CML."

An update on the Phase III clinical trial design for Novartis' investigational BCR-ABL1 inhibitor, asciminib, will also be presented as part of the ASCO Scientific Program (Abstract #TPS7081).

Novartis Commitment to CML

Novartis' ongoing research in Ph+ CML has helped transform the disease from a fatal leukemia to a chronic condition in most patients. The company maintains an unwavering commitment to scientific innovation and access to care for patients worldwide. As an organization committed to patients, Novartis continues to reimagine CML by pursuing ambitious goals with courage, passion and commitment for the global CML community.

About ENESTop

ENESTop (Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety Trial) is an open label Phase II study involving 163 Ph+ CML patients, conducted at 63 sites across 18 countries. The trial evaluated stopping treatment in 126 adults with Ph+ CML-CP receiving Tasigna for at least three years, after patients had achieved and sustained deep molecular response (DMR) for one year with Tasigna following Glivec. The study is ongoing with planned follow-up to evaluate the ability of patients to sustain remission for longer durations upon discontinuation of Tasigna.

Findings from ENESTop at 144-weeks found that 48.4% (CI 95%, 39.4%-57.5%) of 126 patients were able to remain in TFR at 144 weeks[1]. In the study, 58 patients with confirmed loss of MR4 (n=24; BCR-ABL1 IS =< 0.01%) or loss of MMR (n=34) restarted Tasigna by the cut-off date[1]. Of the 34 patients who restarted treatment with Tasigna due to loss of MMR, 91.2% regained MR4.5 (n=31; BCR-ABL1 IS =< 0.0032%)[1]. Of the 24 patients with loss of MR4 who restarted Tasigna, 95.8% (n=23) regained MR4.5,[1]. No new major safety findings were observed in ENESTop in patients treated with Tasigna beyond those in the known safety profile of Tasigna[1]. Among patients who remained in the TFR phase of the trial for more than 96 weeks (n=68), 10.3%, 51.5%, 19.1%, and 11.8% experienced any-grade musculoskeletal pain-related adverse events in the consolidation phase and first, second, and third 48-week phases of TFR, respectively[1].

About ENESTfreedom

ENESTfreedom (Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in Clinical Trials - Following REsponsE in De nOvo CML-CP Patients) is an open label Phase II study involving 215 Ph+ CML patients in the chronic phase, conducted at 132 sites across 19 countries. ENESTfreedom evaluated stopping treatment in 190 adults with Ph+ CML-CP receiving Tasigna for at least three years, after the patients had achieved a response of MR4.5 with Tasigna and a sustained DMR for one year as a first-line treatment. The study is ongoing with planned follow-up to evaluate the ability of patients to sustain remission for longer durations following discontinuation of Tasigna.

Findings from ENESTfreedom at 144-weeks found that 46.8% of 190 eligible CML patients (CI 95%: 39.6%-54.2%) remained in MMR following discontinuation of Tasigna[2]. Of the 91 patients who restarted treatment with Tasigna due to loss of MMR by the cut-off date, 98.9% (n=90) and 92.3% (n=84) were able to regain MMR and MR4.5, respectively[2]. No new major safety findings were observed in ENESTfreedom in patients treated with Tasigna beyond those in the known safety profile of Tasigna[2]. Among patients who remained in TFR for more than 96 weeks (n=94), any-grade musculoskeletal pain-related AEs were 16.0%, 40.4%, 9.6% and 4.3% in the consolidation phase and first, second and third 48-week phases of TFR, respectively[2].

About Tasigna

Tasigna (nilotinib) is approved in more than 130 countries for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase and with chronic and accelerated phase Ph+ CML resistant or intolerant to at least one prior therapy, including Glivec (imatinib). Tasigna is also approved for the treatment of pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in the chronic phase and with resistance or intolerance to prior TKI therapy.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION for TASIGNA (nilotinib) Capsules

Use with caution in patients with uncontrolled or significant cardiac disease and in patients who have or may develop prolongation of QTc. Low levels of potassium or magnesium must be corrected prior to Tasigna administration. Monitor closely for an effect on the QTc interval. Baseline ECG is recommended prior to initiating therapy and as clinically indicated. Cases of sudden death have been reported in clinical studies in patients with significant risk factors. Avoid use of concomitant drugs known to prolong the QT interval and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. Avoid food 2 hours before and 1 hour after taking dose.

Reactivation of hepatitis B can occur in patients who are chronic carriers of this virus after receiving TKI treatment.

Use with caution in patients with liver impairment, with a history of pancreatitis and with total gastrectomy. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, severe lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not use Tasigna. Tasigna may cause fetal harm in pregnant women. If pregnancy is planned during the treatment-free remission phase, the patient must be informed of a potential need to re-initiate treatment with Tasigna during pregnancy. Women should not breastfeed while taking Tasigna and for 2 weeks after the last dose.

Cases of cardiovascular events included ischemic heart disease-related events, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, and ischemic cerebrovascular events have been reported. Serious cases of hemorrhage from various sites including gastrointestinal were reported in patients receiving Tasigna. Grade 3 or 4 fluid retention including pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, ascites and pulmonary edema have been reported. Cases of tumor lysis syndrome have been reported in Tasigna-treated patients who were resistant or intolerant to prior CML therapy.

In pediatric patients the long-term effects of prolonged treatment with Tasigna is unknown.

Eligible patients who are confirmed to express the typical BCR-ABL transcripts, e13a2/b2a2 or e14a2/b3a2, can be considered for treatment discontinuation. Frequent monitoring of BCR-ABL transcript levels in patients eligible for treatment discontinuation must be performed with a quantitative diagnostic test validated to measure molecular response levels with a sensitivity of at least MR4.5 (BCR-ABL/ABL <=0.0032% IS). BCR-ABL transcript levels must be assessed prior to and during treatment discontinuation. Loss of major molecular response (MMR=BCR-ABL/ABL <=0.1% IS) or confirmed loss of MR4 (two consecutive measures separated by at least 4 weeks showing loss of MR4 (MR4=BCR-ABL/ABL <=0.01% IS) will trigger treatment re-initiation within 4 weeks of when loss of remission is known to have occurred. It is crucial to perform frequent monitoring of BCR-ABL transcript levels and complete blood count with differential in order to detect possible loss of remission. For patients who fail to achieve MMR after three months of treatment re-initiation, BCR-ABL kinase domain mutation testing should be performed.

Musculoskeletal pain, myalgia, pain in extremity, arthralgia, bone pain and spinal pain may occur upon discontinuing treatment with Tasigna within the framework of attempting treatment-free remission.

The most frequent Grade 3 or 4 adverse events are hematological (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia) which are generally reversible and usually managed by withholding Tasigna temporarily or dose reduction. Chemistry panels, including electrolytes, lipid profile, liver enzymes, and glucose should be checked prior to therapy and periodically. Tasigna can cause increases in serum lipase. The most frequent non-hematologic adverse events were rash, pruritus, nausea, fatigue, headache, alopecia, myalgia, constipation and diarrhea.

Please see full Prescribing Information at http://www.tasigna.com/ .

https://www.us.tasigna.com/.

About asciminib

Asciminib (ABL001) is an investigational compound. Efficacy and safety have not been established. There is no guarantee this compound will become commercially available.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2017, the Group achieved net sales of USD 49.1 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 124,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

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*Known as Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) tablets in the US and Canada.

References

1. Mahon, F.X. et al. Long-term treatment-free remission (TFR) in patients (pts) with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) after stopping second-line (2L) nilotinib: ENESTop 144-wk results. Abstract #P601. 2 June 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) in Chicago, IL.

2. Radich, J. P. et al. Long-term treatment-free remission (TFR) following frontline (1L) nilotinib in patients (pts) with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP): ENESTfreedom 144-wk results. Abstract # 7063. 4 June 2018. American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) in Chicago, IL.

# # #

Novartis Media Relations

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eric.althoff@novartis.com Mary Curtin Creaser

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Authorities responding to a water rescue Saturday on the Delaware River recovered the body of a male, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said.

The incident began shortly before 11 a.m. near Sandy Shore Drive and Island Road in Upper Mount Bethel Township, according to a Northampton County 911 dispatcher.

Lysek was not immediately releasing the person's identity, pending an ongoing investigation.

Responders were called for the report of a body floating in the river, according to Pennsylvania State Police at Belfast. Authorities found the remains floating along the riverside and made the recovery, police said.

That stretch of river is downstream from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, where search and rescue crews -- including members of the park's dive team -- were searching last weekend and earlier this week for a missing boater.

Cheeyen Yap, of Farmingdale, New Jersey, was last seen around 4 p.m. May 25 when the canoe he was in overturned just upstream from the Interstate 80 toll bridge, according to the national park.

A woman was rescued and brought via boat to Kittatinny Point in Hardwick Township, park officials had said. Neither the missing man nor the woman wore a life jacket, authorities said.

Asked whether the body is believed to be that of the missing boater, Lysek said: "That's what we're going to be working to determine."

The Delaware River had been running high and fast for the week prior to the capsizing, making conditions challenging for search crews, according to the park.

National Park Service rangers and dive team members were assisted in their effort by volunteers from Portland Hook and Ladder and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

"Park rangers remind everyone to wear a properly-fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times when on or near the water, regardless of the river level," the park said in a news release on the search.

According to state police, assisting troopers and the coroner's office on Saturday were Portland Hook and Ladder Water Rescue, Sandt's Eddy Fire and Rescue, Blue Valley Rescue, Suburban EMS and National Park Service rangers.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Times-Picayune is marking the tricentennial of New Orleans with its ongoing 300 for 300 project, running through 2018 and highlighting 300 people who have made New Orleans New Orleans, featuring original artwork commissioned by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune with Where Y'Art gallery. Today: photographer E.J. Bellocq.

The icon: E.J. Bellocq.

The legacy: Truth be told, E.J. Bellocq is something of a man of mystery. But that only helps add to the mystique of the early 20th century photographer, whose work provided a rare peek inside the brothels of the city's infamous Storyville vice district. Laying myth aside, here's what we know about Bellocq: By day, he captured images of everyday life in New Orleans -- including a visit by President-elect Howard Taft to the College of the Immaculate Conception in 1909 -- with some being published in local newspapers. By night, though, he created a number of once-lost images, rediscovered in 1970, of Storyville prostitutes in their boudoir workplaces. Why he took them is unclear, but they survive as a fascinating, and sometimes haunting, record of a long-gone slice of New Orleans history.

The artist: Saegan Swanson.

The quote: "If his images of ships and landmark buildings were not noteworthy, the pictures he took in Storyville are instantly recognizable today as Bellocq portraits -- time capsules of humanity, even innocence, amid the shabby red-light settings of New Orleans. Somehow, perhaps as one of society's outcasts himself, Bellocq gained the trust of his subjects, who seem completely at ease before his camera." -- Gilbert King, writing for the Smithsonian magazine in 2012

Explore more of Saegan Swanson's work online at WhereYart.net and in person at the Where Y'Art gallery, 1901 Royal St.

John Ernest Joseph Bellocq was born in New Orleans in 1873 to what is described as an aristocratic family living in the French Quarter.

Source: The Times-Picayune archives; Smithsonian.com; staff research

More on 300 for 300:
When New Orleans Police Department Detective Chris Ahner came to, his body was wedged in the windshield of a drunk driver's car.

His last memory before blacking out was pulling onto the grassy shoulder of Interstate 10 in New Orleans East to assist in a traffic stop. Two officers already on the scene had run out of citation forms and asked Ahner to write up the driver for speeding.

He went to his car to grab his ticket book, Ahner recalled recently, nearly two decades after the Feb. 12, 2000 incident. Then, he said, he "turned around, stood up -- and fade to black."

An off-duty Gulfport Police Department officer driving from New Orleans back to Mississippi had smashed into him.

"It hits me in my shins, rips me out of my shoes," Ahner said.

During an interview at his Slidell home, the 55-year-old Ahner slammed the pair of size 10, black rubber-soled shoes he wore the night of the crash onto the dining room table. The laces were tied snug, just as they were at the accident scene. A strip of leather that had covered the toe of the right shoe was peeled back, exposing a thin layer of yellow foam.

On April 18, Ahner had hauled the shoes, a ripped NOPD jacket he wore the night of the crash, medical records and other documents to a meeting in Baton Rouge to help explain why he says he deserves to continue collecting the same disability pension he has received every month for nearly 12 years.

Since 2016, the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System, which oversees and pays pensions for police officers across the state, reduced by 60 percent the disability pensions of Ahner and four other former Louisiana police officers who retired because of injuries they received in the line of duty.

The former officers - three of whom retired from the NOPD -- had previously been receiving what amounted to their full monthly pay at the time they retired. That was an error made by the former pension board, said Ben Huxen, the executive director of MPERS. By law, he said, those former officers should not have been awarded 100 percent disability pension. To correct the error, MPERS sharply reduced their pensions to 40 percent of their final average monthly pay.

"We have a fiduciary duty to our members," Huxen said, adding the board has an obligation to ensure "every dollar going out is only done with legal authority."

Huxen expressed sympathy for the retirees whose pensions were cut and said MPERS would cooperate with any lawmaker seeking a legislative solution. He worked with Sen. Barrow Peacock, R-Bossier City, to draft legislation that brings the pension of one of those five retired officers - a former NOPD officer who was shot in the head on duty - back to 100 percent. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the law May 20, and it goes into effect in June.

The other four retirees whose pensions were cut are not affected by that new law, Act 343, Huxen said. But Sen. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, has expressed interest in trying to address the issue in the 2019 legislative session.

Until then, their 60-percent pension pay cut stands.

Ahner and former Monroe Police Department Officer Jeff Bailes, another one of the retired officers whose disability pension was cut, each said that when the MPERS board ruled in 2006 that they would receive 100 percent disability pension, they believed they would receive that amount for life. Neither Ahner nor Bailes were aware then of the existence of a Louisiana law that lists what kind of on-duty injuries merit 100 percent disability pensions, they say. They also say they were unaware that the MPERS board back then, according to Huxen, wrongly applied the law to their case.

"I was banking on my pension from the police department for the rest of my life," said Bailes, who was riding his Monroe Police Department motorcycle back to the station to clock out on Feb. 28, 2006, when another driver hit him head-on. He was in the Intensive Care Unit for 26 days, he said. Bailes and another retired officer, also from Monroe, were the first to have their pensions reduced. MPERS cut their pensions in 2016.

Ahner saved a Nov. 7, 2011, letter from MPERS, signed by receptionist Sarah Daniel, that states "MPERS will continue to pay this benefit for life." He requested the documentation back then to prove to a bank he had the income.

Huxen said that letter should never have been sent, noting Louisiana law allows the MPERS board to routinely re-evaluate the medical conditions of those receiving disability retirement until they reach a certain age.

The retired officers who refuse to 'settle'

The disability pension reductions of the five retired officers were prompted by MPERS case reviews of nine retired officers who were receiving 100 percent of their average pay, Huxen said. That review predated Huxen, who joined MPERS last July, he said. It resulted in maintaining 100 percent pensions for four retired officers, including officers whose on-duty injuries left them paralyzed or wheelchair bound, and reductions for the five other officers.

Ahner and Bailes were reduced, Huxen said, because the law states an officer injured at work in or after 2003 must be blinded or lose total use of a limb to qualify for a 100 percent disability pension. Act 343, which was just signed into law, adds one other type of injury: traumatic physical injury causing permanent damage to the brain or spinal cord.

Ahner said he has undergone dozens of surgeries for breaks in his neck and legs and has five screws and two metal plates in his neck, a total of 18 screws in his two legs, as well as titanium rods from the knee to the ankle of each leg. He has been under a doctor's care for the injuries since the day of the accident and still gets injections every six to nine months. He was able to work for NOPD after the accident in a somewhat limited capacity until doctors recommended in 2005 he apply for disability retirement, he said.

Bailes has undergone "at least" 11 surgeries after suffering herniated disks in his spine, a fractured hip, and breaks on his legs in nine places, he said. His knee was wired together. He tried to go back to work, but after falling during a traffic stop, his supervisors recommended he retire.

Both Ahner and Bailes said when MPERS notified them they would have to be re-evaluated by a doctor of the board's choosing at their own cost, they agreed. Each said a doctor chosen by the board found that they remained 100 percent disabled from being a police officer. However, the board has argued their types of injuries do not qualify for 100 percent, based on the type of injury. Huxen noted Ahner and Bailes have not lost the "total use" of a limb.

Huxen said he was not sure what prompted the review of the nine cases or why the retirees' cases had not been reevaluated until recently. He noted, though, that the attorney advising the MPERS board in the mid-2000s was later convicted of stealing from MPERS. That attorney, Randy Zinna, Huxen said, applied "a liberal interpretation of the circumstances that would allow them to qualify for 100 percent disability." Louisiana Bar Association records show Zinna was suspended from practicing law in 2010 and resigned from practicing law a year later, following his conviction. Attempts to reach Zinna were unsuccessful.

Huxen noted that MPERS offered all five men "settlements" that would result in MPERS reducing their pensions to 40 percent in exchange for the retirees' pledge not to sue the retirement system for reducing their rate. The "settlement" offers - a word used by Huxen -would also stop MPERS from seeking to collect the money Huxen now says was improperly paid to the retirees over the last several years because of the previous board's error.

At least one of the affected five officers, a former NOPD officer, agreed to the deal, Huxen said.

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Ahner and Bailes said they believe they are being personally antagonized by the board because they are fighting to keep their full pensions and because they have spoken out to local media, including WVUE Fox-8 News, about the board's actions.

Since Ahner did not accept the settlement, he said, MPERS has informed him he could be on the hook for roughly $260,000 that he was told the previous board wrongly paid him.

Ahner received about $2,860 a month from his disability pension before his pension was reduced in April. The 60-percent cut is for all of 2018 but was not applied to the first three paychecks of the year, so Ahner's monthly pension includes a second deduction for the last nine months of the year to make up for the first quarter overage.

His pay in April and May: $379.

While the MPERS board has legal authority to take back any money that was wrongly paid to retirees, "we don't want to do it," Huxen said. "We want (them) to agree not to sue us.

"When you get sued for anything, it costs money. We're sorry that this happened and it did happen to a lot of good people, but we just want to start getting in compliance with the law and moving on."

Retirees who have jobs could lose pensions all together

Two retirees whose pensions were reduced have sued to keep their full 100 percent disability pensions. A former Monroe Police Department officer lost his suit, Huxen said. Bailes won his suit in the 19th Judicial District Court, in Baton Rouge, but MPERS appealed the ruling and it is currently on hold while a higher court scrutinizes the case. In the meantime, MPERS has already cut Bailes' pension.

According to Huxen, both Ahner and Bailes are also in jeopardy of losing more of their already-cut pension because they each hold jobs. Huxen said the state's rules indicate that if a person receiving disability pension has an outside income that exceeds the amount of their final average compensation, the pension is reduced one dollar for every dollar of outside income that exceeds the pension amount. In 2007, Huxen said, the MPERS board adopted a resolution that exempted retirees receiving 100 percent disability pensions from the outside income rule. That was also a legal error, Huxen said, and to correct that mistake, the board last year adopted a policy getting rid of that exemption.

Ahner works as a quality assurance inspector for the Louisiana National Guard, confirmed Col. John Dunlap III with the agency. Because his income from that job is more than double what his 40 percent pension would be, if the board chooses to enforce that rule he will receive no pension, Ahner said.

Ahner said he has kept in communication with MPERS over the years to ensure any employment he had would not affect his pension, and this is the first time it resulted in a reduced pension benefit.

"No way I would have allowed secondary employment to force me to lose my pension. I would not have even risked that," Ahner said. He was always told the only job he couldn't have was that of a police officer, he said.

Bailes is employed by Caldwell Bank, where he works at what he called "a desk job." Before that, he worked a desk job for the local district attorney's office. Bailes said when he worked for the DA's office, he asked MPERS if it would affect his pension, and he was advised that the only job he was not allowed to have was that of a police officer.

Facing the loss of most or all of his disability pension, Bailes said, stings all the more because the job he really wants - a Monroe police officer -- is the one he can no longer perform.

"It wouldn't be so bad, but I worked hard at what I did and it just about killed me to leave the job that I had," Bailes said. "I have never been so humiliated in all my life. I am going to lose my house. All I ever did was try to provide for my family."

What has made matters worse, the retired officers said, is what they characterize as the way MPERS has handled the situation.

"They made it adversarial from day one," Ahner said, citing an email Huxen sent to some state legislators stating that the purpose of disability retirement income is "generally" to replace lost income because the retiree lost the ability to work, "not general compensation for injuries suffered or for you to live in a fancy house and drive a Mercedes." Ahner's wife, Jennifer, is an attorney and drives a Mercedes SUV.

"My wife's professional work, what she earns, what she does for our family, should have no bearing on anybody's thought processes (regarding his pension)," Ahner said.

Huxen said his reference to a Mercedes in the email to senators was not a specific reference to Ahner, but added, "If the shoe fits, he has to wear it."

"(Ahner) thinks he's entitled to work for the National Guard and then also receive his disability benefit," Huxen added. "The general point is, this is not what these benefits are for. I think that's very relevant."

Bailes said his wife is a licensed practical nurse but was in school to obtain her registered nursing license when his pension was cut. She was forced to leave school and go back to work, he said. He has one child left in college, he said, and he took the job at the bank to hopefully stop their family from losing their home. The bank job, however, may cause him to lose all of his pension.

Carter said there are "many moving parts" to the dispute, but in general, he believes officers injured in the line of duty are deserving of special accommodation.

"No peace officer ... who protects us should find themselves in a position where they're injured in the line of duty and not adequately cared for after the fact," he said.

Carter said he will look to see what kind of legislative solution can "make people whole," again, but has asked Huxen to seek some "corrective action," until that time comes next year.

"Either way you slice this," Carter said, "this is a bad situation."
FLINT, MI -- A group of wannabe cops has been fooling police, firefighters and the public for years across Genesee County, according to law enforcement officials.

Now they are facing felony charges.

The group is accused of conducting false arrests of individuals they accused of committing crimes and even tricking real emergency responders at crime scenes.

"We believe that on some occasions, they were the first to show up on crime scenes," said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton. "On some occasions, the real police would ask them to perform tasks at the scene, not realizing they were imposters."

A group of people calling themselves the Genesee County Fire and EMS Media-Genesee County Task Force Blight Agency has been acting as police at locations that include county parks, house fires, vehicle crashes and other crime scenes, according to Kevin Shanlian, chief of the Genesee County Parks ranger division.

An investigation into the group was launched after Shanlian received a call about a complaint of rude rangers at Stepping Stone Falls and Picnic area in Genesee on Sept. 21, 2017.

He investigated the incident because the victims thought they were being mistreated by park rangers, but Shanlian soon learned the victims were actually dealing with the fake cops.

Ultimately, the investigation led to Leyton filing criminal charges.

Leyton authorized charges against three people on Wednesday, May 30, that include three counts of unlawful imprisonment and one count of impersonating a peace officer to commit a crime.

Emily Nicole Burrison, 27, of Burton, and Jeffrey Lee Jones, 29, of Flint, were arraigned on the charges Thursday, May 31, before Genesee District Judge David Goggins.

A third Flint man was charged in connection with the case and he was taken into custody while working at Cedar Point in Ohio. Investigators said he is being held at the Erie County Jail while awaiting extradition to Genesee County for arraignment on the charges.

Court records indicate there are five other co-defendants in the case, however, charges have not yet been filed against them.

The three individuals who are charged dressed like police officers and approached two people at Stepping Stone Falls and Picnic area, Leyton said.

The charged individuals said the people were trespassing, the park was closed and they were under arrest despite the fact the park was actually open, according to Leyton.

Both victims were handcuffed and the fake police demanded their driver's licenses. Information from the licenses was entered into a laptop inside the suspects' vehicle, which Leyton said had a police light bar on top of it.

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The victims were told they were being placed on a criminal watch list database, Leyton said, before getting the handcuffs taken off and receiving their licenses back.

"We believe they've done this to other people," Leyton said. "We're asking people to come forward if, in fact, they believe they've been victimized by people they don't believe are real police officers."

Leyton said the group kept a log and were responding to 911 calls.

Shanlian said there was a core group of about 10 people who were impersonating police since October 2015.

"I believe there's probably hundreds of victims who were actually detained and didn't have good experiences with these folks," Shanlian said.

However, the group was not always successful in their deception.

In one instance, the impersonators tried to get into a scene of a house fire in Mt. Morris Township, according to police Chief Terence Green.

But a real officer at the scene didn't let the people in, Green said.

"As far as I know, that incident was the only contact we had with that group," he said. "He would not allow them into the crime scene."

Green said people pretending to be officers is a safety hazard to the public and his plainclothes officers.

"It's a grave concern," he said. "It's very serious. People are going to question if (plainclothes officers) are legitimate because of these individuals who are illegitimate."

Shanlian said those who may have interacted with people impersonating police should call his office at 810-249-3830.

No court date for Burrison or Jones has been set.

"To me, this is serious stuff," Leyton said. "You can't run around pretending to be law enforcement. I don't know what these people were thinking."
Cameron Mack and his 4-year-old daughter Cali were shot to death outside their apartment in the 100 block of Joe Parquet Circle in LaPlace on Tuesday night (May 29). On Friday evening, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre and over a dozen of his deputies and detectives joined local clergy, members of the victims' family, and more than seventy-five people from the community for a prayer vigil at the scene of the murders.

People brought stuffed animals, candles and balloons to add to the growing memorial on the stairway where the father and daughter were gunned down as they returned home from grocery shopping. As the crowd assembled in the grassy courtyard for the vigil, St. John the Baptist Sheriff's deputies handed out dozens of pink balloons to the gathering.

Members of the local clergy took turns speaking, offering condolences to the Mack family and praying for both peace and for justice. At one point, a woman began to sing, leading the crowd in a spontaneous rendition of "Savior Don't Pass Me By." Sheriff Tregre closed out the prayer vigil by saying that the reward for information leading to an arrest for the killings was being doubled to $10,000.

Then, as one, the crowd released the balloons and several people broke down in tears, hugging one another before slowly walking away. Surrounded by family, Cameron Mack's aunt Torey Calhoun took a moment to remember her nephew, "He had a big heart. He loved his family, he liked to laugh and have fun, and have a good time, too. He wasn't a monster." Of Cameron's daughter, Calhoun added, "Cali didn't deserve this ... she had a great smile, her parents loved her, and she had her whole life ahead."

Sheriff Tregre provided an update about the investigation, saying that earlier in the week a male had threatened Cameron Mack as he walked with his two daughters in the neighborhood.

"That individual threatened Mr. Mack with a handgun. That subject is now in custody." The sheriff added, "He may or may not be involved in this. I'm not going to do or say anything that would jeopardize this case because I want a conviction."
Step inside the 11,000-square-foot Pythian Market Food Hall, which opened Thursday (May 31) in the Central Business District, and you might find old favorites tucked beside new flavors. The 14 food vendors at the market come from throughout the New Orleans area.

Central City BBQ is dishing out brisket. Across the way, another Central City restaurant, 14 Parishes, is serving jerk chicken and rice. Take a few steps down and dig into bahn mi from Eat Well, the Canal Street convenience store with excellent Vietnamese food. (Get it spicy!)

The collection of restaurants sits inside a historic Loyola Avenue building with a rich history. It was built in 1908 by the Grand Lodge Colored Knights of Pythias, an African-American fraternal organization, which was a hot meeting place for black residents. It had a rooftop theater where Louis Armstrong once played and civil rights leaders, such as leaders A.P. Tureaud and his wife Lucille Dejoie met.

Later, the building housed Higgins Industries, which manufactured the landing crafts for the D-Day invasion.

The dining area has an industrial feel, with exposed beams and pipes and floor to ceiling that let in lots of light. The seating area includes stools and counter tops and plenty of plug-ins for laptops.

"This is a place where we want people to come and hang out. It used to be a gathering place in the 1920s and we want it to be that again," said Alessandra Madrid, marketing manager, noting that there is free WiFi, too.

The tagline a "food hall for all" captures both the international selection of food vendors and that the offerings should appeal to adults and children, folks who just want a snack and a cocktail and those looking for a full meal, she said. Grab-and-go options are available as well.

On opening day, the vendors included:

14 Parishes: The restaurant, started by two brothers from Jamaica, adds this location.

Bar 1908: A full-service bar with craft cocktails, local beers and frozen drinks.

Central City BBQ: Dining critic Brett Anderson says the Central City restaurant is making the best barbecue in the city.

Cru: Raw and cooked seafood, with wine and cocktails

Eat Well: The family-owned Canal Street convenience store, Eat-Well Food Mart, gets second location with a small menu of its Vietnamese food.

Fete au Fete: Creole and Cajun dishes from the food truck folks. Check out the fried chicken and cathead biscuits.

Frencheeze: Grilled cheese as the food-truck gets a brick and mortar spot.

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Kai's: Hawaiian-style poke bowls, sushi and vegetarian dishes.

La Cocinita: The Latin American cuisine food truck brings its empanadas and arepas.

Poulet: Rotisserie chicken -- "naked" or with sauces as well as salads and wraps.

Roustabout Coffee Co.: Hot and cold coffees and teas, plus pastries.

Squeezed: Juices and smoothies and vegan dishes.

Meribo Pizza, an Italian restaurant in Covington, will open June 8. Little Fig, an off-shoot of 1,000 Figs on Ponce De Leon in New Orleans, is set to open in mid-June.

Lisa Brefere's food service development firm, Gigachef, was tapped to run the market portion of the nine-story, mixed used development, which also includes offices and 69 apartments. It features an all-female management team led by Amy Chan, who grew up in her family's Chinese restaurant Chan's Far East in Marrero, and later worked at Sucre and Dinner Lab.

The project was developed by Green Coast Enterprises in partnership with the Crescent City Community Land Trust and ERG Enterprises, a New Orleans investment firm.

Pythian is the latest food hall to open in New Orleans. St. Roch Market opened in 2015, with the same owners opening Auction House Market, began serving food in March in the Warehouse District.

Opened: May 31.

On the menu: The wide variety of dishes from 14 vendors include wine and craft cocktails, empanadas, barbecue, raw seafood, smoothies, poke and Vietnamese food....

Need to know: The mural of civil rights leaders A.P. Tureaud and Lucille Dejoie, who met on the building's rooftop theater in the 1920s, was painted by Brandan Odums. Find it near Eat Well.

Hours: Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Pythian Market Food Hall: 234 Loyola Ave., New Orleans, 504.605.0414
Ray Gruezke, the chef and owner of Rue 127 New American Bistro, will close his intimate restaurant on North Carrollton Avenue on Saturday (June 2) and turn his attention full time to smoking meats.

The restaurant, tucked inside an 1800s shotgun in Mid-City, opened in 2010 and earned praise for its food in a three-bean review from critic Brett Anderson in 2011.

In 2016, Gruezke opened Frey Smoked Meat Co., a barbecue restaurant a few blocks away on Bienville Street. The chef began exploring barbecuing while competing in the Hogs for the Cause festival and competition. In 2014, his team, also called Frey Smoked Meat Co., won top honors for its ribs.

"I just need to concentrate my effort," Gruezke said on Friday evening. He alerted his staff to the closing weeks ago, he said. Some of the employees will move over to Frey; some will move on to other jobs, he said.

Gruezke hinted that he may have a few other irons in the fire, but did not elaborate.

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The Bienville Street restaurant takes its name from Andreas Frey, a 19th century French Quarter sausage-maker, who was Gruezke's great great grandfather. (For those who love Rue 127's mac and cheese, take heart, Frey serves four variations.)

Gruezke is a New Orleans native who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He's worked in various restaurants, including Commander's Palace and as a sous chef under Jimmy Corwell when he was at the now-shuttered Le Foret.

Rue 127: 127 N. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, 504.483.1571

Frey Smoked Meat Co.: 4141 Bienville St., New Orleans, 504.488.7427
A new poll from Tulane University's Cowen Institute found a majority of residents think charter schools have improved public education in New Orleans, but many still think the system is average overall.

The poll, titled "2018 Perceptions of Public Education in New Orleans," features responses from 700 residents, including 450 parents of public and private school students. Researchers stated the survey was conducted by phone in March and April 2018, and the residents were selected randomly from the latest list of registered voters in New Orleans.

Among those polled, 61 percent felt charter schools are improving public education in the city, compared to 17 percent who disagreed. A similar poll last year found 63 percent of people thought charter schools improved public education.

Among the 340 public school parents surveyed, 70 percent of them believed charter schools improved education, compared to only 50 percent of those without children. When every respondent was asked to grade the city's overall school quality, however, 43 percent gave the system a C grade while 22 percent gave it a B.

Roughly 18 percent rated the system with a "D," 5 percent gave it an "F," and only 2 percent of residents gave it an "A."

New Orleans schools have undergone a radical change since 2005, which was the last time most students attended traditional public schools in New Orleans. Researchers stated the highly decentralized system now has more than 90 percent of its students enrolled in charter schools managed by non-governmental groups and nonprofits.

Supporters of the new system draw attention to data that shows schools have improved after Orleans Parish continued to earn failing grades from the Louisiana Department of Education prior to 2005. Critics say the improvements are not enough and have slammed school leaders for the increase of "D" and "F" schools in New Orleans. The parish currently has a "C" letter grade for its school system.

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The Cowen poll suggests the school performance scores matter a lot to parents. Sixty-four percent stated they knew the letter grade of their child's school, and 57 percent said the letter grade influenced their school selection decision. Approximately 55 percent of respondents stated they continue to support the city's open enrollment system.

The city's school landscape is unlike anywhere else nationwide, which has attracted countless researchers to the city to observe how the system pans out for the community. The poll released by the Cowen Institute is the ninth poll published by the researchers.

Cowen researchers point out that the poll includes "a deliberate overrepresentation of parents." The report stated this was done to provide researchers with a "better understand the opinions of those who are directly interacting with and participating in the public and private education systems in the city."

The poll also provides findings on post-secondary success and the upcoming unification of Recovery School District and Orleans Parish School Board schools. The full report can be read online.

. . . . . . .

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.
A Bogalusa woman was killed and a Ponchatoula man sustained serious injuries in a head-on collision in rural St. Tammany Parish Friday (June 1), authorities said.

Louisiana State Police said the crash occurred on Louisiana 21, just north of Louisiana 1084 in the Waldheim community around 1 p.m.

State Police said Bryant Scott Tanner, 28, of Ponchatoula, was driving a pickup truck southbound on Louisiana 21 and the preliminary investigation shows his vehicle crossed the centerline coming out of a curve. State Police said Tanner's pickup crashed head-on into a northbound Honda CRV driven by Judith F. Jenkins, 71, of Bogalusa.

Despite being properly restrained, Jenkins was killed in the crash, State Police said. The St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office pronounced Jenkins dead at the scene.

Tanner was transported by Acadian Air-Med to an area hospital with critical injuries, State Police said.

State Police said the investigation is ongoing and any potential charges are pending the investigation results.
In 2008 my oldest son and I were in Italy and one highlight of our trip was a visit to the lovely towered city of San Gimignano.

It was my second visit

there

and,

as we hiked our way to the

top

of the city

I hoped against hope that the same musician who I

'd

photographed

5 years before

would be there still.

O

f course this didnt happen, but my imagination brought him back to life and I described it

all

to my son.
Six days after a fiery, multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 12 near Covington, authorities said Friday (June 1) that they have positively identified an 80-year-old Texas truck driver as the last of the four people who died as a result of the wreck.

The St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Officer said the agency used its in-house DNA lab to identify Elmer J. Laporte of Edinburg, Texas.

"We located Mr. Laporte's family in Pennsylvania and arranged for collection and shipment of DNA samples," Coroner Charles Preston said in a news release Friday. "Those samples arrived yesterday, and by this afternoon we were able to confirm Laporte's identity. We continue to remember those killed in the wreck and their families, and appreciate the hard work of our investigators and DNA technicians in confirming this identification quickly."

Laporte was driving an 18-wheeler that crashed into other vehicles that had slowed due to heavy traffic congestion on eastbound I-12 at Louisiana 21 Saturday afternoon (May 26), State Police said. Other crashes followed that first one, with several of the vehicles bursting into flames.

Ten vehicles were involved in the series of crashes. Three people died at the scene; the fourth died later at a hospital. Several more people were transported to area hospitals or treated at the scene for their injuries. The highway was closed for several hours as personnel from numerous agencies in St. Tammany worked the scene.

On Thursday, Preston's office said Dr. Charles Foy, the agency's forensic odontologist, had used dental records to positively identify two other victims, Yolanda Simmons, 44, and Keland Simmons, 24, of Baton Rouge. Another victim who died, Rachel Lehmann, 63, of Mandeville, was visually identified by a family member, Preston said.
Up to 150,000 households who otherwise wouldnt qualify  including some with six-figure salaries  are expected to apply for food stamps as qualifications are relaxed to help in the recovery from Hurricane Ida.
Jesse Duplantis, the Destrehan-based prosperity gospel televangelist, raised eyebrows across the United States when he told followers he wanted a jet that costs $54 million. But in a new message he says he's not asking them to pay for it, only "to believe with me."

"I've never raised money for the plane," Duplantis says. "I put it in our magazine and said, 'Believe God with me.' There's a vast difference between 'believe in God' and asking for money.

"Now it takes money to run anything; that's common sense. But the Lord told me many years ago ... 'You don't need to raise money for this. This will just come.'"

Duplantis says his 40-year-old ministry has reached 106 million U.S. households and 2.9 billion people worldwide. Among the Jesse Duplantis Ministries' holdings in Destrehan are Covenant Church and what the St. Charles Herald-Guide has described as a 34,986-square foot house with 25 rooms and two double-car garages.

In his "This Week With Jesse" video posted May 21, Duplantis said he is eyeing a Dassault Falcon 7X, a three-engine jet with a range of 5,950 nautical miles. The list price for a new one is $54 million.

After Christian Post published a story about the solicitation, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and national news outlets followed up with their own. That generated what Duplantis says was a big response, some of it negative.

"I'm not depressed. I'm not discouraged," he says in a new video, titled, "Special Message From Jesse." "In fact, I am excited. I have never had this much press in my life."

Others have been supportive, he said: "I have to say that there's a lot of people have called me and said, 'I want to get involved in that new plane you're believing for. I say, 'Well, that's up to you, but I never asked you for it.

"'And there's nothing wrong with asking you for it. That's not the issue. But I didn't because I'm following the direction that the Lord told me.'

"I've raised money for a lot of things, and there's nothing wrong with that because religious organizations do that. I'm not asking you to pay for my plane. ... I'm believing, and I want you to believe with me."

. . . . . . .

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.
State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo has said Ugandas youth should be helped acquire proper skills to make them competitive on job market.

We cannot overcome poverty in Uganda without empowering 80 per cent of the countrys population who are young people below 35 years. All efforts and resources shall continue to be committed towards this cause and ensure that we also invite more partners to work with government, he said.

State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo

Muyingo said this on May 9 during the launch of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) training project at Datamine Technical Business School in Kampala. The CNC aims at skilling the youth in computer technology.

The government, through Private Sector Foundation, donated Shs 769 million towards the building of the laboratory where the CNC machine will be stored, training of the trainers for the project and training of students.

The institute principal, Deo Nyanzi, said the machine will be used in training students to accurately cut and shape all kind of metal, plastics and wood by using computer commands.

It has a lot of safe measures since it uses computer commands. CNC machines are electro-mechanical devices that manipulate machine shop tools using computer programming inputs, he said.

Muyingo said the government has set out a massive skilling programme for youth to help them acquire job skills and make them more productive in modern technology.

As government, we are encouraged by the efforts towards turning Datamine Technical Business School into a CNC technicians and operators certifying centre. In order to make our youths marketable, they need to be certified to levels that make them compete at the global scale, he said.

Gideon Badagawa, the executive director, Private Sector Foundation Uganda, advised the students to respect their jobs and all people at work.

The chairman of the institutes board, Michael Mwebe, said: We appreciate the realisation of government and its local and international partners for engendering strategic partnerships in promotion of technical, business and vocational training in the country. We shall use this partnership to enhance the relevance of skilling Uganda as a key deliverable for youth in Uganda.

He said every year they graduate over 500 youths who are oriented to the requirements of the job market.
Eleven large business groups in Armenia, including the Yerevan City supermarket chain owned by MP Aleksanyans family, and SAS Group, owned by MP Artak Sargsyans family, have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan asking for a meeting to discuss their concerns regarding the governments recent crackdown on tax and other business infractions.

Welcoming the governments initiative to bring business into the realm of legality, they name several issues to be discussed. Particularly, they raise the issue of a prior agreement with the State Revenue Committee (SRC), resulting in many of them registering hundreds of dummy private entrepreneurs to pay 5% turnover tax instead of 20% for agricultural products.

The businesses complain that the State Revenue Committee has already collected the bulk of their profit tax on the sale of agricultural items, and that the SRC is now demanding an additional 20%tax payment on previous turnoverthey never realized.

They threaten the government with increased imports of agricultural product from abroad, which would harm the local market, and note that they employ 10,000 people and their jobs are endangered.

At the end of the letter, the businesses propose that the prime minister initiate legislative solutions to resolve this issue.

Later in the evening, Prime Minister Pashinyan, posted a reply to the letter in his Facebook page, calling on consumers to boycott the robbers and the corrupt, who want to prove with artificial increases that illegality is better than lawfulness.

Earlier this week, the NSS found out huge infractions in Alex Holding, which operates the Yerevan City supermarket chain. According to preliminary estimates, the total turnover with 461 dummy private entrepreneurs, registered for this chain only, totaled more than 40 billion drams, while they paid 2% of turnover profit instead of 20%.
PARIS - Alice Amono could not hide her excitement when her outfit was displayed last week during the Africa Week exhibition at the Unesco headquarters in Paris, France.

The outfit was also part of the fashion showcase during the opening night as part of a series of events leading up to the Africa Day celebrated world over, last Friday.

L-R: Stella Atal, Mathieu Buard and Alice Amono

The outfit was born out of a collaboration with Paris-based Ugandan fashion designer Stella Atal. It combined bark cloth and conventional fabric to create a fusion of Ugandas oldest material with what is current in.

Amonos story started in Katwe, Uganda, at Records Fashion School. She was part of this years edition of Fashion Camp, a brainchild of Atal, the French embassy in Uganda and Talent Africa, held during the France Uganda Friendship week.

The camp focused on sharing techniques between a team of students from the French fashion school Ecole Duperre and their Ugandan counterparts.

Atal and Amonos collaborative outfit on the runway in Paris

Amonos creation from the workshop took the day and she was sent to Paris to see and learn how things are done at Duperre in the worlds fashion capital, Paris. Amono described her stay at Duperre and interacting with the students and lecturers as highly educative.

I arrived at a time when the students were very busy preparing for their showcases. What I learnt is that a lot of focus and time goes into researching each outfit or collection before it hits the runway, she said.

Mathieu Buard, the head of the Design department at the school, also observed the same during the visit to Uganda. He told The Observer his students learnt simplicity during their stay in Uganda.

He emphasized the need for students studying fashion to be placed with established fashion houses for internship. Amono, who is now back in Uganda, plans to find placement at one of the fashion houses in Uganda before moving on to start her own line.

baragasam@gmail.com
PARIS  Uganda stood tall at this years edition of Africa Week held at the Unesco headquarters in Paris, France.

The Africa Week was initiated as part of the celebration of World Africa Day (May 25). This day marks the commemoration of the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, now AU) on May 25, 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the patronage of Emperor Haile Selassie.

Designer Stella Atal (R), model Judith Heard (C) and another Ugandan model showcased for the motherland

Lined up were concerts, film screenings, exhibitions and roundtable debates from Tuesday, May 22 to the grand finale on Friday. One of the biggest attractions through the week was the bazaar and exhibition where Uganda stood out with her stall right at the entrance.

While the positioning was good, the setup was even better. Bark cloth was at the centre of it all with outfits by designer Stella Atal and wall hangings and other artifacts by Ugandas embassy in France.

Judith Heard and Stella Atal at the UNESCO headquarters

Guests stopped to ask about the music instruments, coffee and the groundnuts being exhibited and the banners showcasing Ugandas rich flora and fauna.

Many of them were astonished to discover that half of the worlds population of mountain gorillas lives in Uganda. That one of their homes is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park, a Unesco world heritage site, was an added bonus.

Speaking to The Observer, the head of mission, Ambassador Richard Nduhura said Uganda is seizing such opportunities with both hands to market the country and strategically place herself for tourism, trade and investment.

This comes at a time when Uganda has become a member of the World Heritage Committee and the ambassador revealed that plans are already underway to add five items from Uganda on the UNESCO world heritage list.

The opening night also had music and fashion showcases from countries including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Burundi, DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Cape Verde.

Atal and Amonos collaborative outfit on the runway in Paris

Guests had a taste of Congos Sapeurs (the elegant and tastemaker elites) dances from Ethiopia and Cape Verde and a fashion show from Uganda showcasing the bark cloth collection.

Taking centre stage was an outfit made out of collaboration between Atal and Alice Amono, a budding fashion designer sponsored by the French embassy in Uganda for an exchange programme at Ecole Duperre in Paris.

Ugandan socialite Judith Heard led the models representing Uganda, which came third in the My African Heritage Online competition that according to Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, Unescos assistant director-general for Culture, is a way of involving youth to safeguard their heritage.

barangasam@gmail.com
Ugandan government yesterday donated foodstuff to flood-affected families in Golwayn in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region.



The lorry-loads of assorted food consisting of rice, wheat flour, sugar, cooking oil and milk, were delivered through the Ugandan AMISOM contingent. Uganda's deputy ambassador to Somalia, Maj Gen Nathan Mugisha flagged off the food convoy.





"Uganda is not only here to do the security part only. We feel sympathetic with the people and we join the wider international community in bringing rescue to especially the displaced communities of Golwayn who have been displaced by the enemy into IDP camps; but now have been displaced again by the flooding River Shabelle," Gen Mugisha said while handing over the donation to Golwayn elders.



According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, the flooding has affected more than 750,000 people with more than 229,000 displaced. Communities most affected by the flooding stay along the Shabelle and Jubba rivers. "Uganda is not only here to do the security part only. We feel sympathetic with the people and we join the wider international community in bringing rescue to especially the displaced communities of Golwayn who have been displaced by the enemy into IDP camps; but now have been displaced again by the flooding River Shabelle," Gen Mugisha said while handing over the donation to Golwayn elders.According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, the flooding has affected more than 750,000 people with more than 229,000 displaced. Communities most affected by the flooding stay along the Shabelle and Jubba rivers.

The flooding, caused by the unusually heavy rains, has also led to fatalities and damage to infrastructure. Ambassador Mugisha called for more support from other well-wishers, to the flood-affected families.



Brig Paul Lokech, the Uganda contingent commander noted that the flooding had also adversely impacted on agriculture and movement of persons. He said some of the displaced families had sought shelter and safety near the AMISOM military defences.

"The areas where the people should be farming are all flooded. There is no productive activity taking place," explained Brig Lokech. Sultan Warsame Alio Ibrow, an elder and chief of Golwayn who received the food donation expressed gratitude to the Ugandan government and AMISOM for the assistance and called for more humanitarian interventions to assist affected families.



"There is no area that has not been affected by the floods in areas with close proximity to River Jubba and River Shabelle. Some people who have fled from villages in Lower Shabelle including Gaburow, Bulla Sheikh, Madulow up to Janaale areas, are now squatting in Golwayn, as internally displaced," Sultan said.



The elder estimated that at least 750 displaced families from other regions had moved to Golwayn in search of food and shelter.
The government of newly elected Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has given the economy top billing in its 29-page policy paper, presented to the parliament for final approval, but those looking for specifics may feel shortchanged.

The portion of the paper dealing with the economy is entitled Continuous Economic Development, but the reader will not find many quantifiable target objectives.

Instead, what we do come across is what the government describes as the social effect of economic development and how increased employment will help overcome poverty in Armenia.

What we dont see is the government promising to reduce poverty rates by a certain number of percentage points.

Reviewing the policy paper, this reporter noticed a lack of clarity in many areas. However, we must note that while past governments made specific promises to tackle a host of problems facing Armenia and presented a number of detailed targeted approaches to resolve them, such promises mostly remained on paper.

Drafting a policy agenda for the future is fine, but if the political will to take the steps necessary to achieve the specified aims is lacking, then all is for naught.

Another observation I think needs to be made is that the bulk of the citizenry isnt interested in knowing what this or that government is presenting as a plan of action, but rather measure a governments success by the degree to which their own lives have improved; they want tangible results.

Pashinyans government argues that its vital to ensure a level playing field and deal with business monopolies in order to achieve its stated goal of continuous economic development, arguing that the economic stagnation of the past two decades has mostly been caused by a lack of fair market competition.

The government says it has to quickly examine the tax payment records of large businesses to ascertain what their tax arrears are, if any, then to work out a mutually acceptable resolution with each company.

It appears that the government wants to level the playing field by making certain that businesses, especially the big ones, pay their fair share of tax.

The government specifically states that while it will not engage in political or economic harassment regarding the tax payment infractions, it will forcefully uphold that law and the nations interests.

The policy paper also offers several ways to tackle the much talked about problem of black market business in Armenia.

In this regard, the government says its vital to create a stable and predictable tax environment, the continual improvement of the business climate, the introduction of the concept of paying taxes voluntarily, without coercion, and active work in the field of international tax relations.

The other section of policy papers economic section is entitled The Social Effect of Economic Development; Increased Employment, Overcoming Poverty.

In it, the government says its necessary to implement a model of economic development and distribution of created value that allows each citizen to personally experience the results of economic growth.

The policy paper also underlines the role of small and medium sized businesses in spurring overall economic growth and says the government will take steps to remove obstacles in this regard.

The government has reaffirmed the three main sectors it believes are vital for economic development in Armenia  cutting edge technology, agriculture and tourism.
El coleccionista de instantes, via Wikimedia Commons

By Amy Wang | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Oregons literary scene flourishes all year round, but theres no time like summer to enjoy a few books. Here are 14 titles worth taking along on your next trip to the coast, the mountains or your backyard.

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Author photo: Kelly Searle

"And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready"

By Meaghan OConnell (Little, Brown and Company, 240 pages, $26)

The fantasy were sold about motherhood: A natural delivery, a fully supportive partner, a baby who sleeps regularly, a body that bounces back. The reality: Portland writer Meaghan OConnells yank-down-the-nursery-curtains, burn-the-nursing-bra account of her unplanned pregnancy and its aftermath. Finally, someone tells it like it really is.

Author appearance: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, Powells City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside St.

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"Every Other Weekend"

By Zulema Renee Summerfield (Little, Brown and Company, 288 pages, $13.99)

Portland author Zulema Renee Summerfields debut novel centers on a young California girl, Nenny, who imagines all manner of frightening fallout in the year following her parents divorce. Then something horrible does happen, and Nenny discovers that sometimes her imagination isnt and cant be the refuge it seems.

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"The Gospel of Trees: A Memoir"

By Apricot Irving (Simon & Schuster, 384 pages, $26)

Oregon author Apricot Irving was the oldest daughter of a white missionary couple who went to Haiti to protect its people from damnation and deforestation. Irving looks back on this effort with honesty, sympathy and apology in this coming-of-age story and cautionary tale that deftly blends memoir, reportage and commentary.

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"Homing Instincts"

By Dionisia Morales (Oregon State University Press, 168 pages, $19.95)

In our hyper-mobile society, how do we define home? In this collection of 14 thoughtful, earnest essays, Corvallis writer Dionisia Morales explores, to use her phrases, the geography of lives, internal compasses and the effect of place on the body, through topics as disparate as rock climbing, beekeeping and pregnancy.

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"I Want a Real Bike In Oregon"

By Eric A. Kimmel (Graphic Arts Books, 32 pages, $17.99)

Whatever your childs preferred two-wheel ride, Portland author Eric A. Kimmel has you covered with this delightful picture book that also serves as a bucket list for Oregon bicycle experiences. Parents will find helpful tips for choosing a childs first bike at the back of the book.

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Author photo: Patricia Sauthoff

"Live Work Work Work Die: A Journey Into the Savage Heart of Silicon Valley"

By Corey Pein (Metropolitan Books, 320 pages, $28)

Portland journalist Corey Pein unpacks, among other things, what really attracts venture capital and what some of techs key players  a few overconfident rich guys with  a shocking disregard for history, politics, language, and culture  really think about the rest of us. Its not a cheery read, but its an important one.

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"The Lucky Ones"

By Tiffany Reisz (Mira Books, 368 pages, $15.99)

As a child, Allison was hurt in her Oregon foster home and taken to Indiana. Thirteen years later, shes had no contact with her foster family  then she gets a letter that pulls her back to Oregon. Onetime Oregon resident Tiffany Reiszs latest novel is packed with secrets, suspense and sex.

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"Rewind"

By Carolyn ODoherty (Boyds Mills Press, 256 pages, $17.95)

Portlands streets are no place for spinners, unless theyre helping the police solve crimes. Portland author Carolyn ODoherty makes her fiction debut with this action-packed first title in a young adult trilogy about teens who can rewind time thanks to unique blood chemistry  and who may be more powerful than they realize.

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Author photo: Andie Petkus Photogr

aphy

"The River By Starlight"

By Ellen Notbohm (She Writes Press, 344 pages, $16.95)

The one thing Annie Rushton can't leave behind when she moves to Montana is the postpartum depression that destroyed her marriage, and that in 1911 is barely understood. Oregon author Ellen Notbohms mesmerizing debut novel features a woman fighting to keep her head above heartache in a world questioning her worthiness.

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"Shunned: How I Lost My Religion and Found Myself"

By Linda A. Curtis (She Writes Press, 320 pages, $16.95)

Portland native Linda A. Curtis describes in this memoir how she was raised as a Jehovahs Witness, with beliefs she never questioned until adulthood. When she began doubting whether non-Witnesses were truly damned, she faced a most unwelcome choice: Return to the church or lose her family.

Author appearance: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 28, Annie Blooms Books, 7834 S.W. Capitol Highway.

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Author photo: Benjamin Brink/2001

"Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing"

By Ursula K. Le Guin and David Naimon (Tin House, 150 pages $14.95)

One emerges from Ursula K. Le Guin's writing more alert to the world and its possibilities, and that remains the case with this book, drawn from dialogues between the late Portland author and the host of the local podcast Between the Covers. Included, delightfully, are several Le Guin poems and excerpts.

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"The Verdun Affair"

By Nick Dybek (Scribner, 304 pages, $27)

Oregon author Nick Dybeks pensive new novel centers on a man, a woman and a lie in World War I Europe and 1950s California. Dybeks protagonist is an orphan without ties, free to project his life in any direction he chooses  but he cant choose where the lie takes him.

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"Where the Watermelons Grow"

Portlands Cindy Baldwin sprinkles a little magical realism into her engrossing middle grade novel about a 12-year-old girl struggling to cope with her mothers mental illness. Della awakens one night to find Mama obsessing over watermelon seeds and fears the worst: that Mamas schizophrenia is getting the upper hand again.

Author appearance: 7 p.m. Monday, July 9, Powells Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 S.W. Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton

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Author photo: Josh Tillinghast

"Wonderland"

By Matthew Dickman (W.W. Norton, 96 pages, $26.95)

Poet Matthew Dickman revisits the Southeast Portland of his youth in his latest collection. Its familiar territory, but he continues to mine it effectively for new-old truths, as in For Ian Sullivan Upon Joining the Eastside White Pride: Like there/was nothing you wouldnt do. But you are afraid (stomp)/of everything/of everything/of everything.

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Need more summer reading ideas?

Browse Douglas Perry's 2018 summer reading suggestions, ranging from thrillers to true-life comedy to biography.

Try one of the titles honored at the 2018 Oregon Book Awards.

Check out something by Kim Stafford, recently named Oregon's ninth poet laureate.

Or consider one of our recently reviewed titles:

'Chosen Country' revisits Malheur refuge occupation from journalist's perspective

Story collection about rural West focuses on alienation and rebellion

In 'Parts Per Million,' Portland author admires, hopes to inspire activism

'Kicks' gives us a lively, engaging history of the sneaker
Sharon Sullivan came with photos of her favorite uncle who played on the Albina Shipyards softball team.

Alice Turowski lovingly removed a picture of her mom from a frame she keeps in her dining room and brought it with her to the library.

Dick Groat, who scours expo shows and antique malls to collect old photos of Portland, came with "a little bit of everything."

They were among the first to arrive at the Hollywood Branch of the Multnomah County Library on Friday to have their treasured old black and white photographs scanned for a new picture book featuring life in 1950s Portland.

The book being produced by The Oregonian/OregonLive will be called "Rose City Rising  Portland Memories III: A Pictorial History of the 1950s."

That's a long title. But fitting.

The 1950s marked a time of transformation for Portland. That was when the old electric trolley lines were torn out. The one-way street grid system was established downtown, the Morrison Bridge opened and Portland elected its first woman mayor. It's also when the zoo moved to its current location and Memorial Coliseum construction got underway.

Our heirloom-quality picture book will cover the growth of a booming city, the lost neighborhoods as downtown was redeveloped, Oregon Centennial celebrations and much more.

On Friday, a steady stream of Portlanders showed up in the early going of our first photo scanning session.

Each filled out caption sheets and handed over their old photos. An attendant donning cotton gloves carefully placed them inside a black Epson scanner. About a minute later they were ready to be part of the book and returned to their rightful owner.

There's still time to contribute. The next scanning session will be today. Two more will happen next week.

Alice Turowski, 90, a lifelong Portland resident and former school teacher, brought two photos to be scanned for The Oregonian/OregonLive's latest history book.

We've done two history books so far ("Portland Memories  The Early Years" and "Portland Memories  The 1940s). Each book has featured hundreds of photographs from our archives, as well as from our partners at the Oregon Historical Society, the city of Portland Archives and the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.

But we've also relied heavily on our readers.

Groat has contributed photos from his collection in both of the previous history books. He brought eight pictures with him on Friday.

The first photo he showed me was taken at the long gone Jolly Joan Restaurant on Broadway.

"In our teens, we used to go there a lot," said Groat, 77. "The food was good. It was a nice place to hang out."

He thinks it's great that The Oregonian/OregonLive is making these lasting memories.

"The city has changed so much," said Groat, who has lived in Portland for 70 years. "You drive by places and all of a sudden, it's gone."

Our first two books included about 300 photos each. Scores of them have come from people like Groat, Sullivan and Turowski.

To get them, we've set up tables at libraries and meeting spaces, alerted the public and hoped they would take the time to dig into their boxes in the attic or thumb through photo albums to find pictures that we can feature in our book.

The scanning process is simple and painless. All we ask is that you bring original photos to one of the three remaining scanning sessions. The photos will never leave your sight. We'll scan them, take down basic information and then hand back the pictures to you.

Here's what we want: We're looking for general interest photos taken in Portland between 1950 and 1959 that highlight our economy and growth, our transportation network, our city landscape, our schools and civic life. We prefer original pictures. Newspaper clippings or photo copies just don't reproduce well enough for a glossy coffee table book. We do limit 10 photos per family.

We are starting the production phase now on our 1950s book and expect to have the book completed in time for the holiday season.

Turowski is 90. She's lived in Portland for exactly that many years. She brought two photos on Friday  one of them shows her mom sending a big package at a downtown post office back to her family in Poland. The package is wrapped carefully in twine in every direction imaginable.

"She did that on a regular basis," said Turowski, a former school teacher who spent most of her career teaching at Abernethy Elementary. "She put all that string on there to make sure it got there safely."

Sullivan keeps the photos of her uncle in a big black family album in the library of her North Portland home  a 1902 Victorian that's listed as a historical landmark. Like Groat and Turowski, she has contributed photos to previous Portland Memories books.

"Hopefully some of the younger people will pick up the book and see what this place was like," Sullivan said.



-- Mark Katches

@markkatches



Here are the remaining scanning sessions:



Date: Saturday, June 2



Time: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.



Where: Multnomah County Library (St Johns Branch)



7510 N. Charleston Avenue, Portland





Date: Wednesday, June 6



Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.



Where: Dunthorpe Marketing Group Inc.



8825 SE 11th Avenue, Portland





Date: Wednesday June 6



Time: 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.



Where: Multnomah County Library (Capitol Hill Branch)



10723 SW Capitol Highway, Portland








Portland Heights was a new status address in the late 1800s. Today, the band of land at the base of Washington Park is still packed with Colonial Revival to Craftsman trophy homes designed by the city's star architects.

In the beginning, access to the once-remote area was made easier by cable cars and a trestle, followed by paved roads and the Vista Bridge. Land prices then zoomed to $10,000 an acre by 1910.

Portland Heights continues to be the location of some of the most expensive residential properties in the city.

In this week's real estate gallery, we look at homes for sale or recently sold in Portland Heights.

A lot has changed in 133 years since the clapboard-wrapped Nicholas-Lang House at 2030 SW Vista Ave. was completed. The Victorian-era landmark, considered the oldest mansion to survive in Portland Heights, is for sale at $2.65 million.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is a three-level, contemporary-style house, built in 2002, that sits on top of Portland Heights at 4183 SW Greenleaf Dr. and is listed at $1.85 million.

Curious about Portland Heights? You're in luck. The Architectural Heritage Center offers historic walking tours. The next Portland Heights and Vista Avenue tour will be led by Bob Clay, starting at 10:30 am. on Sept. 11, at Ainsworth Elementary ($20; RSVP at visitahc.org/).

Tour goers will explore both sides of Southwest Vista Avenue, heading north (downhill) and experiencing a wide variety of architectural styles and special features completed between the 1890s and 1920s.

Clay also gives mini biographies of the architectural careers of A.E. Doyle, Emil Schacht, Edgar Lazarus, Morris Whitehouse, the firm Whidden and Lewis and and Clay's favorite, William Christmas Knighton, who has about 20 buildings that have earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

"People like to know about the owners and personalities," says Clay. "Some owners, like two leading steel magnates, tried to outdo each other in grandeur." No expense was spared building the 1922 Joseph R. Bowles House, which has reinforced concrete walls, a Spanish tile roof and Italian marble columns.

Clay says tour goers also enjoy learning that development was linked to the cable car and trestle, and the time one cable car's brake didn't hold and became loose from the turnaround. Clay continues: "Conductors jumped off while several passengers had a wild ride back to the bottom and miraculously no one was hurt."

Clay, a volunteer with the nonprofit heritage center, also guides groups to modest apartments and cottages where teachers and service workers lived.

-- Janet Eastman



jeastman@oregonian.com

503-799-8739

@janeteastman




SALEM -- Parked outside the Oregon Capitol building last week, Cameron Scott's cedar-shingled tiny home made for a stark contrast against the austere granite walls of the state government seat.

Scott, who runs a Prineville company manufacturing the units, says a 2017 rule change cut his business off from customers in the state, making it difficult for him to capitalize locally on a bohemian trend that has hit the mainstream.

"I was actively looking to hire more people," said Scott. "When the rules changed, not only did I not get to hire people, I had to lay three people off."

Scott, an affiliate of the Oregon chapter of the National Tiny House Association, was at the Capitol as part of an effort by the group to get the state to reverse the change. Others gave similar accounts of businesses stunted after the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services added language excluding tiny homes from the agency's definition of a "recreational vehicle."

Mark Long, head of building codes at the agency, said the effect was accidental, and that his agency and the Department of Motor Vehicles are working on a fix to be released as soon as this week.

But regulatory uncertainty remains, and a state investigation has also raised questions about the safety of units classed as travel trailers -- essentially temporary habitations -- being advertised and sold as permanent dwellings.

Built on towable frames, tiny homes have grown in popularity nationwide since media coverage of early adopters, including Portland resident Dee Williams, who extolled the virtues of compact living.

But two lines added to state code last July target the style that has come to typify "tiny houses" -- excluding from the definition of "recreational vehicle" the wood siding, pitched roofs, and bay windows that contribute to the trend's distinctive life-in-miniature aesthetic.

The Department of Motor Vehicles uses that official definition, and stopped issuing titles to tiny home owners.

Long said the change was only meant to clarify that requirements for using licensed tradesmen didn't apply traditional RV's: The agency hadn't realized that the state motor vehicles department would interpret the change as excluding tiny houses. In response, Long said officials are working on a way to give titles to tiny homes, and expect to unveil a solution sometime this week.

The effect on the state's nascent tiny home industry has been significant, say Scott and other business owners. Without titles, customers have struggled to arrange financing or insurance for tiny homes, which often cost upward of $50,000.

After the rule change, Scott said he lost contracts for about $250,000 in sales, and has had to shift to selling out-of-state.

Other builders described similar experiences. Nathan Watson, who runs an Albany company, described laying off seven and seeing sales drop by three-quarters after the change.

The situation highlights the ambiguous regulatory position of tiny houses more broadly, which advocates concede cross existing definitions of vehicle, trailer, and dwelling -- and which raise their own unique safety concerns.

The 2017 rule change followed an investigation of 10 builders in the state which found that none used certified electricians or plumbers. All built their units to meet national standards for recreational vehicles -- designed for temporary habitation -- but advertised them as permanent dwellings.

In particular, the report singled out small sleeping lofts -- a common design feature in tiny homes -- and the potential for deadly gasses to quickly accumulate in them during a fire.

But builders say that even as regulation lags, the trend is being embraced by empty nesters, young couples, and property owners hoping to rent them out.

A growing number of cities are also allowing tiny home settlements as part of a solution to rising homelessness, and proponents say permitting the small structures - including as so-called in-fill development - can densify existing neighborhoods.

"You have this portability and affordability," said Walt Quade, a Portland-area tiny home designer. "Tiny houses are perfect for that."

For now, concern remains in the industry over how tiny houses will be regulated and titled, said Slaughter, of the Oregon association, and the group has asked lawmakers to either reverse the 2017 change or adopt another standard.

-- The Associated Press
A man was taken to a hospital Friday after being shot while standing outside with his friends in Gresham, police say.

The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. in the 18800 block of Southeast Yamhill Street and no arrests have been announced. Police have not released further details on the man, his condition or the alleged shooter.

Gresham police ask anyone with information on the shooting to contact the department at 503-618-1844.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
If you could take all the secrecy, shortsightedness and organizational dysfunction of Portland Public Schools and package it into one bundle of mismanagement, you'd have the story of the district's attempts to relocate Access Academy.

For most of the school year, the district has been looking for a new school to house the specialized accelerated learning program, as its current host, Rose City Park, is reverting back to a K-5 elementary school drawing students from a larger neighborhood. But the search turned into one misstep after another, a memory lane of sorts of all the deep-rooted defects of PPS culture.

As The Oregonian/OregonLive's Bethany Barnes reported, former interim superintendent Bob McKean dillydallied in planning for the move, the school board rashly gave the one building planned for Access to a charter school, new superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero hatched a series of ill-conceived and ill-communicated alternatives for where to place the 330-plus highly gifted students, while rumors sent one school community after another into a lather. Ultimately, the school board landed on a proposal that splits up Access, burdens two high-poverty schools with sharing their space and has left most everyone - some board members included - deflated.

Editorial Agenda 2018

Press for a student-focused education system

Help defuse Oregon's ticking time bombs

Focus attention on the root causes of homelessness

________________________

Certainly, the solution is not a good one. Starting this fall, Access' 1st through 5th graders will be attending classes at Vestal Elementary while the program's 6th through 8th graders will be sent to Lane Middle School, almost 5 miles away. The split divides a program for gifted and special education students that emphasizes teaching based on abilities as opposed to age or grade. It also separates schoolmates who bonded with one another at Access after being bullied at their neighborhood schools. It's a bad deal for Vestal and Lane as well, taking away space for computers, student support or other needs while adding considerable disruption to the neighborhood schools.

But it is a workable solution - provided the district devotes the planning, resources and frequent oversight needed to fix problems before they snowball into crises. All three, unfortunately, have been missing in the district's haphazard treatment of Access.

Portland School Board members cited the need to ensure sufficient staffing and programs for both the Access and neighborhood schools. That should be a given.

The district should also be prepared to beef up non-academic supports, such as expanding the availability of after-school child-care services - a concern raised by several parents. And the district should also convene a school-based parent-teacher committee representing Access, Lane and Vestal to regularly meet with district administrators - not just the school principal - to highlight and solve issues in a timely fashion.

But the other key to success lies with parents. Unfortunately, so far, some of the venomous exchanges on social media and on other forums have shown parents at their worst.

Understandably, there's deep concern about how sharing spaces will work and what it will mean for students. Vestal and Lane are high-poverty schools with a broader racial and ethnic representation than Access' largely white and higher-income demographic. Neighborhood parents are right to be wary of how that dynamic might play out in schools, from inequitable program offerings to difficult social interactions. Similarly, it's reasonable for Access parents to be worried that their students will be seen as the outsiders - as many were treated in their neighborhood schools before finding a welcoming seat at Access.

Oregonian editorials

Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom. Members of the editorial board are Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, Mark Katches and John Maher.

To respond to this editorial, post your comment below, submit an OpEd or a letter to the editor.

If you have questions about the opinion section, email Laura Gunderson, editorial pages editor, or call 503-221-8378.

But parents also need to be mindful that they don't let their fears or prejudices skew the reality of what's actually there or influence how their children view the change. These are all students. They all deserve an educational experience that supports their growth and encourages their potential. Parents can either recognize that goal for all students and model how to bridge the differences, or they can stake out a corner of the lunchroom for their own. While the second option may be easier, it only sends the message to kids that they should view those different than themselves with suspicion as opposed to welcoming the chance to meet someone new. What a limiting lesson to teach students who attend school to learn about a world greater than their own.

It's important to remember that the Access move, as messed up as it has been, is one piece of a brighter future. After ignoring the lack of educational opportunities offered to lower-income students for years, the district finally took the bold step of reorganizing a swath of its schools to open two new middle schools in 2018. It was a goal the community cheered and is one that the community must work to support, challenges and all.

- The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board
By EUGENE ROBINSON

WASHINGTON -- President Trump wants to create a safe public space for ugly, unvarnished, unambiguous racism, which he knows he can exploit for political advantage. This cynical and destructive ploy must not be allowed to succeed.

Witness Trump's reaction to the Roseanne Barr self-immolation. The president frequently airs his opinions via Twitter within minutes of seeing something he likes on Fox News or something he hates on CNN. But for two full days, and counting, there has been not a word of censure for Barr's vile "joke" portraying Valerie Jarrett, a top adviser to President Obama, as the result if "Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby."

Trump has had nothing to say, pro or con, about ABC's decision to cancel Barr's revived sitcom. Rather, he has twice complained that while Robert Iger, chairman of ABC's corporate parent Disney, promptly called Jarrett to apologize, Iger has never called Trump with an apology for things said about him by others associated with ABC. "You and ABC have offended millions of people, and they demand a response. ... Double Standard!" Trump said to Iger in a Thursday tweet.

You can see Trump's narcissism at work there, but also his calculation. He portrays himself as a victim and encourages his supporters to do likewise. He apparently realizes that defending Barr -- a Trump supporter whose show the president has praised in the past -- would be going too far. But he is careful not to offer even the mildest criticism of what she said.

Why would Barr, out of the blue, attack Jarrett, who hasn't been in the news since Obama left office a year and a half ago? Because many on the paranoid hard-right fringe remain obsessed with Obama and those who served in his administration. They find it impossible to accept the fact that an African-American man, surrounded by other African-Americans, was elected president twice and served honorably and successfully for eight years.

Jarrett, whom Obama met when he lived and worked in Chicago, was born in Iran to African-American parents. This happenstance fuels the fevered delusions of anti-Muslim bigots who paint her and Obama himself -- yes, I know this is beyond ridiculous -- as Islamic sleeper agents or moles or something, bent on destroying America. Apparently they did this by rescuing the nation from its gravest financial crisis since the Great Depression, killing Osama bin Laden and greatly expanding access to health care.

There is a direct line between birtherism -- a racist movement that Trump effectively led -- and the outburst that got Barr fired. To accept the legitimacy of the Obama presidency would be to acknowledge that white supremacy is nothing but a vicious lie, used by the powerful to divide and weaken the powerless.

Out there on the fringe, Barr and others seem to have a special hatred for black women. In a similar vein, Barr once compared Susan Rice, Obama's national security adviser, to an ape. And some of the vilest, most disgusting attacks of all are leveled at Michelle Obama.

Among those who have tried to ridicule the former first lady in this manner is Dinesh D'Souza, a right-wing provocateur and convicted felon who was sentenced to eight months in a halfway house and paid a $30,000 fine for breaking campaign finance laws. Trump announced Thursday that he will give D'Souza a pardon because "I've always felt he was very unfairly treated."

See, there it is again: victimhood. We are being wronged. By them.

The complaint cannot be that racists should be free to spew whatever bigoted nonsense they want, because the First Amendment already guarantees their right to do so. It is that they should be free from the consequences of their words -- a promise the Constitution assuredly does not make.

Barr first blamed herself for her outburst, then reverted to form and blamed everyone else she could think of. She said she was taking the sleeping aid Ambien, prompting the maker of the drug to state, for the record, that racism is not a known side effect. She claimed that ABC executives got nervous when comedian Wanda Sykes, who is black, promptly quit her job as a consultant on Barr's show. She blamed all of her "liberal" critics.

She ought to blame Trump, if his election and his big mouth lulled her into believing it was safe and funny to be racist. ABC knew that its audience and advertisers would not accept such racist filth. Perhaps the president will invite her to the Oval Office for some laughs. Just the two of them.

Eugene Robinson's email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com.

(c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group
The current journalistic obsession with President Donald Trump and his rogue administration is akin to worrying about the size of the hole in the hull of the Titanic as she is listing and, on present course, clearly soon headed for the bottom.

Couldn't we much more appropriately pay attention to the underlying deviations in our politics that have allowed such an errant regime to assume the helm? Might we not benefit considerably from a national self-examination focused not on blame and pillory but how we together go about righting the ship of state?

-- Carl Thatcher, Southeast Portland
Alexander Hamilton supported the U.S. Constitution's grant of pardoning power to the president. He assumed this power would be tempered by careful attendance to its impact on the nation and the recipient. He had trust in presidents' good judgment, good faith and commitment to the nation's well-being.

President Trump's arrogant and inappropriate use of the power to pardon Joseph Arpaio and now confessed criminal Dinesh D'Souza clearly betrays Hamilton's trust. And ours.

These pardons are based on precisely the connivance Hamilton assumed would never affect these decisions, and lack the scrupulousness he considered a given. These pardons, particularly when considered in light of Trump's hint that others -- convicted corrupt politician Rod Blagojevich and convicted liar and obstructor of justice Martha Stewart -- are under consideration, are clear signals to Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen and other potential anti-Trump witnesses they should "keep the faith" (to quote Richard Nixon) and not worry about prison terms or criminal fines.

Trump has no respect for the principles sustaining our Constitution for more than 240 years. His abuse of pardon power is just the latest demonstration of his disdain for American democracy and the rule of law. This deserves severe condemnation and removal from office.

-- Frank Connell, Lake Oswego
By MARC A. THIESSEN

WASHINGTON -- How evil is MS-13? Last year, two gang members in Texas reportedly murdered a teenage girl as an offering to Satan. According to prosecutors, the gang leader (known as "Diabolico") told the young girl that "the Beast" wanted "a soul" before having his partner shoot her in the head and dump her body on a street corner. As charges were read against the two, the Houston Chronicle reported, they "laughed, smiled and waved for the media cameras." MS-13 gang members, police have said, also stabbed a Maryland man more than 100 times before decapitating him and cutting out his heart ... lured a 34-year-old man to his already dug grave ... and stoned an 18-year-old boy to death and dumped his body under a bridge.

MS-13 is a demonic death cult. And President Trump has Nancy Pelosi defending its members' humanity.

When Trump declared at a White House roundtable "You wouldn't believe how bad these people are. These aren't people. These are animals," he was clearly referring to MS-13. But the media and Democrats took the president's quote out of context and declared that he had referred to all illegal immigrants as animals. The Associated Press tweeted that "Trump referred to those crossing US border illegally as 'animals.'" The New York Times tweeted, "Trump lashed out at undocumented immigrants during a White House meeting, calling those trying to breach the country's borders 'animals.'" Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) declared, "When all of our great-great-grandparents came to America they weren't 'animals,' and these people aren't either."

By the next morning, news organizations were walking back their stories. The Associated Press announced it had "deleted a tweet from late Wednesday on Trump's 'animals' comment about immigrants because it wasn't made clear that he was speaking after a comment about gang members."

But not Pelosi, the House minority leader. Even after it was clear that Trump was referring to gang members, the California Democrat still claimed the president had called "undocumented immigrants" animals, declaring at a news conference that his remarks were "inhumane" and that "we're all God's children ... Does he not believe in the spark of divinity, the dignity and worth of every person?"

Of course, we are all created in the image and likeness of God. That is true of MS-13 members. It was also true of Osama bin Laden, Pol Pot and Adolf Hitler. But can you imagine Pelosi standing up in outrage to defend their humanity? Referring to evil men as "animals" is a common colloquial expression. The Oxford Dictionary's definition of the word "animal" includes "a person without human attributes or civilizing influences, especially someone who is very cruel, violent, or repulsive." It offers, as an example of its proper use: "those men have to be animals -- what they did to that boy was savage." Which is exactly how Trump used the word.

To this day, Pelosi has neither retracted her remarks nor admitted she was wrong. So now Trump is giving as good as he got.

"I noticed recently where Democrats, Nancy Pelosi as an example, are trying to defend MS-13 gang members," Trump declared at a Long Island event last week. "I called them animals the other day and I was met with rebuke. They said, 'they are people.' They are not people. These are animals." At a rally in Nashville this week, he announced to a cheering crowd that Pelosi "loves MS-13," pointing out that "I said they're animals, and she said 'how dare you say that?'" He then asked the crowd, "What was the name?" The crowd responded, "animals!" Expect to hear that refrain at many Trump rallies in the months ahead.

Through their dishonesty, Democrats such as Pelosi have handed the president a winning issue. A Harvard/Harris poll finds that 56 percent of Americans agree with Trump that it is fair to call MS-13 "animals" (including 47 percent of Hispanics, and 41 percent of Democrats). Millions of Americans can't understand why Democrats seem more hostile toward Trump than a vicious gang that carries out savage killings.

Is Trump wrong to say Pelosi "loves MS-13"? Sure. But with her deceitful attack, she gave him the pretext to make that claim. There is a lesson here for Democrats: Trump says enough outrageous things that Democrats shouldn't have to make them up. When the president has you defending the "dignity and worth" of MS-13 members, you're doing something wrong.

Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen.

(c) 2018, The Washington Post Writers Group
By Sal Esquivel

Supporters of illegal-immigrant sanctuary policies are notorious for employing emotion over logic. Matt Reed's commentary ("Providing sanctuary in schools isn't enough," May 25) is a spot-on example.

Reed, a teacher at Beaverton School District's Westview High, relates the story of a student's father detained for a violation of immigration law "by a federal government increasingly hostile toward immigrants." (As do many sanctuary advocates, Reed refers to people here illegally merely as "immigrants," a semantic sleight of hand designed to conflate legal with illegal immigrants and thereby to cast immigration-law enforcement as an attack on all immigrants)

But Reed is wrong. A "hostile" government is not responsible for the father's predicament. The father is. He knew the potential consequence of violating immigration law and took the chance to do so nonetheless. He himself -- not a government doing its duty in enforcing the law -- inflicted what Reed decries as an "immense emotional and mental toll" on his son.

"Our schools need to be . . . sanctuaries," Reed wrote. Wrong again. School districts are not sovereign entities unto themselves. As do all American institutions, they have responsibilities to the nation of which they are a part. One of those responsibilities is to inculcate in students respect for that nation's laws, and for the representative democracy by which Americans make those laws.

When schools adopt sanctuary policies, they do the opposite. They sow contempt for the United States' sovereignty and the laws that safeguard that sovereignty. They teach that one should have impunity to violate laws one opposes or finds inconvenient. And they teach that open defiance of law is an acceptable way to seek change.

How will this help mold children into responsible adult citizens? How will this impact the safety and stability of the country our youths will grow up in and someday lead?

Like the father of Reed's student, my father too was born abroad -- in Mexico. But he went through the legal process to come to and remain in the U.S. By doing so, he demonstrated respect for the sovereignty, law and citizens of his new country. His noble example, and the lesson it taught me, has guided me throughout my life.

In my nearly 14 years in the Oregon legislature, I have been at the forefront of efforts to compel our state government to respect and support U.S. immigration law. This year, I'm a chief sponsor of a campaign to place a measure on the November ballot to repeal Oregon Revised Statute 181A.820, the state's illegal-immigrant sanctuary law. I urge registered voters to sign our petition.

Oregonians charge public schools with the education of their children. And, in regard to American laws, those schools need to set a responsible adult example. That is rejecting illegal-immigrant sanctuary policies and demonstrating instead support for the laws Americans have enacted to protect their nation.

-- Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, represents District 6 in the Oregon House of Representatives. His petition can be found at StopOregonSanctuaries.org.
An apparent hit-and-run left one dead and another injured in Southern Oregon after a Josephine County man and woman were struck following an argument in their own car.

Corey Fletcher, 31, of Cave Junction was pronounced dead at the scene by Oregon State Police early Saturday. Andrea Ayala, 23, also of Cave Junction, was taken to a nearby hospital.

The two were arguing as they traveled south on Highway 199 in Cave Junction Fletcher opened the passenger-side door and leapt out, police said in a release. Ayala, who was driving, stopped the car and went to a house nearby to ask for help.

She returned to Fletcher and tried to help him back to the vehicle. That's when another car, this one traveling north on the highway, struck them both.

OSP is asking anyone with information to call the agency's southern command center at 541-474-3174.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

ecampuzano@oregonian.com
A Klamath Falls man is accused of attempted murder after authorities say he attacked his mother, father and brother with a hatchet in their home Thursday.

According to a probable cause affidavit, 23-year-old Cheney Hardt hit his mom, 51-year-old Julie Hardt, on the top of her head with the hatchet and struck his 52-year-old father, Shawn Hardt, three times in the chest.

His brother, 18-year-old Steen Hardt, came into the living room while the father was being attacked. The older sibling swung the hatchet at least twice at his brother, the affidavit said.

Steen Hardt got a large knife, stabbed his older brother and called 911 when the attack stopped, the court papers said.

Cheney Hardt and his parents were taken to Sky Lanes Medical Center in Klamath Falls. The parents remain hospitalized with apparent life-threatening injuries.

Hardt told investigators that he was trying to kill his parents, the affidavit said.

Hardt has since been released from the hospital and booked into the Klamath County Jail on accusations that also include first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
A Yachats man died Friday when his pickup truck drifted off the road and he crashed into a stump on a rural Lane County highway.

Steven Maxwell, 64, was pronounced dead at the scene when Oregon State troopers found his 2004 Nissan Frontier near milepost 33 west of Walton on Highway 126W.

Police do not know why Maxwell's truck left the road as he travelled west.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

ecampuzano@oregonian.com
Gazing at the Pacific Ocean near Fort Stevens State Park, Robert F. Kennedy's nostalgia was apparent.

"I can't believe this is so much like home," the Massachusetts native said. Soon after, he kicked off his shoes and socks, rolled up his dress pants and ran out toward the ocean.

"You could tell he was like, 'Oh my God. I needed this,'" said Rita Hankel Lerwick, a teenage volunteer for Kennedy's Clatsop County campaign team. "I was just shocked."

On May 24, 1968, Kennedy visited Astoria and other places along the coast during his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in the Oregon primary. Less than two weeks later, after winning the California primary on June 5, he was assassinated after a victory speech in Los Angeles.

Witness accounts and news reports from the time reveal Kennedy's visit to the coast caused a stir, making his sudden death shortly after especially poignant.

Kennedy, who entered the race in March, announced May 20 that he would be visiting the Oregon Coast that Friday, beginning with a flight from Portland to the Astoria area. The next day, the campaign's local headquarters was established on Marine Drive as the U.S. senator from New York toured other parts of the state.

"He picked up momentum Wednesday for the Oregon Democratic presidential nomination. He had overflow crowds at each of his five stops in Eastern Oregon, which is perhaps an indicator of Kennedy popularity, but certainly is an indication of more aggressive staff work," an Associated Press story from that week read. "Without crowds Kennedy could lose the image he's trying to build. That is the image of a man who has so caught the imagination of the people that they swarm to him."

Predominantly younger crowds greeted Kennedy at his campaign stops. Lerwick, 16 and an Astoria High School student at the time, said his promises to reduce the country's military presence in Vietnam, pro-civil rights stance and solutions to poverty appealed to her.

"The '60s were a real turbulent time," Lerwick said. "We were just so for what he stood for."

Kennedy's plane landed near Astoria shortly before 11 a.m., about an hour later than expected.

Hundreds of people were held back by Clatsop County Sheriff's Office deputies until the plane landed and they swarmed the tarmac. After taking a few steps down the plane's staircase, he grabbed a bullhorn and briefly addressed the crowd, describing "this beautiful part of this beautiful state" and urging residents to "work together in a common endeavor."

He shook hands with spectators after descending the steps, prompting one girl to cry, "I got to touch him." Lerwick, who has a fondness for him still, wore a Kennedy campaign hat, a sash and a navy blue skirt.

Kennedy, the news media, state officials and members of his campaign  including Lerwick  then waded through the crowd and hopped into two chartered vehicles to head to the beach. Maintaining public beaches  the Oregon Beach Bill had passed the previous year  was a major topic of Kennedy's speech later that day, and his campaign had scheduled a film session of him walking along the shore.

The senator decided to walk 1 1/2 miles, which further delayed his schedule for the day. He even jumped in the ocean for a swim at one point before eventually leaving for Astoria.

After waiting about two hours, a swarm of roughly 3,000 people watched the Kennedy caravan pull up to the former Safeway parking lot near Duane Street between 11th and 12th streets.

In attendance, as expected, were plenty of young people. High school students came from as far as Clatskanie and Ilwaco, Washington, and about 500 absences left Astoria High School "virtually abandoned," according to an account in The Daily Astorian.

Kennedy's speech  in which he was presented with a replica of the Astoria Column  lasted 20 minutes. He touched on, among other things, education and job programs and pitched tax incentives for private companies to provide jobs and housing.

"He seemed nervous," Lerwick said. "I think he knew Oregon was just a tough state."

Competing with Kennedy in the primary were U.S. Sen. Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who was not on the ballot in Oregon but eventually secured the Democratic nomination. A noticeable group of McCarthy's supporters also attended the speech in Astoria.

Lerwick recalled seeing a Volkswagen covered in McCarthy stickers.

"I remember saying, 'What are they doing here?'" she said. "I felt like he wasn't welcomed as much as I would've liked him to be." Vying for the Republican nomination was former Vice President Richard Nixon. After securing the GOP nod, Nixon won Oregon during his general election victory over Humphrey that November.

"We weren't really popular," said Lerwick, who canvassed for Kennedy throughout the campaign. "We got the door slammed in our face plenty of times."

Kennedy took a share of jabs at Nixon in the speech in Astoria, at one point poking fun at the "Nixon's the One" campaign slogan.

"I often wonder, what's the rest of that sentence? Nixon's the one what?" Kennedy asked.

Kennedy was scheduled for a cannery tour that day, but  due to the flight delay and lengthy beach excursion  settled for a meet-and-greet with Bumble Bee seafood workers. After a few hours on the North Coast, he went south.

Kennedy made more stops along the coast but eventually lost the Oregon primary to McCarthy, who also won Clatsop County. Despite losing narrowly, he hinted in news reports after the May 28 vote that he would likely drop out of the race if he lost California.

His final campaign stop came in Los Angeles, where he was shot and killed after delivering a victory speech at the Ambassador Hotel shortly after midnight June 5.

Those who had recently seen Kennedy on the North Coast were shocked.

"Lights shone through the night in many houses as citizens stayed up to watch the night's events on television," a Daily Astorian caption read under a photo of Kennedy speaking on the airport tarmac days earlier. "Kennedy moved freely about in big crowds during his local visit and would have been an easy target for a madman's bullet."

Politically active teens were especially distraught.

"We were kind of traumatized after that," Lerwick said. "We were idealistic teenagers and it looked like we would win."

Lerwick compared the assassination to the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. months earlier, as well as the shooting of Kennedy's brother  President John F. Kennedy  in 1963.

"Millennial kids now say they're the school shooting generation. We were the political assassination generation," she said.

For many years after Kennedy's visit and death, Lerwick did not vote. She apparently was not alone, as 1968 was the last time voter participation in a presidential election reached 60 percent.

"I was so disillusioned with politics. I thought, you work so hard, and what's the point?" Lerwick said. "It just changed the way, at a young age, how I viewed politics in the world."

--Jack Heffernan/The Daily Astorian
The board of Oregon's public pension system voted Friday to offer to Kevin Olineck the job as director of the Public Employees Retirement System, though his appointment is contingent on receiving a U.S. work visa.

Olineck, a Canadian who has spent nearly two decades working with public pension systems in British Columbia and Alberta, is set to succeed Steve Rodeman, who retired effective Friday after 16 years with the agency.

Olineck's deep experience was a key factor in his recruitment. After years of tweaks by the Legislature, courts and the PERS Board, Oregon's pension system is far more complicated than most other state systems. The system faces an unfunded liability of about $22 billion and has become a third rail in Oregon politics as costs to public employers and taxpayers to dig out of that deficit have skyrocketed.

"He has the depth and breadth of management and retirement plan experience that will be valuable to advise the agency as we continue to navigate conversations about system funding and service to our members," said John Thomas, PERS Board chair.

The position comes with a salary of more than $185,000 and more than six weeks in vacation and personal leave. PERS is supporting Olineck's application for a TN visa, which allows citizens of Canada and Mexico to work in the United States for up to three years.

Olineck was offered a similar job with Arizona's public safety pension system in 2015, but ultimately dropped out because he couldn't get a work visa. His offer is also contingent on a criminal background check.

Yvette Elledge-Rhodes, PERS deputy director, will serve as interim director of the agency until July 15, Olineck's tentative first day on the job.

- Ted Sickinger

503-221-8505; @tedsickinger
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday ordered Energy Secretary Rick Perry to halt the shutdown of ailing coal and nuclear power plants that he said were needed to maintain the nation's energy mix, grid resilience and national security.

"Unfortunately, impending retirements of fuel-secure power facilities are leading to a rapid depletion of a critical part of our nation's energy mix, and impacting the resilience of our power grid," the White House said in a statement.

The Trump administration has been preparing to invoke emergency powers granted under Cold War-era legislation to order regional grid operators to buy electricity from ailing coal and nuclear power plants. There have been meetings this week at the cabinet deputies' level and at the National Security Council.

One likely plan, laid out in a 41-page draft memorandum posted online by Bloomberg News and Utility Dive, would favor certain power plants in the name of national security. Those plants are owned by some of the president's political allies in the coal industry.

According to the draft memo, the Energy Department would exercise its emergency authority to order grid operators to give preference to plants "that have a secure on-site fuel supply" and which "are essential to support the Nation's defense facilities, critical energy infrastructure, and other critical infrastructure." Only coal and nuclear plants regularly keep fuel on site.

The Energy Department would also establish a "Strategic Electric Generation Reserve." The memo added that "federal action is necessary to stop the further premature retirements of fuel-secure generation capacity." The emergency rules would be a "prudent stopgap measure" that would last two years while the Energy Department did further study.

"President Trump believes in total energy independence and dominance, and that keeping America's energy grid and infrastructure strong and secure protects our national security, public safety and economy from intentional attacks and natural disasters," the White House said.

Under a state law passed in 2016, utilities in Oregon are not allowed to bring coal-fired power into their customers' energy mix past 2035. Under a 2010 agreement, Portland General Electric plans to shut Oregon's only coal-fired power plant in Boardman in 2020. PacifiCorp also has plans to shutter a number of its coal-fired units over the next 15 years.

"There has been no change in our plan to cease coal-fired operations in 2020," PGE spokesman Steve Corson said Friday afternoon.

The idea of declaring an emergency under the Defense Production Act of 1950 (used by President Harry Truman for the steel industry) and section 202 of the Federal Power Act has been promoted by the chief executives of the coal mining firm Murray Energy and Ohio utility First Energy, both of whom have contributed heavily to President Trump's political activities.

Robert Murray presented a proposal to Perry in March 2017, the month Perry took office. And on April 2, 2018, First Energy appealed for emergency help after a subsidiary containing ailing power plants filed for bankruptcy protection.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an independent agency, unanimously rejected an earlier proposal by the Energy Department that would have favored coal and nuclear plants.

In a recent appearance at a Washington Post event, FERC chairman Kevin McIntyre said that using the emergency powers was "perhaps not the most obvious fit."

He said using that section of the Federal Power Act "tees off the concept of continuance of a war in which the United States is involved as being kind of the baseline circumstance that would justify a DOE order to certain types of facilities to either begin operating or continue operation."

Environmental groups, natural gas producers and Republicans and Democrats who have pushed for greater competition in electricity markets all condemned the latest signal that the administration might be moving closer to imposing the Energy Department's plan.

They noted that the coal and nuclear power plants that would benefit have failed to compete against natural gas, solar and wind. Many of the plants have operated far longer than anticipated when they were built.

"Uneconomic, dirty coal plants retiring does not represent a national security risk," Environmental Defense Fund director of federal energy policy and senior attorney Michael Panfil wrote on his blog. "If Trump chooses to bail out these failing coal plants, he'll be forcing Americans to pay for dirty energy that pollutes our environment and makes people sick."

"If DOE proceeds as the memo suggests, a selection of coal and nuclear plants, ostensibly those at risk of retirement, would receive subsidized payments ... under a stitched-together 'Frankenstein's monster' of federal authorities," said a commentary by Height Analytics, a consulting firm. "Above all, the subsidy would be a major victory for First Energy as it negotiates with bondholders over the value of coal and nuclear plants owned by its bankrupt First Energy Solutions subsidiary."

First Energy's top lobbyist last year was Jeff Miller, who was campaign manager for the presidential campaign of Perry, now energy secretary. Trump attended a private dinner with Miller and a handful of political advisers in early April.

Ted Sickinger of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report.

-- The Washington Post
Dueling demonstrations are planned Sunday in downtown Portland, marking what could become the first large street protest of the spring.

The rallies are likely to draw hundreds to a pair of parks near City Hall, organizers said, including black-clad antifascists, known as antifa, and their right-wing antagonists in "Make America Great Again" hats.

It all could go down within a few blocks from the family-friendly Rose Festival taking place on the waterfront throughout the weekend.

The showdown comes a year after thousands converged to protest a pro-President Donald Trump rally thrown shortly after a fatal stabbing aboard a MAX train left the city reeling from the racially motivated attack.

The chaotic scene on June 4, 2017, was further inflamed by Portland police, which corralled and detained hundreds of demonstrators by using a controversial tactic known as "kettling."

With tensions tempered, organizers anticipate fewer participants  and potential conflict  than last year.

"We're coming with a peaceful message," said Jenny Nickolaus, an organizer with Direct Action Alliance and Empower Portland.

Those two groups will hold an anti-police brutality rally in Chapman Square beginning at 2 p.m..

The event aims to draw attention to the Portland Police Bureau's response to last year's demonstrations, which an independent auditor criticized in a report this week as having no legal justification.

Afterward, left-leaning activists plan to spill across the street to Terry Schrunk Plaza in anticipation of members of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, who have planned a 5 p.m. follow-up to its Trump rally last June.

Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson has billed the gathering as a "freedom march" to celebrate group member Tusitala "Tiny" Toese, who is moving away from the Pacific Northwest.

Toese, who is 6-foot-3 and more than 300 pounds, has regularly brawled with antifascist activists at rallies and was arrested twice by police in Portland last year during protests.

Previous Patriot Prayer rallies in Portland have also been criticized for attracting members of the far-right fringe. They've included outspoken anti-Semites and Islamophobes, white nationalists and neo-Nazis.

"We will not allow racists and fascists to parade through Portland's streets, threatening activists and targeting at-risk communities," wrote the organizers for the counter-protest, which include Rose City Antifa, a prominent antifascist group in Portland.

Portland police said they're prepared for Sunday, though they concede the challenge they face with Rose Festival happening simultaneously.

"The bureau is going to be spread thin," said Sgt. Chris Burley, a Portland police spokesman. "It's a real strain on the limited resources we do have."

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 II @shanedkavanaugh
UPDATE: The victim has been been identified.

Portland police are investigating a suspected homicide at the Oregon Culinary Institute after a class entering the facility Saturday discovered a man who had apparently been shot.

Sgt. Pete Simpson, an agency spokesman, said the class found the man, who is in his 60s, in a large kitchen area. First responders tried to resuscitate the man but could not.

Investigators in a release said there are no suspects so far and no other victims.

Portland Police Bureau briefs the media on the Oregon Culinary Institute shooting that left one dead Saturday morning. Posted by The Oregonian on Saturday, June 2, 2018

Simpson said the victim was affiliated with the school, either as an instructor or other personnel. The deceased man would have had after hours access to the facility and it is not known when he would have entered.

Police have blocked off Southwest 17th Avenue to Madison Street. The area is part of the final stretch of Saturday's Rose Festival Starlight Parade.

Simpson said anyone with information is asked to call the Portland police non-emergency line, 503-823-3333.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

ecampuzano@oregonian.com
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Harvey Weinstein was arrested a few days ago on charges of rape and sexual assault made by six women in California. At the time, President Trump shockingly said he was "not familiar" with the event despite the fact that allegations against Weinstein sparked an international feminist movement last year.

Now, the media mogul, who was accused of sexual misconduct by countless women in Hollywood over the course of the last year, is being charged with another lawsuit. Actresses Melissa Thompson, Caitlin Dulany, and Larissa Gomes filed a suit this morning at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York accusing Weinstein of assault.

The suit alleges that Weinstein arranged to have business meetings with the women, "or to hire them, or to make a business deal with them, or to socialize at industry events." However, instead of maintaining a professional relationship, "Weinstein isolated Plaintiffs and Class members in an attempt to engage in unwanted sexual conduct that took many forms: flashing, groping, fondling, harassing, battering, false imprisonment, sexual assault, attempted rape, and/or completed rape."



The lawsuit further describes how the actresses felt pressure to accept Weinstein's unwanted advances, due to his powerful role in Hollywood, a narrative many survivors of his violence have expressed. The women felt they could be, "blacklisted by Weinstein and major film producers such as Miramax and TWC if they refused Weinstein's unwanted sexual advances or complained about his behavior."



The suit also blames institutions that were complicit in Weinstein's behavior, writing that his sexual violence was, "a choice facilitated and condoned by Miramax, the Weinstein Company and its board of directors."

Read the entire lawsuit here.

Image via Getty.


On May 18th, a shooting at Sante Fe High School left eight students and two teachers dead. Yesterday, President Trump met with the families and friends of victims, speaking with two dozen people for over an hour. Parents of the victims have spoken about the event, addressing Trump's remarks differently. Pamela Stanich, whose son Jared Black died, wrote on Facebook that the President, "showed sincerity, compassion, and concern on making our schools safer across the nation."

Conversely, Rhonda Hart, whose caught Kimberly Vaughan also died in the shooting, said that Trump used the term 'wacky' to describe the shooter and his trench coat, a word that feels inappropriately cavalier given the gravity of the situation. Hart said she told Trump, "Maybe if everyone had access to mental health care, we wouldn't be in the situation." She continued that Trump repeatedly talked about arming school staff, and that speaking with him, "was like talking to a toddler."

Trump's meeting comes days after Sarah Huckabee Sanders became emotional addressing a child's question about what the Trump Administration  which has been notoriously slow to respond to mass shootings or to enact gun law reform is going to avoid more mass shootings in the future. As she mentioned in her response, a school safety commission met outside of Washington to discuss the issue.

Image via BFA


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Some of you may be aware of the annual libertarian extravaganza known as FreedomFest.

Ive participated in (I think) two or three of these previously, and Ill be doing so yet again this year.

On Thursday, 12 July, from 1 PM to 1:50 PM, Ill be debating with Michael Shermer on the topic of Is Faith Compatible with Reason? To deliver you from the suspense, Ill argue that yes, it is.

On Saturday, 14 July, Ill be moderating a session titled How to Turn a Bestseller into a Classic. The two discussants will be Maurice OSullivan, a professor of English at Rollins College in Florida, and Daniele Struppa, an Italian-born mathematician and the current president of Chapman University, in California.

FreedomFest is a very stimulating gathering with lots of interesting sessions and speakers, and I hope that youll consider attending. If you do, please feel free to say Hello. In fact, after Michael Shermer pummels me to the pavement and stomps on me, I may need some kind words of comfort!

***

From 26 December 2018 through 5 January 2019, Ill be accompanying a tour of Egypt to which youre invited.

Face it: If youre at all like me  it was actually much, much worse when I was a little kid  after all the anticipation of Christmas morning, Christmas afternoon and the next several days were a real let-down. Heres something, though, that will pick you up!

And, moreover, December and January are beautiful times to visit Egypt. The temperatures are very, very pleasant.

Another factor to consider: Also accompanying the group will be Hany Tawfik, arguably the foremost tour guide in Egypt. (It was he who was chosen to take President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton around during their official visit to the country.) This will be my fourth tour with Hany. Hes very, very good.

Heres a rough itinerary for what the Cruise Lady company is billing as Ultimate Egypt:

We fly on Day 1 and arrive on Day 2, spending the night in Cairo, the largest city in Africa and the largest in the Arab world.

On Day 3, we go out to visit the great pyramids on the Giza plateau as well as the Sphinx, and, for those who want to do so, we enjoy a camel ride. Then we visit the solar boat museum, directly adjacent to the Great Pyramid of Khufu or Cheops. We then go to the Papyrus Institute (which will include some shopping) and to the astonishing Egyptian Museum, which makes the Egyptian collections at the Louvre and New Yorks Metropolitan Museum look truly poor and pathetic. Well pay special attention to the relics of King Tutankhamen.

On Day 4, we fly to Luxor, where well visit the Valley of the Kings. Well enter three of the spectacular pharaonic tombs there, and those who wish to do so can also go into King Tuts famous tomb. Well have a look at the magnificent temple of the female pharaoh, Queen Hatshepsut, as well as the famed Colossi of Memnon. That evening, there will be optional 2-hour horse cart tour through the city of Luxor, which I highly, highly recommend. (Both times Ive done it, members of our tour have been surprised at how fascinating and enjoyable it was.) And, starting on Day 4, we spend our evenings aboard a Nile cruise ship, from which well see Egypt the way the ancient pharaohs did, by boat. But well do it in far more comfort than they ever dreamed possible.

On Day 5, we visit the grand Karnak Temple  the largest complex of religious structures ever built  which was dedicated to the god Amon, his wife Mut, and their son, Khonsu. Some Latter-day Saints will find certain temple images of particular interest. Well also visit the Luxor Temle, and then board our boat to sail southwards, up the Nile. Among other things, well transit through the lock at Esna, which is fascinating to watch.

In the morning, on Day 6, well stop at Edfu, where the most complete temple in Egypt stands. Returning to the ship, well sail to Kom Ombo, docking right in front of the only double temple in Egypt, dedicated to both Horus the falcon and Sobek the crocodile. Well have a devotional onboard in the afternoon.

We arrive in the morning of Day 7 at Aswan, where we immediately visit the High Dam that was (controversially) built by the Soviets to control the annual Nile flood and to generate electrical power for a growing Egyptian populace and its expanding industry. Then we travel about ten minutes by motor boat over to one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt, the Temple of Philae, sacred to the goddess Isis. In the afternoon, we take another trip by boat to a Nubian village, where, among other things, we have an opportunity to have our pictures taken holding an adorable crocodile. On that boat trip, well pass by Elephantine Island, in connection with which theres an important point to be made with respect to the Book of Mormon.

On Day 8, we fly to Abu Simbel to visit the famous temple of Pharaoh Ramses II (the Great). Its the one, you may recall, that was dismantled and moved to avoid the rising waters of Lake Nasser after the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Then we fly back to Cairo.

On Day 9, we visit Saqqara, where stands the oldest Egyptian pyramid  which is also, arguably, the oldest stone building in the world. (If possible, well also enter briefly into the Pyramid of Unas, where the famed Pyramid Texts were discovered. Its often closed, but we were able to go into it a few weeks ago for the first time in many years.) Next, we proceed to the ruins of the Old Kingdom capital of Memphis, visiting the ruins of the Temple of Ptah and the gigantic Colossus of King Ramses II. At a local carpet school, we watch the children learning to make rugs from the cocoon of the silkworms and learn about the different kinds of Egyptian carpets and, if the mood hits us, we buy.

On Day 10, we visit Old Cairo (Coptic Cairo), including the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus where Christian legend says that the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus sheltered during King Herods massacre of male babies. Further into the quarter, we come to the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which is said to be built near the spot where the baby Moses was found in the reeds  and which is definitely the site of one of the most important manuscript discoveries of modern times. In the afternoon, we visit the enormous mosques of Sultan Hassan and Sultan Rifai. And we then end our tour of Egypt with a felluca ride on the Nile.


Its election time. And that means that Illinois politicians  the legislators in the General Assembly and State Senate and Governor Rauner  are patting themselves on the back about their just-passed budget.

Heres the Chicago Tribune, on Thursday:

llinois lawmakers approved a spending plan on Thursday, putting the state on track to have a full budget in place ahead of the new financial year for the first time since Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner took office in 2015. The House agreed to the $38.5 billion proposal by a 97-18 vote, following a landslide 54-2 tally in the Senate on Wednesday night. Rauner said in a statement he plans to approve it. The overwhelming vote margins illustrated a consensus that neither Democrats who control the General Assembly nor Republicans allied with the governor wanted to go into the election season under the cloud of a budget stalemate like the one that consumed state government for nearly two years until last July. . . .

And leaders were happy to pat themselves on the back:

I can go back to my district and I can say that we have done our job for the first time in many years, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs said. People in the state of Illinois continue to say, Can you please just work it out, get together, figure it out and get the job done? And thats what weve done today. Durkin said the budget was not perfect, but our priorities, the Republicans and the Democrats, have been met. Its not a bad thing for us to compromise, Durkin said. I want more of this. Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, meanwhile, referenced his previous criticisms of Rauners priorities as extreme, saying that while there is more work to be done, this compromise budget shows yet again that when extreme demands are not preconditions to negotiation, Democrats and Republicans in the legislature can work together to move Illinois forward.

But this is not a compromise budget. This is not a budget in which hard decisions were made about where to spend and where to cut.

Pardon me for just a minute.

*&^! *&^! *&^! *&^! *&^! *&^! *&^! *&^! *&^!

Those *&^!-ing *&^!-ers in the legislature and senate are leading us further down the path to *&^!-ing bankruptcy with more accounting tricks and gimmicks to get them re-elected again in the meantime, relying on Illinois gerrymandering and voters gullibility and fatalism, and the knowledge that the bill will come due enough years in the future that they can *&^!-ing high-tail it out, or at any rate, rely on their *&^!-ing political connections to insulate them from the ultimate impact of higher taxes and reduced services.

Sorry for the swearing, since its a family website.

The full details of what theyre up to arent known yet, since this was another one of those instances of a budget delivered at the last minute, without any public discussion before the vote.

Some of its failings are noted by the Trib: the state added $8.8 billion in off-budget spending, funded by bonds, for capital projects, including pork projects that lawmakers can tout in their districts, plus a further $2.2 billion in infrastructure spending. The budget also (per a further article today) fails to pay down the $6.6 billion in backlog of bills to providers of state services (that is, the people who provide services for the disabled, for example). It counts on the sale of the Thompson Center, and it builds in a half-billion in pension savings that may not materialize.

Oh, and the budget includes $172 million in costs related to the Obama Museum, which we were always told was going to be funded by private donors, and the construction of which was as good as free money.

And money that was appropriated for Chicago Public Schools, with the lament that that state funding had been inadequate to meet their needs, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is now directing (feeling flush with cash and confident of his ability to win state appropriations) to a free preschool program.

The Illinois Policy Institute provides more infuriating details in their article, Budget Gimmicks Explained: Why the New Illinois Spending Plan Is Not Balanced. According to its analysis, the budget being touted as in-balance is potentially $1.5 billion out of balance due to these gimmicks. In addition to the issues cited above, the IPI notes that state workers represented by the AFSCME union are slated to receive pay increases which the budget does not account for. The sale of the Thompson Center has been counted as revenue for three years running, yet deferred maintenance means that, even if the sale finally occurs this year, the estimated price tag may not materialize. They are also relying on fund sweeps for revenue, another gimmick to show a more in-balance budget, and (unlike any proper business accounting) uses cash-based budgeting.

Wirepoints, another group in Illinois working for fiscal responsibility, has this to say:

What really matters are the expenses the state accrues during the year, and those are set by the laws currently in place. What the legislature appropriates  the $38.5 billion number  is always much less than what they actually spend.

And separately, they provide a handy graphic emphasizing that Illinois has engaged in these sorts of gimmicks year after year after year.

So, again, I am royally ****ed off at these reports.

And, yes, again, we could move. But like most people, we dont want the disruption  to work, school for the kids, community relationships. And we may indeed move when the kids finish school, but its still not fair for all the people who cant move, and those who will bear the burdens  higher taxes, lower services  down the line, especially since the people most unable to move will be those who are most likely to suffer the consequences of reduced services and higher taxes, given that its a fantasy that compliant rich people will pay whatevers demanded of them, and that the collective genius of our governments will lure job-creating companies here.

And  final gripe  it comes at an especially bad time, as I try to process the decision of my prior post and be confident, rather than mildly freaked out about it, to see whats going on in my state.

Image: Illinois state capitol; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illinoiscapitol2.jpg
To commemorate World Milk Day and re-emphasize the Goodness of Milk at all Stages of Life, Nestle Ghana organized a Nutrition Workshop for media under the theme Good Food, Health and Nutrition - Realizing the Goodness of Milk at all Stages of life .



All over the world, milk is regarded as a key dairy product contributing to economic and nutritional benefits of individuals and families. According to the International Dairy Federation, Milk is a good source of calcium, protein, and essential nutrients such as phosphorus contributing to over one billion livelihoods on dairy farms economically.



The Food and Agriculture Organization, as cited by the International Dairy Federation, predicted that the human population will increase from approximately 7 billion in 2011 to 9.5 billion in 2050 and that the growth in population size and affluence will increase the demand for dairy products by at least 50%.



Over the course of life, inadequate intake of nutrients, such as calcium, leads to weakening the bones, thus increasing the risk of fractures later in life, particularly in women. Regular consumption of dairy products, including milk, can help prevent diseases such as osteoporosis.



Speaking at the media workshop on the importance of milk in everyday nutrition, Dr. Niilante Amissah, Lecturer at the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana encouraged media to promote milk consumption at all stages of life. Milk includes high quality protein and all the essential amino acids needed for growth.



We should promote milk consumption at all stages of life. Individuals should however, consume milk that is appropriate for them because as one grows older, it is important to have less saturated fat thus the need to take milk with less fat or skim milk. Dr. Amissah commended Nestle for playing an active role in nutrition education.



According to Mrs. Freda Duplan, Managing Director of Nestle Ghana, Nestle has a responsibility to engage stakeholders and share nutrition knowledge to help them make better food choices for their growth and wellbeing. As a Nutrition Health and Wellness Company, sharing nutrition knowledge is of paramount importance to us. It is in fulfilment of our Purpose of Enhancing Quality of Life and Contributing to a Healthier Future. As we commemorate World Milk Day, I reaffirm Nestles commitment to micronutrient fortification and our ambition to help 50 million children lead healthier lives by 2030.



As part of implementing the Global Fortification Agenda, Nestle Ghana ensures that its Quality, Safe, Tastier and Healthier choices are fortified with the right micronutrients. Products such as Nido is fortified with Vitamin C and Iron, Maggi with Iodine and Iron, and Cerelac with Iron to help address deficiencies.



Mrs. Duplan urged the media to realize the value of milk not just for the development of children but also for the wellbeing of individuals at all stages of life.



As part of the Workshop, there was a Milk Recipe Cooking Competition to encourage people to lead healthier lives by cooking easy healthy meals with milk. Nine reporters formed a team of three each and cooked to compete for special prizes from Nestle. Lilipearl Baaba Otoo of Business and Financial Times, Michael Abayateye of the Ghanaian Times, and Christabel Addo of the Ghana News Agency emerged the overall Best Team of the competition.

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.

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Forty-six police personnel from the Formed Police Unit (FPU), who were accused of sexual misconduct while on United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan, have been repatriated.



The personnel arrived at the Kotoka International Airport around 1:30pm on board a chartered flight on Wednesday, May 30, 2018.



The personnel were recalled from Wau on February 22 and confined to a base in Juba after preliminary investigations into allegations of sexual exploitation by the United Nations.



According to the UN, it received information that the Ghanaian personnel were allegedly engaged in transactional sex, which clearly violates the UN and UNMISS Code of Conduct that prohibits sexual relationships with vulnerable individuals.



The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu, upon receiving the news, sent a team to Sudan to investigate the case.



According to the Director General in-charge of the Police Intelligence and Professional Bureau (PIPS), the team had completed its investigations and was awaiting the results of the United Nations investigators to compare notes in order to have a comprehensive report.



A statement issued and signed by Chief Inspector Richmond Mensah of the Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service, confirmed the arrival of the police personnel who were stationed in Bentiu in South Sudan.



He said the police personnel were repatriated on administrative grounds per the United Nations rules and regulations and would resume full normal police operations as they await the full investigative report from the United Nations for further action to be taken.



It would be recalled that on Friday, February 25, 2018 after news of the alleged sexual misconduct broke out, the Director-General of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, ACP David Eklu, issued a release that confirmed that the FPU personnel on mission in South Sudan had been accused of sexual exploitation and abuse.



He said the alleged misconduct of the personnel put the image of the police service into disrepute and added that the police administration would institute administrative inquiry proceedings against the affected personnel upon their return.



The necessary administrative inquiry will be conducted upon their return and if they are found guilty they may be reduced in rank or removed from the service, he added.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Norman Sun Harris, a 65-year-old US citizen who was billed to construct a canopy walk at the Boti Waterfalls Resort has been found dead in his room at the resort, near Asesewa in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region.



The Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE, said the American was found dead by the management of Boti Falls on Thursday morning.



DSP Ebenezer Tetteh narrated that one Jibril Yakubu, a tour guide at the Boti Waterfalls Resort, told the Police that about two months ago, the American, who had been contracted by the management of the falls to construct a canopy walkway at the resort, fell sick and was admitted at the Koforidua Government Hospital where he was treated and discharged.



According to the Regional Police Spokesman, on Thursday, at around 9 am, the management went to check on him and upon entering his room, he was found dead.



There were no external marks of violence found on his body to suggest any foul play. His body was removed and deposited at the regional hospital morgue at Koforidua for preservation, waiting to be conveyed to the Police Hospital in Accra for autopsy, he disclosed.



He added that efforts are underway to inform the US Embassy in Accra about the death of Norman.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ghana has assured the government and people of Guinea Bissau of its support in their upcoming elections slated for November this year.



The assurance was given by President Akufo-Addo when the Prime Minister of that country, Aristide Gomes and a delegation called on him at the Jubilee House in Accra on Thursday.



During the discussions, Aristide made an appeal to Ghana and members of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to help provide the needed support for their upcoming elections since the country was still struggling to come out of the doldrums.



President Akufo-Addo could not but assured him of his Ghanas support in strengthening democracy in Guinea Bissau.



He thus promised to push the agenda for support for that countrys election at the next ECOWAS and Africa Union summit meeting, giving his word saying, Im confident that something would be done.



That, he said was because everybody is encouraged by you and the manner in which you have come; we recognize that this is a historic opportunity to try and bring this long standing crisis to a closure. So whatever be the case, you can count on me, you can count on Ghana for us to make a strong case as well as the post electoral situation as far as the ECOMOG is concerned.



President Akufo-Addo stressed the need for a restructuring of the security forces in Guinea Bissau which he considered as one of the major matters to be addressed.



His reason was that we cannot have a democracy unless the elected leaders of the country [control] the security, the armed forces, citing the case of Ghana where even though he is not a soldier but is recognized as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces as example.



Its just to make the point about the supremacy of the elected leaders of the country over these security agencies; so we have all to help you They can count on us; whatever we can do to assist to bring about a positive development in Guinea Bissau we are going to do it

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) has stated that the common platform monitoring system by the National Communication Authority (NCA) and Kelni-GVG will compromise the privacy of their clients.



According to the Chamber, the current decision taken by the two entities did not conform to the existing regulatory frameworks for the telecommunication industry.



A statement issued by the Chamber on Friday and signed by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, said the current arrangement did not provide customers the privacy of their communication that the Constitution guaranteed them.



Common platform



The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, last Thursday gave a one-month ultimatum to all telecom operators to connect their operations to the common platform (CMP) provided under Kelni-GVG contract or risk sanctions.



When she appeared before Parliament to answer concerns raised about the NCA-Kelni-GVG deal, she explained that the CMP will provide real time monitoring of all traffic volumes on all networks as has never happened before:; it is currently conducting anti-fraud testing, as envisaged; the Network operation centre has been set up, connected and equipped with hardware and software.



Reservation



In its statement, however, the GCT said the current architecture was not friendly since it sought to connect beyond the equivalent point in the network where the operators billing systems were connected.



The monitoring mechanism has the capacity to actively or passively record, monitor or tap into the content of any incoming or outgoing electronic communications traffic such as voice.



The proposed connection point will risk exposing content of voice traffic. The voice transaction damp for the revenue assurance tool should be enough without risking individual customer privacy. We are minded that the law does not talk about intent but capability, which the current architecture processes, the GCT stressed.





The laws



The Communication Service Tax (CST) Amendment Act, 2013 (Act 864) law was preceded by the Electronic Communication Amendment Act, 2009 (Act 786) which authorised the monitoring of international incoming calls by the government.



This legal framework not only established the basis for monitoring activities but also prescribed certain design and connection standards for the monitoring system.



The GCT, however, stated that the current arrangement violated the regulatory frameworks stated above.



As a law-abiding industry we only seek that the monitoring conducted through the common platform should be done according to the very law that empowers the NCA and GRA to monitor us, the GCT stated.



The Chamber called for a continuous collaboration between the regulator and the telecom operators to resolve outstanding challenges.



When contacted on whether the telecoms would comply with the ultimatum, Mr Ashigbey explained that the connection was prescribed by the law although what was being proposed did not comply with the law.



He said the telecos would engage the government to ensure compliance.

Source: Graphic.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Audio Attachment: Listen to Kwesi Pratt Jnr. on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' programme.

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has challenged the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong to produce any tape or evidence he has on ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas instead of his constant ranting on the airwaves.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' programme Friday, Kwesi Pratt asked the Assin Central MP to stop the personal attacks and focus on the professional works of the ace investigative journalist.



He said the MP can not substantiate his claims on the journalist if Anas takes him to court to battle the personal allegations.



"Nothing prevents any Ghanian from doing the work Anas is doing . . . anybody at all can do same . . . why can't Ken Agyapong do the same thing about him (Anas)?" he asked.



Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong had alleged that Anas and the late NPP Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu's wife, Ivy Heward Mills are in an amorous relationship.



The honorable MP, in his desperate attempt to frustrate the ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI team from premiering their latest expose, dubbed, Number 12 has made a lot of allegations.



Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has also sworn to show a video of investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas receiving bribe.



The MP vowed he has in his possession a tape capturing the investigative journalist taking a bribe of $100,000 from people.



Speaking on Accra based Okay FM, he dared God to strike him dead should he fail to show such video to Ghanaians, describing Anas as a "blackmailer".



I will show Anas confessing to a state Attorney that he has taken $100,000 bribe, if I dont show may the living God kill me.



Anas is so corrupt and we will not allow him to destroy the state with his evil mind. Let Anas premiere his (investigative video on the June 6), I will also premiere my video titled 'who watches the watchman'. He should be ready, he stated.



Kennedy Agyapong has also accused Anas of plundering properties through illegal means to enrich himself.



All the evidence, he insists, will be made blare to public eye.



Im very sad and hurt that Ghanaians believe this evil man so much. I will expose him (Anas) and he will regret being a Ghanaian and a corrupt man. You take bribes from people and then you turn around to accuse people, he added.



Commenting on the claims by Kennedy Agyapong regarding the undercover journalist, seasoned journalist Kwesi Pratt has challenged Mr. Agyapong to provide the said evidence.



According to him, if the MP indeed has a smoking gun on the activities of Anas, he shouldn't just be talking but prove it to the whole world.



He should produce the evidence if he has it . . . after watching it the law will be applied, he told Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' programme.













Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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.

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It appears the battle lines have been drawn for supremacy in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), as former President, John Dramani Mahama boycotted the June 4th Revolution Lecture on Thursday.



All the NDC presidential hopefuls were in attendance, except Mr Mahama.



Previously, Mahama had told his supporters to attend such events, but on Thursday he was conspicuously missing, with no apparent reason.



The lecture, which was chaired by former Vice-President, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, was attended by Joshua Alabi, Ekwow Spio Garbrah, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Sylvester Mensah, who are all seeking to lead the NDC into the 2020 presidential election.



Former President Jerry John Rawlings, NDC founder, and Mr Mahama are trying to take control of the party.



The two powerful leaders with massive following in the party are clearly engaged in a cat and mouse game, trying to outdo each other as the race to select a candidate for the NDC ahead of the 2020 presidential election draws closer.



Common Platform



It appears they do not want to share a common platform, as the two are always avoiding each other at NDC programmes.



The lecture formed part of activities marking the annual celebration of the June 4, 1979 revolution which brought the AFRC junta into office.



However, it is unclear if Mr Mahama was in town, but during the event there were murmurings over his glaring absence.



Recently, Mr. Rawlings also refused to attend a conference attended by Mr Mahama at the Mensvic Hotel in Accra for former Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), who served under the erstwhile NDC administrations.



Verbal Tirade



Ex-President Rawlings launched an unprovoked verbal invective on former Presidents Mahama and J.A Kufuor.



Mr. Rawlings had called his two successors, Mr. Kufuor and Mr. Mahama, evil and rogue respectively at a meeting with some chiefs from the Volta Region.



Office of Mr Rawlings later released a statement, apologizing to his former colleagues for his inappropriate comments.



Mr. Kufuor set the records straight but it is unclear if Mr. Mahama protested his verbal abuse by Mr. Rawlings.



Forced Apology



However, in a bizarre twist, Mr. Rawlings appeared to say that he had been forced to render an unqualified apology to his former colleague Presidents.



Answering a question posed at the lecture, the NDC founder accused the young generation whom he described as Babies with sharp teeth for continuously denigrating him and putting him in a bad light for always standing up for the truth, fighting corruption and keeping firm on his beliefs.



Im not the one who is bastardising the truth, its the young generation you are talking about; if the ones with sharp teeth, who are much younger hadnt bastardised the truth, there probably wouldnt be the need for an apology, he fumed.



I have so much on my chest, and you misrepresent me, you bastardise the truth, and people wonder  is this man crazy, and I have to apologize. Its not over; Im just giving you an example of what your generation is doing. What a misrepresentation, isnt it sad? He quizzed.



Mr Rawlings said there were more greedy acts that members of the NDC perpetuated against the people of Ghana during their tenure which he had not yet revealed.



He described members of the NDC as greedy and selfish, saying they are part of the reason for the poverty in Ghana today.



The former President said the party thwarted his efforts to develop a land for people in the Volta Region, who have historically supported the party.



According to him, it was unimaginable that in this modern era, there were families in Ghana who still eat Banku with only hot water and salt.



He vowed to further expose the NDC come June 4 at Madina Social Welfare Centre, where the celebration is scheduled to take place.



The crowd responded with shouts of more fire, to which he responded I hope I will see you all on June 4.



Mr. Rawlings looked them in the face as he described the NDC members as highly corrupt and greedy.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Tainted romaine lettuce is being blamed for four more deaths, bringing the total to five deaths related to a strain of E. coli, say federal health officials.

On Friday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 197 people from 35 states have been sickened in the outbreak since March 13. Officials have still not targeted the exact source of the lettuce but have focused on Yuma, Arizona.

A total of 89 people were hospitalized with 26 of them having developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration said consumers no longer need to worry about the tainted lettuce, which has already worked its way through the food supply. The growing season in Yuma ended April 16.

"So any immediate risk is gone. However, the FDA is committed to investigating the source of the outbreak and working with industry to help prevent similar events in the future," according to an FDA blog post.

The FDA said it is examining all possibilities as to where the contamination may have happened including the growing, harvesting, packaging, and distribution chain.
SPRING GROVE -- A man shot and wounded by a York County police officer outside a bank earlier this week is facing charges, but police aren't releasing information about the shooting.

Thirty-two-year-old Ryan Smith of Jackson Township is charged in York County with resisting arrest, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct.

State police say Smith sought money at the Spring Grove bank Wednesday but became disorderly after being told he didn't have an account or proper identification.

Police say he was shocked with a stun gun to no effect, then escorted outside by a Southwestern Regional Police officer but "continued to be non-compliant."

Authorities later reported shots, calling for an ambulance.

State police say no information will be released until prosecutors review the shooting. Smith is in York Hospital; court documents don't list a defense attorney.
WEST CHESTER -- Authorities are investigating the deaths of a man and woman in a home near Philadelphia as an apparent murder-suicide.

Officers were called to the home in West Goshen Township, Chester County, shortly after 6:30 a.m. Friday and were found the bodies in the living room.

Police said a preliminary investigation determined the case to be "a murder followed by a suicide." Authorities in Chester County haven't released the names pending notification of next of kin.

Neighbor Stephanie Seiple told WPVI-TV that the couple kept to themselves and rarely went outside, but she often saw children playing in the backyard. She said police had been called to the home several times before.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) -- Former hostage Joshua Boyle will be released from a Canadian jail with strict bail conditions that include an electronic tracking bracelet, a judge ruled Friday.

Boyle faces a string of charges, including sexual assault, following his release from captivity in Afghanistan last year. The alleged crimes occurred between Oct. 14 and Dec. 30 after he and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman of Stewartstown, Pa., returned to Canada. A publication ban bars reporting information that could identify the alleged victims.

Ontario Court Justice Robert Wadden issued the bail decision. Under the release conditions, Boyle will live with his parents, Patrick and Linda Boyle in Smiths Falls, Ontario. He must wear a GPS ankle bracelet that can track his movements.

Boyle and his wife were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan. The couple had three children during their five years in captivity. The family was rescued by Pakistani forces last October.

Boyle was arrested by Ottawa police in December and charged with offences including assault, sexual assault, unlawful confinement and causing someone to take a noxious substance.

Boyle, his wife and children had been living in an Ottawa apartment when he was arrested.
Police have accused two employees of Dockside Willie's bar and restaurant in Wormleysburg in Cumberland County of stealing large amounts of cash over a period years, resulting in a loss of more than $300,000 to the establishment.

West Shore Regional Police said Shawn M. Fickes, 42, and Steven T. Tomberlain, 49, are each charged with theft by deception and unlawful use of a computer. Each was taken to Cumberland County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail, according to police, who said the men were arrested Wednesday.
The parents of a fraternity pledge who died after a hazing ritual at Penn State last year will appear on a national television program Sunday with 14 other parents who lost sons in similar incidents.

The hour-long program, Dateline, hosted by reporter Andrea Canning is expected to air at 7 p.m. (EST) on NBC.

The parents, including Jim and Evelyn Piazza, speak out in a group interview about their desire and efforts to end college fraternity hazing, according to a news release about the program. The report covers alleged hazing incidents at Penn State, West Virginia University, LSU, Texas Tech, Rider University and others.

In addition to thePiazzas, Canning interviews Kordel Davis, a former fraternity brother at the Beta Theta Pi house who was at the pledge party the night Piazza was mortally wounded. Davis testified before a grand jury that he tried to get his fraternity brothers to call for help for Piazza, after Piazza fell down a flight of basement stairs, but they rejected the idea.

Piazza went without medical help for nearly 12 hours and later died from his injuries.

Other parents featured on the program include Kim and TJ Burch, who will talk about losing their son Nolan while he pledged a fraternity at West Virginia University in 2014. Dateline will air a "never-before-seen" video from inside the fraternity house of the events leading up to Nolan's death, according to a news release.

Nolan Burch died from alcohol poisoning after being given a bottle of alcohol to consume by himself at a pledge party, according to news reports. His blood alcohol content was .493. The legal limit to drive is .08.

Additionally, the broadcast will include interviews with a current and former university president, fraternity brothers, and a critic of Greek life.

The show will air four days after a judge in Centre County rejected attempts by Attorney General prosecutors to appeal the dismissal of charges of involuntary manslaughter against five fraternity brothers in the death of Piazza.

The judge, however, said prosecutors could refile the charges, further lengthening an already lengthy legal battle over which criminal charges will go forward to trial.
PHILADELPHIA -- Louellyn White came to Pennsylvania to search for graves of native children who died after their Carlisle Indian School masters sent them out to work as maids and farmhands.

But as she hunted for burial records in the dusky, seldom-used library of the Byberry Quaker Meeting in Philadelphia, she made a horrifying discovery: a yellowed skull, labeled as Native American, set in a display case among a collection of rocks and fossils.

A note taped to the cabinet said the skull was dug out of a canal near Lambertville, N.J., part of a skeleton that in one hand held a pipe and hatchet.

"It's just wrong," said White, of Mohawk descent, who teaches First Peoples Studies at Concordia University in Montreal. "This is really an ancestor here, who's been stuck on this shelf next to animal skulls."

A Meeting representative said that she was shocked by the find -- and that the Quakers will offer to return the remains, to conduct a burial, or take any action that Indian leaders may desire.

"We want to do the right thing," said Mary Ellen McNish, a longtime member and former clerk of the Meeting. "We will do whatever they want."

The discovery comes at a time when Indian nations are increasingly asserting their rights to the remains of their kin, not just from boarding-school cemeteries at places like Carlisle, but from museum storerooms and university laboratories. Institutions are being pushed to return human remains and sacred objects by enlightened moral values and by federal laws like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

The change was a long time coming. For generations in this country, the rough treatment of native dead was not merely tolerated but endorsed.

In the late 1860s, the Army collected 4,000 Indian heads from graves and battlefields at the direction of the surgeon general, who wanted specimens for study.

More than 230 native skeletons excavated from Dickson Mounds in Illinois were put on display in the 1920s and kept on view, despite protests, until 1992. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln incinerated what it saw as useless Indian bones from its archaeological collection in the mid-1960s, a destruction acknowledged only in 1998.

"Broadly speaking, there's increased cultural sensitivity around these kinds of issues -- sacred items, spiritual items, bones, all of it," said Ari Kelman, a chancellor's leadership professor of history of the University of California at Davis and author of A Misplaced Massacre: Struggling Over the Memory of Sand Creek. But at the same time, "there's a longstanding sense on the part of some collectors that their property rights trump the human rights of tribal peoples."

White traveled to Pennsylvania this month at the behest of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, a Minnesota-based rights group. The coalition wants to strengthen its demand for a national accounting of all Indian children who went missing while under official supervision at dozens of boarding schools run by the government and by churches, the Quakers prominent among them.

Carlisle was founded in 1879 as the nation's first federal off-reservation boarding school. It worked to destroy the "savage nature" of Indian children by erasing their customs, languages, religions, and family ties.

Nearly 200 boys and girls who died in the experiment are buried on the grounds of what is now the Army War College. But others died or disappeared away from the school, lost during an assimilation program called "Outing." It's those children White seeks. Outing sent students to live with white families, immersing them in the dominant culture and turning them into cheap labor.

Today, Indian children known and unknown are buried across central and eastern Pennsylvania.

Two lie side-by-side in the Byberry Meeting cemetery.

City records identify one as 14-year-old Gertrude Spotted Tail, daughter of a famous Sioux chief, who died of pneumonia while on Outing in 1883. The identity of the other girl is unknown.



As White searched for graveyard ledgers in the library -- crammed with stuffed birds, clothing, shells and books -- she came upon the skull.

Her legs wobbled. And her stomach dropped.

She alerted Christine Diindiisi McCleave, the boarding school coalition executive officer, who then messaged Jaime Arsenault-Cote, a tribal historic-preservation officer.

Arsenault-Cote offered advice and reassurance.

"You're out there looking for them, and now they're showing themselves to you," she told White. "He's been waiting a long time."

Two days later, White returned to the library. She covered the skull with red cloth, sprayed cedar water, placed an offering of tobacco.

"I felt I needed to comfort this ancestor, and let him know we'll be taking care of him," she said.

Elsewhere, she found strings of wampum, the sacred white-and-purple shell beads. Byberry Quakers say they'll return those too.

Historically, Philadelphia Quakers were "inconsistent friends" to Indians, engaged in the same colonizing projects as other faiths while seeing themselves as uniquely able to educate natives, Kari Elizabeth Rose Thompson wrote in her 2013 University of Iowa dissertation.

The Friends were strong proponents of Indian schools, managing more than 30 during the 19th and early 20th centuries, according to Colorado Quaker activist Paula Palmer. Just this month in Wallingford, a Quaker-sponsored conference sought to examine the church's historical mistreatment of natives and try to find ways to right the relationship.

McNish said the Byberry Meeting is discussing the possibility of inviting Sioux and other native representatives to hold a joint ceremony honoring the two girls in the cemetery.

The Meeting is among the oldest in Pennsylvania, founded in 1683. Today, McNish said, its membership has shrunk to about 22 people, the library rarely visited.

She believes the skull came to the library when the old Byberry Philosophical Society ceased operations and transferred its holdings. She doubted members knew the skull was there, though Meeting Clerk David Nepley, nearing 70, said he remembered seeing it as a boy.

The cabinet note said the skull was among bones dug from the feeder to the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which was completed in 1834. The feeder stretches 22 miles; there's no indication where the remains were found on that route.

Judging by geography, the remains are likely those of a Leni Lenape, people who lived for thousands of years along the Delaware River watershed in what is now New Jersey, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, and New York City.

European settlers drove the tribe west in the 1880s. Today, some people of Lenape heritage live in the Philadelphia region, but the tribe has its headquarters in Oklahoma and Kansas.

Tribe cultural director Curtis Zunigha declined to comment. But already native groups are moving to sort out which tribe or agency might take possession of the remains and ensure that the ancestor is accorded a dignified -- and final -- burial.

Tribes often work together to ensure that human remains are respectfully repatriated, particularly when information on their lineage may be lacking.

"The goal," said Shannon Keller O'Loughlin, executive director of the nonprofit Association on American Indian Affairs in Maryland, "is to return the ancestor to the earth."

___

Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer
Should you plan on working or playing outdoors this weekend, or resign yourself to staying indoors?



The weather forecast for the Harrisburg region as of late Friday gives little guidance, suggesting a plan to keep your fingers crossed might be the most practical one.



The Friday night forecast called for a chance of rain and thunderstorms. The forecast for Saturday called for a 60 percent chance of rain and a high of about 79.



The chance of rain drops to 50 percent on Saturday night and Sunday. And the term "chance of showers" persists through the early part of next week. As of Friday evening, the word "sunny" doesn't appear in the National Weather Service forecast until Wednesday, which is expected to be mostly sunny with a high of 73 in the Harrisburg region.



Thursday and Friday were expected to be mostly sunny as well.



In the Pittsburgh region, the chance of rain was lower on Saturday and Sunday, about 20 percent, but the forecast called for clouds rather than sun.



The forecast for the Philadelphia region called for an 80 percent chance of heavy rain on Saturday and a 40 percent chance of scattered showers.



In other words, if you're set on an outdoor wedding or picnic or outdoor whatever, you'll just have to take your chances.
By Eugene Robinson

President Donald Trump wants to create a safe public space for ugly, unvarnished, unambiguous racism, which he knows he can exploit for political advantage. This cynical and destructive ploy must not be allowed to succeed.

Eugene Robinson (PennLive file)

Witness Trump's reaction to Roseanne Barr's self-immolation. The president frequently airs his opinions via Twitter within minutes of seeing something he likes on Fox News or something he hates on CNN.

But since Tuesday, there has been not a word of censure for Barr's vile "joke" portraying Valerie Jarrett, a top adviser to President Barack Obama, as the result if "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby."

Trump has had nothing to say, pro or con, about ABC's decision to cancel Barr's revived sitcom. Rather, he has twice complained that while Robert Iger, chairman of ABC's corporate parent, Disney, promptly called Jarrett to apologize, Iger has never called Trump with an apology for things said about him by others associated with ABC. "You and ABC have offended millions of people, and they demand a response. . . . Double Standard!" Trump said Thursday in a tweet to Iger.

Iger, where is my call of apology? You and ABC have offended millions of people, and they demand a response. How is Brian Ross doing? He tanked the market with an ABC lie, yet no apology. Double Standard!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2018

You can see Trump's narcissism at work there, but also his calculation. He portrays himself as a victim and encourages his supporters to do likewise. He apparently realizes that defending Barr -- a Trump supporter whose show the president has praised in the past -- would be going too far. But he is careful not to offer even the mildest criticism of what she said.

Why would Barr, out of the blue, attack Jarrett, who hasn't been in the news since Obama left office a year and a half ago?

Because many on the paranoid, hard-right fringe remain obsessed with Obama and those who served in his administration. They find it impossible to accept the fact that an African American man, surrounded by other African Americans, was elected president twice and served honorably and successfully for eight years.

Jarrett, whom Obama met when he lived and worked in Chicago, was born in Iran to African American parents. This happenstance fuels the fevered delusions of anti-Muslim bigots who paint her and Obama himself -- yes, I know this is beyond ridiculous -- as Islamic sleeper agents or moles or something, bent on destroying America.

Apparently they did this by rescuing the nation from its gravest financial crisis since the Great Depression, killing Osama bin Laden and greatly expanding access to health care.

There is a direct line between birtherism -- a racist movement that Trump effectively led -- and the outburst that got Barr fired.

To accept the legitimacy of the Obama presidency would be to acknowledge that white supremacy is nothing but a vicious lie, used by the powerful to divide and weaken the powerless.

Out there on the fringe, Barr and others seem to have a special hatred for black women. In a similar vein, Barr once compared Susan E. Rice, Obama's national security adviser, to an ape. And some of the vilest, most disgusting attacks of all are leveled at Michelle Obama.

Among those who have tried to ridicule the former first lady in this manner is Dinesh D'Souza, a right-wing provocateur and convicted felon who was sentenced to eight months in a halfway house and paid a $30,000 fine for breaking campaign finance laws. On Thursday, Trump pardoned D'Souza, because, Trump said, "I've always felt he was very unfairly treated."

See, there it is again: victimhood. We are being wronged. By them.

The complaint cannot be that racists should be free to spew whatever bigoted nonsense they want, because the First Amendment already guarantees their right to do so. It is that they should be free from the consequences of their words -- a promise the Constitution assuredly does not make.

Barr first blamed herself for her outburst, then reverted to form and blamed anyone else she could think of. She said she was taking the sleeping aid Ambien, prompting the maker of the drug to state, for the record, that racism is not a known side effect. She said that ABC executives got nervous when comedian Wanda Sykes, who is black, promptly quit her job as a consultant on Barr's show. She blamed all of her "liberal" critics.

She ought to blame Trump, if his election and his big mouth lulled her into believing it was safe and funny to be racist.

ABC knew that its audience and advertisers would not accept such racist filth. Perhaps the president will invite her to the Oval Office for some laughs. Just the two of them.

Eugene Robinson is a columnist for The Washington Post. His work appears on Saturdays on PennLive Opinion.
By Maria P. Donatucci

Since the era of Ronald Reagan, Republicans have been telling us that government "closest to the people" - local government - is the most effective of all when it comes to supporting hard-working taxpayers and citizens.

State Rep. Maria P. Donatucci, D-Philadelphia (Pa. House photo)

Yet when it comes to trying to preempt the Beverage Tax in Philadelphia - a tax passed overwhelmingly by local government (City Council) - my state House Republican colleagues conveniently forget their long history of championing "local control."

The issue is legislation (HB2241) sponsored by Rep. Mark Mustio, R-Allegheny, which proposes to preempt the Philly Beverage Tax and ban other municipalities from adopting any local tax on food or drink.

The Republicans tell us that the Mustio bill is designed to prevent local government from reaching into the lives of local citizens.

Yet that's exactly what House Republicans want to do: A classic case of government overreach that preempts the wishes of local government, which approved the tax as a strictly local solution to a local problem.

The Beverage Tax was designed to fund a critically-needed expansion of quality programs to support education and fight poverty in Philadelphia. Last year alone, it raised $80 million for these initiatives.

Interestingly, the tax was created to fill a funding gap caused by Harrisburg's continued failure to adequately fund public education. In this case, after the City's requests for education funding were rejected, the City decided to solve the problem itself, by passing the Beverage Tax.

So my question to my Republican colleagues is this: Why interfere in a strictly local issue?

The Beverage Tax is a local solution to a local funding problem, and it impacts only Philadelphia. There's no need for the state to take on this issue, especially since state legislators almost certainly will be pressured to fill the $80 million funding gap that the preemption bill would create.

What's more, the tax is working exactly as intended. Since its passage, the tax has funded an additional 2,000 seats for youngsters in quality pre-K programs that are essential to improving educational outcomes.

The tax also supported the creation of 11 new community schools, an innovative new concept in which the schools become a place for students, families and local citizens to access health care, job-training and other important services.

So again, why are Republicans in the House proposing to second-guess local government by attempting to fix a program that isn't broken?

Bills like Mustio's are a slippery slope for all of us, because preemption means that the state can preempt local decision-making on any issue at any time. Today it's the Beverage Tax, but tomorrow, preemption could just as easily kill local government decisions on property taxes, or road improvements, or even economic development initiatives.

If Republicans still believe that big government is bad government, then it's time for them to acknowledge that preemption is just another way to describe the practice of big, bad government reaching into the lives of local citizens.

Mustio's bill is a bad idea, and it needs to be rejected.

State Rep. Maria P. Donatucci, a Democrat, represents the Philadelphia-based 185th House District. She is chairwoman of the Philadelphia delegation in the state House. Readers may telephone her at 717-943-3290 or email her at mdonatuc@pahouse.net.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in an unusual move, has reversed itself on a decision to hear an appeal by former state House Speaker H. William DeWeese of his 2012 political corruption conviction.

The court, in a one sentence ruling issued Friday, dismissed the appeal it agreed to hear just last November as "improvidently granted."

The reversal has the net effect of leaving in place a May 2017 Superior Court ruling that upheld DeWeese's verdict on the case-in-chief, but overturned a portion of his sentence requiring him to make restitution of $116,668 to the state.

Superior Court also ordered the case returned to Dauphin County for imposition of a new sentence, on the understanding that the removal of the restitution order might affect the court's overall punishment scheme.

That's where it gets tricky for DeWeese, who already served 22-and-a-half months in state prison term for his crimes, and has been working for several years in Harrisburg as a lobbyist.

In a similar resentencing proceeding Wednesday John Perzel, another former House Speaker ensnared in a sweeping state investigation of corrupt legislative practices, saw a $1 million restitution order reinstated by the trial judge.

Further complicating matters for DeWeese is the fact that his original trial judge, Tood Hoover, has died in the interim.

Attempts to reach DeWeese's attorneys about Friday's change in status of the case were not successful.

Joe Grace, spokesman for Attorney General Josh Shapiro, said that office "is pleased to learn of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's dismissal of Mr. DeWeese's appeal, and now awaits the scheduling of resentencing proceedings."

DeWeese, 68, a longtime leader of the House Democratic Caucus who served briefly as Speaker in the 1990s, was convicted of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest charges for ordering state-paid legislative staff to do campaign work for him on the taxpayers' dime in the 2006 campaign cycle.

He has been on a crusade ever since to clear his name.

The trial issue the Supreme Court agreed to take up last fall was whether Hoover should have permitted testimony from as many as 14 additional defense witnesses in the 2012 jury trial.

Those witnesses, the defense argued, would have buttressed DeWeese's claims that he steadfastly insisted staffers limit campaign work to vacation time or other personal leave.

Prosecution witnesses countered DeWeese only stressed those instructions in a "tongue in cheek manner... and in case anyone was listening." Any efforts to enforce the policy, they testified, only came after the heat was on.

DeWeese maintained on appeal that Hoover erred in calling the additional witness testimony repetitive, and that his trial lawyer, William Costopoulos, erred in failing to properly preserve the issue for appeal.

Appellate attorney Gaetano Alfano asked the Supreme Court to review the issue to better define what "needlessly cumulative evidence" is, and to ensure that "trial fatigue" cannot be a basis for precluding evidence.

That kind of outcome, Alfano noted, would slant the playing field against defendants, who always present last in a criminal trial.

DeWeese's conviction came as part of a sweeping state investigation that exposed an obliteration of the line between legislative and campaign functions at the state Capitol.

In all, then-Attorney General Tom Corbett's legislative probes led to charges against 25 lawmakers and House staffers - both Democrat and Republican.

Twenty-two of those defendants were ultimately convicted after jury trials, or agreed to plead guilty.
FILE - In this April 20, 2018 file photo, Joy Reid attends the Tribeca TV screening of "Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" during the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in New York. MSNBC's Joy Reid is apologizing again for past blog posts, including one that had an image of Sen. John McCain superimposed on the body of a campus killer and another where she urged people to watch a conspiracy film tied to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Reid said Friday, June 1, 2018 there are things for which she is embarrassed and regretful about a blog she began writing in 2005. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Cathedral Village, in the Upper Roxborough section of Philadelphia, is where Herbert R. McMaster Sr., the father of former national security adviser H.R. McMaster Jr., died on April 13. Read more

Herbert R. McMaster Sr.'s fatal fall at Cathedral Village on April 12 was his fifth fall during a four-day stay at Cathedral Village's nursing home, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health's investigative report on events leading to the 84-year-old's death April 13.

The 141-page report, posted on the state's website Saturday morning, said staff at Cathedral Village, a nonprofit in the Upper Roxborough section of Philadelphia, did not properly investigate the four earlier falls, did not complete all the required neurological checks, and failed to develop plans to prevent additional falls.

State investigators found that Cathedral Village's administrator and its director of nursing "failed to fulfill the essential duties and responsibilities" of their positions.

The state Attorney General's Office on May 10 charged Christann S. Gainey, 30, a temporary licensed practical nurse, with neglect of a care-dependent person and involuntary manslaughter in McMaster's death. Records show that Gainey did not perform any of the required neurological checks on McMaster, the father of former national security adviser H.R. McMaster Jr.

An attorney for the McMaster family said the state Health Department report points to broader responsibility.

"It's very clear from this report that this is not just a rogue employee in the middle of the night grossly neglecting her job," said Martin S. Kardon, a Center City attorney who is representing McMaster's estate.

Gainey, whose preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning, did neglect her job, Kardon said, but the Health Department report highlights major administrative problems, such as the failure of the quality-assurance committee to review McMaster's earlier falls.

"At the end of the day, the facility itself is responsible for the care that happens there," Kardon said. "That's why you see the [director of nursing] and the administrator cited for not doing their jobs."

In a statement Saturday, Cathedral Village deflected responsibility for what happened to McMaster: "While we have been asked not to discuss specific details due to the ongoing prosecution of an outside agency nurse, what we can tell you is that there is no higher priority at Cathedral Village than the safety and health of every resident for whom we care."

Problems with McMaster's care started soon after his arrival. Documentation of his first fall at Cathedral Village, on April 9, said he fell when he was trying to get to the bathroom, but there was no sign that staff had implemented a schedule for getting McMaster to the bathroom in an effort to prevent additional falls.

Video showed that on the evening of April 12 the nurse aide assigned to McMaster, who was known to be at high risk of falling when he checked into Cathedral Village on April 9, did not help the patient get to the bathroom at all or even check if he needed anything.

On the morning of April 13, after McMaster had died, staff moved him from a lounge near the nurses' station, where he spent the night in a reclining chair, back to his bed. A nurse noticed that McMaster's "brief was heavily saturated with urine and feces," she told investigators.

The report also said Gainey and two unidentified registered nurses did not call 911 and made no attempts to resuscitate McMaster after he was found unresponsive on the morning of April 13. That violated Health Department regulations.

The day McMaster had his fifth and final fall, state Health Department surveyors had completed their annual licensing inspection at Cathedral Village. Among the findings was that Cathedral Village was using seven different temporary nurses during a portion of McMaster's stay.

The acting administrator could not prove that management had evaluated the skills of four of the seven outside nurses.
The annual 10-day festival of thirst that is Philly Loves Beer is upon us again beginning Friday, and our locally brewed beer scene is more vibrant than ever. You're not a serious restaurant with a liquor license now if you don't also have a serious beer list.

Ironically, beer cuisine  that is, dishes cooked with beer, not just accompanied by it  remains relatively underexplored. One major exception to that, however, is no surprise: Monk's Cafe. The legendary Belgian beer bar, owned by Tom Peters and Fergus Carey now for more than 20 years, is one of the undisputed pioneers of Philly's beer boom. It has beer integrated all across its bistro menu, from Ommegang dubbel ale-braised veal cheeks (delicious!) to Gueuze-steamed mussels and monk fish stewed with Duvel.

Nowhere on chef Keith Bellew's menu, though, does the beer itself shine through quite as clearly as with the Flemish scallops. The tart richness of the Flemish sour ale made just for Monk's at Van Steenberge is reduced along with red wine vinegar into a "beurre rouge" butter sauce. And, unlike other beers, which can get bitter when reduced, this Flanders oud bruin beauty caramelizes into a sweet-tart savor reminiscent of balsamic vinegar. With a deep barrel-aged resonance buoyed by a refreshing tang, it adds a complexity to the pristine day-boat seafood in a way that is unique, amplifying the scallops' sweet and saline sea flesh without obscuring it one bit.

 Craig LaBan

Flemish grilled scallops with sour ale butter sauce, $16.95, Monk's Cafe, 264 S. 16th St, 215-545-7005l; monkscafe.com
The Philadelphia Orchestra performing in Vienna on its 2018 tour of Europe and Israel. Read more

VIENNA  With the challenges of pro-Palestinian protests facing the Philadelphia Orchestra's 2018 Tour of Europe and Israel, could anybody have foreseen the latest obstacle? Displacement from the tour hotel by Vladimir Putin?

As advance security forces invaded the Vienna Ritz-Carlton ahead of a Putin visit next week, 40 Philadelphia Orchestra members were exiled to the nearby Hotel Intercontinental before ending the European leg of their tour with concerts Thursday and Friday in the city's hallowed Musikverein.

Little did the Russian strongman know that he gave the Philadelphians an opportunity cherished on symphony orchestra tours: The Intercontinental Hotel promised free laundry.

After a sweltering concert inside the Musikverein, principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner was at the hotel desk inquiring what the exact drill was to get his clothes back before the tour moved on.

Such concerns signal a return to relative normality on a European tour where the opening concert May 24 in Brussels was interrupted, inside the hall, by a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) demonstration trying to pressure the orchestra to cancel the Israel leg of its 12-day tour. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Philadelphia had likewise disrupted a May 19 performance of Tosca at the Kimmel Center as a sendoff just before the tour.

Similar protests had been anticipated in the subsequent European cities  all told, the orchestra played eight performances in six European halls, including in Luxembourg, Paris, Dusseldorf, and Hamburg  but the small groups of protesters who materialized outside several of the venues stayed outside.

The Vienna concerts  the last before flying out to Israel for performances June 3 to 5  might've been the opposition's last stand. Instead, nothing.

On Thursday, with plenty of police standing by, two protesters were outside the Musikverein. On Friday none were. On both nights, a pre-concert announcement requested that if anybody inside the hall had anything to protest they do so now before the music started.

On both nights, audience reaction to the playing itself was extremely positive.

Guest artist Helene Grimaud's Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 seemed to leave the Thursday crowd astounded at the depths of her artistry, as it reportedly has on other stops of this tour. Friday had one of the loudest ovations one is likely to hear from usually reserved, super-sophisticated Vienna. All but one of the orchestra's eight performances in the six European cities sold out, and the outlier was at 95 percent of capacity.

After the Brussels disruption, the orchestra had announced plans to leave the stage momentarily if protests disrupted another tour performance, resuming the concert afterward, but the policy never came into play.

"Upsetting, but not threatening" is how violinist Paul Roby described the Brussels incident. He wondered whether audiences might have it worse than the musicians: They've spent lots of money to catch the orchestra on tour and don't know whether an inside-the-hall protest might escalate.

"It's been a little tense," said principal timpanist Don Liuzzi, "but a bonding experience. Adversity will do that."

"It adds a layer to our understanding of that world," said Israel-born cellist Ohad Bar-David.

In a private talk with the orchestra members during the Hamburg stop, music director Yannick Nezet-Seguin reportedly discussed the importance of solidarity, with one musician describing it in the spirit of "We start together, we end together" (as in any good symphonic performance).

Also, national anthems that were listed in the tour books for possible performance are not being heard. "It's protocol to play anthems [only] when heads of state are in attendance," said orchestra spokeswoman Ashley Berke. Often-obligatory backstage photos with important governmental figures are being avoided, according to sources.

More than a few musicians feel their tour is being used to further all manner of agendas on all sides of the political issues. The absence of anthems and photographs should help minimize that  while also freeing the musicians for the considerable work at hand.

Inside the Musikverein

Inside the Musikverein on Thursday, the orchestra and Nezet-Seguin adjusted to the notoriously cramped stage in a hall whose super-live acoustics dictate that the Philadelphians pull back their famously lush sound. "The softer we are, the more we keep the warmth," Nezet-Seguin said. "Think along the lines of sing, sing, sing, sing."

To get offstage so that he could hear how the orchestra sounded out in the hall, the conductor had to climb over the guardrail and onto the nearby seats. Climbing back onto the stage after a few minutes of hearing Strauss' swaggering Don Juan, he exclaimed: "It was too soft!" (He was joking.)

Spirits are always high in Vienna. In an unguarded moment during rehearsal, Grimaud appeared to be beaming at the piano in front of her.

"There's clarity but this wonderful sheen and resonance to everything happening onstage," said assistant conductor Kensho Watanabe, who was at the Musikverein for the first time and hearing Brahms in a venue the composer himself frequented.

>> LISTEN: As the orchestra warms up, Kensho Watanabe reflects on being at the storied Musikverein

Amidst it all, the renewed fighting between Israel and Gaza and the tour controversy that came with it has caused some of the musicians to re-assess their place in the world.

Violinist Philip Kates is rereading James Michener's The Source (a historical novel about the history of Israel) and is planning an outreach concert in East Jerusalem at the Spafford Children's Center, a health center for disadvantaged children.

Israelis and Palestinians "have to be living all of the time with this situation," said Kates. "When we come and go, will we be any more than a passing distraction?"

David Patrick Stearns will report from the orchestra's tour through June 7.

David Patrick Stearns' coverage of the Philadelphia Orchestra on Tour is made possible by a partnership between the Philadelphia Inquirer and WRTI 90.1.
Vuochleng Kim, 15, from Bodine High School, pours sparkling apple cider to christen the JAWN, a boat that she and 70 other high school students built as part of a program at the Independence Seaport Museum that aims to expose underserved populations to science and technology. Read more

By the docks outside the Independence Seaport Museum, where just a week ago majestic tall ships were anchored, a freshly constructed boat awaited its christening Saturday morning. This one was a little less showy yet still worthy of celebration.

The vessel was the finished product of the museum's 2018 youth boatbuilding program. Roughly 70 pupils took part and built the first motorboat in the program's seven-year history. Vuochleng Kim, 15, had the honor of leading the ceremony.

"May you carry us safely a-sea," she began, clasping a bottle of sparkling cider that she'd soon pour. "I christen thee Jawn."

The SAILOR (Science and Art Innovative Learning on the River) program runs each school year. It is designed as a STEM program, so as pupils learn ship construction, they sharpen their science, technology, engineering, and math skills. For the last two semesters, the program, which aims to reach underserved young people, has drawn teens from Bodine High School, Charter High School for Architecture and Design (CHAD), Mastery Charter School's Shoemaker campus, and Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Charter High School, as well as homeschoolers.

Kim attends Bodine and helped shape the knee of the boat, but also did her fair share of sanding. She thinks her career one day will be in a STEM-related field, but isn't quite sure which one. "I never thought about wanting to build a boat before," she said, "so it's very incredible."

The Jawn  a slang word particular to Philadelphia that functions as a pronoun for pretty much anything  is a garvey, a type of work boat. Museum CEO John Brady said garveys have a long history of use in our region.

"We try to pick as much [as possible] in the local tradition, so they get that connection," he said. Sailing forward, the Jawn will serve as a safety boat for kayaks and a vessel for collecting water samples, as well as other tasks in the Delaware River.

Olivia Thomas, museum director of education, noted that the goal of the program isn't really to produce boatbuilders but rather "to put some of these mathematical and STEM concepts in another context." Dave Dormond, one of the program's boat shop educators, called it an opportunity for kids to work with their hands but also with one another.

Janiyah Jordan, 15, goes to school at Mastery's Shoemaker campus. She hopes to be an actress one day, and figured SAILOR would teach her the team-building skills she'd need on a film set. A big takeaway, she said, was to "not always do everything yourself."

Mylz Ward, 18, and Jihad Young, 19, come from a contingent of CHAD students who worked on the boat's console. In the past, the program has primarily built rowboats, so this was a newer educational element.

"They had to explain the dos and don'ts of consoles. And it had to be ergonomic," Ward said. "We didn't want it to be boxy or too plain. This is actually my design right here.  Some people say it looks like a washer-dryer."

Peers made that critique because features appear stacked, Young said. The two teens pointed from the dock, noting the shelf space they accommodated for, and the opening for wires to hang down.

Ward and Young, who both plan to become carpenters, remember the large blueprint that guided them on the workshop floor. Just looking at it initially, they both agreed, they couldn't fully imagine what the finished product would be like. As the boat took shape, that changed.

"It started coming together," Young, a graduating senior, said.

"As we progressed, it just got better and better," said Ward, also finishing up at CHAD. "We went from pen and paper  to a 3-D  to a real boat."
NAMUGONGO  The Namugongo Martyrs Catholic Shrine was Friday evening filling to capacity as more pilgrims arrived ahead of the Martyrs Day celebrations on Sunday.

The Archdiocese of Tororo are leading this years celebrations.

Related
The Uganda Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer, Mr Stephen Asiimwe has Saturday June 2nd revealed that the government is set to build a war museum to attract tourists in the country.

Ugandas ex-President Idi Amins brutal eight-year rule and the 20-year Lords Resistance Army (LRA insurgency) are the main dark moments intended to be documented because of their past records according to Mr Asiimwe.

He said the museum will also showcase pre-colonial and colonial history because colonial records were systematically destroyed by Britain in a purge known as operation legacy.

Uganda hopes to attract tourists with a war museum showcasing some of the darkest moments from its history, he added.

History gets richer, its like red wine  it gets more interesting as the years go by, Mr Asiimwe said, adding: I lived through the Idi Amin era as a young boy, my fellow students lost their parents to the regime, however you cannot run away from history, these are facts, he said.

AMINIS LIFE.

Joined the army  the Kings African Rifles  in his 20s

Seized power in 1971, less than 10 years after Ugandas independence

Some 400,000 people are believed to have been killed under his rule

Expelled Ugandas entire Asian population in 1972, accusing them of milking the economy

A convert to Islam, he took five wives, fathered dozens of children and insisted on being called Big Daddy

He declared himself King of Scotland, banned hippies and mini-skirts, and awarded himself the Victoria Cross

Ousted by Tanzanian troops and Ugandan exiles in 1979

Died in Saudi Arabia in 2003

Mr Asiimwe said that every destination had its own traditional culture and attractions. In Uganda we have wildlife  mountain gorillas. But we are trying to retrace the past.

Showcasing Ugandas history would make the East African country a richer place for tourists to visit, he added.

Related
I defer to Scott on all things relating to the Three Stooges (Comey, Clapper and Brennan), but I want to add an observation on James Clappers remarkable self-absolution as quoted by Scott earlier this morning. When asked why he didnt tell Donald Trump or his campaign manager about the alleged threat to his campaign posed by the Russians that was then under investigation, Clapper said:

It wasnt my place to do that. I was reporting to the then-governmentthe executive branch policymakers.

So whether to tell the Trump campaign about the Russians alleged threat to that campaign, and the Obama administrations investigation, was a policy decision to be made by Clappers superiors.

Clapper was Director of National Intelligence at the time, which means that he reported directly to the president, Barack Obama. His statement implies that President Obama knew about the investigation of the Trump campaign, and it was his call whether to keep candidate Trump in the dark. There is no one else in the executive branch to whom Clapper reasonably could have deferred on this obviously important question.

It is possible that Clapper regarded Attorney General Loretta Lynch, FBI Director James Comey, or even White House hacks like Susan Rice, Valerie Jarrett and Ben Rhodes as his de facto superiors. But someone should ask him who were the policymakers to whom he reported who decided not to tell candidate Trump about the Obama administrations investigation. In particular, did he discuss this matter with the only person to whom he actually reported, Barack Obama?
Larry OConnor now writes for the Washington Times. He has been following the comments of former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on the FBI counterintelligence investigation that swept up the Trump campaign. Clapper is out promoting his book Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence. Larry found Clappers claptrap wearing thin in response to a question posed by CNNs unabashed Dana Bash. Bash asked Clapper why the Trump campaign wasnt warned off individuals who raised some Russian related threat: Why not contact the campaign, instead of sending an informant  an informant or a confidential source in? What is the answer to that? OConnor quotes Clapper:

Well, I think the first thing is determine just what was going on. If there wasnt a concern about the Russians and that could be allayed, then perhaps there is no reason to do that. I  the FBI has rules and protocols on when they decide to do things like that. And I dont think, at that point, that it had reached the point where it would be appropriate to engage with the head of the campaign or the nominee.

One might infer from this that the threat was insubstantial, yet the counterintelligence campaign and related surveillance continued through the election and beyond.

Yesterday Larry found Clapper addressing the question in an interview with the host of the Chris Stigall Morning Show. Audio of Stigalls 10-minute interview is accessible here and here.

Expressly following up on Bashs interview, Stigall asked why Clapper never talked with Trump about the threat to his campaign if thats what it was all about. Stigall engaged in some Columbo-like self-deprecation before winding into this question:

To me it seems you have a candidate in Donald Trump who wasnt told about a lot of this when it was being looked at very intensely starting in roughly July. You knew a lot. President Obama knew a lot. James Comey knew a lot. Others knew a lot and were actively investigating the campaign. Donald Trump the candidate didnt and youve said that it was out of concern for him, that he wasnt a target. Why wasnt a guy who you have concern for not be in the loop of an investigation inside his own campaign?

Clapper responds that there was liaison with the campaign by FBI and [?], that there was turnover in the Trump campaign, and that it was an evolving thing (its not clear to me what it is).

Stigall notes that Clapper was the DNI. Im sure Donald Trump would have taken your call directly, he says. You wouldnt have had to go through some kind of surrogates, would you?

Clapper responds with a variation of Freddie Prinzes Chico and the Man catchphrase that it wasnt his job. Clapper just reported to policymakers to make decisions about who do we talk to about it, what do we do about it. The role of the intelligence community is just to glean the information.

Stigall persists. No one talked to Donald Trump about the threat of Russian interference, he observes.

Clapper pleads: It wasnt my place to do that. He reiterates: I was reporting to the then-governmentthe executive branch policymakers. But for me to pick up the phone and call a political candidate would not have been appropriate.

Let me go, copper! This is a fantastically disturbing interview.
A 22-year-old Detroit man was cited during a traffic stop May 29 for possession of marijuana.

Police patrolling the area of Wyoming and Eagle pulled over a Saturn L100 for not having a functioning license plate light.

When police approached the car, they could immediately smell the odor or marijuana coming from inside.

When police asked the driver where the marijuana was, he pulled out a jar from underneath the drivers seat that had a rolled marijuana cigarette inside of it.

After the driver admitted the cigarette was his, police cited him for possession of marijuana and released him from the scene.
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AHCA, NCAL Elect Boards and Directors at Annual Convention <p>The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) have elected AHCAs Board of Governors and NCALs Board of Directors for the 2021/2022 term. Phil Fogg of Oregon was elected AHCA Chair, and Gerald Hamilton of New Mexico was elected NCAL Chair. </p><p>We are thrilled to have Phil and Gerald as the chairs of our Boards, said AHCA/NCAL President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Parkinson. They are incredible, influential leaders dedicated to seeing the industry through this challenging time, so we come out stronger, as well as providing the highest quality of care to our residents. I am confident they will do an amazing job leading our sector this next year.</p><p>Fogg is the president and CEO of Marquis Companies in Milwaukie, Ore. As the fourth generation of a family of long term care providers, it was inevitable that Fogg would devote his life to serving seniors. His great-grandmother was one of Oregons pioneers in the profession, and by the age of 13, he was already working in his fathers facilitiesdoing laundry, washing dishes, making beds, or whatever else was needed. He previously served as Vice Chair on AHCAs Board of Governors. </p><p>The remaining members of AHCAs 2021-2022 board include:</p><p> Phil Scalo of Bartley Healthcare (N.J.), Vice Chair<br> Chris Wright of iCare Health Network (Conn.), Secretary/Treasurer <br> Debbie Meade of Health Management (Ga.), Immediate Past Chair<br> Derek Prince of HMG Healthcare (Texas), At-large Representative <br> Sarah Schumann of Brookside Inn (Colo.), At-large Representative <br> Tina Sandri of Forest Hills (D.C.), At-large Representative<br> Reginald Hartsfield of Advantage Living Centers (Mich.), At-large Representative<br> Julianne Williams of Elevate Health Care (Calif.), At-large Representative <br> Alex Terentev of Lilac Health Group (Fla.), At-large Representative<br> Steve Flatt of National Healthcare Corp. (Tenn.), Multifacility Representative <br> Randy Bury of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (S.D.), Not-for-profit Representative<br> Mark Traylor of Traylor Porter Healthcare (Ala.), Independent Owner Representative <br> Ted LeNeave of Accura Healthcare (Iowa), Regional Multifacility Representative<br> Gerald Hamilton of BeeHive Homes of Albuquerque (N.M.), NCAL Representative<br> Jesse Samples of the Tennessee Health Care Association, ASHCAE Representative<br> Betsy Rust of Plante Moran, Associate Business Member Representative</p><p>NCAL also elected its Board of Directors today, including Hamilton as its new chair. He is the co-owner of BeeHive Homes and has 35 years of experience in health care management as an assisted living facility owner/operator, licensed nursing home administrator, regional manager of multiple nursing homes, and consultant. After a successful career in nursing home administration in California, New Mexico, and Colorado, he started his own business to construct and operate assisted living communities. </p><p>The remaining members of NCALs Board of Directors include:</p><p> Mark Maxfield of The Cottages (Idaho), Vice Chair<br> Sarah Silva of Avamere Health Services (Ore.), Secretary/Treasurer<br> Helen Crunk of Pemberly Place (Neb.), Immediate Past Chair,<br> John Bolduc of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Home of Maine (Maine), At-large Representative<br> Rod Burkett of Gardant Management Solutions (Ill.), At-large Representative<br> Megan Campbell of IntegraCare Corp. (Pa.), At-large Representative<br> Sue Coppola of Sunrise Senior Living (Va.), At-large Representative<br> Ana de la Cerda of Aegis Living (Wash.), At-large Representative<br> Todd Dockerty of Dockerty Health Care Services (Mich.), At-large Representative<br> Darryl Fisher of Mission Senior Living (Nev.), At-large Representative<br> Stacy Hejda of Assisted Living Partners (Iowa), At-large Representative <br> Esmerelda Lee of Century Park Associates (Tenn.), At-large Representative<br> Barbara Mitchell of Magnolia Manor (Ga.), At-large Representative<br> Gail Sheridan of Lifespark, formerly Tealwood Senior Living (Minn.), At-large Representative<br> Elizabeth Wheatley of Benchmark Senior Living (Mass.), At-large Representative<br> Kristopher Woolley of Avista Senior Living (Ariz.), At-large Representative<br> Phil Scalo of Bartley Healthcare (N.J.), AHCA Vice Chair<br> Phil Fogg of Marquis Companies (Ore.), AHCA Chair<br> Peter Corless of OnShift, Associate Business Member Representative <br> Doug Farmer of Colorado Health Care Association, State Affiliate Representative<br> David Voepel of Arizona Health Care Association, ASHCAE Vice President </p><p>We are incredibly fortunate for this years Board members, and their time and contribution to assisted living, said NCAL Executive Director LaShuan Bethea. Now more than ever, we need their leadership to guide us during these challenging years ahead, and looking at this group of individuals I am truly excited about all they will accomplish for our profession.</p><p>Members of the AHCA Board of Governors are elected by the associations governing body, the Council of States. The NCAL Board of Directors is elected by current members of the NCAL Board and by the NCAL State Leaders. Both boards hold annual elections at the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo.<br></p> 2021-10-13T04:00:00Z <img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/PhilFogg.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> Management Associations elect annual Board line-ups during final hours of AHCA/NCAL 72nd Convention & Expo.

Bethea Shares a Passion For Advocacy as New Head of National Center for Assisted Living <p>Much has changed during the last 18 months. Theres the political dynamics on Capitol Hill, bringing new challenges to leaders in health care. On the frontlines, assisted living providers continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, saving lives and protecting residents from the virus latest iterationthe Delta variant. In Washington, there is a new face in assisted living leadership.</p><p>Being the first woman and first person of color to hold the title of executive director of the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), LaShuan Bethea is a force, bringing 25 years of experience as a nurse and fierce advocacy from the front lines of long term care. She most recently served as vice president of legislative affairs and reimbursement for Genesis HealthCare.</p><p>In an interview with Provider, Bethea shares her message to Washington and assisted living providers across the country, along with a sneak peak of what providers can look forward to at this years NCAL Day at the 72nd American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living Convention & Expo.<br>Provider: Youve just recently come on as NCALs new executive director, congratulations! What made you take this position? What challenges do you want to tackle? </p><p>Bethea: Ive been a nurse for over 25 years. I have a range of experience in a variety of different long term care settings. One of the things Ive developed a passion about is advocacy. Ive focused on legislation, regulation, and quality care for excellent outcomes. Having 25 years experience, I see this as an opportunity to expand my role for quality and great outcomes in the assisted living care setting.</p><p>Provider: How can assisted living providers be successful with the Phase 4 application process with the Provider Relief Fund?<br></p><p>Bethea: Were thankful to the Biden administration for making these funds available to all providers and prioritizing the needs of those we care for in our assisted living communities. The application is open until Oct. 26, and there are webcasts that will help providers with applying. I encourage providers to complete their applications sooner rather than later so that they have enough time to get their applications in.</p><p>Provider: How do you balance the needs for assisted living providers to get federal COVID relief while at the same time maintaining that assisted living remain a state-regulated area of long term care? </p><p>Bethea: I think it is important that the federal government as well as state governments understand the wide variety of individuals who are providing assisted living care. We have some assisted living providers that have a social or hospitality model, and we have other assisted living providers who provide more of a medical modelthey collaborate with hospitals or SNF [skilled nursing facility] settings.</p><p>Assisted living, no matter what range of the spectrum it falls in, we are not a true medical model, and we do need additional resources to make sure that we can be competitive in terms of wages and hiring caregivers to work in our settings, as well as having access to personal protective equipment, testing, and vaccines. </p><p>Its important for the state and federal government to recognize that the governments role in assisting providers during the pandemic should not be setting-agnostic; they should be providing assistance to those who need assistance in providing care to a vulnerable populationwhether thats in a skilled setting, a hospital, or an assisted living setting. </p><p>Provider: Are there any current discussions on Capitol Hill about increased regulation or scrutiny of assisted living communities?</p><p>Bethea: There is nothing specific that Im aware of, but its definitely something that were keeping our eye on. Right now there is definitely an opportunity for Congress to continue to prioritize assisted living, including the individuals who choose to call assisted living their home as well as their caregivers. And they can do that through the Human Infrastructure Act. They can make sure that funds are allocated to cover wages. </p><p>Workforce is one of our most significant challenges. Another bill in Congress, the Care for our Seniors Act, also addresses our ongoing workforce challenge. It uses a multitiered approach to help providers not only recruit new caregivers but retain them by providing services that support them, such as affordable housing, child care, tax credits, and loan forgiveness for any new graduate who chooses to work in a care setting.</p><p>So while there is no regulation thats looking to increase scrutiny, I think that Congress is focusing where they should be focusing right now, which is making sure that seniors and individuals living in a senior living community have the resources that they need to successfully get through this pandemic.</p><p>Provider: There seems to be some movement to make assisted living care more affordable. What do you think are the prospects for more development in this area? To enhance access to assisted living for those with middle to low incomes? </p><p>Bethea: With the use of home- and community-based services waivers and the funding thats been allocated for them, I think that we should absolutely make sure that assisted living is a part of what is considered when those resources are distributed. It is a way to make sure that not only those individuals who have sufficient financial resources can afford to make assisted living their home but also individuals with a moderate or low income can use Medicaid reimbursement to select assisted living as their home. </p><p>Provider: Will the vaccine mandate for health care workers cause any type of staff exodus from member facilities in the assisted living world?</p><p>Bethea: There is definitely some vaccine hesitancy. One of the ways we can deal with that is while we are fully supportive of health care providers being vaccinated, I think that in order to help us deal with the vaccine hesitancy it will be important for the Biden administration to provide some type of guidance to help us manage or deal with giving additional time to unvaccinated workers.</p><p>In addition, when the mandate goes into effect, if we lose some individuals who are choosing not to get vaccinated, we believe that the administration can also assist us by providing some supplemental staffing or other resources to help us fill that gap that we may have so our staffing challenges dont continue to get worse. </p><p>Provider: Considering the post-COVID push to have elders and people with disabilities cared for more at home, how will that affect business? And will you see more of your members go into the home care space?</p><p>Bethea: Assisted living is a perfect option for individuals to choose. I wouldnt say that one is better than the other. Whether more people will stay at home or more in a facility, I think that is to be determined. Assisted living is absolutely an option for individuals whether they are people looking for a more social or hospitality environment, or whether they have additional medical needs, assisted living is an environment that has something for all those individuals. </p><p>Provider: At Genesis, you were chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. As you know, more than half of the frontline workers in long term care are people of color. This is way over the national average for a workforce in any industry, but the ranks of owners, administrators, and other key leadership spots are not diversified. How is NCAL planning to support the growth in the number of people of color into management and executive positions in long term and post-acute care? </p><p>Bethea: One of the ways any organization has the ability to support diversity in executive positions is making sure that when they have open positions, they interview individuals from a diverse candidate pool, and that at least one of the candidates be a diverse candidate.</p><p>I think the other option, because we know that more than 50 percent of our workforce are persons of color, is succession planning. Succession planning is another way to look at individuals in the workforce and give people a chance to move up within an organization and within a trade association. <br>Its important to share those potential options with members and let them know what paths they can take to expand diversity within their organization, either through mentoring, succession planning, and/or ensuring diverse candidate pools with hiring and with promotion. Its also about looking at representation within their leadership but also within their board.</p><p>Great ideas and options for opportunities come when you have diverse representation in committees and boards that are making decisions about how policy is being structured within an organization. </p><p>Provider: This month is the largest gathering of your members of the year, and the first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. What can your members expect from NCAL Day? </p><p>Bethea: Im extremely excited about our fifth annual NCAL Day on Oct. 10. Its a great opportunity where like-minded assisted living providers can join together to enjoy thought-provoking education that is tailored to the assisted living sector.</p><p>We have lots of great educational opportunities, including one provided by the Ritz Carlton leadership center. They will conduct a presentation that is going to walk through how to foster a culture of personalized service in genuine care. Attendees will hear a national update from NCAL leadership, they will hear more about how the federal government will potentially impact the assisted living profession, and how NCAL is working on their behalf.</p><p>One of the other benefits, especially after 18 months of working remotely and having video conference calls, is that this is an opportunity to safely network, meet new people, share ideas, and innovate with your fellow assisted living professionals as well as discuss some best practices and some of the experiences that individuals have had within the last 18 months. </p> 2021-10-08T04:00:00Z <img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/LaShuanBethea.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> Management Right now Congress has an opportunity to continue to prioritize assisted living along with skilled nursing.

Mark Parkinson Talks Relief Funds, Vaccine Mandate, Politics <p>In the midst of the second fall season in the COVID-19 pandemic, much is on table for skilled nursing providers and the residents and patients they care for. With the Delta variant top of mind and providers working harder than ever to save lives, opportunities with the latest round of provider relief funds are at hand, mixed with new staffing challenges and occupancy ebbs and flows.</p><p>In an interview with Provider, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Parkinson outlines the current political dynamics in Washington, D.C., how vaccine mandates are affecting long term care, what providers should focus on with relief funds, and what attendees can expect at the 72nd AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo.</p><p>Provider: This month your members are coming together at the 2021 AHCA/NCAL National Convention & Expo. Its the first time since the start of COVID that youve held this event at a physical site. What can attendees expect?</p><p>Parkinson: We are really thrilled to be able to get back together in person with everyone. Our hope is the conference will be a time where people can refresh, get reinvigorated, share experiences, and prepare for the recovery of the future. The conference will be focused on really educating people, but also the theme of inspiring people will run through the conference. There will be a lot of inspirational sessions. </p><p>Provider: How can nursing homes be successful in applying for the latest round of provider relief funds? Is it enough aid for the sector? </p><p>Parkinson: The most important thing at this point is that people get applications in well before the deadline on Oct. 26, 2021. We dont believe that CMS [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] will grant an extension for applications on this phase. Everyone should have everything filed at least a week before the deadline. HRSA [Health Resources & Services Administration] has had some webinars on how to properly apply, and we encourage everyone to review those webinars, as well as additional materials were putting out. </p><p>Unfortunately, even with this additional funding, it wont be enough. The Delta variant has caused a pause in the financial recovery of the sector. Combined with increasing staffing costs that we were already experiencing, were going to need continued help from both the federal and state governments. </p><p>Provider: Workforce is the current major issue it seems. Is there any legislation that you would like to see passed in Congress to help make it easier to find and retain workers for long term care? </p><p>Parkinson: There are two things the federal government can do right now to help us with our workforce shortage. First is to test incentives for workers to stay in our workforce in the reconciliation bill. We are advocating for some funding increases to SNFs [skilled nursing facilities] that would be passed through in the form of wage increases. Thats the first thing that Congress can do.</p><p>The second thing is that the administration can do some things to make immigration easier. We dont expect a broad immigration bill to pass on the Hill, but there are some administrative changes that the Biden administration can make that would increase the ability for nurses to come to the United States, and thats what wed like to see happen. <br>Provider: What are the current political dynamics in Washington, and how does long term care fit in? </p><p>Parkinson: Washington continues to be very partisan and quite divided, and as long as that remains the case, its difficult for bills to pass Congress. What that means for long term care is that, for us to achieve our objectives, a lot of work has to be done with the administration on actions that do not require Congressional approval. </p><p>The good news for the sector is that, because of the hard work of providers, we have broad support from both partiesRepublicans and Democrats, leadership and rank and file membersfrom the efforts that providers have undertaken, particularly the work that theyve done during the pandemic.</p><p>After the pandemic occurred, I was concerned that the attitude on the Hill and in the general public would be to blame nursing homes for what happened. Initially there was a lot of blame out there. But as time has passed, politicians and the general public have really begun to understand that this pandemic was a once in a hundred-year event, and the virus was so contagious that there was nothing that long term care providers could do. The work that was done saved tens of thousands of lives in the buildings.</p><p>So the overall attitude about long term care on the Hill is positive, but they still have a hard time helping us because they cant pass any bills. They are that divided. </p><p>Provider: What will be the effect of the administrations vaccine mandate for health care workers on skilled nursing and assisted living staff? </p><p>Parkinson: Its too early to tell right now because the administration has announced the vaccine mandate, but they have not enacted the mandate yet. Until we get to the point where either workers have to be vaccinated or they will be terminated, were not going to know what the impact of the mandate is.</p><p>Its very clear to me that there are parts of the country where there is so much vaccine hesitancy, that if there isnt some alternative to the vaccine, assisted living centers and skilled nursing facilities are going to lose a lot of employees. We encourage the administration to provide some exceptions or alternatives in those cases or we believe they are going to exacerbate the already challenging staffing situation. </p><p>Provider: Do you see further specialization by providers to diversify their care settings? For example, are memory care and non-skilled settings still booming?</p><p>Parkinson: Successful providers are branching off into all sorts of different areas beyond the core work of long term care. We have seen great success of providers going into memory care but also the ancillary businesses, like creating their own pharmacies, their own hospices, their own rehab companies, their own institutional special needs plans. </p><p>The financial lessons of the last 10 to 15 years has been that if all you have is the core business of long term care, youre going to have a hard time surviving financially, particularly in the vast majority of states that underpay for Medicaid. And so the successful providers now and into the future will be those that take part in ancillary businesses that surround the basic long term care work that we do.</p><p>Provider: Considering the post-COVID push to have elders and people with disabilities cared for more at home, how will that affect business? And will you see more of your members go into the home care space?</p><p>Parkinson: The major misunderstanding of many home care advocates is their belief that there are many residents who can be taken care of at home. And that simply is not true. The average resident of a SNF or assisted living building is typically in their 80s and needs help with multiple activities of daily living. Its just not possible for these people to be taken care of at home. Many states that have attempted to provide home care services and move people from nursing homes into home residences have found it doesnt work out. </p><p>There are some people who are at home who do need additional home care services, and thats why we support the efforts of the administration to expand home- and community-based services for those people. Those are important services for those people, but it will not dimmish the number of people who still do need skilled nursing and assisted living care.<br>Because of the caregiving work that all skilled nursing and assisted living providers perform, many of them also provide home care services. If that funding is expanded, as the Biden administration would like to have happen, I think youll see more long term care operators expand into home care as well.</p><p>Provider: On occupancy, did we bottom out months ago as some expected, or have we still not hit the bottom? What are the prospects in the coming months and in 2022? </p><p>Parkinson: I think we hit the bottom in January. We had a huge wave of COVID in November and December in the U.S., and the country-wide occupancy hit a low of 67 percent. We are now at 72 percent. We were at 80 percent before the pandemic. Weve had a pause in the census recovery during the time of the Delta variant, but as the variant recedes, our hope is the pause turns into a slow and steady increase in occupancy through the end of the year, and then we can fully recover in 2022.</p><p>Provider: Youve been at this for a number of years. Do you still find the challenges exhilarating? What have you learned from heading AHCA/NCAL? </p><p>Parkinson: The last two years have been the most important work that Ive been able to do at any point in my career. Our mission statement at AHCA/NCAL is to improve lives by delivering solutions for quality care. We feel like the work that weve been able to do both at AHCA and more importantly for our members in their buildings hasnt been just to improve lives but to actually save lives. And I believe that our work and our members work have saved tens of thousands of lives over the past 10 years. And so yes, thats been exhilarating.</p><p>On the other hand, all of us at AHCA/NCAL have been working hard every day for the past year and a half, and we havent been working as hard as our members have. Its been tiring at times, and its been exhilarating at times, but its been the most important part of my career.<br></p> 2021-10-07T04:00:00Z <img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/1120MarkParkinson.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> Management Successful providers are branching off into all sorts of different areas beyond the core work of long term care.

AHCA Partners With Exponent, MatrixCare on New Effort to Track COVID-19 and Future Threats to Nursing Homes <p>The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has partnered with Exponent Inc. and MatrixCare on a new effort that will enable comprehensive tracking of COVID-19 and future public health threats facing nursing homes.</p><p>The Long Term Care Data Cooperative, funded by the National Institute on Aging, will use nursing home residents electronic medical records and associated data to create comprehensive resident electronic health records to help providers monitor their residents needs and outcomes. Additionally, the health records system will support public health reporting as well as allow researchers to generate real-world evidence on different treatments and care practices for the elderly and individuals with disabilities in nursing homes.</p><p>We are thrilled to have these partners join us for this important new initiative, said Mark Parkinson, AHCA president and chief executive officer (CEO). While we know more about COVID than a year ago, there is still so much more we need to learn. This innovative system will help improve and save lives now and in the future.</p><p>Together with Brown University, a pioneer of research studies using integrated data on residents that have helped the long term care community, Exponent, an interdisciplinary and scientific consulting company, and electronic health records (EHR) software firm MatrixCare, the AHCA-led effort will assemble the largest and most comprehensive health records database from geographically and structurally diverse nursing homes and residents. </p><p>Thirty-years ago, the minimum data set made it possible to characterize the needs of nursing home residents and to document the impact of new treatments and policies, said Vincent Mor, PhD, professor of health services, policy, and practice at Brown Universitys School of Public Health. This initiative transforms this effort by linking real-time clinical data, including lab results and orders, in ways that can transform the delivery of care to the increasingly vulnerable population of nursing home residents.</p><p>In addition to curating and normalizing diverse data sources and maintaining the health records system, Exponent will leverage its expertise to develop insights from the data to support providers delivery of care. <br> <br>This project brings more than curated electronic health records to the long term care industry as they navigate the continuously evolving pandemic, said David Dore, PharmD, PhD, a principal scientist at Exponent. This public-private partnership brings together a holistic, multidisciplinary team of experts who can translate the data and deliver tailored information to stakeholders to advance delivery of care in skilled nursing facilities.</p><p>We are proud to be one of the first EHRs to join the Long Term Care Data Cooperative to combat the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and pave the way for innovation and improvement in a post-pandemic world, said MatrixCare President and CEO Steve Pacicco. At MatrixCare, we are deeply committed to using data to improve the quality of patient and resident care, while optimizing organizational efficiencies. This collaboration underscores the power of data-driven intelligence and interoperability to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of seniors and empower those who care for them.</p><p>This multi-year initiative will continue to characterize and monitor the immediate and long-term effects of COVID-19 and its vaccines among residents and to be better prepared for future public health threats. </p><p>Over time, the cooperative will serve three broad functions:<br> Assist providers with health care operations, including care coordination for residents who transfer between skilled nursing facilities.<br> Provide public health monitoring for medical conditions and infections, including COVID-19, to be securely shared with relevant health authorities.<br> Identify research opportunities for National Institute of Health-funded academic institutions and commercial companies.<br></p> 2021-10-04T04:00:00Z <img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/0920_News1.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> COVID-19 The cooperative will use electronic health records to help providers monitor their residents' needs and outcomes.

AHCA, NCAL Issue Statement in Support of the SKILLS Act <p>The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) have released the following statement in support of the <a href="https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-fred-keller-introduces-legislation-connect-workforce-displaced">Strengthening Knowledge, Improving Learning, and Livelihoods (SKILLS) Act,</a> introduced by Congressman Fred Keller (R-Pa.). </p><p>The following statement is attributable to Mark Parkinson, AHCA/NCAL president and chief executive officer:</p><p>We thank Congressman Keller for introducing this important legislation. Today, nearly every nursing home and assisted living community is facing a workforce crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>A new <a href="https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Press-Releases/Pages/Survey-Nearly-Every-U-S--Nursing-Home-And-Assisted-Living-Community-Is-Facing-A-Workforce-Crisis.aspx">survey </a>of our members found that 86 percent of nursing homes and 77 percent of assisted living providers say their workforce situation has gotten worse over the last three months. Providers nationwide are struggling to fill vacant roles, and a lack of qualified candidates is one of the biggest obstacles in hiring workers.</p><p>The SKILLS Act will help create a pipeline of essential workers for the long term care sector. Strengthening our workforce is critical to providing quality care for the millions of seniors in our nursing homes and assisted living communities, but we need federal resources to accomplish this. </p><p>We appreciate Congressman Keller making the long term care workforce a priority, and we look forward to working with him to help pass this bill.</p> 2021-09-24T04:00:00Z <img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/1120_news1.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> Workforce A lack of qualified candidates is one of the biggest obstacles in hiring workers, association says.

Most Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Communities Face a Workforce Crisis <p>The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) have released a survey of nursing home and assisted living providers across the United States. Results from the survey highlight an urgent need for Congress to address the labor shortage facing the long term care industry. </p><p>Key findings include:</p><p> Eighty-six percent of nursing homes and 77 percent of assisted living providers said their workforce situation has gotten worse over the past three months.</p><p> Nearly every nursing home (99 percent) and assisted living facility (96 percent) in the United States is facing a staffing shortage. Fifty-nine percent of nursing homes and nearly one-third of assisted living providers are experiencing a high level of staffing shortages. </p><p> More than 7 out of 10 nursing homes and assisted living communities said a lack of qualified candidates and unemployment benefits have been the biggest obstacles in hiring new staff. </p><p> Due to these shortages, nearly every nursing home and assisted living community is asking staff to work overtime or extra shifts. Nearly 70 percent of nursing homes are having to hire expensive agency staff. Fifty-eight percent of nursing homes are limiting new admissions.</p><p> Seventy-eight percent of nursing homes and 71 percent of assisted living facilities are concerned workforce challenges might force them to close. More than one-third of nursing homes are very concerned about having to shut down their facility(ies).</p><p>The survey demonstrates the severe workforce challenges long term care providers are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Too many facilities are struggling to hire and retain staff that are needed to serve millions of vulnerable residents, said Mark Parkinson, AHCA/NCAL president and chief executive officer.</p><p>Lawmakers across the country must prioritize long term care, and that begins with providing resources to address workforce challenges. When facilities have the means to offer competitive wages and training programs, workers will follow, he said. We have laid out key proposals in our <a href="https://www.ahcancal.org/Advocacy/Pages/Care-For-Our-Seniors-Act.aspx">Care for Our Seniors Act </a>that will allow us to boost our workforce, but without the help from Congress and state legislators, this will not be possible.</p><p>Parkinson said the reconciliation package currently under construction is an appropriate vehicle for Congress to fund a long-term solution to address chronic staffing shortages in nursing homes and other long term care facilities. </p><p>Congress has the opportunity right now, through budget reconciliation, to include meaningful investments in long term care, which will help address key staffing challenges, he said.</p><p>Our caregivers are the backbone of long term care, and they deserve the full support of our lawmakers. We cannot allow facilities to close because of these challenges, which will directly impact residents and their families, especially when lawmakers have the means to help solve this dire situation.</p><p>Survey results can be found <a href="https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Fact-Sheets/FactSheets/Workforce-Survey-September2021.pdf">HERE.</a></p> 2021-09-22T04:00:00Z <img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/0120_News1.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> Workforce Fifty-eight percent of nursing homes are limiting new admissions due to worker shortages.
Home Warranty Reviews American Residential Warranty leads the pack when it comes to the best home warranty plans. Were pleased to give them our highest rating in 2018.

TopConsumerReviews.com recently gave their best-in-class 5 star rating to American Residential Warranty, a leader among providers of Home Warranties.

What is one factor that often stops prospective buyers from making an offer on a home? Fear of costly repairs. Owning a home is definitely expensive; beyond the typical maintenance and utilities, having to fix things that break or simply wear out over time can strain the wallet and cause no small amount of stress. Buying a Home Warranty - either as a home seller who wants to offer peace of mind to a buyer or as a current homeowner wanting to minimize financial risk - is a popular way to protect against unexpected repair costs. Those who are considering a Home Warranty contract should be careful to read all of the fine print; warranties vary widely in terms of what is covered and what is excluded, and most have a deductible and/or service call fee when repairs are necessary.

American Residential Warranty covers your homes systems and appliances at a price you can afford, explained Brian Dolezal of TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC. One thing we really liked about American Residential Warranty is that you can count on them to be there when you need them. Their representatives are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with state-of-the-art call centers and immediate service for emergency situations. When it comes to their technicians, they pre-screen their licensed service providers to ensure high quality customer service. With a stellar reputation, and hundreds of glowing customer reviews, American Residential Warranty leads the pack when it comes to the best home warranty plans. Were pleased to give them our highest rating in 2018.

To find out more about American Residential Warranty and other providers of Home Warranties, including reviews and comparison rankings, please visit the Home Warranty category of TopConsumerReviews.com at https://www.topconsumerreviews.com/home-warranty/.

About American Residential Warranty

American Residential Warranty is a national company that serves customers in all 50 states. Our corporate office is located in Boca Raton, Florida and we are A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau. Our extensive suite of products includes home warranty plans, electronics protection plans and home security systems. Our partners include some of the largest service providers, such as TWG Home Warranty Services, AmTrust Financial Services, and Asurion.

About TopConsumerReviews.com

TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of reviews and rankings for thousands of consumer products and services. From Home Warranties to Background Checks and Home Security Systems, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier.
Trilix Principal of Marketing Carrie Majewski leading attendees through a portion of the Workplace Excellence Workshop. "As leaders, we need to embrace a mindset of continuous improvement, believing that everything and anything can run, operate, perform and function better." - Tim Hebert, Trilix CEO/Founder

With 75 percent of American workers feeling they do not have access to the latest efficiency-boosting technologyand 49 percent feeling actively disengageda top concern of all business leaders is how can we do better?

Since its inception, Trilix has partnered with business leaders to examine more closely the daily technology, process and system impediments that negatively impact the workplace. When these issues are brought to the foreground, prioritized and addressed, businesses take critical steps forward in re-engaging and re-energizing their workforce.

Over the past year, we have invited the business community to embark upon a movement with us to reach a heightened level of workplace excellenceto once and for all own the process, technology and systems issues that plague their environments and to do something about it, says Trilix CEO/Founder Tim Hebert. As leaders, we need to embrace a mindset of continuous improvement, believing that everything and anything can run, operate, perform and function better. This means actively searching for manual processes to automate, for broken processes to fix, for legacy technologies to replace. It means refusing to say, Its the way its always been done.

To help business leaders tackle process, system and technology woes more intentionally, Trilix is introducing an interactive workshop, Build Your Path to Workplace Excellence. The two-hour deep dive gives attendees the chance to identify the top obstacle that is prohibiting them from reaching desired goals, apply Trilixs Workplace Excellence Matrix as a framework to start prioritizing a path to greater impact, and gain understanding in how to better fuse together operations and cultural elements.

The workshop is ideal for peer leadership teams or department leaders who wish to take their teams through this experiential workshop. The session will be led by members of Trilixs executive leadership team and will be performed on-site at the attendees facility.

At the end of March we held a panel discussion and mini-workshop for business leaders on how they could reignite a movement to a more excellent workplaceone free of organizational waste and rich with helpful, empowering technologies and process, says Trilix Marketing Principal Carrie Majewski. The discussions were so lively and full of hope and conveyed to us the need to formalize a workshop around this conversation. Our Workplace Excellence Workshop does just that and allows us to connect with an even greater audience who share in our desire for betterment.

Since Trilix opened its doors in May of 2017, it has sparked important dialogue on how to better align workplace operations and culture to achieve organizational goals. In addition to launching a monthly blog series profiling leaders who subscribe to a workplace excellence mentality, Trilix has also held a series of events. On June 12, Trilix will bring community leaders together for a Workplace Excellence Summer Meet-Up.

To learn more about Trilixs new workshop offering, click here.

About Trilix

Trilix, a New England-based company, empowers clients to reach a heightened level of workplace excellence. Trilix offers differentiated services across: business process and workflow analysis, application development, systems integration, user adoption, and consulting and advisory services. Made up of a team of senior-level developers, innovators and trailblazers, Trilix helps clients realize their full operational potential. From SMBs to Fortune 500 companies, Trilix has helped businesses across numerous verticals build the bridge to their desired future state.

To learn more, please visit trilixtech.com. Find Trilix on our Blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Alberta life insurance company, Reassured For Life (http://www.reassured.ca), is celebrating its first year of business.

I got my license and launched Reassured For Life for two reasons, says owner Nerissa McNaughton. First, I have always been fascinated by the ins and out of insurance and how putting together a full insurance profile is like solving the most satisfying puzzle. Second, once I realized how much I enjoyed learning about insurance, I knew I could be that easy-to-deal-with broker people could trust and talk to without feeling overwhelmed or pushed. Many people are wary of looking into their insurance options because of costs and thinking they will be pressured. I really want to show people how affordable the protection is, and how comfortable it can be to get it. Insurance really changes lives for the better. Helping people obtain the protection they need for themselves and their families or business interests is very fulfilling.

Reassured For Life works also with difficult-to-insure clients, including seniors or those with health issues. McNaughton also greatly enjoys helping entrepreneurs and small businesses obtain health and dental benefits. As a broker, McNaughton has access to all of the carriers in Canada, resulting in plenty of options and a custom quote for every client.

To learn more, visit http://www.reassured.ca and http://www.reassured.ca/blog Check out how much can be saved on a term life insurance policy with the instant quote tool at http://www.reassured.ca/get-a-free-term-life-insurance-quote.

About Reassured For Life

Not knowing where the money is going to come from when you become disabled, develop a critical illness, have an accident while travelling or if the breadwinner or home maker passes away is a nagging stress in the back of the mind that you just dont need. Having a small business that is vulnerable to the loss of a key person is also stressful. Not having an affordable health benefit plan for the employees of your small business creates unnecessary turnover. All of these problems  and more  are eased with the reassurance of life, health, accident, sickness and small business insurance. Contact me today for free advice and a consultation. Well chat, and youll get honest, practical advice and no-obligation quotes.

Contact Details:

Nerissa McNaughton

Edmonton, AB

nerissa@reassured.ca

http://www.reassured.ca

Source: Reassured For Life

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Seek Capital's Funding Procurement service allows us to provide a Funding Estimate within 2 hours and same day Funding Approvals.

Seek Capital, a leading provider of small business startup loans, and Jornaya, the rapidly growing consumer insights platform, jointly announced today that Seek will be leveraging Jornaya's TCPA Guardian and Jornaya Intelligence solutions to ensure TCPA compliance across their marketing efforts and to further enhance the experience for consumers and funding advisors alike.

Seek Business Capital provides consulting services and funding procurement to small businesses across America. It's primary goal is to solve one basic problem: small businesses need fast access to financing! When business owners are searching for funding for their business, they often don't know what is required. Seek's mission is to help business owners by handling the behind the scenes work and put their business in the best possible position to achieve their business funding goals.

Jornaya, as a first-hand witness to the lead event and the consumer's shopping journey across multiple devices, browsers, and web properties, can provide unique insights into lead quality, consumer intent and whether a consumer provided their full and proper consent to receive a call. Brands leverage Jornaya to improve lead quality and performance, have more relevant communication with their prospects and clients, and ensure their marketing is in compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

"Seek Capital is a go-to brand for small business looking to secure funding," said Jornaya CEO Ross Shanken. "With Jornaya, Seek can now better understand the consumer's online shopping journey, more effectively work with their lead sources, have more relevant conversations with prospects and improve funding advisor performance. Most importantly, Seek can also ensure and prove that every call they make is in full compliance with the TCPA."

"We're always striving to improve the experience for the consumer and for our funding advisors," said Roy Ferman, CEO of Seek Capital. "Jornaya's unique visibility into the lead event and consumer shopping journey allows our organization to more intelligently and effectively engage with the consumer, creating a better experience for everyone involved and ensuring we are always in full compliance with the TCPA."

About Jornaya

Jornaya is the consumer journey insight platform that provides publishers, marketers, data analysts, and compliance professionals with the highest-resolution view of the consumer buying journey. It is the only technology platform that witnesses both first- and third-party consumer interactions in real time and across devices. Meeting consumers at these moments of intent enables businesses to shorten the distance between data, decision, and action. Jornaya seamlessly integrates with any buyer journey decisioning process or toolkit. Please visit http://www.jornaya.com.

About Seek Capital

Seek Business Capital provides consulting services and funding procurement to small businesses across America. Our primary goal is to solve one basic problem: small businesses need fast access to financing!

When business owners are searching for funding for their business, they often don't know what is required. Our mission is to help business owners by handling the behind the scenes work and put their business in the best possible position to achieve their business funding goals.

Through industry experience and proprietary technology, we are able to evaluate a business on performance and attributes, and provide transparency to the business on their ability to obtain funding.

Our Funding Procurement service allows us to provide a Funding Estimate within 2 hours and same day Funding Approvals.
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Some careers are more lucrative in one part of the US than another.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics program, Business Insider found the job in each state that pays the highest relative to the typical annual salary nationwide for that job. That is, we found the job with the highest percent difference between the median annual salary in a particular state and the national median salary.

Here's the most disproportionately high-paying job in every state, along with a brief description of what the job entails according to the Department of Labor's O*NET careers database where those descriptions are available:

Alabama: Driver/sales workers

Driver/sales workers drive a truck or other vehicle to sell or deliver goods.

Median income in-state: $31,710

Median income nationally: $24,040

Percent difference: 32%

Alaska: Security guards

Security guards patrol or monitor premises to prevent theft or violence.

Median income in-state: $43,260

Median income nationally: $26,900

Percent difference: 61%

Arizona: Motor vehicle operators, all other

They drive various types of motor vehicles.

Median income in-state: $37,340

Median income nationally: $26,640

Percent difference: 40%

Arkansas: Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

They operate machines that extrude metal or plastic into various shapes.

Median income in-state: $39,170

Median income nationally: $34,600

Percent difference: 13%

California: Legislators

Legislators are elected by their constituents to write laws at the local, state, or federal level. One reason legislators in California are so highly paid compared to the national median is that certain states, like California, have full-time, highly-paid state legislators, while other state legislatures are only in session for a fraction of the year.

Median income in-state: $54,840

Median income nationally: $25,630

Percent difference: 114%

Colorado: Tax preparers

They prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses.

Median income in-state: $57,140

Median income nationally: $38,730

Percent difference: 48%

Connecticut: Child, family, and school social workers

They provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and families.

Median income in-state: $68,780

Median income nationally: $44,380

Percent difference: 55%

Delaware: Sales managers

Sales managers plan or direct the actual distribution of a product or service to a customer.

Median income in-state: $169,670

Median income nationally: $121,060

Percent difference: 40%

Washington, DC: Reporters and correspondents

Reporters and correspondents gather facts and write stories for media outlets.

Median income in-state: $83,320

Median income nationally: $39,370

Percent difference: 112%

Florida: Legislators

Legislators are elected by their constituents to write laws at the local, state, or federal level.

Median income in-state: $41,800

Median income nationally: $25,630

Percent difference: 63%

Georgia: Health educators

Health educators provide education programs that help people maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Median income in-state: $80,940

Median income nationally: $53,940

Percent difference: 50%

Hawaii: Bartenders

Bartenders mix and serve drinks to patrons.

Median income in-state: $45,120

Median income nationally: $21,690

Percent difference: 108%

Idaho: Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood

They operate equipment for sawing wood.

Median income in-state: $36,520

Median income nationally: $29,080

Percent difference: 26%

Illinois: Miscellaneous construction and related workers

Construction workers build and maintain structures.

Median income in-state: $84,230

Median income nationally: $38,040

Percent difference: 121%

Indiana: Engine and other machine assemblers

They construct, assemble, or rebuild machinery.

Median income in-state: $55,610

Median income nationally: $43,390

Percent difference: 28%

Iowa: Eligibility interviewers, government programs

They determine the eligibility of people to receive assistance from government programs and agencies.

Median income in-state: $59,300

Median income nationally: $44,400

Percent difference: 34%

Kansas: Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

They set up or operate more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.

Median income in-state: $47,560

Median income nationally: $34,800

Percent difference: 37%

Kentucky: Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

They diagnose and repair aircraft engines or assemblies.

Median income in-state: $93,640

Median income nationally: $61,020

Percent difference: 53%

Louisiana: Chemical equipment operators and tenders

They operate equipment to control chemical reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products.

Median income in-state: $66,410

Median income nationally: $47,800

Percent difference: 39%

Maine: Teacher assistants

Teacher assistants help teachers in providing instruction and services to students and parents.

Median income in-state: $33,240

Median income nationally: $26,260

Percent difference: 27%

Maryland: Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other

They diagnose and treat illnesses in patients.

Median income in-state: $133,440

Median income nationally: $73,830

Percent difference: 81%

Massachusetts: Graduate teaching assistants

Graduate teaching assistants help faculty by teaching classes or assisting in other teaching-related activities.

Median income in-state: $55,280

Median income nationally: $32,460

Percent difference: 70%

Michigan: Office and administrative support workers, all other

They perform tasks in an office setting.

Median income in-state: $49,050

Median income nationally: $35,590

Percent difference: 38%

Minnesota: Roofers

Roofers cover the roofs of structures with shingles or other material.

Median income in-state: $63,880

Median income nationally: $38,970

Percent difference: 64%

Mississippi: Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

They teach college or graduate-level course in health specialties, such as medicine or dentistry.

Median income in-state: $134,290

Median income nationally: $97,870

Percent difference: 37%

Missouri: Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

They teach college or graduate-level course in health specialties, such as medicine or dentistry.

Median income in-state: $143,290

Median income nationally: $97,870

Percent difference: 46%

Montana: Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install and maintain pipe systems.

Median income in-state: $64,020

Median income nationally: $52,590

Percent difference: 22%

Nebraska: Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

They schedule and dispatch non-first responder workers for delivery, repair, or other jobs.

Median income in-state: $55,410

Median income nationally: $38,790

Percent difference: 43%

Nevada: Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Maids and housekeepers perform cleaning duties in households or commercial establishments like hotels.

Median income in-state: $31,860

Median income nationally: $22,860

Percent difference: 39%

New Hampshire: Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

They install and maintain routing and switching equipment in buildings.

Median income in-state: $71,290

Median income nationally: $53,380

Percent difference: 34%

New Jersey: Correctional officers and jailers

Correctional officers and jailers guard inmates in prisons and other penal facilities.

Median income in-state: $74,110

Median income nationally: $43,540

Percent difference: 70%

New Mexico: Mechanical engineers

Mechanical engineers design tools, engines, and other machinery.

Median income in-state: $109,750

Median income nationally: $85,880

Percent difference: 28%

New York: Legislators

Legislators are elected by their constituents to write laws at the local, state, or federal level.

Median income in-state: $91,910

Median income nationally: $25,630

Percent difference: 259%

North Carolina: Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders

They operate machines that bake or roast food or tobacco.

Median income in-state: $43,080

Median income nationally: $29,410

Percent difference: 46%

North Dakota: Home health aides

Home health aides provide routine medical care in a patient's home or in a care facility.

Median income in-state: $34,110

Median income nationally: $23,210

Percent difference: 47%

Ohio: Graduate teaching assistants

Graduate teaching assistants help faculty by teaching classes or assisting in other teaching-related activities.

Median income in-state: $47,030

Median income nationally: $32,460

Percent difference: 45%

Oklahoma: Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks

They make and confirm reservations for travel tickets and lodging.

Median income in-state: $45,960

Median income nationally: $36,280

Percent difference: 27%

Oregon: Substitute teachers

Substitute teachers fill in when regularly scheduled teachers are absent.

Median income in-state: $45,410

Median income nationally: $28,270

Percent difference: 61%

Pennsylvania: Legislators

Legislators are elected by their constituents to write laws at the local, state, or federal level.

Median income in-state: $48,260

Median income nationally: $25,630

Percent difference: 88%

Rhode Island: Teachers and instructors, all other, except substitute teachers

Teachers instruct and guide students.

Median income in-state: $79,450

Median income nationally: $39,710

Percent difference: 100%

South Carolina: Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders

They operate machinery that makes paper products.

Median income in-state: $55,150

Median income nationally: $37,890

Percent difference: 46%

South Dakota: Driver/Sales Workers

Driver/sales workers drive a truck or other vehicle to sell or deliver goods.

Median income in-state: $29,260

Median income nationally: $24,040

Percent difference: 22%

Tennessee: Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

They operate machines that manufacture metal or plastic parts.

Median income in-state: $54,090

Median income nationally: $38,650

Percent difference: 40%

Texas: Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

They operate water vessels, like ferry boats and tugboats.

Median income in-state: $122,390

Median income nationally: $70,920

Percent difference: 73%

Utah: Graduate teaching assistants

Graduate teaching assistants help faculty by teaching classes or assisting in other teaching-related activities.

Median income in-state: $46,650

Median income nationally: $32,460

Percent difference: 44%

Vermont: Waiters and waitresses

Waiters and waitresses take orders and bring food to customers at restaurants.

Median income in-state: $29,950

Median income nationally: $20,820

Percent difference: 44%

Virginia: Legal support workers, all other

Legal support workers assist lawyers and judges.

Median income in-state: $117,210

Median income nationally: $56,120

Percent difference: 109%

Washington: Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

EMTs and paramedics assess injuries and administer emergency medical care.

Median income in-state: $76,040

Median income nationally: $33,380

Percent difference: 128%

West Virginia: Chemical equipment operators and tenders

They operate equipment to control chemical reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products.

Median income in-state: $67,330

Median income nationally: $47,800

Percent difference: 41%

Wisconsin: Manicurists and pedicurists

Manicurists and pedicurists clean, shape, and decorate clients' fingernails and toenails.

Median income in-state: $31,480

Median income nationally: $23,230

Percent difference: 36%

Wyoming: Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

They use hand-welding or cutting equipment to work with metal products.

Median income in-state: $57,550

Median income nationally: $40,240
Aliyu, who claimed to be the third of his mothers six children, said that he sold his brother on credit. Unaware of the gravity of his offense, he pleaded with the police to release him unconditionally so that he could go and tend to his farm.

He said:

'I decided to sell my younger brother for N20,000 on credit so that I can raise money to pay for the bride price of my 14-year-old lover.

I took my younger brother, Yamusa, to Malam Legbo for money rituals because he promised to pay me N20,000 if he succeeded in using him for money rituals. I wanted to use the money to finance my marriage to Fatimah.

Our father is dead, but our mother is still alive, her name is Hajiya Yakure. Prior to my arrest by the police, I had not been paid by Legbo. The money might not even be enough for my marriage requirements.

Asked the whereabouts of Legbo, Aliyu said:

I think he ran away with my brother when he got the information that the police were looking for him. I blame the devil for pushing me into hatching this evil plan against my brother. I dont even know where Legbo has taken my brother to.
The judge, who was irked at the respondents pronouncement of I divorce my wife three times, said it was not in line with Islamic practice.

He therefore ordered the respondent to be given five strokes of cane.

The complainant, Hauwa, had earlier told the court that her husband chased her out of her matrimonial home since last year and had never checked on her ever since.

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 had never checked on me, the complainant said.

Hauwa, who stated that they were not blessed with a child, added that she was in court to seek for divorce as she couldnt be married to a man that didnt care for her.

I want this honourable court to compel my husband to divorce me as he is no longer interested in me, she said.

In his response to the allegations, Saidu said he ordered Hauwa to return home because she has been communicating with her ex-husband which I am not comfortable with. I therefore divorce my wife three times.
He quoted president Akufo-Addo as saying 'Ghana is not like Nigeria where cattle roam on the streets' as well as making negative remarks about Nigeria's currency.

He said: "He (Ghanaian President) said Ghana is not like Nigeria where cattle roam the streets. At another occasion in the United Kingdom, he made scathing remarks about Nigerias currency.

I feel ashamed as a former President that the president of a neighbouring country used Nigeria as negative examples.

"If a neighbouring African president will use Nigeria to make negative examples, then we as leaders must know certain things are wrong in the country. That means we as leaders must change the way we do things.

"The former President, therefore, called on Nigerian leaders to show serious concern, noting that many things had gone wrong in the country.

Mr Jonathan was apparently referring to President Akufo-Addo's keynote address at the Oxford African Conference in London, United Kingdom, where he said Nigeria had a thriving economy in the 1980s.

In his speech, president Akufo-Addo said: "For most of you in the audience today, it is probably before your time, but in the late 1970s up to the mid- 1980s, as a result of the discovery of considerable petroleum deposits, Nigeria was booming. It was the place to be. We Ghanaians, who were going through very difficult times then, would arrive at Heathrow Airport, and be herded into a cage to be subjected to the full third degree by Immigration , and we would look on as our Nigerian cousins would be waved through, with a welcome sir and a welcome madam."
All were suffering from dehydration or showed signs of maltreatment, it added.

Salvini, who is also joint deputy prime minister in the populist coalition government sworn in on Friday, has ridden a wave of public discontent in recent years, playing on anti-immigrant sentiment as hundreds of thousands of migrants landed in Italy.

His far-right party surged in the polls ahead of a March election after he promised to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants and tackle what it calls the "danger" of Islam.

Asked about the arrival of Salvini on Sunday, Marco Rotunno of the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said it was too early to comment but added that "there are a lot of people fleeing war and persecution who are in need of international protection".

Some 700,000 migrants have landed in Italy since 2013.
Conte was finally sworn in on Friday afternoon at the head of an anti-establishment and eurosceptic government, ending months of uncertainty since elections in March.

The 53-year-old academic heads a government of ministers from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the far-right League Party, the first populist coalition in a founding EU member.

A political novice, he inherits a daunting list of issues from his predecessor Paolo Gentiloni, including the financial travails of companies such as Ilva and Alitalia, a Group of Seven summit in Canada and a key EU summit at the end of the month, as well as the thorny question of immigration.

Immigration is the bugbear of Conte's interior minister, Salvini, the 45-year-old leader of the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam League, who announced Friday he would visit Sicily to see the situation for himself at one of the main landing points for refugees fleeing war, persecution and famine across North Africa and the Middle East.

"The immigration question remains a hot-button issue, even if the number of new arrivals has fallen," said Salvini, an ally of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

"I'll be in Sicily on Sunday. The situation is now calm but only because of the rough seas."

More than 150 migrants, including nine children, disembarked from a rescue ship late Friday in Sicily.

Salvini had said after being sworn in that he would ask his ministry's experts "how to reduce the number of arriving migrants and increase the number of expulsions."

Outspoken deputies

As premier, Conte will be responsible for pushing through the anti-austerity and pro-security promises that the two populist parties campaigned on.

Salvini and Economic Development Minister Luigi Di Maio, head of the M5S, also serve as deputy premiers to Conte.

While Conte has hardly made any public statements since being appointed, both Di Maio and Salvini have been much more outspoken.

EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker called Saturday for Conte's new eurosceptic Italian government to be treated with respect, having earlier told Italians to work harder and stop blaming the EU for the country's problems.

"We should show respect towards Italy," Juncker said in an interview with the German press group Funke Mediengruppe.

Juncker said Italy must not suffer the same fate as thrice-bailed out Greece whose dignity was "trodden under foot" by its creditors when left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took office in 2015.

"That must not happen again in the present case with Italy," Juncker said.
Germany, France and the United Kingdom are three of the signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between world powers and Iran, aimed at keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The European leaders have been scrambling to preserve the landmark deal after slamming President Donald Trump's May 8 decision to withdraw.

The fallout from America rejecting the accord is likely to dominate the talks, with Netanyahu expected to firmly oppose European efforts to sustain it.

"I will discuss with them ways to block Iran's nuclear aspirations and Iran's expansion in the Middle East," Netanyahu said on Monday of his European meetings, noting the issues were "crucial to Israel's security".

After years lobbying against the 2015 deal, the decision by close ally Trump to ditch the accord has been greeted as a major triumph by Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader has brushed aside European insistence that the agreement is the best option to prevent Tehran getting the bomb, claiming that it in fact brought Tehran closer to becoming a nuclear power.

He also argues that a cash influx into Iran following the lifting of international sanctions as part of the accord has fuelled the expansion of Tehran's military influence in the region, especially in neighbouring Syria.

-'No alternative'-

But while the US retreat from the deal is a personal victory for Netanyahu, it also represents a leap into the unknown for Israel and the broader Middle East.

While foes Iran and Israel have been kept at bay for decades, an unprecedented May 10 escalation in Syria that saw Israel bomb alleged Iranian targets after blaming Tehran for a rocket barrage, has sparked fears of open war.

"An Iranian departure from southern Syria alone will not suffice," Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

"The long-range missiles that Iran is working to station in Syria will endanger us even beyond the range of several kilometres from southern Syria; therefore, Iran needs to leave Syria altogether."

The Europeans have acknowledged concerns over Iran's regional role and its ballistic activities, but sought to maintain the JCPOA while creating a separate arrangement on these issues.

Contrary to what the US and Israel say, Europe insists the 2015 agreement works and Iran has abided by it.

"There is no alternative," the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday.

Merkel, May and Macron are still waiting for the Israelis and Americans to present another way to curb Iran's nuclear programme, but are under no illusions it will happen in next week's meetings, according to a European diplomat.

Divided on other issues, the Europeans have emphasised their cohesion on the JCPOA, fearing that ripping it up could benefit hardliners in Iran and push Tehran to resume large-scale uranium enrichment.

If that happens, the fear is it will once again make striking Iran a real option for Israel.

On Thursday, a former Mossad chief said that in 2011 Netanyahu had ordered him and the military chief of staff to prepare an attack on Iran within 15 days.

According to Tamir Pardo's interview on the Uvda television programme, such a directive could either mean "he really means it", or be a means to deliver a message, for example to the US, and perhaps drive it to take action.

Other major issues look set to be left on the sidelines in the talks with European leaders.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the spotlight after the worst military flare-up in Gaza since a 2014 war raised fears this week of yet another full-blown conflict in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave.

The exchange of fire came after scores of Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops during protests and clashes along the Gaza border.

But along with other subjects, such as bilateral relations or the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, it will likely remain overshadowed by Iran.

Expectations of any progress on the conflict with the Palestinians are low.
"This is indeed an emergency -- every single day children are ripped apart from their parents and the Trump administration must immediately cease this policy," said Jessica Morales, chairwoman of We Belong Together, an immigrant advocacy group.

The protests came after President Donald Trump's administration confirmed that it had split hundreds of families who crossed the southern border without immigration documents since October.

Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an official policy of arresting and separating all parents from their children if they cross the border illegally.

The government sees the policy as a necessary deterrent to illegal immigration, but the critics say it is cruel to refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America.

"This attorney general made a decision to separate our kids from their parents. This is immoral, it's a crime, and we are not going to accept that," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of the immigrant advocacy group CASA.

The backlash has placed Trump, who has promised to halt illegal immigration, on the defensive, ironically blaming Democrats for a policy choice his administration has made.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging the policy, calling it a violation of human rights.

"Separating families is more than cruel and unnecessary -- it's torture," the ACLU said.

Surge of asylum requests

The policy aims to stem a surge of poor families mostly from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras pouring into the United States.

Citing the daily violence in their home countries, thousands each week cross the US-Mexico border and immediately turn themselves in to authorities asking for asylum.

They are part of a broader rebound in illegal immigration that has deeply angered Trump.

In April alone, 50,924 people were detained after crossing the border without papers, including 4,314 unaccompanied children and 9,647 family units, according to US Customs and Border Patrol.

Late last year, the Trump administration quietly began separating some illegal border crossers from their children, sending the youngsters to holding facilities for several weeks before either transferring them back to parents or to relatives already living in the United States.

From October to April, about 700 children were separated from their parents.

With illegal border crossings and asylum requests undeterred, Sessions announced last month a "zero tolerance" policy that will see every unauthorized border crosser charged with a crime even before they can request asylum.

"Today, we are here to send a message to the world: we are not going to let this country be overwhelmed... If you cross this border unlawfully, then we will prosecute you," Sessions said.

"If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law," he said, adding: "If you don't like that, then don't smuggle children over our border."

Migrants fleeing real dangers

The administration says the families who send or bring their children across the border are working with organized human smugglers who teach them exactly what to say to be placed into the asylum processing. That gives an incentive for people to head to the United States, they argue.

The immigrants say they are fleeing real dangers in their home countries.

In the two weeks that followed Sessions's announcement, authorities arrested 658 children together with 638 adults, US Border Patrol deputy chief of operations Richard Hudson told lawmakers last week.

The children are believed to have been taken away from their parents, but Hudson would not confirm that.

At the Washington protest, Guatemala native Exel Estrada, who came to the United States at 15 and just finished his first year in a US college, said the Trump administration is "against all immigrants."

"I too was an unaccompanied minor, I too was in a detention center," Estrada said.
But as much as Staten Islanders appear to love Grimm, their feelings for the countrys top Republican, President Donald Trump, would seem comparable  possibly complicating matters in the 11th Congressional District race.

This week, Trump used Twitter to wade into the contest, endorsing Donovans candidacy. In one post, Trump said there was no one better to represent the people of N.Y. and Staten Island (a place I know very well) than @RepDanDonovan.

Grimm was convicted of felony tax fraud, which led to a federal prison stay of several months. Prosecutors said he underreported wages and revenue at his Manhattan restaurant and filed false tax documents.

Some Republican strategists fear that if Grimm were to defeat Donovan, it could pave the way for a Democrat to win the general election in November, when Democratic turnout is expected to be heavy.

There is little doubt that Staten Island, New York Citys most conservative borough, is Trump country, and what the president decrees can trickle down to kitchen tables and backyard barbecues. For many, Trump and Grimm represent a strange political fusion. At a recent campaign event for Grimm, supporters held aloft signs emblazoned with Grimm on one side and Trump on the other.

But after the presidents tweets Wednesday, a swing through some of Staten Islands suburban enclaves  communities like Bulls Head, Graniteville and Todt Hill  found that, despite Trumps endorsement of Donovan, many voters remained committed to Grimm, 48, a former FBI agent and Marine who was elected to Congress in 2010. Indeed, an unofficial survey suggested that Michael Grimm lawn signs outnumbered those for Donovan by 20-to-1.

It should be up to the voters to decide, Mary Ann Delfino, 73, a retired bank teller, said of Trumps effort to persuade the electorate. Its not for him.

Delfino, who voted for Trump in 2016, briefly stopped her precision-pruning of her Japanese holly. People make mistakes and go to jail and come out better for it, she said.

Freddy Perez, a registered Republican and auto mechanic, recently pressed a Michael Grimm sign into his postage-stamp front lawn, right next to a diminutive statue of the Virgin Mary. I think people will ignore Trumps tweets on this, he said. Ive heard a lot of talk on the island that Grimm is going to win by a landslide.

Like others, Perez cited Grimms work on behalf of victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when he toted bottles of bleach to homeowners struggling with mold outbreaks and trays of sandwiches to weary cleanup crews.

He did a lot for the island, Perez, 56, said. When we needed him, he was there for us.

In recent months, both the Grimm and Donovan campaigns have gone out of their way to ingratiate themselves with Trump, who won Staten Island with 56 percent of the vote in 2016.

In April, Donovan, a former Staten Island district attorney, said he would introduce a bill to undo an obscure Postal Service regulation that banned photographs of the president and vice president from its offices.

Similarly, Grimm has showered Trump with compliments on the campaign trail, including praising his physique. And he has drawn a connection between his own prosecution for tax fraud and the witch hunt into possible collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign.

Not every Republican in the district, which also includes a portion of South Brooklyn, is enthralled with Trump, of course. And the primary contest between the two Republicans has grown so heated that it has divided some families. Andrew Mercereau, a 34-year-old electrician, said the presidential tweets did not budge his views, since he always thought Trump was an idiot, even before he became president.

A fourth-generation Staten Islander, Mercereau plans to vote for Donovan in the June 26 primary, recalling the way the congressmans office helped his family during a recent crisis. But Mercereau's father was leaning toward Grimm, he said.

To the extent that undecided voters look to Trumps social-media posts for guidance, they might not realize that some of the information was incorrect. In one tweet, the president said Donovan had voted for Tax Cuts and is helping me to Make America Great Again.

But Donovan was actually one of a dozen Republican congressmen who voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Richard Born, a professor of political science at Vassar College, said the error might not matter. Not many people pay attention any longer because Trump is averaging six to seven falsehoods a day, he said.

Born said that Republican leaders rightly fear that the Democratic challenger would make hay of Grimms criminal history.

Donovan has a 50-50 chance of holding the seat for the Republicans, he said, but Grimm, as a convicted felon, would give it away to the Democrats.

For now, all eyes are on the primary. Grimm seems intent on ignoring Trumps endorsement of Donovan; on Saturday, his campaign will air an ad highlighting instances where Donovan disagreed with the president.

The opening line seems a direct rebuke to Trumps tweet: Every time it mattered, Dan Donovan voted against Donald Trump.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The Central Bank of Nigerias Deputy Governor in charge of Operations, Adebayo Adelabu will quit his office to run for the Oyo state gubernatorial election.

Adelabu will officially cease to be a member of the staff of Nigerias apex bank from Friday, July 15, 2018.

After putting in his resignation letter, Adelabus disengagement from office was formally accepted by President Muhammadu Buhari last week, May 24, 2018.

In a statement by CBNs communication director, Isaac Okoroafor, President Buhari thanked Adelabu for his services to the country and wished him the best in his future ambitions.

While appreciating your services in the Central Bank of Nigeria since 9th April 2014, I wish you the very best in your future, ambitions and continued commitment to public service in our country and specifically, as you seek to play a more active role in politics, in your home State, Buharis letter to Adelabu stated.
The councils Head of Public Affairs, Mr Damianus Ojijeogu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

NAN reports that the WASSCE for school candidates commenced on March 27 and was concluded on May 15.

We are indeed happy that the examination was conducted in a hitch free manner.

Right now, we have commenced coordination, briefing and subsequently, marking.

We are looking at releasing the results in 45 days or earlier than that time.

It has been the commitment of the council to always give quality service delivery in line with the Head of National Office, Mr Olu Adenipekuns promise to reduce the waiting days from 90 days to 45 days,  he said.

Ojijeogu said that technology had been deployed to some marking venues to assist in scanning the scripts.

He said that this would facilitate the marking of the scripts.

According to him, this will also impact positively in the early release of the results.
She died on Friday, June 1, at her residence in Akobo Ojurin, Ibadan, Oyo State. She has been buried according to Islamic rites.

Adeoye was said to be a niece of the Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi III.

From media to Nollywood

Madam Adeoye, as she's fondly called, graduated from Osogbo Technical College, Osun state, where she studied Electronics before going to Switzerland for a seven-month course on sound engineering.

She joined Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), Ibadan, in the 70s as a studio and audio engineer and worked there for 40 years.

The late actress retired in 2010 and joined Nollywood, specifically the Yoruba movie circle. Her role in Igbekun, a movie produced by Kunle Afod, brought her into the limelight.

ALSO READ: What Nigerian movies remind you of your childhood?

Last month, Nigeria's film industry was thrown into mourning when the news broke that Aishat Abimbola, popularly known as 'Omoge Campus' had died.
According to User, Isreal Joe, the officers attached to the Ovwian police division shot at the two brothers who were having an argument at Victory View Hotels along Udu Road.

ALSO READ: Man tortured by Army cadet for calling female officer "Beautiful"

Although Joe revealed that the police are taking responsibility for the treatment of the two boys who were immediately hospitalised, he called on the Delta state government to intervene in the situation.

He accused the officers of becoming more and more unruly and unlawful on a daily basis.

Joe also shared photos of the brothers on their hospital bed.

See his post below:

Police officers caught on video assaulting motorist in Lagos

The dust over the video of Army Cadets brutalising a civilian for complementing a female officer, is yet to die down when two police officers were caught on video, brutalising and assaultinga driver over an offence.

The one minute video footage posted on Facebook by Anthony Izundu Atuanya, shows the two officers drag the offending driver from his car and using their batons to beat him like a common criminal.

READ MORE: Man post photo of face after attack by law officer

From the video, it seemed the driver had committed an offence against another road user and was flagged down by the police with one of them laying on the bonnet of the car.
The Nation reports that the victim who attends Iba Estate Primary School, Ojo, Lagos, opened up to one of the coordinators of her churchs children section on May 20, 2018.

She revealed how she had been subjected to sexual abuse and defilement by Adieme.

ALSO READ: 20-yr-old man jailed 10 years for raping niece

According to the reports, the pastor of the church reported the case to Iba Police Station, after medical examinations from Igando General Hospital confirmed that the girl had been abused.

Adieme, who runs a frozen food retail shop and lost his wife in January, was subsequently arrested.

She said: He called me into his room When I entered he brought out his private part.

"I screamed and made to leave the room, he dragged me back and warned me not to make a noise. He asked me to kneel down and began to lick. I told him I cant do that. He hit me on the head and said that he will beat me if I dont do it.

"I started doing it; he held my head and was pushing it into my mouth. When something started coming out, I tried to withdraw but he said I should continue to lick it.

"Another night, I wanted to go and sleep he called me back. He pulled all my cloth and asked me to lie down on the bed. Then he started doing it. He said that if I tell anybody that he will kill me.

Following confrontation by the DPO, Gbenga Ogunsakin, Adieme reportedly fell on his knees and begged for mercy.

He blamed the devil for his evil actions, adding that it might be a curse placed on him by his wife's relatives.

The Nation reports that the case has been transferred to the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command.

The states Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Chike Oti, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspect will soon face the law.

Uncle pours acid on niece who ended their sexual relationship

Some youths in Agulu, Anambra State, have apprehended a man, Samuel Onyekwelu, who reportedly poured acid on his niece, Chinyere Okeke.

Many online news platform gathered that the uncle also attacked Chinedu Anagor, who had planned to marry her in June 2018.

Anagor was riding on a motorcycle with wife-to-be on Friday, May 18, 2018, when a jealous uncle attacked them both.

According to more reports, a spiritual cleansing was held for Samuel Onyekwelu and his niece in the year 2017, but it had failed to put an end to the taboo.

The illicit relationship started experiencing threats after Okeke fell in love with another man, Chinedu Anagor.

Both have been taken to a hospital for treatment following the attack while a mob surrendered the attacker to the police.

ALSO READ: Man escapes death after getting caught having sex with son's wife
On Instagram on May 31, [where else, right?] Julius reminisces on the early days of their marriage in Port Harcourt, on how so many things have changed between then and now, and how their love and marriage has continued to grow with time, instead of being changed by it.
Igyeseh, who was also the chief celebrant, gave the advice at a Mass wedding organised by the Catholic Charismatic Renewer (CCRN) for the parish on Saturday in Gwagwalada.

The celebrant advised the couples to always invite Jesus into their marriages and give each other attention, affection, appreciation as well as forgiveness.

The cleric urged them not to allow disagreement among them to degenerate, adding that there was nothing wrong in apologising when necessary.

A woman needs attention, affection and appreciation. Husband, love your wife and love originates from the heart.

Of course, there will be challenges in marriage no matter what you do, but always invite Jesus into your marriage.

Ensure you support each other financially, spiritually and emotionally among others.

It is a woman who prays for the success of her husband and children and no man will like to marry a liability, Igyeseh said.

He, therefore, encouraged wives to always endeavour to look attractive to their husbands, saying that the only ugly woman was the one who failed to uprade her profile.

Mr Uche Olisaeke, Cordinator, CCRN congratulated the celebrators, saying that the prayer group decided to organise the wedding so as to encourage and assist the church to enrich members spiritually.

 We discovered that most of our members are not communicants and we decided to organise the mass wedding in collaboration with the parish priest,  he said.

On behalf of the celebrators, Mrs Justina Ojor expressed gratitude to God for making the day possible, and equally appreciated the organisers of the wedding for their initiative.
This service would ensure convenient and affordable education support for its customers or their children who desire to study abroad and obtain undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.

The support includes overseas admission information services, school fees remittance, school living allowances and travel fares, loans to support school fees payments, visa process, travels and examination preparation. Access to customers and other aspiring candidates is said to be available on FCMB website with branches where operational desks are currently located, listed.

It is part of the Banks contributions towards developing a new generation of brilliant minds that would take Nigeria to the next level.

The FCMB Education Advisory Service is in partnership with MOD Group, a foremost international education promotion and marketing company with operations deeply rooted in Nigeria and covering the West Africa sub-region.

Under the initiative which was launched at a ceremony on May 30, 2018 in Lagos, FCMB is offering a full range of core financial services, tailored to meet the needs of its customers in the area of acquiring education abroad.

Among these are, up to N5million school fees support to customers from the Bank and Credit Direct Limited, one of the subsidiaries of FCMB Group Plc (the holding company), Flexx account (in foreign exchange) for students going abroad to study, prompt and secure international funds transfer through internet banking platforms for the payment of school fees and other educational expenses abroad. There is also the issuance of FCMB debit cards, including the pocket money card (pre-loaded) that can be used to withdraw cash from overseas ATMs and make payments at stores and supermarkets.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative, the Executive Director, Retail Banking of FCMB, Mr. Olu Akanmu, stated the commitment of the Bank to champion and execute initiatives that would promote education and knowledge acquisition among Nigerians.

According to him, "at FCMB, we walk and work with our customers to fulfil their life aspirations for themselves, their families and their businesses, including the provision of the best education. The FCMB Education Advisory Services in partnership with MOD Services and international partners also covers school admission process, Visa processing, travel and examination Preparation. We recognise that knowledge of what to do and how to do it matters in securing good overseas education. FCMB will also be providing prompt school fees and living allowances remittance, loans to support school fees payment and international cards to support living overseas for Nigerian students

Mr. Akanmu also added, we have Lufthansa Airline, beside other partner airlines on board to offer students, discounted fares under this scheme. This also covers their guardians accompanying them. In addition, we have AXA Mansard coming on board to provide medical cover for the students to the tune of $60,000 a year".

ALSO READ: FCMB launches Flexx Entrepreneurship Masterclass Series for Nigerian students

The event to formally launch the FCMB Education Advisory Service had in attendance the Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Lagso State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Onadipe; Managing Director of MOD Group, Mr. Michael Dosunmu; Head of Communications, British Council, Mrs. Edemekong Uyoh and a Representative of the High Commission of Ireland, Tessa Bagu; amongst others.
Magu, in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the commissions spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said he was still in shock over Aboderins death.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Punch Nigeria Limited is the publisher of The Punch newspaper, a national daily.

The deceased, according to Magu, set the tone of The Punchs critical and supportive relationship with the work of the commission.

He said that he felt a personal sense of loss as death had snatched from him and the EFCC a true corruption fighter.

The EFCC boss noted that media owners and practitioners had been the bastion of the war against corruption.

The late Aboderin, he said, did not only stand out in the group, but also ensured that everyone in The Punch management and staff upheld the values of professional integrity and actively supported the anti-corruption war.

He was our partner as a person and through The Punch medium. His death at this time is a rude blow not just to his immediate family and professional group, but also to Nigeria.

We are going to miss the invaluable contributions and encouragement of an influential commander of a critical sector of the Nigerian anti-corruption war, Magu said.

He stated that the best way to remember the late Aboderin was to firmly entrench in Nigerians private and public lives the values of unyielding patriotism and professional integrity which he espoused.

Magu prayed God to receive the soul of the late media mogul and grant him everlasting repose in His bosom.

He also wished the family and associates of the deceased divine strength to bear the loss.
Dogara, who made the pledge in Abuja while flaging off a Medical Outreach and Wellness Initiative Programme at the Karimajiji Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, noted that the IDPs needed more support.

He assured them that he would work closely with the Committee on IDPs to ensure that some of their needs such as school, hospital and feeding, were met.

He, however, noted that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to meet and solve most of the challenges facing the IDPs.

I will work hand in hand with the Committee on IDPs to ensure enough supply of food item.

We will work with FCT to ensure the IDP children go back to school and if there is no school, one will be built, he said.

The Secretary, Directorate of Health Services, National Assembly, Dr Eme Moma-Efretuei, said that the wellness intervention initiative programe was designed to assess the disease burden of the displaced persons communities.

Moma-Efretuei said that the programme was also aimed at offering rapid intervention to mitigate the effects of the conditions and to proffer disease management strategies.

According to her the targets set by the United Nations to end diseases such as HIV are slowly being eroded if the impact of insurgencies ae not tackled.

The targets to end AIDS stipulates that 90 per cent of persons living with HIV would know their status by 2020 and 90 per cent of those diagnosed with HIV would receive antiretroviral therapy and 90 per cent of those receiving treatment would be virally suppressed.

Moma-Efretuei said that this imitative would form the bedrock on which future interventions would lie.

The FCT Regional Manager, Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria, Dr Olayemi Olupitan, urged the Nigerian government to intensify efforts and awareness on HIV testing and treatment.

Olupitan added that UNAIDS had reached advanced stage in its trategy to end AIDS epidemic by 2030 in Nigeria

She added that the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria, was collaborating with the National Assembly and Methodist Church to provide free medical services to the residents of Karimajiji IDPs.

The Chairman, Karimajiji IDP camp, Mohammed Abubarka called on the Federal Government to support the IDPs to return to their homes.

Abubarka said that the suffering was too much and it would be appreciated if they could go back home.

We want to go back home, we want to go back to farming and working, there is no place like home, we are not happy here.
This advice was contained in a statement issued by Mr Crusoe Osagie, the Special Adviser to Edo Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, and made available to journalists in Benin on Saturday.

Obaseki, in the statement, gave the call on Friday, at the palace of the Otaru of Auchi, His Royal Highness (HRH) Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III, when he went there to break the Ramadan fast.

The governor said the peaceful coexistence of Edo people and residents was the result of prayers of the people.

He said that he was in the palace to join the Muslim faithful to break the Ramadan fast in the spirit of shared brotherhood.

We see ourselves as one and share in your sacrifices at this point in time.

We have no doubt that your prayers and fasting are responsible for the peace we have continued to enjoy in Edo and I urge you not to relent in your prayers, he said.

In his response, the Otaru thanked the governor and his entourage for coming to identify with the Muslim community, describing the visit as the first of its kind in the state.

He lauded the governor for his developmental stride in the state since he assumed office.

Otaru also lauded the governor for reviving the fertiliser plant in Auchi, saying that it had created jobs for the people of the area.

He urged the governor to attract more industries to the state, so as to fast-track the development of the state.
Bamidele and two other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were shot by a policeman in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state.

Though the incident was said to be as a result of an accidental challenge, the Ekiti state APC Chairman, Mr Jide Awe told newsmen that

Bamidele not in coma

Salami, in a statement issued to newsmen, said that Bamidele is not in coma.

The media aide also debunked reports that the former lawmaker has been in coma since Friday, June 1, 2018.

He said We appreciate his supporters and APC members across the state. He has since regained consciousness.

The way he fell in the full glare of the crowd and party supporters fueled the insinuation that he is still in coma.

Let me assure our supporters in Ekiti and other concerned Nigerians that Bamidele is not in coma. He has regained consciousness and fast recuperating due to prompt and intensive medical treatments he received thereafter.

Bullets have been removed

The former lawmakers media aide said that the bullets have been removed and Bamidele is responding to treatment.

Salami also called on all members of the APC in Ekiti not to take laws into their hands.

He also described the shooting as unfortunate.

Its true that Bamidele has passed through major surgeries and the bullets have been removed from his abdominal region and leg. We implore our supporters to be calm and be law abiding whilst the situation is under control.

We appreciate our people for the outpouring of affections since the incident occurred and this underscored the strong bond of unity among the APC members and Ekiti people in general.

We want to say that the shooting was very unfortunate and unwarranted in view of the decorous and peaceful ways our people comported themselves from Akure, Ondo State capital via Ikere and to Ado Ekiti.

We charge the police authorities to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the shooting and bring whoever that is complicit to justice.

We specially appreciate the governor of Ondo State, Barrister Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Senator Ayo Arise and other party bigwigs for the quick responses in saving Bamideles life and that of other victims.

The APC guber candidate, Kayode Fayemi escaped unhurt, and the shooter has been arrested.

Fayose's reaction
Kalu, in a video published by Oak TV, alleged that the PDP used to kill people during its congresses.

He said In all democracy, theres always a quarrel, and the quarrel will prevail, we will settle it amicable as a family.

Everybody will come back to the party, and the party will have its honour, theres no problem.

In the PDP, we used to kill people when they are doing this thing (congress) which is not good.

We are very happy the (APC) congresses came very well in south-east and went very well. We can only fight anybody in south-east who is not supporting our president," The Cable News reports.

The former Governor made the comment while speaking to newsmen on the reports of clashes during the recently held All Progressives Congress (APC) state congresses across the country.

PDP speaks

In its reaction, the PDP, through its spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan debunked Kalus allegation.

According to OAK TV, he also said The PDP is a legal and laws abiding organization. It does not engage in killings and had not asked any of its member kill on its behalf.

Perhaps there are things that Nigerians would need to know from Chief Urji Uzor Kalu about those who he allegedly said killed people and whose behalf they made their killings.

ALSO READ:7 horrible things Orji Kalu said about Obasanjo

The spokesman also urged the former Governor to come out clear and expose the alleged killers.

PDP's rigging exposed

You will recall that in March 2018, former deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu confessed that he rigged elections for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the past.

He also said that he gave money to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives to manipulate elections in favour of the PDP.

Mantu made the comment during an interview on a Channels Television programme, Hard Copy.
"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"If I hear not allowed much oftener, said Sam, Im going to get angry. -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings
The councils Director in charge of Inspection and Monitoring, Mrs Anthonia Aruya, announced the closure at a news conference in Gusau on Saturday.

She said the measure became necessary to prevent people from taking poison unknowingly as prescribed drugs.

She said some medicine store operators were found dispensing ethical products without the supervision of pharmacist, while others operated under poor sanitary conditions.

She also revealed that some operators were not registered by the council or failed to renew their registration making it difficult for the council to know what they were doing.

According to her, the council cannot guarantee drugs sold from unregistered outlets.

The director advised the general public to always look out for the councils x signs before buying drugs at chemists.

She maintained that her team would continue to carry out its assignments to ensure compliance with guidelines.

This will ensure safety, quality and efficacy of pharmaceutical products in the state,  she said.

The council thanked the support of security agencies and the media in carrying out its operations.
He said his administration may not be able to recover all the "incredible" monies the PDP allegedly stole while in government, noting that the opposition would use such funds to sponsor enough propagandas against him ahead of 2019.

Buhari stated this when he received the Buhari Media Organisation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

"I don't think I can thank you enough for your steadfastness under very difficult circumstances. It is not easy to defend this administration and more in particular, to defend me. But your consistency has given me a lot of confidence", he told the group.

"And I know you are doing it as a sacrifice; both physical, mental and material because as I keep on saying, the opposition now are sitting on incredible resources which I am afraid we might not match it at all.

"For that reason, they are in a position to sponsor mischief from different angles which in spite of the incumbency of the government, we cannot absolutely stop."

Looted funds recovery

Buhari, however, urged the members of the group not to relent on their support for his administration and asked them to help him in recovering more of the looted resources.

The group was led to the Villa by its National Coordinator, Austin Briamoh. It parades retired and serving media practitioners among others as members.
Uwajumogu told newsmen on Saturday in Abuja that he took the decision for personal reasons to attend to some family issues.

He also explained the decision was especially to douse tension and calm fraying nerves, and to advance the progress of the APC in Imo.

He thanked the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the partys National Working Committee (NWC) for the privilege given him to serve.

The former scribe also thanked all those who stood by him and wished the National Convention Committee and the entire party a successful conclusion of the exercise slated for June 23.

Uwajumogu who said his resignation letter had been received by the partys leadership, debunked insinuations that he embezzled the committee funds.

He maintained that he had kept a clean record and judiciously utilised all funds that were made available to the committee since it was inaugurated.

He, however, alleged that Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo is a massive basket of fraud.

This, he said, was especially so because most projects that were said to have been developed by the state government were non-existent.

He added that the governor should have been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but for the impunity he presently enjoys.

According to him, Okorocha is running Imo as his personal estate, a development, he said, was now the concern of the entire South-East region.

Besides, he further claimed that the governor had lost popularity in the region because of his style of governance and high handedness.

He, however, said that the region had endorsed the second term in office of three officers from the region who are members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).

He noted that the decision was not accepted by Okorocha whom he said was also not comfortable with his position as secretary of the national convention committee.
The suspension came as the police command in the state released the report of Fridays shooting incident at the APC rally organised to welcome back to the state its flagbearer in the July 14 governorship election, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Jide Awe, told newsmen in Ado Ekiti that the postponement was due to the shooting incident.

According to Awe, the suspension will remain in place until the police can guarantee the safety of its gubernatorial candidate and other members of the party.

He insisted that Fridays shooting was an attempt to take the life of Fayemi, with the bullet, however, hitting a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele.

Awe demanded a thorough investigation of the matter by the police while the outcome of the report must be made public.

But the police command in its situation report released on Saturday by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Caleb Chukwuemeka, said findings revealed that what happened was a case of accidental discharge on the part of a mobile police officer.

 On Friday, 1st June, 2018, at about 1700 hours, the policeman accidentally shot Opeyemi Bamidele and one other, but he has been arrested.

 He is attached to 20 PMF, Ikeja, Lagos State, where he was posted on bank guard duties somewhere in Ikeja. The policeman came on illegal duty to Ekiti State.

 A politician, who conspired and removed the said policeman from where he was posted by his Squadron Commander and came to Ado-Ekiti with him for an unofficial reason has also been arrested.
NaAbba, who joined the APC in 2015, also said that President Buhari is running a one-man show.

No Unity

The former Speaker also revealed that there is no unity of purpose in the ruling party.

NaAbba said that he has been sidelined because he said that he will not support Buharis re-election agenda.

According to him, the APC is a party where dissenting views are not accepted.

He said My experience in the APC is such that I only have regrets to tell because I found a party that is divided and there is no unity of purpose.

It is a party that produced the president but the president does not work with the party. In fact the president does not work with anybody. He works only with himself.

That is one of the problems that he has. A lot of the people that worked with him for twelve years have left him because he does not even seem to know what is happening to him.

My experience in the APC is that in the last three years, there were only four or five caucus meetings. The time lag between the first one in February 2016 and the second one in October/ November 2017 was sixteen months.

I was not invited to the fourth and fifth meetings because in an interview with a Network I indicated my intention not to support Buharis re-election in 2019.

A situation where dissent is not tolerated in a democratic arrangement portends danger to our democracy. Therefore, the party and Buhari have become one and the same thing.

APC in disarray

NaAbba, citing the reports of parallel congresses and executives during the APC state conventions is an offshoot of Buharis decision to work alone.

He said that the other parties that came together to form APC are feeling marginalised, adding that the nPDP members are planning to leave the party.

The former Speaker, who said that there is no connection between the President and the party, added that he cannot say that he is better off in the APC.

APC is an amalgam of interests that came together to do away with the PDP which by the grace of God they succeeded.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in now from the party. But instead of the president to coalesce the disparate tendencies within the party, so that it becomes cohesive, he decided to operate a one man show, working neither with the party nor the National Assembly.

The result is what we are seeing today in the congresses of the party across the country. Today the new PDP faction in the APC is saying it wants to opt out of the party. You can see very little of the former ANPP in the government.

The only visible tendencies in the government are a little of the ACN and the CPC and even the CPC, majority of members still feel marginalized.

The party is not being operated like a party because there is no connect between the president and the party. In almost all the states, it is the same thing going on between the governors and party members.

The party becomes active only when the president or the governors need to use it. So honestly there is almost no reason for me to claim that I am better off in the APC than in the PDP, he added.
Announcing the result, the returning officer, Dr Ayodeji Omole of the University of Ibadan, said Ogundoyin polled 6,277 votes to defeat Mr Olukunle Adeyemo of the All Progressives Party (APC), who came second with 4,619 votes.

Omole said Adebodun Adepoju of Accord Party scored 2,859 votes while Rasheedat Oyewumi of Fresh Democratic Party garnered 33 votes.

Others were Adekemi Raheem of Hope Democratic Party, 14 votes; Grace Olarinde of Nigerian Peoples Congress, 60 votes and Matins Adeyemo of Mega Party of Nigeria, 9 votes.

He stated that 14,332 voters were accredited and voted out of the 44,077 registered.

 Total votes cast are 14,179 while valid votes are 13,871 and 308 votes were rejected, he said.

He declared Ogundoyin as the winner having scored the highest votes as stipulated in the electoral law.

The by-election that was held in 140 polling units in all of the 10 wards across the constituency was necessitated by the death of Michael Adeyemo, the occupant of the seat in the State House of Assembly, on April 27.

Mr Adedeji Soyebi, the National Electoral Commissioner for Oyo, Osun and Ekiti, said the election was successful and commended the people of the constituency for conducting themselves peacefully.

 We had little issue with card readers unlike previous elections because we used enhanced smart card readers now,  Soyebi said.

He also commended security personnel deployed to the area for their efforts in ensuring a peaceful and violence-free exercise.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), who monitored the election in Eruwa and Lanlate, reports that there was heavy presence of security operatives led by Mr Abiodun Odude, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police.

Polling officials and election materials had arrived early in all polling units while accreditation and voting started on schedule in all the polling units visited.

Only the three agents of Accord, APC and PDP were present at polling units visited in Lanlate and Eruwa, although seven political parties participated in the exercise.

The turnout of voters, however, was low in Ward 6, polling units 001  005, Sango area, LA Primary school , Ward 05, polling units 001-006 as well as other polling units visited.

Mr Hamza Adamu, the presiding officer in Ward 09, polling unit 002, Lanlate, said the exercise was peaceful and hitch-free.

Mrs Abigael Folorunsho, the PDP agent at Ward 05, unit 002, Eruwa, Mrs Abigael Folorusho, attributed the low turnout to the perceived likelihood of violence as being speculated.
But local lawmakers are making a stink on behalf of farmers.

"We ask for your cooperation so that the stay of our guests on our province is as pleasant as possible," said a letter sent by Quebec's agriculture ministry to the local farming association, seen by AFP Friday.

A long winter meant farmers could not access their fields until last week -- later than usual -- to start preparing the ground for seeding.

They are now being asked not to spread manure from June 1 to 9.

"Asking farmers to stop their operations puts their crops at risks," Andre Villeneuve, a member of a Quebec opposition party, told the provincial legislature on Thursday.

Quebec's agriculture minister, Laurent Lessard, shot back that the G7 presented a tremendous opportunity to showcase the region to the leaders and journalists from around the world covering the June 8-9 summit.
It came just hours after US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the security summit that China's military build-up and deployment of weapon systems in the contested sea was aimed at intimidating its neighbours.

Beijing has deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities.

China has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

The Chinese general, however, said Beijing's actions were aimed at "national defence".

"They are for the purpose of avoiding being invaded by others... As long as it is on your own territory you can deploy the army and you can deploy weapons," he said.
The troops ordered the driver to halt, but "the terrorist turned around and continued driving with the intention to attack nearby civilians," it said in a statement.

A soldier on a nearby roof who saw what was happening then "fired at the terrorist, who was killed", it said.

Neither the Israeli army nor Palestinian officials published the alleged attacker's name.

Hebron, in the southern West Bank, is the only Palestinian city in the territory containing a Jewish community, comprising several hundred Israeli settlers under heavy military guard among some 200,000 Palestinians.

Separately, on Friday a 21-year-old Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border fence, where clashes were taking place.

Razan al-Najjar, a volunteer with the Gaza health ministry, was wearing the white uniform of a medic when she was shot in the chest.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, another 40 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli gunfire in Friday's clashes.
His actions and words were in stark contrast to the charm offensive he launched after Trump's inauguration in 2016.

The amateur pugilist traded in his "sunny ways" for fighting words. He also launched the largest trade action that Canada has taken in eight decades.

Canadians, industry and even opposition parties applauded the prime minister's unusually pointed rebuke of Trump and retaliatory tariffs.

"Trudeau uttered some of the harshest words a prime minister has directed at an American administration in decades," said Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert, calling this a "watershed moment in the Donald Trump-era Canada/US relationship."

"It is not every day that a Canadian head of government pointedly notes that he is dealing with a US administration that is short on common sense" or "that a prime minister uses a news conference to dig in his heels in a trade negotiation," she noted.

Two days earlier the prime minister stuck his neck out to save an oil pipeline project, likely alienating environmentalists but picking up broader support with his defense of the energy sector.

University of Ottawa professor Patrick Leblond said in an interview with AFP that Trudeau's newfound swagger "will help the Liberals in the next election."

"I think people understand that this (trade row) is not the Liberals' fault in any way," he said.

"I think the Canadian government did as much as they could to avert this outcome, they've tried engagement and continue to do so. It's Donald Trump's failure to understand the implications for the US and world economy of his isolationist policies."

Punching back

If the Canadian economy tanks as a result of a trade row, however, that may change. "We know that the incumbent party suffers (at the ballot box) when the economy is bad," Leblond said.

Since 2016, Canada and the United States have sparred over softwood lumber and aircrafts, while also endeavoring to negotiate, along with Mexico, a revamp of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Washington had granted Canada and Mexico an exemption on the metals tariffs to give the parties time to successfully renegotiate the 1994 continental trade pact.

But those talks are now bogged down.

On Thursday, the US announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from Canada and others, from Friday.

Canada responded with duties of 25 percent on US steel and aluminum, and 10 percent on consumer goods such as ketchup, orange juice, sailboats and washing machines, which will take effect July 1.

"The government of Canada is confident that shared values, geography and common interests will ultimately overcome protectionism," Trudeau told a news conference on Thursday.

"We have to believe that at some point common sense will prevail, but we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration."

He said Ottawa would try to convince Washington to repeal the tariffs, but the Trump administration has so far stood firm.

In a Twitter message, the American president lashed out at Canada for treating US farmers "very poorly for a very long period of time."

"If President Trump thinks this move will give him leverage in the NAFTA negotiations, I think Canada's response shows he's wrong," Leblond opined.

"Canada has negotiated in good faith, but at some point if you punch us in the face, we'll punch back," he said.
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.
There was no immediate official reaction from the president's office or the French foreign ministry to the report.

Saudi Arabia, backed by other regional powers including Bahrain and the Unite Arab Emirates, broke off relations with Qatar in June last year, accusing the Gulf state of supporting radical Islamist groups and of being too close to Iran -- Riyadh's arch rival in the region.

They subsequently imposed economic sanctions on Qatar which has consistently rejected the charges against it.

In an effort to ease its isolation, Qatar has sought new friends, including Russia.

In January, it announced that talks with Moscow on supplying the sophisticated S-400 system were at an "advanced stage".

Le Monde said that in the letter sent to the French president, Saudi King Salman had expressed his "deep concern" with the discussions between Doha and Moscow and warned about the risk of escalation.
Their agenda -- increased public spending in the EU's most indebted nation, coupled with anti-German rhetoric -- has led to concerns for the bloc's future and its single currency, the euro.

Also Friday, Spain's parliament ousted Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in a no-confidence vote sparked by fury over his party's corruption woes, with his Socialist arch-rival Pedro Sanchez automatically taking over.

"In Spain, it's a localised issue about corruption, but Italy is obviously very serious," John Springford of the London-based Centre for European Reform (CER) think-tank told AFP.

"It is too big to fail in terms of the eurozone, and too big to save."

While Italy is clearly the most pressing danger facing the 28-member bloc, it is not the only one.

Asked this week if Rome had become Europe's Achilles Heel, Gianni Riotta from the Council on Foreign Relations joked: "How many heels can Europe sport? Greece, the United Kingdom, Poland, Hungary - too many, I'd say."

In eastern Europe, European Union officials fret that nationalist governments in Poland and Hungary are undermining democratic standards such as the independence of the judiciary and media freedom.

Brussels launched unprecedented legal action against Warsaw in December over "systemic threats" to the independence of the Polish judiciary.

Britain, meanwhile, is engaged in the painful and at times bitter negotiations to leave the European Union, having decided to leave the bloc in a 2016 referendum.

And Greece is still recovering from its economic depression caused by a sovereign debt crisis which led to multiple bailouts by its EU partners since 2010 that exposed deep tensions in the bloc.

"Europe makes me think of someone that is on the edge of a precipice, even a little bit further along. Its nails are already in the air," former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer said this week.

Veteran financier George Soros, an outspoken proponent of greater EU integration, also warned in recent days that the project was facing "an existential crisis -- everything that could go wrong has gone wrong".

Unity proves elusive

Along with its internal issues, the EU faces some of the most serious problems in transatlantic relations since World War II sparked by a series of combative decisions by US President Donald Trump.

From scrapping the 2015 Iran deal against the wishes of his EU partners to imposing trade tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, Trump has pursued his "American First" agenda with little regard for America's traditional allies.

Some analysts say they believe Trump could be the catalyst Europe needs to finally become a more cohesive bloc that comes together to act more forcefully in the face of external threats.

"Trump will perhaps succeed where no one has succeeded before him: by uniting the Europeans," said Pascale Joannin, director of the Robert Schuman think-tank.

This was French President Emmanuel Macron's hope after his election last May, when he came to power promising to reform the EU and arguing that its members needed to club together in an increasingly dangerous world.

He has pitched a vision for the future in which the bloc goes further in linking its economies, political systems and armies to face a range of contemporary threats, from trade and migration to international terrorism and climate change.

A key part of his vision is wealthy northern EU members, particularly Germany, showing more solidarity towards weaker and indebted southern nations such as Italy where economies and wages have stagnated.

"I personally think that President Macron plays a vital role in brokering a new north-south settlement in the eurozone," former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg told AFP this week.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel has so far failed to respond to Macron's ideas, and the new populist government in Rome makes a positive reaction even less likely, said Springford of the CER.

"My sense is that Italy is probably the nail in the coffin for Macron's reforms," he said.

Timothy Garton Ash, a British historian and author, depicted Macron as the only hope for Europe in a column published by the Guardian newspaper on Thursday -- but he was pessimistic about his chances.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley declared that "it is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel," saying council members were "willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas."

The outcome deepened the deadlock at the top UN body over how to respond to the flareup of violence in Gaza just days after UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov warned that the Palestinian enclave was "close to the brink of war."

Ten countries including China, France and Russia voted in favor of the draft put forward by Kuwait on behalf of Arab countries. Four countries -- Britain, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Poland -- abstained.

The Kuwait-drafted text had called for "measures to guarantee the safety and protection" of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and requested a UN report to propose an "international protection mechanism."

Haley told the council the measure was "wildly inaccurate in its characterization of recent events in Gaza" by condemning Israel for the violence.

No support for US rival text

During a second vote, the United States failed to win support for its own rival measure calling on Palestinian militants to halt their protests in Gaza.

Eleven countries abstained, while Russia and two others opposed it.

A draft resolution requires nine votes to be adopted in the 15-member council and no veto from the five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

"This session was another missed opportunity for this council," French Ambassador Francois Delattre said, deploring an "increasingly deafening silence" from the United Nations on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.

Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the US veto "will increase the sentiment of despair among the Palestinians."

A barrage of rocket and mortars into Israel from Gaza on Tuesday was followed by Israeli strikes on 65 militant sites in the Gaza Strip in the worst flareup since the 2014 war.

Israel has fought three wars in Gaza against Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist organization.

It was the second time that Haley has resorted to US veto power to block a UN measure on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Maanzo disclosed that he would table the bill in parliament to restore death sentence to serious economic crimes in the wake of a new wave of corruption in which the public has lost billions of shillings.

"Corruption in Kenya is at levels it cannot be fought without the death penalty.

"The option that will safeguard taxpayer's funds is amending the Constitution to have the death penalty back" Maanzo said.

The proposal would however have to go through a referendum as Kenya's Highest court, the Supreme Court has made the death sentence illegal in Kenya.

This comes as president Kenyatta pledged to decisively tackle the vice, vowing to spare no one in a crackdown that has seen senior state officials nabbed and produced in court.

His comments come as the Judiciary come under heavy attack for allegedly derailing the war on corruption and handing over lenient bail terms and sentences to suspects with some going free.
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Dr Mitra called the Pandara Road crowd a 'cheerful collective of young dreamers,' united in its 'love and pride for the newly Independent India,' despite 'sharp disparities in background, temperament and attitude.'

Dr Shreekant Sambrani recalls his encounters with the legendary economist who passed into the ages.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Pratik Kanjilal in his moving memories (external link: 'Subversive devil,' The Indian Express, May 3, 2018) refers to the latter's last collection of columns begins shortly after Independence in 30 Pandara Road, a D II flat close to India Gate in New Delhi.

The flat in question was allotted to my maternal uncle B N Datar, a brilliant M Sc (Statistics) from London.

After a stint as labour commissioner with the Bombay government after 1947, he moved to Delhi at the urging of Gulzarilal Nanda who was the first deputy chairman of the planning commission and the planning minister.

Mr Datar headed the fledgling labour and employment division, eventually becoming advisor (labour and employment) to the commission and becoming the member-secretary of the national commission on labour headed by Justice P B Gajendragadkar (both post-retirement).

The commission produced a seminal report decades ahead of its time, which like most such reports, remained on the shelf and is probably not even accessible now.

Mr Datar was a widower (his young son, my contemporary, stayed with his maternal aunt, Mrs Gajendragadkar, in Mumbai) living alone in his roomy but downmarket flat (so considered in Lutyen's status-conscious Delhi due to its D II tag). So he shared the flat with his early colleagues in the newly-formed Indian Economic Service.

That is how K N Raj, I G Patel, Sharad Marathe, Ashok Mitra, et al, ending with Manu Shroff, became Datarji's (as he was affectionately addressed by all, in deference to his age seniority) flatmates serially.

Datarji's circle drew all the smart young men and women then working hard for a luminous emerging India.

It included J J Anjaria (nominally, Dr Patel's boss as the chief economic adviser), Dharma Venkataraman (later Kumar) and K S Krishnaswami from the Reserve Bank of India, Jagadish Bhagwati and Padma Desai (who were an item even then) from the university, Hiten Bhaya recently retired as a naval commodore, Chanchal and Latika Sarkar, Mohit Sen (the Communist parliamentarian), George Verghese, among others and the current and past flatmates.

They were all bright scholars with advanced degrees from renowned institutions who also shouldered important responsibilities at relatively young ages.

Dr Raj had drafted the First Five Year Plan virtual single-handedly while not yet 30.

Drs Anjaria and Patel were the high priests of economic policy, while Dr Marathe performed a similar function at Udyog Bhawan.

Commodore Bhaya was shortly to head each of the three public sector steel plants serially.

The group regularly met for Sunday brunches, mostly at 30 Pandara Road (and later at the nearby and more spacious 42 Wellesley Road, a C II flat allotted to Datarji) catered by Krishnan, Datarji's versatile major-domo and master South Indian chef who held a day job as a government office attendant and occupied the servant's quarters in Datarji's flat.

These were long affairs, lasting four or more hours, and no topic was taboo. Someone would be returning from a trip abroad, or there could be a visiting foreign economist, many of whom considered Yojana Bhawan an important stopover.

The group eagerly quizzed them about what the papers in London or New York were saying in those dark days with no Internet.

What conversations they were, full of information, gentle humour and not a trace of envy! We visiting children were avid listeners and were encouraged to talk without fear, even though we understood little of what was said.

Some of these took us out for ice-cream treats at the air-conditioned comfort of York's (a great luxury in those days) in what was then Connaught Place. Scintillating conversations continued here as well, with considerable light-hearted banter.

Such was the influence of this galaxy for a young nephew visiting his uncle that he switched his discipline a decade later to economics after receiving highly regarded degrees in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay and Northwestern University.

I met Dr Mitra twice in my adult life. The first was when he came for a lecture in Ahmedabad in the mid-1970s. He was the chairman of the Agriculture Prices Commission. I was at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad then. He came home for a cup of tea.

That is when I learnt that he had had a term at the Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta at the behest of Commodore Bhaya, its first director. And what a team he built there!

The other time was during a visit to Kolkata much later, when he had just resigned as the state finance minister.

When I thought I could write commentary in popular press, Datarji told me to keep reading Calcutta Diary (as it was then called) in the Economic and Political Weekly and see if I could emulate Dr Mitra by writing well on a wide variety of topics.

I have followed that advice religiously (but with scant success); I have seldom received wiser counsel.

In the present parlance, 30 Pandara Road would be a chummery. Dr Mitra called the Pandara Road crowd a "cheerful collective of young dreamers," united in its "love and pride for the newly Independent India," despite "sharp disparities in background, temperament and attitude."

That was Datarji's great nursery of brilliant young minds.
Toyotas India unit will also source two cars manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, the Baleno and Brezza, including their hybrid variants, and in return Toyota will offer its Corolla sedan to Maruti.

Japanese automobile major Toyotas India subsidiary is likely to produce models developed by Suzuki for sale in the Indian market through retail outlets of Maruti Suzuki and Toyota.

These models, and others from Suzuki, will also be exported to markets like Africa for sale through the network of the two Japanese entities.

Toyotas local entity has a capacity to produce 310,000 vehicles a year but is able to use just half the capacity from the current sales.

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) agreed recently to start discussions on new joint projects in the fields of technological development, vehicle production and market development, the two entities said in a statement.

Another area of discussion will be the offer of technological support by Denso Corporation and Toyota for a compact, ultra-high-efficiency powertrain to be developed by Suzuki.

With this move the two companies aim to strengthen their positions in a car market that is touted to become the third-largest globally by 2020.

R C Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki, said while Maruti Suzuki was facing a shortage of capacity, there was a surplus unused capacity with Toyota in India.

Toyota will be able to use the spare capacity and Maruti can expand sales. Since the products will be sold by both the brands, they should be distinct and not identical, he said.

Shekar Viswanathan, vice-chairman and whole-time director of Toyotas India arm, said the move would help both the companies to improve the cost structure and give more meaning to the partnership.

Since the conclusion of last years memorandum towards business partnership, the two companies have been exploring concrete projects for collaboration in areas such as environmental technology, safety technology, information technology, and the mutual supply of products and components.

They have also been broadening the scope of their partnership considerations to include joint efforts related to production and market development.

The two companies have already announced a decision to jointly work towards development of electric cars for the Indian market, due for launch in 2020.

Toyotas India unit will also source two cars manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, the Baleno and Brezza, including their hybrid variants, and in return Toyota will offer its Corolla sedan to Maruti.

These vehicles, with some changes, will be badged under the name of the company selling them.

As members of Indian society, Toyota, along with Suzuki, will do its best to enhance freedom and fun in a future society of mobility and to make Make in India vehicles cherished in Africa and in many other countries around the world, Akio Toyoda, president of TMC, said in the statement.

Osamu Suzuki, chairman, SMC, said they hoped the new joint projects would contribute to the future success of both companies, not only in India, but also in the global market.

Intensifying competition, rising costs, stricter regulations and an emphasis on green technologies by the Indian government are prompting automobile firms to collaborate and share costs.

If anything, such non-strategic partnerships are a precursor to the auto companies working together to tide over the technological disruptions that are set to unfold over the next decade.

In March this year, homegrown auto major Mahindra and Mahindra and American car maker Ford signed a slew of non-binding agreements to collaborate on future technologies and joint product development.
'In the end, investing is about people.'

'If you get the right people, they make things happen,' Mengistu Alemayehu tells Shyamal Majumdar.

Illustration: Rediff.com/Dominic Xavier

Mengistu Alemayehu says he has been to more countries than he can count, ("I know more than a hundred of them reasonably well"), courtesy his job at the International Finance Corporation.

By that yardstick, the 49-year-old bachelor has spent a long time in India -- close to three years as IFC's director, South Asia.

Though he stays in Washington, DC for 20 days a month even now, Alemayehu, who grew up in the mountains in Addis Ababa, says India -- Hindi movies, in particular -- is familiar territory. That's because of his Indian English teachers since Grade VI in Ethiopia.

Mother India is an all-time favourite, as are the movies of Dharmendra and Hema Malini.

Of late, he looks forward to Aamir Khan movies during his flights to other parts of the world. Isn't that a politically correct thing that every expat working in India loves to say?

Alemayehu replies in a deliberate, measured voice: "India reminds me a lot about my home country. I studied in a system that, much like India's, involved a lot of memorising and students getting squeezed at national-level examinations," he says, as we settle down in the farthest corner of the restaurant at the Ethiopian Cultural Centre in New Delhi's Chanakyapuri.

That's why he grabbed the opportunity of going to the US for a master's in business administration and a degree in international finance after a stint, right after college, as a special assistant to the education minister in Ethiopia.

He found the curriculum in the US universities easy as it was all about finding solutions and the teachers gave away the questions before an examination.

But food was another matter.

One of his biggest problems, when he landed in the US, was having to eat alone.

"Back home, I don't remember a single meal we ate alone. But in the US, I saw everybody eating alone. Your and my country are similar," Alemayehu says.

Lunch begins with a hot beverage, and Alemayehu orders a steaming ginger-honey-lemon drink for us.

"We will get a mix of veg and non-veg. I want you to taste them. What you like, we will get more," he says.

The chef, an Ethiopian woman, greets Alemayehu and they speak in Amharic, the dominant language in Ethiopia.

The result of that conversation is soon visible. Food arrives in a large, round, heavy, metal plate, probably brass.

The base of the plate is covered with a layer of what looks like a steamed chapati. On top of this layer are dollops of food, a lot of it look like lentils and salads.

Neatly arranged around the periphery is a number of rolls, which look to be of the same material as the base layer covering the plate.

There are two side dishes -- lamb and chicken -- in bowls.

True to the Ethiopian tradition, we are supposed to eat from the same plate, with fingers, not cutlery.

He explains that the chef has given us a little bit of everything -- spicy lentils, carrots, cabbage, beetroot salad, beans and chickpea.

Pointing to the rolls, Alemayehu says it is like chapati, and is called injera; but unlike chapati, it is steamed.

Back home, this is made from a grain called teff, which is like millet and high in fibre.

Here, they made it from a combination of rice, corn, and barley. It is fermented for a few days before being steamed.

I am also told that Ethiopian food has no sugar, very little oil, and no deep frying.

"This is how a family eats. And there are always guests. Since you are the main guest today, you get the egg and the biggest chicken piece," he says, putting them on my side of the plate.

Now I know why my generous host hates eating alone in the US.

He must be having enough like-minded people giving him company for his lunches and dinners in India.

IFC under him has been having its most productive years in the country: Last year (ended June 2017), Alemayehu invested close to $2 billion in India -- a record, and nearly double the previous year's figure.

In addition, there is a big advisory programme. This year, he is expecting to exceed that.

His investment philosophy is simple: Look at people who can solve a problem and make a difference.

"When you are solving a big problem, on a sustainable basis, money will come. There is no contradiction between value and sustainability. I have seen that all over the world," he says.

IFC got involved in India in microfinance during the Andhra Pradesh crisis. At that time, it would have been easier to break bread with the bigger players. But IFC looked at people who were focused on solving the problem of inclusion in this country.

That is why IFC chose to invest in Bandhan, which has given it super-returns post the recent listing.

Bandhan Chairman Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, he says, is not an easy guy to negotiate with, but his values are strong. He does not forget where he started and the village he came from.

"In the end, investing is about people. If you get the right people, they make things happen. There is a big difference between being smart and being clever. If people are not solving a problem we understand, chances are we will not work with them."

In India, after he came, IFC looked at the key development gaps the country has, how to prioritise them, where the private sector fits in and where IFC's experience, track record and orientation fit in.

That explains why he invested in BigBasket. The founders have a vision and are working at building the hard part of the business, the network. They are not chasing gross merchandise value.

BigBasket, he says, solves a number of problems in agriculture and food, logistics being one of them.

Byju's is another.

"Byju Raveendran (founder of Byju's) still thinks of himself as a student and is solving a huge problem India faces -- education, Alemayehu says.

Byju's has 8 million subscribers and he agrees it is not accessible to many poor Indian students. But that is where he has started, not where he has stopped and one of the discussions Alemayehu has had with Raveendran is how the cost for students can be lowered.

"We want to influence education in a way that it becomes relevant to the life of people," he says.

Would he like to take part in the restructuring of India's public sector banks? "Yes, yes, yes," is the response.

Privatisation, he thinks, is just one of the many solutions. There are State-owned banks in some countries that are doing very well, but their governance is independent and there are commercial incentives and accountability.

"Everybody runs into this ideological debate (about privatisation). But we need a comprehensive approach to tackle this, not a tunnel vision." Alemayehu says.

He gives an example. IFC was doing privatisation of the largest bank in Tanzania, called National Bank of Commerce. All sorts of vested interests attacked him.

He explained to the unions, 'If you guys continue this way, there will be no bank tomorrow. So, what's the fight about?'

To the borrowers, he said, 'There will be no bank to borrow from.'

It took a while, but IFC did it.

It was hard to convince the Tanzanians because the partners IFC was getting were South Africans.

In Africa, one has to manage some cultural things.

It's over two hours into our lunch, but Alemayehu isn't finished as yet.

One of his favourite pastimes in Delhi, as in other parts of the world, is to talk to ordinary people: Taxi drivers, street vendors etc as sometimes they are the most informed people.

What they want are jobs and efficient delivery of services.

"These are proud, dignified people, who work hard. They just want opportunities. They do not have complicated requests," he says.

After the food is finished, another round of the hot ginger-honey-lemon drink comes. We prefer it to dessert or coffee.

On our way out, Alemayehu gives me a tour of the museum near the exit gate. He stops in front of two photographs -- one of 'Lucy', a collection of fossilised bones that once made up the skeleton of someone who lived in Ethiopia 3.2 million years ago. It was the most ancient early human ever found.

The other picture is of a picturesque valley -- he grew up very close to the place. For once, he looks wistful.
Former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, a key accused in the murder case of her daughter Sheena Bora, was admitted to J J Hospital in Mumbai after she complained of chest pain, doctors said on Saturday.

The 46-year-old co-founder of INX media, lodged in Byculla womens jail since her arrest in 2015, was brought to the state-run medical facility at 11.30 pm with a history of chest pain and discomfort, S D Nanandkar, J J Hospital dean, told reporters.

Mukerjea underwent a series of medical tests after she was admitted to the critical care unit of the hospital, he said.

MUST READ: The Sheena Bora Murder Trial

Accordingly, a clinical evaluation was done. An electrocardiogram showed mild changes (in heart rhythm), while her chest X-ray report was normal.

Her MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test report of the neck was awaited. Her condition is not serious. Some tests related to cardiology are pending, Nanandkar said.

Mukerjea will be discharged in two to three days and till then, she will remain in the CCU, he added.

This is the second time in two months that Mukerjea has been admitted to the hospital.

In April, Mukerjea was admitted to the hospital in a semi-conscious condition.

She subsequently underwent a series of medical tests. The hospital authorities had then said she had an overdose of anti-depressants that were not prescribed to her.

In October 2015, a few months after her arrest in the case, she was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state. It was then suspected that she had drug overdose.

Mukerjea is facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora.

Bora, 24, was killed and her body disposed of in a forest area in the neighbouring Raigad district in April 2012, according to the police.

Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai were arrested for the crime which came to light in August 2015.

Rai later turned an approver (prosecution witness) in the case.

Bora, Mukerjeas daughter from an earlier relationship, was killed over a financial dispute, the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing the case, said.

The agency later arrested Mukerjea's husband Peter Mukerjea, a former media baron, for allegedly being part of the murder conspiracy.

The high-profile case, which has attracted a lot of media attention, was initially handled by the Mumbai Police and later transferred to the CBI.
The body of another man was found hanging from a power transmission tower in West Bengals Purulia district, with the Bharatiya Janata Party claiming he was a party worker and Union minister Prakash Javadekar alleging that it was political murder.

IMAGE: BJP leaders and activists raise slogans during a protest against the deaths of the youth, in front of Katwa Police station in Purba Bardhaman district. Photograph: PTI Photo

The incident comes days after the body of another man, Trilochon Mahato, 20, who the party said was a member of its youth wing, was found hanging from a tree in Balarampur village of Purulia district.

The BJP alleged the deaths were political murders and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the two incidents, even as the West Bengal government transferred Purulia Superintendent of Police Joy Biswas. He has been replaced by Akash Magharia.

The alleged killings have triggered another round of face-off between the TMC and the BJP, which were embroiled in a bitter slugfest during the panchayat elections last month.

Dulal Kumar, 35, was found hanging from a power transmission tower near the fields in Purulia districts Dava village early Saturday morning, said SP Joy Biswas, who has been transferred following the incident.

No arrest has been made in connection with the incident so far, the SP said.

The BJP claimed Kumar was a party worker.

Party president Amit Shah attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged political murders.

Kumars death outraged locals who protested outside the Balarampur police station, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and removal of the officer-in-charge.

A note found near Mahatos body read he was punished for working for the BJP during the recent panchayat polls. However, the police did not recover any such note in Kumars case, Biswas said.

According to circumstantial evidence, Kumars death seems to be a case of suicide. We are waiting for the postmortem report, the SP said.

IMAGE: BJP workers burn an effigy during a protest over the alleged killing of an 18-year-old BJP Dalit supporter in Purulia district. Photograph: PTI Photo

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O Brien condemned the killings and demanded a detailed probe into them. He, however, did not rule out the involvement of the BJP, the Bajrang Dal or Maoists in the incidents.

We strongly condemn this despicable killing. All angles must be probed. The perpetrators of this heinous act must be punished. What role did Jharkhand border have to play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved. Let the truth be found out through proper investigation, O Brien tweeted.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who was in the city, attacked the TMC government, describing the deaths as political murders.

Political murders have been taking place in West Bengal. 19 BJP workers have been killed so far (since the rural polls). The latest victims were Dulal and Trilochon Mahato.

This is inhuman and the worst kind of crime. We condemn the brutal political murders. The people of West Bengal will definitely teach a lesson to those behind the incidents, he told reporters.

Hitting out at the Purulia SP for terming Kumars death a suicide, BJP national secretary and former party state president Rahul Sinha demanded a CBI inquiry into the two deaths.

The TMC is playing a dirty game. If Mamata Banerjee has got the courage, she must ask for a CBI enquiry into the deaths. These are political murders. The police are trying to label them as suicides, he said.

The BJP took out a number of rallies in New Delhi and in parts of the state to protest the death of Mahato.

BJP activists, led by state women wing chief Locket Chatterjee, on Saturday took a march in Kolkata to protest the deaths.

The West Bengal government has ordered a CID probe into the killing of Mahato, ADG (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma confirmed.

According to senior CID officials, the possible involvement of people from the bordering state of Jharkhand would be also probed.

As it is a bordering district, there is a possibility of outsiders being involved in the killings of Mahto and Kumar. These killings could be part of a conspiracy, said a senior officer of the state CID.

In Purulia, the TMC and the BJP gave a tough fight to each other. They won 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 zilla parishad seats, the TMC bagged 26 and the BJP nine
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met United States Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former PM of Singapore ESM Goh Chok Tong unveil a Plaque marking the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhis Ashes at Clifford Pier in Singapore. Photograph: Courtesy @MEAINdia/Twitter

Modi, who is in Singapore on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the prime minister on Friday night.

The PM also unveiled a plaque to pay tribute at the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes at Clifford Pier in Singapore, jointly with Singapore's former premier Goh Chok Tong, on Saturday morning.

Modi unveiled the plaque on the seafront where some of the Mahatma's ashes were immersed in 1948.

'Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and I unveiled a plaque marking the site where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed at the Clifford Pier in Singapore,' Modi tweeted.

'Bapu's message reverberates globally. His thoughts and ideals motivate us to work for the greater good of humanity,' he said in a tweet.

IMAGE: Modi visits National Orchid Garden in Singapore. An orchid was named Dendrobrium Narendra Modi to commemorate his visit. Photograph: Courtesy @MEAINdia/Twitter

A beautiful rendition of 'Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye', a favourite bhajan of Mahatma Gandhi, was sung on the occasion.

After Gandhi's death in 1948, his ashes were sent to various parts of India and the world, including Singapore, for immersion.

Earlier, Modi met Goh, a veteran leader and an advocate of deeper India-Singapore engagement.

'Had a productive meeting with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong,' Modi tweeted after meeting Goh.

The meeting between the Modi and Mattis assumes significance as in his Shangri-La address, the latter stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command -- the Pacific Command -- to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

IMAGE: Modi meets US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore. Photograph: ANI

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.
IMAGE: North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol talks with US President Donald Trump as they walk out of the Oval Office after a meeting at the White House in Washington, DC on Friday. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters

United States President Donald Trump confirmed that his Singapore Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would take place on June 12, and said it would begin the process of de-nuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump's announcement came at the end of a nearly 80-minute meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol.

Kim Yong Chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump.

"The meeting went very well. We'll be meeting on June 12th in Singapore. It went very well. It's really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation," Trump said at an impromptu press conference with the White House pool soon after the North Korean envoy left.

Kim Yong Chol arrived in Washington DC after two days of talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York.

Trump acknowledged that de-nuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was going to be a long process.

"I think it'll be a process. I never said it goes in one meeting. But the relationships are building, and that's a very positive thing," he said.

Confident that the North Koreans wanted to achieve this goal, he said they want other things along the line.

"I think they want to do that. I know they want to do that. And they want other things along the line. They want to develop as a country. That's going to happen. I have no doubt," the US President said.

Trump said countries in the region -- Japan and South Korea -- were also involved in this.

"We're involved in terms of getting everything. Everybody wants the United States. So we're going to help in the process. Without us, it wouldn't happen. But I think that you see a lot of very positive things, including with China. I think you see a lot of very positive things happening with President Xi, who has helped me quite a bit with this. So we'll see where it leads," he said.

The President went on to confirm that the summit would take place in Singapore on June 12.

"It will be a beginning. I don't say and I've never said it happens in one meeting. You're talking years of hostility, problems and hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end," he added.

Responding to a question, Trump said he had never cancelled the meeting. His letter to Kim Jong Un was in response to statements coming from them.

"My letter was a response to their letter. The media forgot that. You know, the media said, 'Oh, you had a meeting, then you cancelled.' I didn't cancel the meeting. I cancelled it in response to a very tough statement. And I think we're totally over that. Now we're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process," he said.

"We are meeting with the Chairman (Kim Jong-un) on June 12 (in Singapore). It is ultimately going to be a successful process," Trump said.

The president described the letter as very interesting and nice. "It was actually very interesting because this was literally going to be the delivery of a letter, and it ended up being a two-hour conversation with the se cond-most powerful man in North Korea," he said.

"We talked about almost everything. We talked about sanctions," Trump added.

Based on the talks, Trump said the North Korean leader was committed to denuclearisation.

"I do think so. He'd like to see it happen. He wants to be careful. He is not going to run and do things. But I told him, to be honest with you, look, we have sanctions on; they're very powerful sanctions. We would not take sanctions off unless they did that. But the sanctions are very powerful. You're going to see how powerful sanctions are when it comes to Iran. You see what that's doing to Iran," he said.

The President said he looked forward to the day when the sanctions could be lifted

Trump, however, said the current level of sanctions on North Korea would remain. "It's going to remain what it is now. I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore because we're getting along," he said.

He said the United States was unlikely to offer much aid to North Korea, which would be taken care of by South Korea and Japan.

Responding to a question, Trump said he was concerned about the recent visit of the Russian foreign minister to Pyongyang.

"I didn't like it, but it could be very positive, too. I didn't like the Russian meeting yesterday. If it's a positive meeting, I love it. If it's a negative meeting, I'm not happy," he said.

Trump said they also talked about ending the Korean war.

"We talked about ending the war. This war has been going on -- it's got to be the longest war -- almost 70 years, right? And there is a possibility of something like that. That's more of a signing of a document that it's very important in one way. Historically, it's very important. But we'll see. We did discuss the ending of the Korean War," he said.

The United States, Trump said, was going to ensure the security of Kim Jong Un.

"We're going to make sure when this is over, it's over. It's not going to be starting up again. They have a potential to be a great country. I think South Korea, Japan and China are going to help a lot," he said.
A tweet by Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, celebrating the victory of his party and mocking the defeat of Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Janata Dal-United in a recent bypoll at Jokihat, on Saturday triggered a political spat in Bihar.

While the JD-U deplored the tweet by the leader of the opposition in the state assembly and pointed to his lack of formal education, the RJD hit back saying even legendary poets like Kalidas and Tulsidas did not have academic qualifications and challenged the ruling party to arrange for an open debate between the chief minister and their 28-year-old leader.

Yadav had posted the tweet, in the Bhojpuri dialect, on Friday a day after his party wrested the Jokihat assembly seat from the JD-U and registered victory by a huge margin of over 41,000 votes.

In the tweet, Yadav had claimed that the result in the assembly segment of Araria district proved that Kumar owed the success of his party in 2015 assembly polls to the alliance with the RJD and not the other way round.

Kumar had walked out of the Grand Alliance last year after corruption cases were lodged against Yadav, who was then the Deputy CM.

In the tweet, Yadav had also remarked this is just a trailer. The film is yet to be screened hinting that he saw the probability of his party returning to power by defeating the JD-U in the next assembly polls in the state.

Reacting to the tweet, JD-U MLC and spokesman Neeraj Kumar said I am appalled by the language he has used. Though I never expected very high standards from him given that he did not even complete high school. The provocative tone of his tweet is in such a poor taste that I wonder whether he got admission to the prestigious Delhi Public School on merit or by virtue of the clout enjoyed by his family which is responsible for his meteoric rise.

Yadav, whom the RJD has declared as its heir apparent, is the younger son of party supremo Lalu Prasad.

Reacting to Neeraj Kumars statement, RJD MLA and spokesman Bhai Veerendra said the JD-U leaders statement shows that he and his party lacks sanskar (culture). As far as educational qualifications are concerned, neither Kalidas nor Tulsidas had any. But can anybody doubt their knowledge and merit.

I have said this before and am saying it again. I challenge the JD-U to arrange for an open debate between their leader Nitish Kumar and our leader Tejashwi Yadav. The debate can be held in English or Hindi, whichever language their leader feels comfortable with. If our leader loses, I

will retire from active politics, Virendra said.
Authorities on Saturday imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar while the separatists called a strike across Kashmir after the death of a youth who was allegedly hit by a Central Reserve Police Force vehicle during clashes with stone-pelting protesters.

Photograph: Umar Ganie/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Family members of Kaiser Bhat, the youth who died after a CRPF vehicle went over him, weep at the funeral.

Most shops, business establishments and fuel stations in Srinagar were closed as the separatists announced a strike to protest against civilian killings.

There were reports of similar shutdowns from other parts of the Valley.

The authorities imposed a curfew in Nowhatta area in Srinagars old city, where the clash took place on Friday.

Restrictions under section 144 of the CrPc, which prohibits the gathering of people, were in force in six other police station areas of the city -- Rainawari, Safakadal, Khanyar, MR Gunj, Maisuma and Kralkhud.

Photograph: Umar Ganie/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Clashes broke out between protesters and the police during the funeral.

The curbs were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order after the youths death in a hospital around midnight.

Buses didnt run in Srinagar following the strike call. But private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in the areas where there were no restrictions.

Private schools were shut in the city, an official said.

He said similar reports of the strike being observed were received from other district headquarters in the Valley.

Train services in Kashmir were also stopped for the day.

The authorities have also suspended mobile internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts while the network speed has been reduced in four south Kashmir districts.

After the Friday prayers ended at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagars Nowhatta on Friday, a group of youths had started pelting stones at the security forces, an official said.

Some protesters attacked a CRPF vehicle, which hit Kaiser Bhat, 21, and another man.

They were taken to to SKIMS hospital at Soura, where Bhat later died.

Police on Saturday booked unidentified stonepelters for attempt to murder and rioting while charging the Central Reserve Police Force driver with rash driving in connection with Fridays clashes.
The public feels there is a mismatch between what the PM says and what happens on the ground, but Narendra D Modi continues to enjoy public support, reports Aditi Phadnis.

IMAGE: Narendra D Modi has made himself irreplaceable for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

It was a cold November morning in 2016, days after the government had announced demonetisation.

At 6 am, a gaggle of bedraggled, tired men were already outside a branch of the Punjab National Bank which had announced, via a handwritten notice, that it would open at 8 am to enable 'valuable customers' to change their money.

Some had been waiting since 4 am.

Sensing a business opportunity, a chaiwallah had set up his cart early and soon the air was fragrant with the smell of tea stewed with cardamom and ginger.

With nothing to do but wait, inevitably the conversation turned to politics.

"Just look at us," said a man with disgust, "waiting here to get to our own money."

"Not all of us!" guffawed another, "some of us are here to get other people's money!"

"This bank has to be the worst bank on earth," complained another. "They never open on time. Just watch. The manager will come out and say he's run out of money. And then he will pass on all the new notes to his brother-in-law."

"Why blame the manager?" chipped in another. "He is only doing his job. It is the Pradhan Sevak we must blame."

There was a short silence as people thought about that.

Then, as arguments started about who was right, another man said with an air of finality: "I don't know about you, but I saw TV last night. The prime minister's mother came in an auto to change her money."

"He is the prime minister of India. He could have opened a bank at her doorstep if he'd wanted to. But she stood in a queue just like us. He says he's trying to root black money out. So we must stand by him, even if it is a little inconvenient for us."

The queue nodded in unison.

A few months later, despite much vaunted unity of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in the Uttar Pradesh elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party swept the assembly poll.

Hundreds of thousands of desperate, hollow-eyed families lost employment and what little livelihood they had. But many of them voted for the BJP.

The persona of Narendra D Modi has undergone an enormous transformation since the days in 2013 and 2014 .The word 'poor' is mentioned at least once in one out of every three speeches he makes.

Financial inclusion and the Mudra loan scheme hold powerful political allure although the jury is still out on how effective these ideas have been in practice.

Modi's election speeches have been all about beating back deprivation and handicap, offering a new deal to people.

Communication is seamless: At one election meeting in Karnataka, when people objected to the translation, the PM dispensed with his services and spoke in Hindi, responding to the chanting crowds.

And it is all Brand Modi.

Through the Give It Up initiative, he asked people to voluntarily give up a second gas cylinder so that it could go to the less fortunate.

At last count, the campaign had saved the government nearly Rs 42 billion in subsidies.

If monetised, that is a part of the value of Brand Modi.

In politics, he has made himself irreplaceable for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Although the party is now ruling a large swathe of India on its own or in coalition, elections where he has been less visible, like Bihar and Delhi, and by-elections like Gorakhpur and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh, have been lost by the BJP.

So if the BJP's tally of winning elections, as long as it has a winning horse, is so high, what is worrying it?

The social dysfunction for one.

Dalits continue to be uneasy with the BJP -- while Modi preaches Ambedkar, attacks on Dalits by gau rakshaks and vigilante groups continue.

Despite the party's outreach to Shia Muslims, the minority continues to suspicious about the BJP's real agenda where the PM talks of sabka saath sabka vikas, but attacks, lynchings, and encounters rule and attract only a slap on the wrist from Modi.

Cracks are beginning to show.

Congress politicians concede that shell companies have been dismantled and banks no longer get calls from Delhi.

But at the state government level, corruption is widespread, especially in government enterprises where you can get away with shoddy work for a payoff.

The argument cited in defence of the breakdown in the BJP-Telugu Desam Party relationship was corruption (the state government did not furnish completion certificates in respect of grants given by the Centre).

But how many BJP governments have furnished completion certificates is a matter of conjecture.

In Rajasthan and Haryana, people are seeing a mismatch between what Modi is saying and what chief ministers are doing.

But till this perception gains ground, Brand Modi rules.
'Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai? Don't you believe it. I don't trust the Chinese one bit,' Nehru told Gopalaswamy Parthasarathi before he traveled to China as India's ambassador.

Asking GP to be ever vigilant, Nehru advised the diplomat to send telegrams on important matters only to him.

Many such anecdotes from a long and eventful career as diplomat and bureaucrat crowd the pages of GP: 1912-1995, discovers Uttaran Das Gupta.

IMAGE: A sketch of then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru against the backdrop of China's capricious leader Mao Zedong who ordered his troops to invade India in October 1962.

A dinner with Ho Chi Minh would be the stuff of stories for the grandchildren but being served white mice soaked in syrup is a pretty hair-raising experience to recall.

That's exactly what India's ambassador to Vietnam, Gopalaswamy Parthasarathi -- or GP as he was popularly known -- and his family were served by the North Vietnam leader in 1962.

After a rollicking dinner, also attended by Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and the legendary army chief General Vo Nguyen Giap, the final dish arrived: A large jar with white objects floating in a thick syrup.

"I know what this dish is," GP said, "We call it rasagolla at home."

Chairman Ho smiled and replied: "Ambassador, I don't think so. These are specially bred white mice in sugar syrup."

Ho then picked up one by its tail and swallowed it whole.

As the jar was passed to GP, he did likewise.

"I just said Harihara, Shiva Shiva and sent the mouse down my gullet!" he would later recall.

Many such anecdotes from his long and eventful career as diplomat and bureaucrat crowd the pages of GP: 1912-1995, written by his son, Ashok Parthasarathi, who was science and technology advisor to then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Not all diplomatic assignments comprised such exotic dinners though.

Just before he was sent to China in 1958, then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru called GP for a meeting.

"So what has the Foreign Office told you? Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai? Don't you believe it. I don't trust the Chinese one bit," the PM said.

Asking GP to be ever vigilant, Nehru advised the diplomat to send telegrams on important matters only to him.

This revelation challenges the traditional belief that the Indian government was taken completely by surprise at the Chinese aggression of 1962, resulting in a humiliating defeat in the war.

The book also casts light on what happened to the 'package deal' offered by Deng Xiaoping to India in 1982.

According to Ashok Parthasarathi's version -- and there are others -- Deng had offered that while China keep some of the territory they had acquired in 1962, India would keep all of Arunachal Pradesh.

Indira Gandhi had apparently approved the deal and had sent a letter to Deng confirming it.

However, an unauthorised miscommunication resulted in the best possible deal India and China could have had being scuttled.

IMAGE: Gopalswamy Parthasarathi -- 'GP' -- then prime minister Indira Gandhi's special envoy, left, with then Sri Lankan president J R Jayewardene in Colombo, August 26, 1983.

Ashok Parthasarathi does not use a cellphone or e-mail. My meeting with him took place at his home in South Delhi.

When I arrived mid-morning, he was busy working, with his dining table stacked with papers. His memory, however, has no clutter: He recalled dates in the book with startling accuracy, not consulting any notes.

"I hope you don't mind me smoking," he said, as he lit another cigarette from the many packs on his table. "This is a habit I shared with my late, great father."

He spoke fluently about his experiences as a young professor at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, soon after it opened in the early sixties, and the many experiences of his father. The colloquial style is apparent also in the book.

Asked why he decided to write it now, Ashok Parthasarathi said: "There is no reason for this. It took me two-and-a-half years to write this book, get all the papers. More than 60 people were informed."

He added that he had initially wanted to release the book next November -- to, in his word "coincide with the birth anniversary of Indiraji."

The most startling revelation in the book, described as a 'bombshell' by a senior newspaper editor, is about Indira Gandhi's plans to march on Peshawar in the days following India's quick victory in the 1971 Bangladesh War.

Both GP and Ashok Parthasarathi were present in the meeting where Mrs Gandhi asked army chief Sam Manekshaw, along with senior members of her Cabinet -- Y B Chavan, Jagjivan Ram and Swaran Singh -- and senior bureaucrats.

To a query about how long it would take the army to reach Peshawar, Manekshaw said "three days".

The near-unanimous view at the meeting was that India should invade Pakistan; the only dissenting voice was that of P N Haksar, then principal secretary to the prime minister.

Later in the evening, All India Radio announced the ceasefire, ending all hostilities between the two countries.
Applications are currently being accepted for the four-week Commercial Fisherman Apprenticeship Program. Participants will learn the ropes of the commercial fishing industry and may even be offered a job upon completion of the program. Pictured: participants of last years pilot program.
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Dr. Peter Cummings, Narragansett Schools Superintendent, speaks to parents, guardians, teachers and community members at the Narragansett School System's second school security forum, held at Narragansett High School Wednesday, May 30. At the meeting, parents alleged complaints of bullying had gone unanswered by high school administration.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN) announced that it has agreed to sell its Sara Lee Frozen Bakery and Van's businesses to private equity firm Kohlberg & Company for undisclosed term. Rothschild & Co is acting as Tyson Foods' financial advisor on the sale.

The sale includes the Chef Pierre, Bistro Collection and Van's brands, and a license to use the Sara Lee brand in certain channels. The deal also includes the sale of the company's Tarboro, N.C. and Traverse City, Mich. prepared foods facilities and a sales office in Canada. The 1,160 team members employed at the two facilities and sales office are expected to keep their positions with the new company.

Kohlberg is partnering with C.J. Fraleigh, who will join as Executive Chairman at closing. Fraleigh, a long-time consumer products executive with over 30 years of experience, previously served as CEO of Sara Lee - North America.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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Bollywood actor-producer Arbaaz Khan (File Photo) Bollywood actor-producer Arbaaz Khan was summoned for investigations into the ongoing probe in the IPL betting case, a police official said here on Friday. Arbaaz, brother of superstar Salman Khan, has been asked to appear before the Thane Anti Extortion Cell on Saturday, said Police Inspector Rajkumar Kothmire.



The summons were issued to Arbaaz after prominent bookie Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Batla -- who reportedly has links with various mafia dons, including absconding Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar -- was arrested sometime ago and interrogated by the AEC sleuths in connection with the IPL scam, he added.



"The case investigations are going on since the past five-six years and could involve amounts of over Rs 500-600 crore. We want to find out from Arbaaz what was his role in the entire matter," said Kothmire who is probing the matter.



The 50-year-old actor-producer's cropped up during Jalan's interrogation and recovery of some photographs which include other major film personalities who may be subsequently summoned, he indicated.



According to Kothmire, the entire IPL scam involves some of the biggest bookies operating from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and New Delhi.



Jalan was first nabbed around 10 years ago when the IPL betting scam had erupted and later investigations proved he was in touch with several world personalities, including Arbaaz.






File Photo US President Donald Trump has announced that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is back on track to take place as originally planned on June 12 in Singapore. After receiving Kim's letter and meeting his envoy, Kim Yong Chol, at the White House on Friday, Trump ended speculation

about the meeting that he cancelled last week, saying: "We'll be meeting on June 12 in Singapore."



Trump told reporters: "I think it's going to be very successful. They're incredible people. I think it's going to be a very great

success. But we'll see what happens. We'll see you on June 12."



The breakthrough came after Trump appeared to have scaled back his goals for the Singapore summit seeing it as the first step towards a long-drawn process that may involve more meetings rather than having Kim announcing a complete

denuclearisation at the summit.



He said on Thursday: "I want it (Singapore talks) to be meaningful. It doesn't mean it gets all done at one meeting; maybe

you have to have a second or a third."



Pompeo, however, has also asserted that the US won't budge from the ultimate goal of denuclearising North Korea.



He said that in the talks with Kim Yong-chol, "I have been very clear that President Trump and the US objective is very

consistent and well known: the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula."



Trump had called off the talks last week saying there was "tremendous anger and open hostility" coming out of Pyongyang.



However, the preparations for the summit continued behind the scenes in Singapore and the demilitarised zone on the

border between the two Koreas.



These were capped this week by negotiations between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Korean leader's

representative Kim Yong Chol in New York over two days.



After the New York meetings, both Trump and Pompeo sounded optimistic about the prospects for the talks taking place.

North Korea has developed nuclear devices as well as missiles capable of reaching the US mainland heightening the risks for Washington.



After it tested the nuclear bombs and missiles last year, Trump and Kim traded threats and abuses, while the US

succeeded in tightening the United Nations sanctions on North Korea.



While Trump would score points internationally and domestically by pulling off the summit and softening his hardline image by having the summit, Kim appears to be equally invested in the denuclearisation talks that could translate to economic development for his impoverished country that is under severe economic sanctions.



North Korea symbolically destroyed its nuclear test sites shortly before Trump announced the cancellation of the summit.




Le Moana Dance Company have come full circle ending their two week 1918 Centennial Tour by marching in the Independence Day parade yesterday.

After presenting workshops and performances all around Savaii and Upolu, the eight member cast and their Director were excited to end their tour on a strong note by commemorating Samoas Independence Day.

We leave for New Zealand this evening and we would not have missed this event for anything. Its obviously amazing to be a part of the Independence Day celebrations today, said Le Moana Creative Director, Tupe Lualua whose team marched together with the New Zealand High Commission office.

But it also kind of reminds us of what we already know and thats the importance of honouring Samoa in all her beauty and acknowledging the fact that Independence came with complexities. All great things come with challenges and tensions.

The Victoria University Wellington Pacific Studies lecturer was referring to the historical period that preceded Samoas independence which involved the pandemic influenza of Samoa and the Mau movements,

Its really our job as storytellers to just do what we do in the best way that we can, and in doing so try to serve and empower our peoples.

For some of the New Zealand born Samoan dancers, it is their first time experiencing or participating in Samoas Independence Day celebrations and Ms Lualua said that for her team it was a special moment especially at the tail end of their tour of Samoa,

Our dancers have had a beautiful, magical experience in Samoa. They have learnt so much from the spaces and the people in them that we encountered along our tour here. We actually choreographed a new dance piece while we were in Savaii for an upcoming Auckland festival based off the vibe and movements we were inspired by during our time there.

The tour has been epic. Being here has taught us that regardless of political entities, regardless of institutions, regardless of peoples thoughts and feelings on how important or not important Arts are in Samoa  we will actually just continue to do what we do because we know how important it is to serve work through arts because 30 kids will come watch 1918 but 30 kids will not read a P.H.D thesis.
MORAVIA, N.Y. (AP)  Milk got your stomach feeling sour?

Dairy companies looking for ways to appeal to people who avoid milk because of indigestion are promoting what they describe as a natural, easier-drinking alternative. It's called A2 milk, which is produced by a subset of cows that produce milk lacking a protein that backers say is associated with milk's dyspeptic tendencies.

That A2 claim has its skeptics, but the bet is that consumers will pay an extra dollar or more per half-gallon to drink milk that might not cause indigestion, gas and bloating.

"Our approach has been, 'Listen, if you thought you had trouble with milk, try our A2 milk because you may be able to have it,'" said Dan Ripley, whose family farm in central New York has both ordinary cows and those producing what he sells as "Premium A2 Guernsey" milk.

The major A2 player in the United States, Australia-based a2 Milk Company, started selling its milk in California in 2015 and this year began making a big push into the Northeast. Its milk is now sold in major eastern chains such as ShopRite and Wegmans, and TV ads with the tagline "Love milk again" went up in recently New York City and elsewhere.

"The Northeast is really the big kahuna of the dairy industry in the U.S.," said Blake Waltrip, the company's U.S. CEO.

The company's U.S. expansion complements its efforts to boost distribution in markets including Southeast Asia and the Middle East under a recent deal with the world's biggest dairy exporter, New Zealand's Fonterra.

Separately, Nestle SA, the world's largest food company, began selling an A2 baby formula in China this year.

Most cows produce milk that contains both A1 and A2 proteins. Backers of this milk claim the A1 protein can cause bloating and other symptoms because of the way it breaks down when digested. Some cows naturally produce milk without the A1 protein, and farmers can breed those cows with an eye toward building a herd that produces milk that only contains the A2 protein.

This kind of milk still has lactose, but proponents say it could help people who mistakenly assume they're lactose intolerant.

In Buffalo, New York, Public Espresso + Coffee co-owner James Rayburg said he has a history of milk issues but can pour A2 on cereal or add it to recipes without worries. His shop recently switched over to Ripley's milk for all the drinks they serve.

"For me, I know if I'm feeling that much better about drinking that much milk, then our customers are feeling that way, too," Rayburg said.

Not everyone is convinced.

The National Dairy Council, which represents U.S. dairy farmers, said the claim remains an unproven theory.

Bruce German, director of the Foods for Health Institute at the University of California, Davis, said existing studies have either methodological flaws or may have issues because they are funded by the industry.

"Unfortunately, all the studies are somewhat sort of flawed in various ways, and they seem to be spinning a rather attractive story around A2," German said.

Ripley understands the skepticism and said he became convinced only after he discovered his own children could drink A2 without the digestion problems that afflicted them with regular milk.

Ripley Family Farm is essentially a competitor to Waltrip and the far larger a2 Milk Company, but both say the milk could be a boon to a U.S. dairy industry that has milk consumption dropping for decades and wholesale prices slumping amid a global oversupply.

While the vast majority of Ripley farm's revenue comes from wholesaling traditional milk, selling Guernsey A2 milk and cheese is a way to make extra income.

Other farmers who sell to the a2Milk Company, like Hourigan's Dairy Farm in central New York, get a premium for that milk from the company. While there are costs associated with segregating A2 milk and performing genetic tests to make cows produce the right type of milk, the extra money is appreciated.

"The milk market is kind of tough right now," said Hourigan's farm manager A.J. Wormouth, "and anything we can do to add value to your product definitely helps."
The private sector and members of the Chamber of Commerce have a legitimate complaint.

Since Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malieleaois Government often refers to them as the engine of economic growth, they should stop paying lip service to their concerns and start taking them very seriously.

For when it comes to anything with an engine, we must ensure the engine is well oiled, that all the parts are serviced and functioning for efficiency and performance. A negligence attitude towards maintenance and up keep means we run the risk of sudden failure and total collapse.

In terms of growing the economy, that appears to be where Samoa is heading with this Governments dictatorial behaviour and recklessness when it comes to decision-making involving the private sector.

Time and time again, we hear cries from the private sector, through the Chamber of Commerce and other relevant bodies, about their wish to be consulted on issues that affect them. Surely that is not such a big ask.

Perhaps the Government feels it is invincible and that they can do whatever they want.

From what we see, the Government sometimes forget that unlike them who will always have the endless stream of publically funded coffers to maintain their luxurious lifestyles, it doesnt work like that for the private sector.

Members of the business community actually have to earn their money survive.

Every little sene counts especially given todays precarious business environment where so many businesses are struggling to stay afloat and pay their debts.

Which means that if the Government is serious about creating an enabling environment to foster growth for the private sector, they have got to be more considerate with their decision-making.

They need to take on a more consultative approach so that the business community is not treated to unwanted and costly surprises.

Speaking of costly surprises, last week, the Chamber of Commerce expressed concerns about the number of ad-hoc public holidays  including tomorrows 56th Independence public holiday.

The concerns were raised in a letter to Prime Minister Tuilaepa signed by the Chambers President, Jennifer Ula-Fruean.

Businesses will face severe cash flow challenges due to the sudden removal of a trading day which they had not previously planned for; eliminating potential revenue for that day while the cost of staff wages and salaries remains, the letter reads.

Businesses that do trade on that day are forced to continue with a trading day at higher cost per staff input (i.e. costs rise but productivity doesnt).

Some of the worst hit companies are among the biggest employers in Samoa.

Some of them have payrolls of more than $30,000 a day, which means the cost of a productive tomorrow becomes extremely excessive.

And how exactly can the Government justify making tomorrow another public holiday? Was Friday not enough? Did public servants not get a rest on Saturday and Sunday?

Why bother the poor private sector with another burden they dont need. A public holiday is great for employees but it is absolutely a waste of a day for employers. Its because they are paying money for nothing.

Now who wants that?

If the Government were run like a private business, would they do the same?

Of course not. These people would never do that if this was their own money.

Which is where the problem lies. While everyone  including the private sector is taxed to the bone  the Government doesnt have to worry about their expenses.

Taxes ensure that these guys will always get paid, even if they take a holiday.

It is also why they dont care how many public holidays they declare. They are not paying for it so why should they lose sleep over it?

Sadly, you cant say the same thing about the private sector. Which is why tomorrows public holiday will be a bitter-sweet moment for many of the business community in Samoa. How can they continue to hold on?

Have a peaceful Sunday Samoa, God bless!
The President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, His Excellency Jioji Konrote couldnt have been more honoured to celebrate 56 years of Samoas independence.

Its his first time on Samoas shores and also a first for a President of Fiji to be present at the Independence Day celebration.

Mr. Konrote was hosted to a traditional welcoming ceremony by the Samoan Fijian community at the University of the South Pacific, Alafua Campus fale yesterday. Also present was the first lady and his delegation.

Mr. Konrote mentioned the deep relations the two island nations share, which punches above their weight. From climate change, shared economic, social and political interests, he said both Samoa and Fiji play a vital role in the Pacific region.

The nations of the Pacific stand shoulder to shoulder with you on this day, which is also a celebration of our friendship and solidarity in the face of our many collective challenges, whether it is climate change, the health of our oceans or our duty to provide sustainable development for all our people."

We naturally look to Samoa as a vital partner in helping us to meet these challenges, he said.

For all our challenges, we look to the future with optimism, knowing that unity, focus, a sense of purpose and sticking together as nations and as people will pull us through."

And we share the joy of the Samoan people in the achievements of the Samoan nation over the past 56 years and our confidence that even greater days lie ahead. Whatever happens, you can count on the friendship and support of Fiji and of all of your other neighbours whose representatives are present here today.

The President and his delegation depart for Fiji today.
The Minister of Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, is remaining tightlipped about the Congregational Christian Church of Samoas decision to reject the law requiring Church Ministers to pay taxes on their alofa.

During an interview inside his office, Tialavea refused to comment. He was accompanied by his Associate Minister, Lenatai Victor Tamapua.

The Minister was asked to comment on whether the Government would enforce the law by 30 June 2018, given that the decision by the Church has now been made public.

But Tialavea said he doesnt want to say anything until they meet with the Church.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, confirmed that they have yet to meet with the leadership of the Church. He said there is a possibility the meeting would happen next week.

The meeting has been mooted following the rejection by the E.F.K.S. church of the law.

The decision from the Fonotele remains the same as in 2017 and that is to reject the law requiring Church Ministers to pay taxes, the C.C.C.S. General Secretary, Reverend Vavatau Taufao said a week ago.

Keep in mind that in the C.C.C.S., there is no such thing as ones discretion. That is why I have pride in my church because we practice the true meaning of democracy. We are a democratic church, the decision was not decided by one person, rather the entire church."

In Parliament, Prime Minister Tuilaepa compared the churchs decision to someone putting a gun on the Governments head.

He used Parliamentary privilege to send a message to the Church that Parliament is the supreme law making body of the land and no one can derail their decisions.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa said the law has been passed and there is nothing that can be done about it anymore.

He reiterated that Parliament is the supreme law making body of Samoa and its decisions are final. If Parliament gives in to the wishes of the E.F.K.S. Church, Tuilaepa said he fears what would happen to the integrity and finality of laws passed by Parliament.

The Chairman of the National Council of Churches, Deacon Leaupepe Kasiano Leaupepe, has distanced himself from the dispute.

Contacted for a comment, Leaupepe told the Samoa Observer the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa is a sovereign body that is free to make their own decisions.

The E.F.K.S. churchs response to the matter is their own human right, Leaupepe said. They are in control of their own decision making and so I cannot say anything."

The church has come up with a decision and as the Samoan saying goes 'e le aia moo i liu o vaa' therefore I am not going to interfere."

That is my response to the matter; I have no power over the churchs decision about the law.

Last week, the Ministry of Revenue issued a notice stating the law will be fully enforced by 30 June 2018.

The notice is directed to all of the Church Ministers in Samoa.

The notice calls on all Church Ministers to register and present documents as required under the Income Tax Act 2012 under section 59.

According to the notice, the Bill was approved and signed into law June 2017 and was to be implemented in January 2018 with six months of public awareness.

The Ministry continues to give chances until 30 June, 2018 for all registry documents to be turned in prior to enforcing other aspects of the law which penalises those who do not abide by this law, said the C.E.O., Avalisa Viali-Faatuaalii.

The notice did not, however, specify as to what are the penalties.

However, according to an official of the M.O.R., the penalties are found in the Tax Administration Act 2012 under section 12.

48. Late filing penalty-

(1) If a tax return required to be filed by a person under a tax law remains unfiled at the expiration of one (1) month after the due date for filing the return, the person is liable: (a) for a company, to a penalty of $300; or (b) for any other case, to a penalty of $100.

(2) A person who fails to file or lodge any document, other than a tax return, as required under a tax law is liable to a penalty of $10 for each day or part of the day up to a maximum of $500 for failing to file or lodge the document.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), a person ceases to be in default when the document is received by the Commissioner.
The men who ransacked the Salelologa Market last Monday remain at large.

As of yesterday, no one has been arrested despite their identities becoming common public knowledge after their photos were posted on mainstream and online media.

On Monday, men from Salelologa vandalised the market and damaged a number of businesses owned by people from Salelavalu.

The Sunday Samoan understands that a delegation of Police officers from Upolu had found two of the men on Monday.

They arrested them and were in the Police vehicles when the Police were surrounded by men from Salelologa who demanded that they be let go.

Attempts to get a comment from the Police have been unsuccessful.

But the Salelologa Village Mayor, Touli Fagaese, told the Sunday Samoan that they are cooperating with the Police investigation.

To date, we are working with the Police and offering assistance with their investigation, he said.

No one has been charged or arrested yet. From our side, we have left the incident to the Police who are conducting their investigation into the matter.

In the meantime, the Salelologa Village Mayor assured that nothing would ever happen again.

We have met the entire village and laid out the magnitude of penalties if anyone from Salelologa will ever repeat the events of last week."

The matter is now in the hands of the Police and the Village Council will render support in whatever the end result is."

We have also met Salelavalu and the differences between the young men have been sorted and so we are trying to move forward.

Last week, Touli issued a public apology over the ransacking of the Salelologa market.

We are sorry for what had occurred, but we dont condone this type of behavior.

Two arrests have already been made into the incident that led to the ransacking of the Salelologa Market.

Salelavalu men, Kiuma Talouli Levi and Manui Tanuvasa Lafaele have been arrested and charged in connection to the vicious beating of Fui Tomesi from Salelologa.

The men were handed over to the Police last week Tuesday evening following a lengthy Salelavalu Village Council meeting.

The Sunday Samoan was asked to leave the meeting.

Manui, 36, is charged with actual bodily harm while 21-year-old Kiuma, is charged with aiding and abetting with the co-defendant to commit the offense of causing injury.

The men were allegedly responsible for attacking Mr. Tomesi, which was caught on video.

The video shows Mr. Tomesi kneeling while someone held a rifle to his mouth. A voice could be heard asking him to apologise.

As Mr. Tomesi started to speak, he is punched and slapped repeatedly. The interrogator also swore in Samoan.

Upon arrival at the Mulifanua wharf, more Police officers were present to collect the suspects in the Police vehicle.
The President of Nauru, His Excellency Baron Waqa, congratulated Samoa on its 56 years of independence.

The close ties between Samoa and the Government of Nauru is the reason Mr. Waqa is in Samoa to witness this significant event for the people of Samoa.

It is the first time for him to be in Samoa and he could not be happier to show his support.

Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, he shared the importance of independence for each person and nation.

I am very happy to be here to celebrate your Independence Day. Independence is an important milestone to any countrys history."

It means a lot, not just to the people but to everyone who are friends of Samoa like us. We are so happy for Samoa to being the first to gain independence in the Pacific."

So you had your 56 years of Independence and that is a great achievement and I am very honoured and pleased to be here, he said.

Being part of Samoas independence was amusing for the President of Nauru because it showcased the true meaning of self-governance.

I could see great pride and patriotism, the love of the country their beloved nation of Samoa that can be seen in the people and the way they celebrate."

To take part in the raising of the flag to witness the activities and the march pass as well as the cultural performances those were very good and enjoyable for me."

We always celebrate in different ways and with songs and dance. It is showing whats inside of you and your feeling, and mainly the celebration for independence and patriotic feeling."

A way of showing people around you, your friends, the region and the world that you love your country and that you love Samoa and that is the main thing, he added.

He believes that culture and religion are the main pillars that hold a society together and both aspects are very strong in Samoa.

It is good to see that God is always central with everything that the Samoan people do, which is good and that means the faith is strong and when the faith of people is strong then the country would be strong."

Samoa is already strong in their traditional culture but religion is an added quality to Samoas standards and values, which is a good example to the world.

Mr. Waqa acknowledges their long and ongoing friendship with Samoa that has flourished over the years.

Samoa is always a very good friend of Nauru, and they have come a long way and as I said before they were the first one to have gain its full independence and sovereignty."

Also Nauru has gained its Independence 50 years ago after Samoa. So we are very fortunate to gain our independence as well and later on there were countries that came later, like Fiji and others."

Samoa is always an important friend for us and the Pacific.

He wished Samoa all the best for their future plans.
The 57 turbines at the sprawling Tule Wind Project in San Diegos East County are spinning again, after a faulty transmission line knocked the energy project offline for more than five weeks.

Operations at the 131.1-megawatt wind farm shut down April 11, just three months after the facility opened following 13 years of bureaucratic and legal challenges.

Officials with the projects operator, Avangrid Renewables, at first did not know what caused the outage but later determined an underground cable was to blame.

A vendor had to fabricate and eventually install a completely new line, measuring about 1,000 feet.

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The entire project came back online May 21.

We were quite pleased to be able to solve this unique and complex issue in a relatively short time frame, said Art Sasse, director of communications and brand for Avangrid, which is based in Oregon.

Paul Veers, chief engineer of the National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, said it is not unusual for a wind project to experience problems shortly after launching.

It would not surprise me to know there was a construction or an installation glitch that could cause problems and that would show up right away, as they start operating, Veers said.

Covering an expanse of five miles in a rugged section of the McCain Valley, the Tule Wind Projects towers are impossible to miss for drivers along Interstate 8. Each of the wind farms turbines climb 262 feet in height, with blades attached to rotors that stretch to a diameter of 351 feet.

Avangrid officials predict Tule will generate enough electricity to service about 40,000 homes and deliver more than $39 million in state and local tax benefits over 25 years. Eight full-time employees work at the site.

The electricity generated on the site is fed into a substation operated by San Diego Gas & Electric and is part of a 15-year power purchase agreement the operators signed with Southern California Edison.

Avangrid has plans to add 24 more turbines in the near future  seven on state land and 17 on land belonging to the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

The wind project has been opposed by some environmental and conservation groups, who have argued the project is dangerous to raptors such as golden eagles and wildlife in the area such as bighorn sheep. Avangrid officials have long maintained they have been careful to protect birds and habitat.

This story has been updated to include a comment from Paul Veers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

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rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski

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The Lemon Grove Teachers Association and the Lemon Grove School District have reached a tentative agreement on a two-year contract.

An impartial state mediator hired in late April helped the parties resolve the main sticking point: salaries. The teachers union, which represents 125 full-time teachers and about 60 other employees, ratified the agreement on May 29. The school board will consider the matter at its June 12 meeting.

Under the tentative agreement, teachers in grades K-8, as well as nurses, speech and language specialists, school psychologists and preschool teachers, will get a 3 percent raise, 2 percent that will be retroactive to July 1, 2017, and 1 percent that will take effect July 1 of this year.

For the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years, salary and benefits will be renegotiable; any other articles from the contract will not.

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Lemon Grove Superintendent Kim Berman said there will be more teacher professional development days in the next school year, with additional compensation for those days.

The district wanted to wait until the state education budget is finalized this month to find out how much it will be getting before it offered a raise. The district initially said it would renegotiate next years contract if the state budget is at least $1.2 million in additional funding for the district, but later dropped that provision.

The teachers had been seeking a 3 percent raise for the 2018-19 year, according to Pierre-Lynne Finney, president of the Lemon Grove Teachers Association.

They also wanted the right to reopen negotiations for their salaries, and they will get to do that.

Our big problem was tied to trigger language that said (we couldnt) bargain for the 2018-19 school year, that was our sticking point, Finney said. The compromise we came up with instead of the 3 percent being paid retroactive back to school year, we agreed 2 percent retroactive and they took out the trigger language. We will be negotiating for our salary for the 2018-19 school year until Nov. 1, 2018. And that was the biggee.

The average teacher salary in Lemon Grove is about $83,000. Lemon Grove School District has nearly 4,000 students that attend six schools in the city of about 25,000.

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com
San Dieguito Union High School District Superintendent Eric Dill will leave the district for a job in the Bay Area after the school year ends on June 15.

Dill will move to the Santa Clara Unified School District to fill the role of chief business officer, the same position he previously held in the San Dieguito district. Dill has worked for the San Dieguito district since 2001, and has held the role of superintendent since the 2016-17 school year.

During Dills tenure at SDUHSD, the district has received honors for its academic performance. Earlier this month, it received high marks from U.S. News & World Report, which issued its annual report on top high schools in the U.S.

The report ranked Canyon Crest Academy in the district as the second-highest performing secondary campus in the San Diego area, and number 132 nationwide, out of 20,500 high schools from around the country that the news service reviewed.

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It has also faced tragedies, including the shooting death of a 15- year-old freshman at Torrey Pines High School in May 2017. The student was fatally shot after summoning police to campus and confronting them with what turned out to be a BB gun. Police later found a suicide note in his pocket,

Dills new employer, Santa Clara Unified, serves over 21,000 students in preschool through high school as well as adult education at 27 schools. More than a third of its students are socio-economically disadvantaged and a quarter are English learners, according to the California School Dashboard.

That contrasts with SDUHSD, which serves middle and high school students, of whom just 8.5 percent are low income and 3.9 percent are English learners.

The move to Santa Clara will allow Dill to work with students in a broader range of ages, abilities and needs, a press release from SDUHSD stated.

In a message to staff, Dill said he was grateful for the experiences, the opportunities, the colleagues, and the friends he has had in his 17 years at San Dieguito.

I understand how incredibly fortunate I have been to serve you and this amazing community, Dill said. This truly is a special place, not because of the high achievement for which we are known, but for the people who make it possible.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
About three dozen protesters gathered along state Route 79 in front of the Julian volunteer fire station Friday morning to let it be known they dont want anything to do with the County of San Diego.

Shortly after most had arrived with signs saying No Hostile Takeover and Cal Fire Puts Lives at Risk, a medical call was received at the station and Cal Fire firefighters, not Julian volunteers, responded in county-owned trucks.

Friday morning began a new era in Julian, one that may signal the end of the last volunteer fire department in the county: the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District.

The protesters were there because at 8 a.m. the Countys Fire Authority, which contracts with Cal Fire for services, began staffing the fire station with its own equipment and firefighters per a one-year interim agreement approved by a majority of the volunteer departments board of directors.

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Those against losing the volunteer department say they fear firefighters brought in by the county wont know anything about the community and will risk getting lost while responding to emergencies along the many mountainous back roads.

Ive been here 24 years and I sometimes still get lost, said Sheila Dilley. When we have an emergency, and when we have a fire, there is no time.

Karen Kiefer, who is a paid paramedic on the one ambulance serving the area, also opposes the takeover and claims the county is skewing data to show that we dont do as good a job as they do.

The Fire Authority was created about a decade ago following the firestorms of 2003 and 2007. Since then, all the volunteer departments in the backcountry, but one, have been absorbed by the county and their stations have been manned by professional Cal Fire staff.

The Julian department, which has been financially challenged for years, has long been debating whether to join the county or remain independent. Earlier this year, the board overturned several previous votes and voted 3-2, much to the dismay of some in the community, to begin the dissolution process of the volunteer district.

That cleared the way for the county to bring in its own Cal Fire staff and extra equipment.

The countys Board of Supervisors recently took action to start the takeover process, which will conclude later this year when the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) will decide whether to allow the change.

Opponents of the move will have a chance to testify before the commission at a hearing that will likely happen in August or perhaps October, and all taxpaying residents will be polled by LAFCO. If 50 percent of the residents say they dont want the Fire Authority to take over, the deal will be off.

If 25 percent to 50 percent of the residents tell LAFCO they are opposed, an election will be held to let the people decide.

In addition to their fears that the station will be staffed by firefighters unfamiliar with the area, opponents say they dont trust the county to provide everything it says it will and they worry the area could at times go unprotected. They also say they are convinced their taxes will eventually go up to support the authority.

Alex Bell, the countys public safety group communications officer, said the county at this point is only supplementing the volunteer district with three firefighters, the paramedic engine and a water tender truck.

She said the process will play out later this year.

From the countys perspective, having additional fire protection in the backcountry, an area that is so fire-prone, and also having additional paramedic coverage ...those things are very important and we think the community overall is very supportive.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
In a major address outlining Americas new Indo-Pacific strategy, Defense secretary James Mattis savaged Beijing for militarizing a sprawl of fake islands in the South China Sea and said the White House remains committed to denuclearizing North Korea.

Speaking before a packed audience at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore Saturday morning, the former four-star Marine general blueprinted Americas Look West goals in a region stretching from Alaska and the South Pole to the Indian Ocean: freedom of navigation for airplanes and ships, prosperity through peace, increased American investment in economies and civil societies, a steadfast commitment to international law, cooperation with China when possible and repercussions for Beijing when it fails to comply with global norms.

So make no mistake: America is in the Indo-Pacific to stay, Mattis said. This is our priority theater. Our interests and the regions are inextricably intertwined.

Mattis said that the principled realism of President Donald Trumps foreign policy anticipated intensifying competition between nation states but held out hope that this generation of statesmen in the Indo-Pacific region will avoid war with China and North Korea.

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While word swirled through the conference room that the Trump administration will salvage a proposed summit next week in Singapore with the regime of Pyongyang strongman Kim Jong Un, Mattis vowed that America would hold the line on North Korea.

Although Trump has hinted at cuts to Americas troop levels in South Korea, Mattis declared that the issues arent related and that commitment to Seoul wont be scrapped during a summit with enemy Pyongyang.

Our objective remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Mattis said. The international community is in alignment here, as evidenced by multiple, unanimous United Nations Security council resolutions.

Mattis fired most of his verbal volleys at China.

He expressed support for Taiwan, a nation Beijing views as a renegade breakaway republic, saying that America would oppose all unilateral efforts to alter the status quo and will continue to insist any resolution of differences accord with the wishes of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Mattis said that Washington was prepared to support Chinas choices if they promote long-term peace and prosperity for all in this dynamic region but Beijings policy in the South China Sea stood in stark contrast to the openness our strategy promotes.

It calls into question Chinas broader goals, Mattis said. Chinas militarization of artificial features in the South China Sea includes the deployment of anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, electronic jammers and, more recently, the landing of bomber aircraft at Woody Island.

Despite Chinas claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion.

Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea are opposed by Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Mattis called out Chinese president Xi Jinping for falsely promising in 2015 that Beijing would never militarize the Spratly Islands, which are occupied by Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and China.

He said that America booted Beijings navy from the upcoming Rim of the Pacific military maneuvers because Chinas behavior is inconsistent with the principles of purposes of the RIMPAC exercise, one in which transparency and cooperation are hallmarks.

To be clear, we do not ask any country to choose between the U.S. and China, because a friend does not demand you choose among them, Mattis continued. China should and does have a voice in shaping the international system. And all of Chinas neighbors have a voice in shaping Chinas role.

After the address, a member of the Chinese delegation to the security summit, Senior Col. Zhao Xiaozhuo of the Peoples Liberation Army shot back at Mattis, telling him that recent freedom of navigation operations by American warships sailing near the disputed islands were provocations that violated Chinese law by trespassing on Beijings territorial waters.

Mattis chided China for a fundamental disconnect between Beijings actions and international tribunals that have ruled against Chinese occupations of the disputed islands.

He told the Chinese officials that American warships skirt the islands as a way to show support to all nations, big and small, that use the waterways as commercial sea lanes.

When asked by others in the audience whether the words uttered by Mattis conflicted with Trumps actions  especially unilateral tariffs unleashed by the White House on Canada, India and other friends of the United States  Mattis conceded that outsiders sometimes detect unusual ways from the president and his team.

But he believes Americas overwhelming commitment to shared principles with Asian powers, including serving as the arsenal of democracy against fascist and communist domination, will outlast temporary differences over trade.

The bottom line is that weve been through thick and thin and weve stood with nations and they all recognized today that we believe in free, independent and sovereign nations out here, Mattis said.

Questions continue to dog Mattis  long seen as a nonpartisan military mind  and his future serving a president thats viewed by international critics as headstrong and often ignorant about global partnerships and problems, but he deflected them.

I also look forward to the future with confidence and Im doing just fine, thank you, he said.

Mattis is slated to continue closed door sessions Saturday with defense ministers Song Young-moo of South Korea, retired Maj. Gen. Delfin Negrillo Lorenzana of the Philippines, Itsunori Onodera of Japan and Marise Payne of Australia.

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cprine@sduniontribune.com
More than a month ago, a Delano couple died when they crashed their truck while fleeing from immigration agents. The man and woman, who were in the country illegally, had not been the intended target of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Officials later said that the agents were trying to arrest another man and that Santos Hilario Garcia, who died in the crash, matched the description of their target.

On Wednesday, ICE arrested and deported the person they had been after: the dead mans brother, Celestino Hilario Garcia.

Celestino Hilario Garcia was leaving his apartment complex in a car with his wife and a neighbor when he was arrested by ICE deportation officers, according to the United Farm Workers Foundation, which has been working with the family. His wife and four children remain in Delano.

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Hilario Garcia has three criminal convictions for driving under the influence, according to ICE. He was granted voluntary return to Mexico on seven occasions from 2002 to 2009. In April 2009, an immigration judge issued him a final order of removal, and ICE removed him to Mexico twice, once in April 2009 and again in May 2009.

The sequence of events that culminated in the fatal accident began on the morning of March 13. ICE agents followed Santos Hilario Garcia, and his wife, Marcelina Garcia Profecto, as the couple left the apartment complex to drop off their teenage daughter at school.

The agents apparently mistook Santos for Celestino. Minutes later, after a brief stop, the couple  who had six children  fled at high speed from the agents. They died after slamming their truck into a utility pole.

In an interview with The Times in April, Celestino blamed ICE for their deaths.

It was his car, it was in his name. If I lent him my car, then its my fault, Celestino said. It was his car. His car. They had time to check the plates.

Celestino was informed about their deaths by one of their daughters. He burst into tears before going to the spot where his brothers car had overturned. At the scene, Delano police showed him his brothers Mexican consular identification card  which is what they used to identify him.

Were not animals, were people, Celestino said. They want to clean their hands of this, but its not going to be that easy.

The deaths resulted in protests, with some Delano officials and residents blaming ICE and the Trump administration for being too aggressive in their crusade against illegal immigration. ICE has blamed the deaths on Californias sanctuary policies, which the agency says put it in a position to target, and sometimes arrest, immigrants without legal status who were not initially sought for removal.

The Delano case took on a new dimension when the local police department asked prosecutors to look into whether two ICE agents had given false information to police after the crash. Ultimately, Kern County prosecutors said they would not file charges.

Celestino lived in the same apartment complex as his brother, but in a different apartment with his family. After his brothers death, he said, he and his wife were helping support their nieces and nephews.

Diana Tellefson Torres, executive director of the United Farm Workers Foundation, called the arrest a new blow to Santos and Marcelinas six children.

ICE already contributed to the deaths of the parents of these six children who are now orphans, Torres said in a statement. Can ICE be more callous in visiting even greater anguish upon this family that has already suffered so much?

brittny.mejia@latimes.com

Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia
The four-decade hunt for the Golden State Killer reached a turning point in April when detectives lifted the DNA of their suspect from his car door as he shopped inside Hobby Lobby, court documents released Friday show.

The secret collection occurred in a public parking lot in Roseville, just outside Sacramento. By then, authorities already considered Joseph DeAngelo Jr. a suspect but were still gathering evidence.

Authorities said in the court records that the definitive link came when the DNA taken from the car matched semen recovered at the scene of some of the Golden State Killers crime scene.

The documents also said detectives were able to match DNA from rapes in Northern California to several murders in Southern California, providing what prosecutors say is a key link connecting seemingly disparate crimes that had baffled authorities for years.

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Judge Michael Sweet released the documents Friday after rejecting objections from DeAngelos defense team. An attorney representing the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets had filed a motion to have the warrants unsealed for the public record.

The documents  about 123 pages  offers the first public glimpse into the case detectives built against DeAngelo, a former police officer accused of terrorizing communities across California in the 1970s and 80s. During that time, he is suspected of being behind at least 12 killings, dozens of rapes and more than 100 burglaries. In the warrants, detectives accuse DeAngelo of a 13th killing  the shooting death of Claude Snelling in 1975 in Visalia.

Read the full warrant and affidavit here 

Because of redactions, the documents provide only a limited sense of what prosecutors have amassed against DeAngelo. It remains unclear what investigators found after they searched DeAngelos home. The warrant describes dozens of rings, wedding bands, photographs and identification cards among the trinkets that DeAngelo is accused of taking from victims homes after committing crimes. For example, investigators hoped to find a green Bank of American [sic] bag with silver zipper lock that had $1,366.31 in cash. But its unclear whether any of these items were recovered from his Citrus Heights home.

The documents underscore how essential a novel and controversial DNA technique was used to build the case. Frustrated detectives placed DNA found at one of the crime scene on several genealogy websites. Eventually, they linked it to one of DeAngelos distant relatives. Detectives have said in interviews with The Times that with that familial link, they centered on DeAngelo because of his age, employment and that he lived close to where many of the crimes were committed.

With their suspect identified, detectives needed a DNA sample. They began surveillance on the one-time officer and that led them to Hobby Lobby on April 18. On April 23, they obtained a second DNA sample from a tissue in DeAngelos trash can outside of his home, hoping to get a more conclusive match. DeAngelo was arrested April 24.

Public defender David Lynch sought to keep as much information under seal as possible, saying release of detectives statements would taint potential jurors. He called much of the case offered up for the arrest of DeAngelo and search of his home speculative. DeAngelo has not entered a plea.

The names and other identifying information for at least 75 surviving victims, witnesses and detectives included in the warrant were redacted, along with details of previously suspected rapes.

Sweet ruled that a list of the evidence seized from DeAngelos home, computer and his phone will remain sealed.

Media lawyer Duffy Carolan said she was generally pleased with the ruling. The Sacramento County district attorneys office emphasized that it did not ask for the records to be sealed and that 95% of the material being redacted was at the request of DeAngelos public defenders.

Sweet said in a verbal order that he was striving to protect DeAngelos right to a fair trial. He quoted Benjamin Franklin: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Half a dozen of the Golden State Killers victims who have been attending the Sacramento court hearings were present for Fridays decision but asked not to be identified.

One woman had no opinion on the release of the arrest records, saying, I dont care, as long as it doesnt hurt the case.

Another woman, who said she was raped by the Golden State Killer, said she is attending DeAngelos court appearances to drill holes in the back of his head.

DeAngelo is charged with the shooting deaths of two people in Sacramento and 10 more counts of murder in three other counties, the culmination of a four-decade manhunt for a serial burglar and rapist who often hit multiple homes in a night, stole mementos from his victims or taunted them later with phone threats.

Whole communities were stricken with fear as the crime wave grew on both sides of the state and in the Central Valley starting in the early 1970s. Families bought guard dogs and guns, installed extra deadbolts on their front doors and secured their rear windows and sliding doors. Authorities say DeAngelos crimes covered territories in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Orange counties, where several women were raped and fatally beaten between 1979 and 1986.

One couple was found bludgeoned to death with a fireplace log in Ventura. Another was found tied up and shot to death in Santa Barbara County.

Investigators also think DeAngelo was responsible for a crime wave in Visalia that involved dozens of home burglaries, assaults and one killing. Authorities say he may have begun his criminal activity as a cat burglar in Rancho Cordova in the early 1970s.

DeAngelo worked as a police officer for small towns in California until 1979, when he was fired in Auburn for shoplifting a hammer and dog repellent. He then worked for decades as a truck mechanic, living in a suburb north of Sacramento and communities that had been terrified by sexual assaults and killings now attributed to the Golden State Killer.

After his arrest, prosecutors from Sacramento, Ventura, Orange and Santa Barbara counties met to discuss where and how to put DeAngelo on trial for the slayings because the crimes cover multiple jurisdictions. No decision has been made.

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

Twitter: @paigestjohn

joseph.serna@latimes.com

Twitter: @JosephSerna

ruben.vives@latimes.com

Twitter: @latvives

benjamin.oreskes@latimes.com

Twitter: @boreskes

UPDATES:

4:55 p.m.: This article was updated with more details from the documents.

4 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information from newly released court documents.

This article was originally published at 2:55 p.m.
A local typhus case that recently put a North Park woman in the hospital underlines the importance of making sure that household pets are flea free.

After she was diagnosed with a case of the rare bacterial infection, the woman, who was not identified by the county Health and Human Services Agency, reported that she remembered being bitten by fleas in her home. She also had an indoor-outdoor cat.

Pets that have access to the outdoors can come into contact with fleas that feed on rats, opossums and other animals known to be natures reservoirs of murine typhus which, in humans, causes a range of symptoms including headache, fever, chills, rash, dry cough, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Bites dont directly cause infection, but if flea droppings end up coming into contact with the wounds caused during the parasitic feeding process, then rickettsia typhi, the bacteria that causes murine typhus, can end up in the human bloodstream.

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Its unclear exactly how many cases of typhus occur in the United States each year because the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not require doctors and local health departments to report individual cases when they occur. The public health department reports that it detects about one typhus case per year in San Diego County.

If caught early enough, typhus infection is treatable with antibiotics, and that was the case for the North Park woman who was hospitalized in May. A Medscape study states that the mortality rate for patients treated for murine typhus is between 1 percent and 4 percent.

In a statement issued Friday, Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan, the countys deputy public health officer, said the typhus case is a reminder to pet owners that fleas can be more than a nuisance.

Keeping fleas off your pets and out of your homes is the best prevention for murine typhus, Thihalolipavan said.

Fleas, said Chris Conlan, the countys supervising vector ecologist, tend to be more common in summer as they can mature faster in warmer weather.

The number of fleas across the region this spring, he added, could have something to do with recent weather patterns.

We did have pretty warm weather back in January and February, so that may have played a part, Conlan said.

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This years count of homeless people may be higher than originally stated because people living in recreational vehicles and the San Diego Rescue Mission were not included, but its not clear how much the total is off.

Jeremy Dawsey-Richardson, vice president of operations for the San Diego Rescue Mission, said Thursday that 310 people at the mission were not counted this year because paperwork was not turned in on time.

That would have put this years total at 8,886 people instead of the 8,576 announced May 17 by the San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless, which does the annual count.

That also means the decrease from last year would be about 2.5 percent rather than the 6 percent reported earlier.

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There also have been questions about whether the decrease from 2017 to 2018 was partially caused by excluding people in recreational vehicles this year.

Tamera Kohler, chief operating officer of the San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless, said Thursday that this years count intentionally did not include RVs because its unclear if people living in them consider themselves homeless.

Kohler said excluding RVs this year might not have had much effect on the report because organizers said this week that they had not counted them in the past.

The problem is, some did count them, and some didnt.

Brandon Torres, the point-in-time count project coordinator, said volunteers who did count RVs did not break them out from other vehicles. He and Kohler said theyve also heard from organizers who said they never counted RVs in the past.

Any RVs included in last years report would skew the percent change this year by creating a false impression that numbers had dropped more than they had.

At this point, however, Torres said its unclear how the data was affected.

While RVs were not included in this years report, they were counted and tabulated separately, Torres said.

On Jan. 26, volunteers counted 164 RVs countywide. Following a formula from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of people inside the vehicles was estimated by multiplying the total by 2.03.

Using that multiplier, there were 333 people in RVs not included in the count.

The 2018 report did include 1,262 people living in cars, trucks and vans, a decrease of 584 from the 2017 report that included an unknown number of RVs.

While the actual decrease is muddy because of the RVs included in the 2017 report, Kohler said there are other indicators that the number of people living in vehicles did legitimately drop.

Surveys over the past two years asked homeless people where they had slept the night before, and the number of people who said they were in vehicles has dropped by 82.

Specifically, 880 people surveyed said they slept in vehicles in 2018, down from 962 people in 2017. Those numbers were based on extrapolations from surveys of about 20 percent of homeless people in the county.

As for the 310 people overlooked in the Rescue Mission, Dawsey-Richardson said he had assumed they were included, and only learned otherwise on Thursday when asked about it by a Voice of San Diego reporter.

I need to do some more digging, but there was a breakdown in communications somewhere, he said.

Dawsey-Richardson said the Rescue Mission was supposed to have signed off on a document to verify the number of homeless people at its shelter, but a deadline was missed.

It wasnt made clear to me what was at stake, he said. It wasnt specifically stated on the form. Ill know for sure next year.

This wasnt the first year people in shelters were not included in the annual report. Because of similar paperwork problems, people staying in the East County Transitional Living Center in El Cajon were not counted in 2016 or 2017.

They were counted this year. Voice of San Diego reported that the shelter reported it had 313 people on the night of the count.

Coincidentally, the additional number from El Cajon this year was largely offset by the 310 people not counted from the Rescue Mission, so the increase did not result in a percent change between the two years.

Looking ahead, Kohler said the task force will do better job of counting people in RVs in the future.

With just 164 RVs counted this year, she said it should be possible to survey the people inside to determine if they consider themselves homeless.

That more precise step would mean the count wouldnt have to estimate how many people are in each RV by using a multiplier or by extrapolating from a survey of just 20 percent of people, Kohler said.

What weve been striving for is a way to engage this population in San Diego, she said. How many people living in RVs actually consider themselves homeless and need us to help them, versus those who are in an RV because thats their housing choice?

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
About 50 people protested outside of the federal building in downtown San Diego on Friday to condemn reports of migrant families being separated at the U.S. border.

Organized as a so-called pop up protest, the event was part of a national day of action for children that included demonstrations scheduled in at least 16 states. Three musicians led the crowd in singing This Land is Your Land before opening up for speeches from anyone who felt compelled to share.

We are outraged by the separation of families, said Wendy Batterson of Indivisible, her voice booming over the crowd. This is not a political rally. This is about humanity. This is about what you want your American legacy to be.

She said she and other activists had raised money for the migrant caravan that recently arrived at the San Diego border after a journey that drew the ire of President Donald Trump over Twitter. She said shed been to Tijuana to help caravan members and that the families there were clearly families and not children being trafficked.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said that some families are separated because the agency couldnt verify adults relationships with children and that it was concerned about smugglers using children to avoid detention time.

Caravan organizers said that at least nine parents have called them from detention to say they were separated from their children since asking for asylum at the San Ysidro port of entry in early May.

Reports of some asylum-seeking families being separated at ports of entry have come out since last year, and the American Civil Liberties Union launched a class action suit in San Diego over the issue. A recently implemented zero-tolerance policy on illegal border crossings means that anyone, including asylum seekers, who crosses between ports of entry will be separated from their children as they enter the criminal justice system.

Outrage grew on social media over the holiday weekend as well when a report surfaced that the federal government did not know the location of about 1,500 migrant children who had been placed with hosts under the Obama administration.

Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, responded strongly to the protesters criticism of current policies.

In dealing with highly emotional issues like immigration it is important to use facts, data and the law instead of anonymous, anecdotal and often exaggerated accusations, Waldman said. This type of misinformed rhetoric has no place in public discourse. Every day in communities across the country  if you commit a crime the police will take you to jail  regardless if you have a family or not. Illegal aliens should not get different  even better  rights because they happen to be illegal aliens. DHS will continue to enforce the laws as passed by Congress.

Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for ICE in San Diego, said that the agency is working with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which takes custody of unaccompanied migrant children, to communicate about family members who are split between the two agencies.

ICE is committed to connecting these family members as quickly as possible after separation so that parents know the location of their children and have regular communication with them in line with ICE policies and detention standards, Mack said when asked about the protesters concerns. ICE and ORR will work together to locate separated children, verify the parent/child relationship, and set up regular communication and removal coordination, if necessary.

Bardis Vakili, an attorney with the ACLU, said its been difficult to determine the ratio of families who are separated at ports of entry to those separated after crossing illegally, but hes heard from both.

Every week, were finding new separated parents and interviewing them and hearing their horrible stories, Vakili said.

Theres no law that requires this to happen, he said.

Ive seen terrible things under several administrations, but what were seeing now has never been done, Vakili said.

Benjamin Prado of the American Friends Service Committee told the crowd that separating the families of African slaves and indigenous people is part of the American story.

Its important that we highlight that a country that doesnt know its history is bound to repeat it, Prado said. Unfortunately and disgracefully, this is part of the fabric of the country.

Many protesters carried signs lambasting ICE or Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

I didnt think ICE could get any colder, one sign read. Hitler liked separating families too, said another.

Five-year-old Salome Zamora held up a sign that said, Children being held hostage in Jeff Sessions private prisons.

Batterson said shes planning to hold a larger rally on Saturday, June 23 at 6th Avenue and Elm Street in Balboa Park.

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
There are a couple times of year when colleagues start casually stopping by my office to chat about books. It would happen more often if I werent on a different floor than many of them  and also, its not just casual talk. Come June, theyre looking for something good and fun to read when they finally get to take a break  a vacation, a trip with the family, head to the beach or pool or campground or even the just backyard. Summer is when many of us get a chance to settle in with a book, something that might provide a bit of escape. Here are 16 books to look forward to  and a few that are already out, if youre ready to get started on your summer reading.

Fiction

(Knopf; Hogarth; Atria )

Novelist Anne Tyler  best known for The Accidental Tourist  has been publishing moving, bestselling novels for 40 years, and shes back with Clock Dance (Knopf, July), an episodic story of Willa Drake, a woman whose life seems straightforward enough until, in her 60s, she agrees to take care of a strangers daughter and dog and gets caught up in their world.

For a literary romance, try The Verdun Affair by Nick Dybeck (Counterpoint, June), a historical fiction that begins in 1950 in Los Angeles, where a Hollywood screenwriter runs into someone from his past. Their story stretches back to Europe in the years following the First World War, and the novel unravels a love triangle and its players secrets.

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On the lighter side, Georgia Clarks novel The Bucket List (Atria, August) is a witty, sexy take on a well-worn theme. After a buttoned-up 25-year-old woman learns she has the BCRA1 gene mutation and should have a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer, she comes up with a to-do list of breast adventures, which she sets out to complete. Its got one of the most head-turning covers of the summer.

But giving Clarks cover a run for its money is The Pisces by Melissa Broder (Hogarth, out now). This acclaimed novel is a engrossing tale of a woman wrestling with her demons  an unfinished PhD, therapy for addiction  who comes to Venice, Calif., and falls in love with a merman. As we saw in The Shape of Water, it happens.

(Little, Brown; Ecco; Simon & Schuster )

Mystery-thriller

Few writers get at the dark corners of the female psyche like Megan Abbott. In her new psychological thriller, Give Me Your Hand (Little, Brown, July), two female scientists, who were friends back in high school, compete for the same position working for their mentor in groundbreaking research and become deep rivals.

In Bearskin (Ecco, June), the debut novel from James A. McLaughlin, a not-at-all innocent man on the run from a Mexican drug cartel tries to start over with an assumed name and a job at a remote Virginia nature preserve. But when a bear is killed on the grounds, it opens the door to trouble and violence.Los Angeles writer Jessica Knoll (Luckiest Girl Alive) uses reality TV as the setting for her new thriller, The Favorite Sister (Simon & Schuster, out now). Entrepreneur competitors  all women, two who are sisters  are set up to have camera-ready catfights and the rest. But one ends up dead.

(Simon & Schuster; Dutton )

Entertainment

Reality TV is the setting as well for the nonfiction book Bachelor Nation (Dutton, out now) by my Times colleague Amy Kaufman. The long-running series that starts with strangers and ends with a happy couple (if all goes as planned) is back for a new season, and Kaufmans book is a delicious look behind the scenes.

The biggest book Im suggesting you bring to the beach is Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly (Simon & Schuster, June). Sure, its 656 pages, but its the first authoritative biography of the martial arts teacher and movie star, who died mysteriously at 32 but whose films, like Enter the Dragon, still thrill decades later.

Poetry

The slimmest book on this list is American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes (Penguin, June), but that doesnt mean its not powerful. All of these poems were written by the inventive National Book Award-winning poet and MacArthur fellow during the first 200 days of Donald Trumps presidency.

(Penguin; Atria; Counterpoint )

Memoir-essay

Historian Nell Painter was 64 when she stepped down from her job at Princeton to attend the Rhode Island School of Design. She chronicles that experience in her memoir Old in Art School (Counterpoint, June), bringing her fierce intelligence to questions not just of age but also race and what it means to be an artist.

Young writer Michael Arceneauxs coming-of-age essay collection, I Cant Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race and Other Reasons Ive Put My Faith in Beyonce (Atria, July), touches on growing up in Texas, coming out to his mother and embracing his identity.

Nonfiction

(Avery; Knopf; Picador )

As a journalist, KJ DellAntonia has wide view of parenthood  and an up-close one with four kids of her own. In How to Be a Happier Parent: Raising a Family, Having a Life, and Loving (Almost) Every Minute (Avery, August) she shares her knowledge in a breezy style and bite-size format thats easy to read between toddler meltdowns.

An ambitious Silicon Valley company, a groundbreaking product, billions invested and a founder who was hailed as brilliant: Its the story of our modern technological age, but for Theranos, it was built on an empty promise. In Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, (Knopf, out now) journalist John Carreyrou gets the inside scoop on the companys rise and fall.

Nothing lasts forever: In 1930s Shanghai, the no-holds-barred gangster scene was run by an American ex-Navyman and a Jewish man whod fled Vienna. Their milieu  and its end  comes alive in City of Devils: The Two Men Who Ruled the Underworld of Old Shanghai (Picador, July) by Paul French, an Edgar award-winning writer.

Michael Pollan is best known for his groundbreaking writing about food and the environment. But in How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression and Transcendence (Penguin Press, out now), he seriously researched  and explored  mind-altering substances such as LSD and psilocybin now being used in medicine, turning gonzo journalism on its head.

carolyn.kellogg@latimes.com

@paperhaus
President Donald Trump on Friday capped a week of whipsaw talks by reinstating a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un just days after he had abruptly canceled it, but he also sought to lower expectations over the potential for a quick denuclearization deal.

Trump made the announcement in impromptu remarks outside the South Portico after meeting for more than 90 minutes with a top Kim aide in the Oval Office. Kim Yong Chol, the vice-chairman of North Koreas Central Committee, delivered a personal letter from the young dictator, a gesture viewed as an effort to ease tensions after Trump abruptly called things off last week amid escalating threats from Pyongyang.

But even as the president hailed the restart of his high-stakes diplomatic endeavor, he acknowledged that a full breakthrough on long-stymied U.S. efforts to eliminate the Norths nuclear weapons program would be unlikely at the summit, set for June 12 in Singapore.

I never said it goes in one meeting, Trump told reporters, after walking Kim Yong Chol to a black SUV outside the South Portico and taking pictures with him and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. I think its going to be a process. But the relationships are building, and thats a very positive thing.

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Trump characterized the summit - the first between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader - as a beginning and a getting to know you meeting-plus in his effort to apply his unorthodox brand of personal diplomacy to a challenge that has vexed his predecessors.

Youre talking about years of hostility; years of problems; years of, really, hatred between so many different nations, Trump said. But I think youre going to have a very positive result in the end. Not from one meeting.

The presidents remarks suggested that his administration is coming to terms with the widely held view among former U.S. officials that Kim Jong Un has no intention of quickly relinquishing an arsenal his family has spent decades assembling.

The near-collapse of the summit, after a hostile response from Pyongyang to suggestions from Trump aides that the United States would demand a rapid denuclearization process, offered new evidence that any path to a deal is likely to be marked by fits and starts and threatened by potential land mines.

Past U.S. administrations have accused North Korea of violating agreements with additional nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Asked Friday if he was confident that the North Korean regime was committed to denuclearization, the president said: I think they want to do that. I know they want to do that.

But Trump also suggested additional summit meetings with Kim could be necessary.

I told them, I think that youre going to have, probably, others,  Trump said. Hey, wouldnt it be wonderful if we walked out and everything was settled all of a sudden from sitting down for a couple of hours? No, I dont see that happening. But I see over a period of time.

Experts said Trumps shifting rhetoric was necessary to keep the summit on track by reducing the gap in expectations between Washington and Pyongyang, which has signaled it would only negotiate over a slower, step-by-step process to curb its weapons programs in exchange for reciprocal benefits from the United States and other countries.

After Trump called off the summit in a letter to Kim last week, negotiating teams from the two sides have met in the Korean demilitarized zone and in Singapore to try to forge agreement over the summits agenda and logistics.

Pompeo met with Kim Yong Chul for two hours in New York on Thursday, a prelude to the White House meeting Friday.

Weve seen communications from both sides over the last few weeks that reduce the gap, said Joseph Yun, who served as the State Departments special representative for North Korea policy until stepping down earlier this year. Now Trump is talking about two or three summits; its entirely possible theyre not going to get done in one. Similarly, Secretary Pompeo is talking about process and progress.

The lengthy meeting with Trump marked the first time since 2000 - when President Bill Clinton met a top military liaison to Kim Jong Il, the current leaders father - that a North Korean official visited the White House. Eighteen years ago, Jo presented Clinton with a letter from the North Korean leader inviting him to a summit in Pyongyang, an offer Clinton ultimately turned down.

While Jo wore a military uniform, Kim Yong Chol - the former spy chief who is leading the North Korea side in pre-summit talks - was dressed in a dark business suit when he arrived at the South Portico shortly after 1 p.m. He was greeted by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Andrew Kim, a CIA official in charge of the agencys Korea Mission Center, who escorted him into the Oval Office.

Kims visit represented an extraordinary turn of events. He was personally sanctioned by the United States over his role in the Norths nuclear weapons program and is thought to have masterminded an attack that sank a South Korean naval vessel in 2010, killing 46 sailors. He needed a special waiver from the State Department to travel to New York and to Washington.

Although its unusual for a president to meet in the Oval Office with foreign officials who are not heads of state, White House aides said the gesture was appropriate given that Kim Jong Un has met twice with Pompeo in Pyongyang over the past two months.

In speaking to reporters, Trump said he and Kim Yong Chol discussed the economic sanctions on the North and a potential agreement to formally end the Korean War. An armistice signed in 1953 has left the Korean Peninsula in a state of tension for more than six decades.

I look forward to the day I can take sanctions off of North Korea, Trump said. We talked about ending the war. This war has been going on - got to be the longest war, almost 70 years, right? A possibility of something like that.

In Seoul, a spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in said with Fridays meeting at the White House, the road to a summit appears to have expanded and strengthened.

We will excitedly, but calmly, look forward to their historic meeting in Singapore, the spokesman added.

Experts have acknowledged that confidence-building measures are an important part of the negotiations, but they have warned against Trump moving too quickly to reward Kim without demonstrable concessions from Pyongyang.

Kim Jong Un has more to show us that he is serious, Yun said. What makes us believe North Korea is serious about changing direction? Thats where we need to press them to prove that theyre serious: What are the immediate steps? What is the timeline? What is the deadline?

But Trump already signaled a softening stance, noting that he was holding off on hundreds of additional economic sanctions that his administration has developed out of the spirit of the diplomatic talks.

Why would I do that when were talking so nicely? Trump said.

I dont even want to use the term maximum pressure anymore because I dont want to use that term because were getting along, he said, using the name of the administrations North Korea strategy. You see the relationship. Were getting along.

In a sign that Trump understands the risks of his freewheeling approach, the president, after praising Kims very nice letter, later told reporters he had not opened it.

I may be in for a big surprise, folks, he said.

The Washington Posts Karen DeYoung and Ashley Parker contributed to this report.
President Trumps ambassador to Israel has riled congressional Democrats for what they say is an effort to politicize the U.S.-Israeli relationship.

David Friedman, who was formerly one of Trumps bankruptcy lawyers, was quoted in an Israeli newspaper as saying Republicans were a better friend to Israel than Democrats.

He was apparently basing that opinion, at least in part, on the Trump administrations decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city of Jerusalem, as Israel wanted.

The move reversed decades of U.S. policy and international consensus, and angered the Arab world and American allies in Europe. As part of the controversial decision, Trump also declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel. The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state.

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Theres no question Republicans support Israel more than Democrats, Friedman told the Times of Israel.

He said that he wanted the issue of U.S.-Israeli relations to be bipartisan, and would work to keep it that way, but that a large Democratic constituency was not pro-Israel.

Democrats, he said, refuse to acknowledge that they have not been able to create support within their constituency for Israel at the same levels that the Republicans have.

The Times of Israel, which published its story Thursday, included a lightly edited transcript of the hourlong interview, which the publication said was conducted the day before. Friedman has not denied the accuracy of the quotes attributed to him. In Washington, the State Department declined to comment.

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland on Friday became the latest of several Democrats, including some who are Jewish, to denounce Friedmans comments. They demand that his remarks be investigated and perhaps even that Friedman be recalled.

The ambassadors statements were wrong, insensitive, and demonstrate his ill-preparedness to be a suitable diplomat to one of our most important allies and friends in the world, Cardin said.

A senior member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Cardin said the remarks represented a troubling and unfortunate setback for the pursuit of peace in the Middle East.

Rep. Eliot L. Engel of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, branded Friedmans statements outrageous.

Diplomacy and partisan politics are incompatible, Engel said. If Mr. Friedman doesnt understand that, he should come home.

Rep. Sander M. Levin (D-Mich.) said the ambassadors harmful words undermine the necessary efforts to sustain bipartisan support for Israels security.

Friedman, who had no prior diplomatic experience, has been a controversial figure since his narrow confirmation by the Senate last year. He has supported the Israeli settler movement, which erects Jewish enclaves in lands claimed by the Palestinians. Most of the world considers the settlements illegal under the Geneva Convention, which bans a country from moving a population into occupied territory.

As recently as this week, at a rally in Nashville, Trump called Friedman my great diplomat and repeated an oft-used story in which the president falsely claims to have saved American taxpayers more than half a billion dollars to build a new embassy in Jerusalem.

In fact, a new embassy has yet to be built. For now, the U.S. is using a retrofitted wing of an existing U.S. consulate building in a Jerusalem neighborhood.

Part of the partisan dispute with Friedman is related to his attendance at a May 14 inauguration ceremony for the Jerusalem embassy. Several GOP congressional members were there but no Democrats.

The Democrats have complained they werent invited; Friedman said anyone was welcome to attend.

According to a survey by the Pew Research Center published in 2016, 64% of American Jews identify themselves as leaning Democratic and 26% as leaning Republican.

Trump has said his administration is preparing a comprehensive plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that could be unveiled at any time, though he has offered no details. Leading the effort are his son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, who is a friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and whose family is also a strong supporter of the settler movement; and Jason Greenblatt, a former lawyer who worked for the Trump Organization for the last 20 years.

But the Palestinians refuse to deal with the American team in potential peace talks. They consider it biased and accuse the United States of reneging on its traditional role as mediator by siding with Israel on the embassy issue.

The administration has also jettisoned another pillar of U.S. policy by declining to embrace the two-state solution, in which an independent Palestinian state would be established alongside Israel  the arrangement that the international community has long held as the goal in settling the conflict.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter
Voters on Tuesday will choose one of six Republicans -- each lacking name recognition and political experience  to battle incumbent Democratic Rep. Scott Peters in November for his 52nd Congressional District seat.

Peters is seeking his fourth term representing the district, which includes Poway, Coronado and the city of San Diegos northern and central communities.

Peters faced tough and well-funded Republican opponents Brian Bilbray in 2012 and Carl DeMaio in 2014 but easily beat political rookie Denise Gitsham in 2016 and is expected by many to win easily again this year.

Previously known as a swing district with roughly even party registration, Democrats now outnumber Republicans and independents by notable margins.

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Data from April showed registered Democrats at just over 140,000, with registered Republicans at 123,000 and voters with no party preference at just under 123,000.

The six Republican challengers include energy executive Michael Allman, retired U.S. Army Sgt. Danny Casara, Dr. Jeffrey Cullen, engineer John Horst, counterterrorism attorney Omar Qudrat and Dr. James Veltmeyer.

The two candidates of the seven who get the most votes on Tuesday, regardless of party, will advance to a Nov. 6 runoff.

Peters has raised significantly more in campaign donations than his opponents.

Through May 16, he had raised more than $2 million, compared to $400,000 for Allman, $267,000 for Qudrat, $229,000 for Veltmeyer and less than $30,000 each for Horst, Casara and Cullen.

The gap would be even wider if Allman hadnt loaned his campaign $300,000, Veltmeyer hadnt loaned his campaign $90,000 and Qudrat hadnt loaned his campaign $70,000.

Allman, 57, is focusing his campaign on his business and technology experience working as an energy executive and with start-ups.

A resident of Solana Beach, Allman is also touting a plan for digital direct democracy, in which he would allow voters to determine his position on each issue using a website and software he has designed.

Casara, 43, is a wounded veteran who has undergone 24 surgeries since returning from Iraq. He has focused his campaign on military issues.

A resident of Rancho Penasquitos, Casaras ballot statement includes a Bible verse and he works with The Rock church.

Cullen, 63, has focused on health care, veterans affairs and infrastructure, contending his experience as an engineer and medical doctor is ideal to tackle those challenges.

A resident of La Jolla, Cullen received an engineering degree from Cornell University and a masters in public policy from the University of Chicago.

Horst, 50, is a Mira Mesa Planning Group member who has focused his campaign for Congress on homelessness, traffic congestion and cybersecurity.

He vows to keep taxes low and propose ballot measures each year that would either reduce state taxes or loosen regulations.

Qudrat, 36, is also focused on cutting taxes and loosening regulations. In addition, he says he would prioritize helping homeless veterans.

A resident of downtown San Diego, Qudrat recently moved from Los Angeles and previously worked for the U.S. Defense Department as a counterterrorism attorney.

Veltmeyer, 49, would focus on building a border wall and slashing funding for sanctuary cities.

A resident of La Jolla, Veltmeyer also promises to enact health care legislation that would reduce costs, slash premiums and increase choice and competition.

Peters, 59, is a pro-business moderate who has the unusual distinction for a Democrat of being endorsed by both the local and national chambers of commerce.

If Democrats re-take control of the House, the assignments Peters has on the Energy, Commerce and Veterans Affairs committees would become more influential.

A former San Diego City Councilman, Peters lives in La Jolla.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
Late money, campaign mailers, phone banks and good old-fashioned precinct-walking are marking the final days of what has become a testy campaign for the open 4th District seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Two of the best-known candidates were at odds Friday, as Nathan Fletcher lined up with local luminaries of the Democratic Party at a late-morning news conference to criticize former state legislator Lori Saldana for allegedly working with the conservative Lincoln Club of San Diego County to divide the Democratic Party vote.

The top two vote-getters from Tuesdays election will proceed to a November runoff election.

According to Fletcher, who was joined by congressional Reps. Scott Peters and Juan Vargas and San Diego Councilwoman Barbara Bry, Saldana is sabotaging the race by accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in late-campaign support from Republicans in hopes of denying Fletcher a spot in the November run-off election.

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The Lincoln Club could have a trillion dollars, but they dont have the truth of the people, Fletcher said at the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council headquarters in Mission Valley, where his wife, state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, used to be in charge.

They can spend every dollar they have, but this county is ready for change, said Fletcher, surrounded by dozens of supporters on the steps outside the union hall.

An independent expenditure committee called Job Creators for a Strong Economy Sponsored by the Lincoln Club reported spending at least $400,000 in recent weeks to attack Fletcher. Republicans have had no affection for Fletcher since 2012, when he left the GOP in a very public way amid an unsuccessful mayoral campaign. Fletcher, a former GOP assemblyman, became an independent and later a Democrat.

The Saldana campaign on Friday rejected the assertion that the former Democratic assemblywoman is a stealth candidate working in league with Republican activists.

There are two candidates in this race with legislative records and only Lori Saldana is proud of her accomplishments as a progressive Democrat representing San Diego, campaign manager Michael Kreizenbeck wrote in an email.

We have run a positive grassroots campaign with zero negative ads, he said. That is why Lori Saldana is the choice of Democratic voters and that is why Lori Saldana is winning.

Independent expenditure committees such as the one funded by the Lincoln Club are prohibited by law from coordinating with candidate campaigns.

Lincoln Club President Brian Pepin said he has never spoken to Saldana in his life.

Shes completely out of touch with the voters of San Diego and shes too far to the left to represent Supervisor District 4. The Lincoln Club is opposed to Lori Saldana, he said.

He added, Nathan Fletcher has maintained significant support within the business community, as evidenced by his fundraising. Given the divided opinions of him among business leaders, we would like to avoid dealing with his candidacy beyond June.

Technically, the county Board of Supervisors is a nonpartisan body. But the race to succeed termed-out GOP Supervisor Ron Roberts has turned particularly political because the five-member board has been dominated by Republicans since the early 1990s.

Longtime District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who resigned in the middle of her fourth term last July, is the only Republican among five candidates.

San Diego lawyer Omar Passons and retired fire captain Ken Malbrough also are on the Tuesday ballot. Passons and Malbrough, like Saldana and Fletcher, are registered Democrats.

The Dumanis campaign did not respond to questions Friday about how the career judge and prosecutor will spend her last days ahead of Election Day. Her campaign consultant said she plans to put out a statement on Election Night.

Passons said he, his handful of staff and an army of volunteers have been reaching across party lines to contact every voter they can -- in person, over the telephone, electronically and by showing up at community events to pitch in where help is needed.

He said they will be doing so again this weekend.

We have been volunteering in communities throughout the district since the start of the campaign and we believe that is a critical part of what defines us, Passons said by email. This week, the team will be helping with a Southeastern San Diego Seniors Lawn Care Day tomorrow (still slots available) for seniors who cant quite get to their own lawns due to mobility or sickness challenges.

Malbrough said he and his volunteers will be knocking on doors through the weekend. Hes attending community forums over the next few days while other staff phone banks and by Monday they will be manning street corners with campaign signs to catch motorists eyes.

Its going as well as it can be, he said Friday. Ive got my group of volunteers who are very aggressive about wanting to do as much as they can. Im giving it my all. Im doing what I can and now its up to the voters.

All told, 4th District candidates have raised more than $1.3 million on their campaigns. Interest groups also invested heavily in the race, spending more than $1 million in contributions to prop up one candidate or oppose another.

Fletcher outspent all of his rivals, with more than $660,000 in campaign expenses, according to recent election filings. Passons ranked second in campaign expenditures at almost $300,000 and Dumanis was a close third, spending just under $291,000.

Saldana, who served in the state Assembly alongside Fletcher when he was a Republican, reported almost $35,000 in spending $34,000 and Malbrough about $15,000.

The former three-term assemblywoman has received the most support from outside money, campaign reports show, much of it from a breakaway labor group called the San Diego Working Families Council.

The union coalition run by former labor council president Mickey Kasparian previously donated $150,000 to elect Saldana. This week, it reported a new contribution of $20,000. Saldana also received $60,000 from other labor groups in recent days, campaign filings show.

As for Fletcher, he has apparently received significant support from his wife, Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher.

According to state campaign filings, Gonzalez Fletcher donated a total of $165,750 of her own campaign funds to the San Diego County Democratic Party during the 2018 primary election cycle. Local campaign records show the San Diego County Democratic Party spent at least $210,000 on mailers, office space, staff and other expenses in support of Nathan Fletchers campaign last month alone.

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jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
A carjacker armed with a handgun stole a purple 2000 Mercedes early Saturday in the Linda Vista neighborhood and then promptly crashed it into some parked vehicles, police said.

San Diego police are looking for the driver, described as a light-skinned white or Hispanic man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall and wearing a black hoodie, according to officers.

Carrying a black, semi-automatic handgun, the man approached the 28-year-old driver, who had stopped at a traffic signal at Comstock Street about 2:40 a.m., and demanded he get out of the car, a police sergeant said.

An Uber driver briefly followed the vehicle, but lost it before the crash. When officers found the vehicle nearby, it was unoccupied.

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philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
Four days before polls open, the race for county district attorney featured twin news conferences Friday that centered on parents of children killed in two high-profile cases, each with contrasting views of how their case was handled by the office.

At the center of both was the current, appointed District Attorney Summer Stephan, locked in the final days of a race with her opponent, Deputy Public Defender Genevieve Jones-Wright. Stephan was praised at one news conference held by the parents of murdered teenager Chelsea King, and blasted at the other by the mother of 12-year-old Stephanie Crowe who was killed in her Escondido family home in 1998.

The dueling victim-family news conferences placed the raw human emotion of crime victims at the center of the final 100 hours of the campaign. While potentially powerful testimonies, neither the Kings nor Crowes can cast a ballot in the race  both live out of state. Recent polling in the race by Survey USA for The San Diego -Union Tribune and 10News showed Stephan ahead, 45 percent to 25 percent, with 30 percent undecided.

On the steps in front of the Hall of Justice, Cheryl Crowe spoke for about 10 minutes, sharply criticizing Stephans character and ethics, based on her role in the case of Crowes daughters murder. The Crowe case is complex, spanned many years and had numerous twists and turns.

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Stephanie was murdered in her bedroom in 1998. At first, her brother, Michael, and two friends were charged with the killing, and Stephan  then in her eighth year as a deputy district attorney in San Diego  became the lead prosecutor against the three youths as the high-profile case headed to trial.

But the case disintegrated on the eve of trial when DNA tests urged by defense lawyer Mary Ellen Attridge revealed Stephanie Crowes blood on a shirt worn by a transient seen in the Crowe familys neighborhood the night of the killing. Charges were dropped against the three boys.

The transient, Richard Tuite, was eventually tried and convicted, but the conviction was later reversed, and at a second trial he was acquitted.

Cheryl Crowe and her family believed Michael was innocent and battled with Stephan, the police and others during the time he was charged, and after. On Friday she echoed sharp attacks she made last year opposing the Board of Supervisors appointing Stephan the interim DA in place of the retired Bonnie Dumanis.

For DA you want someone who is going to help families, not hurt them, she said Friday, surrounded by a group of Jones-Wright supporters. Crowe has contended that Stephan has lied about some of her actions and tried to rewrite history by minimizing her role in the case.

I just cant let my daughters name be lost to history, be a stepping stone for bad DAs, she said. Crowe, who now lives in Oregon, said she supports Jones-Wright, and said that the campaign had nothing to do with her appearance.

The Crowe family later won $9 million in lawsuits against police and others involved. Stephan was initially sued for defamation for comments she made on the news program 48 Hours after the charges were dismissed, but she said her comments had been severely edited and distorted. A judge agreed and dismissed her from the case.

Crowe said she was motivated to speak out after seeing reports on the race and Stephans promotion of herself as a compassionate advocate for families and victims. She should not say she has not lied and has not hurt families, she said. Because she hurt mine.

Without directly attacking Crowe, Stephan has deflected the attacks. She has said she inherited a flawed case, after the initial charging decision and indictment was made, worked on it for nine months to ready for trial, then moved to dismiss charges after the DNA revelation.

On Friday, asked about Crowes prior criticism, Stephan said she was focused on the King familys endorsement, and honored they had reached out to her to offer support.

They understand that in this race, there is politics, there is outside money, there are people trying to exploit the pain of families from a case a 20 years ago, Stephan said. There are many factors going on, but at the bottom of it there is someone who has dedicated almost three decades to protecting this community, and another candidate who has not.

The King family gave full-throated support to Stephan.

Summer is not a politician, Kelly King said. Shes not doing this very difficult job for the notoriety or the accolades. Shes doing it because she is, at her very deepest core, a mother, a member of this community, and she cares.

Chelsea King was 17 and out for a run around Lake Hodges in North County when she was raped and murdered by a registered sex offender in 2010.

The killer, John Gardner III, was caught within days and soon admitted also to raping and killing 14-year-old Amber Dubois a year earlier. Fewer than three months after his arrest, Gardner pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life without parole.

Brent King said he and wife Kelly King got to know Stephan through her work on a task force targeting violent sexual predators.

The Kings, who now live in Illinois, are in San Diego this weekend to hand out scholarships on behalf of the Chelseas Light Foundation, which they started in memory of their daughter.

Kelly and I are carrying a life sentence, Brent King said. Our son is carrying a life sentence. Our daughter is not here. We need someone in the DAs office that understands that and is compassionate towards (victims) and will do everything they can to help you find justice.

Brent King said they are not involved in politics, but that, after learning of ads in the DAs race and seeing what was going on out here, they reached out to Stephan earlier this week to ask what they could do since they would be in town  unaware of Crowes news conference.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
In a first for the San Diego Zoos conservation efforts, a rare Amur leopard named Satka has given birth to two cubs at the zoo.

The cubs were born on April 5. Theyve grown fast, and are now spending more time out in the open, where visitors can see them exploring and tussling with each other.

Mother and cubs are at the zoos Asian cats habitat in Panda Canyon.

The frisky felines are the product of a mating earlier this year between Satka and Oskar, another Amur leopard. They were introduced as part of the Global Species Management Program, an international conservation plan the zoo takes part it.

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In early February, Satka began showing signs she was pregnant, such as seeking out an isolated place to give birth.

So far, Satka and the cubs have been mostly left alone by keepers, senior mammal keeper Todd Speis said in a zoo statement. They want the cubs and mother to bond with each other.

As the cubs get older, we will begin to build a relationship with them, Speis said. But the highest priority right now is the relationship they have with each other and with their mother.

In the next few days keepers will give the cubs a checkup to assess their health and determine their gender.

A leopard subspecies, Amur leopards are found wild in the Primorye region of Russia, near the Pacific Coast city of Vladivostock. The cold habitat of this subspecies is atypical for leopards, which are mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions.

Just over 100 wild Amur leopards are found in the area, according to the World Wildlife Fund. This makes them the rarest large cat. However, their numbers have significantly increased since 2015, when only 70 were reported.

Amur leopards are listed as critically endangered. Their numbers were greatly reduced during the 20th century by poaching for their thick, spotted coats, and by loss of habitat, the zoo says.

San Diego Zoo Global, the zoos conservation arm, and more than 90 other institutes are working to increase their numbers as part of the Global Species Management Program. Together, they have more than 220 Amur leopards in their care.

Theres hope in the future to do reintroduction programs, so zoos are trying to boost their population so theyll have animals to help participate, Spies said.

Another part of the program is to directly increase the number of wild leopards by preserving and restoring their natural habitats.

Related reading

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San Diego Zoos three cheetah cubs now have names

Zoos entertain visitors; now they also entertain their animals
Paul Schrade, after nearly dying alongside his pal Robert Kennedy 50 years ago, endures as both assassination survivor and skeptic.

The former union official was shot directly in the forehead during the June 5, 1968, slaying of Kennedy as the two men walked through the pantry of the Ambassador Hotel.

One day later, Kennedy was dead  the sweet smell of his California presidential primary victory gone, soon to be replaced by the scent of freshly dug dirt for his Arlington National Cemetery grave.

Sirhan Sirhan was arrested, convicted and jailed in short order for the murder. Schrade, now 93, has long maintained that authorities prosecuted the wrong man for killing RFK.Schrade, struck by one of the eight bullets fired by Sirhan, believes there was a second gunman who fired the fatal bullets and escaped in the chaotic aftermath.

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His most recent convert to the cause: Robert Kennedy Jr., who went so far as to meet with Sirhan inside a California prison last December.

Robert Kennedy (Sr.) was a good friend, and I took a bullet aimed for him, Schrade told the Daily News from his California home.Sirhan Sirhan shot me. I want to know who murdered Bobby Kennedy. The people of this country should know, too.

A half-century earlier, as RFK swept to victory in the crucial Democratic primary, there were no signs of impending catastrophe or lingering conspiracy.

The jam-packed crowd was raucous and the mood upbeat as Kennedy basked in the adoration of his supporters inside the hotel ballroom.

My thanks to all of you. And now its onto Chicago and lets win there! declared Kennedy. His wife Ethel stood by his side, and the couple exited as the crowd chanted RFK! RFK!

The anti-Vietnam War candidate flashed a thumbs-up and a peace sign before taking the final walk of his 42 years.

It was 12:15 a.m. as Kennedy entered the pantry area of the hotel kitchen behind the stage, flanked by the media, supporters and his entourage.Kennedy shook hands with a Mexican immigrant named Juan Romero,, a 17-year-old busboy.

And then Sirhan, after laying in wait during RFKs speech, pulled his .22-caliber handgun and started blasting.

I was in a group in front of Bob, walking backwards, taking notes and watching him, recalled veteran New York journalist Pete Hamill. We were three steps into the kitchen area, where he saw the young guy, Romero, and turned to shake his hand.

And then we heard it  the shots, Hamill continued. Not huge-sounding ones. I thought Bob got hit somewhere else  there was blood on his right hand. But he got hit right behind the right ear.

Schrade, who earlier celebrated RFKs primary triumph in the candidates fifth-floor suite, said everything went sideways in a nanosecond.He stood helpless as Sirhan, just a few feet away, pulled the trigger.

So quickly, he said. It happened right in front of me. So horrible, on a night that had been totally joyful.

RFK assassination survivor Paul Schrade (c.): I want to know who murdered Bobby Kennedy. (Gregory Bull / AP )

Former New York Giants defense lineman Rosey Grier and others moved in to disarm Sirhan, and Hamill recalls taking a swing at the assassin amid the insanity.

Sirhan was in custody almost instantly. Kennedy was struck by three bullets.

By the time I turned around, and went back to where Bob was, he was on the floor and his eyes were open, Hamill recalled from his Brooklyn home.He had kind of a fatalistic looking smile on his face, you know? It happened  that kind of look. Ethel was bending over him and trying to comfort him.

There was no comfort for anyone on this night. For years, Romero wondered if that handshake placed Kennedy in the killers line of fire.

Hamill went home, looked at his small daughters, and burst into tears. Schrade escaped with his life, only to become convinced the truth of what happened that night was never told.

The official verdict, as recorded at trial and affirmed by subsequent investigation: Sirhan stalked Kennedy before the killing, kept diaries detailing his venomous intent, and fired a point-blank bullet into the presidential hopefuls head.

There was no questioning one incontrovertible fact: Bobby Kennedy, like his brother Jack before him on Nov. 22, 1963, died at the hands of an assassin.

Seeds of hate

Sirhan Sirhan, age 24 on the night of the killing, emigrated 12 years earlier from Jerusalem to the U.S. He was not an Israeli, but a Palestinian Christian. By June 1968, he shared a Pasadena home with his mother and three brothers  the family patriarch abandoned his clan for a return to the Middle East.

The slight Sirhan, just 5-foot-5 and 115 pounds, considered a career as a jockey until he was thrown from a horse  a fast finish to his equine dreams. He lived as a stranger in a strange land, working menial jobs far from the Hollywood lights.

Sirhan Sirhan (r.) with his attorney Russell E. Parsons in Los Angeles in 1968. (Anonymous / AP )

His hate for Kennedy followed the Democrats support of Israel during the Six-Day War of June 1967. RFK was putting the Palestinian people in the line of fire, according to an obsessed Sirhan.

The young man was spotted at the Ambassador as Kennedy delivered a June 2 speech  and was even spied in the pantry area, where their paths would cross just after midnight three days later.

On June 4, only hours before the shooting, Sirhan visited the San Gabriel Valley Gun Club to purchase ammunition for his .22-caliber handgun.He made a specific and ominous request of the counterman: I want the best box of shells you have, and I want some that will not misfire.

Sirhan went to the firing range, squeezing off more than 200 rounds before heading out around 5 p.m. Later in the evening, Kennedy staffers spotted Sirhan in an area to the rear of the ballroom stage and chased him out. He returned a short time later to the pantry, asking two hotel employees if Kennedy was coming back through this way. As it turned out, he was.

Witnesses reported the assassin smirked as he squeezed the trigger. Some recounted the gunfire followed a verbal outburst: Kennedy, you son of a bitch! shouted Sirhan.

Why him? asked Kennedys California campaign manager, Jesse Unruh, as RFK was dying nearby.

I did it for my country, said Sirhan. It is too late.

A Kennedy staffer came to the podium where the smiling candidate stood minutes earlier.Would a doctor come right here, please, immediately, he implored as the ballroom echoed with screams of horror and disbelief.

As Sirhan disappeared in cuffs, the Kennedy crowd started a new chant: Kill him! Kill him!

I was a witness to history at its rawest and ugliest, recalled Hamill. I was assaulted by the totalness of the horror that we had witnessed.

The suspect carried no identification, but his pockets contained $410.66 in cash and two newspaper articles: One about Kennedy promising to provide fighter jets to Israel if elected, the second about the candidates June 2 speech at the hotel.

A search of his home turned up more damning proof: Three notebooks recovered from Sirhans bedroom declared his lethal intent  right down to the day.

My determination to eliminate R.F.K is becoming more and more of an unshakeable obsession, read his handwritten note from May 18. R.F.K. must be assassinated before 5 June 68.

Unfinished business

Bobby Kennedy underwent nearly four hours of surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital, but the prognosis was dire from the outset.He was struck with three bullets, one behind the right ear fired from such close range that the candidate suffered powder burns.

A second shot struck Kennedy in the right rear shoulder, and a third tore through his chest.He never regained consciousness, although Kennedy hung in for 25 hours. Spokesman Frank Mankiewicz emerged in the early morning hours of June 6 with the news.

Sen. Robert Francis Kennedy died at 1:44 a.m. today, he declared. At his bedside were Ethel Kennedy, two of his sisters  and his brother Johns widow, Jacqueline Kennedy.The accused assassin was quickly convicted of the killing in 1969.

At trial, Sirhan screamed that he murdered Bobby Kennedy willfully, premeditatedly, with 20 years of malice aforethought.

And in a 1989 interview, Sirhan told David Frost, I was not doing it out of personal malice toward the man, but out of concern for other people.

More frequently, Sirhan has denied any recollection of the assassination  suggesting a Manchurian Candidate-type scenario. Hes serving a life sentence, commuted in 1972 from the death penalty.

At his latest parole hearing, in December 2016, he stuck with his nonstory story.Its all vague now, he declared. I cant deny or confirm it. If you want a confession, I cant make it now. Legally speaking, Im not guilty of anything.

Each year, when June 5 arrives, Hamill reflects on the death of Robert Kennedy and the carnage of the next seven years in Vietnam. RFK backers saw their hopes for peace and social change buried along with Kennedy. Richard Nixon carried California that November to win the presidency in a tight race.

Every time the anniversary comes, I think about every guy in Vietnam who died, said Hamill. All the names, and all the locations. If it had stopped in 1969, if we worked out a way to get out of there instead of waiting until 1975. Thats a long time in the grind of war.

For Schrade, the anniversary means unfinished business. He reiterates, yet again, that the evidence indicates the shot into Kennedys head came from behind the victim, fired by a shooter less than 2 inches away.

And yet, he notes, Sirhan was standing in front of them when he fired a bullet at Schrade.He cites a 2007 analysis of an audio recording of the assassination that indicates there were 13 shots fired, five more than Sirhans gun held. He wants the release of all evidence and information collected by authorities.

At Sirhans parole hearing, he tried to shake the hand of the man who shot him.We want a new investigation, he said. Not a reinvestigation  theyve been done before, and always closed the door on the facts. They know what I do: Sirhan did not kill Bobby Kennedy, a second gunman did. And they havent admitted that for 50 years.




California 2018 Primary: Candidate Interviews & Questionnaires

Here, The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board offers its coverage of federal, state and local candidates and propositions during the June primary. To see the results of the June primary, click here.

U.S. SENATE

Two high-profile California candidates for U.S. Senate sat down for an interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board for more than an hour each. Here are those interviews, lightly edited. The two top vote-getters in the June 5 primary will advance to a runoff election in November.

U.S. HOUSE: 49th Congressional District

The 49th Congressional District stretches from La Jolla to Dana Point and is one of the most-watched races in the country this election season. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, announced in January that he would not seek re-election. Sixteen candidates are seeking to replace him. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked eight of the candidates to respond to several questions. The two top vote-getters in the June 5 primary will advance to a runoff election in November.

U.S. HOUSE: 50th Congressional District

The 50th Congressional District encompasses much of East County as well as the North County communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center and Escondido. Six candidates are challenging incumbent Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, who is facing an investigation into his campaign finances. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked the six leading candidates to respond to several questions. The two top vote-getters in the June 5 primary will advance to a runoff election in November.

CALIFORNIA

The California race for governor has 27 candidates running to replace termed-out Gov. Jerry Brown. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board interviewed the seven candidates for about an hour each. Here are those interviews, lightly edited. The two top vote-getters in the June 5 primary will advance to a runoff election in November.

State Superintendent of Schools

The San Diego Union-Tribune asked the two major candidates for state schools superintendent to respond to questions on key issues. Tony Thurmond is a two-term Democratic assemblyman from Richmond. Marshall Tuck is a former charter school executive and CEO of a nonprofit operation which runs 16 L.A. Unified schools.

Five statewide measures have qualified for the ballot. The San Diego Union-Tribunes has published opinion pieces in support and opposition on some.

Proposition 68 authorizes bonds funding parks, natural resources protection, climate adaptation, water quality and supply and flood protection.

Proposition 70 requires a legislative supermajority vote approving use of cap-and-trade reserve fund.

COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO

The San Diego County sheriffs race features two longtime law enforcement officers. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board interviewed both candidates for more than an hour. Here are those interviews, lightly edited.

The San Diego County District Attorneys race is between a public defender and the current interim district attorney. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board interviewed both candidates for more than an hour. Here are those interviews, lightly edited.

District 4 Board of Supervisors candidates answered eight questions on a host of county issues  from housing to homelessness to spending to mass transit  and also met with The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial board. Those interviews are more than hour and have been lightly edited.

District 5 Board of Supervisors candidates answered eight questions on a host of county issues  from housing to homelessness to spending to mass transit  and also met with The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial board. Those interviews are more than hour and have been lightly edited.

The San Diego County assessors race is between the two-term incumbent and his challenger, a San Diego lawyer. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board interviewed both candidates. Here are those interviews, lightly edited.

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board posed questions on key issues to the two candidates for the San Diego County Board of Educations District 3 seat. The district includes El Cajon, La Mesa, Spring Valley and parts of the county and city of San Diego. Eric Lund is challenging incumbent Alicia Munoz .

Two candidates for the San Diego County Board of Education District 5 seat answered five questions from The San Diego Union-Tribune on a wide variety of education issues, from performance standards to funding formulas.

Two candidates for San Diego County Superior Court judge, Office No. 28, answered questions from The San Diego Union-Tribune. Judge Herbert Exarhos is being challenged by Vicki Rothman.

Five candidates for San Diego County Superior Court judge, Office No. 37, answered questions from The San Diego Union-Tribune. Judge Gary Kreep is being challenged by Matt Brower, Steve Miller, Tim Nader and Victor Torres.

CITY OF SAN DIEGO

District 2 city council candidates answer eight questions on a host of local issues  from housing to homelessness to short-term vacation rentals  from The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial board.

District 4 city council candidates answer eight questions on a host of local issues  from housing to homelessness to short-term vacation rentals  from The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial board.

District 6 city council candidates answer eight questions on a host of local issues  from housing to homelessness to short-term vacation rentals  from The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial board.

District 8 city council candidates answer eight questions on a host of local issues  from housing to homelessness to short-term vacation rentals  from The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial board.

There are three local measures on the ballot. The San Diego Union-Tribune has published these opinion pieces in support and opposition.

Measure A would impose a half-cent sales tax in Chula Vista.

Measure B in National City would repeal existing mayoral term limits and create new ones with a limit of two four-year terms for the mayor, City Council, city clerk and city treasurer, allowing the current mayor to stay in office.
Updated: California voters have moved on from the June primary to the November 2018 election. To see endorsements for candidates and ballot propositions statewide, please visit the Union-Tribune's November 2018 endorsement guide. Click here here to see the results of the June 2018 primary.
Readers will see a special section in Sundays paper on caregiving. Its a subject that affects so many in the county  aging parents who are living longer and their children, who are approaching senior status themselves. Caregiving can be exhausting, complex and frustrating.

While the section offers help on caregiving, it also teases two more offerings from the U-T: the caregiverSD.com website and the CaregiverSD Community Expo that happens Saturday. It is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Venues area at Liberty Station. The event will feature two dozen speakers, experts and advocates in caregiving. There will also be vendors and resource booths.

U-T Publisher and Editor Jeff Light believes caregiving is one of the great challenges in our community right now, said editor Juliet Hendrix, and he considers our effort to make that job easier to be an important part of our public service mission.

Hendrix and reporter Michele Parente have led the effort to build the caregiverSD.com website. The site is dedicated to family caregivers, to assist them in finding the help they need, Hendrix said.

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It includes sections on caregiving essentials, dementia care, housing and finance, and videos from the Southern Caregiver Resource Center. Theres also news stories, a chatroom and a caregiver calendar of events.

Groups providing content include Alzheimers San Diego, Sharp Hospital Senior Resource Center, AARP and the San Diego Elder Law Center.

Hendrix said caregiverSD.com will be updated regularly with stories, columns, videos and event listings.

The issue literally hits home for Parente. She cared for mother, who had dementia, and for her dad, who had Parkinsons disease.

Unlike any other topic Ive ever covered before, I gained deep insight into the toll that family caregiving can take, physically, emotionally and financially, she said. That is one tough, all-consuming role to take on. I got first-hand knowledge of the challenges that await both the caregiver and the aging parent, and I sought to explore them on caregiverSD.com.

Your family dynamics  parent/child and sibling to sibling  will change and often be tested to the core. What I only realize now, after all my reporting for this initiative and an earlier series on family caregivers, is how important getting help is and how many resources are available, including free and low-cost services.

We want caregivers to know they are not alone in this.

Community Almanac is back

The Community Almanac returns for 2018. The popular special publication will be included in next Sundays paper.

The glossy publication profiles county communities and neighborhoods using demographic data, maps, and text on an areas history.

While the U-T received a lot of positive feedback last year on the publication, it also took some heat. Some readers asked, Where was my neighborhood?

Disappointed; very, very sad; offensive were some of the comments from folks whose communities were not included.

The county has 300 communities and neighborhoods. Not all can be profiled. However, this years almanac will feature 100 areas, 25 more than last year. Among the glaring omissions in 2017 were Bonita and several south San Diego neighborhoods. Bonita is there this year. Additions also include Encanto, Mountain View and Mount Helix.

Nevertheless, Im sure some readers will be upset if they dont see their neighborhood.

The almanacs production involved the entire newsroom  from graphic artists, reporters, editors, photographers to page designers. Freelancers were brought in as well.

The heavy lifting of crunching data to profile a communitys demographics was done by data and graphics reporter Michelle Gilchrist and data specialist and reporter Lauryn Schroeder.

The demographic data came from 14 tables of the U.S. Census, and from numbers on home prices, education and election results, Gilchrist explained.

We downloaded data on multiple topics and calculated demographic data for each community, city and census designated places listed in the almanac, she said.

Despite the complexity of dealing with so much data, Gilchrist said the toughest part was determining the communities and their boundaries and deciding what points of interest to include.

Voters guide publishes Monday and Tuesday

The Readers Rep received a phone call and an email last week about when the full list of U-T Editorial Board endorsements for Tuesdays primary election will run in print. The list will run Monday and Tuesday.

All the Editorial Boards endorsements also can be found online at sdut.us/2018primary.
The need for speed?

Who understands that better than the U.S. Armed Forces who actually fly the fast aircraft we see so often in movies?

Tom Cruises Top Gun character Maverick may have made, I feel the need, the need for speed, a movie quote for the ages, and Cruise may have breathed new life into the quote this week, but the real-life experts are taking it from here. The Navy and Air Force jumped in to discuss fast aircraft after Cruise tweeted a photo this week letting fans know that filming for a sequel to the 1986 classic is  finally  underway.

Cruise was seen at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado on Thursday riding a motorcycle, but it was the photo he shared that prompted the friendly military rivals to spar on Twitter over the aircraft thats visible in the background of Cruises photo, which the Navy Times obviously knew was an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

The Air Force saw Cruises photo and decided to offer up its own F-15E Strike Eagles as an alternative.

Which prompted the Navy to come back at the Air Force with a quote from Top Gun.

The Air Force wasnt backing down, taking the opportunity to share an article that describes the F-15 Eagle as the undisputed king of winged fighters. The article by the Smithsonian Channel includes this line, For decades, it's been the U.S. Air Force's weapon of choice when there's any real chance of air-to-air combat, with an undefeated record since its first combat kill in 1979.

Perhaps preferring that the fact Top Gun is about Naval aviators can speak for itself, the Navy bowed out of the Twitter flap from there. Thats when the Air Force Space Command stepped in to try to get the last word.

Mic drop? Mic drop.

Of course, the exchange prompted a further debate among spectators on Twitter, many of whom had military experience listed on their profiles. People loved the exchange. One national security reporter called it an aviation burn. Even the official Twitter account of the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl got involved.

Cheers to all of you  Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard  and especially to the service men and women here in San Diego County. Heres hoping you get a cameo or two in the film.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin


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Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/02/2018 -- Global energy demand had seen an exponential growth over the decade due to changing lifestyle. At the time when natural gas prices witnessing fluctuation and coal resources are depleting, the world is witnessing a significant gap between demand and supply of energy. Though as per World Coal Association, global coal reserves are estimated to be 861 tonne and accounts to 42% of total world electricity production; the year on year growth for coal consumption was highest in FY 2013, making it the highest since 1970. The demand for coal consumption is increasing every year thereby leading to depletion of coal reserves at an alarming rate. Moreover, most regions are economically unviable to extract coal from its bed. It is due to this reason that companies are looking for alternative solution that can lead to harnessing the total potential of coal, without disturbing the ecological balance.

Underground coal gasification(UCG) is an industrial process by which coal is gasified under intense heat and atmospheric pressure. This enables the production of synthetic gas, constituents of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which are extracted through a well and utilized in various sectors, ranging from power generation to biodiesel and fertilizer production. Though this concept is not new to the market, little progress has been achieved in this sector, primarily due to low R&D. However, with growing energy consumption and fluctuating oil prices, industries are focusing on UCG to offer clean, efficient and cost-effective energy to various industries.



Asia-Pacific is projected as the largest market for underground coal gasification over the next 5 years due to impressive growth in end-use industries ranging from power to chemicals. China along with India, and Australia are key markets for underground coal gasification projects. China is the largest producer as well as the largest consumer of coal based energy. It consumes almost half of the total coal production to meet its energy demand. China has conducted 17 UCG trials since 1991 to check the economic viability of UCG. Major power generating enterprise SinoCoking Coal is planning to harness coal reserves in Henan Province which was abruptly shut down because of strict environmental compliance set up by Chinese government. UCG is an environmental friendly approach that empowers companies to scale high power generation. With world's most populated country, China offers a vibrant platform for energy sector companies to set up their base in China and thereby meet the growing demand of energy in China. Recently, China signed a whooping US $ 1.5 billion major pact with UK for commercial development of UCG in interiors of Mongolia.



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Next prominent market is India. In India, mining contributes 10% of India's GDP. With vast coal reserves, India is looking towards harnessing coal without disturbing ecological balance. There are also some sites which are economically nonviable to mine. Though India's untapped 88.6 billion tonnes of non-metallurgical coal is found at a depth of 300 to 1200 metre is economically nonviable; UCG makes it economically sound option. Coal India Limited is trying to push the UCG technology to harness the coal in Kaitha (Jharkhand) and Thesgora (Madhya Pradesh) area. These two promising region is expected to generate high return on investment (ROI) by FY 2025.



Next prominent destination is Australia. In Australia, most companies are undertaking R&D to fully harness the concept of UCG. At present, three major UCG trials is being conducted by Linc Energy, Cougar Energy, and Carbon Energy at Queensland. Australian government is paying a vigil eye on these projects until the technology is commercially proven.



SinoCoking Coal, Cougar Energy, Carbon Energy, Linc Energy, and ONGC are key market players that have conducted pilot projects on UCG technology.Future is optimistic for underground coal gasification. With major innovations going around globally, it is expected to meet the needs of people in oil shortage region. Regions including APAC, and Africa will be a future market for underground coal gasification segments.



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. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market geographies, End user industry etc.



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/02/2018 -- The world instant coffee market is highly fragmented and it comprises multiple players. The market is estimated to experience substantial increase in the production capability as many different market suppliers are now focusing on the usage of advanced technologies for the production of high quality instant coffee. A boost in the volume of production will also allow the market players to cater to the ever increasing demand for instant coffee across the globe. The world market for instant coffee is mostly led by the prominent players who are working towards acquiring new brands so as to continue their market dominance and augment their share in the world market for instant coffee.



The world market for instant coffee stood at an initial market valuation of around US$ 28.12 bn in the year 2016. This market valuation is anticipated to reach an overall valuation of around US$ 42.5 bn by the end of the year 2025. This growth of the world market for instant coffee is projected to be achieved with the assistance of a sound CAGR of 4.8% over the course of the given forecast period that extends from the year 2017 to 2025.



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Asia Pacific to Lead the Market over the Period of Forecast



The world market for instant coffee has been regionally segmented into the geographies of Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Europe. With a share of around 35.7%, the region of Asia Pacific dominated the overall market in the year 2016 and is anticipated to remain on top over the next few years to come. The increasing interest of consumers for instant coffee in India and China has been driving the said market for instant coffee in Asia Pacific.



Amongst others, the demand for instant coffee is particularly high in the Rest of Europe. Various countries, such as Bulgaria, Russia, and Poland demonstrate a considerably high rate of demand, which is estimated to continue to rise in the years to come, thereby retaining the second position in the world instant coffee market. North America, on the other hand, is anticipated to witness a decline in the demand for instant coffee in the near future owing to greater preference for filter coffee.



Evolving Consumption Pattern to Fuel Market Growth



Instant coffee has become quite popular amongst the common people due to rising urbanization and economic growth. This comes down to the fact that people have more money to spend and also they prefer instant beverages as opposed to those that have waiting time.



Ever evolving lifestyle and consumption patterns across the globe has been one of the driving factors for augmented demand for instant coffee. Easy preparation of instant coffee and its ready availability in a wide variety of flavors and formats are a few of the major driving factors for the growth of international instant coffee market. Furthermore, instant coffee comes with a higher shelf life due to its powdered texture and that makes it more commercial and popular amongst the vendors. Many of the popular instant coffee brands are advertising their specialty instant coffees which have resulted in the boost of world instant coffee market.



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The prominent market players that are operating in the world market for instant coffee are focusing on product innovation and are involving various acquisitions and mergers so as to expand their global presence. Some of the market players that are now dominating the world market are Keurig Green Mountain, Starbucks Corp., Tata Global Beverages, Tchibo coffee, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Matthew Algie & Co. Ltd., Nestle S.A., The Kraft Heinz Co., Strauss Group Ltd., and Unilever Plc.
Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/02/2018 -- The report assesses the figures of the global market and presents reliable forecasts as to the market's growth prospects over the coming years. The historical improvement trajectory of the Smart Grid Deployment Tracker Market is examined in the report, lending solid factual support to the analysis and estimations presented in the report. The report comprises of the growth in the market since last few years and the estimated growth trajectory for the coming future. The report also examines the factors accountable for the modification in the market and the rise in the requirement.



The Smart Grid Deployment Tracker market is anticipated to develop at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of +19%.



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Companies Profiled in this report includes, Lafayette Utilities System, Wake Electric, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Nashville Electric Service, Maui Smart Grid Project, Echelon and Duke Energy, OGE (Oklahoma Gas and Electric), Electrica de Guayaquil (Ecuador), Isle of Wight, British Gas.



Top Manufacturers are analyzed based on attributes such as their product profile, product introductions, SWOT analysis, and contact information. Each of the key players in the market is revealed in terms of their basic company data, key competitors, and presence of manufacturing bases. These players are also described according to their offerings in product types and technologies, the production costs, revenue generated, and overall price of these solutions.



Furthermore, the report delivers upstream raw materials, equipment, downstream client survey, marketing channels, industry development trends and proposals. This specifically include valuable information on the global Smart Grid Deployment Tracker market key applications and consumption, key regions and consumption, key global distributors, major raw materials suppliers and contact information, supply chain relationship analysis and foremost industrial equipment suppliers.



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Based on geography, Smart Grid Deployment Tracker market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). North America is further bifurcated in U.S., Canada, and Mexico whereas Europe segment consist of UK, Germany, France, Italy, and others. Asia-Pacific is segmented into India, China, Japan, South Korea, and others, while RoW is bifurcated into South America, Middle East, and Africa.



In conclusion, the global Smart Grid Deployment Tracker market standing in the past years and in the coming years is determined by its performance up until now. Results are supported by various sources and market research techniques, all of which are verified. In order to identify the existing hierarchy in this market, analysts have reviewed the profiles of the key market participants, using several analytical tools, such as SWOT analysis.



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Key Reasons to Purchase

- Gain insightful analyses and comprehensive understanding of Smart Grid Deployment Tracker

- Understand the key drivers necessitating the use of Smart Grid Deployment Tracker and the main barriers to implementation

- Understand the views of different organizations within the industry on Smart Grid Deployment Tracker

- Studies on the evolving Global Smart Grid Deployment Tracker market segments regions

- To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market.



Table of Contents

Global Smart Grid Deployment Tracker Market Research Report

Chapter 1 Global Smart Grid Deployment Tracker Market Overview

Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Industry

Chapter 3 Market Competition by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Production, Revenue (Value) by Region

Chapter 5 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions

Chapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

Chapter 7 Market Analysis by Application

Chapter 8 Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Chapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

Chapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

Chapter 11 Global Market Effect Factors Analysis

Chapter 12 Smart Grid Deployment Tracker Market Forecast
Srinagar, June 03: Thousands of people on Saturday took part in the last rites of downtown Srinagar youth who was run over by a CRPF vehicle during protests in Nowhatta yesterday.

An eye witness said that thousands of people took part in the funeral prayers of Kaisar Bhat at Fateh Kadal chowk. He said that forces fired tear gas into the mourners at the chowk, injuring dozens of them.

Reports said the body was later loaded onto a truck and driven to Eidgah where thousands of people had already assembled to take part in last rites. Second round of funeral prayers was held there in which thousands participated, said a mourner, adding that pro-freedom slogans were raised during the funeral.

He said that forces resorted to massive teargas shelling after Bhat was laid to rest, triggering intense clashes between the youth and the forces.

Kaiser Bhat, 21, was ploughed down by the Central Reserve Police Force vehicle in the old city area of Nowhatta during protests on Friday.

Bhat was admitted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), here. He succumbed to critical internal injuries early on Saturday.

Internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts have been suspended as a precautionary measure, a police officer said.
14 killed, 9 injured in Palpa bus accident

At least 14 people died and nine others were injured when a bus they were travelling on met with an accident at Dharadi in Rambha Rural Municipality-4, Palpa, on Friday.
Capping protracted hard bargaining with Congress top central leadership stepping in, the two parties voiced their 'firm resolve' to ensure that the coalition government headed by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy would complete its full five-year term.

: Ten days after coming to power, the Janata Dal-Secular-Congress ministry in Karnataka is set to be expanded on June 6, as the two parties reached a power sharing arrangement after intense haggling and announced their decision to fight the Lok Sabha polls as pre-poll allies.

The Congress has conceded the plum Finance portfolio to its junior partner, resolving a thorny issue, after its president Rahul Gandhi intervened and spoke to Kumaraswamy.

"Little bit of issues came in the form of finance portfolio. Lastly, Congress president Rahul Gandhi himself gave directions to us..that this coalition government is the need of the hour of the country," Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said.

Venugopal said, ..."Finally Congress decided to give finance portfolio to JDS, as per the direction of Rahul Gandhi," as he read out a joint statement signed by him and JD-S secretary general Danish Ali at a press conference in Bengaluru.

Kumaraswamy, his predecessor Siddaramaiah and Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were present.

As per the power sharing agreement, the Congress would get the portfolios of home, irrigation, Bangalore City development, industry and sugar industry, health, revenue, urban development; rural development, agriculture, housing, social welfare, forest and environment, labour, law and parliamentary affairs, science and technology and IT/BT, among others.

The JD-S's portfolios include, finance, excise, information, intelligence, public works department, power, cooperation, tourism, education and transport.

Energy portfolio had also emerged as a sticky point in the negotiations, with state senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar, who was the key person who kept the Congress flock together during the political drama, reportedly keen on it.

The rest of the portfolios would be decided by the chief minister in consultation with the deputy chief minister, Venugopal said.

The ministry would be expanded on June 6, Kumaraswamy said.

Kumaraswamy said he and deputy chief minister G Parameshwara met the Governor Vajubhai Vala and asked for his time for the swearing-in but due to his prior engagement in Delhi from June 3 to 5th evening, 'ultimately he has given the time for Wednesday 2 pm'.

It had also been decided that the Congress and JD-S would fight the next Lok Sabha elections as pre-poll allies, the joint statement said, adding, the exact distribution of seats would be worked out and announced later.

The JD-S and the Congress had stitched up a post-poll alliance at the state level after the recent assembly polls yielded a fractured mandate with BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 members, falling short of the required numbers.

The assembly polls had resulted in a hung assembly, the joint statement said, adding, in this background, the Congress and JD-S had come together to form a coalition government in the state.

"Over half the electorate voted for our two parties taken together," it said.

A common agenda for governance based on the manifesto of both the parties would be prepared and presented to the people of the state at the earliest, the statement said.

The two parties also announced a coalition Coordination and Monitoring Committee which would meet at least one in a month.

The committee comprises Kumaraswamy, Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah, Venugopal and Danish Ali. Siddaramaiah would be the chairman and Ali the convener of the coalition Coordination and Monitoring Committee.

Under the agreement, all appointments to statutory boards and corporations would be cleared by the coordination committee.

Two-thirds of the posts will be Congress appointees and one-third JD-S.

The two coalition partners also resolved to provide a transparent, accountable and responsive administration, giving the highest priority to farmers, youth and women, to ensuring economic growth in all regions of the state and to promoting social justice and communal harmony.

'The coalition government will be for all sections of Karnataka society,' the statement said.

Kumaraswamy was sworn in as chief minister on May 23.

Two days later on May 25, he proved the majority on the floor of the assembly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had conceded the numbers game with B S Yeddyurappa resigning on May 19 without facing the trust vote.
8 injured in clash over construction of mosque

At least eight people have been injured after two groups clashed over a dispute to construct a mosque at Lahan-18 in Siraha district on Saturday.
US Commerce Secretary in China for talks to avoid trade war



Beijing, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross arrived in Beijing Saturday for talks aiming to ease tensions over tariffs that have heightened fears of a trade war between the world's two biggest economies, Chinese state media said.

Despite announcing a truce earlier this month, the United States is working to finalise planned sanctions on Beijing -- including restrictions on Chinese investment, export controls and 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese tech goods.

China has threatened to hit back with tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in US goods.

Ross will stay in the Chinese capital until Sunday, a US government official told AFP.

His visit comes as fears of an all-out global trade war intensified after the European Union, Canada and Mexico drew up retaliatory measures to Washington's stinging steel and aluminium tariffs that came into effect on Friday.

US President Donald Trump first announced trade sanctions on China, largely focused on the Asian giant's theft of US intellectual property, in March.

Beijing on Wednesday lambasted "sudden flip-flops" in US policy after the Trump administration said it would still move to impose the sanctions against it -- just over a week after announcing a truce.

But as Ross arrived, China appeared to soften its position.

"China's door for negotiation remains open," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Friday.

The US and China "should adopt a sincere attitude and follow the spirit of equality and mutual respect to seek a win-win solution through dialogue and consultation", she added.

The final list of Chinese imports covered by the US tariffs list will be announced June 15 and imposed shortly thereafter, while the proposed investment restrictions and enhanced export controls will be announced by June 30, according to the White House.

Trump has accused China of forcing American firms to hand over their industrial secrets to Chinese companies in order to do business in the country, a charge that Beijing has rejected.

The US leader has also threatened to impose tariffs on an additional $100 billion in Chinese goods if Beijing retaliates.

Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, told AFP he was "not very optimistic" about the outcome of the latest trade negotiations.

"The chance that there will be no trade war at all is low. I'm afraid that the most practical option for the two sides is now to limit the extent of the conflict," he said.
US Commerce Secretary in China for talks to avoid trade war



Beijing, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross arrived in Beijing Saturday for talks aiming to ease tensions over tariffs that have heightened fears of a trade war between the world's two biggest economies, officials and Chinese state media said.

Despite announcing a truce earlier this month, the United States is working to finalise planned sanctions on Beijing -- including restrictions on Chinese investment, export controls and 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese tech goods.

China has threatened to hit back with tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in US goods.

Ross will stay in the Chinese capital until Sunday and is set to meet Vice Premier Liu He, a US government official told AFP.

His visit comes as fears of an all-out global trade war intensified after the European Union, Canada and Mexico drew up retaliatory measures to Washington's stinging steel and aluminium tariffs that came into effect on Friday.

US President Donald Trump first announced trade sanctions on China in March, largely focused on the Asian giant's theft of US intellectual property.

Beijing on Wednesday lambasted "sudden flip-flops" in US policy after the Trump administration said it would still move to impose the sanctions -- just over a week after the two sides said they had agreed to avert a trade war.

But as Ross arrived, China appeared to soften its position.

"China's door for negotiation remains open," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Friday.

The US and China "should adopt a sincere attitude and follow the spirit of equality and mutual respect to seek a win-win solution through dialogue and consultation", she added.

The final list of Chinese imports covered by the US tariffs list will be announced June 15 and imposed shortly thereafter, while the proposed investment restrictions and enhanced export controls will be announced by June 30, according to the White House.

Trump has accused China of forcing American firms to hand over their industrial secrets to Chinese companies in order to do business in the country, a charge that Beijing has rejected.

The US leader has also threatened to impose tariffs on an additional $100 billion in Chinese goods if Beijing retaliates.

Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, told AFP he was "not very optimistic" about the outcome of the latest trade negotiations.

"The chance that there will be no trade war at all is low. I'm afraid that the most practical option for the two sides is now to limit the extent of the conflict," he said.
Bangladesh to revise list of duty free products

Bangladesh has agreed to revise the list of Nepali products that enjoy duty free access to the country. Nepal in turn has also given the green light to revise the list of Bangladeshi goods that are receiving preferential treatment in local market.
 On June 2, Copa Airlines resumes its operations to St. Maarten with two weekly flights, connecting the Caribbean island with 77 destinations in 31 countries of the American continent

 With the restart of Copas flights to St. Maarten, the economic, commercial and tourist reactivation of the island and other surrounding areas be promoted

 Together with the Tourism authorities of St. Maarten, Saint Martin and Anguilla, Copa Airlines will initiate the promotion of these three destinations

Panama City:--- Copa Airlines, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, SA {NYSE: CPA}, and member of the global airline network Star Alliance, resumes its operations to St. Maarten starting on June 2 with two weekly flights, connecting the Caribbean island with 77 destinations in 31 countries of the American continent through the Hub of the Americas, located in Panama City.

The route to St. Maarten will depart from Panama on Monday and Saturday under the code CM134, with departure time at 7:24 a.m. and arrival at 11:30 a.m. (St. Maarten time), while the CM133 flight back will operate on Mondays and Saturdays with departure time at 12:29 p.m. and arrival at 2:46 p.m. (Panama time). Copa Airlines will increase the frequencies during the high season, in a display of confidence in the recovery of this area of the Caribbean after Hurricane Irma struck on September, 2017.

Copa Airlines always trusted that St. Maarten and its inhabitants would recover from the effects of Hurricane Irma. With the restart of our operations to the island, the economic, commercial and tourist reactivation of both St. Maarten and other surrounding areas will be promoted," said Christophe Didier, vice president of sales for Copa Airlines. "Since we started flying to St. Maarten almost eight years ago, this island has become one of the preferred destinations for our passengers to vacation in the Caribbean," Didier added.

With the restart of operations to St. Maarten, Copa Airlines reaffirms its commitment to economic reactivation and the commercial and tourist development of the Caribbean, a region that Copa attended with humanitarian flights transporting food, equipment, medicines and essential products after the Impact of Hurricane Irma.

"For many years, Copa Airlines has literally been our connecting bridge to Central and South America. The return to St. Maarten of this valued airline is very important for the recovery of our country, and shows that St. Maarten is recovering and that it is workable to reactivate the destination", said Rolando Brison, acting director of the Tourism Bureau of St. Maarten. "We hope that thousands of people will use Copa Airlines to visit St. Maarten, one of the most beautiful and unique destinations in the Caribbean, and we thank Copa Airlines for believing in the country and the people of St. Maarten," added Brison.

Together with the tourism authorities of St. Maarten, Saint Martin and Anguilla, Copa Airlines will begin the promotion of the islands, with the aim of reactivating visitors to this wonderful area of the Caribbean, which will be connected to more than 60 cities in South, Central and North America thanks to the airline's network of destinations.

tuality close to 90%, one of the best indicators in the industry. Thanks to this timeliness, Copa Airlines has been recognized by FlightStats as the most punctual airline in Latin America for the fifth consecutive year, and by the Official Airline Guide as the fourth most punctual airline in the world according to results obtained in 2017. In 2016, the company was awarded as the "Leading Airline of Mexico and Central America" in the World Travel Awards. This year Copa was also awarded with two Skytrax awards as "Best Airline in Central America and the Caribbean" and "Best Airline Personnel in Central America". Copa Airlines is part of Star Alliance, offering its customers the possibility to reach 1.330 airports in 192 countries and enjoy more than 18.500 daily flights. In addition, Copa has codeshare agreements with United Airlines, Aeromexico, KLM, Lufthansa, Avianca, Iberia, GOL, TAME, Emirates and Asiana Airlines. To issue and manage reservations, purchase tickets through secure transactions in seven different currencies, Web Check-In, print boarding passes and acquire information on travel policies and immigration requirements, visit www.copa.com. Also, visit ConnectMiles.com to learn about the improvements and expansions of the Copa Airlines loyalty program, designed especially for travelers.
Budget goals are attainable says finance minister

Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada on Friday defended the criticisms against the budget goals of the government by terming them grounded, realistic and attainable.
Mattis accuses China of 'intimidation and coercion' in S. China Sea



Singapore, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



China's military build-up in the South China Sea and its deployment of high-end weapons systems in the disputed waterway is designed to intimidate and coerce neighbours, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday.

Speaking at a high-profile security summit in Singapore, the Pentagon chief also said the US military continues to support diplomats pushing for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Mattis said Beijing had deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities.

Beijing has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue.

He also called out Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea.

Mattis' address in Singapore was the second time he had attended the summit since becoming Pentagon chief.

He returned to a theme that he and other senior US officials have hammered since President Donald Trump took office -- that America is here to stay in the Asia-Pacific region and that allies should stick with Washington instead of aligning with Beijing.



- Tariffs on close allies -



But the message of inclusivity, cooperation and working with allies might be a tougher sell for Mattis, who is generally popular on the international scene, after his boss this week imposed metals tariffs on some of America's closest allies in the name of "national security".

"Most countries in the region which are part of the global supply chain are anxious that they will be impacted by a trade war between China and the US," said Murray Hiebert, a senior associate of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

In a dig at China, which the Pentagon has accused of using "predatory" economics to exploit neighbours, Mattis said the US supports the peaceful resolution of disputes, "free, fair and reciprocal trade and investment" and adherence to international rules and norms.

Despite frequent warnings from Washington about China's rising might and the pitfalls of its "Belt and Road" global infrastructure initiative, Beijing has faced few consequences for its South China Sea buildup and sweeping territorial claims.

One modest exception came last week when the Pentagon disinvited China from biennial maritime exercises in the Pacific. Mattis characterised this action as an "initial response".

Delegates hoping for clarity on Trump's intentions for a scheduled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not get much from Mattis.

He has steadfastly avoided weighing in on the issue, deferring questions to the State Department and Trump's national security team.

"On the Korean peninsula, we hold the line with our allies, supporting our diplomats who lead this effort," Mattis said.

"Our objective remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."
Hard choices for US, N. Korea at high-stakes summit



Washington, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



After a burst of hectic diplomacy, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un's nuclear summit is on course to go ahead -- but if it is to live up to the hype, both sides will need to make difficult concessions.

In what would be the first breakthrough in the fraught process, North Korea and the United States may sign a peace deal that could pave the way for a cautious thaw in ties.

"Can you believe that we're talking about the ending of the Korean War?" Trump asked rhetorically, marveling at his own diplomatic audacity.

The two countries have been technically at war for decades, even if their conflict was frozen by an armistice 65 years ago.

But what Washington is really seeking is the North's nuclear disarmament.

Pyongyang, however, has long insisted on becoming a respected nuclear state and -- while it may have suspended nuclear and missile tests -- surrendering its bombs is off the table.

So how can the circle be squared? How can the two parties arrive at what Washington says must be the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearization of the Korean peninsula?

Many are skeptical.

"We'll know right away if it's a failure," Center for Strategic and International Studies analyst Boris Toucas told AFP.

"For example, if Kim won't give written guarantees on denuclearization or if there's just a declaration of good intent without a roadmap."

The summit would be a challenge for the most seasoned diplomats and just last year neophyte statesman Trump was mocking Kim as "Little Rocket Man," while the young autocrat sneered at the "mentally deranged dotard."



- Man in a hurry -



The stakes have been raised still further by the accelerated timeframe. Trump may have conceded there will be no grand deal at the first meeting, but he wants a win before his first term ends in 2021.

North Korean leaders have been seeking face-to-face talks with a sitting US president for a quarter of a century, but Trump only agreed to meet Kim in March and now seems to be in a hurry.

So much of a hurry, in fact, that many in Washington worry he will naively make concessions without securing the North Korean arsenal.

But the cynics were also cheered that Trump now publicly accepts that the meeting is probably only the start of the process, and some former officials think some progress can be made.

Ambassador Joseph Yun was the US special representative for North Korea until days before Trump accepted the summit invitation, and is a veteran of backchannel talks.

He said that if the summit is to count as a success, both sides will have to make rapid concessions to build trust before a longer process leading to eventual disarmament and normalization can begin.

"The basic proposition that the United States is trying to tell North Korea is: 'You are safer without nuclear weapons than with nuclear weapons,'" said Yun, now an advisor at the US Institute of Peace.

North Korean leaders have long assumed the opposite: Only with weapons can they secure the Kim dynasty's survival and become a respected nuclear power like India, at the diplomatic top table.

But certain security guarantees may convince Kim to follow the diplomatic path after the summit.

"One, I believe in this particular instance would require what I call an 'end of war declaration,' that the Korean War, which technically ended with an armistice in 1953, is over," Yun said.

"Then you would require to have that, in effect, a peace treaty negotiation. And then, of course, along with that you need diplomatic normalization. So you can see it's a long drawn out process."

If the United States agrees to begin -- as Trump appeared to suggest it might -- peace talks to end the war and to open a diplomatic liaison office in Pyongyang, Kim might see the talks as useful.

Frank Aum, a former top advisor on North Korea to US defense secretaries and now also an expert at USIP, said Kim will have military demands.

For Pyongyang, "denuclearization" means not just surrendering its own bombs, but banning US strategic assets like F-22 stealth fighters, B1 bombers and carrier battle groups from its region.

But what must Kim give up in return?

"North Korea is probably ready to say that at the end of the day that they are ready to completely denuclearize, but there will be a comma and a fine print," Yun said.

Trump, who prides himself as a dealmaker, will have to negotiate this fine print so that Kim cannot delay indefinitely while international economic and diplomatic sanctions start to fray.

Kim, Yun said, should immediately put into writing what he has already agreed to do: halt his provocative tests of long-range missiles and nuclear devices.

He should also allow international inspections of his declared nuclear sites such as Yongbyon and -- crucially -- reveal his other, secret sites to make clear the scale of the disarmament task.



- Eventual disarmament -



Only then could US negotiators begin to judge whether the North Korean leader is serious about his eventual disarmament -- and US intelligence reportedly does not believe he ever will be.

For Yun, Kim's seriousness and the relative success of Singapore talks will only be confirmed "if there are deliverables that are concrete and quick, and that is clearly what our side will be looking for."

Experts worry that North Korean foot-dragging, encouraged by a China and Russia that have warned against precipitating the process, could prove intolerable to the Trump administration.

"Clearly, North Korea is looking at a phased process. China and Russia also agree," Aum told reporters.

"The US, on the other hand, wants to have an accelerated process that provides many of the denuclearization processes up front and then South Korea is in the middle."

Siegfried Hecker of Stanford University, who once ran the US atomic lab in Los Alamos, has said that from a technical point of view alone, verifiable disarmament could take 15 years.

Yun and Aum said interim concessions from both sides could get the process started within a year, but if it collapses, Kim may be happy to cut his losses and enjoy a technical win.

"The summit itself is already an enormous concession from Trump. It gives Kim enormous legitimacy on the international and domestic plane, even if in the end it fails," Toucas told AFP.
N. Korea summit back on, Trump says after meeting Kim envoy



Washington, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



US President Donald Trump said Friday he will meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un as originally scheduled on June 12 for a historic summit after extraordinary Oval Office talks with a top envoy from Pyongyang.

Speaking after more than an hour of talks with Kim Yong Chol in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters that denuclearization -- and a formal end to the decades-old Korean war -- would be on the table in Singapore.

But the US leader warned that he did not expect to immediately sign a deal to bring a halt to the North's nuclear program.

"I never said it goes in one meeting. I think it's going to be a process, but the relationships are building and that's very positive," he said, after waving farewell to the North Korean envoy, Kim's right-hand man.



- Ending the war -



Trump said they had discussed formally ending the Korean War, which has been largely frozen since an armistice ended hostilities, but not the underlying conflict, in 1953. Since then, there have been occasional clashes on the divided peninsula.

"We talked about it. We talked about ending the war," Trump said.

"Historically it's very important, but we'll see. We did discuss that, the ending of the Korean War. Can you believe we're talking about the ending of the Korean War?"

Washington is determined that Kim should agree to what US officials call the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" end of North Korea's nuclear weapons and intercontinental missile programs.

Kim says he is committed to "denuclearization" in some form, but he is expected to demand security guarantees -- one of which could be an formal end to the conflict with the US and South Korea.

Most expert observers are skeptical that even an unprecedented summit between the two leaders can lead to a rapid breakthrough, and Trump admitted it would be a long and difficult process.

"We're not going to go in and sign something on June 12. We never were. I told him today, 'Take your time'," he said, adding nevertheless that he expects "a really positive result in the end."

Kim Yong Chol, the most senior North Korean to visit the United States in 18 years, spent almost 90 minutes in the Oval Office.

Afterwards, Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walked the North's small delegation to their waiting cars, smiling and shaking hands in front of the media before the motorcade pulled away.



- Security guarantees -



North Korean officials said Kim Yong Chol was expected to return to Pyongyang shortly. Meanwhile, discussions between US and North Korean officials continue in Singapore and in the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea.

On Thursday, Kim Jong Un told Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that his commitment to denuclearization remains "unchanged and consistent and fixed," but experts warn he will seek concessions from Washington.

In addition to an end to the war, he is likely to seek international recognition as well as guarantees against any strike by the US forces stationed in South Korea.

As expected, Kim Yong Chol handed Trump a letter from Kim that may clear up some of the questions. The US leader said the missive was "very nice" -- but then admitted he had not yet read it. An aide later confirmed he did after the talks.

The Oval Office talks and letter delivery came only a week after Trump threatened to consign the entire process to history, abruptly cancelling the summit in a sharply worded letter, only to revive preparations shortly afterwards.

Trump said that, after Friday's talks, the parties are "totally over that and now we're going to deal and we're going to really start a process."

Since the short-lived boycott threat, diplomats from both countries have conducted an intense flurry of talks, culminating this week when Pompeo sat down in New York with Kim's envoy.



- 'Their decision' -



Pompeo said on Thursday that, after what have now been two meetings with Kim Jong Un and three with Kim Yong Chol, he believes the North is at least ready to consider addressing US demands for denuclearization.

"I believe they are contemplating a path forward. They can make a strategic shift. One that their country has not been prepared to make before. This will obviously be their decision," he said.

The flurry of diplomacy has also seen a rapprochement on the Korean peninsula, with the two Koreas holding high-level talks Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom.

The meeting followed two landmark summits between the leaders of North and South Korea in the last five weeks.

North and South Korea agreed to hold more meetings throughout this month to carry out the agreements reached between their leaders at the April summit, according to a joint statement issued after Friday's talks.

Seoul welcomed Trump's meeting with Kim Yong Chol at the White House.

"The delivery of a letter from Chairman Kim Jong Un to President Trump has apparently broadened and consolidated the road to the North Korea-US summit," said Kim Eui-gyeom, spokesman for South Korea's presidential Blue House.

"We will calmly, and with expectation, watch the historic meeting in Singapore."

burs-dc/sst/qan/kaf
Saudi warns of military action if Qatar gets Russian missiles: report



Paris, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



Saudi Arabia has threatened military action against Qatar if it goes ahead and acquires Russia's top of the range S-400 air defence missile system, Le Monde daily reported.

Citing information it had obtained, Le Monde said Friday that Riyadh had written to French President Emmanuel Macron asking him to intervene to prevent the deal going ahead and to help preserve regional stability.

There was no immediate official reaction from the president's office or the French foreign ministry to the report.

Saudi Arabia, backed by other regional powers including Bahrain and the Unite Arab Emirates, broke off relations with Qatar in June last year, accusing the Gulf state of supporting radical Islamist groups and of being too close to Iran -- Riyadh's arch rival in the region.

They subsequently imposed economic sanctions on Qatar which has consistently rejected the charges against it.

In an effort to ease its isolation, Qatar has sought new friends, including Russia.

In January, it announced that talks with Moscow on supplying the sophisticated S-400 system were at an "advanced stage".

Le Monde said that in the letter sent to the French president, Saudi King Salman had expressed his "deep concern" with the discussions between Doha and Moscow and warned about the risk of escalation.

Saudi Arabia "would be ready to take all necessary measures to eliminate this defence system, including military action," the newspaper wrote.
N. Korea summit back on, Trump says after meeting Kim envoy



Washington, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



US President Donald Trump said Friday he will meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un as originally scheduled on June 12 for a historic summit after extraordinary Oval Office talks with a top envoy from Pyongyang.

After more than an hour of discussion with Kim Yong Chol, Trump told reporters that denuclearization -- and a formal end to the decades-old Korean war -- would be on the table in Singapore.

But the US president warned he did not expect to immediately sign a deal to bring a halt to the reclusive regime's nuclear program.

"I never said it goes in one meeting. I think it's going to be a process, but the relationships are building and that's very positive," he said, after waving farewell to the North Korean leader's right-hand man.



- Ending the war -



The Korean War has been largely frozen since an armistice ended hostilities, but not the underlying conflict, in 1953. Since then, there have been occasional clashes on the divided peninsula.

"We talked about ending the war," Trump said.

"Historically it's very important, but we'll see. We did discuss that, the ending of the Korean War. Can you believe we're talking about the ending of the Korean War?"

Washington is determined that Kim should agree to what US officials call the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" end of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Kim says he is committed to "denuclearization" in some form, but he is expected to demand security guarantees in return.

Most expert observers are skeptical of a rapid breakthrough, and Trump admitted it would be a long and difficult process.

"We're not going to go in and sign something on June 12. We never were. I told him today, 'Take your time'," he said, adding nevertheless that he expects "a really positive result in the end."

Kim Yong Chol, the most senior North Korean to visit the United States in 18 years, spent almost 90 minutes in the Oval Office.

Afterwards, Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walked the North's delegation to their cars, smiling and shaking hands in front of the media before the motorcade pulled away.



- Security guarantees -



Meanwhile, discussions between US and North Korean officials continued in Singapore and in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula.

On Thursday, Kim Jong Un told Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that his commitment to denuclearization remains "unchanged and consistent and fixed," but experts warn he will seek concessions from Washington.

In addition to an end to the war, he is likely to want international recognition as well as guarantees against any strike by the US forces stationed in South Korea.

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, however, said Saturday that the presence of American troops in South Korea is not "on the table."

For the North, denuclearization has long been code for the withdrawal of US troops from the peninsula and the end of its nuclear umbrella over the South -- something unthinkable in Washington.

Pyongyang has previously insisted that it needs nuclear weapons to defend against a US invasion.

But it remains to be seen if either side has changed its position following the whirlwind diplomacy of the last few weeks.

As expected, Kim Yong Chol handed Trump a letter from Kim that may clear up some of the questions. The US leader said the missive was "very nice" -- but then admitted he had not yet read it. An aide later confirmed he did after the talks.

It came only a week after Trump threatened to consign the entire process to history, abruptly cancelling the summit in a sharply-worded letter, only to revive preparations shortly afterwards.

Trump said that, after Friday's talks, the parties are "totally over that and now we're going to deal and we're going to really start a process."

Since the short-lived boycott threat, diplomats from both countries have conducted an intense flurry of talks, culminating this week when Pompeo sat down in New York with Kim's envoy.



- 'Their decision' -



Pompeo said on Thursday that, after what have now been two meetings with Kim Jong Un and three with Kim Yong Chol, he believes the North is at least ready to consider addressing US demands for denuclearization.

"I believe they are contemplating a path forward. They can make a strategic shift. One that their country has not been prepared to make before. This will obviously be their decision," he said.

There has also been a recent rapprochement on the Korean peninsula, with the two Koreas holding high-level talks Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom.

The meeting followed two landmark summits between the leaders of North and South Korea in the last five weeks.

Seoul welcomed Trump's meeting with Kim Yong Chol.

"The delivery of a letter from Chairman Kim Jong Un to President Trump has apparently broadened and consolidated the road to the North Korea-US summit," said Kim Eui-gyeom, spokesman for South Korea's presidential Blue House.

China also welcomed the development, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying that Beijing hoped the two nations "will continue to move towards each other, to demonstrate sincerity, and to actively promote the preparations for the leaders' meeting."

Japanese premier Shinzo Abe meanwhile said, "I am determined to do my best so that it will be a historic summit."

burs-dc/sst/qan/amu
China general slams 'irresponsible comments' on S. China Sea



Singapore, June 2 (AFP) Jun 02, 2018



A Chinese general Saturday lashed out at "irresponsible comments" on Beijing's military build-up in the South China Sea after the US defence chief accused China of intimidation and coercion in the disputed waters.

"Any irresponsible comments from other countries cannot be accepted," Lieutenant General He Lei said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

It came just hours after US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the security summit that China's military build-up and deployment of weapon systems in the contested sea was aimed at intimidating its neighbours.

Beijing has deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities.

China has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

The Chinese general, however, said Beijing's actions were aimed at "national defence".

"They are for the purpose of avoiding being invaded by others... As long as it is on your own territory you can deploy the army and you can deploy weapons," he said.

China claims most of the resource-rich sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
By Magreth Nunuhe



Windhoek  Why isnt Morocco fulfilling its obligation to the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the self-determination of Western Sahara? Why are economic sanctions not being imposed on Morocco? Can we accept an African country being a coloniser of another? What is being done to put pressure on France and Spain, which are blocking the independence of Western Sahara? What are the pressure tactics Namibia can use to talk to the African Union (AU) for the independence of Western Sahara?



These were some of the pressing questions posted to President Brahim Ghali of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) during a public lecture on the current political development in the SADR in Windhoek on Monday.



Namibians, who came to listen to the public lecture, made it known in no uncertain terms that they were in full solidarity of the Sahrawis struggle for independence from Morocco as they sang liberation songs and chanted, Down Morocco, down!



Namibians are calling for the AU and the UN to end the colonisation of Western Sahara; they asserted that the UN resolutions are taking too long and it is time economic sanctions are imposed on Morocco; they also criticised the decision to admit Morocco into the AU without fulfilling its promise to grant independence to the SADR, as a gross mistake.



As the last two colonies left on the African continent to fight for their independence, the SADR and Namibia walked parallel roads in their quest for self-determination.



But Namibia obtained its independence in 1990 from former apartheid South Africa, while Western Sahara continues to fight for its right to self-determination from Morocco, even though the SADR was proclaimed on February 27, 1976.



President Ghali said those who were against the independence of Namibia are having the same objectives and strategies to hinder or delay the independence of the SADR.



Why is the UN not implementing what has been agreed upon? The UN and the AU are the guarantors that can impose sanctions on Morocco for not fulfilling its promise, said Ghali.



He stressed that those who have been blocking the decision on the SADR to be granted independence have also pushed Morocco and Mauritania to invade Western Sahara.



The problem is that some big powers in the UN Security Council are blocking the independence of Western Sahara because of foreign interests - just the same way that South Africa blocked Namibian independence, he insisted.



The SADR president said that Western Sahara was one of the richest countries in Africa with an endowment of rich mineral deposits like diamonds, gold, iron, oil, fish and countries like France do not want to see a rich country like that becoming free.



He said last April, the UN Security Council sent a German envoy, Horst Kohler, to see to it that the two parties sit at the negotiating table, but Morocco played tactics.



But we have a lot of solidarity, thanks to the leadership of Swapo; we recognise the Swapo Youth League, he said, emphasising the need to work together with countries that are in solidarity with them.



This is a fight between justice and injustice. We are fighting to regain our rights. We rely on your contribution  every single effort will be useful on how we succeed to put pressure on Morocco, said Ghali.



He argued that Morocco did not come into the AU to build but to dismantle, given the fact that that country continues to undermine the AU-UN cooperation.



Namibias Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah shared Ghalis sentiments, saying, We must remain vigilant and mobilise support and solidarity for the SADR.



Western Sahara has never been part of Morocco.



We cannot sleep while our sisters and brothers are under occupation. One day, we will celebrate your self-determination, she said.



Ghali, who was in Namibia on a three-day state visit from May 27 to 29, also held bilateral talks with President Hage Geingob, where the latter expressed similar sentiments in full solidarity of the SADR.



In a statement, Geingob said that Namibias position on the right to self-determination and independence of the people of Western Sahara has been clear and consistent.



Our support for your right to self-determination and independence is a question of principle and not negotiable, he said.



Geingob pointed out that Morocco, as a member of the AU, is expected to fully comply with the principles, values and obligations enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the AU and relevant UN resolutions.



The UN referendum for the Western Sahara should be implemented unconditionally and without further delays or prevarications by Morocco. We call on the UN Security Council to live up to its obligation to compel Morocco to cooperate fully with the UN Secretary Generals personal envoy, Horst Kohler to implement with urgency the UN plan for Western Sahara, he stressed.



Geingob has committed to work with the SADR towards strengthening relations and achieving a shared destiny.



If Morocco cannot heed our call because we are old, let it listen to the young people, he said.

Fast facts about the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR):



The SADR is located in northwest Africa and is bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to northeast and Mauritania to the east and south east.



The SADR was proclaimed on 27 February 1976.



The SADR has been on the UNs agenda since 1963, when the territory known then as the Spanish Sahara was placed on the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.



The liberation movement Frente POLISARIO was formed in 1973 to use armed struggle to achieve independence from colonial domination. It is still the dominant political force also recognised by the UN.



In 1974, Spain finally declared to organise a referendum for self-determination of the Western Sahara



Morocco violently interrupted the decolonisation of Western Sahara, invaded and occupied by force the territory in 1975, mainly driven by the expansionist ideology of the so-called Greater Morocco.



The AU has maintained over the years the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.



In 2015, the AU Assembly called on the UN General Assembly to determine a date for the holding of the self-determination referendum for the people of Western Sahara.



Moroccos admission to the AU in January 2017 was received with the expectation that it would contribute to finding a speedy solution to the decolonization conflict in Western Sahara, but Morocco has persisted in its illegal military occupation of parts of the territory.



The 30th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly on January 29, 2018, adopted the relaunching of the negotiation process between SADR and Morocco, but the latter has persisted in defiance and is opposed to any involvement of the AU in the peace process.



The UN Security Council has recently adopted resolution 2414 (2018) to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara for a period of six months. (SPS)



062/SPS



https://southerntimesafrica.com/site/news/namibians-rally-behind-western-sahara
Himalayan Travel Mart throws open its doors

The second edition of Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM) opened on Friday bringing together global players from the tourism industry.
By Sakeus Iikela



President Hage Geingob has called on the international community to compel Morocco to implement a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for Western Sahara's independence.



Geingob made the call at State House yesterday during the official visit of the president of Western Sahara, Brahim Ghali, to Namibia. Ghali's three-day state visit will focus on enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries.



The two presidents will also look at the latest developments on the Sahrawi issue at African and international levels.



Western Sahara remains one of the world's last major non-self-governing territories. Morocco controls most of the territory as its southern province.



However, Morocco's rule over the territory is not internationally recognised and is disputed by the Polisario Front, which has claimed independence for the territory. Namibia is among the countries which have supported Western Sahara in its struggle for independence.



During Ghali's visit, Geingob said the two countries enjoyed "outstanding relations", rooted in the struggle for freedom and independence.



He added that the Western Sahara had supported Namibia's liberation struggle.



"The fact that we have accorded you full state honour means that we have a commitment to the Sahrawi people as it happened to us to have a right to self-determination and independence," he said.



"Namibia continues to reaffirm its solidarity with the people of Western Sahara, and calls for the full implementation of the UN settlement plan for that country," Geingob stated.



He said Namibia would continue to contribute to the UN committee tasked with bringing about independence to "colonial countries and people".



Other African Union member countries would also work to "encourage the Kingdom of Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" to engage in direct talks. (SPS)



062/SPS

https://www.namibian.com.na/67799/read/We-want-Western-Sahara-independent-%E2%80%93-Geingob
Lung exercises can prevent diseases

Health experts claim Chest Rehabilitation (CR), a set of lung exercises, can help control Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a major health issue with high mortality rates globally including Nepal.
Malaysia sets Aug 30 as deadline for illegal migrant workers to return home

Malaysia has urged all illegal migrant workers to return to their respective countries within August 30.
NEA to sign PPA with Tanahu Hydro

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the state-owned power utility has signed its first ever power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tanahu Hydropower Project, on Wednesday. The agreement was signed during NEAs board of directors meeting.
Plan to ban tobacco items

The Minister of State for Health and Population Padma Kumari Aryal on Friday said, The government is considering banning tobacco products at specific areas in the country because the rise of COPD is directly linked to smoking. She said this while speaking at an event held on Friday to announce the results of a three-year project in Bhaktapur that studied Chest Rehabilitation (CR) on patients suffering COPD.
PMO steps in to develop Tamor Storage Hydro

The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) is preparing to sign a pact with China Machinery Engineering Corporation to develop the Tamor Storage Hydro Project even as the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is studying the scheme. The project is planned to be built on the Tamor River in eastern Nepal.
Police suspect Chand-led Maoist carried out arson in Chitwan

A group has torched an excavator used at a limestone mine at Kolar, Shaktikhor in Kalika Municipality of east Chitwan. The arson attack reportedly took place at 4 am on Saturday.
The Altadis-owned Romeo y Julieta brand is strongly associated with its country of origin, the Dominican Republic. Thats where the first non-Cuban Romeo y Julieta line wasand still ismade, featuring Dominican tobaccos around an Indonesian binder.

Its telling of Nicaraguas rise to dominance as a cigar- and tobacco-producing country that an iconic Dominican brand like Romeo y Julieta would launch a Nicaraguan offshoot line. Thats exactly what Altadis did when, last month, the company announced the new RyJ by Romeo y Julieta. RyJ is a Nicaraguan puro with double binders from Esteli and Jalapa, and filler tobaccos from Jalapa, Esteli, and La Mia. The wrapper is Jalapa Corojo grown exclusively for Altadis in Nicaragua.

Altadis, in keeping with the Nicaraguan theme, calls RyJ Nicaraguan-made, even though the country of manufacture is listed as Honduras. It bills RyJ as full-bodied, rich, and spicy, and offers the blend in three formats that range from $8 to $8.75 per single: Piramide (6.1 x 52), Bully Grande (5 x 54), and Toro (6 x 52).

The latter is a handsome, light brown, somewhat reddish smoke with a dry exterior and two white bands that make it unmistakably different from the other Romeo y Julieta blends. Firm to the touch, the Toro shows a tight cross-section of tobaccos at the foot despite the smooth cold draw. The pre-light notes are earthy and syrupy.

After establishing an even light, a profile emerges thats dry, woodsy, and a little spicy. Secondary notes of sweetness and cream help to add balance and complexity. The cedary finish seems to linger on the palate for ages, and the resting smoke is sweet. The fullness of the flavor strikes me as medium-bodied, yet theres nothing medium about the strength, as each puff seems to inject a hearty dose of nicotine.

On the three Toros I sampledall of which, in the interest of full disclosure, were provided to me by AltadisI find myself having to pull hard through the cigars stiff draw and puff frequently to keep it lit. This, in turn, increases the temperature at the foot, resulting in a hotter, sourer smoke and masking the core flavors. I think my enjoyment of RyJ would be increased significantly if the cigar smoked more effortlessly. Aside from the draw, the other physical properties are excellent, including a straight burn line and a solid ash.

Last year Altadis added to the Romeo y Julieta portfolio with Romeo, a cigar that, in my opinion, trumps RyJ. But my experience with RyJ is very limited at this point. Im sure well be seeing many more RyJ Toro reviews in the coming weeks, and I look forward to hearing what others have to say (especially about the draw). In my book, this new cigar clocks in at three stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

Patrick A



photo credit: Stogie Guys
U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) has always been quick to take advantage of new technologies and has done so again by adopting the smaller 6.5mm Creedmoor round to replace the NATO 7.62mm round for its semi-automatic sniper rifles. SOCOM brought together 27 snipers from Special Forces, SEALs and MARSOC for three days testing two new rounds (6.5mm Creedmoor and .260 Remington) against the currently used NATO 7.62mm round in the three semi-automatic sniper rifles currently used in SOCOM (M110A1, SR-25 and Mk20). Each of these rifles can easily be adapted to fire the 6.5 Creedmoor or .260 (6.6mm) Remington with a barrel change. The two smaller rounds had been developed by simply putting the smaller bullet in the same case used by the .308 (which the NATO 7.62mm round is based on). This means that there is no appreciable weight or space savings. The Creedmoor simply supplies better performance as a sniper or sharpshooter round.

The 6.5mm round has long been popular with hunters and snipers in Europe but it never caught on in North America where the heavier 7.62mm (.30 caliber) round was preferred. But the 6.5mm design always had the potential to surpass the 7.62mm round and it was the 6.5 Creedmoor, which became available in 2008 (a decade after the similar .260 Remington) that did just that. The three days of SOCOM tests confirmed what many civilian and military users have been saying, that the 6.5mm Creedmoor was a superior round. The SOCOM tests showed that the 6.5mm Creedmoor had longer effective range (1,000 meters) than the 7.62mm (700 meters) and has higher accuracy as well as less wind drift and recoil. Since the 6.5mm Creedmoor uses the same case as the 7.62mm round the same magazines could be used and all that needed to be changed in existing rifles was the barrel. SOCOM will begin issuing the new 6.5mm versions of their semi-automatic sniper rifles in 2019.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army, which is seeking a new design (and rifle round) for its light machine-gun and assault guns will take the SOCOM findings into account although the army does not expect to have candidate rifles to test until 2022. Many police organizations have, also, adopted the 6.5mm Creedmoor and it continues to be a popular round for long-range target shooters and many hunters.
First proposed back in 2006, an American firm has finally put together a lightweight, vehicle based system, using the 70mm APKWS II (Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System) laser guided missile. Called Fletcher, it consists of a four tube launcher weighing 13.6 kg (30 pounds) empty. The launcher is two meters (78 inches) long and 30cm x 30cm (11.8 inches). Fletcher uses one of the smaller (lighter) rocket motors and warheads, thus each APKWS used by Fletcher weighs 11.3 kg (25 pounds). A Fletcher launcher with rockets weighs 59 kg (130 pounds). The compact and lightweight Fletcher launcher can be mounted on any vehicle that normally mounts a heavy (12.7mm) machine-gun or RWS (Remote Weapons Station). Current versions of Fletcher are being marketed to special operations forces that use many lighter off-road vehicles. For example, DAGOR is a two ton light truck that can carry 1.4 tons or nine troops. It can be carried inside a CH-47 or slung under a UH-60 helicopter. DAGOR can also be dropped via parachute and be ready to roll within two minutes of reaching the ground. Vehicles like DAGOR and even lighter ATVs (all terrain vehicles) are popular with special operations troops and Fletcher was designed to provide these forces as well as regular infantry with lightweight laser guided missile systems,

Adapting aircraft weapons is not unusual. The United States has adapted heat seeking (Sidewinder) and radar guided (AMRAAM) air-to-air missiles for use on anti-aircraft ground vehicles. It is rare to adapt air-to-ground missiles for use on ground vehicles.

APKWS are basically 70mm laser guided rockets. Normally each APKWS weighs 15 kg (32 pounds) and is basically a 70mm unguided rocket with a warhead and guidance system attached. The guidance system consists of a laser seeker and moveable fins, battery and microprocessor to guide the rocket to the reflected laser light the laser designator is bouncing off the target. These missiles usually have a 2.7 kg (six pound) warhead, and a range of about five kilometers when fired from the ground (and about twice that when fired from the air).

APKWS has always been able to use laser designators on a helicopter, or with troops on the ground. The laser seeker can actually see reflected laser light out to 14 kilometers but the rocket motor in most 70mm laser guided rockets is only effective at between five and ten kilometers. Fletcher can use slightly heavier APKWS rockets that have a longer range but that wont happen until users indicate a need for it.

Adding laser guidance to 70mm rockets seemed like an obvious concept but it took many years to develop a reliable system. The 2.75 inch (70mm) rockets were developed during World War II, as an air-to-air weapon for use against heavy bomber formations. The Germans had developed a similar and very successful weapon (the R4M). Before long it was noted that neither the Japanese nor the Germans had any heavy bombers, so the U.S. 70mm rocket was switched to air-to-ground use. Actually, the 70mm rocket was retained for air-to-air use into the 1950s, but it was never successful in that role. The 70mm rocket became very popular in the 1960s when it was discovered that the weapon worked very well when launched from multiple (7 or 19 tube) launchers mounted on helicopters. The 108-138m cm (42-55 inch) long rockets could be fired singly or in salvoes and gave helicopter pilots some airborne artillery for supporting troops on the ground. There are many variations in terms of warheads and rocket motors. Some versions could go over 10 kilometers.

Since the 1990s several firms have spent years to figure out how to turn 70mm (2.75 inch) unguided rockets into laser guided missiles. Most were designed to use existing the Hellfire missile fire control system. Several successful designs entered service by 2010. The APKWS began as a 2002 effort by an American firm, which could not get it to work. British firm BAE took it over and got it to work by 2007 and partnered with the American firm to sell it. APKWS, like its competitors, was built to be compatible with existing laser designators, and aircraft equipped to use Hellfire missiles. For helicopters, APKWS could also be adapted to use 7 or 19 tube launchers long employed for the unguided rockets. The big advantage of all these 70mm missiles is that it is one fourth the weight of a Hellfire, and one fourth the cost. That means AH-64s burn less fuel carrying them, and APKWS is as effective as a Hellfire in, for example, destroying the hundreds of small armed boats Iran plans to use in any war with the Arab states on the west coast of the Persian Gulf. But there are already many similar weapons available for this and few nations want to add what they consider a redundant weapon system.

This weight advantage made ground use attractive for specialized troops, like Special Forces. But before anyone would even consider a ground-t0-ground 70mm guided missile there had to be evidence that the air-to-ground version worked. The 70mm missiles eventually found some customers. In 2010 the U.S. Marine Corps tested APKWS II on their helicopter gunships and were so impressed that they bought many more. The marines armed their AH-1W helicopter gunships with the guided 70mm rockets and in 2012 marine AH-1Ws have fired over a hundred APKWS II in Afghanistan and none of them missed.

APKWS was adapted for use from a number of helicopters as well as fixed wing aircraft like the A-10, F-16, AV-8B, CN-235 gunship and A-29. APKWS has been exported to Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan and was used in 2017-18 in the fight against ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) in Iraq. There are now a growing number of 70mm air-to-surface and surface-to-surface versions in production or development.

Fletcher, for example, wont be shipping until late 2018 or early 2019. Developing a guided 70mm rocket took so long because the manufacturers underestimated the technical difficulties of getting the laser seeker and flight control mechanisms into that small a package, at a weight and price the customer could afford. The price of the new 70mm missile is now about $30,000 each. This is typical for these weapons and about a third less than a smart bomb and less than a third of what a Hellfire missile costs. Tests have shown that the ground based 70mm missile is reliable, thanks to over a decade of development and combat use of the air-to-ground version.

In tests the APKWS hit within a meter (a few feet) of the aiming point and has proved an excellent weapon for UAVs, especially since you can carry more of them. The launcher for carrying these missiles is designed to replace the one for Hellfire but can carry four missiles instead of one. UAVs can carry more of the smaller missiles, typically two of them in place of one Hellfire. It was work on this lightweight APKWS launcher and associated equipment that made it easier to design and build Fletcher.
Province 4 CM stresses on judicious distribution of resources

Province-4 Chief Minister Prihvi Subba Gurung has stressed the need to ensure judicious distribution of resources and means at all levels of the state.
THEFTS of Land Rover Defenders and their parts have risen sharply.

Stratford-upon-Avon-based NFU Mutual said it had seen a 14 per cent increase in claims since the last one rolled off the production line in 2016.

The rural insurer said farmers, who rely on the iconic 4x4 to farm and tend to livestock, are finding their vehicles stripped of parts such as bonnets and doors, or stolen altogether as demand from across the globe increases.

And according to its claims data, the region with the highest cost of Land Rover Defender thefts last year was the Midlands, followed by the North East and South East.

NFU Mutual has also reported a spike in other luxury 4x4s, including Range Rovers, claiming to have tracked them, with the help of the National Vehicle Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), as far afield as Africa and the Far East.

One of the most recent vehicles to be repatriated by NFU Mutual was a Range Rover Sport insured by the company and worth over 60,000, which was seized in Antwerp following an operation coordinated by NFU Mutual and NaVCIS.

Another recovery, of two Range Rovers covered with mattresses and worth over 100,000, was made from a shipping container in Felixstowe.

Clive Harris, agricultural vehicle specialist at NFU Mutual, said: Whether theyre compromising keyless technology or dismantling Defenders, thieves are deploying a range of tactics to feed demand for classic and modern 4 x4s from organised criminal gangs operating around the world.

While insurance can cover the cost of theft, it does not account for the inconvenience and business interruption experienced. People in rural areas are feeling increasingly vulnerable and farms, which rely on 4x4s for mobility as part their business, are left particularly hard hit.

Were urging owners to ensure they have adequate security measures in place which can range from using aftermarket mechanical immobilisers such as a steering wheel locks to trackers and faraday box solutions, which block out signals.
SSF-Nepal joins govt

Having been out of power for seven years, Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepalthe fourth largest party in the federal parliamentjoined the government on Friday by taking two ministries.
SL seeks $500 mn apparel trade deal with India View(s):

Sri Lanka is hoping to convince India to remove the existing quota system for the apparel industry and instead requesting a US$500 million worth trade deal.

Negotiations are currently underway between the two sides to ascertain whether the existing quota system for the sale of garments to India that is limited to eight million pieces annually worth $30 million could be altered to a higher $500 million worth, value-based system.

These negotiations are said to be part of the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) discussions between Sri Lanka and India.

Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association (SLAEA) Chairman Felix Fernando told the Business Times that the industry has already exhausted this years quota and the reason why changes to the system is being requested.

Industry analysts opine it was a doubtful agreement to pull through and noted that negotiations were still underway in this regard.

Indias burgeoning middle class has an eye on branded apparels and in this respect Sri Lanka has a market to cater to for a segment that is increasingly looking at quality purchases.

(SD)
Why did Sirisena suddenly do a bulti and render 100-day prog fatherless? View(s):

The billion buck question on the nations lips this Sunday morn is why did President Maithripala Sirisena,

having proudly claimed paternity to the 100-day programme designed to usher in a new democratic order for Sri Lanka, an order called Yahapalanaya, three and a half years ago ;

having participated at its conception even before he became exalted as president;

having been present at its birth not merely as a curious spectator but as an active midhusband to ensure its safe delivery;

having attended to its growth and nourishment; and,

having  as its the wish of every fond father  savoured the joy of seeing some fruits, at least, bloom on its tender boughs, suddenly do a bulti, and pass the buck of fatherhood to another and renounce all responsibility for its conception, birth and delivery. And went, this week, to the extent of declaring that he did not even know the colour of the baby. Whether it was yellow, black, brown or white?

The question asked  and what boggles the masses mind  is what made him make a surprise U turn? And denounce the 100-day programme as the stupidest, stupidest plan ever devised. He said it at a ceremony held this Wednesday at The Sri Lanka Foundation in Colombo 7 to commemorate the 75th birth anniversary of the most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, held by all as the architect of the Yahapalana doctrine on which the 100-day programme was based; and hailed by all as the engineer of Maithripala Sirisenas meteoric ascent to the presidency.

In his address as chief guest to the invited audience, Sirisena said:  I really do not know who came up with the 100-day programme. How can you carry out a 100-day Programme without power in Parliament? Can someone give me an answer to that? With only 47 MPs in Parliament, they draw up a 100-day programme. The election is on January 8. On 9th January, there is the swearing in. From January 10 and 11, the 100-days programme is announced. Booklets are printed containing the programme and distributed. Among its contents is the 19th Amendment. In which country in the world is it possible to bring about constitutional amendments with only 47 MPs in Parliament wanting it?

Hold on for a sec. Does he mean he had no idea of its contents? But he continues to rant.

He says: There is no mention of the dissolution of Parliament in the 100-day programme. Who made this programme? I like to tell those who drew up the 100-day programme, if you had the brains, you would have drawn it up so that Parliament can be dissolved after I am sworn in. That night Parliament could have been dissolved and we could have gone for an election. A 100-day programme was drawn up and Parliament could not be dissolved.

Er! But the 100-day plan was no legal document having legal force. Under the then existing constitution, the President could have dissolved parliament at any time of his choosing. Perhaps his advisors got it wrong to suggest to him that some handwritten document published in printed form was akin to a government gazette proclamation, promulgating a new enactment, a new amendment to the constitution which bound the presidents hands and forced him to comply and prevented him from dissolving a Parliament at the tail end of its term.

And didnt he read the document first before he propounded it to the masses and asked them to believe in it and swore, to implement it? And if he had read it, didnt he realise its import?

Extraordinary, isnt it that he should have had such a dramatic radical change of mind now? When he was the ardent advocate of the 100-day plan then? ? Did the thunder and lightning accompanying the heavy South West monsoon rains that fell last week make a blip on his political antenna, coupled as it was with the lunar full moon which shone brightest on Tuesday cause this astonishing change of heart?

In the run up to the 2015 January presidential elections, the Sirisena campaign was driven by the 100-day programme. It was the turbo fuel in his Yahapalana vehicle that would speed drive him to the presidential office gates.

Then in December 2014,, a few weeks before the presidential polls, he declared at a public meeting at Polonnaruwa the following:

Today I present to you the people a document containing a list of the things we intend to do. It contains details of the 100-day programme which we intend to implement no sooner we come to power. At this historic city of Polonnaruwa, before the Samma Sam Buddha I unequivocally swear that we, I undertake to bear the fullest responsibility to implement it and do so solidly.

But this Wednesday, he declared that the 100-day programme was the stupidest, stupidest plan he had seen and that he hadnt the foggiest not only as to who drafted the 100-day programme but also hadnt a clue as to what it contained, even though he had sworn at the historic city of Polonnaruwa, before the Samma Samm Buddha, to implement it to the full.

As he said this Wednesday,  I really do not know who made this 100-day programme.

And thats not all. He also spoke on the question of who gave Mahinda Rajapaksa helicopters to fly with his family to his Tangalle home that January 9th morning. He said he was not aware as to who had authorised it and had called the Air Force Commander as to who authorised it. He had been told that someone ahawala had used his name and done so.

However in April 2016, addressing a meeting at Moneragala he proudly proclaimed his magnanimity. He declared:  Tell me what other government in the world would gie a defeated leader to fly home in a helicopter. It was I who gave Mahinda Rajapaksa the helicopters to fly home.

But the question is rather academic now since Mahinda Rajapaksa shot back on Thursday and said, As far as I am aware I was still president of the country. The final result had yeat to be declared. Till the new president is sworn in I continue to be president.

Poor Sirisena. His team of advisers seem to have been ignorant of the legal import that though an existing president may have lost the election, he still continues to be president till the president elect is sworn into office. Take the United States for instance. Where the defeated or the retiring president remains in office and enjoys all the power and privileges of presidential office till the new one attends the inaugural ceremony two and a half months later after the results are announced. For the continuity of government, it is vital. Hence, the famed British hail: The king is dead, long live the king. There can be no power vaccum, even for a second.

But lets not be too harsh on Sirisena. He was not born or bred to be a leader. To be presidential material. He was whisked out from his crows nest as a fledgling and with flattery and praise made into an eagle. Or raised to the status of a lion as he said so himself this Wednesday.

He said: I do not come from a radala pedigree. I do not come from a political family. I do not come from a family of wealth. But when no one came forward to dare topple the Rajapaksa Family from their pedestal of power, they chose me. Some say, well, even if they had chosen a black crow, the crow would have won. But did anyone come forth? No. For there were none. They chose me for it was only I who was willing to come forward. And I came like a lion to meet the challenge.

Maithripala is no future Maithri Buddha born today. He shares the same strengths and the same weaknesses as the rest of us. But one thing stands out for which this nation must be thankful for. That he transformed the culture of violence, eliminated the psychosis of fear that had lingered for so long under the previous regime. And for that the nation should be grateful, for all his warts and all. And as far as corruption is concerned, well it has become so institutionalized in this country for the last 13 years, its a hard nut to crack. One cannot expect miracles on every front.

Dont forget to remember that unlike any other president the country had ever known, Maithripala rose from Mahinda mud but was one who bloomed unsullied. One whom not even Mahinda who claimed he had the files of all his Ministers and MPs, could cast one single stone against him.

Today the sacrifice he made risking all to take on the Mahinda Juggernaut is sadly forgotten by all. From day one Mahindas spectre had continued to loom over and haunt him. He and the coalition government he represented had to first deal with obstacle after obstacle that was placed in their stride before they could address their minds to the peoples problems. Its easy for armchair social media critics with their smart phones in hand to condemn both Maithripala and Ranil from the safety of their cosy drawing rooms under the cover of anonymity, squeaking like mice who had given litter to malicious rumours from their rat holes.. its quite another matter when ones rump feels the heat seated on the hot seat.

Take a look at Maithripala today. President of Sri Lanka. But would you want to be in his shoes today? He may have been elected by the majority of the people of Lanka with over six million voting for him but his power base in Parliament is controlled by Ranil Wickremesinghe of the UNP who only won the Colombo district with 500,000 votes. And today he finds himself driven further and further to the wall, If he had been the conqueror in 2015 January, what does he see now as he surveys the scene today. Was it just a pyrrhic victory?

His troops in disarray, with many of them having fled to the enemy embankment, with those few generals still with him only waiting to follow suit. With his own right hand man, the SLDP Secretary Duminda Dissanayake condemning his procrastinations this Monday and telling his leader Maithripala, as the SUNDAY PUNCH commented on May 20th, that he should take a crash course in keeping promises from Malaysias Mahathir and cracking down on corruption as promised, can you but help feel sorry for the man when he damns his own 100-day programme and claims ignorance as to its source and contents. Even, if one really probes deep, he has kept nearly seventy percent of the promised listed therein,

If, as it is said, life is lonely at the top, Sirisenas present plight epitomizes it. And through despair, his mind troubled and distraught with his advisers pandering to keep his spirits alive he ventures forth to attack his coalition partner.

Ranil Wickremesinghe advised his UNP troops not to react to President Sirisenas unwarranted attack on the UNP. Perhaps he too in his heart of hearts know that he owes a debt of gratitude to Sirisena. For without him he would not be prime minister today, nay, de facto president as Sirisena implied in his speech when he said he does not know what is happening around him and that the sins of his presidential term must be borne by someone else  his coalition partner.

Gratitude is a great quality and Ranil must be admired for possessing it. But, then again, perhaps, being the shrewd tactician and taciturn politician he is, Ranil is merely giving rope to his strange bedfellow whom adversity compelled him to share the mattress , to hang himself with. For the principle holds: When you know your foe is committing follies, dont go to correct him.

PS: President Sirisena, in his speech on Wednesday said that if the Ven Sobitha Thera is presently born in heaven to please shower his blessings upon his government. If the Venerable Thera is indeed reborn in the Thusitha heavens and condescends to cast his eye on the naralova holman natakya presently being staged to packed houses in Lanka, he would, no doubt, gain immense relief that his mortal remains were cremated and not interred. For had it been buried, his earthly corpus would not only be turning but somersaulting in its grave, aghast as to what is happening in Lanka today in the name of good governance.

One small Everest step for Johann:one giant leap for the Lankan man

SUNDAY PUNCH celebrates the triumph of human endeavour

Twelve days ago Johann Peiris demonstrated that he is not merely a tonsorial artist with a frail sensitive soul bent on styling womens hairdos in posh saloons but a hot blooded man of action who dares the mountainous slopes to swallow him whole in an avalanche of Himalayan snow, in his quest to reach its peak. And that if he had failed and faltered in achieving his ambition to conquer the worlds top most peak in his first attempt, then such failure would not serve as a damper on his spirit but would give new impetus to fire his will to strive better the second time round, and prove that failures are the mountains of success. At 5.40am on Sunday the 22nd of May whilst Lanka was stirring to rise to a rainy, cloudy, gloomy floody morning, Johann Peiris was waiting for sunrise at 5.55am Nepal time from the peak of Mount Everest. At temperatures, 20 or more degrees Celsius below zero with winds over 100 miles per hour howling around him. Two years ago in May, he had made the same journey, scaling step by step with each small step fraught with danger and death the earths tallest mount which stands 8,848 m or 29,029 ft in height in a bid to reach the rooftop of the world and shiver in its cold. That time he was not alone. He was accompanied by another Lankan mountaineer. His climbing partner, Jayanthi Kuru Utumpala. But climbing Everest was not like climbing Piduruthalagala, Lankas tallest mountain which stands at a diminutive height of just 2,524 m or 8,281 ft and whose ascent is akin to running up a staircase. In 2011 they had begun the ground work necessary and climbed the 6160 m high Island Peak, they had climbed Nepals Island Peak  some 6,160 m high  and the dormant volcanic mount of Kilimanjaro, which at 4,877 m from its base is the highest mountain in Africa, situated in Tanzania. Those were the trials they had to run to gain the confidence to make their assault on the mighty Everest. For Jayanthi climbing the tallest peak had been a childhood obsession. When she was asked as a child what she wanted to do when she grew up, the first thing that came to mind was always to say  climb Everest but she kept her lips sealed on that score thinking her aunts and uncles would think she was potty. But though the lips were zipped, her ambition was not. And it was propitious sign when a mutual friend introduced her to Johann as a person who shared the same dedication to mountaineering with a penchant take on Everest. For Johann, even after climbing the formidable Island Peak and the volcanic Kilimanjaro, seeing Everest for the first time from base camp, rendered him speechless. He was struck with awe. As he said two years ago, that first glimpse of Everest does something to you. Looking up at it, you are speechless. But climbing Everest is no walk in the park. Many stages attend its climb. Each one a challenge. Each stage a slippery tight rope walk with no safety net but only a plunge to death. After arriving at the foothills of the Himalayas, home to Everest, the base camp from whence every ambitious ascent begins, starts the more than 50 mile vertical journey with the first step embedded snow deep in courage; and every step thereafter dogged by the shadow of death. Once that is triumphed, you arrive at Camp One called the Valley of Silence and then to Camp Two. And thereafter its time to scale the Khumbu ice fall, considered one of the most dangerous stages on the route. If that is not enough to tax to the utmost the resilience of the toughest, the you have to cross the Bergshrund, a large crevasse that forms where moving glacier ice separates from the stagnate ice above. This has to be scaled for more than five hours which at some places are at an angle of 90 degrees. Then if you have survived the ordeal then onto Camp Three which sits at an elevation of 23,625 feet. Another six thousand or so feet to climb. Thats more than a mile. Then to Camp Four to rest briefly on the balcony and there to gasp stupefied at the first amazing glimpse of the roof of the world. Two years ago on the 21st of May, Vesak Poya day, both Jayanthi and Johann are seated on this balcony. The barrier that lie before them and the peak is the hardest, most dangerous part of all. No wonder it is called the Death Zone. The cemetery of the fallen. Eight thousand metres or 26,247feet up. Here there are over 200 bodies buried in a snowy grave. Men who came to conquer Sagarmth  as the Nepalese call their mount  and died in the attempt. Here an Indian climber Tsewang Paljor who was known for the green boots he had on, was killed in the 1996 blizzard on the mountain. And today his legs which stick out from the snow serve as his tomb stone, and climbers, on days when the snow sits lightly on Everests face, have to step over his protruding projectiles on this last lap to the summit. Here everyone one is  and has to be  for oneself. At 8pm sharp, Jayanthi leaves the balcony. It is heart rending to part from Johann but the disciplines of the mountain so demands it. Both have come a long way together, both have shared the same penance the mountain extorts from all climbers, both have supped together the same stale crust of sufferings moldy bread. But the separation has to be effected for Johanns time slot to begin his climb is an hour later at 9pm. That is the mountain code where everyone has to wait their turn to make the final assault, even as in life one must perforce await the allotted hour to rendezvous with death. No force can advance it. Nothing can delay it. Neither of them know nor can anyone foretell whether the morbid spectre that looms in their troubled minds now will materialize unannounced en route to the summit in the zone of death. At that moment lifes many illusions are fast melting; like the snow that lie all around them will thaw and melt if placed before the scorching heat of realitys sun. Neither one knows whether they will ever meet again. Each one has ones charted course, ones own line of destiny to inexorably follow. That is the only certainty that remains. If tears swell in Jayanthis eyes at that traumatic moment of parting, they will turn to ice the moment they fall upon her cheek, benumbed as they will be by cold in spite of the protective clothing worn. With one last hug of farewell, knowing full well it may be the last, she turns away and walks towards the rocky face of death to realise the stark truth of what her fate line holds in store for her. This is the last lap in the long climb; and, like a solitary monk on a lonely road, this final journey to keep ones tryst with fate, has to be embarked alone. This is the reality of all life so strikingly brought home on a cold and desolate patch of snow nearly six miles above sea level. Jayanthi attains the peak at dawn and becomes the first Lankan to conquer Everest. But for Johann the fates are against him. Its just not his day. The later hour changes the weather and with the air thinning even further breathing becomes more difficult. And he has no option but to return to camp Four and await his climbing partner. The peak so near and yet so far. But its still a magnificent endeavour. But though his spirits may have flagged at that bleak hour, his will to conquer remains stubborn. He has risked death once and had failed. Now, for the second time, he resolves willing to risk death again to realise his dream.

It takes him two years to plan and execute the next strike on Everest; and this time with no chaperone but on his own. To dare alone. And this 22nd of May at 5.40 Lankan time when Lankans were waking to a cloudy rain drenched day, Johann Peiris was in the clouds six miles high watching the sun rise. Take a double bow Johann. One for not giving up, for not letting failure to bury ambition and doom the spirit but for striving to achieve your goal. An example for all to follow. And the other bow is for becoming the first Lankan man to conquer the worlds highest peak  and for striking a blow for the Lankan male ego. Congratulations. All Lanka is proud of you.
Tall in the saddle

At sundown each evening, the New Baneshwor junction transforms into a melee of people desperate to get home.
Boyzone final tour 2018- Is Sri Lanka on their minds? View(s):

Keith Duffy, Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch, more popularly known as Boyzone will be celebrating their Silver jubilee this year.

Irish boy band, Boyzone have sent fans into overdrive after announcing their plans to release new music and tour as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations.

The pop group confirmed widespread speculation that something exciting was in the works by sharing their big news on social media, saying the whole band is incredibly proud of what theyve been secretly planning.

However, they have now confirmed that their next album, dedicated to the memory of late member Stephen Gately, will be their last and their 25th anniversary tour will be their farewell tour.

Despite the fact theyve all been pursuing solo projects from car dealerships to soap roles to singing for many years, Boyzone have never permanently split up.

The new dates across the UK this summer starts from June 29th in Cartmel, Lancashire. The tour will continue to London, York, Edinburgh and of course several gigs in homeland, Ireland. This is followed by hitting Asia before returning to Europe.

Although exact details have yet to be announced, the band will be in action in Singapore on August 21, at Prambanan in Jogjakarta, Indonesia on August 19 and in KL, Malaysia. However, apart from the confirmed touring dates, there will be one tentative date is already being planned for the Asian tour.

Is Sri Lanka on their minds?

Sri Lankan fans have to keep their fingers across for the latest news from the band. According to the news coming from Singapore, the Colombo Concert could be a reality before August 21. The Asian Leg of the Boyzone 25th Anniversary Tour starts on the 16th of August. However no mention of a Venue or Country is given for that date.

Ronan took to Instagram last Monday night to confirm the news for fans.

The news is out and yes, its true our new album will be the last for Boyzone, he wrote. Weve had twenty-five amazing years and we promise you that this will be our biggest and best year yet. Watch this space #BZ25

The group, which has racked up five No. 1 albums and sold more than 25 million records worldwide, was hugely popular in the 1990s and is behind smash hits such as Picture Of You and Baby, Can I Hold You, Working My Way Back to You, Love Me for a Reason, Key to My Life, So Good, Coming Home Now, A Different Beat, No Matter What etc.

They have plans to release a new album this year.
Environmental groups hit out at moves to relocate the last two elephants of Sinharaja View(s):

Four major environmental organizations have raised strong voices of protest against reported moves to relocate the last two elephants living in the Sinharaja Rainforest, a World Heritage Site.

We are appalled that a political decision has been made to capture and relocate the last two elephants remaining in the Sinharaja Rainforest, as indicated by media reports, states the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka (WNPS), the Federation of Environmental Organizations  Sri Lanka (FEO), the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle and Rainforest Sri Lanka, while suggesting several solutions to prevent people coming face-to-face with these elephants.

The relocation is being proposed following an incident in which a villager on the borders of the forest who went out of his home in the middle of the night, without a torch or other illumination, to defecate in the open, coming upon an elephant feeding there, thus meeting an untimely death, according to these organizations.

Explaining that walking out in the middle of the night in areas bordering any forest, without the advantage of a light, has its perils, and not just from elephants. These organizations point out that this unfortunate man may have met his end from the bite or attack of half a dozen other creatures that inhabit Sinharaja and its boundaries.

Had his death been caused by any other, this matter would have been recorded as an unfortunate accident but as it was an elephant, the unscrupulous have taken advantage of this. It is hoped that sense will prevail and rather than capturing these last two of their kind, they be studied and their role as elephants in this unique and precious forest will be better understood, the organizations state.

They provide the following possible solutions:

Collar the elephants and track their movements so that villagers may be warned if the animals are in the vicinity of their dwellings.

Guinea B (Sin. Mana) grass grows up to a height of six feet right to the edge of the roads frequented by villagers. This wall of foliage frequently prevents elephant and human knowing of the others presence until an elephant suddenly steps through. If this grass is cleared for several metres from the edge of the roads both elephant and human will see the other in time and so avoid confrontation.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) Office is at Kudawa, far from the usual haunts of these elephants which tend to be around the Ensalwatta area. If the DWC builds another office at Ensalwatta, DWC officers could respond to potential situations of conflict far quicker than at present and take appropriate action to resolve potential conflicts and, thereby, save lives.

Explaining that there is a draft National Management Plan for the Conservation of the Wild Elephant in Sri Lanka, a comprehensive document that addresses all aspects necessary to preserve the last populations of the wild elephant, inclusive of measures to reduce human-elephant conflicts that often result in tragedy for both; as it has and will, in this case, the organizations lament that this document has sat on the shelves of the Ministry of Wildlife awaiting adoption for some time now.

The draft Plan clearly states that relocation of elephants does not work, and alternative solutions are proposed. Of good example is the so-called Elephant Holding Grounds at Horowapathana, a fancy name for an Elephant Prison, to which so-called Problem Elephants, all male, are condemned. As per a media statement made by the present Deputy Minister for Wildlife, who recognizes its failure, of all the elephants imprisoned there, only 16 remain, the rest having either found means of escape, or died. After all, even elephants seek freedom when unjustly imprisoned, they state, adding that it is vital that the draft National Management Plan for the Conservation of the Wild Elephant in Sri Lanka is adopted and implemented for the safety of both human and elephant, and for the long-term preservation of the latter.

Going back in time these organizations state: Elephants once roamed the length and breadth of this country, from the heights of Horton Plains to the coastal scrub forests of the Dry Zone. Estimates of their numbers in the 1800s ranged from 30,000 and above. Then came conquest and colonialism and their population was systematically reduced as they were driven down to the Dry Zone. An estimate of around 6,000 was arrived at in a survey of 2011, though the methodology used was far from perfect. Notwithstanding, the numbers have reduced along with the rise in number of the human population, and the resulting loss in habitat over the last 150 years.

Today, there is a population of about 30 elephants in the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary and just these two at Sinharaja, the last remnants of Wet Zone mountain rainforest elephants left in Sri Lanka. When these remaining two are taken away, the last of this particular population would have gone. It could be argued that being both males, that they are doomed anyway. Yet there is time to study their relationship with the forest to discover if they play a role in its biological equilibrium? Sinharaja continues to hold many natural secrets, even today.

Sri Lanka has a 3,000-year documented record of conservation, driven by a philosophy that values all living beings. Is that to be sacrificed to politics and personal gain, ask the four organizations.
Tilted vessel makes big noise about ownership By Chris Kamalendran The craft that the SLPA thought belonged to the Navy had been at Galle Port for two years, without paying anchoring fees View(s): View(s):

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority came to know only recently that a vessel which tilted to a side during the recent stormy weather did not belong to the Navy but to a private company which now owes the SLPA a huge amount in anchoring fees.

The vessel had initially belonged to the Navy, but two years ago, the Navy had sold it at an auction. The A 541 type vessel named Lihiniya with a capacity to carry 100 passengers was bought by a former Navy officer for Rs 5.6 million. Since then, the 30-metre long vessel had changed hands twice, the Sunday Times learns.

An SLPA spokesman said that though the fees should have been paid immediately after the auction was completed by the Navy in 2016, it was only recently that the Navy had informed the SLPA about the transaction.

Until we were informed about the transaction, we were under the impression that the vessel belonged to the Navy. We were unaware that it had been sold. Now we understand the owners have to pay anchoring fees to the SLPA, the spokesman said.

SLPA Chairman Parakrama Dissanayake told the Sunday Times that it was the responsibility of the owners to make the payments.

However, Navy spokesman D.M.D.C. Bandara said that, soon after the ship was auctioned, the Galle Port had been informed about the auction and the transfer of ownership.

It is up to the Ports Authority to collect the anchoring fee from the owners, he said.

He said that although the tilted vessel was owned by a private company the Navy was involved in the operation to put it upright, as it was hindering the day-to-day operations of the port, which is popular among foreign yachts and tourists.

The vessel had hit another vessel anchored alongside it, causing damage to it, the Sunday Times learns.

A company spokesman claimed that though the Navys assistance had been sought, the company would bear the cost of the rescue operation and was also paying for cranes and other equipment used in the operation.

The operation was continuing on Friday with Navy divers using equipment such as lifting air bags. Two of the bags were damaged in the operation.
Letters to the Editor View(s):

Bhante Dhammika has little knowledge of the history of the Theosophical Society

REPLY TO BLIND FAITH IN THE THIRD EYE

I was furious  no, outraged - would be a better word to describe what I felt when reading Bhante Dhammikas (BD) article on the best-selling book written over 60 years ago , titled  The Third Eye.

Those who believed it were soon told it was merely fiction and the author was found to be a charlatan who happened to be a British citizen who had led a fairly unremarkable life. This in no way detracted from the book sales apparently. His subsequent sequels also sold well I think though I did not read them.

However The Third Eye was quite fascinating and as a teenager, I enjoyed it. Why BD chose to write on something that is so out of date I cant think. But what I DO find absolutely unacceptable are his comments on Madame Blavatsky and Theosophy.

I wonder if BD really knows anything about the history of the Theosophical Society? He should be made aware that if not for that great Theosophist, Henry Olcott, sent to Sri Lanka by Madame Blavatsky and Annie Besant, Buddhism may not have even survived the foreign invasions and rule of (then) Ceylon.

Henry Olcotts name is revered in our island to this day and under his influence over 400 Buddhist/Theosophical schools came into existence. An outstanding example of this is Ananda College whose first Principal was Charles Leadbeater, a well known Theosophist and tutor to the great sage J. Krishnamurti when he was a boy and was being brought up by Annie Besant. Krishnamurti called Mrs Besant Mother and looked upon her as such even after he disbanded the following Mrs. Besant had built up for him under the Theosophical Society.

While BD dismisses the Theosophical Society (TS) as an untidy mixture of western occultism, Asian superstitions and a sprinkling of authentic Buddhism it may interest him to know that many great minds belonged to the Theosophical Society and still do. The first Cabinet of India, including Jawaharlal Nehru, were members of the TS or at least were very close to Annie Besant (at that time President of the TS) who had a great deal to do with the freedom movement of India. Some modern historians regard her as being pro-imperialist. She did not want India to leave the Commonwealth (she was British after all) which it ultimately did not although India IS a Republic.

But there is no doubt that the Theosophical movement was a highly positive force at a historic time in countries like India and Sri Lanka. In fact one wonders if BD would have even been in Sri Lanka as a monk had not a great Theosophist come to the island and spearheaded a revival of Buddhism along with our own Anagarika Dharmapala who was himself a Theosophist I believe, or at least was close to Annie Besant and Olcott. In fact at one time Anagarika Dharmapala even wanted to live in Adayar where the Theosophical Headquarters is situated but eventually he settled down in Shanthi Niketan, Tagores school and haven.

Lobsang Rampa, the name taken by the author of The Third Eye, did give a sort of explanation for his deceit which is probably not accepted. He says his body was taken over by the spirit of a Lama and he was thus able to write such a book. Whether his body was thus occupied or he simply got to know a Lama from Tibet, the book is a fairly authentic account of the life of a young Lama. I ascertained this story from a Tibetan gentleman himself whom I got to know personally.

At this point may I mention that I have been a Theosophist all my life albeit not a very practising one. But its beliefs are still mine. Here is one that has now been accepted. I am a teacher of History and whenever I visited the Theosophical Society in India as a child with my highly erudite and educated parents, I would naturally pick up these teachings although I learnt to keep my mouth shut in general unless talking to Theosophists themselves. It is only now that many beliefs are being accepted by educated people all over the world and BDs comments are certainly most untimely and he comes across as being ill-informed of the history of Sri Lankan education.

The third eye being opened surgically is a strange addition. It is the Ajna Chakra in Hinduism which is opened  by prolonged meditation and certain practices and not through surgery. Nonetheless, there is a new type of Literature called FACTION literature which combines fact and fiction and very often does talk of esoteric facts but which are unacceptable to many and are therefore couched as fiction. One of these writers is Dan Brown who talks of the architecture of the American Constitutional Buildings and of Sacred Geometry. It is factually correct but it is more acceptable as fiction, hence the term faction.

Another such writer is the popular historical book author, Elizabeth Chadwick, who openly says she employs a reader of the Akashic records (another Theosophical belief that every world action is recorded). Her consultant is Alison King who has the ability to read these records and give Elizabeth Chadwick correct information on events that happened long ago.

In many of her latest books Chadwick openly mentions the Akashic records although she admits that she herself cannot access them. Nor can most people unless trained to do so, they say. I wish I could!

Religions are now openly accepting of the beliefs of other religions. In New York there is a group called Jo-Buds who are students of Buddhism but have not given up their own faith. How we reconcile all this is surely a personal matter. Certainly we do not need comments like those made by BD which cause grave offence.

Goolbai Gunasekara Via email

Plans underway to enhance Kandy as a heritage city and tourist destination

This is regarding the letter What has happened to my dear Kandy published on May 13, in the letters page of The Sunday Times, Plus, by T. S. A. de Silva from Dehiwala.

Currently a programme is being formulated a Greater Kandy Urban Plan  which is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the Urban Development Authority, Central Provincial Office as the main counterpart agency. The JICA project team includes Japanese specialists and local experts and professionals in various disciplines.

The objective of this project is to enhance the value and attractiveness of Kandy as a historic and tourist destination by restoring its historic townscape.

The expected outputs of this initiative are,

1. To revise the urban development vision of the Greater Kandy Urban Plan

2. To formulate the detailed plan for the heritage area

3. To recommend the implementation including a strategic investment proposal for the Greater Kandy Urban Plan

The area for the revision of Urban development Vision includes 10 Divisional Secretariat areas coming under the Kandy District, namely, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Akurana, Pathadumbara, Kundasale, Gangawata Korale, Harispaththuwa, Yatinuwara and Udunuwara with a population of 902,000 in 2012 and an area of approximately 600 sq..k.m administered by 13 local authorities.

The area for the detailed plan is designated as Heritage Area in the Greater Kandy Urban Plan, with four zones with an area of approximately 2sq.km.

Further details and the progress of the GKUP project can be obtained via the following links.

1. JICA GKUP Project office, Urban Development Authority (Central Provincial Office), 18, Keppetipola Rd, Kandy.

2. Email: kampsjica@gmail.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GKUP.Kandy/

3. Tel: (+94) -81-792-5264

Director,

Central Province Office,

Urban Development Authority

Thank you for the most wonderful Mothers Day gift  my sons precious life

It was Vesak Poya. Colombo was decorated with lanterns and lamps of all hues. There was light everywhere except in the souls of a family who were seated at a leading hospital with palpitations of fear and dread. Darkness filled their hearts as their beloved husband, father and son had just been rushed to the CCU.

In came the Cardiologist who immediately sent the patient to the Operating Theatre. The angiogram graphically displayed the image of the main artery with a 99 per cent block and a large block in close proximity to the heart. According to the doctor, the patient had very limited time, therefore a bypass or open heart surgery had to be ruled out. He went ahead and performed interventional surgery or angioplasty. Within 45 minutes the patient was wheeled back into the CCU with his heart functioning normally.

It was indeed miraculous! It is the total dedication and humaneness of cardiologists and physicians of Dr. Gotabahaya Ranasinghes calibre that infuse light and hope into innumerable hearts.

On behalf of our whole family, permit me to express our overwhelming gratitude to Dr Gotabhaya and also with the grace of God wish him a long life of delivering his exemplary service to people. As Sri Lankans we are extremely proud of you Sir and you have given me the most extraordinary gift for Mothers Day  my sons precious life.

Jamna Padmanaban Colombo

Tuition business captured so well in following verse

In response to J. W. Dewasiris recent letter regarding tuition posters I am reminded of a famous baila composed and sung by our very own Desmond Fernando- if I remember right.

The first verse goes like this:

Hai hai, salli kokka tuition master

All the lessons vikunawa gahana posters

College ekay ice pitin, garage ekay

class putting!

Kalu kada Mudalali nethar master!

There are many verses to this humorous song sung to a baila tune. One verse of this song says that the tuition master at first owned only a push cycle but now he drives a Benz!

Perhaps its true.

Mrs V.Y.D Mount Lavinia

Noisiest place in the city

Recently I visited my elder brother who has been living at Ward Place, Colombo 7 for more than 30 years, in an apartment opposite the National Dental Institute, Colombo. This place is supposed to be a silent zone but it seemed as if it is the noisiest place in the city. The unbearable sound is caused by vehicles tooting their horns, particularly heavy vehicles including state and private buses.

Residents whose houses face the roadside cannot open their windows for fresh air and light. This state of affairs has been going on for the past three decades. The authorities concerned should take some action  the University Grants Commission which is also located here faces the same problem.

Who will bell the cat?

M. Macillamani Kokuvil
Vesak Day at the London Buddhist Vihara View(s):

The London Buddhist Vihara celebrated this years Vesak Day on May 27,Sunday, closest day to the full moon day of the month of May, with a full days religious programmes. A separate programme for Rahula Dhamma School children was held on Saturday, 26th.

The Vesak programme commenced with the hoisting of the Buddhist flag by the Acting High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom, Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, followed by the lighting of the traditional lamp. Head of the London Buddhist Vihara and the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera administered the Eight Precepts, Ata Sil. More than 150 devotees from various communities observed Ata Sil.

Ven. Thawalama Bandula Thera conducted the Buddha, Buddha Vandana followed by a short instruction and practice session on meditation by Ven. Kalugamuwe Kassapa Thera. Ven. H.Pannavamsa Thera delivered the morning sermon entitled  Conditional Relations. Ven. Kassapa Thera conducted Buddha Puja. Vesak days mid day Dhana for the Maha Sangha, devotees who observed Ata Sil and lunch for the others was arranged by Priyantha Perera and family, Ravi Sandhanayaka, Bandula De Silva, Kapila,Jayanthi, Shanthi, Hiranthi and their friends and families.

Dr Aruna Gamage, a Senior Lecturer at the Kelaniya University, presently at SOAS, University of London, gave a special talk on  Ultimate Truth hidden in indirect teaching in Tripitaka. Renowned astronomer Prof. Chandra Wickramasinghe delivered the Vesak Days keynote speech.. His talk was based on Buddhism and the Cosmos, Extending the bounds of human sympathy.

The programme ended with a Bhakthi Geetha programme by the Dhamma School teachers and parents.
The time that education saved my life By Mohamed Sidibay, exclusively to the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka View(s): View(s):

Mohamed Sidibay is a youth representative to the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, a peace activist at the Global Partnership for Education, and a former peace ambassador with the My Hero Project.

NEW YORK  My family was murdered before I could tie my shoes. As a young boy in Sierra Leone, years that should have been playful and carefree were spent fighting in someone elses war. For me, childhood was a nightmare; escape always seemed impossible. But when the war officially ended, in 2002, I began finding ways to recover. One of the most important has been an opportunity I couldnt have imagined as an angry, illiterate, nine-year-old soldier: school.

I am living proof of the transformative power of education. Thanks to hard work and lots of good fortune, I managed to graduate from high school and then university.

Now, in just a few months, I will begin graduate classes at the Fordham University School of Law, an unimaginable destination for most of the former child soldiers in my country.

And yet, throughout my brief educational journey, one question has always nagged me: why did luck play such a crucial role? After all, education is supposed to be a universal human right. If only it were that simple.

Today, more than 260 million children are out of school, and over 500 million boys and girls who do attend are not receiving a quality education, as the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity discovered. By 2030, more than half of the worlds school-age children  some 800 million kids  will lack the basic skills needed to thrive or secure a job in the workplace of the future.

Addressing this requires money. But while education may be the best investment a government can make to ensure a better future for its people, education financing worldwide is far too low. In fact, education accounts for just 10% of total international development aid, down from 13% a decade ago. To put this in perspective, developing countries receive just $10 per child annually in global education support, barely enough to cover the cost of a single textbook. In an age of self-driving cars and smart refrigerators, this dearth of funding is simply unacceptable.

Over the past few years, I have advocated on behalf of three global education initiatives  the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (Education Commission), the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and the Education Cannot Wait fund (ECW). I have done so eagerly, because these organizations are working collectively toward the same goal: to raise funds to make quality education for every child, everywhere, more than a matter of luck.

One of the best ways to do this is by supporting the International Finance Facility for Education, an initiative spearheaded by the Education Commission that could unlock the greatest global investment in education ever recorded. Young people around the world understand whats at stake. Earlier this month, Global Youth Ambassadors presented a petition, signed by more than 1.5 million children in some 80 countries, to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling for the UN to support the finance facility.

By leveraging roughly $2 billion in donor guarantees, the finance facility aims to make $8 billion in new funding available to countries that need it most. If adopted widely, the programme could make it possible for developing countries to provide quality education to millions more children, including refugees, young girls, and former child soldiers like me.

Politicians often say that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. Thats true; we are. But platitudes not backed by financial support are meaningless. Simply put, the world must unite to fund quality education for everyone. The International Finance Facility for Education  which is already backed by the World Bank, regional development banks, GPE, ECW, and numerous UN agencies  is among the best ways to make that happen.

Twenty years ago, law school was an impossible dream for me. Today, thanks to hard work, global support, and much good fortune, my future is brighter than it has ever been. But my story should not be an exception. To ensure that others can gain a quality education and follow the path that has opened up to me, we must remove luck from the equation.

Mohamed Sidibay is a youth representative to the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, a peace activist at the Global Partnership for Education, and a former peace ambassador with the My Hero Project.

(The write is a youth representative to the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, a peace activist at the Global Partnership for Education, and a former peace ambassador with the My Hero Project.

 Project Syndicate.

www.project-syndicate.org
The un-heroic hero

Its an overcast evening and Bipin Karki is at a studio in Anamnagar that he has been frequenting to finalise the sound mixing for Hari, his latest film. With a disarming personality and an infectious smile, it is at times hard to believe that in three short years since his breakthrough with Pashupati Prasad, Karki has become one of the most bankable stars in the Nepali film industry. But even Karkiwho exudes no aura youd associate with filmstarsis aware that he is not the typecast of what a hero in a film should look, or behave, like.
Traffic Police vow to enforce reforms

A senior officer of the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) on Friday announced stringent enforcement of laws to bring order and discipline on the chaotic roads of the city as part of the Home Ministrys traffic reforms campaign.
Travelling through time to arrive at today

The Himalayan Arc: Journeys East of South-east brings together a collection of writings that explore modernity in the South Asian region. The onset of modernity in the region can be traced to Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of the first nation-state in South Asia, whose campaign to gobble up tiny hill principalities and larger kingdoms in a military juggernaut was partly successful, writes Amish Raj Mulmi in an essay featured in the book, because the Shah king had developed a political ideal that allowed a people to pledge their allegiance to the modern abstraction of an amorphous, unchanging state.
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After racist rant on Twitter, many are concerned about comedian and actress Roseanne Barr's mental state. The actress came under fire after she compared former President Barack Obama's adviser, Valerie Jarrett, to an ape.

Roseanne's Out Of Control Spiral

Though the comedian has been known to push the limit when it comes to jokes she's made in the past, Barr has crossed the lines this time. The actress tweeted that Jarrett was the creation of a Muslim Brotherhood and planet of the apes.

Following the outlandish comment, Barr's successful sitcom, Roseanne, which was also recently rebooted, was canceled by ABC Network. Barr removed the tweet and posted an apology on her social media account where she blamed the drug Ambien for her careless comment. The actress admitted in the past that she was bipolar and has had several mental breakdowns; however, others are now convinced that she could be suffering from other mental issues.

Late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel shared on his social media page that the actress is "not well" and attacking her is not the solution to the problem. Actor Tom Arnold stated that the revival of her show may have done more harm than good. Arnold stated during an interview with Anderson Cooper that he "had a feeling this was going to happen" after reading her tweets that touched on various conspiracy theories.

Since the cancellation of her show, Barr has continued to use her Twitter to post "defiant" tweets and suggest that her show was canceled because of a group that is known as FBR (follow back resistance).

"They muster up their folk to make thousands of calls to take ppl off the airwaves," Barr tweeted.

What Is Ambien?

Ambien is a sleep medication that is used to treat insomnia, a disorder that means a person has troubling sleeping or staying asleep. Ambien is classified as a sedative-hypnotic drug.

Side effects of Ambien include vomiting, crying, nervousness, and panic attacks. Ambien should be taken right before a person goes to bed.

Barr's tweet that mentioned Ambien was the cause of her racist comment, received backlash from the manufacturers of the company. In response to the remark, the company shared on its social media that the drug was "not responsible" for Barr's remark.

Barr later posted another message stating that she was not "blaming" the drug.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Researchers find a mummified green hand of a human baby buried in the medieval cemetery in southern Hungary. Along with it is the discovery of an unusual method of mummification.

When scientists first discovered the mummified baby hand in 2005, they were stumped as to how the child's remains turned green. Now, more than a decade after making their discovery, biological anthropologist Janos Balazs of the University of Szeged has finally cracked the code of the mysterious mummified baby hand.

Balazs and his colleague and translator Zsolt Bereczki, also an anthropological biologist, first discovered the mummified remains of a baby at a medieval cemetery in Nyarlonic, a village in southern Hungary.

Mummified Green Baby Hand

More than 500 graves dating back to 1200 and 1600 were discovered in the archaeological excavation. However, none of them contained mummified remains and were tinged with green.

The remains were so small that it could have been mistaken for that of a rat. The baby's right hand was still covered in green flesh, but the bones of other parts were also green. These include the child's hip bone, leg bones, and the bones of each forearm. Balazs estimates that the child would have been 11 to 13 inches long and weighed 1 to 2 pounds.

At present, the discovery is on display at Hungary's More Ferenc Museum in Szeged.

Copper Mummification

The researchers have postulated earlier that the mummified hand may have somehow come in contact with some sort of metal, most likely copper. Green bones are not that unusual. In fact, researchers have previously uncovered human remains colored green because of their exposure to copper.

The Merovingian ruler Queen Arnegunde, for example, was found in her sarcophagus with one of her lungs preserved due to the presence of a copper belt. As far back as 1888, researchers found the preserved brain of a Native American whose head was covered by a piece of copper from ear to ear.

A chemical analysis of the baby's remains shows extremely high concentrations of copper. The researchers say they have never seen such high amounts of copper in a mummy before.

They did not know how exactly this happened until Balazs found that other objects where the mummy was found were housed in a nearby museum.

Completing The Puzzle

The researchers also found the missing pieces of the puzzle, which took them more than 10 years to complete. Balazs discovered a small ceramic pot where, he believes, the child was placed before burial, including a corroded copper coin that was placed on the baby's right hand. The child was most likely in a crouching position, which would explain why other parts of its skeleton are also green.

Some early cultures bury their dead with coins, believing that they would help pay for their passage into the afterlife. However, the Kreuzer or the copper coin that was buried with the child was used from 1858 to 1862. This means that the child would have been buried far after the medieval graveyard was abandoned. The early Christians of that time were not recorded to practice the same tradition.

Balazs speculates that someone must have given birth to a stillborn baby or a premature baby who died quickly after birth. In accordance with some unknown practice, someone placed a Kreuzer into the baby's hand, probably in the hopes that it would pay for a baptism at the gates of heaven.

"They kind of succeeded at saving not necessarily the soul, but some kind of legacy of this little kid," says Bereczki, "because here we are still talking about the baby and the circumstances of its burial 150 years later."

The study is published in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung is reportedly teaming up with Babylon to offer artificial intelligence-powered medical consultations on smartphones in the UK.

For those unfamiliar with Babylon, it's an ambitious startup best known for its "GP at Hand" collaboration with the NHS in the UK, which allows people to easily schedule medical consultations through video chat.

AI-Powered Medical Consultations

The startup is now taking things to the next level with its new partnership with Samsung, reportedly pre-loading its AI-powered technology on Samsung devices so that more people can set up video medical consultations with a doctor. Customers will also be able to use the Health app to check their symptoms.

In the digital era, marrying healthcare with mobile is an increasingly hot topic. Health apps and devices are constantly gaining ground and Apple even made efforts to bring digital health records to iPhones to make things easier and more convenient for people.

Medical Consults On Samsung Phones

As the Financial Times reports (paywall), cited by Engadget, Babylon's new partnership with Samsung should further boost its position on the private medical care market. While not specified, this indicates that the AI-powered technology might allow Samsung users to book video consultations with private medical professionals.

However, as one might imagine, this will be a paid service. According to FT, interested customers will be able to pay 50 for a whole year of service, which would translate to roughly $67, or shell out 25 for each appointment, which would be about $33. In this case, the annual subscription would obviously be more advantageous, but it remains unclear whether there's a limit of appointments or benefits one could receive.

Samsung Babylon Deal

As part of this arrangement, Babylon will reportedly get license fees from Samsung, as well as part of the revenues the South Korean company earns. It seems that the initial plan is to offer the benefits of this collaboration only on Samsung smartphones in the UK, but Babylon reportedly plans to conquer more global markets and make the same perks available worldwide.

If everything goes right and the initiative is met with enthusiasm, it could soon become available in more markets. For the time being, neither Babylon nor Samsung have confirmed the deal, anyway, so it's best to take this report with a grain of salt until it becomes official.

If Samsung and Babylon Health do, indeed, plan to offer such services, would you be interested? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Researchers suggest that a baby's teeth could help diagnose autism. The study, which was conducted by a team of researchers in New York City, showed how the growth of teeth can be the key to determine if babies will suffer from the disorder.

It's In The Tooth

The paper focused on how children metabolize metals, which is critical to the neurodevelopment in early life. A disparity in this process is linked to autism spectrum disorder. The researchers noted that children form a new layer of teeth each day as they get older, which shows the chemicals in their body are circulating. The authors of the study examined 200 baby teeth from twins in Sweden. The team of scientists used lasers to examine whether zinc-copper cycles were different in the ones who had autism.

Results show that zinc-copper cycles in fetuses and children who suffer from autism were affected in different ways than those who did not have the disorder. The scientists were able to replicate this same process for children in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The data allowed the team to create an algorithm that was 90 percent accurate in distinguishing children's teeth that had autism and those that did not.

This study was published in the journal Science Advances.

Can This Help Prevent ASD?

Autism is described as a range of conditions that are categorized by challenges in social skills, communication, and repetitive behaviors.

The most obvious signs of autism appear in children between the ages of 2-3 years old. However, there have been some cases where it was detected in as early as 18 months old. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control has estimated that 1 in 59 children have ASD in the United States.

One of the authors from the study, Dr. Manish Arora, stated that one of the big challenges in regards to autism is developing a biochemical assay that can identify those who are at risk of having autism later in life.

"At present, the commonly used diagnostic tools are based on clinical assessments and observations, which cannot be used at birth," Dr. Arora continued.

Dr. Andrew Adesman commented that the analyses were done after the teeth were shed and it may not allow other health experts to determine if the child has autism. Adesman, however, said that it can help other studies identify other prenatal markers for autism.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Five hundred million years ago, two galaxies teeming with gases and roughly of the same mass crashed into each other, forming a peculiar new galaxy that served as host for the birth of thousands of new stars. NASA has released a brand new, high-definition image of the collision on May 31.

How Is A Starburst Galaxy Formed?

By most accounts, NGC-3256 is an unusual galaxy. It is classified as a starburst galaxy, which is characterized by a rapid rate of star formation followed by a quick decline. Starburst galaxies are far more common during the early ages of the universe. Astronomers have recorded observations of starbursts galaxies that are 12 billion light-years away.

In comparison, NGC-3256 is a much younger formation. The galaxy is approximately 100 million light-years away, making it one of the most promising candidates for scientists to study the behavior of starburst galaxies and the formation of stars.

The latest image of NGC-3256 was taken by the fourth-generation Wide Field Camera 3 and the third-generation Advanced Camera for Surveys. Both are part of NASA/ESA's Hubble Space Telescope and are two of the two most sophisticated instruments to take high-definition images of objects in space.

One Of The Brightest Objects In The Sky

In the southern sky is the constellation Vela, a celestial pattern of the sails of a ship which is home to NGC-3256. The galaxy is part of the Hydra-Centaurus Supercluster and is approximately the size of our own Milky Way.

At the center of NGC-3256 sits around 1,000 clusters of young blue stars, which were formed due to the frenzied collision of dust and gases that resulted from the two galaxies merging into each other.

As a result, the galaxy has an extremely bright center, thanks to the brilliant young stars forming in clusters in the middle. As stars form, they emit a lot of ultraviolet light. The dust from the collision absorbs this light and emits it back out as infrared rays. This is why stars in their early years are very bright, making a starburst galaxy one of the most luminous infrared objects in the universe.

The Death Of A Starburst Galaxy

NGC-3256 still bears evidence of the collision. Data from the Hubble Space Telescope shows it currently has two nuclei, each of which formed the center of the two galaxies that now comprise it.

At the center of the galaxy is a web of dark dust and a disk of dust that spins around both nuclei. The southern nucleus is obscured by the tangle of dust and can only be observed with the use of X-ray, infrared, and radio waves.

In another 100 million years, both nuclei will fuse to form one central point for the galaxy, and NGC-3256 itself will mature and turn into an elliptical galaxy.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Xiaomi just unveiled the Mi 8, its first-ever flagship phone with a notch, adding to the growing list of Android devices that have copied Apple's infamous and highly contentious iPhone X design.

The Mi 8 has a 6.21-inch 2,248 x 1,080 OLED display made by Samsung, which means it's got one of the best screens there is. On the bottom is a thick chin, and the notch atop houses a 20-megapixel selfie shooter.

Xiaomi Mi 8

The phone looks and feels luxurious, with an aluminum frame and a four-way curved glass back panel to prove it. In terms of guts, the phone has the whole nine yards: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, Adreno 630 GPU, 6 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of non-expandable local storage. The display is HDR10-compatible and also supports DCI-P3, which means users will get rich, vivid colors. In terms of software, it runs on Android 8.1 on top of Xiaomi's MIUI 10 skin.

The dual cameras on the back, both 12 megapixels, got an overall score of 99 on camera benchmark testing site DxOMark, the same as the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, and just a few points behind Huawei P20.

What's more, Xiaomi says the Mi 8 is the first phone to ever use dual-frequency GPS, which apparently gives more accurate location data.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition

Aside from the standard Mi 8, there's also an Explorer Edition with an in-display fingerprint sensor that uses pressure sensitivity. It also has 3D facial recognition technology similar to Face ID, and even features Xiaomi's own take on Animoji. Most strikingly, the Explorer Edition features a transparent back panel that gives a glimpse of the phone's internals.

Xiaomi Mi 8 SE

Finally, there's also the Mi 8 SE variant, a smaller, cheaper, and less powerful version of the Mi 8. It has a 5.88-inch OLED display and is one of the first phones to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor. Yes  it also has a notch like its two larger siblings.

The Mi 8 is priced at CNY 2,699  about $421  while the Explorer Edition is priced a bit higher at CNY 3,699  about $577. The Mi 8 SE is, of course, much cheaper at CNY 1,799  about $281. As one would expect from Xiaomi, these are highly competitive prices. Unfortunately for U.S. customers, Xiaomi phones rarely get proper release dates stateside, so don't expect these phones to arrive here anytime soon.

The Mi 8 comes out June 5 in China, with the Mi 8 SE following on June 8. The Explorer Edition will arrive much later, though it's unclear when exactly. International pricing remains to be announced.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A 50-year-old woman from Australia is looking to raise awareness on the dangers of sleeping with makeup on after she almost lost her eyesight from doing it for 25 years.

Removing makeup before sleeping may be tedious to do, especially when one comes home tired and just want to get to bed. However, this scary experience should convince women to always remove makeup before sleeping.

Effects Of Always Sleeping With Makeup On

Theresa Lynch, from Sydney, Australia, almost went blind after failing to remove her mascara properly over 25 years, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Lynch went to seek medical advice due to an uncomfortable sensation underneath her eyelids, alongside eye irritation and discharge.

Doctors discovered calcified bumps or concretions beneath her eyelids due to the mascara building up there for many years. Fragments of mascara deposited under her eyelids over 25 years that Lynch did not remove her makeup before sleeping.

"The lumps were embedded so deep that particles were building up on top of each other," said Lynch. "I was so uncomfortable. My eyelids were swollen and heavy because I left it for so long."

Eye Makeup Almost Causes Blindness

After the horrifying discovery, Lynch had to undergo a 90-minute surgery to remove the mascara fragments that had built up underneath her eyelid. The surgery was successful, but the buildup has left behind a permanent scarring on the surface of the cornea and the eyelid that will continue to cause discomfort.

According to Dr. Dana Robaei, who attended to Lynch for the eye issue, the bumps beneath her eyelid were rubbing on the surface of her eye every time she blinked. If a scratch left on her eye by one of the bumps was infected, Lynch would have been exposed to the risk of blindness.

Dr. Robaei compared Lynch's injuries to someone being thrown sand into their eye, resulting in constant irritation until all the particles were moved. She advised women to take the removal of their mascara and the rest of their makeup seriously or else, they may be exposed to the same risks that almost cost her vision.

Dr. Shahriar Nabili, from the BMI Ross Hall Hospital in Scotland, said that mascara and eyeliner may cause infections and irritations. She added that the best way to prevent similar issues is to remove makeup properly before sleeping. Both Lynch and Dr. Robaei are advocating this advice to stop women from facing such eye health problems.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung might announce the Galaxy Note 9 on August 9, which, if true, would be two weeks earlier than when the Note 8 was announced last year.

The report comes from Bloomberg, which adds that Samsung intends to release the phone by the end of August. If so, Samsung would have the opportunity to get a head start against this year's reported iPhone models. Last year, Samsung put the Galaxy Note 8 on sale shortly after Apple unveiled the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, presumably as a way to steal some of Apple's potential consumer base.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Announcement

Samsung was actually planning to announce the Galaxy Note 9 much earlier than August, the report says, but it was delayed because of last-minute changes, according to separate reports.

It's not clear just how drastically changed the Galaxy Note 9 would be from its predecessor, but Bloomberg notes Samsung plans to highlight the phone's upgraded camera capabilities. That likely means the phone will get the variable aperture feature that debuted on the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus earlier this year. The feature, for the uninitiated, allows the phone to switch between two aperture modes, which supposedly helps capture more light in low-light situations.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Specs

The phone will also supposedly come with a new Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, which is par for the course for a 2018 flagship phone. Beyond this, information about the rest of its specs are currently up in the air  but this is a Galaxy Note phone, so expect a premium device through and through. An AMOLED display is pretty much a shoo-in, plus a fingerprint scanner. Some reports say, however, that Samsung is working on an in-display fingerprint sensing technology, but it's not clear whether this will debut on the Galaxy Note 9. A report in March said it won't.

RAM is reportedly going to be 6 to 8 GB, and there will be a 512 GB storage option.

The above being said, Bloomberg notes that plans may still shift around the announcement date. As The Verge notes, Samsung has unveiled new Galaxy Note models near the beginning or middle of August in the past, so the rumored schedule for the next Note flagship isn't too farfetched. Even still, one should take all these rumors with a grain of salt.

What would you like to see on the Galaxy Note 9? In your opinion, would the variable aperture be sufficient enough of an upgrade? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A group of Baton Rouge citizens, community and criminal justice leaders met at the LSU Museum of Art on Friday for the first of a series called "Dialogue on Race and Policing."

Aimed at improving the relationship between law enforcement and the community, the program is a collaboration between Dialogue on Race Louisiana, a local nonprofit working to eradicate racism, and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a national non profit working to secure equal justice.

The program brought together Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul, Louisiana's NAACP President Mike McClanahan, local prosecutors, advocates and academics to discuss race and policing. East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux was scheduled to attend but did not make it, though a spokeswoman for Gautreaux's office said Maj. Willie Stewart attended in his place.

"To have the kind of prestigious level of people in that room sitting around, having an open honest conversation ... is just novel," said Maxine Crump, president and CEO of Dialogue on Race Louisiana. "They were engaged and they willingly cooperated.

The dialogue is set up in three parts. The first one, on Friday, focused on the history of policing. On subsequent Fridays, they will be talking about "the perception of fairness and procedural justice" and "catalyzing change with dialogue."

The group will also meet in July to develop actions plans to take address race and policing.

It was really impossible to discuss policing without discussing race in Baton Rouge," said Myesha Braden, director of the criminal justice project for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. "Policing is not something that happens separate and apart from (the community). We want to encourage a renewed focus on collaboration."

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+3 'I lacked so much understanding': BR group takes on uncomfortable topic of racism in wake of summer 2016 It may not be everyone's cup of tea to pay money to sit around a conference table of strangers and talk about racism for two hours every Thurs

The media were not permitted to attend the dialogue Friday, though Crump said it went well.

Crump said participants discussed how race played a part in the building of Interstate 110 through Baton Rouge and remains a symbol of racism, because it was built through communities of color, dividing neighborhoods. And, she said, they discussed the protests that erupted after the shooting of Alton Sterling in July 2016.

"Policing and race are very interconnected in our historical founding," Crump said. She said she tries to provide "a greater understanding what that foundation was, and how that may continue to impact ... today."

Braden said she looks forward to taking such a dialogue on race elsewhere in the country, because the issue is far from unique to Baton Rouge.

"Hopefully this dialogue is the first of many," Braden said.
The Louisiana Legislature is in a race to the finish line, as the Monday end to its second special session draws near with no finalized budget nor tax measures.

"We know what the solution is," Senate Finance Chair Eric LaFleur said in a committee meeting Friday. "We just haven't gotten to the point where we make that vote, which will be in the next couple of days."

Senate Finance will return on Saturday to advance its version of the budget to the Senate floor. The full Senate anticipates taking up the budget and tax bills on Sunday. The special session must end by midnight Monday.

"This weekend is very important. This is when the rubber is going to hit the road," Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee said.

The Legislature is attempting to address the $650 million "fiscal cliff" the state faces when more than $1 billion in temporary taxes expire June 30. A special session earlier this year on the same topic collapsed after the House repeatedly rejected tax measures.

This time, the House has signed off on a sales tax bill, but the more conservative lower chamber does not want to raise more than $400 million in tax revenue and some in the Senate are seeking to cover the entire gap at the urging of Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, to prevent deep cuts to state services.

+2 Louisiana spending plan: Budget passes House; see what it funds, next steps needed The Louisiana House has a spending plan  a nearly $28.5 billion general operating budget, plus another $400 million in funds contingent upon 

The two sides have two days to reconcile their differences or end another session without addressing the cliff. The Legislature would be forced into yet another special session to finish up its work on the state budget before July 1 if no spending plan is finalized by Monday night.

The House on Thursday advanced its version of the budget largely in two separate measures. House Bill 1 reflects the budget as it currently stands. A separate House Bill 35 outlines where money will go if more revenue is raised.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne on Friday suggested that the Senate may seek to merge the spending proposals into one.

Senate panel advances sales tax bill; 'It won't pass' lower chamber in new form, House leader warns A Senate panel late Wednesday night dramatically altered a sales tax measure meant to shore up the state's finances ahead of a looming fiscal 

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Under the House-approved budget, the Department of Health, which at $13 billion has the largest budget of any state agency, would be cut about $100 million in state funds, which becomes a more than $500 million hit when associated federal dollars are factored.

"That is $540 million in services that people rely on," Gee said. "We need a budget fix that meets the needs of the people of this state."

The House added protections for the state's safety net hospitals, Medicaid waiver programs and nursing homes, after the Edwards administration sent thousands of letters last month to nursing home residents and others notifying them that funding was at risk. The letters made national news as nursing home residents worried about being kicked out of their homes.

The private partners that operate some of the state's safety net hospitals also had sent notices to employees that if funding was slashed, they could lose their jobs.

Health care services at risk this time include the Pediatric Day Healthcare program, which offers care for medically fragile children; school-based health; health care for people who qualify for federal services but are on a wait list; and mental health and substance abuse treatment; among others.

"In the midst of an opioid epidemic we wouldn't have anywhere for people to get detox, in-patient treatment or out-patient treatment," Gee said. "It's really concerning."

She said the elimination of psychiatric hospital beds and cuts to other mental health programs pose a public safety risk.

"People end up in the criminal justice system or an institution or in some cases perpetuating violent crimes because they don't have access to mental health care," Gee said.

The popular Taylor Opportunity Program for Students also has been cut in the House proposal. It calls for funding TOPS at 80 percent in the main budget bill, which would be boosted to 90 percent if the supplemental funding is fulfilled.

Higher education leaders during Friday's hearing urged senators to fully fund TOPS, which provides scholarships to thousands of college students in Louisiana each year.

"Many of the students are literally a dead car battery away from quitting school," said University of Louisiana System President Jim Henderson.
Three identical bills were filed during the special session to match Louisianas law with South Dakotas in case the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to start collecting sales taxes on internet purchases.

Good thing too.

State legislators enter 'very important' weekend of work as special session's end draws near The Louisiana Legislature is in a race to the finish line, as the Monday end to its second special session draws near with no finalized budget

One of the measures became unrecognizable with all the amendments to increase revenues for the state budget. A second was killed by House members angered about the legislative hijacking of the first bill.

That left the third measure, which was rushed to the House floor Thursday, then over to the Senate, where House Bill 17 cleared the Senate Revenue & Fiscal Affairs committee Friday afternoon without discussion. It must pass the full Senate and the House must agree with minor wording changes before the special session adjourns Monday.

HB17, by Baton Rouge Republican Rep. Franklin Foil, basically redefines a dealer as a person or business from another state that makes more than $100,000 sales of participates in more than 200 transactions. But then so did the other bills.

Its the same wording as a law South Dakota passed in March 2017 and is the subject of ruling the Supreme Court is expected to render later this month.

A lot of legislatures in the 45 states that collect sales taxes are rushing through very similar bills to be poised to collect sales taxes from out-of-state vendors without a store in the state should the court overrule a 1992 decision. The federal Government Accountability Office calculated in 2017 that the states lost about $13.7 billion in taxes from online sales.

A 5-1 Supreme Court, with three justices concurring, ruled in the 1992 Quill v North Dakota case that states couldnt make retailers collect taxes for internet sales unless Congress passed a law. Congress took several stabs, but never could.

A lot has changed over the past 26 years: technology, dramatic increases in online sales, and the makeup of the Supreme Court. One of the two remaining members, Justice Anthony Kennedy, who concurred in 1992, wrote in a 2015 case that the Quill decision could have harmed states more than anticipated at the time.

The high court heard arguments April 17 in South Dakota v Wayfair Inc.

+2 Louisiana spending plan: Budget passes House; see what it funds, next steps needed The Louisiana House has a spending plan  a nearly $28.5 billion general operating budget, plus another $400 million in funds contingent upon 

South Dakotas kill Quill position centers around how the changes discriminate against brick and mortar stores. Internet vendors sell the same things but at lower prices because they dont have to charge sales taxes. South Dakotas arguments are supported by 40 states, including Louisiana, the National Retail Federation and the National Governors Association.

Wayfair counters that overturning Quill would change 231 years of law and dampen a $1 trillion industry. Retailers would have to contend with all sorts of different taxing systems, reporting requirements and tax rates. The American Legislative Exchange Council, anti-tax advocate Grover Norquists Americans for Tax Reform, and online retailers, like eBay, support Wayfair.

The three mirror bills were breezing through the Louisiana legislative process with little discussion and less opposition  until Wednesday night when debate over an entirely different matter sidetracked the internet sales legislation.

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The Louisiana House sent the Senate a bill to address the $648 million shortfall of revenues to fully fund promised services for the fiscal year starting July 1.

State Rep. Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, had pushed legislation that would retain one-third of a penny of sales tax set to expire at the end of the month. But that only raises about $365 million.

When the Harris measure was before the Senate Revenue & Fiscal Affairs committee Wednesday night, chairman Sen. JP Morrell, D-New Orleans, amended it to include changes that raised $279 million more.

Harris said he would no longer support the legislation.

Senate panel advances sales tax bill; 'It won't pass' lower chamber in new form, House leader warns A Senate panel late Wednesday night dramatically altered a sales tax measure meant to shore up the state's finances ahead of a looming fiscal 

For safetys sake, Morrell took one of the few other bills the House had sent to the Senate and amended it to raise the same amount of money. That legislation was House Bill 12, the internet sales tax measure by Rep. Walt Leger III, D-New Orleans, which had passed the House Monday on a vote of 101-0.

Morrell said in an interview he needed a second measure far enough along in the process to plug in if Harris amended bill failed.

Leger didnt know his bill would be amended, Morrell said, adding that he was a good enough friend that Leger may understand.

The next day, Morrells identical internet sales bill, which passed the Senate Wednesday on 37-0 vote, came before the House Ways & Means committee. The discussion, which went on far longer than previous hearings on the same topic, was more about what had transpired the night before than about the legislation.

On a 10-5 party-line vote, committee members refused to move along a bill with the same wording as two measures  Legers and Foils  they had approved last week without comment.

With Morrells bill gone and Legers changed beyond recognition, that left Foils HB17, which will go before the Senate this weekend.

+4 Gov. John Bel Edwards signs law restoring felon voting rights after five years Some 2,000 felons in Louisiana will have their voting rights restored in March, after Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law Thursday a measure
Edward Pratt: Looking for ways to help troubled neighborhoods in Baton Rouge? Here are a few ideas...
This 1940 aerial photo of the LSU campus shows the Memorial Oak Grove, right, with each tree highlighted with a red arrow, before the LSU Student Union was built adjacent to the Parade Ground. Other landmarks include the Quad and Memorial Tower to the left and center, and the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and Faculty Club to the right.
This past week's media circus has been nothing but a luxury jet-sized miscommunication, Louisiana televangelist Jesse Duplantis said Saturday.

After a video of the Destrehan-based preacher telling followers of his need for a new $54 million plane quickly went viral, Duplantis posted a "special message" to his website Saturday to explain what he said was confusion driven by media coverage.

They never started the story. I did. Why? Because I wanted to be completely honest with all my partners and friends," he said, seated behind a desk in a room filled with ornate decorations.

He went on to explain that his goal wasn't to raise money to fund the purchase, but to have followers join him in "believing" in God for it to happen.

Jesse Duplantis Ministries runs Covenant Church in Destrehan and produces a weekly broadcast that airs on WGNO-TV in New Orleans and several religious networks.

On the new video, after reading aloud a letter he says he received asking about the situation, he tells the writer: "I'm not asking you to pay for my plane."

In the initial video, posted on May 21, Duplantis told viewers God had spoken to him and asked him to "believe" for a new Dassault Falcon 7X. The jet would replace his current one, a Dassault Falcon 50 he purchased in 2006.

Duplantis detailed his history of owning jets, the first two of which he said are now being used by other ministries. He said he would donate his current jet once he buys the new one, which he said could travel greater distances without stopping to refuel and would avoid excessive costs.

Critics reacted quickly to the sight of the wealthy preacher, who lives in a church-funded mansion in St. Charles Parish, appearing to solicit donations. His words indicated he wanted followers to help with the purchase, although he stopped short of asking for money.

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"All people know exactly what Im doing in this ministry. We dont hide nothing whatsoever at all. I am a blessed man  youre looking at a blessed man. And we never ask you to give something that me and Cathy (Duplantis) dont give ourselves," Duplantis said in the initial video, adding that the new plane would be purchased in cash.

Later in the video he said: "Pray about becoming a partner to it if youd like to, and if you dont  you dont have to. But I wish you would."

Duplantis explained Saturday that his request had nothing to do with money. But the preacher, who claims his global ministry reaches 2.9 billion people, said he's still gotten interest from possible donors.

"A lot of people have called me and said, I want to get involved in that new plane youre believing for, " Duplantis said in the new video. "I said, Well, thats up to you, but I never asked you for it. And theres nothing wrong with asking you for it. Thats not the issue. But I didnt.

Duplantis isn't the only religious leader who has reached out to followers about a new set of wings. Kenneth Copeland, a televangelist from Texas, announced in January that he had taken possession of a "debt-free" Gulfstream V. He credited its purchase to members of Kenneth Copeland Ministries and included an image and video of him with the jet. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Duplantis and Copeland both defended the use of private jets in a 2015 exchange.

"This is so important ... we've got to have this," Copeland said at the time. "The mess that airlines are in today, I would have to stop  I'm being very conservative  at least 75 to 80, more like 90 percent of what we're doing" without his own plane.

Duplantis said Saturday he wasn't discouraged by the latest coverage, appearing giddy about the media exposure his ministry has received. He laughed as he mentioned stories on Fox News, "Good Morning America" and CNN. He did not address the social media reaction, which flooded his ministry's pages after the news spread online.

He did, however, repeat his position that there is nothing wrong with a religious organization drawing funds from supporters.

I know people thought I was doing something wrong. I dont dupe nobody. Ive always been honest. Forty years Ive been preaching this gospel and Ive never had a scandal," Duplantis said, "and this is not a scandal."
St. Tammany Parish Coroner Dr. Charles Preston on Friday released the name of the driver of an 18-wheeler involved in a fiery crash May 26 on Interstate 12 in Covington that killed four people and injured a dozen more.

The crash began when the 18-wheeler, which was hauling avocados, didn't stop as it approached stalled traffic, officials said.

Elmer J. Laporte, 80, of Edinburg, Texas, was the driver of the big rig that plowed into other vehicles on eastbound I-12 between the La. 21 exit and the Tchefuncte River Bridge.

Preston said Laporte died of "blunt force trauma and thermal injuries."

"We located Mr. Laporte's family in Pennsylvania and arranged for collection and shipment of DNA samples," Preston said in a statement Friday. "Those samples arrived yesterday, and by this afternoon we were able to confirm Laporte's identity."

He added, "We continue to remember those killed in the wreck and their families, and appreciate the hard work of our investigators and DNA technicians in confirming this identification quickly."

Yolanda Simmons, 44, and Keland Simmons, 24, both of Baton Rouge, and Rachel Lehmann, 63, of Mandeville, were also killed in the multiple-vehicle wreck that shut down portions of I-12 for hours.

Lehmann died of blunt force trauma. The Simmonses died of blunt force trauma and thermal injuries.

The accident led St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister and other area leaders to ask Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state Department of Transportation and Development to expedite plans to widen I-12 in the Covington area. Work to expand the highway in that location is not expected to begin until at least 2023.

Brister said Thursday that having to wait five years "is not acceptable."

State Police are still investigating the crash, a spokesman said.
Years into what was supposed to amount to a life sentence in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Troy Rhodes peered into the grave of a fellow inmate and felt a moment of despair.

"A little thought crossed my mind: 'What if I would die here? I would be put in a hole like that,' " Rhodes said. "But I immediately erased that thought. I refused to buy into that."

Rhodes, 50 was released on bail Thursday on the order of a federal judge, who ruled in March that he was denied a fair trial and appeal in connection with a 2002 attempted murder and armed robbery of a bread delivery driver.

He had spent almost 16 years behind bars.

The Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office has appealed U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo's ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Even if they lose there, prosecutors intend to retry Rhodes on the same charges in state court.

In other words, Rhodes is not out of the woods yet. But in an interview Friday, the 7th Ward native recounted his winding legal and personal journey to his current state of semi-freedom.

Rhodes declined to discuss the case itself, on the advice of his attorney, Southern Methodist University law professor Pam Metzger.

As part of her ruling on Wednesday, Milazzo ordered Rhodes released on a $50,000 property bond secured by his wife's house in New Orleans East. She also ordered that he must live in a transitional house on Perdido Street owned by the First 72+, a nonprofit organization that works to smooth inmates' re-entry into society.

A jury voted 10-2 to convict Rhodes of the 2002 shooting of a bread delivery driver on Touro Street. Prosecutors said he hopped into the man's van and threatened him for money, then blasted him in the gut with a shotgun when the driver would not hand over more.

The state's case rested in large part on the driver's identification of Rhodes in a photographic line-up from his hospital bed on the same day that the driver underwent liver surgery.

Rhodes' appellate attorneys argued that his lawyer at his trial should have questioned the driver about his medical records, which could have shown that he was under the influence of painkillers when he said he recognized Rhodes.

The appellate attorneys also argued that another lawyer failed to fully investigate the case on his first appeal.

Rhodes laid the groundwork for many of those arguments in legal briefs he wrote himself. Eventually those arguments were adopted by a pair of federal judges, leading to his release over the objection of the DA's Office.

Rhodes said that in all his years behind bars, he never stopped believing he would one day be released, despite his 99-year sentence. He credits his faith and his wife.

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Many nights in prison he would write legal briefs while also taking notes for the bachelor's degree that he eventually obtained from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, he said.

Metzger said Rhodes is a skillful "jailhouse lawyer."

"Troy identified one of the most complicated issues under federal habeas law," she said.

Milazzo cited his good behavior in prison as one of the reasons she felt confident releasing him on bond.

Rhodes said he volunteered for a notoriously tough part of the prison to minister to his fellow inmates. He lived in a noisy dormitory with 85 other men.

He said the first thought to flash through his mind when he got the final word about his release was, "God is good."

On Thursday night, Rhodes went to sleep in a bed inside the First 72+'s transitional house. He said he doesn't plan to put any personal touches on his room's barren walls, but he was grateful for his first quiet night in years.

"Last night, being alone in the room, sleeping without the noise, with the lights off ... it was so peaceful. It was the peace I've been looking for for so long," he said.

The District Attorney's Office is fighting to send Rhodes back to prison. The delivery driver, David Blohm, is still adamant that Rhodes shot him.

In a legal brief filed Friday, prosecutors said that federal judges Helen "Ginger" Berrigan and Milazzo came to the wrong conclusion about whether Rhodes received effective help from his lawyers.

Berrigan in particular went too far in interpreting the delivery driver's medical records to show that he was on painkillers, the DA's Office said.

"The district courts interpretations of isolated details in the available records are implausible, inconsistent and contrary to everything else these records reflect about Blohms care, his condition, and his actual use of pain medication," Assistant District Attorney Christopher Ponoroff said.

Rhodes knows he is still in legal limbo. But he said he has no doubt that he will soon be able to join his wife in her New Orleans East home.

"I believe in scriptures, and I just believe that God opened doors that no man can close, and I just believe that this is going to work itself out," he said.
A man is dead after being shot multiple times in Algiers Sunday night, the New Orleans Police Department said.

The shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. in the 3000 block of Copernicus Street. A 27-year-old man was driving a gray Nissan Maxima when another vehicle approached and opened fire multiple times, striking the man, police said in a preliminary offense log.

The Orleans Parish Coroner's office will release the victim's identity and cause of death after an autopsy and notifying his family.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call homicide detective Timothy Bender at 504-658-5300, or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

In other matters recently handled by local authorities:

 A 25-year-old man and 20-year-old man were shot while sitting in front of a home in the 2200 block of Touro Street in the 7th Ward about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, New Orleans police said. The victims said they were approached from behind by their attacker, and paramedics took them to a local hospital.

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 New Orleans police investigated at least two robberies between Sunday and early Monday.

About 11:30 a.m. in the 700 block of Poland Avenue in Bywater, a 43-year-old man was struck by another man wielding an unknown object and then robbed of unspecified property before receiving treatment at a local hospital, police said.

About 1:05 a.m. in the 5000 block of Cardenas Street in New Orleans East, a 65-year-old man noticed people taking items from his car. One of the thieves fired toward the victim, who fired back, police said. The victim lost a bag and laptop, New Orleans police said.

 About 9:45 p.m. Sunday in the 2800 block of Soniat Street in the Freret section of Uptown, a girl told police a boy she knew sexually assaulted her on the school bus.

 A man broke into his 35-year-old girlfriends home with a bat, pushed her, and then went into a bedroom to hit a 20-year-old man with a bat during a domestic dispute in the 2400 block of Erato Street in Central City, New Orleans police said.
Liu Xia, widow of dissident Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, has said she felt that loving her husband was a "crime" for which she had received a "life sentence", according to an audio recording released Friday.

Liu Xia, 57, has been under de facto house arrest -- despite facing no charges -- ever since her husband was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, in a move that angered Beijing.

Liu Xiaobo, a veteran of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, died last year while serving an 11-year jail sentence for "subversion", making him the first Nobel laureate to die in custody since the era of Nazi Germany.

Liu Xia faces daily restrictions on movement and surveillance, although Chinese authorities maintain she is free.

In an emotional phone call with her close friend Chinese writer Liao Yiwu last week, Liu Xia said, "they should add a line to the constitution: 'Loving Liu Xiaobo is a serious crime -- it's a life sentence'".

"They are going to keep me here to serve out Xiaobo's sentence," Liu said, between bouts of continuous sobbing.

"I want to see just how much more cruel they can get and how much more shameless they will become; I want to see how much more depraved this world is."

Liao on Friday released a recording of the call through the US-based website China Change.

The German embassy offered in April to help Liu Xia travel to Germany but the move did not take place.

Liao asked her to wait until July to see if the authorities would allow her to travel out of China.

Read also: No Nobel Literature Prize after #MeToo turmoil

June is a month of particular political sensitivity for the ruling Communist Party, which heightens surveillance and censorship around June 4, the day China cracked down on democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

Liao said their conversation left him feeling shocked and anguished.

"The 29th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre is approaching, and I decided to send out this message to the world, continuing to call for her to be freed," he wrote in a letter that accompanied the recording.

"Since when did love become a crime?"

Last month, dozens of the world's leading writers and artists, from Michael Chabon to Paul Auster and Khaled Hosseini, called on China to release Liu Xia in an online campaign.

AFP reporters have tried to visit Liu's home multiple times in recent years but were blocked each time by plain-clothes men.
Facebook on Friday said it is getting rid of a "trending" topics feature as it tests ways for publishers to deliver reliable breaking news.

The Trending feature introduced four years ago listed stories buzzing on Facebook at any given time.

"We're exploring new ways to help people stay informed about timely, breaking news that matters to them, while making sure the news they see on Facebook is from trustworthy and quality sources," Alex Hardiman, Facebook's head of news products, said in a blog post.

He said the Trending feature would be removed "soon."

Read also: Facebook sinking fast among US teens: survey

Facebook and other social media platforms have been criticized for their role in allowing disinformation to spread during the 2016 US election, in many cases with the help of automated "bots" or disguised Russian-based accounts.

Trending was only available in a handful of countries, and accounted for a paltry fraction of clicks through to news publishers, according to Hardiman.

Facebook said it is working with 80 publishers in Australia, Europe, India, and the Americas on a "Breaking News" label to adorn posts in News Feed.

The California-based social network is also testing a "Today" section dedicated to "breaking and important news" from local publishers, officials and organizations, according to Hardiman.

A Facebook Watch zone for online video viewing will soon get a news section complete with live coverage, daily briefings, and "deep dives," he added.

"We are committed to ensuring the news that people see on Facebook is high quality, and we're investing in ways to better draw attention to breaking news when it matters most," Hardiman said.
The 51st Jakarta Fair officially kicked off on May 23 and is slated to run until July 1.

Located at the JIExpo Kemayoran in Central Jakarta, the annual exhibition is part of the capital's series of events to celebrate its 491st anniversary. Each year, the Jakarta Fair returns with a plethora of activities and promotions, making it a must-visit event for residents as well as visitors to Jakarta.

The Jakarta Fair opens daily and the tickets cost Rp 25,000 (US$1.76) per person on Monday to Thursday, Rp 30,000 on Friday, and Rp 35,000 on Saturday and Sunday. Those who want to know about this years fair should have a look at the list below.

How to get there

It is relatively easy to reach the Jakarta Fair as there is a TransJakarta Busway stop near JIExpo.

Those coming from South Jakarta should hop on the Blok M Terminal to Kota route and continue from Harmoni to JIExpo.

Alternatively, those who want to visit the exhibition can also use ride-hailing apps, such as Go-Jek and Grab.

What to do

As with previous years, the Jakarta Fair offers various promotions, making shopping among the recommended activities.

While you are busy spending your Idul Fitri bonus, your children can play at the playgrounds at Hall E or Hall B3-C3.

An outdoor playground is located in front of Hall E. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)

The former is an outdoor playground featuring various childrens rides, such as a canoe, swings, carousel and Ferris wheel.

On certain dates, the Jakarta Fair also hosts carnival parades, featuring popular characters like Disney princesses, DC heroes and Marvel heroes.

Read also: Jakpost guide to Jl. Wahid Hasyim

What to see

The Jakarta Fair hosts music performances on the Main Stage.

On June 6, indie music lovers can check out local bands Lightcraft and Elephant Kind. Meanwhile, those loving heavy metal should visit the fair on June 28 as there will be performances from Burgerkill and Fear Crisis.

Furthermore, Sheila on 7 is set to perform on July 1 during the closing ceremony.

What to buy

The Jakarta Fair offers almost everything under the sun, including snacks, vehicles, home appliances and clothing.

Those looking for a drone can check the DJI counter and get an unmanned aerial vehicle at a price starting from Rp 5.9 million.

Guess and VNC counter at the 2018 Jakarta Fair. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)

Those entering the fair from JIExpo entrance will find various brands in the hall, varying from Guess, VNC and The Body Shop, as well as small and medium enterprises products. Here you can get VNC shoes starting from Rp 150,000.

In the outdoor area, visitors will see various consumer-goods packages, such as coffee, snacks, sausages and more. These exhibitors have prepared special offers with prices starting from Rp 10,000 per package.

In Hall B, visitors can check the automotive exhibition featuring various brands such as Honda, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi.

What to eat

This year, the Jakarta Fair presents a Balinese food festival. Located next to Hall D2, Wisata Kuliner Bali offers a plethora of Balinese food staples, such as nasi campur (mixed rice) and ayam betutu (Balinese spiced chicken).

A seller cooks 'kerak telor' at the 2018 Jakarta Fair. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)

Throughout the exhibition, visitors can also try Betawi dishes, such as kerak telor (spicy omelet) and dodol (traditional sticky candy), or popular franchise eateries, including Bakso Afung, Shihlin and Chatime.

Tips:

- Do not throw away your ticket as you can get special promotions by showing it.

- Come at 4 p.m. as it is less crowded.

- Bring cash. Although ATM machines are accessible, the queues are frequently quite long. (kes)
Kites are commonly known as traditional toys, as the flying contraption is thought to date far back into history.

Asep Irawan, a staff member at the Layang (kite) Museum in South Jakarta, said the oldest kite in Indonesia came from Muna, Southeast Sulawesi, dating back to ancient times. The kite is known as kaghati kolepe.

"In Muna, Southeast Sulawesi, kites are made from the kolope leaf. It is said that people wanted to reach the god by flying kites," Asep said as quoted by kompas.com.

The search for the gods using kites is depicted in drawings on cave walls, which was drawn using blood, as well as brownish-red plant sap. The ancient drawings can still be seen in the Sugi Patani cave in Liang Kabori village, Muna Island.

Read also: South Sulawesi receives UNESCO recognition for 'phinisi'

Asep added that German kite enthusiast Wolgang Bieck claimed that kites from Muna date back further in history than those from China, supporting the argument that Southeast Sulawesi traditional kites were the oldest in the world.

Up to today, Muna residents continue the tradition of making of kites from leaves.

"Uniquely, the graves of the people from Muna are still covered by kites," Asep said, adding that he was unsure what the meaning behind the practice was.

The kaghati kolepe is among the collection of kites displayed at the museum, which is located in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta.

In addition to seeing various kites from around Indonesia and the world, museum visitors can also learn how to make their own. (liz/kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 2, 2018 07:32 1229 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e728f06 4 City Central-Jakarta,decoration,sidewalk,artificial-tree,anies-baswedan Free

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan claims he did not know about a move to plant fake trees in sidewalks in parts of Central Jakarta.

I dont know whose idea it was, but the Central Jakarta Industry and Energy Agency installed the decoration without telling me, Anies said on Friday as quoted by tempo.co.

Therefore, the installation was conducted without his permit, he said.

He conceded that he did not know where the budget for the trees came from.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno also denied knowing about the plastic decorations, saying the agency had not informed him of its plans.

We encourage the agency to take the initiative [on matters], but they should tell us about their plans first, Sandiaga said.

He previously revealed that the trees had been purchased by the Central Jakarta Industry and Energy Agency in 2017, emphasizing that, therefore, no funds from the 2018 city budget were used.

The agency usually sets up artificial trees for big events, Sandiaga said.

The trees were installed earlier this week for Idul Fitri, Jakartas anniversary on June 22 and the 2018 Asian Games in August. They have since been removed after Jakartans complained they were blocking the sidewalks for pedestrians. (cal)
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Berlin  Sat, June 2, 2018 09:22 1229 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e72d0fd 2 World lion,tiger,Jaguar,zoo,German Free

Five dangerous big cats -- two lions, two tigers and a jaguar -- escaped their enclosures in a flooded German zoo Friday for several hours but were later reported back "in their cages".

Local residents near the zoo close to the Luxembourg border were warned to stay indoors while the predators were on the loose.

A bear, which also broke out of its enclosure at the Eifel Zoo in Luenebach, was shot dead, a spokesman for local authorities said.

Officials were verifying if the fences and cages are secure, said the spokesman.

Overnight heavy thunderstorms had sparked flash floods in the area and completely flooded the private zoo, which is located on a riverbank.

The high waters had damaged the cages, allowing the animals to go on the run.

Local newspaper Trier Volksfreund said the cats were still within the sprawling 30-hectare grounds of the zoo when they were finally located by a drone.

While emergency services including firefighters and police were deployed to hunt down the predators, inhabitants of the town were told to stay indoors and to keep their windows and doors closed.

Many residents were Friday busy clearing muddy water from their cellars and removing trees downed by the severe storm. Part of a local motorway had also been blocked off due to high waters.

Owned by the Wallpott family, the zoo is home to around 400 animals, also including a Siberian tiger.

Friday's escape came two years after a similar case in eastern Germany, when two lions broke out of their cages at the Leipzig zoo.

One of the lions was shot dead while the other was eventually brought back into captivity.

In 2015, an orangutan was shot dead after escaping from the Duisburg zoo, and a bear escapee from Osnabrueck suffered the same fate in 2017.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 2, 2018 08:28 1229 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e72aec7 4 Politics Indonesian-Solidarity-Party,PSI,Bareskrim,National-Police,#2019PresidentialElection,Bawaslu Free

The National Police have dropped a case pertaining to the alleged violation of campaign rules implicating the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI).

Yes, weve stopped the investigation, Bridg. Gen. Herry Rudolf Nahak, the director of general crimes, said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

Several linguistic experts found that an ad at the center of the case was not campaign material, the police have argued.

On April 23, the PSI published an advertorial in a newspaper calling on the public to help choose the running mate and Cabinet members of the partys candidate, President Joko Jokowi Widodo.

The advertorial also contained the partys logo and its number in the upcoming election.

The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) reported the PSI to the police, arguing that the advertorial was a violation of the Election Law as it was campaign material published before the campaign period had begun. (gis)
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Linkedin Simon Morgan and Delphine Touitou (Agence France-Presse) Paris/Whistler, Canada  Sat, June 2, 2018 05:49 1230 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e7261de 2 Business trade-war,EU,European-Union,US,France,Canada,Mexico,German,Tariff-rise,steel-industry,aluminium,WTO Free

The world's largest economies stood on the brink of all-out trade war as the EU, Canada and Mexico drew up retaliatory measures to Washington's stinging steel and aluminum tariffs that came into effect on Friday.

Washington angered its major allies by slapping duties of 25 percent and 10 percent on imports of aluminium and steel.

The EU said it would challenge the move at the World Trade Organization.

The measures had actually been decided back in March, but at the time US President Donald Trump gave Canada and the EU -- the biggest sources of foreign aluminum and steel respectively for the US -- a grace period until May 31.

On Thursday, however, Trump announced that those exemptions were not being extended, and his decision immediately drew furious responses from Canadian President Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

"These tariffs are an affront to the long standing security partnership between Canada and the United States," said Trudeau, as Ottawa hit back with retaliatory duties on US imports worth up to Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion).

EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the 28-nation bloc "will announce in the next coming hours counter-balancing measures" in response to the US action.

Brussels has previously threatened to slap tariffs on US products including bourbon, motorcycles and blue jeans.

'Nationalism is war'

While Europe's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini insisted that the EU was "not at war with anyone", the bloc's trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Brussels would challenge the tariffs at the WTO.

"If players in the world don't stick to the rule book, the system might collapse. That is why we are challenging the US and China at the WTO," Malmstrom told a news briefing in Brussels.

Washington's move left European leaders fuming.

French President Macron told Trump in a telephone call that the tariffs were "illegal" and said Europe would respond in a "firm and proportionate manner".

And speaking to reporters, Macron described the US move as "a mistake in many ways because it responds to existing international imbalances in the worst way -- by breaking up and creating economic nationalism.

"And nationalism is war. That's exactly what happened in the 30s," Macron said.

In Berlin, Chancellor Merkel said the measure "risks touching off spirals of escalation that in the end hurt everyone".

Mexico, too, said it would impose retaliatory duties on a variety of US goods, including steel and a host of agricultural goods, including pork, apples and various cheeses.

The unprecedented trade tensions are souring a gathering of the so-called Group of Seven or G7 underway in the coastal mountain resort of Whistler, Canada, normally a scene of compromise and trade promotion.

"I'll be stating very clearly our disagreement with the actions they've taken," Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau told reporters ahead of the meetings.

"I have every expectation that our other allies around the table will express the same sentiments."

'Incomprehensible'

The prospect of a global trade has roiled financial markets this week, too, even if they were back in positive territory on Friday.

Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding argued that the direct impact of a US-EU trade war would actually be rather small in terms of gross domestic product.

"Even if the US were to levy a 25-percent tariff on car imports from the EU, the direct damage to be shared largely between US consumers and EU exporters would be equivalent to 0.08 percent of EU GDP," he calculated.

Nevertheless, "the uncertainty about future trade and Trump's contempt for international rules can deal a significant blow to business confidence especially in trade-oriented nations," the expert said.

"The most likely outcome... could be protracted negotiations during which both the US and the EU lock horns but do not take ever more dramatic headline-grabbing protectionist steps," Schmieding said.

The WTO's former chief, Pascal Lamy, also said the damage would likely be limited in concrete terms.

"We have to keep things in proportion," he said on the French radio station, France Info. He estimated that the economic impact of the tariffs would amount to "a very small part of trade flows as a whole".

The German carmakers' federation described the imposition of tariffs as "incomprehensible".

"In a connected, global economy, customs barriers don't benefit anyone, including the United States," the VDA federation said.
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Linkedin Michel Comte (The Jakarta Post) Ottawa  Sat, June 2, 2018 10:59 1229 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e731f84 2 World Canada,trudeau,trump,Donald-Trump,justin-trudeau,united-states,Trade,steel Free

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has a reputation for playing it safe on burning political issues, showed a new level of grit in the face of two crises, and it may help him win re-election in 2019.

On Thursday, Trudeau hit back at punishing US tariffs on steel and aluminum with Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion) in duties on US goods, and accused American President Donald Trump of lacking "common sense."

His actions and words were in stark contrast to the charm offensive he launched after Trump's inauguration in 2016.

The amateur pugilist traded in his "sunny ways" for fighting words. He also launched the largest trade action that Canada has taken in eight decades.

Canadians, industry and even opposition parties applauded the prime minister's unusually pointed rebuke of Trump and retaliatory tariffs.

"Trudeau uttered some of the harshest words a prime minister has directed at an American administration in decades," said Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert, calling this a "watershed moment in the Donald Trump-era Canada/US relationship."

"It is not every day that a Canadian head of government pointedly notes that he is dealing with a US administration that is short on common sense" or "that a prime minister uses a news conference to dig in his heels in a trade negotiation," she noted.

Two days earlier the prime minister stuck his neck out to save an oil pipeline project, likely alienating environmentalists but picking up broader support with his defense of the energy sector.

University of Ottawa professor Patrick Leblond said in an interview with AFP that Trudeau's newfound swagger "will help the Liberals in the next election."

"I think people understand that this (trade row) is not the Liberals' fault in any way," he said.

"I think the Canadian government did as much as they could to avert this outcome, they've tried engagement and continue to do so. It's Donald Trump's failure to understand the implications for the US and world economy of his isolationist policies."

If the Canadian economy tanks as a result of a trade row, however, that may change. "We know that the incumbent party suffers (at the ballot box) when the economy is bad," Leblond said.

Since 2016, Canada and the United States have sparred over softwood lumber and aircrafts, while also endeavoring to negotiate, along with Mexico, a revamp of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Washington had granted Canada and Mexico an exemption on the metals tariffs to give the parties time to successfully renegotiate the 1994 continental trade pact.

But those talks are now bogged down.

On Thursday, the US announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from Canada and others, from Friday.

Canada responded with duties of 25 percent on US steel and aluminum, and 10 percent on consumer goods such as ketchup, orange juice, sailboats and washing machines, which will take effect July 1.

"The government of Canada is confident that shared values, geography and common interests will ultimately overcome protectionism," Trudeau told a news conference on Thursday.

"We have to believe that at some point common sense will prevail, but we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration."

He said Ottawa would try to convince Washington to repeal the tariffs, but the Trump administration has so far stood firm.

In a Twitter message, the American president lashed out at Canada for treating US farmers "very poorly for a very long period of time."

"If President Trump thinks this move will give him leverage in the NAFTA negotiations, I think Canada's response shows he's wrong," Leblond opined.

"Canada has negotiated in good faith, but at some point if you punch us in the face, we'll punch back," he said.

In the end, "this fight is not going to be resolved through diplomacy or at the G7 next week; it's going to be political developments in the United States," he added, noting that Canadian tariffs on US consumer goods aimed to sway voters in key districts in the upcoming US mid-term elections.
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Linkedin Gisela Swaragita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 2, 2018 15:25 1229 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e737288 1 Politics Prabowo-Subianto,amien-rais,Rizieq-Shihab,Mecca,Jokowi,opposition,2019-presidential-election Free

Two major opposition figures, Prabowo Subianto and Amien Rais, are currently in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for a religious pilgrimage, sparking rumors of a possible meeting with firebrand cleric Rizieq Shihab.

Gerindra Party deputy chairman Fery Juliantono told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that his partys chief patron flew to Mecca directly from Europe on Friday, while the National Mandate Partys (PAN) chief patron reportedly went to Mecca from Medina.

Desmond Junaidi Mahesa, another Gerindra politician, confirmed the meeting between Prabowo and Amien in Mecca, but stopped short of confirming if the two would meet with Rizieq, who fled to Saudi Arabia while being investigated for his alleged role in a pornography case.

Rumors swirled on Saturday that Prabowo and Amien may have met with Rizieq to talk about the 2019 presidential election.

Prabowo has been tapped as a presidential candidate by his party and is now seeking to build a strong coalition to challenge President Joko Jokowi Widodo again next year.

The former general is also looking to find a running mate, with Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan being tipped as one of the candidates with the most potential.

Rizieq's support may prove significant for Prabowo, with the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader now seen as an influential leader among Muslims supportive of the Dec. 2, 2016, rally against then-Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama.

An alliance of Islamist groups linked to the rally  which calls itself the Brotherhood of 212 Alumni  has declared its support for Rizieq as a potential presidential candidate.

Habiburokhman, another Gerindra politician, said on Twitter that a meeting of "national figures" like Prabowo, Amien and Rizieq would be good for the country.

A tweet sent from his account @habiburokhman read: Everyone is allowed to be close to and support [Prabowo], as well as other figures of other religions. (ahw)
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Linkedin Ana Cecilia Regalado and Istu Septania (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 2 2018

The world of Infectonator 3, a hit zombie simulation and strategy game by Indonesian developer Toge Productions, is afflicted by a viral epidemic, but so is Indonesias gaming industry.



The local gaming scene has massive potential, filled with award-winning games to successful YouTube gamers and talent, along with the recent interest and support of government bodies. Infectonator 3, the recently released third installment in a long-running series created by Toge Productions founder Kris Antoni, is a prime example.



This infectiously fun game won the Grand Jury and Best Gameplay awards at last years Level Up KL, and judges made it the Official Selection for the Indie Megabooth in the Pax East Showcase 2018.



The success of the Infectonator series partly lies in its collaboration with California-based Armor Games.



We started working with Armor on Infectonator 3 in mid-2016 and just started the publishing division in early 2017, said Toges Mohammad Fahmi.



Fahmi also explained that publishing for an Indonesian company was definitely harder. Gaining exposure, gaming media and access to platform owners like Nintendo, PlayStation and others was also more difficult, as was attending global events  most of which are held in the United States.



Its true that Indonesia is the largest market in Southeast Asia, but a big chunk of players falls into the hands of foreign game companies, he added.



Granted, gamers are one of the key elements in any countrys gaming industry, the local industry has a tendency to neglect its large pool of talent yearning to work for game development companies. Indonesia has no shortage of talent with more than enough capability to create amazing video game assets. Unfortunately, they have been infected with this mindset of ignoring local talent.



A local artist who now makes assets for video game giant Ubisoft said: I meet all the Indonesian artists outside [of Indonesia]. None of them want to go back. I mean, why would they?



The Jakarta Post reported on May 11, 2017 that no more than 20 Indonesian game developers survived in the industry. Fahmi argued that Indonesia did not lack raw talent in creating notable games. What we lack is experienced talent that has the knowledge [] of working on more advanced projects than what local developers usually do, he said.



Toges Publishings latest release, My Lovely Daughter, is combating the affliction that hampers local development by accepting its mistakes and learning from them. My Lovely Daughter, nicknamed MDL by its developer GameChanger Studio, won Best Visual Art at the same Level Up KL where Infectonator 3 made waves last year.



MDL received mixed responses, with some players saying that its mechanics were too repetitive. The game becomes drawn out and feels very thin after the initial interest wears off, commented one gamer called Rollout. Another gamer, ArchReaper95, said: For all the time that was taken to hype this game, it simply feels like much more could have been done with it. This comment could equally apply to Indonesias struggle to realize the potential it has in the industry.



MDLs lead developer, Riris Marpaung, admitted, We havent made enough mistakes to know what not to do.



She explained that this cultural mindset was most detrimental to the industry. Failure is shunned; Indonesian people are shy to admit mistakes, so its harder to learn from others.



The local gaming industry needs more brains, or more collaboration, so to speak, between its developers; otherwise, it will never make it domestically  or internationally.



Now, with the government moving to assist the industry, perhaps it is time for developers, both aspiring and current, to take the next step. Government bodies like the Creative Economy Agency (BEKRAF) and the Communications and Information Ministry are getting ready to organize venture matchmaking events and provide financing for programmers to study overseas.



Arief Widhiyasa, secretary-general of the Indonesian Game Association (AGI), said that government support was more visible now, with more events related to gaming being held. Not only for gamers, perhaps, but competitions for game developers, too, said Arief, who is also the CEO of Agate Studio.



With the stage set and the government adopting a positive mindset, Toge Productions success story could serve as the metaphorical patient zero in Indonesias journey to going viral in the world of gaming.



For now, the development of game developers in Indonesia still lags behind [] compared to China, Japan, the US and Europe, said Arief. But this doesnt hamper the possibility of creative work, of Indonesians successfully competing with foreign creative work.
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam  Sat, June 2, 2018 16:14 1229 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e739785 1 SE Asia Indonesia,Malaysia,UMNO,Riau-Islands,Karimun,JamalYunos Free

The National Police are still waiting for an official request from their Malaysian counterpart to arrest fugitive politician Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos, who is believed to have fled to Karimun Island in Riau Islands.

Jamal is the leader of Malaysias Red Shirt right-wing movement and division chief of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which lost the election for the first time in May.

He has been charged with several offenses, including creating a public nuisance during a protest against a beer festival last year.

I heard about Datuk Jamal Yunos [] a few days ago, but we have received no official request to follow up on the [Royal Malaysia Polices] case and arrest him, Karimun Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Hengky Pramudya told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He added that he had ordered intelligence officials to find and monitor Jamal so that local authorities could be ready to act the moment a request is issued.

On Oct. 5, 2017, Jamal smashed several crates of beer outside the Selangor state government office with a sledgehammer in protest against the Better Beer Festival.

Jamals case is being investigated under Section 143 of the Malaysian Penal Code, which carries a punishment of six months imprisonment and a fine.

Jamal never answered polices summons for questioning, claiming that his safety was under threat, Royal Malaysia Police inspector general Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said as quoted by thestar.com.

Mohamad Fuzi said Jamal had fled Malaysia, reportedly to Karimun.

Hengky, on the other hand, declined to speculate on the route Jamal may have taken, including those frequently used by illegal migrant workers. (gis/ahw)
A hotel room is essentially a room that has been a temporary host to hundreds or thousands of people over a period of time. They could be leaving behind germs the hotel staff did not clean up. Unless you have immune deficiency, most of these germs wont harm you because of the extra protection our body sets up.

The following list includes items you might find in hotel rooms that you want to be extra careful around.

1. TV remote control

The TV remote control is something that everybody will probably touch at some point in their stay. With nothing much to do in a hotel room alone, people find themselves changing between the news and the weather channel, trying to find something interesting to pass the time. There might be thousands of germs left behind on that remote from previous guests that have stayed in the same room.

The remote is a very inconspicuous item that the hotel staff will not actively look for to clean, which is why guests must keep an extra eye out for it.

Read also: Luxury hotels in China are criticized for hygiene

2. Bed comforter or duvet

The staff always change the bed sheets every day, but, as quoted from the Huffington Post, the hotel staff dont have enough time to clean the large comforters before new guests arrive.

When sleeping, people tend to shed body oils and skin flakes that might get into the bed spread, along with an entire host of bacteria and germs.

It is recommended to avoid contact with the bed spreads. Kelly Reynolds, a professor of environmental health at the University of Arizona said, A lot of people will recommend just folding the bedspread back or throwing it on the chair.

3. Drinking glasses

Most hotels offer glasses for their guests to drink. But if the glasses come from the bathroom, it is recommended that they are wiped first before the guest uses them for any drinking purpose, as flushing a toilet can contaminate nearby surfaces with bacteria.

When you flush the toilet, the viruses and the feces do get spread throughout the walls of the toilet, the flush handle, and the walls of the bathroom, says Reynolds.

Other places that are a haven for bacteria include the sink (bacteria really enjoys growing in moist environments), the back of the toilet, the flush handle and the walls of the bathroom.

Reynolds told Time that it is best for glasses and coffee makers to be completely sanitized to avoid bacteria outbreaks.

4. Lamp and light switches

Similar to the remote control, the light switches are prone to bacteria because they are something people will touch often. Like the remote control, light switches are not something the hotel staff will clean on a regular basis because they are an inconspicuous item.

Read also: 20+ Indonesian hotels and resorts voted best in world and Asia

5. Housekeeping materials

The housekeeping carts could contain a lot of bacteria and this means there is always a chance of bacteria contaminating the room. Its always better to bring an extra disinfectant just in case a surface needs some extra cleaning. (ely/wng)
1. Yes. The medical data shows it will be beneficial to get one. The sooner the better.

2. Yes. Theres no rush, but I plan to get one sometime in the next few months.

3. No. Im not sold on the need for a booster. Besides, the case numbers are falliing.

4. No. I havent been vaccinated for COVID-19, and I dont plan to get the booster, either.

5. Unsure. It may be smart to wait and see how beneficial the booster shots prove to be.

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20 undergraduate students from the University of Northampton will be presenting their final year collections at the upcoming Graduate Fashion Week in London. The much-anticipated event will be held from Sunday 3rd - Wednesday 6th June.

The Old Truman Brewery Northampton students will have Monday 4th June in their minds as that is the day of their presentations, which begin atin Shoreditch at 11 am. The students are from the Fashion, Textiles for Fashion, and Footwear and Accessories departments of the university.

Among the students presenting is Hannah Guiver, a Textiles for Fashion student who is eager to prove her worth to potential hiring companies.

Speaking of her plans for after graduation, Hannah says: I would really like to get a full-time job in the print/design industry working for a childrens wear company, creating fun and exciting prints for a brand."

Hannah Guiver's childrenswear collection, which is showing at Graduate Fashion Week

For her final year collection, Hannah designed a children's clothing range. It feels great to have been chosen to showcase my collection on the catwalk, and being a childrens wear designer it feels like more of an achievement as adult clothes are always dominant at the show," she says.

Other Textiles for Fashion students include Mojadesola Ayemobola, Susan Campbell, Jennifer Hardie, Lucy Moulton, and

Lindsay. Fashion students showing their collections include R. Lorraine Makumbe, Bryony Rodda, Amna Saghir, and Ivy Wei Zhang. Melissa Francis is the sole Footwear and Accessories student.

Graduate Fashion week has become the preeminent showcase for fashion graduates in the UK, and it is growing globally. Former participants and winners have gone on to achieve great success in the fashion industry - previous graduates include Christopher Bailey MBE, who was the winner of the first ever Graduate Fashion Week Gold Award, as well as Stella McCartney, Giles Deacon, Matthew Williamson and Julien Macdonald.

For students from the Universtiy of Northampton, the hope is that this stage will catapult them to similar success and admiration in the near future.

Graduate Fashion Week 2018 is taking place at the Old Truman Brewery between 3rd and 6th June.

The National Student will be reporting from the event daily - see all our coverage here.

Mesoni
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Killeen, TX (76540)

Today

Showers and thunderstorms likely - heavy rainfall is possible, especially this evening. Potential for flooding rains. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely - heavy rainfall is possible, especially this evening. Potential for flooding rains. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.
More Information

Who is eligible

Veterans and service members eligible to sign up for the Veterans Affairs Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry* include those who served in:

Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn

Djibouti, Africa, on or after Sept. 11, 2001

Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm

Southwest Asia theater of operations on or after Aug. 2, 1990

Information about how to register is inside todays paper

How to sign up for the Burn Pit Registry

You must have a Premium DoD self service (DS) logon Level 2 account to participate. If you are already enrolled in the Veterans Affairs health care system, your Premium DS Logon Level 2 account is used to check your E-benefits.

To get a Premium DS logon Level 2 account, go to veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry/#page/home and click on the link Need a DS Logon? Fill out the required information to set up a user name and password.

Log in using your Premium DS logon Level 2 account.

The registry will require some information on your locations during deployments. It is recommended you have your DD-214 handy as an aide.

Important notes:

No cost to participate

Not a disability compensation questionnaire or required for other VA benefits

Enrollment in VAs health care system not necessary

Based on Veterans/service members recollection of service, not on their military records

Veterans/service members family members are not eligible to participate

After completing the questionnaire you can schedule a free health exam with a VA provider

Were you affected?

If you would like to share your experience about health issues you believe are related to your exposure to airborne toxins and open burn pits while deployed, please contact David A. Bryant at dbryant@kdhnews.com or 254-501-7554. Please ensure you provide your name and a reliable means of contacting you.

By the numbers

Total number of veterans signed up for the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry as of May 3, 2018: 141,246

Number of veterans in Temple Veterans Affairs Hospital region signed up for registry: 4,508

Total number of veterans up to age 64 possibly eligible to sign up:

Bell County: 44,772

Coryell County: 11,518

Lampasas County: 2,754

Total number of veterans within the three counties (all ages): 71,656

Total number of Gulf War Era veterans in Texas: 749,633

Source: Texas Veterans Commission
The network hasn't given a release date.

Source: Twitter

FX has renewed Legion for a third season, according to a tweet from the network.

Creator and Executive Producer Noah Hawley used the comics as a jumping off point for the series, creating his own mythology. In a statement, FX Networks and FX Productions president of original programming Eric Schrier had this to say:

"Legion has redefined the superhero drama and exceeded all expectations as the intensity and revelation build through the second season. We are incredibly proud of Noah Hawley's achievement and are honored to continue the series as it pushes the boundaries of conventional television storytelling. We are also grateful for the contributions of our executive producers, John Cameron, Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, and Jeph Loeb with Marvel Television, as well as our outstanding cast and crew of this groundbreaking show."

Currently airing its second season, Legion stars Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, and Bill Irwin.


It has come to my attention that the current Board of Directors and the CEO of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation a/k/a AMTRAK would just as soon eliminate all long distance trains in America. They cite costs, aging equipment and safety concerns as their reasons behind this misguided thinking. This also means that the Board wants to eliminate the Empire Builder that stops in our community twice a day.

The Empire Builder served over 100,000 passengers in North Dakota in 2017. Here in rural America, Amtrak is a safe, reasonable costing and somewhat dependable method of transportation for young and old. We need and use Amtrak.

The Board is also considering eliminating sleepers and hot food service on long distance trains. These are reasons that passengers use these trains in addition to getting to where they want to go.

Our communities have been faithful supporters of AMTRAK through the years of turmoil. It is now time again, to stand up and be counted for support of this passenger rail system in our county. Contract our Members of Congress and urge them to support the maintenance of the Empire Builder and the rest of the long distance trains in the system and in AMERICA. I have written to each United States Senator from Illinois to Washington and all states in between. Many of them have spoken up and challenged the Amtrak Board about their thinking. It is important that we keep the NATIONAL in the National Railroad Passenger Corporation and not just the east and west coast service corridors.

We need your help to keep the Builder and other long distance trains rolling across our country.

Dale G. Niewoehner

Former Mayor

Rugby
The Job Development Authority held its monthly meeting on Thursday, May 24, at the JDA office in Rugby.

Tanner Johnson, president, and Jessica Brossart, executive director, led the meeting, opening with a discussion approving prior minutes and the financial report for April 26, 2018.

Brossart gave her Directors Report, opening with a request for technology memberships to support the JDA Office including Linkedin and other technologies. A motion was made to approve for three months and then have an update to the effectiveness from Brossart. The motion was made and approved. Brossart said the amount would be about $300 monthly.

A discussion was held surrounding the acquisition of the JDA website address. The investigation will continue into looking at a more reasonable price and an update to be given in June.

In addition, Brossart discussed two candidates for the part-time positions for office administrator. Two candidates have been identified and can potentially cover the position of a full-time person. No formal interviews or offers have been extended at this time. It was agreed that this work arrangement could work for the summer, and be reevaluated in the fall. One candidate is going to college in the fall. Both have other part-time jobs this summer.

In new business, the ND Moves  NDDOT was approved by the City Council for a 30-day demonstration and public safety approval. On June 4 at a location to be announced, there will be a public meeting at 5 p.m. to address the Main Street Initiatives with stakeholders (business owners on Main Street) to hear their concerns. Several concerns have been made to the city and the meeting should answer those concerns.

This is a short-term project with a limited duration of approximately one month, and no permanent decision is being made at the meeting to implement the new design. Brossart said. The meeting will probably be held on the patio at I.C. Dubbles, but I will announce it when I have confirmation.

Also in new business, there was a motion to approve Jamie Wald for the position of a new real estate agent for the Chalmers Addition. Terry Hoffert said all real estate agents renewals are due in June. There was a discussion and a motion to accept. Tanner Johnson led a discussion about natural gas and the cost to Rugby. This was again carried forward for more research. The board accepted the resignation of Bonnie Kuehnemund from the JDA.

In correspondence received, special meetings and reminders it was noted that the North Dakota Department of Commerce, New Professionals Day and Roundtable will be held Wednesday, May 30, in Bismarck and EDND Conference is in Jamestown, June 19-21 at the Gladstone Inn. The JDA will pay for board members to attend the meetings.

The next JDA meeting will be held June 28 at the JDA Office.
iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Investigators on Saturday continued scouring the home of a kidnapping suspect in Springfield, Massachusetts, where three dead bodies have already been found in and around the unassuming, green clapboard house.

"Needless to say, the search has been very thorough, it's very painstaking and it's very much ongoing and it remains active," Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni told reporters Friday.

The district attorney said the probe could go on for "days, if not longer."

Authorities began combing the residence, the last known address of 40-year-old Stewart Weldon, on Wednesday and announced their grisly discovery of three bodies the next day.

No additional human remains have been discovered since, but investigators have brought in ground-penetrating radar technology to assist in their search beneath the ground's surface, according to Gulluni.

Weldon's mother bought the property two years ago and is listed as the owner, according to public records.

Weldon and the home where he is believed to live came under investigation after a police encounter with him Sunday night. Officers stopped his car for having a broken tail light, and he tried to drive away.

After police apprehended Weldon following a short chase, they found a woman with him in the car who told officers that Weldon had held her captive for a month, sexually assaulted her and beaten her, according to ABC affiliate WGGB-TV in Springfield.

The woman, who has not been identified, was transported to a hospital for multiple injuries and is expected to recover, according to Gulluni.

Weldon was arrested that night. He pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and other charges on Tuesday and was ordered held on $1 million bail, WGGB-TV reported.

It wasn't Weldon's first run-in with police. In Massachusetts, he has been previously charged with breaking and entering as well as assault with a dangerous weapon, for which he spent time in jail, according to court records.

Police records show Weldon was arrested three times in Springfield last year.

No one has been charged in connection to the bodies found at the Springfield property, nor has Weldon been linked to them. The identities of the deceased have not been released.

Other individuals who lived in the residence are accounted for and safe, according to Gulluni.

Neighbors said they're anxious for investigators to conclude their search and provide answers.

"Hopefully there's no more [bodies] and no one else is injured," Stacy Serrano, who has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years, told WGGB-TV.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.


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Four thousand customers who thought they were repaying their spiralling debts have lost a massive 7million after being allegedly swindled by two financial bosses.

Christine Whitehurst ran debt management firm First Step Finance between 2007 and 2013. The firm promised to help financially vulnerable people get control of debts and gradually repay them over time.

First Step was supposed to collect customer payments and then pass them on to mortgage lenders and credit card companies that were owed money by First Step's customers.

However, according to the UK's financial watchdog, Whitehurst took the money for herself and spent it on luxury holidays and cars for herself and her husband Adrian Whitehurst.

More than 200,000 of customer money was spent on luxury cars including a Bentley

According to an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority, the pair spent over 500,000 on holidays, bars and restaurants, including stays at five-star luxury hotels in Marbella, Venice, Vienna and Greece.

More than 200,000 of customer money was spent on luxury cars including a Bentley, a Range Rover and a Ducati.

Significant sums were also frittered on luxury brands, including goods from Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

Then in 2013, Christine Whitehurst agreed to sell First Step Finance to Darren Newton - another financial boss.

However, the FCA claims that he didn't use his own money to buy the firm - which was already in 6million of debt - he used even more of the firm's own customers' money to pay Christine Whitehurst a further 322,500.

The City watchdog investigated both the Whitehursts and Newton and has now, four years after the firm went bust having 'lost' 7.1million of customers' cash, banned all three from operating in financial services ever again.

The FCA isn't the only official body to have accused the Whitehursts and Newton.

A separate investigation into the firm by the Government's Insolvency Service published similar findings in 2016.

It also found that the Whitehursts 'withdrew money from the company in breach of the regulations and treated it as directors drawings'.

An official statement said: 'They then set off their liability for the amounts they owed the company by selling their shares in both a speculative overseas property development and the company itself at prices that could not be explained and to their own advantage.

'Furthermore funds taken from client accounts were loaned to companies owned and controlled by family members.'

The Insolvency Service also banned both Whitehursts from being limited company directors for a total of 24 years. Darren Newton was also banned by the Insolvency Service for three years.

Who was affected? First Steps clients were largely vulnerable individuals who went to the firm for help to pay off their debts. The firm told customers that it would build a pot of money for each customer and use this to make a full and final settlement of their debts. First Step received monthly payments from their customers, who were told that the money would be held in a ring-fenced account as required by the Office of Fair Trading. After the purchase of First Step on 18 October 2013 by Newton, customers were meant to be transferred to another of his businesses - Debt Help and Advice. This transfer did not take place and First Step continued to receive payments from existing clients until it was placed into administration in May 2014 with debts totally 7.1million. Newton failed to repay customers' debts as promised.

However, last month Newton appealed his latest ban by the FCA - meaning he is still legally allowed to run a financial firm until the Upper Tribunal backs up the watchdog's decision.

If they rule in favour of Newton, he'll be free to run a business with access to customer cash again in the future.

Newton, Christine Whitehurst or Adrian Whitehurst - who the FCA alleges were collectively responsible for the loss of over 7million of money belonging to 4,000 customers - are not facing any further investigation or criminal charges.

This is in spite of the watchdog confirming it reported the case to the City of London Police in both May 2016 and again in May 2017.

According to sources at the regulator, the police decided not to pursue the couple and as such, the FCA did not report Newton to the police again this week when it published its decision to ban him.

Mark Garnier, Conservative MP for Wyre Forest and a former member of the Treasury Select Committee, called the whole debacle 'completely outrageous' and called on the regulator and police to do more to hold all three to account.

He said: 'The FCA is acting as the agent of regulation. If they think that these people have done enough to be banned from financial services, then why are they not referring this case for investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service?

'Regulation needs to be seen to have teeth. The bottom line is that we create these rules so that people have confidence in our financial system. What is the point unless these laws are taken seriously and investigated when they are broken?'

He added: 'There has got to be criminal accountability for instances such as this where so much money has gone missing.'

The FCA declined to comment further on the case, other than to reiterate what it had already said on the matter in both banning orders.

A statement from the City of London police said: 'In May 2016, the Financial Conduct Authority passed a file to the City of London Police for review regarding suspected fraud within a debt management company and the decision was taken not to progress to an investigation.

'In May 2017 the Financial Conduct Authority passed an additional file to City of London Police for review regarding suspected fraud within a debt management company.

'Following a thorough review of the file, we have taken the decision not to progress with an investigation. We reviewed the case and found that there was little chance of a successful criminal prosecution.'

According to Companies House, Christine Whitehurst and her husband Adrian are now partners in a property development firm, Omega Design and Build, whose website promises to help you 'build the home of your dreams'.

This is Money attempted to contact the Whitehursts but have yet to receive a response.

According to Companies House, Newton's last correspondence address matches that of accountancy and financial advice firm Howard Worth based in Nantwich, Cheshire.

This is Money contacted the firm, however a spokeswoman said she was unable to confirm or deny that Newton worked or was based there and declined to make any comment.
Visa has apologised after a system failure prevented card payments across the UK and Europe.

Card users hit out on social media last night as they were denied payment at pubs, supermarkets and shops and were forced to wait in long queues at cash machines.

The company said it 'fell well short' of its goal to ensure cards work reliably at all times, but assured customers this morning that Visa was operating at 'full capacity' again.

Drivers also faced difficulties getting into Wales because the card system was not working on the Severn Bridge, as the UK - where 95 per cent of debit cards run on Visa's network - faced chaos on Friday night.

People stand in line for a cash machine in Dublin after the Visa system failure last night

One Visa user in Manchester reported queues at an Aldi because shoppers could not use cards

Social media users including John Homewood also complained of delays at the Severn Bridge. He said: 'It looks like no-one can get into Wales'.

Sandra Foy, who owns a bookshop in Manchester, told Sky News: 'I run a small business and the loss of any business is a big deal for us.

'Not knowing when this is going to be sorted out is incredibly frustrating.'

The BBC posted a picture of a London supermarket worker standing outside holding a sign reading: 'cash only'.

One customer, Anna, told MailOnline she had Visa payments at a bar and a food truck declined so switched to Google Pay, but later received a notification saying several card payments had gone through after all.

She said she had been at the Digbeth Dining Club in Birmingham with her boyfriend when they discovered the system was down, and was concerned she would not be refunded after paying for her orders twice.

Another MailOnline reader described a 'very embarrassing' experience in a pub when the bar server said the transaction for two drinks and some peanuts had not gone through.

And another supermarket shopper in Leeds said she was not told it was a nationwide Visa fault, with staff insisting there must be something wrong with her card.

One Twitter user called Rachel reported 'chaos' in an Aldi with long queues for cash machines while an Asda in Colchester had 40 people standing in line for money.

Some shops apparently had to resort to retro payment methods, with a Morrisons store manager posting a picture of an old-style card machine.

Elle Gibbs-Murray, from Bridgend in south Wales, said she was stuck in traffic on the Severn Bridge between England and Wales for 45 minutes as drivers were unable to pay the toll by card.

Ladies Day at Epsom was also disrupted as punters could not place bets, and some bars were even forced to closed because tills were not working, The Sun reported.

One woman from Oldham said she could not pay for drinks after work on a Friday, saying: 'It's worrying how everything can come crashing down like this'.

Chris Sheridan said he was unable to pay London's congestion charge because of the Visa problem although Transport for London said customers would not be hit with a larger fee as a result.

A Sainsbury's employee in Vauxhall, London, held a sign saying the shop could only take cash

One MailOnline reader was told payments had been rejected because of the Visa failure but she later received a notification saying they had gone through

A Morrisons store manager in Manchester shared a picture of a retro card payment system

Twitter users including John Homewood reported drivers were stuck at the Severn Bridge

This sign outside a pub in Ipswich told customers that 'Visa is down nationwide'

In a Primark store on Berlin's Alexanderplatz, frustrated customers were queueing for 20 minutes to pay. Staff did not know why transactions were not going through.

However, in the neighbouring store, transactions were being processed without any problems.

Meanwhile a social media user called Jamie could not pay for drinks at a bar in Vienna because of the chaos - at which point a Visa advert appeared on a screen.

The issue was the result of a hardware failure and was not associated with any unauthorised access or cyber attack, Visa said.

Visa Europe posted a statement on its website in the early hours of Saturday to say the problems had been resolved.

It said: 'Visa Europe's payment system is now operating at full capacity, and Visa account holders can now use Visa for any of their purchases and at ATMs, as they normally would.'

It is understood the Bank of England was in touch with Visa about the problem.

A Visa spokesman had said on Friday night: 'Earlier today, Visa had a system failure that impacted customers across Europe.

'Our goal is to ensure all Visa cards work reliably 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

'We fell well short of this goal today and we apologise to all of our partners and, most especially, to Visa cardholders.

'Visa cardholders can now use their Visa cards as we are currently operating at close to normal levels.

'The issue was the result of a hardware failure. We have no reason to believe this was associated with any unauthorised access or malicious event.'

HSBC's UK Twitter account replied to a customer query on Twitter: 'We believe there may have recently been issues with Visa's payments processing.

'From what we understand there are still intermittent issues but services are slowly recovering.'

Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said the issue will have been a 'huge inconvenience to customers' and said Visa and the banks need to ensure no-one is left out of pocket.

'We strongly advise people to keep any evidence of extra expenses they've incurred in order to claim them back,' she said.

A Visa spokesman said the problem was not related to customers' cards or accounts, but that there is a glitch in the authorisation process on the merchant's side.
MATSAPHA  His Majesty King Mswati III has opened a E77.5 million Central Medical Store (CMS) and wants industries producing pharmaceutical products in the country.



The King officially opened 14 000 square metres CMS in Matsapha yesterday.

The Government of Eswatini contributed E47.5 million while Global Fund forked out E30 million towards the construction of the warehouse, which will benefit 387 health facilities in the country.



When highlighting what led to the construction of the warehouse, the King said previously, government was running four large central warehouses, three parallel warehouse systems, central medical stores for general essential and supplies, another warehouse for HIV/AIDS therapy products, the national laboratory and the national vaccine warehouse.



He said these warehouses were running different storage and distribution systems, which was a challenge in the management of drugs in the country.



In order to address this shortcoming, the partnership of the Government of Eswatini and Global Fund, who through health system strengthening, HIV, TB and malaria grant, produced this refurbished warehouse.



Diagnostics



This has created a one stop shop for all health commodities; medicines, laboratory, medical supplies, malaria supplies and other related diagnostics.



He said the maintenance of good quality storage had been realised since all products were now stored under one roof.

His Majesty said the facility had also assisted in the distribution of laboratory commodities, which had no dedicated transport system in the past.



He said the personnel responsible for health commodities storage and distribution were now being shared under one warehouse, unlike before where they worked in different stations.

Further, His Majesty said this would also give the personnel an opportunity to up-skill themselves and specialise in the various operations of the central medical stores.



This is a huge positive spin-off on customer service, facility and patients.

He added that the installation of the electronic inventory management system would without doubt enhance record keeping of medicines.
MANZINI  Police yesterday detained four people as investigations into the sale of forged State documents intensify.



This publication last weekend reported that tax compliance certificates were easy to access in Manzini. Through an independent investigation, this publication gathered that the tax compliance certificates retailed between E100 and E1 000.



Officers from the Manzini Police Station yesterday conducted raids at three locations and detained the individuals.

Two of the men are from Zimbabwe, one from Ghana and another from Mozambique. They are assisting the police in their investigations into the forgery of State documents.



Another suspect is said to have disappeared moments before police could raid his shop.

This incident unfolded at the Enterprise Building, which is situated between Ngwane Street and the Manzini Bus Rank.

The officers under the Commercial Fraud Department visited the shop to investigate allegations that government documents were being manipulated there.



The shop houses a hair salon and a photocopying and laminating businesses owned by different businesspeople.

The salon is owned by females while the other is run by males.



Upon arrival, the team of five officers asked everyone inside the shop to remain where they were.

They then asked for the owner of the computers and were told that he had gone out.



However, a friend of the owner was in the vicinity and he was asked to assist the law enforcers.

During their investigations, the officers found some government documents believed to have been forged. One of the documents was a Form Five certificate.



Worth noting, customers who had come for hairdressing at the salon watched the police doing their work.

A man who had come for unknown business at the shop was searched as he attempted to leave.
MONENI  An affluent house with a swimming pool outside, sitting on land estimated to be a hectare, will be reduced to rubble.



The house is one of the 14 homesteads situated on the contested area between Moneni traditional leaders and Tisuka TakaNgwane.

The area occupies a section of Farm REM 9 at Moneni, in Manzini.



Some owners of the well- constructed modern houses are in the dark about the latest development, with some still going ahead with construction.



Tisuka TakaNgwane wants the owners, who were settled by the Moneni authorities evicted and the houses demolished.

The traditional authority, on the other hand, is adamant this would never happen and it is wishful thinking by Tisuka.

Seemingly, the demolitions are going ahead, according to a letter addressed to Tisuka TakaNgwane General Manager, Reverend Nicholas Nyawo from Tisuka lawyers, Robinson and Bertram Attorneys.



The letter, dated May 24, 2018 confirms that the affidavit, as per their letter dated May 8, 2018 has been served and filed in court, including to the attorneys of the illegal squatters.



We believe that this should settle the matter and our demolitions will proceed as planned. We are now engaging the deputy sheriff to proceed with the process of the demolitions, and he shall be in contact with your office for any assistance therein.

Reverend Nyawo, in a separate interview on Wednesday, further confirmed that the demolitions were going ahead but he was not in a position to give the dates.


Italy\s new populist leaders commemorated the founding of the Italian republic by attending a pomp-filled military parade Saturday  and then promised to get to work creating jobs and expelling migrants.

"The free ride is over," new Interior Minister Matteo Salvini warned migrants at a rally in northern Italy. "It\s time to pack your bags."

The pledge of mass deportations to come was a reminder that Italy has a staunchly anti-immigrant, right-wing party in its governing coalition  and that the European Union has a new partner governing its fourth-largest economy and a country on the front lines of migration into Europe.

Earlier, Salvini joined Premier Giuseppe Conte and the rest of the newly sworn-in Cabinet to view the Republic Day parade. Italy\s aeronautic acrobatic squad flew low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag.

The national pride on display is a feature of every Republic Day, but it took on a particular significance this year after Italy on Friday ended three months of political and financial turmoil and swore in a government whose populist and euroskeptic leanings have alarmed Europe.

Conte, a law professor plucked from relative obscurity to head an unlikely governing alliance of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the right-wing League party, said the celebrations Saturday transcended all the tensions of recent days.

"It\s the celebration for all of us, of our republic," he said.

Conte\s Cabinet was sworn in after a last-minute deal averted the threat of a new election that could have turned into a referendum on whether Italy stayed with the shared European euro currency. The political stability relieved financial markets on Friday but Italy\s European neighbors continued to express concerns about the euroskeptic bent and the heavy spending agenda of Italy\s new government.

"Italy is destroying itself  and dragging down Europe with it," read the headline of Germany\s Der Spiegel magazine, the cover of which featured a forkful of spaghetti with one dangling strand tied up as a noose.

While Spiegel is known for such provocations, another Spiegel article last week drew an official protest from Italy\s ambassador to Germany.

On Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned Conte and invited him to visit soon. Merkel\s office said both leaders emphasized the importance of continued close bilateral cooperation.

Conte has so far left policy specifics to the drivers of his improbable rise, his two deputies: Salvini of the League and 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio.

Di Maio, the new economic development minister, reported for work after the parade to his ministry, which would have otherwise been closed for the holiday.

"Starting today, we get to work to create work," Di Maio said in a Facebook video giving Italians a tour of the empty ministry. Di Maio is also the minister for labor, a combination he said made sense since the two ministries must work together.

Offering the new government cautious support was Italy\s small, far-right neo-fascist CasaPound party, which held its own Republic Day commemoration on Saturday. Banners featured images of a crossed-out EU flag and "#exIT" written underneath, a reference to calls for Italy to leave the 28-nation bloc.

The 5-Star-League agenda has no such plans, but Conte made clear he was irked by comments this week by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who said Italy had to stop blaming the EU for its problems and must take responsibility to address the poverty in southern Italy.

"That means more work, less corruption. Seriousness," Juncker said in comments his spokeswoman later said he regretted.

In an unscripted blast from the parade route, Conte insisted Italy wasn\t alone in facing cases of corruption and declared that "we all have to work for legality."

Conte\s government faces mandatory confidence votes next week in parliament, where the two governing parties have a slim majority.

Republic Day commemorates the day, June 2, 1946, when Italians voted in a referendum to abolish the monarchy in favor of a republic, Italy\s first.

The political upheaval that has created western Europe\s first populist government this week has been dubbed the start of Italy\s Third Republic.

SOURCE: AP
(And not because Trump wrecked it.)

By Victor Davis Hanson

The 75-year-old post-war order crafted by the United States after World War II is falling apart. Almost every major foreign-policy initiative of the last 16 years seems to have gone haywire.

Donald Trumps presidency was a reflection, not a catalyst, of the demise of the foreign-policy status quo. Much of the world now already operates on premises that have little to do with official post-war institutions, customs, and traditions, which, however once successful, belong now to a bygone age.Advertisement

Take the idea of a Western Turkey, linchpin of NATO southeastern flank  an idea about as enduring as the indomitable French Army of 1939. For over a decade Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan has insidiously destroyed Turkeys once pro-Western and largely secular traditions; he could not have done so without at least majority popular support.

Empirically speaking, neo-Ottoman Turkey is a NATO ally in name only. By any standard of behavior  Ankara just withdrew its ambassador from the U.S.  Turkey is a de facto enemy of the United States. It supports radical Islamic movements, is increasingly hostile to U.S. allies such as Greece, the Kurds, and Israel, and opposes almost every foreign-policy initiative that Washington has adopted over the last decade. At some point, some child is going to scream that the emperor has no clothes: Just because Turkey says it is a NATO ally does not mean that it is, much less that it will be one in the future.

Instead, Turkey is analogous to Pakistan, a country whose occasional usefulness to the U.S. does not suggest that it is either an ally or even usually friendly.

There is nothing much left of the old canard that only by appeasing Chinas mercantilism can there be a new affluent Chinese middle class that will then inevitably adopt democracy and then will partner with the West and become a model global nation. China is by design a chronic international trade cheater. Trade violations have been its road to affluence. And it seeks to use its cash as leverage to re-create something like the old imperial Japanese Greater East Asia co-prosperity sphere. U.S. trade appeasement of Beijing over the last decades no more brought stability to Asia than did nodding to Tokyo in the 1930s.Advertisement

Trere is also nothing sacred about the European Union. It certainly is not the blueprint for any continental-wide democratic civilization  any more than Bonapartes rigged continental system (to which the EU is on occasion strangely and favorably compared to by its proponents). The often-crude imposition of a democratic socialism, pacifism, and multiculturalism, under the auspices of anti-democratic elites, from the Atlantic to the Russian border, is spreading, not curbing, chaos. The EU utopian mindset has altered European demography, immigration policy, energy production, and defense. The result is that there are already four sorts of antithetical EUs: a renegade and departing United Kingdom, an estranged Eastern European bloc worried over open borders, an insolvent South bitter over front-line illegal immigration and fiscal austerity, and the old core of Western Europe (a euphemism now for German hegemony).

After all, as Anis Bajrektarevic claims in his Europe of Sarajevo 100 years later  there is no one, but 5 Europes:  Atlantic Europe is a political powerhouse, Central Europe is an economic powerhouse, Russophone Europe is an energy powerhouse, Scandinavian Europe is all of that a bit, and Eastern Europe is none of it. Professor concludes: America did not change on September 11. It only became more itself  Robert Kagan famously claimed. Paraphrasing it, we may say: From 9/11 (09th November 1989 in Berlin) and shortly after, followed by the genocidal wars all over Yugoslavia, up to the Euro-zone drama, MENA destructions or ongoing Ukrainian crisis, Europe didnt change. It only became more itself  a conglomerate of five different Europes. Advertisement

As for Germany, it is no longer the new model West Germany of the post-war order, but a familiar old Germany that now pushes around its neighbors on matters of illegal immigration, financial bailouts, Brexit, Russian energy, and NATO contributions, much as it used to seek to expand Prussia and the Sudetenland. German unification now channels more the spirit of 1871 than of 1989. Call the new German attitude Prussian postmodernism  a sort of green and politically correct intimidation. Likewise, in terms of the treatment of German Jews, Germany seems more back in the pre-war than in the post-war world.Advertisement

As far as the U.S., Germany has redefined its post-war relationship with the America on something like the following three assumptions: 1) Germany right to renege on its promise to spend 2 percent of its GDP on defense in order to meet its NATO promises is not negotiable; 2) its annual $65 billion surplus with the U.S. is not negotiable; 3) its world-record-busting account surplus of $280 billion is not negotiable. Corollaries to the above assumptions are Germanys insistence that NATO in its traditional form is immutable and that the present free trade system is inviolable.Advertisement

Soon, some naif is going to reexamine GermanAmerican relations and exclaim there is no there.Advertisement

The post-war energy norm ended about ten years ago. The U.S. by next year will be the worlds largest producer of natural gas, oil, and coal  at a time of real progress in all types of hybrid engines. Israel does not need the Middle Easts  or anyone elses  oil or natural gas. The Persian Gulf is now mostly a strategic concern of Iran and its archrival Gulf monarchies selling their oil to China and Europe, neither of which so far has the naval power to protect the precarious fonts of its energy interests.

The Palestinian issue of the last 75 years is ossified. If the millions of persons displaced in Europe and the Middle East between 1946 and 1950  at about the same time as Palestinians left present-day Israel were not considered refugees for decades, then Palestinians can hardly be singular sufferers. Perpetual victimhood is not a basis for a national agenda, much less a blank check for endless, virtue-signaling Western aid. Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem was simply an iconic recognition of what has been true for nearly a decade.

The West Banks rich Arab patrons now fear Iran more than they do Israel. The next Middle East war will be between Israel and Iran, not the Palestinians and their Arab sponsors and Tel Aviv  and the Sunni Arab world will be rooting for Israel to defeat Islamic Iran.Advertisement

Even nuclear proliferation no longer quite follows the post-war boilerplate of the anxious West clamoring for non-proliferation, rogue regimes getting nukes with a wink and nod of either the Chinese or Russians, and then the world assuming once a nuclear nation, always a nuclear nation.

Instead, if there is a next round of proliferation, it will likely be among democratic nations  Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia  to counter the failure of Western nations, the U.N., and international associations to stop proliferation by the unhinged. They will seek deterrence against regimes that were nuclearized and supported by Russia and China in the past. Likewise, it is not written in stone that North Korea or Iran will always have nuclear weapons, given their isolated economies vulnerability to sanctions and blockades, their international unpopularity, and the costs that will be imposed upon their stealthy patrons.

Finally, were seeing the end of the old truism that the U.S. was either psychologically or economically so strong that it could easily take on the burdens of global leadership  taking trade hits for newly ascendant capitalist nations that ignored trade rules, subsidizing the Continental defense of an affluent Europe, rubber-stamping international institutions on the premise that they adhered to Western liberalism and tolerance, and opening its borders either to assuage guilt or to recalibrate a supposedly culpable demography.

Historic forces have made post-war thinking obsolete and thereby left many reactionary experts wedded to the past and in denial about the often-dangerous reality before their eyes. Worse is the autopilot railing for the nth time that Donald Trump threatens the post-war order, undermines NATO, is clueless about the EU, or ignores the sophisticated institutions that hold the world together.Advertisement

About the only metaphor that works is that Trump threw a pebble at a global glass house. But that is not a morality tale about the power of pebbles, but rather about the easy shattering of cracked glass.





The views expressed in this article are the author\s own and do not necessarily reflect The Times Of Earth\s editorial policy.
Saudi Arabia\s King Salman has threatened to take military action if Qatar installs a Russian air defense system, France\s Le Monde newspaper reported.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar last year, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, which it denies.

Qatar and Russia signed an agreement on military and technical cooperation last year. Qatar\s ambassador to Russia was quoted as saying in January that it was in talks to buy the Russian S-400 missile air defense systems.

Le Monde said that Saudi King Salman had written a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing his profound concern over negotiations between Doha and Moscow and the possibility that Qatar could deploy the missiles.

"The kingdom would be ready to take all necessary measures to eliminate this defence system, including military action," Le Monde quoted the letter to Macron as saying. It said the letter had been sent "recently", but was not more specific.

Salman asked Macron for his assistance to prevent the sale of the missiles and preserve peace in the region, Le Monde said.

The French president\s office and the Saudi government\s communications office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

SOURCE: REUTERS
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The New Life Care Center will hold an open house on Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m., at its new location, 220 W. Spruce St., in Titusville. The centers former location at 107 W. Spring St., was destroyed by a fire in mid-January.
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Chiefs sign long-term partnership deal with Executive AirShare - Kansas City Business Journal Lenexa-based Executive AirShare signed a long-term partnership agreement with the Kansas City Chiefs, making it the team's official private aircraft services partner. Executive AirShare is one of the nation's largest fractional aircraft providers, with operation centers throughout the central United States and the Great Lakes region.

There's a myth that pro-sports teams create jobs or offer metro prestige . . .. . . Meanwhile, Kansas City taxpayers hand overto finance a brutal game that is only a money-making machine for millionaire players and billionaire owners. Today's example:
Serious Summer Prank Warning

KCPD, FBI warn not to point lasers at aircraft Kansas City police and the FBI are warning residents not to point lasers at aircraft. Authorities said the pilot of a Kansas City police helicopter was hit directly in the eye with a laser pointer while on routine patrol over east Kansas City last month. Police arrested one person.

Urban Core Critique

Latest Kansas City Close Call

Shots fired into KC home narrowly miss teenager, child Kansas City police are investigating after shots were fired into a home early Friday narrowly missing a teenager and child. Police said they were called at 12:47 a.m. to the 1700 block of East 80th Street. A teenager told investigators that he was lying down, trying to get a small child to sleep when he heard several gunshots.

Kansas Gets Curiouser and Curiouser

Dental activist, horse lover Vermin Supreme files for Kansas attorney general A boot-wearing, pony-loving political satirist who runs for president every four years has filed for Kansas attorney general. Baltimore native and political performance artist Vermin Supreme filed Friday. Supreme announced his plans to run for Kansas governor in an interview Thursday.

Show-Me Bad Numbers

Missouri report: Black drivers 85 percent more likely to be stopped ST. LOUIS (AP) - Nearly four years after protests in Ferguson raised concerns about racial profiling of blacks in Missouri, a report from the state attorney general shows that African-American drivers are 85 percent more likely to be pulled over than whites -- the highest level in the 18 years the state has compiled data.

Unlucky Odds After Water Park Decapitation

7 rides allowed to open at Schlitterbahn Water Park Seven rides are now allowed to open at Schlitterbahn Water Park. Eleven rides were shut down last week after a Kansas audit found several safety violations. The Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office announced Friday that the seven rides -- Bahnzai Pipeline Tube Slide, Black Knight Tub Slide, Blitz Falls Aquaveyor, Cyclone, King Kaw Aquaveyor, Storm Blaster and Twister -- are now in compliance.

The Big Shows Tonight

Diverse Sound Of Kansas City

There ain't any lip-syncing on Miss Daisy Bucket's debut album Zach Bauman It's a chilly, late-March afternoon up on the roof of the new Messenger Coffee headquarters in the Crossroads. Spencer Brown is sipping coffee and wearing a hoodie over a denim jacket covered in enamel pins - a far cry from the ornate gowns and fancy cocktails favored by Brown's alter ego, the drag performer known as Miss Daisy Bucket.

Hottieis an inspiration to all single-moms and we would be remiss if we didn't share this headline from not so long ago . . .Closer to home, here's a KCMO 1st Friday afternoon roundup:And this is thefor right now . . .
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City man is facing charges of soliciting a minor under the age of 14. Johnson County, Kan. prosecutors Thursday charged Eric Kilgore, 41, with one count of electronic solicitation of a minor on Feb 4, 2018. Court documents reveal the victim was born in 2005.
I've long tolerated the erratic behavior of my favorite artist of the millennium. I stuck with him when he cancelled a concert in Atlanta after I booked a non-refundable trip to see him at Philips Arena. Even his unsettling flirtation with the current president didn't phase me. I'm firmly in the music-is-the-only-thing-that-matters camp.
Three people were killed and five others were injured after a police chase ended in a violent crash. Police were called at 3:50 p.m. Friday to East 23rd Street and Television Place, an area just east of Interstate 435. Investigators said that's where an Independence police chase ended in Kansas City.
"Police were called to the scene just before 9:30 Saturday morning, on a body reported in the fountain.





"Officers arrived and put crime scene tape up around the area and began an investigation.





"Early indications say drugs may have played a roll."

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR BLOG COMMUNITY FOR THIS KANSAS CITY CRIME SCENE REPORTING AND A GLIMPSE AT DEATH IN THE SHADOW OF CITY HALL!!!

Right now police are working to determine the cause of death of a poor soul found dead in a downtown fountain . . .Our blog community thinks it's probably a murder . . .Police claim the cause drugs . . .And so . . .Now the distance is great enough that the photo isn't gory and no identities are revealsdeserves credit for sharing the info which overall speaks to the growing quotient of desperation on local streets no matter what the circumstances or if this is homicide #50 so far in 2018.Developing . . .
CHECK THIS TKC EXCLUSIVE KANSAS CITY CASH RANKING OF MAYORAL CONTENDERS!!!

The Kansas City Cash King

6th District At-Large Councilman Scott Taylor: $351,531.08

Family Cash To The Rescue

Lawyer Stephen Miller: $110,012.45

Diving Into Deep Pockets??

4th District Council Lady Jolie Justus & LGBT, Parks & Trail Advocate: $94,885.68

Job Search Cash???

3rd District Councilman & Jazz Museum Refugee Jermaine Reed: $60,815.41

More Hype Than Money

Attorney Phil Glynn: $58,448.02

Under-performing So Far

1st District At-Large And Mayor Pro Tem Scott Wagner: $27,661.85

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE MAYORAL CONTENDER SO FAR AND DOES THEIR FINANCIAL POSITION INFLUENCE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THEIR CANDIDACY?!?!

In less than a year Kansas City will have a new Mayor. Per, we must remind our blog community that every election in this wicked little town is decided before a single ballot is ever cast and the money count is always the basis for respect, interest and enthusiasm for all local campaigns.To wit . . .The April reports are final, all of the amendments are in and here's how the candidates stand:From the outset, this Councilman Taylor has taken fundraising far more seriously than his opposition. Even better for his chances, over the course of his career he's worked hard to cultivate DNC connections with deep pockets.Right now he leads the pack . . .GOP consultants at AXIOM hate him more than any other candidate right now given his affiliations which threaten to strengthen local Democratic Party ties and embolden liberals across the region.This transit dude doesn't have much of a political resume but his recent fundraising adventure thrust him ahead of far more seasoned professionals.A lot of the money is related to his family but of all the law firm attorneys eyeing this race, he's the most personable and more likely to get the support of local sharks.The newspaper brazenly lists her as the leader in this race but the contributions she has earned don't reflect much excitement.Take a look:Moreover, like so many 4th District politicos before her . . . She might find that a high profile in Midtown doesn't guarantee name recognition in other parts of KCMO.Not very many take his campaign seriously, most locals believe his mayoral quest is a glorified effort to bump up name recognition and garner a cushy 6-figure job.Still, his cash total one year out suggests he's more confident in his chances than his critics.Fun fact, he was theHe's garnered more than his share of attention among social justice advocates and urban core clergy. Billboards on Broadway near his office are also a nice touch.Still, this mediocre performance one year out demonstrates that he's still got a lot of work ahead of him.Some of the smartest Kansas City insiders believe that the Northland is long overdue for a mayor and greater influence. Given Councilman Wagner's current fundraising totals, that's not going to happen any time soon.Of all the people running for office, Mayor Pro Tem Wagner is likely the nicest which will work to his disadvantage in this cut throat contest.Of courseis rumored to be preparing a run behind the scenes and a pro-weed candidate along with even more weirdos are also ready to jump into the race this Summer.Accordingly . . .You decide . . .
Tranio analysed data from Russian search engine Yandex relating to search queries for residential real estate from Q2 2016 to Q1 2018 to find out the 10 most popular countries among its users.

Greece is one of them and is described as follows:

Interest towards property in Greece started rising about a year ago. In Q4 2016, Yandex processed only 28,000 search queries, but this figure almost doubled in the first quarter of 2018. In total, Russian nationals searched for Greek property 313,000 times in the past two years.

One of the main incentives for Russian nationals to purchase Greek property is the country's golden visa programme under which foreign investors who buy one or more properties totalling 250,000 or more is entitled to residency in Greece. According to Greece's official investment agency Enterprise Greece, about 400 Russian investors have received Greek golden visas between the launch of the programme and late 2017. This is one of the cheapest golden visa programmes in Europe, and in view of Greeces economic recovery and the rapid development of its tourism industry, many foreign buyers believe that Greek property is a profitable investment. According to the Bank of Greece, the total value of transactions involving foreign nationals in the Greek property market in 2017 exceeded the 2016 figure by 87%.

Read more at tranio.com

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
Al Salam Bank-Bahrain, one of the pioneering Sharia compliant Banks in the kingdom, has announced the launch of the summer promotion on its range of Visa Credit and Prepaid cards.

Cardholders who will be travelling from June 1 to August 25 can take advantage of this special promotion, said a statement from Al Salam Bank-Bahrain.

With every transaction made by using any of Al Salam Banks Visa card abroad it will automatically give the cardholder a chance to earn up to BD5 per transactions on their spending abroad, it stated.

Mohammed Buhijji, the head of retail banking, said: "We are pleased to bring back our special card promotions this year with the aim to help our customers enjoy their lifestyle and travel aspirations as well as experience the card benefits that are tailored to fit their financial needs."

"Every time our customers make a transaction using any of our Visa credit cards or prepaid cards when spending for their purchases abroad they will have an opportunity for a chance to earn valuable cash prizes so the more you swipe your card, the more your chances of winning," noted Buhijji.

"The Top 30 customers having the highest number of card swipes will be announced as the winners of cash prizes worth up to BD5 per transaction abroad, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Naveen Garewal

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is confident that he is firmly in control of the state, moving ahead with gusto to fulfil all the promises made to people before the BJP came to power. He wants to ensure that most of the initiatives taken by his government are completed before the next Assembly elections. He says his government will complete its full term and there is no possibility of early Assembly elections. The Tribune caught up with him and sought his views on various issues.

Your governments performance during the last three and a half years is perceived to be lacklustre, your comments?

I have risen from the grass-roots level. In my 28 years political journey starting as an RSS Pracharak to the Chief Minister of Haryana, I have seen the gap between the rich and the poor widen. The BJP believes in antyodaya, which means raising the standard of living of the downtrodden and uplift of the poorest of the poor. When I became Chief Minister my objective was to follow this path. The first one and a half year was lost in just understanding governance issues and nuances of running a government. It is only after that my government began to put mechanisms in place and that have yielded results. For example, the CM Window that I personally monitor has received around five lakh complaints from ordinary citizens who in the past could never dream of communicating with the Chief Minister directly. A majority of these complaints have been addressed, thus taking the redress mechanism on peoples doorsteps. We have received a huge response to our initiatives from people, but we do not brag like the Opposition. You know the president of an opposition party has been for six months boasting about how successful a cycle rally of 700-odd persons organised by him was, while another opposition leaders rath yatra has failed to take off despite many announcements. In my seven road shows, there has been a tremendous response to my programmes and policies. Even in places like Jind, where the BJP does not have even one MLA, the routine gathering was around 25,000 to 30,000.

The unemployed had a lot of hope from your government, why the delay in meeting the promised target of employment?

One of the biggest achievements of my government has been objective and transparent recruitment based on merit. About 25,000 jobs have already been given. We have scrapped the marks for interview, as that is where most corruption happened. Some opposition leaders are so upset at this that they are telling their supporters that if they are voted to power they will scrap merit to accommodate them. Till the end of our tenure my government will provide jobs to one lakh people, as promised by us. Around 54,000 vacancies will be filled shortly. In comparison, the previous government just recruited people on ad hoc basis, leading to a lot of resentment and frustration among eligible job aspirants. My government has set up a Skill University and a Skill Development Mission that will help people in self-employment.

There appears to be strong disconnect between employees of all departments and the government. Are you doing something to fulfil their demands?

I agree that employees of various departments are agitating across the state. This is nothing new and will not stop ever. As elections come closer, employees try to have their way to get their demands accepted. Volunteers appointed on a small stipend of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 want their jobs to be regularised in the scale of Rs 8,000 and above. Outsourced employees too want "pucca" jobs and even those getting salaries ranging from Rs 18,000 to Rs 50,000 are unhappy. We have raised the salaries of chowkidar from Rs 4,500 to Rs 7,500, and that of anganwari workers first from Rs 4,500 to Rs 7,000 and now to Rs 11,500. But still every category of employees wants to squeeze something more from the government. If we don't exercise restraint, the states budget will not hold. We cannot just meet arbitrary demands just because the state is due for elections next year. Every decision has to be well reasoned and thought out in terms of its long-term impact.

Implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission report was one of the BJP's poll promises. Has it been abandoned or is the government still serious about implementing it?

Parties promise the moon prior to the elections. People demand and parties promise, but all promises are not easy to fulfil. The BJP has gone a long way to do what we had said. Haryana is an agrarian state and we have done a lot to uplift the condition of farmers. Prod MS Swaminathan has himself tweeted that he is satisfied with the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for farmers, but it is the Opposition that is trying to rake up the issue. Haryana has already assured farmers of remunerative prices for potatoes, onion, tomatoes and cauliflower. For the next crop due in October or November, the Union Government has decided to announce a minimum support price that ensures 50 per cent profit over the input cost to farmers. Ensuring water supply to tail ends of the canals has ensured the highest ever production of mustard in the state. Farmers are happy, but the Opposition is unhappy seeing them satisfied, as it fears losing its vote bank.

The opposition parties are targeting you for not doing enough to protect Haryana's water rights, especially when you have your own party government at the Centre.

I would like to ask the INLD and the Congress what they had done about the SYL canal during their tenures. For the past 10 years the matter was in cold storage. It is the BJP that pursued the issue and got it decided in the Supreme Court. We are now waiting for an execution order that will pave the way for Haryana getting its rightful share of water. The onus to comply with the apex court's execution order will then be on the Centre and Punjab.

Do you think under the given circumstances when Punjab has refused to share even one drop of water and had returned the land acquired for the SYL canal to their owners, it would be practically possible to dig a canal?

Digging a canal is not essential. All we are asking for is our share of water. I have written to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to stop the flow of Beas water to Pakistan. It is highly irresponsible that while some states are parched, river water is flowing out of the country. I want to know why Haryana has to give water to New Delhi. Is that not the national capital? Is it not the responsibility of all neighbouring states to share their water with New Delhi? Sub-soil water retention in some parts of Punjab is ruining its land, but why make it an ego issue and deny Haryana water. Giving excess water to Haryana can save Punjabs land and irrigate our fields. It is in national interest that states avoid confrontations and share natural resources.

Being Home Minister too, how do you respond to allegations that your government completely failed in dealing with three law and order situations since your party came to power?

The three violent incidents were unfortunate but some people need to change their perception based on the ground reality. The first incident was that of Ram Palthe Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered that he be produced in the court. He was surrounded by 10,000 to 15,000 people in his dera but we successfully brought him to the court without any bloodshed.

About the Jat agitation, we gave them what they wanted. We even told them that a provision of 10 per cent reservation would be made by amending legislation in the next Assembly session. But still the agitators resorted to arson and violence, mainly in Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat. It was clearly a political conspiracy against the government to discredit us. We paid instant compensation to the affected people and jobs to the families of those who lost their lives. Now, the cases are in courts and we have decided to withdraw cases of minor nature so that bitterness is lessened and normalcy restored. You cannot let such incidents dominate life for long.

The third incident pertained to violence following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Since the CBI court was to announce the judgment, it had to be done in the presence of the accused. The government could not have even considered going to the dera to evict him as it would have led to a severe backlash. So, the situation was handled in a mature way by getting him out of the dera. The violence that followed his conviction was unfortunate, but none could have predicted that dera followers could turn so violent. Those responsible for the violence have been booked and courts will decide their fates.

Murders and gang-rapes have become the order of the day in Gurugram, making it the crime capital of the state. Have you assessed the reasons for rising crime there and what are you doing to stop it?

As far as Gurugram is concerned, it is not just one city where crime takes place. It happens all over, but since Gurugram incidents catch attention first, the media highlights them. Two hundred out of the worlds top Fortune 500 companies have their offices in Gurugram, so even small incidents get international attention. We are seized of this and soon a task force of 1,000 personnel for night patrol will be stationed there. The city was short of force and hence 1,400 out of 4,200 police personnel, who have passed out of the Police Training Academy, will be posted there. Besides, CCTV cameras are being installed all over the city. A team of three senior police officials, which visited Israel with me recently, has discussed the problem with security experts there and would shortly implement various measures to reduce crime in Gurugram.

It is alleged that due to inexperience of BJP leaders, the bureaucracy is ruling Haryana

It is not fair to say that bureaucrats run the government or I have managed to tame the bureaucracy. In a democracy both executive and legislature have their own functions. Different people may have different ways of functioning, but the objective of everyone is the same. I dont have any problem with anyone in the bureaucracy. There is a lot that I have learnt from them and now when I have understood the functioning of the government, there is a lot they do at my instance. These are only rumours spread by vested interests who want to portray the functioning of my government in poor light.

It is alleged that radical elements have a free run in the BJP-ruled Haryana. Beef and namaz controversies are cited as the examples of this. Your reactions too are termed as acts of appeasement. What do you say?

There has been no deliberate attempt to rake up any controversy for attention. We live in society and everyone should be considerate towards the feelings and sentiments of others. If cow is holy, no one should talk about beef consumption or causing the cow harm in any manner. It is not now that cow has become holy; it has ever been part of our culture. Similarly, when it comes to offering namaz, every citizen is free to follow his or her faith. But this cannot be allowed at the cost of hurting the sentiments of someone else. If people object, the government has to take remedial measures. But it is not that anyone has been asked to stop practising ones faith. The same goes for Bhagwad Gita, which is not just a holy book; it is the fountainhead of our culture. Even the Supreme Court has ruled that Bhagwad Gita is a way of life.

Senior minister Anil Vij has kicked up a row by advising everyone to join the RSS for some time. Do your support him?

Everyone has his or her own opinions on various things. But there is nothing wrong in what Vij has said about everyone joining the RSS for some time, as it will only make them disciplined. In Israel, there is compulsory training in the army for all men and women and as a result that nation observes discipline in every field. In fact, yoga or meditation done regularly brings discipline.

Would you like to comment on frequent rumblings within your party, often termed as the uneasy calm, and outbursts by party legislators and MPs?

There is nothing wrong with the internal working of our party. The talk about an uneasy calm in the party is a figment of imagination of the media or the Opposition. Ours is a democratic party where everyone has a right to express his or her opinion. If someone does try to vent his or her ire publicly, we can only make him or her understand that party issues must be discussed internally. But if someone still wants to make public noise, the party has a mechanism to deal with him. But so far none has crossed the Lakshman Rekha.

Is a Cabinet reshuffle in the offing in the near future, as you have said that all legislators will be given an opportunity to run the government?

There is nothing in the offing. If the rumours were to be believed we would have had 12 Cabinet reshuffles by now. All my team members are doing a good job and I am personally monitoring their work.

Can we expect a snap poll for the Vidhan Sabha along with the Parliamentary elections? Who do you see in the race with the BJP to form the next government?

All political parties say they are the frontrunners in forming the next government. The INLD, Congress and now AAP are trying to tell people that they are all set to form the next government. The mood of the people over the last three and a half years is for all to see. But I can say this with conviction that AAP is a party that happened by accident. It will never come to power anywhere again. It is led by an individual who believes in anarchy rather than democracy. I want to put all political aspirants' doubts at rest by telling them that my government will complete its full term and there will be no early elections. People voted for us with a lot of hope and we will deliver all they aspire for before the next Assembly elections.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, June 2

Jat community members in Haryana on Saturday threatened to oppose programmes attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his ministers for not implementing quota in government jobs and education and not withdrawing cases filed in connection with the 2016 quota stir.

At a Jat Mahasabha organised in Jassia village in Rohtak district, the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti announced that it will hold dharnas from August 16 wherever Khattar or his ministers attend public programmes in the state.

"We will oppose each of their programmes until our demands are met. A resolution has been passed today in this regard," Samiti president Yashpal Malik said.

"If the prime minister holds any political rally in Haryana, we will oppose that too," Malik, who is spearheading the campaign for quota for Jats, said.

He said the government has time till August 16 to meet their demands.

Malik said the Jat community would organise 'Bhaichara Sammelans' with other sections of society including Dalits and farmers from June 15 in villages and blocks in the state.

The Jat leader accused the BJP-led Haryana government of "betraying" the community by not honouring the promises made to them.

The Jat Mahasabha was organised in the wake of the state government's submission in the Punjab and Haryana High Court last month that it would not withdraw cases related to the 2016 Jat agitation. The government had given permission for the withdrawal of 407 cases.

A total of 2,100 cases pertaining to arson and violence were registered in connection with the February 2016 agitation. Thirty people died and several were injured during the agitation.

In another resolution passed during the rally today, Jats will make "injustice" to the community an issue during the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

For the Mahasabha, Rohtak police had tightened security. Check posts were erected across the district and the rally participants were not allowed to enter the Rohtak city.

In February this year, Jats had threatened to disrupt BJP chief Amit Shah's rally in Jind, but relented when government representatives, including chief minister Khattar, promised to withdraw all cases registered in connection with the 2016 quota agitation, Jat leaders claim.

Jats have been demanding quota in jobs and educational institutions, withdrawal of all cases registered against community members and suitable compensation to those injured in the 2016 stir. With PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

KULLU, JUNE 2

A Japanese woman (30), who was raped by a taxi driver in Manali on May 30, identified the accused on Saturday. The accused was arrested on Friday.

SP Shalini Agnihotri said the victim was identified Deepak (38) of Katola village in Mandi district during a test identification parade in the court. The vehicle used during the crime bearing temporary registration number HP-33T-9252 had also been impounded.

The victim had stated that the accused raped her on the night of May 30 in the vehicle at a secluded place. The SP said the victim was aware of the Nirbhaya rape case of Delhi in 2012 and decided to surrender to the accused who threatened her of dire consequences, if she resisted.

The SP said the accused offered the victim his apartment in Manali. When she refused to stay in it, he took her to a hotel. The victim managed to flee and took a room in another hotel and later lodged a complaint in a Manali police station on May 31. The SP said the police nabbed the accused with the help of CCTV footages. The accused had been sent to police remand.

This is not the first instance of a foreign tourist being raped in Manali. An American woman was gangraped by three on June 4, 2013, and a 25-year-old Israeli tourist was raped by two persons on July 24, 2016.

Was aware of Nirbhaya case
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Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 2

The Shimla Police on Saturday claimed to have busted a sex racket and arrested two persons including, the kingpin of the gang.

Following a tip off, the police raided a guest house in busy Ram Bazaar area in the heart of the city late night on Friday and arrested 38-year-old client from Sirmaur along with the 32-year-old Kingpin and rescued a 19-year-old girl of Nepali origin.

The woman running the illegal business hails from Uttar Pradesh and is settled in Shimla for past few years.

She is married. The woman is reportedly running this business for quite some time and her modus operendi was to hire room in guest houses for illegal activities.

The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the IPC for immoral trafficking and investigations are underway to know that how many more girls were in her contact, besides investigating her inter-state links, if any, said ASP Shimla Praveer Thakur.
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Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 2

The 22-year-old youth who was mowed down by a CRPF vehicle during Friday protests succumbed to his injuries at a hospital here at midnight, triggering clashes at his funeral and forcing the authorities to impose restrictions and suspend mobile Internet services.

The youth, Qaisar Amin Bhat, a resident of Srinagar old citys Fateh Kadal locality, was among the two who were run over by the paramilitary vehicle at Nowhatta here.

The police have booked unidentified stone-pelters for attempt to murder and rioting, and charged the CRPF driver with rash driving in connection with the death of the youth. The police have initiated proceedings after registering an FIR under the relevant sections of law. Investigations are on, said a police statement. The incident took place outside the Jamia Masjid after Friday prayers when the paramilitary vehicle sped through a crowd of hostile protesters.

The youths funeral was attended by thousands of people on Saturday. The police had to fire tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the crowd after clashes erupted with security forces. Bhat was later buried at the Eidgah graveyard. As part of preventive measures, the authorities ordered an immediate shutdown of mobile Internet services in central Kashmir and slowed down its speed in south Kashmir. The authorities also imposed restrictions on civilian movement in parts of Srinagar city and prevented people from going towards the residence of the slain youth.

The video and photographs of the incident showed two youths getting run over by the speeding vehicle, leaving them injured. Bhat was admitted to SKIMS hospital where he succumbed to injuries past midnight, a relative said. The youth was an orphan and was the only caretaker of his two teenage sisters.

Bhat is the second Srinagar youth to die after being mowed down by a security forces vehicle during protests in recent months.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Srinagar, June 2

Authorities on Saturday imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the wake of the death of a youth who was allegedly hit by a security forces vehicle during clashes between protesters and forces.

Curfew and restrictions have been imposed in seven police station areas of the city, a police official said.

He said curfew had been imposed in Nowhatta area of the city, while restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC were in force in Rainawari, Safakadal, Khanyar, MR Gunj, Maisuma and Kralkhud police station areas of Srinagar.

The curbs have been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The separatists had called a strike across Kashmir on Saturday to protest against the recent civilian killings.

Most of the shops, petrol pumps and other business establishments in Srinagar were shut, while public transport was off the road, the official said.

However, he said private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in the areas where there were no restrictions.

Private schools were shut in the city, the official said.

He said similar reports of strike being observed were received from other district headquarters of the Valley.

The authorities have also suspended mobile internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts while the network speed has been reduced in four districts of south Kashmir.

Train services in the Valley have also been suspended for the day.

A youth--Kasier Bhat--who was injured after he was allegedly hit by a security forces vehicle during clashes between protesters and forces in the Nowhatta area of the city on Friday, died at a hospital on Saturday, police said. PTI
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Vidisha, June 2

The overnight internet sensation, Sanjeev Srivastava, who has stormed the social media after his dancing videos from a wedding went viral, is a die-hard fan of actor Govinda.

In the video, Srivastava, who has been rechristened by netizens as 'Dancing Uncle', could be seen dancing to Govinda's chartbuster song-- "Aap Ke Aa Jane Se" from the 1987 movie Khudgarz.

Talking to ANI, a very elated Srivastava shared his amazement on the sudden fame.

The middle-aged dancing uncle said, "This is an unreal feeling. I can't believe my dance video has gone viral. I thank everyone for the love and support. I have been dancing since 1982 and my idol is Govinda ji. Now I hope to get more opportunities."

"It is a big thing for me that so many people have liked me, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I am extremely happy that people like Raveena Tandon, our chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan have liked my dance. I have learnt to dance from my mother and Govinda is my role model."

Srivastava has garnered so much popularity that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister took to Twitter to praise Srivastava's electric performance. The chief minister said, "Professor Shri Sanjeev Shrivastav ji, who has been working in Bhopal, has created massive sensation over the internet in the whole of India. Believe it or not, there is something special about Madhya Pradesh." ANI
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 1

The Jagraon police have arrested four drug peddlers and seized 65 kg of poppy husk from them during separate operations. The police also confiscated four trucks in which the accused were allegedly trying to smuggle poppy husk.

In the first incident, a police team lead by ASI Nirmal Singh from the Jagraon CIA staff arrested Ranjit Singh, alias Mani, and seized 20 kg of poppy husk hidden beneath the conductor seat of the truck driven by him during checking at a naka outside Janetpura village, near Sidhwan Bet.

In the second incident, a police team led by ASI Gursewak Singh from the Galib Kalan police chowki arrested another driver Lovejeet Singh and seized 20 kg of poppy husk packed in a plastic bag, hidden in the truck, driven by him, near Sherpur Kalan village following a tip-off.

The third accused, Gurpreet Singh, was arrested by a police team led by ASI Chamkaur Singh from the Jagraon CIA staff during checking at a police naka at Canal Bridge on the Sidhwan Bet outskirts. During search the police recovered 20 kg of poppy husk hidden in the truck, which the accused was driving.

In a separate operation, a police team led by ASI Baldev Singh from the city police station arrested Jaswinder Singh near the Lande Fatak area on the Jagraon outskirts following a tip-off. During search the police recovered 5 kg of poppy husk packed in a plastic bag, placed under the driver seat of the truck, driven by accused.

Giving details, the Jagraon SSP, Surjit Singh, said during the preliminary investigation it was found that the accused used to transport various goods to other states in their trucks and while returning they smuggled small quantities of poppy husk to Punjab. They supplied the drug to their clients in the area, he added.

15-kg poppy husk, illegal liquor recovered

Khanna: The police have recovered 15 kg of poppy husk from Ashok Kumar, a resident of Lohian in Jalandhar district. The Khanna SSP, Navjot Singh Mahal, said a police team spotted person sitting on white bag near old-age home at Bulepur village. During his search, the police recovered 15 kg of poppy husk from the bag. The accused was booked under the NDPS Act at the Khanna Sadar police station.

In another incident, a police team recovered 50 cartons of illegal liquor from a Tempo Traveller near Mehandipur village. The liquor was meant to be sold in Haryana. Driver of the vehicle Parshotam Lal, a resident of Dadwa village, Gursaspur district, was booked under the Excise Act.
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Kolkata/Purulia (WB), June 2

The body of another man was found hanging from a power transmission tower in West Bengal's Purulia district, with the BJP claiming he was a party worker and Union minister Prakash Javadekar alleging that it was "political murder".

The incident comes days after the body of another man, Trilochon Mahato (20), who the party said was a member of its youth wing, was found hanging from a tree in Balarampur village of Purulia district.

The BJP alleged the deaths were "political murders" and demanded a CBI inquiry into the two incidents, even as the West Bengal government transferred Purulia Superintendent of Police Joy Biswas. The alleged killings have triggered another round of face-off between the TMC and the BJP, which were embroiled in a bitter slugfest during the panchayat elections last month.

Dulal Kumar (35) was found hanging from a power transmission tower near the fields in Purulia district's Dava village early this morning, SP Joy Biswas, who has been transferred following the incident, said.

No arrest has been made in connection with the incident so far, the SP said.

The BJP claimed Kumar was a party worker.

Party president Amit Shah attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged "political murders".

Kumar's death outraged locals who protested outside the Balarampur police station, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and removal of the officer-in-charge.

A note found near Mahato's body read he was "punished for working for the BJP" during the recent panchayat polls. However, the police did not recover any such note in Kumar's case, Biswas said.

"According to circumstantial evidence, Kumar's death seems to be a case of suicide. We are waiting for the postmortem report," the SP said.

TMC Rajya Sabha member Derek O' Brien condemned the killings and demanded a detailed probe into them. He, however, did not rule out the involvement of the BJP, the Bajrang Dal or Maoists in the incidents.

"We strongly condemn this despicable killing. All angles must be probed. The perpetrators of this heinous act must be punished. What role did Jharkhand border have to play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved. Let the truth be found out through proper investigation," O' Brien tweeted.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who was in the city, attacked the TMC government, describing the deaths as "political murders".

"Political murders have been taking place in West Bengal. 19 BJP workers have been killed so far (since the rural polls). The latest victims were Dulal and Trilochon Mahato.

"This is inhuman and the worst kind of crime. We condemn the brutal political murders. The people of West Bengal will definitely teach a lesson to those behind the incidents," he told reporters.

Hitting out at the Purulia SP for terming Kumar's death a suicide, BJP national secretary and former party state president Rahul Sinha demanded a CBI inquiry into the two deaths.

"The TMC is playing a dirty game. If Mamata Banerjee has got the courage, she must ask for a CBI enquiry into the deaths. These are political murders. The police are trying to label them as suicides," he said.

The BJP took out a number of rallies in New Delhi and in parts of the state to protest the death of Mahato.

BJP activists, led by state women wing chief Locket Chatterjee, on Monday took a march in Kolkata to protest the deaths.

The West Bengal government has ordered a CID probe into the killing of Mahato, ADG (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma confirmed.

According to senior CID officials, the possible involvement of people from the bordering state of Jharkhand would be also probed.

"As it is a bordering district, there is a possibility of outsiders being involved in the killings of Mahto and Kumar. These killings could be part of a conspiracy," a senior officer of the state CID told PTI.

In Purulia, the TMC and the BJP gave a tough fight to each other. They won 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 zilla parishad seats, the TMC bagged 26 and the BJP nine. PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, June 2

Actor and film producer Arbaaz Khan on Saturday told the police that he had lost more than Rs 2.75 crore in betting on IPL matches, according to sources here.



Thane Polices anti extortion cell summoned Khan on Saturday morning over his links with bookie Sonu Jalan, who was arrested last month.



Police sources said Khan was 'confronted' with Jalan where the two were questioned about entries found in the bookies diaries. During the four-hour long questioning Khan said he had lost more than Rs 2.75 crore betting in various IPL matches in 2017, sources said. The actor-producer also confessed to becoming addicted to betting on outcomes at various sports has been doing this for more than five years, Thane police officials said.



Khan is said to have told police that he did not bet on this year's version of IPL.



Earlier, the Thane police released photographs of Jalan with Khan and other people at a party to establish their links.

While leaving the premises of the Thane police this afternoon Khan said he was fully co-operating with the police and would present himself before them if required.



Police said, the dairies seized from Jalan contained the names of other prominent persons apart from Khan and those people would also be summoned for questioning. Apart from Khan, the names of some builders and contractors have also been found in Jalan's possession, Abhishek Trimukhe, DCP (Crime), Thane said.



He added that a call line holding machine has been recovered from Jalan. The machine had several telephone numbers in its memory card and efforts were on to trace their owners, Trimukhe said.
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Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, June 2

The Army held a flag march in violence-hit Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, where tension has been running high since Thursday night following attempts by mobs to attack Punjabi Lane, inhabited by 700 Sikh families, in the Motphran area.

Around 500 persons from the locality have been evacuated to the Army cantonment area in the city. The Army has been put on standby.

Also read: SGPC to send delegation to Shillong

Several police persons, including Shillong City SP Steve Rynjah, were injured in clashes on Friday night as miscreants defied curfew, which remained imposed for the second day on Saturday.

Violence had broken out following clashes between two communities over an incident of eve-teasing and subsequent assault of a person from a particular local community. The police resorted to baton charge and bursting of tear gas shells to disperse a mob.

The government has sought five additional companies of Central paramilitary forces. Home Minister James Sangma said some of the forces had already arrived.

On Saturday, Director General of Police SB Singh said, The situation is now totally under control. Curfew has been clamped in several localities. Night curfew will continue in the entire city.

The DGP said the police were doing everything possible to protect the people living in Punjabi Lane. Internet services have been blocked. Youths from the Punjabi Lane area have been on guard for the protection of life and property.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma called up Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh late on Friday night to assure him of the safety of the Sikh community and their religious institutions. Sangma said he was personally monitoring the situation.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Lucknow, June 2

BSP president Mayawati on Saturday said she was vacating the portion of the government bungalow she occupied but insisted that the property remained a memorial to party founder Kanshi Ram.

Her announcement comes just ahead of the deadline set by the Uttar Pradesh estates department, following a Supreme Court order that former UP chief ministers are not entitled to official accommodation.

The Bahujan Samaj Party has resisted giving up the bungalow on 13-A, Mall Avenue, saying that it had been converted into a memorial to Kanshi Ram in 2011, and the BSP leader occupied just a small portion of it.

"I am today vacating the portion of 13-A Mall Avenue occupied by me till now, she told reporters.

From now on, the said bungalow in Lucknow will be a memorial named after Kanshi Ram," she added.

Her insistence on calling the bungalow a memorial makes it unclear whether it will actually be handed over to the estates department.

Mayawati had earlier moved out of another bungalow at 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, which she claimed had been allotted to her in the capacity of a former chief minister. - PTI
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Singapore, June 2

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

Modi, who is here on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister last night.

In his keynote address at the Dialogue, Modi had said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests, he had said.

"We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law," he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and "reaffirmation for rule based order".

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region. PTI
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, June 2

The Army have been asked to remain on standby in violence-hit and curfew-bound Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, where tension is running high following repeated attempts by mobs of miscreants to launch attack at Punjabi Lane in the Motphran area since Thursday night despite stiff resistance put up by Meghalaya police.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has assured his Punjab counterpart Capt Amarinder Singh on safety of Sikh community and their religious institutions in Meghalaya.

Meghalaya Director General of Police, S B Singh today said, "The situation is now totally under control while curfew remains clamped in several localities in the city since yesterday. The night curfew will continue to remain imposed in the entire city during 10 pm to 5 am."

The DGP said police were on high alert and doing everything possible to protect the people living in Punjabi Lane locality which is inhabited by about 700 Sikh families.

Internet services have been blocked in the city to prevent rumour mongering in social media.

A group of youth from Punjabi Lane area has been on guard to protect the lives and property in the area where miscreants lobbed petrol bombs on more than one occasion since Thursday night defying police resistance.

Meghalaya Home Minister James K Sangma has appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony in the violence-hit state capital city.

Violence broke out in the city on Thursday night following clashes between two communities over an incident of eve-teasing and subsequent assault of a person from a particular local community on Thursday morning.

Police swung into action to prevent escalation of clashes and spread of violence to other parts of the city. Police resorted to baton charge and bursting of tear gas shells to disperse a mob of about 200 persons on Thursday night from Punjabi Lane at Motphran, braving incessant stone pelting by the unruly mob.

The state government has reviewed the security situation in Shillong following which the state home minister James K Sangma assured the people that the government was closely monitoring the prevailing situation and had taken all measures to restore peace.

The Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi has been directed to hold a meeting with senior citizens and NGOs to resolve the issue. He also appealed the citizens of the state not to fall prey to false reports propagated in social media.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma called up his Punjab counterpart, Captain Amarinder Singh late Friday night to assure him of safety of Sikh community and their religious institutions in Meghalaya in the wake clashes that broke out in Shillong.

According to a statement issued by the Punjab government, Conrad Sangma apprised the Punjab CM of the situation in the state in the wake of communal violence reportedly triggered by a minor incident and tried to allay any apprehension of Sikhs being under attack.

Sangma assured Captain Amarinder that there was no damage to any gurdwara or other institutions belonging to Sikhs in Meghalaya.

The Punjab Chief Minister expressed concern over the developments and hoped that situation would not escalate further.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister said he was personally monitoring the situation to ensure that there was no further trouble or fresh incident that could escalate tension.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Patna, June 2

A case was lodged against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma in Bihars Sitamarhi district on Saturday for allegedly insulting Sita by claiming she was the first test-tube baby of India.

Chandan Kumar Singh, an advocate, filed the case in the Chief Judicial Magistrates court. It will be heard on June 8.

The petitioner said Sharma had not only hurt peoples religious sentiments but also insulted the countrys rich heritage, culture and tradition.

Sharmas statement is part of a well-planned political and criminal conspiracy to hurt and insult sentiments of a particular religion, he said, adding that the BJP leaders illogical concept would make Hindu religion the butt of ridicule.

Sharma, who had once equated jets and aeroplanes with Pushpak Viman during Vedic times, had allegedly claimed that Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, was in fact the first test tube baby of India.

Sharma, speaking at the inauguration of a skill development event in Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, had allegedly told an amused gathering, Sita was born from an earthen pot...at that time, some test tube baby project must be under way that King Janak was ploughing a field...Shouldnt this technology be called test tube baby. IANS
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 2

A Congress councillor was allegedly shot dead by three armed persons at Gole Bagh stadium here on Saturday evening.

Gurdeep Singh Pehalwan, councillor from ward number 50 had gone to the stadium for practice, when he was fired at by three persons at around 7.30 pm.

He reportedly sustained six bullet injuries.

Pehalwan was taken to a private hospital where doctors declared him dead.

More details are awaited.
shalender@tribune.com

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 1

It seems neither Waris Shahs Heer nor Jagseer, the Dalit hero from Gurdial Singhs Marhi Da Deeva have impressed the Panjab University authorities. The university syllabus for Indian Writing in Translation, one of the papers in MA English, has nothing on the rich Punjabi literature spanning over 1,000 years.

It includes English translation of eight works in Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya and Urdu, but none in Punjabi. Punjab scholars blame it on the universitys anti-Punjabi stance and see a plot to deny local students an understanding of their own literary tradition.

However, Prof Akshay Kumar, former Dean Languages, Panjab University, says the syllabus is being revised and from the coming academic session will include at least two Punjabi texts.

Last year, London-based poet Amarjit Chandan had written to Vice Chancellor Dr Arun Grover regarding the issue, but his letter failed to elicit any response. There is a considerably long list of works in Punjabi which are considered classics. Many of the canonical works in Punjabi are readily available in English translation since Punjabi works have attracted scholars and translators within India and outside.

Rajesh Kumar, professor of English at Punjabi University, Patiala, points out that some of the best prose, short stories and novels are in Punjabi. Across Europe, when it comes to teaching literature, works in the local language are invariably a part of the syllabus. Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar too has a paper on Punjabi Writing in Translation for students of English literature. Punjabi University has Marhi Da Deeva as part of the same course," he says.

Prof Tejwant Gill, former head of English Department, Guru Nanak Dev University, who has translated several Punjabi literary texts into English, says it helps students understand the role of imagery in literature and enhances their power of expression. Prof Gills translation of revolutionary poet Avtar Pashs Reckoning with Dark Times has been a part of JNU syllabus.
shalender@tribune.com

Parvesh Sharma & agencies

Tribune News Service

Sangrur/Chandigarh, June 1

Protesting farmers across the country dumped vegetables, milk and other farm produce on roads and blocked supplies to cities on Friday as they began a 10-day agitation to press for their demands, including a loan waiver and adequate prices for crops.

But farmers of Bhullarheri village in Punjabs Sangrur district chose to give away vegetables for free and put up a milk chabeel (sweetened water) too.

On Saturday, they plan to collect milk from various sources in the village and cook kheer (rice pudding), which they intend to serve to the residents.

Their menu for the 10-day protest is almost ready with the final touches being given by a committee of enthusiastic youngsters.

The village stands united. No one will supply milk or vegetables to adjoining Sangrur, Dhuri and Bhawanigarh towns, said a determined Harpreet Singh, while Gurpreet Singh explained that their fight was not against city residents, but the government.

Balbir Singh Rajewal, president, Bharti Kisan Union (BKU), claimed the response in Punjab was good. Our other key demands are a minimum income guarantee scheme, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report and a waiver of farmers debt, he said.

Meanwhile, the police are keeping a close watch in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, where six farmers were killed in police firing during the farmers agitation on June 6 last year. The Mandsaur SP said five companies of the Special Armed Force (SAF) were keeping a vigil across the district.

The decision to stop supplies beginning June 1 was taken by farmers under the banner of Kisan Ekta Manch and Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh. A meeting of the coordination committee of these organisations, which claim to be representing 172 farmer outfits, was held last month.

Speaking to the media in Bhopal, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh (RKMM) convener Shivkumar Sharma said the protest would end on June 10 with a Bharat Bandh. In Maharashtra, the 10-day farmers strike received a lukewarm response, with major farmer groups staying away from it.

Prominent organisations like the Left-wing All India Kisan Sabha and the Shetkari Sanghatana said they wont participate in the strike as it could result in hardship to farmers.

Reports from Aurangabad, however, said the farmers dumped vegetables and milk on roads. Traders in Navi Mumbai claimed there was no disruption in supply of fruits and vegetables from various parts of the state.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Chandigarh, June 2

Punjab Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested two young men who were allegedly radicalised and funded by their foreign-based handlers, including SFJ legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, to carry out hate crimes in the state.

Another person has been arrested for allegedly supplying weapons to the two persons -- Dharminder Singh alias Commando Singh (21) and Kirpal Singh (26) -- to carry out hate crimes on the orders of their handlers, a police spokesperson said.

The arrests came as a US-based Khalistani group affiliated to Sikhs for Justice issued a video threat to Punjab Jail Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa for opposing its "referendum" on creation of a separate homeland for Sikhs, the spokesperson said.

The threat was tweeted by Pannun, apparently in response to Randhawa's reported criticism of the referendum in Canada and the United States.

The minister had said the people "pitching for Khalistan from their cosy confines were playing with the sentiments of innocent Sikhs in India and they had no knowledge of the reality in Punjab."

The police, which took a serious view of Pannun's video threat, initiated a probe into the matter to ascertain the SFJ legal adviser's links with the two persons arrested in Harpura Dhandoi village near Batala city, the spokesperson said.

The duo have confessed to being motivated and financed by Pannun, along with Paramjit Singh Pamma (UK), Mann Singh (UK), Deep Kaur (Malaysia), to carry out violent acts with an aim to gain publicity in the media for the ISI-sponsored secessionist campaign in Punjab, the spokesperson said.

The arrests happened during an investigation into the torching of two liquor vends on May 31 in Harpura Dhandoi and Panjgrian villages, the spokesperson said.

The accused told the police they were indoctrinated on social media platforms. They had been asked to spray-paint "Referendum 2020" and torch liquor vends and government properties during the 'Ghallughara' week.

One .32 caliber revolver was seized from Dharminder Singh and a .30 caliber pistol from Kirpal Singh. Posters relating to the "referendum" and spray paint bottles were also seized from them.

The spokesperson said Dharminder Singh's interrogation led to the arrest of Ravinder Singh alias Raja, who provided weapons to Dharminder Singh about 40 days ago.

The weapons were to be used for committing hate crimes.

Police investigations revealed that Dharminder Singh had been working in the Territorial Army in January 2016 (Unit: 105 TA Rajputana Rifles) in New Delhi, where he received basic training for nine months, including in using firearms.

Kirpal Singh is from Fatehpur-Nawanpind village in Tarn Taran.

"The arrests nailed Pannun's lie that SFJ's Sikh Referendum 2020 campaign for self-determination did not have any room for violence, and that SFJ or its leaders were not funding any terrorist activity in Punjab. It has also proved that SFJ continues to exploit and use poor and gullible youth of Punjab as cannon fodder to promote its secessionist campaign in Punjab through commission of violent acts," the spokesperson said.

Also, the arrests come two months after Nawanshahr police arrested four youths for allegedly planning to torch a liquor vend in Gunachaur village in Sadar Banga, Nawanshahr.

During investigation, they said they were working on the orders of Malaysia-based Deep Kaur and Pakistan-based Fateh Singh. These operatives had also been tasked by Pannun to put referendum banners during Mohali IPL match to give publicity to the 2020 campaign, the spokesperson added. - PTI
Saba Naqvi

Saba Naqvi

These words, attributed to one of the founding fathers of the US, John Dickinson, were first published in 1768 in the Boston Gazette as The Liberty Song. All the Indian political parties should possibly make this their anthem as they begin the countdown to the 2019 General Election. For its crystal clear that alliances are not just a good strategy against the BJP, they are the only strategy that can work.

Look at the recent evidence. In under three weeks the apparently invincible BJP has been beaten in the electoral game by two types of alliances  first, by the post-poll arrangement in Karnataka between the JD(S) and Congress (which abused each other for months before quickly hugging and making up); and the other in the Kairana Lok Sabha seat in western Uttar Pradesh by a small party such as Ajit Singhs Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) which was backed by the SP, BSP and Congress. This is the third such victory from UP, making it clear that earlier wins in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur byelections were no fluke.

Simultaneously, the Congress is being more realistic about its own limitations. Note the speed with which they have anointed JD(S) in the CM seat in Karnataka. Earlier, in the Gujarat Assembly polls in December last year, the Congress let individuals such as Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani be crafted into the campaign. The Hardik Patel story is not over and by 2019 he would be old enough to contest the Lok Sabha poll with the support of the Congress (in the process again be kicking up a storm in the BJP bastion). The Congress is also exploring an arrangement with the BSP for the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan later this year. The Jat-centric RLD, flush with victory in Kairana, would like to be part of the formation that takes on the BJP in Rajasthan that has a substantial Jat population.

There are challenges in working out such arrangements, but the significant thing is that an attempt is being made.

Driving the process are four dynasts. First, there is Rahul Gandhi, 48, who has given the go ahead to a strategy that involves the Congress ceding space to smaller parties. But credit must go to former CM Akhilesh Yadav, 44, for breaching the BJP wall in UP. Hes shown the tact and strategic thinking in future seat-sharing negotiations that will now test the alliance. Akhilesh has in private been saying that hes ready to give the BSP more seats as it has a more transferable vote bank (and without the alliance, neither will reach double digits).

And make no mistake that father Mulayam Singh would never have been able to broker peace with Mayawati. RLD dynast Jayant Chaudhary, 40, credits Akhilesh with planning the Kairana campaign and providing him every support. But to Jayants credit, hes always maintained that the party founded by his grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh, had a Jat and Muslim support base till the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 broke that. Positing a Muslim woman candidate, Tabassum Hasan, from Kairana was both courageous and tactically smart move as it turned out.

But theres a fourth dynast, all of 28 years, who made the real splash in this round of byelections. Tejashwi Yadav, ran the campaign in the Jokihat Assembly seat in Bihar (won four times by the JD (U)) and kept up the tradition of pitched (and entertaining) rhetoric trademarked by his now jailed father. Contrary to the narrative spun by TV anchors, the RJD win reinforces that the party is not finished while Bihar CM Nitish Kumar could well be. The BJP recognises that Nitish now brings nothing substantive to the table and would like to use him as a vote-cutting secular party in case Nitsh walks out again (he has been casting around for another exit).

In the age of a dominant BJP, the NDA is no longer a formation where allies survive with dignity. This is the real change from the NDA carefully crafted by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani. The TDP has bolted, the Akalis are uncomfortable and even the oldest and ideologically similar party, the Shiv Sena, has contested and lost against the BJP in the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll. The Sena could now try to checkmate the BJP in arrangement with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra (the state with the second largest chunk of Lok Sabha seats after UP).

Naturally, the BJP is not going to sit back and do nothing. The partys maximalist approach in the age of Modi and Shah suggests a mega campaign around Modi versus khichdi (kindly supplied by TV anchors) and/or Modi vs Rahul. No doubt some dramatic gesture towards the poor would be made to offset the fuel price hike. Theres always Pakistan to strike again in one of those initiatives that the other side can say never happened. There are also Muslims and Ram Mandir but some in the BJP are losing faith in the latter as an election issue.

What can be said with certainty is that the BJP will run a presidential campaign while the alliances will be countering with region specific campaigns. It will be a real contest, varying from place to place in the worlds second largest democracy.
Azhar Qadri in Srinagar

Azhar Qadri in Srinagar

Less than a month ago, Kashmir was passing through one of its worst violent phases with mounting militant and civilian casualties. The levels were comparable with the worst period of the decade. The spiral of violence, however, halted and a pattern began to emerge that has had no precedence in recent years. In the midst of bloodshed, offshoots of peace have surfaced; first from the Centre and then from everyone else, even the militants.

A hope for dialogue appeared when Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Centre had asked security forces not to launch counter-insurgency operations during the fasting month of Ramzan. Singh came out with another breather 10 days later: New Delhi was willing to hold talks with Hurriyat Conference and Pakistan. To not welcome anyone who wants to talk, is not the right thing, Singh had told a TV channel.

The announcements were surprising to almost all who have witnessed a hard-line approach from New Delhi. During the fortnight after Singhs ceasefire announcement, Kashmirs separatists and militants seem to have adopted an unusual silence  a break from their tradition of instant and black-and-white commentaries on events and offers.

The thaw came on May 29  13 days after the ceasefire was announced and days after the talks offer was made. Three key separatist leaders from Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) met and released a joint statement that they were ready for talks. The only condition they had was that New Delhi should bring clarity to the agenda of talks.

Let GoI (Government of India) give clarity on what it wants to talk about and speak in one language, we are ready to join the process, said the three separatists  Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik. The remarkable thing about the statement was that it came from hawks and doves from the separatist camp.

The United Jihad Council, a conglomerate of militant outfits, said it was willing to give its complete support if it finds that India is serious in the dialogue process. The statement of Syed Salahuddin, who leads the high-council of several militant outfits, was an approval from militants for the dialogue process. It also marked the tacit go-ahead from the Pakistani deep state.

The hiccups of the past which always have dimmed the prospects of any dialogue process in Kashmir appear to have vanished almost overnight as separatists made no mention of pre-conditions. The Centre took the lead in initiating the process and Pakistan agreed to follow the 2003 ceasefire along the LoC in letter and spirit.

The possibility of a dialogue process now appears real. The possible list of solutions that will be discussed is likely to include new and old formulas. It is also most likely that there may be no immediate tripartite talks, rather trilateral talks between New Delhi and Islamabad, New Delhi and JRL, and the JRL and Islamabad.

New Delhis position

In terms of statistics, New Delhi has been able to establish and consolidate its writ in Kashmir. The figures are in favour of New Delhi as insurgency in Kashmir, now nearly 30 years old, is only marginally strong.

The most violent phase in Kashmir was between 2000 and 2003 when nearly 6,500 militants and 1,700 security personnel were killed. In comparison, 213 militants and 80 security force men were killed in 2017 while 72 militants and 15 security force personnel were killed in 2012  the least violent year.

New Delhis concern could be that it is losing the battle for hearts and minds in Kashmir as the emotional disconnect between New Delhi and Kashmir appears to be very serious. The time is not far when even they would be convinced that neither the forces nor the terrorists would be able to achieve their goals, Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said in April. The worry for New Delhi is that the people of Kashmir, especially, young men and women, are becoming belligerent.

Islamabads position

In the numbers game, Pakistan is increasingly losing control over insurgency in Kashmir. The effective pro-Pakistan militant groups operating in Kashmir are Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Their total cadre strength over the past decade has fluctuated between a low of 70 to a recent high of 250  a shadow of the strength which these groups had in 2001.

Islamabads control of militant groups has also been challenged from within the militant sections with the formation of a radical new group that espouses of cause of global jihadism and advocates freeing the regions militancy from Pakistans influence.

The advantage to Islamabad is that it still has the capacity to shape events and influence policies in Kashmir and, in fact, in the rest of the subcontinent. The lethal militant squads of LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad, the outfits which are controlled by Pakistan, always have the capacity to mount deadly attacks.

JRL  the new Hurriyat

Three key separatist leaders, who have mostly lived as rivals of each other, decided to come together under a loose coalition called Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) in the early 2016. Since then they have emerged as frontrunners for any dialogue process.

The trio  Geelani, Mirwaiz and Malik  became the most dominant force in the separatist camp and, together, they also overshadowed existing separatist conglomerates, even the Hurriyat Conference.

The JRLs strength is that it has no effective opposition within the fractured separatist camp. Its weakness is that it is increasingly losing support on the ground. Its rallies and protest events are witnessing feeble attendance.

Old & new solutions

Dixon Plan: Sir Owen Dixon was the UN representative who came to the subcontinent in 1950 and drafted a solution to the Kashmir question. The solution came to be known as Dixon plan. The solution assigned Ladakh to India, the Northern Areas and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to Pakistan, split Jammu between the two, and proposed a plebiscite in Kashmir valley. The plan was to redraw boundaries of Kashmir on religious lines and it treated the Chenab as a natural border. For more simplistic understating, Dixon proposed that most of the Muslim-dominated areas of what is Indian-administered Kashmir would go to Pakistan, but the Hindu-dominated area would remain with India. It is unlikely that this plan would still be part of a dialogue as it deals with redrawing the boundaries.

The 4-Point formula

It is famously known as ousted former Pakistani General and President Pervez Musharafs four-point formula. This solution was originally drafted by a study group headed by a Kashmiri-American businessman who had close ties with the US government. The solution was a repackaging of the broader status-quo with micro changes and proposed no redrawing of borders.

During the Musharaf-Manmohan era, it had become a real possibility that four-point formula would have been implemented as solution of Kashmir issue. The four points of the solution included making Line of Control porous for travel and trade and turning it into a line on a map, as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said.

The solution also included a quantum of self-rule across both sides of Kashmir, a joint mechanism for Kashmiri leaders to coordinate policies, and a limited withdrawal of troops. The formula is likely to be the best bet for New Delhi and Islamabad to solve the external dimension of Kashmir valley without hurting the political realities of both the nations.

The 1975 Accord

A replica of 1975 accord between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Kashmiri leader Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah  who was then fighting for a separatist cause  would mean handing over the government of the state to JRL. The pact had taken place at a time when Pakistan split into two and both Indira and Sheikh enjoyed unprecedented popularity. It is unlikely, however, the separatists will be offered a deal of this magnitude, considering that none of them matches the popularity of 1975s Sheikh.

The 1987 accord

In 1987, a conglomerate of socio-political and religious parties had formed an alliance  Muslim United Front  to contest elections. The polls were allegedly rigged and the political activists and leaders of the Front were arrested. They soon emerged as soldiers and commanders of an insurgency that swept across Kashmir.

The 1987 account would mean turning the clock back. The militant leaders would return to their homes in the Valley and contest elections along with separatist politicians  like they had done in 1987. The advantage for the militant leaders would be that cases against them would possibly be withdrawn and they would be allowed to join the electoral politics. For the separatists, it would mean a tryst with power.

For New Delhi, it would be making fewer concessions to bargain for peace and solving the internal dimension of the Kashmir question.
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Aman Sood in Patiala

Villages in Punjab are facing a tough time in irrigating their fields, especially at the tail-end where flowing rivers are polluted and the underground water table is falling drastically, year after year. This paddy season beginning June 20, 1.5 lakh new tube-wells across the state will draw out even more water.

The decadal mean fluctuations (2006-2015) show a decline in 75% of observation wells covering about 81 per cent area of the state, as per the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). There is a groundwater dip of 2-4 meters in 20 per cent of the states area. Most of these tube-wells are located in blocks which are already facing acute water depth and fall in the dark zone category. No benchmark was adopted while releasing such connections.

Successive governments have played politics over releasing more tube-well connections. On the one hand, governments have been trying to free the farmers from the paddy-and-wheat cycle. And on the other, they have ensured that ruling party supporter-farmers get tube-wells. Several studies and researches done at the governments behest have clearly highlighted the fact that the water table in Punjab is depleting fast. Yet, around 1.5 lakh more tubewells have been added in the state in about a year.

Executive director of Kheti Virasat Mission, an NGO, Umender Dutt says saving ground water is not a priority for the state politicians. We promote, and have already convinced hundreds of farmers, to give up water-guzzling crops. We are promoting those crops that use naturally available minerals for farming, he said. The NGO promotes organic farming and educates farmers on the need to save ecology.

The tube-well theory

The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has cleared around 1.5 lakh tube-wells. This means roughly 14 lakh tubewells will irrigate approximately 26 lakh hectares of paddy in the state. Sources say the PSPCL has no mechanism to check if the tube-well distribution is done on the basis of water availability. In 2015, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) allowed the state to release 1.25 lakh pending connections. The number of pending applications has gone up to 2.5 lakh. Three years ago, each applicant-farmer deposited around Rs 2 lakh for a tube-well connection.

In 2015, the NGT directed the state government to issue a notification about restricting power supply to the tube-wells  mentioning timings, etc  within 30 days from the day of issuance of the order. The process took almost six months to start and remains incomplete. Ideally we could have got some data from another government department before releasing the tube-wells, but it would have meant facing farmers wrath. So, we released the connections based on applications, said a top PSPCL official. It is for the government to frame a policy, but when it comes to farmers, the government is hesitant, said the official.

Actual position

The recent dynamic ground water resources assessment submitted to the Agriculture and Punjab Pollution Control Board states that out of the total 138 blocks that were observed, 105 Blocks (76%) are over-exploited, four are critical, three are semi-critical and 26 blocks (19%) are in safe category. While categorizing, long-term water-level fluctuation in pre-and post-monsoon period is taken into account.

Various technical parameters such as rainfall recharge, return flows of irrigations and seepage from canals are computed to arrive at the final figure of the ground water balance for the blocks of all the districts. The blocks are categorized as dark, grey or white on the basis of the stage of development. If this stage is above 100%, the block is called dark i.e. it is overexploited and no further exploitation is possible. If it is between 90% and 100%, the block is grey (critical), and if it is between70% and 90%, the block is grey (semi-critical), i.e. limited exploitation is possible. If it is below 70% the block is termed as white i.e. unlimited exploitation is possible.

Punjab Pollution Control Board chairman Kahan Singh Pannu says water table is falling because more areas are under paddy cultivation. The tube-wells being dug in parts of the state will only put more stress on the underground water, he said.

Consortium of Indian Farmers Association president Satnam Singh Behru says the PSPCL does not supply power as per the fixed timings. So, the farmers have to keep their tube-wells on for maximum hours, resulting wastage. We are also worried about the water table but there is little we can do, he says.

What is more worrisome is the outcome of a recent sampling of groundwater by the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation. It found alarmingly high arsenic content in the samples taken from Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur. While other districts also fair poorly, these three districts top the list. As per records, Punjab has the highest per hectare usage of pesticides in the country. Using the same arsenic-rich water for paddy cultivation makes matters worse. There is no study on the impact of this crop on human health.
Jupinderjit Singh in Chandigarh

Jupinderjit Singh in Chandigarh

The growth of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab was as phenomenal as its current emaciation is. Rewind to 2016-end: months before the February-2017 Assembly elections, AAP rallies were drawing people in hordes. Cutting across social and political divide, people were queuing up to become its member. Politicians were bending over backwards to join the party. Former Congress MP Jagmeet Brar and several others were made to wait for weeks, and still not made a part of the partys bandwagon. When its state political affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh and national organization head Durgesh Pathak claimed the party would win 100 of the 117 seats, there were few skeptics. The party, with its army of thinkers and analysts convincingly claimed to have answers to every malady  unemployment, farmer debts and suicide, pollution, corruption and mafia raj  confronting the state.

Back to the present: It has only 20 MLAs in the Punjab Assembly; and the party has suffered a series of drubbings in by-elections. The party is struggling to find answers to its own debilitating downslide. The situation has come to such a pass that questions are being raised within and outside the party since the debacle in the last Assembly elections if it all means the death knell for the party. The rudderless partys state unit is disintegrated as its leaders are at each others throat. Worse, the national leadership seems to have completely abandoned the party.

It would be wrong to stay AAP is dead. The political vacuum is still there. AAP is badly divided into four or five groups. The party will have to bring back the ideals. Also, AAP has to stop accepting terms from Delhi. It has suffered because of parachute leaders trying to manage things in Punjab, says Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, AAPs Patiala MP.

The undoing

Col JS Gill (retd.) was among 40 persons who had gathered in Ludhiana in December 2012. The AAP movement had just begun. He and others, including the partys first convenor Harjot Singh Bains, formed its first basic structure. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the state elected four MPs from Punjab. The four  Bhagwant Mann (Sangrur), Dr Dharamvir Gandhi (Patiala), Prof Sadhu Singh (Faridkot) and Harinder Singh Khalsa (Fathegarh Sahib)  were rarely seen together later.

Gandhi and Khalsa were suspended from the party for alleged indiscipline while Prof Sadhu Singh has kept a low profile. Mann went on to become the partys face in the state and even laid his claim to the post of chief minister. He resigned when AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal withdrew his drug smuggling charge against former Akali Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and apologized to him. Mann is now said to be struggling to stay on in the party.

Kejriwal needs to work on himself. He took on the high and mighty over corruption issues. Now he is apologizing to them. He was always focused on power, not principles, says Gill.

He loves to recall the heady days when he had joined AAP. We wanted to bring about change in Punjab. We were sick of the system where Congress and Akalis alternated in power. We were swept by the AAP revolution. It was not just about Anna Hazare or Arvind Kejriwal. It was about the hope of a change from traditional politics of sycophancy, corruption and politics without any ideology. But it was just a bubble, says Gill. He was among the first to leave the party before the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls. He chose to be with the partys erstwhile convenor Suchha Singh Chhotepur, who had been unceremoniously suspended from the party on allegations of a video clip in which he is allegedly seen pocketing Rs 2 lakh from a party ticket aspirant. That video was never made public. The party never shared any evidence against Chhotepur leading to allegations that he was victimized.

Prof Manjit Singh, a well-known political analyst and former head of the Department of Political Science, Panjab University, was also among the first few who carried forward the party message. He was probably the first to be dismissed. I have witnessed unbelievable scenes of AAPs frenzied fans gathering around Arvind Kejriwal. Today I wonder if Kejriwal should be booked for playing with the hopes and aspirations of the people, say Prof Singh.

Committees & controversies

Six years since the first convenor was chosen, AAP has had six convenors. The party started with Harjot Bains, then Prof Sumail Singh Sidhu, Suchha Singh Chhotepur, Gurpreet Ghuggi Waraich, and MP Bhagwant Mann. The party is now run by co-convenor, Dr Balbir Singh. Dozens of committees have been formed and dissolved. One of the several embarrassing moments was when the party suspended Dr Daljit Singh, the head of the disciplinary committee, for indiscipline.

The partys biggest mistake was its failure to understand the culture and the political nuances in Punjab. There was a political vacuum for a third alternative. There were many Akali splinter groups. And there had been repeated efforts to stitch together a third front consisting of the Left, BSP and the Akali elements. Manpreet Badals Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP), too, created a flutter. But all these fizzled out or became subservient to the two main parties  the Congress and SAD, says Prof Manjit Singh.

He said the people in Punjab wanted to choose someone from outside the Congress and the Akalis. Kejriwal with his image of being an honest aam aadmi suited their imagination. Soon he came across as arrogant and dictatorial. The party was controlled from Delhi. They made decisions, rather imposed decisions. They controlled funds, and despite many complaints of bungling, no proper investigation was carried out, says Prof Singh.

The party then got involved in other controversies. The party was seen to be close to Sikh radicals. The worst came when a few activists put up a picture of the broom alongside that of the Golden Temple. The Delhi team was also accused of sexual exploitation. The Delhi-versus-state leadership conflict thus had to happen.

Is there a hope?

Harjot Bains, a young party leader who was among those who formed the party platform in 2012, is upset. Yet, he has chosen to remain with the party. For the main opposition party in the state, getting just 2 per cent of votes in the Shahkot by-poll is very serious matter. We are discussing what should be done, he said.

Bains says he and several others owe everything to the AAP movement. Sadly, the whole idea of creating a political revolution is lost. I am not talking about my disappointment with the party. I am talking about the political revolution which we aspired to bring about. He says people have not dismissed AAP completely. People are still hopeful. We (the leaders) have to come up to their expectations. The Punjab unit is running, but not as a unit, not as a family.

People like Varinder Parihar, a NRI who spent lakhs on the party and its leaders, do not buy into the so-called peoples movement. It was always the movement of a few individuals who took us for a ride. They came wearing slippers and two sets of clothes, but went back with heavy pockets, branded clothes and unaccounted money, says Parihar.

He is still awaiting an inquiry into the utilization of nearly Rs 200 crore he claimed the party had received as funds.

The drubbing

Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election (Oct, 17, 2017)



Sunil Jakhar (Congress) wins. AAP loses security deposit

Congress 4,99,752 votes

4,99,752 votes BJP 3,06,553

3,06,553 AAP 23,579

Shahkot by-poll (May 31)

Congress 82,745 votes

82,745 votes SAD 43,944 votes

43,944 votes AAP 1,900

The Shahkot defeat is humiliating. We need to work on the partys organizational structure first.  Sukhpal Khaira, leader of opposition

The leader of the Opposition (Khaira) must realize that his group of MLAs is only a wing of the party. We are duty-bound to contest all elections. We can now prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in a better way.  Dr Balbir Singh, aap co-convenor

Signs of a split?

Khaira has support of 14 of the 20 AAP MLAs. It is speculated that this group has the potential to form a separate front or party.
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Ottawa, June 2

Former hostage Joshua Boyle will be released from a Canadian jail with strict bail conditions that include an electronic tracking bracelet.

Boyle faces a string of charges, including sexual assault, following his release from captivity in Afghanistan last year.

Boyle and his wife, Caitlan Coleman of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group. Boyles alleged crimes occurred between October 14 and December 30 after the couple returned to Canada. A publication ban bars reporting information that could identify the alleged victims.

Ontario Court Justice Robert Wadden issued the bail decision Friday.

Under the release conditions, Boyle will live with his parents, Patrick and Linda Boyle in Smiths Falls, Ontario. He must wear a GPS ankle bracelet that can track his movements.  AP
gspannu7@gmail.com

New York, June 2

Three actresses have filed a new lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein alleging sexual assault and urged other victims of the disgraced Hollywood producer to come forward and join their complaint.

Melissa Thompson, one of the women filing the class action lawsuit yesterday, said she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein during a 2011 meeting to discuss a new marketing tool.

Following public revelations last year about his predatory behavior, Thompson said she was referred to lawyer Benjamin Brafman and another attorney at his firm, Alex Spiro.

Brafman is defending Weinstein following his indictment last week on rape and sex crime charges.

Thompson was led to believe that Brafman and Spiro were representing victims against Weinstein, the law firm representing her, Hagens Berman, said in a statement.

Deceptive tactics were used to entice her to turn over her visual and audio evidence of Weinsteins conduct (which she did), it said.

Melissa did not learn that Brafman was actually then or would later be Weinsteins lead criminal defense attorney until after turning over the video as evidence. Brafmans law firm was named as a defendant in the lawsuit along with Weinsteins former movie company Miramax and The Weinstein Company.

The other two actresses who are a party to the lawsuit are Caitlin Dulany and Larissa Gomes.

It accusses Weinstein of assaulting, threatening and falsely imprisoning (Dulany) in her apartment in 1996 and again at the Cannes Film Festival that same year.

As for Gomes, the second time Weinstein met with her, he imprisoned her in his hotel room and threatened, battered and assaulted her, the law firm said.

The lawsuit is the third class action suit filed against Weinstein by Hagens Berman since late last year.

Other women who were victimised by Weinstein were invited to join the suit.

We deserve to live in a world in which accountability for the abuse of power exists, Thompson said. Stand up and say something  because now is the time that enough is enough. Elizabeth Fegan, a partner at Hagens Berman, said we are working to see a day of justice for the hundreds of women who were exploited for Weinsteins sexual gratification and silenced by this ring of conspirators.

The 66-year-old Weinstein was charged with rape and a sex crime in New York last week, nearly eight months after his career imploded in a blaze of accusations of misconduct.

Nearly 100 women have now accused Weinstein of crimes ranging from sexual harassment to assault and rape going back decades.

Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie are among more than two dozen actresses who say they were sexually harassed by the producer. A few, including Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, said they were raped.

Brafman, Weinsteins lawyer, is one of Americas most celebrated criminal defense attorneys. His past clients include former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who escaped criminal prosecution for alleged sexual assault in 2011.  AFP.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Lahore, June 2

Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jammat-ud-Dawah will contest the July 25 general elections on the platform of Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek as the group's Milli Muslim League is yet to be registered as a political party, a senior member of the outfit said on Saturday.

Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), a front for the Lashkar-e- Toiba militant group that carried out the deadly 2008 Mumbai attack, launched its political front Milli Muslim League, but it has not been yet registered by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

With general elections approaching, the group has decided to contest on the platform of the "dormant" political entity Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT), which was registered in the ECP.

"It was a kind of dormant party registered by a citizen Ehsan. There are several such parties registered with the ECP and such an arrangement is made ahead of the general elections if any mainstream party or organisation faces any issue or complication," a member of the JuD told PTI.

"Since the Milli Muslim League (MML) fails to get registered with the ECP it is going for this arrangement (contesting the upcoming polls on AAT platform)," he said.

MML president Saifullah Khalid will make a formal announcement regarding this shortly, he added.

The AAT's election symbol is 'chair'.

"Now the JuD/MML candidates will contest on the 'chair' symbol across the country," the member said.

He said since the MML has hardly any chance to get registered with the ECP as it had announced the election schedule and issued election symbols, it had no other option but to contest the election on any 'dormant' entity like AAT or support the Mutahidda Majlis Amal (MMA), an alliance of mainstream religious parties of the country.

"But Saeed chose to contest independently," he said.

The MML has also confirmed contesting the July 25 election on the 'chair' symbol.

"We have decided to support the candidates of AAT in July 25 elections," MML president Saifullah Khalid told PTI.

"We will play a role in the victory of those contesting on the symbol of chair. To save Pakistan, patriotic people should be supported in the elections," he said.

Khalid said the MML had been denied registration in the ECP for the last 11 months but will take part in the polls by supporting the candidates of AAT.

"Meanwhile we will continue fighting our case (registration of MML) in the court and ECP," he added.

The MML president said over 350 political parties were registered with the ECP but there are objection regarding the MML.

"I ask the MML workers to get ready and make full preparations across the country to make the AAT candidates successful in the upcoming elections. We have to serve humanity and no one can stop us from our political struggle," he said.

Meanwhile, the MML has filed a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the ECP for using delaying tactics regarding its enlisting as a political party as per law. June 11 is fixed for the case hearing in the IHC.

The court in March had set aside the ECP order declining registration of the MML.

Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC bench had referred the matter to the ECP, directing the electoral body to pass a speaking order.

The MML had challenged the October 11 order of the ECP declining registration to the MML as a political party allegedly on the behest of the interior ministry.

The interior ministry had opposed enlisting of the MML as a political party arguing it's an offshoot of the Jamaat-ud Dawa of Hafiz Saeed banned under a UN resolution.

The JuD formed MML at the time when Saeed was detained in Lahore. Saeed and his four aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain - were placed under house arrest in Lahore on January 30 under anti- terrorism act.

The JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief also carries a $10 million American bounty on his head for his role in terror activities. - PTI
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Paris, June 2

Saudi Arabias King Salman has threatened to take military action if Qatar installs a Russian air defence system, Frances Le Monde newspaper reported.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar last year, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, which it denies.

Qatar and Russia signed an agreement on military and technical cooperation last year. Qatars ambassador to Russia was quoted as saying in January that it was in talks to buy the Russian S-400 missile air defence systems.

Le Monde said that Saudi King Salman had written a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing his profound concern over negotiations between Doha and Moscow and the possibility that Qatar could deploy the missiles.

The kingdom would be ready to take all necessary measures to eliminate this defence system, including military action, Le Monde quoted the letter.  Reuters
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Singapore, June 2

Singapore will bear some of the cost of the planned summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, its Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Saturday.

Kims trip to Singapore, poses logistical challenges that are likely to include using Soviet-era aircraft to carry him and his limousine, as well as dozens of security and other staff.

Obviously yes, but it is a cost that were willing to bear to play a small part in this historic meeting, Ng said reporters without elaborating, when asked if Singapore will be bearing the cost of the summit, which is scheduled for June 12.  Reuters
NS BlueScope hosts Run for Green for Long Son community

The programme called for the participation of nearly 200 NS BlueScope Vietnams members and more than 50 local teachers and pupils. The two-kilometre run ended in an over VND60 million ($2,632) fund raised and 20 scholarships with gifts valued at VND3 million ($131.61) each were awarded to Long Sons needy pupils.

The event Run for Green is under NS BlueScopes unwavering commitment to Vietnams market for decades and it is a manifestation of our ongoing efforts to contribute to the development of Vietnams community, Vo Minh Nhut, NS BlueScope Vietnams country president. We are happy to see the exciting participation of local pupils, teachers and people in this programme. We expect to keep receiving the enthusiastic support from local communities in our future social program.

The programme embraced other environment protection activities including tree planting for a greener surrounding at Long Son Commune Primary School or the stimulating three-round environment protection competition to encourage the environmental awareness of both NS BlueScope Vietnams staff and local community, inspiring them to protect environment and vividly conveying the programme message of Save Environment to Save future.

Along with effort to maintain the position as a leading international supplier of steel products and solutions, NS BlueScope Vietnam puts much weight on developing programme to benefit the sustainable growth of society.

The company has initiated numerous humanitarian programme in the field of environment protection, sustainable development and community contribution ever since its establishment.

NS BlueScope Vietnam is a leading international supplier of steel products and solutions, principally focused on the global building and construction industry.

The firms business has been built on the strength of our global partnerships, global networks and global brands. Its track record of successful global partnerships enables us to prosper in widely diverse markets.

Many of NS BlueScope Vietnams customers are Fortune 500 companies, and the firm can help them realise significant savings in the total cost of their buildings by reducing construction schedules.

BlueScope strength is proved by the global networks with more than 100 facilities in 17 countries, employing 17,000 people serving thousands of customers.
Online shopping website Tiki, said in the next three to five years, the company would decide whether to conduct initial public offering (IPO) or be acquired by another company.-Photo theleader.vn

Ngo Hoang Gia Khanh, Head of Finance at Tiki told news website theleader.vn that the e-commerce site is preparing for a new round of fund-raising (Series D), which aims to call US$50 million to $100 million from the strategic investment funds or financial investor groups.

Series A, B, C or D correspond with the development stage of the companies that are raising capital.

Tiki expects to raise $50 million by the end of 2018 and in the next 18 months through issuing additional shares to support their research and development, infrastructure construction and user training.

Currently, Tiki is developing several mobile applications and adding new services, which are why Tiki wishes to call capital from investors in the field of e-commerce, in order to get more support for strategic planning and operations.

Former shareholders of Tiki, VNG and JD.com, in previous rounds of capital rising may continue to participate in this round. The presence of JD.com will be the fulcrum to attract other strategic investors.

JD.com is one of the two largest B2C (business to consumer) online retailers in China by transaction volume and revenue.

Recently, JD.com suddenly joined Tikis Series C of funding and became one of Tikis largest shareholders with a possible deal value of $43.7 million.

Although, Tiki had successfully raised lots of money in the past, the company also spent most of that funds to maintain their position in the market.

According to VNGs financial report, one of Tikis strategic investors, it was revealed that VNG recorded an accumulated loss of $14 million when investing in Tiki.

For those firms that do not shut down or achieve financial sustainability, an exit from the fundraising cycle comes with two options, initial public offering (IPO) or acquisition.

Despite this, Tiki has no plans for an IPO until 2021 as the company wants to expand its operations even further and continue to call for capital to promote their value.

In the case of listing, Tiki prefers to board the Hong Kong stock market. As for the case of acquisition, Tiki wants to be acquired by a global brand to bring its business to a new level.

Tikis loss story partly reflects the general picture of the e-commerce service, unlike conventional businesses, startups like Tiki are not assessed based on their profit but mainly on market share, sales, purchase value per customer and return rate in a fast growing market like e-commerce.

Founded in 2010 by an online bookseller, Tiki has grown into a multi-faceted e-commerce platform with 250 million page views over the past year and accounts for about 10 percent of traffic on the e-commerce sites in Vietnam.

Tiki aims to expand their business to Taiwan market but this plan will not be implemented until Tiki affirms its leading position in the e-commerce market in Vietnam.
A photo on the book capturing the Thien Mu pagoda in Hue (Source: Vietnam Pagodas by Nicolas Cornet)

Architecture of Vietnamese pagodas in the northern, central and southern regions, which is not popular among Vietnamese and foreign friends, is nudged closer to readers through the 250-page book, which is both in English and French.

Across five chapters, the author offers a broad and varied vision of traditional pagoda architecture. He also captured daily life in the sacred places to complete the photographic narration and demonstrate his attachment to the people and culture of Vietnam.

Cornet worked for newspapers and magazines such as Lesporesso, Mare, Le Monde, D-La Repubblica, and Siette Leguas.

He has travelled to Vietnam over the past 30 years and been interested in Vietnams culture, history and architecture.

Regarding his upcoming projects, he said that he wants to discover Vietnamese cuisine and hopes to complete a photo book introducing Vietnamese typical dishes.

On the occasion, he organised a photo exhibition Vietnam Pagodas - Legacy of Faith at the Fine Arts Museum of Ho Chi Minh City. Visitors to the event have chance to enjoy 50 photos of Vietnamese pagodas.

The exhibition runs until June 10.
President Donald Trump (R) suggested the United States might pursue separate free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico to replace the 24-year-old three-nation NAFTA pact. (Photo: AFP/Saul Loeb)

The announcement came as Ottawa and Mexico City announced they were retaliating against steep metal tariffs imposed Friday and Washington faced a barrage of complaints at a finance ministers summit in Canada.

"To be honest with you, I wouldn't mind seeing NAFTA where you'd go by a different name where you make a separate deal with Canada and a separate deal with Mexico," Trump told reporters.

"You're talking about a very different two countries."

Negotiators from the three North American partners have failed to reach an agreement to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump again called "a terrible deal."

Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said that Washington's decision to impose the tariffs -- Canada provides half of all US aluminum imports -- had lessened the chances for a successful outcome of the NAFTA talks.

Morneau said the US tariffs had also weakened the prospects for successful negotiations to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"Certainly, these actions taken on these tariffs are not ones that are conducive to a positive dialogue," he told reporters as a meeting of Group of Seven finance ministers got underway in British Columbia.

"It's a negative for Canadians. We as a job have to defend Canadians. It puts us in a position where we're defending first principles, which is Canadians' rights to a strong and healthy economy for their families."

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday that Washington would not extend tariff exemptions for Mexico and Canada because the current NAFTA talks were "taking longer than we had hoped."

There is "no precise date" to reach an outcome, he added.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had also said Thursday that US Vice President Mike Pence had insisted on including a "sunset" privision -- which would require the trade pact's renewal in five years -- as a precondition for a meeting to handle out final details.

Canadian officials and much of US industry consider this a poison pill and Trudeau said no meeting occurred as a result.
Bill Murray. Photo: Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Despite dominating international news headlines since last fall, the full extent of this Harvey Weinstein situation still hasnt made its way to Bill Murray. Such a revelation occurred during a new interview with The Guardian, during which he was asked by the reporter to reflect on a quote Weinstein said a few years ago: Being a Murray-ite is a religion, where you can behave as badly as you want to people, and they still love you. I used to feel guilty about behaving badly, and then I met Bill, and it feels so much better. Murray didnt seem too bothered by Weinsteins remarks, especially without the full context.

Well, I think Harvey was saying something funny, and you can take something someone said a few years ago out of context, but I think thats a funny thing he said, Murray explained, before reflecting on Weinsteins current condition. Are you asking for a comment about Harvey Weinstein? I mean, I dont know exactly what hes being accused of yet, but I know some of the people involved in that situation, one very sweet person, and it hurts to hear her speak about it. Really, it hurts  I feel the pain about it and the pain is not over. Last week, Weinstein was arrested in New York on rape charges on which he had been indicted. Since October, dozens of women have accused Weinstein of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Disgraced producer Harvey Weinsteins legal reckoning has really only just begun, but his downfall following dozens upon dozens of sexual misconduct and sexual assault allegations has been going on long enough that at least one director thinks theres a film in there somewhere. In a recent interview with French paper Le Parisien, Carrie director Brian De Palma revealed his plans for a film industry horror flick, with a Weinstein-esque villain at its core.

Im writing a film about this scandal, a project Im talking about with a French producer, the director explained. My character wont be named Harvey Weinstein, but it will be a horror film, with a sexual aggressor, and it will take place in the film industry. So, a pre-good luck to all the actors about to receive an excited phone call from their agents, telling them they landed an audition to play Horrific Harvey Weinstein-esque Sexual Predator.
Photo: Instagram/Pete Davidson

As the old saying goes, if you want to date a famous person, just get a job at SNL. Such a romance is happening at the moment for repertory player Pete Davidson, when it became public last month that he and his long-term girlfriend Cazzie David  daughter of Larry  broke up so he could seemingly begin dating Ariana Grande instead. He and Grande have since been acting generally cute on social media thanks to some well-timed Harry Potter dates and other youthful shenanigans, with David choosing to go on a social media blackout in the interim. But shes now back, and has a simple Instagram message for everyone questioning her sanity: Been in Africa, whatd I miss?

Well tell her what she missed: Davidson already got two tattoos dedicated to his new girlfriend. Dangerous Woman bunny ears, and Grandes initials.

Millennial love is nuts.
A Littleton widow thought a moving company would help her out, but instead, she said, they held everything she owns hostage, charging her triple the original estimate for the move.

"I just trusted them too much. I thought they were honest," said Kathy Scott. "I think they just saw a single woman and thought, 'We'll just take advantage.' And they did."

When Kathy Scott became a widow, she said, Colorado became too expensive, and she decided to move closer to family in Goodyear, Arizona. Moving, though, was easier said than done.

"I just feel like I got incredibly ripped off," she said, beginning to cry.

She has all the paperwork in order.

MidAmerican Moving contacted her and gave her an estimate for about $220, which sounded like a bargain. MidAmerican contracted the job to AM-Movers, which Scott said loaded everything she owns into a truck. Afterwards, she said they gave a revised estimate of $6,800 -- more than triple the initial price.

She said her things were being held hostage, so she signed.

"I was crying and I said, 'I can't believe you're trying to charge me this much," said Scott. "He said, 'I talked to my boss and this is what we need, and if you don't pay us we'll keep your things in storage.'"

Her daughter, Jessica Scott, saw it all go down.

"Angry, very angry they would take advantage of her that way," said Jessica Scott. "That was their business practice to wait until they had your things until they told you how much it was going to cost."

Neither moving company would comment on camera, but both said Kathy Scott had more items than she had told them and that she signed the revised estimate before the truck was loaded.

"He is absolutely lying," said Jessica Scott. "They did not give us the revised estimate until the truck was loaded and about to drive away."

In general, similar moving scams are so common, the Better Business Bureau warns about price quotes based on weight, also recommending:

-Make sure pick-up and delivery dates are spelled out

-Don't pre-pray or make a large deposit

-If a company won't return your items without more money than you agreed to, contact law enforcement.

Kathy Scott said the three-day delivery she was promised took three weeks instead, and that things were either missing and damaged.

She doesn't want anyone else to go through what she did.

"I just wish I had been better informed," she said.
A Decatur doctor facing harassment charges by two women has now been sued by half a dozen women who claim he groped them and treated them inappropriately during doctor visits.

Rheumatologist Dr. Michael Dick was arrested in January on two misdemeanor harassment charges. The women said Dick kissed them during examinations. One of the women said Dick pulled her pants and panties below her waist and touched around her bottom and hip. The other claimed Dick put his hand down her pants and touched her above her vagina.

Dick, who pleaded not guilty, has denied those accusations.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Morgan County Circuit Court by six anonymous women claims Dick fondled the women and rubbed his genitals on them. One woman claimed Dick asked her to meet him and his girlfriend at a bar. She claims Dick called her the following weekend, and then asked if she was ignoring him at a followup appointment.

The suit also claims Dick's staff knew he harassed and assaulted women and did nothing about it.

Read the complete complaint here.

The victims are seeking unspecified compensation and punitive damages in the lawsuit.

Dick is free on bail and continues to practice.

"These additional charges are completely and utterly false," he said. He would not comment further, saying his attorneys advised against it.

Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners General Counsel Wilson Hunter says the regulatory agency "is actively engaged in monitoring his situation." The agency issues and regulates medical licenses.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LA PINE, Ore. (AP) - A mother in La Pine has been cited for child neglect after her 2-year-old son ate homemade marijuana-infused candy police say she left unattended.

Multiple news outlets report 27-year-old Katelynn Joy on Wednesday allegedly discovered a partially eaten candy while at home but waited several hours before calling authorities.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office says the symptoms of the apparent THC overdose worsened during that time.

The sheriff's office says deputies and paramedics responded to the home and found the child in apparent distress. The sheriff's office says the overdose seemed life threatening by the time he was taken to a Bend hospital.

Authorities say he since has been released from the hospital and is under Department of Human Services supervision. Joy was also cited for endangering the welfare of a minor.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump and North Korea (all times local):

9 p.m.

South Korea's presidential office is welcoming President Donald Trump's decision to revive his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the future of Pyongyang's nuclear program.

Blue House spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom says in a statement released Saturday that the "road toward a North Korea-U.S. summit has widened and strengthened."

The spokesman says Seoul will look forward to the "historic meeting in Singapore with excitement, but also patience."

After a White House meeting Friday with a senior North Korean official, Trump said his meeting with Kim is back on for June 12 in Singapore.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has met Kim twice in recent weeks, has lobbied hard for a meeting between Trump and Kim.

__

3:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he won't impose any additional sanctions on North Korea for the time being.

Trump says "we had hundreds of new sanctions ready to go." But he says he won't impose them "until the talks break down."

The president is referencing ongoing discussions with North Korea in preparation for a June 12 summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump announced Friday after meeting with a top aide to Kim that the summit is back on. He had announced just last week that he was canceling the meeting.

Speaking after the Oval Office meeting, the president said he looks forward to the day when he can "take the sanctions off" North Korea.

___

3 p.m.

President Donald Trump says his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon) is back on for June 12.

Trump says after an Oval Office meeting Friday with North Korea's Kim Yong Chol that he'd be making a mistake not to go forward with the on-again, off-again nuclear summit in Singapore.

Trump says his meeting with the most senior North Korean to visit the White House in 18 years lasted longer than expected. He said it "went very well."

Trump says his June 12 meeting will be "a beginning."

He says, "The process will begin on June 12 in Singapore."

__

2:47 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he has yet to read the letter brought to the White House by a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon).

Trump says he didn't open the letter. He says Kim Yong Chol - the North Korean official - said Trump could read the letter later.

Trump and Kim spent more than an hour in the Oval Office on Friday discussing issues in the run-up to a June 12 summit in Singapore between Trump and Kim Jong Un.

Trump also says he may at some point make the letter public.

__

2:40 p.m.

A top North Korean official has departed the White House after meeting with President Donald Trump amid negotiations over a high-stakes summit.

Kim Yong Chol spent more than an hour in the Oval Office where he was spotted shaking hands with the president. He was expected to deliver a letter from Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon), the North Korean dictator, to Trump.

After the meeting, Trump and Kim Yong Chol posed for photos on the White House lawn.

Kim is the most senior North Korean visitor to the United States since Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok visited Washington in 2000 to meet President Bill Clinton.

__

1:14 p.m.

An aide to Kim Jong Un has arrived at the White House, becoming the highest-ranking North Korean official to visit in 18 years.

Kim Yong Chol was greeted Friday by White House chief of staff John Kelly, who brought him inside the White House to meet President Donald Trump.

Kim is expected to president a letter from Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon), the North Korean dictator, to Trump.

The letter comes as the two countries work to revive a Trump-Kim summit on June 12 in Singapore.

Kim Yong Chol is the most senior North Korean visitor to the United States since Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok visited Washington in 2000 to meet President Bill Clinton.

__

12:28 a.m.

A top aide to Kim Jong Un will make a rare visit to Washington Friday to hand a letter from the North Korean leader to President Donald Trump. That from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

He reported "good progress" is being made in talks between the two sides to revive an on-again, off-again nuclear summit. Pompeo spoke to reporters at a news conference in New York after meeting Thursday with former North Korean military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol.

He would not say that the summit is a definite go for Singapore on June 12, and could not say if that decision would be made after Trump reads Kim Jong Un's letter.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

6/1/2018 8:05:34 PM (GMT -5:00)
He's only 6 years old, but Roman McConn has already helped save more than 1,000 dogs from kill shelters. He and his mom, Jennifer McConn, started the project in Texas when they lived there in 2016.

His mom says the family's dog inspired her to help other pups. "In July of 2015 we adopted Luna from a Texas 'kill' shelter. I was sunk! I became heavily involved with volunteering at the local shelter," McConn writes on Facebook.

Roman helped his mom make videos to spread the word and connect shelter dogs with "forever families." In the videos, the first-grader shows off the dog for potential adopters, explains their breed, age, and why they need to be adopted.

Roman's Rescues - Reno Update: We were let know that Reno has actually been transferred to Old Dog Haven where he will live out the rest of his life. #RomansRescues Meet Reno!!! Poor Old Reno!! He is 13 Yr Old and was owner surrendered at the Skagit Valley Humane Society. He isnt a PFR pup but he is definitely a Romans Rescues pup. This boy is so sweet, well mannered, and calm. He definitely appreciates the slow pace in life. He could use a serious day at the spa but when you look in his eyes his heart speaks to you! Such a beautiful dog!! Please help Ro find Reno a forever home!!! #AdoptReno #SkagitHumane #PFR Posted by Project Freedom Ride on Sunday, February 4, 2018

When his dad, who serves in the Navy, received orders to relocate overseas, Roman and his mom moved from Texas to her home state, Washington -- and they took 31 dogs with them. "I would joke with Texas Rescues about an underground railroad for dogs up to Washington because the world for a dog, generally speaking, was so much better up here in Washington than down there in Texas," McConn told CBS News.

This joke became a reality and Project Freedom Ride was born. The pair began raising money and helping their local shelter in Texas relocate hundreds more dogs to the Pacific Northwest.

Project Freedom Ride now partners with multiple rescue shelters in Texas which save strays, unwanted dogs and dogs from kill shelters. The project helps those shelters find new families or shelters for the dogs in the Pacific Northwest.

Roman helps do everything from making marketing videos for the dogs to calling families interested in adopting them.

The effort has helped save 1,050 dogs since Project Freedom Ride started in December 2016, McConn says. Once they match the dogs with new owners or Humane Societies in the Pacific Northwest, Project Freedom Ride hires a transport company to get the pups across the country.

The process brings the dogs safely to their new owners, but it costs about $11,000 per transport. McConn says they raise that money through donations.

It is a big mission to vet the dogs, transport them and place them with families or in a Humane Society, but Roman loves dogs and is proud to have helped over 1,000 rescues -- including two dogs of his own.
Georgia new No. 1 in AP football poll; Kentucky vaults to 11
By WestKyStar & MSU Staff May. 25, 2018 | 07:43 AM | MURRAY, KY



Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved inside Lovett Auditorium.



Musical selections that evening will include The Klaxon by Henry Fillmore; the theme from Schindlers List with associate professor Dr. Sue-Jean Park featured as violin soloist; Light Cavalry Overture by Franz Von Suppe; The War Correspondent by G.E. Holmes; selections from "The Music Man" by Meredith Willson; Rough Riders by Karl King; Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar, arr. Custer; and My Old Kentucky Home by Stephen Foster, arr. Ron Cowherd.



This is the seventh season of Town & Gowns sponsorship of the band, which is led by Todd E. Hill, associate professor and director of jazz studies at Murray State. In addition to directing numerous bands, orchestras and ensembles, Hill has backed diverse entertainers and jazz artists, such as Bob Hope, The Moody Blues, Doc Severinsen and Gary Morris. Hill holds a bachelors degree and a masters degree in music education from Murray State as well as a Doctor of Education from Boise State University.



This concert is an event that the community has continued to embrace and make part of their annual summer plans, said Carol Brunn, coordinator for Murray State Town & Gown. We are extremely grateful for our Town & Gown partners. It is through their support that we can provide these fantastic cultural offerings.



For more information or to become involved with the Town & Gown program, please contact Carol Brunn at 270-809-3023 or cbrunn@murraystate.edu. Town & Gown partnership benefits include complimentary tickets and passes for various University events as well as networking opportunities with community and University leaders.











The Murray State University Town & Gown Community Band will host a free concert this Tuesday at 7 pm outside Lovett Auditorium on the campus quad.The 90-member band is comprised of various community members, Murray State students and alumni.
As protests continue to erupt in the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and across the world in outrage against the horrific shooting of Jacob Bla Read more
MARCY -- The DiNitto farms held their annual Farm Fest Friday in Marcy.

Visitors got to see farm animals and experience how farms work up close.

Coordinators say it was one of the hottest days of Farm Fest they've experienced.



Still, more than 700 people came out to the event to get an inside look into farm life.

There was a hay maze, tractor rides, and educational displays about agriculture.



Kids enjoyed pony rides, and elementary school students were there learning about where their food comes from.



Kids say they loved the hands on exhibits at the event.

Farm fest started in the late 1990s and it's been going ever since.



Organizers say farm fest is a way for local people to meet Oneida Countys farmers.

Farm fest typically takes place on the Friday after Memorial Day.

If you want to keep up with events happening at DiNitto farms click here.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  The Lafayette Police Department have released surveillance stills of a suspect in Tuesday's robbery of Advance America Cash Advance.

Related: Police: Advance America Cash Advance robbed

According to Lt. Scott Galloway, police were called to the Advance America Cash Advance Store on Elmwood Ave around 10:20 Tuesday morning.

Galloway said a man walked into the business with a handgun and demanded money then fled on foot with an undisclosed amount.




China News on Women





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Spencer Blier, CEO of Mammoth, Inc. in Warwick, inspects budding marijuana plants in his grow facility Thursday. The plants are growing under bright sodium vapor lights in a tightly controlled environment where temperature and humidity are closely monitored in what is known as the bloom room.
Mayor Lisa Baldelli Hunt shows details of the census tracts now deemed Qualified Opportunity Zones during a press briefing in Harris Hall Friday. At right is Planning Director Joel Mathews; center, John Boucher, owner of the Cornerstone Building on Social Street.
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On Friday, Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene announced at a meeting with employees that the company will not renew its contract with the Pentagon for Project Maven following its expiry in 2019. Under the program, which Google entered in September last year, the company has provided the military with artificial intelligence software to perform real-time analysis of drone surveillance footage. The technology allows the Pentagon to develop its illegal drone assassination program that has killed thousands across the Middle East and North Africa.

Yesterdays announcement is a response to widespread and mounting opposition from Google employees and the public to its collaboration with the military. The program only came to light as a result of opposition by employees, of whom approximately 4,000 have signed an internal petition demanding that Google cancel the project contract and institute a formal policy against taking on future military work.

Around a dozen employees have also resigned in protest. A report published on Tuesday by the New York Times, based on interviews with current and former employees, claimed the program has fractured Googles workforce, fueled heated staff meetings and internal exchanges, and touched off an existential crisis. Among the employees who have resigned, one engineer petitioned to rename a conference room after Clara Immerwahr, a German chemist who killed herself in 1915 after protesting the use of science in warfare.

The Huffington Post reported yesterday that there were discussions among employees this week for a physical demonstration. An engineer who was due to leave the company on Friday posted on its internal online forumin a thread titled Maven conscientious objectors that includes hundreds of employeesdescribing Maven as the greatest ethical crisis in technology of our generation, and suggesting that employees go to an upcoming Google conference in July with the aim of making some noise.

In comments to the World Socialist Web Site, academics Lucy Suchman and Peter Asaro, two of the authors of a recent open letter signed by more than 1,000 academics demanding that Google end its participation in the illegal drone murder program, said they were gratified to see Google take the decision not to renew its contract for Project Maven, and to make the decision public. They demanded that Google take a clear and consistent stand against the weaponization of its technologies.

I do think its significant, in other words, that there was sufficient resistance inside the company that Google has had to respond, and its posed a tangible obstacle to growing relations with the DoD, said Dr. Suchman. The fact that those who entered into this contract attempted to do so quietly, if not actually in secret, shows that they anticipated how contested it would be (and then of course went ahead with it anyway).

While Google claims it will not renew the contract, it will be involved with the project for the rest of the year, and will continue to deepen its intimate collaboration with the Pentagon. The company will also keep bidding for other contracts with the military not directly involving the use of artificial intelligence. Dr. Suchman added, I suspect theyll continue to look for ways of sustaining their Pentagon relations and spinning them as benign.

It should be noted that Googles previous statements in response to the revelations about Project Maven have been exposed as lies.

Internal emails between Google staff, portions of which were published by the New York Times, Gizmodo and the Intercept over the past three days, show that Google conspired to conceal its role in Project Maven from the beginning.

An email chain including Scott Frohman and Aileen Blackboth defense and intelligence sales leadsas well as Dr Fei-Fei Li, the chief scientist for artificial intelligence at Google Cloud, discussed how the company should present the project publicly. Writing under the subject line Communications/PR RequestUrgent, Frohman asked for direction on the burning question of how the collaboration should be reported.

Li replied on September 24 that Google was already battling privacy issues when it comes to AI [artificial intelligence] and data; I dont know what would happen if the media starts picking up a theme that Google is secretly building AI weapons or AI technologies to enable weapons for the Defense industryi.e., precisely what Google is doing. Li said the issues would be red meat to the media.

Google eventually decided to silence reporting on the collaboration altogether. It also reached a non-disclosure agreement with the Pentagon, requiring that public communications first be approved by Google. Black also noted that the contract was not direct with Google but through a partner, ECS Federal, in order to conceal Googles role.

Greene, who pledged yesterday not to renew the project, has also absurdly claimed that the program cannot be used for lethal purposes. This is directly contradicted by an email published yesterday by Gizmodo from Frohman, in which he calls Maven a large government program that will result in improved safety for citizens and nations through faster identification of evils such as violent extreme activities and human rights abusescode words used by the Pentagon for activities justifying drone strikes.

Greene also previously claimed that the project was small and only worth $9 million. Another internal email from Aileen Black and published by the Intercept, however, shows the project was expected to grow rapidly, and as the program grows expect spend is budgeted at 250 M per year.

The real significance of Project Maven for Google is to secure a foothold into the tens of billions of dollars available in the arms race between the worlds major powers to incorporate Silicon Valleys technology to develop next-generation weaponry, and to gain a competitive advantage against the other technology giants. The other bidders for the contract included Amazon and IBM.

All three companies, along with Microsoft, are competing to secure a $10 billion contract to build and administer Pentagon Clouds computing network. The network has been described by military officials as a global fabric for its warfighters. Every submarine, jetfighter, missile launch station and special operations soldier will be connected via computer systems that will be directly administered by one of the giant technology corporations.

The website Defense One reported that unlike Amazon and Microsoft, Google has kept its own interest in the contract out of the press, and the company has even hidden the pursuit from its own workers. Participating in Project Maven allowed Google to receive government clearance to host secure government data on its servers, and to compete for further cloud military projects in the future. Another internal email from Aileen Black called the clearance priceless for the company.

Google, along with the other technology giants, is intimately integrated into the US military and intelligence apparatus. Google representatives such as vice president Mike Medin and former Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt sit on US military advisory boards and discuss the use of their technology for major wars and suppression of domestic political opposition. Google changed its search ranking algorithms in April last year to reduce traffic to and censor left-wing and anti-war websites, including the World Socialist Web Site.

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Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy lost a no-confidence vote180 to 169, with one abstentionin congress yesterday, leading to the fall of his minority Popular Party (PP) government. Socialist Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sanchez is the new prime minister.

The PSOEs no-confidence motion was supported by the pseudo-left/Stalinist Unidos Podemos coalition and regional nationalist partiesthe Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) in Catalonia, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and EH Bildu in the Basque Country, Compromis in Valencia and the New Canaries Islands party.

In 40 years of democratic rule since the end of the Franco regime, there has never been a successful no-confidence vote before. Its unprecedented nature indicates the deep crisis facing the country. In 2011, the PP won a landslide victory in the general election with 45 percent of the vote and 186 seats. But in October 2016, the PP had to be put into power as a minority government, with the support of the right-wing neo-liberal Ciudadanos (Citizens) party and the abstention of the PSOE after 10 months of stalemate. No one party had managed to win an outright victory in the election in December 2015 or the one that followed in June 2016.

The World Socialist Web Site wrote that as a result of the PSOEs rotten agreement: The new government is the weakest since the end of the Franco dictatorship in the 1970s, and rules under conditions in which the bipartisan arrangements, in which power alternated between the right-wing PP and the centre-left PSOE for four decades, have been thoroughly exposed as a result of the austerity agenda pursued by both parties.

Today, the PP is polling around 20 percent due to the combined impact of its austerity measures and the repressive intervention in Catalonia.

In response to last Octobers unilateral independence declaration by the separatist parties, Rajoy sent in thousands of riot police and took the unprecedented step of using article 155 of the Spanish constitution to sack regional premier Carles Puigdemont and his government and assume direct control of Catalonia.

He gambled on provoking a wave of populist xenophobia to reassert his partys dominant position. But this backfired, with substantial opposition in the working class to his assault, even though this opposition could find no political expression.

Regional elections Rajoy called for December 21 were won by the separatist parties, while the PP, with just four percent of the vote, was eclipsed by the Citizens Party as the main advocate of Spanish unity.

Though Rajoy is seeking the extradition of Puigdemont and other ministers who sought refuge in Europe and Catalonia continues to witness the arrest of scores of activists, his strategy is considered a failure on all sides.

With Citizens representing Francoite sections of the ruling elite demanding a decisive showdown with the separatists, Sanchez of the PSOE has been persuaded to seek a working arrangement with the separatists to stabilise bourgeois rule and prepare to tackle the working class.

Sanchez signalled a willingness to engage in dialogue with Catalonias pro-independence government headed by the new regional premier, Quim Torra. Catalonia is a political problem that needs to be solved, he said, while insisting that any negotiations would have to abide by the constitution and the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation.

Direct rule from Madrid ends today, following Torras decision to abandon attempts to appoint jailed or fugitive members of Puigdemonts cabinet to his new administration. Once his cabinet is sworn in, Article 155 will lapse.

Sanchez also secured the backing of the right-wing PNV, whose five votes only last week kept Rajoy in office by agreeing to his much-delayed budget. In return Sanchez said that by honouring Rajoys budget, the PSOE would give the Basque Country 540 million in investments it included. He has also suggested reforms to the regional financing system.

Whatever concessions may be offered to the separatists, and despite the insincere anti-austerity rhetoric, the working class will not be spared.

Sanchez has made it clear to ruling circles that he will implement the PPs budget proposals and that the ouster of the discredited PP administrationusing the pretext of the Gurtel corruption case sentences handed out to PP officials last weekis a means to continue austerity and suppress rising social discontent.

This is made more necessary by a significant growth in the class struggleexpressed in the strikes at Amazon, of air traffic controllers and in the energy sectorand social protests such as recent demonstrations against pension cuts.

Speaking during the no-confidence debate, Sanchez said his plan for government would be based on maintaining institutional, budgetary, social and territorial stability, before calling fresh elections. To roars of approval from the PP caucus that surprised the PSOE leader himself, Sanchez insisted his government would preserve the general state budget approved by this House.

The budget includes huge increases in expenditure for the military, police and intelligence services, while other public spending is slashed. It will mean 13 percent less for education than eight years ago, 8 percent less for health, 27 percent less for research and technological development, 70 percent less for housing access, 35 percent less for culture, 58 percent less for infrastructure investments and zero funding for Civil War historical memory projects.

The key political role in bringing the PSOE to office was played by Podemos. Its leader, Pablo Iglesias, positioned himself as kingmaker by urging a political settlement in Catalonia last year while loyally orienting to the PSOE even as it fully backed the PPs repression. Iglesias has urged Sanchez to seek a progressive alliance with Podemos and the nationalists.

During the debate Iglesias declared, Thank you, Mr. Sanchez, thanks for the tone in the first place, you have done something very brave It also honours you the fact that you have not supported a PP Government. I ask you to talk about what [Labour leader Jeremy] Corbyn proposes in the UK or [Bernie] Sanders in the US We have worked together in the regional governments and in City Councils and we are doing well. I think what we have to do is win the next general election together.

Claims that there is anything progressive about such an alliance were refuted almost immediately, when Sanchez thanked Iglesias for his generous support of the motion without having negotiated anythingand then made his first announcement: a commitment to the PP budget which Podemos supposedly opposed! Rajoy said that Podemos would now have to eat the PPs budget with a side-order of chips.

The PSOE now heads an unstable minority regime, propped up by Podemos and the separatists and likely to clash with the working class over its plans to impose sweeping and unpopular austerity measures.
A report released Friday shows a shocking rise in deaths between 2013 and 2016 among US children and teens aged 10-19. While deaths in this age group declined between 1999 and 2013, from 2013 to 2016 the total number of deaths, as well as the death rate, increased by 12 percent.

These grim statistics expose the social crisis confronting Americas youth in the form of gun violence, suicide, the opioid crisis, poverty and war.

The study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that injury deathsincluding unintentional injury, suicide, homicide and warcomprised 70 percent of all deaths for persons aged 10-19 in 2016. By contrast, the non-injury death rate (from natural causes such as cancer and heart disease) declined for this age group by 23 percent from 1999 to 2013 and remained relatively stable after that.

Particularly telling, the number and rate of total deaths in 2016 for adolescents aged 15-19 was more than three times that of children and teens aged 10-14. For teens aged 15-19, the injury death rate increased by 19 percent in 2016 from the recent low in 2013. At a time when young men and women in this age group should be finishing high school and contemplating college or a career, increasing numbers of them are meeting a violent death.

The CDC report is based on data from death certificates filed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia between 1999 and 2016. The data collected by researchers shows that motor vehicle traffic fatalities accounted for 62 percent of unintentional injury deaths, followed by poisoning at 16 percent and drowning at 7 percent. Poisoning deaths include drug overdoses, which account for 90 percent of these deaths, mostly in older teens.

Following a decrease in homicide deaths among children and adolescents between 2007 and 2014, these deaths increased by 27 percent from 2014 to 2016. The suicide rate declined by 15 percent between 1999 and 2007, then rose by a staggering 56 percent between 2007 and 2016. The three leading methods of suicide in 2016 were suffocation (including hanging), firearms and poisoning (including drug overdoses).

In 2016, 2,553 young people age 10 to 19 took their own lives, compared to 1,661 in 2007. For every young person who makes the horrific decision to end his or her life there are families and friends left devastated. Nothing is more tragic than losing a child, sibling or classmate, but to grapple with why a young person would consciously choose to die is overwhelming.

A separate study in the medical journal Pediatrics also found a rise in suicidal thoughts and attempts among 10- to 24-year-olds. The study showed that the proportion of young people treated at 31 US childrens hospitals for suicidal thoughts or attempts more than doubled between 2008 and 2015, from 0.66 percent to 1.82 percent of all visits. Nearly two-thirds of these visits involved girls.

More than half of the suicide-related visits resulted in inpatient hospitalization, with 13 percent of patients treated in intensive care units. Researchers found that suicide-related visits were twice as high during October, at the start of the school year, than in July, during the summer vacation. The study did not investigate how academic pressure or bullying might contribute to suicidal thoughts among young people.

One of the researchers for the Pediatrics study, Gregory Plemmons, a physician and associate professor of clinical pediatrics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, told CNN that he became interested in conducting the suicide study after noticing an increasing number of beds at his hospital being used for young people in need of psychiatric treatment, often after exhibiting suicidal behavior.

What Im noticing is kids seem to be less resilient and to have more pressure, he said. I think social media also fuels this Instagram life of everything is perfect and cool and you dont see the other side of life.

A study published in Clinical Psychological Science last year similarly concluded: The increases in new media screen activities and the decreases in nonscreen activities may explain why depression and suicide increased among US adolescents since 2010.

But while some are quick to suggest that social media, cyberbullying and violent videos are leading factors contributing to youth suicide and school shootings, the causes are far more complex. The continued growth of income inequality can fuel depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, particularly among young people who are looking for a future but find themselves unemployed, in low-paying dead-end jobs, or saddled with student debt.

A report published in January by the Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University in New York found that in 2016, 19 percent of US children under age 18 lived in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold. At the time, this was an abysmally low $24,339 for a two-parent family with two children.

The Pew Research Center released a study this week reporting that since 2000, suburban counties have experienced sharper increases in poverty than urban or rural counties. Since 1990, poverty rates in suburban areas have increased by 50 percent, while the number of suburban residents living in high-poverty areas has almost tripled.

Scott W. Allard, author of Places in Need, wrote in a recent column that rising suburban poverty is due to the changing nature of the labor market. He added, In most suburbs, unemployment rates were twice as high in 2014 as in 1990. Good-paying jobs that dont require advanced training have started to disappear in suburbs, just as they did in central cities more than a quarter-century ago.

A national survey by health service company Cigna revealed that nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone or left out. Young adults of Generation Z (ages 18-22) report the most loneliness and claim to be in worse health than older generations.

The survey found the main contributing factors to loneliness to be lack of sleep, insufficient time spent with family, lack of physical activity and jobs that require more hours or less hours than desired. Not surprisingly, young adults are more likely to be unemployed, overworked or working at low-paid jobsand susceptible to loneliness and depression.

Addressing this crisis would begin with the allocation of billions of dollars for social services, including nutrition programs, job training and health care. The response of the ruling elite, however, is to impose work requirements for Medicaid and food stamps in an effort to cut people off of benefits. Funding for vitally needed mental health care services and treatment for opioid addiction is also a low priority.

There has been no outrage from the Democrats over the continuing wave of reports presenting indices of social miserywhether it be the rise in youth suicides or reports that the average US worker would need to work 275 years to earn the annual compensation of his or her companys CEO. Instead, the Democrats have provided the votes to fund the Pentagons record $700 billion budget and secured the confirmation of black site torture administrator Gina Haspel as head of the CIA.

In a scathing critique, Philip Alston, the UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, said the Trump administration is steering the country towards a dramatic change of direction that is rewarding the rich and blocking access for the poor even to the most basic necessities.

He told the Guardian, This is a systematic attack on Americas welfare program that is undermining the social safety net for those who cant cope on their own. Once you start removing any sense of government commitment, you quickly move into cruelty.

The beginning of a new period of working class struggle in the US and around the worldseen most graphically in the US in the wave of protests and strikes by teachers against both the government and the corporatist trade unionsis the key to how young people can put an end to the conditions that underlie the rise in drug abuse and other social evils. Young people are themselves coming into struggle and looking for ways to oppose the intolerable status quo. This has taken the initial form of mass demonstrations against school violence.

What is critical is that youth turn to the working class and break free from both parties of the capitalist class in the fight to build a mass socialist movement to put an end to the profit system, the source of poverty, inequality and war.
The meeting of G7 finance ministers taking place in Whistler, Canada this weekend has begun with a barrage of criticism directed at US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin over the Trump administrations decision to proceed with tariffs on steel and aluminium exports from Mexico, Canada and the European Union.

On his arrival, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz immediately denounced the US actions. The decision by the US government to unilaterally implement tariffs is wrong andfrom my point of viewalso illegal, he told reporters. We have clear rules, which are determined at the international level, and this is a breach of those rules.

The Trump administration has imposed the tariffs under section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act on national security grounds. Scholz denounced the claim as spurious.

Well always be ready to talk about reaching common agreement on trade policy, but thats only possible if unilaterally implemented tariffs are lifted, he said.

Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau, the chairman of the meeting, said the issue of trade conflicts had moved to front and centre. I dont want to kid you, we will need to talk about this first and foremost, he said. We think its absurd that Canada is considered in any way a security risk, so that will be clearly stated by me.

The invocation of national security by the Trump administration is not because it regards Canada or the EU as a threat, but because it is seeking to exploit a loophole in the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that permits such tariff impositions. But the WTO rule is meant to cover only situations where countries are actually at war.

Consequently, there is concern that the Trump move could prompt other countries to invoke national security grounds for the imposition of tariffs, leading to the disintegration of the global trading order.

Anthony Gardner, the US ambassador to the EU from 2014 to 2107, said Trumps actions were very foolish and a serious attack on the worlds trading rules. Guns should be pointed at enemies, not at allies, he declared. He added that there was now little to prevent China or any other country from blocking imports on anything, unrelated to true concerns about national security.

The European Union is pushing ahead with counter-measures against the US and is expected to announce its final list of products to be targeted and the level of the tariffs later this month. At the same time, it has opened a case in the WTO against the US measures.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom rejected the claim that the tariffs were needed for national security, denouncing them as pure protectionism.

We are not in a trade war, but we are in a very difficult situation caused by the United States, she said. I would not use the term trade war because it has a psychological effect. The US is playing a dangerous game here.

At the same time, Malmstrom announced that the EU was taking China to the WTO for forcing European companies seeking to do business in China to disclose technological secretsthe same issue raised by the US.

Malmstrom said the EUs actions, against both the US and China, indicated that it was not choosing sides and that we stand for the multilateral system, for rule-based global trade. She added, If players in the world dont stick to the rule book, the system might collapse.

She maintained the EU stance that there will be no negotiations with the US while the tariffs remain in place and the EU has closed the door on talks. We offered dialogue and future negotiations under the condition that they took away this threat, she said. They didnt and here we are. When they say America first, we say Europe united.

Malmstroms emphasis on European unity and for no negotiations while tariffs remain in place reflects the hard line being pushed by France. French President Emmanuel Macron has denounced the tariff measure as illegal.

Speaking to reporters, he said the US decision was a mistake because it was creating economic nationalism  and nationalism is war. Thats exactly what happened in the 30s.

However, German trade groups, fearing that further tariff measures by the US targeting the auto industry are in the pipeline, are calling for restraint on the part of the EU. Volkswagen said it would welcome a resumption of talks on a bilateral agreement with the US, without any mention of the prior removal of tariffs.

Christian Vietmeyer, the head of the Steel and Metal Processors Association, called for restraint. Reactions of the EU that lead to an escalation of the situation and more trade barriers would cause more damage. The EU should stay calm.

The predominant reaction in US political, business and media circles to the tariffs is not opposition to trade war measures per se, but rather that the Trump administration is alienating its allies when it should be trying to win their support for action against China.

The Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Kevin Brady, said the tariffs were hitting the wrong target and that when it came to unfair trade in aluminium and steel, Mexico, Canada and Europe were not the problem, China is.

Criticism of Trumps tariffs has been considerably more vocal and pointed from the Republican congressional camp than the Democratic. Most of the Democratic leadership has avoided comment, while the most rabid trade war hawks, such as Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, have backed Trump.

An editorial in the Wall Street Journal said that rather than Trump being a genius deal-maker his actions revealed he was merely an old-fashioned protectionist. The editorial said that with his tax cuts and deregulationthe handing out of billions of dollars to the corporations and ultra-wealthy and the easing of restrictions on the operations of the banksTrump had established a solid economic record, but his escalating trade war was putting this at risk. While he has aspired to be Ronald Reagan, his tariff follies echo Herbert Hoover, the newspaper declared.

In an editorial titled America Declares War on its Friends, the New York Times said the tariff measures would do nothing to reduce steel and aluminium capacity in China, and the president was effectively isolating the United States from its closest alliesthe very countries that it needs to work with to put pressure on China to change its course.
Google spinoff Dandelion unveiled a cheaper way to cool your home. It involves your lawn.

Dandelion, born in the secretive and futuristic lab "X" of Google's parent company Alphabet, uses energy from the ground to cool and heat your home. It announced its first commercial product on Wednesday: a smart heating and air conditioning system called Dandelion Air.

Although heating and cooling systems aren't innately sexy, Dandelion is banking on an eco-friendly method to make heating and AC costs lower for homeowners.

Related: Apple is now completely powered by clean energy

Rather than relying on furnaces and traditional AC systems, Dandelion Air is a geothermal system that uses the ground's energy via plastic pipes and a pump in the home. The systems move heat from the ground into the house in the winter, and heat from the house into the ground in the summer.

Geothermal systems reduce carbon dioxide emissions and help save consumers money on energy bills.

The concept has been around for decades, but because of its high price and inability to monitor performance over time, adoption has been relatively slow.

"It's a very niche technology that hasn't taken off at all in this country," Dandelion CEO Kathy Hannun, a former Google employee, told CNNMoney.

Hannun's team at Google's X division sought to make geothermal technology more accessible. X is known for its "moonshots," or big ideas intended to change the world, including self-driving car company Waymo and "Project Loon" Wi-Fi balloons.

The team worked on the technology for about two years at Google before becoming its own company. Traditionally, geothermal systems are custom made for homes. But Dandelion wanted to automate the manufacturing process and make the system work with every home.

"One thing we looked for at X was adding technology to an industry that hasn't benefited [from tech]," Hannun said. "I started working on it part-time. About two-thirds of the year in [we realized], 'There's something here. Let's focus on it.'"

The startup claims Dandelion Air is four times more efficient than furnaces, and almost twice as efficient as traditional air conditioning systems. It also comes with a Nest learning thermostat and a monitoring system to track its performance.

Related: How office buildings are reducing their carbon footprint

Athough it's half the cost of other geothermal systems, it's far from cheap -- installation costs about $20,000, depending on home size. Considering the Dandelion Air homeowner is expected to save about 20% annually on the cost of heating and cooling their home, the startup hopes this is reason enough for homeowners to go geothermal for new or existing homes.

"Homeowners are so used to not having a choice with how they heat [their home]," Hannun said. "But that's what we bring: a choice."

The company already attracted early attention from investors, too -- it doesn't hurt to have started at Google. In April, Dandelion said it raised a fresh $4.5 million in funding.

Despite upfront costs, Jefferson Tester -- a professor of sustainable energy systems at Cornell University -- says geothermal systems are quiet, more efficient and use less electricity.

"Maintenance is also very low, which could be attractive for a homeowner," he said. "There's a huge variability in the cost of geothermal systems. A more standardized approach [like Dandelion's] could be quite attractive."

The company ran a six-month pilot program in the Hudson Valley and Capital Districts in New York, and sold 70 systems in existing homes last year. With the official launch of Dandelion Air, the systems will be available in most of New York State starting Wednesday.

But geothermal systems may not be a fit for everyone. In states with low electricity costs, a simple AC unit may be cheaper. It can also depend on the type of home someone lives in, according to Tester.

"This isn't like buying a refrigerator. [Geothermal] has a lot of custom work that needs to be done in the house," said Tester. "All old homes aren't the same."

Customers can check if their home qualifies on Dandelion's website.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Police warn new synthetic drug may be making its way to Terre Haute.

The pills are called "blues."

According to the Terre Haute Police Department, these drugs have killed dozens in the southwestern portion of the country.

Police say these pills are designed to look like oxycodone pills.

They say the threat comes when a person buys what they believe are oxycodone pills illegally, but unknowingly receives these instead.

The "blues" are reportedly laced with fentanyl.

According to Dr. Christian Shaw of Western Indiana Recovery Services, a treatment program associated with the Hamilton Center, they have received at least one overdose case likely linked to these pills.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI)- June first served as national gun violence awareness day. Even though it only lasted one day, a national group decided to make it into a full weekend event.

Connie Miller was one of many concerned citizens standing outside the Vigo courthouse Saturday. She was raising awareness of gun violence in the U.S. An act that tragically took the life of her son, Shane Miller.

"He died March 26th 1991. It was during spring break he got shot in the back. And he died a few hours later," said Miller.

That's why she joined the Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Organization. Terre Haute founded its own chapter for the organization earlier this year.

The group aims to promote more regulations when it comes to guns. Doing what they can to prevent attacks like the one that took place most recently in Noblesville.

"It definitely brought it home especially last week I think it goes to show how small of a world this is," said Angie Hudgens who is part of the group.

One by one supporters of the group shared words of past experiences with gun violence. All pleading change when it comes to fire arms but the organization isn't for banning guns. Just making more strict laws.

"We are very much in favor of the second amendment. But we also recognize that we have to safety store guns and we have to promote gun safety," Hudgens

For Miller, its not about voicing her opinion. Its about standing united with friends and family. All doing what they can to make a difference to prevent future tragedies

"A lot of time you kind of have to keep it all together. And try to think about how I can make a change," said Miller.

If you would like to learn more about the Moms Demand Action Organization follow the link to that site here.
The US military is continuing to provide assistance to military forces from the African nation of Cameroon despite the US ambassador to that country recently accusing Cameroonian troops of carrying out "targeted killings" in its campaign against the country's Anglophone separatists.

The African nation has been beset by violence between the government, which is led by French speakers, and Anglophones who inhabit English-speaking regions of Cameroon.

"There has been no change to the assistance (the Department of Defense) provides to Cameroon as a direct result of violence in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon," Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Sheryll Klinkel told CNN.

Following his meeting with President Paul Biya last month, US Amb. Peter Henry Barlerin gave a speech that accused pro-government Cameroonian security forces of conducting "targeted killings, detentions without access to legal support, family, or the Red Cross, and burning and looting of villages."

Barlerin also accused Anglophone separatists of committing "murders of gendarmes, kidnapping of government officials, and burning of schools."

The US has hundreds of troops in Cameroon tasked with training, advising and assisting local forces in their fight against ISIS West Africa, Boko Haram and other violent extremist organizations in the Lake Chad Basin region.

Asked if any US-backed Cameroonian units were participating in the actions in the Anglophone areas, the Pentagon told CNN that all military assistance to Cameroon is "subject to an end-use monitoring process to ensure that DoD-funded assistance is not directed away from its intended purpose."

She added that US law prohibits the Department of Defense from "providing any training, equipment, or other assistance to a unit of a foreign security force if DoD has credible information that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights."

Klinkel said US Africa Command, which oversees US military operations on the continent, "will continue to coordinate all matters of security cooperation closely with Amb. Barlerin and fully supports his efforts to encourage Cameroonians to commit to dialogue and resolving issues in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon in a peaceful and democratic manner."

However, when asked if the US trained units had been transferred from the fight against ISIS and Boko Haram to the Anglophone regions, Klinkel said the Department of Defense "fully recognizes that Cameroon is a sovereign nation and can transfer personnel between units."

This is not the first time questions have been raised about the US military's support for Cameroonian security forces.

US Africa Command launched an investigation last August to determine if US personnel were aware of allegations of torture of suspected terrorists being carried out by US-trained Cameroonian troops at a base that was also frequently used by US military advisers.

Klinkel said the results of that investigation have not been made public.
DECATUR, Ala. (AP)  Six women are suing a north Alabama rheumatologist, accusing him of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior while they were his patients.

News outlets report that the lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Morgan County Circuit Court against Dr. Michael Dick of Decatur.

Dick referred questions to his lawyer, who decline to comment. The plaintiffs are identified by pseudonyms, seeking to preserve privacy.

In January, Dick was arrested on two counts of misdemeanor harassment after two women came forward with allegations. He's free on bail and continues to practice.

Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners General Counsel Wilson Hunter says the regulatory agency "is actively engaged in monitoring his situation." The agency issues and regulates medical licenses.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - First year students in Florida State's College of Medicine spent the day experiencing rural health care across north Florida and south Georgia.

The Rural Learning Experience, as it's called, has been a part of the College of Medicine's curriculum for nearly ten years, and shows new students how rural medicine and care differs from the larger hospitals they may be used to.

After touring facilities, students met with College of Medicine alumni who practice in rural communities, as well as nurses, and administrators.

Although the students on this tour are still in their first week of classes, some say they are more interested in rural health care than they were, despite the differences in resources.

"Coming in, I was actually more unsure. I wasn't a yes or no, but now I'm leaning more toward yes, only because everyone is so nice and you get to see so many people and make those relationships," said Sydney Pilinko, first year FSU Medical student.

The hope is that by experiencing rural health care, more medical students will want to work in those facilities.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - As we officially enter the 2018 hurricane season, Leon County and City of Tallahassee leaders are hoping to help you be better prepared for potential disaster.

Friday morning the county unveiled the 2018 Hurricane Survival Guide.

Part of the guide includes preparing a kit with items like non-perishable food and water.

The guide also touched on Tallahassee's trees.

"We're a tree community and with the number of trees we've got, we have to make sure our citizens are aware and consistently making decisions to keep themselves safe and we know were working to keep them safe but they have to do the same thing," said Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil.

Leon County is also hosting the Fourth Annual Build Your Bucket event Saturday.

Organizers will give away 800 buckets, stocked with critical supplies needed in case of emergency.

The event is set to begin at 9 a.m. at the North Florida Fairgrounds.
LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A charter school that was denied opening in Leon County has officially handed in it's application for appeal to the Florida Department of Education.

Last week, the leaders with the proposed Tallahassee Classical school announced they would apply for charter.

From there, it will go through a number of committees before being placed in front of the state board.

Leaders with the proposed school say that the classical school can offer different and more unique opportunities for students.

"Essentially it is reading through the great books of literature and the great works of history and teaching students to grabble with those big ideas that are in them," said Jana Sayler, Board Chair of Tallahassee Classical School. "That's not to stay that traditional public schools don't do that, but they just have a different focus then we plan to have."

The school is hosting a family fun night Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with live music and food trucks. They will be also be having a Q-and-A session with the founders.

LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A charter school that was denied opening in Leon County is in the process of appealing to the State Board of Education.

Wednesday afternoon, leaders with the proposed Tallahassee Classical School announced they are finalizing the appeal.

From there, it will go through a number of committees before being placed in front of the state board.

Plato Academy, which was also shot down by the school board last month, will not continue its appeal.

The entire process can take as long as 90 days, and does not come cheap.

To help combat the cost of the appeal and connect with the community, Tallahassee Classical School founders are hosting a "Family Fun Night."

This event will be held at the Northside Community Center next Saturday beginning at 4:30 p.m.

The family friendly event will have live music, food trucks, and a bounce house for the kids.

All are welcome to come out for a good time, and learn a little more about classical education.

TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - The Leon County School Board rejects two proposed charter schools. The administrations for both schools plan to appeal to the state board of education.

Two weeks ago, the charter applications for Tallahassee Classical School and Plato Academy came up for a vote at the school board meeting. After hours of listening to public comment, the school board opted to table the vote.

"We were interested in getting just a little more information about what the charter schools were all about," says Joy Bowen, a Leon County School Board member for district 5. "What it meant to us in terms of dollars, diminishing dollars, resources for our classrooms, resources for our teachers."

Tuesday night, both charter applications were back on the agenda. Although Plato Academys Tampa principal wasnt too worried about the vote, Tallahassee Classical School Co-founders were nervous.

It's the last opportunity for Leon County School Board to vote to approve our charter," says Adrienne Campbell one of Tallahassee Classical School's co-founders. "Just thinking about all of the community support that we have, that we really have done the right thing and are bringing something to the community that they're desiring."

After another hour of public comment, strong opinions, tears, and discussion, the school board was ready to vote.

"It was very hard because these are our neighbors, particularly the classical group," explains Bowen. "These are people that we know and we know that their intentions are well intended."

In the end, school board members voted unanimously to deny both charters, but expressed their willingness to work with the home-grown Tallahassee Classical School in the future.

In the next ten days, the school board MUST file its reasoning for denying the proposal with the State Board of Education.

No word yet on when the schools will be ready to file their appeals.

WTXL will continue to follow this story as it develops.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 00:07:45|Editor: Chengcheng

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European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (2nd R) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd L) at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BRUSSELS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The use of unilateral sanctions in international affairs is totally unacceptable, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told top Chinese diplomat on Friday.

Juncker's remarks came in the wake of Washington's decision not to extend the temporary steel and aluminum tariff exemptions for the EU, Canada, and Mexico.

Meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sideline of the eighth China-EU High Level Strategic Dialogue, Juncker highlighted the importance of enhancing EU-China strategic ties, citing the international situation which is undergoing complicated and profound changes.

In this context, safeguarding multilateralism and free trade is not only at stake for the EU and China, but also for the rest of the world, said Juncker.

The EU highly values its cooperation with China, said Juncker, adding that he looks forward to the 20th EU-China summit slated for next month, and believes that the summit will be a complete success due to the concerted efforts of both sides.

Echoing Juncker, Wang said the current international situation is plagued by uncertainties, as well as rising unilateralism and protectionism.

As two major forces in the world, China and the EU should jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, improve global governance, and advocate an open world economy, Wang added.

China stands ready to join hands with the EU to reach important consensus and achieve practical results at the upcoming summit, thus sending out a positive signal, said Wang.

In a statement on Thursday, Juncker lambasted U.S. tariffs on EU steel and aluminum, stressing that they are "unjustified and at odds with World Trade Organization rules".

"This is protectionism, pure and simple," said Juncker.
by Eric J. Lyman

ROME, June 1 (Xinhua) -- After 88 days of stop-and-start negotiations, Italy installed its first-ever populist government on Friday. That is when the hard part begins.

Trading had closed on financial markets late Thursday, when Italian President Sergio Mattarella formally gave law professor Giuseppe Conte a mandate to become prime minister. Italian stocks and bonds performed poorly in anticipation of a populist government led by the anti-establishment Five-Star Movement and the nationalist League parties, but prices rebounded Friday just ahead of the swearing in ceremony.

Analysts warned not to assume investors were reassured by a populist government taking power.

"I think we are seeing relief that almost 13 weeks of negotiations are over and not any kind of show of confidence for the new government," Javier Noriega, an economist with Hildebrandt and Ferrar, told Xinhua.

Conte lacks political experience and a support base in parliament, a fact that makes his cabinet even more important.

The new government's ministers include Five-Star Movement head Luigi Di Maio as minister of labor and Matteo Salvini (League) as interior minister. Di Maio and Salvini, both vocal critics of the European Union (EU), will also share the role of deputy prime minister.

Also of concern for pro-European observers is the presence of 81-year-old Paolo Savona, a fiercely euro-skeptic economist.

Di Maio and Salvini originally wanted to make Savona finance minister. Mattarella blocked that, but in the end he allowed the man who called the euro currency a "German cage" and said Italy should prepare to leave the 19-nation currency zone, to join the cabinet as minister of European affairs.

The new coalition government earned a ringing endorsement from Europe's prominent anti-EU voice, France's Marine Le Pen called the new government a "victory of democracy over European Union threats and intimidation."

Italian relations with the European Union got off to an inauspicious start when European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday that Italy should "stop blaming" the EU for the country's woes.

"Italians have to take care of the poor regions of Italy," Juncker said. "That means more work, less corruption, more seriousness."

Salvini was furious, calling the remarks "shameful and racist," and on Friday Juncker apologized.

"Italy and the European Union will have to learn how to co-exist," Noriega said. "One will not work without the other."

Lorenzo Codogno, a former director-general of the Italian Treasury and now a visiting professor at the London School of Economics, predicted that what he called the "patchwork" coalition may work for a while but could eventually have problems.

"I believe the many contradictions of this patchwork will emerge over time, but possibly not immediately," Codogno said. "Populists must be tested in government for voters to change their mind, but this inevitably entails risks for the country."

Luca Verzichelli, a political scientist with the University of Siena, told Xinhua he would not be surprised to see Conte depart soon for Brussels or perhaps Paris or Berlin in an effort to assuage European fears so the government can start working.

"The new government will have to start governing as soon as possible," Verzichelli said.
SARAJEVO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) urged Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) Parliamentary Assembly and all political parties to urgently amend the relevant Criminal Procedure Code provisions in accordance with international standards and as required by the BiH Constitutional Court.

"This will be essential for the rule of law institutions' ability to preserve the country's security, to conduct sensitive investigations and to offer witness immunity as well as cooperating with international law enforcement agencies such as Interpol and Europol," said a statement published Friday on the official website of the EU delegation in BiH.

The EU also expresses its serious concern about the failure of the political parties, as well as the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Justice, to uphold their commitments to fight corruption, organised crime and other forms of serious crime, in the context of the preparation of the Commission Opinion on BiH's application for EU membership.

"This is a year that represents a window of opportunity for BiH to strengthen its links with the EU and with the region, and to move closer to EU standards, not further away," the statement stated.

On Feb. 15, 2016, BiH formally submitted its application to join the EU, which was accepted on Sept. 20, 2016.
BERLIN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- International financial investors are demonstrating a growing appetite for assets in German health care sector, a study by the management consultancy Bain & Company found on Friday.

According to the study, private equity funds invested a total of 10.9 billion euros (12.8 billion U.S. dollars) in the sector in Europe in 2017, with the bulk of investments being concentrated in Germany. The figure marked a threefold increase over the previous year.

Bain & Company highlighted that two deals in the German health care sector last year were amongst the biggest recorded in the global private equity industry. The financial investors Bain and Cinven purchased a controlling stake in the pharmaceutical company Stada for 4 billion dollars, while Nordic Capital took over the nursing home operator Alloheim Senioren-Residenzen for 1.3 billion dollars.

Study author Franz-Robert Klingan explained that much of the attraction of the German health sector to private equity investors owed to the circumstance that it was relatively shielded from the effects of cyclical up- and downswings in the wider economy. Additionally, the country's rapidly aging society meant that there was growing demand for medicines and nursing home places.

"Germany plays an important role in the considerations of private equity funds, not least because the average age is higher than that in any other European Union member state at 45.8 years", a statement by Klingan read.

The influx of international financial investors is a source of concern for trade union representatives, however, who have expressed fears that pharmaceutical producers, nursing home operators and other health care organizations in Germany could face more pressure to raise their profitability. Private equity funds traditionally only acquire holdings in firms for short- to medium-term periods with the goal of subsequently selling their assets on to others for a higher price.

The German trade union ver.di estimates that private equity involvement has increased more than four-fold in the sector over the past two years to reach a record of 43 acquisitions in 2017. Ver.di warned that private companies were consequently receiving a "fast-growing share" of German health care expenditure, especially in old-age nursing.

Ver.di federal director Sylvia Buehler complained on Friday that some international investors were resorting to dubious methods, such as trying to weaken collective wage agreements, in their hunt for yields. "Nursing should be about humans and dignity, not about profit maximization', Buehler argued.

The majority of nursing homes in Germany are run by the church and communal governments. The industry is suffering from a severe shortage of skilled labor, leading Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) to propose recently that the government should offer financing for the employment of more than 8,000 additional nursing home workers in the current legislative period.
MADRID, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Spain received a total of 6.8 million international visitors in April, which meant a 4.4 percent fall when compared to the same month in 2017, according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

Spain received more than 1.4 million people from Britain, which represented 21.1 percent of the total. Their arrivals fell by 5.2 percent in April year-on-year, the INE said.

France and Germany were second and third with the largest number of international tourists. Almost 1.1 million visitors arrived from France in April (5.5 percent less than year ago) while a total of 914,849 tourists arrived from Germany, a 19.7 percent fall year-on-year.

Catalonia was the main destination for tourists in April, receiving 1.6 million, an 11-percent fall when compared with the same month a year ago. The region received 23.1 percent of the total number of international visitors.

Catalonia was followed by the archipelago of the Canary Islands, which was visited by 1.1 million people that accounted for 16.3 percent of the total. The third main destination in April was southern region of Andalusia, whose number of visitors reached 1 million and accounted for 15.4 percent of the total.
MOSCOW, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a declaration Friday, proclaiming the establishment of a strategic partnership, the Kremlin said.

The document was inked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Putin said the UAE is Russia's "reliable and long-standing partner" in the Middle East and praised the declaration as "a good step towards even stronger bilateral ties."

"I think that our cooperation will expand, thanks in part to the signing of the declaration on strategic partnership," said the UAE prince.

In the declaration, the two countries expressed their determination to strengthen and develop political interaction on key bilateral, regional and international issues.

The parties will coordinate their efforts, exchange experience and information in combating terrorism and extremism. They will promote a safe and peaceful cyberspace and prevent the spread of extremist ideology online.

Russia and the UAE will cooperate in law enforcement, crack down on crimes, fight piracy, and contribute to the disarmament process at the international and regional levels.

The two countries will also strengthen cooperation in security and defense, in particular by intensifying consultations between relevant authorities of the two countries.

In the declaration, the parties voiced their commitment to developing trade and economic, financial and investment cooperation.

They will support contacts to ensure the balance and stability of the global oil and gas markets, promote the wider use of natural gas and work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, Russia and the UAE vowed to strengthen cultural, humanitarian and scientific-technological cooperation.
HAVANA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Cuba and the United States have agreed to permanently restore the direct postal service between the two countries, which had been suspended for decades, an official release said on Friday.

A statement from the state-run Correos de Cuba Business Group recalls that this measure is coming into force after the execution of a pilot program, approved by Washington and Havana in December 2015.

The test began in March 2016 with a charter airline which offered three weekly trips, which was later reduced to two. However, this service ceased after a year without any plans at the time to make it permanent.

Correos de Cuba added that "the execution of the service in its current format began on April 16, 2018 and takes into account the technical, operational and security requirements identified by the parties during the execution of the pilot plan."

The restoration of this service allows the postal delivery of mail, parcels, and express courier deliveries on direct flights between Cuba and the United States, and through post offices in both countries.

The direct postal service between the two neighboring nations was suspended by Havana in 1968 after the explosion of a bomb in a parcel coming from New York that killed five postal workers.

During 48 years, letters and parcels had to travel through other countries like Canada, Mexico, Panama and Jamaica.

This led to increased operational costs for the Cuban side and caused large delays to deliveries, leading to customer complaints.
WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will meet with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled after recent twists and turns.

Trump made the remarks at the White House after his almost two-hour meeting with a senior official from Pyongyang who delivered a personal letter from Kim Jong Un to Trump.

Washington and Pyongyang are going to start a relationship and it will start on June 12, Trump told reporters after his talks with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee. The high-level DPRK official held a two-day meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York before heading to Washington on Friday.

Trump also described the widely anticipated summit as a "get-to-know-you" situation, saying that it "will be a process" and he believed the DPRK "wants to do the denuclearization."

"I think you're going to have very positive results in the end," said Trump, who also noted that probably more than one meeting was necessary "after years of hostility" and "years of hatred" between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Trump also revealed that he talked about the sanctions imposed by Washington upon Pyongyang during his meetings with Kim Yong Chol.

The White House host told reporters he did not want to use the term "maximum pressure" anymore as the two sides were getting along with each other.

Washington has kept the maximum pressure campaign against the DPRK, including slapping severe economic sanctions on the Asian country.

Trump talked to reporters after escorting Kim out of the Oval Office and posing for photos, along with Pompeo, before Kim's departure.

Trump referred to the letter from Pyongyang as "interesting."

Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley later confirmed to reporters that Trump had read the letter but did not reveal the content.

The back-on-track summit followed recent twists and turns and the whirlwind of diplomacy over the weekend.

Multi-track talks between the officials of the United States and the DPRK have been held this week in New York, the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and Singapore for the preparations of the on-again-off-again summit.

Trump announced cancellation of the meeting in a letter to Kim Jong Un last week, citing "tremendous anger and open hostility" displayed by Pyongyang recently.

In response to Trump's letter, the DPRK's First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan said Friday that the country is ready to sit down with the United States any time in any manner for talks to solve the problems existing between them.

Trump then reversed course, saying both sides wanted the meeting to happen and it could still go ahead after productive talks. He also confirmed on Sunday that a U.S. official team had arrived in the DPRK to talk about preparation for the talks.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. Senator from Alaska Mark Begich has announced he will be running for governor of the U.S. northwesternmost state on the Democratic ticket, the KTVA TV channel reported Friday.

KTVA quoted Debra Call, a member of the Cook Inlet tribal council, as saying that Begich has asked her to be his running mate to run for lieutenant governor.

"I was asked last night and I am excited... In the current national climate, I see the incentive to support a candidate, like Mark, that has a very positive outlook on the future of Alaska, and looking to build a robust economy," said 63-year-old Call, a lifelong Alaskan, Friday morning.

KTVA said Begich's announcement came hours after incumbent Governor Bill Walker's campaign declared that he would skip the Democratic primary and run in the general election as an independent.

Lindsay Hobson, a spokeswoman for Walker's campaign, confirmed the governor's decision to seek re-election by petition in the general election rather than run in the Democratic primary.

Begich, Democrat, served as U.S. senator representing Alaska from 2009 to 2015. He was mayor of Anchorage, Alaska's most populous city, from 2003 to 2009.

The 2018 Alaska gubernatorial election will take place on Nov. 6 this year, and Walker, the second native-born Alaska governor, is running for re-election to a second term.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 07:14:21|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Chilean President Sebastian Pinera (C) delivers a speech during an annual state of the nation address in Valparaiso, Chile, June 1, 2018. Chile "wants, can and will be a developed country," Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said during an annual state of the nation address on Friday. (Xinhua/Chilean Presidential Office)

SANTIAGO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chile "wants, can and will be a developed country," Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said during an annual state of the nation address on Friday.

In a speech delivered to congress in Valparaiso, Pinera said "the time has come to take a great leap forward to transform Chile ... before the end of the next decade into a developed country, a middle-class (country) with no poverty and with opportunities so that we can all develop our talents."

Pinera, a businessman-turned-politician who won reelection to a second term in December 2017, said his administration has "in the past few months reestablished confidence (in the economy), which is once again moving towards development."

Chile's economy registered 4.6 percent growth in March, according to the president.

Pinera also announced his administration will promote four new measures, including a bill to create a Ministry of Family and Social Development to replace the current Ministry of Social Development in order to "recognize and strengthen the family ... as the essential and irreplaceable nucleus of society."

The second measure will be to create a Middle-Class Protection Net "to generate more opportunities for progress and guarantee greater security in the face of adversity."

The other two measures aim to improve the wellbeing of infants and children in Chile, including by ensuring working mothers have access to nurseries.

On the foreign affairs, Pinera said he wanted to bolster ties with neighboring countries - Argentina and Peru, strengthen the Pacific Alliance trade bloc with fellow members Mexico, Peru and Colombia, and expand "ties with Brazil, Latin America and the rest of the world."

His government will also work to strengthen the existing Free Trade Agreements with China and the European Union.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley(2nd, right, front) votes in favor of a U.S. amendments to Kuwait draft on protection of Palestinians at the UN headquarters in New York June 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution on the question of Palestine.

The U.S. text, a competing draft resolution to a Kuwaiti one, got only one vote in favor -- from the United States itself. Three of the 15 Security Council members -- Kuwait, Russia and Bolivia -- voted against it, and the remaining 11 members abstained.

A Security Council resolution needs at least nine affirmative votes to be adopted, on the condition that none of the five permanent members of the council -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States -- votes against it.

Immediately after the vote, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley blamed "anti-Israel bias" in the Security Council.

"With its votes today, the UN Security Council majority showed that it was willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas, for violence in Gaza," Haley said in a brief statement.

"Further proof was not needed, but it is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel. The United States will not allow such bias, which is why we did not hesitate to cast our veto," said the statement.

The U.S. draft resolution blames Hamas for the recent escalation of violence in Gaza.

The Kuwaiti text, which was vetoed by the United States in an earlier vote, deplores the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It also calls for the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population.

The Kuwaiti draft further calls for immediate steps toward ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 07:44:25|Editor: Yamei

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Police cars arrive at the McKinney North High school, about 60 km north of Dallas, Texas, the United States, on June 1, 2018. Local officials confirmed Friday that a high school student died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in McKinney North High School. (Xinhua/Tian Dan)

HOUSTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Local officials confirmed Friday that a high school student died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in McKinney North High School, about 60 km north of Dallas, Texas, the United States.

The school was put on lockdown around noon time after the shooting happened, McKinney police said. No other students were injured, according to the school district's website.

After police secured the campus, students were taken to a nearby school where parents could pick them up.

Circumstances surrounding the death and what preceded it are unclear. Police said due to the nature of the shooting and because the student was a minor, they would not be issuing a statement regarding what took place.

In a statement posted on social media, McKinney Mayor George Fuller said: "I'm incredibly saddened by the news of a McKinney North H.S. sophomore student who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the high school earlier today."

"As a community, let's come together to support this student's family and the McKinney North HS family as a whole," he continued.

The shooting comes during heightened awareness about school security nationwide in the wake of multiple incidents, including threats and mass shootings.

Earlier this week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott unveiled a 40-page list of recommendations to improve school safety following the Santa Fe school shooting that claimed the lives of ten people.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 08:30:51|Editor: mmm

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An army helicopter fills water from Rawal dam to extinguish a fire from the forest around the Margalla Hills in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on June 1, 2018. Firefighters were unable to extinguish a fire that broke out in the Margalla Hills on Wednesday, local media reported. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
YANGON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has recently received the first batch of 62 returnees in Rakhine state, who had fled to Bangladesh due to the Rakhine conflict.

The returnees include 58 persons pardoned by the Myanmar president and four others lifted from prosecution.

They had first returned by their own arrangement, ignoring the official procedure, and thus arrested by the Myanmar authorities earlier.

However, pardoned by the president, they were brought to the reception camp on last weekend.

In accordance with the Myanmar-Bangladesh agreement, those returnees were being transferred to the Hla Pho Khaung transit camp in Maungtaw after proper verification.

Myanmar and Bangladesh reached an agreement on the arrangement concerning the return of displaced people from Rakhine state in November last year.

The Myanmar side has made arrangements to receive returnees by establishing two reception centers. Resettlement arrangement of the returnees is underway following the return of the first 62 refugees who are being issued with national verification cards (NVC) and then received citizenship scrutiny in accordance with law.

The authorities are also making arrangements to send all returnees to their places of origin as the next step.

According to a statement of the State Counselor's Office Friday, Myanmar, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have initiated a memorandum of understanding to assist the Myanmar government in implementing the arrangement on return of displaced persons from Rakhine state, signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh on Nov. 23, 2017.

The UN agencies will cooperate with the government for the repatriation of the displaced persons, who have been duly verified so that they can return voluntarily in safety and dignity.

Under the MoU, the UN agencies have been invited to take part in various stages of return and resettlement and to support access to livelihood.

In the process of issuing the NVC in Rakhine state, the issuance is said to identify the persons residing within jurisdiction of the country and they are supposed to undergo scrutiny process or waiting for such verification procedure under the 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law.

The government clarified in the parliament that NVC is the first and foremost document to hold on the scrutiny process on the path to enjoy citizenship rights of Myanmar.

To create job opportunities, garment factories and traditional weaving business have been established in Rakhine state with the help of the government which also assisted the local development of communication, agriculture and health sectors.

Moreover, more than 800 houses and infrastructures of roads, water and power supply are under construction under the programs of the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine.

Infrastructures were also built to accommodate the returnees from Bangladesh under the repatriation program, senior officials told the parliament, adding that NVC holders will get rights for free movement in the whole nation but be in accordance with the rules, regulations and directives issued by the Rakhine state government.

A government-appointed Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, released its final report with 88 recommendations in August 2017, which were being implemented by the Committee for the Implementation, headed by the Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army extremist terrorists launched attacks on police outposts in Rakhine State in August last year, displacing a vast number of residents to border areas with Bangladesh.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 09:49:44|Editor: Chengcheng

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TIANJIN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Wangkou Town, one of China's largest production bases for roasted seeds and nuts, has converted all its roasting equipment from coal to natural gas over the past two years.

Wangkou, in Tianjin Municipality, is famous for its unique traditional recipes for roasted seeds and nuts, a popular snack among Chinese.

The 218 companies in Wangkou annually produce 600,000 tonnes of roasted seeds and nuts, worth 6 billion yuan (about 940 million U.S. dollars), accounting for 20 percent of output nationwide.

More than 30 food products, such as roasted nuts, sunflower seeds and watermelon seeds, have been exported from the town to more than 10 countries.

The booming industry has raised the income of 30,000 locals working in the sector, but brought serious pollution problems.

Roasting companies once emitted a total of 300 tonnes of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and smoke every year.

Yue Wei, general manager of Yuecheng Food Company, the largest roasted seeds and nuts manufacturer in town, said his company burned 80 tonnes of coal every year to roast 60,000 tonnes of sunflower seeds.

"The coal ash flew to every corner of the factory," Yue said. "We rented a large open-air space to store the coal, which also increased production costs."

In 2016, local authorities launched a campaign to eliminate coal-burning equipment to fight air pollution in Wangkou. All 309 coal-burners in the town were replaced with natural-gas burners.

Yue said his company had also invested 15 million yuan to purchase natural-gas burning equipment.

"Product buyers care a lot about the manufacturing environment of a food company," Yue said. "They think good manufacturing environment decides the quality of roasted products on a large degree."

The environment-friendly equipment has also helped make the production process less risky.

"The perfect roasting temperature should be controlled between 170 and 175 Celsius degrees," Yue said. "In the past when the factories used coal burning equipment, the workers' hands were often scalded when they used them to feel the temperature."

Wangkou's efforts have paid off. In 2017, the town cut consumption by 21,000 tonnes of coal, and achieved 'zero emission' of air pollutants in the industry, according to Yang Zhanlei, deputy director of the environmental protection agency of Jinghai District in Tianjin.

Yue's company consumes 30,000 cubic meters of natural gas every day, an increase of 15 million yuan in production costs every year.

"The government will grant subsidies to roasting companies to encourage the use of natural gas-fired equipment," Yue said. "Some companies with heavy air pollution and low output value have been shut down. It is an opportunity for us to upgrade manufacturing equipment and enhance market competitiveness."
TRIPOLI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Violence in Libya killed 47 civilians and injured 54 others in May, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said Friday.

In May, UNSMIL "documented 101 civilian casualties - 47 deaths and 54 injuries - during the conduct of hostilities, including car and suicide bombings, across Libya." said a report by UNSMIL.

"The death toll is the highest recorded by UNSMIL for any month in 2018. Victims included 38 men, three women, four boys and two girls killed and 43 men, three women, six boys and three girls injured," said the report.

Shellings, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, unidentified explosives, airstrikes, and gunfire are the major causes of the civilian casualties, the report noted.

In the report, UNSMIL demanded all parties concerned in Libya "cease the use of mortars and other indirect weapons and imprecise aerial bombardments in civilian-populated areas, and not place fighters or other military objectives in populated areas."

"All executions of captives must cease and all those captured including fighters must be treated humanely in all circumstances. Murdering or torturing captives is also a war crime, regardless of what the captive may be accused of," the report added.

Since the 2011 uprising that toppled the North African country's then top leader Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been plagued with escalating violence and unrest, as well as political division.
YANGON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar lawmakers have called for drafting a special bill which can impose the death sentence for child rape cases in order to deter child sexual abuse, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Saturday.

Debating at a session of the House of Representatives (Lower House) Friday, parliamentarian Daw Khin Saw Wai from Yathedaung constituency in Rakhine state warned that an increase in the number of child rape cases has threatened the morality and culture of Myanmar society, pointing out that the number of such cases has spiralled upward year by year with nearly 2,000 cases over the past two years.

She quoted the Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement as saying that the ministry was making efforts to allow a 10-year sentence for child rape conviction. The ministry is redrawing the 1993 Child Law and the issue of giving heavy penalties to child sex abuse should be brought to the parliament, she added.

Meanwhile, the House of Nationalities (Upper House) has accepted the motion for discussion.
YANGON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have initiated a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on assisting Myanmar government's repatriation process of displaced persons from Rakhine state, Myanmar News Agency reported Saturday.

Under the MoU initiated on Friday and will be signed soon, the UN agencies will cooperate with the Myanmar government for the repatriation of the displaced persons, who have been duly verified so that they can return voluntarily in safety and dignity.

The UN agencies are to take part in various stages of return and resettlement and to support access to livelihood.

Myanmar has recently received the first batch of 62 returnees through Nga Khu Ya reception camp in Rakhine state, who had fled to Bangladesh due to the Rakhine conflict and they were being transferred to the Hla Pho Khaung transit camp in Maungtaw after proper verification.

Myanmar and Bangladesh had reached an agreement on the arrangement concerning the return of displaced people from Rakhine state signed on Nov. 23 last year.

Further resettlement arrangement of the returnees is underway following the return of the first 62 refugees who are being issued with national verification cards (NVC) and then received citizenship scrutiny in accordance with law.

The authorities are also planning to send all returnees to their places of origin as the next step.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army extremist terrorists launched attacks on police outposts in Rakhine State on Aug. 25 last year, displacing a vast number of residents to border areas with Bangladesh.
YANGON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar President U Win Myint has urged the Union Election Commission to hear the voices of political parties as part of its obligation to strictly supervise the parties to hold the upcoming free and fair by-election, Myanmar News Agency reported Saturday.

U Win Myint told the commission in Nay Pyi Taw on Friday to prepare for the by-election and become a reliable and trustworthy commission for the people.

The commission has set Nov. 3 for holding a by-election to fill vacant seats in the parliament, and designated July 2 as the date for submission of candidates to run in the by-election.

The closing date for the submission is set for July 11 and the list of candidates will be announced on Aug. 6, the commission said.

There is a total of 13 vacant parliamentary seats -- four with the House of Representative (Lower House), one with the House of Nationalities (Upper House) and eight with the state parliaments.

It will be the second by-election during the tenure of the government, led by the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), and the first polling after U Win Myint was elected as the new president.

In the last general election on Nov. 8, 2015, the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) won an absolute majority of parliamentary seats.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 10:54:58|Editor: mmm

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UNITED NATIONS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The Kuwaiti ambassador to the United Nations on Friday vowed to go to the General Assembly for the protection of Palestinians after a draft resolution of his delegation for that purpose was vetoed by the United States.

"We will consider going to the General Assembly, going to other UN bodies to try to find a way to provide international protection for the Palestinian civilians," Kuwaiti ambassador Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi told reporters.

Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer of Palestine to the United Nations, said at the same press encounter that a decision will be made in a matter of days.

"We are determined to continue in this process because we are determined to have international protection for our civilian population under occupation, until the end of occupation," said Mansour.

Otaibi said he was disappointed by the U.S. veto of his delegation's draft resolution.

Ten of the 15 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the Kuwaiti draft, and only the United States voted against it, he noted.

The Kuwaiti text could not be adopted because the United States, as a permanent member of the council, has veto power. The other four council members abstained.

The Kuwaiti text, circulated after weeks of violence in Gaza between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, deplores the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians. It calls for the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinians.

The Kuwaiti draft further calls for immediate steps toward ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip.

The United States tabled a competing draft resolution and was put to vote after the Kuwaiti one. The U.S. text won only one vote in favor -- from the United States itself. Three council members -- Kuwait, Russia and Bolivia -- voted against it, and the remaining 11 members abstained.

A Security Council resolution needs at least nine affirmative votes to be adopted, on the condition that none of the five permanent members of the council -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States -- votes against it.

The U.S. draft resolution blames Hamas for the recent escalation of violence in Gaza.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 11:15:04|Editor: Chengcheng

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FUZHOU, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Jiang Chengcai had never lived in a house until he was 32, when his family gave up living on boat and settled in Ningde City, southeast China's Fujian Province.

Jiang is one of the Tanka people, or boat dwellers. Their origins can be traced back to the ancient aborigines of southern China.

Tanka people traditionally lived on sampans and made a living by fishing in coastal waters in southern China. Historically, the "gypsies of the sea" were not allowed to go ashore or marry the people living along the beach.

Though all discriminatory policies against Tanka people have been eliminated since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, few boat people could ever afford to build a house on land until a government program helped all boat people settle down between 1997 and 2013.

Jiang's craving for houses has led to his current profession -- building homes for land dwellers.

Born in 1967, he is the eldest child in the family. He lived with his three siblings, their parents and their great parents in a 6-meter boat.

Jiang said it was common for three generations to live on the same boat. Everything from weddings to funeral ceremonies were held on the boats.

Typhoons were nightmares. Jiang still remembers when their wooden boat was broken into pieces by huge waves brought about by a strong gale. Hungry and cold, the four children huddled together on a mudflat, with nothing to eat or wear.

When he got married at the age of 20, his parents gave the newlyweds a small sampan to start their own family, in line with Tanka custom.

Modern facilities are impossible in floating homes on the sea. For many nights, Jiang stared at the glimmering lights from houses in the distance, dreaming of living in a house with electricity. His dream came true in 1999.

Since the water tribe have no land, the local government reclaimed mudflats for their relocation. Each boat dweller moving ashore received 650 yuan (about 100 U.S. dollars), which increased to 3,000 yuan by 2013.

There were 18,500 Tanka boat dwellers in Fujian in 1997, and by 2013, all of them had been relocated to houses on the shore. They were arranged in 29 settlements, which gradually evolved into villages.

Electricity, running water, road, telecom and cable TV networks also reached their settlements.

Jiang said that after getting subsidies, he only paid 15,000 yuan to own his house of 200 square meters, almost as much as building a new boat.

He remembered that the day when his family moved in the house was the happiest in his life.

"We had electric light for the first time in our lives. It was like heaven to us," said Jiang.

Xipi Village is one of the largest Tanka communities onshore, accommodating 632 households and a population of 2,716.

Liu Rongquan, who moved into a 3-storey house in the village in 2008, was one of the late comers to the settlement.

Liu said he had worn out at least 6 boats before the family made the move ashore. He just felt sorry that his parents, who had been longing for a settled life on land all their lives, passed away on the sea prior to the move.

Tanka people were once called "Quti," a derogatory term which literally means "bowlegged" because of the bow shape of their legs caused by longtime living in the narrow space of their boats. Now, these bowlegged people are living an upstanding life on the mainland.

Most of the tribe are poorly educated and have difficulty fitting into modern life on shore. They are trained in aquaculture so they can bid farewell to fishing and collecting clams and oysters in mudflats.

Liu Deren, who moved ashore in 1999, said in these training courses he learned to grow oysters on strings hanging from rafts, which now makes him 120,000 yuan a year.

Terrestrial life opened up more possibilities for Tanka people. Jiang said he has mastered the skills of raising razor fish and made a profit of about 400,000 yuan in two years.

"We were poor just because we were born on the sea," said Jiang. "Now that we are on the shore, we can surely build a better life as long as we work hard."

In 2005, he purchased a pile driver and started a construction business. His business did well and he now earns almost one million yuan a year.

After losing some money in fish farming, Liu Rongquan became a seafood dealer, hiring trucks to transport seafood to customers in nearby cities. Illiteracy makes him unable to pass a driving test.

Luckily, his children do not have such worries. Liu is glad that his eldest son will graduate from a college in Xiamen this summer and plans to look for an office work. Over two decades, more than 150 young villagers in Xipi have received college education.

"The word Tanka is history. Now there is no difference between us and land dwellers," said Jiang. "But our adventurous spirit should be passed on along with the traditions that we are proud of."

He said many young people have abandoned accent and words unique to Tanka people. The traditions, such as folk music, are also dying out. What they are doing now is to put their boats, old household necessities and old photos on exhibition.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 11:45:09|Editor: Yamei

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KUNMING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Though Jeon Yong-woon is still not used to local food, the Korean businessman has decided to stay in southwest China for at least three months as he learns woodcarving.

Two weeks ago, Jeon, 59, came to Jianchuan County in Yunnan Province to learn from Duan Sixing, a master of Jianchuan woodcarving, a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

"Masters of Jianchuan carving can carve a common plank with various layers of hollowed-out figures, making flowers and birds seem alive," Jeon said.

His obsession started in 2015 when he and his Chinese wife Wu Zhuorui went to her hometown Kunming, the provincial capital, and bought some carvings.

"Carving brings woods to life," Jeon said.

Back to Seoul, he registered for a carving class. It took years for him to progress from a layman to a sculptor who can complete some wooden bas-reliefs independently.

"I told him one day that Jianchuan woodcarving is very famous in China," Wu said. "But I didn't expect that he would go to Jianchuan to be a student for real."

Jeon searched "Jianchuan" and "woodcarving" online and was amazed by Duan Sixing's work.

"The carvings are vivid, delicate and more beautiful than I could have ever imagined," he said.

Despite his wife's concerns over language and living habits, Jeon was determined to be a student of Duan.

Jianchuan has plenty of wood carvers who make exquisite woodcarvings of all kinds of figures, flowers, birds, mountains as well as dragons and phoenix which symbolize luck in China.

The skill has been passed down for thousands of years. High quality rosewood and alder birch are the main raw materials.

"With the help of local authority, I visited Duan and expressed my willingness to learn from him," Jeon said.

With a chisel in hand and an apron, Jeon is carving a piece of wood about 30 cm square.

"A dozen of chisels of different sizes are used according to the complexity of patterns," Jeon said. "Beginners usually need about a week for a small piece like this, but it only takes Duan two days."

Duan is happy with his foreign student who has travelled thousands of miles and is teaching him hollowed-out high reliefs, a technique of unique to Jianchuan woodcarving.

"Although Jianchuan carving is different from Korean in tools and techniques, as long as Jeon is willing to learn, I will teach him," Duan said.

Jeon plans to introduce Duan to more Koreans and would like to invite the master to his country.

"We can't be complacent or conservative. International exchanges are a mutually beneficial thing which can help Jianchuan carving," Duan said.
by Xinhua Writers Liuchen and Zhu Dongyang

WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his meeting with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un will be held on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled.

Experts say the latest development that came after the recent twists and turns concerning the U.S.-DPRK summit has rekindled hope for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

BACK ON TRACK

"We'll be meeting on June 12th in Singapore," Trump told reporters at the White House, in reference to the Trump-Kim summit, following his two-hour meeting with a senior official from Pyongyang who delivered a personal letter from Kim to the U.S. president.

The new twist came after Trump canceled the widely anticipated meeting in a letter to Kim last week, sparking a whirlwind of diplomacy over the weekend to salvage it.

"I think it's probably going to be a very successful, ultimately, a successful process," said Trump at the White House driveway after his talks with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee.

The high-level DPRK official traveled from New York to Washington on Friday after a two-day meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Trump's letter may have temporarily canceled the summit, but it also demonstrated his continued interest in holding talks, Kyle Ferrier, an analyst for the Washington-based non-profit Korea Economic Institute of America, told Xinhua.

Though uncertain about Trump's letter as a "negotiating tactic" or a "sincere effort" to quit, Ferrier believed that Trump had more to gain from attending the meeting rather than canceling it.

START A PROCESS

In his remarks, Trump also described the on-again, off-again summit as a "get-to-know-you" situation, saying that probably more than one meeting was necessary to achieve the denuclearization after years of "hostility" and "hatred."

"It will be a beginning," Trump said. "I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end."

Meanwhile, Trump floated the possibility of yielding an agreement out of the summit to formally end the 1950-53 Korean war, which was concluded with a truce.

"We're going to discuss it prior to the meeting. That's something that could come out of the meeting," Trump said.

For Richard Haas, the president of Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, it was good that Trump "appears to be embracing the idea of summit as the first step of a gradual progress."

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that there are many issues to discuss from denuclearization to international assistance for the DPRK.

"The key thing will be to establish a process by which each side moves a bit and gets rewarded with a parallel action from the other side," West said. "The only agreement that will stick is if it is win-win for everyone involved."

Ferrier called it "a good thing" that the U.S. president, known for his volatility, kept a low tone on the upcoming summit.

"The best result of this summit is that both sides agree to continue to talk through their differences to eventually arrive at a mutually agreed-upon path for North Korea's (DPRK's) nuclear program," the analyst said.

OBSTACLES REMAIN

With experts applauding the resumption of the meeting, the verification process of the denuclearization is still seen as a major obstacle for the two sides to reach a deal.

"Trump objected to the checks put in place on the Iran nuclear agreement so he will need something more substantial than was the case there," West said.

Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, saw a host of substantive obstacles remaining, including how to handle initial steps to establish goodwill, what issues will require reciprocal actions, how to manage verification, and the scope of denuclearization and missile constraints.

"It is a daunting challenge," Paal added.

(Matthew Rusling also contributed to the story)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 13:00:23|Editor: Chengcheng

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Hu Kaimin, deputy chief editor of China's Foreign Languages Press (FLP), delivers a speech during a book promotion event at the BookExpo America in New York, the United States, June 1, 2018. Understanding China, a book series depicting the country's historic changes in recent decades to international readers, made its debut in the United States at the BookExpo America here on Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Understanding China, a book series depicting the country's historic changes in recent decades to international readers, made its debut in the United States at the BookExpo America here on Friday.

The 22 books, each focusing on an area of today's China, present a multi-dimensional interpretation of the changes, Zheng Bijian, president of China Institute for Innovation & Development Strategy (CIIDS) and head of the editorial board of the books said in a message to the launching ceremony.

Zheng, a leading Chinese thinker and strategist, is one of the authors of the collection which also include Wang Meng, a veteran Chinese writer and Bai Chunli, a top Chinese scientist.

The books, the first of its kind published by China's Foreign Languages Press (FLP), was jointly planned and complied by the China International Publishing Group and the CIIDS.

The series will help American readers better understand what made today's China and where the country is heading in the future, FLP's deputy chief editor Hu Kaimin said.

Dawn Nakagawa, executive vice president of the Berggruen Institute, a think-tank, expressed her willingness to cooperate with Chinese partners and help make the series a global success.

At the end of the ceremony, Nakagawa, on behalf of her organization, signed a letter of intent with the Chinese side on publishing "Understanding China" series in a way that better caters to an international audience.

The BookExpo, one of the largest in North America, runs from Wednesday to Friday and attracted about 400 U.S. and international exhibitors.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 13:05:23|Editor: Chengcheng

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China's permanent representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (C, front) votes in favor of a Kuwaiti-drafted Security Council resolution on the protection of the Palestinians at the UN headquarters in New York, June 1, 2018. Ma Zhaoxu on Friday explained Beijing's stance on a Kuwaiti-drafted Security Council resolution on the protection of the Palestinians. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China's permanent representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu on Friday explained Beijing's stance on a Kuwaiti-drafted Security Council resolution on the protection of the Palestinians.

China voted in favor of the Kuwaiti draft, which reflected the actual situation on the ground, would help protect Palestinian civilians, and would help defuse tensions, he said after the vote.

The Kuwaiti draft won the support of 10 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, but was vetoed by the United States, a permanent member of the council.

Ma said China is concerned about the recent violent clashes in Gaza that have led to many casualties. China is opposed to any violence against civilians and calls on Israel and Palestine, particularly Israel, to exercise restraint and work toward de-escalation, he said.

The question of Palestine is at the core of the Middle East issue, he said.

After 70 years, the people of Palestine are still being treated unfairly, and the injustice must end. The Security Council and the international community must take quick action, in response to the legitimate calls of the Palestinians and Arabs as a whole, to promote peace and encourage the resumption of talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis toward the goal of a two-state solution, he added.

China is committed to promoting the Middle East peace process and will continue to work with all parties concerned to achieve peace in the Middle East, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 13:20:25|Editor: mmm

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WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Coast Guard has become the victim of a series of thefts targeting its buoys, prompting the service to make a public plea for leads that could help solve the case.

Local media Friday quoted Coast Guard spokeswoman Chellsey Phillips as saying that six buoys have been tampered with in the past six months off the coast of Maine, a Northeastern coastal state known for its nautical culture.

The thieves have made off with brass sounding devices on the buoys, effectively muting the gadget, which Phillips says creates a public safety hazard.

"These thefts not only reduce the reliability of our aids-to-navigation system and put lives at risk, but they also create a burden and expense to the taxpayer for the buoy tenders and crews responsible for maintaining the aids," Matthew Odom, another Coast Guard spokesman, said in a statement.

Officials believe that the expensive brass parts may have been sold to nautical novelty shops or scrap metal yards. Local authorities have reportedly reached out to these businesses in the region in an effort to identify the thieves.

According to U.S. law, tampering with aids to navigation is a federal offense punishable by fines of up to 25,000 U.S. dollars or up to one year in prison. Anyone providing information leading to a conviction may be eligible to receive up to half of the fine imposed by the court.

Even with modern technology, sailors rely on traditional means of assistance, such as buoys and lighthouses, to navigate the rugged coast of Maine, especially in heavy fog.
NEW DELHI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A youth was killed after a police vehicle ran over him during protests and clashes in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Saturday.

The youth was knocked down by the speeding vehicle on Friday while it was escaping an attack from stone throwers in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"The youth identified as Kaiser Bhat, aged 21, was critically injured after being ran over by the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) vehicle. Though he was removed to hospital but succumbed early today," a police official said.

The incident has triggered fresh protests against the government forces.

Eyewitnesses said the protests broke out in city after Friday afternoon congregational prayers.

CRPF spokesman Sanjay Sharma told media that a group of over 500 protestors surrounded the CRPF vehicle that was ferrying a senior officer.

"The mob tried to open the back door of the vehicle that was closed from inside and lynch the CRPF men," Sharma said.

Last month also a youth was crushed to death by a police vehicle during clashes in the city.

Regional former chief minister and leader of the main opposition National Conference Omar Abdullah expressed anguish over the incident.

"Ceasefire means no guns. Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps and paraded them around villages to deter protesters. Now they just drive their jeeps right over protesters," he said.

Meanwhile, normal life in the region remained affected Saturday due to a shutdown called by separatists to protest "excesses" carried out by government forces.

A separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi rule is going on in the region since 1989.
SINGAPORE, June 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said on Saturday that discussion about redrawing or reducing U.S. military footprint on the Korean Peninsula will not come up in talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Mattis made the remarks at the 17th Asia Security Summit, commonly known as the Shangri-la Dialogue, which opened in Singapore Friday and runs through Sunday.

Any discussion about the number of U.S. troops in South Korea is subject to South Korea's invitation and the discussion between Washington and Seoul, which is "separate and distinct from the negotiations that are going on with the DPRK," Mattis said at the question-and-answer session after a speech.

"That issue is not on the table here in Singapore on (June) the 12th, nor should it be," he said.

However, he said that "if the diplomats can do their work, if we can reduce the threat, if we can restore confidence building measures with something verifiable, then of course these kinds of issues can come up subsequently between (South Korea and the United States)."

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will meet with DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled after recent twists and turns.

In a separate session of the Shangri-la Dialogue on the same day, South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo also said the U.S. forces in his country are a separate issue from the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 13:35:27|Editor: Chengcheng

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KABUL, June 2 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan archeologist was killed and three people wounded in a bomb attack on the outskirts of Kabul on Saturday, reported local media Tolo News TV.

The blast occurred at around 07:00 a.m. local time in a main road in Binni Hisar area, eastern Kabul, after a roadside bomb struck a vehicle of the Ministry of Information and Culture, according to the report.

A three-member group of Afghan archeologists was travelling to eastern Logar province to visit an archeological site in the province, south of Kabul, before the attack, the report said.

A total of four people were hit by the explosion, one archeologist died on the spot and two archeologists and the driver were wounded, the report added.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

The capital city with a population of nearly 5 million has been hit by series of terror attacks over the past couple of years.

On May 30, 10 militants of Islamic State and one police officer were killed and five policemen wounded after the militants attacked the Afghan Interior Ministry building in northern Kabul.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 13:45:29|Editor: Chengcheng

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WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. military actions have killed almost 500 civilians in 2017, and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) said the casualties were sometimes "unavoidable," according to a report released Friday.

"DOD assesses that there are credible reports of approximately 499 civilians killed and approximately 169 civilians injured during 2017," according to the 13-page annual report.

The deaths were a result of U.S. military operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen, the report said, adding that the casualties were " tragic but at times an unavoidable consequence of combat operations."

The report said no casualties were identified as a result of U.S. operations in Somalia and Libya, but the numbers are subject to change due to ongoing assessment of 450 reports of civilian deaths.

According to U.S. media reports, airstrikes carried out by U.S. military in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan saw a significant uptick since Trump's inauguration, up by 28.7 percent in Syria and Iraq and 22.6 in Afghanistan year-on-year.

The report, which was one month overdue, was slammed by activist groups which accused the Pentagon of deliberately ignoring casualty reports to limit the numbers.

The report said it "acknowledges" the difference in results of the DOD report and others, attributing the difference to "a variety of factors" such as information sources and counting methodologies.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 14:10:31|Editor: Chengcheng

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SYDNEY, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese woman died in a highway car crash early Saturday in Australia's Queensland state, according to the police.

Initial investigations showed that at about 0045 AEST, a vehicle heading north in the southbound lanes of the Pacific Motorway at the Pimpama area, south of state capital Brisbane, collided with another vehicle, police said in a statement on Saturday.

A 32-year-old female passenger in one of the vehicles was seriously injured and later pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

"The victim's family is in China and she was a Chinese national; she lived with her next of kin in Brisbane," a police spokesman told Xinhua.

The victim was seated at the rear of the car that collided with the other vehicle allegedly being driven on the wrong side of the road by a 32-year-old man, local media quoted officers as saying.

The woman, who was wearing a seatbelt, was initially "conscious and alert" but had a "rapid deterioration in her condition on scene" and died, the ABC News channel quoted ambulance personnel as saying.

The drivers of both vehicles were taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries and investigations are ongoing, police said.
VIENTIANE, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith warned individuals and groups not to hunt or trade prohibited and endangered wildlife and plant species, saying that violators will face strong measures, local media reported Saturday.

The premier recently issued a four-page order instructing relevant sectors to step up efforts to protect and inspect prohibited wildlife and plant species.

He warned people to stop hunting wildlife and plant species named as prohibited in List I -- the most rigorously prohibited out of three lists, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Saturday.

The import, export, transit, and trade of both living and dead species of these plants and animals, as well as their organs, are all prohibited.

The prohibition is in line with the Law on Wildlife and Aquatic Animals, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Laos is a party.

Lao authorities in charge were told to take actions to inspect any shops and other premises selling prohibited wildlife species or their organs in order to curb the trade.

In addition, the premier instructed relevant departments to strictly regulate wildlife species prohibited in List II in accordance with the law and the CITES.

He also warned against the setting up of farms to rear the endangered species identified in List I for commercial purposes. Any existing commercial farm must be turned into an open farm or a zoo, to be used for ecotourism purposes or research activities.

Director of the ministry's Wildlife Management Division, Department of Forestry, Sengrath Phirasack told media the measures were comprehensive and clear and would ease the division's work.

He admitted it was necessary to continue campaigns to raise public awareness on the issue so that people knew which wildlife and plant species were endangered and that their hunting and trade were consequently prohibited.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 14:15:33|Editor: Yamei

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RIYADH, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia on Saturday replaced its labor minister and set up government bodies addressing cultural affairs and environmental protection, in a bid to diversify the oil-rich country's economy and create more jobs.

State news agency SPA reported the latest government reshuffle ordered by King Salman. According to the royal decree, businessman Ahmed bin Suleiman al-Rajhi will succeed Ali bin Nasser al-Ghafis as the kingdom's new minister of labor.

The king also ordered the establishment of a new Ministry of Culture separated from the information ministry, appointing Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud as its head.

In addition, a royal commission for the environment and the holy city of Mecca will be formed, so will an administration for preserving the historical relics in the Red Sea resort of Jeddah.

These agencies were aimed at better accommodating millions of Muslim pilgrims visiting Mecca during the annual Hajj in August, as well as visitors to the kingdom's tourist attractions.

The changes in government institutions came amid reform-minded Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's resolve to modernize the economy of the world's biggest oil exporter.

The crown prince, who also serves as the Saudi prime minister under his father, launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign involving several of his royal siblings shortly after he became an heir to the king in June 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 14:30:36|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 287 overseas institutions have received quotas amounting to 99.46 billion U.S. dollars under China's Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) program to move money into the country's capital account, according to data from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

As of May 30, the quota in the RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) program came in at 616 billion yuan (96 billion U.S. dollars).

China's currency, the yuan, is convertible for trade purposes under the current account, while the capital account, which covers portfolio investment and borrowing, is largely run by the state in an effort to control capital flows in and out of the country.

To gradually open the capital account, the government introduced the QFII and RQFII programs in 2003 and 2011 respectively. They give foreign investors the right to move money into the account to encourage controlled flows.

The RQFII program is currently open to countries and regions including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Britain, Singapore, France, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Luxembourg.

The data also showed the quota under the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor program, a scheme that allows domestic investors to access foreign assets, totalled 101.5 billion U.S. dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 14:35:36|Editor: Chengcheng

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BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A new rehabilitation system will be put into operation to help children with disabilities on Oct. 1, said Jia Yong, vice president of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, at a news briefing Friday.

According to a guideline approved by the State Council, the funds for the system will be provided by local governments above the county level, with subsidies from the central government.

The guideline includes children aged six or younger with disabilities of eyesight, hearing, lingual abilities, limbs or intelligence, as well as autism.

Jia said the system will primarily focus on reducing dysfunction, improving the capabilities they have lost and enhancing their social participation.

According to the second national survey for people with disabilities, China is home to about 1.7 million children aged six or younger with disabilities.

Rehabilitation for the children can reduce psychological and financial burdens for their families and help them go to school and get employment, Jia said, adding that childhood is the best time to recover.

China has nearly 7,000 rehabilitation institutions and that nine provincial-level regions have their own rehabilitation systems.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 14:45:37|Editor: Chengcheng

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COLOMBO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lanka-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would result in higher gains for Sri Lankan exports compared to products imported from China which are already entering the country duty free, local media reported Saturday, quoting a recent study.

The study, carried out by the Economics Research Team of Verite Research, noted that the FTA would contain opportunities that could benefit Sri Lanka in its trade with China and help improve Sri Lankan exporters' access to the Chinese markets if the FTA leads to a reduction of tariffs.

"Several other countries are in the process of negotiating market access through FTAs. Exports from these countries accounted for 33 percent of China's total imports in 2016," the research said.

Sri Lanka and China decided to enter into a Free Trade Agreement in August 2013 to further expand trade between the two countries.

Sri Lankan International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema said here last week that talks on the FTA between Sri Lanka and China were progressing smoothly and the two sides hoped to sign it soon.

He said the FTA would result in a win-win situation.

Sri Lankan exports to China in recent years has recorded a six fold increase but remains low compared to other South Asian countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 15:00:41|Editor: Yurou

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SANAA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels said on Saturday that the group's fighters have shot down an Apache helicopter belonging to the Saudi-led coalition forces.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, leader of the pro-Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said on Twitter that his forces shot down the helicopter during overnight fighting against the coalition-backed government forces in the Yemeni western coast, south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

There were no comments yet made by the coalition forces over the claim.

The Friday clashes allegedly killed at least 78 people from both warring sides.

The clashes, which took place in al-Fazah area of Tahita district, some 80 km south of Hodeidah, also wounded dozens and destroyed over 50 military vehicles. Tahita is located near Hais district, where the battles are raging on.

The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels since March 2015. More than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the war that displaced over 3 million and pushed the impoverished country into the brink of famine.

The coalition has sent hundreds of troops to the Yemeni western coast in preparation for the advancement into Houthi-held Hodeidah, a long-time key target declared by the coalition.

Hodeidah is a vital lifeline for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Houthi-controlled northern provinces, including capital Sanaa.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 15:09:38|Editor: Yurou

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Firefighters extinguish a fire at an office building in Mumbai, India, June 1, 2018. A fire broke out at an office building in Mumbai's Fort Area Friday.(Xinhua/Stringer)
SAN FRANCISCO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of California will ban travels it funds to Oklahoma from June 22, according to a California attorney general Friday.

"Oklahoma will be added to the list of restricted states for state-funded travel based on the discriminatory law that would allow private adoption agencies to refuse services to LGBTQ parents & foster children based on religious/moral grounds," Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in his tweet.

The move will make Oklahoma the 9th state on California's travel blacklist. A law in Oklahoma, which will take effect beginning in November, allows private adoption agencies to deny same-sex couples placement services and refuse to place LGBTQ foster children in homes.

Under a law adopted last year, California has banned state-sponsored travels by employees to the states of Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas, which it said have passed laws that allow discrimination based on sexual or gender orientation.

"California taxpayers are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy," Becerra said.

"California will not use state resources to support states that pass discriminatory laws," the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper quoted Becerra as saying.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 15:45:49|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- With Xi Jinping in charge, China's poverty-relief battle, the world's biggest and toughest, has made decisive progress and provides global poverty relief with Chinese wisdom and solutions.

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee reviewed a plan on Thursday on continued efforts in poverty alleviation.

Presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, the meeting stressed that the battle against poverty is one of the "three tough battles" that the country must win to build a moderately prosperous society by 2020. To achieve the goal, China needs to lift around 30 million poor rural residents out of poverty in the next three years.

"We must be aware of the difficulties and challenges in winning the battle, and must have a stronger sense of responsibility and urgency in poverty relief," said a statement released after the meeting.

DECISIVE PROGRESS

Poverty relief has always been on the top of the government agenda. In Xi's own words, "On the march towards common prosperity, no one must be left behind."

During a symposium on poverty alleviation in Chengdu in February this year, Xi said decisive progress has been made as China has made unprecedented efforts .

He attributed the success to the CPC's leadership, targeted strategies, strong financial support, and strict requirements for poverty elimination works.

Over 68 million people have been lifted over the poverty line -- per capita annual income of 2,300 yuan (361 U.S. dollars) -- in the past five years, with an average of 13 million each year.

As of the end of 2017, China had 30.46 million poor residents. China aims to eradicate absolute poverty by 2020, roughly 10 million each year.

During the past five years, the average annual income of rural residents in impoverished areas has risen 10.4 percent each year, up 2.5 percentage points above the average for rural residents.

About 3.4 million impoverished population has moved into new homes since 2012, and houses of more than 6 million poor population have been renovated.

China's poverty rate has dropped from 10.2 percent in 2012 to 3.1 percent in 2017, becoming the first country to complete the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals.

INNOVATIVE APPROACH

To realize the goal of eliminating extreme poverty in the rural areas by 2020, China is carrying out a basic strategy of targeted approach, which requires officials of all levels to identify who the actual impoverished people are and the factors that led to their poverty.

Each household or even family member is given a bespoke poverty relief plan.

In the past five years, more capable and suitable officials have been selected to guide poverty relief work at different levels. For example, officials with business savvy were sent to poverty-stricken villages, while officials with specialized industrial knowledge were sent to villages with an industrial base.

Besides, China has adopted various means to reduce poverty, including e-commerce, financing, tourism, relocation and improvement of infrastructure.

A total of 2.74 million impoverished families saw their income increased thanks to e-commerce poverty relief programs in the past five years, and 23,000 impoverished villages have benefited from tourism programs.

Nevertheless, in the eyes of Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, the poverty relief task was still arduous.

The work will shift to areas hit the hardest by poverty, put more emphasis on quality, and be more targeted and precise, Liu said. "We will work to foster local industries, create new jobs, relocate residents in poor areas...and strengthen aid to the aged, the disabled and people who are seriously ill."

GLOBAL GOOD

The achievements China has made in poverty alleviation have not only helped the development of its own human rights endeavor, but also greatly contributed to that of the international community with Chinese wisdom and solutions, and has been lauded globally.

China has realized "the most rapid large-scale poverty reduction in human history over the last 25 years," said a 2016 World Bank document, which was released after the World Bank's one-year research of worldwide poverty reduction efforts in partnership with the Chinese government.

"We should not forget the fact that China has contributed the most in world poverty alleviation in the past decade," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last year about China's poverty reduction achievements.

William Jones, Washington bureau chief of the Executive Intelligence Review news magazine, said ending poverty had long been regarded a major task for humanity, but until recently was seen as a "utopian dream."

"With China, that dream is now becoming a reality," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 15:50:50|Editor: Chengcheng

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Photo taken on May 24, 2018, shows high-rise buildings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Cambodia has seen rapid development in transport infrastructure, energy, trade, investment, construction and real estate, and tourism in the last five years, officials and experts said. TO GO WITH Spotlight: Cambodia sees remarkable progress in socio-economic development in last 5 years. (Xinhua/Sovannara)

by Mao Pengfei, Nguon Sovan

PHNOM PENH, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has seen rapid development in transport infrastructure, energy, trade, investment, construction and real estate, and tourism in the last five years, officials and experts said.

Chan Sophal, director of the Center for Policy Studies, said he had observed that the government had worked actively to develop these sectors in its fifth term (2013-2018), which had greatly contributed to socio-economic development and poverty reduction.

"As we all have seen with our own eyes, there has been remarkable development of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, railroads, and hydropower plants in the past five years," he told Xinhua. "For construction, high-rise buildings, office buildings, and condos have been developed rapidly these years."

UPGRADED TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE & ENERGY

Va Simsorya, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said several large bridges across the Mekong River, about 1,500 km of national roads, ports, and railroads had been built in the fifth five-year term of the government.

He said the Southeast Asian nation had invested an average of 300 million U.S. dollars a year for the development of transport infrastructure.

"We have made a lot of achievements in transport infrastructure in the last five years, and China is the largest aid provider to Cambodia for infrastructure development such as roads, bridges and ports," he told Xinhua. "China's assistance is vital to boost Cambodia's economy and to reduce poverty."

"With good transport infrastructure, more and more foreign investors and tourists have been coming to Cambodia," he said. "Currently, roads from Phnom Penh to various provinces have been paved with tar and people are easy to travel to and fro."

Simsorya said besides internal connectivity, Cambodia is also well connected with its neighboring countries -- Thailand, Vietnam and Laos -- by land.

He said transport infrastructure development would be still the priority for Cambodia in the coming years, saying that the ministry would further increase its investment in the sector to meet the growth of economy, trade, and population.

"We need to invest more in this sector because we want big airports, big ports, good railways, and expressways," he said.

On the energy sector, the kingdom has seven hydropower plants that can produce a total of 1,328 megawatts of electricity, accounting for 58 percent of the electricity demand last year.

All of the projects were invested by China, and four of them with a combined capacity of 1,002 megawatts had come online between 2013 and 2017.

Also, the country has two coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 500 megawatts.

Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem said energy had importantly contributed to the socio-economic development, saying that 83 percent of the country's 14,139 villages had access to electricity by the end of 2017, up from 51 percent five years ago.

"These historic achievements have existed thanks to the hard-earned peace that Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has brought to the nation and people of Cambodia," he said during the inauguration ceremony of a cement plant in Battambang province on Thursday, May 31.

EXPANDING TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Export increased by 62 percent to 11.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2017 from 6.9 billion dollars in 2013, while foreign direct investment rose by 40 percent to 6.3 billion dollars last year from 4.48 billion dollars five years ago, according to government figures.

Commerce Ministry Secretary of State Mao Thora attributed the increases to the government's efforts in expanding overseas markets for Cambodian products and to investors' confidence in the country's business atmosphere, law, peace and political stability.

"The development of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, ports, electricity, and special economic zones has also contributed to increasing our export volume," he told Xinhua.

"With peace and political stability along with attractive law, I believe that economy, trade and investment will continue to grow in the coming years," he said.

Thora said Cambodia saw China as the biggest market for its products in the future.

BOOMING CONSTRUCTION, REAL ESTATE & TOURISM

Cambodia attracted construction projects worth 6.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, up 131 percent from 2.77 billion dollars in 2013, according to the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction.

"High-rise buildings, new towns and residential complexes have mushroomed in the past five years," Seng Loth, a spokesman for the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction, told Xinhua.

The kingdom currently has nearly 1,000 high-rise buildings (between five and 54 floors), up from just a few hundred five years ago, he said, adding that the country now has nearly 200 new towns and residential complexes.

"Most of the high-rise buildings and new towns are located in Phnom Penh," he said.

The spokesman attributed the boom in the construction and real estate to peace, political stability, favorable law and incentive policy for investors, and sound macro-economic stability.

"Investors dare to invest billions of U.S. dollars in the sector because they are confident in these factors," said Seng Loth. "China is the largest investor in construction and real estate here, followed by South Korea and Japan."

Cheng Kheng, chairman of board of directors of the Cambodian Valuers and Estate Agents Association, said Chinese contractors constructed high-rise buildings fast with advanced technologies and quality.

For tourism, Cambodia received 5.6 million international tourists in 2017, a 33-percent rise from 4.2 million in 2013. The gross revenue from the sector grew by 38 percent to 3.6 billion U.S. dollars last year from 2.6 billion dollars five years ago.

Tourism Minister Thong Khon said tourism accounted for 13 percent of the kingdom's GDP last year, and created more than 620,000 direct jobs.

"It's expected that Cambodia will get 6.2 million foreign tourists in 2018 and over 7 million by 2020, bringing in total revenue of 5 billion U.S. dollars and generating one million jobs," he said.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

Mey Kalyan, chairman of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute, said overall, the development over the last five years was positive with an average growth rate of 7 percent annually. There would be a number of remaining tasks that needed to be done in the next 5 years, he added.

From 2013 to 2017, economy grew by around 7 percent a year, pushing up the GDP volume from 15.2 billion U.S. dollars to 22 billion dollars, according to government figures.

Poverty rate had fallen from 19 percent in 2013 to 12 percent last year.

Kalyan said for the priority sectors in the next five years, the government should emphasize on concrete implementation of reforms and quality of growth.

"To do this, I believe we need to focus on governance, human resources development, science and technology, and diversify our economy and upgrade our economy to a higher value-added economy," he said.

"On social aspect, we need to pay more attention to social justice because it is very natural in many countries. When a country makes some progress economically, inequality will emerge, and thus there will be more demand on social justice from emerging middle class," he said.

"And also we need to take care of our environment so that our future generations will not blame us," said Kalyan, who is also a senior advisor to the Supreme National Economic Council.
CANBERRA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard has led a chorus of criticism against one of Australia's most prestigious universities for abandoning plans to teach a degree in Western civilization.

Supporters of the degree, planned for Canberra's Australian National University (ANU), have been angered by the university's decision to scrap the course, which was due to commence next year.

The backdown follows intervention by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and the Australian National University Student Association, which had claimed the program would push a "racist" and "radically conservative agenda".

The proposed bachelor of Western civilization was understood to be the first course of its kind in Australia and was the brainchild of late healthcare mogul Paul Ramsay.

Howard, the Ramsay Centre chairman and former prime minister, said on Saturday that talks with ANU were progressing well until threats of a revolt last month.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham also described the decision as disappointing.

"It is essential that universities are not only open to but enthusiastic about the study of the values that helped to create both them and the modern society in which we now enjoy unparalleled opportunities," said the minister on Saturday.

"I hope that other universities in discussions with the Ramsay Centre resist ill-informed or politically correct objections and find a way to ensure this generous bequest enables valuable study into the foundations of our society."
Source: Xinhuanet| 2018-06-02 16:58:47|Editor: mmm

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BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Fitch Ratings on Friday has affirmed China Fortune Land Development Co., Ltd.s (CFLD) Long-term Foreign Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) as "BB+", with the outlook looking stable.

Fitch also assigned "BB+" ratings to CFLD (Cayman) Investment Ltd's notes which are unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by CFLD.

Fitch, one of the Big Three international credit rating agencies, said on its website that CFLD's ratings are supported by its leading position in the industrialization and urbanization of large districts' less-developed counties in key economic regions such as the pan-Beijing region, the Yangtze River Delta, central China, the Sichuan-Chongqing Zone, and the Pearl River Delta of China.

Its business model which differentiates itself from its peers is also a contributing factor.

CFLDs financial report in Q1 shows that its operating income reached 9.49 billion yuan from January to March, up by 21.48 percent year-on-year.

Its net profits attributable to shareholders was 2.29 billion yuan, up by 30.33 percent year-on-year.

The growth is remarkable given the implementation of restricted home purchase policies in the regions.

In recent years, CFLD has built its brand in new industry cities, providing different solutions for city development.

By now, it covers over 80 new industry cities across China and in countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines.
KABUL, June 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 183 Afghan civilians were killed and 337 injured in clashes and terrorist attacks in May, a monitor group reported Saturday.

"Over 500 civilians were killed and injured in May in 23 of 34 provinces of Afghanistan, demonstrating that parties to the conflict had shown no attention to control civilian casualties," independent Civilian Protection Advocacy Group (CPAG) said in a press release.

The group said the "common people suffered casualties in May which also comprised half of Ramadan or fasting month, armed groups inflict harm to civilians through suicide attacks, roadside blasts, targeted attacks, mortar shells and security forces inflicted casualties to civilians in night raid operations and the Taliban harmed common people in face to face fighting."

Most of the recorded casualties happened in eastern Nangarhar province as 26 people were martyred and 136 others injured, it said.

The number of casualties has been high in southern Kandahar and eastern Khost provinces as well.

CPAG demanded Taliban and the government to pay attention to the safety of civilians and asked the militants to stop their fighters from attacks and operation in the areas where civilian population lives.

In April, 188 civilians lost their lives and more than 300 injured as a result of terrorist attacks and clashes across the country, according to figures of CPAG.
NEW DELHI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- India's Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has hit a land acquisition hurdle as locals are refusing to give their land for the ambitious plan, local newspaper Economic Times reported Saturday.

The resistance is being shown by villagers from local communities and tribals in Palghar district of Maharashtra.

"More than 70 tribal villages of Palghar district in Maharashtra have refused to give land for the project and an agitation is building up against the proposed rail corridor that will pass through these villages," the newspaper report said.

The construction for India's first high-speed train project, the 508 km long train corridor, was to begin in January 2019 and the deadline for land acquisition was the end of this year.

The 110 km of the corridor is passing through Palghar district.

The 14.6 billion-U.S. dollar project connecting the capitals of Maharashtra and Gujarat is expected to be constructed by August 2022.

Authorities however are hopeful to resolve the stand-off and begin the work on scheduled time.

"We are facing resistance in some parts of Maharashtra but are hopeful that the construction of the project will begin as per our timeline. We are offering five times the circle rate of land as compensation to people whose land is being acquired," the newspaper quoting a railway ministry official said.

Indian Railways is acquiring around 1,400 hectares of land for the project.

The Indian government has already started getting funds from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the land acquisition has begun in some parts of Mumbai.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 16:30:59|Editor: ZX

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NANCHANG, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A group of tea masters born in the 1990s have drawn public attention by performing at two tea competitions ahead of the ongoing China International Tea Expo (Nanchang) in east China's Jiangxi Province.

Dai Haiqing participated in the hand-made tea competition in Fuliang County and presented his tea roasting skills during the tea-art competition in Wuyuan County late last month.

The 22-year-old, who was born to a family of tea growers, became a tea master after graduating from Jiangxi Wuyuan Tea School and now works for a local tea company.

"When I was 7 or 8 years old, I helped pick tea leaves. While in middle school, I went back home on weekends to help my parents to roast tea-leaves," he said.

"Wuyuan boasts the ideal environment and climate for tea planting. I want to preserve traditional tea-making techniques and promote local tea to the whole country," he said.

"The more I get to know about traditional techniques, the more I appreciate them," said Huang Yanmei, a 21-year-old tea-making competitor from Hunan Agricultural University.

Regularly, fresh te in a deep wok. This process allows the leaves to dry in a way that preserves their full flavour.

"Making high-quality tea gives me a sense of accomplishment that makes me forget the pains of the process, for example, burning my hands on the wok," Huang said.

For Wang Chuangchuang, an 18-year-old who studies tea processing in Chongqing, making tea requires hard work and patience.

After six months of practice, Wang managed to grasp how to roast fresh tea leaves without destroying their shape. Since then, he has fallen in love with his career as a tea master.

"I wish to work for a tea company first and then start a business in my hometown," Wang said.

Li Hongyu, from Qufu in Shandong Province, chose the tea-culture major at Jiangxi Wuyuan Tea School out of curiosity.

"I had an intuition that it might change my life, so I decided to follow my heart despite my family's opposition at first," Li said.

She likes the atmosphere of the school, especially on weekends, when groups of students gather on the grass on campus, brewing and drinking tea, chatting and enjoying their leisure time.

Li plans to work in Jiangxi for a few years before going back to her hometown to open her own tea house or teach tea ceremonies. "Qufu is deeply influenced by Confucianism. Where there is traditional Chinese culture, there is tea culture."

"People can enjoy a cup of tea at a tea house with friends, or at home with family, or in office during work. I will join other young people to promote the traditional Chinese tea art and let more and more people love tea," Li said.
LONDON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- London will mark the one year anniversary of a terror attack on London Bridge with a one minute's silence and church service on Sunday.

On June 3, 2017, three terrorists drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before carrying out a stabbing spree in pubs and restaurants in nearby Borough Market, which left eight people dead and nearly 50 others injured.

On Sunday, a procession from Southwark Cathedral to the Southwark Needle monument will take place before the minute's silence at 4:30 p.m.(GMT1630), while a service will be held at the Cathedral for victims' relatives, survivors and members of the emergency services to remember those who lost their lives.

Leader of Southwark council Peter John told the media that the day will forever be imprinted in the memories of residents in the Southwark neighborhood, other Londoners and friends from around the world whose lives tragically changed that night.

"The first anniversary is an emotional time for everyone involved, and we hope that all will find comfort and solace in the planned events, remembering those who were lost, and also those who suffered physical and psychological harm," he said.
SANAA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A fierce battle between Houthi rebels and Yemeni government forces on Yemen's western coast has killed at least 78 from both sides in the last 24 hours, security officials said Saturday.

The clashes which broke out on Friday in the al-Fazah area of Tahita coastal district, some 80km south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, also wounded dozens of others and destroyed more than 50 military vehicles.

Nabil al-Soufi, a Yemeni spokesman of the armed forces loyal to the government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, said the government army, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, suffered most of the casualties.

"It began with an ambush by Houthi rebels against Abu Haron Battalion of al-Amalikah (Giant) Brigade, followed by an all-out offensive on the forces stationed in the al-Fazah area," al-Soufi said on his Twitter account.

Meanwhile, pro-government news website almasdaronline.com reported that the targeted battalion was from the government-controlled southern province of Abyan.

A total of 15 soldiers succumbed to their critical injuries late Friday after managing to escape, it added.

But Osama Hasan, a Houthi media spokesman, said on his Twitter account that 238 government soldiers were killed and wounded in the attack.

The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi rebels since March 2015, which has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, and displaced over 3 million others.

The coalition has massed hundreds of troops on the Yemeni western coast in preparation for an advance on Hodeidah, a key target considered the only lifeline route of humanitarian aid to the Houthi-controlled northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa.

The new escalation comes amid expectations of an official visit by Martin Griffiths, UN special envoy to Yemen, to Houthi-held Sanaa on Saturday to push for resumption of stalled peace talks after three previous failed efforts.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 17:11:10|Editor: ZX

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RIYADH, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Saturday ordered the establishment of a council of royal reserves at the royal court, state Saudi Press Agency reported.

The council's president and members shall be appointed by a royal order, while each reserve shall be named by the cabinet and have a board of directors.

It is one of the moves in the government reshuffle by the Saudi king on Saturday to replace top government officials and form new authorities.

The changes in government institutions came amid reform-minded Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's resolve to modernize the economy of the world's biggest oil exporter.

The crown prince, who also serves as the Saudi prime minister under his father, launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign involving several of his royal siblings shortly after he became an heir to the king in June 2017.
NEW DELHI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- India's southern state of Kerala has warned of another outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus that has already claimed the lives of 17 people.

"Though the first phase is under control, we are expecting a second wave in accordance with the global pattern. We have done everything to prepare for it. A second phase could mean more cases," state Health Minister K.K. Shailaja told the media Friday evening.

According to the minister, there is a continued need to be vigilant as the incubation period of the virus is anywhere between two weeks and 20 days.

"We are getting ready to tackle the second phase as there are chances that the virus has spread as it is contagious. We have imported materials to keep our hospital staff safe and we are even training them," she added.

The state government's warning came as a couple of deaths occurred this week in Kozhikode district, the epicenter of the Nipah virus outbreak.

Apart from these deaths in Kozhikode and Mallapuram districts, some 94 people have been quarantined in their homes while 15 others are under treatment in government hospitals, where special wards have been set up for suspected patients.

A senior official said Saturday that people in these two districts have been asked to stay away from crowded places like markets as a precautionary measure. "Schools in Kozhikode will reopen only on June 5 though they have reopened after summer vacation in other parts," he said.

Moreover, massive arrangements have been made at the state-run Kozhikode Medical College and Hospital to observe suspected Nipah cases and 80 rooms have been earmarked for them. "All steps are being taken to ensure the hospital staff are safe," a health official said.

The Indian Health Ministry recently claimed to have contained the virus. "It was a highly localized infection and we have been able to contain it well," Indian Health Secretary Preeti Sudan had said.

Health officials have identified the bat-infested well in the house in Kozhikode district as the likely epicenter of the outbreak of Nipah virus in this country.

This is the third outbreak of Nipah virus in India. Two other outbreaks of the virus were reported in 2001 and 2007, respectively, in eastern state of West Bengal, claiming 50 lives.
File photo shows South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (R) and South Sudanese former First Vice-President Riek Machar (L) in Juba, capital of South Sudan, April 26, 2016. (Xinhua/Denis Elamu)

ADDIS ABABA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has decided to bring leaders of the two major warring factions in South Sudan to the table, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed on Friday.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed on Friday that IGAD's Council of Ministers, during its Thursday's 62nd Extra-Ordinary Session in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, has decided to arrange a meeting between South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, and his former deputy Riek Machar, who is head of Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO).

According to the ministry, the East African bloc in its Thursday's "successful deliberation" stressed that all South Sudan's political forces "are responsible for the elimination of the violence and brutality in the country towards peace."

The ministry, however, did not disclose specific details of the meeting among Salva Kiir and Riek Machar. Machar is presently in exile in South Africa.

The IGAD Council of Ministers stressed in its final communique that "despite all efforts made so far, South Sudanese parties have not made sufficient compromises to overcome the outstanding issues on governance and security matters."

IGAD Council of Ministers has decided to submit punitive measures against violators of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) for approval by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the communique read.

It has also decided to submit its request to the IGAD Assembly to delegate the Council to decide on actions to be taken against violators of the CoHA on the Assembly's behalf. The Cessation of Hostilities Agreement was signed in December 2017 among South Sudanese warring parties in Addis Ababa.

The Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers, Workneh Gebeyehu, said Thursday during the opening session of the bloc's council of ministers meeting in Addis Ababa that "we have now reached at a decisive moment."
By Shamim Nateebwa & Samuel Ssebuliba

A UPDF officer has perished in an accident that occurred in the wee hours on the night along the Kampala-Gulu-Highway.

The UPDF Spokesperson Brigadier Richard Karemire has only identified the deceased as Warrant Officer Omono who was traveling with the aide to the state minister of defense lieutenant Col.Steven Oyo who according to medical reports is out of danger now.

Karemire says the accident happened near Corner Kamdin and the body of the deceased has been taken to the UPDF fourth division headquarters in Gulu as the army prepares his decent send off.

This comes just days after a grisly accident involving a GAAGA bus and two trucks claimed 22 lives along the same road in Kiryandongo district.

In a separate incident, two people have perished in accident that occurred at Kakatunda along Kabale- Mbarara highway.

The accident involved a commuter taxi reg no UBB 883V which overturned several times after its driver lost control

According to Elli Matte the Kigezi region police spokesperson the deceased are 38 year old Charles Manikuze Charles and 60 year old Lawrence Bagaruye.

He says preliminary investigations point to poor vision because of fog as the probable cause of the accident.

Bodies of the disease have been taken to Kabale referral hospital mortuary for postmortem.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks during his swearing-in ceremony in Cairo, Egypt on June 2, 2018. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in on Saturday as the President of Egypt for a second term until 2022, state-run Nile TV reported. (Xinhua/MENA)

CAIRO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in on Saturday as the President of Egypt for a second term until 2022, state-run Nile TV reported.

In a large ceremony held in the parliament, Sisi took the oath as president with the words "I swear to protect the republican system, to respect the constitution and the law, to safeguard the people's interests, and to preserve the independence of the nation and the unity of lands."

Egyptian air force fighters and helicopters hovered over the former military chief's motorcade as he approached parliament headquarters.

The ceremony was attended by cabinet members, top security officials, Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmad el-Tayyeb, Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, and Grand Mufti Shawki Allam.

TV footages showed the parliament building, located in downtown Cairo, was decorated with Egyptian flags and people were waving for the president motorcade.

Ahead of the speech, the swearing-in ceremony started with the national anthem and a celebratory 21-gun salute.

"We managed to cross very difficult stage towards a future with more stability," the president said after taking the oath.

After focusing on the economic reforms in his first term, Sisi added he will give the priority in the coming four years to health and education issues.

"Education, health and cultural issues will top my priorities through launching a number of national mega projects and programs aiming at improving the living standards of the Egyptian citizens," the president said.

"Leading a country like Egypt is really great and difficult," he added in his speech to the nation.

The president reiterated that "Egypt will carry on its efforts for promoting the international ties in light of partnerships."

"The Egyptian state will constantly boost its balanced relations with all regional and international parties, within the framework of partnership and exchange of interests," he said.

Referring to the different segments and religious affiliations in Egypt, President Sisi said that "acceptance and creating a common ground among us will be my top priority in order to attain consistence, social peace as well as political development."

"I am a president for all Egyptians, those who agree with me and others who do not," he added.

"I will not exclude anyone from this common space except those who choose violence, terrorism and extremist thought as a way to impose their will," the president stressed.

Tariq Fahmy, professor of political sciences with American University in Cairo, said the president's speech constitutes "a work plan for the coming term, because it included several pillars that will be the base for the government's performance in the following four year."

In the speech, the president attempted to send a significant message that he will focus more on the issues that are important to the citizens' daily lives like education, health, culture and social protection, Fahmy told Xinhua.

The expert believes that President Sisi will give more attention to social cohesion after economic reforms were adopted in the first term.

The speech, despite short, has also pointed out that economic reform and fighting terrorism, the country's two major endeavors of the last four years, will be advanced as main approaches for strengthening stability of the country, the expert reiterated.

Sisi won his second term with 97 percent of the votes in Egypt's 2018 presidential election.

His first oath was performed at the Supreme Constitutional Court in 2014.

The last presidential inauguration held at Egypt's parliament was in 2005, when ousted President Hosni Mubarak was sworn in as president for the fifth and the last time.
MOGADISHU, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The United States military said on Friday evening its special forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabab terrorists in southwest of the capital, Mogadishu, killing 12 terrorists.

The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) said the Thursday afternoon airstrike which was conducted in cooperation with Somali government targeted the militants about 30km southwest of Mogadishu, and did not result in civilian casualties.

"We currently assess no civilians were killed in this airstrike," Africom said in a statement released following the latest strike in the Horn of Africa nation.

The latest U.S. strike comes amid heightened vigilance by Somalia's stabilization security unit forces who have launched operation targeting several parts of the Horn of Africa nation, in response to the increasing terror attacks in the country.

Africom said American forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect U.S. citizens and to disable terrorist threats.

"This includes partnering with AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region," it added.

The latest strike also comes after the militant group released a video record of some of the brutal assassinations the insurgents have carried out recently against individuals accused of working with local governments.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 18:46:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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JALALABAD, Afghanistan, June 2 (Xinhua) -- As many as 17 militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) have been killed following a spate of operations launched by government forces in the eastern province of Nangarhar, an official said Saturday.

The clashes occurred in the past 24 hours in the turbulent Haska Mina district of the province, resulting in the death of 17 IS fighters, Atullah Khogyani, provincial government spokesman told Xinhua.

An aged man was also killed and four children wounded during the clashes and a woman was still missing, the spokesman said, confirming that the police were investigation the civilian casualties.

No comment has been still made from the IS militants fighting government forces in the area.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 18:51:32|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TEHRAN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that he expected to sign the credit line agreement with Italy for smoother relations between the two countries.

In a letter to his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella, Rouhani said signing a credit line agreement would pave the way for the easy and accelerated implementation of the documents that the two sides have already signed, Tasnim news agency reported.

He also congratulated the Italian leader and nation on the Republic Day and hailed the growing ties with Italy in recent years.

"Constructive interaction and growing ties with the friend country Italy, as a major member of the European Union, on the basis of mutual respect and interests has been a priority for the Islamic republic over the past few years," the Iranian president said.

Rouhani visited Italy in January 2016, during which the two countries signed a roadmap for development of ties in political, economic, cultural, tourism, scientific and technological fields.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 19:01:35|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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ADDIS ABABA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopia Council of Ministers on Saturday approved a draft law that lifts marital law, reported state media Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation.

The draft will be sent to the Ethiopian parliament where it's widely expected to be approved.

The ruling party, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), and allied parties control all the 547 parliamentary seats.

Ethiopia imposed a six-month martial law on February 16, to stem violent protests and increasing ethnic clashes.

The Council noted that law and order have been restored to justify lifting the martial law.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 19:06:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TEHRAN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The planes of Iranian airliners are expected to be refused fuel at some foreign airports under U.S. impending new sanctions, Iran's flag carrier Iran Air said Saturday.

The news was revealed by Farzaneh Sharafbafi, chief executive officer of Iran Air, during her meeting with judicial officials over frequent Iranian flight delays, Tasnim news agency reported.

The average age of Iran's fleet of passenger planes is 24 years, she said, adding that the conditions of civil aviation industry in Iraq, Afghanistan and other neighbors are better than in Iran.

People should not expect too much from an industry not well supported in the past, Sharafbafi lamented.

Iran will face further difficulties in renewing simple aircraft components as the U.S. has announced the imposition of new sanctions in the next months, Sharafbafi said.

The country will have to deliver cash in suitcases for fuel supply, she noted.

Over the past two years, Iran has held intensive talks with major aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing, Airbus and ATR, to renovate its aging fleet of passenger planes after the implementation of the landmark Iranian nuclear deal in January 2016.

Iran has signed major contracts to buy 118 commercial planes from Airbus, 100 from Boeing, as well as several ATR turboprops.

However, the U.S. abrupt withdrawal from the nuclear deal, along with its decision to slap new sanctions on Iran, has discouraged these aviation giants from continuing working with the Islamic republic.
MADRID, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Pedro Sanchez was sworn in as new prime minister of Spain on Saturday, 24 hours after Mariano Rajoy was defeated in a no-confidence motion in the Spanish Congress.

Sanchez was sworn in by King Felipe VI at the royal residence at the Palacio de a Zarzuela on Saturday morning.

The leader of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) automatically became Rajoy's replacement as prime minister after presenting the motion which led to Rajoy and his right-wing People's Party (PP) losing power in the wake of the result of the "Gurtel" corruption trial on May 24, in which the PP was found guilty of having benefited economically from wide-scale cash-for-favors scandal.

It is the first time a Spanish prime minister has come to power as the result of a no-confidence vote, with Rajoy obtaining 169 votes against the motion, and 180 in favour and one abstention.

Sanchez becomes the prime minister with a weak government given that the PSOE currently holds just 85 seats in the 350-member Spanish Congress.

That means Sanchez will have to reach agreement with the left wing Unidos Podemos party, who have 71 seats, and a variety of Basque and Catalan parties, among others to pass any legislation.

Meanwhile, he will have to deal with the opposition of the 137 PP deputies in Congress as well as the 32 members of the center-right party Ciudadanos who voted against Sanchez' no-confidence vote on Friday.
KABUL, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan law enforcement agencies arrested 24 drug traffickers following operations over the last 72 hours, a statement from the Counter-Drugs Office of the Ministry of Interior said Saturday.

The Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA), together with detective Afghan security organization, launched the operations across the country, the statement read.

Seven of the traffickers were arrested at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, where they swallowed a quantity of heroin and wanted to transfer them abroad, said the statement.

According to the source, 9,354 kilograms of various types of drugs were seized during the operations.
BERLIN,June 2 (Xinhua) -- The percentage of citizens who hold a positive attitude towards organ and tissue donation has reached a record high of 84 percent in Germany, according to a survey result published by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) on the country's Organ Donation Day on Saturday.

The nationwide representative survey "Attitude, knowledge and behavior of the general population on the organ and tissue donation 2018" of the BZgA was conducted from November 2017 to February 2018 among 4,001 citizens aged 14 to 75.

Heidrun Thaiss, head of the BZgA, said, "The growing positive attitude of the population to organ and tissue donation is a pleasing development and proves that many people deal with the issue. "

According to the survey, of the 2,454 respondents who had made their decisions on whether or not to donate organs, 72 percent agreed to donate organs and tissues after death, 14 percent disagreed, while the rest did not give a clear-cut choice.

When asked about the motives for agreeing to donate organ and tissue donor organs, 73 percent said they wanted to help other people. Whereas 22 percent of those who refused to donate identified the fear of abuse or lack of trust due to negative reporting as the reason for their reluctance to be a donor.

Ensuing an organ donation scandal in 2010 and 2011, in which abuses of transplant centers were reported, the readiness in the German population declined.

The day of organ donation takes place every year in a different German federal state; This year it was hosted in Saarbrucken in the state of Saarland on June 2 with many awareness boosting initiatives and information sessions.

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn said more than 10,000 people are on the waiting list for an organ in Germany.
GENEVA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Violence against women in Afghanistan, including so-called "honor killings," often goes unpunished, despite government efforts to criminalize these practices, a latest UN report says.

The report, published earlier this week, found that victims are often pressured into agreeing to mediation, instead of the alleged perpetrator being brought to trial.

"The wide use of mediation when a woman or girl has been beaten, mutilated or murdered, or when she has been the victim of that awful concept of 'honor killing,' normalizes such violence and makes it much more likely to recur," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in the report.

The report is published by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Zeid warned that the harmful mediation "also erodes the confidence of women -- and the wider public -- in the legal system."

The UN report is based on 237 documented cases of violence against women between Aug. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2017, 280 cases of murder and "honor killings" in 2016 and 2017 and focus group discussions with 1,826 mediators.

Women interviewed for the report said they often faced intense pressure from family, community members and the Elimination of Violence against Women (EVAW) Law institutions that mediation was the only acceptable choice for the resolution of violent crime as it would preserve family unity.

Among its recommendations, the report calls for an expansion of the authorities' obligation to investigate and prosecute criminal offenses of violence against women.

This should apply particularly to forced marriages and harmful traditional practices, irrespective of whether the victim filed or withdrew a complaint.
LONDON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition of Howard Hodgkin's final works was presented to the public this week at Gagosian Gallery here, in accordance with the late British artist's wishes.

The exhibition, which is called Last Paintings, includes the final six paintings that Hodgkin completed in India prior to his death in March 2017, five of which will be exhibited for the first time. The exhibition includes more than twenty other paintings never before exhibited in Europe.

As one of Britain's most celebrated contemporary painters, Hodgkin composed powerful, expressive works that, while nominally abstract, bring representation, gesture, and affect into relationship.

Gagosian's director Robin Vousden told Xinhua they wanted to show the very last painting of Hodgkin's life in their gallery space.

"Hodgkin's painting is about memory. The way he evokes memory is to create complex, satisfying spaces, it's like a series of windows, but not just into the landscape but into the past and into the memory of feelings and people and places."

In 1972, Hodgkin stopped working on canvas and began painting on wooden panels and frames, some new and others sourced secondhand in India and Europe. The grain of the wood and the scars and scratches became integral to the paintings, affirming their physical presence and heft. Last Paintings attests to the immediacy of Hodgkin's methods, as well as his intuitive understanding of the relationship between hand, eye and memory.

The earliest work in the exhibition, "And the Skies Are Not Cloudy All Day" (2007 -08) is nearly three meters wide, and painted on unprimed plywood. The title evokes the connection between nature and human temperament, allowing their respective fluctuations to unfold gradually as though over the course of an entire day. On closer inspection, the grain of the plywood beneath the paint emerges as a faint rhythmic pulse.

Toward the end of his life, Hodgkin applied fewer layers of paint to his panels, leaving more of the wood exposed, as if in visible dialogue with the paint. "Now" (2015 -16) is an interchange between light and dark, time and feeling, where the natural streaks of the wood are left bare.

As Hodgkin's urge to substantiate what is essentially transient became ever more pressing, his art became less about retrospection or the remembrance of images past.

His final large-scale painting, "Portrait of the Artist Listening to Music" (2011-16), previously seen only in his solo exhibition Absent Friends at the National Portrait Gallery in London last year, exemplifies his focus on the intangibility of thoughts, feelings, and fleeting private moments.

The layers of paint of "Don't Tell a Soul" (2016) seem to elicit an explicit recollection or excitation in the rapid brushstrokes applied to the lower right corner.

Hodgkin fully embraced the use of time as a compositional element. His paintings were often painted over months and years, the brushwork itself the final definitive step in long processes of reflection and deliberation.

In images that melt away and then regain shape before the viewer's eyes, Hodgkin makes material the irresolute dynamics of time and emotion, and the glancing, immaterial qualities of daily experience.

Hodgkin was born in London in 1932, and passed away in 2017. He was made CBE in 1977, knighted in 1992, and made a Companion of Honor in 2003.

He was awarded the Turner Prize in London in 1985, the Shakespeare Prize in Hamburg in 1997, an honorary DLitt by the University of Oxford in 2000, and the first Swarovski Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon award in 2014.
by Kostas Zaligkas

Athens, June 2 (Xinhua)-- Greeks' debt to social insurance funds increased by 584 million euros (681 million U.S. dollars) during the first quarter of 2018 compared to the last quarter of 2017, according to a Greek National Center for the Collection of Social Security Arrears (KEAO) announcement.

According to KEAO's first quarterly progress report for this year at the end of March 2018, the total amount of debt the center manages was 31.9 billion euros.

This number changes daily though, as new debtors (with all their past debts) are included in the center's database, experts like Christos Krigas, accountant and tax consultant, told Xinhua on Saturday.

In the first quarter of 2018 KEAO recorded 43,577 new debtors.

After eight years of debt crisis, many Greeks find it more difficult to meet their financial obligations.

KEAO's report showed that 839,891 debtors (the 69 percent of debtors) have a debt of up to 15,000 euros each, while an additional 91,368 debtors have a debt of 50,000-100,000 euros.

Moreover, 1,733 debtors have a debt of over one million euros each which is about 21.7 percent of the total dent.

"The 31.9 billion euro burden is old debt and it is extremely hard to collect," Krigas said.

In his opinion there are three necessary measures that the state must take in order to collect a part of this debt.

"First of all, the calculating method of the insurance contributions must change and I believe it will change soon. Second, the ceiling must be diminished to 40,000 euros from 70,000 euros that is today. It's extremely high and most debtors can't meet their obligations," he explained.

"Third, the calculating method of the insurance contributions must depend on last year's income and not from the years before. Until now the contributions are based on the income of 2015 and 2016," he added. ( 1 euro= 1.17 U.S. dollars)
STOCKHOLM, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Swedish government announced on Saturday that it will invest 3.8 billion SEK (430 million U.S. dollars) in a new railway track between the western cities of Gothenburg and Boras, the money that has been described as essential for the realization of a high-speed railway in Sweden.

The plan is to start building new high-speed railway tracks in Sweden in 2024 and they are expected to be completed by 2029.

"This is important news for western Sweden but also for the whole country," Minister for Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth of the Social Democrat Party told Swedish news agency TT. "Everybody knows that the tracks are crowded and that we need to increase capacity on them. That is one of the reasons why we want new main railway lines -- so that we can fit in more commuter trains and cargo trains."

The planned Gothenburg-Boras railway track - Sweden's busiest commuter route - is part of a national infrastructure plan and the total cost for the line is estimated to be 30 billion SEK, Swedish Television reported on Saturday.

Eneroth said the new government funding should form an important starting point for further discussions around financing.

The government also announced a new investment of 1.25 billion SEK in a national plan to increase the capacity of harbors to receive larger ships. Gothenburg's harbor is part of that national plan.

"We are beginning to build a part of a sustainable transport system. It is crucial that we do so," said Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog of the Green Party. (1 U.S. dollar = 8.83 SEK)
(File photo) The pilot of Iran Air's new Airbus plane waves a national flag after landing at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, Iran on Jan. 12, 2017. (AP)

TEHRAN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The planes of Iranian airliners are expected to be refused fuel at some foreign airports under U.S. impending new sanctions, Iran's flag carrier Iran Air said Saturday.

The news was revealed by Farzaneh Sharafbafi, chief executive officer of Iran Air, during her meeting with judicial officials over frequent Iranian flight delays, Tasnim news agency reported.

The average age of Iran's fleet of passenger planes is 24 years, she said, adding that the conditions of civil aviation industry in Iraq, Afghanistan and other neighbors are better than in Iran.

People should not expect too much from an industry not well supported in the past, Sharafbafi lamented.

Iran will face further difficulties in renewing simple aircraft components as the U.S. has announced the imposition of new sanctions in the next months, Sharafbafi said.

The country will have to deliver cash in suitcases for fuel supply, she noted.

Over the past two years, Iran has held intensive talks with major aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing, Airbus and ATR, to renovate its aging fleet of passenger planes after the implementation of the landmark Iranian nuclear deal in January 2016.

Iran has signed major contracts to buy 118 commercial planes from Airbus, 100 from Boeing, as well as several ATR turboprops.

However, the U.S. abrupt withdrawal from the nuclear deal, along with its decision to slap new sanctions on Iran, has discouraged these aviation giants from continuing working with the Islamic republic.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 20:06:52|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- China here on Saturday expressed the hope and support for efforts by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States to meet each other halfway.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that the Chinese side hopes and supports the DPRK and the United States to actively push forward preparations for their coming summit.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will meet with leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled after recent twists and turns.

The DPRK and the United States have recently made positive progress on the summit, an important step to solving the Korean Peninsula issue politically. The Chinese side is "happy" for that, said Hua.

Hua reiterated that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a rare historical juncture. The summit between the DPRK and the United States is crucial to denuclearization and lasting peace on the peninsula.

She said that China expects the DPRK and the United States to reach an outcome that both sides and the international community want, so as to open a new era of denuclearization, peace and prosperity.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 20:21:54|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BAGHDAD, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Twelve members of a family were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, a provincial police source told Xinhua.

The incident took place on Saturday early morning when unidentified gunmen broke into a house of a family and shot dead 12 members in Farhatiyah area near the town of Balad, some 80 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Only a six-month infant survived the attack, despite receiving a bullet in his body, the source said.

The Sunni Arab family has just returned home at the rural area of Farhatiyah after being displaced for four years, the source said, adding that the area is under control of paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces and a police force.

Iraqi security forces arrived in the morning and launched an investigation into the incident, fearing that the attack was part of sectarian strife that engulfed Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, the source added.

Salahudin province was reported the scene of another attack in the morning when roadside bomb struck a police patrol at a village near the city of Shirqat, some 280 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, destroying a police vehicle and killing four policemen aboard.

The key cities of Salahudin province, including the provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, was captured by Islamic State (IS) militants in June 2014, but the Iraqi security forces freed the province during major anti-IS offensives.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 20:26:56|Editor: ZX

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BRUSSELS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) and China should team up to foster a new type of international relations, while building on current ties, Chinese ambassador wrote in an article published on The European Sting earlier this week.

In the article, Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, gave a rundown on China's diplomacy and its expectation from the EU.

The overarching goal of Chinese diplomacy, he wrote, "is to forge a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and to build a global community with a shared future."

Explaining what "a new type of international relations" means, Zhang underscored that "it should not be meant to overturn the current system or start it all over again".

"It is defined not by the dominance of one country or a group of countries, "he wrote. "Rather, we hope that all countries could enjoy equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal rules, and that the current system and order could be more equitable and reasonable."

To translate the vision into reality, the ambassador called upon the EU to join forces with China on five fronts.

"Politically, it is imperative to reject cold-war mentality and power politics, act on the basis of mutual respect and equality, and follow a new approach to state-to-state relations featuring dialogue rather than confrontation, and partnership instead of alliance.

"On security, we need to settle disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation, counter traditional and non-traditional challenges in an integrated manner, and fight terrorism in all manifestations.

"Economically, we need to act together to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.

"Culturally, we should respect the diversity of civilizations, and replace estrangement with exchange, clashes with mutual learning, and superiority with coexistence.

"Ecologically, we should be good friends to the environment, jointly tackle climate change, and protect our planet for the sake of human survival."

Hailing the EU's history which demonstrates that countries could well join hands for win-win outcomes by overcoming historical, cultural and geographical obstacles through creative efforts, Zhang appealed for building "a global community".

"To build a global community is not about devising a set of uniform values to supersede values that are distinct to an ethnicity or nation," he explained. "Rather, it is about identifying the common interests of mankind while preserving diversity and jointly addressing challenges that confront us all."

Terming China and Europe as "two major forces for peace and development", the ambassador highlighted that they "have a joint responsibility to promote globalization and multilateralism, and make the world a place of greater openness, security and prosperity".
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) shakes hands with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini at the eighth China-EU High Level Strategic Dialogue in Brussels, Belgium, on June 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BRUSSELS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Top diplomats of China and the European Union(EU) on Friday pledged to deepen strategic cooperation and safeguard multilateralism.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini co-chaired the eighth round of the China-EU high-level strategic dialogue in Brussels.

Reviewing the development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership established 15 years ago, Wang hailed a favorable situation featuring all-dimensional exchanges and cooperation covering various fields.

Noting that unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise in the international landscape, Wang said China and the EU, as two stable forces, should strengthen strategic communication, promote mutual strategic trust, and deepen strategic cooperation.

The two sides should jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard multilateralism and global free trade regime, he said, adding that both sides should make due contributions to tackle global challenges.

On economic cooperation, Wang said China is willing to promote mutual investment, and jointly construct the Belt and Road Initiative with the EU.

Mogherini, for her part, was on the same page with Wang on the importance of China-EU relationship.

She stressed that the EU is willing to work with China to uphold and strengthen the multilateral system with the United Nations at the core, and the rules-based international order.

Mogherini said the EU-China cooperation in various fields has reached unprecedented high levels after 15 years of development, with the two sides having similar positions and close coordination over a series of major international issues.

Mogherini highlighted the need to create synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's investment plan and strategy on connecting Europe and Asia.

"We agreed to explore complementarities and synergies in this field, that is crucial for both China and the EU," said Mogherini at a joint press conference with Wang following the strategic dialogue.

The strategic dialogue took place as the two sides are gearing up for the 20th China-EU summit slated for next month.

China stands ready to join hands with the EU to achieve results at the upcoming summit, thus sending out a positive signal of upholding and strengthening international order, said Wang.

Echoing Wang, Mogherini said the two sides have addressed a wide range of issues that lay the groundwork for the summit.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 20:47:01|Editor: ZX

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URUMQI, China, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 Taklimakan Rally began in Urumqi, Xinjiang, attracting a total entry of 90 automobiles and 16 motorcycles in the 13-day competition in Gobi Desert.

This year's race covers nearly 5,000 kilometers with 9 special stages that reach a length of 2,800 kilometers, most of which spread in Gobi Desert in Turpan and Hami. The almost vertical sand dune in the desert and the burning hot temperature that once reached 50 degrees Celsius in the last year's Rally in Gobi Desert will again be the biggest challenge for racers.

According to Song Jun, chief supervisor of 2018 Taklimakan Rally, the most difficult period will come in mid-term, where racers have to accomplish a stage for 490 kilometers in the scorching sunlight, their stamina, experience, skill and automobiles' performance will be tested to the utmost.

And this year is the third time for defending champion, French racer Christian to be here, he said:"this is the longest and hardest rally in China, and full of uncertainty, on all accounts, I'll try my best in the competition and enjoy it."

As for Chinese racer Han Wei, the champion of Taklimakan Rally in 2015 and 2016, his aim is to recapture the title and prepare for Dakar Rally, meanwhile collecting data so as to provide reference for his upgrade version automobile.

In the motorcycle group, Spanish racer Armand Hernandez who has won the title in the last two years, is still the most promising competitor.

After the departure ceremony, all racers completed the ranking tournament, and the main draw will begin on June 3.
RAMALLAH, June 2 (Xinhua) -- An aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that the escalated policies of the United States against the Palestinian people's rights are "hostile and rejected."

Nabil Abu Rdineh said in an official statement published by the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) that the recent escalated U.S. policy against the Palestinian people's right was using the veto in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Earlier, the U.S. vetoed a bid presented by Kuwait to the UNSC to approve a resolution that ensures an international protection to the Palestinian people from the daily Israeli excessive use of force.

Abu Rdineh also stressed that "the current biased U.S. policy that backs the Israeli occupation and its settlement activity contradicts with the international resolutions and increases the Palestinians' determination to stick to their legitimate rights."

Speaking about the new peace plan the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is intending to declare, Abu Rdineh said "any peace settlement won't be accepted or applicable without the Palestinian leadership's approval."

"The only way to make just and everlasting peace is through a commitment to the international resolutions that lead to peace and stability as well as establishing an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital," he said.

Overnight, the U.S. vetoed the bid of Kuwait, while 10 UNSC states members voted in favor and four refrained. The bid was to approve a UNSC resolution that ensures an international protection to the Palestinians.
The United States and North Korea have made "real progress" toward a fruitful summit between their leaders on dismantling the North's nuclear weapons program, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday.



Pompeo held two days of meetings with a senior North Korean official in New York as both sides push to salvage a June 12 summit in Singapore between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.



"Through these series of meetings, I'm confident we're moving in the right direction," he said at a news conference, also mentioning parallel talks in Korea and Singapore. But the top U.S. diplomat was unable to say if it will be known by Friday whether the summit will happen. Trump called it off last week, citing "open hostility" from the regime, and then put it back on track.



"We've made real progress in the last 72 hours toward setting the conditions," the secretary of state said. "The conditions are putting President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un in a place where we think there could be real progress made by the two of them meeting."



Trump said hours earlier that he is hopeful the summit will take place June 12, but that he wants it to be "very meaningful." There could be more than one meeting and there could also be none.



The North Korean delegation in New York, led by Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, will travel to Washington to deliver a personal letter from Kim Jong-un to Trump on Friday.



The U.S. president said he looks forward to seeing "what's in the letter" and thinks it will be "very positive."



Pompeo declined to provide details of what any denuclearization agreement with the North would look like. Still, he said the North Koreans appear to be "contemplating a path forward where they can make a strategic shift, one that their country has not been prepared to make before."



"There will be tough moments, there will be difficult times," the secretary of state said, noting that the nuclear issue is a decades-old challenge. "I've had some difficult conversations with them as well. They've given it right back to me, too."



Speaking of the challenges to come, he said, "Our mission is to bridge them so that we can achieve this historic outcome."



The U.S. wants to see complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization, while the North demands CVIG, where G stands for security guarantees for the regime.



Negotiations are expected to focus on the sequencing of the denuclearization-for-security exchange as the U.S. seeks quick dismantlement and North Korea a "phased and synchronous" process.



"Make no mistake about it. President Trump, this administration completely understands how hard this problem is," Pompeo said. "There is a long history where North Korea has viewed its nuclear program as providing the security that it needed for the regime."



The task at hand is to convince the North Koreans that a bright future lies ahead and their security will be greater by giving up "all elements" of its nuclear program.



"Many conversations have been had about how we might proceed, what the path might be forward so that we can achieve both the denuclearization that the world demands of North Korea and the security assurances that would be required for them to allow us to achieve that," Pompeo said.



In terms of coordinating policy with South Korea and Japan, key U.S. allies in Asia, the secretary said there is "no daylight" between them.



"We understand their concerns. We understand the risks that can be posed to them. And an agreement that we reach will provide an outcome that each of those countries can sign on to as well," he said.



Trump hosted South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House last week. Moon, who has engineered the expected U.S.-North Korea summit, has held two summits with Kim since April to push for "complete denuclearization" and a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the two sides technically at war.



"The proposed summit offers a historic opening for President Trump and Chairman Kim to boldly lead the United States and the DPRK into an era of peace, prosperity and security," Pompeo said, using an acronym for the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



It would be "nothing short of tragic to let this opportunity go to waste," he said. It would also take "bold leadership" from Kim, something both he and Trump believe the young leader has.



In the coming weeks and months, "we will have the opportunity to test whether or not this is the case," Pompeo said.



If held, the Trump-Kim meeting would be the first summit between the two countries that have long been at odds over the North's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of striking the U.S.



Trump has said he will walk away from the summit if it doesn't promise to be fruitful.



His administration has also vowed not to repeat the failures of past denuclearization agreements that collapsed as the North continued its nuclear and ballistic missile development. (Yonhap)


Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 20:57:06|Editor: Chengcheng

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Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, on June 2, 2018. Walid al-Moallem said on Saturday that the U.S. should withdraw from the al-Tanf base in southeastern Syria ahead of any agreement reached in the south of the country. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

DAMASCUS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said on Saturday that the U.S. should withdraw from the al-Tanf base in southeastern Syria ahead of any agreement reached in the south of the country.

"Don't believe the remarks about a deal in southern Syria unless the U.S. withdraws from al-Tanf," al-Moallem said.

"The U.S. presence in Syria is illegitimate and they should withdraw from al-Tanf and any other area in Syria," he noted.

The remarks by al-Moallem came in response to the recent reports of a Russian-backed deal in southern Syria about the withdrawal of Iranian-backed forces from areas close to the Syrian border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Meanwhile, the minister denied what Israel claims the involvement of Iranian forces in Syria, saying Iran has only sent military advisors upon the request of the Syrian government.

He also expressed gratitude for Iran's help against foreign-backed terrorism in Syria since the beginning of the crisis.

A day earlier, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said he believed an agreement has been reached on the withdrawal of Iranian forces from the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

"As I understand it, an agreement was reached," Nebenzya told reporters at the UN.

"I cannot answer if it is being realized, but as far as I understand, the parties involved in reaching an agreement are satisfied with what they have achieved," he added.

Israel was said to be a part of the agreement with Russia.

The situation in southern Syria has grabbed attention recently as the Syrian army is preparing for a wide-scale offensive to dislodge rebels from the southern provinces of Qunaitera and Daraa amid talks of a reconciliation agreement.

Israel has for long demanded the pullout of Iranian forces from Syria's southern borders, and launched multiple airstrikes on Syrian military positions on the pretext that Iranian fighters are running them.

The Syrian government hopes to restore military presence in Daraa and Qunaitera after the evacuation of rebels, in order to control all border points between Daraa and Jordan as well as areas between Quanitera and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, while activating the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Syria and Israel.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 20:57:06|Editor: ZX

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Akira Fujishima, famous Japanese chemist and former president of Tokyo University of Science, works in his office in Tokyo, Japan, on May 29, 2018. (Xinhua/Hua Yi)

TOKYO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- "Confucius once said: One with understanding is not as good as one with interest, which in turn is not as good as doing something one enjoys ... There are countless (such) Chinese sayings that convey to us the truth about life," said Akira Fujishima, famous Japanese chemist and former president of Tokyo University of Science.

Fujishima, 76, admires the ideas of ancient Chinese sages and believes that they are also instructive for modern scientific researchers.

Although he does not speak the Chinese language, he has been studying Chinese classics such as the Japanese version of The Analects of Confucius, and has co-authored a few books to convey the Chinese inspirations to science students in Japan.

Fujishima's own experience and passion for scientific research are also an embodiment of the above-mentioned motto from Confucius (551-479 BC), an educator, philosopher and founder of Confucianism.

In 1967, while working on his Ph.D. under the supervision of professor Kenichi Honda, Fujishima discovered the phenomenon of photocatalytic water decomposition when he exposed a titanium dioxide electrode to strong light, later called the Honda-Fujishima effect.

Fujishima became a professor at the University of Tokyo, and was appointed executive director of the Chemical Society of Japan in 1989. He became the president of Tokyo University of Science in 2010.

Over the past 40 years, Fujishima has trained a total of some 38 Chinese students, many of whom are now the backbone of Chinese universities and scientific research institutions, and three are members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"My Chinese students are very excellent and they have worked hard. Being elected Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is one of the highest honors of the Chinese science and technology community. I'm really proud of them," said Fujishima.

Fujishima was also impressed by China's fast development over the past 40 years, including the development in science and technology.

"I have been to China hundreds of times ... When I first went to Beijing about 40 years ago, you could see people riding bicycles and horse carriages carrying goods on the street. Now it's a different scene," he recalled.

He added that China has also made a lot of progress in scientific research, as the Chinese government attaches great importance to it and maintains a long-term and stable research policy.

A few Chinese students of Fujishima published a book recently about how they were inspired and helped by the professor, both in their careers and in daily life.

"Professor Fujishima's passion for science has been an inspiration to me. He has a high academic demand for his students, but meanwhile gives his students a lot of freedom and autonomy," said Liu Zhongfan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"He also cares much about his students, sparing no efforts to help them in their careers. I learned a lot from him."

In March, Fujishima retired from the presidency of Tokyo University of Science, but he continued to engage in scientific research while working as "honorary advisor" of the university.

"I haven't set the time for retirement from scientific researches. I will continue to engage in researches as long as I can," he said.
MOSCOW, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim discussed in a telephone conversation the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, the Russian government said Saturday.

During the conversation initiated by the Turkish side, Medvedev and Yildirim touched upon issues of Russian-Turkish trade and economic relations and the promotion of major joint energy projects, including the Akkuyu and Turkish Stream projects, according to a statement released by the government's press service.

The two prime ministers stressed the importance of closer interaction among relevant government bodies and agencies of Russia and Turkey so as to provide favorable conditions for promoting bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas, the statement said.

Yildirim also congratulated Medvedev on his appointment as Russian prime minister and on the upcoming Russia Day, it added.
KUNMING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese museum will hold a science exhibition tour in Cambodia in October, according to an agreement signed Saturday.

China Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) signed a cooperation agreement with the Union of Youths Federations of Cambodia, Phnom Penh (UYFC-PP) Saturday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, announcing that the museum would hold an exhibition tour in Cambodia.

Themed "Experiencing Science, Enlightening Innovation", the exhibition tour is scheduled to begin in October and will last untill October 2021.

The museum will provide more than 60 high-tech items covering fields of basic science, life sciences and information technology during the tour.

"I hope Cambodian visitors can gain knowledge and have fun through the science exhibition," said Yin Hao, curator of CSTM.
by Natasha Pavlopoulou

ATHENS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Athens and Epidaurus Festival, one of the oldest performing arts festivals in Europe, opened its doors on Friday evening, hosting major Greek and world-famous artists.

The largest and most prestigious annual cultural event in Greece since its inception in 1955, is being held at historical venues, from Odeon of Herodes Atticus at the foot of the Acropolis to the ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, a world-famous for its unparalleled acoustics theatre, located inside the Asclepius Sanctuary, in southern Greece.

The festival's annual moment in the sun - those summer months from early June to mid-August - can be likened to a magical curtain rising and inviting people to become part of a unique experience embracing major theatre, music, and dance artists acclaimed in Greece and worldwide, Vangelis Theodoropoulos, the festival's artistic director since 2016, stressed in his welcoming note for this year.

"This year we continue a concept we adopted in 2017: Opening to the City, 17 artistic actions in venues outside our "walls" that take place in various neighborhoods of Athens," he told Xinhua. The artistic actions will also take place at the port city of Piraeus, most of them with free admission, encouraging audience participation and diversity.

"We also continue the Lyceum of Epidaurus, an international summer school of ancient Greek drama with many important foreign and Greek teachers and students from all over the world. 35 percent of students are from abroad," he added.

"We have a close contact with China since last year, after an invitation from the Greek Ministry of Culture to participate in cultural exchanges between Greece and China. We have already called Tian Mansha, a well-known and very important performance artist of the Chinese opera," Georgina Kakoudaki, co-curator for Educational Programs of the festival said to Xinhua.

"And this year, within the framework of this interaction, 26 academics, artists and teachers from Shanghai Theatre Academy will visit the Festival, taking part in various lectures and performances," she stressed.

During the economic crisis of the past nine years in Greece, the festival's organizers increased efforts to give the most and minimize the impact on culture, she noted.

"Crisis is a word we do not like to say anymore, because it leads us further down. I think we are all giving a great fight in managing both national and personal resources, so that we can live with a greater quality of life and less need for quantity," Kakoudaki said.

On Tuesday evening, 1,500 unemployed Greeks were able to watch free of charge the dress rehearsal of opera "Nabucco " with the celebrated Greek baritone Dimitri Platanias, the play which opened the festival on Friday.

"It was a wonderful show in Odeon of Herodus Atticus. We really enjoyed the performances and the costumes in this breathtaking place on the first day of the summer," Sofia Spingu told Xinhua, after watching one of Giuseppe Verdi's most popular operas, on Friday night.

Internationally acclaimed artists, classical and modern drama, great orchestras and a wide range of dance productions are all part of the 2018 program.

The festival -in its 63rd year- will also host international stars.

The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus finally will host eight plays with focus on Aristophanes' comedies. The Athens and Epidaurus Festival closes on August 18.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 21:32:12|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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NAIROBI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenyans are divided on an announcement by President Uhuru Kenyatta that the government will subject all its procurement and accounting officers to lie detection test to curb spiraling corruption.

Kenyatta on Friday announced that all the officers would be subjected to the polygraph test by June 30 as his government works to curb corruption that has rocked his administration.

Officials in five public institutions are currently being investigated for corruption scandals.

The institutions are National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Pipeline, Kenya Power, National Cereals and Produce Board and the Youth Fund.

Some 40 suspects linked to the theft of 90 million U.S. dollars at the NYS were this week arrested and charged in court with the crime.

A furious Kenyatta used the Independence Day celebrations on Friday to announce the new measure by his government to tackle graft.

"All heads of procurement and accounts in government ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals will be vetted afresh, including taking a polygraph test, to determine their integrity and suitability," said Kenyatta.

Some Kenyans believe the radical step would eliminate the vice but others are cynical, noting that is another scheme to wane public anger but would yield little results.

"Lie detection test is out of this world and would be a first in Kenya. I really support it. Any move that would help fight corruption in Kenya is welcome," Joseph Kimenyi, a public transport vehicle (matatu) driver, said Saturday.

Kimenyi suggested that the test should be extended to the traffic police department, which has been ranked the most corrupt institution in Kenya for ages.

"In fact, they should start with the police. As matatu operators, we lose a lot of money to the officers and this has become a way of life. This should stop," he said.

Georgina Musavi, a salonist was hopeful that the lie detection test would eliminate corrupt people in government and allow the employment of honest persons.

However, critics say a lie detection test is the last thing that Kenyans need to fight corruption.

"What Kenya needs to fight corruption is political goodwill not lie detectors. Kenya is gripped in corruption because the political class is benefiting from it and has allowed it," said Dismas Okoth, a youth leader in Kayole on the East of Nairobi.

Okoth said if government was keen on fighting corruption, Kenyatta would have ordered for the incarceration of all people linked to graft, including his close allies.

"So many people including top politicians and government officials have been named in graft scandals but they continue to serve. Are they going to take a lie detection test?" He posed, noting the best way to fight corruption is to start from the top.

On social media, Kenyans have debated the pros and cons of the lie detection test that the government has said is urgent.

"One big flaw of polygraph testing is the fact an honest person may be nervous and a dishonest person may be non-anxious. You can fool a lie detector test with just one simple movement and get away with it," said Kinyan Boy on Twitter.

Analysts noted the announcement of the test had caught the country by surprise.

"It is radical. It is innovative but citizens' chances of eliminating corruption with the gadgets are fifty-fifty. Corruption is so rooted in Kenya that a polygraph test is part of the solution but not the cure of the menace," said Ernest Manuyo, a business management lecturer in Nairobi.

Manuyo observed that to eliminate corruption, Kenyans first need to have a sense of nationhood so that they can see graft as a threat to their country and existence.

"Currently, people seek services from government offices expecting to bribe. This is what public officials exploit. Though I welcome the detector, we need a major culture shift as Kenyans to eliminate graft," he said.

James ole Kiyiapi, a professor of environment and a political analyst, noted that to end corruption, the country must not only punish those complicit in graft, but also return the money.
NAIROBI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- There is need for China and African partners to embark on a dialogue process that would lead to improved bilateral cooperation in the light of evolving geopolitical dynamics, said top scholars attending the 20th Wanshou Forum in Nairobi on Saturday. The event was held outside China for the first time.

Over 50 Chinese and Kenyan scholars attended the Wanshou Forum that brainstormed on building a China-Africa community of shared future through international cooperation in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative.

Li Xuhang, Minister Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya said that robust interactions and knowledge sharing will catapult Sino-Africa ties to a new era of mutual benefits.

"Both China and Africa have entered a new era with new opportunities and demands. China needs Africa more than ever and Africa needs China more than ever too," said Li.

He added that China and African countries should forge strong ties in their pursuit of common goals like economic growth, social renewal and environmental protection.

Kenya became the first African country to host the 20th version of Wanshou Forum whose theme was opening a new era of China-Africa cooperation in the context of South-South cooperation.

Kenyan scholars hailed the hosting of the forum to discuss novel ways to revitalize Sino-Africa cooperation ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit to be held in Beijing in September.

James Kombo, acting Vice Chancellor of Daystar University, said that African countries could draw lessons from China's competitive edge in technology, innovations and economic resilience to tackle the continent's endemic challenges.

The Belt and Road Initiative will help build our capacity, enhance training, transfer of knowledge and skills to boost economic development in Africa, Kombo remarked.

He noted that China's image in Africa has rapidly improved thanks to huge investment flows into strategic areas like manufacturing and transport infrastructure.

Dong Weihua, Deputy Secretary-General of China Council for BRICS Think-Tank Cooperation said that robust exchanges among Chinese and African scholars is key to addressing threats facing both partners that include protectionism, communicable diseases, terrorism and environmental depletion.

She emphasized that both China and Africa share a common heritage and destiny hence the need to improve cooperation across economic, political, social and technological spheres.

"In the new era, all stakeholders in China and Africa, including think-tanks need to intensify exchange of experiences and mutual learning and jointly explore better ways to align development strategies and broaden development paths," Dong remarked.
General view of the United Nations Security Council voting on a Kuwait-drafted resolution on the protection of Palestinians, at the UN headquarters in New York, June 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

RAMALLAH, June 2 (Xinhua) -- An aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that the escalated policies of the United States against the Palestinian people's rights are "hostile and rejected."

Nabil Abu Rdineh said in an official statement published by the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) that the recent escalated U.S. policy against the Palestinian people's right was using the veto in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Earlier, the U.S. vetoed a bid presented by Kuwait to the UNSC to approve a resolution that ensures an international protection to the Palestinian people from the daily Israeli excessive use of force.

Abu Rdineh also stressed that "the current biased U.S. policy that backs the Israeli occupation and its settlement activity contradicts with the international resolutions and increases the Palestinians' determination to stick to their legitimate rights."

Speaking about the new peace plan the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is intending to declare, Abu Rdineh said "any peace settlement won't be accepted or applicable without the Palestinian leadership's approval."

"The only way to make just and everlasting peace is through a commitment to the international resolutions that lead to peace and stability as well as establishing an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital," he said.

Overnight, the U.S. vetoed the bid of Kuwait, while 10 UNSC states members voted in favor and four refrained. The bid was to approve a UNSC resolution that ensures an international protection to the Palestinians.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 21:42:14|Editor: ZX

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HOHHOT, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 1,000 armed police and fire fighters have been mobilized to battle forest fires in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, local fire authorities said Saturday.

A fire broke out at around 10 a.m. Saturday in a primeval forest in the northern area of the Greater Hinggan Mountains in the region.

Another fire in a national nature reserve was found at around 5 p.m.

Ongoing high temperatures and drought conditions increase forest fire hazard in the Greater Hinggan Mountains, according to local fire authorities.

More than 2,000 forest police are in a state of readiness for any fire danger.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 22:02:18|Editor: ZX

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BERLIN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The NATO will improve the combat readiness by planning to build a new standby pool of some 30,000 soldiers, German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag reported Saturday.

The troops, which is to be ready for use within 30 days, will be equipped, according to plan, with several hundred fighter jets and warships, the report was quoted as saying from high-ranking NATO diplomats.

The new Standby Pool will be built in addition to the existing NATO Response Force (NRF), which has around 20,000 troops at present.

The NATO defense ministers will discuss it next week in Brussels. Leaders of the bloc will then adopt a political declaration at their summit in mid-July.

According to the report, Germany will play a leading role in this new pool and the initiative for the new reserve pool went from Washington in recent months.

In the future, NATO will also want to improve military mobility in order to be able to transport heavy equipment like tanks faster to the place of deployment, which requires improvements in infrastructure and the removal of administrative hurdles and accelerated political decisions.

However, the report quoted NATO circles as saying that it is not only about better transport within Europe, but also between European and Transatlantic allies, such as America and Canada. The NATO defense ministers will also discuss this issue next week.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 22:02:18|Editor: ZX

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GAZA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian student Hussein al-Awour, 17, had to answer his high school final exams from bed in Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City as his injury prevented him from going to school.

Al-Awour was injured by Israeli bullets in his right leg on May 14 during mass anti-Israel protests that demand the return of Palestinian refugees who were forced to leave their cities during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948 as well as lifting the blockade Israel has been imposed since 2007.

The injury caused severe fractures in the bones and cuts in the blood veins, which required several surgeries.

Despite his severe condition, the young man decided to take the exams on time.

"I want to succeed despite the injury. I'm not fully prepared for the exams as I still receive treatment, but I'm determined to pass the exams," al-Awour told Xinhua.

Nearly 77,000 Palestinian students attended the first session of their high school exams in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on May 26, seeking to obtain the General Secondary Certificate.

Although the exams coincided with al-Awour's stay at the hospital and the appointments to complete the surgical procedures, the hospital administration decided to allocate a room within the cardiac surgery department for him to finish his exams.

Before he attended the first exam, which was the Islamic Religion, al-Awour underwent a preliminary surgery that led him to sleep.

He woke up just before the exam time, relying only on what he studied at home before being injured.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education and police officers supervise the exams of injured students at hospitals.

Right after he finished his exam, al-Awour was ready for another surgery that was postponed because of the exams.

"I wished I could attend the exams at the school with my classmates. I never imagined that I would go through such circumstances," he said with sadness.

Along with al-Awour, 30 more injured students attend high school exams from their hospitals beds.

Al-Awour and the other 30 students were injured during the mass anti-Israel rallies, known as "the Great March of Return," which started on March 30 and left at least 118 Palestinians dead. Three of them were high school students.

Ibrahim al-Zarqa was one of the students killed during the rallies that also left thousands injured.

Al-Zarqa's sister, Reem, posted a photo of him on her Facebook account on Thursday, recalling their memories and conversations on the exams.

"We miss you today. My father has always asked you to study well for the exams, but today you left us and went to paradise," the pot read.

The challenges have not only affected high school students, but also extended to the Ministry of Education, which suffers from financial crisis and deficit in its annual budget that has a significant impact on educational process.

"The ministry is doing everything to create appropriate atmosphere for students under the Israeli blockade which has been imposed for 11 years," said Ziad Thabet, education ministry undersecretary.

He added that the ministry faces other challenges, such as power cuts and the inability to pay full salaries for the ministry's staff, including teachers.

"We exert great efforts to provide a good atmosphere for students and provide psychological support for them and immediate intervention, especially for the injured students, who had to attend their exams at hospitals," he stressed.

The official said that the ministry has established nine monitoring committees in the hospitals of the Gaza Strip so that the injured students could take the exams on time.

"The Gaza Strip has been witnessing difficult situations, but the ministry is working attentively to provide the best service for the students," Thabet said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 22:07:19|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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LAGOS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police in the northwestern Zamfara state said on Saturday that 15 people were killed when unknown gunmen attacked a village in the state.

Police spokesperson in the state, Muhammad Shehu, told reporters in Gusau, the state capital that the gunmen killed the people in a village called Zakuna, in the Anka Local Government Area.

The gunmen invaded Zakuna in the early hours of Friday and stole cows belonging to villagers, she said, adding that no arrest had been made.

He told reporters that investigation into the matter had commenced.

The beleaguered state has seen repeated attacks in recent times that have left scores dead.

On May 25, some communities in Gidangoga District in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state were attacked by bandits, resulting in the death of 26 people, with three others injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 22:22:21|Editor: Lu Hui

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SINGAPORE, June 2 (Xinhua) -- China's concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security has clarified the country's stance on issues of regional concern, contributing to long-term stability and development in Asia, Chinese delegates to the ongoing 17th Shangri-La Dialogue said Saturday.

The policy package includes the promotion of common development, building of partnerships, improvement of existing multilateral frameworks, rule-setting, military exchanges and proper settlement of differences.

Speaking at a special session of the dialogue, officially known as the Asia Security Summit, He Lei, vice president of the Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the head of the Chinese delegation to the dialogue, said the Asia-Pacific region has witnessed a growing gap between economic development and security, with economy maintaining a steady and fast growth and security still facing many uncertain factors.

The security challenges include the rising "zero-sum" competition; disputes over territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests as well as the non-traditional security threats, such as terrorism, natural disasters and transnational crimes among others, He said.

"To ensure long-term stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific, China has put forward a number of proposals that have been highly valued by the international community."

China advocates the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, takes win-win cooperation as the core of new international relations based on partnerships instead of alliances, and strives to pursue a new path of security which is built by all, shared by all, win-win for all and safeguarded by all, He said.

China also champions common development to consolidate economic foundation for peace and stability in the region as there are many regional security issues that cannot be solved without development, the chief delegate said.

"Achieving common development is the fundamental guarantee of peace and stability, and the 'master key' to solving security problems."

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is not only a path of development but also a path of peace, as it will not only bring opportunities to the economic development of regional countries, but also provide ideas and solutions for them to solve security problems, he noted.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative, proposed by China in 2013, is aimed at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.

China also calls for improving regional security architecture to lay a solid foundation for enduring peace and stability in the region, He said, adding that China also calls on countries to properly handle differences and disputes to maintain the peaceful and stable environment in the region.

Echoing He at a discussion session of the Shangari-La Dialogue, Zhou Bo, director of the Center for Security Cooperation at the Office for International Military Cooperation at Chinese Defense Ministry, said China, while recognizing that peaceful development of its own is closely linked to the future of the Asia-Pacific, puts forward the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and supports active bilateral and multilateral security dialogue and collaboration, so as to move forward economic and security cooperation in the region.

China holds the view that a country should not pursue its own absolute security at the expense of that of others, said Zhou.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaozhuo from the Xiangshan Forum Secretariat said China, seeking to promote common development and prosperity, has put forward the Belt and Road Initiative which also aims at connecting countries along the routes and promoting unimpeded trade among countries and understanding among peoples.

Since its launch in 2002 by the British think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Singaporean government, Shangri-La Dialogue has been held annually as an Asian security forum.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 22:32:23|Editor: Chengcheng

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Sher Bahadur Tamang (R), Nepali Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, poses with Qiao Guojin, the Chinese award-winner, during the Araniko Art Promotion Special Award 2018 in Kathmandu, Nepal, on June 2, 2018. The Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, a government body formed to promote Nepali arts, hosted Araniko Art Promotion Special Award 2018 on Saturday, where two late Nepali artists and one collector from China were awarded. (Xinhua/Sulav Shrestha)

KATHMANDU, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, a government body formed to promote Nepali arts, hosted Araniko Art Promotion Special Award 2018 on Saturday, where two late Nepali artists and one collector from China were awarded.

Sher Bahadur Tamang, Nepali minster for law, justice and parliamentary affairs, felicitated family members of the two late artists and Qiao Guojin, the Chinese award-winner, amid a function with fanfare in the capital of Kathmandu.

The award was established under the name of famous Nepali architect Araniko, who was born in the Kathmandu Valley in 1244 and spent over 40 years in the Yuan Dynasty of China, where he built many temples and promoted Nepali Buddhist arts. Among them the most famous one is White Stupa at Miaoying Temple in Beijing.

Qiao has been involved in promoting Nepali Thankas (a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton or silk usually depicting Buddha) and traditional Newari arts (art associated with the indigenous community of Kathmandu Valley) in China for a decade.

Upon receiving the award, Qiao, chairman of a cultural company, said the award was not just the recognition of his contribution to promote Nepali arts and culture, but it was also the responsibility to work toward deepening ties between the two countries in arts and culture.

"Under the initiative of the Belt and Road Initiative, the two countries could deepen culture exchanges further," the 49-year-old art-lover said while receiving the award.

Ragini Grela Upadhya, chancellor of the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, told the audience that Newari arts are unique, but to create art works alone is not enough, there must be strong marketing to promote them all over the world including China, which is what Qiao and his Chinese friends have been doing for a long time.
CAPE TOWN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of vulnerable South Africans still face dangers as can be shown by a blaze that killed five children over night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday.

Ramaphosa joined the nation in mourning the death of the five children killed in a fire in an informal settlement in Masiya, Cape Town. The fire ripped through 10 homes, displacing about 30 people.

The incident "is a tragedy that brings home the dangers faced by thousands of vulnerable South Africans, especially during winter," said the president.

"This tragedy touches and affects all of us as South Africans, especially as we mark Youth Month during which our nation's attention is focused on creating a better life for young people," he said.

June is celebrated as Youth Month in South Africa, paying tribute to the school pupils and ordinary citizens who lost their lives during a student uprising on June 16, 1976.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it was believed that the fire was probably the result of residents using a paraffin stove to keep warm.

Since 1994 when apartheid was brought to an end, the government has made significant strides in the development of human settlements but tragedies such as this still happen, Ramaphosa said.

These tragedies "remind all of us of the hard work yet to be done to ensure that there is housing, security and comfort for all South Africans," he said.

Ramaphosa pledged that the government will do its best to assist the affected families.

"We will also work with communities to promote safety measures at a time when many families use various forms of fuel and heating to keep warm," he added.

South Africa always sees a spike in shack fires in winter when impoverished families burn wood or fuel to keep warm.

In a separate incident on Friday, two children were killed when a fire broke out at their home in the Enkanini informal settlement, also in Cape Town.

In the Spooktown informal settlement, Gauteng Province, three children were killed on Tuesday night when a blaze ripped through their home.

Lack of basic services, such as proper heating system and electricity, are some of the major factors that lead to shack fires.

People in informal settlements across the country stage protests against poor service delivery every year.

The opposition United Democratic Movement claims that the country experiences 30 service delivery protests a day.
TOKYO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Korean Air passenger plane made an emergency landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo Saturday night, local media reported.

The KE 2711 flight from Gimpo International Airport in Seoul was flying to Haneda Airport when an onboard alarm indicated fire in its cargo around 8:15 p.m. local time (1115 GMT).

The plane made an emergency landing at Haneda Airport about 25 minutes later.

A total of 189 passengers and crew members were aboard the Boeing 777 plane, and no one was injured.

Several flights scheduled to land at Haneda Airport were late or diverted to other airports as a runway was closed due to the emergency landing.
Mourners carry the body of Razan al-Najjar during her funeral in the southern Gaza Strip City of Khan Yunis, on June 2, 2018. (Xinhua/Khaled Omar)

GAZA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of outraged Palestinian mourners buried on Saturday a female paramedic who was shot dead by Israeli gunfire close to Gaza's border with Israel.

Wrapped with a Palestinian flag and carried on the shoulders of mourners, Razan al-Najjar, 21, who volunteered as a paramedic treating Palestinian protesters injured by Israeli gunfire, was buried in a cemetery east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.

Jawad Awwad, Palestinian Authority minister of health, described the Israeli killing of al-Najjar as a "war crime," which "reflects the Israeli army's determination to violate all international conventions on protecting paramedics."

"Al-Najjar paid her life for saving and rescuing the children of her people," said Awwad, hailing her "a brave young woman."

At least 119 Palestinians, including the female paramedic and 13 children, have been killed by Israeli fire since March 30, the first day of the ongoing Palestinian anti-Israel "Great March of Return" rally.

During the funeral of al-Najjar, the mourners waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans of revenge for the death of Al-Najjar and other Palestinian demonstrators in the mass rally.

After the funeral, dozens of mourners rushed to the border area east of Khan Younis, cut the barbed wires of the security fence with Israel and seized a tear gas canister launcher on the roof of an Israeli army vehicle.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the health ministry in Gaza, said 15 demonstrators were shot and wounded in the clashes, in which eyewitnesses said Israeli border soldiers opened fire and dispersed Palestinian protesters back into Gaza.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Three paramilitary troopers and a civilian were wounded Saturday after militants launched a grenade attack in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The grenade was hurled at a contingent of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Fateh Kadal locality in the old part of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Militants this evening hurled a grenade towards our contingent in old city, which wounded three of our men," spokesperson of CRPF Sanjay Sharma told Xinhua. "The wounded personnel were immediately removed to hospital."

Reports said a civilian was also wounded in the blast.

Soon after the attack, police contingents rushed to the spot and launched a manhunt to nab the attackers.

So far, no militant outfit has claimed responsibility of the attack.

On Friday, four CRPF personnel, a policeman and a civilian were wounded in a similar grenade attack in southern Anantnag district.

Meanwhile, situation in Srinagar was tense throughout the day as hundreds of mourners participated in the funeral procession of a youth who was run over by a paramilitary vehicle on Friday during clashes.

Police fired dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the mourners.
TRIPOLI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Militants suspected of Islamic State (IS) attacked a security checkpoint south of the eastern Libyan city of Ajdabiya on Saturday, killing a woman and injuring five others, according to local sources.

"Militants on Saturday morning attacked the security checkpoint Al-Gannan south of the city of Ajdabiya and clashed with the security and the police force stationed near the site," the source told Xinhua, on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

"The attack claimed the life of a woman who passed through with her family at the site, while five of her family were injured during the treacherous attack," the source said.

The source added that the militants were "likely to belong to IS," as they recently moved near the area, and the way was similar to the IS attack.

The source also said that attackers burned the checkpoint and four security vehicles, adding that "the militants were chased and one of their vehicles was found broken down."

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Ajdabiya is controlled by Libyan eastern-based army, which is led by General Khalifa Haftar and allied with the eastern authorities.

IS affiliates have claimed responsibility for previous similar attacks. In October 2017, IS attacked on a checkpoint near the city, which killed two army soldiers and injured three others.
ADDIS ABABA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government on Saturday approved a draft bill to lift the six-month state of emergency rule that was sanctioned in mid February.

The Ethiopian Council of Ministers, in its meeting on Saturday, decided to lift the emergency rule ahead of its deadline, attributing the decision to the East African country's current stability in political and security spheres.

The six-month martial law, which had a possibility of extension period if security situation had not been improved, was initially sanctioned by the Council of Ministers on February 16, which was later approved by the Ethiopian parliament's lower house within 15 days of the initial decision.

The bill to lift the emergency rule is now expected to be approved by the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives (HoPR), the parliament's lower house. The HoPR is exclusively dominated by the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front.

The Ethiopian government stressed, while sanctioning the law, the necessity to protect the country's constitution, and the safety of citizens and their property from the dangers that would arise from widespread violent demonstrations that erupted in different parts of the country since the second half of 2016.

The emergency rule prohibited possession of armaments at public areas or transferring firearms to third party as well as providing support to activities which affect the peace and well-being of citizens.

The decree, among other things, prohibited issuing statement on security matters without the permission of the Command Post (a special entity that was established to watch over the implementation of the emergency rule), distributing erroneous information that contradicts the law and the directives issued by the Command Post. It also forbids carrying weapons in unauthorized regions of the country.

The state of emergency also outlined curfews prohibiting movement of individuals around infrastructures, investment areas and other related places.

The Command Post, soon after the institution of the state of emergency rule, had also authorized Ethiopian security officers to take measures against individuals or groups that are found in breach of the curfew.

The current 6-month state of emergency period was the second the East African country imposed since the second half of 2016 due to deteriorated security condition, which at times turned violent.

Ethiopia had witnessed a 10-month long state of emergency period that was effective as of October 2016.

The draft bill to lift the current six-month state of emergency rule on Saturday has been positively welcomed by Ethiopians.

The move also followed recent decision by the Ethiopian government to release prominent opposition figures as well as former Ethiopian government officials who were arrested due to corruption cases from imprisonment.

The amnesty program, which the Ethiopian government said is a means towards national reconciliation and unity, has seen the release of thousands of prisoners and others under investigation since the swearing in of Ethiopia's new Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, on April 2.
HAVANA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Seven people died and two others remain missing in Cuba after heavy rains and floods hit the country's central and western provinces, the island country's Civil Defense said Saturday.

The seven dead are all men who were drowned while swimming in overflowing rivers in the western province of Pinar del Rio and the central provinces of Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Villa Clara and Matanzas, local newspaper Granma quoted the country's main institution for disaster relief as saying.

The two people missing are also from Villa Clara and Ciego de Avila. One of them was last seen swimming in a river while the other man disappeared in unknown circumstances.

Over the last week, heavy rains affected the Cuba's central provinces due to subtropical storm Alberto, flooding towns and leaving thousands of homes under water, while over 51,000 Cubans were evacuated in the area.

Recovery efforts are now underway after more than 1,500 homes were affected with 174 of them totally collapsed.

One of the nation's main oil refineries in Cienfuegos was forced to stop due to the heavy floods that hours later caused an oil spill in that city's bay. The escape has been controlled by local authorities.

Substantial damages have been caused in the agricultural sector, with crops like rice, beans, tobacco and bananas being affected.

The Zaza dam, the largest in Cuba, has accumulated over 900 million cubic meters of water, standing at 100 percent of its full capacity.

Last year, Cuba was severely affected by hurricane Irma which caused heavy floods and serious damage estimated at 13 billion U.S. dollars, leaving ten dead and forcing the evacuation of 1.7 million people.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 23:07:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DUBAI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Emirates Scientists Council (ESC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) held a meeting in Dubai to explore ways to facilitate medical research in the Gulf Arab country, the ESC said in a statement on Saturday.

The council also discussed opportunities and challenges in the health sector in the UAE.

Chaired by Sarah Bint Yousef Al Amiri, minister of State for Advanced Sciences and ESC chairwoman, the meeting introduced new practices to support health-related research activities and new policies to regulate the industry.

ESC members discussed various scenarios for developing the UAE's healthcare sector, exploring the role that genomics research can play.

Al Amiri said the Open Labs Initiative, launched by UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in May, "is a significant addition to the scientific research efforts in the UAE."

The intiative empowers researchers and scientists, and grants them access to cutting-edge and highly equipped laboratories, she said, adding that it aims to attract global research expert to the UAE and to cut research costs by 30 percent within the country, according to a report by UAE daily Gulf News.

The council also adopted plans to prepare a comprehensive report that evaluates the state of research in the science and technology sector.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 23:22:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GUANGZHOU, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Local customs in south China's Guangdong Province said Saturday that 10 people were detained for smuggling endangered birds.

Customs in the city of Shantou was informed that illegal purchase of smuggled parrots were found in the city at the beginning of this year.

After five months' investigation, customs officers searched four residences and parrot farms, and captured 10 people involved in the case during an operation on Friday.

Customs officers also seized 198 parrot eggs and 567 live birds, including parrots and toucans.

Investigation showed that a Guangzhou resident, surnamed Ren, has smuggled parrot eggs into China and had those eggs hatched in the provinces of Guangdong and Hunan, and then sold them across the country, since 2017.

Parrots are under key protection in China. Under Chinese law, people smuggling ten or more parrots will be sentenced to at least 10 years in jail or life imprisonment.
DUBLIN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The escalating trade war between the United States and the European Union (EU) could potentially devastate the Irish whiskey industry, head of Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) has said.

William Lavelle told local media RTE Friday that currently there are no tariffs on Irish whiskey sold in the United States. However, he said that the EU is proposing placing tariffs on the U.S. whiskey in retaliation for the U.S. placing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Europe.

He said there is a significant fear among local whiskey distilleries and traders that the United States in turn would impose tariffs on whiskey, which he said would be "devastating" for the Irish whiskey industry.

According to the IWA statistics, Ireland sold 8.7 million 9-litre cases of whiskey in 2016, which is equal to more than 100 million bottles of whiskey, of which 43.92 million bottles were sold to the United States, making it the largest importer of the Irish whiskey.

In 2016, the total exports of the Irish whiskey were valued at 505 million euros (589 million U.S. dollars), of which approximately half was sold in the United States, said IWA.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Royal Brunei Police Force has detained 17 drivers and their vehicles on Saturday during a special operation against illegal racing activity.

According to Radio Television Brunei, the country's national broadcaster, the special operation was conducted by the Department of Investigation and Road Traffic and the Brunei Muara District Police, Royal Brunei Police Force.

The police said a road in the capital has been misused as a racing circuit every weekend by a group of irresponsible drivers, which causes discomfort to local residents.

"Road users are reminded not to use the roads in the country as racing circuits as a small mistake or negligence could potentially cause danger not only to the driver, but also to passengers and other road users," the police said.

All suspects and vehicles believed to be involved in the activity were brought to Muara Police Station for further investigation and action.
LAGOS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Cholera cases in northeastern Nigeria's Adamawa have risen to 909 since the outbreak of the water-borne disease in parts of the state, heath authorities said on Saturday.

The outbreak in Mubi North and South areas of the state has also claimed 16 lives, Fatima Atiku Abubakar, state health commissioner told reporters in Yola, the state capital.

The official said due to collaborative efforts with international partners, the fatality ratio of the outbreak has been reduced from 17 percent to 1.8 percent as at Friday.

Cholera is an extremely virulent disease characterized in its most severe form by sudden onset of acute watery diarrhea that can lead to death by severe dehydration.

The outbreak is common in Nigeria due to the poor water supply systems, especially in densely populated areas.
JOHANNESBURG, June 2 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday pledged to support the fire victims in Cape Town's informal settlements .

Five boys died while 30 were displaced when fire ravaged the informal settlement in Philippi, Cape Town, on Saturday morning. Ramaphosa said the incident revealed the dangers faced by the poor South Africans during the winter season.

"We will also work with communities to promote safety measures at a time when many families use various forms of fuel and heating to keep warm," said Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa said this incident is a reminder that they have to create a better life for the youth.

"Since 1994, government has made significant strides in the development of human settlements but tragedies such as this remind all of us of the hard work yet to be done to ensure that there is housing, security and comfort for all South Africans," he said.
BANGKOK, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The construction of a Thai-Chinese high-speed rail between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima in northeastern Thailand is expected to get fully started early next year, following biddings later this year, said Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith on Friday.

Arkhom, who co-chaired the 24th meeting of the Joint Committee on Thailand-China Cooperation on Rail Project with Ning Jizhe, deputy head of China's National Development and Reform Commission, said the construction of the main sections of the first phase of the high-speed rail from Bangkok to northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima will start in March next year.

The entire 253-km route between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima is divided into 14 sections, two of which are considered minor sections located in the northeastern province, including an initial 3.5-km-long section currently under construction between Klang Dong and Pang Asok stations, which started late last year.

Of the 12 main sections, six sections will be open to biddings in September this year, followed by the construction scheduled to begin in March next year, whereas the other six sections will be open to biddings in November this year, followed by the construction to begin in April next year, according to the transport minister.

Meanwhile, the 350-km high-speed rail between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai, which is facing the Lao capital Vientiane across Mekong River, will be implemented by Thailand with China acting as consultants in terms of feasibility study and design, Arkhom said.

The feasibility study and design are scheduled to be finished within this year so that the construction will begin next year, the minister noted, adding that they will work hard to make both phases, or the whole high-speed rail from Bangkok to Nong Khai, operational at the same time.

Another bridge across Mekong River will be built to accommodate the high-speed railway, which is designed to link southern China with Thailand through Laos.
This file combination photo created on June 2, 2018 shows U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Kim Jong Un (R), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). (Xinhua)

by Xinhua Writers Liuchen and Zhu Dongyang

WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his meeting with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un will be held on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled.

Exerts say the latest development that came after the recent twists and turns concerning the U.S.-DPRK summit has rekindled hope for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

BACK ON TRACK

"We'll be meeting on June 12th in Singapore," Trump told reporters at the White House, in reference to the Trump-Kim summit, following his two-hour meeting with a senior official from Pyongyang who delivered a personal letter from Kim to the U.S. president.

The new twist came after Trump canceled the widely anticipated meeting in a letter to Kim last week, sparking a whirlwind of diplomacy over the weekend to salvage it.

"I think it's probably going to be a very successful, ultimately, a successful process," said Trump at the White House driveway after his talks with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee.

The high-level DPRK official traveled from New York to Washington on Friday after a two-day meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Trump's letter may have temporarily canceled the summit, but it also demonstrated his continued interest in holding talks, Kyle Ferrier, an analyst for the Washington-based non-profit Korea Economic Institute of America, told Xinhua.

Though uncertain about Trump's letter as a "negotiating tactic" or a "sincere effort" to quit, Ferrier believed that Trump had more to gain from attending the meeting rather than canceling it.

START A PROCESS

In his remarks, Trump also described the on-again, off-again summit as a "get-to-know-you" situation, saying that probably more than one meeting was necessary to achieve the denuclearization after years of "hostility" and "hatred."

"It will be a beginning," Trump said. "I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end."

Meanwhile, Trump floated the possibility of yielding an agreement out of the summit to formally end the 1950-53 Korean war, which was concluded with a truce.

"We're going to discuss it prior to the meeting. That's something that could come out of the meeting," Trump said.

For Richard Haas, the president of Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, it was good that Trump "appears to be embracing the idea of summit as the first step of a gradual progress."

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that there are many issues to discuss from denuclearization to international assistance for the DPRK.

"The key thing will be to establish a process by which each side moves a bit and gets rewarded with a parallel action from the other side," West said. "The only agreement that will stick is if it is win-win for everyone involved."

Ferrier called it "a good thing" that the U.S. president, known for his volatility, kept a low tone on the upcoming summit.

"The best result of this summit is that both sides agree to continue to talk through their differences to eventually arrive at a mutually agreed-upon path for North Korea's (DPRK's) nuclear program," the analyst said.

OBSTACLES REMAIN

With experts applauding the resumption of the meeting, the verification process of the denuclearization is still seen as a major obstacle for the two sides to reach a deal.

"Trump objected to the checks put in place on the Iran nuclear agreement so he will need something more substantial than was the case there," West said.

Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, saw a host of substantive obstacles remaining, including how to handle initial steps to establish goodwill, what issues will require reciprocal actions, how to manage verification, and the scope of denuclearization and missile constraints.

"It is a daunting challenge," Paal added. (Matthew Rusling also contributed to the story)
ADDIS ABABA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Landlocked Ethiopia is to establish a naval force more than two decades after it was disbanded, state media Radio Fana said on Saturday.

The announcement was made by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during a meeting with officials from the Ethiopia National Defense Force, said the Radio Fana report.

However, the announcement did not specify where the navy would be based or when it would be established.

Ethiopia had a navy up to the early 1990s, when the independence of Eritrea left Ethiopia landlocked and prompted the Ethiopian government to disband the navy.
TUNIS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Clay taking shape in his hands, Tawfik Alkdhi was modeling pottery on a banding wheel in his family's workshop in Guellala village of the Mediterranean resort Djerba island in southern Tunisia.

Endowed with a mastery, this 28-year-old local potter managed to manually make a piece of pottery, later to be fired in a furnace.

"Our workshop has a history of hundreds of years and this is a quite ancient craft passed down for generations," said Alkdhi.

Guellala, a small village with another ancient name Haribus, was renowned for its traditional pottery industry. It's said the pottery art was introduced in Tunisia by the Phoenicians and Guellala village began to produce traditional pottery since Ancient Rome times.

Like Alkdhi's family, which consisted of 10 members, most inhabitants here were engaged in this ancient craft and mainly live on making pottery. The traditional pottery products in this village feature unglazed storage jars modeled on ancient amphora.

The clay used by the potters was excavated from 20 meters deep underground, broken up into pieces, mixed with water for four days and kneaded with feet.

"The underground of our village is full of clay," said Alkdhi. "There are always two pools in the yard. One is with fresh water for red-color pottery, and the other is with seawater for white-color."

Pottery takes shape on the potter's wheel, and get dried in the shade, small ones for one week and large ones for one month.

"Collections were taken to a big furnace, with palm tree branches as the fuel in the kiln, staying for 5-day-firing with 1,200 degrees Celsius," said Alkdhi. "Every month, we light the furnace once, for a large batch of pottery, and this is a big day, working with families together, like a celebration."

The ancient pottery craft has brought fame to this tiny village. On the main street, workshops with pottery artistically embedded into stone arches and houses were easily found to attract visitors. Local potters host a free demonstration of pottery making and explain the whole process of turning clay into a final product.

Melanie Safka, a tourist from New Zealand, said "it's quite impressive. Time seems to have stopped here. They work almost in the same way as old Romans did. What a great experience." In the show room, which presented a wide assortment of pottery for sale, Melanie bought one amphora as souvenir.

Alkdhi told Xinhua that as local tourism started to revive this year, he received tourists from different countries, such as Brazil, Japan, France and the United States.

"The work with clay should change with times. We don't just stick to the pottery of old types, we also change for innovation with modern types," said Alkdhi.

Ramzi Boussetta, the 35-year-old cousin of Alkdhi, also a local potter in Guellala, ran another workshop just on the opposite of the main street.

"I also learned the craft from my father, inherited for generations, just like many local families," said Boussetta. "This year, more European tourists come here."

Despite the current good business, Alkdhi said he was worried the pottery industry in his village would vanish in the future. "It's difficult work and there will not be many people willing to do this."

Boussetta was also not optimistic about the future of this local industry, saying "it will disappear. I have a daughter, but I don't want her to engage in this."

There were over 400 local potters living in this village in the past, "but nowadays many young men here don't want it, because it takes time and patience. Instead, they want to go to the outside world, do easier things for more money," said Alkdhi.

In his childhood, Alkdhi played around with clay and watched his father make pottery. When he turned 20, his father officially passed down the craft to him.

"I want to carry on this career, because this craft was the origin of my village," said Alkdhi. "I want the local pottery industry to stay in the future, this is my dream."
BUJUMBURA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Burundian government Saturday organized countrywide demonstrations against UN secretary general's special envoy to Burundi, Michel Kafando, for saying a recent constitutional referendum in Burundi will polarize an already tense situation.

The demonstrations, which took place at chief towns of Burundi's all 18 provinces, were also against the governments of France and Belgium for "dividing citizens" of Burundi, Burundian Interior Minister Pascal Barandagiye, who joined the demonstrations, told a crowd of people in Ngozi town of Ngozi province, northern Burundi.

The foreign ministry of France earlier this week said in a statement that the amended constitution does not protect the Tutsi minority group.

"France and other colonizers like Belgium have to stop interfering in our internal political affairs," said Barandagiye.

The National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), the Burundi ruling party, has maintained that the amended constitution respects the letter and spirits of the 2000 Arusha Agreement that provides quotas on power-sharing of positions in higher institutions between ethnic groups.

The Burundian Constitutional Court on Thursday endorsed the results of a constitutional referendum held on May 17 on extending the presidential term from five years to seven and allowing the president to serve two consecutive terms.

The court said the amendments to the constitution were approved by a vote of 73.24 percent in the referendum while citizens who rejected the draft constitution accounted for 19.37 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-03 02:48:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CHICAGO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural commodities closed lower over the trading week which ended June 1, with corn futures dropping over 3 percent as investors booked profits amid trade tensions.

The most active corn contract for July delivery fell 14.5 cents weekly, or 3.57 percent, to 3.915 dollars per bushel. July wheat delivery dropped 19.75 cents, or 3.64 percent, to 5.2325 dollars per bushel. July soybeans dived 20.25 cents, or 1.94 percent, to 10.2125 dollars per bushel over the week.

CBOT corn futures plunged on profit taking amid renewed global trade concern. A resolution on the North American Free Trade Agreement seems unlikely this summer.

Crude oil has fallen noticeably from recent highs on trade concerns and as OPEC's meeting later this month will include a desire to boost production. Whether OPEC changes its current cap is far from certain.

World weather patterns are becoming more concerning. It remains that very little rain will fall across the Black Sea Corn Belt into mid-June. Net declines in soil moisture will be featured across the United States amid incredible heat. Analysts expect soil moisture loss to continue through the entirety of June.

Wheat futures fell nearly 20 cents driven by spring contracts in Minneapolis. Needed rain will fall across much of the Canadian Prairies. Early Hard Red Wheat yield reports have been a bit better than expected, and long liquidation occurred late in the week.

However, Black Sea weather remains key and no improvement is indicated there into the middle part of June. Just 15 to 50 percent of normal rain has fallen in Ukraine and Southwest Russia in the past 45 days.

Already major exporter stocks are forecast to fall considerably. New crop Russian wheat is offered this weekend at 202 to 204 dollars per tonne, vs. 182 dollars last year, reflecting a tightening world wheat balance sheet.

New highs will be found this summer if Black Sea and Australian weather patterns fail to change by the opening days of July.

Soybeans were lower at the end of a holiday shortened week. The announcement of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico sent the market lower on trade retaliation concern.

U.S. soybean planting progress through Sunday is expected to reach or surpass 90 percent, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to report initial crop condition ratings.

Based on strong U.S. corn ratings, initial soybean good and excellent ratings are expected to also be high. A few state reports were available last week which showed 80 percent of the Illinois crop and 74 percent of the Indiana crop were rated as good or excellent.
NAIROBI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign policy centered on a win-win partnership and respect for other country's political structures will be key to hasten inclusive growth, peace and stability in Africa, Kenyan scholars said Saturday.

The scholars who spoke at the 20th Wanshou Forum held in Nairobi said China will continue to be an instrumental player in Africa's quest to modernize its infrastructure, tackle poverty and expedite industrialization.

Peter Kagwanja, CEO of Nairobi-based think tank, Africa Policy Institute, said that African countries are looking up to China as a strategic partner to achieve their vision of a continent that is prosperous, connected and peaceful.

"The Chinese dream has found a convergence with the African agenda 2063 that envisions a peaceful and prosperous continent," Kagwanja remarked.

Over 50 Kenyan and Chinese scholars attended the Wanshou Forum whose theme was opening a new era of China-Africa cooperation in the context of South-South cooperation.

The forum discussed diverse topics like building a China-Africa community of shared future through cooperation in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We need a civilizational dialogue with China to define the next phase of cooperation with the Asian giant. We should also deepen win-win partnership and pick lessons from China's giant economic progress," said Kagwanja.

He noted that China-funded Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project has been transformative in terms of spurring Kenya's regional economic development.

China has enjoyed goodwill in Africa thanks to robust investments in critical sectors like transport, manufacturing and information technology that are reshaping the continent's growth.

Polycarp Ochillo, a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi, said China has filled the void created by western powers to become Africa's dependable partner in many spheres.

"What is emerging for now is that China will remain an indispensable partner as the African continent chart a new path that leads to sustainable growth," Ochillo said.

Sam Kamau, a senior lecturer at Aga Khan University in Nairobi, said that Sino-Africa ties will withstand stereotypical narratives from the West to be upgraded to new levels.

"Moving forward, we expect China to remain an integral part of the African dream. Our interests converge and we should leverage on China's strengths to promote our development," Kamau said.
BUCHAREST, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Romanian final of the 17th "Chinese Bridge" contest, also known as Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, was held here Friday at the University of Bucharest.

16 contestants from four Confucius Institutes in the country competed in the qualification contest. Hathazy Borbala from Confucius Institute at Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca won the competition, thanks to her better language level, and versatile talent show in singing, dancing and martial arts.

Borbala will represent Romania for the "Chinese Bridge" international final in China, while Adriana Antoche from the Confucius Institute at University of Bucharest will go to the final as a spectator.

Mircea Dumitru, Rector of the University of Bucharest, said the vigorous development of Chinese education in Romania provides a better foundation for bilateral cultural exchanges, and these young people who use Chinese as a medium will become the messengers of the friendship between Romania and China.

The rector stressed that the University of Bucharest will continue to support Chinese education and support the Confucius Institute.

Tu Jiang, an official with the Chinese Embassy in Romania, emphasized in his opening remarks the importance of language in promoting bilateral relations.

"Language is a bridge for communication," he said. "We will continue the traditional friendly relations between China and Romania, and further deepen cooperation in all areas under the Belt and Road Initiative and the 16+1 cooperation framework."
MAPUTO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Eight members of an alleged Islamist group have been killed by the Mozambique's Defense and Security Forces (FDS) in the district of Palma in the northernmost province of Cabo Delgado, sources said Saturday.

The members are from the self-proclaimed Al-Shabab group, which has been launching sporadic attacks against police and civilians since last October, causing terror and displacement in several districts of Cabo Delgado.

"At the site where the eight members of the radical Islamist group were killed, an AK47 gun and machetes they used to behead people were found," said one FDS member, requesting anonymity when asked by reporters.

According to the police source who was involved in the hunting mission, more information could be officially published within days.

"This group was thought to be in the riverside areas where they can have access to water for personal consumption and hygiene," he said.
People gather at the site of a mine collapse accident in Godda district, eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, Dec. 30, 2016. (Xinhua)

TBILISI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed in an accident at an open extraction coal quarry in Tkibuli town in central Georgia on Saturday.

According to the country's Internal Affairs Ministry, the bodies were being examined to identify the cause of the death.

So far there is no further information on the detailed cause of the accident.

An investigation has been launched to check if there is any violation of safety rules in mining, according to the ministry.

Another six miners died and three have been injured in Tkibuli as the ceiling collapsed at the Mindeli coal mine in April this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-03 04:33:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DUBLIN, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The direct flight service between China's Hong Kong and Ireland's Dublin was launched on Saturday as an Airbus A350-900 of Cathay Pacific departing from Hong Kong safely landed at Dublin Airport earlier in the day.

This is the first direct flight service between Hong Kong and Dublin, and also the first direct flight route ever launched between China and Ireland.

This is a historic and momentous day for Dublin Airport and also a major milestone for the entire Irish economy, said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison.

According to Harrison, trade between Ireland and China is worth more than 8 billion euros (9.3 billion U.S. dollars) per annum, and almost 100 Irish firms have operations in China. Currently, there are an estimated 4,000 Irish people living in Hong Kong and the number of the people travelling between Hong Kong and Dublin stands at about 40,000 a year.

"I have no doubt this new route will be popular for business and leisure travellers. We will work closely with Cathay Pacific to market the new route," said Harrison.

The direct flight service is operated by Cathay Pacific on a four-times-a-week basis.

Cathay Pacific is a Hong Kong-based airline with a fleet of 144 aircraft, offering flights to 197 destinations in 48 countries and regions, said a press release of Dublin Airport.

Dublin Airport, the largest airport in Ireland, handles annually about 85 percent of the total flight passengers in the country, according to the airport's 2017 statistics.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-03 04:33:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- As the first anniversary of the embargo on Qatar by the Saudi Arabia-led quartet approaches, no side seems to be ready to make any significant concession and end the rift.

The embargo was launched on June 5, 2017, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Egypt cutting all economic and diplomatic ties with Qatar while accusing it of supporting terrorism.

MEDIATION NOT EASY

Regional efforts, led by Kuwait, to resolve the dispute continue. Recently, the Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah has sent envoys with letters to the leaders of Qatar, Oman and the UAE, but there has been no sign of new development of the mediation.

"Our mediation has not been easy," said Kuwait's Ambassador to Britain Khaled al Duwaisan, speaking at the annual Oxford Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Forum on May 12, while adding that "the issues can and should be settled by negotiations."

"None of the parties have a real reason right now to make major concessions. The crisis has reached a sort of modus vivendi while the region is busier with other serious conflicts," Rory Miller, professor of international relations with Georgetown University in Qatar, told Xinhua.

One of the major drivers of compromise in the past was cohabitation inside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Miller said, predicting it is highly unlikely that the GCC is going to play that function any more and therefore there is less incentive to find ways to come to terms.

Furthermore, he argued that the lack of trust and alienation generated over the last year need to be overcome or at least reduced by real and lasting solutions, rather than a token one for public consumption.

The past year has witnessed major financial losses, a fierce media war, and pressing political, economic and social repercussions.

"There was an initial financial shock in the first months, but the impact of the embargo was not that severe on the Qatari economy as we might have thought," Miller said.

Qatar Airways suffered a massive loss because of restrictions imposed by the quartet, said its CEO in March, pointing out that switching to longer routes using wide-body aircraft is driving up costs.

Also, Qatar Airways has been denied entry to airspace over the countries that imposed the blockade, causing diversions that extend flying time and increase the fuel bill.

However, Qatar repositioned its trading relations and networks and refocused on domestic production to make up for gaps in supply and to underpin future food security, Miller added.

Although Qatar has made some achievement so as to dismiss the demands of the Arab quartet, it would lead Qatar to crisis in the long run, said Nourhan el-Sheikh, professor of political science at Cairo University.

"Such a choice requires Doha to endure drain of its money supply and to keep a vigilant eye on the internal mood of its tribal religious community," Sheikh told Xinhua.

Therefore, it is inevitable for Qatar to admit that resolving the crisis and restoring ties with its Gulf neighbors is the best choice, he highlighted.

On the other hand, there is also little sign of willingness to step back by the four countries that severed ties with Qatar.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir described the Qatari crisis as "very small" compared with other challenges in the region, suggesting Riyadh is content to let it simmer away.

OUTSIDE PRESSURE NEEDED TO PUSH NEGOTIATION

Over the past 25 years, Qatar has intensified its capabilities in networking with and gambling on groups of political Islam in the region, professor Sheikh pointed out.

In 2013, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE confronted Doha's growing influence in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Syria.

"It is difficult for Egypt now to make any compromises with Qatar, especially when the latter has close ties with Turkey for supporting the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group," Sheikh added.

Despite the U.S. silence about the Saudi-led boycott at the beginning, Washington pushes now for a resolution.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had a phone call with Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on May 16, in which he emphasized U.S. President Donald Trump's "desire to see the Gulf dispute eased and eventually resolved."

Earlier last month, Trump announced he was pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal and reimposing sanctions on Tehran.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain supported the decision, but Qatar has opposed the U.S. government's new stance, fearing it would compromise a large offshore gas field jointly-owned by Qatar and Iran.

Nevertheless, the United States would find the region slightly easier to deal with if the Qatar dispute was solved, Sheikh reiterated.

QATARI-IRANIAN-TURKISH RAPPROCHEMENT ADDS MORE COMPLICATIONS

Last November, Qatar signed an agreement with Turkey and Iran to increase the imports of goods to the Gulf state, a move that many consider would offset the quartet's embargo.

"The triangle relation has helped Qatar make up for the economic, political and security isolation caused by the blockade," Miller said.

Last week, Qatar has ordered shops to remove goods imported from the quartet countries.

The products were replaced by commodities from Turkey, Iran and other countries.

However, Miller noted that building up ties with Turkey and Iran may not be a perfect substitute for the downgrading relations with the GCC partners, and the Arab countries are not willing to see such a boost in ties between Qatar and Iran.

"Saudi, which leads a coalition in Yemen to fight Iran-supported Houthis, also couldn't easily accept any compromises with Qatar that is betting on Tehran's support," he said.

Egypt has accused Qatar and Turkey of sheltering members of terrorist organizations that sought instability of Egypt as well as intervention in Cairo's internal affairs.
LJUBLJANA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Some 1.7 million Slovenian citizens will be eligible to cast their vote in the general election scheduled on Sunday, which will decide the 90 seats in the parliament and the subsequent new government, according to the national media.

By the law, a blackout was set in on Saturday, meaning all propaganda designed to convince voters to back any party is banned until the nationwide polls close at 7 p.m. on Sunday, the Slovenian Press Agency STA reported.

During the blackout, it is prohibited to publish ads or other forms of political propaganda whose purpose would be to influence voters, be it in the media, in the form of billboards or political rallies.

However, the on-duty team of the interior ministry has received a total of 65 reports of alleged violations of the election silence by 7 p.m. Saturday, most of which relate to distribution of flyers or other propaganda, the ministry said on its website.

Violations of the ban on electioneering are subject to fines ranging from 150 to 3,000 euros, according to the ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-03 04:58:26|Editor: zh

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Photo taken on June 3, 2018 shows the exposed river bed in Tigris River in Mosul, Iraq. The water level of Tigris River has sharply decreased in Iraq. The Iraqi Minister of Water Resources Hassan al-Janabi Saturday played down fears of lower level of water flow in Tigris River from neighboring Turkey. (Xinhua/Yasser Jawad)

BAGHDAD, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Minister of Water Resources Hassan al-Janabi Saturday played down fears of lower level of water flow in Tigris River from neighboring Turkey.

In a press conference in Baghdad, Janabi told reporters "the level of water in most areas of Iraq decreased because of natural scarcity of water due to insufficient snow cover and rain."

He said such reduction of water level "has nothing to do with relations with neighboring countries because cooperation exists between us and communication channels are opened among these countries."

However, he said that further discussions are needed with the neighboring countries.

Janabi addressed fears among many Iraqis that such water reduction could badly affect the country, saying that despite the reduction of water flow, Iraq has enough drinking water, as well as enough water to irrigate hundreds of thousands of square km of summer corps farms and orchards.

Nevertheless, Janabi urged the Iraqi people to take precautions and store water to face possible crisis.

He said that the council of ministers will hold a meeting to discuss the water and electricity crises in the country.

Turkey started to fill the reservoir of Ilisu Dam during the past two days, and immediately the water level sharply decreased in Mosul, Salahudin and the Iraqi capital Baghdad, raising fears among many Iraqis that severe draught could hit their areas and farms.

A video shared on social media showed people walking across the Tigris River in Baghdad, where the water is barely deeper than knee-level.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri called for an emergency session to be held on Sunday to discuss the water crisis with the presence of Janabi and other officials of the Water Resources Ministry.

Riyadh Ezal-Den, head of Mosul Dam in northern Iraq, told local media "the storage of water in the reservoir of the dam has reduces by more than 3 billion cubic meters compared with its level last year of more than 8 billion cubic meters."

The water reached Mosul Dam from Turkey has reduced by around half of its normal level, Ezal-Den said.

Ilisu Dam was built in 2006 on the Tigris River near the village of Ilisu. It is one of the 22 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project and its purpose is hydroelectric power production, flood control and water storage. When operational, the dam will support a 1,200 MW power station and will form a 10.4 billion cubic meter reservoir.

Moreover, the dams directorate of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan said in a statement on Saturday that neighboring Iran has cut the water flow of the cross-border small river of Little Zab.

The cut of water flow in the river, which is one of the five major tributaries of Tigris River, created a crisis of drinking water in the town of Qaladze and surrounding areas in Sulaimaniyah province.

Previously, Iran has constructed a dam on the Little Zab in Sardasht area and cut the water flow from time to time.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-03 05:08:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ANKARA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci on Saturday slammed the negative comments from international credit rating agencies on Turkey's economy, calling it "purposeful" ahead of June 24 general elections.

"We consider the statements from Fitch and Moody's on Turkey in this period as a move to support those with a manipulative and speculative approach. We do not deem them as healthy but hasty and purposeful," Zeybekci said in the Aegean province of Denizli.

"Those agencies will revise their approaches after June 24 elections just as they had revised their growth forecast on Turkey for four or five times in 2017," he added.

"We are addressing market concerns through credible policy actions," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said Saturday on his Twitter account.

"Work has been in progress to further strengthen the policy mix, tightening fiscal policy via spending cuts," he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday blamed some countries and international financial institutions for the recent foreign exchange rate volatility.

Moody's announced Friday that it would review Turkey's Ba2 rating to decide if it should be downgraded, citing concern over economic management and erosion of investor confidence.

On March 8, Moody's downgraded Turkey's sovereign rating to Ba2 from Ba1 and changed its outlook to "stable" from "negative."

Fitch said in a recent statement that it would place 25 Turkish banks' ratings on watch negative.

Another prominent credit rating agency, Standard and Poor's, has also listed the country at non-investment grade.
Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs

07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0)

Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na...
NEW DELHI: In a fresh trouble to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, Hindu groups in parts of North India have been protesting against his upcoming home production 'Loveratri'. Loveratri, a Salman Khan Films production, has sparked a controversy even before its release. The film is debuting his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma.

Since last week, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has been threatening the superstar over the name of the film. According to them, Loveratri is distorting the name of Navaratri, one of the most important Hindu festival.

Another organisation Hindu Hi Aage has recently joined the protest announcing a reward to anyone who thrashes Salman. The Agra unit head of the organisation, Govind Parashar, declared a reward of Rs 2 lakh to whoever thrashes the actor in public. The Hindu Hi Aage leader further appealed to the Censor Board to ban the film.

The members of Hindu Hi Aage set posters of Salman Khan movies on fire and raised slogans against Lavoratri. Known as Bollywood's controversy king, Salman has many a time landed into controversies and faced several criticisms.

Navratri is a nine-night festival for the worship of nine avatars of Goddess Durga. The festival is marked with revelry across various parts of the country and is particularly famous in Gujarat.

'Loveratri', which is said to have a backdrop of Gujarat, is slated to be released on October 5 this year, around the same time when Navaratri would be celebrated.

A number of movies in the past have faced opposition from VHP and other organisations over one or the other issue and some of them had to go for a new name, besides other changes. Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmavati had to change its name to Padmaavat.

The 52-year-old star took to Twitter in December last year to make the announcement of the project, which will be the fifth film under his banner, Salman Khan Films.

(With inputs from PTI)
NEW DELHI: Congress party on Saturday dismissed talks of an alliance with Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Dismissing speculation of an alliance with the AAP, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said Kejriwal was responsible for the rise of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The one who has defamed the Congress and has created a monster called Modi is Arvind Kejriwal. I, as the President of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, on behalf of all the Congress leaders and workers, confirm that no one from our party wants to support Kejriwal. When the people are not supporting him, we will also not support," Maken said.

The clarification came in the wake of media reports that AAP and Congress are reportedly in talks for a Karnataka-like alliance in Delhi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sources also claimed that informal talks between the Congress and AAP started on May 24, with Jairam Ramesh and Ajay Maken representing the former.

Soon after Maken cleared the air on speculated AAP-Congress alliance, Delhi Congress spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee too came down heavily on the Delhi's ruling party for fabricating false news. Responding to it, the Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday asked the Congress to "show guts" and announce its candidates for the seven Delhi Lok Sabha seats for the 2019 general elections.

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal`s media advisor Nagendar Sharma said, ''Maken, "after being rejected in politics", was trying his hand at psephology.''

"Having led his party to security deposits being lost in 63/70 Delhi constituencies, he is now measuring graphs. Show guts and declare your seats," Sharma tweeted.

Referring to results of the Kairana bypolls lt in Uttar Pradesh, Sharma said that it clearly indicated that non-BJP parties need not be led by the Congress.

"This old party hobnobs with the BJP and treats other parties with disdain. Its Delhi unit is a virtual BJP front," Sharma alleged.

In a sarcastic tweet targeting Congress, Sharma said, ''A joker first day-dreams of three Lok Sabha seats offer, then next day realises nobody on earth will even spare a single seat for a party which finished a poor third on all seven Delhi seats in 2014 and lost its security deposit in four seats."

Delhi Congress spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee too joined the Twitter war and asked the AAP if Kejriwal can openly reject the possibility of an alliance with the Congress.

"Instead of you chirping, let your leader Arvind Kejriwal come out openly and reject the possibility of an alliance. Planting false stories in the media and personal abuses will not lead you anywhere," Mukherjee said.

"(The) AAP is facing an existential crisis. No wonder it is desperate for an alliance with the Congress, a party and its leaders whom Kejriwal abused unabashedly. If he has courage and conviction, let him immediately quash rumours and reject these stories as false as Maken is doing."

She said between the 2015 Assembly and the 2017 MCD elections, the AAP lost vote share by 54.30 percent and the Congress gained by 118.66 percent.

"No rocket science required to understand which party is losing or gaining ground rapidly. No wonder the AAP is so desperate for an alliance with (the) Congress," she tweeted.

Mukherjee said Maken had been consistently exposing the failures and misdeeds of the AAP government since the last three and a half years. "No wonder, AAP members are crying for his blood."

.@ajaymaken has been consistently exposing failures & misdeeds of AAP govt since last 3.5 years. No wonder AAP members are crying for his blood. AAP+BJP- both are jumla parties & specialise in creating false narratives  Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 2, 2018

She said the AAP and the BJP were both "jumla parties and specialise in creating false narratives".

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: A man was stabbed to death in Aman Vihar area in outer Delhi when he tried to intervene in an argument between two men, a police official said on Friday. The incident was reported to the Police Control Room around 11 pm on Thursday from Ugna Chowk in Prem Nagar locality. The deceased Nitish, 27, was a labourer, the official said.

The accused Kitab Singh, alias Kejriwal, works as a cook at a restaurant and saw the two men arguing over some issue.

Nitish's brother Aatish was involved in the argument. Under the impression that Kitab Singh was from the opposing side and that he beat his brother, Nitish thrashed the accused, the official said.

Kitab Singh got angry by the unprovoked beating and in a fit of rage stabbed Nitish in his chest with a kitchen knife, he said.

Yogesh, a student, who tried to intervene during the argument sustained injuries in his right hand in the quarrel. A case was registered based on the statement of Rakesh, the youngest brother of the deceased.

The accused has been arrested, the official added.
NEW DELHI: As political parties are gearing up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, another Congress-triggered alliance is taking its shape to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Following the 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar assembly elections of 2015 and the recent Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance in Karnataka, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress are in talks of a coalition in Delhi.

Reports suggest that informal talks between the grand old party and AAP initiated on May 24, with Jairam Ramesh and Ajay Maken representing the former.

Reportedly, the AAP approached the Congress for the alliance, with an offer of a 5:2 ratio for seat sharing in Delhi - five seats for the AAP and two for the Congress.

The Congress party, however, demanded three out of the seven seats, which are - New Delhi for Sharmishtha Mukherjee, Chandni Chowk for Ajay Maken and North West Delhi for Rajkumar Chauhan.

The speculations about the rumoured alliance got a further boost after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Thursday praised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Twitter.

Launching an attack on PM Modi, the AAP leader had said that people are missing an educated PM like Manmohan Singh. "People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh," Kejriwal had tweeted.

It is worthy to note that Kejriwal had earlier been a strong critic of Manmohan Singh going as far as to say in 2013 that, "Manmohan failed to check corruption within Congress and his own government".

BJP's ever-expanding wings in the country have, however, now made once bitter foes, the best of friends.

(With inputs from ANI)
MUMBAI: The investigation into the betting case in the Indian Premier League seems to be getting murkier. As per Zee News sources, the police is likely to widen the net and make interrogate more people from the film industry. During the interrogation on Saturday, Sonu Jalan told interrogators that he met Arbaaz Khan through an ex-inspector of Mumbai Police. After a long-time friendship with Sonu Malad, Arbaaz Khan reportedly introduced him to other Bollywood celebrities who wanted to place bets with him.

It is also being said that the bookies had once organised a big party after winning a huge amount in betting during IPL which was attended by Arbaaz and other celebrities.

Sources are also saying that after Arbaaz, Thane Police may also summon Vindoo Dara Singh. Sonu Malad is likely to have told interrogators that he met Vindu twice with his aide Prem Taneja. Taneja is also a bookie who was arrested along with Vindoo by Mumbai Crime Branch in IPL fixing and betting case.

Thane Police has learnt that Vindu placed bets with Sonu Malad through Taneja. Vindu was also betting on behalf of Gurunath Maiyappan, ex-team principal of CSK. Vindu and Maiyappan had also lost money in betting. Sources say Maiyappan had lost up to Rs 1 crore in a match.

During the questioning on Saturday, sources say Arbaaz has reportedly admitted to placing bets in six matches in the IPL. It is also being said that his ex-wife Malaika Arora knew about his habits and it was one of the reasons why the two got separated.

As per sources, Arbaaz was brought face to face on Saturday with Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Malad, who is believed to be one of the top bookies in the country. The two were reportedly quizzed together for nearly seven minutes.

The Thane Police had summoned Arbaaz in the wake of Sonu's arrest. The IPL betting racket was busted on May 15 by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of Thane Police's crime branch with the arrest of four people in Mumbai, including Sonu Jalan.

It has been reported that Sonu used to blackmail Arbaaz over a video. The police are likely to have questioned Arbaaz over the details and whereabouts of the video too.

After the arrest of four people, the police during the investigation had established a "connection" between Jalan and Arbaaz, said Senior Inspector Pradeep Sharma, head of the AEC.

Arbaaz had allegedly lost Rs 2.80 crore in betting to Jalan and was not paying the amount, following which the bookie had threatened the actor, the official said citing the interrogation of the arrested accused.

Jalan allegedly ran his betting racket from Dombivli in Thane district of Maharashtra. Jalan has been arrested in connection with the case under sections 420,465,468,471rw 34 of the IPC, section 4(A),5 of the Gambling Act and also IT Act 66A registered in the Dombilivi police station.

(With inputs from Rakesh Trivedi)
KOLKATA: A BJP worker was on Saturday found hanging from a pole in Dabha village of Purulia's Balarampur. Following the incident, the saffron party alleged TMC's role behind the murder of 32-year-old Dulal Kumar, who had gone missing on Friday.

Taking to Twitter, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that Dulal's murder is quite similar with that of BJP activist Trilochan Mahato who was found dead last Wednesday.

The body of 20-year-old Trilochan Mahato was found hanging from a tree in Purulia's Balarampur with a message inscribed on the back of his T-shirt, accusing him of supporting the BJP.

A poster found nearby claimed the youth had to die for his affinity for the saffron party. While the local police lodged a case of abduction and murder, the BJP termed the incident as a political killing by the goons of the Trinamool Congress.

Hundreds of workers and leaders of the West Bengal BJP on Friday held protests and demonstrations against Dulal's killing.

Protests were also held outside several police stations by the BJP workers, who accused the state administration of failing to maintain law and order.

State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh had accused the Trinamool Congress of trying to obliterate the political opposition from the state. Ghosh, however, claimed that his party is capable of giving a befitting reply to the ruling party's violence.

Soon after Trinamool Congress won Panchayat elections, West Bengal continues to boil over alleged killings of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers.

In Purulia, the TMC and the BJP had a close fight in the gram panchayat polls winning 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 Zilla Parishad seats, TMC had won 26 seats and BJP nine seats.
MUMBAI: Bollywood actor and film-maker Arbaaz Khan has been summoned by the Thane Police in connection with an alleged Indian Premier League (IPL) betting racket. The questioning is likely to take place on Saturday at around 11 am.

The Thane Police had on Friday sent a letter to Arbaaz to join the probe in the wake of the arrest of an alleged bookie who was placing bets on the recently-concluded IPL. The IPL betting racket was busted on May 15 by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of Thane Police's crime branch with the arrest of four people in Mumbai, including Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Malad, who is believed to be one of the top bookies of the country

The police have readied a list of questions that it is likely to ask Arbaaz. He will be questioned on his ties with Sonu, the alleged bookie who has been arrested. He is likely to be asked questions over the first time he met Sonu, how many times have the two met and who else was present during those meetings.



To ascertain whether there are others in Bollywood who may be involved too, the police is likely to ask him the names of other people in the film industry who have links with Sonu. Arbaaz may be asked whether he was involved in betting and if he had the knowledge that Sonu had links with the underworld. He may also be asked if he placed bets on any of the matches.

It has been reported that Sonu used to blackmail Arbaaz over a video. The police are thus likely to question Arbaaz over the details and whereabouts of the video.

Questions are also likely to be asked about his brother Salman Khan. The police may ask him if Salman and other family members were in the know of his links with Sonu and his alleged involvement in betting.

He may be asked about how much money he has placed in bets, his alleged ties with the underworld and the meetings in Dubai. He can also be asked if his films Dabangg and Dabangg 2, which he produced, were funded by the underworld.

After the arrest of four people, the police during investigation established a "connection" between Jalan and Arbaaz, said Senior Inspector Pradeep Sharma, head of the AEC. "We suspect that Khan had placed bets on IPL matches and want to scrutinise his bank transactions," another police official said.

Arbaaz allegedly lost Rs 2.80 crore in betting to Jalan and was not paying the amount, following which the bookie had threatened the actor, the official said citing the interrogation of the arrested accused.

Jalan allegedly ran his betting racket from Dombivli in Thane district of Maharashtra. Jalan has been arrested in connection with the case under sections 420,465,468,471rw 34 of the IPC, section 4(A),5 of the Gambling Act and also IT Act 66A registered in the Dombilivi police station.
NEW DELHI: Amid the 10-day agitation called by farmers, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday stirred a controversy by claiming that the strike focusses on unnecessary things. "Farmers don't have any issues, (they are) just focusing on unnecessary things," Khattar said. Asking the farmers to sell their produce, he advised them that not selling it will only bring more losses to them.

#WATCH: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar speaks on farmers' strike, says, 'they don't have any issues, they are just focusing on unnecessary things, not selling produce will bring losses to farmers.' (01.06.2018) pic.twitter.com/CFY7dzgj2g  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

Apart from Khattar, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Balkrishna Patidar also dismissed the issue and claimed that farmers are happy with the State and Central government. "It's 2nd June today. Where is the strike happening? No farmers are participating in the strike. Farmers are happy with the schemes CM has launched for them. They have faith that State and Central government will solve their problems," he said.

His statement comes at a time when farmers across the country are on a 10-day strike to press their demands, including loan waiver and right price for crops. Protesting farmers have dumped vegetables, milk and other farm produce on roads and blocked supplies to cities in several states.

Farmer organisations have also called for boycott of mandis or wholesale markets in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, leading to fears of shortage and price rise. On the last day of the protest on June 10, the farmers' bodies will orgainse 'Bharat Bandh'.

The decision to stop supplies starting from June 1 till June 10 was taken by farmers under the banner of Kisan Ekta Manch and Rashtriya Kisan Maha Sangh. A meeting of the coordination committee of these two farmers organisations, which claim to be representing 172 farmer outfits, was held last month to give final shape to the programme.

The farmer organisations have alleged that the central government has failed to address their issues pertaining to low income, farmer suicides and debt. "We have been demanding minimum income guarantee scheme, implementation of Swaminathan Commission report and waiver of farmers' debt," Balbir Singh Rajewal, president, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) said. He said the protest was getting a good response, adding that no farmer was being forced to stop the supply of produce and milk to urban areas.

The farmers' organisations are demanding immediate implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report on farming, giving minimum support price to farmers for their produce, waiving loans and helping farmers make agriculture cost-effective.
NEW DELHI: As the 2019 Lok Sabha elections near, it seems like the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is not willing to leave anything to chance. The party has already begun the preparations for the polls that are due next year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will personally take part in assessing the situation and monitoring the poll preparations. As per Zee News sources, the PM will be speaking to the MLAs himself to know the status of implementation of the government schemes that were launched in the past four years.

He will be interacting with the MLAs across the constituencies through the Namo app and share his feedback about the area. He has also sought details of the prominent leaders from across the states.

Modi will be personally involved in finalising the list of candidates who will be given tickets to fight the 2019 elections.

Apart from speaking with the MLAs, he will also be taking feedback from the people over the schemes that were launched by the government. He had also taken a feedback from the people recently when the BJP-led Central government completed four years in office.

He had asked people how happy they were with the work done by the Centre. They were also asked who are the three most popular leaders in their state and constituency and whether they think the pace at which government work is done has increased.

The recent losses in bypolls are also an indication that they cannot afford to ignore the united Opposition that is preparing to take on the 2019 general elections. However, BJP has been saying that bypoll wins cannot determine the mood opf the nation. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said bypolls cannot be the barometer of who will win the next Lok Sabha

BJP's GVL Narasimha Rao also said local issues, caste and the candidate take precedence over national issues in bypolls and thus these results won't have any impact on government in states and the Centre.

But with Congress going out of its way and joining hands with parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party, Janata Dal United and Aam Aadmi Party, it will be difficult for the BJP to ignore the united Opposition whose sole aim is to not let the saffron party come back to power. In such a scenario, Modi and party president Amit Shah will need to spin a magic wand to win the 2019 polls.
MUMBAI: Indrani Mukerjea, the former head of INX Media and the prime accused in her daughter Sheena Bora's murder case, was on Friday admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai. Indrani had complained of chest pain, following which she was rushed to the state-run-hospital.

She was admitted to the JJ Hospital in April also following an alleged drug overdose. She had been brought to the hospital a "semi-conscious" condition from her cell in the Byculla Jail in south Mumbai. The state prisons department had ordered an inquiry to find out how Mukerjea fell ill in the jail.

Indrani's health had deteriorated after she had an overdose of anti-depressants, which were not prescribed to her. She was made to undergo a series of medical tests in the hospital.

Her urine samples were sent for analysis at a forensic laboratory and after receiving its report, the hospital authorities said she had an overdose of anti-depressants that were not prescribed to her.

"The reports of her urine sample showed a significant increase in the level of benzodiazepine, a class of anti-depressants," a doctor from the hospital had said, quoting from reports of the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kalina. The doctors had said that the medicine prescribed to her is amitriptyline, which is an anti-depressant, but certainly does not belong to the benzodiazepine class of drugs and how did she have an overdose of it benzodiazepine will be investigated by the police.

Indrani is currently facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora. 24-year-old Sheena was abducted and killed on April 24, 2012, allegedly over a financial dispute. Her body was disposed of in a forest in adjoining Raigad district. Bora was Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship. Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna were arrested in August 2015 along with her former driver Shyamvar Rai, while Indrani's present husband Peter Mukerjea was nabbed in November the same year. Rai has turned an approver (prosecution witness) in the case.
Pune: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the Centre is making efforts to find long-term solutions to tackle the increase in petrol and diesel prices and suggested that India should move to "alternative" fuels. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways was addressing a press conference here to highlight the Modi government's achievements in the last four years.

The government is making efforts to find long-term solutions to tackle the fuel price hike issue, he said when asked about the soaring prices of petrol and diesel. "We have already stopped the subsidy on petrol and diesel, and we are giving LPG connections to 8 crore people. We could give the LPG connections to so many people because we stopped the subsidy on petrol and diesel," Gadkari said.

Pitching for alternative fuel such as ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, bio-CNG and electric, to address the fuel price hike issue, he said, "India is importing petrol and diesel worth Rs 8 lakh crore and long-term efforts are being taken to bring the expenditure down."

"To do this we need to move towards alternative fuels," Gadkari said.

He assured that within six months, several automobile companies will bring vehicles that can run on these alternative fuels which are cheaper than crude oils. "As far as electric vehicles are concerned, 13 companies are being set up to manufacture lithium-ion batteries," the minister said. He assured that by moving towards alternative fuels, people could save up to Rs 4,000 per month and that could happen in the next six months.

On bringing petrol and diesel under the Goods and Services Tax, Gadkari said by bringing these under the GST, fuel prices can be cut by up to Rs 8.

While highlighting the achievements of the Modi government in various departments in the last four years, he said agriculture is the sector which needs to be worked on more extensively.

"We are a fastest growing economy, but the state of agriculture is not so good and needs a special attention.

"We are giving special attention to it. As far as employment generation is concerned, good employment is generated in all the sector," said Gadkari.
New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address a rally of farmers in Mandsaur of Madhya Pradesh on June 6. This was the day seven farmers had died in a police firing in 2017.

"Every day, about 35 farmers commit suicide in our country. To attract government's attention towards the agrarian crisis, farmers are forced to protest for 10 days. To stand with them in the fight for the rights of our 'Annadata' (food provider), I will address a farmer`s rally in Mandsaur on June 6," he tweeted.

     35                      10                     6          pic.twitter.com/Bv4Hv72jE8  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 2, 2018

Farmers in the agrarian states of Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan on Friday joined the 10-day protest call given by various farmer organisations in Madhya Pradesh.

Protesting farmers dumped vegetables, milk and other farm produce on roads and blocked supplies to cities in several states as they launched a 10-day agitation to press their demands, including loan waiver and right price for crops. Farmer organisations also called for boycott of mandis or wholesale markets in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Mahrashtra, leading to fears of shortage and price rise.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said the agitation will stop once his government announces the support prices for crops. "They will get to understand when the prices will be declared. The agitation will stop then," he said in Kolkata.

Javadekar added that the Narendra Modi government's plan was to provide a "long-lasting" solution to the issue. "I will not try to comment. I don`t want to subscribe (to) motives now for farmers` agitation. People are seeing it and people are responding to it," he told reporters at the Press Club here when asked if he sensed any political agenda in the protests, as per IANS.

Asked if the protests would affect BJP`s prospects in the upcoming polls, Javadekar said, "Elections are coming up in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Ours is a democratic country. We don`t oppose anybody agitating. We are giving the solution which will be long-lasting and which will empower farmers."

(With Agency inputs)
Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court will hear a case on July 12 that challenges provisions of a law that entitles former chief ministers to free housing and other perks.

The development comes as former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers have begin vacating their bungalows in Lucknow following a Supreme Court order last month.

The Bill for this was passed in the Assembly in April last year by voice vote, with only rebel BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari dissenting.

It added a new section to the Rajasthan Ministers' Salaries Act, 1956.

Tiwari has been demanding that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje should vacate a plush bungalow at 13, Civil Lines which was allotted to her as a former chief minister and shift to the CM's official residence at 8, Civil Lines.

Jaipur-based journalist Milap Chand Dandia had filed a public interest litigation against the new section in the Rajasthan law, notified in May last year.

The SC has already decided on the issue and I am hopeful that the high court will also quash the new section, which is unconstitutional and invalid,? Dandia said.

Former chief minister and Congress MLA from Jodhpur Ashok Gehlot indicated his willingness to give up the bungalow, as soon the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict on the Uttar Pradesh law.

We had written to the General Administration Department on May 7 itself seeking appropriate direction pertaining to the residence,? Gehlot's private secretary Devaram Saini said.

Following the Supreme Court order, the UP government had served notices to six politicians who were allotted official bungalows in Lucknow as former chief ministers.

While Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati and ailing Congress veteran Narayan Dutt Tiwari have expressed reluctance to move out, the others appear set to meet the weekend deadline
Kolkata: Amid growing demands from several quarters for not attending a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event scheduled to be held on June 7, former president Pranab Mukherjee has said the he will respond to those calls in Nagpur.

Whatever I have to say, I will say in Nagpur. I have received several letters and phone calls but I havent responded to anyone yet, Mukherjee was quoted as saying by leading Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika.

It is to be noted that several senior Congress leaders, including P Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh, CK Jaffer Sharief and Ramesh Chennithala, had urged Mukherjee to reconsider his decision to attend the RSS event in Nagpur.

Former union minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram had said on Wednesday that former president Pranab Mukherjee should tell the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as to what was wrong with their ideology.

"Now that he has accepted invitation there is no point debating why he accepted it. The more important thing to say is, sir you have accepted the invitation, please go there and tell them what is wrong with their ideology," Chidambaram had said, according to ANI.

Similarly, Congress leader from Kerala, Ramesh Chennithala too said that Mukherjees decision to attend the function has come as a rude shock to the secular minds. Chennithala, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, had asked the former President to refrain from going to Nagpur.

Chennithala even called the RSS a 'communal outfit and accused the Sangh of working towards creating a Hindu Rashtra comprising of only one section of the people which is against the Congress ideology of secularism and democracy.

The RSS has invited Mukherjee to address newly recruited Sangh workers on June 7 in Nagpur.

Mukherjee has given his consent to participate in the programme, RSS' Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh Arun Kumar had told PTI.

Mukherjee will be the chief guest at the valedictory session of the 'Tritiya Varsh Varg' or the Third Year Course organised by the RSS.

His accepting the invite has led to a raging debate in political circles. Though the Congress had so far refrained from making a direct comment on the issue, several leaders from the party had openly expressed its displeasure over Mukherjee's decision.

Defending Mukherjee, the RSS claimed that even Mahatma Gandhi and Jaiprakash Narayan attended their functions and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had invited its workers for the Republic Day Parade in 1963 after being impressed with its work.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari too joined the debate over Mukherjee attending the RSS event. "The RSS is not Pakistan's ISI. The RSS is an organisation of nationalists," he had said.
Jammu: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday claimed that terrorism was in its "last stage" in Kashmir and over 600 terrorists had been killed because of the government's decisive actions on the anti-terrorism front. His remarks come ahead of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's expected visit to Jammu and Kashmir next week.

"The decisive actions that the government has taken... 600 terrorists have been killed during the period, and this is much higher than the number of militants killed during the UPA-I and UPA-II (governments). Terrorism in the Valley is in its last stage," he said.

Replying to a question on whether the cessation of anti-terror operations be followed by talks with Pakistan and separatists, he said, "The Government of India will take a decision which will be in the interest of the country."

He said the neighbouring country has suffered due to the decisive action by India and now the issue of cross-border terrorism will be dealt on the military and diplomatic fronts. Jitendra Singh said countries that never heard India's point of view on Pakistan and cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, have begun to hear, respond and support the country.

On the truce announced before Ramzan, he said it was a "conditional ceasefire and to that extent, the government stands vindicated".

He said that the government has been endeavouring to resolve issues with Pakistan both at the diplomatic and military levels. The Modi government has taken bold decisions such as demonetisation and implementing the GST for the development of the country, the MoS said.

On talks with separatist, the Minister of State (MoS) in the Prime Minister's Office said, "Everybody is welcome to talk. Nobody has said that we are going to send an invitation to the separatists. Anybody (any Indian citizen) is welcome to meet me." Jitendra Singh said he had met 45 delegations in Jammu and 70-75 in Srinagar. "Nobody has been barred from coming and meeting me," he said.

He said Union Minister Rajnath Singh has also said that anybody is welcome to meet him. He reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to pay special attention to Jammu and Kashmir

"The Central government has taken a number of initiatives to address the problems of border people, including compensation and relief to the victims of Pakistani shelling," said Jitendra Singh.

On the opposition's formula of contesting forthcoming elections against the BJP under the one seat-one joint candidate formula, he said this is an experiment and is being tried by certain groups that tried to come together despite difference in ideologies. Replying to a question on the demand for delimitation of assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that delimitation is also part of the agenda of alliance (AoA).

On the killing of a BJP worker in West Bengal, the MoS alleged there is state-ruled terror unleashed against the BJP in Bengal.
Thiruvananthapuram: In further embarrassment to the Congress in Kerala, which faced a debacle in the recent Chengannur bypoll, 'Veekshanam,' its mouthpiece, today came out against factionalism in the party and called for a 'leadership change' in the state.

The daily, in its editorial, rained harsh criticism against the state leadership, saying it "spoiled a good opportunity" to take revenge on the LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, which is a 'total failure' in all fronts.

It was the duty of the opposition to expose the 'most unpopular' chief minister like Vijayan but it "failed" in its attempt, the daily said.

Listing out the weaknesses of the party, the editorial said the leaders are only interested in revamping the organisation at the state and district levels.

But, the 'mandalam' and 'booth' committees, the spinal code of the party's grassroot level structure, was in a weak position, it claimed.

The Congress was facing setbacks in the state as leaders with less capabilities come to the forefront of the party in the name of groupism, the 'Veekshanam' said.

"The front line of the party is filled with those who are ready to please the leaders. The party will not progress in the state until it replaces efficient leaders and followers from the booth level itself," it said.

It is high time to hand over the leadership of the party to a generation with political commitment and spirit, the daily said adding the present leaders should quit their present positions and become the advisors and guiding forces of the newcomers.

Apparently referring to the alleged religious appeasement by the party, the mouthpiece wanted to end the practice of visiting Markaz (Islamic outfit), mutts and 'aramanas' (bishop houses).

It also urged the Pinarayi Vijayan All India Congress Committee (AICC) to take over the responsibility of bringing changes in the state unit and make it ready for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The party mouthpiece's criticism came a day after senior leader V M Sudheeran blamed factionalism in the state unit for the poor showing in the Chengannur by-election.

During his stint as KPCC chief, Sudheeran had faced strident opposition from the two major factions -- one led by senior leader Oommen Chandy and other by Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala.

Meanwhile, Chennithala rejected the charges and said the United Democratic Front (UDF)-led by the Congress had fought the bypoll unitedly cutting across groupism.

However, he admitted that the party has some organisational weaknesses.

"The party has some organisational weaknesses. But, it is not proper to blame only some leaders for the defeat of the Congress candidate in Chengannur," Chennithala, also a former KPCC president, said while addressing a meeting at the party headquarters here today.

Echoing the same sentiments, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the party would examine the reasons for the defeat and would take necessary corrective measures.

Another senior leader K Muraleedharan said unless changes were made in the organisational set up in the party, 'Chengannur will repeat.'

The ruling LDF's Saji Cheriyan won by a margin of 20,956 votes over his nearest Congress rival in the Chengannur bypoll necessitated by the death of sitting member K K Ramachandran Nair (CPI-M) in January this year.
New York: Three actresses have filed a new lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein alleging sexual assault and urged other victims of the disgraced Hollywood producer to come forward and join their complaint.

Melissa Thompson, one of the women filing the class action lawsuit yesterday, said she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein during a 2011 meeting to discuss a new marketing tool.

Following public revelations last year about his predatory behavior, Thompson said she was referred to lawyer Benjamin Brafman and another attorney at his firm, Alex Spiro.

Brafman is defending Weinstein following his indictment last week on rape and sex crime charges.

"Thompson was led to believe that Brafman and Spiro were representing victims against Weinstein," the law firm representing her, Hagens Berman, said in a statement.

"Deceptive tactics were used to entice her to turn over her visual and audio evidence of Weinstein's conduct (which she did)," it said.

"Melissa did not learn that Brafman was actually then or would later be Weinstein's lead criminal defense attorney until after turning over the video as evidence." Brafman's law firm was named as a defendant in the lawsuit along with Weinstein's former movie company Miramax and The Weinstein Company.

The other two actresses who are a party to the lawsuit are Caitlin Dulany and Larissa Gomes.

It accusses Weinstein of "assaulting, threatening and falsely imprisoning (Dulany) in her apartment" in 1996 and again at the Cannes Film Festival that same year.

As for Gomes, the second time Weinstein met with her, he "imprisoned her in his hotel room and threatened, battered and assaulted her," the law firm said.

The lawsuit is the third class action suit filed against Weinstein by Hagens Berman since late last year.

Other women who were victimised by Weinstein were invited to join the suit.

"We deserve to live in a world in which accountability for the abuse of power exists," Thompson said. "Stand up and say something -- because now is the time that enough is enough." Elizabeth Fegan, a partner at Hagens Berman, said "we are working to see a day of justice for the hundreds of women who were exploited for Weinstein's sexual gratification and silenced by this ring of conspirators." The 66-year-old Weinstein was charged with rape and a sex crime in New York last week, nearly eight months after his career imploded in a blaze of accusations of misconduct.

Nearly 100 women have now accused Weinstein of crimes ranging from sexual harassment to assault and rape going back decades.

Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie are among more than two dozen actresses who say they were sexually harassed by the producer. A few, including Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, said they were raped.

Brafman, Weinstein's lawyer, is one of America's most celebrated criminal defense attorneys. His past clients include former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who escaped criminal prosecution for alleged sexual assault in 2011.
Bhojpuri actor Raja Chaudhary, who was earlier married to actress Shweta Tiwari, has yet again found himself behind the bars. As per reports, Raja has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police for allegedly creating a ruckus and assaulting policemen, film producer and doctors.

According to LiveHindustan.com, a complaint was filed by film camera director Raju R Dwivedi after which the police booked Raja for assaulting and giving death threats to several people. A police officer at Bithoor station told the website that a case has been registered against the television and Bhojpuri actor under IPC 323, 504 and 506.

The report said that Raja, known to be a controversial actor, was essaying the role of the younger brother of the protagonist in the film 'Sangam Rishton Ka'. The film went on the floors only recently and the shooting had been taking place at Bithoor's Nanarav park.

However, due to Raja's unprofessional behaviour, producer Sarvesh Thakur threw him out from the project. Upon learning this, Raja arrived at the park on Friday evening and got into a serious argument with Thakur. He soon began assaulting the filmmaker. The report said that the actor got physical with other crew members too who tried to intervene and to calm him down.

The report further stated that Raja, believed to under the influence of alcohol, misbehaved with women who were present at the park.

After the altercation grew serious, the film camera director reported the matter to the police control room. However, when a team of police arrived at the scene, Raja went on to misbehave with them too and began hurling abuses at them. He was taken to Kalyanpur CHC for a medical examination where he misbehaved with the doctors and threatened the hospital staff.

Raja had reportedly threatened the hospital staff and ran after them with the glucose stand, much shock to everybody present there. He even slapped doctor Shailender who had come to conduct the medical test on him.

The website also claimed that upon seeing the chaos, Kalyanpur CO issued a strict warning to the actor following which he got calmed down.

In his defence, Raja told the police that after he was thrown out of the film, he went to a bar and consumed country-made liquor adding that he was later given a spiked drink by a 'Sadhu', that led to his drunken behaviour.
Muzaffarnagar: With the arrest of two persons, police have claimed to have busted gang in neighbouring Shamli district that used to cheat bank customers by changing their ATM cards with fake ones.

Superintendent of Police Dev Ranjan Verma told reporters today that Usman and Talib, hailing from Ghaziabad, were arrested and 29 fake ATM cards were seized from them.

Police also seized one kg of charas from their possession, the SP said, adding they were also involved in drug peddling.

During interrogating, they revealed that they duped bank customers after changing their ATMs cards with fake cards and then used the original cards to withdraw money.
This man's amazingly awesome dance video has gone viral on the internet where he is seen shaking his leg to some famous hit Bollywood numbers from the 90s. The man in the video is Sanjeev Srivastava and he hails from Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal.

He is an electronic professor by profession.

Sanjeev has won thousands of hearts ever since his dance videos have become an internet sensation. So much that even Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and actors Raveena Tandon and Divya Dutt heaped praises on him on the social media.

It has been learnt that Sanjeev learnt the dance skill from his mother and he follows yesteryear star Govinda in real life.

Meanwhile, the video was shot on May 12 during the ladies sangeet of Sanjeev's brother-in-law in Gwalior.

Here are the reactions from MP CM Chouhan, actresses Raveena and Divya:

Faaaaab!!!!!__________ a big hug to him !!!!_____________ https://t.co/IaJRpQ9Xsh  Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) May 31, 2018

Wow!!! Ardent Govinda fan!!! Well done https://t.co/Mdo854Wczr  Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) May 31, 2018

During an interaction with news agency ANI, Sanjeev said, "This is an unreal feeling. I can't believe my dance video has gone viral. I thank everyone for the love and support. I have been dancing since 1982 and my idol is Govinda ji."

#WATCH Vidisha(Madhya Pradesh): Hear from dancing sensation Professor Sanjeev Srivastava on his jig going viral on social media pic.twitter.com/5Yi8yp2uLS  ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2018

He added saying that he is hoping that more opportunities would come his way since his dance videos have become popular on the internet.
New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the West Bengal government for the death of another 'party worker' Dulal Kumar in Purulia, saying that "the continued brutality and violence was shameful and inhuman." He added that the Mamata Banerjee government had "completely failed to maintain law and order in the state."

The 35-year-old man's body, who the BJP said was its worker, was found hanging from a high-tension tower in Purulia. His death triggered an uproar among the locals who put up demonstrations outside the Balarampur police station, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.

"Distressed to know about yet another killing of BJP karyakarta Dulal Kumar in Balrampur, West Bengal. This continued brutality and violence in the land of West Bengal is shameful and inhuman. Mamata Banerjees govt has completely failed to maintain law and order in the state. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family. I along with millions of BJP, karyakartas share grief of Dulal Kumars family. May God give his family the strength to withstand this irreparable loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," Shah tweeted.

Distressed to know about yet another killing of BJP karyakarta Dulal Kumar in Balrampur, West Bengal. This continued brutality and violence in the land of West Bengal is shameful and inhuman. Mamata Banerjees govt has completely failed to maintain law and order in the state. pic.twitter.com/jrA1prcs91  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 2, 2018

I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family. I along with millions of BJP karyakartas share grief of Dulal Kumars family. May God give his family the strength to withstand this irreparable loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 2, 2018

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that Dulal's murder was quite similar to that of party worker Trilochan Mahato who was found dead last Wednesday.

Condemning the killings, BJP West Bengal leaders tweeted:

Yet another act of savage brutality in Purulia. BJP worker Dulal Mahato brutally murdered. TMC led govt & it's leadership has lost complete control on their party machineries. Law & order in absolute ruckus. Strongly condemn this heinous act. May his soul rest in eternal peace.  Dilip Ghosh (@DilipGhoshBJP) June 2, 2018

Terribly saddened at the sad demise of 18 yr old BJP youth worker Trilochan Mahato(Purulia). His brutal murder hugely portrays the appalling state of lawlessness in our State under the TMC rule. I strongly condemn this act of savage brutality. May his soul rest in eternal peace.  Dilip Ghosh (@DilipGhoshBJP) May 30, 2018

Law and order is totally collapsed and its clear that opposition party members are in the hit list. 2 BJP workers murdered in last 2 days. Its clear that @MamataOfficial can sense that BJP is getting the popular support from the common people, hence the murder of BJP workers. https://t.co/fNKmsbDueZ  Rahul Sinha (@RahulSinhaBJP) June 2, 2018

The body of an 18-year-old Mahato, whom the BJP claimed as its member, was found hanging from a tree near his home in Purulia district on May 30, 2018. The incident had invited strong criticism of the TMC government from Shah at that too, who had said that the ruling dispensation had "surpassed the violent legacy of the communist rule" in West Bengal.

Deeply hurt by the brutal killing of our young karyakarta, Trilochan Mahato in Balarampur,West Bengal. A young life full of possibilities was brutally taken out under states patronage. He was hanged on a tree just because his ideology differed from that of state sponsored goons. pic.twitter.com/nHAEK09n7R  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 30, 2018

An unsigned handwritten note in Bengali found near the body of Mahato near his home in Balarampur, about 295 km from Kolkata, stated that he was "punished for working for the BJP" during the recent rural polls in the state, a senior district police officer had said, PTI reported.

"Because you are involved with the BJP even when you are only 18 years, it has claimed your life. I have been searching for you since the panchayat elections and now you are dead," the officer had further said quoting from the note.

The youth is said to have gone to a place barely three km from his village and did not return home. He had called up his brother in the night and had said that he was kidnapped and had urged to be rescued.

"We were informed by his family (about it) but despite searches throughout the night we could not spot him," the officer had said. The body was found in Balarampur village and the police were informed about it by the locals.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Saturday ordered a criminal investigation department (CID) probe into Mahato's death, ADG law and order, Anuj Sharma said.

In Purulia, the TMC and the BJP had a close fight in the gram panchayats winning 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 Zilla Parishad seats, TMC had won 26 seats and BJP nine seats.

(With PTI inputs)
Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore and discussed security related issues, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

Modi, who is here on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was also present in the meeting that lasted for nearly an hour.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister last night.

"The focus of conversation was on the region in the context of PM's keynote address at the #SLD18 yesterday evening," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

In his keynote address, Modi had said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests, he had said.

"We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law," he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and "reaffirmation for rule based order".

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.
Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day tour to Singapore, today visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman.

"India and Singapore are cooperating not only on land but also in the seas! At the Changi Naval Base I got an opportunity to witness the deep-rooted naval cooperation between our two nations," Modi tweeted.

"25 years of uninterrupted naval exercises and growing naval cooperation! PM @narendramodi with Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman and other dignitaries on-board the RSS Formidable Frigate of the Singapore Navy," External Affairs Ministry Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the officers and sailors on board the Indian Navy's Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Satpura.

"On board INS Satpura. It is always a pleasure and an honour to interact with our sailors and officers," Modi tweeted along with a photograph.

INS Satpura is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region.

"A fitting finale to a memorable visit to Singapore!," Kumar tweeted.

India and Singapore have signed implementation agreement between their navies concerning mutual coordination, logistics and services support for naval ships', submarines and naval aircraft (including shipborne aviation assets) visits.

"India's armed forces, especially our Navy, are building partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region for peace and security, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Modi had said yesterday
London: British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she was "deeply disappointed" at the unjustified decision by the US to apply tariffs to European Union (EU) steel and aluminium imports.

Her comments on Friday came a day after US President Donald Trump announced the decision to levy tariff amid waves of criticism, Xinhua news agency reported.

May said in a statement that the US, the EU and Britain are close allies and have always promoted values of open and fair trade across the world.

"Our steel and aluminium industries are hugely important to the UK, but they also contribute to US industry including in defence projects which bolster US national security," she said.

"The EU and UK should be permanently exempted from tariffs and we will continue to work together to protect and safeguard our workers and industries," the Prime Minister added.

The tariffs of 25 per cent on steel products and 10 per cent on aluminium, which affect the EU, Canada and Mexico, came into effect on Friday.
United Nations: The US was completely isolated defending Israel during the voting on two resolutions on Palestine, one proposed by Kuwait and a counter-motion put forward by it.

The unusual asymmetry in two consecutive votes on Friday came about because even its closest allies abandoned the US while its Permanent Representative Nikki Haley stood defiantly vetoing a resolution put forward by Kuwait and proposing a countermeasure that received only her vote.

Hamas was at the heart of the stand-off, with the US demanding that the organisation should also be condemned.

The resolution drafted by Kuwait sought to condemn what it called the disproportionate use of force by Israel, including the firing of live ammunition by its forces on Palestinian protesters last month near the border with Gaza.

It received 10 votes, while the sole vote against it by the veto-wielding US killed it as Ethiopia, Netherlands, Poland and Britain abstained.

Hailey blamed the "terrorist group Hamas" for the conditions in Gaza and said the resolution was one-sided as it blamed only Israel.

She proposed the counter resolution that described Hamas as a terrorist group and condemned the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Palestinian militants in Gaza towards Israel.

The resolution received only her vote, while Kuwait, Russia and Bolivia voted against it and the remaining 11 countries abstained.

Haley said: "It is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel. The US will not allow such bias."

Kuwait`s Permanent Representative Mansour Ayyad Alotaibi spent several days negotiating with Council members to come up with a veto-proof resolution on the Palestinian protests that have resulted in 119 deaths since March from Israeli action.

While he managed to get enough direct support for it, he could not get the US to give up its veto.

In contrast, Haley did not consult other members of the Council before proposing the US resolution.

France`s Permanent representative Francois Delattre said it was brought to a vote without any negotiations and did not reflect a balanced approach to the Palestinian conflict.

Alotaibi said that the message from the Council after the US veto was that Israel, which occupied Palestinian territories, was exempt from international law.

Israel's Permanent Representative Danny Danon countered that the Kuwaiti resolution sought to give the Hamas - a "terrorist organisation" - the Council`s stamp of approval by not mentioning its role in the conflict.
Two Ukrainian soldiers were injured, their health condition is critical

Open source

The militants performed nine adjusted fires at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as Oleksandr Motuznyak, the representative of the Defence Ministry press centre, said at the briefing.

From the midnight to 11:00 nine adjusted fires performed by Russian occupation troops were documented, he noted.

Besides, the Spokesperson specified that the militants attacked Mayorske checkpoint at around 6:00.

the enemy was mostly active in Donetsk region near Hnutove, Taramchuk, Lebedynske, Shyrokyne, Vodyane, Pavlopil and Butivka mine. Russian troops used grenade launchers of various types, machine guns and small arms.

An enemys attack from 82-mm mortar launcher was documented in Luhansk sector. The attack was targeted at the defenders of Novotoshkivske.

The Joint Operation Forces units are holding the line and repress the enemys firing activity, he stressed.

According to the Defence Ministry, two Ukrainian soldiers were injured as a result of the enemys snipers shootings today in the morning.

They were immediately evacuated in the medical facilities. The health condition of both injured is critical, Motuznyak emphasized.

The Spokesperson reminded that one Ukrainian soldier was wounded over the past 24 hours in Donbas. The militants performed 33 attacks at the Armed Forces positions on June 1.
The border unit was shelled by the pro-Russian militants before the execution of the control of people and vehicles at 'Mayorsky' checkpoint that is situated in the Joint Forces operation zone as the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

According to the message, the border guards executed the replacement of the shifts of the border units at the switchboard and checkpoint at the Streit Group Cougar armed vehicle. When the border units were transferred to the places of the services and the vehicle aimed to the checkpoint, the militants shelled it from the small arms.

'Fortunately, nobody suffered, the armor defended from the bullets that reached the vehicle', the message said.

It is also specified that there were no civilians at the switchboard and the personnel was in the blindage hut.

As we reported the Russia-backed militants shoot to kill the civilians in Pivdenne village, Chihari district, near Horlivka, Donetsk region. It is emphasized that the movement of any private vehicles in Pivdenne is forbidden for security reasons.
She is sure that it is possible to keep the world order if we stop to pretend

Kersti Kaljulaid, the President of Estonia is sure that the events in Georgia in 2008 and in the Ukrainian Donbas should be called by the proper name. 'War is war and occupation is occupation', she said at the conference dedicated to former Estonian president Lennart Meri as her press service reported.

According to Kaljulaid, the international society continues to use the allegoric definitions 'administrative border' or 'frozen conflict' instead of the direct pointing at the problem.

'The democratic and liberal world order based on the rules will be preserved, only if we will not pretend anymore that we are not put pressure by those who think that the interests of the stronger are more important then the freedom of the states and nations', she said.

As we reported Kaljulaid visited the demarcation line in Donbas and estimated the work of 'Mayorsky checkpoint and negotiated with people crossing the checkpoint.
The head of the Ukrainian state will meet with King of Spain Felipe VI, newly-appointed Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Chairman of the Congress of Deputies Ana Maria Pastor and representatives of Spanish business circles

Open source

Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, departed for the Kingdom of Spain with his first official visit, as the Presidents Administration reports.

According to the message, the Head of state will visit Spain on June 2-4.

The head of the Ukrainian state will meet with King of Spain Felipe VI, newly-appointed Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Chairman of the Congress of Deputies Ana Maria Pastor and representatives of Spanish business circles, the message says.

Besides, Poroshenko along with the Ukrainian community of Spain will pray for peace in Ukraine. The prayer will take place in the Cathedral of Almudena, Madrid.

As part of the program of the visit, it is also planned to visit the Galicia region, where the meeting with the Head of the Government of Galicia Alberto Nunez Feijoo will be held, the representatives of the Administration add.

At the same time, the message says that Poroshenkos visit will be the first visit to Spain since Pedro Sanchez was elected the PM of Spain. And this visit will be the first visit of the President of Ukraine to Spain in 22 years.

Earlier, the Spanish Parliament passed a non-confidence vote to the Government of Mariano Rajoy, who has been in office since the end of 2011. A corruption scandal within the party was the reason to make this decision. It was not proved that Rajoy himself was involved in corruption schemes, he was a witness in the case. Yet, the Parliament decided to remove him from the post.

Today, on May 2, Pedro Sanchez, the Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, made an oath as a newly elected Spanish PM.
Open source

Serbia did not recognize Crimea as a part of Russia because it would mean the support of the independence of Kosovo. Aleksandar Vucic, the President of Serbia claimed this as Monde reported.

'We did not recognize Crimea as a part of Russia. If we did it, it would mean that we support the independence of Kosovo. But put yourself in our shoes. Who supports our territorial integrity among the permanent members of the UN Security Council? Russia. Can we shoot in our own leg?', he noted.

At the same time, Vucic reminded that in 2014 Belgrade did not support the sanctions against Moscow, however, it clearly states about its European ambitions.

According to him, European integration of Serbia and good relations with Russia do not contradict each other.

Earlier we reported that U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo claimed that he will never recognize the annexation of Crimea by Russia.
Russia's authorities have refused the Ukrainian consul in the meeting with Oleksandr Kolchenko, the illegally convicted citizen of Ukraine once more. Mariana Betsa, the spokeswoman of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported this on Twitter.

'Once more Russia refused to let Ukrainian consul to see O. Kolchenko explaining this by the fact that he is a citizen of Russia. It is the insolent violation of all norms. We continue to fight', she reported.

The purpose of the hunger strike of Kolchenko is the requirement to release Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov. Sentsov, went on a hunger strike on May 14 and demanded to release all 64 Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. Now Sentsov is receiving supportive therapy.

According to the lawyer Lepyokhin, Kolchenko announced a hunger strike on May 31 and he does not have any other requirements, except the liberation of Sentsov.

The purpose of the hunger strike of Kolchenko is the requirement to release Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov. Sentsov, went on a hunger strike on May 14 and demanded to release all 64 Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. Now Sentsov is receiving supportive therapy.

According to the lawyer Lepyokhin, Kolchenko announced a hunger strike on May 31 and he does not have any other requirements, except the liberation of Sentsov.

As it is known, Ukrainian movie director Oleg Sentsov and Crimean activist Oleksandr Kolchenko were detained by the Russian FSB in the annexed Crimea. Both were taken to Russia. Sentsov was charged with preparing a terrorist act in Crimea and sentenced to 20 years in the high-security penal colony. Kolchenko was sentenced to ten-years-long imprisonment.
The journalist added that he has not seen the list of 47 people, however, it seemed to him that there were fewer people at the meeting.

Open source

The group of the mass media representatives was invited to the Security Service of Ukraine apart from Matvy Hanapolsky and Yevhen Kiselyov. Journalist Oleksy Bratushchak reported this on Facebook.

According to him, Osman Pashaev, Serhy Ivanov, Yulia Mostove, the chief editor of weekly Dzerkalo Tyzhnia, Deputy Director of ATR TV channel Aider Muzhdabaev and political journalist Viltaly Portnikov are among the representatives of the mass media.

Pashaev reported to Hromadske that he has signed a non-disclosure agreement. Also, the journalist added that he has not seen the list of 47 people, however, it seemed to him that there were fewer people at the meeting.

On June 1 Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yury Lutsenko claimed that thank to the staging of the murder of Russian journalist Arkadiy Babchenko, the prosecution got the list of the famous Ukrainian and ex-Russian journalist who should be killed too. Totally, there are 47 people on the list.

On May 29 it was reported that Arkadiy Babchenko, a Russian journalist, was murdered in Kyiv. He was allegedly shot in his apartment. Ukraines police suggested that the murder of the journalist was connected with his professional activity. There were also reports on Russias connection.

Vasyl Hrytsak, the Head of SBU, at the briefing stated that Arkadiy Babchenko is alive, but the murder of Russian journalist was ordered by Russian special forces. Ukrainian citizen was enlisted for that.

On May 31, the suspected in the organization of Babchenko's murder was detained for two months without a right for the bail.

Earlier President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed that he knew about the staging of Babchenko's murder. At the same time, the OSCE has condemned the fact that Ukrainian institutions spread fake information on the murder of Arkadiy Babchenko, a Russian journalist.
As Matvey Ganapolsky said, he and Yevgeny Kiselyov have signed a paper on non-disclosure during the conversation at SBU

The journalists Matvey Ganapolsky and Yevgeny Kiselyov were summoned to the Security Service of Ukraine on the case of the assassination attempt against Arkadiy Babchenko, as they said on air of Pryamy, where they work, 112.ua reports.

As Ganapolsky said, they have signed a paper on non-disclosure during the conversation at SBU.

It is obvious that the meeting was connected with Babchenkos case. Then, it was about the problems of the safety of the journalists, who work in Ukraine now. If to say what can be said, then it is all about the fact that we have to be attentive. Because those people who organized the attempt against of murderer of Babchenko will certainly try to perform a revenge. This is why we have to be careful, he noted.

He also said that SBU conducted a lot of work to prevent Babchenkos murder.

They have been working really hard to keep Babchenko safe. This is all I can say, the journalist noted.

In his turn, Kiselyov, a Russian journalist, added that the conversation in SBU was about their personal safety.

It was not a closed briefing for the elitists, it was really about our safety in particular, Kiselyov stressed.

Ganapolsky has also said that there were other people from the list in SBU.

I repeat it again. We did not see the list. But it is clear that people who were present there are included in the list. Therefore, I may call it a meeting on security for those who are in the list. That is pretty much it, Ganapolsky noted.

Earlier, Yuriy Lutsenko, Ukraines Prosecutor General, that 47 were people included in the list of potential victims along with Arkadiy Babchenko. They were informed about the danger.

On May 29 it was reported that Arkadiy Babchenko, a Russian journalist, was murdered in Kyiv. He was allegedly shot in his apartment. Ukraines police suggested that the murder of the journalist was connected with his professional activity. There were also reports on Russias connection.

Vasyl Hrytsak, the Head of SBU, at the briefing stated that Arkadiy Babchenko is alive, but the murder of Russian journalist was ordered by Russian special forces. Ukrainian citizen was enlisted for that.

On May 31, the suspected in the organization of Babchenko's murder was detained for two months without a right for the bail.

Earlier President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed that he knew about the staging of Babchenko's murder. At the same time, the OSCE has condemned the fact that Ukrainian institutions spread fake information on the murder of Arkadiy Babchenko, a Russian journalist.

Ukraine news on 112.international
Pavlo Klimkin sent letters to his foreign colleagues, where he mentions 60 political prisoners illegally kept in Russia and annexed Crimea

Open source

Pavlo Klimkin, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, called the Foreign Ministers of all the world to enhance anti-Russian sanctions to release Ukrainian political prisoners, as he wrote on Twitter.

Klimkin sent letters to his foreign colleagues and called them for consolidating the international pressure on Russia.

As it was reported earlier, a world rally #SaveOlegSentsov in support of Kremlin prisoners is taking place since yesterday in different cities. It is expected that 54 metropolises. The capitals of Germany, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, France, UAE, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Great Britain, USA, Portugal and Austria. 17 cities in Ukraine participate in this rally.

Earlier, Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, expressed his gratitude to the international community for the participation in rallies supporting Oleg Sentsov. He also stated that Ukraine will continue struggling to release every Ukrainian political prisoner and hostage kept in Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea and Donbas.

As it is known, Ukrainian movie director Oleg Sentsov and Crimean activist Oleksandr Kolchenko were detained by the Russian FSB in the annexed Crimea. Both were taken to Russia. Sentsov was charged with preparing a terrorist act in Crimea and sentenced to 20 years in the high-security penal colony. Kolchenko was sentenced to ten-years-long imprisonment.

Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov has announced a hunger strike on May 14. This way, he demands that all Ukrainians detained in Russia and annexed Crimea be released. Sentsov said he was ready to die if the requirements were not fulfilled.

On May 31, another Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Kolchenko joined Sentsov, announcing hunger strike as well. He demands to set Sentsov free.
The Head of state stated that Ukraine will continue struggling to release every Ukrainian political prisoner and hostage kept in Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea and Donbas

Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, expressed his gratitude to the international community for the participation in rallies supporting Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian movie director illegally convicted in Russia.

I am grateful to everyone who took part in the rallies all over the world supporting Oleg Sentsov  in Germany, France, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, Canada, USA, Portugal, Ukraine and even in Russia. Iniquity and totalitarian methods of the Kremlin regime outrages the tire world, the Head of the State wrote on his Facebook page.

Besides, Poroshenko stressed that Ukraine will continue struggling to release every Ukrainian political prisoner and hostage kept in Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea and Donbas.

Earlier, reported that a few hundreds of people have gathered near Independence Stella at Maidan Nezalezhnosti to carry out a rally in support of Oleg Sentsov.

The rally takes place within the world rally in the support of Sentsov. Today, it also should take place in other cities of Ukraine. 17 cities and town confirmed their participation.

As it is known, Ukrainian movie director Oleg Sentsov and Crimean activist Oleksandr Kolchenko were detained by the Russian FSB in the annexed Crimea. Both were taken to Russia. Sentsov was charged with preparing a terrorist act in Crimea and sentenced to 20 years in the high-security penal colony. Kolchenko was sentenced to ten-years-long imprisonment.

Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov has announced a hunger strike on May 14. This way, he demands that all Ukrainians detained in Russia and annexed Crimea be released. Sentsov said he was ready to die if the requirements were not fulfilled.

On May 31, another Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Kolchenko joined Sentsov, announcing hunger strike as well. He demands to set Sentsov free.

June 1-2, international campaign #SaveOlegSentsov to be held in different cities around the world. The organizers say that these days they "will give a red card to the regime of Putin," who illegally keeps people behind the bars.

At the moment, 54 cities are on the participants list. Among them are the capitals of Germany, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, France, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Britain, USA, Portugal, and Austria.
At the moment, a few hundreds of people have gathered near Independence Stella at Maidan Nezalezhnosti

Open source

The partakers of the rally for the support of Ukrainian movie maker Oleg Sentsov illegally convicted in Russia and other political prisoners detained in Russia as 112 Ukraine reported.

According to the message, a few hundreds of people have gathered near Independence Stella at Maidan Nezalezhnosti.

People are holding the posters with the demand to release Sentsov and chanting patriotic slogans.

Also, there was a theatrical performance: about dozen of people came out in the uniform and portrayed the prisoners. In such way they tried to attract the attention of the international community to the destiny of these people.

The rally takes place within the world rally in the support of Sentsov. Today, it also should take place in other cities of Ukraine. 17 cities and town confirmed their participation.

As it is known, Ukrainian movie director Oleg Sentsov and Crimean activist Oleksandr Kolchenko were detained by the Russian FSB in the annexed Crimea. Both were taken to Russia. Sentsov was charged with preparing a terrorist act in Crimea and sentenced to 20 years in the high-security penal colony. Kolchenko was sentenced to ten-years-long imprisonment.

Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov has announced a hunger strike on May 14. This way, he demands that all Ukrainians detained in Russia and annexed Crimea be released. Sentsov said he was ready to die if the requirements were not fulfilled.

On May 31, another Ukrainian political prisoner Oleksandr Kolchenko joined Sentsov, announcing hunger strike as well. He demands to set Sentsov free.

June 1-2, international campaign #SaveOlegSentsov to be held in different cities around the world. The organizers say that these days they "will give a red card to the regime of Putin," who illegally keeps people behind the bars.

At the moment, 54 cities are on the participants list. Among them are the capitals of Germany, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, France, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Britain, USA, Portugal, and Austria.
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. First Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan summed up the results of the session of the Council of the CIS heads of government which was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan from May 31 to June 1, reports Armenpress.

The First Deputy PM informed via Facebook that during the session a number of agreements were signed covering a wide range of sectors, such as development of intellectual property market, standardization, energy innovation and etc. A number of issues of mutual interest were discussed.

We also had an informal meeting with the prime ministers of the CIS states. During both formal and informal meetings I conveyed several important messages to our partners according to which Armenia will continue developing the cooperation within the CIS. I have also informed that according to the Constitutional changes in Armenia, the presidents powers, in fact, have been conveyed to the prime minister, and that of the PM to the First Deputy PM, therefore, Armenia will be represented by the Prime Minister in the format of the leaders of the CIS states and by the First Deputy PM at the Council of heads of government, Ararat Mirzoyan said.

He also informed that Armenias delegation members  deputy PM Mher Grigoryan, minister of economic development and investments Artsvik Minasyan, deputy minister of transport, communication and information technologies Hakob Arshakyan, deputy foreign minister Shavarsh Kocharyan had a chance for substantive meetings with their partners, discussed a number of prospective issues for the economy.

I assess both the contacts that occurred during the visit, the discussed programs and signed agreements very positively and really important for our country, the First Deputy PM said.

Commenting on the media reports which state that Mirzoyan could depart for Dushanbe by an ordinary plane, rather than by the PMs plane, he stated: Upon my return I was informed that several media outlets and Facebook users have questioned the appropriateness of our departure by the PMs plane. Let me note that otherwise our delegation consisting of 20 people (including media representatives) would have to depart via Moscow, with different flights and in that case again it would pay huge, almost the same money for tickets, food and hotel.

However, the most important thing was that we would have to depart on May 30 and return on June 2. And wasting two business days on our way would be a real luxury for me. Sorry, but I cannot allow this to myself on these days, since my working schedule is so busy that I go to work early in the morning and return later in the evening.

The financial savings, of course, are among our priorities, and we are consistently moving on this path. At the same time we need to understand that there are expenditures that must be made for the effective work of the public administrative system, and why not, for our countrys proper presentation.

English  translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan commented on the drastic increase of prices of meat products and vegetables in the major supermarkets, reports Armenpress.

The PM said on Facebook that the price increases are artificial.

Those who by artificially increasing the prices want to prove that illegality is better than the legality, will very soon feel the real power of the lawfulness, the PM said, urging to boycott the thieves and corrupt officials.

As part of anticorruption campaign the National Security Service of Armenia has exposed tax evasion mechanisms developed by the largest business entities of Armenia. The mechanism is based on the registration of hundreds of individual enterprises that are in fact engaged in false entrepreneurship. According to the preliminary data, Alex Holding LTD, being a accompany that pays value added tax, reached an agreement with the former leadership of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia at the end of 2016 to implement the realization of agricultural products bought from farmers in the supermarket chain Yerevan city under the name of different individual enterprises the annual turnover of which does not exceed 115 million AMD. This gave Alex Holding LTD an opportunity to pay only 2% turnover tax instead of 20% VAT and income tax. The leadership of Alex Holding LTD registered 461 individual enterprises at the same notary office in the name of the employees of their company and the family members of the employees.

In addition, the NSS has also revealed that the farmers who supply goods to the supermarkets mainly work without documents.

The new chairman of the State Revenue Committee Davit Ananyan announced that the agreements reached with the former government will not exist anymore. He told the economic entities that it is necessary to work with new rules and in the legal field.

On June 1 the leaders of major supermarkets sent an open letter to the Prime Minister urging to organize a meeting to discuss the current situation. They proposed to develop legislative mechanisms for solving the issue. The leaders of Yerevan City, Nor Zovk, Evrika, Kaiser, Krpak, Sas Group, Parma, Tsiran, Vas Group and Danielyan supermarkets have signed under the letter.

After the discoveries of these violations, starting from June 1 the prices of meat and agricultural products have increased by nearly 20% in supermarkets.

English  translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. During the period from May 27 to June 2 the situation has remained relatively stable in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, Artsakhs defense ministry told Armenpress.

During this period the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime nearly 200 times by firing more than 3000 shots at the Armenian positions.

The Defense Army forces control the situation in the frontline and confidently fulfill their military tasks.

English  translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. Garo Paylan, ethnic Armenian lawmaker of the Turkish Parliament representing the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), on June 1 met with the Kurdish community representatives in the French city of Marseille, Nouvelles dArmenie reports.

During the meeting the HDP lawmaker stated that in order to have majority in the parliament Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to do everything so that the HDP will not overcome the pore-election 10% threshold and will not have a seat in the parliament.

The ethnic Armenian lawmaker noted that a great pressure is exerted on their potential electorate. Despite all these pressures, we are confident that we will overcome the 10% threshold based on the voting results, he said.

Turkey will hold snap parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24. After the elections the country will transition to a presidential system from the current parliamentary one.

Garo Paylan has been nominated from the HDP in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

English  translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. The lawyers of jailed pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) presidential candidate Selahettin Demirtas will file a lawsuit against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Diken reports.

During his remarks on June 1 President Erdogan commented on the appeal of the HDP submitted to the Constitutional Court according to which the party demands to release lawmaker Demirtas. Release who? The person behind bars has the blood of 53 people on his hands, Erdogan said as quoted by Ahval news agency.

Demirtass lawyers called Erdogans remarks as black propaganda and attempt to have an impact on the judiciary. The lawyers stated that Erdogan has violated the principle of presumption of innocence. They announced that they launch legal procedures against Erdogan and will file a lawsuit to receive a moral compensation.

English  translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenias State Revenue Committee denies the media reports according to which the government has tasked to tax the local agricultural goods not within the VAT field, but with individual enterprises as previously.

In response to the ARMENPRESS inquiry, the SRC said that there is no information on such agreement at the SRC level. In addition, during the recent meeting with the SRC Chairman Davit Ananyan the businessmen were called on to work within the VAT field.

Earlier business trainer Vahram Mirakyan said on Facebook that the prices decreased since the government tasked to tax the local agricultural goods with the individual enterprises as previously. His Facebook post created discussions in social networks where some of the users are already alarming that disinformation is distributed.

As part of anticorruption campaign the National Security Service of Armenia has exposed tax evasion mechanisms developed by the largest business entities of Armenia. The mechanism is based on the registration of hundreds of individual enterprises that are in fact engaged in false entrepreneurship. According to the preliminary data, Alex Holding LTD, being a accompany that pays value added tax, reached an agreement with the former leadership of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia at the end of 2016 to implement the realization of agricultural products bought from farmers in the supermarket chain Yerevan city under the name of different individual enterprises the annual turnover of which does not exceed 115 million AMD. This gave Alex Holding LTD an opportunity to pay only 2% turnover tax instead of 20% VAT and income tax. The leadership of Alex Holding LTD registered 461 individual enterprises at the same notary office in the name of the employees of their company and the family members of the employees.

In addition, the NSS has also revealed that the farmers who supply goods to the supermarkets mainly work without documents.

The new chairman of the State Revenue Committee Davit Ananyan announced that the agreements reached with the former government will not exist anymore. He told the economic entities that it is necessary to work with new rules and in the legal field.

On June 1 the leaders of major supermarkets sent an open letter to the Prime Minister urging to organize a meeting to discuss the current situation. They proposed to develop legislative mechanisms for solving the issue. The leaders of Yerevan City, Nor Zovk, Evrika, Kaiser, Krpak, Sas Group, Parma, Tsiran, Vas Group and Danielyan supermarkets have signed under the letter.

After the discoveries of these violations, starting from June 1 the prices of meat and agricultural products have increased by nearly 20% in supermarkets.

English  translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
More than half of the world's children are threatened by conflict, poverty or sexual discrimination, Save the Children said in a report published on Wednesday. Entitled "Many Faces of Exclusion", the study ranked 175 countries in terms of the threat of child labour, exclusion from education, child marriage and early pregnancy. It found that 1.2 billion children worldwide were at risk from at least one of the three main threats. Eight of the 10 countries which ranked worst for children were in west and central Africa, with the greatest threat level in Niger. By contrast, Singapore and Slovenia were classed as the countries with the lowest incidence of such problems. "More than half the world's children start their lives held back because they are a girl, because they are poor or because they are growing up in a war zone," said Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the charity's chief executive. "Governments can and must do more to give every child the best possible start in life," she added. "The fact that countries with similar levels of income deliver such different outcomes for children shows that policy, funding and political commitment make a critical difference." The report said more than one billion children live in countries hit by poverty and 240 million in countries affected by conflict and fragility. More than 575 million girls live in countries "where gender bias is a serious issue", it found. Some 20 countries, including South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Afghanistan, account for 153 million children living under all three threats of child labour, exclusion from education and child marriage. Niger is the country in which children face the biggest threats from conflict, poverty and discrmination, Save the Children says
Outside a crumbling neoclassic building on a seedy Athens street, a tour guide marks the spot where one of Greece's greatest writers Costas Tachtsis used to cruise in drag. A few blocks away, the English poet Lord Byron became infatuated with the 12-year-old daughter of his Greek landlady before succumbing to the charms of a French boy. "In the 19th century, Greece was an exotic land full of eroticism," tour guide Nicolaos Nicolaides, a historian by training, tells his group. "To European travellers, visiting ancient sites was more of an excuse. Erotic adventures was what they were really hoping for," he adds with a laugh. The walking tour through the capital's same-sex landmarks is the inaugural event of Athens Pride 2018, held in the capital since 2005 but significantly expanded this year. Instead of a single day of events, this year's roster is week-long and includes a bike ride, awareness seminars, street parties and performances, plus the customary parade through the city centre on June 9. Some 50,000 people participated in last year's parade, compared to just 500 people in 2005. - Still taboo in politics - "In 2005, our first aim was just to attract people from the community, that's how hesitant they were," organiser Andrea Gilbert told a recent press conference on the event, hosted by the French embassy. "It's very important for a young person to have one day per year when they can feel wonderful about being themselves," she said. The celebration is held amid some important strides for LGBT rights in the country. In 2015, the leftist-led government approved a law establishing the right to civil partnership for same-sex couples. In October, transgender persons were for the first time given the right to legally determine their chosen sex on official documents. And last month, parliament gave surrogate parental rights to couples in a same-sex civil union. All have been landmark rulings in a country where homosexuality is taboo for most politicians and publicly opposed by the powerful Orthodox Church. Earlier this year, a prominent bishop went on trial after labelling gay people the "dregs of society" and called on his followers to "spit" on them. He was charged with public incitement to violence and abuse of ecclesiastical duties, but a court in his local diocese dropped the case. In ancient times, notes Nicolaides, not only was "perfect love" that between two men, but Athenian democracy also owes a debt to two male lovers in the 6th century BC. Harmodius and Aristogeiton were worshipped as demigods in Athens after slaying the tyrant Hipparchus in an apparent personal dispute. And while there is scant evidence to confirm the poet Sappho as a lesbian icon -- a later product of Victorian times -- homosexuality among men was an accepted part of life in antiquity before the rise of Christianity. However, Athens Pride spokesperson Raphael Bilidas insists that much remains to be done to combat homophobia in modern Greek society. "The 'pride' is an answer to what many people continue to say today, that we should be ashamed of ourselves," he said. "As long as this mentality persists, we will not be equal," Bilidas said. As an example, he cited several families with a transgender parent. "If that parent wants to change their status to transgender, they must first divorce. There is no provision for transgender parenthood in marriage at present," Bilidas said. Historian Nicolas Nicolaides (C) gives walking tours of landmarks of same-sex love in Athens
Uber faces being banned in Turkey after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the ride hailing app was "finished" on Saturday following an intense lobbying campaign from Istanbul taxi drivers. Erdogan's comments, in a late night speech Friday in Istanbul, came after the government agreed new rules that are expected to severely complicate Uber's operations in Turkey. Drivers of Istanbul's yellow taxis have over the last months waged an intense campaign to have Uber banned, saying the company is eating into their business without having a proper legal basis for work. "This thing emerged called Uber or Muber or whatever," said Erdogan. "But this issue is now finished. It's over now." "Our Prime Minister (Binali Yildirim) made the announcement. We have our system of taxis," he added. Yildirim's government last month issued a directive sharply hiking fines and threatened blacklisting for companies whose vehicles illegally work as taxis. The official taxi drivers association said at the time the measure would be a major threat to Uber, if it was properly enforced by the traffic police. Erdogan said that while Uber may be popular in some European countries, Turkey was different. "Why did it (Uber) emerge? Because it was in Europe. But what is Europe to me? We will take the decision ourselves." His comments come three weeks ahead of keenly contested presidential and parliamentary elections. Many Istanbul taxi drivers -- though not all -- are strong Erdogan supporters and the main taxi associations back him. - 'Pirate carrier' - After Erdogan spoke, dozens of taxi drivers rallied to support him outside of his private residence in the Uskudar district of Istanbul, the Dogan news agency said. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu backed up Erdogan's comments, describing Uber as a "unauthorised carrier, in other words a pirate carrier". "Turkey is a state of law. We don't need to say sorry for this. It (Uber) has not been given the authorisation to carry out taxi services," he was quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency as saying. The 17,400 official yellow taxis in Istanbul are a pillar of the city's often patchy transport system, but critics say that poor service and overcharging opened up an opportunity for Uber. However the taxi drivers slam Uber as "pirates" who are swallowing their incomes in an already tight market. Uber drivers have been physically attacked and even fired at, but taxi drivers reject being involved in a harassment campaign. Uber said this week it is committed to working in Turkey "to the end" and has insisted it is operating within the law. It has expanded rapidly in Turkey and according to Turkish press reports there are more than 10,000 Uber vehicles in Istanbul. The company did not comment on the situation on Saturday. The tension in Turkey is one of a number of headaches for Uber and its new chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over last August after founder Travis Kalanick was ousted following a series of scandals. It has lost its license in London, although it is still operating there pending appeal, while its self-driving car programme in the United States suffered a blow with a deadly accident. Official yellow taxis wait for customers in Istanbul where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says rival ride-app Uber is "finished"
Families of Chinese democracy protesters killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown have urged President Xi Jinping to acknowledge their suffering and "re-evaluate the June Fourth massacre" as its 29th anniversary approaches. Open discussion of the crackdown is forbidden in China, where hundreds -- by some estimates more than a thousand -- died when the Communist Party sent tanks to crush demonstrations in the square in Beijing on June 4 1989, after student-led protesters had staged a peaceful seven-week sit-in to demand democratic reforms. In an open letter to Xi dated "the eve of 2018 June 4th", the Tiananmen Mothers, an association of parents who lost children in the violence, said: "each year when we would commemorate our loved ones, we are all monitored, put under surveillance, or forced to travel". "No one from the successive governments over the past 29 years has ever asked after us, and not one word of apology has been spoken from anyone, as if the massacre that shocked the world never happened," said the letter, which was released on Thursday by the non-profit Human Rights in China. "The 1989 June Fourth bloody massacre is a crime the state committed against the people. Therefore, it is necessary to re-evaluate the June Fourth massacre," the letter said, calling for "truth, compensation, and accountability" from the government. The protests are branded a "counter-revolutionary rebellion" by Chinese authorities and many on the mainland remain unaware of the crackdown, with discussion banned from books, textbooks, movies and censored on social networks. The semi-autonomous territory of Hong Kong is the only place on Chinese soil where the anniversary is openly marked with a famous vigil in Victoria Park on June 4 each year. Discussion of the Tiananmen crackdown is banned from books, textbooks, movies and is censored on social networks
French Open headlines and sidelines on Saturday, the seventh day of the 2018 tournament: Headlines + Serena, Sharapova set up last-16 clash + Nadal makes it 16-0 against Gasquet + Halep sees off injured Petkovic + Muguruza, Cilic reach week two + Kvitova knocked out by Kontaveit Sidelines Tyson at the tennis -- World heavyweight boxing great Mike Tyson watches Serena Williams beat Julia Goerges to set up a 22nd meeting with Maria Sharapova. Sharapova's 'admiration' for Nadal -- Maria Sharapova expressed her admiration for Rafael Nadal, after hitting with him in practice in Rome last month. "I think it's pretty remarkable what he's done in his career," she said. "I think when you get to a certain point, you know, those numbers, I mean, there are a lot of people that can be considered greatest of all time, right?" "I have a lot of admiration for him. I have always loved the spirit that he carries on with, you know, the focus." Fabulous Fabio adds to Italian joy -- Fabio Fognini ended British interest in the tournament by beating Kyle Edmund in five sets to reach the second week of the tournament for the first time since a run to the quarter-finals in 2011. He joins compatriot Marco Cecchinato in the fourth round, making it two Italian men in the last 16 at Roland Garros for the first time since 1976. Friends reunited -- Karen Khachanov inflicted more French woe by completing a rain-interrupted win over Lucas Pouille on Philippe Chatrier. The 22-year-old will next face a familiar foe in German second seed Alexander Zverev. "I think we know each other since we were 14," said the Russian. "Also we are good outside the court, with his parents, they know me also and I know them well. He's a nice guy and, yeah, that's what I can say." Who's saying what "Yeah, of course, it was a good practice for me. I won the tournament there." -- Nadal on his practice session in Rome with Sharapova "I not explain to you. I'm going to lose 30 minutes. Sorry. It's tough question." -- Fognini after being asked to talk about his personality "Macadamia nut brittle... and do you know they only make that in Europe? They don't have that in the United States." -- Stephens chats about Parisian ice-cream after making round four. "Who doesn't know me?" -- Khachanov after a reporter asks him to describe his playing style for people who don't know him. "I'm not Maria Sharapova, people don't come up to me on the street or anything. Maybe I've been a little under the radar." -- Estonia's Anett Kontaveit is making her progress at the French Open relatively unnoticed. Numbers up 18 - consecutive wins for Williams over Sharapova since her last loss to the Russian in 2004. 57 - unforced errors made by two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in her loss to Kontaveit. The Czech eighth seed also served 10 double faults. 2 - points won by Richard Gasquet in the first five games of his crushing 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 loss to Nadal. 4 - match points missed by Gael Monfils against David Goffin in the fourth set of his third-round defeat. 16 - wins from as many meetings for Nadal against Gasquet. Blink and you'll miss it: Maria Sharapova powered past Karolina Pliskova in only 59 minutes Tyson at the tennis: Mike Tyson watched Serena Williams set up a clash with Maria Sharapova
From the start of next month Amazon will stop Australians from shopping on its American website.





The American site offers a much wider range of products, often at much lower prices.

The retail giant has blamed the change on new tax laws that come into effect on the first of July.

The laws require businesses to collect GST on all goods.

Scott Morrison says the Government does not apologise for ensuring multinationals pay a fair amount of tax in Australia.

Watch the full story above.
Italy's new prime minister Giuseppe Conte mostly kept quiet on his full first day in office Saturday, while his two powerful deputies took centre stage in setting the tone of the populist government's policy. Conte, a political novice, was finally sworn in on Friday as the head of a government of ministers from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the far-right League, ending months of uncertainty since elections in March. But Conte was a compromise candidate between Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio and the League's Matteo Salvini -- both of whom are now his deputy prime ministers -- and he will have to walk a delicate line to push through the anti-austerity and pro-security promises their populist parties campaigned on. The 53-year-old academic also inherited a daunting list of issues from his predecessor Paolo Gentiloni, including the financial travails of companies such as Ilva and Alitalia, a Group of Seven summit in Canada and a key EU summit at the end of the month, as well as the thorny question of immigration. Immigration is the bugbear of Conte's interior minister, Salvini, the 45-year-old leader of the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam League. Salvini announced Friday that he would visit Sicily to see the situation for himself at one of the main landing points for refugees fleeing war, persecution and famine across North Africa and the Middle East. "The good times for illegals is over -- get ready to pack your bags," Salvini said at a rally in Italy's north on Saturday, adding however that he wants to economically assist migrants' countries of origin. His comments come after more than 150 migrants, including nine children, disembarked from a rescue ship late Friday in Sicily. - 'From today, the state is us' - Conte attended a military parade alongside President Sergio Mattarella on Saturday, marking Republic Day for the foundation of the Italian Republic in 1946. However the new prime minister has issued few public statements since being appointed. On Saturday he did post on Facebook that he had spoken with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron and would meet the two leaders at the G7 summit, where he will be a "spokesman for the interests of Italian citizens". Conte has also opted to keep the country's intelligence services under his personal control. Deputy premier Di Maio, who is serving as economic development minister, also took to Facebook, calling for "entrepreneurs to be left alone". "Employers and employees in Italy must not be enemies," he said, promising "I will not disappoint you". On Saturday evening Five Star held a rally in the centre of Rome with thousands of supporters and all its ministers to celebrate "the government of change". Di Maio told the crowd that "from today, the state is us". Five Star's founder, former comic Beppe Grillo, rang a bell in front of the crowd, saying the sound "marks the fracture between a world that is going away and a new one that is arriving". - EU and the eurosceptics - The world will be carefully watching power relations between Conte and his two influential deputies -- particularly the European Union, given the eurosceptic government is the first populist coalition in a founding EU member. EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker called Saturday for Conte's new government to be treated with respect, having earlier sparked controversy by telling Italians to work harder and stop blaming the EU for the country's problems. "We should show respect towards Italy," Juncker said in an interview with the German press group Funke Mediengruppe. Juncker said Italy must not suffer the same fate as thrice-bailed out Greece whose dignity was "trodden under foot" by its creditors when left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took office in 2015. "That must not happen again in the present case with Italy," Juncker said. "Italians have a clear understanding of what is good for their country. They will sort it out." Italy's new Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte attended a military parade marking Republic Day on Saturday Make-up of the Italian government Italian Interior Minister and deputy PM Matteo Salvini gesturing during the swearing-in ceremony of the new government Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio told a rally of supporters in Rome that 'from today, the state is us' Five Star Movement founder Beppe Grillo rings a bell at a rally, saying the sound 'marks the fracture between a world that is going away and a new one that is arriving'
Hundreds of Jordanians demonstrated in the capital Amman for a third consecutive day on Saturday against price hikes and an income tax draft law driven by IMF recommendations to slash its public debt. Protests have gripped the country since Wednesday, when hundreds flooded the streets of Amman and demonstrated in other cities at the call of trade unions, to demand the fall of the government. Last week the government adopted an income tax draft law, yet to be approved by parliament, aimed at widening the country's tax base and reaping 300 million dinars ($420 million, 360 million euros) for the treasury each year. It is the latest in a series of economic reforms since Amman secured a $723-million three-year credit line from the International Monetary Fund in 2016. The loan, intended to support economic and financial reforms, has the long term objective of reducing Jordan's public debt from about 94 percent of GDP to 77 percent by 2021. "This will be accomplished through reforms to bolster economic growth and gradual fiscal consolidation," the IMF says on its website. Prices have steadily risen in recent years in Jordan, a country of 9.5 million which is burdered by poverty and unemployment, since January. On Thursday, the government announced it would raise fuel and electricity prices from Friday, sparking protests across the country. It later froze its decision under orders from King Abdullah II. But Friday night, hundreds of protesters were back on the streets outside the prime minister's office in Amman, calling for the government to fall, AFP reporters said. Some demonstrators blocked roads with their cars, while others held signs reading: "The people of Jordan will not kneel". Protests hit in several other cities, including Irbid and Jarash in the north, Zarqa in the east, and the southern city of Maan, which was rocked by deadly riots in the late 1980s over rising food prices. Police said some demonstrators overnight "attacked" law enforcement agents and "tried to attack public and private property". They warned they would resort to force if necessary. Under the proposed new law, anyone with an annual income of 8,000 dinars or above would have to pay income tax, while businesses would face steep tax increases. Evaders would be heavily fined. A majority of deputies -- 78 out of 130 MPs -- issued a statememt Friday saying they would vote against the draft legislation. They said the income tax law does not serve the economic and social interests of the people. Trade union representatives were due to meet on Saturday with Prime Minister Hani Mulki to demand that he revoke the bill or face further protests, said the president of the country's trade union federation, Ali Obus. Demonstrators confront anti-riot policemen as they protest against a proposed income tax draft law in front of the Prime Minister's office in Amman late on June 1, 2018
Ukraine on Friday said that its sting operation involving the staged murder of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko had resulted in it uncovering a list of 47 people, mostly journalists, who were potential targets for further attacks. Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko wrote on Facebook that the controversial operation, which involved top officials lying in public about Babchenko's death, had helped security services uncover a list of 47 people, mainly Ukrainian and Russian emigre journalists, who "could be the next victims of terrorists." Lutsenko said they had all been informed and arrangements were being made for their safety. Kiev-based journalist Matvei Ganapolsky, who works for Russian Echo of Moscow radio, told the station that he and another prominent journalist Evgeniy Kiselev had both been summoned by the Ukrainian security service and warned of potential risk to their safety by its head Vasyl Grytsak and Lutsenko. Ganapolsky said he was also shown additional materials on the Babchenko attack that showed "this is all serious and a real attack was in fact being prepared, they were planning to kill him." Earlier Ukrainian authorities said that the Russian secret services had envisaged killing not only Babchenko but some 30 others. - Western diplomats briefed - Ukrainian law enforcement chiefs including Lutsenko earlier on Friday met Western diplomats to brief them on Kiev's decision to stage a contract-style killing of Babchenko, which has prompted widespread criticism. Around a dozen diplomats went to Ukraine's Prosecutor-General's Office for a meeting with Lutsenko and Grytsak behind closed doors that lasted nearly two hours, AFP journalists saw. The diplomats were told that staging Babchenko's murder over more than 12 hours from Tuesday to Wednesday -- with law enforcement officials and even the country's president issuing false statements -- allowed them to "prevent the journalist's death," the Prosecutor-General's Office said in a statement. The Ukrainian authorities were also able to "fully document the organiser's criminal actions," gaining information on "possible potential victims, against whom it is likely terror attacks and murders were being planned," the statement said. Lutsenko told diplomats his officers had carried out a "large-scale and complex operation" and the public would be informed of the details as far as possible during the criminal investigation. Diplomats attended from the Group of Seven countries -- Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Britain, Italy and Japan -- as well as Australia, Norway, and the European Union and Council of Europe. Ukrainian police announced on Tuesday evening that Babchenko, a Russian emigre journalist known for his outspoken anti-Kremlin views, had been shot dead, only for him to reappear alive and well at a news conference at the SBU headquarters the following day. The SBU and the Prosecutor-General's Office then revealed that the announcement of his death, which prompted a grief-stricken reaction around the world, had been made as part of a sting operation. Kiev has said the move was justified to foil a real plot to assassinate Babchenko and confirm the link between the killer and the organiser. The way the murder was staged has attracted much criticism, particularly from organisations representing journalists, which questioned the need for such extreme tactics. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who was visiting Kiev on Friday, said ahead of his visit that it was "indispensable to shed light on what happened" and called on Ukraine to clarify the situation in order to "encourage trust". Russian foreign ministry spokesman Artyom Kozhin said at a briefing in Moscow on Friday that Kiev's actions "have definitively undermined trust in Ukrainian sources of information, including official ones". He noted however that "We are in principle glad that Babchenko is alive." Diplomats from Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Britain, Italy and Japan attended a briefing in Kiev about the plot to stage Arkady Babchenko's death
China's military build-up in the South China Sea and its deployment of high-end weapons systems in the disputed waters is designed to intimidate and coerce neighbours, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday. His broadside at a security summit in Singapore drew a sharp rebuke from a Chinese general, who lashed out at "irresponsible comments" on the contested sea and insisted Bejing was simply defending its territory. Speaking just 10 days before President Donald Trump is due to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Mattis also said the US military continues to support diplomats pushing for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. Beijing has deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities, Mattis said. China has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands. "Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue. He also blasted Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea. But Chinese Lieutenant General He Lei issued a fiery response, telling the summit that "irresponsible comments from other nations cannot be accepted". "As long as it is on your own territory you can deploy the army and you can deploy weapons," he said. "It is for the sake of defending ourselves," he added, and warned Beijing would take "firm measures" if other countries sent ships and aircraft close to what it considers its islands in the South China Sea. China claims almost the entire resource-rich sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. - Tariffs on close allies - Mattis's address in Singapore returned to a theme that he and other senior US officials have hammered home since Trump took office -- that America is here to stay in the Asia-Pacific region and that allies should stick with Washington instead of aligning with Beijing. But the message might be a tougher sell for Mattis, who is generally popular on the international scene, after his boss this week imposed metals tariffs on some of America's closest allies in the name of "national security". Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin asked Mattis whether he thought it was unproductive for Trump to pick fights with allies on trade. "Certainly we have had some unusual approaches, I'll be candid with you," Mattis replied. "But I'm reminded that so long as nations continue dialogue, so long as they continue to listen to one another and to pay respect to one another, nothing is over based on one decision, one day." In a dig at China, which the Pentagon has accused of using "predatory" economics to exploit neighbours, Mattis said the US supports the peaceful resolution of disputes, "free, fair and reciprocal trade and investment" and adherence to international rules and norms. Despite frequent warnings from Washington about China's rising might and the pitfalls of its "Belt and Road" global infrastructure initiative, Beijing has faced few consequences for its South China Sea build-up and sweeping territorial claims. One modest exception came last week when the Pentagon disinvited China from biennial maritime exercises in the Pacific. Mattis characterised this action as an "initial response". But "there are much larger consequences in the future when nations lose the rapport of their neighbours", he warned. "They believe that piling mountainous debts on their neighbours and somehow removing the freedom of political action is the way to engage them. Eventually these things do not pay off." Delegates hoping for clarity on Trump's intentions for a scheduled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim did not get much from Mattis, though he said the issue of the permanent deployment of about 28,5000 US troops in South Korea will not be "on the table". Mattis has tried to avoid weighing in on the summit, deferring questions to the State Department and Trump's national security team. "On the Korean peninsula, we hold the line with our allies, supporting our diplomats who lead this effort," Mattis said. "Our objective remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula." US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis described Beijing's military build-up in the South China Sea as 'intimidation and coercion' Mattis said the US remains committed to the 'complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation' of the Korean peninsula
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Europe Monday to push his uncompromising stance on Iran to leaders eager to salvage the nuclear agreement after the United States withdrew. Netanyahu, a fierce opponent of the agreement and the Iranian regime, will meet in turn with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May. Germany, France and the United Kingdom are three of the signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between world powers and Iran, aimed at keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The European leaders have been scrambling to preserve the landmark deal after slamming President Donald Trump's May 8 decision to withdraw. The fallout from America rejecting the accord is likely to dominate the talks, with Netanyahu expected to firmly oppose European efforts to sustain it. "I will discuss with them ways to block Iran's nuclear aspirations and Iran's expansion in the Middle East," Netanyahu said on Monday of his European meetings, noting the issues were "crucial to Israel's security". After years lobbying against the 2015 deal, the decision by close ally Trump to ditch the accord has been greeted as a major triumph by Netanyahu. The Israeli leader has brushed aside European insistence that the agreement is the best option to prevent Tehran getting the bomb, claiming that it in fact brought Tehran closer to becoming a nuclear power. He also argues that a cash influx into Iran following the lifting of international sanctions as part of the accord has fuelled the expansion of Tehran's military influence in the region, especially in neighbouring Syria. -'No alternative'- But while the US retreat from the deal is a personal victory for Netanyahu, it also represents a leap into the unknown for Israel and the broader Middle East. While foes Iran and Israel have been kept at bay for decades, an unprecedented May 10 escalation in Syria that saw Israel bomb alleged Iranian targets after blaming Tehran for a rocket barrage, has sparked fears of open war. "An Iranian departure from southern Syria alone will not suffice," Netanyahu said on Tuesday. "The long-range missiles that Iran is working to station in Syria will endanger us even beyond the range of several kilometres from southern Syria; therefore, Iran needs to leave Syria altogether." The Europeans have acknowledged concerns over Iran's regional role and its ballistic activities, but sought to maintain the JCPOA while creating a separate arrangement on these issues. Contrary to what the US and Israel say, Europe insists the 2015 agreement works and Iran has abided by it. "There is no alternative," the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday. Merkel, May and Macron are still waiting for the Israelis and Americans to present another way to curb Iran's nuclear programme, but are under no illusions it will happen in next week's meetings, according to a European diplomat. Divided on other issues, the Europeans have emphasised their cohesion on the JCPOA, fearing that ripping it up could benefit hardliners in Iran and push Tehran to resume large-scale uranium enrichment. If that happens, the fear is it will once again make striking Iran a real option for Israel. On Thursday, a former Mossad chief said that in 2011 Netanyahu had ordered him and the military chief of staff to prepare an attack on Iran within 15 days. According to Tamir Pardo's interview on the Uvda television programme, such a directive could either mean "he really means it", or be a means to deliver a message, for example to the US, and perhaps drive it to take action. Other major issues look set to be left on the sidelines in the talks with European leaders. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the spotlight after the worst military flare-up in Gaza since a 2014 war raised fears this week of yet another full-blown conflict in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave. The exchange of fire came after scores of Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops during protests and clashes along the Gaza border. But along with other subjects, such as bilateral relations or the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, it will likely remain overshadowed by Iran. Expectations of any progress on the conflict with the Palestinians are low. Peace prospects remain as distant as ever and the diplomatic process in limbo as the sides wait for a plan long promised by the Trump administration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on May 6, 2018 French President Emmanuel Macron (L), British Prime Minister Theresa May (C) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel speak following a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of an EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on May 17, 2018
Syria's foreign minister on Saturday linked any talks on the future of a rebel-held southern region with the departure of US forces from another area bordering Iraq and Jordan. Regime ally Russia has called for a meeting with the United States and Jordan on the future of the southern provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In recent weeks, Damascus has sent military reinforcements to the two provinces, which comprise some of the closest rebel-held areas to the capital. President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu about proposed talks. "We have not yet entered into negotiations over the southern front," Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said at a press conference in Damascus. "The indicator will be the withdrawal of the United States from our land in At-Tanaf" near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, Muallem said. The United States and its allies have used a base in the area to train a force fighting the Islamic State group. "Don't believe anything that is said about an agreement on the south until you see that the United States has withdrawn its forces from the At-Tanaf base," he said. "It must withdraw its forces from At-Tanaf." "We have strived from the start to resolve the issue in the ways that we are used to, which are reconciliations," he said. "If it is not feasible, we will see what will happen." Moscow-brokered reconciliation deals have seen rebels withdraw from several areas of Syria including opposition strongholds close to the capital, often after blistering regime offensives and sieges. Last month, Washington warned Damascus it would take "firm" action if the regime violated a ceasefire deal for southern Syria that was negotiated with Russia and Jordan last year. The warning came after regime aircraft dropped leaflets on Daraa, urging the rebels who control most of the province to lay down their weapons or face an offensive. The United States is also present in the north of Syria, where it has been backing a Kurdish-led alliance fighting IS. Muallem also criticised a US-Turkish roadmap for "security and stability" in the Kurdish-held city of Manbij near the Turkish border. The agreement came after forces led by Turkey, who considers Syria's Kurdish militia to be "terrorists", in March seized the enclave of Afrin west of Manbij. That had raised fears of a confrontation between Turkish troops and American forces based in Manbij. "Not just in Manbij but also in Afrin and on every inch of Syrian soil, we consider Turkey to be an aggressor," the foreign minister said. "Neither the United States nor Turkey has the right to negotiate over a Syrian city," he said, describing any such deal as "infringing on Syrian sovereignty". A picture taken on June 2, 2018 shows a general view of destroyed buildings in a rebel-held area in the southern Syrian city of Daraa Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem gives a press conference in the capital Damascus, in a handout picture released by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on June 2, 2018 A Syrian rebel fighter sits holding a Kalashnikov assault rifle in a fortified area near s frontline in a rebel-held area in the southern Syrian city of Daraa on June 2, 2018


A man has been jailed for five years after stealing a $100 pair of Nike sneakers.

A judge and prosecutor said the five-year sentence given to a Georgia teen who stole a pair of pricey shoes was appropriate because a gun was used during the robbery.

Dayonn Davis, who was 18 when he was sentenced this week to five years in prison followed by 10 years of probation, was charged as an adult even though he was 15 when the crime was committed and his lawyer said he had no prior record.

Prosecutors Sadhana Dailey said in court that Davis contacted the owner of the Nike Oreos  so called because theyre black and white  after seeing them for sale on Facebook, according to the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper.

They arranged to meet at a park on January 17 2016.

Another male went with Davis to the meeting. When Davis tried the shoes on, he told the seller, These shoes is took.

Dayonn Davis stole a pair of Nike Oreos in 2016. Source: Amazon

This was an armed robbery. Its not a theft. Theres a big difference between a theft and an armed robbery, Ms Dailey told The Associated Press on Friday in a phone interview.

The teen victim was robbed at gunpoint.

Columbus police quickly identified Davis, who had the shoes in his closet.

Davis initially told police no one else was involved but eventually gave a name, but the seller of the shoes couldnt identify the person in a photo lineup as the gunman, the newspaper reported.

Davis was charged with armed robbery and reached a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to robbery by force, which allowed him to avoid the mandatory 10-year sentence that comes with an armed robbery conviction, Ms Dailey said.

He got a break, she said.

Defence attorney Susan Henderson told Muscogee County Superior Court Judge Bobby Peters her client just wanted to put the whole thing behind him and move on, the Ledger-Enquirer reported.

Story continues

Hes been extremely remorseful, she said.

Hes got his life on track now.

She insisted Davis didnt know the other person would pull a gun. But the judge said that made little difference in the eyes of the law.

I was young at the time, so I wasnt in my right mind, Davis told the judge.

Judge Peters called the case an unfortunate situation and told AP he would rather it have been handled in juvenile court.

Ms Dailey said it was appropriate to charge Davis as an adult because of the seriousness of the crime.

Judge Peters told AP that Davis would likely be released on parole before completing his five-year sentence.

Because its a first offence, Davis record can be expunged if he successfully completes probation, Judge Peters said.

No one else has been charged in the case. Its not clear whether the person Davis identified as the gunman was actually the other person who was there, Ms Dailey said.
American President Donald Trump suggested Saturday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is deliberately leaking to the press documents about his probe into possible collusion with Russia. "There was No Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country," Trump tweeted after the investigation passed its one-year mark last month. "Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? Should be looking at Dems corruption instead?" Earlier, The New York Times published a confidential 20-page letter the American president's legal team sent to Mueller in January, along with another sent in June 2017. In the letters, Trump's lawyers sternly oppose attempts by Mueller's office to interview him, saying "under our system of government, the president is not readily available to be interviewed." They also argue that Trump cannot be accused of obstructing justice because he has the constitutional power to end the investigation led by the Justice Department. Mueller was appointed in May 2017 to investigate Russian efforts to tip the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. He has increasingly dug into evidence of alleged money laundering, fraud and obstruction of justice inside Trump's inner circle. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is leading the probe into possible collusion between Russia and Donald Trump's presidential campaign
Group of Seven finance ministers ended their annual meeting Saturday with US allies united in condemning Washington's aggressive protectionism, calling on President Donald Trump to reverse his decision to impose punishing metal tariffs. The lack of common ground meant the dispute would continue into next week's G7 summit in Quebec, Canada, where Trump is expected to face other heads of state as the global economy verges on outright trade conflict. At this snow-capped mountain resort north of Vancouver, British Columbia, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was the odd man out. Major trading partners rebuked Trump's multi-front trade offensive while their governments announced countermeasures and legal challenges. One after another, finance ministers and central bankers spoke of exasperation and an abiding sense of betrayal by a longtime ally. Mnuchin, however, downplayed the disagreements and said the United States was committed to the G7 process. Announcing the meeting's close, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the host government and five others had urged Mnuchin to relay their "unanimous concern and disappointment." "We said that we were collectively hoping that he would bring the message back of regret and disappointment at the American actions and concern that they are not constructive," said Morneau. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also expressed France's outrage as the meetings ended. "I want to make it clear," Le Maire said, "that it is up to the US administration to make the right decisions to alleviate the situation and ease the difficulties." Avoiding trade war "will depend on the decision the (US) administration is ready to take in the next few days and in the next few hours -- I'm not talking about weeks ahead," he added. German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told reporters the US tariffs were "a very severe problem" for transatlantic relations. "No one understands that due to security reasons there should be extra tariffs on steel and aluminum," he said. Trump's tariffs on America's largest foreign providers of the crucial metals that went into effect Friday upended the agenda for this normally convivial event for consensus-building among countries that account for about half of global GDP. No joint final statement emerged from the G7 ministerial meeting, a sign of the strong discord now at the heart of the global economy. How the White House would deal with this remained unclear. As the ministers' meet ended, Trump was as bellicose as ever, taking to Twitter to denounce "stupid trade" in which he said the US saw foreign tariffs on its exports without responding in kind. "When you're almost 800 Billion Dollars a year down on Trade, you can't lose a Trade War! The US has been ripped off by other countries for years on Trade, time to get smart!" he wrote. Counting trade in both goods and services, the US trade deficit was $566 billion in 2017, a 12 percent increase marking its highest level since the 2008 Great Recession. - Getting an earful from allies - Chairing a meeting on Friday, Morneau allowed participants to register grievances with Mnuchin one at a time, according to a Canadian source. Behind closed doors, sources briefed on the talks said Mnuchin listened but spoke little, saying instead the discussion could continue at next week's G7 summit in the French-speaking province of Quebec at which Trump is expected to participate. Mnuchin said he had informed Trump of his discussions but that trade was only one of many issues on a full agenda. "These are our most important allies or some of our most important allies. We've had long-standing relationships with all these countries that are very important across all different aspects," Mnuchin told reporters. "I believe there was a comment out there that this was the G6 plus one. It was not. This was the G7. We believe in the G7." The week's whirlwind global developments in trade suggested a quick de-escalation was unlikely. Trump has suggested the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement might be scrapped in favor of seeking bilateral agreements with Canada and Mexico. G7 governments were also digesting Trump's threats to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in US auto imports on purported national security grounds. In China, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was conducting trade talks with Chinese officials even as Washington finalizes planned sanctions on Beijing. Potential measures include restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States, new export controls and 25 percent tariffs on about $50 billion in tech-sector goods. The talks come despite the Trump administration's apparent announcement last month of a truce with Beijing following talks in Washington last month. China has threatened to hit back with tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in US goods -- as have Canadian, EU and Mexican authorities. Flags line the entrance of the Fairmont Hotel in the Canadian town of Whistler as it hosts G7 ministerial meeting events German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (C) and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso (R), attend the opening of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors conference in Whistler, British Columbia on May 31, 2018
Payment systems giant Visa said late Friday it was "operating at close to normal levels" after a hardware failure left it struggling to process transactions in Europe. The blockage had left some customers stuck at the tills in stores across the continent and queueing at cash machines. "Visa cardholders can now use their Visa cards as we are currently operating at close to normal levels," the company said in a statement. "The issue was the result of a hardware failure. We have no reason to believe this was associated with any unauthorised access or malicious event." A spokesman told AFP earlier it was not possible to say how many Visa users across Europe had been affected. Visa users took to social media to complain and banks tried to explain the situation their customers. HSBC bank's UK Twitter account earlier said: "From what we understand there are still intermittent issues but services are slowly recovering." Paymentsense, which provides card machines, online payment gateways and virtual terminals to some 60,000 independent businesses in Britain and Ireland, advised users to try paying via contactless transactions. "We have been informed that Visa has corrected the outage and transactions are now starting to go through. There is still some intermittency however, we believe this is due to a backlog of transactions," it said. "We now understand that contactless transactions have a better chance of going through." It is understood the Bank of England is aware of the issue and is in touch with Visa. The Royal Bank of Scotland's Twitter help account said cash machine withdrawals were unaffected. "This is an industry wide issue which is being investigated as a matter of urgency and we apologise for any inconvenience. ATM and MasterCard transactions are not impacted," it said. - Queues in shops - In a Primark store on Berlin's Alexanderplatz, frustrated customers were queueing for 20 minutes to pay. Staff did not know why transactions were not going through. However, in the neighbouring store, transactions were being processed without any problems. Sandra Foy, who owns a bookshop in Manchester, northwest England, told Sky News television: "I run a small business and the loss of any business is a big deal for us. "Not knowing when this is going to be sorted out is incredibly frustrating." The BBC posted a picture of a London supermarket worker standing outside holding a sign reading: "cash only". It cited Elle Gibbs-Murray, from Bridgend in south Wales, as saying she was stuck in traffic on the Severn Bridge between England and Wales for 45 minutes as drivers were unable to pay the toll by card. Alex Neill, Which? consumer magazine's managing director of home products and services, said: "Clearly this issue will be a huge inconvenience to customers and it must be resolved urgently. Visa and the banks need to ensure no-one is left out of pocket due to this outage. "We strongly advise people to keep any evidence of extra expenses they've incurred in order to claim them back." Visa users took to social media to complain of problems processing transactions in Europe


A woman received an unexpected and moving gift from her fiance two months after he passed away.

Danielle Cumberworths partner Ashley Grant-Smith lost a battle with rare blood cancer on October 9 2017.

The pair from the UK were meant to be married the following day and Ms Cumberworth had been at the registry office sorting out paperwork for their big day when she received the devastating news, Leicestershire Live reports.

The couple had ordered their wedding rings but Mr Grant-Smith had another special engagement ring created just for her.

It was total surprise. I didnt cry, I laughed. He had not told me about it at all, Ms Cumberworth said after receiving the gift.

The pair were due to be married the day after Mr Grant-Smith passed away. Source: Just Giving website.

She described the piece as a beautiful diamond ring in white gold.

Ms Cumberworth told Leicestershire Live, The ring had taken months to get to me because he had had it specially made to his own design.

I will treasure it forever, and our wedding rings that were never used.

The couple had already organised their wedding rings but the engagement ring was a surprise. Source: Just Giving website.

The 27-year-old had introduced Ms Cumberworth to his family as his girlfriend in 2015, Leicestershire Live reports.

A couple of months later he was told a lump in his neck was cancer.

Mr Grant-Smith then reportedly received 18 chemotherapy sessions, had radiotherapy and participated in other medical trials.

Tests revealed in September 2017 that the cancer was terminal.

Ms Cumberworth said she felt lucky to have had the time with him. Source: Just Giving website.

Ms Cumberworth said she feels lucky she had the time with him, and said while it was relatively short she has many memories she will treasure for the rest of her life.

I am sad we didnt get to say our wedding vows to each other, but I have the rings to keep.
SODUS  A farmworker who authorities said admitted burying the body of his girlfriend  but not killing her  was charged Friday with having counterfeit citizenship documents and re-entering the country after twice being deported.

The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the criminal complaint against Everardo Donoteo-Reyes of Mexico as crews used heavy equipment in their ongoing search for his girlfriend's missing toddler at a farm in Wayne County.

Selena Hidalgo-Calderon and 14-month-old Owen Hidalgo-Calderon were last seen alive on May 16. The mother's body was found May 23 on the farm in Sodus where she and Donoteo-Reyes worked. Law enforcement and volunteers have been searching for the boy ever since.

Donoteo-Reyes, also known as Alberto Ebarado Gutierrez-Reyes, was arrested on an evidence-tampering charge May 24 after a hunter's trail camera recorded him carrying a shovel in and out of the woods where his girlfriend's body was found, the Wayne County sheriff said.

A check of his fingerprints determined the 26-year-old was in the country illegally. Investigators found that he had a counterfeit alien registration card in the name of Alberto Gutierrez and a fake Social Security card, U.S. Attorney James Kennedy Jr. said.

There was no immediate information on an attorney who could comment on Donoteo-Reyes' behalf.

According to the criminal complaint, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Donoteo-Reyes in Gretna, Louisiana, in September 2016 and deported him in October. Five months later, in March 2017, he was arrested again in Laredo, Texas. He pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the United States and was sentenced to 15 days in confinement before being deported again, the complaint said.

The new charges come a day after prosecutors and law enforcement met with relatives of Owen Hidalgo-Calderon to update them on the case, WHEC-TV reported.

The search area for the missing toddler has been expanded, but the team has dwindled from hundreds to a few dozen.

Owen's grandmother hasn't given up hope that he is alive, according to WHAM-TV. Estela Calderon said she wants to shower him with the love that she is no longer able to give her daughter.

Donoteo-Reyes is scheduled to appear in federal court in Rochester on Monday.

Hidalgo-Calderon and Donoteo-Reyes had both worked a t Cayuga County dairy farm within the past year before moving to Sudus.

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AURELIUS  Various highway superintendents and other representatives from Cayuga County's municipalities met Friday afternoon to continue the process of developing a shared services plan for the county, this time focusing on highway and public works.

The county is required to submit a shared services plan to the state by the end of 2018 as a way to generate tax savings and improve municipal services through intergovernmental collaboration. The state will match the county's savings during the plan's first year.

Chemung County Commissioner of Public Works Andy Avery kicked off the meeting, which was held at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, by outlining the process Chemung County has gone through for nearly 15 years to develop a shared services plan for its public works departments. He said there have been many failures and successes along the way and urged Cayuga County to start slow and not rush the process.

"Take it slow, make sure everybody is involved with the decisions you're making and understand that there's going to be some change," Avery said. "Change is hard, I don't care how you look at it."

Bill Dashnaw, a retired St. Lawrence County highway superintendent who has been acting as a consultant to the county highway department for the last several months, advised officials to formalize and document all their shared service agreements and have a plan in place in case of an accident or injury. Several towns in Lawrence County were working with a shared road grader when a worker was badly injured by the equipment, he said. The towns ended up being sued, lost and had to scramble to pay a settlement.

"I know we do a lot of work by handshake but it's really important to have liability, workers comp and all those other issues covered under these agreements," Dashnaw said.

The meeting attendees then split into regional groups to discuss specific ideas for shared services. Cayuga County's 32 villages, towns and cities were divided into northern, southern and central municipalities.

"I think you would be amazed at how much we're saving with what we're already doing," Sempronius Highway Superintendent Bruce Nodine said to County Administrator J. Justin Woods during the group session. "We have to be efficient. We have small budgets. We have to work together and we do."

Several ideas came out of those group sessions, including:

 purchasing a countywide roller and chipper equipment and maintaining a crew to operate it.

 coordinating the purchase of large equipment between municipalities to save money by buying together in larger quantities.

 centralizing services for grant administration and procurement.

 sharing trash collection between municipalities.

 centralizing fleet maintenance.

 purchasing and sharing street sweepers among the towns and villages.

"The beauty of this program is that we get (100-percent) match from the state on savings, so that means if two municipalities were each going to buy a piece of equipment and then you only buy one and you can show the state the savings, then you get the cost of that second one back," Woods said. "The savings just paid for itself, the state reimbursed it. That's how we've got to game this system so we get our share back from Albany to benefit the communities here."

Woods acknowledged that Friday's meeting was not enough time to have an in-depth discussion about many of the ideas and said he would meet again with the highway superintendents to flesh out the rest of the details.

The panel will meet again June 8 to discuss assessment and human resources.

Staff writer Natalie Brophy can be reached at (315)282-2239 or natalie.brophy@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie.

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The Catholic Church is absent from the fight to an extent that would have been hard to imagine in 1983, though it has made clear its support for keeping the amendment - as indeed have the leaders of the Protestant churches. And that's reflective of the condition of the Church in the wake of successive abuse scandals. "The Church has a chastened position in Irish society," says Fr Patrick Claffey, who has a central Dublin parish. "The feeling is, let laypeople do the speaking; they have the expertise and they're doing it very well."

On Friday, Ireland is set to hold a referendum to allow abortion in state hospitals. The 8th Amendment to that country's constitution recognizes a right to life for babies from conception. The referendum would repeal that amendment, and the government is prepared to push legislation allowing abortion up to 12 weeks. Here's what you need to know:Pro-lifers have been advertising using Down Syndrome children - pointing out, correctly, the eugenics-driven campaign to annihilate Down Syndrome children from the population via abortion. This drove Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to condemn pro-lifers: "As the father of a child with Down's syndrome, I am opposed to the propagandistic use of people like my son in attempts to limit reproductive rights, as has happened in the Irish debate, as well as in the legislative actions taken in various American states to outlaw the abortion of fetuses with Down's syndrome." So, in other words, pay no attention to the fact that people are systematically eliminating children with Down Sydrome from the population - mentioning that is inconvenient.According to the Washington Post, "Facebook announced Tuesday that it would stop accepting related advertisements from groups based outside Ireland. The restriction testifies to the depths of concern that foreign advertising could skew the outcome." As LifeNews reported , the Post mentioned only pro-life groups. Pro-life groups including the Pro-Life campaign, the Save the 8th group, and the Iona Institute complained about the censorship. According to the UK Spectator, posters of unborn children have been torn down around Ireland.the campaign to overturn the 8th Amendment had an overwhelming advantage; they're still ahead, but they've lost ten points in recent weeks, although those who want to overturn the 8th Amendment have a serious upper hand among undecideds.While the government says that its proposal would legalize abortion until 12 weeks, it would in fact legalize it up to 23 weeks - all you require is two doctors saying the pregnancy would harm the mental health or physical health of the woman. That's an exception big enough to drive a truck through.The Spectator has asked, rightly, why the Catholic Church - which holds an immense amount of sway in Ireland - has gone largely silent. Here's Melanie McDonagh:It appears that in Ireland, unborn children are about to lose their rights. As Western civilization becomes more "sophisticated," it seems its treatment of the unborn becomes more barbaric.
The repeal of the credit hour definition will give universities more flexibility to determine their own curriculum and to experiment with alternative education models. For example, competency-based education focuses on tangible evidence of learning and can be a boon to students, as my colleagues and I have written before. For those students, different models allow them to graduate quicker and ensure mastery over their subjects. And prior-learning assessments can improve the transition process from workforce training and the military to higher education.

The bill's provisions to repeal or streamline reporting requirements will also bear fruit for universities and families by saving them money. In 2015, the Task Force on Federal Regulation released a report lambasting the Education Department's regulations as "a jungle of red tape." Another 2015 study, released by the Boston Consulting Group, estimated that federal compliance amounts to between three and 11 percent of universities' yearly expenditures. Reducing the regulatory burden on universities will help to control costs for schools and students.

The Act will make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available on a new mobile app and will allow more middle-class families to file a simplified version. Under the PROSPER Act, dependent and independent students whose family income is less than $100,000 (up from $50,000) will be eligible to file a simplified form. The proposed mobile app would be available within a year of passage of the legislation and would allow applicants to take advantage of the same IRS data transfer available to other FAFSA filers. Both of these changes would improve access to education for millions of American families.

It will also streamline student aid programs into one grant program, one loan program, and one work-study program. Repayment options will be limited to two plans: one standard 10-year repayment plan and one income-based repayment plan. These changes would ease confusion for students who are deciding how to pay for college. Under the current system, there are myriad grant, loan, and repayment programs available. This means that many students don't know what their options are and what would work best for them. Simplification would ensure that students can find the best fit.

As Martin Center authors have observed before, the United States' current system of accreditation fails to ensure quality and protects established institutions from new competition. The Act would change that protectionism by allowing any entity to apply to be an accreditor if it has a voluntary membership and accrediting institutions is its principal purpose. This change would free universities and programs from the stranglehold of change-resistant regional accreditors.

The act also repeals federal regulations for how states authorize distance education. As we have noted before, states require lengthy and expensive authorization processes for online and distance education courses. That's because, in 2010, the U.S. Department of Education began applying rules intended for traditional brick-and-mortar institutions to online education, making it more difficult for universities to offer online courses across state lines. The PROSPER Act addresses that problem, leaving authorization in the hands of the states.

Today, Americans carry more than a trillion dollars in student debt. Somehow, despite the six types of federal student loans, nine repayment plans, eight forgiveness programs, and 32 deferment and forbearance options out there, college costs continue to surge, leaving millions of families paying the price for well-intentioned but poorly executed federal involvement.

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Higher Education Act into law, inserting the federal government irrevocably into the inner workings of America's colleges and universities. The bill increased federal money given to universities, provided scholarships, and created the federal student loan system-now a $100 billion yearly enterprise. Since then, the Act has been reauthorized eight times. And although it's amended with each reauthorization, the Act still closely follows the framework created in 1965.This year's reauthorization, however, nicknamed the PROSPER Act , could be a welcome reform.There are many small and large changes on the Act's agenda that would significantly improve and simplify the federal government's role in higher education. Three important reforms stand out: repealing outdated and unnecessary federal regulation, simplifying the student loan system, and encouraging innovation. A closer look at those reforms reveals how transformative they would be for higher education.First, the legislation repeals outdated and burdensome federal regulations by removing barriers to experimentation and reducing costs. Two provisions, in particular, will be especially helpful for colleges and universities.Second, the PROSPER Act improves federal student aid in many important ways, but two stand out: It makes the FAFSA application more accessible and significantly simplifies student loans and repayment options.Third, the bill balances the need for accountability with the right incentives for innovation. Changes to accreditation and distance education are particularly welcome.The strongest opponents to the PROSPER Act changes have been those who benefit from the status quo. The Act's critics, including lobbying groups for colleges and universities, have contended that the bill will make higher education less affordable. Points of contention include the Act's proposed limits on student borrowing and changes to the Pell Grant program that allow it to be used for more short-term programs. In an open letter to Congressional leaders, 35 higher education groups called for increasing grants to low-income students and more focus on issues of equity.But the bill's sponsor (who is a member of the Martin Center's board of directors), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), also shares those concerns. In her opening statement on the markup of the PROSPER Act, she said:The vision of Foxx and her cosponsors for addressing those problems are clear from the legislation: remove federal barriers to innovation, cut costs and red tape, encourage completion, and increase focus on workforce development. That is a stark contrast to the federal government's role in higher education over the past four decades: an ever-increasing source of both student aid dollars and regulatory hurdles. The status quo has failed to keep costs down and make college affordable for students. The PROSPER Act takes a different approach.Over the next few months, the House and Senate will choose which vision to embrace: more of the same high costs-or true reform in higher education.
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.
Youtube allows people  some of them not very nice  to earn incredible livings by performing stunts, playing videogames, creating sketches, anything that attracts an audience.



But these superstars labor in a confusing and arbitrary workplace, governed by Youtube's secret and ever-shifting algorithm, which can downrank them to obscurity and penury in an instant, or "demonetize" their channels, or punish them in other ways that are neither predictable nor even identifiable (it's often impossible to say whether a downtick in audience or earnings is "organic" or some algorithmic punishment).

These largely young people chase algorithmic approval with longer and longer hours, superstitious rituals and practices, and other desperate moves, all the while being jeered at and demonized by Youtube's notoriously cruel comment sections.

It's not surprising, then, that so many of them have reached a breaking point, walking away from their channels, declaring themselves to be on the verge of mental exhaustion. It's the next stage in the evolution of online media, the crises that first manifested with anxious bloggers being downranked by Google search, then podcasters suffering the invisible forces that shuffled the Itunes podcast rankings, and now Youtube.



YouTubers make almost all of their money from AdSense on YouTube, and projects or merchandise related to YouTube. This creates a pressure to upload a video every single day; to see consistent reach and maintain their positions as top creators among a sea of growing competition, creators have to effectively game the system. This is where the algorithm grade comes in. The algorithm grade is the best working theory YouTubers work under when it comes to ensuring their videos are seen by as many people as possible. There are a bunch of little tricks that make up the algorithm grade (videos should be longer than 10 minutes, for example), but one of the most important details is frequency. It is strongly believed that YouTube accounts with more than 10,000 subscribers should post daily because YouTube's algorithm favors frequency and engagement. So people upload, and upload, and upload, and upload, building a bigger fanbase and working non stop. And then the consequences of that hustle hit them like a ton of bricks. "Relevancy" is the word that keeps almost every YouTuber on the tip of their toes, but it's not the only source of strain. There are also growing demonetization concerns running rampant throughout the community. Posting infrequently means a creator's videos won't be recommended. Videos that aren't recommended aren't as heavily watched. The last problem a creator wants to worry about is their videos not appearing or being shared because of frequency issues when already trying to skirt around YouTube's growing advertising restrictions.



YouTube's top creators are burning out and breaking down en masse [Julia Alexander/Polygon]

(via /.)
Niall Ferguson is a conservative British historian who teaches at both Oxford and Stanford, where he chaired a right-wing lecture series called Cardinal Conversations.

In February, Ferguson invited Charles Murray, a eugenicist who promotes junk-science about the link between "race" and IQ, to speak at his series. Ferguson was triggered by student activists who objected to a racist pseudo-scientist speaking on campus, so he conspired with a student Republican association to discredit the activists who had traumatized him.





In a series of leaked email exchanges, Ferguson proposed that the young Republicans spy on student activist Michael Ocon to find kompromat: "Some opposition research on Mr. O might also be worthwhile."

One of Ferguson's proteges, John Rice-Cameron (the son of Obama security advisor Susan Rice), wrote to Ferguson that "Slowly, we will continue to crush the Left's will to resist, as they will crack under pressure."

Ferguson shared Rice-Ferguson's supervillain diction, writing back that "now we turn to the more subtle game of grinding them down on the committee."

After the email exchanges leaked, Ferguson resigned his directorship of the Cardinal Conversations, calling his language "reckless and inflammatory" but defending it because "It seemed to me that the Cardinal Conversations student steering committee was in danger of being taken over by elements that were fundamentally hostile to free speech."



"[The original Cardinal Conversations steering committee] should all be allies against O. Whatever your past differences, bury them. Unite against the SJWs. [Christos] Makridis [a fellow at Vox Clara, a Christian student publication] is especially good and will intimidate them," Ferguson wrote. "Now we turn to the more subtle game of grinding them down on the committee. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance," Ferguson wrote. The previous messages were interspersed with greater discussion of the Cardinal Conversations committee and planning process, as well as a discussion appearing to be about student government. In the email chain, Ferguson wrote, "Some opposition research on Mr. O might also be worthwhile," referring to Ocon. Minshull wrote in response that he would "get on the opposition research for Mr. O."

Leaked emails show Hoover academic conspiring with College Republicans to conduct 'opposition research' on student [Brian Contreras, Ada Statler and Courtney Douglas/Stanford Daily]
I was practically raised on the Whole Earth Catalog and its successors like the Co-Evolution Quarterly, the Whole Earth Review and the WELL  pioneering publications whose motto, "access to tools and ideas," turned into the maker movement and helped create the movement for free, fair and open internet infrastructure.



Whole Earth founder Stewart Brand will host a free 50th anniversary retrospective on Thursday, June 7 from 5:30-8:30PM at San Francisco's Applied Innovation Exchange at 425 Brannan Street.



Join us on the evening of June 7th as we hold a conversation with Stewart that lays out some of the strands of the legacy of the Whole Earth Catalog at our What's Now: San Francisco event, done in collaboration with Capgemini at their Applied Innovation Exchange. We expect to also draw into the conversation some prominent people who were impacted by the Whole Earth Catalog and consider themselves as part of the legacy. To what extent did the Whole Earth Catalog or its derivatives impact their thinking or inspire the formation of their own entrepreneurial efforts? As is our custom, we'll make sure to open up the conversation to all those who attend. Mark your calendars for June 7 for what is sure to be a truly memorable evening. And if you can't make it, or if we run out of room, we'll be live-streaming it for all to see.

Stewart Brand on the Whole Earth Catalog's Long Legacy over 50 years [Reinvent/Eventbrite]

(via Kottke)
Google knew that Project Maven, its contract to supply AI to US military drones would be unpopular, but they were chasing hundreds of millions of dollars in follow-on contracts, and even though dozens of engineers quit over the project, at least they got a snazzy mission patch.



But tech workers enjoy incredible bargaining power unheard of in other sectors, and the pressure that googlers put on their employer, coupled with the public reputational damage Google suffered for its militarization of AI (reputational damage the company could ill-afford in this era of techlash), has convinced the company's senior leadership not to renew the contract.

However, it seems unlikely that Google will abandon its efforts to capture lucrative military business  the company is under intense pressure to diversify its revenue streams (the vast majority of revenue earned by parent company Alphabet still comes from advertising), and the US military is a famously indiscriminate firehose of money for technology contractors.



Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene announced the decision at a meeting with employees Friday morning, three sources told Gizmodo. The current contract expires in 2019 and there will not be a follow-up contract, Greene said. The meeting, dubbed Weather Report, is a weekly update on Google Cloud's business. Google would not choose to pursue Maven today because the backlash has been terrible for the company, Greene said, adding that the decision was made at a time when Google was more aggressively pursuing military work. The company plans to unveil new ethical principles about its use of AI next week. A Google spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about Greene's comments.

Google Plans Not to Renew Its Contract for Project Maven, a Controversial Pentagon Drone AI Imaging Program [Kate Conger/Gizmodo]
News / National

by Staff Reporter

President Mnangagwa said he is optimistic the economy will grow by at least seven percent annually in the next five years on the strength of Government's economic reforms and other interventions.Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at a rally at Pfupajena Stadium in Chegutu yesterday, the Zanu-PF First Secretary and President said Government wanted to transform Zimbabwe into a middle income economy by 2030.He said his administration inherited an economy projected to grow by around three percent."At the moment the Government is working on developing the economy for the boys and girls of tomorrow. We want to leave an environment, a situation, a country full of hope. One full of confidence for the future," President Mnangagwa said."This is why we have said within the next 12 years, that is, by 2030, 12 years from now, with the programmes we have in agriculture, mining, tourism, infrastructure development, ICT and manufacturing", Zimbabwe will be a middle income country."All the programmes we have, generation of power with all those things taking place, we have no doubt, I have no doubt, the current dispensation has no doubt that by the year 2030 we would have transformed this country into a middle class economy," he said.President Mnangagwa said the per capita income in Zimbabwe would reach $3 500 by the year 2030."Currently, the per capita income is at approximately $950 per person but we want to raise this per capita income. We believe that when we took over last year, the economic growth was around three percent and within four months to six months now we are sitting at 4,7 percent."I have no doubt that by December this year we should have reached five percent economic growth and we are determined that after the next general election to be held in July, our economy will grow at an average of seven percent annually," said President Mnangagwa.He said the economic growth projection should also spur the growth of Zimbabwe's GDP.President Mnangagwa said the projections were also very conservative considering Government programmes being implemented.The new administration has attracted $16 billion in foreign direct investment commitments.Multinational companies, including the US's General Electric, are scrambling for opportunities in the country.General Electric is interested in the $5,2 billion Batoka Gorge hydroelectric power project whose construction will generate 2 400 megawatts to be shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe.Other foreign companies have also expressed interest in platinum and coal-bed methane worth billions of dollars.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

Mount Pleasant Heights residents have dragged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) and its chairperson, Justice Priscillah Chigumba, to the High Court, accusing the electoral body of clandestinely transferring them to Mazowe South Constituency.According to the urgent chamber application, former Mt Pleasant Heights councillor Warship Dumba and Celine Eunice Nyakutsikwa are seeking a reversal of the decision by Zec.Dumba and Nyakutsikwa said in the previous elections, with specific reference to 2008 and 2013, they had cast their votes under the Mt Pleasant constituency. They said they were surprised to be told by Zec officials that they were now falling under the Mazowe South constituency.He said in February last year he observed Zec officials registering voters in Mt Pleasant Heights and upon enquiring with the then chairperson Rita Makarau was informed that they were registering voters for Mazowe South constituency."Sometime in September 2017 during the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise, the respondents initially registered applicants and issued them with voter registration slips for the Mt Pleasant constituency."In the same week and still within the same month, the respondent's employees reversed that and re-registered them under the Mazowe South constituency citing directives from their superiors," the court was told.According to Dumba, Chigumba and Zec did not gazette the delimitation of the new constituency to indicate the shift of boundaries and by so doing had violated Section 37A of the Electoral Act.According to Dumba, all attempts to engage Chigumba and Zec over the matter have proved fruitless as they have consistently maintained that the electoral and constituency boundaries have not been changed."I therefore seek relief from this honourable court to reverse the decision by respondents to shift the Mt Pleasant suburb to Mazowe South Constituency and register myself and my neighbours to vote in Ward 17 Mt pleasant Constituency in the upcoming 2018 general elections," he said.The electoral body and the chairperson have not yet responded to the application.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Legal experts have expressed mixed reactions over the Constitutional Court (Con-Court)'s ruling in which it threw out an application filed by those in the Diaspora who had sought to exercise their right to vote in the forthcoming elections slated for July 30.While, some lawyers believe the ruling was off the mark, respected law professor Lovemore Madhuku, said the Con-Court was spot on, adding that judgment was in line with the Constitution. The ruling comes after an application by Gabriel Shumba, Sibonile Mfumisi and Darlington Nyambiya sought to vote while based in the countries they are staying.Shumba, a human rights lawyer, and Mfumisi are resident in South Africa, while Nyambiya is living and working in the United Kingdom. But the Con-Court, in a judgment read out by deputy chief justice Elizabeth Gwaunza, dismissed the trio's petition on Wednesday, after ruling that the application cannot succeed.According to Madhuku, there is no provision in the Constitution, which allows those in the Diaspora to vote based in the countries they are staying."The problem is not with the court, it's the Constitution. People must not expect the court to rule in favour of a provision that is not provided for in terms of the Constitution. The court was right, it was very correct. Those people who argue to the contrary were playing a political game," Madhuku said.He said the basis for one to claim a Diaspora vote must be specifically stated in the Constitution for it to be accorded."The people were misled by the MDC, the Constitution must be clear that a person outside the country must be allowed to vote," Madhuku said.Madhuku said he remembers going to South Africa during a symposium organised by Shumba and advised them that the Constitution did not provide for those in the Diaspora to vote."They took turns to boo me, and gave Douglas Mwonzora and Paul Mangwana a hero's welcome when I told them the Constitution did not provide the right to vote to those in the Diaspora. I told them that these people are cheating you by telling you that there is a provision that says you can vote based in the Diaspora," said Madhuku."If anyone wants a Diaspora vote, they must ask the MDC, because they are the ones who were in the unity government when the Constitution was made ..." Madhuku said, adding that from a jurisprudential point of view, the court was correct in its ruling.Other lawyers who spoke on condition of anonymity for professional reasons castigated the Con-Court ruling, but said they were anxiously waiting for the full judgment to get a deeper understanding on the issues that motivated the court's conclusion."We will read the reasons, so we can get a deeper understanding and see what can be done to ensure the Diaspora vote is available in the future," a Harare lawyer told the Daily News.Another lawyer, who thought the ruling was not proper, said, "I read the court application and heads of argument which were flawless and unassailable".Other countries in the world have a provision that allows their citizens to vote while outside the country.
News / National

by Staff reporter

ZANU-PF has started a witch-hunt targeting prospective legislators and officials fingered by the country's spy arms for allegedly plotting a post-election impeachment of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.This comes as the 75-year-old leader is struggling to unite a party riven by factionalism and mounting suspicion.The Daily News can report that a politburo meeting held at the Zanu-PF headquarters mid this week that recalled three legislators from Parliament - Godfrey Gandawa (Magunje), Beater Nyamupinga (Goromonzi West) and Masango Matambanadzo (Kwekwe Central) - also set up a special committee to vet "infiltrators who used money to get elected on the ruling party's ticket".Zanu-PF insiders said the committee was mandated with vetting all CVs of those suspected to be working against party interests, including those who won."The party resolved that an internal investigation would be carried out and then the party will replace those who would have been found wanting," a politburo member who requested anonymity told the Daily News.Mnangagwa himself revealed the plot to impeach him at a Zanu-PF workshop held on Wednesday as he pleaded with disenchanted party members to rally behind his presidency.The ruling party's spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo, said he could not divulge what Zanu-PF was doing to flush out the malcontents who were named by Mnangagwa."It can never be a press matter. It is an internal matter that we are dealing with within the party structures," Khaya Moyo told the Daily News.In a press statement issued on Wednesday night, Khaya Moyo appealed for unity in the troubled party ahead of the watershed elections to be held on July 30."Campaigns for the president and Zanu-PF candidates for the coming harmonised elections to be held on July 30, 2018 must be in full swing from now onwards, as Zanu-PF must win resoundingly as it did in 2013. Unity and peace are the watch words," said Khaya Moyo.Khaya Moyo announced the recalling from the august House of Gandawa, Nyamupinga and Matambanadzo, saying the trio were aware of the reasons for their dismissal from Zanu-PF."They know the reason themselves. I know that three have been recalled. Secretary for administration Obert Mpofu has written to the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda on the development."The recalling has something to do with their conduct and, of course, I would say to do with bringing the name of the party into disrepute. I have not seen the letters myself but, I am quite aware that they have been recalled from Parliament."One cannot just be withdrawn from Parliament. There is a reason for that. As a party spokesperson, my duty is just to communicate issues and soon we will know why they have been recalled," Khaya Moyo said.On Thursday, Gandawa, who was blocked from standing in the chaotic Zanu-PF primary elections held in April, hinted that he would stand as an independent candidate for Magunje."Zanu-PF is a voluntary organisation. I joined voluntarily and they expelled me because they no longer need my services so I accept that. But no one communicated with me. If ever there is something that I did wrong, I only saw it on television. I am a politician and I am still weighing my options. At the appropriate time, I will make my decision," said Gandawa.Matambanadzo said he was not fired from Zanu-PF but voluntarily resigned."I am not sure if that is the correct term that they recalled me because I withdrew from Zanu-PF and gave the letter to the provincial leadership. Yes, they have recalled me from Parliament, I am not worried. My stance is irreversible they have done enough, I was a prisoner in Zanu-PF, they did not want to see me at any meeting in Zanu-PF."So many people suffered because of my belonging to Zanu-PF. I am confident that I will win in another party. They barred me from addressing a rally, so many people were pushing me to stand as an independent candidate, my councillors they were denied to stand and so they decided to join NPF (the National Patriotic Front) and they told me to join them too. After I had a thank you rally, people urged me to join a party that would receive me, so I joined NPF," said Matambanadzo.Nyamupinga said she is still in the dark as to why she was chucked out of the party."I have not heard from Parliament, I am not sure why I was recalled. There are some people saying I said that Terrence Mukupe should have been fired first but that is false," said Nyamupinga.Political analysts canvassed by the Daily News said Mnangagwa has reason to fear an internal rebellion judging from the way he also came to power."Looks like someone is having a crisis of confidence and fighting battles on many fronts as ED warns aspiring candidates against plans to impeach him should he win in July. But is the impeachment threat real or the man has become paranoid like his old boss," remarked legal expert Alex Magaisa.Professor of world politics at the London School of Oriental and African studies Stephen Chan said Mnangagwa is likely to discipline possible renegades."Impeachment is a very difficult constitutional process. Firstly, there have to be constitutionally proper grounds for impeachment. Secondly, even if impeached - meaning essentially a strong vote of no confidence, and this would probably have to be in both houses of Parliament - the president could then dissolve Parliament and call for fresh elections."I really don't see impeachment happening, especially if Mnangagwa wins a strong electoral mandate. Of course, this is a constitutional device attempted in many countries, and - if the motion of no confidence came from his own parliamentarians - a wise president would count the number of dissidents as a warning sign."But, normally, the party whip for Zanu-PF would seek to discipline any such dissidents. The party hierarchy could also be asked to discipline such people for bringing the party into disrepute. If the motion came from the opposition - then, with its current parliamentary numbers, there would not be enough votes for the motion. If the opposition wins the elections, there would be no need to impeach someone who had been defeated," said Chan.
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has claimed that relations between Zimbabwe and the United States are on the mend despite Washington maintaining sanctions imposed against Harare nearly two decades back.Mnangagwa told supporters at a rally in Gweru this week that relations were improving."I must say this to you the Americans have ZIDERA sanctions, but we now have a big American company that has come in to do Batoka (hydroelectric project) at $5, 2 billion," he said.Asked how the US company would bypass ZIDERA, Mnangagwa said, "The Donald Trump administration is paying a blind eye on them (sanctions); things are changing."
News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa last week attacked the Zanu-PF government for failing to develop the border town despite the huge potential which comes from its proximity to South Africa and its position as a transit town.Addressing supporters at his maiden rally in the town at Dulibadzimu Stadium, Chamisa said the town remained underdeveloped despite its strategic place on the country's geo-economic map.He criticised the delays at the border post, saying there was no good reason for travellers and haulage trucks to spend several hours before being cleared."I don't want a month to solve that, just give me a week. If you don't want to work, go home. I am different from (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa who says Zimbabwe is open for business yet they close the border."How do you open business when our border is closed? We want a border that makes it easy for those coming from South Africa and going out of Zimbabwe to pass through. This will only be possible through a young leadership not through Ngwena (President Mnangagwa's nickname)," said Chamisa.Chamisa pledged to establish a home affairs office in Beitbridge, saying the border town should be a business hub with government offices where people will come to look for jobs."We want to reverse the immigration trend so that those in South Africa can come back and look for work in a prosperous Beitbridge city with high rise buildings, full municipal status and a thriving tourism sector. This very coming Christmas, nobody will be delayed for any minute longer at the border," Chamisa told the cheering crowd.He also attacked the government for its failed hotel project whose building has now become a white elephant.The US$39 million hotel was built by the government-run pension scheme, National Social Security Authority (Nssa) but it shut down in no time due to low business levels.Speaking at the same event, alliance spokesperson, Prof Welshman Ncube said the opposition coalition was giving Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who has been a constant feature in local politics, a final notice to leave.
News / Press Release

by Mkhululi Zulu (Zapu Presidential Spokesperson)

One aspect that is being dangerously ignored is the role of the military in politics in our country. Many see it but they choose to ride rough shod over it for various reasons. Some are naive and myopic as they get carried away by the prospect of winning an election while others deliberately ignore the danger for reasons of self-aggrandizement. Sadly there are those who join the perpetrators of the this evil undemocratic tendency that now seems to be accepted as part of Zimbabwean democracy. As we are preparing for the elections in July the 30 this year every political aota is not only monitored but virtually controlled by the army.In 1980 Mugabe's military wing openly said that if they did not win the elections they would continue with the war. The civilians saw them killing members of other political parties including those of another liberation movement Zapu. The civilians had to give up their political democratic right believing that voting for ZanuPF would result in peace. Those who were monitoring the electoral process deliberately turned a blind eye on the unacceptable victory of ZanuPF that was charecterised by murder and kidnappings of civilians by Mugabe's armed wing.In 2008 Robert Mugabe lost the election to Morgan Tswangirai. The army captured Robert Mugabe and ordered him never to accept the political will of the people. The story of the delayed results announcement is known to everyone. Mugabe declared that there was no outright winner therefore there was to be a re-run.The army descended on the electorate literally declaring war on them. There were murders, kidnappings, destruction of properties and massive rapes by Mugabe's militia backed heavily by well known army commaders in the rural areas.The population suffered immensely and thousands were displaced as they fled to safe zones and even to neighbouring countries. This aspect of Zimbabwean history has been ignored even by the so called humanitarian and democratic organisations of the world.The civilian people of Zimbabwe suffered under the tyrant Robert Mugabe until the very commanders that put him into power and tortured civilians who dared stand up against him got fed up and rolled heavy military tanks on to the streets of Harare to over throw him.There is this sweet talk of the November 2017 in Zimbabwe that has various descriptions such as soft coup, military backed civilian take over etc....People are so selfish that they can even call a dog a sheep to suit their own situation. The army took over from Mugabe and that was a military coup. Period.Then, the commanders got cabinet posts in the government of the ''new dispensation''. The former commander of the defence forces became the vice-president and the minister of defence. And the sitting Prersident will have only one term. The army has put up a programme stipulating that the Commander of the Defence forces will be the next Vice-President of the Republic. Its the army that is controlling the political direction of the nation. Surprisingly these clear gestures of the military are applauded by the so called democratic nations such as the British government representatives and their legislators. There has been a hive of activity between London and representatives of the Harare military government since the military removal of Robert Mugabe. After every encounter there is joy and praise for the Harare junta by the British politicians.Meanwhile the electoral proces still remains military. Infact the military control has even intensified as some 5000 soldiers have been deployed to the rural areas to perpetuate fear amongst the electorate. These reports have been ignored just as they were in 1980. They are ignored as the case was with Gukurahundi genocide. Things happened while people were pointing their fingers to other directions. The talk now is on the promises made by President Mnangagwa that elections 'will be free, fair and credible''How can these elections be free when the army has deployed its personnel to force people to vote for it?In a situation conducive for free, fair and cradeible elections the revenue collected through taxes by the state is not a property of a single political party irregardless of its political strength at any given time..The Harare Junta is using all state apparatus for Zanu PF propaganda. It is not only using the army to intimidate the electorate, it is also using the state funded press for its partisan programmes. The state media can only distort, and embarrass other political parties or just totally ignore them.As for the opposition parties, the writing is on the wall. They should not be hoodwinked by the praises of the British politicians who infact spend more time with ZanuPF. The opposition represents un-armed civilians against an army. Solidarity support has obviously shrunk from some erstwhile allies for some parties while there has never been any for some. But the oppressed masses who have been impoverished by the military backed looters are there. The message has to be clear. Come 30th of July the junta must face a clear political rejection. It is the very unarmed who must defeat the army at the ballot box. The opposition has to quickly abandon some joyous merry-go- round politics and go for the political emancipation of the oppressed masses.The foreign governments who are now wining and dining with the people who caused and perpetuate the suffering of our people must be reminded that THE PEOPLE BELONG TO GOD. Appeasement and putting personal business first before social justice, respect of the people's rights and freedom will not only be exposed. It will be condemned as it was when the British followed it in Germany when the NAZI were killing the Jews. It will be said again and again like what the people of Rwanda are saying now about the French who supported the genocide against the Tutsi.
Caesars and Unifor are headed back to the bargaining table

Caesars and Unifor Local 444 are headed back to the bargaining table. The union made the announcement on social media Saturday morning. This comes after "exploratory discussions" with a mediator between casino management and union leaders.

Unifor National's president is confident that his bargaining teams and union leaders will reach an agreement that will end the ongoing casino strike  without a third party.

"We're going to find the deal at the bargaining table," said Jerry Dias, who was in Windsor, Ont for 'exploratory' talks between Caesars Windsor management and the union.

"A third party may help but I don't think it's going to make a difference. If we can't find a solution then nobody will."

Dias came to the table this week along with Caesars Windsor regional president, Kevin Laforet, for discussions with a mediator, but these are not official bargaining talks.

Unifor Local 444 president Dave Cassidy said the talks would look at what "the hangup is" between the two sides. The union group representing 2,300 casino employees is also holding round-table discussions for members to understand what it is they all want.

"Its gone on far too long, our members would like to go back to work but they're not going to go back to work until there's an agreement that makes sense," said Dias.

"People are frustrated and justifiably so. The workers wages have been suppressed for a long time based on the economic conditions of Canada."

Dias said he planned to talk with the OLG on Friday, and that Unifor is "speaking to everybody ... doing everything we can to try to find a solution."

He said the idea of bringing in an arbitrator has "floated" around, but he says "we're not there."

Advice from a union that's been there

Lori Wightman was a spokesperson for CUPE when Essex County library workers walked off the job for about 230 days.

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Wightman said it "was probably the hardest thing" she has ever done.

She said the toughest part was walking the fine line between making sure the members are engaged and informed, and staying to the rules and regulations of negotiations.

Her advice to Unifor is "to be aware of what your members are going through."

And to Caesars employees, Wightman said this:

"Remember you are a team, you're in this together. Remember that you have to stay united."

Employees walked off the job on April 6, citing wages and respect in the workplace as their biggest issues.
It's a grey dawn outside Queen's Park, and the members of Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne's tour team are already on an emergency conference call dealing with a problem. The charter plane that is to take the Liberals and the media to Ottawa has a mechanical issue.

On so many levels, this is just not how the Liberals envisioned things would be.

If they truly had a shot at winning, the Liberals would not at this stage in the campaign be making a trip that includes three ridings that went solidly red in the last four elections. They won Ottawa-Orleans by more than 11,000 votes in 2014. Glengarry-Prescott-Russell has been a Liberal seat for the last 37 years. Kingston and the Islands stayed Liberal even when the Mike Harris PCs won.

Wynne's team will not admit it publicly, but her campaign is showing all the signs of becoming a save-the-furniture tour. The Liberals are facing the stark reality that they will be hard pressed to win the eight seats they need to maintain official party status.

If they win fewer than seven seats, it will be the worst election showing for the Liberal party in Ontario's history.

The plan: Fear of Ford

The Wynne campaign team had a plan.

Led by seasoned strategist David Herle, with Deb Matthews and Tim Murphy as campaign co-chairs, the party aimed to turn the ballot question away from "Do you want to toss Kathleen Wynne out?" into "Do you really want Doug Ford running this province?"

They would chip away at the Progressive Conservative lead with effective attack ads to raise fears about Ford and what kind of premier he would be. This would get the Liberals close enough to the PCs in the polls so that Wynne could, in the final days of the campaign, appeal to NDP voters with a pitch that the only way to stop Ford is to vote Liberal.

The plan has worked out perfectly  for the New Democrats.

'People are so decent'

The early morning conference call ends, and the highly competent Liberal tour team quickly pivots to a new way to get people to Ottawa. Seats are booked on a Porter Airlines flight. It means the current premier of Ontario gets treated just like everybody else at Toronto's Billy Bishop airport: She has to pass through security and show her driver's licence to the agent at the boarding gate.

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During an election, the people who attend campaign events are almost exclusively partisan. Wynne's unplanned appearance in the departure lounge provides a rare opportunity to see how a truly random selection of folks react to her. People spontaneously stop and greet her, smiling; several wish her good luck. There is none of the virulent antipathy you see for Wynne online.

"People are so decent and they want to make connection," Wynne tells me later in a one-on-one interview on her campaign bus. "They have challenges in their lives and they want to talk about them and they want somebody to hear them."

The relatively warm reception Wynne gets when she meets people face-to-face has long given her and her team cause for optimism when her approval ratings were basement-level. They felt the spotlight of a campaign and the chance to contrast her with her opponents would make Ontarians see her differently, and she would win this election.

Even during open-forum town halls last winter, where attendees vented their spleens with complaints about her government, Wynne often won people's respect for listening and responding thoughtfully. Sometimes, she merely won grudging acceptance that she is not a villain.

'His bluster and his bullying'

Wynne arrives at a Francophone community centre in Orleans for her morning campaign event Thursday, just hours after the Trump administration announces Canadian steel will be hit with tariffs. It prompts one of her strongest performances on the campaign trail yet. It seems the U.S. president has lit a fire under the Ontario premier.

"I think that we've all had just about enough of Donald Trump," Wynne declares. "This is a president who rules by tweet. He doesn't seem to get that his bluster and his bullying are costing people real jobs, in his own country, in Canada and in Ontario."

In our interview, Wynne says Trump's move "really just ratcheted up the whole election" for her.

"When you talk about steel, that's Ontario. Ontario is the steel producer in this country." she says. "For this irrational, wrong-headed trade barrier to be put in place just infuriates me."

What also infuriates her is the NDP leader's statement implying that Wynne and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hadn't done enough to stop the tariffs.

"That is absolutely, categorically, not the case," Wynne says. "There is nothing more that we could do. In the run-up to this, we did everything in our power to make sure that exemption was put in place. To suggest that somehow we haven't worked hard enough, it's just not true."

Wynne cannot be accused of failing to work hard enough on this election campaign. Thursday was a perfect example. She was out for a run shortly after 6 a.m. when she got word of the plane's mechanical problem. She was either on the phone or campaigning all day while travelling from the far eastern end of Ontario back to Toronto. By the time she arrived home, it was nearly 11 p.m.. The next morning, she was on the air with National Public Radio to talk about the steel tariffs shortly after 6 a.m.

The tables are turned

In the 2014 campaign, with four days to go before election day, the Liberals launched a full-court press to appeal to NDP voters on the basis of the polls, arguing that only Wynne was positioned to defeat the PCs, led by Tim Hudak .

"In a very real sense, a vote for Andrea Horwath is a vote for Tim Hudak," Wynne wrote in a newspaper ad.

"A split vote will only help Hudak's chances," said a Liberal TV spot. "Polls show only Kathleen Wynne can stop him now. Please consider voting for your local Liberal candidate."

On Thursday evening, I put to Wynne that Horwath will likely turn the tables and make that very same appeal for the NDP this time.

"It'll be up to her what she does or doesn't say," Wynne declares. "This is a very different election. My job is to make sure that people understand exactly what it is they're voting for. The suggestion that somehow the Liberals and the NDP are exactly the same is just not the case."

How does Wynne counter the argument that every vote for her will be a vote that helps put Doug Ford in the premier's office?

"We are working every day to get into the position that we can be that alternative. I know it's a hard climb and it's a short period of time," Wynne says. "We are making the case, and some of the things that Andrea Horwath is saying right now are very, very risky for our economy."

Almost on cue, Horwath launched her direct appeal to Liberal voters the next morning.

"It's becoming very apparent that the new premier is either going to be Mr. Ford or me," Horwath told a news conference Friday in Toronto. "To those who have voted Liberal in the past, I invite you to join us to stop Doug Ford."

Kathleen Wynne is fighting a war on not just two fronts, but three  against the PCs, against the NDP and against the polls.

Serving poutine, flipping burgers

The campaign bus leaves the Ottawa area and heads to a cheese co-op in St. Albert, a town in the riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, where 59 per cent of voters have French as their mother tongue. It has sent a Liberal to Queen's Park in every election since 1981.

Wynne is the only one of the three main party leaders who speaks any French. She chats with a group of schoolkids who have formed three made-up political parties (les Castors, les Melons d'eau, and les Respecteurs) and are set to have a debate next week, then a vote on June 7. She then heads for a tour of the cheese-making plant and serves poutine in the attached restaurant.

The Liberal campaign buses (one for Wynne and her team, one for the media) then swing back west for the long haul toward Toronto. The rain beats down. There are no visible signs of discontent among the Liberal team that travels with Wynne. Her own unflagging energy likely sets the tone.

Still, how they keep so positive in the face of the polls remains a mystery. CBC's Ontario Poll Tracker put the Liberals at 19.1 per cent heading into the final weekend before the election. The last time the Liberal party scored anywhere near that in a provincial election was nearly a century ago, in 1923, with 21.8 per cent of the popular vote.

Reporters (me included) ask Wynne about her poll numbers at almost every news conference she holds. I ask her if she gets tired of it.

"I just have to not let it get in the way of what I have to do, which is make sure that I fire up the troops and that I am supportive of everything that's going on on the ground."

'How I've always done politics'

Wynne's final stop of the day is about firing up the troops. The skies are clear in Belleville for a barbecue, and upwards of 100 people gather outside the campaign office of her candidate in Bay of Quinte. The Liberals have attracted the popular mayor of Prince Edward County. Robert Quaiff, to run for them. He's up against a PC incumbent, Todd Smith.

Wynne dons an apron and flips burgers to serve the party volunteers and community members who've shown up. She gives an eight-minute off-the-cuff speech. One of the lines that draws applause is "Ontario is the best place in the world to live, I think we can all agree to that."

Afterward, she engages in conversation after conversation. She keeps on chatting and listening, well after the buses were supposed to depart.

"That's where I feel most at home, actually talking to people about what's going on with their lives," Wynne says later. "It's how I've always done politics."

'Incoherent slogans'

This campaign began as a Ford vs. Wynne battle. Now Ford barely mentions Wynne at his events, targeting Horwath instead. Wynne in turn has put much more emphasis on targeting the NDP in the past week or two than attacking the PCs. The Liberals have tried to raise fears that the New Democrats can't manage the province's finances, would hobble the economy and would be far too cozy with the public sector unions.

None of it has succeeded in either preventing the NDP surge or stopping the Liberal slide.

As our interview wraps up, some 15 hours after beginning her day with a run, Wynne paints a stark picture of the prospect of a PC victory.

"I think it would be very bad for the people of this province," she says. "It could be very chaotic. If you listen to the incoherent slogans that Doug Ford puts out, there's no rational sort of thread that runs through them. There's no sense of how he would do any of the things that he said he would do."

'I will no longer be Ontario's premier'

Fewer than 48 hours after our Thursday evening conversation, Wynne drops her biggest bombshell in the campaign: she admits the Liberals will not win this election.

"After Thursday I will no longer be Ontario's premier," Wynne says, making her extraordinary announcement at a Toronto playground. She then urges people to vote Liberal anyway, trying a kind of reverse psychology on a province that is in the midst of rejecting her and her party.

"By voting Liberal, you can keep the next government, Conservative or NDP, from acting too extremely one way or the other," Wynne says. "The more Liberal MPPs we send to Queen's Park on June 7, the less likely it becomes that either Doug Ford or the NDP will be able to form a majority government."

It's a public admission of what was apparent to me on Thursday morning, that the Liberals only have a shot to win a handful of seats. It's an appeal for the party's very survival. The easy cliche is to call it a Hail Mary pass, but one that comes with the team down 35-0 and a few seconds left on the clock, in a last-gasp attempt merely to prevent the embarrassment of a shutout.

Wynne chokes up when my CBC colleague Lorenda Reddekopp asks the simplest and best question of the news conference: How does it feel to have to say this?

"It is hard, I'm not going to pretend it's not hard," said Wynne, her voice quivering. "For someone who's as competitive as I am, when I see that finish line, that just makes me go faster. So it's hard to say I know part of the outcome before I get to that finish line."
More than 300 architects from across Canada in Saint John for festival

About 350 architects from across the country are gathered in Saint John for a festival of architecture.

There are more than 30 sessions taking place during the four-day event at various venues, including a trade show held Friday at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

It showcased new trends, building products and innovations, said Don Sterritt, president of the Architects' Association of New Brunswick.

"It's really important to keep our profession up to date on what's out there and what's available to us so that we can offer the best to our clients," he said.

"Things are changing so rapidly in society today, where new issues are coming up, new problems are coming up and new solutions to those are being developed.

"Manufacturers and suppliers and service providers in our industry are a big part of it and we need keep in touch with them  and this is a way to liaise very effectively with them."

Some of the 20-minute "emerging trends" sessions Friday included: building automation for better indoor climate, pushing the envelope with fire-rated framing, and aging architects and business.

The Maritime Architectural Design Excellence Awards were also scheduled to be presented Friday during an awards gala.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada's Festival of Architecture is scheduled to wrap up on Saturday.
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board has approved a new contract between Heritage Gas and Portland Natural Gas Transmission System that will allow Heritage Gas to tap into lower-cost gas from Central Canada.

Heritage Gas argued the move is necessary as Nova Scotia's own offshore natural gas fields wind down and the company searches for other sources of a stable supply of natural gas.

"It's well known that the supply of gas from the offshore is dwindling," Heritage Gas president John Hawkins said Friday. "Heritage Gas, obviously, with others, has been anticipating the decline in the offshore."

Hawkins said the search for alternatives began in earnest in 2014.

22-year contract

The contract approved by the UARB is for 22 years and worth about $165 million. Heritage Gas says it will ensure less price volatility in the supply of natural gas to Nova Scotia homes and businesses.

In its submission to the UARB, Heritage Gas admitted that another of its plans to stabilize natural gas supply  storing it in underground caverns in the Alton area of Nova Scotia  has been delayed until 2021. Indigenous and environmental groups have been protesting the Alton gas storage plan.

Hawkins said when the Alton project comes online, it will enable Heritage Gas to buy supplies in the summer when natural gas is cheaper, and store it underground until it's needed for the winter heating season.

The company claims that since its inception in 2003, it has saved customers more than $400 million and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1.4 million tonnes.

Hawkins said with the new contract in place, the company is looking to expand. He said there are about 12,000 Nova Scotia homes and businesses that are near natural gas infrastructure that are not currently hooked up to the system.
During the past month, Nicaragua has experienced its greatest political crisis since the Revolution. The unrest was initially spawned by protests beginning when the government announced it was mandating an increase in contributions by both employees and employers to the countrys social security system while reducing overall benefits. This resulted in a heavy-handed response by the government against the protesters creating pockets of violence, with some turning deadly. While President Daniel Ortega announced the government was backing off the plan, it has resulted in continuing protests and unrest calling for Ortega to step down. Over the last couple of weeks, protesters have taken to some of the countries key roads creating blockades, putting a squeeze on the transportation system and affecting businesses. One of the areas affected is the city of Esteli  which is pretty much the epicenter of the cigar industry. As a result, it has raised some questions on what this could mean for the cigar industry. Now, there has been an increase in the violence resulting from the protests  which has everyone in Nicaragua on red alert.

The Blockades

One of the roads that has been experiencing blockades has been the Pan American Highway on the south end of the city of Esteli. The Pan American Highway serves as the main artery through the country of Nicaragua, stretching from the border with Honduras in the North to the border of Costa Rica in the South. Within Nicaragua, it connects Esteli with the capital city of Managua  where the main international airport (August C. Sandino International Airport) exists for both commerce and passengers. In addition, roads around the airport itself are blocked. Many businesses, including the cigar industry, are dependent on this highway and airport to get supplies and export finished goods. This has also affected the ability of some workers to come into work. This includes people in Esteli who work in the factories. It also includes those service employees who work at the airport.

Potential Impacts of the Blockades

Specifically for the cigar industry, these blockades are causing delays. Its important to know the industry is still very operational in Nicaragua, but ultimately a transportation delay is going to cause major problems. The longer a situation like this exists, the greater the potential impact.

When it comes to the cigar industry, the transportation blockades can impact both distribution and production. From the distribution side, getting products from Esteli to the airport could be delayed, and what does get to the airport might be delayed getting out of or into the country. At press time, there have been some reported delays. How much of the delays are actually occurring is a bit an unknown, but the longer this goes on, the greater the impacts will be.

If delays become more of a problem in the short term, it couldnt come at a worse time for many factories and brands in the cigar industry. This is a time where production is often focused on many newer cigars scheduled to ship following a formal launch at the IPCPR scheduled to open July 14th.

If production delays happen in the factories, it could have several ripple effects. Some factories create their own brands as well as cigars for other third-party brands. Ultimately a factory has a finite capacity to make a hand-made product. If workers arent able to get to the factory, it impacts the output from that factory. This could result in schedules not being met. If schedules are delayed, it is possible that many third party brands, particularly smaller ones, could get the short end of the stick.

Delays could also impact areas such as box production and labeling as well. Many cigar manufacturers already will tell you this is sometimes the most challenging part of scheduling when it comes to the cigar making process. Now imagine if deliveries of boxes and bands are impacted by the blockades. Even for the manufacturers, sometimes getting wood deliveries is a challenge. Plus if box-production workers cannot make it into the factories, there is a problem. If this problem continues, the possibility exists, we will see more in the way of bundled and unbanded cigars.

Finally, the blockades are also having impacts at the airport. Several cigar manufacturers have reported shipping delays and have reported that traffic out of the airport has been impacted by airport workers who have had difficulty getting to work due to the blockades.

Safety

From discussions with cigar industry personnel I have had on the ground in Nicaragua, the safety of the workers and their families have been a paramount concern.

In general, the tourism industry in Nicaragua had been one that is on the rise. The crisis in Nicaragua has led to the State Department to recently issue a traveling warning for Nicaragua and reduce U.S.embassy staff in that country. Realistically, this will have some impacts on Nicaraguan tourism. Tourism ranges from historical (such as the city of Grenada), ecological/outdoors (volcanoes, Lake Nicaragua region), beaches, and visiting cigar factories. While Nicaraguas tourism is smaller compared to other Central American countries, it still is important to the country. At the same time, Nicaragua has prided itself on being one of the safer countries in Central America. Now the recent political unrest has changed that.

The growth of the cigar industry in Nicaragua has ultimately led to many companies and factories opening up their facilities to bring consumers in to see the operations. It has essentially spawned a small cigar tourism industry. Some places like AJ Fernandez have lodging adjacent to the factory, and Drew Estates Cigar Safari it serves as a mini-resort for a cigar vacation several weeks a year.

Getting in and out of Esteli has become a major problem. Not only are there concerns for the safety of cigar tourists because of the violence, but transit logistics are becoming very difficult. Two separate cigar companies who had organized tours for consumers told Cigar Coop that they were advising 10 to 12 hour lead time to get from Esteli back to the Augusto C. Sandino Airport in Managua. The cigar tourism season slows down in the summer months as Nicaragua enters the rainy season. It will be interesting to see how things change later this fall and early in 2019.

While smaller when it comes to cigar industry tourism, Grenada is one of Nicaraguas biggest tourist areas. There is one piece of cigar tourism to note about Grenada. Mombacho Cigars Casa Favilli factory is located in Grenada. It was recently cited as a top place to visit by Trip Advisor. Grenada has not been immune to the protests that have been occurring throughout the country. Over the years, Mombacho Cigars has worked hard to promote Casa Favilli as a tourist destination  probably as hard as any company has. Its very possible safety concerns could have an impact on maintaining this status.

Safety concerns are also affecting brand owners. Many brand owners in the cigar industry live outside Nicaragua but have their cigars produced within Nicaragua. The delays are affecting these people who regularly travel in and out of Nicaragua. With increased travel time, combined with on-going safety concerns, it may not be long before many brand owners suspend travel. It remains to be seen what those suspensions will mean for incorporating innovation and managing quality control for the cigars the brand owner is having produced in Nicaragua. Some industry personnel have resorted to traveling during the overnight hours or on back-roads, but doing that could present other safety concerns.

From discussions with various industry personnel, weve learned that has been an inconvenience of travel. Robert Holt of Southern Draw Cigars recently said on social media he canceled a trip to Nicaragua due to the current situation in the country. The question becomes longer term how the situation will affect the amount of time cigar industry people outside of Nicaragua will spend in the country. Many cigar industry personnel maintain tight schedules between the factory and working events in the U.S. The possibility does exist for traveling delays in the short term.

Other Potential Impacts

There are some other questions that could be raised should the situation in Nicaragua continue. One question is whether these delays on the production and distribution end will ultimately have an impact on pricing. Decreases in supply and increases in demand often lead to increases in pricing.

Another question could be quality issues. While many factories dont cut corners, there will be pressure to meet demand. Depending on how companies deal with meeting demand, a possibility does exist that quality could end up suffering in some cases.



The goal of this story was to lay out potential impacts to the cigar industry that exist due to the political unrest in Nicaragua. In a nutshell, the cigar industry (at press time) is operational. At the same time, it has not been immune to some of the effects of the activities taking place in the country. The next few weeks will not only be critical to the Nicaraguan cigar industry, but the country of Nicaragua as a whole.

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
(CNN) Missouri's governor took the rare steps last year of staying the execution of a death row inmate and announcing the creation of a five-person panel to look at the case.





But with Eric Greitens resigning in disgrace and leaving office Friday [Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens officially resigns amid allegations of sexual misconduct and campaign violations. - DPN], supporters of convicted killer Marcellus Williams, 49, were scrambling to figure out whether that board inquiry would ever meet.





It had been scheduled to meet Tuesday but an attorney for Williams' team said they had been notified the meeting was canceled.





Williams' supporters remained hopeful, but on Friday learned his name was not included on a clemency and pardon list released by Greitens' office before the governor resigned.





Greitens decided to issue five pardons and commute four sentences before leaving his position. The list included men and women sentenced for crimes ranging from DWI to capital murder.





"Each of the people on this list has a story to tell, and I look forward to each of them having the chance to do that," Greitens' office said in a statement. "Each of them has overcome injustice, and many have overcome abuse. Each of them has something to give to this state, and to the world."





The NAACP was one of the groups that asked Greitens to commute Williams' sentence before departing office.





"The (NAACP) has long been opposed to the death penalty in any case because it is a cruel, inhumane, and unnecessary punishment that has been applied in a racially disparate manner. However, above and beyond these general problems, there are compelling reasons to spare Mr. Williams' life," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said earlier.





Williams was convicted in the death of Felicia Gayle, 42, a former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper who was stabbed 43 times inside her home in August 1998.





The newly acquired evidence shows Williams' DNA was not found on the murder weapon, Williams' lawyers say, though DNA from another male was found.





That evidence was not available when Williams went to trial in 2001, court documents say. Williams maintains his innocence and says he was convicted on the testimony of individuals who were, themselves, convicted felons.





The state attorney general's office said the new DNA evidence does not show that Williams is innocent. His guilt was proven without DNA evidence, it said.





Other evidence included a laptop belonging to the victim's husband, which Williams sold and police recovered, and some of the victim's personal items, which police found in the trunk of the car Williams drove, according to court documents.





Williams got picked up about three weeks after Gayle was killed on unrelated charges. His cellmate from that time, Henry Cole, and Laura Asaro, Williams' girlfriend, testified for the state, saying Williams told them separately that he killed Gayle, according to the documents filed by the state attorney general.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
The move by BPCL indicates that refiners will try to frontload their purchases from Iran ahead of a November US deadline

New Delhi: Indian state refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp has requested an extra one million barrels of oil from the National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) for June, two industry sources said, amid a looming threat of stringent US sanctions.

The move by BPCL indicates that refiners will try to frontload their purchases from Iran ahead of a November US deadline for re-imposing sanctions on the countrys petroleum sector.

Uncertainties cloud Irans oil exports after US President Donald Trump abandoned a 2015 nuclear agreement this month and ordered the re-imposition of US sanctions on Tehran.

Some sanctions take effect after a 90-day wind-down period ending on August 6, and the rest, notably on the petroleum sector, after a 180-day wind-down period ending on November 4.

At this point of time Iranian crude is attractive ... it is faring better than spot cargoes and other crudes, said one of the sources.

Iran has agreed to provide almost free shipping to Indian refiners in 2018-19, an incentive that significantly reduces the landed cost of Iranian oil compared to rival regional grades.

When the going is good, BPCL thought it should take it, this source said.

BPCL did not respond to Reuters request for comment.

India is Irans top oil client after China and was one of the few nations that continued to trade with Tehran during the previous round of Western sanctions as New Delhi follows only the restrictions imposed by United Nations.

So far Indias oil imports and payment mechanism have not been hit by the threat of US sanctions.

Indias Reliance Industries Ltd, owner of the worlds biggest refining complex, plans to halt oil imports from Iran, two sources familiar with the matter said this week, in a sign that new US sanctions are forcing buyers to shun oil purchases from Tehran. Reliances move is expected to take effect in October or November.

Delegation to Europe

An Indian delegation with officials from the finance, petroleum and foreign ministries will visit European nations for a week from Monday to explore ways to continue to trade with Iran despite US sanctions, a government official said.

European states have been scrambling to save the 2015 nuclear deal and planning a package of economic relief to persuade Iran to stay in the deal.

Europe has taken a position, which is different this time. This time we are in the same boat, this official said.

The Indian delegation would visit France, Germany, Britain and Brussels to meet governments and bankers. Currently India settles oil payments in euros through Germanys EIH Bank.

(Its) not only oil imports, we (European nations and India) are also impacted by concomitant things like banking. We will discuss all these and the way forward, the official added.

The Indian delegations trip to Europe follows the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to India this week. India and Iran want to continue their bilateral trade.
Lucknow: It cannot get more bizarre than this. Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma has claimed that goddess Sita was possibly born though the test-tube technology  a statement aimed at highlighting ancient Indias gifts to modern science. An embarrassed BJP swung into damage control by asking him to exercise restraint in his speeches.

Speaking at a function on Friday, Mr Sharma said, It is believed that Sita was born from an earthen pot which implies that during the era of Ramayana, the concept of test-tube baby existed and Sita was born through this.

A day ago, Mr Sharma said that live telecast technology was available during the Mahabharata era and it was though this that Sanjay narrated the developments in the distant battlefield to blind king Dhritrashtra.

Mr Sharma also said that journalism began during Mahabharata and Narad Muni, the messenger of Gods, was the Goggle of those times. Your Google has started now, but our Google started long time back. Narad Muni was the epitome of information. He could reach anywhere and transfer a message from one place to another by saying 'Narayana' three times, the deputy chief minister explained.

Mr Sharma said that aeroplane was first invented during the Ramayana era and the 'Pushpak Viman' was an ancient form of this. The deputy chief minister has now joined the growing list of leaders of the ruling BJP who have courted controversy by claiming that advance medical procedures like cataract, plastic surgery, nuclear tests and even the gravitation theory, started during the ancient times in India.

Party sources said national general secretary Bhupender Yadav called up Mr Sharma to convey its displeasure for his comments and asked him to exercise restraint in his speeches.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesman Rakesh Tripathi defended the Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister and said that he had been quoted out of context.

He was simply talking of a similar technology having existed in ancient times and there are scriptures to prove this. The media is trying to create a controversy over a simple statement, he said.
The United States is committed to helping partner countries stop the spread of Tuberculosis, or TB, and eventually eliminate this scourge.

In late May, Uzbekistan held a three day national conference exploring how to use science and technology to fight TB. Healthcare providers and laboratory specialists were invited to attend seminars and sessions led by prominent TB experts from around the world.

This conference was sponsored by the United States through the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, in partnership with the Republic of Uzbekistan Ministry of Health, and the Uzbekistan Center for Tuberculosis and Pulmonology.

One of many TB control initiatives supported by USAID in Uzbekistan, the conference provided a forum for over 100 health professionals to share knowledge and experience and discuss successes and lessons learned from implementing the World Health Organizations End TB Strategy in Uzbekistan.

Adopted in 2014, the strategy aims to end the global TB epidemic by reducing TB deaths by 95% and reducing new cases by 90% between 2015 and 2035. It also aims to ensure that no family is burdened with catastrophic expenses as a result of TB.

To reach these ambitious goals, the World Health Organization, or WHO, has outlined three strategic pillars that include putting patients at the heart of service delivery; engaging governments and communities for bold policy change; and intensifying TB related research and innovation.

The theme of this years national conference, Science and Innovative Technologies in the Implementation of the End TB Strategy in Uzbekistan, reflects a growing commitment of Uzbekistans Ministry of Health and the Center for Tuberculosis and Pulmonology to reduce the burden of TB through innovative technologies.

Conference participants agreed to develop recommendations to build partnerships between medical and non-medical service providers and civil society, in order to provide patient-centered TB care based on innovative technology.

For nearly two decades, USAID has been providing assistance to Uzbekistan for TB control. In partnership with the Government of Uzbekistan, USAIDs current five-year, 20 million dollar TB Control Program aims to reduce the burden of TB in Uzbekistan, and prevent multidrug-resistant forms of the disease in the country.

The program has been instrumental in introducing innovative evidence-based and patient-centered approaches to TB prevention, diagnostics, and treatment.

The U.S. is proud to partner with Uzbekistan to help fight the age-old and still deadly threat of tuberculosis.
At the release of the 2017 International Religious Freedom Report, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the report a testament to the United States historic role in preserving and advocating for religious freedom around the world:

Religious freedom is in the American bloodstream.Its what brought the pilgrims here from England. Our founders understood it as our first freedom. That is why they articulated it so clearly in the First Amendment.As James Madison wrote years before he was president or secretary of state: conscience is the most sacred of all property.

Religious freedom, said Secretary Pompeo, was vital to Americas beginning. Defending it is critical to our future.

Religious freedom belongs not only to Americans but to every individual around the world. Furthermore, advancing liberty and religious freedom advances Americas interests, declared Secretary Pompeo:

Where fundamental freedoms of religion, expression, press, and peaceful assembly are under attack, we find conflict, instability, and terrorism. On the other hand, governments and societies that champion these freedoms are more secure, stable, and peaceful.

The Trump National Security Strategy clearly states Americas commitment to religious liberty: Our Founders understood religious freedom not as the states creation, but as the gift of God to every person and a fundamental right for a flourishing society.

The release of the 2017 International Religious Freedom Report provides the status of religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories, and documents reports of violations and abuses committed by governments, terrorist groups, and individuals.

The world has made important strides, but much work remains to be done. In that regard, Secretary Pompeo announced that the United States will host the first ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom at the Department of State on July 25th and 26th of this year.

The United States looks forward to identifying concrete ways to push back against persecution and ensure greater respect for religious freedom for all.

The United States will not stand by as spectators, vowed Secretary Pompeo. We will get in the ring and stand in solidarity with every individual who seeks to enjoy their most fundamental of human rights.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Russias invasion of Georgia. The United States unequivocally condemns Russias occupation on Georgian soil, said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a plenary session of the U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership.

The Secretary also emphasized that the Russian-occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are integral parts of Georgia and called on Russia to fulfill all of its obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions, to reverse its recognition of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, and to provide free access for humanitarian assistance to both regions.

Secretary Pompeo commended Georgia for being a steadfast partner of NATO, making valuable contributions to international security, and upholding Western values. Georgia is the largest non-NATO state troop contributor to Afghanistan, with Georgian troops serving shoulder to shoulder with American troops there. The U.S. recognizes and honors the 32 Georgian soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of peace and stability there.

The United States and Georgia continue to deepen their security relationship, including through cooperation on counterterrorism, stemming the flow of foreign fighters crossing Georgian territory, and countering the smuggling of dangerous nuclear materials from the former Soviet Union.

The United States looks forward to one day welcoming Georgia into NATO, said Secretary Pompeo. Most recently, both countries discussed the links between national security, a vibrant economy, and strong democracy. We know that an open society and a strong economy together are foundational elements for Georgias security, emphasized Mr. Pompeo. The rule of law, combined with an independent judiciary, accountable government, and respect for pluralism are essential for democratic and economic advancement.

Going forward, Secretary Pompeo urged Georgia to create opportunities for all voices to be heard in politics, in media, and to strengthen checks and balances within government institutions. Despite Russias occupation of 20 percent of its territory, Georgia has continued to reform. The countrys success carries with it a responsibility to fulfill the expectations of the Georgian people for economic prosperity and governmental transparency.

The United States has stood with Georgia for a quarter century, said Secretary Pompeo, and we will continue to stand with you as partners, friends, and one day as NATO allies as well.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that the diversification of sources of gas supplies to Ukraine is a matter of national security.

"Therefore, we are currently holding talks with Qatar's leadership on supplies of Qatari liquefied natural gas. I want to congratulate you and say that Qatar can become an exporter of gas to our country, Ukraine. The gas can be supplied through the already operating regasification terminal in Poland. Ukraine can really get Qatari gas," Poroshenko said in an interview with Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera on May 31.

At the same time, according to the Ukrainian president, this is only the first step.

"We agreed with our Qatari partners to invite our friends from Turkey to cooperation. We received their assurances of the possibility of implementing a project for the supply of Qatari natural gas directly through Turkey, and not only through Poland. We will be very happy to open our doors to Qatari companies so that they come to the Ukrainian energy market, it would be very important. I believe that the implementation of such a project would contribute to strengthening the energy security of my country," Poroshenko said.

He also said that Ukraine annually exports $8 billion worth of goods to the Arab states, so cooperation with them occupies an important place in Ukraine's economic strategy and foreign policy.

"Therefore, Ukraine seeks to acquire observer status in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. We enjoy the full support of our friendly Arab countries in order to obtain observer status in this organization. We expect and hope that we will eventually get such membership," Poroshenko said.
Russian-backed militants have fired 33 times at the positions of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbas over the past 24 hours, wounding one Ukrainian serviceman, the JFO press center has said.

"Russian occupation troops have continued to violate the ceasefire 33 times over the past day, testing the defenses of the defenders of Krymske, Svitlodarsk, and Mariupol for strength. Our troops were actively defending and adequately responding to the enemy's actions," reads a report as of 07:00 on Saturday, which was posted on the Facebook page of the JFO.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, three militants were killed and two others wounded.

"Today, at 06:10, Russian occupation troops fired at the Mayorsk checkpoint from small arms. Fortunately, no one was injured," the report says.
During an inquiry into an attempt on Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko's life, investigators have legitimately resorted to an imitation of his murder, which enabled to obtain important proof of the detained organizer's ties to Russian security services, as well as more precise information regarding possible targets, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said.

"As a result of this operative combination, investigators obtained a list of 47 persons, who could have been terrorists' next victims. Those are predominantly well-known Ukrainian and former Russian journalists. [...] Today they were notified about their danger and their protection is being organized," Lutsenko said on his Facebook account on Friday evening.

It also emerged owing to those operative measures that after ordering Babchenko's murder, the organizer suggested that the perpetrator, who had acted in cooperation with the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), kill two more people.

"At that, he noted that there is an entire list of more than 30 people, whom Russian security services want to eliminate," the prosecutor general said.

"G.'s [the organizer's] detention before the terror attack would not have neutralized threat to all those people. The imitation of the murder gave an opportunity to obtain additional information about the list and the person who ordered the murder," Lutsenko said.

Such an imitation of a murder complies with the Ukrainian Criminal Procedure Code and "was used over 30 times in the past two years and six months," the Ukrainian prosecutor general said.

As reported, Babchenko's killing was reported in the evening on May 29, but the next day, SBU chief Vasyl Hrytsak said that it was a part of a special operation conducted by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and aimed at preventing an attempt to the journalist's life.

The SBU head said that on Wednesday, May 30, the organizer of Babchenko's "murder" was detained in Kyiv. He is Boris German, executive director of the joint Ukrainian-German venture Schmeisser in Vyshneve, Kyiv region. According to Hrytsak, the organizer of the crime prepared to eliminate 30 people in Ukraine on order from Russian security services.
Russia, under the guise of so-called "humanitarian aid convoys," supplies cargo for military purposes to the areas in Donbas beyond Kyiv's control, Charge d'Affaires, a.i. at the U.S. Mission to the OSCE Harry Kamian has said.

"On May 24, Ambassador Varga, your Mission observed the 75th white-truck convoy illegally entering Ukraine from the Russian Federation. OSCE Observers at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point counted ten trucks, eight of which bore the inscription 'Humanitarian Help from the Russian Federation.' Just across the border, monitors of the SMM saw the convoy enter from the Russian Federation. Though the trucks had only driven 500 meters, one additional unmarked white truck had somehow joined the convoy. That truck, of course, would not have undergone even the most superficial visual observation from the Ukrainian Border Guards stationed at the Donetsk Crossing Point in Russia. Perhaps that is why Russia-led forces ordered the SMM to move back 500 meters as the convoy drove into Ukraine," Kamian told the OSCE leadership in an address, the text of which was posted on the website of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE.

According to him, observers have no idea what is actually inside these supposed humanitarian aid convoys, because Russia will not let the Observer Mission or the SMM inspect them or watch them unload.

"We do know, however, that these so-called aid trucks did not unload at any hospital, school, NGO, or UN warehouse. Rather, they were unloaded at a compound the SMM reported as used by Russia-led forces. Armed men in military uniforms guarded its perimeter and prevented the SMM monitors from seeing the cargo or speaking with anyone on site," Kamian said.

According to him, if Russia were truly delivering humanitarian aid, why would its forces go to such great lengths to bar international observers at the border and within Russia-controlled areas of Ukraine from seeing the contents of its cargo?.

"These convoys show that Russia is interested in the appearance of aiding local communities, while its actions leave little doubt that the white-truck convoys simply mask the movement of supplies and material for military purposes," Kamian said.
Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, who visited Donbas last week, has said that what is happening there is a war, not a frozen conflict.

"In Ukraine, during the last week alone, four people, including a 15-year-old girl, have been killed in shellings, and another 15 people have been wounded. That's not a frozen conflict  that's war," the Estonian president's press service quoted Kaljulaid as saying at the Lennart Meri Conference dinner on June 1.

She said that residents of government-controlled areas in Donbas were freer than those who came from non-government controlled areas with whom she tried to speak: "Whatever we think of the management quality of Ukraine, its people are free. This is a huge advantage to have. [...] These people from the occupied part of Ukraine are living under serious oppression. They fear to speak out."

Kaljulaid also noted significant progress that Ukraine managed to achieve.

"But all can be lost if we forget. If we ignore. If we offer no hope of a better future. If we put our economic interests first and our values at the second place. Or simply, feeling our powerlessness, trying to make it look like as there is no war going on for the fourth year already, here in Europe," she said.

She also recalled that for ten years the West had not been able to do anything with the occupation of part of Georgian territories.

"We carefully tread the words, calling the evil line of occupation in Georgia something else. When I asked the EU Monitoring Mission in November why exactly we use euphemisms like 'Administrative Boundary Line,' they could not give me a clear answer," she said.

Kaljulaid also urged "to give Georgians at least that little  recognition that part of its territory is occupied, in our every word and gesture."

"Rules-based, democratic, liberal world order can only survive when we stop pretending as if we were not under pressure from those who believe that the interests of the powerful is much more important than freedom of the nations and people," the Estonian leader said.
As the truckers strike in Iran entered its 11th day on June 1, footage and images circulated on social media showed that cab drivers have also joined the strike in several cities across Iran.

The Teamsters, one of the largest labor unions in the United States and the world, has also expressed solidarity with Iranian truckers.

In a letter sent to Abolfazl Mehrabadi, deputy director of the Iranian interest section at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C., Teamster General President James Hoffa noted, Iranian truck drivers in 25 provinces and 160 cities have been on strike over low pay, rising operating costs, increased tolls and other regulatory fees. #Teamsters stand in #solidarity with our Iranian brother & sisters!

Hoffa also announced that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents 1.4 million transportation and supply chain workers in both the United States and Canada, stands in solidarity with our Iranian brothers and sisters.

We urge the government of Iran to listen to the grievances of the striking Iranian truck drivers, address their just demands and recognize their internationally recognized rights to assembly, speech, freedom of association and collective bargaining, Hoffa wrote.

Cab drivers in several cities across Iran have also joined voices with truckers protesting low wages, high costs of spare parts, and a significant increase in social welfare premiums.

The truckers are demanding a 35 to 50 percent increase for haulage charges, while the government has already accepted an increase of up to 20 percent.

Truck drivers are also unhappy with being forced to install tracker devices on their vehicles and pay for related expenses, while only security forces, intelligence agents, and the National Oil Company benefit from them.

Footage of striking truckers and taxi drivers resisting security forces, calling for unity, have been widely circulated on social media.

The city of Isfahan, in particular, has been the scene of clashes between local strikers and strikebreakers reportedly sent from other towns to help authorities end the protests.

Haulage fees have already been increased up to 20 percent and the problem of truckers subsidies addressed, but meeting their other demands takes time, Roads and Urban Development Ministry Deputy Abdol-Hashem Hassan Nia said on May 31.

However, truckers have rejected the officials promises as lip service and say they will continue the strike until all of their demands are met.

In an interview with Radio Fardas Baktash Khamsehpour, a former member of the board of directors of the Union of Workers of Tehran and the Suburban Bus Company (UWTSBC) and labor rights activist Mansour Osanloo insist that truckers and cab drivers demands are reasonable and legitimate.

According to Osanloo, Truckers demands, including higher wages, have been accumulated over the past few years, reaching an unbearable point, while their governmental subsidies have also been cut. Furthermore, roads in Iran are not safe, and many road patrols demand high bribes to let trucks pass. In the meantime, most of the haulage and transport companies that are owned and managed directly by members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) or people supported by it charge truck owners with high commissions.

Osanloo, who fled Iran after years of imprisonment and being stabbed in the tongue, noted that the truckers strike has struck a chord around the world.

There are three types of truckers in Iran: those who fully own their vehicles and others who pay for their trucks to government-controlled companies in installments for years. A minority works for truck owners.

Most of the time, truck drivers find themselves working for the government, the biggest importer and distributor of strategic commodities, particularly fuel and foodstuff, based on a daily wage, or fee per kilometer.

According to the Roads and Urban Development Ministry, there are currently near 370,000 trucks running in Iran, of which 120,000 are more than 35 years old.
Sixty wetlands in Iran, including nearly 44 percent of the countrys total marshlands, have dried up, according to the deputy head of the Department of Environment (DOE) for wetlands.

There are some 105 wetlands in Iran, stretching 3 million hectares of land. About 1.3 million hectares of these wetlands are affected by drought, which led to total dryness of some 60 wetlands, state-run Iran Labor News Agency (ILNA) quoted Masoud Bagherzadeh as saying on June 1.

Other wetlands are in critical condition but have not completely dried up yet, he added.

Scores of lakes, rivers, and marshlands in Iran have dried up or been exposed to drainage in the country due to either drought or water mismanagement.

As examples, Bagherzadeh cited the Jazmourian Wetland in Kerman Province, the salt marsh of Gavkhouni east of Isfahan, Lake Urmia in Western Azerbaijan Province, and Gandoman Lagoon in Chahar Mahal Bakhtiari, which have lost 100 percent, 90 percent, 70 percent, and 20 percent of their areas, respectively.

In March 2017, the head of the DOE at the time, Masoumeh Ebtekar, officially declared the death of Lake Bakhtegan in Fars Province, Jazmourian Wetland, and Gavkhouni Swamp.

Forty wetlands across Iran have lost 20 to 40 percent of their volumes of water since Hassan Rouhani started his first term of presidency in 2013, Bagherzadeh told ILNA.

Rouhanis administration had promised to implement a plan for the revival of Irans wetlands, including the Hour al-Azim marshland, where 70 percent of the water has been recovered.

Rouhani and his cabinet have repeatedly accused former President Mahmud Ahmadinejads administration of drying up Hour al-Azim to produce more crude oil.

The Hour al-Azim or Hawizeh marshes are a complex of wetlands that straddle the Iran-Iraq border. The marshes are fed by two branches of the Tigris River, the Euphrates in Iraq, and the Karkheh River in Iran.

DOE officials have repeatedly warned that Turkeys plan to construct the Ilisu Dam on the Tigris poses a serious environmental threat to Iraq and eventually Iran by reducing the flow of the river to Iraqi territory by 56 percent.

The director for environmental impact assessment at the DOE, Hamid Jalalvandi, says, Once the IIisu Dam is built, Hour al-Azim Wetland, which has already been struggling with drought conditions for years, will eventually dry up, triggering a major environmental catastrophe in Iran.

State-run Mehr news agency (MNA) also cited Jalavandi as saying, The dam will not only pose an environmental threat to southern Iran but will also affect the northern and northwestern regions.

The Tigris River flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq. Before flowing into the Persian Gulf, it joins the Euphrates to form the Shatt-al-Arab, which along with the waters of the Karkheh River in Khuzestan Province, feeds the Hour al-Azim Wetland on the Iran-Iraq border.

The shrinkage of Hour al-Azim in recent years has intensified sandstorms that have hit Khuzestan and neighboring provinces.

One of the most important issues in wetland restoration projects is the allocation of water rights, the deputy environment chief noted. Sharing water in drought-hit Iran has become a bone of contention between residents of several neighboring provinces.

Radio Farda reported on April 13 that farmers protested in Isfahan against the mismanagement of water resources. Hundreds of farmers from eastern parts of the province stormed the provincial capital, among them many women, chanting, America is not our enemy; our enemy is right here.

Reports said throngs of anti-riot forces with tear-gas gear and buses equipped with water cannons faced the protesters.

In an earlier protest, the farmers swamped Friday Prayer in Isfahan on March 16 and turned their backs to the prayer leader as they chanted, Turning away from the enemy, eying the motherland.

Referring to these protests, Bagherzadeh noted, A council comprising the energy minister and the governors of Isfahan, Yazd, and Chahar Mahal Bakhtiari provinces, as well as deputies of relevant departments along with the representatives of upper and lower land farmers, should address and resolve the problem of sharing water from the Zayandeh Rood River.
Former Chief Justice Nasir-ul Mulk has been sworn in as the caretaker prime minister for an interim period of two months, after the Pakistani government completed its term for only the second time in the country's history.

The country's constitution provides for new parliamentary elections to be held within 60 days.

Mulk, who has a reputation as a defender of democratic institutions, will run the interim government pending results of the vote most likely to take place on July 25.

The next prime minister will be named by the party that wins a majority in parliament, or that is able to put together a majority coalition.

For nearly half of its 70-year existence, Pakistan has been under direct military rule. At least 15 heads of state were deposed before completing their tenure.

"Completion of this tenure is a success story for democracy in Pakistan," the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party (PML-N) said in a statement before the parliament and government were dissolved at midnight on June 1.

Pakistan completed its first-ever democratic transfer of power following elections in 2013, when the Pakistan People's Party handed over the power to the PML-N, following its landslide victory.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 83 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said June 2.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

Trend:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Netanyahu congratulated President Aliyev on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. He further wished sustainable development, prosperity and success to the President and Azerbaijanis.

Netanyahu emphasized that the relations between Israel and Azerbaijan are built not just on mutual interests, but on deep and stable friendly relations between the two ancient nations.

Reminding that last year Israel and Azerbaijan marked the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, he said the Israel-Azerbaijan bilateral relation is a unique partnership between Muslims and Jews, respecting the faith, customs and traditions of each other and working together to ensure a more prosperous and secure future.

He noted that the two countries cooperate in a number of areas of great importance for the two nations, from trade and energy to agriculture and the fight against terrorism.

Noting that he will never forget his Baku visit in December 2016 and the warm and wonderful hospitality, Netanyahu voiced hope to welcome the President in Jerusalem.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

Trend:

Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, within his visit to New York, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a message.

At the meeting, the minister conveyed sincere greetings of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Guterres. Recalling with pleasure his meetings with President Aliyev, Guterres asked Mammadyarov to extend his greetings and best wishes to the head of state.

The UN Secretary General congratulated the minister on the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

He highly appreciated the cooperation between the United Nations and Azerbaijan, particularly highlighted the support and contribution of Azerbaijan for the Sustainable Development Goals and the promotion of intercultural dialogue, and its initiatives, including the Baku Process.

Mammadyarov noted that Azerbaijan highly appreciates support of the UN and its specialized institutions to Azerbaijan since the beginning of its independence, in particular provided humanitarian aid and assistance for the internally displaced persons resulting from the aggression of Armenia.

Highlighting the economic and social reforms in the country, the development of the non-oil sector, the large-scale and trans-regional transport and energy projects implemented with the initiative and direct involvement of Azerbaijan, as well as, East-West, North-South, South-West routes and the Southern Gas Corridor Project, the minister briefed on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals at the national level.

He noted that Azerbaijan supports SecretaryGeneral's reform efforts of the UN system and the growing role of the United Nations in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and stressed the importance to fulfill commitments enshrined in the UN Charter by all member-states.

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Mammadyarov noted that Armenia used force against Azerbaijan and continues to occupy its territories by violating international law.

He stressed that the conflict poses a serious threat to regional peace and comprehensive development of the region. He emphasized the importance of increasing international efforts to ensure the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the return of Azerbaijani IDPs to their homelands, stressing that the relevant resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council are the basis for the resolution of the conflict.

The minister also noted that Azerbaijan highly appreciates the UN Secretary-General's statements on a regular basis to support for substantive talks on the settlement of the conflict.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest and the UN agenda.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

In Azerbaijan, religion is considered a private matter of every person, Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant for Public and Political Affairs, Head of Department Ali Hasanov, said at a meeting with Indonesian reporters in Baku, the Indonesian news agency Antara reported.

Azerbaijan has a rule that the call to prayer (azan) should not be heard beyond a radius of 500 meters, Hasanov said.

"The prayer call for Muslims should not disturb people of other faiths," he noted.

He said the rule showed that Azerbaijan had high religious tolerance with Muslims and people of other religions not interfering with each other.

Azerbaijan, known as the Land of Fire, is home to Islam, as well as Christianity, Judaism, he noted.

Hasanov added that in Azerbaijan worship is a private matter.

We do not know or should not know whether or not someone is following a religious practice, such as fasting, he said. I do not know whether my employees are fasting or not, and they do not need to know whether or not I am fasting.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Fikret Dolukhanov - Trend:

The relations of the US with Azerbaijan are based on the principles of mutual understanding, understanding of Azerbaijans value and importance in the region, its role in ensuring the energy security of Europe, political scientist, professor of the Western Caspian University of Azerbaijan Fikret Sadikhov told Trend.

He reminded that US President Donald Trump congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the centenary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and in connection with the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor.

Sadikhov said that despite the existing level of relations between the two countries, a number of congressmen are making hostile statements against Azerbaijan.

In particular, one of the pro-Armenian congressmen, Brad Sherman, who earlier launched an initiative to provide financial support to the separatist regime in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenians of Samtskhe-Javakheti, recently urged Turkey and Azerbaijan to stop the blockade of Armenia and aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh.

Along with the interests of the Armenians, Sherman has been also very active in advocating for the rights of the LGBT community.

Another pro-Armenian congressman, Christopher Smith, regularly calls for recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide".

Sadikhov noted that Azerbaijan knows whose interests they defend and for whose money they were elected and conduct an anti-Azerbaijani campaign.

If a bunch of congressmen try to make them look like great strategists who understand what is happening in our region, I think this is of little concern for us and shouldnt worry us, Sadikhov said.

He reminded that cooperation at a country level takes place with the executive power, because it is namely the executive power that makes decisions, determines foreign policy priorities and signs agreements.

In this case, first of all, we are interested in the position and attitude of the White House, the US President Donald Trump, regarding Azerbaijan, the political scientist said.

On May 30, US President Donald Trump congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan on the 25th anniversary of the International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and the first gas flowing into the Southern Gas Corridor.

Trump noted that Azerbaijans prolific oil fields bring stability to world energy markets.

Earlier, Trump, on behalf of the American people, congratulated Ilham Aliyev on the Republic Day and the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

Trump said that Azerbaijan and the US share a close partnership, working together to solve difficult regional challenges.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also sent congratulations on the occasion of the Republic Day.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 3

Trend:

Distortion of the remarks made by Russian Foreign Ministry representative is incomprehensible, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend.

His comments came in response to the changes in the transcript of the speech by Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Artem Kozhin.

"As a press secretary of the foreign policy department, I can not understand the reason for the change in the semantic-linguistic way of the professional and diplomatic response of my Russian colleague, which corresponds to the real essence of the negotiation process for the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This is unimaginable and incomprehensible. The video presented by Trend agency clearly shows that the statement was made in the context of the Armenian prime ministers remarks about participation of the separatist regime as a side in the negotiations and this step of the Armenian leadership is called nonconstructive. And in the transcript of the press conference posted on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, it is written that this is the answer to the question of Trends reporter," he said.

Hajiyev added that the assertions of the new government of Armenia about participation in the negotiation process of the separatist regime created in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia are absolutely unfounded, ridiculous and nonconstructive.

"Armenia is responsible as a state that has occupied the territory of Azerbaijan by force and preserves its military presence in the occupied territories," Hajiyev said.

Hajiyev noted that the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group themselves stated about the groundlessness of this position of Armenia at a meeting with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on May 15 in Paris.

"As can be seen, the new leadership of Armenia, instead of working towards resolving the conflict on the basis of the accepted existing format, with such unreasonable statements tries to disrupt or paralyze the negotiation process," he stressed.

It should be noted that at a press conference on June 1, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Artem Kozhin, responding to a question of Trend, said that the statements of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are nonconstructive.

"In general, loud statements that do not fit onto the appropriate rails, in particular laid by the OSCE, are probably not constructive," he 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.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) plans to help the government of Azerbaijan boost the competitiveness of the agribusiness sector, Jan van Bilsen, IFC Regional Manager for the South Caucasus, said in an interview with Trend.

He said the agriculture sector, which provides jobs and income for about 40 percent of the population in rural areas, can become more productive and profitable through increased access to finance.

"One way to help this is through agri-insurance, which mitigates the risks involved in agriculture production, such as weather and price volatility. Europe and Central Asia Agri-Finance Advisory Project has worked with Azerbaijans authorities to conduct various field surveys with the farmers, to draft a law on agricultural insurance and to develop an agricultural insurance system concept," he said.

Presently, the International Finance Corporation, together with Azerbaijans Ministry of Agriculture and the Financial Markets Supervisory Authority, is working on a project to introduce an agricultural insurance system in the country.

The government of Azerbaijan is inclined to use Turkeys TARSIM model of agricultural insurance. As part of the work on the project, the IFC is looking for the most appropriate options to introduce this model in Azerbaijan.

In addition, the Azerbaijani Agriculture Ministry continues work on a bill on stimulation of the agricultural insurance.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Mehmet Gurcan Karatas was appointed as the head of the automobile company, which will be established in Turkey as part of a project for production of domestic cars, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Turkish media reported on June 2.

Erdogan said that Karatas had previously been one of the leading specialists for Bosch.

He stressed that that the Turkish automotive industry will become one of the most competitive industries in the world.

Earlier, the Minister of Science, Industry and Technology of Turkey Faruk Ozlu said Turkey will invest $3 billion in the creation of a domestic car.

Ozlu said the work is currently underway to develop prototypes of five different models of the domestic car.

The minister also noted that one of the cars will be equipped with an electric motor.

The first prototypes of the domestic Turkish cars will be presented at the Geneva motor show, which will be held in 2019.

On November 2, 2017, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the names of companies that will participate in the creation of the domestic car - Anadolu Grubu, BMC, Kraca Holding, Turkcell and Zorlu Holding.

Erdogan stressed that the creation of a domestic car will strengthen the economy of Turkey.

The president also said that Turkey will export domestic cars to neighboring countries.

The cars developed in Turkey will be manufactured with different types of body and engines.

The purchase of a domestic car in Turkey will be exempt from special consumer tax.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Azad Hasanli - Trend:

The AlHuda Center of Islamic Banking and Economics will help Azerbaijan improve literacy in Islamic financial services and promote other services, the Center told Trend.

The Al Huda Center has already conducted the necessary studies in Azerbaijan on the potential demand for Islamic banking services and the level of public awareness on Islamic finance.

The center also signed a memorandum of mutual understanding with the Center for the Study of Economic Resources of Azerbaijan. The two organizations will work together to research and develop financial products consistent with the principles of the Sharia (Islamic law).

The parties will also hold seminars and trainings in Azerbaijan. "We have already conducted one of these trainings last year in Baku. We plan to hold the next training in September this year," the center added.

The AlHuda Center of Islamic Banking and Economics is based in the United Arab Emirates. The organization provides consulting services, development and research in the field of Islamic finance.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

Representatives of the business circles of Kazakhstan and China held a joint meeting within the framework of the "One Belt - One Road" program.

During the meeting, the Chinese delegation announced that it will invest $200 million in Kazakhstans agriculture in 2018, Kazakh media outlets reported.

The funds will be used to create training centers for specialists of Kazakhstans agriculture sector working on modern Chinese machinery.

The Chinese side also touched upon its plans to increase wheat, sunflower and rapeseed oil imports from Kazakhstan, as well as to provide Kazakh producers with access to modern raw material processing technologies and new sales markets in China.

"The main purpose of our visit to Kazakhstan is the expansion of our cooperation. We would like to make our contribution to the development of mutual relations between our countries in the field of food and agro-industrial complex. This will ensure that the goods of the agro-industrial complex can go unhindered in a bilateral direction, circulate between our countries," Secretary-General of the Chinese Institute of Grains and Oilseeds Wang Li Ron said at the meeting.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Ali_Mustafayev
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, June 2

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has ordered to start forming the state budget for 2019, the Turkmen government said in a message.

Particular attention should be paid to increasing the funds directed at improving the social and living conditions of citizens, increasing salaries, developing education and healthcare spheres, the Turkmen president said at the government meeting.

Noting the need to bring the volume and structure of state revenues and expenditures in line with the capabilities and needs of the national economy, Berdimuhamedov signed the relevant order.

The revenue part of the state budget is formed, mainly, through oil and gas, chemical, power engineering and construction sectors.

Turkmenistan holds one of the key positions in the supply of natural gas in the region, which is exported to China and Iran.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:

Cargolux Airlines International S.A. transports from 15 to 200 tons of cargo per week through Azerbaijan, Moa Sigurdardottir, head of Corporate Communications at the company, told Trend.

The company currently operates 20 flights a week through Baku, including seven commercial stops originating from Luxembourg, she said.

"Cargolux is transporting approximately 15 to 200 tons of cargo on a weekly basis. The other connections serve as technical stops between Luxembourg and other, more widespread destinations in the network. We have a team of 33 persons working at our office in Baku," said Sigurdardottir.

Cargolux Airlines International S.A. is a Luxembourgish cargo airline with its head office and home base at Luxembourg Airport in Sandweiler, Luxembourg. It is one of the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in Europe with a global network. Charter flights and third party maintenance are also operated.

The company has more than 85 offices in over 50 countries. Its shareholders are Luxair (35.1 percent), HNCA (35 percent), BCEE (10.9 percent) SNCI (10.67 percent) and the Luxembourg State (8.32 percent).

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MTsurkovTrend
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, June 2

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmen State Migration Service hosted a meeting with representatives of the Japanese embassy, the Service said in a message on June 2.

The sides exchanged views on prospects for a joint partnership in the field of migration. Particularly, the sides pointed to the fact that with the expansion of economic cooperation, the dynamics of Turkmen-Japanese migration relations is also growing, which demonstrates the possibility of increasing investment making by leading Japanese companies.

"In this regard, the sides discussed issues of attracting advanced Japanese experience and technologies to the promising Turkmen market," according to the report.

Japanese companies are engaged in various projects of diversification of the Turkmen economy. In 2014, a complex of plants for production of ammonia and urea was built in the Mary city with their participation.

During the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Turkmenistan in October 2015, memorandums were signed for developing natural resources and transport infrastructure of Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, agreements worth $18 billion were concluded between the two countries on a number of projects.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, June 2

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

A meeting was held in Ashgabat with the special envoy of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry, Portuguese Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Turkey, Paula Leal da Silva, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message.

The diplomat drew attention to the need to develop trade and economic cooperation and expand contacts in the cultural and humanitarian spheres.

It was stressed that both sides have great potential for a significant expansion of the entire spectrum of relationships.

The sides discussed further cooperation between the two countries on the principles of equality, mutual benefit and respect, the ministry said.

During the talks, proposals were voiced to intensify diplomatic cooperation, and the sides mulled aspects of cooperation within international organizations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates signed a declaration on a strategic partnership which included an agreement to continue cooperation in the oil and gas sphere, Reuters reports.

This cooperation is aimed at providing balance and stability on the global oil market, the declaration said.
Tehran, Iran, June 2



By Kamyar Eghbalnejad - Trend:



Engineering and Construction Company of Machine Sazi Arak (MSA), in Iran's Markazi province, and Russian manufacturer RM Rail have signed an agreement for joint production of rolling stock.



RM Rail is a Russian conglomerate that consists of industrial and engineering divisions and produces mechanical engineering products including motor vehicles, car parts, rail cars, wagons, and refinery equipment, Jafar Safari, MSA managing director, told IRNA news agency.



"RM Rail has inked agreements with Iranian companies on construction of 1,000 freight wagons," he said.



While the value of the contract was not given, he added that part of the project would be implemented by MSA.



Safari further said that RM Rail and MSA also plan to cooperate on development of refinery and energy plants as part of their cooperation contract.



Iran has announced about plans to splurge up to $25 billion over the next 10 years in the modernization and expansion of its railway network.



Under its vision plan, the country seeks to stretch out the nationwide railroad line to 25,000 kilometers by 2025 from under 15,000 kilometers now.
Tehran, Iran, June 2

By Kamyar Eghbalnejad - Trend:

Iran's government has eased restrictions for foreign banks to launch branches in the countrys free zones, an official said.

Previously, foreign banks had to bring in 150 million in order to be able to receive a license and open a branch in the country's free trade zones, Morteza Bank, the secretary of Iran's Free Zones High Council, told ISNA on June 2.

"The governor of the Central Bank of Iran gave us assurances that the amount could be adjusted," he added, noting, The 150-million-euro ceiling has been removed.

The governor of the Central Bank assured us that if there was a willingness from foreign banks to establish a presence in the countrys free zones, the [Central] Bank could help them and that the money should not be a cause of concern, Morteza Bank said.

This comes after US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.
Tehran, Iran, June 2



By kamyar Eghbalnejad - Trend:

Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade Mehdi Karbasian said Tehran would replace foreign firms with Chinese companies active in the field of mine industry if they backtrack on their agreements with Iran due to the threat of US sanctions.



China, which owns 50% of the global share in the production of mineral industries, could be a good alternative to replace the firms that may renege on their promises with Iran (due to impending US sanctions), Karbasian told IRNA news agency on June 2.



China would continue to trade with us even if the European Union turned its back on the 205 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers as it currently controls 50 percent of worlds steel, aluminum, coal, and copper industries, he added.



Saying that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will pay a working visit to China and attend the summit of the China and Russia-led security bloc the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), he said the two sides would discuss ways to enhance ties in the face of the new US sanctions.



US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.



Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.



Karbasian further said that the value of Irans exports of mineral products stood at $9 billion, which he described as a new record.



Iran possesses 7% of the worlds total mineral reserves worth about $700 billion, including the worlds largest deposits of copper, zinc and iron ore, but officials say this figure could rise to $1.4 trillion with new discoveries. The provinces of Kerman, Yazd, East and West Azarbaijan and Golestan bear much of the countrys mineral reserves.
Tehran, Iran, June 2



By Kamyar Eghbalnejad - Trend:



An official with the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran (RAI) said the country is planning to hold an international tender to find financers for a crucial rail link project that envisages connecting Irans northern city of Rasht with Azerbaijans Astara.



The Iranian national railway was already preparing the documents for the planned tender, Nourollah Beiranvand, the deputy for planning and investment at RAI, told Trend .



The documents will be put out to tender soon, he added.



The Rasht-Astara-Qazvin railway project envisages the construction on the territory of Iran of a new railway line connecting Azerbaijan's Astara to the Iranian cities of Astara, Rasht and Qazvin.



Elsewhere in the interview, Beiranvand referred to Irans resolve to boost its transit cooperation with its neighbors, saying, "Irans rail transit witnessed a 50 percent growth and this can be promoted by the launch of the International North-South Transport Corridor".



The corridor is planned to transport 6 million tons of cargo per year at the initial stage and 15-20 million tons of cargo in the future.



The Iranian official further said the recent developments around the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers will have no effect on the North-South corridor.



US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.



Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

Trend:

Irans oil export amounted to 2.7 million barrels per day (mb/d) on average in May 2018, the oil ministry said June 2.

The exports in the last month included 2.4 mb/d of crude oil and 300,000 b/d of condensate.

According to the report, export in May was higher than the average due to overhaul operations in the domestic refineries. With the return of refineries to the production circuit, the amount of the crude oil exports will witness decrease.

Irans gas condensate export also is predicted to fall to 200,000 barrels per day after launching the third phase of the Persian Gulf Star refinery.

Currently Irans domestic condensate demand stands at 350,000 barrels per day. Persian Gulf Star refinery and Nouri (Borzoyeh) petrochemical plant are the top condensate consumers in the country.

Before it got hit with sanctions in 2012, Iran was exporting 2.5 mb/d of crude oil and gas condensate, of which 18 percent was supplied to the EU.

After 2012, the EU cut Iran oil purchase and Asian countries had to decrease Iranian oil import gradually, which led to a drop in export of Iranian oil and gas condensate to 1.2 mb/d in 2015.

After elimination of sanctions in 2016, based on nuclear agreement, Iran resumed its oil exports.

The countrys crude oil export stood at 2.115 million barrels per day in last fiscal year, ended March 20, 2018.
Tehran, Iran, June 2



By Kamyar Eghbalnejad - Trend:



Amir Hossein Kaveh, the head of the Syndicate of Steel Pipe and Profile Manufacturers, said Irans Mahshahr Pipe Mill Company (MPM) has won a tender to export pipes to Turkmenistan.



He added that Tehran could start a barter trade with Turkmenistan with respect to the export of pipe to the Central Asian country, Kaveh told the Trend news agency on June 2.



This could help improve our future economic relations with Ashgabat, he added.



In recent months, Iran and Turkmenistan have accelerated efforts to forge closer partnership in various political and economic fields.



Back in March, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani paid an official visit to Ashgabat at the invitation of his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.



During the trip, the two sides signed a number of agreements to enhance the bilateral ties in diverse areas.

Kaveh further said that the second phase of Sadid Industrial Groups contract will be implemented by Mahshahr Pipe Mill Company.

The value of the second phase of the agreement is expected to stand at $60 million, while the first phase was completed successfully with $200 million.

He also said that the Sadid holding is responsible for constructing 40 percent of Goreh-Jask pipeline and that the plan is going ahead smoothly.



The Iranian oil Ministry is laying 1,000 kilometers of oil pipeline from Goreh village located in the city of Genaveh in Bushehr Province to the port of Jask to transform Jask into a major oil terminal, which is aimed at easing and speeding up Iran's oil loading and shipment operations.
Tehran, Iran, June 2



By Kamyar Eghbalnejad - Trend:



Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi said the country is weighing plans to establish a direct flight route between Tehran and Tashkent in the near future.



"We have witnessed old-age relations between Iran and Uzbekistan in the wake of their historic commonalities," Akhoundi, who is in Tashkent on an official visit, said on May 21, ILNA news agency reported.



He further hailed his visit to Uzbekistan and said, "There have been very good meetings here that will lead to future agreements".



Both sides aim to remove any potential obstacles on the path of the two countries enhanced cooperation, Akhoundi said.



The Iranian minister further referred to his meeting with Uzbekistan First Vice-President Achilbay Ramatov and said, "Mr. Ramatov, fortunately, attached great importance to activating transportation sector, especially the countries civil aviation, as it has a direct connection with the tourism industry and visa issuance".



He expressed hope that the direct flights between Tehran and Tashkent will encourage closer ties between businessmen and tourists from both countries.



Back in 2017, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held talks with Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the first Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on science and technology in the Kazakh capital, Astana.



They both revealed the two countries resolve to establish closer and broader relations.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

Trend:

An Iranian military plane crashed in the countrys central province of Isfahan today, Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency reported June 2.

The incident occurred at 12:30 local time (GMT +3:30) when F-7  fighter crashed near the Hasan Abad city.

Two pilots of the plane ejected before the crash and are now alive.

No further details were reported about the causes of the incident.

Local officials told Fars news agency that the plane was a training fighter and the pilots have been transferred to Isfahan city.

Earlier on May 29, two crew members of a light training aircraft of the army were killed as it crashed in southern Tehran.

The army said the crash was caused due to a technical problem.

A similar accident occurred in 2017 with a Sukhoi Su-22 fighter, killing both the pilot and co-pilot.

In an incident in December 2016, a pilot was killed when an ultra-light gyroplane belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force crashed in Saravan airport.

In October 2016, another military plane crashed in Iranshahr city in southeastern Sistan and Balouchestan Province, killing the pilot and co-pilot. The ultra-light plane, belonging to the IRGC, was returning from a reconnaissance operation, when the incident occurred near the Iran-Pakistan border.
Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

One of Russian proverbs says: "A word spoken is past recalling". Unfortunately, some in Russia do not remember this folk wisdom. However, the most surprising is that the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation turns out to be among those forgetful.

During a press conference on June 1, Trend correspondent asked the Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department Artyom Kozhin about the unconstructive statements of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the "necessity" of participation of representatives of the separatist regime established in Karabakh in the talks for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Kozhin, replying Trend question, assessed Pashinyan's loud statements as unconstructive.

"In general, loud statements that do not fit onto the appropriate rails, in particular laid by the OSCE, are probably not constructive. I would say so," the Russian diplomat noted.

In accordance with the established practice, we made Kozhin's speech more readable, removing all "aaa", "emmm" and "in general".

However, to our great surprise, the sentence appeared in altered form in the official transcript on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry: in the statement, the word "in general" was easily changed into "your."

Changing one word drastically changed the meaning of what Kozhin said. The video from the press conference can be found easily, and it is also available below (in Russian).

Several Armenian media, of course, immediately took advantage of this amazing blunder made either by the press service of the Foreign Ministry or stenographer, and showed Kozhin's speech in a completely different way.

I do not know exactly how well Armenian media representatives know the Russian language, and the logic of constructing human speech in general. However, it is enough to watch the video once to understand that Kozhin's words were related to Pashinyan's statements.

Overall, Armenian media is no stranger to fraud and distortion of the truth: all their activities seem to take place in the Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors.

The cause of concern is another thing: why the Foreign Ministry made such an omission, which is clearly in favor of the Armenian side, and does Kozhin himself know about the "change" of his words?

It would be great to know position of the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding such an unpleasant situation. Otherwise we will assume that people with hearing problems are engaged in the process of stenography in that state agency.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping Georgia combat the countrys stink bug infestation problem by handing over 17 tractors to the Georgian National Food Agency in Abasha, in Georgias Samegrelo region, Agenda reports.

"These tractors are part of $6.5 million in assistance from the US Government to help Georgia fight the stink bug, read the press release published by the USAID today.

To note, USAIDs Assistant Administrator Brock Bierman and Georgias Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 5 this year to help combat the stink bug in Georgia with new supplies such as tractors, sprayers and traps.

Furthermore, USAID promised to offer $3.5 million to this effect.

The brown marmorated stink bug, which damages crops, is widespread in Georgia and a real nuisance to Georgian farmers.

The pest was first reported in Georgia in 2015.

In 2016, the bugs destroyed a significant portion of the hazelnut harvest in western Georgia. 2017 entailed even more devastation and struck a wider area.

The Government of Georgia has already come up with a strategy to combat the brown marmorated stink bug problem for this year, which includes four main directions: an information campaign, the implementation of a monitoring system, stink bug control measures and scientific research.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross will be in Beijing this weekend for trade talks with senior Chinese officials as previously planned, two administration officials familiar with the trip said, Reuters reports.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Ross trip may be in doubt as other U.S. and Chinese officials were haggling over U.S. demands for long-term contracts for China to increase its purchases of U.S. agricultural and energy commodities.
The European Union Commission chief, Jean-Claude Juncker, has warned about the adverse consequences of the United States' move to pull out from a key nuclear agreement Iran signed with the P5+1 group of countries in 2015, saying the EU must adopt measures to protect the deal's core provisions, Press TV reported.

"The termination of the Iran agreement by the US doesnt benefit global peace," he said in an interview with Hannoversche Allgemeine newspaper on Saturday.

"As co-architects of the Iran deal, we must defend its core," he added.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the 28-nation bloc was determined to save the JCPOA despite the US pullout from the deal.

She added, "You know that we have been acting already at European Union level to put in place a set of measures to make sure that the nuclear agreement is preserved and the economic investments from the European side, but also from other sides in the world are protected."

Juncker further said the nuclear pact should not be sacrificed for the sake of the US political expediency.

"The Middle East is on the cusp of great turmoil. And we are close," he cautioned.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the bloc and China share commitment to preserve a nuclear agreement signed between Iran and major world powers in 2015 and to work for its continuation, Press TV reports.

Mogherini was speaking at a joint press point with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Brussels on Friday following the EU-China strategic dialogue after the United States' move to withdraw from the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), last month.

"Indeed, we are one hundred percent determined to continue cooperation between China and the European Union, but I can add also with Russia as it belongs to the signatory countries, but also with other partners internationally who are committed to preserve the nuclear deal and its full implementation," the senior EU official said.

Mogherini added that she held talks with the Chinese foreign minister on the "key" issue of the full continued implementation of the nuclear deal that has been the result of twelve long years of diplomatic work.

She noted that China played an "essential" role in the nuclear negotiations and would continue its leading role in the upcoming weeks, months and years "in continuing the full implementation of the agreement."

The senior EU official stressed the importance of "the continued implementation of the nuclear-related commitments" under the JCPOA and said, "China's contribution here is relevant, key, and essential - in particular, the leading role that China has on the Arak [heavy water reactor] project."

In April 2017, Iran and China signed the final version of a contract to redesign and modernize the Arak heavy water reactor in central Iran, an important step in line with the implementation of the historic nuclear agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries.According to the agreement, China is to review the new design of the Arak reactor made by the Iranian experts and confirm its compliance with the international safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The 40-megawatt Arak reactor is intended to produce isotopes for cancer and other medical treatments. Iran is redesigning the planned research reactor to sharply cut its potential output of plutonium.

Mogherini further pointed to her talks with the Chinese foreign minister on bilateral cooperation on the economic aspects of the JCPOA implementation and urged "full coordination between China, the European Union and others in the world to guarantee that Iran can continue benefiting from the economic benefits that came from the agreement and will continue in the weeks to come."

She hailed "good" coordination between the sides on both the implementation of nuclear-related commitments and on the implementation of economic commitments of the nuclear deal.

"And the role of China, let me say it very clearly, has been and continues to be extremely crucial, positive and appreciated not only by the European Union, but also by our other partners," Mogherini pointed out.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, the European Union's foreign policy chief said the 28-nation bloc is determined to save the JCPOA despite the United States pullout from the deal.

She added, "You know that we have been acting already at European Union level to put in place a set of measures to make sure that the nuclear agreement is preserved and the economic investments from the European side, but also from other sides in the world are protected."

In a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing on May 13, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he seeks a "clearer image" of the future of the key nuclear agreement after the US withdrawal.

During talks with the Chinese foreign minister, Zarif pointed to good relations between Tehran and Beijing after the JCPOA implementation started in 2016, adding, "We are confident that China will stand by Iran. China and Iran have comprehensive strategic partnership and are trade partners and these relations still continue."
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory telegram to the new President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Giuseppe Conte.

The Russian president noted that Russian-Italian relations are based on positive traditions of friendship and mutual respect.

"I expect that your work as the Head of Government will help advance constructive Russian-Italian cooperation in various areas, as well as joint efforts to effectively address key regional and international problems. This undoubtedly meets the fundamental interests of the Russian and Italian people," the Russian president stressed in his congratulatory telegram.

The Russian president also congratulated Conte on Italys national holiday - Republic Day.

Attorney Giuseppe Conte formally accepted the post of Italys prime minister during a meeting with his predecessor Sergio Mattarella on Thursday.
Prime Ministers Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and Binali Yildirim of Turkey discussed by phone the construction of Akkuyu nuclear power plant and TurkStream natural gas pipeline, the Russian governments press service said on Saturday, TASS reported.

"In the conversation [they] focused on topical issues of the Russian-Turkish trade and economic relationship and promotion of major joint energy projects, in particular the construction in Turkey of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the TurkStream natural gas pipeline," says the press release.

Both prime ministers noted the importance of cooperation between profile ministries and agencies of Russia and Turkey with the aim to create the favorable conditions for boosting bilateral cooperation in a wide range of fields.

Apart from that, the Turkish prime minister congratulated Dmitry Medvedev on his appointment as Russias prime minister and offered greetings ahead of Russia Day, due to be marked on June 12.
Pesident Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled on Friday that Turkey will join several other European countries that have banned the ride-hailing service, saying that "the Uber controversy is over", Daily Sabah reports.

"This Uber business that came about, it's over. There's no such thing anymore," Erdogan said at an iftar program in Yenikap for the Turkish Association of Private Buses.

"We have a taxi system," he said, adding that a personal taxi system would not be allowed to destroy the business of Turkish taxi drivers.

"We will be the ones to make the decision [on Uber]," the president said.

Turkey is not the only place where Uber's push for a global expansion while giving short shrift to local rules about workers rights and taxi licenses created disputes. Uber has been banned or forced to leave the markets in Bulgaria, Denmark and Hungary. It has limited service in France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan.

A German regional court in Frankfurt ruled in September 2014 that Uber drivers must have commercial licenses to operate in Germany, leading the company to pull out of operations in several German cities. It now operates only a limited set of services in Berlin and Munich.

A French court fined Uber 800,000 euros ($957,000) in June 2016 for running an illegal taxi service with amateur drivers and slapped smaller fines on two executives in the first such criminal case against it in Europe. Uber's licensed private hire services remain popular in Paris.

Uber has also lost its license in London, although it is still operating there pending appeal, while its self-driving car program in the United States suffered a major blow with a deadly accident.

Meanwhile, Uber's operations in Turkey have sparked growing controversy, with taxi drivers protesting against what they say is unfair competition and illegal business practices by the ridesharing service.

Uber drivers in Istanbul had already been hit with 18.92 million lira ($4.20 million) in fines by Turkish police in the first five months of this year.

The 17,400 official yellow taxis in Istanbul are a pillar of the city's often patchy transport system, but critics say that poor quality service and overcharging have given Uber an opportunity.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is isolated at a G7 finance ministers meeting in Canada due to Washingtons new trade tariffs on its allies, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said, Reuters reports.

Le Maire said he would tell Mnuchin the U.S. decision to impose tariffs on European Union steel and aluminum was legally unacceptable, politically unfair and economically dangerous.

Unfortunately we are going to have a G6 plus one with the United States alone against everyone and running the risk of economic destabilization, Le Maire told reporters.

The United States on Thursday said it was moving ahead to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports from the EU, Canada and Mexico, ending months of uncertainty about potential exemptions.

Our entire objective is to bring the American authorities back to good sense and reason, Le Maire said, adding that the U.S. administration had put forward no convincing arguments to justify its tariff action.

The U.S. move added to European anger over Washingtons threat to sanction companies that did business with Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump last month pulled the United States out of the 2015 international nuclear accord with Tehran.

Le Maire said that he would press Mnuchin for sanction exemptions for specific French companies so they could operate in Iran. He declined to say which companies.

The fresh trade tensions have unsettled financial markets already jittery about political uncertainty in Italy and rising oil prices.

Le Maire welcomed the formation of a new Italian government and said he hoped to meet with his new Italian counterpart as soon as possible to discuss strengthening the euro zone.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is isolated at a G7 finance ministers meeting in Canada due to Washingtons new trade tariffs on its allies, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday, Reuters reported.

Le Maire said he would tell Mnuchin the U.S. decision to impose tariffs on European Union steel and aluminum was legally unacceptable, politically unfair and economically dangerous.

Unfortunately we are going to have a G6 plus one with the United States alone against everyone and running the risk of economic destabilization, Le Maire told reporters.

The United States on Thursday said it was moving ahead to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports from the EU, Canada and Mexico, ending months of uncertainty about potential exemptions.

Our entire objective is to bring the American authorities back to good sense and reason, Le Maire said, adding that the U.S. administration had put forward no convincing arguments to justify its tariff action.

The U.S. move added to European anger over Washingtons threat to sanction companies that did business with Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump last month pulled the United States out of the 2015 international nuclear accord with Tehran.

Le Maire said that he would press Mnuchin for sanction exemptions for specific French companies so they could operate in Iran. He declined to say which companies.

The fresh trade tensions have unsettled financial markets already jittery about political uncertainty in Italy and rising oil prices.

Le Maire welcomed the formation of a new Italian government and said he hoped to meet with his new Italian counterpart as soon as possible to discuss strengthening the euro zone.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 2, 2018 - 21:58 | Feature, All

An annual Taiwan-Japan tourism forum opened in the central Taiwan city of Taichung on Friday, with both sides agreeing to bring forward the goal of 7 million two-way tourist exchanges by one year to 2019.

Commenting on the target figure, Yeh Chu-lan, head of the Taiwan Visitors Association, said, "We're almost there, only one small step away."

According to government data, more than 6.5 million people traveled between Taiwan and Japan in 2017, up from just under 6.2 million the previous year.

(Tourists watch cherry blossoms in full bloom, Mt. Fuji, and a five-story pagodan Yamanashi Prefecture on April 6)

Of that figure, the number of Taiwanese visitors to Japan exceeded 4.6 million, an increase of more than 320,000 from the previous year.

The number of Japanese who traveled to Taiwan was less than half that number at about 1.89 million, up only 3,000 from the previous year.

With the opening of Taichung's flora exposition in November and the summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020, Yeh voiced confidence that two-way traffic could reach 9 million by 2020.

Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung said he estimated the flora expo will attract at least 8 million visitors to Taiwan, including 300,000 to 500,000 from Japan, while the Tokyo Olympics will attract at least 1 million Taiwanese visitors to Japan.

Direct flights between Taichung and Narita airports are to begin on June 14, Japanese delegation head Norio Yamaguchi noted.

Yoshiaki Honpo, a Japan Tourism Agency special adviser, said the number of Taiwanese visitors to Japan from January to March this year increased to 1.13 million, up 10 percent on the year. The number of Japanese visitors to Taiwan also increased in the same period.

The Taiwan-Japan Tourism Summit Forum, first held in Taipei in 2008, is alternated between Taiwan and Japan and attended by government officials and representatives of the tourism industry.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 2, 2018 - 15:30 | Feature, All, Japan

An award-winning sake brewery in northeastern Japan dating back to the early 1900s is hoping to use a new approach to sake production -- using artificial intelligence to assist skilled workers.

Nanbu Bijin Co. in Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture, is developing an AI tool to find the best time to drain water in a process called steeping, during which rice is soaked in water before being steamed. The company aims to see the practical application of the technology within several years.

"We would like to develop AI to partner our workers to help resolve a shortage of manpower (at breweries in Japan)," said Kosuke Kuji, the 46-year-old president of Nanbu Bijin.

Its "Nanbu Bijin tokubetsu junmai" won the champion sake prize at the International Wine Challenge 2017 in the category of "junmai," or sake made of only rice, koji mold and water. The brewery also received a kosher certification for Japanese sake and sugar-free plum sake in 2013, among other achievements.

At the company, the master brewer and others use stopwatches to figure out the duration of water absorption based on the rice variety being used and water temperature after the rice and water are poured into a 5-ton tank.

The person in charge of brewing is called the "toji," who oversees other brewery workers.

"If water absorption rates change, even by 1 percent, the taste of sake will change. It is the most crucial process, relying on artisans' experience and intuition," Kuji said.

The utilization of AI was proposed by ima Inc. in Tokyo, which has been supporting Japan's traditional industries through the utilization of information technology.

Images of the water absorption process will be captured every few seconds and data accumulated for analysis.

"I would like to raise the standard of Japan's brewing industry through the cutting-edge technology," Ami Miura, the 32-year-old president of ima, said.

Kuji's family has run Nanbu Bijin for five generations, starting with the company's founding in 1902. Junji Matsumori, the current master brewer and Kuji inherited their brewing techniques from the late Hajime Yamaguchi, who according to the company was once known as one of the top sake makers in Japan. Both Kuji and Matsumori are certified as skilled brewers by the Iwate municipal government.

Along with the international washoku boom, Nanbu Bijin has experienced a similar expansion with exports to 28 countries overseas, including Russia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as to cities such as New York and London.

According to the Nanbu toji guild in Hanamaki in the prefecture, 241 master brewers were registered with the guild in 2007, but the number dropped to 182 in 2017 following the retirement of many skilled brewers.

"It takes a long time to foster skillful workers. If we complete this AI tool, we can engage in making even better sake because the tool will be applicable at any brewery," said Kuji.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 2, 2018 - 16:53 | World, All

The United States and North Korea will not discuss the reduction of U.S. military forces in South Korea at their first-ever summit, planned for June 12 in Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday.

His remarks came amid growing speculation that Washington may consider decreasing the U.S. military presence in South Korea if Pyongyang pledges to achieve complete and verifiable denuclearization.

Any discussions about the number of U.S. troops in South Korea are "separate" from negotiations going on with Pyongyang, Mattis said, adding the issue will not be raised in talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

(U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis)

"If we can reduce the threat...then of course these kind of issues can come up subsequently between (the) two sovereign democracies" of the United States and South Korea, Mattis said. But the "issue is not on the table here in Singapore on the 12th."

Mattis made the comments at a question-and-answer session following his speech at the three-day Asia Security Summit in Singapore, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, which started Friday.

The U.S. defense chief also reiterated that Washington is seeking the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Kim has committed to "complete" denuclearization, but North Korea and the United States are still at odds over how to approach that goal.

Trump on Friday reinstated a meeting with Kim in Singapore on June 12 as originally planned but suggested the two sides will not make a breakthrough in the standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program at that meeting.

While North Korea has tried to secure concessions from the United States in exchange for vowing to denuclearize in a "phased" and "synchronized" manner, Trump has urged Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear program sooner rather than later.

"We still stand for the verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of all of the peninsula," Mattis said.

In a separate speech, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said it is essential to continue putting pressure on North Korea until Pyongyang takes concrete steps to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

(Japan Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera)

Trump said Friday that he does not want to use the term "maximum pressure" on Pyongyang because the two countries are "getting along," but Onodera noted, "We recognize that pressure will be maintained."

After months of sabre-rattling and missile and nuclear tests that raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Kim suddenly extended an olive branch, saying in his New Year's address on Jan. 1 that he would prepare for his country's participation in the Feb. 9-25 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics hosted by South Korea.

In recent months, Kim has promoted diplomacy by holding talks with South Korean President Moon Jae In and Chinese President Xi Jinping twice, separately, and he is scheduled to meet with Trump.

Japan, however, has warned against North Korea's "smile diplomacy," through which Pyongyang is apparently trying to weaken international economic sanctions against it by getting close to South Korea, China and the United States.

Onodera said, "We should not give rewards (to North Korea) only because (Pyongyang) has agreed to hold dialogue."

Tokyo will call on Pyongyang to resolve the issues of nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s, a top priority for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Onodera said.

Meanwhile, South Korean Defense Minister Song Young Moo, who attended the same session at the Shangri-La Dialogue as Onodera, said progress will "not be made without negotiations."

At the gathering, defense officials also exchanged views on China's military buildup in the South China Sea, with Mattis calling Beijing's development of weapons systems in the contested water "intimidation and coercion."

"China's policy in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to the openness of our strategy," the defense chief said, expressing willingness to boost U.S. involvement in the Asia-Pacific region to counter Beijing.

A Chinese delegate to the security dialogue told reporters later Saturday that the United States has hurt China's sovereignty and security interests.

The Asian Security Summit, sponsored by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a British think tank, has taken place every year in Singapore since 2002.

Defense officials from around 50 mainly Asian and European countries as well as the United States, are taking part in the meeting to discuss security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jun 2, 2018 - 15:22 | World, All

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday that one country alone should not rule the Indo-Pacific region in an apparent warning to China, criticizing Beijing's military buildup in the South China Sea.

In a speech at the Asia Security Summit in Singapore, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, the U.S. defense chief expressed readiness to promote the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy," which is upheld by President Donald Trump's administration.

The concept is aimed at ensuring stability from East Asia to Africa through cooperation with countries that share values such as freedom of navigation and the rule of law, effectively as a strategy to counter China.

"No one nation can or should dominate the Indo-Pacific," Mattis said.

(Jim Mattis)

"China's policy in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to the openness of our strategy," the defense chief said, adding Beijing's militarization in the contested water "is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion."

"We do not ask any country to choose between the United States and China, because a friend does not demand you choose among them. China should and does have a voice in shaping the international system, and all of China's neighbors have a voice in shaping China's role," he said.

Trump's administration is also cautious about China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative of connecting countries along the ancient Silk Road more closely, saying Beijing is trying to expand its security and economic influence in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Washington will bolster its involvement in the Indo-Pacific region in the security and economic fields based on international rules, Mattis said, emphasizing the interests of the region are closely linked to those of the United States.

"Make no mistake, America is in the Indo-Pacific to stay," Mattis said.

Mattis, meanwhile, said, "Cooperation with China is welcome wherever possible."

(The Liaoning, Chinese aircraft carrier)

[VCG/Getty/Kyodo]

He said he will visit Beijing in the near future at China's invitation to have security dialogue.

In the South China Sea, home to some of the world's busiest sea lanes, Beijing and several Southeast Asian countries have overlapping territorial claims. It has rapidly built artificial islands with military infrastructure in the waters in recent years.

The Asian Security Summit, sponsored by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a British think tank, has taken place every year in Singapore since 2002.

Defense officials from around 50 mainly Asian and European countries as well as the United States are participating in the three-day meeting through Sunday to exchange views on security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

Beijing has sent a lower-ranking official, Lt. Gen. He Lei, vice president of China's Academy of Military Science, to the 2018 meeting, a move that may prevent the organizer of the event from deepening discussions on the Asian power's maritime assertiveness in the region.

He said at a press conference later Saturday that the United States has hurt China's sovereignty and security interests.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 2, 2018 - 21:34 | All, World

Japan will ask the United States to maintain pressure on North Korea to compel it to abandon its nuclear weapons and missile programs and resolve the abduction issue, government officials said Saturday as the U.S.-North Korea summit is set for June 12.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who reinstated his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, said Friday that he does not want to use the term "maximum pressure" anymore, raising concern in Japan about a change in the U.S. stance on Pyongyang.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Saturday that Japan will not tolerate a nuclear-armed North Korea, adding that Tokyo will work to help make the Trump-Kim summit a success.

Japan "is determined to make utmost efforts so that it will be a historic summit that will move forward the nuclear, missile and abduction issues," Abe said in a speech in the western Japan prefecture of Shiga, referring to the North's past kidnap of Japanese nationals.

The Japanese prime minister has said the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s is one of the most important political agendas for his administration.

He will hold talks with Trump at the White House on June 7 before traveling to Canada for the Group of Seven summit on June 8 and 9, hoping to coordinate their policies toward the president's summit with Kim.

Abe, speaking at a gathering organized by his Liberal Democratic Party's local chapter, also stressed that Japan will not change its stance of keeping pressure on North Korea in collaboration with the international community.

"Japan will not tolerate a nuclear-armed North Korea. We continue to raise pressure and don't allow loopholes" in international economic sanctions targeting the country, he said.

The prime minster did not use the "maximum pressure" phrase he has repeatedly employed after Trump's remark on Friday that he does not want to use it when Washington and Pyongyang are "getting along."

Trump made that comment after meeting with Kim Yong Chol, a close aide to the North Korean leader, in the White House, in an apparent bid to lay the groundwork for the Singapore summit.

"It's questionable whether (Trump's remark) represents the view of his administration as a whole," one Japanese government official said.

Another official said many of the economic sanctions against North Korea are based on U.N. Security Council resolutions and there will be no easing of pressure unless North Korea takes specific steps toward denuclearization.

During the upcoming Japan-U.S. summit, Abe is expected to call on Trump to bring up the abduction issue in his meeting with Kim. Trump said he did not talk about human rights issues with the North Korean envoy, suggesting the issue was not brought up.

A source close to Abe said there is no reason for Japan to become concerned about the absence of reference to the abduction issue as long as the matter is discussed in the Trump-Kim summit.
Aishwarya Dongre, IPS, visited the aggrieved family after the Kerala High Court registered a suo motu case on the incident.
MAY 31, 2018, NEW YORK -- A Ludwig Cancer Research study has uncovered an entirely novel mechanism by which cells enter a state of dormancy as tissues starved of oxygen become increasingly acidic. The study, led by Chi Van Dang, scientific director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, has potentially significant implications for cancer therapy: Large swaths of solid tumors are often deprived of oxygen, and cells in such patches are thought to be a major source of drug resistance and disease relapses.

Published today in the journal Cell, the study details how in response to acidity cells turn off a critical molecular switch known as mTORC1 that, in ordinary conditions, gauges the availability of nutrients before giving cells the green light to grow and divide. That event, Dang and his colleagues show, shuts down the cell's production of proteins, disrupting their metabolic activity and circadian clocks, and pushing them into a quiescent state. They also demonstrate that this acid-mediated effect might be relatively easy to reverse--a finding that could help improve a variety of cancer therapies.

"In tumors grafted into mice, we see mTOR activity in spotty places where there's oxygen," says Dang who is also a professor in the Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program at The Wistar Institute. "But if you add baking soda to the drinking water given to those mice, the entire tumor lights up with mTOR activity. The prediction would be that by reawakening these cells, you could make the tumor far more sensitive to therapy."

Baking soda had previously been reported to enhance cancer immunotherapy by one of the co-authors of the new study, Robert Gillies of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, though the mechanism underlying the effect was unclear.

Dang's team, including co-corresponding author Zandra Walton, an MD-PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, discovered that mechanism through an intricate series of experiments done at the University of Pennsylvania and Dang's Ludwig lab at the Wistar Institute. It centers on the behavior of lysosomes--a sack-like cellular organelle that digests proteins and that mTOR moves to when it is ready for action.

The researchers show that in acidic conditions protein motors propel lysosomes carrying mTOR away from the area around the nucleus, where they're ordinarily located. This separates mTOR from a protein required for its activation, RHEB, which continues to hang around at that location. Lacking one of its key activation signals, mTOR remains dormant, suspending the synthesis of proteins--including the components of the cell's molecular clock--along with most metabolic activity.

"Cells don't want to make proteins or other biomolecules when they're under stress," says Dang. "They want to slow things down and only awaken when things return to normal."

The researchers show that baking soda can reverse this effect. When given to mice in their drinking water, it surprisingly sufficed to neutralize the acidity of hypoxic patches in tumors. This sent lysosomes zipping back to the nuclear periphery in cells--where RHEB was waiting--and restored the activity of mTOR.

All this is relevant to cancer because researchers have long known that quiescent cells cannot typically be killed by chemotherapy. Notably, Dang and his team also found that T cell activation, which is essential to most immunotherapies, is similarly compromised under acidic conditions.

"We started out with a question about oxygen starvation and the circadian clock, and we ended up discovering a new mechanism by which acidic conditions in tissues shut off a lot of things--including the cell's molecular clock," muses Dang.

The finding that something as simple as baking soda could possibly help reverse this effect and render quiescent cancer cells susceptible to cancer therapies excites Dang.

"The concept is so easy," he says. "It's not some $100,000 per year drug. It's literally just baking soda." Dang and his team are now looking into how acidity might affect immunotherapy and further exploring the acid-induced quiescence of cancer cells.

###

The study was supported by Ludwig Cancer Research, the US National Institutes of Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Patel Scholar Award, the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute of Cancer Immunotherapy and the US National Cancer Institute.

About Ludwig Cancer Research

Ludwig Cancer Research is an international collaborative network of acclaimed scientists that has pioneered cancer research and landmark discovery for more than 40 years. Ludwig combines basic science with the ability to translate its discoveries and conduct clinical trials to accelerate the development of new cancer diagnostics and therapies. Since 1971, Ludwig has invested $2.7 billion in life-changing science through the not-for-profit Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the six U.S.-based Ludwig Centers. To learn more, visit http://www.ludwigcancerresearch.org.

For further information please contact Rachel Reinhardt, rreinhardt@lcr.org or +1-212-450-1582.
A bite from a lancehead snake can be fatal. Species in the family, found throughout Central and South America, have venom that can disrupt blood clotting and cause hemorrhage, strokes and kidney failure.

Solange Serrano, a researcher at the Laboratory of Applied Toxicology at the Instituto Butantan in Sao Paulo, Brazil, studies the protein toxins in venom from these snakes. In a recent article in the journal Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, scientists from Serrano's laboratory, in collaboration with researchers at the University of New Hampshire, report on the sweet side of snake venom toxins.

The researchers looked at glycans, a group of sugar molecules attached in a complex chain, often with many branches, that can be attached to proteins. According to Serrano, most proteins in lancehead venom are modified with glycans, which can affect the proteins' folding, stability and binding. But very little is known about glycan structure in the snakes' venom.

Serrano's graduate student Debora Andrade-Silva visited the laboratory of glycomics expert Vernon Reinhold in New Hampshire to learn techniques for structural characterization of glycans. While there, Andrade-Silva and colleagues characterized the structure of 60 glycan chains in eight lancehead, or Bothrops, species' venoms. The researchers isolated the glycans and analyzed them by mass spectrometry, breaking down each complex molecule into smaller, simpler ions. By piecing together the spectra of many such ions, it was possible to tell which sugars were present and how they were linked into tree-like glycan structures.

Lancehead venom contains nearly 100 milligrams of protein per milliliter of liquid. At this concentration, protein solutions tend to become very viscous or form gels. Analyzing the structures of glycans attached to the proteins, the researchers found that a disproportionate number were tipped with sialic acid, a sugar with a negative charge. "Glycans containing sialic acid may help in venom solubility and increase toxin half-life," said Serrano. Sialic acid on a toxic enzyme may also bind to host proteins called siglecs, pulling the enzyme closer to target cells for greater effect; this has been observed in other types of venom.

While Serrano's group conducts basic research on venom composition, the applications are very close to home. Another department of the Instituto Butantan produces most of the antivenom available in Brazil. Serrano said she hopes that basic research into venom toxins will help researchers develop improved treatments for envenomation.

"The antivenoms do a reasonable job, but they are not so good at neutralizing the local effects of snakebite," including swelling, hemorrhage and necrosis, Serrano said. These effects can be severe enough that doctors must sometimes amputate bitten limbs. Better understanding how venom differs between snake species could improve the efficacy of antivenom treatment. Andrade-Silva and Serrano are now working to map the structures from the glycan inventory back onto the proteins they modify. Because some venom proteins have been repurposed as medicines, knowing more about how glycosylation helps each protein fold, hold its shape, and attach to binding partners may further have applications in biotechnology.

###

This work was funded by grants from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation, or FAPESP, and Brazil's National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, or CNPq.
The number of people in Africa moving from their home country is set to increase in line with population growth over the coming decades, according to the findings of a joint study from the JRC and the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC).

Demographic expansion will by itself lead to an increase in the absolute number of people on the move. Currently the majority remain on the African continent, with about 40% of them coming to Europe.

Every year, some 1.4 million Africans leave their country of birth for a longer period of time or for good. This is expected to reach 2.8-3.5 million per year by 2050, in line with population growth.

Although 27% of Africa's adult population would like to move to another country, only 1% are actively preparing for such a move and only 0.12% of all Africans actually migrate annually.

Direct investment in the continent is likely to make living conditions better for people, but this might also increase mobility in the coming years.

A team of scientists analysed past and present migration patterns from and within Africa, as well as the drivers behind them.

Their findings give insights on the potential effects of policy decisions on migratory flows, and project potential scenarios for the future, up to 2050.

-Future migratory trends

On average, Africans who take concrete measures to migrate are likely to be better educated and economically in a better position than those who want to migrate but have not taken concrete steps to do so.

Factors stopping people from taking such steps may include lacking the necessary economic means or information. More than 50 % of all those who prepare their departure have completed secondary or tertiary education.

Socioeconomic development, better education, job creation and improved income opportunities for Africans are found to contribute to higher migration.

Economic development will reduce population growth, but also increase the ability of people to migrate. The study finds a nonlinear relationship between GDP, income and emigration rate.

And it will take around 30-40 years until the majority of African countries reach a GDP per capita threshold where emigration becomes less likely.

Climate change will also remain a key determinant for migration. Its destabilising effects will potentially accelerate future migration within Africa and to neighbouring parts of the world. Changes in African migration over the past half-century

The number of Africans not living in their country of birth increased from 8.1 million in the early 1960s to almost 36.3 million in 2017.

This increase is in line with overall population growth and the total percentage of Africans living abroad has actually remained quite stable.

The share of African migrants living in a country outside of Africa grew from 23% in the early 1960s to 47% in 2017.

Between 2008 and 2016, the total annual number of African migrants remained stable. However, legal immigration was declining in this period, while the number of irregular arrivals and asylum claims of Africans increased.

Irregular arrivals of Africans via the Mediterranean started to decline again in 2017.In Europe, the majority of African immigrants come from North Africa, with most people making the move to reunite with family members already settled in a European country.

-Background and methodology

The study is primarily based on macro econometric analyses, assessing different scenarios for variables and their potential impact on migration patterns across the entire continent of Africa.

These variables include population demographics, socio-economic development, climate change, political instability, violence and geopolitical factors up to 2050.

These analyses are complemented by data from a set of questions relating to the intention and preparation for migration contained within the Gallup World Poll Survey.

Using this data, scientists analysed intentions to migrate in different forms: the desire to move abroad, actual plans, and preparations.

###
Weatherford International plc (NYSE:WFT), an energy company based in Switzerland, led the NYSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. As a mid-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the companys outlook is already priced into the stock. However, what if the stock is still a bargain? Lets take a look at Weatherford Internationals outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists. Check out our latest analysis for Weatherford International

What is Weatherford International worth?

Weatherford International appears to be overvalued by 52% at the moment, based on my discounted cash flow valuation. The stock is currently priced at US$3.47 on the market compared to my intrinsic value of $2.28. Not the best news for investors looking to buy! But, is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Weatherford Internationals share price is quite volatile, this could mean it can sink lower (or rise even further) in the future, giving us another chance to invest. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market.

What does the future of Weatherford International look like?

NYSE:WFT Future Profit Jun 2nd 18

Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the companys future expectations. In the upcoming year, Weatherford Internationals earnings are expected to increase by 81.06%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in WFTs positive outlook, with shares trading above its fair value. At this current price, shareholders may be asking a different question  should I sell? If you believe WFT should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards its real value can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Story continues

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on WFT for some time, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its true value, which means theres no upside from mispricing. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for WFT, which means its worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on Weatherford International. You can find everything you need to know about Weatherford International in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Weatherford International, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.



To help readers see pass the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned.
Facebook investors were in open revolt against the company's governance structure at its annual shareholder meeting on Thursday.

They said CEO Mark Zuckerberg risks running the firm like a "corporate dictatorship" and one investor was thrown out of the room for shouting.

Three major shareholders recently highlighted concerns over Facebook's dual-class share structure, which gives Zuckerberg a lot of personal power.

Zuckerberg ignored the concerns and focused on the work Facebook is doing to overcome data and fake news scandals.



Tensions over Facebook's governance structured boiled over at the firm's annual shareholder meeting, where investors were in open revolt at CEO Mark Zuckerberg's "dictatorship"-like power.

The governance issue has been bubbling away for weeks, with some investors seizing on the Cambridge Analytica data fiasco as an opportunity to call for change. These feelings intensified at the meeting at Menlo Park on Thursday.

Business Insider's Troy Wolverton kept an eye on proceedings, and according to widespread reports, Zuckerberg was challenged several times over his control of the company.

One investor was thrown out of the room for shouting that "shareholder democracy is lacking at Facebook."

Another investor, named as James McCritchie, said Facebook risked becoming a "corporate dictatorship" without change. "Mr Zuckerberg, take a page from history: Emulate George Washington, not Vladimir Putin," he reportedly said.

Central to investor concerns is Facebook's dual-class shareholding. Facebook's Class A shares trade under the FB ticker on public markets and come with one vote for each share. Class B shares are available only to insiders and have 10 votes for each share.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg owns lots of class B stock, enough to afford him 60% of the total voting power. He is also Facebook's chairman. In other words, if he wants something to happen at Facebook, it happens.

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Three major Facebook shareholders have highlighted this as an issue since Christopher Wylie blew the whistle on the Cambridge Analytica scandal in mid-March.

The most recent intervention came from the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS), which owned $650.4 million (489 million) of Facebook stock as of December 2017.

"Why does Mr Zuckerberg need the entrenchment factor of a dual-class structure? Is it because he does not want governance to evolve with the rest of his company? If so, this American dream is now akin to a dictatorship," said CalSTRS executive Aeisha Mastagni.

Despite the anger, Zuckerberg was never really in any danger

Wolverton reported that Zuckerberg and his colleagues ignored the concerns about the company's governance.

Zuckerberg spent much of his time instead talking about previously-announced changes Facebook has made that attempt to block fake accounts, halt the spread of propaganda through its site, and clamp down on posts that violate its rules.

Despite the criticism  and the fact that several of the shareholder proposals were supported by influential proxy advisor Institutional Shareholder Services  there was little risk that anything dramatic would happen at the meeting, beyond the occasional interruption.

Zuckerberg has enough voting power to decide nearly any issue essentially by himself. So it was no surprise that Facebook's entire slate of directors was elected and all of the shareholder-sponsored proposals were voted down.

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(Adds lava flow prompting road closure, volcanic glass fibers in the wind)

By Jolyn Rosa

HONOLULU, May 29 (Reuters) - A fast-moving lava flow from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano led officials to close a highway on Tuesday and warn that sharp, thin strands of volcanic glass fibers carried on the wind could injure eyes and lungs, in its biggest eruption cycle in a century.

Hawaii County's civil defense agency said lava was quickly approaching Highway 132, prompting the closure from Lava Tree State Park to Four Corners, and warned residents to monitor their radios and phones for updates and evacuation orders.

Earlier on Tuesday, a small explosion of ash erupted from the summit of the volcano early in a vertical plume some 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) high, the U.S. Geological Survey said, the latest outburst in a month of volcanic activity.

The agency warned that ash was drifting northwest and liable to affect anyone in the summit area. Hundreds of people have been ordered to leave the vicinity of one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, entered its fourth week of what may be an unprecedented, simultaneous eruption at its summit crater and along a six-mile (9.7-km) string of fissures 25 miles (40 km) down its east flank.

Lava flows from multiple fissures have blocked roads and damaged dozens of buildings on Hawaii's Big Island.

One fountain of lava rose more than 200 feet (60 meters) at times on Monday, the Geological Survey said.

Officials are on high alert for occasional earthquakes, though most have been small.

Lava has engulfed the heads of two wells that tap into steam and gas deep into the Earth at the 38-megawatt Puna Geothermal Venture electrical plant, which used to produce 1/4 of the Big Island's electricity. Its operator, Israeli-controlled Ormat Technologies Inc, said it had not been able to assess the damage.

So far no deaths have been blamed on the eruption, though a man's leg was shattered when he was hit by a plate-size chunk of lava rock.

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Residents fear the electrical plant's deep geothermal wells may be explosive. Officials have said the power plant is safe but lava has never engulfed a geothermal plant anywhere in the world, creating a measure of uncertainty.

Contingency plans have been made for a possible helicopter evacuation of up to 1,000 residents in a coastal area south of the fissures should their last exit route, State Highway 130, become blocked by lava or become unsafe due to gaping cracks, County of Hawaii officials said.

At least 82 homes have been destroyed in the southeastern corner of Big Island and about 2,000 people have been ordered evacuated since Kilauea began erupting on May 3. (Reporting by Jolyn Rosa; Writing and additional reporting by Jonathan Allen and Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sandra Maler)
Fei Fei Li

Getty

Google scientist Fei-Fei Li used Elon Musk's doomsday prophecy about AI to warn her company against promoting its controversial work on a military contract.

"You probably heard Elon Musk and his comment about AI causing WW3," she said in an email seen by The Intercept, adding that the defense contract was "red meat" for critics.

The Pentagon contract, known as Project Maven, has sparked uproar internally at Google.



A senior Google scientist reportedly turned to Elon Musk's doomsday prophecy about AI to warn her company against promoting its controversial work on a military artificial-intelligence contract.

The New York Times reported this week that Fei-Fei Li, the chief scientist for AI at Google Cloud, is a vocal internal critic of Google's work on the US Department of Defense's Project Maven.

The reported $9 million contract, which will see Google help the Pentagon use artificial intelligence to interpret video images that could improve drone strikes, has sparked uproar internally. Staff have petitioned against it, resigned in protest, flooded message boards, and confronted senior management in fractious meetings.

The Times obtained an email from Li, warning Google colleagues that publicising its work on Maven would be "red meat" for critics. Now, The Intercept has published a further extract from the same message, in which she refers to Tesla CEO Musk's critical views of AI.

"You probably heard Elon Musk and his comment about AI causing WW3," she wrote last September, according to the email seen by The Intercept. "I dont know what would happen if the media starts picking up a theme that Google is secretly building AI weapons or AI technologies to enable weapons for the Defense industry."

In the end, Google did not promote its work on Maven, but The Intercept said the Google team agreed that the firm should work to agree a "narrative" as quickly as possible. The company declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Business Insider.

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Li is a prominent advocate for "human-centered AI" that helps people in "benevolent" ways. "It is deeply against my principles to work on any project that I think is to weaponize AI," she told The Times.

Elon Musk and Eric Schmidt

Getty and Reuters

Her comments about Musk surfaced just days after Eric Schmidt, the former executive chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet, said the Tesla CEO is "exactly wrong" about AI.

Last month, Musk imagined a nightmare scenario in which the technology morphs into a tyrannical regime, arguing AI could create "an immortal dictator from which we can never escape." But Schmidt said Musk doesn't understand the benefits of the technology.

"The fact of the matter is that artificial intelligence and machine learning are so fundamentally good for humanity," Schmidt said at VivaTech in France last week. "It makes every citizen smarter, from the best educated to the least. It allows you to live longer, with less pain, less disease. It allows you to make economic systems and social systems be more fluid."

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By Kaori Kaneko

TOKYO (Reuters) - Spending by Japanese households was expected to rise in April for the first time in three months, a Reuters poll found on Friday, offering some relief after weak consumer spending in the first quarter.

The poll of 13 economists showed households were expected to spend 0.8 percent more in April versus a year ago after consumption fell 0.7 percent in March and 0.9 percent in February.

"Sales of consumer goods overall appear to have recovered in April. Spring and summer clothes were solid and new auto sales picked up," said Yoshimasa Maruyama, chief market economist at SMBC Nikko Securities.

"Retail sales are also recovering and we expect household spending likely rebounded."

Retail sales rose 1.6 percent in April from a year ago, beating a median forecast for a 1.0 percent annual increase.

The household spending data measures changes in what a household of two or more people spends on items such as food, housing, electricity & water, clothes, health care, transport and education, while retail sales figures track the performance of department stores, supermarkets and convenience stores.

The internal affairs ministry is scheduled to issue the household spending data at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday June 5 Japan time (2330 GMT on June 4).

The poll also expected Japan to post a current account surplus stood of 2.096 trillion yen ($19.22 billion) in April, down from a 3.1 trillion yen of surplus in March.

"As the yen stood firm compared with the same period last year, income from investments overseas likely fell for a third straight month year-on-year," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute.

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"Exports were solid, which likely supported the current account surplus."

The finance ministry will publish the current account data at 8:50 a.m. on Friday June 8 Japan time. (2350 GMT June 7).

Exports accelerated in April on increased shipments of cars and machines used to make semiconductors, suggesting healthy overseas demand could help Japan's economy to bounce back from its first-quarter contraction.

The economy shrank by 0.6 percent on an annualised basis in the first quarter as investment and consumption fell and export growth weakened, but analysts expect the economy to recover in the second quarter.

Exports are seen likely to continue growing on brisk demand, notwithstanding worries of a global trade war sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist policies.

($1 = 109.0700 yen)

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Eric Meijer)
A supporter wears a hat with a Trump button at a Trump rally

Mexico and Canada warned Donald Trump that letting political slogans dictate trade policy is dangerous economically. But their own responses to the steel and aluminum tariffs going into effect today has been political as well: Shortly after Trump announced the tariffs, Canada and Mexico announced their own politically-targeted taxes for US exports.

Trump has made trade a political issue since he was a presidential candidate. Economists point out that the tariffs defy economic logic. But politically, they are shorthand for the bygone era of American manufacturing might that Trump alludes to with his Make America Great Again slogan. That scores points with Trumps supporters.

What wont score points with Trump voters? The painful tariffs that Canada and Mexico will use to hurt Trump-leaning states like Wisconsin and Iowa. While Canada and Mexico had been able to largely ignore the presidents protectionist impulses when they were just rants, they are now being dragged down to Trumps level.

The US has been the stabilizer of the global economy; now it may be the destabilizer, said Eric Farnsworth, vice president at Council of the Americas, an international business group.

Revenge tariffs punish Trump strongholds

The tariffs, combined with the presidents belligerent rhetoric, make it impossible for Canada and Mexico to take the high road, economically speaking.

Mexican and Canadian officials admit that everyone loses from a trade war, but nevertheless characterized their own retaliatory tariffs as taking a political stand against Trumps bullying on trade. They, too, have to cater to voters.

The list of products they are taxing has been carefully calibrated for maximum political impact, experts say. The idea is to squeeze states and sectors that can exert pressure on the White House, and/or hit Trumps base. The tariffs are designed to get a quick reaction from those sectors, says Christopher Wilson, deputy director of the Wilson Centers Mexico Institute. Their effects will be immediate and fairly devastating.

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For example, in addition to steel, Mexico is targeting a variety of agricultural goods, from apples to hams. The plan, Mexican Economics minister Ildefonso Guajardo told Mexican radio on Thursday, was to identify products from congressional districts and states represented by elected officials who could influence Trump. Guajardo didnt specify who, but one of those officials is likely house speaker Paul Ryan. His state of Wisconsin produces the bulk of American cranberries, which are on Mexicos retaliatory list. On Thursday, Ryan said he was against the tariffs.

Mexicos tariffs also appear to be targeting toss-up areas that could make or break Republican control in Congress during the November election, and Trumps own reelection in 2020. Its taxes on pork products, for example, would hurt states such as Iowa and Minnesota, the USs first and second biggest pork exporters. Trump flipped the first state by getting a little over half of the vote during the 2016 presidential election, and barely lost the second.

Jorge Guajardo, a former Mexican ambassador to China, says that kind of targeting could render results, particularly because its been applied not only by Mexico, but all other parties aggrieved by Trumps trade policy: the European Union, Canada, and China There will be a lot of pressure; the US could very quickly lose competitiveness, which can not be easily replaced, he said.

A successful precedent

Mexico has practice in targeted retaliation. From 2009 to 2011, it imposed a series of tariffs on American products to push the US government to let Mexican truck drivers to bring their loads into the US. Although NAFTA allowed it, the US had refused to let them in.

So, Mexico tracked down the Congress members who had backed the ban and punished products in their states, says Guajardo, who was part of the administration that rolled out those measures. Over those two years, the Mexican government rotated those tariffs to ensure the pain was spread around, adds Council of the Americas Farnsworth.

The strategy eventually paid off. In 2011, the US agreed to open the border to certain Mexican truck driversnot before costing American farmers a 22% drop in salesequivalent to about a billion dollarsduring the time the tariffs were in place, according to a 2016 analysis by several agricultural economists.

Given the results, the authors advised avoiding situations that may lead to retaliatory tariffs on US products. US industry representatives may need to be prepared to repeat the old refrain, They knew right where to hit us, they wrote.

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Canon and Nikon are under pressure. As if they weren't already far enough behind in mirrorless cameras, Sony just launched the A7 III, which I called a "near-perfect all-around camera" in my review. It might come as a relief, then, to die-hard fans of those aforementioned camera companies that both are readying their own much-anticipated full-frame mirrorless models for as soon as this September. A prototype Canon model is reportedly already in the hands of select professionals, and Nikon told NHK it will bring a model to market by spring of 2019.

A new mirrorless (or full-frame) model won't be enough. To compete, they'll have to be very aggressive with features and prices for the new cameras -- and that would be out of character for Canon and Nikon. Both are highly conservative and have lucrative DSLR lineups they won't want to cannibalize. But to compete against Sony's increasingly polished cameras, they have no choice.

What to expect and not expect from Nikon and Canon

Inside The CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show 2017

Other than that they will have full-frame sensors, not much is known about the incoming mirrorless cameras from Nikon and Canon. Both will no doubt be high-end models, given the sensors, so you can probably expect prices of upwards of $2,000.

Story continues

According to Nikon Rumors, the Nikon model will have a price and sensor resolution that roughly match Sony's A7 III (24 megapixels and a $2,000 price tag). It's also reportedly developing a new full-frame mirrorless lens system called the Z-mount and is working on a "very sophisticated" adapter for its current, deep DSLR F-mount lens lineup. Nikon could release the camera with two or three Z-mount lenses at Photokina and unveil another batch of lenses several months later.

Canon's full-frame camera, meanwhile, is supposedly also coming in September, but it will be a video-centric model, not unlike Sony's A7S II or the Panasonic GH5s. Canon Rumors believes it will not be part of the EOS system, and that it will shoot 4K at up to 30 fps. As you'd expect, it would have Canon's stellar dual-pixel phase-detect autofocus system, still the best on the market for video.

All that is speculation, as both companies are keeping the models under wraps, and no specs or images have leaked. It's likely that neither will want to cannibalize its flagship DSLR model (the Canon 5D Mark IV and Nikon D850), so don't expect to see a high-resolution model like Sony's 42.2-megapixel A7R III. It's also worth noting that if Nikon and Canon both release full-frame cameras at the same time, they'll be competing with each other and not just with Sony.

Given the rumors, it looks like Nikon and Canon are developing new lens mounts for their full-frame mirrorless systems. While they could use their existing DSLR lens mounts, which support hundreds of existing lenses, there are good reasons not to do that. Namely, a purpose-built mirrorless system, with a shorter distance between the lens and sensor (you don't need the space for a mirror) would support smaller and lighter lenses. Given that mirrorless cameras are already lighter than DSLRs, that would make them more attractive for tourism and street photography.

An uphill battle, an entrenched opponent

Both Nikon and Canon have inglorious mirrorless histories. Nikon unveiled the unpopular 1-inch-sensor Nikon 1 series in 2011, then effectively abandoned it, though it still sells some models. Canon, meanwhile, launched its EOS-M series in 2012 with the unremarkable EOS-M (above), but it has gradually improved the lineup. The most recent EOS M50 model has decent 10 fps shooting speeds and 4K video, although with serious cropping on the latter.

Back in 2012, both companies were cleaning up on DSLRs, and mirrorless cameras represented just 20 percent of the market, which might explain why they didn't take it very seriously. Perhaps seeing an opening and the market potential, Sony launched its NEX APS-C (now Alpha) series, which was far superior to anything Nikon and Canon had, going all in on the category. Popular models like the NEX-3N and NEX-7 also paved the way for stellar APS-C cameras like the Alpha A6500 (below).

Fast-forward to 2018 and mirrorless cameras represent 35 percent of the entire interchangeable-lens market. At the same time, camera sales (both mirrorless and DSLR) have fallen 25 percent since 2011. With a smaller pie and a smaller slice of DSLR, plus astonishingly good smartphone imaging that's destroying compact cameras, Canon and Nikon need to act.

To catch up to Sony, Canon and Nikon will need to innovate fast, and neither has a great record there. Rather, they tend to release new products and features slowly to maximize the profits from existing models.

If those lens-mount rumors are correct, both companies will need to develop new lens lineups from scratch. Sony, meanwhile, already has 50 prime lenses and 13 zooms for its full-frame FE series, not counting its APS-C and DSLR-like lenses.

Making things even tougher, Nikon and Canon depend on Sony to a certain extent, because it's the world's largest sensor and EVF module manufacturer. Sony has supplied sensors to Nikon in the past, and it just unveiled a high-resolution 5.6-million-dot EVF that's 60 percent sharper than any current model. Canon, at least, is now developing its own sensors, including some crazy ones, so it's less dependent on Sony. If they decide to use any Sony parts on their mirrorless models, though, they'll be at an economic disadvantage.

What they need to deliver

Despite the bleak scenario I've painted, Canon is still the interchangeable-lens camera sales leader by a good margin in Japan, the US and Europe. And thanks to strong sales of its D850, which is far and away the best-rated DSLR on the market, Nikon has also seen decent success of late.

They also effectively own the professional market. Sony hasn't made a big dent there yet, because its mirrorless models are considered too fragile and hard to handle for journalists and wildlife and fashion photographers. Both also still have a strong presence in the high-end prosumer market, because dedicated users have large collections of Canon EF and Nikon F-mount lenses.

Nikon and Canon are at least waking up to the reality of their DSLR-dependence. Canon chairman and CEO Fujio Mitarai recently admitted to Nikkei Asian Review that his company is "lagging behind" other companies, technology-wise, and is planning to push harder on cutting-edge features. Nikon says its mirrorless model is coming along at a rapid pace, and Sony itself is expecting high-tech full-frame models from both its main rivals.

If Canon is building a video-centric full-frame camera and if it's well executed, it could actually tear a strip off of Sony's market share. As mentioned, its dual-pixel autofocus system is phenomenally good for video and live-view photography, and is especially beloved by one-man-band videographers and vloggers, since it will nail focus with no assistant needed.

Here's my wish list for Canon: A $2,000-to-$2,500 camera packing at least 4K 30 fps video with a full-sensor readout, vlogger-friendly dual-pixel AF and a flippable rear touchscreen and good low-light sensitivity, all in a Sony A7S IIsize form factor. As with that model, a 10-to-12-megapixel sensor would be fine for video and occasional photography. Ideally, it would offer Panasonic GH5stype 10-bit internal 4K recording at high bit rates.

Canon is unlikely to do the latter, though, as it has an established and lucrative professional video camera market, with a lineup of successful (and expensive) models like the C100 Mark II, the C200 and the $33,000 C700 FF model. If it released a full-frame consumer camera with better video features, sales of those models might shrink. (Then again, Panasonic didn't worry about its own professional lineup when it released the GH5s.)

Meanwhile, Nikon could capitalize on the success of the D850 by building a scaled-down mirrorless version. What I'd like to see is a model with a 24-megapixel sensor, phase-detect AF for video and audio, high ISO capability, fast shooting speeds and at least 4K 30p video with a full sensor readout.

I think Nikon could and should up the ante on Sony, however. Why not surprise everyone with more capable video features like 10-bit internal 4K recording? Nikon doesn't have a professional video division to cannibalize, so it has no reason not to chase video camera customers much more aggressively than it has so far.

Photokina ahoy

With the world's biggest camera show approaching, I'll be very curious to see what Nikon and Canon deliver, if they do unveil mirrorless cameras, as expected. I don't have high expectations. They both have reputations, Nikon particularly so, for risk-free, staid development that won't turn off their fan base or jeopardize profits.

However, people who love those brands are getting impatient with the pace of development, particularly when they see Sony throwing caution to the wind. If the new products are dull and don't measure up, Nikon and Canon are likely to struggle even more. Worse, the companies' professional users might decide to quit DSLRs and plunge into Sony's mirrorless world to get more features for less money.

If they do deliver, we could finally see some decent mirrorless competition that benefits consumers. If not, Sony isn't sitting on its haunches. It will keep upping the ante and tighten its already iron grip on the mirrorless market.
A for-sale banner is placed on a private villa under construction, near Riyadh A for-sale banner is placed on a private villa under construction, near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 29, 2018. Picture taken May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser

By Marwa Rashad

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince wants to build a mega-city with the latest robotics under his grand plan to reform the kingdom.

Civil servant Amer al-Ghamdi has a simpler dream: to buy an affordable home.

Whether Ghamdi and some 1.2 million Saudis in a similar financial position manage to do so will be vital if Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is to convince his people that the reform plan will benefit not just the super-rich.

Ghamdi, 35, spends most of his $2,670 monthly wage paying back loans he took to get married and buy a car. He and his wife, Hanan, now have three children and struggle to save money.

Buying a home is out of the question. A 250-square meter (2,691 square feet) house in Saudi cities costs from 700,000 to 850,000 riyals ($186,000 to $226,000), said Ibrahim Albuloushi, head of U.S. property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle in Saudi Arabia.

That is up to 10 times the annual salary for a low-income family in the Gulf Arab state.

"I tried to look for one of my relatives in Saudi to pay off my debts and give me a down payment to apply for a house at one of the commercial banks, but the interest will be very high and I am already paying a lot," said Ghamdi, who lives in the capital Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, was once awash in petrodollars. This helped it provide a cradle-to-grave welfare system for its citizens with almost no taxation.

But a slump in oil prices has made fiscal discipline and diversification away from oil vital. Prince Mohammed's Vision 2030 plan sets out to modernize the economy and reform the deeply conservative country, the birthplace of Islam.

The young prince, 32, has moved forcefully and rapidly where earlier leaders moved gradually and achieved moderate results.

Story continues

AFFORDABLE HOMES

Some Saudis, however, are skeptical. Western media have reported extravagant purchases by the crown prince, including a $300 million French chateau and a $500 million yacht.

In response to a question about these reports in an interview with U.S. network CBS in March, Prince Mohammed said his personal life was "something I'd like to keep to myself" but that he was a rich man who also made donations to charity.

The first contracts awarded for the NEOM business zone mega-project in the northwest of the country were for five palaces for the royal family.

Some critics say the pace of reform is too fast. They cite cuts to a generous subsidy system and the introduction of value-added tax early this year, moves that have hit some Saudis hard and eaten away at savings.

Compounding problems, the population has grown. It reached 32.55 million in 2017, a rise of 44 percent from 2004, and Riyadh's boundaries are growing rapidly.

The housing minister says there are plans to build 1 million houses in five years with an investment of over $100 billion, mainly through public-private partnerships. Deals have been signed with South Korean and Chinese firms and U.S. companies have expressed interest.

"Real estate is the mirror of the economy. You cannot build homes if people cannot afford to buy them," said Abdullah al-Sudairy, chief executive of mortgage finance company Amlak International. "Affordable housing means cost is five to six times annual income... We are not there yet."

The ministry wants 60 percent of Saudis to own homes by 2020. It is working with local banks to facilitate financing and help developers increase the supply of affordable units by reducing red tape.

WAITING LIST

Some 500,000 Saudis are on a waiting list for the Saudi Real Estate Development Fund (REDF), an arm of the housing ministry which offers Saudis interest-free loans to buy state-backed houses which cost around 650,000 riyals. This can be paid in long-term monthly installments of up to 2,500 riyals each.

Khalid al-Amoudi, REDF general supervisor, said most could have access to finance in the next three years.

Ghamdi has been on the waiting list since 2011 and relief is nowhere in sight.

He has asked his wife to look for a job. But the last offer she received at a food factory offered only 3,500 riyals a month, most of which would have been used to put her infant daughter in nursery and for transportation costs.

Ghamdi is worried about taking out a new bank loan because of fears the government may make further cuts in state spending.

Salman al-Shedoukhi, a 30-year-old engineer with a monthly income of 15,000 riyals, also wonders if he will ever receive a government-backed house.

"To get bank financing for an average 900,000-riyal home, you will end up paying double this amount. It means I would spend 20 years using half my salary to pay off the loan," he said.

To save money, he has moved into his father's house with his wife and two daughters. But he is still burdened by a loan taken out four years ago to get married.

NO ROOM FOR ERROR

Members of the Shura Council, a government advisory body, have criticized the housing ministry for slow progress in solving the problem and fulfilling citizens' aspirations, questioning the number of land plots handed over.

"The housing ministry's biggest achievement is chaining the citizens with a big loan from commercial banks and a bigger monthly installment," Abu Yazid Al Huwaiti, a Saudi citizen, wrote in a Twitter post in April.

Some housing officials have been replaced in recent years for failing to tackle the affordability issue.

There is no room for error as Prince Mohammed is counting on people like Ghamdi to support his reforms.

"Will they achieve 100 percent of the very ambitious goals they have set for themselves? Probably not," said David Dew, who is managing director of SABB bank and monitors housing and unemployment.

"But will they make serious progress? Absolutely yes, they have to and they will."

(For graphic on Saudi Arabia's economy, click: https://tmsnrt.rs/2sjRrVK)

(Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Additional reporting by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Michael Georgy, Ghaida Ghantous and Timothy Heritage)
Workers in protective suits check out the Air Forces X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle after its touchdown at NASAs Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility in May 2017. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Two months after President Donald Trump said the United States may create a new military branch to focus on national security space activities, Politico is reporting that CNA Corp., a federally funded research and development center, is studying ways to make it so.

But will it be a separate Space Force, like the Air Force? A Space Corps, like the Marine Corps (which is overseen by the Department of the Navy)? Or something else?

George Nield, former head of the Federal Aviation Administrations commercial space transportation office, leans toward the idea of a hybrid civilian/military Space Guard, analogous to the Coast Guard.

During peacetime, the Space Guard could monitor safety issues related to commercial space activities. But during wartime, it would be integrated under the Department of Defense. Such an arrangement would fill a gap in policing the final frontier, Nield said.

There is, today, no single department or agency that is charged with holistically managing U.S. interests in space, he said last weekend at the National Space Societys International Space Development Conference.

Others on the ISDC panel advocated for a Space Corps  which could be set up under the Air Forces administrative umbrella, following the Navy-Marine model.

If I were to wave my magic wand, it would be something like an international police force of some sort, and a U.S. military Space Corps, said Michael Laine, a former Marine who is currently president and chief strategic officer for the LiftPort Group in Tacoma, Wash. I think theres almost no way to not have an international policing-style organization, but for U.S. national interests I think that the Space Corps must be out there, in a military perspective, guarding U.S. interests.

For many years, U.S. military officials have warned about the potential for a space Pearl Harbor that would start with an attack on orbiting satellites. Responsibility for national security in space has traditionally lain with the Air Force, but the Trump administration and its National Space Council have elevated concerns about space security.

Story continues

Air Force officials have voiced reservations about creating a Space Corps, saying it would introduce more bureaucracy without improving national security.

The Pentagon is scheduled to deliver an updated report on its approach to space security to Congress by Aug. 1. A final report, including recommendations for legislation, is due by the end of the year.

For more about the issue, check out Space News report  and for the lighter side, check out this YouTube video from Schmoyoho.

More from GeekWire:
Stocks, such as Nick Scali and OM Holdings, are trading at a value below what they may actually be worth. Theres a few ways you can measure the value of a company  you can forecast how much money it will make in the future and base your valuation off of this, or you can look around at its peers of similar size and industry to roughly estimate what it should be worth. Below, Ive created a list of companies that compare favourably in all criteria based on their most recent financial data, making them potentially good investments.

Nick Scali Limited (ASX:NCK)

Nick Scali Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in sourcing and retailing household furniture and related accessories in Australia. The company employs 370 people and with the companys market capitalisation at AUD A$544.32M, we can put it in the small-cap group.

NCKs stock is currently trading at -48% less than its actual worth of $12.9, at a price tag of AU$6.72, based on my discounted cash flow model. This mismatch signals an opportunity to buy NCK shares at a discount. In terms of relative valuation, NCKs PE ratio stands at 13.5x relative to its Specialty Retail peer level of, 16.47x implying that relative to its peers, you can purchase NCKs stock for a lower price right now. NCK is also in great financial shape, as short-term assets amply cover upcoming and long-term liabilities.

More on Nick Scali here.

ASX:NCK PE PEG Gauge Jun 1st 18

OM Holdings Limited (ASX:OMH)

OM Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, engages in mining, smelting, trading, and marketing ores and ferroalloys. OM Holdings was started in 1994 and with the stocks market cap sitting at AUD A$721.14M, it comes under the small-cap category.

OMHs shares are currently trading at -49% below its actual worth of $1.92, at a price of AU$0.98, based on its expected future cash flows. This mismatch indicates a potential opportunity to buy low. Furthermore, OMHs PE ratio stands at around 7.74x against its its Metals and Mining peer level of, 13.31x implying that relative to other stocks in the industry, we can purchase OMHs shares for cheaper. OMH is also in good financial health, with near-term assets able to cover upcoming and long-term liabilities.

Story continues

Interested in OM Holdings? Find out more here.

ASX:OMH PE PEG Gauge Jun 1st 18

Pioneer Credit Limited (ASX:PNC)

Pioneer Credit Limited provides financial services in Australia. The company currently employs 500 people and with the companys market capitalisation at AUD A$204.43M, we can put it in the small-cap category.

PNCs stock is now trading at -20% less than its true value of $4.16, at the market price of AU$3.33, according to my discounted cash flow model. The mismatch signals a potential chance to invest in PNC at a discounted price. In terms of relative valuation, PNCs PE ratio is around 13.04x while its Diversified Financial peer level trades at, 21.18x meaning that relative to its comparable company group, PNCs shares can be purchased for a lower price. PNC is also in good financial health, with current assets covering liabilities in the near term and over the long run. Its debt-to-equity ratio of 105.14% has been reducing for the last couple of years indicating PNCs ability to pay down its debt. Continue research on Pioneer Credit here.

ASX:PNC PE PEG Gauge Jun 1st 18

For more financially sound, undervalued companies to add to your portfolio, explore this interactive list of undervalued stocks.



To help readers see pass the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned.
BEIJING, June 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is expected to meet Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Sunday, a U.S. government official said.

The U.S. embassy earlier said that Ross arrived in Beijing early on Saturday for trade talks with Chinese officials. His visit comes after the Trump administration renewed its tariff threats against China.

Liu is China's chief negotiator in the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies. (Reporting by Michael Martina in BEIJING; Writing by Brenda Goh in SHANGHAI)
ICO Coins jar

Zimbabwe cryptocurrency exchange platform, Golix, is now proceeding ahead with its planned token sale to raise $32 million and has expanded to Kenya and Uganda with effect from the beginning of this month.

Golixs Initial Coin Offering had been disrupted after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe banned banks from processing cryptocurrency transactions in the country. The apex bank also subsequently ordered Golix to cease crypto operations but the exchange successfully obtained a court ruling overturning this move.

Despite the court ruling restoring Golix operations, the regulatory issues in Zimbabwe had caused much uncertainty and disruption to trade and investment in virtual currencies in the country as Golix scrambled for a way out.

It has now appeared that the company has set its sights on the broader African market and will also be proceeding with the token sale.

Zimbabwes digital currencies pioneer, Golix is raising $32 million through a token sale in, a bid to finance cryptocurrencies infrastructure across the entire African continent, Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya, spokesperson for Golix said on Friday night.

The token sale, according to William Chui, who is the head of special projects at the Zimbabwean digital currency exchange, is also aimed to anchor initiatives that will enable instant remittances and international payments through cryptocurrencies.

The company has explained that the GLX token, which is an Ethereum ERC20 token, is already available for purchase from June 1 2018 on the Golix token sale website.

Potential buyers can use their bitcoin (BTC) and/or ethereum (ETH) to buy the GLX token which is being sold at a price of $0.05612. About 1,2 billion tokens will be availed but only 637,120,049 have been availed for sale during the current and initial token sale.

People from respective different countries will be able to buy the GLX token from the exchange using their fiat currencies. The GLX token will be used to buy other Altcoins in the exchange, all this will be done at zero transactions fee, said Chui.

Story continues

As it battles regulatory issues in Zimbabwe, Golix has also announced further expansion into Africa. This is in addition to its earlier agreements to launch operations and partnerships in South Africa, which is already taxing bitcoin and other cryptocurrency investments.

As part of our strategy starting from Friday 1 June, people in Kenya, South Africa and

Uganda will be able to start trading from Golix. This is one of our plans to be the leading exchange in Africa, which inspired by the vision to provide financial autonomy in the continent, explained Panashe Tapera, the head of growth at the exchange platform.

Africa is moving up to embrace virtual currencies although only a few markets on the continent have operational cryptocurrency exchange platforms.



The post Zimbabwes Biggest Crypto Exchange Golix Moves Closer to $32 Million ICO Launch appeared first on CCN.


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Page: 1 2 3 4 The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers! Idiocracy

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 01:55 AM











Post: #1 The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

Advertisement That's all you need to know!



</ End Thread> End Thread> LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 443869

06-02-2018 01:56 AM











Post: #2 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

DNC said "no"



DNC run and OWN the deep state and the feds and Mueller LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 02:02 AM











Post: #3 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 01:56 AM) DNC said "no"



DNC run and OWN the deep state and the feds and Mueller

Yeah they said "we have evidence" trust us wink wink!



Apparently half this country is dumb enough to trust them. Yeah they said "we have evidence" trust us wink wink!Apparently half this country is dumb enough to trust them. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 427268

06-02-2018 02:02 AM











Post: #4 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

Idiocracy Wrote: (06-02-2018 01:55 AM) That's all you need to know!



</ End Thread>

No sh*t!



They also knew that if the DNC was hacked, (a big if) it was likely a state actor which they believed to be Russia but they embeded a spy into the OTHER campaign not the Democrat campaing. No sh*t!They also knew that if the DNC was hacked, (a big if) it was likely a state actor which they believed to be Russia but they embeded a spy into the OTHER campaign not the Democrat campaing. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 02:09 AM











Post: #5 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:02 AM) Idiocracy Wrote: (06-02-2018 01:55 AM) That's all you need to know!



</ End Thread>

No sh*t!



They also knew that if the DNC was hacked, (a big if) it was likely a state actor which they believed to be Russia but they embeded a spy into the OTHER campaign not the Democrat campaing.

It was impossible and the DNC knew they couldn't keep it quiet if they let the data go to the FBI lab.



The timestamps on the data prove that the files were saved locally and could not have been sent over a network. It was impossible and the DNC knew they couldn't keep it quiet if they let the data go to the FBI lab.The timestamps on the data prove that the files were saved locally and could not have been sent over a network. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 381174

06-02-2018 02:17 AM











Post: #6 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:09 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:02 AM) No sh*t!



They also knew that if the DNC was hacked, (a big if) it was likely a state actor which they believed to be Russia but they embeded a spy into the OTHER campaign not the Democrat campaing.

It was impossible and the DNC knew they couldn't keep it quiet if they let the data go to the FBI lab.



The timestamps on the data prove that the files were saved locally and could not have been sent over a network.

Yah the forensicator proved that.



Yah the forensicator proved that. RiskyRob

( Lop V.I.P.)

User ID: 442273

06-02-2018 03:04 AM



Posts: 8,137









Post: #7 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

The entire Russia probe narrative has so many strange angles. I wonder if we'll ever get to the bottom of it.  Ascended Master (This post was last modified: 06-02-2018 03:05 AM by RiskyRob .) LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 03:10 AM











Post: #8 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

RiskyRob Wrote: (06-02-2018 03:04 AM) The entire Russia probe narrative has so many strange angles. I wonder if we'll ever get to the bottom of it.

It all started with servers that weren't inspected, a crime that was never investigated.



Let that sink in.



A crime that never happened. It all started with servers that weren't inspected, a crime that was never investigated.Let that sink in.A crime that never happened. SkeptiSchism

Registered User

User ID: 381174

06-02-2018 03:14 AM



Posts: 34,302









Post: #9 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 03:10 AM) RiskyRob Wrote: (06-02-2018 03:04 AM) The entire Russia probe narrative has so many strange angles. I wonder if we'll ever get to the bottom of it.

It all started with servers that weren't inspected, a crime that was never investigated.



Let that sink in.



A crime that never happened.

I already told you guys what that was all about:



Series 2009: Secret of Her State



Interlocking device

Reference No.: 666

Entry number :4.4.1.22

Registration date :2002-09-01

Status :Active



I already told you guys what that was all about:Series 2009: Secret of Her StateInterlocking deviceReference No.: 666Entry number :4.4.1.22Registration date :2002-09-01Status :Active (This post was last modified: 06-02-2018 03:33 AM by SkeptiSchism .) LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 03:16 AM











Post: #10 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

Hillary says 17 intelligence agencies said Russia was involved.



But not one of the 17 agencies investigated the DNC servers?



Let that sink in... While Obama's CIA director was pressuring congress to put pressure on the FBI to open a Russia probe nobody was inspecting the DNC server?



I would laugh but the evidence is on the wall... the entire thing was created by Obama because they needed an excuse to surveil Trump's campaign and so they could cover up the Seth Rich data dump.



An internal whistle-blower would not help their corruption cause.



Smoke and mirrors, with big media collusion anything is possible. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 03:20 AM











Post: #11 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

Could it be that Russia setup Hillary with Uranium one by selling that Uranium to Iran and that forced Obama to pay off the Iranians and give them a sweetheart deal.



Then Seth rich exposed the DNC corruption and Hillary and Obama went to work via the CIA on Russia and Trump.



Nobody can tell Trump the real reason Obama and Hillary were so pissed off at Russia because that would expose the entire pay off on the Uranium one deal.



Who was in charge of the FBI during Uranium one?



Who was the US attorney assigned to that case?



Who is in charge of the Russia probe today? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 03:26 AM











Post: #12 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

Meuller was FBI chief during Uranium One



Rosenstein was the US attorney assigned to the Uranium one case.



</End Thread> LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 442409

06-02-2018 03:29 AM











Post: #13 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

Obama... "Tell Putin I'll have more flexibility after this election" SkeptiSchism

Registered User

User ID: 381174

06-02-2018 03:30 AM



Posts: 34,302









Post: #14 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 03:20 AM) Could it be that Russia setup Hillary with Uranium one by selling that Uranium to Iran and that forced Obama to pay off the Iranians and give them a sweetheart deal.



Then Seth rich exposed the DNC corruption and Hillary and Obama went to work via the CIA on Russia and Trump.



Nobody can tell Trump the real reason Obama and Hillary were so pissed off at Russia because that would expose the entire pay off on the Uranium one deal.



Who was in charge of the FBI during Uranium one?



Who was the US attorney assigned to that case?



Who is in charge of the Russia probe today?

Remember the Bundy Ranch case? Remember Harry Reid's involvement? These are all intertwined, has to do with digitizing public property and mineral rights to include those rights in a universal database for the SDR.



I would bet money that was the bulk of Hillary's emails, why they covered it up and why they've been holding this kangaroo court for so long. It's all an effort to wipe our memory of those emails.



Those emails are nothing less than an outline to digitize our national assets to collateralize debt and create the universal SDR blockchain cutting out the dollar.



Also remember that first Bill Clinton abolished Glass Steagall, allowing banks to securitize real estate loans, many of those derivatives were sold to the Chinese. When the subprime crisis happened in 2008, Hillary made a special trip to China to re-assure the Chinese that the collateral behind the CMBS would be enforced, that is title to commercial properties in the US.



This is also why Trump was elected by the electoral college, and why he even wanted the office, to protect his commercial real estate. This is the essence of a monumental scandal that will never see the light of day because frankly the American public could not take the revelations. Remember the Bundy Ranch case? Remember Harry Reid's involvement? These are all intertwined, has to do with digitizing public property and mineral rights to include those rights in a universal database for the SDR.I would bet money that was the bulk of Hillary's emails, why they covered it up and why they've been holding this kangaroo court for so long. It's all an effort to wipe our memory of those emails.Those emails are nothing less than an outline to digitize our national assets to collateralize debt and create the universal SDR blockchain cutting out the dollar.Also remember that first Bill Clinton abolished Glass Steagall, allowing banks to securitize real estate loans, many of those derivatives were sold to the Chinese. When the subprime crisis happened in 2008, Hillary made a special trip to China to re-assure the Chinese that the collateral behind the CMBS would be enforced, that is title to commercial properties in the US.This is also why Trump was elected by the electoral college, and why he even wanted the office, to protect his commercial real estate. This is the essence of a monumental scandal that will never see the light of day because frankly the American public could not take the revelations. base unit

Registered User

User ID: 337624

06-02-2018 03:35 AM



Posts: 1,490









Post: #15 RE: The FBI opened an investigation into Russia without examining the DNC servers!

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 03:26 AM) Meuller was FBI chief during Uranium One



Rosenstein was the US attorney assigned to the Uranium one case.



</End Thread>

this is the best part to me.



meuller is investigating himself. he is leading the media around in ever tightening circles while horowitz at the oig is throwing the net weaved by sessions. this is the best part to me.meuller is investigating himself. he is leading the media around in ever tightening circles while horowitz at the oig is throwing the net weaved by sessions. Advertisement


















A government-appointed commission in Pakistan says it has received more than 5,000 cases of enforced disappearances in a country where the issue has prompted large-scale protests and accusations against the countrys powerful military.

In its recent report issued on May 31, the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances said it has received 5,177 cases of alleged enforced disappearances since its inception in 2011.

This number highlights the magnitude of enforced disappearances in Pakistan. During the past 15 years, families of separatists, members of ethno-nationalist political parties, peace activists, members of Islamist factions, and critics of the military have frequently accused authorities of either orchestrating enforced disappearances or failing to help in finding their loved ones.

The northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province together with the merged areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas have the highest number of cases. The commissions data says that out of 2,157 reported cases in the region, the commission has resolved 967 cases and is still working on 983.

The resolved cases include 182 instances that either did not meet the commissions criteria for enforced disappearances or could not be pursued due to insufficient information. Many of the cases the commission claims to have traced typically established that the victim is currently being detained by police or security forces.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas were the main theater for Pakistans complex domestic war on terrorism. Beginning in 2003, tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers, and militants were killed in terrorist attacks and counterterrorism sweeps. Since February, the Pashtun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement (PTM), a civil rights movement from among the regions predominant Pashtun ethnic group, has protested across Pakistan.

Ending enforced disappearances is a top demand of the PTM. It wants Islamabad to end indefinite detentions by producing the victims of enforced disappearances before courts.

Pakistans powerful military has repeatedly rejected the PTMs accusations that it is behind enforced disappearances and illegal killings or that it extends clandestine support to militants. But hundreds of victims of enforced disappearances have returned to their homes in the aftermath of the movements large protest gatherings.

The southern province of Sindh follows Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the governments statistics. The commission says that out of total of 1,343 cases, it has resolved 1,136.

But activists in Sindh say thousands remain missing. Sind Bar Council, a lawyers association in the province, is boycotting courts on June 1 to highlight the plight of victims of disappearances.

Lawyer Salahuddin Khan Gandapur, a leader of the council, says the courts have made little headway in dealing with more than 3,000 cases of disappearances in the region.

We have a situation in which people are regularly being picked up, he told the BBCs Urdu Service. Even when the courts are told about those responsible for the disappearances, they do nothing.

Families across Pakistan often blame the countrys intelligence services for the disappearances of their loved ones.

But authorities deny responsibility. Javed Iqbal, a former Supreme Court judge heading the commission on enforced disappearances, told lawmakers in April that some 70 percent of people thought to be victims of enforced disappearances were involved in militancy.

The BBC recently reported that some 140 members of Pakistans Shiite minority have gone missing in recent years. Their relatives and community leaders are being told by the authorities that the men are being investigated for links to Zainabiyoun Brigade.

Believed to be made up of Pakistani fighters, the organization is seen as a Tehran-sponsored Shiite militia fighting for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Curiously, the government commission has only recorded 348 cases of enforced disappearances in the southwestern province of Balochistan. The commission is now reviewing only 151 of these cases because some 110 people were traced while the rest did not meet its criteria.

The vast region bordering Iran and Afghanistan has suffered from a simmering separatist insurgency by secular Baluch nationalists for nearly 15 years. For more than a decade, activists in the region have accused Islamabad of using enforced disappearances as a tool to subdue the Baluch nationalist insurrection. They accuse Islamabad of forcing the disappearance of thousands of supporters and activists of various Baluch nationalist factions.

Mehdi Hasan, chairperson of the nongovernmental Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, says the people categorized as disappeared can be broadly divided into three categories.

He told the BBCs Urdu Service that one part of the disappeared are those who are being held by the countrys secret services indefinitely. He says some individuals disappear because they leave the country illegally while other are killed in shootouts or while fighting against security forces and police.

The number of disappeared is increasing because it includes people from all these categories, he said.

Hasan says Pakistani laws do not allow indefinite detentions because the law enforcement and security services are required to produce suspects in a court of law within 24 hours of arrest.

What we need is to act on the laws we already have. This is called establishing the rule of law, he said.
BOISE, Idaho, May 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Albertsons Companies is expanding and elevating its Own Brands portfolio with a new top shelf culinary presence: Signature Reserve. For lifes special and indulgent moments, Signature Reserve offers unparalleled quality and exquisite taste for customers who are obsessed with the exceptional.



Signature Reserve inspires delicious discovery with extraordinary and expertly sourced flavors and ingredients, said Geoff White, President of Albertsons Companies Own Brands. Shoppers are more educated and interested in culinary trends than ever before, and Signature Reserve will surprise and delight them with unique and exciting products that are found only in our stores.



The initial launch of Signature Reserve is seven decadent flavors of ice cream, all featuring globally-sourced ingredients that are perfect for entertaining or everyday indulgence. Flavors include award-winning Brazilian Guava Cheesecake, Madagascar Vanilla, Colombian Cold Brew Caramel, Bourbon Maple Blondie, Indian Cardamom Pistachio, Caramel Apple Chai, and Belgian Chocolate Almond. These ice creams are available now at Albertsons Companies stores across the country.



The company plans to introduce additional new Signature Reserve products in other categories throughout 2018, including ultra-premium pasta and pasta sauces imported from Italy, single-origin packaged coffees from Sumatra and Nicaragua, and four varieties of hand-picked loose leaf tea.



We scour the earth for ingredients and unique flavors that meet the exacting standards of Signature Reserve, White said. Products earn the Signature Reserve label only after a rigorous selection process, which includes scrutiny by our culinary professionals and expert merchants for top quality craftsmanship.



Signature Reserve joins the companys lineup of iconic Signature brands, which generates nearly $6 billion in sales and across more than 400 categories. Signature brands includes Signature Cafe, Signature Farms, Signature Care, Signature SELECT, and the newly introduced Signature Reserve. The company expects to add more than 600 new Signature products in 2018.



The Signature brands are part of Albertsons Companies portfolio of exclusive and trusted Own Brands, which also includes O Organics, Lucerne, and Open Nature.



About Albertsons CompaniesAlbertsons companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. We operate stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaws, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs, as well as meal kit company Plated based in New York City. Albertsons Companies is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2017 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave nearly $300 million in food and financial support. These efforts helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities and veterans outreach.



Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our perspectives and expectations, are forward looking statements. The words expect, believe, estimate, intend, plan and similar expressions, when related to the company and its subsidiaries, indicate forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the current view of management and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on various assumptions and factors, including general economic, market, industry and operational factors. Any changes to these assumptions or factors may lead to practical results different from current expectations. Excessive reliance should not be placed on those statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and the company and its subsidiaries undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made.

Attachments
TORONTO, June 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verde AgriTech Plc (TSX:NPK) (OTCQB:AMHPF) ("Verde or the Company) is pleased to announce Mr. Michael St Aldwyn will be joining the Company's Board of Directors.



Mr. Michael St Aldwyn to Join Verde's Board of Directors

Michael St Aldwyn, 68, is an executive with strong connections with global investment markets and with long track record in Latin America. He worked in Brazil from 1973-1979; between 1979-1989 was responsible for Latin American markets when at the New York office of ED&F Man and moving to London from 1989-1994 still with ED&F Man, an agricultural commodities trader with over 7,000 staff spread across 60 countries started in 1783. Mr. Aldwyn then established his own company, 1994-2010, dedicated to the promotion of hedge funds. He also served as Chairman of the Anglo-Brazilian Society from 1996-2002 and as a Director of BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust from 1996-2017. He is currently Chairman of Itacare Capital Investment Ltd. He is fluent in Portuguese and in 2017 he completed a Masters degree at Kings College London in Brazil in Global Perspective.

On behalf of Verdes Board, it is my pleasure to welcome Michael St Aldwyn. His ties with Brazil and the global investment community will allow us to broaden the reach of Verdes great story to even more investors. Mr. Aldwyn will help promote Verdes mission to increase sustainability and quality in food production, commented President & CEO Cristiano Veloso.

Annual and Special Meeting Results

At the Annual and Special Meeting (AGM) of shareholders, held on Thursday May 31, 2018 in Toronto, Canada, all the tabled items were approved.

The director nominees were elected as directors of the Company. Shareholders adopted the Directors Report, the Audited Statement of Accounts and the Auditors Report for the year ended December 31, 2017 and appointed BDO LLP as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year. In addition, shareholders also approved the Company's Stock Option Plan and authority of the Companys directors to fix remuneration, allot shares, and issue ordinary shares to directors and management. The results of the election of directors are as follows:

Item Voted Upon Voting Result Election of Directors nominated in the Companys management information circular dated April 24th, 2018 * The nominees proposed by management were elected by ballot by shareholders, as follows: Votes For

___________________ Votes Withheld

___________________ Alysson Paulinelli 91.69%

(4,790,188) 0.99%

(51,565) Paulo Sergio Ribeiro Machado 97.47%

(5,092,097) 0.99%

(51,556) Cristiano Veloso 97.94%

(5,116,397) 0.91%

(47,556) Getulio Lamartine 91.86%

(4,799,197) 1.04%

(54,556) Renato Gomes 91.75%

(4,793,188) 6.45%

(336,765) Special Business to approve the issuance of ordinary shares to directors and management * The resolution was approved by shareholders by ballot, as follows: Votes For

___________________ Votes Withheld

___________________ 85.42%

(1,410,784) 1.73%

(28,565)

About Verde AgriTech

Verde AgriTech promotes sustainable and profitable agriculture through the development of its Cerrado Verde Project. Cerrado Verde, located in the heart of Brazils largest agricultural market, is the source of a potassium-rich deposit from which the Company intends to produce solutions for crop nutrition, crop protection, soil improvement and increased sustainability.

For additional information please contact:

Cristiano Veloso, President & Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +55 (31) 3245 0205; Email: cv@verdeagritech.com

www.verdeagritech.com | www.supergreensand.com

Cautionary Language and Forward Looking Statements

Neither the TSX nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release contains certain "forward looking statements", which include but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the company, its subsidiaries and its projects, and statements regarding use of proceeds. Forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", or "does not expect" or "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", "intends", "forecasts", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates" or variations of such words or phrases or state that certain actions, event, or results "may", "could", "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 the company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by said statements. There can be no assurances that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in said statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
arammug wrote:

Hi



I'm not from Ukraine, but I'm from a former CIS country. Would it be ok if people from such countries make posts here too?



btw, I've been to Kyiv and Dnepropetrovsk and I loved Ukraine!!!

 !You are welcome to join this thread or you are welcome to start a completely new thread (In this forum)If there is not enough traffic for each specific country, we can merge this into a once happy CIS thread, so let's see._________________
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Page: 1 2 3 4 Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:17 PM











Post: #1 Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

Advertisement



ROME (AP)  Italians are marking the anniversary of the founding of their republic with a pomp-filled military parade and the first official outing of its populist government, installed after a three-month political crisis.



Italys famed aeronautic acrobatic squad has flown low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag as President Sergio Mattarella placed a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier.



https://wtop.com/news/2018/06/italy-nati...isis-ends/ The Globalists have been defeated.ROME (AP)  Italians are marking the anniversary of the founding of their republic with a pomp-filled military parade and the first official outing of its populist government, installed after a three-month political crisis.Italys famed aeronautic acrobatic squad has flown low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag as President Sergio Mattarella placed a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:18 PM











Post: #2 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic



Far-right interior minister insists he will keep campaign pledge to deport around 500,000 people



https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/j...immigrants Italy vows to 'send home' undocumented immigrantsFar-right interior minister insists he will keep campaign pledge to deport around 500,000 people LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:19 PM











Post: #3 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

#MAGA is going World Wide.



The Italians are the first in Europe to save their country.



#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA

#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA

#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA#MIGA Spectre 34

Never give up

User ID: 444095

06-02-2018 02:19 PM



Posts: 5,160









Post: #4 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

f*#k yeah, it is not too late. SWEDEN, time to wake up! Europe must wake up! I was the perfect warrior, cold and ruthless. I lived by my strength alone, uninhibited by foolish emotion



I do not fear this new challenge! Rather, like a true warrior, I will rise to meet it! (This post was last modified: 06-02-2018 02:21 PM by Spectre 34 .) LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441763

06-02-2018 02:20 PM











Post: #5 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

So mad at te left, while it was the neo cons that started the wars that ended up creating so many refugees.



All this anger at the left is dangerous. Musoline was running on that platform, Franco too, and Hitler also. All very anti communist and killing of the left in their countries. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:21 PM











Post: #6 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic







A Cheer for Italys Awful New Government

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/opini...ement.html Of course the Communists at the NY Times hate it.A Cheer for Italys Awful New Government LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:24 PM











Post: #7 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic





None other than Steve Bannon. Very Interesting. Makes me wonder is Steve was sent on a mission.



STEVE BANNON, PATRIOT FOR HIRE, SAYS VAFFANCULO IN ITALY

Having failed to enact his populist vision in the White House, Bannon returns to Rome to peddle his version of la dolce vita.



https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/06/...o-in-italy And guess who played a major role in Italy's new sovereign Republic government.None other than Steve Bannon. Very Interesting. Makes me wonder is Steve was sent on a mission.STEVE BANNON, PATRIOT FOR HIRE, SAYS VAFFANCULO IN ITALYHaving failed to enact his populist vision in the White House, Bannon returns to Rome to peddle his version of la dolce vita. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:29 PM











Post: #8 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:20 PM) So mad at te left, while it was the neo cons that started the wars that ended up creating so many refugees.



All this anger at the left is dangerous. Musoline was running on that platform, Franco too, and Hitler also. All very anti communist and killing of the left in their countries.

The left are the Communists and the Fascists, they destroy independence so that one has no choice but to rely on a totalitarian government to survive. In the mean time the left is centralizing and funneling all riches and power to themselves.



Power to the people, we the people are like garlic to a vampire for these cretins.



The left needs to be extinguished like an out of control 5 alarm fire. And it is happening. The left are the Communists and the Fascists, they destroy independence so that one has no choice but to rely on a totalitarian government to survive. In the mean time the left is centralizing and funneling all riches and power to themselves.Power to the people, we the people are like garlic to a vampire for these cretins.The left needs to be extinguished like an out of control 5 alarm fire. And it is happening. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:29 PM











Post: #9 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

#MIGA - it even sounds Italian! LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:34 PM











Post: #10 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic





LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441763

06-02-2018 02:43 PM











Post: #11 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:29 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:20 PM) So mad at te left, while it was the neo cons that started the wars that ended up creating so many refugees.



All this anger at the left is dangerous. Musoline was running on that platform, Franco too, and Hitler also. All very anti communist and killing of the left in their countries.

The left are the Communists and the Fascists, they destroy independence so that one has no choice but to rely on a totalitarian government to survive. In the mean time the left is centralizing and funneling all riches and power to themselves.



Power to the people, we the people are like garlic to a vampire for these cretins.



The left needs to be extinguished like an out of control 5 alarm fire. And it is happening.

The right created the terrible regimes of Franco, Musolini and Hitler. They killed all people with social political ideals.

You all are focussed on the now, have seen all kinds of videos, and you have no idea how the right can form very autocratic murdering and fearful regimes and totally brainwash the population.



You all think you know that all that is communism, and not something of the right.

But, Lenin and Stalin where also funded by wall street and globalist industrialist. Hitler too.

The communism we saw was industrialism and nationalism. Hitler was against communism, but funded by the same industrialist that funded the bolsjeviks.



The right will fall again for the same division and we all risk again of them going all militaristic and governing by fear and superiority, for the same interest communism worked for, for the industrialist. The right created the terrible regimes of Franco, Musolini and Hitler. They killed all people with social political ideals.You all are focussed on the now, have seen all kinds of videos, and you have no idea how the right can form very autocratic murdering and fearful regimes and totally brainwash the population.You all think you know that all that is communism, and not something of the right.But, Lenin and Stalin where also funded by wall street and globalist industrialist. Hitler too.The communism we saw was industrialism and nationalism. Hitler was against communism, but funded by the same industrialist that funded the bolsjeviks.The right will fall again for the same division and we all risk again of them going all militaristic and governing by fear and superiority, for the same interest communism worked for, for the industrialist. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:47 PM











Post: #12 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

Eustace Muffins Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:42 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:17 PM) The Globalists have been defeated.



ROME (AP)  Italians are marking the anniversary of the founding of their republic with a pomp-filled military parade and the first official outing of its populist government, installed after a three-month political crisis.



Italys famed aeronautic acrobatic squad has flown low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag as President Sergio Mattarella placed a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier.



https://wtop.com/news/2018/06/italy-nati...isis-ends/

It's because too many nigers from North Africa have migrated to southern Italy.





Italians are probably the most racist Euros (Spain is right there with them).

awww racists are they? Poor baby needs a new word for 2018 racist was overused in 2017 you can't use it anymore. See if you can put some sentences together without the word racist.



You parrots let your brains turn to mush. #brainwashed awww racists are they? Poor baby needs a new word for 2018 racist was overused in 2017 you can't use it anymore. See if you can put some sentences together without the word racist.You parrots let your brains turn to mush. #brainwashed LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 02:56 PM











Post: #13 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:43 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:29 PM) The left are the Communists and the Fascists, they destroy independence so that one has no choice but to rely on a totalitarian government to survive. In the mean time the left is centralizing and funneling all riches and power to themselves.



Power to the people, we the people are like garlic to a vampire for these cretins.



The left needs to be extinguished like an out of control 5 alarm fire. And it is happening.

The right created the terrible regimes of Franco, Musolini and Hitler. They killed all people with social political ideals.

You all are focussed on the now, have seen all kinds of videos, and you have no idea how the right can form very autocratic murdering and fearful regimes and totally brainwash the population.



You all think you know that all that is communism, and not something of the right.

But, Lenin and Stalin where also funded by wall street and globalist industrialist. Hitler too.

The communism we saw was industrialism and nationalism. Hitler was against communism, but funded by the same industrialist that funded the bolsjeviks.



The right will fall again for the same division and we all risk again of them going all militaristic and governing by fear and superiority, for the same interest communism worked for, for the industrialist.

Fear? The only ones scared are the globalists. They don't want sovereign countries around the world with free thinking people and strong cultures and heritage. They want total control out of the chaos they intentionally create. They're just communists painted a different color using new words like diversity, racism, inclusiveness, blah fuking blah. They can go to he!!. Fear? The only ones scared are the globalists. They don't want sovereign countries around the world with free thinking people and strong cultures and heritage. They want total control out of the chaos they intentionally create. They're just communists painted a different color using new words like diversity, racism, inclusiveness, blah fuking blah. They can go to he!!. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 422221

06-02-2018 04:17 PM











Post: #14 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

I'm sure they can find enough piano wire if things get bad enough. singing spider

terrarising the 'hood

User ID: 444057

06-02-2018 04:27 PM



Posts: 21,087









Post: #15 RE: Italy Defeats Globalists Now a Republic

Eustace Muffins Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:42 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 02:17 PM) The Globalists have been defeated.



ROME (AP)  Italians are marking the anniversary of the founding of their republic with a pomp-filled military parade and the first official outing of its populist government, installed after a three-month political crisis.



Italys famed aeronautic acrobatic squad has flown low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag as President Sergio Mattarella placed a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier.



https://wtop.com/news/2018/06/italy-nati...isis-ends/

It's because too many nigers from North Africa have migrated to southern Italy.





Italians are probably the most racist Euros (Spain is right there with them).

well, all refugees/migrants who cross the Mediterranean by boats land either in Greece, Italy or Spain

the rest of Europe - except Germany - is reluctant to ease the pain and take a share of them or even help with the costs

so they are the ones who are really flooded and f**ked well, all refugees/migrants who cross the Mediterranean by boats land either in Greece, Italy or Spainthe rest of Europe - except Germany - is reluctant to ease the pain and take a share of them or even help with the costsso they are the ones who are really flooded and f**ked

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=92i5m3tV5XY



nobody starts at point zero Advertisement


















Quote:

(A) exist at the core of nearly all galaxies and the mass of each black hole is proportional to

I believe that Santa Claus is real and that the Knicks will win the 2018 NBA title.  We have two parallel phrases (subordinate clauses, if you like jargon) that begin with that. And thats great: its super-clear that these are two things that I believe.

and the 2018 NBA title.  We have two parallel phrases (subordinate clauses, if you like jargon) that begin with that. And thats great: its super-clear that these are two things that I believe. I believe that Santa Claus is real and the Knicks will win the 2018 NBA title.  Now the parallelism is different. Without that, we just have two parallel, independent clauses: I believe that Santa Claus is real and the Knicks will win the NBA title. That changes the meaning: now, the sentence doesnt connect I believe with the Knicks will win the NBA title. And it seems that the latter clause is a fact, rather than something I BELIEVE is true.

Scientists have recently found evidence that black holes exist at the core of nearly all galaxies

the mass of each black hole is proportional to its host galaxy.

the mass of

Quote:

(B) exist at the core of nearly all galaxies and that the mass of each black hole is proportional to that of

that black holes probably exist

that the mass of each black hole is proportional

the mass of

Quote:

(C) exist at the core of nearly all galaxies, and that the mass of each black hole is proportional to

mass

Quote:

(D) exists at the core of nearly all galaxies, and that the mass of each black hole is proportional to that of

exists

Quote:

(E) exists at the core of nearly all galaxies and the mass of each black hole is proportional to that of

exists

(A) doesnt seem all that bad. It certainly sounds fine, but theres a problem with the parallelism and meaning.Before we get into that, consider the following:We have a similar situation in (A). On both sides of the and, we have full, independent clauses:Heres the problem: the second independent clause is just a completely separate statement. The second clause (the mass of each black hole is proportional) seems to be a separate fact; without that in front of that clause, its not clear that scientists have found evidence to support the statement. The statement is just a separate thing.Theres also a comparison problem with (A). We have the mass of each black hole is proportional to its host galaxy, which is illogical: the mass of each black hole might be proportional toits host galaxy, but its weird to suggest that the mass is somehow proportional to the galaxy itself.So we have a couple of (admittedly somewhat subtle) reasons to eliminate (A).Now the parallelism is better: Scientists have found evidence and Cool: now its clear that scientists have found evidence for these two things.The other thing that should jump out at you is the phrase that of. That is a singular pronoun in this situation (more on that in this article ), and it clearly refers back to mass in (B). And thats great: the mass of each black hole is proportional toits host galaxy.So we can keep (B).(C) is identical to (B), except that the phrase that of is missing. And as we mentioned in the explanation for (A), thats a problem: literally, (C) says that the mass of each black hole is proportional to its host galaxy, and thats not quite right: the mass of the black hole is proportional to theof the host galaxy  not to the galaxy itself.So (C) is out.(D) is identical to (B), except for one little problem: Scientists have found evidence that black holes Thats a wonderfully clear subject-verb error, and we can eliminate (D).(E) has exactly the same subject-verb error as (D): Scientists have found evidence that black holes Plus, the parallelism is a problem, because and isnt followed with that  see the explanation for (A) for more on this issue.So (E) is out, and (B) is our answer._________________
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Page: 1 2 California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 231703

06-02-2018 07:44 PM











Post: #1 California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

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https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/C...ece5ddf61a California-funded travel to Oklahoma has been banned, starting June 22, because of a new Oklahoma law that allows adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents, state officials announced Friday. general mishka

lop guest

User ID: 441771

06-02-2018 07:47 PM











Post: #2 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:44 PM) California-funded travel to Oklahoma has been banned, starting June 22, because of a new Oklahoma law that allows adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents, state officials announced Friday.



https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/C...ece5ddf61a

The Land of Fruits and Nuts The Land of Fruits and Nuts FurriesRock

lop guest

User ID: 444143

06-02-2018 07:48 PM











Post: #3 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

Good, those who choose to continue living under laws based on medieval religious views should be shunned. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 437071

06-02-2018 07:49 PM











Post: #4 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

Eventually they will vote themselves to become a hermit state like North Korea. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 443224

06-02-2018 07:57 PM











Post: #5 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

Nobody needs California anyway, bunch o dictators. Open to everything, unless it's not what they believe, which is not open at all. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 384149

06-02-2018 08:00 PM











Post: #6 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

CA is on my travel ban list...... Brad Nailer

lop guest

User ID: 321986

06-02-2018 08:34 PM











Post: #7 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

FurriesRock Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:48 PM) Good, those who choose to continue living under laws based on medieval religious views should be shunned.

LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441641

06-02-2018 08:43 PM











Post: #8 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

Oklahoma is an aggressively terrible state. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441632

06-02-2018 08:47 PM











Post: #9 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

general mishka Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:47 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:44 PM) California-funded travel to Oklahoma has been banned, starting June 22, because of a new Oklahoma law that allows adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents, state officials announced Friday.



https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/C...ece5ddf61a

The Land of Fruits and Nuts Also know as, America.....

FurriesRock Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:48 PM) Good, those who choose to continue living under laws based on medieval religious views should be shunned. ....the land of the free.....



Your 'fencing in' is well and truly underway it would seem. Also know as, America.........the land of the free.....Your 'fencing in' is well and truly underway it would seem. FurriesRock

lop guest

User ID: 444153

06-02-2018 08:59 PM











Post: #10 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 08:43 PM) Oklahoma is an aggressively terrible state.

But wait!



There is hope!



http://kgou.org/post/oklahoma-libertaria...ve-country



"Oklahomas Libertarian Party recently elected a 20-year-old Traci Baker to be the partys state secretary. Baker, who studies at University of Oklahoma, is the first transgender political party executive in the nation , and her decision to register as Libertarian coincided with coming out as transgender." But wait!There is hope!"Oklahomas Libertarian Party recently elected a 20-year-old Traci Baker to be the partys state secretary., and her decision to register as Libertarian coincided with coming out as transgender." LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441769

06-02-2018 09:04 PM











Post: #11 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:44 PM) California-funded travel to Oklahoma

What does that mean? What does that mean? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 361850

06-02-2018 09:04 PM











Post: #12 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 09:04 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:44 PM) California-funded travel to Oklahoma

What does that mean?

Nothing. Really. Nothing. Really. general mishka

lop guest

User ID: 441771

06-02-2018 09:10 PM











Post: #13 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 09:04 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 07:44 PM) California-funded travel to Oklahoma

What does that mean?

I was thinkin it meant that CA wont pay for conference expenses a CA state employee might want to attend



Think about it

If there is a large conference with 100s ot 1000s normally coming from CA, would you hold it in a banned state like OK? or move it?



imo- CA is trying to get conventions moved to their State, and they don't mind looking ridiculous doing so I was thinkin it meant that CA wont pay for conference expenses a CA state employee might want to attendThink about itIf there is a large conference with 100s ot 1000s normally coming from CA, would you hold it in a banned state like OK? or move it?imo- CA is trying to get conventions moved to their State, and they don't mind looking ridiculous doing so LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441793

06-02-2018 09:17 PM











Post: #14 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

Gays shouldn't be adopting anyway. Adoption is wrong period unless there is absolutely no extended family available for a child. They aren't pets! LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 444120

06-02-2018 09:45 PM











Post: #15 RE: California adds 8th state to travel ban list: Oklahoma

They're not going to secede, just kick everyone else out of the union one by one. Advertisement


















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
In the wake of President Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement, Parsis editorial lays out terms of the debate the Iran lobby wants to have with the Trump administration, arguing that:

 The opportunity for a more comprehensive deal was a fiction;

 Iran was already becoming a nuclear power;

 The negotiations breakthrough was due to President Obamas willingness to concede Iran had a right to enrich uranium;

 Iran was not brought to the table by economic sanctions.

In an article by Laura Carnahan, she writes, Unfortunately for Parsi every single one of his arguments have been proven wrong with the passage of time and no thanks to his masters in Tehran who have striven to disprove everything through their own actions.

She claims that the impact of economic sanctions was pushed the Iranian regimes leadership to look for a way out of an economic crisis. However, according to Parsi, the mullahs stepped up their nuclear activities in response to sanctions. Carnahan alleges that Iran crashed their nuclear program to force the issue of negotiations over a nuclear deal in order to gain relief from the sanctions, instead.

Irans economy was stagnating, as was its military. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei wanted to get the deal concluded as quickly as possible so the regime could begin rebuilding its military, which has been put to use in Syria on behalf of the Assad regime.

Carnahan writes, Any international agreement is predicated on an assumption that both parties are rational, truthful and obligated to the deal, but in the case of the Iranian regime, a religious theocracy is in charge that has little regard for human life and values survival above all else.

Iran didnt seem to be committed to improving the state of the economy and the lives of its citizens, as it diverted most of the financial windfall it received towards supporting terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, financing the Assad regime in Syria and upgrading its military with offensive weapons.

Instead of broadening its government to political moderates and opponents, it eliminated most potential candidates from its presidential and parliamentary elections following the nuclear deal.

While Irans leaders may argue that the Trump administrations true aim is to seek war, it offers no proof. The evidence displays a different path. The strategy towards Iran is to pursue diplomacy and work within the framework of Americas allies.

Parsi tries to portray U.S. efforts at regime change as an attempt to install dissident groups he terms as terrorists. He has singled out the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), which has publicly staked their future on the idea of a secular and democratic Iran in which the people are allowed to make their own choices in free elections. Far from terrorism, the MEK are working toward a free Iran.
The former targets of the Regime included Peoples Fedaian, moderate Islamist factions, factions that opposed the Ruhollah Khomeini dictatorship, and the Peoples Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

So the Khomeini regime should have been over quickly, with the oppressed forces uniting against the mullahs in order to truly bring change to their country. However, this was stopped by Saddam Hussein, then-ruler of Iraq, who decided to invade Iran whilst it was in chaos.

Iraq

This invasion, which sparked the beginning of the 8-year-long Iran-Iraq war, was what Khomeini needed to increase his grip on all areas of life in Iran, from religion to politics. He was able to paint himself as Irans defender against invasion and ensure his own survival.

Even when Hussein wanted to end the war, the mullahs refused and made the war continue for six more years, despite the destruction it caused. This would mean that they could only increase their power  no one wants to change a government in wartime.

Even when the war finally ended, thanks in big part to the MEK, Hussein was not finished making bad decisions that allowed Iran to increase its power. When he invaded Kuwait, he placed himself into a confrontation with the global community and allowed Iran to look like the good guys.

The US entered Iraq in 2003, but when they withdrew, following the death of Hussein, Iraq was weak and this allowed the mullahs to take control in Iraq.

US gets tough

The mullahs developed a thirst for creating chaos in the Middle East in order to take control. They are currently exacerbating the Syrian war, far past its natural end, in order to prop up the Bashar Assad dictatorship and get the brutal rule on side. This, they hope, will allow them a say in the ruling of Syria, when the war ends.

However, the US has recently shown signs that it is prepared to get tough on Iran. First, by appointing John Bolton and Mike Pompeo to the cabinet. Second, by withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran.

Of course, the rest of the world has yet to show this sort of action. Europe, China, and Russia are still trying to keep the nuclear deal in place. And while Russia may have called on Irans troops to leave Syria, that is only because Russia wants control in Syria for itself.

Irans setbacks

Of course, the Iranian Regime has also seen its fair share of setbacks lately.

First, Israel strikes Iranian military sites in Syria, to which the Regime has not responded despite decades of threats against the Jewish State. Second, anti-Iran candidate Muqtada Al-Sadr came out on top in the recent Iraqi elections. Third, Irans population is revolting against the mullahs, something that will only be made worse with increased sanctions.

Will this help bring freedom to Iran and finally end the mullahs regime?

Hazem Saghieh, a Lebanese political analyst and the political editor of the London-based Arab newspaper al-Hayat, wrote: It is indisputable that the position of the Iranian regime is currently an unenviable one.
Iran has been going through a very difficult time in the past few years and in particular in the past six months. At the end of last year, the people of Iran decided that enough was enough and took to the streets to protest their situation that is worsened by the Iranian regime and its corrupt policies and severe mismanagement of the nations wealth.

Since this major uprising, protests have been taking place all over the country. The editorial mentioned the huge anti-regime protest that took place following the funeral ceremony of Naser Malek Motiei, a well-known Iranian film star, on 27th May. The famous actor was banned from making films after the Islamic Revolution, but he has remained popular with the people. The regime, fearful of large gatherings of people in case they turn into protests, was denounced by the Iranians who took part.

The editorial called on the European leaders to see the reality of what is happening in Iran. When the widespread protests swept across the country, the Iranian regime tried to create an environment of terror by identifying and arresting protesters and murdering them in prison under torture.

The author points out that the protests are based on more than just the mistreatment and disregard of human rights. The issues are extremely deep-rooted and are the result of almost four decades of repression by the clerical regime. The continued protests are rooted in poverty, unemployment, drought, government corruption and suppression, and they will not die down until those grievances are addressed.

During the period of one single week at the end of May, there were almost 500 protests against the regime across Iran. There were labour protests and several student, political prisoner and teacher protests. There were also hundreds of protests by truck drivers.

The editorial pointed out that in the midst of all this negativity, disruption and hardship, there is actually a positive for the people of Iran  the revival of hope. The people can see that the Iranian regime is badly damaged and is likely to lose its grasp on power soon. Indeed, the regimes survival has now turned into an open discussion among its internal factions.

Furthermore, the organisation of the protests is evolving and the regime is concerned about the role of the main opposition  the PMOI / MEK. The regime has concluded that the PMOI is taking advantage of the grievances the people have. Yet the reality is that the opposition is supporting the people, battling for their human rights and calling for justice for the victims of the regime. The people are getting more respect from the PMOI than from the leadership of the country.

Finally, the writer called on the European leaders to think twice before making any financial investment in Iran or political investment on any faction within the regime. Hassan Rouhani is a burnt card. Betting on him is like betting on a dead horse.
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SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON Gun Control Fail

lop guest

User ID: 335663

06-02-2018 08:56 PM











Post: #1 SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

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Yet here we are in 2018, with a mass shooting in Australia, a machine gun attack in London, and London stabbings at such levels that knife control is the talk of the town.



http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/...ia-london/ Australian police discovered the bodies of seven mass shooting victims on May 11, and on May 31, a machine gun attack in London left a man in this twenties fighting for his life. These shootings are occurring in nations the left has long held up as having the kinds of gun control America should implement.Yet here we are in 2018, with a mass shooting in Australia, a machine gun attack in London, and London stabbings at such levels that knife control is the talk of the town. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441632

06-02-2018 08:58 PM











Post: #2 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

Knife attacks are the talk off London every couple of years or so. The medea sometimes need it to fall back on if there's nothing scary to pump out to the masses. It's just fear media, part of the divide and conquer. See through it and forget that crap. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 424701

06-02-2018 09:06 PM











Post: #3 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

Cultural Diversity will get you killed. Especially when it's the Leftists sponsoring your new country mates. Here in the USA the DEMS are in a love affair with MA-13 and anything walking across the US/Mexico border. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441793

06-02-2018 09:18 PM











Post: #4 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 08:58 PM) Knife attacks are the talk off London every couple of years or so. The medea sometimes need it to fall back on if there's nothing scary to pump out to the masses. It's just fear media, part of the divide and conquer. See through it and forget that crap.

And yet so seldom do the criminals ever look like native Brits. Funny..... And yet so seldom do the criminals ever look like native Brits. Funny..... Danger Dan

dangerous freedom not safe slavery

User ID: 384462

06-02-2018 09:50 PM



Posts: 5,145









Post: #5 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

NormalIsSubjective



User ID: 443868

06-02-2018 09:50 PM



Posts: 21,306









Post: #6 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 09:18 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 08:58 PM) Knife attacks are the talk off London every couple of years or so. The medea sometimes need it to fall back on if there's nothing scary to pump out to the masses. It's just fear media, part of the divide and conquer. See through it and forget that crap.

And yet so seldom do the criminals ever look like native Brits. Funny.....



Most native Brits do their killing overseas.





It's called Foreign Policy. Most native Brits do their killing overseas.It's called Foreign Policy. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 444131

06-02-2018 10:05 PM











Post: #7 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

So eight people have been murdered in London with guns this year. Is that more or less than the number of people shot dead in America? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 361850

06-02-2018 10:10 PM











Post: #8 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

NormalIsSubjective Wrote: (06-02-2018 09:50 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 09:18 PM) And yet so seldom do the criminals ever look like native Brits. Funny.....



Most native Brits do their killing overseas.





It's called Foreign Policy.

TELL-A-VISION PROGRAMMING

lop guest

User ID: 441548

06-02-2018 10:34 PM











Post: #9 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON





Guns are illegal in the land of libtardia



ImpossibleGuns are illegal in the land of libtardia LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 441632

06-02-2018 11:05 PM











Post: #10 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 09:18 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 08:58 PM) Knife attacks are the talk off London every couple of years or so. The medea sometimes need it to fall back on if there's nothing scary to pump out to the masses. It's just fear media, part of the divide and conquer. See through it and forget that crap.

And yet so seldom do the criminals ever look like native Brits. Funny..... oh, so retarded racism thread. Gotchya. oh, so retarded racism thread. Gotchya. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 282136

06-02-2018 11:09 PM











Post: #11 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

LoP Guest Wrote: (06-02-2018 10:05 PM) So eight people have been murdered in London with guns this year. Is that more or less than the number of people shot dead in America?

Per day, in Chicago. Per day, in Chicago. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 443026

06-02-2018 11:10 PM











Post: #12 RE: SHOOTING ATTACKS ROCK AUSTRALIA, LONDON

Danger Dan Wrote: (06-02-2018 09:50 PM) link to image: https://i.imgur.com/ZTRFhpV.jpg

This This
















Oli Cabinet to induct 2 more ministers from SSFN

Two new ministers from Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal (SSFN) will be inducted in the KP Sharma Oli-led Cabinet on Friday.
Activists are worried about human trafficking in Nigerias camps for internally displaced persons.

Mitika Ali works for Nigerias anti-trafficking agency, known as NAPTIP. He confirmed that human trafficking is taking place at camps in Maiduguri, the largest city in Borno State.

People come there in the evening for recruiting, I can say, taking young girls, going away with them. I see it as they are going there for sexual exploitation, said Ali.

Ali says many women and girls living in the camps will be taken away from Borno state because of human trafficking.

Philip Obaji Jr. and Yusuf Mohammed Ciroma are activists. They started a campaign called Up Against Trafficking in April. The two men want the Nigerian government to know how big the problem is. They also want camps for the internally displaced to warn about the dangers of traffickers who make false promises of employment.

Ciroma told VOA, So they will carry them out, and they will not even give them jobs. Then they will start selling them like slaves.

He said a woman named Ya Batu Bukar told him about her experience. She said she was taken from Maiduguri to Niger, where she was left with no food or money.

Bukar told him, I dont want another woman here to pass through the same pain, and that is why I am part of this campaign.

The extremist group Boko Haram formed in Maiduguri in 2002. Seven years later the group launched a war against the government. An estimated 30,000 people have been killed in the fighting.

In addition, more than two million people have left their homes to escape from Boko Haram forces. Many have come to Maiduguri to live in crowded camps.

Ali told VOA that NAPTIPs leadership has not received official reports of trafficking in the camps. But, he said, it is done secretly.

At least 200 women have joined Up Against Trafficking.

Nana Abdullahi is one of them. She is an orphan. She left the city of Bama in Borno State after Boko Haram fighters entered the area.

As a 15-year-old, she sold goods on the streets of Maiduguri to earn money. One day a man said he could help her.

She thought that she would be going to a place like Kano, in northern Nigeria, to get a job. But, she told VOA, he took her to Niger.

Nigerias long history of human trafficking

Human trafficking is common in Nigeria, which is Africas most populous nation. Those familiar with the issue say that traffickers have tried to lure Nigerians to other countries for many years. Thousands of these people end up in European or American cities in detention centers.

In recent months, there have been reports of poor treatment of Nigerians trafficked to Libya.

Many people accuse the Nigerian government of not doing enough to stop the problem.

In 2017, a U.S. State Department report said Nigeria must do more on the issue. It said, The government of Nigeria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, however, it is making significant efforts to do so.

Ali told VOA that his team is working hard.

NAPTIP officers give out information to people living in the camps, but unofficial camps are often missed.

Maryam Haruna lives in a one of the unofficial camps in Maiduguri.

The 35-year-old mother said she gave birth to two children a few years ago but did not have enough money. She said then a man offered her a job. She immediately accepted the position, although she did not know where it was.

She was then smuggled into Saudi Arabia and worked there for two years as a housekeeper. She had to pay back her smuggler for the trip to Saudi Arabia.

She grew used to the work and was unhappy when it ended.

Unfortunately, one day when I was coming back from work, I got caught and deported back home, she said.

Haruna said she wants to go back because life there as an illegal immigrant was better than life living as a displaced person in Nigeria.

Im Mario Ritter.

Chika Oduah reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

recruit  v. to persuade on get someone to join some activity

exploitation  n. to use someone or something in a way the helps you unfairly

orphan  n. a child whose parents are dead

lure  v. to get someone to go somewhere or do something by offering something that they want

deport  v. to expel

smuggle  v. to secretly transport

significant  adj. major

minimum  adj. the lowest amount or number permitted

elimination  n. the act of ending something

internally  adj. involving the inside of something

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Is Now The Time To Pile Into Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB)

Like many red hot tech companies that have IPOd in recent years, Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) has had its fair share of turbulence already. In the immediate aftermath of their IPO in December of last year, their shares dropped 25% before the bulls stepped in and sent them up 80%.

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Oasis Petroleum Inc., an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through Exploration and Production(E&P), and Midstream segments. The E&P segment engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties. The Midstream segment offers midstream services, such as natural gas gathering, compression, processing and, gas lift supply; crude oil gathering, terminaling, and transportation; produced and flowback water gathering, and disposal; and water distribution. As of December 31, 2020, the company had 401,766 net leasehold acres in the Williston Basin; and 24,396 net leasehold acres in the Permian Basin, as well as approximately 152.2 million barrels of oil equivalent of estimated net proved reserves. The company sells its crude oil and natural gas to refiners, marketers, and other purchasers that have access to pipeline and rail facilities. Oasis Petroleum Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC.
New Media Investment Group Inc. invests in, owns, and operates local media assets in the United States. The company's principal products include 146 daily newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 1.5 million; 323 weekly newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 268,000 and total free circulation of approximately 1.4 million; 132 shoppers with total circulation of approximately 3.1 million; and 581 locally-focused Websites, including Internet and mobile devices with approximately 364 million page views per month. Its principal products also comprise 77 business publications; and UpCurve Cloud and ThriveHive, which provides digital marketing and business services. In addition, the company produces niche publications that address specific local market interests, such as recreation, sports, healthcare, and real estate. Further, it offers print and online products that offer local market news and information on various topics comprising local news and politics, community and regional events, youth sports, opinion and editorial pages, local schools, obituaries, weddings, and police reports, as well as commercial printing services for publishers; and prints commercial materials, including flyers, business cards, and invitations. Additionally, the company produces approximately 350 annual events with a collective attendance approximately 400,000, such as themed expo, signature event, endurance event, and white label event services; and provides digital and print advertising services. It reaches approximately 22 million people per week; and serves approximately 199,000 business customers. New Media Investment Group Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in New York, New York.

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The following companies are subsidiares of The Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., EPS B.V., Geocel Holdings, Geocel Limited, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Inver East Med S.A., Inver France SAS, Inver GmbH, Inver Industrial Coating SRL, Inver Polska Spoka Z O.O, Inver Spa, Invercolor Bologna Srl, Invercolor Ltd, Invercolor Roma Srl, Invercolor Torino Srl, Invercolor Toscana Srl, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda, Isva Vernici Srl, Leighs Paints, M.A. Bruder & Sons, Omega Specialty Products & Services LLC, Oy Sherwin-Williams Finland Ab, PT Sherwin-Williams Indonesia, PT Valspar Indonesia, Paint Sundry Brands, Pinturas Condor S.A., Pinturas Industriales S.A., Piton Paints Limited, Plasti-Kote Co. Inc., Plasti-kote Limited, Productos Quimicos y Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Quest Automotive Products UK Limited, Quetzal Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Ronseal (Ireland) Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO  Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade Intelectual Ltda, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Belize) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Caribbean) N.V., Sherwin-Williams (Ireland) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Coatings Technology Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams (S) Pte. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Shanghai) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Vietnam) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (West Indies) Limited, Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Mexico S.de R.L.de C.V., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel Unitary Enterprise, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., Sherwin-Williams Cayman Islands Limited, Sherwin-Williams Chile S.A., Sherwin-Williams Coatings India Private Limited, Sherwin-Williams Coatings S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Czech Republic spol. s r.o, Sherwin-Williams Denmark A/S, Sherwin-Williams Deutschland GmbH, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Limited, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Norway AS, Sherwin-Williams Paints Limited Liability Company, Sherwin-Williams Peru S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Pinturas de Venezuela S.A., Sherwin-Williams Poland Sp. z o.o, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams Realty Holdings Inc., Sherwin-Williams Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams UK Coatings Limited, Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, Taiwan Valspar Co. Ltd., The Sherwin-Williams Acceptance Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters Company, The Sherwin-Williams Manufacturing Company, The Sherwin-Williams US Licensing Company, The Valspar (Asia) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Australia) Corporation Pty. Ltd., The Valspar (Finland) Corporation Oy, The Valspar (France) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (France) Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd, The Valspar (Nantes) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (Singapore) Corporation Pte. Ltd, The Valspar (South Africa) Corporation (Pty) Ltd, The Valspar (Spain) Corporation S.R.L., The Valspar (Switzerland) Corporation AG, The Valspar (Thailand) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar (UK) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Vietnam) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar (India) Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Valspar (Uruguay) Corporation S.A., Valspar (WPC) Pty Ltd, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive (UK) Corporation Limited, Valspar Automotive Australia Pty Limited, Valspar B.V., Valspar Coatings (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Valspar D.o.o Beograd, Valspar Industries (Ireland) Ltd., Valspar Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Valspar Paint (NZ) Limited, Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited (Japan), Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams.
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..
Since we are heading into a trade war with Canada its time to rally the troops and remind them of the time Canada burned down the White House. And lest you think that is just a matter of history consider how Canada is attacking the United States today using biological weapons.

Smithsonian Insider: In the early 20th century, Canada geese were considered endangered in the U.S. So in the 1950s and 1960s, birds from the Midwest were released in eastern and southern states to boost their numbers. The strategy worked too well. Populations grew exponentially in the 1990s and today millions of wild Canada geese are permanent residents in cities and towns across the U.S., constantly eating and depositing large amounts of feces in the habitat they share with humans.

As public health concerns have grown, a team of biologists at the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History recently decided to take a close look at the bacteria living in the intestines of these birds. What they found was eye-opening. Scientists discovered the high prevalence of 3 bacterial species that cause serious disease in humans: Clostridium perfringens, Streptococcus suis (harmful to pigs too) and Staphylococcus sp. Inside the birds they found other potentially pathogenic organisms that may contain virulent strains known to cause serious infections in wild and domestic waterfowl, poultry, domestic mammals and farmed fish.

When Canada geese are killed for food by animals such as a dog, fox or cat, or run over by a car on an urban street, these harmful pathogens are released into the environment and can potentially infect humans.
(HealthDay)Individuals with Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorders have lower likelihood of academic achievement, according to a study published online May 29 in JAMA Neurology.

Ana Perez-Vigil, M.D., from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and colleagues examined the correlation of Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders with objectively measured educational outcomes in a population-based birth cohort of individuals born in Sweden from 1976 to 1998. The cohort included 2,115,554 individuals, of whom 3,590 had registered a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome or a chronic tic disorder in specialist care. There were 2,697 families that included siblings discordant for these disorders.

The researchers found that people with Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorders were significantly less likely to pass all core and additional courses at the end of compulsory school compared with unexposed individuals (odds ratios ranging from 0.23 to 0.36) and to access a vocational program or academic program in upper secondary education (adjusted odds ratios, 0.31 and 0.43, respectively). Individuals with the disorders also had a reduced likelihood of finishing upper secondary education, starting a university degree, and finishing a university degree (adjusted odds ratios, 0.35, 0.41, and 0.39, respectively). In fully-adjusted sibling comparison models, the results were marginally attenuated.

"Help-seeking individuals with Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorders seen in specialist settings experience substantial academic underachievement across all educational levels," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and medical publishing industries.

Copyright  2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
The silent film era ended nearly a century ago, but Hollywood is still mute when it comes to demands to change its rating system to award an R rating to most movies that feature tobacco.

Last August, the American Heart Association and 16 other health and medical groups bought trade ads and sent a letter to the six major movie studios represented by the Motion Picture Association of America, urging them to apply an R rating to any motion picture with tobacco imagery submitted for classification after Friday. The only exceptions would be biographical films about people who smoked or when the film depicted the dangers of smoking.

But with the June deadline here, Chris Ortman, vice president of corporate communications for the MPAA, declined to comment. The group has fended off requests before. In 2016, a U.S. district court judge rejected a lawsuit against the MPAA and National Association of Theatre Owners brought by a California dad urging the R rating change.

Dr. Lisa M. Hollier, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pointed to statistics in the letter sent to the major studios by the 17 health organizations, including the ACOG. Specifically, she noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's report in 2014 that 6.4 million children alive today will become smokers because of exposure to smoking in movies.

"Smoking is the most preventable cause of illness and death," Hollier said.

For much of 20th century, smoking was commonplace on the silver screen, with cigarettes dangling from the lips of countless stars, from Humphrey Bogart to James Dean to Audrey Hepburn.

Today, smoking is recognized as one of the world's biggest health problems. According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills more than 7 million people globally each year.

Tobacco use in movies decreased somewhat after the U.S. surgeon general's landmark 1964 report linking smoking with lung cancer and heart disease. But tobacco companies still paid for product placement in mainstream Hollywood films well into the 1990s. In 1998, tobacco brand placement in movies accessible to young people was prohibited as part of an agreement between U.S. tobacco companies and the attorneys general of 46 U.S. states.

Yet, smoking on screen only increased. Brand appearances also continued.

Cigarette use on screen fell by half between 2005 and 2010 in the PG and PG-13 films that kids see most often, according to a CDC report. But that progress halted in 2010. Then, in 2015, Walt Disney Studios announced it was ending smoking in all its youth-rated movies.

Still, onscreen smoking persists at the other five studios: 21st Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures.

There's smoking in Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg's latest PG-13-rated film for Warner Bros.even as other mega-budget films have shown a decline in smoking in recent years. But lower-budget and smaller, independent films still haven't tackled the smoking issue, said Stanton Glantz, founder of Smokefree Movies, one of the organizations that signed the letter.

"Smoking is more concentrated in the major studio's smaller films and in independently produced movies," said Glantz, a professor of medicine and director of the University of California, San Francisco's Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. "That's why we need the R rating policy change, because it would apply across the industry, including independents."

Research conducted in 2009 shows that children are strongly influenced by actors who smoke onscreen regardless if they're portraying "good guys" or "bad guys."

According to a surgeon general's 2012 report, exposure to images of smoking in films causes kids to smoke, and those with the most exposure to onscreen smoking are almost twice as likely to begin smoking as those who get the least exposure. The report said in 2010, smoking was found in nearly a third of top-grossing movies with ratings of G, PG or PG-13.

While the amount of smoking in youth-rated movies dropped until 2010, there's nothing to prevent it from resurging in the future, Glantz said. Disney has a strong policy now, he said, but is negotiating to buy Fox, which has hundreds of youth-rated films with smoking.

Hollier said OB-GYNs see firsthand the short- and long-term impact of smoking on women and their families.

"It's up to us to do everything we can to assist our patients in their efforts to quit smoking and educate and encourage our patients about living smoke-free," she said.

Explore further Smoking on the rise in movies aimed at young: study

Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. If you have questions or comments about this story, please email editor@heart.org.
The Calistoga Planning Commission wants city staff to fix a 32-year-old policy thats preventing a local bed-and-breakfast from expanding.

The owners of the Pink Mansion at 1415 Foothill Boulevard want to add two new cottages, increasing their room count from eight to 10.

A Municipal Code amendment passed in 2010 allowed the Pink Mansion and four other B&Bs on the south side of Foothill to apply for up to 10 rooms, exempting them from the usual cap of 6 rooms for other B&Bs.

However, the Pink Mansions expansion hit a technical snag when Planning Director Lynn Goldberg determined that the proposed new cottages would violate another section of the Municipal Code, dating back to 1986, which requires B&B rooms to be within an existing structure.

General Manager Toppa Epps appealed Goldbergs decision to the Planning Commission. Epps used to own the Pink Mansion and now manages it on behalf of the current owners, a Japanese family.

On May 24, Epps told the commission the 2010 exemption was intended to allow the five specified B&Bs to apply for up to 10 rooms, without limiting new rooms to existing structures. The existing structure clause from 1986 even seems to have escaped the notice of previous city staff until Goldberg found it.
Michael Beaulac from Pine Ridge Winery also was pouring his 2016 vintage, from Stags Leap District, because thats what were about. Our home is in Stags Leap District, we have 47 acres planted there and its the most compelling, interesting wine we make. He said the 2016 vintage represents nice wines, theyre round, theyre soft and complex. He added, though, hes super excited to show off the 2017s, because they are amazing wines, with a structure, complexity and intensity that is amazing. The 2017s were picked before the Oct. 8 wildfires that swept through parts of the Napa Valley. Beaulac said in the Stags Leap District, all of the fruit was picked, in the house and down in the barrels before the fires began. The wines are beautiful right now, he said.
The school board will provide a fuller, official response to the findings within 60 days.

The grand jury decided to delve into the Measure H issue after receiving several requests from citizens to investigate various aspects of NVUSD operating budgets and the school bond.

Leon Brauning, a member of the oversight committee and a director with the Napa County Taxpayers Association, said Friday that he submitted his own complaint to the grand jury after the school district informed the committee about cost overruns that were eating into Measure H funding.

Brauning called the overruns a bombshell that was dropped on the oversight committee in May.

The taxpayer advocate said he has concerns with how the committee has been operating. Ive been struggling with this committee to get it to do its job, he said, adding that meeting minutes have not been detailed enough and claiming many committee members say or do little at their meetings.

But Brauning also said the committee is limited under state law with what it can do, or actions it can take. We cant sue the district, for example, he said of the committee, which lacks authority or teeth.
Amidst an ongoing debate about the need for more housing versus the need for more hotel rooms in Napa, developers chosen by the Gasser Foundation have asked the city for permission to build another 200 apartment homes and a 141-room hotel on Soscol Avenue.

The project would be adjacent to a slew of other Gasser-initiated projects including 400 apartments at Vista Tulocay, new auto dealerships, more commercial space and the Stoddard West low income housing complex.

The demand for new rental housing is very high, said Joe Fischer, commercial broker and development consultant for the Gasser Foundation.

We felt that building additional apartments on the site would be beneficial to the community.

In addition to the housing, The Foundation feels that hotels are an important part of our community economy, said Fischer.

They bring significant revenue to our city and county, helping to fund many of the capital projects that we all want  sidewalk and road improvements as well as funding to improve parks, said Fischer.

The Gasser Foundation chose Fairfield Residential to develop the 7.37-acre housing site, called Creekside East at 333 Soscol Ave. It is located on the west side of Soscol, just north of Tulocay Creek. A Chrysler dealership currently occupies a portion of the site.

Widewaters Hotel Development will develop the 2.63-acre hotel site at 407 Soscol Ave., just north of the proposed apartments.

The Gasser Foundation still owns all 10 acres of the property. Fischer declined to speculate on the cost of the two developments.

The housing proposal includes building 200 mostly two-bedroom apartments with some one- and three-bedroom units. Home sizes will range from 791 to 1,348 square feet. Creekside East will also include approximately 6,000 square feet of retail facing Soscol Avenue.

The name Fairfield Residential may sound familiar. Thats because the San Diego-based company is the same developer of the adjacent Vista Tulocay apartment complex, the future home of some 400 apartments behind the Gasser Building, with views of the Napa River.

We really like the Fairfield team and because of their Vista Tulocay project, we feel they understand Napa and the city processes, said Fischer.

A total of 15 percent of the 200 apartments  30 units  will be rent restricted low income housing.

This plus the 170 market rate units will go a long way to meeting the housing needs of our workforce and younger people starting their first jobs here, said Fischer.

Paul Kelley, city of Napa planning commissioner, had favorable comments about the proposals.

I think its the best idea for a hotel-paired project thats been presented to the city to date, said Kelley during a phone interview last week.

Whats exciting is that its the first time a developer has come in with a side-by-side proposal for housing and hotel project, said Kelley.

From his preliminary meetings with the developers, Gasser seems to want to create a project thats a win-win for the community, Kelley said.

I really like the idea of 200 housing units, said Kelley.

He hopes there will be a way to provide hotel employee housing next door to the hotel.

Im hoping that might set the bar or show the way to future hotel developers, Kelley said, with providing housing for hotel employees becoming the new norm.

The Gasser Foundation is very aware of the concerns over the tight supply of workforce and low income housing, said Fischer.

That was the reason behind the proposal for 170 market and 30 low income units on the site.

It is also the reason that Foundation worked so hard for the 50 units of Stoddard West low income housing now under construction and across from the proposed hotel.

The Foundations record on low income housing also includes the 24-unit Hartle Court Apartments opened in 2010, South Napa Shelter opened in 2006, and plans for additional low income housing off Valle Verde Drive, including housing for families, he added.

The other really nice component is there is a retail building fronting Soscol, Kelley noted.

I hope its something that serves the locals at that location, Kelley said. The last thing we need there is a tasting room.

Kelley was also keen to approve a project that is aesthetically pleasing.

Because the Soscol corridor is being improved and beautified into a gateway befitting Napa Valley, each project needs that level of design scrutiny, said Kelley.

But when one of the first renderings of the proposed housing featured Tuscan-style architecture, We all kind of groaned, Kelley said. Were trying to move more into a quasi-industrial articulated form that would fit the area but a whole bunch of Tuscan apartments just wasnt going to make it.

Were trying to elevate the architecture . to get the best possible design out of the housing, he said.

Kelley said he hadnt seen the proposed hotel architecture yet.

City of Napa planning department manager Erin Morris said she was still evaluating both parts of the project, but so far the housing looks pretty straightforward, and such a use is permitted at that location.

The city definitely needs housing, she noted. Its an exciting project.

The hotel use would require a general plan amendment and rezoning from community commercial and mixed use to tourist commercial.

As for the hotel proposal, We dont have a position until we get through our initial 30-day review and analysis, she said.

The proposed, four-story, 141-room hotel will be built and operated by the Widewaters Hotel Development, based out of New York.

Hotels house the guests that want to experience our rejuvenated downtown, Fischer said.

Hotel bed taxes also fund services that support residents, he added.

The restaurants and retailers in our downtown rely on both the business from us that live here and visitors to be sustainable and support the many locals that these businesses employ, he said. We feel our proximity to downtown will help drive that business and support our downtown entrepreneurs and workers.

Fischer said the group chose the Widewaters Hotel Development because they are a developer and operator and already have their core build capital in place.

They are sensitive to the kind of hotel positioning that we feel is a fit, said Fischer.

Widewaters Hotel Development plan to operate the hotel as an independent or soft brand. Examples of soft brands include Marriotts Autograph Collection or Hiltons Curio. Such hotels are independently run, but under the umbrella of a huge worldwide brand.

The idea is to create a guest experience that is positioned between the Hampton Inn at Century Center and the higher end boutique branding of the Andaz, Archer and Westin Verasa properties, said the application. The property would also include a pool, meeting space, dining and other customary amenities. A total of 142 parking spaces would be created.

While sounding optimistic about the plans, Fischer added a cautionary note.

Getting hotels entitled is a relatively easy process, said Fischer.

Getting them financed, built, and open, giving our community and the benefits we want, is a different game. In other words, a hotel entitled is NOT a hotel built, said Fischer.

There are many hotel entitlements approved or in the process in our city. Many of these will not be built or they will convert to other uses, such as downtown housing.

While a number of new hotels have been proposed for the city in recent years, according to Fischer, the only hotels that have opened near the Napa downtown core are the Archer, the Andaz, the Hampton Inn and a small number of bed and breakfast rooms. The only new hotel currently in construction near downtown is the 90-room Cambria hotel at 320 Soscol Ave.

If the plan is approved, allowing for permitting and construction, the hotel should be open spring of 2021, he estimated.

The 10-acre Gasser parcel on Soscol currently includes the Hanlees Chrysler building, the former Napa Valley Tours and Transportation site and approximately three acres behind it.

Hanlees is moving its Chrysler franchise to a new building on Soscol Avenue.

In 2017, developers floated an idea to create a city civic center at the parcel. Those plans did not progress. Instead, the city is pursuing plans to build a new city center in downtown Napa.

This 10-acre site is the last major piece of Gasser legacy land that is undeveloped, said Fischer in a 2017 interview.

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A sunset clause would have made the deal useless, offering no reliable guarantees for cross-border businesses. The demand for the clause was typical of the way a lousy friend operates, upping the drama, making sure the drama never ends. Pence was of course acting for Trump, who made the demand because he knows there will be little to no cost to him domestically for treating a longstanding ally like a schmuck. He merely reflects ingrained self-regard and indifference.

If you went to a random street corner in, say, Chicago, and asked Americans whether Canada fought in Vietnam or Afghanistan or Iraq, how many would know? So why would you fight with people who can't remember if you've fought with them?

Trump isn't known for having friends, and he obsesses over who his enemies might be. He creates enemies so that he has a way to define himself. That process has been extended from his personal life to the U.S. political system and, from there, to the international order. His base wants more enemies. And I guess they'll take them where they can find them. It's hard to imagine how you work yourself up to hate Canadians, but we're living in times of great innovation.

Most Canadians still love Americans. "I want to be very clear about one thing," Trudeau declared. "Americans remain our partners, friends and allies." For how long? Self-interest is going to start taking over at some point. Fewer tariffs on China, weak sanctions on Russia, and new tariffs and new threats of sanctions on us? Trump in particular, and America in general, respect you only if you're an enemy. So why be a friend?

Stephen Marche lives in Toronto. His most recent book is "The Unmade Bed: The Messy Truth About Men and Women in the Twenty-First Century." He wrote this for The Washington Post.
Also, pacifism. Hed been a pacifist since his teen years, before WWI. The Kaisers government had fined him, evidently for defaming the Imperial Army. He refused to pay the fine, preferring to stand on principle and be incarcerated. Without telling him, his wife paid to keep her husband out of jail.

Carl von Ossietzky lived during three German governments: the Kaisers Empire, the democratic Weimar Republic, and Hitlers totalitarian Nazi Regime. Each one had done what they could to shut him up.

I was starting to like this man.

As a matter of fact, I was starting to write about him. First just notes. Then, my reading was like winding up a spring. Suddenly, there were chapters. Not biography. But not just fiction either.

Historical fiction. Ugh, I hate that self-contradictory term. Why cant they just call it based-on-the-life-of? Now theres a genre I can support. Julius Caesar. The Agony and the Ecstasy. Gods and Generals. Amadeus. Ill take those as compositional models any day.

Not that I dont like biography and serious history. The Boys in the Boat. Wonderful. Seabiscuit. Unbroken. Great stuff. Im just no Lauren Hillenbrand.
PBES has designated a team of staff to process rebuild applications, so that owners receive consistent responses to their questions and are dealing with staff trained to provide the additional support these customers need.

In addition, staff have attended more than a dozen workshops and community meetings throughout the county, to answer questions and provide resources to people who are interested in rebuilding. We also regularly email updates about the ongoing fire recovery efforts to nearly 600 affected land owners and update the Board of Supervisors weekly on recovery efforts.

Despite all of these efforts, new buildings are subject to a breath-taking range of mandated state requirements, covering everything from water fixtures to driveways and insulation. County staff are required to follow all applicable state regulations when issuing permits.

We will continue to develop alternative solutions that meet all state requirements to meet public health and safety needs, while reflecting the special conditions that make Napa unique wherever possible.

If anyone has questions or concerns about county rebuilding process, please contact me at david.morrison@countyofnapa.org or (707) 253-4805.
Despite the cordial relations, New Delhi is seriously working on initiating a number of strict security regulations along Indias 699-km long open border with Bhutan.

Sources in the Ministry of Home Ministry told Northeast Now that a detailed draft for the new security regulations along the Bhutan border is being drafted. The Dragon Kingdom shares border with four Indian states  Assam (267 km), Arunachal Pradesh (217 km), West Bengal (183 km), and Sikkim (32 km).

The Ministry has proposed an all-weather border road all along the 699-km long frontier with Bhutan for effective border guarding. An effective border guarding is a need of the hour because insurgent groups are still active along the area.

Taking advantage of the open border, insurgents are using Bhutans territory for safe sanctuary, after carrying out subversive activities in Assam. A large number of Bhutanese nationals are reportedly extending shelter and logistic support to the insurgents.

The proposal for the all-weather border road is now awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Environment & Forest, the sources said. As the proposed border road will run through the northern fringe of the Manas National Park and Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary, the Ministry of Environment is still sitting on the proposal. Located in the Himalayan foothills, Manas National Park is listed in UNESCOs World Heritage site. It is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.

The decision to construct the all-weather border road along Bhutan was taken following a series of inputs from intelligence units. The Indian intelligence agencies also have detailed information about the involvement of the Bhutanese nationals with the insurgents.

Based on the intelligence input, BD Sharma, Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on December 22, 2015 had announced that the Centre had decided to erect fencing between India and Bhutan to keep control on activities of insurgent groups.

In the first phase, the SSB had proposed border fencing along a 35-km long patch in the insurgency-ravaged Kokrajhar and Chirang districts of Assam. Sharma had also claimed that the Ministry of Home Affairs accepted the proposal.

The SSB, during the last one year, has augmented deployment along the Bhutan border. At present, it has 20 full battalions at 158 operational border posts. The enhanced manpower has been deployed for round the clock patrolling and surveillance along the Bhutan border.

The SSB has also started to set up the network of its new intelligence wing and it has totally changed the scenario of border guarding along the Bhutan frontier. The scenario of border guarding along Bhutan is sure to change further with the construction of the border road and barbed fencings, the sources said.

The SSB personnel are now going to further restrict the free movement of Bhutanese nationals along the open border. There are reports that a lot of Bhutanese nationals help the insurgents to criss-cross the border, and is now posing a serious threat to Indias internal security

While Bhutanese nationals are heavily dependent on Indian border towns and markets on a daily basis, SSB personnel have pulled up socks to check trans-border smuggling.

Indian enforcement agencies have reported that Bhutan has become a main corridor for smuggling of gold to India. A lot of Indian smugglers, in connivance with Bhutanese nationals are engaged in smuggling of gold to India.

West Bengal forest department has also been complaining that a strong network of animal-parts smugglers from Bhutan have been engaged in illegal trade of wildlife, taking advantage of the open border.

The West Bengal forest department had also asked the Bhutan government to form a special task force to address the issue of wildlife smuggling from the Dragon Kingdom. Rhino horn, tiger parts and small animals like Gecko, rare birds, pangolin were smuggled into India from Bhutan through the open border.

Ten Bhutanese nationals have been arrested in West Bengal in the past one year related to different wildlife crimes. Bhutans involvement in animal parts smuggling first came to light in October, 1993 after police in Taiwan had arrested Bhutanese princess Dekiy Wangchuck at Chiang Kai-shek airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 22 Asian rhino horns into the country.

It was reported in the international media that the Bhutan princess had admitted that she expected to sell the horn, which weighed 14 kilograms, for a whooping $740 000. Later she had admitted that she had acquired the horns in Bhutan.
Tripura Police seized thousand of bottles of banned cough syrup bottles at bordering Gandhigram area under Airport police station on Friday.

Acting on a tip off, the Airport Police raided the shop of one Abhijit Sarkar next to the Ghandhigram school and found some 18000 bottles of banned cough syrup Phensydel and Eskuf, said Dhruba Nath, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of New Capital Complex.

He added that the market value of the ceased consignment is around Rs 20 lakh but the price multiplies at least three to four times after it reaches Bangladesh where it is consumed mainly by youths as substitute of liquor.

Police during search operation discovered huge quantity of contraband cartons hidden under sacks.

Though the shop owner could not be arrested as he fled from the spot, but police brought the contraband meant for smuggling across the border to the Airport police station and shall be produced before the court on Saturday by the concerned department as per procedure.

The newly formed government in Tripura wants to make the state drugs free beside it is concerned about the smuggling of drugs as Bangladesh has raised this issue at various levels.

During the last two months, the state police and BSF are continuing their efforts to curb smuggling of contraband and drugs to Bangladesh.

BSF along with the state administration during recent times have seized huge quantity Yuba tablets, brown sugar beside dry marijuana and destroyed plantations from the bordering areas.

Though the printed price of a bottle is Rs 105.50, each bottle in Bangladesh fetches between 600 to 700 taka and hence a lucrative item for smugglers who brings it hidden from far-flung states like West Bengal or Bihar since they are not available in Tripura.

Four northeastern states  Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam  share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh, some of it unfenced and running through dense forests, making it porous and vulnerable.
The wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been summoned by the country's anti-corruption agency in its probe into a former subsidiary of the scandal-hit sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, Aljazeera reported.

Rosmah Mansor was ordered on Friday to report to the headquarters of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) by Tuesday to have her statement recorded in connection with investigations into SRC International, state media Bernama reported.

"The notice was served by MACC officers at the home of the former prime minister today," a source at the commission told Reuters news agency on Friday.

The source asked not to be identified as details of the notice have yet to be made public.
Armenia Parliament Speaker receives delegation led by Iran's Prosecutor General

Group of Armenian police officers apprehend citizen by using brute force (VIDEO)

Armenian analyst: Negotiations over Karabakh issue to resume sooner or later, "3+3" format is unrealistic

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin expresses hope after Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani spiritual leaders' meeting

Iran clarifies, says Azerbaijan released other prisoners, not detained Iranian truck drivers

Saakashvili agrees to have doctors assess his health condition

Milan have new goalkeeper (PHOTOS)

What signs refer to salt deficiency?

Putin: Events in Afghanistan may seriously impact situations in Central Asia and Transcaucasia

Iran Armed Forces Staff chief, Pakistan PM discuss strengthening of border security

Taliban warn US, EU of refugees if sanctions against Afghanistan aren't lifted

Armenia PM receives India FM

Azerbaijan refutes report on release of two Iranian truck drivers

Armenia health minister: Another mother-to-be dies from COVID-19

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 2 more Armenian servicemen found in Hadrut

Baku releases two Iranian truck drivers after Azerbaijan and Iran FMs' phone talks

Erdogan, Aliyev to mark anniversary of occupation of Shushi by opening airport

Armenia deputy justice minister receives Council of Europe delegation

Armenia appoints new Ambassador to Iran

Yerevan to host 2022 EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships

Armenia finance minister presents government's five-year plan to German partners

Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani spiritual leaders make statement on Karabakh

Karabakh Defense Army refutes Azerbaijan MOD's disinformation

Digest: Pashinyan and Putin meet in Moscow, Biden and Erdogan discuss Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia Parliament Speaker receives AGBU Montreal Chapter's leadership

Mher Shirinyan appointed Armenia Armed Forces Armament Department head

S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive

Security Council chief: Armenia never held, will not hold negotiations about corridor

US embassy in Armenia remains unable to resume routine visa operations

Healthcare specialist: Hospital bed capacity for Armenia COVID-19 patients is full

Dollar gains value in Armenia

Armenia Prosecutor General: Essential progress has been made in processes for transfer of Iranian convicts

UAE Supreme Audit Institution chairman-led delegation on official visit to Armenia

Armenia Ambassador to Iran Artashes Tumanyan recalled

Armenia FM leaving for Minsk

Armenia court rejects appeal, Goris mayor to not be released

Iran Prosecutor General to Armenia PM: Our relations are good basis for jointly confronting regional challenges

Iran Prosecutor General to Armenia justice minister: It is necessary to work more closely

Usher welcomes his fourth child

Armenia opposition MP, ex-defense minister: Russia peacekeepers presence in Artsakh uncertain in terms of prospects

Iran Prosecutor General: Terrorists must disappear from region as soon as possible

Azerbaijani opposition members holding protest in front of ruling party's headquarters

Azerbaijan president calls Iran statements delusion

Patriarch Kirill, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh meet

Balmain director suffered severe burns from fireplace explosion

Aliyev demands from Russia peacekeepers to prevent illegal entry of foreign citizens to Karabakh

Armenia and India FMs visit monument to Mahatma Gandhi in Yerevan

Tyga arrested on domestic violence charges

India FM visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan (PHOTOS)

Armenia, India FMs discuss possibility of transit via Iran port

Angelina Jolie spotted on date with her ex-husband

36 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

Armenia FM: Persian Gulf-Black Sea project discussion continues dynamically

India FM says they support Karabakh peace process under auspices of OSCE Minsk Group

Manchester City intend to sign Erling Haaland

FM: Armenia welcomes resumption of talks within framework of OSCE Minsk Group

Armenia foreign minister to visit India

53,451 vaccinations against coronavirus administered so far in Armenias Ararat Province

Healthcare expert on Armenia coronavirus cases: We are moving from red zone to flashing red zone

Rapper R. Kelly's album sales jump 517% after conviction of human trafficking

Vanetsyan: Artsakh self-determination issue shall be resolved through talks under OSCE Minsk Group auspices (PHOTOS)

Roma intend to buy Chelsea midfielder

1,217 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

J.K. Rowling releases new book

Anne Louyot: France working with Russia, US on lasting agreement on Karabakh

Armenias Pashinyan says Moscow meeting with Russias Putin was productive

World oil prices falling

Squid Game becomes biggest launch in Netflix history

Armenia Central Bank announces issuance of collector coin dedicated to 150th birth anniversary of Alexander Spendiaryan

Pentagon wants to reduce cost of hypersonic weapons

Newspaper: Armenia authorities put forward new notion regarding Artsakh

How dangerous is COVID-19 for pregnant women?

Newspaper: Armenia Special Investigation Service has noteworthy document in criminal case against ex-official

Amirabdollahian to Bayramov: Iran, Azerbaijan must block path for misconceptions

Milan to sign 1-year deal with Roma ex-goalkeeper

Denmark qualify for 2022 World Cup

Ronaldo scores 115th goal, 10th hat-trick for Portugal

2022 World Cup qualifiers: Match results of the day

Catholicos of All Armenians meets with Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow and all Russia

Erdogan's spokesperson confirms news about Ankara considering purchasing F-16 fighter jets from US

Iran says it has documents confirming transfer of terrorist groups to Azerbaijan

Armenia Parliament Speaker receives UNDP "Modern Parliament for a Modern Armenia" Program representatives

Iran's Prosecutor General is in Armenia, received by Armenian counterpart

Patriarch Kirill: Political interests are disturbing parties to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from reaching agreement

Opposition "Armenia" faction hosts members of AGBU Canada

EU bans E171 food coloring

India FM arrives in Yerevan

Ceremony commemorating National Hero of Armenia Vahagn Avetisyan was held

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Armenia Parliament Speaker receives head of ICRC Delegation

Digest: Pashinyan is on working visit to Russia, Malkhas Amoyan declared world champion

Armenia education, science, culture and sport minister receives newly appointed French Ambassador

Putin-Pashinyan meeting kicks off at the Kremlin

Armenia high-tech industry minister receives Iran Ambassador

Dollar holding relatively steady in Armenia

Armenia Parliament Speaker sends condolence message to Georgian counterpart

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II: Armenia will overcome difficult times with Russia's support

Putin to hold online meeting with heads of security agencies of CIS countries

Andrea Wiktorin: EU ready to be mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, if they wish

Armenia Parliament Speaker on opening of roads and return of Armenian POWs
A 64-year-old Brooklyn resident, Amerida Quintana, won $ 5 million lottery, New York lottery reported.

The woman spent $30 to buy several lottery tickets, and one of them was the lucky one, the source noted.

I play this game a lot and always buy four at a time, Quintana explained.

According to her, she scratched the ticket in the lottery and tried to remain calm when she realized that she won.

I screamed inside. I kept quiet about winning. One lady asked if I won anything and I said no, no, no, she explained.

Quintana received check of $3,165,200 after required withholdings. The 64-year-old woman intends to use her money to help her children and continue to play the Lottery.
The US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports are insulting and unacceptable, said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an interview to NBC.

According to him, the US President Donald Trumps administration has decided to introduce duties in order to protect US national security interests.

The idea that we are somehow a national security threat to the United States is quite frankly insulting and unacceptable, the Prime Minister said adding: The idea that the Canadian steel that's in military, military vehicles in the United States, the Canadian aluminum that makes your, your fighter jets is somehow now a threat?

Trudeau pushed back against Trump's statement that the US suffered unfair trade deals.

He's worried about trade surpluses, trade deficits around the world. Well, they have a $2 billion surplus on steel with us. So it's not like the trade is imbalanced against the U.S. favor on this one, Trudeau said.

As reported earlier, the U.S. President Donald Trump decided to impose duties on steel and aluminum 25% and 10% respectively. US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said on Thursday that the US administration introduced customs duties on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, Canada and Mexico.

The U.S. also proposes tariffs on 1.300 Chinese goods and plans to apply the tariffs to about $50 billion worth of goods.
North Korea urged South Korea to implement the Panmunjom Declaration reached by the leaders of the two countries despite any changes in political situation, Korea Herald reported.

"The Panmunjom Declaration must be consistently implemented by the North and the South regardless of any fluctuation in the situation or surrounding conditions and the North and the South must hold their hands to take the lead in creating conditions and environment favorable to the implementation of the declaration," the statement said.

The Panmunjom Declaration is a joint statement signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the end of their April 27 summit in the border village of Panmunjom.

"Fundamentally improving the North-South relations and achieving peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula by thoroughly implementing the historic Panmunjom Declaration is becoming an important task," the statement reads.

The statement was released ahead of US-North Korean Summit to be held on June 12 in Singapore.

According to South Korean observers, these negotiations will be the first step for lifting international sanctions from the North Korea. However, the failure of the dialogue will mean even greater economic and political isolation of Pyongyang.
YEREVAN.- Armenia has had good relations with Russia for many centuries, these relations are vitally important. Armenian President Armen Sarkissian said in an interview with the Voice of Armenia.

According to him, Armenia and Russia have proved that they are good friends from time immemorial.

"Armenia has problematic neighbors in the face of Turkey and Azerbaijan. The strategic relations with Russia in the military and political sphere are necessary for ensuring balance. However, this does not mean that Armenia should have relations only with Russia," Armen Sarkissian said.

He noted that Armenia needs to balance its relations now when it is on the one hand a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), led by Russia, on the other hand, concluded a partnership agreement with the EU.

According to him, working as ambassador in UK he did not become pro-Western.

"I'm not pro-Western, not pro-American and not pro-Russian, I'm pro-Armenian," Armen Sarkissian said.
Yesterday the new comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement entered into provisional application. So today is another reason to celebrate. 80% of the content of the agreement is now in force, head of the EU delegation to Armenia Ambassador Piotr Switalski noted.

According to him, the ratification process in member states is proceeding according to the plan. Some states ratified already the agreement some on quite advanced in the procedures.

At the same time he noted that in July the European parliament will vote on the agreement. So we can be very confident that the agreement will be ratified by the EU member states in due course. No reason to worry.
YEREVAN.- Head of the EU delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski noted that he has not yet studied the new program of the Armenian government. He tod the reporters that they will be analyzing the program of courcewith big attention.

"We would like that our plans in terms of development assistance to Armenia integrally harmonized with the plan of the government. Concerning the prospects of the early elections, the EU is ready to assist. It is true that previously the European Union together with Germany and the UK contributed 90% of the funds. I believe that this time they will be more donors interested in supporting the effort," he noted.
Queen Elizabeth II is marking 65 years today since she became Britains seventh female monarch, Express reported.

The Coronation at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953 had been 16 months in the planning and millions across the globe tuned in to watch the iconic moment for the first time on television.

No major celebrations are planned to mark the anniversary today, but the 92-year-old will appear at five engagements this month.
I am going to take a deep dive into Colombia Crest Gold Corps (TSXV:CLB) most recent ownership structure, not a frequent subject of discussion among individual investors. Ownership structure has been found to have an impact on shareholder returns in both short- and long-term. Since the same amount of capital coming from an activist institution and a passive mutual fund has different implications on corporate governance, it is a useful exercise to deconstruct CLBs shareholder registry.

See our latest analysis for Colombia Crest Gold

TSXV:CLB Ownership_summary May 31st 18

Insider Ownership

Insiders form another group of important ownership types as they manage the companys operations and decide the best use of capital. Insider ownership has been linked to better alignment between management and shareholders. CLB insiders hold a not-so-significant 3.56% stake in the company, which somewhat aligns their interests with that of shareholders. However, a higher level of insider ownership has been linked to management executing on high-returning projects instead of expansion projects for the sake of apparent growth. I will also like to check what insiders have been doing recently with their holdings. Insider buying may be a sign of upbeat future expectations, however, selling doesnt necessarily mean the opposite as insiders may be motivated by their personal financial needs.

General Public Ownership

A big stake of 96.44% in CLB is held by the general public. This size of ownership gives retail investors collective power in deciding on major policy decisions such as executive compensation, appointment of directors and acquisitions of businesses. This level of ownership gives retail investors the power to sway key policy decisions such as board composition, executive compensation, and potential acquisitions. This is a positive sign for an investor who wants to be involved in key decision-making of the company.

Next Steps:

A relatively low shareholding by company insider could indicate potential misalignment of interest. However, on the other hand, this could also be a positive as the level of influence over the board of directors can also be limited. However, ownership structure should not be the only determining factor when youre building an investment thesis for CLB. Instead, you should be evaluating company-specific factors such as Colombia Crest Golds past track record and financial health. I urge you to complete your research by taking a look at the following:

Financial Health: Is CLBs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Past Track Record: Has CLB been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of CLBs historicals for more clarity. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

To help readers see pass the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned.
I read this earlier and my first thought was "did he whip out some doctor strange magic. "

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Im the same. My friends usually run in the opposite direction and Im the one trying to solve it.

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I'm trying to figure out why he is becoming so attractive to me- but, I just can't figure it out...

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Its cuz hes a Hero dawg

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Superheroes are sexy

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Your prescription glasses are expiring



Edited at 2018-06-02 04:28 pm (UTC)

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he looks better with the facial hair he has as dr strange and im like 'ok i can see why ppl find him attractive'. and then i see pictures like the one in this post and im like yiiiikes.

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bc as the apocalypse nears our bodies prepare to retreat below the earth and he looks like the kind of worm who might survive there for long periods of time



it's survival instinct and biology

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LMAOOO

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 lmao

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lmao fuck

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Dont do it! Its a trap! This is how the reptiles become our overlords!





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renew that prescription sis.

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I used to think he was so fug, but he looks very good with facial hair and I think he's been looking very attractive in his Patrick Melrose show too.... so you're not alone. its spreading >__>

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He's def. got a weird face but IMO he can be overall attractive when he's styled right (see: Sherlock S1).

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He rocked those goatee and salt-and-pepper temples.

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-His face looks different when it has its Dr. Strange affectations



-His personality is different when he's Dr. Strange, particularly as written by Marcus and McFeely when he takes Tony Stark down a peg



-He is charismatic and mysterious as Dr. Strange when directed by the Russos, who understand those are essential parts of the character



-It was cute when they paired him with Tom Holland for the press tour so he would monitor and pre-emptively silence Holland's enthusiastic and accidental spoilers



-The echoes of all these things remain with him, like a corona.

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Dont let Marvels superhero propaganda machine get to you!

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It's Doctor Strange.



I had the same problem when Sherlock season 1 aired because all the hairstyles are much better suited than anything he chooses for himself.



I thought it was kinda cute how he did interviews with Tom Holland though. They made a good team.

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You developed good taste

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I've never intervened (never had the chance) but I helped this guy who'd been bricked by some cowards once.



I really hope the Tories see what they're doing to the UK with the cut in Police funding and cheap sentencing.



Anyway bless him. Shows that he's got good character.



Edited at 2018-06-02 04:15 pm (UTC)

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This is a story I didnt expect to read today, but really commendable of him. His obsessive fans are gonna go nuts

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Yeah, not cool. Just call 911 for them and keep it going.

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I live in a state with a good Samaritan law, and i'm so grateful for all the people who've stopped every time i've ever been in trouble.

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Ugh yeah. Someone approached me yesterday, alone in a parking lot asking to sign a petition and got mad when I held up my bags, 100% goddamn heavy pots like dont play me like that! Put them in your car! No man, Im not taking you to my CAR much less signing your petition. Why??? Did you approach me?????

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yeah, for real. there is literally a horror movie that starts like that (and it's based on a true story) - NH10

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I think the difference is helping some random stranger in the middle of nowhere and helping someone in the middle of the city getting attacked. That person in need could be you. Being cautious is so important esp in a situation where you don't know everything but could you really keep driving ignoring someone being bottled in the street. But true no good deed goes unpunished. I've heard plenty of stories where it went wrong. Like Benedict probably could have got himself really hurt.



Edited at 2018-06-02 04:29 pm (UTC)

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Hmm it depends on the situation for me. I'm kinda tiny so if it's 4 guys, it definitely wouldn't end well if I physically intervened. If it were another woman or a small-sized man, I would like to think I'd step in.



But if I couldn't, I'd definitely call the police and then get help from other people nearby.

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You right doe.

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I totally agree. With women there's always the risk of sexual assault and I don't care if I sound like a paranoid, selfish bitch, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

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we stoped to get gas and he comes out of the store with this black woman she gets in the van.im like wtf.she needed a ride across town and some food for her kids can we help her out she just got out of jail O_O. when she got out of the car I went in on him.not only did u put my life in danger but your wife and childs.just because its a woman don't mean she aint got a gun or knife on her.

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Okay nice generalisation because as a woman I can honestly say I've never had a thought like that. I'm sure his wife was absolutely fine with him getting out to help especially in a busy area of London where she was PERFECTLY SAFE fcol

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That's cool! Hope the driver was ok.

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He has his flaws but I think he seems decent enough. And in this age of He is growing on me y'allHe has his flaws but I think he seems decent enough. And in this age of #metoo nothing scandalous about him has come out... yet

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I'm actually the same. I have decided he's neither worth my hate nor my love and he just seems to want to make some money for his kid and his fans are all crazy so live your privileged life my dude.



The real person to hate is Martin Freeman anyway. Cumberbatch is so harmless he's not worth the effort.

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damn. go benji. glad the cyclist is ok.

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Cute PR story.

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Damn. That was really nice of him. Hope everyone is okay.

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I had my first instance last year at emo night where this creepy AF guy wouldnt leave this girl alone (he waited for her outside the restroom and ignored all her advances). Finally got her a person away (I put myself between them) after sending her messages asking if she needed help and he started to target ME??? So I just gently pushed him away but this fool still didnt get it but he eventually left



I even offered to drive her home since she was drinking and lived near me but she declined. I really hope she got home safely :/

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Good on you!

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I swear this is the third time a British celeb I've heard intervene in a mugging. But good on him for helping, such a scary situation.

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i was going to say this seems to be a recurring thing. tom hardy chased somebody down who stole a woman's purse right?

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there was a story with dan radcliffe too

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This reads like fan-fiction - pulling 4 dudes off of their victim close to 221 Baker Street, being called a "superhero" by a witness and the humble response from Cumberbatch? I love it. Props to BC, I hope the fuckers get what's coming to them.

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lol it really does

i anticipate a hurt/comfort fanfiction reworking of this any second now

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Haha. You know the Sherlock stans are going to milk think one for a long while.

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lol

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As if they werent insufferable enough.

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to be honest i'm suspicious about the "near baker street" thing because one man's near is another man's uber ride away so i want a map before I call it a coincidence.

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Im not comfortable calling this a total PR stunt, but this is the kind of story Hiddlestons team needs to resurrect his public goodwill.

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Reuters Videos

BIDEN: "This is a big first step in speeding up the movement of materials and goods through our supply chain."President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that new commitments from clogged ports on the West Coast, as well as retailers and delivery companies, to keep their operations going 24/7 will help ease major shipping bottlenecks that have been weighing on the U.S. economy and threatening to disrupt the holiday season.BIDEN: "Today, Walmart, our nation's largest retailer, is committing to go all in on moving its products 24/7 from the ports to their stores nationwide... Additionally, FedEx and UPS, two of our nation's biggest freight movers, are committing today to significantly increase the amount of goods they are moving at night... By increasing the number of late-night hours of operation and opening up for less crowded hours so goods can move faster, today's announcement has the potential to be a game-changer." The stop-and-start nature of an ongoing health crisis has snarled global supply chains resulting in a backlog of products that includes half a million containers on cargo ships waiting to be offloaded at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. White House officials have been warning that Americans may face higher prices and some empty shelves over the holiday season. Earlier on Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said she couldn't promise that even with the extended hours of operations there would be no holiday shopping disruptions. PSAKI: "We cannot guarantee. What we can do is use every lever at the federal government level to reduce delays." Mizuho Securities' U.S. chief economist Steven Ricchiuto says there is only so much the White House can do.RICCHIUTO: "Well, first of all, FedEx isn't really the problem. Wal-Mart isn't really the problem. The problem is at the ports, the problem is overseas, where the goods are being bottlenecked... It's a huge logistic nightmare and a lot of it is overseas. And therefore, you know what the president's doing isn't going to really hurt. But at the end of the day, it doesn't solve the problem." Biden said Wednesday's moves were only a first step and promoted his ambitious infrastructure plan, which he said would invest heavily in the country's ports and making more products at home.
Israeli aircraft pounded over a dozen militant targets in Gaza, the army said Sunday, after Palestinian projectile fire shattered a ceasefire reached just days ago after the worst flare-up since a 2014 war. The latest escalation came hours after thousands of Palestinians attended the funeral of a young female volunteer medic killed by Israeli fire on Gaza's border. In a first wave of air strikes, Israeli "fighter jets targeted 10 terror sites in three military compounds belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the Gaza Strip," the army said in a statement early Sunday. "Among the targets were two Hamas munition manufacturing and storage sites and a military compound," the army said. The strikes came in retaliation for rockets fired at Israel, as well as "various terror activities approved and orchestrated by the Hamas terror organisation over the weekend," the army said. A few hours later aircraft shot at "five terror targets at a military compound belonging to the Hamas terror organisations naval force in the northern Gaza Strip," the army said in a separate statement. There were no reports of casualties in Gaza. On Saturday evening, militants in the Palestinian enclave fired two projectiles at southern Israel, where air raid sirens sent residents to bomb shelters. The Iron Dome aerial defence system intercepted one projectile, while the other was believed to have fallen short of its target and landed within Gaza, according to the army. Early Sunday, four more projectiles were separately launched at Israel. Three were intercepted, the army said, with the fourth apparently hitting an open field. - Mourners call for revenge - No group in Gaza claimed responsibility for the projectile attacks, which came shortly after the Saturday funeral of Razan al-Najjar, 21, a volunteer with the Gaza health ministry, who was fatally shot in the chest near Khan Yunis on Friday. Ambulances and medical crews attended the funeral, where Najjar's father held the white blood-stained medics' jacket she wore when she was shot, as mourners called for revenge. Gazans have since March 30 staged border protests demanding the return of Palestinians to land they fled or were expelled from during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, now inside the Jewish state. The demonstrations have been accompanied by smaller clashes as youths hurl stones at Israeli soldiers and attempt to breach the border fence, at times laying explosive devices on the fence or throwing grenades. The demonstrations and violence peaked on May 14 when at least 61 Palestinians were killed in clashes as tens of thousands of Gazans protested the US transfer of its embassy in Israel to the disputed city of Jerusalem the same day. On Sunday, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra announced the death of Mohammad Hamada, 30, who was wounded on May 14. Hamada's death brings the toll of Gazans killed by Israeli fire since the end of March to 124. Low-level demonstrations have continued since. Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave have also used kites carrying burning cans to set ablaze Israeli fields, torching large patches of farmland near Gaza. Following the funeral, several Gazans were wounded in clashes east of Khan Yunis, the health ministry said. The weekend launches were the first since Israel said it had struck some 65 militant sites in Gaza earlier this week in retaliation for a barrage of approximately 100 rockets and missiles fired from the territory on Tuesday and Wednesday. Palestinian Islamist groups in Gaza, including the strip's rulers Hamas, said a ceasefire deal was reached after the escalation, although there was no confirmation from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday accused Iran of "encouraging" Hamas and other militant Gaza groups of the violence. On Sunday, Netanyahu said his upcoming talks with key European leaders would focus "on continuing to block Iran's nuclear program," and "blocking Iran's plans for expansion and aggression throughout the Middle East, especially in Syria." Netanyahu will head to Europe on Monday for meetings in Berlin, Paris and London.
Engineers work on Opportunity (in its cruise configuration) in a cleanroom at Kennedy Space Center. A very important part of planetary protection is keeping contaminants from humans from riding aboard spacecraft. The pictured engineers are donning bunny suits that only allow their eyes to be exposed.

Rakesh Mogul, a Cal Poly Pomona professor of biological chemistry, was the lead author of an article in the journal Astrobiology that offers the first biochemical evidence explaining the reason the contamination persists.

Chemistry professor Gregory A. Barding, Jr., was a collaborator and second author on the paper. The remaining 22 coauthors are all Cal Poly Pomona students14 undergraduates in chemistry, three chemistry graduate students and five undergraduates in biological sciences.

"We designed the project to give students hands-on experience  and to support the learn-by-doing philosophy of Cal Poly Pomona. The students did the research, mostly as thesis projects in the areas of enzymology, molecular microbiology and analytical chemistry," said Mogul.

In the clean room facilities, NASA implements a variety of planetary protection measures to minimize biological contamination of spacecraft. These steps are important because contamination by Earth-based microorganisms could compromise life-detection missions by providing false positive results.

Despite extensive cleaning procedures, however, molecular genetic analyses show that the clean rooms harbor a diverse collection of microorganisms, or a spacecraft microbiome, that includes bacteria, archaea and fungi, explained Mogul. The Acinetobacter, a genus of bacteria, are among the dominant members of the spacecraft microbiome.

To figure out how the spacecraft microbiome survives in the cleanroom facilities, the research team analyzed several Acinetobacter strains that were originally isolated from the Mars Odyssey and Phoenix spacecraft facilities.

They found that under very nutrient-restricted conditions, most of the tested strains grew on and biodegraded the cleaning agents used during spacecraft assembly. The work showed that cultures grew on ethyl alcohol as a sole carbon source while displaying reasonable tolerances towards oxidative stress. This is important since oxidative stress is associated with desiccating and high radiation environments similar to Mars.

The tested strains were also able to biodegrade isopropyl alcohol and Kleenol 30, two other cleaning agents commonly used, with these products potentially serving as energy sources for the microbiome.

"We're giving the planetary protection community a baseline understanding of why these microorganisms remain in the clean rooms," said Mogul. "There's always stuff coming into the clean rooms, but one of the questions has been why do the microbes remain in the clean rooms, and why is there a set of microorganisms that are common to the clean rooms."

For planetary protection, this indicates that more stringent cleaning steps may be needed for missions focused on life detection and highlights the potential need to use differing and rotating cleaning reagents that are compatible with the spacecraft to control the biological burden.

Explore further New Measures Needed to Keep NASA Spacecraft From Contaminating Mars

More information: Rakesh Mogul et al. Metabolism and Biodegradation of Spacecraft Cleaning Reagents by Strains of Spacecraft-Associated Acinetobacter, Astrobiology (2018). Journal information: Astrobiology Rakesh Mogul et al. Metabolism and Biodegradation of Spacecraft Cleaning Reagents by Strains of Spacecraft-Associated Acinetobacter,(2018). DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1814
The American company which has deployed more than half of all automated teller machines in the Philippines remains bullish on its expansion in the country despite the increase in cashless transactions made possible by electronic commerce. Diebold Nixdorf, the market leader of self-service banking technology in the Philippines that serves more than 40 banks with 11,500 ATMs or 58 percent of the total nationwide, believes that it is well positioned to support the industrys expansion. It has a team of over 400 associates around the Philippines, while its service call center team supports over 250 field techs through a dedicated helpdesk and an in-house depot repair center in Makati. It established its presence in the country in 2003 to take advantage of the growth potential in the banking sector where 70 percent of households did not have bank accounts. Diebold Nixdorf Philippines president and country manager Julius Servando says the Philippines is a growing market for the company. A study by consulting firm RBR predicts that the country will see a rise in ATM deployment by 48 percent to 29,400 terminals by 2022, from the current 19,851 terminals. What sets us apart from other competitors is our ability to service ATMs and use terminals outside the metros because we do have engineers in those areas 7/24, Servando says. Servando says the company is also instrumental in bringing the government aid closer to the countrys less unfortunate families who benefit from the conditional cash transfer program of the Social Welfare Department.

Diebold Nixdorf is also one of the first companies to bring in financial solution to Tacloban City after the devastating typhoon Yolanda hit the Visayas in November 2013.We were the first to set up an ATM terminal in the province when the Philippine government needed the support of a financial solutions provider like us. They believed in us and we delivered, says. Servando says that in the retail sector, the Philippines is still far from closing the gap with other countries in the Asia Pacific in terms of e-commerce sales. Data show that of $140 billion in total retail sales in 2017, e-commerce sales accounted for only $3.9 billion or 2.1 percent. We have seen mobile penetration contributing to an increase in the e-commerce transaction. We can expect Philippine e-commerce to grow though not as fast as in other markets in Asia. Growth will be measured by the limits of infrastructure on hand and some issues on online security, Servando says. Given this situation and the innate fear of Filipinos to shop on the net especially cashless buying, we see the potential of physical stores still growing. They will be needing support from solution providers like us. We continue to see growth in 30 years, he says. Diebold Nixdorf will soon introduce the use of QR codes and biometrics in automated transactions as well as for retail. A local bank plans to adopt the technology to provide better security for its clients. Deibold is celebrating 15 years in the Philippines with a host of new solutions for both the banking and retail sectors. Globally, Diebold Nixdorf has the presence in over 130 countries, supported by 15,000 service members and 1,900 software experts.
Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Bong Go has called on newly elected 5,000 barangay officials of Tarlac to join the governments campaign to solve the big problems of the country. Go made an appeal during the recent mass oathtaking ceremony of barangay officials in Tarlac City, where he called for support for President Rodrigo Dutertes campaigns against illegal drugs, corruption, and criminality. Go told the barangay officials that as foot soldiers of the government in their localities, they know everybody and everything that is going in their areas of responsibility. Go added that for them to ignore this is a dereliction of their duties. Your cooperation and support would be a big help in resolving the main problems of the country like illegal drugs, graft and corruption and criminalities, he said. Go urged the local barangay officials to unite and strive for the good of the communities and the government in general for the benefit of the people.During the mass oath taking, Tarlac Gov. Susan Yap also urged the barangay officials to improve their services so that these can be felt by their constituents. Yap said that barangays must improve their health, education, infrastructure, and livelihoods services in their respective localities for the benefit of the people. The governor added that although the barangay has minimal budget, this shouldnt be reason not to elevate their services to the people. You should know several programs of the province, regional and national offices that help barangays, financial, livelihood projects, and others that improve all the villages of the country, she said. Yap added these projects and assistance must be implemented with full transparency and accountability.
Avianca Holdings S.A., through its subsidiaries, provides passenger and cargo air transportation services in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Europe, South America, and internationally. It also offers aircraft maintenance, crew training, and other airport services to other carriers, as well as travel and cargo related services to its customers. In addition, the company is involved in the ground operations for third-party airlines, and aircraft leasing activities; and operates LifeMiles, a frequent flyer program. As of December 31, 2017, it operated a fleet of 186 aircraft, including 144 jet passenger aircrafts, 30 turboprop passenger aircrafts, and 12 cargo aircrafts. The company was formerly known as AviancaTaca Holding S.A. and changed its name to Avianca Holdings S.A. in March 2013. The company was founded in 1919 and is based in Panama City, Panama. Avianca Holdings S.A. is a subsidiary of Synergy Aerospace Corp.

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Ex-Denmark PM calls on Navotas Mayor Tiangco

posted June 02, 2018 at 09:30 pm by Jun David June 02, 2018 at 09:30 pm

Helle Thorning-Schmidt (right), former Prime Minister of Denmark and current chief executive officer of Save the Children, talks to Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco. Jun David Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark, recently paid a courtesy call on Mayor John Rey Tiangco at the latters office at the Navotas City Hall.As chief executive officer of Save the Children, Thorning-Schmidt checked on the nutrition programs and activities of the city. Tiangco, through the Navotas City Health Office, reported that Navotas has Operation Timbang Plus, Community Deworming and School Monitoring, Supplemental Feeding Program, Micronutrient Supplementation Program, among others. From 2.06 percent in 2016, the citys malnutrition rate dropped to 1.6 percent last year.Asked by Thorning-Schmidt what drives his continued support to the citys nutrition programs, Tiangco answered, Family. Just like every Filipino, I value my family. We want our families to be safe, healthy, and have a better chance in life. We can only secure that if they are healthy and well nourished, he said.

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Have you been keeping an eye on China Travel International Investment Hong Kong Limiteds (SEHK:308) upcoming dividend of HK$0.06 per share payable on the 29 June 2018? Then you only have 2 days left before the stock starts trading ex-dividend on the 05 June 2018. Investors looking for higher income-generating stocks to add to their portfolio should keep reading, as I examine China Travel International Investment Hong Kongs latest financial data to analyse its dividend characteristics. Check out our latest analysis for China Travel International Investment Hong Kong

How I analyze a dividend stock

If you are a dividend investor, you should always assess these five key metrics:

Is their annual yield among the top 25% of dividend payers?

Has it paid dividend every year without dramatically reducing payout in the past?

Has it increased its dividend per share amount over the past?

Does earnings amply cover its dividend payments?

Will it be able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future?

SEHK:308 Historical Dividend Yield Jun 2nd 18

How well does China Travel International Investment Hong Kong fit our criteria?

The current trailing twelve-month payout ratio for the stock is 41.07%, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a payout ratio of 40.38%, leading to a dividend yield of around 3.34%. Furthermore, EPS is forecasted to fall to HK$0.15 in the upcoming year. If dividend is a key criteria in your investment consideration, then you need to make sure the dividend stock youre eyeing out is reliable in its payments. Although 308s per share payments have increased in the past 10 years, it has not been a completely smooth ride. Investors have seen reductions in the dividend per share in the past, although, it has picked up again. Compared to its peers, China Travel International Investment Hong Kong has a yield of 2.44%, which is high for Hospitality stocks but still below the markets top dividend payers.

Story continues

Next Steps:

Keeping in mind the dividend characteristics above, China Travel International Investment Hong Kong is definitely worth considering for investors looking to build a dedicated income portfolio. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, I recommend taking sufficient time to understand its core business and determine whether the company and its investment properties suit your overall goals. Below, Ive compiled three fundamental aspects you should look at:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 308s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 308s outlook. Valuation: What is 308 worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, its not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether 308 is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here.



To help readers see pass the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned.
Angel Vivas, a retired army general and anti-President Nicolas Maduro protester, walks in for a hearing of the Truth Commission in Caracas, Venezuela June 1, 2018. REUTERS/Marco Bello

CARACAS (Reuters) - A former Venezuelan army general famous for taking to the roof of his home with an assault rifle in defiance of President Nicolas Maduro's government has been freed from jail, supporters said.

Angel Vivas, 61, had openly called for rebellion against the socialist government foes view as a dictatorship, and became widely-known to Venezuelans during a standoff at his Caracas residence during 2014 protests.

He left jail late on Friday, footage on social media showed, among 17 people classed as political prisoners by local rights organisation Penal Forum released during a reprieve Maduro said was meant to help national reconciliation.

Opposition critics and rights campaigners say Maduro's government is still holding more than 300 political prisoners, most jailed around demonstrations in 2014 and 2017.

Along with Rivas, the best-known among Friday's releases was Daniel Ceballos, former mayor of the restive western city of San Cristobal. The list did not include militant opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, the best known of Maduro's detained critics.

Video showed Vivas entering a meeting with government officials using a walking stick, and then being feted by supporters as he left the Helicoide prison in Caracas.

"Death to tyranny, long live liberty!" he said, before stating that the terms of his release prohibited him from speaking further to media. Supporters surrounded his car, thanking him and singing the national anthem.

Maduro was re-elected on May 20 for a six-year term, in a vote widely condemned as a farce by the West and major Latin American nations. Two of his most popular rivals, including Lopez, were banned from standing.

The president says he is victim of an "economic war" and coup plot led by the opposition with the backing of Washington.

Venezuelan authorities gave a list of 39 people released on Friday, but Penal Forum said only 20 of them were political prisoners, of whom three had already been freed.

Maduro bristles at the term political prisoners, saying all detainees are there on legitimate charges and convictions, including terrorism and plotting to topple him.

(Reporting by Deisy Buitrago; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; editing by Diane Craft)
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran supports a Russian-led effort to impose Syrian government control over the south of Syria, a senior Iranian security official was quoted as saying on Saturday, amid reports that Damascus is preparing a major military offensive in the area.

Russia said last week that only Syrian army troops should be on the country's southern border with Jordan and Israel.

Syrian government forces, in their strongest position since the early months of the seven-year conflict, have driven rebels out of all territory near the capital Damascus this year.

For weeks there have been reports that the government's next target would be the zone in the south, one of only two large areas left in the hands of fighters seeking to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

Washington says any offensive in the area would violate a ceasefire it has jointly sponsored with Moscow for that part of Syria, and has warned it would take "firm measures" in response.

Rebels control stretches of southwest Syria, bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, while Syrian army troops and allied Iran-backed militias hold nearby territory.

"We strongly support Russian efforts to drive terrorists out of the Syria-Jordan border and to bring the area under Syrian army control," the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, told the Shargh Daily.

He also repeated Tehran's denial that it has military advisors in that part of Syria. Israel says Iranians are operating in the area near its border and has called for Moscow to keep Iranian forces and their allies away from the frontier.

"We have said before that Iranian military advisers are not present in southern Syria and have not participated in recent operations," Shamkhani said.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday discussed the so-called de-escalation zone in southern Syria, where the United States and Russia sponsor a truce, with Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman in Moscow.

(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin)
A militant lawmaker on Saturday assailed the serious lack of a detailed and comprehensive action plan for the rehabilitation of Boracay more than a month after it was closed more than a month ago. The government has arbitrarily declared Boracay closed supposedly for rehabilitation, but apparently, to this day, the government has no clear detailed action plan yet to address the myriad issues confronting the island and its people, including issues of livelihood, environment, land tenurial claims and corporate greed, Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate, member of the Makabayan Bloc, said. This is outrageous given the severe impact of the closure, especially to the ordinary poor people who depend on their survival on the islands tourism industry. Closure without a plan is like putting the carriage ahead of the horse, Zarate added. Zarate was among the lawmakers who joined the House committee on natural resources onsite investigation on Boracay following its closure last April 26. The committee, chaired by LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty headed the investigation, joined by the panels vice chairpersons, Reps. Allen Mangaoang of Kalinga and Jesus Sacdalan of North Cotabato, and Rep. Roger Mercado of Leyte. During the on-site congressional hearing, Zarate said Environment Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo admitted that the inter-agency Task Force Boracay is yet to finalize an Action Plan for the closed island.Given this admission, Zarate said the lack of direction for the rehabilitation has raised apprehensions among communities in Boracay. What is really the governments plan for Boracay? keep it as a top tourism site or make it a casino haven or as a land reform area, as announced by Pres. Duterte? There is a disconnect in these conflicting pronouncements. The people are still looking for answers, Zarate said. Meanwhile, even without an Action Plan, physical and economic displacement of workers and residents and cases demolitions and evictions are taking place, among others. Zarate said that it is undeniable that Boracay needs to be rehabilitated. For many years, even decades, he said the urbanization of the island into a so-called world-renowned tourist destination has posed environmental concerns at it has exceeded the threshold capacity throughout the years. He also took note of the lack of representation from the affected local residents in the rehabilitation task force. Boracay is not just an island but a community of workers, indigenous peoples, performers, vendors and other people living off the commerce in the island. Practically, there are no agricultural lands here. For the most part, the island has been portioned off by big landowners as hotels, restaurants, and leisure parks, Zarate said.
FILE PHOTO: Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak of Barisan Nasional (National Front) and his wife Rosmah Mansor show their ink-stained fingers after voting in Malaysia's general election in Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia, May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's anti-graft commission has called for a statement from the wife of former Prime Minister Najib Razak in its investigation into a former unit of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), two sources at the commission said.

Rosmah Mansor will have to go to the headquarters of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Tuesday to have her statement recorded in connection with investigations into SRC International, one source said.

"The notice was served by MACC officers at the home of the former prime minister today," the source said on Friday.

The sources asked not to be identified as details of the notice have yet to be made public.

Najib, defeated in a stunning election loss last month by his mentor-turned-rival, Mahathir Mohamad, has become the subject of a money-laundering probe. He and Rosmah have been barred from leaving the country.

Najib made a statement to the agency last month about a suspicious transfer of $10.6 million to his bank account.

The sum, however, is just a fraction of billions of dollars allegedly siphoned from state fund 1MDB, a scandal that dogged the last three years of Najib's near-decade-long rule and a key reason why he was voted out in the May 9 election.

Najib has denied wrongdoing.

Attention has focused on Rosmah after police discovered hundreds of luxury handbags and a stash of jewellery and cash during raids on apartments linked to Najib and his family.

Malaysian police have said cash of 114 million ringgit ($28.6 million) and more than 400 handbags were seized. Experts were being brought in to value the jewellery, watches and other seized items.

The state fund, 1 Malaysia Development Berhad, is the subject of money-laundering probes in at least six countries including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore.

The U.S. Justice Department is seeking to recover more than $1.7 billion in assets traceable to funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.

Lawsuits filed in the United States allege more than $4.5 billion was diverted from 1MDB and laundered through a web of shell companies and bank accounts.

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos hailed Friday the peace accord reached in his country, but warned it would take at least 15 years to build a truly peaceful society. Speaking before the UN Labour Organization's annual assembly, Santos stressed that "peace is much more than just silencing the weapons." "Building peace is like building a cathedral; it is a long and complex process that takes time. Brick by brick. And we are just getting started," he added. Santos, who won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end a half-century of armed conflict with the former rebel movement FARC, said this would require "political, economic and social dimensions" that would take at least 15 years. Santos and FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, better known as Timoleon "Timochenko" Jimenez, signed a deal in November 2016 to end the conflict. But peace talks are still underway with the country's last active rebel force, the National Liberation Army (ELN), in Cuba. Santos said he wanted to see "complete peace" in his country, where more than 260,000 people have been killed, nearly 83,000 remain missing and some 7.4 million have been forced to flee their homes over the past 50 years of conflict. The fragile peace agreement could however be upended when Santos steps down in August. Last Sunday, hardline conservative candidate Ivan Duque won the first round of Colombia's presidential elections and is favourite to defeat leftist Gustavo Petro in the June 17 run-off. Duque has vowed to rewrite the FARC deal, which he believes is too lenient on the former guerrillas, and has expressed reservations about the negotiations with the ELN.
By Fathin Ungku

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore will bear some of the cost of the planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, its defence minister Ng Eng Hen said on Saturday, a day after Trump put the meeting back on agenda.

Kim's trip to Singapore, which would be the furthest he would have travelled as leader, poses logistical challenges that are likely to include using Soviet-era aircraft to carry him and his limousine, as well as dozens of security and other staff.

The Washington Post reported earlier that some unresolved logistical issues relating to the summit were who would pay the hotel bills of the leader of the cash-strapped country, whose economy has been squeezed by a series of U.N. and unilateral sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Singapore, a small but wealthy Southeast Asian city-state, is determined to successfully host the summit and is willing to foot at least some of the bill.

"Obviously yes, but it is a cost that we're willing to bear to play a small part in this historic meeting," Ng told reporters without elaborating, when asked if Singapore will be bearing the cost of the summit, which is scheduled for June 12.

Kim Chang Son, the de facto chief of staff for the North Korean government was seen this week at The Fullerton, a centrally located, five-star hotel that is a refurbished government building overlooking the Singapore river. Media reports said he was in Singapore to meet U.S. officials to work out logistics for the summit

The Fullerton was North Korea's lodging of choice, the Washingotn Post said. The presidential suite may set the government back by at least 8,000 Singapore dollars ($6,000) a night, it said.

The hotel declined to povide the room charge for the presidential suite.

There was no confirmation on the location for the meeting between Kim and Trump although there are a number of sites in Singapore that can guarantee security protection, including hotels that have experience hosting high-security events, local media and a Singapore government official said.

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Among the potential venues mentioned as the site of the summit include the Shangri-la Hotel, which hosted Indian Prime Minister and defense chiefs from around the world this weekend, and the Capella hotel on the resort island of Sentosa.

The 348-square meter Shangri-la Suite in the Valley Wing of the Shangri-la was priced at S$10,000 for the June 12 night.

($1 = 1.3383 Singapore dollars)

(Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Editing by Jack Kim and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian government wants to recapture insurgent territory in the southwest through a settlement in which fighters accept state rule or leave, the foreign minister said on Saturday.

Walid al-Moualem also said the United States must withdraw from the Tanf base in the southeast. Damascus has not engaged in talks about the south, and any agreement over that region must include the pullout of U.S. forces, he said.

The southwest, near the borders with Jordan and Israel, remains one of the big chunks of Syria still outside the control of the state, which has recovered swathes of the country with the help of Russian jets and Iran-backed militias.

Rebel factions hold stretches of Quneitra and Deraa provinces in the southwest, bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, while Syrian army troops and allied forces control nearby territory.

Since last year, a "de-escalation" deal, which Russia, the United States and Jordan brokered, has contained fighting there. Washington has voiced concern about reports of an impending army offensive, warning of "firm and appropriate measures" in response to any violations of the ceasefire.

U.S. forces are based in a southern desert pocket further east at Tanf, a strategic highway border crossing with Iraq.

Moualem said the Syrian military had dropped leaflets calling on insurgents in the southwest to either surrender their weapons and settle with the state, or leave.

"We seek, initially, to solve this issue in the ways we have got used to working with, which are reconciliations. If it does not work, that's a different conversation," he told a news conference in Damascus.

Russia has said that only Syrian army troops should be at the southern border with Jordan and Israel, which has waged air strikes in Syria to curb what it fears is Iran's expanding influence.

Tehran supports Moscow's efforts to impose Syrian government control over the south, a senior Iranian security official was quoted as saying on Saturday.

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Moualem added that that Damascus had communicated with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces but no negotiation process had started over the fate of their territory in the north and east.

He said Raqqa city, which the Kurdish-led SDF militias seized from Islamic State with U.S. support, "must be rebuilt and liberated" from any foreign presence.

(Reporting by Ellen Francis; Editing by Andrew Bolton)
President Rodrigo Duterte has asked China to stay away from the Philippine claimed the Spratly Islands, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told his pre-departure news conference Friday night. Before he took the four-hour flight from Manila to Seoul, where he joined President Duterte on the latters first official visit to the Asian country, Cayetano added that aside from Dutertes request to China regarding lending the Philippines billions of pesos worth of loans, that if Beijing stopped entering the disputed Spratly Islands, both countries could be friends. At the same time, Cayetano said China gave assurance to the Philippines regarding the latest incident in the disputed West Philippine Sea, which prompted the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a diplomatic protest against its giant neighbor. Last May 11, a Philippine Navy boat resupplying Filipino troops at the Ayungin Shoal was allegedly challenged and harassed by the Chinese Coast Guard and Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy. Cayetano explained that the note verbale on the incident was filed just recently because it was not settled immediately through dialogue. While he did not elaborate on the issue, the foreign affairs chief said the Philippines already received an assurance from China over the incident. Its how we should talk and how our resupplying would not be hampered. In fact, someone already went here the other day. The conversation was goodcoast guard to coast guard, Cayetano said in Filipino. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China are set to convene negotiations for the crafting of the code of conduct on the South China Sea in August, Cayetano said. But he admitted all parties were still facing challenges on the substance of the COC but assured that the Philippines was keen on pushing for a substantial document. We only have the framework as of now, but this August, there will be a meeting of the Ministers. This time around, like what we had last year, it wont be just the Asean but also our dialogue partners, our strategic partners, theyre all included, he said in Filipino. We intend to push it to get as far as we can, as fast as we can, he added, adding the Philippines expects no less than an effective COC. We want an effective COC, something that we can rely on because the DOC (Declaration of Conduct), a lot has happened (to) it, so we want the COC clear. For example on the environment, how do we protect (it), what will be the arrangement and how do we implement (it), Cayetano said. Last year, the Asean regional bloc and China adopted the COC framework under the Philippines chairmanship, where both parties welcomed the adoption as a sign of progress after 15 years since the 2002 DOC was signed. China, Taiwan and some Asean member states including the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Vietnam have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea. During the Asean Foreign Ministers Retreat in February 2018, Singapores Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan admitted the COC negotiation would be very complicated and will require all parties to ultimately exercise political will to resolve sensitive issues, adding territorial claims would not be resolved with the COC alone. For his part, Cayetano said he was confident Singapore, as the current Asean chair, would steer a fruitful COC negotiation. As Ive said, Singapore is the perfect country to lead us now. (It) is a perfect country to negotiate all of this because they are open-minded and they have this mindset of no-nonsense, get things done, he said. He admitted there was a recent incident: one the long-range bombers and the other in Sandy Cay, and the Philippines has so far received a report of only two incidents of Chinas militarization in the West Philippine Sea in two years under Dutertes regime. The two incidents were far lower than the several incidents of aggressive claims by China during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III. Two incidents in two years, Cayetano said. He slammed the criticisms of the opposition, calling them hyper and paranoid over two incidents done by China. Cayetano said the Duterte administration strategy was different from that of the previous administrations.If the previous administration preferred to announce every movewhich he called loud actionto get the support of other nations, the present administration would rather have bilateral talks. Unlike the leadership of then Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario where it pursued in resolving the dispute with China multilaterally, Cayetano said the present administration was handling it bilaterally through the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism. They try to influence the talks through diplomatic action, including protest. The difference between a protest and other diplomatic action, you solicitor you expect an answer, he added. He said the approach of the diplomatic action if one country did not stop, was: one, through media, where he sees as the extreme one; two, and another most extreme through military force. During the Aquino administration, the DFA pursued a three-pronged diplomatic track approach: 1) diplomatic, through multilateral discussion; 2) political; and 3) legal track, including arbitration. The diplomatic protest is being filed to document any action that may violate any international or local laws; which can be used when a country files an arbitration against the alleged aggressor. None from the Aquino administration pursue a track of military force. Cayetano admitted the Philippines could not file a protest against Chinas long-range bombers since the aircraft landed outside the countrys territory. He was reacting to Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, an American think-tank reporting that nearly all of the Philippines falls within the radius of the bombers. Cayetano said since it was outside Manilas territory, the only thing a country could do was to protest multilaterally or before the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations. But for you to protest about something beyond your territory, something you do not claim, its quite ridiculous. Professionals and experts find that funny, he said in Filipino. Recent aggressive actions were made last week when Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Center of Strategic and International Studies reported that a long-range-missile, including top of the line H-6K long-range strategic bomber, landed in the South China Sea, particularly near the five military bases of the Philippines. Over the past years, China has claimed some of the features of the disputed South China Sea particularly the Philippine-owned-reefs-turned-islands in the Kalayaan Group of Islands (Spratlys) where Beijing has installed weapon system in the region. The reclamation in the South China Sea started when a standoff happened between the Philippines and China after Manila caught Beijing for catching live turtles and other resources within the countrys territory. Chinas activities over the disputed sea have become more visible when the Philippines filed a case before the Arbitral Tribunal and ruled in favor of Manila three years after declaring Beijings 9-dash line claim as excessive and illegal. The Philippines has won an arbitration case against China on July 12, 2016 invalidating Beijings nine-dash line of its so-called Chinese ancient map. China, on the other hand, slammed the order and said it would not recognize the Tribunal ruling, stressing that its claim to the sea is indisputable. Manilas arbitration case is limited to determining the role of historic rights and the source of maritime entitlements in the South China Sea and did not tackle territorial ownership. The Permanent Court of Arbitrations mandate is limited to the interpretation or application of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea. Duterte set aside the ruling to forge better ties with China but vowed to raise it at a proper time during his presidency which ends in 2022.
When North Korea blew up its nuclear test site at Punggye-ri last month it was supposed to be a goodwill gesture that would highlight Pyongyangs willingness to negotiate with the United States. At the time, some warned the move was symbolic anyway because the nuclear test site may have run its course and may no longer have been usable. Now CNN is reporting analysts are saying the whole thing may have been even more symbolic than that and the explosion was likely all a charade for the invited foreign journalists.

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Many were already skeptical considering North Korea invited foreign journalists to witnesss the supposed destruction of the nuclear test site but not weapons experts. We may now know why as analysts say the explosions appeared to be a tad small to actually have destroyed the site. The fact that journalists were reportedly only around 500 meters from the explosions is a good indication that these were small blasts, an official told CNN. And the amount of dust leads us to believe that they were quite superficial.

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U.S. intelligence analysts also appears to back up this skepticism, notes CNN. Preliminary studies suggest the explosions were not strong enough to actually destroy the underground tunnels.

As Trump made official Friday that the June 12 Singapore summit is back on schedule, the president also seems willing to accept the path to denuclearization may be longer than he initially predicted. June 12th, well be in Singapore, Trump said after meeting with Kim Yong-chol, the highest-ranking Pyongyang official to visit the White House in 18 years. It will be a beginning. I dont say and Ive never said it happens in one meeting. Youre talking about years of hostility; years of problems; years of, really, hatred between so many different nations. But I think youre going to have a very positive result in the end. For now the U.S. intelligence community seems to believe that while Pyongyang may agree to give up some weapons as part of its negotiations with the United States, it is unlikely it will agree to destroy everything.
Two more families whose children were killed in the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School shooting in Texas are joining a lawsuit against the gunmans parents, alleging they failed to keep guns away from a monstrous murderer. That means a total of four of the families are now part of this lawsuit against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis that also alleges they failed to get mental health counseling and other services for their son. Pagourtzis, 17, is suspectedof being the gunman who killed eight students and two teachers on May 18 when he rampaged his school with a .38 caliber handgun and a sawed off shotgun.

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Pamela Stanich, the mother of Jared Black, 17, and Shannan Claussen, the mother of victim Christian Riley Garcia, 15, will become the newest plaintiffs next week. That means they will be joining the lawsuit that was initially filed by the parents of Chris Stone, 17, and later joined by the parents of Aaron Kyle McLeod, 15.

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The lawsuit accuses parents Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos of letting their son have access to weapons. If he didnt have the weapons his hidden black rage might well have continued to simmer within, but, the lifes blood of his teachers and peers would not have been so horribly, callously and needlessly spilled. Although Dimitrios Pagourtzis was the one who allegedly pulled the trigger to kill all those people at his school, pressed just as firmly were the fingers of his parents who utterly failed to teach their son any respect for life whatsoever and who negligently and grossly negligently failed to secure their weapons in a reasonable and prudent way and put them directly and proximately into use as authors of community-wide tragedy and incomprehensible loss.

In a Facebook post, Angelica Stone, the sister of Chris Stone, wrote a Facebook post explaining that the lawsuit was not about money. This has NOTHING to do with the money. No amount of money can fill the empty hole in my chest I have to live with everyday that only my brother could fill, Angelica Stone wrote. This has EVERYTHING to do with starting a change. And we believe change starts with the parents being more responsible with their weapons and knowing what their children are doing.
NBC posted a story Friday about a crony of Jared Kushners named Rick Gerson who may have been involved in a still-mysterious backchannel meeting between Trump advisers and officials from Russia and the United Arab Emirates in the Seychelles in January 2017. Gerson, NBC says, was brought into the Seychelles plan through a UAE lobbyist named George Nader when they both attended a different meeting in New York City with Kushner.

(Background: It remains unclear exactly what common interest Trump, Russia, and the UAE might have had at the time, but some evidence suggests that Kushner and erstwhile national security adviser Michael Flynn daydreamed about brokering a sort of Grand Bargain between Russia and the U.S. that would remake Middle East politics to the benefit of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.) (For what its worth, the site I linked to, The Moscow Project, was founded by former Democratic staffers and is affiliated with the left-leaning Center for American Progress thinktank.*)

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The NBC report is only the latest to suggest that George Nader, who is reportedly now cooperating with Robert Muellers investigation, once had very high-level access to the Trump White House. The New York Times has reported that Nader met with Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in August 2016, while the AP has documented Naders close working relationship with Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy. (Broidy recently resigned from his role with the Republican National Committee when reports emerged that hed arranged a $1.6 million NDA payment to a Playboy model. There are open questions about how that situation relates to Trump, but thats a different story.) Axios, meanwhile, reported that Nader visited the White House frequently during the early months of the Trump administration and was friendly with since-ousted adviser Steve Bannon.

Heres the other thing about George Nader: He was convicted of child pornography charges in Virginia in 1991 and of sexually abusing minors in the Czech Republic in 2003.

What is wrong with these people?
We still dont know for sure whether President Donald Trump actually read the letter he received from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before declaring that the Singapore summit was back on. What we do know is that the letter senior North Korean official Kim Yong-chol delivered to Trump wasnt just any ordinary letter. It was large. Huge really. And Trump looks really happy to have received such a huge letter from the hands of the former military intelligence officer who was the most senior North Korean official to visit the White House in 18 years.

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.@POTUS @realDonaldTrump is presented with a letter from North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, Friday, June 1, 2018, by North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol in the Oval Office at the @WhiteHouse in Washington, D.C., followed by a meeting. (Official @WhiteHouse Photos by Shealah Craighead) pic.twitter.com/6a1PgFXS3v  Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) June 1, 2018

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Some on social media quickly noted that such a large envelope can make the presidents hands look smalland we know the president is sensitive about that issue. So could it have been Kim trying to deliver a thinly veiled dig at the president?

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Are we sure the letter is really that big, or are Trumps hands just that small? https://t.co/Qh8Iexatk1  Robert Swartwood (@RobertSwartwood) June 2, 2018

Do you think Trump has any idea that Kim Jong Un is mocking him with this enormous letter? https://t.co/JGBrKcb6Ea  Kevin Drum (@kdrum) June 1, 2018

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A bigly letter from Kim Jong-un. pic.twitter.com/2MIvDMr9uC  SimonNRicketts (@SimonNRicketts) June 1, 2018

Fun photoshopped images aside, that seems highly unlikely. In fact, the comically oversized letter has become a bit of a signature for Kim. Although some think Kim may have thought that Trump would share his love for grand gestures, this wasnt his first time sending a big letter. South Korean President Moon also received a letter of similar size during the Winter Olympics.
President Donald Trumps lawyers sent a confidential, 20-page letter to Special Counsel Robert Mueller in January, laying out all the reasons why the commander in chief should not be subpoenaed. At the heart of the letter is the contention that Trump could not possibly have obstructed justice because the Constitution grants him authority over all federal investigations. The letter, which was obtained and published by the New York Times, illustrates how the presidents lawyers are working overtime to try to prevent the special counsel from issuing a subpoena in an effort to force Trump to answer questions on an obstruction of justice charge.

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In the January letter, the lawyers John Dowd and Jay Sekulow respond negatively to a request to interview the president, arguing in part that hes way too busy running the country. The lawyers list 16 areas that Mueller wanted to question the president about and say the special counsels office already has all the material it needs from documents and other testimony.

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In what the New York Times describes as a brash assertion of presidential power, the presidents lawyers claim he cant actually obstruct the investigation into Russias involvement in the presidential election because Trump has the power to if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon. That broad view of presidential power could be at the heart of any legal battle over a subpoena.

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Yet any battle in the courts may not turn out so well for Trumps attorneys considering their understanding of obstruction of justice law seems to, at the very least, be outdated. In one portion of the letter, the presidents lawyers say investigators are looking into Trump asking then FBI chief James Comey to end the investigation into his former national security adviser Michael Flynn. According to Trumps lawyers, that couldnt have possibly been obstruction because Trump didnt know Flynn was under investigation. But the attorneys cite an outdated statute to make that claim, failing to mention that a broader 2002 law makes it a crime to obstruct an investigation even before it officially starts. The presidents lawyers do not mention this statute, whose existence appears to render several of their arguments beside the point, notes the Times.

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Shortly before the New York Times published its story online there was a hint that something was going to be coming down the pipeline. Earlier on Saturday Trump took to Twitter to complain about the ongoing investigation. When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country, wrote Trump. Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media?
Yet another Aussie coffee company has landed in New York City, albeit with a twist on the usual cafe model. Positioning themselves as a wholesale supplier, Abbotsford Road exists foremost to serve other cafes, and its grandiose tasting-room-cafe-roastery in Brooklyns industrial Gowanus neighborhood is a one-stop shop for a brew, cafe pantry supplies, and extensive coffee training sessions.

Abbotsford Road is the project of ex-Brisbanites Karl Jameson, Logan Kedwell, and Phillip Di Bella, the latter of whom once owned a shop named Di Bella Coffee, on Brisbane's Abbotsford Road, offering inspiration for the name of the group's newest venture across the hemispheres.

The Gowanus space opened in late 2017, a 27,000-square-foot warehouse with all sorts of toys on display, from a gleaming new Sanremo Opera to an even shinier 60-kilo IMF Roaster, which dishes out coffees twice a week. Sacks of green beans stack atop one another, exemplifying the companys wide access to green coffee thanks to a sourcing program Di Bella established in Melbourne, while the cafe area hosts an ice-cream-parlor-esque display of roasted coffee to take home. Simply grab a scooper and take your pick of whats cookin that week.

As Kedwell and I sit and chat about our recent moves to the city (mine from Los Angeles and his from Brisbane), we also piece together what makes Abbotsford Road different in not only the Australian coffee scene here, but also the New York coffee scene as a whole. And in this world of heated cafe competition, he asks, Why cant we all just be friends? He answers his own question with Abbotsford Roads business approach, which is to help the middleman. Indeed, Abbotsford has no plans to open additional retail space.

We dont want to compete with anyone, he insists.

While the roasting company is open to providing coffee for any business, the main focus has been bringing beans to cafes around the city, along with providing employees extensive training for it. With a growing number of cafes and entrepreneurs inspired by the specialty coffee movement, Kedwell welcomes everyone to the club, and has so far established a small circle of wholesale accounts throughout New York, including spots like Paradigm and Gold Roast Cafe.

Also, while Abbotsford Road does offer single-origin coffees, their focus is mostly on a variety of light, medium, and dark blends. In addition to providing education and beans, Abbotsford has supplies like chai concentrates and flavor syrups on site for clients to grab and go as they refill and restock.

Still fresh to the scene, Abbotsford Road has big plans for the coming months. The team already has a coffee subscription service and offers free coffee classes for the public, which cover all grounds from an introduction to specialty coffee to latte art skills.

With a massive new space and big goals to educate and inform, Abbotsford Road has a lot of promises to hold up to in New York over the coming year. They may end up casually competing with the natives after all.

Katrina Yentch is a Sprudge contributor based in New York City. Read more Katrina Yentch on Sprudge.
There was a light drizzle in the air as I made my way to Ampere Cafe. It was 6:45 on a Sunday morning, and a quiet rain fell upon the mostly empty streets of Shibuya. The cafe was down an alleyway, a warm glow of orange light against a backdrop of grey concrete.

I yawned. I couldnt help wondering what Id dragged myself out of bed for on an early Sunday morning.

Inside, Eito Ogura and Kazuo Shinbo were preparing coffee and eggs benedict for the sleepy people filtering into Ampere for a weekend breakfastit's this food and drink pairing that sits at the heart of the once-a-month pop-up event called Asagohan, or translated to English, simply breakfast.

Ogura and Shinbo say they want to bring early morning coffee and breakfast culture to Tokyo, having discovered it on exchange study trips to Canada and Australia, where they first met. Upon returning to Tokyo, the two looked for a way to combine their interestscoffee and foodand realized that in their shared love of breakfast culture was an opportunity.

For Japanese people, Ogura says, especially in Tokyo, most people wake up as late as possible, and head straight to work, often without eating breakfast. But when I worked early shifts at cafes in Australia, I noticed lots of people came in early, before work. It was a part of their lifestyle, and I really liked that.

I think both our lives changed by living overseas, adds Shinbo. We experienced new ways of life, and met people who were making a living doing what they wanted. I think we realized we wanted to do that, too.

I chatted with a few other visitors at the eventAsagohans fourth, which featured Sangenjayas Coffee Wrights along with an eggs benedict of smoked salmon and sukiyaki brisketwho were a mixed group of baristas, shop employees, and cafe-hoppers. As we ate and drank, they told me that the getting up part was hard, but that having a kickstart to their Sunday was worth it.

What we want to do, says Ogura, is help make morning culture a part of peoples lives here. If you wake up to a good breakfast, especially on the weekend, you have the whole rest of the day ahead of you. Its a good feeling.

Yeah. I think sometimes Japanese people have a tendency to tilt the work-life balance too far towards work, says Shinbo, who adds that he hopes his dishes help people enjoy their mornings a little more.

Ogura says that their first eventa pairing of avocado toast with Kumamotos AND Coffee Roasterswent much better than expected, and opened the door to collaborations with Glitch Coffee Roasters and Trunk Coffee for breakfast dishes like French toast and omelettes.

And while not having a dedicated space of their own yet sometimes makes preparations complicated for the pair, the flip side of setting up in brand new locations each month means making it easier for new people to attend, and giving regulars the chance to explore a new part of Tokyo on their days off.

And though Ogura and Shinbo talk of someday taking Asagohan to rural parts of Japan and setting up a dedicated restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for the time being theyre happy simply developing their Tokyo events and building a community of morning people to help spread the word about breakfast culture.

And this community is perhaps the best thing about the event outside of the food and drink itself; the Asagohan event feels unique for the way it brings people together and encourages them to talk. People sit wherever there is space, and because the meal and the coffee are always set, they make for an easy, gentle springboard into conversation with the people at your table.

And so, while I sat sipping at coffee and chatting with a Malaysian and a Taiwanese barista about weekend plans, I felt awake and pleasantly full of food; satisfied and surrounded in a warm buzz of conversation.

I felt like if this was what morning culture meant to Ogura and Shinbo, then I was starting to understand the appeal of getting up a little earlier on the weekends.

Find out more about Asagohan and keep up to date with their events on Facebook and Instagram.

Hengtee Lim (@Hent03) is a Sprudge.com staff writer based in Tokyo. Read more Hengtee Lim on Sprudge.

Photos courtesy of Kazu_Poon.
Bodega Wine Bar has been a part of Santa Monicas fabric since 2006. Originally a bar focusing on wine and beer, Bodega is a favorite happy hour spot for locals looking to get a drink and wind down after work. As of January of this year, the owners, Jason McEntee and Greg Seares, decided to expand the bar to house a full coffee program, thus turning Bodega into a cafe in the daytime.

Over the years, Santa Monicas Silicon Beach, an area home to over 500 tech companies, has rapidly grown and transformed the beach-side city into an industrial hub. In response, businesses catering to tech companies have given Santa Monica a revival of sorts.

When Bodega opened back in 2006, the neighborhood was fairly quiet, Seares says. There were a few retail businesses, a vacant lot, a car repair shop and a lot of apartments. In the past five years, Silicon Beach has become a thing, so the development of new living, retail, and office spaces has vastly increased the neighborhood foot traffic.

McEntee and Seares decided that since they already had a space, theyd utilize it to offer good coffee in the area where there previously was none within walking distance. They looked to Canaan Vallejos to oversee the coffee program. Vallejos started his career in coffee 11 years ago in Colorado. After upping his barista skills, he landed a gig at Sightglass in San Franciscoas production supervisor where he worked closely with the roasters and green coffee buyer. From there, he transitioned into roasting with Andytown Coffee Roasters. Now, he is leading Bodegas coffee undertaking.

Although the coffee came later at Bodega, its by no means secondary. Vallejos has really put his passion and coffee experience into the program. Starting with the water, the equipment at Bodega has been carefully selected. The water is filtered with Everpures MRS-600HE-II Reverse Osmosis System, giving the baristas full control of the water environment. The beans are ground on Mahlkonigs Guatemala 710 and Nuova Simonellis Mythos One Clima Pro grinders. For their drink of choice, visitors can opt for drip from a Fetco 2132 XTS Twin 3L brewer or espresso from La Marzoccos 2-group Linea PB. Theres also nitro cold brew from Verve on tap, perfect for cooling down in the heat. The coffee will of course draw the crowds, but the sleek interior of the cafe is also inviting and novel.

The elements of the bar are elegantly lit by the LA sunshine coming in through the windows. Natural light in the space highlights the interior design with exposed brick, teak wood craftsmanship, and leather and wicker furniture. The seating area is furnished with long tables and stoolsperfect for those looking for a place to work, along with couches paired with coffee tables. Coffee can be enjoyed until 5:00pm, but wine and beer are available all day long.

Its an exciting time in third wave specialty coffee, so though we launched with Verve Coffee Roasters, our long-term goal is to share wonderful coffee with people by featuring new and existing talent with rotating roasters, Seares says, adding that Bodega also serves Sightglass and Kilogram Tea. They also offer pastries like classic croissants and monkey bread from nearby Larder Baking Co.

The cafe at Bodega has only been open for about half a year, but theyve already gained a sizable following. Its no surprise, since the nearby tech workers need their daily pick me up, after all. Soon, they may even be able to get their lunch thereBodega has a cafe food menu in the works. Brunch in LA, anyone?

Tatiana Ernst (@TatianaErnst) is a Sprudge staff writer based in Los Angeles. Read more Tatiana Ernst on Sprudge.
It's here! The 2018 Build-Outs of Summer is finally here. And it only seems fitting to start out our sixth season much in the same way that each of the cafes we will be featuring over the coming months begin their journey: with a blueprint. Blueprint Coffee, that is.

Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Blueprint is a well-known brand in the specialty coffee world, and we are pleased as punch to start this year's series of Builds with their second location, opening in no time flat just off the famed Route 66; they are setting a high bar for all who follow. So let's get this summer started right and check in with Blueprint Coffee, shall we?

As told to Sprudge by Mike Marquard.

For those who arent familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Blueprint Coffee opened in September of 2013. It is a collective ownership group of six passionate friends, most of who worked together in the St. Louis coffee and restaurant space from 2006-2013. Our first location on St. Louis' famous Delmar Loop houses both our roasting operation and first coffee bar. Out of this space we have grown both in local reputation and customer-base as well as established ourselves as a national wholesale roaster.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

The new location sits just a half block off of one of the Route 66 routes through St. Louis. It was this heavy traffic that established many of the storied St. Louis businesses that will be our neighbors, such as Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (it really is good, boys and girls) and Donut Drive-In. The building has served as an auto-repair shop for the last 70+ years, but with some love and vision will become a very interactive coffee space. We have preserved four of the original five garage openings and will keep those doors open when weather permits so that our space stretches outside. Our original location on Delmar is extremely limited when it comes to outdoor seating, so this new potential on Watson is very exciting for us.

Whats your approach to coffee?

We buy coffee seasonally and, as often as possible, from the same partners at origin year after year. In the last five years, we've established some amazing relationships and gotten to work at origin on both actively aerated compost tea and processing projects. We typically offer three single origin coffees, a filter blend called Tekton, an espresso blend called Penrose, and a single origin decaf coffee. The single origin and blend ratios last two to four months before being rotated. Even within our blends, we're focused on mutual beneficial partnerships at origin and sourcing seasonal coffees.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

For sure! We're quite excited about our Marco SP9 single-cup brewer. We're hoping it allows us to continue to offer a wide variety of black coffees every day like we've done at Delmar with our hand brew menu, but we feel it will only increase the consistency of these brews. We've also got a six tap system set up and plan to offer a wide-variety of cold beveragesfrom cold brew to nitro to our fruit shrubs maybe even some sparkling and still iced teas. We feel like this will be a nice compliment to our menu in the hot summer months of St. Louis. Also the NA craft beverage industry is an market we feel like can only improve. Sugary soda's and juice seem to dominate that market, but we've start tinkering with tea and coffee derivatives that are quite delightful and complex.

Whats your hopeful target opening date/month?

June 2018

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that youd like to mention?

Yes, we started with the direction of Allison Mendez and Jonathan Stitelman, two Blueprint Coffee regulars that teach in the architecture and urban planning realm. We then took some of their vision for the space to Mademan Designs (Nick Adams) and the Lloyd Brothers (Joe and Phil), who created many of our tables and fixtures at Delmar to bring some continuity to the Blueprint Coffee atmosphere.

Thank you!

You're welcome!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.
HOMEWARD BOUND. Workers in Sarangani in Mindanao take the jeepney, a popular mode of public transportation in the Philippines and an ubiquitous symbol of the culture of the Land of the Morning, known for crowded seating and kitsch decorations, as the wage earners negotiate the meandering country roads while others start going to their work in the nearby shipyards. Sonny Espiritu

President Rodrigo Duterte has been urged to certify as urgent a bill seeking to impose a national minimum wage of P750 in face of rising commodity prices blamed on the newly implemented Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law. ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio told a forum this weekend in Quezon City his group in the House had filed a measure and challenged the Duterte administration to give the bill priority when Congress resumes session following the sine die adjournment. In House Bill 7787, the seven-member Makabayan Bloc sought to apply the P750 national minimum wage to all enterprises, regardless of location, size or industry classification. The Congress was on sine die adjournment from June 3 to July 23. Sessions will resume on July 24, when both chambers of the legislature will convene for the State of the Nation Address of Duterte. This followed Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello IIIs statement on Tuesday that workers could expect an increase in their salaries in June to cushion the impact of rising costs of goods and services. The instructions of the President were very clear: to address the issue of rising prices, Bello said in Filipino. But he said the wage hike might not be as high as the P750 sought by labor groups, because that could result in fewer jobs as employers might be unable to absorb the higher cost. Noting the urgency of the situation, Bello said the regional wage boards had been ordered to speed up discussions on the wage adjustments. He said representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic and Development Authority, and Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board would meet with labor groups on Wednesday, June 5 to tackle their demand for higher pay. He said demands for a higher national minimum wage must go through Congress.The President said the immediate need can be met by the wage boards. In the long term, Congress can address the issue of the minimum wage, Bello said.The biggest labor federation on Tuesday rejected the P18 to P23 wage increase proposed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines. Alan Tanjusay, spokesman for the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said that while labor groups are asking for P800 across-the-board daily minimum wage for all workers nationwide, the P1,200 a day is the right amount needed by a family to live above poverty line. The labor group said it welcomed Dutertes move to order the 17 regional wage boards to hold emergency meetings amid extraordinary increases in the prices of commodities and surges in the cost of services. We urge the businessmen and the government to desist from pre-empting the wage board process by issuing statements as to how much the wage board can decide. We urge employers and business owners to listen to poors appeal for equality and do not disrespect their struggle for better lives. Let us not provoke them with these unnecessary and uncalled for statements, Tanjusay said in a statement. Let us stop insulting these aspirations and avoid making jokes to the poor, he said. The group is urging employers and business owners to respect the proposed P800 and P750 wage hike proposals because it is the aspirations of the millions of impoverished Filipinos left behind by economic growth to live decent lives. BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the wage board can only grant a P18-P20 increase in daily minimum wage. ECOPs Edgardo Lacson, on one hand, also said employers can only afford P23. The ALU-TUCP supports House Bill 7787 which proposes a uniform P750 national minimum wage. Tanjusay said they are throwing their support behind the bill because it needs an additional push since many lawmakers represent the vested interests of employers.
At 37, Kees Kraakman is approaching two decades in specialty coffee. The Netherlands knows him as a whiz kid, first taught to cup and roast by Jacob Boot, father of the brothers who today head Boot Coffee and Boot Koffie. Back in 2012, he launched pop-up Amsterdam espresso bar SOK and afterwards, for five years, ran roastery Stadsbranderij Noord. Still, Kraakman has largely stayed behind the scenes.

The opening of Cafe Keppler this past June in Amsterdam North might have been an opportunity for basking in glory. Yet when asked if it was always the plan to have his own place, Kraakman makes clear that he is not ready to revel.

This should be my magnum opus, yeahIm definitely not 100% satisfied at this point, he dryly replies, while conceding, but this is the first time that I really took a gamble and a plunge to put up something like this.

Like its neighbors, the cafe won the right to establish itself on Van der Pekplein in a city contest for small businesses. Red awnings and butter-hued fenestration unite the storefronts, though Kepplers corner spot and outdoor seating give it a sense of sprawl. Wraparound windows let lots of light in, warming the early 20th-century furnishings. The ceiling impresses, its wooden slats geometrical fashioning simultaneously evoking a classical music chamber and a Scandinavian sauna.

Restaurateur Mike Lubben, Kepplers co-owner, adds to the harmony. The men have distinct responsibilitieshes the real HORECA [HotelRestaurantCafe] guy, and Im the coffee guy, notes Kraakmanthough their values align. We share the same vision in how we want to be open for everybody, so really, a neighborhood cafe with quality products.

It was not for nothing that they named the venue after Arie Keppler, a social-democratic champion of public housing in Amsterdam. Kraakman says he liked the surnames alliteration with cafe. That word was selected for its Dutch connotation of grand cafe, signaling not only specialty coffee, but a full food and drink menu, with alcohol and borrelhapjes (bar snacks).

In 1999, when Kraakman began working for the Boots, he was not cuckoo for coffee. He had simply grown up in the town where the familys shop, The Golden Coffee Box, was located and was ready to move on from his job as a childrens train conductor at the Amersfoort zoo. After a decade at Boot, he left, moved to Amsterdam, and became a barista at Espressofabriek. Thanks in part to him, several of Kraakmans colleagues would become Amsterdams most respected micro-roastersOnno van Zanten of Stooker and Francesco Grassotti of White Label Coffee among them.

In an email to Sprudge, Grassotti calls Kraakman his coffee hero, crediting him as his roasting fundamentals teacher and the reason he is paired with his White Label partner, Elmer Oomkens.

I dont think there are roasters here in the Netherlands who have more knowledge of roasting coffee than he has, writes Grassotti. Of a dinner that Kraakman co-organized to introduce Oomkens to the local coffee industry, Grassotti recalls: Kees told me he really wanted us to meet each other because he thought we would like each other. The gathering ended, he continues, with Elmer next to me, to never leave my side again! In a way, on that evening, Kees created the fundamentals of White Label Coffee.

The six-kilo Giesen that handles Keppler Koffie has its own premises nearby. Although Kraakman is there on Fridays, he calls his apprentice, Bart Feberwee, the main roaster. The standard collection comprises five single origins, their Brazil-Sumatra-Yirgacheffe North Blend and, somewhat controversially, their South Blend. This Peruvian and Brazilian mixits profile advertises a tribute to temperamental Italyis the result of Kraakmans tedious experimentation with roasting past second crack, longer than he was ever taught to do or most peers would condone. But he has his reasons.

Im aware of the fact that a lot of people dont like specialty coffee[including] friends of minebecause of the acidity, he states.

Referring to construction workers, notably those who helped erect Keppler, he reveals: All the aannemers and the bouwvakkers, they are complaining continuously about sour coffee. Aaah, youre building this roastery with your sour coffee. Oh, boo, boo, boo!

So when it comes to this clientele, he explains, I give them this South Blend, and they say, Wow, finally. This is good coffee.

A similarly pragmatic attitude informs the decision to offer batch-brewed cups of single origins for 1.90. The Infusion Series BUNN, besides being efficient, also fits in the mindset of a lot of people, he says. If you just tap a mug of coffee, that looks so much easier for a customer than if you see somebody weighing and dosing and measuring.

For espresso, there is a two-group Synesso Cyncra. Grinders are a Nuova Simonelli Mythos One, an Anfim Caimano Barista, and a Mazzer Kony.

On a fall afternoon, Kraakman can be found sitting in a back room, flanked by his old one-kilo Giesen and Kees van der Westen Spirit Duette. It is here that he holds SCA-certified intro-to-coffee and roasting courses, part of working in his capacity as European lead trainer for Willem Boot.

Im really happy that were open and finally done, but at the same time, it was a terrible year because [it took] a lot of energy and frustrationsleepless nights, Kraakman says. Im getting proud of it, but I think in two years time, I will be much more proud of it. Theres a lot of minor details we still need to fill in. (Minutes before, Kraakman asked me by what color I might like to conduct an interview. He then proceeded to adjust the ceiling lights until they glowed a faint green approximating some of Keppler Koffies packaging.)

Incidentally, printed on those bags is the tangram duo from the company logo, designed by Hilje Oosterbaan and Casper Schipper. The front shows an aproned silhouette nobly holding up a tray. On the back appears a bowing tray-bearer in a tailcoat. They call to mind just what Kraakman is successfully negotiating between: specialty coffees peacocking and the humility required to fulfill a neighborhoods real cafe needs.

Karina Hof is a Sprudge staff writer based in Amsterdam. Read more Karina Hof on Sprudge.
Coffee Design is proudly sponsored by Savor Brands , your boost in coffeedence through maximizing designs in packaging, sustainability and tech.

Good opened its doors in Portland's Southeast neighborhood in 2014. Since then, the multi-roaster cafe transitioned to a roaster and opened a second cafe (with another on the way). The company is now braving the exciting, adventurous world of bottling coffee beverages for the ever-growing ready-to-drink category. In a sea of cold brew bottles and cans, Good's choice of bottle shape and minimal (yet colorful) label stands out. We talked to owner Sam Purvis to find out more.

Good Coffee now bottles RTD beverages. What are you currently offering?

Yes we do! We are currently in what we are calling Chapter One of our RTD program. We've built out a small warehouse here in Portland for brewing and packaging RTD drinks. We're offering only cold brew for sale at this time. We wanted to venture into RTD slowlyproduct development is expensive and mistakes costly. Chapter Two is something we're just now starting to venture into (planning, design, etc) and it will involve a lot of new product developmenta number of new beverages in the coffee category, and a couple beverages not coffee based at all. Chapter Two will have an emphasis on forced carbonation. We love sparkling drinks and are very excited to give our guests access to some take-away beverages that are fun, refreshing and spritzy.

Where is it available?

You can buy bottled bevi's from us at either of our stores, we'll also have them on offer at our new NW Portland cafe when it opens in May. While a small distribution strategy is in the works, we're going to be slow moving on this and most likely won't push on it until we have 2018 growth projects finished and stabilized.

What's the price?

We sell 12 oz. bottles for $4 and and have four-packs available as well at a discounted bulk price.

Any plans on new flavors/milks?

Yes! Lots of fun ideas we're kicking around as we start to get into Chapter Two. We'll lean into our current cast of collaborators on new beverages: Superjugoso, Portland maker of DELICIOUS natural/seasonal reductions; Jacobsen Salt, whenever we can integrate their products; Mizuba Tea Co, Song Tea, etc. Alt milks are a must on milk beveragesbetter shelf life too.

Who designed the bottle?

This was kind of a hand-off project. General layout concept was developed by Kylie Freeman who had done some really great brand work for us prior. During this project, we were in the process of moving design fully in-house. Shawnie Fortune worked in our cafes and is a really talented designer and we were able put her on part-time salary for design work. She put the final touches on this project and has been on point with everything we've done moving forward, new store, new packaging concepts, web, etc. She rocks.

Is RTD the future?

I don't think I know enough to know. I mean, it is interesting the part RTD has played in coffee companies (both growth and acquisition) in the last number of years. I have a friend who is in restaurants and he goes to these big conferences where they talk about macro trends. They were saying that packaged goods are definitely a big growth market for specialty brands right now, yes. I think for us the push into RTD came out of a desire to be a diverse company, and a desire to make things. Our company is built on one thing: creating delight. There are two ways we've said we're really focused on doing this in the future: creating really great hospitality experiences for our guests in our own stores, and creating and making really delightful things (products). In both scenarios the guest is the hero. They're the bar we're trying to raise to. We really want to give them a good time.

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge.
Coffee Design is proudly sponsored by Savor Brands , your boost in coffeedence through maximizing designs in packaging, sustainability and tech.

Montreal-based roasting company Kittel revamped their look this year. Going with the popular box packaging, Kittel worked with independent creative consultant Marc-Andre Rioux along with Dutch illustrator Timo Kuilder to create a colorful line of coffees with a vintage travel poster inspired motif. We talked to Liam Robichaud, Director of Coffee & Quality Control at Kittel, to learn more.

Tell us a bit about your company!

Seven years ago, Guillaume Kittel-Ouimet left his successful career as a financial risk manager and struck out on his own to begin a career in coffee. He bought a small sample roaster, took a course on roasting coffee in nearby Vermont, and in his own apartment he began to experiment.

Now weve built a small team and in our humble warehouse in the Rosemont neighbourhood of Montreal we roast coffee for around 60 or so wholesale clients. As a company, Kittel is young and energetic. After years of focusing entirely on the quality of the product in the bag, we were finally ready for a makeover.

When did the coffee package design debut?

We launched the new packaging to select few wholesale partners the week before Christmas 2017, and officially switched over in January of this year.

Who designed the package?

We worked together with Marc-Andre Rioux, an independent creative consultant who came highly recommended by some of his former colleagues at Montreal advertising agency, Cossette.

It was Marc-Andre who helped us define our concept of Collections. We wanted to simplify the experience of shopping for new and unique coffees so rather than grouping coffees by origin, we decided to group them by flavour profile, or mood if you will. This allows us to introduce someone who likes earthy, nutty coffees from Brazil to coffee from Peru, Burundi, or Indonesia. Similarly, we can show lovers of Ethiopian and Kenyan coffee, the quality of microlots from Colombia, Guatemala, or Brazil.

So as to avoid over-complication, we limited our collections to the four most commonly requested types of offering:

Classic: Rich, full-bodied coffees, with bittersweet, notes of chocolate and roasted nuts and limited acidity. Perfect for espresso, milk drinks, and a no-frills, any-day-of-the-week cup.

Signature: Crowd-pleasing coffees with notes of fruit balanced with notes of chocolate, caramel, pastry. These coffees are equally remarkable on espresso or filter.

Discovery: Bright, vibrant, fruity, aromatic and even floral coffees to excite the palate and wow your friends. These are the coffees to get for the person who has tried everything.

Decaf: The name says it all. Well just about. We want to source and roast decaf that doesnt feel like an afterthought. Truth be told, its not uncommon to spot us at the roastery enjoying a cup of our single estate Colombian decaf when weve had enough caffeine before weve had enough coffee.

Tell us more about the art depicted on the coffees.

While Marc-Andre helped us to define the aesthetic of the new branding, from the packaging to the logo and typography, it was the extraordinarily talented Dutch illustrator, Timo Kuilder who provided the imagery on the front of the boxes.

We knew that we wanted illustrations that were inviting, familiar, and timeless. This is why the style might be described as vintage or retro. There is an element of travel posters from the early 20th century and a touch of cartoons from the 80s. Each image focuses on an individual, in the midst of some event that is objectively exciting but in spite of their unique surroundings, all they can focus on is their cup of coffee.

Why are aesthetics in coffee packaging so important?

For us as the roaster, aesthetics are secondary. For years, we roasted coffee and put it in plain white bags with our name and some info about the origin. Quality is whats important to us: quality of the product we source, and quality of the roasts we serve to our customers.

With that being said, there is another factor to consider. How do we introduce ourselves to new customers. If someone hasnt had a chance to taste the coffee yet, theyre going to judge it the only way they can: visually. Through the process of this rebranding, we have learned that aesthetics are very relevant, and we are so proud to hear from customers that they love the new look.

What type of package is it and where is it manufactured?

When we set out to do this rebranding, we knew that we wanted packaging with as little environmental impact as possible but we were not willing to sacrifice customer experience. It had to be engaging, beautiful, easy to display, and yet still be able to be reused, recycled, or even to break down and return to the earth from which it came.

Only one option consistently stood out from the rest: boxes. Boxes stand straight up, they stack easily and in an attractive way, making them perfect for retail displays at our partner cafes and stores. And whats more, even the most beautiful boxes could be made from recycled materials and be themselves easily recycled. Our own boxes are produced here in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, at Imprimerie Dumaine. They are made of FSC certified cardboard and printed with vegetable based inks.

Inside the box, we still had to use a bag, and so we knew right from the start it had to be compostable. We worked together with TekPak, a Canadian company making their own brand of Omnidegradable coffee packaging. With their help, we were able to procure 100% biodegradable bags (even the valve). Combined with our recycled and recyclable boxes, we felt that we were finally able to meet our goal of a product which is both sustainable and memorable.

Where is it currently available?

Currently we are available at numerous shops around Montreal and the surrounding region, and were starting to be offered at shops in other provinces. Better still, customers all across Canada can order online and we ship for free on orders of $30 or more.

We are also beginning to hear from cafes in the US that want to partner with us, so you may begin to see us on that side of the border.

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge.

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Coffee Design is proudly sponsored by Savor Brands , your boost in coffeedence through maximizing designs in packaging, sustainability and tech.

About 7,000 people call Cazenovia, New York home including Sam Bender and Kelsey Ball, founders of Peaks Coffee Company. Peaks Coffee Co. opened in the Summer of 2015 and last October debuted a fresh new look for their coffee offerings. They worked with designer Lottie Caiella to give the branding an Upstate New York camp vibe. We talked to Sam Bender to learn more.

Tell us a bit about Peaks Coffee Co.

Our company was founded in July 2015 between myself (Sam Bender) and Kelsey Ball (my now wife as of this past fall). Both Kelsey and I suffer from anxiety and depression. It was so challenging for Kelsey in her senior year of high school, that she had to be placed on homebound learning. One day when her mental health was at an all-time low, her dad told her a phrase wed both come to lean on; that life is about enjoying the peaks and enduring the valleys.

Having been shaped by both our peaks and valleys, our goal of this company began as a desire to create a place where people of any and all backgrounds can enjoy a great cup of coffee with a friend.

We wanted to fill a hole in the market with roasting as well. Over the past few years we have started working with a roasting consultant, and establishing partner producers in Colombia through Campesino Specialty Coffee. Our goal is to source seasonally and roast fresh.

When did the coffee package design debut?

We spent roughly a year (from concept to execution) working towards our rebranding. We launched our rebrand on our second birthday, October 3rd, 2017.

Who designed the package?



Our rebrand was done by our good friend and self-taught graphic designer, Lottie Caiella (@thecaiellas). She is based out of Upstate herself and in spending time in both Washington state as well as LA, she is as equally passionate about delicious coffee as we are. Shes been known to infuse most of her designs with a classic Upstate NY feel; pine trees and the like, and as our passions have always been in alignment she was a logical choice to help us translate our vision for the rebrand into something truly us.

What coffee information do you share on the package?

You can find the basics (our logo and information specific to each coffee) as well as our standard brew recipe and our mantra across each box (with no shortage of pine trees too, of course). We do our best to customize our labels to match each coffees vibe (color-wise), and they display the tasting notes, origin, producer, process, varietal, and altitude of each coffee. To keep things fun, we continued our branding on the inside of the box which is a sweet little surprise when folks crack the box open after theyve taken it home.

What's the motivation behind that?

By nature (excuse the pun) we are a product of Upstate, NY therefore we inherently have a somewhat camp-y vibe. However, we are still working every day to advocate for our product and industry in this part of the country as a legitimate product. When we rebranded, we wanted our product to evoke our modern camp vibes while representing quality and care.

What are some of the improvements made in the packaging?

When we started out, we were a tiny roasting company. This meant we were hand stamping all of our bags and could afford to do so. We used brown Biotre bags, stamped, and printed our labels in house. We were small enough to do a few packages and distribute them around town.

Our old packaging was relatively fragile and did a poor job communicating who we are as a company or perhaps more importantly, what sort of flavors and experiences lied inside. Not only did we overhaul the visual components, but we wanted our new package to withstand being tossed into your backpack for a drive up to Maine.

As we transitioned into becoming primarily a wholesale business, we needed to streamline our production. We now use custom professionally printed boxes and labels.

We wanted to create a product for consumer and business alike that when they looked at a package from Peaks, they knew what our aesthetic and mission was right away without having to be in our shop.

Why are aesthetics in coffee packaging so important?

Since prioritizing communicating our brand via our packaging, weve seen across the board an overwhelmingly positive response from customers both in our shop as well as at stockists businesses. We always felt like aesthetics were important to us, but have truly learned a great deal in what that actually looks like in this year since rebranding. If we neglect putting as much care into the visual representation of our product as we do in actually sourcing and roasting amazing coffee, weve failed to do a complete job.

Where is the box manufactured?

The box is currently printed by The Mid-York Press in Sherburne, NY. All of the board comes from GP Mills in Baton Rouge.

For package nerds, what type of package is it?

The boxes are on .018 SBS (Solid Bleached Sulphate). They are PEFC, SFI, FSC certified. These cartons were coated with a Matte Coating which provided the flat finish and the textured surface. The carton was printed on our Xerox Igen 150 using Matte Dry Ink which is FDA approved for consumable goods.

Is the package recyclable/compostable?

The packaging is 100% recyclable.

Where is it currently available?

Our packaging is currently available at our retail location in Cazenovia and around the Syracuse region with our partners. Soleil Cafe (@soleil_cafe) and Flour and Salt Bakery (@flourandsalt) are two well known retailers in the local area. We also work with multi-roasters out of state and they will pick up some cases to sell. You can also buy online at www.peakscoffeeco.com.



Location: Cazenovia, NY

Country: United States

Design Release: October, 2017

Designer: Company: Peaks Coffee Co.Location: Cazenovia, NYCountry: United StatesDesign Release: October, 2017Designer: Lottie Caiella

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge.
Coffee cocktail-making virtuosi Vito Sportelli and Andrea Peconio have been crowned champions at the 2018s Coffee Mixologists tournament at Amsterdam Coffee Festival. The Italians battled seven other teams of two, across four rounds, over the three days of last month's festival in Holland. Sponsored by Tia Maria, Sanremo, and Daarnhouwer in its second year, Coffee Mixologists is fast emerging as a major new competitive coffee event, and carries with it a sizable cash prize.

While 2017s winners were a Dutch barista and bartender duo who proved to be deft partners in drink-making (and as of January, baby-making), this years title and 1,000 prize went to close-knit colleagues. Both are trainers at Barproject, a beverage events and consulting company in Bari, the seaport city located where, if Italys boot were imagined cowboy-style, the spur would jut. A 39 year old from Conversano, Sportelli also runs his own cocktail catering company, Aperinfresco, and 28-year-old Peconio moonlights as head bartender at Kabuki, a club, bar, and restaurant in his hometown of Bari.

Sportelli and Peconios signature drink, called the Terrone, combined two coffees from Italian specialty roaster Edo Quartaa natural Colombian Quindio Villa Roa and a washed Kenyan Karindundo Nyerywith booze aplenty. An ibrik warmed up the spirits before smoking them and incorporating angostura bitters, thyme, and cascara.

For the second year of the tournament, returning judges included Anne Lunell, co-founder of Swedish roaster Koppi, and Hani Asfdaai, acclaimed bartender and owner of Noah in Rotterdam. New to adjudication this year was 2017 London Coffee Masters champion James Wise, and serving as the affable and enthusiastic MC was Dave Jameson, a twice-crowned UK Coffee in Good Spirits champion and coffee program manager at Bewleys UK.

I was really impressed with Vito and Andrea from their first performance, Jameson shared with Sprudge. They didnt make a bad drink all weekend, and the drink they prepared in the final was just sublime! Very deserving winners and I look forward to seeing them performing again soon.



Before heading to the London Coffee Festivalto hold mixology and coffee training sessions as part of the Cimbali Sensory SeriesSportelli and Peconio answered some questions for Sprudge about the contest and their careers.

The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

How did you get involved in coffee and cocktails?

Vito Sportelli: Studying and experimenting with basic products as part of being a professional Italian barista, and having the products always present in the bar where we usually work.

Andrea Peconio: My passion led me to get experience working with alcohol. That then led to experience with coffee preparation and eventually how to mix them together.

Why did you decide to enter the Coffee Mixologists competition?

VS: It was a challengeto get out of our comfort zone and have us confront professionals beyond our own country.

AP: To set ourselves outside our home environment and see what it would be like to put that kind of pressure on ourselves.

Do you consider one of yourselves more of a barista and the other a bartender, or do you both feel equally comfortable with coffee and cocktails?

VS: Thanks to all the work we have done in recent years, we are quite complementary in both disciplines.

AP: We are both bartenders though, above all, work well together as a close-knit team.

In the first round, The Signature Drink, you prepared the Terrone, which include Bols Genever 1575 and Imea Gineprina dOlanda 1897. Did making this drink for a competition in Amsterdam influence the decision to use traditional Dutch alcohol?

VS: Absolutely. We like to create drinks that are not just perfectly balanced, but that also have cultural content. We were thinking about how to create a union between our land and the Amsterdam Coffee Festival.

AP: Terrone is the result of the Barproject crews teamwork. However, Dutch products were chosen to honor Dutch culture.

How was working with the secret ingredients in The Mystery round?

VS: Stimulating and fun.

AP: And to succeed in these rounds, we focused on really evaluating the characteristics of the single-origin coffee that we had to use.

What was the hardest part about the competition?

VS: During the semi-final [in the Redefining the Classic round], the competition required us to reinterpret a Black Russian. The greatest effort was reinventing it without being banal. We revised it tiki-style, keeping the characteristics of the drink when in contact with the lips and letting it evolve during the drinking process so it could still carry exotic notes.

While Italy leads in the world in terms of coffee technology, your country's specialty coffee roasting and cafe scene is still emerging. Do you see yourselves as ambassadors for contemporary Italian coffee or cocktails?

VS: We believe that a barista in Italy must necessarily know all the materials that he deals with during his work, and we work every day applying this philosophyabove all, during our shifts behind the bar.

We have been working with specialty products for six years now, incorporating them in our consumer education and catering, all while respecting the concept of made-in-Italy as well as new world trends.

Is there something specifically Italian that you brought to this competition?

VS: Probably the all-Italian ability to communicate and excite.

Whats in store for the future?

VS: I hope to be able to continue traveling, to explore how to experiment, and maybe thanks to this victory, to have new job opportunities abroad.

AP: I would like to open a club of my own and continue to grow my professional skills.

Karina Hof is a Sprudge staff writer based in Amsterdam. Read more Karina Hof on Sprudge.

Photos courtesy of the Amsterdam Coffee Festival unless otherwise noted.
A new chapter in the rich Italian tradition of paying it forward via coffee has been born in Los Angeles, where LAs queer-centered coffeehouse Cuties Coffee recently launched a community tab program. The goal: to ensure that the joy and comfort of a cup of a coffee in a safe and welcoming environment is available to all who need it, regardless of whether they can afford it.

Since queer community members (especially those who are also marginalized in other ways) face higher rates of unemployment, homelessness, and poverty than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts, the community tab advances Cuties mission to provide a true community hub for alleven those without the disposable income for their daily brewby ensuring that no one is turned away for lack of funds.

The Suspended Coffee Tradition

In launching the community tab program, Cuties founders Virginia Bauman and Iris Bainum-Houle arent creating something entirely novel, but rather refining an historic tradition to fit their local community. The concept of suspended coffeepurchasing a second coffee for an anonymous future customer in needis a tradition that comes from Italy (supposedly Naples) and dates back at least as far as the late 19th century. Originally called caffe sospeso, the tradition experienced a revival in Italy in 2011 when Italian authorities created an official Suspended Coffee Day to be celebrated each December.

Two years later, Irish plumber John Sweeney became enamored with the idea and launched a Facebook page Suspended Coffees. Four years later the page has over 388,000 Likes; the official organization Suspended Coffees that came from it has inspired thousands of cafes across the worldincluding many in the USto adopt suspended coffee programs. Although some coffee shop owners found the concept of an official program to match customers looking to pay it forward with customers who could use a coffee break controversial, the idea resonated with many and continues to spread.

The Community Tab

Within the queer community, crowdfunding and passing the hat for friends and strangers alike is also a rich and longstanding tradition; both despite and because of the fiscal marginalization the queer community experiences, its members support each other when in need, and the community tab is just another expression of that tradition. Cuties, which was founded partially off of crowdfunding, has already tapped into that custom to give back to the community and create much-needed safe space.

Our community faces frequent financial hardship, said Bauman, reflecting on the inspiration for the program. We want our space to be accessible, without the stigma of not having the funds to buy a drink or attend an event. The community tab allows people who have the means to support those who dont. Notably, the community tab allows its recipients to access the program without having to draw attention to their lack of fundsinstead of asking the barista if anyone has left an extra drink, Cuties bar has a bowl of tokens that function as dollars from which anyone, without conversation, can pay. Customers can also add money to the bowl by purchasing extra love for any dollar amount with their order.

Ultimately, the system needs to be able to be taken advantage of without conversation and be visible at the time of purchase, says Bauman. There needs to be a way to use it without outing yourself to others in the shop.

Bauman and Bainum-Houle funded the tab via an initial investment, but even after only a few weeks, the balance is already being maintained by the community, both in the cafe and through a Patreon account where fans can support long-distance.

Bauman hopes the community tab will encourage queer and otherwise marginalized community members to come out and socialize even if they are facing financial hardship. Isolation is extremely prevalent in our communitythere are multiple challenges to leaving your house when you are a queer individual. If we can remove one of those challenges by providing the structure for those with means to help those without, then well be very happy.

Beyond the Cup

While Cuties has been open for under a year, the community tab is only the latest in their mission to serve their community beyond the cup. Bauman and Bainum-Houlewho met while attending queer, sex-positive, and storytelling events in Los Angeles and bonded over the inclusive community they wanted but didnt yet seethink of Cuties as much more than just a place to get a cup of coffee. We wanted a space that anchors the community, open during the daytime so that all ages could attend, Bauman tells me. We wanted a space for folx who dont find a home in the queer nightlife scene. We wanted a space that was casual. There was a gap that we saw that a coffee shop could fill.

Their flagship event, Queers, Coffee & Donutsa casual queer coffee and donuts hangoutstarted before Cuties official launch. Since their storefront has been open, theyve created a host of other events, including the Friday Flirt!, in which attendees can cruise in a safer space without alcohol, screenings of queer films, and craft nights. My long-term goal is to have an event happening every day in the shop so there's always something for our community to do and look forward to. That can mean a lot when your right to exist is under attack, said Bainum-Houle. In addition to those events, they also provide a weekly newsletter featuring events happening in the broader LGBTQIA+ community as well as their own, including a section called Adventures From Your Couch, which features queer media that can be enjoyed from home including movies, music videos, books, articles, and podcasts. This is for folx who aren't going out that week, whether that's because of social anxiety, mental illness, disabilities, or chronic illness. We want those folx to know we're thinking about them even when they can't come to the shop.

Pay It Forward

For some, specialty coffee has earned itself a reputation for being elitist and inaccessible, and while those claims dont necessarily take into account the whole picture, they also arent without basis. A focus on paying higher prices to coffee producers and workers across the supply chain doesnt come for free, and as cafe prices have climbed, gentrification has put a pinch on many of the communities that house cafes. Communities that are marginalized have felt this pinch the hardest, and Cuties is working to make sure that their business actively circulates wealth back into the local queer community.

To support the community tab and Cuties other community programs, donate to their patreon and pay it forwardafter all, its a coffee tradition.

RJ Joseph (@RJ_Sproseph) is a Sprudge staff writer, publisher of Queer Cup, and coffee professional based in the Bay Area. Read more RJ Joseph on Sprudge Media Network.

Photos courtesy of V.V.
If you were walking along the increasingly gleaming corridor of Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District, you might find it odd to saunter past Fellow and it's assortment of high-end kettles and other beautifully designed coffee knick-knacks. Owner Jake Miller and Brand Manager Hanna McPhee know this to be true, they've heard the customers outside.

It's my favorite thing, McPhee says, walking by and listening to people talk. These guys are going to go bankrupt.' And in an increasingly gentrifying neighborhood, one where a Reformation sits within walking distance of three ice cream shops, the talk has some weight. Or it would, if just kettles and coffee appliances were all Miller and McPhee were looking to sell. It isn't though. Fellow seeks to provide not only a coffee brewing experience but education for the laymen and expert alike.

Miller caught the coffee bug at Caribou Coffee in the Midwest, and having always known he wanted to start a product company, he moved to the West Coast to get his MBA at Stanford. Fellow's first productthe Duo Coffee Steeper, a stylish gunk-free twist on a classic French Presswas born as a class project at Stanford's vaunted D-School, before Miller got its production budget funded on Kickstarter. With Duo in hand, Fellow was born. Hanna McPhee, a graduate of Brown/RISD who'd majored in bio-design, was the second employee.

The idea behind Fellow's original line was to design products that were beautifuland they arebut also functional, for both coffee novices and competitive baristas alike.

Coffee can be pretentious, Miller says. We want to be the approachable friend in our customer's pursuit of great coffee. All Fellow's products, from the Prismo AeroPress attachment to the ultra-popular electronic Stagg EKG kettle, are concepted, prototyped, and tested over and over again as Miller and team search for the beautifully functional sweet spot between design and use.

The idea behind a brick-and-mortar space grew out of Miller's long burning want of a space where customers could not only experience Fellow's product but receive an education in how to use them to make amazing coffee. Behind the product showroom is what Miller and McPhee have dubbed the Playground, a space where customers can purchase a single test tube of one of Fellow's featured beans, and with the help of brew guides, learn how best to grind and prepare them using the company's products. With most of their sales still coming from online, Miller sees the store as something else.



We didn't open a store to sell you a kettle, he says. We opened a store to teach you how to use it.

The Valencia spacethe first of many they hopealso acts as a product testing ground, a place where Miller and McPhee can receive direct feedback from the people who are buying and using their products.

We're reducing the distance between us and the customers to zero, Miller says. We take feedback, good and bad, and it influences our future product design. Every product begins by having organic conversations about how to improve an existing product.

It's part user research, McPhee says. Part gut instinct, and part us just being at trade shows, going to shops, talking to baristas. It's like learning through osmosis.

As the company and their line growsFellow hopes to introduce five new items this year alonethey've started working with competitive baristas to perfect their products. We work from a point of observation and need, Miller says. And an understanding of what the baristas who are using our products like and didn't like about items already on the market. With these thoughts in mind, Fellow prototypes new designs and, using a 3D printer, are able to get feedback from baristas on fully functional designs.

Looking down at the sleek, polished surface of the Stagg EKGthe company's first electronic productyou can almost see the layers of product testing. The device, a kettle with a PID and to-the-degree temperature control, is attractivesleekly industrialbut it also works, exceptionally well. The Stagg EKG isn't an outlier in their line either. Everything in the shop looks like it could sit on a coffee table as a piece of art.

In the future, Miller and crew hope to open more Fellow brick-and-mortars in major cities as well as continue to concept and produce products that look great and function better. A Bluetooth-compatible Stagg EKG Plus will arrive soon as well as a host of other coffee-brewing accessories.

The Valencia brick-and-mortar, like all their products, is still a work in progress, with local and not-so-local coffee roasters lining up to teach classes to those seeking to better their knowledge of the various aspects of coffee. Stumptown wants to come in, Miller says. Wrecking Ball wants to teach a class about the flavor wheel. Verve wants to do an event with their coffee truck. For now, they'll work on improving the consistency of the Playgroundproviding scheduled daily brewing classes as well as a cupping every Sunday.

When you walk past the store that only sells kettles on Valencia, it might do you well not to scoff, but step in, converse, and play around for a bit. If Miller and McPhee have their way, you might actually learn something.

Noah Sanders (@sandersnoah) is a contributor based in San Francisco. His writing can be found in SF Weekly, Side One Track One, and The Bold Italic. Read more Noah Sanders on Sprudge.
As the #metoo movement continues to open space for women to speak out about assault and harassment, a tidal wave of men from various industries have found themselves suddenly accountable for unprofessional and often illegal behavior. In the months since #metoo went viral, the specialty coffee community has waited for its own first allegations to break, and in the first week of 2018, due to the courage of several women in the Bay Area, they did. On January 5, two former employees of Four Barrel Coffee filed suit against the company itself, as well as one of its three owners, Jeremy Tooker. The response has been astonishing: within a week, multiple wholesale accounts ended their relationship with Four Barrel, the company itself declared intent to change its name and move to an employee-owned model, and the specialty coffee community spoke a loud, clear #timesup, widely condemning sexual assault and harassment. The lawsuit itself, which settled after just a week, and the dramatic response from the specialty coffee community stand as a powerful example of the cultural shift taking place nationwide, in coffee and in other industries, and the change that comes next.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit against Tooker and Four Barrel went live on January 5th, the first Friday of 2018. The 19-page suitwhich details allegations from eight former employeesruns the full spectrum from casual sexism in the workplace to silencing complaints to attempted rape. Reporter Justin Phillips of the SF Chronicle coordinated reportage as part of a wider Chronicle investigation into harassment in the Bay Area's food, beverage, and tech industries. According to the allegations in the suit, the acts of sexual assault were not actions in a vacuum by a single person, but rather one element of a company culture where baristas were placed in a setting that encouraged sexual humor and objectificationa toxic workplace is referenced in the suit, as per CBS Bay Area. The suit also alleges that employees who brought up their discomfort with the environment at Four Barrel, and with specific incidents, were told not to start drama and talk shit. According to the suit, several employees who defied those mores were fired.

Four Barrel's Initial Response

After the lawsuit, Four Barrel closed its doors for the weekend of January 6th and 7th. Following a short silence, co-owners Jodi Geren and Tal Mor issued a statement in response to the suit. While the owners expressed sadness and concern over the contents of the suit, they also took issue with certain claims, specifically the mischaracterization of our current culture. They announced that Tooker had stepped down as CEO in November and was divesting his remaining ownership in the company; they also stated that they had retained an outside HR firm to investigate and allow extant employees to report concerns. We will continue to take prompt action to address any and all employee concerns, as we have done in the past, wrote Geren and Mor, who did not directly address the allegations that they had discouraged previous employee complaints.

The Specialty Coffee Community Reacts

In the wake of the lawsuit and Four Barrels initial response statement, multiple wholesale clients made the decision to sever their partnerships with the company, including Socola Chocolatier and Barista, Red Rock Coffee, Le Marais Bakery, Spiller Park Coffee, Strange Matter Coffee Co., Boba Guys, and several more.

Social media presented a central hub for the specialty coffee community to voice their anger, frustration, and disgust with the allegations laid out in the lawsuit, as well as with sexual assault and harassment in the larger industry in general. Prominent activist voices in coffee spoke out against the company and called for broader change and real accountability, including Jasper Wilde of Ritual Coffee Roasters and Boss Barista Podcast, Liz Dean of The Wing, and WINCC founder Becky Reeves.

The Tide

Three days after the suit was filed, Four Barrel put out a second statement declaring intentions toward several next steps. First, they said, they intend to allocate Tookers 50% shares to Four Barrel employees; second, they changed their name to The Tide and retire the Four Barrel brand; third, Mor & Geren intend to make available increasing shares of their remaining ownership, until theyve completely divested and the new business is 100% employee-owned. At the end of the statement, they asked customers, both retail and wholesale, to keep purchasing coffee from them so they can have a chance to execute that change.

As reported in Eater SF, while some responses gave the company credit for their accountability and positive intentions, others felt that the statements emphasis on Tookers actions were a deflection from the fact that Four Barrel itself was being sued as well, and that specific allegations detailed harassment and silencing from Geren and Mor, not just Tooker. Some also criticized the lack of a direct action plan, and pointed out that if the same people were involved in The Tide as Four Barrel, then a name change felt more like a PR move, as per Eater.

We reached out to Geren and Mor for comment on a variety of questions pertaining to this article, including the point of divestment. At what point would Geren and Mor turn over their shares in the company? All of our time and energy right now is going into our customers, employees and stabilizing our business, they told Sprudge in a joint email. Weve lost 50-60% of our wholesale business in the last week and for us to have a viable business to offer employee ownership, we need to first stabilize and then figure out the best model for our new structure.

As for the name change, Four Barrel's remaining owners have re-evaluated this decision since announcing The Tide on January 8th. We realized that in the emotion and shock of this past week that changing our name was a mistake, Geren and Mor tell Sprudge. Our customers have been vocal about us keeping the name Four Barrel and we want to own it and make it right, rather than walking away. This is a company that we and all of our employees built ourselves and although this past week has been heartbreaking, we have put everything into Four Barrel and stand by not only our coffees, but our ability to change and make things right.

The Coffee Community Responds

From the announcement of the lawsuit through its swift settlement, several groups within the specialty coffee community have come together to show their support.

Bay Area Coffee Community compiled a list of companies that were hiring, with Jasper Wilde leading the charge to get workers placed in new companies if they wanted to leave Four Barrel. Molly Flynn, creator of anti-harassment and discrimination group Coffee Too, joined the effort and is working with Wilde and others to cover all vulnerable parties needs through this difficult time. Several businesses stepped up to voice support, both for the ex-employees who filed the lawsuit, and for current Four Barrel employees who wish to leave the company and wish to continue working in the Bay Area specialty coffee industry.

I was so relieved to see the community reaching out to support folks who needed or were looking for other work, Umeko Motoyoshi, one of the former employees involved in the lawsuit, told Sprudge. We all had a lot of concern for Four Barrels current employees, and it was good to see people step up. While the offers of material support were crucial, what Motoyoshi appreciated even more deeply was just being believed.

Back To Work

As of press time all three Four Barrel Coffee locations in San Francisco are open for business, and the company currently employs some sixty-one total employees, as per Geren and Mor. Numerous wholesale accounts have severed ties with the brand, and Mor and Geren have yet to divest, though they stress that this is the goal they're working towards now. Its an ongoing conversation, they told Sprudge. We first need to stabilize and will then work out a new structure that benefits everyone. Our employees will then be able to decide on an individual basis if the new structure is the right fit for them.

We asked Mor and Geren if they could comment on the outcome of the settlement. They did not discuss specifics, but did offer comment on the current state of the company. We're glad to have resolved the lawsuit quickly but none of this has been easy for any of the parties involved, Geren and Mor tell Sprudge. Tal [Mor] has met with the women involved in the lawsuit and some very helpful dialogue has come from it. A few have even expressed their support and belief in our ability to change, which means everything to us. Above all, we commend them for coming forward.

We also asked Mor and Geren about charges, outlined in the original lawsuit and elsewhere, that the ownership and management at Four Barrel were complicit in silencing victims. We can see now how the systems that we had in place failed to create an environment where women were heard or felt that they could talk to us directly and we take full responsibility for that, they said, adding: The most important thing for us moving forward is ensuring that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Coffee Too and Coffees Future

On January 8th, Coffee Too teamed up with Boss Barista to launch a GoFundMe to fight sexual harassment and discrimination in the coffee industry, pointing to the tremendous power found in speaking up and collectively organizing. Faced with evidence and multiple witnesses, Tooker immediately divested his shares and left the company. Geren and Morpublicly apologized, and announced that they too would leave the company[and] they announced a plan to relinquish their shares in the business to their employees, wrote Ashley Rodriguez of Boss Barista, who created the GoFundMe page. This is the power of talking shit. This is the power of starting drama. In support of these eight women, #coffeetoo is fundraising to continue this work.

The fund is nearing its original $5000 goal as of press time. Im moved to tears by the generosity of our community, says Flynn, founder of Coffee Too, who has been quoted widely in ongoing press coverage of the lawsuit. Originally conceived with the idea of supporting current and past Four Barrel employees affected by the suit, Flynn found from talking to them that their greatest desire was to raise money not for themselves, but to create support systems and educational resources for fighting harassment and discrimination in the coffee industry. Going forward, Coffee Too wants to create a legal fund for workers who need to file suit against employers.

If the rapid saga of Four Barrel/The Tide has shown anything, its that many in the coffee community are no longer willing to overlook harassment. In the wake of these events, coffee companies will need to look with fresh eyes at their company culture and policy structures, and the greater coffee community will need to look at itself and root out complicity to bring real, structural change. I know as a community we can continue this work, says Umeko Motoyoshi. Continue to grow, to look at ourselves and lend our voices where they have the most impact. Continue to do better.

RJ Joseph (@RJ_Sproseph) is a Sprudge staff writer, publisher of Queer Cup, and coffee professional based in the Bay Area. Read more RJ Joseph on Sprudge Media Network.

Top image by Bruce Damonte via We Interview Boor Bridges Architecture, San Franciscos Cafe Design Masters by Noah Sanders.

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In all sectors of U.S. specialty coffee, lots of the most notorious and beloved coffee professionals are white men of European descent, and that ideal often unconsciously informs peoples mental picture of what a coffee person looks or sounds like. Alternative coffee media outlets such as the Chocolate Barista and Boss Barista podcast have started to challenge those norms, but even as non-white, non-male coffee workers have begun to expand the popular notion of who can be seen as an expert in coffee, most major coffee culture forums havent yet started to address the linguistic and cultural barriers that coffee workers from producing countries experience when engaging with U.S. coffee culture. Looking at cafe culture, entry-level hiring bias, access to education, and the nuances of communication in commerce, six Latin American coffee experts discuss the myriad ways that language and culture affect their engagement in and with the U.S. coffee world.

Language Barriers In Cafes

Abner J. Roldan, co-owner of Cafe Comunion in Santurce, Puerto Rico, started working full-time as a barista in 2013. While working his first English-language barista job in Portland, Oregon, his proficiency in English was less of an issue than his accent; even though his coworkers were receptive and patient, it was challenging for him to communicate with the many customers who also had varied accents. While most of his customers were friendly and curious about his background, some were impatient, and despite the general tolerance hes experienced in the U.S. regarding language barriers, he sees a missed opportunity in the way that English speakers tend to approach people who speak English as a second language: People from the U.S. should see communication as a mutual effort; they can help their ESL coworkers, and have the chance to learn about their culture and work on their Spanish.

Ximena Rubio, who works for Quentin Cafe in Mexico City, worked as a barista for several years before moving into wholesale and quality control. She sees many customers from the U.S. approach baristas with a presumption that everyone should speak Englisheven outside the U.S. Not to generalize, but sometimes when customers from the U.S. come in, they dont say hi and they speak right at baristas in English, assuming we speak it too. In the case of her shop, there is usually at least one English speaker on shift at any given time, but in less high-end shops there are sometimes none at all. This not only makes it difficult for baristas to know what drinks to make, it shows a lack of mutual effort toward communicating; learning a few key phrases or even just greeting baristas in Spanish shows at least some level of care.

Another barrier for Latinx baristas who speak English as a second language in the U.S. is that business owners are sometimes reluctant to hire them for entry-level barista jobs, even when qualified or overqualified. A Bay Area coffee worker who asked to remain anonymous pointed out that sometimes managers dont want to hire baristas with strong accents from Latin America even though they would have no problem hiring baristas with thick British or Australian accents: Its about their expectation of the right fit. Good people still have unconscious biases, and because of that they often surround themselves with workers who look like them and come from similar backgrounds. With that hiring bias at the entry level, it can be difficult for Latin-American workers in the U.S. to get barista jobs and move through the ranks into higher-level coffee jobs through the conventional career pathways many U.S.-born baristas use. So, when Latin American coffee workers do make it into the few sought-after positions in the green coffee sector, they are often highly educated with degrees and practical experience in agronomy as well as competency in multiple relevant languages; in other words, to make it to the upper tiers of the industry, they have to be many times more qualified than their white, U.S.-born peers.

Language Barriers In Education

One of the main places Rubio sees language barriers manifest is in the educational access of her barista community in Mexico City. Because so many educational resourcespopular blogs and Facebook forums such as Barista Hustle, news and culture publications such as Sprudge and Barista Magazine, and valuable reference books such as The World Atlas of Coffeeare in English only, baristas in her region often arent able to advance their craft to the degree of baristas in other regions.

She adds that this problem applies just as much to coffee producers as baristas; as the actual people growing and processing coffee, they need to have access to industry standards in order to know how to improve their craft, or how to value it when its already exceptional. I absolutely think that if we had more resources and information in Spanish, these farmers would do such great things. Knowing about cupping, knowing about brewing, just being able to know the value of their coffee; not only would prices go up, which would be great, but the quality would go up. That not only helps producing countries, but also consuming countries.

Mayra Orellana-Powell, Honduran coffee producer and founder of producer community organization Catracha Coffee Co., points to the huge opportunity that the industry has to allow more producers to learn and improve their craft by producing more Spanish-language coffee resources. We are the producers of coffee; we are the people who actually have the ability to make great coffee. We need to have access to education, especially on increasing sustainability. Many SCA lectures and materials are not translated, and were missing out. Her goal is to encourage people to actively think about solutions. We need to be having this conversation. If those things arent happening, how can we make them happen? Shes glad to see improvement but wants people to keep pushing forward.

Language Barriers In Importing And Production

Rubio says that not only can language barriers do a lot of harm to farmers, but that sometimes green buyers can exploit that gap, whether intentionally or unintentionally. For farmers in Latin America who dont speak English, it can be tricky not only to negotiate a fair price for their product, but also to accurately assess the quality of what theyre producing. She explains how coffee buyers can claim fairness via Direct Trade while reaping the fiscal benefits of skipping the middleman; they often neglect to consider the fact that importers and exporters are usually more equipped to foster an equitable negotiation because of a shared language. Because people negotiate with people who cant understand them as well as the importer can, theyre benefiting twice from skipping the importer. There are so many great producers who dont even know specialty coffee exists. They may have a Pacamara thats 90 points, and they dont know how expensive that should be. At that point, buyers can offer them a deal thats better than what they were asking, but still not even close to what they should be paying, and still characterize the purchase as a fair or even charitable act.

Rosi Quinones, who manages farm certifications and quality control at green coffee importer Royal Coffee, pointed out the myriad benefits and opportunities that come from employing Spanish-speakers from producing countries as coffee workers in general, and more specifically in the green coffee side of the chain. An agronomist from Lima, Peru, Quinones loves working directly with producers and helping them improve their craft and get the best prices for their product; she says that when dealing with complex interpersonal engagements like negotiation or logistics coordination, not only does fluency in a shared language help people to do great work together, but shared culture matters as well. When someone not only speaks Spanish but also understands the cultural values of producers, that understanding is helpful in building the relationship. For example, when producers from Peru introduce themselves, they start with their ancestors and their parents; that tells you important information about their values.

Quinones also points out that where many green buyers who only speak English might have to go through multiple translators to communicate with producers who only speak indigenous languages, buyers who are fluent in Spanish will have an easier time navigating translation to get crucial information about how the coffee was produced. Since (like coffee itself) Spanish is a language brought to Latin America through colonialism, the incredibly numerous and diverse indigenous languages of Latin America are often farm workers primary language, informing the nuances of their Spanish and adding complexity. In situations like this, Spanish is a way of meeting in the middle.

Mariana Faerron-Gutierrez, a Costa Rican agronomic economist and co-owner of Tico Coffee Roasters in Campbell, California, agrees. In Latin America, a lot of producers speak more than one language and can communicate easily with importers and buyers they work with, but when they can speak with someone who comes from the same place, it makes the communication deeper than just the language. They open up and tell you things they otherwise wouldn't, because through shared culture youre able to make them feel that you value what they are sharing, rather than just focusing on technical aspects like how the coffee was produced or how long it was dried.

What The Industry Can Do

When asked what the industry can do to improve communication between cultures, all the coffee workers I interviewed suggested that English-speaking coffee folks take on some of the onus for bridging the language gap, from farm to cafe. As Roldan and Rubio both suggest, its not just the job of Spanish speakers to make communication happenespecially those in Spanish-speaking countries. Orellana-Powell is excited to see more English-speaking coffee people leaving their comfort zones and starting to learn Spanish and explore Latin coffee cultures, which are rich and diverse. Theres a huge market of Latino consumers, cafes, and roasting companies in the U.S. and in Latin America, and we need to stop ignoring that market. Quinones adds that while shes excited to see more cross-cultural engagement, these markets are taking off regardless of whether the U.S. acknowledges them or not, and in the process they are creating their own media and trends.

In addition to interpersonal communication, the coffee community needs to continue pushing for educational organizations and media groups to translate the resources they create, as World Coffee Research and Specialty Coffee Association have started to do. Beyond that, Faerron-Gutierrez wants people to think about whose stories the coffee industry is telling, and whether they really express the diversity of the U.S. coffee industry: The industry highlights certain things or people, and then it goes back again and again; I feel like this country is so big that it just cant be that there are no more people to recognize.

In hiring, managers and owners should start thinking of fluency in Latin American languages and cultures as an asset, not just at the green coffee level but even at the entry level. The U.S. borders Mexico and is home to more Spanish speakers than the entire country of Spain, and there are many coffee lovers out there who communicate better in Spanish than English and would benefit from service that resonates with them.

As the coffee industry struggles with global issues such as climate change and labor shortages, its time to examine how certain things or people have come to be seen as more valuable than others and reassess those values. Looking to the future of coffee, white U.S.-born Americans need to start thinking of linguistic and cultural barriers faced in the industry as a group challenge requiring work on all sides, rather than just a problem for Spanish speakers in coffee.

RJ Joseph (@RJ_Sproseph) is a Sprudge staff writer, publisher of Queer Cup, and coffee professional based in the Bay Area. Read more RJ Joseph on Sprudge Media Network.
The recent story of San Francisco classic La Boulange has been a rollercoaster of trial and tribulation. Five years ago, coffee mega-monster Starbucks purchased the 23-store Bay Area chain from founder Pascal Rigo. The plan: incorporate Rigo's beloved pastries into Starbucks' cafe system, while expanding La Boulange into a 400-location mega-chain all its own. In 2015, after three successful years (Business Insider says Rigo's pastries helped increase Starbucks' food sales by a respectable 16 percent) Starbucks announced they'd be closing the doors on every La Boulange in existence. They'd keep Rigo's recipes, but shutter his once-beloved cafes. Rigo, consummate entrepreneur that he is, didn't linger on the closure, he just started opening new stores. Deemed La Boulangerie de San Francisco, the six new shops (with more opening over the course of the next year) look and feel like what came before: tasty, approachable food and pastries paired with well-made coffee. And if this was the end of the story, Bay Area residents could walk away feeling like San Francisco's can-do attitude had scored another victory. But, there's more.

In early July, La Boulangerie de San Francisco announced that all of their current and future shops would soon be serving coffee legend Andrew Barnett's Bay Area-based Linea Caffes coffee. For great coffee in the Bay Area, it's a victory, a pairing of one of the city's cherished eateries with one of its best coffee purveyors. For Linea Caffe, it's an expansive step into the future.

A year ago, Barnett started talking with La Boulangerie about providing his beansspecifically their single-origin Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF) Brazilto the newly reinvented chain. As an outsider, Barnett says, I've been fascinated by their story. I liked their products, their baked goods. And they're local, which appealed to us. What it came down to though was a meeting between Joao Hamilton and his team, the coffee producers behind FAF, and La Boulangerie. Right away, it was a good fit, Barnett recalls, a love fit, just a really good mesh. La Boulangerie will serve the coffee as both a FETCO batch brew and espresso.

It isn't just personalities and philosophies that meshed though. Barnett sees the approachable aspects of Linea's coffee clicking right into place with La Boulangerie's extensive food program. Our coffees are very sweet to begin with, he says, the chocolaty, caramel-noted flavor resonates with a broad audience. To Barnett, his coffee is a good entry point, a delicious flavor that won't overpower La Boulangerie's delicate pastries.

FAF Brazil is enjoyable on a broad spectrum, he says, It's approachable, but not dumbed down. To maintain the consistency of flavor at the chain's current six shops, Barnett and his team have instituted an ongoing training process where every three weeks his team will cycle through the cafes, ensuring that the high standards of Linea are being met. So far, Barnett thinks it's going smashingly. When our team goes in there, he says, the coffee is tasting great. They're keeping a real straightforward approach and it tastes delicious.

Over the next six months, La Boulangerie will open three new spaces in San Francisco's bustling Financial District and another in Oakland's hip Rockridge neighborhood. Linea Caffe will be served in each and all of them. And though La Boulangerie is a new plateau in terms of Linea's wholesale program, Barnett sees it as a product of several years of hard work. We've been scaling for four years as a company, Barnett says, so we can grow and add value to larger companies. We have the staff and the production capabilities now to branch out and partner on whole new wholesale level, he says, But it didn't happen overnight.

For Barnett, as happy as he is for the partnership, it won't change their approach to wholesale, or their philosophy as a whole. Our focus is adding value to the accounts we work with, he says, We see our accounts as business partners. We don't want to be someone who's browning beans and sending invoices. Barnett will continue to run his small cafe in The Mission while seeking out best-in-class partners to serve his coffee.

In terms of La Boulangerie though, Barnett seeks something simple, I hope someone comes into La Boulangerie, he says, driven by the sandwiches, the pastriestheir great food in generaland walks out saying this coffee is really delicious.' I hope La Boulangerie and Linea together can exceed their guests' expectations.

La Boulangerie de San Francisco has multiple locations across the Bay Area. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook Twitter , and Instagram

Noah Sanders (@sandersnoah) is a Sprudge.com staff writer based in San Francisco, and a contributor to SF Weekly, Side One Track One, and The Bold Italic. Read more Noah Sanders on Sprudge.

Andrew Barnett photo courtesy of Linea Caffe.
The US has vetoed a draft text providing for extending protection to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

The text proposed by Kuwait garnered 10 votes in favor, but the US vetoed the text, which it said failed to even mention Hamas, and the groups responsibility for protecting civilians. Four countries abstained.

The draft would have urged the Security Council to consider measures to guarantee the safety and protection of Palestinian civilians and requests a report from the UN Secretary-General on a possible international protection mechanism.

The US has tabled its own draft text that would have called on Hamas and Islamic Jihad to cease all violent activity and provocative actions, including along the boundary fence. This text did not get any support except from the US itself, with three Security Council Members rejecting it and 11 abstaining.

Several members said the US text was tabled without prior consultation, and did not take into account the overall context of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Before voting on the Kuwaiti text, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said that the terrorist group Hamas bore primary responsibility for the awful living conditions faced by civilians in Gaza.

A necessary precondition for peace is recognition of reality. One of those realities is that Hamas is a major impediment to peace. They are in charge of Gaza, and they use their resources not to help the people of Gaza but to wage war against Israel, she said.

Another reality is when the United Nations sides with terrorists over Israel, as the Kuwait resolution does, it only makes a peaceful resolution of this conflict harder to reach, she added.

Immediately following the US veto, Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi, Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the UN, said that the failed resolution had been submitted on behalf of the Arab countries and has been supported by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at its recent summit in Istanbul.

We deplore that the Council failed to adopt the resolution, which stipulates protection should be provided to the Palestinians who he said were in dire need and enduring a tragic situation in the face of massacres by Israel, the occupying Power, he said.

The UN had repeatedly called for calm last month along the border of the Gaza Strip  the Palestinian enclave occupied by Israel  where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians participated in the Great March of Return from 30 March to 15 May.

But at the climax of demonstrations on 14 May to mark al-Nakba or the Catastrophe, by which Palestinians remember their mass displacement during the 1948-1949 war, at least 60 Palestinians were killed at the border fence by Israel security forces who fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas.

They were protesting United States recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, and the official opening that day of its embassy there.
The London Coffee Festival 2018 has come and gone, but the memories remainand so does all the hot new gear we tested at the show. One product we were excited to hear more about is Mazzer Robur S, a high performance coffee grinder that follows, yet completely re-invents, the current Robur model.

Mazzer are hardly newcomers to the coffee world. Founded by Luigi Mazzer in 1948, the now 70-year-old historic Italian brand the brand exports more than 70% of its production nearly a hundred countries around the world. Mazzer grinders are used and loved by top baristas and roasters around the world, and often paired with espresso machines by La Marzocco through a longstanding partnership.

The new Robur S presented at LCF 2018 is an electronic grinder-doser (available in two versions, both automatic and electronic on demand) with conical grinding blades and slow speed rotation (420 RPM  50 Hz). The ideal home for Robur S is a busy coffee shop with high consumption.

Whats new? The new grinder improves dose consistency and reduces coffee retention by 52% compared to the previous model. It is capable of operating at high speed, grinding five grams of coffee per second without over-heating. A special cooling system with double fan keeps the coffee safe from temperature exposure, preserving maximum aroma.

Robur S makes it easier to set the grinder to your preferred grinding size with stepless micrometrical grinding adjustment and a new system for the disk, called Memory Track. The system allows users to rotate the disk to the preferred number and lock it in place to index grind setting. Additionally, Robur S features an easy system for changing out the burrs, allowing for quick and easy cleaning of the grind chamber without losing your grind setting.

A new digital control panel allows users to set the grinder and access data stored in the software. Time settings include single, double, and triple doses; dose countdowns to monitor the stocks; a programmable pre-tap pause function to level down the coffee in the portafilter, stats on grinding output data; and maintenance alerts (for example, when the burrs are due to be changed). All this data can be easily viewed on the display or on the connected apps.

Indeed, one of the most interesting innovations of the Robur S is its inbuilt Wi-Fi connection, which allows baristas, roasters, and service teams to access grinder data remotely and store it in a cloud database. The Robur S app will be unveiled in the next few months.

Robur S is a major example of the ongoing renewal at Mazzer. In 2016 the company expanded its facilities, nearly doubling the production area to meet with market demand. They've also heavily invested in innovation and R&D, hiring young engineers, developers, and support staff in a bid to keep the brand at the forefront of the coffee industry.

High performance, attention to detail, and product reliability are at the core of Mazzers operations. We are involved in the whole production process. Every single metal component we use goes through our quality control process, says Cristina Scarpa, Marketing Manager at Mazzer Italy, who I spoke with at length during the London Coffee Festival.

Mazzer has also made a commitment to investing in green energy: about 40% of appliances are produced using renewable energy sources (saving 307 tons of CO2 yearly) thanks to a photovoltaic system installed at the Mazzer factory near Venice.

Do you want to know more about the new Mazzer Robur S grinder? You will find Mazzer at coffee trade shows worldwide in the coming months, ahead of the global release of Robur S at the end of October 2018.

Giulia Mule is a Sprudge.com contributor based in London. Read more Giulia Mule on Sprudge.

Mazzer is an advertising partner on Sprudge Media Network.
Over the long weekend of April 12th-15th, the international coffee industry and tens of thousands of its biggest fans gathered in Shoreditch, London for the 2018 London Coffee Festival. A four-day event now in its eighth year, the festival brings together established companies and smaller independent brands alike to present their products to more than 30,000 baristas, roasters, CEOs, entrepreneurs, associated media, craftspeople and coffee lovers of all stripes. I was on the ground at the London Coffee Festival to check out the hottest new tech coming on the market later this year.

Rancilio Group has been producing traditional espresso machines and grinders at their factory in Parabiago near Milan, Italy for over 90 years. The London Coffee Festival 2018 marked their official debut into the specialty coffee market with the new Rancilio Specialty.

Rancilio Specialty is a stainless steel espresso machine featuring three independent groupheads with dedicated displays, an insulated service boiler with programmable water change, and steam levers each with two powers levels for different jug sizes. Thanks to a multi-boiler system and Rancilio LAB patented technology, baristas can accurately manage water temperature profiles during the shot brewing process, which, according to Rancilio, affords them the ability to control acidity and bitterness. What they call Thermal Stability technology allows baristas to program bespoke brewing profiles using a range of 5C to precisely dial in the flavour characteristics of coffee blends and single originsif one coffee tastes great at 86C, whilst another prefers a flat 90C, the Rancilio Speciality can handle it no problem.

The most interesting feature of Rancilio Specialty, one that Im sure baristas will be most excited about, is the touch screen interface. The screen allows users to regulate the machine, program groups and steam levers settings, save recipes, add notes, and set up cleaning operations. Rancilio Specialty also stores all the details of last 30 cups of coffee brewed, hence allowing users to easily monitor the machines performance and helping support training for new baristas.

The decision to delve into the specialty coffee market came after the launch of Rancilios Classe 11 machine a few years ago. About a year and a half ago, we gathered a team of top baristas from the specialty sector and started working on creating an espresso machine for them, says Valerio Locati, R&D Engineer at Rancilio Group. One of the things they asked for was to make the interface easy to use by reducing the number of clicks required to find the main functions. And so because of this, the most important settings such as group settings and preset recipes can be found on the first page of the display.

Rancilio Group also took care to address sustainability as part of their machine design; it's an increasingly large focus in the specialty coffee industry here in London and around the world. The Rancilio Speciality's main boiler is insulated to reduce energy consumption; the micro-boilers for individual units can be switched off manually or programmed to switch off automatically. Equally important was the R&D team's goal to create a user-friendly and ergonomic machine. To that end, the design of the brewing units, the positioning of the steam levers, and the ample working area guarantee the barista supreme comfort, precision, and operating speed to optimize the work flow.

Rancilio Specialty is full of other cool functionalities, such as an LED illuminated work surface, a USB port for recharging smartphones and scales, cool touch steam wands, a control panel with back-lit icons, and a removable drip tray with height adjustment for all cup sizes (80, 100, or 120mm). Under the machine is a 90mm deep compartment that can be used to store the filter holders, scales, and other working tools. The cup tray can be set up to five different temperature levels to guarantee stable and even heat in any season and environment inside and outside the cafe.

What may seem like small things can really make a difference in improving the day-to-day workflow and performance of a coffee shop, making for an impressive, barista-focused first entry from Rancilio into the specialty coffee market.

Rancilio Specialty was first presented at Host 2017 in Milan, but the machine's official launch took place at the 2018 The London Coffee Festival. Rancilio Group will take the new machine to other coffee shows this year, but you saw it here first on Sprudge.

Giulia Mule is a Sprudge.com contributor based in London. Read more Giulia Mule on Sprudge.
Kensington. Beverly Hills. The Upper East Side. Every city has a neighborhood that denotes wealth, privilege, and luxury. Although Istanbul's upper crust has left the city center in droves in recent decades, the historic Nisantas neighborhood, with its fashion houses and Art Deco apartment blocks, still occupies a certain place of distinction in the Istanbul landscape. But theres more to Nisantas than Range Rovers driven by private chauffeurs idling outside the Louis Vuitton store (though you will see Range Rovers driven by private chauffeurs idling outside the Louis Vuitton store). The neighborhood is also home to perhaps the highest concentration of specialty coffee shops in the city.

Specialty coffee, after all, is a luxury good, a fact felt more acutely in a country like Turkey, where the going rate for a pour-over or espresso is almost identical to Western Europe or America, but the median income is considerably lower. But these cafes are not simply the haunts of the bored bourgeois. Much like any specialty coffee shop hub, Nisantass booming specialty coffee scene provides a place the citys growing creative class can find a place to work, or take a cheeky break with a cortado and a slice of cake.

Petra Coffee

From hair salons to coworking spaces, Petra Coffee is everywhere in Istanbul, and for good reason. The roaster/retailer was one of the early champions of quality, and has slowly created one of the strongest brands in Turkish specialty coffee. But visit their Topagac location and you dont need to know any of thatyoull just find a great neighborhood cafe.

Whether its the wooden newspaper holders or the century-old antique bar, the interior of Petra feels timeless, perhaps more Parisian than Turkish. Marble and cast iron tables line a bench that runs the length of the shotgun-shaped space. Baristas wear Petras trademark striped shirts and white lab coats, and ring a bell every time an order is up, short-order-diner-style.

House-baked pastries are shuttled over daily from Petra's Gayrettepe headquarters, along with, of course, an extensive selection of single-origin coffees, including famed estates like Finca Tamana in Colombia. Espresso, always a single origin, is prepared on a La Marzocco Strada EP and Mazzer Robur grinder. Petra is also one of the few places youll find doing a full size batch brew on a FETCO brewer, a luxury in an espresso-centric specialty coffee scene.

Borderline Coffee

The Istanbul specialty coffee scene is dominated by microroasters, with almost as many roasters as cafes. This makes Borderline Coffees international multi-roaster concept a breath of fresh air in the local community. Coffee comes from as far afield as Massachusettss George Howell and Oslos Tim Wendelboe, in addition to local roasters like Boxx, Kimma, and Probador Collectiva. Cofounder Burcin Ergunt has a background in digital marketing and design, so its little wonder the interior at Borderline is on the leading edge of cafe design, complete with a foliage wall emblazoned with a neon sign of Borderlines bomb-like logo, and rearrangeable peg board that displays a selection of Moccamaster brewers and Stanley thermoses.

A Mahlkonig Peak is filled with Borderlines house espresso: a single-origin Burundi custom roasted by Boxx, but any of the single-origin options are available as an EK shot, including Tim Wendelboes appropriately named Espresso for Milk. Six single-origin options are offered by-the-cup, prepared on two Marco SP-9s.

Although the vibes at Borderline are decidedly coffee shop, the food menu here is just as serious as the coffee selection. In Turkey, coffee is rarely consumed without something sweet on the side, and Borderline offers a wide array of cookies, cakes, and pastries, many of which are gluten-free or vegan and all of which are baked on the premises. For more substantial food options, quinoa bowls, salads, and fresh sandwiches makes Borderline coffee a popular lunch destination in its own right.

With Turkeys lax rules regarding pets in restaurants, dont be surprised if a customer or even barista has brought their dog or cat into the cafe.

Gravite Coffee Bar

Rising taxes, marketing bans, and other restrictions from the ruling political party have put a serious damper on alcohol consumption in Turkey, but that hasnt stopped the global mixology craze from reaching Istanbul. With the burgeoning cocktail and specialty coffee scenes, perhaps it was inevitable that someone in Istanbul took a stab at combining the two, and the result is Gravite Coffee Bar on Poyrack Sokak. The coffee and cocktail concept looks good on paper, but in reality its challenging to create a space where people enjoy both waking up with a hot cup of coffee and unwinding with something a little stronger. With a refined but inviting interior, Gravite Coffee Bar manages to thread the needle and create an intimate atmosphere where one feels comfortable bellying up to the bar with either an espresso or Old Fashioned in hand.

The coffee is supplied by a rotating cast of roasters, most recently Coffee Department, a local roaster located in Istanbuls Balat neighborhood. Two espresso options are prepared with a Mahlkonig K30 twin and a teal La Marzocco FB80, while single-origin options are offered as a pour-over or AeroPress. The adjacent American Hospital makes this cafe a hotspot for doctors, nurses, and the neighborhoods sizable expat community.

Ministry of Coffee

An Australian flag hangs in the window at Ministry of Coffee, which boasts the tagline Australian Coffee Roasters. An antipodean influence can be seen in coffee shops across Europe, and Istanbul is no exception. Ministry of Coffee, more often referred to as MOC in the local coffee community, was one of the first specialty coffee shops to open up in Nisantas, and has grown to three locations in the neighborhood (not to mention a roastery in nearby Bomonti.)

In contrast to the Nordic-influenced ultra-light roast youll get at many of the coffee shops in Nisantas, MOC features many of the fixtures once synonymous with the Aussie coffee scene: espresso is on the ristretto side, servers provide table service, and of course the much-maligned flat white joins the menu alongside more standard fare.

With two floors and sidewalk seating, MOCs original location on Sakayk Sokak is one of the largest cafes in the area, and certainly among its most popular. Owner Deniz Yldz Duzgun offers both home barista workshop and accredited SCA classes.

Spada Coffee

The La Marzocco Strada EP, and Mahlkonig grinders, and tile are all matte white at Spada Coffee, accented by soft wood tones and the occasional splash of blue-gray. But the thoughtful interior doesnt keep the sidewalk seating from filling up first before anyone ventures inside. Spada means sword in Italiana play on owner Cumhur Klcs last namebut you might be able to figure that out from their logo. A spiral staircase leads up to a surprisingly open upstairs, where guests can perch at a laptop bar, or settle into some soft seating.

Spada recently began roasting its own coffee, but also features a guest roaster, often from local companies like Old Java and Probador Collectiva, and sometimes international brands like Berlins The Barn. For cafe crawlers that might be hitting the upper limits of their caffeine tolerance, Spada features a selection of kombuchasstill a rarity in Istanbul.

Magado Coffee

When one walks into Magado Coffee, they are immediately confronted with a very curious cafe design. The split-level shop features a full espresso bar upstairs, almost hovering over a downstairs seating area, with the front door opening onto a landing between the spaces. A quick trip up the half flight of stairs reveals a selection of four single-origin coffees from Boxx Coffee Roasters, in addition to a blend of Brazil and Colombia in the espresso hopper.

The cafe takes its name from a village in Kenya, but during my most recent visit the coffees were from Colombia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Burundi. Per the baristas recommendation, I settled on a V60 pour-over of the Burundi, Ruhinga, a sweet, fruit-forward coffee perhaps enhanced by a rare sunny spring day.

Grandma

The centuries-old Tesvikiye Mosque, with its fading yellow Neo-Baroque exterior, is one of the most iconic landmarks of Nisantas, but a bright red and white cafe called Grandma might be more emblematic of the neighborhood today. A table can be hard to come by during peak hours at this popular brunch destination, but if youre lucky enough to score a spot, youll soon understand why the bakery and cafe attracts a wider clientele than most specialty coffee shops in the area.

The menu here is equal parts French and Turkish breakfast classics, complemented by a decadent array of pastries, cakes, and sourdough breads. Visitors to Turkey shouldnt pass on trying Grandmas take on menemen, a dish of sauteed tomatoes, pepper, and egg served with a generous dollop of labne (something like cream cheese) and Grandmas signature sourdough bread.

Grandma might be more bakery than coffee shop, but the coffee is treated with the same level of care that has earned them such a stellar reputation for food. The cappuccino here ranks among the best weve had in the city, with rich, chocolatey espresso and perfectly textured milk. Although the whole bean coffee is sold in private label bags, rumor has it the coffee here is also roasted by Boxx.

Michael Butterworth is the publisher of Pilgrimaged, based in Louisville, Kentucky. This is Michael Butterworth's first feature for Sprudge.
Coffee is adept at crossing borders. From the coffee we drink to the machines we brew it on, this is one of the most international substances known to man. That's part of the funthe global connectivity, and the endless possibilities and outcomes contained therein. In late March 2018, our partners at Royal Coffee Inc. held their first-ever international outreach event series in Japan. This four-part event series was titled Green Coffee Movement, and hosted by Royal GM Richard Sandlin in Tokyo, Osaka, and Gunma.

Sandlin is helping spearhead the company's ongoing growth in Japan, with an eye towards more events and future expansion. In this way Royal joins an ongoing effort at cultural and business exchange between Japan and the United States, which has roots going back many years. On the American side, brewing products by Japanese brands like Hario, Kalita, and Takahiro have long been popular choices for brewing in the cafe and at home; beautiful cold drip towers and siphons made by brands like Oji and Yama continue to draw oohs and ahhs in American cafes; and Japanese entrepreneurs like Hiroshi Sawada and Hidenori Izaki have opened popular cafes and remain in-demand consultants. Meanwhile there are a growing number of American coffee brands branching out to Tokyo and beyond, including a growing number of proprietary cafes from Blue Bottle; a wildly busy Verve location at Shinjuku Station; and a dedicated wholesale partnership for Stumptown at Paddler's Coffee, now with multiple locations in Tokyo.

Into this milieu steps Royal, with Sandlin as a not-so-secret weapon. He's lived previously in Japan; his spouse was born in Sendai; he speaks the language fluently, and has even contributed writing on Japan's coffee scene to this website. This showed at Royal's recent event series, attended by a relaxed mix of roasters, baristas, industry notables and coffee lovers, with whom Sandlin chatted with casually in Japanese.

The Tokyo event was held at FabCafe, and Sandlin treated the crowd to a crash course on Royal's services as a green coffee importer, including the company's detailed record keeping on every facet of inventory. This information, as per Sandlin, helps inform Royals customers before, during, and after their purchasing of the beans. Joining Sandlin at the event was the microroasting brand Ikawa, and the application MineDrip. These two were introduced once Royal's presentation was completed, after which the group broke out into a series of stations focused on Ikawa's sample roasting prowess, a comparative tasting area, and a demo station for MineDrip.

The evening in Tokyo closed with a cupping, featuring a half-dozen current offerings from Royal's catalogue, available to potential customers in Tokyo. What followed was an open exchange of flavor perceptions, as much a chance to mingle as it was a formal evaluation. The Tokyo coffee scene, though deeply international, is also quite close knit, and during events like this one you see the familiarity and camaraderie that is happily part of coffee life here. Its not just people in the same industry at the same event, going because they feel obligated, but people with the same love and passion for coffee. Into this steps Royal Coffee of Oakland; it's a lovely fit.

Craig Atkinson is a freelance journalist based in Tokyo. This is Craig Atkinson's first feature for Sprudge Media Network.

Disclosure: Royal Coffee Inc. is an advertising partner on Sprudge Media Network.
As professional brewers of coffee, many baristas dream of ascending the heights of competition, besting their foes to be crowned the okayest barista? Sure, it may not sound as glamorous as being named the best barista, but it certainly sounds like more fun, at least when it comes to the Second Annual Colorados Okayest Barista Competition. Taking place next week at Huckleberry Roasters in Denver, the Okayest Barista Competition looks to find out once and for all (at least until next year) who is pretty, pretty, pretty okay at this whole coffee thing.

Corresponding with the start of Coffee Fest Denver, Colorados Okayest Barista Competition is a night of head-to-action, pitting two baristas against one another all for the deranged pleasure of judges Ryan Willbur (La Marzocco USA), Anna Gutierrez (Barista 22), and Omar Herrera (Cafe Imports). Competitors will have to be more okay than their adversary through five rounds consisting of latte art, triangulation, brew methods (random), and a mystery signature beverage, before the final round, a cortado evaluation.

And for those less okay, there will be beer, fun, and mini-games, with prizes and swag for the event being provided by Oatly, Department of Brewology, Cafe Imports, La Marzocco, Mahlkonig, Spirit Tea, AeroPress, Barista Magazine, Trade Coffee, and many, many more.

The competition will be capped at 32 entries, and those wishing to compete can reserve a spot by emailing pecos-cafe@huckleberryroasters.com. Total cost of entry is $5, but the event is free to attend. It all gets started promptly at 6:30pm on Thursday, June 7th at Huckleberry Roasters' Dairy Block location (which is easily their okayest location). For more information, visit the Second Annual Colorados Okayest Barista Competition Facebook page.

Do you have what it takes to be okay?

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

*top image via Huckleberry Roasters
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.

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Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates in Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farm operations in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Dedicated to the Restoration of Progressive Democracy
Two pre-season friendlies announced for Under-23s

Friday, 1 June, 2018



Everton Under-23s will play friendlies against Bamber Bridge and Stockport County as part of their upcoming pre-season schedule.

The young Blues will travel to The Sir Tom Finney Stadium in Irongate to face Bamber Bridge on Wednesday 18 July, with a 7:30pm kick-off.

Everton Under-23s then face Stockport County on Saturday 21 July. Kick-off at Edgeley Park is set for 3pm.

The fixtures serve as preparation for David Unsworth's side ahead of the new Premier League 2 season, which is due to begin in mid-August.

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Further talks scheduled in Silva compensation dispute

Saturday, 2 June, 2018



Watford filed an official complaint against Everton for what they claim was an unwarranted approach for Silva last autumn when the sounded him out over the possibility of replacing Ronald Koeman.

The Hertfordshire club rejected more than one offer of compensation, then highest variously reported as being between 9m and 15m, and refused to let the Toffees hierarchy discuss their vacant manager's position with the Portuguese.

Citing Everton's attempts to "tap" him up as the reason for a nosedive in results, Watford eventually sacked Silva himself in January but there was still a reported 1m offer of compensation from Goodison Park on the table as recently as a month ago. That is said to have been withdrawn as the Hornets are still pushing for almost 10m.

It is the Watford Observer's understanding that the Premier League will mediate the second meeting between the two clubs.

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Vietnams Techcombank, fresh after raising $922 million from global investors, aims to expand aggressively into retail banking to capitalize on booming demand for an array of financial services, its senior executives said on Friday.

On the lending side, we are having an increasing orientation toward retail, a disproportionate amount of which would be mortgages, Chief Financial Officer Trinh Bang told Reuters in an interview.

The 25-year-old bank, formally Vietnam Technological & Commercial Joint Stock Bank, is seeing strong growth in services such as credit cards, auto loans and bancassurance, Trinh said.

The comments come after the Hanoi-based lender priced its April initial public offering (IPO) at the top of a marketing range, valuing it at $6.5 billion and making it Vietnams second-biggest listed bank after state-controlled Vietcombank.

Cornerstone investors included Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte Ltd [GIC.UL], Fidelity Management & Research and domestic fund Dragon Capital. Together, they bought 76 percent of shares offered in the IPO - one of the largest amounts among Vietnam IPO cornerstones.

Techcombanks appeal stems from a boom in financial services while the economy expands at record rates.

Vietnam reported annual credit expansion of about 18 percent for the past two years, with banks posting strong profit growth. A manufacturing boom spurred the export-dependent economy to grow 7.4 percent in January-March - the fastest first-quarter pace in a decade - after growing 6.8 percent in all of 2017.

Our strategy is very much in line with changing demographics and the growing affluence of young professionals, said Chief Executive Officer Nguyen Le Quoc Anh.

Techcombank provides a range of products and services to over 5.4 million customers through a network of 315 branches.

The bank, which will list its shares on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange on Monday, expects mortgages to make up a key portion of lending growth as it focuses on Vietnams expanding workforce, which is seeing a rise in disposable income.

Over the next two to three years, key for us is to continue shifting toward retail and mortgages, said CEO Quoc Anh. The rationale is that mortgages are safest in terms of provisions and give us the highest return on risk-weighted assets.

Techcombank expects retail lending to grow to 50 percent of total loans over the next two to three years from 40 percent, CEO Quoc Anh said.

In a report this year, credit-rating firm Standard & Poors said credit risk at Vietnamese banks was extremely high, reflecting high private-sector debt, low income levels, legacy stressed assets and rudimentary underwriting standards. It also said banking regulations lag international standards.

Techcombanks IPO followed a $370 million investment agreement earlier this year from Warburg Pincus LLC, in the largest-ever private equity investment in Vietnam.

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A thrilling water fight has been held by nearly 1,000 students of a high school in Vietnams Central Highlands, in celebration of the end of the 2017-18 academic year.

Although extremely common in Western culture, water battle is rarely seen as a tradition in Vietnams conservative and stern educational environment.

But the Kon Tum High School, located in the eponymous province, decided to break the mold last year, organizing an unprecedented water battle right at the school campus, in an attempt to leave their students hard-to-forget memories after nine months of stress and pressure fulfilling their academic year.

In Vietnam, an academic year starts in September and finishes in May the following year.

As the idea was wholeheartedly welcomed by students, the water fight was held again this year on Saturday last week.

Nearly 1,000 high schoolers were divided into two teams, imitating the showdown between two legends of the Hollywood blockbuster Dawn of Justice: Batman vs Superman.

The Batman and Superman squads, both equipped with hundreds of thousands of colorful balloons filled with water, had had an irreconcilable fight against each other for approximately an hour.

The boundary between teachers and students was probably crossed out in this special ceremony as they all played so friend-like by hitting each other into the puddles.

There was no usual sign of austere teachers, who appeared to be far more active and enthusiastic in the battle field.

Photographer Vo Lai Giang, a Kon Tum High School alumni, voluntarily captured the bustling fight and gave those photos to the students as a cheerful present.

This is also an act showing his gratefulness to the students, who reminded him of his wonderful school years.

The students look super amused and enthusiastic, Giang recalled.

I also took photos of last years celebration, getting wet from head to toe, but you wont know how super fulfilled I felt in return.

According to Ngo Duy Khanh, a Kon Tum High School student, almost all students had played fiercely hard and had an unforgettable experience ever.

He also believed that his friends had been given a great chance to unwind and refresh prior to the upcoming national high school exam, which will take place at the end of this June.

The exam is deemed the most momentous and stressful to senior high schoolers due to its direct effects on their future decisions.

Here are some photos captured by Vo Lai Giang during such once-in-a-lifetime battle:
Two French naval ships docked at Ho Chi Minh City and a neighboring province on Friday, commencing a five-day visit to the southern metropolis.

The visit of Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Dixmude and La Fayette-class frigate FS Surcouf is part of activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic ties and the five years of their Strategic Partnership.

It contributes to promoting cooperation between the two countries navies in particular and the bilateral defense ties in general.

Due to the large tonnage, Dixmude docked at the nearby Ba Ria-Vung Tau port, while Surcouf stayed at the port of Ho Chi Minh City.

During their stay, the 713 officers and sailors on board the vessels will pay courtesy visits to leaders of the municipal Peoples Committee, the High Command of Naval Region 2 and the citys High Command.

The crew members will take part in exchange and joint drill activities, as well as share their experience in fields of their common concern.

They will also explore historical relic sites and natural landscapes in Ho Chi Minh City.

Surcouf stayed at the port of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dixmude and Surcouf are joining in a combat training mission named Jeanne dArc, which aims to enhance international cooperation and practical combat training.

Upon arrival at the Ho Chi Minh City port, Colonel Jaen Porcher, commander of Surcouf, and French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Vincent Floreani co-chaired a press conference on the ship to introduce activities of the mission as well as the schedule of the fleet in the city.

The Jeanne DArc mission is an annual deployment undertaken by French Navy ships over a five-month period.

Dixmude is 199 meters long and 32 meters wide. It can carry heavy combat equipment such as helicopters, landing vehicles and soldiers.

Surcouf is a modern multi-purpose hidden frigate, which is made of composite material.

It is 125 meters long and five meters wide, and is equipped with helicopters, anti-ship guns and missiles, and anti-submarine torpedoes.

Dixmude stayed at the port of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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State President Tran Dai Quang, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation concluded a five-day state visit to Japan on Saturday.

Before leaving Tokyo, the Vietnamese head of state and his spouse had a warm farewell meeting with the Emperor and Empress.

The president also had a meeting with the Vietnamese Embassys staff and the Vietnamese nationals in the East Asian country, during which he hailed the contributions made by the Vietnamese expatriates to deepening the Vietnam-Japan cooperative ties.

President Quang hailed Japan as a leading strategic partner of Vietnam in various fields, underlining that Vietnam is consistent in developing the extensive strategic ties with Japan.

After 45 years of diplomatic establishment, both nations have enjoyed fruitful relations with regular high-ranking and people-to-people exchanges, increasingly political trust, and deepened collaboration in economy, trade, investment, education, tourism and defense.

President Quang considered his state visit to Japan a success as he had chance to meet with the Emperor, talk with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and political and economic leaders of Japan.

He delivered speech at a trade promotion conference which drew the participation of 600 enterprises from both sides and also attended a ceremony to mark 45th anniversary of the bilateral relations.

President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse have a warm farewell meeting with the Emperor and Empress before leaving Tokyo. Photo: Vietnam News Agency.

He asked the Vietnamese embassy and other representative organizations to put further efforts to carry out agreements inked between the two leaders, attract ODA and FDI capital, accelerate transfer of technology as well as foster collaboration in the potential fields.

The embassy should execute sound citizen protection measures and the Vietnamese people community must comply with regulations in the host country, he said.

The state leader also expressed his hope that the Vietnamese nationals will work to contribute more to the Vietnam-Japan relations.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong affirmed that the embassy always does it utmost to foster the extensive strategic ties between the two countries.

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Check out the news you should not miss today, June 2

Politics

-- Vietnam will reinforce defense ties with New Zealand, the UK, and Singapore, Vietnamese Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich said after respective bilateral meetings with defence officials of these countries on Friday, the sidelines of the 17th Shangri-La Dialogue in the city-state.

-- The French Navys Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Dixmude and La Fayette-class frigate FS Surcouf with 713 officers and sailors on board docked in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, commencing their five-day visit to the southern Vietnamese metropolis.

Society

-- A court in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday handed the death penalty to Thi Danh, former head of a board tasked with site clearance and compensation, for embezzling more than VND54 billion ($2.36 million) in damages that should have been given to people having to relocate for a major project to establish Tan Phu District in 2003.

-- The $196.8 million Ho Chi Minh City Nhi Dong Hospital was officially inaugurated on Friday, the International Childrens Day, after having been put into use since January 2018.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Supreme Court on Friday decided to cancel the 18-month probation verdict of the court of appeal of a province-level court for Nguyen Khac Thuy on charges of sexually abusing two children aged six and 11 on May 11, determining to keep the previous verdict to sentence him to three years in prison.

Business

-- Vietnam hopes that the Japan International Cooperation Agency will continue working to increase Japanese official development assistance (ODA) for the country, State President Tran Dai Quang has proposed during a meeting with JICA President Shinichi Kitaoka in Tokyo on Friday, as part of his ongoing state visit to Japan.

-- Children and the elderly will be allowed to check-in at the priority counters for domestic flights with Jetstar Pacific during the summer, the carrier said on Friday.

Lifestyle

-- Two Vietnamese circus performers, known as The Giang brothers, got a standing ovation with their stunning performance during the semi-final of the Britains Got Talent 2018 on Friday.

-- French photographer and reporter Nicolas Cornet launched his latest photo book Vietnam Pagodas in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, showcasing 30 pagodas across the nation.
A former Vietnamese banking executive has been sentenced to 30 years in prison and required to pay over VND16,000 billion (US$704 million) worth of damages to a bank where she worked, in a high-profile case where she was accused of violating economic regulations and embezzlement.

Hua Thi Phan, former chief adviser of Vietnam Construction Bank, formerly known as TrustBank, will serve the jail term on charges of abuse of confidence to expropriate assets and deliberate infringement of the governments regulations on economic management which leads to severe consequences.

This punishment carries the longest time span for multiple crimes with fixed jail terms a person commit at the same time in Vietnam.

Phan, 71, received the ruling in absentia from the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Court on Thursday evening since she was in hospital, after being prosecuted for fraud in September last year and first brought to trial in early May.

She must pay Vietnam Construction Bank over VND1,105 billion ($48.62 million) in recompense, which is the amount she gained when the bank bought the house at 5 Pham Ngoc Thach Street in District 3 of Ho Chi Minh City.

As the mastermind behind the racketeering, Phan asked lower-level employees of the bank to inflate the value of the building by multiple times from its true price and subjected it to a number of purchases for further price increases before having it sold to the bank.

She benefited by taking the difference between the real price and the end one, which was VND1,256 billion ($55 million).

In another case of misconduct, Phan coerced Phuong Trang Company, which was in urgent demand for capital for real estate investment, to sign loan and disbursement documents and loan receiving certificates well before the firm was expected to take out its 82 loans and a number of bonds.

All these items were collectively worth over VND16,500 ($690 million), and the enterprise only received about one fourth of it, more than VND3,900 billion ($171.6 million).

Phuong Trang unwittingly became indebted as Phan directed several Vietnam Construction Bank staff members under her lead to completed fake documents which said the firm borrowed the huge amount from the bank.

Phan has to give this sum of $690 million back to the VCB, according to the verdict.

Phuong Trang company is only obliged to pay the amount it obtained and the attendant interest.

Phan is also liable for the court cost of around VND17 billion ($748,000).
A court in Ho Chi Minh City has handed the death sentence to a former official who embezzled from a fund meant for compensation to people having to relocate for a major urban project in the southern metropolis 15 years ago.

Thi Danh, former head of a management board in charge of site clearance and compensation of Tan Phu District, received the verdict after a two-day court on Friday.

Nguyen Duy Linh, former chief accountant of the management board, was given 15 years, whereas three other co-accused in the case were handed jail terms between two and five years.

All of them were found guilty of embezzlement.

According to the indictment, Danh, born in 1957, was assigned to take charge of the compensation fund in 2003, when Tan Phu District was established.

The management board was tasked by the Tan Phu administration with overseeing several site clearance and relocation projects and allocating compensation for affected households.

However, the board was found with multiple violations of regulations in carrying out six of many projects it was assigned between November 2003 and January 2016, according to an inspection by the district administration in December 2015.

For instance, in the project meant to upgrade the Tan Hoa - Lo Gom Canal and the road running along it, Danh and his accomplices were found appropriating more than VND23 billion (US$1 million) from the compensation fund.

In the project to expand and upgrade the Luy Ban Bich Street, Danh used the money meant for recompense to two relocated households to open a savings account.

He later asked Linh to transfer VND450 million ($19,680) of the money to the account of the management board and embezzled it, keeping the remaining in the bank savings account.

In total, Danh, taking advantage of his managerial position, directed Linh to appropriate a total of VND54.1 billion ($2.36 million) from the fund.

Besides the death sentence, Fridays court also ordered Danh and relevant individuals to return the embezzled money.

Danh alone is responsible for refunding VND41 billion ($1.79 million).
Drug addiction is the main cause behind the alarming high crime rate in Ho Chi Minh City, the spokesman of the municipal police department has admitted.

Colonel Nguyen Sy Quang, chief advisor and spokesman of the Ho Chi Minh City police department, admitted in an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that criminal has been on an upward trend in the southern metropolis.

Criminals are increasing in violence, aggression and audacity, Quang said.

The interview took place against the backdrop of a tragic incident involving two unofficial street knights killed by motorbike thieves, and another case whereby two people were stabbed by the same criminals who attempted to snatch their mobile phones in Ho Chi Minh City.

Quang admitted that there is almost no boundary between different kinds of criminals as they tend to transform quickly.

For example, a thief can easily turn into a robber or a murderer, he elaborated.

They act spontaneously and even brutally in some cases.

In the past, most criminals would run away whenever law enforcement officers appeared, but today they tend to fiercely fight back anyone who tries to stop them, he continued.

The root of the problem, he underlined, is the large number of drug addicts in the city.

Quang did not give any statistics, but data gathered by Tuoi Tre shows that 35-40 percent of captured criminals are drug addicts.

Sixty percent of robbers in Ho Chi Minh City are drug addicts, according to the police department.

Vietnam had more than 222,500 known addicts, according a report released by the Ministry of Public Security in January 2018.

As an immediate solution, the Ho Chi Minh City police department will focus on increasing patrols of the mobile police force, criminal police, and traffic police, to tackle crimes, Quang said.

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A court in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday decided to cancel an 18-month probation verdict of a province-level court of appeal for a 78-year-old Vietnamese man accused of having lewd acts against two preteen girls and uphold a previous verdict to put him in jail.

Nguyen Khac Thuy was sentenced to three years behind bars on charges of sexually abusing two girls, aged six and 11, by a court of Vung Tau, the coastal city of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, in November 2017.

The elderly submitted an appeal against the charge, prompting an appeal court to be convened on May 11.

However, the appellate court ruled that there was not enough evidence to charge him for the second incident, involving the 11-year-old girl, and found Thuy guilty in the first case only.

The court thus reduced his sentence to 18 months of probation. The judge justified his leniency by citing that the defendant is a Party member.

The decision has since stirred up fierce opposition from the public, with legal experts stating that being a Party member is not a factor for a sentence reduction.

Many thought the verdict was not harsh enough for the pain Thuy caused the children.

Previously, Ba Ria-Vung Tau police also suggested that Thuy be charged for molesting as many as four preteen girls.

On May 17, Superior Peoples Court in Ho Chi Minh City announced that the ruling of the appellate court had been overturned, requesting that the court of second instance be conducted again. The judge who handled the appeal was also temporarily suspended.

In Vietnams court system, the Supreme Peoples Court holds the highest power, followed by three Superior Peoples Courts based in Hanoi, the central city of Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

In the final decision to settle the saga, the Ho Chi Minh City Supreme Court ruled the cancelation of the 18-month probation verdict, requesting that Thuy be sentenced to three years in prison, as decided by the court of first instance.

According to the indictment, Thuy was charged with committing lewd acts on two girls in separate instances in April and May 2014 at the Lakeside apartment complex in Vung Tau.

In the first case, the elderly man touched the sensitive parts of the six-year-old girl and was later scolded and hit in the face by the victims father.

In the second incident, the victim was with a friend in her apartment when Thuy arrived and reached his hand through the door to commit lewd acts on her.

Thuy pleaded not guilty to both charges of child molestation, but the first court in Vung Tau City ruled that there was sufficient evidence to convict him. He was then condemned to three years in prison.

However, the appeals court in Ba Ria - Vung Tau ruled that there was not enough evidence to charge him for the second incident, involving the 11-year-old girl, and found Thuy guilty in the first case only. His sentence was thus commuted to 18 months of probation.
Zimbabwe will hold elections on July 30, 2018, according to CNBC. The European Union will oversee it. Voa News said that President Emmerson Mnangagwa made the announcement. But, as the award-winning journalist, Hopewell Chin'ono, pointed out, it's not just the EU or the UK who need to come on board for these elections. The United States is going to be crucial.

On Twitter, he posted, "Zim needs the US onboard because all significant major financial transactions go via New York. Bob [former president Mugabe] was reduced to moving around with cash.

The Zim government has an opportunity to resolve issues but time is running out."

5/ Zim needs the US onboard because all significant major financial transactions go via New York. Bob was reduced to moving around with cash. The Zim government has an opportunity to resolve issues but time is running out. This busy might be that moment @ZimMediaReview @matigary  Hopewell Chin'ono (@daddyhope) June 1, 2018

Zimbabwe elections and the sanctions stance of USA Senator

In May, CGTN Africa reported that "a leading U.S. Senator on African affairs said President Emmerson Mnangagwa is running out of time to take steps which could lead to sanctions relief for Zimbabwe." Speaking to Senator Chris Coons, who led a delegation to Zimbabwe, it came out via Chinese television, that President Emmerson Mnangagwa's "Open for business" stance was initially very welcome.

At the time, Coons was "delighted to have terrific conversations with President Mnangagwa." In a later editorial and in a press conference, the Honourable Mnangagwa clearly committed himself to democracy, Coons said. But he later went on to say that the country is running out of time to stop talking and start making real changes ahead of the elections.

These included things like free and fair elections, a return to "rule-based economy" and improved "Human rights."

Coons also said if these and other actions were taken that Zimbabwe could expect the USA to give the country "significant sanctions relief." Coons and Senator Flake were keen to take this to Congress to push it through.

But at the end of it all, Coons made it clear that they felt there had not been enough done. This was despite real action happening in terms of improvements for voter registration and the electoral roll.

US continuation of sanctions will hurt the new age of prosperity

This does not bode well for Zimbabwe, as the elections are less than two months away. On the ground in Zimbabwe, there are conflicting opinions on a prosperous future between all races and class. Positive steps like starting to return some farms to dispossessed whites and talking about compensation have hardliners upset. But business people seem to be optimistic and there are many negotiations going on in Zimbabwe at present. One such construction company owner told me that in fact, there are enough interested parties that the country may not need US business investment initially.

But another Zimbabwean who returned from the diaspora who is looking to invest said that the US is vital for the improvement in the economy of the country. The infrastructure like roads, railways, and healthcare all need massive injections of money. If the USA keeps sanctions that will in effect mean a withholding of capital as well.

There are also unconfirmed reports via Hopewell Chin'ono who is well connected to international media, that "the Africa Bureau Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for the US government, Matthew Harrington will be in Harare. He has got a two-day program from the 7th up to the 9th of June." He added that the US seems to still have problems with Zimbabwe.

1/ My contacts in Washington DC tell me that the Africa Bureau Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for the US government, Matthew Harrington will be in Harare.

He has got a two day program from the 7th up to the 9th of June. They hev issues @ZimMediaReview @matigary @sure_kamhunga  Hopewell Chin'ono (@daddyhope) June 1, 2018

The Mail & Guardian's Joe Devanny wrote an interesting analysis on what the UK could expect from the Zimbabwean elections.

He pointed out a range of potential ways the elections could be unfair. He wrote, that there are "more than fifty shades of grey between, on the one hand, free and fair elections, and, on the other, total dictatorship."

He went on to point out that it takes years to uncover and prove any meaningful election rigging. This may be why the USA appears to not be overly impressed with what has been done so far, or the fact that the EU will oversee the elections.

The 'bloodless coup' and unity

In Zimbabwe, November 2017, millions of people rushed into the streets to welcome and embrace the military who made the outsing of long-term president Robert Mugabe. In the days that followed the "bloodless coup," Zimbabweans, possibly for the first time since their 1980 independence from Rhodesia, united and danced together in the streets.

But inevitably, with the breath of fresh air that Mnangagwa brought, instead of using the long-lost freedom of speech to pursue a unified, and dignified way forward, a lot of sniping and squabbles arose among various opposition parties and civic leaders.

Zimbabwe's election will not be won through social media

The bottom line is that many of the opposition parties and civic movements have focussed on getting their message out via social media. This election will not be won by the diaspora liking and commenting on posts. It will not be won by those in Zimbabwe sniping at each other on Twitter. It will, at the end of the day, be won by those parties who take their campaigns to the rural areas.

ZANU PF knew this when their military resistance against Rhodesia expanded in the 1970s and they have used it ever since, to win hearts and minds.

This election will be no different. The USA should know this. It is not the fault of the average rural person in Zimbabwe that ZANU is well set to campaign in those areas. The poor rural people, like everyone else, want to see prosperity and that will only come if all international governments back the elections if they are declared free and fair by the EU.
Kevin Layne is a successful actor who is making his way to the top. He has worked on films such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which was tremendously exciting for him, and he said he was also blessed to earn a role in the upcoming Jurassic

World: Fallen Kingdom. He also spoke about his appearance on Sky Atlantic in a new hit show called Patrick Melrose, in which he plays a character called Shades alongside Benedict Cumberbatch.

Kevin is busy with a lot of exciting Film and TV projects that almost every actor would be like to be a part of. One of his inspirations to become an actor was his father, who appeared on TV in a famous James Bond film.

Acting beginnings

My journey into acting started with a seed that was planted when I saw my father on TV one day. Ever since I was a young boy I loved the James Bond franchise and one Christmas Day, I was told to watch closely when we were all sitting around the TV as a family. My father started to point out his involvement in the James Bond film Live and Let Die and there, at that moment, I was left bemused, shocked and totally in awe. I remember thinking, Wow, Dad must be famous! How could he be in a James Bond film? I cant say that was the magic moment when it all clicked and I was like Yes! I know what I want to do with my life! I want to be an actor!, but it certainly laid the foundation for my desire to want to be on the screen.

It was very cool. I started out doing extra work here and there. I remember that it was actually

my father who got me my first extra job on a Channel 4 show called Get Up, Stand Up, which was a comedy show on the channel at the time.

True to my roots, I was an extra in a scene that involved a party scene where we all had to dress up in Carnival costumes and dance.

Needless to say, this was easy for me as I have deep roots in Carnival; however, although I knew that this was not exactly acting, it was a good start. Anyway, many years later I found myself auditioning for drama school. I got into the Arts Educational School of Acting and stayed for two years, acquiring a master's degree in Acting and getting a lucky start with a Co-op, which is essentially an acting agency run by other actors who submit each other for jobs.

This was not an ideal situation for me at the time so I sought new representation.

Luckily, I managed to audition for a play of which the producer was also running an acting agency and she saw my potential and wanted to take me on. The rest I guess is history, as we are still together now.

Where do you think is the best place to be as an actor and why?



Well, today, the best place for an actor to be is in a place where you are totally comfortable in your own skin, with who you are. Its easy to see other successful actors pursuing their careers and winning, but you have to remember that its not a race or a competition. I have always had the mindset that the only competition I have in the acting world is with myself and that all I can be is a better version of myself.

You go into an audition room with an attitude that is more along the lines of how can I solve your dilemma, the dilemma being, of course, we need a good actor to play this part. This thinking enables you to be present in what you are doing and clears your mind of the other distractions that can throw you off. So youre never really asking for a job, no more than asking if you are the answer to their

dilemma.

I believe that when an actor is always trying to challenge him/herself and is as hungry as they were in the beginning, this is a great place to be, as you will always have the desire to keep pushing and be better and better. For me, acting is

a thing that is developed over a lifetime of experiences, so one must always be willing to learn and expand.

Longevity is the key.

Best projects to date

What are your best projects to date?



Its difficult to say what my best projects have been so far, as they have all been so varied and fun to do. Working on Star Wars: The Last Jedi was tremendously exciting for all the obvious reasons, but more so than any other job for the sheer

fact that Its Star Wars,man!!. I was also blessed to earn a role in the upcoming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which is another insanely huge film franchise with a massive cultural following. These films have completely changed my life with regard to gaining experience as an actor working in the studio system and having the chance to work at the highest level in the movie world with some amazingly talented individuals.

Having said that, I believe that my best project so far is a film called 15 Minutes De Guerre based on the 1976 Loyada Hostage Rescue Mission. I play a freedom fighter named Barkhard, alongside Olga Kurylenko, who leads a rebel faction that takes 31 school children hostage to liberate his people from an increasingly oppressive French regime in Djibouti. This is also my biggest role to date and one which I am very proud of and cant wait to see. We shot for three weeks out in the Moroccan desert and I think we are all in for a treat when this film is released later this year.

Upcoming projects

Do you have any interesting film or TV projects coming up?



I can currently be seen now on Sky Atlantic in a new hit show called Patrick Melrose, in which I play a character called Shades alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the first episode. I am currently shooting a small role in another film

I cannot mention right now, but I can also be seen playing a submarine pilot in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in cinemas nationwide from 6th June.
Elsewhere in Europe, tumultuous times are ahead for the EU after the two Italian populist parties, the far-right League party and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, managed to gain approval from the president Sergio Mattarella to form a government after 88 days of multiple hurdles and negotiations. Both have a history of antagonism towards the EU.

Previously, the president had rejected their first proposal to form a government after he was vocal about his concerns about a proposed finance minister who had helped write a guide for withdrawing Italy from the euro.

The wary world looks on

Giuseppe Conte took an oath of loyalty to the Italian constitution in Italy's presidential palace in Rome, ending three months of political turmoil. From the off, the Italian economy grew and stabilised after the political situation was stabilised. But this will be of great concern to the likes of Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, who are pushing for greater EU political and economic integration. The leaders of the Five Star Movement and the League, Luigi di Maio and Matteo Salvini respectively, managed to find a compromise in the figure of Conte after signing a 57-page programme that included a blend of both parties' campaign promises.

The greater concern being that the nation which gave birth to the traditional Fascist movement has again opted for a party that holds similar views, especially when it comes to blatant xenophobic and anti-immigration policies.

League leader Matteo Salvini has been sworn in as interior minister and Five Stars Luigi Di Maio is labor and economic development minister.

Hundreds gathered in Rome and Milan to protest the formation of the most right-wing government since Mussolinis National Fascist Party gained power in 1922. Whatever happens next the world and in particular the EU will be watching very carefully at their first moves but it is likely, much like Mussolini did, they will make more moderate concessions to maintain power.

The dilemma for Brussels and Italy

The dilemma for Brussels is to work out how to deal with the unruly nature of the new Italian government led by vocally anti-EU alongside Brexit negotiations, an increase in tensions between Moscow and Russia, the trade war instigated by the US administration and uncooperative states such as Viktor Orbans Hungary.

As Owen Jones wrote about Italy for The Guardian "It must confront its core national dilemma: whether to remain shackled by the euro or try to reclaim economic, political, and institutional sovereignty."

Whether or not you believe the Euro and the EU to be underlying issues for Italy, there is much to be taken by what Owen Jones says here and throughout the article itself. There are a number of confrontations Italy must have with itself and the EU must do the same also, it is imperative that both Italy and the EU act with their economic futures in mind without pushing needless national rhetoric.
Mariano Rajoy yesterday was ousted as Spains Prime Minister after a vote of confidence gained the support of 180 MPs, four more than the required 176. Spanish law dictates that there should be no vacuum of power, meaning the opposition gets given the chance to form a government and this means the leader of the Socialist party PSOE, Pedro Sanchez, will now become the Prime Minister but he has pledged that they will hold an early general election, possibly this year.

The fact that Sanchez has been able to get himself back into this position is remarkable, after he regained the leadership a year ago.

This was after a coup that was led by the right wing of the party saw him deposed over his refusal to allow Rajoy back into office after two inconclusive general elections.

The difficult tasks ahead

Sanchez has a difficult task ahead of him with a flailing economy, deep systemic corruption within the government and the divisions over the Catalonia crisis. Fixing the economy is going to be no easy task, however, despite being pro-EU; he mustnt push austerity because it has failed across the world and it is ideologically and economically spent.

But this is going to be difficult because with the support of Rajoy, former PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was the first to sacrifice the welfare of ordinary Spaniards by imposing eurozone austerity through changing the constitution to turn strict budget control into a mandate by any who govern, along with the imposition of internal devaluation which is based on job and salary cuts.

Furthermore, in the lower legislative house, he is not a member and the parliamentary group of his party is small and whilst he controlled the largest opposition, they arent a majority in parliament (just 84 PSOE deputies), making it all the more difficult to push through legislative changes, especially in regards to the constitution.

He will require support from other parties but the prospect of him building any ad-hoc coalitions is slim due to the fact that multiple opposition members have dubbed his government Frankenstein (side note, I dislike the use of Frankenstein as I am all too well aware of the inaccuracy of the description, as I presume they are referring to Frankensteins monster).

Catalonia crisis and reform

Resolving Catalonia is going to be a monumental task and he did support Rajoys policy of implementing direct rule on the region but called for dialogue with the separatists. There is little that can be judged at this point in time but what he has said is that he will implement the budget that was recently passed despite his partys opposition towards it, to try and gain the support from the Basque nationalists deputies.

The heart of the Catalonia crisis stems from the 2006 Statute of Autonomy in Catalonia, which was passed in the Catalan Parliament and ratified by the Spanish one which then was put to the people in a referendum that passed 78 to 22 percent. But when the government in Madrid changed from the Socialist PSOE to the Conservative hard-line PP, they forcibly overturned the result through the Spanish courts.

But the original referendum reflected that the majority believe Catalonia to be a nation within a nation.

There needs to systemic reform across the country and that wont happen with the current political class and they understand this and that is why, it will be unlikely that oppositions will call for a general election because it doesnt create much clarity other than, ordinary Spaniards are fed up with the regimes and that Pedro Sanchez is probably another centrist poster boy like Emmanuel Macron.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China has retrieved 8.5 tonnes of waste from Mount Everest since April as it clears garbage left by growing numbers of visitors, the state-run Global Times said on Thursday.

Enthusiasts from all over the world who flock to the world's tallest mountain, at a height of 8,850 meters (29,035 ft) between Tibet and Nepal, discard tonnes of trash each year.

A team of 30 people has cleared about 5.2 tonnes of household waste, 2.3 tonnes of human faeces, and one tonne of mountaineering trash in the cleanup by Tibetan mountaineering officials, the paper said.

The work is almost as demanding as tackling the summit, say climbers, since collection is a strenuous task that boosts the consumption of oxygen people need to breathe, it added.

During last year's climbing season, which usually runs from March until May, 202 climbers summitted from the Tibetan side, versus 446 from the Nepali side, while thousands of tourists visited base camps on both sides.

The warming global climate has melted frozen garbage left by climbers over decades, spurring environmental concern in Nepal, India and China, which is taking tough measures to clean up air, water and soil contaminated after decades of breakneck growth.

Since 2015, officials in Tibet have given every climber two trash bags to retrieve at least 8 kg of rubbish, levying a fine of $100 for each kilogram by which a climber falls short. Nepal adopted similar rules in 2014.

China also plans to build environmentally friendly toilet and waste collection sites at Mount Everest, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Authorities in Tibet have pledged to complete 45 pollution cleanup tasks before 2020, according to a list published this week by the environment ministry, after a central inspection team flagged concerns last year.

Beijing plans a further round of inspections early next year, the People's Daily newspaper of the ruling Communist Party has said.

(Reporting by Muyu Xu and David Stanway; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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FILE PHOTO: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attends a meeting with Muslim leaders and scholars in Hyderabad, India, February 15, 2018. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/File Photo

Thomson Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will host Iranian President Hassan Rouhani next month at a regional summit in a Chinese coastal city, the country's foreign ministry said on Monday, as major power scramble to save Iran's nuclear deal after the United States pulled out.

Rouhani will pay a working visit to China and attend the summit of the China and Russia-led security bloc the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the ministry said.

It did not give exact dates for his visit, but the summit is scheduled to be held on the second weekend of June in the northern Chinese city of Qingdao.

Iran is currently an observer member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, though it has long sought full membership.

Russia has previously argued that with Western sanctions against Tehran lifted, it could finally become a member of the bloc which also includes four ex-Soviet Central Asian republics, Pakistan and India.

The 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers lifted international sanctions on Tehran. In return, Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear activities, increasing the time it would need to produce an atom bomb if it chose to do so.

Since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States this month, calling the agreement deeply flawed, European states have been scrambling to ensure Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal.

China has also strongly supported the deal and is one of its signatories.

(Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)

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TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Anti-corruption groups in Honduras on Friday condemned a decision by the country's highest court to strike down a government arm created to work with the Organization of American States' (OAS) anti-graft mission.

The civil society groups were reacting to the Honduran Supreme Court's ruling, published on Thursday, to invalidate the Fiscal Unit Against Impunity and Corruption (UFECIC) on the grounds that the body's establishment was unconstitutional.

The UFECIC has worked with the OAS-backed Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH), which was launched in 2016. The court ruling is a blow to the MACCIH, which has faced stiff opposition from local politicians.

The ruling derived from a complaint brought against the UFECIC by three NGO workers accused by prosecutors and the MACCIH of embezzling money with five members of Congress.

Several anti-graft groups protested the decision, including the National Anti-Corruption Council (CNA).

"Suppressing the UFECIC weakens the MACCIH," Odir Fernandez, the CNA's head of investigations, told reporters. "The message this sends is that what matters is not stopping corruption, but ... protecting corrupt politicians at work in our country."

The establishment of the MACCIH followed the rise of a U.N.-backed body in neighbouring Guatemala that has aggressively pursued corruption, clashing with its government and bringing down President Otto Perez and his vice president in 2015.

The MACCIH investigation involves Mauricio Oliva, the head of Congress and an ally of President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

(Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Suman Naishadham; Editing by Leslie Adler)
At least 53 Jehovahs Witnesses are currently languishing in prison in Eritreaan African country known for repressing Christiansand some have died in prison due to poor treatment, according to a report on religious freedom released this week by the State Department.

Eritrea officially recognizes four religions: the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Eritrean Catholic Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church and Islam. Nevertheless, even members of the sanctioned Christian groups face frequent repression, and fringe groups like the Jehovahs Witnesses face constant persecution and discrimination. The authoritarian government of Isaias Afwerki, which came to power in 1993 when Eritrea first gained independence, stripped the Jehovahs Witnesses of their citizenship in 1994 because they object to participating in military service. Since then, many members of the group have been imprisoned or abused for practicing their religion or refusing to join the military.

In February several NGOs [non-government organizations] reported Tsehaye Tesfamariam, a Jehovahs Witness arrested in 2009 and imprisoned at the Meeter Prison Camp until 2015, died in November 2016 from an illness contracted in prison that authorities reportedly refused to treat, the State Department report said.

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Most places of worship unaffiliated with the four registered religious groups remained closed, but many of those buildings were protected and undamaged," the report noted. "Jehovahs Witnesses, who were stripped of citizenship in 1994 due to their refusal to vote in the independence referendum, were largely unable to obtain official identification documents."

The report went on to say that "without official identification documents, many Jehovahs Witnesses were effectively barred from most forms of employment, government benefits, and travel. The government did not recognize a right to conscientious objection to military service, and continued to single out Jehovahs Witnesses for particularly harsh treatment such as arrest and detention.

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Members of the Jehovahs Witnesses organization said that at least three of the groups members have been held without charge since 1994. Two elderly witnesses also died in prison this year.

Eritrea arrests and imprisons Jehovahs Witnesses and others without trial or formal charges. Witness men and women, including children and the elderly, are imprisoned for religious activity or for undisclosed reasons. Young men are imprisoned for conscientiously objecting to military service, the Jehovahs Witnesses said in a statement.

The situation resembles that of Russia, which labeled the religious group an extremist cult last year and began jailing members and shutting religious institutions. At least 26 Jehovahs Witnesses have been charged in Russia under the countrys strict laws on extremism.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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In 2017-18, a record number of people (1,575 in total) in the UK donated their organs after death, resulting in more than 5,000 life-saving or life-improving transplants. These figures, released by NHS Blood and Transplant, show numbers of deceased donors continue to rise in the UK. The 2017-18 figure was an 11% increase on the previous year, and a near 20% increase in donor numbers since 2013-14.

These numbers are encouraging. More than 50,000 people are alive in the UK today following organ transplant. Yet 457 people still died in 2016-17 waiting for a transplant and more than 6,000 patients remain on the transplant waiting list.

England, Scotland and Northern Ireland operate an opt-in system of consent for organ donation. Willing donors provide consent by actively signing up to the organ donor register. Wales, however, has had an opt-out system since December 2015 (which England and Scotland are also expected to implement). All adults in Wales are now presumed to be consenting organ donors unless they explicitly register to opt out of donation, although people can still choose to opt in (known as express consent).

Even given these policy differences, family refusal remains one of the biggest barriers to donation. Under each countrys laws, following the death of a loved one, consent must first be obtained from the family before any organ can be taken for transplant (even in Wales), regardless of the wishes of the deceased. While consent is granted in around two-thirds of cases, this rises to over 90% when the deceased was a registered donor.

Donation and location

At the time of writing, more than one-third of the UKs population (24.9m people) have signed up to the NHS organ donor register, making clear their willingness to donate their organs after death. But recent figures show that levels of registration differ across areas of the UK. The number of registered donors is lower in England (35% of the population) than Wales (38%), Northern Ireland (40%) and Scotland (44%).

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Between health authorities in England, higher numbers of donors are found in the South (42%), compared to the North (34%), Midlands and East (34%) and London (29%). Similar disparities also exist among Welsh local authorities. Whether these figures point to a geography of potential donors is currently unclear, but these numbers surely warrant further investigation  especially given the strong relationship between registered donor status and familial consent for donation.

Research from the US has already identified local differences that correspond to different levels of registered organ donors. In one study, areas characterised by higher income were found to have greater numbers of registered donors, for example. Until recently, however, research linking location factors with organ donation rates had not been conducted in the UK.

In our recently published analysis of local patterns in registered organ donors, we found notable difference in rates of sign-up to the organ donor register across Welsh communities in the five years before Wales switched to an opt-out system. Among those aged 16-70, we found levels of new sign-up over this period ranged from as little as 6% of residents in some communities to as much as 24% in others. Higher rates of new sign-up during this period were generally found in and around major urban areas in the south east and north east of Wales, while lower rates were shown in south Wales valley communities.

Exploring the local geography of registered donors will undoubtedly raise questions about whether these differences are caused by variations in people or place  and rightly so. But having a better understanding of the potential geography of registered donors could be of considerable benefit to all the UK nations  especially to those local policymakers and practitioners working within them.

For now, rates of organ donation in the UK are still someway behind high performing countries such as Spain, which had 46.9 donors per million people in 2017, compared to 23 donors per million in the UK. Figures for 2017-18 also show the number of people registering a decision to opt-out of organ donation in the UK has increased to more than 500,000.

Tracking local trends can provide important information that will help identify areas where fewer people are opting in to organ donation, or, in the future (or now in Wales), areas where more people are opting out. Information that could play a vital role in helping specific groups and communities learn about the importance of organ donation, and ultimately help save lives.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Nicholas Page does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A passenger jet was forced into an emergency landing on Tuesday as panicked travelers fainted in their seats and vomited in the aisles.

Though it may sound like the opening scene of an apocalyptic pandemic movie, the emergency landing was actually forced by a passenger who smelled as if he hadnt washed for several weeks, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported.

The Dutch Transavia Airlines flight was heading to Amsterdam from the Spanish island of Gran Canaria off the coast of northwest Africa. But before it got there, passengers began to gag and become violently ill.

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KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/Getty Images

From the moment he stepped into the aisle, people began to scream and dived into their bags looking for handkerchiefs to keep in front of them, passenger Piet van Haut told De Telegraaf. Cabin crew tried in vain to cover the stench with perfume, but nothing could mask it.

Van Haut explained to Belgian news website VRT: It was a huge stenchThe smell made me think that the man hadn't washed for weeks.

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The crew eventually moved the man to sit in the toilet at the back of the plane to try and protect his fellow passengers from the smell. However, even that wasnt enough, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing in Faro, Portugal.

The man was then handed over to a waiting ambulance and medical team, before the flight continued on to its destination. Transavia confirmed that a man had been removed from the flight for medical reasons, but it is indeed right that he smelled quite a bit, according to Euro Weekly News.

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The culprit may have left, but his influence lingered. Though food and drink was supposed to be served during the journey, cabin crew decided not to because the odor was so strong.

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The plane eventually made it to Amsterdam, some two hours after it was scheduled to land. Nobody could stand the stench, Van Haut said. I heard someone say that the stench was worse than that of a corpse that had been decomposing for a month. It was an untenable situation, Van Haut said.

This is not the first time Transavia has dealt with a smelly passenger. In February, a fight broke out between two men on a flight from Dubai to Amsterdam after one traveler kept breaking wind, despite repeated requests for him to stop.

After the pilot reported passengers on the rampage, the plane landed in Vienna so the men could be removed. Two sisters sitting nearby were also taken off the flight, though they claimed they had nothing to do with the fracas. The sisters, who are of Moroccan-Dutch descent, are now suing the airline for racial profiling.

Transavia said the two sisters were involved in the brawl and have banned all four passengers from future flights.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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The fans of Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson have been waiting to hear when the two would tie the knot. There have been a lot of rumors and now it sounds like her friend may have let it slip. In Touch Weekly shared the details about what her friend said that has fans thinking the wedding is this weekend.

What did Hannah Millsap reveal?

Family friend Hannah Millsap flew from Texas to Arkansas earlier this week. You know that if there is a wedding that she will be coming back for it. Then she went and shared a picture that basically says that they are getting married this weekend.

She was with Lauren in the photo and said, "Little sis getting married." She didn't exactly say when they would be getting married, though and this one was on SnapChat.

She also went to Instagram and shared saying, "My heart explodes with joy! How did I ever get so blessed that I get to call you, my little sister! I love how you love, Jesus with all your heart, soul, mind and strength! Jesus just radiates through you! You pour Him out and push people higher! You make Jesus look beautiful! Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.Proverbs 27:17 Stay bold! Love you, Lauren  #sisterdate #littlesisgettingmarried." This really does sound like the wedding is coming very soon.

Is the wedding this weekend?

Nobody knows for sure if the wedding is this weekend. There have been a lot of various dates going around about when Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson might tie the knot. The original date fans thought was around June 30. Then they put out a registry that shows it will be on New Year's Eve, but nobody seems to think they will wait that long and of course, they were probably trying to confuse the fans with the date on their registry.

None of the Duggars normally put the right date on their registry.

For now, the fans are going to have to wait and see when Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson end up getting married. Usually right after a Duggar ties the knot, they will put out an article for all of the fans to know the details. Josiah did just have his big "Bachelor" party last weekend, so there would be no reason to do that six months before the wedding.

You can assume that the wedding is coming up sooner rather than later.

Hopefully, if Josiah and Lauren tie the knot this weekend they let fans know right away. New episodes of "Counting On" will start airing on July 30 on TLC and you know they will end up having a wedding special after they get married.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), Democratic Governors Association Chair (Credit: Office of Washington Governor Jay Inslee)(NEW YORK) -- More than a dozen Democratic governors say they will take legal action if the Trump administration moves ahead with a proposed rule that would restrict federal funding for family planning providers such as Planned Parenthood that refer patients for or perform abortions.



In a letter sent Thursday to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, 14 governors emphasize the importance of protecting Title X, which funds affordable birth control and reproductive health care services for low-income individuals.



We stand with women and men in our states by rejecting this administrations efforts to interfere in the doctor-patient relationship, gut womens access to family planning services, and force medical professionals to knowingly withhold information from their patients, the letter from the Democratic Governors Association states.



"If this reckless policy is finalized as written, we will have no choice but to explore all possible avenues, including legal options, to block it from harming the women in our states," the letter says.



More than four million people rely on services funded by the program each year, including for birth control, testing and treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases, cancer screenings and regular checkups, says Planned Parenthood, a primary service provider under the federal initiative.



If the Trump administration's proposal is carried out, Planned Parenthood says it would limit access to abortion and birth control and restrict health care providers from offering a range of health care solutions for patients.



The administration says the proposed rule would impose a "bright line" of separation between "any program or facility where abortion is performed, supported, or referred for as a method of family planning" and other health care programs.



A Title X project may not perform, promote, refer for, or support, abortion as a method of family planning, nor take any other affirmative action to assist a patient to secure such an abortion, Section 59.14 of the proposal states.



The White House has also rejected critics' characterization of the proposed change as a "gag rule" on abortion counseling as was in place under President Reagan.



HHSs proposal does not include the so-called 'gag rule' on counseling about abortion that was part of the Reagan administrations Title X rule, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. The new proposed rule would not cut funds from the Title X program. Instead, it would ensure that taxpayers do not indirectly fund abortions.



A 60-day public comment period is underway before the proposal can take effect. The rule would fulfill one of Trumps campaign promises and could also give Democrats a new campaign issue.



The Democratic governors warn that the proposed rule would endanger women's health.



We strongly urge you to reconsider this plan, which is nothing more than a domestic 'gag rule' that poses serious risks to womens health, the letter says. We will continue to consult with our states Attorneys General, state legislatures, and state health agencies to stop this rule from harming the millions of women we are sworn to protect,



For more than 40 years, Title X has been an important partnership between the federal government and states that has been supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, the letter says. This dangerous proposal would upend decades of bipartisan cooperation, taking away womens health care through trusted medical providers like Planned Parenthood and eroding their access to comprehensive, medically accurate information.



The letter is signed by governors Jay Inslee of Washington, Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, Andrew Cuomo of New York, Mark Dayton of Minnesota, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Dan Malloy of Connecticut, Steve Bullock of Montana, David Ige of Hawaii, Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, Kate Brown of Oregon, John Carney of Delaware, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, and Ralph Northam of Virginia.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Wall Street analysts have given Concord Medical Services 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 Concord Medical Services wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Ben Tarnoff in The Guardian:

A boy speaks one language at home and another at school. The white kids want to know where he is from. The answer is here, same as them, but thats not what theyre asking. After 9/11 they call him Osama. His parents are from Pakistan. When he visits Karachi, his relatives point out his US accent. He lives between two worlds, belonging to neither. Then, in the sixth grade, something happens. He is doing a science project on Isaac Newton. He visits the public library of the small town in Pennsylvania where he lives, and, browsing books about Newton the scientist he comes across another Newton  Huey P Newton, cofounder of the Black Panther Party. In 1973, Newton published an autobiography called Revolutionary Suicide. Intrigued by the title, the boy picks up the book, and it changes his life.

This is the scene that opens Mistaken Identity: Race and Class in the Age of Trump. Its vividly drawn, and sets the stakes for what follows. Asad Haider has written a book about identity, politics, and the relationship between the two. In particular, he has written a book about identity politics, a phrase that, like political correctness, is extremely slippery, but which generally means an emphasis on issues of racial, gender and sexual identity. Identity politics finds critics everywhere. Throw a rock at a rack of newspapers and youll probably hit an editorial condemning it. Conservatives such as Republican House speaker Paul Ryan blame it for polarisation, while liberals like the Columbia University historian Mark Lilla hold it responsible for Donald Trumps victory, applying the baroque logic that letting people use their preferred gender pronouns is why Democrats struggle to be seen as the party of working people.

More here.
Sean Wilentz in Democracy Journal:

Whats in a name? Franklin Delano Roosevelt called himself a Christian, a Democrat, and a liberal. He did not call himself a democratic socialist, or any other kind of socialist. He was, in fact, no socialist at all. Nor was he a conservative or a reactionary, although many on the socialist and communist left charged that he wasincluding the Communist Party USA, which attacked his New Deal for a time (until Moscows political line changed) as American masked fascization.

The only Americans who considered Franklin Roosevelt a socialist were right-wing Republicans. The New Deal is now undisguised state socialism, Senator Simeon D. Fess of Ohio declared in 1934. Roosevelt is a socialist, not a Democrat, Congressman Robert Rich of Pennsylvania announced on the House floor a year later. Roosevelt scoffed at such talk, but in 1939 he paused to present a very concise political dictionary of his own. A radical, he told the New York Herald Tribune, is a man with both feet firmly plantedin the air. A conservative, he continued, never learned to walk forward; a reactionary walked backward in his sleep. A liberal, though, used legs and hands at the behestat the commandof his head. The metaphor was poignant coming from him, but it also emphasized his point: In the face of all adversity, he was every inch a liberal.

More here.
The pieces of her life began to fit back together after she turned 40. Having stared death in the face, Sleight asked herself, What is really going to make me happy in the time I have left? She came up with answers: a better job in the mortgage industry, a real estate portfolio to deliver rental income, helping people quit the cancer habit, travel.

Her health woes had carried her past childbearing age, but she was OK with that. Life offered other rewards  and surprises, too.

With her medical team on the lookout for a recurrence, Sleight lived through scan-xiety, sweating out each round of scans and biopsies. It was expensive and uncomfortable  an inevitable part of the cancer survivor lifestyle. But by age 55, she had been through enough to feel a little superior to the doctors who prescribed the tests. So in August 2010, when a mammogram showed a shadow, Sleight reacted in anger. I thought, Son of a bitch! You got a new radiation guy and he doesnt know what hes looking at! Its just a scar from my last cancer! But after 23 years, the cancer was back. Even so, Sleight wasnt devastated. Id been through this before. I knew the drill.

This time she opted for a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. I didnt want to go through cancer a third time, she explains. Her first cancer treatment cost about $40,000. Two decades later, the bill was $120,000. Again, she was covered by insurance. But her copays and premiums added up to $25,000 at a time when she couldnt work. Not included in those costs: lost wages, travel to and from surgery, forfeited revenue from real estate investments she lost to foreclosure, and the incalculable human cost of more suffering.

And all this happened to a woman with insurance and the financial savvy that comes with operating her own businesses. If Sleight found herself in a hole, what chance do the rest of us have if a scan goes sideways?

They don't know what they don't know

The staff at Seattles Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center would rather focus on health than economics. Increasingly, though, those matters have become the same thing. Lyman says hes first and foremost an oncologist, but he has grown deeply concerned about the barriers and impact of cost on the patients with cancer and on the health care system. Unfortunately, he points out, he works in a growth industry: Virtually every one of us will be impacted individuallyor in our family, or one of our close friendsby cancer.

And the growth-industry label applies to the cost of treatment, too. Says Lyman: Recent studies weve done have shown high rates of bankruptcy among patients with cancer. And this has escalated over the past decade, as some of the exciting new agents that have come along have just skyrocketed. Indeed, despite the financial hurdles, most patients are not suddenly opting to forgo costly treatments. If anything, its quite the opposite. Theres something about the c-word thats galvanizing, says Heffern, the social worker in Denver. They say, Jimmy Carter got immunotherapy and it helped his malignant metastatic melanoma. Why cant I have that for my cancer? 

One study noted that novel cancer therapy agents can cost more than $60,000 a month for treatment. And the average monthly cost per agent has more than doubled in the past decade, to $10,000. Blood cancer patients, for instance, are treated regularly with an intravenous bag of a drug called Rituxan, which can cost up to $5,000; its like dripping gold into a persons veins.

And heres another problem: These expensive drugs and therapies tend to work, so people survive.

Were the victims of our own success, says Heffern. People who beat cancer often face a whole new round of expenses if it returns, and the costs of treatment can double or triple from one diagnosis to the next. Enter the need for a medical-financial adviser. But like a medical scan thats fuzzy or inconclusive, so is the picture of a patients ability to pay for the most promising treatment.

Sometimes having high income  or life savings  can be the last thing a person wants when the cancer diagnosis comes. At the time of her first cancer, Sleight had a $5,000 CD, a sign of solvency that effectively blocked her access to many services she desperately needed.

Dan Sherman launched a pilot program in financial navigation at Mercy Health St. Marys Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich., that tweaked the health insurance plans for 675 patients. He made sure they were on supportive plans, signed up for government assistance and tapped available drug-cost-abatement programs. His team reduced participants financial responsibilities by almost $12 million and saved the hospital charitable outlays and bad debts by almost $7.5 million. There were also considerable savings on the human-suffering side of the ledger.

So arent hospitals lining up to implement financial-counseling programs with Shermans NaVectis Group? Theyre not, he says. Its hard to convince hospitals that there is a void in this service. A lot of them already employ financial navigators, but their staff are undertrained for the job. The majority have a high school diploma, he notes. And those individuals are cheap, right? But they dont know what they dont know.

Lessons from the second time around

VJ Sleight had been down the hard road of cancer treatment before. So she chose a different path the second time around.

I played the cancer card this time, she says. Like a lot of other people in their 50s, she was stranded in a coverage gap  too young for Medicare, too affluent for Medicaid. So she stopped paying her bills. She defaulted on her real estate holdings. She cut back in every way possible. She drove her old car into the ground. No trips to the hairdresser, no travel, no new clothes.

She also decided to max out on personal support.

Thats how she found her way to Gildas Club in Cathedral City, Calif. The organization was named for former Saturday Night Live star Gilda Radner, who died from ovarian cancer in 1989. Founded in 1995, the club provides a community of people who accept the rage, the depression and the day-to-day hopes of cancer patients. I had so many poignant moments with people at the end of their lives, Sleight says. I felt so privileged.

Sleight is seven years out from her most recent financial crash and notes that her credit report will soon be clean. She can see financial daylight ahead. She lives with mountain views all around, in a house filled with mementos of her travels to six continents and 30 countries (between bouts of cancer). She has a roster of friends made while battling disease. And her double mastectomy means that she is likely done with breast cancer.

She refused chemo the second time around, partly for financial reasons. But that decision resonated with her emotionally and philosophically as well. Through it all, you do a lot of thinking about the meaning of life and death.

Asked a question about her case, Sleight leaves the room for a moment and returns with a thick binder containing every medical image, every blood test, every diagnostic report from her long, difficult history as a patient. Shes the Leo Tolstoy of medical records. Ive learned that you have to be super organized. You have to be your own advocate, she says. She pats her thick medical scrapbook: Doctors see this and they respect me.

Peter Moore, the former editor of Mens Health, is a freelance writer who lives in Fort Collins, Colo.
Courtesy Everett Collection (photo illustration by Chris ORiley)

En espanol | Over the many years of my work as a financial planner, Ive learned some important rules about money. Theyre so important, in fact, that I consider them commandments. Follow them to the letter and you will be a better steward of your money. Ignore them and, well, there will be hell to pay.

I. Thou shalt not forget that skillful salespeople can manipulate thy emotions.

When there are sales to be made, there are people out there who can play you like a fiddle. Plucking emotional strings can persuade potential customers that they not only want a product but desperately need it. Expert salespeople will stoke fear to sell security systems or identity protection; theyll stroke your ego to sell you a car thats just out of your price range. Wait until your emotions have settled before signing anything.

II. Thou shalt not buy an investment before completely understanding it.

Simple and transparent products are almost always superior to more complex alternatives. So why do people get pitched so many complicated investments? My fervent belief: Those perplexing features are designed to obscure and excuse the sellers profits. So its critical to understand what youre buying, what it costs and why its right for you. Take this commandment a step further and never buy an investment you cant explain to an 8-year-old.

III. Thou shalt remember there is no such thing as a free lunch.

I mean that literally. The next time someone invites you to a meal so you can learn about a new way to protect or increase your wealth, politely decline. Whether an investment, a time-share or a multilevel marketing program is on the menu, that free lunch will cost you. In fact, the ritzier the restaurant, the worse the opportunity on the table, since expensive marketing can be justified only by selling products with juicy profits.

IV. Thou shalt put thyself in the sellers shoes before buying.

Prior to making a major purchase, you can protect yourself by reflecting on two key questions:

1. Whats in it for the person selling you this product?

2. How does the company behind the product make money?

Is the $99 printer really a deal or is someone counting on you to spend $500 a year on ink cartridges? Why does that free 30-day trial subscription require a credit card number if the seller isnt counting on you to forget to cancel? Reverse roles and think about how someone is profiting from your purchase.

V. Thou shalt not ever believe thou art too smart to fall for bad investments.

When salesmanship is at play, intelligence can take a holiday. Sir Isaac Newton, for instance, lost a fortune investing in Englands hottest stock  the South Sea Company. A towering intellect didnt shield him (or other geniuses throughout history) from making foolish choices with their money. And if the greatest minds can be fooled, what can the rest of us do? Embracing our own fallibility is a good start.

VI. Thou shalt not accept the stated word but instead always get it in writing.

I call this the Trust but verify commandment. During the course of a sales pitch, a seller might take some creative license with the facts. Is the deposit really completely refundable? Can you really cancel your subscription at any time?

The answers to these questions may be in some 25-page disclosure document; confirm that it matches what youre hearing. Even an emailed promise from a salesperson can give you a chance for recourse. So can a recording of a phone call (check that its legal in your state to record a call without the other partys consent).

VII. Thou shalt not buy anything that is too good to be true.

Common wisdom dictates that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Our brains never get that memo, however, so you must always weigh the facts against your emotional response. Ive been offered free cruises and free cellphones, for example. But the cruise booking fee was more than the retail cost of the cruise, of course, and the free phone would have locked me into a contract.

VIII. Thou shalt avoid limited-time offers (like the plague).

The ticking clock is a powerful sales tool. Youre presented with an opportunity that is so amazing that everybody will want in on it. Demand is eclipsing supply, so you must act now or forever lose out.

If someone says you have to buy now, dont. We dont make our best decisions when rushed. Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman describes how the human brain thinks by dividing the task into two systems. One relies upon instinct for fast action; the other draws on logic and moves more slowly. That limited-time offer dangled before you is designed to trigger your instincts before your logic can kick in.

IX. Thou shalt not depend upon a regulator for protection.

Ive never seen firsthand a consumer reimbursed for losses by a financial regulator. Ive even known financial regulators who suffered losses because even they didnt understand what they had been sold. I question whether consumer protection agencies in nonfinancial areas are any more effective. Its better to make the right decision in the first place than to count on a watchdog to bail you out.

X. Above all, thou shalt not forget that people wish to separate thee from thy money.

In the pursuit of cash, most people want as much of yours as they can get. While they usually go after it legally, sometimes they do so in a way thats questionable ethically. People regularly prey on our quirks to get us to open our wallets. Be inspired by that truth and act accordingly.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

En espanol | A long-standing migration from the North to the Sunbelt to the mountain communities of Appalachia has resumed since the Great Recession interrupted this trend a decade ago.

Some mountain areas are filling up with halfbacks  Northerners who went to hot spots like Florida before turning partway back to calmer and cheaper retirement communities in western North Carolina, northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee.



The net migration to retirement-destination counties in these Appalachian regions increased by 169 percent from 2010 to 2017, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Census data tracked by Hamilton Lombard, a University of Virginia demographer.



The trend began toward the end of the 20th century, when Northern retirees followed the customary path to the Sunbelt but were discouraged by crowding, traffic, rising home prices and insurance costs, and by major hurricanes that pounded coastal areas. They found a pleasant alternative in the less costly rural retreats of Appalachia, where the weather is relatively mild most of the year.



The recession interrupted the trend by battering home prices in the Sunbelt, making it hard for retirees to sell their newfound homes. But the improved economy has lifted home values and freed owners to move elsewhere.



I need to find time to wind down, and Blue Ridge (Georgia) forces you to wind down, Marty Stefanelli, 57, told the Journal. The former New Yorker and his wife moved there from West Palm Beach, Fla.



I bought a pickup to fit in, he said.
Legislative map splitting Brown County into two districts is preferred option

State legislators heard from about 20 people Tuesday afternoon in Aberdeen in response to four proposed legislative district maps.
Smoke from wildfires burning in New Mexico is traveling far beyond the flames boundaries.

Residents of Albuquerque have received intermittent smoky reminders of the Buzzard Fire in the Gila National Forest  which neared 25,000 acres on Friday  as it continues to tear through the dry landscape in southwest New Mexico.

According to the citys Environmental Health Department, there were moderate levels of fine and coarse particulate matter, which can be caused by smoke, on Friday.

Jeff Stonesifer, the departments staff meteorologist, said particulate levels in the city, especially in south Albuquerque, spiked for a couple hours late Thursday night, blown in from the Buzzard Fire.

Smoke from the smaller Ute Park Fire isnt currently affecting Albuquerque.

Theres plenty of smoke coming off it, but its heading to the northeast, Stonesifer said.

Stonesifer said a backdoor front of humid air and possible storms are forecasted for tonight and Sunday morning, which may slow the blazes spread.

Nearly all of the New Mexico Environment Departments monitoring stations, largely clustered down the middle of the state, indicated good air quality on Friday afternoon.

Due to New Mexicos low level of humidity, visibility during smoky conditions can be used to determine proper precautions to take.

According to the New Mexico Department of Health, once visibility is reduced to five miles, the elderly, young, pregnant and those with respiratory problems should minimize outdoor activity.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals reminded pet owners that animals can be equally affected by smoky conditions.

Residents in areas affected by smoke and falling ash should keep animals indoors and avoid all outdoor activities, such as running with dogs, PETA spokeswoman Brooke Rossi wrote in a Friday news release.
State Police captured two suspects Friday evening in connection to a triple homicide that rocked the small New Mexico town of Dixon earlier this week.

New Mexico State Police officer Ray Wilson said John Powell, 34, and Roger Gage, 33, were taken into custody in El Prado in the slaying of three people found dead Wednesday night inside a home in Dixon, a small community between Taos and Espanola along N.M. 68.

New Mexico State Police agents spotted the suspect vehicle in El Prado, N.M., he said. State Police officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and both suspects were taken into custody without incident.

Both men are charged with three counts of first-degree murder and a count each of conspiracy and aggravated burglary.

State Police discovered the bodies at a home outside Dixon along N.M. 580 around 8 p.m., after someone stopped by the home and saw the bodies through the window.

Wilson said the names of the victims will not be released until they have been positively identified by the medical examiner. Police have still not said how the three people died.

A Journal reporter tentatively identified one victim as Kierin Guillemin through interviews with associates and an ex-girlfriend in Dixon.

New Mexico State Police agents continue to diligently investigate this case, Wilson said.
SANTA FE, Texas  In the sweltering twilight on their schools football field, 328 seniors at a Southeast Texas high school received their diplomas Friday with memories of a deadly mass shooting fresh in their minds.

The Santa Fe High School seniors gathered in the 83-degree heat and 76 percent humidity on the artificial-turf field to become the schools first to graduate since two substitute teachers and eight fellow students died in a mass shooting May 18. A 17-year-old student identified as the shooter is being held on capital murder charges.

The graduating seniors, wearing white stoles in tribute to those slain, and their well-wishers viewed a montage tribute to the slain students and teachers on the stadiums video display board. The events of May 18 referred to Speeches by school principal Rachel Blundell, valedictorian Corrigan Garcia and salutatorian Bailee Dobson referred to the events of May 18.

But Blundell reassured the seniors that surviving such a trial equips them with the strength and courage to cope with the challenges that will come later in life. Great leaders and great nations have emerged out of the ashes of some of the greatest tragedies, she said.

Garcia told his classmates that the shared experience only brought them closer and brought them the strength that unity brings. Weve made it through the worst of it, he said in his valedictory speech. But he said that another foe confronted the graduates, the emotions of trauma and loss that could be overwhelming.

Moving on will be tough. Nothing will ever be the same for any of us. But we all have a choice to make, he said.

Its been a bit of a wild ride, Dobson said in her speech. This year has been one of the most bizarre and life-changing years that weve had so far. First we had (Hurricane) Harvey, then we had snow, and most recently we had the tragic events of May 18th that happened in our very school. But she said her classmates had remained strong through all the challenges that life has thrown at us.

The ceremony came a day after President Donald Trump met privately with families of the victims and others near Houston.
Im happy to give good news to New Mexicans  Hispanos Unidos is back! We never actually went away, but recently we reorganized and now there are more citizens than ever involved in our fight for election reform in New Mexico.

For those who may be new to our state, the struggle began in 2008 when ACORN hit New Mexico and their employees (were charged with providing false information on voter registration forms to hit goals).

Hispanos Unidos was formed, then-state Rep. Dianne Hamilton, R-Silver City, carried bills for election reform; we told the stories of disenfranchised voters, and by 2010 polls revealed that more than 80 percent of New Mexicans were in favor of photo ID requirements at the polls.

But opposition in Santa Fe was strong. Not only was all legislation carried by Rep. Hamilton, Rep. Cathrynn Brown, R-Carlsbad, and others killed in committee, new legislation calling for same-day registration and automatic voter registration were introduced, which would make cheating in New Mexico even easier.

We worked hard to fight those bills, and none have actually become law.

But our people came dangerously close to losing the few safeguards we have in ensuring any kind of fairness.

During the last 10 years, Hispanos Unidos has continued to provide training to poll workers who request it, helping them identify irregularities at the polls.

We have engaged in data mining that has indicated suspiciously inconsistent turnout in several geographic regions of our state.

Despite tepid attempts to purge the voter rolls, they are grotesquely swollen with outdated information. Additionally, nothing precludes thousands of non-existent people to be registered before any given election. It happens every two years.

We are convinced that the only way to clean up our elections is to require voters to provide a photo ID at the polls.

Opponents crow that this is a way to disenfranchise the thousands and thousands of New Mexicans who do not possess a photo ID. What they dont want you to know is that Rep. Hamiltons bills demanded that citizens who dont have a photo ID would be given one by the state, free of charge.

You cant get welfare or a job without a photo ID. You cant get health care, have a bank account or even check out a book from a New Mexico library.

If you are too poor to secure a photo ID, it is our responsibility as a compassionate people to give you one.

Many lawmakers have taken the position that if you do not have the right to vote taken away from you personally, you need to sit down and shut up. Hispanos Unidos believes that your right to vote includes the right to not have your vote cancelled by someone who shouldnt be voting or who doesnt even exist.

As citizens, we have a moral obligation to stand up to a Legislature that refuses to help the poorest among us, and then ensures their re-election by denying us election reform.

We have reason to be optimistic. Although Rep. Hamilton retired in 2016, her daughter, Merritt Hamilton Allen, is running for the state house in District 22. She will pick up the mantle for election reform, bringing youth and vigor to the fight. Photo ID at the polls continues to be a nonpartisan issue among the electorate, with Democrats, Republicans, Independents and Libertarians all joining together for this common cause.

The city of Albuquerque now requires a photo ID to be presented for municipal elections. The largest newspaper in the state  the Albuquerque Journal  has voiced its editorial support for photo ID at the polls.

Perhaps most importantly, this cause is right and just.

That alone makes it worthy of our wholehearted support.

Join us. Together we have stronger voice. Visit our website at www.nmhispanos.org and sign our petition. Make a contribution. Sign up to be a volunteer. Get your friends and family involved. Tu voto es poder!

Victor Contreras is an international management consultant and has been chairman of Hispanos Unidos since 2008. He lives in Mesilla.
New Mexico should demand more from our elected officials. They work for you!

I learned of the political process after the shock of my biological father being released from prison for molesting and raping me beginning at the age of 10, the same age as Victoria Martens from Albuquerque who was brutally raped, tortured and murdered. I understand the horror and can relate to the devastation of abuse endured by baby Brianna Lopez of Las Cruces who died at the age of 5 months after being raped by her own father.

It is time to empower engagement in the political process in New Mexico by sharing my experience, roadblocks and progress with our elected officials. Please understand that although many experiences will be shared, I will also empower you with facts. While advocating as a volunteer for the thousands of voiceless abused children, domestic violence victims and sexual assault victims in the New Mexico capital for five years, I learned that some legislators have compassion for issues and some have their own agenda.

How did I come to this conclusion? Unreturned phone calls and emails from some N.M. lawmakers. Experiences which come to mind immediately: N.M. House District 13 and U.S. Congressional District 1 in Albuquerque and N.M. Senate District 31 in Las Cruces. Although I do not live in Las Cruces, my foster mother and father do. I left several messages for Sen. Joseph Cervantes during the 2018 legislative session. I was hoping to support legislation and be active in the process to get a bill passed and signed. He hasnt called me back! I wanted to help the thousands of countless victims in N.M. but have yet to hear from the senator who is running for N.M. governor. Inbox empty!

House District 13, after years of Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, finally has Democratic candidates opposing her, which I am extremely relieved about. Erins Law  an education bill which was enacted to teach age-appropriate education on safe touch/safe secrets  and Racheals Law (which gives more protection to rape victims) may not be reality for countless victims had I given up with my House Rep. Roybal Caballero. I  tried to visit her at the address listed. The mobile home appeared vacant. I then learned from various media outlets that she purchased that mobile home in District 13 after she won the election. Years of unreturned e-mails sit in my box. Im pleased to report that in House District 13 I recently received a call back within minutes from Robert Bobby Atencio, a former police officer residing in the district for 30 years who is running against Roybal Caballero. Its refreshing to know that District 13 is now open for a new representative who I know from experience will call and e-mail you back.

Positive news regarding elected officials in the named districts  Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is running for governor, introduced Racheals law in Washington, D.C. My experiences with her office staff and her personally have always been positive. I know from years of personal experience that she and her staff are passionate advocates!

Recently I reached out to Damon Martinez, who is running for Congressional District 1, to discuss his thoughts on Racheals Law. Ive never felt safer than sitting at my kitchen table with Damon having tea and cookies. Although he was not wearing his military uniform, I felt protected. I was assured after speaking with Damon that not only will he protect survivors of sexual assault, he will protect our children with safer gun laws (by) keeping assault weapons out of the hands of individuals who enter our schools and shoot to kill our children.

You are empowered on June 5 to vote! Before you vote, and regardless of your personal choice, please consider our elected officials work for you! Who will call or e-mail you back?
As the acclaimed poet Maya Angelou once said, When someone shows you who they are, believe them  the first time.

That wise adage hasnt made its way to television executives, apparently, who cant help hiring  and rehiring  some of the industrys worst known repeat offenders.

ABC, which rebooted the one-time hit comedy Roseanne this year as a paean to Trumps America, just canceled the ratings juggernaut after a wave of racist tweets by controversial comic Roseanne Barr went viral.

In the tweets, Barr suggested Chelsea Clinton was related to the liberal billionaire activist George Soros  she isnt  and then called Soros a nazi. Worse, she said of former Obama administration adviser Valerie Jarrett: Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.

That Barr has gone ahead on Twitter and revealed herself to be an unhinged, mouth-breathing, racist conspiracy monger isnt the strange part  its that shes revealed herself again.

ABC falsely believed they hired Roseanne the Character  a blue collar, everywoman who was sharp-tongued but fun-loving and, yes, a Trump supporter.

But what they got was Roseanne the Person. 

Upon her firing, ABC released this condemnation: Roseannes Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.

But whats their excuse for hiring her again? Remember, this is a woman who was an early supporter of birtherism, has compared Muslims to Nazis, took to Twitter regularly to attack citizens both private and public, floated wild conspiracy theories and bullied Trump opponents with racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic insults.

She infamously dressed up as Hitler for a photoshoot and posed with burnt Jew cookies, and has promoted anti-Semitic personalities like the Holocaust-denier Gilad Atzmon.

As risk goes, she came with a ton of it. How did ABC think this would go? Suddenly becoming a network star again would put the crazy back in the bottle? Sorry  thats not how it works.

Need more proof? When Rosie ODonnell returned to The View in 2015, she promised a calmer version of herself, according to Variety, after previously bouncing from the program in 2007 and leaving before her contract was through, a single season in.

But it was only a matter of time before ODonnells famous temper, ego and unwillingness to work well with others resulted in her second departure, just five months in.  Then theres everybodys favorite misogynist, Keith Olbermann, the putrid living embodiment of Bobby Riggs and Ernest Hemingway. He was just rehired by ESPN for SportsCenter, the sixth time the network has hired him.

The very brief overview of his career highlights include:

Calling Education Secretary Betsy DeVos a Motherfker, slurring Ann Coulter as a guy (who) wants to live his life as a woman, calling conservative commentator Michelle Malkin a big mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick on it, and yours truly as the perfect demonstration of the necessity of the work Planned Parenthood does.

OK, so maybe he only hates a certain kind of woman.

Hes been suspended and/or fired by nearly every outlet hes worked for, including ESPN, MSNBC, and CurrentTV, which said at the time, Current was  founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

The new(ish) face of ESPN, ladies and gentlemen.

Why bad people  who are bad to other people  keep getting hired after they have proven their selves time and again is a mystery to me.

But theyll be fine. The worst part of this is the vast numbers of talented people left in their wake.

Castmates like John Goodman and Sara Gilbert took a chance on Roseanne and Roseanne, and are now left holding the bag. Likely dozens of crew members, writers and producers are also without a job suddenly. Same for every failed Olbermann venture and ODonnell flop.

With a world teeming with fresh new talent, it seems wholly unnecessary to keep going back to the same, polluted wells that reliably end up stinking up the joint.

S.E. Cupp is the host of S.E. Cupp Unfiltered on HLN. Readers may email her at secuppdailynews@yahoo.com. (c) 2018 S.E. CUPP Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
New Mexico State University regents appear to have abandoned prudence and fiscal restraint when replacing outgoing Chancellor and President Garrey Carruthers.

The regents decided to hire two executives to fill the position held by the former governor. And the icing on the cake is that they voted to pay incoming Chancellor Dan Arvizu and new President John Floros a combined $950,000, much to the chagrin of the universitys faculty and the head of the state Senate Finance Committee.

Arvizu will receive a $500,000 salary, while Floros will be paid $450,000 a year.

To put that in context, Carruthers was receiving a $385,000 salary as NMSUs chancellor and president, and new University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes is receiving a $400,000 salary.

At NMSU, Arvizu and Floros will oversee a budget of about $800 million. By contrast, UNM President Stokes is responsible for a $3 billion budget and the states only medical and law schools.

The NMSU contracts also include the potential for nearly a quarter of a million dollars in incentive pay related to growth of the student body, research portfolio and overall revenues.

Floros bonus potential is up to 20 percent, or $90,000. Arvizus incentive pay potential is up to 30 percent, or $150,000.

NMSU regents defend the bloated compensation packages, calling them an investment in growing the student body in a financially sustainable way after many years of decline and expanding the influence and research contributions of NMSU.

Its true that NMSUs enrollment has declined by 22 percent in the past six years. But will throwing buckets of money at two executives reverse that trend? NMSU likely has fewer students, in part, because of our states changing demographics and the fact there are fewer New Mexico high school graduates for universities to compete for these days.

Its also worth noting the NMSU Board of Regents decision to hire these high-priced executives comes less than two years after NMSU was taking drastic measures to cut millions from its budget due to revenue shortfalls.

When you approach a million dollars in payroll, new payroll  coming on the heels of really austere times for the state of New Mexico, it sort of surprises me, Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming and Finance chairman, told the Journal. The regents seem to forget where we are financially.

The situation is made all the more bizarre by the fact Gov. Susana Martinez, who appoints regents, has spent years reining in the cost of state government, asking agencies to tighten their belts and do more with less.

That said, it appears this is a done deal. The ball is in Arvizu and Floros court to prove skeptics wrong by growing enrollment, the research portfolio and overall university revenues  by significant margins. For the sake of NMSU and our state, were rooting for them to succeed.

But wed be remiss if we didnt point out that regents are taking quite a gamble here. If Arvizu and Floros fail to live up to the hype, it will be yet another example of taxpayers getting taken for an expensive ride.

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  If a trade war is coming, the cheesemakers of Wisconsin are standing in the line of fire. So are the farmers of the Great Plains and the distillers of Kentucky. And the employees of iconic American brands like Harley-Davidson and Levi Strauss.

The likelihood of a trade conflagration leapt closer to reality this week after the United States imposed tariff on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union. Infuriated, the jilted U.S. allies vowed to retaliate with tariffs of their own. And in a separate dispute, China is poised to penalize $50 billion in U.S. goods  many of them produced by supporters of President Donald Trump in the Americas agricultural heartland.

Theyre going to hit the farmers, said Bryan Klabunde, a farmer in northwestern Minnesota. We want things fair for all industries, but were going to take the brunt of the punishment if other countries retaliate.'

President Donald Trump, who entered office promising to rip up trade deals and crack down on unfair trading practices, is clashing with trading partners on all sides. To the north, hes battling Canada; to the south, Mexico; to the east, Europe; across the Pacific Ocean to the west, China and Japan.

The president seems to be creating trade (and other) disputes with everyone  allies and adversaries alike  and its difficult to discern any coherent strategy, said Rod Hunter, a former National Security Council staffer under President George W. Bush. The impacts of the disputes have been limited so far, but the economic and political costs will go up as retaliation by trading partners begins in earnest.

Mexico, for instance, plans to retaliate against the steel and aluminum tariffs by targeting U.S. cheese, among other products.

Its our second-largest market, Jeff Schwager, president of Sartori, a cheese company in Plymouth, Wisconsin, said of Mexico. Retaliatory tariffs will reduce sales  theres no question.

The hard-earned sales weve secured in Mexico could be at risk given the potential for retaliation, the National Milk Producers Federation warned in a statement.

The EU is threatening to penalize Kentucky bourbon and the motorcycles of Wisconsin-based Harley-Davidson. The potential tariffs pack a political punch: Theyd hurt constituents of House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.

On Friday, reporters in Louisville, Kentucky, asked McConnell if he thought the Europeans were trying to get his attention.

Well, the Senate leader said, they got my attention. They didnt need to do that. These are our friends. These are not enemies. Canada and Mexico, Europe  these are our allies, and we need to work this out in a way thats comforting to everyone.

Harley-Davidson has already absorbed higher steel and aluminum costs since Trump first announced the metals tariffs three months ago. Now, the threats of retaliatory tariffs from abroad raise the fear of higher prices for Harley motorcycles sold outside the U.S.

In a statement, Harley-Davidson said retaliatory tariffs would have a significant impact on our sales in those countries. The Milwaukee-based company said it was evaluating options for controlling higher materials costs. In April, its chief financial officer warned that cost increases could be worse than the company forecast in January and might last for several quarters.

The jeans maker Levi Strauss is also on the EUs target list.

American brands, workers and consumers will ultimately suffer, the San Francisco-based company said in a statement.

Ben Steffen, a dairy farmer who also grows corn, soybeans, and wheat on 1,900 acres southeastern Nebraska near Humboldt, is angry about the U.S. tariffs being imposed on Americas closest trade partners and allies.

Im upset because it hits me in my pocketbook from multiple angles, he said. I sell beef, I sell corn, I sell soybeans and I sell milk. All of those products are vulnerable because we export significant amounts in those markets.

The milk market has been depressed for about three years, and farmers have struggled to break even. About 14 percent of U.S. milk production is exported; the largest customer is Mexico.

This is the worst possible thing to have for our milk market, and its the same for every other commodity, Steffen said.  These are important relationships.

In Stockton, California, Jeff Colombini is worried about the financial damage a trade war would bring to his 1,800-acre farm. His company, Lodi Farming, exports walnuts, cherries and apples to Mexico, Canada, the European Union and other countries.

With these tariffs, its going to make the product too expensive for the consumers in Mexico and in Canada and in the EU, Colombini said. Were not going to be able to sell all of our crop. And so some of it is probably going to go unharvested or just dumped  I have 200 employees, and they depend on the success of this operation for their jobs to feed and clothe their families.

A trade fight with the Europe would also cause collateral damage across the Atlantic. Steelworkers in Port Talbot, Wales, who have struggled to protect their factory and 4,000 jobs, now face another threat.

Union leader Mark Turner said workers are trying to sort out what the tariffs will mean for Port Talbot. But they feel everything is against us, particularly given Britains economic uncertainty as the country prepares to leave the European Union.

We will keep fighting, Turner said. If we cant go into the American market, then theres other markets out there we will try and get into.

An even higher-stakes trade dispute is playing out on the Pacific Rim. The United States and China are poised to impose tariffs on up to $200 billion worth of each others goods in a battle over Beijings strong-arm efforts to overtake U.S. technological supremacy.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is traveling to Beijing this weekend for talks aimed at preventing an all-out trade war between the worlds two biggest economies. On the Chinese target list are American soybean farmers, who send about 60 percent of their exports to China.

On Friday, Klabunde, who grows corn and soybeans on 3,000 acres near Waubun, Minnesota, spent two nerve-wracking hours with a hired hand, pulling a stuck tractor out of a drainage ditch. They finally got the machine free.

I think the tariffs and trade war scare me more than a stuck planter, Klabunde said. I can lose only so much money on a stuck planter. I can lose a lot more money in a trade war.

___

Karnowski reported from Minneapolis

___

AP staffers Terry Chea in Stockton, California; Carrie Antlfinger in Plymouth, Wisconsin; Bruce Schreiner in Louisville, Kentucky; David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa; Anne DInnocenzio and Candice Choi in New York; David Koenig in Dallas; and Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.
SANTA TERESA  A day after President Donald Trumps inauguration in January 2017, a Mexican wolf slipped across the border from Chihuahua into New Mexico and roamed through a region where a new section of border wall is now under construction.

The wolf had a gap in the fence, and it was able to get back to Mexico, said Myles Traphagen, borderlands program coordinator with the Wildlands Network. The nonprofit organization works to preserve wildlife corridors in North America, including those that span the Mexican border.

The endangered Mexican wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf, was wearing a GPS radio collar that allowed biologists to track the young males movements. The U.S. and Mexico have been working on a wolf recovery effort for decades.

The intent being to recover ideally a binational population of Mexican wolves with constant flow from one side of the border to the other, Traphagen said. He recently visited southern New Mexico to retrace the wolfs path. What this wolf shows, definitely wolves need this connectivity and seek it.

The Mexican wolf is just one of the large mammals that conservation groups are concerned about as a new barrier goes up in Santa Teresa.

Its a political symbol. Its a campaign promise this administration made and is hellbent on making good on, and its unfortunate that wildlife becomes collateral damage, said Kevin Bixby, executive director of the Southwest Environmental Center in Las Cruces.

Bixbys group is a part of a coalition organizing a protest in Santa Teresa today. He said a border wall prevents animals from moving across the landscape and finding the water resources, the food and the mates that they need to survive.

Wolves, jaguars and black bears are among the animals whose habitat includes large swaths of borderland.

Theres no way one country, one state can provide what healthy populations need. Collaboration is a must for recovery, said Juan Carlos Bravo, director of the Mexico Program for the Wildlands Network.

Bravo works on restoring wildlife corridors in northern Mexico where some animals need large territories to roam.

Jaguars wont recover a reproductive population in the U.S., Bravo said. It will not happen if theres a border wall in between.

And the isolated population of black bears in Mexico in the sky island region will decline without access to mates in the U.S., according to Bravo.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a waiver of a variety of environmental, natural resource and land management laws in February to expedite construction of the new section of border barrier in Santa Teresa.

But U.S. Customs and Border Protection will implement sound environmental practices as part of the project covered by this waiver, said CBP spokesman Roger Maier.

CBP frequently works in coordination with Fish and Wildlife, USDA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service and many other organizations to ensure the protection of the variety of ecosystems throughout the U.S. Border with Mexico, Maier said in an emailed statement.

Conservation groups remain concerned that walling off areas used by wildlife wont prevent human or drug smuggling but will harm efforts to rescue and recover endangered species.

This borderline here, this is our political line. Its definitely not the biological line, Traphagen said.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

The Republican candidate for secretary of state in this years election, JoHanna Cox, describes herself in campaign literature as a tireless advocate for the law.

The former prosecutor turned civil lawyer has not, however, managed to avoid being sued for legal malpractice three times in the past six years.

In a lawsuit filed last month by an organization that represents public safety officers in collective bargaining and labor relations, Cox is accused of fraud, self-dealing, taking actions that were contrary to her clients interest and using a romantic relationship with a local union president to gain access to union members to solicit business. No answer from Cox has yet been filed.

In a case brought in 2012, a widow claimed she lost a potential $90,000 life insurance benefit on her now-deceased husband because of inaction by Cox and the law firm where she worked at the time. Cox left the law firm, and the case has been resolved.

The third case stems from Coxs work as general counsel for Fantasy World adult nightclub in Albuquerque. Fantasy World alleges that Cox was negligent in defending the company in a lawsuit filed in 2015 by a former club security guard who was shot by a patron. In her answer, Fox maintained that she acted properly and ultimately filed the appropriate paperwork.

Cox told the Journal she couldnt comment on the two pending lawsuits brought by Fantasy World and the peace officers.

A common allegation in all three civil lawsuits is that Cox was remiss in taking legal actions that could have helped clients.

In court records, Cox has denied wrongdoing.

Two lawsuits

In the most recent lawsuit, filed against her May 14, the New Mexico Coalition of Public Safety Officers alleges that Cox breached her fiduciary duties and provided inaccurate or untruthful information to the union bargaining unit and to the 13th Judicial District Court about an alleged scheduling conflict that may not have existed. The lawsuit also alleges that she refused to quit when the union told her she was fired.

Cox hasnt yet filed a response to the allegations with the court.

Still pending is an unrelated lawsuit brought last year against Cox by Fantasy World.

An insurance company for Fantasy World sued the club after settling the injured securitys guards lawsuit. The insurance company said Fantasy Worlds lawyer, Cox, had failed to timely notify the company of the claim and take certain legal steps to defend the case.

Fantasy World, in turn, is now suing Cox for attorneys fees and costs incurred in defending the insurance company action.

Insurance loss

Coxs candidacy statement doesnt mention her employment at the Silva, Saucedo & Gonzales law firm in Albuquerque in 2008.

In the lawsuit filed in 2012 in state District Court in Albuquerque, Sally Garcia alleged that Cox and the firm, Silva, Saucedo & Gonzales  was negligent in trying to secure a $90,000 life insurance benefit on her husband, Marty Garcia, who worked at Bernalillo County as a building maintenance technician.

The suit was resolved a few months after it was filed, dismissed by both parties without Cox or her law firm filing a defense. The dismissal occurred after Cox had left the firm, and she told the Journal she didnt know how the case was resolved.

Sally Garcia approached the law firm after the county notified her and her husband in August 2008 that his employment benefits were being canceled. Marty Garcia had been diagnosed with diabetes and had undergone amputation of his right leg two years earlier.

As a result of his medical issues, Marty Garcia had been on leave from work.

Sally Garcia alleged that Cox assured her in 2008 that she was going to send a letter to Bernalillo County to negotiate reinstatement of her husbands life insurance benefits through the countys plan. The lawsuit alleged that between August 2008 and Jan. 21, 2009, Cox assured her via email that she would send a letter to the county.

But the lawsuit alleged that Cox neither sent such a letter to the County nor ever contacted the County about reinstating Mr. Garcias benefits. Her husband died in February 2009.

After months of no response from Cox, the lawsuit alleges that Sally Garcia emailed Cox twice in April 2009, expressing her concern about apparent inaction on the benefits but never heard back.

Instead, one of the firms shareholders informed Garcia on May 4, 2009, that Cox was no longer employed there. The lawsuit alleged that the firm failed to take any steps to continue representing Sally Garcia to try to reinstate the county benefits.

As a result, the lawsuit claimed, Marty Garcia died without the $90,000 life insurance for his wife and sons.

Cox said her departure from the firm had nothing to do with the Garcia case. She didnt respond to a subsequent Journal call seeking further comment about the case.

Highest regard for the law

Cox has no opposition in the Republican primary on Tuesday. She faces incumbent Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver in the November general election. Libertarian candidate, former state Rep. Sandra Jeff of Crownpoint, is also on the ballot.

According to her Jan. 11 candidacy statement, Cox, 36, is a graduate of the University of North Dakota law school. After graduation, she moved to Albuquerque and became an assistant district attorney in Valencia County.

She also worked as a deputy district attorney for the 1st Judicial District, which includes Santa Fe and Los Alamos. While there, her statement said, she founded and became director of Public Integrity Unit in April 2009.

Running a clean, transparent, and fair election is not the job of a political organizer, but rather an attorney who understands the law and the role of the position in which she will be elected, Cox said in her candidacy statement. She added that if elected, New Mexico voters will be able to trust the duties of the office are being conducted with the highest regard to the law.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Three Republican-connected political committees bankrolled by oil companies and other corporate interests  including the parent company of Public Service Company of New Mexico  have waded into contested Democratic primary races in next weeks election.

The independent expenditure groups  also known as super PACs  have used the hefty contributions to pay for campaign mailers and ads supporting certain moderate Democrats and targeting other more progressive candidates in contested races for land commissioner, the Public Regulation Commission and the state House.

One of the groups, New Mexicans for Progress, is an independent expenditure group that was created just last month, according to the Secretary of States Office.

It got its entire total of $440,000 in contributions last month from PNM Resources, the parent company of PNM, and reported spending more than $200,000 during a recent three-week period on mailers targeting several PRC candidates who are challenging incumbents.

One of those challengers, Janene Yazzie of Gallup, whos running in a three-way Democratic primary against incumbent Lynda Lovejoy and former commissioner Theresa Becenti-Aguilar, accused PNM on Friday of seeking to influence election results in an attempt to maintain lax regulation of the utility company by the five-member Public Regulation Commission.

It is obvious that Im being targeted because I have a progressive vision that is very different than the two incumbent candidates that have held this office for 18 years, Yazzie said. Specifically, campaign mailers sent out in recent days by New Mexicans for Progress accuse Yazzie of moving to New Mexico from Arizona several months ago to run for elected office.

But she said Friday thats not true, saying she has lived in Gallup for the past four years continuously and was registered to vote in Arizona only because of the Navajo Nation practice of registering to vote based on where ones parents live.

Meanwhile, Mariel Nanasi, executive director of the Santa Fe-based New Energy Economy, a group thats frequently clashed with PNM over utility-related issues, accused the company of corruption.

Its shocking but not surprising, Nanasi told the Journal. Theres no longer even a pretense of regulation when PNMs parent company bankrolls with $440,000 the regulators of their choice. We have to question the ability of the commission to regulate on behalf of government.

However, a statement released by PNM Resources defended the companys unprecedented political involvement with a super PAC, which is being funded by shareholders, not customers.

PNM Resources participation is legal, appropriate, and necessary to help ensure a fair election, the statement said. Important policy decisions will be made by our next generation of elected officials, and we want to ensure that voters have the information to understand each candidates position on key public policy issues.

For its part, New Mexicans for Progress said in a statement that its efforts are intended only to counteract a wave of political spending by PACs affiliated with environmental groups that have been financed in part by big contributions from out-of-state groups.

New Mexicans for Progress has paid more than $170,000 to a company owned by Jay McCleskey, Gov. Susana Martinezs political adviser, for professional services that include sending out the campaign mailers.

While legal under state and federal campaign finance laws, the last-minute infusion of spending in Democratic primary races is rare for groups that have traditionally been more aligned with GOP candidates.

New Mexico enacted campaign donation limits after the 2010 election cycle, but those caps dont apply to super PACs, which can accept contributions of any size but are barred from coordinating directly with candidates.

Another independent expenditure group thats been active in primary election campaign is New Mexico Strong, a group based in Austin, Texas, that was created in December 2017, according to the Secretary of States Office.

New Mexico Strong received $274,250 in contributions last month from two oil companies  Chevron and Artesia-based Mack Energy Corp.  and has used the money on campaign ads and mailers supporting Democratic land commissioner candidate George Munoz of Gallup and incumbent state Reps. Carl Trujillo of Nambe and Debbie Rodella of Espanola, both Democrats.

Both Trujillo and Rodella are facing serious primary election challenges from more progressive opponents  Andrea Romero of Santa Fe and Susan Herrera of Embudo, respectively  while Munoz is running in a three-way Democratic primary for land commissioner.

A third independent expenditure group, NM Prosperity, has also sent out campaign mailers on behalf of Munoz, Trujillo and Rodella. That PAC also received most of its money  a total of $50,000  from Mack Energy Corp.

One of Munozs opponents in the land commissioner race, Garrett VeneKlasen of Santa Fe, said Friday that the independent expenditure groups activity was disgusting and aimed at tilting the election toward a more industry-friendly candidate.

We cannot allow oil and gas giants who want to pillage our public lands for corporate profit to buy this election, said VeneKlasen, whos on leave from his job as executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.

Munoz, a state senator, countered by saying hes been under attack by conservation groups since he entered the race for land commissioner, a powerful job that involves generating revenue for public schools from 9 million acres of state trust land.

Nobody gave me a bunch of oil and gas money, said Munoz, who added that he is the Democrat with the best chance to beat former land commissioner Pat Lyons, a Republican, in the general election.

However, while the outside PAC spending was not given directly to Munoz, his campaign has received contributions from several oil and gas companies, according to reports filed with the Secretary of States office.

The third Democrat running for land commissioner is state Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of White Rock.

New Mexicos primary election is Tuesday. More than 84,000 voters statewide have already cast ballots via early and absentee voting, with Democrats making up about two-thirds of that amount, according to the Secretary of States Office.

Journal staff writer Kevin Robinson-Avila contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  After a week of hard-nosed negotiation, diplomatic gamesmanship and no shortage of theatrics, President Donald Trump has announced that the historic nuclear-weapons summit he had canceled with North Koreas Kim Jong Un is back on.

The June 12 meeting in Singapore, the first between heads of the technically still-warring nations, is meant to begin the process of ending North Koreas nuclear program, and Trump said he believes Kim is committed to that goal. The announcement puts back on track a high-risk summit that could be a legacy-defining moment for the American leader, who has matched his unconventional deal-making style with the mercurial Kim government.

Despite recently envisioning Nobel laurels, Trump worked on Friday to lower expectations for a quick breakthrough.

Were going to deal, and were going to really start a process, Trump said. He spoke from the South Lawn of the White House after seeing off a senior Kim deputy who spent more than an hour with him in the Oval Office. Much had been made of a letter his visitor was bringing from the North Korean leader, but Trumps comments left it unclear when he had even managed to take a look at it.

The president said it was likely that more than a single meeting would be necessary to bring about his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. He said, I think youre going to have a very positive result in the end, not from one meeting.

In the latest sign of hostility cooling down but hopes kept in check, Trump said he had unilaterally put a hold on hundreds of new sanctions against the North, without Kims government even asking. Im not going to put them on until such time as the talks break down, he said.

I dont even want to use the term maximum pressure anymore, Trump added, referencing his preferred term for the punishing U.S. economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in response to its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. But he said he would not remove current sanctions until the North took steps to denuclearize.

Trump warmly greeted Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the North Korean ruling partys central committee, in the Oval Office, where a brief encounter meant for the hand delivery of a personal letter from Kim Jong Un became a longer discussion of areas of disagreement between the two countries.

After the meeting, Trump posed for photos with Kim Yong Chol outside the Oval Office, and they talked amiably at Kims black SUV before he was driven away.

Trump told reporters he hadnt yet read the letter from the North Korean leader and added with a smile, I may be in for a big surprise, folks. But minutes earlier, he had described the note as a very interesting letter, and teased journalists about revealing its contents.

Later Friday, deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley confirmed that Trump had read the letter, but he did not reveal its contents.

Plans for the meeting in Singapore had been cast into doubt after Trump suddenly announced his withdrawal last week, only to announce a day later that it could still get back on track. White House officials cast the roller-coaster public statements as reflective of efforts by each leader to test the resolve of the other.

Trump cited increasingly bellicose statements from the North  and ignored messages about summit logistics  when he announced he was backing out of the summit in a strongly worded letter. He cited tremendous anger and open hostility by Pyongyang but also urged Kim Jong Un to call him. By the next day, he was signaling the event could be back on after a conciliatory response from North Korea.

Within days, three teams of officials in the U.S., Singapore and the Korean demilitarized zone began meeting on preparations for the summit.

Trump has declined to publicly acknowledge whether hes spoken directly with Kim Jong Un ahead of the talks.

Kim Yong Chol, whisked to the Oval Office by White House chief of staff John Kelly, is the most senior North Korean to visit in 18 years, a symbolic sign of easing tensions after fears of war escalated amid North Korean nuclear and missile tests last year.

Questions remain about what a deal on the Norths nuclear weapons would look like. Trump said Friday he believed Kim Jong Un would agree to denuclearization, but the two countries have offered differing visions of what that entails. Despite Kims apparent eagerness for a summit with Trump, there are many doubts that he would fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his guarantee of survival.

U.S. defense and intelligence officials have repeatedly assessed the North to be on the threshold the capability to strike anywhere in the continental U.S. with a nuclear-tipped missile  a capacity that Trump and other U.S. officials have said they would not tolerate.

Defense ministers from Japan and South Korea offered very different views of the North Korean leader at an international security conference in Singapore. Japans defense chief urged caution in dealing with North Korea, while his South Korean counterpart said there was no reason to question the North Korean leaders sincerity.

Trump has promised that he will provide protections for Kim and his government in return for giving up the nuclear program. He also indicated that South Korea, China, and Japan would be prepared to invest in the North to boost its besieged economy.

Kim Yong Chol left his hotel in New York City early Friday for the trip to Washington in a convoy of SUVs. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the former CIA chief who has traveled to North Korea and met with Kim Jong Un twice in the past two months, said he believed the countrys leaders are contemplating a path forward where they can make a strategic shift, one that their country has not been prepared to make before.

Kim Yong Chol was allowed into the United States despite being on a U.S. sanctions list, and granted special permission to travel outside the New York area to meet with the president.

___

Associated Press writers Christopher Bodeen in Beijing and Matthew Lee in New York contributed.
NEW YORK  Michael Grimm doesnt want to talk about his time in prison. He just wants your vote.

The former Republican congressman from New York Citys Staten Island is fighting his party, his president and the stigma of a felony conviction in a no-holds-barred primary June 26.

Just two years out of prison, the amateur boxer with a fiery temper wants his old job back. And he has a legitimate chance to seize the nomination from the incumbent, Dan Donovan.

Just dont ask Grimm about his time behind bars for tax fraud.

Im done talking about it, Grimm said in a recent Associated Press interview, blaming his seven-month stay in a federal prison on a politically motivated Justice Department under the Obama administration. Its a closed chapter in my life. Im looking to the future.

President Donald Trump spotlighted the race this past week with a Twitter endorsement of Donovan, warning that a Grimm primary victory would risk losing the GOPs only U.S. House seat in the city.

Remember Alabama, Trump wrote, likening Grimm to Republican Roy Moore, the Alabama Senate candidate who was nominated even despite being accused of molesting teenage girls and who lost the general election to a Democrat in the GOP stronghold.

Trumps decision to step into New Yorks turbulent GOP primary tests the strength of his influence in his hometowns only conservative pocket. The 11th Congressional District covers the quiet streets of Staten Island as well as a slice of southern Brooklyn.

It is truly the heart of New Yorks Trump country, and is home to many white working-class voters  police officers, firefighters and hairdressers  who have sent a Republican to Washington for most of the past decade.

Donovan, a 61-year-old former public prosecutor, isnt shy about highlighting Grimms criminal history.

Once you betray the community you dont get a second chance, Donovan told the AP as he toured the district this past week. This race comes down to integrity: Who can the public trust?

Grimm, 48, is a former Marine and FBI agent who represented the area from 2011 to 2015.

He survived a political firestorm in 2014 after his violent threat against a reporter on Capitol Hill was caught on video. A year later, Grimm was forced to resign after pleading guilty to felony tax fraud involving a restaurant he partially owned before going to Congress.

In an interview, Grimm suggested that Donovan dangled the possibility of a presidential pardon should he abandon his primary challenge. A Donovan spokeswoman denied the claim.

A spokeswoman for Trump, who pardoned one conservative supporter this past week and is contemplating other pardons, did not respond to questions about a possible pardon for Grimm, who insists his harsh sentence was politically motivated.

Does Grimm want a pardon?

Of course! I dont know of anyone who wouldnt, especially in my circumstances, Grimm told the AP.

While Grimms criminal history is a central issue in the race, so is Trump.

As in other Republican primary contests this year, the New York candidates have sparred over the strength of their loyalty to the Republican president.

Donovan, who has been active in New York City politics for decades, notes that Trump has endorsed him six times over his political career. Yet Donovan has had to explain voting against Trumps tax overhaul and plan to replace President Barack Obamas health care law.

I vote with Trump 90 percent of the time, Donovan said. I vote with my constituents 100 percent of the time.

Grimms campaign released a new TV ad on Friday that says: Every time it mattered, Dan Donovan voted against President Trump.

Look, if they want a guy like Dan Donovan, whos about as exciting as a wet noodle, to represent them, they already have that, Grimm said in the interview. Im a Marine. Guys like me dont charge into combat because we dont have an aggressive personality.

He added: Im a fighter in every way.

On Staten Island, voters have strong opinions about Grimms personality and his baggage.

Outside Tonys Brick Oven pizzeria on Bay Street, 61-year-old Victor Aasen said hes definitely voting for Donovan.

The other guy is just full of drama, Aasen said, citing Grimms threat against the reporter in Washington. Hes a hot head.

Later, Dennis Quirk, president of the New York State Court Officers Association, railed against Grimms background after endorsing Donovan.

I think its a disgrace for someone whos a convicted felon to run for office, Quirk said. He should be ashamed of himself.

Yet evidence of Grimms appeal across the district is easy to find.

His red, white and blue campaign signs are plastered along businesses and homes up and down Staten Islands main streets. Constituents talk openly about his dedication to the district after Superstorm Sandy, which caused damage thats still being repaired in some cases.

Grimm is an aggressive campaigner who insists he can win simply by outworking his opponent.

At Andrews Diner, he hugged a boy in a wheelchair and promised to write a letter of recommendation for another who hoped to go to West Point.

I really feel that he was railroaded, 81-year-old Bob Demarest said of Grimm as he waited for his pancakes. I want him back.

Its unlikely that the president will visit the district on Donovans behalf. With far more consequential races across the country this fall, Trump is expected to focus his time and energy attacking vulnerable Democratic Senate candidates in Republican-leaning states.

Grimm, who says he maintains connections in the White House, recommends that Trump stay out of Staten Island.

If I was legitimately advising the president, which Im not, but if I was, I would say, Stay out of a race like this because I dont see how it would benefit him to get into such a contentious race,' Grimm said. By going into the race, he puts himself in a situation where hes going to lose.
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WASHINGTON  With Saudi- and Emirati-backed Yemeni forces reported to have advanced to within 20 miles of the key Yemeni Red Sea port of Hodeidah, some have wondered if the Donald Trump administration has softened its previous opposition to a coalition military effort to seize the Houthi rebel-held port, which is a critical humanitarian lifeline for the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

The White House said it had not changed its position.

The United States has been clear and consistent that we will not support actions that destroy key infrastructure or that are likely to exacerbate the dire humanitarian situation that has expanded in this stalemated conflict, a National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson, speaking not for attribution, told Al-Monitor by email June 1.

We expect all parties to abide by the Law of Armed Conflict and avoid targeting civilians or commercial infrastructure, the NSC spokesperson said.

United Nations aid agencies warned again June 1 that a military operation to take Hodeidah, a port city of 400,000 people and the key lifeline for food and fuel for the capitals population of 2 million people, must be avoided.

We cannot have war in Hodeidah, Jan Egeland, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told Reuters in Geneva June 1.

The coalition ground forces are now at the doorstep of this heavily fortified, heavily mined port city, Egeland said. Thousands of civilians are fleeing from the outskirts of Hodeidah, which is now a battle zone.

We are now in a race against the clock, to really get enough supplies in through Hodeidah, which is very difficult given the continued severe restrictions on fuel and other imports by the coalition, Egeland said. War would mean nothing coming through.

Al-Monitor has learned that when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the State Department on May 14, he conveyed US opposition to a military operation to take the port, and the UAE envoy said it would not go ahead without US agreement.

A State Department spokesperson did not respond to a query from Al-Monitor June 1 on the alleged exchange.

Former US Ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein said it is not clear what the coalitions intentions are as the Yemeni forces it backs on the ground advance up the coast toward the port.

Last I saw they are within 20 miles of the port, Feierstein, now with the Middle East Institute, told Al-Monitor May 31. And there is not much indication up until now that the Houthis are actively resisting the move up the coast.

I think the Houthis say they are going to fight in the city, so it could turn into a very messy thing if they follow through and try to make the coalition fight an urban battle, Feierstein said.

Soon after the Trump administration came into office, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told the Emiratis that their plan for taking Hodeidah was not workable and they needed to hold off, which they did, Feierstein said.

Now, of course, they have been engaged in this kind of steady movement up the coast for some months now, Feierstein said. They are taking a different tack. I dont know if the US has been specifically consulted on this issue one way or the other. That may be more to the point.

I doubt we are giving a green light, but we may not be doing very much to object, and therefore the Emiratis in particular [could be] taking that as a sign that they have got a free hand, he said.

The advance of Yemeni forces on the ground toward Hodeidah could be intended to pressure the Houthis to return to UN-backed peace negotiations, former US Ambassador to Yemen Stephen Seche said.

They do want to do something to push the Houthis to return to [negotiations], Seche, now with the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, told Al-Monitor. I think part of [the strategy is] to convince the Houthis they cant win, they could lose this prize, Hodeidah, and some of their best fighters.  But it is a flip of a coin, if [the Houthis] can see the writing on the wall, they will lose some territory.

The risk is that, with its military successes on the ground, the coalition might decide we dont want to negotiate now, Seche said.

It is hard to know what is actually going to happen, Gregory Johnsen, a former member of the UN panel of experts on Yemen, told Al-Monitor.

There has been quicker movement up the coast to Hodeidah than most thought possible, Johnsen, now with the Arabia Foundation, said. What happens next is still sort of an open question. Both sides are eyeing each other, then react to the others next move.

New UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, warned the UN Security Council that a military operation to take Hodeidah would, in a single stroke, take peace off the table.

Griffiths is racing to persuade the principal parties to the conflict to enter talks before something goes horribly wrong and they all double down on a war no one can win, Seche wrote for the Arab Gulf State Institutes website this week.
Nine months after US troops helped liberate the Islamic States former capital of Raqqa, the city's lethal mound of unexploded ordnance is challenging the Donald Trump administrations hopes for a quick exit out of Syria.

The State Department has trumpeted the Raqqa effort as an opportunity to empower local partners to begin conducting a yearslong cleanup on their own. But as Trump publicly seeks to draw down the 2,000 US troops in the war-torn country, some demining experts worry the rehabilitation effort wont be able to get Syrian trainees up to speed to clean up the booby traps, car bombs and mines left behind by the retreating jihadis.

Officially liberated last September by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Raqqa is home to a small contingent of advisers hired by the California-based company Tetra Tech. The firm has begun training locals to remove explosives, but some doubt how much those experts are doing to fix the rubble-laden city.

Theres a question of how much clearance theyre doing, or whether theyre hanging out and doing some mentoring, said Brian Castner, a senior crisis adviser at Amnesty International who served three tours as an Air Force ordnance disposal officer in Iraq. Raqqa is the wrong place to be learning. Thats not a learning environment, thats an operating at the top of your game environment.

But US officials indicate that the demining effort is needed to clear critical sites before infrastructure can get up and running again. Speaking at a State Department press conference in December, Stan Brown, the director of the agencys Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, said that contractors had trained 120 locals in Raqqa in some elements of demining. Theyre clearing critical infrastructure to enable the follow-on humanitarian assistance to flow into the area to provide a level of stabilization so civil society can come back up and begin to run normally again, he said.

Tetra Tech referred questions about the contract to the State Department. A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al-Monitor that Syrian deminers had cleared two dozen Raqqa schools of mines, allowing 15,000 children to return to class.

The Trump administrations fiscal year 2019 budget includes $130 million to stabilize areas liberated from the Islamic State by restoring schools and drinking water and getting sanitation and the electrical grid back online. The official also said that 11 water pumps provide clean water to Raqqa.

Yet aid experts question whether Raqqa, a bellwether of the US-led effort to revitalize northeastern Syria, is getting enough support to remove remaining bombs and mines.

Castner told Al-Monitor that the Raqqa Civil Council, one of the Syrian authorities conducting the citys cleanup, has asked US officials for armored bulldozers to clear explosive-laden rubble and remove bodies ensnared in the citys ruins, but it has yet to receive the vehicles. Instead, locals are resorting to welding sheet and scrap metal to bulldozers, potentially putting responders at greater risk of getting hurt or dying in a blast.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the bulldozers. According to a recent report in The Guardian, the demining nonprofit HALO Trust, which holds contracts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, is using reinforced rock crushers used in stone quarrying to fill the gap.

Adding to the on-the-ground difficulties, Tetra Techs efforts to clear mines in Raqqa stalled between mid-April and mid-May, two sources told Al-Monitor. US officials said work has resumed after the company patched up a brief funding gap.

Tetra Tech temporarily paused clearance operations in and around Raqqa city due to a brief funding gap, a State Department official told Al-Monitor. Other clearance implementers and local security forces continued to clear explosive hazards during that time.

Experts say residents patience is wearing thin.

Would you want to sit in a tent outside of your destroyed home when theres a [bomb] inside it for a month? Its untenable, Castner said. We dont like to wait an hour to get on a plane. People dont want to wait, they need work.

Across the Trump administration, Pentagon and State Department officials insist that the US role in Syria is meant to remain limited to denying the Islamic State the ability to return to the northeast, which prompted the first deployment of American troops to the country in 2015. But US experts following the conflict worry that the White House isnt doing enough to coordinate the reconstruction effort and will have little progress to show if Trump decides to quickly pull out US troops.

Even the bare bones definition of rehabilitation would say that demining is the first step, said Nick Heras, a Middle East fellow at the Center for a New American Security. This is supposed to be the showroom model. What do they have to show?
Temple Beth-El, a Conservative Jewish congregation in Birmingham, has hired a new rabbi.

Rabbi Stephen Slater will join the staff of the synagogue on June 15 as the lead clergy.

"We have had many conversations since he was hired and I can feel the passion, excitement and energy that I know he will bring to Temple Beth-El," said Jacob Halpern, president of Temple Beth-El's Board of Directors.

Slater is finishing his final year of study and ordination at Hebrew College in Boston. He has most recently served as spiritual leader at Congregation Shaaray Tefila in Glens Falls, N.Y., and as a rabbinic intern at the University of Rhode Island Hillel in Kingstown, Rhode Island. Prior to rabbinic school, Slater taught at Milken Community High School in Los Angeles, as well as the Hebrew schools IKAR in Los Angeles and Romemu in New York City. He has a master's degree in Jewish studies from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, and a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Hillsdale College.

Slater's areas of expertise include teaching Jewish thought, storytelling, setting goals for spiritual development, song-filled prayer services, along with mentoring young leaders and volunteer engagement.

Slater and his wife Bethany, a doctoral candidate in comparative theology, have a daughter, Anav, and are expecting another child.

"We have a deep sense of anticipation that our new life in Birmingham will be an important one for our growing family," Slater said. "Growing can be daunting because it changes us. Yet growth is the only way to remain attentive to God's presence in our lives."

Slater is from Detroit and grew up in West Africa. He speaks fluent French and Hebrew, and has lived in and traveled throughout Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Now in its 110th year, Temple Beth-El undertook a year-long search for a new rabbi.

"We are eager to be there with people, and excited to discover new friends and partners in our holy work," Slater said.
Authorities have now confirmed the identities of elderly Birmingham siblings killed when their car was hit by an Amtrak passenger train Wednesday near the Birmingham-Lipscomb city line.

Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates on Friday said the victims are Lepoleon Mixon, 77, and his sister, Odell Smith, 83. Family told Lipscomb police that Mixon was taking his sister to a doctor's appointment on Wednesday.

The horrific crash happened shortly after 1 p.m. at the railroad crossing at Third Street and 15th Street. There were 60 about passengers aboard the train, a southbound Amtrak, but none were injured. The train originated in New York and was en route to Meridian with a final destination of New Orleans.

Yates said the train was traveling at a high speed but within the normal limits for that rail section. The crossing rails and signals were working at the time and there were witnesses to the crash. Several motorists were stopped because of the signals, and they reported the victims were also stopped and then made the decision to continue on despite the warning signals.

The impact of the crash - which hit on the passenger side of the car - pushed the vehicle three-tenths of a mile down the track. One of the victims - Mixon - was partially ejected from the vehicle. Multiple law enforcement and first responder agencies responded to the scene as they worked to extricate Smith.

Both victims were pronounced dead on the scene at 2:42 p.m.

Yates said the crash remains under investigation by Lipscomb police and Amtrack officials.
A Republican candidate for Alabama attorney general says state law must change to notify victims' families before a governor lifts the death sentence of a murderer like Judith Neelley, whose recent parole hearing outraged her victim's family.

Troy King, himself a former attorney general and a candidate for the office again in Tuesday's Republican primary, held a press conference today in Fort Payne. Joining him was Cassie Millican, sister-in-law of Neelley's 1982 murder victim Lisa Ann Millican. "It's a law that needs changing," Millican said.

Neelley was found guilty of murdering Millican in a brutal and extended execution while the 13-year-old was handcuffed to a tree on the edge of Little River Canyon in 1982. A jury recommended life without parole, but the judge in the case sentenced Neelley to death. Gov. Fob James, in one of his last acts in office, commuted Neelley's sentence to life in 1999.

State law at the time made Neelley eligible for parole 15 years after James acted. But the Alabama Legislature passed a bill in 2003 specifically aimed at Neelley and effectively changing her sentence to life without parole. Neelley sued in federal court and won making her eligible for a parole hearing. She was denied parole this month and won't have another hearing until 2023.

King said the law should be changed to give notice to a victim's family before a sentence is commuted. The family should also have the right to be heard in a clemency case and to have its interests in the victim's estate protected beyond current probate law, he said.

If done properly, King said, "Lisa's Law" could be a national model for restricting governors' clemency powers and protecting family rights. But in Alabama, he said, parts of the necessary change will take a constitutional amendment approved by voters.

(Updated June 1 at 9:30 p.m. to reflect that judge sentenced Judith Neelley to death)
The Alabama Department of Corrections says an inmate who escaped last Friday from a work-release center in Childersburg has been recaptured.

According to the department, Anthony Scott Marler, 47, was recaptured at 4:36 a.m. Saturday in Kimberly, Ala., about 60 miles away from the Childersburg Work Release Center, where he escaped on May 25.

According to the department, Marler escaped from the minimum-security facility around 1 a.m. while wearing a white prison jumpsuit.

Marler was convicted of manufacturing drugs in 2014, but was being sought for parole violations and other outstanding warrants when he reportedly backed a stolen pickup truck into a police vehicle and then exchanged gunfire with officers during a traffic stop in December 2017 in the Baldwin County town of Summerdale.

He was arrested in Jefferson County a week later with a different stolen vehicle.

Marler reportedly told family members that he had cancer and, if confronted by law enforcement, he was going to shoot it out because he was dying anyway.

The Department of Corrections says Marler is serving 20 years for manufacturing controlled substances.
Authorities are searching for a 21-year-old Tiera Rain Roberts, who was last seen getting into a car with a North Carolina tag, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Officials said Roberts suffers from a condition that impairs her judgement.

She was last seen getting into a 2018 Nissan Altima with North Carolina tag TPC9131 in Silverhill. Officials said they do not know the vehicle's direction of travel.

Roberts is a 21-year-old white female who stands 5-feet 4-inches tall and weighs around 180 pounds. She has brown hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information on Roberts' location should call the Silverhill Police Department at 251-947-4010 or call 911.
State Auditor Jim Zeigler has voluntarily surrendered his Alabama law license, saying he does not intend to practice again.

Zeigler, who is seeking the Republican nomination for a second term in Tuesday's primary, said he made the decision in February, about the time he decided to run for reelection.

Zeigler has been a member of the Alabama State Bar since 1978.

He said he had not actively practiced law since becoming auditor in January 2015 but had retained his license and considered running for attorney general.

Zeigler said at the point he decided to run for another term as auditor he determined that he would surrender the license.

"I had held on to the license and paid my dues for four years because there was a possibility I would run for state attorney general this election cycle," Zeigler said. "In February, the qualifying deadline, I had to make a decision and ran for reelection as auditor. So, I didn't need the law license for that reason. I don't need it for any reason."

An order from the Alabama Supreme Court dated May 9 officially cancelled Zeigler's license. The order says Zeigler voluntarily relinquished the license.

Zeigler said when his time as a public official ends he plans to work as an investigative reporter. Zeigler said he has a minor in journalism from the University of Alabama and worked as a reporter for the Daily Home newspaper in 1973 in Sylacauga.

Zeigler faces Stan Cooke and Elliott Lipinsky in Tuesday's Republican primary.

The winner will face Democrat Miranda Joseph in November. Joseph is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
The four Republican challengers to Rep. Martha Roby in Alabama's most contested Congressional race say they're confident of at least advancing to a runoff after Tuesday's primary.

Roby faces former Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright, longtime Roy Moore aide Rich Hobson, state Rep. Barry Moore of Enterprise and political newcomer Tommy Amason of Prattville in the 2nd congressional district.

A runoff happens if no candidate gets a majority of the vote.

The winner will face the Democratic nominee. Tabitha Isner of Montgomery and Audri Scott Williams of Cottondale square off in the Democratic primary on Tuesday.

The 15-county 2nd District blankets southeast Alabama and reaches north of Montgomery.

Roby has held the seat since 2011 but lost support after calling for then-nominee Donald Trump to withdraw before the 2016 general election. That was after the release of an 11-year-old recording of Trump speaking crudely about pursuing and groping women.

Roby received just 49 percent of the vote in 2016 while the state's other GOP House members won reelection by at least two-to-one landslides.

Roby says she shares goals and works well with the Trump administration. Still, her opponents like to rehash what she said about Trump back in October 2016.

Former Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright speaking at a candidate forum in Prattville. (Mike Cason)

"I'm not being negative about her," Bright said, referring to his campaign ad with Roby's 2016 comments about Trump. "These are her own words. All I'm doing is sharing with the people so they won't forget what she said when the president needed her the most."

Bright served as Montgomery's mayor for a decade before being elected to Congress as a Democrat in 2008. Roby defeated Bright two years later and has held the seat since.

Bright said the fact that he was a Democrat eight years ago is not hurting him with most Republican voters. Bright said he voted as a conservative in Congress -- he voted against the Affordable Care Act -- and hasn't changed.

"The only difference is I now have an R in front of my name instead of a D and that I've aligned myself with the party that has the conservative philosophy that I do at this point in time," Bright said.

Bright said most surveys indicate he and Roby will be left standing after Tuesday.

"But I'm going to do everything I can to win it without a runoff," Bright said.

Rich Hobson, a longtime aide to Roy Moore and a candidate for Congress in Alabama's 2nd District. (Mike Cason)

Hobson managed Moore's unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign last year and has worked closely with Moore for almost two decades, including as the administrative director of the state court system during Moore's two abbreviated terms as chief justice.

Hobson says his staunch support of Moore through thick and thin shows voters he would not cave in to Washington pressures. Hobson, who has Moore's endorsement, is confident about his chances after five months on the campaign trail.

In a campaign ad, Hobson says his candidacy has riled up the kind of opposition that stamps him as a conservative.

"The liberals are kind of angry about my campaign and some things I stand for and things that I've done in my past, such as work with Judge Moore," Hobson said.

Hobson said he is optimistic his campaign will still be going after Tuesday.

"I guess conventional wisdom would say that there will be a runoff, with five folks in the race," Hobson said. "And I feel pretty confident that I will be in the runoff."

State Rep. Barry Moore, a candidate for Congress in Alabama's 2nd District, at his home in Enterprise. (Mike Cason)

Moore, the state representative from Enterprise and owner of a waste hauling and excavation business, says he got into the race because of Roby's denouncement of Trump and the reaction it caused in the district. Moore said voters appreciate that he was an early supporter of Trump and stuck with him.

"I think a lot of people are upset that the incumbent didn't support the nominee," Moore said. "I think a lot of voters realize that he needs some help up there, that he doesn't have a lot of people he can trust, obviously, in the media and swamp and the deep state, or whatever you want to call it, and probably in Congress too, if truth be told."

Moore said he's encouraged by the support he's getting, including financial support from individual campaign contributors. He says a runoff is almost certain with five candidates in the race and is optimistic he'll be one of the two who advance.

"I think we've got a great chance based on what we're hearing," Moore said.

Tommy Amason, an employee at International Paper and a command sergeant major in the Army Reserves, speaks at a candidate forum in Prattville. (Mike Cason)

Amason, an employee at International Paper in Prattville and a command sergeant major in the U.S. Army Reserve, says his first run for political office has been a rewarding experience because of the people he's met, like a 94-year-old World War II veteran in Andalusia who "gets around as good as you and I do."

"We've had some absolutely outstanding experiences as far as meeting people," Amason said. "And listening to people's desires and wants."

Campaigning while working two jobs has meant nights with no sleep, Amason said. He said it would make a difference if he could campaign full-time, but is optimistic about the outcome anyway.

"I resonate really, really well with the people because I am one of them," Amason said. "I am a blue-collar worker. I worked two jobs for the last 25 years to support my family. I've lived the same life that these people have."

Amason also said he's optimistic about making a runoff.

Roby's campaign answered questions for this story through spokeswoman Emily Taylor-Johnson. Asked whether Roby is encountering resistance from Republican voters in the district because of her 2016 stance on Trump, Taylor-Johnson said Roby "has been honored and humbled to receive strong, widespread support throughout Alabama and the Second District during the campaign."

Taylor-Johnson said Roby has worked well with the Trump administration over the last year and a half.

"When the president is successful, our state is successful, and so Rep. Roby has been glad to work with the administration to advance their shared conservative priorities," Taylor-Johnson said. "She's communicated this to her constituents and her message has been well received."

Taylor-Johnson said issues affecting the military, veterans and agriculture are top priorities for voters in the district, as well as a Trump signature issue, illegal immigration.

One of Roby's campaign ads says that she supports using every resource available to enhance security on the Mexican border, including Trump's proposed wall.

Roby's campaign raised more money than all her challengers combined, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Through May 16, Roby had raised $1.4 million, including $493,000 from individuals and $886,000 from political committees.

Bright loaned his campaign $309,000 and had raised $77,000 in donations from individuals as of May 16.

Moore had raised $74,000 in individual contributions and loaned his campaign $35,000.

Hobson had raised $70,000 in campaign contributions from individuals.

Amason had raised a total of $15,000.

Republican candidates in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District:

Tommy Amason

Age: 48

Hometown: Prattville

Education: Prattville High School; bachelor's degree, Grantham University; multiple classes in leadership and other subjects in the U.S. Army.

Occupation: Command sergeant major in U.S. Army Reserves; employed by International Paper

Family: Married for 27 years, four children

Rich Hobson

Age: 56

Hometown: Raised in Enterprise, lives in Montgomery

Occupation: Most recently campaign manager for Roy Moore's U.S. Senate race. Currently on leave of absence from the Foundation for Moral Law. Former director of the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts.

Education: Doctorate in Public Administration, University of Alabama; master's degree, University of Alabama; bachelor's degree, University of Alabama; associate's degree, Enterprise State Community College.

Family: Married for 35 years; two married daughters; two grandchildren.

Barry Moore

Age: 51

Hometown: Enterprise

Education: Enterprise High school, associate's degree, Enterprise State Community College; bachelor's degree, Auburn University; U.S. Army training center graduate.

Occupation: Owner of Barry Moore Industries. Alabama licensed general contractor since 2001

Family: Married for 25 years, four children

Bobby Bright

Age: 65

Hometown: Midland City

Education: Bachelor's degree, Auburn University; master's degree, Troy University; law degree, Jones School of Law.

Occupation: Cattle farming and owner of Jackson Island Lake Park near Millbrook; former U.S. Congressman; former mayor of Montgomery; practiced law for 16 years.

Family: Married for 39 years, three children and three grandchildren.

Martha Roby

Age: 41

Hometown: Montgomery

Occupation: Has represented Alabama's 2nd Congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011; previously worked as a lawyer in private practice. Served on Montgomery City Council 2003-2010.

Education: Bachelor's degree in music, New York University; law degree, Cumberland School of Law.

Family: Married, two children.
One of Walmart's largest distribution centers will officially open on Aug. 14, but there is plenty of work that still needs to be done.

More than 250 new associates need to be hired. On Saturday, a job fair will take place from 8 a.m. to noon at the new distribution center west of Mobile.

"We have quite a few jobs to fill," said Barry Westbrooks, general manager of the sprawling distribution center, which is one of the largest standalone buildings Walmart Inc. owns.

"We don't know how many will show up to the job fair, but at (a previous job fair) at the Civic Center, we had over 600 show up," said Westbrook. "Well have a good turnout again, and hopefully it will be in that range."

The job fair is expected to be the last one before the $135 million, 2.5 million-square-foot, three-quarter mile distribution center opens.

"But the interview process will continue," Westbrooks said. "We'll continue to go year-round if needed. We will continue to interview (applicants) every week."

According to information released last week by the company, the job fair will occur at the facility at 8725 County Farm Road in Irvington. More than two dozen managers will conduct interviews.

Applications must complete and pass an online assessment prior to attending. That assessment can be found at careers.walmart.com under the location, Irvington, Alabama. Average pay for the jobs is more than $16.50 an hour.

Westbrooks said most applicants are coming from Mobile County, but he said there are company transfers moving to the region for work.

A view from the east side of the massive Walmart distribution center in Mobile, County, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

"I do know we have a few transfers from other facilities, including Louisiana," said Westbrooks. "That's helpful because they have some experience."

Walmart, the world's No. 1 retailer, will utilize the Irvington center as a logistical hub that will serve around 800 of Walmart's 4,600 U.S. stores. Those 800 stores are scattered over a sweeping area of the nation's heartland, from Alabama to Mississippi and northward to the Great Lakes region.

Products brought into Mobile County will arrive through the Port of Mobile in shipping containers. From there, they will be trucked approximately 15 miles west along Interstate 10 to the Irvington facility before they are taken to more regional distribution centers elsewhere.

The distribution center will be serviced by approximately 600 or more trucks that will be moving back and forth daily.

"We don't ship directly to stores and that's something a lot of people don't understand," said Westbrooks, who has over 19 years of experience with the Bentonville, Arkansas-based corporation, last serving as a general manager of a similar, but smaller, facility in Monroe, Georgia.

"We predominately ship to the distribution centers that serve the stores," said Westbrooks.

The company broke ground on the project in March 2017, and the massive building is aid by county and state taxpayers. Incentives include about $15.3 million in property and sales tax abatements, and up to $6.5 million in land purchases and road improvements.

Construction has moved along timely, Westbrooks said.

"We fought a lot of rain last year, but we were able to get through that," he said. "The majority of the building will be done the first week of June. There will be a couple of punch-list items. There is still interior working going on at the east side of the building."

The Irvington center is Walmart's sixth import distribution center in the U.S., and it ranks in the top 10 percent of the company's U.S. facilities in scope and size.

Said Westbrooks: "As far as a stand alone building, yes, I think it's the largest one we've ever built. We have some locations with two buildings on the property. In Baytown, Texas, we have two, 2 million (square foot) buildings. But this is one is 2.6 million (square feet) and is under one roof, so that makes it a little bit different."
Back when a U.S.-Canadian trade conference was booked for Mobile, who could have guessed the very notion of U.S.-Canadian business would be frothing with controversy?

Yet here things stand: On Monday, Alabama's Port City welcomes the SEUS-CP Conference, an unwieldly acronym that stands for Southeastern United States - Canadian Provinces. And on Friday the president is making global headlines bashing Canada for treating U.S. farmers "very poorly for a very long period of time" and maintaining unfair, "highly restrictive" trade barriers.

Canada has treated our Agricultural business and Farmers very poorly for a very long period of time. Highly restrictive on Trade! They must open their markets and take down their trade barriers! They report a really high surplus on trade with us. Do Timber & Lumber in U.S.?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2018

It should all make for some interesting discussions at the 11th annual SEUS-CP gathering, which is generally intended to celebrate and facilitate partnerships between Canada and the South. In a release issued Friday by the Alabama Department of Commerce, Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said the convention was a chance to "show off the dynamic global business community that is flourishing in Mobile and across the state."

Setting aside for a second the question of whether that can continue to flourish amid an escalating tariff fight, SEUS-CP highlights some significant business relationships.

According to information released by Canfield's office, Canada is a Top 5 investor in Alabama: Since 1999 Canadian companies have made more than $2.5 billion in capital investment in the state, creating an estimated 5,700 jobs. Overall, two-way trade between Canada the SEUS states topped $50 billion in 2017, according to Canfield's office. (Those states are Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.)

Canfield's office lists transportation equipment, machinery, computer/electronic products and chemicals as top Southern exports to Canada. It says top imports from Canada are chemicals, transportation equipment, machinery, plastics and rubber products.

"Mobile is home to more than 50 international investments, contributing to our city's diversified economy," Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bill Sisson said ahead of the SEUS-CP conference. "During the past few years alone, we've been proud to welcome Canadian companies Danby Products and Canfor Southern Pine with both companies expanding operations here. And most recently, we've celebrated the new partnership between Airbus and Bombardier."

That Airbus-Bombardier project is potentially huge for the Mobile area. If seen through, the companies would build a new aircraft assembly line alongside the one where Airbus assembles its A320-family jets. The new one, assembling the C-Series jets designed by Canada-based Bombardier, could mean 400 new aerospace jobs.

"We look forward to continued alliances with Canada and look forward to welcoming this prestigious group to Mobile," Sisson added.

According to information provided by the Alabama Department of Commerce, planned focal points of this year's conference included business-to-business matchmaking, to help small and mid-sized U.S. businesses find international partners; increased energy demands; and workforce development. The theme is "Shared Values for a Prosperous Future."

How much the backdrop will change over the next few days is hard to predict; developments have been coming rapidly.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump levied steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico, Canada and the European Union. All three indicated they would apply retaliatory tariffs or take legal action; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had the sharpest immediate reaction, calling it a "turning point in the Canada-U.S. relationship."

Whether the U.S. runs a deficit in trade with Canada is subject to dispute. But any imbalance is smaller than that between the U.S. and Mexico, and a fraction of that with China.

"We have to believe at some point common sense will prevail," Trudeau said. "But we see no sign of that in the U.S. action today."

Trudeau said Canada would impose tariffs of its own, on U.S. steel and aluminum products and dozens of other categories. An official "notice to impose countermeasures action" specifies numerous products including a wide range of food items, whiskies, grooming products, household items, motorboats and sailboats, mattresses and sleeping bags.

That in turn led to further anger from Trump on Friday, expressed in his Tweet.

Those taking part in the SEUC-CP conference include Nadia Theodore, the consul general of Canada in Atlanta.
The Vyshny Volochyok Project 21631 guided missile corvette (NATO reporting name: Buyan-M) has officially joined the Black Sea Fleet (ChF) of the Russian Navy, according to a ChF spokesperson Captain 1st rank Roman Trukachyov.

The Vyshny Volochyok Project 21631 guided missile corvette (NATO reporting name: Buyan-M) has officially joined the Black Sea Fleet (ChF) of the Russian Navy, according to a ChF spokesperson Captain 1st rank Roman Trukachyov.

The Buyan-M corvette / Project 21631 small rocket ship Vyshny Volochyok was commissioned with the Russian Black Sea Fleet



Following the official flag raising ceremony, the crew of the ship resumed training. The servicemen will start carrying out their duties at an early date, Trukhachyov added. Vyshny Volochyok is the sixth Project 21631 guided missile corvette.



The Project 21631 corvette is armed with the Kalibr (SS-N-27 Sizzler) missile system containing missiles in the 3S14 vertical launcher with eight launch tubes. The Kalibr system attacks seaborne and land-based targets, using the 3M-54 (SS-N-27 Sizzler) and 3M-14 (SS-N-30) cruise missiles, respectively. The Project 21631 corvette has the A-190 100mm gun, the AK-630-2 Duet small-caliber antiaircraft artillery system and 3M-47 Gibka launchers as well. The ship has a length of 75 m, a displacement of 949 t, a speed of 25 kt and a cruising range of 2,500 nautical miles. Its cruising capacity is up to ten days. Its crew totals 52.

 Copyright 2018 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Youth evangelist Acton Bowen now faces child sex charges in Bay County, Florida, officials confirmed Friday night.

Bay County, Florida, officials put a detainer on Bowen in the case he is able to make bond in Etowah County, where he has been held since his April 17 arrest on seven child sex charges, Etowah County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Natalie Barton confirmed in a text message to AL.com. Authorities later added four more charges to Bowen.

The Gadsden Times reported the Bay County Sheriff's Office has a warrant for Bowen's arrest for "lewd and lascivious battery of a child under 16," which is defined as engaging in sexual activity with a child older than 12 but younger than 16 by Florida law.

The alleged crime that led to the charge was reported to Florida officials May 23. A warrant for Bowen's arrest was issued May 24, Public Information Officer Ruth Corley told the Times.

Corley said reports indicate the incident happened between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2016. She said the victim was not from the Panama City area.

In early April, Hoover officials initially arrested Bowen charged him with child second-degree sodomy, enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for immoral purposes and second-degree sex abuse. A Jefferson County grand jury, however, indicted him only on the felony charges of second-degree sodomy and enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for immoral purposes.

Bowen is currently held in Etowah County Detention Center on a more than $1.06 million bond, jail records show.

In Etowah County, he is charged with five counts of second-degree sodomy, two counts of enticing a child for immoral purpose and four counts of second-degree sexual abuse.
Some argue that science should stay away from BDS and politics. But science is not apolitical and never was.

A week after the May 14 tragic events in Gaza, an email sent through an international mailing list for researchers in statistical sciences landed in my inbox. It was inviting mailing list members to attend a conference to be held in Jerusalem.

Normally I dont engage in mailing list discussions, and they, in fact, tend to be rare on this mailing list. But this time I decided to reply to all. As someone who supports the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, I took the opportunity to appeal for a boycott of all academic events in Israel including the one mentioned in the email. A conversation followed.

Some agreed, some did not, a larger share of the members chose to remain ambiguously silent. Within the next 24 hours, the axis of arguments slowly shifted from whether an academic boycott of Israel is the right thing to do to the purpose of the mailing list is not to discuss politics.

In fact, a highly cited statistician went on to write: This is a STATISTICS mailing list. If I want to listen to political discussions, I go to a pub. Please stop these spamming activities. And this was not one isolated response.

Another scientist replied: I support the fact that this discussion should be truncated. Are we political scientists? We are statisticians and the subject matter should remain the focus.

I was amazed to learn from this exchange that there are scientists who still believe that politics and political discussions should happen in pubs, or only under the jurisdiction of scholars of political science. And I was shocked to see that part of the academia is so comfortable in its elitism that it prefers to ignore the killing of civilians by a military occupier.

But regardless of what some scientists on this mailing list think, science is very much imbued with politics. Taking a political stance as a scientist is not unscientific; it never was.

Was science ever apolitical?

The very first commitment of science is to seek to explain, to analyse various hypotheses based on natural and/or social phenomena and test them through scientific experiment. This exercise, however, could never be done apolitically. For one, the scientific pursuit has always needed a source of funding or resources and has often produced politically charged results.

The source of funding for scientific research in the past was either wealthy influential families or rulers, who were all political agents in some form or another. In 16th century India, Mughal emperors such as Akbar and Shah Jahan, for example, encouraged translation of ancient mathematical research. In 16th and 17th-century Italy, the wealthy Medici family were famous patrons of the arts and sciences; for many years they sponsored and sheltered astronomer Galileo Galilei.

Given this dependence and proximity of science to power, it is not surprising that throughout history scientists would often find themselves in the midst of a political dispute. Whenever their findings challenged the narrative of the powerful, they would get in trouble. One just has to recall the story of Galilei and his face-off with the Catholic Inquisition over his insistence that the Earth circles around the sun.

There were also times when science supported the politics of the powerful and propagated oppression. Nineteenth-century eugenics theories, for example, informed and motivated various violent crimes committed by states  from forced sterilisation to slavery and genocide.

It would also happen that scientists would become political figures or be politicised even after their death. In India, for example, Aryabhata, celebrated as one of the most influential mathematicians of all times, is presented in popular culture as a Brahmin (member of the highest Hindu caste). As Indian mathematician Chandrakant Raju pointed out, this transformation of his caste identity was achieved by the intentional misspelling of Aryabhata as Aryabhatta. Bhata refers to a slave, a soldier, etc, thus clearly indicating that he was a Dalit (a member of the lowest caste), whereas Bhatta is the title of a learned Brahmin. This shows how a scientists identity could be appropriated in favour of hegemonic powers.

For-profit and for-war

Scientific discoveries and theories have always had an element of politics in them, whether they challenged the status quo or helped maintain it. And that did not change with the advent of modernity and the evolution of the relationship between scientists and the powerful.

We have now entered an era where capitalism and the pursuit of profit increasingly drive research and scientific discovery. For example, a study by Lise L Kjaergard and Bodil Als-Nielsen found that the competing financial interests of scientists could bring bias to the conclusions of their clinical trials.

In a separate study,the same authors demonstrated that trials funded by for-profit organisations are more likely to produce conclusions in favour of an experimental drug due to the biased interpretation of trial results.

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Multiple other studies have shown how scientific articles on commonly consumed beverages funded entirely by industry were approximately four to eight times more likely to be favourable to the financial interests of the sponsors than articles without industry-related funding. Others have revealed that the sugar industry had paid scientists in the 1960s to implicate saturated fat, and not sugar, as a cause of heart disease.

Science has not only served corporate interest but also governments. From Project Manhattan to Project Camelot, countless scientists have worked directly for the imperial interests of consecutive US governments. More recently, scientists also worked on the PRISM programme for the NSA; surely they must have been aware of the political implications of mass surveillance in the name of national security.

As Australian mathematician Brian Martin has pointed out, an estimated 25 to 50 percent of scientists and engineers work on military projects globally. In the US, some 150,000 STEM scientists work directly for the Department of Defense. Many others receive funding from it or work on projects indirectly supporting the US war machine.

When scientific findings are compromised in favour of powerful multinational companies and scientific know-how is used to support oppressive regimes and armies, how can we say that science is apolitical?

And then again, throughout history and today, scientists continue to take political stances. Just last year, hundreds of thousands of them took to the street of major US cities to march in defence of science against a government that had demonstrated a clear disregard for its conclusions. Was that not a major political act committed by scientists?

The science behind apartheid and occupation

Bolstered by the postmodernist thought that clouds scientific rationale, the elite academia (which often describes itself as being liberal and leftist) has forcefully imposed complexity on even the simplest of conflicts  only to avoid taking a definite stance. That has allowed people, like the former president of Harvard University, Larry Summers, to claim that the academic boycott of Israel is anti-Semitism in its modern form.

Summers, like the others who think like him, is wrong. The academic boycott of Israel is not anti-Semitic for the simple reason that science and academia in Israel actively take a political stance. Boycotting them simply means opposing their politics.





Science and academia in Israel have actively supported the occupation and the apartheid regime that the Israeli state has established to ethnically cleanse and control Palestinians.

Thousands of scientists and researchers work for and help develop Israels sophisticated repressive apparatus and technologically advanced army. Everything and anything  from drone technology to new surveillance tools and radar systems  is geared towards supporting and enabling Israels military occupation.

In addition, academics across the social sciences have worked hard to develop and maintain the Israeli creation myth and to erase the Palestinians from history and the collective conscience.

When the late Stephens Hawking took a stance by participating in the academic boycott of Israel, he did the right thing. And so did many others who have chosen not to cross the BDS picket line.

He, like many of us, supported the rights of all scientists everywhere to freedom of movement, publication and collaboration. Lets remember that many of our Palestinian colleagues are deprived of these rights by the apartheid regime they live under. Many others, cannot visit their ancestral land.

To choose to stand with your Palestinian colleagues against the Israeli state does not make you less of an academic or a scientist. To choose to do so means that you uphold the idea that science and academic knowledge should be used for the betterment of humanity, and not to its detriment.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Demonstrators gather near the office of prime minister in Amman to protest against price hikes and tax increases.

Hundreds of people in Jordans capital have protested for the third consecutive day against the increase of living costs and a new income tax draft law.

Rallied kicked off after more than 33 unions participated in a general strike on Wednesday, accusing the government of covering up failed economic policies.

On Saturday, crowds of people made their way to Ammans Fourth Roundabout, where the office of the prime minister is located.

There, they chanted anti-government slogans and called for the resignation of Prime Minister Hani Mulki.

Hundreds of Jordanians also protested in other parts of the country, including the provinces of Zarqa, Irbid, and Maan.

In the governorate of al-Tafilah, protesters chanted, We will not be ruled by the World Bank.

Unions say the tax bill, driven by International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommendations, will exacerbate a decline in living standards.

Yet Mulki has so far refused to scrap the IMF-backed bill, saying parliament had the final decision.

Sending the draft law does not mean parliament will agree to it or even agree on its articles, Mulki told reporters on Saturday after meeting with trade union leaders. Parliament is its own master.

The prime minister said that more meetings would follow, but the head of Jordans main union Ali Obus demanded for the state to maintain its own independence and not bow to IMF demands.

The bill proposes that anyone with an annual income of 8,000 dinars ($11,000) or more would have to pay a five percent increase of income tax, while businesses would face steep tax increases between 20 and 40 percent. Evaders would be heavily fined.

The proposed law is the latest in a series of economic reforms since Amman secured a $723m, three-year credit line from the IMF in 2016.

The bill aims to reduce Jordans public debt from 94 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) to 77 percent by 2021.

Yet 78 out of 130 MPs issued a statement on Friday saying they would vote against the draft legislation.

They said the income tax draft law does not serve the economic and social interests of the people.
Argentinian protesters infuriated at governments IMF appeal

Mauricio Macris government has taken fire for the high inflation rate and for cutting subsidies for utilities and the governments turn to the IMF has stirred painful memories.
Human rights defenders have regularly accused the Egyptian president of violating freedoms and suppressing opponents.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been sworn for a second four-year term in office as the country faces major economic and security challenges.

Sisi took the oath on Saturday in front of members of his government, after winning 97 percent of valid votes in the March presidential election.

Sisi, who as army chief overthrew Egypts first freely elected president, Mohamed Morsi, won his first term in 2014 with less than half of the eligible voters casting their ballot. The former military commander received 96.9 percent of the votes.

The elections were criticised as a one-man show with no credible opposition. At least six other candidates pulled out, were prosecuted or jailed.

The only other opponent who ran against Sisi was little-known Mousa Mostafa Mousa, who entered the race hours before the deadline and whose party had previously endorsed the president.

Seven years after the January 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubaraks regime, Sisi will have two major challenges to tackle in his second term: security and economic recovery.

Arrests and disappearances

Human rights defenders have regularly accused Sisi of violating public freedoms and suppressing his opponents, who, along with vocal members of civil society, have been arrested in recent months.

Two of those arrested are the blogger and journalist, Wael Abbas, and Shadi Ghazali Harb, a youth leader during the 2011 revolution.

Hazim Abdelazim, who has described his decision to head the youth committee of Sisis successful 2014 presidential bid as his biggest mistake, has also been detained.

The path the Sisi government took has been linear  eliminating the public sphere, or the political space has always run alongside arrests of dissidents, activists and human rights advocates, said Fadi al-Qadi, a commentator on human rights in the Middle East and North Africa.

The truth is, no one is immune under Sisi  these two incidents of arrests are probably meant to dismiss any thought that Sisi may tolerate certain types of dissent in Egypt  on the contrary, he does not, al-Qadi told Al Jazeera last week.

Bloggers Sherif Gaber and Shady Abuzaid, known for their YouTube and Facebook videos were also arrested this month.

Last week, an Egyptian military court sentenced journalist and researcher Ismail Alexandrani to 10 years in prison.

Alexandrani, an expert on armed groups in the Sinai Peninsula, was arrested in November 2015 and accused of belonging to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
President Donald Trump is considering giving US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman more authority over Washingtons diplomatic mission that handles Palestinian affairs, five US officials told The Associated Press news agency, a shift that could further dampen Palestinian hopes for an independent state.

Any move to downgrade the autonomy of the US Consulate General in Jerusalem  responsible for relations with the Palestinians  could have potent symbolic implications, suggesting American recognition of Israeli control over occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

And while the change might be technical and bureaucratic, it could have potentially significant policy ramifications.

Breaking with years of US policy, Trump announced the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6, drawing international condemnation and sparking a wave of heated protests around the world.

As president, Trump has departed from traditional US insistence on a two-state solution for the Middle East conflict by leaving open the possibility of just one state. His administration prepares to unveil a long-awaited peace plan, the Palestinians have all but cut off contact, enraged by Trumps decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

The deliberations come as Friedman, who has pushed for changes to the consulate since he arrived in Israel last year, faces growing indignation in the US over partisan comments and other actions in which he has publicly sided with Israel over its critics.

On Thursday, a top Democratic legislator even suggested Friedman should be recalled after he waded into domestic US politics on Israels behalf, telling an Israeli newspaper that Democrats have failed to support Israel as much as Republicans.

For decades, the Jerusalem consulate has operated differently than almost every other consulate around the world. Rather than reporting to the US embassy in Israel, it has reported directly to the Department of State in Washington, giving the Palestinians an unfiltered channel to engage with the US government.

That arrangement was relatively clear-cut before Trump moved the embassy. Until Trumps decision in December to move it from Tel Aviv, the United States did not recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Israel occupied Arab East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza during the 1967 war along with the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. Israel moved to annex occupied East Jerusalem in 1981 in violation of international law.

The Jerusalem consulate provided services to Americans in Jerusalem and also served as the de facto US embassy to the Palestinians.

Palestinian leaders claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state.

But since Trump earlier this month moved the embassy to Jerusalem, the situation has become more complicated. Now, the US maintains an embassy in one part of the city and a separate consulate less than a mile away, potentially creating confusion about who has ultimate authority if, for example, an American citizen needs help and turns to the US government.

No final decision has been made about what changes to make to the consulates chain of command, a decision complicated by the consulates unique circumstances.

But the embassy, run by Friedman, is expected to end up with ultimate authority over the consulate, officials said. They werent authorized to discuss the matter publicly and requested anonymity.

PA to be under Israels jurisdiction?

Dan Shapiro, the former US ambassador to Israel, said such a move would be perceived as undermining Palestinians claims to sovereignty and statehood aspirations, because it would suggest that Washington considers the Palestinian Authority (PA) to be under Israels jurisdiction. Otherwise, Shapiro said, why would it expect the Palestinians to talk to the US through its mission to Israel?

They dont want to deal with the US embassy to Israel as their channel, said Shapiro, now a scholar at Israels Institute for National Security Studies. They want their voice to be heard directly in Washington.

Chief Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat told Al Jazeera that he is not surprised by this news. He said the Palestinians would not deal with the Trump administration so long as it continues to undermine the two-state solution and completely adopt the extreme right-wing Israeli positions.

The Trump administration is not a dependable party to make peace in the region, he said

Typically, the head of a consulate, known as a consul general, reports to the ambassador, who has chief of mission authority over all US posts in the country. In contrast, the consul general running the Jerusalem consulate has historically had his or her own chief of mission authority.

The closest comparable case to the Jerusalem situation is the US Consulate General in Hong Kong, which also has its own chief of mission who does not report to the US ambassador in Beijing.

Friedman has advocated for having the embassy in Jerusalem subsume the consulate, officials said, although the Department of State has ruled out that possibility. Other possibilities include allowing the consulate to retain some day-to-day authorities while letting the embassy set the direction for major policy decisions.

Staunchly pro-Israel and with close ties to the occupied West Bank settler movement, Friedman is broadly seen by Palestinian leadership as lacking good faith in US efforts to mediate a fair resolution to the conflict.

But on the consulate issue, he has an ally in the White House in the form of national security adviser John Bolton, the officials said.

It wasnt clear precisely when the changes would be made, although one official said the administration is waiting until current Consul General Donald Blome leaves Jerusalem over the summer, possibly in July.

Regardless of any changes, the Jerusalem consulate will remain the primary US point of contact for the PA and for Palestinians, including those in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip seeking visas or other US consular services.

Consulate General Jerusalem continues to operate as an independent mission with an unchanged mandate from its historic Agron Road location, the State Department said in a statement.

Such changes would likely be carried out by Trump issuing new letters of instruction, which delegate authorities to ambassadors and chiefs of mission, to Friedman and whoever heads the Jerusalem consulate, the official said.
Authorities imposed emergency rule in February after the sudden resignation of ex-Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Ethiopia s cabinet has approved a draft law to lift a six-month state of emergency two months early after assessing that law and order has been restored in the country.

Authorities imposed the emergency rule in February after Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn abruptly resigned, citing ongoing unrest and a political crisis in the country as major factors in his decision.

He was later replaced as prime minister and chairman of the ruling coalition by Abiy Ahmed.

The Council of Ministers  reviewed the security situation of the country. It noted that law and order has been restored, the prime ministers chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, said on Saturday in a post on Twitter.

The draft law will be sent to parliament for consideration.

The Council of Ministers in its todays regular meeting reviewed the security situation of the country. It noted that law & order has been restored. It has approved a draft law that lifts the State of Emergency. The draft will be sent to Parliament for its consideration #Ethiopia  Fitsum Arega (@fitsumaregaa) June 2, 2018

It was not immediately clear when that would take place. Ethiopias 547-seat House of Peoples Representatives often holds its sessions on Monday.

Its legislators  all members of the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front coalition (EPRDF)  are expected to endorse the move.

Thousands released

Mass protests erupted in 2015, when anti-government demonstrations broke out among the Oromo, Ethiopias biggest ethnic group, and later spread to the Amhara, the second biggest group.

The protests, which initially began over land rights but later broadened to include calls for greater political representation at the national level, were met with a harsh government response.

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In August 2017, Ethiopia lifted a 10-month state of emergency imposed after hundreds of people were killed in anti-government protests demanding wider political freedoms.

Since the election of Ahmed, the first Oromo prime minister in the 27 years EPRDF has been in power, the authorities have pledged to push through a raft of reforms.

Ahmed has travelled to several areas of the country, promising to address grievances and strengthen a range of political and civil rights.

In addition, several thousands of prisoners have been released and tensions in restive areas, notably Oromia, have dramatically declined.

Some of the high-profile releases include Andargachew Tsige, an Ethiopian-born British citizen and opposition leader on death row, and Swedish doctor Fikru Maru.
Funeral in Kashmir disrupted by gunshots and tear gas

Security forces in India-administered Kashmir used force to disperse mourners at a funeral for a man crushed by an armoured vehicle during protests on Friday.
Incident is the second in less than a month involving police vehicle killing protester during weekly demonstrations.

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir  Anger is mounting in Indian-administered Kashmir following the death of a 21-year-old man who was crushed by a military vehicle during a protest.

The incident on Friday was the second in less than a month involving a police vehicle killing a protester during the weekly stone-throwing demonstrations in the restive Himalayan valley.

Eye-witnesses told Al Jazeera that two young protesters were mowed down by the paramilitary vehicle after Friday prayers at Nowhatta locality in Srinagar outside the regions grand mosque  a focal point for many protests.

The protesters tried to stop the vehicle but the forces continued to move, said Shahid Ahmad, a resident who was at the scene.

Qaisar Ahmad Bhat, who was initially critically injured, succumbed overnight due to massive lung contusion, Farooq Jan, the medical superintendent of Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, said.

Relatives of the victim, whose funeral took place on Saturday told Al Jazeera that he had suffered severe internal bleeding.

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He used to take part in the protests every Friday. He was caught by surprise when he was run over by the vehicle. He got no chance to save himself, said Bhats 25-year-old cousin, Ahmad.

His parents died some years ago and now he along with his two teenage sisters were taken care by their aunt.

Ahmad, the local, described the incident as a cold-blooded murder.

Only that the bullets were not used to kill him.

Footage from the scene, which showed the other youth struggling under the wheels of the armoured vehicle, was widely shared on social media. Doctors told Al Jazeera that the man is in stable condition and is being treated with facial and zygomatic fractures.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep into the Muslim-majority Kashmir region. The region has witnessed renewed violence after 2016 when a popular rebel commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight. The two-decade-old armed struggle has now been mostly replaced by the street protests, generating intermittent tensions in the region.

Accident

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Sanjay Sharma, the spokesperson for the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) describe the incident as an accident as a large number of stone-throwers tried to overpower the heavily armoured vehicle.

There was a senior officer in the vehicle who had gone to the field to check the paramilitary deployment when the vehicle came under heavy stone-throwing, he said.

Sharma claimed that the forces maintained restraint and did not open fire.

It should be hailed and appreciated how the forces behaved when they were being attacked by the mob. It was a threat to their life.

In a bid to avoid further trouble, authorities on Saturday suspended mobile internet and put the old parts of the regions main city under strict curfew to prevent people from taking to streets.

But hundreds of mourners attended a funeral march, which fired upon with tear gas by security forces.

2003 ceasefire

The latest tension comes at a time when the Indian government has announced a unilateral pause on operations during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, from the main opposition party in the region, criticised the current head of the state Mehbooba Mufti, whose Peoples Democratic Party is ruling the state in a coalition with Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.

Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps, he tweeted, asking Mufti, if this was the standard operating procedure of dealing with protesters.

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On May 5, in a similar incident, an 18-year-old youth was run over by a police vehicle during stone-throwing in Srinagar following a battle in which three rebels were killed.

Officials termed the killing as an accident, but a widely shared video clip of the incident showed a police vehicle directly hitting the protester from behind and crushing him under the tires.

Kashmir continues to be a point of contention between India and Pakistan who have fought three wars over a region both claim in its entirety.

India often accuses Pakistan of cross-border terrorism, an allegation Pakistan denies.

Earlier this week, the senior army personnel of both countries agreed to restore a ceasefire deal signed in 2003 to reduce the daily exchange of fire.

The step, however, has offered little relief to the thousands of border residents since similar attempts have failed in the past.
An Israeli sniper shot and killed medical volunteer Razan al-Najjar as she tried to evacuate a wounded protester.

Khan Younis, Gaza Strip  Too worn out to shed more tears, Sabreen al-Najjar recalls the last time she saw her daughter alive.

She stood up and smiled at me, saying she was heading out to the protest, the 43-year-old told Al Jazeera from her home in Khuzaa, southern Gaza Strip.

That protest was the 10th Friday demonstration held by Palestinians since March 30 near the fence with Israel dubbed the Great March of Return. Sabreens daughter, 21-year-old Razan, had been in all of them, volunteering as a paramedic to help those shot by Israeli snipers.

In a blink of an eye, she was out of door. I ran to the balcony to watch her outside but she had already made her way to the end of the street, Sabreen said on Saturday, surrounded by grieving relatives, friends and female patients her daughter had once treated.

She flew like a bird in front of me.

At the protest site in Khuzaa, witnesses said that Razan approached the fence on Friday in her medics vest and with both of her arms raised to show the Israeli soldiers a 100 yards away that she posed no threat.

Her intention was to evacuate a wounded protester lying on the other side of the fence, after he had managed to cut a hole through it.

Instead, Razan was shot in her chest with live ammunition, the single bullet escaping through a hole in the back of her vest.

She became the 119th Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces since the popular protests began calling for the Palestinians right of return to the homes from which they were expelled from in 1948. More than 13,000 others have been wounded.

Sabreen al-Najjar, 43, second from right, at the funeral of her daughter Razan al-Najjar which was attended by thousands of people [Hossam Salem/Al Jazeera]

It was just us

Rida Najjar, also a medical volunteer, said she was standing next to Razan when she was shot.

As we entered the fence to retrieve the protesters, the Israelis shot tear gas at us, the 29-year-old, who is not related to Razan, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.

Then a sniper fired a single shot, which hit Razan directly. The fragments of the bullet wounded three other members of our team.

Razan at first didnt realise she had been shot, but then she started crying out, My back, my back! and then she fell on the ground.

It was very clear from our uniforms, our vests and medical bags, who we are, she added. There were no other protesters around, it was just us.

Saving lives and evacuating the injured

In an interview with Al Jazeera on April 20, Razan said that she felt it was her duty and responsibility to be present at the protests and help the wounded.

The Israeli army does intend to shoot as many as they can, she said at the time. Its crazy and Id be ashamed if I was not there for my people.

Speaking to The New York Times last month, Razan described the enthusiasm she had for the work she did.

We have one goal  to save lives and evacuate [wounded] people, she said. We do this for our country, she continued, adding that it was humanitarian work.

Razan also dismissed societal judgement towards women working in the field, where she herself would put in 13-hour shifts, beginning from 7am until 8pm.

Women are often judged but society has to accept us, Razan said. If they dont want to accept us by choice, they will be forced to accept us. Because we have more strength than any man.

Medics attending the funeral of their colleague, Razan [Hossam Salem/ Al Jazeera]

Sabreen said her daughter had been on the front lines tending to injured protesters since March 30  and not just on Fridays. She became a familiar face at the Khan Younis encampment, one of five set up along the length of the fence east of the Gaza Strip.

She never cared about what people said, Sabreen said. She concentrated on her work in the field as a volunteer medic, which reflected her strength and her determination.

My daughter had no weapons; she was a medic, she added. She gave a lot to her people.

Medics on the ground previously told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces have been shooting at demonstrators with a new type of round.

Known as the butterfly bullet, it explodes upon impact, pulverising tissue, arteries and bone, while causing severe internal injuries.

She was deliberately and directly killed by an explosive bullet, which is illegal under international law, Sabreen said.

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I demand a UN investigation so that the murderer will be tried and convicted, she said, describing the Israeli soldiers as brutal and unforgiving.

She then went quiet.

When Sabreen spoke again, her words elicited wails from the women around her.

I wish I could have seen her in her white wedding dress, not her shroud, she said.

Paramedics targeted

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement that Israeli forces targeted a group of unarmed people east of Khuzaa on Friday, which resulted in a team of paramedics wearing white medical coats attempting to evacuate the injured.

The team of paramedics raised their hands, stressing that they did not pose any danger to the occupiers heavily armed forces, the health ministry said.

Immediately, the Israeli occupation forces fired live bullets, hitting Razan Najjar in the chest, and injuring several other paramedics.

Mohammed al-Hissi, director of Red Crescent emergency medical team, told Al Jazeera that they tried to treat Razan immediately after she was shot before she was transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Younis.

The targeting of Razan is not the first violation in our line of work as medics in the field, and it probably wont be the last, he said.

This is a war crime against health workers and a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention which gives medics the right to offer their assistance in times of war and peace.

The spokesperson of the ministry, Ashraf al-Qidra, added that more than 100 protesters were wounded on Friday, including 40 with live ammunition. The others suffered from tear-gas related injuries.

According to the World Health Organization, 238 health personnel and 38 ambulances have been targeted by Israeli forces since the start of the Great March of Return movement.

Razans medical vest was draped over her body during her funeral in Khan Younis [Hossam Salem/Al Jazeera]

Angel of Mercy

Razans funeral on Saturday in Khuzaa was attended by thousands of people.

Video clips showing her colleagues breaking down in tears at the hospital were circulated on social media, a sense of shock and grief etched on their faces.

A hashtag in Arabic translating to Angel of Mercy in reference to Razan was widely used on Twitter, with users from around the world condemning her killing.

Medical workers are #NotATarget! Nicolay Mladenov, UN special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said in a post on Twitter, adding that Israel needed to calibrate its use of force.

In a statement, the Israeli army said that it was investigating Razans death while also blaming Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, for methodically plac[ing] young children and women on the front lines of violent disturbances to act as human shields for the realization of Hamas goals.

Back in Khuzaa, before Razans body arrived for the funeral, her father held out her bloodied medics vest.

This is Razans weapon, he told local TV crews outside his house.

He emptied the vests pockets, taking out gauze and bandages.

This is her weapon, he repeated.

Additional reporting by Hossam Salem in Gaza
War-torn Yemens third largest city, Hudaida, serves as the main entry point for about 90 percent of all food imports.

Human rights groups have warned that an attack by the Saudi-led coalition and allied forces on the Yemeni port city of Hudaida could destroy the countrys main lifeline and worsen a humanitarian crisis already described by the UN as the largest in the world.

Saudi Arabia, together with several other Arab nations, launched a military campaign in 2015 in support of Yemens internationally recognised government aiming to roll back advances made by Houthi rebels after they overran much of the country in 2014.

Most countries have since withdrawn their forces from the coalition, with only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates conducting attacks in Yemen.

Hudaida lies some 230km away from the capital, Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthis.

In recent days, pro-government forces have closed in on the city, driving the rebels from dozens of nearby towns and villages amid growing fears that an all-out assault is imminent.

Aid agencies say it is the citys location on the Red Sea that makes it such a strategic prize. If the Saudi-led coalition takes over, it would effectively be in control of Yemens most vital lifeline and the main gateway for imports of relief supplies and commercial goods.

An alarming 22.2 million people in Yemen need some kind of humanitarian or protection assistance, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).





About 90 percent of Yemens food and most of its medicine is imported through Hudaida, Yemens third largest city and home to about 400,000 people.

Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, equated Hudaida to what Rotterdam historically represented for the Netherlands and Liverpool for the United Kingdom.

Its the place where things come into all the civilian population in Yemen, a country that basically has to import all food, Egeland told Al Jazeera from Norways capital, Oslo.

He said a potential attack by the coalition would make the situation much worse.

In many ways, Yemen is today the country on Earth where there is the highest number of people who are food insecure [and] who are on the brink of famine, he added.

We must avoid war at all costs in Hudaida, not only because of the hundreds of thousands of people who would get in the crossfire but also because the port will be destroyed and the lifeline will be destroyed.

Respect civilian lives

Riyadh sees Hudaida port as the entry point of weaponry for the Houthis and has accused its regional rival Iran of sending missiles to the rebels, a charge Tehran has denied. Aid agencies say, 200,000 people  about half of Hudaidas population  could be displaced if fighting breaks out in the centre.

A statement by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Thursday raised concern for civilians in the densely populated city.

People are afraid of the fighting within their city and making an already catastrophic situation even worse, the statement said.

The ICRC is [in] line with international humanitarian law urges all the parties to the conflict to respect civilian lives by taking every possible measure to protect civilians

Civilians must be protected Hospitals & schools are #NotATarget @ICRC_ye is concerned about the fighting along the Red Sea coast of #Yemen pic.twitter.com/TgMP9qEk4M  ICRC Yemen (@ICRC_ye) May 31, 2018

For his part, Egeland suggested that the city ought to be internationally-administered, given its significance to the wellbeing of the civilian population, and asked that key powers increase pressure to the warring parties in order to bring about a political solution to the conflict, which has killed more than 10,000 people.

What we asked for is that the United States, the United Kingdom and France who have influence over the Saudi-led coalition  they sell arms, they have close military relations, close diplomatic and intelligence cooperation  guarantee that attacks stop.

On the other hand, Iran who are close to the Houthis, they havent either done what they should do to de-escalate the fighting, he added.

We need a ceasefire and peace talks to succeed.
Inter-Korean talks: Delegations resume peace discussions

Meetings between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in are not the whole of the inter-Korean peace process, as high-level officials are establishing contact across the border and even setting up a liaison office.
Israeli army says man tried to run them over, while witnesses reportedly say he didnt hear commands to stop his vehicle

Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian man in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron.

Residents identified the man as construction worker Ramy Sabreen, 36, who was working on a site in the old city of Hebron when he was shot on Saturday, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Citing eyewitnesses, WAFA reported that Sabreen was shot after he did not hear the Israeli soldiers commands to stop his vehicle, which was being used at the construction site. The witnesses told WAFA that Sabreen did not pose a threat to the soldiers.

The Israeli army said in a statement that the man was shot after he attempted to run over soldiers with his vehicle. It added that no soldiers were injured.

WAFA also reported that soldiers prevented emergency services from reaching the site where the shooting occurred.

Saturdays incident comes after a 21-year-old Palestinian woman was killed by Israeli soldiers near the border fence in the Gaza Strip on Friday.

Razan al-Najjar, a volunteer paramedic with the Gaza health ministry, was wearing the white uniform of a medic when she was shot in the chest.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, another 40 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli gunfire during protests along the Gaza-Israeli borders on Friday.

Palestinians in Gaza have been protesting along the border for more than two months, demanding the right of refugees to return to their homes.

At least 119 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the weekly border demonstrations in Gaza, which were launched on March 30.
Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera says sanctions on Pyongyang should stay in place, citing previous violations.

Japans defence minister has urged the international community to keep sanctions and surveillance on North Korea, saying it has a history of reneging on agreements.

Itsunori Onodera said North Korea agreed to give up nuclear weapons as early as 1994, but has continued to develop them in secret and until last year threatened surrounding countries with a series of ballistic missile launches.

In light of how North Korea has behaved in the past, I believe that it is important not to reward North Korea solely for agreeing to have a dialogue, he said.





We have seen history repeat, where North Korea would declare to denuclearise, thereby portraying itself as conciliatory and forthcoming, only to turn around to void all international efforts towards peace.

The comments by Japans defence chief marked a sharp contrast with his South Korean counterpart, who said there was no reason to doubt the sincerity of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Song Young-moo said: Just because we have been tricked by North Korea in the past doesnt guarantee that we will be tricked in the future. If we believe that, we will never be able to negotiate with them and make peace with them.

The South Korean defence minister said that if the talks on North Koreas nuclear weapons are successful, they could be compared with the 1989 Malta Summit between former President George H W Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, less than a month after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

China has also given the talks its approval.

The countrys foreign ministry said in a statement posted on its official WeChat account that it viewed the meeting between the United States and North Korean leaders as key to achieving denuclearisation and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The Japanese and South Korean defence ministers were speaking at an international security conference in Singapore, which is set to host the landmark summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un on June 12.

Trump meeting

The comments in Singapore came as Trump confirmed the June 12 talks were officially back on after initially cancelling the summit and days of ambiguity on whether it would be reinstated.

Trump made the announcement on Friday, following a two-hour-long meeting with North Korean senior official Kim Yong-chol at the White House.

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While admitting that dealing with North Korea was going to be a process, Trump said he believed the effort would ultimately be successful.

However, the US leader ruled out signing anything at the June 12 meeting.

Kim Yong-chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump during their meeting at the Oval Office.

Trump told reporters after the end of the meeting that he had not yet read the letter.
China criticises irresponsible comments on S China Sea policy after Mattis accuses them of coercion.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis has accused China of intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea, taking a tough stance on Beijing at a security summit in Singapore.

Speaking on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Mattis said Chinas militarisation on man-made islands in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to the openness of [US] strategy and calls into question Chinas broader goals.

He added there would be consequences if China does not find the way to work more collaboratively with all of the nations who have interest.

Hours after Mattis spoke, Chinese Lieutenant General He Lei lashed out at irresponsible comments on Chinas build-up in the South China Sea.

Any irresponsible comments from other countries cannot be accepted, he said at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

The comments came on the heels of a string of events that highlight the tension between the worlds two biggest economies over the South China Seas disputed waters.

Last Sunday, Beijing protested what it called a provocation after US warships came within 12 nautical miles (around 22km) of the disputed Paracel Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals over which China has territorial disputes with its neighbours.

Earlier that week, the Pentagon withdrew an invitation to China to participate in the worlds largest multinational maritime exercise RIMPAC as an initial response to Chinas continued militarisation of the South China Sea.

Bomber aircraft

In Singapore, Mattis named deployment of anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and the recent landing of bomber aircraft at Woody Islands as examples of Chinas militarisation of artificial features in the South China Sea.

Despite Chinas claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapons systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion, the defence secretary said.

He added the acts contradicted Chinese President Xi Jinpings 2015 remarks that there was no intention to militarise the Spratly Islands.

In a more conciliatory tone, Mattis said the US would continue to pursue cooperation whenever possible. He said he would visit Beijing soon at Chinas invitation.

China is pitted against smaller neighbours in multiple disputes in the South China Sea over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global trade and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves.

It has begun building military structures on disputed islands  much to the dismay of other Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Nicaragua: Funerals held for victims killed in protests

Sixteen anti-government activists were killed on Wednesday, bringing the total to over 100 killed in protests the past six weeks.
North Korea, China on the agenda of security summit in Singapore

The Trump-Kim meeting and US concerns about the militarisation of the South China Sea were the top issues raised at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday.
Sanchez takes reins of power after Peoples Party leader Mariano Rajoy was forced out in a vote of no-confidence.

Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez has been sworn in as Spains new prime minister a day after a vote of no-confidence booted his conservative Peoples Party (PP) rival Mariano Rajoy from power.

The countrys new leader will preside over a minority government propped up by the leftist Podemos bloc and other parties, including Basque and Catalan nationalists.





Before being sworn in by Spains King Felipe VI on Saturday, Sanchez vowed to tackle the social emergencies experienced by Spaniards after years of austerity measures.

The inauguration marks the end of an unprecedent episode in modern Spanish history, which saw a serving prime minister fail to secure the confidence of parliament for the first time since Spains transition to democracy in 1977.

The 46-year-old former professor of economics has an arduous task before him as he seeks to allay financial market fears about political instability, as well as resolve a bitter dispute with Catalan nationalists, who declared independence after a referendum in 2017.

The Socialist (PSOE) leader has promised to respect the 2018 state budget passed by his predecessor and negotiate with the Catalans, so long as the unity of Spain is not up for question.

I am aware of the responsibility I am assuming, of the complex political moment our country is going through and I will rise to all the challenges with humility and dedication, Sanchez said after the vote to remove Rajoy from office.

Spains once entrenched two-party system has given way to a splintering of left-wing and right-wing currents.

Rajoys PP has had to fend off the challenge from liberal upstarts Ciudadanos, while PSOE competes for the centre-left and leftist vote with Podemos.
Russian lawmaker says Moscows plans will not change by Riyadhs opposition to the sale of surface-to-air missiles.

A senior Russian politician has said Moscow still plans to supply an advanced aerial defence system to Qatar despite Saudi Arabias reported opposition.

In comments made to local media, Aleksei Kondratyev, a member of the Russian upper house and the deputy chairman of the committee on Defence and Security, said Russia will pursue its own objectives in determining sales of its S-400 surface-to-air missiles.

Russia seeks its own interest, supplying S-400 to Qatar and earning money for the state budget. Saudi Arabias position has nothing to do with it, Russias plans will not change, Kondratyev was quoted as saying by Sputnik on Saturday.

It is clear that Riyadh plays a dominant role in the region, but Qatar gets an advantage by enhancing its armed forces due to the acquisition of Russian S-400 systems. Therefore, Saudi Arabias tension is understandable.

Kondratyev said it is also in the United States interest to prevent the sale of the S-400 since this means it will lose a very lucrative regional market of weapons.

Saudi kings letter

His comments come a day after French daily Le Monde reported that Saudi Arabias King Salman threatened to take military action if Qatar installed the Russian-made air defence system.

In a letter addressed to Emmanuel Macron, the Saudi monarch asked the French president to pressure Doha into not acquiring the S-400.

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The king said he was worried about the consequences of Dohas acquisition of the system which he said threatened Saudi security interests.

In January, Qatars ambassador to Russia said talks for the acquisition of the air-defence system were at an advanced stage.

This came after the signing of an agreement on military and technical cooperation between the two countries in October 2017 to further cooperation in the defence field during a visit by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to the Gulf state.

On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia  alongside fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Egypt  imposed a sea, air and land blockade on Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and destabilising the region, allegations Doha has consistently denied.

Among its list of 13 demands for the resolution of the crisis, the blockading quartet asked that Al Jazeera media network and a Turkish military base be shut down. Qatar rejected all demands.
Medics and officials say swift action, awareness campaigns and central leadership key lessons in dealing with disease.

Countries know the risks  and they know they have to act fast.

This is the biggest lesson learned since an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus struck three countries in West Africa, leaving more than 11,300 people dead in its wake, said Chikwe Ihekweazu.

An infectious disease epidemiologist who worked in 2015  at the height of the outbreak  in Liberia, Ihekweazu said containment efforts were particularly challenging since it was the first time the disease had hit West Africa.

The health networks in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea  the latter being where the first case of Ebola was discovered in the outbreak in late 2013, in an isolated, rural village  were ill-prepared to deal with the virus, which has no known cure.

The uncertainty of what to do, the lack of institutional structures in West Africa to deal with a severe infection like Ebola, and the lack of knowledge about the disease contributed to its spread, said Ihekweazu, now the national coordinator of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

Transmitted through bodily fluids, Ebola spread rapidly across the region. Before the outbreak ended in 2016 there had been more than 28,600 cases.

Now, as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) grapples with its own Ebola outbreak  the ninth since the virus was first discovered there in 1976  health experts say what happened in West Africa can help shape the response to the disease.

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The level of engagement of both the country and the international actors has changed completely, Ihekweazu said.

People do realise that this is not something that you can say, This is a small corner of the world [so] its their problem. We cant abdicate the responsibility because its happening somewhere else.

Controlling the disease

The DRC government officially declared an Ebola outbreak on May 8 after laboratory tests confirmed two cases of the disease in the town of Bikoro, in the countrys western Equateur province near the border with the Republic of Congo.

Confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been recorded in Bikoro, the villages of Itipo and Iboko, and in Mbandaka, a city of about 1.2 million people on the shore of the Congo River.





By May 30, the World Health Organization (WHO) said 37 confirmed cases and 13 probable cases of Ebola have been found in the DRC since the start of the outbreak.

In total, there have been 50 cases linked to the virus, including 25 deaths, the WHO said.

On June 1, the DRCs health ministry reported five new suspected cases: three in Bikoro and two in Wangata, an area of Mbandaka in which the outbreak has been centred.

Only three cases have been confirmed by laboratory tests, however.

The most recent outbreak in the country, in May 2017, resulted in four deaths in northern Likati district.

Most of the past outbreaks affected remote parts of the country, said Luis Encinas, the emergency medical coordinator at Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials  MSF, and an expert on Ebola, who is currently working in the DRC.

The fact that populations werent moving around helped quickly control the disease, he told Al Jazeera.

That differs from the start of the outbreak in West Africa in 2014, which occurred in a border area.

The fact that emergency health responders were dealing with three countries less than 60km from each other, three health systems, [and] two different languages made that situation much more challenging to contain, Encinas explained.

It was complicated also because it was the first time that Ebola was declared and identified in that region of Africa. It wasnt like in DRC where the disease has been found more frequently, he said.

Different from past cases

Still, the current outbreak in the DRC differs from the countrys previous ones, as confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have been identified in several places at once, said Michelle Gayer, emergency health director for the International Rescue Committee.

Reports of Ebola in Mbandaka have prompted the most concern over the disease potentially spreading even further  and threatening even more people  f its not properly contained.

Mbandaka lies on the Congo River, an important transport artery linking the region to Kinshasa, the DRCs capital, and Brazzaville, the capital and largest city in the Republic of Congo, just across the border.

A city is dense. People move around a lot. Rumours can spread quickly. Its hard sometimes to spread the right messages because there are so many different avenues of communication and people seek care from all sorts of places, said Gayer, who is currently based in Kinshasa.





Often in a small village, youll just have one traditional healer. In a city like Mbandaka, youve got traditional healers, local pharmacies  [and] there are well over 55 health facilities.

Gayer said experts believe a person with Ebola in a rural area will come into contact with about 15 other people; in a city like Mbandaka, that figure jumps to around 50 contacts.

Ebolas symptoms  fever, headaches, muscle pain, bleeding -can also show up between two to 21 days after someone comes into contact with someone with the disease, meaning people need to be monitored that entire time.

Its just a really tough job, teams wandering around, systematically going through villages, through the bush, trying to find these contacts, Gayer said.

And then, when you miraculously find them, you have to monitor them for 21 days, as well, and then make sure that those people, if they do develop symptoms, they come seek care as soon as possible.

Jessica Ilunga, spokesperson for the DRCs ministry of health, said the biggest lesson it took from the West African outbreak in 2014 is that the government needs to take a leadership role in the response, as many organisations will want to help.

The risk with that is ending up with dozens, if not hundreds, of different actors working according to their vision and priorities. Thats one of the elements that slowed down the response in West Africa, Ilunga told Al Jazeera in an email.





She said the governments response to an Ebola outbreak remains the same whether the disease has been found in a rural or urban area.

In both cases, it must make sure the population respects hygiene best practices, rapidly take care of and identify cases, and follow up with people who have had contact with someone with Ebola.

The only difference is that the proximity and density of the population in urban areas makes the work of epidemiologists more difficult and identifying the cases and contacts becomes a genuine race against the clock, she said.

Vaccine being used

The 2014 outbreak also demonstrated just how important it is to respond quickly.

It took more than six months for an international response to get up and running after the Ebola outbreak was recognised  and that really was too slow and allowed it to spread all over three countries, said Jimmy Whitworth, professor of international public health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

The DRC has a very good record in responding to outbreaks, Whitworth told Al Jazeera, and the national authorities are well set up to deal with the situation, thanks in large part to its past experiences.

The DRC authorities have also approved the use of a new, as-yet unlicensed vaccine to help immunise citizens against Ebola.

While it alone cannot contain the epidemic, the vaccine plays a very important role in breaking the chain of transmission more quickly, said Ilunga at the health ministry.

The vaccine, officially named rVSVDG-ZEBOV-GP, was developed and first used in a research setting towards the end of the West African outbreak in 2016, Whitworth explained.

The vaccine takes about 10 days to become protective, and it does not treat people who are already infected with Ebola, but rather, it stops people from contracting the virus. It is being administered to healthcare workers, as well as contacts of people who have been diagnosed with Ebola  and the contacts of those contacts.

As of June 1, the DRCs health ministry said 809 people have been vaccinated, including 529 in Mbandaka.

Raising awareness

Despite this new development, the crux of controlling the outbreak ultimately rests with community awareness, said Gayer.

That happened too late in the 2014 outbreak, where in some cases, people were aided in escaping, as they called it, she said. They saw the treatment centres as a prison. They didnt understand why they needed to be isolated and treated.





MSFs Encinas told Al Jazeera the Ebola epidemic is accompanied by an epidemic of fear.

He agreed that raising awareness among vulnerable populations with little understanding or experience dealing with the disease is critical.

Medical teams often have to start at zero and must convey basic information about what Ebola is and how it can be treated.

We need to work together with the community to explain  what is Ebola, how is it transmitted, what the danger is when you have a sick person in your family, what are the impacts for everyone, Encinas said.

That is especially important in the context of social practices, such as funerals, where hundreds of people may come into contact with a person who died from Ebola.

Ebola can spread through an infected persons bodily fluids even after that person has died, resulting in what Gayer called an amplification nightmare for the contagious disease.

According to Ihekweazu, the biggest challenge with Ebola remains a lack of understanding about the disease and its causes, which then leads to uncertainty about where it will pop up next.

Countries also need to build health networks that will be able to rapidly collect samples and transport them to laboratories for testing.

Once you get that architecture right, youll be in a much better position to detect [Ebola], and once you can detect, youre in a much better place to mount an appropriate response, he said.

Still, Ihekweazu said the world is in a much better place than it was only a few years ago during the West African outbreak, in terms of the infrastructure, the people [and] the knowledge about the disease.

With every new outbreak, we learn more.
Recently, the Department of Justice held a roundtable to discuss the possibility of modifying or terminating a number of the nation's antitrust consent decrees, some of which date back over a century. This development was predictably met with resounding approval by conservatives and libertarians alike.

As a primer, consent decrees are merely the antitrust lawyer's term for a settlement agreement. When a party is sued by one of the antitrust enforcement agencies  the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission  for engaging in conduct contrary to U.S. antitrust laws, it has two options. The party can either pursue the matter in court, which may result in years of litigation, or choose to accept a quick settlement and agree to the terms of the compliance program required by the agency.

Consent decrees have never occupied favorable position in free-market theory. Their use has been challenged practically since their inception  the first time being in the case of Swift v. U.S., which resulted in the Supreme Court modifying a decree issued against the infamous Beef Trust. Since then, the antitrust enforcement agencies have provided no shortage of overly burdensome consent decrees that often appear to serve little purpose beyond reinforcing the respective agencies' power over the corporate world.

That said, it is important to understand that the distaste we free market-minded folk share for antitrust agencies' over-enthusiasm should not be aimed at the concept of a consent decree itself  it is nothing more than a tool that the government may use for good or bad. In fact, consent decrees have also been used for beneficial purposes.

As hard as it may be to believe, consent decrees sometimes operate to restrain government, or to address systemic problems resulting from government-granted monopolies. A few years ago, before the term "Russian collusion" was trending on Twitter, the government scandal that was occupying the news media's attention was the IRS's targeting of Tea Party groups. The result of the much publicized congressional investigations that followed was a consent decree imposed against the IRS that is still in effect today. This consent decree, entered in the True the Vote v. IRS litigation, prohibits the IRS from targeting or discriminating against any entity based on its political affiliation.

Besides that, members of Congress pointed out in a hearing last week that there is a pair of consent decrees that tangentially affect practically everyone in his daily life. These decrees were issued against the largest performing rights organizations (PROs) in the music industry, ASCAP and BMI, in 1941 and to this day are responsible for achieving Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)'s goal of "[ensuring] that prices for music remain competitive for consumers."

PROs are essentially alliances of music publishers that control nearly all the public performance licenses of widely distributed music  including for radio, television, the internet, and public venues, generating billions in royalties annually. As Sen. Richard Blumenthal noted last week and Antitrust Subcommittee leaders Mike Lee and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) are already aware of, these consent decrees protect songwriters and consumers from abuse in an industry where a free market simply does not exist.

Before the implementation of these decrees, the music collectives colluded to artificially raise market prices. As songwriter Matt Fitzgibbons explained, this hurt both songwriters and small businesses. The consent decrees issued against ASCAP and BMI in 1941 put a stop to the PROs' price-gouging and require them to issue licenses for the public performance of music to any party at a reasonable rate.

This may sound to conservative ears like price-fixing, but it is only a practical solution to the problems stemming from music-publishers banding together to capitalize on market-restricting U.S. copyright law, which naturally creates a non-competitive marketplace. As long as reforming copyright laws remains off the political agenda, these consent decrees provide a necessary stepping stone on which the music industry operates.

The previous examples notwithstanding, the books are rife with consent decrees that antitrust enforcement agencies have used to extract overly restrictive or unnecessary terms for strong market players.

Take for instance the 1956 consent decree issued against IBM. The terms of the decree prohibited IBM from renting certain machines and imposed regulations on its data-processing business. This consent decree was largely a failure. On the one hand, the consent decree had virtually no effect on IBM's market share; on the other hand, the consent decree picked winners and losers in the marketplace by costing the company tens of millions of dollars. Much to the antitrust regulators' surprise, IBM's dominance naturally came to an end during the modern technological revolution, when it missed the tidal wave that swept the then-current digital device market: the personal computer and the client server.

The lesson to take from all this is that we must not succumb to the elegant simplicity of indiscriminately condemning consent decrees. Although we frequently decry their use as yet another example of governmental meddling with the forces of the free market, we must still be pragmatic and distinguish between decrees that create problems and those that mitigate effects caused by prior government failures. Sometimes, even a de facto price-fixing regime in industries lacking free markets may be preferable to unchecked market share created through government-granted power.

These may not be perfect solutions, but in today's political climate, when issues such as copyright reform are far beyond the horizon of the congressional agenda, the Justice Department must take what it can.

Dimitri Hasandras, a freelancer, is an attorney specializing in communications and antitrust law.
The self-righteous indignation of liberals lining up to demonstrate how much they are against "racism" can be seen with regard to Roseanne Barr's comment. ABC jumped at the chance to cancel her show (just as it did with Last Man Standing), something liberals within the network were slavering over. Whereas liberals' indignation knows no bounds in regards to Roseanne's joke, acting horrified, as if she had committed mass murder at a school, a peep hasn't been heard from these same self-styled morally superior liberals to Louis Farrakhan's deadly serious call for genocide against white people (and don't get me started on liberals' racism against Asians!)  or, for that matter, the simultaneous scandal involving Tommy Robinson. Their indignation is very selective.

Nor is this the first time that a black racist, or a white communist, called for genocide against whites. Here is a sample  and note that none of the major players  not CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Newsweek, etc.  has deigned to report on these instances, much less expressed indignation:

- University of Pittsburgh professor Shanara Reid-Brinkley, speaking at the University of Wisconsin, stated that democracy was built on "anti-blackness," and white people are the cause of all the problems in the world because they are in charge. (Presumably, all the problems would disappear the moment blacks were all in charge. As in Africa. Which has no problems.)

- Professor Gregory Jay, a lily-white professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is calling for the complete "abolition of whiteness."

- Carmen Gosey, the chair of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's student government, said "all white people are racist"  which in itself is a racist statement. In this same university, one can enroll in the racist course "Problem of Whiteness," taught by the African Cultural Studies Department's Damon Sajnani, all at (white) taxpayers' expense.

- Johnny Eric Williams, associate professor of sociology at Trinity College in Hartford, calls white people inhuman. When members of Congress were shot at and wounded by a liberal, Williams wrote an article entitled "Let Them F Die" instead of aiding the victims. He was briefly put on leave, then Trinity College president Joanne Berger-Sweeney and Trinity dean and vice president Tom Cresswell came to his aid, embraced him, and reinstated him.

- Sunken-chested George Ciccariello-Maher, a white communist professor of politics and global studies at Philadelphia's Drexel University, called for white genocide. He later whined to a sympathetic CNN reporter because he had received nasty phone messages that suggested he should be the first on the white genocide list. Ultimately, he resigned from Drexel, even though the president of the university had tried to shield him, and was instantly hired by the prestigious New York University, which is infested with Marxists. He recently compared the American national anthem to  of course  the Nazi salute.

- At St. John's College in Santa Fe, one racist, Maggie Reitz-Wells, working from the deadwood Office of Student Life, sent a system-wide invitation to attend an indoctrination group. "The main topic for discussion will be an ongoing one: How do we deal with the depravity of whiteness and the brutality of masculinity? How can we get to the root of this problem?" White participants will be encouraged to confess their "white depravity," as was the case during the Cultural Revolution. When asked about this event, Assistant Dean Jan Arsenault became upset  not that this bizarre event was taking place, but that outsiders had learned of it.

- Recently hired Preston Mitchum, a law professor at Georgetown University, ranted that all white people are racist and all men are sexist. Furthermore, "I really, really, really, really, really, really hate cops. Hate them. The power. The unfettered abuse. The narcissism. Hate, hate them." When he next goes on a demonstration, expect him to carry one of those signs that says "Love Trumps Hate."

- Kevin Allred is an instructor at Montclair State University and Rutgers University who proclaimed, "There are no good white people. There are only less bad white people."

- Stanford University will be offering a class on how to abolish whiteness.

- Earlier this year, Portland Community College designated April as a month in which to attack white people. It was organized by white liberals.

- According to Portland State University Professor's Rachel Sanders's "White Privilege" course, "whiteness" must be eliminated. She, too, is lily-white, which makes you wonder...what is she thinking?

- Angie Wellman, associate director in the Student Life Multicultural Center at Ohio State University, led the "Interrupting Racism: Tips & Tools for White People" event, where white students were essentially insulted and asked to own up to their white shortcomings.

- A conference on Critical Race Theory hosted by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis became an orgiastic expression of racism against whites by both blacks and white liberals. Among other things, it was declared that the concept of intellectual diversity is "white supremacist b."

- A St. Louis kindergarten-through-grade 8 school called College School, associated with Webster University, has a "Witnessing Whiteness" program, brainchild of (what else?) school director of equality and inclusion Vincent Flewellen.

- Meanwhile, the elementary schools in Edina, Minnesota are busy brainwashing children, even borrowing a page from Mao's China by having self-criticism sessions. An A-B-C book has some gems such as "A is for Activist." "F is for Feminist." "X is for Malcolm as in Malcolm X." The high school in Edina goes a step farther by having a mandatory brainwashing class to eliminate something called "white privilege." As usual, conservative and libertarian parents are too apathetic to do anything about it.

- Charles H.F. Davis, a black assistant professor of clinical education and chief strategy officer and director of research of the USC Race and Equity Center, has expressed his desire that whites be destroyed. He also wrote that policies that punish student-protesters are a form of racism.

- Ekow N. Yankah, a law professor at Yeshiva University, wrote in The New York Times (of course) that he would be teaching his children to be racist towards whites.

- George Washington University, through its (what else?) Multicultural Student Services Center, held an indoctrination session against "Christian privilege," especially white Christians. This dovetails nicely with the anti-Christian, pro-Muslim religion rampant in universities.

- At the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, (only) white students can take part in an indoctrination experience in order to obtain a  suitable for framing  Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion that will explain that they are scum because they are white. And they have to pay only $486 for the experience! Shelly Tochluk, a professor at Mount Saint Mary's University (MSMU) in Los Angeles, is the organizer, and it is offered by the nonprofit AWARE-LA (Alliance of White Anti-Racists Everywhere).

But I ask you, what is more contemptible: that such blatant racism is voiced, that liberals applaud it, that the mainstream media keep a lid on it  or that people do nothing about it?

Image: Gustave Dore, "The Hypocrites address Dante."
One of the unfortunate side effects of Roseanne's racist tweet implosion involving Valerie Jarrett is that it may put off limits the documented influence held by the Muslim Brotherhood in the Obama administration  influence that was so great that we handed over a loyal ally, Egypt, into its control for a time.

The key player in Obama's administration is the Iranian-born Valerie Jarrett. Her role in the Obama administration has been likened to the mysterious Rasputin in the era of the Russian czars:

Her influence is shown by an account in Richard Miniter's book "Leading From Behind: The Reluctant President and the Advisors Who Decide for Him." It relates that at the urging of Jarrett, Obama canceled the operation to kill Osama bin Laden on three occasions before finally approving the May 2, 2011, Navy SEAL mission. Seems she was concerned about the possible political harm to Obama if the mission failed.

Then there is Huma Abedin, wife of disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner and top aide to former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. She is expected to assume the Jarrett role in a Hillary Clinton White House. Her affiliations and loyalties are also suspect:

Her father is said to be close with the Saudi government's Muslim World League, and her mother is said to be a member of the Muslim Sisterhood. World Trade Center bombing prosecutor Andrew McCarthy wrote in National Review: "The ties of Ms. Abedin's father, mother and brother to the Muslim Brotherhood are both specific and substantiated." The Muslim Brotherhood took power in Egypt with the Obama administration's approval after it had all but abandoned the government of Hosni Mubarak, a long-time ally and friend. It was while Abedin was advising Hillary that State dropped its long-standing policy of having no dealings with the Muslim Brotherhood.

In early 2015, Jarrett brokered a meeting between Obama and 14 Muslim leaders, some with disturbingly close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood:

[T]he White House confirmed that Azhar Azeez, President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), was one of the Muslim leaders that met with President Obama. ISNA was founded in 1981 by members of the Muslim Brotherhood. The group was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial[.] ... Azeez's bio also reveals him as a founding member the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter. CAIR has also allegedly funneled money to Palestinian terror groups and was also started by members of the Muslim Brotherhood[.] ... Hoda Elshishtawy of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) was also in attendance at the Muslim leaders' meeting with President Obama. MPAC, just like CAIR and ISNA, was founded by members of the Muslim Brotherhood[.] ... Mohamed Majid, who serves as Imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS), was also in attendance at the White House meeting with the President, and senior advisors Ben Rhodes and Valerie Jarrett. In 2002, ADAMS was raided as part of a U.S. government initiative called "Operation Green Quest," where federal agents suspected the group of supporting terrorist organizations. Government documents said that the ADAMS Center was "suspected of providing support to terrorists, money laundering, and tax evasion."

If you have ever wondered just why President Obama could never bring himself to condemn or even say "radical Islamic terrorism," Valerie Jarrett is one of the reasons. One of the very first things he did as president was to give a speech to students in Cairo in 2009 in which he apologized for America's role as the world bully, particularly in the Islamic world, and for our support of our only true ally in the Middle East. His snubbing of both Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was not subtle, and his push to make Iran a nuclear power, in opposition to the will of Congress and the American people, showed just where his, and Jarrett's, hearts were.

Christians were being murdered around the world, and little was done by the Obama-Jarrett administration to help them or even acknowledge the fact or that Islamic jihadists have marked them for genocide. President Obama's silence on this ongoing slaughter speaks volumes about his and Jarrett's true loyalties:

From the Christian-influenced Yazidis in Iraq to the Christian schoolgirls targeted by Boko Haram in Nigeria, Christians worldwide have had their churches bombed and burned and themselves murdered, all because of what they believe and who they are. Yet, with few exceptions, Obama refuses to acknowledge or even mention this fact. On Sunday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest, who had also expressed the administration's condemnation of the "random" attacks in Paris, issued a statement condemning the IS's murder of 21 Egyptian "citizens." No mention of their being Coptic Christians.

Ft. Hood was "workplace violence." Benghazi was a spontaneous response to an inflammatory video. Paris was just a case of people being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When world leaders marched in Paris to protest the latest Islamic atrocity, Barack Hussein Obama was conspicuous by his absence.

In Obama's world, Islam is a religion of tolerance; not so much Christians, maligned as "bitter clingers." He took a shot at Christians when he said at an Easter Prayer Breakfast that "I have to say that, sometimes when I listen to other less-than-loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned." Not so concerned was he by the mass beheading of Coptic Christians on a Libyan beach by the Islamic State.

The coziness among Obama, Jarrett, Abedin, the Muslim Brotherhood, and other radical Islamic terrorist groups is a historical fact and should not be obscured by a bigoted tweet.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
When Italys voters handed a majority to two populist, anti-euro parties almost 3 months ago, the political establishment as aghast as Americas establishment was on November 9, 2016. An outsider unbound by  even contemptuous  of the norms that kept national policies within the bounds favored by the elites was about to take office. In each country, but in different ways, the respective establishments attempted to frustrate the will of the voters and prevent the outsiders from taking office.

Donald Trump took office on the constitutionally-prescribed date, thought he attempt to unseat him continues. In Italy the attempt took the form of the mostly-symbolic president of the Republic of Italy declining to certify the prime minister and cabinet proposed by the coalition government of the two populist parties, the Five Star and the League. Christopher Caldwell described the situation in The Weekly Standard:

By May, the parties were ready to roll, with a broad coalition agreement and a full team of cabinet members. But at that point Italys mostly ceremonial president, Sergio Mattarella, stepped in. He blocked the appointment of economics minister Paolo Savona, on the grounds that Savona had long been skeptical about the common European currency, the euro. The vast majority of Italians are skeptical about the euro, too, of course. Their skepticism is part of what brought M5S and the League to power in the first place. But confronted with an assertion of official authority, politicians and the public have tended to roll over. Yes, the establishment did run up too much debt in the pastabout $2.7 trillion, as it happens. But that means one false move could spell catastrophe! There was a lot of warning about lo spread, as the obsessively charted difference between German and Italian bond rates is called. President Mattarella asked Carlo Cottarelli, a longtime employee of the despised International Monetary Fund, to lead a technocratic government, hopefully until 2019.

Big mistake! Italian voters, like the Trump base, do not like being told by elites that their concerns and their votes are of not weight. The populists did not meekly submit:

But this time was different. The two new anti-establishment leaders did not fall into line. They called the Cottarelli appointment a scam. Matteo Salvini of the League called for fresh elections in the fall. Luigi Di Maio of M5S called for nationwide demonstrations on June 2 and the impeachment of Mattarella. Strange that Savonas opposition to the euro was a disqualification to serve in government, Di Maio said, since, to judge from governments past, being a liar or a thief was not. So much of the country rallied behind Di Maio and Salvini that not even the pro-euro Democratic party (PD), chased out of office over the winter, dared to back Cottarelli. On Monday, May 28, there was the beginning of a run on Italys bonds. The market was more nervous about the responsible Cottarelli than it had been about the irresponsible Salvini and Di Maio.

The elites had gone too far in their contempt for the voters. Yesterday, the new populist government was sworn in. It is a rebuke of elites, and of the European Union-centric worldview of the transnational bloc, even more stinging than President Trumps withdrawal from globalist multilateral arrangements like the Transpacific Partnership and the Paris Climate Accord.

So powerful is this impulse toward both nationalism and populism that even columnist Roger Cohen of the New York Times has hailed the new government in Italy while expressing his disgust with it.

let me make it clear that the victorious parties entering government in Italy  the xenophobic League and the out-with-the-old-order Five Star Movement  bring together bigotry and incompetence to an unusual degree. They are a miserable bunch borne aloft on the global anti-liberal tide. Still, they won. The results of democratic elections have to be respected. I have immense respect for the wisdom, however hard to discern, of voters, even if I may profoundly disagree with their choices. That is why, when it seemed earlier in the week that Sergio Mattarella, the Italian president, had blocked the formation of this government over concerns that the proposed finance minister favored Italys withdrawal from the euro, I despaired.

Later on in his column, Cohen darkly hints of the EU being able to frustrate the will of Italian voters  after playing the Hitler card:

With democracies, you get to throw the bums out when they mess up, not block them from assuming the power they won at the ballot. I know, Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933 after a democratic election. Vigilance is imperative, particularly in these troubling times when independent judiciaries and a free press are under consistent attack. But a core beauty of the European Union is that its interlocking institutions are designed precisely to ensure that no country can go off on what the Germans call a Sonderweg  the sort of wayward path of nationalism and mysticism and racism that led Germany, and all of Europe, to ruin.

Yes, European nationalism has a dark side, but transnationalisms fondness for disregarding the will of ordinary people is the current danger. An undemocratic European Union bureaucracy regulates the smallest details of life, and the EU tries to impose mass migration of populations hostile to local values and unwilling to assimilate on the countries of Europe. It is not xenophobia to resist the imposition of sharia zones.

Financial markets may not like instability caused by threats to the euro. But they will like even less the results of top-down social, demographic and economic transformations that harm majorities in the EUs member states.
An Iowa judge has blocked the restrictions that the Iowa legislature had placed on "death Roe" abortions. And the Iowa attorney general wouldn't defend the new law anyway.

A local TV news outlet summarizes the issue in this way:

An Iowa judge has halted the state's fetal heartbeat abortion law while a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality is resolved, The Associated Press and Des Moines Register report. The Register reports the law was to take effect July 1 after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill on May 4. The law bans all abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually about six weeks into a pregnancy. A Friday hearing in Iowa's Polk County District Court was to ask a judge to temporarily block the law, the Register reports.

The fact is that Roe v. Wade gives permission for states to restrict abortions.

In Section VIII (emphasis added):

[M]ost of these courts have agreed that the right of privacy, however based, is broad enough to cover the abortion decision; that the right, nonetheless, is not absolute, and is subject to some limitations; and that, at some point, the state interests as to protection of health, medical standards, and prenatal life, become dominant. We agree with this approach.

In Section X (emphasis added):

We repeat, however, that the State does have an important and legitimate interest in preserving and protecting the health of the pregnant woman, whether she be a resident of the State or a nonresident who seeks medical consultation and treatment there, and that it has still another important and legitimate interest in protecting the potentiality of human life.

Blackmun, who wrote the majority opinion, says the restrictions on abortion come after viability, which he places in a range between 24 and 28 weeks. However, this is arbitrary and primitive, considering that he calls the fetus "potential life" in several passages. No, it is not potential life, for the fetus really is alive. A baby at any stage in the pregnancy is always living, not potentially living.

Let's leave aside the observation that the big flaw in our Constitution is the over-reaching power of a local judiciary, deriving its power from Article Three, which can halt the will of the people expressed through the legislature, which derives its power from Article One. The legislative branch comes first, the judiciary third.

The fact is, judges should not be deciding these complex social issues to begin with, particularly abortion. Roe v. Wade (1973) was expansive interpretation of an eighteenth-century document based on a "shady" notion of penumbral rights. This is especially egregious when the Constitution is silent on abortion.

Legislatures, in contrast, can call in and call on all sorts of experts to testify before a committee, whom the committee members cross-examine. Politicians do not have to become instant experts as justice Blackmun became in his own mind, apparently not realizing that he was actually unqualified. He read tendentious scholars who supported his views, and he could not challenge these scholars before his court.

The only solution is to elect politicians who will appoint judges who respect the limitations on Article Three. In turn, these judges will stop thwarting Articles One and Two and remain silent when the Constitution is silent and turn these issues over to the legislature.

James Arlandson's website is Live as Free People, where he has posted Deconstructing Roe v. Wade, Can the Book of Exodus Be Rationalized (Away)?, and Do Christians Have to 'Keep' the Ten Commandments?
It often feels like open season on Trump-supporters:

A woman in Washington, D.C. was attacked after stating her support for President Trump.

An anti-Trump protester was arrested for attacking a Trump-supporter in Manhattan.

A New York City judge ruled that bars can eject Trump-supporters.

Doesn't the left claim to be the model of tolerance in America? While the left talks a big game about tolerance for a diversity of opinions and political beliefs, this political violence is simply unacceptable.

When Roseanne Barr recently made racist remarks about Valerie Jarrett, the left rightfully pounced.

Yet President Trump also rightly pointed out that when the media or other high-profile personalities use fake news and personal attacks against him, his family, or his supporters, the left remains silent. Why the double standard?

When President Trump meets Kim Kardashian, he is mocked, yet when President Obama had a stampede of celebrities see him, it was cool. Almost on cue to highlight the tolerance for intolerance on the left, Samantha Bee leveled a grotesque personal attack against Ivanka Trump on her TBS program just two days after Barr's comments. While the mainstream media reported on Bee's insults, her show remains on the air.

The left's double standard applies not just to the president and celebrities  it also impacts everyday hardworking people who choose to engage in political discourse and express their views  and innocent people are being fired, attacked, and hurt because of it. @AmyMek is a controversial Jewish Twitter influencer and outspoken critic of sharia. While many of her tweets have been offensive, she has also been retweeted by President Trump and a slew of others. She has a right to tweet, and her family shouldn't be attacked for her political beliefs.

Until recently, @AmyMek had remained anonymous online, until HuffPost reporter Luke O'Brien exposed her full name in a recent expose. In the name of working on a story to expose @AmyMek's true identity, O'Brien called her husband's employer and "outed" his wife as the woman behind @AmyMek. Her husband was promptly fired. His offense? Being married to a woman whose viewpoints some don't like.

In his article, O'Brien went after Amy's entire family, naming her father's and brother's businesses, neither of whom have anything to do with Amy's Twitter account. These attacks are entirely unfair and below the belt. The implied threat here is that if you choose to speak out, your family will be found and targeted. How is that fair? Should people be fired and their businesses harmed for the political views of their family members?

I don't expect the left to agree with those on the right, but I do expect some tolerance for a different worldview, even when they find that view offensive. No one deserves to be fired for the views of his family members. Guilt by association has no place in the American marketplace of ideas, and certainly not in the workplace.

Ronn Torossian is a leading P.R. firm CEO.
Ronald Reagan used to have a saying: "Trust but verify." Now we are just supposed to just trust. For example:

Trey Gowdy and others went to an FBI meeting where the G-Men showed him no documents but advised Gowdy that they absolutely followed all the rules when spying on Donald Trump. Gowdy comes out and says the FBI did what it was supposed to do, and the media and other Democrats just repeat what Gowdy says with no proof and no documentation. We know how the media and Democrats have always respected Gowdy.

No matter how many people lie, how many emails are found showing that Trump was targeted and Hillary Clinton was favored, no matter how much unmasking and leaking of calls associated only with Trump, no one should ever question the FBI.

The DNC says its computers were hacked by the Russians, and the FBI, Justice, intelligence agencies, the media, and many Republicans just repeat what they are told, even though not one government agency or official was allowed to examine their computers. No verification was necessary.

Hillary destroyed over 30,000 e-mails, and someone "bleachbit" her computer to erase data. She said they were all personal emails and that they were very careful to save any work-related computers. No verification was necessary for the media and other Democrats to accept that garbage because the Clintons have always been so honest.

Iran doesn't allow access to its military installations, but the Iranians can absolutely be trusted that they are not doing anything dangerous. The media, foreign leaders, and Democrats say that's OK.

Former FBI director James Comey lists a plethora of criminal violations by Hillary and her aides and then says no U.S. attorney would ever take that case to trial. The always honest Comey should never be asked why others with lesser violations of the criminal code have been brought to trial. Why would any journalist ever ask a question like that?

Lois Lerner's and other IRS computers crash, conveniently, after an investigation of the targeting of dissidents started, but there is no reason ever to distrust the IRS.

NOAA and others have repeatedly manipulated previous temperature records to make warming and changes look worse. The media and other Democrats never cared and just repeat what they are told about humans, CO2, and fossil fuels causing warming, storms, and rising sea levels. Everyone who repeats that indoctrinated thought should be trusted no matter what.

I think we should take this trust with no verification theory and use it everywhere:

Wells Fargo and other banks should tell the FDIC, the SEC, and outside auditors to pound sand if they ever want to examine their computers, their books, and how they comply with consumer laws. Like the FBI and Comey, they should just say they follow the rules and the laws. Their internal auditors have examined the books and compliance, and they can assure everyone that nothing is wrong.

All private companies shouldn't have to allow inspection by the SEC, outside auditors, or other regulators of any of their records. Like the FBI, they should just sit down and talk to everyone and redact and destroy any inconvenient records.

If the FBI and IRS demand to see computers and records, people and companies should just say it's none of their business. They are honest, and their word should be trusted.

After all, shouldn't government bureaucrats and agencies be treated exactly like the rest of us, or are they above the law?

Here is a summary of who should be trusted and who shouldn't.

All government agencies should be trusted if they are run by Democrats.

All Democrats should be trusted, along with any Republican willing to trash Trump or repeat Democrat talking points like Flake, Corker, Graham, McCain and now Gowdy.

The DNC, the Obamas, and Clintons can always be trusted.

Anyone who says humans, fossil fuels, and CO2 control temperatures and sea levels can be trusted  no matter if they offer no actual proof.

Terrorists governments can be trusted if they have pretend agreements with Obama.

The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Associated Press, and almost all news outlets except Fox News can always be trusted to tell the truth, as long as they are regurgitating Democrat talking points.

Planned Parenthood, when it says it wasn't selling body parts even though its people were caught on tape bragging about taking money for body parts, can be trusted.

Illegal aliens and politicians from sanctuary cities and states who refuse to follow the law can be trusted.

Hollywood and musicians (see below) can be trusted.

Unnamed news sources can be trusted.

Porn stars can be trusted.

Known liars such as John Brennan, James Clapper, Eric Holder, Susan Rice, Hillary, and Obama can be trusted.

And here is a list of people and groups who can't be trusted.

All Republicans except ones who trash Trump. They are fine for a while.

Actors and musicians who support Trump.

Government agencies run by Trump-supporters and Cabinet members unless they disagree with Trump.

Anyone who says truthfully that the climate has always changed naturally.

Politicians who follow immigration laws that Congress passed.

Black Republicans.

Any woman who is Republican or voted against Hillary.

Women who accused Bill and Hillary of physically and mentally harming them.

No private companies can be trusted unless they are run by liberals or are media outlets that just repeat Democrat talking points.

It is truly sad that with all the known lies of people surrounding Obama and especially the Justice Department, we are just supposed to take their word that they were spying only to help Trump and protect the American people.
There are several media reports, confirmed by administration officials, that the U.S. is trying to find a discreet way to pick up the hotel bill for the North Korean delegation attending the summit with Trump on June 12 in Singapore.

Daily Caller:

North Korea, a proud-yet-impoverished country, apparently needs another country to cover the costs of its supreme leader's hotel stay at The Fullerton, an expensive five-star hotel in Singapore preferred by the North Koreans, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing two people familiar with preparations. The U.S. is reportedly trying to figure out how to discreetly pick up the tab without insulting the easily-agitated North Koreans. The president, on the other hand, is expected to stay at the Shangri-La during the highly-anticipated summit. Paying Kim's hotel bill is one of several important matters being discussed by the U.S. and North Korean teams in Singapore, teams led by White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin and Kim's de facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son. The cost of a presidential suite at The Fullerton can run as much as $6,000 a night, reports The Post. It is unusual that there is a need for discretion given that the North Koreans have a history of demanding that other countries foot the bill for its participation in international events. During the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, Seoul agreed to spend $2.6 million to cover the costs of North Korea's participation  not the athletes but rather the North's massive collection of cheerleaders. For the first inter-Korean summit in 2000, South Korea reportedly paid North Korea $500 million to come to the table. North Korea "constantly couples its diplomacy with demands for aid, especially cash, as though the international community has to pay for the privilege of engaging," Robert Kelly, a professor of international relations at Pusan National University in South Korea, told The Washington Post back during the Olympics.

In the past, the U.S. has given aid to North Korea simply for negotiating. The North Koreans also demand aid when negotiating for the release of American prisoners. Any leverage they can use, they employ to bring badly needed food and medicine into the country.

But this is different. I think it highlights how truly desperate the North Koreans are. With China finally joining a meaningful sanctions regime, the North is running out of hard currency, as well as starving to death. China has cut off almost all North Korean imports, and deliveries of oil and gas have slowed to a trickle. There are probably black-market connections between the two countries, but the Chinese are tired of the North's brinkmanship, and fear a war on the Korean peninsula would result in millions of refugees flooding into their country.

No matter the reason, Kim will come to Singapore with little leverage and a great need for U.N. sanctions to end.
Samantha Bee's choice of words was awful, and her knowledge of history is no better.

Before beating up President Trump on immigration, let's remember that President Obama and the Democrats had all the votes and did not pass immigration reform or a DREAM Act.

He had 60 votes in the Senate and a large majority in the House. He did not need a single GOP vote to pass some type of reform.

The truth is that he did not try and took Hispanics for granted. He showed zero respect for the millions who voted for him in 2008.

Furthermore, the president did not call the congressional leaders and demand a reform. Unlike President George W. Bush, who spoke to the nation in 2006, President Obama was dead silent about the issue. He gave Cinco de Mayo speeches but never followed them with any proposals or calls to Congress.

Last, but not least, the president and the Democrats did not put the DREAM Act to a vote before the 2010 election. They waited until after the election, when most Dems did not have electoral consequences.

On the other hand, President Trump actually put a solution on the table regarding the "DREAMers."

The Wall Street Journal reminded us a few years ago that the Democrats are always a lot better at making immigration reform promises than actually delivering a solution:

We understand the political imperative, and these columns have favored liberal (in the 19th-century sense of that word) immigration policies since before the current crop of Republicans was born. But a shrunken, bureaucratic guest-worker program that lets unions define job openings and determine wages is worse than the status quo. It won't help the economy but it will guarantee that illegal immigrants keep coming. Then in 15 or 20 years Republicans can enjoy debating what to do with another 11 million illegals who want a path to citizenship.

Let's not forget Senator Obama killing McCain-Kennedy in 2007 with that "poison amendment" about guest worker visas.

So why is Miss Bee picking on Ivanka? Why not the Democrats who failed to keep a campaign promise about immigration?

The answer is that Samantha Bee is a partisan ignoramus with a mouth that belongs in the gutter and not on a TV network.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Is Soros money becoming the kiss of death for candidates who take it? Sure looks like it, based on the miserable poll performance of Soros's little pawn in the San Diego district attorney's race.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune:

A political action committee funded by billionaire George Soros that has pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign of Genevieve Jones-Wright for district attorney canceled all of its planned television advertising Wednesday for the candidate, just six days before voters go to the polls. The move by the California Justice & Public Safety PAC, confirmed by two local television station managers, is a blow to the Jones-Wright campaign in the run-up to election day. The PAC had been running saturation-level television advertisements for the past several weeks over county airwaves.

The money-yanking is clearly the result of polls showing that Genevieve Jones-Wright, his 30-something handpicked candidate, is failing miserably in the polls against her opponent, Summer Stephan, another leftist who is no prize but doesn't take Soros money and probably will enforce the law at least some of the time, when there's no political risk.

A scientific poll conducted by 10News and the San Diego Union-Tribune shows that Stephan has a 45-25 lead over Jones-Wright.

The collapse, according to analysts cited, happened in the past two weeks. A scary Soros ad ran right about that time pointing out that Jones-Wright was a political unknown with no experience and was financed by Soros through his front groups to advance the Soros agenda. She actually did take $400,000 from these groups, and the ad just stated the facts. The ad can be viewed here.

Soros, remember, had this master plan to take over district attorney offices in key cities across America and seed them with his hand-picked anti-law enforcement candidates. The plan was to get people in office who would let crooks out of jail to effectively reduce the quality of life for the middle-class law-abiding people he has such a problem with. The stateless statesman is a big fan of the lawless state. It's part of his entire "open society" agenda, meaning zero consequences for lawbreakers in the name of "social justice," all to break down the state to Venezuelan-level disintegration, where law means literally nothing and politics is paramount. What Soros wanted was America's cities to be full of the same lawless wretched leftist clowns who populate Baltimore's prosecutorial offices, which just happened to be his first test city for cash. The results speak for themselves.

Apparently, the ads worked, even in increasingly blue-tinged San Diego. Voters don't want to be another Soros test project like what Baltimore became. That is one heck of a margin and the money-pulling suggests that Soros himself believes the poll.

Here's another thing: Jones-Wright was the darling of the Democratic establishment here. She was no unknown to them; she was their poster girl for progressivism. Her ads saturated the airwaves because of that $400,000 and more. Her endorsement list is absolutely massive, with Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, Ricardo Lara, Willie Brown, the whole Democratic Party apparat, EMILY's list, MoveOn.org, and many more prominent names among the endorsers. Stephan, by contrast, got a bunch of stray chambers of commerce from San Diego's outer burgs and a few small police associations.

But there we have it: 45-25, Stephan's favor. The endorsements were worth nothing. And it probably helped Stephan that she fought back against all the Soros ads, particularly the one featuring George Soros as an issue in itself.

Message: Pinning Soros cash to any candidate is the kiss of death. Every candidate from here on out is likely to take notice and act accordingly. Watch Soros change his tactics, too.

Image from YouTube.
The Android gaming smartphone set to launch as part of the ASUS ROG brand next week is now being teased in an even more revealing manner than before, with the Taiwanese original equipment manufacturer recently taking to Twitter to share the render seen above. The main implication of the image is that the upcoming handset will be retailed with or alongside a physical controller which will feature whats essentially a holster meant to house the device. A single front-facing camera can also be seen on its top bezel though its presently unclear what the orange accent next to the sensor is meant to highlight; while its shaped like a wide display notch, the ASUS ROG smartphone in question doesnt appear to feature such a cutout, with its top bezel appearing to be relatively regular-sized.

While the teaser isnt necessarily perfectly representative of the final product, the controller in question also doesnt have any visible physical buttons, making it unclear what kind of design ASUS opted for. The device itself will continue the trend of gaming handsets targeting the mainstream audience that was revived late last year with the launch of the Razer Phone. Since then, both Nubia and Xiaomi-backed startup Black Shark launched their own mobile gaming gadgets. This years iteration of Computex is running from Tuesday to Saturday, June 5 through June 9. The ASUS-made smartphone targeting mobile gamers will be officially announced at a conference taking place before the trade show itself opens its doors to the general public, with the firm scheduling the event for Monday, June 4.

The latest edition of Computex is also expected to see the introduction of a number of other gadgets appealing to smartphone enthusiasts, including the worlds first 512GB microSD card from American storage company PNY Technologies. Taiwanese tech giants Acer and HTC may also debut new products at the event, whereas ASUSs announcements are likely to encompass much more than just a single Android smartphone geared toward gamers.
Tech giant Google is currently doing work for the Pentagon under the controversial Project Maven, but it seems that will be coming to an end once the contract is up. According to some anonymous insiders and internal emails obtained by Gizmodo, Google Cloud head Diane Greene announced that the company would be backing off the project in the shortest order possible, mainly due to the sharp and unexpected backlash that it garnered. internal emails also revealed that Google had been hard at work developing entirely new technology just for Project Maven, and had met with officials like US Lieutenant General Jack Shanahan to discuss that technology.

Project Mavens cancellation comes as Google works to secure other government contracts in the same vein, according to Gizmodo, and was to be a stepping stone to obtain security and data clearance for future work. The report also alleged that Google is competing with other cloud computing firms for a $10 billion Pentagon contract, a bid that, if true, may be severely hampered by the company pulling out of Maven. While Project Maven was originally painted as a small $9 million contract to employees and outsiders, internal sources point to the initial cost being $15 million, and the projects total future budget having an upper limit well into the hundreds of millions. Another internal email obtained by Gizmodo said that Maven had the original purpose of helping the Pentagon to root out violent extremist activities and human right abuses, among other problems.

Project Maven has been a huge controversy from the start for Google. The company first saw a number of employees get together to voice their disapproval in the form of an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, followed by dozens of Googlers making their refusal to work on the project known by simply resigning. Google is currently working on a code of ethics for how it will use AI technology, not to mention how it will allow its technological advancements in the field to be used by others. Many Googlers have called for the company to never allow its AI products to be featured in weapons technology, and there were fears that Maven was going to become exactly that sort of scenario.
Samsungs Galaxy A9 Star lineup is now official following weeks of rumors and a handful of leaks, with the South Korean tech giant debuting the series in China. The Galaxy A9 Star and Galaxy A9 Star Lite are priced at the equivalents of $575 and $420, respectively, with both being available in Black. The Galaxy A9 Star can also be purchased in White, whereas the alternative color option of its smaller counterpart is simply called Blue. Both devices are available for pre-orders from Samsungs Chinese arm as of today, with advanced orders being set to close on June 14 before the duo is released on the following day.

The Galaxy A9 Star comes with a 6.28-inch FHD+ panel thats a Super AMOLED affair and advertised as yet another Infinity Display from Samsung, featuring an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, the same one adopted by the Galaxy S9 and every other Android flagship from the company since the Galaxy S8 series. Qualcomms Snapdragon 660 is powering the device together with 4GB of RAM, whereas the Galaxy A9 Star also boasts 64GB of storage space expandable via a microSD card tray by up to 256GB. A dual-camera setup on the back of the smartphone features a 24-megapixel sensor and a 16-megapixel one, whereas another 24-megapixel unit is located on the front. Besides a rear-mounted fingerprint reader and dual-SIM capabilities, the Galaxy A9 Star also offers Android 8.0 Oreo-based Samsung Experience 9.0, Bluetooth 5.0 support, and a 3,700mAh battery. The handset is 162.4 x 77 x 7.55mm in size and weighs 188 grams.

Samsungs Galaxy A9 Star Lite is a more affordable and somewhat less capable option that features a 6-inch Infinity Display with an FHD+ resolution and Qualcomms Snapdragon 450 chip. While its memory configuration and front-facing camera are identical to those of the other model, the main imaging system of the handset is more modest, sporting a 16-megapixel sensor and a 5-megapixel one. The Galaxy A9 Star Lite is 160.2 x 75.7 x 7.9mm in size and tips the scales at 191 grams, in addition to being powered by a 3500mAh battery. Neither device is expected to launch outside of China in its current form but Samsung may opt to rebrand at least one of the newly unveiled models and release it in other markets in the second half of the year.
The Galaxy Note 9 has been envisioned in a number of new concept renders based on the recently leaked images depicting whats believed to be a tempered glass screen protector designed for Samsungs upcoming Android flagship. The renders that can be seen above and below have been authored by Milen Yanachkov of PhoneArena, showing a handset thats visually similar to the Galaxy Note 8 but improves on its aesthetic in several ways. An 18.5:9 Infinity Display panel is still part of the package, with its long edges being curved in a rather subtle manner so as to still allow for Edge Sense functionalities while simultaneously not inhibiting the phablets grip. Compared to the first two iterations of Samsungs curved mobile screens, the tech giants more recently released flagships featured less aggressively curved edges and the Galaxy Note 9 is expected to follow suit.

The handset depicted in the new concept renders also has a screen-to-body ratio of over 90-percent, with its bezels being noticeably thinner than the ones found on the Galaxy Note 8. This particular design characteristic may end up being pure optimism on the authors part seeing how the leak which served as the basis for the renders doesnt allow for any direct comparisons, whereas previous reports and screen protector sightings pointed to the Galaxy Note 9 having bezels that are comparable in size to those found on its predecessor. A physical Bixby button located beneath the volume rocker on the left edge of the handset has also been envisioned as part of the package, whereas the new renders and previous reports suggested the iris scanner embedded into its top bezel may be somewhat larger relative to the unit found on the Galaxy Note 8 and even the newer Galaxy S9 lineup.

A larger iris sensor may allow for more accuracy and operate over longer distances, with Samsung possibly focusing on improving this aspect of its upcoming Android phablet because it likely wont be commercializing 3D cameras allowing for depth-tracking and significantly better facial recognition until early 2019 and the Galaxy S10 series, as per previous reports. The Galaxy Note 9 is now expected to be introduced in early August, with its supposed launch date emerging online just yesterday.
Xiaomi, one of the worlds most valuable startups, is expected to go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange next month, and while the company enjoyed a highly successful spell since early 2017, some investors remain skeptical about its overall prospects. Even as China remains the largest smartphone market on the planet, the firm recently dropped to the fourth position in its home country, having been outperformed by Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo, in that order. The overall demand for handsets in the Far Eastern market is also on a sharp decline thats expected to continue this year, having been highlighted as the main reason for the historys first drop in global smartphone shipments and sales by numerous industry trackers, with the last research firm to describe that trend as such being the International Data Corporation.

Reuters reports that some investors are also worried about Xiaomis profit margins, especially as the firm is going as far as to boast how little money it makes and plans to make on its hardware going forward. While that pledge didnt encompass the companys software unit which is understood to be much more lucrative due to its advertising-focused business model, the fact remains that Xiaomi is a company completely oriented toward growth instead of profit and appears to have no intentions of changing course following its initial public offering. That state of affairs is likely to discourage most investors who arent looking for long-term commitments, thus limiting the potential success of Xiaomis IPO. The company is still understood to be targeting a valuation of up to $80 billion, having reportedly set its IPO fundraising target at $10 billion in cash.

Another concern recently raised in regards to Xiaomis prospects is its growing focus on offline sales as new brick-and-mortar locations are expected to ramp up its operating costs in a significant manner going forward, eating into already thin profit margins. Xiaomi remains committed to that offline strategy due to its growth-first philosophy, having most recently expanded to new locations in India and Europe. Its stateside endeavors are also understood to be limited due to possible patent violations that it could end up being accused of in the United States, though the firm is expected to eventually try its lack with a more concentrated smartphone push in the worlds largest flagship market. Xiaomis IPO will take place in the first half of July should the company receive final securities approvals for the move next week as it originally planned, according to recent reports and filings with Chinas regulators.
Sony scrapped its plans to release two new Android tablets called the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5C in the second half of the year, according to an unverified rumor shared by tech blog Android Marvel. The Japanese original equipment manufacturer is said to have opted for the move due to weaker-than-expected sales of its latest premium smartphones, including the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact, as per the same report, which doesnt clarify what kind of a connection Sony supposedly made between its handset and tablet efforts. The Xperia Z5 is said to have been a 10-inch offering, whereas the Xperia Z5C was allegedly meant to feature an 8-inch screen.

Rumors about the two Sony-made slates started circulating the industry in late March, with the original implication being that the Tokyo-based OEM is looking to release both at some point this summer. The firm hasnt debuted an Android tablet since the Xperia Z4 which was unveiled in March of 2015 before hitting the market three months later. Up until that point, Sony has been refreshing its tablet offerings on an annual basis, having followed the same release schedule as the largest players in the segment such as Samsung and Apple. The initial move away from the tablet space is understood to have been prompted by weak sales of the Xperia Z4. While the company hasnt been competing in the Android tablet sector for three years now, its still updating its lineup of Digital Paper E-ink writing slates.

Google itself appears to be losing interest in pure Android tablets as well, with most industry trackers agreeing that product category has been declining for four years in a row now. Alphabets subsidiary recently signaled its more keen on pushing that form factor into the Chrome OS ecosystem so as to target students and educators. Sonys mobile unit lost around $250 million over the companys 2017 fiscal year which ended March 31, with the Japanese firm stating it isnt looking to exit the smartphone segment for the time being even as it expects its sales to continue declining.
A new survey shows that Japan's population decline is picking up pace.

The health ministry says the nation's total fertility rate last year was 1.43, down 0.01 from the year before.

The figure represents the average number of children per woman.

Okinawa Prefecture had the highest rate, at 1.94. Tokyo had the lowest, at 1.21.

The number of babies born in Japan last year was about 946,000 -- down 30,000 from the previous year and a record low. The number of deaths was 1.34 million -- up more than 32,000 and the most in postwar Japan. The figures translate to a population decline last year of more than 394,000 -- a record high.

The health ministry attributes the low birthrate to drops in the numbers of women of child-bearing age and marriages.

Ministry officials say they plan to promote measures to support families with children. - NHK
The thing is, some people prefer to keep things private, thus overlooking auction houses in their hunt for the most collectible Ferrari out there. Serial number 4153 GT is the perfect example, selling in private for a bit less than 80 million Swiss francs to WeatherTech chief executive officer David MacNeil.Why 4153 GT isnt featured in Wikipedias list needs no explanation now that you know how the cookie crumbles. The information regarding the price and who bought the car (by means of private sale) comes courtesy of Marcel Massini, marque specialist and know-it-all of all things 250 GTO . If Mr. Massini wasnt fantasizing and the selling price is indeed that high (around $80 million at current exchange rates), then the silver-painted Gran Turismo Omologato is the new king of the hill as far as classic cars valuation is concerned.Massini believes 4153 GT could be valued at $100 million within five years, though it remains to be seen if the classic car bubble will keep it together until 2023. Even in the most pessimistic case, the 250 GTO will remain a blue-chip investment for a long time after the bubble burts. Its that kind of car.Well documented throughout its life, 4153 GT was raced in its first years by Ecurie Francorchamps and Equipe National Belge. The Belgian teams are responsible for the yellow stripe over the silver bodywork. In 1963, the V12-powered blast from the past finished that years 24 Hours of Le Mans in fourth. Also in 1963, the Ferrari won the Tour de France ten-day road race. Fast-forward to 2000, and thats the year a Swiss collector sold the car to German gentleman, mister Herr Grohe, for an estimated $6.5 million.On Ferrari Chat , supercar consultant Joe Sackey said: the sale is both recent & confirmed, and I was privileged to be informed in person by my client, a 250 GTO owner of 35 years, party to the deal. He then replied this to one of the more skeptical forum members: My client's friend (a VIP USA Ferrari collector and large-scale industrialist with a world-renowned facility in Illinois) has recently concluded the deal for the purchase of 4153 GT for $80 million.
Duo Bails Out Of TBM Avenger

I wanted to clarify some apparent misinformation on what I have heard and read:

(1) The .50 caliber machine guns in the wings are FORWARD facing. One in each wing. They were simulated, not real. The gun receivers with ammunition feedways, barrels and barrel jackets were modeled from the real specs, but the internal parts were designed with a complex computerized oxygen and propane mixing firing system. No rounds, no bullets. Only air pressure and noise.

The gun firing to the rear is of the same type, but is mounted in a revolving turret located in the aft position behind the middle seat.

(2) In the news interview, I had indicated that I was on the instruments. My reference was to my focus was on the power indication dials, mainly special attention being paid to the oil temperature, oil and fuel pressures, and cylinder head temperature gauges. When in more vulnerable positions, most pilots pay double attention to those instruments in order to get as early a warning as possible if there might be any trouble developing. The instruments were all in the green when the engine malfunctioned.

(3) This airplane was re-registered and re-certified in the LIMITED category after we took possession in the United States. One of the limitations was no night flights and no IFR, whether the pilot was rated or not. I am a instrument pilot with heavy practical experience in extreme conditions from my expeditions to the high Arctic and other remote places.

Lastly, it was devastating to lose this aircraft. Of course, now after this event, I have gone over and over and over in my mind if there was anything else I could have done to save this ship. This was sudden and catastrophic, and we had immediately lost most of our thrust, even before pulling the throttle back to try to bring down the smoke and fire.

It wouldve been suicide to try to land in the trees. Most are 100- to 150-foot-high Ponderosa Pines closely spaced on rugged these mountain slopes. I did consider a right base to final to a possible landing spot in a wet marsh / swamp. With my DeHavilland Beaver, I may not have given it a second thought, with those high wings and large floats under me. I had practiced extensively and had actually successfully executed it once for the wet tundra of the high arctic before. But with heavy increasing smoke coming into the cockpit, and knowing that these wings are low, gear up, there was a good chance of a cartwheel. I had done my what ifs already, way ahead of time before taking my first flight in this airplane. I had played it out  where I would land  and  where I would NOT land, if I ever had a problem. So I had already preemptively ruled this out.

Putting that all aside, if I had decided to try it in this particular marsh, if I came in short, or came in long, it would be over immediately. There would have been no room for error. And if I may have risked it myself, there was no way that I was not going to risk the life of my friend and crewmate.

That said, the loss of this airplane is devastating not only for myself, but for the world. We had put so much work and passion into her. There was and is a huge connection. She was a flying museum, a marvel to look at. A privilege to fly. I always felt like it was all a privilege, so this is especially tough.

But now reflecting back on what is really important  I am alive. My friend is alive. -We are not maimed. We still now both get to see our kids finish growing up, getting married, and all the other great things we all hope for. Im glad I didnt gamble that away.

 Ron Carlson

No Help For EU Pilot Shortage

Airlines, corporations with active flight departments will have to invest in the training market to ensure a steady flow of trained pilots. The trucking industry has learned that lesson well. The most successful trucking companies subsidize or pay for in its entirety, training new drivers in exchange for a contractual, mutual agreement which the driver guarantees several years of service with said company. Pay, benefit packages, sign on bonuses, etc., are mutually worked out so the prospective driver knows what he will be paid during training, knows his pay scale once hired and has a paid experienced mentor who rides with the new driver integrating them into the companys system. The companies who do not want to make that investment are revolving doors of employment with very little, if any, driver retention. The professional pilot world will have to make the same or similar commitment staring with an applicant as a student pilot, not waiting to pick off the next 1500-hour newly minted ATP from Brand X flying school saddled up with $50K-65K in debt. The problem for all of this is the financially precarious positions the airlines operate in with just a hiccup of fuel prices, and said airline is BK or being absorbed by someone else who is only a few steps from bankruptcy themselves. To get and retain properly trained professional pilots will require an airline to invest themselves in the training market from solo to ATP. It will take a Vashon Ranger to a King Air in Delta livery as an example of training from student to ATP  with the sponsoring airline taking on the responsibility of training and retaining enough qualified piloting help.

 Jim Holdeman

New Trainers: Less Likely Than Ever To Be Cessnas

Ive said it here many times, that the future of single engine GA aircraft does not lie with Cessna/Textron. The 172 and probably the 182 will meet a similar inglorious end as the TTX in the not too distant future, leaving only the commercial haulers like the 206 and Caravan in production. Textron is only interested in turbine-based equipment because the profit margins are more to their liking. The future of GA lies with smaller companies that are working to innovate designs and engines that will fit an evolving market. AVwebs recent highlighting of the Vashon Ranger seems to make more sense now than ever, except for the engine choice. Convincing the FAA to update the rules for the LSA category is also more important than ever if America plans to remain relevant in small aircraft design. Europe may be in love with electrics and hybrid designs, but the distances involved in North America make those options doubtful until better battery technologies emerge. A 145-HP Rotax engine could easily support an 1800-pound LSA with the added benefit of not needing the EPAs unleaded avgas which may or may not ever appear.

 John McNamee

Perception vs. Reality

I think that minority-focused organizations are probably necessary until the minority population reaches a certain critical mass. Maybe 25% of the whole group. Having been to a number of aviation-focused events (Oshkosh, Sun n Fun) and working in the industry, I can tell you that I still observe that about 80% (or more) of pilots are white men. I think non-white males have an edge over female pilots in terms of becoming more common. Its worse out in the maintenance hangar. The rate of female A&P technicians hovers around the 1% mark. Definitely plenty of room for growth there. A support group for those brave individuals is (in my opinion) entirely appropriate. I think a clever name for the group helps. Something like The 99s, which doesnt toss the minority name or designator into the title.

 David Bunin
Google is no longer allowing Run For Something  a group that recruits and trains progressive candidates for office  to hold a political fundraiser at its D.C. campus on June 6. Google did not respond to requests for comment about why it changed its mind.

The big picture: It's not unusual for companies to allow outside groups to use their office space for events, and Google hosts more than 400 politically affiliated events each year, per a person familiar, including an event with the conservative website Newsmax and Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross last October.

What they're saying: Run For Something had arranged to rent the space from Google and was not receiving any financial contributions from the company, per Lesley Lopez, chief communications and marketing officer for Run For Something. Their fundraiser had scheduled to feature Sens. Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Elizabeth Warren, and was set to be the group's first big event in D.C. this cycle.
Ireland is taking on another battle with the Catholic church after the country voted to repeal a long-standing abortion law last week. The New York Times reports that Ireland is seeking to end "a provision that gives preference in most of the countrys elementary schools to children who have been baptized."

The state of play: Right now, 90% of the country's public schools are owned by the Roman Catholic Church, giving non-Catholic families very few options for their child's education. Under the proposed bill, which was approved by the parliament's lower house this week, "Catholic elementary schools would be barred from discriminating in favor of children of their own 'religious ethos.'"
Israel denied claims today by Russian officials and reports in Arab media outlets about new understandings that were allegedly reached about the situation in Southern Syria. An Israeli official told me that no deal was reached with the Russians so far.

Why it matters: The Syrian army is about to start a military operation against rebels in Southern Syria near the Israeli and Jordanian borders, which would violate a ceasefire deal signed by the U.S., Russia and Jordan last July.

The state of play: The Russians want to update the deal because of the Syrian army operation. Israel, the U.S. and Jordan are open to the Russian proposal but want to make sure it will include a firm commitment from the Russians that Iranian forces, Hezbollah and Shia militias will not take part in the operation and will be completely removed from the areas close to the Israeli and Jordanian borders.

What they're saying: Russian ambassador to the U.N. Vasily Nebenzya told reporters in New York on Friday that an agreement on disengagement in the Southwest part of Syria was reached with Israel.

He added: "Whether it has been implemented as of now I can not answer, but I understand that the parties that were involved in reaching the agreement are satisfied with what they reached. If it has not been done by now it will be done in the near future."

An Israeli official told me: "The Russian attitude towards getting the Iranians out of Syria is much more positive than before. The Russians are moving in the right direction but until now we only heard ideas from the them and we havent seen anything on paper. The devil is in the details and the big test is the implementation."

The details: The Israeli official added that Prime Minister Netanyahu stressed in his phone call with Russian president Putin on Thursday and in his phone calls with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday and Friday that Israel wants the Iranian forces, Hezbollah and Shia militias out of the entire Syrian territory and not simply out of the areas close to the Israeli border.

The official said that Netanyahu told Putin and Pompeo Israel will maintain full freedom of operation against Iranian military entrenchment attempts anywhere in Syria.

Go deeper: U.S. and Israel coordinate terms for new deal in Southern Syria
The Visa credit card system has suffered major outages across Europe, with thousands of businesses and customers unable to process payments, reports the BBC.

The impact: The problem was particularly severe in the United Kingdom, where Visa card usage accounts for 1 in every 3 dollars of all spending. The incident highlights one of the potential problems of the increasing shift to a cashless society. The company didn't provide details of the problem, but admitted that they had experienced a "service disruption."
Large wildfires in New Mexico and Colorado have forced hundreds to evacuate, and burned at least a dozen structures since Friday. The blazes are taking place amid tinder dry and windy conditions, and signal what officials fear will be a historically damaging fire seasons.

The big picture: One of the rapidly spreading fires, known as the 416 fire, is burning near Durango, in southwestern Colorado. It has forced the evacuation of nearly 800 homes since it was first seen on Friday morning. The fire has been burning through parts of the San Juan National Forest, and as of Saturday morning, the fire was 0 percent contained and had spread to 1,100 acres, according to Inciweb, a government portal for wildfire disaster information.

In neighboring New Mexico, the Ute Park fire is burning about 100 miles northeast of Santa Fe. The fire has burned more than 27,000 acres, and destroyed more than a dozen unoccupied structures. About 300 structures are threatened in the community of Cimarron, according to Inciweb,

Why youll hear about this again: Officials in several western states are bracing for what could be the worst wildfire season in years, as "exceptional drought conditions"  the most severe category  grip parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma. In Colorado, officials are warning this could be the worst fire season since 2012, when neighborhoods went up in flames around Colorado Springs during the Waldo Canyon Fire.

Studies show that in response to climate change and development practices, there's a tendency for larger, more destructive fires, along with longer wildfire seasons in the West.
By Trend

Goldman Sachs International is interested in financing SOCAR's infrastructure and industrial projects around the world. The working group established by the companies plans to conduct research in this area.

This was stated at a meeting of SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and the company's management with the executive directors of the investment company Goldman Sachs International, Sarel Eldor, Yakut Seyhanli and Anton Sychev, said SOCAR in a statement released on Friday.

This year a number of important SOCAR projects are being completed, including the STAR oil refinery, one of whose shareholders is Goldman Sachs International and the TANAP pipeline.

Successful results achieved by SOCAR give impetus to further cooperation, so SOCAR will conduct joint analysis and research with Goldman Sachs to determine the principles of partnership in current and future projects.

The meeting mentioned the possible role of Goldman Sachs International in financing SOCAR's trade operations, which are expanding around the world and in Turkey.

Cooperation of SOCAR with Goldman Sachs International started in December 2014.

In 2015, Goldman Sachs spent $1.3 billion on acquisition of 13 percent of SOCAR Turkey Energy A.S. - a subsidiary of SOCAR.

The Goldman Sachs head office is located in New York. The company operates in the field of bank investments, securities and investment management.

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By Trend

The Southern Gas Corridor project is of exceptional importance in ensuring Europe's energy security, said expert Bahruz Guliyev on Friday.

"It will go down in history as the most important project realized until recent time in the world's oil and gas industry. The project, which will ensure the energy security of Europe, covers many parties with different interests, including six countries and 11 companies," Guliyev said.

"It is not without reason that President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Southern Gas Corridor, emphasized that Azerbaijan is the guarantor of the energy security of Europe. Azerbaijan, which has economic power, has achieved success in regional and other projects both as an initiator and as a participant. The launch of the Southern Gas Corridor is a logical result of this success," Guliyev said.

The expert emphasized that the Southern Gas Corridor will bring additional dividends to Azerbaijan.



"The economy will develop even faster, because in recent years the Azerbaijani economy is the fastest growing economy in the world. This project will not only open up new opportunities for Azerbaijan, but will also contribute to the partner countries. The head of state noted that this project is very beneficial for the partner countries. So, there will be no losing side," the expert said.

Guliyev added that the project is a guarantor of not only Europe's energy security, but also of the country's security.

"Because economic power allows Azerbaijan to ensure the preservation of stability, development and progress. Turning the Southern Gas Corridor project into reality, Azerbaijan has embarked on the path of even greater success," the expert said.

The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor project was held in Baku on May 29.

The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline.

The next stage will be commissioning of the TANAP gas pipeline, through which the gas will enter the territory of Turkey and further Europe. The launching ceremony of TANAP will take place on June 12 in Turkish Eskisehir.

The Southern Gas Corridor, which costs more than $40 billion, is one of the priority projects for the EU and provides for the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe.

At the initial stage, the gas produced within the second phase of development of the Azerbaijani gas condensate field Shah Deniz is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects.

The gas in the second stage of the field development will be exported to Turkey and European markets through the expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of the TANAP and TAP pipelines.

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By Trend

Azerbaijan and Italy have a high level of economic cooperation, Italian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Augusto Massari said at an event dedicated to the 92nd anniversary of the Italian Republic.

"Today we celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Italian Republic. A few days ago, our Azerbaijani friends celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic. This similarity of the two dates symbolizes the closeness between the two peoples," he said.

The ambassador noted the high level of economic cooperation between the two countries.

"Italy is one of the main trade partners of Azerbaijan. This is evidenced by the trading performance of the first five months of 2018. Over the past six months, the foreign ministers of the two countries met three times," Massari noted.

The diplomat added that Azerbaijanis have a significant interest in Italian culture, literature, music, cinema, architecture.

"A big number of Azerbaijani students are educated in Italian universities," the envoy added.

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By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order on measures to build the Imishli-Yalavaj-Rasullu-Gobaktala-Shahverdili-Bahramtapa-Garaguvendikli highway in the Imishli district.

Under the decree, 5.8 million manats will be allocated from the funds provided for construction and reconstruction of highways in the 2018 state budget to the State Agency of Highways to build the Imishli-Yalavaj-Rasullu-Gobaktala-Shahverdili-Bahramtapa-Garaguvendikli highway, connecting seven settlements with a population of 26,000 people.

The Finance Ministry is instructed to provide financing in the amount indicated in the order, while the Cabinet of Ministers is tasked to resolve issues arising from the order.

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By Trend

The opening ceremony of the commemorative plaque dedicated to the Khojaly genocide took place on the territory of the Dobrava Memorial Park complex in Maribor city dedicated to the memory of the victims of wars.

The erection of the memorial plaque in Maribor, which is of great importance in bringing the realities of the Khojaly genocide to the world community, became possible with the support of Azerbaijans Embassy in Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia.

This is a joint project of the Council on State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations under the auspices of the President of Azerbaijan, the Slovenian-Azerbaijani Friendship Association and the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe.

Alojz Kovsca, president of the upper chamber of the Slovenian Parliament (State Council), chairman of the Council on State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations under the auspices of the President of Azerbaijan, vice-president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, MP Azay Guliyev, Azerbaijans Ambassador to Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia Galib Israfilov, Azerbaijans Ambassador to Croatia Fakhraddin Gurbanov took part in the ceremony held as part of the Week of Discovering European cemeteries (WDEC).

Besides, Member of the Board of the Azerbaijani Community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan Republic, Professor Farhad Badalbayli, Maribor Mayor Andrej Fistravec, representatives of the diplomatic corps, members of the local community and representatives of the press took part in the ceremony.

Director of the Dobrava Memorial Park, President of the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe Lidija Plibersek, Alojz Kovsca, president of the upper chamber of the Slovenian Parliament, Ambassador Galib Israfilov and MP Azay Guliyev addressed the opening ceremony.

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.

On Feb. 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces, together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops, stationed in Khankendi, committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly. As many as 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people were killed in the massacre. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people still remains unknown.

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.
By Trend

Yerevans statements about its readiness to repair relations with Ankara dont inspire confidence, a source in the Turkish government told Trend.

Despite the statements of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the repair of relations with Ankara, Armenia hasnt made a single step in this direction, according to the source.

As you know, Armenia has claims to the Turkish lands, accuses Turkey of committing the so-called Armenian genocide, which isnt confirmed by historical facts, the source said.

The source also noted that if Armenia really wants to repair relations with Turkey, first of all Yerevan must give up all claims against Ankara.

Armenia must also respect international law and unconditionally withdraw from the occupied Azerbaijani lands, the source added.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated Armenia's readiness to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions.

On March 1, 2018, the then Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced about the annulment of the protocols on the repair of the Armenia-Turkey relations.

The protocols on the repair of relations between the two countries were signed by Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers on October 10, 2009, but they were not ratified.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of Turkey - the Ottoman Empire - committed the so-called genocide against Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915.

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Nurses at Upper Peninsula Health System-Marquette (Mich.) have approved a labor deal with Brentwood, Tenn.-based Duke LifePoint Healthcare.

The agreement, which covers nurses represented by the Michigan Nurses Association, includes "language to ensure that nurses have a stronger voice in staffing decisions and an attractive economic package," according to a union news release. The nurses union did not elaborate.

Nurses' approval of the agreement comes after about a year of negotiating. The talks were contentious at times, with nurses going on strike in October. They voted in April to authorize another strike, but it never took place.

Now, nurses say they are pleased with the agreement, set to take effect June 1.

"Our new agreement contains significant wage increases and fair benefits which will help attract and retain nurses to serve the region. Quality health insurance means that those on the front lines of patient care will be able to care for themselves and their families without worry," said Scott Balko, operating room RN and president of the UPHS Marquette Staff Council/MNA.

He added: "After a long negotiations process, we are hopeful that Duke LifePoint recognizes this contract as an opportunity to work with their nursing staff on continued improvements."

Duke LifePoint said it also was pleased.

"We believe that both organizations share a deep commitment for serving their communities, and this outcome demonstrates both parties desire to work together providing quality healthcare services into the future," reads the organization's statement to Becker's Hospital Review.

More articles on human capital and risk:

Shuttle drivers at St. Louis hospital, university vote to unionize

McLaren Lapeer Region nurses to picket over staffing

Stony Brook University Hospital nurses protest over pay
Safe Orthopaedics unveiled a deal to acquire Qspine's sales force.

Here are five insights:

1. Qspine, which distributes medical equipment for spine surgery, has served as Safe Orthopaedics' U.K. distributor since 2014.

2. The sales force includes four salespeople.

3. Safe Orthopaedics plans to boost commercial resources and marketing in the U.K.

4. With this move, Safe Orthopaedics will promote Qspine's SURE retractor technology in the U.K. Safe Orthopaedics already is the sole distributor of this system in France.

5. Safe Orthopaedics will also focus on selling its SteriSpine technologies directly to hospitals in the market.
Jacksonville, Fla.-based Riverside Spine & Pain Physicians settled a federal lawsuit, Daily Record reports.

Here are five things to know:

1. The pain management practice will pay $1.2 million for the federal charges of violating the False Claims Act.

2. The case involved charges that the practice purposefully billed the government for medically unnecessary urine drug tests.

3. Carissa Stone, MD, a former physician at the practice, initially brought the case as a whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. Dr. Stone will receive $240,000 as a result of the settlement.

4. The settlement didn't include liability, but settled allegations brought against the practice.

5. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, HHS, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs conducted the investigation.
Creator of Father Ted Graham Linehan has announced that Father Ted will return - in musical form.

The writer of one of the UK's most popular sitcoms of all-time took to Twitter and told fans he had a big announcement.

Linehan revealed that he and Ted writing partner Arthur Matthews had been working on a Father Ted musical entitled 'Pope Ted - The Father Ted musical'.

The music has been written by Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy who performed the theme of the original show.

The show followed the misadventures of three priests and their housekeeper on a remote island off the coast of Ireland and became a massive success.

Ted Star, Dermot Morgan died the day after filming the final episode of the show, while veteran Father Jack actor Frank Kelly passed away in 2016.

Ardal O'Hanlon starred as dim-witted priest Father Dougal, alongside former Shameless and Eastenders actress Pauline McLynn played persistent housekeeper Mrs Doyle.

Linehan indicated that casting for the project was still some way off.

Fans were sceptical and many suggested that Linehan was only pulling their legs.

"This is not a drill!," Linehan posted on Twitter.

"This is true and not one of my stupid jokes, I promise. Didnt want to do something until the right idea came along.

"This was the right idea. Arthur and I have been laughing our arses off while writing it. Just like the old days.

"Its the real final episode of Father Ted," he posted.

Fans are already abuzz on social media at the prospect of returning to Craggy Island.

Let's hope Graham Linehan's Twitter account hasn't been hacked, for his sake!

You can catch yourself up on all the best moments from the show below.
Game on: Colin Murphy with the boys from The Blame Game (from left), Neil Delamere, Tim McGarry and Jake OKane

Cleaning up: Colin Murphy with (from left) Peter Rooney of Kilclief Residents Association, Ian Humphreys from Keep NI Beautiful and Debbie Gilles of True Harvest Seeds

He's one of our best-known and most popular comedians, star of stage and screen (both television and movie) with a career now spanning 25 years. So when Colin Murphy started out in this most precarious of sectors of showbiz did he ever imagine that it would last so long?

"I didn't think it would last a week," he says.

How did he get into the comedy business?

"Drink," he replies.

He was at university at the time and with a bit of acting under his belt was a logical choice when he was asked to compere a comedy show. It went well. And from there: "I just sort of drifted into this," is how he puts it.

This year to mark his impressive quarter of a century in the business he's been touring with his Bald Ambition tour - and enjoying it immensely.

"The tour came about with the realisation that I've been doing stand-up for 25 years. I haven't toured in a long, long time but it's been great. In the autumn I'm heading south and looking forward to that too."

He'll be 50 later this summer. Slightly younger than Kylie Minogue, I note. "Slightly better looking too," he quips.

"Turning 50 is not as traumatic as I'd thought it would be. Put it like this, I don't feel guilty about cutting the hedge outside the house anymore. Cutting the hedge - you expect that of someone who's 50. I didn't use to feel this way. I used to think they're leaves, spare them."

He's appeared in a number of television shows and has starred in the movie Divorcing Jack, but is probably best-known to local audiences via BBC NI's panel satire show The Blame Game alongside regulars like Tim McGarry, Neil Delamere and Jake O'Kane.

The show takes a scathing look at the week's headlines so inevitably local politics and local politicians get a burl from the panellists. But Murphy's live shows tend to be more observational humour.

"I try not to read too many papers," he says.

Instead he reads people. He's a great people watcher, he says himself, observing how they behave, how they interact, how they present themselves.

Because he's a well-known face he must constantly get people coming up to him as he goes about his daily business, expecting him always to be on form, to be funny?

"All the time," he says cheerily.

He describes being in a hospital waiting room with a friend recently and being aware that "some people were almost reaching for their phones. But then catching themselves on and realising where they were - realising it's maybe an inappropriate place to do that".

But then, he adds, it's the same with everybody's job. "You're a doctor or a dentist and you go along to a party and people are talking to you and next thing you know they've got their mouth open and you're being asked to give a consultation. Same I would think for joiners and builders. Everybody gets it."

What amuses him most, he says, are those people who vaguely recognise his face and then assume they must know him personally.

"They walk past and they do a double-take and say hello and you know they're thinking, 'Who is this guy? Where do I know him from?'"

Originally from Downpatrick, he's married with a family, lives in Belfast and prefers to keep his private life private.

He's keen to talk though, about the Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week, which runs until next Sunday and which he's currently helping promote.

As the name suggests, the week-long series of events includes volunteer clean-up efforts along our coasts and inland waterways with family activities ranging from beachside yoga to nature walks, not to mention "seaweed workshops" - of which more later.

Colin is the ideal man to front the campaign because he is already involved in his own freelance beach-cleaning work.

"I do pick up litter as I walk along beaches," he says. "What got me started was seeing friends in West Cork doing it when we were out for a walk and they'd take a bag along with them to pick up litter. I'm not obsessed with it but, yeah, if I'm walking along I'll pick up the odd big piece of rubbish because that's one less big piece of rubbish on the beach."

It's not just the litter louts who leave the food wrappers and drinks cans behind them, he points out. "Fishing ports tend to be a bit prone because stuff gets thrown overboard from boats and that then washes up in the ports."

The coastal clean-up campaign is being promoted with a 'Do Good, Feel Good' message backed up with research that suggests doing something that makes you feel virtuous - like picking up litter - makes you feel more positive, reduces stress, even improves health and makes you live longer.

According to researchers; "'Doing good' can contribute to greater happiness, with endorphins released into the body following an act of good, activating parts of our brain associated with trust, pleasure and social connection. This happiness increases the chance that we will be altruistic and do good deeds in the future, ultimately creating a positive feedback loop of generosity."

Colin agrees: "Absolutely. I do agree with the research on the Do Good, Feel Good findings. I think it's got a lot to do with that sharing of community spirit. People getting together to do something positive. You don't even have to live near the beach. You just have to appreciate it. Doing something in a group like this like this does give you a very nice feeling. It's being altruistic - what they say about giving is better that receiving."

Coca Cola has sponsored the island-wide clean-up of coastal areas and inland waterways for 10 years now in conjunction with partners including the organisation Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. Last year more than 3,000 volunteers took part throughout Ireland collecting an impressive 16 tonnes of litter.

According to Ian Humphreys, CEO of the environmental education charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful: "Thankfully most of us don't litter but there are some people who still don't understand the consequences. Plastic litter that gets washed into the seas kills untold numbers of sea birds, turtles and marine mammals."

Of all the events planned for the week, the one that baffles me, I tell Colin, is the 'seaweed workshop'.

What's a seaweed workshop?

"Basically it's foraging along the coastline for seaweed. In Japan they pay a fortune for it. And it grows on the rocks here. I met a guy in Cork who's actually a seaweed farmer.

"He exports tons of the stuff to Japan for sushi and that kind of thing. Apparently seaweed from Ireland is highly prized because the coastline is clear and the conditions are excellent for growing good seaweed."

Whether you opt for the seaweed foraging or the litter picking Colin insists you'll feel all the better for it.

"Come along, meet up with other people, get a bit of exercise, have a bit of chat, walk along the beach and as you go along pick up some litter and put it in a bag. You'll feel great. Bring the family. Bring the dog.

"And don't forget to clean up after him..."

For further information you can visit the following websites: www.liveherelovehere.org; www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org and www.coca-colahellenic.com
Mystery remains: a Garda officer in the grounds of Ballymany Stud Farm, Newbridge, Co Kildare where Shergar was taken from by the IRA

Letters written by an IRA supergrass to the Belfast Telegraph's late political editor, Liam Clarke, proved pivotal in the making of a new BBC documentary on one of Ireland greatest kidnap mysteries.

Award-winning filmmaker Alison Millar realised she had uncovered gold dust when she was shown the hefty sheaf of letters sent from Maghaberry Prison by Sean O'Callaghan to Mr Clarke.

"When I saw the names he mentioned, I knew right away that what he was saying in the letters was right," she says.

Others, including the IRA, argued that O'Callaghan, who died in a swimming pool accident in Jamaica last August, could not be trusted , given how he had spent a long period of his life as an informer against republicans.

Alison, who has been fascinated by the disappearance of Shergar since her early years, researched the existing material meticulously and found some of the so-called 'exclusives' less than accurate. "When you stripped away some of the veneer, you realised that there was very little underneath," she says,

"Thirty-five years after the horse was taken from its stable in Kildare, I wanted to do my own documentary, and the letters proved invaluable in pointing me in certain directions.

"After that, it was just a case of old-fashioned walking up laneways and knocking on doors and trying to track down people who had some connection with the case."

In that, she was often assisted by Liam's widow, Kathryn Johnston. She says: "Sean wrote letters from Maghaberry to Liam on a frequent basis, sometimes two a week, during the early-1990s. And when he was released, he spent two of three weeks with us."

Sadly, Liam died suddenly before the making of the programme, but Kathryn is in no doubt he would have loved working on it, using his many contacts to bring fresh perspective to the mystery.

She says: "He would have been in the middle of it."

Alison adds: "The letters also set the context for the period, and when we were fitting the jigsaw together, we never found a piece missing. They contained names of people in the racing industry, which I knew were accurate from my own research, and that gave me great confidence in what he was saying.

"These were letters which set out not only what happened to Shergar, but also referred to the kidnapping of people."

Alison stresses that the programme, which is screened next week on BBC One Northern Ireland, is a documentary, not an investigation, but it obviously required much research.

From that, she was able to confirm that it was, indeed, the IRA who took the horse, killed it shortly afterwards and buried it near the Northern Ireland border.

The plot, hairbrained as it turned out, was to gain a ransom for the record-breaking Epsom Derby winner.

In a neat turn of phrase, Alison says: "They thought this horse would be their cash cow."

As racing fans prepare for this year's running of the Derby this afternoon, the name of Shergar is still remembered because of its record 10-length win in the race in 1981.

Along with triple Grand National winner Red Rum, it remains probably the most famous horse to come out of Europe in the last century.

But there was an important difference between the two. Shergar was retired to stud at the end of its Derby-winning year and immediately became the most valuable horse at that time.

Owner the Aga Khan sold 34 shares in the horse at 250,000 each and kept another six for himself, valuing it at 10m. Stud fees were set at around 80,000 for each time it covered a brood mare. Investors thought it was a licence to print money. And so it proved in the first year at stud, when it produced 35 foals.

But the next year - when 55 mares were lined up to breed from Shergar - everything changed. On February 8, 1983, an armed gang burst into the home of Shergar's groom at Ballymany Stud farm in the Curragh, Co Kildare, forced him to load it into a horsebox and drove off, creating a mystery even beyond the imagination of Dick Francis, the celebrated racing novelist.

It was several hours before the Garda were informed, but by then there were no clues. The gang had chosen the time for the snatch carefully. It was the time of horse sales in the area and the roads were full of horseboxes. Another would not cause any attention.

When the news broke, media from around the world descended on the Republic and three leading racing journalists were asked to come to Northern Ireland in a phone call apparently from the kidnappers.

But this turned out to be an elaborate hoax and the real negotiations were going on between

the gang and the Aga Khan. Although there was some dissent, the members of the syndicate owning shares in Shergar refused to countenance paying over any money and, shortly afterwards, all contact was ended and the mystery deepened.

Alison, through her old-fashioned journalistic techniques of following up every lead, gained interviews with two leading IRA figures, one of whom appears in the film. The other - "a very senior IRA man" - agreed to talk to her off the record.

"He was a gentleman and he even gave us his mobile telephone number. More importantly, he was also able to confirm a number of different details."

The other IRA figure was Kieran Conway, a one-time intelligence chief of the organisation, who had rejoined the organisation after the 1981 hunger strikes.

"He has always refused to speak openly about his time in the IRA, but he spoke to me as an 'expert' on the IRA's kidnapping strategy," says Alison.

"Two years earlier, supermarket owner Ben Dunne was kidnapped by the IRA and a ransom was paid.

Then, after the Shergar fiasco, another supermarket boss, Don Tidey, was also kidnapped and a ransom demanded.

"Conway was able to confirm to me that these were not coincidental events, but part of a strategy by the Provisional IRA to raise much-needed money for arms.

"After the 1981 hunger strikes, the IRA had increased in strength and support, but desperately needed more funds. Bank robberies, or hold-ups of cash in transit, was becoming more and more difficult and a new strategy needed to be found. This was it and it was approved by the IRA army council, according to our sources."

One of the central figures in the documentary is former equine vet Stan Cosgrove, who was also a shareholder in Shergar. In 2004, he vowed never to talk about the incident again, but Alison managed to get him to speak to camera.

His reluctance to talk is understandable. In the wake of the kidnapping, he was the victim of a scam in which the Garda appears not to have been blameless and which cost him many thousands of pounds.

A mystery man said he had information the horse was still alive and he could pinpoint where it was being held.

If that was not bad enough insurers refused to pay him out, insisting there was no proof that the horse was, indeed, dead.

His son, James, an insurance claims expert and a family friend, knowing of O'Callaghan's information on the kidnapping, went to visit him in jail in Northern Ireland and, even though he passed on letters saying Shergar was dead, these were not accepted as proof.

But having established beyond doubt that the horse was killed by the IRA - though Alison is unable to confirm some reports which said that it was machine-gunned to death after breaking a leg and becoming unmanageable - there remained the question posed by the title of the documentary, Searching for Shergar.

Where is the animal buried? Alison has no doubt. Along with Kathryn, they have obtained information from seven or eight sources that the remains of the iconic thoroughbred lie in a bog in Co Leitrim.

They have narrowed the field, in a manner of speaking, down to a small townland called Aughrasheeling, not far from Ballinamore, and less than 10 miles from the Northern Ireland border.

Aghrasheeling translates as "meadow of the fairies", but are people still spinning fairy stories?

When Alison set out to make the documentary, she figured that 35 years after the kidnapping and the new atmosphere in Ireland - at that time the Troubles were at their height - tongues may have been loosened and people would be more willing to talk about the incident.

That is certainly not the case around Ballinamore. "People know where Shergar is buried, but the rehearsed silence is unbreakable."

They approached several locals, but each time was stonewalled when the conversation turned to the horse.

However, she has happier memories of making the documentary. She draws out of her handbag during our interview a horseshoe given to her by the retired farrier who used to shoe Shergar every month.

And she further uncovered a piece of evidence hitherto unknown to the public - that the kidnap gang dropped a magazine from a sub-machine-gun when fleeing from the stud farm.

Indeed, it could well have been from the weapon used to terrorise the groom's family until the gang made their getaway.

And finally being able to touch all that remains of the wonder horse apart from memories - a little bunch of hairs plucked from its mane and tail shortly before it was kidnapped and given to two young visitors who came to photograph Shergar one day.

Those hairs would be invaluable DNA evidence if any remains of the animal are ever found.

Searching for Shergar, BBC One Northern Ireland, Thursday, June 7
For Jennifer Palmieri, November 9, 2016, will forever be the day the sky fell in. When the order of things in which she, until then, had unshakable faith broke down. As director of communications for Hillary Clinton during the most recent presidential campaign, she had known, objectively, that there was a chance they might not win.

"It's not as if I didn't understand that we could lose - there was like a one-in-four chance of that," she says. "But the harder it got, the more awful Trump got, it felt like there was some kind of karmic insurance in the world that obviously, we can't be going through all of this, to make him president of the United States. That can't be what's happening here. America's not going to do this. And then it did."

She looks visibly pained by it even now, almost two years later. Palmieri is sitting in the light-flooded lounge of a London hotel, gazing out over a panoramic view of the Thames. She has spent much of her long career stalking the corridors of power. She served as the White House communications director for President Obama and spent her early years as a deputy press secretary reporting to President Clinton. But she wears her professional standing lightly. Perhaps this is because since the 2016 campaign, she has had plenty of time to integrate the humility of defeat. Though I suspect it's rather that Palmieri is a pragmatic person, not given to posturing.

She has strong, leonine features and a mane of wheat-coloured hair. She expresses herself, as you would expect, with the clean economy of a professional communicator. Less expected though, is the vocal fry that creeps regularly into her voice, lending a valley-girl flavour to her pronouncements on the state of contemporary America.

She is dressed down today in jeans and a grey sweater which has been embroidered with the words Dear Madam President, the title of her new book. It's part political memoir, part an act of literary mentorship aimed at young women.

With its uplifting, straight-talking feminist approach, it joins a publishing trend launched by Sheryl Sandberg's seminal book Lean In. The book is structured as an "open letter to the women who will run the world". Or specifically, to the future first female president of the United States. "I don't know if you are a Democrat or Republican or something else, I just know that you are out there somewhere. And you need this book," she writes.

To Palmieri, the events of 2016 are up there with the most demolishing experiences of her life. She compares the disorientation she felt in the aftermath of the Clinton campaign to another tragedy that was to follow a few months later - the loss of her older sister Dana to early-onset Alzheimer's at the age of 58. "Nobody died," she clarifies of losing the election, "it's not as devastating as a death, but it was also something I never imagined could happen."

Her aim in writing Dear Madam President was to distil the lessons she learned from the experience of being beaten by Donald Trump for the benefit of the next female candidate who will successfully blaze a trail to the Oval Office. But it also served a related, but more personal purpose. As a communications director, her job has been to shape narratives, to convert policies or a candidate's personal history, into stories that are instantly comprehensible to voters and that capture the public imagination. Now, Palmieri sought to make sense of the experience she had lived by shaping it into a story of hope.

"I definitely felt compelled to try to make something positive out of this experience," she says. "And I really wanted to convey how it felt on the campaign trail. I do think we were on the front end of this phenomenon that America is going through now, where women are deciding that we have been living by an outdated set of rules and are now sort of remaking ourselves in a new way."

Palmieri claims it became blazingly clear to her during the 2016 campaign that the most important obstacle Hillary Clinton's team faced was based in sexism. "I think the most generous way to put it is that she vexes people. She confounds them. They don't know what to make of her." There is, she says, quoting the response she heard time and time again during public opinion polls and vox pops "something about her they just don't like".

Palmieri is adamant that this knee-jerk antipathy her team kept running up against was "not about the person that is Hillary Rodham Clinton, it's about the phenomenon that is Hillary Clinton... she was always stepping outside of the role that women traditionally have held". In the book, she writes about how Hillary was only redeemed in public opinion when accepting defeat. "Everybody loved Hillary's concession speech. Everybody loved it. Because you know what it's okay for a woman to do? Lose. Be a gracious loser.

"When you are running for president, this is what you are saying to everyone: You're saying, I want the most powerful job on the planet. I think I'm the best pick for the most powerful job on the planet, and here are all the reasons why the guy I'm running against is terrible. And you know who people don't want to hear that from? A woman... In the scope of human history it's still a radical thing for a woman to be in charge."

Palmieri was born in Mississippi, where her father, a naval officer, was stationed at the time. As one of four girls, hers was a big, noisy, politically conscious family. "It was loud," she remembers. "Four girls, Italian family. No-one ever really completed a sentence."

Her parents were both committed Republicans until switching to support Bill Clinton in 1993. Perhaps it's significant that in her early life, Palmieri was initiated into active politics by her mother, who became a campaigner for the Republican candidate Trent Lott when Jennifer was a child.

"My mom would put me in a Trent Lott sandwich board," she remembers. Most kids would likely find this a bore, but Palmieri's interest was piqued. "Then that was during the time of Watergate. Trent Lott got elected to Congress and they immediately put him on the committee looking into Watergate. And so then I was interested to see how he handled that, and then I just loved politics ever since. It was certainly something that a woman did."

Central to Palmieri's resilience, both professional and personal, is her reflex for spinning good from bad.

"It's definitely in my nature to try to see the best in situations. In politics, Democrats always see doom. Always. Always," she says.

In this context, her indefatigable positivity has always set her apart. "There's something about, you always see problems. You want to fix them, but you always see problems. It annoys me, and I'm always telling people, look at it from another perspective.

"So with Hillary, she would be discouraged by how nasty the public had taken after her, and I would be like, 'Imagine how frustrated they are! They're so frustrated! They can't take you out'."

This approach also defined her way of dealing with her sister's illness. In her book, she writes about her sister Dana's final days as some of the most joyful and meaningful moments they spent together.

"It was this terrible diagnosis," she says. "It's the disease everybody fears because they think it's going to rob you of the person well before they die. And I had the same devastation and dread that I think any family going through that has.

" I would go to Dallas to visit her when she couldn't live on her own any more and I had to go visit her in some kind of facility, and just dreading that. And thinking, okay, in six days I have to go. In five days I have to go. And then okay, it's the night before, and not being able to sleep the night before. And then just dreading walking into that room. And then I did walk into the room and what I found was that, you never really, at least in my experience, you never really lose the person. You could look at her eyes and see that she was still there. And it just makes you reassess or recalculate what you value and what you think is important.

"All the expectations from your whole life have just fallen away, and you have these amazingly meaningful moments there."

In life, Dana had a mantra that would end with "All is well". And that mantra was what the rest of the family would repeat to her as she lay dying. In doing so, they came to believe it themselves. "It would be true. In each individual moment, it would be true," she says.

"You can get overwhelmed by looking at the enormity of the task before you, or the tragedy of the situation before you, but if you live it minute by minute you find that a) you're strong enough to get through just about anything, and b) there are moments of beauty and joy in each of those."

When Dana got her diagnosis, she was determined something good would come out of it, and Palmieri confirms her wish has been honoured. "My family did indeed, during the time Dana was sick, spend more time together. Does indeed now spend more time together," she says.

"I live life without a lot of dread any more," she says. "Which is really liberating. And there was so much of life I realised that I did dread... dread is a huge waste of time and it robs you of a lot of life."

Writing the book has been an exercise in finding the good in difficult life experiences. But so too has her new change of priorities, which now are "being a good sister and being a good wife" to her husband Jim Lyons and "being a good stepmother" to his two daughters.

In Dear Madam President, she writes about how, in 2004, she sank into a profound depression after leading John Edwards failed presidential campaign.

"I had clinical depression, I had antidepressants and therapy both after that," she says. In 2016, she feared she would relapse. Surprisingly, it didn't happen. "Even though we lost, I had felt that I had put my very best effort into something that mattered. And I took a lot of value from that and I still feel that way today.

"You know, I was worried that the value I took from what I was doing might be wrapped up in the stature or it all. That the value I took from the work I was doing was about being in the West Wing of the White House.

"Or about being on a presidential campaign. I was concerned - am I not going to feel that I'm contributing or doing things of value when that's gone? And I found that I was okay. What I found was I found something else to put my effort and time into that mattered to me and that I felt was important. And I don't need to be attached to an entity or someone else's name in order to feel whole.

"With this book," she says. "I've brought my family and friends along. I made a point to go to Mississippi which was where my sister had gone to college and brought my niece with me and other sister and we reconnected with friends we hadn't seen in 30 years. And I've been trying to make this experience not just meaningful for me but for my family and close friends. Because it's definitely been a joint project."

There are good things, she thinks, to come out of the catastrophe of 2016. "The joke in DC is that protest is the new brunch," she says.

"It is a huge setback but I find now it's inspiring because I think the world can ultimately be better than I had imagined before. It can be better for women, it can be more fulfilling for everyone than I had imagined prior to this election. It is not something I had ever expected to see."

Dear Madam President by Jennifer Palmieri, Hodder and Stoughton, 12.99

Jennifers advice for future female leaders

1. Dont bottle it up. Crying isnt a show of weakness. Its a powerful demonstration of emotion, says Palmieri who thinks we shouldnt put on a show of stoicism at work. Its not something you should do constantly, but I dont see the need to fight to hold the tears in the way we do. For women (and some men), crying can be a way we express anger or frustration, or passion, or sadness. We shouldnt mute all that.

2. Celebrate the fact that you are a woman. Palmieri says the biggest mistake she and her team made was to reduce Clinton to a female facsimile of the qualities we expect to see in a male president which robbed her of some measure of her own humanity, some of the qualities that were unique to her.

3. Value your voice. I really want young women everywhere to see how much your perspective and voice matters, says Palmieri. We can sometimes doubt ourselves or wait for permission, or wait to be asked.

4. We need more perspectives in the world. I learned that at an early age from watching President Clinton and President Obama, says Palmieri. They got the most insight from the people who hadnt gone to the best schools, who didnt look like everybody else who hadnt done all the same jobs. Because they had a perspective they werent hearing otherwise.

5. Trust your confusion. I want women to know, we spent a long time making the workplace comfortable for men, so when you feel like something is not quite right... Youre right! It wasnt built with you in mind.
The greatest English language food columnist who ever lived and who wrote for the Sunday Times, the late AA Gill, was based in London. Gill loathed travelling outside the capital to review restaurants in the country, because he believed they were invariably inferior.

Jay Rayner, the Observer columnist and broadcaster, who now loves coming here after his inaugural Northern Ireland review (of Made in Belfast) left him trolled, ridiculed and generally beaten about the head, does the opposite and uncovers fabulous restaurants all over the place. He even found a good bistro in Paris last year.

The situation in city/country divide in Northern Ireland is a bit different. This is primarily a rural society and our attachment to the land goes back to the fact that many of us who might now live in Belfast grew up in small towns and villages, or on farms, all over the north.

Growing up in Armagh, half my friends were farmers' children, so we knew what good food was from early in life. If you look at our near-obsession in the 21st century with local produce (I know other parts of the world celebrate their terroir, too, but nobody does it as fervently as we do), you can tell it's because we are far more sophisticated as consumers and well-versed in country ways and quality produce.

Occasionally, restaurants out in the country will match the produce and deliver a knock-out punch to remind any smug city slickers that quality is as readily available outside Belfast as it is in it. With this happy thought in mind, I set off with adviser and teen to Newcastle, to Paul Cunningham's recently re-established Brunel's restaurant.

Formerly perched above the Anchor Bar at the eastern end of town, Brunel's always punched above its weight. Would this level of quality transfer to its new home?

Not quite. Chef Cunningham is very ambitious and his cooking is meticulous, forensic and formal. The server gave us a full, one-minute lecture on the subject of his precision to explain why Paul would not consider serving plain toast with his duck liver parfait, rather than the sweet sultana brioche which the adviser otherwise fancied as a starter. The lecture went on long enough to dissuade the adviser from having a starter at all.

The same, decent seafood chowder is on the menu, as is the goat's cheese mousse served with yellow man. Sweetness is a recurring theme here and, while I love a bit of sugar as much as the next man, there comes a point at which the red line is reached.

And this is the issue with Brunel's. Front of house staff are pleasant and attentive, but perhaps a bit browbeaten. No room for flexibility is the opposite of the concept of hospitality. It used to be that the menu was a guide to what a restaurant could offer you; if you wanted anything not listed, just ask.

That's not to say that some of the dishes aren't excellent. The one vegetarian option, rigatoni with chestnut mushrooms, is very good, fresh, plentiful and wholesome. There are shards of something crispy, which I cannot identify, but which turn out to be garlic tuile. There is honey, asparagus and a parmesan emulsion in there, too, something with which some vegetarians would take issue.

The adviser's roast beef dinner is outstanding, the beef perfectly medium rare, the size of a car seat cushion, let down only by a stone-cold, but otherwise perfectly executed, Yorkshire pudding.

The sugar pit pork chop has all the hoped-for elements, a bit of char, blackened fatty bit and meat which shreds away from the bone. The accompanying apple fritter (not a cider caramelised apple, as advertised) provides a great counter-balance and the wholegrain sauce is so good I wanted more. But the bed of buttered leeks was too bitter.

The chocolate and hazelnut brownie is a masterpiece, surprisingly salty and savoury, and the deconstructed apple crumble is delightfully light.

Chef Cunningham tries too hard. His food is often over-wrought. He has great talent and ability, but perhaps is thinking it through too much: ensuring that textures vary, that saltiness and sweetness meet and that the unexpected appearance of features such as yellow man with the goats cheese and sultanas in the brioche is desirable. Better pay more attention to getting the roast potatoes crisped-up (they were worse than mine, edible, but disappointing).

The dining room is pleasant enough, although when booking ask not to be close to the front door. Tables at the back are largely along banquettes and look very comfortable.

The bill

2 x 3-course lunch ............................. 50

1 x 2-course lunch.............................. 20

Five glasses wine ........................ 25.50

Total .............................................. 97.50
He's been Stephen Nolan's long suffering, quick-witted sidekick for a decade now. And in that time Vinny Hurrell has secured himself not only his own Monday night show but a reputation as one of the biggest names on BBC Radio Ulster.

And now the notoriously private 36-year-old has opened up about how the death of his beloved best friend made him realise life was short and precious and pushed him on to fulfil his lifelong dream of becoming a radio presenter.

Vinny was raised on a Co Antrim farm by his softly spoken Longford-born mum and Randalstown-born dad. If his dad had his way, our airwaves would be decidedly less lively and Vinny would be mucking out cow sheds this morning.

Vinny says that his school years in Randalstown were tough for him. He says he never really fitted in and struggled to socialise. But that is where he met his best friend, Nuala Johnston. The two became inseparable throughout their teens and navigating their early 20s together.

Tragically Nuala took her own life at just 24 years of age in 2005, leaving Vinny devastated.

"Nuala and I went to the same primary school," he says. "But it wasn't until secondary school that we became friends. To a certain extent if it wasn't for Nuala I don't know if I would have got through school. She was just always there. We became friends as first years. I don't remember the moment but it was just something that was always there, she was just a constant in my life.

"She had a wicked sense of humour and was very sarcastic and I'm very sarcastic. And because of that we got on very well. We had so many fun nights out and we'd go for drives together in this 20-year-old Volkswagen Polo that my dad gave me. We called it the Silver Bullet, but it was the slowest car in the world.

"She was amazing. When I was away at university in England she would write to me all the time. She worked in a pharmacy and I'd get these letters written on the back of prescription pad paper.

"After I graduated I moved home and we decided we would take a year out and travel to Australia. So we were saving money to go. I got a job as a porter at Belfast International Airport in May to save money and we were going in February the following year. But it was not to be.

"At the end of the November I remember coming into town to do Christmas shopping and I called to Nuala's house and she wasn't at home. My phone had got broken in work, I had hit it off a trolley and I couldn't see the screen. So I hadn't been able to speak to her in a couple of days. There was a pub on the Antrim Road she would have always gone to so I thought I might go there. Then I thought I had so much stuff to do and I had to work that evening so I decided I would call with her maybe the next day.

"That night I was working a shift at the airport. It was really wintry and I was driving a big fancy tractor that gritted around car parks and around the runway. About 1.30am in the morning a song came on the radio and it reminded me immediately of Nuala and it made me smile. She was mad into music and it was one of 'her' songs.

"I didn't really think much of it. I went home after my shift and went to bed in my mum and dad's house and was woken up the next day by the landline ringing.

"It was my sister and she sounded upset. She said that she had heard Nuala's name being read out in mass, that they had said prayers for her. I said that it couldn't be Nuala, that I would know, I told her to check. But at the back of my mind I knew. I don't know what your brain is doing at that point. But my sister rang me back and said it was definitely true. And I've never had a feeling like that. You feel like the floor has just disappeared beneath you. And it's almost like you are floating above yourself and watching yourself react to something. It was just total and utter shock and devastation.

"I knew at that point, even though no one told me what had happened. I knew it was by her own hand. And I thought, selfishly, that she had made that decision to leave me. Suicide leaves you with so many unanswered questions. And I think the frustrating part of that is that you never will really get answers to those questions.

"I remember my sister came back home and she gave me her phone so I could put my sim card into it and all these messages from Nuala came through. It was weird because it was like getting messages from someone who was dead. She had been trying to get in touch with me. She didn't really put a lot in the texts about anything that was upsetting her. But the last text that she ever sent to me said, 'Are you alive?' And it had all these question marks on it. And that kind of blew my mind. Because you look at that and think we just focus so much on certain things that annoy us or that we think are important, but sometimes they really are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

"It doesn't get any easier. It gets easier to try and deal with it, because you just have to," Vinny says. "But it doesn't get easier to actually accept it or understand why these things happen. Suicide is such a huge issue here. People need to know its ok to ask for help."

Vinny says that Nuala's death made him become determined to push on to achieve the dreams she had encouraged him with.

"Nuala's death changed my whole perception of life," he says. "I know it's a real cliche but nothing is guaranteed, nothing is forever, whether that is something you are going through yourself or people in your own life, or even your own existence here, you have to make the most of it.

"There's no point in being embarrassed or holding yourself back because you are afraid of how people will react or will perceive you.

"Just before Nuala died I had started with a community radio station in west Belfast. I would say to people that I wanted to be on the radio, I really want to be a radio presenter and they would kind of scoff and say 'who does he think he is?' But Nuala would listen to me do my bit on the radio and give me feedback. She was so encouraging. So when she died I thought, if people want to think that, to scoff, then that's their problem, it's definitely not mine and I'm going to try my hardest to be the best version of me that I can. It's so cliched and cheesy but that is what that kind of experience makes you feel."

And Vinny says he hopes he is making his friend proud.

"There's always something every day that makes me think of her," he says. "It might be music or an emotion or a smell. Those memories are good in one way because it helps you to remember, to never forget. But obviously it doesn't always make you feel great.

"I hope Nuala is proud of me. I think Stephen Nolan might do her head in now and again."

Vinny and Stephen joined forces 10 years ago. The duo, renowned for their, at times, vicious on air bantering with one another, are real friends when the microphones are off.

Vinny says one of the best days of his life was when he was handed his BBC pass. And, as a BBC newcomer, he often watched the Nolan team with a mixture of awe and bewilderment.

"I started with Stephen 10 years ago in January," he says. "I was working elsewhere. I came into the BBC through a training programme and began working with a show called Days Like This. I was in the same office as the Nolan team and I used to sit and watch them from a distance. I'm not saying it was like watching wild animals but it was a bit like being at a zoo. There was all this commotion and drama, passion, energy and noise coming from their end of the office. And Id be watching it over my monitor, just thinking, Look at them, what are they doing?

So when my other contract was up I was asked to do a month with Nolan. And that was 10 years ago.

He says his relationship with Nolan is a good one and the award-winning broadcaster has helped him with many of lifes challenges.

With Stephen everything is very much out in the open, he says. Nothing is left to fester so if he is not happy with something Im doing work-wise he will tell me and vice versa. And I think that is good because things dont have the opportunity to be a problem. If theres an issue, theres no talking to anyone else about it, you just get it out there in the open and get it sorted. Now dont get me wrong, he does my head in on nearly a daily basis. But that is just him. And that is one of the reasons I like him, because he is a bit of an eejit.

We are friends outside work also. I dont think you could work that closely with someone and not be friends. I see Stephen more than my own mother. I dont think hed say I was his best mate by any means, but he has helped me out with so many things in the past which were not work related, but life related. He is a good man to talk to and hes not quite as annoying as he likes people to think that he is. He has this character persona. Whereas that is him  its not an act  there is also a softer side to him also that he would hide sometimes.

Vinny is notoriously private about his personal life, as is his partner. The two plan to get married in the near future and Vinny says hes lucky to have found someone who will put up with his grumpiness.

I am very lucky because I am madly in love, he says. Its coming up to eight years since we met. We will get married at some point. We are engaged. We bought a house two years ago that needed a lot of work. So that kind of had to be priority because we thought there is no point getting married if we dont have a roof over our head or have central heating in the house.

My other half is very private. I am quite private when it comes to our relationship. So I dont give out a lot of details about it. But I can say that I am very lucky. I can be very grumpy sometimes and I am a huffer. And I am very lucky to have found someone that makes me feel very content and very happy and also very loved... and puts up with my huffing and terrible jokes and my moodiness. Meeting my other half was definitely one of the best days of my life.

Vinny will mark the 100th episode of What I Wished I Knew When I Was 25 on his forthcoming Monday night show. He will swap roles with his producer Seamus and in an emotional episode  where he talks about Nuala  will answer what he wished he knew at that age. He says Monday is a landmark date and, looking back, he is very proud of the series. The What I Wish I Knew... feature started by accident, he says. Ive enjoyed them all but Julian Simmons talking about the homophobic abuse he has had to deal with really stands out. He maintained incredible poise in the face of some horrible people.

Linda Ervine was another  a mum by 16, expelled twice and a granny by 33. Yet she has an unbelievable strength. Dawn Purvis told me about her home being bombed during the Troubles and how that changed her life forever. And I interviewed my friend Lou, who talked about when she was diagnosed with cancer. She sought comfort in the fact it was her with it and not her loved ones.

Vinny adds: One hundred shows later Im amazed by the stories people have. When youre talking to people they often say they dont have anything worth listening to, but they all have some incredible tales and experiences.

I feel honoured when they share them with me and the programme.

Vinnys own What I Wish I Knew at 25 will be aired on the Vinny Hurrell Show on BBC Radio Ulster on Monday at 10pm

If you are affected by any of the issues in this article, contact the Samaritans on 084 5790 9090, or Lifeline 080 8808 8000
The border between the Republic and Northern Ireland at Bridgend, Co Donegal

A Government proposal to create a buffer zone at the border to break the Brexit deadlock has been rejected as "half-cooked" by the DUP.

The party called on London to "put down its foot" in negotiations with Brussels as the plan reportedly drawn up by Brexit Secretary David Davis was revealed yesterday.

Sinn Fein dismissed the alleged plan as "pie in the sky thinking completely divorced from the realities on the ground". The Alliance Party said it sounded like something which would be reported on April Fool's Day.

Under the radical blueprint, Northern Ireland would have a joint regime of UK and EU customs regulations, allowing it to trade freely with both.

A 10-mile wide "special economic zone" would be created along the 310-mile border, allowing local traders to operate under the Republic's rules, thus avoiding checks.

The proposal was based on the model in place in Liechtenstein, but Downing Street last night denied that it was a runner.

"The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear that we cannot and will not accept a customs border down the Irish Sea, and that we will preserve the constitutional integrity of the UK's common market," a spokesperson said.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said the Government had not discussed the latest reported proposal with his party.

Describing it as "at best contradictory", he said it had arisen only because London had failed to "make it clear to the EU that regardless of (Michel) Barnier and EU negotiators' attempts to keep us in the customs union and the single market, we are leaving".

Mr Wilson continued: "Instead of moving from one set of half-cooked ideas to the other, it is now time for the Government to put down its foot and make it clear to EU negotiators that the Prime Minister stands by her commitment that no deal is better than a bad deal.

"And if they want to avoid the consequences then they need to stop dismissing the perfectly feasible ideas that were put forward in August of last year."

Sinn Fein's Brexit spokesperson David Cullinane TD said: "Reports that David Davis is proposing a border buffer zone for the North would be ridiculous if they were not so serious.

"The issue of the border on the island of Ireland needs real ideas and real solutions.

"Davis and the British government are instead intent on bringing forward ideas they know to be unworkable."

Mr Cullinane said that we appeared no closer to an actual framework for a post-Brexit Northern Ireland, with the UK leaving the EU in 10 months.

"This is all the more reason for real progress on the issue in time for the June EU summit," he said. "Time is being lost by this bluster on buffer zones.

"The British need to get real. The Irish government for its part needs to hold firm and ensure there is no hardening of the border on the island of Ireland."

Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said: "This is June 1, not April 1. The UK Government doesn't even seem to understand the problem that they are allegedly trying to solve.

"The challenge is to avoid a border. Simplistically shifting the problem doesn't resolve it, but actually makes it worse. Any physical barrier on the island will bring political, economic and security implications.

"Alliance does believe Northern Ireland requires special economic arrangements in the context of Brexit. But a special economic zone with double regulation does not fit the bill."

An Ulster Unionist spokesperson said: "These proposals are totally impractical and unworkable and indeed would place a question mark over the constitutional position of Northern Ireland."

TUV leader Jim Allister (left) said: "I've heard some daft proposals, but this one takes some beating. It would fly in the face of the decision that the UK as a whole is leaving the EU.

"We cannot tolerate a situation where Northern Ireland would be left half-in, half-out. If that was the government's proposal, it's time that the government was gone."

Labour MP Chris Leslie, a supporter of the Open Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, said: "If there was an award for coming up with unnecessarily complicated and convoluted solutions to self-inflicted problems, David Davis would win it every year.

"The solution to this dilemma is staring David Davis in the face: the UK as a whole must stay in the single market and customs union."

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: "More and more by the day, Tory plans are sounding like something out of Alice in Wonderland.

"The public must be given the final say on the deal, with the opportunity to exit from Brexit."

A spokesperson for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "At this stage in the process, the UK must engage in a more detailed and realistic way on the draft text of the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, including the backstop."
Ex-Communities Minister Paul Givan has hit back at Sinn Fein over criticism of his former department for its handling of an Irish language scheme.

In a report published yesterday, the Equality Commission found the department failed to comply with equality rules by not carrying out assessments before cutting the 55,000 Liofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme in December 2016 and also when creating the Community Halls Pilot Programme in October 2016.

The commission's investigation found that "both the scheme and the programme should have been treated as policies for the purposes of its equality duties and equality scheme arrangements".

"Both concern the distribution of public money based on set criteria and award processes and, in both instances, the funding options presented to the minister for decision should have been informed by an equality assessment against the objectives set for the expenditure," the report said.

Sinn Fein MLA Declan Kearney blasted the DUP over the findings relating to the department run by Paul Givan at the time.

He claimed that both decisions made by Mr Givan "contributed significantly to the collapse of the power-sharing institutions".

But yesterday Mr Givan responded by pointing out there had been no criticism of any minister within the Equality Commission report.

He also pointed out that the report notes that no equality screening was carried out before the introduction of the Liofa scheme in 2011 when Sinn Fein MLA Caral Ni Chuilin was minister of what was then the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure. Mr Givan accused Sinn Fein of displaying double standards in the party's response to the report.

"Sinn Fein can't have it both ways. Comments from the Equality Commission relating to the Liofa bursary scheme in the period after the Department for Communities was created also apply to the scheme's establishment under the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure and the then Sinn Fein Minister," he said.

"There is no criticism of any minister within the report, but if Declan Kearney is laying down ministerial responsibility then surely that must apply across the board.

"Declan Kearney says that ignoring equality legislation impacts on the public's confidence about integrity in government.

"Under the Freedom of Information Act, the Department for Communities has said that no screening was carried out for the introduction of the Liofa bursaries." He added: "There are issues raised within the report that the Department for Communities will wish to examine and act upon.

"What the report highlights most starkly, however, is the cynical opportunism of Sinn Fein."

SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone said the commission's findings again showed that the Stormont institutions needed to be restored so that decisions can be scrutinised.

He said: "It is also an example as to why we need an Irish Language Act with an independent commissioner at its core to oversee policy development and to ensure that rights-based legislation is delivered upon, independent of politicians."
One of Londonderry's leading business figures has welcomed the thinking behind the reported new post-Brexit plans for Northern Ireland.

Brendan Duddy said it was a solution that could transform Northern Ireland from a "backwater" to Europe's version of Hong Kong.

David Davis was reported to be copying the "double-hatted" model in place in Liechtenstein, which would allow the province to operate both UK and EU regulations at the same time.

A 10-mile wide "special economic zone" would be created along the 310-mile border, within which local traders could operate under the Republic's trade rules.

Mr Duddy said: "This was actually something I suggested the day after the Brexit vote, which is to be all things to all people.

"This could be the biggest economic opportunity for Northern Ireland.

"I want to be European and Irish and there are people who want to be British and I have no problem with them being British.

"People in Northern Ireland voted to absolutely to remain in Europe, so the way to square that circle is to say 'Yes' to everybody."

Mr Duddy said that the ideas could create a half-way house between Europe and America.

He said: "Why should someone who lives in Surrey or Basildon decide what we are?

"If they want to be not European, that's up to them, but the people of Northern Ireland very clearly voted to be Europeans.

"The disaster that could be coming at us in all of Northern Ireland, but especially in border towns, could be turned into an opportunity.

"I think this is workable, but I don't think special status is the right term.

"I think it would give us opportunities to create economic advantages in our area instead of being a backwater."

He added: "Look at Hong Kong when it became a special island on its own between Asia and Europe, it has boomed from being a rock no one was interested in."
A motion calling on the Irish government to expel the Israeli ambassador is to be debated at Belfast City Council next week.

Proposed by Sinn Fein's Charlene O'Hara, the motion follows last month's violence in Gaza that left 60 Palestinian demonstrators dead and thousands wounded at the hands of Israeli forces.

In the wake of the violence, Sinn Fein attempted to open a book of condolence for those who died at City Hall. However, the move was thwarted, as it would have required cross-party support and unionists were firmly against it.

Sinn Fein decided to open its own book of condolence in its designated room in City Hall instead.

Other councils across Northern Ireland have already recognised May's events in Gaza.

Two weeks ago, Derry City and Strabane District Council passed a motion to light up the council building in Palestinian colours following the surge in violence, which was widely condemned by the international community.

However, DUP councillor David Ramsey took to Twitter to voice his concern that the move was "really in support of terrorist Hamas in their attempted invasion of Israel".

Councillor O'Hara's motion, which is due to be debated at the annual meeting of Belfast City Council on Monday, also calls on the UN to investigate and bring those responsible for the "genocide" before the courts.

"This council condemns the recent attacks by Israeli forces on protesters, including women and children, in Gaza," the motion will read.

"The council calls upon the United Nations to investigate and place those responsible for genocide before the International Criminal Court and asks that the International Community and the people of Belfast stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

"With Dail Eireann having recognised Palestine as a state, the council calls on the Irish government to expel the Israeli ambassador to Ireland."

The Israeli ambassador to Ireland is Zeev Boker.
A Belfast charity is under investigation by a watchdog.

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has opened a statutory inquiry into Rehabilitate Youth Ireland, which provides support to encourage participation in hobbies and sport among young people.

The probe began on Thursday and relates to concerns about the governance and administration of the charity.

Rehabilitate Youth Ireland currently appears on the register of charities in default, meaning it has not complied with its legal obligations to provide accounts and reports to the commission.

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission said: "As part of its inquiry, the commission has appointed Deloitte (NI) Limited as interim manager of the charity as a temporary and protective measure.

"The commission's order means Deloitte is currently acting as manager in respect of the property and affairs of the charity.

"As a proportionate regulator, and so as to ensure that the investigation is fair, the commission will not be making any further comment while the investigation is ongoing."

According to its entry on the Charity Commission website, Rehabilitate Youth Ireland is established "for the relief of need amongst our youth and their families".

A spokesperson for the charity said yesterday: "We welcome the Charity Commission investigation, which was instigated by the charity itself, and look forward to moving forward with a clean bill of health."
They are the people who helped rescue more than 700 people following the sinking of the Titanic.

And now the great-granddaughter of the RMS Carpathia's captain wants your help to tell their stories.

It took over four hours to take on all surviving passengers and Captain Rostron was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal by the US Congress and appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his actions.

Carpathia braved dangerous ice fields and diverted all steam power to the engines to carry out the Titanic rescue mission.

Although lesser known than RMS Titanic and Captain Smith, RMS Carpathia and Captain Rostron played a fundamental role in the Titanic story.

To not only commemorate but celebrate the ship and the actions of its crew, Titanic Belfast, alongside the Belfast Titanic Society, has teamed up with Janet Rostron, the great-granddaughter of Carpathia's captain, to shine a spotlight on it once again.

The exhibition will showcase not only Carpathia's Titanic link but the rest of her life as a passenger ship, through her service in WWI to her sinking when she was serving as a Canadian and USA Expeditor Forces troop transport and was torpedoed off the Irish Coast.

This summer marks the 100th anniversary of her sinking.

Janet said: "As Captain Rostron's great-granddaughter, I'm keen to find out what happened to those who were saved and those who did the saving on that fateful night.

"I'm asking for relatives of both the passengers who were rescued and the crew members of the Carpathia to send their stories to media@titanicbelfast.com before June 30, 2018 to be part of the exhibition.

"These will be curated by the experts at Belfast Titanic Society, and a selection will be displayed on board SS Nomadic from July 17 until August 17."

Titanic Belfast's chief executive Judith Owens said: "Titanic Belfast tells the story of Titanic, from her conception in Belfast, to her famous maiden voyage and tragic end, and Carpathia plays a pivotal role in the story.

"This summer, we want Carpathia, the action she took and the lives she saved, to take centre stage.

"We want relatives of passengers and crew to get in touch and share their families' stories of what happened after they were saved so we can share these stories not only with Janet but visitors from throughout the world this summer."
Arlene Foster will address her first Orange Order parade in Scotland next month

Arlene Foster will address her first Orange Order parade in Scotland next month

DUP leader Arlene Foster is expected to receive a warm welcome in Scotland next month as she addresses her first Orange Order parade in the nation, calling for a more pluralist UK where all are celebrated.

However, news of her attendance has sparked criticism, with politicians from a number of political parties in Scotland claiming that Mrs Foster's time would be better spent in working to resurrect power sharing at Stormont.

Labour MP Lesley Laird said: "My advice to her would be to channel her energy into getting Stormont back up and running."

Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Willie Rennie said: "With the Northern Ireland Assembly suspended I would have thought that Arlene Foster's time would be better spent reaching across the political divide at home, rather than marching on the streets of a small town in Fife."

Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie said: "If Arlene Foster does come across the Irish Sea she'd be better off discussing how to avoid a hard Brexit or learning about the importance of equal marriage or women's access to free, safe and legal abortion, rather than taking part in yet another sectarian march."

A spokesperson for the SNP also criticised the visit.

But a DUP spokesperson hit back last night, saying: "The SNP should have weightier worries about Scotland than Arlene Foster's diary commitments.

"Mrs Foster has accepted an invitation from the Scottish Orange Order to speak at an event later this month. She will deliver the same message in Scotland as in Northern Ireland."

During her address Mrs Foster is expected to speak about the need to build a shared society, calling for a United Kingdom where people feel at home and where they feel comfortable living and working, regardless of their background.

"A United Kingdom where people feel valued will endure," she is expected to say.

"People will be reluctant to leave the Union in such a circumstance.

"There is no place in 2018 for sectarianism or prejudice against any section of our community - that includes the Orange Order."

Mrs Foster is also planning to take part in a number of other meetings during her visit to Scotland.

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland confirmed that Mrs Foster will address the parade in Cowdenbeath, Fife, on June 30.

It is expected to be attended by around 5,000 brethren and band members, as well as their supporters.

The organisation's executive officer Robert McLean told the Belfast Telegraph that Mrs Foster is greatly admired by brethren in Scotland for speaking up for unionism.

He believed it will be the first time she has attended one of the major Orange parades in Scotland.

"As far as we are concerned as an organisation, Arlene Foster is a very nice person, at least she stands up for the unionist community in Northern Ireland," he said.

"That voice is missing in Scotland.

"For years it was the Labour, okay the Conservatives have taken a turn in the last few years, but there is no one really speaking up for the Unionist people in Scotland."

Former DUP leader Peter Robinson has also addressed Scottish parades.

Scotland's main Orange Order event will take place on Saturday, July 7.
The scene of the incident on Gordon Street.

Two men have been arrested after a man was left in hospital following a serious assault in Belfast city centre in the early hours of Friday morning.

Detectives are appealing for information following the assault in the Gordon Street area of Belfast.

Detective Sergeant Adam Ruston said: Shortly after 1:30 am a man in his 30s was attacked closed to licenced premises in this vicinity.

"The man suffered head injuries as a result of the attack and is currently in hospital receiving treatment where his condition is described as serious.

"Police subsequently arrested a man in his 30s and a man in his 40s in relation to the incident and they remain in custody at this time."

Anyone with information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 153 02/06/2018.

Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
Adam Mairs, who lost an eye after a brutal attack outside a south Belfast pub, and sister Jessica

The sister of a devastated young father who lost an eye after a barbaric glass attack has revealed that her brother's children still don't know what happened to their father.

Adam Mairs (25), from Galgorm, near Ballymena, was standing outside a Belfast bar during a night out with friends when a man he didn't know "ran at him with a pint glass and viciously thrust it in his face".

The father-of-three was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital and underwent emergency surgery after the attack outside The Royal pub in Sandy Row, but unfortunately doctors were unable to save his right eye.

His sister, Jessica (29), said her only sibling was distraught after the attack, which also left him with a broken nose, cheekbone and eye socket, and he is having great difficulty coming to terms with being partially blind.

"You don't expect to lose an eye when you go out for a night with friends," she said.

"He's only 25. He has three wee daughters and he can't bring himself to tell them what has happened to him.

"Why would anyone do this to somebody? It has been a terrible shock for all of us. Initially, we didn't know how bad it was.

"It's horrendous. He's in so much pain. Our whole family is devastated - and angry, to be honest.

"We're really worried about how he's coping with this mentally. Sometimes it's as if the extent of his injuries hasn't really sunk in...but he currently has a glass eye and they're preparing him for an artificial eye."

The Co Antrim man had been out in Belfast on Saturday, May 26 with three friends before becoming the victim of what his sister described as a "totally unprovoked attack" in the early hours of Sunday.

Ms Mairs, a mum-of-two who lives in Ahoghill, said her brother - whose daughters are aged seven, five and one - had been in another bar, Lavery's, before moving on to The Royal.

She said their deeply traumatised parents - mother Ruth (55), a cleaner, and father Alastair (56), who works for the local council - were called to the hospital at around 4am, some time after the attack.

Jessica added: "Adam told me he was standing outside when some guy ran at him with a pint glass and put it in his eye. Then, while he was lying bleeding on the ground, the bar door opened and almost everyone inside it came out and started fighting with the people he was with. Nothing was said before their attackers struck.

"Adam was walking away with his head down along the road when the police found him and took him to A&E. He had emergency surgery and had to stay in hospital for four days. He only got out yesterday."

Jessica was horrified by her brother's injuries when she first saw them.

"We were there when the doctors told him he was going to lose his right eye. He didn't really take it in and I think he actually still hoped they would be able to save it," she said.

"But now that reality is hitting home he's concerned about his daughters seeing his injuries, so we're trying to give him all the support we can to get him through this awful time."

A PSNI spokeswoman said an investigation was under way.

"Police are investigating a report of an assault on a 25-year-old man in the early hours of, May 27," she said.

"Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information to contact them on 101 quoting reference 142 27/05/18."

Alternatively, anybody who knows anything about the incident can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Same sex marriage campaigners have insisted any deal to restore Stormont powersharing must include reform of a controversial voting mechanism that has blocked a law change in Northern Ireland.

Thousands of activists marched through Belfast to demand an end to the ban on gay marriage.

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Demonstrators made it clear they would not support a revived powersharing executive if it was not accompanied by a radical overhaul of the petition of concern.

As many as 20,000 people lined the sunny city centre on Saturday, according to Amnesty International.

Huge Crowd @ Marraige Equality March @ Belfast City Hall. pic.twitter.com/fO3eu8jesm  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) June 2, 2018

Chants of Change is on the way and You cant stop change rang through the air outside Belfast City Hall.

The first ever Northern Ireland Transsexual Pride event was held in Belfast earlier on Saturday.

A sister rally was also held at Derry's Guildhall Square.

A majority of MLAs backed the introduction of same sex marriage the last time it was debated on the floor of the Assembly before the institutions collapsed almost 18 months ago, but the use of the petition of concern (PoC) by the Democratic Unionists rendered that irrelevant.

The petition, which is a peace process construct designed to protect minority views in a post-conflict society, means a proposal can only be passed in the Assembly if a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalist MLAs support it, rather than a straightforward majority head count.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Activists were campaigning for an end to Northern Irelands ban on same-sex marriage (Peter Morrison/PA) PA Wire/PA Images Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  SDLP MLA and Leader Colum Eastwood NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legisl Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Labour MP Conor McGinn speaks at a marriage equality rally in Belfast. Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK MINISTER TWEETS SUPPORT TO THOUSANDS MARCHING FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Women and Equalities sends message to equal marriage demonstrators in Belfast Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from the Minister Patrick Corrigan March for equal marriage will be led by Belfast Lord Mayor Rally speakers to include Conor McGinn MP and Irish referendum Yes campaign leader Ailbhe Smyth Penny Mordaunt MP, the UK Government Minister for Women and Equalities, has tweeted a message of support to thousands of people who are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry today to demand her government legislates for equal marriage for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland. The Minister tweeted the message: @Love_EqualityNI have a great day folks! ?? attaching a graphic for the march for marriage equality [SEE ATTACHED], which is expected to attract thousands to the streets of Belfast today. Last weekend the Minister tweeted a welcome for the Yes vote in Irelands referendum for abortion law reform, pointedly noting that it was a historic and great day for Ireland, and a hopeful one for Northern Ireland. That hope must be met. Campaigners for marriage equality in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Ministers message of support, and called on her to introduce legislation to extend equal marriage to Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK or Ireland without such rights. Patrick Corrigan, the Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, one of the organisers of todays Love Equality demonstrations, said: Support from Penny Mordaunt is very welcome. As Minister for Women and Equalities, it is in her hands to change the law to end this discrimination against LGBT+ people in Northern Ireland. Tweets are welcome, but marriage equality legislation is what we really want from t Freddie Parkinson McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured speakers during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured Siobhan Craig with her dog Teddy during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX MP for St Helens North Conor McGinn speaking during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast on June 2. Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured friends Chloe Woods (L) and Charlie Dickie during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured L-R Joe Walsh, Nuala Devenney, Donna Banner, Ciara O'Neill, and Aisling Twomey before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured Anthony Kelly with his dog Jesse before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured Georgie Roulston (L) with friend Niamh Brennan and her 6 month daughter Lunasa Brennan before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured L-R Clare Moore, Lady Portia Di' Monte, Belfast Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister with her son Finn, actress Bronagh Waugh, Amanda McGurk, and Cara McCann before the Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners walking alone Royal Avenue past Asher's Bakery during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured L-R Stephen Millar, Thomas Wells, and Sigle Bhreathnach-Cashell during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX McBurney/Love Equality NI's, March for marriage equality Pictured campaigners during Love Equality NI's march for marriage equality in Belfast Date: Saturday 2nd June 2018 Location: Belfast Credit: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Copyright: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney +44 7837 685767 +44 2890 660676 liammcburney@gmail.com Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  Alex Maskey talks to Kelly Maloney First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson Mandatory Credit - Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye  First ever Trans Pride event in Writers Square, Belfast. Theme; Solidarity - come join us and show your solidarity if you believe in equality regardless of gender. GUEST SPEAKERS inc; Kellie Maloney (CBB, Presenter & Speaker) Gerry Carroll MLA (PBP) William Ennis (PUP) Alicia V Perry (Author & Campaigner) Billy Gamble (Equality Commission) Boyd Sleator (NI Humanists) & TBC (Genderjam). Freddie Parkinson / Facebook

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The DUP is far from the only Stormont party accused of abusing the mechanism, with rivals also criticised for deploying it on other issues many claim have little to do with protecting minority rights.

The party has also said it is willing to scrap the petition entirely if others, including Sinn Fein, agree.

John ODoherty, a prominent activist with the Love Equality coalition campaigning for a law change, told the rally any future deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein needed to encompass reform of the PoC.

It has been almost 18 months since the Northern Ireland Assembly last sat, he said.

I know many of our MLAs are here today. We thank them for their support.

We know that at least 55 out of 90 MLAs now back equal marriage. Yet still they cannot deliver.

No party or group of MLAs should hold a veto over people lives, over peoples rights  and this campaign will not be held to ransom by those who seek to hold Northern Ireland back, who refuse to recognise the rights of LGBT people and our families.

Our message is clear  any return of the Executive and the Assembly must include real reform of the petition of concern.

Up front reform, not an afterthought or a postscript to any deal, or a can to be kicked down the road.

And to the DUP and those who seek to use this veto to deny us our rights  history will judge your actions.

Over 75% of people across Northern Ireland now support the introduction of marriage equality  and we will not be silenced.

We will not be deterred.

In a blunt message to Prime Minister Theresa May and Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, Mr ODoherty said human rights could not be based on postcodes.

The UK Government has come under pressure to legislate on the issue amid the ongoing absence of powersharing.

Armagh-born Labour MP Conor McGinn, who failed in a recent bid to change the law through a private members bill at Westminster, warned Mrs May the issue was not going away.

The message from the thousands here today in Belfast is loud and clear, he said.

It is a message for the Prime Minister and the Government, and it is: we love equality, we stand with LGBT couples, we demand the same rights as everyone else in the UK and the island of Ireland, and we want equal marriage now.

We are on the right side of history. We will not give up. This is not going away. And we are going to win.

Join us at the #march4marriageequality Posted by Love Equality NI on Saturday, June 2, 2018

Paula Keenan and her partner Pauline Dempsey, who got married in Dublin as they were unable to in Belfast, were among those at the colourful parade.

Im a Belfast woman, this is my home, all my major life events have happened here, except one, said Ms Keenan.

I had to leave my home and go to Dublin to get married.

So Pauline and I got married in Dublin  when we go to England, Wales or Scotland, were married.

I fell seriously ill in Spain a couple of years ago, Pauline sat by my bed for five weeks, the Spanish nurses and doctors addressed Pauline as my wife.

When we visit our son in Trumps callous America, even there we are a married couple.

We spend a lot of time in Dublin with Paulines family  again, were a married couple.

We spend Sundays in Ikea the same as all the other boring married couples.

As we head home from Dublin, about 56 miles up the road, we are suddenly no longer married.

Doesnt matter if its a hard border or a soft border, were stripped of our rights as soon as we cross it.

What kind of logic is that? It makes as much sense as Northern Irelands abortion laws  and they dont make any sense at all.

Actor Bronagh Waugh, who is heavily involved in the campaign, called on Mrs May to deliver on the promise of equality.

There can be no second class citizens in the UK or Ireland, she said.

Theresa May, we have a message for you. Prime Minister, it is unacceptable that your Government is now colluding in the denial of human rights to people in Northern Ireland.

We are not second class citizens. We refuse to be treated as second class citizens.
Some of the damage caused to vehicles and other homes

Zoe Davis outside her rented house in Ashley Drive

Residents of a south Belfast street have told how they are struggling to repair the damage caused during a one-man rampage on Sunday night.

A man climbed onto roofs at Ashley Drive and during four hours of destruction, he kicked down chimneys and ripped up masonry and slates, throwing them on to the street below.

Damage was caused to at least 10 homes and three cars were destroyed before police were able to arrest the suspect.

Ruth Houston (29) was at home with her husband and their eight-month-old son on Sunday evening.

Both their cars have been written off, their chimney was destroyed and further damage caused to the roof.

She said: "The scariest thing was that my son was sleeping at the time and we just wanted to make sure he was okay, we had to get out.

"Both our cars were written off, so that's been a massive hassle as well as sorting repairs.

"I've been on the phone constantly with insurance companies and the excess payments on everything has cost us around 1,000 so far."

"I don't think the police could have done any more on the night, but it's been a very stressful week."

Zoe Davis (24) has been renting with her sister on Ashley Drive for over a year.

She showed how her chimney had been thrown through a skylight and landed in her bedroom wardrobe.

"Our landlord said he's going through insurance at the moment, but two skylights are only boarded up and we're getting rain in the house.

"It was very stressful when it happened.

"At first we thought it was just people shouting outside, then I realised there was a man on my roof.

"Now I'm worried about damp getting in, as we've worked very hard to make this house a home for us."

Next door, a 27-year-old PhD student and her fiance had just celebrated a year of owning their own home.

Gaping holes remain on their roof, a hallway window is smashed and their brand new bathroom has sustained serious water damage.

In the back yard a manhole cover was smashed through with bricks, causing drainage problems.

"When we were evacuated I screamed and cried at him, begging him to stop.

"But he just looked at me and pushed the chimney down," she said.

"We had to stand on the street for hours with nothing and watch him destroy our houses, it's very distressing.

"Now we're left to pick up the pieces, while this guy's out on bail."

Another homeowner of 14 years said damage to rooftop gas vents could have endangered lives.

"We were told if the heating was on it had the potential to cause serious injury, as the fumes wouldn't have been able to escape.

"Luckily it was a hot evening and the gas wasn't on.

"I don't know the full cost for repairs yet, but it won't be small. I'm angry."

Stephen McAuley (26) from Kilburn Street appeared in court on Tuesday, charged with assaulting a police officer and disorderly behaviour.

He was released on bail and placed under curfew.
The heartbroken mother of a teenager who died tragically six months after his father was killed yesterday pleaded with young people to seek help if they are struggling with grief.

Aodhan Ward passed away at his home in Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, on Monday.

The 15-year-old had been grief-stricken since the death of his father Nishi, whom he "idolised" and who was his "kindred spirit", Fr Brian Donnelly told the congregation at his funeral yesterday.

Poignantly the red tractor Aodhan drove ahead of his father's funeral cortege last November also led the way from the family home to the Sacred Heart Church in Plumbridge for his requiem mass.

A large section of the congregation was comprised of Aodhan's friends and school mates from Drumragh Integrated College, who were part of a guard of honour.

Aodhan's mother Jennifer, speaking from the altar, made an emotional plea for people in distress to seek help.

Paying tribute to her son, she said: "Our Aodhan was strong, our Aodhan was the life and soul of every occasion, he was the best of craic.

"He lifted all our spirits with his cheeky one-liners. He had plans for the future. He was always surrounded by people and he would help anyone.

"Everyone here would do anything to bring him back. Grief is all our love with no place to go but we have to channel all that love into helping each other.

"I know if Aodhan had been able to give us and himself more time he would have realised we can't always fix every problem but we can all help each other cope a wee bit better.

"Young people here, look around at how heartbroken we all are. We have to help each other but more importantly we have to let others help us.

"Talk, talk, please tell each other our stories and memories.

"It's okay to laugh, it's really, really okay to cry. It's okay not to be okay.

"God, if we ask him, God will give us strength."

Mrs Ward stepped down from the altar to thunderous applause ahead of the final blessings for her beloved son.

During his homily Fr Donnelly spoke of the special bond shared by Aodhan and his late father Nishi.

"The loss of someone you love is a shattering experience and that is how many of us feel today and it was how Aodhan felt when he found his father suddenly taken from him," he said.

"His father was his soulmate, they were kindred spirits and he idolised his father.

"Aodhan was everything Nishi could have wanted in a son and Nishi was every thing Aodhan could have wished for in a father.

"They were inseparable and so the grief of loss that he experienced must have gone beyond the point that he could have coped with."

Fr Donnelly said Aodhan was "still a child, not yet formed into the stature of the man he was going to be".

He added: "Who knows what was going on in his mind but had we known Aodh sense of desolation and the true depth of grief we might have reassured him that brighter days lay ahead.

"We could have assured him that life has its up and downs and days of sorrow do pass, like all things pass.

"When we are young we expect answers to come too soon, the impatience of youth, waiting for an answer for some things that only settle with time shows us we cannot put an old head on young shoulders.

"The thoughts of an old man are not those of a young man.

"We know as adults that our thinking does change with time and that what seems insurmountable in our youth, with the passage of time, will be resolved in some settled form.

"There is no accounting of how any one of us would react if we faced the sorrow that Aodhan experienced when all of his world was turned upside down last November."

Following requiem mass Aodhan was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery beside his father.

If you are affected by any issues in this article contact the Samaritans on 084 5790 9090 or Lifeline on 080 8808 8000.
Radio Ulster presenter Vinny Hurrell has revealed how the tragic death of his best friend drove him to succeed in his broadcasting career.

Stephen Nolan's quick-witted sidekick for the last decade opened up about the sadness behind his on-air laughs and said he hopes that 13 years on he's making his friend proud.

Vinny (36) said that his school years in Randalstown were tough for him and that he never really fitted in, struggling to socialise.

But just as he was at his lowest ebb he met Nuala Johnston. The two became inseparable as they journeyed through their teens and early 20s.

But tragically Nuala took her own life in 2005 aged just 24, leaving Vinny devastated.

"Nuala and I went to the same primary school," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "But it wasn't until secondary school that we became friends. To a certain extent if it wasn't for Nuala I don't know if I would have got through school."

He added: "After I graduated from university we decided we would take a year out and travel to Australia. We were saving money to go but it was not to be."

In an interview in today's Weekend magazine, Vinny explains how he heard the terrible news.

"At the end of the November I remember coming into town to do Christmas shopping and I called to Nuala's house and she wasn't at home. I decided I would call with her maybe the next day.

"I didn't really think much of it. I went home after my shift and went to bed in my mum and dad's house and was woken up the next day by the landline ringing. It was my sister and she sounded upset.

"She said that she had heard Nuala's name being read out in Mass, that they had said prayers for her.

"I said that it couldn't be Nuala, that I would know. I told her to check. But at the back of my mind, I knew.

"I don't know what your brain is doing at that point.

"But my sister rang me back and said it was definitely true. And I've never had a feeling like that. You feel like the floor has just disappeared beneath you. And it's almost like you are floating above yourself and watching yourself react to something. It was just total and utter shock and devastation."

Vinny recalled: "I knew at that point, even though no one told me what had happened. I knew it was by her own hand.

"Suicide leaves you with so many unanswered questions. And I think the frustrating part is that you never will really get answers to those questions." Urging people to speak out, Vinny said suicide is a huge issue here.

"Nuala's death changed my whole perception of life," he said. "I know it's a real cliche but nothing is guaranteed, nothing is forever, whether that is something you are going through yourself or people in your own life, or even your own existence here, you have to make the most of it."

If you are affected by any issues in this article contact the Samaritans on 084 5790 9090 or Lifeline on 080 8808 8000
Thousands of people took to the streets of Northern Ireland on Saturday to demand marriage equality.

A march was organised by the Love Equality Campaign took place across central Belfast.

Read More

The first Transexual Pride Rally was held in Belfast earlier on Saturday.

It was led by the Alliance Party's Lord Mayor of Belfast Nuala McAllister and ended with a rally in front of City Hall, hosted by Belfast actor Bronagh Waugh.

Among the speakers at the event were Armagh-born Labour MP Conor McGinn.

Join us at the #march4marriageequality Posted by Love Equality NI on Saturday, June 2, 2018

A sister rally was held in Derry's Guildhall Square.

The protests come amid intensifying calls on Theresa May to reform Northern Ireland's laws on same-sex marriage and access to abortion.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where equal marriage is outlawed.

Speaking after the event Sinn Fein Deputy Leader Michelle ONeill said that the march also showed solidarity with other causes.

The solidarity message is very clear to Irish language speakers, the victims of institutional abuse and victims of the conflict and to women campaigning for appropriate and compassionate healthcare services," she said.

This was very much a rally for equality and rights for all, for a modern society, for an inclusive society and Sinn Fein is very proud to march with them and campaign for the delivery of those rights.

Sinn Fein wants a local assembly to make decisions on the implementation of these rights."
Former Stormont Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell clashed with his Special Adviser in a London curry house, the RHI inquiry heard yesterday.

Inquiry counsel David Scoffield QC outlined the dispute and said that it resulted in the adviser, Timothy Cairns, taking an early flight home instead of accompanying Mr Bell to a meeting with UK Energy Secretary Amber Rudd.

The row was in part about Mr Bell's ability to take decisions on his own without consulting others in the DUP and ended with Mr Bell telling Mr Cairns that he wouldn't be attending the meeting with Ms Rudd.

Mr Cairns is one of a number of party appointees whose role in the bungled scheme is coming under intense scrutiny at the inquiry.

Mr Scoffield was setting the scene for the final phase of hearings into the so-called 'cash for ash' scheme.

The probe is now examining events of summer 2015, when the bungled heat incentive scheme moved into crisis, as it became clear that the likely costs of the scheme would far exceed the budget available.

The scheme closed to new applicants in February 2016.

The inquiry also heard that records of communications between DUP Special Advisers (Spads) during the period being probed by the public inquiry are scanty.

Minutes of key meetings were not kept, and much of the discussions about the scheme were confined to telephone calls -which were also not recorded, according to Mr Scoffield.

"I think it's fair to say that there's less of a paper trail in terms of relevant communications between Spads than this inquiry would have liked to have seen," the barrister told the inquiry panel yesterday.

He said that in some cases, email accounts had not been retained, and while the inquiry had analysed mobile phones where available, in some cases the call records did not stretch back to 2015.

Earlier in the inquiry, the current head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, David Sterling, claimed a culture of no note-taking had developed within Stormont departments due to the fear among ruling parties of details of sensitive discussions being made public through the freedom of information process.

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme was established to incentivise businesses to shift to renewable energy sources by offering a proportion of the costs to run eco-friendly boilers.

But in Northern Ireland the subsidy tariffs were set too high and without a cap, so it is ending up paying out significantly more than the price of the fuel.

The botched scheme sparked a political row that resulted in the collapse of Stormont in January last year.

The inquiry into the issue was set up to establish the facts and to investigate why costs spiralled.

The probe is chaired by retired judge Sir Patrick Coghlin, a former Court of Appeal judge.

The final phases of the RHI probe will feature further oral evidence from former DUP minister Jonathan Bell, as well as former First Minister Arlene Foster, and from DUP Special Advisers.
Peter Robinson has denied asking a DUP Special adviser to send confidential government documents to his son.

The former First Minister spoke out yesterday after startling claims made by DUP Spad Andrew Crawford during his evidence at the RHI inquiry.

In February 2015, Dr Crawford sent a privileged legal document from the Department of Enterprise to Gareth Robinson, a lobbyist and the son of the former DUP leader.

He told the inquiry he was probably asked to send the information by Peter Robinson - who was First Minister at the time - or his adviser Richard Bullick.

He said attaching the legal letter to the email had been a "clumsy" mistake and unintentional.

He also said that as Gareth Robinson was the First Minister's son, he was likely to reply to him more quickly than to other PR firms.

In response, Peter Robinson told the BBC's Stephen Nolan show he did not ask Dr Crawford to send the information or ask Richard Bullick to give him this instruction. He also said he was not aware if Richard Bullick had made any such request.

Now, the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, David Sterling, has been called on to investigate the issue. Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken told the BBC that the leaks called into question "what was going on with classified documents?".

"And if I was David Sterling right now, I'd be looking to get a leak inquiry on the way."

Dr Crawford served as Arlene Foster's main adviser when she was Enterprise Minister and the botched RHI scheme was established.

The legal letter he sent to Gareth Robinson was linked to a controversial planning case involving a John Lewis store at Sprucefield, which had effectively been blocked by the Environment Minister at the time.

The Department of Enterprise opposed this in a legal case, and details of the case were circulated within the department, which Dr Crawford sent to Gareth Robinson.

The former Spad said he did not believe the letter would have been of any value to him, but the RHI inquiry counsel Joseph Aiken told him he should not have done this.

Earlier this week, Dr Crawford also denied he had engaged in insider trading after he had sent Deti information to an executive at poultry firm Moy Park.

In addition, he also said he had sent information about changes to the RHI scheme to family members with interests in the poultry sector.

He maintained throughout that he had never consciously sent any information of a sensitive nature to outside parties.
A 20-year-old woman died in hospital and five other people were treated for serious injuries (Yui Mok/PA)

A third man has been arrested after a woman was killed and several others injured when a BMW car ploughed into pedestrians at a car meet.

Police were called to Europa Way, in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, at 9.50pm on Thursday to reports a car had collided with a number of people.

Emergency services attended and seven people injured in the collision were taken to hospital.

A 20-year-old woman later died in hospital and five other people were treated for serious injuries.

A third man has been arrested in connection with a fatal collision in Trafford. He remains in custody for questioning https://t.co/hkgSaTCvhl  Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 2, 2018

The car failed to stop at the scene, but a blue BMW 330D believed to have been involved in the collision was found in the Salford area later that night.

On Saturday police arrested a 24-year-old man in the Swinton area of Salford, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He remains in custody for questioning.

A 21-year-old man who was arrested on Friday morning has been bailed pending further inquiries and a 26-year-old man arrested on Friday afternoon has been released under investigation.

Sergeant Brian Orr, of Greater Manchester Polices Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: Our investigation into this tragic incident is continuing and earlier today we made a further arrest.

That man remains in custody and will be questioned later today, however I would continue to urge any member of the public with information that can assist us to please come forward.

Information can be passed on to the Serious Collision Investigation Unit by calling 0161 856 4742 quoting incident number 2409 of 31/05/18 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Just before the abortion referendum was held last week, I predicted that, whatever the outcome, the controversy would continue. So it has proved.

This past week has witnessed a vast outpouring from both camps, and some of it has been vitriolic and deeply un-Christian.

This has taught me more about the true nature of life in Ireland and the role of the churches than almost 40 years of our depressing political situation, in which Northern Ireland has shown its inability to govern itself and has appeared as a backward place still ruled by 17th century mores.

The reaction to the Yes vote by many members of the Catholic Church was deeply distasteful and off-putting.

The No camp is behaving as if the resounding result had not happened, and by ignoring the reality of modern Ireland, it is putting yet more people off religion.

I heard some people on radio claiming that those who voted Yes had effectively excommunicated themselves and were not worthy of receiving the sacraments, including communion.

That sounded even more bigoted than even the worst hardline Protestants, who have disfigured their religion by trying to impose their narrow rules on everybody else.

It is amazing that so many members of the Catholic Church, which is losing people by the day, have still not got the point.

The old days of hitting church members with the bishop's staff have long gone, and people are not blindly accepting what any church teaches.

This does not apply only to the Catholic Church. The Protestant churches were careful not to order people how to vote in the referendum, but they strongly opposed a Yes vote because of its implications for abortion on demand.

Yet within the Protestant churches, there was open dissent. At least two Church of Ireland bishops said they would vote Yes, as did Dr Fergus O'Ferrall, the Methodist Lay Leader.

The Presbyterian Church issued one of its strongest statements, declaring a No vote was the only way to protect the unborn.

It also described the Dublin government's proposals to legalise abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy as "regressive, incompatible with human dignity and morally unacceptable".

Yet how many Presbyterians and other Protestants in the Republic ignored their churches' advice and voted Yes?

It seems incontrovertible that some of the Yes majority included Protestants.

The stark lesson for the churches is that people are making up their own minds nowadays. So what are the churches going to do about it?

Mairia Cahill summarised the mood when she said: "The Catholic Church is perfectly entitled to take a moral position on abortion, but I don't think that they are entitled to judge others who take a different point of view.

"I have a huge problem with men in frocks telling women what to do with their bodies."

The Protestant churches, which opposed abortion on demand but acknowledged that terminations might be justified in extreme circumstances, reacted better to the referendum result than the Catholic Church, which is painting itself into a corner.

The Presbyterians, Anglicans and Methodists accepted the result with sadness, and they are clearly determined to press the Dublin government to fulfil its promise to make abortion rare in Ireland.

This is a big claim that's unlikely to bear fruit.

A new abortion law is likely to be abused as much as used, and many who voted Yes are apprehensive about the idea of allowing abortion on demand up to the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

There is much still to be done to produce a law which permits abortion but which also prevents a widespread abuse of the legislation.

Meanwhile, both camps in Northern Ireland should pause and reflect.

The Yes support is being turned into a noisy circus, and many of the No diehards are using language and arguments that crucify the compassionate and loving Christ all over again.

Tragically, they also need forgiveness, for they too know not what they do.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid out his vision for an open, inclusive "Indo-Pacific region" in a keynote speech Friday during the opening of a high-level international security conference in Singapore.

Modi told the Shangri-La Dialogue meeting that Southeast Asia was central to this regional vision, which he said must be based on a common, rules-based order where all nations had the right to equal access to the sea and skies.

Inclusiveness, openness and ASEAN centrality and unity, therefore, lie at the heart of the new Indo-Pacific, Modi said, adding that his vision of the region was not limited to just those nations.

Modis speech came against the backdrop of tensions and security concerns within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc around Chinas perceived territorial expansion into the disputed South China Sea, and as India - Asias second most populous nation next to China  competes with it for regional influence.

This world is at a crossroad. There are temptations of the worst lessons of history. But, there is also a path of wisdom, he said as he became the first Indian leader to give the keynote speech to open the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual meeting billed as Asias premier security summit and that draws defense ministers and top officials from at least 40 countries.

This years meeting, the 17th edition of the dialogue, goes for three days.

It summons us to a higher purpose: to rise above a narrow view of our interests and recognize that each of us can serve our interests better when we work together as equals in the larger good of all nations. I am here to urge all to take that path, Modi told the audience.

Positive elements

The Indian prime minister said the region was not defined by geography but by a series of positive elements.

First, it stands for free, open, inclusive region which embraces us all in a common pursuit of progress and prosperity.

Second, Southeast Asia and ASEAN are central to the future of an Indo-Pacific region, he said.

That is the vision that will always guide India, as we seek to cooperate for an architecture for peace and security in this region, he said.

Modi said the third element was the belief that common prosperity and security required evolution through dialogue to establish a common rules-based order for the region. Rules and norms must be based on consent, not on the power of a few nations.

It also means that when nations make international commitments, they must uphold them. This is the foundation of Indias faith in multilateralism and regionalism; and, of our principled commitment to rule of law, he said.

As a fourth element, Modi stressed that all nations should have equal access to the sea and skies. And this would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law.

Solutions cannot be found behind walls of protection, but in embracing change, Modi said.

He also warned against nations returning to the age of great rivalries for power.

I have said this before: Asia of rivalry will hold us all back. Asia of cooperation will shape this century, he said. So, each nation must ask itself: Are its choices building a more united world, or forcing new divisions? It is a responsibility that both existing and rising powers have.

By working together, he said, nations will be able to meet the real challenges of today.

We will be able to ensure non-proliferation. We will be able to secure our people from terrorism and cyber threats, he said.

Other relationships

Modi discussed Indias efforts to strengthen its military and to build on regional partnerships with ASEAN and other nations to push for peace and security while offering humanitarian and disaster relief. He specifically noted Indias military relations with Singapore, Vietnam and Japan.

Modi also addressed Indias relationship with the United States, Russia and China.

He talked about his informal summit in Russia 10 days ago, where he and President Vladimir Putin shared views on the need for a strong world order for dealing with todays challenges.

Modi praised his nations global strategic partnership with the U.S. that continues to deepen, he said.

An important pillar of this relationship is our shared vision for an open, stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, he said.

As for China, Modi said no other country has as many layers as our relations with China.

We have displayed maturity and wisdom in managing issues and ensuring a peaceful border, he said, even as China pushes a major expansion program in Southeast and South Asia.

China is moving forward with its Belt and Road Initiative, a geopolitical strategy to build a vast network of ports, railways and roads that would connect China to the region. Political analysts said the massive infrastructure initiative involved a long-term strategy for economic expansion that would also lead to a quiet encirclement of India, Chinas main rival in South Asia.

I firmly believe that, Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together in trust and confidence, sensitive to each others interests, Modi said.

Indonesia visit

The Indian prime minister arrived in Singapore following visits to Indonesia and Malaysia. Modi came to Singapore after a brief stop in Kuala Lumpur, where he meet with Mahathir Mohamad, the 92-year-old prime minister of Malaysias newly elected government.

I have just paid my first visit to Indonesia, Indias neighbor, 90 nautical miles close and not 90 nautical miles apart, he said.

The visit to Jakarta led to an agreement to strengthen defense ties including the development of a strategic naval port in Sabang at the mouth of the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest shipping channels in the world.

Modi, a Hindu, and Indonesia President Joko Jokowi Widodo, a Muslim, discussed the importance of interfaith dialogue to create peace while promoting democracy and human rights. They agreed to hold interfaith dialogues in each country in the coming year.

My friend President Widodo and I upgraded India-Indonesia relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Among other shared interests, we have a common vision for maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, he said.
Stacy Keller with the Community Crisis Response and Intervention program addresses Moncks Corner town council on May 15.
South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution (right) have sought to bring the South Carolina Humanities Festival to Moncks Corner in 2020.
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In a dramatic takedown by a short seller of a world-famous brands top leader, Samsonites chief executive resigned after an attack on his credentials and the companys corporate governance.

The worlds largest luggage maker said CEO Ramesh Tainwala has stepped down and said the resignation was in the companys best interest after its board reviewed Blue Orca Capitals allegations that Mr Tainwala falsified educational credentials. Chief financial officer Kyle Francis Gendreau has taken over as CEO.
By Eamon Quinn

The group representing the might of US multinationals in Ireland has voiced its concerns about the risks of an escalating global trade war, but has urged the EU to negotiate with the US president Donald Trumps White House.

The decision by the Trump administration to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium that the US imports from the EU, Canada, and Mexico has led to condemnations across the world and raised fears that the world for the first time will turn its back on global free trade deals policed by the World Trade Organisation.

The EUs plans to hit back at new US tariffs include hiking duties on a range of imports from the US, from blue jeans and rice to the proverbial kitchen sink.

In eight closely typed pages of documentation lodged at the WTO in Geneva, the EU has set out 25% tariff increases that are in part aimed at hurting the electoral districts of some of President Trumps allies, Reuters reported.

That explains motorcycles ... of a cylinder capacity above 800 cc, which targets Harley-Davidson, built in the home turf of House Speaker Paul Ryan, and bourbon whiskey, aimed at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells Kentucky electors. Intriguingly precise targets such as canoes and manicure or pedicure preparations, dried shelled kidney beans or chewing tobacco and snuff are included. Playing cards, too, are hit  but only with an additional 10% duty.

A second EU list of a similar length has also been published at the WTO, lining up new targets for later if the trade dispute is not resolved.

A joint Franco-German statement said the EU would take all appropriate measures in response to the US decision, but did not spell out what appropriate meant.

German economy minister Peter Altmaier, a signatory to that statement, had said a month ago that EU states still needed to determine whether and when to apply the countermeasures.

The moment of truth, had arrived, said French trade minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.

Along with Mexico, Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, has also ripped into Mr Trump.

But the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland chief Mark Redmond urged negotiation and for the EU to avoid going ahead with its new lists of sanctions on US imports into the EU, saying that 15m jobs across the US and Europe rely on trade between the two blocs.

Directing his plea to Brussels, Mr Redmond said: The introduction of tariffs is very serious, and it is very important that the EU seeks a negotiated solution rather than potentially escalating the situation.
Update: A man who died following an assault at a pub in Mitchelstown last night has been named locally as Patrick O'Donnell.

The 36-year-old father of four lived in the locality.

Mr O'Donnell died following an incident at Willie Andies Pub at New Square in Mitchelstown at around 11pm last night.

There was an altercation at the premises between Mr O'Donnell and another man. He collapsed after the assault and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A man in his 20s has been arrested and gardai are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.

Patrick O'Donnell. Photo: Provision

Earlier: Gardai make arrest after man dies in assault in Co. Cork

A man has died after being assaulted in Cork last night.

It is understood the incident happened at Willie Andies Pub at New Square in Mitchelstown at around 11pm.

Emergency services attend the scene but the man in his 30s died a short time later.

His body will be taken to Cork University Hospital for a post mortem after the State Pathologist carries out a technical examination.

A Garda on duty outside Willie Andies pub in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, following the incident. Pic: Denis Minihane

Another man in his 20s has been arrested and taken to Fermoy Garda station where an incident room has been set up.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses, and detectives have also gathered CCTV footage from the pub.

It is believed the venue was quite busy at the time as a local festival was taking place in New Market Square.

Gardai on duty outside Willie Andies pub in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, following the incident. Pic: Michael MacSweeney/Provision

An incident room has been set up at Fermoy garda station and gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them on 025-821-00.
They met in November on the Bachelor in Paradise, and got engaged just a few weeks later after a whirlwind romance, and now it seems that a (televised) wedding and babies are not far off for Tara Pavlovic and Sam Cochrane ... well, that's if the latter has anything to do with it.

Tara Pavlovic and Sam Cochrane, who got engaged on this year's The Bachelor in Paradise, at the Farewell Fashion Show, hosted by Uber and Australian Red Cross at Paddington Town Hall on Thursday. Credit:Kai Leishman

At the Farewell Fashion Show, hosted by Uber and the Australian Red Cross, this week in Sydney the refreshingly open and loved-up pair spoke to Fairfax Media (and sort of amongst themselves too) about how he would like to get hitched by the end of the year, while Tara, daughter of '80s dating game show Perfect Match host, Debbie Newsome, would prefer a little more time.

"The idea of planning a wedding scares me because I know there is so much to do. Like, where do I even start?" she asked.

"The location and time," Sam replied.
There was one distinctly common thread among all the accolades, plaudits and tributes that flowed this week for the late actor Cornelia Frances, who died on Tuesday following a battle with cancer: she was nothing like any of her characters.

For nearly half a century Frances was known for playing some of the toughest, most sharp-tongued, curmudgeonly and deeply unlikeable characters on Australian television.

Cornelia Frances, the archetypal "villainess" on Australian television for nearly half a century. Credit:AAP

Author and actor Judy Nunn said: "Everybody who knows Corney  and she had many friends who deeply admired and loved her  would say she was one of the most generous, good-hearted, all-embracing and warm people you could meet."

Evidently she was a master of her craft, creating characters the polar opposite of her true self.
Rachel McAdams (left) as Esti and Rachel Weisz as Ronit in Disobedience. Credit:ROADSHOW FILMS "My character time-travels in a way," Weisz says. "She's going back to her childhood but it's also time travel because she's going to live amongst a community where the mores haven't changed for hundreds of years. They're not part of modern life. They don't have the internet or TV and all that stuff. And I grew up down the road from this place. It's four stops north of Golders Green, which was my stop, so I would see these people sometimes on the way to school. It's like the '50s, but it's happening right now." I ask Weisz what it felt like to do her first love scene with a woman. Rachel Weisz as Ronit in Disobedience. Credit:ROADSHOW FILMS "Less stubbly," she says. "Softer. I think we both felt very vulnerable and there was a real sweetness. I don't know if male actors ask this question but I know women normally think, 'Is this sex scene really necessary?' And in this case, it's essential. The whole story of repression leads up to this moment. I think, particularly for Esti, the release of this big orgasm that she had was also a spiritual moment. It's about freedom."

Weisz seems to float above Hollywood's tortured relationship with women. She says she has not had any #MeToo experiences and after her kickstart in The Mummy franchise, she has managed to find sultry and strong female roles in a series of indie films and a few big-budget ones. She has started her own production company, LC6, to look for more projects to tell stories about women. "I really enjoy all the thousands of movies I've seen about men," she says. "I mean, there are some great masterpieces. But there's just a dearth of ones about women. I love women. Women are just really fascinating and different to men." Besides her production of "a little human" with Craig, Weisz has been optioning novels and has six other movies focusing on women in the works. One is a Paper Moon-style comedy set in wartime England called Crooked Heart, based on a book by Lissa Evans. It is the story of a pair of grifters who pretend to be a mother and son. "It's the opposite of a noble war story," Weisz says. "They're running around, her and this little boy, with made-up collection boxes for made-up charities, and it's funny."
Sarah Snook takes on the famou s15th century saint in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Even though it was first performed in 1923, George Bernard Shaw's story of the peasant girl who rose to become a great leader couldn't be more relevant. From the high schoolers in the US leading the fight against gun control to Malala Yousafzai taking on the Taliban over women's education, teenage leaders are so hot right now. "I've been looking at people like Emma Gonzalez," says Snook of the teenager who survived February's Florida high school massacre and went on to lead a march on the White House for gun control. "They don't really see things in grayscale, they really only see it in black and white. I think it's an amazing age when you're a teenager, you can be quite easily swayed into idealism, as you're discovering these broader worlds, and principles. "And then, when what you think is right, what you've been told is right, suddenly isn't what is happening, you rebel. And if you have a force-of-nature character like Joan did, you sometimes succeed."

In his epilogue, Shaw suggests Joan would still be burnt at the stake because people in the 1920s were no more tolerant of the outspoken. Today, it would be the Twitter trolls assembling their troops. "She probably wouldn't even get to the point of battle," says Snook. "People would have been, 'Mate, your miracles are bullshit. We don't believe you.' "She'd be a total lunatic. People would just describe her as bipolar, she would be put into a corner and not thought of before she got to do anything amazing." Judy Davis (left), Sarah Snook and Kate Winslet in Jocelyn Moorhouse's Credit:gmaddox@fairfaxmedia.com.au This is Snook's first time on stage in Sydney since 2010, when, fresh from NIDA, she was hailed as "one to watch" by the Herald after performances in S-27 and Crestfall at Griffin.

From the outside at least, it has been a charmed run since then, with the actor skipping mainly between film and TV and picking up awards for everything from romantic comedies about testicular cancer (Not Suitable For Children) to a sci-fi film about a gender swapping time-traveller (Predestination). Directors have praised her - Jocelyn Moorhouse, who Snook worked with on The Dressmaker, called her "one of those unique, one-in-a-million talents" - while her Predestination co-star Ethan Hawke said she was "unlike anything I've seen before". Snook received a late call-up to Saint Joan in January after Yael Stone withdrew after she discovered she was pregnant. "If I'd known about this a year ago, I would have panicked for a year." she says. "Instead I'm just panicking for three months." What does a panicked Sarah Snook like?

"A lot of quiet muttering. And then quickly opening a book and thinking, 'Oh, what can I learn from here?' and then throwing it away and going, 'Ah, it'll all come down to me! What am I doing?' " She says she still gets nervous, and playing opposite Ralph Fiennes in last year's Master Builder at the Old Vic in London was "terrifying". Sarah Snook with Benedict Samuel in the ABC's adaptation of Credit:sellis@fairfaxmedia.com.au "There's not a lot you can do when you're faced with it, you either jump in or leave," she says. "This job I was doing just recently on Succession, I was convinced I was going to be fired. "For no good reason, other than I thought that was a good thing. I thought it was better being fired than doing something I was so scared of doing.

"Then you get it done and come out the other side and say, 'Thank god I did that because I learnt so much and it was such a challenge. "That's why it's going to be fun playing Joan, because she doesn't have any of that doubt. She's so teenage in her spirit. I was full of doubt when I was a teenager, but there are parts of you that don't doubt anything and you run headlong off a building and see if you can fly." Maybe she should take a little bit of Joan with her? "I do take a little bit of each character with me as I go along, which is fun. Like taking a bit of Sal [the feisty convict mother] from The Secret River was good. She's a good one. I try not to take the ones who are not nice." Like the two-timing Anna from the ABC miniseries The Beautiful Lie?

"Nah. She's on her own." Snook is fresh from the set of Succession (the show she was convinced she was going to be fired from), the hyped HBO TV series from British comedy writer Jesse Armstrong (Peep Show and In the Thick of It) with gold-star Hollywood backing (it's executive produced by Anchorman and The Big Short director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell) and a stacked cast headed by Brian Cox. She plays Shiv Roy, the daughter of ageing mogul Logan Roy (Cox), who is fighting with her siblings over who will control the enormous media empire once dad keels over. Is it, by any chance, based on an Australian media mogul we may have, ahem, heard of? "What publication are you with?"

Not that one. "It's easy to draw those parallels and, sure, you'd be most welcome to," she says, laughing. "But any kind of patriarch in a family that's got a lot of money, whether it's media, oil or whatever, these kinds of family dynamics crop up. It's just more interesting to base it on a media mogul family because it has an effect on the rest of the world." Alan Ruck (left), Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook in a scene from HBO's Succession. Credit:HBO Early reviews (the show premieres this month) have lauded it for its savage humour, with the Hollywood Reporter labelling the Logans a "reptillian" mix of Dynasty's powerful Carrington clan with the dysfunction of the Bluths from Arrested Development.

Snook was filming Succession in New York when the Harvey Weinstein sexual assualt stories broke, triggering the #MeToo juggernaut that focused on sexual harassment and gender equality. As one of two women in Succession's core cast of eight, she says she felt empowered by #MeToo and it gave her the confidence to raise conversations with her co-stars about harassment and equality. "It's not a vilification of all men, it's about the behaviour of certain men who don't treat women like humans," she says. "And it's the systematic behaviours that are allowed to be not acknowledged and allowed to go unchecked and unpunished. "On the greater scheme, it's sexual assault and everything else, and then on the smaller scale, it's just an off-handed comment about someone's appearance on the set, and how that may relate to your genitals or whatever. "Sure, you could say that as a joke, but maybe we should rethink if you're allowed to say those things as a joke."

Snook readily refers to herself not just as as a feminist, but as a humanist as well. "I'm a feminist at heart and definitely all for teaching our children how to treat each other more like humans," she says. "You can be a feminist, and I think we need to be feminists, but in the end we all need to work towards being humanists. We should be equal." She admires fellow Australians such as Margot Robbie who have started their own film production companies and hopes one day to be in a similar position when the right project comes along. Sarah Snook would like to eventually produce her own work. Credit:NIC_WALKER In the meantime, Snook is happy to be back in Sydney, where she once worked as a fairy at children's parties when she was at NIDA, and catching up with friends.
The great bulk of new reserves set aside by the Berejiklian government for koala habitat offer no new protection for an animal whose numbers are plummeting in some regions of the state, new mapping analysis shows.

The government last month hailed the release of its $45 million koala strategy as "the biggest commitment by any state" to protect the "national treasure".

Koala reservations planned for NSW have been criticised by environmental groups. Credit:Erik Veland

But mapping details obtained by environmental groups show 82 per cent of the reserves being set aside were already designated Forest Management Zones offering koalas protection.

Worse, just 2 per cent, or 554 hectares, were deemed high-quality koala habitat according to the governments own modelling. All of the 12 areas also in the hinterland lie away from the coastal regions that often have the best habitat for the marsupial.
By the time you read this, the menu (and the chefs) may be entirely different  and that's a good thing. It's not because the enterprise aims to be hyper-exclusive; it's quite the opposite. The ever-changing nature of Four Brave Women means it can offer opportunities to as many refugees as possible.

4 Brave Women Cafe in Summer Hill. Credit:Brook Mitchell/Fairfax Media

Located within the Trading Circle shop in Summer Hill, Four Brave Women is a collaboration with Settlement Services International, which helps asylum seekers adapt to Australia and begin their new lives.

An eight-week residency gives refugees a chance to test-run their hospitality ambitions, giving them enough time to see if those recipes that were a hit in their own home will translate to a commercial kitchen. The residency also means they can build a following without the make-or-break pressure of investing their entire life savings into a cafe or restaurant while dealing with the added stress of adjusting to life in a new country.

The safety net of Four Brave Women includes guidance from the Trading Circle, a reasonable rate for rent, promotional support and professional advice from Kate Spina, who has worked at well-regarded restaurants such as Flying Fish and Cafe Paci (as a chef, she can help guide home cooks into scaling up recipes from their typical "serves four" portions to a bulk size that can feed a lunchtime or dinner crowd).
Alfred Allen, originally an architect from Sydney and given the honorary rank of major, was accused of selling the contents of 300 Red Cross parcels which then turned up among the residents of Villers-Brettoneux. Allen had also allegedly done nothing when told of irregularities including "disturbing mistakes such as crosses bearing wrong names and being placed over random graves". 'Major' Alfred Allen was known as 'the body diviner'. Credit:Missing in Action by Marianne Van Velzen (Allen and Unwin) One senior official, Colonel Hogben, according to Missing in Action, didn't like "all those crosses marked as unknown soldiers one bit and in a newspaper interview said he would do everything in his power to put a name to a cross". "Major" Allen seemed to be the answer. For months Allen had been finding bodies all over France and putting a name to them. It aroused "considerable suspicion" that a man with no military background had more success than the British. He became known as "the body diviner". Using his trusty steel rod, he seemed to be able to find bodies on land that had already been cleared.

The book states: "As accusations, suspicions and misgivings mounted, it became clear to the court that the 'Australian Graves Services had suffered severely in the past from lack of organisation and supervision'." Author Dutch journalist Marianne Van Velzen said there was poor leadership, rough soldiers were expected to act like civil servants and there was no definite plan. "Two of those in control were originally a farm hand and a miner  they'd never had a job like this." Part of the problem was that at one point the English started paying a premium for every body found; this resulted in bodies being dismembered and the parts offered as the remains of more than one soldier. Another problem was that some of the dead had two or maybe three dog tags on them. Where their friends had died before them, soldiers took them to give to the Red Cross so that their mothers at home could be notified. But then an individual holding several tags might be killed themselves. "It would be very difficult to say that a certain person is lying in a certain grave. At the time the weather conditions were horrible. They made makeshift crosses, wooden ones, and they blew away. What they had written on them was unreadable after a time with the rain and the snow. I think maybe a large section is right but I think also there may some that don't hold the people they are supposed to hold."

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission said in a statement that archived documents paint a picture of dedicated individuals who developed a set of rules and carried out their duties with dignity and to an excellent standard. "They did so because they knew the value of the work to those at home and out of a sense of duty to the dead themselves  which in many cases may have been their comrades or friends. "It would be foolish to suggest that errors were not made  no organisation as deeply human as the commission is infallible  but in our century of experience these were neither significant in number nor a deliberate attempt to fabricate records or provide false hope. "In fact, our records show the contrary  that identifications were examined again and again and even redacted if evidence was not forthcoming or contradicted an original view. They also include details of large-scale exhumations carried out at a number of early cemeteries in Belgium and France to 'test' the work of the Graves Concentration and Registration Units. The results proved that the units were doing a good and accurate job and should set minds at ease. "Where there was any question of identity, specially designed memorials and headstones were used  for example in cemeteries damaged by shellfire you will see headstones that say Believed to be... or Buried in this cemetery or Buried near this spot.

"If errors (supported by evidence) come to light today, the CWGC will correct its records and, on those very few occasions when necessary, adjust the physical form of commemoration accordingly. "Today, neither the CWGC, nor our member governments, permit the exhumation of existing war graves for the purposes of reactive identification. It is our firm belief that the war dead should be left to rest in peace." A family's search for the truth The difficulty of finding the remains of loved ones to ensure they were buried in a properly marked grave proved too much for many. On the morning of July 20, 1916, the 5th Division lost 5533 men in less than 24 hours. One of them was Lieutenant Robert Burns who died near Fromelles as he reloaded his machine gun for the hundredth time. Lieutenant Robert Burns (far right) died near Fromelles. Credit:Missing in Action by Marianne Van Velzen (Allen and Unwin)

What the Australian Graves Services may not have been ready for was the determination of his father, Colonel James Burns, former commander of the Australian 1st Light Horse Brigade, and a Sydney businessman, in finding the remains. After the war the Germans stated there were five mass graves at Fromelles near Pheasant Wood where the body was most likely buried. Under pressure to get a result Allen, the body diviner, found a cross placed by the Germans at Fournes-en-Weppes, two miles down the road from Fromelles, and decided "on the spur of the moment" that this was Burns' final resting place. However, when a family member demanded to be present at the exhumation he became less certain. He wrote saying he now thought the grave contained someone else. He later changed his mind back again. Permission to attend the exhumation was bluntly refused but a family representative managed to attend. The grave yielded up one officer and four soldiers, all British. Allen told a second inquiry that he had walked around Pheasant Wood but had seen no signs of a mass grave. In more recent times, two historians, Lambis Englezos and Peter Barton, did their homework and found the mass graves. In 2009 the remains of 250 Australian and British soldiers were exhumed. Among them was the body of Lieutenant Burns, identified through DNA in 2010.
A woman is dead and two men seriously injured after a double stabbing and a carjacking in and around Bega, on the Far South Coast of NSW, on Friday afternoon.

Police arrested a 20-year-old man near Sapphire Coast Drive in Bournda about 8.20pm on Friday, following an extensive search of the area surrounding Bega.

Police have spoken to the media about an alleged major incident in which a woman died and two men were critically injured - in Bega and Bournda - on Friday.

The whole thing is just a terrible event, Inspector Sue CharmanHorton, South Coast Police District duty officer, said at a media conference in Bega on Saturday morning.
A ground-breaking new report on murder in Australia has provided overwhelming proof of the gendered nature of domestic and family violence.

The report shows that men commit more than 80 per cent of murders between couples who have a history of domestic violence. The overwhelming majority of those men had a history of abusing the women they ultimately killed.

In the 20 per cent of murders committed by women, over two-thirds were women killing men who had been abusing them. Of the 152 murders examined by the report only two cases were found where a woman killed a man she had a history of abusing.

Fiona McCormack, CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria, says it is vital to recognise how gender is a factor in family violence.

The fact that family violence is primarily perpetrated by men and overwhelmingly experienced by women and children can be a deeply uncomfortable truth, but unless we have the courage as a community to look at why it is that some men choose to perpetrate violence, well never be able to fix this, she said.
A taxi driver was found injured in Melbourne's CBD early on Saturday after being attacked by three men.

A passerby called police after the driver was set upon in Lonsdale Street just before 3:30am. He had suffered head and face injuries. His phone had been stolen but was later found.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police were unable to say if the driver was attacked inside his taxi or on the street.

Police are searching for three men who they believe were involved in the attack but do not have any descriptions of the offenders.
An investigation by this newspaper found compliant bank officers assisted Arico at three of the big banks, providing him with loans that washed millions in drug money. The banks could hardly suggest they were blindsided, as a simple Google search would have shown that Rocco was no Rockefeller. Tony Mokbel built a drug empire called The Company and - although police initially declared he lacked financial acumen - became a millionaire many times over. In 1995 he owned one suburban pizza shop with known assets of $128,000 - six years later he was worth $15 million, which meant he would have had to sell a tad under 700 pizzas a day, or one every two minutes. While he invested $20,000 a week on Tattslotto and washed millions at Australian racetracks, his biggest asset was a tame bank insider who authorised dodgy loans for his team. A favoured financial adviser would fill out the applications with doctored documents that enabled the Mokbels to launder at least $10 million, while the adviser was paid a bank commission for bringing in new customers. Tony Mokbel. Credit:AP When Mokbel came crashing down, police seized 54 residential properties, two farms, 30 cars, an oceangoing yacht, a Caulfield horse stable, a country hotel, the Brunswick Market, a Sydney Road car park, a pizza parlour, four jetskis, 75 per cent of a champion racehorse, cash, jewellery and 3 million Linc Energy shares, which the crooks bought at 20 cents and the government sold at $2.

And, you guessed it, the bank was at the front of the queue to get its money back. Mokbel was another who couldnt retire gracefully. Linked in 1997 to a $78 million drug lab and arrested for a massive chemical importation in 2001, he jumped bail while facing cocaine charges, fleeing to Athens. The menu from Tony Mokbel's pizza parlour included "Tony's Special". Taken with a pinch of salt. He may have been able to disappear if he hadnt continued to run his Australian drug network, leading to his arrest and a minimum jail term of 22 years. It is clear that money, not guts or guns, runs the underworld and it is surprising how often hitmen get ripped off. One killer who did a job in the 1980s was paid in counterfeit notes and while Mokbel is alleged to have offered $150,000 to kill gangster Lewis Moran, the hitman who did the job says he was short-changed $10,000.

Carl Williams promised $100,000 for the murder of Jason Moran, but the shooter later told police he was only paid $2500, while the notoriously tight Lewis Moran offered only $50,000 to kill Williams. No wonder there were no takers. Williams also offered the hit team of Stephen Asling and Terrence Blewitt $150,000 to kill Graham The Munster Kinniburgh. Again Williams failed to pay, but as both he and Blewitt are dead, and Asling has been sentenced to life in prison, it can now be written off as a bad debt. (As the funeral directors who organised Carls service have done - they are still owed $15,390.) Graham "The Munster" Kinniburgh. Credit:The Age Speaking of such matters, The Munster was a regular at the exotic Flower Drum restaurant, once commenting he had spent 50 grand on fried rice. When the generous gourmand was shot dead outside his Kew home, a check of the books showed an unpaid account of over $5000. The restaurant owners decided against making a claim on the estate. If Kinniburgh had drifted into retirement, he might still be alive. As Australias most successful safebreaker he was not short of money  even if it originally wasnt his  but he continued to run with the wrong crowd.

50 grand's worth is a lot of fried rice. Credit:Paul Jeffers John William Samuel Higgs was another who prospered through dirty launderers and refused to pull his head in until it was legally guillotined. The former bikie was Australias biggest speed dealer (while others moved kilos, he moved truckloads). Police found $1,773,491 went through Higgs hands in 10 years. He also bought a fish processing plant, a Geelong business and a trawler on the NSW south coast. He used a town planner to run an excavating business, exported powdered milk to Vietnam and horse feed to Malaysia and planned to set up a fake company to get federal government subsidies to export to Asia, then import huge heroin hauls on the return. He moved $600,000 overseas through a corrupt lawyers trust account, then allegedly invested $18 million in city real estate - and $10 million in Queensland land.

Often warned by corrupt police that he was under investigation, he almost certainly organised the 1997 drug squad break-in where confidential documents and tapes were stolen. Jailed for a relatively modest six years, he could have retired on his release to live off his illegal investments, but he was addicted to drug dealing and was soon back in the trade. In 2013 he was sentenced to a minimum of 14 years for importing 15 million ecstasy tablets with a street value of $440 million hidden in tomato cans. While he will be past 80 when he is finally eligible for release, it must be said he survived on the outside for a time with the aid of corrupt police. But the trouble with being a bent copper is that everyone knows what you earn legitimately and so if you turn up in the police car park driving a Lamborghini, tongues will wag. One rogue Victorian cop received a bum rap in the early 1980s when he owned a grey Condor, a kit car that looked like a new Ferrari. It was powered by an Escort 1600 motor and didnt have a luxury car price tag, but sitting next to workmates second-hand sedans it raised eyebrows. (He ended up going to jail, but that was on another matter.)

Take the colourful and notoriously corrupt former NSW detective Roger Rogerson. Back in 1985, when on a wage of around $30,000, he managed to deposit more than twice that sum in just four days in NAB accounts under false names (the final total was $110,000). Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson days before his dismissal in 1986: The beginning of the end. Credit:Fairfax Media Roger said much of the money came from the sale of a Bentley motorcar that he helped restore, but a Melbourne prostitute known as "Miss Jones" had a much more believable story. Miss Jones gave evidence she carried an estimated $100,000 from her then boyfriend, Dennis Bruce Allen, that she gave to Rogerson at the Sydney Airport in exchange for 2.5 kilos of white powder, believed to be heroin. In a bid to destroy Miss Jones credibility the defence used one of her previous statements where she alleged she had been raped by a Victorian detective with an abnormally large penis. Rogersons team threatened to provide evidence that it was well within normal parameters. How they were going to do that was never adequately explained.
Sanchez, the 46-year-old head of what has been Spain's main opposition party, has never held a government post.

Minutes after narrowly winning a no-confidence vote in parliament, the Socialist party leader signaled a change in tone and priorities from Rajoy's unbending commitment to reducing the national debt during his more than six years as prime minister.

Madrid: Prime Minister-elect Pedro Sanchez vowed Friday to root out the corruption that helped bring down Spain's outgoing conservative government and pledged to help people affected by years of public spending cuts under his predecessor, Mariano Rajoy.

He said he would address what he called the "social emergencies" of Spaniards after years of government austerity.

"I'm aware of the responsibility and the complex political moment of our country," Sanchez said in brief comments to reporters after the 180-169 vote in the Congress of Deputies, Spain's parliament. One lawmaker abstained.

Sanchez will be sworn in Saturday at 11 am (7pm AEDT) by King Felipe VI at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid and will appoint his Cabinet over the coming days. His triumph was a dramatic return to the spotlight after being fired as party leader less than two years ago.

Sanchez said he intended to call elections before the end of this parliamentary term in 2020, but he didn't say when, and he probably will want to make his mark first with some headline policies before going to the polls.

A tough path lies ahead for his minority government, however. It will face a political minefield as it tries to steer legislation through parliament by winning support from rival parties. The Socialists only have 84 seats - just under a quarter of the total.
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The websites may be down, but the shows will go on!

The online homes of at least seven Brooklyn venues have gone blank this weekend, as the result of a hacking attack on their ticketing system earlier in the week. The Bell House, Union Hall, and Littlefield are among those that use the Ticketfly system, and each of their sites have been replaced with a notice that Ticketfly has been the target of a cyber incident. Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken all Ticketfly systems temporarily offline

But the online incident will not affect the shows on the stage, according to Littlefields co-owner.

Everything is going as planned, said Julie Kim. Were been trying to let people know they can buy tickets the old-fashioned way, at the door.

And for those who bought their tickets before the site went down can still pick them up at ticket booth, she said.

We have a list of ticket holders for all our shows this weekend, said Kim.

According to Ticketfly, the same is true at the other affected Brooklyn venues, which also include Williamsburg hot spots Babys All Right, Union Pool, and Brooklyn Bowl, as well as Greenpoint heavy metal bar St. Vitus. Several of the venues have taken to Twitter and Facebook to assure concert-goers that the events are moving forward.

Shows will continue as scheduled and tickets (if available) will be for sale at the door, tweeted Union Hall.

Several venues have moved to the ticketing site Eventbrite, which recently purchased TicketFly, to host their shows. The Bell Houses upcoming Kaiju Big Battel of costumed wrestlers on June 3 is now available on Eventbrite, and so are all of Brooklyn Bowls upcoming weekend events.

But there is no news about when the sites might be back up, according to Ticketflys website.

Unfortunately, we dont have a specific timeline to share right now, said the site. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by this incident and are working around the clock to resolve the issue and get all Ticketfly systems back up and running.

Owners of the affected bars seemed understanding about the difficulty of Ticketflys situation.

The folks there, theyre working very hard, said Kim.

Also if you know anyone that works at @ticketfly, buy em a beer or a dessert or feed them or something this weekend. Those guys have always treated us really well, tweeted Saint Vitus Bar.

For those readers who have not yet made plans for the weekend, here is all the information this paper could find about upcoming shows at the affected venues:

Babys All Right [146 Broadway between Bedford and Driggs avenues in Williamsburg, (718) 5995800, www.babys allri ght.com ]

June 1: Music, The Longshot at 7 pm. Sold out.

June 2: Music, Chaos Chaos, Bunny Michael, Sur Back at 8 pm. $12.

June 2: Nightlife: More Life Drake Night at 11:30 pm. $unlisted.

June 3: Music, Wilder Maker, Alpenglow, Zzzwalk at 8 pm. $10.

Bell House [149 Seventh St. between Second and Third avenues in Gowanus, (718) 6436510, www.thebe llhou seny.com ].

June 2: Comedy, Never Not Funny at 7:30 pm. Sold out.

June 2: Nightlife, Party Like Its 1999 at 9:30 pm. Free.

June 3: Event, Kaiju Big Battel at 3 pm. $15$30.

Brooklyn Bowl [61 Wythe Ave. between N. 11th and N. 12th streets in Williamsburg, (718) 9633369], www.brook lynbo wl.com .

June 1: Music, Deadphish Orchestra at 7:30 pm. $15.

June 1: Music, Cut Copy at 10 pm. $25.

June 2: Music, Kung Fu at 8 pm. $15.

June 2: Music, Margo Price and the National Reserve at 10 pm. $25.

June 3: Family, Rock and Roll Playhouse presents the music of the Rolling Stones at 12:30 pm. $15.

June 3: Music, Wolf Alice and the Britanys at 10 pm. $25.

Littlefield (635 Sackett St. between Third and Fourth avenues in Gowanus, www.littl efiel dnyc.com ).

June 1: Nightlife, Wasabasscos Get Your Nerd On Burlesque show at 8 pm. $15$30.

June 2: Comedy, A Night of Problem Areas with Wyatt Cenac at 8 pm. $8$10.

June 2: Nightlife, Reggae Retro First Saturdays Party at 10 pm. $15$20.

St. Vitus (1120 Manhattan Ave. between Clay and Box streets in Greenpoint, www.saint vitus bar.com ).

June 1: Music, SCD, Viscera Infest, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Afterbirth at 7 pm. $16.

June 2: Music, Punk Goes Classical at 1 pm. $10 suggested donation.

June 2: Music, Kataklysm album release party at 7 pm.

Union Hall [702 Union St. between Fifth and Sixth avenues in Park Slope, (718) 6384400, union halln y.com ].

June 1: Comedy, Brattitude at 8 pm. $6.

June 1: Nightlife, 90s Sing-along Summer Jams at 9:30 pm. $10.

June 2: Nightlife, Live Karaoke for the Resistance at 8 pm. $15.

June 3, Comedy, Police Pals Live! at 8 pm. $unlisted.

Union Pool [484 Union Ave. at Meeker Avenue in Williamsburg, (718) 6090484, www.union -pool.com ].

June 1: Music, Giant Peach record release show at 8 pm. $unlisted.

June 2: Music, Derodoorian and LRain at 2 pm. Free.
What went wrong? Who messed it up? The day after Air India disinvestment failed to take off, government officials across ministries and departments spent hours trying to find an answer to these questions. Many of those spearheading the sale put the blame on the dealmakers and advisors for failing to attract potential bidders, others pointed at the industry for the fiasco.

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Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



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Digital Editor
It is with a certain dread every autumn that some companies described by Amazon.com Inc. as its technology partners gather at a Las Vegas convention and find out if Andy Jassy has new plans to encroach on their turf.

These firms run their software on Amazons vast array of servers  part of what is known as the cloud  and from there sell use of their programs to others. Over nearly three hours, the boss of the Amazon Web Services unit walks the stage, revealing a road map of brand-new features Amazon itself plans to offer, a few of which inevitably ...
Colon cancer drugs cost twice as much in the United States as in Canada, but added expense does not translate to longer survival, according to a study of insurance claims data from Washington state and neighbouring British Columbia presented on Friday. Some US politicians, such as Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, have called for a single-payer system along the lines of Canada, where the government pays healthcare costs, while others warn such a move could lead to rationing and subpar care. This study looks at a single-payer system versus our system, said Dr. ...
Having a mental illness makes people more vulnerable to becoming the victims of a crime, a recent analysis suggests. Based on nationwide data from more than 2 million people in Denmark, researchers found that in the 10 years following a diagnosis with any psychiatric disorder, a mans risk of being the victim of a crime that was reported to police rose by 50 per cent. For women, the risk went up by 64 per cent compared to women without mental illnesses. The greatest increased danger was from violent crime: mens risk of being a victim rose by 76 per cent while ...
Police on Saturday booked unidentified stone-pelters for attempt to murder and rioting while charged the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) driver with rash driving in connection with Friday's clashes in the old city that led to the death of a 21-year-old youth.

"Two cases have been registered in the Nowhatta incident, a police official said.

He said an FIR was registered against unidentified persons under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 148 (rioting), 149, 152, 336 and 427 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).

Another FIR has been registered against the driver under Sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 RPC, the official said. Further investigations have been taken up, he added.

Two youths were injured after they were allegedly hit by a vehicle during clashes between protesters and security forces in Nowhatta area of in Jammu and Kashmir.

The duo was taken to Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) hospital at Soura where one of them -- Kaiser Bhat -- succumbed to death.
At least six people were reportedly killed in lightning strikes across West Bengal. A UP government spokesperson on Saturday said that most of the deaths were caused due to falling of trees and house collapse. Moradabad bore the brunt of the storm, with as many as seven deaths reported from the district, followed by three deaths from Sambhal, the state ...

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Digital Editor
Hearing loss is one of the most severe forms of disability and the second most common impairment in the world. A World Health Organization (WHO) report suggests that around 6.3 million people in India suffer from either complete or partial deafness, and of these at least, 50 lakh are children.

Even though deafness is common globally, experts say that there is a need for awareness and to increase the level of attention paid to this issue. There are two categories of hearing loss in children and adults  conductive and sensory neural hearing loss. Hearing loss may develop due to ...
For Europe, the first move was easy. Officials swiftly announced plans to strike back with retaliatory measures against President Trumps tariffs on steel and aluminum while vowing a legal challenge. The next move is more complicated and uncertain. Though European leaders project unified resolve in confronting what they portray as American bullying that breaches the rules of global trade, they have not proved adept at setting aside national differences in pursuit of common aims. And Europe at the moment appears especially divided and internally conflicted. ALSO READ: Ready to ...
The EU has launched its first counteroffensive against Washington's punishing steel and tariffs while the US began meetings in Canada with outraged finance ministers from its top trading partners.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump floated the possibility of scrapping the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement in favour of separate bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico.

Brussels and Ottawa filed legal challenges at the World Trade Organization against Washington's decision. The EU, Canada, and Mexico also threatened stiff retaliatory tariffs as they pushed back against President Donald Trump's multi-front trade offensive.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "deeply disappointed" and reiterated a call for Britain and the EU to be "permanently exempted" from the "unjustified" metals tariffs.

As the Group of Seven ministerial opened in Canada, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin faced stern reaction from his counterparts, who accused Trump of jeopardising the world with steps that would prove job killers for all concerned.





ALSO READ: I like free trade, but want fair trade: Trump warns of reciprocal tariff

Canada Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the G7 discussions would be "difficult." "We are sending the message that these measures are not helpful," he told reporters.

And French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Europe "will not negotiate with a gun to our heads." They are joined at the meeting by officials from Britain, Germany, Italy, and Japan.

"Unfortunately, we are being treated to a G6 + 1, with the United States squaring off against the rest and risking the economic destabilisation of the planet," Le Maire said.

The US imposed the tariffs in March, but gave Canada and the EU -- the biggest sources of foreign and steel for the US -- a grace period that ended at midnight Thursday.



ALSO READ: U.S. commerce secretary to press China to buy as allies seethe over tariffs

Trump's decision drew furious responses from Canadian President Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor and French President

The EU is preparing to slap tariffs on US products, including bourbon, motorcycles, and blue jeans, worth up to 2.8 billion euros ($3.3 billion). "If players in the world don't stick to the rulebook, the system might collapse. That is why we are challenging the US and China at the WTO," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said.

Macron told Trump in a telephone call that the tariffs were "illegal," and Merkel said the measure "risks touching off spirals of escalation that in the end hurt everyone." Canada unveiled a package of counter-tariffs on US imports valued at Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion).





ALSO READ: U.S. isolated at G7 meeting as tariffs prompt retaliation

And Mexico said it would impose retaliatory duties on a variety of US goods, including steel and a host of agricultural goods, including pork, apples, and cheese.

The prospect of a global has roiled financial markets this week even if they were back in positive territory on Friday due to upbeat US economic data.

Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding argued that the direct impact of a US-EU on the world would actually be rather small. Nevertheless, "Trump's contempt for rules can deal a significant blow to business confidence especially in trade-oriented nations," Schmieding said. The WTO's former chief, Pascal Lamy, also said the damage would likely be limited in concrete terms.





ALSO READ: Canada files WTO complaint over 'illegal' US steel tariffs

"We have to keep things in proportion," he said on the French radio station France Info. He estimated that the economic impact of the tariffs would amount to "a very small part of trade flows as a whole." But others have estimated the impact as up to a full point off global growth, if the conflict expands and retaliation goes into effect.

The German carmakers' federation described the imposition of tariffs as "incomprehensible." "In a connected, global economy, customs barriers don't benefit anyone, including the United States," the VDA federation said.

Germany's carmakers are especially braced for the latest threat from Trump, who earlier this month launched proceedings that could eventually slap 25 per cent tariffs on auto imports.

"I know he has a very particular problem with German cars," warned Malmstrom.





ALSO READ: BMW may source more US steel after Washington imposed tariffs on imports

US companies, too, have warned about the negative impact of the tariffs which will raise their costs.

"Plans by US manufacturers to expand will be put on hold indefinitely," said Paul Nathanson, a spokesman for the Coalition of American Metal Manufacturers and Users, adding, "Companies will be forced into difficult choices about technology, investment, and jobs."
Google, hoping to head off a rebellion by employees upset that the technology they were working on could be used for lethal purposes, will not renew a contract with the Pentagon for artificial intelligence work when a current deal expires next year. Diane Greene, who is the head of the Google Cloud business that won a contract with the Pentagons Project Maven, said during a weekly meeting with employees that the company was backing away from its AI work with the military, according to a person familiar with the discussion but not permitted to speak publicly about ...
Last week, Ireland voted to repeal a constitutional ban on abortion. Almost before that epochal change can sink in, the government is taking steps to end another practice backed by the Catholic Church: a provision that gives preference in most of the countrys elementary schools to children who have been baptised. Under a school admissions bill that passed the lower house of the Irish parliament this week, Catholic elementary schools would be barred from discriminating in favour of children of their own religious ethos. The bill still must pass the upper house ...
US President confirmed that his Singapore Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would take place on June 12, and said it would begin the process of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump's announcement came at the end of a nearly 80-minute meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol.

Kim Yong Chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump.

"The meeting went very well. We'll be meeting on June 12th in Singapore. It went very well. It's really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation," Trump said at an impromptu press conference with the White House pool soon after the North Korean envoy left.

Kim Yong Chol arrived in Washington DC after two days of talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York.

Trump acknowledged that denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was going to be a long process. "I think it'll be a process. I never said it goes in one meeting. But the relationships are building, and that's a very positive thing," he said.

Confident that the North Koreans wanted to achieve this goal, he said they want other things along the line. "I think they want to do that. I know they want to do that. And they want other things along the line. They want to develop as a country. That's going to happen. I have no doubt," the US President said.

Trump said countries in the region Japan and South Korea were also involved in this. "We're involved in terms of getting everything. Everybody wants the United States. So we're going to help in the process. Without us, it wouldn't happen. But I think that you see a lot of very positive things, including with China. I think you see a lot of very positive things happening with President Xi, who has helped me quite a bit with this. So we'll see where it leads," he said.

The President went on to confirm that the summit would take place in Singapore on June 12.

"It will be a beginning. I don't say and I've never said it happens in one meeting. You're talking years of hostility, problems and hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end," he added.

Responding to a question, Trump said he had never cancelled the meeting. His letter to Kim Jong-un was in response to statements coming from them.

"My letter was a response to their letter. The media forgot that. You know, the media said, 'Oh, you had a meeting, then you cancelled.' I didn't cancel the meeting. I cancelled it in response to a very tough statement. And I think we're totally over that. Now we're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process," he said.

"We are meeting with the Chairman (Kim Jong-un) on June 12 (in Singapore). It is ultimately going to be a successful process," Trump said.

The president described the letter as very interesting and nice. "It was actually very interesting because this was literally going to be the delivery of a letter, and it ended up being a two-hour conversation with the second-most powerful man in North Korea," he said.

"We talked about almost everything. We talked about sanctions," Trump added.

Based on the talks, Trump said the North Korean leader was committed to denuclearisation.

"I do think so. He'd like to see it happen. He wants to be careful. He is not going to run and do things. But I told him, to be honest with you, look, we have sanctions on; they're very powerful sanctions. We would not take sanctions off unless they did that. But the sanctions are very powerful. You're going to see how powerful sanctions are when it comes to Iran. You see what that's doing to Iran," he said.

The President said he looked forward to the day when the sanctions could be lifted



Trump, however, said the current level of sanctions on would remain. "It's going to remain what it is now. I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore because we're getting along," he said.

He said the United States was unlikely to offer much aid to North Korea, which would be taken care of by South Korea and Japan.

Responding to a question, Trump said he was concerned about the recent visit of the Russian foreign minister to Pyongyang.

"I didn't like it, but it could be very positive, too. I didn't like the Russian meeting yesterday. If it's a positive meeting, I love it. If it's a negative meeting, I'm not happy," he said.

Trump said they also talked about ending the Korean war. "We talked about ending the war. This war has been going on -- it's got to be the longest war -- almost 70 years, right? And there is a possibility of something like that. That's more of a signing of a document that it's very important in one way. Historically, it's very important. But we'll see. We did discuss the ending of the Korean War," he said.

The United States, Trump said, was going to ensure the security of Kim Jong-un. "We're going to make sure when this is over, it's over. It's not going to be starting up again. They have a potential to be a great country. I think South Korea, Japan and China are going to help a lot," he said.
Filmmaker Brian De Palma became a horror movie icon when he helmed the 1976 film 'Carrie', and now more than 40 years later, he is returning to the genre to create a Harvey Weinstein horror film.

De Palma, 77, said the sexual abuse and harassment allegations against Weinstein will be the premise of his latest work, reported Variety.

"I'm writing a film about this scandal, a project I'm talking about with a French producer. My character won't be named Harvey Weinstein, but it will be a horror film, with a sexual aggressor, and it will take place in the film industry," De Palma told French publication Le Parisien.

De Palma, also known for directing 'Scarface', 'Dressed to Kill', 'The Untouchables' and 'Blow Out', did not elaborate on how soon the script would be completed.

His next release will be the crime thriller 'Domino', starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Carice van Houten, and Guy Pearce.

The director is not the only one in Hollywood working on an adaptation of the Weinstein story, as playwright David Mamet said earlier this year that he wrote a play about the disgraced movie mogul.

More than 80 women have publicly accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to rape.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday equated the alleged murder of its party workers in West Bengal's Purulia district to a 'political murder'

"It's a political murder...so far 19 BJP workers have been killed. The recent killings in West Bengal are inhuman. We condemn this brutal political murder and the murder culture. The people of West Bengal will teach a lesson to those who indulge in such acts. Political murder has no place in a democracy," Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar said in a press conference.

The BJP leader further claimed that in the wake of recent incidents, the West Bengal state election commission has become the "Mamata election commission."

"I challenge to say, if in Purulia district there would have been fare elections we would have been the ruling party. However, the state election commission has become Mamata election commission," he said.

Earlier in the day, the body of a BJP worker, Dulal Kumar, who went missing on Friday, was found hanging from a pole in Balarampur of Purulia district.

This comes a week after the body of another BJP activist, Trilochan Mahato, was found hanging from a tree in the same district on May 30.

As per the West Bengal police, the investigation into the death of Kumar was handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID).

However, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya wrote to the Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged murder of its party workers in Purulia.

"We do not trust the state government, police or the CID. Hence, we want the NHRC to conduct a thorough investigation in the incident," the letter read.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday asked the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to again take all necessary steps to prevent the entry of illegal migrants into the state, including Rohingyas from Myanmar.

In a letter sent to State Chief Secretary Bharat Bhushan Vyas, Anuj Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, called on the state government to "kindly review this matter (of the entry of illegal migrants) and issue instructions to take necessary steps and share updated information in the prescribed form .. as soon as possible.."

In particular, the Home Ministry expressed its serious concern over Rohingyas and other foreigners who have already entered and are illegally staying in India, including in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The letter from the ministry said, "Such illegal migrations poses serious challenges and has security implications since some of the migrants have been found to have indulged in illegal activities and are vulnerable to radicalization."

It further states, "It has been brought to the notice of the Government that some of the Rohingyas/foreigners are involved in crimes, anti- activities, money laundering, procuring fake/fabricated Indian documents; and some of them have illegally and fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents e.g. Pan Card, Voter Card, etc."

"Most of these persons have entered India illegally, and many of them have taken (the) help of organised groups of touts and agents," the letter added.

The Home Ministry's letter said that five detailed steps/instructions have been issued to all states from time-to-time for taking action against those Rohingyas/foreigners who have entered and are staying in India illegally.

These were as follows:

. Restrict them to specified identified locations and their activities/movements be strictly watched by State Police/Intelligence Agencies.

. Each one of them must be identified, personal particulars (name, date of birth, sex, place of birth, father/mother names, address in Myanmar/some other country, nationality, etc. may be captured and got signed by such illegal migrant/their guardian.

. Biometrics of illegal migrants, including Rohingyas be captured to ensure unique identification/de-duplication and to prevent impersonation in future. FRO must coordinate with UIDAI to ensure that no Aadhar Card other documents are issued to Rohingya immigrants, which may later help them in claiming to be Indian citizens.

.The personal particular forms/identity documents of such Rohingyas/foreigners to be shared with the Government of Myanmar through MEA for their nationality verification, issue of travel documents and repatriation to Myanmar.

. Keep a watch on their movement and activities and ensure action for their repatriation/deportation as per Law/Policy/Instructions.

The Home Ministry reminded the Government of Jammu and Kashmir of its letter of October 12, 2017, wherein the prescribed form for incorporating the personal details of Rohingyas/foreigners has been issued.

Saturday's letter comes almost six months after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh appealed to all states to be vigilant on this issue.

He called upon states to be cautious and not allow any form of illegal migration to take place from across the border.

It is estimated that there are about 40,000 Rohingyas residing in India.

In January this year, the Centre told the Supreme Court that India could not become the "Refugee Capital of the World". The apex court was then hearing a petition of two Rohingya refugees who were demanding Indian citizenship and other rights.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress Councillor Gurdeep Singh was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Goal Bagh Stadium here on Saturday.

A wrestling enthusiast, Singh was practising at the above-mentioned stadium when unidentified suspects shot multiple bullets, killing him on the spot.

In the aftermath of this, security has been beefed up in Amritsar.

According to Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka, Singh had allegedly received death threats in the past.

"He (Gurdeep Singh) had received threats before as well. We need to take this incident seriously and think about how to tackle law and order issues. This is a disgrace for the Police department and I think these gangsters have challenged the police and the government," said Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka.

Meanwhile, Amritsar Police Commissioner S. S. Srivastava said the police is actively engaged in nabbing the perpetrators.

"It is too premature to say (if gangsters shot the councillor). It is suspected to be the work of gangsters. Apparently, the victim was shot three times. We take any serious crime as a challenge and we will not only take strict legal action against them but are really going to go after them," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama appreciated the ancient Indian knowledge as he said it helps to tackle negative emotions and could help to contribute to peace.

Addressing a gathering in Kangra on Saturday, the Dalai Lama highlighted the relevance of India in the Buddhist and said if the country takes lead in combining its ancient knowledge of emotions and spiritualism with modern education, India will become inspiration for many Buddhist countries.

He mentioned that one of his lifelong commitments is to revive this "ancient yet scientific" tradition in modern India by incorporating it in the education system.

He further stressed the need to impart environmental education right from the childhood.

The Dalai Lama also commented upon the role of media in the society.

"The role of media is to objectively inform and educate people, based on truth and facts."

During the addressal, the Dalai Lama called the Tibetans residing in China as the followers of the Nalanda tradition.

He cited an example to substantiate his statement as he said, "Now many Chinese university scholars describe Tibetan Buddhism as an authentic Nalanda tradition and some Chinese scholars are now opting to study Tibetan Buddhism and language.

He noted that those who appreciate Tibetan Buddhism are also sympathetic towards the Tibetan problems.

Many dignitaries, including former Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Tenzin also known as Samdhing Rinpoche and recent President of Tibetan government-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, attended the event.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the battleground is getting set for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, another Congress-triggered alliance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun taking shape. Mirroring the 'Mahagathbandhan' template of the Bihar assembly elections of 2015 and the recent Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) combine in Karnataka, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress are in talks of a similar alliance in Delhi.

As per sources, informal talks between the Congress party and AAP started on May 24, with Jairam Ramesh and Ajay Maken representing the former.

Source, who wished to remain anonymous for this article due to their proximity to alliance talks, further added that the AAP approached the Congress for the alliance, with an offer of a 5:2 ratio for seat sharing in Delhi-- five seats for the AAP and two for the Congress.

The Congress party, however, demanded for three out of the seven seats, which are- New Delhi for Sharmishtha Mukherjee , Chandni Chowk for Ajay Maken and North West Delhi for Rajkumar Chauhan. However, talks may have hit a stumbling block as AAP is not willing to give up more than two seats to the Congress.

The speculations about the rumoured alliance got a further boost after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday praised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Twitter. It is worthy to note that Kejriwal had earlier been a strong critic of Manmohan Singh going as far to say in 2013 that, "Manmohan failed to check corruption within Congress and his own government". However, BJP's ever expanding footprint in the country has now made once bitter foes, the best of friends.

"People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh," he tweeted.

However, it is still not clear whether Congress president Rahul Gandhi has given a green signal to the party to work on the alliance.

Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP appointed Lok Sabha prabharis (in-charges) in five of the seven parliamentary constituencies in the Capital on Friday. The appointees include Atishi Marlena and Raghav Chadha, who were recently removed from the posts of advisors to ministers on the recommendation of the Union Home Ministry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Blue Circle organized its latest event on 25th May 2018 at The Leela, Gurgaon where Gurcharan Das spoke on "Making a Life vs. Making a Living". The talk was moderated by Pavan Choudary and was attended by a distinguished audience of more than seventy CEOs and Industrialists.

The Blue Circle is an exclusive community of like-minded & Thinking Industry Leaders. A community that learns, entertains and bonds together in an atmosphere of trust and true friendship.

The discussion began with Gurcharan Das citing Freud, "One is happy if the people he works with and the people he lives with at home are happy." And added that earlier a job had only to provide an income whereas today people seek purpose, creativity, contribution and status through a job. How can one find such a job? How can one find one's calling?

Pavan said, "The romantic world view is that every talented person will somehow experience a pull from his calling almost spontaneously. One's professional destiny would be just revealed to him. This we know is a myth. Finding one's calling requires wide exposure, wise assistance and often many years of searching."

Gurcharan Das proposed that the greatest works which have been written in fiction and non-fiction should be studied by the parent, teacher and the student. He strongly recommended reading the 100 greatest books.

Pavan underscored the importance of this by saying that different eras have been repositories of different kinds of wisdom. Many of these streams of thought have got lost, muddled or submerged. These 100 books help you rescue these lost nuggets and make your understanding about life more well-rounded.

Siddharth Anand, the founder of Blue Circle said, "Currently Ashoka University, is the only institution in India which runs the 100 Greatest books program. Through its Future Leaders Program, The Blue Circle selected two fellowship students from Ashoka University who got a chance to attend this event and interact with distinguished guests."

Both Gurcharan & Pavan happened to be fans of Marcel Proust, the early 20th century French Writer who after years of social climbing, on reaching the "high society" found that wealthy or famous people were neither the most virtuous nor the most interesting nor wise. He came to the conclusion that virtues, vices and even intellect are scattered irrespective of wealth or renown throughout the society. We must similarly expect wisdom to be sparsely scattered across society and be looking out for it and ready to receive it from any quarter.

Siddharth said, "Aware of these learnings, Blue Circle members are chosen through a careful screening process, through a Credibility Scoring Test that it has developed. Our objective is to assist Leaders in collaborating with people of their kind to learn and grow together." Prospective members could either be invited by the advisory board or referred by an existing member.

Siddharth is convinced that the last word on Leadership Care is yet to be written but with The Blue Circle he writes the latest.

The session ended with questions from the audience which deepened the theme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A massive fire broke out at a leather company office, located at Barrister Nath Pai Road in Mumbai, in the wee hours of Saturday.

The firefighters reached the spot immediately to douse the flames.

Meanwhile, a fire officer received injuries during the operation.

No casualty has been reported so far in the fire incident.

More details are awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dr. Ajay Khera, Deputy Commissioner from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with global mental health expert and one of Time 100's most influential people, Prof. Vikram Patel launched a novel parent mediated program for autism for India's leading mental health NGO, Sangath in New Delhi on Saturday morning a the India Habitat Center. The NGO hosted an open panel discussion and short film screening with eminent leaders in the field of autism and mental health from India and the UK.

The project, called COMPASS (Communication centered Parent mediated intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders in South Asia), is a collaboration between an impressive list of institutions including University of Manchester, Havard Medical School, Sangath, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated Lok Nayak Hospital, AIIMS, National Health Systems Resource Centre and Kings College London. COMPASS will train ASHA workers (government community health workers) to visit families in their own homes, to deliver the program under the supervision of the NGO's health staff.

Autism is a developmental disorder, which causes social communication difficulties and impacts one in a 100 children. India will have more than 2 million children with autism under the age of 10 years. Most services in India are currently based in urban centers and delivered by specialists, which means that most families have no access to help for their children.

Dr. Gauri Divan, who leads the project in India said, "This is such an opportunity for us to work towards filling the gap of autism care in India. We are excited to be working with the ASHA workers in Delhi. We have seen that they have sensitive counseling skills which will help us to train them to be effective delivery agents for our autism intervention."

Prof. Jonathan Green, the Chief Investigator from the University of Manchester who is visiting Delhi said, "We hope that this work will pave the way for the establishment of relatively low cost evidenced and effective interventions to improve the lives of the many autistic children in India."

One of the panelists, a parent advocate of a child with autism, Shamika Ravi, emphasized, "Knowledge of autism is limited everywhere in India, and the gap is particularly severe in underserved communities. We endorse this effort and eagerly await empirical evidence which can be scaled up across the country."

Pallavi Shankar a parent of a child with autism, was clear that only, "When changes start happening at the policy level and not just in photo-ops events for autistic children, then change will truly happen and legitimize the childhood of those on the spectrum."

As the lead of the AIIMS child neurology service, Dr. Sheffali Gulati felt that, "The main stay of management for disabilities is a home based approach, parents play a central and pivotal role. Having trained ASHA workers in the loop will be of great additional value if this is found to work."

Dr. Monica Juneja, who oversees the child development clinic in Maulana Azad Medical College assoc Lok Nayak Hospital, "Significant results of this landmark study might open up the avenue for a play based intervention that can be delivered in homes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indrani Mukerjea, former head of INX Media and the prime accused in Sheena Bora murder case, was on Friday admitted to Mumbai's JJ Hospital.

Mukerjea reportedly complained of chest pain, following which she was rushed to the state-run-hospital.

Mukerjea is currently facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora.

Earlier in April, she was hospitalised in JJ Hospital following an alleged drug overdose.

On a related note, 24-year-old Sheena was abducted and killed on April 24, 2012, allegedly over a financial dispute, and her body was disposed of in a forest in adjoining Raigad district. Bora was Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship.

Indrani and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna were arrested in August 2015 along with her former driver Shyamvar Rai, while Indrani's present husband Peter Mukerjea was nabbed in November the same year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Japanese lady was allegedly raped by a taxi driver in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu, police said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the police has registered a case and arrested a person in the connection.

"Case has been registered and one person also arrested. Victim has been sent for the medical test," said Superintendent of Police, Kullu, Shalini Agnihotri.

"As per the victim the accused is a taxi driver. Further investigation underway," she added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United States First Lady Melania Trump will not accompany her husband President Donald to Camp David over the weekend.

With this, it has been the last 22 days that Melania last made a public appearance.

The First Lady last made a public appearance on May 10, when she accompanied her husband at Andrews Air Force Base to receive the three American detainees from North Korea.

Trump is scheduled to leave for his presidential retreat in Maryland, while Melania will remain at the White House over the weekend.

On May 14, Melania was admitted at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, where she underwent an embolization procedure to treat a benign kidney condition.

As per a White House official statement, the operation was successful. She was discharged on May 20.

Melania's absence led to many people making widespread rumours and conspiracy theories.

On May 31, Melania tweeted that she was doing great at the White House.

"I see the media is working overtime speculating where I am & what I'm doing. Rest assured, I'm here at the @WhiteHouse w my family, feeling great, & working hard on behalf of children & the American people!" Melania wrote on the micro-blogging site.
Palestine and Turkey on Saturday lambasted the United States decision of vetoing a resolution of the United Nations Security Council calling for the protection of Palestinian citizens.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki called the US veto of the resolution as a "moral blunder".

"The US veto is another moral blunder and political blindness," the official Wafa news agency of Palestine quoted Riyad al-Malki as saying, citing the Anadolu news agency.

"It ignores the international consensus on the crimes and practices committed by Israel and is completely biased. We will do its best to ensure accountability for the Israeli war criminals and achieving justice for the Palestinian people," he added.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also slammed the US' veto of the resolution calling it "inexplicable".

In a statement, the ministry said that "it was inexplicable that a proposal including the security, protection and prosperity of Palestinians was vetoed in the UN Security Council, which is the primary authorised and responsible mechanism for international peace, stability and security".

"The fact that the UN Security Council is once again dysfunctional in establishing accountability and deterrence in the context of violence against Palestinians has also shown that UN reform is an unpostponable necessity," the statement added.

"Turkey will continue to be a follower of the Palestinian cause on all platforms, particularly in the UN General Assembly," it further said.

Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin called the vetoing of the UN resolution by the US as "not surprising".

Kalin said on Twitter, "It is not surprising that the U.S. administration vetoed the resolution for the protection of the Palestinian people. This confirms once more that they side with the powerful, not the righteous. The Palestinian people and Jerusalem are not alone. We will continue to support their just cause."

On May 18, a draft resolution was submitted by Kuwait at the UN Security Council, condemning the use of force by Israel and called for the "protection of the Palestinian people" in West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The Kuwait-backed draft was said to be "watered down", despite being revised thrice. It previously called for the international protection of the Palestinian citizens.

The final draft called for "the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in the Gaza Strip".

US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley said before the vote that the resolution was "unilateral and "grossly one-sided" and did not mention about the Hamas, the group which controls Gaza.

Subsequently, the US vetoed down the Kuwait-backed resolution calling for the protection of the Palestinians in regards to the recent violent protests in the Gaza Strip.

The draft was approved by ten countries including France and Russia while four others - Poland, the Netherlands, Ethiopia and the United Kingdom abstained from voting. Only the US voted against the resolution, according to Al-Jazeera.

In the US version of the resolution, Washington D.C. deleted references to use the Israeli force and denied protection to Palestinian citizens.

Instead, its version directed the Hamas and other Palestinian groups to immediately "cease all violent provocative actions in the Gaza Strip".

Later, the UN Security Council rejected the US proposal, calling for the condemnation of the Hamas for the violent protests in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Liberation Organisation executive committee member, Hanan Ashrawi, said in a statement, that the US had once again demonstrated its "blind loyalty towards Israel and tried to absolve it of any wrongdoing despite its egregious violations, deliberate massacres and willful killings and war crimes."

"With its veto, the United States is once again attempting to justify the lawlessness and cruelty of Israel's military occupation, while providing Israel with legal and political cover to pursue its assault on the Palestinian people and on international law and international humanitarian law," Ashrawi added.

Earlier this month, a large number of Palestinians gathered to protest at the Gaza Strip's eastern border to commemorate the Nakba anniversary and protest the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

May 15 marks the so-called Nakba Day ('Catastrophe' in Arabic), which commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Palestinian exodus that resulted from Israel's declaration of independence in 1948.

In the clashes between Israel and Palestine at the Gaza Strip, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators lost their lives and more than hundreds were injured, since the protests began at the Gaza border separating Israel and Palestine in March.

Nearly 6,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons of which 62 are women and 350 are minors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday received a "rapturous" welcome on his arrival at the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore.

"And PM @narendramodi receives a rapturous welcome on his arrival at the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore which traces the journey of the Indian community in the Southeast Asian region," official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The Prime Minister also unveiled the Kala Sangam, a permanent platform established by High Commission of India, Singapore and Indian Heritage Centre, Singapore to bring Indian artisans to Singapore to demonstrate the craft, make and sell their products, Kumar wrote on Twitter.

Prime Minister Modi also bought a painting at the Indian Heritage Centre using his RuPay card.

It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Modi on Thursday launched three Indian mobile payment apps- BHIM, RuPay and SBI app at the 'Business, Innovation and Community Event' here in Singapore.

The visiting Prime Minister also paid a visit to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum accompanied by the Culture Minister Grace Fu Hai Yien.

Lastly, Prime Minister Modi will visit the Changi Naval Base, where he will see the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Satpura and interact with officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy.

After these engagements, he will emplane for New Delhi, concluding his five-day, three-nation visit to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Today marks the 30th death anniversary of legendary actor Raj Kapoor.

On the occasion, Bollywood veteran Rishi Kapoor took to Twitter to pay homage to his father.

Along with a picture, the 65-year-old wrote, "14th December,1924.Peshawar- 2nd June, 1988.New Delhi. Remembering you........."

Actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor was also known as 'the greatest showman of Hindi cinema'. He won three National Awards, and 11 Filmfare trophies, and was conferred with the Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Honours.

Meanwhile, Twitterverse also paid tribute to one of the greatest Bollywood superstars.

"Shri Raj Kapoor & Amitabh Bachchan in the song 'John Jaani Jhanardhan' from 'Naseeb' ~ magical moment @SrBachchan Remembering The Showman Shri Raj Kapoor Sahab in his Death Anniversary," wrote one user.

"I remember #RajKapoor, 'the greatest showman of Hindi cinema' on his death anniversary.Greatest Director & Editor of All Time who had a glorious & exemplary career spanning for 4 Decades. He won 3 National Awards,11 Filmfare trophies, Padma Bhushan & Dadasaheb Phalke Honours," tweeted another user.

Another user wrote, "@chintskap Remembering today on his 30th Death Anniversary Shri RajKapoor Saab the one and only Showman of Indian Cinema who was not only an applauded Film maker but a loving father and exemplary artist too."

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Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood on Friday stressed on the role of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as a primary platform for regional cooperation in South Asia.

He made the comment when he visited the South Asian University (SAU) in the national capital and met SAU's President Dr. Kavita A. Sharma, according to a statement from the Pakistan High Commission.

Mahmood expressed hope that the SAARC process would continue to move forward and help the South Asian people realise their collective vision for socio-economic development.

He affirmed Pakistan's commitment of further strengthening its relationship with SAU and advancing mutually beneficial collaboration in the field of higher in the future.

The Pakistani envoy underlined the interest of Pakistani students in pursuing higher studies at SAU and highlighted the importance of the university's facilitative role in this context, the statement continued.

Mahmood also conveyed his readiness to help strengthen collaborative linkages between SAU and its partner universities in Pakistan, facilitate academic exchanges, and promote participation in conferences and seminars.

During his tour of the University Campus, Mahmood was briefed about the SAU's major academic programmes, the student body and faculty, key areas of research, and plans underway for the new campus of SAU. also paid a visit to various departments, labs and library of the university.

Mahmood presented a set of books to the SAU President Dr. Sharma illustrating Sikh, Hindu and Christian heritage in Pakistan.

Dr. Sharma in return presented a memento to the High Commissioner, the statement further said.

The SAU was established jointly by the eight SAARC member states - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The agreement for the establishment of SAU was signed during the 14th SAARC Summit in New Delhi on April 4, 2007. The university began taking students in August 2010.

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Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in for a second term in the office on Saturday after his landslide victory in the Presidential elections held in March.

President Sisi expressed gratitude towards the citizens of Egypt and said he will seek to achieve genuine political and economic development, the Anadolu Agency reported.

"I will be a president for all Egyptians who agree with me and who don't. No one will be excluded from this except those who choose violence, terrorism, and extremism to impose their will," Al-Sisi said in a speech to parliament after taking the oath.

Sisi won the elections with a brute majority, amassing a massive 92 percent vote share, while his only challenger and al-Ghad Party Chief Moussa Mostafa Moussa was able to get only three percent of vote share.

The oath-taking ceremony was the first one for Egypt since 2005 when former autocrat Hosni Mubarak was sworn in after the country's first multi-candidate election.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj on Saturday embarked on a five-day visit to South Africa to attend BRICS and IBSA Ministerial meetings.

BRICS is a grouping of five countries-Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and IBSA is a tripartite grouping of India, Brazil, South Africa.

"During the visit, External Affairs Minister is expected to have meetings with top leadership of South Africa. EAM will participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting on June 4 and chair the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting," a statement, issued, by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) read.

On June 6, EAM will visit the Phoenix Settlement, a South African Heritage site, a place where Mahatma Gandhi developed his philosophy of non-violence.

She would also participate in a series of events on June 6-7 at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the "historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhiji's Satyagraha movement."

"The two-day commemoration activities will also include the release of joint commemorative stamps on Oliver Tambo and Pt Deen Dayal Upadhayaa and a Youth Summit where 20 diaspora youth from Africa and 5 from India will participate to speak on the relevance of Gandhiji's message of peace to the youth of today," the statement added.

The year marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and South Africa.

It also marks the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th Birth Centenary of South African leader Nelson Mandela.

The visit of EAM will further strengthen "close and long-standing ties with South Africa.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dehradun [Uttarakhand], June 2 (ANI): A nine-year-old boy is playing in his courtyard. The rays of the rising sun are falling in front of the Himalayas, and the boy is admiring the changing colour of the Himalayas, and is thrilled by it, as for him its meditation.

Right now, it was shining like silver, now it turns red, the boy is saying, hey, it has started to become yellow now. He drowns in the imagination, and then the next moment reality surfaces.

The boy is playing with his dreams when suddenly a man-eating leopard takes him away. His shoes fall away, the clothes are torn, the head collides with the wall and a painful scream is heard. The scream of the boy is heard all over.

People run behind the leopard, start searching for the boy and recover his body late at night. People gather around the mourning family and say it is not even safe now to sit in the courtyard and chat. Some very softly say that it is not even the fault of the man-eater and that there must have been some reason for the animal to have turned into one.

In Uttarakhand, these days, the terror of a man-eating leopard is spreading. In the past decade, hundreds of people, especially innocent children, have become the victims of man-eating leopards.

Public outrage is spreading slowly. There is a question mark put on the policies of the government. The tiger is an important component of our food chain. The Government of India started Project Tiger in 1973 with the support of World Wildlife Fund (WLF) International.

The objective of this important project was to secure the tiger and its habitat. For this, nine tiger habitations were constructed in the country which spread across 16,339 square kilometers.

By 1997, the sanctuaries increased to 27 and the number of tigers increased to 1500 from 268 in 1997. One data says that today science has about 1.8 million species of plants and animals.

Not surprisingly, the number of creatures and flora has multiplied. If human lifestyles do not change, then 25 percent of the world's species will end in the next 30 years. So, understanding the importance of the environment, knowing one element is understandable, being sensitive to it is the only option. Apart from this, we cannot do anything.

Someone has said rightly, "When nothing remains to be done, then everything will be destroyed". Therefore, it is also necessary to save the

What does this earth give us? Is it fair that we are taking from it? Today, the total population of the earth is about eight billion. The pressure on the resources is increasing. Growing population is the first and second challenge - reducing the impact of climate change.

Most of the solutions to the above problems are being searched by the majority of the people themselves. It is a matter of great concern that the relationship between human and nature is being destructive. How to correlate this relationship is the most important question.

From April to mid-June is the time when forest fires can be seen ravaging the mountains. People set fire to grasslands; this fire spreads to the jungle, destroying the habitat of animals. They have to migrate from the forest to human populated areas to avoid the fire and search for food. Half of the population is troubled by the intervention of wild animals in agriculture.

Every day, the voices of protest are rising. People are demanding that some arrangements should be made to shift the animals away from the populated areas. But at the same time, this large population does not oppose the fire in the forests.

The large part of this population has a problem with leopards, wild pigs, monkeys, bears, etc. But there is no objection to the proposed All Weather Road in its area. Thousands of trees are being cut for the construction of this All Weather Road in Uttarakhand. What will happen if a large section of the public is not sensitive towards the

Who was the one who started the chaotic stroll of development in the calm solitude of the forest? Machines were brought to make roads and mines, animals were exhibited through jungle safaris. The free flowing rivers were diverted or stopped by building dams. In the name of development works, forest dwellers were oppressed. Not only human beings, but the innocent animals also had to face problems, including annihilation.

Then what should be done? Talk about the solution or focus on just two or three problems? In the current situation, the solution seems more meaningful. The solution will also have to be at many levels. Government provided solutions that include all types of development policies and related administrative arrangements.

The aim of sustainable development goal 13 also aims to point out these efforts, as the emphasis is on measures to overcome climate change and its effects, all the causes of climate change in policies, plan and to overcome it.SDG 13 states the following: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Target 13.2 states - Integrate climate change measures into policies, strategies and planning; 13.3 states - Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

There are community attempts at the second level, when the government fails, people will move towards creative development like voluntary efforts in mutual cooperation, construction of roads in the village, provision of drinking water etc.

Creating a biosphere park just to enrich the forest will not work. For those whose life is dependent on forests and who are friends of the forest, there should be some relaxation in the rules. The forest grows naturally. But forests have to be re-enriched to completely re-consolidate the bio-diversity that has been completely destroyed.

If the wild animals get food in the forest itself, they will not have to go out of the forest in search of food, and there will be a kind of balance. To maintain this arrangement, policies need to be developed with better understanding and the policies have to be taken by the people. Jungle is not just a means of earning; it is also synonymous with life. The war of man versus animal has been centuries old. It is not that those who attacked animals have not been punished, but they also get relief almost immediately. How to include wildlife protection in government schemes? This is also a challenge, to sustain the diversity of forests and societies.

Can efforts be made to take this conversation forward in schools? For example, one day in a week, keep as the theme for discussion. By talking to the children, the whole village will get involved in their discussions. The village plantations, things related to them, the struggle related to the source of the water, the stories of the forest, the story of the leopard or the story of another animal, tales of farming, the songs related to farming, and many more things which are often left unsaid.

When children and teachers become habituated in this exercise, a plan can be made for the school and its surroundings. In the village, research on the work of various communities and their status can be done. Discussions and work on improving the environment can be done. There may also be research about how the changes in the environment are taking place. Education is helpful in developing values.

We should not forget that centuries ago human life began with forests and through forests we understood the depth of life, but later, by burning our own forests, we are facing many other problems like climate change today. Trees are important components of this earth and the entire ecological cycle revolves around this, in order to protect this important component in order to tackle it, we must strive to protect it at many levels, not only for sustainable development The goal can be fulfilled, but the order of the life cycle on earth will remain natural.

The views expressed in the above article are that of Bipin Joshi of Charkha Development Communication Network.

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At least five people were reported dead and six others left injured after a thunderstorm hit Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Friday.

While two people died in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad four were killed in Uttarakhand's Mandal.

Trees, electric poles and hoardings also fell down at some place.

Earlier on Thursday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of a thunderstorm with strong winds and rain in various parts of Uttar Pradesh.

The warning comes two days after a deadly storm claimed over 30 lives in various states across the country including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

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A prominent Emirati human rights activist, Ahmed Mansoor has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for "defaming" the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on social media, as per several local media reports.

The prosecutors said Mansoor was found guilty of damaging the reputation of the country by publishing "rumours and lies about the UAE" and "promoting sectarian feelings and hatred," CNN reported.

An appeals court announced the sentence and imposed a fine of one million dirhams (USD 270,000).

It also ordered the confiscation of Mansoor's communication devices and closure of his "anti-national" websites and social media accounts.

In March last year, Mansoor was held under a legislation "tarnishing" the image of the UAE.

He was charged under the country's cybercrime law which criminalises publication of any information or rumours online "with intent to make sarcasm or damage the reputation, prestige or stature of the state" or any of its rulers, its institutions, its flag, or its anthem, according to the report.

Many international human rights organisation have strongly condemned the move and called for Mansoor's release.

"The UAE has exposed itself as a brutally repressive place more interested in sending rights defenders to rot in jail than in any real reform," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

"So long as Mansoor remains in prison, no amount of money nor army of public relations firms will be able to wash away this stain on the UAE's reputation," she added.

Amnesty International's Lynn Maalouf said in a statement, "Ahmed Mansoor is one of the few openly critical voices in the UAE, and his persecution is another nail in the coffin for human-rights activism in the country."

In 2011, the 48-year-old garnered international attention when he and other four activists were tried for "insulting" Emirati politicians.

However, they were pardoned by the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Willem Dafoe has signed on to share screen space with actress Anne Hathaway in Netflix's upcoming film 'The Last Thing He Wanted'.

Dafoe will play Hathaway's father in the film, which will be written and directed by Dee Rees, reported Variety.

'The Last Thing He Wanted' is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Joan Didion.

It centers on hardscrabble journalist Elena McMahon, who finds herself on dangerous ground as the Iran Contra Affair's arms for drugs plot reaches its tipping point.

Dafoe will play Hathaway's father in the film.

Last month, Dafoe along with actress Kate Winslet was roped in as the lead voice cast of upcoming animated movie 'Manou the Swift'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ministry of Culture, Government of India has introduced a new scheme namely 'SevaBhojYojna' with a total outlay of Rs. 325.00 Crores for Financial Years 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The scheme envisages to reimburse the Central Government share of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) on purchase of raw items such as ghee, edible oil, atta/maida/rava/flour , rice pulses, sugar, burra/jiggery etc which go into preparation of food/Prasad/langar/bhandara offered free of cost by religious institutions. The objective of the scheme is to lessen the financial burden of such Charitable Religious Institutions who provide Food/Prasad/Langar (Community Kitchen)/Bhandara free of cost without any discrimination to Public/Devotees.

The Charitable Religious Institutions such as Temples, Gurudwara, Mosque, Church, Dharmik Ashram, Dargah, Matth, Monasteries etc. which have been in existence for at least five years before applying for financial assistance/grant and who serve free food to at least 5000 people in a month and such institutions covered under Section 10( 23BBA) of the Income Tax Act or Institutions registered as Society under Societies Registration Act ( XXI of 1860) or as a Public Trust under any law for the time being in force of statuary religious bodies constituted under any Act or institutions registered under Section 12AA of Income Tax Act shall be eligible for grant under the scheme.

Ministry of Culture will register the eligible charitable religious institutions for a time period ending with finance commission period and subsequently the registration may be renewed by the Ministry, subject to the performance evaluation of the institutions. The details of registered institutions will be available on an online portal for the viewership of public, GST authorities and entity/institution itself.

The entity/institution will be permitted to submit the reimbursement claim of the GST and Central Government share of IGST to designated authority of GST Department at State level in the prescribed format during the validity of registration. It would be the responsibility of the institutions/entity to intimate the Ministry about any changes being made in Memorandum of Association, Office bearers or addition / deletion of the location of the free food services.

All the eligible institutions should be registered with Darpan portal. All applications along with supporting documents received from the institutions in the Ministry shall be examined by the committee constituted for the purpose within 4 weeks and on the basis of the recommendation of the committee, competent authority in the Ministry shall register charitable religious institutions for reimbursing claim of CGST and Central Government share of IGST paid on above mentioned specific items.

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Four Iraqi policemen were killed in a bomb explosion in Iraq's Salahudin province on Saturday, officials said.

The incident occurred early morning when a roadside bomb struck a police patrol near Shirqat city, 280 km north of Iraqi capital Baghdad, destroying a police vehicle and killing four policemen in it, Colonel Mohammed al-Jubouri was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Iraqi security forces launched an investigation into the incident and carried out a search operation in the area looking for the attackers, Jubouri said.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, which came despite repeated operations by Iraqi security forces to clear the areas around Shirqat of the remnants of the Islamic State (IS) militants.

Earlier, hundreds of IS militants fled their former bases in the key cities of Salahudin province, including the provincial capital Tikrit, after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas during major anti-IS offensives.

Late in 2017, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after the country's forces recaptured the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, remnants of IS militants are carrying out almost daily attacks against civilians and Iraqi forces.

--IANS

soni/bg

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The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday asked the Congress to "show guts" and announce its candidates for the seven Delhi Lok Sabha seats for the 2019 general elections after Congress' Delhi chief Ajay Maken ruled out any alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's media advisor Nagendar Sharma said Maken, "after being rejected in politics", was trying his hand at psephology.

"Having led his party to security deposits being lost in 63/70 Delhi constituencies, he is now measuring graphs. Show guts and declare your seats," Sharma tweeted.

He said the Kairana by-poll result in Uttar Pradesh clearly indicated that non-BJP parties need not be led by the Congress.

"This old party hobnobs with the BJP and treats other parties with disdain. Its Delhi unit is a virtual BJP front," Sharma said.

The Delhi Congress chief also dismissed speculation of an alliance with the AAP, saying Kejriwal was responsible for the rise of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The one who has defamed the Congress and has created a monster called Modi is Arvind Kejriwal. I, as the President of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, on behalf of all the Congress leaders and workers, confirm that no one from our party wants to support Kejriwal. When the people are not supporting him, we will also not support."

This triggered a sarcastic tweet from Sharma. "A joker first day-dreams of three Lok Sabha seats offer, then next day realises nobody on earth will even spare a single seat for a party which finished a poor third on all seven Delhi seats in 2014 and lost its security deposit in four seats."

Adding to the Twitter war was Delhi Congress spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee. She challenged the AAP and asked it if Kejriwal can openly reject the possibility of an alliance with the Congress.

"Instead of you chirping, let your leader Arvind Kejriwal come out openly and reject the possibility of an alliance. Planting false stories in the media and personal abuses will not lead you anywhere," Mukherjee said.

"(The) AAP is facing an existential crisis. No wonder it is desperate for an alliance with the Congress, a party and its leaders whom Kejriwal abused unabashedly. If he has courage and conviction, let him immediately quash rumours and reject these stories as false as Maken is doing."

She said between the 2015 Assembly and the 2017 MCD elections, the AAP lost vote share by 54.30 per cent and the Congress gained by 118.66 per cent.

"No rocket science required to understand which party is losing or gaining ground rapidly. No wonder the AAP is so desperate for alliance with (the) Congress."

Mukherjee said Maken had been consistently exposing the failures and misdeeds of the AAP government since the last three and a half years. "No wonder, AAP members are crying for his blood."

She said the AAP and the BJP were both "jumla parties and specialise in creating false narratives".

--IANS

nks/sar/bg

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Pardon the postscript first. With the appointment of Giuseppe Conte, a lawyer, as a compromise Prime Minister of Italy, the wheel has come full circle. But before the Italian see-saw could stabilise, Spains Mariano Rajoy has thrown in his towel in the face of corruption charges that actually never left him since 2015. Establishments in Italy as well as Spain have been mauled in recent days by Peoples Power. This Peoples Power has been given an insulting name by the rulers -- "Populism".

Meanwhile herewith the column I wrote from Rome yesterday (Thursday) before travelling to the troubled countryside.

From the terrace bars, Rome's current vogue, the monuments look mysterious in soft light even as St. Peters towers above all. But this panoramic grandeur disguises the tumult into which Italy has been tossed after President Sergio Mattarella, a judge by training, refused to swear in Paolo Savona, the 83-year-old economics professor who is staunchly against the European Union (EU).

Savona's name had been proposed by the victorious alliance which came to power following the elections in March. The Five Star Movement is anti-austerity and anti EU; the League is sharply xenophobic on the migrant issue.

While the Interim Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was more of Five Star nominee, the Finance Minister rejected by President Mattarella shared the League leader, Matteo Salvini's anti-German bent. A growing anti-German sentiment is becoming part of Italy's political rhetoric. Matteo Salvini pulls no punches on that score.

"German newspapers call us beggars, ungrateful, lazy, freeloaders and they want us to choose a Finance Minister they like."

Alessandro Gilioli, Deputy Editor in Chief of the influential L'Espresso, was candid. He thought that the Leader of the Five Star, Luigi Di Maio, who never sought a Euro exit, would have been amenable to a compromise even in the first round negotiations with President Mattarella last week. But Di Maio could not have stuck his neck out with a softer line on Europe: That would have been a huge advantage to the League. An almighty competition in radicalism is on between unlikely competitors.

President Mattarella, a Europhile, acting under heaven knows what impulse or pressure, invited a 64-year-old IMF official Carlo Cottarelli to become Interim Prime Minister. This was like a red rag to the Five Star-League bull. Mattarella came under further pressure to reverse the decision which would have given the coalition a formula to grow exponentially in the next elections.

An even more muscular, menacing combination of Five Star and the League would be, in the perception of Brussels, not the medicine that the doctor had ordered for Italy, the world and certainly for the EU, which is still reeling from the Brexit blow and looking at disturbing developments in Spain. An Itexit would be a disaster of unimaginable proportions. So all the world's establishments leaned on the President to open up consultations which have resulted in the reappointment of Conte. The compromise is: Conte minus Savona. What is being attempted in Italy is to delay the day of reckoning -- when People disgusted with established parties will install their representatives whom the rulers continue to call Populist.

Consider what happened in Spain. In 2015, Pablo Iglesias, with his communist portfolio, riding a crest of Podemos (Yes We Can, echoes of Obama's first campaign) burst upon the Spanish scene on a platform to get rid of Rajoy, noted for corruption even then.

Look how Rajoy managed to stay on until the latest vote. The stop-gap Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the declining socialist party standing on rotten stilts will fall sooner rather than later. Will that be the end of the Establishment in Spain? As an insurance, a Centre-Right youth party, Ciudadanos, Citizen's Party, has been floated successfully, borrowing Podemos's aesthetics. Its leader, Albert Rivera, has boosted his image on a nationalist platform opposing Catalan independence.

Remember also how the world's progressive groups had built castles in the air when Alexis Tsipras of Greek communists, Syriza, promised the utopia where "austerity" will be forever banished? Today he is a contented poodle in the German lap.

But the new turn in European affairs seems to suggest that Tsipras too might be a nine days wonder. In fact, Yanis Varoufakis, the former Finance Minister, whom he sacked under German and EU pressure, has resurrected himself on the platform which Tsipras discarded. On Mattarella's initial undemocratic action, Varoufakis was scathing. "By grounding their candidate for Finance, you have given a fantastic gift to populist forces."

"You said nothing when the League leader Salvini named himself the Minister for Interior, when he was committed to throwing out 5,00,000 immigrants?"

During the Cold war, Christian Democrats were kept in power by the entire Western alliance. Italy at this period had a much loved Communist party which, paradoxically, was considered a taboo for power -- at least while the Soviets were around. Soviet collapse, by that token, deprived the CD of its blackmail card to stay in power.

Italy's conscientious judges, who had held their fire for fear of unsettling a system which had served as a bulwark against the global Left, now began to investigate the corruption in which the Italian power structure was sunk neck deep. From 1992 onwards, hundreds of politicians, civil servants, businessmen went to jail for brazen corruption.

When Berlusconi became Italy's Prime Minister in 1994, he owned every TV channel. Naturally, the media backed him to the hilt during his subsequent spells in power. Over a decade ago, a comedian Beppe Grillo started a blog to engage young people on basic issues like technology, water, pollution, unemployment, economic distress. Italians, suffocated by Berlusconi's self-serving media monopoly, built an internet revolution on the platform created by Grillo's blog. This is the platform on which the current alternative Italian political structure is being erected.

There may be differences in detail, but Europe these days is convulsed by two currents fiercely opposed to each other: People's Power, from the Left and the Right (disparagingly named "Populism"), is out to dethrone the established order. Until the other day this order seemed invincible: The Establishment had many instruments in its toolkit. But developments in Spain suggest that the seemingly invulnerable are running out of steam. Change and status quo are in conflict on an unprecedented scale.(A senior cmmenator on political and diplomatic affairs, Saeed Naqvi can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com. The views expressed are personal)--IANS

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Anupam Kher has joined the Audit Advisory Board (AAB) as a member. The veteran actor says he is honoured to be in the company of such learned board members.

Anupam on Saturday shared a letter by Guljari Lal, Director General of Audit (Central), on Twitter, which reads that it's an honour and privilege to have the actor on board.

"Your rich experience in the various walks of life would be of immense use for us to give proper perspective to our work and shall also help us to refine our audit approaches and bring more balance in our audit reporting... The tenure of the AAB is two years," the letter read.

The 63-year-old actor thanked the Director General of Audit (Central) for having him as a member.

"Thank you Director General of Audit (Central) Guljari Lalji and the Indian Audit and Accounts Department for having me on your Audit Advisory Board. It is an honour and a privilege to be in the company of such learned board members," Anupam tweeted along with a string of photographs with the members of AAB.

--IANS

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The "Avengers: Infinity War" actor Benedict Cumberbatch turned into a real life superhero on a city street here when he jumped out of a taxi to fend off a mugging attack on a delivery boy.

The 41-year-old actor who also plays Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective, jumped to the cyclist's rescue near London's Baker Street. Cumberbatch said he "had to" intervene, reports telegraph.co.uk.

His actions made the attackers flee, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that they were called to reports of the assault.

The actor fended the perpetrators off who allegedly smashed the cyclist over the head with a bottle and then headed off along Marylebone Road towards Baker Street. The victim did not need hospital treatment.

According to witnesses, the "Doctor Strange" actor dragged the four muggers off the victim, who was in his 20s, after screaming at them to leave him alone.

One of the men had tried to steal the Deliveroo cyclist's bike, but nothing was stolen.

Responding to reports of his heroics, Cumberbatch told The Sun newspaper: "I did it out of, well, I had to, you know..."

The Uber taxi driver, Manuel Dias, who was driving the actor and his wife, Sophie Hunter, said the cyclist was lucky, and described Cumberbatch as a "superhero".

Dias, 53, said he only recognised it was Cumberbatch when he was out of his car. The driver, who also tried to help the victim, said: "Then it all got a bit surreal.

"Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street. I had hold of one lad and Benedict another. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest.

"They tried to hit him but he defended himself and pushed them away. He was not injured. Then I think they also recognised it was Benedict and ran away."

He said the actor embraced the cyclist after the scuffle. No arrests have been made.

--IANS

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday alleged that the BJP is hatching a "big conspiracy" in collusion with his rivals to politically destabilise the state.

He suspects that "Operation Garuda" allegedly planned by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state involves YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, actor-politician Pawan Kalyan and former CBI Joint Director V.V. Lakshminarayana.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief was addressing "Nava Nirmana Deeksha" meeting here to mark four years of bifurcation of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu, whose party pulled out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre in March over its refusal to accord special status to the state, said Operation Garuda alleged by actor Sivaji appeared to be true.

Sivaji, who was earlier with the BJP, alleged a few months ago that the party was launching Operation Garuda with the help of Jagan and Pawan in Andhra Pradesh to finish the TDP.

Naidu also added the name of Lakshminarayana to the list, saying that the former CBI official was making baseless against the TDP government.

Lakshminarayana, a high profile CBI officer, recently took voluntary retirement and is expected to enter active

The TDP leader said even before people could recover from the wounds caused by bifurcation, a sense of insecurity was being created with the of conspiracy.

Naidu, however, advised the BJP to try its conspiracy in some other state and warned that Telugu people would give a befitting reply.

He alleged that the Centre was humiliating the state at every step and was meting out step-motherly treatment to the state.

He ran around in Delhi to get special status for the state but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's heart did not melt, he said.

Naidu took the pledge for rebuilding the state and for achieving his goal of making Andhra Pradesh one of the top three states in the country by 2022.

The government organised similar meetings across the state, where ministers and ruling party leaders administered the pledge to people.

--IANS

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Senior leaders from the Congress in Kerala have been summoned to Delhi to meet party President Rahul Gandhi next week to decide the new state chief.

A top Congress leader told IANS that they will meet Gandhi on June 6 and 7.

Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, present party President M.M. Hassan, among others, are expected to meet the Congress President.

The meeting assumes significance after the massive election debacle that the party suffered in the Chengannur bye-election, which the CPI-M candidate won.

Among the front runners for the post of the state President are Lok Sabha member Mullapally Ramachandran, former state Minister and previous Lok Sabha member from Kannur, K.Sudhakaran, present Lok Sabha members K.V. Thomas and Kodikunnil Suresh.

Another post likely to be discussed is of the United Democratic Front Convenor which is presently held by Congress leader P.P. Thankachen.

--IANS

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Curfew will be lifted for seven hours on Sunday in curfew-bound areas in Meghalaya's capital Shillong, but restrictions will remain in force, a senior government said on Saturday.

"Curfew would be lifted from 8.00 a.m to 3.00 p.m tomorrow (Sunday) in curfew areas under Lumdiengjri Police Station and Cantonment Beat House areas to allow people to get their essential commodities," Deputy Commissioner in-charge East Khasi Hills district, Peter S. Dkhar, told IANS.

Dkhar, however, said that suspension of internet on mobile services would continue besides prohibiting the sale of petrol, diesel etc., in loose jerricans, bottles and any other containers to public by all petrol pumps within the district.

The magistrate also appealed to the people not to trust false reports propagated in social media like attacks on gurdwara in the city.

"The situation is still tense but under control. The Army is on standby and will be deployed if the situation warrants. The district administration and the state police are making all efforts to restore peace and normalcy," he said.

Dkhar imposed indefinite curfew in areas under Lumdiengjri Police Station and Cantonment Beat House from 4 a.m on Friday in view of the breakdown of law and order in Motphran, Mawkhar and adjoining areas following Thursday's clash.

The clash erupted after a skirmish between some women and a driver of Shillong Public Transport Service (SPTS) bus at Them Meteor, which led to the assault of three persons. The parties involved in the skirmish had arrived at a verbal compromise though.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to probe the incident as well as to identify the elements spreading rumours and inciting violence.

Making a fervent appeal to all citizens to maintain peace and extend help to bring normalcy back to the city, a government communique said: "It has been observed that false news and propaganda played a vital role in raising tempers and inciting violence...

"The members of the public are requested to remain calm and not to fall prey to rumours..."

A case has been registered an an arrest made in connection with an incident in which three boys were assaulted.

--IANS

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The European Union (EU) has requested consultations with the US on its steel and aluminium tariffs, under the dispute settlement framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), an official said.

The WTO Secretariat received a request from the EU for consultations with the US "concerning the Section 232 tariffs imposed by the US on steel and aluminium imports", a WTO official, requesting anonymity, said on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the EU may request adjudication by a panel.

Despite worldwide objection, the US administration decided in March to impose a 25 per cent tariff on steel imports and a 10 per cent tariff on aluminium imports.

The EU's move came against the announcement on Thursday by US President Donald Trump not to extend the temporary steel and aluminium tariff exemptions against the EU, Canada, and Mexico.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said this was because negotiations over the past two months have failed to result in a deal.

Regarding the dispute with the United States, the EU says in a document submitted to the WTO that US tariff measures "adversely affect exports of these goods from the European Union to the US."

The EU said the imposition of the tariffs is "inconsistent with the US' obligations and rights set out in the WTO Agreement."

--IANS

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Actor Govind Namdev, known for featuring in movies like "Bandit Queen", "Satya" and "Sarfarosh", will be seen in a film titled "Santap" based on a rape victim.

"This film is based on a real life story where a Dalit rape victim girl wants justice. I am playing a negative role in the film," Govind said in a statement about the film directed by Rakesh Kakariya.

"Dalit people have been harassed a lot since long. Earlier, such cases were hidden but now due to alertness of media, it is coming out openly and that's why we are trying to create awareness through cinema about it," he added.

His upcoming films also include "Varanasi Junction", "Time Nahi Hai", "Kashi to Kashmir" and "Raju Rangeela".

--IANS

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They jogged around India Gate and kept picking up litter around the iconic monument to make a pledge for a clean and plastic free Delhi by "plogging" -- a Swedish fitness trend that combines running with collecting garbage.

The event on Friday was organised by the Embassy of Sweden here and a group of ploggers of India together with the European Union ahead of the World Day on June 5.

It was part of the EU's series of environmental programmes in India.

The EU delegation and missions of European Union member states in New Delhi with the support of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change co-hosted a Conference on Plastic Pollution and Management - Sharing Best Practices at Vigyan Bhawan on Friday.

The theme of the conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries was in line with this year's theme - 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.

EU ambassador to India Tomasz Kozlowski congratulated India for its leadership in dealing with environmental issues globally. "India is a key partner of the EU with partnerships on clean energy and climate change, water, smart and sustainable urbanization, air quality and resource efficiency," Kozlowski said.

Taking the cooperation to the next level, the Ambassador said, EU Commissioner for would lead a delegation of about 50 EU businesses to India in September as part of the CII Sustainability Summit.

On June 5, the EU delegation and the embassies of the EU member states are expected to announce and adopt a "green pledge" aimed at eliminating the use of single-use plastic products, saving energy and water resources and managing waste.

--IANS

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A Special Police Officer (SPO) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police who was injured in a militant attack in Pulwama district last month succumbed to his injuries in a Srinagar hospital on Saturday.

According to police, Aquib Ahmad Wagay, who was injured in a militant attack in Puchal in Pulwama on May 29, succumbed to critical injuries in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar.

SPOs are engaged in the state to fight militancy.

--IANS

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Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday claimed the significantly lower voting percentage was responsible for the BJP's defeat in two out of three Lok Sabha bypolls this week and said the party would introspect and analyse the reasons of the loss "up to the booth level".

"Out of three (Lok Sabha seats) we lost two, and won one. There is a difference between general elections and bye-elections. In general elections the voting percentage in all these three seats was more than 70 per cent. Now it is 50 per cent. So the difference in voting percentage has brought a different result," Javadekar said at a press conference here.

"We are a thinking party. We are not a dynast. We are already analysing in detail, till the booth level. We will take the necessary action," he said.

However, he pointed out that the Bharatiya Janata Party has won 14 states in the last four years. "That is an achievement. If we have lost two bye-elections, it is ok. We will analyse," the BJP leader said.

Out of the four Lok Sabha bye-elections held in three states last Thursday, the BJP lost the crucial Kairana Lok Sabha bypoll in Uttar Pradesh and Bhandara-Gondiya in Maharashtra. It however, retained the Palghar parliamentary seat in Maharashtra while its ally Nagaland Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) bagged the Nagaland seat.

The Union minister said the BJP's overall rise in the country cannot be belittled by recent results and refused to accept that opposition unity in certain states is a threat to the Centre's ruling party.

"We were ruling in six states when we came to power in 2014. Now we are ruling in 20 states. That's a victory," Javadekar claimed.

"In West Bengal, Trinamool retained its seat, there was no opposition unity here. In Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party came together. It often happens in It is not a threat to the BJP," he added.

--IANS

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US Defence Secretary on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue and went on board an Indian Navy ship at a naval base in on Saturday, the concluding day of his three-nation tour of southeast Asia, before departing for India.

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that the focus of conversation with Mattis was on the region in the context of Modi's Thursday keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

In his speech, Modi said that India's vision for the region is that of a free, open and inclusive region that embraces all in a common pursuit of progress and prosperity.

He also said that India's global strategic partnership with the US has overcome the hesitations of history and "continues to deepen across the extraordinary breadth of our relationship".

"It has assumed a new significance in the changing world. And, an important pillar of this partnership is our shared vision of an open, stable, secure and prosperous region," he said.

The three-day Shangri-La Dialogue that commenced on Thursday is a Track I annual inter-governmental security forum organised by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank.

Modi started his engagements on Saturday with a meeting with Emeritus Senior Minister and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

"Starting the day meeting with a veteran leader and an advocate of deeper India- engagement!," Kumar said in a separate tweet.

Following the meeting, the two leaders unveiled a plaque to pay tribute at the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes at Clifford Pier in the city-state.

The Indian Prime Minister then visited the Orchid Museum here where an orchid was named after him -- Dendrobrium Narendra Modi.

"A strong and robust tropical orchid which produces upright inflorescences up to 38 cm long with 14-20 well-arranged flowers," spokesperson Kumar said.

Modi also visited the Mariamman Temple, which is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore built in 1827, dedicated to Goddess Mariamman.

Following the visit to the temple, Modi, accompanied by Singapore Culture Minister Grace Yien, visited the Chulia mosque which was built by Chulia Muslim merchants from India's Coromandal coast under the leadership of Anser Sahib.

"Demonstrating the age-old people-to-people contact between our two countries," Kumar said in a separate tweet.

Modi and Yien together also visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.

Singapore is home to around 800,000 people of Indian origin.

Modi and Yien then visited the Indian Heritage Centre where the Prime Minister unveiled the Kala Sangam, a permanent platform established by the Indian High Commission here and the Heritage Centre to bring Indian artisans to Singapore to demonstrate their craft.

Modi also went on board a visiting Indian naval ship INS Satpura at the Changi Naval Base. "On board INS Satpura. It is always a pleasure and an honour to interact with our sailors and officers," he tweeted.
On a day when the 15-day deadline given by the Estate Department of the Uttar Pradesh government came to an end, all former Chief Ministers but for the ailing Narayan Dutt Tiwari vacated their official residences on Saturday.

This was done in compliance with an order of the Supreme Court which declared allotment of official bungalows to former Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh as "bad in law".

Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav have shifted to four suites at the VVIP Guest House of the state government, while Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's belongings have been shifted to his 2,400 square feet personal residence in posh Gomti Nagar.

Kalyan Singh, who is currently serving as the Governor of Rajasthan, has also shifted to the official residence of his grandson Sandip Singh, who is a Minister of State in the Yogi Adityanath government.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, who was earlier dithering in vacating the 13A Mall Avenue house that had been allotted to her, has also started vacating the residence and her new address would be 9, Mall Avenue, which she got allotted as her personal residence when she was the Chief Minister. Her office staff confirmed to IANS that the residence would be vacated in the night.

She had earlier also shifted her 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg residence, but the Estate Department said that the official residence allotted to her was 13A, Mall Avenue and that she would have to vacate that in compliance of the order of the apex court or invite the contempt of court.

In a note released in the night, the BSP supremo, however, clarified that she has only vacated that part of the 13A, Mall Avenue, where she stayed during her Lucknow visits.

She said the other parts were dedicated to her mentor and Dalit icon Kanshiram and that maintenance, safety and security of the same would now be the duty of the state's BJP government.

This part of her official residence, she pointed out, had an auditorium, a library, a pantry, a rest house and some other things dedicated to the late BSP founder. She also advised the media to write correct things and not unconfirmed news under duress.

Mulayam's 5, Vikramaditya Marg residence, famously known as "Kothi", which was his residence for over 30 years, has also been fully vacated, the staff confirmed.

His son and former Chief MAkhilesh Yadav, who had spent Rs 48 crore of the state exchequer on his house next door (4, Vikramaditya Marg), has also vacated and most of his stuff has gone to the Sahara Shahar, the sprawling campus housing Sahara Parivaar chief Subrata Roy. He has since shifted to the VVIP guest house.

He is likely to shift at a villa in the Ansal's township on the Shaheed Path. Mulayam and his second son Prateek Yadav are also shifting to Ansal's in nearby villas. Renovation is continuing at these houses.

Tiwari, who had been Chief Minister of both UP and Uttarakhand, is yet to vacate the house as he is comatose and admitted at a medical facility in New Delhi. His wife has requested for more time owing to the condition of the veteran politician.

He request has been sent to the Legal Department for opinion, an official said.

--IANS

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US Secretary of Defence James Mattis said that the discussion on withdrawing or reducing US military footprint on the Korean Peninsula will not come up during the summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

Any discussion about the number of US troops in South Korea is subject to its invitation and the discussion between Washington and Seoul, which is "separate and distinct from the negotiations that are going on with North Korea", said Mattis on Saturday at the 17th Asia Security Summit, commonly known as the Shangri-la Dialogue, Xinhua news agency reported.

"That issue is not on the table here in Singapore on June 12, nor should it be," he said at the summit which opened in Singapore on Friday and runs through Sunday.

However, he said that "if the diplomats can do their work, if we can reduce the threat, if we can restore confidence-building measures with something verifiable, then, of course, these kinds of issues can come up subsequently between (South Korea and the US)".

Trump said on Friday that he will meet Kim on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled.

In a separate session of the Shangri-la Dialogue on the same day, South Korean Defence Minister Song Young-moo also said the US forces in his country are a separate issue from the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

--IANS

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Indian Medical Association (IMA) President Ravi Wankadekar on Saturday said Kerala need not worry about the Nipah virus as the state is absolutely safe from it now.

State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that Kerala was indeed a safe destination as around 300 doctors arrived in Kerala from various parts of India for the IMA conference to be held at Kovalam.

"The arrival of the renowned doctors to Kerala has an immense significance," said Surendran.

Wankedekar, who is in the capital city for the IMA conference, said that the virus outbreak does not hold any threat.

"Around 300 doctors arriving in the state itself shows that the virus isn't a threat at all," said the IMA President.

State Health Minister K.K. Shailaja said that the medical teams of the Centre, state and the private sectors need to be complimented for effectively containing the outbreak.

"Of the 18 positive cases, 16 have died and the remaining two are recovering well at the Kozhikode hospital. In all we had sent 193 samples of which 175 were negative.

"Almost 2,000 people have been reported to have come in contact with the affected and this figure might go up. Things are in control, but we have to be very careful" said Shailaja.

Anxious moments were witnessed on Saturday morning when it was wrongly reported that a 38-year-old woman had died in Kannur district due to the Nipah virus.

However, soon other reports surfaced that she had died of other causes and did not carry the Nipah virus.

But even while the state government has assured that the situation is under control, people in Kozhikode district are taking extra precautions with many people wearing masks outdoors.

Businesses and market places are less crowded while some movie theatres have downed shutters.

--IANS

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The Congress will call for a statewide shutdown over the Mahanadi river issue, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Niranjan Patnaik said on Saturday.

He said a decision on the date of the Odisha shutdown will be taken after discussions with like-minded political parties and other organisations.

He alleged that both the Centre and the state government do not have any concern for the people of Odisha and are shedding crocodile tears on the Mahanadi water crisis.

Patnaik said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrained from giving any assurance to Odisha to resolve the dispute with Chhattisgarh during his recent visit to Cuttack.

Besides, the Odisha government did nothing to protect the interests of the people of the state till 2015 and is now shedding crocodile tears, he added.

As many as 29 companies had signed memorandums of understanding with the Odisha government for the establishment of industries. But some of them have now turned to Chhattisgarh, said Patnaik.

He said barrages have been constructed by the Chhattisgarh government on the Mahanadi river to supply water to these projects.

The Congress has also called for a six-hour 'Chaka bandh' from 6 a.m. on June 4 in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack against the fuel price hike.

"We request the people of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack not to use their vehicles on June 4 from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. as a mark of protest against the unprecedented rise in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG by the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre," said the OPCC president.

--IANS

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A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli soldiers on Saturday in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, with the Israeli Army alleging that the man tried to deliberately ram his vehicle into a group of soldiers.

Rami Wahid Sabarneh, 36, was killed while driving a skid loader in the Old City of Hebron near the holy site known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque and to Jews as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Efe news reported.

"A terrorist attempted to run over troops located at the site with his vehicle. In response, the troops fired towards the terrorist, killing him," the Israeli Army said on Twitter, adding that no soldiers were wounded.

However, a Palestinian activist in Hebron, Aref Jaber, claimed Sabarneh was not attempting to ram the Israeli soldiers when he was killed.

The activist said Sabarneh had been unable to hear the soldiers' commands due to the loud noise of his skid loader, a vehicle similar to a small tractor with a front-mounted bucket.

Hebron is the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank, where some 200,000 Palestinians live along with 800 Jewish settlers protected by Israeli security forces.

Though 80 per cent of the Hebron jurisdiction is under the control of the Palestinian Authority, Israel maintains a military presence to protect Jewish settlements in the city's old quarter.

Tensions have increased in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem both before and after the US embassy's move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14, which sparked protests that left several Palestinians dead and hundreds injured.

--IANS

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Pre-monsoon showers accompanied by gusty winds lashed Mumbai and surroundings on Saturday even as three people were killed in incidents of electrocution, officials said.

The rains started this evening in many parts of Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri after dense cloud formation since late afternoon, and later developed into a thunderstorm with lightning and continuous drizzling.

Flight operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were hit with delays in arrivals and departures and diversions of several domestic, international and cargo flights.

While Sri Lankan Airways' Colombo-Mumbai flight was diverted to Ahmedabad, other flights of Jet Airways, GoAir, Qatar Airways and various airlines were also diverted.

Jet Airways announced that due to air traffic congestions following adverse weather conditions, delays of up to 45 minutes in departures and arrivals were expected till 11.30 p.m tonight.

In the first rain-related tragedy, two persons including a minor girl, were electrocuted when they came in contact with a live wire during heavy rains in Khindipada of Bhandup West here.

The victims -- Anil Yadav, 32 and 9-year-old Zara Yunus Khan -- were rushed to the M.T. Agarwal Hospital in Mulund, but were declared dead.

In another such incident in Bhandup East, Om Fadtare, 23, also died of electrocution.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai issued a storm warning for Thane and surroundings, with chances of thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds and rains in many parts this evening.

Several areas of Mumbai suburbs and surroundings experienced brief power outages and snapped cable connections this evening following a technical snag in the Interconnecting Transformer of the MSETL in Kalwa on Friday.

"To minimize the inconvenience, we have ensured that the Reliance Energy's Dahanu Power Plant runs at its full capacity of 500 MW. We may continue rotational load-shedding in some areas till normalcy is restored in the grid to reduce discomfort to our customers," a Reliance Energy spokesperson said this evening.

Tata Power said that after the Kalwa incident on Friday, its Trombay Therman Power Station and other Hydro Units functioned full capacity to meet Mumbai's power requirements and thus prevented load-shedding.

Meanwhile, in view of the storm warnings in and around Mumbai, all civic and disaster units remained in a state of high alert to tackle any emergencies that may arise.

On account of the welcome showers, temperatures dipped sharply in Mumbai, from the average of 35 to around 26 degrees, as the citizens enjoyed a respite from the hot humid weather since the past few days.

--IANS

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Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Saturday announced another cabinet reshuffle, giving Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Al Saud the portfolio of the newly-established Ministry of Culture after extracting it from the Ministry of Information and Culture.

According to royal orders published by the state media, King Salman appointed private sector businessman Ahmed bin Suleiman Al Rajhi as Minister of Labour and Social Development, succeeding Ali Bin Nasser Al-Ghafees.

The king also set up new government bodies to promote culture and protect the environment in an attempt to modernise and create jobs for the young population, Saudi Gazette reported.

Abdul Lateef Al Shaikh was appointed Minister of Islamic Affairs. Al Shaikh had headed the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice whose powers were seriously curbed two years ago as the kingdom embarked on a massive reform drive.

King Salman also appointed Nasser Al Dawood as deputy Interior Minister and Abdullah Al Motani as Shura Council deputy chairman.

The Saudi monarch ordered the formation of a royal commission for the city of Mecca and the holy sites. Another royal decree saw the establishment of a Council for the Royal Protected Areas in the Royal Court.

The Royal Protected Areas Council would be chaired by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.

An administration for preserving historical areas in the Red Sea city of Jeddah to be affiliated to the Ministry of Culture, was also ordered to be formed.

Under the royal orders, six nature reserves were designated in order "to re-establish wildlife, enhance their development and promote eco-tourism".

The changes in government institutions came amid reform-minded Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's resolve to modernise the economy of the world's biggest oil exporter.

The crown prince, who also serves as the Saudi Prime Minister under his father, launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign involving several of his royal siblings shortly after he became heir to the king in June 2017.

The royal orders also named several new deputies in the Ministries of Interior, Telecommunications, Transport and Energy, Industry and Minerals, and appointed new heads to the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu and the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, the report said.

--IANS

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The Shiv Sena on Saturday threatened to start a statewide agitation within a month if Goa doesn't get a full-fledged Chief Minister to replace the ailing Manohar Parrikar. The CM is currently under treatment for pancreatic cancer in a US hospital.

"How can a state continue to function like this in absence of a Chief Minister. There are so many urgent issues, including the resumption of the mining industry which need to be tackled," party's state President Jitesh Kamat said at a press conference in Panaji on Saturday.

"If the Bharatiya Janata Party does not appoint a full-fledged Chief Minister within a month from now, the Shiv Sena will launch a statewide agitation in protest," added Kamat.

He also said that President's Rule should be imposed in the state until a new Chief Minister is appointed.

The Congress in Goa has already resolved to meet President Ramnath Kovind to impress upon the Central government to appoint a Chief Minister at the earliest.

Parrikar was shifted to the US for treatment in March 2018, a month after he was first admitted to a Mumbai hospital for stomach pain, which was subsequently diagnosed as pancreatic cancer.

Before leaving for the US, Parrikar had appointed a cabinet advisory committee comprising of three Ministers, which the Congress as well as the Shiv Sena has claimed is unconstitutional.

--IANS

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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in on Saturday for a second term till 2022, the state-run TV reported.

In a large ceremony held in the Parliament, Sisi took the oath as President with the words: "I swear by God to protect the republican system, to respect the Constitution and the law, to safeguard the people's interests and to preserve the independence of the nation and the unity of lands."

He won his second term with 97 per cent of the vote in Egypt's 2018 presidential election held in March.

"We managed to cross very difficult stage towards a future with more stability," the President said after taking the oath.

After focusing on economic reforms in his first term, Sisi said he will give priority in the coming four years to health and education issues, according to state-run Nile TV.

"Leading a country like Egypt is really great and difficult... but Egypt will carry on its efforts for promoting the international ties in light of partnerships," he said.

His first oath was taken at the Supreme Constitutional Court in 2014. The last presidential inauguration held in Egypt's Parliament was in 2005 when ousted President Hosni Mubarak was sworn in for the fifth and last time.

--IANS

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday left here for a five-day visit to South Africa during the course of which she will participate in the BRICS and IBSA ministerial meetings and also attend a series of events to commemorate the incident in which Mahatma Gandhi was ousted from a train compartment.

According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, during the visit, Sushma Swaraj is expected to have meetings with the top leadership of South Africa.

She will also participate in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Foreign Ministers Meeting on June 4 and chair the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Foreign Ministers Meeting.

On June 6, she will visit the Phoenix Settlement, a South African Heritage site, marking the place that served as Gandhiji's home and where he developed his philosophy of non-violence.

She will also participate in a series of events on June 6-7 at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhi's Satyagraha movement.

On June 7, 1893, on a train trip to Pretoria, Gandhi was ordered by a white man to move from first class to third class. Gandhi, who had a first class ticket, refused and was thrown off the train in Pietermaritzburg.

The two-day commemoration activities will also include the release of joint commemorative stamps on South African anti-apartheid revolutionary leader Oliver Tambo and one of the founders of India's Bharatiya Jana Sangh Deen Dayal Upadhaya and a youth summit where 20 diaspora youth from Africa and five from India will participate to speak on the relevance of Gandhi's message of peace to the youth of today.

"The year 2018 is an important year for India-South Africa relations as it marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th birth centenary of South African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela," the ministry statement said.

"India and South Africa enjoy close and friendly relations which are rooted in our history and the values of south-south cooperation. The visit of External Affairs Minister will further strengthen our close and long standing ties with South Africa."

--IANS

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US President Donald Trump is proposing phased negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, starting with the planned June 12 summit in Singapore during which he does not expect a complete deal on denuclearisation.

At the same time, Trump has also set an ambitious goal for his interactions with Kim aiming for an end to the official 70-year state of war between the US and North Korea.

After a meeting Kim Yong-chol, the North Korean leader's emissary, in Washington on Friday, Trump confirmed that the Singapore summit he had canceled last week was back on track.

"I think we're going to have a relationship, and it will start on June 12th," the President said.

Kim Yong-chol traveled to Washington after two days of negotiations with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York to hand over a letter from Kim Jong-un to Trump.

Trump said that "it ended up being a two-hour conversation with the second most powerful man in North Korea" during which they discussed a whole range of subjects.

Tamping down hopes of an imminent breakthrough, Trump said: "We're not going to go in and sign something on June 12th and we never were. We're going to start a process. And I told them today, 'Take your time. We can go fast. We can go slowly'. But I think they'd like to see something happen.

"You're talking about years of hostility; years of problems; years of, really, hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end."

As a goodwill gesture, Trump said that he will not be putting any more sanctions on North Korea, but the existing ones will continue.

Pompeo, however, has asserted that the US won't budge from the ultimate goal of denuclearising North Korea.

"I have been very clear that President Trump and the United States objective is very consistent and well known: the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," he sad on Thursday.

North Korea poses a major threat with the nuclear devices as well as missiles capable of reaching the US mainland that it has developed.

After it tested them last year, the two leaders traded threats and abuses, while the US succeeded in tightening the UN sanctions on North Korea.

Later this year they cooled down and agreed to talk.

While preparations were going on for the talks, there was a burst of "tremendous anger and open hostility" coming out of Pyongyang last month, which Trump cited to call off the talks.

They were provoked by comments from Trump's new National Security Adviser John Bolton and Vice President Mike Pence invoking a "Libyan model" for dealing with North Korea.

It upset Pyongyang because after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi shutdown his nuclear programme in 2003 after which he was overthrown and killed in 2011 following attacks by US and its European allies.

Bolton and Pence have been sidelined and Pompeo, whom Trump has praised for negotiating with North Korea, has taken centre stage.

While Trump would score points internationally and domestically by pulling off the summit and soften his hardline image by having the summit, Kim Jong-un appears to be equally invested in the denuclearisation talks that could translate to economic development for his impoverished country that is under severe economic sanctions.

Trump said that if the nuclear issue is resolved, he expected South Korea, Japan and China to provide aid to North Korea, without any cost to the US for rebuilding it.

Trump said that during the meeting with Kim Yong-chol they talked about ending the Korean War which continues formally.

"And there is a possibility of something like that," he added.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two more explosions rocked Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital on Saturday as militants lobbed two grenades at two CRPF vehicles at different places in Srinagar, injuring two more people, police said.

Two persons including a trooper of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and a civilian were injured in a grenade attack in Budhshah Chowk when militants hurled a grenade at a CRPF vehicle on Saturday evening.

"A CRPF jawan and a pedestrian were injured in this attack. They have been shifted to hospital," police said.

Minutes later, another grenade was lobbed at another CRPF vehicle in Magarmal Bagh in Srinagar. However, no casualties were reported.

Earlier, three CRPF troopers and three civilians were injured in a grenade attack in Fateh Kadal area of Srinagar.

Militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed the responsibility for the attacks in Fateh Kadal and Budshah Chowk.

--IANS

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British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she was "deeply disappointed" at the unjustified decision by the US to apply tariffs to European Union (EU) steel and aluminium imports.

Her comments on Friday came a day after US President Donald Trump announced the decision to levy tariff amid waves of criticism, Xinhua news agency reported.

May said in a statement that the US, the EU and Britain are close allies and have always promoted values of open and fair trade across the world.

"Our steel and aluminium industries are hugely important to the UK, but they also contribute to US industry including in defence projects which bolster US national security," she said.

"The EU and UK should be permanently exempted from tariffs and we will continue to work together to protect and safeguard our workers and industries," the Prime Minister added.

The tariffs of 25 per cent on steel products and 10 per cent on aluminium, which affect the EU, Canada and Mexico, came into effect on Friday.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the ongoing violence in Nicaragua, particularly the killing of protestors during demonstrations in Managua on Wednesday.

The Secretary-General welcomed the recent announcement on the establishment of a panel of experts of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to investigate the violence and urged the Nicaraguan government to ensure protection and freedom of expression of peaceful demonstrators, said Farhan Haq, Guterres' deputy spokesman, in a statement on Friday, Xinhua reported.

The Secretary-General called on the government to favourably consider the requests of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit the country, it said.

The United Nations is available to assist national dialogue efforts to strengthen the rule of law, respect for human rights and the peaceful resolution of differences, said the statement.

Fifteen people have died and dozens more have been injured in the latest protests against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, officials say.

Activists say pro-government forces opened fire on tens of thousands of protesters who marched through the capital Managua on Wednesday, BBC reported.

The government and police blamed "delinquent groups" for the violence.

More than 90 people have now died in the protests, which began in April and were triggered by social welfare cuts.

The cuts were later scrapped but the protests evolved into a rejection of the Ortega government and thousands of people have since taken to the streets.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the world body is working hard to make peacekeeping stronger, safer and more effective.

Speaking at the Dag Hammarskjold Medal Ceremony on Friday, Guterres said: "Peacekeeping has become increasingly dangerous and our peacekeepers are being targeted more and more frequently."

The UN chief presented medals to 128 men and women who lost their lives while serving UN peacekeeping missions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last year, 61 peacekeepers were killed in attacks -- the highest number in a quarter century, many more died in accidents or from sickness, he noted, adding some peacekeeping missions bore a disproportionate share of the fatalities, with the mission in Mali topping the chart (42 peacekeeper fatalities).

"Coming from Mali, seeing the number of terrorist groups and criminal organisations operating in the territory where our peacekeepers are, it is clear for me that we need peacekeepers that are well-trained, well-prepared, well-equipped, well-supported," Guterres said, referring to his recent visit to the mission in Mali to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

He said he is committed to working together in strong partnership with UN member states to meet the challenge in this regard.

Guterres also offered condolences to the families of the "fallen" peacekeepers on behalf of the UN family at the ceremony.

The Dag Hammarskjold Medal Ceremony is part of the memorial activities taking place at the UN premises on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of the UN peacekeeping.

Hammarskjold served as the second UN secretary-general from 1953 until his death in a plane crash in 1961 en route to a cease-fire negotiation.

--IANS

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A video address by Yulia Skripal, who was allegedly poisoned along with her father, a former Russian spy, raises questions about her exact situation and state, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.

"It remains unclear in what condition Yulia Skripal is now and whether she can freely communicate with the outside world," the ministry's spokesman Artyom Kozhin told a weekly news conference on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said that Moscow urges Britain to honour its international legal obligations and grant Russian diplomats access to Yulia in order to remove doubts about her freedom to act and make decisions for herself.

Kozhin also reproached London for twice denying an entry visa to Yulia's cousin Victoria, who wanted to travel to Britain to visit and support her relatives.

Yulia, 33, daughter of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer, was found unconscious together with her father on a bench at a shopping centre in Salisbury, Britain, on March 5.

Many Western countries accused Moscow of poisoning them with a nerve agent and then expelled a large number of Russian diplomats, incurring tit-for-tat retaliation from Moscow.

Moscow has denied any involvement in the case and demanded direct participation in the investigation.

Both the farther and the daughter have been discharged from the hospital after a period of treatment and their whereabouts remain unknown.

On May 23, Yulia made a video address in which she said that she planned to return to Russia one day, but stated her unwillingness to use the help offered by the Russian Embassy to Britain.

Russia is ready to provide Yulia with all necessary assistance for her return home, Kozhin said at the news conference.

However, British authorities keep avoiding direct communication with Russia, denying Moscow access to the investigation, creating an atmosphere of secrecy and controlling information through the media, he said.

"We will continue to demand from London exhaustive answers to all our questions that we have raised with the British side in connection with its inspired provocation in Salisbury," Kozhin said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has failed to adopt a US-drafted resolution on the protection of Palestinian civilians.

The US text, a competing draft resolution to a Kuwaiti one, got only one vote in favour -- from the United States itself, on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Three of the 15 Security Council members -- Kuwait, Russia and Bolivia -- voted against it, and the remaining 11 members abstained.

A Security Council resolution needs at least nine affirmative votes to be adopted, on the condition that none of the five permanent members of the council -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the US -- votes against it.

Immediately after the vote, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley blamed "anti-Israel bias" in the Security Council.

"With its votes today, the UN Security Council majority showed that it was willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas, for violence in Gaza," Haley said in a brief statement.

"Further proof was not needed, but it is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel. The United States will not allow such bias, which is why we did not hesitate to cast our veto," said the statement.

The US draft resolution blames Hamas for the recent escalation of violence in Gaza.

The Kuwaiti text, which was vetoed by the US in an earlier vote, deplores the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

It also calls for the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population.

The Kuwaiti draft further calls for immediate steps toward ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Willem Dafoe has signed on to co-star with actress Anne Hathaway in the Netflix movie "The Last Thing He Wanted".

Dee Rees, who wrote and directed "Mudbound" for Netflix, will write and helm the film.

The story is based on the 1996 novel by Joan Didion and centres on journalist Elena McMahon, who finds herself on dangerous ground as the Iran Contra affair's arms for drugs plot reaches its tipping point.

Dafoe will play Hathaway's father in the film, reports variety.com.

Marco Villalobos will co-write the script with Rees.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of river activists in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday presented a memorandum addressed to the President of India, expressing anguish over the 'death' of the Yamuna river and seeking permission to 'end their lives' if the river is not taken care of.

Activists of the River Connect Campaign while presenting the memorandum to the Agra Divisional Commissioner said: "No amount of activism, mobilisation, raising the voice through democratic channels yielded desired results. We continue to remain helpless victims and spectators even as 'our mother' (Yamuna) is dying before our eyes."

Activist Pandit Omkar Bhardwaj said he had lost the will to live as he could no longer bear the pain and suffering of his "mother Yamuna".

Though, he said, many promises were made for salvaging Yamuna, the river continues to remain a sewage canal, threatening the lives of millions of people.

"Yamuna is choked with pollutants and toxic effluents killing all aqua life, even bacterias. For most part of the year the river runs dry. Its pollutants are damaging the surface of the Taj Mahal," said another activist Ajay Tomar.

"If Yamuna doesn't live, how can we live or even Taj Mahal be saved."

Asked how long they would wait for an official permission to "end their lives", the activist said: "It was a serious matter and we would, in all earnestness, pursue our cause and demand."

We have waited too long and if no results come, it would be pointless for us to live, they warned.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 32-year-old youth was found hanging from a high-tension tower in Dabha village of West Bengal's Purulia district on Saturday morning, police said.

Claiming that the deceased was a prominent party worker, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the ruling Trinamool Congress for his killing and sought a CBI probe into it. It also demanded imposition of President's rule in the state.

Dulal Kumar's death comes close on the heels of the murder of a BJP worker Trilochan Mahato in the area.

The Trinamool has, however, denied its involvement either incident. The state government has handed over the probe to the Criminal Investigation Department.

"Last night, around 8.00 p.m, in Daba village under Balarampur Police Station, Kumar had gone towards the pond to respond to the nature's call. But since then he was missing.

"This morning, his body was found hanging from a tower," said a senior district police officer, who said that preliminary investigation suggests it to be a case of suicide.

"We have conducted a through probe and it seems to be a case of suicide. The body has been taken for post-mortem examination. Once autopsy is completed, we can say for sure exactly what happened to him," said the officer.

He said so far the police had not found any political angle in the case.

Disputing the police version, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said: "The way our leader Trilochan Mahato was hanged, Dulal has also been hanged at Balarampur.

"The ground has slipped from under Trinamool's feet in Purulia. Balarampur is a Maoist-prone area. Trinamool has taken help of Maoists to perpetrate these kind of atrocities on BJP workers.

"We condemn these incidents and demand CBI probe into both killings," said Sinha.

Union Minister Babul Supriyo blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government for the "violent situation" in the state.

"The pre-panchayat poll, polling day and post-poll violence prove the situation has turned violent in West Bengal. Who else but the government, the Chief Minister and those around her can be held responsible.

"The only medicine for the malady is invoking Article 356 in the state. How we can go about it, you will see in the coming days. You will see a very strong action soon."

Three days back, 20-year-old Mahato, who was missing since the night before, was found hanging from a tree, with a message scrawled on his T-shirt that read: "This is for doing BJP from age 18."

A poster found near his feet said: "Was trying to murder you since the (panchayat) vote. Today, you are dead."

The police officer said Mahato had gone missing after he went to the market and his body was found hanging from the tree the next morning.

"We have started a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. The preliminary investigation shows there is an angle of personal enmity and personal grudge. We are conducting a thorough probe. The real culprit will be arrested as we get some evidence," he said.

Mahato's killing had triggered protests by the BJP, whose leaders pointed out that their party had thrown a strong challenge to the Trinamool during the panchayat polls in the district last month.

But denying his party's involvement, Trinamool leader Shantiram Mahato said: "The matter has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department. The probe will prove that we are in no way associated with the cases."

--IANS

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Since the RBIs April monetary policy, risks have started  oil prices are up 11 per cent, US yields have been closer to 3 per cent and the US dollar index is up 4 per cent. A combination of higher US yields and US dollar is never a good combination for emerging markets (EMs) and add to that the spectre of rising oil prices  the risks are alive for India.

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Digital Editor
In India, the present is changing rapidly. A New India is taking shape. And, there are many reasons for it. One, Economic reforms are taking place at a speed and a scale not known so far. Over 10,000 measures by Central and state governments in the last two years have helped us move up 42 places in the rankings.

Over 1,400 out-dated laws have been repealed. India is among the most open economies in the world. Foreign investors can go into almost all sectors, often with up to 100 per cent equity. Indeed, more than 90 per cent of investments in India are through this route.

Two, Tax regime has changed: Lower tax rates, increased stability, faster resolution of tax disputes and electronic filing systems. Goods and Services Tax is the biggest tax reform since independence It has unified the nation into a single market and increased the tax base. This was not an easy task. But, it was done successfully. And, it has created new economic opportunities. Our personal income tax base has also expanded by nearly 20 million.

Three, our infrastructure sector is expanding at record speed. Last year, we built nearly 10 thousand kilometers of national highways  that is 27 kilometers daily, almost double the speed a few years ago. Pace of rail track addition has doubled. Metro rails in several cities, seven High Speed Rail Projects, dedicated freight corridors, and modernisation of 400 railway stations will transform the rail sector. Other projects include 10 green field airports; five new major ports; 111 rivers designated as National Water-ways; and over 30 logistics parks. We added over 80 thousand mega-watts of power in just three years. And, in renewable energy, we have become the sixth largest producer in the world. That is our commitment to a green and sustainable future. Quite simply, the biggest infrastructure story of the world is unfolding in India.

Four, our is rebounding. There has been a sharp rise in FDI in the past three years  from 36 billion U.S.dollars in 2013-14 to 60 billion U.S.dollars in 2016-17. There is also special focus on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Sector. We have launched sector-specific modernisation and productivity programmes, reduced corporate tax rate, and made tax benefits more attractive and easier. The Indian Startup sector is flourishing, and is now the third largest in the world. My favourite scheme is, of course, the Mudra scheme that offers micro credit to the poor and the excluded. Over the past three years, 128 million loans worth more than 90 billion U.S. dollars have been extended  74 per cent of these have gone to women; yes, 74 per cent to women.

Five, we are strongly focussed on financial inclusion. In the course of the past three years, we have opened 316 million bank accounts for those who never had a bank account. Now, 99 per cent of Indian house-holds have a bank account. It is a new source of dignity and identity for every citizen, a remarkable story of inclusion and empowerment More than 12 billion US dollars have been deposited in these accounts. The government benefits worth more than 50 billion US dollars have been transferred directly to the beneficiaries. They now have access to affordable pensions and insurance  everything that was once only a dream. Now here in the world has banking expansion taken place on such a scale and at such speed.

Six, a digital revolution is sweeping through India. Through a biometric identity for everyone, a mobile phone in almost every pocket, and a bank account in everyones reach, every Indians life is getting transformed. And, it is also transforming everything else in India: Governance, public service, delivery of benefits to the poor, putting banking and pension within the reach of the poorest. For example, digital transactions are growing rapidly. In 2017, just the UPI-based transactions grew seven thousand percent. In January, all digital transactions were valued at 2 trillion U.S. dollars. We are building broadband connectivity to two hundred and fifty thousand village councils, and we are setting up common service centres in each of those village councils. These will offer many digital services and create thousands of rural jobs. Under Atal Innovation Mission, we are opening 100 incubation centres and we have opened 24 hundred tinkering labs across India for our children to become innovators and job creators. One of the exhibitors today is from one of these labs.

Seven, India will experience the largest wave of in the world over the next two decades. It is a challenge, but also a huge responsibility and opportunity. We are working to transform 100 cities into Smart Cities, and 115 aspirational districts into new centres of progress. Mass transit, waste management, pollution control, sustainable habitat and affordable housing are programmes of great priority for us.

Eight, we are investing in skills and raising the standards of higher education to give a life of dignity and opportunity for our 800 million youth. With learning from Singapore, we are setting up advanced Institutes of Skill Development. And, in this fiscal year, we have launched a 15 billion programme, to further strengthen our higher education system.

Nine, Agriculture sector is receiving a level of priority that it has not since the Green Revolution decades ago. We aim to double the income of farmers by 2022, when Independent India will be 75 and a New India will be born. For this, we are using technology, remote sensing, internet, digital financial system, soft credit, insurance, soil health improvement, irrigation, pricing and connectivity.

Ten, we want every citizen to enjoy what I call Ease of Living by 2022. It means, for example, 50 million new houses so that there is roof over every head in 2022. Last month, we reached a milestone. Each one of our 600 thousand villages are now connected to a power grid. We are also working to provide electric connection to every household. We have launched this year AYUSHMAN Bharat, the National Health Insurance Scheme. It will cover 100 million families or 500 million Indians with annual coverage of 8000 US dollars. This is simply the largest healthcare scheme in the world.

Quality of life is also linked to clean and That is one of our principal goals. It is rooted in our heritage and our commitment to the planets future. And, it informs every aspect of public policy and economic choices in India now. And, all these changes are taking place because of one and only one reason: our people.

Edited excerpt from a speech by Prime Minister at a business and community event in Singapore, May 31
A police spokesman says at least 15 people have been killed by cattle rustlers who attacked a village in Nigeria's northwestern state of Zamfara.

Muhammad Shehu tells The Associated Press the victims were killed late yesterday in Zakuna village in what appeared to be a reprisal attack. Shehu says the cattle rustlers had been repelled in an attack earlier in the day but regrouped.

Cattle rustlers have killed scores of people in Zamfara state since January amid growing tensions in the area.

Insecurity remains a major problem in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. In the northeast, security forces continue to battle the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, which still carries out deadly suicide bombings and mass abductions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three AGP ministers today said they opposed the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 at a meeting of the Assam Cabinet, in a U-turn a day after a party leader claimed the issue was not raised at the key state forum.

The Cabinet meeting was held yesterday and immediately after it Assam government spokesperson and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary had told the reporters that the Asom Gana Parishad did not raise any issue related to the bill.

AGP general secretary Ramendra Narayan Kalita had told the media that the three AGP ministers -- Atul Bora, Keshab Mahanta and Phani Bhusan Choudhury -- did not raise the issue the meeting as Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had met them before it commenced and requested them to discuss it at the next sitting of the coordination committee of the three alliance partners.

But taking a U-turn, Bora, who is the AGP president and the state agriculture minister, today said, "We strongly raised the issue (in the Cabinet meeting). We said that we cannot be in the government if the bill is passed."



At a hurriedly called press conference in the face of widespread criticism over the reported silence, Bora said, "We did not say it yesterday (after the Cabinet meeting) as we wanted to maintain the confidentiality of Cabinet meetings. But this has led to confusion among the people.

"The issue was not in the agenda (of the meeting), yet we raised it and discussed it for about half-an-hour which led to a lot of debate."



Mahanta is in charge of the water resources department and Choudhury holds the civil supplies and consumer affairs portfolio. They were present at the press conference.

Though the bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 15, 2016, seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslims who have fled persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, indigenous groups in Assam view it as a move to legitimise Hindus who have migrated from Bangladesh after 1971.

The AGP is a constituent of the BJP-led NDA government in Assam and a meeting of the AGP Legislature Party held on May 31 had decided to oppose the bill, which has triggered protests across the state during the past one month and the three ministers had said that they would raise the issue during the Cabinet meeting.

The Bodoland Peoples' Front, the other partner of the ruling alliance, is also opposed to the bill and has asked the Centre to withdraw it keeping in view the interests of the state.

Bora said that there was an understanding after a request from the chief minister that nothing from the Cabinet meeting would be made public.

"But it was not kept. If the statement (by the government spokesperson) was made in a different way, this situation would not have arisen in Assam today," Bora said but refrained from making any further comment.

The AGP, despite being in the government, has been opposing the bill since the beginning. Bora has publicly stated the party's official position many times that it would leave the government if the bill is passed.

Barring the Barak valley, which is dominated by Bengali-speaking people, Assam has been witnessing massive protests against the bill.

The opposition to the bill has united all parties, except the BJP, and former chief ministers Tarun Gogoi and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta joined a sit-in by the Left Democratic Manch on May 31.

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The body of another man was found hanging from a power transmission tower in West Bengal's Purulia district, with the BJP claiming he was a party worker and Union minister Prakash Javadekar alleging that it was "political murder".

The incident comes days after the body of another man, Trilochon Mahato (20), who the party said was a member of its youth wing, was found hanging from a tree in Balarampur village of Purulia district.

The BJP alleged the deaths were "political murders" and demanded a CBI inquiry into the two incidents, even as the West Bengal government transferred Purulia Superintendent of Police Joy Biswas. He has been replaced by Akash Magharia.

The alleged killings have triggered another round of face-off between the TMC and the BJP, which were embroiled in a bitter slugfest during the panchayat elections last month.

Dulal Kumar (35) was found hanging from a power transmission tower near the fields in Purulia district's Dava village early this morning, SP Joy Biswas, who has been transferred following the incident, told PTI.

No arrest has been made in connection with the incident so far, the SP said.

The BJP claimed Kumar was a party worker.

Party president Amit Shah attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the alleged "political murders".

Kumar's death outraged locals who protested outside the Balarampur police station, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and removal of the officer-in-charge.

A note found near Mahato's body read he was "punished for working for the BJP" during the recent panchayat polls. However, the police did not recover any such note in Kumar's case, Biswas said.

"According to circumstantial evidence, Kumar's death seems to be a case of suicide. We are waiting for the postmortem report," the SP said.

TMC Rajya Sabha member Derek O' Brien condemned the killings and demanded a detailed probe into them. He, however, did not rule out the involvement of the BJP, the Bajrang Dal or Maoists in the incidents.

"We strongly condemn this despicable killing.All angles must be probed.The perpetrators of this heinous act must be punished. What role did Jharkhand border have to play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved. Let the truth be found out through proper investigation," O' Brien tweeted.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who was in the city, attacked the TMC government, describing the deaths as "political murders".

"Political murders have been taking place in West Bengal. 19 BJP workers have been killed so far (since the rural polls). The latest victims were Dulal and Trilochon Mahato.

"This is inhuman and the worst kind of crime. We condemn the brutal political murders. The people of West Bengal will definitely teach a lesson to those behind the incidents," he told reporters.

Hitting out at the Purulia SP for terming Kumar's death a suicide, BJP national secretary and former party state president Rahul Sinha demanded a CBI inquiry into the two deaths.

"The TMC is playing a dirty game. If Mamata Banerjee has got the courage, she must ask for a CBI enquiry into the deaths. These are political murders. The police are trying to label them as suicides," he said.

The BJP took out a number of rallies in New Delhi and in parts of the state to protest the death of Mahato.

BJP activists, led by state women wing chief Locket Chatterjee, today took a march in Kolkata to protest the deaths.

The West Bengal government has ordered a CID probe into the killing of Mahato, ADG (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma confirmed.

According to senior CID officials, the possible involvement of people from the bordering state of Jharkhand would be also probed.

"As it is a bordering district, there is a possibility of outsiders being involved in the killings of Mahto and Kumar. These killings could be part of a conspiracy," a senior officer of the state CID told PTI.

In Purulia, the TMC and the BJP gave a tough fight to each other. They won 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 zilla parishad seats, the TMC bagged 26 and the BJP nine.

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The body of a 35-year-old man was today found hanging from a high-tension tower here, triggering protests by locals, police said.

The incident comes two days after the BJP claimed that its worker Trilochon Mahato (20), who was found hanging from a tree at Balarampur in the district on May 30, was killed by the TMC. However, the Trinamool Congress has denied the allegations and termed it as baseless.

The West Bengal government today ordered a criminal investigation department (CID) probe into Mahato's death, ADG law and order, Anuj Sharma said.

The body of Dulal Kumar was found hanging from a tree near a field in Dava village under the same police station area this morning, Purulia SP Joy Biswas told PTI.

Kumar's death triggered an uproar among the locals who put up demonstrations outside the Balarampur police station, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.

"We are trying to find out the culprits and an investigation has been initiated. Our officers are there at the spot," Biswas said.

An unsigned handwritten note in Bengali, found near Mahato's body near his home in Balarampur, about 295 km from Kolkata, stated that he was "punished for working for the BJP" during the recent rural polls in the state, a senior district police officer had said.

No such note was found near the place where Kumar's body was found hanging, Biswas said.

Whether he was a member of the BJP or any other political outfit is yet to be ascertained, the SP said.

The saffron party held several rallies in New Delhi as well as in parts of the state to protest against the death of Mahato.

According to CID senior officials, possible involvement of people from the bordering state of Jharkhand would be probed.

"As it is a bordering district, there is a possibility of outsiders involved in the killing of Mohanto and Kumar. These killings could be a part of a conspiracy," a senior officer of the state CID told PTI.

Meanwhile, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien condemned the killings of the two youths and urged severe punishment for the culprits.

He demanded a detailed investigation into the matter and attacked the BJP.

He did not rule out the involvement of the BJP, the Bajrang Dal or the Maoists in the incident.

"We strongly condemn this despicable killings. All angles must be probed. The perpetrators of this heinous act must be punished. What role did Jharkhand border have to play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved? Let the truth be found out through proper investigation," O' Brien tweeted.

In Purulia, the TMC and the BJP had a close fight in the gram panchayats winning 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 zilla parishad seats, the TMC had won 26 seats and BJP nine seats.

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Police raided four factories manufacturing illegal arms in the district and arrested four persons in the last two days, an official said.

Aurangabad city in central Maharashtra had witnessed a riot on May 11 following unrest over the civic body's crack-down against illegal water connections.

Weapons seized by district rural police included five swords, 10 knives, daggers and other arms.

Assistant police inspector Pandit Sonawane of Bidkin police station said that raids were conducted in Kesapuri, Chittegaon, Farola and Allana Tanda areas.

Four persons were arrested, he added.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna met today the family members of Gajanand Sharma, who is believed to be lodged in a Pakistan jail.

Khanna, the in-charge for party affairs in Rajasthan, accompanied by MP Ramcharan Bohra visited the family here and had a talk with his wife and sons.

The party's national vice-president told them he has written a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, requesting her intervention in the release of Gajanand from the Pakistan jail.

Gajanand was missing for the last 36 years and it recently emerged that he may be lodged in a Pakistan jail after the local police received an inquiry for the confirmation of his nationality.

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Horror movie icon Brian De Palma has said that he is currently writing the script for a film based on the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse and harassment scandal.

The 77-year-old director, who became a force to reckon with after "Carrie" released in 1976, is set to return to the genre after a hiatus of over 40 years.

"I'm writing a film about this scandal, a project I'm talking about with a French producer," De Palma told French publication Le Parisien.

He added, "My character won't be named Harvey Weinstein but it will be a horror film, with a sexual aggressor, and it will take place in the film industry.

De Palma did not reveal on how soon the script would be completed.

The director also has films such as "Scarface", "Dressed to Kill", "The Untouchables" and the original "Mission: Impossible" to his credit.

He recently wrapped up crime thriller "Domino", starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Carice van Houten and Guy Pearce and said working on the film was "a horrible experience" and that the film might not release.

Besides De Palma, playwright David Mamet is also working on a play about Weinstein.

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Union minister Prakash Javadekar today said the Centre will soon address the concerns of the agitating farmers and declare remunerative support prices for agricultural products to end their stir.

The Centre is pursuing pro-poor, pro-people policies and has undertaken several schemes worth crores of rupees which cover farmers and weaker sections, besides women, he said.

"When remunerative support prices for agri products are declared, the farmers will realise that the NDA government cared for them and the stir will end," Javadekar told a press meet here to highlight the achievement during the four years of the Modi government.

"Our's is a democracy and we don't object to anyone agitating... I don't wish to ascribe motives behind the farmers' agitation. The people will see for themselves and respond. The people will understand that when we will come up with a long-term solution to their issues," the HRD minister said in response to a question.

His comments came in response to queries on the 10-day protest called by several farmers' organisations in 22 states of the country demanding remunerative prices for their produce, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and farm loan waivers among others.

Javadekar also said farmers' issues were addressed during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and by the Modi government.

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The Opposition Congress has written a letter to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, calling for a special session of the Assembly to discuss a host of issues, including the government's failure to withdraw police cases against Patidar quota agitation leaders.

Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani, who has written the letter, said the BJP government has "failed" to fulfil promises made in the run up to the 2017 Assembly elections and this issue should be discussed in the House.

In a statement, Dhanani said he has written to Rupani demanding a special session of the Assembly to discuss, among others things, the issue of "the government's failure to withdraw police cases against Patidar leaders pertaining to the reservation agitation despite promising the same".

The special session was required as the Rupani government has gone back on a number of promises made before the elections, the senior Congress MLA said.

There was also a need to discuss why "no action has been taken by the government against the perpetrators of inhuman action against the Patidars" during the 2015 quota stir, he said.

Nearly a dozen people were killed when the stir took a violent turn three years ago.

In an attempt to appease the politically influential Patidar community ahead of the December 2017 polls, the BJP government had announced it will withdraw police cases against its members who took part in the reservation stir.

However, police cases, including those related to sedition, against Patidar leaders have not been withdrawn yet, Dhanani maintained.

The Leader of Opposition also raised the issue of "exorbitant" fees charged by private schools and sought the government reply on its "inaction" against such schools.

"The Fee Regulation Act was brought before the 2017 Assembly elections to curb exorbitant fees charged by private schools. But after the polls, the education minister said fees (set by these schools) will have to be paid," he said.

"The government has gone back on its promise to control fees and this issue needs to be discussed in the Assembly."



Dhanani alleged the BJP government wasted the Narmada waters for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "seaplane show" ahead of the 2017 elections.

In December, Modi, who campaigned extensively in Gujarat, took a seaplane ride from the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad to Dharoi Dam in north Gujarat, and returned after offering prayers at the famous Ambaji Temple and holding a road show.

"Today farmers are being deprived of water and the state government has failed to help them," he said.

Dhanani also raised the issue of "delays" in payment of insurance money to "farmers who have paid huge premium to insurance companies under the crop insurance scheme".

The Congress leader raised the issue of frequent fires in godowns storing government-procured groundnut in Saurashtra.

He alleged the government procured groundnut "to benefit middlemen and godowns were set on fire to destroy the evidence of procurement of poor quality groundnut".

Cases of atrocities on Dalits, slow investigation in the multi-crore bitcoin case in which a former minister is allegedly involved and reduction of excise duty on petrol and diesel to give respite to consumers are some other issues that Dhahani wanted to be discussed in the special session.

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The Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress today termed "unfortunate" the continued attacks by militants in Kashmir despite a halt in anti-militancy operations by security forces during the ongoing holy month of Ramzan.

It also criticised "political interests" who fail to recognise the sacrifices of the forces and solely target them to please "radical sections" in the valley.

In a statement, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma condemned the attacks by militant groups and termed them "very unfortunate".

"JKPCC expresses grave concern over the continued attacks in Kashmir during the ongoing halt of operations by the forces announced by the central government during the holy month of Ramzan," Sharma said.

He said the Army and other security forces are facing a "difficult situation as they are caught between devil and deep sea".

However, he lauded the forces for exercising maximum restraint while obeying the command of the government during the holy month and said their sacrifices and hardship in this typical situation must be duly recorded and highly regarded.

Without identifying anyone but apparently referring to former chief minister Omar Abdullah's tweet on the killing of a youth during protests in Srinagar yesterday, the Congress leader said some "vested political interests who fail to recognise the sacrifices of the forces are solely targeting them to please certain radical sections in the valley.

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The Congress's Delhi unit today ruled out the possibility of forming any alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a day after leaders of the two parties made claims and counterclaims over soliciting a possible seat-sharing arrangement in the Lok Sabha polls.

"The Congress workers and leaders are not in favour of any alliance with the AAP," Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief Ajay Maken said.

Maken said that no party worker or leader wants any alliance with the AAP at a time when the graph of the Kejriwal government is "declining fast" and that of the Congress "going up".

"All leaders and workers of the Congress in Delhi do not want any alliance with Kejriwal party due to two reasons. First, the popularity of Kejriwal is fast declining as his government is not working. The other reason is that the AAP is responsible for creating the monster of Modi," Maken told reporters.

The talks about possibility of an alliance between the two parties began yesterday with Maken and AAP leader Dilip Pandey taking to Twitter to make claims and counterclaims about who approached whom.

"The AAP got 56-57 per cent votes in the 2015 Assembly elections that fell to 26 per cent in MCD polls last year. The Congress on the other hand got 9.5 per cent votes in 2015 that went up to 22 per cent in MCD polls which shows party's graph is rising in Delhi," he said.

"The people of Delhi are rejecting the AAP on issues of power, water and education. The Congress workers and leaders feel there is no reason to support them," said Maken.

"Arvind Kejriwal is the person who stood with the likes of Baba Ramdev, General V K Singh, and Kiran Bedi during Anna movement and raised the monster of Modi," he charged.

"We can go for a secular alliance but how can we have alliance with those who raised the demon of Modi and spoke against Congress in the company of Baba Ramdev and Kiran Bedi," he asked.

On speculations of a possible seat-sharing arrangement between the AAP and the Congress for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP yesterday said it was undeterred by such a move.

Maken had borached the topic of alliance replying to a "so called offer" of three Lok Sabha seats to Congress by the AAP, in a tweet.

Reacting to it, AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey had said it was the Congress that had approached the AAP and not the other way around.

"@Ajaymaken ji, some senior Congress leaders are in touch with the Aam Aadmi Party and they want our help in Punjab and Haryana, in return want a seat in Delhi," Pandey tweeted responding to Maken's tweet.

The AAP has announced the names of incharges for the five out of seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. It has yet to decide the names of incharges for remaining two seats.

The last time the Congress and the AAP had come together to outwit the BJP following the 2013 Assembly elections in Delhi. Short of majority, the AAP that bagged 28 seats, but formed government with the support of the Congress which had got eight seats.

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Rubbishing reports that JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda had a say in ministry formation and portfolio allocation in the JDS-Congress cabinet, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today he had only given the nod to finalising the portfolio list.

"I have come across media reports that Deve Gowda played a role in formation of the ministry and allocation of portfolios. This is far from the truth. He only gave the nod to finalising the portfolio list" he told reporters here.

Kumaraswamy also denied any standoff between H D Revanna (JDS) and D K Shivakumar (Congress) for getting the energy portfolio for their respective parties.

"There is also no truth in the reported standoff between Revanna and D K Shivakumar over the energy portfolio."



"Shri Venugopalji (Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal) held talks with Deve Gowda to finalise the (portfolio) list. He had no role in any issue pertaining to ministry formation and allocation of portfolios," he said.

Shivakumar, who had kept Congress and JDS legislators together after the fractured mandate and prevented defections, is reportedly unhappy over the party high command not rewarding him with the Deputy Chief Minister's post.

He had also held the energy portfolio in the previous Congress government.

Kumaraswamy said it was true he had asked for the finance portfolio since he had huge responsibilities to fulfil as he had made promises to the people.

On setting up of the Cauvery Water Management Authority by the Centre, Kumaraswamy said the JDS-Congress government would decide on next course of action after consulting legal ane engineering experts.

"We will take the next course of action after discussing the issue on setting up of CMA by the central government with legal and engineering experts," he said.

In the gazette notification, the Ministry of Water Resources said it has framed a scheme constituting the CMA and CWRC to give effect to the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by the Supreme Court order.

On February 16, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to form CMA within six weeks in a verdict that marginally increased Karnataka's share of Cauvery water, reduced the allocation for Tamil Nadu and sought to settle the protracted water dispute between the two southern states.

Replying to a query, Kumaraswamy said the government would start work towards preparing the new budget in three to four days, which would also include new schemes.

Asked about the fate of the schemes implemented by previous government, he said schemes benefiting the people would be continued.

"There is no question their withdrawal or discontinuance," he said.

"We are also working towards conducting a joint session," (of the assembly), he added.

Meanwhile JD(S) secretary general Danish Ali said the portfolios would be shared without any hassle.

"Congress and JD(S) will distribute portfolios to the aspirants without any hassle," he told PTI.

"We will take care. It is not a major problem for both of us," he said.

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Punjab DGP Suresh Arora today visited the Golden Temple along with other senior police officers to take stock of the security arrangements in view of the anniversary of Operation Bluestar on June 6.

Arora visited all the sensitive points inside and outside the Golden Temple and addressed a meeting of police officers.

He asked the local police to ensure peace and tranquillity on June 6 when the anniversary of Operation Bluestar -- the military operation to flush out militants holed up in the Golden Temple -- would be observed.

Meanwhile, radical outfit Dal Khalsa has given a call for 'Amritsar bandh' on June 6.

Groups associated with Dal Khalsa today distributed posters and leaflets across the city, urging traders, banks and educational bodies to keep their establishments closed on June 6.

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Doctors at a city hospital removed a tumour weighing nine kilograms from the chest of a 41-year-old Iraqi patient, giving him a new lease of life.

The tumour was lodged in the man's mediastinum (a membranous partition between the lungs), crushing his lungs and heart. This had caused his arteries to constrict, his breathing to become laboured and shallow and sharp pains to shoot up and down his chest.

"Patient Dhyee Saleem had been consistently feeling breathless. He was unable to walk or talk without gasping for air. He had consulted several doctors and had undergone numerous tests. However, none of these yielded any concrete results," said Dr Udgit Dhir, Director and Head of Department, Cardiac Surgery, Fortis Memorial Research Institute.

He was getting tired easily and was not able to do his daily work. His condition was deteriorating steadily when he approached the Fortis Hospital.

A thorough evaluation revealed that there was a huge lump of mass pressing on the right side of the heart invading the blood vessels, thus restricting the blood flow from the right ventricle to the left ventricle which had led to low supply of oxygen further leading to breathlessness in the patient, Dhir said.

Post the diagnosis, the patient was prepped for surgery which lasted for four hours. The surgery took place on April 21. The patient recovered in three days, post which he was discharged and is leading a healthy life now, he said.

It is very rare to come across such a case. This was a person who was living for several months with a nine kg tumour. It was a challenging case as the tumour was compressing the right ventricular outflow tract, other adjoining structures and great vessels. It had made the expansion of lungs difficult. Employing surgical techniques helped in the successful removal of the tumour," Dr Dhir said.

Atypical carcinoids are tumours which have a very fast growth rate and tend to spread to the other organs. They are much less common than typical carcinoids, said Dr Ritu Garg, Zonal Director of Fortis Memorial Research Institute.

These tumours constitute between 10-30 per cent of the carcinoid tumours. They are termed intermediate-grade malignancies. This type of tumour is strongly associated with smoking.

Atypical Carcinoid Tumour of Lung arises more often in the proximal airways of the lung and can cause chest pain, breathing difficulties, fatigue, fever, weight loss, and appetite loss. Chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and other treatment measures may be used for treating atypical carcinoid tumour.

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US Open champion Sloane Stephens claims she is so unfazed by being a Grand Slam champion that people could mistake her for a homeless person.

The 25-year-old American stunned the sport -- as well as herself -- last year when she raced to victory in New York.

It came with her ranking at a lowly 83, just 69 days after returning from an 11-month injury lay-off and six weeks since her ranking had plummeted to 957.

That shock, however, hasn't gone to the head of Stephens who on Saturday reached the French Open fourth round for a fifth time with a 4-6, 6-1, 8-6 win over Camila Giorgi of Italy.

"I normally look like -- I wouldn't say a homeless person -- but I look like not very presentable," she explained.

"Not on purpose, but I'm just very, like, sweats -- like I probably have four pairs of these sweats and I just rotate them.

"So I'm that girl. I'm not really recognisable because I always have a hat on and I look kind of crazy. No one approaches me."



The charismatic Stephens, at her highest seeding of 10 at a Slam, admits she is becoming a fan of Paris, even if finding the perfect ice cream is becoming a chore.

She discovered to her horror this week that her favourite ice cream parlour on the Champs Elysees has been supplanted by a burger joint.

"That is so disrespectful," she joked.

"So I have been really upset about that. But I have found one in a mall, like, across the street, so I have been able to regroup with that." What tops Stephens's dream list of ice creams in Paris?



"Macadamia nut brittle..and do you know they only make that in Europe? They don't have that in the United States."Away from the joking, Stephens feels she has a point to prove at the French Open having been handed a series of testing missions at Roland Garros in recent years.

In 2013, she lost in the fourth round to eventual runner-up Maria Sharapova, against runner-up Simona Halep in 2014 and, a year later, at the same stage to champion Serena Williams.

She is also playing injury free after an absence of 11 months from the middle of 2016 to Wimbledon last year had threatened to torpedo her career.

This year she won her first premier level title at Miami, maintaining her perfect record in finals which now stands at 6-0.

"I'd say my movement," she explained when asked what improvements she's noticed in her game since her return.

"Obviously having foot surgery, that was, like, my biggest concern. But I think that I have done really well to kind of pick up my feet a little bit. Yeah, I'm pleased with that."



Next up for Stephens is Anett Kontaveit, the Estonian who knocked out two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova on Saturday.

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The BJP governments at the Centre and states have betrayed farmers and left them with no option but to agitate, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said today.

Farmers in six states are agitating against the government policies. They are under debt and are not getting minimum support price, diesel prices are on the rise and all such factors have created resentment among them, Pilot said in a statement.

The BJP failed to fulfil promises made to the farmers during elections, he added.

On the loan-waiver announced by the Rajasthan government, Pilot, the president of the state unit of the Congress said writing-off small loans in the year before assembly polls was hogwash.

The ground reality is that nearly seven farmers have committed suicide in the last fortnight in the state on not getting adequate prices for their produce, he said.

The government should instead of showing off focus on resolving farmers' issues so that the wastage of agricultural produce could be stopped, Pilot said in a statement.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today described the ongoing protest by farmers as a "sign of their desperation in the face of the wrongs being perpetrated on them by the central government".

Singh made the remarks during a media interaction at the Haryana Raj Bhawan here after the swearing-in of Krishna Murari as the new Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

He said the farming community in the country was in the grip of a serious crisis due to the "indifferent" attitude of the BJP-led central government.

The government had "failed" to provide any succor to the beleaguered farmers, who were unable to make both ends meet due to its "antagonistic policies", the chief minister said, adding that despite repeated pleas by Punjab and other states, the Centre had failed to come to the rescue of the farming community.

Farmers were committing suicide due to their mounting debt burdens as agriculture was no longer financially viable for them in view of the inadequate MSP, he pointed out, reiterating that in toto implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report was the only impactful and long-term solution to the agrarian crisis in the country.

On the possibility of a poll alliance between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in view of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the chief minister said the decision rests with the Congress high-command, which will consider the matter as and when the need arises.

"The Punjab Congress leadership would give its opinion in the matter to the party high-command as and when the same was sought by the latter," Singh said.

The chief minister welcomed the appointment of Krishna Murari as the new CJ, saying that as an eminent jurist, he would bring the wealth of his experience to the judicial systems of both Punjab and Haryana.

Murari was earlier sworn in by Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki in the presence of Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore and chief minister Singh, as well as Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

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Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today that the protest by farmers in various parts of the country were attempts to get media attention, triggering demands by opposition parties for his removal.

Singh said the farmers opted for "unusual deeds" to draw media attention as they belong to organisations with only a few thousand members.

The farmers have launched a 10-day agitation to press their demands, including loan waiver and right price for crops. They dumped vegetables, milk and other farm produce on roads and blocked supplies to cities in several states yesterday.

"It requires some unusual deeds to appear in the media. The country has about 12-14 crore farmers. There will always be organisations with a following of a few thousand," Singh told reporters at a press conference when asked about the agitation.

The minister's remarks drew sharp reaction from opposition parties in Bihar, which accused him of being "insensitive" to the farmers' plight and demanded his removal.

"It is the height of insensitivity on part of the Union agriculture minister at a time when farmers are under so much distress. He should be sacked immediately," RJD spokesman Manoj Jha told PTI.

He said: "Radha Mohan Singh's comments is part of a series of uncharitable remarks made by BJP leaders against farmers. We wonder if (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi sees him as a poster boy for his proclamation of 'sabka saath sabka vikas'."



Congress legislature party leader in the state assembly Sadanand Singh said the BJP has been ridiculing distressed farmers instead of solving their problems.

"The remarks of the Union agriculture minister are insensitive. Thirty-five farmers in the country commit suicide every 24 hours, but the Modi government seems to be impervious to their plight," he said in a statement.

Former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha founder Jitan Ram Majhi said Singh's statements are a "reflection on his feudal mindset. We demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately sack the anti-farmer agriculture minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A former Gujarat minister today claimed that a gangster had demanded Rs 10 lakh from him, following which he was given police protection.

Bimal Shah, who was a minister of state in the Keshubhai Patel government, said he received the extortion message four days ago from a man who identified himself as Ali Budesh, a gangster once linked to fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim.

Shah said that he received a WhatsApp missed call four days ago at around 2am and when he checked the call, he found a message demanding Rs 10 lakh as protection money.

The sender had also issued a threat that Shah's kin would be eliminated if the money was not arranged within three days.

"I approached the Home ministry which informed the city Crime Branch. A case has been registered. The Crime Branch has provided us security cover," Shah said.

A senior police official, however, refused to comment on the incident.

Shah, who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls as an Independent candidate from Kapadvanj, had quit the BJP in 2012.

He rejoined the party in 2014 but was expelled again in 2017.

A man claiming to be Ali Budesh has sent such extortion messages to several MLAs in Uttar Pradesh and the government there, on May 23, formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 10-day agitation launched by farmer organisations in several northern states to press for their demands, including loan waiver and right price for their



produce, witnessed no visible impact in Uttar Pradesh today.

The protesters have called boycott of mandis or wholesale markets in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, triggering fears of shortage of food products, and price rise.

The Rashtriya Kisan Manch, an organisation working for the welfare of farmers in the state, has distanced itself from the bandh call.

"There was no response of the bandh call in Lucknow and adjoining districts. We are of the view that there is no point in telling the farmers to throw their agriculture produce on the streets, as they had put in their labour and hard work to produce the crops," President of the Rashtriya Kisan Manch Shekhar Dixit said.

He added: "If the farmers' condition are to be improved, then I would request the farmers not to sow seeds of any grain or crop. This will also help the farmers in avoiding immediate losses."



Farmers in 10 states, including Delhi's neighbours Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP, have given a call of a 10-day strike.

Protesting farmers dumped vegetables, milk and other farm produce on roads and blocked supplies to cities in several states yesterday as they launched the agitation to press for their demands including loan waiver and right price for crops.

Farmer organisations have also called for boycott of mandis or wholesale markets in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Mahrashtra, leading to fears of shortage and price rise.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Weather Alert

...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures as low as 33 degrees will result in frost formation. * WHERE...Stanton, Cuming, Boone, Madison, Wayne, Platte, Colfax, Antelope and Pierce Counties. * WHEN...From 3 AM to 9 AM CDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. &&
The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti claimed today that Amol Kale, arrested on Thursday for his alleged involvement in the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, left the organisation in 2008 because of "personal reasons".

Kale (40) along with Manohar Edve (30), Sujith Kumar alias Praveen (37) and Amit Degwekar alias Pradeep, were arrested by Karnataka Police's Special Investigation Team.

"As far as Kale is concerned, he was associated with HJS in Pune till 2008 but had said he would not be able to continue with the organisation due to personal reasons," Ramesh Shinde, HJS national spokesperson, told PTI.

"So for the last 10 years, he had stopped taking part in organisational activities. He is not in touch with the organisation," Shinde added.

Ganesh Shinde, deputy commissioner of police, Zone-III, Pune, said: "(Kale) was first arrested in an attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and Arms Act case on May 21 by Bengaluru police."



"On May 23, Karnataka Police conducted a search at his residence in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune. On May 31, he was arrested in the Lankesh murder case," the DCP said.

According to police sources, Kale lives with his wife, son and mother in an apartment in Pimpri-Chinchwad and he reportedly has no police record in Pune.

When contacted, Kale's wife refused to comment on the issue.

Lankesh (55), known for her anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in front of her home in Bengaluru on September 5 last year.

An SIT probing the case filed its first chargesheet on May 30 before the first additional chief metropolitan magistrate in Bengaluru.

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Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jammat-ud-Dawah will contest the July 25 general elections on the platform of Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek as the group's Milli Muslim League is yet to be registered as a political party, a senior member of the outfit said today.

Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), a front for the Lashkar-e- Taiba militant group that carried out the deadly 2008 Mumbai attack, launched its political front Milli Muslim League, but it has not been yet registered by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

With general elections approaching, the group has decided to contest on the platform of the "dormant" political entity Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT), which was registered in the ECP.

"It was a kind of dormant party registered by a citizen Ehsan. There are several such parties registered with the ECP and such an arrangement is made ahead of the general elections if any mainstream party or organisation faces any issue or complication," a member of the JuD told PTI.

"Since the Milli Muslim League (MML) fails to get registered with the ECP it is going for this arrangement (contesting the upcoming polls on AAT platform)," he said.

MML president Saifullah Khalid will make a formal announcement regarding this shortly, he added.

The AAT's election symbol is 'chair'.

"Now the JuD/MML candidates will contest on the 'chair' symbol across the country," the member said.

He said since the MML has hardly any chance to get registered with the ECP as it had announced the election schedule and issued election symbols, it had no other option but to contest the election on any 'dormant' entity like AAT or support the Mutahidda Majlis Amal (MMA), an alliance of mainstream religious parties of the country.

"But Saeed chose to contest independently," he said.

The MML has also confirmed contesting the July 25 election on the 'chair' symbol.

"We have decided to support the candidates of AAT in July 25 elections," MML President Saifullah Khalid told PTI.

"We will play a role in the victory of those contesting on the symbol of chair. To save Pakistan, patriotic people should be supported in the elections," he said.

Khalid said the MML had been denied registration in the ECP for the last 11 months but will take part in the polls by supporting the candidates of AAT.

"Meanwhile we will continue fighting our case (registration of MML) in the court and ECP," he added.

The MML president said over 350 political parties were registered with the ECP but there are objection regarding the MML.

"I ask the MML workers to get ready and make full preparations across the country to make the AAT candidates successful in the upcoming elections. We have to serve humanity and no one can stop us from our political struggle," he said.

Meanwhile, the MML has filed a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the ECP for using delaying tactics regarding its enlisting as a political party as per law. June 11 is fixed for the case hearing in the IHC.

The court in March had set aside the ECP order declining registration of the MML.

Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC bench had referred the matter to the ECP, directing the electoral body to pass a speaking order.

The MML had challenged the October 11 order of the ECP declining registration to the MML as a political party allegedly on the behest of the interior ministry.

The interior ministry had opposed enlisting of the MML as a political party arguing it's an offshoot of the Jamaatud Dawa of Hafiz Saeed banned under a UN resolution.

The JuD formed MML at the time when Saeed was detained in Lahore. Saeed and his four aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain - were placed under house arrest in Lahore on January 30 under anti- terrorism act.

The JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief also carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for his role in terror activities.

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After a burst of hectic diplomacy, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un's nuclear summit is on course to go ahead -- but if it is to live up to the hype, both sides will need to make difficult concessions.

In what would be the first breakthrough in the fraught process, North Korea and the United States may sign a peace deal that could pave the way for a cautious thaw in ties. "Can you believe that we're talking about the ending of the Korean War?" Trump asked rhetorically, marveling at his own diplomatic audacity.

The two countries have been technically at war for decades, even if their conflict was frozen by an armistice 65 years ago.

But what Washington is really seeking is the North's nuclear disarmament. Pyongyang, however, has long insisted on becoming a respected nuclear state and -- while it may have suspended nuclear and missile tests -- surrendering its bombs is off the table.

So how can the circle be squared? How can the two parties arrive at what Washington says must be the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearization of the Korean peninsula? Many are skeptical.

"We'll know right away if it's a failure," Center for Strategic and International Studies analyst Boris Toucas told AFP.

"For example, if Kim won't give written guarantees on denuclearization or if there's just a declaration of good intent without a roadmap." The summit would be a challenge for the most seasoned diplomats and just last year neophyte statesman Trump was mocking Kim as



"Little Rocket Man," while the young autocrat sneered at the "mentally deranged dotard."



The stakes have been raised still further by the accelerated timeframe. Trump may have conceded there will be no grand deal at the first meeting, but he wants a win before his first term ends in 2021.

North Korean leaders have been seeking face-to-face talks with a sitting US president for a quarter of a century, but Trump only agreed to meet Kim in March and now seems to be in a hurry.

So much of a hurry, in fact, that many in Washington worry he will naively make concessions without securing the North Korean arsenal.

But the cynics were also cheered that Trump now publicly accepts that the meeting is probably only the start of the process, and some former officials think some progress can be made.

Ambassador Joseph Yun was the US special representative for North Korea until days before Trump accepted the summit invitation, and is a veteran of backchannel talks.

He said that if the summit is to count as a success, both sides will have to make rapid concessions to build trust before a longer process leading to eventual disarmament and normalization can begin.

"The basic proposition that the United States is trying to tell North Korea is: 'You are safer without nuclear weapons than with nuclear weapons,'" said Yun, now an advisor at the US Institute of Peace.

North Korean leaders have long assumed the opposite: Only with weapons can they secure the Kim dynasty's survival and become a respected nuclear power like India, at the diplomatic top table.

But certain security guarantees may convince Kim to follow the diplomatic path after the summit.

"One, I believe in this particular instance would require what I call an 'end of war declaration,' that the Korean War, which technically ended with an armistice in 1953, is over," Yun said.

"Then you would require to have that, in effect, a peace treaty negotiation. And then, of course, along with that you need diplomatic normalization. So you can see it's a long drawn out process."



If the United States agrees to begin -- as Trump appeared to suggest it might -- peace talks to end the war and to open a diplomatic liaison office in Pyongyang, Kim might see the talks as useful.

Frank Aum, a former top advisor on North Korea to US defense secretaries and now also an expert at USIP, said Kim will have military demands.

For Pyongyang, "denuclearization" means not just surrendering its own bombs, but banning US strategic assets like F-22 stealth fighters, B1 bombers and carrier battle groups from its region.

But what must Kim give up in return?



"North Korea is probably ready to say that at the end of the day that they are ready to completely denuclearize, but there will be a comma and a fine print," Yun said.

Trump, who prides himself as a dealmaker, will have to negotiate this fine print so that Kim cannot delay indefinitely while international economic and diplomatic sanctions start to fray.

Kim, Yun said, should immediately put into writing what he has already agreed to do: halt his provocative tests of long-range missiles and nuclear devices.

He should also allow international inspections of his declared nuclear sites such as Yongbyon and -- crucially -- reveal his other, secret sites to make clear the scale of the disarmament task.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three actresses have filed a new lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein alleging sexual assault and urged other victims of the disgraced Hollywood producer to come forward and join their complaint.

Melissa Thompson, one of the women filing the class action lawsuit yesterday, said she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein during a 2011 meeting to discuss a new marketing tool.

Following public revelations last year about his predatory behavior, Thompson said she was referred to lawyer Benjamin Brafman and another attorney at his firm, Alex Spiro.

Brafman is defending Weinstein following his indictment last week on rape and sex crime charges.

"Thompson was led to believe that Brafman and Spiro were representing victims against Weinstein," the law firm representing her, Hagens Berman, said in a statement.

"Deceptive tactics were used to entice her to turn over her visual and audio evidence of Weinstein's conduct (which she did)," it said.

"Melissa did not learn that Brafman was actually then or would later be Weinstein's lead criminal defense attorney until after turning over the video as evidence." Brafman's law firm was named as a defendant in the lawsuit along with Weinstein's former movie company Miramax and The Weinstein Company.

The other two actresses who are a party to the lawsuit are Caitlin Dulany and Larissa Gomes.

It accusses Weinstein of "assaulting, threatening and falsely imprisoning (Dulany) in her apartment" in 1996 and again at the Cannes Film Festival that same year.

As for Gomes, the second time Weinstein met with her, he "imprisoned her in his hotel room and threatened, battered and assaulted her," the law firm said.

The lawsuit is the third class action suit filed against Weinstein by Hagens Berman since late last year.

Other women who were victimised by Weinstein were invited to join the suit.

"We deserve to live in a world in which accountability for the abuse of power exists," Thompson said. "Stand up and say something -- because now is the time that enough is enough." Elizabeth Fegan, a partner at Hagens Berman, said "we are working to see a day of justice for the hundreds of women who were exploited for Weinstein's sexual gratification and silenced by this ring of conspirators." The 66-year-old Weinstein was charged with rape and a sex crime in New York last week, nearly eight months after his career imploded in a blaze of accusations of misconduct.

Nearly 100 women have now accused Weinstein of crimes ranging from sexual harassment to assault and rape going back decades.

Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie are among more than two dozen actresses who say they were sexually harassed by the producer. A few, including Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, said they were raped.

Brafman, Weinstein's lawyer, is one of America's most celebrated criminal defense attorneys. His past clients include former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who escaped criminal prosecution for alleged sexual assault in 2011.

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A leading association of Indian doctors in the UK has thrown its weight behind a new "Scrap the Cap" campaign against the "rigid" visa norms that are blocking hundreds of Indian doctors from helping the country's state-funded National Health Service.

The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) said it had doctors on its list who can come in on a short-term basis to fill National Health Service (NHS) shortage and gain training in the process.

However, the UK government's annual immigration target means they are not even applying as they will be refused a visa because of the monthly cap on overseas professionals being breached.

The 'British Medical Journal' has raised over 1,000 signatures already on an online petition 'Scrap the cap on international doctors being allowed to work in the NHS' on the UK Parliament website within days of the "Scrap the Cap" campaign.

At 10,000 signatures, the UK government will be forced to respond and at 100,000, the issue will have to be considered for a House of Commons debate.

"We are whole-heartedly behind this campaign. There needs to be a common-sense approach. Rather than a rigid cap, there needs to be a system that is more flexible and meets the needs of the healthcare service," said BAPIO president Ramesh Mehta.

The cap under the Tier 2 visa category to allow companies to bring in professionals from outside the European Union (EU) is set at 20,700 per year, with a monthly limit of around 1,600.

Until December last year, that limit had been exceeded only once in almost six years but since then that cap has been reached nearly every month.

According to latest figures, between December 2017 and March 2018, the UK Home Office refused over 1,500 visa applications from doctors.

"The Home Office policy is a disaster for the country's health service. There is a shortage of 10,000 doctors and we have Indian doctors shortlisted who can help fill that gap," Mehta said.

Mehta's group has been campaigning for one streamlined route for overseas doctors rather than the current system of different immigration routes.

BAPIO also believes doctors from India should be brought in on a short-term basis to be able to benefit from training in the UK and then return to India to prevent any "brain drain" from a country also in need of medical professionals.

The 'Scrap the Cap' campaign comes soon after a recent YouGov survey found overwhelming support among the British public for having a more flexible visa regime for overseas doctors, based on the needs of the NHS.

The British Medical Association (BMA), 12 medical royal colleges, NHS Employers and other professional bodies co-authored a letter to UK home secretary Sajid Javid last month asking for the cap to be reviewed.

"It makes no sense to turn doctors away from working here when the NHS is under huge pressure. The Tier 2 visa quota has been reached for the sixth month in a row, yet there are still thousands of posts unfilled, with vacancy rates rising," said BMA Chair Chaand Nagpaul.

"In the short term, the Home Office needs to show some flexibility. We shouldn't be turning away people from outside the EU that the NHS needs and the public wants. With our health service short on high-skilled staff, it makes sense to take NHS staff out of the monthly high-skilled quota," said Sunder Katwala, Director of think tank British Future.

The campaign comes amid growing opposition within British Prime Minister Theresa May's own Conservative party over the issue. Many of her backbench MPs are believed to be in revolt mode over the issue, calling for a relaxation of rules.

"There's a sort of madness in the current restrictions. The UK has always relied on and welcomed doctors from overseas. Now, just when we most need them, we are putting roadblocks in their way and wasting precious money, time and international goodwill," said Fiona Godlee, editor in chief of 'BMJ' in reference to the campaign.

The UK Home Office, however, says that while it recognises the "contribution" of international professionals, it is important that the country's immigration system ensures that employers look first to the UK resident labour market before recruiting from overseas.

"We estimate that around a third of all tier-two places go to the NHS," a spokesperson said.

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Jat community members in Haryana today threatened to oppose programmes attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his ministers for not implementing quota in government jobs and education and not withdrawing cases filed in connection with the 2016 quota stir.

At a Jat Mahasabha organised in Jassia village in Rohtak district, the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti announced that it will hold dharnas from August 16 wherever Khattar or his ministers attend public programmes in the state.

"We will oppose each of their programmes until our demands are met. A resolution has been passed today in this regard," Samiti president Yashpal Malik said.

"If the prime minister holds any political rally in Haryana, we will oppose that too," Malik, who is spearheading the campaign for quota for Jats, said.

He said the government has time till August 16 to meet their demands.

Malik said the Jat community will organise 'Bhaichara Sammelans' with other sections of society including Dalits and farmers from June 15 in villages and blocks in the state.

The Jat leader accused the BJP-led Haryana government of "betraying" the community by not honouring the promises made to them.

The Jat Mahasabha was organised in the wake of the state government's submission in the Punjab and Haryana High Court last month that it would not withdraw cases related to the 2016 Jat agitation. The government had given permission for the withdrawal of 407 cases.

A total of 2,100 cases pertaining to arson and violence were registered in connection with the February 2016 agitation. Thirty people died and several were injured during the agitation.

In another resolution passed during the rally today, Jats will make "injustice" to the community an issue during the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

For the Mahasabha today, Rohtak police had tightened security. Check posts were erected across the district and the rally participants were not allowed to enter the Rohtak city.

In February this year, Jats had threatened to disrupt BJP chief Amit Shah's rally in Jind.

They were later pacified by government representatives, including chief minister Khattar, with assurance, according to Jat leaders, that the state government would withdraw all cases registered in connection with the 2016 quota agitation.

Jats have been demanding quota in jobs and educational institutions, withdrawal of all cases registered against community members and suitable compensation to those injured in the 2016 stir.

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Additional Director General of CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Zone, V S K Kaumudi today asked his men to keep serving the nation with utmost discipline and sincerity.

Kaumudi was speaking at a function organised to honour martyrs' families of the force during golden jubilee celebrations of 38 Battalion at Ismailpur in Samba district, an official statement issued here said.

He also reiterated his commitment and endeavours for providing basic amenities to all.

The 38 Battalion CRPF came into existence exactly 50 years ago in Narsinghgarh, Tripura.

In the past 50 years, the Unit rendered its services in different parts of the country, including Tripura, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Sikkim, Mizoram, West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Odisha, where it not only performed its duties effectively, besides, set various examples of its bravery, the release said.

The celebrations became more stupendous when first commandant of the battalion C M Sharma informed people about the history of the Unit.

Sharma, a 1962 batch UP Cadre IPS officer, retired from service in 1996 as Director General.

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A 32-year-old man, who abandoned his newborn baby at a church in Kochi, allegedly committed the offence out of fear that he would be shamed socially for siring a fourth child, police said today.

Bitto and his wife Prabitha (28), from Thrissur district, were arrested this morning for abandoning their newborn child at St George Forane Church in Edappally last evening, they said.

The two, having four kids including the abandoned two-day-old infant, were traced from Wadakkancherry, they added.

The woman allegedly joined her husband in committing the crime before being discharged from the Government Medical College Hospital in Thrissur, where she delivered the baby.

During preliminary probe, Bitto told the investigation team that the offence was committed out of fear that they would be shamed socially for siring a fourth child, police said.

They were allegedly laughed at by friends and locals for Prabitha being continuously pregnant.

Police, however, said a detailed investigation was required to reach a final conclusion in the case.

The two have been charged under IPC Section 317(exposure and abandonment of child under 12 years, by parent or person having care of it) and Juvenile Justice Act, Section 75 (punishment for cruelty to child), police said.

CCTV camera footage aired by television channels and circulated on social media since last night showed a couple leaving the child in the premises of the church.

The security staff of the church noticed the child at around 8.30 pm and immediately alerted the police.

In the footage, the couple along with another child was seen walking into the church around 8.15 pm with the baby wrapped in an orange sheet.

The father kissed the baby on its forehead before carefully placing the infant on the ground of the church.

The baby was admitted to a private hospital immediately after the incident.

Hospital sources said the infant was healthy.

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A 39-year-old woman, who was under observation for symptoms, died on Saturday.

However, the samples of the woman were found to be negative, Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja told reporters.

The cause of her death has to be ascertained, she said.

A health department official said the woman had accompanied a patient to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital where a Nipah-affected person was being treated.

After she fell ill, she was shifted from the Pariyaram Medical College to the Kozhikode Medical College hospital as she showed symptoms similar to that of the

The health authorities had drawn up a list of 1,949 people who had come in contact with the Nipah-affected persons to monitor their health condition.

The woman also figured on the list and had tested negative for earlier as well.

Shailaja chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday morning, which was attended by top health officials.

Two patients, who tested positive for the virus, are undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital and their condition is stable.

The newly emerging zoonosis has so far claimed 16 lives in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.

The state government has postponed all meetings scheduled to be held in the two districts this month until further notice.

As a precautionary measure, several staffers, including nurses and four doctors, of the Balussery taluk hospital were asked on Friday to go on leave.

These doctors and nurses had come in contact with two Nipah virus patients who died.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has postponed all its written and online exams scheduled to be held until June 16.

New dates will be announced later.
Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar has said that his family members, who accompanied him on an official tour to the United States of America, did so at their own expense.

The opposition Congress had hit out at the minister and had said that family members should not be allowed to go on such official trips.

Senior minister and Cabinet Advisory Committee member, Sudin Dhavalikar, had also said, earlier, that Ajgaonkar would be asked to bear the expenses incurred on his family in connection with the trip.

Ajgaonkar, who arrived from the USA two days ago, issued a statement yesterday and alleged that the opposition was creating an "unnecessary controversy".

"They (family members) were there at their own expense. The opposition is creating unnecessary controversy over the tour," he claimed.

He added that such tours had also been organised during previous Congress-led governments.

He said that organising such international trade fairs was one of the primary functions of the Tourism Department and the aim was to bring quality tourists from niche markets to Goa.

The minister claimed that there was "100 per cent transparency" in the working of the state Tourism department and anyone seeking information from it could obtain it "any time".

The official delegation that went to the USA included Nilesh Cabral, chairman, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Dharmendra Sharma, principal secretary, Tourism and Rajesh Kale, deputy director, Tourism.

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The Kerala State Human Rights Commission today directed the government to take steps to ban agitations in the periphery of the Secretariat, the administrative hub located in the heart of the city.

The main road and adjacent pathways in front of the Secretariat have been a major venue of various modes of agitation in the capital city for many years.

The Commission directed the Chief Secretary to allot an exclusive space off the city limits for political parties and other outfits to stage protest demonstrations, dharnas and siege over issues.

The Commission member, P Mohandas issued the directive on a complaint by Poovachal Sadasivan, national president, Journalist Pensioners Association of India.

A report submitted by state Police Chief Loknath Behara also admitted that protest demonstrations used to be held in the periphery of the Secretariat, violating a High Court verdict in this regard, a Commission statement said here.

Though political parties and other outfits have the right to stage protest, it should not be an infringement into the rights of public, it said.

The Commission was also of the view that frequent strikes and agitations after closing roads amounted to curtailing the fundamental rights of passers-by and those travelling in vehicles.

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Life in the city slowly returned to normal today, a day after the heavy downpour that claimed five lives in coastal Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts and left several areas marooned.

The city witnessed cloudy skies and scattered rains insome parts today.

People living in low lying areas were busy working to repair the damage caused to their dwellings in a single day.

They were engaged in clearing water that entered their houses, especially at Jeppinamogeru, Alake, Bejai and Pandeshwar inand around the city.

Schools and colleges had been closed for the day as per an order from the Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner.

Rainfall statistics released by DK district administration showed that Mangaluru taluk was the worst hit region, recording 288.5 mm rain in 24 hours since 8.30 am yesterday.

Panambur observatory recorded 333.8 mm during the hours, which was the highest in the region.

Putturtaluk where rains occurred only in the afternoon, recorded 109 mm, while Bantwal taluk got 122.6 mm rainfall.

Sullia and Belthangady received lesser rainfall of 71 mm and 65 mm respectively.

The average total rainfall in DK district stood at 131.4 mm in 24 hours.

The ferocity of yesterdays rains could be measured from the statistics that the district's average normal rainfall in May is 170 mm, while it received 400 mm this year during the month.

In May last year, the districtreceived a cumulative rainfall of 126 mm.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), very heavy rain, which was witnessed in DK and Udupi yesterday, will continue in the twin districts and south interior Karnataka at least till June 1.

As per the warning, north interior parts of the state would witness thundershowers with gusty winds in the period.

The IMD has not yet officially declared the onset of southwest monsoon in Karnataka and a formal declaration is expected in a day or two.

The DK district administration had made elaborate arragements to face any eventuality with the expected onset ofmonsoon on June 1, deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil toldreporters here.

The inadequacy of the existing drainage networks capacity to handle huge flooding and the high tide in the Arabian Sea resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city before noon yesterday, he said.

City police commissioner Vipul Kumar said two more platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police besides the existing two were being called in.

Police personnel had beenasked to join the rescue work keeping minimum strength at all police stations, he said.

Five persons, including Kannada film actor-director Santhosh Shetty Kateel, had lost their lives in rain-related incidents in DK and Udupi districts since yesterday.

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In a bid to urge fishermen to play a significant role in maritime security, the Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (West) today organised a motorcycle rally along the fishing hamlets of Maharashtra and Goa.

A team of 25 motorcyclists, comprising personnel from Coast Guard, Marine Police, Fisheries, Customs and ONGC, will pass through fishing colonies along the Maharashtra and Goa coasts as part of the rally which will conclude on June 10 here, a Coast Guard media release said today.

The rally was flagged off by Maharashtra minister Mahadev Jankar. Senior Coast Guard officials were present on the occasion.

The release said that the rally aimed at making fishermen the "eyes and ears" of the coastal security network.

The event will also sensitise the fishing community to adopt safe seafaring practices such as carrying life jackets and essential documents of the boat crew.

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A businessman trading in maize was shot at and injured by a gang in his office here today, in a suspected attack due to business rivalry, police said.

Four people barged into the office of Kanhaiyalal, a native of Rajasthan settled here for two decades, and fired three rounds from a pistol, police said quoting an eye-witness.

However, the man, in his 50s, escaped with minor injury caused by one of the bullets, they said adding he had been admitted to a hospital where his condition was stated to be stable.

Police said they suspect business rivalry and financial transaction could be the reason behind the attack.

Additional commissioner of police Seemanth Kumar Singh said, We have got clues, and we will soon nab the culprits."



Kanhaiyalal came to the city about 20 years ago and has been into foodgrains business, police said.

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Malaysia's transport minister said Saturday that owners of more than 71,000 affected Honda cars will be penalized if they fail to replace flawed Takata air bags, in a drastic move to curb fatalities.

The deaths of seven people in Malaysia have been linked to the defective air bags that are subject to one of the world's largest auto recalls. The latest victim was a 23-year old student whose 2004 Honda City crashed in Kuala Lumpur on May 27, the second death this year alone.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said owners of 71,315 Honda cars have still not responded to the recall replacement and will be barred from renewing their road tax if they don't do so.

"The 71,315 cars are like a time bomb that can kill anytime ... the government has to take such (a) drastic measure because human lives are more important than a little inconvenience," Loke said after visiting the victim's family at their home.

In the latest case, he said a 2-centimeter (0.79-inch) -long shrapnel was found embedded on the left of the victim's neck after his car crashed into a tree.

Loke said Honda has sent 28 recall notices to the victim's family but it didn't reach them because they moved and didn't update their address with the Road Transport Department.

The last letter was dated May 22, five days before the crash, he said. Pong Yew Loong, the victim's father, told reporters that the family wasn't aware of the recall and didn't receive any letter.

"It is proven that over the last four years, the awareness campaign is not enough, the awareness campaign has not been effective," Loke said.

He said he will meet car manufacturers next week to discuss further measures.

The latest Malaysian death raised the global death toll linked to the defect to 23. The US, with 16 deaths, is the only other country to have reported such fatalities.

All the deaths in Malaysia involved the Honda City, a subcompact made for Asia and Europe. Families of some Malaysian victims have blamed Honda, the leading foreign brand in the country, of not doing enough to warn car owners of potentially deadly risks from the air bags or track down second-hand car owners.

The defective air bags have faulty inflators and propellant devices that may deploy improperly in an accident, shooting out metal fragments that can kill or injure.

Last year, Takata pleaded guilty to fraud in a US court and agreed to pay more than $1 billion in penalties for concealing the defect.

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In a third such incident within two weeks, a man belonging to an Other Backward Class community was allegedly beaten up by some upper-caste men for



using the suffix 'Sinh' in his name.

The incident took place at Un village in Kankrej tehsil of Banaskantha district yesterday, police said.

Himatsinh Chauhan (20), who belongs to Koli Thakor, an OBC community, was beaten up by members of the Darbar community when they noticed that he used 'Sinh' in his name on Facebook.

An FIR was registered under IPC sections 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 395 (dacoity), and 506(b) (criminal intimidation), said Sub-Inspector A K Bharwad of the Thara police station.

"Chauhan was thrashed by a group of men after they saw that on his Facebook page he uses the suffix "Sinh" in his name. They also robbed him. We arrested six persons today," the officer said.

'Sinh' appears in Chauhan's name in the school certificate too, he said.

The incident comes close on the heels of a similar incident in the same district.

On May 27, a man was allegedly beaten up and forced to shave off his moustache for using Sinh in his name on invitation cards for a religious ceremony at Gaud village near Palanpur.

Before that, on May 22, a group of Rajputs clashed with Dalits at Dholka in Ahmedabad district over a Dalit man's decision to add 'Sinh' to his name. Maulik Jadhav had announced on Facebook that he would be known as Mauliksinh Jadav henceforth, which angered some upper caste men.

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Congress president Rahul Gandhi will participate in a protest at Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh where six farmers were killed in alleged police firing last year.

"In our country, 35 farmers commit suicide everyday. Farmers have been forced to hold 10-day agitation against Central government's failure to address the agrarian distress. While standing with farmers in their fight for justice, I will address a farmers rally in Mandsaur on June 6, Gandhi wrote on Twitter.

Congress's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the government's apathy towards farmers had led to a nation-wide stir from June 1 to 10.

The Modi government's uncaring, insensitive, apathetic and thick-skinned attitude to the issues raised by 62 per cent of India's population - farmers - has precipitated into a nationwide protest by our 'Annadata'.

The all-India protest by lakhs of farmers from June 1 to 10 to observe the first anniversary of the Mandsaur shooting is a direct affirmation of the 'anti-farmer' policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said in a statement.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be in Mandsaur to observe the first death anniversary of the six farmers that were brutally killed in police shooting, but the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government in sheer desperation is trying to suppress the protests by using illegal means, the Congress leader said.

Surjewala said the dejected farmers were resigning to their fate, fleeing farms and aspiring for other jobs because the BJP had completely failed them.

They are forced to throw their produce on the streets or distribute it for free as they are not getting fair prices for it. They have announced that they will not sell their produce in mandis in cities, he said.

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Authorities today suspended mobile Internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts of the Valley and reduced network speeds in south Kashmir as a precautionary measure in the wake of the death of a youth who was allegedly hit by a security forces vehicle during clashes between forces and protestors here.

A police official said that the high-speed mobile data services have been barred in four districts - Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian - of south Kashmir.

Mobile Internet services have been suspended in Srinagar and Budgam districts, he said.

In south Kashmir, 3G and 4G services have been barred, while 2G services were working, the official said.

He said the mobile data services have been barred as a precautionary measure.

The separatists had called a strike across Kashmir today to protest against the recent civilian killings.

A youth Kasier Bhat who was injured after he was allegedly hit by a security forces vehicle during clashes between protestors and forces in the Nowhatta area of the city yesterday, died at a hospital today, police said.

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Prof V Murugesan was today appointed as Vice Chancellor of Annamalai University by the Tamil Nadu Governor and Chancellor Banwarilal Purohit.

Purohit presented the letter of appointment to Murugesan at a function at the Raj Bhavan today.

Murugesan, who served Anna University, Chennai for 16 years as a professor, has administrative experience for 22 years, a Raj Bhavan release said.

His tenure as Vice-Chancellor, Annamalai University would be for a three year period.

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Union Health minister J P Nadda today reviewed the ground situation with his Kerala counterpart and took stock of the public health measures in the affected areas of Kozhikode and Malappuram where the Nipah virus has claimed 17 lives so far.

The multi-disciplinary central team led by Director of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and comprising experts from NCDC, AIIMS, Safdarjung hospital, EMR division, NIV Pune is constantly monitoring the situation of the Nipah Virus disease and supporting the State Health Authorities in managing the outbreak.

After reviewing the situation, the central team suggested triage of Nipah cases and establishment of dedicated isolation facilities in district and strict infection control practices, a health ministry statement said.

The government has also issued advisories for general public and healthcare personnel along with guidelines for sample collection for Nipah virus, hospital infection control and laboratory biosafety guidelines.

In addition, contact tracing and treatment and clinical management protocol has been provided to the state authorities, it said.

National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is monitoring the situation in various States through the Integrated Disease Control Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network.

Advisories have been sent to all the states, video conferencing has been conducted with states for training and clarifying their doubts.

Further samples sent from various states such as Goa, Telangana, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh have come out negative. Out of 19 reported cases of the disease, 17 have died .

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As it continues its sealed border policy with neighbors, combined with import restrictions, Algeria deepens its isolation in a dynamic African continent, further undermining prospects of economic diversification away from oil and gas.

In a two-speed Africa where countries post two-digit growth rate, Algeria lags behind due to the short-sightedness of its leaders who failed to use the oil mantra amassed in the expensive oil era to establish a competitive economy friendly to foreign investments.

The lack of vision decried for years by independent analysts resulted in serious repercussions. As it heads straight to insolvency, Algeria insists on shunning reforms in favor of time-buying measures.

At the start of this year, authorities banned the import of 851 products including foodstuffs, cell phones, home appliances and some raw materials in an effort to address a gaping trade deficit.

Local firms including drinks producers and potters are already complaining of shortages in raw materials putting their businesses at risk.

Algerias isolationist economic policy based on the distribution of oil revenues, which accounts for 60% of the countrys GDP, is undermining the competitiveness of Algerian companies on the continent.

Oil and gas account for about 95 percent of Algerias exports with the government having little success in boosting the non-energy sector.

Even the private sector is dependent on oil. The big companies in the country Cevital, ERTHP or Arcofina operating in the industrial, distribution, real estate or construction sectors live in a way or another thanks to the oil and gas money, a factor that has kept them uncompetitive at the African level.

These companies owe their existence to public markets financed by oil revenues or to the distribution of heavily-subsidized products.

The lack of vision has also kept the 40-million people nation dependent on imports with the state subsidizing most consumer goods, especially foodstuff.

The business climate in Algeria thwarted foreign investments due to bureaucracy, corruption and an underdeveloped banking system.

The 51/49% law that prohibits foreign capital from holding more than 49% of Algerian companies has always been described by analysts as one of the major obstacles to foreign investments.

Meanwhile, the government led by an ailing president is facing a severe drop in its foreign exchange reserves due to the drop in international prices in 2014.

The 2014 counter-shock has highlighted the vulnerability of the prevailing economic model and the need to seek new sources of growth, Alexandre Kateb, Director of Competence Finance in the Pan-African Magazine Jeune Afrique said.

Faced with a panoply of challenges from maintaining the social peace among a restive population to reducing subsidies and diversifying the economy, Algeria seems hostage to treating symptoms instead of the deep causes of its economic dilemma: dependence on oil and gas.

As the government foot-drags on reforms that would open up the economy and strengthen the competitiveness of the private sector, Algeria continues to struggle with the repercussions of decades of counter-productive policies that put it on the verge of insolvency.
Accusing the BJP of trying to destabilise Andhra Pradesh using his political rivals, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah would have to pay dearly if they conspired against the state.

"Try hatching grand conspiracies elsewhere. Carry out your experiments in other states. But if you poke the Telugus, we will not leave you," he warned.

Addressing a public meeting in connection with the week-long Nava Nirmana Deeksha programme, Naidu alleged the BJP was trying to destabilize Andhra Pradesh in a systematic manner.

"It is using actor Pawan Kalyan, YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, TTD ex-head priest A V Ramana Dikshitulu and others in the grand conspiracy. We Telugus will not tolerate this, beware," he said.

Continuing his tirade against the prime minister, he said Modi failed to bring back black money stashed abroad and did not deliver on his promise of crediting Rs 15 lakh to the account of every Indian.

"Demonetisation and the GST destroyed the economic system in the country. The banking system is in shambles and people have lost faith in it. This is very sad," Naidu said.

The new tax regime has become a tool to harass the common man, he said.

"You have to pay tax to eat idli. This is atrocious," he said.

Terming the recent one-paisa reduction in fuel prices the "world's biggest joke", the TDP chief said petrol and diesel prices were being hiked abnormally, burdening the common people.

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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today demanded immediate stoppage of construction work of Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh till issues pertaining to Odisha are resolved.

"If the project is completed before resolution of all the pending issues it will lead to a situation which will permanently affect a large number of tribal people in Odisha," Patnaik said in a letter to Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Harsh Vardhan.

Patnaik said he had sent two letters to the prime minister last year mentioning that the ministry had kept the "Stop Work Order" in abeyance from time to time without informing Odisdha which would be severely affected due to construction of the Polavaram project.

Construction of the Polavaram project is in violation of the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT), and it is being constructed without correctly assessing the backwater extent in Sabari and Sileru limbs in Odisha, the chief minister said in the letter made available to the press.

Stating that Odisha had filed a suit in 2007 against construction of the Polavaram Project in the Supreme Court and the matter is sub-judice, Patnaik said the Environmental Clearance (EC) granted in 2005 was invalid as no public hearing was conducted in Malkangiri district of Odisha which would be severely affected due to the project in its present formulation.

He said the EC granted in favour of Polavaram project was set aside by the National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) on December 19, 2007 and it directed for conducting public hearing in affected areas of Odisha and Chhattiagarh.

The orders of NEAA were suspended by Andhra Pradesh High Court and Odisha has also filed a counter against this, he said adding Odisha and Chhattisgarh had filed a petition before the Supreme Court with a request to transfer the writ petition pending before Andhra Pradesh High Court to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has been pleased to accept the transfer petitions, Patnaik said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the consent of Odisha was never taken into consideration while changing the design parameters of the Polavaram project by Andhra Pradesh government and the Central Water Commission (CWC), he said.

An office memorandum of the Union Ministry dated 23.06.2015 had stated that Andhra Pradesh government earlier assured not to impound the reservoir of the project till the issues raised by Chhattisgarh and Odhsha are resolved, Patnaik said.

The ministry also asked Andhra Pradesh government not to impound the reservoir without specific permission from the ministry, he said.

"However, it is to state that the reservoir is bound to be impounded as the construction of the dam along the spillway is going in full swing, which will result in submergence in the territory of Odisha," said Patnaik.

It is further learnt that Ministry vide an office memorandum had kept the 'Stop Work Order' in abeyance for a period of one more year, he said.

"In this regard, I must mention that Odisha is not being informed on the issue of Stop Work Order being kept in abeyance with reasons thereof from time to time by MoEF, thus allowing construction of the Polavaram head works an distribution system uninterruptedly," the chief minister said.

"In view of the above, it is once again requested that the construction of the Polavaram project should be stopped immediately till the issues pertaining to Odisha are resolved," Patnaik said.

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Reopening of schools and colleges in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala has been extended till June 12 and all examinations, except those conducted by UPSC, have been postponed as a precautionary measure in view of the Nipha outbreak.

Interviews being conducted by the state public service commission have also been postponed.

A decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting here, chaired by state Health Minister K K Shylaja and additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Sadanandan.

The Kerala University of Health Sciences has postponed all itstheory examinations starting from June 4.

Practical examinations in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Waynad districts have also been deferred.

The APJ Abdul Kalam Technical university has also postpone all exams which were to be held from June 6-13.

In Wayanad district, restrictions have been imposed on public functions.

Of the 18 confirmed cases of Nipha virus (NiV), 16 people have died and two are undergoing treatment.

There are totally 30 suspected NiV cases, of whom 28 are in Kozhikode, one each in Malappuram and Waynad districts.

"As a precautionary measure, it has been decided to further postpone the re-opening of schools and colleges and holding of examinations," Shylaja said.

An all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be held at Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to review the situation, she said.

The health minister said the effort now was to prevent a second wave of the infection and, therefore, extreme caution has to be exercised.

"A list of 1,950 persons who had come in contact with confirmed NiV cases has been prepared and they are being closely monitored," Shylaja added.

She said the death of a 39-year-old woman, Roja, who showed symptoms of the virus,gave a scare this morning.But her blood samples were found negative, she said and stressed the need to remain very vigilant though there were no fresh cases.

Sadanandan, meanwhile, said the monoclonal antibodies from Australia had reached the state and would be administered only if there was any fresh Nipah case.

Experts from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) -- the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research - would arrive here on Monday and the antibody would be administered only if needed.

With the help of ICMR and World Health Organisation, the state government had procured about 50 doses of a monoclonal antibodies from Australia to combat the virus, he added.

Meanwhile, in view of the Nipah virus outbreak, the Thamarassery Bishop Mar Remigiose Inchananiyil asked the faithful to reschedule baptisms, house warmings, marriages and prayer gatherings considering the special circumstances.

The church also decided that the Holy communion, the sacrament commemorating the last supper in which bread and wine are placed on tongues of the faithful, would now be kept on their palms as a precautionary step, until further notice.

Unnecessary journeys, public meetings and celebrations has to be avoided totally, it was stated.

IMA President Dr Ravi Wankedekar lauded the Kerala government and the health care agencies for their efforts in combating the Nipah virus.

He told reporters in the state capital that doctors in Kerala had been prompt in spotting the virus as soon as it appeared.

Though they did not have any forewarning or experience about the virus, they detected it and acted fast to put up a resistance. This was done even without any prior training or equipment, he said.

Pointing out that nations which had experienced the virus outbreak had taken months to detect it,he said the fast action by Indian doctors shows their expertise,which was commendable.

Dr Wankedekar said the arrival of around 300 doctors in the state for the IMA conference today showed that the virus isn't a threat at all.

Meanwhile,all samples,including that of three fruit eating bats, considered the primary hosts of the virus, sent for tests to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, turned out negative, according to Dr A C Mohandas, District Animal Husbandry officer, Kozhikode.,



Ten urine samples collected from the bat roost also turned out negative for the virus, he told PTI.

The results of the tests were received tonight.

Blood and serum samples collected from the rabbit belonging to the Moosa family, who lost three members of their family to Nipah, were also negative, he said.

Earlier tests on insect eating bats were also found negative.

Further studies would have to be carried out to find out from where the virus entered Kerala.

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Six police officers were killed by gunmen in the north-central Mexico state of Guanajuato, authorities said.

State Interior Secretary Gustavo Rodriguez Junquera said the dead officers were traffic police and he promised that "this crime will not go unpunished." Rodriguez Junquera did not say how the attack occurred, but local media reports said the officers were killed by shots fired from a passing vehicle.

Guanajuato was long a relatively peaceful state, but in recent years it has been plagued by crime gangs that rob freight trains and drill into state-owned oil pipelines to siphon off fuel.

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Opposition today demanded Maharashtra cooperation minister Subhash Deshmukh's resignation, claiming that authorities have found that his bungalow in Solapur city was constructed illegally.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said that as per the Solapur municipal commissioner's report, the land where the minister's bungalow stands was reserved for a fire brigade station.

Munde told reporters here that the commissioner had conducted inquiry into the matter on the Bombay High Court's directions, following a public interest litigation over the issue.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis holds the Urban Development portfolio, and "people were eager to know" what action he would take against Deshmukh, Munde said.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said Deshmukh's alleged illegal construction was a "glaring example" of corruption under the current government.

Deshmukh should be sacked immediately, he demanded.

Speaking to local channels, Deshmukh denied that there was any illegality.

"I will resign if I am found guilty. If my bungalow turns out to be illegal, I will myself demolish it," he said.

According to the purported report, copies of which were circulated to media, the municipal commissioner has stated that permissions granted for the construction were not proper, and the land was reserved for a fire brigade station.

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Pakistan's Supreme Court today issued notices to 21 politicians and military officials, including deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Asad Durrani, in the infamous Asghar Khan poll rigging case.

The action was taken as a follow up to the 2012 decision of the Supreme Court in the Asghar case of 1996, which was based on a petition of former air chief Air Marshal Asghar Khan.

Khan had alleged that the army and ISI distributed millions of rupees among politicians ahead of the 1990 elections to bring them together to defeat the Pakistan Peoples' Party of former premier and slain leader Benazir Bhutto.

While deciding the case the court in 2012 had ordered the government to probe it and take action against those involved in giving and taking money.

After years of inaction, current Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has taken notice of the delay and asked the government as well as Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to probe and fix the responsibility.

While hearing the implementation of 2012 verdict today in Lahore registry of the Supreme Court, the chief justice ordered that the notices should be issued to the civilians and military officials involved in it.

Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf also presented a Cabinet meeting report in which it ordered the FIA and NAB to implement the apex court's order.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till June 6.

Apart from Durrani, former army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg is also accused in the scam to bribe politicians to form an alliance to defeat Bhutto who eventually lost the 1990 polls and Sharif was appointed as prime minister.

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A Palestinian man who tried to hit Israeli soldiers with his car in the southern occupied West Bank city Hebron was shot dead on Saturday, the army said.

"A terrorist attempted to run over IDF troops located at the site with his vehicle. In response, the troops fired towards the terrorist, killing him. No IDF troops were injured," an army statement said. A spokesman told AFP the alleged attacker was a Palestinian.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for India after concluding his significant and successful three-nation visit to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the prime minister's visit added momentum to India's Act East Policy.

"After a significant and successful three-nation visit to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, PM @narendramodi emplanes for India," Kumar tweeted.

During his three-day visit to Singapore, Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong and delivered a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue - Asia's premier defence and strategic affairs conference.

In his keynote address at the Dialogue yesterday, Modi said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

He is the first Indian prime minister to address the Shangri-La Dialogue.

On the last day of his Singapore visit, Modi also met US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and discussed security related issues.

He also visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy.

Modi had arrived in Singapore after a brief halt in Malaysia where he met his 92-year-old Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohammad to personally congratulate him on his stunning election victory and the two leaders had "productive discussions" on bolstering the bilateral strategic ties.

During his first-ever official visit to Indonesia, Modi held "productive discussions" with President Joko Widodo.

The two countries elevated their bilateral ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and condemned terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terror.

India and Indonesia also signed 15 agreements, including one to boost defence cooperation and called for freedom of navigation in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

Modi, who is here on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister last night.

In his keynote address at the Dialogue, Modi had said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests, he had said.

"We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law," he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and "reaffirmation for rule based order".

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day tour to Singapore, today visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman.

"25 years of uninterrupted naval exercises and growing naval cooperation! PM @narendramodi with Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman and other dignitaries on-board the RSS Formidable Frigate of the Singapore Navy," External Affairs Ministry Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the officers and sailors on board the Indian Navy's Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Satpura.

"Proud to be with our naval sentinels! PM @narendramodi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region. A fitting finale to a memorable visit to Singapore!," Kumar tweeted.

India and Singapore have signed implementation agreement between their navies concerning mutual coordination, logistics and services support for naval ships', submarines and naval aircraft (including ship borne aviation assets) visits.

"India's armed forces, especially our Navy, are building partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region for peace and security, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Modi had said yesterday.

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Morocco has a booming aeronautics industry attracting world giants from Bombardier to Boeing bringing the local sourcing rate to 29% currently with the goal of reaching 35% by 2020.

The industrial clusters created to support this industry have proven their efficiency towards increasing the local sourcing rate up from 17% in 2016.

Industry Minister, Moulay Hafid El Alamy said given the current progress rate that goal may be outstripped to stand at 39% by 2020.

The aeronautics sector grew by 18.4% in 2017 building on industrial zones dedicated to the industry.

About 15,500 people are employed in Moroccos aeronautics sector, which aims to generate a turnover of $2.8 billion and create 23,000 jobs by 2020.

Boeing already has a joint venture with Frances Safran in Casablanca to build wire bundles and harnesses for aircraft makers, including Boeing and Airbus.

Besides Boeing, other global aviation industry giants launched investments in Morocco including Bombardier, Latisma, Alcoa and Stelia, a subsidiary of Airbus.

Over 125 companies have been operating in Moroccos aeronautics sector, which ranks 15th worldwide in terms of attracting aviation industry investments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today purchased a Madhubani painting using a RuPay card during his visit to the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore.

Modi received a rapturous welcome on his arrival at the centre, which traces the journey of Indian community in the Southeast Asian region.

"Commendable efforts by the Indian Heritage Centre to bring Singapore and India even closer. Using a RuPay card, I bought a splendid Madhubani painting," Modi tweeted.

Madhubani painting (or Mithila art) is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal.

Modi had launched three Indian mobile payment apps -- BHIM, RuPay and SBI -- in Singapore on Thursday, saying the international launch of these apps reflect Digital India.

Through RuPay, users will be able to make payments at all NETS acceptance points across Singapore.

The Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore showcases the culture, heritage and history of Indian Singaporeans. Located at the Campbell Road thoroughfare in the Little India precinct, the centre was launched on May 7, 2015.

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A Port Blair-bound Indigo flight from Kolkata today aborted takeoff at the last minute due to an engine problem, the latest case of glitches related to Pratt & Whitney engines.

Indigo, however, sought to downplay the incident, saying the aircraft could not takeoff due to a "minor engine fault".

The airbus A320 neo aircraft has been grounded for inspection. All passengers were accommodated in an alternative flight.

"An IndiGo flight - 6E 972 enroute Kolkata-Port Bair was held at Kolkata this morning. During departure, a minor engine fault was noted by the pilot. In the interest of minimising the delay and passengers inconvenience, the pilot decided the deplane the passengers, and in the interim and alternative aircraft was arranged. All passengers were reaccommodated and the flight departed for port blair," the airline said.

"VT-ITH aircraft is currently being checked by our maintenance team," it added.

In March, IndiGo had grounded 11 of its A320 neo planes with faulty P&W engine following a direction from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Three GoAir planes were also grounded.

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Authorities today imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar while the separatists called a strike across Kashmir after the death of a youth who was allegedly hit by a CRPF vehicle during clashes with stone-pelting protesters.

Most shops, business establishments and fuel stations in Srinagar were closed as the separatists announced a strike to protest against civilian killings.

There were reports of similar shutdowns from other parts of the Valley.

The authorities imposed a curfew in Nowhatta area in Srinagar's old city, where the clash took place yesterday.

Restrictions under section 144 of the CrPc, which prohibits the gathering of people, were in force in six other police station areas of the city



Rainawari, Safakadal, Khanyar, MR Gunj, Maisuma and Kralkhud.

The curbs were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order after the youth's death in a hospital around midnight.

Buses didn't run in Srinagar following the strike call. But private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in the areas where there were no restrictions.

Private schools were shut in the city, an official said.

He said similar reports of the strike being observed were received from other district headquarters in the Valley.

Train services in Kashmir were also stopped for the day.

The authorities have also suspended mobile internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts while the network speed has been reduced in four south Kashmir districts.

After the Friday prayers ended at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar's Nowhatta yesterday, a group of youths had started pelting stones at the security forces, an official said.

Some protesters attacked a CRPF vehicle, which hit Kaiser Bhat (21) and another man.

They were taken to to SKIMS hospital at Soura, where Bhat later died.

Police today booked unidentified stone-pelters for attempt to murder and rioting while charging the Central Reserve Police Force driver with rash driving in connection with yesterday's clashes.

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Rajasthan Health Minister Kalicharan Saraf today said five new medical colleges would soon be started in the state.

The five new medical colleges, in Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Churu, Dungarpur and Pali, would begin from the next session, he said, highlighting the achievements of his government at press club here.

The minister said the five new medical colleges, among the eight proposed ones in Rajasthan, was "historic" for the state.

The minister also touted the developmental initiatives taken by him in his Malviya nagar Assembly constituency in Jaipur, saying the works done by him in the constituency was "equal to the works done over the past many years".

The minister refused to comment on the issue of delay in the appointment of new state BJP president and on his alleged dispute with a local party councilor.

The appointment of the new state president of the party is awaited after Ashok Parnami resigned as the party's Rajasthan unit chief citing personal preoccupation on April 17.

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The Rajasthan High Court will hear a case on July 12 that challenges provisions of a law that entitles former chief ministers to free housing and other perks.

The development comes as former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers have begin vacating their bungalows in Lucknow following a Supreme Court order last month.

The Bill for this was passed in the Assembly in April last year by voice vote, with only rebel BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari dissenting.

It added a new section to the Rajasthan Ministers' Salaries Act, 1956.

Tiwari has been demanding that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje should vacate a plush bungalow at 13, Civil Lines which was allotted to her as a former chief minister and shift to the CM's official residence at 8, Civil Lines.

Jaipur-based journalist Milap Chand Dandia had filed a public interest litigation against the new section in the Rajasthan law, notified in May last year.

The SC has already decided on the issue and I am hopeful that the high court will also quash the new section, which is unconstitutional and invalid, Dandia said.

Former chief minister and Congress MLA from Jodhpur Ashok Gehlot indicated his willingness to give up the bungalow, as soon the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict on the Uttar Pradesh law.

We had written to the General Administration Department on May 7 itself seeking appropriate direction pertaining to the residence, Gehlot's private secretary Devaram Saini said.

Following the Supreme Court order, the UP government had served notices to six politicians who were allotted official bungalows in Lucknow as former chief ministers.

While Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati and ailing Congress veteran Narayan Dutt Tiwari have expressed reluctance to move out, the others appear set to meet the weekend deadline.

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The Kerala government today decided to postpone the re-opening of educational institutions in Kozhikode district to June 12, besides deferring all examinations, except those conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Interviews being conducted by the state public service commission have also been postponed. A decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting here, chaired by state Health Minister K K Shailaja and additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Sadanandan.

Sixteen persons have lost their lives sp far to Nipah virus (NiV) in two districts of the state since the confirmation of the deadly virus on May 17.

"As a precautionary measure, it has been decided to further postpone the re-opening of schools and colleges and holding of examinations," Shailaja said. An all-party meeting will be held at Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to review the situation, she said.

The health minister said the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala had also enquired also about the situation following the outbreak of the deadly virus.

Now, the effort is to prevent a second wave of the infection and, therefore, extreme caution has to be exercised. A list of 1,950 persons, who had come in contact with confirmed NiV cases, has been prepared and they are being closely monitored, she added.

In the morning, the death of a 39-year-old woman, Roja, who showed symptoms of the virus, gave a scare. But, her blood samples were found to be negative, she said, stressing the need to remain extremely vigilant even though there were no fresh cases.

Sadanandan, meanwhile, said the monoclonal antibodies from Australia had reached the state and was on its way to Kozhikode medical college from Kochi. It will be administered only if there was any fresh Nipah cases.

Experts from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) -- the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research -- will be reaching here on Monday and the antibody would be administered only if it was necessary. With the help of ICMR and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the state government had procured about 50 doses of a monoclonal antibodies from Australia to combat the virus, he added.

The ICMR had written to the Queensland government in Australia asking it to provide the antibody developed there to test if it can neutralise the virus in humans.

The natural host of the virus is believed to be fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family, Pteropus genus.

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The Maharashtra School department today issued guidelines for schools and junior colleges, mandating certain safety measures in students' interest.

A circular issued by the department said that every school and junior college should install CCTV cameras.

Attendance should be marked thrice a day, and if a student is found missing, parents should be informed immediately through a text message, the circular said.

No student should be punished in such a way that he or she would suffer a mental or physical trauma, it said.

The guidelines also restrict entry of unidentified persons on the school premises.

Character certificate from police would be mandatory for recruitment as teachers or other staff at educational institutions.

Washrooms for boys and girls should be separate and at a suitable distance from each other, and there should be a woman attendant at the girls' washroom, the guidelines say.

The woman attendant on school bus should not leave the bus until the last girl is dropped, the guidelines add.

The guidelines will apply to state board schools as well as those affiliated to CBSE, ICSE and international boards.

They would come into effect from the coming academic year.

minister Vinod Tawde said while the state government can not interfere in the curriculum of international boards, students' safety comes under the state's purview.

"Students are from Maharashtra, so all these schools should also follow these norms. If any school fails, the department will lodge a police case," he said.

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Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said the Army and other security forces are "soft targets" for some Kashmir-centric political circles who "lack courage and conviction" to condemn even acts of terror by known terrorists.

Singh, the Minister of State (MoS) in Prime Minister's Office (PMO), was reacting to a tweet from former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah, condemning the killing of a protester who was mowed down by a CRPF vehicle in downtown Srinagar yesterday.

"I do not wish to get into what an individual has said. This has been a known practice in some of the Kashmir-centric political circles that they find security forces as soft targets and are very quick and prompt to condemn anything even if it is unfounded and unsubstantiated," Singh told reporters here, suggesting such politicians to give up "this type of attitude".

Omar had wrote on Twitter, "earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protestors now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @Mehbooba Mufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps?"



Asked to react to the tweet, Singh said it is more condemnable than this kind of attack and aggressive attitude towards security forces, especially during the month of Ramzan.

The union minister said because knowing very well that the Army and security forces are the "soft targets" and therefore are not liable, it is easy to condemn their actions and be apologetic for actions of those perpetrated by separatists and other elements.

"The BJP is of the view that selective condemnation of violence shows lack of courage and lack of conviction. Terror is a terror and if we do not have the conviction and courage enough to call terror a terror then we also do not have the prerogative or to enjoy the prerogative to condemn it selectively in one case," he said.

He said they (Kashmir-centric politicians) do not have the courage and conviction to condemn terror acts even by known terrorists and "this is high time they gave up that (type of attitude)".

Two youths were injured after they had allegedly been hit by a CRPF vehicle during clashes between protestors and security forces in Nowhatta area in Srinagar yesterday.

The duo was taken to SKIMS hospital at Soura in Srinagar where one of them -- Kaiser Bhat -- succumbed around midnight yesterday.

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Separatists in Kashmir today condemned the killing of a 21-year-old protester who was allegedly hit by a CRPF vehicle during clashes, saying that it was a case of "plain murder".

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) alleged that the killing spree of Kashmiri's by the forces continues despite the so-called Ramzan ceasefire.

A JRL spokesman said what was worse that the police registered a case of rash driving into the death of the protester.

"It is as if the incident happened by accident, when it is a case of plain murder. The accused would anyway go scot-free under AFSPA," he said.

The separatists claimed that the "assault" on Kaiser Bhat's funeral procession reflects "the authorities' anti-people and inhuman approach".

The JRL comprises separatists leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Geelani and Mohammad Yasin Malik.

"Repeatedly putting the old city areas under curfew and snapping internet connections in the holy month of Ramzan is uncalled for and highly condemnable," they said.

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Curfew continued in parts of Shillong for the second day today as the Army conducted flag marches in its disturbed areas and rescued around 500 people following night-long violence and arson, officials said.

During the violence, a mob torched a shop, a house and damaged at least five vehicles here, besides injuring a senior police officer, they said.

The curfew, which was imposed at 4 am yesterday in 14 localities under Lumdiengjri police station and Cantonment Beat House areas, continues, and night curfew would be clamped in the entire city for the second consecutive night, East Khasi Hills district Deputy Commissioner P S Dkhar said.

"The Army has been kept on standby and night curfew will continue for the second night tonight from 10 pm to 5 am," Dkhar told PTI.

Requisitioned by the state government, Army troops held flag marches and rescued about 500 people, including 200 women and children, Defence spokesperson Ratnakar Singh said.

General Officer Commanding 101 Area Lt Gen D S Ahuja visited the rescued people at the Army cantonment.

Superintendent of Police (City) Stephan Rynjah was injured last night after he was hit by a rod. He was admitted to the Shillong Civil Hospital, a police officer said.

At least 10 persons, including policemen, have also been injured in the violence, which has triggered demands that the government take action against alleged illegal settlers.

State police personnel were attacked by stone pelters in the Motphran area of the city. Teargas shells were used to disperse rioters but people in other parts of the city mistook them for police firing, the officer said.

The clashes had begun after a bus handyman was beaten up allegedly by a group of residents of Them Metor area on Thursday afternoon.

Trouble escalated when rumours spread on social media that the handyman had succumbed to injuries, prompting a group of bus drivers to converge at Them Metor. The police had to fire teargas shells to disperse them, officials said.

The handyman and three injured persons were taken to a hospital from where they were released after being administered first aid.

Four persons, accused of being involved in the assault of three local boys, have been arrested, they said, adding that 11 others have been picked up for attacking the police.

Dkhar said the administrations is concerned with the spreading of rumours that has affected normalcy in the affected areas.

Suspension of Internet services has been extended by 24 hours till tomorrow afternoon to prevent rumour-mongering, he said.

"The affected areas are still tense but under control," Dkhar said, adding that life is normal in other parts of the city and examinations scheduled for tomorrow will not be affected.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who chaired a high-level meeting yesterday, had appealed for calm and urged the people to help bring back normalcy in Shillong.

Meanwhile, several groups including the Khasi Students Union, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and the Hynniewtrep Youth Council demanded that those involved in the assault of local boys be punished and the illegal settlers at Them Metor evicted.

"Them Metor has become a den for anti-nationals and it is sad that several governments in the past have not taken initiatives to evict them and provide them space somewhere else," said FKJGP president Wellbirth Rani.

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Morocco and the EU have resumed talks to renew the four-year fisheries agreement to expire on July 14.

The Moroccan delegation was led by Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, while the EUs was chaired by Joao Aguiar Matchado Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

The EU decision to open talks for the renewal of the fisheries accord deals a hard blow to the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity as the European Council gave its approval for the European commission to open negotiations with Morocco on a new fisheries deal, which includes the Moroccan Sahara.

About 120 vessels from 11 EU countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, The Netherlands, Ireland, Poland and United Kingdom) are operating in Moroccos waters.

Both the EU and Morocco benefit from the fisheries agreement. According to an independent study, the deal not only promotes sustainable development of the fisheries sector through Halieutis strategy projects but also facilitates jobs for Moroccan sailors and fishermen via 1000 boarding contracts per year.

Moreover, over 75 pc of the socio-economic benefits of the agreement, such as creation of hundreds of new jobs and improvement of working conditions of tens of thousands of people, are enjoyed by people living in the Southern provinces.

Similarly, the gains of the 11 EU countries operating in Moroccan waters largely exceed the 30m EU investment for the support of Moroccan sectoral fisheries policy. In effect, every Euro invested created 2.78 value added for the EU.
As part of the ongoing World Day celebrations, stakeholders today deliberated the pathways for shifting consumption patterns and lifestyles towards sustainable alternatives during a thematic session.

The thematic session on "Sustainable lifestyle towards Enhancing Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy" was organised jointly by the Ministry and Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

"The session brought together policy-makers, regulators, international organisations, businesses, civil society and academia for a discussion on the pathways and key elements for shifting consumption patterns and lifestyles towards sustainable alternatives," an official statement said.

It said that different policy options for achieving a resource-efficient society with low ecological footprint and better governance mechanisms were discussed during the session.

During the session, the role of technology, success stories from Indian experiences and inclusive policy frameworks with alternatives were also highlighted as important for the shift towards a resource efficient, circular and sustainable economy.

"Awareness generation for all stakeholders was identified as the most critical of all measures. Without an informed appreciation of the challenge and problems associated with high consumption lifestyles and increased plastics waste, the efforts towards achieving a sustainable society would not be effective," the statement said.

The session also attempted to identify policy options for a resource efficient society, good governance, low ecological footprint and highlight pathways for shifting consumption patterns and lifestyles towards more sustainable alternatives.

Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Aruna Sharma, who chaired the session, talked about the idea of waste to wealth, which creates a win-win situation for all and also opined that plastic cannot be banned fully, but its size can be a critical component to maintain and that is why it is important to understand that plastic disposal is a bigger issue.

Delivering the special remarks, Central Pollution Control Board Chairman, S.P S Parihar pointed out that material consumption in India is growing since 2010 and behavioural change is the toughest part. He also gave examples of the Swacch Bharat Mission in Madhya Pradesh where students are visiting households to train the adults.

National Geographic Network representative Ms. Lillygol Sedaghat talked about the best practices in Taiwan, where several steps have been adopted for attaining sustainable livelihood and an efficient waste management policy.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today left on a five-day visit to South Africa where she will meet top leadership of the country and attend meetings of BRICS and IBSA -- the two major groupings where India has been playing a key role.

Swaraj will also attend a series of events marking the 125th anniversary of the historic incident where a young Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of a train compartment in Pietermaritzburg railway station, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The 1893 incident proved to be a turning point in Gandhi's fight against racial discrimination in South Africa.

During her visit to the African nation, Swaraj will participate in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Foreign Ministers' meeting on June 4 which is expected to lay the foundation for the annual summit of the grouping in Johannesburg next month.

She will also chair a meeting of Foreign Ministers of IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa), another bloc working to deepen coordination among the three countries on major global issues.

"The External Affairs Minister will participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting on June 4, 2018 and chair the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting," the MEA said.

On June 6, Swaraj will visit the Phoenix settlement where Mahatma Gandhi had developed his philosophy of non-violence, the MEA said.

"She would also participate in a series of events on June 6-7, 2018 at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhiji's Satyagraha movement," the MEA said.

It said the two-day commemoration activities will also include release of joint commemorative stamps on Oliver Tambo and Deen Dayal Upadhayaa and a Youth Summit where 20 diaspora youth from Africa and five from India will speak on the relevance of Gandhiji's message of peace to the youth of today.

Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid activist and revolutionary leader.

"The year 2018 is an important year for India-South Africa relations as it marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th birth centenary of South African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela," the MEA said.

It said India and South Africa enjoy close and friendly relations which are rooted in history and the values of south-south cooperation.

"The visit of External Affairs Minister will further strengthen our close and long standing ties with South Africa," the MEA said.

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Syria's foreign minister said today Iranian military advisers are embedded with Syrian troops but Tehran has no combat forces or fixed bases in the country.

Walid al-Moallem's comments came amid rising tension in the region as Israel has repeatedly warned against any permanent Iranian military presence in Syria. Al-Moallem said Israel is making false claims to try and pressure Iran, its archrival.

In May, Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes in response to what it said was an Iranian rocket attack on its positions in the occupied Golan Heights. It was the most serious confrontation between Israel and Iran to date.

Scores of Iranian soldiers have been killed in battles with insurgents in Syria, including a number of officers. Several others were also killed in the past few months in airstrikes said to be carried by Israel.

Iran has repeatedly said in the past that it only has advisers in Syria but thousands of Iran-backed groups from Lebanon, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan have played instrumental role in helping government forces regain control of areas held by insurgents.

Those areas include eastern neighborhoods of the northern city of Aleppo, the eastern province of Deir el-Zour and parts of Idlib and Hama provinces to the west.

On April 9, an airstrike struck the T4 air base in central Syria reportedly targeting a unit of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard Crops and killing several Iranians, including a colonel who was a commander of the guards Aerospace Force. Russia blamed Israel for the attack.

"There are Iranian advisers in Syria some of whom were martyred while working with the Syrian Arab army and their presence is part of an agreement and in coordination with the armed forces on where they should be," al-Moallem said.

"There are no fixed military bases for the Islamic Republic of Iran and what Israel is circulating are lies." "When the conspiracy against Syria began in 2011 our brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran came to help Syria in fighting terrorism," al-Moallem said adding that the Syrian people are "grateful" for this help from Iran.

"As long as there is war on terrorism, Syria as a sovereign state will cooperate with whoever it wants in fighting terrorism," he said.

Al-Moallem denied reports that an agreement was reached between regional and other powers over the situation of southwestern Syria where the country's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights are located.

Yesterday, Russia's ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzia said he heard from the that an agreement was reached on "certain disengagement in the southwest of Syria and, I think, my understanding is that an agreement has been reached."



However, asked about Nebenzia's comments al-Moallem said no agreement has been reached for southern Syria, adding that Damascus is not currently involved in any negotiations over the area.

Al-Moallem said that only when US troops withdraw from the Tanf area near the Jordanian border can an agreement be discussed. The US has military advisers based in Tanf.

"The US troops should withdraw from Syria and Syrian sovereignty over the Tanf area is undoubted," he said.

Earlier this week, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Syrian troops should be positioned on the border with the Golan Heights, which have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Mideast war.

The area between the southern province of Daraa and the Golan Heights has emerged as a flashpoint in a wider standoff between Israel and Iran, and the United States has warned it will take action to protect a cease-fire there.

In Tehran, Ali Shamkhani secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council told the pro-reform Shargh daily that Iran has no presence in southern of Syria but supports Damascus' efforts to regain control over the area.

"Iranian military advisers have no presence in southern area of Syria and have had no role in operations there," Shamkhani was quoted as saying. "We strongly support Russia's effort for removing terrorists from Syria-Jordan border and restoring Syrian army control over the region."



The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported on Thursday that Iranian troops and members of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group are getting ready to withdraw from southern Syria.

A Syria-based official with the Iran-led axis of resistance denied the report. Al-Moallem reiterated the government's position that it aims to regain control of the whole country.

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Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today favoured promotion of farm mechanisation and setting up food processing units in the state.

The Agriculture Extension Officers (AEO) should play a key role in promoting farm mechanisation and establishing crop colonies and food processing units, he said.

Rao, who held a meeting with officials, said the AEOs (appointed for a cluster of 5,000 acres) should have detailed information on all the farmers in their respective cluster.

The information on all the clusters should be available with the Agriculture Minister, Rao said,according to a release from his office.

The Chief Minister will have a meeting with AEOs, district agriculture officers and others in Hyderabad on June 4 to discuss different issues concerning agriculture.

The AEOs should educate the farmers in his cluster on the cropping pattern and about the best crop that suits the soil etc. The AEO should also coordinate the marketing facility on the farmers produce both within the state and outside the state in the neighbouring states, Rao said.

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/ -- The Travel Corporation (TTC), the highly respected, family-run global travel business with 30 award-winning brands, today announced key management promotions following the retirement of Asia President Robin Yap .

Effective June 1, 2018, the following key management promotions will take place - Robin Yap steps into a new non-executive role as Chairman Emeritus for The Travel Corporation Asia. After 33 years with TTC, he will take on an ambassadorial role with the group in Asia and help during the transition period.

Nicholas Lim , currently President of Trafalgar Asia will become Managing Director of The Travel Corporation Asia.

Mae Cheah, currently Regional Sales Director, Trafalgar, will become President of Trafalgar Asia reporting to Lim.

The family-owned company, now in its fourth generation, strongly believes in promoting from within and offers over 1,000 trips spanning 70 countries on six continents, appealing to every generation and style of traveller. TTC serves over two million customers each year, with over 40 offices across all seven continents. The company's business is split between its guided travel brands such as Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Contiki Holidays, CostSaver, AAT Kings, Thompsons Africa and its luxury brands Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Luxury Gold, Inspiring journeys and Red Carnation Boutique Hotel Collection - 19 luxury five and four-star boutique hotels in the UK (including 6 in London), Ireland, Channel Islands, USA, Switzerland and Africa.

On the key management promotions and retirement of Robin Yap, Brett Tollman, Chief Executive of The Travel Corporation said, "TTC's success in Asia is due to our brilliant, highly dedicated and focused team. We are very proud of our team and it gives us great pleasure to promote Nick and Mae, whom we have no doubt will shine in their new roles. Their respective promotions are a key decision in our ongoing strategic growth plans for Asia. The company has always been committed to promote and grow seasoned, proven executives. Their knowledge, proven experience and understanding of our business serves as a valuable foundation for our future growth. We are also pleased that Robin will continue to support Nick and his team in his new role as Chairman Emeritus and we thank him from the bottom of our hearts for the unwavering, remarkable loyalty and dedication which he has displayed during his long tenure with the company.

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Thousands of Palestinians attended the funeral today of a young female volunteer medic killed by Israeli fire in violence on the border in southern Gaza.

Razan al-Najjar, 21, a volunteer with the Gaza health ministry, was fatally shot in the chest near Khan Yunis yesterday.

Ambulances and medical crews attended the funeral, with her father holding the white blood-stained medics' jacket she wore when she was shot, as mourners called for revenge.

Gazans have since March 30 staged border protests demanding the return of Palestinians to land they fled or were expelled from during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, now inside the Jewish state.

The demonstrations are accompanied by smaller clashes as youths hurl stones at Israeli soldiers and attempt to breach the border fence, at times laying explosive devices on the fence or throwing grenades.

Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave have also been using kites carrying cans on fire to set ablaze Israeli fields, torching extensive patches of agricultural land near Gaza.

Following the funeral, several Gazans were wounded in clashes east of Khan Yunis, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

The Israeli army said "a terror cell" had infiltrated from southern Gaza. Soldiers shot at the Palestinians, who returned to the enclave.

On yesterday clashes, the army said it had included "thousands of rioters" at five locations along the border, "burning tires adjacent to the security fence and attempting to damage security infrastructure".

Shots were fired at an army vehicle and a Palestinian had crossed into Israel, planted a grenade and returned to Gaza, it said.

The army said that cases such as Najjar's "in which civilians are allegedly killed" by Israeli fire "are thoroughly examined" by an internal military committee.

The UN envoy for the Middle East, Nickolay Mladenov, said in a tweet that "Medical workers are #NotATarget!" and that "Israel needs to calibrate its use of force and Hamas need to prevent incidents at the fence."



The Palestinian Medical Relief Society said Najjar was shot "as she was attempting to provide first aid to an injured protester", with three other first responders also hit by live fire yesterday.

"Shooting at medical personnel is a war crime under the Geneva conventions," the PMRC said in a statement, demanding "an immediate international response to Israeli humanitarian law violations in Gaza".

Najjar's death brings the toll of Gazans killed by Israeli fire since the end of March to 123.

The demonstrations and clashes peaked on May 14 when at least 61 Palestinians were killed in clashes as tens of thousands of Gazans protested the US transfer of its embassy in Israel to the disputed city of Jerusalem the same day.

Low-level demonstrations have continued since.

Speaking at Najjar's funeral, Khaled al-Batsh, one of the protest organisers, called on Gazans to "continue the return marches and break the (Israeli) siege with peaceful tools".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court here today for murdering their father over a land dispute in 2016.

District and Sessions Judge Rudra Prakash Mishra held Dhaneshwar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav guilty of killing their father and sentenced them to life imprisonment, public prosecutor Mohammad Shamsuddin Khan said.

The court also ordered the two men to pay a fine of Rs 15,000 each, he added.

Dhaneshwar and Kuldeep hacked their 70-year-old father to death with an axe on March 03, 2016 at Matha Dih Dhamni village, under the Rajauli police station area.

An FIR was lodged against the two by the victim's third son, Suraj Yadav.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Punjab Police today claimed to have arrested two young men who were allegedly radicalised and funded by their foreign-based handlers, including SFJ legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, to carry out hate crimes in the state.

Another person has been arrested for allegedly supplying weapons to the two persons - Dharminder Singh alias Commando Singh (21) and Kirpal Singh (26) - to carry out hate crimes on the orders of their handlers, a police spokesperson said.

The arrests came as a US-based Khalistani group affiliated to Sikhs for Justice issued a video threat to Punjab Jail Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa for opposing its "referendum" on creation of a separate homeland for Sikhs, the spokesperson said.

The threat was tweeted by Pannun, apparently in response to Randhawa's reported criticism of the referendum in Canada and the United States.

The minister had said that the people "pitching for Khalistan from their cosy confines were playing with the sentiments of innocent Sikhs in India and they had no knowledge of the reality in Punjab."



The police, which took a serious view of Pannun's video threat, initiated a probe into the matter to ascertain the SFJ legal advisor's links with the two persons arrested in Harpura Dhandoi village near Batala city, the spokesperson said.

The duo have confessed to being motivated and financed by Pannun, along with Paramjit Singh Pamma (UK), Mann Singh (UK), Deep Kaur (Malaysia), to carry out violent acts with an aim to gain publicity in the media for the ISI-sponsored secessionist campaign in Punjab, the spokesperson said.

The arrests happened during an investigation into the torching of two liquor vends on May 31 in Harpura Dhandoi and Panjgrian villages, the spokesperson said.

The accused told the police they were indoctrinated on social media platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp. They had been asked to spray-paint "Referendum 2020" and torch liquor vends and government properties during the 'Ghallughara' week.

One .32 caliber revolver was seized from Dharminder Singh and a .30 caliber pistol from Kirpal Singh. Posters relating to the "referendum" and spray paint bottles were also seized from them.

The spokesperson said Dharminder Singh's interrogation led to the arrest of Ravinder Singh alias Raja, who provided weapons to Dharminder Singh about 40 days ago.

The weapons were to be used for committing hate crimes.

Police investigations revealed that Dharminder Singh had been working in the Territorial Army in January 2016 (Unit: 105 TA Rajputana Rifles) in New Delhi, where he received basic training for nine months, including in using firearms.

Kirpal Singh is from Fatehpur-Nawanpind village in Tarn Taran.

"The arrests nailed Pannun's lie that SFJ's Sikh Referendum 2020 campaign for self-determination did not have any room for violence, and that SFJ or its leaders were not funding any terrorist activity in Punjab. It has also proved that SFJ continues to exploit and use poor and gullible youth of Punjab as cannon fodder to promote its secessionist campaign in Punjab through commission of violent acts," the spokesperson said.

Also, the arrests come two months after Nawanshehar police arrested four youths for allegedly planning to torch a liquor vend in Gunachaur village in Sadar Banga, Nawanshehar.

During investigation, they said they were working on the orders of Malaysia-based Deep Kaur and Pakistan-based Fateh Singh. These operatives had also been tasked by Pannun to put referendum banners during Mohali IPL match to give publicity to the 2020 campaign, the spokesperson added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN's top two peacekeeping officials have underlined the need to have more focussed, prioritised and achievable mandates for various peacekeeping missions, agreeing with India's continued concerns over lack of clarity in peacekeeping mandates.

India has repeatedly raised concerns in the UN over the manner in which UN peacekeeping mandates are framed and adopted. India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Tanmaya Lal had voiced concerns that core issues relating to UN peacekeeping are not being addressed.

Outlining the challenges, he had said that there are serious chronic shortcomings of the lack of clarity of mandates, mismatch with resources available to peacekeepers, lack of consultations with troop contributing countries and lack of focus on political solutions to building and sustaining peace.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix agreed with India's continued concerns over lack of clarity in peacekeeping mandates.

"We need mandates that more prioritised and that are more focused on the key priorities, especially in this very tough and dangerous environment, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix said in response to a question yesterday by PTI on India's concerns over UN peacekeeping mandates.

He said in situations where political processes are not moving or moving very slowly and "we can't be all over the place", there is need to focus on key priorities for mandates, particularly where resources are under pressure.

Lacroix said framing focussed mandates is a responsibility for member states particularly from the Security Council as well as of the UN's peacekeeping departments that make recommendations to the Security Council.

"Once mandates are adopted, particularly if they are refocussed, then it is for us to make sure that the mission will evolve accordingly, including structure of the mission, allocation of resources for personnel, he said during a press conference held on the occasion of International Day of Peacekeepers.

Lacroix acknowledged that the task is not easy as there are naturally some resistance. We need to work collectively to achieve mandates that are more clear and more prioritized.

Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare echoed similar sentiments, calling for the need for clear and focussed mandates. He said discussions have been ongoing for several years on a two-step mandating process.

"This is an issue which we have to discuss with the Security Council and with member states to ensure that there is a proper mandating process so that the mandates are clear, focussed and achievable and their progress can actually be measured."



On India's concerns over the mismatch of resources, Lacroix said efforts are being made on improving training, compliance and performance.

"Our missions are working to identify what are the critical shortfall of equipment including the use of new technologies, how could we be more effective, how could we take advantage of a number of innovations to make sure that we are more effective and better protected," Lacroix said.

He added that troop contributing countries have a key role to play in working with the UN collectively to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping.

"That is why we have engaged in a very intense dialogue with member states but particularly with troop contributing countries."



The two peacekeeping officials also expressed their gratitude to India for its decades-long contribution to UN peacekeeping.

"I want to express really our gratitude to India and to all troop contributing countries. (India) has been really one of the most outstanding and supportive of peacekeeping in many different ways," Lacroix said.

Khare also thanked India not only for its contribution to peacekeeping but also for being the first contributor to the trust fund established by the Secretary General for victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. He commended India for not having any allegation of sexual exploitation or abuse against its peacekeepers in a long time.

"I want to thank also India for being one of the countries which have not had a case of sexual exploitation and abuse for a fairly long period of time," Khare said.

He commended all countries who have contributed to the trust fund as well as those who have not recorded any case of sexual exploitation and abuse or any allegation against their peacekeepers for the last five years.

India had contributed 100,000 dollars to the trust fund, which now has about two million dollars and money from the fund is being used in Congo and Central African Republic, Khare said.

Khare also expressed gratitude to all countries contributing to UN peacekeeping. On outstanding payments to troop and police contributing countries, Khare said the United Nations does not have its own currency and we pay based upon the payments which we receive from the member states of the organization and based upon the assessments which we communicate to them.

He called on all countries to pay their assessments in full and on time to ensure that the UN is able to make timely payments to troop and police contributing countries. The UN owes India 92 million dollars for troops, formed police units and contingent-owned equipment as at April 30, 2018.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
No world leader seems to impress Trump more. Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev/Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS

The White House is working to set up a summit between President Trump and Vladimir Putin, though planning is still in the early stages, per a new report in the Wall Street Journal. The purpose of the summit would be to resolve long-standing differences, people familiar with the matter said, as well as to discuss Syria, Ukraine, and nuclear-arms control. Though Trump invited Putin to visit the White House during a phone call between the leaders in March, the date and location of the potential summit has not yet been determined.

If and when it happens, the summit would be the third in-person meet-up between Trump and Putin, and would undoubtedly be overshadowed by the ongoing investigation into Russias election meddling in 2016 by special counsel Robert Mueller. Trumps attempts to discredit the Russia probe have only gotten more brazen as the inquiry has intensified, and its likely that Putin will take advantage of any opportunity to bolster that behavior.

President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire for closer ties with Russia, been eager to follow through on that impulse thus far, and has seemed impressed with Putins strength on more than one occasion.

Trump raised eyebrows among European leaders when he seemed to go out of his way to speak with with Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany last July, spending nearly four hours with Putin across two meetings. (The president later criticized the media for calling an undisclosed private one-hour conversation between the leaders secret.)

They talked again during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam last November, which led to Trump echoing Russian propaganda in relation to the Mueller probe  calling the investigation an artificial barrier between the countries and the meddling allegations an artificial Democratic hit job. (Putin has dismissed the inquiry  which has led to indictments against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities for interfering in the 2016 presidential election  as merely a manifestation of a continuing domestic political struggle in the U.S.)

Every time [Putin] sees me he says I didnt do that and I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it, Trump told reporters after the Asia summit, further suggesting that he accepted Putins very strong denials over the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community. The president also pointed out that Putin felt insulted by the allegations, that insulting Putin wasnt a good thing for the U.S., and that he didnt feel comfortable arguing about the Russia investigation with him. Trump tried to walk back his seeming capitulation to Putin the next day, but not very convincingly.

In March, President Trump ignored his advisers and called Putin to congratulate him for winning yet another less-than-democratic election in Russia  though it should be noted that Trump regularly praises foreign autocrats for their election victories and power grabs. Trump has, on occasion, criticized Russia, most notably when he attacked Putin in April for supporting the Assad regime in Syria, and following the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain in March. The Trump administrations timid stance on sanctioning Russia over its transgressions has led to mixed results.
Beating the deadline to vacate their official bungalows here, Samajwadi leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav shifted to a government guest house and BSP chief Mayawati moved out of what she calls a memorial to party founder Kanshi Ram.

Out of the six former UP chief ministers asked to comply with a Supreme Court order, only Congress veteran Narayan Dutt Tiwari has not given up the government accommodation as the deadline expires tomorrow.

"Mulayam Singh Yadav shifted to the VVIP guest house here yesterday, while Akhilesh Yadav, along with his MP wife Dimple and children, shifted here house today, the guest house's chief management officer Rajiv Kumar told PTI.

The Samajwadi Party leaders have been given a double-room suite each on the first floor, an official said.

Officials said a room can be booked at the guest house for only three days. After this, the occupants have to apply for an extension.

Acting on the SC order last month, the UP estates department had issued notices to six former chief ministers asking them to vacate their bungalows within 15 days.

The apex court had on May 7 held that nobody was entitled to government accommodation as a former UP chief minister.

Ujjwala Tiwari, the wife of N D Tiwari, has sought more time from the estates department, pleading that her husband was in Delhi in the "last stages" of his life.

"He is bed-ridden for the past eight months and I am also not keeping well. It is not practically possible for me to come down to Lucknow and vacate the premises," she told PTI over the phone.

She said that there was no reply so far to her letter to the estates department in which she sought more time to vacate the bungalow.

"I will try to find out what happened to my plea," she said.

A board reading 'Pandit Narain Dutt Tiwari Sarvjan Vikas Foundation' hangs outside Tiwari's Mall Avenue bungalow.

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati called a press conference today to announce that she was vacating the "small portion" occupied by her of the sprawling bungalow at 13-A, Mall Avenue.

She said from now on the the entire bungalow will be a memorial to Kanshi Ram.

Her party claims that the bungalow initially allotted to Mayawati was converted into a memorial in a decision taken by the UP Cabinet in 2011.

She had earlier handed over a second government bungalow at 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, saying this was the one that was allotted to her as former chief minister.

But the estates department had said the Shastri Marg bungalow was in her illegal possession. The department wanted her to vacate the one on Mall Avenue, which she did today.

The estates department had issued notices to Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is also the local MP, has shifted from his bungalow at 4, Kalidas Marg, just next to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath home, to his private residence on a 200-sqm plot in posh Gomti Nagar here.

Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's belongings have been moved to the official bungalow of his grandson Sandeep Singh, who is a minister in the Adityanath government.

The Supreme Court's order came on a public interest litigation filed by NGO Lok Prahari following an amendment passed by the assembly to the UP Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981.

The amendment allowed all former chief ministers to occupy government bungalows for lifetime.

The bench had said the amendment was arbitrary and violated the concept of equality.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States faced unified opposition from the world's top economies to President Donald Trump's escalating, multi-front trade offensive at the end of high-level meetings soured by the imposition of tariffs.

G7 ministers urged US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who was at the event, to express their "unanimous concern and disappointments" to the White House over new US tariffs, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau told reporters.

Morneau, speaking at the end of the Group of Seven ministerial meeting, said that the finance ministers and central bank governors were unanimously opposed at the harsh US steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also expressed his anger as the meetings ended.

"I want to make it clear," Le Maire said, "that it is up to the US administration to make the right decisions to alleviate the situation and ease the difficulties." He said that events next week "will depend on the decision the (US) administration is ready to take in the next few days and in the next few hours -- I'm not talking about weeks ahead," Le Maire said.

Outraged leaders from the world's major economies launched legal challenges Friday after announcing countermeasures to retaliate against harsh steel and aluminum tariffs that Trump allowed to take effect.

No joint final statement emerged from the G7 ministerial meeting, a sign of the strong discord as the world's major economies verged on open trade conflict. The European Union and Canada are the largest US exporters of steel and aluminum respectively.

Trump's tariffs on America's largest foreign providers of the crucial metals upended the agenda for this normally convivial event for consensus-building among countries that account for about half of global GDP.

Finance ministers at this snow-capped mountain resort north of Vancouver, British Columbia instead spoke of exasperation and an abiding sense of betrayal by a long-time ally.

Chairing the meeting, host nation Canada's Finance Minister Bill Morneau allowed participants to register grievances with Mnuchin one at a time, according to a Canadian source.

Behind the closed doors Mnuchin listened but spoke little, saying instead the discussion could continue at next week's G7 summit in the French-speaking province of Quebec at which Trump is expected to participate, according to several sources briefed on the talks.

But the week's whirlwind global developments in trade suggested de-escalation was unlikely. In Washington on Friday, Trump mooted the possibility of scrapping the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement in favor of seeking bilateral agreements with Canada and Mexico.

G7 governments were also digesting Trump's threats to impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in US auto imports on purported national security grounds.

In China, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was due to conduct trade talks with Chinese officials even as Washington finalizes planned sanctions on Beijing -- including restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States, new export controls and 25 percent tariffs on about $50 billion in tech-sector goods.

The talks come despite Washington's apparent announcement last month of a truce with Beijing following talks in Washington last month.

China has threatened to hit back with tit-for-tat tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in US goods -- as have Canadian, EU and Mexican authorities.

They have targeted goods manufactured in key US political districts that could weaken Trump's hand after November's mid-term elections.

The final list of Chinese imports affected by US tariffs will be announced June 15 and imposed shortly thereafter, while the proposed investment restrictions and enhanced export controls will be announced by June 30, according to the White House.

"China's door for negotiation remains open," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Friday.

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The wife of Superintendent Police (city) Mukul Dwivedi, who was killed during clashes in Mathura on June 2, 2016, is upset at the treatment given by the Yogi Adityanath government to the slain officer.

"Neither we got justice nor respect from the Yogi government," said Archana Dwivedi. She said BJP leaders had promised support when their government was not in power, but so far "nothing has come from them".

"Even Jawahar Bagh has not been named after my husband who sacrificed his life," Archana Dwivedi said.

At least 29 people, including Mukul Dwivedi and Farah police station officer Santosh Yadav, were killed in the clashes during a drive to evict illegal occupants of Jawahar Bagh in Mathura by activists, believed to be of Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik on June 2, 2016.

The CBI is investigating the case following orders of the Allahabad High Court.

Uttar Pradesh Minister for Power Srikant Sharma admitted that the CBI investigation in the case was moving slowly but said that Jawahar Bagh would be renamed soon.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was detained from his residence here, while moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest today.

This was done as a precautionary step to prevent them from taking out protest marches after a youth, who was allegedly run over by a CRPF vehicle yesterday, died, a police official said.

Malik was detained from his Maisuma residence and taken to the Kothi Bagh police station, he said.

Mirwaiz was put under house arrest at his Nigeen residence, he added.

Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani continues to remain under house detention, the police official said.

The three separatist leaders, under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL),had called for a shutdown in the Valley today to protest the death of the youth, Kaiser Bhat (21).

Clashes erupted yesterday after the Friday prayers ended at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar's Nowhatta.

Bhat was hurt when a CRPF vehicle, which was under attack from protestors, hit him and another man.

The two were rushed to SKIMS hospital, where Bhat later died.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yemeni officials say heavy fighting between pro-government forces and Shiite rebels has killed at least 28 people.

Government forces, backed by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes, have been advancing along the western coast in recent weeks as they battle the rebels, known as Houthis.

The officials say the rebels have killed 18 pro-government forces and wounded 30 in an attack on the town of el-Faza. At least 10 rebels were killed in yesterday's attack.

The officials spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The coalition has been battling the Iran-allied rebels since March 2015 in a war that has killed more than 10,000 people. The Houthis control much of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Petrol price today came down by 9 paise to Rs 78.20 in Delhi. This is the fourth straight cut - though marginally - after the fuel price hit an all-time high of Rs 78.43 on May 29. Today's petrol price in Mumbai is Rs 86.01, down by 9 paise; in Kolkata Rs 80.84, down by 8 paise and in Chennai Rs 81.19, down by 9 paise. Diesel price has also been cut by 9 paisa in the national capital.

Last month, petrol and diesel prices hit a record high due to rise in international crude oil cost. However, the crude prices witnessed a marginal cut earlier this week after Saudi Arabia and Russia announced that they were willing to lift supply curbs that had pushed crude prices to their highest since 2014. Last year, the organization of the petroleum exporting countries and Russia had decided to cut the supply to prop up the prices that had fallen to their lowest in more than a decade.

The fuel prices may have come down by a few paise, but it is still not enough to convince the people and farmers who think that they are paying way more than what they should pay. Rising anger among people might be justified as the fuel prices in India are the highest in South Asia countries.

The opposition parties have also been demanding the Centre and the states to bring down the taxes to provide some relief to the consumers. However, the market analysts believe that the Centre does not have enough space to cut excise duty as one rupee cut will result in Rs 13,000 crore loss for the government annually.

However, the states can cut VAT by up to Rs 2. According to a SBI report, the states can slash petrol price by Rs 2.65 per litre and diesel by Rs 2 a litre if they decide to forgo potential gains out of high crude oil prices. It said that the states earn an additional revenue of Rs 2,675 crore for every USD 1 per barrel increase in oil prices.

"Given that these revenue if foregone will not impact states fiscal position, we estimate that on an average, states can cut petrol prices by Rs 2.65/litre and diesel by Rs 2/litre, if the entire revenue gain was to be neutralised," the report argued. Despite the room for tax cut on fuel, no BJP-ruled states have moved so far in that direction. Kerla is the only state that has cut the tax on petrol and diesel by Re 1.

In an interview to India Today, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently said that that different state has its unique economy and have their own expectations and expenses. He was responding to a question as to why the centre was not persuading the BJP-run states to cut tax on petrol and diesel. He, however, said that the efforts were being made in GST Council to develop a consensus among states to bring petrol and diesel under the GST.

Bringing fuel under GST will bring down the prices only if the states do not add any further cess and charge the taxes already there in the GST structure. Last month, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said that "It is a big misconception (among the people) that price of petroleum products will be reduced significantly if they are brought under GST ambit. Instead, the move will have minor impact in terms of reducing prices of petroleum products."

Sushil Modi, who also heads the GST Network panel, further said: "Under the GST regime, there is a practice across the world which empowers states to impose tax over and above the highest GST tax rate. This has been the practice followed everywhere in the world where GST has been implemented."
Malaysia-based AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes had instructed his team in India to play 'dirty' to get permits for international routes. Business Today is in possession of an audio conversation where former CEO of AirAsia India Mittu Chandliya is giving a presentation to his boss Tony Fernandes in the presence of lobbyist Rajender Dubey.

The discussion revolves around the aviation regulations, international flying permits, the Narendra Modi government, Tata Group chairman emeritus Ratan Tata and competition, especially SpiceJet. The audio is peppered with a lot of loose talk and abuses. It could nail Air Asia and its boss who has been booked by the CBI for allegedly bribing government officials. Air Asia has denied these allegations.

In the conversation, Fernandes says that he is ready to get the international routes for AirAsia India through "dirty ways". "I am going to lose money. This is going to take a long time if we have done it the clean way. I say we do it the dirty way, but I want to get international routes faster," Fernandes says in the audio. BT could not independently verify if it is Fernandes's voice on tape.

When Chandilya confirms this with Fernandes, he replies with a yes. "Just do it. I was not open to do it for the license." Fernandes says that "we are too slow. I am not going to waste another 20-30 million digging around. 3-4 million - whatever it takes."

In the audio, Chandilya says that he knows exactly the person who can help with the five year rule. "From the regulatory standpoint, we need an entirely different strategy. We have to go top and all the levels down," Chandilya says.

Fernandes says that he is not going to get involved. He asks Chandilya and Dubey to negotiate because they are on the ground. "It has to be you ultimately. If you go international, I will give more planes," Fernandes tells Chandilya.

The 33-minute conversation starts with distress at the rival airline SpiceJet and how pilots are leaving the airline in huge numbers. In the middle of the conversation, Fernandes asks about the tax rates and tells the other two people to "get the tax to zero, and get the international tax to minimum. Let's have five year deal with airports."

In the tape, Chadilya talks about his closeness to the then aviation minister A. Gajapathi Raju. Chandilya tells Fernandes that N. Chandrababu Naidu was potentially the prime minister candidate, but he is now the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.

"His finance minister is now the civil aviation minister. If you play nice with Chandrababu Naidu, we will get everything. The civil aviation minister told me. They want to build Vizag into aviation centre. They are willing to give zero tax on ATF [aviation turbine fuel] as long as we put a hub there. The minister told me that he doesn't want to be seen physically with me that much, but you tell me what you want. This guy is like [Narendra] Modi. It's good to have him on our side," Chandilya tells Fernandes.

The Air Asia chief was booked, earlier this week, by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) for allegedly bribing government officials to amend the once-controversial 5/20 rule that mandated airlines to have five years of experience and a minimum of 20 aircraft to fly on international routes. The CBI has said that the payments of about Rs 12.28 crore were remitted to India to lobby with civil servants during the UPA rule.

On Friday, the CBI summoned Malaysia-based Fernandes on 6 June to probe his involvement in breaking rules while obtaining an airline license. The CBI has also summoned the director of HNR Trading Dubey, who has also been named in the FIR filed by the agency.

CBI raided multiple offices of AirAsia on Tuesday and filed a series of cases against "unknown public servants" of the civil aviation ministry and the then Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), along with Tata Trusts' R. Venkataramanan, and T. Kanagalingam, Deputy CEO of AirAsia Group.

Venkataramanan, whose laptop, iPhone and computer hard drives were seized by CBI on Friday, has denied the allegations."It is commonly known that the present accusations qua Air Asia India find their root in baseless allegations made by Cyrus P Mistry and the Shapoor Pallonji Group against Tata Trusts Trustees (me included) and Tata Sons in his 'revenge' legal actions," he said in a statement.

An email sent to AirAsia executives seeking response on the airline's involvement in graft allegations has not been answered. The story will be updated once the company responds.
Google workers have got word that the internet titan will retreat from a deal to help the US military use artificial intelligence to analyze drone video following an outcry from staff, according to reports.

The New York Times and tech news website Gizmodo cited unnamed sources as saying that a Google's cloud team executive told employees on Friday that the company would not seek to renew the controversial contract for Project Maven after it expires next year.

The collaboration with the US Department of Defense was said to have sparked rebellion inside the California-based company. An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of "the business of war" garnered thousands of signatures, and some workers reportedly quit to protest a collaboration with the military.

The contract was reported to be worth less than $10 million to Google, but was thought to have potential to lead to more lucrative technology collaborations with the military. Google did not respond to a request for comment.

Google has remained mum about Project Maven, which reportedly uses machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos for the Defense Department.

"We believe that Google should not be in the business of war," the employee petition reads, according to copies posted online.

"Therefore, we ask that Project Maven be cancelled, and that Google draft, publicize and enforce a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology." The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), an internet rights group, and the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) were among those who have weighed in with support.

"As military commanders come to see the object recognition algorithms as reliable, it will be tempting to attenuate or even remove human review and oversight for these systems," ICRAC said in an open letter.

"We are then just a short step away from authorizing autonomous drones to kill automatically, without human supervision or meaningful human control." Google has gone on the record saying that its work to improve machines' ability to recognize objects is not for offensive uses.

The EFF and others stressed the need for moral and ethical frameworks regarding the use of artificial intelligence in weaponry.

"The use of AI in weapons systems is a crucially important topic and one that deserves an international public discussion and likely some international agreements to ensure global safety," the EFF said in a blog post on the topic.

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Trumps me-above-all persona is also his unsettling legal stance on presidential power. Photo: Olivier Douliery/Getty Images

For most of Donald Trumps presidency, the specter of a coming constitutional crisis has loomed over the Russia investigation. The newly leaked memo by Trumps lawyers, obtained by the New York Times, suggests that such a crisis is not merely a likelihood, but that it has already begun.

The memo proposes several tendentious interpretations of the publicly available facts of Trumps behavior, along with some legally questionable and amateurish citations of precedent. But the most important passage is its sweeping assertion of presidential authority.

The President not only has unfettered statutory and Constitutional authority to terminate the FBI Director, he also has Constitutional authority to direct the Justice Department to open or close an investigation, and, of course, the power to pardon any person before, during, or after an investigation and/or conviction, they write, Put simply, the Constitution leaves no question that the President has exclusive authority over the ultimate conduct and disposition of all criminal investigations and over those executive branch officials responsible for conducting those investigations.

They did indeed put it simply. The implications of this authority are breathtaking. Trump, in their view, has unlimited control to open or close any federal investigation.

Trump has been angrily tweeting demands that the investigation into him and his allies be halted, and that the Department of Justice instead open investigations into his political enemies. These tweets have been treated as the ravings of a blowhard who just happens to occupy the most powerful position in the world, yet is somehow merely blowing off steam. His lawyers are fully endorsing Trumps right to do exactly the thing he is calling for. Trumps lawyers are saying that he should be taken seriously and literally.

Should Trumps legal case prevail in the courts  and the legality of such broad claims remains largely untested  it would confer upon any president, but immediately Trump, the ability to open charges against anybody the president wants to charge, and prevent investigations of anybody the president wants to protect, beginning with himself. This is letat, cest moi rendered as a formal legal case.

Indeed, the conclusion of the memo hints a even more expansive uses for the terrifying powers Trump has claimed. Every action that the president took was taken with full constitutional authority pursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution, they write, As such, these actions cannot constitute obstruction, whether viewed separately or even as a totality. Article II of the Constitution establishes the Executive Branch, which has numerous other offices, some quite powerful. The Internal Revenue Service lies within Article II. Trumps lawyers would seem to believe the president can direct the IRS to open or close any tax audit of any figure the president wants to subject to, or protect from, scrutiny.

Trump cannot obstruct justice, according to his official legal stance, because justice is whatever Trump says it is. Before this is over, either Trumps sweeping claim will survive, or the rule of law will, but not both.
news, latest-news

"And a scallop please." Spend an hour or so at Regal Charcoal Chicken in Charnwood and you'll learn a critical life lesson: potato scallops go with absolutely everything. Customers of the takeaway - which glows with bright yellow menu boards and branding, and is manned by a team of men who literally never stop smiling - add a scallop to every single thing they order. I visit Regal on a Friday lunchtime as part of my quest to find Canberra's best potato scallop. A tradie comes in and orders a hamburger with the lot. And a scallop. An elderly lady orders a chicko roll. And a scallop. And then a mum with two young kids orders two tubs of Greek salad. And six scallops. I'm jealous of those kids. Could there be a better Friday night dinner? Regal owners Angelo and Mary Galanopoulos have been cooking Friday night dinners - and all meals of the week, really - for the people of West Belconnen for 15 years. The takeaway's menu ranges from salads and pizzas to dim sims, but their potato scallops are legendary. A couple of weeks ago when I put the call out on social media for the capital's best potato scallops, the resounding answer was 'Regal'. It's little wonder the couple makes unbelievable potato scallops. Angelo and Mary have been standing at the deep friers in one way or another for almost 50 years. When Mary was a girl, dad Con Galaktidis opened one of the north side's first takeaways, Macgregor Takeaway, in 1976 (where Kingswim Macgregor now stands). The family then owned takeaways at Mawson, then Kaleen, and when Mary met Angelo in the 1980s, he joined the family business. The couple bought Regal at the Charnwood shops in 2003 - "partly it was convenience, we live just across the road" - and have been perfecting their scallops ever since. Today, Regal's crispy, creamy, deep-fried potatoes draw visitors from both north and south Canberra. Child customers from the early 2000s, who have graduated to suburbs even further north, like Bonner and Forde, and now have families of their own, come back weekly just for the scallops. The secret, Angelo says, is in the batter. "I can't give away too much but we are still using the exact same recipe that Mary's dad used in 1970," he says. The huge potatoes for Regal's scallops are trucked down the Hume Highway from Sydney and the hand battering process is undertaken three times a week. The takeaway sells about 3000 scallops a week. Angelo is strict about the cooking process and never wants to see the white paper bag containing his Regal scallops turning clear with fat. "The perfect scallop can never be oily," he says. "It's all about the crispy batter." Regal "has never advertised", Mary says, and doesn't have any social media accounts. "When the food is good, it sells itself, people talk." Having perfected the much-loved potato scallop, the couple admits it may soon be time to hand over the Regal reigns. Angelo starts work at 6am and finishes at 9pm, six days a week, and is after a bit more work life balance. But don't worry, a succession plan is in place. Son-in-law Paolo Pazzona has been working at Regal for five years and knows the takeaway's magical scallop-making process inside out. "The plan is for Paolo to take it over - if he wants to, it's his," Mary says. "But no pressure." Temperature: 10/10 Skin crispiness: 9/10 Potato creaminess: 7/10 Batter to potato ratio: 10/10 Salt ratio: 10/10 Total: 46/50 Verdict: Dear Canberra, I finally understand your passion for Regal. This scallop is to die for. The crispy batter is its defining feature. Bravo, Regal, bravo. You've done Charny proud. Stay tuned for: Hughes Takeaway. Follow Bree Winchester on Instagram and Facebook.

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A book that spruiks decades of military cooperation between Australia and China and funded by controversial Chinese-Australian businessman Chau Chak Wing is stocked in the War Memorial's gift shop. The book Quiet and Loyal Spirit: Commemorating Chinese Australian Military Service is edited by Dr Sheng Fei, and published in association with the Australia China Friendship and Exchange Association, of which Mr Chau is president. Mr Chau's influence on the War Memorial has been in the spotlight after it was revealed that he had donated $560,000 to the memorial after being approached by memorial director Brendan Nelson. In Senate estimates this week Dr Nelson said that he had also suggested the amounts to be donated and what projects they would fund to Mr Chau. The book includes prefaces in both Chinese and English, with themes focusing on how Chinese Australians have contributed to Australia since the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, which it calls the founding of Australia as a nation, and the contributions of Chinese-Australian soldiers. "Since WWI up until now, numerous Australian Chinese have overcome difficulties and joined the army to protect our nation and people. A lot of patriots have sacrificed their life, but their heroic deeds remain largely unknown due to the modest nature of Chinese people," a translation of the preface said. The book covered barriers to entry to the military faced by Chinese-Australians due to the White Australia Policy, as well as profiling soldiers of Chinese descent and portrays China and Australia as allies since WWII, which it refers to as the Pacific War and the Anti-Fascist War. "The Pacific War helped change the attitude of Australian society to China and and Chinese. China, once feared as a potential invader, became an ally and the Chinese Australian actively joined the armed service showed their ability and willingness to sacrifice for their country," it said. The existence of the book and its availability at the War Memorial gift shop were first covered in Clive Hamilton's book, Silent Invasion: Chinese Influence in Australia, in which he wrote that the book was part of a pattern of history books that seek to present a view of history that is favourable to China. Asked whether the memorial has a vetting process for resources sold in the gift shop for content and accuracy, the spokeswoman said, "The memorial stocks a range of publications from various authors and publishers on a range of matters connected to military service in Australia. Publications are stocked if they are appropriate in content and likely to have an appeal to visitors and shoppers". The Australian War Memorial said it did not contribute to funding for the book, nor to commissioning it. The memorial said that although Mr Chau provided the books, he didn't ask for them to be stocked in the gift shop, with the decision to stock them made independently. The book was first stocked in October 2015, a month after the Kingold Education and Media Centre was opened and Mr Chau was named as a fellow of the memorial. The memorial said 48 copies had been sold since then. It was alleged under parliamentary privilege last month by Liberal MP Andrew Hastie that Mr Chau had been involved in the bribery of former United Nations general assembly president John Ashe in 2013. Mr Chau has donated millions to both major Australian political parties, and has a building in his name at the University of Technology Sydney, for which he donated $20 million.

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Published On Jun 02, 2018 By Arun for Hyundai Elite i20 2017-2020

Does the CVT add to the city-friendly nature of the Elite i20? Or take away from it like the old guzzler of a 4-speed automatic?

If youve been eyeing a big, comfortable hatch for the city, were sure the Elite i20 is on your to check list. Even with the recent facelift, the fundamentals of this Hyundai has remained unchanged: it continues to be a no nonsense, well built, well equipped vehicle that pleases most and offends none. We arent expecting that to change with the Elite i20 CVT we have on test; we are to find out if the CVT has made the i20 a better city slicker than it already is.

Exterior

Hyundai refined the design of the Elite i20 earlier this year. But the finesse seems to shine through in the top-spec Asta (O) only. The car you see in pictures is the top-spec automatic variant, Asta, you can buy. And were sure you can tell, it doesnt look as flashy and wow as the top-spec manual.

Thats because theres quite a lot thats different. Starting with the face, the projector headlamps with daytime running lamps have been skipped. In its place are the usual reflector headlamps, which seem a bit bland now. You do get DRLs, but they underline the fog lamps now. The new bumper looks a touch more aggressive than before, and we think the chrome-less design does suit the i20s sober character quite well.

Speaking of chrome, thats missing from the door handle. Whats also given a skip is the request sensor for keyless entry. The other immediately apparent change are the smaller wheels. Where the Asta (O) gets a swell-looking set of 16-inch wheels, the Asta has to make do with 15-inch wheels. We wish they werent finished in this gunmetal grey shade, though. The dark colour tends to make it look smaller than it actually is.

The gloss black applique on the C-pillar, the LED-mimicking tail lamp and the new rear bumper look their usual best on the i20 Automatic as well. In case youre wondering, theres a only a tiny badge on the right fender thatll let you know the car is an automatic. There are no other tell-tale signs.

Interior

Step inside the cabin of the Elite i20 CVT, and its all too familiar. The well laid out dash, the easy-to-reach and use controls and the familiar cool blue backlighting makes the cabin a very comforting place to be in. Considering the automatic isnt in the wow Asta (O) variant, there are a few misses that take a bit away from the experience.

Wed have loved it if Hyundai threw in a total of three things to make the in-cabin experience a bit richer: A leather wrap for the steering, a gloss-black applique/silver outline for the gear lever, and auto up functionality for the driver side power window. The first two, although minor additions, go a long way in delivering Hyundais premium promise. The last one, well, we think is something that should be standard from the base version. Speaking of features that should be standard from base, can we please have a rear wiper, Hyundai?

Save for these misses, weve got nothing to complain about. The quality levels are among the best in class, and the rest of the feature list doesnt disappoint either. Theres a crisp 7.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control with rear AC vents and steering-mounted audio controls. Some feel-good features are on offer too, including the electrically folding rear view mirror and the theatre-dimming effect for the instrument cluster when you switch the car off. The Asta variant here gets an MID too, that reads out basics such as speed, trip details, distance to empty, and efficiency. It doesnt look as fantastic as Hyundais supervision cluster, but it gets the job done.

Space, although not palatial in any sense, is just right for the modern nuclear family. Its best used as a four-seater, although five is possible with a squeeze. Considering the automatic variant doesnt get an armrest at the rear, the seat back is flat - its a bit more accommodating for the middle passenger compared to the Asta (O). Heres a quick look at the measurements:

Measurements - Front Legroom (min-max) 890-1045mm Knee room (min-max) 590-805mm Seat base length 495mm Seat base width 505mm Seat back height 670mm Headroom (min-max) 970-1000mm Cabin width 1360mm

Measurements - Rear Shoulder room 1280mm Headroom 950mm Seat base length 455mm Seat base width 1265mm Seat back height 670mm Knee room (min-max) 585-800mm Rear floor hump height 50mm Rear floor hump width 310mm

For context, the cabin isnt as wide as its chief competitor, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, nor does it have as much knee room. But it does have marginally better headroom. Boot space, rated at 328 litres, isnt class-leading either but again, its enough. It happily swallowed a weeks worth of luggage for two people, and a few camera and tripod bags.

Performance

Powering the Elite i20 CVT is Hyundais tried and tested 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine. The sheer refinement of this motor is astonishing. Theres no under-bonnet insulation, despite which the cabin is a pin-drop silent place. The few times youd hear the engine include a cold start and when youre absolutely flogging the engine for every ounce of life its got.

Dont do that. Just, dont do that. The Elite i20 CVT simply isnt made for it. The 0-100kmph dash takes a super leisurely 16.18 seconds. To put some context to the numbers, its about 0.13 seconds quicker than the Tiago AMT we tested a while back. Yep, theres no denying it - its not particularly quick or exciting.

But, WE LOVE IT! And thats down to the CVT. We know youre probably rolling your eyes thinking how a whiny CVT can be lovable. But snag a test drive, and you will quickly know why. Its among the smoothest CVTs weve tested, and its perfectly suited for its intended purpose. And that, is commuting inside the city.

Its the ease of driving that really seals the deal for us. Unlike old-school CVTs where you have to stomp the throttle to even make slight progress, you can feather the accelerator in the Elite i20. Theres no guesswork involved at all, you exactly know how much the car will accelerate when you step on the gas. It picks up minor modulations in the pedal input nicely too. For instance, if you need slightly more power to make a small overtake, but not all of it, the transmission gives you exactly that.

Does it ever seem unpolished? Well, yes. It does. In two cases: inclines and quick highway overtakes. On really steep inclines, the gearbox seems a bit confused. So it ends up redlining the engine and making quite a racket. The thing is, the Elite i20s engine doesnt really have much to offer at redline rpm, so it seems a bit counter-productive. Consequences are similar on the highway. If you dance out of your lane and slam the accelerator pedal, you get more noise than progress. Sure, you could shift to manual and take over shifting duties yourself. But trying to exploit the 6 preset ratios is quite pointless. It isnt any quicker, so might as well let the box do its own thing.

The mantra with this car is to take it easy. When you do, youd find yourself relaxed, happily tapping away to the music. If its this convenience youre looking for, and nothing else, it doesnt really get any better than this. Its not all that heavy on the pocket either: when driven sanely, it returned a respectable 12.16kmpl inside the city and 15.99kmpl on the highways.

From 100-0kmph, the Elite i20 took 42.98 metres - thats 0.10 metres less compared to the Baleno RS (43.08 metres) thats equipped with four disc brakes. Clearly, performance isnt an issue. But the feel on the pedal leaves a lot to be desired. Theres no issue with braking force - the car stops in an acceptable distance. But theres a learning curve to the pedals travel and feel. Hyundai shouldve dialled in a sharper initial bite.

Ride and Handling

Much like its manual counterpart, the i20 CVT makes light of broken roads. The suspension doesnt make a sound while tackling bad roads, potholes and the rough stuff in general. The tyres too remain silent whether youre at highway speeds or chucking it in a corner with some gusto.



Talking of corners, the Elite doesnt really mind a set of twisties. The steering, though familiarly light, doesnt really need corrections to hold its line. Its just the right weight on the highway too, wed want it to do nothing more.

And, unlike old Hyundais, the Elite i20 remains steady at highway speeds. Yes, you do feel some vertical movement in the rear bench at triple-digit speeds, but it does get better with occupants and luggage.

Safety

Since the Elite i20 automatic is not available in the top-spec Asta (O) variant, it has to make to with dual airbags and anti-lock brakes with EBD. Surprisingly, Hyundai doesnt offer ISOFIX child-seat mounts on any variants save for the fully-loaded variant.

Variants

If you want an automatic Elite i20, you get to choose between two variants: Magna and Asta. In both cases, it commands a premium of Rs 1.05 lakh over its manual counterpart.

Verdict

Lets get this out of the way - it shouldve been offered in the top-spec Asta (O). If not, it shouldve at least borrowed a few must-have features such as a rear wiper, push-button start and keyless entry from the top-spec model. Considering the price runs north of Rs 9 lakh, the lack of these features do raise an eyebrow. The second bugbear is the less-than-ideal brake pedal feel. Like we said, theres no issue with the braking potency at all, its the feel that needs fixing.

That aside, the Elite i20 CVT wont give you a reason to complain. It does just one thing: add convenience to an already capable package. And, thats all it needed to do. Its a fuss-free commuter that ensures youre relaxed and smiling at the end of that dreaded drive back home from office.
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Local governments across the Central Okanagan are bracing for possible high winds over the weekend, and what that could mean for the Okanagan Lake shoreline.

Protective measures have been put in place in key areas along the shore to protect public infrastructure.

Officials at the Emergency Operations Centre are suggesting residents who live along the lake do the same.

While the lake is still 57 centimetres below the high water mark of a year ago, officials say a severe wind, or rain event could push levels higher, leading to flooding and erosion.

"The situation has stabilized, especially when it comes to the region's creeks and streams," said EOC director Jim Zaffino.

"However, when it comes to lakeshore areas, the situation is not yet over, and we cannot afford to let our guard down."

Log booms are being put in place in Peachland, and will go up at two locations in Kelowna either Friday night or Saturday. Water dams and sandbags are also in place.

Residents living along the lakeshore should secure docks and boats, and install measures to protect against wave action. Any debris washed up on beaches should be left as an extra protection against erosion.

EOC officials say people living away from the lakeshore can begin dismantling flood protection measures they may have previously set out.

Sandbags can be returned to active sandbag sites or designated drop-off areas with sand still in the bags.
Trump says good-bye to North Korean official Kim Yong-chol. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump announced Friday that his on-again-off-again meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is once again on.

Well be meeting on June 12 in Singapore, Trump said at the White House after a meeting with Kim Yong-chol, the top aide to the North Korean dictator. Kim was at the White House to deliver a letter from the North Korean leader concerning the proposed summit. A former intelligence chief, Kim is his countrys top nuclear weapons negotiator and the highest-ranking North Korean official to meet with a U.S. president in 18 years.

In his remarks following the meeting, Trump stressed that the June 12 summit is the start of a process. He also softened his tone, saying, I dont want to use the term maximum pressure anymore. Were getting along.

Before meeting with Trump, Kim, who is currently a target of U.S. sanctions, spent Wednesday and Thursday with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York. Our two countries face a pivotal moment in our relationship, and it would be nothing short of tragic to let this opportunity go to waste, he said.
Details emerge about Oct. 12 fire at railroad tie plant

The Pueblo Fire Department has provided news details on the Oct. 12 fire at the Rocla railroad tie manufacturing plant, in which one person was injured.
Innocent until proven capable of being guilty. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

President Trumps lawyers believe that he is above the law when it comes to obstruction of justice, according to a bombshell new report in the New York Times. In a leaked 20-page letter, they have told Special Counsel Robert Mueller that Trump cannot be charged with the crime, asserting that his presidential power gives him unchecked authority over the Justice Department. The January memo, the Times reports, contends that the president cannot illegally obstruct any aspect of the investigation into Russias election meddling because the Constitution empowers him to, if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon. 

The letter, which was written by Trump lawyers John M. Dowd and Jay A. Sekulow, is reportedly part of a legal campaign to prevent Trump from having to answer Muellers questions, or from being compelled to testify, out of fear that Trump would expose himself to another crime  lying to federal investigators  which he could be impeached for.

The lawyers also made the broad claim that every action that the president took [amid the Russia investigation] was taken with full constitutional authority pursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution, and thus, these actions cannot constitute obstruction, whether viewed separately or even as a totality.

In other words, they told the special counsel that they are prepared to test the constitutional limits of Trumps presidential powers:

Mr. Mueller has told the presidents lawyers that he needs to talk to their client to determine whether he had criminal intent to obstruct the investigation into his associates possible links to Russias election interference. If Mr. Trump refuses to be questioned, Mr. Mueller will have to weigh their arguments while deciding whether to press ahead with a historic grand jury subpoena.

According to legal experts consulted by the Times, it is not clear whether statutes criminalizing obstruction of justice apply to the president and amount to another legal limit on how he may wield his powers.

Trumps lawyers insist that Of course, the president of the United States is not above the law, but just as obvious and equally as true is the fact that the president should not be subjected to strained readings and forced applications of clearly irrelevant statutes.

But its not clear that Trumps lawyers understand those statutes, or the case, as well as they purport to.

First, the letter oddly claims that, when Trump allegedly asked former FBI director James Comey to end the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, the president could not been trying to obstruct justice, since he did not know Flynn was under investigation in the first place. Except, you know, theres a tweet:

One issue here: Trump tweeted that he'd had to fire Flynn because he knew Flynn lied to the FBI. That firing came a day before he had the conversation with Comey. So even if he didn't know Flynn was under investigation, by his own admission he knew Flynn had committed a crime. pic.twitter.com/7rHzTuRCWk  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 2, 2018

Trumps lawyers also insist that FBI investigations dont count as the kind of proceedings which can be obstructed  but there is a problem there too:

[T]he lawyers based those arguments by citing an outdated statute, without mentioning that Congress passed a broader law in 2002 that makes it a crime to obstruct proceedings that have not yet started.

Samuel W. Buell, a Duke Law School professor and white-collar criminal law specialist who was a lead prosecutor for the Justice Departments Enron task force, said the real issue was whether Mr. Trump obstructed a potential grand jury investigation or trial  which do count as proceedings  even if the F.B.I. investigation had not yet developed into one of those. He called it inexplicable why the presidents legal team was making arguments that were focused on the wrong obstruction-of-justice statute.

Trump tweeted about the letter ahead of the impending report, repeating the big lie that it was the Democrats who were colluding with Russia ahead of the 2016 election, and asking, When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end?

There was No Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country. Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? Should be looking at Dems corruption instead?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 2, 2018

Trumps tweet also illustrates the other central strategy being deployed by the president and his lawyers and allies, which to discredit the investigation in the eyes of the public. That game plan, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani acknowledged last weekend, is meant to build political support under the assumption that impeachment may be inevitable. These attacks have escalated as of late, at the same time that Giuliani and Trumps other lawyers are trying to negotiate with, and pressure, Mueller over Trumps possible testimony. It also suggests that their efforts to convince Mueller he cannot legally reach the president, at least when it comes to obstruction charges, have not been successful.
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Jesus Christ was once asked about marriage and divorce. He replied in this way:

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." -Matthew 19:4-6 NIV

Jesus was saying essentially that the bond between husband and wife is a sacred union. Jesus made it clear that God's design for marriage is sacred, permanent in this life, and not subject to change.

The biblical formula for marriage is between one man and one woman. The scriptures are abundantly clear about that. God's design for marriage is beautiful, artistic, and a wonderful joy.

Unfortunately there is a progressive element in the world today that seeks to redefine and change things in society to reflect the subjective views of a select few of elite social engineers. Increasingly there is a faction of society in the west that wants to change and "evolve" society as they see fit. There is a lot of money and support behind this movement. Today, there is mounting pressure in Europe, Canada, and the United States for Christian organizations to turn coat on the issue of marriage, gender, and other concerns.

In recent years some Christian organizations and denominational movements have made moves to change their marriage doctrines to allow for gay marriage to be practiced. The arguments have been that this is about love, inclusion, tolerance, and equal rights for gay couples. The results have overwhelmingly been that there is a mass exodus from the movement. And with the core principles of the churches compromised, soon other compromises come about, and the movement dies off completely.

We must never, never, never endorse a practice that the scriptures show clearly to be sinful. So in your life and witness, you may come across Christians or groups of individuals, or activists who will be working within your church movement to get the movement to embrace gay marriage, gender ideology, and other non-biblical positions on issues of the day. I'm encouraging you today to boldly stand up against these attempts to circumvent God's word. I'd like to arm you today to contest with these activists and show from God's word the plain truth of God's design for marriage. Let's take a look at some scriptures.

Regarding homosexuality, the New Testament writer, the Apostle Paul addressed this issue in the flagship book of Protestantism, the book of Romans.

Paul was writing regarding those who disbelieve in God, who refuse to obey His standards when he wrote: "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creatorwho is forever praised.Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error."

-Romans 1:21-27 NIV

Critics say that this scripture doesn't apply because the context is that it's addressing idolatry. It is true that the context is how God deals with idolatry, which is that he then gives people over to indulge in sin. It makes sense, if people don't want Him, then he turns them over to their own desires; desires which God defines as sinful. And God indicates that these sinful desires include homosexual activity. Which means despite the context being idolatry, implicit in the scripture is the clear truth that homosexual practice is indeed sinful. Another attack on this scripture is saying that Paul was addressing the pedophilia practiced by men in Rome. But Paul doesn't say children, he says men. Which means he's talking about adult men. And he also talks about women indulging in sinful behavior with women. How could that have to do with pedophilia? Paul wasn't addressing pedophilia. He was addressing idolatry, and implicit in his description of idolatry is the truth that homosexuality is a sinful practice.

Another attack levied against biblical marriage are ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. The objector will start listing off ceremonial and judicial laws from the Old Testament, mainly from Exodus and Leviticus. They say: "Do you eat pork? Do you eat shell-fish? Should you stone your wife if she commits adultery? Do you think a woman who is on her period is unclean? How can you pick and choose!"

The answer to this is that the levitical laws were ceremonial rules for the ancient nation of Israel, mainly for their health and safety. These laws were for an ancient nation 4,000 years ago, to help them stay healthy and to eat the right foods, and so on and so forth. We are not under the ceremonial laws. The judicial laws in exodus were for the ancient nation of Israel once again, as rules for an ancient people to begin to learn to obey their God. They were the very beginning of government laws for an ancient people.

The Bible is what we call a "progressive revelation." Meaning over thousands of years God interacted with people by slowly revealing His will and plan in ways they could understand. We still look back to the Old Testament at things like the 10 commandments in Exodus, because those commands are spiritual in nature. We still look back to the OT in other areas for inspiring stories and wise teachings, but the ceremonial and judicial laws are no longer binding. We are directly under the teachings of the New Testament today. And time and again homosexuality is directly prohibited in the New Testament (1st Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:26-28, 1st Timothy 1:10).

In fact during the spread of the early church in the book of Acts, the Jerusalem council meets to decide if Gentiles (non-Jews) should be required to keep the OT laws (See Acts 15:1-35). The decision is made that Gentiles must not be placed under the OT laws, because of the grace of Christ, but that the Gentiles should be taught to live holy lives, and it's specifically mentioned at the Jerusalem council that gentiles should be taught to abstain from sexual immorality. Included in the umbrella term "sexual immorality" is of course prohibited homosexual practices as described in the NT.

Look, I'm not trying to be mean, or judgmental, or unloving. But the Bible says what it says, and doesn't say what it doesn't say. And given the choice between the Bible and someones opinion, I'll take God's word every time.

Here's the deal: When you debate with someone who is attacking God's design for marriage and pushing the gay marriage issue, especially within the church, if you debate with them long enough you'll notice that behind their objections is one prime factor: They reject the authority of scripture. They don't really believe the Bible is God's word. That is the problem. The solution is to rally people to His word and invite them to believe it.

Let me be clear: That is the issue with people within churches. For those outside churches, biblical arguments aren't going to have any sort of impact, because they don't recognize even partial authority in the scriptures. They reject them as the creeds of evil men bent on misogyny and bigotry. We know they are not that, but that's how they are thought of in modern culture.

There is a very simple question to ask: Is the Bible the word of God? If the answer is indeed "yes" which it always ought to be, then we have absolutely no business encouraging that which God has forbidden. It's just that simple.

At the end of Romans 1 Paul also writes: "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." (v.32) Do we want to join the growing number who have decided to approve of those who practice such behaviors? Of course not. So I encourage you, take a stand for God's beautiful, wonderful design for marriage.

Additional scriptures dealing with homosexuality: Genesis 19:1-13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9;1st Timothy 1:10; Matthew 19:4-6

Articles regarding the Bible & homosexuality:

Got Questions? - What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

CARM - What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

Christian Bible Reference - Should a Christian appose gay marriage?

Now, if you are looking for arguments and defenses for natural marriage when dealing with non-Christians then I highly recommend this presentation by Frank Turek, Phd. He looks at scientific and logical arguments against gay marriage:

Watch a presentation by the Christian apologist Frank Turek on the issue of gay marriage.

When we embrace gay marriage, or we simply ignore the issue, we turn people away from the healing power of Jesus Christ. There are entire ministries devoted to helping those who are lost in gender confusion and homosexuality. I participated with a church in my hometown of Wausau that had an outreach next to a gay bar. And I saw several young men come into the church, repent, and get saved by the power of Jesus.

Watch this testimony by Dennis Jernigan titled "I Used to Be Gay." It will open your eyes to the redeeming power of Christ!

This is a very tough issue. Let me repeat that: this is a very tough issue. The culture is quite convinced that anyone standing for natural marriage is on the same level as the most demented, backwards, evil bigot. Human rights organizations have and will condemn anyone who dares to a take a stand on this issue. Those who stand for natural marriage have been and will be called hate-mongers, bigots, homophobes, and discriminatory religious zealots. In fact government human rights organization called "religious liberty" code words for bigotry and hatred.

But it's worse than that. Sadly gay activists have taken to suing Christian businesses, slandering Christians who take a stand, and getting Christians fired from their jobs for standing for their religious values in the public square. Some in the government wage a war on religious liberty, demanding that Christian business owners be forced to participate in gay marriage ceremonies or be shut down and fined hundreds of thousands of dollars. That could very soon continue forward into the area of ministry and pastoring.

The Obama/Loretta Lynch Department of Justice was demanding that gender be redefined and that all public schools and public institutions be required to have a transgender bathroom policy. Thankfully the Trump/Jeff Sessions DOJ reversed that edict. But it's clear that many along the political spectrum see it as the government's job to socially engineer culture and require that Christians be forced to come along for the ride, and if they resist, they will be fined, charged with crimes, or put in jail. Even if you don't have any interest in politics, watch out, because politics is taking an interest in you.

Many top companies in the U.S.A. have taken to bullying states to push forward the redefinition of marriage and gender. National companies may boycott you or your entire state, as Indiana was boycotted for attempts to protect religious liberty and how North Carolina was boycotted by musicians, employers, and over 120 different major U.S. companies. Some of the companies involved included: The NFL, the NBA, Paypal, Starbucks, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, Pepsi, Whole Foods, Hyatt, and many others. We may find ourselves attacked, boycotted, and slandered for defending natural marriage, but who do we want to be? God's people or the favorites of the world?

God is real. He is active in the world. God's Bible is real, true, and infallible. It is the description of God's timeless truths. Thus when the Bible tells us something is sinful, we must never call it anything but that. There have always been heavy pressures from the cultures we engage in.

Should we change our marriage stance? Should we encourage that which God has forbidden for the affection of the LGBTQ community, for the acceptance of U.S. businesses, for the sake of "equality and inclusion?" Never. Because it doesn't matter what happens to us, live or die, fired or labeled haters, none-the-less, Christ lives! And though heaven and earth pass away, His word will never pass away. It's truth is eternal.

In conclusion, let me encourage you to rally support within your church movement or organization for God's design for marriage. Take a stand against those activists who are attempting to push their unbiblical ideology. Gather together like-minded individuals and begin to organize. Seek out those elements within your churches that are attempting to lobby for the redefinition of marriage and gender. Encourage them from the scriptures to embrace God's design for marriage. If they will not agree with the scriptures when going to them directly, then go with one other (perhaps a leader) and if they still refuse, expose what they are doing to the entire church. If they still refuse to repent, they should not be welcome any longer (Matthew 18.)

When debating with non-believers remember to be wise, kind, and polite. As 1st Peter 3:15b says "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." When dealing with a secular non-believer remember to make it clear that God wants all to come to repentance and to be found in the love of Christ. Homosexuality is a sinful practice, but it's not a special sin. Many wonderful former-homosexual individuals are now shining witnesses to the power of Christ, just as I try to be a shining example of how Christ loves and redeems drug addicts. Check out the Facebook page "Ex-LGBT Through Jesus Christ." When talking with a person who identifies as LGBTQ remember that you are dealing with someone made in the image of God. Invite them to know the love of Christ, invite them to church, and invite them to repent of their sinful practices and embrace Christ. Christ forgives all when we repent and come to Him!

Our application of God's word adapts to the culture as it shifts. But the eternal truths found in God's word do not change. Marriage is a sacred union between man and wife, to the exclusion of any other combination. Let's carry the message of the gospel in the fullness of grace and truth, standing firm in His word despite what the culture demands. Here we stand, we can do no other.

Justin Steckbauer is the founder of Lifestyleofpeace.com. He is a graduate magna cum laude from Liberty University, currently holding an associates degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a bachelors degree in the study of Religion. He is currently a graduate student at Olivet Nazarene University working on a masters degree in the study of Ministry. He is a cadet in training at the Salvation Army College for Officer's training (CFOT) as well.
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So just as America's fertility rate is tanking, China is waking up to the damage of its one-child policy.

In mid-May, the Centers for Disease Control reported that "The birthrate fell for nearly every group of women of reproductive age in the U.S. in 2017." A drop that led to "the fewest newborns since 1987."

Even more, it was the single biggest one-year declinethree percentsince 2010, which was in the depths of the great recession, and which lower birth rates were expected.

The fertility rate is an estimate of how many babies a hypothetical group of 1,000 women would likely have over their lifetime. In 2017, America's was just a paltry 1.76 births per woman.

We've talked before on BreakPoint about the economic and cultural consequences of declining birthrates. As Jonathan Last, author of the book "What to Expect When No One's Expecting," has written, "There is no economy that has managed to knock out gangbuster growth with a declining population."

This truth has not been lost on, of all people, the People's Republic of China. The same day the CDC announced its findings, a story in the UK's Telegraph reported that the Communist Party "is considering scrapping the limits it places on how many children families can have."

As the Telegraph told its readers, the move is in reaction to the "consequences of four decades of strict family planning controls," most notably, the infamous "one-child policy." Consequences include "a dwindling workforce and a huge increase in elderly citizens."

In a dramatic turnaround, China is using its formidable propaganda machine to urge "prospective mothers to 'seize the time and conceive.'"

The irony in all of this is that China's total fertility rate isn't that much lower than ours: 1.57 births as compared to 1.76 births per woman here.

While China's leaders are scrambling to reverse demographic trends, our intelligentsia is, to the extent they notice the issue at all, in denial.

One common form of denial we hear is that any shortfall in childbirths will be made up for by immigration. While this has been true in the past, it's foolish to count on this being true in the future.

For starters, in case you haven't noticed, Americans aren't wildly enthusiastic about those high levels of immigration. Anxiety about immigration is at least one of the factors behind the 2016 election outcome.

What's more, the traditional sources of those high levels of immigration, especially Mexico and Latin America, may be drying up. Since 2008, more Mexicans have left the United States than entered it.

As for the rest of Latin America, only a handful have fertility rates above replacement level themselves, and these aren't big enough to supply the immigrants to take the place of the children American women aren't having.

Another form of denial is seeing in the new low demographic numbers some good news, like the decline in teenage pregnancies. While that is good news, it hardly compensates for the possibility of irreversible demographic decline.

And yes, I used the word "irreversible". Governments in Europe and Asia have tried all sorts of incentives to jump start fertility, and few, if any, have made a lasting difference.

Here's whythis problem is a cultural one. As one liberal commentator put it, instead of taking the role of parents in our society seriously, many Americans, especially the affluent, treat having children as a discretionary activity, like collecting classic cars or visiting every parrot sanctuary in the world.

This attitude is the stuff of which western demographic decline is made. Denying the inherent connection between sex, marriage, and babies is like denying gravity. We may choose to step off the roof, but we can't choose not to hit the ground. China seems to be learning this at last. Will we?

Originally posted at Breakpoint.
Driver in bus crash that killed 13 churchgoers faces up to 270 years in prison

The 21-year-old driver of a pickup truck that crashed into a church bus last year is facing up to 270 years in prison after pleading no contest to manslaughter charges on Thursday.

Jack Dillon Young has been charged with 13 counts of intoxication manslaughter last June after he crashed into a bus that was transporting members of First Baptist Church of New Braunfels, Texas on their way home from a retreat.

According to KSAT, Young pleaded no contest to the charges and waived his right to a jury trial. He faces between two and 270 years when he returns to court in November for his sentencing.

Thirteen out of the 14 passengers were killed when Young's 2007 Dodge Ram pickup truck crashed into their bus on U.S. Highway 83 north of Uvalde.

Young, who was 20-years-old at the time of the crash, reportedly told federal investigators that he had been taking prescription drugs that could cause drowsiness. An affidavit claimed Young was also texting while driving the pickup truck.

Rogelio Munoz, who is representing Young in court, said that the 21-year-old made the decision to plead no contest out of consideration for the families.

"He figured it would be better to put an end to it, for his sake and for the sake of the families in this tragedy," Munoz said, according to KHOU11.

Charlotte Banks, daughter of one of the victims, agreed, saying, "The fact that he has changed and stepped up and doing this, that's actually, in my opinion, generous on his part, because that means that cuts out a very long process we have to go through."

Young was freed on a $380,000 bond after turning himself in to the Uvalde County Jail after the crash. However, he was sent back to jail for violating the terms of his release.

Munoz said that it is unlikely that his client will be offering a plea deal. "The DA has taken the position that all of these were victims and each one is a separate case involving a separate victim. He felt like he wanted a conviction in each case. The real issue, then, is what should the punishment be?" the lawyer said, according to KHOU.
In a bid to have locals gain employment in the oil and gas industry, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has urged communities in Hoima to invest in education.

The company, which is developing oil fields in Hoima, seeks to acquaint learners in the region with the oil and gas sector as a way of ensuring that local communities benefit from the natural resources.

More than 20,000 casual and skilled laborers mainly those with technical skills including welders will be required during the development of the oil production related infrastructure including Kabaale oil refinery and the related crude oil pipeline connecting the refinery to Tanga port in Tanzania, according to the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU).

Aminah Bukenya, the CNOOC Uganda senior public relations supervisor, said this on May 17 while presiding over Best Performers awards for the 2017 best students in the district.

The awards affirm our willingness to be a good neighbour to the communities in which we operate and commitment to a win-win situation with its stakeholders in the region, she said.

CNOOC recognized and awarded 90 best performers in PLE, UCE and UACE under its Corporate Social Responsibility Program codenamed CNOOC Best Performers Awards.

In all, the learners shared amongst themselves Shs 28 million. The money is meant to help them with tuition as they progress to higher learning institutions. CNOOC started the initiative in 2012 and to date, about 420 students have benefitted.

Meanwhile, Daniel Muhairwe, the Buhaguzi MP, urged other oil companies operating in the Albertine graben to look into supplementing government effort to promote vocational training as a way of preparing the local children for jobs in the oil and gas industry.

Kadiri Kirungi, the Hoima district chairman, hailed CNOOC for its continued support towards education. He, however, highlighted the desire to change from awarding cash and resort to sponsoring at least 15 students at university every year.
Minister shares how he was able to renew his faith after the murder of his family

Les Ferguson lost his desire to preach the Gospel after the murder of his wife and 21-year-old son in 2011, but just three years after the tragedy, he was able to return to the pulpit and ever since, has been sharing how he regained his faith while dealing with his loss.

On the day of Fergusons' 24th wedding anniversary - Oct. 24, 2011 - a man shot his wife Karen and his son Cole at their home in Gulfport, Mississippi.

The assailant, Paul Ellis Buckman, had been attending services Orange Grove Church of Christ, where Ferguson had been preaching.

Buckman, who had been charged three months earlier for attacking Cole, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the same day as the murder of Ferguson's family.

Ferguson says that he could not bring himself to proclaim the Gospel because he had lost trust in God.

He started avoiding church and soon decided to leave the Gulf Coast community, where he had preached for 13 years.

"I didn't want someone to pat me on the back and tell me it was going to be OK. I didn't want somebody to quote a Bible verse to me. I just wanted to be left alone," Ferguson said, according to Religion News Service (RNS).

After moving to Vicksburg, 200 miles away from Gulf Coast, the minister began working on an online journal called "Desperately Wanting to Believe Again" as a way to help him cope with his loss.

"I never quit believing," the minister explained, as reported by RNS. "The name probably should have been Desperately Wanting to Trust Again because it was more about my journey of learning to trust God again. I used the blog to rant and rave and whine and fuss and praise as it came to me," he went on to say.

Things started to get better when in 2012, Ferguson married Becki Berryman, whom he had dated during his teenage years, and with the help of his friends, Ferguson soon returned to the pulpit to talk about how he struggled with his faith after the tragedy.

Ferguson was then asked to serve as a minister in Lake Harbour in the spring of 2014. The elders at the church believed that Ferguson had the insight and empathy to lead the congregation because of his experiences.

"We felt like Lake Harbour could be a big help to him, too, personally and in his faith," said Greg Palmer, an elder at Lake Harbour, according to RNS.

Ferguson has written a book titled "Still Wrestling: Faith Renewed Through Brokenness" to help him deal with the loss of his family. But the minister is also hoping that his book will also help others with the same struggles.

The minister said that he is now in a better place, but he has realized that he will be wrestling with his faith throughout his life.

"That's what God is looking for  for us to wrestle with him and to continue to grow. That's a part of the struggle," he said, according to RNS.
Myanmar prepared to take back 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled to Bangladesh

Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 U.N. World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

"If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing?

"There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly."

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organizations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading".

"Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less."

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.

Reporting by Raju Gopalakrishnan; Editing by Alex Richardson
Dear Abby:

My daughter is 17. When she was 1, she had leukemia. The treatments have left her with chronic pain as well as some disabilities that she deals with.

Shes now a senior in high school, but looks like shes 7 or 8. She yearns for what every teen girl wants  a boyfriend. The problem is, no one wants to date her. Its not because of her personality but because of her size and her young looks.

My heart breaks seeing how depressed she is. I have told her she will meet that special person when she is supposed to, and she used to think that as well, but she doesnt anymore. What can I do to help my daughter through this?

Heartbroken

Dear Heartbroken:

Patience and the passage of time may bring a solution to the problem. In the meantime, if there is a name for her condition, go online and do some research to find out if there is a support group for survivors who also have it. If there is, your daughter may find what she needs there. Surely, others have had her experience, and perhaps they can help. One thing I know for sure  you cant find a date until you find a friend.

Dear Abby:

Because I was sexually abused as a child, I have difficulty trusting men. My oldest sons have different fathers. While they were toddlers, I met the father of my youngest two sons. In the beginning, I wasnt in love with him, although over the years, I have grown to love him.

While I am now in love with him, because of the emotional, mental and physical abuse I put him through, he doesnt feel the same. Hes a great father to all of my boys. My question is, how can I express that Im in love with him and want a relationship with him now?

A Second Chance

Dear Second Chance:

If you havent already, offer the poor man a sincere apology for the way you have treated him. Then, if he is unaware of it, explain your history and offer to get counseling if he will give you the second chance you are asking for. Its worth a try. That he would continue to be a great father to all of your sons tells me what a prize you may have lost.

Dear Abby:

My wife and I have been married 41 years. We live outside of Chicago, where the winters can be bad. My son and his family moved to Florida to get away from the weather here. Now my wife wants to move there, too. I have medical issues and dont like hot, humid weather. She says shes going, and I told her Im staying here. Should I go with her or should she stay here with me?

Weather to or Not

Dear Weather:

This should not be a question of either/or. Surely there is room for compromise. If your medical condition is such that you cannot tolerate the Florida climate, then you must stay where you are. If your wifes reason for wanting to move south is to be closer to the grandchildren, perhaps she could arrange to visit them for three or four weeks at a time throughout the year.

Reader Alert!

If you know a student who would like to enter the $5,000 Dear Abby College Columnist Scholarship contest, see the information on DearAbby.com/scholarship and learn more. The deadline is fast approaching.

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What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in What Every Teen Should Know. Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

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Population growth combined with flood mitigation projects in aftermath of Hurricane Harvey have become a stressor for the county, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said.

Were at a tipping point.  Harvey is the thing that pushed us right over that tipping point, said Emmett during his State of the County speech at the Walden Country Club in Atascocita on Tuesday, May 29.

One issue, Emmett said, is that the county was put into extraterritorial jurisdiction when the city of Houston conducted annexations along the highways in the 1960s, which took away the ability of unincorporated county areas to incorporate.

Places like Kingwood and Clear Lake have been annexed by the city of Houston, but for various reasons, much of the unincorporated areas around Houston were never annexed.

Places like Aldine got left behind, Emmett said.

There are 2.2 million people living inside the city of Houston and about 1.8 million people living in unincorporated Harris County, where were the government, Emmett said.

The problem for Harris County officials, according to Emmett, is that the county government has relatively little control in respects to their revenue sources, the laws they must enforce and the county government even lacks the ability to create ordinances.

He explained that when businesses and people move into unincorporated Harris County, its up to county government to provide things like roads to accommodate the increase in population.

We are completely beholden to the property tax and yet were growing, Emmett said.  We have no other source of revenue. We cannot cut indigent health care, we cannot cut criminal justice, what are we supposed to do?

The county uses tax dollars for four overarching purposes, which Emmett outlined.

Harvey hit, bringing Harris County to the tipping point said Emmett, and now the question is  what can be done now to bolster flood control measures in the county?

We either as a community capture the feelings that we had during and immediately after Harvey where everybody said, Were all in this together, were going to work, were going to improve, were going to make sure this doesnt happen again, or were going to fall back into this: Well, we dont want property taxes to go up; now how can we keep property taxes from going up and do this at the same time?

Furthermore, Emmett said it is unknown how much of the $89 billion in federal disaster relief funds will go to Harris County.

In order for us to be able to draw down that we have to provide the local match, Emmett said. Some of those matches are 25 percent, some are 10 percent, some are 20 percent, but Im going to ask again: how do we get our local match? The property tax.

Coming up on a year after Harvey, Emmett said very little has actually been accomplished in the realm of ensuring the communitys resilience during rain events. He believes the community will need to adopt an attitude geared toward fixing issues, although finding and implementing solutions will inevitably cost money.

Harris County officials calculated what they believe the total cost of projects to achieve resilience for the community would be approximately $30-$35 billion.

Thats way too much money, Emmett said. But, for us to really make a dent, its going to take something in the neighborhood of $2.5 billion.

He discussed possible solutions, one of which was to allow unincorporated Harris County to share sales tax revenue.

When the Super Bowl was played here it was played in a county facility but yet the county didnt get any revenue out of it because all that sales tax that was generated by people coming into our community and spending money that all went to the city and to the state, he said.

Emmett suggested the state could use money from its Rainy Day Fund. He also suggested a response to state officials who may criticize the upcoming $2.5 billion Harris County bond election for being too high of an amount.

Ill make them a deal, Emmett said. Dollar for dollar, anything the state gives us out of the Rainy Day Fund, well take out of our bond.

The county has not determined which projects would be included in the bond yet and Emmett said that decision will need to be a collaborative effort.

Weve got to go back and capture that feeling we had during and immediately after Harvey and say, Were in this together and were going to solve it, Emmett said.

Emmett clarified that he is not saying taxes need to be raised; but rather that there needs to be found a new way to finance an urban government like Harris County.

Mark Mitchell, president of the Lake Houston Area Economic Development Partnership, commended the efforts put forth by the county in seeking ways to help fortify communities against future flooding.

The countys been absolutely fantastic, Mitchell said. If you listen to Judge Emmett speak, he knows this area intimately and so the overlap is to our benefit and were hopeful that he continues this line of thinking pushing forward and were there as far as a partner in this pushing forward.

mfeuk@hcnonline.com
It wasn't easy for anyone at Santa Fe High School to return to school after the shooting that left 10 dead and 13 injured on May 18.

But they did it. And now the community is celebrating the graduation of a class of seniors who have been through more than many can imagine this year: a hurricane, snow, a school shooting and the media blitz that followed.

'HEART-WRENCHING': Returning to school 11 days after the mass shooting

As class salutatorian Bailee Dobson put it, it was "one of the most bizarre and life changing years of all."

Valedictorian Corrigan Garcia's speech also pointed out the adversity they had struggled with as seniors but reminded them they have a choice. That choice is best illustrated by the story he chose to tell that he attributed to his teacher, "Mr. Kody."

It's an important story for every person, young and old, to remember. Here's how he told it:

There was once a farmer who had many animals and this farmer's name was Old McDonald. One day he dug a well, and after all his hard work, he went inside to retire from his rest. ... The next day, he returned to discover his donkey there at the bottom. This is when the farmer was forced to make a decision. He could try and get the donkey out or he could bury the donkey. At this point the farmer thought, "uh, just best to bury him." I know that's not what you're expecting, but in this situation we as the students are the donkeys. We've been buried by this tragedy, buried by our emotion - but just as the farmer, we have a choice to make. In this situation the choice we can make is to lie there and let the farmer bury us in the dirt, to bury us in our emotion. We could let it take control of our lives or we could struggle to get out, to overcome the burden of this tragedy. Now, in this story the donkey struggles to get out and with each shovel of dirt thrown into the well the donkey shakes it off and inches a little higher toward freedom. This goes on and is a lengthy process but eventually the donkey makes it through and reaches to the top. Now this is the situation we find ourselves in. Moving on will be tough. Nothing will ever be the same for any of us. We all have a choice to make, and with the support of the Houston area and Texas and the nation as a whole, we'll make it through to the other side just as we have time and time again.

There you go, advice from a wise new adult: Make a choice. Shake it off. Overcome again.
An operation is underway to remove as much as 150,000 cubic yards of debris from Lake Houston.

The project began in mid-May and was launched by the city of Houstons Solid Waste Management Department as a part of Harvey recovery efforts.

Tetra Tech, a consulting and engineering company serving as Houstons debris monitor, believes that Hurricane Harvey is responsible for contributing an estimated 75,000 to 150,000 cubic yards of debris to Lake Houston.

This equates to about 20,000 pickup trucks of material, said Harry Hayes, director of SWMD.

Hayes said the type of debris being removed includes, vegetative material, house and building materials that were either eroded or washed into the creeks and river which form Lake Houston.

The removal of debris from the Lake Houston reservoir enhances the lakes quality for recreational and water supply use; but also serves to diminish flooding during rain events, explained Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in a statement announcing the operation.

The project, when combined with the dredging of the San Jacinto River, provides that residents tax dollars are being used in a most beneficial manner to protect their properties from high water, Turner stated. We are ever mindful of our Public Safety and Homeland Security responsibilities.

According to Hayes, the project cost could reach up to $20 million. However, SWMD public information officer, Irma Reyes, said cost will depend on debris and may be as low as $8 million.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to fund 90 percent of the costs and the city of Houston will cover the remaining 10 percent.

The contractor, DRC Emergency Services, LLC started debris removal with four barges in mid-May, but are expected to be using six barges by early June.

Removal of debris will reach 2,000 cubic yards per day at the height of operations, Turner stated.

Hayes said the project will last for at least 90 days.

Additionally, the Coastal Water Authority conducted debris removal from the Lake Houston Dam during the week of May 21. About 500 cubic yards of predominantly vegetative debris was removed from the dam and adjacent embankments.

The debris accumulated as a result of Hurricane Harvey and subsequent rains in our area since last summer, stated a response provided by Council Member Dave Martin and the CWA. As the Lake Houston dam is a spillway structure, water from the lake always had the ability to flow over the dam into the spillway, therefore removal of this debris will have minor impact on the ability for lake discharges to pass over the dam.

The lake level was lowered to 42 feet while the debris removal was conducted, but was returned to its normal 42.5 feet after the project ended on May 24.

The CWA funded the $67,000 initiative to remove debris from the dam, but intends to pursue reimbursement from FEMA.

mfeuk@hcnonline.com
The principal of Seven Lakes High School is being kicked upstairs to a high level position at the Katy Independent School District's main administration office.

Ted Vierling, who became the Seven Lakes principal in June 2011, was named the district's Assistant Superintendent of Operations. He was promoted May 29 after a unanimous vote by the district's Board of Trustees.

"We look forward to putting you to work," Katy ISD Superintendent Lance Hindt joked to him during the board meeting.

Vierling has spent the last 20 years working in the Katy ISD - most of it in leadership positions. In 1998, he started his career in education as a U.S. history teacher at Mayde Creek High School. Before his time at Seven Lakes High, Vierling had been a principal at Beckendorff Junior High. He had earlier been an assistant principal at Mayde Creek Junior High.

Vierling is a graduate of Katy High School. He has an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M and a graduate degree from the University of Houston.

The Katy ISD trustees also announced his replacement at Seven Lakes High School. Kerri Finnesand, the principal of WoodCreek Junior High, is taking over from Vierling.

"Becoming a Spartan is a distinction I will value tremendously," Finnesand, 22-year veteran educator, said.

Finnesand's professional background includes five years of teacher, five years as an assistant and intermediate principal and 13 years as a principal.

"I will uphold the great work that has taken place by the campus students and staff and also strive to advance the educational excellence values as well as the character and service we offer at this campus that I now call my home," Finnesand said.

She has an undergraduate degree from Penn State University and a graduate degree from the University of Houston.

Vierling will begin his new position on July 1. Finnesand became the Seven Lakes High principal on May 31.
Katy ISD Police officials honored three of their officers who are credited with helping to save the lives of two students contemplating suicide.

Officers Christopher Pickering, Michael Seiss and Jose Gonzales received the Chief's Meritorious Citation Award in connection with two incidents that occurred in January and March, Katy ISD officials said Friday.

"Every day there is an abundance of heroism displayed by our officers throughout our campuses," said Katy ISD Police Chief Robert E. Jinks.

On Jan. 8, 2018, Pickering was dispatched to a Katy home to investigate reports of a possible suicide attempt by a Katy ISD student. Using the training he learned in crisis intervention, Pickering developed a rapport with the unidentified student who later agreed to undergo a mental health evaluation.

"After receiving treatment, the student informed the police department that Officer Pickering's dedication to his duty and his show of concern prevented him from taking his life that evening," Katy ISD officials said.

Seiss and Gonzalez were sent to Cinco Ranch High School on March 7, 2018 after the department received reports of a possible suicide at the campus. The two officers immediately began life-saving measures, including creating a makeshift tourniquet with a leather belt to stop the blood loss. Katy ISD PD officials said their actions were "instrumental in saving his life."

"Although we don't often witness these acts of bravery, the work our law enforcement officers conduct at our schools proves to be a life-changing one," Chief Jinks said.

The three officers will wear the decoration on their uniform.
Four high school students from Fort Bend County were recently honored with 2017 Congressional Art Competition prizes.

Fort Bend ISD student Hannah Li, who attends Clements High School in Sugar Land, was named the first-place winner. Titled In The Moment, Lis piece will be on display in the U.S. Capitol for an entire year.

Mya Stalnaker from Obra D. Tompkins High School in Katy was awarded the prize for 1st Runner up. Dulles High School student Chelsea Tang, also from Fort Bend ISD, was honored as the 2nd Place Runner Up and Cinco Ranch High School student Phuongthy Tran, from Katy ISD, was awarded the prize for 3rd Runner Up. The second, third and fourth place winners will have their artwork on display in the Texas and Washington offices of Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22).

Rep. Olson congratulated the winners of the art competition in an official statement:

Congratulations to Hannah Li and all of the talented students who submitted their artwork for this competition, Rep. Pete Olson said. The Congressional Art Competition showcases the unique experiences and perspectives of talented artists from across the nation. Im thrilled to have Hannahs work to represent the 22nd District of Texas for the millions of people who visit the Capitol each year. I would also like to congratulate Mya Stalnaker, Chelsea Tang and Phuongthy Tran for placing in the top four, and thank all of the incredible students who participated in this years competition.

The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since the competition was launched, more than 650,000 high school students have participated officials say.

Winners are decided for each congressional district by a panel of artists and are recognized in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC.
HOUSTON  Seeking to comfort grieving families and shaken survivors, President Donald Trump spent more than an hour privately Thursday with some of those impacted by a Texas mass school shooting that killed 10 and wounded more than a dozen on May 18.

The latest spasm of violence in a year marred by assaults on the nation's schools, the shooting at Santa Fe High School was the latest to test the president's role as national comforter-in-chief. Trump met with more than two dozen people affected by the shooting, and did not publicly share his message for the grieving families and local leaders during a meeting at a Coast Guard base outside Houston.

Pamela Stanich  whose 17-year-old son, Jared Black, was among the eight students killed  was one of the parents who met with Trump, presenting him with a family statement and a copy of her son's eulogy.

CRITICIZED: Trump blasted for saying Houston visit will be 'fun'

Trump "met with us privately and showed sincerity, compassion, and concern on making our schools safer across the nation," she wrote in a Facebook post after the meeting. "He spent time talking to the survivors and asking on what happened and what would have made a difference. Changes are coming for the good. Thank you Mr. Trump."

Rhonda Hart, whose 14-year-old daughter, Kimberly Vaughan, was killed at the school, told The Associated Press that Trump repeatedly used the word 'wacky' to describe the shooter and the trench coat he wore. She said she told Trump, "Maybe if everyone had access to mental health care, we wouldn't be in the situation."

Hart, an Army veteran, said she also suggested employing veterans as sentinels in schools. She said Trump responded, "And arm them?" She replied, "No," but said Trump "kept mentioning" arming classroom teachers. "It was like talking to a toddler," Hart said.

Reporters were not permitted to witness the meeting.

While the president was in Texas, Trump's school safety commission met outside Washington, part of the president's chosen solution to combat the rising tide of bloodshed after his brief flirtation with tougher gun laws after February's mass killing at a high school in Parkland, Florida went nowhere.

A White House spokesman said Trump was "moved" by the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which left eight students and two substitute teachers dead. A student faces capital murder charges in the attack.

"These events are very tragic, whenever they happen. And you know, the president wants to extend his condolences and talk about the issue of school safety," spokesman Raj Shah told Fox News Channel.

PRESIDENTIAL BACKING: Here are the Texans Trump is supporting this election

Also Thursday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whom Trump put in charge of the school safety commission, announced a $1 million grant to the Santa Fe school district to help with post-shooting recovery efforts.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz, both Republicans, greeted Trump after Air Force One landed at a Houston military base. Abbott joined Trump for the short ride in the presidential limousine to a Coast Guard hangar where the meeting took place.

Trump then headed to a fundraiser at a luxury hotel in downtown Houston, the first of his two big-dollar events in Texas on Thursday. A White House official did not immediately respond to requests for details about how much money was to be raised, and who was benefiting, from the fundraising events.

After 17 teachers and students were killed during a February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Trump said he would work to improve school safety, but has not called for new gun control legislation. He created the commission to review ways to make schools safer.

'IT'S ABOUT CONTROL': Santa Fe unlikely to be center for gun control activism after school shooting

Trump briefly strayed from gun-rights dogma after the Parkland shooting, but quickly backpedaled. Abbott, a Republican and a staunch gun-rights supporter, has called for schools to have more armed personnel and said they should put greater focus on spotting student mental health problems. He's proposed a few small restrictions on guns since the shooting.

Investigators say student Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17, carried out the attack with a shotgun and pistol that belonged to his father. Classes at Santa Fe High School resumed Tuesday for the first time since the shooting.

As the Parkland students became vocal advocates for gun control, embracing their public positions as few school survivors had before, Trump quickly became a focal point for their anger. In Trump's visit to Florida after the shooting, aides kept him clear of the school, which could have been the site of protests, and he instead met with a few victims at a local hospital and paid tribute to first responders at the nearby sheriff's office.

There has yet to be a similar outcry for restrictions on firearms from the students and survivors in deep-red Texas.

Displaying empathy does not come naturally to Trump, who has been criticized for appearing unfeeling in times of tragedy, including when he sharply criticized a mayor in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of a deadly hurricane and fought with a Gold Star military family.

But Trump has at times displayed a softer side. On Wednesday, he returned a hug from an 8-year-old boy with muscular dystrophy who attended a White House event where he signed legislation to give patients the right to try experimental treatments.

Before Thursday, Trump was most recently in the Lone Star State on May 4 to attend the annual National Rifle Association convention. He pledged in his address that NRA members' Second Amendment rights "will never, ever be under siege as long as I am your president."

He also touted the administration's "aggressive strategy on community safety" and mentioned armed guards, armed teachers, mental health and metal detectors, but did not mention assault rifles like the one used in Florida.

Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington, Claire Galofaro in Louisville, Kentucky, and Emily Schmall in Fort Worth, Texas, contributed to this report.
Fines of up to 134 euros, tenfold if there are relapsers. Even hoods and fake beards that hide the face are forbidden. For Amnesty International, the law violates freedom of expression and religion. Muslims in Denmark are 4% of the population.

Copenhagen (AsiaNews / Agencies) - From now on it will be forbidden to wear the full Islamic veil (burka or niqab) in a public place. Those who violate the ban can be fined. The Danish parliament established it yesterday with 75 votes against 30 and it was voted by center-right parties, but also by the socialists. Denmark thus aligns itself with other European countries with similar legislation, such as France and Belgium.

From August 1, the date of entry into force of the law, any infringement will be punished with a fine of 1000 Danish crowns (134 euros). If the infringement is repeated, the fine rises to 10 thousand crowns (1340 euros).

According to Amnesty International, the ban is "disproportionate and violates the rights to freedom of expression and religion". The ban also prohibits other accessories that hide the face, such as hoods and fake beards.

Denmark is home to about 270,000 Muslims (4%) of a population of 5.6 million. Several women with niqab attended the parliamentary debate (see photo).
Capt James Oculu

A retired Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) officer has been arrested on allegations of forgery and theft.



Capt James Oculu, 66, was arrested on Thursday night from his home in Bukunjja, Mayunge district by officers from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence.



Lt. Amos Nsamba, the UPDF liaisons officer for Busoga region, says that Oculu was deceptively requesting for drugs from hospitals in eastern Uganda on behalf of the UPDF. He explains that after receiving the drugs, Oculu would then sell them cheaply in the community.



According to Nsamba, the suspect also extorted Shs 4.3 million from residents of Mayuge district claiming that he will recruit them into the army. Oculu was reportedly found in possession of fake stamps from the office of the UPDF directorate of medical services and the chieftaincy of personnel and administration.



Nsamba says that Oculu's luck ran out when the hospital administrators of Soroti, Mbale, and Tororo complained to the UPDF directorate of medical services about the unending drug requests by the UPDF.



The UPDF decided to investigate the matter which led to the arrest of Oculu. Some of the drugs that Oculu requested for include aminophylline, anti-malarial drugs coartem and panadol. Oculu is currently being detained at Magamaga military barracks in Mayuge district awaiting prosecution.
A recently leaked image shows dozens of immigrants in orange jumpsuits, their hands and feet shackled, undergoing a "mass trial" in Pecos, Texas, a small town roughly 70 miles southwest of Odessa.

Rapid fire trials like the one seen in the image are not an anomaly, but few Americans know what the controversial practice looks like since photographing federal court proceedings is forbidden.

REASONING: HoustonChronicle.com explains the administration's family separations policy

Debbie Nathan, the reporter who came across the image while covering mass trials in Texas for The Intercept, said the photo was floating around the Pecos legal community and was apparently snapped by someone who felt morally conflicted by the effects of the Trump administration's new "zero tolerance" policy.

Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered federal prosecutors to criminally charge 100 percent of immigrants entering the country illegally, expanding a program known as Operation Streamline, a zero-tolerance approach introduced in 2005 credited with creating the practice of mass trials.

While mass trials occurred throughout the Obama administration, Sessions' new policy has made them more frequent and caused them to take place while parents are separated from their children.

"For those that continue to seek improper and illegal entry into this country, be forewarned: This is a new era. This is the Trump era," Sessions said at the time.

Nathan, who has covered border and immigration issues for three decades, told Chron.com that similar mass trials she attended recently in Brownsville and El Paso were some of the most upsetting things she's witnessed during her career.

"The atmosphere is extremely subdued," Nathan said. "People are very exhausted, very demoralized ... You get the feeling that they don't know whats going on."

POLL NUMBERS: Most Texas voters oppose border wall

According to Nathan, public defenders only have minutes to meet with each of the defendants. When a judge asks a question, the entire room must often answer in unison to save time. Many of the migrants have no clue where their children are.

"It feels like an assembly line," Nathan said. "It's a mass production of guilty pleas."

"It's horrible, I've been pretty broken by all of this," she said.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.
Residents of The Woodlands, and all of Montgomery County, who either identify as LGBTQIA or are supportive of the community, have a new resource after the creation of The Woodlands Pride.

Officials with the newly formed nonprofit organization promote the group as a place to connect, celebrate, educate and foster relationships in the LGBTQIA community while promoting equality, unity, and love in The Woodlands and beyond.

Jason Rocha, president and CEO of The Woodlands Pride, said the organization is seeking to build bridges and good relationships in an area that is widely considered one of the most conservative, Republican-leaning counties in not just Texas, but the entire United States.

Rocha said the organization was formed to provide a way for diverse people to celebrate The Woodlands and create more LGBTQIA-friendly events in the area rather than having to drive into Houston, Rocha said. The nonprofit also aims to be a resource for and help educate those in the community about issues facing those communities.

Although it was founded in April, the organization will be introducing itself in a big way with their first eventthe inaugural The Woodlands Pride Festival, scheduled for Sept. 8 at Town Green Park. The festival will offer the area a glimpse into the type of love and acceptance The Woodlands Pride wants to share and promote in Montgomery County.

Our hope with this event is that we will be able to build bridges with one another  with the LGBTQIA community and The Woodlands community, Rocha said. To really show that we can both exist in the same place together. We can have disagreements, but this is a very small place and we just want to be loved and accepted like everybody else.

Rocha said that the organization is busy building (their) side of the bridge and hopes that the community will meet in the middle by building their half.

The leadership of The Woodlands Pride currently consists of five board members, including Rocha. Other board members are Teresa Rose, director and chief operating office; Sean ONeil, director and chief financial officer; Bill Yauch, director and secretary; and Ryan Elkins, director and public relations.

More Information LGBTQIA acronym definitions L - lesbian, a woman who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to other women G - gay, a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to members of the same gender B - bisexual, a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to both males and females, or those with differing gender identities T - transgender, an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex at birth Q - queer, a term people often use to express fluid identities and orientations I - intersex, a person who was born with sexual characteristics of both male and female, such as genitals or chromosomes A - asexual, a person who experiences a lack of a sexual attraction or desire for other people SOURCE: Human Rights Campaign See More Collapse

The group has already developed a large following on social media, and organizers will be working with The Woodlands Township and other organizations in both The Woodlands and Conroe, Rocha noted. Efforts to collaborate with Montgomery County officials and establish a working relationship with the local school districts to foster a safer environment for LGBTQIA students are also planned.

There are plenty of kids that are still afraid to be themselves in this community in 2018. Regardless if you believe in it, you accept it or not, there are kids out there that are frightened to go to school, Rocha explained. Theyre frightened to be open with their parents. We want to work with them and we want to be that change for them so they can live a happy life just like every other kid in this community.

The Woodlands Pride is already a member of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce and plans to be active in the community by having board members and others attending meetings of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors and reaching out to other organizations.

To learn more and keep up with the latest news about the Pride Festival, go to www.facebook.com/TheWoodlandsPride or follow them on Twitter @WoodlandsPride.
Pilgrims arriving at Namugongo have been warned against drinking unpurified 'holy water' from the man-made lake and spring wells at the Catholic and Anglican martyrs shrines.



The pilgrims who flock to Namugongo in millions every year to celebrate Uganda Martyrs Day on June 3, drink the unboiled water from the man-made lake at the Catholic shrine and the spring wells at the Anglican shrine with a belief that the water has powers to cure them from ailments. Others believe the water gives them some kind of protection from evil and that it also brings with it lots of blessings.

Some of the pilgrims who made it to Namugongo queue up for the 'holy water'

However Dr Charles Mupere a health team leader advises pilgrims not to drink the 'holy water' before it has been boiled or treated since it might be contaminated. He explains that some of the effects of drinking such water can be immediate and include stomach illnesses, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.



"At the shrine here, we have water [but] it is dangerous because the risks of diseases are high. We encourage you to take that water, its 'holy water', however we advise that take the one which is purified. Take the one which is purified because the risk of diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery and now we have cholera. Let us try to avoid this one which is not purified," Dr Mupere said.

There are plans by the Catholic church to install a purifier at the lake that will enable the pilgrims to consume the water without any health worries.

At least 45 documented martyrs met their cruel death between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of then Buganda King Kabaka Mwanga II after they defied him and refused to denounce their faith. It is believed some of the spring wells at Namugongo were used to wash the murder weapons including machetes and spears of Mwanga's murdermen.



Ann Twinomugisha, a pilgrim from Mbarara, says besides praying, many Christians believe that the water is 'holy' and has powers to cure illnesses on top of bringing blessings.

"That water, it's real, it can work if youre having faith. Like, if youre feeling some pain, then you can use it for massage. You can use it in your business, you sprinkle around your business premises and get blessings. I heard someone testifying that he was feeling stomach pain and after drinking that water, he got healed," she said.



Mupere, notes that many pilgrims have bouts of diarrhoea which he blames on the foods and drinks consumed by the pilgrims enroute to Namugongo. A health response team has been set up to offer medical care to the pilgrims on arrival.

"Were receiving cases of acute diarrhoea because of the type of food they are eating, then the drinks they drink on the way which you cant tell whether it is good for their health. Were also getting cases of malaria because as they are coming, they are sleeping in open spaces where mosquitoes bite them." said Dr Mupere.

More than 4 million pilgrims are expected to attend this year's celebrations.
The Ohio River -- on it, in it, over it, beside it. No politics.
Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan today confessed to involvement in betting over IPL matches. The admission came before the Thane Police's Anti-Extortion Cell where the actor was asked to appear to record his statement in connection with the betting racket.

According to ANI, Arbaaz accepted that he had placed bets in IPL matches last year and had lost Rs 2.75 crore. At the police station, Khan was made to sit face-to-face with Sonu Jalan - the alleged bookie who was arrested by the Thane Polices Anti-Extortion Cell on May 15.

During the investigation, a connection between Jalan and Arbaaz was established. "We suspect that Arbaaz Khan had placed bets on IPL matches and want to scrutinise his bank transactions," a police official had told PTI.

The police has also recovered some handwritten diary entries and a picture of Arbaaz with Jalan and others allegedly involved in betting.

According to reports, Arbaaz lost Rs 2.80 crore in betting to Jalan and was not paying the amount, following which the bookie had threatened the actor.

Speaking on the development, IPL Commissioner Rajeev Shukla said: "The matter is with the police, we have nothing to do with it. Both BCCI & ICC have anti-corruption units, police can coordinate with them."

Thane AEC Chief Pradeep Sharma is likely to make a detailed statement on the developments in the case later this evening.
SAN ANTONIO  An audit addressing financial operations at the Alamo is in the crossfire of a battle between Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and the Democratic candidate hoping to unseat him.

Bush called the audit and resulting changes by the General Land Office a deep dive in to the Alamos financial management policies. But his opponent in the Nov. 6 general election, Miguel Suazo, has said the audit should concern everyone who cares about the mission and battle site.

It clearly demonstrates that George P. Bush is in over his head and lacks the competence to manage our states most historic landmark, Suazo said hours after the Land Office released its internal audit Thursday morning.

The Land Office, which has endured criticism over a public-private master plan to repair the Alamos two 1700s structures, add a museum and refurbish Alamo Plaza as a reverent battleground by 2024, expects to enter an agreement by July 1 with the nonprofit Alamo Trust Inc. to provide daily operations at the state-owned Alamo grounds.

Since 2015, the Land Office has contracted with the Alamo Endowment to help with preservation, management, operation and restoration of the Alamo. That same year, the endowment created the Alamo Trust as a subsidiary and assigned it responsibility for the Alamo operations.

For the first time, the Alamo Trust, which replaced the Daughters of the Republic of Texas as operator of the Texas shrine, will have a management agreement requiring accounting and operational best practices recommended in the audit, GLO officials said. In a news release, Bush said the audit represents a cultural shift in the oversight of the Alamos financial management policies.

Many of the recommendations have already been implemented while others are being fulfilled through the implementation of a new Alamo management contract with the Alamo Trust, Bush said.

Land Office officials said the state agency, assigned oversight of the Alamo by the Legislature in 2011, hired three people with experience in finance for state agencies to oversee Alamo accounting and report to the Land Offices chief financial officer. It plans by Sept. 1 to have new policies in place regarding budgeting, purchasing and contracting, including timely reimbursements of operating costs, an electronic purchase-order system, monthly bank reconciliations and vetting of contractors to avoid conflicts of interest.

But Suazo, an Austin-based attorney specializing in energy and natural resources, said vulnerabilities exposed in the audit are disturbing. According to the report, the Alamo Trust and Land Office did not fully comply or have systems in place regarding procurement, daily deposits into the state treasury and timely requests for and payment of replenishment funds, among other areas.

This means that the Alamo is also risking the misuse of taxpayer funds, Suazo said.

Resigns from board

The flare-up is the first major one between Bush and Suazo over the Alamo. Suazo favors portions of the Alamo master plan, including closure of the plaza to traffic and relocation of amusement businesses in the plaza, to provide an atmosphere that respects the memory of hundreds of men killed in the battle on March 6, 1836.

But unlike Bush, who terminated the DRTs Alamo operations contract in 2015, Suazo has vowed to negotiate a contract with the Daughters to manage the site, with final authority resting with the land commissioner. The DRT had been custodians of the site since 1905, but were the subject of a 16-month attorney generals investigation into alleged mismanagement that began in 2010.

A draft version of the GLO audit was leaked to the media in February, prior to March 6 primary elections for commissioner. Bush fended off an election challenge by former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, but not without enduring criticism from Patterson and others, including state senators, about confusion and lack of openness involving the Land Offices role at the Alamo in conjunction with the Alamo Trust.

Bush has since resigned from the Alamo Trust board to avoid a conflict. The board held its first quarterly meeting that was open to the public on May 16.

Troubled past

The Alamo has incurred troubles in the past related to errors or questionable expenses. In February, the San Antonio Express-News, through a Public Information Act request, obtained an electronic scan of a check for $65,078 to the trust from the Remember the Alamo Foundation  another Alamo Endowment subsidiary created to raise funds privately for the Alamo master plan. GLO officials said the check corrected an error by Alamo accountants regarding personnel expenses.

Last year, another document obtained by the Express-News listed more than $1,600 in personal expenses made by an Alamo manager that did not qualify for reimbursement. The manager, who resigned but agreed to repay the trust, had made personal expenses that were unauthorized, or for which there were no receipts, using a credit card issued by the nonprofit. They included restaurant tabs, a painting and several unspecified purchases on Amazon.

The audit report can be viewed at savethealamo.com/ governance.html.

shuddleston@express-news.net

twitter.com/shuddlestonsa
A year after a landmark ruling that upended Harris Countys bail system, a federal appeals court Friday issued final instructions for a Houston judge to craft a revised plan for releasing poor people who qualify after arrests for low-level offenses.

Lawyers on both sides of the contentious two-year lawsuit hailed the ruling Friday as a victory, and the county said it offered a solid template for a final settlement.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal, who issued an injunction last year halting longstanding bail practices, set a new hearing June 14 for both sides to begin hammering out a detailed plan.

RULING: Harris County bail system unconstitutional, federal judge rules

A New Orleans appeals court Friday rejected the countys requests to halt or alter portions of the historic 2017 ruling in which Rosenthal found the countys bail process violated constitutional rights to equal protection and due process, subjecting poor people to what termed wealth-based detention. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed the case back to Rosenthal to begin implementing adjustments to her order addressing the release of misdemeanor defendants who dont have holds or detainers.

Harris County has been working diligently to improve the criminal justice system, said Robert Soard, first assistant to Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan. The county remains committed to a settlement that maximizes the number of misdemeanor detainees who are eligible for prompt release from jail without secured bail, that provides due regard for the rights of victims and protection of the community, and preserves the independence of the judiciary.

But the court denied several requests from the county for immediate changes to Rosenthals order. Neal Manne, one of the attorneys for the indigent defendants, said he was delighted the court amended its ruling the way his legal team requested.

We went 3-for-3 today, which is usually done only by Jose Altuve, he said.

The county had been in the process of reforming its bail policy when the lawsuit hit in 2016, but lawyers for the indigent defendants argued the improvements didnt go far enough to protect the pretrial rights of people presumed innocent. The lawsuit also divided county officials and the members of Commissioners Court, with the majority opting to finance a roughly $6 million defense including lawyers from a top-dollar appellate firm in Washington, D.C.

The sheriff, district attorney and one county commissioner, all Democrats, sided with the indigent defendants, pressing the county to quickly settle the suit and cut legal expenses. Two county court at law judges, a Democrat and a Republican, broke ranks with their colleagues and asked the county to settle.

Yet both sides framed the opinion Friday as a win.

Commissioner Steve Radack called the ruling a victory for the state of Texas criminal justice system and a victory for the Harris County Attorneys Office. He said despite its pending appeal, the county offered to settle weeks ago based on the terms set out in the initial ruling of circuit court, but nothing came of it.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who attended much of the injunction hearing and has been a strong advocate for the indigent defendants who brought the case, said his takeaway was also that it is time for the county to settle, although he sees that as a victory for the litigants.

Harris County still has no valid defense for its indefensible, unfair and unsafe bail system that left poor low-risk misdemeanor defendants to languish behind bars simply because they could not afford bail  nothing about this ruling changes that, Ellis said. It is unconscionable that this case continues to drag on and that Harris County has spent over $6 million in taxpayer dollars that could have been invested in reforming our bail system to fully protect both our constitutional rights and public safety.

The 2016 lawsuit was brought by Maranda ODonnell, a young mother held in jail for two days after she couldnt afford the $2,500 bail on a charge of driving with a suspended license. Lawyers from Civil Rights Corps, in Washington, D.C., the Texas Fair Defense Project and free counsel from the Susman Godfrey law firm in Houston expanded the lawsuit to a civil rights class action on behalf of all people in ODonnells situation.

JUDGE PROFILE: Rosenthal rules federal courts in Houston region with firm hand

Rosenthal found that county bail hearings did not take place within 24 hours of arrest and judges were not making meaningful assessments of whether people could pay the amounts set at bail hearings. She ruled the outcomes for those who cannot afford to post bond are significantly worse than for those who can.

The appeals court found, as it had previously, the 24-hour timeline for releasing qualified misdemeanor defendants imposed too heavy of a burden on county officials. Instead, the court said those arrested are entitled to a hearing within 48 hours.

The court ruled that poor arrestees in Harris County were held in jail whereas similarly situated wealthy arrestees were not, solely based on the fact that one group could not afford to pay a secured bond.

The appeals judges repeated their earlier findings that the trial court abused its discretion with an injunction that was overly broad. They instructed Rosenthal to narrowly tailor her new injunction to remedy the specific problem identified in her finding.

The appellate judges also amended their ruling to include the sheriff as a defendant in the case.

The ruling said it will be up to Rosenthal to figure out the details of the new injunction order. Rosenthal asked the parties to prepare a joint proposal and to outline areas where their suggestions differ.

Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com.
As the mother of a 20-month-old boy, Yesenia Hernandez was struck to her core by the viral outrage over the separation of immigrant parents and children at the southern border.

I cant even put him down for a few seconds before he starts crying, she said as she pushed Emanuel in a stroller. I cant imagine if someone came and pulled him out of my arms.

Her fury drew her and several dozen others on Friday to Houstons City Hall, where they joined a nationwide rally to protest the White Houses new policy of criminally prosecuting all illegal border crossers, even parents accompanied by minor children.

The zero tolerance approach has received mounting pushback in the past week as stories of separated families emerged and anger at the treatment of immigrant children in government custody reached a fevered pitch.

It was fueled partly by an inaccurate social media campaign that falsely conflated the fate of some 1,500 unaccompanied immigrant minors of whom the government lost track after releasing them to adult sponsors and the administrations new practice of separating families at the border.

The prospect of children removed from their parents stirred emotions across the nation.

I shudder to think if I was in a different situation, born in a different country, and had my child taken from me, Chris Brown, Houstons chief financial officer, told the crowd of some 70 people gathered Friday under ferocious midday temperatures.

Hundreds of families, many asylum -seekers from Central America, have been separated as a result of the new hard-line approach. Parents serve short prison sentences for what is usually a misdemeanor crime before going to immigrant detention facilities, while their children, who are not allowed in prison, are placed in federal foster care. Advocates say they struggle to find each other later, and that sometimes they dont.

Senior White House officials doubled down on the policy this week, seeking to push blame for it to Democrats who they said would not support undoing federal loop holes that they argue encourage migrant families to come here. They say they are broadly enforcing current law to deter families from making the dangerous journey north and that the surge in border crossings necessitates such a policy.

Though overall apprehensions are at their lowest in decades, nearly 14,000 families and children were detained in April, rising to levels last seen during President Barack Obamas administration. They make up the fastest-growing demographic at the border, up to 40 percent of all apprehensions from just 10 percent five years ago, but federal laws and legal settlements protecting children prevents the government from detaining them together for longer than several weeks.

Usually most were deported or released together to pursue their cases in civil immigration courts, but President Donald Trump campaigned against such a so-called policy of catch and release.

We want to keep families together, but that cannot be an excuse to break our laws, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told Fox News Friday. In terms of family issues, we do that with child protective services and social services in our country where we find a child in a dangerous situation so the left is trying to make a bigger issue out of this because they want an open border.

But unlike Americans who are separated from their children when they are jailed for committing crimes, advocates say immigrant parents are not reunited with their children after serving their sentence. Sometimes they may even get lost.

Democrats in Houston pushed back Friday with emotional speeches and passionate calls to action.

This our civil rights moment, said state Rep. Gene Wu, a Houston Democrat. We are going to be on the right side of history. We will not let families be separated and treated like cattle.

Sri Preston Kulkarni, a labor-backed candidate for Republican incumbent Pete Olsons congressional seat in Houstons southern suburbs, urged protesters to vote and turn their anger into change.

There is no law and no order that is preserved by ripping children away from their families, he said. That is what we do in brutal, oppressive regimes. That is not what we do in the United States of America.

Astrid Dominguez, Texas director of the border rights center for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the blame lies not only with elected officials, but with U.S. attorneys such as Ryan Patrick for the Southern District of Texas and John Brash for the states Western District who are enforcing such policies.

It is up to them to carry out (Attorney General Jeff) Sessions and Trumps dirty work, she said to wide applause.

Her organization has filed a lawsuit to block such family separations and is expecting a federal judges ruling soon. The Texas Civil Rights Project and other national advocacy groups also filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Thursday, arguing that the practice violates international protocols.

State Rep. Carol Alvarado, a Houston Democrat, suggested that Republicans are hypocritical on their pro-family stance.

People proclaim to be pro-family when it comes to certain issues, she said. Si estas con nuestras familias, you will end this ridiculous family separation policy that is inhumane.

But all the outrage still left Hernandez, the mother, dejected. She held a sign saying, Being an immigrant isnt being an animal, a reference to a controversial statement made by the president when responding to a comment about Central American gang members.

A first-generation Mexican-American, Hernandez said she started crying when she heard about family separations on Instagram last week.

Looking around at the crowd, many of them seasoned protesters and political activists, she said, Its upsetting that it doesnt bother more people as much.

lomi.kriel@chron.com

twitter.com/lomikriel
There's no shortage of things unique to the Lone Star State.

From greetings, foods and traditions Texas is big and old enough to have a culture of its own.

To dive deeper into what makes Texas so Texas-y, Chron.com put together a slideshow above with some neat and historical facts.

After all, sporting a cowboy hat and eating Whataburger will only get you so far in some circles that frequently boast their Texas heritage.

LONE STAR HUNGER: Texas barbecue spots to try since Texas Monthly isn't releasing a top 50 list this year





On the other hand, that Texas pride can often balloon into something else entirely and become a hotbed of misinformation.

Last year, Chron.com reached out to two historians from the University of Houston, Associate Professor of History Dr. Raul Ramos and African American History Professor Dr. Gerald Horne, to find examples of Texas history that have been forgotten or mischaracterized.

Check them out below.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.
[Thumbs down] The Rockets didnt make it to the playoffs. We dont want to talk about it, but lets just say that from now on, the concept of a third quarter should forever be banished from Houston. Counting change? Jump directly from 74 cents to 76 cents. Sorry, but thats just how things are now.

[Thumbs down] Are you ready for hurricane season? FEMA isnt. We went to the National Hurricane Center website (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php) looking for prep tips and scrolled down to the bottom of the page to find a link to the FEMAs Are You Ready? guide. We put our thumbs to the link (https://www.ready.gov/are-you-ready-guide) only to get the following message: Access denied. You are not authorized to access this page. Whoever is hiding the secrets to staying safe during hurricane season, please grant us authorization to read them.

[Thumbs up] At least somebodys doing something about floods. State Rep. Garnet Coleman has submitted a draft bill that would require landlords to inform tenants about previous flooding and the flood risk of rented property. Right now apartments and other rental complexes can keep that info secret.

[Thumbs up] Leira Salene lived out of a plastic box for the first five months of her senior year. The 18-year-olds Sheldon area home was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. But she didnt let that or her familys seven moves this school year keep her from graduating with honors from her home campus, C.E. King High School in Sheldon ISD. On Wednesday, she was recognized as her schools National Honor Society member of the year. Congratulations to Leira and so many other graduating seniors in the Houston area who didnt let the misery and loss of Harvey stop them from achieving success.

[Thumbs twiddled] It was silly season at City Hall this week, where council members debated a $4.9 billion budget that passed 13-4. The no votes, Jack Christie, Mike Knox, Greg Travis and Michael Kubosh, said they wanted to cut more spending. Their ideas for shrinking the budget? Christie proposed spending $150,000 to study the citys vehicle fleet, a suggestion he eventually dropped. And Kubosh pushed an amendment to give each council member an additional $100,000 for staff salaries. Funny, those sound like spending hikes.

[Thumbs down] It is so hot out (How hot is it?) It is so hot out that Houston had 19 days of 90-plus degree heat in the month of May, breaking the previous record from 2003. And its only going to get hotter from here on out.

[Thumbs down] If were lucky itll get hot enough to melt Sid Millers computer beyond repair. The agriculture commissioner of Jesus Shot infamy shared and then deleted a photoshopped picture purporting to show Whoopi Goldberg wearing a T-shirt depicting Donald Trump shooting himself in the head. It was fake, of course.

[Thumbs down] In other news of politicians straying from the truth, the Texas General Land Office released an internal audit this week critical of accounting practices at the Alamo. When an identical draft was released back in February, Land Commissioner George P. Bush said it was doctored and fake news. Turns out the news wasnt so fake after all.

[Thumbs down] As President Trump doles out presidential pardons like popcorn, our governor should follow his example and review the cases of Rosa Maria Ortega and Crystal Mason in Tarrant County. Ortega, whose lawyer says she has a sixth-grade education and learning disabilities, thought her green card status gave her the right to vote (for Republicans, by the way). A jury went a little nuts and sentenced her to eight years in prison. Mason was on supervised release after serving her time in an unrelated tax fraud case when a helpful but ill-informed poll worker showed her how to cast what turned out to be an illegal provisional ballot in 2016. She got slapped with a five-year sentence. If the president can contemplate pardoning a bunch of guilty celebrities like Martha Stewart and Rod Blagojevich, surely Gov. Greg Abbott can do the right thing and pardon these two women facing unjustly long sentences for the harrowing crime of exercising what they thought was their civic duty.
Google decided not to renew its contract with a Pentagon drone program once it expires, after extensive protests from employees of the internet giant.

Diane Greene, head of the cloud business at Alphabet Inc.s Google, told staff on Friday that the company will let the deal lapse when it runs out in March 2019, according to people familiar with the meeting.

Signed last September, the contract lets the Defense Department use Google artificial intelligence tools to analyze drone footage for an initiative called Project Maven. It was part of a major push by Greene to break into the lucrative business of selling cloud services to the government, where Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. dominate.

"Weve always said this was an 18-month contract that we did, so it ends in March of 2019. And there will be no follow-on to Maven," Greene told cloud division staff on Friday.

The Pentagon deal sparked a huge debate inside Google, which has historically avoided most military work. More than 4,000 employees signed a letter asking to cancel the contract and demanded that Google and its AI technology should not be in the business of war. At least a dozen staff resigned over the issue.

Gizmodo reported Greenes decision earlier on Friday. A Google spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment.

Greenes division is also pushing for a much larger Pentagon cloud deal -- the multibillion-dollar Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, contract.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.

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The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics, by Salena Zito and Brad Todd, Crown Forum, New York, 320 pp., $28

During the 2016 presidential campaign, amid the pontifications of a national press both certain about its disdain for Donald Trump and confused by his appeal, came a flash of insight. Salena Zito of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review explained that the press takes [Trump] literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally. With her ear for how Midwest people speak, Zito, along with her coauthor Brad Todd, expands on this understanding in The Great Revolt.

The authors commissioned an extensive survey for the book and also took a road trip into the lives of Rust Belt voters. They spoke with lifelong Democrats who had voted for Barack Obama in 2012 but switched parties in 2016. On the back roads and side streets of places like Erie, Pa., and Kenosha, Wis. emerged voters who never seemed to figure in the networks reporting. They were blue-collar optimists, evangelical pragmatists and suburban vacillators who turned the dials just enough to shock the body politicpart of a white electorate that, notes analyst Lloyd Green, had seen the loss of more than 700,000 jobs between November 2007 and late 2016.

Despite Trumps narrow margin of victoryjust 77,000 votesin Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, Zito and Todd see the 2016 election as representing a tectonic shift in Americas electoral plates. Far from a fluke, the 2016 election was a product of Obamas globalist conceits that produced defective trade deals, open borders and an aggressive secularism. Trumps victory was his triumph, not the Republican Partys. Neither the two-time Obama voters who switched to Trump nor the habitual nonvoters who came out to the polls in 2016 saw much to rally around in the GOP. Their ties are to Trump, a finding with implications for the upcoming midterms.

Eighty-nine percent of Trump voters represented in the Great Revolt Survey agree with the statement Republicans and Democrats in Washington are both guilty of leading the country down the wrong path, Zito and Todd write. An Iowa voter insisted that the only person that is able to turn me against Trump is Trump. Similarly, in economically hard-hit Ashtabula, Ohio, east of Cleveland, a voter said: So to ask me what would extricate me from Trump would be like asking me to remove me from myself, from my family, and from my community. The most important issues for voters in the authors survey were restoring manufacturing jobs, protecting Medicare and social security and appointing conservatives to the Supreme Court to protect religious liberty being threatened by assertive Hilary Clinton Progressives. One interviewee said that NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, is no longer an acronymits a noun, and a profanity.

One cliche that critics got right about Trumps swing voters is that they came largely from the small-town and rural Midwest. Trump only carried three of the nations 44 mega-counties, places with more than one million in population, and only 41 of the countrys 129 extra-large counties with more than 400,000 but less than one million, the authors observe. But in places like Ashtabula County, where Democrats have won for 30 years, Trump beat Clinton by 19 percentage points.

Zito and Todd show a keen understanding of voter sentiment and do not condescend to their subjects. White working-class swing voters have generally been characterized as resentful, ignorant, and often racist, but Zito and Todd describe thoughtful men and women who made a deliberate and sometimes fraught decision to support Trump. Upper-middle-class Joe Steil of Keokuk, Iowa, whom the authors dub a Rotary Reliable, interacted with middle- and lower-middle class citizens through his involvement in local civic organizations like the Rotary Club and the YMCA. Steil and many other residents of small and midsize communities are more likely to vote with their neighbors and not their economic or educational class, the authors conclude.

With the Democratic Party doubling down on its hyper-progressive, identity-politics-driven agenda, it will have a hard time recapturing the voters it lost in 2016. A liberalism that seeks to spread cosmopolitan relativism to the masses, Zito and Todd write, by force if necessary, instead of spreading economic equality, was destined to leave a decisive slice of the American electorate in search of a new home. The Great Revolt does an excellent job of limning the concerns of this crucial and much-maligned segment of the American electorate.

Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
MEDINA COUNTY, Ohio -- Alcohol appears to be a factor in a crash that killed a man attempting to cross the road Friday night, authorities say.

Dare Flickinger, 53, of Medina, died in the incident that happened about 9:30 p.m. on Boneta Road south of Ohio 18 in Sharon Township, according to a news release from State Highway Patrol.

A 42-year-old man was driving a 2009 Honda Fit south on Boneta Road when he hit Flickinger, who was attempted to cross the road, the release says.

Paramedics took Flickinger to Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital where he was pronounced dead, the release says.

The crash is under investigation.

The Medina County Sheriff's Office and Share Township fire and EMS assisted on scene.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comments section.
ERIE COUNTY, Ohio -- A Brook Park woman was killed in a Friday morning car crash, authorities say.

Teresa Ott, 58, died in the crash that happened about 11:15 a.m. on Ohio 2 westbound near Rye Beach Road, according to a news release from State Highway Patrol.

Ott was driving a 2004 Jeep Liberty west in the right lane when she drove off the road and into an embankment, the release says.

She hit a culvert concrete pipe, continued west and struck an embankment, the release says.

The Jeep overturned and stopped on all four wheels about 160 feet from the road.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Sandusky post of the Highway Patrol was assisted by Huron Township police and fire department, Erie County Sheriff's Office, Central Automotive Towing, Foster Funeral Home and Crematory and Erie County Coroner's Office.

The crash is under investigation and it is not immediately known if alcohol is a factor in the crash.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comments section.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Three people were rescued after a sailboat became disabled and drifted Saturday afternoon, officials say.

The 25-foot sailboat drifted about noon into the break wall at Edgewater Beach in Cleveland, Lt. J.G. Maxey with the United States Coast Guard said.

The names of those rescued are not being released.

Officials safely rescued one person in the water and two others in the sailboat, Maxey said.

Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Buffalo command center got a mayday call from the sailboat, according to a news release.

A small boat crew from Station Cleveland Harbor assisted and rescued all three people who were wearing lifejackets, the release says.

All three people, two men and a woman, were evaluated for mild hypothermia.
Investors now have a new way to purchase cryptocurrencies using U.S. dollars.

Bittrex, a Seattle-based cryptocurrency exchange, has struck an agreement that allows investors to buy digital coins with American dollars. In the past, only coins traded on Coinbase, a digital currency exchange in California, could be bought with dollars. That is a fraction of the approximately 1500 digital coins floating around the universe of cryptocurrenices.

To buy any of the other coins, investors had to convert their money to bitcoin first. Now they have Bittrex.

Founder and CEO Bill Shihara told CNBC that the goal is to "expand out to as many markets as possible on Bittrex," he said on "Fast Money" Friday.

"As well as expand it so that every customer on Bittrex will be able to have access to U.S. dollar trading," he said.

The exchange might even help move the market. Since so many alt coins could only be purchased by way of bitcoin, the value of bitcoin and many other digital currencies were closely correlated. The value of those crypto units may now begin to decouple from bitcoin, Shihara said, as more investors transact in dollars.

Currently, nearly 200 different digital coins can be traded on Bittrex. The CEO said that a "small, select number of launch partners" are working with the exchange to pay in dollars.

"In this phase, we're stress-testing our system," he said. "We're working with the banks very closely to ensure that they can process the FIAT deposits and withdrawals. Also, the engine itself that we use to trade, is going to be able to properly handle the load."

Cryptocurrency is still largely unregulated in the United States, which has led many financial institutions and investors to be cautious of the coins, amid a landscape of widespread fraud and fake ICOs. Other traders have sought out foreign markets to invest in digital assets like bitcoin.

But Shihara said working with U.S. regulatory agencies on better ways to use cryptocurrency will add value to the space.

"We think that solving the regulatory puzzle in the United States really unlocks a lot of capital that really can't trade on a foreign exchange that doesn't have proper [anti-money laundering] controls or proper compliance," Shihara said.
Elon Musk is no stranger to controversy. Even his "boring" company  The Boring Company  can't steer clear of it. It is in the very early stages of trying to solve a legendary traffic problem here on earth. In May, Musk detailed his plans to dig mass transit tunnels under the city of Los Angeles, where the Boring Company is headquartered.

The project has faced some criticism from local communities amid fears about earthquakes and that tunneling could damage their homes. Two neighborhood groups representing parts of LA's west side have filed a legal challenge against the city's proposal to exempt the project from environmental review. But the city is trying to fast-track the project. At the state level, a bill introduced earlier this year in the California legislature to impede Musk's Boring Company from selling flamethrowers to the public also just failed.

Speaking at the first-ever CNBC Disruptor 50 Roadshow event in Los Angeles on May 23, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti explained his support of The Boring Company and the use of LA as a testing ground. He believes Musk's companies exemplify the diversified technology ecosystem he is working to grow in the city, and LA doesn't want to force Musk to go elsewhere with his ideas.



Another Musk company, SpaceX, was No. 1 on the recently revealed 2018 CNBC Disruptor 50 List based on its progress in reusable rocket technology and plan to take humans to Mars. SpaceX is headquartered in the City of Hawthorne, in Los Angeles County.

"I love that companies like SpaceX will change the entire paradigm," Garcetti said at the CNBC event. But Garcetti added another note about Musk's companies not likely to calm down LA residents who are worried about the digging under their backyards. "An engineer from SpaceX will be part of a new company, in this case, another one of Elon's companies, The Boring Company, never having done construction technology before."

Garcetti was referring to Steven Davis, a former SpaceX engineer, who is leading The Boring Company's project digging tunnels under LA.
Uber and Lyft that is operating a ride-hailing service in Europe and Africa.

Here's a round-up of the most important deals in venture capital from the past week.

Xiaoou Tang, founder of SenseTime, speaks at the Jumpstarter start-up pitch event in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. Vivek Prakash | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime said Thursday that it raised $620 million in fresh funds from prominent investors including Fidelity International, Hopu Capital, Silver Lake and Tiger Global. Chipmaker Qualcomm's venture capital arm also participated in the round. SenseTime just raised a $600 million in a round in April. The new funds will be used by the rapidly growing image recognition company for research and development and to hire more talent, according to the company. SenseTime said it is now valued at over $4.5 billion. Alibaba and Tencent, China's biggest tech companies, have both invested in a $300 million, series D round of funding in a shopping app called Xiaohongshu, which means "Little Red Book" in English. The company is valued around $3 billion. Alibaba led the investment joined by Tencent, GSR Ventures, GGV Capital, Zhen Fund and several others. It is rare for Alibaba and Tencent to invest into the same venture, notes China Money Network.

Taxify founder and chief executive Markus Villig stands in front of Taxify branded car Taxify

A ride-hailing company called Taxify raised $175 million and notched a $1 billion valuation, the company revealed on Wednesday. Daimler led the investment joined by Didi Chuxing, French venture investors Korelya Capital and others. Taxify operates throughout Europe and Africa, and boasts 10 million customers across in 25 countries. The company entered London, a key battleground for Uber, last year. Alphabet venture arm GV led a $95 million investment in PACT Pharma, joined by Canaan Partners. The start-up is developing cancer treatments that work by reprogramming a patient's immune system cells to combat the disease. A mobile banking app called Chime raised $70 million in a series C round led by Menlo Ventures and joined by Forerunner Ventures, Omidyar Network and other earlier investors. Chime offers accounts with none of the typical fees charged by retail banks such as monthly usage, minimum balance, overdraft, ATM and international transaction fees. TechCrunch reports that the series C deal brings Chime's valuation to around $500 million. Virtru, which provides e-mail and file data security to businesses and government offices, raised a $37.5 million in a series B round led by ICONIQ Capital. Earlier backers Bessemer Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Samsung, Blue Delta Capital, and Soros Capital also participated.

Ecobee smart thermostat Richard Lautens | Toronto Star | Getty Images

Smart thermostat maker Ecobee raised $36 million from Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, AGL Energy and BDC. The Ecobee 4, its latest smart thermostat, has built-in Alexa, which allows users to just tell the device how to adjust the temperature in their homes, without searching for a remote or tweaking controls.

Ava, a Swiss start-up that makes an ovulation tracking bracelet, raised $30 million in a series B round from European venture firms btov and SVC, and other investors. Ava is conducting clinical trials with the University Hospital of Zurich. CTRL-labs, a start-up developing "neural interface technology" raised $28 million in an investment led by Lux Capital and Alphabet's GV (formerly Google Ventures), and joined by a who's who of tech firms: Paul Allen's Vulcan Capital, Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, the Amazon Alexa Fund and others. Founded by Microsoft Internet Explorer Thomas Reardon, CTRL-labs is developing a wearable that may one day empower users to control computers, prosthetics and other devices with their minds.

Funds and firms

Source: Sesame Street
Satellites are becoming both smaller and cheaper, and one company in Finland is moving to capitalize on its early success as quickly as possible.

Fresh off its debut launch in January, startup ICEYE more than doubled its total backing in a recent $34 million round of venture capital fundraising. ICEYE is combining a special type of earth observation technology  known as synthetic aperture radar (or SAR)  with a microsatellite form factor and a low Earth orbit.

The new funds mean ICEYE will be able to take that first launch and upgrade the proven technology, closing in on its goal of building the world's largest SAR satellite constellation.

"We get two years of time, we get nine satellites, and we can tell our customers that we have a completely financed product," CEO Rafal Modrzewski told CNBC.

ICEYE's first satellite, X1, was about the size of a microwave. Launched aboard an Indian Rocket with 30 other satellites, X1 took 600 images during its first few months "and they were really good quality," Modrzewski said.

The success of the X1 mission was a catalyst that is now pushing ICEYE even farther than expected. Modrzewski said the company was able to sell imaging from its experimental mission, even though it was not necessarily planning to do so before the launch.



"It turned out to be a product that distributed really, really quickly because people really wanted to see that this was happening," Modrzewski added.
U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis blasted Beijing on Saturday for the militarization of artificial features in the South China Sea, warning the Asian giant of potential penalties ahead.

"There are consequences that will continue to come home to roost" if China does not find a way to work more collaboratively with nations that have interests in the disputed region, the former four-star Marine Corps general said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security summit in Singapore.

Beijing's series of recent provocations in the international waterway, which include the installation of anti-ship cruise missiles and radar-jamming equipment on several of its outposts, has triggered concern among neighboring countries who also lay claim to the area.

"The placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purpose of intimidation and coercion," Mattis said, adding that, "China's militarization of the Spratlys is also in direct contradiction to President Xi Jinping's 2015 public assurances in the White House Rose Garden that they would not do this."

In response, the world's largest economy recently uninvited Beijing from naval exercises known as Rim of the Pacific, or RimPac, Mattis said. Last week, two U.S. Navy vessels also sailed near China-controlled islands in what Mattis called "an affirmation of the international rules-based order."

But such actions are still relatively small consequences, the defense secretary said. "I believe there are much larger consequences in the future when nations lose the rapport of their neighbors, when they believe that piling mountainous debts on their neighbors and somehow removing the freedom of political action is the way to engage with them."

It's speculated that Mattis may be referring to China's Belt and Road program. Beijing has been accused by critics of using sovereign debt to gain political leverage over developing countries that are part of the infrastructure project.

"If the U.S. will continue to pursue a constructive results-oriented relationship with China, cooperation, whenever possible, will be the name of the game and competing vigorously where we must," Mattis said.

Mattis also highlighted several components of the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, pledging to support Asian allies in strengthening the rule of law and protecting maritime borders. "No one nation can and should dominate the Indo-Pacific," he said.

Under President Donald Trump's administration, Washington has made "a free and open Indo-Pacific"  a term replacing the more widely used "Asia Pacific" label to acknowledge a role played by India  the cornerstone of its foreign policy in the continent. And in a symbolic move recognizing the growing importance of the Indian Ocean, the U.S. military on Wednesday renamed its Pacific Command the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

"Our Indo-Pacific strategy informs our relationship with China," Mattis said. But "China's policy in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to to the openness of our strategy," he continued.

The U.S. Department of Defense is also committed to working with Taiwan so the self-ruled island can maintain sufficient self defense, the defense secretary continued. The White House has warmed to Taipei through a series of actions including arms sales and encouraging visits between U.S. and Taiwanese officials. That's angered Beijing, which claims Taiwan under a policy known as "One China" and opposes other countries pursuing ties with Taipei.

Regarding the ongoing diplomatic efforts with North Korea, Mattis re-stated that Washington's objective "remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

The issue of U.S. troops in South Korea will not come up in the June 12 summit between Trump and North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un, the American official indicated. Pyongyang has long said it may only agree to relinquish its nuclear weapons if the U.S. withdraws its armed forces from the South.

Discussion about the number of U.S troops in South Korea is subject to bilateral discussions between Washington and Seoul that are separate from the North Korea negotiations, Mattis said.
It looks like President Donald Trump is gearing up for a trade war. But in this kind of fight, history seems to indicate there are very few winners.

Economists are warning about hypothetical scenarios where Trump takes it too far, and other countries strike back, inevitably sending the global trade community down a spiraling path of retaliation.

That scenario played out in almost real time this week. The White House on Thursday unveiled tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and European Union countries. And those countries swiftly announced they would retaliate with their own tariffs and trade actions.

No one knows exactly what will unfold, but if history is any indicator, we can make a pretty good guess.

There have been a number of trade battles in the last 80 years.

Reagan imposed some pretty significant tariffs on Japan in the 1980s. And in the '90s, countries were agreeing to stricter rules under the World Trade Organization.

More recently, former President George W. Bush imposed steel tariffs in 2002. He was met with threats of retaliation from European trading partners. And soon after, he ended the tariffs.
Indeed, Markel donned a pair of pantyhose for her first royal engagement since she wed Prince Harry on May 19. The Duchess of Sussex wore a white dress, wide-brimmed hat and tights on May 22 at the celebration of the Prince of Wales' upcoming 70th birthday.

"When I say wearing tights, I'm not talking about bright colors. It's very natural skin tones," he adds.

"It was kind of mentioned at the time, royal ladies should wear tights," Harrold tells CNBC Make It. "That's absolutely spot-on. And you'll notice, in recent appearances of the duchess, she wears tights."

At the announcement of Prince Harry and Markle's royal engagement in November, the future duchess was not wearing tights or pantyhose, as the press were quick to note .

Grant Harrold, nicknamed "The Royal Butler," has 20 years of etiquette experience. He's the former royal butler to Prince Charles, William and Harry, and his company Nicholas Veitch founded The Royal School of Etiquette and Butlers. Harrold shared with CNBC Make It the etiquette that Markle will likely have to abide by, now that she's officially part of the monarchy.

Still, Markle has been known to buck tradition (whether it's with her signature messy bun or hugging fans) so she'll also likely find a way to keep her identity her own.

So what does life and work as a royal look like now for Markle? Her royal duties range from attending official engagements to tackling philanthropic projects, all while remaining selfie- and social media-free. Plus, no dark manicures.

The royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might be as close as real life can come to a fairytale. And while the new Duchess of Sussex may get her happily ever after, she is also now a royal with royal duties and therefore is expected to adhere to special  and specific  protocol.

Chris Jackson | Getty Images

Harrold notes that more neutral colors are also required for nail polish and makeup, and calls dark nail polish an "absolute no-no."

"It is the more natural look, it's not anything too bright," he says. "Same with nail varnish and makeup. It's always very natural, neutral, skin tone colors you don't wear dark or black or gothic."

"They tend to opt to wear more sort of neutral colors, just not to draw attention to themselves, really," he adds.

Black is also fairly off-limits when it comes to clothing too. Black is the color of royal mourning, according to Harrold, so you typically won't see members of the royal family wearing it.

"Diana, Princess of Wales, on a couple of occasions, famously wore black," Harrold says. "So it's not written in stone that they can't, but it tends to be something they wear only when a member of the royal family or someone close to them has passed."

Staying social media-free

As an American actress, Markle's Instagram account boasted bikini shots and was filled with photos of meals, dogs and friends. And the lifestyle blog she founded, The Tig, shared her thoughts on everything from fashion to her favorite vacation reads.

But as a royal, you won't see her posting to social media anymore.

Markle shut down her social media accounts in January and folded her blog before the royal nuptials. Instead, updates on her life are now shared via official royal social media accounts.

"She doesn't need her blogs or Twitters or any social media, because what she says and does can be presented through the organization that she's a part of," he explains.

"The simple reason is, they don't want them to put something that they shouldn't, and members of the royal familythey don't get involved in politics or gossip or anything," Harrold says. "It's safer to have it all run by the palace."

Steering clear of selfies

If you happen to see Markle out and about and hope to snap a selfie with the Duchess of Sussex, don't hold your breath. Selfies are typically out of the question.

Harrold says the reason they don't do selfies is because the royal family doesn't position themselves as celebrities.

"They're not celebrities, same with autographs. Royals don't sign autographs," Harrold says.

"That's the difficult part for Meghan. She is, or was, a celebrity who's now a member of the royal family, so it very much changes for her," he adds.

But she will have her own voice

Royal etiquette, Harrold says, dates all the way back to the 14th century, but the Brits have also taken traditions from around the world and made them their own. The reason for such rules is rooted in setting expectations when it comes to behavior between the royals and the public.

"The reason that they're there, especially when it comes to royal etiquette, is so that people know how to behave around members of the royal family so they don't feel uncomfortable, and also so the royal family knows how to behave," Harrold explains.

"For example, now when Meghan meets a member of the public, she knows that she has to offer her hand first."

Markle will also be lauded as a role model for women; it's already been said that she will be a "beacon" and "someone that people look towards." On Thursday, Markle was named one of the top 25 most influential women in Britain, according to UK Vogue. That means Markle must hold certain standards.

And while the monarchy might put an emphasis on etiquette, Markle will likely keep her individuality.

"It doesn't mean to say that she won't maybe, perhaps come up with one or two of her own ways of doing things," Harrold says.

He points to the example of hugging the public. Members of the royal family traditionally do not hug, but Princess Diana would hug, and would get down to the level of children to give them a squeeze. Now younger members of the royal family tend to hug too.
Kyle Walsh | CNBC

A judge in Tennessee this week ruled that Amazon isn't liable for damages caused by a hoverboard that spontaneously exploded and burned down a family's house, even though they bought it on Amazon's website. The plaintiff claimed that Amazon didn't properly warn her about the dangers they knew existed with the product, but the judge didn't agree. It's the latest legal victory for Amazon, which has for years fended off litigation related to product quality and safety by arguing that, for a big and growing part of its business, it's just a marketplace. There are buyers on one end and sellers on the other  the argument goes  and Amazon connects them through a popular portal, facilitating the transaction with a sophisticated logistics system. The courts are reinforcing the power of Amazon's business model as the ultimate middleman. But for American consumers, there's growing cause for concern. We're all buying more stuff on Amazon. Whether it's the hottest gadget like a hoverboard or drone, health supplies like vitamins, or skin and haircare products, Amazon has become the place where we can get everything quickly and have it delivered in two days. Increasingly those products are coming from third-party sellers in China and other places all over the world, who are sometimes impossible to find when something goes wrong. More than half of products sold on Amazon now come from Marketplace merchants. Amazon said in a statement to CNBC that third-party sellers are "required to comply with all relevant laws and regulations when listing items for sale in our stores." The company said it has measures to prevent suspicious products from being listed and that it removes items when necessary.

'They don't have to play by the same rules'

But if Amazon isn't liable when faulty products sold through its website cause personal injuries and property damage, customers are often left with no recourse. That's because it's frequently impossible for consumers to figure out who manufactured the defective product and hold that party responsible. "It's the wild wild west," said David Wilk, a personal injury lawyer at Lepley, Engelman, Yaw and Wilk in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. "Amazon is prolific and dominant and only getting bigger and throwing brick-and-mortar stores out of business left and right. But they don't have to play by the same rules." Wilk has experienced firsthand how difficult it is to take on Amazon. His client, Heather Oberdorf, was partially blinded in 2015 after a retractable dog leash that she bought on Amazon snapped backward and hit her in the face. After the incident, Oberdorf says, she couldn't locate a representative of the third-party seller, The Furry Gang, which operated on Amazon under the name Dogaholics. Amazon was the only point of contact. Nevertheless, in December, the judge in Pennsylvania dismissed the case and used an old-media example to bolster Amazon's marketplace defense. "The Amazon Marketplace serves as a sort of newspaper classified ad section, connecting potential consumers with eager sellers in an efficient, modern, streamlined manner," the judge wrote. "It cannot be liable to the Oberdorfs under a strict products liability theory." Wilk is appealing the case in Pennsylvania's Third Circuit. He says Amazon should be held to the same standard as Walmart or Sears, which are liable for products on their shelves because they place "the product into the stream of commerce."

Amazon was also victorious in a 2016 case, in which a customer's LG cell phone battery exploded in his pocket. The company's successes in the courtroom have gone beyond safety-related issues. Amazon has also won intellectual property suits against companies like pillowcase maker Milo & Gabby, which sued Amazon in 2013 for listing knockoffs. The court ruled that Amazon was not the seller and not liable for infringement. Then there's this week's ruling in Tennessee and the hoverboard that destroyed Megan Fox's home. In late 2015, Fox, a mother of four in Nashville, bought a hoverboard for her 13-year-old son for Christmas. The two-wheeled self-balancing scooters were all the rage at the time. Amazon sold almost 250,000 of them over a 30-day period. But by mid-December, there were so many cases of fires and explosions that Amazon had halted sales. On January 9, 2016, just after the holidays, Fox's hoverboard spontaneously exploded and burned her house to the ground, forcing two of her kids to jump through windows and leaving her husband with two broken bones.

Tennessee familys house that burned down from a hoverboard that caught on fire. Source: Nashville Fire Department

The Foxes sued Amazon for $30 million, claiming the company had an obligation to warn customers properly about the dangers it knew existed. Fox bought the hoverboard on Amazon, the receipt came from Amazon, the box had an Amazon label and all the money was in Amazon's hands. Fox has been unable to find the Chinese manufacturer of the device. Fox argued that Amazon was a co-seller of the device, even though it was sold under a storefront with a different name. Amazon has rejected that label.

Fox's case was filled with testimony and evidence illustrating that Amazon execs were concerned about the hoverboards sold on its site. One executive deposed in the case said he'd removed a hoverboard from his house before Christmas after hearing about "potential issues." CEO Jeff Bezos received an email directly from a customer whose hoverboard had caught fire while his daughter was riding it in the house, court documents showed. Additionally, where Amazon typically holds a merchant's cash for 30 days or less, sellers of hoverboards didn't get their money for 90 days because the company was preparing for a flood of returns. "There's a potential to run off with this money," an employee wrote in an internal email revealed in court. In a memo to top executives on December 11, 2015, an Amazon vice president said the company had decided to halt sales of hoverboards and send a "non-alarmist" email to existing customers, according to court documents. That was after the product safety team identified 17 complaints of fires or explosions in the U.S. from hoverboards sold on Amazon. Fox received the email the next day. It referenced "recent news reports of safety issues" and offered "safety tips" for using the product as well as an option to return the device for a refund. There was no use of the word "fire" or "explosion." Fox testified that if Amazon had said that "they knew what they knew, I certainly would have gotten it out of my house." Still, the judge wasn't convinced that Amazon was legally responsible. The case was supposed to go to trial on July 10, but Judge William Campbell dismissed it on Wednesday. He ruled that even though it's undisputed that "the manufacturer of the hoverboard at issue is unknown," Amazon was simply used by an outside merchant as the platform to list the product.

Christopher Furlong | Getty Images
The statement leaves room for speculation about whether Moon could join the first meeting between a sitting USA president and a North Korean leader.

Lavrovs visit came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a top North Korean official held talks on planning a historic summit between Kim and President Donald Trump in Singapore.

His travel restrictions were lifted this week so he could fly to NY and Washington, DC to meet U.S. officials, the Department of State said.

Before meeting with Trump, Kim, who is now a target of US sanctions, spent Wednesday and Thursday with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in NY.

Former U.S. officials who have negotiated with North Korea have cautioned that the Kim family regime has violated past deals aimed at curbing the nation's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. "Steak, corn, and cheese on the menu", Pompeo tweeted.

Cho Myoung Gyon, the South Korean unification minister, warned this week that "significant" differences remain between the USA and North Korea on how to achieve denuclearization. The North Korean delegation is heading to Washington D.C., where they will deliver a letter to President Trump from Kim. The lack of details served to highlight the tenuous nature of the North Korean-U.S. rapprochement.

Trump announced Friday after meeting with a top aide to Kim that the summit is back on.

"I believe they are contemplating a path forward". In the meeting, Lavrov invited Kim Jong Un to visit Russia and meet with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. "It is very important to them". "I think they're good".

The president said he expected a number of summits would be needed to settle all outstanding issues. It is all a process.

Una familia espera su hijo numero 21

Cada dia, la familia consume nueve litros de leche , cinco litros de juego y se comen tres cajas de cereal durante el desayuno . Tres anos despues llego la primera nena de la casa, Sophie y alli fue cuando la pareja comenzo a vivir junta.

Esta es la nueva Mi Band 3 de Xiaomi

Las gafas Mi VR disponen de una bateria incorporada de 2.600 mAh, por lo que no es necesario conectarlas a un ordenador. La pulsera Mi Band 3 incorpora una pantalla OLED de 0,79 pulgadas, con una resolucion de 128 x 80 pixeles.

Captan el momento en que la lava de Kilauea devora hogares

La fotorgrafia fue obtenida por el satelite de observacion terrestre Sentinel-2B del organismo europeo el pasado 23 de mayo. El volcan hawaiano lleva cuatro semanas en erupcion .

The key meeting, scheduled for 12 June, has been jeopardised so far by belligerent statements from North Korea and threats of cancellation from Mr Trump.

President Donald Trump says his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon) is back on for June 12.

At 2:35 pm, Trump and Pompeo personally escorted Kim Yong Chol outside for a lingering goodbye of handshakes, arm pats and extended conversation. "The people of #NorthKorea can have a brighter future and the world can be more peaceful".

On the same day in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un told Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that his commitment to denuclearisation remains "unchanged and consistent and fixed", but experts warn that he will likely seek deep concessions from Washington.

Trump says after an Oval Office meeting Friday with North Korea's Kim Yong Chol that he'd be making a mistake not to go forward with the on-again, off-again nuclear summit in Singapore. U.S. officials, however, have yet to make it clear if the summit will take place, or even offer a timetable for making such a decision.

There is no sign yet whether Lavrov discussed his pending visit to Pyongyang with Pompeo; the Russian ministry said the two diplomats "exchanged views on several aspects of the joint agenda", citing the Syrian crisis and Ukraine.

But then, just minutes later, Trump admitted he hasn't even opened the letter, let alone read it.

Mr. Trump called off the summit last week, a move a White House official attributed to North Korea's "trail of broken promises". It was an effort that ultimately failed as Clinton's time in office ran out, and relations turned sour again after George W. Bush took office in early 2001 with a tough policy on the North.

"It means missiles", Trump said. Trump hosted South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week.
Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera (L) shakes hands with his South Korean counterpart Song Young-moo (R) as director-general and chief executive of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) John Chipman looks on during the second plenary session of the 17th Asian Security Summit of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2, 2018.

Seoul and Tokyo hold nuanced but crucial differences regarding North Korea's potential weapons dismantlement, it emerged Saturday.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual Singapore summit that draws security officials from across the globe, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and South Korean Minister of National Defense Song Young-moo appeared to clash over the urgency in removing Pyongyang's short-range ballistic missiles.

Song placed low emphasis on their immediate removal, noting their threat "will dissipate over time" as the North forms relations with the international community.

Onodera, however, took a tougher stance. Short-range missiles are a big priority for the world's third-largest economy, he said, adding that they must be an essential and timely component in the elimination of all North Korean missiles.

Those diverging views indicate just how complex the dismantlement process could be if the rogue state agrees to relinquish weapons at leader Kim Jong Un's June 12 meeting with President Donald Trump. If the summit achieves success, it will be comparable to the 1989 Malta summit that brought an end to the Cold War, according to Song.

The South Korean official offered a broadly optimistic take on ongoing nuclear negotiations, stating that "just because we have been tricked by North Korea in the past doesn't guarantee that we will be tricked in the future." He also called on the world to trust North Korean ruler Kim. "If we continue to suspect his motives, then any moves towards goals will be hindered by those suspicions."

Onodera, in contrast, pointed out the North's history of lies and broken commitments, warning that the sanctions-riddled nation should not be rewarded solely for dialogue. Pressure must remain in place, he said.

And if Kim's administration really is serious about scrapping weapons, Onodera said that Tokyo is ready to provide resources for inspections and verification as well as ensuring safe disposal so weapons don't spread to other countries.
President Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam.

Early discussions for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are said to be underway, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

U.S. ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman has been in Washington for a months-long effort to arrange a formal meeting between the two leaders, the publication said, citing a senior administration official.

The purpose of a summit would be to resolve thorny issues between the two nations, the report said. Syria, Ukraine and nuclear-arms control are among expected discussion topics, the publication added.

In 2017, Trump and Putin met twice on the sidelines of international meetings. Although Trump has been criticized frequently for not aggressively confronting Putin, Moscow and Washington have differed sharply on a range of issues  most recently the U.S.-led strike on Syria for its suspected chemical attack on civilians.

The White House did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment on Saturday.

The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of a probe by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former FBI director. His office is investigating possible ties between Trump's presidential election campaign and Russian officials, which Trump has roundly dismissed as baseless.

The Journal's full story can be found on its website.
President Donald Trump's legal team has made a broad assertion of executive privilege in a bid to avert a subpoena by the special counsel investigating the president's conduct with respect to Russia, according to a confidential memo obtained by The New York Times.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is probing allegations that Trump may have obstructed the inquiry into Russia influence over the 2016 election. The memo  the contents of which The Times published in full on Saturday  cites Trump's lawyers arguing that the president "could neither constitutionally nor legally constitute obstruction because that would amount to him obstructing himself, and that he could, if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon if he so desired."

The letter, which was not independently verified by CNBC, was authored by John Dowd and Jay Sekulow, lawyers that have since departed Trump's legal team. The memo's disclosure comes as Trump's lead counsel, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, has stated publicly that Mueller's probe into obstruction charges could be wrapped up by September. However, separate reports have cast doubt on that assertion.
Chairman of tractor to technology group Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) on Friday said that this (Air India sale) is now a matter of national pride.

Mahindra's comments were posted on social network -- Twitter -- after the government on Thursday evening announced Air India sale offer garnered no interest from any corporate house.

He said, "I think that zero interest in the sale has demonstrated to the people that tough action towards a turnaround is needed. There will be widespread support for swift & decisive action. This is a political opportunity."

Mahindra said, "This is now a matter of national pride. Time to turn a crisis into opportunity."

He listed a five-point agenda to prepare Air India for a sale.

He said the first point should be to sell the Maharaja but only after a successful turnaround.

A turnaround in this parlance means the airline coming back to profitability.

He further said that the government should now look for an official with the potential and pasion of an E Sreedharan and make them chairman and CEO of the airline.

E Sreedharan has been touted as the man who delivered New Delhi's metro service with remarkable efficiency that got him the moniker of 'metro man'.

Mahindra said that the government must provide full autonomy to the chairman and CEO with a target horizon for a turnaround. "Provide the chairman complete insulation from political pressure," Mahindra said, adding, "Provide full moral support to the chairman for all tough measure that will be required."

On May 31, the government said that Air India's sale offer did not elicit any bidder.

The government was looking forward to better participation in the stake sale, said India's civil aviation secretary, RN Choubey.

New timelines will be decided based on the course of action decided by the alternate mechanism, and various options are available, he added.

The current bid process will not reach the request for proposal (RFP) stage, due to lack of interested parties, Choubey said.

Future course of action

The process now involves going to the evaluation committee and a core group on the divestment process headed by the cabinet secretary and the finance minister-led alternate mechanism or group of ministers.
On Wednesday, the federal government said it will take additional steps to prevent foreign steel and aluminum from being dumped into the North American market.

"So we will immediately introduce a settlement dispute with the World Trade Organisation and will announce counter balancing measures in the coming hours". That hasn't been done. No other president ever brought it up. and it's gonna be done now, ' Trump said. "These tariffs are totally unacceptable".

I'm not saying we have to shoot back, but we must take action.

"We follow this with a lot of anxiety", Malmstrom said of the investigation. They report a really high surplus on trade with us.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has said Canada would retaliate if duties are imposed.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Volkswagen said it views the tariffs with "regret and concern".

According to the Washington Post, Trudeau was prepared to travel to Washington DC this week to finalize the renegotiation of NAFTA, before the sudden implementation of the tariffs.

'We're talking about NAFTA.

And shortly before 3 pm EDT Friday, Trump told media during a briefing that he "wouldn't mind seeing NAFTA where you make a separate deal with Canada and Mexico". "So I think the difference between the USA approach and many others' is we feel a greater sense of urgency for reform than do numerous other countries". The probe was seen as an attempt to pressure Mexico and Canada over a Nafta deal.

'These are two very different countries.

Acribillan a seis agentes de vialidad en Salamanca

Elementos de la Policia Federal, de la Gendarmeria, de la Municipal de Celaya y de Villagran; y del Ejercito acudieron al lugar de los hechos.

Messi, el chileno: banda nacional entre las favoritas del crack de Argentina

La entrevista la hizo para el canal oficial de la FIFA a dias del inicio del Mundial de Rusia . Los Cafres es una de las bandas mas famosas de reggae del pais.

Veinte dias sin rastro de Melania Trump

La primera Dama de Estados Unidos comento via Twitter que se encuentra en la Casa Blanca con su familia. As one nation under God, we come together to remember that freedom isn't free.

Canada hasn't yet laid out its response, but the United States imports more steel from Canada than any other country in the world - 5.8 million metric tons a year ago alone.

Leah Millis / Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump talks to the media after meeting with North Korea's envoy Kim Yong Chol at the White House on June 1, 2018.

'Mexico has taken our auto companies.

And he believes Trump has put us in an extremely hard position.

Mexico complained that the tariffs will "distort worldwide trade" and said it will penalize USA imports including pork, apples, grapes, cheeses and flat steel.

The trade actions have also opened the United States to criticism that it was burning bridges just as Mr Trump was seeking to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons and help stabilise the Middle East.

At home, free-trade Republicans also blasted Mr. Trump. "We continue to work closely with our European Union partners and will consider carefully the EU's proposals in response". "They can not believe they have gotten away with this for so many decades".

"What they can do, we are able to do exactly the same", Juncker said. Last year, Bay State businesses exported almost $3 billion in goods to Canada and another $2.5 billion to Mexico. Because they have strong laws and we have disgusting laws.

"I'm convinced, I've spoken to senators and members of the house and they understood this message". The long-term consequences will be nearly certainly be further retaliation from the European Union, threatening US export industries.
Parson's first speech as governor

First of all, let me say thank you for everybody that is here today. I want to thank a lot of my family and friends that are here from back home and from across the state that Ive known in my career to be here today. Public service is a privilege, and it is truly an honor to serve as Missouris 57th governor. My pledge to all Missourians is to work hard each and every day, to bring honor, integrity, transparency to the governors office. We have an opportunity today to have a fresh start in state government. I believe now is the time for Missouri to come together to work together and to help one another. I will always be ready and will be ready to listen to ideas on how state government can better position itself to serve our families and our communities. I am optimistic about the future of our great state, and Im looking forward to the work ahead. God bless you, God bless the great state of Missouri, and God bless the United States of America.
Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
Everybody panic!

Mary Meeker released her well-regarded Internet Trends Report this week. She said smartphone shipments grew by zero percent, the first time since smartphones existed that the market didnt grow.

And IDC says the smartphone market will remain sluggish into the foreseeable future.

Some smartphone hopefuls have even had their hopes dashed in what has become a brutal and unforgiving smartphone market.

Android creator Andy Rubins Essential Products is getting out of the smartphone business.

Up-and-coming smartphone maker Maze Mobile has put its website up for sale. (Never a good sign.)

Whats going on?

As tempting as it is to attribute weirdness in the smartphone market to a single cause, the fact is that multiple trends are colliding.

1. China caught up

The smartphone industry got used to high growth, year after year. This was the result in part of China, the worlds largest phone market, making a late and aggressive transition from feature phones to smartphones.

Lets look at the numbers.

IDC says global shipments (handset units) declined 2.9% in the first quarter.

Gartner said smartphone sales (money, not unit shipments) experienced growth in Q1, albeit a small 1.3% increase over the same quarter last year.

Because low-end, low-cost smartphones have gotten better, demand for sub-$150 phones rose, according to Gartner.

Apple sales grew by around 4% (thanks in part to its super-expensive iPhone X).

The biggest reason for the overall worldwide slump is lower sales in China. Fewer than 100 million smartphones were sold there during the first quarter for the first time in five years, according to IDC.

That means the success of Chinese smartphone makers in Q1 depended entirely on what percentage of their sales were exports versus Chinese domestic sales.

Huawei held on to its No. 3 spot (after Samsung and Apple), but grew an impressive 18.3% during the quarter, according to Gartner. Huawei is a big seller in Europe, and the company reached a global market share of 11.8%, according to IDC.

Xiaomi was the biggest gainer. The company grew a whopping 124% during the same quarter worldwide, and an incredible 330% in the Asia/Pacific region. Xiaomi is a leading smartphone seller in India and Southeast Asia.

Samsung is still No. 1  and still declining, having won 23.4% of the market in Q1, which is a drop of 2.4 percentage points from the same quarter the previous year, according to IDC.

Apple remains No. 2, posting a small gain in unit sales of 2.8% in Q1.

When you oversimplify the global market picture, you see Apple rising slowly, and the biggest Chinese companies rising at the expense of Samsung.

Outside of China and Europe, the smartphone market is doing OK. But the biggest factor in the global halt to growth is a decline in China. In general, most of the people who are going to get a smartphone in China already got one.

2. Low-end phones are getting high-end features; high-end phones are getting higher prices

In general, smartphone users are getting better phones at lower prices, except for the high end, where theyre getting better phones at higher prices.

IDC says that while buyers are upgrading to better phones, fewer are entering the smartphone world for the first time either as first-phone buyers or users upgrading from feature phones to smartphones.

However, the latest flagship phones from Apple, Samsung and Huawei broke records for high prices, and some analysts are saying that its these prices that are pushing buyers away from the flagship phones. (This may not be the case for Apple, which announced that its flagship iPhone X was the top-selling iPhone every week during the entire quarter. Apple lives in its own universe.)

I disagree with those analysts conclusion, for the most part. Reason suggests that if the better features were worth all that money, consumers would be happy to pay the premium. The reality is that the flagship features are a little better, while the price for those features is a lot higher.

Despite higher prices for the flagships, the average price of smartphones declined.

Its clear to buyers that value exists in the midrange and low end, but not in the flagship stratosphere.

Savvy buyers know you can get a phone with 90% of the features at half the price. So thats where the gravitational pull in the market is.

Another telling data point is the increasing popularity of refurbished phones, a trend thats expected to continue. IDC says the used smartphone market will hit $52.7 billion in the next five years.

The bottom line is that only a tiny number of superfans are willing to pay the $1,000 and more that major phone makers are charging for their flagship phones.

The majority of buyers are suffering from flagship fatigue  a loss of enthusiasm for always buying a companys best and most expensive phone  and are instead seeking out great phones at discount prices.

3. Were reaching peak smartphone

The ugly reality is that smartphones arent all that interesting anymore.

Augmented and virtual reality are interesting. Artificial intelligence is interesting. Virtual assistants showing up everywhere is interesting.

Smartphones? Not as interesting anymore.

There are many shiny objects out there to get giddy about, and smartphones are not among them.

And thats the good news

The trends of market saturation in China, flagship fatigue, the popularity of midrange phones and the embrace of refurbished devices all point to a healthy peaking of the incredible smartphone phenomenon.

This is not the end, though. Incredible things are coming to a pocket near you.

Im predicting a resurgence of smartphone excitement because of a number of upcoming trends.

5G, which will slowly roll out over the next few years, will radically alter how smartphones look and work and how we use them. They could increase download speeds by 100 times. But theres a catch. 5G signals are easy to interfere with. Simply holding your phone wrong can kill performance. So smartphones may have a small antenna in the future  more of a fin or ridge than a pull-out wire.

Fin or no fin, smartphones will soon become blisteringly fast, which will make using them super-enjoyable and will enable unexpected new features.

Also: Smartphones will serve as the central hub for emerging revolutions in virtual assistant technology, smart glasses and other wearables, augmented reality  and all these trends will be accelerated and magnified by artificial intelligence.

In other words, the supertrend is that smartphones will become more useful even as they become much cheaper, and they will be enhanced primarily by external technologies.

Todays flagship phones, with their high prices and extreme features, are the last gasp of an industry desperate to make smartphones the only tech that matters.

Soon, those days will be gone. Well continue to need smartphones. But theyll inevitably enter a commodity phase where the real differentiation takes place in the cloud, in our wearables, on our virtual assistant appliances and elsewhere.

Note that in all the doom and gloom about the smartphone market, nobody is saying theyre not getting better and more powerful. In fact, the opposite is happening. Theyre getting ever more powerful and capable even as interest wanes.

So the news is bad only for some smartphone makers. For smartphone buyers, the news is all good. Were getting better phones at lower prices, and a whole lot of external value to go with them.

So dont shed a tear for the smartphone companies struggling in an increasingly brutal market. Instead, celebrate the coming boon to business, to productivity and to human enhancement that more powerful, less expensive smartphones will bring to the world.
Downing Street and DUP slam Daviss latest proposals for Northern Ireland

Buffer zone dismissed as ridiculous by Ulster parties  Belfast Telegraph

Back to drawing board as Brexit Secretary admits plan wont work  The Times

Customs partnership plans quietly dropped due to Brexiteer opposition  Daily Mail

May would rue day she called DUP bluff, warns Dodds  Belfast Telegraph

Number 10 today disowned a dramatic plan to break the Brexit deadlock by handing Northern Ireland joint EU and UK status after Theresa Mays DUP backers savaged the proposal. The blueprint, which emerged as the government desperately tries to end an impasse over the Irish border, would mean the province operating under both European and British regulations. The special economic zone could also see a ten mile-wide buffer zone introduced along the length of Northern Irelands 310-mile border with the Republic. But DUP MP Sammy Wilson branded the idea daft and nonsense and said it had come out of the blue And within hours of the DUP slamming the proposal a Downing Street spokesman slapped down the plan.  Daily Mail

More:

MPs and peers to be given roadmap to avoid Brexit by Soros-backed group  Daily Express

New left-wing campaign aims to pressure Corbyn into backing the EU  Daily Mail

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Has Davis found the least-bad way out of the Governments self-imposed border bind?

May attacks Trumps new tariffs

Theresa May today tore into Donald Trumps unjustified decision to slap hefty tariffs on steel amid fears the move will spark a global trade war. The PM urged the US President to exempt Americas close allies Britain and the EU from the 25 per cent levies. And she vowed to work with other EU countries to protect and safeguard our workers and industries threatened by the policy. Mrs May finally broke her silence over 24 hours after the White House announced it was reviving plans to slap punishing tariffs on steel. Brussels has threatened to hit back by imposing a wave of tariffs on US goods including motorbikes, jeans and orange juice within weeks  fuelling fears the world is set to lurch into a trade war which will push up prices.  Daily Mail

Obama dubs Johnson Trump with better hair  The Sun

Comment:

Best way to respond to abolish all our own tariffs  Matthew Lynn, Daily Telegraph

Trade war threatens global peace  Martin Kettle, The Guardian

The President has the courage to look at green hysteria and say no deal  Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph

Javid slams cosmetic chains anti-police campaign

as he unveils tough new anti-terror strategy

High Street cosmetics chain Lush was condemned yesterday after it launched an anti-police hate campaign. The Home Secretary, crime chiefs and a police widow were among those appalled by the companys astonishing decision to put photos of police officers under the words Paid to Lie in its shop windows to draw attention to the so-called spy cops scandal. They said the crass and insensitive campaign  approved by the chains Jeremy Corbyn-supporting co-founder Mark Constantine  stereotypes all police officers as corrupt and includes some fundamental misrepresentations of the facts Home Secretary Sajid Javid condemned the chain, saying: Never thought I would see a mainstream British retailer running a public advertising campaign against our hardworking police. This is not a responsible way to make a point.  Daily Mail

Sajid Javid will next week unveil a tough new anti-terror strategy to jail jihadis for longer and counter online terror threats. The freshly beefed up Contest programme will see more cash earmarked for the Home Offices Prevent terror whistleblowing scheme. The Home Secretary will mark the anniversary of the London Bridge attack with a major speech on Monday about the terror menace. High-priority areas like Birmingham and Bradford will be given more resources to weed on extremists from the Muslim community and monitor more suspects. And convicted terrorists released from jail will be more closely watched after their release. Online recruitment and training of jihadis are also in Mr Javids sights as Ministers once again urge tech giants to do more help them tackle the scourge of internet terror.  The Sun

The Home Secretary is a beacon of tolerant Britain  James Forsyth, The Sun

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Wanted. A Muslim, a woman, and a fearless campaigner to review claims of Tory anti-Muslim prejudice.

and backs Hunts call for a visa exemption for foreign medics

NHS chiefs diverting over 100 million from front line to prop up trade unions  The Sun

Theresa May is facing a Cabinet revolt over visa restrictions blamed for depriving the NHS of hundreds of foreign medics. Jeremy Hunt is pushing for a temporary exemption for doctors and nurses to put a cap on skilled workers from outside the EU. The Health Secretary says that while Britain is training more medical staff of its own, this process will take years  meaning more foreign staff are needed to fill NHS vacancies. He has been backed in private by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, who is said to be very sympathetic to the case for a temporary exemption. Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark, who want even looser restrictions on skilled workers, are also said to be ready to back the cause.  Daily Mail

Editorial:

May should stop refusing entry to doctors and nurses  The Times

Health Secretary pushing fresh wave of authoritarian anti-obesity measures

Supermarkets will be forced to ban guilt lanes at supermarket checkouts and end two-for-one offers on junk food under Government plans to tackle child obesity, The Telegraph has learned. Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, is planning a wave of new legislation as part of a crackdown, including a 9pm watershed on advertising products high in sugar and salt from 2020. Ministers will also consider a ban on the use of cartoon characters and celebrities to promote junk food, and consult on new legislation to bar retailers from selling energy drinks to under-16s. The policies are outlined in the Governments child obesity strategy, which has been seen by The Telegraph. Ministers from other departments are currently being consulted on the plans.  Daily Telegraph

Kwarteng slams Sturgeon over push for second referendum

Davidson and Sturgeon go softly, softly on Brexit  FT

Scotland could be hit with more tax hikes after budget fall  Daily Telegraph

Get used to low growth, warns commission  The Scotsman

Foster to lead Orange Order parade in Scotland  The Guardian

A Tory MP launched a scathing take down of Nicola Sturgeons bid to hold another independence referendum  saying she only wants one because she lost last time. The SNP leader has vowed to relaunch her bid to tear Scotland away from the UK in the wake of the Brexit vote. But Kwasi Kwarteng said the SNP promised the 2014 Scottish independence referendum was a once in a generation vote and should not go back on that. While audience members on BBC Question Time also piled into Ms Sturgeon, accusing her of double standards by trying to break away from Westminster while staying in Brussels. Mr Kwarteng, MP for Spelthorne in Surrey slammed Scotlands First Minister for trying to rerun the referendum. He told the programme last night: I think the whole point about referendums  in fact the SNP said this before the Scottish independence referendum  is that it would settle the issue for a generation.'  Daily Mail

Comment:

Nationalists build up economic muscle  John Kay, FT

>Today: ToryDiary: Spains new leader owes his post to Catalan separatists  will he choose to appease them?

Mercers grassroots tour fuels leadership speculation

Tory backbencher Johnny Mercer has spoken at 90 dinners on the grassroots circuit in the last year  almost two a week  sparking claims he is being groomed to succeed Theresa May. Party grandees said the ex Army officer was not the type to put himself forward but was a hell of a leader of men. Most MPs attend three or four fundraising dinners in other constituencies a year. But Theresa May was renowned for frequenting the rubber chicken circuit to woo the grassroots of the party while she was an MP and minister. Mr Mercer, a dad of two who has campaigned tirelessly for troops to be spared a witch hunt into historical allegations, last year published his autobiography about life on the frontline in Afghanistan.  The Sun

>Yesterday: Paul Maginnis in Comment: How to build a Conservative mass membership

Conservative rebels ready to liberalise Northern Irish abortion law

Ulster needs a government, not a referendum  Sebastian Payne, FT

Abortion triumphalism is deeply troubling  Matthew Parris, The Times

Vaizey pitches Greening as London mayoral candidate

Theresa May has been warned that she lacks the parliamentary numbers to prevent a vote on liberalising abortion in Northern Ireland. Two government sources said that they expected that up to 20 Conservative MPs would join opposition parties to liberalise abortion in a rebellion fuelled by Penny Mordaunt, the equalities minister, who tweeted her support last weekend. The government faces a difficult week after the Republic of Ireland voted to overturn the abortion ban. On Monday Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland secretary, or Ms Mordaunt will face an urgent question on the issue, while a debate called by the Labour MP Stella Creasy could come on Tuesday.  The Times

Justine Greening has been proposed as a Conservative contender in the next London mayoral race. The MP for Putney was touted by her backbench colleague Ed Vaizey yesterday after he ruled himself out from running for the party nomination in the 2020 contest (Lucy Fisher writes). Mr Vaizey, 49, a former arts minister, told the Huffington Post website: I was never really planning to run. He had previously suggested he could thump Sadiq Khan, the Labour incumbent, in any electoral battle. He declared that there were much more talented people who could secure the Tory ticket to take on Mr Khan. Asked whom he would back, he replied: Greening. Ms Greening, 49, a former education secretary, spent six years in the cabinet but quit in January when Theresa May attempted to move her to the Department for Work and Pensions.  The Times

MPs slam HMRCs spending on consultants

The taxmans spending on consultants has risen by a staggering 9,000 per cent, while customer service has plummeted. MPs will call for an investigation into HM Revenue & Customs use of external consultants after its increased reliance on them for its IT systems is revealed by the Daily Telegraph today. In April, HMRC spent 844,188 on consultants  the highest monthly amount since 2011 and more than HMRCs entire annual spending on consultants in 2015, official figures published this week show. The latest amount is nearly 9,000 per cent greater than the 9,618 HMRC spent in the equivalent period in 2015. Having significantly cut down staff and resources over the past five years, HMRC is now employing big-names firms including Ernst & Young, Accenture and IBM.  Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday: Chloe Westley in Comment: Enough talk of tax rises from Tory Ministers. Lets have tax cuts instead. Or else what are they for?

News in Brief:
A Very English Scandal by John Preston

Jeremy Thorpe once derided Ted Heath as the plum pudding around which no one has succeeded in lighting the brandy.

It is a brilliant line. Part of the value of John Prestons account of the attempt by Thorpe, as Liberal leader, to get a band of dodgy associates to murder his former lover, Norman Scott, is that it restores the comic element to a period whose leading figures were not, generally, remarkable for their wit.

Thorpe, who led the Liberals from 1967 to 1976, had prodigious gifts. He could set the brandy on fire, even at times the Thames. In North Devon, he persuaded poor, rural voters to thrill to his metropolitan style, captured the seat from the Conservatives in 1959 and held it for 20 years.

Compared to the other party leaders  the Gannex-raincoated Harold Wilson and the puddingy Heath  Thorpe was wonderfully amusing. He had the brio of a latter-day Oscar Wilde, and the same reckless propensity to overplay his hand.

Hugh Grant, pictured here as Thorpe, plays him very well in the three-part dramatisation of Prestons book which finishes tomorrow night on BBC1. That episode will include the trial in 1979 of Thorpe and his three co-defendants at the Old Bailey, where they were acquitted after the judge, Sir Joseph Cantley, had delivered a notoriously unfair summing up, inspiration for one of the funniest of all Peter Cooks parodies.

Here is Cantley on Scott, whom Thorpe had seduced in the early 1960s and later wished to get killed and dropped down a Cornish tin mine:

I now turn to the evidence of Mr Norman Scott. You will remember him well. A hysterical, warped personality, accomplished sponger and very skilful at exciting and exploiting sympathy He is a crook. He is a fraud. He is a sponger. He is a whiner. He is a parasite.

Preston remarks in his Acknowledgments that Scott  one of the few participants in this strange, eventful history who is still alive  was enormously generous with his time. It is clear that Scott was a vulnerable young man, with serious mental health problems, when Thorpe picked him up, but that he also possessed an independence of mind which disconcerted anyone who expected to be able to control him.

The least known major character in the book is Peter Bessell, a lay preacher, philanderer, Liberal MP and compulsive launcher of doomed business ventures, who fell under Thorpes spell, but eventually agreed to give evidence against him, once he realised that Thorpe was setting him up to be the fall guy.

Bessell, played by Alex Jennings in the BBC version, was supposed to stop Scott bothering Thorpe, but discovered this was a goal which could never be attained for very long, though Scott insisted all he was actually trying to do was deal with the problems with his National Insurance card. When it was put to him at the trial that he was hell-bent on destroying Thorpe, he replied that on the contrary, he was merely trying to sort out his National Insurance card: National Insurance is my lifeblood!

This becomes one of a number of running jokes in the book. Thorpe and his allies are often trying to retrieve some embarrassing letters which Scott is carrying round in a suitcase, of which copies may or may not have been made. One of these letters, written on House of Commons notepaper and signed Yours affectionately, Jeremy, contains the strangely memorable, but to this day somewhat opaque, sentence, Bunnies can (and will) go to France.

George Carman, the barrister who made his name by defending Thorpe, set out to break Bessell. By day three he had reduced the witness to such a self-lacerating state that Bessell, with the shame of a lay preacher who had been exposed as a hypocrite, was telling the court, I have been guilty of quite disgraceful behaviour.

The Sunday Telegraph had done a deal with Bessell under which he was to be paid 50,000 for a series of six articles if Thorpe was convicted, and 25,000 if Thorpe was acquitted.

Almost unbelievably, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to this arrangement, with which Carman made hay. Again and again, while reading Prestons account, one is amazed to find the truth so much stranger than fiction.

Scotts dog, Rinka, was shot dead in 1975 on Exmoor by the hitman hired to kill Scott himself, and news of this crime reached the West Somerset Free Press, which reported it under the headline: The Great Dane Mystery: Dog-in-a-Fog Case Baffles Police.

By fits and starts the trail led from Rinka back to Thorpe, who in 1976 had to resign as Liberal leader, and in 1979 was charged with conspiracy and incitement to commit murder. He managed to get the trial deferred while he stood and lost in the 1979 general election, during which Auberon Waugh ran as the candidate for the Dog Lovers Party, receiving 79 votes after Thorpe obtained an injunction preventing the distribution of Waughs manifesto.

At Westminster, senior members of other parties rallied round, at least at first. Wilson, while Prime Minister, suggested preposterously that the South Africans were to blame. This and Thorpes acquittal are generally regarded as the Establishment seeking to protect one of its own, and no doubt there was an element of that.

But it is hard now to remember quite how charming Thorpe was. He had an astounding ability to make people feel good about helping him to cover things up.

Through these pages stalk many other sinister figures, including Jimmy Savile and Cyril Smith. The 1970s were a very strange time, and anyone who imagines our legal system has never been more deficient than it is now should read Prestons often very funny book.
Matt Smith was the Parliamentary candidate for Cardiff West in the 2017 General Election and has stood for the Welsh Assembly. He currently works as a lawyer.

Free intellectual inquiry and critical thinking are intrinsic to universities. But these qualities are undermined by a lack of political diversity in the humanities and social sciences, and they are threatened on campus by a minority of censorious left-wing agitators.

Shortly before the 2015 General Election a Times Higher Education (THE) poll found 84 per cent of academic respondents supporting leftwing parties. Only 11 per cent said they backed the Conservatives.

THE conducted another poll in June 2016 examining voting intentions for the EU referendum. Almost 90 per cent backed Remain and only 10 per cent backed Leave.

There is nothing more obstinate than a fashionable consensus and this is profoundly true of academia, where left-liberal axioms dominate what Roger Scruton called the leftist academic complex.

The academic left is a reflection of the politics of the British intelligentsia. George Orwell wrote in The Lion and the Unicorn that the really important fact about so many of the English intelligentsia [is] their severance from the common culture of the country, and that In the general patriotism of the country they form a sort of island of dissident thought.

After the student protests of 1968 many leading lights in the social sciences and humanities came to prominence because of their ideological pedigrees.

The soixante-huitards follow Antonio Gramsci in their belief that power resides in cultural hegemony. They see education as a front in the war of position. Cultural subversion is the stage before open insurrection in the war of manoeuvre against the dominant class.

The student activist and Gramscian Marxist Rudi Dutschke saw the long march through the institutions as a means of subverting bourgeoisie culture by capturing the commanding heights of society.

The long marchers are now the academic establishment. The Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm, whose funeral Ed Miliband attended, was even made a Companion of Honour to Her Majesty the Queen. By contrast, we on the right, as Keith Joseph observed, never got an LSE  far from it  and we never got a New Statesman. The left got both more than a century ago.

Group think matters because it can render dissent professionally terminal. The anonymous author of a Guardian article titled I voted for Brexit why do academics treat me as a pariah? asked: if established academics at elite universities like Cambridge need bravery to simply state a contrary view, what must it take for a lowly PhD student?

When a leading professor at the University of Sussex thinks it is appropriate to organise a workshop for colleagues titled Dealing with right wing attitudes and politics in the classroom, the left is sleepwalking into intellectual complacency. This was reflected in Cathy Newmans car crash interview with Jordan Peterson, during which her cross-examination came unstuck in the face of intelligent and polite counter-arguments.

Yet the right shouldnt underestimate or dismiss the influence of the uninvigilated academic left in shaping the wider intellectual climate. Friedrich von Hayek observed in The Intellectuals and Socialism that the professional second-hand dealers in ideas filter the views and opinions that form the language of politics.

Thinkers of the New Left such as E P Thompson, Eric Hobsbawm, and Ralph Miliband have percolated from the universities and the cafe intelligentsia into the mainstream left and beyond.

The capture of the commanding heights of academia by institutional long-marchers has paved the way for a small minority of left wing firebrands on campus to impose their authoritarian language diktats. Well-organised activists have succeeded in hijacking campus bodies and the National Union of Students in order to impose their agenda on pusillanimous university bureaucracies.

They are downstream from Herbert Marcuse, a Frankfurt School Marxist who argued that free expression is a form of repressive tolerance when it allows counter-revolutionary opinions to oppress the overpowered. Marcuse demanded new and rigid restrictions on teachings and practices in educational institutions.

Thus the academic principle of free speech is rejected by a loud-hailing minority of students who demand boycotts, trigger warnings, safe spaces, the right to feel comfortable, bans on disagreeable newspapers, and the no-platforming of dissenters.

Their chilling effect on the wider student culture was reflected in a 2017 opinion poll discovering only 46 per cent of 18 to 21-year-olds in Britain think people should say what they want. While Spikeds Free Speech University Rankings 2018 found that 54 per cent of universities actively censor speech.

Ironically, there is no room in the safe spaces for centre-right and Brexiteer dissidents. In a BBC News feature Brexit-supporting students getting abuse on campus, one contributor said: People have been abusive I did hear someone say Oh I just want to punch that Brexit-supporting bitch in the face.

The grown-up left should remind their charges that free speech works and thats why it hurts. Otherwise the revolution will consume its parents, as Germaine Greer, Peter Tatchell, and Linda Bellos have discovered.

Hoping these attitudes are life-cycle contingent, that campus firebrands will be mugged by reality and grow-up, risks placing the right at long-term political disadvantage. So what should we do?

Conservatives must stand for freedom of speech in universities. Jo Johnson, the former Universities Minister, nudged universities in the right direction by setting out sanctions and a blacklist for institutions that fail to protect freedom of speech. His successor Sam Gyimah convened a Free Speech Summit where leaders from the higher education sector agreed to collaborate on formal guidance to protect free speech in universities from political intolerance.

We must also challenge the left for the intellectual high ground on the campuses. After Corbynistas tried to no-platform Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative Party announced a ramp-up of it speaker programme for universities.

There is every reason to be optimistic. Millennials growing up with technologies empowering choice at the click of a button are a germane audience for Conservatives who believe in freedom and autonomy. Similarly, Brexiteers argue that leaving the corporatist and bureaucratic EU will result in a more democratically empowered citizenship. Both are pushing on open doors.

By contrast the left is fundamentally negative. It tells young people they are helpless victims who should retreat into safe spaces rather than going out in to the world to discover the meaning of life. It thrives on differences, from which it can cultivate a sense of Nietzschean ressentiment.

Joseph knew the importance a Conservative counter-ideology to the intellectual ratchet of socialism. He wrote in 1974: We must fight the battle of ideas in every school, university, publication, committee, TV studio even if we have to struggle for our toe hold there.

We must now engage the left more closely in the battle of ideas lest we abandon students to indoctrination by the professional second-hand dealers in ideas and the virtue-signaling firebrands of the campus left.
Spain has a new Prime Minister, after the conservative administration of Mariano Rajoy and his Popular Party was ousted in the countrys first confidence vote since the return to democracy.

His successor is Pedro Sanchez, the leader of the Socialists, who has managed to cobble together an alternative coalition without new elections by winning the support of three Catalan separatist parties.

Given that the Government is apparently facing an immediate Catalan crisis, this last fact is a concerning development.

Rahoy has received a lot of flak for his handling of Charles Puigdemonts illegal bid to separate the province from Spain last autumn. Some of it has even come from this site.

But not all of it is fair. Whether or not the Spanish constitution is one we would choose to copy, it was ratified democratically and it prohibits any part of Spain from seceding from the whole. There are mechanisms in place to change the constitution, but the Catalan government eschewed these in favour of what was an illegal vote. And it was the Spanish courts, not the government, which acted to uphold the law and sent in the police.

Those who insist that Madrid ought to have adopted Londons approach overlook crucial points, not least of which is that David Camerons policy of conceding point after point to the SNP to settle the issue handed the separatists enough advantages to make the fight much closer than over-confident unionists had expected.

But more importantly, the SNP were not attempting to hold an illegal referendum, but seeking one through the proper constitutional channels. It would have been fundamentally different if the Scottish Government had attempted to unilaterally hold an illegal vote, and one hopes that London would have adopted a firmer policy in such circumstances.

As for Madrids controversial use of the European Arrest Warrant to bring Catalan ministers to trial on charges including rebellion, well those are crimes in Spain, and they stand accused thereof, and its not an obviously unreasonable charge in light of their behaviour. This piece is very interesting on the curious case of Puigdemonts warrant, but it seems reasonable to argue that prosecuting a politically-motivated crime does not automatically mean that the prosecution is illegitimate or politicall. Not unless you want to create a defence of political motivation.

The sum of this is that there isnt an easy alternative strategy on Catalonia for Sanchez to adopt. Spain has been devolving power to Catalonia for decades without any appreciable decline in separatist sentiment (see the cartoon at the bottom of this post). To make yet further concessions in the face of the Catalan governments illegal conduct would have set a very bad precedent indeed and invited more of the same.

But the history of devolution is in many ways the story of unionist parties striking Faustian pacts with nationalists, or nationalist sentiment, for short-term political gain and leaving their successors to grapple with the fractures that result. If Sanchez seeks to avoid an early election, or if one is held and doesnt deliver him a stable coalition, he may well be tempted to throw a few more bones to the separatists  concessions which will, needless to say, be banked without reciprocation.

Such a policy wouldnt create nasty front pages or viral pictures, and it would doubtless win the approval of the constitutional sages who have overseen two decades of deepening fragmentation in both Spain and Britain. But there are no obvious grounds for thinking it would do anything but further empower a movement which already felt confident enough to make an illegal independence bid  pretty much guaranteeing more scenes like last autumns somewhere down the line.

According to the Times, the new Prime Minister is scrambling to devise a solution to the Catalan independence drive which has threatened to tear Spain apart. The idea that there is a solution, that satiating the separatists is just one more concession away, is a fallacy which has served Spain and Britain poorly.

Sometimes you just have to say no, and mean it. Rajoy, for all his faults, understood that. Hopefully his successor does too.
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
Stationary human-machine interface (HMI) displays are being replaced by contextual HMIs. Whether a one-line display or a dedicated touchscreen, stationary HMIs are failing to meet mobile operators expectations. Todays workers want information at their fingertips and they are looking to mobile devices to fill that need.

A maintenance engineer is wasting time repeatedly moving back and forth between a stationary HMI and the physical location where maintenance is being performed. In many cases, maintenance work is located on the opposite side of the equipment and away from the stationary operator HMI. This is the case during commissioning, troubleshooting repairs, and during equipment changeover and startup when the maintenance staff needs to confirm equipment state or set a control parameter, for example.

Elements of contextual HMI infrastructure

Contextual HMIs are designed to solve this issue by providing greater mobility for engineers. On a mobile device, they eliminate the difficulty of navigating a screen designed for a workstation on a much smaller screen, as is the case when using a web browser to display a workstation HMI. Contextual HMI means in the context of the workers location and work that needs to be performed.

If the contextual mobility server is aware of the mobile devices location and has validated the user the HMI can push specific HMI components to the workers mobile device. For security and safety reasons, the HMI must be automatically removed from the device when the worker moves outside of the proximity of the equipment being worked on.

To benefit from contextual HMI, its important to deploy an infrastructure that isnt complicated. A contextual mobility infrastructure is centered on a mobile device. It takes advantage of standard indoor and outdoor geo-location technologies found on nearly all modern mobile devices to provide a dynamic and contextual HMI based on the workers proximity to a predefined geographical zone. A zone may be an entire facility, a room, or it may also be in the direct proximity of a specific piece of equipment.

Geo-tags such as Bluetooth low energy beacons (iBeacons), near-field communications (NFC), and quick response (QR) codes are placed strategically in these geographic zones of control known as geo-zones. A secure proximity services mobile application on the device receives the identification of the geo-tags that are within range of the device. If more than one is in range, the geo-tag with the stronger signal is used. This concept, known as "geo-fencing" allows actions based on control zones.

The mobile application communicates with the contextual mobility server using a standard internet protocol (IP) connection through Wi-Fi or a cellular network. The contextual mobility server is responsible for evaluating and responding with the necessary information and controls pushed to the users mobile device automatically. The required information and control is evaluated based on the current geo-zone and as determined by the mobile workers login profile.

There can only be one supervisor of equipment so neither the mobile app nor the contextual mobility server communicates directly to the equipment. The supervisory system, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), or building management system (BMS) retains responsibility for communicating with the equipment or other assets that it supervises. The contextual mobility server must reflect the equipments real-time status variables or tags by using OPC or other real-time methods to synchronize with the SCADA or BMS.

The cornerstone of the infrastructure is the contextual mobility server and its contextual logic engine (CLE). The contextual mobility server maintains a database that associates geo-zones and user profiles with information, equipment controls, actions, and events. The CLE determines the appropriate actions and triggers the distribution of information and control elements to the mobile worker. This includes additional resources (drawings, schematics, etc.) workers need to do their jobs.

Operations and maintenance personnel now have the relevant HMI they need for situation awareness and intelligent control in their workspace. The relevant information is pushed to their mobile device automatically when the application and contextual mobility server detects when the device has entered a geo-zone. This eliminates requiring navigation designed for a computer monitor, when using a much smaller mobile device screen. It provides improved performance and operational efficiency while also increasing safety.

The connected SCADA or BMS system is enhanced when they are augmented with contextual HMI capability. Knowing the mobile workers location and routes provides the ability for control room assistance for efficiency, safety, and security issues. For example, the control room can see where workers are or have been to recognize unauthorized access to restricted areas. They can dispatch the nearest certified technician in the case of a maintenance emergency and assist with safe passage routes if evacuation is necessary.

Mobility security

A private and secure internal messaging system is also an essential element of a contextual mobility infrastructure. It allows mobile workers to exchange information with each other and with the control room. This includes text, photos, videos and audio recordings.

Integrated messaging is preferable to alternatives such as short message service (SMS) because the messages become a permanent part of the operations and maintenance (O&M) record. An electronic messaging system is useful for shift handoff since messages can be directed to a group or individuals. Deploying a contextual mobility infrastructure includes ensuring that there is access to the network for the mobile device in all work locations. Designing geo-zones and placing geo-tags is the next step. Configuring the contextual mobility server is a matter of defining the content that needs to be sent in each geo-zone and user profile.

While there is a cost associated with deploying a contextual mobility infrastructure, eliminating stationary HMIs, increasing efficiency of the O&M team, and improving overall safety and security will offset the cost.

Ed Nugent is the COO at PcVue Inc. Edited by Emily Guenther, associate content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, eguenther@cfemedia.com.

MORE ANSWERS

KEYWORD: Human-machine interface (HMI)

The infrastructure of a contextual HMI

of a contextual HMI The benefits of deploying a contextual HMI.

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How can your facility benefit from deploying a contextual HMI?

About PcVue Solutions

PcVue Solutions are available in North America from PcVue Inc. and from ARC Group affiliates around the world. In an increasingly communicating universe, PcVue Solutions innovates with software that optimize the interface between people, connected objects and supervisory systems. PcVue Solutions, including ContextVue mobility server and SnapVue mobile apps are a patented innovation for contextual HMI developed by ARC Informatique, the affiliate of PcVue Inc. in Paris. Please visit the PcVue Solutions website for more information.
CORNWALL, Ontario  A 71-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on May 25, 2018 and charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, and sexual exploitation.

It is alleged between June 2015 and Dec. 2017 the man inappropriately touched a 13-year-old relative and police were contacted to investigate. On May 25, 2018 he was taken into custody, charged accordingly and released to appear in court on June 28, 2018. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.

ASSAULT

CORNWALL, Ontario  A 59-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on May 26, 2018 and charged with assault. It is alleged during an argument on May 26t 2018 the man assaulted his wife and police were contacted to investigate. During the investigation he was taken into custody, charged accordingly and released to appear in court on June 1h, 2018. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.

CRIMINAL HARASSMENT, BREACH, THREATS

CORNWALL, Ontario  A 45-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on May 26, 2018 and charged with criminal harassment, threats, and breach of probation for consuming alcohol outside his residence and failing to keep the peace. It is alleged the man repeatedly communicated with his ex-girlfriend on May 23, 2018 and police were contacted to investigate. On May 26, 2018 police located the intoxicated man and he was taken into custody, at which time he made threats to harm his ex-girlfriend and damage her vehicle. He was charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter.
Hello,

I am writing you to address some personal concerns of mine over statements made by a fellow candidate of the Ontario New Democratic Party. I know, earlier in this campaign period, my partys candidate for Mississauga Centre made inappropriate and offensive remarks about the proud symbol of our veterans, the poppy.

Like our leader, Andrea Horwath, I do not share these views. These remarks were as offensive and disappointing to myself as I know they are to you. I keep a copy of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms on my fridge at home. I know our history, and how that document is the result of brave men and women serving our nation.

My professional background is in community reporting. I strongly value the rights and freedoms which have been protected by our armed service people for generations. I have had the honour to attend Remembrance Day events at the Legion Branch 297 for Cornwall Seaway News, and have heard and shared the stories of our veterans. Ive covered many events in the last couple of years, but that one will always stand out in my memory.

As Student Union President and board member at St. Lawrence College I proudly organized and delivered our Remembrance Day ceremonies in 2013 & 2014, ensuring it was a respected and widely attended event.

While I have not served our nations armed forces myself, I do come from a family with a proud heritage of service. With our history stretching back to the Second World War, most recently, two of my cousins served in Afghanistan. My great grandfather and great grandmother would never had met had he not served in World War Two.

Its my view that we must honour the sacrifices made for us, so that people like myself can run for office in a free and democratic society. Despite the political controversies which continuously surround military operations, we need to honour that sacrifice. I also believe we, as political leaders, need to walk the talk, and take seriously the mental and physical health concerns many veterans face on an ongoing basis.

I apologize, sincerely, as a community member, local reporter, and provincial candidate.

I am truly sorry those remarks were made.

In the future, I look forward to continuing to meet many of you and support the great work that Legion Branch 297 does in our community and for our veterans, and likewise for the other service club branches across our region.

Sincerely,

Marc Benoit

Ontario New Democratic Candidate

StormontDundasSouth Glengarry
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority welcomed the Norwegian Bliss on Friday, June 1, making her inaugural call from Seattle, WA. She is the largest cruise ship to have docked at the Ogden Point Cruise Terminal.

The Bliss will be calling each Friday from June to October, bringing up to 4,250 passengers and approximately 1,500 crew to the city of Victoria per call.

We are very pleased to welcome the Norwegian Bliss to Victoria, a signal of the growth of the Ogden Point Cruise Terminal as a key connection for visitors to our city, said Ian Robertson, CEO, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. Our team has been working closely with Norwegian Cruise Line to truly celebrate this remarkable ship and her place in the Ogden Point Cruise Terminal schedule.

Ogden Point Cruise Terminal is the busiest port of call in Canada, according to the port authority, and will welcome more than 245 ship calls and 600,000 passengers in 2018.

2017 was the best year ever for Canadas tourism industry, and so far 2018 is on track to be another great year, commented Bardish Chagger, leader of the government in the House of Commons and minister of small business and tourism. Victorias thriving tourism industry, a significant component of which involves the cruise ship industry, is contributing to this success. I want to congratulate the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority on this fantastic achievement. Canada looks forward to welcoming the Norwegian Bliss and its passengers and crew to the beautiful city of Victoria.

Prior to the launch of the 2018 cruise season, the port authority undertook improvements at the Ogden Point Cruise Terminal to prepare for larger ships, including enhancements to the bollards at Pier A.
In China it is forbidden to talk about the massacre of 29 years ago. Only activists in Hong Kong remember. Survivors recall being saved so that they could tell the truth to the world. A bust of Liu Xiaobo, symbol of the democratic movement, is unveiled. Artist launches a campaign to remember Tank Man. However, indifference and a sense of powerlessness grow among the youth of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The imperative is to keep the memory alive and force China to take responsibility for the Tiananmen Square massacre.

For this reason, thousands of Hong Kongers take part in numerous initiatives to commemorate the victims of the mass slaughter.

On 4 June 1989, the Chinese army opened fire on pro-democracy demonstrators gathered in Tiananmen Square and perpetrated a massacre.

Because of Chinas strict censorship, it is probable that the real death toll will never be known. Hundreds, perhaps thousands are thought to have died.

Across the country, talking about and remembering Tiananmen Square is forbidden. Only in the former British colony of Hong Kong  where many fled to  is a memorial vigil held in Victoria Park, which usually draws at least 100,000 people each year.

Among those calling for justice will be two survivors of the massacre, both originally from Hong Kong: Gloria Fung and Kenneth Lam, who spoke to the South China Morning Post.

Lam lives in Hong Kong, where he is a human rights activist and lawyer, whilst Fung fled to Canada and is president of the Canada-Hong Kong Link. Both were saved thanks to the help of some residents of Beijing.

Some students, said Lam, pushed me down to a lower level of the monument, calling my name and saying: What you Hong Kong people have done for us is enough. You must go back alive and tell people what happened here.

Gloria Fung remembers asking the person who had helped her escape what he wanted her to do outside of Beijing. Tell the truth, he replied. Share the truth with the world and preserve the truth.

Yesterday, a group of activists reiterated the demand for justice, unveiling a bust of Liu Xiaobo (picture 2), in Causeway Bay. The Nobel Prize laureate and iconic figure of the pro-democracy movement died in prison last year of cancer.

Famous Chinese artist Badiucao has joined the activists, asking everyone in the world to put themselves in the place of the Tank Man (picture 3), the symbol of Tiananmen Square. "Armed" only with shopping bags, he bravely faced the tanks.

The picture was seen around the world, but who he was and what happened to him remain a mystery. Badiucao had himself photographed dressed up like Tank Man, and shared the picture using the #TankMen2018 hashtag.

Yet, for many activists, remembering the massacre is becoming increasingly difficult. On the one hand, younger people are less interested in the event; on the other, the fear of repercussions is growing as Beijing put more and more pressure on the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Albert Ho Chun-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organises the vigil, is not afraid of Beijings repression and plans to continue.

However, for him, the "bigger challenge" is the new generation, who seem to have confronted some sort of identity crisis ... cynicism and a sense of powerlessness.

Discouraged by the crackdown against the Occupy Central student movement, many young people in fact plan to boycott the vigil on 4 June because it is too "ritualistic".
For Subscribers All about York County's infamous Hex Hollow witchcraft murder

The Hex Hollow murder left York County shocked in 1928 when a farmer was murdered by three men who believed he cursed them with powwow magic.
There is a sudden excitement in the air about the coming general elections in 2019. Sometime ago, it seemed like a no contest with the BJP coasting to an easy victory against a divided and directionless opposition. That seems to be changing with rapid political changes.

The change started with the Gujarat elections. The Congress put up a spirited challenge in the home state of the PM. The PM had to address 45 public meetings in Gujarat to ward off the Congress challenge. It was not a convincing victory by any chance and the BJP romped home because of the urban centres while the Congress was ahead in rural Gujarat. The farmer disenchantment which started some time back had begun to take its toll.

No longer the most formidable.

Another major challenge was the coming together of two strong regional parties of Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. Their unity in fighting elections was always going to pose a strong challenge to BJP. They managed to win two prestigious bypolls of Gorakhpur and Phulpur which were the constituencies of the chief minister and the deputy chief minister. This was a strong signal to the Opposition that they had to unite to survive.

A little later the BJP pulled off a spectacular victory in Tripura and managed to keep the Congress out of power in Meghalaya. This was followed a little later by the Karnataka elections. The BJP did manage to emerge as the single largest party, but failed to get an absolute majority. Despite extensive campaigning by the prime minister, the party was not able to get even 110 seats it had won in 2008 under Rajnath Singh as the BJP president. The election results according to me was just old wine in new bottle. The pattern was just normal anti-incumbency of Karnataka. The Opposition this time acted fast and united to prevent the BJP from forming a government.

The last major developments were the bypolls yesterday where a united Opposition was able to trounce the BJP in most of the constituencies. The reasons for BJP losing are both the index of Opposition unity and declining support for BJP. This double impact can cause huge erosion in its seat share.

What now? Let us start with BJP. The party has to urgently look at the rural problems and the farmer disenchantment seriously. Its support in rural areas is declining and this could turn out to a major problem in the coming elections. The government will have to reduce its taxes on petrol and diesel and make them more reasonable. Another important area it will have to concentrate on will be improving relations with its own allies and scouting for new allies. The TDP has already left the NDA camp and Shiv Sena is restless. It is now certain that BJP will need regional allies in UP and Bihar. Nitish Kumar seems to be a shadow of his former self and getting little support from the Centre. These two states send 119 members to Parliament.

The Opposition has been playing its cards well. It seems to be building up a unified front. But they have to come out with a positive programme and articulate their vision for India. Simply criticising the PM will not help. They are presently looked upon as a motley crowd who have come together to oust the PM and ensure their survival. They have to remember that this is a national election and people will vote accordingly.

I am reminded of an article by the famous columnist Busybee. He wrote about the public meetings of Pandit Nehru. Panditji would talk about the five year plans of the government wherein dams and industries were being erected, the IITs and the IIMs being put up, the space programme of the government and how India was finding its rightful place in the world by being non aligned.

Standing together, but for how long?

Busybee writes that most people in the crowd did not understand a single word of what Panditji was saying but they would cheer wildly and happy that India was progressing and proud of their countrys achievements. The Opposition has to remember that this is a national election and concentrate on national issues and run a positive campaign.

The next year is going to be intensely political. We have elections in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram. The elections are going to be close and the BJP is the incumbent government in three of the four states going to the polls. All in all it is going to be an exciting year politically and the election appears to be closer than what it appeared to be sometime back.

Let us hope that it throws up a proper verdict. It does not matter even if it is a coalition government based on a positive programme. Leave the rest to the voters who have never let India down.

Also read: Can drugs be a way to enlightenment? Even Shiva smoked up
Dear Modiji,

Congratulations on your four-year-long stint as Indias prime minister. Your and your partys glee is quite noticeable. So, when you are busy in the grand celebrations, heres a letter to help you gather some thoughts on the exciting tagline that your party has come up with to mark its fourth anniversary 48 months versus 48 years.

Although the Congress has had a momentous 56-year regime, you are bombarding the nation with BJPs achievements in the past 48 months pitting them against those 48 years of Congress that you have conveniently taken out of the 56 years that the Congress party gave to the country.

Fake celebrations: Your and your partys glee is quite noticeable.

Just to remind you, a few days ago, I shared my views on how your governments so-called achievements have resulted in the de facto shirking of your achhe din narrative. Now that you are celebrating the very same achievements, lauding the hollow promises you made before coming into office, and grilling Congress about its regime, this piece will help you emphatically see the reality as it is.

118 years of Sacche Din

Over one hundred and thirty-two years ago, amid the haunting British rule, the Congress was formed in 1885, albeit not as a political party  but as a nationalist movement. It is not easy to commit to paper the achievements of a movement that led India to its Independence  and achievements that later on transformed the very same movement into Indias dominant political party, which remained so for years.

But, to help you get your facts straight, here are some of the many notable achievements that the Congress made during its regime in the nation.

Jawaharlal Nehrus era

A key pillar of Indias freedom struggle, Jawaharlal Nehru may be ridiculed by the right-wing brigade today, but he was a man of courage  for, he inherited a mess. Soon after the country got its much-coveted Independence from the grisly British rule, India was in crisis.

The British may have left India, but it was left with several nemeses to fight with: the Partition, followed by a wave of communal unrest; the difficult task of rehabilitation of nearly six million refugees from Pakistan; the first Kashmir war; Mahatma Gandhis assassination; the poverty rate of 70 per cent; the challenge to establish a democracy; the problem of caste divides; the integration of the 500-odd princely states into India; and many more.

But Jawaharlal Nehru wasnt even a bit low-spirited. He toiled hard, day and night  trying his best to help the country get out of the woods.

The man and his follwers: Nehru envisaged an independent, industrially advanced nation with a strong foundation of infrastructure.

Modi ji, please note some of Nehrus prominent achievements that helped the country bounce back as a strong economy shortly after independence:

 Making of modern India: Nehru, the "architect of modern India", laid the stepping stone for the foundation of countrys premier institutions of higher learning, including the IIMs, the NITs, the IITs, the NID, and AIIMS, along with others.

It was during his tenure that India got its first large-scale atomic energy nuclear reactor, Apsara, and successfully tested its first rocket from Thumba. Additionally, the National Defence Academy (NDA), the UTI, the LIC, the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), the Atomic Energy Commission (the precursor to ISRO), the Indian National Committee for Space Research were also founded during his time.

He also included free and compulsory primary education to all children in the five-year plans.

 Constitution of India: The supreme law of India, the Constitution of India, was adopted on January 26, 1950, during Jawaharlal Nehrus era.

 Integration of princely states into India: Over 500 princely states acceded to India under the guidance of Sardar Patel and VP Menon, after Nehru gave Sardar Patel a free rein to press on the task of political integration.

 White Revolution: Indias White Revolution, which turned the country into the worlds largest producer of milk and milk products, was another achievement of his era.

 Industry and infrastructure: Pandit Nehru envisaged an independent, industrially advanced nation with a strong foundation of infrastructure. During his tenure, several roads, dams, steel, and power plants were set up. Also, the generation of hydroelectricity saw a major boost during his time.

 Culture: Nehrus era also gave us the National Museum and Indias national academy of fine arts  the Lalit Kala Akademi.

 Economy: Nehru advocated for a mixed economy with a focus on the protection of civil liberties and import substitution industrialisation to take the nation towards development and modernisation.

 Agriculture: Several agrarian reforms shaped the agricultural sector during Nehrus era. Large dams were constructed, use of fertilisers was encouraged, irrigation works were conducted, and canals were built to increase the agricultural production of the nation post-independence. Hope you are making notes, Modi ji.

Indira Gandhis era

Following in her fathers footsteps, Indira Gandhi too didnt flinch. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 had left a distressed economy for Indira to strengthen, followed by a drought-induced food crisis that started to engulf the nation. However, Indira, being the powerful leader that she was, made the grade and gave the country one of its globally renowned political eras.

 Liberation of Bangladesh: Indira Gandhis firm and extensive diplomatic, economic, and military support to the Bangladesh movement led to the independence of Bangladesh, and Indias decisive victory over Pakistan in the Bangladesh liberation war is praised as one of Indiras biggest achievements.

 Annexation of Sikkim as an Indian state: In 1975, Indira Gandhi secured Sikkims merger into India Sikkim, through a referendum.

 Nationalisation: From nationalising 14 major commercial banks in 1969 to nationalising the coal, steel, copper, refining, cotton textiles and insurance industries in the later years, Indira Gandhis nationalisation policy to accelerate the countrys economic growth became a key milestone of her era.

 Green Revolution: Giving the Green Revolution strategy a fresh impetus, Indira Gandhi drove the nation to self-sufficiency in food and transformed it from a nation which was heavily reliant on imported grains to a nation with food security.

 Abolishment of privy purses: Indira also abolished the privy purses (payments) that were being made to the former rulers of the princely states. With a view to exercise equal rights for all citizens and to reduce the governments revenue deficit, the abolishment of the privy purses was passed as the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India.

Rajiv Gandhis era

Respected PM, you may find it hard to believe, but the truth is that it was Rajiv Gandhi who "actually" heralded digitisation and stirred a technology and communication revolution in the country.

A true visionary that he was, Rajiv Gandhi changed the face of India in the 1980s  leading it to the path of global acknowledgement and real economic and social development.

 Technology: Rajiv Gandhi brought computers to the nation at a time when it was still an agricultural country. It was Rajivs computer revolution that set the pace of lifting the then poverty-stricken country, pushing it towards a modern and tech-savvy India.

 Telecom Revolution: Rajiv Gandhi believed that technology is an incredible social leveller. Together with Sam Pitroda, he spread telecom to every nook and corner of the nation with the help of the Center for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). Besides, it was during his time in office that public sector telecom companies MTNL and VSNL were established to foster the growth of the countrys telecom sector.

 Research and development: Rajiv Gandhi also laid special emphasis on the countrys Research & Development and encouraged technological advancement to reduce dependence on imported technology.

 Liberalisation: By announcing a new industrial policy with the proposal to de-license, Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation for liberalisation in the country and opened the economy  which is one of the biggest achievements of the Congress rule.

 Panchayati Raj: By bringing democracy to the grassroots and introducing 33 percent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj, Rajiv reformed the countrys Panchayat system which has been another milestone of his government.

 Lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years: To make the countrys youth stakeholder in the political process, it was Rajiv Gandhi who recommended lowering the voting age from 21 years to 18 years, which was done in 1989.

PV Narasimha Raos era

The list of Congress achievements could never be complete without the mention of Indias ninth Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao. Often addressed as the father of Indian economic reforms, his prime ministership pioneered a major economic transformation in the country.

 Economic reforms: Rao introduced several reforms that cut government regulations and red tape, abandoned subsidies and fixed prices, privatised state-run industries, abolished the Controller of Capital Issues, introduced the SEBI Act of 1992 and the Security Laws (Amendment), and incorporated the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Along with the then finance minister Manmohan Singh, Narasimha Rao lifted the economy out of the balance of payments crisis and steered the country to economic development.

 Look East Policy: To help India get recognised as a regional power in the ASEAN, Rao introduced Indias Look East policy in 1991.

 Dismantling of license raj: It was during Raos tenure that the government of India initiated a liberalisation policy and dismantled the licence raj, leading to substantial economic growth.

 Globalisation: Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh fostered the economy by enabling free trade through globalisation, which saw the advent of multinational corporations in India  helping the country in generating new jobs and breaking the shackles of poverty to a great extent.

Manmohan Singhs era

One of the greatest economists in Indian history, Manmohan Singhs tenure as the countrys prime minister left a legacy of achievements. Modi ji, you might have jibed at Dr Singh many times in the past, but for now, please get a load of this simple mans incredible feats.

 Indo-US nuclear deal: Signed by Singh and the then US president George W Bush, the 2005 India-US nuclear deal was a landmark agreement made during Manmohan Singhs regime that helped India garner global attention as a nuclear weapons power, for the first time in Indian history.

 MNREGA: Launched in 2006, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) aimed to provide at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household with adult members involved in unskilled manual work.

 Economic growth: Another notable achievement during the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is the average economic growth of 7.7 per cent that the country enjoyed despite two global slowdowns  and that is no ordinary feat. Dont you agree, Modi ji?

 Right to Information Act, 2005: The 2005 Right to Information Act was introduced during Singhs regime to promote transparency and accountability in the nation by empowering the citizens to request information from a public authority.

 Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009: Another watershed event that took place during Singhs prime ministership was the introduction of the Right to Education Act (RTE) which ensured that every Indian child, between the age of six and 14 years, will receive free and compulsory education.

While these accomplishments are not even 10 per cent of what Congress did for the nation, I do realise that there is a gap which could have been fulfilled by the party. The Congress could have done much more in several areas, but discrediting the party for its tangible achievements is not justifiable.

Mr Modi, when you take potshots at the Congress, babbling on about its "failures", please concede that you inherited a progressive nation from the Congress. You didnt have to deal with the aftermaths of the horrendous British rule and the ensuing Partition, or even a poverty-stricken country bounded by global economic slowdowns.

Still, you havent been able to fulfil even half of your electoral promises.

So, whenever you and your partys supporters decide to come out of the hoopla of self-praise, I really hope that during such a blessed time, this list will come in handy to inspire you to aim for "real" achievements  not for make-believe achievements that remain just on paper.

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Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley  Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley  Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business.
The Bank of New York Mellon pays an annual dividend of $1.36 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 2.45%. The Bank of New York Mellon does not yet have a strong track record of dividend growth. The dividend payout ratio of The Bank of New York Mellon is 33.92%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, The Bank of New York Mellon will have a dividend payout ratio of 29.44% next year. This indicates that The Bank of New York Mellon will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

View The Bank of New York Mellon's dividend history.
Duck Creek Technologies, Inc. provides software-as-a-service core systems to the property and casualty insurance industry in North America. It offers Duck Creek Policy, a full lifecycle solution for the development of products and quoting, binding, and servicing of policies across various channels from agents and brokers to end-users; Duck Creek Billing that provides payment and invoicing capabilities, such as billing and collections, commission processing, disbursement management, and general ledger capabilities for insurance lines and bill types; and Duck Creek Claims that supports the entire claims lifecycle from first notice of loss through investigation, payments, negotiations, reporting, and closure. The company also provides Duck Creek Rating that allows carriers to develop new rates and models and deliver accurate quotes in real-time based on the complex rating algorithms; Duck Creek Insights, an insurance analytics solution that allows carriers to gather and analyze data from internal and external sources and facilitate rapid analysis and reporting on a single system; Duck Creek Digital Engagement that offer digital interactions between property and casualty insurers and their agents, brokers, and policyholders; and Duck Creek Distribution Management that automates sales channel activities for agents and brokers, including producer onboarding, compliance, and compensation management. In addition, it offers Duck Creek Reinsurance Management that automates critical financial and administrative functions; and Duck Creek Industry Content that provides pre-built content, including base business rules, product designs, rating algorithms, data capture screens, and workflows for insurance lines of business. The company serves insurance carriers and leaders. Duck Creek Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

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First Data Corporation provides commerce enabled technology and solutions for merchants, financial institutions, and card issuers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Global Business Solutions, Global Financial Solutions, and Network & Security Solutions. The Global Business Solutions segment provides solutions to merchants, such as retail point of sale merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and mobile payment services, as well as cloud based point of sale operating system that include a marketplace for proprietary and third party applications. The Global Finance Solutions segment provides technology solutions for bank and non-bank issuers, such as credit, retail private label, commercial card, and loan processing, as well as licensed financial software systems; suite of account services that include card personalization and embossing, customer communications, and professional services; and call center solutions and back office processing. The Network & Security Solutions segment offers EFT network, stored value network, and security and fraud solutions, as well as other value added solutions to its clients in GBS and GFS segments, smaller financial institutions, and other enterprise clients. First Data Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest

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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.
Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV.

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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.

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New Delhi: Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya has resigned as director of his Formula One motorsport company Force India as his legal team filed an application to seek an appeal against a 1.145-billion pound UK high court ruling on freezing of his assets.

The 62-year-old Mallya, who is fighting extradition to India on fraud and money laundering charges worth an estimated Rs 9,000 crore, resigned as director of Sahara Force India Formula One Team Limited on May 24, according to the UK Companies House records.

Sahara India Pariwar boss Subrata Roy remains a director of the company headquartered at Silverstone in the East Midlands region of England.

"The team will not be making any further comment," said a spokesperson for Force India.

Mallya was quoted in some of racing publications as saying that his son, Siddharth Mallya, would be taking on the position of company director in his place, while he continues in his role as 'team principal'.

"There was no compulsion anywhere to resign. It's just that I decided my son should replace me," he told Autosport'.

"I have my own legal issues to take care of, so it's better that the company remains unaffected," he added.

The legal issues involve his extradition trial, the next hearing for which is scheduled for July 11 at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.

Meanwhile, UK law firm TLT, which had won a landmark case last month on behalf of 13 Indian banks seeking recovery of their dues from the businessman, confirmed that Mallya's legal team has filed an application to seek permission to appeal against the high court order in the court of appeal earlier this week.

In the high court ruling on May 8, Judge Andrew Henshaw had refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallya's assets and upheld an Indian court's ruling that the consortium of 13 Indian banks State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India, and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co Pvt Ltd were entitled to recover funds amounting to nearly 1.145 billion pounds.

The banks are considering all of their options," a TLT spokesperson said.

The victory for the banks enables them to enforce India's Debt Recovery Tribunal's (DRT) ruling against Mallya's assets in England and Wales. The worldwide freezing order prevents him from removing any assets from England and Wales up to that value or to in any way dispose of, deal with or diminish the value of his assets in or outside of this jurisdiction, up to the same value.

The case marked the first recorded case of a judgment of the DRT in India being registered by the UK high court, setting a legal precedent.

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, Judge Henshaw had said as part of his ruling.

He had also refused permission to appeal, leaving Mallya's legal team with the last resort of turning to the UK court of appeal. A decision on whether his appeal against the high court order will be accepted is expected within four to six weeks.

Meanwhile, the former Kingfisher Airlines boss remains on bail since his arrest on an extradition warrant in April last year. He will return for his extradition hearing next month, after which the court is expected to set a timeline for a judgment in that case. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), representing the Indian government, says it has successfully established a prima facie case of fraud against the industrialist.

Mallya's lawyers have claimed the criminal charges against him are without substance and politically motivated. They have also challenged the case on human rights grounds, questioning the conditions at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where the businessman is to be held post-extradition.
A team from the Karnataka small industries development corporation had visited the industries to assess the losses. (Representational image)

Mangaluru: The Kanara small industries association has requested Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to bail out small entrepreneurs whose businesses have been 'gravely hit' by the devastation caused by heavy rains and flooding in the city on May 29.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the association president Gaurav Hegde said the heavy rains and floods had caused huge losses to the tune of Rs 10 crore to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) already reeling under the impact of demonetisation and GST.

The natural calamity had turned out to be a big blow to these industries, he said and wanted the government to extend help by providing adequate compensation to recover from the losses.

Hegde claimed that at least 50 to 60 industrial units were inundated by flood water resulting in damage to raw materials, finished goods, packaging materials, machines, motors, electrical panels and transformers.

Many of these industries are located at the Baikampady industrial area, the letter said.

Production at many industries had stopped for a period ranging from two to 20 days after the flooding, and without government help some of the units might not be able to resume functioning, it added.

A team from the Karnataka small industries development corporation, Karnataka industrial area development board and Mangaluru city corporation had visited the industries to assess the losses.
This is not the first time, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu has gone after the Modi government on issues of taxation. A few months ago, he played the federal card and accused the Centre of diverting tax revenues collected from southern states for the development of northern states. This time, however, he has taken it to the next level.

Mr Naidu has asked why the state governments should pay taxes to the Central government when the latter is not releasing funds for various projects, particularly the new capital Amaravati.

This is not only a controversial, but also a problematic stance. Mr Naidu with his remarks and threats joins the ranks of chief ministers who attempt to treat the states as their personal fiefdom.

Continuing his tirade against the Centre, Mr Naidu, speaking at the event Peoples Capital Amaravati Happy City said, Amaravati can generate a lot of revenue for the Centre in the form of income tax, corporate tax, and GST once it is developed into a big and planned city. And then came the barb: But the Centre is reluctant to help us to build the capital. When they are not giving us funds, why should we pay taxes?

By threatening to stop paying taxes Mr Naidu is expanding the horizon of regionalism, fast spreading across the country and becoming a dominant feature in the Indian political scenario. By exhibiting his militant attitude towards the Centre, Mr Naidu is playing to the domestic gallery at the cost of the nation.

In an essay on Centre-State relations Concept of Federation and Centre-State Relations it has been clearly stated that the Indian Constitution provides for a federal system of government but the term federation has nowhere been used in the Constitution. On the other hand, Article 1 of the Indian Constitution describes India, that is Bharat as a Union of States, an expression which implies two things. Firstly, unlike the USA the Indian federation is not the result of an agreement between the units. Secondly, the units have no right to secede from the federation. In fact the states of the Indian federation have no independent existence of their own. Parliament can alter their names and territories without their consent.

The article then goes on to quote author and eminent jurist D.D. Basu: The Constitution of India is neither purely Federal nor purely Unitary but is a combination of both. It is a Union or composite state of novel type. It enshrines the principles that in spite of federation the national interest ought to be paramount.

There have been many instances in the past of chief ministers from the Opposition locking horns with the Centre over funds. Even Mr Modi during his stint as Gujarat chief minister had strongly opposed the GST, which the then UPA regime had tried to push through. Even the other regional satraps ranging from Naveen Patnaik, to Mamata Banerjee, to Arvind Kejriwal to Akhilesh Yadav and Nitish Kumar have time and again crossed swords with the Centre on various issues.

Regional politics at its worst was witnessed in Maharashtra when the local people targeted the north Indians and people from Bihar.

Militant regionalism was witnessed in Assam when the insurgent outfit ULFA attacked non-Assamese and non-indigenous communities. It has been observed that demand of separatism and autonomy is another aspect of regionalism. While Andhra Pradesh under Mr Naidu cannot be viewed as practising militant regional politics and in fact he had opposed the division of the state, the threat to stop paying Central taxes could have far-reaching consequences.

In an essay Regionalism in Indian Politics: Role, Causes & Impact, Christopher Muscato, who teaches at the University of Northern Colorado, writes: In Indian states where regionalism is strongest, state politics are dominated by regional political parties. These political parties are generally only found in that state, only deal with issues of that state, and advocate for the state to find its own solutions to political problems rather than dealing with the national government.

If the states under the garb of federalism threaten to toe the Naidu line, national interest could easily be hurt. The government at the Centre needs to collect tax for the benefit of the country. These benefits range from welfare schemes, subsidies, schemes for the empowerment of poor and payment of salaries to the security forces, which include the Indian Army. When the states pay taxes, they are strengthening the governments hand to carry forward these developments required for nation building. Then there is progressive taxation under which the government taxes the rich to empower the poor.

With taxes shared with or collected from the states and various others sources, the Centre invests in infrastructure, which at the basic level includes bijli, sadak, paani. If the Centre does not do it, who will?

As for Amravati, the Union government claims to have sanctioned nearly Rs 2,500 crore so far. Opposing the government is an essential part of democracy. But opposing it to a level where the economy and welfare of the country is threatened could just be crossing the Lakshman rekha.
Mumbai: Bollywood actor and director Arbaaz Khan might be made witness in the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting case, that allegedly has links to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

The Thane polices anti-extortion cell (AEC) on Saturday recorded Mr Khans statement, where he admitted to placing bets in the IPL via bookie Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Malad. The police has also identified one Dilip Ludhani, the son of a Mumbai-based property developer who operates from Dubai and is stated to be close to Ibrahim.

AEC officials said that Ludhani and another notorious bookie, Junior Calcutta, are also on their radar.

Both of them operate from outside India and are known to be close to the D-gang. Mr Khan was questioned for five hours with Jalan present.

The AEC officials have also learnt that betting money was making its way to Pakistan via Sri Lanka as opposed to Dubai to avoid detection.

The actor has told police that he also suffered losses, pegged to be around Rs 2.75 crore, in betting activities.

We were told by the actor that he placed bets, and we are verifying the details of the same, said Abhishek Trimu-khe, deputy commissioner of police, Thane crime branch.

The investigators, however, stated that Khan placed bets over the phone with Jalan and monetary transactions never took place.

Khan allegedly told the police that a rift had developed between them after he informed the actor that he owed him Rs 2.75 crore.
Lakshmi Manchu on the sets of the film.

Lakshmi Manchus yet-to-be-released Telugu film Wife of Ram has been selected for screening at the Ottawa Indian Film Festival in Canada.

The festival will be held from June 13 to 17, and the jury has selected nine films from different cities to be screened. Lakshmis film is the official selection from Hyderabad.

Wife of Ram is the story of an NGO-worker, Deeksha, who starts her own investigation after her husband is killed. Along the way, she makes surprising discoveries and lands in trouble.

The film has been directed by debutant Vijay Yelakanti, and Lakshmi Manchu is one of the producers.

The director will soon leave for Canada to participate in the festival. The thriller is scheduled to be released in India later this month.
The greatest increased danger was from violent crime: mens risk of being a victim rose by 76% while womens went up nearly three-fold. (Photo: Pixabay)

Having a mental illness makes people more vulnerable to becoming the victims of a crime, a recent analysis suggests.

Based on nationwide data from more than 2 million people in Denmark, researchers found that in the 10 years following a diagnosis with any psychiatric disorder, a mans risk of being the victim of a crime that was reported to police rose by 50 percent. For women, the risk went up by 64 percent compared to women without mental illnesses.

The greatest increased danger was from violent crime: mens risk of being a victim rose by 76 percent while womens went up nearly three-fold, the study team reports in JAMA Psychiatry.

The strongest links between mental illness and crime victimization were among people diagnosed with substance abuse disorders and personality disorders, the study team found.

We hope that the study findings will highlight the importance of the risk of being subjected to crime and violence that people with mental illnesses right across the diagnostic spectrum face, said lead author Kimberlie Dean, associate professor and chair of forensic mental health at the University of New South Wales in Matraville, Australia.

We also hope it will motivate more research to improve our understanding of the risk and how to combat it and (help) towards re-balancing public perceptions about mental illness, she told Reuters Health in an email.

In the wake of recent mass shootings, the public perception has been that the perpetrators of these shootings have been people with mental illness, Dean said, and researchers hope to change that stereotype.

This study confirms what weve known for a long time, which is that people with mental illness are more likely to be victims, not perpetrators of crime. Perpetrators choose victims who seem powerless and helpless, said Dr. Renee Binder, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Psychiatry and the Law program at the University of California, San Francisco Medical School.

I think the study rings true in the U.S., too, Binder, who wasnt involved in the research, said in a telephone interview.

Dean and her colleagues examined data on 2,058,083 individuals born in Denmark between 1965 and 1998. They searched Danish psychiatric registries, including hospital admissions and outpatient treatment, as well as a national police database that codes crimes into categories such as thefts, simple violence, threats, robberies and severe violence.

The researchers followed the group through the end of 2013, matching individuals with new diagnoses of a psychiatric disorder and any involvement in crime thereafter.

Overall, 234,000 people with no mental illness diagnosis were crime victims, which works out to a rate of about 12 incidents per 1,000 people per year. Among people with a diagnosed mental illness, 31,237 were crime victims, or nearly 22 per 1,000 per year.

Dean said the notable gender gap in risk for victimization among people with psychiatric disorders is consistent with previous smaller studies.

When the researchers accounted for some victims also having been involved in crimes as a perpetrator, the risk of victimization associated with having a mental illness was somewhat reduced, primarily for people with substance abuse disorders.

Some of the increased risk of victimization for people with substance abuse disorders and personality disorders might be due to these individuals greater willingness to take risks, Dean said. Individuals with personality disorders also often have difficulties in establishing and maintaining positive relationships with others.

Among the studys limitations is that it is based on registry data and was not designed to prove if, or how, a mental illness might increase the risk of being a crime victim.

(The) notion that mentally ill people pose a danger to others appears to be encrusted like a barnacle on the concept of mental illness submerged in the public mind, writes Jeffrey Swanson, a professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, in an accompanying editorial.

If you look at a description of mass shooters youll get a picture of a young man who is isolated and alienated and emotionally disturbed and has access to firearms. But this description matches thousands of others who are never going to do this, Swanson told Reuters Health in a telephone interview.
The oldest cat in the record books is Creme Puff, of Austin Texas, who died in 2005 aged 38. (Photo: Pixabay)

A British cat named Rubble has been hailed as the worlds oldest feline after turning 30.

He celebrated his birthday with a trip to the vet, where he was given a free check-up.

According to owner Michele Foster, 50, she got him from Exeter as a kitten in May 1988.

The owner added that Rubble has gotten a bit grumpy with age.

His incredible longevity is put down to the fact that Michele never had her own children and pampers him like her child.

Michele adds that despite Rubb;les long life, she would rather keep him out of the limelight as Rubble does not like lots of people coming to see him or a fuss being made out of him.

Shaun Moore, from City Vets who looks after Rubble, said he is the oldest cat on their books.

The oldest cat in the record books is Creme Puff, of Austin Texas, who died in 2005 aged 38.
Honour killing has been a recurring issue in the northern parts of the country for years. But in a scary development, it is slowly raising its head in the South. Last week, the body of a young man who married a woman out of caste against her familys wishes was found in Kerala. There were questions asked about the polices inaction. But few addressed the issue of caste and the bigger issue of killing for honour. We talk to activists, social thinkers on the measures that can be taken to address the issue.

Quick, serious action must

Wanitha Ashok, Social thinker and Activist

I am deeply saddened by this gory incident, its a brutal murder, this animal act in Gods own country is unfathomable. Every Holy book mentions that, there is only one God but people still choose to go ahead and chop people like they are trees in the name of caste that makes us worse than animals. Whats in a caste when it comes to your childrens happiness? Its sad that while the world is forging ahead technologically and evolving as superior beings, we have people who live like cavemen. Havent people heard about sitting down and having a conversation and sorting things out? Who gives them the right to own others life? My heart goes out to the family members and the young girl. Policemen who are supposed to protect us, being a part of this heinous crime is saddening. Quick and serious action should be taken and punishment should be grave so that there is no repetition of such acts ever in the future.

Let girls, boys make their own choices

Ranjana Kumari, Activist and Director, Centre for Social Research

It is shocking. Normally we say that cultural and social shift will take place when education and development levels are high and Kerala is a niche example of such state. But this whole caste system is deep-rooted irrespective of state and the political class is responsible for it. The leadership should change and help in transformation of the society instead of forcing these wrong . Secondly, when certain incidents happen, especially down the South, no leadership is worth the mean. To remove these issues, the culprits should be punished. Work towards delusion of caste system in India. We need to do strong mobilisation in the country. Also, let girls and boys make their own choices. The Supreme Court has already made a judgement saying that for love and marriage you dont have to ask family, community or religious people, you can make your own decisions. People all over the country should be made aware of this.

Time to rethink

Sandeep Aikyam, Social Activist

Honor killing per se is a law and order issue, but it has a sociological aspect. If this is raising its head down South, it shows how society is regressing. After attaining all these progress, education and awareness, we are regressing. Why are people separating themselves in terms of caste? If society has equal opportunities and access, there is no need for people to feel separated. We are still living in bubbles of caste and creed. We need to rethink as to how we can achieve it. We should open up our education facilities and all resources for everyone and empower them.

Call it caste atrocity

Kalpana Kannabiran, Director of Council for Social Development

Its not apt to refer to it as honour killing. Honour killing is prevalent not only in the North, but if you check the data, there are so many kidnapping cases filed against boys. In Tamil Nadu, I heard a case where a man killed his daughter who married a person belonging to a different caste, claiming that for him, caste was more important than his daughter. It is all caste atrocity and not honour killing. When we say honour, many questions arise like whose honour, what honour is it about? It is just plain murder. All those Dalit men are killed for marrying girls of other caste, that too by the girls family. There is no way out. Caste system sanctions violence, which should stop right away.

Sensitisation is important

Sudha Ramalingam, Activist

Honour killing is a misnomer; to deem that a womans exercise of choice violates the family honour is regressive. This patriarchal attitude denies women their basic right to live as autonomous persons. Unfortunately, often, police and other state authorities are sympathetic to perpetrators of these acts because of their own patriarchal attitudes. The solution is not simple or quick. Swift prosecution in this case can serve as a deterrent to future crimes, but more importantly, there needs to be sensitisation of people and law enforcement agencies alike, as to constitutional values of gender equality and awareness that violence in the name of moral policing or honour killing is reprehensible and criminal.
Pranab Mukherjee was one of India's most distinctive head of state. He set an impeccable bipartisan record as a politician who transformed into a statesmanlike President. It shows his breadth of vision and his understanding of inclusivity if he has accepted an invitation to address the RSS, the far right voluntary organisation that is the ideological arm of the ruling BJP and the chief propagandist and promoter of Hindutva thought.

An enormous fuss is being made that Pranab Da has chosen to attend and preside over the function. It has been pointed out that leading luminaries have visited the RSS in the past although few would endorse its most recent forays into dividing the polity after its political wing was voted into office four years ago.

It might just seem fair that his much anticipated speech be heard before Pranab Da is judged, either by members of his old political party, the Congress or the people in general and Twitterati in particular. As President, Pranab had held fast to his secular outlook and he is unlikely to change. To address the RSS might be a delicate task for him but he is capable of statesmanship as much as he is of speaking his mind. It is an interesting event at which he will be speaking this week and his words will be weighed even as he speaks them.

Anshul Saxena @AskAnshul

When Nehru invited RSS in 1963 Republic Day parade.

When Indira Gandhi attended RSS event in 1977.

Then What's the problem if Former President Pranab Mukherjee attend RSS event? Congress needs to learn historical facts

Anit Ghosh @Indianit07

Congress has no problem when ex Vice President Hamid Ansari attended Kerala based Terror organisation PFI's conference!

But Congress & Rahul Gandhi has a problem on Ex President Pranab Mukharjee's Involvement in RSS Event!

Really No One Understand Congress!

#GauravPradhan @DrGPradhan

When Manmohan Singh and Hamid Ansari attend and promote book launch of Ex ISI chief .... It is tolerance

When Pranab Da attend RSS event it is intolerance

Still some HINDUS think @RahulGandhi can be PM of India

Ipsit Pallav@Ipsit_Pallav

It is so ironical of the so called liberal intellectuals criticising Pranab Da just because he chose the invitation to address the RSS cadres.Their rhetorics and the language towards a fmr Indian President is extremely shameful. #PranabForRSS

Totlani Krishan@kktotlani

#PranabForRSS After becoming President Pranab Da is now well above the politics & if he accepts to address the cadre of RSS, i don't see any reason why Congress party should oppose it ?

Girish Alva @girishalva

"What a shocker to Dynasty" RSS, a volunteer org, portrayed as a terrorist org by dynasty & it's PiDis, some of whom coined d word Hindu terror to discredit RSS. Pranab da accepting to attend RSS meet is another defeat to COMMUNAL congis. #PranabForRSS

Advaita Kala @AdvaitaKala

Unnecessary outrage over former President and Congress stalwart Dr Pranab Mukerjee accepting RSS invitation. After all none other than Pt Nehru invited RSS to participate in the Republic Day Parade

Hardik Aatekar @Hardik_Aatekar

Mani Aiyyer of congress can sit in Pakistan but Pranab Mukherjee cannot accept RSS invite. What an hypocrisy by Congress and pseudo Liberals

Deepak Kher@deeepakkher

#PranabForRSS #PranabWithRSS #PranabAtRSSEvent Whats the big deal if Pranab Mukherjee has consented to be the Chief Guest at a #RSS function? He can elaborate his views at that event & in fact tell the graduating class a few home truths as he sees them. Why is #Congress worried?

Warrior Princess@MyloMegha

If Frm President Pranab Mukherjee is planning to come back in politics he will lose his stature and respect.. He should serve people of this Country just like Abdul Kalam Sir did... He shdn't thrive for power #PranabForRSS #PranabWithRSS

bahuvirupaksha @bahuvirupak

Let us not get carried away. Pranab has agreed to be a guest. Nothing more. Nothing less And who needs certificated from the corrupt criminal communal dynastic fascists anyway

Amandeep Shukla@amanshukla

Last year, as President, #Pranab Mukherjee had addressed an event organised by an #RSS affiliate Bharat Shikshan Mandal in New Delhi. Probably, not many in the Congress noticed that. Mukherjee spoke on tolerance for pluralism

Anand Jha@AnandJahh

Let us not jump the gun. These anti national dynasts are capable of overturning anyone's personal POV. Hope #Pranabda stands his ground

Suresh@sureshbalann

#PranabForRSS None questioned when Kerala CM E.K Nayanar visited Vatican and gifted Bagavat Geeta to Pope. Where was Marxists hiding at that point of time

Booby prize

UPs Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma has suggested that Lord Rams wife Sita is an example of a test-tube baby. When Sita was born there must have been something like a test-tube baby. (Her father King) Janak ploughed the land and a baby came out of an earthen pot, she became Sita.

UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma

This means technology similar to a test-tube baby must have existed, Dinesh Sharma said at an event to mark Hindi journalism day. At the same function, the minister shared another gem and said journalism started during the Mahabharata.
Bengaluru: A pervert auto driver, who allegedly sexually assaulted a 19-year-old boy, also his passenger, and video-recorded the act to blackmail him, has been arrested by the CK Achukattu police.

The accused, H.S. Rajesh, a resident of Ittamadu, allegedly forcibly removed the boy's clothes, gagged and sexually assaulted him.

The arrest was made after the teenager shared the ordeal with his employer, who advised him to file a police complaint.

Rajesh and the victim, who works at a private company, knew each other as the victim frequently hired the auto from outside his office.

On May 23, the victim, as usual, hired Rajesh's auto from Girinagar to go to his friend's house. Rajesh, whose wife along with children had gone to her parent's house, took the victim to his residence saying that his clothes were dirty and that he needed to change them.

The victim agreed as Rajesh's house was on the way to his friend's house. After reaching home, Rajesh asked the victim to wait in the auto while he went to his house on the fourth floor of a building in Ittamadu.

A few minutes later, Rajesh called the victim to have tea. When the victim went up, he found Rajesh naked.

As the victim tried to step out of the house, Rajesh pulled him in and locked the door.

He then forcibly removed the victim's clothes, gagged him and sexually assaulted the teenager, the police said.

Rajesh also video-recorded the victim naked and blackmailed him saying that if he told anyone about the incident, he would share the clip on the internet.

The teenager, after staying quiet for a few days, gathered courage and shared the ordeal with his employer, who advised him to file a police complaint, leading to Rajesh's arrest.

Rajesh was arrested from his hometown Melkote, where he was hiding after learning that the victim had approached the police.
A day after more than 150 sovereigns of gold jewels were stolen from various locations in Chennai and Kancheepuram.

Chennai: A day after more than 150 sovereigns of gold jewels were stolen from various locations in Chennai and Kancheepuram, miscreants entered two houses in Greater Chennai and robbed nearly 100 sovereigns of gold jewels on Thursday night.

In one of the incidents, robbers entered the house of Pattu Varadhan (60), a retired government employee, by breaking the windows in Injambakkam in Neelangarai.

The robbers entered the house on Thursday evening when Pattu Varadhan and his wife Vijaya had gone outside, police said. When the elderly couple returned home at night, they were shocked to see the windows and four bureaus broken. Nearly 94 sovereigns of gold jewels were stolen from the bureaus. The burglars also took Rs 10,000 cash in the house, police added. Based on Vijayas complaint, Neelangarai police have registered a case and are investigating.

In another incident in the city, burglars entered a house on Bangaru Street in Ayanavaram and stole 5 sovereigns of gold and Rs 25,000 cash. The incident came to light when house owner M. Suresh Babu (40) returned from Karnataka on Thursday night. The locks of the door were broken as also the bureau, police said. Based on his complaint, Ayanavaram police have registered a case and investigation is on.

Miscreants entered Nirmal Xaviers house near Sunguvarchatram on Thursday morning and burgled 100 sovereigns of gold. Pazhavanthangal police arrested a plumber named Jagadeesan on Thursday for stealing from Balavelayutha Dosss house in Pazhavanthangal on Thursday, and recovered 35 sovereigns from him. In another incident, 22 sovereigns of gold were stolen from the house of Iruthayaraj of Arumbakkam on Thursday.
Union minister Sushma Swaraj had promised that the girl would be brought back, while Maneka Gandhi had expressed her anguish.

Hyderabad: Ten months after news broke of the marriage of a minor girl from the city with a 70-year-old Oman national, the government is yet to find a way out to bring her back home.

The case drew national attention to the thriving racket of marriage of young girls to elderly foreign nationals.

Union minister Sushma Swaraj had promised that the girl would be brought back, while her colleague Maneka Gandhi had expressed her anguish at the marriage. The 16-year-old, a resident of Falaknuma, was married to the Omani national against her wishes by her father in May last year.

The issue came to light in August when her mother approached the police, who registered a case on August 16 and launched an investigation.

The Omani national, Ahmed Al Rahbi Ahmed Abdullah Amur, reportedly paid a broker `5 lakh for the marriage that was performed at a farmhouse in Jalpally and took her abroad with a passport based on a fraudulently-obtained Aadhaar card.

The marriage was performed based on the Aadhaar card. Her age was shown as 19 in the Aadhaar card, said a police official who had investigated the case.

In November, the police contacted officials of the ministries of external affairs and women and child development and handed over the documents of the case. Since then, the investigation seems to have come to a standstill.

Based on the evidence, the Falaknuma police arrested a broker named Ghousia, her husband Sajid, and a few others.

Both the ministries are following up the case in Oman through diplomatic channels, said ACP, Falaknuma, Syed Fayaz.

Sources said that a team of Indian consulate official had gone to the residence of the Omani national and asked him to send back the girl.

He showed them the Aadhaar card and said that he had legally married her in India. The girl also was reluctant to return, the source added.

MBT leader Amjedullah Khan said, I contacted the external affairs and women and child development ministries, but there is no reply from the side nor they are letting the family or police know about their plan of action to rescue the girl.

A case was registered against the parents of the girl for their alleged involvement, he said.

Mr Khan added that the parents of the girl had contacted him recently and wanted to know her whereabouts. Some local leaders have reportedly threatened the parents against going public. Since, then they have shifted their residence too, he said.

When it comes to conducting talks with the Omani government and the authorities concerned to bring the girl back, they do not show much enthusiasm, says an official.
The police arrested Waseem, a friend of the 36-year-old victim Jita Mitra, and his four associates Salman, Pradeep Sagar and Sunil Yuvaraj who had abducted Mitra on May 7. (Representational Image)

Bengaluru: Four people, including a realtor, were arrested by the Hebbal police for abducting a call centre owner to extort money and a car from him.

The police arrested Waseem, a friend of the 36-year-old victim Jita Mitra, and his four associates Salman, Pradeep Sagar and Sunil Yuvaraj who had abducted Mitra on May 7.

Mitra had business dealings with Waseem and had invested in real estate with Waseem that earned him big returns. But Waseem, who had not earned equally well, hatched a plan to kidnap Mitra to get a big ransom.

Waseem formed a crime team, asked them to bump into Mitra's car at an isolated place and pick up an argument before kidnapping him on May 7. When it went according to the plan, they took Mitra to a deserted area and tortured. They asked Mitra to call up his friend and ask him to get money. Mitra, without knowing his involvement, called up Waseem and asked him to get Rs 2 lakh. Waseem informed his associates to release Mitra before telling him that the money had been paid, while no cash changed hands.

Mitra filed a complaint with the Hebbal police, who summoned Waseem to get details of the ransom paid. But he started avoiding, raising their suspicion. When he was detained and interrogated, he cracked admitting to hatching the plot. Another accused Syed is on the run.
Chennai: Four days after a charred body of a woman found on Chennai-Tiruchy National Highway in Chengalpattu, police had determined her identity, on Saturday. The woman was identified as 33-year-old Pokkisha Mary of Anna Nagar.

Chengalpet taluk police, who was in regular rounds, had found a womans body burning near a bush on Chennai-Tiruchy NH in Pazhaveli. The police doused the fire and took the body to Chengalpet Government hospital mortuary. Initially, the police had thought that the deceased person as transgender, but the post-mortem revealed that the body was a female and the deceased was raped and murdered, the police said.

Meanwhile, the police also initiated an enquiry to determine the identity of the deceased and informed various police stations that received missing complaints. Many complainants visited the mortuary and none of them identified the woman. As the woman had a clip on her teeth, a Kerala-based family, who had filed a woman missing complaint with local police visited the hospital, on Saturday. Although the Kerala girl too had a clip on teeth, she did not wear a nose ring. So they returned to Kerala, the police said.

Knowing about the nose ring, Arul Doss of Anna Nagar visited and identified the deceased as his daughter Pokkisha Mary (33), who went missing on May 26. Following the identity, the Anna Nagar police and Chengalpet taluk police have coordinated to find the reason for the murder.

Meanwhile, the Anna Nagar police with the help of Marys phone contacts had arrested Bala (40) of Anna Nagar on Saturday night and handed over to Chengalpattu Taluk police. Bala and Mary were said to be in a relationship and recently they parted ways. Infuriated by her shunning, Bala had allegedly murdered her after abusing her, the police said.
KOCHI: The police in Kochi on Saturday arrested a couple from Wadakkanchery for allegedly abandoning their two-day-old infant on the St. Georges Forane Church premises in Edappally Friday night. Police booked Bitto, 37, and Pravitha, 29, under section 317 IPC for abandoning a child under 12 years of age, section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act and IPC section 34 for common intention. The inter-religious couple was already having three children aged eight, four and three.

Mr Bitto, the father, told cops that they decided to abandon the newborn fearing friends and acquaintances making fun of them for frequent pregnancy and financial difficulties. The first three kids are boys while the abandoned infant was a baby girl. According to the cops, the rest of the family were unaware of the pregnancy. Even the couple realised the pregnancy only after six months, and by the time, it was too late for an abortion. So, they decided to abandon the child, an officer said.

The woman gave birth around 3.30 am on Friday at a hospital in Thrissur. The couple then managed to leave the hospital without the staff noticing them.

They boarded a train to Kochi to reach the church and abandoned baby next to a confession box in the church. The police traced the couple using the CCTV footage widely circulated on the social media.

A person from Wadakkanchery who identified the man in the footage contacted the police. Mr Bitto was taken into custody from his residence on Saturday morning, while the babys mother presented herself before the police in the evening. The couple was produced before a magistrate. The infant was admitted to a local hospital on Friday after being handed over to Angamaly Sisubhavan. The health of the baby was found to be sound.
The Womens Forum on Thursday had demanded Bhaskaracharys immediate arrest. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: The Osmania University police arrested Dr K. Bhaskarachary, a scientist at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), for alleged sexual harassment of a girl student.

Osmania University police inspector G. Jagan said Bhaskarachary, a Grade E scientist and PhD supervisor, has been suspended by NIN. The NIN had carried out an internal inquiry, and the report would be submitted to the Indian Council of Medical Research.

The Womens Forum on Thursday had demanded Bhaskaracharys immediate arrest.

Forum president P.M. Lakshmi said. We have been going from pillar to post. We are happy that he has been arrested.

On May 10, NIN director Dr R. Hemalatha had received a written complaint from the student based on which she constituted a high-powered committee to probe the matter and suspended him.

Following the charges of the student, from West Bengal who is pursuing her masters in science (Applied Nutrition), the scientist was booked under the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
BJP national president Amit Shah took to Twitter to express his concern over the killing. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the alleged murder of another party worker and said her government has failed to maintain law and order in the state.

"Distressed to know about yet another killing of BJP karyakarta Dulal Kumar in Balarampur, West Bengal. This continued brutality and violence in the land of West Bengal is shameful and inhuman. Mamata Banerjee's govt has completely failed to maintain law and order in the state," he said in a tweet (sic).

"I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family. I along with millions of BJP karyakartas share grief of Dulal Kumar's family. May God give his family the strength to withstand this irreparable loss," he said.

Also Read: Another BJP worker found hanging in West Bengal, CID to probe death

The 35-year-old man's body, who the BJP said was its worker, was on Saturday found hanging from a high-tension tower in Purulia, triggering protests by locals, the police said. The incident comes two days after the BJP claimed that its worker Trilochon Mahato (20), who was found hanging from a tree at Balarampur in the district on May 30, was killed by the Trinamool Congress.

However, the TMC has denied the allegation.
The centre has constituted the Cauvery Water Management Authority in compliance with a top court order. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The centre on Friday constituted the Cauvery Water Management Authority in compliance with a Supreme Court order to address the water dispute involving the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

A notification by the Water Resources Ministry said the authority will be headed by a chairman and it will have two whole time and as many part time members. While the whole time members will be appointed by the centre, the other two will be nominated by it.

Besides this, the four states will nominate one representative each as additional part time members of the committee.

The secretary of the authority shall also be appointed by the centre.

The notification comes weeks after the Supreme Court while disposing of all applications regarding Cauvery dispute on May 18, approved the proposed 'Cauvery Water Management Authority' and asked the centre to notify it in the official gazette and give effect to it with "promptitude before onset of impending monsoon".
Airbus, at present, has more than 300 aircrafts flying in the Indian skies and another 530 have been ordered by Indian carriers. (Photo: @MoCA_GoI | Twitter)

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has asked aircraft manufacturer Airbus to build planes in India under the Make in India' initiative and contribute to the country's growing aviation sector.

Prabhu visited the Airbus facility in Toulouse on Friday during his ongoing visit to France and said that if Airbus decides to make aeroplanes in India, it will lead to job creation and will be a win-win situation for both.

Visited the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France. Growing Indian aviation sector, stress on regional connectivity leading to more demand. It is also an opportunity for global aircraft manufacturers," the minister tweeted after the visit.

"Impressed upon them to Make In India. We will work on a roadmap," the minister said.

Airbus, at present, has more than 300 aircrafts flying in the Indian skies and another 530 have been ordered by Indian carriers. Speaking to PTI recently, the minister had said: I will be meeting top bosses of Airbus and try to request them to start manufacturing aircrafts in India".

Airbus Commercial Aircraft, India President Srinivasan Dwarakanath, had in March, on the sidelines of the Wings India aviation event in Hyderabad, said that Airbus will be delivering one plane on an average per week to airlines in India over the next 10 years.

The company in its India market forecast estimated that the country would need 1,750 new aircrafts over the next 20 years (2017-2036), comprising 1,320 single-aisle and 430 wide-body planes, valued at USD 255 billion.

The Indian Embassy in France too tweeted about Prabhu's visit to the facility and said the minister saw passenger planes being built at Toulouse.
Medical tests later confirmed that the girl was raped before being brutally killed. (Representational image)

Faridabad: In a horrifying incident, a four-year-old girl was raped, brutally murdered and her body was stuffed inside a container in Haryana's Faridabad.

The incident took place on Thursday in Asaoti village in Faridabad's Palwal.

According to reports, the accused was an employee at the victim's father's sweet shop. He dumped the body in a container and kept it at his residence.

According to an NDTV report, the accused, 24-year-old Bhola alias Virender, left the sweet shop at 1:30 pm, saying he will drop the girl home, police said. But they both could not be traced till late evening.

When family members with the help of villagers reached Bhola's residence to inquire about the child they were shocked to find the four-year-old's body dumped inside a large container.

Medical tests later confirmed that the girl was raped before being brutally killed. An FIR has been registered under sections of Indian Penal Code and POCSO at Sadar police station, Palwal.

A police official said, Bhola had been married two years ago but, he did not live with his wife.
He suggested that the Narendra Modi government should have better communication to remove the wrong perception created against it. (Photo: File/PTI)

Ranchi: Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan on Friday alleged that Lalu Prasad in Bihar and Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh have always treated minorities as their "bonded labourers".

The Union Food and Consumer Affair Minister also said that a wrong perception has been created about the Modi government being anti-minority and anti-Dalit. This perception is completely wrong as the present government has done a lot for both the sections of society, said Paswan, who is the chief of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), an ally of the BJP.

"(RJD chief) Lalu Prasad in Bihar and (Samajwadi Party patriarch) Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh have always treated minorities as their bonded labourers," he said during an interaction with editors of newspapers and channels in the Jharkhand capital.

"On the other hand the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has done real work to change their social status," Paswan, a prominent Dalit leader, said.

To a question about his party continuing in the ruling coalition in the 2019 general elections after results of bypolls went against the BJP-led NDA on Thursday, he said, "there is no question of changing sides."

"I have already made an experiment and minorities have voted for me and my party candidates even when my party fought the elections in alliance with the BJP. This is a completely wrong perception that whichever party will go with BJP, will lose minority votes," he said.

He suggested that the Narendra Modi government should have better communication to remove the wrong perception created against it.

It should also properly inform the society about its efforts for betterment of minorities and Dalits in order to counter the criticisms of the opposition, Paswan said.

He claimed, "I can bet that no government in the history of the country has taken so many concrete steps that would benefit the most backward segments of the society, including Dalits and minorities.

Paswan said, a hue and cry was made by the Congress in the aftermath of assault on some Dalits at Una in Gujarat two years ago.

"The party, which did little for seven decades except paying lip-service to its vote-bank of Dalits, Muslims and Brahmins, made it an election issue when the state went to polls more than a year after the incident took place," he said.

The LJP chief was of the opinion that the union government, BJP and all the other NDA allies should aggressively counter the "misinformation" campaign of the opposition, especially the Congress in view of the 2019 general elections.

He said the perception about the Modi government needs to be changed.

In response to a question about the allegations of Shiv Sena, an NDA ally, making statements against the BJP after losing the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll in Maharashtra, he said, "They (Shiv Sena) should clearly decide whether they want to remain in the NDA or not".

He said it is the fault of the Shiv Sena because it has been indecisive about its own course.

In Maharashtra, the BJP and the Shiv Sena have common constituencies and if the people like the BJP, it is for the Shiv Sena to decide about its future course, Paswan said.

Paswan and Mansukh L Mandaviya, Minister of State of Road Transport and Highways, were in Ranchi to meet the editors on the completion of four years of the Narendra Modi government.
Through RuPay, users will be able to make payments at all NETS acceptance points across Singapore. (Photo: @narendramodi | Twitter)

Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday purchased a Madhubani painting using a RuPay card during his visit to the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore. Madhubani painting (or Mithila art) is practised in the Mithila region of India and Nepal.

PM Modi received a rapturous welcome on his arrival at the centre, which traces the journey of the Indian community in the Southeast Asian region and showcases the culture, heritage and history of Indian Singaporeans and it is located at Campbell Road in the Little India Precinct and was launched in 2015.

"Commendable efforts by the Indian Heritage Centre to bring Singapore and India even closer. Using a RuPay card, I bought a splendid Madhubani painting," PM Modi tweeted.

Commendable efforts by the Indian Heritage Centre to bring Singapore and India even closer. Using a RuPay card, I bought a splendid Madhubani painting. pic.twitter.com/TpzJdLUlxz  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2018

PM Modi had launched three Indian mobile payment apps -- BHIM, RuPay and SBI -- in Singapore on Thursday, saying the international launch of these apps reflects Digital India.

Through RuPay, users will be able to make payments at all NETS acceptance points across Singapore.
The video which is doing rounds in social media since Thursday, was shot on May 12 during the ladies sangeet of Sanjeev's brother-in-law in Gwalior. (Screengrab)

Mumbai: So you think you can dance? Here is a challenge, dance like this electronics professor from Madhya Pradesh whose moves are electric and has created rage across all social media.

Sanjeev Srivastava, an assistant professor at Bhopals Bhabha Engineering Research Institute, is ruling the social media for a couple of days now. In the dance video which has gone viral on the internet, Sanjeev is seen shaking his leg to actor Govinda starrer song Aapke Aa Jane Se from the movie Khudgarz released in 1987.

Best wedding performance selected by UNESCO pic.twitter.com/XPmLbmRKld  Gautam Trivedi (@KaptanHindustan) May 30, 2018

For the 46-year-old Sanjeev, the recognition he sought as a teenager has finally found him in his middle age. He said he had never thought that a one-minute video of his dancing, that too at a family function would go viral on social media.

Sanjeev says he has learnt the dance skill from his mother and he follows the yesteryear dancing sensation Govinda in real life.

The video which is doing rounds in social media since Thursday, was shot on May 12 during the ladies sangeet of Sanjeev's brother-in-law in Gwalior.

Srivastava had to take an off from his lectures on Friday just to field calls from friends, relatives and the media. Its kind of crazy. Feels wonderful, Sanjeev said.

During an interaction with news agency ANI, Sanjeev said, "This is an unreal feeling. I can't believe my dance video has gone viral. I thank everyone for the love and support. I have been dancing since 1982 and my idol is Govinda ji."

He added saying that he is hoping that more opportunities would come his way since his dance videos have become popular on the internet.

Sanjeev has garnered heaps of praises and his dance videos have become an internet sensation. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted, Professor Sanjeev Srivastava Ji ki zindadili ne pure Bharat mein internet par tehelka macha diya hai. Mano ya na mano, Madhya Pradesh ke paani mein, kuchh toh khaas baat hai (The liveliness of professor Sanjeev Shrivastava has swept the country and internet. There is something special about Madhya Pradesh).

Actors Raveena Tandon and Divya Dutt also praised Sanjeev on the social media.
US President Donald Trump with Kim Yong Chol (L) former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong Un's closest aides, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Friday. (Photo: AP)

Washington: US President Donald Trump confirmed that his Singapore Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would take place on June 12, and said it would begin the process of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump's announcement came at the end of a nearly 80-minute meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol.

Kim Yong Chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump. "The meeting went very well. We'll be meeting on June 12th in Singapore. It went very well. It's really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation," Trump said at an impromptu press conference with the White House pool soon after the North Korean envoy left. Kim Yong Chol arrived in Washington DC after two days of talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York. Trump acknowledged that denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was going to be a long process.

"I think it'll be a process. I never said it goes in one meeting. But the relationships are building, and that's a very positive thing," he said. Confident that the North Koreans wanted to achieve this goal, he said they want other things along the line.

"I think they want to do that. I know they want to do that. And they want other things along the line. They want to develop as a country. That's going to happen. I have no doubt," the US President said.

Trump said countries in the region  Japan and South Korea  were also involved in this. "We're involved in terms of getting everything. Everybody wants the United States. So we're going to help in the process. Without us, it wouldn't happen. But I think that you see a lot of very positive things, including with China. I think you see a lot of very positive things happening with President Xi, who has helped me quite a bit with this. So we'll see where it leads," he said.

The President went on to confirm that the summit would take place in Singapore on June 12.

"It will be a beginning. I don't say and I've never said it happens in one meeting. You're talking years of hostility, problems and hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end," he added. Responding to a question, Trump said he had never cancelled the meeting.

His letter to Kim Jong-un was in response to statements coming from them. "My letter was a response to their letter. The media forgot that. You know, the media said, 'Oh, you had a meeting, then you cancelled.' I didn't cancel the meeting. I cancelled it in response to a very tough statement. And I think we're totally over that. Now we're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process," he said.

"We are meeting with the Chairman (Kim Jong-un) on June 12 (in Singapore). It is ultimately going to be a successful process," Trump said.

The president described the letter as very interesting and nice. "It was actually very interesting because this was literally going to be the delivery of a letter, and it ended up being a two-hour conversation with the second-most powerful man in North Korea," he said.

"We talked about almost everything. We talked about sanctions," Trump added. Based on the talks, Trump said the North Korean leader was committed to denuclearisation. "I do think so. He'd like to see it happen. He wants to be careful. He is not going to run and do things. But I told him, to be honest with you, look, we have sanctions on; they're very powerful sanctions. We would not take sanctions off unless they did that. But the sanctions are very powerful. You're going to see how powerful sanctions are when it comes to Iran. You see what that's doing to Iran," he said.

The President said he looked forward to the day when the sanctions could be lifted Trump, however, said the current level of sanctions on North Korea would remain. "It's going to remain what it is now. I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore because we're getting along," he said. He said the United States was unlikely to offer much aid to North Korea, which would be taken care of by South Korea and Japan.

Responding to a question, Trump said he was concerned about the recent visit of the Russian foreign minister to Pyongyang.

"I didn't like it, but it could be very positive, too. I didn't like the Russian meeting yesterday. If it's a positive meeting, I love it. If it's a negative meeting, I'm not happy," he said. Trump said they also talked about ending the Korean war.

"We talked about ending the war. This war has been going on -- it's got to be the longest war -- almost 70 years, right? And there is a possibility of something like that. That's more of a signing of a document that it's very important in one way. Historically, it's very important. But we'll see. We did discuss the ending of the Korean War," he said.

The United States, Trump said, was going to ensure the security of Kim Jong-un. "We're going to make sure when this is over, it's over. It's not going to be starting up again. They have a potential to be a great country. I think South Korea, Japan and China are going to help a lot," he said.
New Delhi: By negotiating access to the strategically located Sabang island in Indonesia and by inking an implementation pact with Singapore for logistic support for naval platforms including submarines, India is being seen as having attained a huge strategic foothold in south-east Asia, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed home after a tour widely seen as successful.

Meanwhile, before his return to India on Saturday, Mr Modi in Singapore visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy.

In a region marked by increased Chinese economic and military assertiveness, India has extremely close defence ties with Vietnam, but has put forth a determined effort to strengthen strategic ties with other ASEAN nations as well in a move to broadbase support in the region. India and Singapore are cooperating not only on land, but also in the seas! At the Changi Naval Base I got an opportunity to witness the deep-rooted naval cooperation betw-een our two nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

He also interacted with the officers and sailors on board the Indian Navys Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Satpura, according to news agency reports from Singapore.

In a major defence initiative, India had on Friday inked an implementation pact with Singapore between the two navies for Coordination, Logistics and Services Support for naval ships, submarines and naval aircraft. The defence pact was an Implementation agreement between Indian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy concerning Mutual Coordination, Logistics and Services Support for Naval Ships, Submarines and Naval Aircraft (including Ship borne Aviation Assets) visits.

Earlier this week, Mr Modi and Indonesian President Joko Widodo held talks in Jakarta and confirmed the setting up of a Joint Task Force to undertake projects.
Hyderabad: A farmer from Hyderabad who was on a pilgrimage was burnt alive when the car he was travelling caught fire at Rimmanaguda in Siddipet district on the Rajiv Rahadari on late on Friday night.

The incident occurred very close to the spot where a major accident had claimed 14 lives last Saturday. The victim was identified as Dugyala Bhuma Rao, 55, a relative of irrigation minister T. Harish Rao.

According to Siddipet police, Bhuma Rao was a Macha Bolarum located on the city outskirts. He used to stay with his wife and grandchildren; his daughter is abroad and his son-in-law is working in Bengaluru.

He was heading to the Komuravelli Mallanna temple in Siddipet district for a night stay. When the vehicle (AP 11P 8686) reached Rimmanaguda village, a fire broke out in the vehicle and engulfed it even before he could stop the car and get out.

Police who visited the spot said they found broken pieces of window panes, which suggested that Bhuma Rao had attempted to escape unsuccessfully. Based on the registration number of the car, Police traced his son-in-law and informed him.

Police found that the vehicle was registered in the name of one Dugyala Roja and it had changed hands three times which made it difficult for them to trace the original owner.

Police handed over Bhuma Raos remains of the family after an autopsy. Police suspects that a short circuit in the vehicle triggered the fire.

Traffic came to a halt on the busy highway for about one hour, till the fire was doused.
A replica of Clock Tower has been set up at Peoples Plaza on the occasion of Telangana Formation Day on Saturday.

Hyderabad: The State Formation Day celebrations at the Parade Ground left commuters fuming in a peak-hour traffic jam due to VIP movement. Many motorists took to Twitter to share their woes. Ameerpets Smriti Narayan said, We expect better during the state formation celebrations. So many of us had to sit in our cars for more than an hour before the road cleared up. (sic)

Traffic inspector Chandrashekar Reddy said, We put up many signages and issued a notification of diversions. Many drivers ignored the signs. He said the YMCA flyover had to be blocked for half-an-hour which led to the jam.

There was unprecedented rush at the food festival at Peoples Plaza. Ms Nandita Das, a techie, said, We were expecting a rush. However, this was unexpected. All those who wish to visit the festival are better off using public transport, Ms Das said.

A traffic cop stated that they would ensure a smoother flow of vehicles for the rest of the festival. Motorists would no longer be allowed to park on the sides of the road. The traffic jam was caused by careless parking of vehicles, mainly two-wheelers. These vehicle owners would be penalised for obstructing traffic.
Actor Rajinikanths remarks on intrusion of anti-social elements into a peaceful anti-Sterlite march to the district collectors office at Thoothukudi on May 22, converting it to a violent one that resulted in the loss of 13 lives and injuring around 140 on both sides of the protesters and police, may not have been wide off the mark.

Thoothukudi: Actor Rajinikanths remarks on intrusion of anti-social elements into a peaceful anti-Sterlite march to the district collectors office at Thoothukudi on May 22, converting it to a violent one that resulted in the loss of 13 lives and injuring around 140 on both sides of the protesters and police, may not have been wide off the mark. His observations draw attention to the need for vigilance, if one sees the sequence of the events here on that fateful day.

After 99 days of peaceful protests in the villages around the copper smelter plant since February 11, the Thoothukudi District Anti-Sterlite Forum  a federation of several anti-sterlite outfits, had decided to lay siege to the collectors office indefinitely by gathering thousands of people to mark the 100th day of their relay protest on May 22.

Outwardly, the stated objective of the protesters though, to gherao the district collectorate, which the village leaders said in public till they commenced the protest march from Our Lady of Snows Church from the beach road, however, has not been denied by the rally leaders. They continue to maintain that the march towards the collectors office was only to petition the district administration and not with the intention of laying siege to the collectors office. (This they may say to project their innocence.)

Significantly, on the morning of May 20, two days ahead of the day of the tragic happenings, at a peace talk held by former district SP, Mahendran with some 23 members who included traders representatives and a section of the protest leaders including seniors like retired Prof. Fathima Babu, the police official advised them to only hold a peaceful protest (in contra to the indefinite siege of collectorate plan) between 9 am to 5 pm (on May 22), at the SAV School ground near the old bus stand in the heart of the port-town. They agreed to the SPs suggestion apparently in writing.

However, the agreement with the district SP by a section of influential protesters, was resented by the more virulent (Vegamaaga sella ninaikkum poratta nabargal). The hardliners soon convened a meeting on the evening of May 20 at Pandarampatti village. They brought together all the other protesting groups/factions to form a district-level forum mentioned above. That meeting, organised by some advocates close to Makkal Adhikaram, took a different line and they expelled the 23 persons including Ms. Fathima Babu, who earlier took part in the peace meeting with the SP, from the joint protesters forum. This internal split in their ranks reflected when the protesters initially gathered near the old bus stand on May 22 morning. The seniors including trade representatives then backed out at that point.

It is also important to keep in mind the speeches made by some of those, who were in the forefront of the protest on the previous day of the fateful rally. Vasanthy, a 52-year-old lady, addressing the protesters at the preparatory meeting held at Pandarampatti village (on May 20 evening), had said that the protesters should be grouped in tens to attack one policeman. Moreover, it is to be noted that Vasanthi is the mother of the youth, Santhosh Raj (22), who questioned the state minister for Information and Publicicty, Mr. Kadambur Raju, the deputy Chief Minister, Mr. O Panneerselvam and also Rajinikanth, when they visited the injured at the hospital. Sathosh Raj is under treatment for head injury.

Ringing the church bell, the clergy gathered around 5,000 people, mostly belonging to Catholic Fernandez group, at Our Lady of Snows Church, from where the procession commenced on May 22 morning. On the way, people joined to make it around 20,000. Catholic clergy in civil dress too participated in the mass procession that, however, was stopped at Thoothukudi South police station, from where the prohibitory order under section 144 Cr.P.C. was in force. The front-liners in the rally yet continued their march pushing aside the policemen, numbering around 20.

This success in violating the prohibitory order and brushing past the policemen enthused the youths, who showed their might by lifting and throwing down the steel barricades. Some also threw chappals at the policemen. Another set of police with just lathis, led by Tirunelveli range DIG Kapil Kumar Saratkar stopped the procession at VVD signal near the famous VVD oil factory.

The attempt by the police however, turned counterproductive. Despite the proportionately small number of police, numbering around 50, resorting to a lathi-charge to disperse the mob, they were stoned by the people in the rally. Some of them grabbed the lathis from the cops and beat the men in uniform.

Unable to withstand the mob attack, the DIG and his men retreated, giving free hand to the mob that even damaged the concrete blocks used as road dividers for about two kilometres until they reach the third mile, where many of the leaders, like Krishnamurthy, S Raja, Prabhu some clergymen who pivoted the 100-day protest left the rally. The left party-men went as a separate group in the procession and Human Rights activist, Henry Tiphagne left the rally. It was after this point on the other side of the third mile bridge, the mob became completely unruly to attack the riot control vehicle that fired tear gas to warn the people from moving further. This happened in front of the FCI gowdown, where a team of around 50 policemen with lathis led by Tirunelveli district SP, Dr Arun Sakthi Kumar, were literally driven away by the rioters, who stoned the police and beat them up.

The street lights and the sign posts in the road were damaged by the mob, who also set on fire two-wheelers parked under the By-pass bridge. The rioters also continuously stoned for about a kilometre from the Third mile bridge to the district collectors office. Around 20 policemen were inside the bus, which however was well driven by the driver, who meandering past the unruly crowd, reached the collectorate premises.

In front of the collectors office, a group of men attacked a policeman, who was injured at the back of his head and fell down. The protesters, however, did not allow the ambulance parked there following which the policeman was taken in a police vehicle to the hospital. After attacking the cop, the same mob capsized a police Sumo and set it ablaze. The Hindu newspaper photographer, Rajesh and Dinakaran photographer, Felix, who were taking pictures of this unruliness of the rioters from the terrace of a nearby shop too were attacked. The camera of a freelance photographer, Balamurugan, was fully damaged by the rioters.

However, before additional number of police force reached the entrance of the collectors office, a section of the rioters entered and started ransacking. They set ablaze 25 two-wheelers of the collectorate staff at the vehicle parking area and capsized the government jeeps. Some of the rioters also tried to enter the office, threatening and pelting stones at the collector office staff inside.

It was at this point the police resorted to firing in which four including the 17-year-old girl, Snowlin Venista were killed inside the collector office premises. While a section of the rioters were indulging in violence at the collectorate premises, around 25 men entered the Sterlite staff quarters--Tamira-II, located adjacent to the district collectors office and set ablaze 25 cars and two- wheelers. Luckily, they could not use the lift of the six-storied apartment blocks, as the power supply was immediately stopped. The families residing on the first five floors took shelter in the houses on the sixth floor.

Among the 13 killed in the riot on May 22 and May 23 (one was killed when police use rubber bullet to disburse a mob at Annanagar fifth street on May 23), 12 were said to have sustained bullet injuries. According to police, Jeyaraman, a cadre of Makkal Adhikaram was from Usilampatti in Madurai district, and Tamilarasan of Puratchikara Ilaignar Munnani was from Kurukkusalai, 35-km away from Thoothukudi.

Among the 102 members of the public injured in the riot, around 30 per cent were from outside Thoothukudi. This included a clergy, Rev Fr Leo Jeyaseelan, who sustained bullet injury above his right hip and is now under treatment. Fr Jeyaseelan is the Parish priest at a church in Nazareth, which is about 50-km from Thoothukudi. When DC reporter met him at the American Mission hospital, where he is undergoing treatment, the clergy said that he came all the way from Nazareth to participate in the rally on his motorbike.

It is to be noted that none of the priests who participated were in their clergy dress. When asked why he did not come in his clergy attire, as the policemen with firearms would at least think twice before using their guns in the presence of recognizable priests, Rev Fr Jeyaseelan said that had he been seen in a priests attire it could create unnecessary problems later.
Hyderabad: In her attempt to stitch up a non-BJP coalition, Trinamul president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is bringing pressure on the Congress and TD leaderships to forge a grand alliance and rope in the Left parties in the two Telugu states to defeat the BJP. It is said Mrs Gandhi was amenable to the suggestion.

Ms Banerjee is also said to be pressurising Mr Naidu to enter into an alliance with the Congress without showing any ego to defeat the the BJP, the common enemy.

Sources said that it was on the advice of Ms Banerjee that Mr Naidu decided to attend the swearing in of JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy as Karnataka Chief Minister recently at Bengaluru. Mr Naidu shared the dais with Mrs Gandhi and AICC president Rahul Gandhi.

The Telugu Desam was formed by the late N.T. Rama Rao as an anti-Congress party. Despite this, NTR himself tried to have an alliance with the Congress, according a book written by former Union minister and close NTR associate, the late P. Upendra.

After the 1994 episode when Mr Naidu became Chief Minister, NTR sent a proposal to then Congress president and Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao that his faction of the TD and the Congress have alliance. NTR proposed that his TD group would leave all Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in AP, and he should get all the Assembly seats, Upendra wrote. This proposal was not accepted by the Congress.

The situation may be different now, but it shows how parties can come together according to the political scenario, said a senior Congress leader.

Ms Banerjee has also advised Mr Naidu to keep in touch with the Left parties for an alliance. According to Ms Banerjee, a TD-Congress-Left alliance will benefit the Congress in Telangana state and the TD in AP.

According to sources, Ms Banerjee has received information that the YSRC is moving close to the BJP. The grand alliance is a must to win more Lok Sabha seats in AP and in TS, Ms Banerjee feels.
The byelection results of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Bihar show that the BJP is on a slippery slope; its communal strategy has come a cropper and its election wizard, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been exposed as a Muggle.

Short of getting rid of the current leadership, there is little that the BJP can do in the limited time available till the general election. An uneducated, abusive and discredited propagandist as Prime Minister and a party president whose body language makes even his partymen flinch cannot really inspire confidence.

The arithmetic also does not favour the BJP. The states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand account for 182 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP had won 158 of these in 2014. The rout in these states in the latest byelections suggests that with a united Opposition, the party cannot repeat that performance.

The most significant byelection result was from Kairana in UP, where the BJPs communal strategy failed. The partys desperation was evident in the election-eve stunt of the Prime Minister in organising a 6-km roadshow to inaugurate a 9-km stretch of a yet-to-be-completed 91-km expressway next to Kairana.

Along with Muzaffarnagar, Kairana had become the BJPs Hindutva nursery in UP. Communal riots were engineered in Muzaffarnagar on the eve of the 2014 general election to consolidate the Hindu vote. The BJP had tried to repeat this formula in the UP Assembly elections by claiming that there was a Hindu exodus from Kairana because of a certain community.

The two dominant communities of Western UP, the Jats and Muslims, were, however, wiser this time around. The dominant Jat party, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) of Ajit Singh, fielded a Muslim woman, ensuring that both communities voted for her. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress supported the common Opposition candidate.

Earlier, the united Opposition had shown its strength in Eastern UP in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur byelections. Its latest success in Western UP shows that UPs heart now beats to a different drum.

That the BJP is in dire straits in the rest of the country is also evident. It has lost all state Assembly byelections in the states it rules except for Uttarakhand.

The sole Lok Sabha victory of the BJP over the Shiv Sena in Palghar in Maharashtra was won with 2.72 lakh votes. However, the total vote of the divided Opposition was more than double that. If there are direct or indirect (in the case of the Shiv Sena), seat adjustments in Maharashtra, then the BJP is history in that state as well.

Its fate depends on whether the Shiv Sena will go back to a BJP alliance in 2019. The Shiv Sena controls the richest municipal corporation of Asia, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in alliance with the BJP. Running the BMC is the main source of the Shiv Senas power. However, if push comes to shove, it can also run the BMC with the support of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.

The Jokihat byelection in Bihar is the third byelection victory of the Rashtriya Janata Dal in a row this year. With the public mood turning against chief minister Nitish Kumar, his government could be brought down by dissidents within his party and a new alliance, minus the BJP, installed.

These byelections also have important lessons for the Congress. The partys future depends entirely on the adjustments and alliances it makes for the general election. Despite losing the peoples mandate decisively in Karnataka, its prolonged negotiations over ministerial portfolios shows that its old arrogance persists.

Any talk of the Congress leading an Opposition alliance, projecting Rahul Gandhi as a potential Prime Minister or refusal to concede space to other Opposition parties will be fatal. The BSP, for example, has a presence in multiple states and the Congress will have to give it a respectable number of seats in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

As for the BJP, the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo will wonder whether it makes sense to hold the state Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram at the end of this year. Losing in one or more of these states would weaken them for 2019.

Early elections are out for the BJP, which made that mistake under Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2004. However, simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and several state Assemblies in April next year are a possibility. According to a plan reportedly being discussed, Assembly elections due at the end of this year could be postponed and state elections due later in 2019 could be brought forward.

Simultaneous elections can be promoted on the grounds of cost-effectiveness and the governments slogan of one nation, one election. The Election Commission may also fall in line as it has itself proposed one year, one election.

As a first step, the BJP could get the chief ministers of states it controls (Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh) to resign in October and impose Presidents Rule. Before the 6-month period for ratification comes up before Parliament, it would be general election time. Until then the BJP-appointed governors will rule these states. Whether the Congress-led government of Mizoram can be convinced remains to be seen.

The second step would be to deal with the states of Haryana and Maharashtra, where elections are due in 2019. The chief ministers of these BJP-ruled states could recommend dissolution of the Legislative Assemblies. They would remain acting chief ministers to oversee the elections. Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha in any case go to the polls along with the Lok Sabha. In this way about 10 to 11 state Assembly elections can be held simultaneously with the general election in April 2019.

This way, Prime Minister Modi can convert the elections into a presidential one, making the campaign about himself, Modi vs Nobody. Simultaneous elections could also attenuate local anti-incumbency in the election-going BJP-ruled states.

However, if the Opposition parties remain united, instead of striking gold, Mr Modi may still be headed for Lonely Gulch in 2019.
Back-to-back bypoll losses in UP, MP and Rajasthan -- all of which have BJP governments, failure to form government in Karnataka and discontent among allies of NDA like Shiv Sena, JD(U) and Akali Dal: all of these have put the ruling Modi-Shah dispensation on the backfoot. Some silence, some poetry, some blame-game, some introspection: these are the responses from the BJPs end.

Talk of Opposition Unity Index: this is the response from the larger part of Indian media, along with why disparate Opposition forces cannot hold on together for long. And, hectic activity in the Congress camp to win friends among regional parties, and at times play second or third fiddle to them is also seen. Interesting is the Congress-BSP tie-up coming ahead even without BSP asking for it.

Does it mean that all is lost for BJP and it is only a question of time when United Opposition with 69 per cent vote-share in the last general elections will vanquish the gargantuan war-chest and formidable RSS army of foot soldiers to defeat Modi-Shah dispensation which commanded 31 per cent votes last time but won due to disunited Opposition?

No, not at all. BJP still has the edge and with some deft steps can regain the narrative. Here are my five suggestions to those who perhaps do not need them as to how BJP can win back India for a second term for Modi.

Bring Ahead Lok Sabha Polls:

First, bring ahead the general elections from April-May 2019 to October-November 2018, advancing by six months, and try to club as many state assembly elections as possible (can go up to 10 at the most). This will deny the much-needed time for Opposition unity, will block the anti-BJP sentiments from swelling further with a possible debacle in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, will prevent the Opposition parties from sinking their historical rivalry and current differences and also prevent them from raising material resources to fight the mother of all elections in India which they are extremely starved of just now. A win in LS and around 10 Assemblies will make BJP central to Indian politics for a decade more, and put Modi-Shah at the core of this position. Too much at stake for BJP just now, and advancing the polls is one major way to take back the narrative.

Owning the Electoral Narrative:

Second, BJP has its own story of the achievements of 48 months of governance ready and in public domain with a dashboard of daily progress. On the other side, the alternative narrative, governance perspective, Common Minimum Program, and counter to BJP's claims are none ready with the opposition. This is the time for BJP to strike the possible gold for the next five years. And it is possible to do with a narrative repeated constantly of an honest hard-working man versus a bunch of opportunists. For this reason, Modi's incentive is to presidentialise the 2019 election while the Opposition's objective is to localise it. A Modi-versus-Rest can have major benefits for Modi as the rest 'united' Opposition may be largely a congregation of parties, leaders and caste chieftains, more out of fear of Modi and for mere survival, than with any concrete strategy and plan.

Pros of Bypoll Losses:

Third, the by-polls losses may not be all that bad. The BJP cadre must be taught to understand this by the top managers commandeered by Amit Shah so that the morale is not down. One, there is no correlation between a party's performance in by-elections and Assembly or Lok Sabha polls. Since 2014, the BJP has only managed to win 5 out of 27 Lok Sabha bypolls held between 2014 and March 2018. Its five wins have come in seats where it was the incumbent  which means the party merely retained power on five occasions and failed to snatch a single seat from the Opposition. And in other seats, in most cases, BJP has increased its votes where the incumbent was an opposition party as seen in West Bengal (though lost a few in UP and Rajasthan etc). The bypoll turnouts are traditionally low and that seems to be a major factor in BJP's losses, especially both in Phulpur and Gorakhpur. While this may indicate the nature of its voter base and even some grievances at the local level against the immediate party leadership, when the referendum is on Modi in next Lok Sabha polls, this trend may get arrested or even reversed because as a brand, Modi's value far outstrips that of his own party's. Also, the nature of bypolls makes the result incumbent on the relative strength of candidates and caste-community calculation of a particular seat. These factors, however, become unimportant when the mode of election becomes presidential and the strengths and weaknesses of local candidates are subsumed within the strengths and weaknesses of the supreme leader/s.

Largest Control of State Governments Ever:

Fourth, despite the current miserable performance in bypolls, the BJP holds power either on its own or with an alliance partner in 20 of India's 29 states. The last time a political party had such a massive political footprint across India was 25 years ago when towards the end of 1993, the Congress held 16 of (then) 26 states  15 on its own and one in alliance. To put this in perspective, when Modi took oath as the prime minister in 2014, the BJP was in power in just seven states. This ought to tell us that when the elections are hyper-localised, the BJP has performed poorly but when the canvas has become bigger, the saffron unit has invariably held an advantage. That's a reason of cheer for BJP in the ensuing LS polls. Alongside state government control, the ruling party has far stronger control over the election machinery, state police and central para military forces, IB and CBI, and a 'disproportionate' influence on the Election Commission, etc, to 'smoothen the rough edges' during a keenly contested poll.

Fighting Power Complacency:

Fifth, the current spate of bypoll losses might not be a bad position for the BJP to be in as it gets ready for the LS home run. The party is less likely to suffer from complacency issues (always a danger when any party assumes such national dominance). Complacency can strike a fatal blow to a party's chances. In 2003, the BJP had done exceedingly well in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh state elections. An elated Vajpayee called for early elections. The rest is history. If the Lok Sabha polls are advanced by six months, every shred of complacency within the cadre-based BJP shall be shed while the amorphous Opposition will still be figuring out its formula to combat the onslaught of BJP-RSS humongous political-electoral machinery, presumably the largest in the world.

The author is School Head, School of Media, Pearl Academy, Delhi and Mumbai. Opinions expressed in this column are solely his.
As the results came in on May 31 of the bypolls, I said on a television programme that there are three basic takeaways from the setback received by the BJP. The first is that perhaps the BJP is underestimating the possibility of Opposition unity; the second is that the BJP needs to help put the NDA house in order and deal better with its allies; and third, that there is genuine and widespread discontent and anger on the ground across a cross-section of the populace, which the BJP can dismiss only at its peril. Thus far, the standard  and disdainful  reaction of BJP leaders and spokesmen is to ridicule the very idea of Opposition unity, or even tactical alignments. But, in several elections in the recent past  and in the last round most spectacularly in Kairana in Uttar Pradesh  we have seen this Opposition unity trounce the BJP. Is the BJP being wise then in believing that such a unity is just a flash in the pan, and in the end, internal contradictions will render it asunder?

It could be right, but politics is about the art of the possible, and the possible often becomes doable when there is no choice left. The BJP knows that so far it has been able to win most elections because the Opposition vote is divided. This happened even in 2014, when there was a genuine wave in favour of Narendra Modi. However, if the BJP knows this so does the Opposition. If the current mood is against the BJP, and the Opposition is convinced that it can successfully harness this anti-incumbency only by coming together, the BJP could be in trouble. Of course, the onus to prove a viable alternative to the BJP lies with the Opposition. It requires a stupendous organisational and ideological resolve for the Opposition to overcome past acrimonies  even hostilities  and forge a cohesive platform that holds the promise not only of electoral winnability but effective governance. The BJP is betting  on the basis of valid precedents  that the task is so formidable that it will not happen. The Opposition is ridden with contradictions galore, where parties that hope to be friends in the future have been bitter rivals in the past. But the coming together of the BSP, SP, RLD and Congress in UP, with devastating consequences for the BJP in Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana, should be a warning signal for the saffron party.

One significant change is that the largest Opposition party, the Congress, appears to be now willing to trim its national ambitions in favour of local alliances where the dominant regional party is allowed the upper hand. This was in evidence after the recent elections in Karnataka where, although the Congress was the larger party, it displayed uncharacteristic maturity in ceding the chief ministers post to its junior ally, the JD(S). This strategy could be in evidence in other states as well, wherever the Congress is not the principal Opposition to the BJP, such as in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Punjab among others. There is also news that wherever possible, the Congress is taking the lead in forming pre-poll alliances. If this is true, it should be a matter of further worry for the BJP, since post-poll alliances are uncertain, with too many predators, and far more prone to being unstable. If such pre-poll alliances are cemented by a common programme of governance, that corresponds to the felt needs of the people, and if further, this is projected in advance to the electorate, and is able to convince it that, indeed, a viable alternative exists, then Opposition unity will become all the more difficult to rubbish.

The second thing the BJP must do is to introspect on its own record of dealing with  and making  allies. It is understandable that when a party has an absolute majority of its own and allies are only an optional bonus, there is a certain hubris that creeps into interactions with partners. But this time around, the BJP, if short of a majority as appears likely, will need allies, and could itself be a coalition. Some allies can, perhaps, be purchased. But most of them, including those presently in the NDA, represent substantive strengths in their own regions, with an ideology and worldview that are not entirely transactional or dispensable, and, therefore, must be respected. Unfortunately, sometimes BJP spokesperson give the impression that nothing has changed since 2014, and everybody else is essentially a supplicant in the BJP durbar. The last point is that the BJP can no longer live in denial about the verifiable discontents in people at large against its four-year rule. There is widespread agrarian distress, and farmers who are on strike in several key states on the first anniversary of the condemnable Mandsaur firing which left several kisans dead, is living proof of this. The creation of jobs has been far below expectations. Rising fuel prices have triggered a new wave of anger across the country. Endemic social instabilities created by transparent attempts to stoke hatred and division between communities are creating disgust rather than votes.

In the miasma of slogans about Digital India, Swachchh Bharat, Jan Dhan Yojana, Fasal Bima Yojana, Mudra loans, and 100 per cent electrification of villages, it appears that the BJP has forgotten to carry out a realistic audit of its own endlessly repeated claims. People perceive a visible gap between promise and delivery, slogan and reality. It does not help a party, on the verge of fresh elections, to dismiss all criticism  even constructive advice  as motivated, irrelevant or hostile. 2019 is fast emerging as a watershed year in the evolution of Indian politics. On balance, it would be fair to say that the BJP still has the strengths of a leader, an ideology  even if the Opposition does not agree with it  and a cadre. The greater challenge lies before the Opposition. Will it behave in patterns as predicted by the BJP, or will it surprise the BJP? The future is pregnant with possibilities. But one thing is certain. There must be full faith in the impartiality of the democratic process. And for that, all parties need to seriously consider whether the EVM machines need to be replaced by the ballot paper.
Nearly two weeks ago, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had set the ball rolling for the year-end Assembly election in Chhattisgarh with a two-day packed programme, which included a public meeting in Pendra, a stronghold of party rebel Ajit Jogi. The former chief minister, who walked out of the Congress nearly two years ago and floated his own party (Chhattisgarh Janata Congress) had hit back and booked the meeting grounds for his party programmes. Given the bitterness between the two parties, it was, therefore, surprising when Mr Gandhi called up Mr Jogis wife, Renu Jogi, from the United States last week to enquire about the former Congress leaders health. Mr Jogi is undergoing treatment at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon for pneumonia after he was flown down from Raipur by an air ambulance last week. Not expecting a call from the Congress chief, Ms Jogi was puzzled when her phone rang and the caller identified himself as Rahul. Rahul who, she asked whereupon Mr Gandhi gave his full name. The phone call has naturally created ripples in political circles because it is being seen as a tentative move by Mr Gandhi to bring Mr Jogi back to the party fold, realising that he has the capacity to play spoiler in a three-cornered contest in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh.

As soon as it became clear last Thursday that the BJP scored poorly in the latest set of bypolls, the news set off speculation that the saffron party will further unleash the enforcement agencies against its rivals to pressurise Opposition parties from putting up a joint fight in next years general election. While former finance minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti are already embroiled in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case, the BJP believes regional leaders are vulnerable when it comes to corruption cases. It is no coincidence then that the CBI recently began inquiries against AirAsia head Tony Fernandes for paying bribes to get approvals for flying on international routes. It now appears that the probe is expected to extend to Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh who was the civil aviation minister during that period. The timing is interesting as the RLD won the Kairana Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh last Thursday after teaming up with the SP, BSP and Congress. The victory has obviously set alarm bells ringing in the BJP.

Now that the Karnataka Assembly polls and the drama over government formation is over, the BJP president is focused on planning for the year-end Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as well as the 2019 general election. Realising that of the three northern states, the BJP faces the toughest challenge in Rajasthan, Amit Shah is ready to set up base in Jaipur. He is said to have hired a house in the Pink City as he had done in Karnataka so that he can spend sufficient time in the poll-bound state and monitor preparations for the contest ahead. Predictably, Mr Shahs focus on Rajasthan has not gone unnoticed by the Congress, which is confident that it will succeed in dethroning the Vasundhara Raje government given the growing anti-incumbency against the chief minister. There is a buzz in Rajasthan Congress that Mr Shah will use all means (both fair and foul) in the run-up to elections to overcome the dwindling popularity ratings of the state government. It is expected that the state will witness a fresh round of religious polarisation in the coming weeks while the use of money and state power will be on full display to engineer defections in the rival camp. The word is out that the Congress in Rajasthan better beware as Mr Shah is arriving with his bag of tricks.

Smriti Irani was known to have easy access to the Prime Ministers Office during the period she was heading the high-profile information and broadcasting ministry. Given the nature of her work, she was required to interact with the PMO to fine-tune the governments communications strategy and messaging. This task is monitored closely by the PMO since the next general election is only a year away. According to the capitals political grapevine, Ms Irani is no longer a regular visitor to the PMO after she was stripped of the I&B ministry. Ms Irani, who is left with the charge of textiles ministry, has been keeping a low profile since then as it has been made abundantly clear that her stock in the party has plummeted. In fact, there is a talk in the BJP circles that Ms Irani may not be picked to take on Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in the next years general election as a high-profile contest adds to her stature. On the other hand, it will not be surprising if Ms Irani bounces back as she has done in the past.
The most encouraging signal to emerge out of Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore was the one from Indonesia. The two historically friendly maritime neighbours have decided to strengthen their ties further in elevating bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. From the early days of Sukarno in Jakarta and Jawaharlal Nerhu in New Delhi, the two have got along swimmingly. Today, Indonesia not only has the worlds largest Muslim population, but is also a leading economy in the region, and a democracy too with a moderate outlook. Given the commonality of interests, its up to the two to ensure that ties grow. The PMs visit may have enhanced the mood as he seems to have hit it off with Joko Jokowi Widodo, who told him that his grandson is named Srinarendra.

Of the 15 agreements signed with Indonesia, two key ones are in defence and space. Whenever India moves on its Act East policy, the elephant in the room is China. The Asean countries are wary, if not fearful, of Chinas dominance and of its sensitivities in the Indo-Pacific region. That freedom of maritime passage was stressed as Indonesia and India agreed to a Joint Task Force to enhance port-related infrastructure in and around Sabang is significant. This is strategically located on Sumatras northern tip, near the Malacca Straits, and is not far from Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, headquarters of the tri-services command and base for our blue-water Navy. Greater military cooperation may just help take ties to an even higher level.
The belated move of the ICICI Bank board to conduct an independent audit into the alleged conflict of interest against managing director and CEO Chanda Kochhar after earlier giving her a clean chit looks like a coverup. The bank management had condemned the insinuation of conflict of interest, and said it was totally baseless and mala fide in intent. Now it has done an about-turn. The in-house audit was announced soon after the CBI initiated an inquiry into the multi-crore loan given to Ms Kochhars husband Deepak Kochhars company through a third party, Videocons Venugopal Dhoot. With three inquiries against

Ms Kochhar simultaneously  by the bank, Sebi and the CBI  the audit move seems an effort to neutralise the outside probes and whitewash or water down the allegations against Ms Kochhar. It may be recalled that she was a member of the loan sanctioning committee and was present when the loan was sanctioned to Videocon, which invested a large part of it in Deepak Kochhars company. The bank, however, clarified that Ms Kochhar was present, but didnt participate in the discussion. She should have, in the interest of good governance, recused herself.

This bank audit seems a routine move when top management is involved  there is an effort to unite and save their own. Its only lower level staff that get nixed, according to those in the know.

What is shocking is that of the Rs 3,250 crores loan given, Videocon hasnt returned Rs 2,800 crores and is facing insolvency petitions filed by its lenders before the National Company Law Tribunal for recovery of Rs 13,000 crores. Mr Dhoot is still roaming free, when lesser mortals would be sitting in jail. It is puzzling that Ms Kochhar has not been asked to resign or step down while the inquiry is on. In the case of Usha Ananthasubramanian, chief of Allahabad Bank, the government stripped her of her powers after the CBI filed a chargesheet.

The Kochhar case is yet another instance of banks being amenable to looting by the well-connected as in the case of the chacha-bhanja duo of diamentaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi of Gitanjali Gems. They looted Indian banks of around Rs 13,000 crores and are safely operating overseas along with a moneyed elite list of fugitives like Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi.

While public sector banks are under constant scrutiny by various vigilance outfits, and Parliament, private sector banks are deemed above wrongdoing. With the iconic ICICI Bank and another private sector bank like Axis Bank, which saw one of its branches land in trouble over money-laundering during the demonetisation exercise, there is a need to look into the functioning of private sector banks. They are more innovative than public sector banks in evergreening of loans and managing bad loans. Perhaps the RBI needs to keep a closer watch on their functioning.
India-Pakistan relations are as tricky to guide, track and predict as the Indian monsoon, whose broad cycle is well-understood and yet its behaviour hard to anticipate with any well-defined sense of ease or accuracy. Rains on time are, nevertheless, welcome even if their pattern may stray afterward. In the same way, when even lip service is paid to return to the conditions of ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC), a cautious welcome is in order. Breaking a long spell of frequent and regular mortar exchanges on the LoC, whose tempo was raised by the Pakistani side after the killing of the Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani in July 2016, the directors-general of military operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan recently agreed on the hotline between them to once again faithfully implement the ceasefire agreement reached by the two countries in November 2003. The initiative was apparently taken by the Pakistani DGMO.

The civilian population living on both sides of the LoC (in J&K), as well as the International Border (IB) that demarcates the territories of the two countries in other parts, are badly affected by the exchange of fire and frequently have to be evacuated from their villages, and crops and livestock suffer. This may be of special interest to the Pakistani military as national elections are due in Pakistan on July 25. This may be the motivation for Pakistan suddenly remembering the ceasefire agreement. That doesnt mean we should reject it. In fact, the aim of Indian policy should be to make Pakistan adhere to the 2003 pact. This does not, however, mean that India should relax its vigil. The border will still have to be closely monitored for infiltrators who are pushed into the Indian side with the help of the Pakistani Army and paramilitary. At the same time, even if the ceasefire holds on the LoC, terrorist activity in J&K will need to be instantly checked and tightly monitored.

There can be no let-up on that score although the Union home ministry has announced a Ramzan ceasefire in the Valley. This means that in the Muslim fasting month, the security forces will not initiate action. But they will retaliate and also rush to the rescue of civilians. After making pro forma statements in response to the conditional Ramzan ceasefire, the separatist Hurriyat Conference, which first asked tedious questions of the government as reflex reaction, went on record that their actions will depend on what Pakistan does. Now that Pakistan has urged implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the border areas, it is to be seen if the Hurriyat stays its hands from any incitement of Kashmirs civilian population, which is its stock-in-trade. But even if it does that, India must not lose its sense of balance when it comes to dealing with civilians in Kashmir and respecting their individual rights.
by J.B. An Dang

The Polish archbishop is also the new nuncio in Singapore, replacing Mgr Leopoldo Girelli. For Mgr Giuse Nguyen Chi Linh, There are still obstacles between the Vietnamese government and the Catholic community that have not been removed." Restrictions on religious freedom and land disputes are among the main difficulties the Church faces in Vietnam.

Hanoi (AsiaNews) - On 21 May, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Marek Zalewski of Poland (picture 1) as the new nuncio to Singapore and non-resident representative of the Holy See in Vietnam.

Mgr Giuse (Joseph) Nguyen Chi Linh (picture 2), archbishop of Hue and president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Vietnam (CBCV), welcomed the decision.

For the prelate, "Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli concluded his tenure as Vatican representative in Vietnam in September 2017, and I believe that all Catholics in Vietnam are eagerly awaiting his replacement.

Speaking about the outgoing papal envoy, the Archbishop Nguyen said, the most burning desire in His Excellency's tenure was raising the relationship between the Holy See and Vietnam to a higher level. Mgr Girelli regularly consulted with the Bishops' Conference on all issues, from the smallest to the biggest, involving the Church in Vietnam and each diocese and congregation.

Pursuant to the regulations of the Vietnamese government, each non-resident representative of the Holy See in Vietnam can only stay for a month. And Mgr Girelli always strictly abided by this diplomatic rule. At the same time, as a pastor, he did not mind the challenging distances and road conditions to reach parishes in remote and isolated areas, visiting the underprivileged and the unfortunate, regardless of their religion, to share love."

Regarding the possibility of normalising diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Vietnam, the archbishop noted that, "After 1957 in the North and after 1975 in the South, the Vietnamese government did not maintain a diplomatic relation with the Vatican as the previous political regimes did. But under bilateral agreements, when a need arises, one party can send envoys to the other for negotiation or exchange of information.

It was not until 2011 that the Holy See was allowed to appoint a representative in Vietnam, but only with a non-permanent status, that is, at the lowest diplomatic level.

"The recent history of the Vietnamese people is complicated because of the Cold War mind-set still deeply rooted in many Vietnamese people. This is due to the fact that people's attitudes are not in unison and to the pressure coming from East and South Asia. The relationship between Vietnam and the Holy See was established in such a difficult context, so it is not surprising if it encounters many obstacles.

Currently, one of the political goals the government has set out is to promote the integration of the country into the international community. I think the relationship between Vietnam and the Holy See will be improved if the Vietnamese government also integrates its diplomatic views with those of the Holy See, as do most other countries in the world.

Talking about the restrictions on religious freedom on the Church in Vietnam, the CBCV president said, "Objectively speaking, there are still many restrictions, especially in the area of appointing bishops. Under the agreement between the Holy See and the Government of Vietnam, proposing bishops is the right of the Holy See. The Vietnamese State has no right to nominate candidates but has the right to refuse or approve.

"In the past, this was quite a tough issue, but I have to acknowledge that the most challenging task today is the appointment of the archbishops of Hanoi and Saigon. Since the two sides have become more sensitive to each other, episcopal appointments have become relatively easier than before in all the other dioceses."

"There are still obstacles between the Vietnamese government and the Catholic community that have not been removed. For instance, the Catholic community to this day has not been allowed to get involved in health, educational, and social activities at the national level.

Nevertheless, in comparison with the period of reforms, many religious activities have been partially unshackled, such as celebrations, ordinations, and construction activities. We still hope that the government will speed up authorisations on a broader scale", Archbishop Nguyen said.

The thorniest issue between the Church and the government remains that of land. "Land is a hot file, not only for the Church in Vietnam but also for many other social groups. Official statistics show that as many as 73 per cent of complaints are related to land and housing. Of course, on matters related to Church properties, the CBCV has the responsibility to speak up in a certain way.

"The problem is how to speak up and with whom to speak? I think speaking out to the public and the media is a very sensitive issue. Without adequate consideration, it can mess up relationships and beliefs. Catholics are both Christians and Vietnamese citizens. Being loyal to both at the same time in a monolithic society like Vietnam is not a simple matter.

"Still, the CBCV must take a stand, which is to speak out when necessary, speak out straightforwardly yet delicately. I mean: our voice must be heard and acknowledged as the message of a well-intentioned community that wants to build and improve, not attack and cause misunderstandings."
Europe, thrown into a bit of turmoil most recently, witnessed unusual upheavals on Friday when Spains Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy became his countrys first leader to be unseated in a revolt in Parliament even as a new government took over in Italy as populist parties took the reins in an unusual arrangement under a virtually unknown Prime Minister. While it was a corruption scandal involving his Popular Party members that brought Mr Rajoy down, it was a polarised Catalonia threatening to break away from Madrid which helped the process along. It does not seem to have helped that Mr Rajoy may have been steering Spain away from the deep financial crisis of the early 2010s as the country goes into period of great uncertainty just as the socialist, Pedro Sanchez, was sworn in on Saturday. There will be choppy times ahead in Italy as well where Giuseppe Conte heads the new populist government that ended months of political deadlock. The anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the far right League Party are certain to be strange bedfellows under the political novitiate of a PM.

While a government in place should bring some relief, those quaking should be the illegal immigrants as the new interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has declared that a priority of his government would be to send at least half a million, undocumented migrants home. Beyond the question of Italys problem with immigration is the issue of keeping financial commitments. And then the even larger question of an eurosceptic government toying with the idea of delinking from the euro in its quest for economic sovereignty.
I was called an f----ing wanker

So what could I reply?

But to point to the contradiction

Wingless pigs dont fly!

Have you seen a rising sunset

Or a cart pulling a horse?

Celebration of regret?

Twists of verbal intercourse?

From The Case of the Ashamed Vahu by Bachchoo

This week the Metropolitan Police commissioner, Cressida Dick, issued a fatwa against a form of video-musical communication called drill. This is a genre which originated in Chicago gang culture. Cressida said she wants the videos that feature it taken off social media or computer-access sites such as YouTube.

She went further. She said that the British police would begin to treat some of these video musical broadcasts as they treat terrorist threats.

In a world, which insistently espouses freedom of expression and in the absence of specific legislation to ban such videos, thats one helluva claim!

Whats police chief Cressida getting worked up about? Obviously its her job to clear Londons streets of the spate of knife and gun killings, mostly of black teenagers  victims and murderers. Donald Trump, in the wake of reports of increasing knife and gun crime in Britains capital, tweeted about the hospitals of London awash with bloody corridors.

Mr Trump is parodied by Private Eye, Britains leading satirical magazine, as saying that if the victims carried loaded guns, they wouldnt be dead today  more guns, fewer deaths. Private Eye means it as parody, but does one doubt that its what Mr Trump believes?

Cressida attributes gun-and-knife crime in part at least to their aggressive encouragement by drill music and wants it banned.

So what the hell is drill? Its an advanced form of rap through which one gang threatens a rival. Its so called because the rattle of a concrete drill resembles the sound of an automatic gun.

YouTube has responded and this week has taken down those videos in which identifiable gangs threaten other identifiable ones. Masked young men voice nasty lyrics and make shooting gestures with twisting hands to the rhythm.

Thats art.

Commentators have joined in to back Cressidas ban on this form of free expression.

The ban will save lives. That sounds very plausible  until one asks oneself whether a song, video, film, play, painting or poem, which depicted violence, ever caused that violence. Or did it simply reflect it?

My reason for posing this question, gentle reader, is to involve you in a personal dilemma. Allow me to explain:

Some time before, in fact a considerable time before, Cressida proposed banning drill, I wrote a musical stage play, as yet under consideration of production, in which one of the penultimate songs is a drill number.

The plot of the play contains a young black man from one gang seeking vengeance on another gang. Heres a preview of the lyrics which Ive proposed:

I wandered lonely as a cloud

Feelin high on coke and drill

And slammed into the Harlesden crowd

Who call their posse Harleykill

Them f----ing saaf but feel say them hard

Them go feel de chill in them own backyard

Continuous they park their rides in a line

Wearing black scarf masks in a threatening play

Posing and waiting for their hit man sign

So I shout a question Oi, all you butties gay?

And two of them start up and advance

Toward me. Bwoy, them take a chance

Cos they must suss that I most like may

Have a loaded piece or two on me

Which could blow them f-in arse away

And send them soul to liberty.

Them come a pace and then stop short

Then pause and have a second thought

I face them down, me tell no lie

Them shape up tryin to look rude

The good book says an eye for an eye

My exchange rate is your whole head. Dude!

So Harlesden Posse make your wills

Him who survives  is him who kills.

The lyrics are representative of the character and his intentions and motivations within the plot, but now the prospective director of the play says its possibly not appropriate considering the present controversy over such lyrics and their accompanying choreography.

Theatres weve approached with it may err on the side of caution  or good taste.

My partner says it may be reflective of a repulsive reality and certainly poses a moral dilemma about its inclusion in a piece signed by me.

It doesnt cross any legal boundary and there is not the wisp of a likelihood that the audience who come to see the play will be persuaded to gun or knife or any revenge crime through witnessing the performance of these lyrics on stage.

I dont think I need to change them, but they still pose a sort of dilemma.

I dont agree with the character I have created  the one who mouths these lyrics with their accompanying gestures. I find them, just as repulsive as perhaps Cressida does, but I cant see that my repulsion from the character which my observation compelled me to create, should prevent his creation.

With the utmost of humility, I can argue that Shakespeare didnt much care for Macbeth or Iago but wanted to tell the truth about human proclivities, regardless of the possibility that the Cressida Dicks of the time would think they were likely to glamourise the killing of kings and the poisoning of the minds of ethnic minorities.

The question that will probably remain open forever is whether art reflects reality or directs and channels it. Propaganda and agitprop seek to influence behaviour. Parables, fables and the main categories of drama have moral or moralising endings. Even tragic plays with no moral precept in view present the pity of human reality.

Of course my imitation of the style and argot of drill comes encased in a stage play and isnt, as the videos on social media are, warnings to any rival playwright.

Er I plead not guilty Mlud!
Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu has a nice, musical ring to it. It could be a charming Italian town on the Amalfi coast. Like Capri. Or Positano. But no! It is a copper town in Tamil Nadu and has been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently. Sterlite Copper Industries, promoted and run by 64-year-old Anil Agarwal, a London-based billionaire ($4 billion) originally from Patna and popularly known as mine sweeper, hit the headlines for the umpteenth time last fortnight, when an agitation at the plant was brutally put down by trigger-happy cops, leading to the death of 13 individuals. Predictably, a knee-jerk response soon followed, with Tamil Nadu chief minister E.K. Palaniswami arbitrarily sealing the plant permanently, stating he was doing so in deference to the sentiments of the people. Where was his sensitivity to sentiments of the people all these days?

Apparently, zero due diligence was undertaken before sealing the plant (which has a long and terrible history of various highly damaging and dangerous transgressions, leading to the deaths of workers as far back as in 1997). Mr Agarwal directly or indirectly employs 50,000 people and his Tuticorin plant accounts for 40 per cent of Indias annual copper production. What happens to the jobless 50,000 people now that the plant has been sealed? Or to Indias copper production, for that matter? How come the chief minister did not take any of this into account when he high-handedly ordered a permanent closure of the plant? What happens next?

The day this dramatic announcement was made, I was at a high-powered soiree in Mumbai. It was a gathering of the usual suspects (count me in)  journalists, bankers, business people and movie stars. Many lively cocktail conversations ensued, with suitable facial expressions while discussing grave national issues over the worlds finest champagnes and wines. The Tuticorin tragedy was raised by a few journalists, as guests nibbled on Spain-inspired tapas. All of it was very discreet, elegant, civilised and controlled. Someone asked: Why are there no public conversations around Tuticorin? Someone else piped up with: ...or about Chanda Kochhar, for that matter? Or Cobrapost?

After a bit of throat-clearing and an uncomfortable pause, the details of the tragedy that took the lives of protesters after a 100-day agitation were discussed sotto voce. Final verdict and cynical conclusion? The plant will quietly reopen after a week or so, when people are less angry and a new scandal erupts to distract the restless natives. In other words  all the posturing and strutting around undertaken by Mr Palaniswami has been nothing but an elaborate charade, a stunt, possibly a setting between him and the Centre, to show he means business! What a pathetic joke, if this actually transpires  as it is likely to. Ditto for the shocking revelations tabled by the Cobrapost sting operations, which ostensibly showed how easy it is in todays commercially-driven times to offer cash in exchange for manipulated media coverage. Zero conversations around that hot potato as well. The reasons for the collective silence are obvious. Who dares to take on the Big Boys Club?

When storm clouds gather, big players take shelter together. And cover each others butts.

Whats true about the media, is true about business, is true about politics, is true about Bollywood.

When powerful people form cartels and stand together, it is virtually impossible to crack the wall they build around themselves. Vedanta Resources, Mr Agarwals mammoth-sized operation, is a gigantic player. God knows how many political parties and politicians he has bought and sold over the years. His Sterlite ambitions began in 1996, with Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra. Along the way, he negotiated with the likes of Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi, after he was refused permission by Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. The man is known to court the toughest adversaries and win them over eventually (private jets, one hears, are offered generously to political influencers). In such a putrid and corrupt environment, what chance do ethics and principles stand? In the wake of the Tuticorin outrage, many clever memes and messages were circulated over social media platforms. One such said: In India, the corrupt accuse the corrupt of being corrupt and the corrupt investigate the corrupt and absolve the corrupt of being corrupt. Accurate!

Where does that leave citizens? Well  at the exact same spot they have always been  inside a bottomless, filthy well. The apathy is pretty inexplicable, given the greater awareness and exposure to news we enjoy today as compared to even 10 years ago. So why is everyone so thanda and not reacting, participating, agitating? Why are public dialogues so tepid and lifeless, so insipid and dull? Theories about this mysterious silence are many and colourful. Within media circles it is called the Gauri Lankesh syndrome.

One offensive/provocative idea against the party in power  and boom  you are dead! It is not paranoia alone that is inhibiting journalists, say those who consider themselves important enough to be targeted (it is a status symbol to be on a hit list and receive death threats). Throw in the nuisance value of fighting tedious lawsuits in far-flung places and  voila  instant silence. Amazingly enough, citizens and mediawallas in Indias immediate neighbourhood have a far better response to political/social developments in their own countries. Pakistan has a vibrant and critical press (read F.S. Aijazuddins column in Dawn), so does Sri Lanka. Despite a violent history of bloggers being hacked to death in Bangladesh, dissidents continue to express themselves fearlessly.

Have we in India forgotten our past, especially that brief and hideous chapter, notorious for its suspension of human rights  Indira Gandhis Emergency? If we dont protect our freedoms fiercely now, the chances are we will be laying the ground for another Emergency. Whether it is the Anil Agarwals who flout safety regulations with impunity, or plain scoundrels on the run, like Nirav Modi, it is really in our hands and minds and hearts to engage and be seen as active participants in a democracy. If we stay away believing it is not our problem, we may discover to our eternal regret, that the very people we made such massive allowances for and so generously accommodated, are the ones who come for us eventually  guns, swords, stones, optional.
The Union home ministry has decided to merge the deputy superintendent of police cadre of the Chandigarh police with the police forces of all Union territories, including the Delhi police. With this, all sanctioned posts of the DSP of the UT of Chandigarh will be merged with the entry grade of the combined cadre of Delhi and other UTs and they can be transferred and posted in any UT.

According to sources, the move has been necessitated by the need to have uniformity in the composition of the feeder grade for induction into the IAS and IPS from various segments of the AGMUT cadre.

However, this has been strongly opposed by Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh who fears that it is another attempt to gradually dilute Punjabs stake in Chandigarh, pointing to the fact that a similar erosion had already taken place, over the years, in the post of Class-I gazetted officers. He has claimed that it will undermine the fine balance which has been carefully achieved over the years.

He is apparently trying to ensure that the status quo be maintained till the territorial dispute of Chandigarh between Punjab and Haryana is settled. Mr Singhs resistance to the decision, it is now felt, could throw a spanner in the home ministrys plan.

Natural attrition or indifference?

The sense of drift that seems to have enveloped the government in J&K is being attributed to, among other reasons, a severe shortage of officers in the administration. And with the recent retirement of nine J&K cadre officers and dozens of other bureaucrats retiring every year, the situation is now critical, say observers. An estimated 2,900 gazetted posts, including IAS, IPS, KAS and KPS are lying vacant, while many officers are being forced to handle multiple charges. As of now, the fixed strength of IAS officials in the state is 137 against availability of 84 officers.

Out of in position 84 officers, 11, including Braj Raj Sharma, Suresh Kumar, P.K. Tripathi, Sudhanshu Panday, Atal Dulloo, Shantmanu, Bipul Pathak, Ashok Kumar Parmar, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Mandeep Kaur and Yasha Mudgal are serving in key departments of the Narendra Modi government. While the state government has sought return of all IAS officers of J&K cadre from the Centre, the Central government has so far given a cold response. The situation is no better in the police service. The state is facing a shortage of 90 IPS officers against the total strength of 147. Currently, 84 IPS officers are holding the state cadre, 24 are on Central deputation, which shrinks the number of IPS officers posted in the state to 60. For the last six years, the state government has not sent any proposal to the UPSC to fill the vacant IPS posts because of several litigations against the seniority list of KPS officers due to caderisation of KPS into IPS.

Integrity index to rank govt depts

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) will now rank Central government organisations on anti-corruption measures being taken by them. This was announced by CVC K.V. Chowdary, at a meeting with officials of Anti-Corruption Bureau, Vigilance and Enforcement officials. The integrity index has been in the works since last year when CVC roped in IIM-Ahmedabad to develop the Integrity Index. Being a new initiative, initially, 25 organisations have been selected for development of the Integrity Index (as per the list attached).

Subsequently, it is proposed to extend the Integrity Index concept to all other CPSUs and organisations of the Government of India. At the meeting, Mr Chowdary also said that the CVC would keenly monitor the government expenditure and duties of officials, and added that the Commission would work as a watchdog. Sources say that the index may be launched within a couple of weeks.
Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years. (Photo: AP/File)

Singapore: Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingyas live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 U.N. World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

"If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing?

"There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly."

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, UN and other aid organisations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading".

"Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less."

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.
On Thursday, however, Trump announced that those exemptions were not being extended, and his decision immediately drew furious responses from Canadian President Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. (Photo: File)

Paris: The worlds largest economies stood on the brink of all-out trade war as the EU, Canada and Mexico drew up retaliatory measures to Washingtons stinging steel and aluminium tariffs that came into effect on Friday.

Washington angered its major allies by slapping duties of 25 per cent and 10 per cent on imports of aluminium and steel.

The measures had actually been decided back in March, but at the time US President Donald Trump gave Canada and the EU -- the biggest sources of foreign aluminium and steel respectively for the US -- a grace period until May 31.

On Thursday, however, Trump announced that those exemptions were not being extended, and his decision immediately drew furious responses from Canadian President Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

These tariffs are an affront to the long standing security partnership between Canada and the United States, said Trudeau, as Ottawa hit back with retaliatory duties on US imports worth up to Can USD 16.6 billion (USD 12.8 billion).

EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the 28-nation bloc will announce in the next coming hours counter-balancing measures in response to the US action.

Brussels has previously threatened to slap tariffs on US products including bourbon, motorcycles and blue jeans.

Not at war

But the EUs foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini insisted Friday that the EU was not at war with anyone.

The European Union was a peace project, including on trade, Mogherini said.

Nevertheless, European leaders are fuming.

French President Macron told Trump in a telephone call that the tariffs were illegal and said Europe would respond in a firm and proportionate manner.

And speaking to reporters, Macron described the US move as a mistake in many ways because it responds to existing international imbalances in the worst way -- by breaking up and creating economic nationalism.

And nationalism is war. Thats exactly what happened in the 30s, Macron said.

In Berlin, Chancellor Merkel said the measure risks touching off spirals of escalation that in the end hurt everyone.

Mexico, too, said it would impose retaliatory duties on a variety of US goods, including steel and a host of agricultural goods, including pork, apples and various cheeses.

The unprecedented trade tensions are souring a gathering of the so-called Group of Seven or G7 underway in the coastal mountain resort of Whistler, Canada, normally a scene of compromise and trade promotion.

Ill be stating very clearly our disagreement with the actions theyve taken, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau told reporters ahead of the meetings.

I have every expectation that our other allies around the table will express the same sentiments.

Limited impact on GDP?

The prospect of a global trade has roiled financial markets this week, too, even if they were back in positive territory on Friday.

Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding argued that the direct impact of an US-EU trade war would actually be rather small in terms of gross domestic product.

Even if the US were to levy a 25-percent tariff on car imports from the EU, the direct damage to be shared largely between US consumers and EU exporters would be equivalent to 0.08 percent of EU GDP, he calculated.

Nevertheless, the uncertainty about future trade and Trumps contempt for international rules can deal a significant blow to business confidence especially in trade-oriented nations, the expert said.

The most likely outcome... could be protracted negotiations during which both the US and the EU lock horns but do not take ever more dramatic headline-grabbing protectionist steps, Schmieding said.

The World Trade Organizations former chief, Pascal Lamy, also said the damage would likely be limited in concrete terms.

We have to keep things in proportion, he said on the French radio station, France Info. He estimated that the economic impact of the tariffs would amount to a very small part of trade flows as a whole.

But he saw as a very worrying development Washingtons justification that the measures were needed for reasons of national security.

That was completely grotesque, Lamy said.
Scores of people turned up on Friday to protest against the purported privatisation of Church Street, the citys showpiece commercial hub. Local traders and residents, however, welcomed the BBMPs move to outsource the roads maintenance.

In April, the BBMP had invited tenders to wash Church Street twice a week.

The protesters, associated with the Forum for Urban Governance and Commons, accused the civic body of splurging taxpayers money and abdicating its responsibility. They feared hawkers will be removed from the road once the private contractor takes over. They want the BBMP not to privatise any TenderSURE road.

After paving Church Street with cobblestones, the BBMP now says it doesnt have the equipment to wash them and is hiring a private firm to carry out the maintenance, Kshitij Urs, the convenor of the forum, said. They have already spent a lot on developing this road.

He called the move to remove hawkers regressive.

He continued: We want the BBMP to practise a new way of governance where there is complete transparency in road designing.

It should consult ward committees and experts before designing any road. Church Street is environmentally unsustainable as it has no place for trees. Even the palm trees have dried up.

Mayor R Sampath Raj, who met the protesters, denied that the BBMP was privatising the road. According to experts, cobblestones should be washed twice a week with a hydraulic spray. We planned to deploy security guards to monitor the contractors work. But if you dont want us to do it, we will not do it as the tender process is not over yet. We can have a meeting to discuss this matter.

Tara Krishnaswamy of the Citizens For Bengaluru, who joined the protesters, opposed the outsourcing. Why should we pay tax to the BBMP if its going to hand over the job to a private firm?

The protesters hope all the issues would be discussed at a meeting with the mayor.

The Church Street Occupants Association, however, supported the BBMP. K P John, a resident, said: We struggled for one and a half years to get this road done. We do not see any harm in the BBMP outsourcing the maintenance of the road.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore and discussed security-related issues, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

Modi, who is here on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security-related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was also present in the meeting that lasted for nearly an hour.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister last night.

"The focus of conversation was on the region in the context of PM's keynote address at the #SLD18 yesterday evening," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

In his keynote address, Modi had said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests, he had said.

"We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law," he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and "reaffirmation for rule-based order".

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the area. The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.
It is unfortunate that the Election Commission has resorted to a flip flop on the issue of whether political parties come under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The commission first said that the RTI Act did not apply to political parties, contradicting a Central Information Commission (CIC) order of June 2013, which brought six national parties within the scope of the transparency law. Immediately after making this controversial statement, the commission corrected itself and said that national parties are public authorities for the purposes of the RTI Act. A facile contradiction within a day of its own statement on such an important issue is not expected from an institution like the EC. The commissions first order came in response to a petition filed by an activist seeking details of the donations collected by six national parties through electoral bonds. The EC refused to part with the details, just as the parties had refused to do.

It is the CIC that has the authority to decide whether a party is a public authority coming under the RTI Act or not. The EC could not have held a different view on the matter. It showed the lack of a sense of responsibility and seriousness, or a conscious attempt to misrepresent the position or to mislead the public. But, will it now ensure that political parties release the details of their funding, now that it has accepted that national parties are within the purview of the RTI law? We know now, thanks to the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, that the national parties received a whopping Rs 711 crore from unknown sources in 2016-17. The distinction between national parties and regional parties in this matter is also not tenable. It is actually a distinction without a difference because a regional party can, within the span of a few months, become a national party and a national party can be reduced to a regional one. The CICs view on this is questionable and, hopefully, the issue will be settled by the Supreme Court, which is seized of the matter.

Electoral bonds have deepened the opaqueness of political funding. The Narendra Modi government introduced them as part of the Union Budget last year. They guarantee complete anonymity to the donor. Moreover, a company can donate any amount to a party as the earlier limit of 7.5% of a companys profits has now been scrapped. The bonds, which were put on sale by the State Bank of India in March this year, drew a good response. That shows that parties are getting a lot of donations. But they are not willing to disclose the amounts or the sources of funds. The EC must look into this matter in the interest of free and fair elections and in the national interest.
IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE CITY  2 stars  Khalid Abdalla, Laila Samy, Hanan Youssef; not rated; Tower

Tamer El Saids In the Last Days of the City is the story of a film within a film, following a filmmaker in search of a subject.

Khalid Abdalla plays Khalid, a documentary filmmaker in Cairo who is struggling to finish his current project. Hes done some interviews and has some interesting footage, but he still feels like hes grasping for something to bring his film together. He stands on a balcony with his friends and looks out at his city, convinced there is something out there that is calling to him.

His friends are Hassan (Hayder Helo), Tarek (Basim Hajar) and Bassem (Bassem Fayad), fellow filmmakers and kindred spirits, spread from Beirut to Baghdad to Berlin. They swap stories about their current cities and the cities that have come before, lamenting the violence, turmoil and fear that have become commonplace. They eventually decide to film their cities on their own and send the footage to Khalid.

A persistent radio voice lends context to the filmmakers frustrations. Last Days of the City is set in December 2009, and Cairo is in a place of transition. The radio voice describes the comings and goings of then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and throughout the city, protests and skirmishes highlight the tensions among the people  specifically among the citys Islamic population.

At one point, Khalid gets on an elevator, and as he ascends to his floor, we see that someone has plastered the shaft with a continuous sequence of bumper stickers that all read, Thou shalt not look at women.

The women in Khalids life include his mother (Zeinab Mostafa), who has become hospitalized in her old age, and Laila (Laila Samy), an old flame who hasnt quite left Khalids life. As Khalid encounters Laila throughout the film, and as we see brief flashbacks played through Khalids raw footage, we sense a deep pain that may be contributing to, if not causing, his artistic struggles.

Throughout Last Days of the City, El Said weaves Khalids raw footage in and out of scenes set in the real world, blurring the lines between the feature film and Khalids fictional project. There is no separation in style between the two sources, and each is saturated in heavy yellow-and-orange tones.

Last Days of the City is a moody film, only lightly guided by plot, and often more concerned with atmosphere than story. It seems El Saids intent is to create a portrait of a city at a critical juncture, and his Cairo is a far cry from the bright and exciting city of the living Western audiences might have seen in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

As Khalid works to complete his film, Last Days of the City follows his journey to find meaning and understanding in his own life. We see this as he conducts various interviews, and we see the turmoil of Cairo through his artistic eye. El Saids film might be a little more low-key than some audiences would prefer, but it is a thoughtful film.

In the Last Days of the City is not rated, but contains some brief R-rated language and some mild violence. It is presented in Arabic with English subtitles.

In the Last Days of the City is not rated; running time: 118 minutes.
HEBER CITY  Biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will host a free cutthroat trout viewing event on Saturday, June 9, at Strawberry Reservoir.

During the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to noon at the fish trap and egg-taking facility, biologists will net cutthroat trout and hold them up so participants can photograph and touch the fish.

The biologists will also answer any questions and discuss the important role Bear Lake cutthroat trout play in managing one of the countrys best trout fishing waters.

Strawberry Reservoir is off U.S. 40, about 25 miles southeast of Heber City.
Eighteen-month-old Manolo Gonzales is alive today thanks to a stranger who donated part of her liver, CBS This Morning reported.

Rebecca LaSalle, a 24-year-old from Montana, didnt have anyone specific in mind when she underwent the risky surgery to donate a portion of her liver.

"I merely just wanted somebody else to live," LaSalle told CBS.

Her donation ended up going to baby Manolo, whose liver failed due to a defect. Hes healthy after receiving the liver transplant six months ago, and, for the first time, he and his mother met LaSalle.

"There's no words I can express to you how thankful I am for what you've done," Samantha Gonzales, Manolos mother, told LaSalle.

LaSalle told CBS the liver donation, and a kidney donation a few years ago, were inspired by her mother.

"Before I could walk to school when I was a little girl ... she would say, 'Make the world' and you had to say 'a better place.' And you would always groan it out," LaSalle said. "But it was something that actually she did instill in me, and I do want to make the world a better place."

Read or watch the full story here.
SALT LAKE CITY  About 50 people rallied outside the U.S. Attorney's Office downtown Friday afternoon, protesting a new "zero tolerance" immigration policy that separates families trying to cross the southwest border.

"Today, nearly 200 rallies across the nation are coming together," Maria del Mar Gonzales, a community outreach fellow for ACLU Utah, said to the crowd over a loudspeaker. "Today, this is the moment of movement."

In May, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced those entering the country illegally will be prosecuted criminally, rather than civilly like in previous years, in an attempt to dissuade Central American families from traveling to the border. If a mother and father are apprehended for illegal entry, any minor with them will be separated. Children cannot stay with a parent during the criminal court process.

Reports that 658 children have been separated from their parents between May 6 and May 19  according to a Customs and Border Protection official's report to lawmakers  stirred debate on the policy that opponents say needlessly harms children.

ACLU Utah primarily organized the Salt Lake rally along with other nationwide protests of the Trump administration's new policy.

Local organizations such as Alliance for a Better Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government participated in the event as well.

"We are very family oriented," said Veronika Tait, an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University, who spoke on behalf of Mormon Women for Ethical Government. "We believe in eternal families and we believe families should be together now."

While Utah has not been directly affected by this issue, John Mejia, the legal director for ACLU Utah, says the rally was about sending a message.

"A lot of these prosecutions are happening at the border, so they're not necessarily taking place here," Mejia said. "But I think it's important U.S. attorneys, in general, stop their complicity in this zero tolerance policy that's going on."

John Huber, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah, in a statement reaffirmed the district's commitment to the policy.

"In addition to restoring legality along the border, the zero tolerance approach to illegal entry prosecutions is vital to protecting our nation and its citizens," Huber's statement said. "There is no department policy to separate families at the border. However, as is the case with any criminal prosecution and detention, children cannot be placed in a detention facility with their parent."

Melarie Wheat and three her sons, Camden, 4, Lincoln, 1, and Micah, 6, were in attendance at the rally.

"When I think of these kids, I think of my own kids," Wheat said. "I see, when I drop them off at a babysitter, they're sad. And these kids are being torn away from their parents for months."

Starting at noon, a range of community activists spoke to the crowd on the downtown sidewalk outside the U.S. attorney's office building.

"Immigrants  are somebody," the crowd was led to chant, "and they deserve  to stay together."

Ciriac Alvarez, an immigration rights activist who has been featured in The New York Times, led some of these chants and called on participants to do more.

"My name is Ciriac Alvarez and I am undocumented and unafraid," Alvarez said. "And we all have a responsibility today than more than just show up at rallies  to demand accountability from our representatives and our senators."
SALT LAKE CITY  Doug Wright was a 20-year-old rock 'n' roll DJ with long hair and an oversized mustache who wore tank tops when he first realized the power radio could have over politics.

It was interviewing then-Gov. Cal Rampton at a 1972 rally to register newly eligible young voters aged 18 to 20, sponsored by the radio station Wright was working for, KCPX, known at the time as the "Rock of Salt Lake."

The three-term Democratic governor had shown up after being invited "just on a lark" to the event that featured rock bands, Wright recalled Friday, shortly before hosting the last installment of "The Doug Wright Show," after 40 years at KSL Newsradio.

"I just wonder what in the world must Cal Rampton have been thinking. But he was there," Wright said. "I just remember being impressed how much power the media could have and how much motivational ability we had to get young people voting."

Still, it would be another six years before Wright made the difficult decision to give up spinning records and join KSL  "just this awesome, iconic, holy smokes, big-kid station" considered the "respected big dog" of news, he recalled.

By 1985, Wright had his own midday show after years of filling in for other on-air personalities and serving as production director, as the station was shifting to an all-talk format.

"At first, we were just scrambling for interviews," Wright said, ending up with "some pretty strange things," such as members of The Flat Earth Society and a doctor who would only talk about goiters.

The show's focus on politics evolved as elected officials  and those who hoped to be  grew comfortable with Wright. His secret, he said, wasn't "softball" questions but being able to put his guests at ease.

Politicians can feel like the press "is just going for the jugular right out of the chute, that they are just there to look for the little angle, or the misspeak that they might do and they're just going to get pounced on," he said.

Making them feel heard instead, Wright said, is something he learned from his grandfather, a man who "believed everybody ought get a fair shake. I think in our business, it's easy for us to build up preconceived notions and prejudices."

Wright told the story of how former Utah Attorney General Paul Van Dam would be so relaxed on the air that he once confessed during a break his staff worried about his appearances because he always ended up saying more than he should.

That comfort level expressed by Democrats like Van Dam, as well as Wright's fellow Republicans, led to his show becoming the go-to for politicians looking to make a big announcement.

"If you wanted a broad audience and more than a 20-second soundbite, Doug Wright was the place to go," said former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who resigned from Congress last year. "If it was on Doug Wright, it was important."

Chaffetz, now a Fox News contributor, first discussed not only his surprise decision not to seek re-election on Wright's show, but later that he would leave office in the middle of his term.

Wright "commanded a wide array of listeners because he was fair and he asked probing questions," Chaffetz said. "He always had his own personal approach to things, but he was always fair and gave you a chance to state your case."

Of course it helped, Chaffetz said, if you arrived at the studio with doughnuts.

"It was widely known you better bring doughnuts if you want to get on the good side of Doug," he said.

That's advice U.S. Senate candidate Mitt Romney had already taken to heart. Friday, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who faces Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, in the GOP primary later this month swept into the studio with a box of maple bars.

When Wright thanked him off the air, Romney acknowledged he'd just grabbed them on his way into the studio, picking them from the boxes and boxes of doughnuts in the newsroom to mark the end of the show.

"They were down the hall," Romney said laughing. "Trust a politician to find someone else's (doughnuts) and take credit for it."

He took a more serious tone during a discussion with Wright about leadership.

"One of the great lessons of my life is to see the impact of one person," Romney said. "In my view, more important than the policies the prior presidents may have promoted is their character."

Wright embodies the type of character traits that are valued, Romney said.

"I don't want to just sort of buff you up here today, but clearly your voice over these 40 years is a voice of thoughtfulness, of compassion, of dignity, of civility and that has an impact on the entire population," he said. "We're going to miss you."

Gov. Gary Herbert wasn't able to appear on Wright's final show, but he sent along a gift bag with framed pictures taken during a recent show that was broadcast from a conference room in his Capitol office.

"Doug's daily conversations with newsmakers have been so important to civil discourse in Utah," Herbert said in a statement. "Doug always worked to provide a balanced perspective and frank honest discussion. I will miss our conversations."

Wright has Democratic fans, too, including Scott Howell, a former minority leader in the state Senate and now co-chairman of the Utah Debate Commission that sponsors debates among candidates for state and federal offices.

"Doug Wright is the epitome of quality, dedicated and willing to listen to all points of view broadcasters," Howell said. "I can trust Doug. And yes, I know that he is a Republican, but it just goes to show how this Democrat and Doug always put people before politics."

Howell said Wright used his Senate minority leader office to broadcast his show live from the Capitol in 1995, "a historic moment that brought the 'behind the scenes' workings of the Legislature to Utah citizens."

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, touted Wright from the floor of the U.S. House recently, calling Friday the "end of an era in Utah broadcasting. For the past 40 years, Utahns have heard Doug Wright inform, uplift and bloviate  that is his word, not mine."

Bishop, whose communications director, Lee Lonsberry, is a former producer of Wright's show, also said that "Doug got exclusives, and he did it through hard work, fairness and being worthy of the trust Utahns placed in him."

The congressman ended his statement, preserved in a document presented to Wright by Lonsberry Friday, with the same sentiment Wright like to express at the end of his shows.

"Tonight when you go home, please make sure you hug the people you love," Wright said again Friday, this time his voice breaking with emotion as the crowd gathered in the studio broke out in applause. The message is a tribute to his late son, who died unexpectedly eight years ago, and who Wright said Friday he still wishes he could embrace once more.

"I remember the day I came back on the air, which was one of the hardest days of my life," Wright recalled after Friday's broadcast. "I can just remember, you always wish you could hug them one more time, and what you would give to be able to hug him one more time. It was totally unplanned, totally spontaneous, and I just said that at the end."

Wright isn't leaving broadcasting. He will continue to broadcast his popular KSL Movie Show on Fridays.

Correction: A previous version of a photo cutline incorrectly identified Sue Kelley as Rebecca Cressman.
SALT LAKE CITY  The organized crime units of Salt Lake City and Unified Police Departments teamed up for a four-day prostitution sting, arresting more than 40 people before the operation ended Friday, police said.

The reasons for paying special attention to the crime go far beyond the act of selling sex, Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking said Friday.

"I would say that prostitution isn't the only situation that we're dealing with. We're dealing with a form of human trafficking, we're dealing with substance use and abuse.  This has far-reaching effects. It's not just simple prostitution," he said.

During the operation, which took place throughout the Salt Lake valley, officers searched in hotel rooms and out on the streets for those involved with prostitution, Wilking said.

Although Salt Lake police always enforce prostitution laws, the operation was a chance to focus on it alongside Unified police, the detective added.

"What it means for us is that we're not going to turn a blind eye to this. We're going to work on, continue to arrest people for this, and it's not going away," he said.

"In turn, we think it sends a message to the people that are engaged in it, they might want to think twice before participating in this activity."

The detective explained that those involved with prostitution, from prostitutes themselves to those who frequent them, come from "all walks of life."

"We have religious leaders, politicians, your homeless, your average Joe out there. We have everybody that solicits prostitution, all different walks of life, as well as the women that are engaged in prostitution come from all different walks of life," he said. "The prostitution isn't going away, but neither are we. We're going to continue to focus on that."
TAYLORSVILLE  One man is dead and two are seriously injured after a crash on Bangerter Highway late Friday.

A car was headed north when it rear-ended a truck hauling a tractor at about 6200 South at 11:43 p.m., according to Unified police detective Ken Hansen. The driver of the car, whose name was not released, was killed. Two passengers were in serious condition.

Hansen said the cause of the crash remains unclear. The driver of the car, who either did not see the trailer the truck was hauling or was traveling too fast, had to be cut from the wreckage, he said.

Bangerter Highway was closed for a time following the accident, but was open again by 7 a.m. Saturday.
A Japanese start-up has announced it is designing an innovative unmanned spacecraft that will be put to trial in 2019 to fly commercially to space by 2023.

PD Aerospace, based in Nagoya (central Japan), has raised 520 million yen ($4.78 million) from five companies, including one of Japan's largest airlines, All Nippon Airways (ANA), for the project, Efe news reported.

"Commercialization of space has progressed exponentially primarily in USA," PD Aerospace CEO Shuji Ogawa said in a statement on Friday, adding that the company seeks to "play a part in the future of space transportation for the new era as soon as possible".

The aircraft would be equipped with an engine that would alternate between reaction mode and a rocket to create Japan's first passenger aircraft capable of reaching outer space up to an altitude of 100 km and reenter the atmosphere.

Last July, the company had succeeded in an experimental propulsion system, a world first, which can alternate between a jet engine and rocket engine function, and now it is seeking to fine tune the design.

The company plans to conduct three tests with unmanned planes by 2019 and launch its first commercial space flight by late 2023.
Sebi bars Vijay Mallya from securities market for 3 years

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has barred fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya from the securities market for another three years and also restrained him from holding directorship in listed companies for five years over alleged illegal diversion of funds from United Spirits Ltd.

The market regulator also imposed one-year ban on two former company officials  Ashok Capoor and P A Murali.

"In the context of diversion of funds perpetrated in a listed company by way of dubious and concealed financial statements / projections or false books of accounts, it is inevitable that Sebi should step in and take appropriate action..," Sebi whole time member G Mahalingam said in the order.

Through an interim order in January 2017, the regulator had barred Mallya and six former officials of United Spirits, including Capoor and Murali, from the securities markets in the case related to illegal fund diversions.

Mallya had also been barred from "holding position as director or key managerial person of a listed company for a period of five years"

Sebi had sent notices to all former directors of United Spirits, including Vijay Mallya, Ashok Capoor, Sowmiyanarayanan, SN Prasad, PA Murali, Paramjit Singh Gill and Ainapur SR, for alleged fund diversions and/or improper transactions in United SpiritsLimited.

Sebi, through its interim order dated 25 January 2017, interalia restrained them from accessing the securities market and were further prohibited from buying, selling or otherwise dealing in securities in any manner whatsoever, either directly or indirectly. They were also restrained from holding position as directors or key managerial persons of any listed company.

On 4 July 2013, Relay B V, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Diageo Plc, a public limited company incorporated in England & Wales, along with persons acting in concert, viz, Diageo; Diageo Finance Plc, Diageo Capital Plc and Tanqueray Gordan and Company Limited, acquired 25.02 per cent equity of USL. Subsequently, through further acquisitions, Relay BVs shareholding in USL increased to 58.77 per cent as of 31 December 2015.

During the intervening period, in the audit report for the financial year 201314, BSR & Co LLP (Statutory Auditor of USL) cited certain qualified transactions by USL.

The company created provisions of Rs649.55 crore as reported in the annual report for financial year 201314, giving explanation for the provisioning in its notes to accounts.

These dues of such parties to the company are on account of advances by the company in the earlier years under agreements for enhancing capacity, obtaining exclusivity and lease deposits in relation to tie-up manufacturing units (TMUs); agreements for specific projects; or dues owing to the company from customers. These dues were duly confirmed by such parties as payable to the company in such earlier years. However, such parties have since disputed such amounts as mentioned above.

USL then appointed PriceWaterhouse Coopers, United Kingdom (PWCUK) to examine such transactions. PWCUK submitted its report on 24 March 2015, which indicated diversion of funds from USL at the behest of Vijay Mallya.
CBI files charges against 13 ONGC officials in Rs80-crore scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday said it has filed a first information report (FIR) against 13 senior officials of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC)  both serving and retired - for their alleged role in a Rs 80 crore scam.

The officials have been accused of misusing their powers in assigning a contract to a private firm in 2014, according to a PTI report.

According to CBI, the accused had abused their powers in 2014 to illegally give a contract to private company, Deep Industries Limited, for the supply of gas dehyrdation units for its Rajahmundry plant in Andhra Pradesh.

It has been alleged that ONGC Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh) awarded the contract to Deep Industries by manipulating the guidelines of ONGC and overlooking the fact that company was ineligible due to technical deficiencies.

The corporations former executive director DG Sanyal, former director (onshore operations) Ashok Verma and former director general and manager (production) Arup Ratan Das were named in the First Information Report filed by CBI.

Das allegedly prepared the documents to indicate that Deep Industries Limited was the sole bidder for the contract. He also purportedly made an argument in favour of hiring the gas dehydration units to benefit the private firm. The company then raised the estimated cost further from Rs219 crore to Rs312 crore on false grounds, the CBI alleged.

Das, according to CBI, made working papers for hiring and owning of GDUs at 5 units and prepared the estimates on single quotation as against the requirement of 3 budgetary quotations.

The lone budgetary quotation was from Deep Industries of Rs219 crore for hiring of GDUs for three years. Das prepared a comparison statement between owing and hiring of GDU and showed that hiring would be viable as it would take less time in installation

He made a proposal for administrative approval indicating owning cost of Rs 290 crores and hiring cost of Rs 230 crores. Verma gave an approval for Rs 219 crore even though he was empowered to accord administrative approval for cases only up to Rs 200 crores.

The tender was floated in December 2014 and the lone bidder  Deep Industries, was considered by the Tender Committee.

The accused persons, CBI says, caused a loss of Rs80 crore to ONGC.
Walmart-Flipkart deal: RBI, ED to look into alleged FDI rule violation

The commerce ministry has asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Enforcement Directorate to look into the alleged violation of FDI rules in the $16-billion Walmart-Flipkart deal.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under the ministry of commerce and industry has forwarded a complaint filed by Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) to RBI and the investigative wing of the revenue department for further action.

Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an organisation that stands for 'economic nationalism has strong reservations about the by US retail giant Walmart Inc acquiring the Indian e-commerce major, which it says is illegal.

The SJM had raised its objections earlier this month for giving backdoor entry to Walmart into the Indian retail market.

The commerce ministry says that while it is entrusted with the formulation of FDI policy across sectors, including e-commerce, it is RBI and the finance ministry that deals with Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

DIPP, in an office memorandum said the FDI policy as contained in Consolidated FDI Policy Circular 2017 is notified under FEMA law.

Any FDI violation is governed by penal provision in the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999. While the RBI administers the FEMA, the Enforcement Directorate is responsible for enforcement of FEMA. So violation of FDI policy is therefore the subject matter of RBI/Enforcement Directorate, the DIPP said.

Reserve Bank of India administers the FEMA and Enforcement Directorate under the Ministry of Finance is the authority for the enforcement of FEMA. Violation of FDI policy is, therefore, the subject matter of RBI/Enforcement Directorate, the DIPP said in a letter written to the agencies on 28 May.

The DIPP has therefore requested the RBI/ED to examine the matter (SJMs complaint) and advise on appropriate action to be taken.

In a letter dated 24 May, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, which has been critical of the FDI, asked the department to immediately initiate an enquiry into the dubious deal between Flipkart owners and Walmart  which has been written outside, but for all tangible and intangible assets placed in India.

It also wanted DIPP to make strong representation before the Competition Commission of India so as not to approve the takeover deal before the results of enquiries being initiated by DIPP are available.

SJM also sought a DIPP enquiry into the nexus between Flipkart companies and the so called independent B2C companies and how they were allowed to carry on activities without any objections from regulators, including the DIPP, in the past.

Walmart recently acquired 77-per cent stake in the Singapore-registerd Indian e-commerce company Flipkart, which is the leading e-commerce company in India. SJM alleges that the deal violates FDI norms as the acquisition is a means of backdoor entry for Walmart into the Indian multi-brand retail trade.

Current FDI norms does not allow foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail business in India. This is meant to protect small traders and manufacturers and also consumers from predatory pricing.

According to SJM, the Flipkart Group is covertly operating in both B2B and B2C segments through a complex corporate structure and is already illegally carrying on multi-brand retail trade through e-commerce by flouting RBIs directions on FDI.
DRI seizes 32kg of gold smuggled from China

Acting on specific intelligence, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seized 32kg of gold valued at Rs10.32 crore, smuggled from China into India through the Indo-China Border in Sikkim.

The DRI had been tipped off about a huge quantity of gold of foreign origin that had been smuggled into Sikkim through the Indo-China border.

The contraband gold was headed for Kolkata via Siliguri and was being carried by three people travelling by road from Gangtok to Siliguri.

The informant also said they would be heading for Kolkata by train for ultimate delivery.

DRI officers kept a strict surveillance over the area and intercepted a white Maruti Wagon R on 31 May.

Enquiries revealed that the Wagon R vehicle had been hired by the trio, who hailed from Maharashtra.

Under sustained interrogation, the three admitted they were carrying gold bars that had been smuggled into India from China through the Indo-China border into Sikkim.

The three were wearing specially tailored cloth with several pockets fastened around their waist. 32 pieces of primary gold bars with foreign inscription were recovered. Each of the gold bars weighed one kg.

The total value of the gold seized has been estimated at Rs10,52,91,750.

On further enquiry it revealed that the intercepted have a temporary residence, from where Rs20,19,850 in Indian currency was recovered.

This is one of the biggest gold seizures by DRI in the recent past in east and north-east India. In the current financial year, the DRI seized over 137 kg of gold and gold jewellery valued at almost Rs24 crore, smuggled from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and China.

In 2017-2018, the DRI had seized close to 430 kg of gold and gold jewelry in the east and northeast region, valued at over Rs100 crore.
Former Softbank president Nikesh Arora is new CEO, chairman of Palo Alto Networks

Former senior executive at SoftBank and Google, Nikesh Arora has joined cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks as CEO and chairman, succeeding CEO and chairman, Mark McLaughlin, who has been moved up as the board's vice chairman.

Arora, who joined as president, SoftBank Group, as president in October 2014, where he received over $200 million in compensation over the last two years as the the head of Softbank's operations.

Arora, who was the designated successor to Softbank founder Masayoshi Son, stepped down in June 2016 over disagreement over when he would take over from the Japanese tycoon.

Prior to joining Softbank, Arora served as Google's chief business officer for three years, until July 2014, and worked in various senior leadership roles since he joined in 2004.

At Google, Arora was instrumental in expanding Google's search business from $2 billion in revenues to over $60 billion, and developed a substantial track record of driving innovation and delivering business success.

"I have been discussing succession planning with the Board and I couldn't be more pleased that we have found a leader in Nikesh who is ideally suited to take the company on the next leg of its journey," McLaughlin said in a company statement.

Arora told Fortune magazine in an interview on Friday that after the SoftBank experience, I went through the process of thinking about what I would do next, and I really wanted to be an operator. I wanted it to be at a growth company in a growth business And I wanted to make sure it was the right company with the right team. The more time I spent with Mark and the team [at Palo Alto Networks], the more I got excited. Its a great culture, a fast growth company, and the opportunity is to continue to work with the team and scale and expand.

Daniel J. Warmenhoven, lead independent director said on Arora's appointment, "As we move forward in this era of digital and security transformation, there is no better person to lead Palo Alto Networks than Nikesh Arora. The board of directors is very pleased to have such a proven business and technology leader who brings demonstrated leadership and ability to scale to the company."

Arora graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, BHU in Varanasi with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1989. He holds a degree from Boston College and an MBA from Northeastern University. He also holds a CFA.
Outlined in the planned roll-out of the new models (above), the smallest SUV - which could receive the stillborn Jeepster badge that was pulled from the Renegade at the last minute - is expected to be built in India and targeted at highly-populated regions like China and India, and be exclusively offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

That would allow the Renegade to retain its premium pricetag over similarly sized city-focused SUVs, while introducing both plug-in and fully electric models that would meet stricter emission requirements in Europe and other developing regions.

Moving up, the compact Compass, which arrived in Australian showrooms earlier this year, will be overhauled by 2022, as will the slightly larger Cherokee. At the same time, Jeep has indicated it will introduce a three-row SUV to sit alongside the Cherokee but with a lower ride height and more urban focus.

According to the plan, the next-generation Grand Cherokee will retain its five-seat configuration but a similarly-sized seven-seater will join the street-biased wagon while the range-topping Wagoneer models will take on luxury European rivals from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi and likely share their underpinnings with prestige variants being planned by sister brands Alfa Romeo and Maserati.

Each of the models will have extreme variants that can be categorised under a series of 'Hawk' badges; all Trail-rated off-road versions will be badged Trail Hawk and high performance models will be called Track Hawk, as is the case today, while a new series designed specifically to handle high-speed sand dune driving will be called Desert Hawk.

The first of those appears to be based on the Cherokee and is due to be launched in early 2019. It has been created to handle eight specific engineering standards unique to driving in sand dunes, and is expected to feature higher-capacity cooling components, stronger suspension settings and rally-style wheels and tyres.


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Google on Wednesday rolled out a number of new features designed to make its G Suite collaboration and productivity apps more efficient and safer to use.

G Suite currently has more than 4 million paying business customers, according to Google.

The updates include a new design, enhanced security and artificial intelligence components, and better integration of G Suite apps -- including Gmail, which is getting a brand new look.

The overhaul already has been rolled out to some businesses via the G Suite Early Adopter Program. Personal Gmail users can opt in by selecting "try the new Gmail" under Settings.

The changes follow the introduction last month of anti-phishing protections in response to business email compromise (BEC) threats -- for example, someone impersonating an executive in order to acquire sensitive information.

Those efforts -- which include warning users or automatically moving suspected phishing emails to spam -- already have succeeded in blocking 99.9 percent of BEC attempts, Google noted.

Google will not scan Gmail in any way for the purpose of targeting ads, and no ads will be shown in Gmail for G Suite customers, Google said.

Email Confidential

Google has taken privacy protection up a notch with the introduction of Gmail confidential mode -- a way to protect sensitive content. Options include adding an expiration date feature and allowing users to revoke previously sent messages. Emails also can require additional authentication via a text message before recipients can view them, which could add protection against account hacking.

Confidential mode includes built-in information rights management controls that allow senders to bar recipients from forwarding, copying, downloading or even printing messages. This functionality is meant to reduce the risk of accidentally sharing confidential information with the wrong people.

The confidentially mode will be rolled out in the coming weeks.

New Warnings and Tasks

G Suite's Gmail security warnings have gotten a makeover, which should reduce instances of users ignoring them. The new warnings are bigger and bolder.

Gmail also has received an artificial intelligence upgrade, including new functionality such as Nudging, Smart Reply and high-priority notifications to help with user productivity.

Nudging, for example, proactively reminds users to respond to messages. Smart Reply, which was introduced last year for mobile devices, has been rolled out to the Web version of Gmail.

The new high-priority notifications are designed to ensure that users are notified only of important messages, so that interruptions can be kept to a minimum.

The in-box has been updated with new tools that allow users to do such things as RSVP to a meeting invitation, archive an email threat, or even snooze an email to postpone handling to a later time.

Gmail has been integrated with other G Suite applications to make it easier to create and edit Calendar invitations and manage Tasks.

Google enhanced the Gmail Adds-ons for better integration with third-party business apps.

How Suite It Is

None of the new features will change fundamentally the way Gmail generally is used, but they should make users feel more secure about sending confidential information via email.

"Most people will welcome these updates and improvements, though they won't all be equally used," said Greg Sterling, vice president of strategy and insight at the Local Search Association.

"Confidential mode will be widely adopted by enterprise users, and the enhanced security and warnings features are also needed and useful," he told TechNewsWorld.

"The biggest takeaway from the changes to G Suite is Google's focus on providing users more finely grained security and privacy features," noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

"Some of the functions -- the ability to auto-delete messages, revoke previously sent messages, and add 'smart' auto replies -- may look fairly pedestrian," he told TechNewsWorld, "but they're handy features that many business people will appreciate."

More broadly, these features come at a time when many users have been scrutinizing and reconsidering large-scale IT companies' privacy practices, King observed.

"In other words, Google's transparency and its willingness to help users better secure their emails and other work functions couldn't come at a better time," he suggested.

"Overall, these are positive changes," noted LSA's Sterling. "Power users will get the most from them, while ordinary users will probably not take full advantage and will continue to rely on basic email functionality."

Peter Suciu has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2012. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile phones, displays, streaming media, pay TV and autonomous vehicles. He has written and edited for numerous publications and websites, including Newsweek, Wired and FoxNews.com. Email Peter.




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Andy Fowler is the CTO and cofounder of Nutshell, a provider of CRM for small businesses.

In this exclusive interview, Fowler shares his thoughts on the importance of effective sales process management.

Nutshell CTO Andy Fowler

CRM Buyer: What are some of the significant trends you're seeing in the CRM industry now? How is the industry changing and evolving?

Andy Fowler: I've been in this industry almost seven years now, and the message that we took to the market seven years ago has evolved over time.

When we launched, mobile was just becoming central, and now mobile is fully expected from any buyer. People also expect intuitive design.

What is changing, and what we're learning today, is that CRM was originally created for the managers and bosses to report on the pipeline, and it was sold as a value proposition to the manager.

What's changing now is that CRM is becoming much more about supporting the rep -- giving them the tools they need to improve their performance. It's no longer just a tool for the boss to check in on the salespeople.

CRM Buyer: How can a CRM system motivate salespeople?

Fowler: If they see the intrinsic value of the CRM tool they're using, that motivates them. We've seen trends come and go, but if the tool itself adds value, that motivation happens intrinsically. The ultimate tool is one that doesn't require motivation to use. It's sitting in the background and working automatically.

CRM Buyer: What is the key to making CRM user-friendly?

Fowler: The first piece is staying out of the way. A good sales rep knows how to develop a relationship and build rapport. If the tool is getting in the way, that's a de-motivator. If the tool gets out of the way, that's the best way to improve the experience.

The other way is delivering value. If people recognize a tool's value, then they don't need to be motivated to use it. There are a number of ways that can happen. Part of that is the middle name of CRM -- "relationships." Good sales reps know how to develop relationships and use tools to do that.

A tool can help augment their memory about the person on the other end of the phone or someone in the meeting they're about to walk into.

CRM Buyer: What kind of information is needed for an effective CRM system?

Fowler: The information stored in CRM is variable, based on the business. As a small business owner, you understand what needs to be known. The most important piece is the time line of information, the back-and-forth of what they said to you last, and what you said to them.

Those conversations -- having that transcript or a newsfeed style timeline of who said what to whom is key. That's the best way to jog your memory and build that rapport with a lead.

CRM Buyer: What is sales process management, and why is it important?

Fowler: Sales process is one of the original problems that we set out to solve. For a lot of small businesses, the process of closing a sale is a long-running deal. Those kinds of sales processes sometimes involve sending demo equipment or proposals that take a long time to develop.

For many customers, they're building a sale over a long time, and that's a lot different than the e-commerce world. We think that CRM and managing a sales process are valuable for that long sales process for a high-ticket item.

It varies by company, but we think of it as different stages, from the first time you hear about a lead to the moment a deal is closed. It's important to measure the velocity of how a sale moves from one stage of the process to another.

In a long-running sales process, information and communication needs to flow back and forth between a lead and a rep, and managing that information is part of managing the sales process, and making sure a ball isn't dropped in that process.

All of those different transactions that happen along the way need to be monitored. Our tools allow you to track what sales are sitting at different stages.

CRM Buyer: What's in the future for CRM? How will it continue to evolve?

Fowler: CRM will become increasingly connected to the tools that customers already use. If you're using Outlook, for example, your CRM is going to become closer to that platform. Companies find and purchase tools, but these tools haven't yet come together and become fully integrated. The line is going to get fuzzier between CRM and your own personal Outlook.

Account-based marketing is something that businesses have been practicing for a long time, but I think that's going to continue to change how tools are developed. There won't just be sales and marketing and support tools; the lines will blur and the pieces will become more integrated with each other.

Vivian Wagner has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. Her main areas of focus are technology, business, CRM, e-commerce, privacy, security, arts, culture and diversity. She has extensive experience reporting on business and technology for a variety of outlets, including The Atlantic, The Establishment and O, The Oprah Magazine. She holds a PhD in English with a specialty in modern American literature and culture. She received a first-place feature reporting award from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists. Email Vivian.


By Jason Bittel

In the late 1990s, scientists discovered that elephants had a secret way of communicating, a vocalization so low in frequency it is imperceptible to the human ear. It's called infrasound. The ponderous pachyderms transmit these secret messages at least partly through the ground. When an elephant really lets loose, its infrasound can reverberate almost four miles through the rocks and sands of the savanna.

Now, scientists think eavesdropping on such vibrations might one day be used to protect elephants from poachers. The ivory trade has reduced East Africa's elephant population in recent decades. And even though African elephant poaching has lessened up a bit in the past few years, the animals still need all the help they can geteven if it means giving up a little privacy.

In a study published in May in the journal Current Biology, researchers showed that they could listen in on the calls elephants make with their trunks and mouths as well as the thud-thud-thuds of their panicked running. To hear it, they broke out equipment typically reserved for detecting earthquakes.



Just like the T. rex in Jurassic Park, a single elephant can make a heck of a lot of noise by simply walking around. And a herd of angry or alarmed elephants? That's quite a rumble in the jungle. If scientists can learn to characterize all the different vibrations elephants create, perhaps we could develop an early-warning system that alerts local authorities when something nefarious is afoot. Instead of trying to patrol everywhere elephants go (these wanderers cover a lot of ground), rangers could wait until they hear about elephant emergencies through the grapevine, so to speak.

Before we can develop any kind of infrasound poaching-alert system, though, we'll need a lot more data. "We will need examples of panic running from different-size elephants, when it's raining, when it's not, and in different types of terrains," said lead author Beth Mortimer, a research scientist at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol in the UK.

Of course, elephants don't run only from poachers. Lions and bees also send the herbivores packing. So the scientists would have to be able to decipher differences between natural elephant behaviors and those associated with human threats. But Mortimer, who previously studied how spiders obtain information from the vibrations of their webs, sees a lot of potential here. Seismic sensors have already proved themselves capable of working rapidly, reliably and in remote locations, and Mortimer said they could be a much more affordable way to non-invasively gather data in the wild than methods requiring lots of rangers or even drones to monitor threatened populations.

Scientists are also still trying to work out just how much elephants use this vibratory information. For instance, Mortimer said they don't know how sensitive the animals are to the noises or how far away they can pick them up. And as you can imagine, the data in this field are limited by the fact that 13,000-pound animals can't exactly be plopped down into a controlled laboratory experiment.

Scientists Beth Mortimer and William Rees record ground vibrations. Mortimer et al. 2018

What we do know is that elephants respond to recordings of their calls during scientists' so-called seismic playback experiments. That's not all. We know elephants can tell whether a message is from an acquaintance or a stranger. "They can even discriminate the identity of the sender based on the characteristic waveform that you're playing back to them," said Mortimer.

The research has also unearthed another way humans might be doing elephants dirty. Depending on how much the animals rely on infrasound to communicate, our civilization's daily din could be jamming their chit-chat.

Mortimer found that even a little bit of anthropogenic noise was enough to drown out the elephants' infrasound. This could be anything from cars, water pumps and generators to planes overhead and mining activity down below. If it makes vibrations, it could be detrimental to the elephants' version of tin cans and string.

"It's an interesting kind of noise pollution," she said, adding that anthropogenic noise was the single largest factor standing in the way of her models picking up and distinguishing among various elephant sounds.

If we stopped making our own racket for a moment and added a few more electronic ears to the ground, who knows what we might learn?

Reposted with permission from our media associate onEarth.
(Photo: REUTERS / Stringer)India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) speaks with cardinal George Alencherry at an event organized by the Christian community to celebrate the beatification of two Indians by Pope Francis late last year, in New Delhi February 17, 2015. Modi vowed on Tuesday to protect all religious groups, an apparent response to a series of attacks on Christian institutions in New Delhi fuelling concerns that minorities are being targeted by Hindu zealots

Just days after the Kerala state's president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Kummanam Rajasekharan, was sworn in as the Governor of Mizoram, he was accused of being anti-Christian, and calls for his removal have been initiated.

Opposition to the 65-year-old leader paints him as a radical Hindu leader, who is against Christians, The News Minute reported.

The People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM), an anti-corruption organization that became a political party in 2017, has reportedly launched a campaign to oust Rajasekharan from the state which is set to have elections later this year.

India's pro-Hindu BJP-led government appointed Rajasekharan, an to serve as the 18th governor of Christian-majority Mizoram state in northeast India.

PRISM's objections were chiefly based on Rajasekharan's recent role in Kerala.

The group said it was unprecedented to have an active politician as a governor in Mizoram, a tiny state sandwiched between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Christians represent around 87 percent of the state's 1.1 million people. Another 8 percent are Buddhists, leaving Hindus with just 2.7 percent.

These demographics contrast with the national average which sees India composed of 80 percent Hindus and 2.3 percent Christians among its 1.28 billlion people.

In Meghalaya and Nagaland states, Christians also make up close to 90 percent of their respective populations.

The federal government nominated Rajasekharan while he was serving as president of the party's Kerala state unit.

MIXED CHRISTIAN REACTIONS

This drew mixed reactions from Christian leaders on the fairness of slotting an ideologically biased politician into what is supposed to be an apolitical role, UCANews reported.

He was sworn in on May 29 to effectively run the hilly state in India's northeast, one of three Christian-majority states along with Meghalaya and Nagaland.

He succeeded (retired) Lt. Gen. Nirbhay Sharma whose three-year tenure had ended.

He is also a known activist who belongs to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a hard-line Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization made up of volunteers.

Bishop Stephen Rotluanga of Aizawl, the state capital of Mizoram, told ucanews.com that he attended the oath-taking ceremony along with other Christian leaders.

Yet he said he did not "see the appointment as pushing any Hindu agenda."

State governors are viewed as representatives of India's president, a role currently filled by ex-Bihar governor Ram Nath Kovind.

They are empowered to ensure their respective state is run to protect the core values of the charter, notably by guaranteeing human rights and religious freedom, and working beyond the interests of any particular party.

But Rajasekharan's appointment came amid criticism that the BJP has been influencing state governors to make "favorable" decisions that ultimately serve its agenda.

Mizoram is expected to see assembly elections by December as the current government's term will draw to a close.

"We can't predict if his appointment will have any say in the outcome of the state election. People here have lived in harmony for years regardless of caste or creed," Bishop Rotluanga said.

"Everyone must abide by the constitution of India, including the president of this country and all the state governors, so we hope Gov. Rajasekharan will respect that, too," the prelate said.

Some Christian organizations criticized the decision to elevate Rajasekharan to his new role as they fear it could compromise their struggle for equal rights for Christians in the region.

PRISM PARTY

PRISM, which is a Christian-backed political party, and the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) both issued statements describing him as a "radical Hindu."

GCIC President Sajan K. George told ucanews.com that the appointment "surprised and shocked" him.

He pointed to Rajasekharan's record of leading Hindu groups when conflict broke out between them and Christians in the southern state of Kerala in 1983.

Rajasekharan served as the BJP's unit chief of Kerala for three years.

In his statement, George appealed to President Ram Nath Kovind to replace Rajasekharan with a more "sober and fair-minded person."

The New Indian Express reported portions from a statement released by PRISM that listed how Kummanam has headed various Hindu organisations in Kerala:

"We all know that Mr. Kummanam Rajasekharan was newly sworn in as the Governor of our state. He is well-known for his anti-secularism that goes against the Indian Constitution.

"He has been a hardcore member of RSS, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu Aikya Vedi; well known as being against Christian missionaries and Christians in general.

"He was the general convener of Nilakkal Action Council and was directly instrumental in the Nilakkal Hindu-Christian conflict of 1983."
Duke of Cambridge to visit TT

The Duke of Cambridge will visit the Isle of Man during TT week.

Kensington Palace announced that Prince William will be on the Island on Wednesday.

He'll meet with TT support staff and volunteers, as well as visit the Joey Dunlop Foundation and attend a reception.

Wednesday is due to be the penultimate day of racing at this year's TT.
Things are finally working out for Bachelor alum Becca Kufrin. After being messed around by Arie Luyendyk Jr., she's finally met her Prince Charming.

It's Been A Whirlwind

The Minnesota-based publicist, who was infamously dumped by Luyendyk Jr. on TV during a special of the hit reality show, which included heartbreaking, unbroken footage of the young woman breaking down, has found love.

Kufrin revealed to PEOPLE that she's found the one, and a new fiance, on her season on The Bachelorette, which kicks off Monday.

"I am engaged! It was the happiest moment of my life. And it feels so good to say it. I still pinch myself, like, did that all just happen? It's been a whirlwind," revealed 28-year-old Kufrin in the latest issue.

Just five months ago, Kufrin was engaged to then-Bachelor Luyendyk Jr., whom she quickly fell for during his season.

A Tough Situation

After much contemplation, the 26-year-old finally chose fan favorite Kufrin, only to change his mind once production wrapped. Luyendyk Jr. admitted he still had feelings for Lauren Burnham and, in a controversial move, broke up with Kufrin as the cameras rolled.

Host Chris Harrison told Good Morning America that her poised reaction enamored Kufrin to fans of the show, and prospective suitors.

"She was extremely careful -- maybe too careful -- not to give too much up of herself. She was very reluctant to let anybody know how she was feeling," he explained.

By mid-January, Luyendyk Jr. had officially ended things with Kufrin and hooked up with Burnham again. He proposed on After the Final Rose in March.

Kufrin admitted at the time that she was grieving and that she'd gone through all the usual breakup emotions, including anger.

A No-Brainer

When the opportunity to be the next Bachelorette presented itself, Kufrin realized that she still wanted to find her man.

Even though Luyendyk Jr. had hurt her, Kufrin still wanted to meet that someone special. She still believed in love.

Now, reportedly, happily settled down and engaged to someone else, Kufrin can't wait to show off her new man, and the all-important engagement ring, to the world.

"I'm so excited to start this season and for everyone to see everything that happened. It's been crazy, but it was so worth it," she gushed.

Catch The Bachelorette starting Monday, May 28 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Moses Farrow speaks out in defense of disgraced father Woody Allen. In a new blog post, Allen's son points the finger at his mother instead.

Breaking His Silence

On Wednesday, 40-year-old Moses, who works as a family therapist, took to his blog to reiterate that Allen never molested his then 7-year-old daughter. He also alleges that their mother, Mia Farrow, physically and emotionally abused all of her children for years. 

The lengthy essay, titled "A Son Speaks Out," declared once again that the accusations against Allen, that he abused Moses's younger sister Dylan, in August 1992 at their Connecticut home, are completely false. 

"Given the incredibly inaccurate and misleading attacks on my father, Woody Allen, I feel that I can no longer stay silent as he continues to be condemned for a crime he did not commit," begins Moses in the post.

It Doesn't Make Sense

He was adopted by actress Mia, star of Rosemary's Baby, from South Korea in 1980. Allen later co-adopted Moses too.

The way he sees it, Moses was present for everything that happened in the house at the time and therefore maintains that nothing could have occurred without him knowing.

Further, he claims that there was no time or place where Allen could have possibly taken his sister, Dylan Farrow, away to molest her.

Moses alleges that his mother was so enraged by Allen's affair with another of their adopted daughters, Soon-Yi Previn, that she asked her son to keep an eye on him.

"Along with five kids, there were three adults in the house, all of whom had been told for months what a monster Woody was. None of us would have allowed Dylan to step away with Woody, even if he tried," he writes.

The Real Culprit

Allen wasn't charged with a crime back when the incident allegedly occurred. Dylan, now 32, along with her mother, and Mia's biological son with Allen, Ronan Farrow, 30, have been trying to damage the filmmaker in the press and social media.

From Moses's perspective, it was actually his mother who was the real monster in their household.

"For all of us, life under my mother's roof was impossible if you didn't do exactly what you were told, no matter how questionable the demand," Moses wrote.

Ronan, a respected journalist, has written a series of hugely damaging reports in relation to the growing #MeToo and Time's Up movements. He shared in a Pulitzer Prize for his work uncovering the widespread abuse of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

The Story Continues

Allen has always denied any allegations against him. Dylan's claims against him, as well as her mother's, were investigated by Connecticut authorities decades ago, and no charges were brought against him.

Dylan responded to Moses's essay on Twitter, claiming his attack on their mother is an attempt to deflect from the credible accusations against Allen, that it contradicts earlier statements Moses made, and that it is easily disproved.

Neither Mia nor Ronan Farrow has directly responded to Moses's claims, though Ronan did recently reiterate that his mother is very principled about standing by her children and defending them.
New research at this year's Euroanaesthesia congress in Copenhagen, Denmark, suggests that nail treatments such as acrylic nails or nail polishes do not, as previously thought, affect readings from digital pulse oximetry (DPO) devices used to monitor patients' blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels in hospital.

DPO is universally used to measure blood oxygen levels in patients, however there are concerns that the readings they produce can be affected by treatments such as nail polish or acrylic nails. The DPO device fits around the fingertip including the nail, and the side facing the nail is emitting light which is detected by a sensor on the far side of the fingertip. Since changes in SpO2 levels affect the levels and types of medical intervention, as well as impacting patient monitoring in critical care and anaesthesia, determining whether nail treatments affect DPO readings is crucial.

This study by Dr James Purcell and colleagues at University College Cork, and South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, Ireland. aimed to survey attitudes and approaches to the issue among healthcare professionals, and experimentally assess the effect of nail treatments on SpO2 measurements under different physiological conditions. The nail treatments the team studied were acrylic nails and differing colours of nail polish/varnish.

The team issued a questionnaire-based survey to clinical staff at four university hospitals to assess their knowledge and opinions on how nail treatments impact clinical decisions pertaining to DPO. They also conducted an experiment on 12 volunteers to analyse the effects of nail polish of different colours and acrylic nails from popular brands on SpO2 under varying physiological conditions (healthy, venous congestion, and venous constriction). Congestion was modelled by applying a blood pressure cuff to restrict blood flow, while constriction was modelled by immersing the subject's hand in cold water at 10? for 10 minutes.

There were 86 responses to the survey questionnaire (55 doctors, 21 nurses) with 45% of respondents saying that nail treatments affected the way they conducted their clinical practice. More than 30% of those surveyed had intervened to remove nail treatments to prevent them affecting DPO readings.

The experimental part of the study found that none of the nail treatments examined caused more than a 1% variation in SpO2 readings under any of the physiological conditions tested compared to untreated nails. Furthermore, none of the treatments resulted in an SpO2 of <95%, at which intervention with oxygen therapy is recommended.

The authors found that: "Knowledge of, and approach to potential complications of nail treatments on DPO varies amongst healthcare staff, with poor knowledge or understanding of effects". They suggest that hospitals should establish policies that do not require the removal of any of the nail treatments examined in this study prior to the use of DPO equipment.

They conclude that: "Experimental data indicate the nail treatments specified do not contribute significantly to a difference in blood oxygen readings, therefore have no clinical impact on patient care".

###
Some of the earliest predators that patrolled the oceans over 500 million years ago are also some of the largest animals to have lived at the time. However, a new fossil study led by Jianni Liu from the Northwest University of Xi'an in China, has shown that their tiny babies were also proficient killers.

The "creepy crawly" animal group known as the Arthropoda, which includes spiders, insects and crustaceans, has often been the inspiration behind many science fiction monsters, largely due to their scary-looking appendages. Some of the oldest and most primitive arthropod species belong to a group called the Radiodonta ("radiating teeth"), which were armed with large, spiny raptorial (or grasping) appendages at the front of the head and a circular mouth adorned with tooth-like serrations. These animals, including the famous Anomalocaris, are considered the giant apex predators of their time, reaching lengths of over one metre.

Until now, virtually nothing was known about the juveniles of radiodontans and their feeding habits. The discovery of an exceptionally-preserved juvenile of a species called Lyrarapax unguispinus from the early Cambrian (518 million-year-old) Chengjiang biota of China has shed new light on this iconic group of fossil arthropods.

At only 18mm in total body length, this almost complete specimen represents the smallest radiodontan ever found. To the surprise of the research team, its anatomy is extraordinarily well developed--especially the spiny grasping appendages--giving it the appearance of a miniaturised adult. This indicates that Lyrarapax unguispinus was a well-equipped predator at an early developmental stage, similar to modern arthropods such as praying mantises, mantis shrimps, and arachnids. This discovery confirms that raptorial feeding habits in juveniles appeared early on in the evolutionary history of arthropods.

This fossil find also has important implications for the rapid evolution of the first animals over half-a-billion years ago - an event referred to colloquially as the Cambrian 'Explosion'. It is hypothesised that predation was a major driver of this evolutionary event, with predators placing selective pressures on animal communities, forcing prey species to adapt and evolve or face extinction.The predatory lifestyles of juvenile radiodontans adds further complexity to Cambrian marine food webs by placing additional pressures on small prey during this evolutionary 'arms race'.

###

Liu, J. N., Lerosey-Aubril, R., Steiner, M., Dunlop, J. A., Shu, D. G. & Paterson, J. R. 2018.Origin of raptorial feeding in juvenile euarthropods revealed by a Cambrian radiodontan. National Science Review. https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwy057
After almost tripling in the last decade, the number of tourists to Switzerland from the Middle East is slowing down, with the slowdown expected to be particularly marked this summer.

The growth rate of tourists from the Gulf will be zero this summer, according to forecasts by Oxford Economics and the Swiss tourist board.

Summer reservations were already slowing down last year. Visits by people from Saudi Arabia fell by more than 10% compared with the same period in 2016.

This slowdown contrasts with a rapid increase in the previous years.

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of tourists from Gulf states grew by 150%. The steady increase was mainly driven by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Both countries sent about 47,000 tourists to Switzerland in 2011, compared with 130,000 in 2016.

Swiss tourist board spokesperson Veronique Kanel told Swiss national broadcaster RTS the main reason for the slowdown is the blockade against Qatar and its effects, notably sanctions against its national airline Qatar Airways. She said some flights to Europe from Saudi Arabia have been cancelled.

Another reason is that some rich Saudi families are currently under house arrest for suspected corruption, she told RTS. A further factor is the introduction of 5% VAT in several Gulf states, notably the Emirates.

Tourists from the Middle East are generally wealthy and spend a lot when in Switzerland  CHF420 ($425) per day on average compared with CHF200 ($202) for other tourists.
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker called Saturday for the new eurosceptic Italian government to be treated with respect, having told Italians to work harder and stop blaming the EU for the country's problems.

We should show respect towards Italy, Juncker said in an interview with the German press group Funke Mediengruppe.

Italys new anti-establishment government took power on Friday promising an end to EU-inspired austerity and a harder line on relations with Brussels, especially on immigration and the role of the euro single currency.

Juncker caused a stir on Thursday when he had said: Italians have to take care of the poor regions of Italy. That means more work, less corruption, (more) seriousness.

Italy should not play this game of holding the EU responsible, he added.

Asked about Italys massive debt mountain and the new governments plan to increase public spending, Juncker said in the interview that he was not at all in favour of giving lessons to Rome.

That was what happened too much with (thrice bailed-out), Greece, especially by the German-speaking countries (of the EU), he said.

Germany under Chancellor Angela Merkel has been a strict enforcer of EU fiscal rules, insisting member states restore their public finances to balance, including the use of stinging cuts to government spending if necessary.

Juncker said that Greece had suffered as a result of this approach, with the dignity of the Greek people trodden under foot when left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took office in 2015.

That must not happen again in the present case with Italy, he said, stressing: I absolutely do not want to get involved in questions of domestic Italian politics.

Italians have a clear understanding of what is good for their country. They will sort it out.
"You can turn off your TV and resume a normal activity" -- after nearly three decades of skewering the rich and famous, the bobbing puppets of one of France's most revered comedy shows are about to give their famous signoff for good.

Three years after Vincent Bollore, the billionaire owner of Canal+, first tried to axe the satire show for going too far in its mockery of the French establishment, the channel told AFP the curtain was finally coming down.

Bollore was forced to bow to a public outcry from the shows supporters in 2015, but this time there will be no reprieve, Canal+ said.

The latex puppets had become a fixture of prime-time television since their debut in 1988 with merciless send-ups of politicians and pundits, athletes and actors.

Inspired by Britains biting 1980s puppet show Spitting Image, the Guignols took off during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, not least thanks to over-the-top reporting by a flak-jacket wearing Sylvester Stallone.

He would become a perennial favourite, alongside ex-president Jacques Chirac, routinely seen indulging in his penchant for Corona beers  when he wasnt the masked hero known as SuperLiar.

French superstar rocker Johnny Hallydays public image as an empty-headed entertainer was also forged on the show, while Osama bin Laden would ask about his chances of getting an Oscar award for his action movie of the year.

Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy was also known to hate how the show mocked his height of 5 feet 4 inches (1.66 metres)  since viewers would only ever see the top of his puppets head on the show.

 We were expecting this 

More than three million people watched the 10-minute programme daily at its height, giving it outsize influence on the nations cultural and political pulse.

But their barbs could draw the ire of some of their subjects, not least Vincent Bollore, the billionaire industrialist who took control of Canal+ in 2015 after becoming the largest shareholder in its parent company, the media conglomerate Vivendi.

Criticising the shows writers for an abuse of derision, Bollore quickly signalled his intent to axe the show with press suggesting he was acting on behalf of Sarkozy.

The businessman eventually backed down, but only after replacing longtime writers and taking a noticeable edge off the puppets humour.

He also ended the shows free-to-air viewing to make it available only to Canal+ subscribers, a move that further pushed down audience levels.

Since then, many fans as well as the shows production team suspected the curtains fall was only a matter of time.

We were expecting this, there were rumours, people quitting, said Yves Lecoq, one of the programmes veteran voices, adding that so far he had heard nothing official from Canal+.

The news quickly became the top trending topic on Twitter in France, with many lamenting the shows demise while sharing their favourite sketches.

Others, however, made no secret of their delight.

What joy! Well done! tweeted rightwing politician Nadine Morano, an outspoken Sarkozy ally who was regularly targeted by the show.

No funeral, straight to cremation! No wreaths or flowers, only a plaque saying stupid and mean. Good riddance!

tsz-lth/js/adp/jh
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Portugals Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, today spent time hugging trees in Loule, visiting Monchique firefighters who had not been paid for a year, and ended the day answering tricky oil related questions posed by journalists.

Today was Childrens Day, noted in the Algarve by a visit from the smiley PM who started his tour by hugging trees with a group of green T-shirted kids, in defense of the forest, in Duarte Pacheco park in Loule.

Next, Costa was off to the Monchique hills, one of the fire risk areas for the coming summer, saying to assembled firefighters and journalists that the country has pulled out all the stops to make the forests safe in the nationwide scrub cleaning exercise.

The firefighters, a forestry brigade which has been working for a year, has not yet been paid as the Government has withheld funds due to the Association of Forest Owners of the Eastern Algarve. The bill so far is 40,000 which the Council in Monchique has been helping to subsidise.

Costa was asked by journalists, how could he explain his tree hugging when at the same time allowing oil and gas exploration off the Aljezur coast, especially without the safeguard, however flimsy, of an environmental impact study.

Costa stuck to the well rehearsed mantra now adopted by key ministers, that if oil is to be drilled, only then does there have to be an environmental impact study.

Another government ruse is the old saving on oil imports ploy whereby the government continues to fool the public into to imagining that extracting oil from Portuguese waters somehow will reduce the nations import bill, which it wont as Galp-ENI will sell any oil shipped to Portugal at the international barrel price.

Costa said today that the least we can do is find out whether we have resources or not, making it sound like the oil somehow belongs to the State when in fact it has been signed away in sloppily negotiated concession agreements that will leave oil companies in profit and Portugal facing the environmental costs of production and spillage.

The use today of smiley, happy children to help paint a green gloss over the governments pro-oil agenda, marks a new low for an administration that continues to evade the truth, to deny the consequences and block open debate on oil and gas exploration.
Saudi Arabia has threatened military action against Qatar if it goes ahead and acquires Russia's top of the range S-400 air defence missile system, Le Monde daily reported.

Citing information it had obtained, Le Monde said Friday that Riyadh had written to French President Emmanuel Macron asking him to intervene to prevent the deal going ahead and to help preserve regional stability.

There was no immediate official reaction from the presidents office or the French foreign ministry to the report.

Saudi Arabia, backed by other regional powers including Bahrain and the Unite Arab Emirates, broke off relations with Qatar in June last year, accusing the Gulf state of supporting radical Islamist groups and of being too close to Iran  Riyadhs arch rival in the region.

They subsequently imposed economic sanctions on Qatar which has consistently rejected the charges against it.

In an effort to ease its isolation, Qatar has sought new friends, including Russia.

In January, it announced that talks with Moscow on supplying the sophisticated S-400 system were at an advanced stage.

Le Monde said that in the letter sent to the French president, Saudi King Salman had expressed his deep concern with the discussions between Doha and Moscow and warned about the risk of escalation.

Saudi Arabia would be ready to take all necessary measures to eliminate this defence system, including military action, the newspaper wrote.
Syria's foreign minister on Saturday linked any talks on the future of a rebel-held southern region with the departure of US forces from another area bordering Iraq and Jordan.

Regime ally Russia has called for a meeting with the United States and Jordan on the future of the southern provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

In recent weeks, Damascus has sent military reinforcements to the two provinces, which comprise some of the closest rebel-held areas to the capital.

President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu about proposed talks.

We have not yet entered into negotiations over the southern front, Syrias Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said at a press conference in Damascus.

The indicator will be the withdrawal of the United States from our land in At-Tanaf near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, Muallem said.

The United States and its allies have used a base in the area to train a force fighting the Islamic State group.

Dont believe anything that is said about an agreement on the south until you see that the United States has withdrawn its forces from the At-Tanaf base, he said.

It must withdraw its forces from At-Tanaf.

We have strived from the start to resolve the issue in the ways that we are used to, which are reconciliations, he said. If it is not feasible, we will see what will happen.

Moscow-brokered reconciliation deals have seen rebels withdraw from several areas of Syria including opposition strongholds close to the capital, often after blistering regime offensives and sieges.

Last month, Washington warned Damascus it would take firm action if the regime violated a ceasefire deal for southern Syria that was negotiated with Russia and Jordan last year.

The warning came after regime aircraft dropped leaflets on Daraa, urging the rebels who control most of the province to lay down their weapons or face an offensive.

The United States is also present in the north of Syria, where it has been backing a Kurdish-led alliance fighting IS.

Muallem also criticised a US-Turkish roadmap for security and stability in the Kurdish-held city of Manbij near the Turkish border.

The agreement came after forces led by Turkey, who considers Syrias Kurdish militia to be terrorists, in March seized the enclave of Afrin west of Manbij.

That had raised fears of a confrontation between Turkish troops and American forces based in Manbij.

Not just in Manbij but also in Afrin and on every inch of Syrian soil, we consider Turkey to be an aggressor, the foreign minister said.

Neither the United States nor Turkey has the right to negotiate over a Syrian city, he said, describing any such deal as infringing on Syrian sovereignty.
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Hugo Ihosvany Rodriguez, once a rising star at Ballet San Antonio, is now in the Bexar County Jail facing sexual assault charges after two fellow dancers accused him of rape, court documents show.

Rodriguez was scheduled to stand trial for one of the felony charges Monday  about a week after the troubled ballet company lost its artistic director, Willy Shives. The trial has been pushed back two months during a turbulent time for San Antonios premiere ballet company that performs at the Tobin Center.

Prior to Shives departure, the ballet launched an internal investigation after a group of former dancers sent letters to the Ballet San Antonio board complaining about Shives alleged abusive behavior, explosive outbursts and a culture of fear that has paralyzed most dancers from previously speaking out.

Rodriguez no longer works for Ballet San Antonio and the letters dont mention him by name. But several of the former dancers who wrote letters to the board said they were concerned about Shives treatment toward one of the women who had accused Rodriguez of raping her.

They said the dancer, who had starred in previous productions, was cut from leading roles and penalized for trivial or nonexistent infractions. She eventually resigned.

The Express-News doesnt print the names of victims in alleged cases of sexual assault.

Rodriguezs lawyer, James Vincent Tocci, and Shives did not return multiple messages. Board members of Ballet San Antonio declined interview requests, but ballet officials released a statement saying the organization was only aware of one of the rape allegations against Rodriguez, but it acted swiftly to remove him.

Once Ballet San Antonio learned of this incident, Mr. Rodriguezs employment was immediately placed on suspension and banned from all Ballet San Antonio properties of operation, the ballet said. His employment was then terminated within the week.

In its statement, the ballet disputed any claims that one of Rodriguezs accusers was pushed aside.

Mr. Shives, who is no longer the artistic director of Ballet San Antonio, did not demote the dancer to the Corps de Ballet, the organization stated. She was provided a different schedule so that she could, in fact, deal with the aftermath of the case after returning from her leave of absence.

When Ballet San Antonio announced Shives departure, the organization did not say whether he resigned or left the company involuntarily.

Ballet San Antonio is a nonprofit organization and the resident ballet company at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Antonio. The turmoil is occurring after the ballet suffered losses of $140,000 during its 2016 fiscal year, according to its most recent publicly available tax records.

That year, Ballet San Antonio made $1.58 million in revenue but paid $1.72 million in total expenses. The tax records show that Ballet San Antonios current chairwoman, Lisa Galo Westmoreland, loaned the ballet $177,000 for operating costs that year.

The ballet is very important, said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, a leader in the effort to build the Tobin Center. Ballet San Antonio is one of the centers primary performing arts organizations, along with the San Antonio Symphony and Opera San Antonio.

While the criminal cases against Rodriguez surprised the judge, the ballets recent financial shortfall didnt.

Our community doesnt support them like they should, said Wolff, who hopes Ballet San Antonio is able to deal with its internal problems.

The accusations of rape against Rodriguez follow a similar pattern, according to court records: Both women were unconscious at the time of the alleged assaults.

In the case going to trial in July, a group of co-workers got together for drinks at the Brooklynite bar downtown on Saturday, March 11, 2017, according to court records and interviews with more than a half dozen dancers.

The woman and her roommate went home shortly after midnight while the rest of the group, including Rodriguez, went on to dance at the Bonham Exchange. The roommate, who was also a dancer with the company and knew Rodriguez, let him into the apartment after he showed up around 4:30 a.m. and asked to sleep on the couch.

After the roommate went back to bed, Rodriguez crept into the victims bedroom where she was asleep, court records allege. The woman said she woke up suddenly with Hugo inside me, told him to stop and yelled at him to leave, according to a sworn affidavit she later filed seeking a protective order against Rodriguez.

Rodriguez left the apartment and the woman called two friends, hysterical and crying. Three dancers and one of their mothers, who was visiting from out of town, took the victim to the hospital and helped her file charges against Rodriguez Sunday morning, people with knowledge of the events said.

The womans mother flew to San Antonio that same day and the two of them met that evening with Shives and his wife, who volunteered with the company helping train the dancers, according to people with knowledge of the meeting.

Shives called a second meeting at 9:30 p.m. on March 12 to brief Christine Mayer, the board chairwoman at the time, they said. Shives announced the next morning to the entire ballet company that Rodriguez was no longer with Ballet San Antonio, declining to say why, several dancers said.

A grand jury indicted Rodriguez on April 26, 2017.

After knowledge of the alleged rape started circulating in the tightly knit group, another female dancer came forward, privately disclosing that Rodriguez had allegedly done the same thing to her, several dancers said.

That woman pressed charges against him on July 18 for an incident she said happened in December 2016. The charges in the second indictment on Sept. 20 are identical to the first: the complainant had not consented and the defendant knew the complainant was unconscious and physically unable to resist.

The victim of that incident never disclosed her alleged rape to Ballet San Antonio managers, fearing she would lose her job if it became public, she told colleagues.

Rodriguez, who was released on a $20,000 bond for the first sexual assault charge and began making money driving for Uber, became violent after one of Ballet San Antonios dancers reported to the ride-hailing company that he was bothering them, and Rodriguez lost that job, police and court records show.

Assistant Criminal District Attorney Anna B. Scott asked the court to raise Rodriguezs bond, arguing in a Sept. 14 court filing: He was alleged to have threatened and broken the car windows of two other co-workers, at least one of whom is a potential witness in the sexual assault cases.

Rodriguez was also involved in a hit-and-run accident the same night he allegedly broke his colleagues car windows, police records show. All three complaints were made on Sept. 3.

The court raised his bond to $75,000 and he was arrested for the second alleged assault on Sept. 22, police and court records show.

Rodriguezs first accuser abruptly left San Antonio in October without any explanation as to why.

Since then, Rodriguez has been sitting in jail awaiting his trial, which was delayed from March. The alleged victim moved home with her parents and is still looking for work.

She also hired a lawyer who notified Ballet San Antonio in April that she intends to sue. Ballet officials denied any responsibility for the chain of events in their statement.

The incident involving Mr. Rodriguez occurred after hours on the dancers personal time, the statement said. It did not occur at a Ballet San Antonio event, in a Ballet San Antonio facility, or on Ballet San Antonio time.

News Researcher Misty Harris contributed to this article.

John Tedesco is a San Antonio Express-News investigative reporter. Read more of his stories here. | jtedesco@express-news.net | @John_Tedesco
In the weeks since the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, students at San Antonios Anne Frank Inspire Academy talked about gun laws  and the classroom conversations quickly included mental health, school discipline and parental involvement.

All of a sudden it was obvious they had a lot of thoughts about what was going on, as their list of factors that might contribute to student violence grew longer, said Bruce Rockstroh, superintendent of the schools parent charter network, Braination.

The students organized a larger conversation about school safety with peers across Bexar County, and delegations from other schools met with them Friday at the Anne Frank campus on the Northwest Side. Speakers included San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, who urged students to be proactive and cautious, and Columbine High School shooting survivor Crystal Miller, who said students should channel their passions to work for change.

Fifty-one students from four schools attended the first Students on Safety Symposium, in which the charter school students led break-out sessions on topics they had discussed in class.

Felicity Sanchez, 17, leading a discussion on bullying and sexual assault, drew on her experience of being picked on because of her height. Now over 4 feet, 10 inches, the high school junior said she was always the shortest in her class and the butt of jokes growing up. Her passion for equal treatment for people with disabilities is motivating her to pursue a career as a psychiatrist and counselor.

Sanchez posed questions to her group that included, Do you think cyber bullying is equivalent or worse than physical bullying?

Millers talk had resonated with her  It touched me because it gave me a sense of hope, she said.

The student organizers wanted community stakeholders to be part of the conversation. Axel Hernandez, a sophomore, invited McManus but first interviewed the police chief one-on-one to learn more about the role of drugs and gangs in school safety.

Hernandez, 16, said he requested an interview with McManus at his mothers recommendation but thought to himself, Hes not going to talk to me. But on May 25 he sat across from McManus in a conference room at police headquarters.

The students efforts are part of a movement, Sanchez said, to be heard through peaceful conversations.

If you hear what we have to say, she said, its really, really important.

krista.torralva@express-news.net
A Bexar County judge will decide Monday whether to grant a temporary injunction that would stop the San Antonio Independent School District from moving ahead with a contract, effective July 1, for a New York-based charter school network to take over operations at Stewart Elementary School.

The Southeast Side school enrolled about 440 students during the academic year that ended Wednesday. Most of the students are from low-income families, and the school has failed for five consecutive years to meet state academic standards. Under recent laws, the state could order Stewart closed if it fails again when ratings are released this summer  unless the school partners with certain entities, earning it a two-year reprieve from accountability sanctions.

The San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, the union representing teachers and other non-administrative employees, argued Friday to District Court Judge Karen H. Pozza that SAISD never consulted with Stewart employees about the provisions to be included in the contract with Democracy Prep, which the union said state law requires.

The staff would have really welcomed the opportunity to provide input, said Alejandra Lopez, a second-grade teacher and the union representative for Stewart Elementary, testifying for the union. Many teachers felt a lot of anxiety due to the lack of information about Democracy Prep and its operation at Stewart.

Besides the temporary injunction, the union sued to nullify the contract between SAISD and Democracy Prep. Its lawsuit names SAISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez, each of the district's seven trustees and Democracy Prep.

At issue is a statute in the Texas Education Code, part of a new law allowing schools to form certain partnerships for relief from another law that closes campuses if they consistently fail. The partnership law, passed last year, says campus employees must be consulted regarding the provisions in a contract that allows an open-enrollment charter school to operate the campus.

SAISD lawyers submitted an evaluation form from Joe Siedlecki, associate education commissioner, concluding the requirement to consult with employees does not apply because Democracy Prep was granted a campus charter rather than an open-enrollment charter. Darin Darby, an attorney for SAISD, pointed that out to Pozza.

Thats just him interpreting the legal question Im looking at, Pozza responded.

The unions lawyer, Martha P. Owen, argued the consulting requirement applies to any entity eligible for a charter.

Both sides also sparred over what qualifies as consultation. SAISD administrators met with Stewart employees to announce the Democracy Prep partnership two months before the contract was approved, giving a presentation and taking questions, but they did not solicit input on the contract, Owen said. Lopez and Shelley Potter, the unions president, said no teacher saw the proposed contract until the Friday before the Monday meeting in mid-March when it was approved.

Darby said the district did consult with teachers by taking questions after the presentation and listening to the concerns they aired during public comment portions of board meetings.

SAISD is also arguing the court does not have jurisdiction over the case because the union has not gone through the administrative grievance process  one that the union says would take too long to make a difference.

Only two teachers applied to stay at Stewart under Democracy Prep, Potter said. In the charter network, Stewart teachers become at-will employees, meaning they have fewer protections from being fired. Stewart teachers and the union also object to what they say are Democracy Preps high student suspension rates in New York and the English as a second language program that is slated to replace Stewarts bilingual program next year.

Stewarts fifth-graders did well enough on state standardized tests that teachers think the school might remain open even if the Democracy Prep partnership is halted or nullified, Potter said. Scores for the third- and fourth-graders have yet to be released.

Alia Malik is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | amalik@express-news.net | @AliaAtSAEN
WASHINGTON  Navy veterans who served offshore during the Vietnam War appear close to winning a final battle as Congress prepares to force the Veterans Affairs Department to restore benefits to thousands of sailors who claim exposure to Agent Orange.

The $1 billion-plus price tag  to be borne by veterans themselves  is another of the unanticipated costs of war measured both in dollars and toxic wounds.

Gulf War veterans also are pressing the VA to compensate them for exposure to nerve agents and other toxins. The Government Accountability Office is preparing a report on allegations of Agent Orange use in Guam during the Vietnam era, which could open the door to awards of benefits to veterans stationed there.

With little fanfare, the House Veterans Affairs Committee last month advanced legislation that restores disability pay and care for Blue Water Navy veterans that the VA stripped 16 years ago.

The legislation also extends benefits to families of U.S. service members who served in Thailand and whose children suffer from spina bifida, a birth defect associated with Agent Orange exposure.

The Agent Orange Act, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, directed the VA to award benefits to Vietnam-era veterans, including those from the Navy, whod begun suffering from cancers, heart disease or any of the 14 ailments presumed to be associated with exposure to the toxic herbicide.

But in 2002, the VA excluded veterans who served offshore, many of whom claim to suffer from the same illnesses that afflict service members who fought in Vietnam jungles. The agency required that a veteran to show proof of boots on the ground or operating along an inland waterway.

Veterans Committee Chairman Phil Roe, R-Tenn., said in an interview that GOP leaders have promised floor time in the House for a mid-June vote.

We didnt want to do what we did with the World War II veterans who were exposed to mustard gas and wait till there was only 400 of them alive before we did anything, said Roe, a physician who worries about his own exposure to Agent Orange during his service in South Korea.

With 330 co-sponsors, including 20 from Texas, the legislation seems likely to pass. The Senate is expected to approve a companion measure, and advocates say the White House has signaled that President Donald Trump will sign the restoration of benefits into law.

The VA opposes the bill, contending in a statement that there is no known existing scientific evidence to suggest a linkage between Agent Orange exposure and service on ships offshore. The agency is conducting two related studies.

The statement noted the Institute of Medicine, which later became the national Academy of Medicine, concluded in 2011 that it was unable to state with certainty that Blue Water Navy personnel were or were not exposed to Agent Orange.

For years, Congress wrestled with how to pay the $1.1 billion cost of benefits but fell short of a solution. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association estimates that 90,000 Navy veterans could be eligible for compensation, and that as many as 150,000 people could benefit when when factoring in widows, children and veterans who served in Thailand.

Roe and advocates hit on an idea this year  increases fees on VA home loans that will cost service members, veterans and surviving spouses between $2 and $3 monthly, depending on the down payment. Severely disabled veterans would be exempt.

Veterans advocates bought into the plan after watching Congress fall short in the past.

We would put out something to our members about how this was about to happen. Theyd get their hopes up, have something to live for, said Michael Little, executive director of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association. Then all of a sudden it would collapse, and guys would get depressed, sad and angry. Very angry.

Negotiations remain that will affect who among the veterans will qualify, notably definitions of territorial seas and Vietnam boundaries. A goal, according to two people close to the discussions, is making certain the legislation includes waters that extend into the ocean.

What were looking at is exactly how to define things so as to limit the VAs discretion, said John Wells, a former Navy commander who heads Military Veterans Advocacy, a nonprofit. What we dont want is for the VA to come back and define the territorial seas as a lake in Saigon.

Wells, who was chief engineer on three Navy ships, has spearheaded litigation and assembled studies showing what he and allies regard as proof of contamination.

Vietnam waters were busy with military and civilian shipping, he recalls, constantly churning up the river bottoms, where Agent Oranges potent 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T had settled, along with the unwanted byproduct dioxin.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, the United States sprayed over 12 million gallons of the herbicide in Vietnam to destroy enemy cover in a program named Operation Ranch Hand.

Wells believes a prime method of exposure was the distillation systems on ships operating in the South China Sea using a time-honored means of desalinization. A study in Australia in 1998 concluded that distillation enriches dioxin rather than removes it, prompting the government to grant Agent Orange benefits to Royal Australian Navy sailors who had served within 100 miles of mainland Vietnam.

People at the VA whove worked on this had no concept of river discharges and no idea about the effects of anchoring. Weve embarrassed them, and its built up a lot of resistance. Its like, Were the VA. You cant question us, Wells said.

Michael Thompson, 67, of San Antonio, was a jet mechanic on aircraft carriers during two Vietnam duty tours. He has suffered from esophageal cancer and has three of the ailments that would qualify as presumptive diseases associated with Agent Orange.

We ate it, drank it, cooked in it, washed our clothes in it and wore them all day long, he said, referring to water distilled on board. I would be wiping down planes coming back from direct contact with Agent Orange.

New VA criteria would raise his disability rating to 100 percent, eliminating co-pays at the VA and yielding modest benefits.

I wouldnt have to worry about becoming a pawn in some budgetary battle in Congress down the line, he said.

Richard Shafer of Crosby served as a radarman on a destroyer and guided missile cruiser that anchored in 35 feet of water in Da Nang Harbor, 200 yards from shore. He recalled a runoff canal from an Agent Orange storage area that delivered herbicide contamination directly into those waters.

Shafer, 70, a former air traffic controller, has three of the ailments that would be covered under the legislation  prostate cancer, systemic heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. After fighting for six years for compensation, his appeal was denied in 2016.

Had I known back in 1969 that I was being poisoned, I would have taken a lot better notes and pictures, he said.

Its the principle of the thing. Youre making old veterans, and were in our late 60s and our 70s now, fight for what the government promised. You promised youd take care of me and youre not taking care of me. We have to fight for everything we get, and thats just wrong, he said.

blambrecht@express-news.net
The homecoming was years in the making, in some cases decades, but on Friday, eight veterans were welcomed to their final resting place, the roar of three dozen motorcycles trumpeting their arrival at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

The cremated remains were out of storage at last, escorted into town by state troopers, San Antonio police and Bexar County sheriffs deputies after a ride of more than 500 miles across West Texas, to be interred with full military honors.

Now Playing: Eight servicemen are given a burial with military honors Friday at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The Missing In America Project facilitated the service. Video: Sig Christenson, Express-News

Veterans usually get such treatment days after their deaths surrounded by family, but not these men. They died with no one to claim them and were placed in the basement of the Potter County Courthouse in Amarillo.

Michael Decker, a decorated Navy veteran of Vietnam from the Panhandle who made the journey on his bike as a Patriot Guard Rider, wrote a poem in the veterans honor early Friday during a vigil at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1480 in Kerrville.

Eight brothers, from the wars of far-off Asia to the shores of Tripoli. These men from all the ages stood tall for all to see, he began. Today, we call them brothers, for with honor they did serve.

More Information How to help If you wish to help the Missing in America Project, call Joyce Earnest (210) 508-1139 or email her at je2096@yahoo.com See More Collapse

Aviation Electronic Tech 2nd Class Petty Officer Coy Washington Black, who died at 67, had been in the basement the longest  15 years. A couple of others had been there since 2005 and 2007. Tech Sgt. Dana Dean Milton Jr., who died at 85, retired after 30 years service in the Army, Navy and Air Force, was in storage seven years.

He had been awarded a Purple Heart as a World War II veteran but also served in Korea and Vietnam.

The burial was provided by the Missing in America Project, a group that has given final honors to more than 3,500 veterans across the country. The number in Texas was brought to 60 after Fridays ceremony closed with the Fort Sam Houston Memorial Services Detachment firing three rifle volleys and sounding taps.

Hundreds of other deceased Texas veterans are in the process of being verified.

These veterans that were locating served our country honorably, said Joyce Earnest, Texas coordinator for the project, which has been locating, identifying and interring the unclaimed cremains of Americas veterans since 2007. And they deserve to be treated honorably in their deaths.

Ive got three brothers and my husband and all four are retired military, and it just means a lot to me, she said.

More than 100 Patriot Guard Riders escorted the veterans at points along the way. One of them, Jeff Wike, a Vietnam veteran from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, had put 902 miles on the odometer of his 2017 Harley Davidson Street Glide by Friday afternoon.

I do it because my being in the military, we call brothers together and it is our duty to honor and respect them, especially the ones that did not have a family. We consider ourselves their family, explained Wike, 75, of Bedford.

Black, Milton and the other veterans were among 200 sets of unclaimed remains in the courthouse in Amarillo. The MIA Project has worked with veterans groups, funeral homes, the Department of Veteran Affairs and others to find 16,431 cremated remains across the nation. Theyve identified 3,793 of them as veterans.

The other six men interred Friday were:

Navy Aviation Recruit George Machoul Aswad II, 58.

Army Pfc. Andrew Benson Bramlett, 61.

Army Pvt. Robert Pete Brunner, 71.

Navy Seaman Everett Earl Criss, 71.

Army Pfc. Don Stewart, 83.

Marine Pfc. Floyd Ray White, 65.

Little is known about the men  including whether any of them other than Milton served in a war zone.

There are some things we did know, said Joel Carver, co-owner of A to D Mortuary Service in Amarillo, which has a contract with Potter County to handle the remains. We knew their birthday, we knew their death date, we knew where they had passed away.

Still, they found a respectful welcome and a salute at Fort Sam from fellow veterans and civilians, one of them Frank Dunn, a 73-year-old San Antonio Realtor who sat under a broiling sun without a hat.

Hes bald.

I served in the Army artillery during Vietnam, but the Army never sent me, he said. I lost a lot of friends in Vietnam and Ive always felt just a little bit remorseful that they went and I didnt even go, that the Army never sent me.

Its important to remember the dead, Carver said, calling it an eternal principle of Christianity. Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner, who as custodian of the remains helped facilitate a burial of five veterans here last year, shared that sentiment while reading the names of those laid to rest Friday.

She asked the crowd to think of just one of them, imagining them as a baby born to a loving family, playing as a toddler, losing his first tooth in grade school, discovering his first pimple in junior high, and having his first kiss before joining the military and going to war.

Then coming home and falling off the grid, losing contact with family and old friends.

I wonder if he ever fell in love, if he ever had a family and kids. I just wonder that, Tanner told the crowd of more than 100. Did he ever live the American dream at all? Did he have a home, did he have a job, did he have a family?

Todd Burnett was among the last to leave the cemetery when it was over, at one point opening his umbrella to shield an old man from the sun as he walked amid the headstones with a long wooden cane.

The cemetery is known as the granite orchard, he said.

Yes, these guys are horizontal and not with us, but because of these guys all of us get life in a great country, said Burnett, 57, of Cibolo, the son of an Air Force navigator who served in Vietnam and is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Vertical veterans and horizontal heroes, he added.

sigc@express-news.net
When several small civic organizations merged in 1929 to form the League of United Latin American Citizens, its founders hoped the new group would give Hispanics a chance at basic civil rights.

We were isolated, Rodolfo Rosales, a former political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said Friday at LULACs 89th state convention. There were no institutions that would protect us at all. We had no inclusion at all.

Now, Rosales and other advocates argue Hispanics are again being denied basic civil rights through what they call a racially biased drawing of Texas political boundaries. But the redistricting fight matters less if Hispanics dont bother turning out for elections, Rosales warned during a convention workshop.

What good is it to have your right to vote when people don't vote? he said. What good is it when you don't have a community that's organized and wants to get out to vote?

Rosales, LULAC general counsel Luis Vera and the organizations national vice president of the Southwest, Gabriel Rosales, explored the topic of redistricting at length Friday at San Antonios El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel.

Vera, whos represented LULAC for years through various redistricting battles, argued that not only did Republican legislators draw Texas political maps to minimize the electoral power of minority voters, but the state has sought to put off a decision by appealing lower court findings.

The state has developed this unique style of delay, delay, delay, Vera said. Every possible thing they can delay legally, they do it.

A complex timeline since the 2010 census has culminated in a case before the Supreme Court involving 11 Texas congressional and state House districts, including the San Antonio-area 35th Congressional District held by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin.

After a federal court ruled that maps drawn by the Republican Legislature in 2011 were discriminatory toward minority voters, a district court redrew the maps ahead of the 2012 elections.

The Legislature adopted those maps in 2013 with minor changes, which Attorney General Ken Paxton is arguing make the maps legal. The state has further questioned how maps based on court-drawn boundaries could be considered unconstitutional.

The case reached the Supreme Court after Paxton appealed a federal court panels decision last year to invalidate the maps in two congressional districts and nine state House districts. The court heard oral arguments in April.

Advocates have had trouble getting people to even understand the complex issue.

We need people to say, you know what, this is how it affects me, LULAC President Roger Rocha said. The key is not only educating individuals about the issues and how redistricting actually impacts us, but how its going to benefit us as a whole, as a community.

Gabriel Rosales, the workshop moderator, said he thought President Donald Trumps election has served as a wake-up call for some non-voting Hispanics.

I blame nobody but ourselves for someone like that being in the White House, Rosales said. I really think it's incumbent upon our people to begin to understand that there's consequences for not voting.

For decades, liberals in Texas have sought to encourage higher turnout among Hispanics, behind the idea that its the best way to loosen Republicans political grip on the state  but to little avail so far.

During the workshop, some participants  including former national President Hector Flores  argued that LULAC needs to become more involved with educating children and millennials. One crowd member posed the idea of creating additional leadership programs at public schools.

"If you want to change the political landscape of Texas politics, it's going to be on the backs of our children because obviously we have not been able to do it, even legally, Flores said.

Gabriel Rosales agreed, pointing to the need to help people understand how redistricting affects peoples everyday lives.

The best way to fight discrimination is education, he said.

Jasper Scherer is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jscherer@express-news.net | @jaspscherer
ABC this week rightly canceled the top-rated comedy show on television shortly after its eponymous star, Roseanne Barr, likened a black attorney to an ape on Twitter.

Even more so than for a sitcom actor, racism should be a disqualifying trait for a peace officer. Add to that an alleged propensity for violence against women and children, according to court records, and its a mystery how Bexar County Sheriffs Deputy Ronald Bailey has not only kept his job since 2001 but also was recently promoted from detention to patrol.

That job was placed in jeopardy Friday after I brought the deputys social media account to the attention of Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, who removed him from patrol duty and opened an internal affairs investigation into his conduct.

As we speak, this deputy will be on administrative duty pending further investigation of this, Salazar told me. If these are his true views, then maybe we need to reconsider his contact with the public.

On Thursday, two days after the Barr debacle, Bailey reposted a racist meme on Facebook that likened Valerie Jarrett, the black attorney who served as a senior adviser in the Obama White House, to an ape from the film Planet of the Apes. (Barr had written muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.)

That followed other disturbing reposts on Baileys private Facebook account, dubbed Genghis Ron, including one of a black man holding an iPhone as a gun and a picture of a gun disguised as an iPhone. A caption read, In case anyone is wondering how and why the police would even consider shooting unarmed people, I present to you, Exhibit A.

Another post showed dark-skinned protesters with a sign reading, White Men with Guns are Americas Biggest Terrorists, above a bar graph that purports to show homicide rates by race and the bar for Black towering over Hispanic, White, and Asian.

Reached by phone and asked to defend the posts, Bailey simply said, Everybody has their stance. But I have no comment. His attorney, Shannon Locke, did not return a message seeking comment.

In 2015, a Bexar County grand jury indicted Bailey on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The deputy was accused of holding a large kitchen knife to his sons neck, threatening to cut the boys throat if he didnt settle down, then looking at his other children in the room and saying, Whos next?

Child Protective Services found reason to believe that Bailey had physically abused the boy. But Bailey denied the allegation, and a jury acquitted him of the charge in 2016.

Before trial, the Bexar County district attorneys office filed a notice that listed evidence of other crimes, wrongs and acts, many of them allegations of domestic violence.

Among them, according to the document:

Around 2005, two referrals were made to Child Protective Services alleging Bailey had physically abused the son of his then-girlfriend. When the 3-year-old boy climbed on his desk, Bailey allegedly grabbed the child by the face, causing bruises on both cheeks.

Also around 2005, a referral was made to CPS alleging Bailey had physically abused the 7-year-old son of another girlfriend. Bailey allegedly made the child bend over and grab his ankles, and Bailey kicked him so hard, he did a flip. Bailey also allegedly pawned a lot of the childrens belongings and told them hed burn the rest if their mother wasnt nice to him.

Ronald and Hollye Bailey were married in 2006. Driving away from a house in 2011, Bailey caused Hollye to fall onto the driveway and hit her head while the couples young son watched. His vehicle then contacted Hollye Baileys legs causing injuries. He filed for divorce a month later.

As a detention officer in 2014, Bailey was reprimanded by the sheriffs office for using force against a female inmate, grasping her collar and pulling her backwards to gain compliance with verbal orders, failing to document the use of force, and instructing the camera operator not to document it.

Some of the deputys Facebook posts reflect his troubling history with women and children.

In March, he reposted a photo of a female protester holding a sign reading, I dream women will one day have the same rights as guns. A caption reads: So you want the same rights as guns huh? Fine.  You cant be in public unless someone has a license to possess you and when left alone you must be locked up.

Dahahahahahahahahaha, Bailey wrote.

Also in March, Bailey posted a link to a news story about a 16-year-old Iraqi girl whose parents are accused of pouring hot cooking oil on her and hitting her with broomsticks when she objected to an arranged marriage.

Shut up and get in the freakin car already, he wrote.

These posts arent stances; theyre slurs and red flags, especially considering Baileys history of alleged abuse. Salazar, for one, was adamant that Baileys social media activity had crossed a line.

Theyre not appropriate for anybody, much less an officer of the law, he said. Youre dragging a whole agency with you. And thats not something that I, as a head of the agency, will allow.

bchasnoff@express-news.net
Thursdays Rally for Our Children came together very quickly and its messaging shifted along the way.

That was a good thing.

The intensely emotional Guadalupe Plaza gathering, organized by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, derived at least part of its impetus from national outrage over news reports contending that the U.S. government had lost nearly 1,500 migrant children over the last three months of 2017.

By the time the rally happened, however, the focus zeroed in on a policy initiated by the administration of President Donald Trump to separate children from parents when they cross the border seeking legal status.

Early in the week, social-media fliers for the rally featured the hashtag where are the children. By the middle of the week, the hashtag had changed to families belong together.

The missing children story emerged from an April 26 Senate subcommittee hearing in which Steven Wagner, the acting assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, revealed that his agency could not confirm the whereabouts of 1,475 migrant children who crossed the border unaccompanied by parents. Most of them had come from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, seeking refuge from violence and repression.

This missing children narrative didnt really grab hold of the nations consciousness, however, until the last week of May. A May 25 USA Today story  reprinted from the Arizona Republic  carried this explosive, but misleading headline: The feds lost  yes, lost  1,475 children.

In fact, the Office of Refugee Resettlement had placed all these children with sponsors (which tend to be family members of the child) screened by Health and Human Services.

Stevens merely pointed out that in ORRs efforts to follow up by phone with 7,635 sponsored children between October and December of last year, it failed to make contact with 1,475 of those children. (Hardly surprising, since at least some of the sponsoring families include undocumented immigrants, who dont relish the thought of calls from the feds.)

Because Trump has taken such a draconian stance on border security, many people not only assumed that these children were lost, but also that their missing status was the result of a policy hatched by Trumps administration.

In fact, this is the continuation of an old practice. A 2016 inspector general report found that 4,159 migrant children placed with sponsors were unaccounted for in the final year of Barack Obamas presidency.

USA Today ultimately issued a correction for its story, acknowledging that it mischaracterized the legal status of the 1,475 children and noting that they are no longer in federal custody.

By that point, however, the story had been widely disseminated. State Rep. Diego Bernal, who helped Castro put together Thursdays rally, shared the USA Today piece on Facebook on May 26, the day that Castro announced his intention to organize the gathering.

As the week went on, and the lost children story receded, the rally took on sharper definition and framed itself exclusively as a protest against the real abomination in current U.S. immigration policy: the way Trumps administration has broken with policy precedent by refusing to allow parents and children crossing the border to be kept in detention together.

News reports indicate that during a two-week period in May, 658 migrant children (an average of 47 per day) were ripped away from their families.

If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you, and that child will be separated from you as required by law, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a May 7 law enforcement conference. If you dont like that, then dont smuggle children over our border.

Such a stance willfully defies the notion that this country can maintain a respect for humanity while enforcing its immigration laws. It mistakes cruelty for strength and conflates asylum seekers with smugglers.

These are young kids who come here with a mother or father and oftentimes are presenting for asylum or seeking refuge, consistent with international law, Castro said Thursday during a pre-rally press conference.

Youre supposed to be able to do that anywhere in the world; somebody who is facing oppression, is facing violence and threats of violence, is supposed to present themselves at an international border and be able to seek asylum. But this president has done away with that, essentially.

During the rally, Castro told the story of one border crosser who promised federal authorities he would go back to Central America if they would only let him know the whereabouts of his child.

Its a heartbreaking scenario that will play out too many times in the coming months.

@gilgamesh470

Gilbert Garcia is a San Antonio Express-News columnist. Read more of his stories here. | ggarcia@express-news.net | @gilgamesh470
As a filmmaker, his achievement remains blending commercial success with creative aspirations, movies like C.I.D., Baazi, Pyaasa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam being a few examples. Even Kaagaz Ke Phool, which then crashed, is now regarded as a cult classic. The close-up shots with a 100 mm lens in his films, which became known as the Guru Dutt shot, the masterful play with light and even his melancholia soaked frames, still enthrall cineastes. But as a person, he lived on the edge. The genesis could be traced to his troubled childhood, a reckless adolescence and an inherent excess in the personality that dented his personal and professional identity. Guru Dutt, who could only live life in the extreme, once said, Whats life about, friend? Its only about two things - success and failure. Theres nothing in between. Much like the stark shadows and light that his films were so famous forHere, younger brother/producer Devi Dutt, who was an integral part of Guru Dutt Movies Pvt. Ltd, shares memories of a loving brother, a talented filmmaker but a tempestuous person who vacillated between hope and despairEARLY MEMORIESOurs was not an easy childhood. We witnessed a lot of conflict between my father Shivashanker Rao Padukone (headmaster/banker) and mother Vasanthi (teacher/writer). My mother was one of the few girls in the Saraswat Brahman Community to pass her Matric for which she was awarded a Parker pen by the community. My father was upset for not being invited. So when my mother and my brothers Guru Dutt and Atmaram returned home with the prize, my father grabbed it to throw it out of window. But Guru Dutt stopped him. As a young child, I watched this scene. It was 1940. Through the years, Guru Dutt, who was 13 years older to me, became a father figure to us - brothers Atmaji, Vijay and sister Lalitha (Lajmi).Another memory is that of the afternoon in 1944, when a long-haired man stood at our door. He was Guru Dutt but he was unrecognisable. He had been sent back from Uday Shankars School of Dancing and Choreography in Almora because he had got involved with the leading lady of the company. He was then sent to Pune to work with Baburao Pai of Prabhat Film Company. There too, he got involved with the assistant dancer Vidya. He eloped with her and brought her home. The girls fiance threatened police action. Finally, the matter was resolved.THE RISEIn 1947, Guru Dutt moved to Mumbai and did films Girls School and Sangram. Then, Dev Anand offered him his directorial debut, Navketans Baazi (1951), honouring a promise he had made at Prabhat Studio. Like all his future films, Baazi too had two endings. This was one trait he could never give up. The original end was that Dev Anand goes to the gallows. Guru Dutts end was the one, which was retained. It had the inspector conning the villain into admitting his crime.Then came Guru Dutts best phase where he directed Jaal (1952) and Baaz (1953), Aar-Paar (1954) and Mr & Mrs 55 (1955) and CID (1956). In 1953, Guru Dutt married Geeta Duttji, whom he met during the making of Baazi. They had three children, Tarun, Arun, and Nina. In 1956 they moved to 48 Pali Hill, their bungalow.
Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan accepts betting Rs 3 crore during IPL | FilmiBeat

In a shocking turn of events, Bollywood actor and filmmaker Arbaaz Khan has confessed to his involvement in betting in the Indian Premier League (IPL), During interrogation, Arbaaz accepted that he had placed bets in IPL matches last year and had lost Rs 2.75 crore.

He was summoned to record his statement before the anti-extortion cell of Thane police. Arbaaz was made to sit face-to-face with bookie Sonu Jalan who had spilled the beans on the betting racket.

Arbaaz allegedly lost Rs 2.80 crore in betting to Jalan and was not paying the amount, following which the bookie had threatened the actor, the official had said, citing the interrogation of the arrested accused.

On Friday, the city police issued summons to him for recording his statement in connection with the betting racket.

In a letter sent to Arbaaz, the police asked him to join the probe in the wake of arrest of an alleged bookie who was placing bets on the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL), a police official had said.

The AEC busted the racket on May 15 with the arrest of four people in Mumbai, including Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Malad, who is believed to be one of the top bookies of the country, officials have said.

During the investigation, a "connection" between Jalan and Arbaaz was established, said Pradeep Sharma, Senior Inspector and head of the AEC, on Friday. "We suspect that Arbaaz Khan had placed bets on IPL matches and want to scrutinise his bank transactions," another police official was quoted as saying.

(Inputs from PTI)
TOKYO, June 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shiseido Company, LTD commemorated the re-launch of its hero serum, Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate with simultaneous celebrations all around the globe. Kicking off in Paris on May 31st the festivities continued in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok and Singapore, culminating in Malibu, USA on June 1st. In partnership with internationally celebrated dance artist and choreographer, Koharu Sugawara, each event focuses on the virtue of inner strength, the confidence it instills, and the joy it brings.

With Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate taking center stage, this series of events represents a significant milestone in SHISEIDO's brand rejuvenation journey, underpinning the brand's VISION 2020.

Shortly after its inaugural launch in 2014, Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate cemented its status as the best-selling product in the SHISEIDO range, with one bottle sold every 13 seconds.* This game-changing serum has received over 132 beauty awards globally** - more than any other product in SHISEIDO's portfolio in the course of the brand's 145-year history. Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate was developed with an uncompromising commitment to fortifying the skin's inner defenses, and the global StrongSouls campaign is a motivating expression of the product's end promise. A salute to the inner strength of every individual, StrongSouls invites each of us to embrace our own convictions, our personal power and the empathy that unites us with others, through these shared celebrations and the sense of positivity they evoke.

Marrying Art with Grace and Strength

With its inspiring imagery, the StrongSouls campaign taps into both SHISEIDO's enduring heritage as a distinguished beauty brand, and its position as a progressive voice for women. The campaign film is shaped by the dance artistry of Koharu Sugawara as she moves through the city of Tokyo. Through dance, she conveys a story of deep emotion and with calculated nuance, she draws from her own inner and outer strength to create the ultimate expression of joy and power.

Celebrate the power of inner strength and share in the joy that it brings with Koharu Sugawara at https://youtu.be/ELYYRQkCYzc

For more event images, please follow SHISEIDO at www.instagram.com/shiseido/

To go behind-the-scenes, please visit https://www.image.net/ultimune_strongsouls2018

*Based on global sell-in data collected from January 2017-December 2017, in which 1 day is counted as 24 hours

**Total number of awards globally as of December 2017

Shiseido Brand Unit

Hiroko Ozeki

hiroko.ozeki@to.shiseido.co.jp

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/700206/SHISEIDO_Getty_Images.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/700207/SHISEIDO_Getty_Images.jpg
General Motors Co agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a motorcyclist involved in a minor crash with one of its self-driving cars in San Francisco

General Motors Co agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a motorcyclist involved in a minor crash with one of its self-driving cars in San Francisco late last year, the US automaker said on Friday.

Oscar Nilsson sued GM in US District Court in January for negligence over a December 2017 crash in which he was injured.

The settlement, reported earlier by car-focused website Jalopnik, was filed on Wednesday. Lawyers said in the joint court filing they plan to finalise details by the end of June.

Nilsson's suit claimed the self-driving GM Cruise "suddenly veered back" into Nilsson's lane, striking him and knocking him to the ground.

GM's report on the crash to California regulators said the car was operating in heavy traffic, when it saw a space between two vehicles in the left lane and began to merge. At the same time, a vehicle decelerated and the self-driving car stopped making the lane change and returned to the centre lane.

As the Cruise was re-centering itself, the motorcyclist that had just lane-split between two vehicles in the centre and right lanes moved into the centre lane, glanced the side of the Cruise, wobbled, and fell over, the report said. GM said a police report found Nilsson at fault for attempting to overtake and pass the Cruise, but Nilsson's lawyer said he was not issued a citation in the incident.

Nilsson's suit said he "suffered injuries to his neck and shoulder and will require lengthy treatment" and was required to take disability leave.

GM spokeswoman Jordana Strosberg confirmed in an email on Friday that both sides "mutually agreed to resolve" the lawsuit.

Sergei Lemberg, a lawyer for Nilsson, declined to disclose any details "except to confirm that the case has resolved to my client's satisfaction."

On Thursday, Japan's SoftBank Group Corp said it would invest $2.25 billion in GM's autonomous vehicle unit Cruise, a deal that sent GM shares up nearly 13 percent.

The move is one of the highest profile, largest investments to date in self-driving technology, an industry that could revolutionize transportation but faces engineering, safety and regulatory challenges.

Of roughly 40 crashes involving self-driving vehicles reported to California regulators since January 2017, 33 involved GM Cruise vehicles, but none have been declared to be the fault of GM Cruise, California records show.

GM vehicles in urban areas face more complex driving tasks than in suburbs.

"While it seems crazy to test in an absurdly complex place like San Francisco, it's absolutely necessary," Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt wrote in an October blog post. "We believe it's the fastest way to achieve the level of performance and reliability needed to deploy self-driving cars at scale in a sustainable way."
By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - Investors who claimed that Theranos Inc defrauded them into investing indirectly in the company by touting revolutionary blood-testing technology that never existed cannot pursue their claims as a class action, a U.S. judge has ruled.

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Investors who claimed that Theranos Inc defrauded them into investing indirectly in the company by touting revolutionary blood-testing technology that never existed cannot pursue their claims as a class action, a U.S. judge has ruled.

The ruling late on Thursday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins in San Jose, California, is a setback for investors who might otherwise recover more by suing Theranos, Chief Executive Elizabeth Holmes and former Chief Operating Officer Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani as a group.

The proposed class included more than 200 people who invested in funds between July 29, 2013, and Oct. 5, 2016, for the purpose of buying shares in Theranos, once a star of Silicon Valley.

Cousins said individual lawsuits were appropriate because some investors might be unable to show they relied on the blood-testing company's alleged misrepresentations.

"It is easy to imagine, for example, that someone invested simply because a friend suggested it, or because all that percolated down the grapevine was vague insight that Theranos was a fast-growing company, or had promising (but unspecified) technology," Cousins wrote in a 34-page order.

Reed Kathrein, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he may appeal or seek reconsideration.

"It is too early to say anything other than we are very disappointed" ahead of the scheduled depositions of Holmes and Balwani and completion of discovery this month, Kathrein said in an email.

Indirect investors in private companies such as Theranos cannot sue under federal securities laws, which address the integrity of public markets. The Theranos investors sought to avoid this by suing under California state law.

Michael Mugmon, a lawyer for Theranos, said the company was pleased with the ruling "as it brings the company a step closer to resolving its outstanding legal issues."

John Dwyer, a lawyer for Holmes, declined to comment. A lawyer for Balwani did not respond to requests for comment.

Once valued at $9 billion, Theranos' fortunes darkened amid reports that its technology, which offered hope that blood tests could be conducted with just one drop of blood, did not work.

On March 14, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Theranos, Holmes and Balwani with running a "massive fraud" by exaggerating the technology while raising more than $700 million from investors.

Holmes settled by agreeing to cede majority control, pay a $500,000 fine, and not serve as an officer or director of any public company for 10 years. Balwani did not settle.

Theranos also faces a criminal probe into whether it misled investors, The Wall Street Journal said in April.

The case is Colman et al v Theranos Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 16-06822.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Work on most of the 13 new AIIMS announced by the Narendra Modi government has been moving slowly. Five are yet to receive cabinet approval while only three percent of sanctioned funds for 11 new institutes have been released.

By Swagata Yadavar

New Delhi: On completing four years in the government, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), released a slew of infographics showcasing its campaigns for transforming India. One of the claims it made was the establishment of two new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jharkhand and Gujarat in 2017-18 and the setting up of 20 new AIIMS-like hospitals.

When the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power in 2014, it announced four new AIIMS, seven more in 2015 and then two more in 2017.

Of these, none are near completion.

Other than the first-ever institute in New Delhi, set up in 1956, the only other working AIIMS in India are the six started during the previous NDA regime of then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and completed during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.

Another AIIMS, in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh was announced in 2008 by the UPA government, and received cabinet approval in 2009. This is now estimated to be functional by March 2020.

Work on most of the 13 new institutes announced by the Modi government has been moving slowly. Five are yet to receive cabinet approval.

Only three percent of sanctioned funds for 11 new AIIMS have been released, according to a FactChecker analysis.

Up to 60 percent of faculty positions at the six working AIIMS are also vacant, according to a reply given by JP Nadda, the minister for health and family welfare, to a Lok Sabha question in February 2018.

We sent emails seeking comment to the minister for health, JP Nadda, on 1 June, 2018, to the joint secretary, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)  the programme under which the new AIIMS are built  on 30 May, 2018, and to the director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, on 1 June, 2018. There were no replies. We will update this story if and when they respond.

Why India needs more AIIMS

The first six new AIIMS at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh were proposed under the first phase of the PMSSY, a health programme of the Vajpayee government in 2003.

The schemes objective was to correct regional imbalances in the availability of affordable and reliable tertiary healthcare services and boost quality medical education.

The programme included setting up of new AIIMS-like institutions and upgradation of existing government medical colleges.

It took three years for the approvals to arrive by which time the UPA was in power. The six new AIIMS were completed in 2012, but did not start working till 2014.

At six institutes, more than 60 percent posts vacant

All the six AIIMS started under the first NDA government are now working: The medical colleges are running and hospital blocks are around 90 percent completed. All of them have blood banks, emergency, trauma and diagnostic centres. There are 2,744 beds available between them, and 65 of 96 super-specialty departments and 107 of 108 specialty departments are functional.

However, 60 percent of the faculty positions and 81 percent of non-faculty posts are vacant, as per the Lok Sabha reply mentioned earlier.

As many as 1,300 posts were advertised for AIIMS at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh last year. Only 300 were selected and 200 joined, the Indian Express reported on 5 July, 2017.

While substantially higher salary structures in the private sector for specialities such as nuclear medicine and neurosurgery is one factor, making recruitment for senior posts like professor and additional professor extremely difficult, the other factor is the lack of facilities in smaller centres where AIIMS have come up, the Indian Express reported.

Vacancies At Six Functional AIIMS Location FACULTY POSTS NON-FACULTY POSTS Sanctioned Posts Posts vacant at present % vacancy Sanctioned Posts Posts vacant at % vacancy Bhubaneswar 305 147 48.2 3776 2983 79 Jodhpur 305 167 54.75 3776 3173 84.03 Patna 305 253 82.95 3776 2811 74.44 Raipur 305 207 67.87 3776 2790 73.89 Rishikesh 305 162 53.11 3776 3581 94.84 Total 1,830 1,106 60.44 22,656 18,454 81.45

Source: Lok Sabha

In the 2014-15 budget speech, plans for four new AIIMS were announced - in Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh, Nagpur in Maharashtra, Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and Kalyani in West Bengal.

Plans for seven new AIIMS were announced in 2015-16 budget speech and they were to come up in Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and two in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2017-18 budget speech, the government announced two new AIIMS, one each in Gujarat and Jharkhand.

Also, of the 11 new AIIMS proposed in phases 2 and 4, with a budget of Rs 14,810 crore, only 2.7 percent or Rs 405.18 crore was released till 2017, according to a FactChecker analysis.

No funds have been released for the AIIMS at Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh in 2016-17 or 2017-18. It got cabinet approval in 2009 but its revised estimates were approved in 2017.

Under the scheme, the cost of setting up and running expenditure is borne by the union government and no funds for the new AIIMS are provided to the state government.

New AIIMS Status, Funds Released & Expected Date Of Completion Proposed Status % of approved outlay released Expected date for completion of project 2003 Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Functional  Completed Bhubaneshwar, Odisha Functional  Completed Jodhpur, Rajasthan Functional  Completed Patna, Bihar Functional  Completed Raipur, Chhattisgarh Functional  Completed Rishikesh, Uttarakhand Functional  Completed 2008 Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh Approved 12.6 March, 2020 2014-15 Nagpur, Maharashtra Approved 3.4 Feb, 2020 Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh Approved 0.9 March, 2020 Kalyani, West Bengal Approved 3.3 Feb,2020 Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh Approved 3.3 Feb,2020 2015-16 Guwahati, Assam Approved 0.4 April, 2021 Bihar (yet to be decided) Cabinet yet to approve NA Dec, 2022 Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh Approved 0 Sept, 2021 Awantipora, Jammu & Kashmir Cabinet yet to approve 2.3 2024 (tentative) Samba, Jammu & Kashmir Cabinet yet to approve 0 2022 (tentative) Bathinda, Punjab Approved 1.6 April, 2020 Tamil Nadu (yet to be decided) Cabinet yet to approve NA Sept, 2022 2017-18 Gujarat (yet to be decided) Cabinet yet to approve 0 Sept, 2022 Deogarh, Jharkhand Approved 0 Sept, 2022

Source: Lok Sabha, PMSSY

Why the emphasis on tertiary institutes may not be effective

There has been a steady rise in PMSSY funds since 2012, an average of 31.9 percent. Also, it has increased 20 percent in 2018-19, accounting for seven percent of Indias health budget.

But there has been a two percent decrease in allocations to the National Health Mission, which runs primary healthcare services. This decrease, along with the 1 February, 2018, announcement of Ayushman Bharat, the National Health Protection Mission, which provides insurance cover of Rs 5,00,000 to 100 million families, shows the growing focus on tertiary care.

The focus on prevention and early management of health problems can reduce the need for complicated specialist care provided at the tertiary level, an expert group report for Universal Health Coverage For India recommended in 2011, adding that the government must focus on primary health care.

(Yadavar is a principal correspondent with IndiaSpend and FactChecker.)
Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday said some farmers have been staging protests just for the sake of media attention.

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday said some farmers have been staging protests just for the sake of media attention.

Singh was quoted in ANI as saying, "It is natural that any farmers' organisation will have 1,000-2,000 farmers as members. It is necessary for them to do something unusual so that they get publicity in the media."

Talking to mediapersons, Singh said, "There are crores of farmers in the country, but only a few farmers have been staging protests. It has no relevance at all."

Singh's remarks came in response to a query on the going protests by thousands of farmers in Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere over low support price for their products, among other reasons.

He further claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh was pro-farmer and had been doing a lot in the interest of farmers.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar too made comments in a similar vein on Saturday, calling the protest "issue-less" and "unnecessary." Khattar said that the organisers of the strike were only harming the farmers' cause as they wouldn't be able to sell their produce for ten days.

The protesting farmers, organised and supported by groups like Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh and All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), have cut off the supply of milk, vegetables, and essential farm produce to mark the first anniversary of the Mandsaur demonstration in Madhya Pradesh, in which six farmers were killed in police firing. Farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana and Chhattisgarh are participating in the ongoing protest.

Through the protest, the farmers have put forward demands which include a one-time loan waiver, higher minimum support prices, and higher prices for their produce in general. Similar demands were made during a large scale farmers' protest in Maharashtra in March 2018.

With inputs from IANS
A day after the a huge fire broke out at South Mumbai's Scindia House Building in the Fort area, a blaze broke out at a leather company office located at Barrister Nath Pai Road, injuring a fire officer

A day after the a huge fire broke out at South Mumbai's Scindia House Building in the Fort area, a blaze broke out at a leather company office located at Barrister Nath Pai Road, injuring a fire officer, reported ANI.

#Visuals from Mumbai where fire broke out at a leather company office located at Barrister Nath Pai Road, 1 fire officer injured. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/6micpjiiFX  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

More details about the fire are awaited.

On Friday, A fire broke out in the Income Tax office in South Mumbai on Friday, but no casualties were reported. The blaze started on the third floor of the Income Tax office located in the multi-storeyed Scindia House.

"Our control room received information at 4.55 pm about a fire erupting on the third floor of the ground plus six-storeyed building. Five fire engines, four water tankers along with adequate number of fire brigade personnel were rushed to the site to douse the flames," a fire brigade official said.

The building, a well-known landmark in South Mumbai, also houses the office of the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT).

With inputs from PTI
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday described the ongoing protest by farmers as a 'sign of their desperation in the face of the wrongs being perpetrated on them by the central government'.

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday described the ongoing protest by farmers as a "sign of their desperation in the face of the wrongs being perpetrated on them by the central government". Singh made the remarks during a media interaction at the Haryana Raj Bhawan after the swearing-in of Krishna Murari as the new Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

He said the farming community in the country was in the grip of a serious crisis due to the "indifferent" attitude of the BJP-led central government. The government had "failed" to provide any succor to the beleaguered farmers, who were unable to make both ends meet due to its "antagonistic policies", the chief minister said, adding that despite repeated pleas by Punjab and other states, the Centre had failed to come to the rescue of the farming community.

Farmers were committing suicide due to their mounting debt burdens as agriculture was no longer financially viable for them in view of the inadequate MSP, he pointed out, reiterating that in toto implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report was the only impactful and long-term solution to the agrarian crisis in the country.

On the possibility of a poll alliance between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in view of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the chief minister said the decision rests with the Congress high-command, which will consider the matter as and when the need arises.

"The Punjab Congress leadership would give its opinion in the matter to the party high-command as and when the same was sought by the latter," Singh said. The chief minister welcomed the appointment of Krishna Murari as the new CJ, saying that as an eminent jurist, he would bring the wealth of his experience to the judicial systems of both Punjab and Haryana.

Murari was earlier sworn in by Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki in the presence of Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore and chief minister Singh, as well as Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Chidanand Rajghatta's book 'Gauri Lankesh and the Age of Unreason' sheds light on why the country appears to have grown more intolerant with time.

By Taruni Kumar

Just a week ago, a video from Uttarakhand went viral of a Sikh policeman saving a young Muslim man from a Hindu mob which wanted to thrash the young man for having the audacity of meeting his Hindu girlfriend at a temple. While some lauded the policeman for his actions treating it like the anomaly that it has been in recent times, others pointed out that regardless of religion, all police personnel should be protecting people in danger because its kind of their job. Alongside these voices were those like that of Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rajkumar Thukral, whose response was to ask what the Muslim man was doing in the temple in the first place.

This is the socio-political context in which Washington DC-based foreign opinion columnist for The Times of India and Gauri Lankeshs ex-husband Chidanand Rajghattas second book Illiberal India: Gauri Lankesh and the Age of Unreason has been released. The title seems to accurately describe the India in which journalist and activist Lankesh lived and in which, on 5 September 2017, she was murdered outside her home in Bengaluru.

Rajghatta intertwines the story of his own life with Lankesh, from meeting in the 1970s to marriage to their deep friendship after the divorce and all the way till 2018 when the first man accused of her murder was arrested, with the story of India in their youth and how it changed, becoming more intolerant, as they grew older.

After her murder, Lankesh became a symbol of resistance for critics of Hindutva. Her face was placed on posters and memorials and nationwide protests were held in her honour demanding justice. In this memoir, however, Rajghatta writes of a private, more intimate side of Lankesh. This legend was hardly the Gauri I knew. My memories were personal, of a private person; I had little idea of her public persona, he writes. He describes Lankesh as a disputatious person yet good-natured, large-hearted and fair-minded. It does seem a little strange, however, to read a description about her that focuses on her slender but supple physique honed by yoga in her youth and dissipated later. But aside from this slightly specific and perhaps a bit sexual description, Rajghatta paints the picture of a fiery woman who spoke her mind about her political beliefs but was also conscious of her own ability to hurt another in her personal life and was careful about avoiding such a situation.

The book makes references to the banning of Salman Rushdies The Satanic Verses, the current obsession with the idea of love jihad, his own short-lived experience of seeing Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi amidst several other stories of intolerance and blind faith. He presents Lankeshs rationalist views and opinions, as well as his own, interspersed with a narration of various religious beliefs and mythological stories. He mentions the various versions of the Ramayana, including Muslim renditions of the Ramayana, the existence of which, he points out, infuriates both Hindu and Muslim extremists. This lies in the brilliantly titled chapter, Lankesh, Ravana and the Ramayana.

A chargesheet filed by the Special Investigation Team in Karnataka on 30 May has quoted 37-year-old KT Naveen Kumar, one of the accused in Lankeshs murder case, as having said that she was murdered for her anti-Hindu views and criticism of Hindu Gods. Lankeshs murder led to refocused attention on the murder of Kannada rationalist and scholar MM Kalburgi in 2015, of Maharashtrian rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in 2013 and CPI leader Govind Pansare in 2015. Rajghatta points out that Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi all shared similar rationalist views that were considered anti-Hindu. They were all critical of the right-wing and were said to have had several run-ins with Hindutva groups. In fact, during the course of the investigation it was discovered that the weapons used to kill all four were similar and the same weapon may have been used to murder Kalburgi and Lankesh.

As the book points out, Gauri Lankesh was a strong proponent of communal peace and was deeply involved in the Karnataka Communal Harmony Forum. She blamed right-wing forces for the rip in the fabric of communal harmony in the state. Lankeshs public life and outspokenness against blind faith had irked many and she was not one to mince words. Rajghatta mentions an incident that took place in 2003 or 2004 in a small town in the Davanagere district of Karnataka called Malebennur, where two women had been reportedly raped by a few Lingayat youth. Apparently, this happened as the men gleefully chanted religious slogans, according to the book. Lankesh gave a talk at the Malebennur matha during which she questioned why the men supported the Sangh Parivar which has plans to build a Ram temple at Ayodhya, if they claimed to be Lingayats. The audience was not pleased with this obvious jab as the founder of Lingayatism, Basaveshwara, had sought to do away with rituals like idol worship. Lankesh fought blind faith and communal disharmony by going back to the roots of religious worship.

On 28 May, the body of Kevin P Joseph, a 23-year-old Dalit Christian was found in a canal in Keralas Kollam district. He was the victim of an honour killing for marrying 21-year-old Neenu Chacko against the wishes of her affluent Christian family. On 20 May, a 35-year-old Dalit man was beaten to death in Gujarat after accusations of theft. On 2 May, a Muslim man was killed by a Hindu womans family in Bikaner because he had a relationship with her and in Delhi, a Muslim womans family killed her Hindu boyfriend, Ankit Saxena, on 1 February. There is very little reason, tolerance or liberal thought in these incidents. Only blind faith in religion and the privilege gained from being higher up in the made-up hierarchies of caste.

Even as MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh fought against these irrational and illiberal attitudes, they ran into each other. Kalburgi heard Lankeshs fiery speech in Malebennur and endorsed her views, writes Rajghatta.

What you said is correct, dont be afraid to voice your ideas, he encouraged me, Gauri would write later. What she didnt know at that time was that voicing their ideas would cost them both their lives.

The Ladies Finger is a leading online womens magazine delivering fresh and witty perspectives on politics, culture, health, sex, work and everything in between.
Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Ravi Wankadekar on Saturday said Kerala need not worry about the Nipah virus as the state is absolutely safe from it now.

Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode: Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Ravi Wankadekar on Saturday said Kerala need not worry about the Nipah virus as the state is absolutely safe from it now.

State tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said that Kerala was indeed a safe destination as around 300 doctors arrived in Kerala from various parts of India for the IMA conference to be held at Kovalam.

"The arrival of the renowned doctors to Kerala has an immense significance," said Surendran.

Wankedekar, who is in the capital city for the IMA conference, said that the virus outbreak does not hold any threat.

"Around 300 doctors arriving in the state itself shows that the virus isn't a threat at all," said the IMA president.

State Health Minister KK Shailaja said that the medical teams of the Centre, state and the private sectors need to be complimented for effectively containing the outbreak.

"Of the 18 positive cases, 16 have died and the remaining two are recovering well at the Kozhikode hospital. In all we had sent 193 samples of which 175 were negative.

"Almost 2,000 people have been reported to have come in contact with the affected and this figure might go up. Things are in control, but we have to be very careful" said Shailaja.

Anxious moments were witnessed on Saturday morning when it was wrongly reported that a 38-year-old woman had died in Kannur district due to the Nipah virus.

However, soon other reports surfaced that she had died of other causes and did not carry the Nipah virus.

But even while the state government has assured that the situation is under control, people in Kozhikode district are taking extra precautions with many people wearing masks outdoors.

Businesses and market places are less crowded while some movie theatres have downed shutters.
In a bid to stop unsafe migration, the Dumka district administration took a series of steps, including setting up small industries for silk production.

Till a few months ago, Mani Hansda of Balijore village in Dumka district, Jharkhand, earned a mere Rs 2,000 a month by selling hadia (home-brewed beer made of rice) in weekly haats (markets). Today, due to several initiatives taken by the district administration, she earns Rs 5,500 a month from a more respectable profession.

I used to sit by the road, selling hadia to men. I was often subjected to lewd comments and advances by customers. But I had nowhere to go as this was the only available source of income for me and my family, said Hansda.

I was linked to the district administrations footwear-making business a few months ago and since then, I have been earning double of what I used to by doing a more respectable work, she added.

Dumka district houses over 2.75 lakh families, of whom 2.5 lakh live in rural areas. Unsafe migration and unchecked sale and abuse of homemade liquor are two major problems that have plagued the districts rural populace for years.

In a bid to put a check on these, the district administration took a series of steps, including the setting up small industries for silk production, shoe-making, incense sticks and stitching. The initiatives have benefited over 25,000 households in rural areas in the district by giving them several employment opportunities in the last eight months.

Dumka deputy commissioner Mukesh Kumar said, Extreme poverty is a problem in rural households. Selling hadia has become the most common source of income for women and unsafe migration of families to neighbouring states has always remained a concern. Many people migrate in a bid to earn a decent amount of money, but are often exploited in various ways once they leave.

Geeta Devi, a resident of Masalia who used to migrate every year to neighbouring West Bengal to work as a labourer said she has decided to stay back and work in silk production this year. I love my village, but poverty forces me to go elsewhere to earn. Now, with a work opportunity available in the field of silk production here, I am earning almost the same as what I would have been earning outside.

Where it all began

A few months ago, Balijore, a small village in Mudayam Panchayat, Shikaripada block, Gumla, was a typical tribal village, lacking even the most basic of infrastructures like roads, proper drainage, schools and anganwadi centres. Most women in the village earned their livelihoods by selling homemade liquor.

But when Sara Hansda, a local resident, decided to give up selling liquor and joined the footwear industry, she became an inspiration for the district administration and her fellow villagers.

Seeing Saras progress, the district administration decided to survey all women engaged in selling liquor and link them to the footwear manufacturing industry. Balijore was adopted by the district administration on December last year. Following this, infrastructure was revamped and several new employment opportunities were created.

The drive began with training 20 women in footwear manufacturing. The women were paid a sum of Rs 250 each a day. As the initiative kicked off in Balijore, the footwear manufactured by women was branded Bali Footwear and the initiative was named Smiling Sara.

Presently, over 1,000 women from the Mudayam panchayat area work at the footwear manufacturing industry. The sale of hadia has substantially reduced in the region with Balijore becoming an alcohol-free village.

After the initiative's success in Balijore, nine more villages in Dumka have been adopted by the district administration and similar initiatives are being taken.

Till date, women used to make only slippers; but now, they are being trained in shoe manufacturing. Soon, they will be making shoes for government school children, said Kumar. He added that the East India Leather Association in Kolkata has contacted him, expressing interest in marketing Bali Footwears products.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has also issued directions to replicate the Bali Footwear model in six other districts in the state.

Over 20 thousand employed in incense stick, silk factories

Among other initiatives taken by the district administration, incense stick factories and silk manufacturing have generated massive employment for villagers in Dumka.

In Basukinath, popular for its Shiva temple where lakhs of devotees visit through the year, the sale of incense sticks is very high.

Around 300 local women have been engaged in training people to manufacture incense sticks. These women have created the brand 'Basuki Agarbatti'. The district administration has identified areas where large scale manufacture of incense sticks can be started and is planning to provide machines to manufacturers in a bid to increase production efficiency.

We are hoping that by the month of saawan (which has religious significance), we will start the sale of incense sticks in Baba Dham temple, Deoghar where lakhs of devotees visit every year, said Kumar.

But among all of the initiatives taken by the district administration, Mayurakshi Silk, a local brand that recently received 100 percent purity certification by the Central Silk Board has generated an employment base of almost 20,000 workers. Launched by home minister Rajnath Singh on 22 September last year, Mayurakshi has become one of the highest employment generators in the district, with works ranging from cocoon rearing to thread weaving and designing.

Dumka contributes 50 percent of the countrys tussar silk. However, very few villagers had benefited from it till recently due to lack of direction and proper management.

"Earlier cocoons were bought at a very low rate of around Rs 1 to Rs 1.25 per piece by middlemen who sold it in the open market at much higher prices. As a result, our villagers were left with nothing," said Kumar, adding that with the introduction of Mayurakshi, the price of cocoons has been fixed at Rs 2.85 per piece, which directly goes to the farmers. Cocoons, that were farmed in only four blocks in Dumka earlier, are now being farmed in nine out of ten blocks in the district.

Apart from cocoon production, locals are also being trained in reeling, spinning, weaving, printing and dyeing. The district administration plans to involve at least 25,000 more workers with Mayurakshi Silk.

The increase in silk production in the district has also led to innovative uses of bad quality cocoons that are being used for producing home decors and toys.

A huge challenge, however, is storing unused cocoons. While 5 crore cocoons are procured every year, the administration is able to retain a very small quantity of this. Kumar said, We have recently set up a cocoon bank where we have been able to store 40 lakh cocoons. We are planning to increase the storage space to 1 crore by this year.

Kumar added that the initiatives are just the first step and a lot remains to be done. We have miles to go. We are working in phases to reach out to people gradually. But I believe that if we work with more intensity, much more can be attained," he said.

The author is a member of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media startup.
A CRPF Gypsy ran over two people during a protest in the old city of Srinagar. While one of them died, another is fighting for his life in a hospital.

It was 4.10 on Friday afternoon. The loudspeakers of the Jamia Masjid, in the old city of Srinagar, had fallen silent, but a menacing crowd gathered outside, waiting for any sign of uniformed men.

Though anti-India slogans were raised, police presence was minimal. Then, a gypsy of the 128th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) appeared at the back of the crowd. News photographers were waiting to click pictures of any clashes. The gypsy, coming from the Khanyar locality of old Srinagar, was moving slowly. When the driver noticed the protesters, he applied the brakes and waited for about a minute, a few meters from the area where the crowd had gathered. Later, the people who had gathered there saw the vehicle come near them.

The gypsy roared when it came close to the protesters, who lunged at it from all sides. One protester flung a bicycle that hit the iron mesh shield of the vehicle. The driver turned left and another protester smashed a wooden log on its rear end. Then, another protester in a blue T-shirt and jeans with his face covered, ran towards it from the front side and climbed on its top, like an action hero in a movie scene.

The driver kept maneuvering the vehicle, but the crowd followed. As he turned right, people pelted it with stones. Finally, when it moved forward, the vehicle trampled over two people. Wire services reported that the driver was attempting to flee the mob.

#FLASH: J&K Police registers 2 FIRs against CRPF's Srinagar Unit over Nowhatta incident, wherein a stone-pelter was run over by a CRPF vehicle which was escaping a mob. pic.twitter.com/j7nzGi2WgD  ANI (@ANI) 2 June 2018

All this happened in a matter of a few minutes. The gypsy first ran over a man called Kaiser Ahmed. It appears that Ahmed's head was hit by the front of the vehicle and was also overrun by the rear tyres, even as photographers were clicking pictures. Soon afterwards, it trampled another man, Muhammad Younis. While Younis is fighting for his life at Srinagars SMHS hospital, Ahmed succumbed to his injuries on Friday night.

We just could not understand what happened. Kaisers loud cry got buried in the noise, Imtiyaz Ahmad Wageey, Kaisers friend who was at the spot, told Firstpost. Sanjay Sharma, the public relations officer of the CRPF, said that Friday's incident occurred due to the violent crowd, and stated that the forces showed extreme restraint. One can imagine what would have happened if the mobsters had been able to open the doors of the CRPF vehicle.

Jamia Masjid, which is close to the site of the incident, is spread over 1.4 lakh square feet, and is the centre of anti-India protests in old Srinagar. A short while before the CRPF gypsy ran over two people, its head priest and the chairperson of his faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was addressing the gathering. In his speech, Farooq said that the mosque has been the target of all rulers who ascended the throne in Jammu and Kashmir.

This was the second time in a month that a vehicle belonging to the security forces caused the death of a protester in the old city of Srinagar. On 5 May, another youth  Aadil Ahmad Yadoo  died after a police vehicle ran over him. A video clip showed the speeding vehicle first knocking him down from behind, running over him and then speeding away.

The driver of the vehicle was detained, but the fate of the case remains unknown. Ghulam Ahmad Yadoo, Adil's father, said his son stitched bags at night to take care of a large family, and went to school during the day. If people had not taken videos of the incident on their phones, the police would have claimed that it was a road accident," he said. "Mowing down people was the only thing that India had not done yet in Kashmir. Now, they have done this too. It appears that people will have to get used to such killings, just like they have become used to other kinds of killings," Yadoo further remarked.

In May, Adil's death had sparked protests across Srinagar. The police had then claimed it was an 'accident.' Sensing similar trouble after the death of Ahmed on 1 June, the state government snapped internet services in Srinagar on Saturday. On Friday, thousands of people shared pictures of Ahmed under the CRPF Gypsy, and the images prompted passionate commentary.

The culture of impunity is so blatant that if security forces run over a protester and kill him, there is a sense that it is justified, Pervaiz Imroz, a human rights lawyer, said. The incident on Friday is a classic example of this growing trend, and the sense of normalcy which is being attached to it, he added. If the image of Farooq Ahmed Dar being made into a human shield became the defining image of the security forces' high-handedness, the pictures of Ahmed and Younis will certainly be associated with the 'Ramzan ceasefire' and the 'new standard operating procedure' as former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah described it 
Kaiser Bhat (21), a resident of the Fatehkadal area of Srinagar, was injured when the security forces vehicle allegedly hit him and another youth during the protests in the Nowhatta area of the city in Srinagar on Friday.

A youth, who was injured after he was allegedly hit by a security forces vehicle during clashes between protesters and forces in Srinagar, died at a hospital on Saturday, prompting authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to suspended internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered two FIRs against CRPF's Srinagar unit under Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and Section 279 (rash driving) under the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), reported ANI. The security forces have also been booked under Sections 149, 152, 336 and 427 of the RPC. The Ranbir Penal Code is the equivalent of the Indian Penal Code in Jammu and Kashmir.

Kaiser Bhat (21), a resident of the Fatehkadal area of Srinagar, was injured when a CRPF vehicle ploughed him down and injured another youth during the protests in the Nowhatta area of the city in Srinagar on Friday.

The two injured youths were admitted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), in Srinagar, where Bhat succumbed to critical internal injuries early on Saturday.

Bhat succumbed to his injuries at the hospital around midnight, a police official said.

Protest turned violent

After the Friday prayers culminated at the Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta on Friday, a group of youth started pelting stones on the security forces, the official said.

Few of the protesters attacked a vehicle of the security forces which hit two of them, leaving them injured.

Internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts have been suspended as a precautionary measure, a police officer said. The speed of broadband internet connections has also been brought down to prevent uploading of provocative posts and pictures.

Rail services between north Kashmir's Baramulla and the Bannihal town in Jammu region were also suspended for the day.

Reacting to the incident, former chief minister Omar Abdullah questioned if the no ceasefire meant "no guns, so use jeeps".

In a tweet on Friday, he said:

Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protestors now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps? https://t.co/42W6vGAPVi  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 1, 2018

However, the Jammu and Kashmir Police maintained that the two youths were part of a violent mob who were pelting stones at the vehicle and accused the the media of indulging in "selective journalism". "There is also a difference in presenting before the audience/readers/followers 'a selective picture' and not a 'chain of pictures presenting the whole scene'," the Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a statement on Twitter. The statement was in response to images of the youths being run over by security forces being circulated on social media. Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari shared a video of the incident on Twitter while questioning of the government if it was the new SOP. He tweeted:

These pictures from #Srinagar downtown are very disturbing. This is horrible way to quell a protest. Government and #CRPF must explain. Is it the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Hope they survive. Pic courtesy #KashmirJournalistsHub pic.twitter.com/WrZ0ENgZbX  Shujaat Bukhari (@bukharishujaat) June 1, 2018

Restrictions imposed

Authorities on Saturday imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. Curfew and restrictions have been imposed in seven police station areas of the city, a police official said.

He said curfew has been imposed in the Nowhatta area of the city, while restrictions under Section 144 CrPc were in force in Rainawari, Safakadal, Khanyar, MR Gunj, Maisuma and Kralkhud police station areas of Srinagar.

The separatists in the state had called for a general strike against civilian killings and desecration of the grave of Hizbul commander Sameer Tiger, allegedly by the security forces.

While shops, other businesses remained closed and public transport remained off the roads at most places, three-wheelers and private transport were seen plying in the uptown and city outskirts.

With inputs from agencies
Lack of social hygiene and an anti-science attitude among people is bringing back several infectious diseases that were eradicated decades ago in Kerala.

Lack of social hygiene and an anti-science attitude among people is bringing back several infectious diseases that were eradicated decades ago in Kerala, said public health activist Dr B Eqbal.

While everybody is focusing on Nipah, there are cases of dengue, rat fever, chicken pox, and even malaria, which were eradicated from the state in the 1960s, being reported from every district, said Dr Eqbal.

As monsoon prepares to make landfall in Kerala, the state health department is stepping up on its preventive measures. But activists feel that enough is not being done to contain diseases, particularly vector-borne infections.

Local media reports claim that 76 people have lost their lives to fever and other epidemics in the first five months of 2018 in Kerala. There were 615 cases of dengue, 15,579 cases of chicken pox, and 1,091 people were diagnosed with rat fever.

A public health official, requesting anonymity, said dengue cases are being reported from the northern districts in the state, with most cases coming from Kasaragod, Malappuram and Kannur. In the coming days, vector density will explode. Dengue will affect thousands, the official added.

Rajeev Sadanandan, additional chief secretary (Health), said that lack of social hygiene is the primary reason for the spread of vector-borne diseases.

Waste management is in a bad state. Till that is not resolved, the disease cannot be contained, he added.

Mini Mohan, a community health activist, feels that the state needs to focus on disease preventive centres. In due course of time, they (disease prevention centres) have been converted into treatment centres. There is no focus on disease prevention. It is all about treatment now, she said.

Last year, a total of 420 people died and over 22 lakh persons were affected by various kinds of diseases causing fever in the state.

Health Minister KK Shailaja had informed the state Assembly in 2017 that out of the total deaths due to fever, 74 people died of H1N1 and 24 succumbed to dengue.

Dr Eqbal said Kerala needs to do more in its attempt to control disease-carrying mosquitoes and added that several viral and bacterial diseases that were eradicated are making a comeback due to poor hygiene and lack of awareness.

Diphtheria was eradicated in Kerala. But during the Nipah outbreak, one diphtheria case in Kerala were the victim succumbed went unnoticed, he added.

Sixteen of 17 persons tested positive for Nipah died in Kerala. While all measures have been taken to contain the disease, state officials still remain clueless about how the Nipah spread in the state.

Vaccination drives have not been able to completely eradicate diphtheria in Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana. A WHO report states that in 2016, 1,530 cases were seen in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Haryana and 177 deaths were reported the same year.

But Sadanandan denied claims of infectious diseases coming back to the state.

Yes of course, some infectious diseases like rat fever are making a comeback or are being reported more. But that doesnt mean that, we have failed, and infectious diseases are making a comeback, he said.

There were 1,400 cases of rat fever reported in the state in the last three months. Rajeev said that in the last three months, 9,00,000 fever cases from various infections were reported in the state. Among those, only around 4,000 cases are suspected to be caused by dengue. Last year, it was around 17,000, he added.

Faith against science

According to Dr Eqbal, an anti-science attitude among people in the state is a major hurdle in containing the spread of viral and bacterial infections.

There are several instances in the state where people are against vaccination; besides, some people have started to believe that cow urine can cure diseases. Such views are dangerous and must be eradicated. But sometimes, governments and politicians can be seen favouring such actions, said Dr Eqbal.

Last year, in Kerala's Malappuram district, medical staff administering Measles-Rubella vaccine to children as part of a government-run campaign were attacked on two separate occasions. A junior public health centre nurse was attacked by an armed group and suffered fractures. Doctors who were monitoring the camp said their staff received death threats from angry locals who wanted to stop the vaccination drive.

In a separate incident, a group of parents manhandled health workers during a vaccination drive at a school in the same district. While this was the first instance of violence against health workers in Malappuram, doctors and other health workers say they frequently receive threats from locals for conducting vaccination camps.

The author is a member of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media startup
Narendra Modi proceeded to take up the controversial matter of the Mahanadi river inter-state water dispute.

New Delhi/Odisha: In May-end, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Odisha on the occasion of completion of four years of the NDA government at the Centre. He regaled the crowd, comprising BJP sympathisers and common citizens in Cuttack, by listing out his governments flagship schemes that purportedly helped the people of Odisha and India, and then proceeded to take up the controversial matter of the Mahanadi river inter-state water dispute.

Discussing the Mahanadi row, the prime minister told the gathering: "Nitin Gadkari (Union water resources minister) himself wrote to the CM (Naveen Patnaik) that steps should be taken to resolve the issue in a time-bound matter. A proposal to form a tribunal (was) put forth but that too was rejected (by Odisha)."

An enraged Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in Odisha called his statement untrue, misleading and confusing, saying that the prime minister gave the impression that the Centre was in favour of a tribunal when in reality, it was not.

Documents show that the state government had moved the Supreme Court in late 2016, seeking the constitution of a tribunal to resolve the water dispute between Odisha and neighbouring Chhattisgarh. The central government and Chhattisgarh were, however, insistent on negotiations to settle the matter.

Mahanadi row over the years

The water row erupted between the two states a few years ago when the Odisha government objected to certain barrage projects being initiated by Chhattisgarh on the catchment areas of the Mahanadi, which originates in Chhattisgarh and passes through Odisha to merge with the Bay of Bengal. The BJD government complained that the projects were planned without keeping the state in the loop  as mandated in the 1983 bilateral agreement between Odisha and undivided Madhya Pradesh.

On 4 July, 2016, Odisha chief minister Patnaik wrote to Prime Minister Modi, seeking his intervention, and asking that Chhattisgarh stop the projects being undertaken on the Mahanadi as they would affect the livelihood of farmers and people of the state dependent on the river.

On 19 November that year, the state formally wrote to the ministry of water resources under Section 3 of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956, seeking formation of a tribunal to resolve the issue. On 2 December, 2016, it also filed a suit in the Supreme Court, seeking an injunction against Chhattisgarh on the construction of barrages on the upper catchment of the river and also demanded Mahanadi Tribunal formation during hearings in the apex court.

The apex court, after holding eight hearings and looking at the consistent stance of the Odisha government seeking a tribunal for Mahanadi dispute, finally directed the central government on 23 January this year to constitute the Mahanadi Tribunal.

Odisha demands, Centre opposes Tribunal



In the course of 2017, it is clear from legal documents that the Centre  supported by the Chhattisgarh government  wanted negotiations on the Mahanadi dispute and had submitted an affidavit in court for the same. It has the Centre saying that the constitution of a Tribunalwould not be fruitful.

A part of the affidavit as submitted in the Supreme Court read: "... It is submitted that the legal process in the Tribunal is similar to the process followed by the Negotiation Committee, it is likely that the plaintiff [Odisha] may thwart the legal process before the Tribunal"

Another part of the affidavit read: "The prayer of the plaintiff is devoid of any merit; therefore the suit is liable to be dismissed with cost. However, it is also in the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act for the Amicably Resolution by the Way of Negotiations."

An 11-member negotiation committee was formed in January 2017 but Odisha abstained from its proceedings, telling the apex court that no negotiation could be done in the matter and a tribunal should be constituted at the earliest.

In October, the Centre told the court that a decision would be taken on the formation of the tribunal by 19 November. "...learned counsel appearing for the Defendant Union of India, states that a decision will be made for issuing the notification (on Mahanadi Tribunal) by 19.11.2017," the apex court order in October said.

In the Monsoon session of Parliament, Minister of State for water resources Sanjeev Balyan also told the Rajya Sabha that a draft cabinet note (for formation of a Tribunal for adjudication of the dispute) has been prepared."

But the Centre remained tardy on the constitution of the tribunal and was supported by the Chhattisgarh government in its stand.

Rabindra Jena, BJD Lok Sabha MP from Balasore, was quoted as saying that there is a nexus between Chhattisgarh and the Government of India, both run by the BJP, to see that Odisha is put into difficulty.

At the 11 December, 2017 hearing, the Supreme Court expressed its disappointment at the central government for not issuing a notification in regard to the tribunal, while the Centre batted for a joint control board for resolution of such disputes. Chhattisgarh's counsel also submitted that the state did not want a tribunal in the matter.

Finally, in January 2018, a bench of Justices SA Bobde and L Nageswara Rao directed the Centre to constitute the Mahanadi Tribunal within a month, ordering that all pending issues be raised before it.

Having regard to the provisions of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, a submission was made before us that it would be appropriate to refer the matter to a Water Disputes Tribunal under the said Act. We were then informed that such a Tribunal has not been constituted so far, the order read.

The court also noted that from time to time, adjournments were sought in the matter on behalf of Defendant No 2  Union of India.

BJD clarifies



Last Saturday, Prime Minister Modi alleged that when the Centre tried to resolve the issue through discussion, the Odisha government did not cooperate and went on the backfoot.

When contacted, BJD spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya told Firstpost: "We at no point of time opposed the Mahanadi Tribunal. Whatever the PM said in Odisha was misleading and false. We moved the SC seeking a tribunal."

The Centre has also proposed a Bill on a single tribunal for all inter-state water issues in Parliament. When asked about the BJDs stand on the common tribunal, Acharya said: "We have not opposed the Bill as it is still under consideration and has been sent to a select committee."

Requests to BJPs Odisha unit chief for a response remained unanswered.

(MK Singh is a New Delhi-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested another accused on Saturday in connection with the 2016 Nagrota attack on an army camp in December 2016

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) made the second arrest on Saturday in connection with the 2016 Nagrota attack on an army camp in December 2016, reported CNN-News18.

The attack had led to the death of seven soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir.

The NIA had earlier taken custody of the first accused on 26 May, an alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative, Muneer-ul-Hassan Qadri who was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Qadri, a Nepal returnee, was in custody of the police and during interrogation, had revealed his role in various terror modules, including the Nagrota attack.

He had confessed that along with other Valley-based JeM operatives, he was in touch with the JeM leadership in Pakistan. He had received a freshly infiltrated group of three Pakistani terrorists from the Samba sector a day before the attack.

Preliminary interrogation of the first accused had revealed that the attack was carried out by the JeM, a banned terror group, in furtherance of a well-planned conspiracy from Pakistan.

The accused had been claimed to have told the interrogators that he, along with other Valley-based JeM operatives, had been in touch with the JeM leadership in Pakistan and had received a freshly infiltrated group of three Pakistani terrorists from the Samba sector a day before the attack.

They had subsequently stayed at a hotel in Jammu and then left the attackers outside the army camp in Nagrota late at night, and proceeded to the Kashmir Valley.

With inputs from PTI
Modi on Saturday met Mattis in Singapore, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move

Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met US defence secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

Modi, who is in Singapore on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

PM @narendramodi met US Secretary of Defence James Mattis on the sidelines of Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore. The focus of conversation was on the region in the context of PM's keynote address at the #SLD18 yesterday evening. pic.twitter.com/N9a9s0d7Bi  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 2, 2018

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the prime minister on Friday night.

In his keynote address at the Dialogue, Modi had said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests, he had said.

"We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law," he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and "reaffirmation for rule based order".

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the India-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command  the Pacific Command  to India-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as India-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.
Narendra Modi, on his three-day tour to Singapore, visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and the Royal Singapore Navy.

Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day tour to Singapore, visited the Changi Naval Base on Saturday and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy.

The prime minister was accompanied by Singapore's senior minister of state for defence Md Maliki Osman.

"25 years of uninterrupted naval exercises and growing naval cooperation! PM @narendramodi with Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman and other dignitaries on-board the RSS Formidable Frigate of the Singapore Navy," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Modi also interacted with the officers and sailors on board the Indian Navy's Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Satpura.

"Proud to be with our naval sentinels! PM @narendramodi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region. A fitting finale to a memorable visit to Singapore!," Kumar tweeted.

Proud to be with our naval sentinels! PM @narendramodi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region. A fitting finale to a memorable visit to Singapore! pic.twitter.com/1OgXy1OR2e  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 2, 2018

India and Singapore have signed implementation agreement between their navies concerning mutual coordination, logistics and services support for naval ships', submarines and naval aircraft (including ship borne aviation assets) visits.

"India's armed forces, especially our Navy, are building partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region for peace and security, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Modi had said on Friday.
The Kerala government today decided to postpone the re-opening of educational institutions in Kozhikode district to 12 June to prevent a second wave of Nipah virus infections.

Kozhikode: The Kerala government on Saturday decided to postpone the re-opening of educational institutions in Kozhikode district to 12 June, besides deferring all examinations, except those conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Interviews being conducted by the state public service commission have also been postponed. A decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting, chaired by state health minister K K Shailaja and additional chief secretary (Health) Rajeev Sadanandan.

Sixteen persons have lost their lives so far to Nipah virus (NiV) in two districts of the state since the confirmation of the deadly virus on 17 May.

"As a precautionary measure, it has been decided to further postpone the re-opening of schools and colleges and holding of examinations," Shailaja said. An all-party meeting will be held at Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to review the situation, she added.

The Kerala health minister said the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala had also enquired about the situation following the outbreak of the deadly virus.

"Now, the effort is to prevent a second wave of the infection and, therefore, extreme caution has to be exercised. A list of 1,950 persons, who had come in contact with confirmed NiV cases, has been prepared and they are being closely monitored", Shailaja explained.

In the morning, the death of a 39-year-old woman, Roja, who showed symptoms of the virus, cause a scare. But, her blood samples were found to be negative, the state health minister said, stressing the need to remain extremely vigilant even though there were no fresh cases.

Sadanandan, meanwhile, said the monoclonal antibodies (MAB) from Australia had reached the state and was on its way to Kozhikode medical college from Kochi. It will be administered only if there will be any fresh Nipah cases.

Experts from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)  the apex body in the country for the formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research  will be reaching here on Monday and the antibody will be administered only if it will be necessary. With the help of ICMR and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the state government has procured about 50 doses of monoclonal antibodies from Australia to combat the virus, he added.

The ICMR had written to the Queensland government in Australia asking it to provide the antibody developed there to test if it can neutralise the virus in humans. The natural host of the virus is believed to be fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family, Pteropus genus.
As concern over the Nipah virus infection outbreak grows by the day, 17 people in Kerala have succumbed to it so far, as per the latest update. Health officials in the southern state have warned of a possibility of a second outbreak.

As concern over the Nipah virus infection outbreak grows by the day, killing 17 people in Kerala so far, health officials in the southern state have warned of the possibility of a second outbreak.

Noting that all those in contact with the affected individuals are still in the incubating period of the virus, health minister KK Shailaja, in a statement on Friday, underlined that even though there is no need to fear or feel panic, as a matter of caution, all possible precautionary steps should be taken.

"We had indicated at the outset itself, there could be a possible second outbreak and the vulnerable are those who would have come in contact with the affected. All such people have to be closely watched... tests will reveal only at the appropriate time when the symptoms of the Nipah virus surface, so all those who have come in direct contact with the earlier affected have to see they get in touch with the special control room set up in Kozhikode," Shailaja said.

Even though there have been no positive cases on Friday, six persons were admitted to the Kozhikode medical college with symptoms of the virus, an official said. Of the 203 samples tested for the Nipah virus, there have been 18 positive cases.

Here is a detailed rundown of all that has happened since the Nipah virus infection broke out:

ICMR reaches out to Australia for antibody to 'neutralise' virus

Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a newly emerging zoonosis that causes severe disease in both animals and humans. The natural host of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus. Currently, there is no vaccine or drug for the treatment of the Nipah virus infection. The treatment for human cases is supportive and management treatment along with intensive supportive care.

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) had earlier reached out to the University of Queensland, Australia, which has developed an antibody to combat and 'neutralise' the virus. The antibody was expected to reach India on Thursday.

According to The News Minute, the Human Monoclonal Antibody (M 102.4) is a non-patented drug, developed by Dr Christopher C Broder from Australia. The antibody is still referred by a number, and not a name as its clinical trials are yet to be completed. It is important to note, that the antibody can only neutralise the effects of the virus, and is not a vaccine.

"We have asked them to give their monoclonal antibody for conducting a test in India to find out if it can neutralise the Nipah virus in humans. In Australia, it has only been tried in vitro (happening outside the body in artificial conditions, often in a test tube) and has been found to be effective. But it has not been tested on humans," Dr Balram Bhargava, ICMR Director General, said while clarifying that it will not lead to the creation of a vaccine.

Kerala government steps up vigil in Kozhikode, Malappuram

The Kerala government on Friday stepped up vigil against the Nipah virus that has claimed 17 lives in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, even as staffers of a taluk hospital at Balussery have been asked to go on leave as a precautionary measure, after two Nipah-affected persons, who were treated at the hospital initially, succumbed to the virus.

Even though there have been no positive cases on Friday, six persons were admitted to the Kozhikode medical college with symptoms of the virus, an official said.

The Public Service Commission has postponed all its written and online exams, scheduled to be held, till 16 June. New dates will be announced later.

Reopening of schools in the two districts had earlier been postponed to 5 June.

Health authorities have drawn up a list of 1,949 people who had come in contact with the Nipah-affected persons to monitor their health condition. A control room has been opened at the Kozhikode medical college which will regularly contact them to know about their health conditions, the official said.

The central experts from the National Centre for Disease Control are continuing to evaluate the situation and taking necessary measures, said a press release quoting the minister. Moreover, a team of doctors from the Manipal and Thiruvananthapuram medical colleges is also evaluating the situation.

Soldier from Kerala dies of suspected Nipah virus infection

A soldier died in Kolkata of suspected Nipah virus infection, a defence spokesman said on Wednesday (30 May).

Seenu Prasad, who hails from Kerala and posted at the Eastern Command headquarters Fort William, was admitted to the Command Hospital in Kolkata on 20 May and passed away on 25 May, the spokesman said. Prasad had been on a month's leave to Kerala before rejoining duty on 13 May.

His body fluids have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune which is the only agency in the country to certify whether it was a case of Nipah virus or not. "Till such time the report from the NIV in Pune is received it cannot be confirmed whether it was a case of Nipah virus or not," the spokesman said.

UAE bans fruits from Kerala after the outbreak

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned imports of fresh vegetables and fruits from Kerala due to the outbreak of the rare brain-damaging Nipah virus, the Gulf state said on 29 May.

The UAEs Ministry of Climate Change and Environment also notified other local authorities, including the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and the municipalities of its emirates, to prevent the entry of any fresh produce from Kerala, it said in a statement.

The ministry suspects that fruit bats are the source of the virus. It said it was banning fresh produce, including mangoes, dates, and bananas  the bats preferred fruits.

State governments issue health advisories

While the Nipah virus may not have spread beyond Kerala, concerns over it have spread across the country with several states investigating suspicious cases and issuing advisories on precautions and travel to Kerala.

Rajasthan: The Rajasthan government on 26 May issued an advisory, asking people not to travel to affected parts of Kerala and for officials to maintain caution. Although there has been not a single case of Nipah virus registered in the state till date, the state health department needs to remain extra cautious on the issue, said Chief Secretary DB Gupta.

Additional Chief Secretary, medical and health, Veenu Gupta said that all joint directors and chief medical officers have been directed to take special measures in this regard including setting up rapid response teams in the districts but requested people not to panic.

Madhya Pradesh: The state health ministry on 25 May issued an advisory against eating fruits that are fallen on the ground or appear to have animal teeth or claw marks. "People should avoid going to areas that might have bats. Stay away from suspected infected persons," said Health Services director BN Chouhan.

Bihar: The Bihar government issued a Nipah virus alert on 26 May, asking people to take precautions, an official said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 28 May said that there is a need to create awareness among people about the deadly virus. "There is a need to organise 'swasthya mela' at the panchayat level for creating awareness about various diseases. Recently, we have come to know about a disease (Nipah) in Kerala, for which we have to create awareness among people," Kumar said at a function organised by the health department.

Delhi: The Delhi government on Thursday, while issuing a health advisory for the Nipah virus, said that no incidence of the infection has been reported in the national capital as of now.

In the advisory, the Directorate General of Health Services said that the infection, spread from animals to humans, "can happen through infected bats by their bite or indirectly by consuming fruits contaminated by their saliva, close contact with infected pigs or patient of Nipah virus infection".

Himachal Pradesh: Panic gripped Himachal Pradesh when several bats were found dead at Government Senior Secondary School in Barmapapri in Sirmaur district this week. However, tests at the National Institute of Virology in Pune ruled out that the bats were carrying Nipah virus.

Himachal Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary BK Agarwal advised people not to panic about the Nipah virus and said that all medical colleges in the state are prepared to deal with the situation if it occurs.

Telangana: Similarly, in Telangana, two persons, including one who visited Kerala recently, were admitted to hospitals on 25 May with suspected Nipah virus infection. The state health authorities, without taking any chances, have sent their samples to Pune for investigation.

K Shankar, Director, Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), Hyderabad said that people should postpone their plans to visit Kerala in view of the situation. The authorities are conducting awareness campaigns and are also screening people at airport, railway and bus stations.

Telangana Director of Medical Education K Ramesh Reddy, however, said there was no need for panic as the state had not recorded any confirmed case of Nipah virus.

'No cases detected in North East'

No case of Nipah virus has been detected in the North East, an official said on 29 May, denying misleading social media reports about its presence in the region. Manipur's health services director, K Rajo said there were social media reports to the effect that some cases of Nipah had been detected in Meghalaya, but officials in the state denied any confirmed case.

The North East region, which is visited daily by people from other states including Kerala  where an outbreak of the disease claimed several lives, is vulnerable to such diseases, he said, but added the northeastern states have geared up on precautionary measures.

He also said that special isolation wards are being arranged in the two major hospitals, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and JN Institute of Medical Sciences located in Imphal to cope with any eventuality.

The Nipah virus spreads through close contact with people's secretions and excretions. Eating food which may have the droplets of saliva and urine of infected bats can lead to the transmission of the virus.

Earlier, cases of Nipah virus were reported from Siliguri in 2001 and Nadia in 2007 in the eastern state of West Bengal and around 47 deaths were reported.

With inputs from agencies
Pre-monsoon showers accompanied by gusty winds lashed Mumbai and surroundings on Saturday even as three people were killed in incidents of electrocution, officials said.

Mumbai: Pre-monsoon showers accompanied by gusty winds lashed Mumbai and surroundings on Saturday even as three people were killed in incidents of electrocution, officials said.

The rains started on Saturday evening in many parts of Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri after dense cloud formation since late afternoon, and later developed into a thunderstorm with lightning and continuous drizzling.

Flight operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were hit with delays in arrivals and departures and diversions of several domestic, international and cargo flights.

While Sri Lankan Airways' Colombo-Mumbai flight was diverted to Ahmedabad, other flights of Jet Airways, GoAir, Qatar Airways and various airlines were also diverted.

Jet Airways announced that due to air traffic congestions following adverse weather conditions, delays of up to 45 minutes in departures and arrivals were expected till 11.30 p.m tonight.

In the first rain-related tragedy, two persons including a minor girl, were electrocuted when they came in contact with a live wire during heavy rains in Khindipada of Bhandup West here.

The victims  Anil Yadav, 32 and 9-year-old Zara Yunus Khan  were rushed to the MT Agarwal Hospital in Mulund, but were declared dead.

In another such incident in Bhandup East, Om Fadtare, 23, also died of electrocution.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai issued a storm warning for Thane and surroundings, with chances of thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds and rains in many parts this evening.

Several areas of Mumbai suburbs and surroundings experienced brief power outages and snapped cable connections this evening following a technical snag in the Interconnecting Transformer of the MSETL in Kalwa on Friday.

"To minimize the inconvenience, we have ensured that the Reliance Energy's Dahanu Power Plant runs at its full capacity of 500 MW. We may continue rotational load-shedding in some areas till normalcy is restored in the grid to reduce discomfort to our customers," a Reliance Energy spokesperson said this evening.

Tata Power said that after the Kalwa incident on Friday, its Trombay Thermal Power Station and other Hydro Units functioned full capacity to meet Mumbai's power requirements and thus prevented load-shedding.

Meanwhile, in view of the storm warnings in and around Mumbai, all civic and disaster units remained in a state of high alert to tackle any emergencies that may arise.

On account of the welcome showers, temperatures dipped sharply in Mumbai, from the average of 35 to around 26 degrees, as the citizens enjoyed a respite from the hot humid weather since the past few days.
Days after an 18-year-old BJP member was found hanging from a tree in Purulia, the body of another BJP worker was found hanging from an electric pole

Days after an 18-year-old BJP member was found hanging from a tree in West Bengal's Purulia district, the body of another BJP worker was found hanging from an electric pole in the same district, media reports said on Saturday.

The BJP alleged that the 32 -year-old party worker, who was found hanging from an electric pole in Balarampur, was murdered by TMC supporters for participating in a thana gherao protest organised by the party, according to News18.

Leader of the ruling Trinamool Congress Derek O'Brien tweeted to say that the case has been handed over to the CID.

As swift as swift can be. Case handed over to CID. https://t.co/AQYneh7Nr7  Derek O'Brien (@derekobrienmp) June 2, 2018

This comes two days after a similar incident on Wednesday invited strong criticism of the TMC government from BJP chief Amit Shah, who said the ruling dispensation has "surpassed the violent legacy of the communist rule" in West Bengal.

In the first murder, which also took place in Balrampur, about 295 km from Kolkata, an unsigned handwritten note in Bengali was found near the body of the victim Trilochan Mahato near his home. The note stated that he was "punished for working for the BJP" during the recent rural polls in the state, police said.

On Friday, the NHRC sent a notice to the West Bengal government over the incident. The commission in a statement observed that the content of the news report, if true, amounts to gross violation of human rights of the victim. It has issued a notice to the West Bengal chief secretary, seeking a detailed report.

The DGP of the state has been asked to intimate the present status of investigation in the case and the steps taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur, the commission said. They have been given four weeks to respond, it said.

The NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that the youth, "belonging to the Dalit community in Purulia, was mercilessly beaten till he died". Later, his body was found hanging from a tree.

Reportedly, he was a worker of BJP and he had called the family over the telephone, saying he was abducted by a group of men on bikes, the commission said in the statement.

The rights panel also observed that India is a democratic country and difference of opinion and ideology are obvious in a multi-party democratic political system. "Bloodshed in the name of political differences is neither desirable nor acceptable in a civilised society. Brutal killings of party workers in such a manner are indicative of deficient law and order situation in the state, which does not allow rival political parties to exercise their political rights," it said.

"We strongly condemn this despicable killing. All angles must be probed. The perpetrators of this heinous act must be punished. What role did Jharkhand border have to play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved. Let the truth be found out through proper investigation," O'Brien said on Twitter.

A media report on Thursday claimed that violence continued in Purulia even after the Panchayat elections were over.

"Several other local BJP leaders have been threatened after the BJP won many seats in the district. The father of the deceased has alleged that his son was killed by the workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC)," the commission said, quoting from reports.

With inputs from PTI
The Rajasthan High Court will hear a case on 12 July that challenges provisions of a law that entitles former chief ministers to free housing and other perks. The development comes as former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers have begun vacating their bungalows in Lucknow following a Supreme Court order in April.

Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court will hear a case on 12 July that challenges provisions of a law that entitles former chief ministers to free housing and other perks. The development comes as former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers have begun vacating their bungalows in Lucknow following a Supreme Court order in April.

The Bill for this was passed in the Assembly in April in 2017 by voice vote, with only rebel BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari dissenting. It added a new section to the Rajasthan Ministers' Salaries Act, 1956. Tiwari has been demanding that chief minister Vasundhara Raje should vacate a plush bungalow at 13, Civil Lines which was allotted to her as a former chief minister and shift to the CM's official residence at 8, Civil Lines.

Jaipur-based journalist Milap Chand Dandia had filed a public interest litigation against the new section in the Rajasthan law, notified in May 2017. The SC has already decided on the issue and I am hopeful that the high court will also quash the new section, which is unconstitutional and invalid, Dandia said.

Former chief minister and Congress MLA from Jodhpur Ashok Gehlot indicated his willingness to give up the bungalow, as soon the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict on the Uttar Pradesh law. We had written to the General Administration Department on May 7 itself seeking appropriate direction pertaining to the residence, Gehlot's private secretary Devaram Saini said.

Following the Supreme Court order, the Uttar Pradesh government had served notices to six politicians who were allotted official bungalows in Lucknow as former chief ministers. While Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati and ailing Congress veteran Narayan Dutt Tiwari have expressed reluctance to move out, the others appear set to meet the weekend deadline
Protests continue to rock the Himachal Pradesh capital on Saturday as the densely populated Kusumpti area continues to reel under acute portable water shortage for the 14th day.

Shimla: Protests continue to rock the Himachal Pradesh capital on Saturday as the densely populated Kusumpti area continues to reel under acute portable water shortage for the 14th day.

Although no incident of violence was reported in the city, police said, but hundreds of residents blocked the road leading to the state secretariat, raising slogans against the government and the Shimla Municipal Corporation, both ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Despite instructions by the high court on supplying water in the city on a rotational basis, there is no water supply in this locality.

"The piped water was not supplied for the past eight days. Three days ago I got just three buckets of water for a family of five from a government tanker," resident Sanjana Jindal told IANS.

Residents were out on the streets protesting even late on Friday. "We are depending on bottled water for cooking and drinking. There is no water to clean utensils and wash clothes. I have not taken bath for almost a week now. Our toilets are stinking literally as we are refraining from flushing them. We just managed to collect two buckets of water from rooftop when it rained in Shimla on Friday evening," college student Nandita Chauhan said.

"We are prepared to live with very little water but we need that little water to sustain our daily chores and personal hygiene," she said, adding "I think the government should promote dry toilets in Shimla in order to save millions of litres of water."

The problem continued to be aggravated in Pantha Ghatti, Chhota Shimla, Vikasnagar, Kangnadhar, New Shimla and Khalini localities.

A government statement said the civic body received 24.50 Million Litres per-Day (MLD) water on Friday and it was distributed as per the timetable. It said 1.70 lakh litre water was supplied to different localities through tankers.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday rushed to New Delhi to brief the Prime Minister's Office on steps taken to restore water normalcy in Shimla.

Officials blamed it on the rising mercury and the drying up of natural water channels. Shimla has a population of nearly 200,000 that requires 42 MLD water.

Facing flak from the high court, which is monitoring the water situation on a day-to-day basis, the Municipal Corporation has started disconnecting the water connections of over 40 hotels for their failure to clear the pending arrears.

Issuing a slew of directives on Friday, it said all 62 'key-men', who are responsible for supplying water in localities, should be kept under surveillance to ensure equitable distribution.

The court has listed 11 June as the next hearing for the case. It has also made it categorically clear that no individual request even to the VIPs, including the judges, would be entertained.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday left on a five-day visit to South Africa where she will meet top leadership of the country and attend meetings of BRICS and IBSA

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday left on a five-day visit to South Africa where she will meet top leadership of the country and attend meetings of BRICS and IBSA - the two major groupings where India has been playing a key role.

Swaraj will also attend a series of events marking the 125th anniversary of the historic incident where a young Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of a train compartment in Pietermaritzburg railway station, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The 1893 incident proved to be a turning point in Gandhi's fight against racial discrimination in South Africa.

During her visit to the African nation, Swaraj will participate in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Foreign Ministers' meeting on 4 June which is expected to lay the foundation for the annual summit of the grouping in Johannesburg next month.

She will also chair a meeting of Foreign Ministers of IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa), another bloc working to deepen coordination among the three countries on major global issues.

"The External Affairs Minister will participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting on June 4, 2018 and chair the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting," the MEA said.

To attend BRICS and IBSA Ministerial Meetings and to commemorate Making of Mahatma at Pietermaritzburg! EAM @SushmaSwaraj emplanes for South Africa. pic.twitter.com/kv40EnpmWC  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 2, 2018

On 6 June, Swaraj will visit the Phoenix settlement where Mahatma Gandhi had developed his philosophy of non-violence, the MEA said.

"She would also participate in a series of events on June 6-7, 2018 at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhiji's Satyagraha movement," the MEA said.

It said the two-day commemoration activities will also include release of joint commemorative stamps on Oliver Tambo and Deen Dayal Upadhayaa and a youth summit where 20 diaspora youth from Africa and five from India will speak on the relevance of Gandhi's message of peace to the youth of today.

Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid activist and revolutionary leader.

"The year 2018 is an important year for India-South Africa relations as it marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th birth centenary of South African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela," the MEA said.

It said India and South Africa enjoy close and friendly relations which are rooted in history and the values of south-south cooperation.

"The visit of External Affairs Minister will further strengthen our close and long standing ties with South Africa," the MEA said.
Four CRPF personnel and two civilians, including a woman, were injured on Saturday in three separate grenade attacks on security forces in Srinagar.

Srinagar: Four CRPF personnel and two civilians, including a woman, were injured on Saturday in three separate grenade attacks on security forces in Srinagar, police said.

In the first attack, militants lobbed a grenade towards a security forces patrol party in Fatehkadal area of Srinagar, they said.

Three CRPF personnel and a woman were injured in the explosion, they said.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, where their condition is stated to be stable.

In the second attack, militants targeted a CRPF vehicle in Budshah Chowk area near the city centre in Srinagar, injuring a jawan and a civilian, the police said.

The third grenade attack took place in Magarmal Bagh area of the city, they said.

However, there was no damage due to the explosion there.

There have been at least six grenade attacks in Kashmir valley, including one at the residence of ruling PDP MLA Mushtaq Shah, since Friday.
Is Kerala taking a step backwards by turning a blind eye to attacks on young couples like Kevin and Neenu?

Four days ago, on 28 May, the Kerala police reportedly fished out the body of 23-year-old Kevin Joseph with the help of locals from a canal close to his home in Kottayam. His body bore brutal injury marks, indicating he had not died as a result of drowning. The post-mortem conducted soon after revealed what everyone had suspected all along: Kevin Joseph had been tortured to death. He is the latest victim of 'honour killing', a relatively unknown crime in Kerala.

By then, the story of the ill-fated lovers, Kevin and Neenu, was reported widely across Kerala. 20-year-old Neenu Chacko, the daughter of a Christian father and Muslim mother, grew up in an affluent household in Kollam. She was in a secret relationship with 23-year-old Kevin Joseph for the last three years.

Kevins parents are Dalit Christian converts who are not well off, whereas Neenus father was an upper caste Christian. Kevin, who was an electrician, went off to Dubai to try and earn some money. He returned in great haste when Neenus father started trying to fix her marriage to someone else. Neenu left her home and the young couple decided to get married at a sub-registrar's office under the Special Marriage Act.

Her parents sprang into action. Her brother and father had her summoned to the police station and tried to forcibly take her home  a move which was foiled by the crowd that had gathered there in support of the young couple. Kevin moved Neenu to a hostel and he shifted to his uncles house nearby. The same night, a gang of 13, including Neenus brother and cousins and some hitmen allegedly abducted Kevin and his cousin and tortured them. The cousin managed to escape from the van in which he was held, but Kevin was killed and dumped in a canal.

What followed was equally tragic. Shocked and agitated by the polices inaction, Neenu sat in protest outside the station, demanding they bring Kevin back to her. If they had only listened to her when she had last come to the station, things would not have come to this pass.

When her parents had her summoned to the station, onlookers said the police actually allowed her father to beat her and drag her to a car before the locals intervened. The role of the police has received a lot of flak. When Neenu found Kevin was missing, she went immediately to file a police complaint but was told to wait because they were all busy with the chief ministers visit to Kottayam. Neenu alleged that at every step the police dragged their feet till it became too late.

When Neenu was finally told Kevin was dead, she decided never to return to her parental home and to live with Kevins family instead, which she now considers her own. As she sobbed in the protective arms of Kevins father, she told a TV news channel, I might not yet have been officially married to Kevin, but I consider him my husband.

Meanwhile, as more gruesome details of the murder emerge every day and there is more evidence of police conspiracy, politicians have also got into the fray. But Kevin and Neenu's case follows numerous other recent stories where parents have intervened in the marital lives of their children, because of caste or religious differences.

A couple of months ago, 21-year-old Athira, a girl belonging to the Ezhava (OBC) community, was killed on the eve of her wedding. She was to marry Brijesh, a soldier posted in Uttar Pradesh. Her father and brother objected to the marriage because Brijesh was a Dalit. One day before her wedding, her father killed her in a drunken rage.

There have also been instances of parents torturing their daughters to get them out of alleged love jihad relationships. The most famous case was that of Hadiya (previously known as Akhila Ashokan) a homeopathy student from Vaikom, who converted to Islam of her own free will and married a Muslim man whom she met though a matrimonial site. According to her, her father who is self-proclaimed atheist got her admitted into the Siva Shakthi Yoga Centre where she was tortured by the workers who tried to convert her back to Hinduism. Hadiya went to court. The Kerala High Court did not give her relief, and it is only after she won her case in the Supreme Court that she could return to live with her husband.

Shwetha Haridasan, a 28-year-old Ayurvedic doctor, also filed a police complaint against the Siva Shakthi Yoga Centre last year. Shwetha, a Hindu woman, was in love with Rinto, a photographer, who was Christian. Her parents did everything possible to break their relationship and finally got her forcibly admitted to this centre. She said she was tortured and beaten until she agreed that she would marry a Hindu man according to her parents wishes. However, after she was released, she managed to escape from home and return to her husband Rinto. They filed a case against the yoga centre. After her case became public, more women came out and spoke of the torture they had undergone in this reconversion centre.

Most of this information is in the public domain, as the reconversion centres and other voluntary organisations with political leanings have been the subjects of heated public debate. There have also been cases filed against some of them. Yet, there is a strong feeling that unlike the communist governments of yore which often spearheaded social reform, the one in power now has not been proactive in curbing such activity.

So, is Kerala taking a step backwards by turning a blind eye to these attacks on young couples? Is this the beginning of a bigger and more frightening trend?

The answer is not simple. Kerala has a long and checkered history of foreign invasion, religious conversion and oppression in the name of caste. Both Islam and Christianity came to Kerala long before they made their entry into other parts of the country. Islam came through Arab traders who settled here and married local women. Christianity is said to have come even earlier when St Thomas, one of the original apostles of Jesus, landed in Kerala. According to the legend, he converted some high caste Namboodiri Brahmins to Christianity. Later missionaries are supposed to have converted lower caste people over a period of time.

Caste divides have always existed in Kerala's Christianity. At one point in time, Dalit Christians were not even allowed to enter certain churches. When caste oppression was at its height, Dalits and lower castes had to hide from the sight of upper caste Brahmins, because their shadows were considered polluting. But over the years, social reform initiated by great thinkers like the Ezhava saint Narayana Guru had its impact. The original idealistic form of communism which upheld social equality also helped to put Kerala on the path to becoming a truly secular society.

Can Kerala now ever get back its secular and tolerant sheen? Only time will tell.
With a combined Opposition having defeated the BJP in Uttar Pradesh's Kairana Lok Sabha and some other bypolls, the Congress has decided to step up efforts to prevent the division of anti-BJP votes by seeking to identify the strongest candidate in each seat in the forthcoming electoral contests.

New Delhi: With a combined Opposition having defeated the BJP in Uttar Pradesh's Kairana Lok Sabha and some other bypolls, the Congress has decided to step up efforts to prevent the division of anti-BJP votes by seeking to identify the strongest candidate in each seat in the forthcoming electoral contests.

Party sources said the informal talks are underway to find a common ground with opposition parties even as the party has embarked on the process to identify candidates in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

According to the sources, committees are likely to be formed in every state to identify the strongest candidate of the united Opposition in each constituency in forthcoming elections and the strategy will differ from state to state.

A party leader said the Congress has to be more "accommodative" in seat sharing.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the main objective in the upcoming elections will be to prevent vote division of the anti-BJP votes.

"There is no one-size-fits all approach at all. There is no blanket approach at all. The basic objective remains the same whether it is this part or that part of the country.

"Whether you call it a formal alliance or strategic seat adjustment, or you call it understandings, the basic objective everywhere, whether it is bi-polar states or triangular or quadrangular states, is to prevent vote division of the anti-BJP votes. This is what the BJP is terrified about," he said.

"This is what you have seen in every election from Uttar Pradesh to Karnataka or any other states. BJP has benefitted from the division of votes. But how we will do it, what we will do, you will find it on a state-to-state basis.

"You may find state X may differ from state Y, but it will be achieving that one single object of prevention of vote division," he added.

On Samajwadi Party saying the Opposition parties should field a common candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi in 2019 election, Singhvi said: "Too early days as yet, but I do not see any reason to doubt the principle and the spirit to what has been said."

"I do not want to go into the details. It is early but you must read the spirit. I think it is the spirit. I am not talking about the names. I am talking spirit behind it," he added.
The Chengannur debacle in Kerala has led to a chorus of demand for a total restructuring of the Congress from top to bottom.

When the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) assumed power in Kerala in 2011 with a Christian as chief minister and a Muslim as the second in command, the biggest concern among the majority community was the minority dominance in the government.

The BJP deftly used this to make inroads into the upper caste Nair community, the traditional Hindu backbone of the UDF. The minority appeasement card that the saffron party played against the UDF has helped the BJP consolidate majority community in its favour.

The Congress sought to address the issue before the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 by inducting the then Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala, a member of the Nair community, with the key home portfolio into the Oommen Chandy cabinet.

However, the move backfired with the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) painting it as a sign of the soft-Hindutva line that the UDF has adopted to face the saffron partys challenge.

The LDF seized the advantage by projecting itself as the protector of the minorities, who have been viewing the steady rise of the Sangh Parivar in the state with concern.

Caught between the conflicting images, the Congress saw a series of electoral jolts in the next elections.

It first reflected in the 2014 Lok Sabha election when the UDF share came down from 16 seats in the 2009 elections to 12 seats in the 2014 polls. The message was clear when the UDF lost Christian strongholds like Thrissur, Idukki and Chalakkudy.

However, the UDF did not learn any lessons from the setback. The party paid dearly for this lapse in the subsequent local body Assembly elections which were swept by the LDF. It also helped the BJP to open its account in the Assembly polls in 2016.

The Congress repeated the same mistake in the Chengannur by-election by fielding a Hindu, who is associated with several Hindu organisations as its candidate, and paid for it.

The party offered the seat on a platter to LDF, which overcame the anti-incumbency by projecting the Opposition candidate as an RSS man. We wasted the opportunity by defending Vijayakumar instead of highlighting the anti-people actions of the LDF government, including the breakdown of the law and order, said senior Congress leader Rajmohan Unnithan.

He said that the LDF branding of the UDF as a soft Hindutva party has got stuck in the minds of the minorities, who believe that the Congress is unable to counter the saffron threat. The Congress cannot move ahead without changing this perception from the minds of the minorities, he added.

This is not easy. We need a major surgery to change the perception. This will be possible only when leaders who are responsible for creating such an impression leave. They should give their place to a new set of leaders who can inspire confidence among the minorities, he added.

The Chengannur debacle has led to a chorus of demand for a total restructuring of the party from top to bottom. While the old guards are getting ready for a minor surgery by replacing the present ad-hoc party chief MM Hassan with one from among them, the student and the youth wings of the party are demanding a generational change in the party.

A number of Youth Congress and Kerala Students Union (KSU) leaders have sent letters to the partys national president Rahul Gandhi in this regard. Party mouthpiece Veekshanam has backed the move. The daily has urged the old guards to hand over the reins to the new generation and guide them instead.

A senior Youth Congress leader said that the major problem plaguing the Congress now was lack of functionaries at the lower level. While the LDF and the BJP spread squads across the constituency to gather votes and bring voters to the poll booths, the Congress did not have enough workers to manage even the booths, he said.

We have plenty of leaders, but there are only a very few to work in the grassroots. We had to rely on workers from outside the district to steer election campaign in the constituency, said the Youth Congress leader, who did not want to be identified.

He told Firstpost that the new generation was not joining the Congress as they do not see any future for them in the party. The BJP and the Left parties, on the other hand, have been drawing youth into their fold by offering them opportunities to rise in the ranks.

The Youth Congress leader is hopeful that Rahul will rejuvenate the party with young blood as he counts on Kerala in his bid to become the next prime minister. This will be possible only if the Congress emerges as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha. Congress in Kerala can support the effort by sending as many MPs as possible, the Youth Congress leader said.

Political analyst A Sajeevan is sceptical. He said that the intervention from the high command will not help unless the Congress leaders change their factional mindset. Many youngsters whom Rahul Gandhi inducted into leadership positions were not allowed to function by the group managers in the party.

The case of former KPCC chief VM Sudheeran is a glaring example. Rahul Gandhi had picked the group-less leader to end factionalism in the party but the two mutually acrimonious groups in the party joined hands and smoked him out within three years.

Suhdeeran said that groupism was the bane of the Congress party now. We had a golden opportunity to win the Chengannur seat, but groupism has spoiled it. The group fight has inflicted deep wounds on the party. Skin treatment cannot heal it. It needs a major surgery, he added.

Cherian Philip, who quit Congress in protest against the apportioning of positions on factional lines, said that even a major surgery may not help the Congress now. The party needs a reinvention to survive in the new tripolar political scene in Kerala.

Cherian said that the Congress can remain relevant in Kerala if it upholds its secular traditions. He pointed out that the party had emerged as a mighty force in the state politics in the seventies when the party kept the spirit of secularism high.

The Congress cannot compete with BJP in communal politics. It has to fight them aggressively to remain in contention in Kerala politics, he added.
The emergence of Akhilesh Yadav, Jayant Chaudhary, and Tejashwi Yadav in the recently concluded by-elections should worry BJP as together, they form a daunting team that has scripted the story of the oppositions revival in the Hindi heartland.

The BJP and the media are so focused on Rahul Gandhi that they have failed to spot a bigger danger lurking ahead of Narendra Modi in 2019: the rise of a trio of young, politically savvy regional leaders who are driving the opposition charge in the politically crucial states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with innovation and skill that master strategist Amit Shah would surely envy.

The just concluded by-elections mark the emergence of Akhilesh Yadav, Jayant Chaudhary, and Tejashwi Yadav as leaders in their own right. Dynasts though they are, they come without the baggage of their fathers and have flummoxed the BJP by changing the dynamics of politics in the Hindi heartland with an opposition alliance that no one ever thought would materialise.

Youth power is a formidable force in a polity dominated by young voters. In Gujarat, another trio of youngsters  Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani  gave Modi and Shah sleepless nights as they powered Rahul Gandhis campaign in the 2017 Assembly elections. They would have snatched Modis home state from under his nose but for a last-minute high-voltage emotive campaign by the prime minister which saved the day for the BJP.

An eerily similar story is playing out in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Akhilesh is now firmly in charge of the Samajwadi Party, Jayant Chaudhry has taken over the reins of the Rashtriya Lok Dal from father Ajit Singh, and Tejashwi has stepped ably into the shoes of his charismatic father Lalu Prasad Yadav to lead the Rashtriya Janata Dal from the front. Together, they form a daunting team that has scripted the story of the oppositions revival in the Hindi heartland.

The credit for taking the first step to unify the opposition in Uttar Pradesh must go to Akhilesh. In the 14 months since his party was decimated by a saffron wave in the Assembly polls, he has come into his own. Displaying an unexpected degree of maturity, Akhilesh spent months concentrating on two things: one to systematically rebuild his shattered party by patching up with father Mulayam Singh and uncle Shivpal Yadav; the other to reach out to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and persuade her to consider a poll pact with him.

The restoration of equilibrium in the family was on display at a dinner hosted by Akhileshs other uncle Ram Gopal Yadav in Delhi towards the fag end of the budget session. A person present at the dinner said it was evident from the body language between father and son that Mulayam has finally come to terms with his exit and accepted his sons takeover of the party.

Akhileshs biggest feat, however, is to have built bridges with Mayawati. This is no mean achievement. Mayawati is a notoriously touch-me-not leader who hates lending her voter base to other parties in a pre-poll alliance. Despite her reputation, Akhilesh reached out to her before the Lok Sabha bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur earlier this year and requested for her support.

Those familiar with the discussions between the two parties talk of Akhileshs pragmatic approach. Not only did he show a remarkable degree of patience with the imperious BSP chief, he is also believed to have sweetened his proposal with an indication that he would support her national ambitions should an opposition coalition win in 2019. With time on his side, Akhilesh is clear in his mind that he wants to focus his energy on the 2022 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, rather than jockey for a position at the Centre.

The same pragmatism drives Jayant. The story behind the opposition pact for the Kairana bypoll provides an interesting insight into the way these young minds are working as they seek to dislodge the BJP. Setting aside their egos and petty personal ambitions that marked the politics of their fathers, Akhilesh and Jayant sealed an agreement that took the BJP by surprise.

They decided that RLD would contest the seat to wean away the numerically strong Jat community from the BJP. Jayant scoured the constituency for a suitable candidate and came up with Tabassum Hasan who belongs to a politically influential family of the area. He didnt allow a small issue like her Samajwadi Party membership to cloud his thinking. And Akhilesh did not let ego get in the way. He readily loaned Tabassum to Jayant and much to everyones shock, she won with a handsome margin.

It was a brave decision to field a Muslim woman from a constituency in a communally polarised region still licking its wounds from the violence in Muzaffarnagar in 2013. But Jayant and Akhilesh seem to revel in making bold gestures to catch their rivals off guard.

Jayant, in particular, showed a remarkable grasp of the ground level politics in his choice of a Muslim candidate. It was the only way to revive his grandfather Charan Singhs winning Jat-Muslim alliance and restore the age-old symbiotic relationship between these two communities. This was the plank on which he campaigned as he went door-to-door in Jat villages, appealing to their good sense, pride and disillusionment with the BJP. Such is Jayants hold now that he actually persuaded his father Ajit to leave the comfort of his airconditioned house and accompany him on his padyatra through the Jatland.

The BJP has clearly underestimated the abilities of these three youthful leaders. Yes, they are dynasts but they seem to be made of sterner stuff than effete scions born with silver spoons in their mouths. All three have shown themselves to be pavement thumpers and very focused about their politics. They are social media savvy and ready to take Modi head-on, at times using Shahs own aggressive tactics on the BJP.

Interestingly, they have established a good rapport with Rahul Gandhi. The Congress president has taken Tejashwi out for dinner when the RJD leader has been in Delhi. And Jayant and Rahul move in the same social circles. All four talk to each other frequently on the phone as well.

They have tasted blood now, having defeated the BJP in successive bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar this year. Expect to see more of this youth power in action in the run-up to 2019.
In further embarrassment to the Congress in Kerala, which faced a debacle in the recent Chengannur bypoll, 'Veekshanam,' its mouthpiece, on Saturday came out against factionalism in the party and called for a 'leadership change' in the state.

Thiruvananthapuram: In further embarrassment to the Congress in Kerala, which faced a debacle in the recent Chengannur bypoll, 'Veekshanam,' its mouthpiece, on Saturday came out against factionalism in the party and called for a 'leadership change' in the state. The daily, in its editorial, rained harsh criticism against the state leadership, saying it "spoiled a good opportunity" to take revenge on the LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, which is a 'total failure' in all fronts.

It was the duty of the opposition to expose the 'most unpopular' chief minister like Vijayan but it "failed" in its attempt, the daily said. Listing out the weaknesses of the party, the editorial said the leaders are only interested in revamping the organisation at the state and district levels.

But, the 'mandalam' and 'booth' committees, the spinal code of the party's grassroots level structure, were in a weak position, it claimed. The Congress was facing setbacks in the state as leaders

with lesser capabilities come to the forefront of the party in the name of groupism, the 'Veekshanam' said.

"The front line of the party is filled with those who are ready to please the leaders. The party will not progress in the state until it replaces efficient leaders and followers from the booth level itself," it said. It is high time to hand over the leadership of the party to a generation with political commitment and spirit, the daily said adding the present leaders should quit their present positions and become the advisors and guiding forces of the newcomers.

Apparently referring to the alleged religious appeasement by the party, the mouthpiece wanted to end the practice of visiting markaz (Islamic outfit), mutts and 'aramanas' (bishop houses).

It also urged the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to take over the responsibility of bringing changes in the state unit and make it ready for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The party mouthpiece's criticism came a day after senior leader V M Sudheeran blamed factionalism in the state unit for the poor showing in the Chengannur by-election.

During his stint as KPCC chief, Sudheeran had faced strident opposition from the two major factions  one led by senior leader Oommen Chandy and other by Leader of Opposition

in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala.

Meanwhile, Chennithala rejected the charges and said the United Democratic Front (UDF)-led by the Congress had fought the bypoll unitedly cutting across groupism. However, he admitted that the party has some organisational weaknesses. "The party has some organisational weaknesses. But, it is not proper to blame only some leaders for the defeat of the Congress candidate in Chengannur," Chennithala, also a former KPCC president, said while addressing a meeting at the party headquarters here on Saturday.

Echoing the same sentiments, former chief minister Oommen Chandy said the party would examine the reasons for the defeat and would take necessary corrective measures. Another senior leader K Muraleedharan said unless changes were made in the organisational set up in the party, Chengannur will repeat.'

The ruling LDF's Saji Cheriyan won by a margin of 20,956 votes over his nearest Congress rival in the Chengannur bypoll necessitated by the death of sitting member K K Ramachandran

Nair (CPM) in January 2018.
Congress has written a letter to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, calling for a special session of the Assembly to discuss a host of issues.

Ahmedabad: Congress has written a letter to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, calling for a special session of the Assembly to discuss a host of issues, including the government's failure to withdraw police cases against Patidar quota agitation leaders.

The Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani, who has written the letter, said the BJP government has "failed" to fulfil promises made in the run up to the 2017 Assembly elections and this issue should be discussed in the House.

In a statement, Dhanani said he has written to Rupani demanding a special session of the Assembly to discuss, among others things, the issue of "the government's failure to withdraw police cases against Patidar leaders pertaining to the reservation agitation despite promising the same".

The special session was required as the Rupani government has gone back on a number of promises made before the elections, the senior Congress MLA said.

There was also a need to discuss why "no action has been taken by the government against the perpetrators of inhuman action against the Patidars" during the 2015 quota stir, he said.

Nearly a dozen people were killed when the stir took a violent turn three years ago.

In an attempt to appease the politically influential Patidar community ahead of the December 2017 polls, the BJP government had announced it will withdraw police cases against its members who took part in the reservation stir.

However, police cases, including those related to sedition, against Patidar leaders have not been withdrawn yet, Dhanani maintained.

The Leader of Opposition also raised the issue of "exorbitant" fees charged by private schools and sought the government reply on its "inaction" against such schools.

"The Fee Regulation Act was brought before the 2017 Assembly elections to curb exorbitant fees charged by private schools. But after the polls, the education minister said fees (set by these schools) will have to be paid," Dhanani said. "The government has gone back on its promise to control fees and this issue needs to be discussed in the Assembly."

Dhanani alleged the BJP government wasted the Narmada waters for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "seaplane show" ahead of the 2017 elections. In December, Modi, who campaigned extensively in Gujarat, took a seaplane ride from the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad to Dharoi Dam in north Gujarat, and returned after offering prayers at the famous Ambaji Temple and holding a road show.

"Today farmers are being deprived of water and the state government has failed to help them," he said. Dhanani also raised the issue of "delays" in payment of insurance money to "farmers who have paid huge premium to insurance companies under the crop insurance scheme".

The Congress leader raised the issue of frequent fires in godowns storing government-procured groundnut in Saurashtra. He alleged the government procured groundnut "to benefit middlemen and godowns were set on fire to destroy the evidence of procurement of poor quality groundnut".

Cases of atrocities on Dalits, slow investigation in the multi-crore bitcoin case in which a former minister is allegedly involved and reduction of excise duty on petrol and diesel to give respite to consumers are some other issues that Dhahani wanted to be discussed in the special session.
A day before the expiry of the deadline to vacate their official bungalows, former chief ministers Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh have moved to the VVIP guest house in the city, and while Mayawati vacated one bungalow, she claimed the other was converted into a memorial for BSP founder Kanshi Ram.

Lucknow: A day before the expiry of the deadline to vacate their official bungalows, former chief ministers Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh have moved to the VVIP guest house in the city, and while Mayawati vacated one bungalow, she claimed the other was converted into a memorial for BSP founder Kanshi Ram.

"Mulayam Singh Yadav shifted to the VVIP guest house yesterday, while Akhilesh Yadav along with his MP wife Dimple and children shifted to the VVIP guest house today. One room each has been allotted to Akhilesh, Dimple, and Mulayam," Chief Management Officer of VVIP guest house Rajiv Kumar, told PTI. He said all the rooms which have been allotted to them are double-room suites.

The members of the Yadav family have been given rooms on the first floor of the VVIP guest house, a senior official said. Officials also said that as the norms, a room can be booked for a period of only three days. After this, an application to book a room has to be submitted for extension or re-booking.

Acting on a Supreme Court (SC) order last month, the Uttar Pradesh estate department issued notices to the former chief ministers asking them to vacate their official bungalows within 15 days that expires tomorrow. The apex court had on 7 May held that former Uttar Pradesh chief ministers cannot retain government accommodation after resigning from office.

The estate department had issued notices to six former chief ministers  Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav  to vacate their official bungalows in compliance with SC the order.

While Akhilesh and Mulayam have shifted to the VVIP guest house, Tiwari is yet to do so with his wife Ujjwala Tiwari who is seeking more time from the estate department, pleading that her husband was in the "last stages" of his life. A board reading 'Pandit Narain Dutt Tiwari Sarvjan Vikas Foundation' has been fixed outside Tiwari's Mall Avenue bungalow it in an apparent bid to save it.

Claiming compliance with the Supreme Court order, BSP supremo Mayawati vacated a government house but held on to a second sprawling bungalow, which her party says is a memorial to their founder Kanshi Ram.

Her personal secretary said she has vacated the bungalow on 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg on 29 May, which was allotted to her as a former chief minister. However, Mayawati has claimed that the 13 A Mall Avenue bungalow was party founder Kanshi Ram's memorial. The estate department has rejected Mayawati's claim that the 13 A Mall Avenue is Kanshi Ram's memorial while claiming that the 6 Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg residence, which she had vacated, was under her illegal possession. 13A Mall Avenue was allotted to Mayawati in the capacity of a former chief minister while 6 Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg bungalow was under her illegal possession. She has to vacate Mall Avenue residence as per the SC order, a senior estate department official told PTI.

A BSP delegation met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and claimed that the Mall Avenue bungalow was converted into a Kanshi Ram memorial in 2011 and Mayawati occupied only two rooms in it. On 21 May, after it had received the vacation notice, the BSP also installed a board at that bungalow, terming it 'Shri Kanshi Ram Ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal'.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who is also the local MP, has shifted from his bungalow at 4, Kalidas Marg which is just next to the residence of the chief minister, to his residence on a 200 square metre plot at Vipul Khand in the posh Gomti Nagar.

Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's belongings have been moved to the official bungalow of his grandson Sandeep Singh, who is a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.

The Supreme Court's order came on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Lok Prahari following an amendment passed by the Uttar Pradesh Assembly which allowed all the former chief ministers to occupy government bungalows for the lifetime.

The apex court had also struck down the amendment to the legislation which allowed them to retain government accommodation even after demitting office. The bench had said the amendment was "arbitrary and discriminatory" and violated the concept of equality, and added that once such individuals resign from public office, there is nothing to distinguish them from the common man.

The NGO had challenged the amendment made by the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav government to the Uttar Pradesh ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981.
At the annual Iftar gathering, Sahar Mehrabi pulls no punches criticising the country and its institutions, including the Pasdaran who are under Khameneis direct control. However, she distanced herself from those who call for regime change. In his response, the supreme leader said that her address shows the vital role of universities.

Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) - With the courage and the cheekiness that characterise the young, a 28-year-old Iranian woman criticised the country's poor economic, political and social conditions during an annual meeting with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Speaking last Monday at the annual Iftar gathering that Khamenei holds to celebrate the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, Sahar Mehrabi noted that the agencies under his control are virtually untouchable. "The impossibility of conducting investigations into the work of some of the institutions under the supervision of Your Excellency, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the judiciary, the state broadcaster [. . .] is in itself problematic.

The young womans speech comes at a troubled time in Iran, amid protests sparked by the countrys economic crisis and demands for more social rights (including the end of compulsory head covering). Demonstrations have taken place in at least 80 towns with 25 dead.

On top of this come international tensions, exacerbated by the decision of US President Donald Trump to cancel the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and introduce new sanctions against Tehran, the toughest in history cording to US officials.

Against this backdrop, Mehrabis speech takes on greater importance. The young woman, who sits on the committee overseeing university publications, criticised "the limits imposed on freedom" and the "illegal interference" of the security forces and the army in the "work of the peoples elected representatives.

"We are worried, she told Khamenei, of the heavy atmosphere that reigns in the universities. You know of the arrest of students and long prison sentences against some of them". The protests of workers and teachers "are dealt as a security matter [. . .] and this does not help to solve the problem."

At the end of her address, Mehrabi was careful to distance herself from "those who try, in vain, to overthrow the Islamic Republic" and its institutions. Because, for her, "the solution lies within" the state "and there is no need to add more to this. Thats all."

The supreme guide listened attentively to the young woman and did not fail to respond to her. What she said shows that "universities are quite alive", he said, but at the same time he challenged the views that describe "democracy in Iran as a dictatorship".

The supreme leader went on to say that it is necessary to include "active, religious, motivated" young people in the institutions and in the most important agencies of the State.

"I am aware of the affairs of the country and I read the documents. I believe we have made considerable progress regarding the ideals of the Islamic revolution", he said.

Sahar Mehrabis speech is not the first one by a young person to criticise the situation of the country in front of the highest religious authority.

In 2009 Mahmoud Vahidnia complained about police violence against demonstrators protesting in the streets against the re-election of right-wing president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, deemed fraudulent by critics.

This time, the young woman posted her address online with mixed reactions. Some congratulated her for her audacity whilst partisans of the supreme leader said that the speech was proof of the existence of freedom of expression in the Islamic Republic.
Rubbishing reports that JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda had a say in ministry formation and portfolio allocation in the JDS-Congress cabinet, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday said he had only given the nod to finalising the portfolio list.

Bengaluru: Rubbishing reports that JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda had a say in ministry formation and portfolio allocation in the JDS-Congress cabinet, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday said he had only given the nod to finalising the portfolio list.

"I have come across media reports that Deve Gowda played a role in formation of the ministry and allocation of portfolios. This is far from the truth. He only gave the nod to finalising the portfolio list" he told reporters.

Kumaraswamy also denied any standoff between HD Revanna (JDS) and DK Shivakumar (Congress) for getting the energy portfolio for their respective parties.

"There is also no truth in the reported standoff between Revanna and DK Shivakumar over the energy portfolio."

"Shri Venugopalji (Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka KC Venugopal) held talks with Deve Gowda to finalise the (portfolio) list. He had no role in any issue pertaining to ministry formation and allocation of portfolios," he said.

Shivakumar, who had kept Congress and JDS legislators together after the fractured mandate and prevented defections, is reportedly unhappy over the party high command not rewarding him with the deputy chief minister's post.

He had also held the energy portfolio in the previous Congress government.

Kumaraswamy said it was true he had asked for the finance portfolio since he had huge responsibilities to fulfil as he had made promises to the people.

On setting up of the Cauvery Water Management Authority by the Centre, Kumaraswamy said the JDS-Congress government would decide on next course of action after consulting legal and engineering experts.

"We will take the next course of action after discussing the issue on setting up of CMA by the central government with legal and engineering experts," he said.

In the gazette notification, the Ministry of Water Resources said it has framed a scheme constituting the CMA and CWRC to give effect to the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by the Supreme Court order.

On 16 February, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to form CMA within six weeks in a verdict that marginally increased Karnataka's share of Cauvery water, reduced the allocation for Tamil Nadu and sought to settle the protracted water dispute between the two southern states.

Replying to a query, Kumaraswamy said the government would start work towards preparing the new budget in three to four days, which would also include new schemes.

Asked about the fate of the schemes implemented by previous government, he said schemes benefiting the people would be continued.

"There is no question their withdrawal or discontinuance," he said.

"We are also working towards conducting a joint session," (of the assembly), he added.

Meanwhile JD(S) secretary general Danish Ali said the portfolios would be shared without any hassle.

"Congress and JD(S) will distribute portfolios to the aspirants without any hassle," he told PTI.

"We will take care. It is not a major problem for both of us," he said.
BJP's plan to compensate the possible losses in the north and the west with the gains in mission-7 states, prominent among them are two Telugu states, seem to be a distant possibility.

The Karnataka and Kairana developments seriously undermine BJP's efforts to penetrate into south Indian states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana either on its own or with the support of allies. The swift move by Congress in Karnataka deprived BJP of a prospective ally like JD(S). Emboldened by the decline of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the TDP is further firming up its anti-BJP strategy. The TRS which was an uncharitable ally of BJP despite talk of a federal front is in a dilemma over any bonhomie with BJP.

Thus, BJP's plan to compensate the possible losses in the north and the west with the gains in mission-seven states, prominent among them being the two Telugu states  Andhra Pradesh and Telangana  seems to be a distant possibility. The losses in its strongholds are more discernible for BJP while the gains are elusive.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu was quick to remark that the by-election results validate the feelings expressed by the TDP. Addressing the state cabinet even as the final tally was emerging, Naidu reportedly told his ministerial colleagues that the TDP was the first to raise the banner of revolt against NDA.

A senior cabinet minister in the Andhra Pradesh cabinet told Firstpost that the chief minister has even predicted that Janata Dal (United) and Shiv Sena would also follow TDP and soon quit the NDA.

The TDP camp was perplexed after the Karnataka results. A senior minister then told Firstpost that the results of Karnataka wherein BJP emerged as the single largest party was rather unexpected. The TDP was, in fact, expecting the BJP's rout in that state. It may be reminded here that TDP has openly called upon Telugus living in Karnataka to defeat the BJP.

However, the TDP leadership heeded a sigh of relief as BJP failed to prove its majority paving the way for the unveiling of Congress-JD(S) government. Naidu was thus part of the swearing-in ceremony. The TDP decided to be part of the grand show of unity of anti-BJP forces despite the dominant presence of Congress in that mega event.

The BJP was expecting that the YSR Congress will be part of NDA once the TDP walks out of the coalition. The BJP leaders and even NDA ministers were publicly expressing such sentiments. But, the unprecedented public anger against BJP created by the special status narrative dashed the BJP's hopes of finding new allies in Andhra Pradesh politics. YSR Congress is unlikely to be audacious enough to tie up with the BJP at least in the pre-poll scenario.

The BJP hoped to rope in popular film star and the Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan into BJP or NDA. But, wary of anti-incumbency against the BJP, Kalyan chose not to join the BJP bandwagon. The Jana Sena Party chief himself announced that Amit Shah has asked him to merge his party with the BJP.

Now, with the decline of BJP evident in its strongholds like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, either the YSR Congress or Jana Sena Party is unlikely to extend any hand of friendship to BJP.

All the Telugu parties are quick to comment that people of India are punishing the saffron party for the injustice meted out to the people of Andhra Pradesh. The spokespersons of TDP or YSR Congress are busy making this interpretation during the debates on Telugu television channels right from Thursday evening.

The Telangana political landscape offers a different paradigm. The BJP allied with TDP in 2014 in this state too. But, much before the TDP's exit from NDA owing to the differences in Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana BJP severed its ties with TDP. The BJP felt that alliance with TDP in Telangana would be detrimental to its growth in the new state. The TDP suffered a serious decline in the state, thanks to TRS poaching Congress MLAs. Besides, the TDP is seen as a party led by Seemandhra leadership (Seemandhra refers to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh).

The TRS and the BJP enjoys a sort of love and hate relationship. The ruling TRS has been appreciative of Narendra Modi while the state BJP criticises the Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (aka KCR) regime. The central BJP leaders including ministers made it a point to praise KCR rule on every other occasion. This peculiar relationship between TRS and BJP is the result of the state-specific political situation. The Congress is pitted against TRS. Therefore, the TRS would not do anything that can remotely benefit the Congress as it is its main rival in the Telangana politics. Thus, the BJP is its natural ally. However, the TRS is wary of losing the minority and Dalit votes if it gets close to the BJP. Telangana has 12 percent Muslim population and the Owaisi's MIM is its ally.

Political observers even feel that KCR launched his attempts to form the non-Congress, non-BJP front only on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several moves by KCR give credence to such argument. KCR met leaders of JD(S), DMK, TMC and SP, all of them are either ally of Congress or its prospective allies. KCR has not met the leaders of Shiv Sena or JD(U)or Akali Dal who are sulking in the NDA.

The Telangana chief minister kept itself away from the South Indian finance ministers meet held in Kerala to oppose the terms of reference of 15th Finance Commission. KCR chose not to attend the Kumaraswamy swearing-in ceremony but has only called on him a day before.

All these factors provide fodder for speculation that TRS may join the NDA before or after 2019 polls.

But, speaking to Firstpost a senior TRS leader close to the chief minister said that the question of TRS becoming a pre-poll ally of BJP is ruled out as the Modi graph is declining. "We do not want to carry the anti-incumbency of Modi on our back," said the TRS leader on condition of anonymity.

The special status issue has ruined the BJP chances in Andhra Pradesh. The current political developments further reinforce this trend. The BJP's expectations of making inroads into Telangana politics are seriously undermined by the waning popularity of Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The BJP wanted to rope in Yogi as the state has significant minority population making it vulnerable to communal mobilisation.

BJP MLA, NVSS Prabhakar, in fact, said in the state Assembly that Yogi will emerge on Telangana political horizon to unveil BJP rule in the state. Now, with Yogi losing by-elections in his own state, the Yogithva brand of politics seems to be not an attractive proposition for the Telangana BJP.

Thus, the tremors of bypoll results are felt far and wide.
Reuters

Alphabet Incs Google will not renew a contract to help the US military analyse aerial drone imagery when it expires in March, a person familiar with the matter said on 1 June, as the company moves to defuse internal uproar over the deal.

The defence program, called Project Maven, set off a revolt inside Google, as factions of employees opposed Google technology being used in warfare. The dissidents said it clashed with the companys stated principle of doing no harm and cited risks around using a nascent artificial intelligence technology in lethal situations.

Google plans to honour what is left of its contract on Project Maven, the person said. More than 4,600 employees signed a petition calling for Google to cancel the deal, with at least 13 employees resigning in recent weeks in protest at Googles involvement, according to a second person familiar with the deal.

Through Project Maven, Google provides artificial intelligence technology to the Pentagon to help humans detect and identify targets captured by drone images. Company executives have defended the contract, saying its cloud computing and data analysis tools were being used for non-offensive tasks and would help save lives.

Tech publication Gizmodo first reported that Google Cloud chief executive Diane Greene told employees on 1 June Googles role in the program would end.

A source confirmed that, but Google declined to comment.

I am incredibly happy about this decision, and have a deep respect for the many people who worked and risked to make it happen. Google should not be in the business of war, Meredith Whittaker, a research scientist affiliated with Google and New York University, wrote on Twitter.

More than 700 Google employees had joined an online group inside the company called Maven Conscientious Objectors, using it to vent their concerns about the project and discuss ways of protesting against it.

Some employees planned to hold a public rally in San Francisco in July, coinciding with a Google conference, according to one source. Company officials have told employees in recent months that the deal was seen as a gateway to further, more lucrative government work, the source said.

As Google ventures into new territory, a group of nine people are working on a set of ethical guidelines for any future military contracts. The guidelines will be released, very, very soon, Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said in a recording of a staff meeting last week reviewed by Reuters.

Maven had an initial budget of $70 million. Google has told employees it was getting less than $10 million for its work on the program, according to one source who requested anonymity because the information has not been made public.

Selling cloud computing services, including the object detection tool being used with drone footage, is one of the top areas Google is counting on to diversify revenue. But Amazon and Microsoft have won far more cloud business.

Google in August 2017 hosted defense executives to demonstrate its artificial intelligence capabilities, according to a document shared with Google employees and seen by Reuters.

An internal email sent in October 2017 entitled MAVEN Kickoff Meeting Notes quoted Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan as saying during a meeting with Google in Mountain View, California, that he wanted a built-in AI capability in all future Department of Defense systems deployed in the field.

The email was shared with the Maven Conscientious Objectors and Reuters viewed it on the groups online forum.

Google declined to comment on internal documents and messages seen by Reuters.

Project Maven includes several subcontractors. Pentagon spokeswoman Major Audricia Harris said in email to Reuters on 1 June that the Pentagon values all of our relationships with academic institutions and commercial companies involved with Project Maven.

The primary contractor on the project, ECS Federal, did not respond to a request to comment.
tech2 News Staff

Lenovo-owned Motorola on 1 June announced its partnership with Twitter India for livestreaming the launch of Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play in India.

As part of the four-and-a-half-hour livestreaming, people around the world will be able to see the unveiling of Motorola phones as it happens via "Moto Showtime" on Twitter.

"Through this partnership with Twitter India, we are going to unveil our new products  Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play in an entertaining and engaging manner," said Rachna Lather, marketing head, Motorola Mobility India.

People can tweet with #Motog6 and #Motog6play to use the custom emoji and in real-time see the livestream on Twitter along with live conversations in a single view, Motorola said in a statement.

"We're excited to collaborate with Motorola for their special livestream experience to celebrate their latest mobile phone launch on Twitter," said Taranjeet Singh, country director, Twitter.

The launch will commence on 4 June, 11.45 a.m. onwards.

The event will be hosted by Manish Paul along with performances by several artists including Jasleen Royal, Raaga Trippin Acapella group and others.
IANS

NASA is targeting 2024 for the launch of a new mission to learn more about the generation of cosmic rays in the heliosphere, a sort of magnetic bubble surrounding and protecting our solar system.

Cosmic rays created locally and from the galaxy and beyond affect human explorers in space and can harm technological systems, and likely play a role in the presence of life itself in the universe.

The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission will help researchers better understand the boundary of the heliosphere, NASA said in a statement on 1 June.

IMAP was selected following an extensive and competitive peer review of proposals submitted in late 2017, it added.

The heliosphere is the region where the constant flow of particles from our Sun, called the solar wind, collides with material from the rest of the galaxy.

This collision limits the amount of harmful cosmic radiation entering the heliosphere.

IMAP will collect and analyse particles that make it through.

"This boundary is where our Sun does a great deal to protect us. IMAP is critical to broadening our understanding of how this 'cosmic filter' works," said Dennis Andrucyk, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

"The implications of this research could reach well beyond the consideration of Earthly impacts as we look to send humans into deep space," Andrucyk added.

The spacecraft will be positioned about 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth towards the Sun at what is called the first Lagrange point or L1.

This will allow the probe to maximise the use of its instruments to monitor the interactions between solar wind and the interstellar medium in the outer solar system, NASA said.
US-led coalition raids on IS killed 12 members of a family including two women and their children in Syria's Hasakeh province.

Beirut: At least 12 civilians  members of the same family  have been killed in US-led coalition raids on the Islamic State (IS) group in northeastern Syria, a monitor said on Saturday.

"The air strikes and artillery fire (on Friday night) by the international coalition on the village of Hidaj, held by IS in the southern sector of Hasakeh province, killed at least 12 people," the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The civilians  including two women and their children  belonged to the same family, it added.

The deaths bring to "20 the number of civilians killed by the coalition in 24 hours east of the Euphrates River", said the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources across Syria for its reports.

On Thursday, eight other civilians were killed in coalition strikes in Deir Ezzor province, south of Hasakeh.

IS jihadists have lost most of the self-proclaimed "caliphate" they once controlled in large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq since 2014.

Today, the jihadists hold less than three percent of Syria, according to the Observatory.

In Deir Ezzor, the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces  supported by the US-led coalition  are trying to dislodge jihadists from the east bank of the Euphrates.

The coalition said on Friday that its airstrikes in Syria and Iraq had "unintentionally" killed 892 civilians since its bombing campaign began nearly four years ago. More than 350,000 people have been killed in Syria's war since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. It has since spiralled into a complex conflict involving world powers and foreign jihadists.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has warned Saudi Arabia's reformist Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over his 'sinful projects'

Dubai: Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has warned Saudi Arabia's reformist Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over his "sinful projects", in a bulletin released on Friday.

Prince Mohammed has spearheaded a string of policy changes in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia, including reinstating cinemas and allowing women to drive.

"The new era of Bin Salman replaced mosques with movie theatres," the Yemen-based jihadist group said in its Madad news bulletin, picked up by the SITE Intelligence Group.

He "substituted books that belonged to the imams... with absurdities of the atheists and secularists from the east and the west and opened the door wide for corruption and moral degradation," it said.

The Sunni jihadist group AQAP has flourished amid a complex war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia heads a military alliance battling Shiite Huthi rebels.

In its statement, AQAP slammed April's WWE Royal Rumble event in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah, near the Islam's most holy sites in Mecca.

"(Foreign) disbelieving wrestlers exposed their privates and on most of them was the sign of the cross, in front of a mixed gathering of young Muslim men and women," it said.

"The corruptors did not stop at that, for every night musical concerts are being announced, as well as movies and circus shows," SITE quoted it as saying.

AQAP in southern Yemen is the target of a long-running drone campaign by the United States, which regards it as the most dangerous branch of the extremist group.

Yemen's conflict has left nearly 10,000 people dead, tens of thousands wounded, and millions on the brink of famine.

The United Nations has called Yemen world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in the war between Yemen's Huthi rebels and the government of now-exiled president Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in 2015.

They have landed on a United Nations blacklist over the killing and maiming of children.

The Huthi rebels, linked to Iran, have also come under fire for neglecting to protect civilians and targeting the press and minorities.

The rebels have controlled the capital Sanaa since 2014.
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle, who is facing criminal charges in Canada related to incidents after his release from captivity, was granted bail by an Ontario court on Friday, local media reported.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle, who is facing criminal charges in Canada related to incidents after his release from captivity, was granted bail by an Ontario court on Friday, local media reported.

Boyle, 34, was arrested by Canadian police in December 2017, two months after he was freed, along with his American wife and their three children, and returned to Canada.

The specifics of the accusations against Boyle have not been made public, though he faces 19 charges including assault, sexual assault, forcible confinement and uttering death threats.

The court has imposed a publication ban that prevents media from reporting on the bail proceedings or information that could identify any victims or witnesses.

Boyle and his wife, Caitlan Coleman, were kidnapped in October 2012 while backpacking in Afghanistan. They spent five years in captivity, during which their three children were born.

Boyle said a fourth child had been murdered and his spouse raped after their capture by the Taliban-allied Haqqani network. The Taliban denied the accusations of rape and murder.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) reported from the Ottawa court on Friday that Boyle would be released on several conditions including that he stayed in his parents' home under house arrest and was monitored by GPS ankle bracelet. He must also surrender his passport, the CBC reported.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Additional reporting by Julie Gordon in Vancouver; Editing by Toni Reinhold)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Europe on Monday to push his uncompromising stance on Iran.

Jerusalem: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Europe on Monday to push his uncompromising stance on Iran to leaders eager to salvage the nuclear agreement after the United States withdrew.

Netanyahu, a fierce opponent of the agreement and the Iranian regime, will meet in turn with German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president Emmanuel Macron and British prime minister Theresa May.

Germany, France and the United Kingdom are three of the signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between world powers and Iran, aimed at keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The European leaders have been scrambling to preserve the landmark deal after slamming President Donald Trump's 8 May decision to withdraw.

The fallout from America rejecting the accord is likely to dominate the talks, with Netanyahu expected to firmly oppose European efforts to sustain it.

"I will discuss with them ways to block Iran's nuclear aspirations and Iran's expansion in the Middle East," Netanyahu said on Monday of his European meetings, noting the issues were "crucial to Israel's security".

After years lobbying against the 2015 deal, the decision by close ally Trump to ditch the accord has been greeted as a major triumph by Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader has brushed aside European insistence that the agreement is the best option to prevent Tehran getting the bomb, claiming that it in fact brought Tehran closer to becoming a nuclear power.

He also argues that a cash influx into Iran following the lifting of international sanctions as part of the accord has fuelled the expansion of Tehran's military influence in the region, especially in neighbouring Syria.

But while the US retreat from the deal is a personal victory for Netanyahu, it also represents a leap into the unknown for Israel and the broader Middle East.

While foes Iran and Israel have been kept at bay for decades, an unprecedented 10 May escalation in Syria that saw Israel bomb alleged Iranian targets after blaming Tehran for a rocket barrage, has sparked fears of open war.

"An Iranian departure from southern Syria alone will not suffice," Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

"The long-range missiles that Iran is working to station in Syria will endanger us even beyond the range of several kilometres from southern Syria; therefore, Iran needs to leave Syria altogether."

The Europeans have acknowledged concerns over Iran's regional role and its ballistic activities, but sought to maintain the JCPOA while creating a separate arrangement on these issues.

Contrary to what the US and Israel say, Europe insists the 2015 agreement works and Iran has abided by it.

"There is no alternative," the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday.

Merkel, May and Macron are still waiting for the Israelis and Americans to present another way to curb Iran's nuclear programme, but are under no illusions it will happen in next week's meetings, according to a European diplomat.

Divided on other issues, the Europeans have emphasised their cohesion on the JCPOA, fearing that ripping it up could benefit hardliners in Iran and push Tehran to resume large-scale uranium enrichment.

If that happens, the fear is it will once again make striking Iran a real option for Israel.

On Thursday, a former Mossad chief said that in 2011 Netanyahu had ordered him and the military chief of staff to prepare an attack on Iran within 15 days.

According to Tamir Pardo's interview on the Uvda television programme, such a directive could either mean "he really means it", or be a means to deliver a message, for example to the US, and perhaps drive it to take action.

Other major issues look set to be left on the sidelines in the talks with European leaders.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the spotlight after the worst military flare-up in Gaza since a 2014 war raised fears this week of yet another full-blown conflict in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave.

The exchange of fire came after scores of Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops during protests and clashes along the Gaza border.

But along with other subjects, such as bilateral relations or the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, it will likely remain overshadowed by Iran.

Expectations of any progress on the conflict with the Palestinians are low.

Peace prospects remain as distant as ever and the diplomatic process in limbo as the sides wait for a plan long promised by the Trump administration.
By Idrees Ali SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The United States is willing to work with China on a 'results oriented' relationship, but Beijing's actions in the South China Sea call into question its intent and the Pentagon will 'compete vigorously' if needed, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Saturday. The comments by Mattis, speaking at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, come at a time of increased tension between the two nations in the South China Sea and highlight how President Donald Trump's administration is looking to balance Chinese cooperation on North Korea while dealing with Beijing's activities in the disputed sea

By Idrees Ali

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The United States is willing to work with China on a "results oriented" relationship, but Beijing's actions in the South China Sea call into question its intent and the Pentagon will "compete vigorously" if needed, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Saturday.

The comments by Mattis, speaking at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, come at a time of increased tension between the two nations in the South China Sea and highlight how President Donald Trump's administration is looking to balance Chinese cooperation on North Korea while dealing with Beijing's activities in the disputed sea.

"China's policy in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to the openness our strategy promises, it calls into question China's broader goals," Mattis said in prepared remarks, adding that he would be travelling to China soon.

"The U.S. will continue to pursue a constructive, results-oriented relationship with China, cooperating when possible and competing vigorously where we must... of course we recognise any sustainable Indo-Pacific order has a role for China," he said.

Last month, China's air force landed bombers on disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of a training exercise in the region, triggering concern from Vietnam and the Philippines.

Satellite photographs taken on May 12 showed China appeared to have deployed truck-mounted surface-to-air missiles or anti-ship cruise missiles at Woody Island in the disputed sea.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purpose of intimidation and coercion," Mattis said.

Reuters first reported that two U.S. Navy warships sailed near South China Sea islands claimed by China on Sunday.

While the operation had been planned months in advance, and similar operations have become routine, it comes at a particularly sensitive time and just days after the Pentagon disinvited China from a major U.S.-hosted naval drill.

Mattis said this was just an "initial response."

He also reiterated that the Pentagon was committed to working with Taiwan to provide articles and services needed for its self defence, comments that are likely to anger China.

China's hostility towards self-ruled Taiwan has grown since Tsai Ing-wen from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party won presidential elections on the island in 2016. China claims Taiwan as its own and it is one of its most sensitive issues.

CALMING ALLIES

Trump said on Friday an unprecedented nuclear arms summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that the United States pulled out of will now go ahead as scheduled on June 12 in Singapore, adding another twist to a high-stakes diplomatic dance.

Mattis only made a glancing reference to North Korea, reiterating that it was a diplomatically led effort and the objective remained the "complete verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula."

He did however, seek to calm nervous allies in the region.

South Korea and Japan have expressed concern that Trump may put U.S. security interests ahead of theirs in pursuing a deal with North Korea.

"We are focused on modernising our alliance with both Republic of Korea and Japan, transforming these critical alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st-century," Mattis said.

He said that the United States would work to improve inter-operability with allies, work to improve the rule of law and transparent governance that threatens economic growth, and increase investment in the region.

"America has expanded its engagement and deepened its connectivity across the region... so make no mistake, America is in the Indo-Pacific to stay, this is our priority theatre, our interests and the region's are inextricably intertwined," Mattis said.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis addressed China's militarization of an island in the South China Sea, accusing them of intimidation and coercion.

Singapore: China's placement of weapons systems on man-made islands in the South China Sea is designed to intimidate and coerce other countries in the region, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Saturday. Mattis' statement laid out a sharp criticism of Beijing and threatened larger consequences if militarisation continues.

The Pentagon leader's comments at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue came in the wake of a tumultuous few weeks between the US and China. He warned that America's recent move to disinvite China from a multinational naval exercise called Rim of the Pacific was an "initial response" to the militarisation of the islands. It was, he said, a "relatively small consequence, I believe there are much larger consequences in the future."

China's approach "is not a way to make long-term collaboration the rule of the road in a region that's important to China's future," Mattis said, when asked to elaborate more on the consequences. "There are consequences that will continue to come home to roost, so to speak, with China, if they don't find a way to work more collaboratively with all of the nations who have interests."

The US, he said, remains committed to ensuring free and open transit in the region, adding that he doesn't believe that China's actions will pay off. Militarising the islands, Mattis said, will not enhance China's standing in the world.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapons systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis said, referring to the recent deployment of anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, electronic jammers and other equipment on the Spratly Islands, and the landing of bomber aircraft at Woody Island.

Mattis also struck at one of the key disputes between the US and China, telling the conference that America will continue to provide defence equipment and services to Taiwan. China claims that the self-governing island of Taiwan is their territory, to be brought under their control by force if necessary.

However, Mattis noted that the US welcomed co-operation with China "wherever possible," and announced that he has accepted Beijing's invitation to visit there soon. It remains to be seen if that invitation will stand after this conference, with his comments triggering an equally pointed reaction from a Chinese official at the meeting.

Senior Colonel Zhao Xiaozhuo said a US move a couple years ago to send two warships into China's "territorial waters" was a violation of the law and an "obvious provocation to China's national security and territorial integrity."

Mattis responded that the question reflected a fundamental disconnect with the way international tribunals have spoken on the matter.

"We do not see it as a militarisation by going through what has traditionally been an international water space," said Mattis of the US ship movements through the South China Sea. "What we see it as, is a reaffirmation of the rules-based order."

In recent years, the US has sought to stabilize military relations with China, but the militarisation of the islands has been a persistent point of conflict. Many nations fear that Beijing will use the construction on the islands to extend its military reach and potentially try to restrict navigation in the South China Sea.
Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the countrys National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

Singapore: Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the countrys National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmars Rakhine state, where most Rohingyas live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 UN World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, they also agreed to accept a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

If you can send back 700,000 people on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them, Thaung Tun said.

Can this be called ethnic cleansing? There is no war going on, so its not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly.

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly the Buddhist Myanmar. Many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, UN and other aid organisations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya Muslims as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar also signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday which aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya Muslims sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate the violation of human rights and related issues in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingyas insurgents on security posts.

Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was incomplete and misleading.

Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis, he said. There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less.

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.
HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's national assembly on Saturday approved the makeup of a commission to draft the country's new constitution that will be headed by Communist Party leader and former President Raul Castro. Cuba's new President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who replaced Castro in April, proposed the members of commission to the assembly on behalf of the Council of State

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's national assembly on Saturday approved the makeup of a commission to draft the country's new constitution that will be headed by Communist Party leader and former President Raul Castro.

Cuba's new President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who replaced Castro in April, proposed the members of commission to the assembly on behalf of the Council of State. It was unanimously approved by lawmakers.

(Reporting by Havana bureau; editing by Diane Craft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that the issue of US troops in South Korea will not be 'on the table' at Trump-Kim summit

Singapore: The issue of US troops stationed in South Korea will not be "on the table" at a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, US defense secretary Jim Mattis said on Saturday.

"That issue is not on the table here in Singapore on 12 June, nor should it be," he said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security summit in Singapore, referring to the scheduled date of the Trump-Kim meeting.

There are currently some 28,500 US forces based in the South.

Trump said on Friday that he will meet Kim for the historic summit as originally scheduled after extraordinary Oval Office talks with a top envoy from Pyongyang.

Trump told reporters that denuclearisation  and a formal end to the decades-old Korean war  would be on the table in Singapore.

However, Mattis stressed that "any discussion about the number of US troops in the Republic of Korea is subject to... the Republic of Korea's invitation to have them there, and the discussions between the United States and the Republic of Korea, separate and distinct from the negotiations that are going on with DPRK (North Korea)."

"That issue will not come up in the discussion with DPRK."

But he added, "Obviously if the diplomats can do their work, if we can reduce the threat, if we can restore confidence building measures with something verifiable, then of course these kinds of issues can come up subsequently between (South Korea and the US)."

In May, South Korean president Moon Jae-in dismissed claims that US troops stationed in the country  based on Seoul's alliance with Washington  would have to leave if a peace treaty was signed with the North.
The United States vetoed on Friday an Arab-backed UN draft resolution calling for measures to protect the Palestinians but failed to win any backing for its own text condemning Hamas for the violence in Gaza.

United Nations (US): The United States vetoed on Friday an Arab-backed UN draft resolution calling for measures to protect the Palestinians but failed to win any backing for its own text condemning Hamas for the violence in Gaza.

The two failed votes at the Security Council came a few hours after a young Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border fence.

At least 123 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began at the end of March. No Israelis have been killed.

US ambassador Nikki Haley declared that "it is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel," saying council members were "willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas."

Ten countries, including China, France and Russia voted in favour of the draft put forward by Kuwait on behalf of Arab countries. Four countries  Britain, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Poland  abstained.

Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the US veto "will increase the sense of despair among the Palestinians," fuel further violence and "feed the sentiments of hatred and extremism."

The Kuwait-drafted text had called for "measures to guarantee the safety and protection" of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and requested a UN report on proposals for an "international protection mechanism."

Haley told the council the measure was "wildly inaccurate in its characterisation of recent events in Gaza" by condemning Israel for the violence and failing to mention Hamas, which rules Gaza.

"The terrorist group Hamas bears primary responsibility for the awful living conditions in Gaza," she told the council ahead of the vote.

No support for US draft

During a second vote, the United States failed to win support for its own rival measure calling on Palestinian militants to halt their protests in Gaza and condemning Hamas.

Eleven countries abstained, while Russia and two others opposed it.

A draft resolution requires nine votes to be adopted in the 15-member council and no veto from the five permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

The outcome deepened the deadlock at the top UN body over how to respond to the flareup of violence in Gaza that a UN envoy has warned is close to the brink of war.

"This session was another missed opportunity for this council," French ambassador Francois Delattre said, deploring an "increasingly deafening silence" from the United Nations on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.

A barrage of rocket and mortars into Israel from Gaza on Tuesday was followed by Israeli strikes on 65 militant sites in the Gaza Strip in the worst flareup since the 2014 war.

Israel has fought three wars in Gaza against Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist organization.

After the failed votes, Arab diplomats said they were considering turning to the UN General Assembly to win adoption for the US-vetoed resolution.

It was the second time that Haley has resorted to US veto power to block a UN measure on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In December, Haley vetoed a draft resolution that rejected President Donald Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem after all 14 other council members supported it.
In just five days, marijuana history could be made. On Thursday, June 7, Canada's Senate is set to vote on bill C-45, which is more commonly referred to as the Cannabis Act. If passed, it would become the first developed country in the world to legalize adult-use marijuana, with sales expected to commence in August or September.

At this point, passage looks to be all but certain. Conservatives in the Senate who'd opposed the Cannabis Act are clearly in the minority, and a two-year tax-sharing agreement lined up with most provinces bears hope that Canada has all of its ducks in a row. It's this expectation of passage that's sent pot stocks ascending to the heavens in recent years.

But whether you're a cannabis proponent, investor, or casual sideline observer, there's probably quite a bit you don't know about Canada's marijuana industry. Here are a few of the more important points to help educate yourself.

1. Exports are going to be the key to its success

Legalizing adult-use cannabis in Canada is expected to generate in the neighborhood of $5 billion for the industry. But, truth be told, not all of the cannabis being grown in the country will be sold to domestic consumers. In reality, Canadian growers have been ramping up their operations with the hope of securing long-term supply deals with the more than two dozen countries around the world that have legalized medical marijuana.

With the exception of the Netherlands, no other country aside from Canada is actively exporting marijuana. Australia and Israel have plans to become exporters, but they'll be producing peanuts compared to what Canadian growers plan to export to foreign markets.

2. Cannabis taxes are so low, legal weed could steal beer and liquor industry market share

One of the keys to successfully launching recreational weed in Canada, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is eliminating the black market from the equation. In order to do so, legal pot prices have to be comparable to the black market. The proposed tax on Canadian weed, which was outlined in October, is $0.77 per gram (CA$1) on cannabis sales costing up to $7.70 (CA$10), and a flat 10% tax on more expensive cannabis strains. By comparison, some folks in California who are purchasing recreational marijuana could be paying up to a 45% tax rate.

How good of a deal is this for Canadians? According to Aaron Wudrick, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director, Canadians are liable for a tax of about 80% on spirits, 65% to 70% on wine, and roughly 50% on beer. This clear gap in taxation may cause some consumers to switch away from various forms of alcohol in favor of cannabis. This makes spirits giant Constellation Brands' investment in Canopy Growth Corp. (NASDAQ:CGC) last year seem all the wiser.

3. Legalization may look different in each province

You should also be aware that each of Canada's provinces may choose to enforce the legalization of adult-use pot differently. For example, each of Canada's provinces have set the legal age of consumption limit at 19 or above, except for Alberta, which will allow adults ages 18 and up to legally purchase marijuana.

Another difference? Some provinces will offer privately run retail stores, whereas some will not. For instance, Quebec and Ontario will only allow consumers to purchase from government-operated storefronts and via online sales. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan won't have any government-operated storefronts, with private retail stores and online sales offering the only means to legally purchase pot.

4. Bought-deal offerings have provided public companies with a financial lifeline

In order to expand production as quickly as they have, publicly traded Canadian pot stocks have had to raise a lot of capital, and have had only one true means to do so: bought-deal offerings. A bought-deal offering is nothing more than the sale of common stock, convertible debentures, stock options, and/or warrants to an investor or group of investors in order to raise capital. Since marijuana is (at least for the time being) still illegal, banks have generally wanted nothing to do with pot businesses.

The upside is that these offerings have provided pot stocks with more than enough capital to grow their operations. The aforementioned Canopy Growth has tripled its licensed growing capacity to 2.4 million square feet just since the year began, and it's aiming for 5.7 million square feet of licensed capacity at its peak.

Of course, be aware that this easy access to financing comes at a price: an increase in the number of shares outstanding. This could adversely impact EPS for years to come.

5. The industry is undersupplied (for now), but won't be for long

Lastly, keep in mind that while the supply and demand outlook is mostly guesswork at this point, the industry is initially expected to be undersupplied with cannabis. This is due to the fact that marijuana growers are still in the process of ramping up their operations, as well as receiving cultivation license approvals from Health Canada. Some of the largest players in the industry may not even be at full production capacity until 2020.

However, it's not out of the question that a cannabis oversupply develops in the years to come. With domestic annual demand expected to range between 800,000 kilograms and 1 million kilograms, according to various government reports, and the industry capable of perhaps 2.4 million kilograms of production (if not more) by 2020, figuring out where the extra 1 million kilograms or more will go each year isn't easy. Exports may be able to gobble up all of this excess, which is why they're expected to play such a crucial role for the industry. But if exports can't absorb all of the cannabis produced by growers, expect a sharp decline in cannabis' per-gram price to follow.
After years of delays, Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) finally gave up on trying to expand the Trans Mountain Pipeline in Canada, instead agreeing to hand over the pipeline and the associated expansion project to the Government of Canada. In exchange, the company, through its Canadian subsidiary Kinder Morgan Canada Limited (TSX:KML), will receive 4.5 billion Canadian dollars ($3.5 billion). Here's a look at how these companies might spend that cash hoard.

Get creative financially

Initially, the transaction will have "a positive impact on our consolidated balance sheet," according to CEO Steve Kean because it will boost the cash balance at Kinder Morgan Canada. However, since that entity has a limited amount of debt, it won't immediately address Kinder Morgan's leverage concerns since it can't take that money and use it to pay down debt at the corporate level. Because of that, the company will need to be creative if it wants to use the money to bolster its balance sheet without leaving the cash sitting in the bank.

One way it could do that is by authorizing a share repurchase program at the Kinder Morgan Canada level. Given that Kinder Morgan owns 70% of that entity's outstanding shares, it could exchange some of those shares for cash, which it could then use to pay down a portion of its corporate debt. The company also could use that cash to buy back more of its own stock, which would help offset some of the lost earnings from selling the existing pipeline.

Grow in a different direction

Another option would be to reinvest the proceeds to expand Kinder Morgan Canada's portfolio in a different direction. The company could accomplish this by making acquisitions or sanctioning additional expansion projects.

Kinder Morgan already has made it clear that it plans to continue investing in Canada, despite the fiasco with Trans Mountain. On the company's first-quarter conference call, CEO Steve Kean said that the company is interested in acquiring midstream assets in Western Canada. He noted that "it's not a large group of players there, but there are some very capable players with good midstream assets."

One asset that's reportedly on the block is Enbridge's (NYSE:ENB) Canadian midstream assets, which the company is looking to sell so that it can reduce debt. Enbridge reportedly already has received several bids from potential buyers including Keyera Corp and Pembina Pipeline, which valued the portfolio for as much as CA$4.5 billion ($3.5 billion). That price point would be right in Kinder Morgan Canada's wheelhouse since it just happens to be about what it will receive from the Government of Canada.

Another option would be to pursue the acquisition of a smaller midstream operator in the country, with analysts suggesting that Gibson Energy or Tidewater Midstream & Infrastructure would make sense. The company also could pursue a merger with a larger company like Keyera Corp, which is one of Kinder Morgan's joint-venture partners in the country.

Kinder Morgan also could use the funds to invest in new growth projects. The company pointed out that a $2 billion capital investment could generate about $300 million in annual earnings -- representing a more than 4% growth rate -- and that's assuming a slightly lower return on investment than the company will earn on the projects it currently has under construction.

Kinder Morgan should have no shortage of investment opportunities now that the oil market is starting to thaw out. One possibility is pursuing a funding joint venture with a company like Enbridge, since it still needs to secure financing for its growing backlog of expansion projects, which is getting harder to do as a result of its elevated debt level and low stock price.

Lots of ways to create value for investors

Kinder Morgan will walk away from Trans Mountain with a pile of cash, which is an excellent outcome from what had been a complicated situation. The money gives the company lots of options to create value for investors. That upside potential makes the stock look like a real compelling buy these days, especially considering how cheap it is versus rivals.
In just five days, Canada's Senate could alter the face of the legal cannabis industry throughout the world with its vote on bill C-45, which is best known as the Cannabis Act. If approved by the Senate, it would pave the way for Canada to become the first developed country in the world to legalize adult-use cannabis.

What does legal weed mean for Canada and its supply chain of growers, processors, distributors, and retailers? How about $5 billion, or more, in added annual sales? Mind you, this comes on top of what the industry is already generating from the export of medical marijuana to foreign countries where medical weed is legal, as well as domestic medical cannabis sales. It's this expected surge in sales that's pushed growers to expand their capacity as quickly as their balance sheets will allow. It's also the reason pot stock valuations have soared in recent years.

The Canadian cannabis industry has faced numerous challenges

Of course, this isn't to say that the Canadian weed industry hasn't or won't face a number of challenges in the months and years that lie ahead. For example, the projected launch of recreational marijuana was delayed until August or September, from the beginning of July, in order to allow growers enough time to get their product to retailers.

Financing had been another major concern for most Canadian pot stocks. Since marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, banks usually want nothing to do with cannabis-based companies. This has meant the need for publicly traded marijuana stocks to turn to dilutive bought-deal offerings in order to raise capital. While the industry is now overflowing with cash, it's investors who could pay the price in the years to come as a result of weaker earnings per share.

But looking ahead, the biggest issue facing the Canadian pot industry appears to be whether or not it can rid itself of the black market.

The Canadian weed market's biggest challenge

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who's been the key figure championing the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada, has long opined that the best way to remove the black market from the equation is to tax adult-use cannabis at a low rate and make legal weed comparable in price to illicit pot. This is why Canada's tax proposal calls for a $0.77-per-gram (1 Canadian dollar) tax on cannabis up to $7.70 (CA$10), and then a flat 10% tax on more expensive strains.

By comparison, some folks in California could be paying up to 45% in sales tax to purchase recreational marijuana. Additionally, excise tax rates on beer, wine, and liquor in Canada tend to hover around 50%, 65% to 70%, and 80%, respectively. That's how relatively low Canada's tax on cannabis is compared to U.S. legal states and to its own domestic alcohol industry.

However, simply charging a low tax rate and de-emphasizing tax revenue isn't a guarantee to succeed. What some folks might be overlooking is the fact that the black market has virtually no overhead costs. There are no cultivation licenses or sales permits to buy or wait for, no rent to pay, and no tax to hand over to the federal government. Even with an ideal tax situation, it's not out of the question that the black market retains a significant portion of the Canadian domestic and export pot business -- at least initially.

Things may change, but it'll take a few years to play out

Where things could get really interesting is roughly three-to-five years from now, when the supply of legal cannabis increases considerably and dried cannabis begins to be commoditized.

For example, most growers are still a year or two away from being at full production capacity. But by 2020, my personal estimation is that we could see a run rate of 2.4 million kilograms per year from Canadian growers. At least domestically, this works out to a well over 1 million-kilogram oversupply. Assuming exports are unable to gobble up the entirety of this oversupply, it's not out of the question that dried cannabis prices might drop precipitously over the course of a few years. Should this happen, the price difference between the black market and legal markets would narrow. Or, to put this another way: only when dried cannabis margins shrink significantly, and legally operating businesses are able to use economies of scale to their advantage, will legal cannabis stand a real shot at kicking illegal marijuana out of the market for good.

Why is it important if the black market remains? While I'm certain there will be plenty of sales growth to go around for growers and retailers, the presence of the black market would cause peak sales estimates to have been overstated. It could also make it a struggle in the early going for legal retailers charging a significantly higher price point than black-market weed. And, may I remind you, many of the largest growers are unlikely to be significantly profitable anytime soon.

As much as I've harped on shareholder dilution and oversupply being an issue for Canadian pot stocks, they may take a back seat, at least initially, to the dangers of competing against black-market marijuana.
On Dec. 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law and fundamentally reformed the federal tax system in the United States. Among the many changes, tax reform modified a long-standing federal deduction for state and local taxes.

The SALT deduction, as it's often called, previously allowed taxpayers to deduct the full amount of their state and local taxes from federal taxable income. Now, taxpayers are limited to deducting just $10,000 total, including property and income taxes.

Capping the SALT deduction was a change New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said would "destroy" New York. With Cuomo so concerned about the impact, it came as no surprise when New York became the first state to try circumventing new federal rules to protect SALT deductions for residents.

Other states have since followed suit, but the legality of their efforts is questionable.

Here's what New York is trying to do to avoid caps on SALT deductions

A recent agreement among state lawmakers on the New York state budget included two different approaches to avoiding federal limits on SALT deductions.

The first involves creating a charitable contribution fund, which is a state-operated charity. The idea is for taxpayers to make these donations in lieu of paying state income tax. Taxpayers who donate to this fund are, theoretically, eligible to deduct the full amount of their donations from their federal taxes since donations for charitable giving aren't subject to the same limits as SALT deductions.

Local government bodies were also authorized to create charitable organizations taxpayers will be permitted to donate to in exchange for property tax credits. This would make local taxes, including real estate or property taxes, fully deductible.

The second workaround would allow employers to opt into an Employer Compensation Expense Program to voluntarily pay a new payroll tax of 5% on employee compensation exceeding $40,000. Employers would bear the burden of paying employees' state taxes and deduct the cost. Because employees would see lower gross pay, there are provisions in the law to try to keep their net pay the same as before tax reform.

Will these proposed changes help shield New York residents from SALT limitations?

New Jersey and Connecticut have followed New York's lead in creating new programs allowing taxpayers to forego state tax payments and instead make charitable contributions to special state-created charitable funds.

Connecticut also proposed a new income tax on most pass-through businesses while creating new tax credits at the individual or corporate level to offset this tax increase.

However, the IRS has taken notice and the Treasury is currently at work on regulations to curtail state efforts to shield residents from the impact of tax reform.

The IRS is likely to render the charitable giving workaround impossible, as it released a statement addressing federal tax treatment of funds transferred to charitable organizations controlled by state and local governments. The IRS will consider the substance of these transfers, rather than just the form. Charitable donations are typically deductible only if there's a charitable intent and the donator doesn't receive a substantial benefit. Avoiding state taxes would be a substantial benefit, so the charitable donation deduction would be disallowed.

It's not yet clear if the IRS will address other proposals, such as New York's attempt to create a new payroll tax or Connecticut's new proposed tax on pass-through entities. However, these programs are a lot more complicated and may be met with resistance by workers who will see their gross salary decline and businesses disinterested in incurring new tax obligations.

What happens next?

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and other states hit hard by capped SALT deductions are unlikely to abandon efforts to shield residents from a big federal tax increase. Many states whose residents are likely to see the biggest tax increases are blue states whose residents reward politicians for defying the Trump administration.

However, the IRS has a lot of power to interpret tax laws and issue new regulations, and taxpayers may not want to take the risk of being audited -- and potentially owing back taxes and penalties -- if the IRS doesn't believe state schemes to preserve SALT deductions pass muster.
In the latest edition of the Toro Rosso drivers vlog, Brendon Hartley gives us an exclusive tour of his memorabilia-filled apartment  located just down the hill from the Monaco tracks iconic hairpin  before allowing us to come with him as he enjoys a rare treat: walking to work from his own home!

This season we're following Toro Rosso's Brendon Hartley, on track and off, as he negotiates his first full year in F1. The series is produced in association with The Players' Tribune.

For more information on Toro Rosso, click here.
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.
Google testing new YouTube UI for Android with a search bar and more News oi-Karan Search giant Google is working on a new UI for its extremely popular YouTube app for Android devices. The new look of the UI will come with a search bar on top and larger thumbnail of the videos.

Search giant Google is working on a new UI for its extremely popular YouTube app for Android devices. The new look of the UI will come with a search bar on top and larger thumbnail images of the videos. Currently, if you want to search anything from the YouTube search, you need to click on the search icon in the upper right corner. Google is testing the UI which will feature a search bar across the left-centre of the top of the page. It will obviously save you a click to search your desired video.

The UI which is in testing comes with larger thumbnails and runs edge-to-edge on the home page. However, we still don't know whether the larger images will be seen elsewhere on YouTube. It's quite obvious that Google will expand the thumbnails on the Subscription and Trending pages as well.

With the search icon no longer needed, the icon for uploading videos is now seen directly to the left of your avatar. However we don't see the Chromecast icon, but it could possibly be placed to the right of the search bar.

Again, as your local Emergency Broadcast System announcer says (except in Hawaii), "This is only a test." Hopefully, it passes with flying colors and is coming soon to an Android handset near you."

There are many apps from Google which have top-mounted search bars, and it looks like the YouTube app is also soon going to join the club. This latest YouTube test which Android Police has reported gives the home screen a bit of a makeover, with the revised top bar and much larger thumbnails compared to the current one.

A few months back YouTube has introduced the Dark Mode. It is being reported that the dark mode is available for iOS users and the update will be available for Android app soon. The dark theme which is in line with the Google's desire to stand out- allows a user to watch videos for a longer duration without straining the eyes much. The dark theme also helps in improving readability of texts and also add a cinematic feel allowing a user to focus on the content.

One of the other benefits of the YouTube dark theme is that it consumes less power while playing videos and the battery tends to last for long. Hope the new UI update will come soon and we will get to witness the changes of our own.

Google Home Unboxing and Setup process - GIZBOT

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Customizable Control Center

While the Control Center does all the work that the widgets on Android do such as controlling music directly from home screen, but you'll only understand the difference if you've used an Android phone. If Apple manages to balance the feature with battery life, home screen widgets would definitely come in handy.

iOS 11 also offered the ability to add quick access toggles for Notes, Stopwatch, Text Size, and Wallet, among others. With the new OS, the company should actually offer the ability to add other useful apps available to the user. This could also include frequently used social media apps. It would useful if we get to choose the Wi-Fi network directly from the Control Center. Currently, it only offers Wi-Fi on/off toggle.

Smarter Siri

Apple, though was one of the first companies to pave way for voice-based digital assistants with Siri, it really never had the research data nor the resources to approach AI development as its rivals.

With the company hiring John Giannandrea, Google's former head of search and artificial intelligence, we can expect a smarter version of Siri which will be more relevant and useful to the users. Apple fanatics won't have to wait any longer since it's only two months until Apple unveils the next iOS. We just have wait and watch what's in store.

With iOS 12 we could expect Siri to be able to launch specific things within third-party apps with a voice command. For instance, the smart voice assistant should be able to play a song from other music streaming services rather than asking for Apple Music.

There are reports floating that a smarter Siri is on its way. We hope the company has done something substantial to improve the assistant that will make more efficient and useful.

FaceTime Conference Call

Rumor has it that the iOS 12 will allow users to FaceTime in groups - which is something we would definitely love to have on our phones. Many users have been using iMessage for group chats, so it make sense for the company to intrdouce the group calling feature on the iOS 12.

This would also save the users' effort to download a third-party app for the feature. It was also rumored to be included in iOS 11 last year, and we hope the new feature finally makes the cut this time around.

Bug-free experience

It's nothing new if someone says that iOS 11 had a fair amount of bugs and performance issues. So the first most change any Apple user would expect is an issue-free experience. We hope that the company prioritizes cleaning up bugs and optimizing the battery life, interface issues, and performance hurdles.

There have been many reports that the company will not be making huge overhauls to the iOS in terms of features, but will be more focused on offering a smooth and seamless functionality. It is also been speculated that the company might take a new approach manifest with the launch of iOS 12.

WhatsApp: Send Message to Multiple Contacts on WhatsApp - GIZBOT

New Animojis

While this update will only cater the users owning an iPhone X, since it's the iPhone with FaceID tech. It's been less than a year the animojis were introduced, but we are yet to see the new additions to the batch.

As of now, there are about 12 different animals for you to choose from but there are far more Emojis Apple could add to make the feature more fun. Apple was the first one to bring the feature with its iPhone X. Although Samsung also introduced its version of animojis, but failed to impress the masses.
Google to fix the language detection bug that reveals text messages on Search app News oi-Sandeep Sarkar Google app is also capable of displaying text messages when a user types "show me my text messages" in the search bar.

Google, the tech giant has recently acknowledged the so-called weird bug that displays a user's text message on the Google app. This specifically happens when any user types phrases like the "the1975.com" and "izela viagens" in the search bar. Google has named the bug as a "language detection bug" and the company has promised that it will be releasing a fix for the same in the coming weeks.

According to a Reddit user who has claimed to have identified the bug almost five days ago says that it is the "weirdest glitch I have come by". A number of other users also responded on the post, confirming that the bug had also affected them and they can also see their text messages when they typed the above-mentioned phrases like "the1975.com" and others.

Google has further claimed that it was able to isolate the source of the bug in the Google Search app "which erroneously interpreted certain phrases as a request to view recent text messages". Also, it is also worth noting that the Google app is also capable of displaying text messages when a user types "show me my text messages" in the search bar.

Google had also said that the bug majorly affected those users who had given the Search app the permission to open and read text messages. Also, it is being reported that a fix has also been implemented and is expected to be available for the users "over the next few days" according to a Google spokesperson.

Google Home Unboxing and Setup process - GIZBOT

It is also being reported that the 'the1975.com" bug has been fixed however the other command still opens up the text messages. The fix is said to be on the server side as the bug was resolved without the need for users to update their app.

Google, on the other hand, has not yet commented on what could be the reason that these two "random" phrases affected the app. Well, we are looking forward to a complete fix and expect that Google will resolve the issue soon.

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Huawei launches AI driven computing platform News oi-Priyanka The company also launched the Kunlun V5 Mission Critical Server and the new-generation ES3000 V5 SSD for today's intelligence-driven era.

Huawei has announced the launch of its Intelligent Computing initiative an AI-driven computing platform to bring boundless intelligent computing to life.

The company also launched the Kunlun V5 Mission Critical Server and the new-generation ES3000 V5 SSD for today's intelligence-driven era.

With the blazing-fast development of AI, quantum information technology, and virtual reality, existing computing architecture cannot deliver the volume required by these applications. This has driven the entire industry to an architectural rethink.

Huawei proposes three technology themes in line with the enterprise demand in different stages: intelligent servers for traditional business models, hybrid cloud for digital transformation, and heterogeneous/edge computing for building intelligence. These tailored solutions help navigate enterprises go digital and go smart.

The company had envisioned its Boundless Computing strategy. After nearly one year's strategic investment, Huawei has infused intelligence into:

Servers: Focussed on accelerator components and application performance accelerates the entire system by using SSD and FPGA technologies and fully converged network interface cards.

In addition, Huawei introduced the concept of full-lifecycle management for customers to use, maintain, and manage server resources more conveniently.

According to the company, its latest ES3000 V5 is one of its three accelerator components.

Its ease of use, smarter features, and 50 percent outperformance of previous generations supports intelligent multi-stream, atomic write, and intelligent O&M for good service QoS and customer experience. Huawei provides a reference architecture for customers to select the right architecture for their needs.

Enterprise IT systems can now migrate even faster from a closed platform to open architecture while safeguarding critical systems. Customers can then reserve their focus for business operations.

WhatsApp: Send Message to Multiple Contacts on WhatsApp - GIZBOT

Meanwhile, the company deploys a Technological innovation helps customers open up their IT systems from general-purpose silos to versatile collaborations and breakthrough computing boundaries.

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Orange.

Thats the color gun safety advocates nationwide are wearing this weekend in observance of National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 2. This years fourth annual #WearOrange observance began Friday, June 1, and continues through Sunday, June 3.

Orange is for safety. Its the color that protects hunters from being shot during hunting season. It keeps them from targeting other hunters. It says: dont shoot, theres a person here.

In Connecticut, its the law: no person shall hunt any wildlife from Sept. 1 through the last day of February without wearing at least a total of 400 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing above the waist visible from all sides.

The national #WearOrange campaign was inspired by friends of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old high school sophomore who was shot in the back and killed in a park on Chicagos South Side on Jan. 29, 2013, less than two weeks after performing as a drum majorette in festivities celebrating President Barack Obamas second inauguration.

Hadiya was in Chicagos Harsh Park with a group of fellow King College Prep High School honor students who were taking shelter from the rain when a member of one of Chicagos gangs allegedly opened fire, killing her and wounding two other students. The murder took place a mile from the Obamas Chicago home. Two gang members were arrested. The trial date will likely be this August.

Michelle Obama attended Hadiyas wake and funeral.

In March 2013, Hadiyas friends created Project Orange Tree to honor her life and find ways to prevent future tragedies. In 2015, two years after her death, the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund spearheaded the national Wear Orange campaign. That year, on June 2  what would have been Hadiyas 18th birthday  her family, friends, community, and advocates of gun violence prevention nationwide, wore orange to honor her and all those killed with guns.

Since that first observance of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, orange has become the defining color of a gun violence prevention movement that continues to gather momentum.

Wearing orange this weekend, during which Hadiya would have celebrated her 21st birthday, honors the 96 lives cut short through guns every day in America. Wearing orange also acknowledges that more than twice as many as are killed suffer gun injuries daily. Since the massacre of little children at Newtown on Dec. 14, 2012  a defining moment in the fight against gun violence  more than 600,000 have suffered death or injury from gunshot wounds in America.

We cant allow ourselves to normalize these deaths and injuries that we should find shocking. Connecticuts gun safety advocates  along with those throughout America who do find these gun deaths and injuries shocking  are hosting #WearOrange events throughout the state this weekend to heighten awareness of an unacceptable level of gun violence and to make its prevention a priority.

These events include Newtowns Orange Walk led by the Junior Newtown Action Alliance and co-sponsored by Connecticut Against Gun Violence, Newtown Action Alliance, Sandy Hook Promise, and Moms Demand Action. Other municipalities in which events are planned include Stamford, Westport, West Hartford, Middletown, Litchfield, Fairfield, Fairfield Hills, and Guilford.

Sunday afternoon, there is a Greenwich and Stamford community gathering in Byram Park from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

In a May 30, 2015 post, just before the first observance of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, the editors of the National Rifle Associations digital magazine, Americas 1st Freedom, called the Wear Orange campaign pointless, dismissing it as a thinly veiled anti-gun stunt orchestrated by Bloomberg and friends.

On May 4, barely three months after the Parkland school shooting, President Trump spoke at the NRA convention. His tweet: I want to thank all of you, the true American patriots of the NRA who defend our rights, our liberty, and our great American flag.

Parkland, like Newtown, was a watershed moment. But for Trump it was an opportunity to exploit the grief and advance the agenda of the NRA, which contributed $30 million to his campaign.

By coloring America orange this weekend, Americans are pushing back against that agenda. They are saying no to the NRA. Seeking safety is not a stunt. Fighting for freedom from gun violence is not pointless. And orange is about defending life.

Alma Rutgers served in Greenwich town government for 25 years. Her blog is at blog.ctnews.com/rutgers/
NEW HAVEN  Eight months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the island is still coping with the aftermath and the thousands of lives lost.

A study published recently by the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard estimated the official count of 64 lives lost to Hurricane Maria has been drastically unreported. The Harvard study said the death toll is closer to 5,000.

In light of the new data, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., met in the city with Puerto Rican community leaders to call for a hearing to investigate and uncover what happened on the island that led to the massive death toll, adding that the responsible individuals and agencies need to be held accountable for the avoidable, senseless, preventable deaths.

We need to be absolutely clear what the cause of these deaths were, Blumenthal said, noting the the chronically ill, infirm, children and the elderly were disproportionately affected.

The study indicated a lack of electricity, drinkable water and transportation made medical care unavailable and caused a significant impact during the aftermath of the storm.

People who needed equipment to breath couldnt use it because of a lack of power, Blumenthal said. People who needed water to take medicine couldnt find it because the water was undrinkable. People who needed access to hospitals couldnt get there because of lack of transportation. These basic necessities are what should have been provided to fellow Americans in Puerto Rico.

Before and after photos show Puerto Rico six months after Hurricane Maria





The 4,645 estimate is 70 times greater than what was previously reported and is more than twice the number of people killed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, said Connecticut Puerto Rican Agenda President Jason Ortiz. The death toll from Hurricane Maria could be as high as 8,000 because the research only studied from when the hurricane hit until December 2017.

This inexcusable failure by Americans to provide basic necessities in the wake of a natural disaster is unforgivable, Blumenthal said.

He added that the drastically higher estimate shouldnt surprise anyone who visited the island after the hurricane, where he saw a lack of basic medical care, and closed roads that prevented people from getting necessities.

This is clearly 5,000 deaths due to negligence by the federal government, Ortiz said. There is no way around that. These people could have been saved had we gotten there faster.

Ortizs grandmother, whom he couldnt contact for three months, was living on the island when the hurricane hit. When he finally made contact, the message was she was OK, and what OK means in the middle of a giant disaster just means theyre not dead, he said. We knew that was a temporary situation that could get worse.

On the verge of another hurricane season, the island is still without electricity in areas, without transportation or drinkable water, Blumenthal said, and the power grid is no more resilient now than it was a year ago when the storm hit.

We will see another tragedy because of the governments failure to respond to make that power grid resilient, he said. The death toll of 4,645 was avoidable. If the Trump administration had responded with the urgency and seriousness that was required, many of those deaths could have been prevented, many of those lives could have been saved.

Eva Bermudez Zimmerman, candidate for lieutenant governor, who also has family in Puerto Rico who survived the storm, joined Blumenthal in New Haven. Her grandmothers and her fathers houses were torn apart and her cousins saw their home destroyed in a mudslide, she said, but her familys heartache and struggle isnt unique to her.

Its very emotional because every American here in Connecticut has some connection to Puerto Rico, she said. With the amount of Puerto Ricans we have in this state, you cannot say you dont have a connection.

She said the effort to help the island wont go far, though, unless political action is taken.

We had a natural disaster and we could have prevented lives from being lost and we didnt, she said. We didnt because its a political catastrophe. For whatever reason were here talking about 4,645 lives and that is embarrassing. Its embarrassing for Americans to have to remember lives that could have been prevented from being lost.

The island had long struggled with decaying infrastructure that made the impact of the hurricane much worse.

The seeds for this crisis were planted long before it happened, Blumenthal said. But the emergency response was an abject failure. Would the United States of America have tolerated this lack of electricity or drinkable water if it had been Texas or Tennessee or Connecticut? I dont think so. ... Its a catastrophe that should break our hearts and tear our consciousnesses rather than be rejected in this way as not a real catastrophe. Unless we see a real commitment to rebuild the island, we will see the same kind of death toll again.

mdignan@hearstmediact.com




The property details of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and other incumbent ministers has become a matter of talks of the town in recent days. As declared properties of the ministers did not match with what they used to claim themselves as the proletariat, the walls of the different social Medias have filled up with the comments and criticism, thanks to the amazing properties of the so-called proletariat ministers and leaders of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). According to the property details, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth tops the ministers rich list. Minister Mahaseth, who is also a senior leader of the newly formed NCP, possesses over one billion rupees including both moveable and immoveable properties. Not only the Minister Mahaseth but almost all the ministers of the incumbent government including the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli seemed wealthier than the previous Prime Minister of those who what the communists used to label blame them as the capitalist party. As per the property details, Prime Minister Oli has a bank balance of Rs 4.2 million in his account and 18 tolas of gold including a hose at Lokanthli of Bhaktapur. Likewise, his wife Radhika Shakya has Rs 3. 5 million deposited. Minister for General Administration Lal Babu Pandit, who had gone for a bicycle during the election campaign pretending as of a poorest leader has also a five-room house spreading in the area of one kattha of land in Biratnagar, four bighas of land in Sarlahi, four anas of land in Bhainsepati, Lalitpur, 10 tolas of gold, 15 tolals of silver and Rs 5.5 million in different bank accounts.





The exciting and astonishing fact of the property details of the ministers is that the wives of our proletariat ministers including Prime Minister Oli seem richer than their husbands. Almost all the wives of the Ministers including Ishwar Pokharel, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Matrika Yadav, Ram Bahadur Thapa and are also richer than the their husbands. Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Prasad Adhikari owns the highest amount of gold- 60 tolas. He has also Rs 2.5 million in bank deposits. Though he has listed as ancestral property, he has 94 ropanis as ancestral property in Kaski district and five anas in Budhanilkantha Municipality in Kathmandu. Another proletariat former Maoist leader and Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Yadav also seem richer than the expectations of the people though almost all property is shown in the name his wife Pramila Devi. According to the property details, she has a plot of land worth Rs 10,500,000 in Chapagaun of Lalitpur district, two plots of land in Siraha and Dhanusha worth Rs 4.5 million,10 tola gold and a vehicle. Though some ministers have claimed to have taken loan from bank, ancestral property and others means, the criticisms are poured in the walls of the social media terming the ministers as proletariat rich and for shifting the property on the name of their wives.




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Published on 2018/06/02 | Source



Added the upcoming Korean movie "Boarding House Girls"'s page to HanCinema database

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Release date in Korea : 2018/06/28




Guwahati, June 2 : The situation in Meghalaya's capital city Shillong still remained tense as several fresh violence incidents have been reported.





Curfew which was clamped in various places of the city on Friday continued on Saturday and police are patrolling the vulnerable places following a violent clash between police and a mob on Thursday night.





But violating curfew miscreants had attacked several vehicles including five tourist vehicles going from Guwahati and also damaged shops, houses in Shillong on Saturday.





According to the reports, at least 10 tourists including a child were injured in the miscreants attacked on vehicles.





Several tourists are still stranded in the hotels in Shillong.





To control the situation, army had conducted flag march in several areas in Shillong region.





Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government has sought five additional companies of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) from the centre.





Meghalaya Home Minister James Sangma said that, some of the forces had already arrived and they would be deployed strategically.





Earlier, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had called an emergency meeting to monitor the situation as a clash between residents of Punjabi lane and bus driver had triggered the violence.





Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has appealed the people of Shillong to maintain peace.





On the other hand, night curfew was imposed in Shillong as violence continued in parts of the city on Friday to calm the situation.





On Friday, the City Superintendent of Police of Shillong and few other persons including cops, journalists were injured while mob pelted stones targeting to security personnel.





On the other hand, the Meghalaya CM had called up Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday night and assured him of safety of the Sikh community people and religious institutions in the state.





Meanwhile, the United Democratic Party (UDP), an ally in the six party coalition government in Meghalaya has demanded to evict the Punjabi lane in the city immediately.





Paul Lyngdoh, Working President of UDP would likely to meet Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma on Monday to discuss about the situation.




Eamonn Holmes asked Queen Elizabeth for an interview as he picked up an OBE for services to broadcasting.

The TV host said he was "just trying to get the big names" when he told the queen he had spoken to almost every member of her family except her.

Speaking at Buckingham Palace after collecting his honour, the Belfast-born broadcaster said his request was laughed off.

"I told her that I have interviewed almost every member of her family except her. I said, 'so you have got to put that right for me'," he said after the event.

"She laughed - I think that meant no."
Jack and Shay together in an Ennis Rugby Club photo

Tragic teenager Shay Moloney died a hero while desperately trying to save his friend from drowning in a quarry described as "a death trap".

The local community in Ennis, Co Clare, was today still trying to come to terms with its grief following the shock deaths of talented rugby players Shay and Jack Kenneally, both 15.

The were among a group of youngsters who had been swimming in an abandoned quarry near Knockanean on Thursday, during a day of warm sunshine.

A source close to the family described to the Herald how the disaster unfolded.

"Jack and Shay were in a group of five when they went out to the quarry. At one stage Jack jumped in and started to swim towards a small island but got into difficulty.

Tragedy

"When Shay saw him struggling he went in to help his friend. Jack started panicking and I think they just both ran out of steam."

The source added that a third youth had a lucky escape after diving into the water to help his friends.

"I think the third person went out towards them, but when the boys started to struggle he managed to just back off and get out."

In a tribute online, one of Jack's three sisters, Katie wrote: "I am actually lost for words in this moment. All I can say is you will be forever missed and always loved. You were the most amazing little brother and we are all so, so devastated to say the least. Rest in peace bro we all love you soo soo much."

Katie later wrote: "RIP Jack and Shay - at least ye are together."

Questions are now being raised about the dangers associated with swimming at the Knockanean quarry. In the early 1980s, a young man drowned at the same location.

There are signs at the entrance of the land stating "Danger - Deep Water - No Swimming" and "Danger, silt pond, deep water, keep clear".

However, according to locals they are largely ignored.

A 1.5-metre-high stone wall around the 62-acre site does little to stop anyone wishing to gain access to the swimming blackspot.

Ennis councillor Mary Howard has called for Clare County Council to take immediate action.

"Whether we drain it or fill it up, we have to act now," she said.

"This tragedy isn't going to stop teenagers from swimming in that quarry at all. Even on Thursday after the two boys were removed from the water there were people swimming in it.

"I'm not sure who owns the site, but unless something significant is done to make that quarry safe then I fear we're going to see more deaths."

The local representative is now urging parents to warn their children of the dangers the swimming spot poses.

"It's about 80ft deep and can be extremely cold, even on a day like today. There are never any lifeguards on duty and it constantly poses a risk to our children. It's a death trap," she added.

A spokesperson from Clare County Council told the Herald that the site is private property and the signs were erected by the landowner.

Clare Water Safety development officer Clare McGrath said: "We are urging the public to only use lifeguarded bathing places. We also are reminding the public to take heed of advice given by the lifeguards and to supervise your children at all times."

At the entrance of the site, a sign by property company Sherry FitzGerald indicates that the land is for sale.

Devastation

Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring in for the two young men.

Ennis Rugby Club paid tribute to the friends in a poignant tweet yesterday.

"Our brothers in arms. Our warriors when the going got tough. Our leaders when the pressure came on. Our pride when they took the field," it read. "Our joy when they lit it up off the field. Our devilment when it all got too serious. Our gentlemen always. Our terrible loss."

Richard Murphy, president of the club, said that Jack and Shay were "the heartbeat" of their successful under-15 squad.

"They were the guys that led from the front, the guys that carried the fight, the guys that made the difference," he said.

"As well as developing into exciting rugby players, both Jack and Shay were developing into fine young men who were a credit to their family and friends.

"As resolute and fearless as they were on the pitch, they were as funny, engaging and inspiring off the pitch. Our club was a better place for having them as part of it and their absence will be keenly felt."

Ennis Community College issued a statement, saying it was "deeply saddened", and has implemented a critical incident management plan at the school.

St Flannan's College, the school of third year student Shay, expressed condolences on social media, saying: "This is a terrible tragedy for both families and friends, our schools and our community. We are deeply saddened by these events.

"Our thoughts are with both Shay's and Jack's families and friends."

The parish priest of Ennis said the entire community was sharing in the devastation of losing two of its members.

Fr Tom Hogan paid a touching tribute to the two young friends, who he believes will "remain forever young".

"Ennis is a very small town and when a tragedy comes to one family everyone feels their pain," he said.

"Jack and Shay have wonderful friends and please God they will see the parents and family through this dreadful time.

"It was the last day of the school year and it was such a beautiful day when this awful incident occurred.

"These two boys were childhood friends and have known each other since primary school. They were very involved in rugby and were certainly a pillar in this community."

Fr Hogan, who met the two families yesterday afternoon, added: "The whole community are just in a state of deep shock and sadness. They'll be forever young in people's memory and minds."
President Donald Trump has said an unprecedented nuclear arms summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that the US pulled out of will now go ahead as scheduled on June 12 in Singapore.

"I think it's probably going to be a very successful, ultimately a successful process," Trump said on the White House lawn after meeting a North Korean official in the Oval Office.

Kim Yong Chol, a close aide to the North Korean leader, delivered a letter from his boss to Trump.

The envoy was the highest level figure from the secretive state to hold talks at the White House since a senior envoy visited former president Bill Clinton in 2000.

Softening

Trump first told reporters the letter from Kim was "a very nice letter ... a very interesting letter", but then said he had not opened it.

The president appeared to significantly lower expectations for the outcome of the historic summit, frequently describing it as the start of a process and not the place where the two leaders were likely to sign any agreement. He said a number of summits might be required.

"Frankly, I said, 'Take your time,'" Trump said.

It was an extraordinary softening of tone towards North Korea from a president who last year threatened to rain "fire and fury" on the country because of the threat its nuclear weapons and long-range missiles pose to the US.
Channel 4 news presenter Cathy Newman has added her voice to a debate about whether admiring a man for his appearance is a double standard.

A photo of Aidan Turner going shirtless for the new series of Poldark has been widely discussed on social media.

A debate was sparked when many asked if it is fair to sensationalise a male body if women find it offensive when the tables are turned.

Newman tweeted a picture of a pile of newspapers featuring Dubliner Turner's bare torso, and wrote: "If we women object to being ogled, how is this any different?"

Misleading

Feminist and journalist Caroline Criado Perez responded: "It's not a double standard because no one is saying men can't find women attractive.

"We're just saying allow us to be more than our tits and ass. This is misleading framing."

Newman replied: "But is Aidan Turner being allowed to be more than his bare-chested romping? I'm asking the question - I'm not sure what I think... yet."

Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan tweeted: "'I'm outraged, disgusted and offended by this sexual objectification of Poldark' - said no man ever."

The debate comes days after broadcaster Mariella Frostrup commented on the "double standard" of women comment ing on a man's body when a man would not be allowed to do the same without reproach.

She admitted the opening scene of the new series - in which Turner appears shirtless - is the main cause for her excitement at the drama's return.

She added that "we live in confusing times" and she is "the first to admit to double standards".




Guwahati, June 2 : Six people including four labourers were killed and 19 others injured in two separate road mishaps in Assam in past 24 hours.





Four labourers were killed and 19 others injured in a road mishap in Assams Lakhimpur district on Saturday.





According to the reports, the incident took place at Dhalpur area in the district, while a speedy Mahindra Bolero pick up vehicle carrying the labourers engaged in a construction work turned turtle.





Three labourers were died on spot while 20 others received injuries and they had rushed to Dhalpur hospital.





Among the injured persons, one was succumbed to his injuries.





In separate incident, two people died in Assams Karbi Anglong district while a speedy car hit a roadside tree.





The incident took place at Bakaliaghat area in the hill district, where a speedy car hit a roadside tree.





The driver of the car and another youth travelling in the car died on spot and they were identified as Joydeep Teron and Raju Saikia.




Governor Gary Juffa

GARY JUFFA | Facebook | Edited

POPONDETTA - The Papua New Guinea governments move to refer Bryan Kramer to the parliamentary privileges committee is nothing but another attack on freedom of free speech.

We politicians, rather than being hurt by what people say about us, should be hurt by deteriorating health, education, and law and order; and the loss of PNG jobs, businesses, forests and marine resources.

We should be hurt by the stealing by transnational criminal cartels and the worsening economic conditions that affect our people.

Criticism comes with the territory we occupy as politicians. We all get attacked for various reasons. When you put yourself in the public's eye you are agreeing to the reality of being criticised. We need to develop a thick skin and rise above it. That's leadership. To try to stifle and suppress criticism is the exact opposite of leadership  it is dictatorship.
Sagarmatha Network Pvt. Ltd. is the organization dedicated in the field of printing, publishing service since 2001. As part of media, we've been publishing Review Nepal, an English medium weekly registered at District Administration Office (DAO) Kathmandu with registration number 130-162-163 and reviewnepal.com as an online digital newspaper, with registration number 849-075-076 at Department of Informational and Broadcasting (DIB) from Kathmandu, Nepal since 2003.
Social Security checks to rise 5.9% in 2022, most in 40 years

Social Security payments are set to rise 5.9% in 2022 for 68 million retirees, disabled people and others. That's the most since 1982.
On the occasion of 7th All India Hindu Convention to be held in June 2018, in Goa

1. Opposition to Hindus under the pretext of secularism

The great Indian personalities such as Swatantryaveer Savarkar, the first Sarsanghchalak Dr. Hedgewar, H.H. Golwalkar Guruji vigorously promoted the concept of the Hindu Nation. Unfortunately, India which is a self-materialised Hindu Nation became a secular nation after Independence, and a radiant concept of the Hindu Nation took a back seat. The fact that Ramarajya actually existed in this land was termed as a mythological story. The Hindavi Swarajya, meaning, the Hindu Nation established by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was overlooked and painted with green colour under the pretext of a secular nation.

Moreover, propaganda is being spread purposefully that the idea of Hindu Nation is nothing but religious fanaticism. Those who are raising voice against atrocities being committed on Hindus are accused of committing unpardonable crimes. Hindus are ridiculed by showering them with a torrent of abuses such as intolerant, rapists, Hindu Talibanis, Saffron terrorists, Ultra -nationalists, Fringe elements etc. In this campaign, not only the Indian media but popular foreign newspapers are also participating vigorously. Hindus are being targeted by publishing articles against them. Be it a Dadri killing of 2015 or recently occurred Kathua rape incident, upheaval is caused in entire India by creating anti-Hindu atmosphere.

2. Concern about the interest of the Nation !

In fact, it is deplorable to call Hindus as intolerant when they are the most tolerant and all-encompassing community on the earth; they have presented, through their conduct, the teaching of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The entire world is one family) before the world. Those who have veiled themselves with the secularism do not realise that the true dilemma is not whether secular India or Hindu Nation, but whether it is Islamic State or the Hindu Nation. And this question will be posed in coming years. In such a situation, only the ideology which is dedicated to Hindutva, or rather patriotism can protect the Nation. Do those who have ideological or religious vested interests with Pakistan ever talk against the terrorism which is bent on dividing India ? Do the leftists ever talk against the Naxalism which is sowing the seeds of anarchy in the Nation ? Whether the Secular brigade ever talks against anti-national slogans raised in JNU or against those pelting stones on soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir ? On the contrary, they feel proud in justifying such acts by treacherous elements. Why are only the devout Hindu organisations concerned about solving such problems in the interests of the Nation ? Those who contemplate the whole issue sincerely and logically will find answers to this question automatically.

3. The Hindu Nation is expected to be based on Dharma !

One may think that the process of establishing Hindu Nation is at a political level. In fact, establishing the Hindu Nation is a scientific process. Only the Sat (truth) has a place there. This is a spiritual mission, and the Hindu Nation intended by us is based on Dharma, meaning, the truth. For accomplishing the mission, we need people with Divine qualities such as sacrifice, unblemished character etc. To meet the expectations of the Hindu Nation, the thought, voice and conduct of Hindu community about the Hindu Nation need to be synchronised everywhere.

4. The curtain raiser for 7th All India Hindu Convention !

Only to meet above goal, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti is organising All India Hindu Conventions every year since 2012 and making efforts to establish the Hindu Nation based on Dharma. The Hindu Conventions are imparting guidance to various ingredients of Hindu Society such as devout Hindu organisations, sects, Saints, lawyers, thinkers etc., on the efforts to be made for establishing the Hindu Nation. An invincible unity of hundreds of devout Hindu organisations and individual Hindus created through these Conventions is proving to be a promising, or say a decisive step towards establishing the Hindu Nation i.e. declaring India, a Hindu Rashtra.

The 7th All India Hindu Convention is being held this year from 2nd to 12th June. Delegates from nearly 250 small and significant devout Hindu organisations from 25 States of India and overseas countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc. will be attending the Convention. During this period, devout Hindu lawyers conference on 2nd and 3rd June, All India Hindu Convention from 4th to 7th June, workshop for enhancing spiritual practice on 8th June and Hindu Nation Organisers conference will be held from 9th to 12th June in Ramnathi, Ponda, Goa.

May this Convention inspire Hindu society to contribute their might in establishing the Hindu Nation and bestow the spiritual experience of Ramrajya in this land of India; and may they be encouraged to make efforts at a physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual level for this mission, is the prayer unto Holy feet of Prabhu Shriram !
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday congratulated the state on its fourth anniversary, and said that his government has become a role model for the entire country as far as implementation of welfare and developmental programmes was concerned.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on the other hand, described the occasion as a black day when the Congress and the BJP together conspired to divide the state. The people of Andhra Pradesh were yet to recover from the unscientific bifurcation even four years after the event, he added.

Telangana had attained statehood on June 2, 2014, after an agitation that extended over several decades.

Addressing an impressive gathering at Secunderabad on the occasion of the states fourth anniversary, Rao  popularly known as KCR  said the day was not far when the peoples dream of a Bangaru Telangana (Golden Telangana) would become reality. He listed out the ways in which Telangana had become the most prosperous state in the country within just four years of its formation.

The innovative schemes introduced by our government impressed the rest of the county so much that officials and elected representatives from other states made a beeline to Telangana to study our developmental model and replicate it, said Rao. It is a matter of pride that our state has become a role model for others.

The chief minister also declared that Telangana was now the richest state in the country, with a growth rate of 21%. We are marching ahead with the principle of creating wealth and distributing it equally among the people, he said.

He listed Mission Kakatiya; Mission Bhagiratha; Kalyana Lakshmi; irrigation-related projects; healthy industrialisation; financial assistance of Rs 8,000 per acre in two spells every year; comprehensive crop insurance scheme; KCR kits to expectant mothers; Aasara pensions for the poor; and two-bedroom houses for the poor among his governments achievements in the last four years.

Naidu, on the other hand, led the people in reciting a pledge  the Nava Nirmana Deeksha  to rebuild the truncated state into a prosperous one in the years to come at a simple ceremony in Vijayawada.

Accusing the Centre of creating a feeling of insecurity among the people of Andhra Pradesh, he said: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has betrayed us by denying special category status to the state and failing to fulfill the promises made in the bifurcation act. He cheated even Lord Venkateshwara of Tirumala, in whose presence he had promised to help the state in every way he can.

Naidu claimed that the Centre was targeting Andhra Pradesh by not releasing funds for the establishment of its capital, Amaravati, and the Polavaram project  touted as the lifeline of the state. Even then, our government is trying to develop the state on all fronts by implementing several welfare and developmental schemes, he said.

The Nava Nirmana Deeksha programme will continue until June 8, coinciding with the formation of Naidus government four years ago.
Veere Di Wedding that released on June 1 has opened to packed houses, and the films stars -- Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Swara Bhaskar  decided to celebrate the occasion with a party hosted at producer Ritesh Sidhwanis house. And guess who came out to receive Kareena Kapoor at the venue? Well, none other than Bollywoods livewire Ranveer Singh.

Many photos from the party are doing rounds on social media.

Kareenas sister Karisma and her close friend Amrita Arora were also present at the party.

Veere Di Wedding has turned out to be a money-spinner on its opening day. As per film trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the film has earned Rs 10.70 crore on its release day. It has also become the years third highest opening film in Bollywood.

Veere Di Wedding is about four South Delhi friends who are fighting personal battles, but remain friends for life. In an earlier interview with IANS, Kareena said, This is a story that captures various stages of love and marriage of girls. One wants to get married, one is getting divorced, one is commitment phobic... So it is a story of different shades of a relationship.

Directed by Shashanka Ghosh, Veere Di Wedding is the first big-budget Bollywood female-buddy film with established actors. Its success is likely to pave way for more such films.

Watch: Movie reviews of Veere Di Wedding and Bhavesh Joshi Superhero

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Lok Sabha MP from Jalandhar Chaudhary Santokh Singh on Saturday envisioned that the debt relief scheme of the state government will be instrumental in bailing out the state farmers from the vicious circle of farm debt.

Addressing the gathering during a function organised to distribute certificates of debt relief here, the MP, accompanied by the Congress leader Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary and sub-divisional magistrate Navneet Kaur Bal, said debt relief certificates worth 11 crore were distributed to 1,598 beneficiaries.

They said the initiative of the Captain Amarinder Singh-led-state government will go a long way in bringing relief to the debt-ridden farmers. The officials also said the decision will reduce the burden of debt on the economically oppressed farmers. The officials further said in the first phase 1,488 beneficiaries and now in second phase 1,598 had availed the schemes benefit.
Protest is the hallmark of democracy. Im sure youve heard this boring but important sentence. Its the kind of thing we, the people of India, love to peddle as divine wisdom when it should be plain common sense.

But not all protests are noble. Some can reveal more about the protesters and the System than about the facile issue being raised. One such protest was held by some students of a Chandigarh school after the results of CBSE Class 12. This school is known for being an assembly-line producer of toppers. This time, it did not get the ranks it wanted.

The protest was specific in its subject. The students had got less than perfect marks in English. Yes, the language that lends them privilege had not been kind to them. And they said its not their fault but of the manner of evaluation. Some kids fell short of the perfect 100 by as many as 10 marks! Can you believe that? Believe it.

And know this: This protest was vulgar at one level, and ironic at another. No, I am not blaming the students as such, though some sentences in the subsequent paragraphs may appear that way. I am actually glad that they held a protest, an act thats considered bad in a regime helmed by The Man Who Has a Degree (But Wont Show It), the eminent writer of that seminal book Exam Warriors.

The irony is that these students, privileged to go to a proper school, are programmed to seek perfection to such a degree that their priorities reek of selfishness. Theyve been turned into insecure citizens by the System that wants them to only think about themselves. Such is their myopia that, driven in cars by their parents and in essence by the System, they go kilometers away to the CBSE office to hold a dharna.

If the protest were to be taken on face value, I too could come up with my version, in hindsight. I wouldve loved to ignite a stir against our English teacher Mrs Malhotra, who told us not to care about marks but about honesty of expression. She was an oddity, a romantic among the regimented. That was then.

Now, not scoring the perfect hundred is seen as worthy of a protest. Could such students think of protesting against schools that cheat students from economically weaker sections out of a chance to study at all? Whos the poorer for it? Do these students know what they lose out on by not getting to share a desk with, say, the son of a tea-seller?

As the rat race manufactures inflated marks, more and more children would begin to define themselves as having failed, wrote sociologist Avijit Pathak in The Wire, With this redefinition of failure, children and youngsters would acquire stigmatised identities and lose their self-worth.

Thats a critique of the exam system at large. Indeed, this protest was by Class-12 students; but its a reminder of the brutality of the system we have reintroduced for Class 10, too, after nearly a decade. The no-fail policy up to Class 8 failed, which led to the comeback of mandatory board exams in place of a well-meaning process of gradual and pressure-free growth. It was never implemented the way it should have been. Key elements of social reform remained missing. For instance, the whole system revolved around teachers ensuring and assessing a students progress at a compassionate pace, but they still hardly get (or have) the time and motivation to focus on their core job.

Anyhow, Ill now return to the specific subject of this article  a ridiculous hope for a perfect score in a language. Some even get it.

Grammar can perhaps be perfect; but how can articulation, which is the heart of the language and literature, ever be perfect? Sciences look for the definite, thus they fetch perfect scores within the contours of prescribed syllabus. The beauty of language, however, is in how you constantly struggle to make it your wand of magic when the magic is in the struggle.

Whats the solution then? Real, positive change often comes slow, and is marked by reversals on the way. The toughest question is: How can we expect children, or even parents, to focus on long-term change when their immediate material success can be jeopardised by one mark? I dont know. Maybe you, the students, teachers, parents, could start with a small protest about something that concerns not just you. Can compassion be made compulsory in all classes?

Email writer at aarish.chhabra@htlive.com | Twitter: @aarishc
Only the British could think of this! A three-part prime time series on the attempted murder of the homosexual lover of a leading British politician. And its not fiction. Its a true story. The series is riveting and it has Britain captivated.

Called A Very English Scandal, its the story of one of the most fascinating and, in the 1960s and 70s, one of the most important politicians, the Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe. Its climax, in the late 70s, was a riveting court case, splashed across the front pages and television screens for weeks. It shattered Thorpes career and left one of the most ebullient and witty politicians in the country, a sad and lonely man.

Thorpe met his lover, Norman Scott, during a weekend visit to a friends country estate. Scott was a stable-hand. Attracted by his wanton lanky looks, Thorpe invited Scott to visit him in London. When he did, the love affair that followed, clandestine and usually conducted in cheap digs, lasted for a decade and a half.

Thorpe knew he was playing with fire but still found Scott irresistible. He thought he could have his lover and also hide the secret from the world. He even took Scott to his mothers home and the series shows how, under her roof, their relationship was first consummated. Years later, when the scandal broke, the newspapers spoke of Vaseline and towels. Theyre all too visible on the screen. Later, as part of his cover, Thorpe also got married and had a child.

The problem was that Scott was unstable and a drug addict. This insecurity was a threat but Thorpe thought he could handle it. Only when Scott began talking loosely of their relationship and blackmailed him, did Thorpe realise it had gone too far. Whilst Scott lived his career would always be at risk. But if Scott were eliminated his star could shine. Thorpe now planned to do away with him. Thats when the murder was plotted. A friend, David Holmes, procured the services of an assassin, Andrew Newton, and paid him 10,000.

Unfortunately, Newton bungled. He ended up killing Scotts Great Dane, Rinka, and then, when he aimed at Scott, the pistol jammed. What Thorpe had hoped would be a quiet successful murder transformed into a messy police case and a memorable trial. The details held Britain in thrall.

In the end Thorpe was acquitted but his career was destroyed. Disgraced, he was cast out of the great British establishment. You could be forgiven if you feel this sounds like fiction. But every bit of this twisted, sordid, embarrassing and, yet, exciting and thrilling tale is true.

Thorpe lived his remaining years in Orme Square near Londons Nottinghill Gate. I would often see him of an evening, wearing a karakul cap and an overcoat with astrakhan collars and cuffs. He would silently pace the road outside his home ignored by the passing world. If someone recognised him and stopped to say hello he would smile. But he rarely looked you in the eye. It was obvious he wanted to be left alone.

This is a tragic story of self-destruction. Thats what makes it so compelling. Thorpe knew he was endangering his career but couldnt stop. I suspect thats a characteristic many politicians share. Those who rise meteorically often script their own collapse. Its classic Greek tragedy. The seed of destruction is part of the drive to achievement. I wonder when a similar story will capture our attention in India.

The views expressed are persona l

The views expressed are personal
Uttarakhand will soon have its first hi-tech centralised data storage centre with a single server on which data of all departments and district-level administrative units will be stored, which will help the government boost delivery and all citizen-centric services, officials said.

Uttarakhand will be the first state in the country to have such a state-of-the-art centralised data storage centre, which will be based on the worlds advanced system and will be also equipped with green technologies, said Amit Sinha, director, Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA).

The mechanism will have a single server on which the entire gamut of data relating to the government, its departments and 13 districts in the state will be stored, which will not only help speed up development but also all citizen centric services, he said.

The best part of this centralised data storage centre is that it will have a single server for the data pertaining to the entire state, which will also be absolutely secure, Sinha said, adding that its security will be so foolproof that nobody can hack the data uploaded on its server.

Supposing, if the server or the data hosted on it is stolen, in that case also a complaint will be registered here in this state only.

Besides, for the security of the server the centralised data storage centre is equipped with a number of software and hardware applications, he said.

Anil Tadkod, head of state e-Governance mission team (SeMT), said the hi-tech mechanism will not only be cost-effective but will also occupy less physical and cyber space.

That means unlike the past, none of the departments or the district level administrative units will have to hire other servers to host their respective data, he said.

Earlier, in absence of a dedicated state-run data storage facility they were forced to hire a number of costly websites like amazon.com etc to host their respective data but the latter was still not secure.

Such a system, Sinha said, was cost intensive and all departments and also all district level administrative units had to work in silos owing to their data separately stored on different websites.

The data of the police department, for instance, was hosted on the server of Delhi police. So was the case with the department of tourism and other departments, he said.

Similarly, none of our departments had their security policies in place and even if some departments formulated security policies they were not specific to departments.

Added Tadkod: Other major advantage of having a dedicated state-run centralised data storage system is that it has ample room for scalability, which means state-of-the-art system can expand itself to accommodate as much data as possible.

As a result, he said, the government, all its departments and district level administrative units wont have to purchase server after server from different websites to host their data on them.

Besides, the maintenance cost of the centralised data storage system is also minimum, Tadkod said.

The accessibility of the entire data relating to the government departments and district-level units, Sinha clarified, will not only bring in transparency in delivery but will also help speed it up.

Such a system will help speed up all citizen-centric services, be it tourism, health education and agriculture etc, he said.

Added Talkode: Accessibility of data will not only help enhance the departments operating efficiency but will also help them in policy making.

The SeMT, he said, will equip the centralised data storage system with all facilities from software, hardware to back up space.

They just have to utilise our services and increase their operating efficiency, Tadkod said referring to the government.
Delhi Zoo officials allegedly didnt record the deaths of six spotted deer in the first week of May , according to a complaint lodged with the union environment ministry and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) which oversees all zoos in India.

The new complaint adds to the rap sheet of the capitals zoo that is the subject of a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi high court, and which includes not recording deaths, illegally capturing animals from the wild to replace the dead ones, and administering the animals medicines past their best-by date.

Renu Singh, the director of Delhi Zoo, said she wasnt informed about the deaths and that she has asked the concerned officials to explain why.

The complainant, Gauri Maulekhi, an animal right activist has demanded an enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the deaths. According to the complaint (a copy of which is with the Hindustan Times) at least six spotted deer died in the zoo in the first week of May when the zoo authorities tried to shift them from one enclosure to another.

I am writing to you to bring to your attention the gross neglect and mishandling of animals at the National Zoological Park, Delhi (Delhi Zoo), which led to the death of six spotted deer within the zoo premises, says the complaint, which was lodged on May 30. A copy was sent to environment minister Harsh Vardhan.

To further compound the illegality, the zoo administration purposely omitted to place these deaths on record, the complaint further states. The complaint says that the shifting took place in the presence of Zoo director Singh, veterinary officers AK Bhawal, Manoj Kumar and keeper Abdul Habib.

Singh says she didnt know: I have sought an explanation from the officials concerned. I have asked the officials to explain why I was not informed about the deaths, what precautions were taken while the animals were being shifted, whether these deaths were properly documented and whether post mortem were done following all guidelines. I am yet to receive any reply. If there are any lapses strict action will be taken.

The National Zoological Park, the only zoological park in the country to come under the direct administration of the Union government, has already come under the scanner of the Delhi high court after the PIL.

According to that petition, the alleged irregularities include suppression of news of animal deaths, illegally capturing animals to replace the dead, expired drugs being administered to animals, illegally procuring Ketamine and portions of a rhino horn going missing. The PIL was filed based on at least eight reports by the CZA and other agencies filed since 2016. The PIL mentions a Hindustan Times report from May 18, 2017, on how the National Zoological Park accounted for the highest number of animal deaths among large zoos in the country in 2016-17.

The shifting of the deer took place when Delhi was reeling under searing heat; the complaint also states that the guidelines of the CZA mentions that transportation and shifting of animals should be avoided during extreme weather conditions.

I request that the CBI be directed to enquire into this matter and the involvement of the zoo administration in these and numerous other irregularities brought to light previously, says the complaint.
The tiled floor has got a new pattern. It is carpeted with hundreds of paper plates. Each plate is filled with slices of two types of melons (tarbooj and kharbooj), papaya, a few pakodis, a couple of jalebis and a big samosa.

This is the womens part of the Jamaat Khana mosque in the Sufi shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. It is a listless afternoon of Ramzan, the Islamic season of fasting that commemorates the month when the Quran is believed to have been sent down from heaven and revealed to Prophet Muhammed. Preparations are at full swing in the shrine for the evenings Iftari meal.

These portions will be served in the courtyard just outside this mosque where a great number of people from all backgrounds will sit down in neat rows to break the fast. At the moment the prayer hall is looking like a makeshift dining area with rusty old steel almirahs lined up beside the walls. A khadim, one of the shrines many hereditary caretakers, is seated on a chair, presiding over the preparations. A couple of women are huddled in one corner, quietly slicing melons. Two young men are filling up the plates with fruit slices. But not everything is under control  somebody still has to make gallons of Rooh Afza rose drink.

Travellers and city flaneurs come from all across to attend the famous qawwalis at Nizamuddins shrine. Many arrive during Ramzan to cherish the sight of people jointly breaking fast in the courtyard.

PORTRAIT OF A PARTNERSHIP

This is her iftar spread  plain channa dal, fresh-cut fruit and samosas. The elderly Yakuba Begum has a thick roti in her lap. She is patiently waiting for the call to prayer. It will signal the end of the day-long roza, or fast.

We meet Ms Begum one evening during the month of Ramzan in a congested central Delhi bazaar. Like many Muslims, she is observing the roza along with her husband. The couple lives on the pavement.

We are from Bihar, says Ms Begum in a very low voice. Gesturing towards the bearded person by her side, she adds, He is my aadmi (man). He has problem with his eyes. He cannot see clearly we will go to the doctor after the Eid. The man smiles apologetically. He is wearing black shoes. Ms Begum is barefoot.

The ground around the couple is littered with leaves. People are walking past them.

I beg, says Ms Begum. We dont have children since my husband cannot walk around on his own, I arrange for our food. Everyday we have boiled rice for sehri (the pre-dawn meal in Ramzan). 

Just then the siren for iftar begins to wail. Ms Begum shows no hurry to touch the food. After confirming that other beggars on the street have indeed started to eat, she picks up a bottle of water and washes her hands. She then passes the bottle to her husband. He too washes his hands. She picks up the dal. Her man picks up the fruit. They eat silently.
A report submitted to the Delhi High Court by the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) about the state of de-addiction centres in the national capital has revealed that several inmates, 750 of them who have been kept involuntarily, have been assaulted both physically and sexually at these centres.

Describing the revelations as most shocking, a bench of Justice S Muralidhar and Justice IS Mehta said the right to basic human dignity of persons desperately in need of care and treatment is being violated with impunity. It said that such incidents have to be stopped immediately.

Terming the situation as paradoxical, the bench said that it cannot countenance keeping persons incarcerated in such inhumane conditions under the pretext of treatment for de-addiction.

The report submitted by advocate Sumer Kumar Sethi, was submitted after inspection of 124 de-addiction centres, 28 of which were found to be closed. It highlighted a large number of irregularities in the operation of these places as most do not have adequate infrastructure, security arrangement or staff.

Appearing for the DSLSA, Sethi said the sanitation, hygienic, ventilation and toilet facilities were also not good in these centres. The report said that in one of the centres inspected, five patients were illegally detained in a locked room and subjected to physical torture.

It also said the inmates were not being provided beds and were made to sleep on mattresses on the floor. It reported that they were required to perform menial tasks in the centre failing which their food rations were drastically reduced.

The court noted that no discernible progress appears to be made despite show cause notices to these centres. In wake of the incidents of sexual assault, the court directed that the report submitted by Sethi on behalf of the DSLSA be sent to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rajesh Deol not later than June 4.

The bench also said it expects the Delhi Police to act on DSLSAs report and also visit the specific centres where it has been recorded that the inmates are being subjected to inhumane treatment. It said that the police should contact the nearest government health facility where treatment could be provided to such inmates who have been involuntarily confined in these centres.

It also directed the Delhi police to initiate proceedings in accordance with law.

Earlier this year, the MCDs had issued showcause notices to close to 100 of these illegal de-addiction centres to close them down if found with no regulatory approval.

The court has now fixed July 12 as the next date of hearing to review the situation.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Dilip Pandey claimed on Friday that the Congress had got in touch with them for a coalition ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

The Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken, however, said they were some discussions but the Delhi unit was not in favour of it.

Rumours of AAPs possible tie-up with the Congress were rife in political circles after the AAP appointed five Lok Sabha in-charges (prabharis) for parliamentary constituencies of Delhi.

The appointments were made only on five out of seven constituency seats in Delhi while leaving two seats vacant as of now. These gave rise to speculation that these two seats could have been left for the Congress.

They reached out to us. On the basis of municipal election results, they were giving us three parliament seats but the Delhi unit did not approve the idea. It was AAP, which created vicious atmosphere against Congress in Delhi that helped Narendra Modi to reach Delhi, Maken said.

Maken said that as the AAP had failed outside Delhi, they were keen to have alliance with Congress in the Capital.

They (Aam Aadmi Party ) are nowhere outside Delhi. They have failed on all front(s) be it sealing or water. No development has taken place in Delhi in three years. We supported Arvind Kejriwal government in 2013. The decision damaged our party. We were left with zero seats in national capital, Maken said.

Earlier in the day, Maken tweeted that people in Delhi were continuously rejecting the Kejriwal government so there was no need for the Congress to come to their rescue.

Replying to Makens statement on Twitter, AAPs spokesperson Dilip Pandey said Congress leaders were in touch with the party for its support in the general elections, 2019.

Ajay Makenji, some senior Congress leaders are in our touch and they want our support in Haryana, Punjab and Delhi (in Lok Sabha elections). They are demanding one seat from us in Delhi, Pandey said in a tweet.

Corroborating the development, a senior AAP leader privy to the matter said the talks were on for one seat but the party had not yet decided whether to support or arrive at a coalition arrangement with Congress.

Five senior leaders of AAP have been assigned separate parliamentary constituencies for micro focus on Delhis parliament seats and strengthening the partys hold further. The leaders who were appointed as in-charge are Pankaj Gupta (Chandni Chowk), Dilip Kumar Pandey (North East Delhi), Raghav Chadhha (South Delhi), Atishi Marlena (East Delhi) and Guggan Singh Ranga (North West Delhi).

Partys Delhi convener Gopal Rai said, We are appointing them as prabharis to further strengthen the party at the booth level. They will focus on further building up the organisation in the respective Lok Sabha seats.

A senior Congress leader, who wished not to be named, said no formal talks were on between the parties over a coalition with the Aam Aadmi Party.
Delhi University (DU) organised its first-ever Open Day session for postgraduate applicants on Friday, where students could interact with officials to get their queries answered. A similar event will be organised on Saturday mainly for MPhil/PhD students, officials said.

This is the first time that we are having such a counselling event for postgraduate and MPhil/PhD students. It is usually done for undergraduate students. We had around 100 students attending Fridays event. Most of them were MA applicants, said Amrita Bajaj, the deputy dean of students welfare.

Two sessions  from 10am to 11.30am and noon to 1.30pm  were organised on Friday. A similar schedule would be followed for Saturday.

One of the main questions we faced today was whether students can opt for more than one course while filling out a form. The answer is yes, they can fill as many courses as they want in a single form, Bajaj said.

Officials said the other common question students had was what would happen if they were tied over marks with another applicant for the same seat.

If two students have the same score in the entrance exam, we first check who has the higher score in their qualifying degree, said Ashutosh Bhardwaj, the officer on special duty for admissions.

According to the bulletin of information for postgraduate students, if the score from the final year of graduation are also the same, then the candidate having higher percentage in the examination prior to final year of graduation and so on, would be offered the seat. The next preference is given to the student with the highest score in the five subjects of class 12 (including one language).

The same tie-breaking criteria... will be adopted in the merit-based admission (which is for DU graduates), reads the information bulletin.
Finding accommodation has been a recurring problem for Delhi University (DU) students, especially those not from Delhi. Though a majority of outstation students come from states like Haryana, Punjab, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, a significant number are also from the southern states and some from foreign nations.

As of Friday, DU officials said close to 3 lakh applications had been received by the university, out of which around 2 lakh were from outstation students.

Despite the increasing demand for safe accommodation, only 18 colleges in the university provide on- campus housing for undergraduate students, and there are two hostels run by the university.

Since DU is home to a large number of all-girls colleges, there are nearly 3,283 hostel seats available for girls, with only 1,067 seats for male students.

Hostel seats are allotted on the basis of merit, that is, Class 12 marks. We do not open hostel admissions for Delhi-NCR students, said Anita Vishen, warden of Hindu College Girls Hostel.

Students who are currently residing in hostels said they get spacious rooms and a safe and secure environment. Wi-Fi facility is available at 17 college hostels and one university-run hostel.

Living with friends is a great experience if you want to make the most of college life and hostel is the most convenient option The only drawback is that it gets quite hot since there in no AC or cooler. So for students accustomed to ACs, the heat may be a bit troubling, says Akashneel Sarma, a second-year student from Guwahati staying at a hostel in St Stephens College.

Do not expect a lavish lifestyle  I have learnt to live without an AC, heater or even a refrigerator, says Utkarsh Lal, a Lucknow resident and a first year Zoology student at Hindu College who stays at the college hostel.

A number of current applicants and parents voiced concerns regarding finding comfortable accommodations at reasonable rates. Considering the limited number of hostel seats, alternative housing, costing between 7,000 to 25,000, may be the only option for many.

When I first came here from Nepal, it was quite taxing to look for a place that I could imagine myself living in for the next three years PG timings are more flexible compared to hostels. But there are a few cons. PGs in south Delhi are quite expensive and the food here is not worth it, says Tanvi Mohta, a second year student of LSR who stays at a PG in GK-I.
The proposed merger of the two apex bodies for higher education  the UGC and the AICTE  may not come about before 2019 as it has been shelved till the Narendra Modi government gets a majority in the upper house of Parliament, an informed source has said.

The Human Resource Development Ministry had last year proposed to fuse the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) into the Higher Education Empowerment Regulation Agency (HEERA).

A ministry source however told IANS that since the establishing HEERA will require approval in both houses of Parliament, the government may wait till it has majority in the Rajya Sabha.

This is one of the political factors. Apart from this, the framework of the body is still being worked upon. But the idea of bringing it before the Parliament has been postponed for now, the source said.

The proposed agency may have two Vice Chairpersons to look after the work which at present come under the UGC and the AICTE.

UGC is a statutory body established to accord degrees and grants and to set up quality benchmarks for the higher education institutes, while AICTE, also a statutory body, came up to oversee setting up of technical institutes and their quality.
The 29-km Dwarka Expressway will be ready within the next 18 months, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) CEO V Umashankar said on Friday.

All obstacles have been removed, he said at an event.

The Dwarka Expressway, which runs from Mahipalpur in Delhi to Kherki Daula in Gurugram, will help decongest the Delhi-gurgaon Expressway and bring relief to the lakhs of homebuyers who have invested in housing projects along the expressway.

The project was stuck due to problems in land acquisition at New Palam Vihar and Kherki Daula. The Haryana urban development authority (Huda) had issued notices to 50 homeowners in New Palam Vihar Sector 110 and Kherki Daula in Sector 84 whose properties were on the land required for the new highway. They were told to vacate their houses within 24 hours or face demolition. Huda started demolishing houses on Saturday, the same day when the Punjab and Haryana high court stayed the demolition drive. However, by the time the court issued the stay order, 25 homes had already been demolished.

On Tuesday, the high court ordered Huda to allot alternative plots to even those evictees who do not have sale deeds, effectively plot owners with the general and special power (GPA/ SPA) of attorney.

Observing the urgency of utilising the land for a project of national importance, the HC ordered Huda to allot alternative plots by June 5.

Huda administrator Chander Shekar Khare said that a list those eligible for alternative plots was being prepared.

We will send the list to headquarters (in Panchkula) tomorrow. Once the allotment process is complete, the land will be handed over to the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) for the construction of Dwarka Expressway, Khare said on Thursday.

Though Khare did not provide a date for allotment of plots, he claimed that Huda was trying its best.

The evictees, however, are not happy.

They said the demolition drive was illegal as they have not been allotted plots as per the terms of an out-of-court settlement they had reached with the Huda in 2015.

Its been three years since we were promised plots in Sector 110-A. We were also supposed to get a six-month window to build homes on these plots before being asked to vacate our homes, said 28-year-old Sushobhan, an IT professional who lives in New Palam Vihar.

The residents also alleged that the demolition drive started on May 26, several hours before the 24-hour ultimatum served to them by Huda was to expire.

A police contingent was also present to make sure the drive was carried out without interference from the residents, said Puran Chand, 58, who has been living in New Palam Vihar for over a decade.

Another resident, 40-year-old Vishnu Dutt Sharma, pointed out that the notices were issued in accordance with Section 18 of the Huda Act, 1977 (power to evict persons from premises of authority), which contradicted the promises made to residents in the 2015 agreement.

Now, most of us are living in rented homes. There is no clarity, Sharma said.
A 24-year-old man abducted the five-year-old daughter of his employer, allegedly raped and strangled her and dumped the body in a container at his house in Faridabads Palwal district on Thursday.

On Thursday evening, police received information about a five-year-old having been abducted by one Bhola alias Virender of the same village.

When police reached the village, the childs family members said Bhola, 24, who worked in their sweet shop, left around 1.30pm on Thursday on the pretext of dropping their child home.

But neither he nor the child could be traced till late in the evening.

The family members told police that some village elders went to check Bholas house, where he was present. When someone checked a large container, they found the childs body inside, an investigating officer said.

The villagers then called the police. The body was in a semi-naked condition with stab wounds,a senior police officer said.

An FIR under section 302, 201, 365, 376D, 34 of the IPC and 6 POCSO was registered against Bhola at Sadar police station in Palwal on Thursday.

During interrogation, Bhola told the police that he did not get along with his employer. Police were questioning him to know what prompted him to kill the child.

The body was handed over to the family after post-mortem on Friday for last rites, superintendent of police, Palwal Wasim Akram, said. The medical report confirmed rape, he said.

Bhola is married but his wife was not living with him for the last two years, a police official said, they were probing the role of a few other men seen in CCTV footage.
Police data shows that there has been a sharp spike in cases of chain snatching over the last few years. A total of 136 cases of snatching have already been reported till April 30 this year; 509 cases were reported in 2017 and 409 in 2016.

These are the reported cases  many a time, cases of chain snatching go unreported due to fears of family tantrums, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sumit Kuhar said.

According to feedback received by the police, such incidents have restrained locals from wearing gold ornaments at public places, he said.

The modus operandi is often the same, police said, suggesting that snatching cases take place in a planned and well-rehearsed manner.

Generally, explained a police officer who asked not to be named, two bikeborne men land up from nowhere and target women who are generally alone. At times, the pillion rider gets down from the vehicle, snatches jewellery, rushes back to the motorcycle and flees with his accomplice, he added.

Ranjana Gehlot, a resident of Sector 21, said she could not step out of her house for about a week after her gold chain was snatched in April.

So many people go for walks in the evening in my neighbourhood, which is well guarded. I had been doing the same for years. But the incident shook me to the core, the 53-year-old said.

Gehlot said she was stopped by two young men who asked her for directions. When I started showing them the way, the pillion rider snatched my chain with such force that I almost fell down. Before I could even realise what was happening, they fled, said Gehlot, who works at a government school.

Some places in the city have emerged as particularly notorious spots for bikeborne chain snatching, according to the data. In the first four months this year, 30 cases of snatching were reported from areas under DLF Phase 2 police station, 15 from Sadar, Sector 14 and Sector 29, and 14 from Palam Vihar and Sector 56.

DLF Phase 1 police station registered eight cases till April. MG Road, Sector 56, Sector 57, Sector 29, Sector 5, Palam Vihar, Sector 23 and Sector 22 are infamous for chain snatching, the police officer said, and the snatched items are usually sold in markets across Gurugram and Delhi.

Mona Dhandhi, a resident of Sector 17B, got a shock when a Delhi-based jeweller showed her a pair of bangles stolen from her house last October.

The bangles had been polished but the antique design of the bangles, which she had been wearing for many years, made her recognise them.

The 40-year-old immediately reported the incident to police, and the jeweller was booked for buying stolen ornaments.

Last year, police booked and arrested 24 jewellers for allegedly buying stolen gold chains. This year, one has been arrested so far.

DCP Kuhar said, Our crime branch has been given the task of getting hold of the snatchers. We have written to HUDA/MCG to ensure no streets are without lights. We are ensuring police patrolling is heavy on lonely stretches.

As per records, most chain snatchers are college- and school-going students. Police said most of those arrested in cases of chain snatching are between the ages of 16 and 21.

What works in their favour is the fact that they look innocent, police said.

Those arrested are often released on bail, and tend to become repeat offenders, said the police who are taking measures to curb chain snatching cases.

We have intensified patrolling in various places. Most members of the gangs busted recently were college and school students from good families. We have noticed students of Class 9 and 12 are generally part of the gang. They easily get attracted towards easy money and commit such crimes, Kuhar said.
The Haryana Chief Minister has approved the draft of the proposed Haryana Urban Tenancy Bill, 2018, which provides a framework to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants in the state, Urban Local Bodies minister Kavita Jain said on Friday.

The Haryana Urban (Control of Rent & Eviction) Act, 1973, had become irrelevant since it had not been amended and did not meet the demands of growing cities, Jain said. She said that if the bill is passed, it will safeguard the rights of the lessor and the lessee, both.

Rights and responsibilities of the landlord and the tenant have been fixed in the draft bill and it will soon be presented in the assembly, an official said.

The draft bill calls for creation of a tribunal and a rent court for quick resolution of conflicts between the homeowner and the tenant. Such a law is important for Gurugram, which sees a large influx of people from across the country. There have been many cases of fights between landlords and tenants over a range of issues, from difference of opinion on lifestyles to mode of rent payment.

In August 2017, a fight had ensued between the Essel Towers Pilot Court society members and the tenants after guests of all tenants in the building were not allowed to enter the premises. The society had also issued a notice to the owners asking them to not rent out flats to single tenants. Moreover, the Essel Towers RWA had circulated a notice stating that people of the opposite sex could not visit each other unless they were family.

In my colony, some days back a tenant filed a police complaint against the landlord. While giving possession of the flat, the landlord had told the tenant that there was a minimum lock-in period and if he were to leave the accommodation before that, the token amount would not be returned. The tenant accepted all conditions, but when the landlord refused to return the token amount he chose to file a police complaint. If this bill becomes a law, landlords and tenants, both, can avoid conflicts like these, Dinesh Vashisht, president of the residents welfare association of sectors 3, 5 and 6, said.

Citys large population of tenants also hopes that the proposed bill will check their exploitation by landlords.

It would be good to have some regulation defining the power of a landlord. This will ensure that tenants are not exploited, Asad Ali, resident, DLF phase-1, said.

Siddhant Chawla, a tenant in a gated condominium of Sushant Lok Phase-1, said, People in my society have a problem with the fact that I stay alone. I recently learned that the guards try to keep an eye on my movement to see if someone else is staying with me. This is an intrusion of my privacy. An Act that curbs this intrusion should help improve the situation and the bill is a first step.

Why this bill is needed:

*The bill provides a framework to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants

*Gurugram sees high influx of people from across the country, and there have been many cases of fights between landlords and tenants over a range of issuesfrom difference of opinion on tenants lifestyle to mode of rent payment

*Last year, Essel Towers Pilot Court society issued notice barring guests of tenants from entering the premises

*Society told houseowners to not rent flats to unmarried men/women

*The Essel Towers RWA circulated a notice stating that people of the opposite sex could not visit each other unless they were members of immediate family
About 100 km from Gurugram, in Mewat district, as one travels across the dusty roads and nondescript villages, no unusual activity can be spotted at first glance.

But dig deeper and one will find that a couple of villages along this stretch is central to a booming stolen vehicle industry. These villages harbour the most hardened criminals engaged in anything from stealing vehicles, disposing them and dismantling motor parts.

HT visits Lingua Kalan, a village around 15 km from Punhana, which appears to be as regular as any other village,comprising a few shops, a tea stall and men sitting in groups, chatting. There is no hint of crime. But then, a local points to shady workshops dotted at one corner of the village, which are central to this clandestine stolen vehicle trade.

Lingua Kalan, sources said, receives at least 10 stolen bikes daily from Gurugram, Rewari and sometimes even Delhi. The bikes are sold to local buyers or those from neighbouring districts of Bharatpur and Alwar in Rajasthan, where police presence is marginal. Often, mechanics from the city source cheap spare parts extracted from the stolen bikes from this village or from the nearby Jamalgarh, known to be another such hub.

Residents of Lingua Kalan say the stolen vehicles trade got a fillip after the ban on stone mining in Haryana, a major source of livelihood. A large number of villagers who had taken to trucking are facing trouble as their licences are not renewed. As a result, young people are forced to take up crime, said Mohammad Kasim Khan, a local.

Lack of education is another reason for the rising crime. Young boys are trained to dismantle motorbikes in hours. For dismantling a bike, Rs 1,000 is paid to a group of boys who share the money, Khan said.

The trade is carried out in the open but in a very tight-knit manner. There is no deal without reference, said a source. Though it is risky, it is a growing business that is profitable and lucrative. It also provides employment to a large majority of the village youth, who are engaged in it in one way or the other, a source said.

The small workshops double up as showrooms for bikes and spare parts removed from stolen vehicles. Deals are mainly struck by touts sitting at tea shops. They welcome those who come with a reference, and the delivery is made as per their demand and choice. Here, even a brand new motorbike does not cost more than Rs 10,000.

Generally, a gang comprises a recce team that spots the vehicles, lifters who steal the vehicles, a contractor who disposes stolen vehicles and a team of delivery boys who bring the bikes, the source said.

On an average, each team member makes Rs 20,000 to 25,000 a month  a sum that makes the trade lucrative despite the high risk involved. So entrenched is the trade that many youth from Gurgaon and neighbouring Bharatpur visit Mewat to get motorcycle parts.

An executive with an automobile company in Gurgaon, said, I had to buy engine parts, a silencer and shocker for my Hero Honda Splendour bike. Here the estimate was Rs 16,500. But when I went to Mewat, I got all replaced for just Rs 4,000. They hardly took three hours to complete the job.

To save their trade, residents of Lingua Kalan have dug pits at many places to hide stolen bikes during police raids. The policemen keep walking on the pits but fail to spot the hidden vehicles, said Shaukat, another villager .

However, outsiders are strictly barred from entering the twin villages of Lingua Kalan and Jamalgarh. Entry of police and the media, especially, is a strict no-no.

Police, however, have a different view on the issue. Mewat Superintendent of Police Nazneen Bhasin maintained, One cannot say that all major vehicle lifters are from Mewat. You have them coming from Faridabad, Palwal and Rewari in Haryana, and Alwar in Rajasthan too. Now, even people from Sonepat are involved in vehicle lifting.

The trend keeps changing and presently, the trend is not towards Mewat. Not a large number of stolen bikes have been traced to Lingua Kalan. At present, policing is a core part of governance in Mewat and we are getting as much done as possible, Bhasin said.
The Millennium Citys much-hyped aquarium house has everything but fish and water.

Built between 2006 and 2009 at the cost of Rs 1 crore, the aquarium house was set up jointly by the state fisheries department and Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda). The facility is fitted with 15 air conditioners and has 32 aquariums of different sizes.

The basement is cleaned everyday by the staff, but the glass tanks are lying vacant. A little less than Rs 20 lakh have been sanctioned to run the project, which is nowhere close to being open to the public.

The plan was to build a mini oceanarium where visitors can see marine life through a glass tunnel, said a Huda official, who requested anonymity. It would have been first of its kind in the state, but senior officials did not take an interest even after spending a hefty amount on its construction, the official added.

The website for the fisheries department mentions the aquarium project in a page devoted to ornamental fisheries.

It says, ... these fishes are swift, gentle and simple. Some of the common aquarium fishes suitable for Haryana are gold fishes of all varieties, angelfish, fighter fish, gourami of all varieties, guppy, platy, molly, tangerine, barbas, swordtail, etc.

According to the website, the big Aquarium house in collaboration with HUDA is still under construction.

There should also be a small laboratory on the premises, which would check water quality, but that is yet to be constructed. Aquariums in nearby states, such as Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, have the advantage of natural ponds for their water supply.

Water to the aquarium in Gurugram would have to be supplied from outside  the state is still working out where it will get the salt water needed for the fishes.

Director of Haryanas fisheries department, Sanjay Singh, said the project has failed to take off because it is pending at the government level. According to Singh, the project may be handed over to a private company.

We are planning to give the lease to a private company as it requires a lot of maintenance and we are not able to take care (of it). The plan was big and we planned to keep all kinds of beautiful fishes, but the project kept getting delayed and finally we are taking our hands off it. This will be given on lease as soon as possible. Its not easy to maintain an aquarium, that too such a huge one. We have no team and hardly people to manage a new project, he said.

Officials from the fisheries department said an appropriate public-private partnership (PPP) model may be framed after studying the experience of other successful operators in the country. We are planning to float a global tender to run the aquarium in the PPP model, said Haryanas agriculture and fisheries minister OP Dhankhar.
Hollywood actor Anne Hathaway has dismissed rumours of catfights on the set of her new film Oceans 8, insisting she became good friends with all of her co-stars.

Hathaway stars alongside Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, and Helena Bonham Carter in the Oceans franchise spin-off. She was caught up in feud reports with Blanchett in 2016.

However, she said the duo had nothing but a good time on set, reported E! Online.

Its been really amazing to watch the way certain members of the media have wanted us to fight each other and the way they wanted there to be competition and catfights, but we were all collaborating - all the time, Hathaway said on Today show on Thursday.

Now, were friends. We genuinely love each other and were so there for each other. Its a beautiful thing. And I think thats what female friendship is. Thats what it has been in my life, and I dont know why I thought it couldnt be that at work; I guess, because I was fed this myth. But we all have had an experience that disproved it, she added.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
Having experienced the tough conditions, first hand, during a brief stint in Naini Central Jail here, eminent hotelier Sardar Joginder Singh has taken it upon himself to improve the lives of inmates lodged there.

He was jailed briefly following a tiff over a piece of land.

As step one, he has gifted a 1000-litre water cooler to the jail for the inmates and visitors.

Moved by the plight of the prisoners, some of whom are unable to secure their release due to lack of money for bail, Singh, who is also the president of Shri Guru Singh Sabha, has also proposed to pay up their bail amount ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Singh said the condition of inmates in the jail was pathetic. I witnessed their plight inside the jail premises. Dilapidated toilets, no proper drinking water facility, lack of hygiene, etc, were some of the basic shortcomings that need to be addressed, he said.

The water cooler that he donated costs around Rs 1 lakh. It is benefiting not only prison inmates but hundreds of visitors who arrive on the jail premises to meet their relatives and friends lodged here, he said.

We have also asked the jail administration to get us the list of inmates who have not been able to secure release because of lack of funds. Sabha will pay up the bail amount and get them freed, he added.

DIG (jails) BR Verma, when contacted, confirmed that he had received the verbal proposal from the businessman and was getting a list of such prisoners prepared.

There are a number of such inmates who should have been out by now but due to lack of funds, they could not be freed. I am personally getting the list prepared which would be completed by next week, Verma added.

The condition of prisons in UP is pathetic largely due to overcrowding along with lack of basic facilities.

UPs prisons department, under Right To Information (RTI) Act, has recently revealed that its 36 jails in the state, including five central jails, have 59.28% more prisoners are in jail than the original capacity. Eight of its jails have more than double the capacity of inmates, three jails have more than three times the original capacity of jails besides two jails have more than four times the capacity of inmates stuffed behind bars.

A significant 1,155 inmates in UP jails had died due to different reasons between 2015 and 2017, the RTI plea confirmed.

In Naini jail, against the capacity of 2,090 prisoners, 3,693 prisoners are lodged currently. These include 1,665 convicts and 2,028 undertrials.
The BJP will throw open its doors for Congress veterans in Andhra Pradesh, two leaders familiar with the matter said. There are over 20 senior Congress leaders in the southern state who will cross over to the saffron party between the coming week and the election in April-May next year, they said.

They are discussing the matter with us, the first BJP leader said. Party president Amit Shah is aware of the matter and will decide the timing of their entry. Most of them are influential leaders whose influence goes beyond a Lok Sabha or assembly seats, the second leader said.

The BJP appointed Kanna Laxminarayana, a veteran Congressman who joined it in 2014, as its Andhra Pradesh president in May. He was on his way out, but Shah held him back by offering him the chiefs post. Laxminarayana now helps the BJP poach other Congress leaders.

Andhra Pradesh was a fortress of the Congress until 2014, the year it lost the state to Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Telangana and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh. The Congress had won 33 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats of the undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2009 Lok Sabha election, an edge it lost in 2014 following flared up emotions over the states division.

While TRS swept Telangana riding on a wave over fulfilment of the separate statehood demand, the TDP trounced the Congress in residue Andhra Pradesh by blaming the then Congress-led UPA for the division.

The BJP stitched up an alliance with the TDP in 2014, and the alliance swept the Lok Sabha and the assembly polls, held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP, however, parted ways in March over demands for a special category status for the state. Our alliance with the TDP was limiting our growth, the first BJP leader said. The BJP fielded candidates in 4 out of total 25 Lok Sabha seats, won 2 and polled 20.8 lakh votes with a share of 7.2%. In the assembly polls, it fought on 13 out of the 175 seats, won 4 and polled 6.32 lakh votes with a share of 2.2%.

We could not have contested 2019 polls  both parliamentary and assembly  on a seat sharing formula we agreed in 2014, the first BJP leader said. The TDP could not have given us more.

BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao said the Andhra Pradesh unit will make big inroads in the state. The popularity of the Modi government and the organisational strength of the BJP, built by Amit Shah, are our biggest strength, he said.

The second BJP leader said, Now that we are not an ally of the TDP, the Congress leaders see a scope in the BJP. The Congress and the TDP have been traditional rivals in Andhra Pradesh, and the BJP wants to exploit the split to woo Congress veterans. This strategy helped us in the northeast where the BJP was traditionally weak, but Congress leaders who crossed over helped it come to power, the leader said.

The BJPs campaign for Andhra Pradesh will be two pronged, the second leader said.

First, it will try to create a perception that the TDP was a party of Kamma, about 5% of the state population. It will insist that leaders only from the community benefitted under the TDPs rule.

Second, a campaign will be unleashed targeting chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and his history of alleged betrayals  to his father-in-law, the former chief minister NT Rama Rao, and Atal Bihar Vajpayee during the NDAs first stint in power.
An investigation into the Indian Premier League betting case involving Arbaaz Khan appeared to widen on Saturday, with police saying two film producers could be questioned after the interrogation of the actor who, they said, admitted to betting in the T20 format and losing Rs 2.83 crore.

Khan, summoned by the Thane Anti Extortion Cell, was confronted with bookie Sonu Jalan, who was arrested along with five others last month in the probe related to betting of hundreds of crores of rupees over the past five years, a police official said on condition of anonymity.

During the four-hour questioning, names of film producers Parag Sanghvi and Murad Khetani came up, according to Pradeep Sharma, senior police inspector of the Thane Anti Extortion Cell. Sanghvi has produced movies including Sarkar, Partner and Attack of 26/11. After the two were questioned, names of more big bookies have tumbled out, another officer said, without revealing any name. Text messages sent to the producers remained unanswered as of press time.

Khan admitted to betting and said that he had been betting in cricket matches for the past several years, said deputy commissioner of police, Thane Crime, Abhishek Trimukhe.

Jalan had earlier told the police that a Bollywood producer, who is the CEO of a film production-distribution company based in Mumbai, was his partner in the betting racket.

Last year, Khan placed a bet and lost Rs 2.83 crore. When Jalan asked for the money, Khan said he cannot pay him. Jalan had also threatened him after that, said Sharma.

Days after Jalan was arrested, the Thane Anti Extortion Cell found a diary with phone numbers of more than 100 cricket bookies, two police officials said. The book was said to mention names of contractors, builders and people who work in the share markets.

Jalan had arranged a match-fixing meeting at Dubai. The celebrity was also present at that time. We are probing to know which match was fixed and who all were involved, Sharma had said on Friday, without naming anyone.

#WATCH: Actor-producer Arbaz Khan appears before Thane Anti-Extortion Cell, he was summoned in connection with probe of an IPL betting case. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/Yw5tmloxud  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

The investigations come after a 2013 spot-fixing scandal led to IPL teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals being suspended for two seasons and S Sreesanth, a Rajasthan Royals bowler, receiving a life ban along with teammates Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila. Several bookies were also arrested as part of the probe.

On Saturday, Khan was escorted by Shera, his brother Salman Khans bodyguard, as he reached the Thane Anti Extortion Cell office. Even as Khan and Jalan were being questioned, the police seized a machine used in the betting racket.

When Jalan told us about possessing a line-holding machine, which is used to take several bets at the same time for on-going matches, a team was sent to his house in Malad, Mumbai. The machine have several phones connected to charger and earphones, said police inspector Rajkumar Kothmire.

At about 4.30pm, when Khan emerged from the building where he was being question, Khan said: I am cooperating with the investigation. Whatever the police ask, I will give all information.

(With inputs from agencies)
Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are looking to forge alliances with smaller political parties carrying influence in certain pockets of Madhya Pradesh for the forthcoming general elections, according to leaders from both sides.

The Congress wants a united opposition in Madhya Pradesh, replicating the success of the strategy in the Kairana Lok Sabha seat and Noorpur assembly seat bypolls in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP on the other hand, is looking to stitch an alliance with parties that can garner the saffron party additional votes.

Newly-appointed state Congress president Kamal Nath has already made it clear that he would like to go with like minded parties to defeat the BJP.

We want a tactical alliance on a united opposition to ensure that its a Congress-led government in the state and that we are not dictated by alliance partners particularly in the present circumstances when there is a strong anti-incumbency factor against the government and Congress vote share is bound to increase, said a Congress leader on condition of anonymity.

Madhya Pradesh Congress in charge Dipak Babaria said, All I can say at this juncture is that we are open to joining hands with like-minded parties like the BSP, Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), etc but its a matter of negotiations before any alliance takes a final shape.

The GGP which won 3 seats in the state assembly elections in 2003 has been approached by the Congress as was admitted by the GGPs new state president Manmohan Shah Batti.

BJP leaders are not comfortable with the Congress alliance talks and are in touch with smaller parties. A senior BJP leader, who was not willing to be quoted, said talks but refused to divulge details saying the negotiations were in its initial stage. Lets wait and watch, he said.
It was an everyday skirmish between a Khasi bus driver and a poor Dalit Punjabi woman on Thursday afternoon on the crowded street known as Punjabi lane in the most congested area of the capital of Meghalaya, Bara Bazaar. However, it took on mammoth proportions with the local Khasi tribal population gathering in the area, pelting stones and calling for the ouster of the outsiders occupying their land.

What happened was that a khasi driver, Skylin Roy Marbaniang, parked his bus on the crowded seat and went for a cup of tea at a nearby shop asking his 18-year-old nephew to move the wheel slowly. A Punjabi woman filling water could not pass and she objected to the bus being parked there. An argument ensued with the Khasi vendors and she, along with other Punjabis, pelted stones at the bus and the sons of the driver aged 17 and 14 received mild injuries.

INCREDIBLE STORY

The story of Dalit Sikhs moving to Shillong is an incredible one. According to a document issued in 2008 from the erstwhile Khasi royalty, The Syiem of Mylliem and Durbar, the ancestors of the Dalit Sikh community were already settled in Shillong. They are said to be brought by the British army to work as manual scavengers as tribals living midst fields would not do this work. The earliest settlement was in Bara Bazaar and later in a colony of army recruits in a street known as Gora Line in Laitumukhra.

The document further says: The Syiem and Darbar Hima Mylliem never issued any land document to the Harijan community, but recognised and respected them since the plot of land was allotted to Dalits long time back by the predecessors Syiem of Hima Mylliem. However, a gurdwara, Valmiki mandir and Guru Nanak LP School have been given valid documents.

LONG STRUGGLE

It has been a long struggle for the Dalits here as 95% of them are without Scheduled Caste certificates. For the past 25 years, there has been an effort to evict Dalit Sikhs from here, says Gurjeet Singh, general secretary of the gurdwara, which is still under reconstruction.

Alarmed by the recent uprising by the local Khasis, Gurjeet adds: The Centre should intervene as the government here has not dealt with the situation firmly. Some leaders from Punjab should raise their voices for the protection of Dalit Sikhs here. He says that protesters set a shop of a Dalit Sikh afire here.

Though the state is claiming to have controlled the situation and peaceniks are active, yet the curfew has been extended in the affected parts. Six more companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have been sent by the ministry of home affairs to tackle the situation as reportedly the directions coming from the Meghalaya cabinet continue to be mixed.

FEELING OF DEJA VU

The peaceniks have been active in quelling the rumours as these have been abounding in the charged situation in the state capital. Many are wary that the situation should not return to the violent tribal agitations of the 90s. An interview with the bus driver whose son was hurt in the skirmish is being widely circulated on the social media as rumour had gone around that the teenager had succumbed to the injury.

Marbaniang has confirmed that his two children are fine and he adds: There is no such thing as Khasi or Punjabi. We are all brothers and sisters and are created by God.

Not only the Dalit Sikhs, but Punjabis settled in Shillong for many decades are uneasy about the situation. No one wants to be quoted but a businessman on conditions of anonymity says: The situation is far from normal and has to be dealt with firmly yet sensitively if communal clashes are to be avoided.

MEGHALAYA CM ASSURES SAFETY OF SIKHS

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma called up his Punjab counterpart captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday to assure him of the safety of the Sikh community and their religious institutions in the state following communal clashes.

Sangma also assured Amarinder that there was no damage to any gurdwara or other institutions belonging to the Sikh minority in Meghalaya.

Amarinder expressed concern over the developments and hoped the situation does not escalate further, said an official spokesperson.

The Meghalaya CM said he was personally monitoring the situation to ensure that there is no further trouble or incident that could trigger fresh tensions, the spokesperson added.
One youth was killed and another was injured after being driven over by a CRPF vehicle which came under attack from a group of stone-pelters near Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on Friday.

Yonis Ahmad and Kaiser Ahmad were hit by the CRPF vehicle and were admitted to the hospital where doctors declared their condition as serious. Kaiser, who was said to be very critical and on life support, passed away around midnight.

After Friday prayers at the mosque, scores of protesters shouting anti-India slogans clashed with police. They surrounded a CRPF vehicle and pelted stones at it.

CRPF PRO Sanjay Sharma said the vehicle was carrying second-in-command of 28 Battalion, SS Yadav.

They (protesters) came very close, some of them even climbed on the vehicle. The protesters were trying to lynch people inside the vehicle and the driver was trying to get out of the situation, he said.

Sharma said that while trying to get out of the situation, somebody might have come under the vehicle.

Images and a video of the incident have gone viral on social media.

Former state chief minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to condemn the incident.

Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protestors. Now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns, so use jeeps? he tweeted along with a picture of youth crushed under CRPF vehicle.

CRPF PRO Sharma said their personnel didnt fire a single bullet or a pellet despite the grave situation.

Last week, after Friday prayers, the police used pellets to quell protesters. Some tear gas shells landed inside the mosque. More than 20 people were injured in the incident.

Later, the Auquaf Committee and Traders Federation of Jamia reached an agreement with the police that there will be no security deployment in the mosque and volunteers will look after the security and discourage stone pelting after prayers.

However, despite the agreement, protests took place outside the Jamia Masjid and its neighbouring areas after prayers on Friday.
The farmers agitation in Maharashtra is likely to intensify in the coming week, with 12 organisations led by the Left-aligned Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha (ABKS) on Saturday announcing plan to launch their own.

A 10-day strike led by the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (RKM), also a farmers outfit, is already underway in the state from Friday. While ABKS has not lent support to the ongoing strike, they have planned an agitation from June 5 to June 10.

The protests are likely to lead to a shortage of supplies of vegetables, fruits and milk to the city in the coming days. Though supplies in main whole sale markets are not yet hit, retailers have already started hiking prices of vegetables in the city. ABKS was part of the steering committee of farmers organisations that had held strike in June last year.

The strike called by RKM is part of a nationwide protest across 130 cities to highlight the ongoing agrarian crisis and press for demands, including complete loan waiver and higher minimum support price. Apart from blocking supplies, our supporters also staged road blockades at several places. We have succeeded in affecting 40% supplies to the cities. The police have arrested four activists from Sangamner, said Sandeep Gidde Patil, core committee member, RKM.

Ajit Nawale, general secretary, ABKS, said the BJP government has no sensitivity towards farmers issues.

Despite high production, the Centre has imported tur from Mozambique, sugar from Pakistan and the state government is taking milk from Gujarat and Karnataka, which has hit the farmers here.

We have decided to gift the chief minister imported tur, sugar and milk on June 5 apart from other forms of agitation. Dr Ashok Dhawale, president, ABKS said he has not seen such an anti-farmer and pro-corporate government in the last 70 years. Every time we get only an assurance whereas corporates like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi get away, Dhawale said.

ABKS had also organised farmers long march from Nashik to Mumbai this year.

On Friday too it held protests at more than 20 districts outside tehsildar offices. Dr Ashok Dhawale, president, ABKS said he has not seen such an anti-farmer and pro-corporate government in the last 70 years.
Responding to the criticism directed at former President Pranab Mukherjee for accepting an invitation from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the organisation said that it has a long history of engaging with those with divergent views.

Manmohan Vaidya, joint general secretary of RSS, said the body has a special outreach cell known as the Vishesh Sampark Vibhag, which has a mandate of reaching out to opinion makers from across the political spectrum.

The Vibhag reaches out to influential people from different walks of social life and opinion makers. Through such outreach meetings, we try to understand their work and contribution to society and tell them about the Sanghs views, activities and achievements. We also discuss different national issues and exchange our views. On the basis of this, we invite them to visit and get a first-hand experience of the Sangh, said Vaidya.

A list of personalities whom RSS has invited to visit shakhas or preside over functions include political leaders and critics of the RSS such as Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, Jaiprakash Narayan and former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Mukherjee will be addressing the Sanghs third-year camp for its volunteers at Nagpur on June 7. Several Congress leaders, who are critical of RSS ideology, have objected to Mukherjees decision and have asked him to reconsider.

Everyone who comes may not join the Sangh, but it surely helps them to understand Sangh better, said Vaidya.

Citing examples of people from Congress and other parties who have attended events organised by the RSS in the past, another functionary said: In 1990, BJPs Prabhat Singh Chauhan and a Congress MLA attended an RSS function in the presence of Sarsanghachalak Balasaheb Deoras. In 2010, at Kollam in Kerala, a local mayor and a Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader were invited to inaugurate the RSS office.

He said invitations are extended with the purpose of acquainting guests with the organisations ideology and work.
US defence secretary James Mattis described India as the fulcrum of security in the Indo-Pacific region as he travelled this week to an annual security conference in Singapore, attended for the first time by an Indian leader.

But if Mattis was hoping that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would use the platform to join the US, Japan and Australia -- a grouping known as the Quad -- in a more muscular challenge to Chinas regional expansion, he was disappointed. Instead, Indias strongest leader in decades navigated carefully between the two regional military powers.

Modi studiously avoided any mention of the Quad in his speech, and he hammered the kind of protectionism currently practised by the US, both of which were sure to satisfy Chinese delegates.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together in trust and confidence, sensitive to each others interests, Modi told defence ministers and military officials assembled for the Shangri-La Dialogue, an event organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

He did echo US appeals for freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law. And he attacked governments that put other nations under impossible burdens of debt. Both were likely references to China for its behaviour in the disputed South China Sea and its Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure projects -- which can come courtesy of large loans -- in other countries.

Yet Modi has done something of a turnaround on China in recent weeks, a far cry from his ground-breaking shift to deepen engagement with the US when he came to power in 2014, which was accompanied by a show at home of standing up to Chinas rise with a more robust act east policy.

Tensions came to a head last summer when Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a standoff over a long-running border dispute. To embrace a more proactive India, the US rebranded its Asia-Pacific policy as Indo-Pacific, a change that fuels Chinese concerns about containment.

The organisers of the Shangri-La Dialogue have been waiting for Mr. Modi for a while. India is seen as the linchpin for a longer term coalition to confront China, said Manoj Joshi, a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. Changing Asia-Pacific to Indo-Pacific was a means of getting Indian military capacity into the equation.

Still, tensions between China and India later subsided, and Modi has seemingly warmed to President Xi Jinping. On Friday, he reassured China that the Indo-Pacific was neither a strategy nor a club.

At the end of April, when the worlds attention was focused on a historic summit between the leaders of South Korea and North Korea, Xi invited Modi for two days of informal talks in central China. Around the same time, reports emerged that India decided against inviting Australia to join annual naval exercises with India, Japan and the US  something Washington wanted and Beijing didnt.

Modi gave a positive assessment of China-Indian relations in his speech, Lieutenant General He Lei, who was leading the Chinese delegation, told state-run China Central Television afterwards on Friday. Modis speech was constructive and reflected a strong outlook for relations between the two countries, he added.

Next week, Modi will travel to China again, for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security body dominated by China and Russia that India joined as a full member last year.

Whether these gestures represent a policy shift, or simply a desire to ensure theres no embarrassing repetition of last years border clashes ahead of Indian elections in 2019, is a matter for dispute among Indian foreign policy analysts. Theres also the question of how much of any thaw might be down to Xi, who has embarked on outreach with rivals including Japan as China faces pressure from US President Donald Trump over its trade policies.

For some, the change is real, driven by a growing recognition that India simply lacks the economic and military capacity to compete with China, combined with growing uncertainty over the reliability of the US.

Reality has hit home when it comes to measuring up to Chinas power, said Kanti Prasad Bajpai, director of the Center on Asia and Globalisation at Singapores Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Chinas military budget is more than three times as large as Indias, and its economy almost five times as big.

Modi has simply understood that after a certain point India is not in a position to bear its fangs to China, especially given the unreliability of the US under Trump, he said.

The raw spending numbers may even underestimate the disparity in hard power between the worlds two most populous nations. Whereas China has plowed resources into developing and buying high-tech weapons, India spends as much as two-thirds of its defence budget on routine expenses such as personnel. In recent years, the percentage of the budget spent on capital investment has fallen.

When it comes to competing economically for the loyalties of countries in the region, the gap is even wider. India has no response to Chinas Belt and Road program, according to Syed Munir Khasru, director of the Institute for Policy, Advocacy and Governance, an international think tank headquartered in Bangladesh.

India has a lot of soft power, with rich history, art and culture, Bollywood and its vibrant democracy and so on, Khasru said by phone. But China has cash power.

For others, though, the change is only one of optics, geared to the coming election. The security establishment remains alarmed by Chinese military expansion, in particular by signs it is looking for footholds in the Indian Ocean, which India has always seen as its preserve, said Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, who heads the South Asia program at IISS. Modi is simply seeking to ensure tensions dont flare up for the next year, he said.

At the same time, India doesnt want to let the US draw it into a confrontation with China over the South China Sea, where Chinas territorial claims cross over with nations such as Vietnam and the Philippines. India has always been leery of freedom-of-navigation operations -- where ships sail through areas of contention to make a point -- and of developing the Quad into a security-focused organization.

Modi, said Roy-Chaudhury, is relentlessly pragmatic.
A joint working group (JWG) on defence cooperation between India and Ukraine will meet for the first time in Kiev next week at a time the eastern European country has sought New Delhis help to investigate criminal charges against officials of Ukraines Spetstechnoexport, a state-run entity overseeing military exports and imports.

India and Ukraine will explore possibilities for expanding military cooperation at a time India is making attempts to diversify its arms purchases in the wake of American sanctions against Russia and Ukraine is making a pitch to expand its presence in the Indian defence market, officials familiar with the talks said.

The JWG will meet on June 4-5, six years after the two countries inked a defence cooperation pact.

The officials, who did not wish to be named, said Ukraine was looking at partnering with Indian firms to pursue opportunities in areas such as armoured vehicles, transport aircraft, radars, electronic warfare equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles. Ukrainian companies are in talks with Indian firms such as Reliance Defence, Larsen & Toubro, and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd for likely opportunities under the Make in India initiative, the officials added.

For countries like India that are dependent on arms imports, a working relationship with Ukraine will be a desirable course of action. It will allow us some wiggle room in the wake of American sanctions against Russian entities, said strategic affairs expert Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak (retd). In the naval sphere, India is in talks with Ukraine for gas turbines for a frigate programme. India and Russia are likely to sign a deal for four more Krivak/Talwar class stealth frigates before the India-Russia annual summit in October, and the gas turbines will power these warships. The turbines will be supplied by Ukroboronproms Gas Turbine Research & Production Complex Zorya-Mashproekt.

Ukraine could also be asked to help with maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of Soviet-era weaponry at competitive prices, said an army official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Reacting to a news report on Thursday, the defence ministry trashed allegations that Indian officials were involved in a bribery case relating to the purchase of spares from Ukraine for the Indian Air Forces Antonov-32 planes. It said the Ukrainian embassy in India had sent a request to ministries of home and external affairs in March for legal assistance in the investigation of a criminal case filed against officials of Spetstechnoexport.

India and Ukraine inked a $400-million contract in 2009 for upgrading the IAFs fleet of 100 An-32 planes.
When 21-year-old Kaiser Ameens coffin was brought out on Saturday morning, his relatives and the women of the neighbourhood gathered around it and started singing dirges: O braveheart, who will take care of your two young sisters now? But the funeral procession didnt get to accompany Ameen on this final journey.

The police stopped them and used tear gas to disperse the gathering. Later in the afternoon, Kaisers body was taken in a vehicle accompanied by close relatives and friends to Eidgah and buried.

On Friday, Ameen was run over by a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle that had been trying to get away from street protests that were taking place near Jamia Masjid, in Srinagar. Ameen is one of three young men who were run over. He had sustained grievous injuries and passed away around 12:30 am, said Ameens friend and cousin, Adil Ahmad Bhat.

Ameen is survived by his two sisters, 19-year-old Toiba and 17-year-old Iffat.

He was just like a typical downtown boy; he loved bikes mobiles and always used to pray at Jamia Masjid, said Ahmad of Ameen. After Ameens parents died, Ameen and his sisters lived with his uncle. Ahmad remembers Ameen had been having morbid thoughts about death in recent times. For the past few weeks, he had been saying that he would die and it seems his prophecy has turned true, said Ahmad.

People offer prayers during the funeral of Kaiser Ameen, in Srinagar. (Waseem Andrabi/HT Photo)

The police has registered a case of rash driving against the CRPF and another case against the protestors. Sanjay Sharma, CRPF spokesman, said, The protesters were trying to lynch people inside the vehicle and the driver was trying to get out of the situation. Locals believe the CRPF could have avoided the men who were run over. Most recently, Adil Ahmad was crushed to death at Safakadal on May 5 during the protests that followed the killing of three militants at Chattabal.

His uncle Ghulam Mohammad who adopted Kaiser and his two sisters after death of their parents said, I cant believe we lost him. With his death this family has lost everything. I am worried about his two young sisters now...
Violence erupted in Srinagar on Saturday as security forces allegedly fired shotgun pellets and tear gas at hundreds of people who had come to attend the funeral march of a man who was run over by a paramilitary vehicle the previous day.

Associated Press reported that the angry mourners were taking the body to a graveyard in defiance of a government order banning the assembly of over four people when they were stopped by security personnel. Even as further protests erupted, police took custody of the body and allowed only a handful of the victims relatives to conduct the funeral.

Two youngsters  Younis Ahmad and Kaiser  were admitted to a city hospital after they were hit by the CRPF vehicle near Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area on Friday. Kaiser, who had to be placed on life support, passed away around midnight, said SKIMS medical superintendent Dr Farooq Jan. Although Ahmad is also in a critical state, we are hopeful of his survival.

People offer funeral prayers during the funeral procession of Kaiser Ahmad in downtown Srinagar on June 2. (Waseem Andrabi/ Ht Photo)

Meanwhile, police said they have booked the CRPF driver under sections 279 and 337 of the RPC for rash driving. They have also lodged a case against unidentified stone-pelters for rioting and attempted murder in connection with the violence that erupted in the city on Friday.

Police said Ahmad and Kaiser were run over when scores of protesters began shouting anti-establishment slogans and attacked security personnel outside Jamia Masjid after the Friday prayers. According to CRPF public relations officer Sanjay Sharma, the vehicle was carrying SS Yadav  the second-in-command of the 28 Battalion.

They (protesters) came very close, and some even climbed on the vehicle. The protesters were trying to lynch those inside the vehicle, and the driver was only trying to get them out of the situation, he maintained, adding that it was likely that somebody might have come under the vehicle in the heat of the moment.

Even as images and a video of the incident went viral on the social media, former chief minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to condemn the incident. Earlier they tied people to jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protesters. Now they just drive their jeeps right over protesters. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns, so use jeeps? he tweeted, along with a photograph of the deceased.

Protesters clash with forces after they stopped the funeral procession of Kaiser Ahmad in downtown Srinagar on June 2. (Waseem Andrabi/ HT Photo)

The authorities have imposed restrictions in the old city and disconnected internet connectivity to prevent the violence from spreading. Separatists, for their part, called for a region-wide strike to protest the frequent killing of civilians in the Valley. Consequently, most shops, business establishments and fuel stations in Srinagar remained closed through the day.

Top separatist leaders Yasin Malik, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani have also been placed under detention.

(With agency inputs)
The mystery over the prime source of the deadly Nipah virus that claimed 17 lives in north Kerala deepened after the blood and serum samples taken from fruit bats were also found negative.

At least 13 samples had been sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and all tested negative like the earlier tests on samples from insectivorous bats, said a senior health official.

Initially, experts suspected bats to be the primary source after they found some in the well of Moosa whose family was the first to succumb to the virus.

Our prime concern is to contain a possible secondary infection. There is some confusion over the primary source and we will conduct an elaborate study with the help of the World Health Organisation (WHO) once the dust is settled, said state health secretary Rajeev Sadanandan.

Another senior official of the animal husbandry department said it was too early to give a clean chit to fruit bats.

These samples were taken randomly. There are chances that virus carriers were not there. We need more scientific studies to the reach the primary source, he said.

According to the WHO advisory, fruit bats and animals like pigs are the main carriers of the virus.

Dr G Arun Kumar, head of the department of virus research in Manipal, who is camping in Kozhikkode said the strain of virus detected in Kerala was similar to a virus strain in Bangladesh.

Our primary investigation shows it is almost similar to Bangladeshi virus that is more lethal than the Malaysian strain, he said adding the infection was localised effectively.

Meanwhile the state government has called another all-party meet in the state capital on Monday.

Last week a meeting was called in Kozhikkode, the worst-hit district.

Police have arrested three persons from Malappuram on Saturday after they allegedly put up posts on social media intended to create panic.

Similarly, at least 30 persons fell sick in Mukkam in Kozhikkode district after taking homeo medicine distributed under the pretext of immunity boosters. The district medical officer has announced a probe into this.
Indian Medical Association (IMA) President Ravi Wankadekar on Saturday said Kerala need not worry about the Nipah virus as the state is absolutely safe from it now.

State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that Kerala was indeed a safe destination as around 300 doctors arrived in Kerala from various parts of India for the IMA conference to be held at Kovalam.

The arrival of the renowned doctors to Kerala has an immense significance, said Surendran.

Wankedekar, who is in the capital city for the IMA conference, said that the virus outbreak does not hold any threat.

Around 300 doctors arriving in the state itself shows that the virus isnt a threat at all, said the IMA President.

State Health Minister K.K. Shailaja said that the medical teams of the Centre, state and the private sectors need to be complimented for effectively containing the outbreak.

Of the 18 positive cases, 16 have died and the remaining two are recovering well at the Kozhikode hospital. In all we had sent 193 samples of which 175 were negative.

Almost 2,000 people have been reported to have come in contact with the affected and this figure might go up. Things are in control, but we have to be very careful said Shailaja.

Anxious moments were witnessed on Saturday morning when it was wrongly reported that a 38-year-old woman had died in Kannur district due to the Nipah virus.

However, soon other reports surfaced that she had died of other causes and did not carry the Nipah virus.

But even while the state government has assured that the situation is under control, people in Kozhikode district are taking extra precautions with many people wearing masks outdoors.

Businesses and market places are less crowded while some movie theatres have downed shutters.
A special police team on Saturday arrested the self-proclaimed owner of the Kolhan Independent Estate, octogenarian Ramo Birua from Chaibasa on charges of sedition.

He was wanted for hoisting the flag of Kolhan and inciting people for a separate Kolhan Independent Estate.

We were keeping track of his movements and on Friday evening DSP (HQ) and a special team arrested him from a house in SPG Mission Colony here on a tip-off. He was sent to jail and we will soon take him on remand for further interrogation, Mayur Patel Kanhayalal, West Singhbhum superintendent of police (SP), said on Saturday.

DSP Prakash Soy, who led the team, said they 84-year-old Birua was arrested from the home of his son-in-law Nirmal Pan and daughter Sumitra Pan around 6 pm on Friday evening.

Police also interrogated his eldest son Param Pratap Birua. The senior Birua was an additional deputy collector (ADC) under the State Administrative Service in erstwhile undivided Bihar.

Both his son-in-law and daughter are teachers.

He was hiding there for the last two months. Earlier he was hiding inside Bandgaon jungle and his parental village Bhagabila in Manjhari too. He was wanted for hoisting a flag of Kolhan and inciting people by claiming that he was the owner of the Kolhan Independent Estate by order of the British Empire, said Soy.

According to Soy, Birua was citing centuries-old British rules to buttress his claim that he was the present owner of the estate.

Birua claimed the Kolhan Estate was neither in Hindustan nor in Pakistan but an Independent state given to him by British Empire (read his ancestors), said Soy, adding, India is now an independent country with its Constitution which categorically declared all such British laws and rules null and void.

Birua had held a meeting in 2017 during which he had then hoisted the flag.

He was wanted in connection with a case lodged for trying to hold a meeting and hoist Kolhan Estate flag at Bindibasa in Bhoya village in Pandrashali on December 18, 2017. He even claimed to have obtained bail, he added.

In the case, an FIR was lodged against Ramo Birua, Munna Ban Singh and 45 others on the basis of statement by Khuntpani block development officer (BDO) Sunita Khalkho.

Munna Ban Singh was arrested later but Ramo Birua went underground and was absconding ever since.

Mysteriously, however, the fagitation spread to Jamshedpur too with 50-60 people allegedly hoisting the Kolhan Estates flag near Kharkai River at Bagbera here in December 2017. A case was lodged at against five named accused and a dozen unknown accused in this connection.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met US defence secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore and discussed security related issues, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal Indias importance to the US military.

Modi, who is in Singapore on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was also present in the meeting that lasted for nearly an hour.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister Friday night.

The focus of conversation was on the region in the context of PMs keynote address at the #SLD18 yesterday evening, ministry of external affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

In his keynote address, Modi had said an Asia of rivalry will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each others interests, he had said.

We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and reaffirmation for rule based order.

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations, Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. The US also rejects Chinas claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagons move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the Major Defence Partner status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each others assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapores former premier Goh Chok Tong on Saturday jointly unveiled a plaque to pay tribute at the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhis ashes at Clifford Pier in the city-state.

Modi, who is in Singapore on the last leg of his three-nation tour, unveiled the plaque on the seafront where some of the Mahatmas ashes were immersed in 1948.

Emeritus Senior Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong and I unveiled a plaque marking the site where Mahatma Gandhis ashes were immersed at the Clifford Pier in Singapore.



Bapus message reverberates globally. His thoughts and ideals motivate us to work for the greater good of humanity. pic.twitter.com/Gdfzt0SICQ  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2018

A beautiful rendition of Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye, a favourite bhajan of Mahatma Gandhi, was sung on the occasion.

After Gandhis death in 1948, his ashes were sent to various parts of India and the world, including Singapore, for immersion.

Earlier, Modi met Goh, a veteran leader and an advocate of deeper India-Singapore engagement.

Had a productive meeting with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Modi tweeted after meeting Goh.

Modi arrived here on Thursday on the last leg of his three-nation visit. He earlier visited Indonesia and Malaysia.
Protests in Himachal Pradeshs capital Shimla continued for the 12th day on Saturday, over acute water shortage.

Police have booked over 24 persons for protesting against water scarcity outside chief minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakurs residence. Besides, a large number of residents blocked traffic in different localities of the town.

Hundreds of residents from Jhinu colony blocked the Dhalli-Tutikandi bypass for over three hours, thus hassling commuters. The traffic blockade was lifted only after a team of municipal corporation (MC) officials reached the spot and assured them of water supply.

There has been no water in the area since 15 days and the MC is fooling us by providing the supply for five minutes after a week, Bhupinder Sharma, a resident of the colony said.

According to information, water supply in Jhinu colony was to be restored on Friday.

Moreover, residents of Kasumpti also staged a demonstration against no water supply at the area bazaar on Friday night. Kasumpti too, was supposed to get water supply on Friday as per MC schedule. Agitated residents blocked the traffic. Even deputy mayor Rakesh Sharma failed to pacify the protesters and they again took to roads on Saturday morning and blocked the traffic.

The residents of Chotta Shimlas Brockhurst and Vikas Nagar area also protested outside the water control room at Chotta Shimla. Over two dozen women of Vikas Nagar, carried sticks to the control room on Friday night and staged a protest against water shortage.

The woman alleged that the MC discriminated against their area and did not supply water while another colony in Vikas Nagar received the supply.

Meanwhile, over 100 youths of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress led by state youth president Manish Thakur staged a protest outside CM Thakurs residence on Friday night. Police have deployed quick response teams and anti-riot vehicles outside the CMs house.

All activists were booked for unlawful assembly.

On the other hand, the municipal corporation claimed on Saturday that the water situation in Shimla improved marginally after rains in catchment area on Friday.

On Saturday, Shimla received 23 million litres of water against required 45 MLD. The Himachal high court had put the water keyman (the person responsible for water distribution) under surveillance on Friday.

The court had also asked the civic body to educate citizens on water conservation. Besides, it also asked the media to restrain from reports that could prove detrimental for the capital towns tourism.
Police arrested a taxi driver on Saturday on charges of raping a Japanese tourist in Manali. The 30-year- old victim approached the police on Thursday and informed them about the incident, which took place on Wednesday.

She alleged that a taxi driver sexually assaulted her on May 30 (Wednesday), Kullu superintendent of police (SP) Shalini Agnihotri said. The victim complained that the taxi driver took her to a secluded place in a forest near Manali and raped her, the SP said.

Accused taxi driver Deepak was produced before a court and sent on remand.

The tourist said that she had arrived in Manali on May 29 after her trip to Kaza in Lahaul and Spiti. She said she was supposed to visit Dharamshala on May 30 but had missed her bus, so she hired a taxi for sightseeing around Manali.

She said that she had asked the taxi driver to take her to the bus stand in the evening, said Agnihotri. However, the taxi driver took her to Kullu, assuring her that he would catch her bus mid way, the victim alleged, adding that later, he took her to a forest and sexually assaulted her.

He allegedly also threatened her of dire consequences if she disclosed the incident.

The complainant said she feared Delhi gangrape in 2012-like brutality and surrendered as he raped her. said Agnihotri.

It took almost 12 hours for the police to zero down on the accused as the victim was clueless about the vehicles registration number and location of the incident.

It was a blind case as the victim did not know the required details to nab the culprit. The car model and registration number were also not known to her. She could not even identify the place of the incident, the SP said.
Vegetables became dearer in parts of Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh on Saturday as farm supplies dwindled due to the agitation launched by farmers, even as union ministers and state governments sought to downplay toe impact of the protests.

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh suggested the protests were a publicity statement, saying people need to do unique things to feature in the media, according to news agency ANI. Earlier, his Madhya Pradesh counterpart claimed no farmers are participating in the strike. Farmers are happy with the schemes.

Farmer organisations called for a 10-day Gaon Bandh (rural shutdown) from June 1 demanding loan waivers, land reforms and higher prices for their produce. The agitation, which the organisers say will end with a nationwide shutdown on its tenth day, has brought back focus on an agrarian crisis that could, unless addressed, hurt the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politically in elections to key states later this year and the national elections in 2019.

Traders in the Chandigarh fruit and vegetable market said the prices of several vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum and bottle gourd had increased by Rs 10-20 a kilo.

Traders in some markets in Madhya Pradesh also reported a spike in prices. There is a 30-40% drop in supplies since yesterday. Today, the wholesale prices were up by about 20%, said Amit Patidar, a trader at Neemuch fruit and vegetable market.

At a few places in Madhya Pradesh, farmers put up blockades. In Petlawad town in tribal Jhabua district, farmers distributed milk and vegetables free to patients in the hospitals , refusing to sell both.

Resentment among farmers is particularly strong in Madhya Pradesh  a BJP-ruled state that is among a clutch of others set for elections this winter  and Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Mandsaur in the state, where five farmers were killed last year on June 6, while taking part in demonstrations.

Anil Yadav, the union general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union, one of the organisations coordinating the agitation, said the campaign will be amplified from next week.

In Punjab, where chief minister Amarinder Singh blamed the Centre for the farm crisis, farmers protested at several places such as Nabha, Ludhiana, Muktsar, Tarn Taran, Nangal and Ferozepur and blocked supply of vegetables and milk entering cities.

According to the Punjab police, farmers allegedly forced the closure of vegetable mandi in Ferozpur and in Bathinda, farmers owing allegiance to Bhartiya Kisan Union stopped some vehicles carrying milk. Some farmers were taken into custody, said Bathinda police station officer Iqbal Singh.

In Haryana, milk supply to Haryana Dairy Development Co-operative Federation Ltd was blocked in several districts. In Sirsa, police booked about 90 unidentified persons for allegedly trying to stop sale of milk and vegetables in their village. In Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa where the farmers held protest early morning and did not allow any vegetable seller to reach at the city.

In Maharashtra, the Rashtriya Kisaan Mahasangh (RKM) stopped supplies of vegetables, fruits and mils to cities such as Mumbai, Pune and Nashik. The Mahasangh also announced it would intensify the agitation by increasing the number of traffic blockades from June 7.

The decision to stop supplies starting from June 1 till June 10 was taken by the farmers under the banner of Kisan Ekta Manch and Rashtriya Kisan Maha Sangh.

(With agency inputs)
Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said the Centre is looking at a long term fix to the issue of the rise in petrol and diesel prices, adding that the solution lies with state governments also as they too levy their taxes.

He said petrol prices were de-regulated during the rule of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.

Government is working on a long-term solution with states. They are also equal stakeholders. They also levy their taxes and therefore all have to work together to come out with a solution, HRD minister Javadekar told reporters in Pune.

The Central government regulated fuel prices in the country till 2010, when they were de-regulated.

Now, the prices are revised by oil companies mostly under the free-market system.

On June 16 last year, oil companies decided to revise prices on a daily basis, instead of every fortnight, as per international practice.

On Saturday, prices of petrol and diesel fell around nine paise in four metro cities.

The issue is petrol and diesel prices. It is an international phenomenon and during Congress regime, they de-regulated petrol, Javadekar added.
Defying the darkness in their lives, visually impaired students of a government school in Barmer are setting an example for others. In the Class 12 Arts results announced by the state board on Saturday, the visually impaired students of the school not just cleared the examination, but showed others the way to overcome challenges in life.

Vahiya Khan, a visually impaired boy of Derasar village in Barmer district, scored 85.20 percent to emerge as the topper in the school.

Vahiya passed Class 8 from Shri Satya Sai Andh Mook and Badhir Vidhyalya, run by Society to Uplift Rural Economy (SURE), an NGO, in Barmer. Later, he joined the government school with normal students at the district headquarter. Son of a farmer, Gulam Khan, Vahiyas dream is to become an IAS officer.

Another visually impaired student, Dhapu, a resident of Dandali village in the district, scored 70.50 percent to set an example for others. Dhapus father Rauram, mother Tipu Devi, brother Jagdish and three uncles Muknaram, Umaram and Malaram, are all visually challenged.

Brought up in a challenging situation, Dhapu also studied at Shri Satya Sai Andh Mook and Badhir Vidhyalya till Class 8 and later joined the government school. She had scored 68.20 percent in Class 10 board examination. Dhapu wants to become a teacher. Now, I will do more hard work for my higher studies, she said, adding that she loves the teaching profession.

Vahiya and Dhapu are not the only students who have performed well in the state board examination. Jabbar Singh scored 81.40 percent, Mohhamad Khan 75.80 percent, Rasal Khan 78.20 percent and Ammruddin got 76.20 percent.

Reacting on their success, the school principal, Chaina Ram Choudhary, said that the visually impaired students have done a great job.

Lata Katchwah, the joint secretary at SURE, said that she felt proud as the students not only achieved their goal, but also inspired others to accept challenges.
Health minister Kalicharan Saraf expressed helplessness on Saturday over the departments failure to recruit doctors to fill vacant posts.

There are 11,000 posts of government doctors, of which 3500 are vacant. The government recently advertised for 800 vacant posts, but has not got responses, Saraf said, interacting with the press at a meeting here.

God only knows why doctors are not joining government jobs, he said, voicing his frustration. He added that many doctors posted in remote areas did not join duty.

Saraf said the government had not been successful in filling the vacancies despite offering good remuneration to doctors.

Outlining the BJP governments achievements, Saraf said steps had been taken to strengthen the healthcare system in the state. The BJP government has in its five-year tenure spent Rs 46,082 crore on the health sector while the previous Congress government had spent only Rs 16,923 crore, he said.

Saraf said the state had got adequate budget from the Centre for health services and on that basis the state government was going to start medical colleges in Bharatpur, Churu, Pali, Dungarpur and Bhilwara. The government is also making efforts to start medical colleges soon in Barmer, Sikar and Dholpur, he said.

The minister said the government had appointed 20,000 para medical staff in the past four years and was hiring 7000 nursing staff.

Saraf said the infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate and neonatal death rate had shown improvement. The IMR in 2013 was 57 which has now declined to 45 while the neonatal death rate has gone down from 32 to 28.

He said the BJP government had taken forward the free medicine and free medical test schemes started by the Congress government. We removed gaps in the schemes and improved their quality, he said.

The Congress spent Rs 691 crore on the scheme (free medicine) from 2011 to 2013. In our first three years, from 2014-2017, medicines worth Rs 1129 crore were distributed. From 2017 to February 2018, medicines worth Rs 424 crore were given. A total of 27.89 crore people have benefitted from the scheme.

He said around 20 lakh people had benefitted from the Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana, on which the government had spent Rs 1200 crore.

We have opened Adarsh Primary Health Centres across the state without discriminating on political grounds. These PHCs have been opened in BJP and Congress areas, said Saraf.

Of the 600 centres that were to be made Adarsh PHCs, 285 have been completed in the first phase and the rest will soon be developed, he said.
Ladpura BJP MLA Bhawani Singh Rajawat, who recently accused the Vasundhara Raje government of neglecting Rajputs, has called a meeting in Kota on Sunday to discuss what he called the political future of Rajput community.

At a meet in Kota last month, Rajawat said the BJP government has failed to serve Rajputs. He also accused Rajes son Dushyant Singh, the Member of Parliament from Jhalawar, of ignoring the community.

Rajawat, convener of the Kota meet, has invited dissident BJP legislators and political leaders from the Rajput community.

Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers welfare Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, whose name was opposed by the Raje-led faction for the Rajasthan BJP president post, has been invited as the chief guest. BJP MLAs Narpat Singh Rajvi, Diya Kumari and Rao Rajendra Singh have also been given the invitation.

Rajvi, the son-in-law of former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, is considered a dissident leader. Rajendra Singh and Diya Kumari have seen up and downs in relations with Raje over the recent years. Singh was made the assembly deputy speaker after he was denied a cabinet berth. The relations of Kumari, a member of the former Jaipur royal family, with Raje soured over the Jai Mahal Palace dispute.

Asked about the objective of the meet, Rajawat said, It is a meet to show unity of the Rajput community. Many big leaders of the community have been invited. Lets see who attends the meet.

Randhir Singh Bhindar, an independent MLA from Bhindar who was denied a BJP ticket in the last two assembly polls, is likely to attend the meet. BJP MLAs Prem Singh Bajor and Hariom Singh Rathore, who are supporters of Raje, have also been given publicity material to give the impression that the meet is a Rajput event.

It is not a meeting of dissident BJP leaders, Rajawat said. Political analysts see the meet as a show of strength of dissident leaders to put pressure on Raje and her faction.

The grapevine has it that Rajawat, an MLA of three consecutive terms, may be denied a BJP ticket for assembly polls because of his criticism of Raje. Analysts say Rajawat wants to put pressure on the state BJP leadership through the Rajput leaders meet.

Rajputs, who constitute about 10% of the states population and hold sway on 35-40 assembly seats, have been at loggerheads with the BJP since last year. The community is unhappy with the state government and the BJP over the encounter killing of gangster Anandpal Singh, Padmaavat film row and standoff between Raje and former Jaipur royal family.
A team of the Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested a youth from Delhi on Friday for duping an elderly woman from Kolkata by not supplying a puppy for which he took Rs 18,000 from her.

Kamal Sharma, 30, allegedly promised to sell a Basset Hound puppy to a 70-year-old resident of south Kolkata and took the money from her through electronic payment modes.

With drooping ears, short legs and playful nature, Basset Hounds are coveted as pets and pups are usually priced above Rs 25,000 depending upon the pedigree. A police officer said the bait of the accused was the price that was substantially below the market value.

The victim lodged a complaint with the Government Railway Police in Howrah in May, alleging she was duped after responding to an online advertisement for sale of pups. She paid the entire amount but the pet never arrived.

A Bengal CID team conducted a raid on Friday in Pul Prahladpur, New Delhi and Kamal Sharma was arrested. The accused was produced before the metropolitan magistrate at Saket Court. The court ordered four days of transit remand with a direction to produce the accused before Howrah Court on June 5, said a CID statement.

After the case was transferred to CID, Sharma was traced in Pul Prahladpur in Delhi through his mobile phone location.

Sharma was charged with forgery, cheating (IPC section 468) and violation of Information Technology Act.

The accused switched off his phone after the lady made the payment. He allegedly sent the victim photos of the pup he promised to deliver.
Police raided an illegal firearms manufacturing unit at Naldubi in Malda district on Thursday, arresting 10 people and recovering a number of half-made weapons in the process.

Police also seized Rs 80,000 in cash from the main accused, identified as Akram Sheikh of Rajmahal in Jharkhand. All the others hailed from Bihars Munger district, known to be a hub of illegal weapon manufacturing units. Twenty-two 9 mm and 7 mm pistols were recovered from the premises. We are interrogating the arrested people to find out more about the racket, said Malda superintendent of police Arnab Ghosh.

Other materials seized from the unit included a lathe machine, drilling equipment, a substantial quantity of gunpowder, some bullets and mobile phones.

Police said a contingent led by assistant superintendent of police (Malda) Arindam Sarkar and deputy superintendent Shyamal Mondal raided the property at Naldubi on a tip-off from a state-level intelligence agency. Sheikh had taken it on rent about six months ago.

Both Malda and Murshidabad districts are notorious for a variety of crimes, including the manufacture of illegal firearms, smuggling of fake currency, poppy cultivation and even supply of weapons and gunpowder to banned terror groups in Bangladesh.
YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE Direction: Lynne Ramsay Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov Rating: 5 / 5

Unarguably one of the finest films of 2017, this revenge thriller has been accorded a surprisingly limited release. Mores the pity, for it deserves to be seen by a wide audience.

The film is a harrowing portrait of a contract killer seeking to justify his misspent life. Its been adapted from Jonathan Amess 2013 novella of the same name, by Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher, We Need to Talk About Kevin  neither of which made it to our multiplexes).

Riven by suicidal tendencies, the protagonist is tasked with rescuing the kidnapped teenage daughter (Ekaterina Samsonov) of a New York senator. His relentless search for the captive girl leads to a brothel and a thriving child sex trafficking ring.

Abstaining from the casual cruelty endemic to this genre, Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay keeps the violence at the edges of the frame.

Demonstrating remarkable restraint, Ramsay creates a fully realised tragic hero unhinged by the paternal abuse he was subjected to in his own childhood. Abstaining from the casual cruelty endemic to the genre, she ensures that the hammer-wielding violence is relegated to the edges of the frame.

In one of the films most heartbreaking scenes, the avenger and an assassin whom he has fatally injured gently sing and hold hands to a melancholic tune playing on the radio. Even more memorable is the watery funeral the son grants his murdered mother.

Besides a career-defining performance from Joaquin Phoenix, the dazzling cinematography by Tom Townend and the visceral music score and soundscape (courtesy Jonny Greenwood-Paul Davies) contribute to the films propulsive momentum.

A one of-a-kind masterpiece, You Were Never Really Here is essential viewing for cinephiles. See it before its yanked from circulation.

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The state mangrove cell demolished 1,767 structures, including commercial and residential structures, crematoriums, garages, parking areas and temples, as part of its two-month drive to clear encroachments in the wetlands across the city.

Since April, the cell carried out demolitions in mangroves in Ghatkopar, Malad-Malwani, Cheetah camp in Trombay, Kandivli, Chikoowadi-Shankarwadi in Borivli, Mahim and Vikhroli. The authorities arrested 17 people, seized 56 vehicles parked illegally, and collected 5.6 lakh in fines. The encroachers had built bunds to cut off the flow of tide water to the mangroves, so the trees die. The authorities have dug up trenches to replenish the flow of water.

This has been one of the most effective demolition drives in Mumbai in the past few years. Of the nine locations where encroachments were identified, seven have been cleared of them. The encroachment at Wadala will be cleared soon, while the one at Colaba will be razed after the monsoon, said N Vasudevan, additional principal chief conservator of forest, state mangrove cell. We will not rest until the last unauthorised structure is removed from the mangroves.

Mangrove cell officials said the cleared areas are being fenced. The trenches have been built in such a manner that it will be impossible to construct loose structures on them. Apart from regular patrolling, we have also begun fencing mangroves in Trombay, said Makarand Ghodke, assistant conservator of forest, state mangrove cell, who was assisted by 15 forest officers, Mumbai police and forest guards in all seven demolition drives.

The arrested men are part of the land mafia. They help them get voter ID cards and supplies to construct homes. They are in judicial custody. The charge sheet is being filed, said Ghodke.

HT has been reporting on mangrove and wetland destruction in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The state is yet to convict any violator in any of the cases.

In 2005, acting on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Bombay Environment Action Group, the Bombay high court banned destruction of mangroves across the state and construction within 50m of mangroves.

Such violations are an offence under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and have been given protection under category I of the CRZ (Coastal Zone Regulation 1991).
A 29-year-old man from Malad died after his bike was hit by an unidentified vehicle on the Sion-Panvel highway on Saturday.

The accident took place above the flyover near Hiranandani Chowk around 7.30am. The driver of the vehicle which hit the man fled the spot, leaving him in a critical condition.

According to the police, Kiran Naresh Kaini was riding his bike from Mumbai towards Panvel. He was hit by the vehicle while crossing the flyover.

Some locals rushed him to a nearby hospital, but he died during the treatment, a police officer from Kharghar police station said.

The police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act against the driver.

We are trying to find out the registration number of the vehicle with the help of CCTV footage. The driver will be arrested soon, another police officer said.

There was traffic jam on the bridge for some time following the accident.
A 60-year-old man from Chembur was injured after his car crashed into a truck on Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday.

Gautam Gaikwad had gone to Pune for work on Friday and was driving back home alone in his car on Saturday morning when the accident took place, the police said. Around 7.30 am, as Gaikwad was nearing Panvel city, his car crashed into a truck that was also moving in the same direction.

The car crashed into the truck from the rear and spun to a halt 50 metres away. Gaikwad fractured his right hand in the accident, said a police officer from Panvel taluka police station, who did not wish to be named.

A few locals who saw the accident rushed Gaikwad to MGM hospital in Kamothe, where he is under observation.

The truck waited for a while and then we let it go to Mumbai. It was no fault of the truck driver so we have not summoned him for interrogation, the officer said.

The police have registered a case against Gaikwad under sections 279 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code, and section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act. We dont think Gaikwad was drunk when the accident took place. We will take his statement, the officer added.
More than 50 residents protested and stood in front of JCB machines that were dumping debris in a pond at Sector 19 in Kharghar.

The residents  from Sector 18 and 19  who also filed a complaint at the Kharghar police station came out in full support of the unplanned protest.

The unlawful dumping activity was being carried out with permission from the City Industrial development corporation (Cidco).

The dumping of debris is occasional in the area. However, it became regular since Friday and more trucks were seen making rounds to the site, a protestor said.

The initiative to save the pond was taken by NGO Abhivyakti.

From complaining to wetland authorities and to reaching out to forest officials, the members tried everything, but did not get much support. Hence, they planned the impromptu protest against Cidco, who despite guidelines from the wetland committee did not bother to stop the dumping.

One of the protestors, Chandra Pandey, 52, said, They were getting truckloads of debris. It looked like they were in a hurry to fill the entire pond. There is going to be a night watchman to make sure that they do not return to dump the debris.

Pramod Patil, nodal officer, environment, Cidco, said, People are free to protest, but this pond does not exist as a wetland in our map. It is an artificial pond, which developed due to natural depression in the area, years ago.

He said that people do not want the view from their homes to be marred by new construction and hence the protest had been planned.

Nareshchandra Singh, who initiated the entire movement, said, This natural water body is so deep that it does not dry up even in summer. With truckloads of debris making the rounds, it is quite clear that Cidco is aware and is doing nothing. This dumping is not possible without their support.

He said that a visit by forest officials was scheduled for inspection, but they seemed seems to be in a hurry.

Dilip Kale, senior inspector, Kharghar police station, said, A complaint application has been received. However, higher officials will decide about the registering an FIR.
Passengers aboard the Air India aircraft AI 984, arriving from Dubai, experienced a moment of panic, 15 minutes before the flight was scheduled to land in Mumbai, after smoke was detected in one of the washrooms.

Passengers were asked to fasten their seat belts and were given emergency safety instructions. However, the flight managed to land at the scheduled time at 4.15am. Officials later learnt that one of the passengers had lit a cigarette in the washroom and dropped the burning stub into the dustbin, igniting its contents.

Commenting on the incident Air India spokesperson said, It is the ground security that gives clearance. Air India has raised the matter with the concerned authorities to investigate the incident and are looking into the matter.

Crew members rushed to the washroom as soon as smoke was detected from it. When they opened the washroom door, it was learnt that the dustbin in the washroom had caught fire, said a passenger.

Another passenger, who was flying from Canada and had switched flights in Dubai, said, Though the crew members had doused the fire, we were all tensed after learning about the fire. The authorities need to investigate how the passenger managed to get a lighter on to the flight.

All the passengers were made to wait for an hour, following which the passenger responsible for the chaos was handed over to Sahar police.
Minors travelling from India to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will now have to carry an authorisation letter from their parents or guardians, not only when flying alone but also when they are accompanied by a family member who is not a parent.

This rule comes into effect comes after an advisory by the Dubai immigration and police that aims to prevent child trafficking to the emirate.

The advisory stated that any minor travelling alone without proper authorisation will be deported back.

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai (Immigration), has notified the implementation of procedures effective from June 1 with regard to travel of children and minors travelling to the UAE.

Though the Dubai authorities did not give reasons for the restrictions, the United States Department of State has, in the past, warned about children from South Asia and Africa being trafficked for use as jockeys in the Gulf States camel racing industry.

The children have been reported to be abused, with incidences of physical and mental stunting caused by deliberate starvation to prevent weight gain.

Following this, Air India in its travel requirement, uploaded on its website on Friday, said that all minors (18 years and below) will have to mandatorily carry the authorisation form.

This form will have to be filled by their parents with details of their address both at home and of their host in the UAE.

If a minor is not travelling with his or her parent, then the details of the person receiving them at any of the UAE airports must be given.

On its website, Air India posted details of these travel requirements of minors to the UAE.

If a minor passenger fails to obey these travel requirements, the minor would be deported if immigration officials at the airport suspect illegal activity. In any suspected case, the normal (Deportee and Inadmissible passengers) process and subsequent fines would be applied, it read.
Former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, a key accused in the murder case of her daughter Sheena Bora, was admitted to the JJ Hospital in Mumbai Friday night for chest pain evaluation, doctors said on Saturday.

The 46-year-old co-founder of INX media, lodged in Byculla womens jail, was admitted in the critical care unit (CCU) of the state-run hospital at around 11.30 pm and her condition is now stable, they said.

She was admitted for chest pain evaluation. Clinical evaluation and investigations are going on. She is stable, said the doctors treating her.

Incidentally, this is the second time in two months that Mukerjea has been admitted to the hospital.

In April, Mukerjea was admitted to the hospital in a semi-conscious condition.

She subsequently underwent a series of medical tests. The hospital authorities had then said she had an overdose of anti-depressants that were not prescribed to her.

Indrani is currently facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora.

Bora (24) was allegedly killed and her body disposed of in a forest area in the neighbouring Raigad district in April 2012, according to the police.

Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai were arrested for the crime which came to light in August 2015.

Rai later turned an approver (prosecution witness) in the case.

Bora, Mukerjeas daughter from an earlier relationship, was killed over a financial dispute, said the CBI which is probing the case.

The Central agency later also arrested Mukerjeas husband Peter Mukerjea, a former media baron, for allegedly being part of the murder conspiracy.

The high-profile case, which has attracted a lot of media attention, was initially handled by the Mumbai Police and later transferred to the CBI.
On the first anniversary of the unprecedented farmers strike in Maharashtra that forced the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government to announce a loan waiver, farmers outfit Rashtriya Kisaan Mahasangh (RKM) kicked off a ten-day farmers strike from Friday.

The strike is part of a nation- wide protest across 130 cities to highlight the ongoing agrarian crisis and press for demands including complete loan waiver and higher minimum support price (MSP). As part of the protest, members of RKM tried to stop supplies of essential commodities  vegetables, fruits and milk  by holding raasta roko at Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune-Nashik Highway, Khed-Shivapur, Indapur, Shirur of Pune district, Karad in Satara, Pandharpur in Solapur, Sangamner in Ahmednagar, Nashik, Yeola in Nashik district, Parbhani and Aurangabad districts.

The impact of day one of the strike was limited as many other farmers outfits in the state decided to stay away. However, if it continues, it could lead to shortage of essential commodities.

The RKM asked farmers to stop selling their produce to local Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs)to hit the supply at wholesale markets. The main demands of the protesting farmers outfit include a complete loan waiver, higher MSP as recommended in the Swaminathan Commission report, free power supply for pumps and ethanol as an alternative fuel.

Until all our demands are met, we will continue to block supplies, said Sandeep Gidde Patil, core committee member, RKM. In a day or two, the supply at APMCs will be affected, added Gidde. State government officials however said the strike had not impacted supplies at APMC markets. Bijay Kumar, principal secretary, state agriculture and marketing department said, Only one farmers outfit tried to stop supplies for which we are taking precautions with the home departments help.

RKM expects more farmers to join their protest from Saturday. Meanwhile, Akhil Bhartiya Kisaan Sabha (ABKS), a left-aligned outfit that had organised farmers long march from Nashik to Mumbai this year, also held a protest on Friday at more than 20 districts outside tehsildar offices but did not support RKMs strike. It also has the same demands. Ajit Nawale, general secretary, ABKS, said, We have decided not to support RKM as the strike hits farmers hard as well. Instead, we chose to hold agitations outside tehsildar offices. At some places like Akola, supporters even spilled milk outside the offices. He added that it was a one-day protest and they will meet in Mumbai on Saturday to decide the future course of action.

Sada Khot, minister of state for agriculture and marketing, said the state was willing to hold negotiations with farmers. Around 40 lakh farmers will get loan waiver benefit for which the state has already released 15,000 crore. We are procuring tur after its excessive production. The Centre has agreed to increase MSP, Khot said.
A day after the results of the two Lok Sabha bypolls were out, the state government announced that it will hold the monsoon session of the state legislature in Nagpur instead of Mumbai from July 4.

On Thursday, Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Raos office issued an order to the state legislature to hold the session at Nagpur from July 4.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been keen on this shift in venue to send out a signal that it has given importance to Vidarbha, its citadel and a backward region. In the 2014 polls, the party had swept the region winning 44 out of the 62 seats here.

However, so far, its ally Shiv Sena had opposed this shift. The decision to shift the venue with or without consent of its ally is expected to further strain the relations between the BJP and Sena.

Yet, a senior BJP minister said that after losing the Bhandara-Gondia seat in Vidarbha in the bypolls, the political message for Vidarbha was all the more important to the BJP.

We dont want to wait until December to make certain announcements for Vidarbha and Marathwada. This will be a good public relations exercise for us in our stronghold. There is some resentment against the government in rural areas and we are keen to stem that, admitted the minister.

Along with this, the state government, in accordance with the Centre, is planning to reschedule budget session to December in Mumbai to facilitate change in the financial year to January-December from existing April-March as suggested by the Niti Aayog.

Typically, the monsoon session is held for three weeks while the winter session, which is held in Nagpur every year, lasts for two weeks.

When the government first announced to shift the venue two months ago, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray opposed it by saying that the shifting of venue would not help in development of Vidarbha.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had then formed a three-member committee of ministers to take a decision by mid-April. The opposition from Shiv Sena had deferred the decision as BJP did not want unwarranted clashes during the bypolls held on May 28.
In the wake of 17 confirmed deaths caused by Nipah virus in Kerala, Maharashtra public health department will meet officials from National Institute of Virology, Pune, today to review surveillance strategies to detect Nipah virus cases in the state. The meeting will be held in Pune.

Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer, said public health officials at primary health centres are being trained to identify symptoms and transmission of the virus.

We are teaching them about the virus, how it transmits and how to identify its symptoms, Awate said.

As per World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus infection is an emerging zoonosis  a disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals. Its natural host are fruit bats.

We are strengthening the surveillance to detect [Nipah] cases, said Dr Sanjeev Kamble, director, Directorate of Health Services.

Fatality rate for Nipah virus has been estimated between 40% and 75%, but can vary depending on local capabilities for epidemiological surveillance and clinical management, said WHO.

However, the agency has advised against any travel or trade restrictions in India based on the information currently available. At present, no specific treatment is available to counter the virus. Infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in endemic areas, non-consumption of fruits partially eaten by infected bats or drinking raw date palm sap, toddy, juice, WHO added.
The Pant Nagar police have registered a case of murder against a 45-year-old man who killed his wife on Thursday evening. Shivshankar Vishwakarma slit his wifes throat and then tried to commit suicide by stabbing himself. He is currently undergoing treatment for the injuries.

The incident took place around 6.45pm in Ramabai Colony at Ghatkopar. Investigations revealed that Shivshankar and his wife, Chandrakala Vishwakarma, 40, used to fight frequently over petty issues.

Around 15 days ago, during a family gathering, Chandrakala told Shivshankar to stop fighting with her and abusing her over petty issues. Shivshankar was offended by his wifes conduct, and the two got into a fight on Thursday, said a police officer from Pant Nagar station.

In a fit of rage, he slit her throat with a knife. He later stabbed himself in an attempt to commit suicide, the police officer said. Rohini Kale, senior police inspector, Pant Nagar police station, said, that a murder case had been registered under sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
As the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) experienced its first shower on Saturday evening, three people were killed by electrocution, and flights and local train traffic in the city were severely hit.

Pre-monsoon showers hit the city on Saturday. Rain and thundershower, along with gusty winds, lashed parts of Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath, Navi Mumbai, Vasai and Virar from Saturday evening onward. According to the disaster management cell of TMC, Thane recorded 12mm rain between 7.30pm and 11.30pm.

In the evening, light rain was recorded in the suburbs including Goregaon, Andheri, Borivli, Kandivli, Dahisar, Chembur, and Santcruz. Around 8.30pm, light showers made its way to central parts of the city including Dadar, Parel and Worli. Light drizzling was reported from parts of south Mumbai. Santacruz recorded 25.5mm from 7pm to 11.30pm, while traces of rainfall in Colaba, till 8.30pm, were negligible.

The weather bureau has termed the rainfall as pre-monsoon showers. Land heating over the past few days allows the formation of tall clouds that leads to thundershowers. Mumbai and surrounding areas can expect more such showers over the next three days, said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region,IMD. Meanwhile, day temperature in the suburbs and south Mumbai was were at 35 degree Celsius mark, a little over a degree Celsius above normal, while the night temperature was similar to previous days.

Children enjoying at Koperkhairane, Navi Mumbai. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

In Bhandup, three died and one was injured by electrocution in two separate incidence. Sara Shaikh, 9, and Anil Yadav, 32, were rushed to the Rajwadi Hospital around 8.30pm and declared dead on arrival. Om Padtare, 10, and Rohan Sutar were rushed to Godrej Hospital, where Padtare was declared dead on arrival. In Malvani, two boys were rescued from a nullah around 9.30pm and no injuries were reported.

Flight services were also disrupted. According to Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd spokesperson, three flights had to be diverted and flight operations were delayed for up to 40 minutes. The runway had to be briefly shut, said airport sources.

WR local train services were also hit, as tripping occurred in the overhead wire between Bhayandar and Virar railway stations at 7.50pm. According to WRs statement, Four suburban services were cancelled due to overhead equipments tripping between Bhayandar and Virar stations. The situation got normal at 8.20pm and the local train service began. Further, small disruptions in overhead equipment occurred between Goregaon and Borivali, Vile Parle and Andheri, Goregaon and Virar and near Matunga Road station.

(With inputs from Neha Tripathi, Aroosa Ahmed, and Sagar Pillai)
After losing the Palghar bypolls to ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena leadership is likely to share the dias with the Opposition  the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)  in the district to protest the proposed Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train.

Bullet Train Virodhak Janmanch, an umbrella body of NGOs objecting to the acquisition of farm land in Palghar and areas of southern Gujarat, will hold the rally on June 3. They have sought support from political leaders across party lines.

At this rally, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is likely to be on stage with Congress party leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jayant Patil and other Left leaders. At the time of going to press, there was no official confirmation if Thackeray would attend the programme.

Sena deputy leader and spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said, Uddhavji has not taken a call on whether he will attend the event. A decision is expected by Saturday.

Given their strained ties with the BJP, it would be interesting to see if Thackeray joins the Opposition, at a time when they are uniting to take on the BJP. If Thackeray skips the meet, it would mean he doesnt want to ruffle the feathers with the BJP, although a Sena representative may attend the event. The Sena chief had earlier extended support to Palghar farmers protest against the 1.08-lakh-crore project.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, at a press conference held a day earlier, had expressed confidence in the Sena. I dont see the Sena joining hands with parties that are ideologically on the other side of the spectrum, Fadnavis had said.

Of the 1,400 hectares to be acquired for the project, 353 hectares are in Maharashtra. So far, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation has managed to acquire 0.9 hectares in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

Ulka Mahajan, one of the activists involved in organising the rally, said they will highlight the plight of people from the region who are set to lose their plots. Leaders of political parties that have taken a stand against the project will talk about why the project should not go ahead, she said.

According to Mahajan, the tribal population from the region is against the states decision to dilute the role of gram sabha in infrastructure projects. The state has diluted the law and made it convenient for them to acquire farmers and tribals scheduled land, Mahajan said.

According to a government notification issued in November 2017, the sanction of the gram sabha is no longer required for purchase of tribal-owned land by the state government through mutual agreements with owners.

This is not the first time the Sena has opposed a mega project backed by the BJP-led government at the Centre. It also opposed the proposed mega oil refinery at Nanar in Ratnagiri. In March 2018, the Sena extended support to the farmers long march organised by Communist Party of India-(M) affiliated All India Kisan Sabha.

WILL ACQUIRE LAND USING ETHICAL MEANS

While 23 of the 73 villages in Palghar taluka, from where the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train will pass, are unwilling to give away their land, the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC) said they will acquire plots only through ethical means.

Uday Singh, chief project manager, NHSRC, said, Land acquisition is a major hurdle for the project, mainly in Palghar. The NHSRC is offering five times the market value of the land as compensation. We will try to renegotiate with tribal land owners. We will acquire the land through the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013. December 2018 is our deadline to acquire land in Palghar, Thane and Mumbai suburban districts.

Singh said the project will be inaugurated on August 15, 2022. We can easily acquire the land under the more stringent Land Acquisition Act, 2013, but we will adopt only fair means, he said.

On Saturday, Palghar district collector Dr Prashant Narnaware will hold a public consultative meeting in Palghar to discuss the social and environmental impact of the project. Queries from the stakeholders will be answered within a week and will be posted on the official website of the NHSRC, said Dhananjay Kumar, spokesman of the organisation.
Befriending a stranger who gave her a missed call cost a 27-year-old teacher from Tamil Nadu dearly. The accused allegedly abducted the teacher with the help of two accomplices and robbed her of valuables at knife-point inside a moving car. The trio also threw the woman out of the moving car on Eastern Freeway after robbing her, police said.

Police said that the accused robbed the woman of 40 grams gold and cash that was in her purse.

The arrested trio has been identified as Prabhaharan Nadar alias Kumar, 28, Esikiappan Nadar, 33 and Krishnan Murliyar, 23, all residents of Kandivli.

The complainant in her statement to the police said she got a missed call from Kumar a year ago. The duo soon got talking and became friends.

Last week, the woman came to Mumbai to attend a wedding and also met Kumar, who allegedly hatched a plan to rob her of the jewellery that she was wearing, said an official attached to RAK Marg police station. On May 28, Kumar hired a rental car and under the guise of dropping her at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj station, took her for a ride. While the two were sitting in the rear seat, Esikiappan was driving the vehicle and Murliyar was seated at the front. As they were travelling towards CSMT, they stopped the car near Wadi Bunder, where Kumar got down under the pretext of withdrawing cash from an ATM kisk, the official said.

Murliyar then switched to the back seat and the vehicle was driven to Eastern Freeway. Murliyar then threatened the woman with a knife and asked her to remove the gold chain she was wearing. They then threw her out of the running car on the Eastern Freeway and fled the spot, the official said.

RAK Marg police registered a case in this regard and unit 4 of crime branch had undertaken a parallel investigation into the case.

Crime branch officials later arrested one of the accused from Dharavi after going through CCTV footage from Sewri. The footage showed the rental car being driven towards CSMT on the day of the incident. A team headed by Sandesh Revale, senior police inspector attached to Unit 4, identified one of the accused and apprehended him.

A police official said the other two accused had shifted to Ganesh Nagar in Kandivli. All the three were produced before a magistrate and were in police custody. The trio had sold the teachers gold chain to a jeweller in Kandivli for Rs1.08 lakh and were about to distribute the cash among them, added an official.
Palghar district collector Dr Prashant Nanaware on Saturday afternoon called off the public consultancy meeting between the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC) and the stakeholders in Palghar. Tribals from 73 villages in Palghar, through which the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train will pass, staged a hunger strike at Jeevan Vikas School ground, where the meeting was scheduled to take place, as they said they were not informed well in advance about the meeting. They also said they werent given the technical report of the project, following which the collector chided the NHSRC for not taking the villagers into confidence. The government has not announced the date on which the next consultative meeting will be held.

The NHSRC wanted to hold the meeting for the sake of formality and did not take proper steps to publicise the meeting to discuss the environmental and social impact due to the bullet train project, said Ramakant Patil,an activist and a protestor. As a result, a majority of the stakeholders did not even notice details of the meetings published in selected newspapers,said Patil.

An NHSRC official said that though the meeting was called off, We will meet the stakeholders again and a suitable time will be given in advance.

Meanwhile, some tribals from Vevoor in Palghar said they received calls from one Manoj Mishra, who claimed to be an NHSRC official and had said the tribals would receive blankets and goodies if they attended the meeting. So a large number of tribals turned up at the venue but returned empty-handed, they said.

Dhananjay Kumar, PRO, NHSRC, said according to initial investigation, the villagers claim is not true. Kumar said Manoj Mishra is not associated with NHSRC. We have already intimated the Palghar police to conduct an inquiry into the matter, he said.

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 Another notable example of mandatory minimum sentences driving severe outcomes even when not applied | Main | "Pardon System Needs Fixing, Advocates Say, but They Cringe at Trumps Approach" 

June 2, 2018

Lamenting how federal supervised release operates and suggesting reforms

Jacob Schuman, a federal public defender, has this extended New Republic piece headlined "Americas Shadow Criminal Justice System" detailing problems with how federal supervised release operates. I recommend the piece in full, and here are excerpts:

In the federal criminal justice system, prison is just the beginning of punishment. After prison comes supervised release, a set of obligations and restrictions governing an ex-cons day-to-day schedule, employment, residence, and relationships. In the best-case scenario, two-thirds of people successfully complete their term of supervised release.... As a federal public defender, I see the remaining one-third of casesthe worst-case scenarios where people violate their supervised release and get sent back to prison for up to five years. In a recent case, I represented a first-time offender who flawlessly completed two years of a five-year term of supervision. But after he got into a relationship with the wrong person and started using opioids, he was reported by his probation officer, arrested, and held in prison for seven months. After a failed attempt at rehab, his probation officer reported him again, and the judge sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment for violating his release by failing to achieve recovery. Hes now serving that sentence in a maximum-security prison, where no addiction treatment is available. Improving this system depends on Congress, which has now taken on the worthy task of prison reform. Recently, the House of Representatives passed the First Step Act, a bill that makes it easier for inmates to earn early release and expands their access to job training and education. The proposal won an impressively bipartisan 360-59 vote and the support of the White House. While the FSA makes good changes, reform will be incomplete unless it also addresses supervised release, a web of restrictions that ensnares many former prisoners, making successful reentry to society more difficult, not less.... The data show that this system is incredibly strict, and that its reach is vast. Between 2005 and 2009, federal judges imposed supervised release in approximately 300,000 cases, with an average term lasting over 40 months. By 2010, more than 10,000 federal inmates were locked up for violating their supervised release. The supervision costs the federal government $400 million annually (not including the cost of incarcerating people for violations).... Created by the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, supervised release was supposed to reduce the monitoring of former prisoners. Under the old parole system, inmates could earn early release from prison, but then had to serve the rest of their sentences in the community, subject to a parole officers supervision. The SRA abolished parole and instead gave judges the option of imposing supervised release only on those defendants who needed extra support to ease the[ir]  transition into the community. The idea was that people would spend more of their time in prison, but would also receive less supervision after their release. Yet as the political winds shifted, Congress gradually made supervised release more expansive and more punitive. Federal judges now impose supervised release in 99 percent of qualifying cases, and the number of people under supervision has increased five-fold. Over the past 30 years, supervised release has transformed into a shadow criminal justice system that both reflects and perpetuates racial inequality. In her book, The New Jim Crow, Professor Michelle Alexander examined how restrictions on former inmates, the majority of whom are Black or Hispanic, put them at increased risk of arrest because their lives are governed by additional rules that do not apply to everyone else. This inequality continues into the courthouse, as unlike most defendants, people accused of violating the terms of their supervised release do not enjoy the rights to a speedy trial, a jury, confrontation of adverse witnesses, or proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The upshot is that in the federal system alone, over 100,000 men and women are now subject to arrest for minor infractions and to imprisonment without the protections of the Bill of Rights.... Reforming this system will not be easy, but there are a few good places to start: First, Congress should return to its original goal of reducing post-release supervision of former inmates by limiting supervised release only to those defendants who need it most and by reducing the punishments for violations. Second, both Congress and the courts should ensure that people facing revocation of their supervised release receive all the fundamental protections promised by the Bill of Rights, including the right to a jury, to a speedy hearing, to cross-examine adverse witnesses, and to be proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Finally, judges should stop sending people to prison for violations that are merely symptoms of an underlying drug addiction, not bad intent. To encourage this practice, Congress should end mandatory revocations for drug possession and prohibit imprisonment for drug-related technical infractions. Supporters of the First Step Act say their goal is to control corrections spending, manage the prison population, provide educational and vocational training to inmates so they can successfully reenter society once released, and reduce recidivism. To achieve this admirable purpose, reforming the nations prisons is indeed only the first step. Congress must also look beyond prison walls and fix our broken supervised-release system.

June 2, 2018 at 11:13 AM | Permalink

Comments

Based on my review, it appears that the probation offices treat cases as closed for defendants who are deported or removed. Thus, the supervised release sentence is essentially meaningless because there is no monitoring of those who have been deported.

Posted by: Elaine Mittleman | Jun 2, 2018 3:52:24 PM

That's not true, Elaine. People on supervised release who are deported and then return can be separately prosecuted and sentenced for both (1) illegal reentry and (2) violating the condition of their release prohibiting them from returning or committing another crime. The supervised release sentence is certainly not meaningless for these defendants.

Posted by: Curious | Jun 4, 2018 8:21:57 AM

I received 3 years of supervision in 2008. In 2013 i was released and begain my term. I was released to Southaven, MS which borders with Memphis, TN. The home I released to literally had the "Welcome to Tennessee" sign in the front yard. I was asked to find employment, so obviously i searched for employment in the city, since the Misssissippi side is essentially all houses (the suburbs of the city). My officer called days after my release to ask where i was, and i told him that i was on such and such street (an industrial area in Memphis 6 mins from my home). He flipped, and screamed that i am outside of my jurisdiction. I had no idea, he never told me anything about "jurisdiction". Days later US Marshals came and arrested me. I was sentenced to 8 months for leaving jurisdiction without permission, yet was this time given 5 years supervision.

I was rereleased in 2014. By 2018 i had been working at the same job for 3 years. I elevated my credit from no score to a score of 740. I was making 55k a year, and living with my wife and small child. I never failes a drug test or had a single issue. I was renting our home (a modest home on a golf course gated community, built in 2015). The owners offered for us to buy, and so i completed the loan proccess successfully and was simply waiting on closing day.

A couple of years eariler i had explained to my officer that we live in a city touching a major city. We live in the Memphis metro so it is ludicrous to ban me from the city i live in the metro of (i was actuallu working with permission in memphis, as MS is nothing but houses). I explained that we have a small child that deserves to go to the zoo, the childrens palace, the childrens museum, the bouncy houses, to the river and play, etc. He stated no, Memphis is dangerous you cant go, no way.

After every weekend seeing my child cry because he was basiclly imprisoned in our home with nowhere for us to take him, we started to drive to memphis anyway to let him be a kid and enjoy life.

In 2018, 4 years after being released, and a week after signing for my home and waiting for closing, i was pulled over 11 mins from my house taking my child to the Memphis Zoo. My name was ran, no ticket, only a warining for not using a turn signal when i pulled into the zoo parking lot. Days later i get a call that my name showed on his computer for being pulled over in Memphis and to turn myself in.

This time i argued to the judge all of the good i have done. That we will loose our family home, and that we just wanted to live a normal life for our child. This was to no avail and only infuriated the judge for wasting his precious time. He sentenced me to 11 months in the BOP and again, 5 years supervision.

My wife and kid were forced out of the home 2 weeks later when i couldnt show to closing for our home. She was forced to relocate to another state where a friend let her stay with our kid.

I attemped to transfer my supervision to where she is living now during my time in the BOP. This request was denied stating "no ties to our community other than wife and child, therefore request denied".

What a great system that our Supreme Court and Congress deemed was simply to assist individuals in reintegration. This is tourture. In all honesty worse than prison. At least in prison you know where you are and what it is. This, however, is like a cat toying with a ball of yarn. And when they are tired of their game, lock you away again until they want to play again. This is beyond even Orwell's imagination.

Posted by: Chris | Jan 4, 2019 12:28:28 PM

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A mobile phone that hadnt been switched off led the Ghaziabad police early Friday morning to a dusty room in Vasundhara, in Ghaziabad, where the 35-year-old HCL Technologies engineer who was abducted last week was held captive.

Teams of Uttar Pradesh special task force (STF) and Ghaziabad police arrested the three kidnappers, two of whom were injured during the arrest.

The police were finding it difficult to trace the kidnappers who used to only call from the engineers phone, which they would switch on for the short calls. They demanded that the ransom be deposited into the abductees account and used his ATM card to withdraw it from ATMs in several parts of Delhi.

READ MORE: Boarding a private car was the biggest mistake of my life, says HCL engineer

On Thursday night, though, they made a mistake, according to a police officer involved in the case who asked not to be identified. Upset at not being paid as much money as they demanded they started drinking and abusing the victims family on phone and forgot to switch it off. As the phone remained on for long, one of our teams was able to locate them and they were nabbed.

The ordeal of Rajiv Kumar Singh, who works in Noida, began on May 23, a day before his birthday, when he was abducted from Raj Nagar Extension crossing on Delhi-Meerut highway. He was waiting to board a bus to Haridwar to be with his family on his birthday.

He boarded a car driven by the kidnappers, who offered to drop him off in Haridwar for Rs 250, but was soon overpowered before being taken to the Prahlad Garhi area in Vasundhara where he was repeatedly drugged to keep him unconscious.

Singhs wife in Haridwar soon received a ransom message demanding Rs 15 lakh through WhatsApp. The family paid a few lakhs in instalments.

Since cracking the case was getting tricky, we sought help and roped in STF, apart from the crime branch, said Vaibhav Krishna, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad.

At Prahlad Garhi, the neighbours were clueless about the crime until Friday morning when the police raided the locality. Singh was found tied to a table in the room in a semi-conscious state.

For several hours (after the rescue), I did not know where I was. I thought that kidnappers were taking me away somewhere in their car. As I regained consciousness, I found my family and broke down. It is a second lease of life for me, Singh said.

He was found naked and all his limbs were tied to four legs of the table. He was kept in an inhuman condition during peak summer season. His body had become frail and we immediately evacuated him and rushed him for medical help, said Dinesh Yadav, in-charge, Ghaziabad crime branch.

We were trying to get rid of the victim as the family was not sending the amounts we had demanded. We bathed him and also bought food for him. However, we had told him that he would be killed if he tried to escape. So he kept quiet, said Sharad Sharma, one of the abducters.

Sharma, who is from Ayodhya, Mahesh Mishra from Surat and Rinku from Hapur got together a year and half back.

Their modus operandi was simple but safe. They would seek small amounts of Rs 40,000 or Rs 50,000 as ransom and withdrew these amounts from ATMs. But they only used the mobile of the victim and switched it off after sending messages and videos. But they faltered once and the teams traced them, said RK Mishra, deputy superintendent of police (STF).

During the crackdown, Sharma and Mishra sustained two bullet injuries each.

SSP Krishna said that the gang had also kept a man in confinement in April at Madhu Vihar in East Delhi and released him only after his family paid a hefty ransom. According to the police, they have so far uncovered details of 11 similar crimes committed by the trio.
After a blazing summer this year, Pune finally found a relief from the scorching heat with the arrival of heavy pre-monsoon showers on Friday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune recorded 25 millimeter rainfall on Friday.

Mahabaleshwar reported 13mm rainfall while Santa Cruz reported 0.3mm and Nagpur reported 0.6mm rainfall on Friday.

According to IMD, the Southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of northeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of Mizoram and Manipur. The northern limit of monsoon (NLM) passes through Shirali, Hassan, Mysuru, Kodaikanal, Tuticorin and Aizwal.

Conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest monsoon into more parts of northeastern states and the south Peninsula in the coming two days, with the likely development of favourable circulation features and strengthening of cross equatorial winds.

For Maharashtra, IMD has predicted rainfall followed by thundershower in Konkan and Goa region, central Maharashtra and parts of Marathwada till June 5.

On Friday, severe heat wave conditions prevailed at two pockets over west Rajasthan. The highest maximum temperature recorded over the plains was 48.1 degrees Celsius at Ganganagar in west Rajasthan. IMD also reported that the total rainfall during the past 24 hours reported by 342 stations in the plains was 81.9 centimetres. The normal average rainfall for these 342 stations is 132.6 centimetres.

Electricity disrupted, trees fall

Due to heavy rainfall in the city, electricity in Keshavnagar, Nahre, Dhayri, Shashtrinagar, Navi peth and Dighi was disrupted for a while and was restored later.

Fire brigade emergency number received calls from Aundh, MSEB colony and Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in Model colony where tree branches were reported to have fallen on parked cars due to strong wind. Similar incidents were reported at Model colony, Senapati Bapat road and Ahmednagar road as well.
The eco-friendly initiative to turn Panjab University into a no vehicle zone failed on its first day of implementation as many students, visitors and professors were seen arguing with the guards due no clarity of rules.

Three years ago in a referendum, students had voted for a ban on four wheelers, which excluded the vehicles of faculty and staff members. The plan was to ban the entry of four wheelers of the first year students, visitors and outsiders and cabs.

Earlier this week, the campus was declared as no vehicle zone so as to create a student-friendly environment. Following it, wicket gates were installed. On Friday, many guards said people were visibly confused and argued as to why they are being stopped.

Narrating one such incident, a security guard said, Few faculty members started arguing with us. They asked us how can we stop them.

During a visit to the academic areas, it was found that vehicles were parked there as well. Few students even started arguing and fighting with us over the matter of banning their entry. We cannot stop them at the wicket gates like this. The entry of their vehicles has to be restricted at the entry gates, added the security guard. The guards were of the view that the partial ban, restricting the first year students only, cannot be implemented. Students asked us why their entry was banned when so and so was allowed, said the guard.

Panjab University vehicle ban: Is varsity looking at a bumpy ride ahead?

Incidents of heated arguments were reported at three out of five wicket gates.

While cars were being checked at the entry gates, students said the number of vehicles on campus were lesser than usual. At present, the varsity is short of security guards.

Chief of university security Ashwani Koul said, For proper implementation of the ban, we need at least 500 security guards. The sanctioned posts are around 450, and currently we have nearly 300 security guards.

Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) outgoing secretary Karanbir Randhawa said, There are a lot of loopholes in the policy. The parking space will become a major issue in the coming days as over 14,000 vehicles enter the campus every day. The administration needs to solve the matter before conducting the entrance examinations.

Registrar Colonel GS Chadha (retd) said, People have doubts regarding who will be allowed. But overall, it received a positive response and people were adhering to the directions. The guards were able to direct people. Meanwhile, a committee is working on a proposal for free cycles on campus.
Three unidentified men gunned down a sitting Congress councillor at a wrestling arena in the busy Gol Bagh area of the city on Saturday.

The incident took place at 7.15 pm, hours after state police chief Suresh Arora expressed satisfaction over security measures taken by Amritsar police in wake of the June 6 Operation Bluestar anniversary.

Pehlwan Gurdeep Singh, 42, councillor of ward number 50, was taking a shower after finishing his exercise when the assailants, with their faces covered, barged into the bathroom and pumped bullets into his body.

Amritsar police commissioner SS Srivastva rushed to the spot along with additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) Lakhbir Singh and other senior officials.

Before fleeing the arena, the accused also opened fire in the air. As many 17 shots were fired, ADCP Lakhbir Singh said. He said Gurdeep was taken to a nearby private hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. He said the body has been shifted to the civil hospital for autopsy.

The ADCP said a case under section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code and 25-54-59 of the Arms Act has been being registered against unidentified persons at the Civil Lines police station. We are closely studying the CCTV footage of the area and will trace the assailants soon, he added.

The incident comes in the wake of the police claimed to have deployed more than 3,200 cops, besides three companies of paramilitary forces, in the holy city ahead of the Bluestar anniversary. DGP Arora had visited the city earlier in the day to review the security arrangements. He left the city around 4 pm.

Former BJP minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla said the gruesome murder has raised questions about the functioning of the police.

The ward falls in Amritsar central constituency that belongs to education minister OP Soni. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Gurdeep was brought, Soni flayed the functioning of the police. Despite heavy security in the city, the killing of a Congress councillor shows the utter failure of the police, he added.
Three unidentified men gunned down a sitting Congress councillor at a wrestling arena in the busy Gol Bagh area of the city on Saturday.

The incident took place at 7.15 pm, hours after state police chief Suresh Arora expressed satisfaction over security measures taken by Amritsar police in wake of the June 6 Operation Bluestar anniversary.

Pehlwan Gurdeep Singh, 42, councillor of ward number 50, was taking a shower after finishing his exercise when the assailants, with their faces covered, barged into the bathroom and pumped bullets into his body.

Amritsar police commissioner SS Srivastva rushed to the spot along with additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) Lakhbir Singh and other senior officials.

Before fleeing the arena, the accused also opened fire in the air. As many 17 shots were fired, ADCP Lakhbir Singh said. He said Gurdeep was taken to a nearby private hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. He said the body has been shifted to the civil hospital for autopsy.

The ADCP said a case under section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code and 25-54-59 of the Arms Act has been being registered against unidentified persons at the Civil Lines police station. We are closely studying the CCTV footage of the area and will trace the assailants soon, he added.

The incident has brought an embarrassment to the police who claimed to have deployed more than 3,200 cops, besides three companies of paramilitary forces, in the holy city ahead of the Bluestar anniversary. DGP Arora had visited the city earlier in the day to review the security arrangements. He left the city around 4 pm.

Former BJP minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla the gruesome murder has raised questions about the functioning of the police.

The ward falls in Amritsar central constituency that belongs to education Minister OP Soni. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Gurdeep was brought, Soni flayed the functioning of the police. Despite heavy security in the city, the killing of a Congress councillor shows the utter failure of the police, he added.
Miscreants creating fake Facebook profiles have not even spared Punjab governor and UT administrator VP Singh Badnore. In the latest case that has come to light, the UT police have nabbed an Amritsar man for creating Badnores profile on the social media site.

Why people create fake profiles Cyber cell officials said people generally dont know that creating a fake account in the name of another person is a crime. They make dummy accounts to get acknowledged on social media, get fame and are motivated with a false belief that they can earn money by generating clicks on advertisements Many people also create fake accounts to seek revenge or sexually harass a person, especially woman

Cyber Cell officials said on an average they have been receiving one such complaint of fake account on Facebook and its photo-sharing app Instagram.

In fact, there has been a substantial increase in the number of such cases in Chandigarh (see box).

Keshav Kumar, 22, of Amritsar was nabbed after Punjab Raj Bhavan officials complained about false information concerning Badnore was being uploaded on Facebook.

We had received a complaint from the governors office on April 29. Probe led us to Keshav, said deputy superintendent of police (cyber cell) Rashmi Yadav.

To earn name, fame

Keshavs quizzing revealed that he had created the governors fake Facebook profile to earn name and fame besides making money. On scrutinising his mobile phone, investigating officials found phone numbers of many politicians and other influential people from the area. Investigations are on to find from where he got all this data.

Sources said Keshav, who studied till Class 12, belongs to a poor family and earns his livelihood by working as a sweeper at three different places. However, he appears to be good in operating computer and using social media.

A case under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 66 (identity theft) of the Information Technology (IT) Act has been registered.
The trailer of Saamy Square, the sequel of the hit 2003 film Saamy, will be unveiled on Sunday.

Tweeting the news on Saturday, Thameens Films wrote: #SaamySquare Trailer from tomorrow 11 AM.. #ChiyaanVikram #DirectorHari @KeerthyOfficial @ThisIsDSP @shibuthameens #BobbySimha @SonyMusicSouth.

Directed by Hari, the film stars Chiyaan Vikram and Keerthy Suresh in the lead roles. Vikram will return as the hot-headed, foul-mouthed and uptight cop Aarusaamy in the sequel.

In May this year, the first look motion poster of the film was released. From it, one could sense that the story starts in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu and ends in New Delhi.

The motion poster features Vikram seated on what appears to be a milestone. On one side, it is written Tirunelveli and as the camera pans, we can read New Delhi written on the other side.

When the film was first announced, Trisha who starred in the first film as well, was expected to work in it. However, the actor walked out of the project, citing creative differences. Tweeting about her decision, Trisha wrote in October last year, Due to creative differences, I have chosen to opt out of Saamy 2. Wishing the team goodluck.

According to reliable sources from the films unit, it will be shot across places such as Delhi, Noida, Agra, Jaipur, Nainital and Kathmandu among other places.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Amsterdam on Thursday warned rowdy British and Dutch tourists who party excessively in the city that they could face stiff fines, in the latest campaign to halt drunken mayhem on the streets. The campaign specifically targets men aged between 18 to 34 years, who are increasingly attracted by the freewheeling Dutch capitals beer-drinking and soft-drug culture, as well as the salacious draw of its red light district.

Enticed by cheap travel, groups of young men -- mainly from elsewhere in the Netherlands or Britain -- frequently roam the inner citys canal-lined streets at weekends, on elaborate pub crawls or to celebrate noisy stag parties. All too often the result is drunkenness, noise in the street, litter and public urination, Amsterdam Marketing said, launching its Enjoy & Respect campaign. It warned that there was a high price for bad behaviour.

Under existing laws, those caught peeing in the streets can be fined 140 euros ($160), the same fine as for raucous late-night singing outside homes and residences instead of in bars and clubs.

Some 18 million tourists flock to Amsterdam every year -- more than the entire population of the Netherlands -- and over the past year, the city has taken major steps to push back against unruly visitors. Surveys on quality of life have shown this is a serious nuisance source to residents, local business people and other visitors, Amsterdam Marketing said. The innovative campaign focuses on four kinds of behaviour seen as causing the most trouble: public drunkenness, noise, littering and public urination.

It will be highly visible on billboards around the city -- particularly at its bustling Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein nightlife areas and also online from the moment a visitor does a search to book a trip. Bursting for the loo? one poster asks with a red rectangle imposed over the urinal saying Free, while another rectangle encompassing the street says 140 euros. Another poster says Booze & Banter? with a red triangle over a pub saying Free and a red triangle over the street outside reading 95 euros.

We want people to behave, but we are not going to wag a finger at them like a parent, Amsterdam Marketing says in a video to promote the campaign. Instead the goal is to increase awareness to what is or isnt allowed in the city by presenting good behaviour as a freedom of choice, it said. Previously, the new city coalition said it would ban so-called beer bikes, hike tourist taxes and curb online rentals of private homes.

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An eight-year-old Indian-origin boy has been killed in a road accident on a UK highway.

Dev Naran was pronounced dead at the scene of a collision between a truck and a car on the M6 motorway near Birmingham on Thursday.

He excelled at school and wanted to become a doctor. He looked after his brother Neel, who suffered brain damage at birth, his parents said in a statement.

A man and a woman travelling with Naran in the car were taken to hospital with serious injuries, where they both remain in a stable condition.

West Midlands Police are appealing for any witnesses to the incident as the 62-year-old driver of the truck, who escaped uninjured, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Sergeant Alan Wood, from West Midlands Police, said: Our thoughts are with Devs family who have asked for privacy at this very difficult time.

I would urge anyone who witnessed the crash, in particular anyone with dash cam footage to get in touch.

Paramedics rushed to the scene to find the boy, from the city of Leicester, was in cardiac arrest.

Crews arrived to find three patients, all of whom had been travelling in the car. The boy was found to be in cardiac arrest and ambulance staff immediately began CPR [Cardiopulmonary resuscitation], a spokesperson for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene, the spokesperson said.

A man in his 60s was treated for a fractured shoulder and a woman, in her 20s, was treated for a leg injury.
A group of 13 Japanese governors have joined forces to let babies cry if they want to -- or at least create a society that is more tolerant of tearful tots.

The We Love Babies Project comes against the backdrop of Japans slumping birth rate and shrinking population.

The 13 male politicians made the pledge Thursday to support the campaign, which encourages restaurants, shops and individuals to display stickers that say Its OK to cry, in a bid to support the beleaguered parents of bawling infants.

Despite government efforts to create a society more conducive to rearing families, Japan is sometimes seen as intolerant of children.

Communities often refuse to host nursery schools or parks because neighbours complain about the noise of playing toddlers.

Japanese society still tends to make mothers and fathers feel sorry for people nearby when their babies start crying, Mie Governor Eikei Suzuki said at a gathering of the politicians on Thursday, according to Kyodo News.

We want to change that social situation, he said.

The private initiative was started in 2016 but this is the first time it has received such high-level support from a large group of political leaders.

Japans population is rapidly ageing, and the national birth rate has been plummeting for years, posing serious challenges for the countrys economy and labour market.

A key plank of Prime Minister Shinzo Abes economic policies has been to encourage a more family-friendly society, partly to encourage mothers back into the workplace but also to boost the countrys slumping birth rate.

The health ministry said Friday that the number of newborn babies in 2017 was a new record low, with just 946,060 births recorded, the second straight year the figure has fallen under one million.
 Lamenting how federal supervised release operates and suggesting reforms | Main | "Equal Protection Under the Carceral State" 

June 2, 2018

"Pardon System Needs Fixing, Advocates Say, but They Cringe at Trumps Approach"

The title of this post is the title of this lengthy new New York Times article. I recommend it in full, and here are excerpts:

For those who view the Justice Departments pardon system as slow and sclerotic, with its backlog of more than 11,000 cases, they need only look to the case of Matthew Charles. Mr. Charles was sentenced in 1996 to 35 years in prison for selling crack cocaine. In prison, he took college classes, became a law clerk and taught fellow inmates. He was released early, in 2016, and began rebuilding his life, volunteering at a food pantry and even falling in love. Last month, Mr. Charles was sent back to prison after a federal court determined that he did not technically qualify for early release. His lawyers plan to ask the Justice Department to commute the rest of his sentence, and he appears to fall within its guidelines for clemency. But with nearly 9,000 petitioners for a commutation ahead of him, it could take years for federal law enforcement officials to decide his fate. Cases like Mr. Charless make some criminal justice reform advocates say they would welcome a reform-minded president willing to bypass the system and more boldly wield the constitutional power to grant pardons. Now they have one in President Trump, who has pardoned five people in his first 17 months in office and bypassed the Justice Departments recommendation system to do so. This week, he pardoned Dinesh DSouza, the conservative commentator who pleaded guilty in 2014 to violating campaign finance law. Mr. DSouza responded on Twitter by claiming victory over what he viewed as a political prosecution and by mocking Preet Bharara, the former United States attorney in Manhattan whose office prosecuted the case. But by choosing to pardon political supporters whose cases largely failed to meet the basic guidelines for pardons, Mr. Trump could turn a slow and imperfect system into an unequal and unjust one, both liberal and conservative advocates warn, in which those with fame, money or access to the presidents ear are first in line to receive clemency. A more regular and robust use of presidential clemency, and a willingness to go around the Justice Department process, would be applauded by many, said Kevin Ring, a conservative public policy expert and the president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums. The issue is whether the president will still apply standards and meritocracy. Will he weigh the injustices and mete out justice to reflect the needs of a situation? That doesnt seem to be the case.... The pardon office has a reputation for slow decision making, in part because of the time needed to carefully vet a case. Of the backlog of 11,203 pardon and commutation cases, only 2,876 have been filed since Mr. Trump became president. A lack of resources has also bogged down the process, according to officials involved. The previous pardon attorney, Deborah Leff, resigned because she said she could not get the resources necessary to meet Mr. Obamas goal to prioritize petitions that would shorten sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.... Advocates who want to see the pardon system overhauled generally support its guidelines for granting pardons and commuting sentences. In general, felons wait five years after conviction or release to petition for a pardon. They must show evidence of rehabilitation and demonstrate that they have led responsible and productive lives after release for a significant period of time. The recommendations of officials including federal prosecutors and judges are also taken into consideration. A president that circumvents this system is not necessarily a bad idea, said Shon Hopwood, Mr. Charless lawyer. Legal scholars have argued for years that its inappropriate to have the office of the pardon attorney at the Justice Department. It asks the people who grant pardons and clemency to correct their colleagues, the prosecutors who put people in prison.

Some regular readers may recall that, way back in 2010, I urged Prez Obama to structurally change the federal clemency system in this this law review article titled "Turning Hope-and-Change Talk Into Clemency Action for Nonviolent Drug Offenders." Here is a snippet from that piece (updated for Trumpian times):

President [Trump] ought to seriously consider creating some form of a "Clemency Commission" headed by a "clemency czar."... Though a "Clemency Commission" headed by a "clemency czar" could be created and developed in any number of ways, ... [the] basic idea is for President [Trump] to create a special expert body, headed by a special designated official, who is primarily tasked with helping federal officials (and perhaps also state officials) improve the functioning, transparency, and public respect for executive clemency. Though the structure, staffing, and mandates of a Clemency Commission could take many forms, ideally it would include personnel with expertise about the nature of and reasons for occasional miscarriages of justice in the operation of modem criminal justice systems  persons who possess a deep understanding that, in the words of James Iredell, "an inflexible adherence to [severe criminal laws], in every instance, might frequently be the cause of very great injustice." The Clemency Commission could and should study the modem causes of wrongful conviction, "excessive" sentences, and overzealous prosecutions, and then make formal and public recommendations to the President and other branches about specific cases that might merit clemency relief or systemic reforms that could reduce the risk of miscarriages of justice. In addition, the Commission could be a clearinghouse for historical and current data on the operation of executive clemency powers in state and federal systems. It could also serve as a valuable resource for offenders and their families and friends seeking information about who might be a good candidate for receiving clemency relief. Though the creation of a Clemency Commission would be an ambitious endeavor, the effort could pay long-term dividends for both the reality and the perception of justice and fairness in our nation's criminal justice system.

Prior recent related posts about Trumpian clemency activity:

June 2, 2018 at 04:22 PM | Permalink

Comments

This seems more like treating the symptom then the addressing the causes. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with how the pardon power was constructed in the Constitution. Nothing about Trump's use of the pardon power is surprising to me. His character and values were laid out in the open for voters, and they elected him president. He has been consistent in who he has portrayed himself to be, and his use of pardons appears to me as evidence of that consistency. In other words, it's not the power or privilege that is the problem, but the person or persons who are elected into the positions that posess said power.

Additionally, we stopped having institutional checks on the overreach of one branch with the formation of parties (factions), which are able to consolidate and coordinate the powers and actions of each branch. Members of Congress are not collectively motivated by a dominant interest in their institution, jealously gaurding it's perogatives, but rather towards their party and it's broader goals. Democratic members of Congress will defend alleged overreach by a Democratic president, and vise versa with Republicans. We have found ourselves confronted with many of the outcomes of this lack of institutional defense.

Lastly, why are so many individuals in prison all dependent on one person for clemency as opposed to being distributed among 50 governors? As federal criminal laws capture a wider array of conduct, more people become federal criminals, the federal criminal population increases, but the power of pardoning remains in the hands of one. If the federal government was less involved in the business of crime and the states took a more active role, then the criminal population is dispersed among 50 different individuals with pardoning power. Seems like a more manageable work load.

I see other issues at play as well, such as the Times finding an individual it would pardon and then claiming there is a problem with the power because that person hasn't been pardoned, but a digression into the question "what is justice?" Might be too much.

Posted by: Anonuser879 | Jun 2, 2018 6:00:18 PM

The poster lady below was a drug kingpin. Although the life sentence was for distribution, who doubts she had hundreds of competitors slaughtered, to protect the non-violent distribution business. She probably also killed thousands of addicts by overdose.

Posted by: David Behar | Jun 2, 2018 10:20:54 PM

Post a comment
A 25-year-old Japanese mother was arrested on Saturday for killing her newborn baby at a cafe in Tokyo and dumping the corpse in a locker, police said.

The infants remains were found wrapped in a vinyl bag inside a suitcase in the locker by police after an employee of the company that operates the lockers reported a foul smell, according to Fuji TV.

The woman, Mao Togawa, was detained on suspicion of abandoning a body, a spokesperson for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said.

Police said Mao Togawa admitted to killing the baby after she gave birth in January in a private room at a cafe in Tokyos Kabukicho red-light district. She is likely to face a murder charge, Japan Today reported.

She told police that when the baby was born, she became frightened someone would find out after the infant cried, so she strangled her daughter with a towel, according to the report.

Togawa then put the babys body in the suitcase and put it in the locker, which is outside a building about 200 metres from Seibu-Shinjuku Station.

Police said Togawa had been renting the locker continuously since then and that surveillance camera footage had shown her putting coins in the locker -- in a busy area with several eateries and hotels -- to keep it closed.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and several senior officials, including Pakistan Army generals, were unaware of the military operation to occupy strategic heights in the Kargil sector of the Line of Control in 1999, according to a new book by a leading journalist.

Nasim Zehras From Kargil To The Coup, launched this week in Islamabad, adds to the long-standing debate on just how much the three-time premier knew about the operation launched by then army chief Pervez Musharraf, who ousted Sharif in a coup months after India repulsed the Pakistani intruders.

The book says Sharif was presented with Kargil as a fait accompli much later when he confronted Musharraf to explain what was happening.

It was on January 16, 1999 that the operation was formally approved in the military operations directorate. By that time, Zehra writes, Pakistani troops had infiltrated almost seven kilometres into Indian territory from seven directions. This meeting of key generals took place less than five weeks before the historic Lahore Declaration on improving relations between Sharif and his then Indian counterpart Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Zehra writes that Musharraf and his colleagues isolated themselves and made some tactical errors. They underestimated the response from India and the international community. After initial successes, there were reverses, and it was only in May 1999 that Musharraf and his generals took the civilian leadership into confidence. By that time, the Indian side had detected signs of the operation.

The main Pakistani players have offered widely differing accounts of the operation. Sharif has contended for long that he knew nothing of the operation and only learnt of it from Vajpayee. In 2006, Musharraf dismissed this claim and even provided pictorial evidence that Sharif had been briefed on the plan during a visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to the south of Kargil on February 5, 1999.

In the new book, The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI And The Illusion Of Peace, former ISI chief Asad Durrani says Sharif knew a bit, not the whole thing about the Kargil operation but he had given the go-ahead.

Zehras book finally gives Pakistani readers an alternate point on a conflict of which they had little information to go on. Till now, much of the Pakistani version was a sanitised account of what happened in Kargil. She brings out the nitty gritty, peppering her information with anecdotes and memorable quotes by the key players. She also links the blunders in Kargil to the eventual exit of Sharif as prime minister in 1999.

Zehra, a national security analyst, interviewed a wide range of personalities for the book, including the main players in the conflict from the Pakistani side such as a number of senior serving and retired military officers, diplomats, government officials and politicians. This is possibly the most extensive research done on Kargil on the Pakistani side.

There are also interviews with Indian diplomats and politicians and a sprinkling of US diplomats and other relevant officials.

The result of this research is a book that gives a blow-by-blow account of Operation Koh Paima (Operation KP), the code name for the offensive in Kargil.

By the end of June 1999, Pakistani troops occupying ridges in Kargil-Drass sector were at a dead end. The Kargil clique, writes Zehra, had no plans for them when Indian troops struck back ferociously. By July, fully aware of the situation, Sharif started talking of a withdrawal.

By July 4, despite a meeting at the airport with Musharraf who insisted the Pakistani troops were holding their positions, Sharif left for the US for a meeting with then president Clinton to end the conflict.

Ironically, it was Sharif who took the heat for the Kargil misadventure. While Musharraf publicly supported Sharifs visit to the US, Zehra writes a backlash started in Pakistan on the decision to withdraw at the insistence of the US. Some quarters were keen to use this opportunity to oust Sharif but this didnt happen as he fought back with an address to the nation on July 12.

Zehra writes Musharraf did not have much smooth sailing as the officer corps was angry and upset. Stories of the treatment of soldiers and officers who went to Kargil had filtered through. Their unpreparedness and the manner in which they reached a dead end with no exit plan angered many. Others were upset at how Musharraf had let Sharif agree to a withdrawal.

It was this tension that led to a breakdown in relations between Sharif and Musharraf. By the time Sharif decided to sack Musharraf, it was too late. The scapegoat for the army would be Sharif and not Musharraf. Sharif was unwilling to decorate the heroes of Kargil and insistent on repairing ties with India.

By September 1999, Shehbaz Sharif was in Washington, warning his American hosts of a possible military takeover. By October, the stage was set for the sacking of Musharraf. A fascinating part of the book is the manner in which Sharif, without taking into confidence his closest advisors, announced the dismissal of Musharraf on state-run television.

The book also delves into history  how in the past successive governments had looked at Kargil, including some planning under General Zia-ul-Haq that was abandoned on the grounds of the futility of the exercise unless Pakistan was prepared to mount a supporting offensive across the boundary in Sialkot.

It was in 1989 that Pakistani attention turned again to Kashmir, when the ISI began deploying its Afghan-trained jihadis. The ISI revived the Kargil plan and took it to then army chief Gen Jahangir Karamat, who was not enthusiastic about it. But it caught the fancy of another officer, Lt General Aziz Khan, who later became one of the main players.

Following the nuclear tests of 1998, Pakistan and India were nudged closer by international pressure. In the background, Sharif was fighting his own battles with the military. From being an outsider in the countrys foreign policy decisions, Sharif was pushing the boundaries.

His battle of wills led to the resignation of Karamat but then Sharif appointed Musharraf, by then part of what Zehra describes as the Kargil clique, as the army chief. By November 1998, two policy approaches towards India were in play. The elected government opted for dialogue while a small group of generals surreptitiously set off on the path of covert war.
Saudi Arabias King Salman has threatened to take military action if Qatar installs a Russian air defence system, Frances Le Monde newspaper reported.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar last year, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, which it denies.

Qatar and Russia signed an agreement on military and technical cooperation last year. Qatars ambassador to Russia was quoted as saying in January that it was in talks to buy the Russian S-400 missile air defence systems.

Le Monde said that Saudi King Salman had written a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing his profound concern over negotiations between Doha and Moscow and the possibility that Qatar could deploy the missiles.

The kingdom would be ready to take all necessary measures to eliminate this defence system, including military action, Le Monde quoted the letter to Macron as saying. It said the letter had been sent recently, but was not more specific.

Salman asked Macron for his assistance to prevent the sale of the missiles and preserve peace in the region, Le Monde said.

The French presidents office and the Saudi governments communications office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The worlds largest economies stood on the brink of all-out trade war as the EU, Canada and Mexico drew up retaliatory measures to Washingtons stinging steel and aluminium tariffs that came into effect on Friday.

Washington angered its major allies by slapping duties of 25 percent and 10 percent on imports of aluminium and steel.

The measures had actually been decided back in March, but at the time US President Donald Trump gave Canada and the EU -- the biggest sources of foreign aluminium and steel respectively for the US -- a grace period until May 31.

On Thursday, however, Trump announced that those exemptions were not being extended, and his decision immediately drew furious responses from Canadian President Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

These tariffs are an affront to the long standing security partnership between Canada and the United States, said Trudeau, as Ottawa hit back with retaliatory duties on US imports worth up to Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion).

EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the 28-nation bloc will announce in the next coming hours counter-balancing measures in response to the US action.

Brussels has previously threatened to slap tariffs on US products including bourbon, motorcycles and blue jeans.

Not at war

But the EUs foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini insisted Friday that the EU was not at war with anyone.

The European Union was a peace project, including on trade, Mogherini said.

Nevertheless, European leaders are fuming.

French President Macron told Trump in a telephone call that the tariffs were illegal and said Europe would respond in a firm and proportionate manner.

And speaking to reporters, Macron described the US move as a mistake in many ways because it responds to existing international imbalances in the worst way -- by breaking up and creating economic nationalism.

And nationalism is war. Thats exactly what happened in the 30s, Macron said.

In Berlin, Chancellor Merkel said the measure risks touching off spirals of escalation that in the end hurt everyone.

Mexico, too, said it would impose retaliatory duties on a variety of US goods, including steel and a host of agricultural goods, including pork, apples and various cheeses.

The unprecedented trade tensions are souring a gathering of the so-called Group of Seven or G7 underway in the coastal mountain resort of Whistler, Canada, normally a scene of compromise and trade promotion.

Ill be stating very clearly our disagreement with the actions theyve taken, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau told reporters ahead of the meetings.

I have every expectation that our other allies around the table will express the same sentiments.

Limited impact on GDP?

The prospect of a global trade has roiled financial markets this week, too, even if they were back in positive territory on Friday.

Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding argued that the direct impact of an US-EU trade war would actually be rather small in terms of gross domestic product.

Even if the US were to levy a 25-percent tariff on car imports from the EU, the direct damage to be shared largely between US consumers and EU exporters would be equivalent to 0.08 percent of EU GDP, he calculated.

Nevertheless, the uncertainty about future trade and Trumps contempt for international rules can deal a significant blow to business confidence especially in trade-oriented nations, the expert said.

The most likely outcome... could be protracted negotiations during which both the US and the EU lock horns but do not take ever more dramatic headline-grabbing protectionist steps, Schmieding said.

The World Trade Organizations former chief, Pascal Lamy, also said the damage would likely be limited in concrete terms.

We have to keep things in proportion, he said on the French radio station, France Info. He estimated that the economic impact of the tariffs would amount to a very small part of trade flows as a whole.

But he saw as a very worrying development Washingtons justification that the measures were needed for reasons of national security.

That was completely grotesque, Lamy said.
At least 12 civilians -- members of the same family -- have been killed in US-led coalition raids on the Islamic State group in northeastern Syria, a monitor said on Saturday.

The air strikes and artillery fire (Friday night) by the international coalition on the village of Hidaj, held by IS in the southern sector of Hasakeh province, killed at least 12 people, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The civilians -- including two women and their children -- belonged to the same family, it added.

The deaths bring to 20 the number of civilians killed by the coalition in 24 hours east of the Euphrates River, said the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources across Syria for its reports.

On Thursday, eight other civilians were killed in coalition strikes in Deir Ezzor province, south of Hasakeh.

IS jihadists have lost most of the self-proclaimed caliphate they once controlled in large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq since 2014.

Today, the jihadists hold less than three percent of Syria, according to the Observatory said.

In Deir Ezzor, the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces -- supported by the US-led coalition -- are trying to dislodge jihadists from the east bank of the Euphrates.

The coalition said Friday its airstrikes in Syria and Iraq had unintentionally killed 892 civilians since its bombing campaign began nearly four years ago.

More than 350,000 people have been killed in Syrias war since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

It has since spiralled into a complex conflict involving world powers and foreign jihadists.
Ahram Online, by Nabil Fahmy. Excerpt The nuclear arms race in the Middle East

The Middle East is on the threshold of a dangerous arms race which can only be solved through region-wide action and commitment

The recent statement of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave rise to several international concerns and reactions and raised the alarm just after the Kingdom noted that it will raise its military capabilities to equal that of its neighbours, especially Iran.

In spite of the statement being daring and candid in a way that goes in line with the crown princes personality, neither its content nor the argument upon which it was based contain any exceptional standpoint.

Many countries, if not most of them, always maintain a security balance between themselves and their neighbours.

It is no secret that the Middle East is a region of unrest and violent disputes from North Africa in its west through Egypt to the Levant in the east and the Arab Gulf to the south. Thus, waging an arms race is a natural result of the continuous conflicts in the region, whether it was conventional armaments or weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

The military expenditure in the region has reached unprecedented levels, whether through domestic manufacturing or increasing arms sales from abroad.

Israel and Iran were the first to develop their domestic military capabilities, including nuclear technology, whether for peaceful use for both of them or for military use for Israel.

Several reports mentioned that Israel possesses more than 200 nuclear warheads and high-precision missile systems. It is the only country in the Middle East that did not join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear country.

As for Iran, which has joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, there were mounting fears concerning its nuclear programme. This has driven the UN Security Council permanent members as well as Germany to reach an agreement with Iran (the JCPOA) in order to adjust the tempo and ambitions of the Iranian nuclear programme.

In spite of all this, there are justified concerns and reservations. The first is the time span of the deal and consequently its regulations which dont exceed few years. The second is related to Irans ballistic capabilities, i.e. the means of delivering lethal weapons. The third emanates from strong reservations regarding Irans tough regional policy through which it seeks hegemony.

On the personal level, I hope that the Middle East does not witness a nuclear arms race and I dont believe that the Saudi crown princes statement is a formal pronouncement of the launch of a Saudi nuclear programme. However, the real message of the crown prince is that the arms race in the region has indeed reached dangerous levels, including nuclear weapons along with the high-tech and means of delivery, and that is a matter that can no longer be tolerated.

Those sensitive issues require that we should be frank. Thus, we should expect that the countries of the region raise their armaments and develop their domestic capabilities in case of not responding to their security concerns. The high-tech weapons and lethal weapons wont be an exception and within this context, acquiring nuclear weapons will be an option.

These dangerous developments can only be avoided through dealing with the nuclear capabilities in the region and the disparity between the countries commitments regarding the possession of weapons of mass destruction. This can be done by joining the treaties on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and other weapons of mass destruction such as chemical and biological weapons, and setting regulations to the means of delivery.
An Giang province always sells the rice to Japans market, according to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA)



The association said the dried grain rice fetch VND6,400 - VND6,500 a kilogram and long grain rice at VND6,750  VND6,850 per kilogram, up VND200 - VND 250 a kilogram compared to the month before.

Currently, prices of 5-percent broken rice and 25-percent broken rice are standing at VND8,200 - VND8,300 a kilogram and VND8,000- VND8,100 per kilogram in different localities.

Traders deposited VND118,000 to buy 20 kilogram or 22 kilogram ( varying in different localities ) or nearly VND6,000 a kilogram. The price is VND15,000 for 20 kilogram ( or 22 kilogram) compared to in early winter- spring crop , said farmers Tran Van Het in Vinh Long provinces Tam Binh District.

Vietnam has won bids to sell rice to many countries. For instance, in early June, Vietnam sold 2.6 million tons of rice netting $1.45 billion, up 54 percent in the volume and value compared to same period last year. Noticeably, the rate of Vietnamese deluxe and fragrant rice is higher gradually.

Vietnam has also won a bid of 5,000 tons of Japonica rice to South Korea, marking a happy sign because South Korea is difficult market.

By CAO PHONG  Translated by UYEN PHUONG
Present at the event were Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michito, Japanese ministers and nearly 50 parliamentarians, leaders of Japanese political parties and Vietnamese nationals living in Japan.



The presence of the Emperor and Empress indicated the special regard that Japan has given to the extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia with Vietnam.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties on September 21, 1973, Vietnam and Japan have gone a long way together to foster friendship, mutual trust and respect, and equality for shared benefits.

He said both countries are now not only extensive strategic partners but also sincere friends. This celebration reinforces the firm belief in the brighter future of the two countries' relations.

Japan has become the top important, long-term partner and a close friend of Vietnam, evidenced by regular high-level visits and exchanges, he said, adding that the Vietnam visit by the Emperor and Empress of Japan in early 2017 left impressions on millions of Vietnamese people.

The Deputy PM expressed his belief that with high political trust, efforts and supplementary strengths and potentials, Vietnam-Japan ties will enter a new development period with more effective and practical results in every field.

He affirmed that the 45-year path will be extended on the back of close-knit and growing ties between the two nations.

Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono, for his part, emphasized that the Vietnam  Japan relationship is closer than ever and the evidence for such strong bond of friendship was the State visit to Vietnam by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko last year and this State visit to Japan by President Tran Dai Quang and his spouse.

The two sides have agreed to further strengthen and expand cooperation and exchanges in multiple fields, such as politics, security, economics, human resources training, culture and sports; and together address regional and global issues.

President Tran Dai Quang took this occasion to award the Order of Friendship to Japanese officials in recognition for their great contributions to the development of the two countries relations. They are Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) and President of the Japan  Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Toshihiro Nikai, Chairperson of the LDPs Policy Research Council Fumio Kishida, Special Advisor and former President of the Japan  Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Tsutomu Takebe, Special Ambassador for Japan  Vietnam and Vietnam  Japan Relationships Ryotaro Sugi, Acting Secretary General of the LDP and Acting Secretary General of the Japan  Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Motoo Hayashi and Most Venerable Buddhist Master Yoshimizu Daichi.

Vietnamnews
Bekah Brunstetter has written a sympathetic portrayal of an anti-gay conservative.

Her play, The Cake, at the Alley Theatre through July 1, is the kind of timely, political story, focused on a current issue, that doesnt preach to one side. Its about Della, a kindhearted and humorous baker in North Carolina whose views on homosexuality are challenged when shes asked to bake a cake for a gay wedding.

Raised in North Carolina by conservative parents, Brunstetter drew from real-life experience to create her conflicted protagonist. The writer considers herself neither a conservative nor a classic liberal. She refuses to see those with differing opinions from hers as anything other than fully human. Including her parents.

Its easy to love them, Brunstetter says of her mom and dad. You dont talk about the divisive thing.

Except, of course, when you do.

I wanted to give the audience the experience of being charmed (by a character), then have them say the unfortunate thing. Because thats my own experience, Brunstetter says.

Its no surprise the playwright takes the path of sympathy. Shes a writer for one of the top television shows in the U.S. right now  NBCs This Is Us, which shares with The Cake the urge to see the humanity in everyone while acknowledging the wrenching difficulties that arise from difference.

More Information 'The Cake' When: 8 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, through July 1 Where: Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Details: $40-$60; 713-220-5700, alleytheatre.org. See More Collapse

Brunstetter says the key to seeing people sympathetically is to listen to them. To research for The Cake, she spoke to her father about his views on gay marriage. Though she admits it was a difficult conversation, she says she learned about how conservatives talk about the issue. They spoke about how he would feel if she were gay  Brunstetter has a husband  as well as his concern for the fraying of the moral fabric.

I said, I want you to really, really try to explain it to me. I wanted to make sure I was going deep into their point of view on their issue, she says.

That wasnt the only challenge in writing the play. Brunstetter admits that, after seeing the play, her parents minds werent immediately changed. Its a hope her liberal friends typically have when it comes to issues such as gay marriage  that someone they disagree with will see the light and change their perspective. Its a hope the writer shares. Still, she emphasizes the fact that a stance against gay marriage shouldnt always be seen as a necessarily hateful one.

I dont see my parents as hateful people, she says. I see them as incredibly loving people.

But it was precisely that perspective that led Brunstetter to finding the most nuanced, surprising elements of Dellas point of view.

That complexity has led to enlightening conversations about The Cake with audiences. The play debuted in Los Angeles last year and is being produced across the country.

Learning to deal with those with different political viewpoints, after all, is a topic that has resonated with audiences, she says.

I realized that my perspective is not that unique, she says. People all over say, This is my experience, and thank you for trying to dramatize this tear between people hovering between liberal and conservative America.

wchen@chron.com
A home cannot exist on pale neutrals alone. Or, at least it shouldn't.

When you're stepping up your interior design, consider using some color, either in art, upholstered furniture, wall coverings or accessories. It will add an interesting element and it will mean you don't get tired of all of those white and gray sofas too quickly.

Here are some ideas to get you started, and examples of how some of Houston's best interior designers make it work:

Now Playing: From colorfully modern to tastefully rustic, these spaces showcase the best of seaside decor. If you want to capture coastal style, you'll find plenty of inspiration here. Video: Coastal Living

NEVER REALLY GONE: Blue and white are back

Your favorite: If you're not sure what color you want to use, consider: What is your favorite color? What do you wear most (other than black)? What do you look best in? That's the color you want. If your favorite green dress makes you feel like a million bucks or your navy blue suit is your power outfit, that's what you want in your home, too.

White walls: Nothing freshens up a home or adds a crisp, clean look like white painted walls. It's a great backdrop for art and allows you to go any direction with color in furniture or accent pieces. Just be sure to get your paint's undertones right; be on the lookout for pink/red, green or yellow tones. When in doubt, ask a paint store professional for help.

BEFORE AND AFTER: Simple changes can bring big results

Rule of Three: Following this will never fail you in interior design. When grouping things, three items will always look good together and create a "collection." When it comes to color, use an accent three times. For example, in a rug, a decorative pillow and a piece of art or flowers.

Color wheel: I'm not kidding when I say that the color wheel was first created in 1666 by brainiac Sir Isaac Newton. His wheel had 12 colors in three categories -- the red, green and blue primary colors. More modern and sophisticated color wheels incorporate dozens of shades. Basically, colors that are across from one another on the wheel will be complementary in a room. HGTV offers a tutorial on how it works.

Quantity vs. quality: When adding bold colors, consider doing it in small doses. For example, turquoise paint might be a bit too much for your living room, but it could be perfect in a small powder bathroom or even a small laundry room. Also, remember the rule of three. Let's say you want orange barstools. Look for a piece of art with orange in it and use orange dish towels. That's enough to satisfy Sir Isaac Newton and the Rule of Three. And it's probably enough orange for any kitchen.

ROYAL COLOR: Is this Meghan Markle's favorite color  and will it dominate home decor?

Blue is having a moment: The combination of blue and white is a classic color scheme in interior design. It never goes out of style. That said, it's trending in a big way right now. It looks especially nice on cabinets in kitchens, bars and butler's pantries. Pair it with brushed nickel or warm brass hardware and some veiny gray-white quartz or marble counters. It works great in wallpaper, upholstery and bedding. And who doesn't love blue?
Jay Brandon has practiced law in San Antonio for more than three decades, serving in many capacities at the trial and appeals court levels. He's been a professional writer for about as long as he's been an attorney: His first novel, "Deadbolt," was published in 1985.

Eighteen novels have followed, including "Against The Law," which was released this month and is his first novel set in Houston. He spoke with me about his latest novel, the city of Houston and his dual careers.

Q: Your 19th novel, "Against The Law," largely takes place in Houston. Can you provide us with an overview?

A: Edward Hall, a Houston lawyer, was disbarred after being convicted of burglary. It's an unusual story: He and another attorney find themselves in the courthouse later in the evening, and they sort of spontaneously decide to become partners in crime, by consuming some of the cocaine that is being held in the courthouse  as evidence in the case they are involved in! Hall gets caught; his actions help the other attorney get away. He spends two years in prison, but upon being released, he receives a call from his sister, Dr. Amy Hall, and she has been arrested for the murder of her husband, a prominent Houston doctor. He helps her, but he gradually realizes that she wants him to be her attorney, which is a problem since he is disbarred. But he goes ahead with the plan, and, as it turns out, the judge in the case was his partner in crime from years before. They both have a dilemma facing them.

NEW FICTION: Rachel Kushner goes inside life in prison

Q: After reading the novel, I am pretty sure you know more about cocaine than I do.

A: Any experience I have from that is long, long past ... and well beyond the statute of limitations.

Q: The novel is built on at least three unusual premises: the disbarment, a (disbarred) attorney representing a family member and the relationship between the (disbarred) attorney and the judge. Which of these served as the primary hook around which you constructed the novel?

A: I found the concept of a disbarred attorney pressured to represent a family member to be intriguing. I'm sort of surprised I haven't heard about these things happening more in real life. But from this grew the rest of the plot.

Q: You received your law degree in Houston, but you live in San Antonio, and many of your novels are set there. What prompted you to set this one in Houston?

A: The Harris County Criminal Justice Center is an interesting building, with some of the slowest elevators around. My friend Robert Morrow took me there when it was a new building. And I argued a case at the 1st Court of Appeals in Houston recently, and it brought me back into that world, and I thought about basing the novel there.

Q: The elevators make a cameo early in the novel, when Edward Hall is trying to run from the police, and the elevators don't arrive quickly enough for him to escape.

A: That is correct! The elevators are so slow that people really do try to pack themselves in, just so they don't have to wait for the next one to arrive.

NEW NONFICTION: Lawrence Wright can help you understand Texas

Q: This is your 19th novel. How is writing your 19th novel different from writing your first novel?

A: I have written legal thrillers before, but I have not done so in more than 10 years. So that was different. Also, the setting was different. I set it in Houston, where I went to law school. I've spent time in the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, which plays a significant role in the plot, and that was different. Of course, as soon as I finished the novel, the building was rendered nonfunctional by Hurricane Harvey. I hear that that building will be reopening in June, however, and that's good. Finally, I've written about families before in my legal thrillers, but not in this context.

Q: In prior interviews, you indicated that you don't base your novels on specific people or cases. That seems like something an author would say to stave off a lawsuit.

A: It's true, though. I am in the courthouse in San Antonio a lot, and people always think they can spot the "real people" on which they think I base characters in my novels. But I don't do it that way. I spoke with a crime reporter a few years ago, and he said that similar characters populate courthouses in every county, so they would resemble real people no matter where I practiced law. In this novel, I was drawn by the setting of Houston, and I based some of the novel on real aspects of the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, but not on real cases or real people. Part of what I love about writing is creating characters, and that's what I did here. I just put them in Houston, and the new setting made it all fresh for me, and I hope for the readers, too.

Mike Yawn is the Director of the Center for Law, Engagement, And Politics at Sam Houston State University.

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Year by year, Jackson Elementary School Principal Deana Gonzalez and her staff in Lamar CISD have seen their students making steady progress with a tried-and-true formula: dedicated teachers, extra instructional time with kids and a consistent campus vision.

No fancy programs. No silver bullets. Just parents, teachers and administrators all pulling hard in the same direction  and getting results for kids.

You will see our teachers giving their best, working late and coming in on the weekends, whatever it takes to get the job done. And my parents say, If my kid needs help, do whatever it takes, said Gonzalez, the fifth-year leader of Jackson Elementary,a predominately Hispanic campus in a lower-income section of Rosenberg.

The annual Children At Risk rankings show how Texas public schools fared on state standardized tests for math and reading, accounting for the demographics of each school's student population. The 2018 rankings show a continuing performance gap between wealthier and lower-income schools across the Houston area's 87 districts. Click here to search your school and district.





The recipe employed at Jackson Elementary resulted in remarkable academic gains last year, making it one of the biggest winners in the 2018 Children at Risk academic report card, released Sunday by the Houston-based nonprofit in conjunction with the Houston Chronicle. The annual grades and rankings reflect each Houston-area schools performance in math and reading on state standardized tests in 2017, adjusted for poverty rates and expected performance.

This year, the report card comes with a few new wrinkles. In response to feedback from local academic leaders, Children at Risk scrapped its statewide curve on its A-through-F grading system, which artificially set the percentage of schools receiving each letter grade. Instead, Children at Risk set standard benchmarks for receiving each grade  a move that has resulted in fewer A and F grades, with more campuses clustered in the middle grades.

SCHOOL REPORT CARD: See how your school and district ranked

The organization also changed its standard for measuring student achievement and placed greater emphasis on student growth, two tweaks designed to benefit campuses serving more impoverished students.

We do want to emphasize growth, and we do really want to emphasize those schools that, despite their circumstances, are outperforming their projected performance, said Claire Treacy, assistant director of Children at Risks Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation. A lot of thought and energy has been put into this.

The new methodology, combined with changes in school performance on state standardized tests, resulted in some shake-up on this years report card.

Out of the roughly 1,400 campuses evaluated by Children at Risk, dozens of schools made a major jump up the rankings or tumbled because of lower test scores. Jackson Elementary, for example, rose from 405th in the region last year to 148th out of 892 elementary schools.

They are just pretty excited and proud, Gonzalez said of students reaction to their progress. The teachers, more than anything, have seen hard work really does pay off. They just feel confidence that kids are able to succeed.

The regions highest-rated schools largely held their positions atop the rankings, but a few campuses serving predominately lower-income students lept into the top 10 for the first time in recent years. They include the Houston Gateway Academys Elite College Prep (fifth among high schools), Aldine ISDs Victory Early College High School (ninth) and KIPPs SHARP College Prep Lower School (10th among elementary schools).

SUBURBS SHINE: A handful of suburban districts score all passing grades

Also, without the grading system curve, Houston-area schools earning an A grade dropped from 31 percent in 2017 to 15 percent this year. Some school districts saw huge declines in their number of A-rated schools, including Clear Creek (from 27 to 5) and Humble (15 to 4).

At the same time, the share of F-rated schools in the Houston area declined from 14 percent last year to 10 percent this year. Aldine ISD benefited the most, cutting its number of F-rated campuses from 18 to 6.

Still, even with the changes that could benefit higher-poverty schools, a persistent income gap continues in the rankings. As in previous years, the vast majority of A-rated schools serve predominately higher-income students, while nearly all D- and F-rated schools serve more economically disadvantaged students than the state average.

Fourth grade teacher Gabriella Bogani works with her class at Jackson Elementary School in Rosenberg. The Lamar CISD school jumped from 405th to 148th in the annual rankings. Fourth grade teacher Gabriella Bogani works with her class at Jackson Elementary School in Rosenberg. The Lamar CISD school jumped from 405th to 148th in the annual rankings. Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff / Houston Chronicle Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 7 Caption Close School Report Card: Progress has Houston students excited and proud about performance 1 / 7 Back to Gallery

Ringing the bell

A couple times per day, students and staff at Angleton ISDs Northside Elementary School gather at the front of the school for whats becoming a favorite tradition. Whenever a student meets a goal set earlier in the year  pass a test, meet an academic benchmark, avoid any behavioral issues  he or she gets rewarded with an enthusiastic tug on a bell bolted to the wall.

The bell has gotten yanked so much, Principal Lori Gonzalez said, that employees have already had to replace the clapper rope.

It just gives them something to look forward to, and I can tell you that they love it, Gonzalez said.

The staff at Northside Elementary will have reason to ring the bell themselves, as the 2018 Children At Risk rankings show enormous progress at the 440-student school. After years of placing well-below-average among the regions elementary schools, Northside Elementary jumped 323 spots, up to 346th in the region.

The change in Children at Risks methodology, along with improved standardized test scores, benefited many local districts this year  none more than Angleton ISD, home to about 6,700 students in central Brazoria County. Seven out of the districts eight schools improved their ranking this year, while the only school to fall dropped a single spot.

SMALL SCHOOLS: While sometimes an obstacle, smaller size can be big advantage for area rural schools

Under the new methodology, Children at Risk continues to evaluate all schools using three measures: raw test scores, student progress and performance relative to percentage of economically disadvantaged students. High schools are also evaluated on a fourth measure: college readiness.

In the past, 60 percent of an elementary or middle schools rating was based on raw scores, with progress and relative performance each making up 20 percent. This year, however, all three measures were equally weighted, placing significantly less value on raw scores.

Previously for high schools, raw scores and college readiness each accounted for 30 percent, while progress and relative performance each were weighted at 20 percent. This year, all four measures are equally weighted.

Angleton ISD officials said the change reflects the districts primary focus: student growth, regardless of a childs academic abilities. Lisa Davis, the districts director of secondary education, said Angleton ISD staff members increasingly rely on data centered around student progress to identify which kids  and teachers  need extra help.

COLLEGE PREP: At Houston's top high schools, a college degree is part of the package

We are more and more individualized this year than ever before, Davis said. Thats not just with students, but most importantly, because of the direct impact that it has on student achievement, on staff  Its really putting the resources we have in the training of teachers, meeting them where theyre at. I would say thats whats helping us get down the road.

Ultimately, major shifts in a schools ranking were frequently the result of improved test scores in 2018, as opposed to changes in Children at Risks rating system.

The shift also didnt dramatically benefit lower-income schools and districts across the board. In fact, some regional districts with high percentages of economically disadvantaged children, including Alief and Houston ISDs, saw their average school ranking decline, while relatively richer districts such as Tomball ISD and Lamar CISD increased their standing. Most districts saw mixed results.

Changing grades

While districts can still compare year-over-year changes in school rankings this year, the same cant be said of letter grades issued by Children at Risk.

In recent years, the organization used a curve to ensure 25 percent of schools statewide received an A grade, while 20 percent scored B, C, and D grades each, and 15 percent were rated an F.

This year, without the curve, about 10 percent of schools statewide earned an A, roughly 25 to 30 percent received B, C, and D grades each, and about 10 percent failed.

As a result, not a single district with at least 10 campuses increased its number of A-rated schools this year. Among those with at least five A schools last year, the districts that best maintained their share of top-rated campuses were Katy ISD, KIPP Houston and YES Prep Public Schools.

Treacy, the Children at Risk assistant director, said the organization hopes to keep the new methodology in place, though it might re-evaluate as the Texas Education Agency unveils its new A-through-F rating system for campuses next year.

Our role might shift in light of that and what happens next legislative session, Treacy said. In an ideal world, we would be able to keep this and make it clear.

***

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School Report Card While sometimes an obstacle, smaller size can be big advantage for area rural schools

School Report Card While sometimes an obstacle, smaller size can be big advantage for area rural schools

In Devers, Texas, few folks are as busy as Steven Horelica.

After feeding his quails, chickens and ducks, he arrives at 5:30 a.m. at Devers ISDs joint elementary and junior high campus. He picks up one of the districts two school buses and drives a route along State Highway 61, returning to school to teach fifth grade.

Once he clocks out at about 3:45 p.m., Horelica slips into his role as mayor of the town of about 400, helping residents with water and sewage issues. No teacher aides are available to step in if Horelica needs to leave his class to attend to city matters, so the district makes do.

The annual Children At Risk rankings show how Texas public schools fared on state standardized tests for math and reading, accounting for the demographics of each school's student population. The 2018 rankings show a continuing performance gap between wealthier and lower-income schools across the Houston area's 87 districts. Click here to search your school and district.





Here its like a family. If Mrs. Etheridge needs help, Ill do this. The nurse doesnt mind filling in when a teacher has to step out, Horelica said. Theres this feeling that even though we dont have the personnel, were happy to fill in the holes where needed.

SCHOOL REPORT CARD: See how your school and district ranked

The town lacks a stoplight, a grocery store and a sit-down restaurant, but it is home to one of the most successful schools within an hours drive of Houston. Devers Elementary earned an A+ rating and was ranked as the ninth best elementary school in the greater Houston area, according to Children at Risks 2018 school ratings. Earning such a high grade was rare in this years ratings, particularly among rural school districts.

Of 13 rural districts outside Houstons urban and suburban sprawl, only Devers ISD had a campus earn an A rating. Other districts, including East Chambers, Tarkington and Huffman ISDs, did relatively well and earned all Bs and Cs.

Every school in Damon and Hempstead ISDs, however, received a D or F.

Overall, the 32 rural schools rated by Children at Risk averaged a C- grade, the same average score as Houston ISD. Suburban districts earned an average score of a C+.

The trend is similar nationally, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress results. Students in rural districts tend to slightly outperform urban districts but lag behind their suburban counterparts.

Urban and rural schools tend to experience higher levels of poverty than their suburban counterparts, said Scott Campbell, superintendent of East Chambers ISD located between Baytown and Beaumont in a village called Winnie.

Nearly 60 percent of all students in Texas are considered low income. Every single student in Damon ISD was considered economically disadvantaged by the Texas Education Agency in 2016-2017. About 48 percent of Devers ISD students and 57 percent in East Chambers come from low-income households.

SUBURBS SHINE: A handful of suburban districts score all passing grades

Meanwhile, only about a third of students in the northeast suburban district of Humble ISD are considered economically disadvantaged.

When you see As, look for the reason. Its not because theyre working harder than us, its not because they care more than us, its not because they have more resources than us. There are other reasons, Campbell said, pausing. And yet, thats not an excuse. I want to beat them with my kids.

Another issue lies with the hiring and recruitment of highly qualified teachers, said Don Rogers, executive director of the Texas Rural Schools Education Association. Districts in suburban and urban areas can lure teachers with the promise of more money, sometimes $10,000 to $12,000 more than they would earn in a smaller district.

Hallie Etheridge, a fifth grader at Devers Elementary School and the daughter of the fourth grade teacher, works during class, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Devers. ( Jon Shapley / Houston Chronicle ) Hallie Etheridge, a fifth grader at Devers Elementary School and the daughter of the fourth grade teacher, works during class, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Devers. ( Jon Shapley / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close While sometimes an obstacle, smaller size can be big advantage for area rural schools 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

East Chambers ISD tries to compensate with a starting salary of $45,000 for teachers who just graduated college. Thats more than whats offered some districts in the Beaumont metropolitan area but $10,000 less than the starting salary in Katy ISD.

Then theres the task of convincing recent grads from the city to move to places that might lack high-speed internet or a nearby grocery store. That can prove difficult, and as a result, a large portion of teachers in rural districts either come from the area itself or places like it.

Horelica moved to Devers from Fannett, which is a roughly 30 minute drive east. Allen Koch, principal of East Chambers High, came back to Winnie after earning his degree from Rice University. Campbell can still point to a picture of himself in East Chamber ISDs auditorium, showing him posing for the schools 1979 production of Dinny and the Witches.

Administrators, teachers and students in East Chambers and Devers ISDs said while being in geographically isolated areas can present challenges, it also provides opportunities unseen in more populated areas.

COLLEGE PREP: At Houston's top high schools, a college degree is part of the package

Teachers and students in both East Chambers and Devers ISDs said the size of their schools make it almost impossible for a student to fall through the cracks. In East Chambers, district staff meet with every student who fails the STAAR, along with their parents or guardians. That can add up to about 20 meetings a day for the first three weeks of school.

In Devers, there is only one teacher per grade level in the elementary school. Horelica said that allows him to spend two hours on math one day if his students are struggling with a concept and 30 minutes the next. So long as theyre teaching to the states standards, teachers say Devers ISD Superintendent and Principal Elizabeth Harris gives them the freedom to teach how they see fit.

Ms. Harris gets out of the way and lets us teach. She doesnt bog us down with meetings, math facilitator forms, reading specialists coming into your classroom. She doesnt give us a laundry list of things we have to have, Horelica said. You do what you need to do to teach kids, and every year that could look different depending on your kids.

Its also easier in rural areas to form relationships with students,their families and the community as a whole, teachers and students said.

Becca Dugas, a 17-year-old at East Chambers High School, said several of her teachers were classmates of her dads decades ago.

Your parents always know youre OK because they know a teacher would call if something happened, Dugas said. Every teacher knows who you are, and most know your family.

She said living near the villages of Winnie and Stowell can be boring, except for the annual Texas Rice Festival in the fall. But the school offers an array of extra-curricular activities and remains open after school and during most of the summer.

Dugas said she would have less of a chance to participate in after-school clubs at a larger school and would be less likely to know her classmates and teachers.

It feels like people look down on small towns, like those from urban areas are higher up on the totem pole, she said. They might have more opportunities at their schools, but we can get involved with more things because were smaller.

***

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Another presidential statue is coming to downtown Houston, joining an existing George H.W. Bush just blocks away.

Lyndon Baines Johnson, one-time Houston resident and former President of the United States, will soon be honored with a statue on the west end of downtown.

TEXAS EATS: Now you can eat LBJ's famous fattening chile con queso

Now Playing: Another presidential statue is coming to downtown Houston, joining an existing George H.W. Bush just blocks north. Lyndon Baines Johnson, one-time Houston resident and former President of the United States, will soon be honored with a statue on the west end of downtown. The bronze, 8-foot-tall LBJ sculpture is slated to be installed at downtown's Little Tranquility Park, bound by Capitol, Walker, Bagby and Smith streets. The tall Texan was one of only two U.S. presidents born in the Lone Star State so far. Video: Gensler

The bronze, 8-foot-tall LBJ sculpture is slated to be installed at downtown's Little Tranquility Park, bound by Capitol, Walker, Bagby and Smith streets. The story of Johnson's life and influence will be told at stations installed in the park. The final price tag should be just under $2 million, Charles C. Foster, co-chair of the LBJ Presidential Monument Advisory Board, said Friday.

Plans for the project were revealed in a ceremony Thursday attended by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Luci Baines Johnson, the daughter of the late president and former first "Lady Bird" Johnson.

"We are really taking steps to beef up, to enhance this side of town. It's going to be a tremendous location for the downtown area and for the City of Houston," Turner said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

"For many of us, we are the recipients of many of the strategies and initiatives that were put in place, so I want to say a very personal thanks to your family for that," Turner told Johnson's daughter during the conference.

The Brown Foundation of Houston made a $250,000 matching grant to start the capital campaign. CK Pang, a retired principal of the Gensler architectural firm's Houston office, is working on the design for the LBJ project as a whole and sculptor Chas Fagan is working on capturing the image of LBJ.

The sculpture and monument should be completed by the middle of 2019, Foster told Chron.com on Friday.

The 36th president is credited with bringing NASA to Clear Lake and putting the area on the world's stage.

"Great cities are characterized by great public art, including art that memorializes significant historic figures associated with the city," Foster said.

DOWNTOWN HAPPENINGS: Jones Plaza to be redesigned as a 'game changer' for downtown Houston

"The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Monument will complement the George Bush Presidential Monument, as they both open on Bagby Street which will become a major thoroughfare with walking and bicycle lanes and enhanced landscaping, according to city plans," Foster added.

Gensler

Johnson came to live in Houston's Montrose district in 1930 when he took at job teaching public speaking at Sam Houston High School. The home at 435 Hawthorne where Johnson once lived as a boarder is still there, all these years later.

The tall Texan was one of only two U.S. presidents born in the Lone Star State so far.

Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com.
SAN ANTONIO  The homecoming was years in the making, in some cases decades, but on Friday, eight veterans were welcomed to their final resting place, the roar of three dozen motorcycles trumpeting their arrival at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

The cremated remains were out of storage at last, escorted into town by state troopers, San Antonio police and Bexar County sheriffs deputies after a ride of more than 500 miles across West Texas, to be interred with full military honors.

Veterans usually get such treatment days after their deaths surrounded by family, but not these men. They died with no one to claim them and were placed in the basement of the Potter County Courthouse in Amarillo.

Michael Decker, a decorated Navy veteran of Vietnam from the Panhandle who made the journey on his bike as a Patriot Guard Rider, wrote a poem in the veterans honor early Friday during a vigil at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1480 in Kerrville.

Eight brothers, from the wars of far-off Asia to the shores of Tripoli. These men from all the ages stood tall for all to see, he began. Today, we call them brothers, for with honor they did serve.

Aviation Electronic Tech 2nd Class Petty Officer Coy Washington Black, who died at 67, had been in the basement the longest  15 years. A couple of others had been there since 2005 and 2007. Tech Sgt. Dana Dean Milton Jr., who died at 85, retired after 30 years service in the Army, Navy and Air Force, was in storage seven years.

He had been awarded a Purple Heart as a World War II veteran but also served in Korea and Vietnam.

The burial was provided by the Missing in America Project, a group that has given final honors to more than 3,500 veterans across the country. The number in Texas was brought to 60 after Fridays ceremony closed with the Fort Sam Houston Memorial Services Detachment firing three rifle volleys and sounding taps.

Hundreds of other deceased Texas veterans are in the process of being verified.

These veterans that were locating served our country honorably, said Joyce Earnest, Texas coordinator for the project, which has been locating, identifying and interring the unclaimed cremains of Americas veterans since 2007. And they deserve to be treated honorably in their deaths.

Ive got three brothers and my husband and all four are retired military, and it just means a lot to me, she said.

More than 100 Patriot Guard Riders escorted the veterans at points along the way. One of them, Jeff Wike, a Vietnam veteran from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, had put 902 miles on the odometer of his 2017 Harley Davidson Street Glide by Friday afternoon.

I do it because my being in the military, we call brothers together and it is our duty to honor and respect them, especially the ones that did not have a family. We consider ourselves their family, explained Wike, 75, of Bedford.

Black, Milton and the other veterans were among 200 sets of unclaimed remains in the courthouse in Amarillo. The MIA Project has worked with veterans groups, funeral homes, the Department of Veteran Affairs and others to find 16,431 cremated remains across the nation. Theyve identified 3,793 of them as veterans.

The other six men interred Friday were:

Navy Aviation Recruit George Machoul Aswad II, 58.

Army Pfc. Andrew Benson Bramlett, 61.

Army Pvt. Robert Pete Brunner, 71.

Navy Seaman Everett Earl Criss, 71.

Army Pfc. Don Stewart, 83.

Marine Pfc. Floyd Ray White, 65.

Little is known about the men  including whether any of them other than Milton served in a war zone.

There are some things we did know, said Joel Carver, co-owner of A to D Mortuary Service in Amarillo, which has a contract with Potter County to handle the remains. We knew their birthday, we knew their death date, we knew where they had passed away.

Still, they found a respectful welcome and a salute at Fort Sam from fellow veterans and civilians, one of them Frank Dunn, a 73-year-old San Antonio Realtor who sat under a broiling sun without a hat.

Hes bald.

I served in the Army artillery during Vietnam, but the Army never sent me, he said. I lost a lot of friends in Vietnam and Ive always felt just a little bit remorseful that they went and I didnt even go, that the Army never sent me.

Its important to remember the dead, Carver said, calling it an eternal principle of Christianity. Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner, who as custodian of the remains helped facilitate a burial of five veterans here last year, shared that sentiment while reading the names of those laid to rest Friday.

She asked the crowd to think of just one of them, imagining them as a baby born to a loving family, playing as a toddler, losing his first tooth in grade school, discovering his first pimple in junior high, and having his first kiss before joining the military and going to war.

Then coming home and falling off the grid, losing contact with family and old friends.

I wonder if he ever fell in love, if he ever had a family and kids. I just wonder that, Tanner told the crowd of more than 100. Did he ever live the American dream at all? Did he have a home, did he have a job, did he have a family?

Todd Burnett was among the last to leave the cemetery when it was over, at one point opening his umbrella to shield an old man from the sun as he walked amid the headstones with a long wooden cane.

The cemetery is known as the granite orchard, he said.

Yes, these guys are horizontal and not with us, but because of these guys all of us get life in a great country, said Burnett, 57, of Cibolo, the son of an Air Force navigator who served in Vietnam and is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Vertical veterans and horizontal heroes, he added.

sigc@express-news.net

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Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center in Houston temporarily suspended its renowned heart transplant program on Friday following two deaths in recent weeks, saying it needs to reassess what went wrong and determine the path forward.

The decision to put the program on a 14-day inactive status  meaning it will turn away all donor hearts during that time  came about two weeks after the Houston Chronicle and ProPublica reported that in recent years the program has performed an outsized number of transplants resulting in deaths and lost several top physicians.

Colleagues had raised concerns to hospital leaders about the program's direction under Dr. Jeffrey Morgan, its surgical director since 2016. A second surgeon, Dr. Masahiro Ono, left for another job this week. Neither Morgan nor Ono responded to requests for comment.

Now Playing: David Kveton died after a failed heart transplant at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center. At first, his wife thought he had just been unlucky. Then she received an anonymous letter from someone at the hospital. Video: Katie Campbell & Jon Shapley

"We greatly respect and value the trust patients and their families have placed in us over the years, and believe this temporary pause will serve their best interests," Doug Lawson, CEO of Catholic Health Initiatives Texas Division, which owns St. Luke's, said in a written statement Friday afternoon. "Although extensive reviews are conducted on each unsuccessful transplant, the recent patient outcomes deserve an in-depth review before we move forward with the program. Our prayers are with the families, as well as all those on the waiting list."

HEART FAILURE: At St. Luke's in Houston, patients suffer as a renowned heart transplant program loses its luster

For weeks, officials at St. Luke's and its affiliated Baylor College of Medicine have defended the program, saying they had made improvements after a string of patient deaths in 2015. Officials said the program's one-year survival rate after heart transplants had reached 94 percent in 2016 and 2017 under Morgan's leadership.

But of nine patients who received heart transplants at St. Luke's since the start of 2018, at least three have died, according to interviews with patients' family members, information provided by the hospital and data from the the United Network for Organ Sharing.

James "Lee" Lewis, a 52-year-old pipefitter from Bay City, Texas, received a transplant on Jan. 2, and he never recovered. Operating room equipment malfunctioned during a key stage of the surgery, and the donor heart failed.

WORST NIGHTMARE: A heart transplant, a medical mishap and a drawn-out death

Lewis died nearly three months later, on March 23, after undergoing more than a dozen operations and suffering numerous complications, including strokes, serious infections and organ failure. His wife, Jennifer, chronicled her husband's transplant and drawn-out death on Facebook and shared it with reporters for a story published last week.

"I'm glad they are doing something," Jennifer Lewis said upon learning of the program's suspension Friday. "That was my hope in speaking out and telling Lee's story."

Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle

Another patient, a 67-year-old bankruptcy lawyer named Robert Barron, received a heart transplant on February 27, his son, Craig Barron, told a reporter this week. The transplant seemed to go well, Craig Barron said, but a couple of days later, the donor heart stopped twice, requiring emergency follow-up surgeries and leaving Robert Barron in critical condition.

Barron spent weeks connected to life-support machines and seemed to be recovering gradually, his son said. But then in April, Barron began to suffer from serious infections and other complications. A lack of blood flow to his father's intestines had left them "dead," Craig Barron recalled doctors saying. Later, physicians informed the family they would need to amputate his father's leg at the hip to try to prevent infection from spreading.

With no hope of recovery, the family made the decision to withdraw care on May 5, more than two months after the transplant. Four days after his father's funeral, Craig Barron was stunned to read the Chronicle and ProPublica story about problems in the program.

"It seemed like nobody could tell us what went wrong," Craig Barron said.

At least one other patient has died in recent weeks, hospital officials confirmed, though the person's identity was not released.

TELL US YOUR STORY: Are you an employee, patient or a family member of a patient at the Texas Medical Center? We want to hear from you

Prior to Friday, St. Luke's gave no indication of continued problems with the program. The day the Chronicle and ProPublica published their investigation, hospital CEO Gay Nord sent a message to employees: "We continue to express strong confidence in our internationally recognized heart-transplant program, despite this morning's media criticism that we believe ... in some cases is inaccurate, incomplete and does not represent our quality of care or our expertise in this specialized field of heart transplant," Nord wrote in the email, obtained by reporters. Neither Nord nor the hospital have contacted the news organizations seeking a correction.

St. Luke's also launched a website, HeartTransplantFacts.org, to counter the story's findings. On Friday, the site was replaced with a notice about the program's inactive status.

The decision punctuates a dramatic fall for one of the nation's most respected heart transplant programs. It was at St. Luke's that famed surgeon Denton Cooley performed some of the world's first heart transplants back in the 1960s, and where his protege, Dr. O.H. "Bud" Frazier, has pursued a lifelong quest to develop a complete mechanical replacement for the human heart.

The hospital says it made changes when outcomes began to decline three years ago. After a string of transplant patient deaths in 2015, the program hired Morgan as its surgical director and became more conservative, removing some higher-risk patients from its waiting list. It is also more selective than its peers in its acceptance of donor hearts. Since then, program leaders said, the survival rate had improved.

But by at least some measures, the program continued to struggle.

In one of Morgan's first transplant surgeries at St. Luke's, in early 2016, he sewed shut one of two major veins that carry blood back to the heart, and the patient died a few weeks later, according to six medical professionals familiar with the case. Morgan declined to comment on the case, citing patient privacy.

TROUBLED LEGACY: A Houston surgeon's hidden history of research violations, conflicts of interest and poor outcomes

In another patient's transplant a year later, Morgan stitched through the other major vein, according to the patient's cardiologist, though Morgan said the man's previous cancer treatments complicated the case. After the initial surgery, the blocked vein caused blood to pool in the patient's head, leading to an emergency repair, weeks of follow-up operations, a three-month hospital stay and ongoing health struggles, including kidney failure.

All the while, the hospital continued to market itself as a standout, boasting above-average survival rates and high transplant volume.

Some St. Luke's cardiologists grew so troubled by the program's direction in 2016 that they began referring some of their patients to other hospitals for transplants. One of those was Dr. Deborah Meyers, the medical director of the heart failure program at St. Luke's until early 2017, who said she raised concerns both before and after Morgan arrived, but believed she was ignored.

Last month, Meyers wrote a letter to Nord, the CEO, defending Frazier, who created the transplant program in 1982 and was the subject of another story by ProPublica and the Chronicle last week. In her letter, she was harshly critical of what the transplant program had become since CHI purchased the hospital in 2013.

"In my opinion, the shocking story of the Baylor St Luke's CHI transplant program is one of greed, careerism, corporate takeovers, appalling administrative oversight, failure of leadership, poor hiring practices, completely avoidable lawsuits, and the inevitable public distortions of their underlying mission, all of which have occurred as medicine has become perverted into 'big business,'" she wrote to Nord, indicating that she intended to share the letter with a ProPublica reporter.

Nord, in her reply, implored Meyers not to send the letter to the reporter.

Told Friday that the transplant program had been suspended, Meyers replied, "Finally, finally."

"The only ethical thing to do is stop the program right now," she said.

Across the country, other hospitals have suspended their heart transplant programs in order to make changes and then reopened them.

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital suspended its heart transplant program for several months in 2016 while it recruited new surgeons and cardiologists. The Medical University of South Carolina suspended its program in 2014 after a patient died and other transplant recipients had weak hearts; it resumed the following year. St. Thomas Health in Nashville suspended its heart transplant program in 2011 when key staff left. It took five years to restart it.

BROKEN HEART: As wait for new heart got longer, patient grew sicker

During the suspension at St. Luke's, officials said they will continue recruiting surgeons "to strengthen the program." A newly created special committee of the hospital's board of directors will also conduct a comprehensive review. The move will not affect other heart-failure procedures, such as heart-pump implants, or any other transplant programs across the hospital.

Judy Kveton said she was happy to learn St. Luke's was pausing to make changes. Her husband, David Kveton, died in February 2017 a week after receiving a heart transplant at St. Luke's. Two months later, she received an anonymous letter outlining problems at St. Luke's and indicating her husband didn't receive the care he deserved.

"I hope that they can clean up those problems within 14 days," Judy Kveton said of the program suspension. "However, I think they are so massive, it probably will take longer. It should take longer."

***

This story is the result of a collaboration between the Chronicle and ProPublica, an independent nonprofit newsroom based in New York. Mike Hixenbaugh is an investigative reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Charles Ornstein is a senior editor at ProPublica.

HEART FAILURE: St. Luke's, the Houston transplant center made famous by Denton Cooley, has fallen far and fast, dropping to levels far short of its reputation. In recent years, the famed program has performed an outsized number of transplants resulting in deaths or unusual complications. Read our full investigation on our subscriber website, HoustonChronicle.com.
AUSTIN  Justin Anderson, a Comal County rancher and longtime National Rifle Association member, listened carefully as Gov. Greg Abbott laid out his school-safety plan, curious to see how the conservative Republican would protect his Second Amendment rights.

Hes (moving) carefully here, not giving up the farm to appease any liberal lefties who want to restrict firearm ownership across the board, but taking a number of actions that will improve school safety, Anderson, 56, said Thursday.

He had just finished reviewing Abbotts 44-page blueprint that seeks to prevent another school shooting like the May 18 attack at Santa Fe High School.

In Texas, one step over the line on this issue is going to bring him a lot of heat, Anderson warned.

The governor finds himself on a thin, precarious line.

One one side are Texans who defend the Second Amendment the way Davy Crockett fought at the Alamo.

On the other is an increasingly urbanized state where parents want him to do something about school shootings, including tighter gun restrictions.

While most political experts agree that Abbott is on safe ground for now, the November election is far in the future and some Second Amendment advocates already are getting antsy.

Four gun-rights groups announced they have serious concerns with many points of the plan, including several provisions highlighted by Abbott as key elements.

Right now, this is a fine line for politicians, said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at the State University of New York at Cortland, an expert on the politics of gun control. Abbott has unimpeachable conservative credentials that allow him to suggest such things as a red flag law thats a tip of the hat to the other side that wants more restrictions.

But unlike other states where Republican governors have faced a political backlash for supporting stronger gun-control measures, he and others said Abbott has chosen to focus on increased security at schools, providing more armed security guards and funding more mental health screening to identify mentally unbalanced shooters before they kill  all options that will not anger the politically potent firearms lobby.

A poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac University found Texas voters strongly support requiring background checks for all gun sales by 93 percent to 6 percent, while 49 percent of those surveyed said they support stricter gun laws generally and 45 percent said they do not.

The poll included 961 Texans who identified themselves as voters who were surveyed by phone from May 23 through Tuesday with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percent.

After the Parkland school shooting in February that left 17 dead and 17 injured, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a measure in March that raises the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, bans bump-stocks that make semiautomatic weapons fire as though they were fully automatic and imposes a three-day waiting period on the purchase of long guns, while allowing some teachers to be armed.

In Vermont, Republican Gov. Phil Scott in April signed into law sweeping changes to raise the age for gun purchases from 18 to 21, ban bump stocks, require background checks on all gun purchases and limit the size of ammunition magazines.

Neither state had been considered a mecca for gun control before. Both governors have been strong Second Amendment supporters. Both said the recent spate of school shootings had forced them to do some soul-searching.

Abbott said much the same thing Wednesday as he announced his 40-point plan to bolster school safety in Texas.

I doubt there has ever been a Texas governor with a more pro-gun record, he said during a news conference in San Marcos to detail his plan. I will never allow the Second Amendment to be infringed. But I will promote safe gun ownership.

Abbott did make several notable recommendations: Courts should be allowed to prevent some Texans from owning or possessing firearms if they are deemed dangerous. Gaps in current background checks should be closed. Parents can face felony charges if they allow children 17 and younger access to firearms and they are used to kill or seriously injure. A registry of stolen guns would be established.

But sweeping gun ownership restrictions, like those adopted in Florida and Vermont, arent on Abbotts list.

When it comes to his potentially controversial recommendations, such as when to deny someone the right to buy a gun or requiring gun owners to lock up their weapons, Abbott has decided to let the Legislature figure out the details, insulating himself from decisions likely to anger either side in the gun-control debate.

Those generally are the ones that gun-rights groups  Texas Firearms Freedom, Open Carry Texas, Lone Star Gun Rights and Texas Gun Rights  have announced they are opposing.

Hes in the lane, and hes in the zone on this issue, Austin political lobbyist-consultant Bill Miller said of Abbotts plan, echoing the sentiments of nearly a dozen other political scientists and consultants both GOP and Democratic. When youre in the zone and hitting all the right notes, youre doing well politically.

Former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, the Democratic nominee running to unseat Abbott in November, is among those who disagree.

She supports universal background checks, limits on magazine size and restrictions on gun ownership for the mentally unfit and domestic abusers.

It is astounding how few of Gov. Abbotts proposals directly address gun violence and how he ignored some of the most critical steps we must take, she said. Gov. Abbotts proposals accept gun violence in our schools and communities as inevitable and unavoidable. We must demand more.

Texas voters support a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons by 50-44 percent, Quinnipiac says.

Anderson, the Comal County rancher, said hes going to monitor Abbott and the Legislature closely in the coming months to make sure they dont go what hed consider too far. Not just as an owner of firearms, but as a Texan with two school-age children.

Thats where well find out who gets to share in the credit, and who gets the blame, he said.
Houston Congressman Al Green would like to remind everyone that there's another constitutionally sound way of kicking a president out of office besides voting.

"One year and one day after I called for impeachment on the floor of the House of Representatives, my position is still the same," tweeted Green in May. "As long as President Trump occupies the White House, #ImpeachmentIsNotDead."

For the past month, the Houston lawmaker has stirred up Twitter by signing his messages with the pro-impeachment hashtag a continuation of his feud with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who said efforts to impeach Trump were a "distraction."

''Love for my country will not permit me to allow the president's bigotry to be trivialized and minimized," Green said in a statement at the time.

ENDORSEMENTS: Here are the Texans Trump is supporting this election

Now Playing: A presidential historian said he thinks President Trump will be impeached, the Hill reports. Video: Buzz 60

In December, Green's latest and third attempt to introduce the articles of impeachment against Donald Trump fell flat when the House voted to table the resolution. Only 58 Democrats, including Houston's Sheila Jackson Lee, sided with Green.

Still, the defeat on the floor has not swayed Green who continues to tweet and try rally Democrats.

Green isn't the only Houston-area Democrat with impeachment on the mind. Houston Chronicle's Keven Diaz recently reported on Houston's 7th Congressional District canidate Lizzie Pannill Fletcher and her views on Trump's impeacment.

"The lawyer in me is coming out when I say I've got to see the charges," Fletcher said last month. "I would need to see the evidence. I've certainly seen enough to make me very concerned that impeachment is a very real possibility."

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.

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In an interview with Fox News, Lt. Gov Dan Patrick downplayed criticism against the Trump administration's new policy of separating immigrant families crossing the border illegally.

"In terms of families, we want to keep families together, but that cannot be an excuse to break our laws," Patrick told America's Newsroom host Bill Hemmer on Friday morning. "And in terms of family issues, we do that with child protective services and social services in our country where we find a child in a dangerous situation so the left is trying to make a bigger issue out of this because they want an open border."

While Patrick's comments imply that keeping families together is something to be desired in Texas' immigration policy, members of the Trump administration have made it clear it is not a priority.

"If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law," Attorney General Sessions announced in April. "If you don't like that, then don't smuggle children over our border."

A NEW ERA: Leaked photo reveals 'mass trial' of immigrants in Texas

More telling was Chief of Staff John Kelly who floated the idea of separating families as a deterrent to undocumented immigration in March when he was still secretary for the Department of Homeland Security.

In an interview with NPR last month, Kelly again highlighted the effect of the Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy.

"It could be a tough deterrent  would be a tough deterrent," he said.

In other words, in Kelly's view, separating immigrant families is not a bug in Trump's new zero-tolerance policy, it's a feature.

On Wednesday, Houston Chronicle columnist Erica Grieder argued that such separations are not required by law, and are in fact, optional.

"The attorney general is effectively seeking to deter all immigration by separating children from their parents," wrote Grieder. "And the president may be among the Americans he's deliberately misleading about that."

"The zero tolerance policy may not be 'horrible'  that's a subjective assessment. But it definitely isn't a law," wrote Grieder.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.
In an op-ed by U.S. Rep Jeff Denham published in the Los Angeles Times, San Antonio-area Republican congressman Will Hurd was mistakenly identified as D-Texas. Perhaps the confusion stemmed from Hurds propensity to find bipartisan solutions in Congress, his friendship with Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate and golden boy Beto ORourke or the (mind-boggling) 7 percent of the time Hurd didnt vote in alignment with the GOP.

Or maybe it came from Hurds search for sensible immigration policy, something many Republicans on the national front cant seem to manage.

Hurd, along with Denham (R-Calif.) and Pete Aguilar (D-also that weird state) crafted the USA Act, an immigration bill they are now pulling out all stops on to get heard in Congress. The trio filed a discharge petition in order to force debate on the bill, which aims to revive the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Donald Trump tried to end in September.

Theyre not the only rabble-rousers trying to defy efforts to hit pause on immigration issues for a while. If the effort moves forward, Congress will discuss and vote on four measures ranging from a border wall to the Obama-era DREAM act favored by Democrats. Oh, and one chosen by Speaker Paul Ryan, who reportedly would rather the whole thing go away for a while.

The somewhat-ironically-named House Freedom Caucus temporarily scuttled the national farm bill May 18 as part of efforts to force a vote on the Securing Americas Future bill, authored by Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who likely has extensive experience securing Mexicos border with West Virginia. Goodlattes bill gives DACA only a three-year temporary extension and calls for a big wall.

Freedom Caucus members wish to make an organic tie between immigration and the farm bill, which must pass by Sept. 30. If the efforts by Hurd and his allies to force a vote succeeds, debate will have to start June 25 or July 23, the only days that fall within byzantine congressional rules for such (it has to occur on the second or fourth Monday of a month, but only when congress is already in session).

Hurd and his clan have drafted ways to resurrect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for the long run, while encouraging new technology for border control and increasing points of legal entry with our neighbor to the south.

Sounds reasonable. Which these days means it will get voted down in favor of an ineffective and expensive wall along the southern edge of Hurds district and efforts to kick out close to a million people who entered the country illegally but not of their own accord.

Opposition to DACA comes across as uncaring, xenophobic and dumb-headed. Mainly because it is.

The USA Act would keep DACA recipients from being deported as long as theyre enrolled in college, enlisted in the military service or working. Pretty much like what every parent requires of their 18-year-old kids. Even thats too loose for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who joined six other states filing suit to permanently end DACA.

The move confounded even fellow Texan and Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who remarked recently, I honestly dont understand what the state is asking for. Cornyn pointed out there are a number of existing legal challenges to Trumps efforts to end DACA that will eventually push the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court will then make a decision that  one way or the other  will moot Texas lawsuit.

But also, he said, the matter calls for both compassion and pragmatism. Which also seems to be Hurds position. As it would be for any sensible person. Which at least partly explains Paxtons opposition.

Hurd and his across-the-aisle friends represent what many Americans desire, or at least say they do. Hes a conservative by nature, but willing to back off partisan action in order to create some common-sense solutions.

Hes also intensely aware and educated on immigration issues, serving a large swath of Texas abutting the Mexico border, an area of dust, tumbleweeds and little else (well, oil). Hurd is so attuned to his district that hes known to hold constituents meetings amid the BeltBusters and Country Baskets at local Dairy Queens, the true town halls of West Texas.

Among his bills proposals, the most logical include increased use of modern technology instead of a wall of prehistoric impotence. But also opening up the border in more places at controlled stations.

Instead of futile efforts to defeat immigration, the United States should be looking for more ways to facilitate legal immigration, clearing the way for those willing to add to the U.S. economy and isolating those with more nefarious intentions to other parts of the border, making them easier to spot.

In laudable fashion, Hurd, Denham and Aguilar chose the path that would open debate on several reasonable immigration measures. Now this plan  both moderate and sensible  will have to withstand pressure from those members of Congress who, when it comes to immigration, seem incapable of being either.

Reynolds is a writer living in Houston.
On July 1, Mexicans head to the polls to select their next president. While it has become fashionable to wall Mexican matters away from American politics, in reality the Mexican election could transform the North American community. At the epicenter of that future is a quiet, steady effort to reform Mexicos energy markets and roll back the monopolies of Mexicos state-owned energy companies. These reforms have already triggered contracts that could yield $200 billion in investments in the coming years.

Until now, nobody has really known what Mexican voters think about all this change, but the answers matter because the contending candidates for the presidency have outlined starkly different visions for the future. In April, we ran  in tandem with the Brookings Institution, the University of California at San Diego, the global consultancy IHS Markit and a leading Mexican newspaper, El Financiero  the the first systematic poll of Mexican voter attitudes. What we found is disturbing and important as North Americans watch the upcoming elections.

RELATED: Texas benefits most in a collaborative U.S.-Mexico relationship

ALSO: Commitment to NAFTA vital for energy markets

EDITORIAL: Trump vs. AMLO: Whoever wins, Texas loses

On the surface, the picture is positive. Most strikingly, a modest majority of the public supports continuing the energy reforms (48 percent, versus 37 percent opposed) even if they feel they are not producing good results (61 percent versus 27 percent), or that they were not necessary (47 percent versus 41 percent). Mexicans feel that returning to the past isnt a solution. For decades, Mexicans saw Pemex, whose nationalization in 1938 is still a national holiday, as the countrys crown jewel. Those days are gone. In our poll, Mexicans opined that Pemex has not acted to the benefit of the country (61 percent versus 30 percent). Mexico is at a crossroads  none of the old models works, but none of the new models are yet formed.

Digging deeper into the polling reveals disturbing insights. Mexicans, like Americans, actually know very little about the problems and opportunities in the energy sector. Sixty-three percent believed that Mexicos oil production either increased or stayed the same in the 10 years prior to the constitutional changes in 2013. In reality, Mexicos oil production peaked in 2004 at 3.5 million barrels per day, and by 2013 a persisting lack of investment had driven production down to 2.4 million barrels per day. It is not surprising that Mexicans are confused about the solutions  most dont realize that production had collapsed.

RELATED: NAFTA: Let's get to the hard stuff

Almost everything that is important in the energy sector takes a long time to bear fruit  thats because investment cycles are long, and longer still when investors arent sure whether new policies will hold. It takes 3 to 5 years for investment to translate into production and, optimistically, two years before that to pass the laws and regulations needed to execute a bid round. Thus, when Mexico changed its constitution in 2013 to open oil production to outside investors, it was going to take at least 5 to 7 years before oil production might increase. By that standard, the reforms are exactly on schedule: Today, more than 100 fields have been awarded for investment, there have been significant initial commercial finds and production is set to rise around 2020. No country in the world has managed such a complete transformation of its energy sector faster than Mexico.

For the public, reforms may still seem like unfulfilled promises. North of the border, these results really matter because it is American companies  with American jobs and investors  that are perhaps best poised to benefit from Mexicos continued opening.

EDITORIAL: Houston needs help from free trade Republicans

As much as Mexico has evolved as a competitive global economy, accumulating an impressive number of free trade agreements that open the country to international commerce and investment, the public fears that private investment in oil would not benefit the Mexican people (51 percent versus 34 percent). Mexicans are also suspicious of depending on foreigners. Almost two-thirds of the respondents believed that it is a significant risk for Mexico to import more than 50 percent of its gasoline and natural gas from the United States. Thats bad news for Americans who have become the number one exporter of natural gas and refined oil products like gasoline.

Just as Mexicans are becoming impatient to see tangible benefits from reform, many other oil producers are in intense competition to attract private investors  from Saudi Arabia to Russia and Brazil. Traditionally, big oil producers could afford to be inefficient because the money kept sloshing in. Those days are gone, and the whole worlds oil industry is in an arms race to reform and get better.

RAILROAD COMMISH: When it comes to NAFTA, mend it. Don't end it

For the last two years, the United States has been making loud noises about cutting off Mexico. Now it is Mexicos turn, and the big losers could be American companies that want to do business south of the border. Fixing this problem wont be easy, but it starts with talking openly  with the public, not just elites  about how reform actually works. And why openness and competition are good news all around.

Pascual, a former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, is IHS Markit Senior Vice President for Global Energy. Victor, a professor at UC San Diegos School of Global Policy and Strategy, Co-Chairs the Cross-Brookings Initiative on Energy and Climate at the Brookings Institution. Fernandez de Castro Medina is director of the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at UC San Diego.
Few animals are caught in the crosshairs of politics and the oil and gas industry quite like the dunes sagebrush lizard.

Living only in sandy, windblown dunes in a small area of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, the tiny lizards habitat sits atop the oil-rich Permian Basin. The area holds the dubious title of most drilled place on the planet.

The species is an important and unique component of this sand-dune ecosystem, feeding on insects and itself being the prey of birds and other animals. The lizard is one of a number of animals found exclusively in these dunes.

With such riches beneath this little animals feet, its no wonder the prospect of the lizards protection under the Endangered Species Act has drawn the ire of oil and gas companies and their political allies. One particularly visible opponent was Susan Combs, the former Texas Comptroller who is now acting Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks in the Trump administration.

In 2012, Combs used her muscle as the state comptroller to wrest control of endangered species from the Parks and Wildlife Department to the comptrollers office. She then pressured the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deny endangered species protections to the lizard.

At the time, I was a biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where I focused on endangered species for 27 years. The political pressure Combs and her oil industry pals brought down upon the Service to not list the lizard was by far the most intense I ever saw. And I saw plenty.

By law, decisions about whether a species gets protection are supposed to be based solely on the science. In the lizards case there can be no question this did not occur. Benjamin Tuggle, who was the Services Southwest regional director, actually admitted under oath that he directed staff overseeing a review of the lizards status that he would never list a lizard in oil country during an election year.

And indeed, the Service bowed to pressure from Combs office and denied the lizard protection based on a voluntary conservation plan developed by the comptrollers office. According to the plan, landowners were allowed to alter just 1 percent of the lizard's habitat for three years. But they were not actually required to participate. And there were no requirements for mitigating threats to the lizard. There was no requirement for landowners to report anything at all.

Worse still, the comptrollers office maintained that information about where habitat for the lizard is or isnt protected is confidential. That effectively made the plan a black box that no one can see into to this day  not even the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service itself. In other words, Combs conservation plan is an absolute farce.

Now, the sands where the lizard lives face an entirely new threat. Oil companies have figured out they can mine that sand to use as a material for fracking. The Texas conservation plan in no way addresses that new, imminent threat to the dunes sagebrush lizard.

For all of these reasons, the Center for Biological Diversity where I currently work has  once again  petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service to provide life-saving endangered species protections for this lizard unfortunate enough to live in the heart of the oil patch.

Even though she has left Texas for Washington, D.C., Combs still threatens this imperiled animal. In her new role in the Trump administration, she is, unfortunately, at the top of the food chain at the U.S. Department of the Interior for endangered species protections.

But the Endangered Species Act is bigger than Susan Combs or President Donald Trump, no matter how much both might try to overpower this landmark environmental law. It has saved nearly 99 percent of species under its care and put hundreds more on the path to recovery. It can save the lizard too. The Center for Biological Diversity will not hesitate to go to court to ensure thats exactly what happens.

Nagano is a senior scientist working to protect endangered species with the Center for Biological Diversity.
On July 1, Mexicans will go to the polls in the largest election in the countrys modern history  3,406 offices are up for grabs, including for the office of the president. Three major candidates are vying for the presidency, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the MORENA party, Ricardo Anaya of PAN and Jose Antonio Meade of the PRI. The first of these has been consistently ahead in the polls by anywhere between six and 20 percentage points.

With one month to go before the election, Mexican voters appear poised to take the country in direction radically different from the the course charted by the countrys previous six presidents over the last three decades. Lopez Obrador, following President Donald Trumps lead, is bent on putting Mexico first, a promise likely to clash with Trumps agenda for North America and to have a deep impact on bi-national relations. An electoral victory by Lopez Obrador will have one of its deepest impacts on Texas and the interest of all Texans in a solid relationship between the Unites States and Mexico.

To be sure, Lopez Obrador is not by nature anti-American. His nationalism is more akin to the inward focus of the Mexico of the mid-twentieth century. Even so, Lopez Obrador, like Trump, is convinced that NAFTA has been less than good for Mexico and, while he has said that he would not like to see it go away, he has made it clear that his economic policies will be based on what is good for Mexico and not for foreign corporations. Moreover, Lopez Obrador has suggested that NAFTA talks should be put on hold until after the election because, if he wins, it should be his team siting at the negotiation table.

Because Texas is the origin, destination or transit territory for nearly two-thirds of bi-national trade  which stands at some $560 billion per year  the state could be deeply affected by any reduction in bi-national economic activity. If NAFTA comes to an end or emerges with significant free trade restrictions, Texas would stand to lose tens of thousands of jobs in manufacturing exports, transportation and logistics, business services and energy exports. A fall in trade would, in fact, have widespread effects on all major Texas cities  Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, but also on border towns like El Paso, Brownsville, McAllen and, especially, Laredo  the most important land port in North America.

Texas, with its 1,200 mile portion of the 2,000-mile U.S. border with Mexico, is likely to be caught in the middle of any scramble to redefine the two nations relationship on security matters, successful protocols of which are more difficult to achieve without Mexicos cooperation. The Texas border could see sharp increases in drug trafficking and and Central American asylum seekers without Mexican collaboration on U.S. security goals.

Similarly, Lopez Obrador is unconvinced of the benefits of Mexicos recent energy reform efforts promoted by President Enrique Pena Nieto in 2013 and 2014. He believes the Mexican energy industry was deliberately weakened to privatize it; that the political class in Mexico has both pushed for energy reform and positioned itself to profit from this opening to private and foreign investment; and that its implementation is to a considerable extent driven by corrupt practices. He has promised a review of all contracts for any signs of corruption  a pledge that has sent jitters through the industry, especially among early entrants into Mexicos energy industry.

Lopez Obrador has also said that, if elected, his government would prioritize investment in the national energy industry by expanding national oil company PEMEX, privileging the companys investment in new exploration and extraction, reasserting a state role in oil refining and increasing gas production.

Texas, an energy powerhouse, was ideally positioned to integrate its oil and gas industry with Mexico in a highly profitable partnership. Texas gas exports to Mexico, for example, have skyrocketed in the last decade. Under Lopez Obrador, energy integration and many of Texas opportunities in that sector could easily come under question or not be realized at all.

In sum, Texas has the most to lose from more nationalistic undercurrents on both sides of the border. Austin needs to craft a new strategy toward Mexico, one that will take both a stronger stand against some the White Houses most aggressive and reassure Mexico that Texas can be a friend, business partner and trusted ally for the benefit of both.

Payan is director of the Mexico Center at Rice Universitys Baker Institute.
Imperial Valley News Center

Mother's Day Violence in Nicaragua

Washington, DC - The United States condemns the Nicaraguan governments violent response to peaceful Mothers Day marches in Managua and other cities yesterday, including assaults on mothers mourning their children killed since protests began April 18. The United States also condemns the beatings of journalists and attacks against local TV and radio stations.

The international community and the citizens of Nicaragua have repeatedly urged the Nicaraguan government to order its police and thugs to stop the violence, respect human rights, and create conditions for a peaceful path forward. Those individuals responsible for human rights violations will be held accountable by the international community in international fora.

The United States urges an immediate investigation by the independent interdisciplinary group of experts to investigate the deaths and violence in Nicaragua, as agreed upon by the Nicaraguan government and Inter American Commission on Human Rights.

Despite the suspension of the church-led dialogue, the United States supports peaceful negotiations to end the crisis.
Imperial Valley News Center

President Donald J. Trump Approves Section 232 Tariff Modifications

Washington, DC - Thursday, President Donald J. Trump signed two proclamations, which note that measures are in place to address the impairment to the national security threatened by imports of steel and aluminum from Argentina, Brazil, and Australia.

At this time, similar measures are not in place with respect to steel or aluminum imports from Mexico, Canada, or the European Union. Therefore, as of June 1, 2018, tariffs will no longer be suspended for steel or aluminum imports from those countries. The Administration will continue discussions with them and remains open to discussions with other countries.

The Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs have already had major, positive effects on steel and aluminum workers and jobs and will continue to do so long into the future. At the same time, the Trump Administrations actions underscore its commitment to good-faith negotiations with our allies to enhance our national security while supporting American workers.

The Administration will continue to monitor steel and aluminum imports and adjust the measures in effect as necessary to protect the national security of the United States.
Imperial Valley News Center

What You Need to Know About Implementing Steel and Aluminum Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and the European Union

Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump is implementing steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and the European Union following months of discussions to address United States national security concerns.

Today, President Trump announced that he is taking action to protect Americas national security from the effects of global oversupply of steel and aluminum. Following extensive discussions and a months-long process, the President will implement tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico, and the European Union.

The implementation of steel and aluminum tariffs follows the announcement by President Trump on March 8, 2018, of a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports.

In the initial proclamations in March, President Trump welcomed any country with which the United States shares a security relationship to discuss alternative means to address threatened impairment to the national security caused by their steel and aluminum exports to the United States. The President made it clear that the Administration was willing to work with those countries to find separate arrangements that would meet the national security requirements of the United States.

The United States has reached an arrangement with South Korea on steel, which was announced on April 30. Included in todays proclamations, the United States has reached arrangements on steel with Australia, Argentina, and Brazil, and with Australia and Argentina on aluminum.

The United States was unable to reach satisfactory arrangements, however, with Canada, Mexico, or the European Union, after repeatedly delaying tariffs to allow more time for discussions.

Current quantities and circumstances of steel and aluminum imports into the United States threaten to impair national security. These excessive imports are driven in large part by the worldwide glut from overproduction by other countries.

In January 2018, the Department of Commerce delivered two reports on steel and aluminum investigations conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

The reports found that the excessive level of imports threatened to impair the national security because further closures of domestic production capacity would result in a situation where the United States would be unable to meet demand for national defense and critical infrastructure in a national emergency.

On March 8, President Trump accepted the Department of Commerces recommendations and began to take action to address the threatened impairment to Americas national security.
Imperial Valley News Center

Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure

Washington, DC - Last month marked the one-year anniversary since President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 13800, Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure. In the EO, the President directed departments and agencies to develop multiple reports to further our understanding of the cybersecurity risks to the Nation and focus on opportunities to mitigate those risks.

President Trump emphasized four core areas: securing and modernizing federal networks, protecting the critical infrastructure that maintains the American way of life, deterring Americas adversaries in cyberspace, and building a stronger cybersecurity workforce. Departments and agencies have completed all EO-directed reports, and the reports are informing our strategies, policies, and actions.

The development of the reports required extensive collaboration across the executive branch. Industry and the public also provided crucial input about how the Nation can improve the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure, enhance the resilience of the Internet and communications infrastructure, and strengthen our Nations cybersecurity workforce.

The EO and the reports it directed provide the Nations priorities for cybersecurity. The Administration used information contained in some of the reports commissioned by the EO to inform the National Security Strategys (NSS) significant content on cyber policy. A central element of the NSS is the imperative to safeguard Americans and American businesses in the realm of cyberspace. Without leadership from the United States and other likeminded countries to promote economic prosperity that prioritizes innovation, communication, and openness while respecting privacy and guarding against disruption, fraud, and theft, the Internet will become a volatile medium through which competing economic, political, and social models clash.

The NSS emphasizes that [a] strong, defensible cyber infrastructure fosters economic growth, protects our liberties, and advances our national security. Accordingly, it is the Administrations policy to enhance the defensive capabilities of systems critical to political integrity, economic security, and national security of the United States. The Administration has substantially increased the cyber defense budget to support defensive efforts. President Trump has increased executive accountability for cybersecurity risk management by directing department and agency heads to actively manage risks within their respective organizations, and they are now more effectively managing risk based on that direction.

The Administrations policy is to promote an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet. Active engagement with our counterparts around the world to align our strategic efforts with partners and build capacity that supports those efforts is key to our strategy. It is also the Administrations policy that all instruments of national power are available to prevent, respond to, and deter malicious cyber activity against the United States. These instruments include diplomatic, military, financial, intelligence, information sharing, and law enforcement capabilities.

As stated in the NSS, [w]hen faced with the opportunity to take action against malicious actors in cyberspace, the United States will be risk informed, but not risk averse, in considering our options. The United States will hold countries accountable for their own malicious cyber activity as well as any unchecked malicious cyber activity that originates from their territory. We will impose swift and costly consequences on foreign governments, criminals, and other actors who undertake significant malicious cyber activities. To change future behavior, we must not only expose transgressions quickly and publicly, but also take swift action to impose costs on the transgressor. Altering the behavior of malicious cyber actors can only be achieved if we change the calculus of the countries that permit such activities and the people who direct and engage in them.

The EO and the reports it directed will continue to influence U.S. Government policy for years to come. Departments and agencies are making public as much information from the reports as possible to drive a national discussion on how we can work better together to manage cybersecurity risk and deter malicious cyber activity. For more specific information and conclusions, please refer to information departments and agencies are making available:

Federal Cybersecurity Risk Determination Report and Action Plan and IT Modernization Report Update

Support to Critical Infrastructure at Greatest Risk and Supporting Transparency in the Marketplace

Enhancing the Resilience of the Internet and Communications Ecosystem Against Botnets and Other Automated, Distributed Threats

Assessment of Electricity Disruption Incident Response Capabilities

Recommendations to the President on Deterring Adversaries and Better Protecting the American People from Cyber Threats and to Protect American Cyber Interests through International Engagement

Growing and Sustaining the Cybersecurity Workforce

Authors Grant Schneider and Josh Steinman are Senior Directors for the National Security Councils Cyber Directorate.
No, they can't do anything to increase your seat pitch, or increase the size of the tiny bathrooms. They can't change the weather. But they can dramatically improve the way you feel about your flight--largely with positive attitudes and efficiency.

If you've had a cranky or dispirited flight attendant on American Airlines recently, there might be a reason that you'd never know about. Because while a flight attendant's job is hard, and doesn't always include great pay, it usually comes with an amazing perk: free air travel all around the world.

Now, a new lawsuit says some retired American Airlines flight attendants unfairly had that perk taken away from them. Judging by what I've heard recently from both current and retired American Airlines employees, it's a contentious issue--and one that nobody's really happy about.

A single letter...

The issue comes down really to a single letter of the alphabet, with far-reaching effects.

When airline employees fly standby for free, they do so with non-revenue passes that are coded by category: usually D1 or D2. (There are also D3 passes, that employees can give to friends and family.)

As you might expect, D1 has priority over D2; D2 has priority over D3.

Here, the American Airlines flight attendants say they took early retirement at the company's request, with the assurance that they'd be given unlimited D2 passes for life. But, they say that in 2014, the airline downgraded them--giving them a new, lower priority category of passes called D2R.

With D2R, they can only get free standby flights if there are no D1s or regular D2s ahead of them in line. Very often, especially flying through American hubs including JFK and LaGuardia, that means D2Rs aren't worth much, because D1s and D2s take all the unsold seats.

The wedge

You can see the problem. Airlines work hard now to sell every last seat, even as they pack more seats into smaller spaces. So unsold seats are a finite resource.

And, if American Airlines wants to maximize the perk that it gives to current employees--a/k/a, the ones who can still affect your inflight experiences by their positive attitudes and efficiency--it has to come at the expense of some of their retired employees.

Hence the new category, putting retireds behind actives in the quest for free flights. Only, according to this lawsuit filed in the federal court in Brooklyn (and another similar one in Chicago), American Airlines promised years ago never to do that.

The class action has two named plaintiffs: Suzette Janoff and Jenise Ruby, both of whom took early retirement from American Airlines in 1996, and who want their case to include everyone who retired from American under the same program they did.

A "minor dispute"

American Airlines declined to comment. Their attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case, saying that it's about a "minor dispute" that the law says should be in front of something called a "board of adjustment," not a federal court.

We'll see what happens there. The other case in Chicago is a bit different, but it survived a motion to dismiss. Meantime however, both current and retired American Airlines employees told me via my Facebook page what they think about the whole thing. And nobody's really happy:

"This is shameful. My husband and I worked for AA for 50 years together, they changed this right after he left."--Inga Petursdottir, retired

"I worked for 30 years ... When I retired I was a D2, that was what I was 'promised.' ... American should have grandfathered us and started the D2R with any new retires."--Jim Flynn, retired

"32 years. Still active. NOT a fan of D2R."--Bob Norman, current

"It is nearly impossible to travel through hubs because of the amount of nonrevs. With each flight comes more D1's and D2's that go ahead of the D2R's. ... I have spent 2-3 days in a city trying to get out but because with each new flight comes more D2's."--Stacey Boyd, retired

"If the company changes policies, like they always do, then those who have retired are subject to those changes as if they never retired. Also for retirees you can fly anytime of the week. Most of us still on payroll have structured times we have to fly."--Jimmy Gardenhire, current

"Everyone has lost a little even active employees. D2R is a fair status."--Christopher John, current

"Current employees deserve a higher priority over retired employees."--Victor Torres, current

"I'm an AA retired pilot and feel that current employment should take precedence over us. We do have a bit more time on our hands."--Jim Anderson, retired

"I feel retirees should continue with the privilege of flying as D2. Seems like a punishment to downgrade to D2R."--Malissa Brisbon, retired
Americans see anywhere from 4,000 - 10,000 ads per day. It sounds like a lot when you add it up, but when you start to think of all the places you see ads, it makes sense. Our lives are saturated with people vying for our attention. While not all ads are created equal, some can be helpful. Whether you're a B2B tech leader, an executive, or a travel blogger, we are all consumers of products in our off time. We may not enjoy being bombarded by ads, but most of us appreciate getting connected with products and services we need.

Similar to a journalist receiving an irrelevant pitch, today's consumer snubs their nose at a poorly placed ad. They have come to expect that if they leave something in their cart, that's ok because that website will be sure to send them an email or place that item in your Facebook feed. Similarly, consumers have begun to embrace alternative forms of communication, like sponsored content, native ads, and creative social media campaigns. All of these point to marketing trends favoring personalization and better targeting.

So what's next in the evolution of marketing? It's personalization on steroids: People-Based Marketing.

What is People-Based Marketing?

While consumer-driven content isn't new, people-based marketing is a new wave in the industry, pushing marketers to use personalized data resulting from recent developments in big data and analytics. According to BounceX, PBM is a strategic approach to marketing in which marketers target individual people, rather than groups, with relevant messaging across different channels and touchpoints. An optimized PBM strategy leverages both consumer identification for accuracy and automation for scale.

Shifting the focus from cookies to people, marketers of the future realize they have all the data at their fingertips. The good ones just know what to do with it.

Persistent ID

As various companies start to place restrictions on cookies, Persistent ID is taking their place. Persistent ID works as an identifier across multiple devices to recognize consumers wherever they're browsing. According to James Nichols, founder of mobile measurement company Apsalar, "Instead of relying on flawed technologies like third-party cookies, the brand can collect information about a user based on a persistent customer ID. Further, that user is likely to appreciate customized marketing from brands that they patronize."

The creative group Terrier defines the technology behind persistent ID as "The ID is gathered from long-ins using determinist data; a consumer's privacy is protected while the data is optimised. The persistent ID can then recognise them across all their devices, when they are logged into any account. This allows marketers to base their targeting off multiple browsing platforms." For those who understand and appreciate receiving targeted ads that provide value, they see this as an integral part of the PBM equation.

Psychology

The likelihood of marketers having a P.h.D. in psychology is not very high. However, the strategies they employ have quite a bit of psychological influence. In an article for Fast Company, Robert Rosenthal notes, "The vast majority of marketers aren't psychologists. But many successful marketers regularly employ psychology in appealing to consumers. Smart, skillful, honest marketers use psychology legally, ethically and respectfully to attract and engage consumers, and compel them to buy."

As the digital era arrived, marketer's focus shifted to tracking every consumer action online to create an individualized digital identity. And while that is still true and relevant today, marketers are going back to basics in order to better understand natural human behavior and thought patterns. In doing so, they can focus on targeted marketing efforts that build rapport with their audience.

Consider Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: self-esteem is only one step below self-actualization. People want to feel valued. A B2B client wants to feel like a valued partner. A consumer wants to know that your brand values their feedback. Once you prove that they matter, you can help them realize your brand is the path to actualization.

Follow Identities Across all Devices

The vast majority of Americans - 95% - own a cellphone of some kind, according to Pew Research. The share has increased 77%, from a mere 35% in 2011. Additionally, nearly eight-in-ten adults in the U.S. now own desktop or laptop computers. Roughly half own tablets and around one-in-five own e-reader devices. As IoT and voice-activated devices gain traction, the quantity and access to devices will grow exponentially. Marketers, of course, must adjust their business model to unlock these new revenue channels.

By 2020, the average person will be connected across over 6 devices," Ryan Urban, CEO and founder of BounceX. "A growing number of ways to reach your consumers isn't actually a bad thing. Accessing these emerging revenue channels simply requires a unified view of consumer devices. With sticky identifiers like email or a device graph, marketers can unlock a truly People-Based Marketing approach. They'll have the ability to market to prospects on a one-to-one basis, regardless of logged-in status, device, session or browser."
The Roseanne Barr scandal took an interesting turn Wednesday. The newly fired television star tweeted a halfhearted apology for a racist tweet from the day before, blaming her poor judgment on her use of the sleeping pill Ambien.

But enough has been said about Roseanne and her comments already. I'm more interested in discussing how Sanofi, the makers of Ambien, responded to being dragged into this self-inflicted social-media celebrity meltdown:

People of all races, religions and nationalities work at Sanofi every day to improve the lives of people around the world. While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication. -- Sanofi US (@SanofiUS) May 30, 2018

The best defense is a good offense, right? This tweet is intentionally direct, explicit, funny, engaging, and very, very human.

It reminds the reader that the company isn't some faceless multinational, but made up of people of all races, religions, and nationalities. It uses Roseanne's tweet as an opportunity to position themselves as a company that improves the lives of people around the world.

It only took one tweet for the pharmaceutical giant to distance itself from the scandal--while simultaneously positioning itself positively in the minds of a much larger audience. Barr has over 837,000 followers, while Sanofi has less than 65,000--but in one fell swoop, Sanofi grabbed the narrative, turning a potential threat into a PR opportunity.

So what should you do when your brand is attacked online? How should you react to being #bashtagged? Here are six pieces of advice I often give to startups:

1. If it starts publicly, it stays public. React accordingly.

Publicly respond to each and every threat, claim, and question. Make sure your side of the story is on the public record. Otherwise, outsiders have only the trolls' frame of reference.

My favorite example is the Fair Trade campaign against Nespresso in 2011. Having a fast-reacting crisis management was key for Nespresso to gain control of the situation--a response so effective that Harvard now uses it as a case study.

2. Be timely.

The internet and social media move like wildfire. The more quickly you start telling your side of the story, the more quickly you can put out the fire. Within minutes is best. If you're waiting hours to respond, you're probably too late. Remember, this is internet time.

3. Plan the work. Work the plan.

Invest time well in advance on how you will react if this should happen to your business. Ready the plan well before it's necessary, and constantly keep it updated.

Your emergency social-media plan should be like a good fire alarm: always vigilant, hopefully unneeded. When you do have to execute the plan, take confidence in the preparation you have undertaken.

The plan should outline who decides your response, who crafts the response, and who signs off on the response. In some cases, you can create prepared language that can be used as a starting point. Ideally, this emergency response plan should be part of your wider, all-encompassing internal social-media policy.

4. Remember that a great wall is made of many bricks.

Create and manage how you represent yourself over time. Make each individual contribution to the public discourse worth the time, effort, and opportunity you have invested in it. You will be judged by your actions over time, not by simple one-off events.

5. Learn.

Build a culture designed to turn complaints into opportunities to illustrate your brand and all it has to offer. Every complaint offers a wealth of learnings. Turn into them, resolve them transparently, and with gratitude, most will resolve themselves.

6. Accept the things you can't change in life.

You're not going to turn an online troll into your new BFF. You're not even likely to change their mind. All you can do is manage your response.

Put another way, you can't stop a bully from yelling at you. You can--and should--mitigate how that affects your response.

One mistake is all it takes. Brands can damage themselves in a literal internet minute. So, let me be clear: Founders of all sizes need to be prepared. This is a "when" scenario, not an "if" scenario.

Install a social monitoring tool for your venture, so you have an early warning system for social-media swells (the easiest is Google Alerts, which is free to use). Accept that you may get #bashtagged or otherwise attacked online. Prepare for it, so that when it comes, you can act: directly, succinctly, and in a timely manner.
Nick Offerman is an award-winning actor, comedian and founder of an artisanal woodshop, but from the way he talks, he owes a great deal of that success to his wife, Megan Mullally.

"Megan is the most talented person I've ever met," said Offerman, on-stage at the annual Book Expo in New York City on Friday, of the award-winning actress and comedian. "But the most important thing I learned was when we first started living together, watching how hard she worked and what a perfectionist she is and how much care, responsibility and respect she gave to her audience through her every gestures," he added.

The pair appeared at the annual publishing trade show, which gathered thousands of writers, editors, publishers and other literature nerds in Manhattan's West Side, to promote their new book, The Greatest Love Story Every Told: An Oral History (Dutton, 2018.) Hitting shelves later this year, the 'tome,' as Offerman calls it, chronicles the couple's fiery relationship--both professional and personal--that has spanned the course of nearly two decades, and continues to captivate fans on social media and beyond.

You might think that for Offerman, who runs a small business making artisanal wood products near his home in Los Angeles, everything comes easy. But in a conversation last year at CES, he revealed the great challenges that he's faced as a business owner: "There's a lot of hard work besides just having fun," he told Entrepreneur. "If our business were to take off by say, offering an Offerman line of furniture, that's not something you can make in a shop in an artisanal fashion."

The work ethic he's learned from Mullally has proven critical, it seems, in maintaining the quality of his products over time. To this day, Offerman Woodshop employs just 10 people--the actor included--who meticulously craft everything from chairs to beds and moustache combs.
Many Kanye West fans did not believe that a new album would actually be released on the 1 June. The controversial artist had promised release dates before on Twitter and not delivered (TurboGrafx 16), why would this time be any different?

Yet, here we are. Following a listening party in Wyoming, West released his eighth studio album, ye, onto streaming services.

While the seven-track record  featuring guest appearances from Kid Cudi, PartyNextDoor, and Nicki Minaj  may have only been available for a day, some publications have already offered up reviews, the consensus being somewhat mixed.

The Independent has a first listen review currently available, going through the record track-by-track, concluding that the album fundamentally lacks bangers and is all over too quickly.

'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Show all 10 1 /10 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I was the best new artist this year" Kanye asserted this after losing the New Artist of the Year award at the 2004 American Music Awards Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I am the number one human being in music. That means any person that's living or breathing is number two. Kanye made this claim while appearing on the Wendy Williams show in 2007. He had recently released the album 'Graduation' to critical acclaim Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time! In arguably the most famous incident of his career, Kanye bravely stole the microphone from then 19 year old Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for the Female Music Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards REUTERS 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I walk through the hotel and I walk down the street and people look at me... like I'm Hitler" Kanye said this during a mid-set rant while on stage at the Big Chill festival in 2011. Despite releasing the acclaimed 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' in 2010, he was still widely disliked following the Taylor Swift incident PA Archive/PA Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I am Picasso. I am Michelangelo. I am Basquiat. I am Walt Disney. I am Steve Jobs" Kanye compared himself to these visionaries in a mid-set rant on stage in Paris, 2013 AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live. In 2013, Kanye opened up to reveal more Kanye. His pain is understandable, considering such performances as his at the BRITs in 2015, where he came on stage with an entourage of flamethrower wielding grime artists (pictured) Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I have to dress Kim everyday so she doesnt embarrass me. Kanye tweeted this in 2014, around the time that he was designing the first Yeezy range AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes By 50 percent [I am more influential than] Stanley Kubrick, Apostle Paul, Picasso f***ing Picasso and Escobar. By 50 per cent more influential than any other human being. Kanye made this claim backstage after appearing on Saturday Night Live in 2016, he did not show his working out Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself." This quote followed Kanye's recent expression of love for Donald Trump on Twitter, in which he claimed that he and Trump were "dragon energy" Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "When you hear about slavery for 400 years... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice." Kanye made this comment in a May 2018 interview with TMZ. He later clarified that, in saying slavery was a choice, he meant "we can make our own reality" PA Wire/PA Images

Meanwhile, The Guardian and The Telegraph have full reviews available online, the publications both rewarding four stars. ye is Kanyes on the couch album, The Telegraphs critic says. The beats are great. Lyrically, its fine. Whatever you think of his politics, his songwriting, sample-hunting and beat-making remain dynamic, surprising and ballsy.

The Guardians review concludes: For all its brevity, ye doesnt feel slight. Substantially more focused than its predecessor, it packs a lot into 23 minutes. It is bold, risky, infuriating, compelling and a little exhausting: a vivid reflection of its author.

Whereas the AV Club offer an equally positive review, other American publications were less impressed. The Chicago Tribune  Kanye coming from Chicago  offered a middling review, writing: About half the album has West as a role player on tracks that suggest a theatre scene, with a handful of voices playing characters (quite possibly all living inside Wests brain). The album moves from spoken-word monologues to more expansive musical settings that try to take the top off (and) let the sun come in.

Slant Magazine are perhaps the harshest, awarding just two stars and saying: ye feels less like the work of a superhero and more like the work of someone who could use another year off, away from Twitter, the paparazzi, and the recording studio.

With the reviews mixed, what the eventual consensus on ye will be remains unclear. Over the coming weeks, many more reviews  including the full version of our own  will become available online, and only then can we be able to judge the work among Wests other great albums.
Food firms cannot claim the palm oil in their products does not destroy rainforests because supply chains are so complex, scientists say.

No-deforestation promises printed on packaging could be failing despite the good intentions of manufacturers, according to a report by researchers at Imperial College London.

Palm oil plantations in eastern Asia are blamed for pushing orangutans, Borneo elephants and Sumatran tigers to near-extinction as their rainforest habitats are being continually torn or burned down. The destruction also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, reduces biodiversity and drives indigenous people from their homelands.

The oil is used in manufacturing half of all products in supermarkets  from biscuits, snack bars, cereals and margarine to soaps and shampoos.

And almost half of the palm oil imported into the EU, mostly from Indonesia and Malaysia, is used as biofuel after blending it into vehicle fuel was made compulsory in 2009.

Under public pressure over the harm caused by its production, many food giants now claim to use sustainable or no-deforestation palm oil, printed on labels.

But the new study said it was problematic to guarantee genuinely deforestation-free palm oil products.

Recommended Government warned palm oil ban risks losing lucrative weapons deals

Barriers include the complexity of the supply chain; a lack of consensus on definitions of deforestation; inadequate government support and persisting markets in China and India for unsustainably produced palm oil.

And campaigns by environmental groups and non-governmental organisations are unlikely to be effective in preventing rainforest destruction, the research warns.

Lead author of the report, Joss Lyons-White, a conservation scientist at Imperial College, who interviewed 24 companies and environmental representatives for his report, told The Independent consumers should look at companies commitments and whether they were likely to meet them.

He said the issue was complex partly because views on how to define deforestation differed between eco activists, for example, and producers on the ground.

Theres a feeling among some producers that zero-deforestation is a Western imposition, he said. Some participants said it was a marketing term. Governments have different priorities such as economic growth and socio-economic development.

Inconsistent government regulations and confusion over land ownership were also barriers to producing ethical oil, while high demand in India for unbranded cooking oil also played a role, said Mr Lyons-White.

Based on the amount of land used, palm plantations are more productive than other types of oil so have become increasingly popular in the food, toiletries and fuel industries.

The report said simply banning palm oil production or applying pressure to countries is not an answer.

The existing model used to address palm oil-driven deforestation, based on NGO shaming campaigns and unilateral adoption of commitments by individual companies, is unlikely to achieve no deforestation in the current context of palm oil production and trade, it said.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

Instead, new ways should be found to ensure that green commitments can be implemented successfully, it concluded.

Mr Lyons-White said environmental awareness in Europe was creating huge demand for palm oil that was certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which reduces deforestation by a third so has a positive impact.
Google will reportedly halt its work on a military project that had fomented an employee revolt.

Google Cloud chief Diane Greene told employees that the company would not renew its contract with the US military, according to multiple reports, acceding to a broad backlash against Google developing technology that could be weaponised.

A representative of Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thousands of workers had signed a letter asking leadership to end its involvement in a Pentagon pilot programme, known as Project Maven, that uses artificial intelligence to decipher video footage and could be used to improve targeted drone strikes.

We believe that Google should not be in the business of war, the letter read, cautioning that the tool could be used to assist the US Government in military surveillance - and potentially lethal outcomes.

The letter warned that continuing to assist with the project would compromise Googles informal Dont be Evil motto and would harm the company long-term by driving away potential new hires.

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. 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This plan will irreparably damage Googles brand and its ability to compete for talent, the letter warned. Amid growing fears of biased and weaponized AI, Google is already struggling to keep the publics trust.

 What is Project Maven?: the Pentagon's AI project with Google

Google is not the only technology giant to come under pressure over furnishing the government with powerful new technologies.

A group of civil liberties advocates recently demanded that Amazon stop selling a facial recognition tool to law enforcement agencies, warning it could be abused to surveil innocent people.
The assault began shortly after a new owner bought the building at 25 Grove Street in June 2015. Surveillance cameras arrived first, pointed at the doors to rent-regulated apartments. Then came the construction workers, who gutted empty units and sent a dust cocktail of lead-based paint, brick and who knows what else throughout the building.

Worried, a pregnant woman and her husband left, dooming their apartment to the demolition derby. Violations were issued; violations were dismissed. And on a Friday morning in early August 2016, Temma Tainow, who had lived in the West Village building for 34 years, was jarred awake by what sounded like an explosion. She stumbled into her kitchen and screamed. A leg dangled from a hole punched through her ceiling.

I think it is imprinted on my brain forever: looking up and seeing five men staring down through the hole, recalled Tainow, 70, a tiny therapist with a halo of reddish-brown hair who speaks deliberately and walks with a slow limp. Its been awful. Its been a nightmare. Its exactly what the owner wants.

Recommended New York mayor tells police to stop arresting people for smoking weed

Across much of New York City, construction scenes like these play out regularly at buildings with rent-regulated apartments  the citys largest stock of affordable housing, where rents are set at a prescribed level and are supposed to increase only a small amount each year.

These apartments  seen as the scourge of landlords and the salvation of struggling New Yorkers  are at the centre of a housing crisis that has swelled the ranks of the homeless and threatens to squeeze all but the affluent from ever-wider swathes of the city. But even as Mayor Bill de Blasio has made adding more affordable housing a signature pledge of his administration, the system that protects the citys roughly 1 million regulated apartments is profoundly broken, a New York Times investigation has found.

In neighbourhoods gentrified or in the throes of gentrifying, a relatively new class of mega-landlords has driven up rents by exploiting enforcement gaps in a web of city and state agencies. By churning through enough tenants and claiming enough renovations, landlords can raise the rent enough  beyond $2,733.75 (2,056.30) a month  to wrest an apartment from regulations grip and into the free market.

New York is among the global boomtowns, like London, Los Angeles and San Francisco, where skyrocketing rents  and the struggle to shelter those who cant afford them  have struck a deep political chord. But New York grapples with its own peculiar contradictions.

It has the nations largest rent-regulation system. On paper at least, it still has some of the most robust tenant protections, bolstered by new city laws designed to fight tenant harassment and give poor tenants free legal representation in housing court.

Yet without more fundamental change  especially in the basic laws governing rent increases  regulated apartments in New York are in danger of vanishing, one by one.

It is happening already: since city and state lawmakers started gutting the rent laws in 1993, the city has lost more than 152,000 regulated apartments because landlords have pushed the rent too high. At least 130,000 more have disappeared because of co-op and condo conversions, expiring tax breaks and other factors. And while government officials say the losses have slowed, even regulated apartments are becoming increasingly unaffordable.

In some ways, this is an age-old story: New York has been in some form of housing crisis for a century. Landlords and tenants have battled for at least that long. But over the past 25 years, the balance of power has been reordered by a confluence of factors: that progressive weakening of the rent laws, an immensely profitable free market driven by a surging local economy, and the evolution of the rental real estate business, with mom-and-pop operations increasingly subsumed by Landlord Inc.

In the face of these changes, the regulators are simply overmatched.

The regulatory apparatus is fractionalised, divided among three city and state agencies. It is also essentially passive, The Times found. So state regulators, relying on outdated technology, do not systematically check whether a landlord found to have overcharged one tenant regularly does the same to others. City regulators do not investigate whether an owner who has illegally gutted apartments in one building might be doing the same elsewhere. And if building inspectors fail twice to get inside to investigate complaints of illegal construction, they dont return a third time; the complaint is tossed out.

At the same time, the citys housing court, mired in chaos, cannot reliably weed out frivolous and abusive lawsuits.

The Times interviewed more than 200 tenants, housing activists and government employees; reviewed thousands of pages of court records and building permits; and examined several government databases. In place of regulatory muscle, The Times found, the system relies on trust: trust that landlords do the right thing, trust that architects and engineers submit accurate permit applications, trust that landlords report rental histories correctly, trust that eviction suits are legitimate.

Residents of 25 Grove Street in the West Village say they were harassed after the building changed hands in 2015 (Alamy)

It also places the burden of investigation on tenants. They must ask for their apartments rental histories and determine their accuracy, complain about building permits, and sue over harassment. Holding on to an affordable apartment can turn into a part-time job, not to mention a full-time obsession.

Agencies rarely take action unless someone complains, and it can take time. In 2015, tenants who filed rent-overcharge complaints waited nearly two years on average for a resolution.

Landlords are hardly all bad, and smaller ones often struggle to pay their bills. But the new corporate landlords scoop up buildings with rent-regulated tenants, aiming to unlock value promised by the free market. In advertisements, brokers describe buildings with phrases like significant upside and great potential for increase. One developer, Icon Realty Management, displayed a neon art piece for a time that preached, Dont make sense make dollars.

To breach the $2,733.75 threshold, mega-landlords and aspiring ones tend to follow the same playbook. After buying a building, they try to get tenants in regulated apartments to leave, often offering buyouts or harassing them with poor services or eviction suits. Once an apartment is empty, they tack on allowed vacancy increases. They often also perform renovations, enabling them to raise the rent even further while annoying the remaining neighbours, sometimes to the point of prompting them to leave.

Some landlords willfully flout the rules, The Times found. Applying for construction permits, they say buildings have no occupied apartments when they do. They inflate the cost of renovations or claim the work will be only minor when it is major. Or they falsely claim to have performed renovations, knowing that the state asks for proof only when a new tenant complains. If regulators catch on to one trick, landlords find another. Its like a giant game of whack-a-mole. Punishment, if there is any, is seen as the cost of doing business, often a minor fine in the course of a multimillion-dollar development deal.

In 2007, a developer named Ben Shaoul and his partners, private equity firms, bought 17 East Village buildings for $97.5m. They then included false statements on almost every building permit application, enabling them to skirt tenant-protection requirements.

In about six years, Shaoul, nicknamed The Sledgehammer by a real estate blog after he was photographed with a sledgehammer-wielding construction crew, cut the number of the most common kind of regulated apartments to 54 from 157, tax bills show. Nothing ever happened to him or his partners, even though lying on an application is a crime.

In an interview, Shaoul said his company renovated buildings left untouched for decades and deregulated them properly.

The idea was to increase rents, Shaoul said, adding that his company no longer purchased buildings with regulated apartments. That was the business plan. That was the intent. Its America.

In 2013, Shaoul and his partners sold the buildings for $130.2m, making a tidy profit. The buyer was a joint venture involving companies controlled by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trumps son-in-law and now White House adviser.

In late 1992, Steven Croman, only 26, bought his first tenement building, a five-story walk-up at 221 Mott Street.

The block was a slice of old, but ever-evolving, New York. Though still considered part of Little Italy, the neighbourhood was by then largely Chinese. Eighteen of its 36 buildings had rent-regulated apartments, 261 units in all.

Beginning in the 1920s, New York experimented with regulation to battle a chronically low vacancy rate. Advocates argued that regulation maintained a stable housing stock and limited runaway rents. Landlords countered that regulation increased rents of unregulated apartments, restricted building upkeep and discouraged new construction.

By the 1980s, the city had two types of regulated apartments: rent-controlled and rent-stabilised. Rent-controlled apartments, with strict rules and extremely low rents, were being phased out, so most regulated apartments were stabilised, with annual increases set by a board and a menu of tenant protections. Many were stabilised according to the traditional criteria: built before 1974, with six or more units. Others, stabilised through tax-benefit programmes, often had much higher initial rents and could be deregulated after a certain time.

There had always been landlords who tried to drive tenants out of regulated apartments. In the 1980s, a few moved in drug dealers and prostitutes to harass tenants. One landlord couple legendarily roamed the halls with snarling pit bulls. Several earned tabloid nicknames: Dracula Landlord, Reptile Landlord.

But these were generally small landlords, limited in what they could legally accomplish.

Croman had good timing. New York was emerging from the dark days of the 1970s and 1980s, when boarded-up buildings pockmarked many neighbourhoods. Rents climbed with demand.

Within a year of Cromans first big purchase, the rent-stabilisation laws started crumbling, largely through the efforts of a well-organised real estate lobby and a group of sympathetic politicians, many of whom benefited from the industrys campaign contributions.

They were led by one of the states most powerful men, Joseph L Bruno, an upstate Republican senator who would compare the effects of rent control to the devastation of an atom bomb. A narrative of the undeserving tenant took hold, encapsulated in the not entirely mythical $400-a-month four-bedroom on Central Park West.

Previously, the only legal way to significantly increase the rent of a regulated apartment had been to pass on the cost of renovations. In the 1990s, though, landlords won concession after concession in Albany.

If renters incomes passed a certain threshold, their apartments could be deregulated. When a tenant left, the landlords could increase the rent by about 20 per cent. Rent overcharge complaints had to be filed within four years of the increase. And most crucially, if the rent was pushed high enough  initially $2,000 a month  the apartment could be deregulated forever.

New York is among the global boomtowns, like London, where skyrocketing rents have struck a deep political chord (Alamy)

Croman recruited a certain kind of tenant: college students, young Wall Street workers, people who cycled through quickly, enabling repeated vacancy increases. Croman pressured longtime tenants, first offering minimal buyouts, then bringing frivolous eviction suits and harassing them with nerve-racking construction, according to tenants and advocates. Once empty, the apartments moved through the renovation mill, emerging as glass-and-exposed-brick confections, often with cramped bedrooms, primed for more roommates and higher rents. In 1998, The Village Voice named him to its 10 worst landlords list.

He bought more buildings. Almost organically, a similar class of landlords rose up, always looking for buildings with regulated apartments.

Across the city  ever deeper into Brooklyn and Queens and more recently into the Bronx  buildings have been transformed. The city has grown more crowded and more expensive. About 8.6 million people now live in New York, 1.3 million more than when Croman bought his first building. Yet the number of rental units has increased only slightly, mostly on the expensive end, while the median rent has jumped significantly. More than half of New Yorkers pay over 30 per cent of their income in rent, meaning they are considered rent-burdened under federal guidelines.

And while the raw number of regulated apartments has stayed roughly even, that figure hides a particular churn. Traditional regulated apartments pushed into the free market have been replaced by apartments added through tax-break programmes, which are often much more expensive. In 2016, the median legal rent of newly registered stabilised apartments was $2,750  roughly the median asking rent for all New York apartments on the rental website StreetEasy. In Brooklyn, the median rent of a newly stabilised apartment was almost $3,300.

On the block of Mott Street where Croman started out  now part of the neighbourhood rebranded NoLIta  a three-story parking garage has given way to condominiums priced as high as $21m. An Italian funeral home has been reborn as a Japanese boutique. And where 261 traditional rent-regulated apartments once stood, only 91 remain. Six buildings have shed all their rent-regulated apartments.

Cromans building, which once had 11 apartments, all regulated, now has 18 apartments, only two of them regulated. A studio goes for north of $3,000 a month.

Frieda Taplitz bought 25 Grove Street for $52,500 in 1957. The building  red brick, tenement-style, built in 1886  was a family investment: a Taplitz always lived there. Repairs and modest improvements, such as a new chimney and a new stairway enclosure, were done. Major renovations werent. Rents remained low. Tenants like Temma Tainow stayed for decades, and for the most part, the tenants and the Taplitzes got along. Only three complaints were recorded, all in the mid-1990s.

But in 2015, the family decided to sell. An advertisement said the 19-unit building had 14 rent-regulated apartments with an average rent less than half of market rate. Two apartments were vacant. There was, in other words, a lot of value to be unlocked at 25 Grove Street.

On 11 June 2015, the building was bought for $15.2m by a limited liability company named 25 Grove Street. The companys public face was Abraham Sanieoff, who had married into the family that ran the Sabet Group, a developer with a history of wresting apartments out of regulation.

In the fall, construction crews arrived.

Protecting tenants is supposed to be the job of the citys Department of Housing Preservation and Development. But construction is regulated by a separate agency, the Department of Buildings, and tenants are not its primary concern. In fact, no agency complaint category even mentions the word tenant.

For a landlord seeking to free apartments from regulation, that bureaucratic limbo makes it easier to do rent-enhancing renovations hidden from city inspectors scrutiny.

So landlords may lie on permit applications, saying that major construction is only cosmetic work, which demands far gentler oversight. They may begin work without obtaining permits at all. Whatever the violation, the median building fine between 2013 and 2017 was $800, pocket change for developers. The citys finance department does little to ensure that fines are collected. The buildings department does little to ensure that violations are fixed.

Most permit applications for apartment renovations get only a cursory review. That is because architects and engineers are allowed to self-certify that they follow the rules, letting them quickly obtain permits for what they say is minor work. A self-certified permit is often approved within days. Applications that are actually reviewed  those for more extensive work  can take months.

A buildings department spokesman, Joseph Soldevere, said self-certification helped make construction easier, faster and cheaper. Adding more red tape would simply drive illegal work further underground, he said, adding that the agency routinely audited self-certified applications, about 1 in every 6 last year.

But a comparison of building permits, violations and apartment listings indicates how willfully some owners flout the rules.

At 165 Avenue A, one of the East Village buildings purchased in part by Shaouls company, two architects submitted eight self-certified permits for apartment renovations between 2007 and 2011. Both claimed the work would not change occupancy. One, Ken Hudes, whose firm, Atelier New York Architecture, has become a favourite of mega-landlords, said his work would involve only minor partition changes.

But the work was considerable: apartments were gutted and converted from one and two bedrooms to four bedrooms.

Hudes denied any wrongdoing. In an email, he said his team turned nonfunctioning apartments into beautiful homes, adding: Tenants and landlords love our work.

After the sale of 25 Grove Street, the complaints piled up. In October 2015, a tenant reported apartments being gutted without permits. The building, in fact, had no permits whatsoever.

In short order, the architect, Hudes partner, Jonathan Miller, submitted two self-certified permits, saying workers would do only minor work in four units. Within hours, each permit was rubber-stamped. City inspectors then responded to the initial complaint, dismissing it.

Landlords are often tipped off to potential problems by complaints automatically logged on a public website. Only then do they file permit applications  akin to getting a drivers license after being accused of speeding.

About 8.6 million people now live in New York (Alamy)

Im not even as angry at the landlord as I am at the city, said Collette Stallone, 63, a tenant. Theyre allowing this.

Sanieoff declined to comment. His lawyer, Joseph Buckley, denied any wrongdoing.

Tenants soon complained of excessive dust, of illegal construction, of sloppy work. A drill punctured Tainows ceiling. A saw came through another tenants floor.

Photographs showed a thick layer of dust inside apartments. Tainow developed a raspy cough.

I was wearing a mask all the time, even when I was sleeping, said Humberto Torres, 56, who has asthma and lives across the hall.

Photographs later documented that the work was hardly minor: entire apartments taken down to the studs; one-bedroom units altered to have two.

On 13 January 2016, the owner and contractors were hit with four violations. Three of them  for working without permits and lying on one application  led to fines of $4,000. The fourth  for excessive dust in Torres apartment  was deemed immediately hazardous.

Violation hearings are usually cosy affairs, with a city hearing officer, a buildings department lawyer and a representative of the building or construction firm. Tenants are not invited. Landlords routinely get the benefit of the doubt.

At the dust-violation hearing, Abe Sicker, representing the construction company, argued that the violations class should be reduced. It is annoying, the dust, he conceded. But an immediately hazardous violation?

The hearing officer agreed  and then some. She dismissed the violation altogether.

In March 2015, a landlord named Asher Sussman told the buildings department that he wanted to transform his new amazing investment opportunity in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn from seven apartments into 10.

All he was seeing was dollar signs, said Cynthia Wilkie, 62, who lived in one of the two occupied apartments at 632 Sterling Place.

What happened next shows the flimsiness of the rules and paperwork designed to protect tenants in regulated apartments during construction.

On the application, Sussman needed to check yes or no on two boxes. Was the building occupied? Did it have rent-regulated units? He checked no on both.

Contradicting the first false statement, Sussmans architect submitted a tenant-protection plan. The plan itself was a word-for-word recitation of the city building codes definition of a tenant-protection plan. Separately, under tenant safety notes, the architect said construction would not create dust, dirt, or other inconveniences.

Soldevere said examiners had determined that the protection planned for tenants was appropriate for the proposed construction.

As with lying about the extent of construction, lying about occupancy or regulatory status is a crime and may mean that owners are compromising safety. If a building has tenants, a tenant-protection plan is required to safeguard them.

Its not just a bureaucratic check-the-box, not-check-the-box thing, said Brandon Kielbasa, a tenant organiser with the Cooper Square Committee. The consequences are that tenants are put in really dangerous situations or psychologically harassed out of their homes.

Yet as at 632 Sterling Place, many architects and engineers submitted tenant-protection plans with few protections, often simply cut and pasted from the building code. And falsified permits are not uncommon, a review of thousands of permits shows. Hundreds of owners lied about both occupancy and regulated apartments.

Until recently, the review showed, the city largely ignored the boxes altogether. It didnt track whether an owner lied about occupancy or whether a building had regulated apartments, considering tax bills unreliable because they were self-reported. Only in December 2016 did the state agency that monitors regulated apartments agree to tell the buildings department whether a building had any.

Architects and engineers are rarely held responsible for falsified permits. They are licensed by the state, which seldom punishes anyone. Those disciplined by the city often voluntarily surrender self-certification privileges to avoid more formal punishment. The reasons are never made public.

Their firms can easily bounce back. Take Atelier. In March 2015, Hudes voluntarily surrendered his self-certification privileges. His partner, Miller, took over. Then on 8 August, Miller voluntarily surrendered his privileges, making way for a new architect, Anatole Plotkin. Hudes recovered his privileges in November.

The only criminal charge that The Times identified for a licensed contractor working on a regulated building involved Pirooz Soltanizadeh, an engineer indicted in June 2015 on felony charges of falsely reporting that no one lived at 1578 Union Street in Brooklyn. The arrests of Soltanizadeh and the owner, Daniel Melamed, were highly publicised, the first by a new city-state task force fighting tenant harassment. The building was illegally gutted around three families; construction dust contained 88 times the allowed lead level.

In December, Soltanizadeh, who had faced up to four years in prison, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct  the equivalent of a ticket. He is still licensed, although he gave up his self-certification privileges a year ago.

His lawyer, Paul Greenfield, said Melamed, who spent 20 days in jail and paid $200,000 in restitution, was to blame for the falsehoods.

At 632 Sterling Place, after agreeing to buy the building in late 2014, Sussman had pushed tenants to leave, eventually offering buyouts. Two tenants agreed to move, including a woman with dementia. The other woman said she never received any money.

There is one more line of defence: the states Division of Housing and Community Renewal, designated overseer of the rent laws, watchdog against rent fraud, guardian of the $2,733.75 threshold for traditional regulated apartments.

Many housing advocates argue that rent fraud is rampant in New York. How widespread such overcharges are, though, is impossible to judge, because the state agency doesnt collect much of the necessary information. When it does, it is barred from making the data public.

Yet it is clear that the agency is often helpless in the face of the myriad subterfuges that some landlords deploy to manipulate rent system guidelines.

The agency, for example, requires landlords to report all regulated rents annually, along with vacancy increases and money spent on apartment improvements. But it does not require proof of that spending, unless a tenant files an overcharge complaint, which is rare. Nor does the agency check for a building permit when a landlord claims a rent increase for improvements. A missing permit could indicate that work was illegal, minor or never done.

So just as they may lie about the extent  or even existence  of improvements to avoid oversight, landlords may claim whatever type and quantity of work is needed to free an apartment from regulation.

If the state agency consistently comes up short, it is, perhaps unintentionally, frank about its limitations.

On rental histories, the agency admits that it does not attest to the truthfulness of the owners statements or the legality of the rents reported in this document. On some rental histories, it misspells its own name: Communtiy, instead of Community.

For an agency created to protect tenants, it often ends up sheltering landlords. In the name of protecting tenants privacy, the agency is barred from releasing rental histories, except to the tenant. It is even barred from reporting how many regulated apartments are in a building.

The agency has had to do more with less: in 2017, only 27 examiners looked at overcharge complaints. In 2007, there were 37.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has still claimed successes, including a plan in January 2016 to re-regulate up to 50,000 illegally deregulated apartments. So far, only 1,900 have been returned to the rent rolls.

In 2012, Cuomo also set up a Tenant Protection Unit, which undertook the first-ever audits of owners who had reported significant increases for apartment improvements, recovering $4.5m for tenants. The unit says it has returned 67,000 apartments to the regulated rolls.

But tenant advocates called that figure illusory, saying owners were merely allowed to register their apartments as stabilised, but at their current higher rents, without penalties, ratifying their earlier fraud, said Edward Josephson, litigation director for Legal Services NYC.

The state refused to give any information about those apartments, which in any event would barely stem losses. The city now has 6,500 fewer stabilised apartments than in 2011, according to state numbers.

New York has been in some form of housing crisis for a century (Alamy)

The tenant protection unit has enemies. Real estate industry groups sued, challenging its existence. Though the suit was dismissed, they have appealed. State lawmakers, who still rely heavily on industry donations, have consistently denied the units budget request. The state housing agency funds it. Its commissioner, RuthAnne Visnauskas, said she hoped lawmakers would increase the units funding so that we can do even more.

Recently the unit audited 560 Audubon, looking at three apartments and ordering rent reductions after no proof of improvements was provided. Investigators neither fined the landlord nor examined other apartments there.

I was gobsmacked, said Matthew Chachere, a lawyer with Northern Manhattan.

In 2016, the state started requiring landlords to give new rent-regulated tenants explanations of their rent, and to provide more proof of apartment improvements. But tenants rarely check explanations, and the government rarely investigates the authenticity of landlords proof.

Christopher Leahy, a landlord and contractor who has testified as an expert witness for tenants, believes some landlords claim improvements and then fabricate evidence if tenants file overcharge complaints.

The landlords keep doing it because they so often get away with it, he said. Most tenants dont complain.

Matt Pavoni did. The 37-year-old actor filed a complaint last year after seeing a huge jump in his rental history at 600 Lincoln Place in Crown Heights. In response, the landlord, a limited liability company under the umbrella of the Watermark Capital Group, claimed about $42,500 worth of improvements in 2013  just enough to push the rent above the then-$2,500 threshold, into the free market.

The proof was riddled with problems. The check copies were so tiny as to be illegible. One company, Pinpoint Builders, claimed to have done $20,000 of the work. But the address on its letterhead  5041 16th Ave in Brooklyn  did not exist. The new bathroom tiles it claimed to have installed were cracking.

Another company, Yankels Demolition and Rubbish Removal, charged $4,000 for rubbish removal but classified it as an apartment improvement, yielding a $100 monthly rent increase. The company also claimed to have redone the closets. The apartment has no closets.

That really upset me, Pavoni said.

Watermark defends the rent increase. The company said Pinpoint was now based out of another office and blamed tenants for the cracked bathroom tiles. As for the closets, Watermark said they were included in the original work order, then omitted.

In January, the state housing agency ruled in Watermarks favour, saying it had never received Pavonis mailed response. He has appealed.

The vanishing affordable apartment is having an extended political moment.

In the brewing race for governor, Cuomos challenger, Cynthia Nixon, has proposed overhauling state rent laws to make it harder to deregulate apartments.

And last August, the city adopted a package of measures to fight tenant harassment, establishing a tenant advocate, slightly increasing some penalties and beefing up requirements for tenant protection plans.

But the buildings department will be the primary enforcer, and its commitment is unclear.

In March, department officials told a city council committee that new employees would not be hired for the advocates office. The commissioner, Rick Chandler, said the department had long advocated successfully for tenants. Im very disheartened, councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, who pushed for the new office, told The Times in April.

Last week, after questioning by The Times, the department appeared to have changed its mind: Soldevere said funding had been requested for two new employees for the advocates office. In addition, he said that because of the new laws, the agency planned to hire more than 70 new employees to focus on tenant protection and set up a quick-response unit for complaints of work without permits.

We wont tolerate landlords who use construction to harass tenants, he said, adding that since September, the department had issued 547 violations for lying about occupancy and regulation on permits.

The Times identified 370 that had been resolved. Out of $1.8m in fines, about $280,000 has been paid; the median fine was $2,400.

At 25 Grove Street, a few regulated tenants eventually sued, winning a temporary rent reduction. After the worker fell through Tainows ceiling in August 2016, the hole was immediately patched. A few hours later, as Tainow sat at her computer, workers punched another hole, this time in her living room ceiling, sending another large chunk of drywall onto the floor. Tainow started screaming. Neighbours called an ambulance: her blood pressure had shot up to a dangerous 190/130.

Despite the two cave-ins, a building inspector wrote only one Class 1 violation, the most serious kind, for a localised collapse of ceiling in the living room and cracks in Torres apartment across the hall.

At the hearing, Sicker, again representing the construction company, argued for the violation class to be reduced. An engineers report on the living room, he said, showed there was nothing really there.

No photographs were provided. Vivian Currie, the buildings departments lawyer, described the two ceiling collapses as a small localised area, explaining that he had hesitated calling the building inspector to testify because it would have taken time. Yeah, I mean, to avoid getting the inspector, you know, we will move to amend.

Tainow was not mentioned. Sicker won his reduction. The fine was halved, to $5,000.

January 2017 brought another complaint about illegal construction. After learning about the complaint, Sanieoff, the landlord, texted the rental agent, Alice Bahar, blaming Tainow and describing her as a piece of garbage!

The complaint was closed because inspectors failed twice to get inside.

In June 2017, the apartment above Tainows finally hit the market: the former one-bedroom was now the BEST TRUE 3 BEDROOM apartment in the West Village area, according to the StreetEasy listing. The rent: $6,500.

For all its problems, 25 Grove is hardly a blip in the world of rent regulation. Tenants complained to their local officials, with little response. Their lawyer wrote to the attorney generals bureau investigating landlords, which sent back a form letter: Because of the volume of complaints, the limits of our resources, and the constraints of our jurisdiction, the bureau cannot act on or otherwise investigate every complaint.

Even after Sussman practically dismantled Wilkies building, the attorney generals office declined the case. Im pretty upset that the office didnt think there was a basis for prosecuting him, said Stephen Myers, Wilkies lawyer.

On 4 May, the buildings department decided the landlord could continue renovations. OK to work, said the order, posted out front. After questioning from The Times, the department on Thursday stopped work.

Sanieoff has expanded. His companies bought two more properties, including 37 King Street, a half-mile from 25 Grove, purchased in November for $17.5m. The advertisement for the building proclaimed, Tremendous value can be captured through the destabilisation and renovation of the residential units that remain untouched for years.
The government has been accused of shutting disabled people out of elected office by delaying the return of a dedicated fund to help people stand for parliament.

A group of Labour frontbenchers has urged ministers to reinstate the Access to Elected Office Fund without delay, which was set up under the coalition government to give grants of up to 40,000 to disabled candidates for additional costs such as transport or sign language interpreters.

The vital fund was frozen for review in 2015, and Penny Mordaunt, the women and equalities minister quietly announced a further 12-month consultation earlier this month.

Candidates will be able to draw from a 250,000 fund for upcoming local elections but critics warned this must not be used to kick the issue of a long-term solution into the long grass.

Parliament only has five openly disabled MPs, including Labour MP Marsha de Cordova, who is partially sighted, and Tory education committee chair Robert Halfon, who has cerebral palsy.

In a letter to Ms Mordaunt, co-signed by Ms Cordova, shadow voter engagement minister Cat Smith and shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler, Labour said: It is vital that the government finds a long-term solution to improve the substantial underrepresentation of disabled people in public life.

This 12 month public consultation period cannot be used as a way to defer government responsibility and kick this into the long grass.

 Blind man reduced to tears after London commuters refuse to give up disabled seats for him and his guide dog

Whilst all political parties can do more to reduce barriers facing disabled candidates, the extra campaign costs they incur as a result of their disability should be met by the government and not by political parties.

The Access to Elected Office fund must be fully restored without further delay.

Ms Smith told The Independent that delaying the decision added to a catalogue of policies that have failed disabled people by the government.

She added: Disabled people are shockingly underrepresented in public life and without additional financial support many talented candidates are prevented from standing for public office.

If the Tories are serious about delivering a fair and equal society, they will restore the fund as a matter of urgency.

David Buxton, who was the first deaf sign language-using parliamentary candidate in 1997, said the cost of paying for interpreters had dissuaded him standing for the Liberal Democrats in the upcoming Lewisham East by-election.

 Disabled Coldplay fan crowd-surfs in wheelchair to play on stage with Chris Martin

Mr Buxton, who co-founded Liberal Democrats Disability programme, said: I know the area well, having lived and worked there for years.

The hindrance was that I was unable to find enough funds to pay for BSL/English interpreters during the by election campaign, so I decided not to send the application an hour before the closing date.

He urged the government to reinstate the fund to allow him a final chance to stand for the next election, after 30 years of working in politics.

He went on: To date, parliament has only 5 disabled MPs in spite of the fact that Britain has nearly 20 per cent of people having a disability.

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In other words, parliament could have 125 disabled MPs.

parliament should be seen as positive, strongly diverse and well represented across all communities, fully embracing diversity, equality and inclusion.

Ms Mordaunt said the disabled population in parliament was not sufficiently represented but placed the burden on political parties to bring about change.

Announcing the consultation in a statement earlier this month, she said: The prime responsibility for this would sit with political parties themselves.

However, within this, there will be ways the government can help too, for example by looking at extending the support we already provide in other areas such as employment to enable other activities such as volunteering or representing their communities.

She added: While this work is ongoing we want to ensure that disabled people can run for office, so we are announcing a fund of up to 250,000 to support disabled candidates, primarily for the forthcoming English local elections in 2019.

We will set out further details about the scheme in the near future and any measures taken to ensure such costs are not considered to be part of a candidates election expenses.

A Government Equalities Office spokesperson said: The first announcement the new Minister for Women and Equalities made was for 250,000 to support disabled candidates for elections held over the next 12 months.

This is so disabled candidates are not disadvantaged while the situation is improved.

We are not consulting for 12 months, but instead will work with disabled peoples organisations and political parties to ensure every disabled person who wishes to run for office can.

There is a role for government but the prime responsibility and financial burden lies with political parties themselves. They must properly support disabled candidates, and we will help them do that.
Theresa May will use a meeting of world leaders next week to press US President Donald Trump to reverse tariffs on steel that threaten to spark a damaging international trade war.

The prime minister will travel to Canada for the G7 where she and other European leaders will seek to persuade Mr Trump to back down.

It comes after Ms May branded the tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium as unjustifiable ahead of the summit, while other leaders vowed retaliatory action.

The row has also cast doubt on the benefits for Britain of seeking a post-Brexit trade deal with the US, with Ms May have failed so far to secure an exemption for UK goods.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, said the UK was still seeking exemptions based both on specific products and also geographic location.

He said: We will still be making that case throughout this week. We of course have the G7 leaders meeting at the end of the week where the prime minister will be raising this with President Trump alongside other leaders.

He added: The United States believes, I believe wrongly and illegally, that this is a national security matter for the US.

 Canadian PM Trudeau says new tariffs announced Trump are unacceptable

Given that we export some pretty complex steel products to the United States which are part of their national security programmes themselves, this reasoning that is given is wrong and therefore we believe unlawful.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the tariffs are totally unacceptable and a violation of a centuries-old relationship between the US and Canada.

With his country filing two complaints against the US measures and threatening dollar for dollar retaliation, he added: These tariffs will harm industries and workers on both sides of the Canada-US border.

The EU has said it will impose countermeasures against the US in response to Mr Trumps tariffs on European steel and aluminium exports.

The blocs trade commission Cecilia Malmstrom said: Today is a bad day for world trade. We did everything to avoid this outcome.

Over the last couple of months I have spoken at numerous occasions with the US secretary of commerce. I have argued for the EU and the US to engage in a positive transatlantic trade agenda, and for the EU to be fully, permanently and unconditionally exempted from these tariffs. This is also what EU leaders have asked for.

 Wilbur Ross on trade tariffs: Even if the EU retaliates, it won't be as much as 1% on our economy

Throughout these talks, the US has sought to use the threat of trade restrictions as leverage to obtain concessions from the EU. This is not the way we do business, and certainly not between longstanding partners, friends and allies. Now that we have clarity, the EUs response will be proportionate and in accordance with WTO rules.

The bloc is also taking the US to the World Trade Organisations trade court  officially known as the dispute resolution mechanism  to get Mr Trumps policy declared illegal.

Legal proceedings against the US at the WTO started on Friday, with EU member states already having been consulted on Tuesday.

Under WTO rules the EU will have to wait until mid-June to formally implement its rebalancing measures, while regulations say it has nine months to use the countermeasures.
A senior Conservative peer has written to Theresa May backing calls for an inquiry into Islamophobia within the party, The Independent can reveal.

Lord Sheikh, who served as an adviser to David Cameron, has called on Ms May to look into the issue, describing it as a matter of grave concern to the many Muslim members and supporters of the party.

In his letter to No 10, Lord Sheikh highlights Zac Goldsmiths London mayoral election campaign in 2016, Bob Blackman MP hosting Tapan Ghosh, an Indian Hindu nationalist, in parliament, and the lack of Muslim candidates in the last general election.

I call on you as the prime minister to take the following two steps immediately. Firstly, set up an independent inquiry  we must investigate instances of Islamophobic conduct and isolate them swiftly, Lord Sheikh says in the letter seen by The Independent.

Secondly the prime minister should reach out to all outreach groups of the Conservative Party such as the Conservative Muslim Forum and actively engage in dialogue.

The comments come days after The Independent revealed that the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) had written to the Tories to demand an urgent inquiry into Islamophobia in the party.

The organisation, which represents more than 500 mosques, schools and associations in Britain, urged the party to conduct a full audit to tackle the more than weekly occurrences of Islamophobia from candidates and representatives of the party.

Lord Sheikh said the MCB letter came as no surprise to me and should not come as a surprise to the party either.

The MCBs letter cited 10 examples of Islamophobia by members of the party that have been revealed in an eight-week period since 5 April.

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

Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: The Conservative Party prides itself in being against any form of bigotry and racism yet there are serious concerns that its best values are being disfigured by Islamophobic views.

We look forward to the party taking forward our suggestion of an inquiry into Islamophobia and we are happy to help support in any capacity we can.

A Tory councillor was suspended this week after he allegedly posted Islamophobic comments about London mayor Sadiq Khan on Facebook.

Stephen Ardley, a councillor on Waveney District Council, allegedly said it was unbelievable that a Muslim had been elected and went on to describe those who voted for him as blind.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: Stephen Ardley has been suspended. An investigation is under way.
The British official chairing the board of a scandal-hit UN agency has said its leaders have no appetite for pursuing action over specific sexual harassment allegations.

The Independent can reveal the comment was allegedly made by the top civil servant chairing the UNAIDS coordinating board, in a phone call with a leading international womens rights campaigner.

Danny Graymore has not denied saying the words, though sources close to the Whitehall official have insisted his comments have been taken out of context.

But international sexual exploitation expert Paula Donovan, who spoke with Mr Graymore, said it showed alleged victims of the UNAIDS scandal are still far from achieving accountability and justice.

The development throws new light on the deepening scandal, which has seen a female ex-staffer accuse the UN agencys former deputy chief of a sexual assault, and its director of attempting a coverup  allegations denied by both men.

In a revealing interview with The Independent today, Ms Donovan casts doubt on whether a new internal probe into the allegations at the agency responsible for fighting HIV infection has any chance of success, claiming the UN now has so many conflicts of interest, that justice is simply impossible to achieve.

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 UNAIDS scandal exploded in 2016, when Martina Brostrom claimed that a year earlier she was sexually assaulted in Bangkok by the bodys former deputy executive director Luiz Loures, and that his boss, Michel Sidibe, later tried to bribe her with a promotion to drop the allegation.

Both men denied the claims and Mr Loures was later cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal investigation.

How is accountability ever going to come about when you have what Danny Graymore described to me as no appetite for looking at individual misconduct and individual abuse of power? Paula Donovan, director of the Code Blue Campaign

More women made claims, so far unsubstantiated, in February of this year. Mr Loures then stood down in March, adding that the decision had no connection to the allegations against him.

The scandal has coincided with the UK taking up the rotating chairmanship of the UNAIDS board, with Mr Graymore from the Department for International Development (DFID) taking the lead.

On his watch, the board has established an independent expert panel on prevention of and response to harassment, to review policies and procedures in the light of the scandal and see what needs to change to prevent future abuse.

Luiz Loures (left) on stage with Sir Elton John at the 19th International Aids Conference in 2012

But campaigners have said it falls short of the response needed, including Ms Donovan who told The Independent it was a cop out.

She called on Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, to grill the UNAIDS board as to why it was not going further and publically pushing for a direct and truly independent probe into Ms Brostroms claims.

Ms Donovan said: We need to know why the board decided that when this awful case hit the headlines, with the UN and its agencies in such disrepute, why did they decide that they were going to strike an independent expert panel which will assiduously and determinably according to its own job description, avoid looking at individual cases, and would only review policies and procedures to find gaps.

How is accountability ever going to come about when you have what Danny Graymore described to me as no appetite for looking at individual misconduct and individual abuse of power?

He said it to me in a phone call. He said that the member states, and the programme coordinating board, the governance body of UNAIDS has no appetite for looking at individual cases and investigating these allegations of misconduct and abuse of authority, sexual abuse and so forth, that have been levelled against individuals like Luiz Loures and Michel Sidibe.

The director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibe in 2017

The campaigner, who will give evidence to the International Development Committee in parliament on Tuesday, added: It is just a cop out as far as Im concerned.

A spokesman from DFID did not deny Mr Graymore had spoken with Ms Donovan or said the words, but chose not to respond directly to her comments.

He said instead: An independent expert panel will be appointed to carry out a review into UNAIDS. We will expect them to look at all the allegations raised and to make recommendations for what needs to change.

We have been very clear that [DFID] will not work with any organisation that does not live up to the high standards on safeguarding and protection that we require.

Former UNAIDS staffer Martina Brostrom has called for Michel Sidibe to be removed from his post

The Independent understands that Mr Graymore believes his comments have been taken out of context, and that he was trying to make the point that the panel does not have the power to name and shame or punish individuals.

One Whitehall insider said: Danny doesnt accept Paulas interpretation of their conversation, which makes it sound like he is indifferent or complacent.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman from UNAIDS said the agency is committed to ensuring a safe and enabling working environment for all its staff, and highlighted the panels aims.

But news of Mr Graymores alleged comment will do little to dampen anger around the case, which saw Ms Brostrom appear at a London press conference on Thursday demanding the UK use its chairmanship to push for Mr Sidibes removal from office.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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. 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Under pressure, the UN announced in April it would reopen the probe into Ms Brostroms allegations, but critics who say the initial investigation that cleared Mr Loures was flawed, point out that the new one will still be run by UN officials, albeit ones from outside of UNAIDS.

Ms Donovan said: The UN is so conflicted, has so many conflicts of interest that justice is simply impossible to achieve.

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It is simply not possible for the UN to play the neutral roles that are required for justice and accountability to be made available to people.

She is codirector of AIDS-Free World and its Code Blue Campaign to end impunity for sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers, and has also over three decades explored claims of abuse at its offices across the world, including in New York.

Ms Donovan went on: Sexual abuse is a problem that is pervasive throughout the system. It is a culture that goes from top to bottom, from side to side.

One of the things that exacerbates this culture and allows it to fester and grow, is that accountability is almost prohibited. It is certainly really difficult to achieve, because of UN immunity.

Her campaign says the answer is an independent, impartial special court mechanism to scrutinise UN work across the world, but operate completely outside of its control.

Ms Donovan added: Now [immunity] is being used as a cover by a UN that just doesnt want any stain on its reputation.

They want to continue with business as usual  It means no one can even scrutinise whether their investigations are thorough or fair or even conducted at all.

So all of the accusations against the UN, they can say we looked into it and there was no problem or it was not substantiated. This has been going on such a long time, that it is basically conventional wisdom, that if you work for the UN, you get a free pass.

The Independent contacted the United Nations in New York for a response.
The military in the small African state of Lesotho has occupied police stations and surrounded government buildings in a possible coup attempt.

A guard at the US Embassy in the capital, Maseru, said gunfire was heard early on Saturday morning and has since stopped but reports of shots on Twitter continue.

The military has been moving around from three o'clock in the morning, occupying police stations in Maseru and moving around to other districts, said Bernard Ntlhoaea, the guard.

The military was armed and he saw at least one armoured personnel carrier on the streets.

Radio stations were not broadcasting in the country, except for a Catholic station, and phone lines were reportedly jammed.

Thomas Thabane, Prime Minister of Lesotho, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 (Getty Images)

Tensions have been running high in the landlocked country since June, when Prime Minister Thomas Thabane suspended the country's parliament to avoid being ousted in vote of no confidence amid feuding in the coalition government of two years.

South Africa attempted to mediate after the attempted coup and warned political rivals that any unconstitutional change of government would not be tolerated.

Lesotho, which is completely surrounded by South Africa, has undergone several military coups since gaining independence from Britain in 1966 and held its first peaceful elections in 2002 under a new voting system.

In 1998, at least 58 Lesothans and eight South African soldiers died and large parts of Maseru were damaged during a political stand-off and subsequent fighting.

Around 40 per cent of its two million citizens are thought to live below the international poverty line.

Additional reporting by PA
The MS-13 gang leader sometimes known as the Tapeworm had already been deported from America at least three times and escaped from a Honduran prison when authorities were hunting for him in 2004, suspecting he had masterminded an attack on a bus full of Christmas shoppers.

After rounding up some suspected gang members and demanding to know who they were and where they came from, a top Honduran security official recounted, one of the suspects offered a response that encapsulates the challenges in fighting a criminal enterprise as indifferent to borders as it is to violence:

Esta pandilla no tiene bandera, the suspect said. This gang has no flag.

In the decade since, MS-13 has only grown in strength, consolidating its control over a broad swathe of Central America  and to the current president of the United States, the group consists of violent animals. It is a refrain Donald Trump has repeatedly espoused, amid more than a dozen tweets about the gang, invoking MS-13 to demonstrate the perils of lax immigration enforcement and vowing to dismantle the group through a programme of mass deportation.

Were taking them out by the thousands, Mr Trump boasted during a visit to a border wall prototypes in California. Although the US government does not track MS-13 deportations specifically, it claims some 5,400 gang members were removed in 2017.

But current and former law enforcement officials who have contended with the gangs rise say a focus on deportation belies the complexity of the fight  and risks fuelling the cycle that nourished MS-13s rise in the first place.

Deportation doesnt do a thing for MS-13 because its so easy to get back in. Theyre very well entrenched, said Chris Swecker, who oversaw the establishment of FBI gang task forces. Instead of putting them in jail we deported them, which they laughed at  send us on vacation, well visit the homies and come back in.

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. 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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. 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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. 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The organisation has its roots in the civil wars that convulsed Central America in the 1980s. Immigrants from El Salvador in particular headed north, coalescing into MS-13 in Los Angeles in part as a way to defend against entrenched Mexican-American gangs. The Tapeworm was a member of a Los Angeles clica, or local branch.

A wave of deportations followed. But rather than neutralise the organisation, law enforcement officials say, the wave of hardened returnees replenished and fortified its Central American base.

You have MS-13 members who would be convicted for crimes, spend time in California prisons, be deported, and they would return almost as heroes, said Robert Clifford, who directed a national MS-13 task force for the FBI and relayed the story about the flagless MS-13 member, told to him by a Honduran official who was visiting Washington.

Well over a decade after Newsweek ran a story warning of The Most Dangerous Gang in America, MS-13 has only grown more formidable. A government-backed truce between El Salvarodan gangs, now widely viewed as a misstep, helped the gang assert more control and become what researchers call a quasi-government in much of the region.

 ICE director calls Oakland mayor 'gang lookout' for immigration raid warning

The consequences of those developments have reverberated from Tegucigalpa to New England. Spiralling violence has again propelled people to the United States. There are literally, for most of those kids, zero options. You have the gangs or nothing, said researcher Douglas Farah.

Law enforcement officials in the United States have noted a spike in crime linked to MS-13  and it is often horrific. Thomas Manger, chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland, testifying to Congress last summer said a dramatic increase in MS-13 members in local jails and prisons and noted that they were often incarcerated for crimes, like stabbings and beatings, distinguished by premeditation, brutality and callousness.

As the gang violence feeds calls for an immigration crackdown, there are signs of the old cycle repeating itself. A 2017 paper co-authored by Mr Farah warned that Central American gangs were already beefing up their ranks due to the recent influx of gang members being deported from the United States.

The illusion youre somehow going to arrest your way and deport your way out of MS-13 being in the United States is a dangerous fantasy, Mr Farah said.

That isnt to say that law enforcement officials are arguing against removing the most dangerous offenders. Deportation, Mr Clifford said, remains the most immediate and strongest tool for law enforcement. But it cannot be the only one.

Thats the million dollar question, trying to find the balance, said Scott Conley, a detective and gang investigator in Chelsea, Massachusetts.

Deportation alone wont solve the problem, he added. It has to be coupled with sophisticated criminal investigations.

Law enforcement officials suggest a variety of tactics that may be more effective. Some advocate the kind of elaborate racketeering cases that were used to dismantle the mafia, with more federal prosecutors to help build them. Congress could fund more regional gang task forces. Better information-sharing between the US and Central American countries could help, including by allowing the governments of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to prepare for deportees.

That way when that plane lands theyre aware theres an individual on it that has gang ties or gang-related offences, Mr Conley said, pointing to an FBI initiative called the Transnational Anti-Gang task force.

But law enforcement officials and migration experts concede that deportation and prosecution cannot cure the underlying factors empowering MS-13. A comprehensive approach would require strengthening civic institutions in Central America  and perhaps more critically, preventing young immigrants in America from being coerced into joining.

The unaccompanied minors that come into our country are particularly vulnerable to gang recruitment, Mr Manger said, noting that MS-13 will often threaten peoples families back home.

That requires the resources to support recent arrivals from Central America, many of whom arrive knowing few people and with little structure to guide them. It is not uncommon for people to have endured trauma, Mr Conley said, pointing to a serious mental health crisis.

In El Salvador its far more complex. Its generational. Somehow everyones touched negatively [by gang violence], he said.

Part of the solution, law enforcement officials say, is ensuring immigrants who may be in the country illegally are not afraid to talk to the authorities. While Mr Trump has railed against so-called sanctuary laws that limit interaction between local police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying they make America unsafe, officials in hubs of MS-13 violence say they need lines of communication to remain open.

We have to create an environment in which undocumented individuals feel comfortable coming to law enforcement with information about crimes, then-Suffolk County police commissioner Timothy Sini, who has since been elected district attorney, told Congress in May 2017, explaining why his jurisdiction did not participate in a federal initiative delegating immigration enforcement powers to local law enforcement.

The other part, Mr Sini said, must be coupling targeted enforcement with investment in community-based programmes to reduce gang recruitment and gang enlistment.

If we do not provide the structure for these young people, he said, MS-13 will.

An approach that spans multiple hemispheres is an ambitious one. But people who have been on the frontlines of battling MS-13 say that it is critical to breaking the pattern of violence and migration.

Theres such a social crisis that needs to be addressed when you address this gang, Mr Conley said. Its not just a law enforcement approach  thats a reactive approach. We need to be part of the proactive approach that starts in El Salvador and continues in communities across the United States.
President Donald Trump falsely claimed the Korean War was the longest war in history. It was one of a host of inaccurate or puzzling statements he made to reporters Friday.

WHAT WAS SAID

We talked about ending the war. And you know, this war has been going on  its got to be the longest war  almost 70 years, right?

 Trump, speaking to reporters after a meeting with a North Korean envoy Friday

THE FACTS

False.

The Korean War began in 1950 and an armistice ended the fighting in 1953, but no peace treaty was officially signed. Still, Trump is wrong that the uneasy 65-year truce could constitute the longest war.

It is difficult to definitively say what was the longest war ever. Some involved a continuing fight while others were a series of conflicts with periods of peace. But no matter the parameters, there are numerous examples of wars that ran longer than the Korean War.

For example, the Hundred Years War between England and France spanned from 1337 to 1453.

The Punic Wars, from 265 B.C. to 146 B.C., lasted longer but were made up of three wars between Rome and Carthage.

Like the Korean War, several wars have been technically extended because no formal peace treaty was signed.

The Punic Wars can be said to have lasted over two millenniums, until 1985, when the mayors of Rome and Carthage agreed to an official peace treaty. And Japan and Russia have yet to sign a treaty to end World War II because of a continuing territorial dispute (although they currently are discussing a formal resolution).

Theres also the curious case of the Scilly conflict, a war between the Netherlands and Isles of Scilly in England that technically lasted more than three centuries but involved no injuries and no shots fired. A formal declaration of war went unheeded until 1986, when a peace treaty was signed.

South Korea, North Korea and the United States are discussing a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War.

WHAT WAS SAID

Dont forget, this was a meeting where a letter was given to me by Kim Jong Un, and that letter was a very nice letter. Oh, would you like to see what was in that letter? Would you like it?

 Trump to reporters, at 2:43 p.m.

THE FACTS

This is contradicted eight minutes later.

I havent seen the letter yet. I purposely didnt open the letter. I havent opened it. I didnt open it in front of the director.

 Trump to reporters, at 2:51 p.m.

Trump is referring to a letter from Kim, the North Korean leader, that his envoy delivered to the president at the White House. It was not immediately known what the letter said, and Trump shed no clarity on its contents.

An hour later, an unnamed White House official told Reuters correspondent Steve Holland that Trump had read the letter  but did not specify whether that was before or after his comments to reporters.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

WHAT WAS SAID

Mexico is making over $100 billion a year and theyre not helping us with our border because they have strong laws and we have horrible laws. We have horrible border laws.

 Trump, nearing the end of his 15-minute remarks to reporters.

THE FACTS

This requires context.

The presidents claim would have been more accurate a decade ago, when unauthorised immigration was a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. But in 2008, Mexican lawmakers decriminalised illegal immigration, which is now considered a minor offence.

Under US law, a first-time violation of illegally entering the United States can be punished by fines of up to hundreds of dollars or a jail sentence of up to six months.

The two countries have similar laws and protocols for inspection and documentation at their respective ports of entry. But Mexico is much weaker in enforcing its border laws, said Rey Koslowski, a professor at the University at Albany who specialises in international migration.

To say that somehow or another that Mexico is stronger and better equipped, Koslowski said, is laughable.

The United States also detains and deports more people than Mexico. Thats partly because of its larger population of unauthorised immigrants but also because of aggressive enforcement  which Trump has previously lauded.

OTHER CLAIMS

Trump also overstated the United States trade deficit with Mexico as over $100 billion a year (it was $69 billion last year); falsely claimed the United States loses many, many billions of dollars with Canada (it has a trade surplus); and said the 3.8 per cent unemployment rate was the lowest in 50 years (it was also 3.8 per cent in 2000).
A self-described white supremacist and paedophile who served time in jail over a plot to kill a US president, is running to become a congressman from his parents home in northern Virginia.

Nathan Larson spent 16 months in prison after being convicted in 2009 over an apparent plot to kill either George W Bush or Barack Obama. While he would be barred in many states from running for office, a law passed in 2016 in Virginia, means the 37-year-old part time account can make his run. He is contesting as an independent, having been expelled from the Libertarian Party of Virginia last year.

Mr Larson has never been convicted of paedophilia, but cached copies of his campaign website, show he advocates for child sexual abuse and the subjugation of women. He also is an admirer of the politics of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, whom he described as a white supremacist hero.

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I, Nathan Larson, hereby announce my candidacy as a quasi-neoreactionary libertarian in Virginias 10th congressional district election, 2018, he writes on his campaign page.

As representative, my main agenda will be (1) stopping the war on drugs, (2) protecting gun ownership rights, and (3) putting an end to US involvement in foreign wars arising from our countrys alliance with Israel. I will also restore (4) benevolent white supremacy, (5) private borders, (6) patriarchy, (7) freedom of speech, (8) freedom from age restrictions, (9) suicide rights, (10) jury trial rights, (11) discrimination rights, and (12) free trade.

This week the HuffPost reported Mr Larson had admitted creating two websites, both since taken down, that catered to paedophiles. One was said to lobby for such people, while there other pushed for potential sex offenders to be able to kill themselves legally at clinics.

A lot of people are tired of political correctness and being constrained by it, he said. People prefer when theres an outsider who doesnt have anything to lose and is willing to say whats on a lot of peoples minds.

 Police interview with Matthew Falder, one of Britain's most prolific paedophiles

When asked by the news site whether he was an active paedophile or just wrote about paedophilia, he said: Its a mix of both. When people go over the top, theres a grain of truth to what they say.

Mr Larson did not immediately respond to enquiries from The Independent. However, the Washington Post said Mr Larson had confirmed he was behind the now defunct websites. He said he had never interacted in person with people from the forums he created.

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 Larson, whose wife reportedly killed herself and whose child now lives with relatives, said he had filed paperwork with the Virginia Board of Elections to certify his latest candidacy last month. He said he had also submitted the 1,000 signatures of potential voters required to run for congress in Virginia.

He said his target supporters were so-called incels, the small but vocal community of involuntary celibates online who rage against feminism. Build the morale among the incels help get them focused and get some traction, he told the newspaper.

The Virginia Board of Elections did not immediately respond to enquiries.

Some people have seized on Mr Larsons candidacy to attack Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic governor of Virginia, who restored voting right to an estimated 13,000 former felons in 2016. Neither Mr McAuliffe or the current governor, Ralph Northam, have yet commented on the issue.
Just after President Donald Trump received a letter delivered by a top aide to the leader of North Korea to the White House, the commander-in-chief said that the letter was very nice  then admitted he had not actually read it.

This was a meeting where a letter was given to me by Kim Jong-un, and that letter was a very nice letter  oh would you like to see what was in that letter, Mr Trump said.

Reporters gamely asked what was actually in the letter, while Mr Trump egged them on, saying How much? How much?

Recommended Trump reportedly swaps steak for fish as part of weight loss diet

But, later, Mr Trump admitted that he could not actually tell the reporters what was in it.

I havent seen i yet, Mr Trump said.

The meeting, with North Koreas Kim Yong Choi, comes before an anticipated meeting between Mr Trump and his North Korean counterpart, Mr Kim, which would mark a historic summit between the two countries.

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

Whether that meeting will actually take place is not altogether certain, however.

Mr Trump announced that he planned on cancelling the summit last month, saying that the North Koreans had acted disrespectfully to the United States but leaving the door open just a bit for the negotiations to be saved.

Since then, the two sides have appeared to make headway on a possible meeting, though the process has been shrouded in secrecy and it remains unclear that the two sides will be able to reach a consensus on the specific terms of the talks.

Mr Trump has also said that the talks will definitely take place.
The US is reportedly trying to find a way to pay for a luxury presidential suite for Kim Jong-un  something the North Korean leader apparently desires to use during his stay in Singapore but may not be able to pay for.

A day after Donald Trump revealed his proposed meeting with Mr Kim was back on the calendar for 12 June after a positive meeting at the White House with a senior North Korean official, it emerged that mundane matters could be getting in the way of an historic geopolitical achievement.

As White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin and Mr Kims de facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son, seek to hammer out logistical details in Singapore ahead of the meeting barely 10 days away, it was reported the North Korean leader has asked to stay at the five-star Fullerton Hotel. Yet, according to the Washington Post, the cash-strapped country has demanded someone other than North Korea pay the hotel bill, which would include a $6,000 (4,500) per night fee for the presidential suite.

The hotel, located on the Singapore River, describes itself as the most exclusive in the city state. It says the presidential suite was formerly the card room of the elite Singapore Club, [and is] furnished with a baby grand piano and has a private elevator for discreet access.

Asked about reports that Mr Kim may soon be a guest, a receptionist at the hotel, which was built in 1928, told The Independent: Guest information is strictly confidential.

The Post reported while the US may be open to meeting the costs of Mr Kims stay at the neo-classical hotel, it was mindful of not wanting to insult him. It also said any payment may contravene Treasury Department sanctions. As a result, the Office of Foreign Assets Control would need to temporarily suspend the applicability of sanctions through a waiver. The White House did not immediately respond to enquiries.

Yet there may be other solutions. On Saturday, Singapore said it was prepared to meet some of the costs of the summit. Without giving specifics, defence minister Ng Eng Hen told reporters the nation was ready to meet some of the expenses in order to ensure the meeting was a success.

Obviously yes, but it is a cost that were willing to bear to play a small part in this historic meeting, Mr Ng said.

Meanwhile, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the Geneva-based campaign group that pushes for full implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its work, said it would meet the costs of Mr Kims hotel stay.

 Top North Korean official arrives at the White House to deliver letter from Kim Jong Un

Our movement is committed to the abolition of nuclear weapons and we recognise that this historic summit is a once in a generation opportunity to work for peace and nuclear disarmament, Akira Kawasaki, of ICANs steering group, said in a statement.

The Nobel Peace Prize included a cash prize and we are offering funds from the prize to cover the costs for the summit, in order to support peace in the Korean Peninsula and a nuclear-weapon-free world.

Despite widespread speculation, there has not yet been any public confirmation of the location for the meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Trump.

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

The potential venues mentioned as the site of the summit include the Shangri-la Hotel, which hosted Indias prime minister and defence chiefs from around the world this weekend, the Capella hotel on the resort island of Sentosa, and the Marina Bay Sands.

The last of these is a three-tower, 2,561-room property, which opened in 2011, and is owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, whose billionaire chairman, Sheldon Adelson, was one of the biggest financial backers of Mr Trumps 2016 presidential bid.

The Post pointed out that if someone else picked up the bill of Mr Kim, whose dramatic diplomatic rapprochement with the West has stunned observers, it would not be the first time.

During the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea spend $2.6m (1.95m) to cover the travel costs and accommodation of the North Korean cheering squad, an art troupe and other members of the delegation. Meanwhile, at the same games, the International Olympic Committee paid for 22 North Korean athletes to travel to the event.
A whale has died in southern Thailand after swallowing more than 80 plastic bags.

The small male pilot whale was found barely alive and vomited up five bags while rescuers battled to save it over four days, marine officials said.

A post-mortem examination revealed 80 plastic bags, weighing up to 1st 3lb, in the creature's stomach.

Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine biologist, said the bags had made it impossible for the whale to eat any nutritional food.

"If you have 80 plastic bags in your stomach, you die," he said.

At least 300 marine animals, including pilot whales, sea turtles and dolphins, perish each year in Thai waters after ingesting plastic, he added.

"It's a huge problem. We use a lot of plastic."

Last year Ocean Conservancy found that Thailand is one of the world's top-five plastic polluters, alongside China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Together these countries are responsible for more than half of the plastic that washes into the ocean annually  thought to be between eight and 13 million tonnes.

The pilot whale was found on Monday in a canal near the border with Malaysia, Thailand's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources said on Facebook.

Rescuers tried using buoys to keep the mammal afloat, while a sunshade was put up protect it from the blazing sun. It died yesterday.
Ukraine has claimed its staged murder of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko led to the discovery of a hit list of 47 people Russia planned to kill abroad.

The Kiev authorities have said the controversial fake shooting of the exiled journalist was necessary to protect him and dozens of others targeted by a genuine Russian plot.

Ukrainian officials reported on Tuesday that Mr Babchenko, a Kremlin critic, had been gunned down in his apartment building in Kiev.

However he appeared in public alive just a day later  with Ukrainian state security officials admitting they faked his death to expose what they described as a Russian plot to assassinate him.

Ukraines allegations came under fire from Russia, and the Kiev authorities have been criticised for using the same kind of stunt Ukraine often accuses Russia of.

At a meeting on Friday, General Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko, one of the few Ukrainian officials who knew about the plot in advance, briefed the ambassadors of the European Union, the United States, and other countries on the decision to stage the contract-style killing.

In a statement after the meeting, Mr Lutsenko said faking the murder was necessary because it allowed Ukrainian investigators to obtain more information about the list of people targeted and about who had ordered the murder.

The investigation received a list of 47 (!) people who could be the next victims of terrorists, as a result of the ruse, he wrote on Facebook.

He did not provide any names but said the list included prominent Ukrainian and Russian journalists.

Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko (centre), who was reported murdered in the Ukrainian capital on May 29, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko (right) and head of the state security service Vasily Gritsak (Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)

The 47 figure is higher than the 30 people, including Mr Babchenko, whom Ukraine originally said it believed were targets.

The investigation also gleaned important evidence linking the plot to Russian intelligence services, which would be divulged later, Mr Lutsenko said.

Mr Babchenko, who has faced criticism for the staged murder, said he used pigs blood and a makeup artist to stage his own death because he feared for his life after agents told him Russian security services had ordered his assassination.

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 41-year -old said a make-up artist visited his apartment to make him look as though he had been shot.

The journalist was given a T-shirt with bullet holes in it to wear and pigs blood was poured over him.

He said he played dead while medics  who were in on the ruse  transported him to hospital in an ambulance, certified him as dead and sent him to a morgue.

Mr Babchenko said even his wife had believed he was dead.

One senior EU country diplomat, who attended Friday's meeting, said Mr Lutsenko had given a convincing explanation to justify the means Ukraine had employed.

I'm happy, others are happier than before, the diplomat told Reuters, adding that Mr Lutsenko did acknowledge that the media reaction came as a surprise and that side should have been handled better.

Separately two television presenters based in Ukraine, one Russian and one Ukrainian, disclosed publicly that the Ukrainian authorities had shown them evidence of being on Russia's hit list and that they were now living under state protection.
Two lions, two tigers and a jaguar which were thought to have escaped from their enclosures after storms destroyed fences at a zoo in western Germany never actually left their cages, authorities have said.

Reports they had fled sparked a massive search by police, who warned local residents to stay indoors.

A large contingent of police and firefighters rushed to the Eifel Zoo in Luenebach, near Germany's borders with Luxembourg and Belgium.

A bear escaped from the 75-acre zoo grounds after flooding swept away the fencing for its enclosure.

It was later found in the rolling hills of the Eifel region and shot dead.

Where not to visit if you love animals Show all 9 1 /9 Where not to visit if you love animals Where not to visit if you love animals Monkey shows Chimpanzees are forced to perform demeaning tricks on leashes and are often subject to cruel training techniques. Animals who are confined to small, barren enclosures and forced to perform unsurprisingly show symptoms of stress and depression. Chimpanzees have been documented rocking back and forth, sucking their lips, salivating and swaying against enclosure perimeters in distress. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Marine parks Some parks confine orcas to concrete tanks and force them to perform meaningless tricks for food - many die in captivity. Orcas are highly intelligent and social mammals who may suffer immensely, both physically and mentally, when they're held in captivity. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Tiger shows Tigers are forced to live in an unnatural and barren environment and have to endure interactions with a constant stream of tourists. Since tigers never lose their wild instincts, across the world they are reportedly drugged, mutilated and restrained in order to make them safe for the public. However, every year, incidents of tiger maulings are reported at this type of tourist attraction. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Donkey rides Sunning on the beach is great for humans  we can take a quick dip or catch a bite to eat when we get too hot or hungry. But it's pure hell for donkeys who are confined to the beach and forced to cart children around on the hot sand. Some donkey-ride operators at beach resorts in the UK even keep the animals chained together at all times. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Swimming with dolphins Some marine parks use bottlenose dolphins in performances and offer visitors the opportunity to swim with dolphins. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that these animals are captured in the wild and torn from their families or traded between different parks around the world. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Canned hunting Lions are confined to fenced areas so that they can easily be cornered, with no chance of escape. Most of them will have been bred in captivity and then taken from their mothers to be hand-reared by the cub-petting industry. When they get too big, they may be drugged before they are released into a "hunting" enclosure. Because these animals are usually kept in fenced enclosures (ranging in size from just a few square yards to thousands of acres), they never stand a chance of surviving. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Running of the Bulls Every year, tourists travel to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. The bulls who are forced to slip and slide down the town's narrow cobblestone streets are chased straight into the bullring. They are then taunted, stabbed repeatedly and finally killed by the matador in front of a jeering crowd. The majority of Spaniards reject bullfighting, but tourists are keeping the cruel industry on its last legs. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Horse-drawn carriages City streets are no place for horses. The animals toil in all weather extremes, suffering from respiratory distress from breathing in exhaust fumes as well as numerous hoof, leg and back problems from walking on pavement all day long. As easily spooked prey animals, horses subjected to the loud noises and unexpected sounds of city streets are likely to be involved in accidents, even deadly ones. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Zoos The zoo community regards the animals it keeps as commodities, and animals are regularly bought, sold, borrowed and traded without any regard for established relationships. Zoos breed animals because the presence of babies draws visitors and boosts revenue, yet often, there's nowhere to put the offspring as they grow, and they are killed, as we saw with Marius the giraffe in Denmark. Some zoos have introduced evening events with loud music and alcohol which disrupt the incarcerated animals even further. EPA

Hours later, however, authorities said the five big cats who were thought to be missing had been found inside their enclosures and had never actually fled.

Andreas Kruppert, the mayor of the town of Arzfeld, said the confusion arose because volunteers using a drone were unable to find the carnivores, prompting fears they had all escaped from the zoo.

Flooding resulting from heavy rainfall was believed to have damaged the animals enclosures, allowing them to escape.

The mayor said authorities were establishing whether the animals could remain in their cages.

He said the zoo would take the animals to enclosures in another zoo if the damage was too severe.
A pregnant cow has been sentenced to death after it wandered over the EU border.

Penka, due to give birth in about three weeks, walked away from her herd near the Bulgarian village of Kopilovtsi and crossed the border into Serbia, a non-EU country.

The cow was returned to its owner, Ivan Haralampiev, and Serbian vets said it was in perfect health.

But Bulgarian officials said the bovine must be must be put down because of strict EU rules, AFP reported.

It is not for us to decide, a veterinary expert, Lyubomir Lyubomirov, told the agency. We are only implementing rules that come from Brussels.

John Flack, a Conservative MEP, has written to the prime minister of Bulgaria, Boyko Borissov, and the president of the European Union, Antonio Tajani, to highlight Penkas plight, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Surely this is a case where pragmatism should prevail over a strict reading of the rules, he said.

European Commission guidelines say cows must be presented at border checkpoints with documents verifying they are healthy.

It states: The certification must accompany the animals en route to the EU and when they are presented for entry into the EU at an approved EU Border Inspection Post.

The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Show all 8 1 /8 The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Post-Brexit immigration workers sorting radishes on a production line at a farm in Norfolk. One possible post-Brexit immigration scheme could struggle to channel workers towards less attractive roles - while another may heighten the risk of labour exploitation, a new report warns. PA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Customs union A key point in the negotiations remains Britain's access to, or withdrawal from, the EU customs union. Since the referendum there has been hot debate over the meaning of Brexit: would it entail a full withdrawal from the existing agreement, known as hard Brexit, or the soft version in which we would remain part of a common customs area for most goods, as Turkey does? No 10 has so far insisted that Brexit means Brexit and that Britain will be leaving the customs union, but may be inclined to change its position once the potential risks to the UKs economic outlook become clearer. Alamy The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Northern Ireland-Irish border Though progress was made last year, there has still been no solid agreement on whether there should be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To ensure borderless travel on the island, the countries must be in regulatory alignment and therefore adhere to the same rules as the customs union. In December, the Conservative Partys coalition partners, the DUP, refused a draft agreement that would place the UK/EU border in the Irish Sea due to its potential to undermine the union. May has promised that would not be the case and has suggested that a specific solution would need to be found. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Transition period Despite protests from a small number of Conservative MPs, the Government and the EU are largely in agreement that a transitional period is needed after Brexit. The talks, however, have reached an impasse. Though May has agreed that the UK will continue to contribute to the EU budget until 2021, the PM wants to be able to select which laws made during this time the UK will have to adhere to. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK must adopt all of the laws passed during the transition, without any input from British ministers or MEPs. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Rights of EU citizens living the UK The Prime Minister has promised EU citizens already living in the UK the right to live and work here after Brexit, but the rights of those who arrive after Brexit day remains unclear. May insists that those who arrive during the transition period should not be allowed to stay, whereas the EU believe the cut-off point should be later. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreement (with the EU) Despite this being a key issue in negotiations, the Government has yet to lay out exactly what it wants from a trade deal with the EU. Infighting within the Cabinet has prevented a solid position from being reached, with some MPs content that "no deal is better than a bad deal" while others rally behind single market access. The EU has already confirmed that access to the single market would be impossible without the UK remaining in the customs union. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreements (internationally) The Government has already begun trying to woo foreign leaders into prospective trade agreements, with various high profile state visits to China, India and Canada for May, and the now infamous invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit London. However the UK cannot make trade agreements with another country while it is still a member of the EU, and the potential loss of trade with the world's major powers is a source of anxiety for the PM. The EU has said the UK cannot secure trade deals during the transition period. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Financial services Banks in the UK will be hit hard regardless of the Brexit outcome. The EU has refused to give British banks passporting rights to trade within the EU, dashing hopes of a special City deal. However according to new reports Germany has suggested allowing trade on the condition that the UK continues paying into the EU budget even after the transition period. Getty

A change.org petition has been started to call on the European parliament to make an exception in Penkas case.

We believe that Penkas case reflects a lack of compassion on the part of EU officialdom for everyday people, such as Penkas owner, who is absolutely distraught, the petition says.

At time of writing, the petition had nearly 1,800 signatories out of a target of 2,500.
The Vatican is supportive of a new law in Bavaria forcing all public buildings to display a Christian cross to greet visitors, the states prime minister has claimed.

From yesterday, it became compulsory for reception areas in tax offices, police stations, schools, council offices and courts to have a crucifix on show  under legislation that has proven highly divisive in the German state.

Recommended German state orders all government buildings to have Christian crosses

Both Catholic and Protestant church leaders as well as academics have opposed the move, warning the Bavarian government about misappropriating the cross for political ends.

The debate has focused on the meaning of Bavarian identity and attitudes towards migrants in the conservative state following the arrival of more than a million mostly Muslim refugees to Germany in 2015.

Bavarian state premier Markus Soder met the Pope yesterday, the day the new legislation took effect  with timing that he insisted was a coincidence. The Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper said Mr Soder said afterwards that the Vaticans attitude was supportive.

Soder did not talk to Francis about the so-called crucifixion, which came into force this Friday in Bavaria. However, subsequently the State Secretariat had expressed a fundamental benevolence towards initiatives of a Christian confession to the outside as well as the Bavarian care and family allowance, the Frankfurter Allgemeine reported.

The Secretariat of State is responsible for general church affairs.

Bavaria is Germanys second-most populous state, and three in four citizens are Christians. It has one of the highest densities of Catholics in Europe  half of all its people, while 19 per cent are Protestant and 4 per cent are Muslim.

Authorities say the new law is about culture, not religion. The decree reads: "A clearly visible cross must be placed in the entrance area of every service building to serve as a reminder of the historical and cultural influence of Bavaria."

A poll across Germany showed just 29 per cent of citizens supported the move but in Bavaria, more than half did so  56 per cent. Among supporters of Mr Soder's political opponents, the Alternativ fur Deutschland, more than three-quarters  77 per cent  approved.

However, several art colleges have rebelled, saying their campuses were diverse institutions, leading authorities to reportedly backtrack on the obligation for museums, theatres and universities, and saying now that a crucifix is only recommended.

A lack of specific instructions about sizes and placement means the crosses could be very small, so long as they are visible in the foyer.

Since chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed the influx of migrants into Germany in 2015 and 2016, the role of Islam in German society has been much debated.

Mr Soder and his party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), have been accused of using populist strategies to garner support ahead of state elections in October. The partys absolute majority is under threat, with conservative voters shifting support to the right-wing AfD following the refugee crisis of 2015-2016.

The Kreuzpflicht - or "cross duty" - is seen as Mr Soders answer to the arrival of the mostly Muslim refugees.

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

But Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and president of the German Bishops' Conference, accused the premier of using it to foment "division, unrest and animosity". Thomas Sternberg, President of the Central Committee of German Catholics, said the crucifix should not be used "for election purposes".

In February, Bavaria banned full-face Islamic veils in schools, universities, polling stations and government offices.

Earlier this week Denmark banned the wearing of face veils in public, after the government argued veils were contrary to Danish values.
Thousands gathered for the funeral of a 21-year-old volunteer paramedic shot dead on the Israel-Gaza border just weeks before she planned to announce her engagement.

Razan Najjar had helped evacuate and treat the wounded during weeks of cross-border violence before she was killed on Friday.

She had planned to announce her engagement to volunteer ambulance worker Izzat Shatat, 23, at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Paying tribute to the volunteer paramedic, Mr Shatat said in tears: She helped all people; she has never refused to help.

She was the first to run towards anybody when he is shot.

Hundreds of medical workers in white uniforms took part in a funeral procession for Ms Najjar, the eldest of six siblings, on Saturday.

Ms Najjar (centre) is seen before being shot in her chest by Israeli troops while running with protesters to take cover from tear gas (AP)

Her body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag as the funeral procession started from the hospital and passed near her home in Khuzaa, a village near the city of Khan Younis, which is close to the border and has served as one of five protest encampments across Gaza.

Dressed in black and seated on a mattress in her living room, her mother Sabreen said: I want the world to hear my voice... whats my daughters fault?

She added: She will leave a large emptiness at home.

After the funeral, dozens of mourners headed to the fence and started throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers on the other side.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said five protesters were wounded by Israeli fire.

Relatives of Razan Najjar mourn at the family house during her funeral in town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip (AP/Khalil Hamra)

On the day Ms Najjar was killed, some 40 Palestinians were wounded but she was the only one who died.

The Khan Younis hospital said the volunteer paramedic had a gunshot wound to the chest with an exit wound in the back.

Fares al-Kidra, a colleague of Ms Najjar, said they were approaching the fence to evacuate a wounded man and, as they were leaving, three gunshots were heard and Ms Najjar fell to the ground.

Al-Mezan, a Gaza-based rights group, said Ms Najjar was 100 metres from the fence and wearing a clearly marked paramedics vest when she was shot.

Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Show all 37 1 /37 Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinian mourners carry the dead body of Mukhtar Ebu Hamas, 25, killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on 14 May Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian woman flashes a victory sign during a protest near the border fence AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Israeli soldiers guard on top of a watch tower along the Israel-Gaza border AP Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinian demonstrators react to fired tear gas Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinian demonstrators run for cover Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures US President's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Senior White House Advisor Jared Kushner arrive for the controversial inauguration of the US embassy in Jerusalem. The United States moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem after months of global outcry, Palestinian anger and exuberant praise from Israelis over President Donald Trump's decision tossing aside decades of precedent. AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinians carry a demonstrator injured during clashes AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman speaks during the dedication ceremony of the new US embassy in Jerusalem Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian man walks in the smoke billowing from burning tyres AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves as he arrives ahead of the dedication ceremony of the new US embassy in Jerusalem. Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinian protesters lying on the floor during clashes Rex Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinian protesters burn tires AP Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, Senior White House Advisor Jared Kushner, US President's daughter Ivanka Trump, US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and US ambassador to Israel David Friedman attend the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem. AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian man assists a wounded protestor AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian man holding his national flag walks in the smoke billowing from burning tyres AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Ivanka Trump unveil an inauguration plaque during the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinians carry a protester injured AFP/Getty Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Ivanka Trump and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stand next to the dedication plaque at the US embassy in Jerusalem Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian demonstrator uses a sling to hurl stones at Israeli troops during a protest against U.S. embassy Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A female Palestinian demonstrator stands amidst smoke Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Ivanka Trump attends the opening ceremony of the new US embassy in Jerusalem AP Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinian medics and protesters evacuate a wounded protester AP Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures An Israeli soldier aims his weapon at Palestinian demonstrators Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Gazans carry an injured protestor Rex Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Protestors gather to demonstrate Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures An Israeli soldier fires tear gas at demonstrators Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian demonstrator poses with a slingshot Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Protestors carry tires Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A demonstrator kicks a burning tire Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Palestinians congregate prior to their demonstration against the US moving their embassy to Jerusalem Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Female Palestinian demonstrators react to tear gas fired by Israeli troops Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian demonstrator reacts Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian man throws leaflets dropped by the Israeli military during a protest against the US embassy move to Jerusalem and ahead of the 70th anniversary of Nakba, at the Israel-Gaza border, east of Gaza City Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A boy holds a Palestinian flag as he stands amidst smoke Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian demonstrator tries to put out a fire caused by objects dropped from Israeli drones during a protest against the US embassy move to Jerusalem and ahead of the 70th anniversary of Nakba, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip Reuters Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures A Palestinian demonstrator with a slingshot REUTERS Gazans protest as US embassy moves to Jerusalem  in pictures Protesters look up at falling tear gas cannisters dropped by an Israeli drone AFP/Getty

Social media videos, and one captured by Associated Press footage, showed Ms Najjar and a cohort of medics walking towards the fence and raising their hands to reach a wounded man lying on the ground.

Ms Najjar wore a dark blue headscarf and a white coat with the logo of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, where she volunteered.

The Israeli military said its troops operated in accordance with standard operating procedures and that it was investigating the incident.

Ms Najjar is just the second female fatality out of more than 115 killed since the deadly border protest campaign began in late March.

On 14 May, when the protests peaked over the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem, a 14-year-old girl, Wessal Sheikh Khalil, became the first female protester to be shot dead.

Razan Najjar working at the scene of clashes at Israel-Gaza border in April (Reuters)

She was among more than 60 people killed that day, the deadliest since a war between Hamas and Israel ended in 2014.

The Gaza protests are being organised by the territorys militant Hamas leadership and are aimed at drawing attention to the decade-long Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the territory.

The protesters are also demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war and their descendants.
Mariano Rajoy is finally out. In a historic day, the seemingly immovable survivor of the Spanish political right was ousted on Friday from office by the Socialist Partys (PSOE) no-confidence motion, the first successful one in 40 years of democracy.

Coming on the back of last weeks judgment in the Gurtel case  which saw the Partido Popular (PP) and one of its former treasurers sentenced in Spains largest ever probe into political corruption  the prospects of success for Pedro Sanchezs tabled motion looked unlikely up until only two days ago. Now the reinvented Sanchez  despite not being an MP and with only 84 seats behind him  heads an interim government for a possible two years. This at once presents a potential car crash scenario, as well as an immense opportunity for the left.

It may be tempting, after similarly catastrophic throws of the centre-left dice, to argue that Sanchez offers more of the same  a slick, centrist career politician making a final lunge at power while presiding over a moribund 20th-century social-democratic party. But this would be a mistake  the dynamics currently at play are a good deal more open than that.

For a start, it overlooks the past year in Spanish politics. Sanchezs comeback in the PSOE primaries last year, against the odds and against the establishment within his party, was no small feat. Although Sanchez has had an afflicted relationship with the more radical new left Podemos party, the question of whether they could ever work together in national institutions in some way is now being put to the test.

Who is Pedro Sanchez? Its true that hes no firebrand like Pablo Iglesias  whose manoeuvrings in the background were instrumental in forcing this vote to a head  nor is he a Jeremy Corbyn (although his challenge may be to drive the PSOE in the direction that Corbynism has taken the UK Labour Party). But the composition of the parties supporting his motion  who are condemned to understand each other  as well as the moment Sanchez finds himself in office, means his ascension to the Palace of Moncloa could sketch out a path towards a more transformative programme in years to come.

Much of the weeks political focus in Europe has been centred on Italy, which itself saw a new coalition government finally sworn in on Friday. But, for all the uncertainty in Rome over the past few days and the profoundly corrupt political class Italy shares with Spain, the more ambitious elements of the left-leaning provisional government will be looking to their Iberian neighbour Portugal, as much as to the Italians.

Portugals little discussed left coalition has demonstrated since 2015 that fiscally expansive policies without cuts can produce both economic results at the same time as social and environmental accomplishments. The Portuguese government does not have to navigate the territorial conflicts any Spanish administration does  resolving the Catalan crisis will surely be at the top of Sanchezs priority list. But, as another nation that suffered heavily under austerity measures implemented post-2008, along with Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain, it does provide a kind of blueprint for the Eurozones fourth economy.

Of course, it would be foolish to jump the gun. The challenges and obstacles that lie ahead of this motley and makeshift government are great  not least because of the conflicting ideological positions of those propping it up. Basque nationalist (PNV) spokesperson Aitor Esteban warned Sanchez as his party agreed to back the motion on Thursday, Your government will be very complicated, weak and difficult.

 Spanish government collapses as vote of no confidence is passed for Mariano Rajoy

Anyone following the experiences of Spains municipal administrations  who were elected to the countrys major cities in 2015  will be well aware of the challenges that lie ahead for any progressive governing force in Spain, as the Madrid council still grapples with swingeing cuts imposed from above in December. Sanchez is also coming in at a time of exhaustion and political apathy  altogether different from the political moment in 2015-16, when a left coalition government last appeared on the cards. The down-but-not-out Spanish right smells blood. A hostile media campaign will be redoubled against this government while the PP regroups and the high-polling centre-right Ciudadanos (Citizens) push for general elections.

Although the incoming government has accepted the outgoing ones budget  which obviously limits any significant alterations in political economy, but wards off a confrontation with the EU at a weak point  they do have the means to effect some change. Deactivating direct rule and rescinding Spains notorious gag law would be the first steps towards restoring some of its ruptured national and civic unity.

This change brings with it many more question marks than anything else for now. But it is undoubtedly an opening of some kind. Although necessarily restricted and short-lived, it has the opportunity to demonstrate that another form of governance is possible. Spain could yet offer a hopeful break within European politics.
Fresh speculation erupted in Kabul this week when general John Nicholson, US commander in Afghanistan, claimed that secret peace talks are being held between the Afghan government and the Taliban. This assertion was promptly rejected by Taliban leadership, who have steadfastly insisted upon negotiating directly with the United States. With the launch of the Talibans annual spring offensive, it appears to be business as usual in the region, as the Taliban has largely ignored president Ashraf Ghanis unprecedented peace offer  a move that appears to be a tacit acknowledgement of a growing consensus that there is no military solution to Afghanistans long war.

The Taliban  which makes billions of dollars each year producing and trafficking heroin  refers to its members as the representatives of the will of Afghan nation who are revered by the Afghan masses as heroes. These lofty claims do not reconcile with the experience of the local Afghan women, however, who continue to be abused by the modern-day Taliban.

Earlier this year, I travelled through the northern Afghan provinces of Takhar and Kunduz to conduct field research for Womens Regional Network (WRN) on the women in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps. Two in particular stood out: the first was a group of UNHCR tents located in an open, desolate field; the second, a camp near Kokcha River which consists of a smattering of crumbling buildings and rubble close to the Tajik border.

It is immediately obvious that the women in these camps harbour intense resentment for the Taliban, tracing back to the Islamists brutal rule over the country from 1996 to 2001. Even where they have been forced from their homes due to other factors  by airstrikes, quite often  these women continue to blame the Taliban, intimating that the mere presence of the militants rendered their villages targets. It is safe to say that women, who account for more than half of Afghanistans estimated population of nearly 35 million, have no wish to return to the Talibans dark rule.

Of the nearly 150 women I interviewed during my two-week tour, many complained that the Taliban routinely steal food. In a country mired in poverty and desolation, this insult cuts deep, particularly during the depths of the harsh northern winter. One woman described Taliban militants going door to door in her village, demanding food at each house and beating any women who dared to refuse.

Article 43 of the Afghan constitution guarantees a womans right to access education, but for many in rural areas, such a luxury is unaffordable. Many of those I spoke to explained that girls are still banned from going to school under threat of death, much as it was back in the old days before the defeat of Taliban in 2001. A number of schools have been destroyed to make sure. More than a dozen girls schools have been shut for the past four years in Zurmat district of Paktia province. Nothing has changed.

The Talibans leaders and propagandists are eager to shed the brutal image of the past, when they would cut off fingers of women for wearing nail varnish or stone women to death for perceived adultery. Now they are the servants of a benevolent god who wants to bring an end to decades of war, poverty and misery. While there are sections of the population that do support the Taliban, it is difficult to know if they do so under threat of violence or are rather opportunists or ideologues. The disembowelled body of a bicycle thief or a farmer who has switched out of poppy for wheat, hanging from a tree in a village square, sends a powerful message to poverty-stricken, disenfranchised people about where the local power lies.

Last week, the Taliban warned Kabul residents to avoid military centres, indicating that more attacks will be forthcoming as part of the annual spring offensive. Due to the population density of the city and the centricity of these locations to daily life in Kabul, it is unlikely that this warning will have any practical impact. But thats not really the point  these moves are part of a broader public relations campaign intended to reshape the image of the group and distance itself from its barbarous past.

For the women forced from their homes and now living in camps in Takhar, Kunduz and elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban is already a political force, one which operates with impunity as it administers its own warped brand of power. The Taliban murders its political opponents, destroy grassroots power structures that have held Afghan society together for centuries, denies women and girls the right to education, work or even a voice. It hides behind religion as a veil for its brutality. By offering to bring it in from the cold without any preconditions, Ghani is at risk of legitimising its draconian methods.

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

If the Taliban truly aspires to move out of the shadows to become a legitimate political movement  the hero of the people it believes itself to be  it must move past its extremist tactics and rigid fundamentalism and embrace the more moderate version of Islam that most Afghans practice. It must prove in those areas where it already holds sway that it supports the rights of women to participate freely and openly in society. It must renounce its brutality with proof, not with words. Based on my recent conversations with women in the IDP camps, there is deep doubt it can or will do any of this.

In early May, Kabul was hit by two simultaneous attacks, one claimed by the Taliban and the other by Isis Khorasan. While media and other stakeholders are keen to make the distinction of attribution, most Afghans consider the Taliban and Isis Khorasan to be of the same ilk. Besides, when a loved one is dead, it doesnt much matter which group is responsible. To Afghans, this violence is the real legacy of the Taliban, and one that is at odds with the governments offer to meet the militant group at the bargaining table.
For Donald Trump, aggression is always the best strategy. Even before becoming president, he deployed it as a property developer, as a reality television host and then a political candidate. Fear of causing offence never occurs to him. He pummelled his competitors in the Big Apple, left contestants on The Apprentice distraught and shredded low energy Jeb Bush and little Marco. He didnt shy even from a fight with the Pope. In fact, he called him disgraceful.

His go-to stance now shouldnt really surprise anybody. Who needs friends when you have billions of dollars and the biggest nuclear arsenal in the world? People have sucked up to him all his life and so they must still now. Yet, we are no longer talking ratings or rentals. This is about keeping the whole world safe and prosperous. And the question arises: when does he go too far and fall to the bottom of the abyss, possibly taking the rest of us with him?

Recommended Trump reportedly swaps steak for fish as part of weight loss diet

Interestingly, people do seem surprised. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have clearly been taken aback by Trump deciding to ignore their pleadings and press the send button on new punitive tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium. Macron still hasnt recovered from Trump picking dandruff off his lapel in the White House. To your corner!

He applied the metal tariffs to Canada and Mexico too. An infuriated Justin Trudeau evoked Canadians whod died alongside Americans in war. Thats how hurt he is apparently feeling.

The condemnation of Trump was pretty universal. Special relationship Britain gets no pass either. This is stupid  its counterproductive, argued Francis Maude, a former trade minister. Any government that embarks on a protectionist path inflicts the most damage on itself.

So what does Trump do? He finds the wound and pokes it. Canada, he said in a tweet on Friday, has been treating US farmers very poorly for a long period of time. He also repeated his claim that Canada runs a trade surplus with the US. Never mind that its false. The US has outrun Canada in terms of the value of goods traded for each of the last three years.

Another drama in Washington on Friday was the visit by North Koreas Kim Yong-chol to hand Trump a letter from his boss, Kim Jong-un, essentially begging that the proposed summit between them that Trump had agreed to and then rudely nixed be reinstated. It was the highest level North Korean delegation to the White House in almost 20 years. The letter-passing pantomime was watched by all the world. And Trump had the final word: yes. Summit restored.

So Trump is preening again. That the summit will happen  assuming it does now  is good for the world. Less good is the fact that this will lead Trump to believe in his way of going about business even more than he does already. He got to this spot by calling Kim little rocket man and then threatening war as if he really meant it. Perhaps he did. It could have gone nuclear.

His thinking on trade is similar. You could show him the official figures on US-Canada trade flows, but you will never convince him that the US hasnt been swindled by its northern neighbour. And by Mexico and by the Europeans. He told his supporters in 2016 he would set all that straight and he is certain that getting rough is the only way to do it. Eventually, everyone else will buckle and deliver trade concessions to avoid greater injury in a protracted trade war.

You get the idea. Iran? Same. He told supporters he would quit the nuclear deal and he did, ignoring all of Americas usual allies again. No European namby-pamby him; he will force Iran to accept a tougher agreement or hell draw the regime into a trap that finally will be its undoing.

But does he think this path is without risks? The least of them may be diplomatic isolation. This is really the US going it alone, said Philip Levy, senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and former trade adviser in the George W Bush administration. By assaulting all our allies, we leave ourselves standing unprotected and by ourselves in a way we really never have been.

But the endlessly combative Trump could also bring combat to all the rest of us, economic and military, if things dont go the way he imagines. The dialogue with North Korea could still end in acrimony and pitch the world back to the nuclear edge. A global trade conflict could break out, triggering worldwide recession. Shake your nearest foreign policy tree and any number of experts will fall out yelling how terrible an idea it is to add uncertainty to stress to danger in the Middle East by giving an excuse to Iran to go rogue. Or even more rogue.

And on trade, it appears Trump is just getting into his stride. The odds that the US, Canada and Mexico can now resolve their disagreements on renewing the Nafta free trade agreement just got longer. Now Trump is thinking too about blanket tariffs on cars and a total ban on German luxury cars. Because, you know, Cadillacs are so elegant. And Porches are so clunky.

No one would wish failure for the Kim-Trump summit. But if success helps convince Trump that bullying is the new best alternative to regular diplomacy, there will be other kinds of trouble for all of us eventually. Even for the Americans that voted for him.
June is shaping up to be a dramatic month for EU trade relations.

Talks with Australia and New Zealand kick off, with food and agriculture a top priority; another chapter opens in the decades-long Mercosur saga; and US President Trump's steel tariffs loom as an Obama-era hormone beef row rumbles on.

Antipodean wheeling and dealing will begin with a trip by EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom (below) to Canberra and Wellington in June, after she got the go-ahead from the bloc's trade ministers last week to launch talks. The first formal negotiations take place in Brussels in July.

"We are already close in terms of shared values and our open, global outlook," Ms Malmstrom said. "Starting these talks between like-minded partners sends a strong signal at a time where many are taking the easy road of protectionism."

Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said last week his first priority would be "to secure better access for Australian food and agriculture products".

Both Australia and New Zealand are keen to see improved access for dairy, beef and sheep meat, while New Zealand has long found it difficult to gain improved access for sparkling wine and fruit and vegetables.

A Commission impact study says the deal would increase EU exports to New Zealand and Australia by about a third in the long term. But it also warns that increased imports from the two countries "may negatively affect the standard of living and traditional lifestyle of small farmers in the EU".

"Adverse impacts on rural employment in the EU are possible - both skilled and unskilled agricultural labour may face adverse consequences," the study says.

MERCOSUR

And Mercosur talks will resume next month, with food and agriculture back on the agenda.

No progress on beef or other quotas has been made since January, but a reported new offer from the four Mercosur countries last week on cars means the EU "may have to move on agriculture", an EU source said.

"And, if they get too generous with Mercosur, it will have a significant impact on how generous they can be with Australia and New Zealand," the source added.

Agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan moved to reassure farmers that they will not lose out under any of the trade deals in the pipeline.

"I'm amazed at the number of people who worry about trade agreements that haven't even started yet," Mr Hogan told reporters last week, "and even further worry about ones that haven't been completed."

He said the Commission would "reflect the sensitivities we have in whatever sector".

"We'll negotiate the best possible outcome and member states and the European Parliament, ultimately, will have the final say in approving it - or not, as the case may be," he told the Farming Independent in Brussels last week.

US TARIFFS

Both rounds of talks take place against a backdrop of fraying US trade relations.

The EU is expecting a temporary exemption from steel and aluminium tariffs to expire on June 1, which could trigger EU counter-measures against US bourbon, and other iconic products such as denim jeans - a move that EU food and drinks producers fear could rebound on them later on.

And the EU has still not resolved a row with the US in the World Trade Organization over a long-standing quota for US hormone beef.

Brexit is rounding out the EU's trade trauma. A further round of talks focusing on future trade foundered last week, with EU officials accusing the UK of engaging in "fantasy", particularly around customs solutions for the Irish border.

The EU has demanded further progress before a leaders' summit at the end of June.
A farmer drives his tractor in his field as he plants potatoes in Estourmel near Cambrai, France April 26, 2018. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

The European Commission proposed on Friday cutting direct subsidies to farmers while increasing the share of funds going to smaller farms, attracting criticism from France and other countries that benefit most from EU agriculture aid.

Under plans for the EUs budget for 2021-2027, farmers would receive around 232 billion in direct support, a drop of more than 30 billion from the current seven-year budget.

The Commission proposed giving more money to small farms and recommended member states set aside at least 2pc of their direct agriculture funds from the EU for young farmers, but acknowledged that this could encourage larger farms to simply split up.

Nobody stops farmers from splitting the farms, the EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan told a news conference.

The agriculture ministers of France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Finland and Greece immediately issued a joint statement saying they opposed the proposed cuts - which must be approved by all 27 EU members - and called for maintaining current spending levels.

French farmers would still receive the highest share of EU direct payments at more than 44 billion in the 2021-2027 period, but down from the 47.7 billion they received between 2014 and 2020.

Direct payments to farmers would still form the bulk of EU agriculture spending, or one fifth of all EU expenditure in the planned 1.1-trillion long-term budget.

Spanish farmers, the second top beneficiaries of EU money, would see their funding drop to 29.7 billion, from 31.7 billions. Direct payments to Italian farmers would decrease to 22.1 billion from 24 billion.

As part of a wider policy to divert some EU money to new sectors, like research and security, most EU countries would see a drop in direct aid to their farmers, except the Baltic countries and other smaller eastern EU states who would see their funding increase.
The much-maligned Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is among the EUs oldest policies and, for many, its most successful.

Its roots can be traced to 1950s Western Europe, whose societies had been damaged by World War II and where agriculture had been crippled and food supplies could not be guaranteed.

It has faced significant challenges in the intervening years, with food mountains and huge payments to individuals all generating controversy with the public.

Among the key principles underpinning the CAP over the past 56 years has been the commonality of its rules and regulations across all member states  farmers from Malta to Finland and from Ireland to Poland all on a level playing field.

This convention has often angered farmers who could never understand how a beef farmer in Mayo had to comply with the same rules as an olive farmer in Italy.

Many countries and farm groups have argued that member states should have a greater say in how the policy is implemented in their countries. They now have an ally in Agriculture Comm-issioner Phil Hogan, whose proposals to revamp the CAP will put individual member states in the driving seat.

Hogans not-so-common Common Agricultural Policy will see national strategic plans governed by nine overarching environmental, economic and social common objectives. However, EU targets for each country will be set at ground level.

Then, the EU will assess member states homework and ensure their homegrown plans are in keeping with its plans to reform the CAP under nine key headings.

This is a fundamental departure from the previous 56 years of EU agriculture policy and a bold move by the Commissioner, and it may allow member states to create tailored solutions for the specific challenges facing its farmers.

It may also see richer nations provide schemes and policies that poorer member states cannot, thus dismantling the playing field causing so much resentment.

Another notable decision that could be left up to member states is how much to cap the payments its farmers should receive from Europe, with a 60,000-100,000 limit window available.

But until further detail emerges, and we see whether there is the stomach at national level to implement a cut to very large payments in support of young farmers and the traditional family farm, the proposed reforms are just that  a proposal for change.
Replacing a PTO shaft cover can be done for as little as 50.

The older you get, the more scared you become. That's just a fact of life.

After 20 years working in the sector, I've seen and heard all the horror stories that go with farm accidents. It tends to get in on you.

In the last year or two I've found myself worrying more and more about the staff working on my farm.

I'm particularly vulnerable as an employer of up to 40 people, many of whom don't speak English and have limited education.

But the biggest challenge is overcoming the cultural difference between attitudes to health and safety in a relatively rich country like Ireland and a poorer one like Romania, where most of my staff hail from.

The notion of stopping everything to go and spend 100 on a replacement PTO cover would be extravagant in Romania, where that would equal a week's wages.

But when I think back about what was acceptable around the place here over the years, who am I to judge?

Stark-naked PTO shafts were fairly standard.

More ridiculous was my dad's Czechoslovakian jeep that the entire locality could hear coming from a mile away.

But it was the rusted-out floor that allowed passengers to study the condition of the insides of the tyres as we motored along that is really emblazoned on my memory.

A stray stick, bar or (God forbid) limb would have had disastrous consequences.

Tractors tumbled off the edges of silage pits, spins on the top of bales down the road were a treat, and once your feet could reach the clutch you were expected to be able to drive a tractor.

The notion of having to wear safety boots on a tractor or gloves when handling oils and diesel would have been dismissed as fussiness.

That is slowly starting to change.

And not before time when you consider that farming is the most dangerous workplace.

But unfortunately it will be another nail in the coffin of small and part-time farm operations.

The reality is that making farms safer costs a lot of money.

The immediate reaction of the farm lobbyist to this will be "pay farmers more for their produce".

While you'll never find me objecting to somebody wanting to pay me more for my output, I can't see that ever happening.

Farming is mainly about producing commodities, so commodity prices and trends will dictate what we get paid. Not how much safety is costing on your farm.

Buying group

Of course there are things that farmers can do to improve the safety on their farms at the lowest possible cost.

I'm lucky enough to be part of a progressive buying group that decided to actively do something about the level of safety on our farms.

Through IFA Skillnets we are able to access safety training with a 30pc discount. That, combined with the bulk purchasing power of a buying group, means that members are able to avail of one-day training courses in things like manual handling, quad-bike and slurry equipment operation for as little as 45 per day.

Having participated in a few of these training sessions myself, I know much of it is common sense that will make many farmers scoff.

But as more and more farms rely on employees to get the work done, it's the day that I'm hauled in front of the judge that I'm really thinking about.

Will you be able to say that you did all that could have been 'reasonably expected' in preventing a serious injury or worse happening on your farm?

The training sessions got a litmus test here when trainers attempted to show my Romanian staff why there was a right way and wrong way to lift a box weighing less than a kilo.

And while I fully accept that many will choose to ignore some if not all the training, it started a conversation here about little things, like how high is too high for people to be lifting crates, and what can be done to modify kit to prevent accidents in the future. That's the start of a change of culture.

It was the working at heights session that left me feeling a bit dumbfounded, though.

Given that falls are one of the biggest causes of deaths on farms, I thought it would be a useful module.

However, I came away from it more disheartened than enlightened.

As an employer, I am not allowed to have somebody working on a ladder.

In order for them to have 'three points of contact at all times' (basically two hands and feet always on the ladder), you can't send an employee up a ladder to change as little as a light bulb.

Controls

And the option that many farming operations rely on - the steel box mounted on the front of the loader - won't do either.

The law says that the person up in the air must be able to control their own movements. So now we're talking about a cherry-picker with remote controls.

Not only that, but the operator has to prove that they were trained by a certified trainer, the machine has to be tested by a certified inspector every six months AND the operator has to be trained in wearing a harness.

This in turn has to be certified and inspected every six months... all to change a bloody light bulb!

This is why I feel that safety may become one of the biggest cost challenges ahead for farms to overcome.

The Health and Safety Authority has a big push on farm inspections planned for the coming year.

Both they and farmers have a difficult road ahead.
Into the wild: Rhododendrons grow wild at the foot of Benbulben in Sligo.

History offers plenty of examples of subjects that we once regarded as blessings being subsequently revealed as curses.

A few that spring to mind are tobacco, DDT and thalidomide. After attending an event in Abbeyleix Bog to launch National Biodiversity Week, I would add rhododendron to that list.

Abbeyleix Bog is a fantastic amenity on our doorstep. Passing under the new wooden archway from the adjoining hotel carpark onto the path of an old railway line which runs through the bog is like stepping into a wardrobe and through to the fantasy world of Narnia.

The mixed habitat is teeming with plant and animal life, big and small. On every visit, there is something different to be experienced (this time, we heard the cuckoo); the morning is different to the evening, when it's raining to when it's sunny.

The hotel receptionist said they get several phonecalls every day about the bog, and I know of people who regularly travel from the surrounding counties to experience the continuous change.

The 500 acres is owned, and was formerly worked, by Bord na Mona but in 2010 the company handed the bog over to the local community to manage it for 50 years, with the primary focus on conservation.

The launch was chaired by well-known environmental commentator Eanna Ni Lamhna, who said that a question she is still regularly asked is, "what is biodiversity all about anyway?"

Her perpetual, typically direct, reply is: "It's not hard to understand - biology is living things, and diversity is variety."

A walk on the bog followed where we saw an example of a blessing turned curse, not just on this site but increasingly all our native woods and acidic lands: the spread of Rhododendron ponticum.

Rhododendron came to Ireland some time in the 18th century, brought in by the gentry for decorative purposes and to provide hunting cover.

Native to Portugal and Spain as well as the Black Sea region, it thrived in our wet climate and acidic soils.

The first time I saw 'rhodo' was on a school tour to Killarney, and I can remember thinking it impossibly glamorous and extravagant.

However, from an ecological point of view, it has several bad habits.

Growing up to three metres, its dense vegetation prevents the growth of any plants below it.

Its leaves, flowers and nectar are unpalatable or poisonous to insects and mammals. It resists frost, and after a fire, bursts back into life.

A single plant can produce a million seeds.

However, it does not flower until about its 10th year. So there is a window of opportunity before it takes off.

It's long past this point in Killarney, where about one-third of the National Park's 10,000 hectares has a rhododendron problem, and hundreds of thousands of euro are being spent every year in an effort to contain it.

Since 2014, a voluntary group named Groundwork has been running rhodo-bashing work camps in Abbeyleix.

From 1981, when it was set up, Groundwork worked the National Parks and Wildlife Service in fighting the rhododendron in Killarney. But their association ended in 2009 when the group declined to work with the service's prescribed programme.

So while experts may disagree about how best to tackle the problem, the one certainty is that the tide is a long way from turning.

The battle is not unwinnable, if the will is there.

Michael Healy-Rae was lambasted when he suggested bringing in the army.

But our national parks and native woods are a precious resource.

More money may be part of the solution but maybe what's also needed are more inventive and inspirational approaches.

The longer ample action is delayed, the more it will cost, in every sense.
When Pat Halpin started off in milk production 20 years ago he had 32 cows. By 2015 that had risen to 120 and it's now 350 cows and counting.

So the shackles are well and truly off for Pat (41), and his wife Carmel who farm in the heart of the Golden Vale at Lackelly near Knocklong in Co Limerick.

As if the dairy farming enterprise wasn't challenging enough, in the last few years Pat has also become one of the biggest agricultural contractors in Limerick.

The Halpins have a spring calving herd of 350 Holstein Friesian cows, supplying Dairygold Co-op.

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Pat leases 500 acres which leaves little room for error and tight margins.

However, after a challenging three years since scaling up numbers, Pat feels he is only now getting fully on top of managing a dairy enterprise of this size.

He needs 150 acres of pit silage and 2,500 round bales each year to meet fodder requirements.

However, even that wasn't enough over the exceptional 2017/18 winter, and like many others Pat was forced to import extra fodder as the feeding season seemed to never end. He will be looking to make more silage this year to avoid a repeat scenario next winter.

In 2008 he decided to expand the family business of dairying into agri-contracting services for local dairy and livestock farmers around Knocklong.

He says the move came about after gaining a lot of experience working with machinery and making his own silage over the years.

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"It was a natural enough move for me actually because I was already making a lot of silage for myself and had good knowledge of machinery from owning my own kit," he explained.

"We now employ seven men full-time between the dairy and contracting enterprises, and a key advantage is that we can keep our staff employed year-round by placing them in whichever side of the business is busiest at a given time."

The result, says Pat, is that he is backed by a dependable local team of workers and doesn't have to go looking for part-time workers at the last minute each summer.

"We look after the staff well - things like giving them meals and proper pay - and in return they look after me."

The Halpin contracting team has an impressive range of grass machinery that allows the outfit to offer both a baled and pit silage service to surrounding farmer customers.

They also have the machinery to offer slurry spreading, hedge cutting, drainage and reseeding services.

The fleet is fresh, with plenty of 181 registration plates around the yard. In fact, thanks to a brand new 181-plated Claas Jaguar 860 self-propelled harvester, precision chop silage is a new service offered for the 2018 season; up until this point the team were running three silage wagons (two Strautmanns and a Pottinger).

The silage season has of course now kicked off in earnest and Pat was putting the new Jaguar self-propelled harvester through its paces for the first time over the weekend.

He bought it from local dealer McCarthy's of Cork, and says the decision to abandon wagons came about as a result of increasingly longer silage hauling distances being encountered. "We just found that as dairy farmers are expanding and growing cow numbers and acreage all the time, the haulage distances were getting too long than is practical for wagon silage," Pat explained.

Out-farms

"Fellas are renting land here and there with out-farms of 20 or 30 acres found maybe 15 miles away from the main base. It all means more mileage and adds up to big costs and slow progress for wagon silage.

"It was a big decision to switch systems but I'm confident it's the right move for us at this point. With the dairy business we already have the staff to do it, which might perhaps be a major sticking point for other outfits.

"We bought four new Broughan trailers this year as well to cater for the change in system because obviously you need more haulage capacity for a silage harvester set-up," he adds.

'We keep our invoicing terms short and expect to be paid within 60-90 days'

For precision chop silage this season, the Halpins will be charging 115 an acre into the pit including VAT in 2018. The 35pc rise in diesel prices since last summer is presenting challenges to the business in terms of running costs.

However, Pat says he has a good customer base and is confident his farmers will pay for works done.

"We try to keep our invoicing terms short and expect to be paid for silage works done within 60-90 days maximum," he revealed.

"The customers I have built up are good reputable ones who won't let you down in return for a good quality job done with the latest machinery.

"I don't go canvassing for work. If I did the farmer could turn around after the job and say 'hold on a second you came looking to me for work, so why should I have to pay you?' It sounds unbelievable but believe it or not, that does happen!"

The Halpin team also offer a comprehensive baled silage service which includes mowing, tedding, baling, moving and stacking bales.

The baling operation is underpinned by two McHale Fusion 3 Plus baler wrapper combinations.

Pat is a big fan, having owned successive marques of Fusion balers since the original was launched.

"They aren't the cheapest baler on the market but for me they are very reliable and don't break down often," is his verdict.

Last year the team made 17,000 bales of silage and interestingly all but 700 bales were wrapped with a film wrap called Baletite, rather than the traditional net wrap.

Baletite has been designed to enhance the ensiling process and protect the bale contents by providing an additional air barrier.

Pat feels it also helps to retain a better bale shape by exerting a tighter grip around the bale circumference.

In terms of baling charges last year the team charged 14 per bale including plastic costs and VAT for mowing, baling and wrapping. Tedding adds an extra 10 per acre.

However, Pat says baling charges this year will have to be increased a little.

Diesel costs

"Last year's price just doesn't cover the 35pc rise in diesel costs we are seeing this summer, so I will need to adjust it upwards by a euro or two to account for that," he admitted.

Turning to mowing and tedding machinery, the team runs four Claas mowers (two front and rear combinations), as well as a new Claas 1100T 11m tedder bought this year.

Moving bales will be big business this summer as the team anticipate a huge amount of round bales will be made after the fodder crisis.

On this front the Halpins depend on their Keltec ten-pack bale handler, which Pat tips as one of the handiest machines in the fleet.

"Very few of our customers now wouldn't ask you to move bales here or there so we see it as an integral part of the fleet," he revealed.

Zero Grazing on the rise

A contracting outfit this size requires considerable fire power, so perhaps unsurprisingly the Halpin machinery fleet comprises of no less than 10 tractors. Claas is the dominant brand by far, making up eight of the modern tractor fleet.

Tractors are bought from local Claas dealer Conor Breen, who Pat credits with being reliable and available on call whenever the team need back-up.

The tractor fleet is kept as new as possible. 2018-registered models in the fleet this year include Claas Arion 650 and 630 models.

There are also two 2017-plated Claas tractors in the line-up, namely a 630 and a 440. Claas certainly dominates but the two exceptions are a 2017 Massey Ferguson 7720 that is often used for mowing and a 2007-plated New Holland TM 155.

Another new machine bought this season is the ZG 100 Zero Grazer. The investment was mostly spurred on by customer demand but Pat plans to use the Zero Grazer in his own dairying business for feeding cows as well.

"In our own business, cow numbers have been going up a lot and sometimes walking distances were getting too long, so we will certainly use it there," he explained.

"I would have been getting a lot of enquiries about whether we offer zero grazing from farmer customers in similar situations, so we decided to buy one this year.

"So far so good - we paid 56,000 plus VAT and bought it from Niall O'Reilly at Zero Grazing Systems."

On the slurry spreading side, the team offers splash plate, dribble bar and umbilical spreading systems.

Pat reports customers find they get more value out of their slurry using the dribble bar system compared to the splash plate, but the latter continues to be in demand, particularly at earlier times in the spring.

The Halpins have enough hosing and pump power to offer an umbilical system over 2km in length if needed.

Abbey tankers are used - bought from another local dealer, Lynch and McCarthy's of Cork - and Pat describes the system as being well-built and durable.
The trial of a Dublin man accused of assaulting an elderly farmer during a burglary has heard evidence that his DNA was found at the victim's home.

Adam Marlowe (23) of Walkinstown Drive, Walkinstown, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary and assaulting Malachy Turley causing him harm at Kettles Lane, Kinsealy, Dublin, on July 29, 2016.

He has also pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing 50 from the then 81-year-old complainant on the same date.

On day three of the trial Dr Yvonne O'Dowd from the Forensic Science Laboratory told the jury that she examined a piece of blue latex material found on Mr Turley's bed.

The trial has heard the material is believed to be the tip of a glove and was found on the bed of the victim by gardai investigating the scene.

Dr O'Dowd told the jury that she took a sample from the blue latex material with a swab and generated a DNA profile matching Mr Marlowe. The court heard 93% of the DNA matched Mr Marlowe while the other 7% matched two other unidentified profiles.

Vincent Heneghan SC, defending, asked Dr O'Dowd if she had taken a swab of both the outside and inside of the tip of the glove. She said that she had only swabbed the entire inside and not the outside because she was looking for the wearer of the glove.

Another item found was a pair of combat trousers which had a complex mixed DNA profile of three people with equal quantities. Mr Heneghan said that these profiles were not those of the accused and the victim.

In his closing speech Mr Heneghan stated that there had been flaws, errors and mistakes committed by garda during their investigation and by Dr O'Dowd in the way she analysed the glove.

The victim reported that the three people that entered his home had balaclavas on them but was not asked if he had seen them wearing gloves, counsel said.

Antonia Boyle SC, prosecuting, had asked the jury to take into account the isolated life of the victim who rarely had any visitors and said "clearly these people were kitted out in clothing to carry out a burglary."

The trial continues on Tuesday when Judge Melanie Greally will charge the jury.
A High Court claim against the Irish arm of HSBC bank for US$333m (284m) connected to the Ponzi scheme run by jailed US fraudster Bernie Madoff is expected to take one-third of a year to hear, a judge said when he made directions in relation to pre-trial discovery.

Mr Justice Twomey made the comment as part of his ruling on discovery which he said will help reduce court time and, though remote, may even facilitate settlement of the dispute prior to the trial.

"It is this court's view that due to the shortage of judges in Ireland there is a need for judges to use court resources efficiently," he said.

He was ruling in relation to a case taken by British Virgin Islands (BVI)-registered investment fund Defender Ltd against HSBC Institutional Trust Services Ireland Ltd, with registered officers in Grand Canal Square, Dublin.

Defender is claiming US$333m against HSBC for negligence and breach of contract regarding HSBC's alleged role as a custodian of funds which were lost as a result of fraud by its alleged sub-custodian Bernie L Madoff Securities LLC.

The judge said that company was operated by the "notorious" Mr Madoff who was involved in a 65bn Ponzi scheme in the US which is alleged to be the biggest fraud in history.

HSBC joined Reliance Management BVI Ltd and Reliance International Reseach LLC as third parties in the case.

HSBC alleges that these two companies are a single group entity and, as Defender's investment manager, had full knowledge of all the risks associated with funds being entrusted to the Madoff company.

In this regard, HSBC had received 53,000 documents from Reliance as part of the pre-trial discovery process. However, HSBC applied to the court in relation to Defender's failure to reply to around 650 questions under the pre-trial system known as "interrogatories" which are a device used, usually by defendants, to learn facts that are the basis for the claim against them.

Defender opposed the application, saying many of the interrogatories sought by HSBC were flawed.

Mr Justice Twomey said that the court sustained two out of seven objections made by Defender and will hear from the parties later this month on the precise terms of any order to be made.

The main case is due to start in October.
The studio is the idea of Kieran Corrigan, whose Merlin Films company has produced movies including The Tigers Tail, starring Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall and Brendan Gleeson

A sole objector has halted - for now - plans by film producer and tax consultant Kieran Corrigan for movie and television studios at Ashbourne, Co Meath.

Last month, Mr Corrigan's FPS Film Production Solutions secured planning permission from Meath County Council for the studio complex that is to include post-production facilities, animation and CGI facilities.

Merlin Films, one of Mr Corrigan's other companies, whose other director is John Boorman, has produced a number of movies filmed in Ireland, including 'The General', 'This is My Father' and 'The Tiger's Tail'. The overall development would span about 11,300m of buildings with scope for outdoor sets.

However, local man John Conroy has appealed the planning permission to An Bord Pleanala, throwing a question mark over the entire project.

Mr Conroy said that none of the concerns he raised with the County Council have been addressed. He had told the council not to get blinded by the idea of having a movie studio in the county, and refuse planning permission.

Mr Conroy said granting permission without properly controlling the current activities of the business park at Ashbourne will "force me and my family to leave our home, which will be further devalued by the additional traffic and noise generated by the development".

However, the Council gave the project the go-ahead after concluding that the proposed development would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or lead to a devaluation of adjacent property, and would not lead to a creation of a traffic hazard.
Germanys Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz and Japans Minster of Finance Taro Aso arrive at the welcome reception dinner at the G7 event on Thursday night

Steven Mnuchin, US Treasury Secretary  pictured with wife Louise Linton  is representing the United States at the G7 financial summit in Whistler, Canada

The European Union, Canada and Mexico retaliated yesterday after the US imposed tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium.

All three hit back with charges that will hurt American competitiveness by adding billions of dollars to the price of US goods from orange juice and whiskey to blue jeans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

The EU has also formally taken the US to the World Trade Organization to challenge the legality of the new tariffs and the Trump administration's national-security justification.

Brussels lodged an eight-page list at the international trade body of goods it would hit with retaliatory measures.

They run the gamut from big motorcycles like Harleys, built on the home turf of House Speaker Paul Ryan, to "canoes", "manicure or pedicure preparations" and even "sinks and washbasins, of stainless steel" - the proverbial kitchen sink.

If the tit-for-tat measures continue, a likely escalation will see the US impose levies on further categories of goods, potentially including Irish whiskey.

Pharmaceuticals, Ireland's biggest single export to the US, are likely to escape the trade war, even if it worsens.

"Almost all countries in the developed world have signed up to a 'zero-for-zero' approach to tariffs in pharma", according to Ryan McGrath, an analyst with Cantor Fitzgerald.

That's good news, but he said the Irish alcohol sector appears to be most at risk. "Irish spirits exports to the US have experienced huge growth over the last number of years and currently there are no tariffs on Irish whiskey in the US. "Although small when compared to pharma, the Irish spirits industry employs 1,500 people."

President Trump's tariffs on Washington's closest allies drew condemnation at home from Republican politicians and from the country's main business lobbying group and sent a chill through financial markets. Tariffs of 25pc on steel imports and 10pc on aluminium were imposed on the EU, Canada and Mexico from today.

"We look forward to continued negotiations, both with Canada and Mexico on the one hand, and with the European Commission on the other hand, because there are other issues that we also need to get resolved," US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said. But the anti-trade action has been branded illegal by America's closest trade partners. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said the bloc won't even discuss the issue until the US stands down.

"We were not at the negotiating table. Our offer was: 'You take this gun away from us, we sit together as friends and equals and we discuss', and this would eventually lead to negotiations," Malmstrom told a news conference in Brussels. "We never got this. So now this door for the moment is closed."

The issue dominated as finance ministers from the G7 group of the world's biggest economies met in the Canadian ski resort of Whistler, near Vancouver, where Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin represented the US. "I don't want to kid you, we will need to talk about this first and foremost," said Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau. "We think it's absurd that Canada is considered in any way a security risk, so that will be very clearly stated by me," said Morneau, who attended Mnuchin's wedding last year and said he considers the Treasury Secretary a friend. "I have every expectation that our other allies around the table will express the same sentiment." German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz claimed the US levies are illegal. "The decision by the US government to unilaterally implement tariffs is wrong, and - from my point of view - also illegal," Scholz told reporters. The trade wars are hijacking a summit that was initially seen as an opportunity to tout the successes of the global upswing. It is severely testing the resiliency of the Western economic alliance represented by the G7.

Mnuchin held a string of bilateral meetings after his arrival in Whistler, meeting Japan's Taro Aso, Scholz and Morneau. America's use of a security justification for its new levies has been particularly badly received, with Germany's Scholz calling the move "spurious".

"We'll always be ready to talk about reaching common agreements on trade policy but that's only possible if unilaterally implemented tariffs are lifted,'' Scholz said.

The G7 finance ministers, along with their central bankers, kicked off the official part of the meetings with a dinner on Thursday, and were holding talks all day yesterday and this morning.

Frictions in Whistler could foreshadow even more high drama at a G7 leaders' summit next week in Quebec which Trump is due to attend. (Additional reporting Reuters and Bloomberg)
New CEO Christian Sewing is returning the bank to its roots

Deutsche Bank, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the German bank's biggest investor all sought to reassure shareholders and staff of its financial strength yesterday after S&P cut its rating and questioned its plan to return to profitability.

Shares in Deutsche Bank closed at an all-time low on Thursday as past misadventures in high-risk investment banking haunted new CEO Christian Sewing's attempt to refocus on its more staid corporate banking roots.

In an unusual move, a source familiar with the thinking of the ECB, which regulates Deutsche Bank, and its top shareholder, HNA Group of China, separately said they backed management's strategy of retrenchment.

Deutsche Bank shares were up 3.7pc by midday yesterday on the supportive tone. Deutsche Bank will face another challenge this month when the US Federal Reserve publishes for the first time the results of a "stress test" on its US operations.

Standard & Poor's downgraded the bank's credit rating to BBB+ from A- yesterday.

The downgrade came after reports earlier in the week that the Fed last year designated one of Deutsche Bank's US businesses as "troubled", something a person with knowledge of the matter confirmed to Reuters yesterday.

The Fed's stress test results, expected later this month, are the next big public barometer of Deutsche Bank's financial strength. The regulator has been examining how banks would cope with any new crisis.

The apparent discord between Deutsche Bank's regulators at the ECB and those in the US is unusual.

So too is contradicting ratings agencies like S&P, which the ECB relies on when deciding what collateral to accept from banks and even which bonds to buy as part of its stimulus programme.

The ECB was previously criticised by politicians after it emerged that regulators in Frankfurt had granted Deutsche Bank special treatment in its 2016 stress test, resulting in a boost to its capital level. (Reuters)
THE HOUSE bought by best-selling author Eoin Colfer in the mid-noughties, shortly after his Artemis Fowl series took off globally, is for sale with an asking price of 1.65m.

The former school teacher purchased Ballymorris House from Enda and the late Pierce Maher over ten years ago. The Mahers were local GPs who Eoin and his wife Jackie knew from visits to the adjoining practice, and it was a house that they had always admired.

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The 18th century farmhouse is set on 14 acres of land, about two miles from Wexford town, and has been renovated substantially by the Colfer, the Wexford People reports.

Eoins architect brother Donal designed an extension onto the back of the house as well as the incorporation of old outbuildings.

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Meanwhile, Emily Maher, daughter of Pierce and Enda, and a friend of Jackies, was consulted for her interior design expertise, as she is the owner of the Dun Laoghaire based Lost Weekend company.

The house features an open-plan kitchen, family room, dining room, three bedrooms plus a self-contained apartment with separate access from the side of the residence; and a study, in which the author wrote five Artemis Fowl books, two musicals, a Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy sequel and five graphic novels.

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In recent years, the family moved to Dublin where Eoin and Jackies sons Finn and Sean are in college and school. Eoins mother Noirin lives in the couples original house in Wexford town and work is ongoing on a new house in Wygram for Eoin and Jackie.

Local auctioneer, Adrian Haythorntwaite, who is selling the property, said the house was fresh on the market and was a fabulous property, remarking that the various additions and work done on the building was what would drive people towards it.

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He believed the house could go for more than the asking price of 1.65m but said that, even at that, it would not be the most expensive house he had sold in the county in the last 18 months.
Gillian Wall, the sister of Tony Rochford, protests against his conviction outside Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Photo: Collins

A Meath man who caused over half a million euro in damage and loss of earnings to the eFlow toll collection system on the M50 has been jailed for two and a half years.

Tony Rochford (50) climbed up on the gantry spanning the M50 where he cut wires and smashed sensors, putting the toll collection system out of action for 26 hours and closing the motorway northbound for three hours last June.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard he was motivated by a hope to attract media attention to his concerns about the role of construction failures in a fire at a Blanchardstown apartment complex in which two people died.

The offence occurred two days after the Grenfell Towers disaster in which more than 70 people lost their lives.

Previously, Rochford had tried to make a statement to gardai about his concerns about the 2002 fire at the Verdemont Apartments but felt they were giving him "the run-around".

Rochford, of Steeple Manor, Trim, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at the eFlow toll gantry on the M50 north bound on June 16, 2017. He has two previous convictions for public order matters.

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Rochford admitted he had snipped wires, smashed sensors and damaged fuses after climbing the gantry. He had posted videos to Facebook and Twitter outlining the reasons for his actions. Garda Gemma Collins climbed the gantry to talk Rochford into coming down.

"This is very much an exceptional case, very much an exceptional man and very much exceptional circumstances" said Rosin Lacey SC, defending Rochford.

Ms Lacey said Rochford had felt he was not being listened to and was frustrated. She handed in letters from Rochford's former wife and from the mother of one of the victims of the fatal fire in Blanchardstown, who described Rochford as "a voice for those who can not speak."

She said he was a passionate, complex man who believed that people could have been exposed to risk as a result of bad workmanship and inadequate building regulation.

Judge Martin Nolan said Rochford had been motivated to climb the gantry to highlight his frustrations and call attention to his complaints in relation to the Verdemont fire.

He noted Rochford seemed to be a very committed person. He said Rochford had no complaint with eFlow but had caused it considerable harm.

Judge Nolan took into account the mitigating circumstances, Rochford's motivation and personal circumstances and imposed a two-and-a-half year custodial sentence.
Independent News and Media has failed in a legal challenge to the corporate watchdog's decision to apply for inspectors to be appointed to the company.

The High Court ruled against INM, which had sought to quash a decision by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to seek the appointment.

Mr Justice Seamus Noonan's judgement paves the way for ODCE director Ian Drennan to proceed with his application, which will be heard on a later date.

The investigation centres on a range of corporate governance issues at the country's largest media group and the inspectors would have far-reaching powers of inquiry.

The ODCE had initiated the application for inspectors over concerns about an alleged data breach at INM in 2014 and other issues arising from protected disclosures made by the company's former CEO Robert Pitt and chief financial officer Ryan Preston in 2016 and 2017.

In its judicial review proceedings, INM argued there was no basis for the appointment of inspectors and maintained the ODCE application was made in breach of its right to fair procedures.

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The ODCE countered that there was no legal obligation on the watchdog to consult the company.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Noonan said he was dismissing INM's application to quash the ODCE's decision.

He said INM's proposition that it had a right to be consulted was "novel and without precedent" and, as a matter of law, "cannot be sustained".

The court could not take cognisance at this stage of any damage INM claimed to have suffered as a result of the ODCE decision, the judge said.

There was an important public interest in the functions performed by the ODCE, he said.

Mr Justice Noonan said in his ruling that if INM was correct in submitting that it has an answer to all the respondent's concerns, "it now has the fullest opportunity of putting this before the court which may well be persuaded that it should decline the application."

Much of INM's complaint appeared to concern the appointment of inspectors as distinct from the application to do so, he continued.

He said INM's suggestion that the ODCE had "reached conclusions" in its affidavit grounding the application was "somewhat surprising". It was difficult to see how the directors could have made his application without "expressing some views on the state of affairs with which he is confronted".

"These are plainly not determinative of anything and it will ultimately be a matter for the court to accept them or not," Judge Noonan continued.

If INM was entitled to fair procedures and a right to consult "the prospect looms large of the respondent becoming embroiled in lengthy, complex and costly procedures".

It was hard to envisage how in practice such a system could be workable, he said.

Minutes later, High Court president Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the ODCE's case would be mentioned next Wednesday to fix a hearing date for the application.

Mr Justice Kelly then heard the Central Bank wished to renew an application for access to legal documents filed in the case by the ODCE and INM.

He asked counsel for the Central Bank to indicate in an affidavit what documents were being sought.
Ana Kriegel (14) was found dead in an abandoned farmhouse in Lucan

The devastated parents of a 13-year-old accused of the murder of Anastasia Kriegel broke down in tears as they left the courtroom following a short hearing.

The boy was remanded further in custody, with gardai instructing the court that they are awaiting formal directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A short in-camera hearing at Dublin Children's Court took place yesterday, following the initial charging of the boy last week.

Garda Inspector Mark O'Neill told Judge Brendan Toale that it was "a complicated case" and requested that the teenager be remanded in continuing custody to appear again on June 25.

The boy, who cannot be named because he is under 18, was charged with the murder of Ana Kriegel (14) on May 14 at an abandoned farmhouse, Glenwood House at Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan in Co Dublin. He is one of the youngest people in modern Irish history to be charged with the offence of murder.

Her body was found three days after she had been reported missing by her parents.

Seeming tall for his age and with an apparently calm appearance in court, the teenager wore dark blue jeans, black runners and a white hooded sweatshirt.

He appeared to have a slight limp as he entered the courtroom and sat on the defendant's bench beside his parents, whom he acknowledged with a brief smile.

His parents were accompanied in court by the boy's grandfather, who was also seated close to him.

The teenager remained silent during the hearing, which was over in minutes.

Garda Inspector Mark O'Neill told Judge Toale that he was seeking a further remand "to obtain written DPP directions in this case".

Complicated

Judge Toale noted from defence solicitor Donough Molloy that there was consent to the case being adjourned until June 25.

He then asked gardai if the directions will be ready then.

Garda Inspector O'Neill told him that it was a "complicated case".

"I'm not sure if we will have formal directions at that point. We will be making every effort to expedite matters," Inspector O'Neill said.

The boy's parents and grandfather each hugged him at the end of the hearing, before he was escorted out to await transfer back to the Oberstown Detention Centre.

His parents then left the courtroom, breaking down in tears.

Ana Kriegel was last seen alive in St Catherine's Park at around 5.30pm on Monday, May 14.

A search began after she was reported missing that night and her remains were found three days later a short distance from where she was last seen.

It was found that she died from blunt-force trauma.

The 14-year-old girl was adopted from Russia aged two.

Mourners at her funeral service on Thursday heard that she had been a bright and vibrant girl who had loved music and dance.

Her parents Patrick and Geraldine had asked mourners to wear "sparkle and colour" which were a reflection of her personality.

A second juvenile male arrested last week during the investigation has been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the DPP.

At the initial hearing, the court issued a stern warning that if the boy's name, school or address or a picture of him was reproduced on social media, it will result in a prosecution.
'The Church recognised the writing on the wall and late on Wednesday night it passed quietly through the Dail as amendment 137 of the School Admissions Bill. It could be, and was, done'. (stock photo)

They said it couldn't be done. For years, the word from the Department of Education and its ministers was it was legally impossible to tackle the "baptism barrier" that has allowed primary schools to select pupils on religious grounds.

The Equal Status Act 1998 set out nine grounds where it is illegal to discriminate in the provision of goods and services, accommodation and education.

Religion is one of those grounds but, in a different Ireland of 20 years ago, there was a derogation for education, to allow denominational schools to "protect their ethos". The baptism cert was the mechanism for showing adherence of the faith and routinely featured in the admission rules of Catholic primary schools.

In a rapidly changing Ireland, it led to one of those Irish solutions to an Irish problem: couples who were born Catholic but shunning church marriages in favour of civil and humanist ceremonies and then getting children baptised purely for school entry.

Whatever about Irish parents with Catholic backgrounds, it was more confusing and difficult for many migrants who have streamed into Ireland since 1999: people of all religious colours, and none, who arrived to take up vital roles as nurses, carers and IT specialists, often to be told there was no place for their children in the local school.

Amid a rising clamour for change, the advice was that any attempt to undo that 1998 provision presented a legal conundrum: on the one hand, the State is obliged to protect minority faiths, which run 5pc of schools, and on the other it could not target one religion - in this case the Catholic Church -which controls 90pc of primary schools.

It wasn't only parents who were campaigning. Bodies such as the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) added their voice.

There was growing realisation the problem was not going away and would only get worse. The Department of Education found the will, Education Minister Richard Bruton asked a new Attorney General to look at it afresh, and a few weeks ago a legal formula was produced. The Church recognised the writing on the wall and late on Wednesday night it passed quietly through the Dail as amendment 137 of the School Admissions Bill. It could be, and was, done.

The problem wouldn't have arisen if the Catholic Church didn't have such a dominant position in education. But structures in place since the 1830s, the era of Catholic Emancipation, have proved hard to dismantle, not least because the Church owns the land on which schools are built.

So the removal of baptism barrier, radical and all as it is, doesn't provide a full solution. It sends out an important message about education and inclusion and will introduce greater equity to admissions rules in the 20pc of primary schools that are oversubscribed. But it doesn't change the fact that nine in 10 primary schools - about 2,800 of 3,200 - are still Catholic in ethos.

Eyes will turn to the latest initiative to have some schools transfer to multi- and non-denominational patron bodies to meet demand, all over the country, for greater diversity.

Former education minister Ruairi Quinn launched this idea a few years ago, but only 10 schools changed hands.

Richard Bruton and his advisers have come up with variation in approach and surveys of parents in an initial 16 areas are under way. Like the lifting of the baptism barrier, the hope is that the time is ripe.
The slow roll-out of the Government's package of supports for victims of the CervicalCheck scandal is causing further distress to women and families, it emerged yesterday.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Simon Harris promised on May 12 that women who developed cancer after getting a wrong smear test result - and the families of those who died - would be given supports such as a medical card, travel expensives, childcare subidies and access to new medicines.

But Vicky Phelan, the Limerick mother of two who has terminal cancer, said medical cards "appear to be the only support in place for most, not all women".

She said many women had been told to produce receipts and some of the nurses and HSE liaison officers tasked with organising the supports were "telling women different things."

Stephen Teap, the Cork father who is rearing two young sons after losing his wife Irene to cervical cancer, said "lack of of communication among the HSE support team is the biggest problem."

Expand Close Fianna Fail spokesman on health Stephen Donnelly. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook

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Fianna Fail spokesman on health Stephen Donnelly (inset) also revealed he was told that families were having to borrow money to travel to medical appointments.

"One of the 209 women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy will not meet a liaison officer to discuss what support services she needs for another two weeks," he added. The HSE was due to have appointed a central national co-ordinator to lead the response to the providing the packages.

Local liaison contacts have been appointed to link with the women and their families.

The latest blow to victims comes as a tough High Court defence strategy is being targeted at Emma Mhic Mhathuna, the mother of five who has terminal cancer.

Meanwhile, the HSE confirmed that one of the 209 who developed cancer after a wrong smear test result still cannot be found after a five-week search.

A spokeswoman said the HSE team was continuing to work full-time making every effort to contact the one remaining woman.

"While we do not routinely comment or refer to individual cases, we have already acknowledged that there are complexities involved in some of the cases over the past number of weeks."

They are also still sorting through the cases of cervical cancer which were notified by the National Cancer Registry to CervicalCheck since the scandal arose.

"The HSE is working with the National Cancer Registry of Ireland and the Department of Health to identify any other women who had cervical cancer during this time, who may also have had a CervicalCheck test," she said.

The HSE will conclude the matching process within the next week.

Calls

"We will then agree a communication process with the International Clinical Expert Review Panel for those women identified by the National Cancer Registry matching process.

"These will be the women who are found to have developed cancer after availing of CervicalCheck screening service."

A total of 22,447 calls have been answered by the HSE to date. But around 1,100 callbacks have still to be made.

The scoping inquiry into the scandal, led by Dr Gabriel Scally, is due to report by the end of June.

Subject to its findings, the Government said it was "committed to establishing a full commission of investigation".

This Scally inquiry has broad terms of reference and "will put particular focus on direct engagement with any woman affected, or her next-of-kin, who may wish to have an input".

The State is currently facing 29 legal actions brought by women against CervicalCheck and BreastCheck. Of these, 21 are against CervicalCheck.
Jessica McGowan/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The names of the schools, churches, nightclubs and cities have become synonymous with some of the nation's deadliest mass shootings.

Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland; Sutherland Springs and AME Baptist Church; and Pulse and Vegas.

In the aftermath of each massacre, a familiar pattern takes hold: thoughts and prayers are offered, the candles at vigils burn out, and politicians promise action, with some making changes at the state level or proposing a new set of safety guidelines to help protect students from other students.

What hasn't followed any of the shootings, however, is federally-backed research into what may be causing the gun violence.

The reason for it stems from a decades-old appropriations amendment that critics say has worked as a lingering and effective deterrent from any research being conducted.

The federal government in 1996 banned the use of any funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from being "used to advocate or promote gun control."

Back then, the National Rifle Association was widely reported to have lobbied for the inclusion of the amendment, which was written by and then named after then-Rep. Jay Dickey, a Republican from Arkansas.

What that did is it effectively had a chilling effect so the CDC did not study gun violence in any way, said Robin Lloyd, the director of government affairs at Giffords, a gun safety advocacy group named after former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot while meeting with constituents in 2012.

The impact of the amendment

The literal text of the so-called Dickey Amendment, as it came to be known, references research that promotes gun control. In reality, though, Congress has a history of interpreting that stipulation in a way that shuts down research.

In 1993, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that used CDC-funded research. Titled Gun Ownership as a Risk Factor for Homicide in the Home, the study found gun ownership was strongly associated with an increased risk of homicide.

The report got the attention of the NRA, which, according to reports at the time, lobbied to have the branch of the CDC that funded the research shut down. Instead, Dickey was able to add the pivotal line about gun research into the omnibus spending bill in 1996.

Beyond that, Congress redirected $2.6 million within the CDC -- the exact amount that had been earmarked the previous year for research into firearm injuries -- and moved it to the study of traumatic brain injuries.

That was a very clear signal from Congress that, You will not study gun violence, Lloyd told ABC News.

A spokeswoman for the NRA said the organization is in favor of research that supports safe gun use.

"The National Rifle Association is not opposed to research that would encourage the safe and responsible use of firearms and reduce the number of firearm-related deaths. Safety has been at the core of the NRA mission since its inception," the spokeswoman, Amy Hunter, told ABC News. "However, firearm safety is not the goal of the advocates seeking CDC funding - gun control is."

Hunter went on to point to examples of what the NRA views as legitimate areas of research, including looking at the role of deterrence in reducing gun violence, how firearms are used in self-defense, and how firearms get into criminal hands.

Still, the interpretation of the Dickey Amendment has held, even to the man after whom it was named. The then-retired congressman was asked by NPR in 2015 if the intention was to cut off all research on the effects of gun ownership.

"We didnt think about that, he said. It turned out thats what happened, but it wasnt aimed at that.

"And it wasnt necessary that all research stop," he added. "It just couldnt be the collection of data so that they can advocate gun control. Thats all we were talking about. But for some reason, it just stopped altogether.

Researchers argue that data collection is not advocacy work, even though data that are collected are typically used by advocacy groups on either side of an argument.

How this has played out is we dont have the data points to understand the scope of the problem from federal research and we dont know if there are specific standards we should have in preventing gun violence, Lloyd said. We dont have the research that would help us to create policy.

Recent actions, but no changes

Some were optimistic that things might change earlier this year, however. The day after the deadly shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told a House committee that he is open to research on gun violence.

We're in the science business and the evidence-generating business, Azur said.

We believe we've got a very important mission with our work with serious mental illness as well as our ability to do research on the causes of violence and the causes behind tragedies like this," he added, referring to the Parkland shooting. "So that is a priority for us.

That won the support of many of the nations doctors. The American Medical Association, the largest organization of physicians in the country, issued a statement praising Azurs comments.

As in any urgent public health threat, we cannot devise effective solutions until we have a deeper understanding of the underlying causes that prompt gun violence, AMA president David Barbe said in a statement at the time. With more than 30,000 Americans dying each year from gun violence and firearm-related accidents, the time to act is now.

President Donald Trump, in spite of his close ties to the National Rifle Association, called for action on guns in the wake of the Parkland, too. He met with lawmakers and families impacted by gun violence, soliciting opinions on what could be done.

His administration added a line about federal gun research in the omnibus spending bill that he signed in March. But the added line didnt actually change anything about the Dickey Amendment, which wasnt mentioned by name, effectively maintaining the existing rule and how it's interpreted.

While appropriations language prohibits the CDC and other agencies from using appropriated funding to advocate or promote gun control, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has stated the CDC has the authority to conduct research on the causes of gun violence, the line states.

The appropriations made in the spending bill included more than $658 million for the CDC subsection called Injury Prevention and Control. But more than 73 percent of those funds were allocated for opioid drug overdose prevention programming -- meaning there were no funds allocated specifically for gun research.

Appropriators are very clear about where they spend their money. Its not like they just get a pot of money and they get to pick and choose, Lloyd said. Until money is actually appropriated [to gun violence research], I dont see how anything will actually change at the CDC.

The CDC did not return ABC News request for comment.

Lloyd places the blame at the hands of lawmakers and congressional appropriators, saying the funds are necessary but there are other routes of action -- including the passage of bipartisan bills on any number of gun-related topics in both the Senate and the House that are not being called to a vote.

We have leadership in Congress who refuses to put these policies on the floor and until we have a president that's demanding it goes to the floor ... nothing is going to change, she said.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
God, innovation. First banalized by undereducated entrepreneurs in the oughts, then ground to pablum by corporate grammarians over the past decade, innovation  at least when applied to business  deserves an unheralded etymological death.

But.

This will be a post about innovation. However, whenever I feel the need to peck that insipid word into my keyboard, Im going to use some variant of the verb to flourish instead. Blame Nobel laureate Edmund Phelps for this: I recently read his Mass Flourishing, which outlines the decline of western capitalism, and I find its titular terminology far less annoying.

So flourishing it will be.

In his 2013 work, Phelps (who received the 2006 Nobel in economics) credits mass participation in a process of innovation (sorry, theres that word again) as central to mass flourishing, and further argues  with plenty of economic statistics to back him up  that its been more than a full generation since weve seen mass flourishing in any society. He writes:

prosperity on a national scalemass flourishingcomes from broad involvement of people in the processes of innovation: the conception, development, and spread of new methods and productsindigenous innovation down to the grassroots. This dynamism may be narrowed or weakened by institutions arising from imperfect understanding or competing objectives. But institutions alone cannot create it. Broad dynamism must be fueled by the right values and not too diluted by other values.

Phelps argues the last mass flourishing economy was the 1960s in the United States (with a brief but doomed resurgence during the first years of the open webbut that promise went unfulfilled). And he warns that nations unaware of how their prosperity is generated may take steps that cost them much of their dynamism. Phelps further warns of a new kind of corporatism, a techno nationalism that blends state actors with corporate interests eager to collude with the state to cement market advantage (think Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich).

These warnings were proffered largely before our current debate about the role of the tech giants now so dominant in our society. But it sets an interesting context and raises important questions. What happens, for instance, when large corporations capture the regulatory framework of a nation and lock in their current market dominance (and, in the case of Big Tech, their policies around data use?).

I began this post with Phelps to make a point: The rise of massive data monopolies in nearly every aspect of our society is not only choking off shared prosperity, its also blinkered our shared vision for the kind of future we could possibly inhabit, if only we architect our society to enable it. But to imagine a different kind of future, we first have to examine the present we inhabit.

The Social Architecture of Data

I use the term architecture intentionally, its been front of mind for several reasons. Perhaps the most difficult thing for any society to do is to share a vision of the future, one that a majority might agree upon. Envisioning the future of a complex living system  a city, a corporation, a nation  is challenging work, work we usually outsource to trusted institutions like government, religions, or McKinsey (half joking).

But in the past few decades, something has changed when it comes to societys future vision. Digital technology became synonymous with the future, and along the way, we outsourced that future to the most successful corporations creating digital technology. Everything of value in our society is being transformed into data, and extraordinary corporations have risen which refine that data into insight, knowledge, and ultimately economic power. Driven as they are by this core commodity of data, these companies have acted to cement their control over it.

This is not unusual economic behavior, in fact, its quite predictable. So predictable, in fact, that its developed its own structure  an architecture, if you will, of how data is managed in todays information society. Ive a hypothesis about this architecture  unproven at this point (as all are)  but one I strongly suspect is accurate. Heres how it might look on a whiteboard:

We users deliver raw data to a service provider, like Facebook or Google, which then captures, refines, processes, and delivers that data back as services to us. The social contract we make is captured in these services Terms of Services  we may own the data, but for all intents and purposes, the power over that information rests with the platform. The user doesnt have a lot of creative license to do much with that data he or she owns  it lives on the platform, and the platform controls what can be done with it.

Now, if this sounds familiar, youre likely a student of early computing architectures. Back before the PC revolution, most data, refined or not, lived on a centralized platform known as a mainframe. Nearly all data storage and compute processing occurred on the mainframe. Applications and services were broadcast from the mainframe back to dumb terminals, in front of which early knowledge workers toiled. Heres a graph of that early mainframe architecture:

This mainframe architecture had many drawbacks  a central point of failure chief among them, but perhaps its most damning characteristic was its hierarchical, top down architecture. From an users point of view, all the power resided at the center. This was great if you ran IT at a large corporation, but suffice to say the mainframe architecture didnt encourage creativity or a flourishing culture.

The mainframe architecture was supplanted over time with a client server architecture, where processing power migrated from the center to the edge, or node. This was due in large part to the rise the networked personal computer (servers were used for storing services or databases of information too large to fit on PCs). Because they put processing power and data storage into the hands of the user, PCs became synonymous with a massive increase in productivity and creativity (Steve Jobs called them bicycles for the mind.) With the PC revolution power transferred from the platform to the user  a major architectural shift.

The rise of networked personal computers became the seedbed for the world wide web, which had its own revolutionary architecture. I wont trace it here (many good books exist on the topic), but suffice to say the core principle of the early webs architecture was its distributed nature. Data was packetized and distributed independent of where (or how) it might be processed. As more and more web servers came online, each capable of processing data as well as distributing it, the web became a tangled, hot mess of interoperable computing resources. What mattered wasnt the pipes or the journey of the data, but the service created or experienced by the user at the point of that service delivery, which in the early days was of course a browser window (later on, those points of delivery became smartphone apps and more).

If you were to attempt to map the social architecture of data in the early web, your map would look a lot like the night sky  hundreds of millions of dots scattered in various constellations across the sky, each representing a node where data might be shared, processed, and distributed. In those early days the ethos of the web was that data should be widely shared between consenting parties so it might be mixed and mashed so as to create new products and services. There was no mainframe in the sky anymore  it seemed everyone on the web had equal and open opportunities to create and exchange value.

This is why the late 1990s through mid oughts were a heady time in the web world  nearly any idea could be tried out, and as the web evolved into a more robust set of standards, one could be forgiven for presuming that the open, distributed nature of the web would inform its essential social architecture.

But as web-based companies began to understand the true value of controlling vast amounts of data, that dream began to fade. As we grew addicted to some of the most revelatory web services  first Google search, then Amazon commerce, then Facebooks social dopamine  those companies began to centralize their data and processing policies, to the point where we are now: Fearing these giants power over us, even as we love their products and services.

An Argument for Mass Flourishing

So where does that leave us if we wish to heed the concerns of Professor Phelps? Well, lets not forget his admonition: nations unaware of how their prosperity is generated may take steps that cost them much of their dynamism. My hypothesis is simply this: Adopting a mainframe architecture for our most important data  our intentions (Google), our purchases (Amazon), our communications and social relationships (Facebook)  is not only insane, its also massively deprecative of future innovation (damn, sorry, but sometimes the word fits). In Facebook, Tear Down This Wall, I argued:

 its impossible for one company to fabricate reality for billions of individuals independent of the interconnected experiences and relationships that exist outside of that fabricated reality. Its an utterly brittle product model, and its doomed to fail. Banning third party agents from engaging with Facebooks platform insures that the only information that will inform Facebook will be derived from and/or controlled by Facebook itself. That kind of ecosystem will ultimately collapse on itself. No single entity can manage such complexity. It presumes a God complex.

So what might be a better architecture? I hinted at it in the same post:

Facebook should commit itself to being an open and neutral platform for the exchange of value across not only its own services, but every service in the world.

In other words, free the data, and let the user decide what do to with it. I know how utterly ridiculous this sounds, in particular to anyone reading from Facebook proper, but I am convinced that this is the only architecture for data that will allow a massively flourishing society.

Now this concept has its own terminology: Data portability. And this very concept is enshrined in the EUs GDPR legislation, which took effect one week ago. However, theres data portability, and then theres flourishing data portability  and the difference between the two really matters. The GDPR applies only to data that a user *gives* to a service, not data *co-created* with that service. You also cant gather any insights the service may have inferred about you based on the data you either gave or co-created with it. Not to mention, none of that data is exported in a machine readable fashion, essentially limiting its utility.

But imagine if that werent the case. Imagine instead you can download your own Facebook or Amazon token, a magic data coin containing not only all the useful data and insights about you, but a control panel that allows you to set and revoke permissions around that data for any context. You might pass your Amazon token to Walmart, set its permissions to view purchase history and ask Walmart to determine how much money it might have saved you had you purchased those items on Walmarts service instead of Amazon. You might pass your Facebook token to Google, set the permissions to compare your social graph with others across Googles network, and then ask Google to show you search results based on your social relationships. You might pass your Google token to a startup that already has your genome and your health history, and ask it to munge the two in case your 20-year history of searching might infer some insights into your health outcomes.

This might seem like a parlor game, but this is the kind of parlor game that could unleash an explosion of new use cases for data, new startups, new jobs, and new economic value. Tokens would (and must) have privacy, auditing, trust, value exchange, and the like built in (I tried to write this entire post without mentioned blockchain, but there, I just did it), but presuming they did, imagine what might be built if we truly set the data free, and instead of outsourcing its power and control to massive platforms, we took that power and control and, just like we did with the PC and the web, pushed it to the edge, to the nodeto ourselves?

I rather like the sound of that, and I suspect Mssr. Phelps would as well. Now, how might we get there? Ive no idea, but exploring possible paths certainly sounds like an interesting project
Women who use nail polish and false nails can heave a sigh of relief as new research shows they do not affect readings from devices used to monitor patients blood oxygen levels in hospital. Stock photo

Women who use nail polish and false nails can heave a sigh of relief as new research shows they do not affect readings from devices used to monitor patients' blood oxygen levels in hospital.

The study by Dr James Purcell and colleagues at University College Cork, and South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork debunks several previous findings suggesting they were a risk.

The study was presented to the Euroanaesthesia congress in Denmark.

Digital pulse oximetry devices are universally used to measure levels in patients.

However, there were concerns the readings they produce could be affected by treatments such as nail polish or acrylic nails.

The device fits around the fingertip including the nail, and the side facing the nail emits light which is detected by a sensor on the far side of the fingertip.

Changes in oxygen saturation affect the levels and types of medical intervention, as well as impacting patient monitoring in critical care and anaesthesia.

So determining whether nail treatments are a risk is crucial.

The study involved a questionnaire-based survey to clinical staff at four university hospitals to assess their knowledge and opinions on how nail treatments affect decisions.
Gardai on duty outside Willie Andies pub, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork where a man died following an incident Credit Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

Patrick 'Ginty' O'Donnell who died in an incident in Mitchelstown Pic from Provision

A man who died following a late night assault at a Cork pub has been named locally at Patrick 'Paddy' O'Donnell who only celebrated the birth of a child three months ago.

Mr O'Donnell (37) died following an incident Friday night at Willie Andies pub on the New Square in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.

Gardai and paramedics were called to the premises following the violent incident at 11pm.

It is understood a verbal disagreement had erupted between the father of four and a man in his 20s.

Both had been socialising in the popular pub at the time.

Following the suspected assault, Mr O'Donnell collapsed at the scene in front of shocked revellers.

Locals desperately attempted to assist him pending the arrival of the emergency services.

Gardai and paramedics raced to the scene including several patrol cars and an ambulance.

He was initially in a critical condition with paramedics desperately attempting to stabilise his condition at the scene.

Armed Gardai were deployed to support uniformed Mitchelstown Gardai at the scene.

However, despite desperate attempts to help Mr O'Donnell, he was pronounced dead at the scene before he could be transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Members of his family - who are from the Ballindangan area of Mitchelstown - attended the scene.

His body will be transferred to CUH later today for a full post mortem examination by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy who is attending from Dublin.

Gardai stressed that the nature of their investigation into the incident will now be determined by the results of the post mortem examination.

A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and taken to Fermoy Garda Station for questioning about the incident.

He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be questioned for up to 24 hours.

The young man is also understood to be from the north Cork area.

It is unclear if both men were known to each other.

The vicinity of Willie Andies pub was immediately cordoned after the incident off to allow for a full technical examination.

Mitchelstown's New Square was busy with Bank Holiday weekend revellers at the time and Gardai believe there must have been a number of eye witnesses to the incident.

A carnival had just opened on New Square to mark the holiday weekend.

A number of people were also passing through the New Square heading to nearby fast food restaurants.

Gardai are now checking CCTV security camera footage from business premises along the square to determine if cameras recorded the moments before the tragic incident.
Gardai have arrested two men in connection with the seizure of a loaded gun.

The men, aged in their late 20s and early 30s, were arrested in Dublin 3 this afternoon.

They were taken to Garda Stations in North Dublin where they are currently detained under Section 30, Offences Against the State Act, 1939.

The arrests are part of on going investigations into organized crime and threats to life in the Dublin Region.

Investigations are on going.
Seamus Houlihan died following a fire at his home in the early hours of this morning Photo: Liam Burke Press 22

TRIBUTES have been paid to a father-of-two and former Labour Party councillor who tragically lost his life in a house fire in the early hours of this morning.

The deceased man, who has been named locally as Seamus Houlihan, was found dead around 1.30am, lying on the floor of an upstairs bathroom at his home in Limerick City, by his son James, also a former councillor, and neighbour Ger Conway.

Mr Houlihan, who was aged in his early 80s, was elected to Limerick City Council in 1998, and was a well-known champion of rights for the elderly.

He was also well known as an active member of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament national organisation.

Mr Houlihan's son, James, who had been living with his father, discovered the family home on fire as he returned to the property, located at Rose Court in Keyes Park, Southill, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Gardai said he discovered the house filled with smoke and his father unresponsive.

A garda spokeswoman said the scene was preserved for technical examination, but, that, gardai believed the fire was "accidental".

Its understood that the fire was caused by an electrical fault, however gardai said their enquiries are ongoing.

Mr Conway, said he tried to help James Houlihan bring his father to safety, said: I could hear James shouting dad, dad, dad. So I jumped out of bed. James opened the door, and I was behind him, and the smoke came out and hit us - the smoke was tremendous.

James ran up the stairs and I ran up behind him and Seamus was on the ground, inside in the bathroom. He wasn't breathing.

I said to James to open all the windows to let the smoke out. It was (hard to see) because I had my shirt (pulled) up to me. The smoke was terrible.

Mr Conway, 61, said despite their best efforts they couldnt revive Mr Houlihan.

Mr Conway helped save one of Mr Houlihans two beloved pet dogs. One of the dogs was pronounced dead at the scene.

We brought one into the sitting room but he was dead, but we got the other fella back to life, and they took him to the vet.

Asked about this gardai said their investigation was ongoing.

Paying tribute to the deceased, Mr Houlihan said: It was a terrible thing to happen. Seamus was a lovely, quiet man, and so was his (late) wife. They are a lovely, quiet family.

Mr Houlihans wife Geraldine passed away peacefully at the family home two years ago.

Former Minister for Education, and Labours only TD for Limerick, Jan OSullivan, also paid tribute to Mr Houlihan.

It's a huge shock. My sympathy goes out to Seamuss two sons James and Kieran, Deputy OSullivan said.

Seamus was a very good public representative and a very nice man. After he stopped being a councillor he was involved in the senior citizens parliament, lobbying politicians about senior citizens rights.

He was a real mark on the Southill community and hell be sadly missed by everyone.

Neighbours in the close knit area said they were in shock.

Helen Moloney, a close friend, fought back tears as she spoke of hearing the tragic news.

She said: Seamie and Geraldine were my daughters godparents. We're here 52 years and they were here before us, and were always friends.

He was a very quiet man. He was a peace commissioner at one time. He worked in the royal cinema years ago. He used to show the films there.

I'm heartbroken. Ill miss him. He was a good neighbour, she added.

Another neighbour, Marie Hannon, said: I'm in shock, shock, total shock. You wouldn't meet a nicer person.

Mr Houlihan, predeceased by his wife Geraldine, is survived by his sons James and Kieran.

A Garda spokeswoman stated: "Gardai are investigating a fatal house fire in Keyes Park in Limerick City at 2am on June 2nd 2018. A man in his 80s was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The fire was discovered by the man's son who was returning home. He discovered the house filled with smoke and his father unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom.

"The scene in preserved for technical examination but at this stage Gardai believe the fire was accidental."

A spokesperson at Munster Fire Control said it received a 999 alert to go to a house, at Keyes Park, Southill, Limerick city, at 1.38am.

Limerick City and County Fire Service dispatched three units to the scene, which was also attended by gardai and ambulance paramedics.

A post mortem will be carried out on the body of the deceased male at University Hospital Limerick.

Gardai at Roxboro Road are investigating the fatal fire.
Women whose babies are diagnosed with fatal foetal abnormalities could receive up to 5,000 to pay for costs associated with having an abortion aboard.

Health Minister Simon Harris is examining the possibility of introducing the measure while the Government is in the process of enacting new abortion laws. Mr Harris asked health officials to examine the legality of such a payment ahead of a meeting with the Termination for Medical Reasons (TFMR) campaign group.

The organisation has been campaigning for abortions to be carried out in Ireland due to the experience of couples forced to travel abroad for terminations in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.

Mr Harris offered no firm commitment to TRMR on financial support, but the payment scheme is being actively considered. Before the meeting, Mr Harris said fatal foetal abnormality cases helped form his own views on abortion.

He told TV3: "I am looking to see if we can provide financial support or assistance to that group in the short-term."

He added: "Every week about two to three women ... leave this country on the grounds of fatal foetal abnormality."

There have also been calls for a 1995 ban on doctors referring women seeking an abortion to be lifted and for terminations to be decriminalised in advance of the main change in the law.

The Government has warned that such measures could delay the overall legislation, but Mr Harris is to update on any proposals in two weeks' time.
If people have knowingly and willingly voted Yes, then they have to examine their conscience and go before the Lord and say, Lord, we got this wrong. I do believe that  Waterford and Lismore Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan

Catholics who voted Yes must go to confession before they can receive communion, according to a controversial bishop.

Waterford and Lismore Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan said Yes voters would "have to answer" for their decision.

The comments are the latest in a series by Church figures to come out against 'a-la-carte Catholicism'. The bishop said Ireland had accepted "euthanasia" by allowing abortion in the country.

Some 66.4pc of voters were in favour of repealing the amendment - but the figure was almost 70pc in Bishop Cullinan's diocese of Co Waterford.

Speaking to WLRFM yesterday, Bishop Cullinan said people could not claim ignorance over the issue and must tell priests they got it wrong.

He said "no priest can know" if a person looking to receive communion has gone for confession. The bishop would not go into whether he would give communion to someone who had voted Yes and not repented.

But he said: "They should examine their conscience, they should talk to the priest, they should go to confession.

"If somebody has something that they are unsure aboutSt Paul says very clearly in scripture that to receive holy communion unworthily is a very serious matter for which you will have to answer."

Bishop Cullinan said if he knew a person had voted Yes and had not gone to confession, it would be "something that I would like to talk to that person [about]".

Asked if he would refuse communion to a Yes-voting Catholic who he knew had not repented, he said: "On the spot that is a totally different matter, because then you are politicising the actual Mass itself, very awkward situation that you don't want to get into."

The bishop said he agreed with Bishop Kevin Doran that Yes voters should go to confession following the referendum.

Speaking about the large percentage of people who felt they were well-informed on the issue after voting, the bishop said: "People cannot claim ignorance. If they do, it's culpable ignorance.

"If they do it's very a serious issue. If people have knowingly and willingly voted Yes, well then they have to examine their conscience and go before the Lord and say 'Lord, we got this wrong'. I do believe that," he said.

"Let's face it, euthanasia has now been accepted, in the sense that we have accepted, the majority of the Irish people have accepted, that some life is not worthy of life," he added.

Bishop Cullinan added that he was "horrified" to see "jumping, roaring and cheering" at Dublin Castle following the result.

Earlier this week, Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran had also said Catholic Yes voters should go to confession.

He insisted Catholics who confessed to voting Yes in the referendum would be treated with the same compassion as "any other penitent".

"What happens in the confessional of course is absolutely between the priest and the penitent," he said.

Bishop Cullinan caused controversy last year when he claimed that the HPV vaccine offers "no absolute guarantee" of "full protection" against cervical cancer and said that it could lead to promiscuity.

However, he later apologised for the comments, saying that he was not "fully informed" on the vaccination programme and he could see how HPV vaccines can contribute greatly to lowering the rate of cervical cancer.

Meanwhile, a leading Catholic theologian has said that the moral authority of the Church is in tatters.

Fr Gerry O'Hanlon, former Provincial of the Jesuit Order, said there was now a huge gulf between priests and the people.

"There is an opportunity to do something about it, but not if we put our heads in the sand like an ostrich."

The theologian criticised Bishop Doran for immediately coming out and urging Yes voters to go to confession.

The Jesuit priest said: "It doesn't respect the conscience of people, and it adds to the notion of the Church as anti-woman."

"It fires up anger in reaction," he added.
Family planning clinics want to offer abortion pills to women when the law is changed.

So far the Government has indicated abortion services will be 'GP-led', but the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) and the Well Woman Centre in Dublin have both revealed they are available to provide abortion pills once it is legal.

But both agencies said they favour free treatment and a plan to "rethink everything" for the sake of women's care.

IFPA chief executive Niall Behan said: "We hope to provide women with early medical abortion medication, medical checks post-abortion and contraceptive services and if a case is more complex, then we hope to refer women."

Chief executive of the Well Woman Centre Alison Begas said the centre was willing to introduce the abortion pill.

"We see it is in line with our ethos," she said. "It's very encouraging to see some women will go to their own GP and GPs declaring themselves as being willing to offer medical abortion services, but some women won't be as comfortable with a GP who perhaps offers a service to her whole family.

"We need some training for our doctors, as very few doctors in this country will be fully conversed with what's involved," she added, "We don't envisage a great deal of training is needed."

Ms Begas said that the issue of paying for abortion pills was something that had to be ironed out in the legislation.

Estimates put the cost of a medical abortion in Ireland at around 300. This will include the price of the abortion pill - which will be used in the majority of cases and two doctor consultations.

"The issue of access around cost is a concern we have," Ms Begas said. "Before the referendum, I was of the assumption medical abortions would be freely provided by the Government. And the Government has not clarified its intentions here.

"I've seen reports stating a medical abortion will cost up to up to 300. There will be a need for two consultations, there may be a need for an ultrasound scan, there may be a benefit for women to have counselling within a 72-hour period.

"And there's professional time in this, so we'd like clarity, for this care to be free to women. This is a really important issue, as many women who come to see us are on low incomes or under financial pressure and just because they don't qualify for a medical card doesn't mean they're flush in any way."

IFPA chief Mr Behan agreed that the associations would require more resources. He said: "We can't have women not able to access a service if they need help. This will cost money. And this absolutely has to be affordable for women.

"No woman should have to go through with a pregnancy because of a lack of resources, it should be universal. And our experience is women present to us in all circumstances.

"This should be a universally free system, accessible for all. We look forward to discussing this with the Government."

The IFPA has centres in Cork, Dublin City Centre, Tallaght in south county Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Gorey, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford. But Mr Behan said: "In an ideal world we'd like to be in all larger cities and towns."

This would put Irish abortion services in line with the UK.
A preliminary probe into illegal adoptions has been tasked with finding "sufficient reliable evidence" of the practice ahead of a possible wider investigation of the scandal.

Marion Reynolds, a former deputy director of social services in Northern Ireland, has until mid-October to deliver a report on the latest controversy from Ireland's past, under the terms of reference for her examination published last night.

In recent days, it was revealed 126 people given up for adoption were led to believe their adoptive parents were in fact their biological parents.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, uncovered the cases during a trawl of records from the former St Patrick's Guild adoption agency that date from the years 1946 to 1969.

While some people would have discovered their true identity over the decades,up to 79 have no idea they were adopted.

Children's Minister Katherine Zappone published the terms of reference of Ms Reynold's initial investigation, which will involve examination of a sample of tens of thousands of adoption files.

Tusla was able to identify the cases from the St Patrick's Guild files due to a marker placed on them specifying the child was "adopted from birth".

The terms of reference says Ms Zappone wants an investigation into whether there is "sufficient reliable evidence" that can be extracted from other adoption agencies.

Ms Reynolds's analysis will be a sampling exercise.

It's estimated that Tusla alone has 70,000 records from former adoption societies; the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) holds 30,000 relevant records; and other existing and former agencies have a further 50,000 records - around 150,000 in total.

The sampling exercise is designed to help the minister in deciding what action might be taken to identify more fully the scale of incorrect birth registrations.

It is to reach a conclusion on whether "key identifiers or markers" signalling incorrect birth registrations in other adoption cases, exist.

Ms Reynolds is to agree a procedure with Tusla and the AAI over how the initial probe will work within two weeks.

She is to make recommendations to the minister on the most appropriate next steps.

Ms Reynolds is expected to deliver a report to the minister within four months of a sampling methodology being established.

This would mean a final report is due in October. Interim reports can be delivered before then if Ms Reynolds considers it appropriate.

She will be responsible for ensuring timescales are adhered to and to inform the minister of any potential slippage and the reasons why it occurs.

The chairman of the AAI, Dr Geoffrey Shannon, will lead the work on the matter within that organisation and Cormac Quinlan, Tusla director of transformation and policy, is involved for that agency.
A third teenager was lucky to escape with his life in the drowning tragedy which left two teenage friends dead.

Shay Moloney (15) died a hero while desperately trying to save his friend from drowning on their last day of school.

He and Jack Kenneally (15) were among a group of five who had been swimming in an abandoned and flooded quarry near Knockanean, just a short distance from the town.

A source close to the family described to the Irish Independent how the disaster unfolded.

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"Jack and Shay were in a group of five when they went out to the quarry. At one stage Jack jumped in and started to swim towards a small island in the middle but got into difficulty. When Shay saw him struggling, he went in to help his friend...I think they just both ran out of steam."

Dived

The source added that a third youth had a lucky escape after diving into the water to help his friends. "I think the third person went out towards them but when the boys started to struggle he managed to just back off and get out."

The quarry where the boys lost their lives has been described as a "local death trap".

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Many residents in Ennis fear its sheer depth can catch poor swimmers off guard. There are signs at the entrance of the lands stating 'Danger - Deep Water - No Swimming' and 'Danger silt Pond, Deep Water, Keep Clear'. However, according to locals, they are largely ignored.

Ennis Councillor Mary Howard has called for Clare County Council to take immediate action following the tragic deaths.

"Whether we drain it or fill it up, we have to act now," she said. "This tragedy isn't going to stop teenagers from swimming in that quarry at all. Even on Thursday after the two boys were removed from the water, there were people swimming in it. It's about 80ft deep and can be extremely cold even on a day like today ... It's a death-trap."

A spokesperson from Clare County Council told the Irish Independent that the site is private property and the signs were erected by the landowner.

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At the entrance of the site, a sign by property company Sherry Fitzgerald indicates that the land is currently for sale.

Clare Water Safety Development Officer Clare McGrath said: "We are urging the public to only used lifeguarded bathing places. We also are reminding the public to take heed of advice given by the lifeguards and to supervise your children at all times."

Ennis Rugby Club and local schools led the tributes to the two sports-mad teens.

Richard Murphy, president of Ennis Rugby, said that Jack and Shay were "the heartbeat" of their successful U15 squad.

"They were the guys that led from the front, the guys that carried the fight, the guys that made the difference.

"As resolute and fearless as they were on the pitch, they were as funny, engaging and inspiring off the pitch. Our club was a better place for having them as part of it and their absence will be keenly felt."

The principal of Ennis Community College, Brian O'Donoghue, said everyone was "deeply saddened" by the death of Jack, who was a second-year pupil at the school.

Shay was a third-year pupil at St Flannan's College and was due to begin his Junior Cert next week.

His principal, Fr Ignatius McCormack, described the incident as a "terrible tragedy for both teens' families and friends".

Ennis parish priest Fr Tom Hogan said: "Ennis is a very small town and when a tragedy comes to one family, everyone feels their pain.

"Jack and Shay have wonderful friends and please God it will see the parents and family through this dreadful time."
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend take their daughter Luna to The Ivy restaurant for lunch on September 11, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford/GC Images)

London's The Ivy restaurant is one of Britain's best known celebrity hangouts, enjoyed by the likes of Victoria and David Beckham, model Kate Moss, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Harry.

Within the next few months, The Ivy Collection will open its first international brasserie in the heart of Dublins city centre.

The Ivy Dawson Street, which will open in the new One Molesworth building, will be overseen by Jamie Belton as General Manager, and Head Chef Nick Lentini.

The brasserie-style restaurant will join the likes of Michelin starred The Greenhouse, Marco Pierre White's Steakhouse and Grill, and Carluccio's italian restaurant.

The new restaurant and bar will accommodate up to 200 guests and serve breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, light snacks and dinner.

A private dining room named The Jonathan Swift Room, will seat up to 36 guests and offering an ideal space for events, birthdays or stylish working lunches.

Classics served will include shepherds pie, crispy duck salad and an indulgent chocolate bombe, as well as locally inspired dishes like Dublin Bay prawns and Dungarvan oysters.

The Martin Brudnizki Design Studio has consulted on the restaurants interiors which will feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a central onyx bar, marble floor tiles, polished parquet panel flooring and leather banquettes.

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Jamie Belton, General Manager at The Ivy Dawson Street says: With fantastic food, beautiful interiors and consistent, friendly service, our Irish brasserie will offer a touch of glamour whilst also welcoming guests to visit us anytime, whatever the occasion.

Guests can follow @theivydublin on Twitter, and sign up for news at www.theivydublin.com for more details on opening date and reservation details.
Getting a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is unwelcome life changing news and local MS blogger Joan Jordan has now written a book which she wishes was available when she was diagnosed in 2010.

Taking inspiration from the famous Humans of New York project and the countless imitators which it has spawned, Joan produced the book HuManS with the assistance of funding from the National Lottery.

Joan, who lives in Tenure with her husband Niall and children Lily and Aidan, says 'It's the book I wish I had been given when I was diagnosed.'

She has interviewed people from around the country who are living with MS and shares their words of wisdom for the newly diagnosed.

'If it wasn't for MS I would never have met these inspirational people,' says Joan, who travelled around the country to meet and interview all those featured in the book.

The book contains quotes and tips from people who have been living with MS for years.

Joan, who produces the blog MS and Me for MS Ireland, spoke to ten people with MS, aged from their twenties to seventies, right across the spectrum of the condition.

'I wanted to show that you can live a good life with MS,' says Joan, who was named as MS Person of the Year in 2016.

'You have just been given news that will affect your life forever. Remember that it's not your fault and to take things one day at a time. You still have a future - but for now, focus on today. Be good to yourself and allow the people who can help you in. You don't have to do this alone.'

She was first diagnosed with MS after she started to suffer from persistent headaches and then lost the use of her right hand and her right leg.

She was admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where an MRI scan confirmed her diagnosis.

Joan has refused to allow MS define her and has returned to work after eight years, doing administration for Patient Advocacy. She had previously worked in the IT sector having studied computer science at Trinity College Dublin and is delighted to be able to put the skills she learned to good use.

Among those she has interviewed for the book are Ronny Van Den Berg, the secretary of the Louth Branch of MS Ireland, Joe Reilly from Castlebellingham, who is the Secretary for the Louth disAbility group and the Assistant Chair of the Louth Voluntary MS Branch, Louth woman Fiona Arnold and Josephine Kieran, Drogheda,

And it was a Rachel Lynch, graphic designer friend whom she met through doing a course with Patient Advocacy who put the book together for her.

'I love the way it looks as it's makes it easy for people to read and to access information.'

Joan has had 500 copies of the book printed, thanks to the funding she received from the National Lottery, and has distributed copies to neurology surgeons and MS nurses. She would like to see the book being made available to all those who are newly diagnosed with MS so that they know that they can know that they can continuing living a fulfilled life.

One woman who has refused to let MS dictate how she lives is Mary Murtagh from Hackballscross.

Mary was just 21 years of age when she was diagnosed and lost her mother and father the same year.

'It's a year I like to forget,' she says. 'It was a shock.'

When she first attended a meeting of the local MS Ireland branch, she vowed she'd never go back. 'I saw all those people in wheelchairs and thought I don't want to be sitting with them. My friend persuaded me to go back and I had a great time with the branch over the years, going on social outings and holidays.'

Mary is wheelchair user herself now and still believes in living life to the full.

She married her husband Patrick in 1983 and her son Colm was born the following year.

'I walked into the hospital but came out in a wheelchair,' she recalls, as seventeen hours labour took its toll on her.

She refused to let that stop her from embracing motherhood. 'I just set my mind on all the things I could do rather than those I couldn't.'

'I learned to drive and to swim so I could take Colm to the pool. I couldn't kick a ball with him so I got a swing ball and we had great fun.' she says. 'I'm glad I was able to do it.'

'I did art all my life and really enjoyed painting,' she says, but her real passion is country music.

'I love country music and we still go out dancing, and I jive in the wheelchair,' she says.

'I just get on with it and live a normal life,' she says. 'With MS you don't know what's round the corner but that's true for everyone, no one knows what's around the corner.'

Mary has worked as a counsellor for those with disabilities in the past and says she was privileged to be able to help others.

'It's amazing how much talking can help,' she says.

Her advice for those who get a life changing diagnosis like MS is to try to maintain as normal as life as possible.

'I say isn't it great that I can do so much. I can use my hands and do lots of things. And although I have carers coming in to help me, it's important for me to keep my independence.'

To mark World MS Day 2018, the MS Ireland Louth branch is hosting a vintage car show and coffee morning in the Monasterboice Inn on Saturday June 2nd.

This promises to be a great event for all members and their families, and indeed anyone who would like to support the charity.

There will be a good display of vintage and classic cars, a coffee morning, raffles and face painting for children.

And there's another fun day out for all the family in aid of MS branches in Louth, Monaghan and Armagh when The Border Counties Vintage Grassmen present a Bigger Event with displays of vintage farm machinery in action and live music in Inniskeen (beside the GAA field) on Sunday June 3rd.
Ireland 2018 is a much different country to the one that those of us middle aged or older grew up in.

The scale of the change in Irish life during our lifetime has been astonishing and it is scenes like last Saturday's celebrations in Dublin Castle following the announcement of the referendum result which bring home the scale of the change.

Divorce, Marriage Equality and now the repeal of the 8th amendment are all huge changes to the social fabric of the country and while there are campaigners who have given their life's work to bringing about those changes it has all come about very rapidly, for those on the sidelines not active in any of the campaigns.

Ireland is a much more confident, open society than it was during years gone by. The repression and control of society by big institutions, be they church or state, is a relic of the past. People want control over their own lives, over their own bodies and they have the confidence and intelligence to stand up and assert that right.

In many respects the people are doing it for themselves and dragging the political class along with them.

Speaking on Saturday last, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the result as: 'The day Ireland stepped out from under the last of our shadows and into the light'.

We have indeed cast off the shackles of the past, very many of the shadows which haunted us have been dispersed, the light is reaching into those dark shadows and the dark corners of society are harder to find and to escape the bright light.

The biggest and ugliest of those shadows, that of political violence and terrorism cast an evil shadow on our society for decades and through a long and slow process, politics has replaced the violence and people are alive today because of that.

The evil shadows of abuse - sexual, physical and mental - which was hidden by the Church has been swept out and the horrific scandals have been laid bare and some of the perpetrators have paid for their crimes.

Child abuse will always be of concern but instances of institutional abuse have been tackled and exposed.

Elsewhere Irish society has tackled other social problems such as drink driving which is now a social taboo compared to years ago when it was acceptable behaviour to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking several pints.

We were the first country to introduce a smoking ban in workplaces and this was later rolled out across the globe.

The power and will of the people brought about the demand for last Saturday's referendum, such as it did in the Marriage Equality and divorce before it.

People are telling the politicians what they want and what they don't as in the case of water charges for example and the political class follows. That is as it should be in a well functioning democracy and bodes well for future.
Local students are being invited to get away from the pressure of the Leaving Cert exams thanks to Aura Leisure's 'Free Entry for Leaving Certs' initiative.

From June 6th to June 22nd Leaving Certificate students will have free access to the Aura Leisure Centre in Dundalk, where they can avail of the facilities which includes a 25m swimming pool, fitness classes and fully equipped gym.

Students are invited to enjoy some hard earned relaxation and to clear their heads with a free gym session or a swim

To register, students are asked to bring a pass (schools will have these passes) to the Aura Leisure Centre at St Alphonsus Road. Students must be accompanied by a parent on their first visit to sign up.

If your school has not received passes please feel free to let the team at your local Aura Leisure Centre know and we will get it sorted as soon as possible. For further information please visit www.auraleisure.ie
The death occurred of Patricia McCague (nee McAleenan), Rock Road, Blackrock, on 2 May, 2018, surrounded by her loving family, in Cork University Hospital, following a short illness.

Patricia was born on 3 July, 1938 in Kircubbin, County Down, to parents Patrick from Castlewellan, County Down and Mary McAleenan (nee Murphy) from Kenmare, County Kerry.

The youngest of five children, Patricia undertook her primary education in Kircubbin, where her parents ran the local school. Her father, Patrick, was also the organist in the parish Catholic Church and as a child, Patricia learned piano and Irish dancing. A talented pianist, she studied with renowned Belfast-based teacher, Bertram Jones, to Diploma level.

Following her second level education at Saint Dominics Grammar School in Belfast, she read Music and Irish at Queens University, graduating with Honours. Patricia went on to study for a Higher Diploma in Education and qualified as a second level teacher in these two subjects. She began her teaching career in Saint Columbas College in Portaferry, before moving to Saint Dominics Grammar School in Belfast. In 1973, Patricia moved to Dundalk where her sister, Elizabeth Kilgallen, was already an esteemed teacher of Music, English and French at Saint Vincents Secondary School, and she too joined the staff there.

A much loved and highly respected teacher, Patricia took her role as an educator very seriously, sharing her great love of music with her students. She was compassionate and caring and always saw the best in every student. In addition to teaching for the State examinations, Patricia also looked after the music for school Masses and public events and accompanied students on piano for Inter/Junior and Leaving Certificate Practical exams, often taking extra rehearsals in her own time to ensure high standards at all times.

Patricia met her late husband, Hugh McCague, a respected Maths and Irish teacher at Colaiste Ris and fiddler with the popular local group Glasheen, at a dance at the Ballymascanlon Hotel. They married on 28 December, 1978 and went on to have two daughters, Mary and Catherine. Following Marys birth, Patricia took a break from teaching to rear her family, during which time, she fostered a love of music and books in her children.

As a family, they went on annual holidays to Salthill, Galway, and this tradition continued even after the children were grown up, with Patricias last break in Salthill being in January 2018. Family meant everything to Patricia. She was modest, yet quietly proud and always selfless in everything she did; once her family was happy, Patricia was happy. Music was hugely important in the home and Patricia started Mary and Catherine off on the piano at the age of three, before taking them for an audition with internationally renowned pianist, John OConor at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

When they were accepted by Dr. OConor, she and Hugh drove the girls every week to Dublin for their piano and music theory lessons, as well as all around the country to take part in music festivals.

The recently deceased Reverend Father Brendan McNally also used to call weekly to the home to teach the girls violin. For many years, Patricia accompanied Father McNallys students on a voluntary basis for music festivals and examinations, offering her home up as a rehearsal venue in the lead up to these occasions.

When Hugh was diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease in 1992 and forced to take early retirement from Colaiste Ris, Patricia returned to Saint Vincents Secondary School. She strove to hide the worst of Hughs illness from her children, and kept home life as normal as possible, still managing to ferry the girls to their music lessons and competitions. She cared lovingly for Hugh for as long as possible in the home, but when this eventually became too much, visited him regularly in Moorehall Lodge Nursing Home, Ardee. Following Hughs death in 2001, Patricia took early retirement from Saint Vincents.

On her retirement, she loved nothing more than to frequent her favourite coffee shops at lunch-time for a cappuccino and scone. A lady of great faith, with particular devotion to Our Lady, she also attended daily Mass.

When both her daughters married and ended up living down in Cork, Patricia began to spend more and more time in the south of the country and loved to travel to gigs and events with her daughter Mary, who is a professional musician. Patricia discovered a whole new lease of life when her grandchildren, Brian, Ciara, Emma and Fiona were born and was a devoted grandmother to them, always surprising them with little thoughtful treats. They loved her back in equal measure.

Following a bad fall in November 2016, which saw her spend two months in hospital, Patricias mobility was affected and she relocated permanently to Cork, living between Mary and Catherines homes in Kinsale and Carrigaline, respectively. While she missed her home in Blackrock, she loved being so close to her daughters and grandchildren.

Following a number of hospital visits since October 2017, Patricia contracted pneumonia in April 2018 and despite a valiant battle, she passed away very peacefully in Cork University Hospital in the presence of her loving daughters and their husbands, Fintan and Sean in the early hours of 2 May.

Patricia is survived by her beloved daughters Mary (Ryan) and Catherine (Doherty), her cherished grandchildren, Brian, Ciara, Emma and Fiona, brothers Sean (Belfast) and Frank (Downpatrick), sisters-in-law, Nuala and Patsy, sons-in-law, Fintan and Sean, nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

She was predeceased by her parents, Patrick and Mary, her brother, Brian (Ballycastle), brother-in-law Liam Kilgallen, sister-in-law Mary McAleenan and sister Elizabeth Kilgallen. Removal took place from the family home to Saint Oliver Plunketts Church, Blackrock on 4 May for Prayers.

Music was provided by the Blackrock Church Choir, for whom Mary played the organ for 15 years before moving to Kinsale. Requiem Mass was in Saint Oliver Plunketts Church, Blackrock on 5 May and was celebrated by Father Padraig Keenan. Mary and Catherine used a number of symbols at the start of Mass to describe their mothers special qualities of kindness, caring and generosity, as well as her great faith, and their immense love for her.

Catherine played Ag Criost an Siol on the violin at the Offertory and Mary played The Coolin at the Reflection. The music was otherwise provided by soprano, Emer Barry and harpist, Aisling Ennis, who, along with Mary, are members of classical crossover group, Affiniti.

Patricias niece Patricia Kilgallen and nephew, Niall McAleenan read the first two readings. Prayers of the Faithful were read by Patricias grandson, Brian (6), sons-in-law, Fintan Ryan and Sean Doherty, nephew, Eamonn Kilgallen and Fintans mother, Jacqueline Ryan. The Offertory gifts were brought up by nephew, Liam Kilgallen and niece, Mary Corrigan.

The touching Communion Reflection was read by niece, Anne Kilgallen. Patricia was interred next to her beloved Hugh in Saint Furseys Cemetery, Haggardstown. The family would like to thank everyone who sent messages of sympathy, called to the house, attended the Requiem Mass or helped in any way. The months mind Mass took place in Saint Oliver Plunketts Church, Blackrock on Sunday 27 May at 12 noon.

Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam dilis
Construction on the biggest bio-pharma manufacturing facility to be built in Ireland will get under way in Dundalk early next year, the Argus has learned.

Chinese pharmaceutical firm WuXi Biologics are set to start work on a purpose built facility at the IDA's 26 hectare site at Mullagharlin in the first few months of 2019.

An estimated 700 construction jobs are expected to be created during the building process.

A spokeswoman for the IDA confirmed that a number of 'enabling tasks such as permits, land surveys etc. need to be completed before construction can start' at the site.

Recruitment of the 400 jobs to be created by the company over the next five years will also begin next year. A number of key positions are expected to be filled even before then.

News emerged just a month ago of the company's decision to locate their first manufacturing facility outside of China in Dundalk, in what was seen as a huge coup for the town.

Making the announcement, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the move as 'the start of something special.'

'We will see the 'Factory of the Future,' right here in Dundalk. It's the first sizable Greenfield project from China in the pharma sector and I am delighted to see it located here in Dundalk. It's also the latest in a number of investments in this town which has become a hub for a range of sectors, mainly in the new knowledge based and pharmaceutical sectors.'

WuXi Biologics are a 'global open-access biologics technology platform company', are investing 325 million and creating 400 new jobs over five years to establish the new biologics drug substance manufacturing facility.

Headquartered in Wuxi City, China, they are a leading name in the development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.

The IDA confirmed: 'WuXi Biologics has pioneered deploying multiple single-use bioreactors for commercial biomanufacturing and is also designed to be able to run continuous bioprocessing, a next generation manufacturing technology to be first implemented globally in this campus.

The company will also install the world's 'largest facility using single use bio- reactors' at their new Dundalk base.
De la Salle College celebrated achieving a Gaelbhratach award following a year of initiatives promoting the Irish language in the school.

It was the first year in which De La Salle College participated in the Gaelbhratach scheme, funded by Foras na Gaeilge and organised by Gael

Linn, which awards schools recognition for promoting the use of the Irish language throughout the school and in the local community.

Gael Linn and Foras na Gaeilge are widely regarded as two of the most effective Irish language organisations in the country.

In the Gaelbhratach programme schools work through a series of steps and reach a number of targets, which are focused on the promotion of the Irish language.

In De La Salle College, a Gaelbhratach committee was set up and under the guidance of teachers Ms McBride and Ms McEntegart, the dedicated group of students began their Gaelbhratach journey in September last.

'Our committee worked diligently throughout the year to organise events which promoted the Irish language and encourage us all to use our cupla focal,' said Ms. McBride.

Seachtain na Gaeilge and Bliain na Gaeilge were celebrated with the help of Faoi Gheasa. The programmes run within the school are examined as part of the overall Gaelbhratach award.

'When the inspectors arrived they were very impressed with our group and agreed that our committee had created awareness and were actively involved in the promotion of the use of the Irish language throughout the school,' added Ms. McBride.

On May 22nd the committee travelled to Leopardstown racecourse to collect their Gaelbhratach flag which is now proudly flying at the school.
DkIT Lecturer Dr. Ingrid Lewis launched a new book entitled 'Women in European Holocaust Films: Perpetrators, Victims and Resisters'

The book was launched recently to critical acclaim, and was unveiled at an official ceremony by DkIT Creative Arts Research Centre on the Dundalk campus.

Lecturer in the Department of Creative Media, Arts and Music, the book considers how women's experiences have been treated in films dealing with Nazi persecution.

Focusing on fiction films made in Europe between 1945 and the present, the study explores dominant discourses on and cinematic representation of women as perpetrators, victims and resisters.

Dr. Lewis contends that European Holocaust Cinema underwent a rich and complex trajectory of change with regard to the representation of women.

The official launch was formally opened by the President of DkIT, Dr. Michael Mulvey, who noted Dr. Lewis' academic achievements to date, her Romanian heritage and her positive contribution to the Institute.

Noting that the launch of a book is one of the highest achievements in academia, event host Dr. Gerard Bob McKiernan, Head of the School of Informatics and Creative Arts, highlighted the positive reception amongst academics for Dr. Lewis' book, reading commendations from renowned scholars from Ireland, the US and the UK.

Dr. Ingrid Lewis spoke to the audience about her motivation for this research and the fascinating journey that led to the publication of this key book.

She also explained her theory of the 'silenced gender paradigm' in Holocaust historiography and filmic representation.
The people have spoken and in Louth, as in every county apart from Donegal, they said Yes. The exit polls on Friday night may have lessened the frisson of excitement as the tally men and women huddled around the ballot boxes in the count centre on Saturday morning but it didn't lessen the joy of campaigners as the results of the Louth vote were announced that afternoon.

This new generation of campaigners who had make the battle to ensure that no Irish woman would be denied an abortion on their home soil their own, hugged and wept with joy as Presiding Officer Mairead Ahern read the results of the Louth poll.

Of the 69,762 valid votes cast, 46,429 were in favour of repealing the 8th Amendment with 23,333 against taking out the controversial clause which had been introduced to The Constitution following another referendum in 1983.

The result was welcomed by all those who had campaigned for repeal: the politicians who had cast party politics aside to canvass for a change in the laws of our country which they felt was long overdue and the young people who had knocked on doors begging for votes to ensure that there would be no more women like Savita Halappanavar, no more couples forced to travel to the UK for healthcare after being told their pregnancy would not bring a healthy baby, no more frightened women buying abortion pills over the internet.

Local Fine Gael Cllr John McGahon said he was delighted with the result, particularly in his own electoral area of Dundalk/ Carlingford where 7,009 people, just over 60% of the electorate, voted Yes.

'It's amazing when you study the tallies,' he said. 'There were some huge Yes votes in rural boxes like Ravensdale and Cooley while across Dundalk there was an exceptionally strong Yes vote.'

He paid tribute to women like Ailbhe Smyth, Ivana Bacik, Clare Daly, Kate O Connell, Catherine Noone, Tara Flynn and countless others who had spent decades trying to put abortion on the political agenda when every other politician ran away from it.

'This is their day. This result is a testament to their persistence and commitment to repealing the 8th at a time when it wasn't popular to do so.'

He also paid tribute to his party colleague Health Minister Simon Harris who had shown 'tremendous leadership'.

The significance of the day for Irish women was highlighted by Fianna Fail Cllr Emma Coffey, who had taken her four-year-old daughter to count centre so that she could see all the Yes votes.

'It's absolutely amazing and it's so good to see that Ireland has taken a stand to look after everyone and no woman will have to take a plane abroad to another country to get treatment as we are now going to look after our own.'

She marvelled at how the campaign had built up momentum and a groundswell of support. 'It's hard to believe that we only started 5 to 6 weeks ago with our first stall at the Market Square, one banner, one poster, no badges and 800 leaflets, and grew from that to having teams that went out and covered all the county.

She noted that in future 'when the month of May 2018 is looked at, we will see the focus on the cervical check scandal, those two horrific murders of two women in Dublin, and then the Repeal of the 8th Amendment, when we have finally stood up firmly for the women of Ireland.'

Sinn Fein Cllr Ruairi O Murchu said that the margin of support for repealing the Eighth was more than he had expected. 'To be honest, I had a feeling we were going to win but not by this much.'

He felt that the coverage of the issues involved on television and radio made a difference and enabled people to emphasise with what women had to go through. 'A lot of people thought they knew what view they but when they started seeing the stories and the reality of what women were going through, they realised that it was an issue that had to be dealt with.

'It's one issue that people had done their homework on. A huge amount of people, mainly elderly people, would talk about the historic damage the Church had done, I imagine personal damage, and I think that was a definite factor. It's an absolute emphatic vote, an emphatic vote in Louth.

Among those who had been campaigning for appeal in the Dundalk area was Liam Gaynor. 'It's a wonderful day for Ireland, At last we're in the 21st century and women's health care is now important.'

He admitted to be surprised at such a landslide in favour of repeal although he had felt they were going to win from the reaction they were getting on the street,

'We were in town every day, and on Thursday last I began to feel we were going to win from the reaction of people going past,'

He paid tribute to all those who had taken part in the Together For Yes campaign. 'Everyone worked so hard.'

Together for Yes campaigner Kelly O'Hanlon described the result as 'excellent'.

She said that the support they had got on the canvas 'was immense'. 'I can't stress that enough, anyone who was voting Yes made themselves known to us, by little things like giving us buns and cups of tea.'

She said that while she was always Pro Choice, 'but when I listened to the stories of people we met while canvassing, it made me even more staunchly Pro Choice.'

However, she said that they had also got abuse from those opposed to repeal. 'We got a lot of abuse when we were at The Square - we were called murderers.'

Another Together For Yes campaigner Alex Moore said 'The result is fantastic, absolutely phenomenal, point out that there was not one box in Dundalk with a majority for No.'
The count centre for the Referendum on the Eighth Amendment in the Redeemer Community Centre must have been a lonely place for those who had wanted the amendment which gave equal rights to the unborn child and pregnant women.

They were taken aback by the seismic shift in the attitudes of the Irish people who have after months of often bitter campaigning showed that they wanted to bring Irish laws into line with the rest of the modern world and that women would no longer be denied the choice to have an abortion.

Fine Gael's Peter Fitzpatrick, who had been a member of the Oireachtas Committee which had recommended holding the referendum, and had gone against the views of the party leader in campaigning for a No vote, admitted that he hadn't expect such a landslide in favour of repeal.

'I thought it would be an awful lot closer,' he said. 'I thought we would be very close to a No vote. The people of Ireland have spoken, we have to respect the people of Ireland."

'Leo and Simon have given a commitment there will be no such thing as abortion on demand, I will be there to make sure that does not happen. I do trust women and I do believe in life and I voted No to protect the unborn.'

Dundalk man Martin McGuill of the Save the 8th campaign, admitted that he was 'devastated' at the outcome.

'It's a very, very sad day for the country. I feel like a stranger in my own country.'

He said that 'Every pre born child is going to under a death sentence until they are considered viable by the government.'

'Irish people were given a choice to choose what type of society they want to live in, one where the strong can sacrifice the weak or one where the strong can make sacrifices for the weak. The people have spoken Ireland will be a sadder place as a result.'

He was surprised at the outcome saying: 'From knocking the doors, we came across more No votes. ' He was surprised at the extent of the Yes vote. 'I would have thought that in Dundalk, the No vote would win from the people we talked to.'

Another man from Save the 8th, Stephen McKenna, described it as a sad day. 'I'm here for humanity to keep babies alive. The Genie is out of the box and babies will be aborted. Ireland could do better in a more pioneering way for women with crisis pregnancies.'
Internationally renowned guitarist Remi Harris, who has appeared at The BBC Proms with Jamie Cullum and performed at Buckingham Palace, will perform at Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, on June 1 as part of a three month nationwide tour of the UK and Ireland.

Spanning the breadth of the British Isles, Remi has over 40 dates booked on the tour starting in Worcestershire, through Wales, Scotland and ending in Ireland. With his jazz and blues trio he will travel over 6,000 miles in three months.

Remi's unique style draws inspiration from gypsy swing, blues, rock, electronic and world music. He has toured worldwide as well as recently performing on the Chris Evans breakfast show with Jamie Cullum, Montreal Jazz Festival, on BBC 4 Television and live on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 3.

Jamie Cullum, International Star, said: 'Remi Harris is an incredible guitarist, I'm absolutely blown away by his talent.'

30-year-0ld Remi who was born in Herefordshire said: 'I love being able to take my music to new places and I'm really looking forward to visiting Ireland for the first time. The tour has been a lot of fun so far, and we're hoping for a great show in Tinahely.'

From the day Remi was born his mother of French origin chose the name Remi, inspired by the musical scale DO-RE-MI. His first album is called 'Ninick' in memory of his mother. Primarily self taught with the help of his Dad's guitar magazines and records, Remi started playing at the age of 7, initially inspired by rock and blues guitarists of the 60s and 70s such as Jimi Hendrix, Peter Green and Jimmy Page.

Musically the show is a reflection of Remi's artistic influences - with repertoire ranging from Django Reinhardt to Jimi Hendrix and all things in between, including The Beatles, Peter Green and new compositions from his anticipated third album.

The concert starts at 8.30 p.m. on June 1 and tickets which are available from the Courthouse are 14/12.
Gerry Blake's photography exhibition 'Into the Sea' will be under way at Mermaid Arts Centre until Saturday, June 30.

The exhibition opening took place recently at the gallery.

For over a year, photographic artist Gerry Blake has been examining the ritual practice of regular sea swimming. Visiting more than 10 bathing areas around Dublin, he depicts individual swimmers as they approach the sea at various times of the day.

Into The Sea portrays them at their most thoughtful and reflective in the moments before they plunge into the open waters.

Gerry looks at the ritual aspects of regular sea swimming, depicting individual swimmers as they approach the sea, early in the morning, late in the evening or at some time in between.

Dublin is well served by a large number of bathing places, including some that were built when the railway line that runs along the coast was constructed over 150 years ago. These bathing spots are well used all year round and are places of communal gathering as well as solitary meditation.

Kilmacanogue man Gerry holds an MFA in Photography from Ulster University. His award-winning work has been exhibited widely in galleries, including the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA Annual Exhibition, 2015, 2017), The National Gallery of Ireland (Hennessy Portrait Prize, 2015), and the Ulster Museum (Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition, 2017).
Having delivered a powerful speech that touched upon not only the state of the Irish film industry but the high rate of suicide amongst Travellers, the IFTA-winning Irish actor John Connors is coming to The Whale in Greystones this Friday, June 1, for a Pieta House fundraiser.

As part of the venue's new series entitled My Favourite Things, John will be revealing his favourite film on the night.

He has already disclosed that his favourite book is Irish author Frankie Gaffney's Dublin Seven and his favourite album, Almighty Love, by Damien Dempsey.

After a 20-minute onstage interview, John will then sit back with the audience to watch his chosen film.

Having lost his own father to suicide, John contemplated such a way out before his brother suggested he try acting.

Connors has been speaking out about the need for a creative outlet in such circumstances.

Becoming an actor saved his life.

His chosen charity for the night, Pieta House, is one that has saved many a life too.

The show is happening at The Whale, Greystones, on Friday, June 1, at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.). Tickets are 15, with all monies raised at the special event going to Pieta House.

You can find out more on whaletheatre.ie.

Alternatively, contact The Whale on 01 2010550 or ask@whaletheatre.ie.
A team of over 30 Pres Bray students between first and fifth year competed at this year's Eco-Unesco Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards, having re-imagined their school in Minecraft.

The group secured their place in the finals of the prestigious competition through a challenging application process where they had to pitch their ideas in a 'Dragon's Den' style forum.

Having reached the finals which were held in the Mansion House, the students began the national leg of their project.

They held impromptu educational interventions with their peers from all over Ireland.

On beanbags, on the ground and on tables the students invited environmentally aware young people from all over the country to re-imagine their school through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The creation of these plans aimed to start others thinking about how they could re-imagine their own school space in more sustainable ways.

Having pitched the work that they did in their own school throughout the year, the group received the award for 'Most Innovative' project. The school is deeply proud of the students.

Their teachers Mr McInerney, Mr Hannon and Mr. Rooney along with Tony Daly from 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World would like to thank the team for their consistent efforts and energy throughout the year.
An administrative error at Wicklow County Council meant that one woman in Greystones was not, as she thought, included on the supplemental register.

The council said that this was one of nine similar cases. 'Today, I feel sad,' said the woman last Friday, as polling stations opened. 'I put so much documentation together as I wanted to be completely sure. This vote was important to me. I scanned it in and didn't receive a bounce back on my email so I thought everything was fine. I went off on my holidays and thought it strange last week when I didn't get the card.'

She phoned the council to check what was happening.

'I was told there were no documents attached to my email but I double checked and they were there.'

She received an email of apology, as well as a phone call from the returning officer. The officials' hands were tied by the legislation. With the supplemental register complete, she couldn't be included on it. The deadline for inclusion was May 8.

'I've done nothing wrong here, I felt robbed,' she said. 'I was very upset. I made a decision to just go out and canvass so I've been canvassing all week, as my small contribution.'

In a letter last week, the council acknowledged that she had submitted her application in time and that the RFA3 was overlooked in an administrative error.

'Unfortunately, it is not possible to add you to the supplement at this point and I deeply regret this error,' said the letter.

In a subsequent statement, Wicklow County Council said a small number of potential voters who submitted applications to be included on the supplement to the register had to be turned away from the polling station. This was notwithstanding that their applications were properly completed, witnessed and submitted prior to the deadline.

Anne Marie Roberts, from the Franchise Section of Wicklow County Council, said that in some cases applications via email were not printed off. In most cases, the original signed application form was received in the Freepost service a day or so later and that form was processed in the normal way.

However, in nine cases, the original documentation was not subsequently received and the applications were not processed.

'We are very sorry for any potential voter that this has happened to,' she said. 'We are carrying out a full review of the matter with a view to preventing any recurrence. It was a regrettable and unfortunate clerical error.'

Ms Roberts said there was less understanding for hopeful voters turning up to vote but who had not previously engaged with the registration system and who had not checked the register, in spite of the very visible and high-profile voter registration campaign leading up to Friday's vote.

'The voting register is compiled every year. That is the law,' she said. 'Just because a person voted in the last election or referendum does not mean that they are still registered. We do send out correspondence to voters before we delete them, but if people choose not to engage, there is little we can do for them.'

'We cannot simply leave people on the register if they fail to respond to letters sent to their registration address. We would soon have a huge register containing non-existent names and a wide-open invitation to personation and fraud.'

Ms Roberts also said the council was aware of instances where people who were recorded on the Register as not being citizens of Ireland turned up to vote and presented an Irish passport to the presiding officer on duty.

'They would also have been turned away from the polling booth. I can say that Wicklow County Council pro-actively identified every elector in the system that was classified as not being an Irish citizen and wrote to them back in early April asking them to make contact if they were, in fact, Irish citizens. This initiative resulted in identifying some 150 new electors for the referendum and they were all issued polling cards in the normal way.'

The council is urging anyone who had a problem voting, or has a similar issue, to contact them immediately at franchise@wicklowcoco.ie so that the matter can be investigated.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly said that the situation was 'outrageous' and that he had been in touch with the council on the lady's behalf in the past week. He said that with human error being a factor, he has no complaint with the returning officer or the council, who applied the law. He said, however that the legislation must be changed to allow for such instances.
Approximately a quarter of County Wicklow voters cast a 'no' vote' last weekend. While the county overwhelmingly returned a resounding 'yes' to repealing the eighth amendment, what of the concerns of those against?

'I met a lot of no voters canvassing around Wicklow,' said Deputy Stephen Donnelly at the count centre last Saturday morning. 'They held their convictions very dear and they held them very strongly.

'Every conversation I had with a no voter was very respectful,on both sides. We listened to each other. The message I tried to get across to men and women around Wicklow who were thinking of voting no, was that we're not being asked if we're comfortable with abortion. Nobody is comfortable with abortion. I'm not comfortable with abortion. I've never met anybody who is.

'A lot of people were voting no because they, for very genuine reasons, feel very uncomfortable with abortion. What I would say to those people is, I hear you and I respect that.

'What we were voting on was taking care of our own people in our own country. What we now need to do is wrap all the supports possible around women in crisis pregnancy. My hope is that the rate would go down.'

Deputy Donnelly spoke about the idea of the first interaction with a medical professional being in England, rather than a woman's own GP.

'I've said this to some of the undecideds in Greystones. If it was your daughter, where would you like her to have her first touch-point with professional care?

'I hope that this now will de-stigmatise what's been going on and we can talk about it.

'Today is a sombre day,' he said. 'Celebrations are quiet, as they should be. This is a very difficult issue. I think yes and no voters in Wicklow deserve great credit for the way this has been conducted.'

As the morning drew on, it became more apparent that exit polls were correct and Wicklow was returning a resounding 'yes'.

'My reaction is one of relief,' said Deputy Donnelly. 'It's been the most personal and important campaign for so many women and men around the country. I'm very proud to be Irish today.

'Over the course of the campaign, I spoke to a lot of women who dealt with crisis pregnancies, fatal foetal abnormality. The idea that Ireland would today have said "keep going to England, we're not going to care for you here" just would not have been a good day to wake up to.

'We can finally step up to our responsibilities and take care of women here,' he said.

Deputy Donnelly said that the overwhelming endorsement sends out a message to woman that they will be cared for in their own country. 'And I think it will make the passage of the legislation easier.'

As opposition health spokesman, the next few months will be tied up in working on the legislation with Minister for Health Simon Harris and Louise O'Reilly from Sinn Fein.
Sally May, Emily Jo and Jack Edward Morrissey from Banteer enjoyed the sunshine at the Tractor Run from Kilcorney

A novel Tractor Run in Kilcorney became one of the biggest events of its type. With in excess of 230 tractors involved, the sight was something to behold and so it proved with a massive 14,500 raised for Mallow Search and Rescue at a presentation at Moll Carthys Bridge Bar.

Tractor enthusiasts and the public came up trumps in an eyecatching public display of machinery for the Ned Tarrant Memorial Tractor Run organised by Banteer Macra and Kilcorney friends. The success of the event met with a delighted response from promoters and was acknowledged by presiding chairman David Murphy.

"We were overwhelmed by the response of so many people, tractor owners came from many areas, the public too convened to support and add to the occasion. The support confirms the popularity of the late Ned, he was a friend of us all", he said.

Recipients from the fundraiser, Mallow Search and Rescue is a voluntary organisation founded in 1983, involved in water based missing persons searches and escort boats for water based events. Their representative Martin O'Sullivan applauded the generous sum.

"This is an incredible sum, to do such an event is terrific. Our own major fund raiser, the annual Raft Race was posponed owing to the inclement weather but this amount from the Tractor Run presented to us really makes up for it", he said.

The trail was from Kilcorney to Millstreet and onto the famous Butter Road, returning to Kilcorney for a bbq at Moll Carthys Bridge. Fr. William Winter commended all involved in the staging on a day when the weather matched the occasion.

"Ned was a friend of everybody, no doubt, he ensured the best of weather for the hosting", he said.

Also supported from the Tractor Run was the Padraig O'Keeffe from the Dash Response Team Ireland and their search dogs.
Great local produce is top of the menu at the Irish Maritime Festival 2018.

Olivia Duff, Failte Ireland Food Champion for Ireland's Ancient East explains "A Taste of Ireland's Ancient East is a dedicated food zone featuring artisan producers from right across the Boyne Valley region. Hosted by Flogas, this festival food zone is always a very popular spot!"

She continues "Join local chefs from The Boyne Valley Hotel, The Black Bull Inn, Oriel Sea Salt, The Central, Navan, Kirwans Seafood Restaurant 54 and Scholars Townhouse Hotel for exciting and educational recipe demonstrations and pick up great tips along the way!"

Back by popular demand, TV Chef Tara Walker of East Coast Cookery School will also wow the audience with her delicious recipes that celebrate our local food producers.

Enjoy tastings of jams, chutneys, tray bakes, breads, cheeses, coffee and juices at the artisan food stalls.

Olivia concludes "It's also your opportunity to meet the local producers behind popular artisan brands such as Hilda's Homemade Jams, Urban Indian, Little Delights, The Cider Mill, The Studio Coffee Roasters, The Limekiln, Glyde Farm Produce and Ruby's Fine Foods. We know that the public love to meet local producers so it's a wonderful opportunity to create a connection between producer and consumer."

This event is part of the Boyne Valley Food Series 2018 and is just one of dozens of fabulous food events taking place across the region. For full details, visit www.BoyneValleyFlavours.ie.

The Irish Maritime Festival takes place on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th June and is hosted by Louth County Council in conjunction with Drogheda Port Company. The Festival is proudly sponsored by Virgin Media and supported by Flogas, Glanbia and Failte Ireland.
There was a big day in Ballapousta last weekend when Archbishop Eamon Martin attended to celebrate a special mass to remember Olivia Mary Taaffe of Smarmore Castle, who died 100 years ago, on May 3, 1918.

She was famed as being the founder of the St Joseph's Young Priests Society.

Born in Galway, she lived at Smarmore Castle from 1867 for 27 years, having married John Joseph Taaffe.

The Taaffe family had been in Smarmore from at least 1320 but came to Ireland around 1196 from Wales.

It must have been a remarkable and at times difficult life for her in Ardee. The Taaffe name was absolutely legendary. One of them, Edward, left for Europe and met Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria and became Austrian Prime Minister from 1881-1885.

15 members of the family fought with King James at the Battle of the Boyne on white horses and all were killed in close proximity to each other!

After a year of living in such history, Olivia had enough and headed off with John for a long European tour, spending a month in Rome alone. She even managed to get a blessing from the Pope.

She became hostess of Smarmore in 1872 and hosted parties galore but also aided the upkeep of St Catherine's Church in Smarmore where the family had their own gallery. Even when she left Smarmore, she continued to contribute to the local Church.

Olivia Mary Taaffe had a life-long devotion to St Joseph and for many years prior to the formation of St Joseph's Young Priests Society in 1895.

Part of the Society's mission is to assist in the education of young priests and to that end publishes a newsletter called St Joseph's Sheaf. In an early edition of her newsletter Olivia Mary Taaffe published an appeal seeking financial support for a young man whose parents could not afford to educate him for the priesthood. From this the society was born and continues to flourish.

Her only child, George Robert, was born in 1872.

After the death of her husband, she left for Dublin but continued to promote the education of priests.
A star spangled blue flag fluttered joyfully in Mornington, as Marian Harkin MEP was warmly welcomed to Donacarney Boys' school and their celebration of Europe Day.

Marian had come to view the boys progress on the Blue Star Programme. The project was co-ordinated in the school by Fifth Class teacher, Ms Orla Carragher and its purpose is to foster better understanding and knowledge of the European Union and how it affects the lives of Irish citizens.

Principal Cepta Burke introduced Marian Harkin describing her as a Maths teacher, mother, former TD, and currently, Member of the European Parliament for fourteen years.

Pupils from First, Fifth and Sixth classes presented their projects on flags, cities, literature and politics of the European Union and Marian was enthralled by the boys and their presentations.

Afterwards it was time for Marian to talk, and to listen.

She reminded the school that the European Union was born out of the need for peace in war torn Europe. Focussed from the beginning on improving trade between its members, it improved the standard of living of all of its citizens.

She asked how many pupils in the school were from other countries in Europe and, as a sea of hands were raised among the assembled pupils, Marian told them that freedom of movement was another benefit of EU.

A lively question and answer session followed as the boys demonstrated a keen interest in all aspects of the EU from the lifestyle of the politician to Ireland`s membership of PESCO.

The Blue Flag Programme is open to all primary schools and is funded by Irish government and EU agencies.
Epilepsy sufferer Charlotte Burns believes much more support should be put in place for those suffering from the illness in Drogheda.

'It's dreadful, it's frustrating,' she stated this week.

She believes many shop owners just don't understand epilepsey and as a result, she has been banned from going into some shops.

'I am not allowed access to some places and that's upsetting,' she stated. 'I want to be treated like an ordinary person.'

She says that she can sometimes prevent seizures by activitating a nerve stimulus in her chest if she feels unwell.

'There is not a great understanding of epilepsy out there and I feel there is a poor care service in this area. There is no groups or meetings and no where to go,' she added.

Charlotte, who lives on the Ballymakenny Road, has had epilepsy since she was two and it has gotten worse with age.

'Creating an awareness group in Drogheda would be great as there are a lot of sufferers here.'
'The English did terrible things in Ireland in 1649 and the 1650s and it is wrong to blame Cromwell for all of them - that lets other Englishmen much more to blame than him, off the hook.'

Those are the words of John Morrill, Emeritus Professor of British and Irish History at the University of Cambridge and they appear in the beginning of a new book on Cromwell aimed at children written by a Fingal author who found that 'the most hated man in Irish history' was a more nuanced figure than his Drogheda childhood had painted him.

Rod Smith lives in Malahide but was born in Drogheda where the name of Cromwell carries considerable weight thanks to the bloody encounter the town had with Cromwell and his New Model Army.

It was that 'blacker than black' image of Cromwell that Rod Smith held in his memory as he began the exhaustive research process that resulted in this historical novel for children.

To his surprise, he found himself softening towards Cromwell as the research went on. Rod explained: 'When I was doing the research, I found Lord Longford's daughter did a biography of Cromwell in the 70s and she said she went to Drogheda and was looking for directions to Laurence's Gate. She stopped this priest for directions and she told he she was researching Cromwell and he blessed himself and walked away. The curse of Cromwell was a big thing in Drogheda and it came from all the stories about him.'

But the bile reserved for Cromwell was not always a prominent part of the Irish psyche, according to Rod. He said that it was a combination of Victorian England rediscovering Cromwell as a hero and the Irish cultural revolution's eagerness to find a figure of hate, that began to seal Cromwell's fate as enemy number one in the Irish mind.

Rod said he was aware of the work of Drogheda local historian and author, Tom Reilly who presents a radically different picture of Cromwell and while the author said he did not go as far as Reilly in re-interpreting Cromwell's time in Ireland, he could now see where the Louth author was coming from.

Rod said: 'I do know about Tom Reilly's work. I read his books and got in touch with a few professors in the UK and Ireland and they gave me a few papers they were working on. I asked them about Tom Reilly, and they said he was choosing to interpret events in a particular way. 'I can see the point he was making but I didn't necessarily agree with all the conclusions he came to. I think he was right in saying that Cromwell wasn't all bad and my opinion of him changed completely.'

Rod has written nine other children's books and many of them have also centred around the lives of important figures from Irish history like Charles Stewart Parnell and Padraig Pearse but this is the first time, he has taken on the longer form of a novel.

Because the book is pitched around the 10-year-old and above reading level, Rod had a find a palatable way of guiding children through this often very dark story that is Cromwell's bloody nine months in Ireland. He chose to put two children at the heart of the story and all the events of the novel are witnessed through their young eyes.

While all the historical facts presented in the novel have been painstakingly researched by the author, he's used a little creative licence in inventing a number of characters to plug into the story and witness the very real events that are happening around them.

Rod explained: 'All the facts in it, I've researched as much as I can and then I've added a story about two kids who meet Cromwell and they are running around towns telling people he's coming and telling them they need to either surrender or getting yourselves ready.

'It's set in the present day first of all and a boy goes on a school trip to Drogheda to look at a re-enactment of the invasion and he gets a knock on the head and wakes up in 1649 when Cromwell is invading. So from then it's all about keeping one step ahead of Cromwell and figuring out how he's going to get back to the present time.'

When his publishers, Poolbeg presented Rod with the idea of writing an historical novel, they began to discuss what events or figure from history the book would centre on. One of the names up for discussion was Cromwell and it was a name that jumped out at Rod, because Cromwell's exploits in Drogheda had featured so heavily in his upbringing and his early education.

In the acknowledgements section of the book, Rod gives a nod to two of his former teachers who gave him a love of English and history that fuels his creative work today.

In the book's acknowledgements, the author writes: 'A special word of thanks to Cyril Gillen, an inspirational English teacher, who encouraged a love of literature in me, and Brother Claude Hamill (RIP), who introduced me to the wonders of history.'

The novel has been 10 months in the making and is in all good book shops now and is getting a great response from readers, which is testament to Rod's now well practiced skill of making history accessible to young readers.

In his research for the book, Rod talked to a number of academics in Ireland and the UK about Cromwell and found most of them were amazed that someone wanted to write a children's book about this very complex and often very dark historical figure.

Rod said: 'I think they were amazed someone wanted to write a children's book about Cromwell. It is a dark project and there's a lot of death in it. Boys will love it because there's lots of killing in it but I wanted to have a girl in it too and for her to be a strong character as well.

'I got in trouble before when I was doing the very first book because there's no women in it. I went to a girl's school with it and asked them what they thought of the book and they said there's no girls in it. There was a mum in it at the very start but not for very long and it hadn't occurred to me at all. So, when I wrote the second one, it was a mixed team and the captain was a girl. So for the Cromwell book I wanted to have a strong female character.'

Without giving too much of the story away, the book centres around young Liam O'Malley who we have already learned has found himself transported to 1649 to the middle of the Siege of Drogheda.

With the help of a mysterious girl called Aoife and a horse called Ferdia, he manages to escape the slaughter. After enlisting the help of Seamus, a pirate , and Phelim, a grumpy dockworker, Liam and Aoife set out to travel around Ireland, to warn other towns about the dangers of Cromwell and the Ne Model Army but can they reach the towns on Cromwell's hit list in time to warn them?

It is an indication of how seriously the author took the research for the book that even the names use in the book were researched to see if they were common names in the Ireland of the late 1640s.

Writing for children brings Rod around the country visiting schools and libraries, and holding workshops and question and answer sessions with his readers. It is one of the great pleasures of the job, according to the local author who enjoys the double life his writing brings, from the solitary pursuit of researching and writing the novel to then, going out into the world and sharing his work with hundreds and thousands of children, around the country. He said: 'I love the writing. It is a very lonely profession. I do most of my writing late at night because if I'm in it and then someone walks in, it's gone. So I'll wait until everyone is gone to bed and write between about 10pm and 3am. Once a book is done it's gone but then I love getting out and going to the schools. I never go in with the idea to sell books, I just want to encourage kids to read and write and be creative.'

What are his hopes for this book? He said: 'I think because Cromwell is one of the major figures in Irish history, I hope it would encourage them to find out a little more about him after they read this and discover that maybe he wasn't all bad.'
Although describing Jordan Durnin (19) as a 'one-man crime spree', Judge Coughlan added he is impressed the defendant is off drugs.

The court heard Durnin, of Belvedere, Rathmullen Road, committed a number of offences primarily during a period from April to November last.

He pleaded guilty to all charges.

His solicitor Barry Callan pointed out the bulk of the offending occurred at a time when Durnin was homeless and on the streets.

He has since availed of counselling, is off drugs and there has been no trouble since.

The defendant has no previous convictions, and his partner is expecting their baby.

The judge noted Durnin was in a 'chaos situation' at the time, smashing windscreens of cars. He was a 'one-man crime spree'.

Durnin admitted charges of theft, criminal damage, public order, unauthorised taking of a pedal cycle, burglary, assault, all occurring in the Drogheda area.

Judge Coughlan added he is impressed the accused is off drugs but he should pay compensation.

The case was adjourned to 9 November, 2018, for probation and community service reports, with a sentence of 240 hours being considered in lieu of five months.

'He needs help but he must give total co-operation to the probation service,' the judge said.
The Presentation Centre is set to host a fascinating evening which aims to expose ten of the strangest things that happened during the 1798 Rebellion. Paddy Cullivan of Callan's Kicks, The Late Late Show, Leviathan and Kilkenomics brings his hit show to the scene of some of the pivotal moments of the 1798 rebellion as he arrives in Enniscorthy.

Having sold out shows in Galway, Paddy aims to expose the 'darkest secrets' that happened before, during and after an insurrection which, briefly, united Protestant, Catholic and dissenter. He also draws parallels with those events' effects on modern Ireland in a story that unfolds like an addictive, stranger than fiction thriller.

Among the items Paddy will discuss are the mystery surrounding the death of Wolfe Tone and his family ties, how Napper Tandy inadvertently helped with Napoleon's love life and how, on it's 220th anniversary, perhaps it becomes more inconvenient with every passing year to remember the events of 1798.

The show takes place at The Presentation Centre on Wednesday, June 13, and a substantial interest is anticipated. Tickets are priced at 12/15 and can be purchased from The Presentation Centre or www.presentationcentre.ie.
St. Catherine's National School in Rush recently hosted their annual Choral Festival which saw choirs and music groups gather at the school from surrounding communities as well as far away as Castleknock and Ardclough in Kildare.

Choral groups from St. Maurs Parish, St Catherine's Junior and Senior Choirs and St Catherine's Ukulele Orchestra also performed, as did choirs from St. Brandan's in Loughshinny, Lusk National School and Rush National School.

A past pupil of St. Catherine's, Emmanuel Mbikaku played some music on the piano to accompany the choirs. Emmanuel is a self taught pianist who has an extraordinary gift.

Alan Leech, National Chamber Choir of Ireland was a special guest, and hosted work-shops with the choirs on both evenings.

The choirs then sang together at the end of each evening and showcased the songs they had learned and practised with Alan.

It was all in a good cause too as the Choral Festival was also raising money for Dermot Higgins' fundraising drive for Trocaire.

Dermot recently became the oldest man to cycle around the world and raised thousands for Trocaire along the way.

A spokesperson for the school said: 'We were delighted with the support received and were able to donate over 700 to Trocaire through Dermot Higgins.'
People in Fingal living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have been urged to contact Government TDs in their constituency to remind them of the urgent need to double the number of specialist IBD nurses, in line with international best practice.

The call was made by the Irish Society for Colitis and Crohn's Disease (ISCC) after no additional IBD nurses were hired, despite Minister Harris saying he could see no reason why the doubling of specialist IBD nurses from 14 to 28 could not be accommodated as part of the recruitment drive for advanced nurse practitioners.

Approximately 40,000 people across the country have IBD, most of whom are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 30. Furthermore, paediatric cases of IBD have increased three-fold in Ireland since 2000.

Despite the prevalence of the condition, Irish research shows that 45% of hospitals across the country have no specialist nurse to treat these IBD patients.

According to the ISCC, six months or more than 182 days ago, on 16th November 2017, Minister Harris met with a delegation from the ISCC and received a petition, containing over 3,600 signatures, supporting the ISCC's #DoubleUp campaign that aims to double the number of specialist IBD nurses in Ireland.

o highlight the days since the meeting with the Minister, the ISCC has launched a clock on its website which is counting upwards from the 16th November 2017. The clock will remain live until the 14 additional IBD nurses are in place.

Dr. Glen Doherty, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Physician, St Vincent University Hospital who attended the meeting with the Minister last November said: 'I would ask the Minister for Health to, at a minimum, double the number of Specialist Crohn's and Colitis nurses in Ireland, as currently access to nursing care is not the same for everyone. The role these nurses play in IBD patients' lives is incredibly powerful - providing care and specialist advice on treatment and on living with inflammatory bowel disease day-to-day.

'The care of these nurses is literally a lifeline for patients, keeping them out of our overcrowded (and under toileted) Emergency Departments when their disease flares.

'We owe it to the rapidly growing number of patients with Crohn's and Colitis in Ireland to deliver better care through an immediate increase in specialist nurses and advanced nurse practitioners. Every patient with Crohn's or Colitis in Ireland deserves to have access to the care of a specialist nurse.'

Bruno Lucas, Chair of the ISCC said, 'We hope people living with IBD in Fingal will help us get the message to Government TDs that we want to see action taken on this matter.' The petition is at https://www.change.org/p/doubleup-for-ibd
The only way to tackle ongoing illegal activity within Balbriggan Market is to shut it down, according to a local TD who has called on authorities to close the market and relocate it in a more central location where the majority that are its honest traders can thrive.

Deputy Brendan Ryan TD raised the issue with gardai from Balbriggan Garda Station at a meeting of the Fingal Joint Policing who said they were doing what they could to clamp down on criminality at the market but did not currently have the power to shut it down.

Deputy Ryan said: 'I raised the issue of Balbriggan market at the quarterly Fingal Joint Policing Committee meeting.

'Last year we saw a Prime Time Report in relation to the selling of stolen goods, in particular tools, at the Balbriggan Market.

'The Gardai have an uphill struggle to cope. We need to cut off any avenue for the selling of stolen goods. It is part of a cycle in which the victims, ordinary workers, continue to be hammered.

'To rob someone of the tools of their trade, of their ability to earn a living, is one of the lowest things someone can do.'

He added: 'I am calling on the Gardai to close this market. I would be happy to work with Fingal County Council to promote a new market, closer to the town centre which would help add to the town centre economy.'

Speaking to the Fingal Independent, Deputy Ryan said he knew local gardai were doing everything they could to seize stolen goods traded at the market and said he came upon a checkpoint they were operating near the market, two weeks ago. He said there had been a problem with illegal goods traded at the market. He said that illegal activity at the market had brought negative publicity on the market and on the town and its reputation damaged the majority that are honest traders, at the market and he believes the only option is now to close it down and start again in the town centre.
Fingal schools are to benefit from the funding of more than 220 extra Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) for Dublin, this September.

Welcoming the move, Senator James Reilly said: 'The aim of this Government is to ensure that children with special educational needs can be supported to fully participate in schools and fulfil their potential.

'I welcome the very recent opening of a special needs facility at Colaiste Choilm in Swords, where 12 students will be catered for in an ASD unit, in Balbriggan and I am supporting the plan by Skerries Educate together to open new special needs classes in Skerries. I am also supporting St Michaels House in Skerries to finally get a site for a purpose-built school which will cater for 80 pupils, I understand. Site acquisition is nearing completion, in that case.'

Senator Reilly said: 'Special Needs Assistants play a key role in ensuring this and I would like to take this opportunity to pay credit to the fantastic work that they do in schools across Dublin.'

Deputy Alan Farrell also welcomed the increased allocation of SNAs saying: 'The aim of this Government is to ensure that children with special educational needs can be supported to fully participate in schools and fulfil their potential.'

He said the allocation honoured an earlier promise made by the Government on the issue.
It was the people of the Donabate and Portrane peninsula that were most exercised on issues of crime and policing at a public meeting of the Fingal Joint Police Committee held in Swords last month, according to a report just presented by the JPC.

The meeting was held so the people of the Malahide and Swords policing districts, which includes the peninsula could air their concerns about crime and policing to the JPC and local gardai.

While residents of Swords and Malahide made several contributions to the meeting, the report records a much larger contribution from Donabate residents.

A resident of The Links in Donabate noted the area's Community Policing service was 'very good' but queried Garda management plans for growth in area over next five to ten years. Gardai gave an overall picture of the intake of new recruits planned nationally over the next three years but noted that many of the new recruits are bound for Dublin City Centre.

Member of the public noted traffic issues at Donabate for events in Newbridge Demesne and queried the plans for the upcoming Flavours of Fingal.

Gardai said that traffic management analysis around large events at Newbridge Demesne was ongoing, and lessons have been learned from each event held there. They informed the meeting that a joint review between the council and gardai after had placed new recommendations in place for events held at the venue this year.

There were also event management concerns expressed at the public meeeting by residents of Malahide. A local resident commented on the upcoming and said that at last year's event there was not enough transport available to locals and concert-goers. Gardai confirmed there had been pre-event meetings about the concerts this year with Dublin Bus and Irish Rail who are both providing additional and later services to get concert-goers out of the village after the gigs.

Queries about the closure of a piloted Garda Clinic in the Donabate Portrane Community Centre were answered by gardai saying the clinic ran for nine months. In that time the time of the clinic had been adjusted to the evening in an effort to draw more interest from locals but attendances remained low and 'didn't justify committing the resources'. Gardai said it was preferable to devote those resources to patrols in the area, rather than have them inside.
Politicians from all parties and none have been giving their reaction to the emphatic Yes vote in Fingal, over the weekend which saw the county record the third highest vote to repeal the Eighth Amendment, in the country.

Deputy Clare Daly (Ind) who has battled for years against the Eighth Amendment in the Dail, was ecstatic with the result. She took to social media declaring that the sun was shining on a 'new Ireland'.

She said that 'decades of shame and stigma have been buried under this landslide - what a feeling!'.

Cllr Brian McDonagh (Lab) campaigned for a Yes vote in Fingal and was delighted with the result.

He said: 'The scale of the victory should have been obvious. The canvasses were so postive, we chose not to believe it could be accurate.

'In Fingal, the Together for Yes campaign was a grassroots movement run by women from the abortion rights campaign. We in the political parties helped out but it was my pleasure to be directed by Hillary, Fiona, Kate Susan and others. As a Labour representative, I am proud of the part our party has played in this campaign and over the last 30 years.'

Cllr Paul Mulville (SD) said: 'As a Social Democrat councillor, it was tremendous to see the powerfully strong Yes vote in our area.

'It was a great privilege to have been part of the Fingal Together for Yes campaign, and to have worked with so many dedicated activists fighting for change and for the right of all women in this country to access safe and legal abortion services in Ireland.'

He added: 'My own party, the Social Democrats, played a strong and vibrant role in the campaign, both locally and across the country.'

Cllr Duncan Smith (Lab) said: 'Being involved with Fingal Together for Yes in Swords and throughout Fingal was one of the best political experiences of my life.

'Campaigning shoulder to shoulder with progressive people from all parties and none can change the country. It is an example of how transformative politics can be.'

Darragh O'Brien TD did not take an active part in the campaign but said he would vote No but on social media over the weekend, the local TD said he would now vote in favour of the proposed legislation. He said: 'The people have voted emphatically to repeal the 8th. In our Republic the people are sovereign. The people are the custodians of Bunreacht na hEireann.

'The people have voted for change & this must now be delivered. As a Republican and a democrat, I commit to making sure that this happens.'

His Fianna Fail constituency colleague, Senator Lorraine Clifford Lee, campaigned for a Yes vote and said: 'Goodbye to 35 years of trauma for Irish women. It was an emphatic Yes from Dublin Fingal and an emphatic Yes from the people of Ireland.

'I'd like to pay tribute to the huge number of volunteers, advocates and fellow politicians I got to know over the past number of months and indeed years as we endeavoured to remove Article 40.3.3 from our constitution.

'The people are sovereign. Let's move without delay to enacting legislation to reflect this result. Mna na hEireann abu.'

Deputy Louise O'Reilly TD (SF) described her experience at the count centre as the tallies began to flow in, showing a huge Yes vote in Fingal.

She said: 'I was at the count centre as the doors opened and stood in awe as the thousands of Yes votes tumbled out of the ballot boxes. I couldn't be prouder of Fingal and I couldn't be prouder of the great campaign run by Together4Yes.'

Fingal voted by a margin of 76.96% to 23.04% in favour of repeal.
Fingal voted by a margin of 76.96% to 23.04% in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment. Picture: Frank McGrath

Now that the people have made the decision to repeal the Eighth Amendment, it is down to the politicians to frame the legislation.

The framework for that legislation was laid out before the voters in the referendum and given the emphatic Yes vote in that context, there will be considerable pressure to deliver legislation that closely aligns to what was presented to the electorate.

Having campaigned for a Yes vote in Fingal, a Labour politician has called for that legislation to make provision from keeping 'anti-abortion activists' away from hospitals, clinics and health centres where women undergo terminations or seek advice on a termination.

Cllr Brian McDonagh (Lab) said: 'The legislation will need to include buffer zones around hospitals and clinics to prevent protests.

'Having seen the venom of a small minority of anti-abortion activists at first hand, we need to protect women from being intimidated or bullied when going in or out of doctors and hospitals who provide these services.'

A local Social Democrat councillor said the move towards legislation should be swift and take 'urgent priority' in the Oireachtas.

Cllr Paul Mulville said: 'There is no question now that following the resounding YES from the people of Ireland, the Government must ensure the passage of the enabling legislation as an urgent priority.'

He added: 'Women in the north are also demanding change, and at this historic moment for Ireland, we must see equal rights for women across the whole island.'
David and Elaina Flynn with Louis and Karl King at the Big Toddle for Barnardos at Little Footsteps Creche.

Liam, Meabh, Grace and Lily at the Big Toddle for Barnardos at River Valley creche.

Annabelle, Louis and Jamie at the Big Toddle for Barnardos at River Valley creche.

Three creches in Swords are joining Barnardo's Big Toddle to support the charity's 'Early Years' work for vulnerable children or children with special needs.

Little Footsteps Creche in Rivervalley, Swords, and Rivervalley Creche are two of the last small creches left in Swords, who, while meeting the standards of Tusla, provide a 'home from home' style of full day childcare for children.

Buzbies Preschool is a community-based preschool service in the Rivervalley area of Swords catering for children in their ECCE and drop-in centres.

In caring for children, they try to support their awareness of social issues, and empathy for those less well off than themselves.

The Barnardos Big Toddle is an annual fundraiser to support their early years services, which cater for some of the most vulnerable children in Ireland.

This year, Little Footsteps Creche, Rivervalley Creche and Buzbies Preschool are joining together to involve the entire Rivervalley community in their fundraising for Barnardos.

Each service will take their children on a neighbourhood walk, and they invite the residents of Rivervalley to turn out their pockets to support the Barnardos event.

The three services are encouraging the parents, grandparents, older and younger siblings, aunts and uncles to join them. Donations can also be dropped to: Little Footsteps Creche, 32 Brookdale Road or Rivervalley Creche, 4 Rivervalley Rise or finally, Buzbies Community Preschool, Community Centre, Rivervalley.
Irish Rail's move towards unmanned rail stations in many of our coastal towns is giving gangs of youths a quick way in and out to cause trouble and commit crime according to a Labour TD who challenged the company on the issue, recently.

Having last week promised to raise the issue of violence on beaches and around coastal rail stations at a meeting of the Joint Policing Committee, Deputy Brendan Ryan followed through on that commitment and got to put his concerns about how unmanned rail stations are adding to the problem, directly to Irish Rail.

Irish Rail representatives attended the meeting to take questions from the JPC on their security concerns around rail stations and it was in that context, Deputy Brendan Ryan made his point.

'I put it to them that they were effectively allowing gangs the freedom to travel in and out of an are to commit crime,' Deputy Ryan said.

Deputy Ryan said he 'didn't particularly accept' the rail company's response that the move to unmanned stations was a response to customer behaviour, with fewer and fewer customers purchasing their tickets and seeking information at stations. The company told the TD that it was part of a 'worldwide trend' towards automated stations.

Local Garda representatives also responded to Deputy Ryan's concerns and said they were aware of growing antisocial behaviour around train stations and said they were working with Fingal County Council and Irish Rail to come up with ways to address the problem.

Deputy Ryan accepted that and said he 'had to take them at their word on that'.

However, he remains concerned about another violent summer ahead on Fingal beaches and at rail stations and he repeated his call for a multi-agency approach to the problem.

He said that a lack of security at train stations will only exacerbate the problem: 'The Dart line ensures youths with their minds set on causing mayhem can get to communities in Fingal very quickly.'
The house bought by best-selling author Eoin Colfer in the mid-noughties, shortly after his 'Artemis Fowl' series took off globally, is for sale with an asking price of 1.65m.

The former school teacher purchased Ballymorris House from Enda and the late Pierce Maher over ten years ago. The Mahers were local GPs who Eoin and his wife Jackie knew from visits to the adjoining practice, and it was a house that they had always admired. The 18th century farmhouse is set on 14 acres of land, about two miles from Wexford town, and has been renovated substantially by the Colfers.

Eoin's architect brother Donal designed an extension onto the back of the house as well as the incorporation of old outbuildings. Meanwhile, Emily Maher, daughter of Pierce and Enda, and a friend of Jackie's, was consulted for her interior design expertise, as she is the owner of the Dun Laoghaire based Lost Weekend company.

The house features an open-plan kitchen, family room, dining room, three bedrooms plus a self-contained apartment with separate access from the side of the residence; and a study, in which the author wrote five Artemis Fowl books, two musicals, a 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' sequel and five graphic novels.

In recent years, the family moved to Dublin where Eoin and Jackie's sons Finn and Sean are in college and school. Eoin's mother Noirin lives in the couple's original house in Wexford town and work is ongoing on a new house in Wygram for Eoin and Jackie.

Local auctioneer, Adrian Haythorntwaite, who is selling the property, said the house was fresh on the market and was a fabulous property, remarking that the various additions and work done on the building was what would drive people towards it. He believed the house could go for more than the asking price of 1.65m but said that, even at that, it would not be the most expensive house he had sold in the county in the last 18 months.
Wexford woman Caoimhe Finn is making a bid to represent New Zealand in the International Rose of Tralee Festival.

Caoimhe (25) whose family lives in The Faythe will compete for the New Zealand Rose title at a selection event in Taranaki on North Island on Friday and Saturday June 8 and 9, with the winner receiving a trip to Ireland for the festival in August.

A daughter of Tom and Deirdre Finn, Caoimhe was selected to represent Otago in the forthcoming competition and is excited about getting a chance to represent New Zealand back home in Ireland.

The former Loreto secondary school student who obtained a BA degree in English and Drama and a Masters degree in Drama and Performance from University College Dublin, moved to Dunedin on New Zealand's South Island with her Irish-born boyfriend William two years ago.

She is an undergraduate administrator at the Dunedin School of Medicine in the University of Otago Medical School, organising rural and GP placements for medical students.

Because Otago, in South Island, didn't have an Irish society to host a regional competition, Caoimhe travelled to Invercargill for the Southland society's competition where she was named the Otago Rose.

For the performance section of the event, she performed a jazz dance to Mr. Bojangles by Robbie Williams, which will come as no surprise to those who know her as a talented former student of Suzanne O' Leary in the Wexford School of Ballet and Performing Arts.

She started ballet classes when she was three years old. She is a part-time fitness instructor, teaching Barre Base classes in Dunedin and is also a Crossfit fanatic. Barre Base incorporates elements of ballet, pilates, yog and body-weight training.

Caoimhe said her involvement in the competition is 'a dream come true'. She has always wanted to take part in the Rose of Tralee festival and she would love to represent New Zealand.

Her family and friends in Wexford are very proud of her achievement and wish her well.
Wexford and Wicklow credit unions affiliated to the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) held a special meeting on Friday evening in Gorey with Minister of State Michael D'Arcy.

A key point of discussion at the meeting was the recent developments whereby the Central Bank of Ireland has moved to broaden investment regulations for credit unions, allowing them to invest surplus funds in social housing. The ILCU has campaigned long for this and credit unions have welcomed the move.

The ILCU has provided a comprehensive proposal to the Government, in response to its request in 2014, detailing how the surplus funds can be used in the provision of social housing, and is awaiting a response on the establishment of a financial vehicle for this investment.

The meeting is one in a series of meetings which the ILCU is holding with TDs and Cabinet Ministers to call for greater Government action on commitments outlined in the Programme for Government and the Confidence and Supply Arrangement. These include a commitment to develop a strategy for the growth and development of the credit union sector.

ILCU President Charles Murphy and ILCU Vice-President Gerry Thompson joined local credit union representatives at the meeting. They outlined for Minister D'Arcy the potential for credit unions to play an enhanced role in communities across Wexford and Wicklow.

Minister D'Arcy said: 'The Programme for Partnership Government commits to the development of a strategy for growth and development for the credit union sector.

'The Government recognises that the sector requires further support to help overcome the significant challenges it faces and has a clear policy to support the strategic growth and development of credit unions.'

The meeting also discussed further diversification and enhancement of lending services for credit union members. A new operational support service for mortgage lending will be launched in a matter of weeks. The new 'shared service', entitled the Home Loans CUSO (Credit Union Service Organisation), will be piloted in a group of credit unions, with a national roll-out to follow. The service will provide credit unions with a standardised, structured and disciplined framework for the processing and fulfilment of mortgage lending, based on best practice, and in a manner that meets all regulatory requirements.

Credit union micro-loans for social welfare recipients were also discussed at the meeting. 113 credit unions across Ireland are now in a position to offer the loan. There are almost 6,000 live loans via this scheme. Across Wicklow and Wexford, New Ross, Wexford and Wicklow Credit Unions Ltd. are offering the loan.

Credit union delegates reiterated the extent and reach of the movement across the two counties of Wexford and Wicklow. Credit unions in the area have 837 million in assets. Membership in the area has hit 175,000. These members have savings of 712 million and are benefiting from 250 million in fair and affordable loans.
Every single ballot box in every one of County Wexford's 191 polling stations returned a majority Yes vote in the Eight Amendment referendum with no notable pattern of difference between urban and rural areas, a result described as 'extraordinary' by the Wexford Together for Yes campaign which had expected a closer result.

The official return in the county was 68.4% Yes to 31.6% No but the Yes vote reached highs of up to 80% in some areas including Glynn, Gusserane and Crossabeg while the lowest Yes vote was from Kilmyshall Community Centre at 53%.

'From canvassing on the doorsteps, we felt it was going to be very close but in the end there was a big silent Yes factor and people who were swaying towards Yes but didn't want to say,' said Aislinn Wallace of Together for Yes which held an early 'thank you' party for supporters in the Sky and the Ground pub on the eve of the count to pre-empt the sadness of an after event if the result went against them.

When the results of an Irish Times exit poll came out that night, the mood of the group changed from nervous anticipation to 'tears of relief and joy'.

'A two-to-one margin was incredible. The message of care and compassion came through in the end,' said Aislinn, who took time off from her voluntary work with Wexford Housing Action Group to focus on the repeal campaign.

'I really think what swung it was ordinary people becoming engaged with the issue and giving personal commitment to it and this has given people a sense of ownership of the result', said activist Aislinn, adding that the battle is not yet finished.

'There is the legislation and the question of whether it will be led by GPs. There are a whole lot of variables which we as a group want to highlight.'

Labour leader Brendan Howlin, who opposed the Eight Amendment in 1983 and was loud in his call for change in this referendum, was one of the first to arrive at the count centre in St Joseph's Community Centre when it opened on Saturday morning.

He said he was 'heartened' by the decisiveness of the result. 'The people of Wexford and Ireland have issued an emphatic instruction to the legislators to repeal the Eighth Amendment. The mandate we have received today is unambiguous. Ireland has matured and changed forever,' he said.

A few hours later, Deputy Howlin was at the RDS in Dublin, paying tribute to the national body of Together for Yes on running 'a dignified and decent campaign'.

'For 35 years we have denied something essential to Irish women. We've denied them security and protection at crucial points in their lives. Today is a levelling day for them. And it is very much a cause for celebration. For many of us this has been a long road to travel,' he said.

More than 100 staff were involved in counting the 73,220 votes cast in County Wexford out of a total eligible electorate of 110,494. A total of 216 spoiled votes left a valid poll of 73,004 with 49,935 people voting Yes and 23,069 voting No.

It wasn't long after the boxes were opened that it became clear Wexford had voted in line with the national trend of two to one for Yes with John Mullins, chairperson of Wexford Pro-Life, accepting early on that there was an unstoppable landslide towards repealing the controversial amendment.

'I felt it was always an uphill battle this time. On the doorsteps, we didn't feel it was that bad, certainly not the numbers we are talking about', he said after a first glance at the tally figures.

There was co-operation between the two sides with a large number of Yes and No campaigners joining forces to tally figures from the boxes of votes as they were counted, coming up with an accurate 68% to 32% prediction before the official result was announced at 2.45 p.m. by acting returning officer John Garahy.

The Wexford count was largely completed before 1.30 p.m. but there was a delay while figures were checked and authorisation awaited from national count headquarters in Dublin for the announcement of the local result.

Tallyman John Ryan said he was struck by the similarity in voting patterns between urban and rural areas, a feature that was also commented on by Fianna Fail councillor Malcolm Byrne who was in St Joseph's throughout the count.

'You would normally expect a significant difference between urban and rural polling station but that was't the case. Some boxes in areas like Riverchapel and Duncannon voted more than 70% yes'.

Mr Mullins, who spearheaded the No campaign in County Wexford described the result as 'the blackest day in Irish history' and said he was 'bitterly saddened for the unborn child'.

'Yesterday was the worst day in Irish history when the Irish people decided to remove the right to life of unborn children and replace it with the right to terminate unborn children for no reason. We have disowned our unborn. There is no going back', he said.

'Over the next 10 years we are going to be looking at 10,000 to 12,000 abortions in Ireland, 97% of which will be healthy babies from healthy mothers. The other frightening thing is what it is going to do to the medical profession - doctors will be asked to execute patients, that is what abortion on demand is'.

Asked what he felt had caused people to change their minds about the Eight Amendment, he said: 'People have become far more liberal in their views. They were lied to by the Yes campaign'.

Mr Mullins said the pro-life movement will fight on until protection for the unborn is restored in the Constitution.

In 1983, 72.8% of County Wexford people voted to insert the amendment into the Constitution with 27.2% against and they largely voted to reverse that decision this time around.

Younger voters are being given some of the credit for the swing but there were also reports among canvassers at the count of a surprising number of elderly voters who indicated a preference for repeal.

Yes campaigner and former People Before Profit councillor Deirdre Wadding drew much laughter with her soundbite comment: 'I'm not one to quote a pope but young people of Ireland, we love you!'

There was a 66.7% electoral turn-out in Wexford in the repeal referendum, compared to 59% for the amendment referendum of 1983 while the turn-out for the marriage equality referendum as 57.8%.

Among the local politicians who visited the count centre was Minister of State with responsibility for Defence Paul Kehoe who arrived with his seven-year old daughter to speak to count staff and campaigners.

Minister Kehoe declined to publicly outline his position on the referendum before polling day. 'I didn't declare and I won't be declaring', he said, before adding that he will be supporting abortion legislation.

'I think this has been the people's referendum. I absolutely respect each and everyone's decision in how they voted. I will be supporting the legislation. I hope the Government and the Oireachtas will now get on with it. I absolutely trust women 100% to make the right decisions for themselves. People have spoken for a resounding change and we have to respect that. As a country we have matured so much'.

'I respect the people who came out and told their personal stories during the campaign. It was a clean campaign. I thought it would be a very divisive campaign but people were very respecful towards all sides', he said.
Gorey Civic Centre was a hive of activity on Saturday for the official launch of this year's Polska Eire Festival.

The Family Fun Day, in association with Cycle Against Suicide, was a great opportunity for the Polish and Irish communities of county Wexford and beyond to meet and interact in a fun atmosphere.

Minister for Defence Paul Keogh, Polish Ambassador Ryszard Sarkowicz, Cathaoirleach of Gorey Municipal District Cllr Joe Sullivan, Joe Dixon from Cycle Against Suicide and Chairman of Polish Cultural Association Gorey.pl Maciej Newmann-Kochanslei declared the Polska Eire Festival in Gorey officially open by releasing two doves.

'The festival is going great so far, we have received so much positive feedback,' said Kasia N Kockanska.

At the opening, Cllr Sullivan and Dr Jan Dettlaff from Poland signed a letter of intent concerning a partnership with Gmina Puck in Poland for the foreseeable future.

'We hope to cooperate between the Centre of Culture, Sport and Tourism,' added Kasia.

There was live music, numerous children activities, a market fair, and lots of delicious Polish food at the Family Fun Day. A photography exhibition of the Gmina Puck region in Poland was opened by Dr Jan Dettlaff and will be in Gorey Library until Saturday, June 9.

The Polska Eire Festival in Gorey will end on Saturday, June 9. For more information on events, visit PolskaEire Gorey Festival on Facebook, or call 085 1273219.
A polling station in Glynn returned the highest percentage of Yes votes in County Wexford with 80% of people in favour of repealing the constitutional ban on abortion while Kilmyshall Community Centre had the highest number of No votes at 47%.

The figures are based on a tally of thousands of votes from 177 from the county's 191 polling stations before the official result was announced by acting returning officer John Garahy.

The tally which accurately predicted a margin of 68% to 32% in favour of the Yes vote ahead of the announcement, was conducted jointly by the Yes and No sides who pooled their resources at the count centre in St. Joseph's Community Centre, Bishopswater.

Glynn national school number 1 has the highest Yes percentage at 80% to 20% while the Yes vote also polled very strongly in areas such as Ballyfad School (79%);Riverchapel New School 2 (73%); Ferns Community Centre 1 (73%); Kilmuckridge National School Number 2 (76%); Gorey Central School 1 (76%); Kilanerin school (77%); Kiltealy Hall (75%); Ballindaggin Hall (75%); Davidstown National School 1 (77%); St. Aidan's national school 1, Enniscorthy (75%; St. Aidan's National School 2 (73%); Murrintown Hall Number 2 (73%); Faythe School, Number 1, Wexford (71%); Coast Hotel, Kilmore Quay (76%); Scoil Mhuire, Coolcotts Number 3, Wexford (74%); Community Centre, Our Lady's Island 72%; Barntown National School Number 2 (70%); Barntown School Number 1 (79%);Curracloe New School (74%); Castlebridge Old School Number 3 (73%); Crossabeg national school (78%); New Credit Union Premises, Baldwinstown (75%); Taghmon National School Number 2 (71%); New Ross Youth Centre Number 7 (76%); Clongeen School Number 1 (73%); Gusserane School (79%); Rathangan Hall (71%); Clonroche School Number 1 (72%).

Some of the biggest No vote percentages were in polling stations such as Kilmyshall Community Centre voted against repealing the Eight Amendment by 47%; Craanford School (41%); Gorey Central School Number 3 (41%); Bree Community Centre Number 2 (41%); Ballykelly Hall (40%), New Ross Youth Centre Number 8 (45%) and Glenbrien School (42%).

A majority of tallied polling stations in the county showed voting patterns in line with the overall national result of a two too one majority in favour of a Yes vote.

A noteworthy feature of the Eight Amendment referendum is that there was no significant difference in voting patterns between urban and rural areas of the county.
A Wexford man is about to embark on a 400km walking hike along the south east and southern coasts of Ireland to give something back to a country that he feels contributed enormously to his life.

Martin Ryan, who is originally from Enniscorthy but now lives at Creagh Hill, outside Gorey, is also undertaking the walk to mark his 70th birthday.

Instead of reaching for his slippers and embracing his recent retirement the active grandfather has opted instead for his hiking boots and a map.

Mr Ryan retired to his native county following a successful business career which took him all over the African continent. Speaking about the reason why he has decided to embark on his arduous trek he said it's to give something back to a continent that was so good to him and his family.

The money he raises from his walk will support the work of Irish charity Self Help Africa which works with small farmers in sub-Saharan areas of the continent.

'I lived and worked in Africa for more than 35 years and some of my children were born and brought up there,' said Mr Ryan, when speaking about the walk to this newspaper.

Having left Enniscorthy in the early 1970s Mr Ryan worked at different times in rural development, agri-business and mining before setting up ATS (All Terrain Services) which was a successful full-service company providing catering and facilities management at mining sites across the continent.

A man of many talents his career took numerous twists and turns and he created his own little bit of history when he established one of Africa's first authentic Irish bars in the form of Ryan's Irish Pub in Accra, the capital of Ghana. It was also one of the few places on the continent that sold Guinness stout straight from the company's brewery in St. James' Gate, Dublin.

Recalling his time in the trade he said lots of pubs were selling Africa-made Guinness but few offered the genuine article.

'It isn't the same as Irish stout so we imported our own and sold it in the bar alongside popular brands like Tullamore Dew and Power's Whiskey,' he said.

'It was a very popular spot.'

Mr Ryan, and his business partners, recently sold ATS to the Tsebo Group and the business now operates in over 20 African countries. Alongside its core activities the company implemented a wide range of rural and agricultural development work initiatives designed to support communities in areas where it has done business.

With regard to his desire to support Self Help Africa he said its agriculture based projects are similar to initiatives he was involved in albeit on a much bigger scale.

'Self Help's agriculture-based projects are very similar, if on a far greater scale, to the projects I was involved with,' he said.

'I know the importance of agriculture for poor rural communities in Africa and I have seen the real impact that the work of Self Help Africa has had on the ground,' he said.

He hopes to raise 20,000 through his walk and he also sees this initial one as being the first leg of a potential hike around the entire Irish coast.

He will begin his walk in Courtown Harbour on Monday, June 18, and is hoping to complete around 40km each day with the aim of reaching his final destination in Kinsale, West Cork, 11 days later.

'I'm avoiding the main roads and towns and am instead passing through dozens of smaller villages and communities,' he said.

'I'd be delighted if people would come out and join me for a stretch and better still if they would like to make a donation to the cause.'

To find out more about the walk or to sponsor Mr Ryan log onto www.altruism.ie or go to: https://bit.ly/2s16ROA
Wexford Food & Beverage Producer of the Year Award,sponsored by Wright Insurance Brokers:John McHugh of Wright Insurance Brokers and Richard Power,Trudie Power and Carol Cummins of winners Trudies Kitchen

Wexford Franchise of the Year Award,sponsored by Permanent TSB. Barbara Dunbar of Permanent TSB with Anne Marie Hennessy and Peter Clarke of winners Bricks4Kidz

Almost 500 people packed into Clayton Whites Hotel on Friday night for this year's Wexford Business Awards ceremony.

The master of ceremonies for the night was comedian, columnist and broadcaster Colm O'Regan, who entertained the audience for the evening.

Speaking at the event, Niall Reck, President of Wexford Chamber, said: 'I am delighted to see the exceptional calibre of businesses, business people, organisations and civic-minded people who are winners in our tenth anniversary Wexford Business Awards.

'It is a great pleasure to applaud their success because they give Wexford the ability to compete on the national and international business platform. The awards are about recognition of people and organisations that have made an exceptional contribution to their businesses, operations and customer service.'

Special guests included the Mayor of Wexford Cllr Jim Moore; Minister of State Paul Kehoe; Minister of State Michael D'Arcy; leader of the Labour Party Brendan Howlin; county councillors; deputy chief executive of Wexford County Council Tony Larkin; regional manager with IDA Ireland Brendan McDonald; South east regional development manager of Enterprise Ireland Brian Fives; and Chamber presidents Maree Lyng and Jim Hughes.

Retired Chamber CEO Madeleine Quirke was honoured with the Wexford Chamber President's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Business.

Having won the E-Commerce Excellence Award and the Service Industry Provider of the Year Award, Wexford Bus also took the coveted Overall Business of the Year Award.

Lorene Crowley, commercial director with Wexford Bus, said: 'We are delighted to have received these awards especially when we were in the company of such a high calibre of organisations. Wexford Bus has a very strong team and each of the drivers, mechanics and office staff can be proud of these awards as everyone has contributed to the organisations success.'

Enda Kavanagh, CEO of Wexford Chamber, said: 'Congratulation to all the winners - phenomenal results from a very high standard of applications. I believe that Wexford is a great county for business and has fantastic potential for growth ahead of it and can attract substantial investment in all areas. For business, tourism and education, Wexford is up there with the best locations in the world.'

She said the judging panel had commented on the exceptional quality of this year's entries, saying that all of the companies were winners, having put their heart and soul into Wexford.

Tony Larkin, deputy chief executive of Wexford County Council, said: 'There is great energy and positivity in Wexford at present and we are working to bring new changes and driving regional development. I would like to congratulate all the winners and I would like to commend the exemplary work done by Wexford Chamber in all that they do to encourage and support the business community here in Wexford.'

All the winners

Wexford E-Commerce Excellence sponsored by AIB Wexford: Winner - Wexford Bus; Runner Up - Mr Oil.

Wexford Operational Excellence sponsored by Datapac: Winner - Pure Oil Ltd; Runner Up - Reynaers Ltd.

Wexford Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility sponsored by BNY Mellon: Winner - K&K Windows Ltd; Runner Up - Halo Tiles and Bathrooms.

Wexford Family Business of the Year sponsored by PwC: Winner - K&K Windows Ltd; Runner Up - Smyths Arro.

Wexford Food & Beverage Producer of the Year sponsored by Wright Insurance Brokers: Winner - Trudies Kitchen Ltd; Runner Up - O'Neills Dry Cure Bacon Co.

Wexford Franchise of the Year sponsored by Permanent tsb: Winner - Bricks 4 Kidz Wexford; Runner Up - Sherry FitzGerald Haythornthwaite.

Wexford Hospitality Provider of the Year sponsored by Rosslare Europort: Winner - Clayton Whites Hotel; Runner Up - Mary Barrys Bar Ltd.

Wexford Green Award: Environmental Best Practice sponsored by Gas Networks Ireland: Winner - The Upcycle Movement; Runner Up - Danone Nutricia Wexford.

Wexford Excellence in International Trade sponsored by Rosslare Europort: Winner - Kent Stainless; Runner Up - Medentech.

Wexford Service Industry Provider of the Year sponsored by Danone Nutricia Wexford: Winner - Wexford Bus; Runner Up - Fergus Flanagan Architects Ltd.

Wexford SME of the Year 50+ Employees sponsored by Waters Technology: Winner - Summit Scaffolding Ltd; Runner Up - YellowBelly Beer.

Social Enterprise Outstanding Achievement sponsored by Wexford Local Development: Winner - Wexford Arts Centre; Runner Up - Kilmore Quay Community Development Association.

Wexford Start Up Business of the Year sponsored by Morgan McKinley La Creme: Winner - Abodoo; Runner Up - IOAC International Outdoor Adventure Centre and Camping Grounds.

Wexford Training Provider of the Year sponsored by IT Carlow, Wexford Campus: Winner - The OmniPro Group; Runner Up - Dulann.com

Wexford Visitor Attraction/Activity of the Year sponsored by Rosslare Europort: Winner - IOAC Internationl Outdoor Adventure Centre and Camping Grounds.

Wexford Social Media and Digital Marketing Excellence sponsored by the Wexford People: Winner - Nailbou; Runner Up - Talbot Suites at Stonebridge.

Wexford Excellence in Retail sponsored by Zurich Insurance: Winner - Natural Health Store Ltd; Runner Up - Halo Tiles and Bathrooms.

Wexford Overall Business of the Year Award sponsored by Wexford County Council: Wexford Bus.

Wexford Chamber's Outstanding Contribution to Business Award sponsored by Monart Destination Spa: Madeleine Quirke.

(Award presentation photographs by Joeleen Codd)
Practise is under way for the production of 'From Under the Bed' by Big Guerilla Productions, hosted by The Coolgreany Drama Group.

It is a not-to-be-missed comedy/drama written by Seamus O'Rourke and will take place in St Mogue's Hall, Inch, on Friday, June 8, at 8.30 p.m.

This is a special performance of this highly acclaimed production which has been entertaining audiences throughout the country.

'From Under the Bed' is about two ageing rural bachelor brothers in the late 1970s arriving at a point in their lives when certain decisions have to be made, including the buying of a television. Eventually they are bringing up all kinds of subjects.

Tickets cost 15. For bookings call 087 241 1926.
Those who enjoy a good walk among the Kerry hills and mountains will be interested in a new attraction in south Kerry that has added an inter planetary twist to a famous walking route.

On Saturday afternoon Tourism Minister, Brendan Griffin, visited Caherdaniel to officially open the village's new 'Walk of The Planets'.

The walk is a scaled representation of the solar system - featuring striking metal models of the Sun and planets - that has been installed along a 3.5km stretch of the historic 'Butter Path' route, a part of the Kerry Way, which links Caherdaniel and Coad. The walk commences at the Sun in Caherdaniel Village.

The Sun is scaled at 30" and each planet is represented to scale at its actual distance from the Sun.

As an extra addition to this fun and educational experience, at each planetary marker a story from Irish myth is also presented on a Valentia slate plaque along with details about the respective planet.

The innovative project was developed by the Caherdaniel Dark Sky committee - a sub section of Coiste Pobail Cathair Donall - as an initiative to bring additional tourists to the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve Region, and to provide Caherdaniel with a unique attraction to be enjoyed by visitors and locals of all age groups.

The committee members, Helen Wilson Chairperson, Kay O'Connor Secretary, Traolach Sweeney Treasurer, Michael Sheehan, Vincent Hyland, Stephen O'Shea, Andrea Harte, John Joe O'Leary and Michael J O'Connor worked for over a year to bring the project to fruition.

Funding for the project was provided by Kerry County Council through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Community Support Fund, and The Heritage Council. Significant financial support was also provided by Glenbeg Caravan Park and generated through several fundraising events that were well supported by the people of Caherdaniel and visitors to the area.

For detailed information on the walk you can download the app 'Walk of the Planets' from the caherdanieldarksky.com website.
Martyn Bell became an artist in 1970s following a building accident, and in the time since gone, he's put together an extensive body of work. Now, Killarney Library is set to host an exhibition of that work, which will run from June 1 to June 30.

'A retrospective exhibition of work by Martyn Bell representing 34 years of my art' will showcase from Friday, and it's fitting that it goes on show in a town that has hosted many of his 'mixed exhibitions'.

The artist fell in love with watercolour work, but his daughter convinced him to work with wool and felting. He moved to Ireland with his wife, Doris, in 1995 and worked with the acclaimed Pauline Bewick as her studio assistant.

Aside from his Killarney work, he has also held one-man shows throughout Ireland and also in the UK. His work has been acquired by people all over the globe.

For further information please, contact Killarney Library at (064) 663 2655 or e-mail killarney@kerrylibrary.ie.
Change has been in the air for many years but on Saturday morning we learned just how much Irish society has been transformed since the 1990s.

Since the Irish Constitution was written in 1937 - with considerable input from the influential Archbishop John Charles McQuaid - the Church has enjoyed a dominant, and many would argue stifling, influence on life in Ireland.

The first cracks in the Catholic Church's power base began to appear in the mid 1990s following the divisive 'X-Case'; the divorce referendum; the expose of the horrors of the Magdalene Laundries and the first cases in the torrent of abuse revelations that would eventually destroy the credibility of some of Ireland's previously untouchable clerics.

For 25 years these cracks worked their way into the foundations of the Catholic Church's Irish regime and on Saturday the edifice finally tumbled.

The Catholic Church still has an important role to play in our society - as all religions do - but Saturday's landslide result proves that the Irish people no longer have any fear of the crozier.

It is clear that Ireland's 'millennial generation', who came of age after the litany of clerical scandals began to emerge, do not accept the moral authority of the Catholic Church.

That Ireland's youth rejected Church authority is hardly surprising, but what was surprising is how many older voters - especially those over 50 - also cast aside the dogma that has defined Irish society for generations.

A majority of over 65s did vote 'No' but the fact that around 40 per cent of Irish pensioners - the generation that provides the Church's last firm bastion of support - voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment is enormously significant and will give senior figures in the Church cause for reflection.

In the wake of the landslide 'Yes' victories in both the 2015 marriage referendum and last week's repeal vote, it is now obvious that the Catholic Church is no longer a powerful force in Ireland. To remain relevant in our new, secular, modern Ireland the Catholic hierarchy will now have to do some serious soul searching in the coming weeks and months.

One senior Catholic figure who appreciates how much Ireland has changed - unlike some prominent figures on the 'No' side of the repeal campaign whose post referendum comments border on the delusional - is Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin.

On Sunday the Archbishop acknowledged to Mass-goers that the Church is now widely regarded with indifference and as having only a marginal role in the formation of culture in Ireland.

He also said the Church may be seen as "lacking in compassion" and that actions, not words, are needed to show the people that the Church is compassionate and caring.

Dr Martin's words are wise and if the Church hopes to regain even some of its former position the hierarchy needs to listen to him.
It's been a moment some 85 years in the making: on June 7, Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne will launch a book that was banned by his predecessor, Bishop Michael O'Brien.

Editor Brendan McCarthy has put in five years of work to finally bring Fr William Ferris' Histories of BallymacElligott, Ballyseedy, O'Brennan and Novohal to publication - and it brought no small amount of joy to Mr McCarthy that Bishop Browne will be present at the official 7pm launch next Thursday at Ballygarry House Hotel.

Bishop O'Brien called on Fr Ferris to make changes to the book after taking exception to a claim that St Brendan was born in BallymacElligott rather than Fenit, as had been accepted Diocesan tradition. When Fr Ferris refused, the book was destined for many decades lying in the archives of UCC's Boole Library and, later, the local history section of Kerry County Library.

"I am delighted the Bishop has agreed to launch the book," Mr McCarthy told The Kerryman.

"Whatever about St Brendan's birthplace, I think it's fitting after all this time that we pay tribute to Fr Ferris, who devoted a lifetime's labour to preserving the history and heritage of the Kerry parishes and communities he served."

The vast archive of local history was the product of extensive research by Fr Ferris alongside parishioners during his Curacy in Ballymacelligott in the 1920s and 1930s. Fr Ferris is described by Mr McCarthy as a fascinating character who was involved in Sinn Fein activism, Gaeilge, advocating temperance, and more besides, and he was a highly notable figure in the Kerry diocese.

The fully indexed book features a biography of Fr Ferris as well as much content which will be new to the public, providing a store of local history, genealogy, folk memory, information on place names, and more aside from all that.

"It is," Mr McCarthy said, "in Fr Ferris's own words, 'a history of the people, by the people, for the people'."
It gets underway nationwide on Saturday, June 23, and it looks as though Kerry's Cruinniu na nOg billing is no less packed than those of other counties.

Aimed at nurturing our youth's creativity, Kerry's events run from 11am to 5pm in the county's three largest towns - Killarney, Listowel, and Tralee - but are not limited to these locations, with Brosna, Cahersiveen, Dingle, Kenmare, Killorglin, Milltown, and Sliabh Luachra all set to host events of their own.

"It is a great opportunity for our young people to get creative and meet new people," said Creative Ireland Coordinator and Kerry County Council Arts Officer Kate Kennelly.

"Communities and organisations across the county are set to take part and it is also a chance to connect and celebrate our individual creativity."

Among the events taking place will be a 'Storytime' at Tralee Library, with Kerry County Museum hosting both a 'Horrible History Tour' and 'Punch and Judy Show'. Choral performances, a 'Create in the Park' event, and dance performances will also be held between Siamsa Tire and Tralee Town Park.

The Seanchai in Listowel will host a creative writing workshop and will display a giant balloon art sculpture.

Balloon art will also be to the forefront in the form of a workshop at St John's Theatre, alongside a youth choral performance and workshops in theatre, music and film.

Killarney hosts a similarly broad range of events, with games, film, and writing workshops at Muckross Traditional Farms' Schoolhouse. Southwest Counselling have arranged a Mandela workshop, while the KDYS hosts another youth choral performance at their base.

Killarney library also hosts an "Adventure in Science" programme, with video art film screenings at Muckross Traditional Farms, with 'WildArts' and Explorations between 2pm and 5pm at Killarney House.

"There really is something for everyone and we encourage young people and families alike to get involved and take part in events which have been organised free to the public", said Kerry County Council Cathaoirleach Councillor John Sheahan.

"We are delighted to see Creative Ireland reaching out to communities through the Cruinniu na nOg festival and delighted that our communities, our venues and our artists in Kerry will benefit from the national programme,". he added

For a list of events outside of the larger towns, and times, visit www.creative.ireland.ie/cruinniu, or follow updates on Facebook and Twitter via @KerryCoArts; @creativeirl; and the hashtag, #mycruinniu.
'Change the satnav' is the plea from residents living near the Camp Road who are concerned over the escalation in traffic since the N23 closure between Farranfore and Castleisland came into effect last Thursday.

Residents said that satnav directions are funnelling traffic through the road which poses serious danger to drivers unfamiliar with its contours. Within days of the closure - which is necessary in order to complete the demolition and rebuilding of Dysert Bridge - tourists en route to Killarney and Dingle began using the road which residents say now needs to be stopped.

Local FG Cllr Bobby O'Connell met with engineers from Kerry County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), asking them to remove Camp Road from the satnav and to direct surplus traffic through Ballycarty, as originally planned by the council. The Ballybeg/Dromultan Road in Currow is also experiencing increased traffic.

"People are very concerned as the traffic is much more frequent and going that bit faster through the road. I've asked KCC and TII to take measures and have the road taken off the satnav which would alleviate traffic flow," Cllr O'Connell said.

He added the N23 is the main artery to Killarney and south Kerry for drivers around the country, but said he has received assurances from the council that satnav changes will be made.

"It was getting dangerous as that road is not able for that volume of traffic. It was very evident that it was mostly tourists who were using the route as they were stopping and asking for directions. There is definitely teething problems that will have to be addressed. Signage is another big issue as better signs would help keep a lot of traffic off the road as well," Cllr O'Connell added.

Fianna Fail TD John Brassil also called for immediate action from the Council to alert tourists on taking alternative routes. "It's fine if you're local," Deputy Brassil said. "I was in Castleisland at the weekend and had to get to Killarney and I went all the way back to the Ballyseedy roundabout, but if I had not known where to go I would have been extremely frustrated," he added.

Deputy Brassil said given the tourist season is underway in a county so reliant on the industry, it's imperative the matter be addressed immediately - particularly as it concerns one of the biggest gateways to the county.
The 2018 Kerry Rose Celine OShea surrounded by fellow Kerry Roses as she was selected to represent Kerry in the 2018 Rose of Tralee

Once all 25 of Kerry's Roses had been on-stage at the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Saturday night, the eyes of the 460-strong crowd turned to the adjudicators and the difficult decision they were about to grapple with.

All 25 Roses had given a fine account of themselves, doing their sponsors, families, and communities proud.

Celine O'Shea had already impressed in discussing such matters as her many travels abroad, her family, boyfriend Dave, and her love for her work in social care with sponsors St Luke's Home, Cork. But from the moment the crowd joined in at the chorus of her stunning rendition of 'Red is the Rose', there was a sense that she could be the lady to assume the crown from Breda O'Mahony.

And that hunch was proven correct, as she was deemed winner by judges Brid McElligott, Jonathan Collins, and former Rose of Tralee Muirne Hurley Goode.

Speaking after receiving the confirmation from Daithi O Se that she would be the Kerry Rose at this year's International Festival, she explained to The Kerryman that reality took its time setting in  and it might take another while yet.

"Everyone was fantastic," she said of her 24 fellow roses, "and I was just in total shock. I heard my name, and it didn't click in for a split-second, but then I looked down at my family and supporters and saw them all celebrating.

"My mind hadn't even thought of winning; I'd already prepared myself for moving off-stage and back to my room!

"It hasn't fully sunk in yet. I feel more exhausted than anything else. But with every phone call and every text, I'm just thinking 'Oh my God, this is actually happening!'"

The 25-year-old from Foilmore now has to prepare herself for the role of Kerry Rose - arguably the role that attracts most attention before festivities at the Dome, given she must carry the home flag.

All that considered, however, she says she's feeling more excited than anything, saying her love of her home county of Kerry will make it that bit easier for her to represent the county.

These have been busy times for Celine, Rose selection aside. She has been studying this year for an online post-graduate Trinity College degree on Understanding Dementia and Dementia Care, and she is currently working on her final assignment.

Looking ahead, she's not too sure of what exactly is in store; she has been given a few days by organisers to soak it all in, as they're cautious not to overload her with too much information just yet.

"I will be going to the Cork selection next, because I want to get to know some of the other Roses," she said.

"Whatever comes after that, I'm not sure. I'm taking one or two days before thinking too far ahead."

She was also full of praise for compere Daithi O Se's professionalism in making the interview process so easygoing. She was equally grateful to Honor Hurley and Will Nolan for their hard work and support to all the Roses in the build-up, and she also saluted 2017 Rose Breda O'Mahony, who she described as "a tough act to follow".

There were emotional moments when the crowd was asked to sit back and enjoy a montage of Breda's year as Rose of Tralee.

Festival Executive Chair Anthony O'Gara was lavish in praise for Breda and her successor, but also acknowledged that the other 24 ladies who set out to emulate Breda had all made a strong case. Among those was The Kerryman-sponsored Bride Evans, sister to this reporter. The consensus amongst the crowd was that Bride had given a superb account of herself, doing her sponsors, family, friends, and her home parish of Lios Poil proud.

While on stage, she spoke of dealing with Ulcerative Colitis and how an ileostomy procedure had given her a new lease of life.

The 22-year-old also told Daithi O Se of studying at St Angela's College, Sligo ahead of becoming a Gaeilge and Home Economics teacher at Cork Educate Together Secondary School; and meeting her boyfriend, Philip, at the Dome during the Rose of Tralee International Festival five years ago.

It wasn't quite to be for Bride, but she left with no regrets and plenty to be proud of. "It was a fantastic experience the whole way through," she said. "I'd like to wish Celine the best of luck, and all the Roses who participated on Saturday night will be right behind her!"
Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) has apologised to business people and home owners in Listowel after the eighth water outage in the town since the firm began laying the gas grid over a month ago.

The single worst outage cut the water supply to almost the entire town last week, just as 500 guests arrived for the Ras Tailteann.

Much to the embarrassment of Listowel, there was no water to be had prior to the start of stage four in the Ras the next morning.

GNI is to now cease all activity until Tuesday to ensure the water flows for Writers' Week, which is one of Listowel's busiest periods.

Patience is wearing thin, in particular following the eighth outage on Monday evening, which affected 150 homes in the Caherdown area over four hours, Fianna Fail county councillor Jimmy Moloney told The Kerryman.

"It was bad enough when we had 500 people staying and they couldn't shower or get tea or coffee in the morning. We were told it wouldn't happen again, but it did, at 5pm on Monday, " Cllr Moloney said.

That outage prompted Kerry County Council to raise what it said were its 'serious concerns' regarding the continued problems with Gas Network Ireland, which has now agreed to direct subcontractors to cease work from 5pm on Wednesday to Tuesday morning.

"The people of Listowel have been great to work with, so fair is fair. We will wrap up from 5pm on Wednesday...we have apologised for the breaks and sincerely regret the inconvenience caused," GNI Project Manager Eddie Sweeney told The Kerryman.
Christina Queeley, Nuala Cavanagh and Mona Cody say they are very excited about the visit

Claire OReilly pictured with her sister Una Brick in Tralee Town Park on Thursday afternoon; both sisters are welcoming the forthcoming visit of the British royal couple. All photos by Fergus Dennehy

With the visit of Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles only a number of weeks away, we here at The Kerryman took to the streets of Tralee to find out what public opinion is like ahead of the historic visit.

We stopped and talked to close to 40 people last Thursday and the result is overwhelmingly positive, with many locals welcoming the British royal couple to Tralee and the wider Kerry area.

Our questions were simple: we wanted to know how people were feeling ahead of the visit, what the visit would mean to the county as a whole and, finally, where in Kerry would locals recommend the couple to visit.

"I think it's really exciting. I think it shows progression with the royal family. It all started with the Queen's visit here a couple of years ago, it's now continued with Harry and Meghan set to mini-moon here in Ireland. I think all of this shows a nice bridge between both Ireland and England," said Maeve Burke," speaking on Thursday.

"I would definitely recommend that they head to Dingle, Portmagee, Waterville and, of course, Tralee. I think it'll massively boost tourism here. I'll 100 per cent come out to see them," she finished.

Robert Falvey is a Tralee local and although he admits that he is not as interested in the Windsors as others are, he can see the benefit of the couple visiting Kerry. "I think they should head to Dingle and 'The West End' bar in Fenit because I used work there," he laughed.

Claire O'Reilly and her sister Una Brick were out enjoying the sunshine in Tralee Town Park when we questioned them. "Of course I think Charles would love Kerry because he's a naturalist and he's very big into the environment. The scenery and the parks that we have here in the county, I think that he'd love them," said Una.

"Ballyseedy Woods would be lovely for them to visit. The journey from Killarney to Ballyvourney that we did yesterday, that was stunning and, of course the McGillycuddy Reeks as well," Una continued.

Marie Burke was busy canvassing in the Abortion Referendum on The Mall when we stopped to talk to her and she said that she was "absolutely delighted" that the royals could be visiting Kerry soon.

"I think it's a fantastic thing for the whole of Kerry and, hopefully, Charles won't just go to Killarney and that he'll make his way to Tralee as well," said Marie.

"It'll be absolutely brilliant for Kerry tourism. It's a hand of friendship, especially with Brexit coming in soon. We could either be alienated or we could develop even stronger bonds between the UK and Ireland.

"On the whole, I think it'll be good for the people of Kerry. It'll be historic, a brilliant occasion. I would definitely recommend they visit Tralee, Dingle, Killarney, Kenmare and I think Cahersiveen too," she finished.
The floral display by the coffin containing the remains of Robert Elston spelled out with heartbreaking effect the huge loss his passing represents.

Just one word, 'Dad', revealed the role Mr Elston played in the life of his loved ones, in particular his six-year-old son, partner Karen, family, and many friends.

Their devastation at the loss of the 33-year-old, who died following a knife attack in Cahersiveen last week, was palpable as Mr Elston's Requiem Mass was held in St Mary's Church in Listowel on Tuesday morning, celebrated by Listowel Parish Priest Canon Declan O'Connor and attended by many in the community who knew Mr Elston and family.

Chief among the mourners were Mr Elston's partner Karen, mother Mary, brother David, sister Chelsea and son as their friends in the community rallied to their side at what is their darkest hour.

Canon O'Connor communicated the sympathy of the entire community as he told the Elston family that they had the support of the community at this, their time of grief.

Following the Funeral Mass, Mr Elston's remains were buried in the John Paul II Cemetery on the outskirts of Listowel, not far from his mother's native community of Lisselton/Ballydonoghue, where she still lives.

News of his death last week rocked North Kerry as it did Cahersiveen where the fatal stabbing occurred. Mr Elston had been in Cahersiveen to visit his son at the time of the attack, according to family members; having earlier that day visited his grandfather in University Hospital Kerry.

He had been living in Lisselton, helping to care for his grandfather of late.

It emerged in the aftermath of the fatal stabbing last week that Mr Elston's father, Robert senior, had also died as the result of a stabbing in London in 2005, aged 45.
The family and friends the late Bridget Curley, whose parents came from South Kerry, are said to be shocked and saddened by her death in London, in a tragic accident.

Bridget, who was in her 30's and a mother of four young children, was killed when a construction truck fell on her when she was helping out a neighbour.

Bridget died at the scene of the accident. She has strong ties to South Kerry. She is the daughter of the late Pat Taylor from Glencar and Noreen O'Reilly from Blackwater and she has a host of aunts and uncles in Kerry, including in Kenmare, Farranfore, Killarney and in her parents' home places of Blackwater and Glencar.

The mom of four was killed while helping a neighbour with renovations when the construction vehicle fell on her.

She was born in the UK and lived in Dollis Hill in North London.

She is survived by her husband, Padraic who is from Mayo and the couple have four young daughters.

Kerry man Dan Tim O'Sullivan who lives nearby said that he knew the family well and he paid tribute to them during at their terrible loss.
Ahead of the referendum on the repeal of the Eighth Amendment there was much discussion of Irelands supposed urban/rural divide with many commentators predicting, incorrectly, that rural voters would back the status quo and vote No.

While there certainly is a divide between Dublin and the rest of Ireland on many issues, when it came to the matter of the Eighth Amendment, there was broad consensus.

Rural voters confounded the predictions of expert liberal commentators and proved that rural Ireland is far from the bastion of right wing orthodoxy that many have claimed.

There were also similar predictions of a divide in individual constituencies with many expecting that voters in larger towns would back repeal while those in more isolated areas would support the pro-life campaign.

That too proved to be wildly inaccurate and in Kerry a significant majority of voters in almost every area voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

In all just 14 of the countys 212 electoral divisions recorded majority No votes, with most areas backing repeal by between 55 and 65 per cent.

While Kerrys Yes vote of 58.2 per cent was considerably lower than the national 66.4 per cent, voters in almost every region in Kerry backed repeal in considerable numbers giving the Yes side a considerable margin of victory right across the Kerry constituency.

Voters in the countys two main urban centres of Tralee and Killarney did back repeal in greater numbers, but the margins in most boxes were not dramatically wider than in most of the more rural electoral divisions.

Indeed, the largest support for repeal was in more rural areas and especially across west Kerry.

The highest individual margin of victory was seen in Listowel where the tallies of one ballot box showed 80 per cent support for repeal.

Voters in Dingle, Dun Chaoin, Castlegregory, an Muirioch and Ballyferriter backed repeal of the Eighth by over 70 per cent.

Meanwhile in south Kerry there was also huge support for repeal in the greater Kenmare area where the electorate voted Yes by between 67 and 70 per cent.

The vote last week broadly mirrors the 2015 marriage equality referendum when  as was the case last Friday  urban and rural areas across the county voted predominantly in favour of legalising same-sex marriages.

As was the case with much of the pre-referendum polling the predictions about the urban rural divide and the supposed differences between urban and rural voters were turned on their head.

If last Fridays historic vote proves anything it is that the quiet revolution we have witnessed in Ireland is, most certainly, not confined to the capital and the major cities.

The entire country  from the biggest cities to the smallest villages  has transformed and the conservative society many assumed still existed in rural Ireland has been swept away.
People are going blind and have gone blind on this and the previous Governments watch because of delays in being treated for cataracts, Independent Deputy Danny Healy-Rae told the Dail.

He said a recent report from the Association of Optometrists Ireland referred to waiting times of between 28 months and five years but there are people in Kerry and West Cork who have been waiting even longer.

I know of one man who was waiting for seven years for surgery, he said. His grandfather had a cataract removed in 1968 in Tralee Hospital. This country is going backwards. The Government is failing these people who are going blind. Myself and Deputy Michael Collins have arranged for several buses to travel to Belfast and we have more buses ready to go. They will be going for all of this year. Whatever the Government is claiming it is doing is failing because people are not getting called to have their cataracts removed?

Replying on behalf of the Taoiseach, Education & Skills minister Richard Bruton said the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, will be providing 20,000 procedures this year, 5,000 of which will be cataract operations.

One quarter of all of the work funded by the NTPF will be devoted to cataract surgery. The number of patients waiting more than nine months is 2,800 so the NTPF will be providing procedures for more than double the number of those waiting beyond the target period.

Government Departments applying different guidelines

The case of a Kerry constituent who receives monthly Family Income Supplement, which means the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection recognises the family needs a supplementary payment in order to meet a minimum standard of living, was raised in the Dail by Fianna Fail Deputy John Brassil.

He said the same family applied for a SUSI grant for their eldest child, who is hopefully going to third level in September, and they were refused on income grounds.

If an anomaly exists where one Department of the State sees the situation merits giving a payment to reach a minimum standard of living, and another Department of the State does not see it as appropriate that this family should receive a grant to educate their child, there must be something radically wrong, he said. I ask that this be addressed.

In reply the Minister for Education & Skills, Richard Bruton said the position is that the means tests that are applied in the case of the different rates of grants under SUSI are separate from social welfare means tests, so different means tests are being applied. I am aware of some difficulties that have arisen with the highest rate of grant where there is an income threshold and also a social welfare eligibility requirement, he said. The SUSI grants are being reviewed at present and I am aware of the problem to which the Deputy refers. As things stand, there is no solution but we are reviewing the grants scheme.

Problems highlighted in regard to garda vetting

Problems with regard to Garda vetting of teachers were raised in the Dail by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. If a substitute teacher in County Kerry gets Garda vetting for one school but gets offered work in another school, he or she has to go through the Garda vetting process again, he said.

This is totally ridiculous. I appreciate that there must be checks and balances with regard to people working in our health service and our education system but if a person is Garda vetted and given clearance, surely that is good enough for that person to work in any school or in any other position in this country, he said.

The delay caused by having to reapply for Garda vetting again and again is a serious problem for the people I represent. In the past couple of weeks alone I have been absolutely inundated with cases of people having difficulties with Garda vetting. It is having an effect on their employment prospects. I ask the Government to make a sensible, proactive change to the Garda vetting system.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said transport services are very important for bringing disabled children to special schools and the elderly to day care centres.

A driver can be Garda vetted by one contractor but if he wants to drive a bus for another contractor, he must be Garda vetted again, he said. The same applies to day care centres. The girls and men vetted to work in a home in Kenmare must be vetted again to work in the home in Kilgarvan.

In response Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he would ask the Minister for Justice to provide a reply. It can be very inconvenient for people to have to be vetted by the Garda every six months, he said. One of the explanations given to me at the time was that it is a matter of putting safety first rather than convenience for the employee because people who are a danger to children often move from job to job. That was one of the things that had to be taken into account.
Residents who claim antisocial behaviour and drug abuse are causing havoc across South Kerry, are demanding a public meeting to highlight their concerns.

Their calls come following a serious incident late on Friday night that led to a car chase across the southern Iveragh peninsula after a report of criminal damage in Cahersiveen. The culprits fled to Waterville and on to Caherdaniel with garda giving chase.

This incident, in which four gardai were injured, came just days after the fatal stabbing of a 33-year old man in Cahersiveen. A man has since been charged with murder in relation to that incident.

The shocking nature of the stabbing, the first of its kind in Cahersiveen, has shocked and upset the town and it has also drawn attention to the lack of gardai on the Iveragh peninsula.

While there is a 24-hour garda car in the region, the station is not open full-time and garda numbers have been greatly reduced in recent years. Cahersiveen once had a superintendent, two sergeants and up to 30 gardai but now there is only one sergeant and less than 20 gardai.

Ironically, one of two sergeants based in the town was transferred to Killarney just hours before last week's stabbing.

The reduction in garda numbers has been strongly criticised by local residents who are deeply concerned about anti-social behaviour in Cahersiveen.

They have now contacted all local councillors in the Iveragh Peninsula asking them to organise a public meeting so that their concerns can be heard.

"The closure of rural garda stations has had a knock-on effect of antisocial behaviour as the culprits are running riot. We are now putting pressure on our local councillors to hold this meeting as we don't want anyone being targeted here. It is up to our elected representatives to have this meeting," said former chairperson of the now defunct Fertha Drive Residents Association in Cahersiveen, Shelia O'Donoghue.

"This is not about one place or one incident but something has to be done. This is an extremely big issue."

Cllr Norma Moriarty said this week that something had to be done in light of the situation in the town. "We need more gardai. Where there is serious crime extra resources are needed," she said.

"Given the peripherality of the town and the peninsula and the geographical make-up of the region, garda numbers need to be increased. This is about security and quality of life and to allow gardai to do their work."

The issue was raised by Cllr Moriarty two days after last week's killing with Killarney Superintendent Flor Murphy. She said that she is calling for a definite timeframe for increasing gardai numbers in the area. Supt Murphy said anti-social behaviour is being dealt with as evidenced by court cases.

He added that the sergeant who has been transferred will be replaced in two to three months and that he will look at deploying extra gardai.

"I would love extra resources but my resources are not unlimited and I have competing priorities. The station was downgraded before I got there. I will review the situation," he said.
There were heartbreaking scenes in New Ross parish church on Saturday as hundreds of mourners attended the funeral Mass of popular local teenager Aisling Dolan, who was killed in a horrific accident on the N11 at Enniscorthy four days earlier.

Mgr Joe McGrath, joined by several members of the local clergy, celebrated the Mass for the 19-year-old. He said: 'Who could ever imagine that a day like this could dawn in our lives. Yes, it happens, but it always happens to others. This morning it suddenly becomes our reality.'

Describing Aisling, late of Stephen's Court, New Ross, as a vibrant, determined, talented girl on the 'runway of life', Mgr McGrath said she was taken suddenly from her family, friends and neighbours through no fault of her own. He said the added heartbreak was that her mother Breda was in a hospital bed that morning recovering from the injuries she sustained in the accident.

'She is very much in our prayers and thoughts this morning. It's a day when the family would prefer to lock the door and be at home. However, it isn't humanly possible and probably unhealthy to try to deal with a tragedy like this alone.'

He called on the community to continue to support the family. 'On behalf of everybody we extend our sincere sympathies and promise our support today and into the future.

'Words can be very empty on a morning like this; sometimes they can offend, they certainly can go unheard amid the confusion,' he said, urging people to comfort the Dolan family not only through words alone, but with hugs and gentle smiles. Mgr McGrath said: 'It's necessary for us to work our way forward into some kind of hope.'

He said Aisling would have worked out her future. 'Those who knew and loved her know what she would have achieved during the rest of her life. Sadly, that isn't going to be. All the goodness and talents that made her the person she was - none of that disappears into thin air. There is more to us than meets the eye.'

A family member read the poem On The Death Of The Beloved.

It's closing lines: 'May you continue to inspire us: To enter each day with a generous heart/To serve the call of courage and love/Until we see your beautiful face again/In that land where there is no more separation/Where all tears will be wiped from our mind/And where we will never lose you again,' elicited sobs of grief from mourners.

St Mary's Secondary School choir sang beautifully during the Mass and were praised by Mgr McGrath for their contribution to ceremony, which took place poignantly before the New Ross Communion.

Aisling was laid to rest in St Michael's Cemetery, Tinnahinch, Graiguenamanagh, afterwards in one of the biggest funerals the town has seen in recent times.
The six member Expedition 55 crew poses for a portrait in the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. Clockwise from left are Flight Engineers Norishige Kanai, Ricky Arnold, Drew Feustel, Oleg Artemyev and Scott Tingle. In the center is International Space Station Commander Anton Shkaplerov. credit: NASA.

Three Expedition 55 crew members are returning to Earth Sunday, but first the Commander will hand over control of the International Space Station in a ceremony Friday afternoon.

In the meantime, the crew managed to continue ongoing space research and station maintenance.

Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, who has been leading the station crew since February, will turn over command of the orbital laboratory to NASA astronaut Drew Feustel during the traditional Change of Command Ceremony at 2:25 p.m. EDT Friday live on NASA TV.

Next, the International Space Station Program turns its attention to the undocking Sunday at 5:16 a.m. of Shkaplerov with crewmates Scott Tingle and Norishige Kanai inside the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft. The trio will parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan at 8:40 a.m. (6:40 p.m. Kazakh time) after 168 days in space. NASA TV begins it live coverage starting at 1:30 a.m. when the crew says farewell and closes the hatches to their Soyuz vehicle.

Feustel worked throughout Thursday installing improved communications gear inside Europe's Columbus lab module. Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold strapped himself into an exercise bike to research how exercising in microgravity affects the human body.

On-Orbit Status Report

EXPRESS Rack-3 Improved Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (iPEHG) and Veggie: The crew rotated EXPRESS Rack 3 down in the Columbus module today, installed an iPEHG and then rotated the rack back up. They then reinstalled the Veggie facilities into the rack and checked them out. Ground teams have activated EXPRESS Rack 3 and the iPEHG was loaded with new software to support EXPRESS Rack 3 operations. EXPRESS Rack 3 and the new iPEHG are active and functioning nominally.The iPEHG design corrects performance limitations often experienced by the older PEHGs.

Atomization: The crew performed troubleshooting steps for the Atomization investigation today. For this investigation, water drops are expected to be completely absorbed by the sponge of the water trap, but during checkout of the hardware on May 22nd a few drops of water bounced back towards the observation area. The Atomization experiment investigates the disintegration processes of a low-speed water jet for various jet issue conditions in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) to validate the new atomization concept by observing the process using a high speed camera. The knowledge gained can be applied to improve various engines utilizing spray combustion.

Manufacturing Device (MD): The crew removed and stowed a 3 dimensional printed item from the MD today. The Manufacturing Device supports the production of components on the ISS for both NASA and commercial objectives. It is capable of producing parts out of a wide variety of thermopolymers including engineered plastics.

Team Task Switching (TTS): A crewmember completed a TTS survey today. When crew members are often required to switch their attention between tasks, performance on each of the tasks can be affected. The objective of the TTS investigation is to gain knowledge about whether or not crew members have difficulty in switching tasks and determine the impacts of these switches, in order to both reduce any negative consequences and improve individual and team motivation and effectiveness.

Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA): The SUBSA run was aborted today after one of the sample internal thermocouple readings went negative then started fluctuating randomly. The heater thermocouples and the other sample thermocouple readings were all nominal.

On Board Training (OBT) Soyuz Descent Drill: In preparation for their departure from the ISS on Sunday, 3 June, the 53S Crew completed a nominal descent and landing drill earlier this morning. During this training, the crew was inside their Soyuz spacecraft reviewing and practicing undock and landing procedures.

Water Recovery System (WRS) Condensate Pump Roller Replacement: Today the crew removed and replaced (R&R) degraded rollers and roller bolts on the High Flow Pump using the Pump Recovery Kit. These components were causing unusual squeaking noises as reported by the crew, and their failure could seize the pump. The crew also replaced the associated peristaltic tubing on the WRS Condensate Transfer Manifold before conducting a checkout of the assembly.

Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Operations: Yesterday, the Robotic Ground Controllers maneuvered the SSRMS and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Body as required to perform a survey of the Functional Cargo Block (FGB) Starboard Solar Array Wing (SAW) and the Starboard Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint (TRRJ) using the SPDM Body Cameras. The purpose of the survey was to verify that the FGB Starboard SAW has not moved since it was retracted in 2007 and to collect imagery of the Starboard TRRJ Heat Rejection Subsystem (HRS) Radiator torn cover and exposed core to help assess their condition. The Robotic Ground Controllers performed the survey from five different positions and then configured the SSRMS and SPDM Body for translation. MSS performance was nominal during these operations.

Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Fluid Control and Pump Assembly (FCPA) Fault: During a UPA process cycle this morning, the FCPA current spiked causing UPA to stop its process cycle. Attempt to restart the FCPA was unsuccessful. Ground teams are currently replanning tomorrow's timeline to replace the FCPA.

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

HRF Generic Saliva Collection

Microbial Tracking-2 Saliva Collection

HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval And Insertion Operations

Probiotics Saliva Operations

Probiotics Salive Sample MELFI Insertion

Probiotics Question

Max Cycle Ergometer w/ Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Partial Set Up

Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Power Up

Soyuz nominal descent training 2

COL EXPRESS Rack 3 Rack Preparation for Rotate Down

COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops

Radio Frequency Identification Logistics Hardware Locate

SEPARATION. Additional flushing of [--] urine circulation loop.

PEHG Hardware Install

SREDA-ISS. Preparation Steps and Start Imagery Ops.

SREDA-ISS. Closeout Ops

Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill

Microbial Tracking-2 Saliva Stow

Checking closure of shutters on SM windows 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14

JEM Camera Robot Cable Swap

LBNP Training

USOS Window Shutter Close

SSC Hard Drive Setup

Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Partial Stow

PAO Preparation

Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config JEM Setup

Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) - JEM

ExPRESS Rack 3 Rack Cleanup after Rotate Up

Water Recovery System (WRS) Condensate Pump Gather

XF305 Camcorder Setup

Atomization Trouble Shooting 1

 maintenance

Soyuz 737 [] Activation

VEGGIE Facility Re-installation into EXPRESS Rack

Water Recovery System (WRS) Condensate Pump Safing

Soyuz 737  No.2 Test Before Undocking.

Water Recovery System (WRS) Transfer Pump Roller Remove and Replace (R&R)

VEGGIE1 Facility Re-installation into EXPRESS Rack

INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops

Maritime Awareness Cable Connect

Water Recovery System (WRS) Transfer Pump Manifold Tubing Remove and Replace (R&R)

MERLIN1 Status Check

Water Recovery System (WRS) Condensate Pump Reassembly

Microbial Air Sampling.

ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)

Airlock Foam Unstow

Team Task Switching Experiment Survey

Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth

Vascular Echo Clip Relocate

ISS HAM Service Module Pass

Cold Atom Lab SAMS Sensor Move

Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Conclude

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

ER3 IPEHG configuration

53S Thruster Test

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Friday, 06/01: CQ Cleaning, RFID Tag Install, EHDC Locking Mechanism Adjust, Change of Command Ceremony

Saturday, 06/02: Weekly Housekeeping, Crew Off-Duty

Sunday, 06/02: 53S Undock and Landing

QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group:

Component - Status

Elektron - On

Vozdukh - Manual

[] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - Off

[] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - On

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Operate

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Standby

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 - Idle

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) - Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) - Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab - Full Up

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off

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The heartbroken father of Aisling Dolan  the New Ross teenager who died in an accident outside Enniscorthy on Tuesday  has described her as a bright, determined girl who had her future mapped out and whose smile could light up a room.

Aisling died at the scene of the accident, which left her mother Breda with multiple serious injuries. A garda investigation is under way into the three-vehicle crash.

Aisling was born on April 1, 1999, and it was a running joke with her that she was an April Fool. She was anything but. Bright, determined, funny and loyal, Aisling loved life and her vivaciousness was infectious, her father John said.

She was the baby of the family, with three older siblings, Joanne, Nathan and Niamh, whom she adored. She attended St Josephs NS and went on to St Marys Secondary School.

Her heartbroken father John said: She just lived life. She was into everything; her friends, her boyfriend and family were her life.

He said Aisling loved her time in St Marys where she had a great circle of friends.

She was absolutely hilarious. She had a brilliant sense of humour and a dry wit. She was at turns clumsy and cheeky, but always determined.

Aisling studied Childcare in WIT and achieved a remarkable eight distinctions in her end-of-year exams. She was just after getting work childminding and was going to continue with it for a year or so before going on to study to be a teacher.

She knew her mind and knew what she wanted in life. Aisling had a plan. Once she finished college her focus was to look for work as her friends were working and she wanted to have her own money to enjoy the summer.

John said Aisling was delighted to get some work and had lots of plans for the summer months with her boyfriend Brandon Gardiner.

Brandon was the love of her life. They were going out for two to three years, in secret at first as is the way.

All her dreams were shattered in a matter of seconds on Tuesday shortly after midday.

She was on her way to Ferns with Breda to see Bredas nieces newborn daughter. They were so excited.

The car in which Breda and Aisling were travelling was struck by a jeep just beyond the Blackstoops roundabout. Breda sustained injuries to her spine, elbow and legs. She was taken by air ambulance to hospital in Dublin, where she has undergone several operations. It is thought she will require a lengthy hospital stay followed by extensive rehabilitation.

The doctors decided not to tell her on the night what happened as the shock could have killed her. She underwent ten hours of surgery on Wednesday and we had Aisling back home in New Ross the following day. I drove to Dublin on Thursday to tell her.

Such was the extent of her injuries that Breda was unable to attend Aislings funeral Mass on Saturday.

John and the Dolan family wish to thank everyone who has been at their side over the past few difficult days, especially their neighbours and their relative Jimmy Conran.

Weve had unbelievable support. The people of the town are just unreal.

When asked what his abiding memory of Aisling is, John said: Her smile; that and the way she would light up the room. She could make anyone laugh and anyone smile. She had that infectious, positive personality.
The preliminary line-up of speakers for this year's Kennedy Summer School, taking place in September, has been announced.

Taking place from Thursday, September 6, to Saturday, September 8, in St Michael's Theatre and at venues in and around New Ross, the summer school will see some household names travelling to the town to discuss the key issues of the year including the Trump Presidency, Brexit, the Kennedy family and their New Ross roots and legacy.

John Weaver is a leading US political consultant best known for his work on the John McCain presidential campaigns of 2000 and 2008, and John Kasich 2016. He will be in conversation with Larry Donnelly, one of the summer school's directors.

Miriam O'Callaghan is one of Ireland's leading TV and radio presenters. She switches seats to be this year's interviewee for the Kennedy Summer School Interview on Friday, September 7.

Dearbhail McDonald is a native of Newry and Group Business Editor of Independent Newspapers. She will give an uniquely informed perspective of Brexit's impact on Ireland, North and South.

Gerard Doherty was Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in the 1960s. He will talk about his recent book 'They Were My Friends, Jack, Bob and Ted'.

Ireland's European Commissioner Phil Hogan will give a keynote address on the Brexit Endgame and other EU developments at the Kennedy Summer School Speakers Lunch on Friday, September 7.

Lucinda Creighton is a former Minister of State for European Affairs, former leader of Renua, and is now a leading analyst on developments in Brussels. She will be part of an all-female panel on Brexit.
Priests of the Diocese of Elphin enter the Cathedral surrounded by Guards of Honour from six schools in Sligo and Roscommon

Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran at the graveside of Bishop Christy on May 22. Pics: Carl Brennan

Bishop Christopher Jones, Bishop Emeritus of Elphin, was a man deeply conscious of his own flaws and human frailties right to the end.

In asking Fr Michael Duignan, Diocesan Secretary of the Diocese of Elphin to preach the homily at his funeral mass last Tuesday, 22nd May, he spoke about how he "hurt easily and found it at times difficult to let go and move on."

Bishop Christy, as he was affectionately known, chatted about "how he might have come in too quickly or too hard and caused hurt or pain, how, in particular, he might have asked too much from priests or have been too judgemental.

"How there was much more good he could have done that remained undone. For those time, he wanted tme to say today that he was sorry and to ask for forgiveness," Fr Duignan told mourners in the Cathedral.

Chief Celebrant was Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin, assisted by the Papal Nuncio, His Excellency, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo representing Pope Francis, and Archbishop of Tuam Michael Neary.

His Eminence Cardinal Sean Brady, Archbishop Emeritus of Armagh and many fellow Irish bishops also attended. They were joined by the priests of the Diocese of Elphin, visiting clergy, and many parishoners.

Bishop Doran began by welcoming mourners to the "gathering of the many families" of Bishop Christy, including his sister Eileen and his sister-in-law Pauline and the extended Jones family.

The other "families" included parishioners from all over the diocese, including especially those from Tulsk and from Glinsk, where he had family connections; Members of the Travelling Community; Representatives of the various schools and colleges of the diocese; Former colleagues and present staff of Sligo Social Services; Members of the episcopal Council for the Marriage and the Family and of Accord;

Representatives of other Christian communities, led by Dean Arfon Williams, who represented Bishop Ferran Glenfield; Religious sisters ; Nurses, doctors and carers;

Natives of the diocese living in Birmingham, Manchester and London; Men and women who work for the common good in the various forms of public and civic service, in the city of Sligo and in the diocese;

The staff of the Diocesan Office, of Saint Mary's; Bishop Christy's brother priests of the Diocese of Elphin;The Kiltegan Missionaries, Spiritans, and other clergy; The eight permanent deacons of the diocese; Representatives of the Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference and Bishop Christy's very many personal friends.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and a number of other bishops visited on Monday evening, while a warm message of condolence was also received from former President of Ireland Mary McAleese and her husband Martin, long-time friends of Bishop Christy.

Bishop Doran told the congregation at the start of his funeral liturgy, that "some would suggest that bishops should be seen and not heard. There are others who still feel that, if the bishop would only say something or do something, everything would be ok."

"The reality is that bishops are just ordinary men; Christians who have been entrusted with a particular mission to teach, to govern and to sanctify in the name of Jesus Christ.

"Bishop Christy was aware of his own human frailty and this was brought home to him in a very particular way when, like so many other people, he experienced bereavement and when he began to walk the path of illness which led gradually but inevitably to his death last Friday.

"He carried his own share in the cross of Jesus Christ. His death, like the death of any Christian, invites us to look beneath the office that we hold and the clothes that we wear for the true meaning of our human existence," he said.

Bishop Kevin Doran then invited Bishop Christopher's nephew, Hugh Jones and his wife, Ann to open the Icon of the World Meeting of Families - something arranged to take place on 22 May since last September. The Icon of the World Meeting of Families was always intended to arrive at the Cathedral last Tuesday to spend 10 days in the Diocese of Elphin as part of the national pilgrimage of the Icon in preparation for the World Meeting of Families this August.

Fr Duignan began his homily by contrasting the "sublime magnificence" of these May days to the last few years and months of Bishop Christy's life "which seemed to form an almost eternal winter."

"In four short years the cold winds of death took with them four of his sisters. Illness and frailty was to be his, until last Friday evening, life's winter over, God called him home to himself.

"The outpouring of sadness and sympathy since his death has been overwhelming. He touched the lives of so many people from many different walks of life," he said.

It was while at Summerhill that his interest in becoming a priest was nurtured and afterwards matured at Saint Patrick's College, Maynooth where he was ordained in June 1962.

The same scripture readings chosen by Bishop Christy for his episcopal ordination in 1994 were read at his funeral.

His episcopal motto, "Fiat Mihi" (Luke 1:38) "thy will be done", was printed on the cover of the funeral booklets, words which reflected a constant attitude of his - "God's will be done".

The first reading expressed how Bishop Christy understood his vocation - to "bring good tidings to the afflicted, to bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and to comfort those who mourn" (Isaiah 61:2-3).

The Second reading reflected how he endeavoured to speak the truth in word and in action (Eph: 4: 1, 11).

"True to the old Summerhill motto "Estote Factores Verbi"-"Be doers of the Word" (James 1: 22) he was a "doer" more than a "talker" when it came to the life of faith," said Fr Duignan.

"Bishop Christy spent almost all of his priestly life here in Sligo and was always an advocate for the weak over the strong and a tireless supporter and campaigner for those on the margins of our society.

"His courageous work on behalf of the travelling community meant he was affectionately seen by many travellers as their priest, their bishop.

"His work with Sligo Social Services brought him close to the poor, the homeless, those suffering from addiction or domestic issues.

He said that "unprecedented change in society and Church, along with an Ireland struggling with developing its own identity, has created a difficult space for faith and belief.

"Bishop Christy was a powerful advocate for the unborn. He was deeply sadden by the prospect of a removal of the Eighth Amendment. Even in his last days of illness, he had hoped to be able to vote on Friday. In his presentation to the hearings of the Oireachtas Committee for Health and Children in 2013, he spoke about the beauty and preciousness of every human life.

Fr Duignan said it was in affronting Clerical Child Abuse that Bishop Christy's most difficult challenge lay:

"I witnessed him many times cry at his desk with the horror of it all. In response, he set about building the child safeguarding mechanisms we have in our diocese today that in many ways contributed to what was to become the norm across the country," he said.

Final Commendation was given by His Eminence, Sean Cardinal Brady and a nephew, Hugh Jones thanked everyone on behalf of the family.

Bishop Christy was brought to his final resting place in the grounds of the Cathedral by four groups of Pall Bearers: Six Priests of the Diocese of Elphin, six Deacons of the Diocese of Elphin, six Grand-Nephews and six Nephews of Bishop Christopher

Students from six schools in the diocese formed a Guard of Honour from the Cathedral door to the graveside

Sligo Cathedral Choir, under the direction of organist, Charles O'Connor sang the hymns.
Failte Ireland has announced a new nine-month Step Change programme for Food Networks from Sligo, Kerry and Wexford to improve the impact of visitor experiences locally through food.

The new programme, which kicked off at the Savoy Hotel in Limerick will help the Food Networks, which promote food and tourism packages in their local areas, to play an enhanced role in tourism in their region.

Through the initiative announced today, networks will receive a food focused visitor evaluation of their destination, participate in a number of structured development workshops and connect with other food network leaders to share best practise and new insights around experience development.

Sinead Hennessy of Failte Ireland said that the initiative is initially designed to focus the energy of the three food networks, Sligo Food Trail, Taste Kerry and Taste Wexford, towards having an increased tourism and visitor impact support and will be gradually rolled out to other Food Networks throughout the country. She said:

"We know that high quality local experiences are a major contributor to a visitor's holiday satisfaction - creating positive memories and return visits - and Ireland's Food and Drink offering has a leading role to play in delivering these great experiences.

"The role of effective local food networks in tourism is vital as they show the considerable gains that can be made when visitors are placed at the centre of activities, linking food with the local culture, all whilst strengthening and sustaining local food enterprises.

"This Step Change Programme has been developed to support Food Tourism Networks that want to scale up the efforts in tourism to deliver a world-class, connected destination offering that is consistent and profitable."

Teresa Cawley-Krebs of Cawley's Guest House along the Wild Atlantic Way and attending the programme for Sligo Food Trail commented:

"As with all Food Networks, you are only as good as your weakest link and for Sligo to stand out in an international marketplace we must continue to innovate in order to add value to our offering.

"There is a fantastic energy around food and drink in Sligo and it is good to step out of the operation to look at how our development work impacts a visitors satisfaction on holiday. I am delighted to work with Failte Ireland to bring Sligo Food Trail to the next level."

Ramping up the visitor experience is important as food and drink play a substantial part in helping to generate and sustain economic opportunity and development by increasing visitor numbers, dwell time, spend and satisfaction in visited areas.

There have been many strides in recent years in increasing quality and depth of Ireland's food and drink offering - now including over 2,400 restaurants, over 40 food festivals, 160 farmer markets, 40 cookery schools and 27 active food networks as well as 18 whiskey distilleries (10 with visitor centres) and more than 60 microbreweries and 7,000 pubs.
Disabled people continue to experience inequalities in Ireland despite developments in strategy, policy and law, a conference at St Angela's College was told.

The Department of Nursing, Health Sciences and Disability Studies held the Re-Imagining Disability Equality Conference at St. Angela's College, Sligo.

Conference organiser Susan Carton, Programme Director of the BA in Disability Studies courses in St Angela's, said that "the purpose of the conference was to facilitate a discussion on how disability is perceived and responded to in Ireland in the 21st Century.

"The idea that the disadvantage that disabled people experience arises not from the condition or impairment they might have, but from having to live in a world made by and for non-disabled people is not new.

"Yet disabled people continue to experience inequalities in Ireland despite developments in strategy, policy and law".

"Barriers to participation, discrimination and exclusion still exist.

"A fundamental shift in thinking is needed in order to change these patterns. What has been lacking in Ireland is a robust theoretical framework to underpin work done for and with disabled people in Ireland."

The conference was designed to discuss this and consider a better way of working, led by disabled people, which would have the capacity to deliver on the letter and the spirit of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (NDIS) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The speakers were Chris Ledger, who has been CEO of the University of Atypical (previously known as the Arts & Disability Forum) in Belfast since 2009, Dr Colin Cameron, Senior Lecturer in Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne and Peter Kearns, Lecturer, Community Development Advisor, Mentor & Disability Artist.

Among the eighty delegates in attendance at the conference were disabled people, family members of disabled people and people working for and with disabled people.

Also there to avail of the chance to hear the speakers were Disability Studies students past and present, alongside public representatives Councillor Marie Casserly and Councillor Sinead Maguire who said that she "appreciated the opportunity to listen to such great speakers, whose eloquence and depth in message was hard to match".

Other attendees were very pleased with the conference and wrote in the evaluation that they had found the day informative, thought-provoking and very enjoyable. One attendee wrote "this day surpassed all, each speaker added a new note I shall not forget". St Angela's College, Sligo offers online part-time courses in Disability Studies.
Plans to restore the Gate Lodge at Doorly Park are expected to be given the green light at the June Council meeting.

Councillor Declan Bree, who asked for an update on the Lodge, was told that Failte Ireland is giving 70,000 to the future lease holder of the Lodge, Sligo Tourism Development Association.

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has also granted 25,000 to the Gate Lodge.

Repairs to the roof and chimney are already finished and plans are underway to provide a Pontoon opposite the Gate Lodge. Councillor Bree said the lodge was an important part of Sligo's built heritage which "unfortunately was allowed to fall into a serious state of disrepair over the years - an issue which I highlighted on many occasions."

"The decision of Failte Ireland, in February, to provide grant assistance was particularly good news for Sligo," he said.

"The development of the floating pontoon will assist in opening up the river and the lake for locals and visitors.

"It will allow tour boat operators to safely dock and take on passengers at Doorly Park rather than visitors having to travel miles to have access to a tour boat," he said.
Davey Feeney, Tom Flanagan, and Fraiser Gaine having won the Special Recognition Award for their business Kard at the finals of the Foroige Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2018

Three Summerhill College students received a Special Recognition Award at the Foroige Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards held in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Dublin.

The award was made to Davey Feeney, Tom Flanagan and Fraser Gaine who are founders of the business Kard in Sligo. Their business produced a discount student card to help secondary students live within their means. The boys were nominated by their CET Dervilla Casey, a teacher in Summerhill College.

Michael Munnelly and Conor Curley were also finalists for the Best Innovation Award for their business WSY (What Suits You). WSY is a product recommendation service that finds the perfect product for the customer based on a number of questions. They also attend Summerhill College, Sligo.
Irish Water has lodged a planning application for essential, emergency upgrade works at the Lough Talt Water Treatment Plant to ensure a secure, clean, safe drinking water supply for the people of the area who are on a boil water notice since February 5.

The Lough Talt Water Treatment Plant is currently on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Remedial Action List (RAL) for both cryptosporidium and Trihalomethanes (THM) risk.

The level of treatment currently provided at the Lough Talt water treatment plant does not provide adequate protection against cryptosporidium. Irish Water is advising customers that in the absence of a validated cryptosporidium barrier there is a risk of further cryptosporidium detections in the supply.

In 2015 Irish Water proposed to construct a water treatment plant downstream of the existing water treatment plant site but was refused planning permission by Sligo County Council and subsequently on appeal by An Bord Pleanala.

The 2015 application was refused permission because An Bord Pleanala could not exclude the possibility that the development, in combination with the abstraction from Lough Talt, would adversely affect the Lough Hoe Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the River Moy SAC (within which Lough Talt is located).

The proposed development will address the absence of an effective crypto barrier, and also provide mitigation against the formation of THMs.

However, Irish Water acknowledge that a long term solution will be the provision of water from an alternative source and therefore Irish Water envisages that the upgrade works at the existing Lough Talt Water Treatment Plant will be in place for up to 10 years.
Ballyknockan farmer and concert pianist Fiachra Garvey hosted the second West Wicklow Festival, a feast of chamber music, at the Palladian Russborough House from Thursday to Sunday.

Things got under way with performances on the Thursday by Fiachra, clarinet virtuoso Julian Bliss and Philip Higham, principal cellist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, with music from Beethoven, Debussy, Poulenc and Brahms.

On Friday Fiachra and the award-winning Benyounes Quartet presented music by Haydn, Debussy and Schumann. Two concerts took place on Saturday, one with Julian Bliss, Philip Higham and the Benyounes Quartet performing the music of Brahms and Schubert, with the second show featuring Philip Higham performing compositions by Bach.

There were some fun family-orientated activities on the Sunday, including the West Wicklow Music Trail through the parklands of Russborough and a free family concert.

The final concert of the festival saw renowned Irish baritone Gavan Ring and Fiachra Garvey perform music by Rossini, Verdi, Debussy, Quilter, Schubert, Chopin, Vaughan Williams and a selection of Irish songs in St Mary's Church.

The Ballymore Eustace Concert Band clarinet section were fortunate to get tickets to the sold out performance by world famous clarinettist Julian Bliss and couldn't contain their joy when Julian took some time out to meet the group after his concert. He seemed particularly taken by 11-year-old Jekabs Brants, a promising young clarinettist who hones his skills in Ballymore Eustace.

Ballymore Eustace Concert Band return to Russborough House on Saturday, June 30, at 2 p.m. to perform in the hippodrome as part of the Ninette de Valois International Dance Festival.
Analysis of asteroids like Lutetia were used in the Josef Hanus-led paper on asteroid thermophysical modeling. Lutetia is a large main belt asteroid about 62 miles (100 kilometers) in diameter. Lutetia was visited by ESA's Rosetta spacecraft in 2010. Image Credit: ESA 2010 MPS.

Nearly all asteroids are so far away and so small that the astronomical community only knows them as moving points of light.

The rare exceptions are asteroids that have been visited by spacecraft, a small number of large asteroids resolved by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope or large ground-based telescopes, or those that have come close enough for radar imaging.

When seen by optical telescopes, these individual sources of reflected sunlight can provide some very valuable but also very basic information -- for example, the asteroid's orbit, a ballpark estimate of its size, sometimes an approximation of its shape, and perhaps an idea of its physical makeup. But to learn more about these elusive and important celestial objects requires a different type of instrument. An infrared sensor can, in the right circumstances, not only provide data on an asteroid's orbit and data that can be used to more accurately measure its size, but also chemical makeup and sometimes even its surface characteristics.

NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or NEOWISE, spacecraft, in orbit around Earth, uses asteroid-hunting thermal sensors that allow an infrared view of asteroids without the obscuring effects of Earth's atmosphere. In a paper published recently in the journal Icarus, researchers led by Josef Hanus, a scientist at the Astronomical Institute of Charles University, Prague, have made an in-depth analysis of more than 100 asteroids that have come under the temperature-sensing gaze of NEOWISE. This analysis tripled the number of asteroids which have undergone detailed "thermophysical" modeling of asteroid properties that vary with temperature. The results provide a more accurate glimpse into the surface properties of main belt asteroids and also reinforce the capabilities of spaceborne infrared observatories to accurately assess the sizes of asteroids.

Value of this technique

Thermophysical modeling is a gold mine for asteroid researchers because it allows a more comprehensive analysis of the nature of asteroids. Not all asteroids are suitable for thermophysical modeling because the necessary raw data sets are not always available. But Hanus's team found 122 asteroids that not only had NEOWISE data, but also detailed models of their rotation states (how fast an object rotates around its axis, and the orientation of the axis in space) and multi-faceted models of the asteroid's 3D shape.

"Using archived data from the NEOWISE mission and our previously derived shape models, we were able to create highly detailed thermophysical models of 122 main belt asteroids," said Hanus, lead author of the paper. "We now have a better idea of the properties of the surface regolith and show that small asteroids, as well as fast rotating asteroids, have little, if any, dust covering their surfaces." (Regolith is the term for the broken rocks and dust on the surface.)

It could be difficult for fast-rotating asteroids to retain very fine regolith grains because their low gravity and high spin rates tend to fling small particles off their surfaces and into space. Also, it could be that fast-rotating asteroids do not experience large temperature changes because the sun's rays are more rapidly distributed across their surfaces. That would reduce or prevent the thermal cracking of an asteroid's surface material that could cause the generation of fine grains of regolith.

Hanus's team also found that their detailed calculations for estimated sizes of the asteroids they studied were consistent with those of the same asteroids calculated by the NEOWISE team using simpler models.

"With the asteroids for which we were able to gather the most information from other sources, our calculations of their sizes were consistent with the radiometrically-derived values performed by the NEOWISE team," said Hanus. "The uncertainties were within 10 percent between the two sets of results."

"This is an important example of how space-based infrared data can accurately characterize asteroids," said Alan Harris, a senior scientist at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) based in Berlin, Germany, who specializes in thermal modeling of asteroids but was not involved with the study. "NEOWISE is leading the way in demonstrating the value of space-based infrared observatories for asteroid and near-Earth object discovery and characterization, both vital to our understanding these important inhabitants of our solar system."

From WISE to NEOWISE

Originally called the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), the spacecraft was launched in December 2009 to study galaxies, stars, and solar system bodies by imaging the entire sky in infrared light. It was placed in hibernation in 2011 after its primary astrophysics mission was completed. In September 2013, it was reactivated, renamed NEOWISE and assigned a new mission: to assist NASA's efforts to identify and characterize the population of near-Earth objects. NEOWISE also is characterizing more distant populations of asteroids and comets to provide information about their sizes and compositions.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages and operates the NEOWISE mission for NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah built the science instrument. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colorado built the spacecraft. Science data processing takes place at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

The thermophysical modeling paper accepted by Icarus is available at:

https://arxiv.org/pdf/1803.06116.pdf

For more information about NEOWISE, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/neowise

and

http://neowise.ipac.caltech.edu/

More information about asteroids and near-Earth objects is at:

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch



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Members of West Wicklow Voices enjoying themselves over in Barcelona

West Wicklow Voices have recently returned home after performing a successful series of concerts at the Costa Barcelona Music Festival.

Now in its eight year, the festival attracts choirs and orchestras from all over the world. One of the shows saw West Wicklow Voices perform a number of Irish songs and pieces with Meav from Celtic Woman.

While over in Barcelona, choir members were glued to the TV as they cheered on Ireland's Eurovision entry 'Together' by Mark O'Shaughnessy as the competition was screened live from Lisbon.

West Wicklow Voices had a particular interest in proceedings as 'Together' was written by former member and frequent collaborator Mark 'Cappy' Caplice.
Fifth class pupil Benjy Billington did himself and his school proud as he represented Wicklow at the Leinster Provincial Spelling Bee Competition in Easons on O'Connell Street in Dublin last week.

The Wicklow Montessori Primary School pupil faced some difficult words and put in a great effort but sadly missed out on a spot in the national final.

Eleven-year-old Benjy made it through to the Leinster final after winning the Wicklow County Spelling Bee held in Scoil Naisiunta Phadraig Naofa, Avoca, back in April. Benjy faced stiff competition from 14 other pupils from around the county before emerging the victor.

Benjy performed well in the Leinster final and faced rivals from schools in Louth, Meath, Dublin, Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Longford and Carlow.

The eventual winner was 12-year-old Charlotte Stevens from Primrose National School in County Kildare who now goes forward to compete in the All-Ireland Eason Spelling Bee final in The Helix on Thursday, June 14.

The winning school will receive a collection of books for their library to the value of 7,500. The Spelling Bee winner will be awarded books worth 500 and the prestigious title of the 2018 Eason Spelling Bee champion.

The Eason Spelling Bee encourages kids throughout the country to practice their spelling, to read more and strives to instil greater confidence when it comes to literacy and spelling, from a young age.
A West Wicklow family at risk of homelessness say they have given up searching for a new home and are leaving Ireland as they feel 'let down'.

Brian Phelan, his partner Jo Allen and their four-year-old son Sam have been looking for a suitable property in their hometown of Blessington for over six months.

They say that as they are due to lose their current home in less than a month, as it is being sold, they have no choice but to move in with family in the UK.

'We have been looking for somewhere new to rent since last year. We were approved for 1,350 on the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme but we couldn't find anywhere. We need an accessible house as Jo suffers with Fibromyalgia and uses a wheelchair so either the houses we looked at were unsuitable or else HAP wasn't accepted. We couldn't even get emergency accommodation from the council,' Brian said.

The family even moved their search further south in Wicklow to no avail.

They say they will be soon moving to live with Jo's family in Bournemouth on the south coast of England and have 'given up' on the Irish system.

'We are not angry or bitter. We are just really disappointed and sad that it has come to this. I have been living in Blessington for 30 years. I'm 45 now and we have built a life here.

'I run an Extreme Fitness Group, Jo supports others with Fibromyalgia and Sam is going to pre-school locally. He will be graduating next month and after that we will have to say goodbye to all this and start all over again,' he said.

Brian said that the stress of their situation has had a major impact on his and Jo's health.

'Jo is confined to bed as the stress has worsened her condition and my doctor says that it has created mental health issues for me.

'We hope that things will be better once we have moved. At the moment we are selling everything we have as we can't take it with us. We feel let down by the system and we hope that the same thing doesn't happen to others.'
People illegally dumping their household waste into public bins is believed to be one of the reasons why street bins within the district have been overflowing with waste recently.

Cllr John Snell raised the issue at Monday's Municipal District meeting and noted the number of bins left overflowing with waste in Wicklow town following the weekend.

He inquired if there had been a change of collection times which might have had an impact and was informed that no such change had taken place.

Councillors Gail Dunne and Shay Cullen noted similar problems.

'I was parked at the Greenhill Road carpark this morning and the bins are totally overflowing. On Sunday morning as well the town looked like quite a state and as if no collection had taken place,' said Cllr Dunne.

'We have had similar situations in Roundwood and Newtownmountkennedy. In fairness it's not because the waste isn't being collected, it's because of the sheer volume.

'The good weather has brought a lot of people out and that has increased the usage of the bins,' said Cllr Cullen, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow Municipal District.

District Engineer Paul Byrne said a big part of the problem was the amount of people using public bins to dispose of domestic waste.

Cllr Mary Kavanagh suggested two different types of public bins that the district might consider introducing.

'We have some big events taking place in Wicklow soon, like the Round Ireland and the Taste of Wicklow. Is there anyway we could look at those bins with a small opening? People run the risk of being seen if they have to take more time to dump their domestic waste. I think they would improve the reduction of household waste in the bins.

'Also you have compactor type bins, like the ones they have in Bray. All bins have lots of air in them. These types compress and expel the air so you can fit two to three times the amount of rubbish in them,' said Cllr Kavanagh.

Cllr Irene Winters advised against the compactor bins unless an agreement has been reached with outdoor staff beforehand.

She said: 'Those bins are solar-powered and cost around 2,500 to 3,00 each. They have them in Bray but they have never been used for compacting because no prior agreement had been reached with staff, who say they are too heavy to lift.'

Cllr John Snell also felt that bollards surrounding Market Square were proving to be unsightly because of the amount of times they were being struck or knocked down by vehicles.

He was particularly concerned that it would impact on the marks awarded by Tidy Towns judges to Wicklow.

Cllr Winters was of the opinion that some of the bollards should be removed al together.

'One or two of them have been completely taken out by buses. The buses are trying to turn a really tight corner where there are cars parked outside the chip shop. I think some of the bollards need to be permanently removed for the buses to turn,' said Cllr Winters.
Irish Water is about to commence a major upgrade of ageing water mains in the Dunbur area of Wicklow town.

The project, which is due to begin in the coming weeks, will involves decommissioning and replacing approximately 1.8 kilometres of ageing cast iron water mains, UPVC and asbestos concrete water mains. The areas that will benefit from these works are Dunbur Road, Dunbur Park, St Kevin's Terrace, Seaview Road and Seafield Road.

A spokesperson for Irish Water said that the works will help to cut down on leaks and ensure a safe water supply for years to come.

'The replacement of these ageing water mains in the Dunbar area in Wicklow will improve the security of supply for local residents and businesses. Replacing the existing water mains with a new modern pipes will provide a long term solution to ensure a safe and secure water supply is delivered to customers,' said Georgina O'Reilly, Regional Lead of the Leakage Reduction Programme at Irish Water.

The old water mains will be replaced with new high density polyethylene plastic pipes, which will reduce the risk of contamination and improve operation and maintenance costs as the network operation will require less maintenance in future.

The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers' property boundaries and connecting it to the customer's water supply. These works will be carried out by Ward and Burke Construction Ltd on behalf of Irish Water.

The works are due to commence in the coming weeks and should be complete by the end of July. Some short-term water shut-offs may be required but the project team has promised to give a minimum of 48-hours notice of these. Residents and businesses in the area have been notified and customers can phone Irish Water on 1850 278 278 if they have any questions.
Alisha Boe, from left, Katherine Langford, Derek Luke, Dylan Minnette and Miles Heizer arrive at the 13 Reasons Why FYSEE Event in Los Angeles (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

The creator of 13 Reasons Why has defended the shows graphic male rape scene and said producers had a responsibility to deal with the issue.

Season two of the Netflix series contains an episode where one student is attacked by three others before being assaulted with a mop handle.

The disturbing scene sparked a backlash from fans, who claimed it was too graphic.

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But the shows creator Brian Yorkey has defended the episode, saying writers had a responsibility to explore the issue of male sexual assault.

Speaking at a Netflix panel in Los Angeles, he described the process of how the storyline came about, explaining a writer brought in a news report of a student athlete sexually assaulting a weaker classmate with a pool cue.

Though the rest of the team initially thought the incident was too sensational, Yorkey said when they researched the subject they found dozens of similar cases over the last five years.

He said: And that is just the instances that were reported. We know that sexual assault is hugely under-reported, sexual assault with male victims is exponentially more under-reported than even sexual assault in general.

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Whatsapp Katherine Langford arrives at the 13 Reasons Why FYSEE Event in Los Angeles (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

And as a show that had already said we are going to tell the stories of sexual assault victims and survivors, and were going to tell them in a way that is unflinching and honest, we said, wow, not only does this seem a credible story to be told but in a way we felt there was an imperative to tell it. Because no-one was telling it.

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Yorkey then quoted statistics claiming one in six men will become victims of sexual assault, adding: That was a story that wasnt being told, it was a story that is happening in high schools today and we felt we not only had the opportunity but the responsibility to tell it.

Also speaking at the panel was Australian actress Katherine Langford, who plays the character of Hannah Baker.

Bakers suicide is the trigger for the entire series, but it had previously been hinted she would not be returning for a possible third season and Langford posted on Instagram to say goodbye to the character.

When asked about the character, Langford, 22, said: When we finished season two, it really felt like we were saying goodbye to Hannah. And I think overall it felt like time. I think 13 Reasons Why will always be a special part of my life, and I mean that sincerely.

Despite the fact she wont be in season three, if the show gets picked up for a season three, I know for myself I will always carry her story with me and the incredible story Ive had and able to share with this cast, the creatives and these fans.
The creator of 13 Reasons Why refused to confirm a third season of the teen drama but offered his thoughts on the direction he would like it to take.

The series centres around high school student Hannah Baker, who takes her own life after being raped. Season two arrived on Netflix earlier this year and has been controversial for its exploration of themes such as male sexual assault.

Speculation is already growing about a third season, although the shows creator, Brian Yorkey, refused to confirm it would return.

But, speaking at a Netflix event in Los Angeles, he did say what he would like potential new episodes to look like.

Asked what themes season three may explore, he said: I think the themes are inherent in the action of season two. Its a question of, is there more story to tell, do we want to see these kids not only continue to recover, but, how do they bring forward into their lives the things theyve learned after what theyve been through?

He added: We say goodbye to Hannah but as the 13 Reasons Why story goes forward, whether its on Netflix or just in the minds of fans, what happened to Hannah Baker will always be the first clause of the story.

The rest of the story is about young people, as so many young people  perhaps all young people have to do today  figuring out how to heal from the things that have hurt them, how to find a community out of isolation, how to come together to make the world they want it to be and not just the world theyre inheriting.

And above all how to take better care of each other.
Anne Hathaway was among the celebrities to support the #WearOrange movement in a stand against gun violence.

June 1 marked National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the start of this years Wear Orange Weekend, which began in memory of a 15-year-old girl shot and killed in Chicago in 2013.

Hadiya Pendleton was gunned down a week after performing at Barack Obamas second inaugural parade.

This year, Hathaway posted a picture to Instagram to lend her support to the movement.

The actress explained she was travelling and did not have any orange clothing so used a filter to colour in her top.

Alongside the picture, the 35-year-old wrote: Today I #wearorange to remember all those who have died, especially in schools, churches and movie theatres- spaces in which I grew up feeling safe but where the current generation cannot.

She added: I know Hollywood plays a part in the glamorization of guns, and that is something I am dealing with in recognition that change begins from within.

I would humbly like to remind everyone that movies are not real life, and the people who cant tell the different are exactly the people adequate mental health screening would help prevent from getting a gun. I also want to thank all the responsible gun owners who do not feel threatened by the call for common sense gun laws.

Video of the Day

Other celebrities to wear orange include the actress Marisa Tomei, Black Panther star Angela Bassett and Jeff Bridges.
Meghan Markle arrives with her mother, Doria Ragland, to have tea with the queen

Meghan Markle's mother's favourite part of the royal wedding was meeting Queen Elizabeth.

Doria Ragland has reportedly told friends that, aside from seeing her daughter marry Prince Harry, she loved meeting the British monarch.

A source told Us Weekly magazine: "Doria is saying the biggest highlight of the wedding, of course after watching her daughter say 'I do' to the man she loves, was meeting the queen. It would have been extremely intimidating for anyone, but Meghan and Harry really did a marvellous job of preparing her with what to expect."

Meanwhile, Meghan's make-up artist Daniel Martin previously revealed the Duchess of Sussex "gets her strength" from her mother Doria.

He shared: "Meghan draws a lot of strength from her mother. Doria is classy, chic and confident, but not unapproachable. I definitely feel Meghan gets a lot of that from her mother."

After it was revealed that Meghan's father Thomas Markle had to miss the couple's wedding because he had to undergo emergency surgery, it was thought that Doria would walk Meghan down the aisle but the honour ended up being handed to Prince Harry's father, Prince Charles.

A personal statement from Meghan released at the time read: "Sadly, my father will not be attending the wedding. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.

"I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support. Please know how much Harry and I look forward to sharing our special day with you on Saturday."

Expand Close Meghan Markle, right, and her mother Doria Ragland / Facebook

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Whatsapp Meghan Markle, right, and her mother Doria Ragland

Whilst a further statement from Kensington Palace added: "Ms. Meghan Markle has asked His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to accompany her down the aisle of the Quire of St George's Chapel on her Wedding Day. The Prince of Wales is pleased to be able to welcome Ms. Markle to The Royal Family in this way."
TV presenter Lucy Kennedy with daughter Holly at Fire Restaurant in Dublin for the launch of Cheerios Childline Breakfast 2017. Photo: Leon Farrell

TV presenter Lucy Kennedy, with four-year-old Jaden Somers, as the opening of Tesco's new 30 million store in Liffey Valley. Picture: Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography

Lucy Kennedy is one of the most enduring talents in Irish broadcasting.

In the noughties, she was RTE's fastest rising star with gigs on Podge & Rodge, the Ex Files and the first of her Livin' with Lucy series, and by 2012, she was hosting a breakfast show on 2FM with Baz Ashmawy. After eight years in, her time there came to end when she jumped ship to TV3, where she enjoys one of the highest profile presenting roles within the network.

And she's back on radio - this time around, she's with independent radio station NOVA and presenting alongside Colm Hayes, another former 2FM colleague, whom she was in the trenches with before network-wide restructuring in order to make it a more youth-oriented station.

"I'm in contract with NOVA and TV3, but technically I am self employed, which is by choice," she tells Independent.ie Style. "It's been this way for 10 years and I like being my own boss - I'm my own girlboss. It means I don't have to work when I don't want to and I don't have to present shows that don't appeal to me."

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Would she ever return back to Montrose? In 2013, she famously said that her new employers were showing her "more love in the past week and a half than RTE did in eight years" and she has positioned herself as an integral asset on TV3's primetime calendar.

"I dont know - I think the door to RTE will always be open, I did so much with them over the years and I have a lot of good friends who work there. I think that door is still open," she explained.

One of the shows that is high on her list of passion projects is the second chapter of Livin' with Lucy, and she is fresh from a weekend in Aslan frontman's Christy Dignam's home as she speaks of his dedication while continuing gigging around the country during his health battle.

"They are a really, really nice family. He's feeling okay, he still has cancer but he is fighting fit - we were in Limerick at a gig on Saturday night, which I'll probably get in trouble for saying," she says, before adding that she has six more celebrities to film with over the summer before the show returns, in his resurged form, on TV3.

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This summer is also a big one for personal reasons - she and husband Richard Governey will be celebrating their 10 year wedding anniversary in July, but they are together in total for 18 years.

"He's my lobster," she gushes. "The secret is a sense of humour, we still make each other laugh. We met when we were 23 at his sister's wedding. My sister is a friend of his sister and they did a bit of Cilla Black at her wedding. He made me laugh and I love funny guys and I thought then, 'Hmmm, this guys is different.

Video of the Day

"He probably doesn't find me vaguely amusing anymore but I think he's the funniest person I've ever met."

How will they be celebrating their milestone anniversary? "I'll probably live with my husband for a bit instead of a celebrity," she laughed.

Expand Close Lucy Kennedy and her children Holly and Jack Photo: Colm Mahady / Fennell Photography / Facebook

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While Lucy is enjoying a bit of a career renaissance, including being signed to a UK agent, she has ruled out a move across the water no matter the gig.

"I haven't even had time to meet them officially and discuss the plan. I'm choc a block until August. In September, I'll start looking again. The interest started a couple of years go, but I still wouldn't move to the UK, I've never had an interest in doing the London thing," she says.

"My babies are here and my family is here and I'm a homebird. The great part is that now you can present a show for the UK from Ireland, it's very exciting."

Lucy Kennedy was speaking at the launch of 60,000 Tesco Extra store in Liffey Valley, Dublin, which will stock the biggest range of F&F clothing and Tesco's Fox & Ivy homewares
People found a series of creative ways to celebrate National Doughnut Day in the US, and this police force is certainly no different.

Fort Worth police in Texas performed an impressive car stunt in honour of the sweet, gooey treats.

Video shows a police car creating circular tyre marks on a closed course on Friday.

The stunt was performed by a professional driver and the clip has racked up more than 29,000 views on Facebook in under 24 hours.

The force had been getting particularly festive on the day, posting a mocked-up image of one of their police cars sporting extra large doughnuts as tyres.

National Doughnut Day takes place on the first Friday in June each year, and sees doughnut shops across the nation distribute free ones.

It took off following a doughnut event set up by the Salvation Army in 1938, to celebrate its members who handed the treats to soldiers during the Great War.
Luigi Di Maio, leader of the Five-Star movement and Italys new Labour and Industry Minister with party colleagues at the Quirinal palace in Rome, Italy. Photo: Reuters

The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker says he "deeply regrets" comments he made that suggested that Italians in the south of the country were corrupt and lazy.

At a conference in Brussels, Mr Juncker said Rome needed to stop blaming the EU for its economic problems and that "Italians have to take care of the poor regions of Italy. That means more work, less corruption, seriousness."

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The remarks earned a furious response from Matteo Salvini, the head of the hard-right League party, who was sworn in as deputy prime minister and interior minister in Italy's new populist coalition yesterday.

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EU Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said that Mr Juncker's words had been interpreted in "a misleading way, because President Juncker loves Italy".

She listed recent initiatives Mr Juncker had taken which were beneficial to Italy, including his support to rebuild a medieval basilica in Norcia in Umbria, in the wake of a 2016 earthquake.

"There are words and there are facts and we prefer to focus on the facts, which in this case speak much louder than words," the spokeswoman said.

The row erupted between Brussels and the new coalition government before it was even sworn in.

As the new administration was in the process of being formed, Mr Juncker was asked about the economic situation in Italy, which has the second highest debt per capita in the EU after Greece.

"I'm in deep love with Italy. Bella Italia. But I can no longer accept that everything that is wrong in southern Italy is explained by the fact the EU, the European Commission won't do enough," he said in a question and answer session.

"Italians have to take care of the poor regions of Italy. That means more work, less corruption, seriousness.

"We will help them as we always did. But don't play this game of loading with responsibility the EU. A country is a country, a nation is a nation. Countries first, Europe second."

He added: "I have full confidence in the genius of the Italian people."

The remarks prompted an angry rebuke from Mr Salvini of the League. "Italians corrupt and lazy?" Mr Salvini wrote on Facebook. "Shameful and racist words, with the next government we will see we get the rights and dignity of 60 million Italians respected. [They] expect collaboration, not insults from Europe".

It was the latest spat between Brussels and the populists, who have edged back from threats to quit the eurozone but bridle at what they say is frequent and patronising lecturing by EU officials.

Turmoil

Both parties were angered this week when Guenther Oettinger, the EU's Budget Commissioner, suggested that turmoil on the financial markets could teach Italians not to be seduced by populists.

Such turbulence "could be a possible signal to voters not to choose populists from left and right," Mr Oettinger said.

Five Star were outraged by the remarks.

"The words of Commissioner Oettinger are absurd," Luigi Di Maio, the Five Star leader, wrote on Twitter.

"These people treat Italy as though it is just a summer colony where they spend their holidays."

The new government will be led by Giuseppe Conte, a law professor with no political experience who was plucked from obscurity to be made prime minister.

He and his 18 new ministers were sworn in yesterday afternoon.

Mr Conte has promised "a government of change".

The formation of the government comes after 88 days of political deadlock following the inconclusive election of March 4, when no single bloc or party won enough votes to command a majority.

 Daily Telegraph London

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
A week is a long time in politics, as Harold Wilson once famously said. This has been dramatically proved to be true by the sudden and unexpected collapse of the Spanish Government lead by Mariano Rajoy.

The challenger, Pedro Sanchez, Leader of the Socialist Party (PSOE), only submitted his vote of censure motion the previous week. Never before has this political manoeuvre succeeded and many predicted its failure.

Their wrong assumption was that the Basque conservative Party, PNV, would back Rajoy. They thought Rajoy had bought PNV's support with the very generous proposals in the recently agreed budget, which has still to be approved by the Rajoy- controlled Senate.

However, PNV sided with the other Basque and Catalan independence parties, to bring Sanchez to power. To get their support he promised the Catalan Independence parties meaningful dialogue in a better atmosphere, hinting at easing the legal and economic pressures placed on the Catalans.

This is good news for the Catalan nationalists who have become more depressed by the failure of Madrid to ease its legal, political and economic pressures on them, since they won the regional elections on December 21 last year. To bring our Irish readership up to date, it is worth briefly reviewing recent events.

Following the Independence Referendum held by the Regional Government (Generalitat) on October 1 and subsequent UDI Unilateral Declaration of Independence, the Spanish Government suspended the autonomous status of the region and imposed direct rule. Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy dissolved the Catalan Parliament and declared new regional elections. The first Catalan leaders were arrested, on charges related to the organisation of the October 1 Referendum, and ex-president Carles Puigdemont fled to Belgium,

However, the elections produced a narrow majority for the three independence parties, who moved to re-install Puigdemont as Regional President.

Then the Spanish Constitutional Court ruled that, to be elected, a candidate must be physically present in the Catalan Parliament. This effectively blocked Puigdemont, whose return would have meant arrest and jail.

Subsequently, 20 more Catalan leaders were indicted on charges of rebellion, embezzlement or disobedience. Some were jailed while several escaped abroad. Puigdemont was arrested in Germany on a European Arrest Warrant requesting his extradition to Spain.

Finally, just two weeks ago and almost five months after the regional elections on December 21, the Regional Parliament elected Quim Torra as the 131st president. Torra is a hard-line nationalist and a close associate of Puigdemont.

In close consultation with Puigdemont, who he regards as the "real" president, Torra has reinstated several former ministers who are in jail or on the run. The long-standing confrontation with Madrid continues, as PM Rajoy refused to sign the necessary Official Gazette to give effect to the ministerial appointments.

The arrested and absent deputies are remembered in Parliament by large yellow ribbons tied to their vacant seats. Many angry Catalan nationalists have accused Madrid of using the Spanish legal system to subvert the democratic process. The nationalist press refers to the incarcerated elected deputies, as 'political prisoners'. A central Government source countered that there are no political prisoners in Spain, only 'imprisoned politicians'.

A precondition for their release to attend in Parliament would be for them to vow to desist from further actions supporting the independence cause. Effectively, to renounce their aspirations for an Independent Catalonia.

Renounce or repent? Sounds a bit like the kind of choice once offered to those facing the Spanish Inquisition. Nationalists claim that Catalan independence is being treated as a heresy by Madrid rather than as a legitimate political aspiration.

What happens next to Puigdemont is of crucial importance. A prolonged delay in Germany is possible should the case be referred to the German Supreme Court.

If extradited to Spain, he will be put in jail in Madrid. If released by the German Courts, he will return to Belgium to lead an executive in exile from his rented house in Waterloo, 16km south of Brussels.

From this house, it was planned that he would internationalise the Catalan situation. He would also guide the Regional Government in Barcelona, and decide on Generalitat policy, with the assistance of a proposed Council of the Republic. The nationalists' main objective is to persuade the Central Government in Madrid to suspend Direct Rule and keep Independence on the political agenda. As Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stated, as far back as January 17 when questioned by a Catalan MEP in Strasbourg, the only way forward is though dialogue. Madrid has avoided dialogue so far, but with Pedro Sanchez at the helm this is now possible.

Patrick Pearse declared the Irish Republic in 1916, but the Republic was only achieved in 1948. Even then we lost six counties along the way. It is only last October that Puigdemont declared the Catalan Republic. They have a long way to go yet.
An online campaign has been started to replace funds stolen from an Irish priest when he was robbed at gunpoint while working in a parish in Peru.

Father Gerard Desmond was returning to Christ the Liberator parish in San Juan de Lurigancho on April 28 from a bank in Lima when three men demanded the money he had just withdrawn.

The 70-year-old Irish-Columbian missionary priest had just taken out $2,000 (1,655) to pay the wages of builders who working on construction of the only primary school in the district and was adamant on not handing over the money.

Hes sort of stubborn in that way, but there was no way he was going to give up money that was going to help so many people, said Michael Kelleher, Fr Desmonds nephew.

Its weird, too, because he said he felt like someone was following him and then when he was nearly opening the doors the three guys just jumped him out of nowhere, Mr Kelleher told Independent.ie.

Two of the three men had guns and threatened to shoot if Fr Desmond didnt hand over the money. When he refused, he was hit in the head with the revolver butt and then shot above both knees.

He didnt even feel the pain at first so he was still holding onto [the money] till the second shot, said Mr Kelleher. Luckily, the bullets went through the fleshy part of his thighs and didnt hit anything life-threatening.

Luckily, an ex-policeman from Venezuela was working on a nearby building site and witnessed what happened. He was able to temporarily bandage Fr Desmonds wounds and drive him to the nearest hospital.

Mr Kelleher said despite the trauma his uncle experienced, he was in good spirits only days after the violent attack. The Irish priest was ordained in 1969 has worked in Lima, Peru for the last twenty years.

According to Mr Kelleher, there was massive upset in the local area when news broke of Fr Desmonds injuries: Peru is very religious and priests are held in a very high regard, so for this happen theres huge outcry. The area the parish is in is a bit troubled so stuff like this happens all the time, but not to priests.

People gathered outside his house to show support, so it was nice to hear that the work he does is appreciated.

Fr Desmonds nephew said the focus is now on replenishing the funds lost in the attack. Over 1,000 of the 1,700 goal has been raised so far. Following the attack, the priest spent some time in America with family, but returned this Thursday to continue working to improve his parishs district.

He was in America visiting family and taking some time to recover, but now that he has returned we are just focusing on getting some of this money back so he can continue helping the people of Peru. Hes been there for twenty years now and its what he loves, so I dont think even something like this could deter him, said Mr Kelleher.



You can follow the progress of the campaign here.
US President Donald Trump said yesterday an unprecedented nuclear arms summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that the United States pulled out of will now go ahead as scheduled on June 12 in Singapore.

"I think it's probably going to be a very successful, ultimately a successful process," Mr Trump told reporters on the White House lawn after meeting with a senior North Korean official in the Oval Office.

Kim Yong-chol, a close aide to the North Korean leader, delivered a letter from Kim Jong-un to Mr Trump. The envoy was the highest level figure from the secretive state to hold talks at the White House since a senior envoy visited former president Bill Clinton in 2000.

Mr Trump first told reporters the letter from Mr Kim was "a very nice letter ... a very interesting letter" but then said he had not opened it.

Mr Trump appeared to significantly lower expectations for the outcome of the historic summit, frequently describing it as the start of a process and not the place where the two leaders were likely to sign any agreement. He said a number of summits might be required.

"Frankly, I said, 'Take your time,'" Mr Trump said.

It was a extraordinary softening of tone toward North Korea from a president who last year threatened to rain "fire and fury" on the country because of the threat its nuclear weapons and long-range missiles pose to the United States.

After exchanging threats and insults since Mr Trump became president last year, the US and North Korea have been trying to set up the summit between their leaders. Mr Trump wants to use the meeting to pressure Pyongyang into giving up its nuclear weapons.

Wall Street took word from Mr Trump that the summit was back on in its stride.

The S&P 500 added slightly to what were already healthy gains, then slipped back a few points to remain up 0.9pc in afternoon trade.

The US dollar index added modestly to a gain.

North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions have been a source of tension for decades, has made advances in missile technology in recent years but Mr Trump has sworn not to allow it to develop nuclear missiles that could hit the United States.

He wants North Korea to "denuclearise", meaning to get rid of its nuclear arms, in return for relief from economic sanctions but the leadership in Pyongyang is believed to regard nuclear weapons as crucial to its survival and has rejected unilaterally disarming.

Mr Trump had called off the summit late last month, citing North Korea's "tremendous anger and open hostility."
One single piece of gummy bear proved to be almost fatal for this 78YO woman. The unnamed woman consumed the candy which accidentally got lodged in her respiratory pipe.

Picture for Representation

The woman could have choked to death, but thanks for timely action by a doctor couple from Delhi she regained consciousness after they kept resuscitating her. The woman was resuscitated for almost 40 minutes.

The pilots, meanwhile, managed to secure emergency landing in Budapest where emergency care took over the medical management.

Budapest Airports AMS (Airport Medical Sevice) posted on its Facebook page later that the gummy bear was removed from the patients airway, which helped revived breathing and circulation.

Her blood pressure was also unrecordable. The patient was gasping. Her left pupil was dilated, which suggested neuro involvement. There was also wheezing, which suggested respiratory involvement. The cause of respiratory distress wasnt clear at that time, Dr Goel recounted.

He added that they put her on intravenous normal saline and started ventilating with AMBU bag mask ventilation and oxygen.

Their successful attempt was celebrated by the passengers and even the flight crew who gifted them a bottle of premium champagne. We did our job as doctors. Theres nothing extraordinary about it, the TOI quoted them as saying.
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are two of the most talked about celebrities in the recent times and the major reason has been rumors surrounding their 'fondness' for each other.

In a first, Ranbir Kapoor ended this suspense around his private life by talking about his affair with Alia Bhatt, which he claimed as 'new'.

The 'Brahmastra' co-stars, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have been often spotted together and the rumors escalated when they made an appearance together at Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja's reception in Mumbai.

Agencies

Ranbir and Alia have time and again spoken about each other and how fond they are of each other and this relationship has certainly come as a big surprise for everyone but we all did see this coming.

According to a TOI report, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt grew close on the sets of 'Brahmastra'in Bulgaria.

Twitter

Ranbir and Alia were in Bulgaria for the shoot of their film and pictures of Neetu and Ranbir from Alia's birthday party in Bulgaria did spark a lot of rumors back then.

While Ranbir has already spoken a lot about his relationship, we are eagerly waiting for Alia Bhatt has to say about the new development in her life.
This Sunday at Dresden Raceway will not only feature a great card of racing but will also include more giveaways than a normal week as its Business Improvement Association (BIA) day at the races.

The Dresden Business Improvement Association will be donating prizes for every race to go along with the track's daily t-shirt giveaways and daily prize packs from Tim Hortons, McDonalds, Wallaceburg Shoppers Drug Mart, Subway, The Track Kitchen and Marios Pizza.

Grand Bay will be looking to make it two in a row this week in just her third lifetime start. The three-year-old Badlands Hanover filly is owned by Jim Napper of Bothwell, Ont., trained by Cathy Gaudreau and will have Tyler Borth at the controls in the afternoon's fourth race.

Dresden Raceway races every Sunday through June and July as well as Civic Holiday Monday. Post time is 1:30 p.m.

To view Sunday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Sunday Entries - Dresden Raceway.

(Dresden Raceway)
Its almost an identical story, but in another continent. The Election Commission of India is facing questions on credibility of electronic voting machines in Botswana. Its testimony could be crucial to how that nation will hold its October 2019 general elections.

Diamond-rich Botswana is seeing heated political debates over using EVMs imported from India. The Opposition Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has moved court against the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) governments amendments to electoral laws that enabled the use of EVMs.

AFP

BCP has contended that EVMs were aimed at getting a favourable result for BDP. The BDP government, in turn, has sought ECIs deposition, even as the Botswana Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) argued that EVMs would speed up the electoral process.

ALSO READ: Election Commission Will Hold EVM Challenge From June 3 To Prove That Machines Are Tamper-Proof

Botswana government and its election commission has requested ECIs experts to depose before a court on the merits of using EVM, an insider confirmed to ET. They have asked ECI officials to hold a demonstration of the EVM and VVPAT in court to dispel doubts over the machines. A delegation from Botswana led by its election commissioner was at ECI on Wednesday with a request that 4-5 EVMs be dispatched for demonstration and deposition in a Botswana court. The ECI, however, is in a bind over the request, considering the acrimony at home already.

BCCL

The Aam Aadmi Party, among others, created an uproar last year saying that Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL), which manufactures the EVMs, was to participate in an EVM hackathon in Botswana. While BEL denied that it would be use any EVM meant for Indian elections, questions were raised on taking an EVM abroad and how it could become susceptible to hacking or misuse.

BCCL/Representational Image

The full Commission would soon take a decision on Botswanas request, keeping all concerns in mind, the insider told ET. The sparsely-populated country has 57 constituencies and around 6,000 polling stations. The delegation from Botswana that comprised technical and legal experts, besides representatives of the Botswana election authority, feel that deposition and demonstration of the EVM by ECI officials would considerably help their case for EVM deployment. IEC has been in discussion with ECI for the last six months over the possibility of using EVMs. Considering the limited number of polling stations, ECI officials estimate that India could easily manufacture the number of EVMs Botswana requires within 2-3 industrial days.
Tourists visiting the Taj Mahal and Red Fort in Agra, Uttar Pradesh will now no longer need to wait in long queues for buying tickets.

Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ticketing website BookMyShow and Yatra.com, an online travel agency, to allow tourists to book tickets online for 141 monuments, museums, and historic sites.

The e-ticketing is programme is being presented to improve tourism keeping it in line with the governments Digital India initiative, launched to promote e-governance.

Reuters

In 2016, more than 42 million people visited the 115 centrally protected ticketed monuments across the country, according to the data from the ministry of tourism.

Domestic travellers accounted for the vast majority, with merely 2.4 million visitors coming from abroad.

India's 10 most popular monuments by number of visitors in 2016

Ministry of Tourism

Indias most sought after monument, Taj Mahal, recorded 4.5 million visitors, both domestic and foreign, in 2016.

AFP

E-ticketing is expected to make things easier for the visitors as well as the authorities managing the crowds. While e-ticketing may give a major boost to easy tourism, Indias protected monuments are lying in tatters, with the Taj Mahal turning green and brown. Ticketing may soon meet the international standards, but the monuments itself need massive help to stop them from deteriorating.
PTI/ Representational Image

The educational institutions were earlier schedule to re-open on June 5, however, with more deaths being reported in Wayanad, Kannur and Malappuram, besides Kozhikode, the government has decided to extend the date to June 15. Read more

Here's more top news of the day:





1) Goons Vandalize Mosque And Thrash Muslims Offering Namaz In Haryana

afp

Muhammad Imran, one of the victims, told ANI, "We were offering Namaz like all other days, and suddenly a group of 20-25 people walked in and attacked us. We were threatened. Those people told us that if we offer Namaz again, we will be killed." Read more

2) Deadly Newcastle Virus Kills 22 Peacocks In Gurugram

Reuters/Representational Image

After the death of 22 peacocks in Bhondsi over the past 15 days, the authorities have confirmed the outbreak of Virulent Newcastle Disease (VND) among peacocks in the city. Read more

3) Following The Death Of 13 Schoolchildren, Railways To Hire Retired Railwaymen To Man Unmanned Level Crossings

reuters/representational image

After the tragic death of 13 schoolchildren at an unmanned level crossing in Uttar Pradesh, Indian Railways have decided to re-hire retired railwaymen for the job. The retired railwaymen will be deployed at all such vulnerable crossings and has set up a committee to expedite the process. Read more





4) Protesters Run Over By Paramilitary Vehicle In J&K, CRPF Says Driver Acted In Self Defence

AFP

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) driver has been accused of running over on two protesters in Srinagar on Friday. One youth has been killed and another was injured after being driven over by the vehicle. However, CRPF has defended the driver. Read more

5) Make Jingles To Educate Shimla Residents On Conserving Water, Tells Himachal High Court

PTI

Himachal Pradesh High Court has come up with a solution to conserve water in dry Shimla. The state high court has advised civic authorities to set up WhatsApp group and prepare jingles to educate Shimla residents on conserving water. Read more
The most beloved monument of India, Taj Mahal is changing colours - literally. The monument is facing new hazards in terms of air pollution.

The green and black patches developed on the walls of Taj Mahal, and are emerging again due to insect attack. After directions from the Supreme court, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is once again set to start mud pack treatment on the marbled monument. Since 2015, the chemical branch of ASI has many a times initiated the therapy to remove blackish-green stains left after the insect attack.

reuters

Also Read: How Insect Poop Is Making Taj Mahal Turn Green And Black

First it was yellow and now it is becoming brown and green. The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the change of colour - now from green to brown - of the iconic Taj Mahal at Agra and said the monument had become yellowish earlier and was now turning brown and green. The Supreme Court has now asked centre to fix this problem for good.

Getting outside help

"Perhaps we need some expert organisation from outside India unless there is a decision that the Taj has to go, you can get experts from India as well as from outside," the bench said. The top court perused the photographs placed before it by petitioner MC Mehta and asked Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni, who was representing the government, as to why the colour of Taj Mahal has changed, reported PTI.

reuters

According to Vimlendu Jha, Secretary of Swechha, a foundation raising awareness for environment, the SC has been paying special attention to the Taj Mahal and it's maintenance. "There are a variety of factors affecting the Taj Mahal's colour, the particular kind of insect being the primary cause. However, there are numerous other factors that the government administration is responsible for," he said.

Stop construction

The Taj Mahal is supposed to be a buffer zone. However, the directives given by SC to stop construction, and passing the buck among the authorities has caused the degradation of the Taj to a great extent. Jha said.

reuters

Taj being a popular tourist destination, numerous hotels and residential areas are mushrooming across the Delhi-Agra stretch. This has raised the air pollution level and Delhi now ranks among the topmost polluted cities in the world.

Plant More Trees

The air quality index around Agra is not exactly appreciable. Trees help improve the quality of environment. Period.

"While the people are indulging in religious and ownership battles over the Taj, the least amount of attention is being paid to its conservation. The maintenance of Taj is not limited inside its boundaries, but majorly outside it. We can only hope that the government realises this before the pride of India- The Taj Mahal is completely degraded." Jha informed.

Drastic measures

The reduction in water pollution will directly affect the condition of Taj. The insect that thrives in the stagnant river of Yamuna is there due to the high amount of pollution in the water. However, relocating some of the factories will reduce the toxic waste going into the river. "And perhaps with time even the flow of the river will come back, resulting in the complete vanishing of the insects that are ruining the Indian monument," Jha said.
It is always a tough battle when Standardbred horse turn age four. They are no longer colts and fillies but horses and mares. And with age comes the challenge of facing older formidable foes on the racetrack.

Such is the case for Kinnder Dangerous. This four-year-old gelded son of Northern Escort is coming off a good season in 2017 where he won five times and was second in the $65,000 Breeders Cup finale.

Now he is a big older, a bit more mature and by the looks of his first race back last Sunday at 3R, ready for action according to his breeder, owner and trainer, Denitza Petrova of Melbourne.

Yes, he grew a bit this winter, said Petrova. He is about 16 hands now and is a robust horse.

Last Sunday Kinnder Dangerous made his first start of the 2018 harness racing season after two decent qualifying efforts for driver Justin Filion, Petrovas significant other.

In that race he got away in fourth place and then by the half-mile marker Filion found second-over cover. Then in the backstretch Filion swept three-wide and collared pacesetter Lucky Promesses and driver Jerome Lombart on the final turn.

Filion and Kinnder Dangerous were able to clear by Lucky Promesses at the top of the stretch and Kinnder Dangerous then went on to win with ease by three and three-quarter lengths in a lifetime best 1:59.1 clocking.

He was ready to go a good mile, Petrova said. I knew that, but a race is a race, so you never know. I was very happy with his last half mile.

Now Kinnder Dangerous faces the next challenge as he drew post five in Sundays sixth race Invitational Trot where he faces eight rivals. He is listed as the 4-1 third choice in the field.

The favourite is Caroluzzo from post three for driver Stephane Gendron. The nine-year-old scored his first win of the year two starts back in 1:59.4 and last week was three lengths back in Rocky Boys 1:57.2 score.

Torches Angel, who has won three of her last five starts, leaves from post 7 with Stephane Brosseau in the sulky and in post 8 is rival Capteur De Reve for driver Pierre Luc Roy. He was the champion of the three-year-olds last year. Both horses are prepping for the upcoming Quebec-Bred Series at H3R.

Other competitors in the field include HP Run Like Mom (post 4), Holiday Party (post five) and the good mare Lucky Promesses (post 2).

The competition is very strong in the Invitational Trot for sure, Petrova said. He got the job done last year as a three-year-old from post 8. We will see how it goes now. Its just his second start of the year on Sunday.

Justin Filion turned age 45 on Thursday and was not surprised by Kinnder Dangerouss big win last week.

I really was not surprised, Filion said. When he is feeling good he is always a strong closer. The racing season is just getting started and so far, he seems better every time he is on the track. Most of these horses he goes against Sunday are very nice classy trotters, so the competition is strong. Depending on how the race goes, I think he can do good.

"His first race gave Justin and me several reasons to glimpse this season with confidence," Petrova explained. It was a win in 1.59.1, the last half under one minute and last quarter in 29 seconds. It will be tougher this week, but he must be ready to fight because the Quebec Series will start for him on Tuesday, June 12. "

And speaking of birthdays, Petrova was very happy to announce that on May 22, her mare, Majestic Joy, the mother of Kinnder Dangerous, had given birth to a colt, who is a full brother to Kinnder Dangerous.

"I had owned the stallion Northern Escort, now in service in Indiana and kept a share so I could continue to breed to him, Petrova said. The mare is a Quebecer, so we will have a brother to Dangerous who hopefully will race in Quebec in two years."

Petrova names all her homebred horses with the first name of Kinnder. Its named after the world-renowned chocolate egg that comes with a little toy inside it. Petrova loves the chocolate since she first came to Quebec from Bulgaria and has a massive collection of the toys.

This season Petrovas Stable, with Filion driving, is red-hot. In six starts they have three winners, a batting average of .500 and more Kinnders on the way.

But will you see Petrova in the winners circle or the race paddock on race days? The answer is no.

Since we have the training and breeding farm in Melborne, there is so much work to do, Petrova said. So, I do the work at the farm while Justin is at the races. If not, we will never get the work done and especially this time of year when we take care of the newborns and I am into the breeding season. But, I never miss a race, always looking on them on my phone. Later this season I will go to the races when things slow down a bit.

First race post time Sunday is 12:50 p.m. To view the entries for Sunday's card, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Hippodrome 3R.

(with files from the Quebec Jockey Club)
Absolute vs. Comparative Advantage: An Overview

Absolute advantage and comparative advantage are two important concepts in economics and international trade. They largely influence how and why nations and businesses devote resources to the production of particular goods.

In isolation, absolute advantage describes a scenario in which one entity can manufacture a product at a higher quality and a faster rate for a greater profit than another competing business or country can accomplish.

Comparative advantage differs in that it takes into consideration the opportunity costs involved when choosing to manufacture multiple types of goods with limited resources.

1:18 What Is The Difference Between Comparative Advantage And Absolute Advantage?

Key Takeaways Absolute advantage and comparative advantage are two concepts in economics and international trade.

Absolute advantage refers to the uncontested superiority of a country or business to produce a particular good better.

Comparative advantage introduces opportunity cost as a factor for analysis in choosing between different options for production diversification.

Absolute Advantage

The differentiation between the varying abilities of companies and nations to produce goods efficiently is the basis for the concept of absolute advantage. Absolute advantage looks at the efficiency of producing a single product.

This analysis helps countries avoid the production of products that would yield little or no demand, leading to losses. A countrys absolute advantage, or disadvantage, in a particular industry, can play an important role in the types of goods it chooses to produce.

As an example, if Japan and Italy can both produce automobiles, but Italy can produce sports cars of a higher quality and at a faster rate with greater profit, then Italy is said to have an absolute advantage in that particular industry.

In this example, Japan may be better served to devote the limited resources and manpower to another industry or other types of vehicles, such as electric cars, in which it may enjoy an absolute advantage, rather than trying to compete with Italy's efficiency.

While absolute advantage refers to the superior production capabilities of one entity versus another in a single area, comparative advantage introduces the concept of opportunity cost.

Comparative Advantage

Comparative advantage takes a more holistic view, with the perspective that a country or business has the resources to produce a variety of goods. The opportunity cost of a given option is equal to the forfeited benefits that could have been achieved by choosing an available alternative in comparison.

In general, when the profit from two products is identified, analysts would calculate the opportunity cost of choosing one option over the other.

For example, assume that China has enough resources to produce either smartphones or computers. China can produce 10 computers or 10 smartphones. Computers generate a higher profit.

Therefore, the opportunity cost is the difference in value lost from producing a smartphone rather than a computer. If China earns $100 for a computer and $50 for a smartphone then the opportunity cost is $50. If China has to choose between producing computers over smartphones it will select computers.

History of Absolute Advantage & Comparative Advantage

Adam Smith helped to originate the concepts of absolute and comparative advantage in his book, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Smith argued that countries should specialize in the goods they can produce most efficiently and trade for those goods they can't produce as well.

Smith described specialization and international trade as they relate to absolute advantages. He suggested that England can produce more textiles per labor hour and Spain can produce more wine per labor hour so England should export textiles and import wine and Spain should do the opposite.

Following Adam Smith's research, British economist David Ricardo built on his concepts by more broadly introducing comparative advantage in the early 19th century.

Ricardo has become well-known throughout history for his musings on comparative advantage. Building on research from Adam Smith along with Robert Torrens, Ricardo explains how nations can benefit from trading even if one of them has an absolute advantage in producing everything.

In other words, countries must choose to diversify the goods and services they produce which requires them to consider opportunity costs.
By David Raleigh

Tributes have flowed in for a father of two and former Labour Party councillor who tragically lost his life in a house fire in Limerick city this morning.

The deceased, named locally as Seamus Houlihan, was found dead at around 1.30am lying on the floor of an upstairs bathroom by his son James, also a former councillor, and neighbour Ger Conway.

Mr Houlihan, who was aged in his early 80s, was elected to Limerick City Council in 1998, and was a well-known champion of rights for the elderly.

He was also well known as an active member of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament national organisation.

Mr Houlihan's home. Pic: Press 22

Mr Houlihan's son, James, who had been living with his father, discovered the family home on fire as he returned to the property, located at Rose Court, Keyes Park, Southill, with his partner, in the early hours of this morning.

Gardai said he discovered the house filled with smoke and his father unresponsive.

A garda spokeswoman said the scene was preserved for technical examination, but, that, gardai believed the fire was "accidental".

It is understood the fire was caused by an electrical fault, however gardai said their inquiries are ongoing.

A clothes drier machine was removed from Mr Houlihan's house by authorities investigating the fire.

Ger Conway, a next-door neighbour, who tried to help James Houlihan bring his father to safety, said: I could hear James shouting dad, dad, dad. So I jumped out of bed.

"James opened the door, and I was behind him, and the smoke came out and hit us.

The smoke was tremendous.

James ran up the stairs and I ran up behind him and Seamus was on the ground, inside in the bathroom. He wasn't breathing.

I said to James to open all the windows to let the smoke out. It was (hard to see) because I had my shirt (pulled) up to me. The smoke was terrible.

Mr Conway, 61, said despite their best efforts they couldnt revive Mr Houlihan.

I was pulling Seamus, I was shaking him, and calling his name, but there was no movement out of him, nothing at all.

The fire brigade came so quick then and they ran in with the oxygen masks.

Mr Conway helped save one of Mr Houlihans two beloved pet dogs. One of the dogs was pronounced dead at the scene.

We brought one into the sitting room but he was dead, but we got the other fella back to life, and they took him to the vet.

Mr Conway said that when he entered the house there was about half a foot of water inside the property.

Asked about this gardai said their investigation was ongoing.

Paying tribute to the deceased, Mr Conway said: It was a terrible thing to happen. Seamus was a lovely, quiet man, and so was his (late) wife. They are a lovely quiet family.

Seamus Houlihan. Pic: Press 22

Mr Houlihans wife Geraldine passed away peacefully at the family home two years ago.

Former Minister for Education, and Labours only TD for Limerick, Jan OSullivan, also paid tribute to Mr Houlihan.

It's a huge shock. My sympathy goes out to Seamuss two sons James and Kieran, Deputy OSullivan said.

Seamus was a very good public representative and a very nice man. After he stopped being a councillor he was involved in the senior citizens parliament, lobbying politicians about senior citizens rights.

He was a real mark on the Southill community and hell be sadly missed by everyone.

Neighbours in the close knit area said they were in shock.

Helen Moloney, a close friend, fought back tears as she spoke of hearing the tragic news.

She said: Seamie and Geraldine were my daughters godparents. We're here 52 years and they were here before us, and were always friends.

He was a very quiet man. He was a peace commissioner at one time. He worked in the royal cinema years ago. He used to show the films there.

I'm heartbroken. Ill miss him. He was a good neighbour.

Another neighbour, Marie Hannon, said: I'm in shock, shock, total shock. You wouldn't meet a nicer person.

Mr Houlihan, predeceased by his wife Geraldine, is survived by his sons James and Kieran.
Silence, in this country, has been a sort of malignant tumour  a virus you inherit at birth and pass along the family tree, writes Joyce Fegan.

We are only as free as the stories we tell.

When I was young my brothers would joke that I was off writin poetry.

One Christmas I got a typewriter and for a long time afterwards I busied myself with typing. I would mostly write never-to-be-sent letters using phrases such as on behalf of. I never once wrote a single line of poetry. At six or seven years of age, I had interpreted off writin poetry as some sort of slight  any attempt at storytelling was something to be ashamed over.

Rebecca Solnit: Liberation is always in part a storytelling process.

In the postmortem of our recent referendum, which took the form of tweets, Facebook posts, radio debates, and newspaper articles, there was one phrase, for me, that rendered all other rhetoric mute.

Personal stories are precious things. To speak can be to suffer twice, especially if you do not know how your story will be heard, wrote Anne Enright.

The novelist was talking about how the telling of personal stories, not Citizens Assemblies, not Oireachtas committees, not posters, was what impacted voters decision-making the most. According to RTEs exit poll, 77% of voters said they were influenced by personal stories in the media or by the experiences of people they knew.

Brave people aired their pain in public, risking a repeat suffering, not knowing how their truth would go down.

Enright also discussed how this countrys older generation is one well versed in silence, where stories are taken to the grave, never to be told in this lifetime.

If you look at the breakdown by age of those who voted, the oldest generation, which was the most conservative, was one in which this kind of speech [public storytelling] was almost impossible  these women might as well have been mute, she wrote.

In pre-referendum Ireland, younger women told their stories. Rarely, if ever, did we hear from women in their 50s and beyond.

Silence, in this country, has been a sort of malignant tumour  a virus you inherit at birth and pass along the family tree. Do not air your dirty laundry in public should have been enshrined in our Constitution.

In a story piled high with injustice, there was one scene in the 2013 film Philomena that seemed to me to be the most cruel. It was where Philomena Lee finds out that her son Anthony (renamed Michael), who she was forced to give up for adoption in 1952, had come looking for her before his death  not once, not twice, but three times. She had been looking for him, but the two had never been connected.

What was her reaction? Not one of righteous rage, no, just stoicism. It was her lack of complaint, lack of anger, when faced with this final injustice, that seemed most cruel to me. After decades of silence and wrong-doing was she not even entitled to her pain?

This week I read an essay called Silence is Broken by Rebecca Solnit, from her book, The Mother of All Questions.

Silence is the ocean of the unsaid, the unspeakable, the repressed, the erased, the unheard, she writes.

This week in post-repeal Ireland, the political debate turned to legislation, the chattering classes talked about the bishop who urged yes voters to go to confession, and there were discussions in the media about religious tolerance in a secular Ireland.

Meanwhile, all I could think of was those men and women who are still sworn to silence, whose generational code prohibits them from breaking it.

Silence is what allows people to suffer without recourse, what allows hypocrisies and lies to grow and flourish, crimes to go unpunished. If our voices are essential aspects of our humanity, to be rendered voiceless is to be dehumanised or excluded from ones humanity, writes Solnit, in her essay that I kept rereading.

While some in our society found their voice in 2018, will their courage encourage others to do the same?

As we know, there are many hurts in our countrys history. We have elderly women who chased cars down driveways as teenagers while their newborn babies were being taken from them. We have other women who were shamed for keeping the child they had out of wedlock. As I heard an older woman recall last week: If you were a single parent in Ireland, even up to the late 80s, some people treated you like you had leprosy.

We have much hurt to undo, we have much pain to heal, and we have any amount of stories to tell.

Around about the age of 12 or 13, I heard Seamus Heaneys poem Digging, talking about how his fathers ability to cut turf was like a form of art, his grandfathers too. By God, the old man could handle a spade. Just like his old man, writes Heaney, who finishes up by saying, But Ive no spade to follow men like them. Between my finger and my thumb the squat pen rests. Ill dig with it. Hearing those words helped me realise that storytelling was as important an endeavour as farming, teaching, building, nursing, and number-crunching.

But not until last weekend did I realise just how healing storytelling could really be.

Liberation is always in part a storytelling process: Breaking stories, breaking silences, making new stories. A free person tells her own story. A valued person lives in a society in which her story has a place, writes Solnit.

Over the course of 2018 and before, women told us their stories and we listened. There are many more stories still to be heard. Maybe some will be told at kitchen tables, perhaps some will take the form of letters sent from Canada, Australia, or Dubai, and others will slip out over phone conversations about the weather. They do not need to be for Late Late Show consumption.

Whatever your story, find the courage to tell it, we are ready to listen.
A five-year plan to put personal stories and medical facts, not legal and religious arguments, at the heart of the campaign, resulted in a repeal of the Eighth Amendment. Political Correspondents Elaine Loughlin and Fiachra O Cionnaith reveal the behind-the-scenes blueprint of how the race was won.

IN EARLY February, Yvonne Judge started making phone calls. She had to preface each new conversation with an apology.

Ms Judge was sorry she had to make the call but hoped the woman might have the courage to speak out about their lonely trip to England or the fear they experienced while taking a pill in their bedroom so many other women would be spared the same experience.

It was those difficult conversations which led to the likes of Tracey Smith and her husband Ciaran appearing on the Late Late Show to tell the heartbreaking story of the loss of a very much wanted daughter Grace.

A yes would mean Grace could rest in peace, she told Ryan Tubridy.

Ms Judge, a former RTE producer, had first got in touch with the Co Mayo mother months before the referendum. Ms Smith would go on to tell the nation the story of Grace, who was diagnosed with a fatal foetal abnormality and whose ashes eventually arrived back home seven weeks after her parents had travelled for a termination in the UK.

It was these personal stories highlighted in the media which influenced the 43% of the vote according to an RTE exit poll. For a further 34%, it was the experiences of people they knew.

At the beginning, it was very difficult to get people to speak out, there were a few very strong voices who had been the trailblazers, Together for Yes campaign director Deirdre Duffy said.

But as the campaign went on, people who maybe Yvonne had been in touch with earlier came back to her and said I want to speak out, I am ready to tell my story.

They didnt want the no side to be saying certain things without being corrected, there was a real feeling of moral responsibility.

Andrea Horan with Deirdre Duffy

For the yes side, giving voice to the negative reality the Eighth Amendment had created in this country over 35 years was a key strategy in their campaign.

And so Ms Judge was tasked with responsibility for storylab which would gather personal accounts and would support those who came forward through the emotional turmoil and anxiety that came with that personal exposure.

While many couples and women came out to advocate for both sides, it was the lived experiences of women who were forced to travel abroad for terminations or take unregulated pills in the isolation of their own homes that Together for Yes knew would cement their campaign.

These personal and often emotional accounts, coupled with the fact-based analysis of doctors and medics who had been hamstrung by the Eighth was the key message they wanted to get across.

After the Late Late Show, Ms Judge said Ms Smith and her husband became empowered and also did an interview with the BBC, but the team were very aware that for many telling their story to a journalist took so much out of them and they could not ask the same women to retell their experiences again and again.

Tracey was so powerful and I know that the day would come that they would need someone on television, and I knew she would have to strength to do it. She said to me: If we woke up on the 26th and we thought that we hadnt done enough then we would have been so disappointed.

Those in Together for Yes had to respect the fact that these were ordinary women not used to the spotlight.

Another woman from the south of Ireland who took an abortion pill, agreed to go on radio without revealing her name.

Ms Judge said she told her: I am perfectly normal. I dont have purple hair. I have never been on a march. I make sandwiches for the GAA.

Likewise, Sinn Feins Louise OReilly said: I think it was the personal stories actually, and the women of the Eighth and in her shoes, people were reading about that.

However, all of this did not fall into place. It required meticulous planning, five years of focus groups, the creation of an accessible IT system, the roll-out of branding, messaging and a clear-cut communications strategy.

More than anything, Together for Yes succeeded by seeking and obtaining buy-in from political parties, civil organisations and large numbers of the general public who volunteered their time which made for a tightly co-ordinated campaign.

LONG TIME COMING

The personal story-focussed campaign was far from accident.

Instead, explains Together For Yes joint co-ordinator and long-time abortion rights activist Ailbhe Smyth, it was the culmination of a five-year plan first drawn up in the aftermath of the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar.

Aware of how past campaigns had failed due to the focus on legal issues and the black and white row over the role of the Catholic Church in Irish society, Ms Smyth said from as early as 2013 activists were told womens personal stories about the Eighth Amendment coupled with clear medical information were the only way to fight the battle to come.

The Together For Yes campaign launch.

I would say as early as autumn 2013, after Savita and the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, myself, Sinead Kennedy and a number of others  I think 12 groups  got together to plan ahead, so the narrative you see now is not by accident, she told the Irish Examiner four days after last weekends referendum result.

We knew what we needed to do was to reach out beyond the feminists, pro-choice people and human rights groups to the general public, and the best way to do that was to tell personal stories alongside the voices of medical experts.

Focus groups we commissioned in 2013 were saying that, so while in a sense what happened can seem quite random, it was absolutely not.

Ms Smyth said after considering the responses from focus groups in 2013 and 2014, campaigners spoke more regularly about building up ground forces of support and creating a great big behemoth of a campaign based on personal stories and medical facts.

She said part of this strategy was to support politicians such as Independents4Change TD Clare Daly, Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy and Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger  who at that stage were relatively lone voices in seeking abortion reform  with a huge web of connections to help back up their Dail calls for change.

Ms Smyth said the plan gained further focus due to high-profile female personalities like journalist Roisin Ingle and author Tara Flynn, while they culminated last year during the citizens assembly recommendations and Oireachtas committee on the future of the Eighth Amendment.

After these two watershed moments, campaigners met last December to discuss forming an official umbrella group for the referendum which would recognise the value of womens experiences, and therefore the damage, harm and danger of the eighth.

It was agreed a nice, simple message of Together for Yes was needed, and that organisations like the Irish Family Planning Association, Abortion Rights Campaign, the Exile Project and In Her Shoes all agreed it should be led by a spine of stories from women coupled with medical evidence.

It was absolutely a grassroots movement, but it was also planned. It wasnt some bright Monday morning where someone said oh stories, thats a good idea, but this didnt just drop out of the sky either.

It was about breaking the stigma of abortion, because to win the referendum we needed to show we were not trying to change Irish society, just trying to recognise Irish society had changed, she explained.

BEST MADE PLANS

At the beginning of March, the referendum stepped up a gear and Ms Duffy, who had been giving legal advice to the coalition to repeal the Eighth, came on board as full-time campaign manager for Together For Yes.

Amy Rose Harte was also employed as a full-time communications manager.

We were all working off the same page. We wanted to be clear and we wanted to be unified,  said Ms Duffy.

By the time it came to the beginning of this year, we had a clear strategy, but it was also clear that the no campaign were very well organised and they were knocking on doors.

The group quickly mobilised to get their branding and messaging finalised.

We had to set up from scratch, that involved an entire IT system, management systems and oversight  the more boring aspects  but I think thats one of the reasons that by the end we were organised and were humming very well.

By March 20, when the campaign was officially launched at the Rotunda Hospital they felt they had the message of care and compassion set in stone, so much so that Ms Duffy reflects that the same communication strategy was being deployed in the final days of the campaign.

The Together for Yes team encouraged unity by getting as many people involved in the campaign.

Every Tuesday, members from the 97 civil groups that lent support could log on to the lunchtime webinar that focused on messaging, while on Thursdays a more general webinar was hosted to discuss other elements of the campaign.

What was key to keeping all those tentacles unified were those communications channels, we worked very hard in the first weeks to make sure that communication networks were set up and that people felt that they could give feedback and they would be listened to.

Whatsapp and Facebook groups were also set up to help grassroots volunteers keep up to date on canvases.

Broadcaster Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain, who canvassed both in Dublin and Mayo, said: I found out about this group on Twitter and then other people linked up on Facebook and another friend then set up a Whatsapp, people that I dont necessarily know but now we are all in touch with each other to find out what day we were going out.

As the campaign gained momentum in the last 10 days, the Together For Yes group rolled-out their well-planned Get out to vote drive as a way of finally drawing those on the fence to the yes side.

On May 25, we come together.



Tomorrow, lets do better.



Be caring and compassionate.



Tomorrow, we vote together. Together to vote. Together for Yes. #together2vote #together4yes pic.twitter.com/xBsrAFLtYu  Together for Yes (@Together4yes) May 24, 2018

They held two weekend webinars on April 29 and May 13 to help drive those on the ground. Canvass leaders from Dublin came into HQ while those taking charge of canvasses around the country logged in remotely.

The regular campaigning, postering and canvassing became utterly turbo charged by the technology that was also deployed. A number of IT experts who volunteered their time created an online platform which translated local canvassing into a really efficient machine and provided an overall outlook.

Volunteers, whether they be mothers who gave up one evening a week or students who canvassed on campus, could log on to a specially created platform and input data after knocking on doors or manning stands.

They were asked to record the number of yes, no and maybe responses and any issues or concerns that came up on the doorsteps. By monitoring what the public was saying from Ballydehob to Killybegs, the campaign had a rolling sense of how public opinion was shifting.

It allowed us to track exactly when the maybes were beginning to turn and we could focus on that, the maybes did turn but the nos largedly stayed steady.

POLITICS

While the movement was initially civil society led, Together for Yes was open to trade unions and political parties. It was clear from very early on that politicians and parties were migrating towards them and were happy to come under their umbrella.

Representatives from all the major political parties made their way to the Together For Yes headquarters on the other side of Merrion Square from the Dail at 10am every Tuesday.

Alison Spillane who was appointed Together for Yes political co-ordinator would take them through the messaging, provide updates and would share tallies from canvassing.

However, this was not purely one-way traffic and the political parties were also able to give their insights and provide guidance based on their own experiences of campaigning in previous referendums and elections.

Ms Duffy said the political expertise offered complimented and bolstered the energy of the civil movement.

Together For Yes aimed to be a shared space for people from all political persuasions and none. There were of course some challenges because of local political rivalries but by the end of the campaign everyone was operating together.

Between February and March the Labour party, for example, produced mocked-up posters and messaging which they tested on other groups and parties who were also advocating for a Yes.

We were really focused on the middle ground, the undecideds, and the need for compassion, care and choice for women was pitched, said Labours head of communications Cathal McCann.

These issues were identified as what would appeal to people.

There were also interjections at key moments from the likes of Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin who gave a Dail speech. While the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar travelled to Tullamore, Co Offaly, in the last week in a bid to bring rural and middle Ireland with him.

TV DEBATES

In hindsight, the long-term focus on what people  even those who seemed reluctant to discuss the referendum on canvasses and in surveys  wanted to hear was potentially the yes campaigns saving grace.

Even in its potentially most difficult moment.

Two weeks out from the referendum day, eminent medical expert Dr Peter Boylan spoke at length on behalf of the yes campaign during a live TV debate with no campaigner Maria Steen and others on RTEs Claire Byrne Live programme.

Despite RTEs best intentions, the show quickly descended into an unseemingly cat-calling shouting match, with a larger than normal audience cheering and hollering support  and personal attacks  at those taking part.

Dr Boylan was among the most clearly targeted, telling the Irish Examiner in the calmer surroundings of a post-referendum victory it was worse than anything he had faced before.

However, despite the concern that the debate could turn the referendum in the no sides favour, he now says he knew the attempt to undermine the campaign would backfire.

Was I shaken? I was, yes, I was indeed. I would never have been subjected to that level of vitriol and abuse before. But to a certain extent, I think it backfired.

It was purely based on misinformation, and I thought, even at the time, it was just counter-productive to the no side. I thought, certainly, it backfired. There was an appetite for change, and when I was leaving the studio I certainly felt people still wanted to hear our message, he said.

The view was shared by Together for Yes communications manager Amy Rose Harte, who said the no side knew Peter was very strong and tried to target him to catch us off guard, but stayed playing our own game.

People wanted the personal stories to set the tone of the debate, it was never going to be mudslinging, we were never going to engage in a war of words because the tone was always set through the personal stories, she said.

In the lead-up to the Prime Time debate the following week, the live TV bouts again dominated headlines when it emerged prominent Love Both member Cora Sherlock had been pulled by pro-life campaigners from the show.

Despite strong rumours of a major fallout behind the scenes of the no side over whether to hold steadfast to their no abortion views or to allow restricted abortion in very rare circumstances, the reasons why remain unconfirmed.

However, both Ms Harte and Dr Boylan said the situation only underlined the fact the no side was becoming increasingly incoherent in its position while the yes side was staying true to its clearly set out plan of medical facts and personal stories dominating the debate.

You could see after the no side was changing their messages how it and the targeted abuse backfired, said Dr Boylan.

Before that, when I would scroll down through my Twitter feed there would be bots and you see they are following the National Rifle Association or Trump or whatever, so you know where theyre from.

But afterwards, that began to die off.

REPEAL

The resounding referendum result was not swayed by slick advertising, poster campaigns, political messaging or even televised debates.

It was won through conversations and experiences.

It was the raw emotion of normal women, the mothers, daughters, girlfriends, colleagues, sisters and wives or Ireland who came forward to tell their stories.

Accounts of couples bringing much-wanted babies home in their suitcase, fearful as they put their bags through airport security. Stories of the lonely trips made to strange cities and foreign medical institutions.

Recollections of other women frightened and in pain as they waited in their bedrooms for the pill bought over the internet to take effect. It was the cases where people were left in the wilderness in their own country without the medical care they deserved but which medics were unable to provide.

As Ms Harte puts it: People wanted the personal stories to set the tone of the debate, it was never going to be mudslinging, we were never going to engage in a war of words because the tone was always set through the personal stories.
The decision not to extend the Caranua fund for victims of abuse to former residents of mother and baby homes is disappointing.

The basis of the funds limitation is, essentially, a political fraud.

Caranuas 111m budget is based on a compensation fund pledged to the State by Catholic religious orders. It was designed to avoid legal liability for abuse to residents in homes that religious orders ran.

Instead, liability was addressed through the Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. It cost the public over 1.3bn in compensation payments to former residents of named institutions.

In fact, abuse liability was a State responsibility all along, in mainly religious insitutions governments franchised to carry out welfare, education, health and detention services.

The State has tried to put the squeeze on the same religious bodies to increase their pledges. There are a couple of reasons why this will not happen, one of which is outlined above.

A second very good reason is that the fund has a sectarian basis.

Caranua has awarded compensation to abused former residents of Protestant-ethos institutions, which paid nothing into the compensation fund. By tying the Caranua fund budget to monies paid in by Roman Catholic institutions, the State destroyed whatever slim chance it had of extracting more from that source.

Apart from briefly and unsuccessfully approaching the Smylys organisation in 2005, the State has not bothered with other Protestant institutions. Unsurprisingly, Protestant churches are keeping their heads down on the subject.

The State did a sectarian deal with the Roman Catholic Church in 2002 and is now paying the price, or rather has decided not to pay it any more. Those who were abused will, it seems, again be abandoned.

Niall Meehan

Faculty Head Journalism & MediaGriffith College, Dublin
Babies were sold to American couples and other wealthy people; sold at home in Ireland also. Records kept in the bowels of the Department of Foreign Affairs were spoken about by Dick Spring when he was minister of that department; he promised the release of these records decades ago; never done.

This issue is no secret. But maybe now is the time when younger people, elected representatives born after these scandals occurred, may be prepared to help us lift the lid on our awfully painful past. Behind all the illegally adopted people there were birth mothers who had their babies stolen from them without permission, and taken behind their backs. The percentage of permission given by mothers, if at all, was so small as to be almost non-existent.
The State has been aware illegal birth registrations were carried out to arrange illegal adoptions for decades.

Documented cases of illegal registrations relating specifically to St Patricks Guild have been reported by this newspaper since 2010.

It is worth revisiting just what the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI), and numerous ministers have known about this issue before now.

Lets take it back 20 years, for the purposes of brevity.

In 2010, the Irish Examiner broke a story about Tressa Reeves  how in 1960, St Patricks Guild facilitated the illegal adoption of her son through an illegal birth registration.

St Patricks Guild has admitted this in 1997. In 2001, Sr Frances Fahy of the agency admitted to Tressa in writing that: In the course of my work here, I have found that there were a number of babies for whom this arrangement was made.

So St Patricks Guild was admitting to these cases at least as early as 2001.

Tressas case sparked the first-ever audit of records by the then Adoption Board. The audit uncovered approximately 99 cases, while a further 20 were identified in the following years.

In a report prepared for the department in June 2011, the AAI said it considered carrying out a more comprehensive audit of the cases it uncovered, but because of the transfer of senior personnel and the pressure on resources of the imminent establishment of the Adoption Authority, no further action was taken.

At a meeting with representatives of the department and the General Registration Office in June 2013, the AAI again told the department it was aware of at least 120 [confirmed] cases of illegal registrations.

It specifically named St Patricks Guild in Dublin as being aware of several hundred illegal registrations, stating that the agency are not seeking the people involved but were, rather, waiting for people to contact them.

This newspaper specifically asked about St Patricks Guild in 2015  would the people who had their births illegally registered be informed; would an audit of records be carried out?

The department said any investigation into the issue would have to be cognisant of the impact it would have on the victim. It also said the wider impact on families that may have sought to surround the identity of a child in secrecy must also be considered.

It said, on more than one occasion, that an audit of adoption records would be of very limited benefit and would yield little useful information.

This paper then revealed earlier this week that Tusla kept a register of suspected illegal adoptions and illegal birth registrations in 2016. When asked about the existence of such a register in May 2017, it denied one was kept. This week, it again denied it holds such a register, but said that, in mid- to late 2016, it did consider tracking anomalies/issues of concern as they were notified to the national manager for adoption to ensure procedures were being followed.

Tusla said it would not be making any further comment on the issue of incorrect registrations of birth.

And here is the scary bit.

St Patricks Guild is just one agency.

For example, the Adoption Rights Alliance has compiled a list of 182 institutions, agencies, and individuals that were involved with unmarried mothers and their children. This list includes 57 private homes or facilitators, and the location of the records associated with these institutions remains unknown.

Illegal registrations are just one way in which illegal adoptions were contracted. This will only get bigger.
When Willie ODriscoll first noticed it about four years ago, he little realised that it was a bearded seal and that he was the first human to see a member of this Arctic species so far  5,700km  south of its usual habitat.

Michael and William ODriscoll have seen it regularly over the past week.

The local seals are grey. Willie noticed that this seal was different, thick-furred and white  no doubt to camoulflage it from polar bears and killer whales when it rested on ice floes in its normal haunts, the freezing waters from northern Canada to the Laptev Sea, north of Siberia.

The species feeds on fish, as well as crabs, shrimps, and shellfish on the sea bed. Their long, stiff whiskers have, no doubt, evolved for raking the mud, and given them the name bearded.

This arrival in Coutmacsherry Bay in spring and summer for the past four years is as phenomenal as an African elephant in an Irish pasture. Its as far from home as the elephant would be. In 2014, when it was first seen, Willie just thought it was different.

It was a wildlife expert, Paul Connaughton of Shearwater Wildlife Tours, Clonakilty, who, chancing to see it on a creek near Timoleague, identified it.

To see this post on Facebook, click here.

It was ascribed to a one-off event, a seal that had lost its way. It stayed around for four months and disappeared at the end of summer.

It was assumed, probably correctly, that it swam back to the Arctic seas for the winter. Wherever it wintered, however, it returned, in fine fettle, to Courtmacsherry Bay last week.
The British-Irish Chamber of Commerce, Labour, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, and the Liberal Democrats criticised the British governments plan despite saying that, for the first time, it also shows that London accepts that the North must be treated differently to the rest of the UK.

In one of 10 policy options set to be outlined to the EU at a crunch summit on June 28 and 29, British Brexit secretary David Davis has proposed creating a new 10-mile buffer zone around the border.

He also suggested giving the North dual EU and UK status as a way to overcome the ongoing difficulties in ensuring a soft border while allowing Britain to leave the EU.

Downing Street sources have claimed the potential plan, which was leaked to The Sun newspaper, provides a clear blueprint for how the current stand-off over the border can be overcome.

However, despite the positive prediction, the move has been ridiculed by experts in both Britain and Ireland who said it is entirely unworkable and underlines the UK governments failure to form a coherent Brexit plan two years after the country voted to leave the EU.

Speaking on RTE Radios News at One programme, British-Irish Chamber of Commerce director general John McGrane said the move is bonkers and will fail to address the issues at the heart of the stand-off.

All that happens in some sort of dual territory zone is that business that employs people will have to comply with double regulations and more costs means less jobs, he said.

The business experts view was shared by Fianna Fail Brexit spokeswoman Lisa Chambers, who told the Irish Examiner the buffer zone is unworkable as it would amount to two borders not one, and questioned if the 10-mile plan is based on anything or did he just pick it out of the sky?.

Ms Chambers, whose views were repeated by Labour leader Brendan Howlin and by Sinn Fein, said the buffer zone plan shows the British government is under pressure to bring something to the June summit in order to address their internal civil war, because that is what this is.

However, she added that one positive from the potential plan is that the British government is now accepting that the North may need to be treated differently to the rest of the UK.

A spokesperson for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar did not respond to a request for comment, while a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said Britain must engage in a more detailed way on the Brexit negotiations.

In Britain, the potential plan received a similarly negative response, with the Liberal Democrats describing it as like something out of Alice in Wonderland.

Labour MP Chris Leslie, who is a supporter of the Open Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, added: If there was an award for coming up with unnecessarily complicated and convoluted solutions to self-inflicted problems, David Davis would win it every year.

The solution to this dilemma is staring David Davis in the face: The UK as a whole must stay in the single market and the customs union.
That is the view of adoption campaigners who have spent more than two decades calling on successive governments to carry out a full audit of all adoption records held by the State.

It comes as Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone announced the terms of reference for a sampling exercise of records held by Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) to see if the extent of illegal birth registrations is widespread and requires a full, forensic examination of all records.

Independent reviewer Marion Reynolds will oversee and quality assure the sampling process. The chairman of the AAI, Geoffrey Shannon, will lead the work on this matter within AAI and director of transformation and policy at Tusla, Cormac Quinlan, will carry out the work within that agency.

It is estimated that Tusla has some 70,000 records from former adoption societies and that the AAAI has 30,000 relevant records. In addition, a wide range of existing and former adoption agencies hold about another 50,000 records.

The department said that, due to the fact that the 126 cases were labelled and made it possible to identify cases, this is the first opportunity to pursue a definite line of enquiry in relation to this matter.

This is despite the fact that documented cases have been reported by this newspaper as far back as 2010. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs was also told by the AAI in 2013 that St Patricks Guild was aware of several hundred illegal registrations.

A note of a meeting between two nuns from the agency and representatives of Tusla, on February 3, 2015, also outlined that the agencys records contained some illegal registrations and that full details are available on the majority of cases.

The initial sampling process will:

Sample a set of records to be defined in an agreed methodology to ascertain whether clear evidence of incorrect registrations might be identified;

Build an overall picture of the extent to which incorrect registrations have occurred;

Form a conclusion as to whether a more detailed analysis has the potential to yield clear information, eg, the existence of key identifiers or markers that signal potential incorrect registrations;

Make recommendations to the minister on what further form of investigation or analysis, if any, would be appropriate, having regard to the extent of usable information emerging from the initial sampling process.

However, Susan Lohan of the Adoption Rights Alliance expressed concern that the terms of reference only refer to illegal birth registrations when there were numerous other forms of illegal adoptions.

The sampling process must involve a forensic examination of the records, and not simply those files which contain obvious markers, said Ms Lohan.

She cited other forms of illegal adoption including cases of questionable consents, where the mother consenting was a minor; adoptions granted in the absence of birth certificates of any kind; and in the case of children whose parents were married, among others.

Paul Redmond of the Coalition of Mother and Baby Homes Survivors said sampling of a handful of Tusla and AAI records is a cop out which ignores the fact that many of the adoption records are still in the hands of private adoption agencies and societies.

The minister needs to prioritise the immediate confiscation of all adoption records held in private hands by old-school agencies such as Cunamh and the Protestant agency, PACT, etc, he said.

Rhoda McManus, of Adoption Loss  The Natural Parents Network of Ireland, said the examination needs to investigate all forms of illegal adoptions pointing out there are cases of correct birth registrations which resulted in illegal adoptions.
The GoFundMe account launched by the Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (Chase) group looked set last night to reach 20,000 inside 24 hours.

The single largest donation so far was a 1,000 personal donation from Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath and his brother, county councillor Seamus McGrath.

As campaigners try to raise up to 200,000 to fund a possible judicial review, Indaver revealed it has invested up to 20m on the project to date.

Mr McGrath said it is proof that the odds are stacked against local communities seeking to challenge projects under the strategic infrastructure process through which this incinerator proposal was lodged.

Its time now for a review of this process, he said.

The people in this community have had the equivalent of a suspended sentence hanging over them for the last 17 years. These are ordinary people leading busy lives, raising families, and working; it is incredibly unfair to impose a battle like this on them.

It angers people who invest so much in oral hearings and the complaints process to find an inspector can be overruled by board members who could not have had as much experience of the issues as the inspector.

Seventeen years since Indavers first planning application on this site, three oral hearings and several judicial reviews later, An Bord Pleanala finally decided on Thursday to grant planning for the 240,000 tonne-a-year waste-to-energy facility  against the advice of its own inspector. A spokesman for the 10-person board said this happens in about 13% of cases which come before it.

The Irish Examiner has also learned that while board chairwoman Mary Kelly was satisfied that no board members had a conflict of interest in this case, she took extra steps to copper-fasten that position. A memo on the file, dated May 3, 2018, shows how she shortlisted eight board members to take part in the final consideration of the case to ensure that there can be no perception of a conflict of interest or of any form of bias.

Paul Hyde and Phil Jones, who chaired the first oral hearing into the project in 2001, and recommended it be refused, were not on the list.

A third board member, John Connolly, recused himself from the process on the same day because of a potential conflict of interest arising from his former employment before his appointment to the board. He was a director of the Irish Waste Management Association for 14 years and was also a member of Ibecs environmental policy committee.
An incredible 17 years ago, in 2001, Indaver announced plans to bring its hazardous and municipal waste incineration project on stream at the shore end of a yet to be developed peninsula in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, beside the last remaining beach in the area.

Opposition galvanised in pockets around Cork Harbour, to unify shortly afterwards as an umbrella group, Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (Chase)  we knew we were in for a long fight.

We were warned that we needed to prepare for as long as two years to fight the proposal, but we thought it was worth it.

People were concerned, of course, about the legitimate health worries that come with living near an incinerator, those concerns magnified in Cork Harbour by the reality of cancer incidences far higher than the national average in certain pockets.

But on top of that was the fundamental belief this area of Cork Harbour, dominated at the time by the toxic skeleton of Irish Steel, deserved better and had the potential to unlock a brighter future that would make use of the tremendous amenity of the surrounding area.

Three planning oral hearings, over 30,000 objections, three recommendations by hearing inspectors to refuse permission, two actual refusals of permission, two grants of permission, and over 17 years later the area in Cork Harbour adjacent to and surrounding Indavers site has been utterly transformed.

It is reaching a potential that in 2001 could only have been dreamed of, with attractions such as Spike Island winning global acclaim, a Naval HQ due soon for a visit by Prince Charles, a thriving hub of education and R&D, and a busy cruise liner schedule.

This transformation has been driven by a policy of regeneration and deliberate planning written into Cork local area plans and backed by millions of euro of Government investment  our hard-earned tax payments.

The inspector, Derek Daly, who presided over the 2016 oral hearing, recognised this change and it formed a key part of his recommendations to refuse planning.

He considered that the proposed development would not be compatible with recent development in the area, including the Maritime College, IMERC and Beaufort campuses, which are supported by objective C-01 of the Local Area Plan, and major public investment on Haulbowline and Spike islands.

It is, therefore, he said, considered that the proposed development would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

An Bord Pleanala didnt listen to its inspector, just as it didnt listen to this community, to our elected representatives, and to the incredible number of bodies and individuals who participated in the oral hearing, including the Department of Defence, PDForra, and several tourism and heritage interests.

It chose instead to listen to Indaver, despite Indaver submitting deficient information, exposed only by local experts on the final day of the hearing. It chose to anchor a decision in the past of Cork Harbour rather than embracing its future.

The questions raised by this application go far deeper than what to do with our waste and at this stage go beyond the integral unsuitability of the site. Paramount concerns that have emerged and motivated the incredible response from local communities over the past few days centre around how Ireland makes its planning decisions and the incredible challenge that any community faces to have a say in its own destiny.

It leaves us as a community in a position where we have little faith in the process.

We prove our case to the inspector, who then also gets ignored. There was nothing more that we could have done.

The sacrifices made collectively and individually to get to where we are today are enormous.

Children have been born and raised around campaigns, campaigners have died and are pushing up daisies, family events and important commitments are given less attention than they deserve, and the incredible amount of money raised, in the region of 600,000 to date to fund the ongoing campaign, could surely have been spent on something else.

But if ever there was a community that was ready to fight, its the Cork Harbour community, and the time is now. A GoFundMe campaign, launched only on Thursday, has already hit over 21,000.

As Indaver itself said, this is just the latest piece of a process. As we like to say around here  the only battle that matters is the final one.

Linda Fitzpatrick is spokeswoman for Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (Chase)
The public consultation is thought to be one of the first Government undertakings of its type and forms part of a high-level State review.

The online questionnaire is to run until the end of this month, and interested parties can also make a submission to the State Working Group on alternative approaches for personal possession of illegal drugs.

People are asked:

Do you agree with the current legal approach and do you believe it: stigmatises drug users; affects their job prospects and travelling opportunities; prevents or reduces drug use;

If Ireland removed criminal penalties, would it: increase drug availability; encourage people to seek treatment; make it easier for dealers to go undetected; more experimentation with drugs; save time and resources for gardai and the courts;

What do you think should happen for possession of illegal drugs (listed separately): no action; caution/warning; referral to drug education programme; referral to treatment; on-the-spot fine; increased penalties for repeat offenders; prosecuted.

The working group is chaired by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, with representatives of the departments of health and justice, the HSE, the gardai, the Probation Service, the DPPs office, two former drug users, and an academic expert. It does not contain any representatives from community or voluntary groups.

The Irish Examiner asked the Department of Health for the names and positions of those on the group, but that information was not available at the time of going to print.

Launching the consultation, drugs strategy minister Catherine Byrne said the Government is committed to supporting a health-led approach to drug use.

Health Minister Simon Harris said this issue is one we need to reexamine as a country.

Do you have views on approaches other than criminal penalty for personal possession of illegal drugs?#HaveYourSay via online survey at https://t.co/7udq0FUsBJ pic.twitter.com/Ktju1YIc8l  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) May 31, 2018

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he is keen to examine measures which would prevent people descending into to a life of offending and re-offending.

The working group is due to complete its report by the end of the year.

The working groups establishment followed a recommendation from the Oireachtas Justice Committee in November 2015 for a harm reduction and rehabilitative approach to possession of small amounts of illegal drugs, similar to Portugal.
The payment would be an interim solution to help women before the main legislation to allow for abortions in this country is enacted.

Mr Harris has already stated that he wants legislation, which would address the outcome of the historic referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment, passed as quickly as possible. However, it is likely to be January before abortions are legalised in Ireland.

Mr Harris yesterday met with members of the group Terminations for Medical Reasons, during which they discussed the possibility of paying the costs for women who seek terminations in Britain if they receive a diagnosis that their babies will not survive.

He is now looking at ways to introduce a system to support women and couples who receive a fatal foetal diagnosis until the overall legislation  which would allow unrestricted abortions up to 12 weeks, and late-terms termination where the pregnancy is deemed unviable  is introduced.

Fianna Fails Stephen Donnelly and Sinn Feins Louise OReilly, health spokespersons for their respective parties, had called for legislation around of issues which could be immediately addressed.

Mr Donnelly submitted a bill earlier this week to immediately change some of the restrictions around abortions. However, he held off on this after Mr Harris asked that the Department of Health focus on the main legislation in the coming week.

In cases of fatal foetal abnormality, travelling to the UK for families can cost thousands of euro, said Mr Donnelly.

We should provide those costs to those families now and make it free. Contraception could be made free now.

Additional funding for counselling services could be provided.

Both the 1995 Act governing the provision of information and section 22 of the 2013 Act could be repealed now. That would end criminalisation.

Mr Harris will continue to meet with opposition parties to ensure that the legislation he brings forward passes through the Dail and Seanad without delay.

However, it is expected that Independent TD Mattie McGrath will bring forward amendments around disabilities which could hold up the bill when it comes before the Dail.
Dateline People Expect Decisive Govt Action Against Corruption

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Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, well discuss the talk of the town, which caused public anger. Union Minister of Planning and Finance U Kyaw Win was allowed to resign while being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission. People are speculating about the extent of his corruption and appropriate punishment for it. What urgent measures should the National League for Democracy (NLD) government take to better tackle corruption? Ko Aung Thu Nyein, a director at the Institute for Strategy and Policy, and political analyst Dr. Yan Myo Thein join me for the discussion. Im Kyaw Zwa Moe, editor of The Irrawaddy English edition.

The Anti-Corruption Commissions investigation of Planning and Finance U Kyaw Win became the talk of the town. On May 27, the commission said the results of the investigation had been reported to the Presidents Office and public reports would be made accordingly. U Kyaw Win submitted his resignation and has been allowed to resign. People expect to see the NLD governments decisive action on corruption. Ko Aung Thu Nyein, what does the NLD government have to do to prove it is a clean government if its ministers have been corrupt?

Aung Thu Nyein: After the 2015 poll, people were proud that their [new] leaders were not corrupt. Recently, newly elected President U Win Myint vowed to fight corruption. People have expectations. At [a meeting at] the UMFCCI [Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry], economist Dr. U Myint called for going after big fish in fighting corruption and not smaller ones, and setting an example by taking a tougher stance on [cabinet] members. This was followed by action taken against a minister. So, the NLD government is starting to fight corruption. But, what is important is the political will. How much are the countrys leaders determined to fight corruption? Will the government adopt a zero-tolerance policy against corruption? If yes, it needs to reaffirm this and continue walking the walk.

KZM: I remember that Daw Aung San Su Kyi said on the campaign trail in Yamethin and Hmawbi before the 2015 election that if her party was elected, it would not tolerate two things: deliberate harming and misappropriation of public funds. She said that she would visit her cabinet members in prison if they were corrupt. We dont know yet if the finance minister was actually corrupt. But, Ko Yan Myo Thein, what are the important factors in building a clean government?

Yan Myo Thein: The government for the time being should inform the public about the case in a transparent manner. And appropriate action should be taken depending on the result of the investigation. If the government takes a biased approach because ministers are appointed by it, then, it will not win the trust of the people. A government or a political party, if it fights corruption effectively on a wide scale, can win public support.

We need a mechanism that can monitor on a wide scale if government officials, lawmakers and leaders of political parties are free from corruption. And we need a body to monitor if ministers can perform their assigned duties well. Only then, will we know if they work or not and if they meet the targets, not on paper, but on the ground. Then, remedial action can be taken as necessary. There is also a need to inform the public on a wide scale. Rather than talking to the public about what it has done in a particular period, the government should work to make the people feel that it is actually working to reduce the burden on people.

KZM: Ko Aung Thu Nyein, regarding corruption, big fish were not caught under successive governments. The Anti-Corruption Commission was formed [under U Thein Seins government] but it barely worked. The NLD government has investigated its minister. It is a good sign and can be interpreted as having political will. It is important to choose the right persons in forming the cabinet. When U Kyaw Win was nominated for the ministerial position [in 2016], many media organizations reported that his doctoral degree was a fake. However, he was appointed to the cabinet. The government has changed some ministers who underperformed, and has nominated U Soe Win for the planning and finance ministry. What criteria do you think the government should develop to get the right candidate?

ATN: According to the practice in the United States, I see two criteria. There is a Senate hearing if a minister is nominated. The nominee is grilled [about his knowledge]. He gets low marks if he cant answer questions. In our country, a list of the nominees is submitted to Parliament. But it is quick to approve them and there is no hearing like in the US. We also need freedom of the press. In the US, I think while President Obama was in office, the nominee for the secretary of the Department of Treasury was submitted. The US media investigated his background and found that he had evaded taxes. This brought into question his eligibility for the treasury secretary post. Without free media, it is difficult to find out such things. So, my opinion is, Parliament should take time in assessing the eligibility of the nominees. And a free press should also look into it. And parliamentary committees should play a greater part.

KZM: Only then, will there be public debate on the eligibility of elected ministers. As Ive said, President U Win Myint took office and promised to do things that the government was not able to do over the past two years. It is less than three years until the next election. The NLD might need better policies and better ministers to achieve good results in the next election. There are criticisms that almost all of the ministries are not performing well. There is a capacity problem within the government, even though it has the political will, people have pointed out. Ko Yan Myo Thein, what is your view on this?

YMT: As far as Ive seen, Id say the only department whose performance has greatly improved is the Fire Services Department. It has become very popular among the people. Except for the fire services department, we dont see the striking development of other departments. So, I thought about why. Is it because of the high centralization in the government? If that is the case, how should centralization be reduced?

Under successive governments, from the time of the Myanmar Socialist Program Party government to the SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) and the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council), there was the problem [of centralization] in that officials only had responsibility but did not have authority. Directors-general only have responsibility but no authority and it is the same for the ministers. If the higher echelons control all of the authority, it will go against the democratization process we are undergoing. Our democratization will be more meaningful only when centralization in the government, in the Parliament, and in political parties including the ruling party is reduced.

KZM: We have talked about the need for NLD appointees to steer clear of corruption. But as everyone knows, our country is one of the lowest-ranking countries regarding corruption. There is corruption not only in government but also in institutions. There was corruption among top officials of successive governments and institutions. Weve heard reports about their corruption, but we do not have evidence to file complaints. It is very difficult to build a corruption-free society. No society in the world is corruption free. But it is possible to reduce corruption in the government and related institutions. What measures should the current government take to handle corruption? The Anti-Corruption Commission has also started to take action. What else can be done to fight corruption harder?

ATN: First of all, there is a need to differentiate between bureaucracy and politics. Bureaucracy is the civil servants and they will continue to exist no matter which government is in office. They will have duty as well as authority. So there may be corruption and bribery with them. Another part is politicians who are elected at the polls every five years. Some scholars said petty corruptionasking for small amounts of money at government departmentsis not a problem for the country. But policy corruptionthe corruption of high-ranking officialsis a problem. We want the government to focus more on policy corruption.

KZM: With high-ranking officials, you mean ministers

ATN: Yes, ministers and directors-general, who are policymakers. Secondly, when we talk about corruption, we talk mainly about taking bribes. Power abuse is also a form of corruption. It is also an abuse of power to deny the rights that individuals are entitled to and grant rights that individuals are not entitled to. Taking and accepting bribes, making efforts and negotiating to get bribes, and offering and promising to do something in exchange for bribes are all forms of corruption. It is a vast subject.

KZM: Speaking of abuse of power, besides the abuse of power by authorities, what about the abuse of power by their children and relatives for personal gain? How can the government handle this? There are reports that children of current and former government officials have business interests in connection with their parents positions, but those who try to expose this may get into trouble without concrete evidence.

YMT: Amendments are being made to the Anti-Corruption Law. Half of the amendments have been approved [by the Parliament]. The [Anti-Corruption Commission] should take greater initiative. It should verify reports [of corruption scandals] on social media and mass media and carry out the necessary investigations rather than wait for somebody to file a complaint. Only then will corruption be fought on a wide scale.

It is more important to monitor tigers [high-ranking officials] than flies [low-level officials] in fighting corruption. Not long after the NLD government took office, a company gave a gift in the form of money to [a Presidents Office official] during the Thingyan festival. The money was given back. The commission shouldnt just let it go. Now, a minister is being investigated for corruption. [The government] should go to the root; it should find out who nominated and supported that minister. It should find out and take action against those who are connected. Regarding giving gifts, there is a need for tough control among tigers in the administrative mechanism.

KZM: To summarize, as NLD government and its leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have said that corruption shouldnt be tolerated. Only when it takes decisive action against corruption with accountability, will it win greater support from the people. It is also important to verify and get the right people. But, they dont have much timeonly two years. Thank you for your contributions!
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Philadelphia (AFP)  When President Donald Trump announced the US exit from the Paris climate deal one year ago, the mayor of Philadelphia was among those who vowed to keep carrying the torch.

Philly is committed to upholding at (the) local level the same commitment made by the US in the Paris climate agreement, tweeted the sixth largest US citys mayor, Jim Kenney, a Democrat.

Since then, the City of Brotherly Love has cut energy consumption in municipal buildings, started replacing street lamps with LED lights, and launched a major green energy overhaul of its celebrated museum of art.

But these actions represent just a drop in the bucket, faced with the 18 million tons of carbon spewed into the atmosphere by Philadelphia each year. Although emissions have declined, there is only so much the city can do.

Here, 85 percent of residents heat their homes with natural gas, a fossil fuel that is abundant in the rocks beneath Pennsylvania. Cars and trucks rumble through downtown  and more than half of the electricity the city gobbles up each day is produced by oil- and coal-powered power plants.

It cant be done by cities and states. We do need a completely clean, carbon-free grid to meet this goal, said Christine Knapp, director of the office of sustainability for the city of Philadelphia.

Were going to take the pieces of cleaning that grid up as much as we can, but someone still higher than us needs to set the policy that thats whats going to happen.

 Still In 

Philadelphia is among some 2,700 cities, states and businesses that declared We Are Still In when it comes to the 190-plus nation Paris accord, signed in 2015.

The movement emphasizes progress, such as how carbon dioxide emissions fell in 2017 to their lowest point in 25 years, and how gigawatts of solar and wind energy have been installed as coal use declines.

In Philadelphia, a city of 1.6 million people, such gains are evident, but are also happening at a far slower pace than many would like.

For instance, the mayor is simply not able to close coal and gas-powered plants that fuel the city, since they are connected to a vast network that covers 13 states in the northeast.



AFP / Ivan Couronne. Philadelphia Gas Works workers replace cast iron gas mains with stainless steel pipes to reduce methane leaks in north Philadelphia.

Only the state legislature in Pennsylvania can force operators to increase the share of electricity that comes from alternative energies beyond its current goal of 18 percent in 2021. With only 0.5 percent of the power mandated to come from solar, it is far from enough.

Add to this Trumps cancellation of the Obama-era federal anti-pollution Clean Power Plan, which was expected to lead to numerous plant closures.

In the end, the market may be the biggest force at play in Philadelphias drop in emissions, with natural gas prices falling below the price of coal and gaining market share.

Used as fuel, natural gas is responsible for half the carbon of emissions of traditional coal burning. However, drilling and extracting it from the ground leads to leaks of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 34 times more potent than CO2.

 Gas on rise 

Philadelphia is even more embroiled in the use of fossil fuels because the city owns the local gas company, PGW.

Little by little, the distributor is replacing its pipelines in order to reduce methane leaks, which currently make up two to five percent of total volume.

But the clashing of goals is jarring. On one side, the mayor imagines a future without gas. On the other, PGW defends its future as the cleanest, least polluting of all the fossil fuels.

Natural gas is not coal, its not oil, said Barry OSullivan, director of corporate communications at Philadelphia Gas Works.

Deep in the belly of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, built in 1928, steam pipes that feed radiators are being replaced throughout the building in order to boost efficiency.

The air conditioning system, installed in 1974, will be replaced, along with 12,000 halogen or florescent lightbulbs, swapped out for energy saving LED lights.

Were saving a lot of steam, said Charles Williams, capital project engineer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The 11 million investment will pay for itself over 20 years, thanks to lower energy and water bills.

Beyond these budgetary gains, the renovation is a window into the citys efforts to prove its goodwill.

Thats the silver lining of Trumps anti-climate actions, which Knapp said have shocked local actors and businesses into increasing their own engagement.

And those actors are going to show the rest of the world that were not completely insane, and try to keep us afloat until the federal government steps back in, she said.

Featured Photo: AFP / Ivan Couronne, Ivan Couronne. When US President Donald Trump announced the US exit from the Paris climate deal one year ago on June 1, 2017, the mayor of Philadelphia Jim Kenney was among those who vowed to keep carrying the torch.
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Im writing this piece because Im finally at the point that I am truly angry. I am angry at how physicians have become devalued in modern health care. Im angry at how systems of care have participated in this by replacing physicians with lesser trained mid-level practitioners. Im angry at how our title doctor has been hijacked to allow patients to be misled or, in many cases, deceived.

It wasnt that long ago that when someone introduced them to you as doctor in the clinical setting that you most certainly knew you were seeing a physician. I have a different perspective than many physicians because I was one of these mid-levels. I was a 27-year-old physician assistant working in family medicine back in the late 90s. But over the next few years, I began to realize that I was lacking in fundamental medical knowledge that made me unsure of myself at times. More frightening though was that I didnt know what I didnt know. This meant that I often didnt seek out the expertise of my supervising physicians because I didnt know I needed to.

Now before I go any further, Id like to address the term, mid-level provider. Somehow it has developed into what mid-levels would say is now a negative connotation. I specifically remember when it was a victory for the PA profession to be called a mid-level provider because it helped define our knowledge level more appropriately than the word assistant. Now, its no longer a title the PAs and NPs want, and so they have decided to call themselves advanced practice providers. At the same time, physicians have been demoted to simply providers, further confusing the general public and disrupting the true hierarchy. Now  God forbid  I use the word hierarchy because we all know its going to result in the cliche response about how physicians just need to be team players. We embrace hierarchy in the airlines because we all know it saves lives. Co-pilots dont fly solo, and mechanics dont fly as co-pilots simply because they have a working knowledge of the aircraft. Its a no-brainer; lives would be at risk. In medicine though, we have decided that patient lives are less valuable than air travelers.

Because I was so frustrated with the many gaps in my knowledge, I decided to go to medical school after four years of full-time work as a PA. It was certainly a wake-up call to realize how in depth the material was compared to what I had learned as a PA. There were countless standardized national exams and board exams in addition to coursework that had to be passed in order to advance and ultimately graduate. There were literally thousands of lightbulb moments where I came to finally learn what it was that I didnt know as a PA. I can safely say that any med school graduate is vastly more prepared to practice medicine on that day than a physician assistant or nurse practitioner who graduates the same day. But the irony is that we turn these mid-levels loose to start practicing basically independently when the medical school graduate must complete another three to seven years on average before being allowed to independently practice in their specialty. Now in 2018, we find a decreasing amount of funding for residency positions for physicians. So there are literally thousands of physicians who find themselves unable to work due to a shortage of training positions. Several states are addressing this problem by creating a new category of licensed physicians who, by virtue of graduating from medical school, will be able to work as graduate physicians supervised by a board certified peer. However, just this last week a bill was introduced for this purpose in Oklahoma that was opposed by the state PA association.

The association claimed that it made no sense to create a new untested profession when there were already PAs meant to fill this role. So even from the profession we birthed, we find an attempt to devalue us. This still falls short of the ultimate misleading and dangerous practice by NPs of obtaining online doctorate degrees and introducing themselves as doctor in a health care setting.

In a strangely ironic twist, the very systems that love to brag that they hire only board-certified specialty physicians are the same ones that will throw a new mid-level to the wolves and allow them to practice nearly independently. In many cases, patients never realize they arent seeing an actual physician. This is a pure game of deception and goes to the root of why we need legislation that requires that patients be given a choice and know exactly who is caring for them. I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard a PA explain to someone that they learned the same information as physicians, just over a shorter period of time. I wish I had a dollar for every meme Ive seen on Facebook defining an NP as having the brain of a doctor and heart of a nurse. These statements are more than just inaccurate; they are misleading and offensive.

Nowadays, the physician-mid-level relationship is often one that is forced upon both parties due to corporate greed. Its simply cheaper to hire a PA or an NP and require the physician to supervise them and take all liability. It is essentially an unfunded mandate passed down to the physicians in order to keep their jobs. Rarely is time given to properly train or supervise and even less often is compensation involved.

So yes, I am angry. But I am secretly optimistic. I have seen the grassroots movements begin to grow from other angry physicians who feel devalued. The reality is that the administrators that participated in the hijacking of medicine really dont have any way to earn a living if the physicians of the country decide to unite and stand up for themselves. Ive even heard the call to unionize. Luckily, there are still systems that value the physician. In the end, these will be the systems that will survive when physicians find their voice.

The author is an anonymous physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Ive been practicing as an interventional pain management physician for over six years. It was a long road to get here  four years of medical school, four years of residency in anesthesiology and one year of fellowship (in addition to the four years of undergraduate education). So people say, You must really love what you do. Sure, during residency there was light at the end of the grueling tunnel with the prospect of a year fellowship. And during fellowship, it was great to learn all sort of techniques to help manage chronic pain. But then, after fellowship, I was thrust into the real world where writing prescriptions for opioids was the norm. In fellowship, we were taught to treat the patient, educate the patient on the dangers of opioids and offer interventions to help alleviate their pain. But suddenly, in the real world, it was expected that I would hand out prescriptions because if I didnt  patients would not return.

I say this all as a preface so you can understand how challenging it is in todays society to manage chronic pain. According to the CDC, deaths from opioid overdose continue to rise. The total number of opioid prescriptions dispensed peaked in 2012 at a staggering 255 million. Houston, we have a problem!

But what about those patients who truly need these prescriptions?

Sally (identifying information changes) comes into my office. She has a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease of her spine (arthritis in the discs of the spine). Shes had many MRIs over the years with no significant change. I pull up her database (prescription monitoring database  many states utilize but unfortunately not all states, and not all states are linked together) and notice that shes been on a variety of medication including long-acting morphine, long-acting Oxycodone, even a few prescriptions of the super strong hydromorphone (Dilaudid). I ask her why she is on such strong medications, and she laments that she needs these medications to function. She has no quality of life. She has not worked in 20 years. She is not active. She is morbidly obese. She sits at home all day long and watches TV and eats because moving hurts. I tell her that medications are not the answer, and that part of the problem if not the main problem is that she is inactive, obese, and these medications contribute to her amotivation. She immediately lashes out at me, says Im a horrible doctor and not compassionate, then asks me if that means Im not going to give her the prescriptions she needs. 20 minutes later, I receive one-star reviews on Google, WebMD, and Vitals  all blasting me for being a horrible doctor.

Debbie has pancreatic cancer that has metastasized to her lymph nodes. She occasionally has blockages of her bile duct that requires a procedure to open it up. She is also undergoing chemotherapy and has just completed radiation therapy. Every time she comes in, shes the face of optimism. She is determined to get through this. She doesnt want to take pain medications because they make her feel loopy. Even when I prescribe them to her, she takes as few of them as possible. I asked her to bring her daughter in for one of the visits so I could talk to them both. I explain that there is nothing wrong with managing the pain. Debbie is clearly uncomfortable due to the pain but smiles throughout the visit. I prescribed a low dose Fentanyl patch that she can place transdermally and change it out every three days. I also prescribed a short-acting opioid medication, Hydrocodone (Norco), that she can take every eight hours as needed for breakthrough pain. Two weeks later, I see them both back in my office, and Debbie is smiling cheek to cheek. She feels great, and the pain is under much better control and she loves that she doesnt have to worry about taking pills. She brings back her bottle of Norco which is over half full.

In my training, I was taught to follow the World Health Organization stepwise management of pain when it comes to opioid prescriptions but that opioids were indicated specifically for cancer pain; it got trickier to manage chronic non-cancer pain. Even so, it was a stepwise approach to managing pain  always start low and titrate up as needed. I cant tell you how many times Ive seen patients come to me who have been given 240 pills a month of opioids, or a combination of long-acting and short-acting opioids well above the recommended 50 MME (morphine equivalents) for non-cancer pain.

For patients with cancer, I treat liberally for pain (and I use the term liberally quite loosely); however, Ive found that that particular set of patients are the ones who ironically dont want to take medications. But when I gently nudge/insist that its OK to treat their pain, they are the ones who are the most grateful. Of course, its not always black and white. Yes, people with cancer can get addicted to opioids as well.

Sometimes I find that managing chronic pain can be a bit of a dance between myself and the patient. Sometimes a little bit of a compromise. I always tell my patients that pain is subjective but many things can contribute to pain  certainly stress, lack of sleep, any emotional issues can make pain worse. Your pain is different than my pain. I dont like to use the word tolerance when it comes to opioids, but certainly, some people are able to tolerate pain more than others. But it does go back to the emotional component related to pain. One of my attendings in fellowship  known to be a bit of a hard ass  used to tell our patients, you cant die from pain. Your blood pressure thats 210/110? That can kill you. The 100 percent blockage of your artery in your heart? That can most certainly kill you. Your smoking four packs a day? That may kill you. Your pain is a by-product of your experience. Snowing yourself with opioids only tricks your body into believing theres nothing more serious going on. And its a temporary solution for a more permanent problem.

I didnt think I would be disillusioned with my career only six years into it, but this epidemic is pretty serious, and really the only way to move past this is to educate, educate, educate on the dangers of opioids but also the benefits of opioids in the right setting. Interestingly, most lay people do not know that the field of interventional pain management exists. We are not pill mills. Many patients I have talked to who finally come to see me for an epidural steroid injection (among other injections I perform) have gone from their primary care physician to a spine surgeon for surgery without any in-between. Education comes not only to the public but to our fellow physicians. There are many aspects of my job that I enjoy. I enjoy helping a patient get over that hump with a combination of the right medications, injections, and physical therapy. I enjoy helping patients like Debbie get a good quality of life in spite of her cancer. It is a fine line when it comes to pain management, but that doesnt mean that its an impossible hurdle to get past this epidemic.

Michelle Dang is an anesthesiologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
/ Yonhap



Prosecution investigators raided the headquarters of Korean Air on Thursday as part of an investigation into allegations of tax evasion and other charges involving the family of Chairman Cho Yang-ho.

About 30 investigators seized documents and other evidential materials from offices at the flag carrier's headquarters in western Seoul as part of an investigation into suspicions that the Cho family failed to pay taxes.

The investigation came after tax authorities in Seoul filed an official complaint with the prosecution, accusing the Cho family of failing to pay taxes when Cho inherited some overseas assets from his late father Cho Choong-hoon.












By Lee Min-hyung





The United States has deployed 14 F-22 Raptor stealth jets to an air base in Japan in an apparent move to increase diplomatic pressure on North Korea before the planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong-un, Japanese media reported Thursday.







The tactical combat aircraft are among the world's most powerful fighter jets, posing a serious military threat to North Korea. The move comes about four and a half years after the U.S. deployed the fighter jets in Japan in early 2014.







According to the Sankei Shimbun, U.S. armed forces will station the 14 F-22 jets at the air base on Okinawa for a month. The newspaper said the decision reflects that Washington aims to intensify pressure on Pyongyang and grab the upper hand before the planned leadership meeting slated for June 12.







On Tuesday, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan left the naval base in Japan's eastern port city of Yokosuka for a patrol mission in the western Pacific Ocean.







In recent weeks, North Korea has reacted angrily to the joint Max Thunder air drills between Seoul and Washington, urging a stop to the exercises to maintain the ongoing peace momentum on the Korean Peninsula.


Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Dhaka University staged a demonstration at Shishu Park area in the city on Saturday demanding release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
Dia Mirza on playing Maanayata Dutt in Sanju

Dia Mirza and Sanjay Dutt have collaborated several times on the big screen and now she is part of a film which is based on his real life. She has played Sanjay Dutt's wife MaanayataDutt's character in Rajkumar Hirani's Sanju. Being a co-star, Dia knew Sanjay but when she heard the script of Sanju, she was surprised and felt that she didn't know the actor. She said, "I have heard things that I have not heard before. After doing the film I feel more connected with Sanjay Dutt than I ever had."

Dia, we hear, knows Maanayata since the days of Lage Raho Munnabhai. She said, "Jab Hum log Lage Rahe Munnabhai ki shooting complete kar chuke the, I think at that time I had gotten the opportunity to interact with Maanayata. And of course over the years I have interacted with her."

Talking about playing her in Sanju, the pretty actress said, "Whenever I get an opportunity to play a character, the one thing that we hope to achieve as an actor is to be able to empathise with what that person has experienced in their real life. And when people like Raju sir and Abhijaat Joshi write a script then that ability to empathise with the reality of the situation increases manyfold."

Sanju is Dia Mirza's second film with Rajkumar Hirani after Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006).




Experts hopeful of self-sufficiency in milk production

Rajshahi Correspondent :

Livestock experts at a post-rally discussion here today mentioned Bangladesh is going to achieve self-reliance in milk production in near future.

The experts told the meeting that the county produces 72 metric tonnes of milk against the demand of 90 lakh tonnes annually at present. Rajshahi district produces four lakh metric tonnes of milk against the demand of 5 lakh tonnes, they said.

Divisional and district offices of Department of Livestock Services (DLS) jointly organized the discussion at its office conference hall to mark the 'World Milk Day- 2018'. "Drink milk, Keep healthy" was the main theme of the discussion.

Chaired by divisional deputy director of DLS Dr Sheikh Azizur Rahman, the meeting was addressed, among others, by deputy director of Regional Poultry Farm Sabbir Ahmed, Assistant Director Dr Humayun Kabir, and Additional District Livestock Officer Zulfiker Akhter Hossain.


London, Jun 1 (AFP) A man was jailed today after falsely claiming his father had died in London's Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in order to claim financial benefit. Mohammad Gamoota, 31, was sentenced to 18 months behind bars at a London court, one of several people prosecuted for attempting to profit from the 2017 disaster.

He pleaded guilty to fraud after admitting he received 500 (USD 688) in cash and more than 1,250 in hotel accommodation and room service while posing as a victim.

The court heard he had applied unsuccessfully for a further 4,500 in aid.

Prosecutor Kate Mulholland said the case was "premeditated", noting Gamoota had made internet searches using the words "Grenfell Tower fraud".

He researched a newspaper article about one of the dozens of real victims of the fire, and used their name and details to make his claims sound more convincing.

He was arrested in October after disappearing when authorities grew suspicious.

Mulholland told the court the defendant had really lived with his mother in Croydon, on the other side of London from the disaster site.

The conviction come as the first anniversary of Britain's deadliest blaze approaches.

The fire in the 24-storey residential west London tower in the early hours of June 14 claimed the lives of 71 people and an unborn child.

It started with a faulty refrigerator on the fourth floor and rapidly spread up new cladding installed on the exterior.

Serial fraudster Anh Nhu Nguyen, 53, was jailed for 21 months in February after pretending his family was killed in the block to claim relief funds.

Meanwhile 51-year-old Elaine Douglas and Tommy Brooks, 52 pleaded guilty earlier this week to fraudulently claiming tens of thousands of pounds worth of hotel accommodation and financial support.

They will be sentenced on July 13. (AFP) MRJ

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thailand is sending smelly fruit Durian to space for a future project. Southeast Asia's smelliest fruit will be sent to produce Thai food suitable for future space travel. Durian which is known for its stinky smell will be launched via a rocket into space. The project will also test if durian can be consumed in zero-gravity conditions. While one cannot stand its smell, the fruit tastes great and is quite popular in the region.

But its pungent smell has resulted in the fruit being banned at different public places in the country. Some hotels, elevators and aeroplane cabins do not allow durians inside.

Durian will be sent into space in a dried and vacuum-sealed container. The bad odour of the smell will also be much less in these conditions. Durian will make its journey towards space in July when it will be placed in a box. Other food product accompanying Durian to space will be different kinds of Thai rice.

In the past too, astronauts have taken food to space for experimenting purposes. A South Korean astronaut had gone to space in 2008 along with kimchi, a fermented homemade cabbage dish that is widely seen as the national dish.

AFP quoted a spokesperson for Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) as saying, "In the future we want astronauts to be able to eat Thai food. We want to see whether there are any physical changes after it returns to earth, for example, it might get smaller, or cracked."Durian is also liked and consumed in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 02, 2018 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Jun 2, 2018, 8:48am ET

Dodge, Chrysler safe for now

Chrysler will pivot to mobility; Dodge will remain focused on performance.

Dodge and Chrysler fans can sleep easy. Though widespread rumors claimed both brands could disappear virtually overnight, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO Sergio Marchionne has confirmed they'll stick around in the foreseeable future.

"Dodge needs to continue the particular space as a performance brand, and we need to continue to build on that core skill. The minivan business space will be filled by Chrysler, filling the mobility solution in the US market," Marchionne told British magazine Autocar after presenting FCA's five-year plan.

He acknowledged Dodge and Chrysler will remain local brands and pointed out they need to adapt to local market conditions. That means shifting further away from sedans than they already have and adding more crossovers and SUVs to their respective line-up.

"Those two brands are not in question but they're local NAFTA brands, and need to be developed for local market conditions. Our view is that 70% of the US market is already non-sedan, so to try and build traditional sedans is not helpful. Brands like Dodge can play a role there because of their performance heritage," Marchionne explained.

Autocar adds Chrysler will get a new model in the coming years. It's too early to tell whether it will take the form of an SUV or a MPV. Additionally, FCA is negotiating for the right to sell a Chrysler Pacifica equipped with Waymo's self-driving technology to the general public. Currently, the prototypes are only used in the various pilot programs Waymo operates across the nation.

The only FCA brand set to disappear in the coming years is Lancia. Once Italy's answer to Mercedes-Benz, Lancia has shriveled into a brand that sells a single model -- the aging Ypsilon city car -- exclusively in its home market. FCA will either sell Lancia or shut it down when the Ypsilon reaches the end of its life cycle.
Gardai in Portlaoise are renewing their appeal to the public for assistance to locate 13-year-old Ronan Quinn who has been reported missing from Portarlington on the Laois-Offaly border.

He is one of two teenagers who went missing last week in the midlands and neither has been traced by gardai.

Ronan was reported missing to Gardai on Monday the 28th May 2018 and was last seen at approximately 8.30pm on that day in Portarlington. He is known to frequent Athlone and Dublin City Centre.

He is described as approximately 5ft in height, slight build with brown hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Portlaoise Garda Station 057 8674100, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

While gardai said there is no official connection between the two missing teens, Janelle Quinn is listed as a friend of Ronan Quinn on his facebook page. She also went missing on Monday.

Gardai say Janelle was reported missing on May 28 after being last seen at 6.45pm in Ballymahon, Co Longford.

She is described as 5'4'' with long straight brown hair and green eyes. When last seen she was wearing grey leggings with a pink stripe, a grey jacket, green top and runners. Janelle may be in the Dublin 8 area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Longford Garda Station on 043 3350570 or any Garda Station.

Janelle has been reported missing on a number of occasions in recent years.
How would you feel about a cultural/retail centre in St Davids Castle in Naas?

Or a food hub or brewery in Leinster Mills ?

These are some of the ideas being tossed about in discussions about the future development of Naas as part of URBACT, an EU initiative which enables towns and cities to work together and develop integrated solutions to common urban challenges, by networking, learning from one anothers experiences, drawing lessons and identifying good practices to improve urban policies.

SEE ALSO: Kildare town, Naas and Celbridge schools honoured for promotion of Irish language

Naas is linked with Dublin for the purposes of the programme, which is financed both by the EU and the Irish government.

Some 317 people were surveyed as part of the initiative about the issues facing Naas and some of the those raised included parking, cycle paths, the development of the canal area, the unopened shopping centre and the need for better signs.

A map of Naas has been created which lists businesses in the town and it will be available locally.

Kildare County Council officials appraised councillors of the work done and they say that a town coordinator needs to be appointed to oversee any changes made.

It was pointed out that a town coordinator exists in Monaghan which has a population much less than half of the population of Naas.

A number of initiatives in Naas have been supported by URBACT including the Wild Food Festival and the Midsummer Arts Festival.

Another proposal being considered is the development of a mobile home park which would open with the aim of attracting some of the many visitors who enter the country via Rosslare to visit Naas.

Another suggestion is the possible linking of the Moat Theatre with the Naas Library and this could lead to an interpretative centre.

Also being considered is the a bike share scheme at Millennium Park, which could bring people from there into Naas town centre at lunchtimes.

The scheme also supported the Me2you gift card scheme launched in Naas late last year and which now has 69 retailers affiliated.

The project plans to use the website www.naas.ie
As part of Project Ireland 2040, the Government has announced that it is setting up four new funds to deliver better cities, better rural towns and communities, fund new technology and look at how we can combat climate change and effectively respond to the huge challenge it poses.

Some 4 billion will be made available to cities and towns across Ireland through the Project Ireland 2040 funds to achieve this.

The breakdown is: 2bn for urban regeneration, 1bn for the Rural Development Fund, 500m climate action fund and 500m disruptive technologies fund

Fine Gael TD, Deputy Tony McLoughlin said that: this funding is great news for all the urban centres in the Sligo  Leitrim Constituency.

Specifically, the 2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund will encourage greater stakeholder contributions than weve had in the past.

This is part of a longer term plan which delivers the resources to make our new planning framework come alive. Our hope is that this new funding model will move beyond politics and hopefully see more community driven initiatives.

This fund will act as a driver of development in our region and it is essential now that Sligo and Leitrim County Councils and our community groups apply for all the funding available to them.

The Fund will encourage collaborative approaches between Departments, agencies, Local Authorities and other public bodies, and the private sector, where appropriate, to pool their assets and work with communities to transform our rural towns and villages and their outlying areas.

Previously weve allocated to Government Departments and to Local Authorities on the basis of what they got in the past  that needs to change going forward concluded McLoughlin
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Cleaning program of the city corporations

Dr. M Abul Kashem Mozumder and Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque :

The city corporations in mega cities in Bangladesh have an elaborate programme of cleaning operation. To implement the programme the corporations engage and maintain staff. About 50 percent cleaning staff of both the Dhaka North and South City Corporations and in Chittagong have been doing their assigned task not on the permanent basis.. They are either engaged on master role basis or on the basis proxy for r replaced workers. They are ill paid found not doing their duties being engaged in other works instead of their official works. Even their performances are not duly monitored. "Around 2742 cleaning staffs are recruited in master roll in DNCC and 5249 in DSCC. Of them, 800 cleaning staffs of DNCC get wages according to the government scale, while 1942 get without scale. Similarly, 1800 cleaning staffs of DSCC get wages with the government scale, while rest others get without scale. Each scale-enrolled cleaning staff gets between Tk 22,000 and Tk 23,000 as monthly wage, while each general staff, who works on "No work No Pay" basis, gets Tk 14,250 according to daily wage at Tk 475. According to the stipulation, the cleaning staffs, which got enrolment, are compelled to serve for eight hours in a day. But they don't work for more than three to four hours a day. Due to their negligence, many important roads and lanes remain filled with wastes and in unhygienic and dirty condition regularly. While visiting to Gulshan area, this correspondent found that a cleaning worker namely Chandan Kumar, 35, was busy to clean a road.

"The city dwellers opined that 'all the recruited cleaning staffs don't observe duty properly. Most of them carry their jobs with rented persons. But they withdraw wages from the government fund every month as recruited and legal workers through bank account. Consequently, the waste disposal works hamper in the city hard.Some officials of DNCC and DSCC said around 50 percent of the cleaning staffs have been deceiving their duties due to lack of proper monitoring by the authorities concerned. The recruited cleaning staffs take the advantages after managing some unscrupulous officials of the Waste Management Department.

"The city corporations are supposed to render utility services like sweeping, garbage collection, disposal, mosquito control etc., as a matter of fact cleaning of city's main roads is not done and the city inhabitants do not think that main roads and lanes or by-lanes are cleaned. During monsoon roads conditions become horrible with dirt, muds and garbage. Garbage disposal systems are also defective and more not well maintained. According to time table the workers have to complete their job for cleaning drainage systems, roads and evacuating daily accumulated wastages"According to the total area of 60 square mile consisting of 41 wards there are sufficient amount of cleaning workers plus waste carriage vans and different instruments for cleaning drainage systems, roads and clear off the daily accumulated wastage..There are appointed officials, cleaning supervisors and inspectors who always monitor the job proceedings and interchange information between them for better results."

All the programme in papers are paper tigers. They have waste department with the functions like Street sweeping: All kinds of road sweeping inside the ward boundary. Removing illegal banner festoon (which are not approved by WMD, Giving permission of PCSP (Primary Collection Service Provider)/ door to door waste collection from household /Van services, collect solid waste from domestic, business, hospital, street, public toilets and drains, Provide dustbins and other receptacles for accumulating the waste, DNCC cleaners clean the roads, drains and sewerage lines. Collection and transportation of medical waste, Development of hospital waste landfill Arrange community meeting for promoting community base solid waste management Development of sanitary landfill DNCC started community based waste management activities in collaboration with JICA Manage the private solid waste management and NGO based solid waste management. Awareness activities include: Community meeting at ward level Conduct training program for community people for developing the waste management system of their local community. Conduct lots of program like rally and miking distribution leaflet and sticker, conduct cultural program among different community. Conduct Environmental Education program, mobile and model school program to increase the awareness about environment among the student at primary level.

According to a news report: Private Solid Waste Management in Dhaka City is approach for Public Private Participation. Dhaka North City Corporation fully privatizes its conservancy works in Uttara, Gullshan, Banani, Baridara, Mohakali and Tejgaon areas. These areas cover the northern part of the city, like zone 1, 3 the private parties are handling this works very smoothly. The Urban Planning Department introduced this project for the first time. Then the project was handed over to the Waste Management Department of DNCC. The Private parties do the street sweeping. Drain cleaning. Door-to-door waste collection, dustbin cleaning and waste transportation and final disposal. But cities are not properly cleaned. We would not like to blame only the authorities. City people are also to be taken to task. Even with garbage disposal system the places are brimful with garbage. Garbage collectors collect garbage from houses. Even then wastes are thrown into the lanes and by-lanes.

Despite proliferation of nasty and dirty drain, jungles and sewerage as the breeding places of mosquitoes no prompt action is taken to clean city drains and dirty places. As a result dengu, malaria and chikungunia strike to trouble the city dwellers. Then what the hails the staff is doing.

In theory we see 'the supervision of malaria and mosquito control officials: all programs regarding the control of any mosquito infections are executed. To prevent the worse effect of mosquitoes according to the schedule once in a week the Lava Destroying Oil (L.D.O) is sprayed to all over the place where mosquitoes born and to all the drains and ponds. Special mosquito control programs are taken every year to safeguard the citizens. For full eradication of mosquitoes mortien spray is also done. The various larger drains and canals are also cleaned apart from the regular schedule of medicinal spray which falls under this program. What is more apparent than real is that 'Each Ward is again divided into one Block and each Block is appointed with Sweepers and drain-cleaners who with their modern machineries clear off the wastages and put them in the dustbin or keep them into some convenient place where from the waste product disposal van can collect. On the other hand in 2 of the wards - JamalKhan Healthy Ward and North Kattali Ward. There are 18 waste product disposals Rickshaw vans which collect waste products from the locality houses and dispose it in the dustbins of the main road. Apart from this there are 6 waste product disposal Rickshaw vans working from Siekh Mujib Road Dewanhat to Barik Building Crossing. Recently 16 waste product disposal Rickshaw vans have been provided to different wards, whose supervision is done by the honorable Ward Commissioners in their respective Wards. Many N.G.O s along with the corporation are also helping to keep the city clean by organizing 21 waste product disposal Rickshaw vans to various wards and pick up waste products in their supervision.'

Above all cleaning a city is not the sole responsibility of the City Corporation or municipality or paurasava. The concerns of the central government matter much. The city Mayor may pledge cleaning and beautification of city in city elections. He cannot redeem the pledge, as the corporation is not financially autonomous with a poor taxation base. The cities like capital city, commercial capital must be clean and beautiful with centrally sanctioned project. It is a matter of partnership between government and the city Mayor. Kolkata city now look clean and dazzling because of the role Chief Minster Momota Banerjee.

(Dr. M Abul Kashem Mozumder, Pro-VC, BUP and Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque, Retired Professor, Chittagong University).


Judge Kevin Kilrane has sought clarification on a name Gardai believe has been used to record convictions for a variety of people around the country.



Vasile Muntean, 4 Beechgrove, Dundrum, Tipperary is charged with exhibiting a false insurance disc at Glancys SuperValu, Carrick-on-Shannon on April 21, 2017.



Six other road traffic offences were struck out.



When previous convictions were queried, Inspector Denis Harrington said there is a problem with the mans name. Gardai are unsure of Vasile Muntean's link to the name Ruso Muntean.



According to Gardai, a number of people have given the name Ruso Muntean and received convictions around the country, Inspector Harrington can't clarify to the court if Vasile Muntean had previous convictions under the name Ruso Muntean.

The defendant has two previous convictions under his own name.



Ruso Muntean has 26 convictions from different places around the country. His photo was not taken at the time of his charges, the court heard.



Solicitor Laura Spellman told the court her client understood that these matters had been clarified.



Judge Kilrane said he had an application in chambers the morning of court, which he could not comment on.



He adjourned the case for further clarification until September 18, 2018.
AN EXPERT microbiologist in Britain has completed an independent investigation into the deaths of 74 University Hospital Limerick patients, who had tested positive for the CPE superbug over the past seven years.

Following the internal review, the UL Hospitals Group commissioned an independent external investigation, which was carried out by eminent British consultant medical microbiologist, Dr Robert C Spencer.

CPE is a multi-drug resistant superbug with a high mortality rate of 50%, for those who are infected. The bug can also be carried without the person showing any symptoms. The first ever detection in Ireland was at UHL in 2009.

A spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group has confirmed that the review has been completed and that it will be published in the coming weeks.

To date, the UL Hospitals has stood by its original figure that the CPE superbug has been a factor in just three cases since 2011.

In an interview with the media in June 2017, UL Hospitals chief clinical director, Prof Paul Burke said all cases were quite complex.

TD Clare Daly sent a parliamentary question to Minister for Health Simon Harris about the internal and external probes last week.

Minister Harris replied last Thursday: My understanding is that both of these particular reports were commissioned by the University of Limerick Hospital Group and I have referred your questions to the HSE for direct response to the Deputy.

I wish, however to assure the Deputy that I take the risks of healthcare associated infections very seriously. In this regard I launched Ireland's National Action Plan on AMR last October and declared CPE as a public health emergency and it continues to be managed as such.

A total of 4m was spent on dealing with the superbug at UHL in 2016.

According to a HSE report in March 2017, prepared by Dr Kevin Kelleher, there are a number of factors contributing to the rise of CPE in Ireland.

These include inappropriate antibiotic screening; understaffing and hospital overcrowding; lack of adherence to infection prevention and control guidance; lack of available isolated facilities; shortage of infection specialists; lack of CPE-specific screening; and lack of awareness.
SINN Feins Maurice Quinlivan TD has urged the Government to listen to the concerns of former students of Creagh Lane National School.

A group of former students who were sexually abused by their teacher while young students at the school have been excluded from accessing an ex-gratia scheme set up to financially compensate those while abused in the care of the State.

Victims of historical childhood sexual abuse should not have to campaign and plead for compensation, for which they should be entitled to, Deputy Quinlivan said.

Former Creagh Lane National School in Limerick are not entitled to compensation as a prior complain of abuse was not lodged, he added.

Since January 1975 despite allegations being made against 1,224 members of religious organisations, only 72 priests and missionaries have been convicted. The governments inaction is leading to continued hurt and distress for survivors.

Some victims of historical childhood sexual abuse continue to be denied access to redress due to the States interpretation of the judgment in OKeeffe v Ireland.

I recently travelled with the Victims of Child Abuse in Day Schools (VOCADS) group to Brussels to highlight their case at a European level.

The VOCADS group is calling on the government to reconsider its interpretation of the OKeeffe v Ireland judgment, to remove the requirement of a prior complaint of abuse being needed for access to redress, and for victims of historical childhood sexual abuse to be automatically entitled to compensation, where the abuser from a state funded institution, including days schools, has been convicted.

These survivors of abuse must be heard.A motion to this effect will come before the Dail soon, and Sinn Fein will lend our full support to that.
THIS REPORTER thought she might have been arriving too early to Limericks count centre last Saturday but it seemed she had been beaten by an army of volunteers, as a large crowd, mostly wearing Repeal jumpers and t-shirts, poured into the Limerick Racecourse.

With two separate Exit Polls predicting that the eighth amendment would be repealed by a significant majority the night before, the crowd seemed to be in good form.

However, this reporter did not spot anyone representing those campaigning for a No vote.

As the ballot boxes were cracked open canvassers from Limerick Together For Yes were on hand for tallies, fervently jotting down their sums on clipboards.

As both the count for the city and county took place simultaneously on separate floors of the Racecourse, several LT4Y volunteers were tasked with transporting city tallies upstairs to where the figures were being complied by Thomas Bibby and his team.

Even as the day wore on, their energy didnt let up and they could be spotted pounding up the staggered flight of stairs at the speed of light, clipboards in hand.

Individual tallies attracted great attention as they started to pour in; News of a ballot box from Ballybrown recording a 93% Yes Majority subsequently caused a firestorm on social media. However, this excitement was short lived as an executive decision to exclude the box was made, over concerns there might have been a discrepancy made by a first-time tallier.

One polling station in Cloncagh Library tallied exactly as 50% in favour of Yes and 50% in favour of No, while Effin in County Limerick recorded one polling station with a Yes majority and another with a No.

So weve an Effin yes and an Effin no? One reporter quips to the amusement of the assembled crowd. Excited shouts of Adare is a Yes or Weve a majority in Pallaskenry filled the count centre occasionally, although the crowds start to disperse as the day wore on.

As the county tallies start flying in, this city reporter express her own astonishment at the high Yes majorities coming in from towns and villages.

But this isnt something that is just a city issue, Limerick Together For Yes spokesperson Deirdre Flynn explains.Every house in the country, it can affect.

Its 1 in 20 women who are affected so what we would say is that its 1 in 10 doors. Last year 99 women gave Limerick addresses at UK clinics. Those are just the women who did give addresses, she adds.

Wed to be exceptionally respectful on the doors and compassionate because we just never knew who we were going to meet or what their story would be.

What hit us was that you couldnt say what demographic would be Yes or No because it really depended on their experiences behind that door.

Limerick Together For Yes also ran a very active campaign throughout the county, Ms Flynn adds. It was one thing that people came to us and said. You know, can we do something in our own village, can we do something in our own town, she explains.

Niamh Dillon from Kilfinane was one of the people who headed up the County Limerick canvas. They went to marts, they had stalls at markets, they knocked on as many doors as possible, handed out leaflets as many places as possible, Ms Flynn explained.

At one point a tally showing a box with a 76.6% Yes vote in Monaleen is brandished like a talisman and one LT4Y volunteer calculating tallies proclaimed: Limerick, we bloody love you!

Through all this, was Jan OSullivan looking on. Its an emotional day, she explains. Is she nervous? Not nervous, excited, she smiles. She believes the atmosphere is completely different to how it was in 1983.

I think whats different really is that people are thinking for themselves; they are not willing to be told how to think anymore.

Final LT4Y tallies predict the referendum will carry in Limerick 66.4% in the city and by 58.25% in the county. They are correct almost to the decimal.

When the official announcement is made, the crowd cheers and hugs. Several shed tears.

In a speech immediately after the referendum results were announced nationally, LT4Y chairperson Yvie Murphy thanked those who came forward and shared their stories in the run up to the referendum.

We stand on the shoulders of women and activists who have come before us and sacrificed so much. They spoke when nobody else would speak. They spoke when nobody would listen. But today we have spoken and Ireland has listened.

We would like to thank the public for their support, compassionate and generosity, she added. And our families, equally for their support, compassion and generosity. The work that has gone into this campaign has been monumental. Groups like just this one have been working around the clock all across the country to get us to today. But you did it. We did it.

We were silenced but we will not be silenced any more. We will roar and we will be heard.

Following the weekend, LT4Y spokesperson Deirdre Flynn called for legislation to be passed quickly through the Dail.

What happened on Saturday was heartwarming. It was such a lovely moment to see the comprehensive response to the questions that were put before us.

We hope now that that the legislation is moved quickly through the Dail and through all the process. People have spoken and they have spoken clearly that they want change and that they want it to happen immediately, she added.
THE DAIRY outlook is matching the weather.

Following the announcement from Fonterra that they are to lift their current milk price forecast as well next seasons forecast to what will be a record high for this decade, Ger Quain, chair of ICMSAs dairy committee, has wholeheartedly welcomed the news and contrasted it with the negative sentiment coming from some Irish co-ops.

The Colmanswell farmer said the sharp price increase for Fonterras new production season is higher than expected but it makes an even starker comparison with the situation here where milk price is still being talked down by the co-ops.

Farmers are being conditioned for further price cuts in the coming month. The very minimum that farmers expect is that when announced their base May milk price will be at least equal to April levels and we are certainly not going to be fooled by another cut to base price that is covered up by other payments of whatever description, said Mr Quain.

He noted that Dutch dairy quotations have reached higher levels across all categories again this week with butter fetching over 6000 per tonne. The butter/SMP mix is equivalent to 36.3 c/l at farmgate while WMP is returning 31.7 c/l. All indicators point towards a market that is very much on the rise and ICMSA insists this reality was immediately taken into consideration in any price-setting process.

The sharp upward market sentiment comes at a time when, Mr Quain says, more farmers than ever are closely comparing where they stand in terms of price relative to other co-ops in term of milk price, and asking serious questions on the very notable gaps between prices paid by various co-ops.

Most co-ops announced cuts to their April milk price for April but even within that there are differentials in the prices paid across the co-ops. Base price for April can range from 29 c/l to 33.9 c/l and, with bonuses and weather-related add-ons, the final attainable price can range from 30.5 c/l to 35.4 c/l. This variation is over 15% and for April milk alone is equivalent to over 2,200 for a 45,000 litres supply in that month which is a hugely significant sum given the very difficult first five months of the year.

I think farmers are absolutely right to ask how such a variation exists in the market and set against a background of a rapidly and demonstrably improving dairy markets those questions are going to get louder and more frequent till the co-ops concerned start reflecting the reality that all of us can see and check, he said.
A UNIVERSITY of Limerick student and active volunteer with Limerick Youth Service is off to Washington to represent Ireland on the same prestigious internship Leo Varadkar completed as a young man.

Naomi OMara, a student of History and Politics from Garryowen, has been selected as one of 30 students who will representing Ireland this year as part of the prestigious Washington Ireland Program for Service and Leadership (WIP).

The 30 students must complete a 12-month program of service and leadership development, which in Naomis case starts this summer in the American capital.

From June to August I will intern at the Irish Embassy in Washington, D.C and am really looking forward to it, Ms OMara said.

Selection for WIP 2018 was highly competitive with three hundred students applying for the opportunity.

A large part of the program focuses on leadership and I have plenty of experience of this from my time with Limerick Youth Service, particularly Lava Javas Youth Cafe where I was a member for five years and now volunteer there, Ms OMara said.

She joined Lava Javas at the age of 14 and during her five years became a member of the youth committee. During her time on the youth committee, she organised events that included Samhains Like Us, a major international youth culture programme.

For Samhains Like Us we organised five major events which culminated with us hosting a youth exchange with an Italian youth organisation in 2014, Ms OMara said.

Ms OMara in a youth exchange called Chew The Future in Tortona, Italy and recently was in Cape Town, South Africa as part of the Limerick Be Heard project.

Chew the Future focused on the food we eat and the effect it has on developing nations and the Limerick Be Heard project focused on encouraging the marginalised to express their views.

You can follow Ms OMaras summer journey via www.limerickyouthservice.com or at www.wiprogram.org.
A YOUNG girl who sustained ankle injuries when a stage box fell on her during an Irish Dancing lesson in Limerick has been awarded more than 16,000 in damages.

Through her mother, the plaintiff, who is now aged 12, sued Ballybrown GAA club and An Coimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha relating to an accident which happened on May 21, 2012

During an ex-parte (one side only) application this Wednesday, Judge Gerald Keys was told the young girl sustained injuries to her right ankle when the unsecured stage box was caused to fall on her.

While the plaintiff did not sustain a fracture, Limerick Circuit Court heard she did sustain a soft tissue injury and was required to wear a cast for six weeks following the incident.

Judge Keys was told she has made a good recovery and that there are no long term problems relating to her ankle.

There are no psychological concerns as a result of what happened

An up-to-date medical report, which was submitted to the court, stated the plaintiff continues to suffer mild stinging sensations on occasion but otherwise has healed very well.

Having been informed the offer was being recommended to the court, Judge Keys formally approved the settlement offer plus costs.

The money is to be paid to the Courts Service which will invest it for the benefit of the plaintiff when she turns 18.
A VOCAL Pro-Life Limerick councillor blocked a group of young mothers from his constituency who campaigned for a Yes vote from social media on the day the Referendum results were announced.

Independent councillor Emmett OBrien mass-blocked a group of four women from the Pallaskenry area - where he lives -on Twitter on last Saturday.

It is understood the women tweeted Mr OBrien from the Limerick Referendum count asking him would he be attending the centre later that day.

Mr OBrien had previously blocked the women on Facebook after they had commented on an article that he had shared.

We disagreed with his opinion. He posted an anti-choice article, one of the mothers explained.

I commented that I was disappointed, that he should represent both sides as a local councillor considering he was representing the locality.

Were all locals. He has been very vocal about being on the no-side, she added.

The group maintains that while they disagree with Councillor OBriens opinion, they have not bullied or abused him online in anyway.

Obviously he knew from the Exit Polls that it wasnt going to go his way.

The second we tweeted him, he blocked us straight away, all of us. You would think (a councillor) would have a thicker skin.

This is the first campaign the mothers have volunteered with.

We became involved in the campaign because its something we feel very strongly about, including maternity care as well. I never saw why Ireland had to be so behind the times.

I think what made me get involved with the campaign was that I couldnt go to the marches in Dublin so I thought about what else I could do so I took up canvassing training.

The village of Pallaskenry voted by a slight majority to repeal the eighth amendment of the Irish Constitution, tallies taken by Limerick Together For Yes show.

Councillor OBrien declined to comment on this matter when contacted, however, he did direct the Limerick Leader to a public statement he made on social media last Saturday.

Congratulations to the Yes campaign, Cllr OBrien posted on Facebook. The people of Ireland have spoken through our democratic process that we fought so hard to achieve. A decision that is to be respected.

A friend of his commented on this post saying: Very gracious Emmett and 100% correct. Time for Ireland to move on. Both sides now need to respect each others opinions, which Cllr OBrien liked.
Intentional delay of ACC to finish probe of Hallmark loan scam with Sonali Bank

THE intentional delay to complete the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) probe of Hallmark Group loan scam with Sonali Bank in six years makes it clear to the citizens that the ACC is not interested to settle financial crimes but is rather being used as a political arm of the government. The embezzlement of Tk 1,500 crore by the little-known Hallmark Group from Sonali Bank unmasked the worst banking crisis of the country. The incident was the tip of a colossal loan-scam and embezzlement in the banking sector that eventually pushed the country's banking sector into a crisis.

A six-member inquiry team led by ACC director Mir Joynul Abedin Shibli held no inquiries into the huge defalcation over the last two years as the ACC's top brass showed no interest to complete the probes. However, some of the team members were either transferred to other sections or given promotions. As per a national daily, the ACC stopped the probes in April 2014 on the plea that a series of correspondences was taking place among Bangladesh Bank, Sonali Bank, and the ACC. The Hallmark Group had borrowed Taka 3,700 crore, including Tk 2,200 crore from the Sonali Bank's Hotel Sheraton branch to fund its LCs and Tk 1,500 crore from the others to fund back-to-back LCs underwritten by the Sonali Bank. On October 7, 2013, the ACC submitted the charge-sheet against 25 officials of Sonali Bank and the Hallmark. The ACC began the probes in 2012.

The ACC's reluctance recalls us the government's softness to Hallmark and its reluctance to take punitive action. The Finance Minister's exasperation in Parliament in 2015 over the government's inability to take punitive action against loan scammers because of political backing is known. The Minister also admitted that public confidence in the financial sector has drastically fallen after the Hallmark and BASIC Bank scams, which has been observed in the recent spate of bank account closures.

As the loan scams set off a raging financial indiscipline in the entire sector, causing economic hemorrhage, the ACC and the government should put an emphasis in completing the probe to ensure justice. The PM's intervention in ending the culture of impunity could not come any sooner.






Tardigrades are probably the most paradoxical animals on the planet. On the one hand, these microscopic organisms are impossibly cute, seeming like tiny blimps that bumble around harmlessly on their stubby legs. But they also enjoy a legendary reputation as the toughest, most indestructible creatures on Earth.

Just 0.04 inches (1 millimeter) long (or less), their little bodies contain biological superpowers that help them withstand conditions that would spell certain death for other organisms. Taking their toughness into account, how long can these creatures live?

That depends on where they're found. Tardigrades occur almost everywhere on the planet, but most are happiest frolicking about in moist habitats, such as the moss that adorns river stones. When tardigrades have enough food and water to support their bodily functions, they live out the natural course of their lives, rarely lasting for longer than 2.5 years, according to Animal Diversity Web, a database run by the University of Michigan. [How Did Life Arise on Earth?]

And yet, tardigrades can survive for much longer if they go into a state called cryptobiosis, which is triggered when environmental conditions become unbearable.

"Tardigrades are fascinating little beasties," said Sandra McInnes, a tardigrade researcher with the British Antarctic Survey, who has been studying species that occur in the frozen snowscapes of Antarctica since 1980. "Tardigrades have this ability to cope with extreme environments by shutting down their metabolism. This ability to cope with drying out or freezing is what gives them their durability in the Antarctic."

Cryptobiosis puts tardigrades into a "tun" state, slowing their metabolism to a halt, reducing their need for oxygen and ridding their cells of water almost completely, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. In this shrunken state, tardigrades mimic death so closely that they're able to survive in places devoid of water, at temperatures as low as minus 328 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 304 degrees F (minus 200 Celsius and 151 degrees C). When these mummy-like tardigrades are exposed to water again, they simply reanimate, returning to normal life in a matter of hours.

"So long as the tardigrade can get into the tun, it will cope with anything that you throw at it," McInnes told Live Science.

McInnes once defrosted a moss sample from a former experiment and found it contained live tardigrades. She deduced that the organisms had survived, frozen, for at least eight years. In 2016, a paper published in the journal Cryobiology made waves when it showed that a handful of tardigrades, frozen in another Antarctic moss sample back in 1983, had survived in this frigid state for 30 years until they were revived in 2014. It's thought that the tardigrade's talent for self-preservation comes down, in part, to its production of unique proteins that can lock fragile cell components into position. That protects the membranes, proteins and DNA from being shattered, pierced and torn when cells become desiccated, according to a 2017 study in the journal Molecular Cell.

But the range of risky scenarios that tardigrades can survive has left scientists puzzled by just how these little beasties pull it off. "We are literally just scratching the surface of the biochemistry, the molecular pathways by which these animals cope with these environments," McInnes said. For instance, along with being frozen, boiled and dried, it's known that tardigrades can withstand pressures of up to 87,000 pounds per square inch (600 megapascals)  six times what you'd experience at the bottom of the sea. Just half this pressure would kill most other organisms on Earth. [What's the Oldest Living Organism?]

Many researchers have gone to extreme lengths to test tardigrade resilience, by blasting them (in their tun state) into space. In many of these studies, the space-traveling tardigrades were exposed to direct solar radiation and gamma-rays. But when they were popped into a water-filled petri dish back on Earth, they "basically walked away and said, 'OK, where's dinner?'" McInnes said. Tardigrades are seemingly able to resist radiation and even repair their DNA, which may explain why they're so resilient to radiation's extreme effects, a 2013 PLOS ONE study reported.

"If they've got this ability to last over time, how long do they live? Well, how long is a piece of string?" McInnes said. But she cautioned against the prevailing belief that tardigrades are invincible: "They can't live forever," she said. The widely publicized notion that tardigrades can survive in a tun state for 100 years or more is an overstatement, for instance. And high-stress living does take its toll on their physiology. Only some tardigrades survive the torments of experimental freezing, boiling and radiation that we humans subject them to.

But there is another way to appreciate their resilience: on a species level. Not only have tardigrades existed since the Cambrian period 541 million years ago, but they may well go on to outlive us  and probably all other life on Earth, according to a 2017 paper published in the journal Scientific Reports. It found that if a cataclysmic event like an asteroid impact were to befall Earth and destroy life, a group of tardigrades inhabiting the ocean's Mariana Trench would endure.

As well as being impossibly cute, it would therefore seem that tardigrades are our surest hope for maintaining life on this planet.

Original article on Live Science.
Stomach-hurling, whiplash roller coasters seem to have been a staple of teenage summers since they were invented. And while Six Flags sends fans head-over-heels screaming and boomeranging back for repeat thrills, the heyday for independent, kitschy theme parks was before the dominance of the Dallas-based chain Six Flags.

For many Texans growing up in the '60s, '70s and '80s, AstroWorld was hands-down the ultimate rite-of-passage amusement park  whether you lived in Houston or traveled hours to brave that rickety, terrifying Texas Cyclone.

RELATED: Things we'll never see again in San Antonio

San Antonians of a certain generation had Playland Park and the Rocket roller coaster, which was actually the first "rollie" in Texas erected in the 1940s. Playland Park was in fact Texas' first amusement park. Originally located in Houston, the predecessor to AstroWorld, it moved to San Antonio in the 1960s. But many recall their first dates and back to school parties there.

Click through the gallery above for a brief history of Texas theme parks that are long gone but not forgotten, from Sea-Arama in Galveston to El Paso's ill-fated Magic Landing.

And remember life before Sea World docked in S.A.? We had Aquarena Springs in San Marcos with "mermaids" and Ralph the swimming pig, famous for his swine dive.

RELATED: 12 awesome things you can do in S.A. that you couldn't do last summer.

Many of these parks went under when Six Flags rose in the 1990s, and when Sea World came to San Antonio. Some parks suffered tragic accidents and weren't able to recover.

Nonetheless, people continue to hold these places deep in their nostalgic hearts, and memorial sites are all around from the Facebook group We Miss Games People Play to the blogs Magic Landing In Memoriam and Remembering Sea-Arama.

If you remember Sunshine Park in San Antonio's southside, or you can recall parties at Playland or family vacays to any of Texas' old amusement parks, share your best memories in the comments.

RELATED: 16 family fun Texas roadtrips

jmscott@mysa.com
200 edn instts to get study permission

M M Jasim :

The government is going to give study permission to at least 200 schools and colleges across the country based on political consideration.

A good number of influential ministers and MPs sent Demi-Official (DO) letters to the Education Ministry for giving study permission of their institutions located in their own constituencies, ministry sources said.

The Education Ministry has been urged to take initiative in this regard as early as possible since 2018 is the election year. It is to fulfill their commitment to the people of their constituencies, they added.

The ministry officials, however, said there are available educational institutions in the country. Thousands of teachers have been demonstrating for enlistment under Monthly Pay Order (MPO) and huge teachers demonstrating for natioanlisation of their institutions.

They said that it would be a silly matter if the ministry approved only the 200 institutions. A top official of the ministry wishing anonymity told The New Nation that the powerful ministers and MPs gave pressure to the Education Minister and the secretary for giving permission of their institutions. The minister now is under tremendous pressure to fulfill the unauthorized request.

Contacted, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid declined to make any comment in this regard.

Chairman to the Parliamentary Standing Committee to the Education Ministry Afsarul Amin said, they are under pressure to establish new schools and colleges.

"This is the election year. Study permission and MPO are not the4 same. The ministry can give the study permission to the institutions on condition of fulfilling terms and conditions of the ministry," he said.

According to the establishment of the new educational institutions, a junior secondary school can be established for 8,000 people, secondary for 10,000 and higher secondary for 75,000.

The distance between the two junior schools should be six kilometers in rural areas and one kilometer in municipality area, secondary four kilometers and higher secondary institution six kilometers in rural area and two kilometers in municipality areas.

The ministry has already made a list with 200 institutions for giving study permission.

The distance between Sheikh Rusel Junior High School and Hazirhat Junior High School is just a road. But the ministry included the Hazirhat Junior High School for giving study permission.

This is an example. But a good number of educational institutions have been established violating the rules and regulations of the ministry.




The disgruntled video-maker who shot three people and killed herself at YouTubes San Bruno headquarters in April visited the companys campus a day earlier and inquired about a job, authorities said.

Nasim Aghdam, 39, entered YouTubes campus on April 3 and fired a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol at employees who were on their lunch breaks. Since then, law enforcement officials have been piecing together the events that led up to the shooting and released new details Thursday evening about Aghdams movements before she shot herself in the chest.

On April 2 at 12:40 p.m., police said, Aghdam visited YouTube for about 10 minutes and spoke with employees at the site. She asked for directions to the main office and went to the front desk where she inquired about employment, San Bruno police said in a written account.

This is the first time law enforcement has revealed that Aghdam visited the campus before the April 3 shooting. The statement also disclosed new details about her actions in the moments just before she opened fire.

On her arrival at YouTube, she walked to a courtyard between the YouTube building and a parking structure, wearing a leopard-print scarf and large sunglasses. There an employee immediately asked her for her ID badge.

Aghdam ignored the employee, reached into her purse with her right hand and removed a pistol, according to the police account. Upon seeing the pistol, the YouTube employee immediately fled and dialed 911.

Gun in hand, officials said, Aghdam walked through the courtyard and began firing indiscriminately into a crowd of employees eating lunch. YouTube workers scattered in all directions, running for the exits and some even hiding in trees, according to police logs of the incident.

Aghdam shot three employees, including a man who suffered a serious chest wound, according to police records. All three victims, and a fourth person who suffered an injured ankle, have been released from the hospital.

Aghdam had been railing against YouTube for months, relatives said. She believed the website had taken down some of her videos about animal abuse and exercise regimens. She also said the company was preventing her from making money on her videos by limiting traffic to her page.

There is no equal growth opportunity on YOUTUBE or any other video sharing site, your channel will grow if they want to!!!!! Aghdam wrote on her website. Youtube filtered my channels to keep them from getting views!

On April 2, Aghdam was reported missing from her familys home in Menifee (Riverside County).

About 11 hours before the shooting, Mountain View police officers found her sleeping in her car and spoke to her. They discovered a missing persons report on her and later notified Aghdams family. Mountain View police have previously released body-camera footage of that encounter, noting that she did not appear to pose any threat to herself or the public.

Following the shooting, Aghdams family claimed that they warned police in a follow-up call that she was upset with YouTube for censoring her videos.

The Mountain View Police Department then issued a statement saying the family did not mention anything about potential acts of violence or a possibility of Aghdam lashing out as a result of her issues with her videos.

A little more than an hour before the shooting, police said, Aghdam went to the Jackson Arms Shooting Range in South San Francisco, where she practiced firing a pistol for almost 30 minutes before leaving at 11:39 a.m.

San Bruno police said that there is no evidence that Aghdam had any partners in planning or committing the shooting.

The primary motive for this crime is believed to be Aghdams displeasure with YouTube business practices, the statement said. There is no evidence that her actions were intended to support any specific cause or ideology.

Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney
MSNBC host Joy Reid apologized - again - for a series of old blog posts that questioned Israel's sovereignty, suggested the government was behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and had the head of Sen. John McCain digitally edited onto an image of the Virginia Tech school shooter.

Reid's statement, issued Friday, appeared to be an effort to head off critics who called for NBC News fire her after more of her decade-old posts came to light this week. The posts offended some people and were at odds with some of the liberal positions that Reid typically espouses on her weekend program, "AM Joy."

MSNBC on Friday broke two days of silence and issued a statement in support of Reid. People at the network said she will host her program as scheduled on Saturday.

In her statement, Reid said, "There are things I deeply regret and am embarrassed by (in her blog), things I would have said differently and issues where my position has changed. Today I'm sincerely apologizing again."

She added, "I'm sorry for the collateral damage and pain this is causing individuals and communities caught in the crossfire. ... I've also spoken openly about my evolution on many issues and know that I'm a better person today than I was over a decade ago."

In particular, Reid repudiated comments she made in 2006 that echoed a discredited conspiracy theory that the federal government was behind the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York and Washington.

She had linked to a video popular among "truther" conspiracists, called "Loose Change 9/11," and asked, "The fundamental question is: do you believe the official story of 9/11? ... Even if you're agnostic, or you tend to believe that al-Qaida attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon and that the government had no warning such a thing could happen, it's worth taking a second look."

In another post in 2005, she appeared to agree with then-Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Jews should be forced to move from Israel to a colony in Europe. "God is not a real estate broker," Reid wrote in reference to Israel. "He can't just give you land 1,000 years ago that you can come back and claim today."

However, Reid said on Friday, "There is no question in my mind that al-Qaida perpetrated the 9/11 attacks or about Israel's right to its sovereignty."

She also backed away from a 2007 post in which McCain's face appears on the body of Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 in a massacre at Virginia Tech. The post, uncovered by BuzzFeed News, discussed McCain's promise during the 2007-08 presidential campaign to pursue Osama bin Laden, at the time a fugitive.

"To be clear," Reid wrote, "I have the highest respect for Sen. McCain as a public servant and patriot and wish him and his family the best. I have reached out to Meghan McCain and will continue to do so. She is a former on-air colleague and I feel deeply for her and her family."

As criticism of Reid mounted this week, MSNBC faced a delicate decision - whether to fire the only African-American woman to host her own show or to stand by her as controversies over Roseanne Barr and Samantha Bee swirled at other networks.

After two days of internal deliberations, the network's executives chose to side with Reid. "Some of the things written by Joy on her old blog are obviously hateful and hurtful," MSNBC said in a statement. "They are not reflective of the colleague and friend we have known at MSNBC for the past seven years. Joy has apologized publicly and privately and said she has grown and evolved in the many years since, and we know this to be true."

Reid's apology was the third one she has issued for comments on her blog, written while she was a TV host in Florida starting in 2005. She apologized in December for old posts suggesting that then-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist was secretly gay and had gotten married as a cover. She also apologized to conservative commentator Ann Coulter for suggesting she was a man.

However, when another round of such postings surfaced in April, describing Reid's apparent revulsion toward gay men, Reid denied responsibility and claimed her blog had been hacked, an assertion she acknowledged neither she nor a hired cybersecurity expert could prove.

"I genuinely do not believe I wrote those hateful things, because they are completely alien to me," she said on her program last month. "But I can definitely understand, based on things I have tweeted and have written in the past, why some people don't believe me. I've not been exempt from being dumb or cruel or hurtful to the very people I want to advocate for. I own that. I get it. And for that, I am truly, truly sorry."
It is little more than a footnote in the back-and-forth over the planned North Korea summit - but the rumor of a McDonald's in Pyongyang is juicier than a three-patty Big Mac.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may allow a "Western hamburger franchise" into the country as a show of goodwill to the United States, according to an intelligence report described by U.S. officials to NBC. That follows remarks by South Korean adviser Chung-in Moon in late April, who said that North Korea might be interested in welcoming a McDonald's as tensions ease.

Compared to the threat of nuclear war, of course, a Pyongyang McDonald's seems like small fries. But experts and history suggest there's more at play here than one token franchise.

McDonald's has long been seen as a symbol of Western culture and capitalism - particularly in communist countries. And it's expansion into China and Russia was seen as a landmark in the 1990s.

"This has happened with a number of different communist cultures," said Jenny Town, a research analyst at the Stimson Center and the managing editor of 38 North, an academic news site about North Korea. "Once they start to get different points of contact with the West, it changes their views - and it usually starts with McDonald's or Coca-Cola."

- - -

From its earliest days, McDonald's has been more than a fast-food restaurant. It is also a vector for American culture and a powerful symbol of globalization. In the 1970s, when the chain expanded into Europe, it used the tagline "United Tastes of America" in its ad campaigns. It also promised to bring all-American business values - speed, standardization and ruthless efficiency - to the countries where it operated.

That promise has panned out pretty well. McDonald's now operates 37,241 more-or-less identical, highly profitable locations in 120 countries. In his book "Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's," founder Ray Kroc calls the company "my personal monument to capitalism."

That may explain why the company's expansion into communist countries has been treated as a milestone in the past. When Moscow got its first franchise in 1990, Russians waited in line for hours to eat at what USA Today called "this city's new symbol of capitalism." (Even the recent finale of FX's "The Americans," a show about Russian spies in the United States, includes a dramatic McDonald's visit.)

Not long after its Russian debut, McDonald's began popping up in Beijing and Shenzhen. Chinese customers hated the food, ethnographer Yunxiang Yan found, but loved the aura of prosperity and progress.

"In the eyes of Beijing residents," he wrote in 1997, "McDonald's represents Americana and the promise of modernization."

- - -

But could McDonald's represent even more than that? In 1996, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman floated for the first time what would become a fairly infamous theory: Two countries with McDonald's restaurants would never go to war, he said, because they shared globalized, middle-class economies.

The prediction came at an apt moment: McDonald's was in the midst of what one analyst at the time called a "mind-boggling" global expansion. Between 1967 and 1987, the chain expanded into an average of two countries per year. By the mid-90s, the pace had accelerated to 10 countries - most of them "communist, ex-communist and developing," according to the Economist.

But proud as McDonald's may have been of its breakneck growth - in 1996 Belarus became the chain's 100th conquest - Friedman's theory on the pacifying powers of the Golden Arches was promptly disproved. Critics pointed out that McDonald's had not stopped the United States from invading Panama in 1989. Several other McDonald's countries have also tangled since then, including India and Pakistan (1999), Israel and Lebanon (2006), Russia and Georgia (2008) and Russia and Ukraine (2014). (Friedman was not immediately available to comment.)

Tellingly, McDonald's itself became a target of political ire during that last conflict. After Russia annexed Crimea, forcing three McDonald's to shut down, a nationalist politician called for the closure of all the chain's Russian locations.

"I want them to get out of my sight," Vladimir Zhirinovsky said. "Then we will deal with Pepsi-Cola" - another highly symbolic American brand.

- - -

Even though Friedman's theory hasn't held in its specifics, experts say there is something to the notion that greater cultural and economic ties between countries can reduce conflict. Friedman's idea jibes in some ways with a popular theory in international relations, which argues that capitalism promotes peace in part because countries share foreign policy goals when they compete on the same open market.

Separate from that, Town, of 38 North, said McDonald's can expose people to a side of the United States with which they may be unfamiliar. That can help moderate negative views in places such as North Korea, where anti-American propaganda is widespread.

Town said she thinks it would make sense for McDonald's to open in Pyongyang. It would probably be popular: North Korea has approached McDonald's about franchising in the recent past, she said, but has had to turn to Singaporean burger knockoffs instead. (A spokesman for McDonald's did not respond to a request for comment.)

Kim Jong Un is also believed to like burgers: In 2011, a South Korean newspaper reported that his father regularly had McDonald's flown from China on Air Koryo jets. And President Donald Trump is, of course, a big fan of fast-food as well. According to NBC, Kim hopes to open a chain in Pyongyang in part to cater meals for future bilateral conferences.

But Kayla Orta, an analyst in the History and Public Policy Program at the bipartisan Wilson Center, said she could not imagine that happening.

"Perhaps the day we see American-style fast food restaurants in North Korea will be the day cultural diplomacy triumphs," she said. "But we're a long way off from that day."
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Friday capped a week of whipsaw talks by reinstating a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un just days after he had abruptly canceled it, but he also sought to lower expectations over the potential for a quick denuclearization deal.

Trump made the announcement in impromptu remarks outside the South Portico after meeting for more than 90 minutes with a top Kim aide in the Oval Office. Kim Yong Chol, the vice-chairman of North Korea's Central Committee, delivered a personal letter from the young dictator, a gesture viewed as an effort to ease tensions after Trump abruptly called things off last week amid escalating threats from Pyongyang.

But even as the president hailed the restart of his high-stakes diplomatic endeavor, he acknowledged that a full breakthrough on long-stymied U.S. efforts to eliminate the North's nuclear weapons program would be unlikely at the summit, set for June 12 in Singapore.

"I never said it goes in one meeting," Trump told reporters, after walking Kim Yong Chol to a black SUV outside the South Portico and taking pictures with him and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "I think it's going to be a process. But the relationships are building, and that's a very positive thing."

Trump characterized the summit - the first between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader - as "a beginning" and a "getting to know you meeting-plus" in his effort to apply his unorthodox brand of personal diplomacy to a challenge that has vexed his predecessors.

"You're talking about years of hostility; years of problems; years of, really, hatred between so many different nations," Trump said. "But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end. Not from one meeting."

The president's remarks suggested that his administration is coming to terms with the widely held view among former U.S. officials that Kim Jong Un has no intention of quickly relinquishing an arsenal his family has spent decades assembling.

The near-collapse of the summit, after a hostile response from Pyongyang to suggestions from Trump aides that the United States would demand a rapid denuclearization process, offered new evidence that any path to a deal is likely to be marked by fits and starts and threatened by potential land mines.

Past U.S. administrations have accused North Korea of violating agreements with additional nuclear and ballistic missile tests. Asked Friday if he was confident that the North Korean regime was committed to denuclearization, the president said: "I think they want to do that. I know they want to do that."

But Trump also suggested additional summit meetings with Kim could be necessary.

"I told them, 'I think that you're going to have, probably, others,' " Trump said. "'Hey, wouldn't it be wonderful if we walked out and everything was settled all of a sudden from sitting down for a couple of hours?' No, I don't see that happening. But I see over a period of time."

Experts said Trump's shifting rhetoric was necessary to keep the summit on track by reducing the gap in expectations between Washington and Pyongyang, which has signaled it would only negotiate over a slower, step-by-step process to curb its weapons programs in exchange for reciprocal benefits from the United States and other countries.

After Trump called off the summit in a letter to Kim last week, negotiating teams from the two sides have met in the Korean demilitarized zone and in Singapore to try to forge agreement over the summit's agenda and logistics.

Pompeo met with Kim Yong Chul for two hours in New York on Thursday, a prelude to the White House meeting Friday.

"We've seen communications from both sides over the last few weeks that reduce the gap," said Joseph Yun, who served as the State Department's special representative for North Korea policy until stepping down earlier this year. "Now Trump is talking about two or three summits; it's entirely possible they're not going to get done in one. Similarly, Secretary Pompeo is talking about process and progress."

The lengthy meeting with Trump marked the first time since 2000 - when President Bill Clinton met a top military liaison to Kim Jong Il, the current leader's father - that a North Korean official visited the White House. Eighteen years ago, Jo presented Clinton with a letter from the North Korean leader inviting him to a summit in Pyongyang, an offer Clinton ultimately turned down.

While Jo wore a military uniform, Kim Yong Chol - the former spy chief who is leading the North Korea side in pre-summit talks - was dressed in a dark business suit when he arrived at the South Portico shortly after 1 p.m. He was greeted by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Andrew Kim, a CIA official in charge of the agency's Korea Mission Center, who escorted him into the Oval Office.

Kim's visit represented an extraordinary turn of events. He was personally sanctioned by the United States over his role in the North's nuclear weapons program and is thought to have masterminded an attack that sank a South Korean naval vessel in 2010, killing 46 sailors. He needed a special waiver from the State Department to travel to New York and to Washington.

Although it's unusual for a president to meet in the Oval Office with foreign officials who are not heads of state, White House aides said the gesture was appropriate given that Kim Jong Un has met twice with Pompeo in Pyongyang over the past two months.

In speaking to reporters, Trump said he and Kim Yong Chol discussed the economic sanctions on the North and a potential agreement to formally end the Korean War. An armistice signed in 1953 has left the Korean Peninsula in a state of tension for more than six decades.

"I look forward to the day I can take sanctions off of North Korea," Trump said. "We talked about ending the war. This war has been going on - got to be the longest war, almost 70 years, right? A possibility of something like that."

In Seoul, a spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in said with Friday's meeting at the White House, the road to a summit "appears to have expanded and strengthened."

"We will excitedly, but calmly, look forward to their historic meeting in Singapore," the spokesman added.

Experts have acknowledged that confidence-building measures are an important part of the negotiations, but they have warned against Trump moving too quickly to reward Kim without demonstrable concessions from Pyongyang.

Kim Jong Un "has more to show us that he is serious," Yun said. "What makes us believe North Korea is serious about changing direction? That's where we need to press them to prove that they're serious: What are the immediate steps? What is the timeline? What is the deadline?"

But Trump already signaled a softening stance, noting that he was holding off on hundreds of additional economic sanctions that his administration has developed out of the spirit of the diplomatic talks.

"Why would I do that when we're talking so nicely?" Trump said.

"I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore because I don't want to use that term because we're getting along," he said, using the name of the administration's North Korea strategy. "You see the relationship. We're getting along."

In a sign that Trump understands the risks of his freewheeling approach, the president, after praising Kim's "very nice letter," later told reporters he had not opened it.

"I may be in for a big surprise, folks," he said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Karen DeYoung and Ashley Parker contributed to this report.
The Japanese government essentially welcomed the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding his decision to hold the U.S.-North Korea summit on June 12, with a senior Foreign Ministry official saying, "It could possibly become a step forward for North Korea's complete nuclear abandonment."

Japan intends to dispatch Kenji Kanasugi, director general of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, to Singapore where the summit will be held to collect related information on the sidelines of the summit meeting, according to sources.
Mistakes can take place in major task: Quader

Staff Reporter :

General Secretary of Awami League Obaidul Quader on Saturday said, mistakes might take place in a big task like the anti-drug drive.

He said, the government will investigate the killing of Teknaf councilor Ekramul Haque. 'Ekram was our party activist. The home minster had issued a statement already on the issue. So, I do not want to say anything more. If Ekram was not involved with drug dealing those who are responsible for his death will be punished,' Quader said after launching a new bus service for women in Dhaka.

The anti-drug drive has already got support from the people of all strata.

Prime Minister gave instruction to the law enforcers to be careful during the anti-narcotics drives. If any person willfully creates chaos, he will not be spared.

Rapid Action Battalion claimed that Akram was killed in a "gunfight" between the elite force and drug dealers in Teknaf of Cox's Bazar on May 27.

Terming it a planned killing, Akram's wife Ayesha Begum demanded judicial probe into the incident, and urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure justice.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) launched its own anti-narcotics operation on May 4, while the Police Headquarters on May 16 instructed all police units across the country to conduct special anti-narcotics drives.

At least 129 people were killed in the incidents of the so-called shootouts across the country in 19 days till yesterday.
Corey Stewart, the provocative Prince William, Virginia, Republican who is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, took his campaign Saturday to neighboring Fairfax County, where he has been highlighting problems with the MS-13 gang and presenting himself as the best candidate on crime and illegal immigration.

In the process, Stewart has rankled both Democrats and fellow Republicans in the state's largest jurisdiction who were already concerned how a recent spike in MS-13-related crimes - including four murders during the past two years - will affect Fairfax's overall image.

Stewart, who unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for governor last year, is considered the frontrunner in the three-way primary contest for U.S. Senate on June 12. He is competing against two lesser-known opponents, state Del. Nick Freitas of Culpeper and evangelical pastor E.W. Jackson. The winner will challenge Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in November.

In robocalls and campaign stops through some of Fairfax's wealthiest neighborhoods, Stewart promised to "Make Fairfax Safe Again" - and portrayed the county of 1.1 million residents as being overrun by criminal gangs while falsely claiming that Fairfax has "declared itself a sanctuary city."

"The time has come to end the scourge of illegal aliens who are preying on law-abiding United States citizens here in Fairfax County," Stewart said during a Saturday rally in front of the Fairfax County Detention Center that was attended by about 50 supporters. "We are going to take Fairfax back and we are going to destroy MS-13."

The strategy mirrors that of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly fanned fears over MS-13 - shorthand for Mara Salvatrucha - to score political points, most recently accusing House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., of being an "MS-13 lover."

To back his own claims, Stewart relies on uncertain gang population estimates and only a partial view of crime data.

His campaign says there are more MS-13 members in Fairfax than there are police officers, whose ranks number about 1,400.

That assertion - also made by Republican Ed Gillespie about Fairfax when he ran for governor last year - is based on a 2015 county police estimate that, relying on a county youth survey earlier that year, determined there were about 2,000 gang members in Fairfax.

But with federal estimates for the entire region far lower, Fairfax officials have since acknowledged that it's hard to know how many gang members are in the county. Moreover, some kids may claim to be in a gang but really aren't.

At his campaign stops, Stewart predicts gang violence in Fairfax will rise after a recent decision by Sheriff Stacy Kincaid to cancel an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that kept jail inmates suspected of being in the country illegally for as many 48 hours past their release dates. That agreement expired on May 23.

"What they're doing by turning a blind eye to a rising MS-13 gang problem, particularly when 80 percent or higher of MS-13 gang members are illegal aliens, is just reprehensible," Stewart said in an interview.

By contrast, Prince William got tougher on immigrants, approving a 2008 ordinance that directs police to alert ICE when someone suspected of being in the country illegally is arrested for another crime, which has resulted in several thousand such referrals.

As a result, Stewart says, the crime rate dropped from 20.1 percent in 2008 to 13.7 percent in 2016, the most recent year for which complete federal crime data is available.

However, those statistics reflect a national drop in crime that began in the 1990's. They also show violent crime in Prince William rising in recent years, before a drop in murders last year.

Between 2012 and 2016, murders in Prince William steadily climbed from just two to a record-high 22, while aggravated assaults increased from 368 to 524, records show. The county has said there were four homicides last year, with 2017 data for other crimes still being analyzed.

In Fairfax, the number of murders inched up from 16 in 2012 to 18 in 2016 and, again, in 2017. Aggravated assaults went from 383 in 2012 to 395 in 2016.

When questioned about Prince William's recent spike in violent crimes, Stewart said he prefers to focus on the overall crime rate.

"You're going to have spikes or drops in any particular year," he said. "We're always looking at the long term."

Officials in vote-rich Fairfax accused Stewart of trying to whip up hysteria.

"It's giving totally false information," said Sharon Bulova, a Democrat and chair of Fairfax's Board of Supervisors, who last week received a robocall invitation to Saturday's rally.

"Fairfax County has not declared itself a sanctuary city, and Fairfax County does not have the worst MS-13 problem and our jails are not releasing dangerous criminals into the community," she said. "None of that is true."

Supervisor John Cook, R-Braddock, who chairs the board's public safety committee, said Stewart is using a problem in some portions of Fairfax to cater to anti-immigrant sentiments among Republicans.

"To carry it to such extremes and to sort of just be intentionally demeaning is not the way the party should be going," he said.

Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) said he agrees that Fairfax's problems with MS-13 may be made worse by Kincaid's decision to end the ICE agreement.

But "going after MS-13 is really about protecting our immigrant communities because they're the ones who are that are being preyed upon," he said.

Quentin Kidd, director of Christopher Newport University's Wason Center for Public Policy, sees a more sophisticated strategy. In a general election against Kaine, Stewart can use worries about MS-13 violence to rally his conservative base and siphon away support from moderate voters, Kidd said.

"If he can gain traction on this law-and-order question, then it plays potentially really well in a general election if you've got the president and Republicans nationally also making law-and-order a big deal," Kidd said.

At a recent campaign stop among the regal mansions of Great Falls, about 30 Republican voters gathered to hear Stewart talk about the encroaching menace of MS-13 on their lives.

Some vaguely agreed that more should be done about the problem. Others expressed genuine worry that the gang is too close to home.

"I don't think we have MS-13 right here in Great Falls, but it is right next door in Herndon," said Andy Wilson, 71, who hosted the event with his wife Nancy. "Our kids went to middle school and high school in Herndon, so it's right here and it's very concerning."
Republican activists chose Denver Riggleman at a meeting Saturday in central Virginia to replace Rep. Thomas Garrett, R, on the November ballot, following a frenzied five-day campaign.

The craft distillery owner and former Air Force intelligence officer will face Democrat Leslie Cockburn, a journalist, author and first-time candidate trying to capitalize on opposition to President Donald Trump in Charlottesville and other liberal enclaves in Virginia's 5th Congressional District.

The district is among about 100 nationwide that Democrats are targeting in hopes of taking control of the House in the midterm elections.

It is a reliably red seat, but the pressure was on activists to choose a candidate who can unite hard-line conservative, libertarian and moderate Republicans and overcome a blue wave if it materializes.

"You've never seen a fighter like Denver Riggleman," the nominee said in a speech after his selection. "I've been through hell, and I've got hell to give!"

The nominee was decided after five hours and four rounds of secret balloting that came down to two candidates: Riggleman and Cynthia Dunbar, a national GOP committeewoman with far-right views.

Her nomination would have improved Cockburn's chances for an upset in November, but party handicappers view Riggleman as a more pragmatic choice.

Over the past few days, Riggleman promised to join the conservative House Freedom Caucus, of which Garrett is a member.

State Democrats accused Riggleman of cutting deals to win the nomination in a divided party.

"Leslie Cockburn has been traveling the district for almost a year, meeting voters where they are," party spokesman Jake Rubenstein said in a statement. "Leslie will be loyal to them in Congress, not to backroom promises or the House Freedom Caucus."

Riggleman, who leans libertarian, gained a statewide following during a short-lived campaign for governor in 2017.

He ran as a populist stymied by regulatory roadblocks that he and his wife, Christine, encountered as they opened Silverback Distillery outside Charlottesville. He also highlighted his battle with Dominion Power, which at one point planned to route a large natural gas pipeline through his property.

The vote came less than a week after Garrett revealed that he is an alcoholic and abruptly abandoned his reelection bid, triggering a scramble to select a Republican nominee.

Instead of a traditional campaign with rallies and mailers, hopefuls personally rallied the 37 members of a party committee steeped in local politics and Republican orthodoxy.

Dunbar lost a contentious convention two weeks ago in the neighboring 6th District, where she lives, but she had strong connections on the 5th District committee, including at least two voting members who worked on her latest campaign.

Dunbar has called the separation of church and state a "fallacious principle" and says Democrats who support their party's platform cannot be true Christians, according to her book "One Nation Under God: How the Left Is Trying to Erase What Made Us Great."

"This is a nightmare for the RNC," commentator John Fredericks said on his radio show, referring to the Republican National Committee, in a broadcast from the meeting as it appeared Dunbar might win the nomination.

The committee and a few hundred observers gathered in the auditorium of Nelson County High School to choose from among at least a half-dozen candidates who publicly entered the race days ago.

But Dunbar's camp took advantage of quirks of the rules making it possible for a surprise candidate to swoop in and pick up enough votes to win.

She wrapped up a big chunk of the committee during an initial round of voting, followed by Riggleman, and by veteran Joe Whited and Michael Del Rosso, who both ran for the nomination in 2016. Land-use activist Martha Boneta and state Del. Michael Webert, R-Marshall, were eliminated.

Three hours into the meeting, Dunbar lost support on a second ballot and Riggleman gained votes. During a fourth and final vote, Riggleman's team used control of the House as a negotiating tactic, telling members that if Democrats win the majority they will impeach Trump.

Early in the day, establishment Republicans, especially those watching from Richmond, were pulling for state Sen. William Stanley Jr., R-Franklin, but he quickly took himself out of the running and looked toward statewide office in 2021.

"I'm not built for Congress," Stanley said on the radio. "I want to do something. I don't want to be one of 435. I'm either going to be the next attorney general or governor because we need to take those state offices back."

The massive, triangle-shaped district, which is bigger in area than New Jersey, runs from Fauquier County in the north down to the Shenandoah Valley, through Appomattox and across Southside Virginia.

As voting began, Cockburn, who lives in Rappahannock in the 5th District, told supporters in an email: "Today, Republican party officials are planning to handpick their nominee to represent our district in Congress... Regardless of who they choose, one thing is certain: we won't be stopped."

Independent analysts assess the district as "leans Republican" or "likely Republican," ratings unlikely to change after Saturday's vote.

Garrett won election by 16 percentage points in 2016, outperforming President Trump by about five points to succeed retiring Rep. Robert Hurt, R. Republican Ed Gillespie won the district by nine points in the 2017 Virginia governor's race.
The Virginia school board that was sued by a transgender student over its bathroom rules said Friday it is appealing a federal judge's decision.

Gavin Grimm, now 19, sued the Gloucester County School Board when he was a high school sophomore. Grimm, who is transgender, said the school board's policy barring him from using the boys' bathroom was discriminatory.

Late last month, a federal judge ruled in his favor, saying that the board's policy violated Title IX, which bars sex discrimination in public schools, and the Equal Protection Clause, which assures parity under the law.

In a brief filed Friday, the board's attorney, David Corrigan, challenged the ruling. Corrigan argued that Title IX does not protect the right of transgender students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. He said the board's policy, which requires students to use bathrooms according to their "biological sex," is constitutional.

As Grimm's case worked its way through the courts, it became the focal point of the battle between transgender student advocates who sought to allow students to use bathrooms aligned with their gender identity and opponents who argued that transgender students could compromise the privacy of others.

Grimm had the backing of the Obama administration, which filed briefs in his favor and argued the bathroom rule violated Title IX. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, based in Richmond, Virginia, sided with Grimm in 2016, deferring to the Obama administration's interpretation of Title IX.

Grimm's case was appealed to the Supreme Court by the school board, and the court was set to hear it in spring 2017. But the Supreme Court sent Grimm's case back to a lower federal court after the Trump administration reversed the guidance on transgender student rights.

Grimm's attorney, Joshua Block of the ACLU, welcomed Friday's appeal by the school district. Grimm is now a 19-year-old activist in Berkeley, California.

"The vast majority of courts have already made clear that these discriminatory and harmful policies violate Title IX," Block said. "We're confident that the 4th Circuit would agree."
SEOUL - South Korea gave a major sigh of relief Saturday after the White House revived plans for a landmark summit with North Korea that has already stirred new openings between Seoul and Kim Jong Un's regime.

A statement from South Korea's presidential Blue House said, "The road to a summit between North Korea and the United States appears to have expanded and strengthened" after a top envoy for Kim held meetings in Washington with President Donald Trump on Friday and hand-delivered a letter from the North Korean leader.

"We will excitedly, but calmly, look forward to their historic meeting in Singapore," said a spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The South Korean reaction is also notable for what it leaves out. South Korea has been cautious not to set clear expectations for the planned June 12 summit in Singapore between Trump and Kim. There are too many potential pitfalls, chiefly how far the North is willing to make concessions over its nuclear program in exchange for a possible easing of economic sanctions and other incentives from the United States and its allies, such as South Korea.

Moon has staked his political credibility on being a key broker between Kim and the Trump administration. After Trump said May 24 that he was canceling the summit, the South Korean president's outreach included a hastily arranged face-to-face meeting with Kim.

In the past few days, envoys from both sides of the divided peninsula have agreed to goodwill gestures. Military talks are planned for June 14 in the truce village of Panmunjom, and discussions on holding reunions for families separated by the Korean War more than 60 years ago are set for June 22 in the North's Mount Kumgang resort.

At a gathering of defense chiefs in Singapore, South Korea's defense minister, Song Young-moo, also planned Saturday to emphasize the South's peace efforts to an audience that included Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and military officials from China, which is deeply involved in North Korea as the country's chief economic lifeline.

A statement released Saturday by the North Korean state news agency said North Korea will push for all sanctions to be lifted and to "abolish hostile policies" by the United States toward North Korea.

"We must fight against hostile acts by the United States and stop the sanctions the United States is imposing under the disguise of the United Nations, and take immediate steps to reach a peace treaty," the statement from the Korean Central News Agency said.

"We must end the U.S. intervention and interference on the unification and unity of our people forever," it said.

Contrasting messages have emerged from the North in recent days amid the scramble to save the summit.

After talks with a South Korean team, the North's chief negotiator, Ri Son Gwon, described both nations as "the wheels that move the cart forward" toward peace, according to the South's official Yonhap News Agency. On Thursday, meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim complained to Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, about "U.S. hegemonism" and suggested he wanted to expand ties with Moscow as a buffer against Washington.

Any hints of greater cooperation between Kim's regime and Moscow could set off alarms in the Trump administration and bring new complications to the planned summit.

On Friday, China welcomed the prospect of greater Russian involvement in North Korea. "It plays an important role in maintaining peace and stability in the region and advocates a peaceful and diplomatic solution of the Korean Peninsula's nuclear issue," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.

Joel Wit, who follows North Korean affairs as a senior fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Center, said Pyongyang knows that any economic advances will come mostly from countries in the region rather than from possible U.S. aid or investment if peace efforts move forward.

"That's the whole game," Wit said. "North Korea is looking out for its security concerns. This is what it wants from the U.S. It's not yet about the economy. That will come from the countries like South Korea and China. This summit is mostly about security for the North."

Mattis, at the Singapore defense conference, said Trump will not discuss any possible reductions in U.S. troop levels in South Korea at the summit with Kim. Mattis said such talks about could be held later with South Korea if the summit makes progress, in Washington's view.

In Seoul, about two dozens protesters gathered outside the U.S. Embassy, calling for a permanent end to U.S. military exercises and a peace treaty between the United States and North Korea.

Trump is taking a "two-track" approach toward North Korea, the protesters said. Despite Trump's willingness to meet with Kim, the United States continues to hold military drills with South Korea, they said.

"This is the time to pursue peace," one protester demanded through a megaphone, "but the United States continues to pursue military exercises."

There was no immediate Chinese reaction after the summit plans were back in motion. Beijing has previously signaled, however, that it wanted the summit to go ahead.

Though the official response from China's Foreign Ministry has been restrained, the Communist Party-controlled press has been critical of the U.S. side for the unpredictability of the past few months - both on trade and North Korea.

"The on-off-on roller-coaster has exposed a shocking lack of seriousness and preparedness on the U.S. side, particularly on Trump's part, as to how to seize such a rare opportunity to ease the tensions on the Korean Peninsula," wrote Chen Weihua, Washington correspondent for China Daily, in an English-language opinion piece.

Earlier this week, the Global Times, a Party-controlled newspaper known for its strident nationalism, ran a piece headlined: "Waffling on summit dents U.S. image."

Chinese experts remain skeptical that Trump and Kim will reach a sweeping deal by June 12. "The twists and turns over the past week are evidence that these working-level talks aren't going smoothly," said Cui Zhiying, a Korean affairs expert at Shanghai's Tongji University.

- - -

The Washington Post's Amber Ziye Wang in Beijing contributed to this report.
Deal with UN must ensure safe return of refugees

File photo of a sprawling Rohingya refugee camps at Tekhnaf, Bangladesh across Myanmar border.

The decision to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between United Nations agencies and Myanmar is being seen as a first and necessary step since the "conditions are not yet conducive" for return of Rohingyas, says the United Nations.

United Nations agencies and Myanmar have agreed a framework which it is hoped will lead to the repatriation of Rohingya refugees, but only if their "voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable" return from camps in Bangladesh can be guaranteed, according to UN News Center.

Since August last year, some 700,000 mainly-Muslim Rohingya have fled Rakhine State, in majority-Buddhist Myanmar, for Bangladesh.

Most say, according to UN News Center, they were fleeing violence and persecution, including a military campaign by Myanmar forces, which began in response to violent attacks by Rohingya insurgents.

The agreement - reached by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Myanmar - will be officially signed within a week or so, with the exact date to be confirmed, the UN says.

Under the agreement, UNHCR and UNDP will be given access to Rakhine State, including to refugees' places of origin and potential new settlement areas, that so far the UN has been unable to access since the violence escalated last August.

The access, once effective, will allow UNHCR to assess local conditions and help the refugees to make informed decisions on voluntary return.

The agreement will also allow the two UN agencies to carry out needs assessments in affected communities and strengthen the capacity of local authorities to support the voluntary repatriation process. The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State - a neutral and impartial body composed of six local experts and three international experts, chaired by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan - has proposed concrete measures for improving the welfare of all people in Rakhine State.

Its recommendations include establishing a clear and voluntary pathway to citizenship and ensuring freedom of movement for all people there, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or citizenship status.

Meanwhile, the UN migration agency, known formally as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is helping Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, properly prepare for the monsoon season, which is getting underway, said the UN News Center. Radios, megaphones, first aid kits, stretchers, protective clothing, warning flags and sirens are among the items being distributed to more than 500 Rohingya emergency volunteers in the largest camp there.

With most of the refugees forced to live on steep and sandy slopes in low-lying hills, surveys by IOM and other agencies have found that around 200,000 people will be in serious danger from landslides and serious flooding when the worst monsoon weather arrives.

Reuters adds; Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 UN World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

"If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing?

"There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly."

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, UN and other aid organisations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts. Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading". "Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less."

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.
For 70 years, this farm along the banks of the Rio Grande has belonged to the family of Becky Jones and Frank J. Schuster.

The farm surrounds the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, and as children, Jones and Schuster wandered through the magical wonderland that provides respite to green jays, chachalacas and great kiskadees.

On Sunday afternoons, their father, Frank Schuster, who bought the original parcel of land with his military savings in 1948 and pieced together 700 acres over his lifetime, would take his kids to a sandy beach along the nearby river where they would splash and play.

The soil is lush and verdant from river silt. Sugar cane grows here. So do cabbage, collards, turnips, cilantro, parsley and Swiss chard.

Soon the border wall will cut right through the family farm, putting about half of it on the south side of the wall.

The coming wall is often described in passing  even as a modest win for opponents. Its just 25 miles of a levee barrier in Hidalgo County and another 8 miles in Starr County. It spares the 2,088-acre Santa Ana Wildlife refuge.

The wall is also often something of an abstraction, a symbol of either American strength or bigotry, and almost always something happening far away from daily lives.

Few people will see the wall cut through their family farm  as Jones and Schuster will. Few people experience drug drops in their barn or have their property used as a staging area for migrants. Schuster continues to live on the farm. Jones lives in nearby McAllen.

It is important, then, to hear perspectives about the wall from those who will have to live with it. And in the case of Jones and Schuster, that perspective is often more complicated and nuanced than the national rhetoric.

Neither of them thinks the wall is the right approach. They would prefer something like U.S. Rep. Will Hurds smart wall, which emphasizes technology, not barriers. Hurd represents a different part of the Texas-Mexico border.

But while Jones is an outspoken critic of the wall, Schuster often talks about the need for greater security for the Border Patrols busiest sector. People cross through his property all the time, and he has no clue who they are or if they are dangerous.

You see where I live, and we have talked about the traffic coming through the refuge, he said. My wife and granddaughter are out there playing in the backyard right now.

How could he be against the wall if this is what the U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it needs for security?

But to Jones, it doesnt make any sense. The wall is not on the border. Its on her familys farm north of the border. And she worries about the security of anyone caught on the south side of the wall. She figures anyone with gate codes will be a target, and shes skeptical the Border Patrol will monitor the south side of the wall with the same vigilance as the north side.

I think Washington politicians, including some of our Texas senators and congressmen, are accomplishing what General Santa Anna couldnt do, and that is establishing the border north of the Rio Grande River, she said. And I think they are going a step further because they are having Texans send their tax dollars to give up their own land.

We were touring their family farm, bumping over dirt roads past fields of sugar cane, as Jones and Schuster pointed out landmarks. This was a road their father built. Over there was a possible location for a Border Patrol gate, allowing access across the wall. Here was a field that would be on the south side of the wall  an area the two repeatedly referred to as no mans land.

There was a certain absurdity to it because the wall will cut through their farm, only to stop at the wildlife refuge. Schuster called this the hole in the funnel.

Jones and Schuster are working with Customs and Border Protection about where the wall will go on the property. Specifically, where gates and irrigation will be located. This, in and of itself, is controversial.

When I mentioned Jones and Schuster to Marriana T. Wright, executive director of the nearby National Butterfly Center, she didnt pull her punches.

In my opinion, they have completely acquiesced, Wright said in a phone interview. They are going along with it.

The National Butterfly Center has filed a suit against the border wall, which would cut through its property. About 70 percent of the property would be on the south side of the wall, Wright said. She and others have argued the walls construction would eradicate habitat, increase flooding and limit wildlife foraging.

I think none of us are optimistic about stopping it, she said. But we are still fighting like hell.

Shes quick to point out the hypocrisy of Texas lawmakers who praise property rights  except on the border.

As for Jones and Schuster, They are not fighting the wall, she said. They are negotiating terms with Border Patrol.

Wrights comments about Jones struck me as understandably emotional  these are beloved properties  but also unfair. Wright, Jones and Schuster are all trying to respond to the wall in a rational way, albeit differently.

But the wall is so unnatural, so flawed, there is no clear and correct course of action. A wall does not resolve economic forces. It does not differentiate between refugees, unskilled labor or cartel members. It does not resolve humanitarian crises or improve diplomacy. But it is coming here, and it will change this landscape.

Acquiescing or not, Jones has acted, at times with desperation, to spare her familys farm from the wall.

Jones has pleaded her case to Congress, a mostly disappointing experience.

Shes contacted a number of legal experts, published a letter to the editor in the Des Moines Register and even sent a letter to first lady Melania Trump. Jones father was Slovenian, and Jones thought maybe that would catch the first ladys attention. It did not.

But once this portion of the wall was funded, Jones attitude shifted to trying to have some input into the walls construction.

I think its going to be very difficult to stop the construction of the current wall, said U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela Jr., who represents the region and is a fierce opponent of any border barrier.

He, too, blasted the wall as failed policy. One that stirs insecurity at the expense of needed infrastructure at official ports of entry.

Toward the end of the farm tour, we made our way to the banks of the Rio Grande so Schuster could check on a pump. On the other side of the river was Mexico, green and brilliant.

It was hot and sticky. The kind of afternoon when the sun drills into the skin. The conversation reflected resignation.

If we are going to spend the money to build the wall, you hope it works, Schuster said.

But I am still going to be the minority opinion and say its not right, Jones said.

I am not saying its right, Schuster said.

I just wish they had listened to Will Hurd, Jones said.

But no one had listened. Not to Hurd. Not to Jones, Wright or Vela. We were on the U.S.-Mexico border, soon to be well south of the wall.

jbrodesky@express-news.net
Civil forfeiture laws allow the seizure of a persons property without a warrant  and more importantly, without a criminal conviction.

The Institute for Justice report Policing for Profit: The Abuse of Civil Asset Forfeiture puts the issue this way: Civil forfeiture laws pose some of the greatest threats to property rights in the nation today, too often making it easy and lucrative for law enforcement to take and keep property  regardless of the owners guilt or innocence.

Heres an example of an abuse of such laws committed by federal officers:

The nightmare began for Gerardo Serrano when, on Sept. 21, 2015, he drove up to the border crossing at Eagle Pass in his 2014 Ford pickup. The reason for the trip? He wanted to interest a cousin from Mexico in expanding his solar panel installation business in the United States.

After Serrano took a few photos of the border as mementos, two U. S. border agents demanded the password to his phone. When Serrano exercised his rights and refused, one of the agents said he was sick of hearing about your rights.

You have no rights here, the agent said.

The agents searched the truck, and finding five .38-caliber bullets in the trucks console, one of them said, We got him! Serrano had a concealed-carry permit but no weapon on him. The agents seized the truck, alleging it was being used to transport munitions of war.

Later, to request a hearing on the seizure, Serrano was required to post 10 percent of the trucks value, $3,804.99. The hearing never took place.

But in the two years Serrano was without a truck, he continued making the $672.97 monthly payments on it, and he paid more than $700 to keep it insured and $1,004.61 to register it. He also ended up paying thousands more on rental cars.

Represented by the Institute for Justice, or IJ, Serrano is not only suing for restitution but seeking a class-action judgment on behalf of others mistreated in other seizures.

According to IJ, Texas has one of the worst civil forfeiture laws in the nation. The laws in Texas authorize the seizure of any contraband or instrumentality, such as money, motor vehicles, buildings, firearms and any other asset used in or acquired from the commission of a crime.

Many victims of the seizures arent criminals or related to drug cartels, but average citizens whove broken no law.

The Texas statute permitting forfeiture invites abuse in at least four ways.

First, it creates a conflict of interest, allowing law enforcement agencies to sell seized property and use the proceeds to add to their coffers, thus giving them an incentive to abuse their power.

Next, the seizure and sale take place even though theres been no conviction of any crime.

Third, Texas uses a preponderance of the evidence standard for determining whether a seizure is valid, instead of the beyond a reasonable doubt used in criminal proceedings.

Finally, the burden is on the owner of the seized property to prove the property wasnt used to commit the underlying crime. And this burden may fall on an unknowing person who loaned or leased a vehicle used in the alleged crime.

With most laws, especially those under which government interests conflict with the rights of its citizens, there are differences of opinion. So, its not surprising that civil forfeiture has been debated for many years in every state, pitting law enforcement against property rights advocates.

Critics maintain that forfeiture laws deprive owners of property without due process, while law enforcement counters that the laws are stopping crime, especially those involving drugs.

In 2015 alone, 13 legislative bills were introduced in Texas to reform civil forfeiture, but fierce opposition, mostly from law enforcement, killed every one of them.

In the 2017 Texas legislative session, Sen. Konni Burton, R-Colleyville, introduced Senate Bill 380, which would have repealed civil forfeiture provisions and established criminal forfeiture. The bill died in committee.

SB 380 had two important features. First, no agency could seize or keep property until there was a conviction. Second, the government, not the property owner, bore the burden of proof under the stricter standard of beyond a reasonable doubt.

Lawmakers are confronted with drawing the line between effective law enforcement and property rights. Most of us are sold on the idea that we need good law enforcement agencies. By the same token, we are protective of our property rights.

Where do we draw the line?

The answer depends on the answer to another inquiry: Are the police genuinely attempting to enforce the law, or are they being unduly influenced by the fact that their budgets stand to gain handsomely, affording them higher salaries and needed equipment?

These questions arent purely academic. Its been shown that confiscated funds are widely used for salary increases, and the purchase of vehicles and essential equipment.

Im not against putting drug cartel criminals behind bars. But I strongly oppose law enforcement abusing its authority and using the law to violate citizens rights and deprive them of their property forever or for an extended time, causing undue hardships for them and their families.

Up until eight or so years ago, civil forfeiture laws were largely unknown to most elected officials, pundits and journalists, much less to the public. This was so even though the federal and the state laws had existed for many years and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of property were being seized every year in the United States.

This brings me to a much deeper and broader issue  one involving not only bad laws but a complacent or uninformed public. Its unfortunate that civil forfeiture laws ever came into being. But its sadder that theyve remained on the books for so long.

It saddens me that Texas and other states have consistently abused their civil forfeiture laws without clamor or so much as a critical squeak from citizens. Most people are silent when they should speak out. Possibly, they tolerate the abuses as long as the laws, when properly applied, help law enforcement and hurt the drug trade. Or maybe they remain silent because theyre oblivious to either the existence of such laws or their questionable application.

Some of the laws may meet due process and other constitutional requirements in their enactment but fall far short in their application, especially when the people we should trust  our law enforcement  abuse them throughout the country.

Shame, shame on public officials, who we should revere, for your failure to assure that the laws dont trample on the rights of citizens.

We, the public, must share the blame. So I add, shame, shame on us, not only for allowing these bad laws to continue in force but for doing nothing about their abuse and not demanding justice.

Lawmakers especially should take note. Should a courageous Texas legislator choose to introduce legislation similar to SB 380 in future legislative sessions, I realize that, because of massive lobbying efforts from law enforcement, the bill would stand little chance of passage. But thats often the way reform happens, by not giving up.

Someday, sooner or later  I hope, sooner  the tide will turn.

Meanwhile, Texas law enforcement agencies will continue to enrich themselves shamelessly.

Rudy Apodaca, a former chief judge of the New Mexico Court of Appeals, is an Austin attorney and writer. He may be reached at www.rudyapodaca.com.
The newly appointed Judicial Commission on Mental Health has its work cut out.

There are simply not enough beds at the state hospital level to accommodate all the people who need that level of service. The state is working to address the problem by adding more beds, but its pace is not fast enough to meet the demand.

Judges on the front lines face crisis situations when it comes to defendants with mental health and substance abuse issues. Some counties are fortunate to have community resources available. However, even in communities such as Bexar County, viewed as trendsetter when it comes to diversionary programs, there is a need for more options.

The state has only 2,200 state mental hospital beds, and although 60 percent of those beds are reserved for individuals in the criminal justice system, that is still insufficient for those who need them.

There are 675 defendants on a waiting list for forensic beds. Those are beds designated for individuals who have been charged with or convicted of criminal behavior related to their mental illness or have been found mentally incompetent to stand trail, according to Mike Maples, Texas Health and Human Services deputy commissioner.

The wait is even longer for those charged with serious felony crimes. Only two state facilities, one in East Texas and the other in North Texas, are equipped to handle individuals who need to be placed in maximum security.

On the day the commission met, 100 of the state mental hospital beds were offline because of lack of sufficient staff.

Maples, who is responsible for the 10 state hospitals and the 13 state-supported living centers across the state, presented the sobering statistics to fellow commission members at their inaugural meeting in Austin last month.

The commission was created through a joint order of the Supreme Court of Texas and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals this year to focus on the growing number of defendants on the docket who suffer from mental health and substance abuse issues.

In most communities, the lack of alternatives to incarceration are limited and results in the detention of many individuals who would be best served by treatment.

During the last legislative session, funds were allocated to address capital improvement needs at many state hospitals and to draw up a 10-year plan to add 1,100 beds over the next 10 years.

The first phase of that project  calling for 338 additional beds, including 40 at the San Antonio State Hospital  is already underway. However, as welcome as that news is for those in the trenches, it is not enough. The additional beds wont even take care of the waiting list.

State records indicate that in 2007, about 14,000 were served through state hospitals, but that number was down to 7,000 in 2017 because of the length of stay by each individual patient, Maples said.

As of early May, 753 of the people in state hospitals had been there well over a year. They included 189 individuals found not guilty by reason of insanity, 345 defendants found incompetent to stand trial, and 219 others held under civil commitment orders.

We anxiously await the recommendations that the 31-member commission will be taking to the 86th Texas Legislature when it convenes in January. This is a problem judges keep referring to as a huge iceberg.

Mental illness does not discriminate between rich or poor, rural or urban, or by skin color. It affects us all, either directly or indirectly through our wallets as taxpayers.

Slowing the revolving door at county jails will require uniform state policies that address the needs of both urban and rural communities, and ensure that all defendants are afforded equal justice.

In the case of the mentally ill, justice means treatment  not incarceration without treatment.
Fight for defense

Abdul Muqit Chowdhury :

The 17th Ramzan reminds us of the Jihad of Badar. It was a defensive fight against infidel aggressors. The Muslims, though very small in number and not sufficiently equipped with arms and ammunition, became victorious in the battle with the help and Grace of Allah.

The Holy Quran reveals : "God had

helped you /At Badar, when ye were / A contemptible little force; /Then fear God : thus/May ye show your gratitude." (Sura Al-e-Imran: Ayat 123, the Holy Quran Translation and Commentary by A. Yusuf Ali).

"Remember ye implored/ The assistance of your Lord/ And He answered you: I will assist you/ With a thousand of the angels,/ Ranks on ranks." (Sura Anfal : Ayat 9, Do)

'Jihad' means 'to try one's utmost'. It is the use of all energies and resources to defend truth and justice.

The Muslims had no alternative than to fight against aggressive forces who were huge in numbers to annihilate them. So fight for the defense of the Nation and Faith is not only allowed, but also commanded and made obligatory by the Holy Quran and the Sunnah.

Islam combines struggle against inherent inhuman instincts as well as worldly aggressive forces. The Jihad of Badar categorically demonstrated the concept even in the month of Ramzan, the designated time of fasting.

Though Ramzan is the training period of spiritual purification, it also presents practical performance of Jihad through example of Muslim history. Jihad, 'the exerting of one's power' repelling the enemy and 'struggle to the utmost' ones capacity is permitted as the last resort for the Muslims to survive as an independent and sovereign nation, in case they become the victims of aggression, tyranny and oppression.

The Holy Quran permits Jihad in the following way : "Fight in the cause of God/ Those who fight you;/ But do not transgress limits;/ For God loveth not transgressors." (Sura Baqara : Ayat 190, Do)

Thus Jihad is very much a defensive one and it should not be misinterpreted by the ignorant or the vested quarters.

We should know the limitation ordained by Allah here. Jihad is not permitted when the enemy becomes inclined towards peace. Peace is the ultimate goal of Islam.

Holy Quran directs the believers : "But if the enemy/ Incline towards peace,/ Do thou(also) incline/ Towards peace, and trust in God : for He is the One/That hereth and knoweth/All things." (Sura Anfal : Ayat 61, Do)

With the background of the Jihad of Badar, the Muslims' strategy to fight against aggression is to be framed. They are wronged. Here the Quran voices for defence : "To those against whom/ War is made, permission/ Is given (to fight), because/ They are wronged;... " (Sura Al Hajj: Ayat 39, Do )

Of course, Jihad in the shape of war is the last resort of the Muslims, while under aggression and oppression. It is a misconception that Jihad means only war and is against any non-Muslim. It is a matter of defense, but there is warning against transgressing limits.


A man who stole over 500k from a north Longford pensioner received 240 hours community service during a sentence hearing at Longford Circuit Court this week.

PJ Devine, Ballybay, Co Monaghan appeared before Judge Keenan Johnson pleading guilty to four charges that included the theft of 5,000 in November 2000 from Tommy Kyne, Derrycasson, Dring, Co Longford; appropriating a property, valued at 150,000 belonging to Mr Kyne without his consent in 2008 and dishonestly appropriating another property valued at 54,000 in 2004.

Mr Devine also pleaded guilty to stealing 5,000 from another north Longford couple in May 1999.

During this weeks hearing Mr Smith SC for the defendant said his client had been paying 50 per week by direct debit into the estate of Mr Kyne - who died in 2014 - since the last court sitting and he had also provided the estate with 115,000 - the defendants share of the proceeds from the sale of the family home in Co Donegal.

During his judgement Judge Johnson said the case before him was very serious.

All of this fed Mr Devines gambling addiction and drink problem, fumed the Judge, before pointing out that the court took on board that the defendant was now sober.

There is 489k still owing to the estate of Mr Kyne and in reality those monies will never be reimbursed to the victims estate; that is a travesty.

Judge Johnson went on to say that the defendant too had suffered as he had lost his home and was now living over a public house in Ballybay.

It is clear that these offences were as a direct consequence of his addictions and I dont think that it is in the interest of society or indeed the Kyne family to hand down a custodial sentence in this case, continued the Judge.

Mr Devine has been deemed suitable for community service and I am handing down 240 hours in lieu of three years in prison.

You will be paying this debt off for the rest of your life Mr Devine.

During a previous hearing in the case, the court heard that Mr Kyne died in 2014 with losses of over 500,000 to his estate.

Outlining the evidence to the court, Mr Shane Geraghty, Counsel for the State said that Mr Kyne had invested a total of 700,000 with the defendant, a former employee of Irish Life, and only ever received, during his lifetime, one payout of 150,000 from the company.

In April 2013 Mr Kyne, who was 80-years-old at the time, told his solicitor Mark Connellan that he had invested sums of money over the years and wanted to get all his financial affairs in order.

Mr Kyne asked his brother John to gather the various receipts and investment reports from Irish Life in respect of those policies but when he did so, it emerged that some of the policies did not exist.

The court also heard that at time Mr Kyne had accumulated investments valued at 625,509 with 150,000 having been paid out by Irish Life.

Detective Garda Jim Donaldson subsequently investigated the matter and discovered investment bonds that appeared to be making money for Mr Kyne, but were in fact not genuine.

Judge Johnson was told that Detective Garda Donaldson later met with four representatives of Irish Life and was informed that Mr Kyne had only ever made one investment with the insurance company and Mr Devine had been employed by Irish Life back in the 1980s but that employment had been terminated in 1998.

The Detective subsequently travelled to Donegal and met with Mr Devine in September 2014.

Mr Devine produced 61 documents in respect of Mr Kyne and was arrested and detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

He made full admissions at that point.

The court was then told that during interviews with gardai, Mr Devine said; I took the money; I had debts and I used the money to pay those debts. I had intended to pay the money back.

He also added, I gambled hard; I drank hard, I wasnt supporting anyone else.

The defendant also confirmed that he had designed Irish Life documents and brands on his computer and that he led Mr Kyne to believe they were genuine.

The court also heard that when Mr Devine sold his home place in Aughnacliffe, he drank and gambled away the money and then tried desperately to hid the situation from his wife.

Detective Garda Donaldson told the court that Mr Devines marriage has since broken up and he had turned his life around after spending time in Cluain Mhuire.
Ballinalees Hamish and Henry, the now famous Scottish Highland cattle in Co Longford stole the show at the Dunderry Fair held in Co Meath last month.

And with each passing year the pair become more and more popular as they step out in style with their owner Michelle Shaughnessy at the annual summer shows.

Meanwhile, Hamish and Henrys arrival in north Longford was thanks to two people says Michelle - her late father and well-known cattle dealer Mickey, and the owner of the cattle, a farmer in Co Galway.

I first spotted them in the highlands of Scotland though, adds Michelle as she recalled her holiday to the area back in 2012.

I was at Eilean Donan Castle with my friends and while they were looking at the castle, I was in the little shop looking at the cattle sections in the books; I saw these gorgeous highland calves and I actually asked the lady in the shop if they really existed, and she said they did!.

As Michelle says herself, she immediately summoned her two friends from the castle and the three spent the rest of the holiday travelling the high roads and byroads of Scotland looking for the cattle.

It was then that she found Hamish and Henry.

And that was at Applecross in the West Scottish highlands.

It was September 2012, she recalls and the cattle were purchased by a Co Galway farmer shortly thereafter.

He then sold them onto the delighted Shaughnessys.

So, it was in December 2012 that Hamish and Henry arrived into the yard of the family farm in Ballinalee.



They took over from the moment they arrived on the farm, laughs Michelle, before pointing to the fact that the whole family fell in love with them.

Daddy let me keep the cattle and put them into his herd; he has left me a wonderful legacy to be honest and I am very grateful to him for that.

Meanwhile, Hamish and Henry made their debut show appearance at the Granard Agricultural Show a couple of years back and since then they have been welcomed at numerous others across the country including Tullamore, Mullingar, Longford and Dunderry.

Hamish and Henry have also added to the family in recent times and the Shaughnessys have welcomed Hannah, Hilda, Howard and Honey to the brood.

Highland cattle are so gentle, in fact I can barely get them to move at times, smiled Michelle, before pointing out that when Hamish and Henry see her they immediately run to her!

They are not commercial cattle either, so that means I can enjoy them and love them and know that Im not going to lose them one day.

When they are the shows they are so placid; they let people pet them and look at them close up and it doesnt bother either of them in the slightest. For me, they are here to stay; they are not going to be fattened or sold."

Read Also: Top class Longford Show hailed as one of the best on record
Apple has been bested yet again! Its a wonder they even bother to try anymore.

Writing for Mashable, Stan Schroeder tells us that A bunch of cool new phones are coming out of China soon. (Tip o the antlers to Nick.)

Thats kind of dull compared to the page title: Sorry, Apple and Samsung. Smartphone innovation is happening in China. One gets the feeling he is sorry yet also not sorry. Its Schrodingers Apology.

Well, then, lets see the innovation. Presumably its not the innovation U.S. intelligence agencies are concerned about coming from these phones that is stealing users information for the benefit of the Chinese government, which some of these firms are beholden to. Presumably because that doesnt seem like the kind of innovation people want and, also, because theres no mention of that concern anywhere in this article.

All six companies  Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, Huawei, Lenovo, and Xiaomi  are based in China, and if youre looking for a new phone, you should check them out before you dish premium money for a Samsung or Apple device.

Theres literally no downside to these phones! Discussed in this article! At all!

If you want a cheap phone with top-notch specs, Xiaomi, Oppo and OnePlus have got you covered. If you want a phone with an under-the-display fingerprint scanner, Vivo already has one on the market.

Who buys a phone like this? I want a phone with an under-the-display fingerprint scanner and thats all I care about! No one buys a phone like that. And no one is in luck because someone wrote a whole article aimed specifically at their buying pattern.

But follow that link about Vivos innovative phone to get a sense of what we Apple dorks are missing out on.

When it works, the Vivo X21s fingerprint sensor is slower than the typical fingerprint scanners youll see on other phones. 

Also, the fact that you have to actually push your digit into the display makes the experience worse.

Ugh. The Macalope cant believe he isnt awkwardly and slowly unlocking his phone right now.

Again, Schroeder doesnt bring this up. Because this is an ad for Chinese phones. For some reason.

You cant shake a stick around these Chinese phones without hitting some innovation. Sometimes you have to use an imaginary stick, though, since some of this innovation isnt available yet.

Though weve yet to see it on a phone you can actually buy, Oppo has had the best lossless zoom on a smartphone camera since Feb. 2017.

I can imagine these phones will one day have lots of features! And isnt that better than features I cant imagine iPhones having?

If you want to see what a notchless phone of tomorrow might look like, check out Vivos Apex concept or Lenovos upcoming Z5.

Future phones from Apple competitors beat currently shipping phones from Apple every time! Its uncanny! Why does Apple even bother to make phones?!

And if you want to literally see through the back of your phone, Xiaomi has done it (though whether youre really seeing the phones innards is up to debate).

The title of the piece linked to there is, and the Macalope is required by law to inform you that he is not making this up, Xiaomis new Mi 8 Android phone shamelessly copies the iPhone X.

Things get even more impressive when you look at whats coming in the near future.

More impressive than a shameless copy of the iPhone X that may or may not let you see the inside of the phone?! No way!

On June 12, Vivo will launch a device with a What is NEX tagline. We dont know much about it

We have reached the point where the mere concept of a competing phone is more innovative than anything Apple has to offer. Peak fan fiction.

Yes, companies like Xiaomi and Vivo keep on launching phones that feel like theyre from the future, but at the same time they shamelessly copy the iPhone Xs design elements. Can these phones truly be called innovative?

I, for one, have stopped caring about semantics.

What is innovation anyway? Who can say one phone is more innovative than another? Its a pointless exercise. I wash my hands of it. Anyway, lets get back to these innovative Chinese phones

Samsung and Apple are both too big  or think theyre too big  to take big risks.

Like removing once standard components such as the headphone jack and home button, or making privacy such a tentpole feature that youre willing to defy the FBI over unlocking a terrorists phone. Certainly, nobody ever said anything about those choices being monumental mistakes. Sure, take a look at these phones. For a lot of people, they might be great and some of their features are interesting if not always implemented well. But take an actual look at them, one that includes the drawbacks.
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Shailaja said till now out of the 18 who tested positive for Nipah, 16 have died but the remaining two however are recovering.The new direction came after two fresh deaths were reported on Thursday. Both were undergoing treatment at the state-run hospital at Balussery near here.On Friday, all six doctors and other medical professionals at the hospital were asked to take leave and rest.State Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran, who hails from this district, said the need of the hour is for people to be very cautious as even when things are under control, people have to cooperate.Nipah virus is transmitted to humans through infected fruit bats, pigs or other Nipah-infected persons.Perambara, a suburban town near here, has been the worst-affected as the first case was reported from here and four people of a family died. To find out the source of the virus, a number of samples from a particular variety of bats were taken, but they turned out to be negative.A second set of samples from fruit bats is currently being tested at High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal and the results are now awaited.Meanwhile, taking into account the gravity of the situation, the Public Service Commission on Friday has postponed all its examination till June 16. And while the new academic year began on Friday in all schools in the state, schools in Kozhikode will open only on June 5.Source: IANS
HURON COUNTY -- On a hot summer day, much like the ones we have been experiencing this week, temperatures inside a car parked in the sun can reach 160 degrees in an hour, according to a new study.

And one hour is about how long it can take for a child inside that car to suffer a heat stroke or even die from hyperthermia.

According to the National Safety Council, an average of 37 kids die in hot cars every year in the U.S. The agency says incidents tend to peak between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when between two to three kids die each week.

The study, released by researchers at Arizona State University and the University of California San Diego, looked at how long it takes for different types of cars to heat up in varying degrees of sunlight and shade.

"We've all gone back to our cars on hot days and have been barely able to touch the steering wheel," stated study co-author Nancy Selover, a climatologist at Arizona State University. "But imagine what that would be like to a child trapped in a car seat."

As part of the study, researchers tested six vehicles, including two identical silver mid-size sedans, two identical silver economy cars, and two identical silver minivans. The vehicles were parked in different conditions over the course of three hot summer days in Arizona, with temperatures above 100 degrees.

Vehicles parked in the sun took an hour to hit an interior temperature of 116 degrees, while seats heated up to 123 degrees and the dashboards reached 157 degrees.

In those conditions, the study says, a child's body temperature could reach 104 degrees in about an hour if the car is parked in direct sunlight. Even for vehicles parked in the shade, interior temperatures reached an average of 100 degrees after one hour.

"Our study not only quantifies temperature differences inside vehicles parked in the shade and the sun, but it also makes clear that even parking a vehicle in the shade can be lethal to a small child," Selover said.
27 held during anti-drug drive in city

At least 27 drug traders were arrested by police in a drive from city\'s Kalshi area of Mirpur and recovered huge illegal drugs on Saturday.

UNB, Dhaka :

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) during anti-narcotics drives on Saturday arrested 27 people from city's Bihari camp in Pallabi area for taking and selling illegal drugs.

A Special team of the DMP, including Pallabi Police Station, Detective Branch, Special Armed Police and Dog squad conducted the drives at Kalshi and Bihari camps of

Mirpur-11 and Mirpur-10 at around 10 am and continued until 12:00 pm, said Officer-in-Charge of Pallabi police station Dadan Fakir.

During the drives, the police arrested 27 people for taking and selling illegal drugs and recovered 2,150 pieces of Yaba pills, 674 grams heroin, six kg hemps, and 60 lite local wines from their possessions, the OC added.
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ELMER TOWNSHIP  A 59-year-old Sandusky man was injured after hitting a groundhog and being thrown from his motorcycle.

According to the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to the scene around 7:24 a.m. Friday on Isles Road near French Line Road. Deputies reported the man had been traveling south bound on Isles Road on a 1983 Honda motorcycle when he struck the animal, lost control and was thrown from the motorcycle.
Councillor Ekram was killed as per plan!

Mistakes can occur during drive: Quader

Staff Reporter :

The family members and locals have alleged that Teknaf Municipality's Ward Councillor Ekramul Haque was killed on May 26 as per plan of an influential local lawmaker.

They termed the killing in 'gunfight' with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) as a drama, which has raised massive question among the mass people after getting viral of an audio on media recently.

The family members pointed their figures towards the elite forces as they mentioned the deceased's father's name misleadingly. The residence address of Ekramul was also incorrect, they said.

Seeking anonymity, some neighbours claimed that Ekramul has been killed by rented goons as per the plan of local MP centering prior enmity.

Six days after the killing of Ekramul, an upazila-level leader of the ruling Awami League was also killed. His wife Ayesha Begum held a press conference in Cox's Bazar, where she claimed that her husband was killed in a cold blood, not in a gunfight as the security forces claimed.

"On the night of May 26, an official of a security force took him by force from our home. My daughter and I talked to him over phone after he left us. When we talked to him last, he was panicking. The phone call continued and gunshots and shouts were heard. It was then I realized that my husband was killed in cold blood," she said.

"We don't have much wealth, but our family was filled with happiness and joy. But today, we lost everything. My daughters have no one to call Abbu [father]. Their future is bleak."

Terming it a planned killing, Akram's wife Ayesha Begum demanded judicial probe into the incident. She urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure justice for "the killing of one of her dedicated supporters."

Ayesha also gave reporters a total of four audio clips that recorded terrifying conversations between Ekram and his wife and one of the daughters before he died in a hail of bullets. The audio recorded on a mobile phone also captured sounds of gunfire and groans of a dying man.

As the groaning continued for a while, Ekramul's wife and two daughters on the other side of the phone screamed and begged for his life, saying he was innocent, according to one of the clips. Ayesha claimed that the conversations were recorded when Ekramul was brutally shot dead.

However, it could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clips. Ashraful Islam, the younger brother of Ekramul, said, "We cannot console his two daughters (eight grader and sixth grader). Their father brought them up with much affection and love. They are insisting on bringing back their father, but I cannot respond to their call." Nurul Bashar, General Secretary of the Teknaf upazila chapter of Awami League, said: "I know Ekramul very well as we are associated with the same political party. We have been involved in Awami League for quite a long time.

"A three-time municipality councillor and an honest man, Ekramul always believed in the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It's unbelievable that he had been involved in drug peddling."

Pressed to comment on the audio clips, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the media that they were looking into the allegations that Ekramul's family raised.

"We are looking into the matter. If anyone is found guilty in the regard, he or she must face punishment. No one is above the law," he said.

Echoing the Home Minister, Mufti Mahmud, director of the legal and media wing of RAB, said they, too, were investigating the allegations.

Meanwhile, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said, one or two mistakes can occur during the ongoing anti-narcotics drives.

Asked whether the death of Teknaf councillor Akramul Haque in crossfire has made the ongoing drives questionable, Quader said, "Not at all."

Quader, also the Awami League general secretary, said "One or two mistakes can happen during this kind of drives."

"I do not know whether an innocent person has been killed. The matter can be cleared only after investigation. Nothing can be said before investigation."

Quader made the comment in reply to a query from reporters after he inaugurated a transport service "Dolanchapa" for females at Bangabandhu International Convention Center.

Earlier, Rapid Action Battalion claimed that Akram was killed in a "gunfight" between the elite force and drug dealers in Teknaf of Cox's Bazar on May 26.






A top aide to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has been representing the Pentagon's interests in North Korea talks and will be part of the team going to Singapore for the planned summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un on June 12.

Randall G. Schriver, assistant secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, has been at the truce village in Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone this week for talks with a North Korean delegation, on the groundwork for the summit and its implications for the more than 28,000 U.S. troops now based in South Korea.

Schriver, a former Navy intelligence officer and State Department official, also "will continue to be our representative" in Singapore, Dana White, the department's chief spokesperson, said at a Pentagon news briefing Thursday.

In Panmunjom, Schriver was part of a State Department team led by Sung Kim, a veteran diplomat and current U.S. ambassador to the Philippines.

"It will be up to our diplomats and to the White House to determine how things move forward," White said, "but Secretary Schriver is a part of that team, and he is representing the department."

Schriver formerly was deputy assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, with responsibility for China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

From 1994-98, he worked in the office of the Secretary of Defense on relations with China's People's Liberation Army and also on bilateral relations with Taiwan.

Schriver was CEO and President of the Project 2049 Institute, a non-profit think tank focused on security issues and trend lines for Asia by mid-century.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Not only Ekramul all killings outside law are punishable murder: Govt has no right to defend

Editorial Desk :

Killing systemically without trial is inhuman and murder. Those who are guilty of murder shall not be able to save themselves for such crime of murder. It is no defence that they obeyed orders of higher authority. Nobody is above law; which does not mean the government is above law. What is most disgraceful is that our own police are killing their own people. It is a shame for the whole nation.

The fact is that the government itself is through anarchy. No people's government can allow

gun power to be the supreme power much above the law.

Pressed to comment on the audio clips related to Teknaf Municipality Councilor Ekramul Haque's death, the Home Minister yesterday said that they were looking into the allegations. Ekramul was shot and killed on May 26 under the government's controversial ongoing anti-drug crackdown. However, his family's claim is that security forces killed Ekramul in cold blood. The fact is that after allowing killing without trial there is nothing that the Home Minister can do by way of investigation into the murder of anybody killed by RAB or the police. In the name of ending drug trade no responsible government can end lives of the people.

Five days later, his family released four audio clips that recorded terrifying conversations between Ekramul and his daughter and wife before he died of multiple bullet injuries. The audio conversation recorded on a mobile phone also captured sounds of gunfire and groans of the dying man. Ekramul is just one of the many victims and our biggest question is can the police give back his life for his wife and children? The government may as political force do any thing wrong but the people police must not have any politics to kill even a single citizen of the country. The benefits they are enjoying are provided by the people's money. They are disciplined force and killing without trial is not police behaviour. We are a free country and the police must not behave like a colonial police unaccountable to people.

The recent nature of killing under the banner of 'gunfight' dates back to the post independence days of the first half of the 70s. Also today's RAB is strikingly similar to the erstwhile Rakkhi Bahini practicing extra-judicial killings. We don't want to return to that insecure and perilous era once again.

Such brutal idea of killing people without trial came with those who went to India. They tried to show they came back as victors to punish us as enemies of independence. While those who went to India their patriotism should be accepted as beyond doubt. It is a terrible break of faith with our people who stayed in the country to suffer inhumanly and die helplessly. Any genuine leader of ours would have felt guilty for not keeping their brave words to be on our side and fight the Pakistan army.

We are against killing without trial because we want to find the guilty by a court of law. The idea of police justice is denial of judicial justice. It is not the rule of law that allows killing for the excuse of fighting drug trafficking.

We do not know if they are killing political or personal enemies as generally claimed.

The police cannot accept the methods of terrorists and kill people without recourse to law.

What we are witnessing right now in Bangladesh is the extreme state of lawlessness. Shootouts do nothing to cure the root causes. We must remember that with the death of alleged drug traders, law enforcers are losing valuable sources of information which could help them nab the masterminds-the drug kingpins-who are calling the shots.

The police must remain law enforcers and not to become killers isolating from the law of the country. We do not want to lose our police as protectors of life.




Pentagon Official Says He Resigned Because US Cybersecurity Is No Match for China

Nicolas Chaillan cited the Pentagon's reluctance to make cybersecurity and AI a priority as a reason he quit.
If you are a military spouse seeking federal employment, things just may have gotten a bit easier.

Last month, President Trump issued an executive order to enhance opportunities for military spouses looking for employment with the Federal Government.

The order requires Federal agencies to promote the use of noncompetitive hiring authority that currently exists for military spouses to the greatest extent possible.

It also:

directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to educate agencies regarding the use of the noncompetitive hiring authority, and to increase awareness of the opportunities it creates among military spouses;

requires all agencies to report annually on their progress in advertising positions to, obtaining applications from, and hiring military spouses; and

directs agencies to recommend new ways to improve license portability and remove barriers to the employment of military spouses.

While the order promotes the use of noncompetitive hiring authority for military spouses, it does not require the hiring of a military spouse for an open position over other applicants.

Military Spouse Unemployment High

According to the White House press release there are nearly 690,000 spouses of active duty service members. In 2017 the military spouse unemployment rate was 16 percent, over 4 times the 2017 rate for all adult women. Even though military spouses have a higher unemployment rate, they have a higher level of education than the population at large.

Military Spouses Face Greater Obstacles To Employment

Beyond the stress of having to move frequently due to military deployments, military spouses have to deal with job searches hampered by state regulation that prevents their occupational licenses from easily transferring.

It is hoped that the executive order will open more Federal positions to spouses and provide significantly greater opportunity for military spouses to be considered for Federal competitive service positions.
Key

Select Mineral List Type Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Dana Chemical Elements

Detailed Mineral List:  Albite Formula: Na(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Beryl Formula: Be 3 Al 2 (Si 6 O 18 ) Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Bismuthinite Formula: Bi 2 S 3 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Bismutite Formula: (BiO) 2 CO 3 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Columbite-(Fe) Formula: Fe2+Nb 2 O 6 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Eulytine Formula: Bi 4 (SiO 4 ) 3 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Ilmenite Formula: Fe2+TiO 3 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Microcline Formula: K(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  'Microlite Group' Formula: A 2-m Ta 2 X 6-w Z -n Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia  'Monazite' Formula: REE(PO 4 ) Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Muscovite Formula: KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Quartz Formula: SiO 2 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Rutile Formula: TiO 2 Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007  Zircon Formula: Zr(SiO 4 ) Reference: Pegmatites of Western Australia; M Jacobson, M Calderwood, B Grguric; Hesperian Press, Perth, 2007

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts  Bismuthinite 2.DB.05 Bi 2 S 3 Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides  Columbite-(Fe) 4.DB.35 Fe2+Nb 2 O 6  Ilmenite 4.CB.05 Fe2+TiO 3  'Microlite Group' 4.00. A 2-m Ta 2 X 6-w Z -n  Quartz 4.DA.05 SiO 2  Rutile 4.DB.05 TiO 2 Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates  Bismutite 5.BE.25 (BiO) 2 CO 3 Group 9 - Silicates  Albite 9.FA.35 Na(AlSi 3 O 8 )  Beryl 9.CJ.05 Be 3 Al 2 (Si 6 O 18 )  Eulytine 9.AD.40 Bi 4 (SiO 4 ) 3  Microcline 9.FA.30 K(AlSi 3 O 8 )  Muscovite 9.EC.15 KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2  Zircon 9.AD.30 Zr(SiO 4 ) Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc.  'Monazite' - REE(PO 4 )

List of minerals arranged by Dana 8th Edition classification Group 2 - SULFIDES A m B n X p , with (m+n):p = 2:3  Bismuthinite 2.11.2.3 Bi 2 S 3 Group 4 - SIMPLE OXIDES A 2 X 3  Ilmenite 4.3.5.1 Fe2+TiO 3 AX 2  Rutile 4.4.1.1 TiO 2 Group 8 - MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM A 2 B 2 O 6 (O,OH,F)  'Microlite Group' 8.2.2.1 A 2-m Ta 2 X 6-w Z -n AB 2 O 6  Columbite-(Fe) 8.3.2.2 Fe2+Nb 2 O 6 Group 16a - ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN  Bismutite 16a.3.5.1 (BiO) 2 CO 3 Group 51 - NESOSILICATES Insular SiO 4 Groups Only Insular SiO 4 Groups Only with cations in >[6] coordination  Eulytine 51.5.4.1 Bi 4 (SiO 4 ) 3  Zircon 51.5.2.1 Zr(SiO 4 ) Group 61 - CYCLOSILICATES Six-Membered Rings Six-Membered Rings with [Si 6 O 18 ] rings; possible (OH) and Al substitution  Beryl 61.1.1.1 Be 3 Al 2 (Si 6 O 18 ) Group 71 - PHYLLOSILICATES Sheets of Six-Membered Rings Sheets of 6-membered rings with 2:1 layers  Muscovite 71.2.2a.1 KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Group 75 - TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks Si Tetrahedral Frameworks - SiO 2 with [4] coordinated Si  Quartz 75.1.3.1 SiO 2 Group 76 - TECTOSILICATES Al-Si Framework Al-Si Framework with Al-Si frameworks  Albite 76.1.3.1 Na(AlSi 3 O 8 )  Microcline 76.1.1.5 K(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Unclassified Minerals, Mixtures, etc.  'Monazite' - REE(PO 4 )

List of minerals for each chemical element H Hydrogen H  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Be Beryllium Be  Beryl Be 3 Al 2 (Si 6 O 18 ) C Carbon C  Bismutite (BiO) 2 CO 3 O Oxygen O  Albite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 ) O  Beryl Be 3 Al 2 (Si 6 O 18 ) O  Bismutite (BiO) 2 CO 3 O  Eulytine Bi 4 (SiO 4 ) 3 O  Columbite-(Fe) Fe2+Nb 2 O 6 O  Ilmenite Fe2+TiO 3 O  Microcline K(AlSi 3 O 8 ) O  Monazite REE(PO 4 ) O  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 O  Quartz SiO 2 O  Rutile TiO 2 O  Zircon Zr(SiO 4 ) Na Sodium Na  Albite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Al Aluminium Al  Albite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Al  Beryl Be 3 Al 2 (Si 6 O 18 ) Al  Microcline K(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Al  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Si Silicon Si  Albite Na(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Si  Beryl Be 3 Al 2 (Si 6 O 18 ) Si  Eulytine Bi 4 (SiO 4 ) 3 Si  Microcline K(AlSi 3 O 8 ) Si  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Si  Quartz SiO 2 Si  Zircon Zr(SiO 4 ) P Phosphorus P  Monazite REE(PO 4 ) S Sulfur S  Bismuthinite Bi 2 S 3 K Potassium K  Microcline K(AlSi 3 O 8 ) K  Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(OH) 2 Ti Titanium Ti  Ilmenite Fe2+TiO 3 Ti  Rutile TiO 2 Fe Iron Fe  Columbite-(Fe) Fe2+Nb 2 O 6 Fe  Ilmenite Fe2+TiO 3 Zr Zirconium Zr  Zircon Zr(SiO 4 ) Nb Niobium Nb  Columbite-(Fe) Fe2+Nb 2 O 6 Ta Tantalum Ta  Microlite Group A 2-m Ta 2 X 6-w Z -n Bi Bismuth Bi  Bismutite (BiO) 2 CO 3 Bi  Bismuthinite Bi 2 S 3 Bi  Eulytine Bi 4 (SiO 4 ) 3

References

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Jacobson, M.I., Calderwood, M.A., Grguric, B.A. (2007) Guidebook to the Pegmatites of Western Australia. Hesperian Press, Carlisle, Western Australia, 394 pages.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

The Bismuth Hill pegmatites are 150 metres south of the Nardoo Hill (Beryl Hill) pegmatites. The Bismuth Hill pegmatites are also known as The Cairn.Reports tend to lump the whole lot as one location. The Bismuth Hill pegmatites are on a ridge between two dry creek beds.Mining started in 1939 for bismuth ores. Little is known for it as a separate location, but more history is included under the Nardoo Hill listing. It is known that the lease for Bismuth Hill was surrendered in 1982. Rare Resources explored both Bismuth Hill and Nardoo Hill in 1989-1991.The pegmatite is poorly exposed, 380m length and 40-80m wide. It has a quartz core, with adjacent kaolinised blocky microcline zone, and a wall zone of quartz - plagioclase - microcline - muscovite.
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This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
Chinchorroite

Formula: Na 2 Mg 5 (As 2 O 7 ) 2 (AsO 3 OH) 2 (H 2 O) 10 Colour: Colorless Lustre: Vitreous Hardness: 2 Specific Gravity: 2.75 Crystal System: Triclinic Name: Named for the Chinchorro inhabitants of the coastal region of northern Chile and southern Peru from 9,000 to 3,500 years BP including the area around the type locality. The Chinchorro people are best known for their burial practices, including mummification. Hair samples show that they suffered from arsenic poisoning likely due to contaminated water. Type Locality:  Torrecillas mine, Salar Grande, Iquique Province, Tarapaca, Chile

New structure type.









Classification of ChinchorroiteHide

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IMA status: Approved Approval year: 2018 First published: 2019

Physical Properties of ChinchorroiteHide

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Lustre: Vitreous Transparency: Transparent Colour: Colorless Streak: White Hardness: 2 on Mohs scale Tenacity: Brittle Cleavage: Very Good

{100} and {010} Fracture: Sub-Conchoidal, Step-Like Density: 2.75(2) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.758 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of ChinchorroiteHide

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Type: Biaxial (+) RI values: n  = 1.546(2) n  = 1.560(2) n  = 1.578(2) 2V: Measured: 84 (2), Calculated: 83.7 Max Birefringence:

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30m thickness)

and does not take into account mineral colouration.  = 0.032 Surface Relief: Low Dispersion: distinct, r> v inclined Pleochroism: Non-pleochroic Comments: X^a = 4, Y^b = 52, Z^c = 20

Chemical Properties of ChinchorroiteHide

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Crystallography of ChinchorroiteHide

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Crystal System: Triclinic Class (H-M): 1 - Pedial Space Group: P1 Cell Parameters: a = 8.7777(2) A, b = 8.8570(3) A, c = 9.7981(7) A

 = 91.097(6),  = 110.544(8),  = 103.167(7) Ratio: a:b:c = 0.991 : 1 : 1.106 Unit Cell V: 690.43 A (Calculated from Unit Cell) Morphology: Blades. Tablets flattened on {001}, elongate on [100] and exhibiting the forms {100}, {010}, {001} and {1-10}. Twinning: None observed

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

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Powder Diffraction Data: d-spacing Intensity 9.10 A (100) 8.63 A (54) 5.25 A (32) 4.034 A (49) 3.521 A (35) 3.036 A (53) 2.811 A (42) 2.568 A (36)

Type Occurrence of ChinchorroiteHide

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Synonyms of ChinchorroiteHide

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Fluorescence of ChinchorroiteHide

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Other InformationHide

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Notes: Easily soluble in dilute HCl Health Risks: No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for ChinchorroiteHide

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Internet Links for ChinchorroiteHide

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Localities for ChinchorroiteHide

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symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map. This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on thesymbol to view information about a locality. Thesymbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

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Paul Sancya

3 different paths to the big leagues

DETROIT -- Buck Farmer was drafted three times. Joe Jimenez wasn't picked even once. Niko Goodrum was set on college until pro interest started emerging late in his high school career.

As the Detroit Tigers prepare for the 2018 MLB Draft on Monday night, we take a look at three current Tigers and how their path to the big leagues was shaped by their draft experience.

Here's what Jimenez, Farmer and Goodrum had to say in their own words.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Paul Sancya

JOE JIMENEZ

Reliever Joe Jimenez went undrafted out of Puerto Rico in 2013. The Tigers signed him after the draft.

By that time, I had a school. So if I wasn't drafted and wasn't signed, I was going to go to Florida International University in Miami. I wasn't worried about it. But I actually thought I was going to get drafted, I would say in the first 10 rounds, because I was that good in Puerto Rico by that year.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Paul Sancya

But nobody picked me in the first 10 rounds. Then I thought somebody would grab me before the 40th round and that didn't happen. I was kind of surprised about that. But after the draft, maybe two weeks later, the Tigers and some other teams started to contact me. They wanted to do a tryout and see if I wanted to sign.

It happened. They offered me something and I signed.

Don't Edit

AP photo by John Minchillo

In some ways, it turned out better for Jimenez that he wasn't drafted and thus had several teams to choose from.

That was the weird part. Why they contacted me after the draft, I don't know. They could have grabbed me during the draft. I don't really understand. But it came out good. Four years later, I made it to the big leagues. Five years later, I'm here now. So it came out the perfect way, and it motivated me to go forward and do what I have to do to get to the big leagues.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Carlos Osorio

Jimenez said he didn't steer teams away by an exorbitant bonus demand or the promise to go to college.

I don't know why. I never told anybody that I wasn't going to sign or that I was definitely going straight to college. I don't know exactly what happened, but they offered me after the draft and I took advantage of the opportunity.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

AP photo by Carlos Osorio

If I went back, I would do the same thing. It came out good. I worked really hard to get here. Every year, I set a goal and I reached it, and I don't regret it.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Mark Zaleski

BUCK FARMER

Buck Farmer was drafted three teams -- out of high school, after his junior year at Georgia Tech and finally after his senior year.

I think I'd definitely do it the same. At that point, I had a really good junior year and to go in the 15th round that year was kind of disappointing. It wasn't really a life-changing amount of money, so the decision was to go back to college and get one more year of school.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Paul Sancya

My senior year, there was really no, 'Yes or No.' It was just going to be, 'Yes,' no matter what round I went in. It was just a no-brainer.

I had a good senior year, too, but I think my junior year was better, which was kind of mind-boggling, to be honest with you.

But it was awesome that the Tigers took a chance on me, so it worked out.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Paul Sancya

I was drafted in the 42nd round out of high school, but again it wasn't a situation where the amount of money was going to be life-changing for me. A lot of it comes down to leverage.

If I went back, I wouldn't do it any other way. The stuff I learned in college and the experiences I had were invaluable.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Paul Sancya

NIKO GOODRUM

Niko Goodrum, who grew up in suburban Atlanta, was drafted out of high school in the second round by the Minnesota Twins.

In high school, I was just trying to get a scholarship so my folks wouldn't have to pay for anything. My goal was just to get a scholarship. That's the only thing I was trying to do. The big leagues was always in my mind when I was younger, but in high school my focus was getting a scholarship.

But the pro stuff happened quickly. That's all happened real fast. I wasn't in travel ball. I didn't do any of that. I just did rec ball and high school.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

AP photo by Paul Sancya

But I got in my contract four years of college. I put a figure on what I would need to sign. It happened, and it was a no-brainer for me. It made no sense for me to go to school. I could make my dream come true, focus on playing and I'd always have school already paid for.

My dad and I had a talk my junior year. We were talking about visiting colleges. I visited Florida State and Auburn and Kennesaw State, where I eventually signed.

After that, (the turn to pro ball) happened very quick. I know I keep saying that, but it's true.

Don't Edit

AP photo by Jim Mone

It makes you grow up fast. I know I did. I didn't go to prom. I didn't do any of the normal stuff high-schoolers do, but looking back on it now, I don't really care. It's not a big deal.

I enjoyed the ride I took, the journey.

The only thing I would tell people is to get instruction from someone who knows what they're talking about. At that age, you can spend money on being on the team, the best team, but you might not be getting any better. So the biggest thing I would say is find someone that can help you get better individually, because players get drafted, not teams.

Don't Edit

Further reading on the 2018 Draft

Tigers' last No. 1 draft pick was a 'can't-miss' who missed

Tigers' 1st round draft picks through the years: Legends, busts and to be determined
Yes, the decision belongs on the local level

No, no one should be able to dictate whether people wear masks

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Even as almost half of the world's population is on the internet now, big and small tech companies would continue to push and bring more people online.

The Mary Meeker report on Internet Trends 2018 -- an annual document that is widely awaited each year in the technology industry -- was recently released, and it speaks of the 3.6 billion people who are now online. The figure is somewhat surprising as smartphone shipments did not grow during the period.

Also read: Key takeaways from Mary Meeker's Internet trends report 2018

The trend shows that growth has hit a plateau, but tech firms will look to attract more people via innovative products and services.

Although the report did not have ample India-specific data, China was clearly marked out as a competitor catching up fast with innovation that is mostly witnessed in the US.

One way for the internet to grow, at least in India, which is seen more of a consumer than producer of technology, is through voice. And there is no doubt why companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook are pushing more voice-based products and services.

From web searches through voice inputs, to posting audio messages on their platforms, companies have realised that voice makes for a better and easier option to bring people on board.

However, with varied Indian accents, there seemed to be a problem in the voice segment. While Google's work in natural language processing has been remarkable -- its machine learning word accuracy reached 95 percent -- voice assistants across platforms struggle to recognise varied local speech patterns.

Here's an example of a Scottish woman struggling with instructions to Amazon's voice assistant Alexa, the video is equally frustrating and funny.

In the coming years, it is expected that major tech companies would resolve the issue.

Closer home, Baba Ramdev's FMCG firm Patanjali launched a "swadeshi" competitor to WhatsApp, which was pulled off within a day over security concerns flagged by a French security researcher on Twitter.

Another user pointed out that the code of the app had been lifted from an existing chat application called Bolo Messenger.

While copy cats propped up on Google's Play Store within a few hours, the security concerns in the Kimbho app once again highlight the need to address data protection and privacy issues better.

Also read: Copycats of Patanjali's Kimbho app crop up on Google Play Store
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While Fortis Healthcare continued to hog the limelight, Delhi government draft proposals to rein-in private hospitals and Q4 results were the other major events of this past week.

Fortis re-opens bidding

It all started with Munjal-Burmans clearing the way for the Fortis board to open fresh bidding by writing a letter to the company indicating their willingness to participate in the rebidding.

The chances of the Munjal-Burmans bid getting shareholders nod almost became zilch after four directors backing the duo's offer exited last week under pressure from minority shareholders.

The subsequent day, the Fortis board terminated Munjal-Burmans offer and announced initiation of fresh bidding process to sell the company.

The latest bid process provided 10 days to conduct financial and legal due diligence. As part of the due diligence, the board said it will give access to data room comprising information related finances, litigation and update on pending investigation.

The board laid conditions for the bidders including minimum investment of Rs 1,500 crore into Fortis by way of preferential allotment; plan for funding of RHT Health Trust (RHT) acquisition; plan for providing exit to private equity investors of SRL, among others.

Interestingly, the Munjal-Burmans offer that was recommended by the board earlier wouldnt have passed muster based on the latest bid criteria announced by the Fortis board.

On Friday, Fortis board shortlisted four interested parties: Munjal-Burmans, IHH Healthcare, Manipal-TPG and Radiant Life Care to participate in the bidding process.

The bidders following due diligence will have to submit binding bid by June 14. Fortis board said it will take a call on recommending the best offer to shareholders based on consultation with financial and legal advisors.

The healthcare provider meanwhile postponed Q4 earnings to June 11 citing deliberations over outcome of internal investigation and appointed Ravi Rajagopal as non-executive chairman of the board.

Price controls  the new mantra

The Delhi government led by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) early this week released a draft proposing several regulatory measures to restrict private hospitals and nursing homes from charging mark up prices of non-NLEM medicines and consumables beyond 50 percent from their procurement price.

The proposals of Delhi government also included capping the mark-up of implants to 35 percent and setting up of a sub-committee for capping the prices of investigations charged by private hospitals.

Analysts tracking healthcare cautioned the Delhi government to not rush with the proposals without undertaking proper legal vetting as they may end up in courts and Lieutenant Governor's office.

Q4 earnings
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The best case scenario for June still remains sideways to negative based on long-term trend projections, and a breach of recent lows of 10,417 may extend the correction up to 10,320, Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist  Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in, said in an exclusive interview with Moneycontrols Kshitij Anand.

Q: The Nifty50 on weekly basis rose 1.2 percent. It failed to close above its crucial levels of 10,700. What does weekly, and monthly chart tell about the technical picture?

A: On the weekly and monthly charts, Nifty made an indecisive pattern Spinning Top was witnessed on the weekly charts whereas on the monthly charts it registered a Doji kind of formation. April was a strong month whereas in May we havent made any progress.

Going forward, our best case scenario for June still remains sideways to negative based on our long-term trend projections. As we have been pointing out that we are in a multi-month corrective phase from the highs of 11,171, it seems that the pullback rally from the lows of 9,951 culminated at recent highs of 10,929.

We are presuming that inside this consolidation phase, Nifty50 may evolve itself into a triangular formation with lower tops but with higher bottoms.

According to the Elliot wave parlance, the triangular structure will unfold in 5 legs and it seems that second leg culminated at the recent high of 10,929.

If our reading is right then going forward we should breach recent lows of 10,417 and may extend the correction up to 10,320 to culminate the third leg. This may take a couple of weeks and hence the month of June may remain sideways to negative.

This view will be negated if Nifty50 manages a close above 10,929 levels as we adjust our charts to the next best alternative scenario available with us which is new highs.

Q: The rollover data for June series stood as just 63 percent. How do you see June series panning out for investors?

A: Yes, rollover figures for this month are relatively less which may point towards caution but as explained above Nifty may trade in a range.

In the case of 10,929 is decisively breached on the upside, we can expect new highs by the end of June/ July but that is not our preferred view as of now.

Besides, next week we have a monetary policy event which may keep markets volatile. Trading for the next week is going to be lacklustre.

Investors will be better off taking a cautious stance as this time it looks inevitable for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to go for a rate hike.

Q: But, it seems Bank Nifty in recent times is outperforming Nifty50. How is that index looking on the charts?

A: See, purely based on technicals, this index is surprisingly looking stronger when compared to Nifty50. We are very bullish on its outlook. It seems like the index is going to hit new life-time highs very soon. We have bigger targets on this index close to 30,000 by the end of FY19.

Q: Though Nifty and Bank Nifty are moving higher there are many stocks which are continuously hitting new 52-week lows. Is it a worrying sign?

A: Yes, undoubtedly it is something to worry about. Now, it is clear that a section of this bull market appears to be in a bear market of its own as certain stocks are consistently making new 52-week lows and some even trading at life-time lows.

This is the reason why we are continuously seeing negative advance-decline ratio which is something to bother about.

Q: What are the charts of mid and small cap indices suggesting?

A: Chart patterns on mid and small cap indices are almost similar and bearishly poised. The Midcap 100 index corrected 16 percent from its life-time high of 21,840 whereas the Smallcap 100 is down by 21 percent from its lifetime high of 9,656.

In April, indices witnessed a pullback rally, but resumed their down move after that and are now exactly staring at March lows which are equivalent to 9,950 on the Nifty50.

Interestingly, in May both these indices almost tested March lows but managed to attract some buying interest which resulted in a bounced back.

But, after that, they failed to hold on to these gains and are again staring at those lows. A breach of which may create panic selling among these scrips.

Hence, retail guys are advised to stay away from them as they get tempted to buy by seeing value erosion of 30-40-50 percent from their respective tops.

Technically, correction can be sharp in these scrips if these indices breach and settle below their respective March lows. If at all buying has to be done from this space one need to be very selective and understand not only present fundamentals but also future growth prospects.

Q: Top 3-5 positional call which could give handsome returns to investors in next 1 month?

A: Here is a list of top three stocks which could give up to 3-10 percent return:

Hero MotoCorp: Buy| Target: Rs 3,749| Stop loss: Rs 3,500| LTP: Rs 3,623.75| Return 3%

After retracing 50 percent of its rally from the recent lows of Rs 3,445 this counter appears to have resumed its up move after hitting a low of Rs 3,528.

The momentum in this counter shall pick up once it manages a close above Rs 3,624 paving way for a swift up move towards Rs 3,700 levels.

Hence, positional traders are advised to buy into this counter for a target of Rs 3,749. A stoploss suggested for the trade is below Rs 3,500.

Reliance Industries: Buy| Target: Rs 970| Stop loss: Rs 900| LTP: Rs 929.20| Return 5%

Albeit this counter has underperformed in the recent past, it appears to have formed a decent base around Rs 900 levels from the cushion of which it is bounced back.

On resumption of the up move, it can make an attempt to test the gap down area of Rs 974  976 registered on 16th of May. Hence, positional traders are advised to buy into this counter for a target of Rs 970 and a stop loss below Rs 900.

(Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.)

HCL Technologies: Buy| Target: Rs 997| Stop loss: Rs 885| LTP: 906.40| Return 10%

This counter appears to be in a consolidation mode, around Rs 900 levels after the recent correction from the highs of Rs 1,108 registered in April.

As bottom appears to be in place around Rs 887 sooner than later it should resume its up move as the entire sector is looking positive. A minimum target of Rs 997 is possible, which is 50 percent retracement of its entire fall from the top of Rs 1,108 to Rs 887.

As risk-reward ratios are favourable, positional traders should make use of this opportunity to go long on the stock with a stop below Rs 885 for an initial target of Rs 997.

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Sugar

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State Street Active Emerging Markets Small Cap Active Non Lending QIB Common Trust Fund sold nearly 0.6 percent stake in sugar company Balrampur Chini Mills on Friday.

The fund house sold 13,39,777 equity shares at Rs 73.43 per share through bulk deals on the National Stock Exchange.

The shares sold through bulk deals were worth nearly Rs 9.83 crore.

State Street Active Emerging Markets held 2.45 percent equity stake in the company as per shareholding pattern for March quarter.

On Friday, the stock price closed at Rs 73.15, up Rs 1.70, or 2.38 percent on the exchange. It has touched an intraday high of Rs 75.30 and an intraday low of Rs 70.35.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 182.50 and 52-week low Rs 58.70 on September 13, 2017 and May 16, 2018, respectively. Currently, it is trading 59.92 percent below its 52-week high and 24.62 percent above its 52-week low.

Market capitalisation stands at Rs 1,670.95 crore.
PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day tour to Singapore, today visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman.

"25 years of uninterrupted naval exercises and growing naval cooperation! PM @narendramodi with Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman and other dignitaries on-board the RSS Formidable Frigate of the Singapore Navy," External Affairs Ministry Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the officers and sailors on board the Indian Navy's Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Satpura.

"Proud to be with our naval sentinels! PM @narendramodi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region. A fitting finale to a memorable visit to Singapore!," Kumar tweeted.

India and Singapore have signed implementation agreement between their navies concerning mutual coordination, logistics and services support for naval ships', submarines and naval aircraft (including ship borne aviation assets) visits.

"India's armed forces, especially our Navy, are building partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region for peace and security, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Modi had said yesterday.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka cheif minister HD Kumaraswamy

Taking its first big gamble at opposition unity to take on the might of BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress appears to have decided to throw all its weight behind the HD Kumaraswamy-led government in Karnataka.

After dilly-dallying for 10 days over distribution of portfolios with the JD(S), the Congress made a series of concessions for its junior partner, leaving its own state leaders stunned.

Apart from conceding finance ministry  the bone of contention between the two parties  the Congress also handed over other plum portfolios like energy, public works, excise, transport and cooperation to the JD(S), though the party has only 37 MLAs and 11 cabinet berths to fill.

In the two coalition experiments earlier in 2004 and 2006, the deputy CM and the number two in the Cabinet had held the finance portfolio.

The icing on the cake for the JD(S) was that unlike power-sharing arrangements of the past  deputy CM Parameshwara had hinted that the CM post would be on a rotational basis  it was announced that Kumaraswamy will continue as chief minister for a full-term of five years.

To the dismay of state Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi has also decided that the two parties will have a pre-poll alliance, and by implication, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be fought under Kumaraswamys leadership.

The Congress and other opposition leaders seem to believe that the only way prime minister Narendra Modi and BJPs election juggernaut can be halted in next Lok Sabha elections is by putting up a consensus candidate against the BJP in as many constituencies as possible.

A series of setbacks for the BJP in the by-elections across the country since 2014, especially when the opposition has put up a united front, seem to have convinced them that they have found a magic formula to defeat Modi-Amit Shah combine.

Karnataka sends 28 MPs to the Lok Sabha and in the last two elections in 2009 and 2014, the BJP had won 19 and 17 seats respectively. The party had secured 43 per cent votes in 2014, up from 41.63 percent the previous time, though its tally went down by two seats. In 2014, the Congress got 40.8 percent votes and nine seats.

The number crunchers are already at work, and based on the votes polled by the Congress and the JD(S) in the recently concluded assembly elections, they have reportedly briefed the Congress high command that the two parties entering 2019 Lok Sabha elections in alliance can win as many as 22 seats, leaving only six seats to the BJP.

They have also pointed out that in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Congress and JD(S) together polled 51.8 percent of votes as against 43 percent by the BJP and it is a win-win situation for both.

These calculations seem to overlook the fact that in electoral math, 2+2 is not necessarily four. The bulk of JD(S) 11 percent votes in 2014 came from south Karnataka, where it managed to win just two seats, both in direct fight against the Congress.

In three of the nine seats that Congress won, the margin of victory was 1,500 to 9,500 and the JD(S) won Mandya seat against Congress by a margin of 5,518.

In stark contrast, BJP candidates won 10 out of 17 seats by a margin of over 1 lakh votes, with BS Yeddyurappa winning by 3.63 lakh, DV Sadananda Gowda by 2.29 lakh and Ananthakumar by 2.28 lakh margins.

But, looking at the spectacular tumbling the BJP took in Gorakhpur and Phulpur byelections, the two seats vacated by UP chief minister Yogi Adithyanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya, barely 10 months after the Lok Sabha polls, the opposition hopes that they can be replicated elsewhere.

In Karnataka, however, the Congress and the JD(S) have been bitter enemies until recently and even if the leaders unite at the top, it is never going to be easy for the party workers to cooperate with each other at the grassroots level.

Besides, there is a flip side to the direct fight as against multi-cornered contests. For instance, it was clear that Veerappa Moily (Congress - Chikkaballapur), Prakash Hukkeri (Congress  Chikkodi), BV Nayak (Congress  Raichur) and CS Puttaraju (JD(S)  Mandya) were beneficiaries of the triangular fights in 2014 and they would have lost hopelessly had it been a direct contest.

Until 2004, Karnataka had been a strong Congress bastion. Even in 1977 soon after the Emergency, when Congress was wiped out in most parts of north India, Karnataka elected 24 Congress MPs to the Lok Sabha.

On the other hand, considering the fact that the maximum number of seats JD(S) has ever won in Karnataka is four, it will be a clear case of the tail wagging the dog and a huge embarrassment for state Congress leaders if they have to fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls under Kumaraswamys leadership.

Karnataka is one of the few states where Congress is still strong. But by handing over leadership to the JD(S), a much smaller party, are we helping the BJP agenda of Congress-mukt Bharat?, a senior Congress leader mused.
US President Donald Trump today confirmed that he would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a historic summit in Singapore on June 12.

Trump's announcement came at the end of a two-hour meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol, who had travelled from New York after two days of talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Kim Yong Chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump.

"We are meeting with the Chairman (Kim Jong-un) on June 12 (in Singapore). It is ultimately going to be a successful process," Trump said immediately after Kim Yong Chol left the White House.

"I will travel to Singapore on June 12. Relationships are building. It will be a beginning...I never said that it will happen in one meeting. I think, we will have a very positive result in one meeting," the president said.

It was a letter presentation which ended up with a two-hour conversation, Trump said, adding that the meeting was with the second most powerful man in North Korea.

"Good meeting today. I think, it is a great start," he said in response to a question.

"We talked about a lot of things," he said adding that it also included US sanctions on North Korea.

"The big thing will be on June 12. The process will begin on June 12 in Singapore," said the US president.
The United States' closest allies attacked the Trump administration on Friday for imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and mounted challenges with the world's top trade body, fouling the mood at a G7 finance leaders meeting.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was the prime target of the criticism at the meeting of Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors in Canada, with the six other G7 member countries subject to the US metals tariffs, which were imposed on national security grounds.

The tariffs also are complicating US efforts to gain cooperation to challenge China's trade practices as US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross arrives in Beijing on Saturday for talks aimed at averting a US-China trade war.

Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso, whose country's steel and aluminum producers have been paying the US metals tariffs since March 23, called the US action "deeply deplorable."

"This doesn't happen that often at G7 meetings, but it was US against everyone else," Aso told reporters.

The European Union and Canada both filed challenges with the World Trade Organization.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement that the tariffs were "imposed under a false pretext of safeguarding U.S. national security."

At the G7 meeting in the Canadian ski resort of Whistler, British Columbia, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said he expressed to Mnuchin "our absolute view that this is absurd that Canada could in any way be a security risk."

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also said Mnuchin was clearly isolated at on the tariff issue, with the group devolved to a "G6 plus one" with the six expressing "total incomprehension" over the destabilizing U.S. move.

"We must find a way to get out of this," German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told reporters. "That was said clearly by everyone and I think it was even taken on board" by Mnuchin.

Mnuchin, regarded as one of the more moderate trade voices in Trump's cabinet, said the issue may need to be resolved by G7 leaders at a summit next week in Charlevoix, Quebec, officials attending the meetings said.

The US tariffs of 25 percent on imports of steel and 10 percent on aluminum were imposed early on Friday on Canada, Mexico and the European Union after they refused to accept steel and aluminum quotas in negotiations with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

TRUMP'S TWITTER TIRADE

Trump took to Twitter again on Friday to castigate Canada after his testy exchange with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday over rocky negotiations to update the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump tweeted that Canada had treated U.S. farmers "very poorly for a very long period of time."

"Highly restrictive on Trade! They must open their markets and take down their trade barriers! They report a really high surplus on trade with us," he wrote.

Later on Friday, Trump told reporters that he might prefer separate trade deals with Canada and Mexico instead of a revamped NAFTA.

The White House said Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron of the need to "rebalance trade with Europe."

Trump's words followed swift responses to the tariffs by Canada, Mexico and the EU, which plan to retaliate with levies on billions of dollars of U.S. goods, including orange juice, whiskey, blue jeans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson's stock dropped about 1 percent on Friday, while shares of steelmakers U.S. Steel and AK Steel both rose 2.2 percent. The broader stock market rebounded on strong monthly jobs data.

Canada, the largest supplier of steel to the United States, said it will impose tariffs covering C$16.6 billion ($12.8 billion) on US imports, including whiskey, orange juice, steel, aluminum and other products.

Mexico announced "equivalent" measures on a wide range of U.S. farm and industrial products, including pork legs, apples, grapes, cheese, steel and other goods.

The EU plans tariffs on U.S. exports running the gamut from canoes to "manicure or pedicure preparations."

"We are determined to protect the multilateral system," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said of the WTO challenge. "We are expecting everybody to play by the rules."

CHINA COMPLICATIONS

The complaints came on the eve of a visit by Ross to China to try to secure long-term purchases of US farm and energy commodities to help shrink the US trade deficit. The US team also wants to secure greater intellectual property protections and an end to Chinese subsidies that have contributed to overproduction of steel and aluminum.

Officials at the G7 meeting said the tariffs made it more difficult for the group to work together to confront China's trade practices, especially when Beijing, like most G7 members, supports the current WTO-based trade rules and the United States is seeking go around them.

Le Maire asked Mnuchin, "How can you get the Chinese to respect international law if you don't?" one meeting participant said.

Mnuchin did not comment to reporters as he left the G7 meeting on Friday. The talks conclude on Saturday.

Eswar Prasad, trade professor at Cornell University and former head of the International Monetary Fund's China division, said that U.S. tariff actions are increasing perceptions that Washington is an unreliable trading partner.

"Rather than creating a common front to address widely held concerns about China's trading and economic practices, Trump has succeeded in alienating key U.S. allies and undercutting broader external pressure on China," he said.

For the EU, a decision on how far to push back will require agreement among the 28 member states that make up the world's biggest trade bloc.

Germany, by far the biggest exporter to the United States, is keen to avoid a wider trade war, especially as the Trump administration has floated the prospect of tariffs on cars, which would potentially be devastating to German exporters.

Other EU countries such as France favor a more robust stance against what they see as American bullying.
The Midland Downtown Farmers Market had to deal with social media gone wrong this week as it reported a former executive director posted a message to its Facebook page that was critical of those in the oil industry in Midland.

A screen shot shows a post split into two parts. At the top is a picture of wind turbines; over the picture is stated: There are alternatives to oil and gas. At the bottom is a picture of water pouring out of a pipe; over the picture is stated: There is no alternative to water.

Below the pictures are the words, More Trees and Less ***holes. Instead of using the letter A the post features a pumpjack. Also at the bottom of the post is the term #frackoff.

The Midland Downtown Farmers Market is a nonprofit that presents a market on Saturdays at the Museum of the Southwest. Board member Elaine Blount told the Reporter-Telegram the farmers market is community-oriented and is welcoming to all residents of Midland County. The organizations leadership has a good relationship with the oil and gas industry and certainly has nothing negative to say about the industry, she said.

She said the person responsible was an employee who violated the trust of the organization and was dealt with immediately.

The farmers intertwine with oil and gas, Blount said, It all works together.

Based on the screen shot, the post was up at least three hours, and many people had reacted to and commented on the item. The Midland Downtown Farmers Market took the item off its Facebook page and offered the following statement from its board of directors:

Dear Patrons, Vendors and our wonderful Community - On Behalf of the Midland Downtown Farmers Market Board we would like to express our dismay at the post that was posted to our Facebook page this morning by our former Executive Director. We have deleted the post and state in no uncertain terms that such views are not the views of the Board of Directors of MDFM. The post expressed the personal view of one person who we have severed ties with and do not reflect the founding ideals that MDFM was built upon. Such posts are extremely harmful to the public discourse, offensive to this community and repugnant to our values. We are greatly saddened by the hurt and damage this has caused to our patrons and the community. From our Board, we offer a sincere apology and hope we may re-earn your trust and patronage.
Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church is the largest church in the U.S. with a budget to match.

It spent roughly $90 million during the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2017, according to a financial statement obtained by the Houston Chronicle for our "The Preacher's Son" series. Here's how:
Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center on Friday temporarily suspended its renowned heart transplant program following two deaths in recent weeks, saying it needs to reassess what went wrong and determine the path forward.

The decision to put the program on a 14-day inactive status  meaning it will turn away all donor hearts during that time  came two weeks after the Houston Chronicle and ProPublica reported that in recent years the program has performed an outsized number of transplants resulting in deaths and lost several top physicians. One of the program's two primary surgeons left for another job this week.

HoustonChronicle.com Exclusive: Heart failure at St. Luke's

"We greatly respect and value the trust patients and their families have placed in us over the years, and believe this temporary pause will serve their best interests," Doug Lawson, CEO of Catholic Health Initiatives Texas Division, which operates St. Luke's, said in a written statement Friday afternoon. "Although extensive reviews are conducted on each unsuccessful transplant, the recent patient outcomes deserve an in-depth review before we move forward with the program. Our prayers are with the families, as well as all those on the waiting list."

For weeks, officials at St. Luke's and its affiliated Baylor College of Medicine have defended the program, saying they had made improvements after a string of patient deaths in 2015. Officials said the program's one-year survival rate after heart transplants had reached 94 percent in 2016 and 2017.

FULL STORY: Former St. Luke's medical director says she was ignored after raising concerns

But in recent months, more patients have died. James "Lee" Lewis, a 52-year-old pipefitter from Bay City, died on March 23, nearly three months after operating room equipment malfunctioned during a key stage of his transplant surgery. Another patient, a 67-year-old bankruptcy lawyer named Robert Barron, died on May 5, three months after his transplant. A third patient died in recent weeks, prompting the hospital's decision Friday.

"I'm glad they are doing something," said Jennifer Lewis, who chronicled her husband's transplant and drawn-out death on Facebook and shared it with reporters for a story published last week. "That was my hope in speaking out and telling Lee's story."

After the news organizations' investigation was published, St. Luke's launched a website, HeartTransplantFacts.org, to counter the findings of ProPublica and the Chronicle. The site on Friday was replaced with a notice about the program's inactive status.

It appears the program had slowed down, even before Friday's announcement. In the first five months of this year, it performed only nine transplants, well below the pace it kept in the past two years, according to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing.

TELL US YOUR STORY: Are you an employee, patient or a family member of a patient at the Texas Medical Center? We want to hear from you

The decision to put the program on hold punctuates a dramatic fall for one of the nation's most respected heart transplant programs. It was at St. Luke's that famed surgeon Denton Cooley performed some of the world's first heart transplants back in the 1960s, and where his protege, Dr. O.H. "Bud" Frazier, has pursued a lifelong quest to develop a complete mechanical replacement for the human heart.

In 2016, some St. Luke's cardiologists grew so troubled by the program's direction that they began referring some of their patients to other hospitals for transplants.

Even as it struggled in recent years, the hospital continued to market itself as a standout, boasting above-average survival rates and high transplant volume. Its website calls it "one of the most experienced, successful programs in the world."

TROUBLED LEGACY: A Houston surgeon's hidden history of research violations, conflicts of interest and poor outcomes

In January, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services cited the heart transplant program for its significantly worse-than-expected outcomes and threatened to cut off Medicare funds if the problems were not fixed, according to a letter obtained by ProPublica and the Chronicle. The program has since submitted a plan of correction and avoided the loss of federal funds.

During the heart transplant suspension, officials said they will continue recruiting surgeons "to strengthen the program." A newly created special committee of the hospital's board of directors also will conduct a comprehensive review, the hospital's statement said. The move will not affect other heart-failure procedures, such as heart-pump implants, or any other transplant programs across the hospital.

***

This story is the result of a collaboration between the Chronicle and ProPublica, an independent nonprofit newsroom based in New York. Mike Hixenbaugh is an investigative reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Charles Ornstein is a senior editor at ProPublica.

HEART FAILURE: St. Luke's, the Houston transplant center made famous by Denton Cooley, has fallen far and fast, dropping to levels far short of its reputation. In recent years, the famed program has performed an outsized number of transplants resulting in deaths or unusual complications. Read our full investigation on our subscriber website, HoustonChronicle.com.
Hugo Ihosvany Rodriguez, once a rising star at Ballet San Antonio, is now in the Bexar County Jail facing sexual assault charges after two fellow dancers accused him of rape, court documents show.

Rodriguez was scheduled to stand trial for one of the felony charges Monday  about a week after the troubled ballet company lost its artistic director, Willy Shives. The trial has been pushed back two months during a turbulent time for San Antonios premiere ballet company that performs at the Tobin Center.

Visit our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com, for more on the upcoming trial and charges against Rodriguez.

Prior to Shives departure, the ballet launched an internal investigation after a group of former dancers sent letters to the Ballet San Antonio board complaining about Shives alleged abusive behavior, explosive outbursts and a culture of fear that has paralyzed most dancers from previously speaking out.

Rodriguez no longer works for Ballet San Antonio and the letters dont mention him by name. But several of the former dancers who wrote letters to the board said they were concerned about Shives treatment toward one of the women who had accused Rodriguez of raping her.

They said the dancer, who had starred in previous productions, was cut from leading roles and penalized for trivial or nonexistent infractions. She eventually resigned.

The Express-News doesnt print the names of victims in alleged cases of sexual assault.

Shives and Rodriguezs lawyer, James Vincent Tocci, did not return multiple messages. Board members of Ballet San Antonio declined interview requests, but ballet officials released a statement saying the organization was only aware of one of the rape allegations against Rodriguez, but it acted swiftly to remove him.

Once Ballet San Antonio learned of this incident, Mr. Rodriguezs employment was immediately placed on suspension and banned from all Ballet San Antonio properties of operation, the ballet said. His employment was then terminated within the week.

In its statement, the ballet disputed any claims that one of Rodriguezs accusers was pushed aside.

Mr. Shives, who is no longer the artistic director of Ballet San Antonio, did not demote the dancer to the Corps de Ballet, the organization stated. She was provided a different schedule so that she could, in fact, deal with the aftermath of the case after returning from her leave of absence.

Ballet San Antonio is a nonprofit organization and the resident ballet company at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Antonio. The turmoil is occurring after the ballet suffered losses of $140,000 during its 2016 fiscal year, according to its most recent publicly available tax records.

That year, Ballet San Antonio made $1.58 million in revenue but paid $1.72 million in total expenses. The tax records show that Ballet San Antonios current chairwoman, Lisa Galo Westmoreland, loaned the ballet $177,000 for operating costs that year.

News Researcher Misty Harris contributed to this article.
Its that time of year where dads everywhere get to be in the spotlight. When it comes to finding the perfect Fathers Day gift, why not give the gift of food? Local restaurants have it covered.

Click through the slideshow above for a guide to dining out on Fathers Day.
Just when it seemed things could not get wackier in these parts, Pablo Sandoval is going to take groundballs at shortstop.

Hes got good hands and a good first step, manager Bruce Bochy said Friday before the Giants opened a three-game series against the Phillies at AT&T Park.

Until Alen Hanson returns from his hamstring injury, probably early next week, Sandoval will be the only backup infielder. The Giants optioned Kelby Tomlinson to the minors to clear a roster spot for second baseman Joe Panik, who was activated five weeks after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. Hanson is playing short during his rehab assignment to get reps there.

Brandon Crawford figures to play every inning at shortstop until the Giants get Hanson back, but Bochy has to be ready just in case. Bochy could move Panik to short and play Sandoval at second base, but he said that would weaken two positions instead of one.

Reliever Mark Melancon also was activated for the first time in 2018 after rehabbing an elbow injury. The Giants cleared a 40-man roster spot for Melancon by designating reliever Jose Valdez for assignment.

More moves are coming Saturday, when outfielder Hunter Pence is activated after rehabbing his sprained thumb and taking time to retool his swing. He has not appeared in a major-league game since April 18.

Bochy restated that Mac Williamson is his left fielder, and Pence will be a backup.

Ill try to get him in there as much as I can, get him playing time late in the game like I would with a fourth outfielder, Bochy said.

Pences return will require another 25-man roster move. Bochy said the club is not likely to carry six outfielders long term, so another outfielder could go on the disabled list. Bochy has been careful how much he plays Austin Jackson because of chronic leg issues.

Bumgarners return: As expected, Madison Bumgarner will make his 2018 debut Tuesday against the Diamondbacks after he completed a two-start rehab assignment with 42/3 innings at Class A San Jose on Thursday night.

Panik played behind Bumgarner in San Jose and said, He looked like the same old Bum, arguing with the umpire in the first inning. He looked good.

Rookie on the hill: Dereck Rodriguez will start against the Phillies on Sunday. The medical staff declared the rookie good to go after he threw a bullpen session Friday and reported no discomfort in his right shin after taking a liner off the bat of Ian Desmond in Denver on Tuesday during his big-league debut.

Ty Blach becomes a long reliever.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
Giants first baseman Brandon Belt had his appendix removed Friday night and the team placed him on the 10-day disabled list Saturday. The Giants reinstated infielder Alen Hanson from the disabled list to take Belts spot on the roster.

Belt was expected to be released from the hospital Saturday afternoon. He played the first two innings of the Giants 4-0 win over Philadelphia on Friday night before heading to the hospital.
Washington

Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, captivated a global audience when 1.9 billion people watched the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Curry's charismatic, love-centered homily sparked a media blitz that rocketed him to stardom.

At a time when political and spiritual matters are often marked by division, the praise for his May 19 sermon  which focused on Jesus' message of love  was a rare moment of unity.

When Curry ascended to a pulpit again a few days later, he was in National City Christian Church in Washington, where a crowd of 1,000 awaited his sermon at an event, led by liberal-leaning Christians, promoted a "Reclaiming Jesus" proclamation that declared, among other things, President Donald Trump's slogan "America First" was "a theological heresy."

The crowd gave the bishop a standing ovation. But questions remain as to whether he will use his newfound influence to bolster the surge of activism against the Trump administration by religious liberals, pursue a broader audience to bridge the various divides in America or do both.

Curry often pairs inflections of social justice-centered theology with appeals to a broader religious audience, such as when he cites his models for public theology: the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Billy Graham.

"Billy Graham helped us to understand how to draw closer to and love God through his evangelism, and Dr. King helped us understand how do we draw closer to loving our neighbor through social justice and service," Curry said.

Curry also appeared on MSNBC over Memorial Day weekend alongside the Rev. William Barber II, arguably the most prominent modern religious left activist. Barber is co-leading the Poor People's Campaign, a 40-day initiative to draw attention to issues such as systemic racism and poverty. The Episcopal Church is a partner in the campaign. On Friday Curry will come to the Capital Region to participate in the Albany Episcopal Diocese's three-day annual convention in Speculator.
BRIDGEPORT - Since losing his most recent bid for mayor  and his City Council seat  in 2015, Republican Enrique Rick Torres has avoided politics and the press.

That ended Thursday, when the sometimes controversial, always passionate owner of Harborview Market in Black Rock was arrested after police said Torres angrily accused an officer of being rude to his daughter-in-law.

But Torres told Hearst Connecticut Media it was the officer who was confrontational, and he said he and his daughter-in-law have filed complaints against the cop.

Torres, a one-term councilman who has run three times for mayor, including two years ago against Democrat Joe Ganim, was charged Thursday with second-degree breach of peace, interfering with a police officer and operating without a drivers license.

He was released on a promise to appear, pending arraignment in Superior Court on June 14.

Police said that on Thursday afternoon Officer Richard Cretella was working an overtime detail at a construction site at the corner of Mountain Grove and Dewey streets when he was approached by Torres, who began yelling at the officer, accusing him of previously being rude to Torres daughter-in-law.

When a supervisor, Sgt. Christine Burns, arrived on the scene, she stated in her report, Torres asked her if she knew Daniel Roach.

Roach is a veteran Police Commission member and Black Rock Democratic leader, and was Ganims campaign manager and his former chief of staff.

Torres allegedly showed Burns Roachs phone number on his cell phone. The report states that Torres told Burns that Roach had advised him to get officer Cretellas name and badge number and that Roach would handle it.

I never told Rick I would handle it, Roach said Friday. He said he told Torres to go to police headquarters to file a citizens complaint form, which is what I do for anybody that calls me with a complaint of a police officer.

In an interview on Friday, Torres claimed Cretella had angrily chastised his daughter-in-law after she made a wrong turn at the construction site.

He berated her for a good five minutes and made her cry. That just wasnt appropriate, Torres said.

Torres said that when he approached Cretella to get his name and badge number, the officer went off on him like you wouldnt believe.

I told him Ive run for mayor and maybe he should tone it down, but he then began using the worst language you can imagine, Torres said.

He said Burns treated him better, but told him that a construction worker at the site corroborated the police officers side of the story.

She told me I was being belligerent, but I kept my composure the whole time, Torres said.

Torres said when he called Roach, who he said is his good friend and neighbor, the officers would not talk to Roach.

As a political (figure) I am on high vigilance for bad behavior by police officers, Torres said. Its really important for cops to understand they can cross the line, when I ran for mayor that was an important issue for me.
When I was an undergraduate, I stumbled on a volume in a college bookstore called "The Assassins," an early work by the Princeton University historian Bernard Lewis.

Lewis, who died May 19 at the age of 101, is best known as an informal adviser to the Bush White House after 9/11 and as an advocate for the United States going to war in the Middle East.

Originally published in 1967, "The Assassins" sought to correct the record on the Nizari Isma'ilis, a Shiite Muslim community long been maligned as consumers of hashish, known in Arabic as "hashashin," which transformed into the word "assassin." It was a scholarly book at a time when scholarship was rarely applied to such topics. Yet Lewis still chose the pejorative name for the Nizari Isma'ilis for the book's title, suggesting he did not see the humanity of the people he studied.

In his later academic work, he conflated Muslims with Arabs, and religion with politics. The book that made Lewis' popular reputation, "What Went Wrong?," was subtitled "Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response." This was later changed to "The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East." Suddenly a book about geopolitics became a book about a religion. Lewis treated the two interchangeably, as if the Middle East were synonymous with Islam.

In a 1990 article for The Atlantic, Lewis portrayed "Muslim rage" as inherent to the Muslim mind. That magazine piece was where many Americans would first read about the "clash of civilizations" between Islam and the West. Readers were given the model of the Muslim world as split into good and evil, believers and unbelievers. Lewis presented this information as though no other religion shared a similar worldview.

After 9/11, when Lewis began writing grand understandings of the conflict between "Islam," as though it was one thing, and the "West." In fact he was talking about the Middle East or at best the former Ottoman Empire, which had been invaded and ruled by European powers for a century and more. For Lewis, however, the native people in these lands were expected to be stagnant, unaffected by colonialism, invasion or theft of resources.

He saw Muslims as violent by nature, irrational, abusive toward women, lacking in culture. He could not conceive of Muslims in the context of modernity and contended that when confronted with a change in the world, the Muslim "give(s) way to an explosive mixture of rage and hatred."

As a result, Lewis was ideally suited to provide a scholarly veneer to plans to invade Iraq in 2003. Now, as an academic myself, I marvel at the life of Lewis. He was a scholar of some repute. Some of his works remain influential. I still have the copy of "The Assassins" I bought over 25 years ago. It sits on a shelf, reminding me of the type of scholar I want to be, and the kind I don't.

Hussein Rashid is an adjunct faculty member at Barnard College and a Truman National Security Fellow.
Facing fresh evidence of an alleged rape cover-up by its former President Paige Patterson, the board of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary voted to strip Patterson of the title and benefits it had granted him while ushering him out of the seminary's leadership a week ago.

In a statement posted to its website Wednesday, the executive committee of the Fort Worth, Texas, school's board of trustees took away "all the benefits, rights and privileges provided by the May 22-23 board meeting, including the title of President Emeritus, the invitation to reside at the Baptist Heritage Center as theologian-in-residence and ongoing compensation."

Patterson's swift firing represents the most dramatic turn in the #MeToo movement's effects on the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States.

The new evidence, the statement said, related to an allegation that in 2003 Patterson, then president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., incorrectly handled an allegation of sexual abuse.

It did not specify further. But The Washington Post reported last week that while Patterson was president of Southeastern, he told a female student not to report an alleged rape to the police and to forgive her assailant.

The about-face from the board caps a dramatic fall for Patterson, one of the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention's theological shift to the right and once a lionized figure in the denomination.

"There's no joy in my heart over this decision," said Wade Burleson, an Oklahoma pastor and blogger and one of Patterson's most prominent critics. "However, this action declares to the world that the Southern Baptist Convention is able to self-correct. It may take time. It may be ugly at times. But in time, the SBC will do the right thing."

Last week, the board appointed D. Jeffrey Bingham, dean of the School of Theology, to the position of interim president. Patterson was given the title of president emeritus, a newly created position that came with a salary and permitted Patterson and his wife to continue living in a house owned by the seminary.

According to the seminary statement, "new information confirmed this morning was presented regarding the handling of an allegation of sexual abuse against a student during Dr. Paige Patterson's presidency at another institution and resulting issues connected with statements to the Board of Trustees that are inconsistent with SWBTS's biblically informed core values."

Board members have remained mum about their deliberations. But Danny Akin, Patterson's successor at Southeastern, confirmed that he sent portions of the victim's student files to the trustees at Southwestern with her permission. Those included interviews with the dean of students at Southeastern after the victim's conversation with Patterson, in which he allegedly told the young woman not to report the rape. Files on the attacker, who was expelled, were also sent.

Akin also confirmed that Patterson or his assistants took all the presidential files with him to Southwestern and that Southeastern is asking for them back.

"Everything related to the presidential office was shipped to Southwestern," Akin said.

On Monday, the woman who said she was raped in 2003 outed herself on Twitter. She is Megan Lively, a social media strategist who lives in Wilson, N.C. Lively declined an interview, saying she was only speaking to a local Christian publication.

Before Lively spoke out, demands for Patterson's ouster had multiplied in the wake of recently surfaced recordings in which he boasted that he advised a woman to stay with her abusive husband and "be as submissive as you can" and objectified the body of a 16-year-old girl.

Those remarks led more than 3,200 Southern Baptist women to sign an online letter in early May, asking the trustees to take action against Patterson.
Thousands of people gathered in Gaza on Saturday for the funeral of Razan al-Najjar, a 21-year-old Palestinian medic who witnesses say Israeli soldiers shot dead near the border fence on Friday.

Medical workers, dressed in white uniforms, marched in her funeral procession, holding Palestinian flags and photos of her face. Her father walked holding his daughter's own medical vest, once white, now stained red with her blood.

More than 115 people have been killed since protests began on the border at the end of March, but Najjar is only the second woman to die. The first was a teenage protester.

Photos from the scene immediately after Najjar was shot show a group of men carrying the volunteer in her white uniform, her head tilted back and her gloved hand limp around their shoulders. Witnesses said she was shot in the chest.

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it would investigate her death but that its troops worked "in accordance with standard operating procedures."

"The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) constantly works to draw operational lessons and reduce the number of casualties in the area of the Gaza Strip security fence," the military said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the Hamas terror organization deliberately and methodically places civilians in danger."

Last month, The New York Times interviewed Najjar in Gaza. She was one of the only female medics responding to medical emergencies during the protests organized by Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.

"We have one goal - to save lives and evacuate people," she said in the video. "And to send a message to the world: Without weapons, we can do anything."

After her death, a volunteer ambulance worker, Izzat Shatat, told the Associated Press that he and Najjar were planning to announce their engagement at the end of Ramadan.

On May 14, the same day the United States opened its controversial new embassy in Jerusalem, tens of thousands of Palestinians demonstrated in the Gaza Strip. Hamas called the protests the Great March of Return. The demonstrations intended to shed light on the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza, and also call for "right of return" for Palestinian refugees displaced during the 1948 war.

Organizers encouraged the protesters to try to burst through the fence into Israel, and Israeli soldiers responded with firepower. They killed dozens of people, including teenagers, and wounded at least 2,700 demonstrators, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The United Nations said that "those responsible for outrageous human rights violations must be held to account."

But on Friday, the United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned Israel's "excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force" against Palestinians. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley called the resolution one-sided. The White House has blamed Hamas for the violence in Gaza.

After Najjar died in the operating room on Friday, Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. Middle East envoy, tweeted that "#Israel needs to calibrate its use of force and Hamas need to prevent incidents at the fence. Escalation only costs more lives."

"Medical workers are #NotATarget!" he wrote.

In her interview with The New York Times, Najjar said that Gaza needed more female medics like herself.

"The strength that I showed as a first responder on the first day of protests, I dare you to find it anyone else," she said.
WASHINGTON - The lobbyist whose wife rented Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt a room in a Capitol Hill condo for $50 a night lobbied the agency on behalf of several clients during Pruitt's tenure despite his claims to the contrary, according to disclosure forms filed by his former law firm.

Steven Hart, who announced his retirement in April as chairman of Williams & Jensen, contacted the EPA on behalf of Coca-Cola, the Financial Oversight and Management Control Board of Puerto Rico and Smithfield Foods.

In interviews with The Washington Post and other media this spring, Hart said he did not lobby the agency in either 2017 or 2018. But The Post and other outlets reported that Hart had helped line up a meeting between Pruitt and a Smithfield Foods executive vice president, who was acting in his capacity as a representative of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. Both Hart and Smithfield Foods said the meeting was not tied to official company business.

The additional lobbying contacts by Hart remained undisclosed until Williams & Jensen revealed them late this week. The Hill first reported those disclosures.

When Hart stepped down from the firm in April, he suggested in a note to friends and family that the scrutiny over his wife's condo rental to Pruitt played a role in expediting his exit.

Soon after his departure, Williams & Jensen brought in an outside attorney, ethics expert Jan Baran of Wiley Rein, to examine Hart's lobbying record. Rein scoured the firm's disclosure filings from 2017 and 2018, as well Hart's own communications and meeting schedule. As a result of that inquiry, the firm filed amendments to federal lobbying disclosure reports involving seven of Hart's clients, including the three linked to the EPA.

Hart could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

"We pride ourselves on our reputation for exceptional client service and our commitment to operating under the highest ethical standards, so we take our obligations under the Lobbying Disclosure Act very seriously," a spokesperson for Williams & Jensen said in a statement Friday. "Today the firm filed amendments to several disclosure reports that include information that was not previously disclosed to our firm and therefore not included in the original filings. No Williams & Jensen client is in any way responsible for the incompleteness of our original filings."

The updated disclosure forms show that Hart and other lobbyists had contact with the EPA during 2017 on "environmental issues impacting the beverage industry, clean water supply and water conservation."

In addition, a trove of emails released this week under the Freedom of Information Act show that Sydney Hupp, a scheduler for Pruitt, emailed Hart on March 20, 2017.

"Reaching out about setting up the Coca-Cola meeting that you emailed Ryan about," she wrote, referencing Ryan Jackson, Pruitt's chief of staff. "Administrator Pruitt will be leaving town early afternoon on Thursday but I would like to try to find a time before then to set up the meeting. Is there an opportunity to meet late afternoon on Wednesday?"

EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said in an email Friday that the meeting ultimately did not take place.

"This meeting involving Coca-Cola and their clean water stewardship did not occur," Wilcox said. "The request was submitted, and it went unfilled."
PETERSBURG  Menard Electric Cooperative is holding its 81st annual meeting of members on June 14 at PORTA High School.

Registration will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. All registered members will receive an attendance gift and be entered into a drawing for one of 20 $50 bill credits and the grand prize of an Amazon Echo with a smart home technology accessories.

The evening will feature a pork chop dinner, music and other activities.

During a business meeting at 7 p.m., members will learn about their cooperative and elect directors. Additional information was printed in the official notice mailed to each member.

Menard Electric Cooperative is headquartered in Petersburg and has more than 2,590 miles of line in rural areas of Cass, Logan, Macon, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Sangamon and Tazewell counties.
Man facing drug, weapons charges

A Beardstown man is facing a variety of drug and weapons charges, including aggravated participation in methamphetamine manufacturing, after his arrest by Cass County deputies.

David L. Holterfield, 40, of 621 W. 13th St. in Beardstown was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:17 a.m. Friday.

He is also facing felony charges of possession of a weapon/body armor, possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of methamphetamine and aggravated delivery of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school or church.



Morgan County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Jennifer A. Gaines, 35, of 857 N. Prairie St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:01 a.m. Friday on a charge of violating probation on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.

 Chester E. Trace, 43, of 404 Marnico Road was booked into the Morgan County jail at 2:12 p.m. Friday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended.

Jacksonville Police

ACCIDENTS

 Two were injured in a two-vehicle accident about 12:58 p.m. Friday in the Walmart parking lot.

Katelynn R. Manning, 23, of Jacksonville and Tammy L. Ballard, 41, of Jacksonville were both treated at Passavant Area Hospital after police say the vehicle Manning was driving was stopped waiting to turn left into the Walmart parking lot when it was hit by a vehicle being driven by Myrah L. Graham, 22, of La Moille.

Ballard was a passenger in the vehicle driven by Manning.

Manning was cited for operating an uninsured motor vehicle. Neither Mannings nor Ballards condition were available Friday evening.

BURGLARIES, THEFTS

 Someone stole medication from a residence in the 400 block of West College Avenue, according to a report filed at 10:11 p.m. Thursday.

South Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Betsy E. Gutierrez, 30, of 1850 S. Main St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 5:09 p.m. Thursday on charges of driving while license revoked or suspended and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

FIRES

 Jacksonville firefighters put out a mattress fire Thursday at a residence at 623 N. Clay Ave.

Firefighters received the call at 5:58 p.m. and were on the scene about 25 minutes.



Greene County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Joseph A. Taylor, 55, of Rockbridge was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:10 p.m. Monday on a domestic battery charge.

Carrollton Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Troy A., Saulz, 46, of Jerseyville was booked into the Greene County Jail at 7 p.m. Thursday on a charge of driving while license is revoked.

Greenfield Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 David E. McCollom, 40, of Greenfield was booked into the Greene County Jail at 1:48 a.m. Sunday on charges of aggravated battery and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

Roodhouse Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Joseph R. Taylor, 28, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 7:30 p.m. May 25 on a charge of driving while license is suspended.

White Hall Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Rosemary D. Williams, 47, of White Hall was booked into the Greene County Jail at 3:56 p.m. May 26 on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.



Scott County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Cassandra L. Thompson, 26, of Winchester was booked into the Greene County Jail at 3:29 p.m. May 25 on a charge of driving while license is suspended and on a Scott County warrant accusing her of failing to appear in court.

 Blake M. Morris, 26, of Winchester was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:42 p.m. May 20 on charges of fleeing and attempting to elude a peace officer, having no valid drivers license and disobeying a stop sign.

Winchester Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Blake M. Morris, 26, of Winchester was booked into the Greene County Jail at 1:59 a.m. Monday on charges of driving under the influence and having no valid drivers license.

Compiled by Greg Olson, David C.L. Bauer and Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree
SINGAPORE - At an island resort off the coast of Singapore, U.S. event planners are working day and night with their North Korean counterparts to set up a summit designed to bring an end to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

But a particularly awkward logistical issue remains unresolved, according to two people familiar with the talks. Who's going to pay for Kim Jong Un's hotel stay?

The prideful but cash-poor pariah state requires that a foreign country foot the bill at its preferred lodging: The Fullerton, a magnificent neoclassical hotel near the mouth of the Singapore River where just one presidential suite costs more than $6,000 per night.

The mundane but diplomatically fraught billing issue is just one of numerous logistical concerns being hammered out between two teams led by White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin and Kim's de facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son, as they strive toward a June 12 meeting.

After weeks of uncertainty, President Donald Trump called off the summit last week, blaming "open hostility" from North Korea. But a flurry of diplomacy across two continents got the meeting back on track, and Trump announced Friday that he would attend as initially planned.

When it comes to paying for lodging at North Korea's preferred 5-star luxury hotel, the United States is open to covering the costs, the two people said, but it's mindful that Pyongyang may view a U.S. payment as insulting. As a result, U.S. planners are considering asking the host country of Singapore to pay for the North Korean delegation's bill.

"It is an ironic and telling deviation from North Korea's insistence on being treated on an 'equal footing,' " said Scott Snyder, a Korea expert at Council on Foreign Relations.

Still, the heavily sanctioned and isolated regime has a long history of making bold monetary demands.

During the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea set aside $2.6 million to cover travel accommodations for a North Korean cheering squad, an art troupe and other members of the visiting delegation.

At the same games, the International Olympic Committee paid for 22 North Korean athletes to travel to the event.

In 2014, when former U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr. visited North Korea to retrieve two prisoners, his North Korean hosts served him an "elaborate 12-course Korean meal," the veteran intelligence official said, but then insisted that he pay for it.

"These norms were laid in the early 2000s, when Seoul's so-called 'sunshine policy' took off," said Sung-Yoon Lee, an expert on Korea at Tufts University, referring to a policy of rapprochement associated with former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung. "North Korea can build nukes and ICBMs, but claim they are too poor to pay for foreign travel costs."

Any payment for North Korean's accommodations would run afoul of Treasury Department sanctions, said Elizabeth Rosenberg, a former Treasury official. The transaction would require the Office of Foreign Assets Control to "temporarily suspend the applicability of sanctions" through a waiver, she said.

The United States is expected to request these waivers from the U.N. and Treasury for a range of payments associated with North Korea's travel, but a long list of exemptions could draw scrutiny.

"There are legitimate mechanisms built in for exemptions depending on the circumstance, but this could run into public and political criticism and send the wrong message to North Korea," said Duyeon Kim, a visiting fellow at the Korean Peninsula Future Forum, a non-partisan think tank in Seoul.

Figuring out how to pay Pyongyang's hotel tab won't be the only unusual planning obstacle that comes with hosting an event with the isolated regime. The country's outdated and underused Soviet-era aircraft may require a landing in China due to concerns it won't make the 3,000-mile trip - a visit that would likely require a plausible cover story to avoid embarrassment. Alternatively, the North Koreans might travel in a plane provided by another country.

Many of those issues have been secondary to the major decision of selecting a venue space for the two leaders to meet. For that, the two sides are believed to have settled on the Capella hotel on the resort island of Sentosa. Situated off Singapore's southeast coast, the hotel boasts a mix of colonial-style buildings and curvy modern edifices.

On Wednesday, a Washington Post reporter witnessed construction crews erecting tents and other facilities required for a large event. The reporter was later instructed to leave the premises after interacting with the U.S. planning delegation, which is currently staying at the resort. The resort's relative seclusion appealed to security-conscious U.S. and North Korean officials.

During Trump's visit to Singapore, he is expected to stay at the Shangri-La, a 747-room hotel that is accustomed to high-security events due to its hosting of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, a security conference that attracts dozens of ministers of defense and state.

White House and State Department officials repeatedly declined to comment on the advance team planning, keeping those discussions more opaque than the substance of the negotiations.

Rexon Ryu, former White House official who dealt with the North Korea nuclear issue, said the North Korean side in particular has an interest in keeping those discussions quiet.

"These talks go to the question of security and if anything that's probably most immediately paramount to Kim," he said. "I think for many folks on the North Korean side this is more important than the content of the negotiations."
The son of a Palestinian-American woman on trial in the stabbing death of her allegedly abusive boyfriend in 2016 testified Friday that his mother was terrified that the man would kill the entire family.

Mohammed Abdelaziz, 19, whose name is identical to that of the man his mother killed  his cousin Mohammed Abdelaziz  told jurors he heard her plunge a 10-inch kitchen knife into his back inside their San Antonio home but that he didnt see it. He approached her, pushed her away, took the knife and discarded it outside, he said.

Andira Abdelaziz, then 35, was charged with murder and, if convicted, could face life in prison. Her attorney, Mike McCrum, said during a recess that she rejected plea deals offered by the state and that she is a battered woman who is totally innocent  self-defense.

At times prosecutor Clayton Haden elicited testimony from his own witnesses that Andira Abdelaziz had been repeatedly threatened, kicked and beaten by the law school graduate, 25, with whom she was having an affair.

We want to be totally forthcoming, transparent, Haden said after the days testimony. Were not hiding anything.

But Haden sometimes chuckled and shook his head as the womans son testified in detail about the killing.

Youre saying that today, but thats not what you told the police in 2016, is it? Haden asked the young Abdelaziz in an irritated voice that state District Judge Sid Harle agreed with defense lawyers was argumentative.

Calmly, Abdelaziz replied numerous times that he wasnt asked the same questions by police that Haden was asking and that he was in shock that morning and did not recall much detail.

On the morning of Aug. 9, 2016, Abdelaziz said, his cousin arrived at their home in the 12500 block of Dry Run, in an upscale neighborhood near Loop 1604, and began ringing the doorbell incessantly, banging on doors and windows.

I pretended like I was sleeping, but I couldnt sleep, he said. My mother said, Dont answer the door. I could tell she was terrified.

The police were called and the older Abdelaziz, whom they originally believed to be a burglar, was handcuffed. The woman reportedly told the police the matter had been resolved. The older Abdelaziz was uncuffed and his presence back inside the home provoked shouting and threats, the womans son testified. Within minutes, his cousin and mothers secret lover was stabbed through the heart.

The husband of the accused, Karim Abdelaziz, testified earlier Friday that he often allowed the deceased man, his nephew, to live at their home. He said he once gave his nephew $30,000, co-signed a loan for him and tried to help him get off drugs.

But every single day I see him come to fight  fight his dad, fight with sisters, steal money, Karim Abdelazis said.

My wife was in shock (the day of the killing), Karim Abdelaziz said. She is a woman. It was not easy for her to stab anyone. She was just shaking when I saw her (later at a police station interview). It was like she wasnt there.

The marriage had been arranged when Andira Abdelaziz was 14.

Prosecutors played for jurors a videotape of her being interviewed by Bexar County sheriff's Detective Ruben Arrevalos.

My son asked me why I did that. I told him, Hes killing me, hes killing me, Andira Abdelaziz can be heard saying through cries and quiet sobs. Ive been living a nightmare.

If I know hes mad, Id call him. I dont want him to be mad, because that would lead to something else, she continued after more questions.

It would make it worse? Arrevalos asked.

Exactly, the defendant replied. One night he came over, he wanted food. We had chicken fajitas, no beef left. He said, You only give me chicken? He threw the food and tells me, Make me food right now. Hed have me wash his clothes, then shed spill coke all over them. It was torture.

Some cousins and friends of the deceased, who was 6-foot-5 and 213 pounds, said outside the courtroom he was as a gentle giant who would often avoid confrontations. Born outside the city of Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, he came to the United States but returned at about age 7, they said. Back in San Antonio at age 16, he attended Taft High School, then the University of Texas at San Antonio  majoring in political science  and got a law degree from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.

The cousins said they found the sons testimony unbelievable.

We have one foot in each culture. We have known each other for years. Everyone in the courtroom knows each other, said Feras Haifa, a cousin of the deceased.

Mak Hijaz, 36, another relative, said he worked with the older Abdelaziz at the Hazel Sky smoke shop, worked out with him at various Golds Gyms and said he was loved and missed.

At one point in the trial, Judge Harle stopped testimony to admonish several male relatives of the deceased to stop making efforts to visually intimidate the accused womans son as he sat on the witness stand.

The trial continues Monday in 226th state District Court.

Bruce Selcraig is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. | BSelcraig@express-news.net
Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News

Texas Supreme Court justices on Friday decided they would take up an issue stemming from a lawsuit connected to the historic Hays Street Bridge, the city announced in a news release.

The court will address various legal questions concerning governmental immunity, but it will not affect the citys sale of land adjacent to the bridge, the release said.
The young people will win.

That line has become a rallying cry among young people, many of them high school students, using their voices to call for gun control legislation in response to an increase in school shootings.

It was a line repeated in a speech several times by Christian Bales, a valedictorian in Kentucky who was not allowed to deliver that speech at his Catholic high schools graduation ceremony. The school said that the speech, along with one from another student, wasnt turned in on time for review. Once the speeches were turned in, they were found to touch on political issues the school wanted to avoid. Bales mom told CBS News that a phone call from the school led her to believe it might have had more to do with concerns about what the openly gay student might wear to graduation.

Whatever. Whether it was an issue with the message or a fear of attire, the students were not allowed to speak. In response, Bales delivered his speech anyway, outside of the school, with the help of a megaphone. The Cincinnati Enquirer published his speech online. The national media reported the story. As a result of being silenced, more people heard his message than if hed been allowed to read it onstage amid yawns and classmates itching to get on with their lives.

In this case, the young person won. This isnt surprising, considering that to become valedictorian youve got to use your head for more than a hat rack.

But it seems a lot of us dont want the young people to win. The Young People Will Win kids are painted as whiny tantrum-throwers, naive and easily manipulated by adults with agendas.

Thing is, ultimately, the young people will win because they just want to exist in a way that doesnt hurt. Its hard to admit, but its true. I learned this the hard way when I tried to butt heads with my 18-month-old baby.

She wasnt on a schedule  not really. She didnt care if, on any given day, naptime ran long or short. It didnt make a difference to her if all the errands were done or if the pile of laundry was bigger than her  or me. At the end of the day, she had nothing to lose.

All she cared about was that she was hungry. Or gassy. Or cold, bored, scared, stressed or tired. Crying was the most effective form of communication, and not crying meant nothing would change. Existing in a way that didnt hurt was all that mattered to that little creature, and she had no problem letting everybody within earshot know, regardless of where we were or who turned around and gave me the disapproving stink eye. And that stink eye  witness to the idea that we should know better, the embarrassment of not being able to get them to conform, our failure to protect them from what all humans feel  is what drives us to silence them when they have something to say. Its what makes us try to fight them.

Thing is, they are us.

We need to tell them what we want for them, and then see if that looks anything like what they want, too. We need to show them how to do things so they can build better mousetraps. And we need to accept their differences so they dont waste time fighting fruitless battles instead of winning the big war.

Because the young people always win  and that can be a very good thing for us.

Mariaanglinwrites@gmail.com
Former Zimbabwe Republic Police chief Doctor Augustine Chihuri is under spotlight again after sources revealed that he died recently in Malawi.

This comes after Stanley Goreraza alleged that Chihuris health situation had worsened and he was now on life support at an unnamed hospital in Malawi.

Goreraza an Airforce of Zimbabwe employee who was once married to former Zimbabwe first lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, discussed Chihuris illness on his blog post on 25th of May where he said the sickness was as a result of his past atrocities committed against the people of Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, family members and government sources have dismissed the death rumour as lies:

That is a whole load of nonsense, nothing like that happened, said a family member.

Doctor Chihuri is still alive and his location is well known by his friends and family, if he dies we will be the first to know it, said a government source.

 ZwNews

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A medical doctor who wept while addressing a Zanu PF National Youth Convention in Gweru has been suspended.

Dr Mugoni who is Secretary General of Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors association was suspended this Friday evening for bringing the name of the association into disrepute.

Reference is made to the various complaints lodged against you by our members. It is alleged that on the 31st of May 2018, in your capacity as the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA), you addressed a political party rally in Gweru.

This is a violation of the ZHDA Constitution (adoptedin2015), particularly section 1.3, as well as the foundations on which the association was formed.

Furthermore, you used the name of the association without prior permission from the members and/or executive. This is tantamount to bringing the name of the association to disrepute, and is a violation of the medical council regulations which state that you cannot be part of any political movement during your internship, ZHDA members said in a statement.

Dr Mugoni chanted Zanu PF slogan in Gweru before thanking President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga for awarding them an increment we were not expecting.

He could not finish giving his speech as he broke down uncontrollably.

ZDHA said although Dr Mugoni is free to associate with any party as an individual member, the association does not associate with any political party.

In light of these allegations, we as the members have effectively suspended you from the position of Secretary General.

All benefits and privileges are also suspended, pending an investigation and a hearing, said ZDHA.

 Bulawayo24

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The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed that three persons were killed in a fresh attack carried out by bandits on a community identified as Kura Falls, Gashish district in the Barkin Ladi local government Area of Plateau state.

The information by the police states that the victims were allegedly killed in two separate attacks between the night of Friday, June 1, and the morning of Saturday, June 2.

READ ALSO: Video: We used to kill in PDP during congress - Orji Uzor Kalu

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes ASP Matthias Tyopev, the spokesperson of the police command in Plateau, as saying: We received an information this (Saturday) morning, June 2, 2018, at about 07:00hrs that residents were attacked in Kura Falls yesterday (Friday) at about 21:30hrs and early this (Saturday) morning by unknown gunmen, which resulted in the death of three persons.

They are Dawala Bullet (30 years old), Fidelis Richard (31 years old) and Iliya Doro (60 years old), all male of the same address.

We have mobilised to the district (Gashish district). Investigation into the case is ongoing to enable us to track and arrest the perpetrators.

Legit.ng earlier reported that barely one week after the killing of 26 people in a community in Zamfara, gunmen again hit another village in the state, killing 15 people, the public relations officer of the state police command, DSP Muhammad Shehu, has confirmed.

It was gathered that Shehu spoke about the incident on Saturday, June 2, in Gusau that the bandits killed the people in a village called Zakuna.

National Day of Mourning for Victims of Violent Killings Across Nigeria | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
The Peoples Democratic Party has won the by-election held on Saturday, June 2, to fill the vacant seat of Ibarapa East constituency in Oyo state House of Assembly. The vacancy occurred following the demise of Michael Adeyemo, the speaker of the legislature.

The Nigerian Tribune reports that the result was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The candidates name was given as Adebo Ogundoyin, 31, and graduate of Babcock University.

Daily Nigerian reports that the PDP candidate won with 6,277 votes against the APC with 4,619 votes, and Accord Party with 2,859 votes.

Adebo Ogundoyin defeated the candidate of the APC in the election. Credit: Daily Nigerian

READ ALSO: Just in: Our candidate, supporters not safe - APC suspends campaign in Ekiti

Seven parties were cleared for the election. These include Accord Party, Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress and Fresh Democratic Party.

The others are Hope Democratic Party, Nigerian Peoples Congress and Mega Party of Nigeria.

The election took place in ten ward with the following results:

Accredited voters 14333

ACCORD  2,859

APC  4,619

PDP  6,277

FDP  83

HDP  14

MPN  09

NPC  60

Total valid vote  13,871

The state recently witnessed the emergence of the minority leader of the House, Olagunju Ojo, its speaker unopposed.

READ ALSO: Video: We used to kill in PDP during congress - Orji Uzor Kalu

The emergence of Ojo followed his nomination by Joshua Oyebamiji of Akinyele II seconded by Gbenga Oyekola of Atiba constituency, at Tuesday, May 15 plenary.

Legit.ng earlier reported how Honourable Michael Adeyemo, speaker of the Oyo House of Assembly died.

The report said some members of the House of Assembly confirmed this on Friday, April 27. TVC news also reports that Adeyemo died of heart attack.

Adeyemo, in his lifetime represented Ibarapa east local government area. He emerged speaker of Oyo assembly in 2015.

It was also reported how the Oyo state government on Friday, April 27, announced a three-day mourning period in honour of the speaker of the state assembly, Michael Adeyemo who died in Ibadan at the age of 47.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

The Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajimobi in a statement said the mourning period starts from April 30 to May 2, adding that flags be flown at half mast during the period.

Why Governors Steal? Rochas Okorocha of Imo State | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
By Steve Horn, a San Diego, CA-based Research Fellow for DeSmogBlog and a freelance investigative journalist. Originally published at Criminal Legal News

The use of DNA-based genealogy websites to track down the Golden State Killer suspect, Joseph DeAngelo, appears to have inspired police departments nationwide. Its a move that has irked privacy advocates and criminal justice system reformers.

DeAngelo, a former police officer and alleged serial killer in the 1970s and 1980s, was arrested April 25 at his home in Sacramento County, California. He has been charged with murdering 12 people in California. He also is a suspect in dozens of rapes and over 100 burglaries.

Law enforcement officials stated they utilized the open-source family DNA website GEDmatch.com, creating a genetic profile under a fake name that helped lead them to DeAngelo.

Most criminal law experts say those who hand over their DNA to websites like GEDmatch have no expectation of privacy under the Fourth Amendment. But whether that same legal logic applies to their extended relatives, though, will remain an open question as the Golden State Killers case weaves its way through the courts.

Currently, DeAngelo is being held in the Sacramento County Jail without bail. A judge may soon order law enforcement to unseal more documents pertaining to the circumstances that led to the arrest, according to oral arguments at a May 30 court hearing. Those may illuminate the techniques they used.

GEDmatch

To assist their search, law enforcement created an account on GEDmatch, hoping to make a familial DNA match. As first reported by The Mercury News, DeAngelo was eventually identified because a distant relative created a DNA profile on GEDmatch with similarities to DeAngelos, and investigators used that information to build family trees.

The case sheds light on a little known fact: Even if weve never spit into a test tube, some of our genetic information may be public  and accessible to law enforcement. Thats because whenever one of our relatives  even distant, distant kin  submits their DNA to a public site hoping to find far-flung relations, some of our data is shared as well, explained The Mercury News of the broader implications of the use of the DNA website by law enforcement.

Andrea Roth, a law professor at University of California-Berkeley, told The Mercury News that even if one does not create a DNA kit profile on a website like GEDmatch, ones relative could be unwittingly handing over a trail of information to law enforcement for criminal investigatory probes akin to what happened with the Golden State Killer suspect.

When you put your information into a database voluntarily, and law enforcement has access to it, you may be unwittingly exposing your relatives  some you know, some you dont know  to scrutiny by law enforcement, said Roth. Even though they may have done nothing wrong.

And indeed, in the aftermath of the Golden State Killer arrest, DNA databases have been tapped into on multiple instances, with law enforcement officers paying homage to the team that tracked down DeAngelo and saying, they too, may put the technique to use for future investigations. Another arrest, too, has already been made utilizing the same techniques just weeks after that of DeAngelo.

Other Uses

On the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy portion of its website, GEDmatch states openly that law enforcement has the authority to tap into its DNA repository for criminal justice investigations.

While the results presented on this Site are intended solely for genealogical research, we are unable to guarantee that users will not find other uses, including both current and new genealogical and non-genealogical use, reads the website, pointing to several other potential uses, including, Familial searching by third parties such as law enforcement agencies to identify the perpetrator of a crime.

It is that other uses language that allowed law enforcement to utilize the website, under the guise of doing genealogical research. And that same language, other law enforcement agents have said, could open up future opportunities to help identify criminal suspects.

For example, Vallejo Police Department Detective Terry Poyser told The Sacramento Bee on May 2 that his department is now utilizing similar sleuthing techniques to track down the man known as the Zodiac Killer, who committed a string of murders in northern California in the late-1960s through the late-1970s. Zodiac, whose identity remains unknown to this day, killed at least five people and perhaps as many as 28 individuals. Results of that investigation could come to fruition, Poyser said, within weeks.

Beyond Zodiac, another cold case was recently solved by the Snohomish County Sheriffs Office in Washington state replicating the technique used in the Golden State Killer case.

In that case, GEDMatch was part of the corroborating evidence that gave law enforcement probable cause to arrest William Earl Talbott II on May 17. Talbott, now 55, has been charged with the first-degree murder of Tanya Van Cuylenborg, then 18, in 1987, and law enforcement is in the midst of investigating whether he also murdered her boyfriend, the then 20-year-old Jay Cook.

He was never on any list law enforcement had, there was never a tip providing his name, Snohomish County Sheriffs Detective Jim Scharf said at a press conference announcing the arrest, as reported by The Seattle Times. If it hadnt been for genetic genealogy, we wouldnt be standing here today.

The business publication Bloomberg further reported on May 30 that Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based forensic DNA company, also has asked GEDMatch for permission to load DNA from about 100 crime scenes into its database, already getting about 20 genetic matches.

Weve been aware for a long time that this was possible, but there was a time when GEDMatch just wasnt as large as it is, Steve Armentrout, president of Parabon, told Bloomberg. Now it is clear that this is going to be a very powerful tool.

Justice Served Act

In order to obtain more money to reopen cold cases, the National District Attorneys Association, National Association of Police Organizations, as well as the Major County Sheriffs of America and Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and other organizations have begun lobbying for passage of the Justice Served Act (H.R. 4854).

The billwhich recently passed in the U.S. House of Representatives 377-1 (the lone dissenting vote being Michigan Republican and libertarian U.S. Rep. Justin Amash)calls for millions more in congressional appropriations grant money, by amending the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act, to flow to local district attorney offices to solve cases of this nature. S.2345, the Senate companion version of the bill, already has a bipartisan battalion of 17 bipartisan co-sponsors.

The Justice Served Act invests in the criminal justice process to transform these results into justice by providing funds for the prosecution of crimes cleared through DNA, the National District Attorneys Association explained of its support for the bill in a one-pager it published. The Justice Served Act of 2018 brings results to the courthouse and encourages the resolution of those cases through what is often a long and cumbersome criminal justice process.

We Should Be Careful

Many have celebrated the arrests of the suspected Golden State Killer and William Earl Talbott II as case-study examples of justice served, to quote the namesake of the proposed congressional legislation. But the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in a May 11 opinion piece published by The Washington Post, cautioned readers to think about the broader implications of the situation as it relates to emboldening law-enforcement crackdowns on less-serious crimes.

People may not be so troubled by such an intrusion when it comes to a serial killer, but imagine the implications of using this technique for shoplifters or trespassers, wrote the ACLUs Vera Eidelman.

The lines we draw for this case may well provide a roadmap for investigations of crimes in the future. And the techniques used here are likely only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what investigators will soon have the technological power to do.

The publication Vice Motherboard put it a bit more simply in a May 2 article, advising readers against placing their DNA on genealogy websites at all.

As weve seen with so many other privacy overreaches, law enforcement uses questionable tactics on serial killers, child pornographers, and terrorists and later uses them on petty criminals, wrote Vice Motherboard reporter Jason Koebler. I would start by suggesting that you not submit your DNA to centralized genetic databases. Open-source databases are accessible by anyone, and private ones are subject to subpoena or, possibly, hacking. In the same way that we should be careful about who we give our social security numbers or fingerprints to, we should also be careful about who we purposefully give our DNA to.
Peregrine Falcon Wild Bird Fund. On peregrines in NYC.

The revolutionary sex Aeon (Chuck L)

Former Aspen climber Charlotte Fox, survivor of Mount Everest disaster, dies in home accident, friends say Aspen Times (Robert R). The disaster was the climb described in the Jon Krakauer book, Into Thin Air.

Bananas have died out once before  dont let it happen again Aeon (Chuck L)

A gene for our big brains was rescued from the DNA garbage bin CBC (David L)

Hawaii volcano: What in the world are vog, laze and Peles hair? USA Today (Chuck L)

Five people die in US romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak BBC

Ambien defence: the real side effects of sleeping pills Financial Times

Domestic Violences Overlooked Damage: Concussion And Brain Injury Kaiser Health News

North Korea

Italy

Pedro Sanchez seizes historic opportunity to become Spains prime minister DW

George Osbornes London Evening Standard sells its editorial independence to Uber, Google and others  for 3 million openDemocracy (Chuck L)

How Greeces Busiest Port Reveals the Perils of Privatization Nation (furzy)

New Cold War

Syraqistan

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Tariff Tantrum

Trump Transition

Its a Jungle in Californias Primary US News (Kevin W)

Congressional Candidate In Virginia Admits Hes A Pedophile Huffington Post. Chuck L: Another charming fellow running for Congress.

Pressure mounts on MSNBC, Joy Reid after old blog reveals attack on Wolf Blitzer, AIPAC The Hill (UserFriendly)

Missouri Student Banned From Graduation After Putting School Up For Sale On Craigslist Jonathan Turley

Police State Watch

The Coming Urban Terror City Journal. Chuck L: Its disturbing to see the term productivity used in the context of terrorism. Badge of Impunity Counterprunch

Puerto Rico sues to obtain data on deaths from Hurricane Maria Guardian

Airline asks mother to prove relation to mixed-race son BBC (Chuck L). Lousy response by Southwest. An apology isnt adequate. They should have given her a freebie too.

The Tesla Model 3 cost $28,000 to build, German engineers sayand it still may not be profitable Quartz (Kevin W)

Guillotine Watch

Class Warfare

Student loan debt and the cost of college are out of control and climbing The Hill (UserFriendly) US vs China Housingand Those Millennials Michael Hudson, Counterpunch We need a new kind of HGTV Curbed. FWIW, my Alabama dentist (who is very good, Birmingham has the best medical school in the South, so you can find high caliber service providers if you know where to go) always has HGTV on, and since I have pre-flouride era teeth, I spend more time in the dentists chair than most people and have wound up unduly familiar with HGTV offerings. Ive long considered it to be real estate porn.

Antidote du jour. Tracie H: Anybody got a nail file? Moi: Ive always had a soft spot for collies, no doubt due to having been conditioned by Lassie, but they seem like sweet, unassuming dogs.

And a bonus video from Joel P: It was the best day of my life. Sam Ellis spent 76 days with Mad Max in the Yukon wilderness.

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Looking for an upscale hotel in Pismo Beach thats only a two minute walk from the pier? The Craftsman-style hotel, Inn at the Pier, opened in November, 2017 and features a rooftop bar, a rooftop dipping pool and restaurant on Californias Central Coast. As I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, I tend to visit Napa and Sonoma Valley wine country. Did you know that Pismo Beach is only a four hour drive from the East Bay?

On this trip to San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Country, I decided to stay right by the beach. Pismo Beach is a welcome destination for folks living in the hot parts of the central valley due to its cool ocean breezes. A typical day starts out brisk with the sun making an appearance in late morning. Surfers descend on the beach as the sun comes up and the sleepy little town comes to life. On my visit the streets and Pismo Pier were literally coming to life, as both were undergoing construction.





Know about Inn at the Pier

I drove my Mini Cooper into the courtyard and was greeted by friendly college-age young adults waiting to valet park my car. Near the front of the hotel, white cruiser bicycles with fat tires stood ready for guests to take a spin around the block. The hotel lobby was bright and airy with beach scenes on the interior walls.

Inn at the Pier, Pismo Beach



Not quite ready for happy hour, I checked into room #345, an ocean view room on the top floor of the three story hotel. Reminiscent of a European hotel stay, my key card opened the door and controlled the lights in my room simply by inserting the key card into the interior slot. As is expected in a four star hotel, I easily located the Vittoria Espresso machine, room safe, 55 flat screen tv and mini fridge. Glass bottled water was available for an additional charge. Plush cotton robes hung in the ample sized closet and a work desk and chair were also available.

The desk included plug in fixtures to charge smart phones, laptops and tablets and the bedside table lamp offered a circular array of plug in options. Score one for a smart hotel that understands the needs of connected guests.

The Pillowtop Beautyrest bed by Simmons offered a comfortable nights sleep and the blackout curtains were a plus if guests wanted to sleep late. I was, however, disappointed that this upscale hotel opted for 250 thread count sheets. I would have expected sheets in the 300-350 thread count range.







Inn at the Pier hotel room



The bathroom, with large walk-in shower, featured a Speakman Anystream shower fixture and Bigelow Chemists bath amenities. I liked the sliding barn doors used on both the bathroom exterior and toilet. A hairdryer hung in a bag on the wall of the bathroom and stripped beach towels were tucked in the open shelves below the bathroom sink. After a quick glance out the balcony, I decided to head to the rooftop to check out the roof top pool and bar.





What a plus to be able to offer a pool and Jacuzzi in a rooftop setting. Keep in mind that this dipping pool is heated year-round; but you wont be swimming laps in this pool. Brightly colored chairs and gas fire pits add a festive vibe to the outdoor terrace. This would be a great place to hang out, sipping handcrafted cocktails or micro brews, taking in the Pacific ocean views.







If you like room service and a little alone time on your private balcony, order Chef Michael Goodloes Pismo Beach clam chowder, chock full of local clams and tasty smoked bacon. In-room dining is offered from 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. and a full service restaurant, Blonde, is located on the ground floor. I didnt have a chance to dine at Blonde for anything other than breakfast, but the yogurt with fresh fruit and granola was tasty. Desserts such as Meyer lemon tart with French curd and pistachio shortbread looked good, as well as white chocolate mousse.







Inn at the Pier Need to Know:



Inn at the Pier has 98 guest rooms and 6 suites. Depending on room type and seasonality, downtown room rates range from $199  $359. As always, check the website for current prices and advertised specials.

Overnight valet parking is included in the $25 daily resort fee. Day valet is $12. Restaurant validation is also available for guests of Blonde Restaurant and The Rooftop. As of this date, validated parking is $6 for a maximum of 3 hours.

While some folks at the Inn at the Pier like dogs, the hotel does not offer pet-friendly accommodations unless it is a service dog.

There is a $25 daily resort fee that includes valet parking, concierge services, high-speed Wi-Fi Internet, fitness center access, local and 800 telephone calls. The fee also includes the use of their lounge, rooftop dipping pool and Jacuzzi.

Check in: 4:00 p.m.

Check out: 12:00 p.m.

Insider Tips: Equipped with a full ocean view and balcony, the Superior Ocean View King Suite is the room for the best sunset view. The Rooftop is the best spot in town for a seamless sunset ocean view.

While the hotel offers breakfast at the restaurant, the Old West Cinnamon Rolls on Dolliver Street in Pismo are worth a stop! For additional insider tips follow luxury travel writer @Nancydbrown on Twitter or Instagram @Nancydbrown and @theinnatthepier on Twitter and @theinnatthepier on Instagram.



If You Go:

Inn at the Pier (805) 295-5565

601 Cypress Street

Pismo Beach, California 93449

Inn at the Pier hotel review, video and all photography by travel writer Nancy D. Brown. I received a complimentary media stay while researching articles as a guest of SLO Wine Country and Pismo Beach. All opinions are my own.
General Petr Pavel, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee visited Nouakchott, Mauritania from 29-30 May 2018. While Mauritania has been a partner of NATOs Mediterranean Dialogue since 1995, the visit marks the first time a Chairman of the NATO Military Committee visits Mauritania as Mauritania and NATO seek to enhance their practical cooperation.

During his visit, the Chairman met with His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, the Chief of Defence of the Mauritanian Armed Forces, Major General Mohamed Ahmed Cheikh El Ghazouani, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Diallo Mamadou Bathia, high representatives from the G5 Sahel executive secretariat, as well as other senior level military officials.

During the meeting with the President of Mauritania, discussion focused on the importance of continued cooperation between NATO and Mauritania, and Mauritanias efforts deal with the ongoing regional security issues. General Pavel thanked the President for Mauritanias continued strong commitment to NATO and welcomed the constant exchange and visits from high level military and political Mauritanian officials to NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Both NATO and Mauritania benefit from our cooperation which ranges across many levels. These meetings improve the understanding of NATOs policies and cooperation opportunities open to Mauritania as well as strengthen NATOs understanding of Mauritania, which in turn promotes better mutual understanding and trust  stated the Chairman.

Following an official welcome ceremony, General Pavel met with Major General El Ghazouani. The Generals discussed NATO and Mauritanian practical cooperation, regional security challenges and NATOs Projecting Stability initiative. The Chairman stressed how nothing happened in a vacuum, and that the threats and challenges facing Mauritian and the surrounding region, also affected the Alliance. Threats and challenges such as terrorism and extremism have a global reach so it makes sense that if we share the same challenges, we should also share solutions, said General Pavel.

Discussions with Mr. Diallo Mamadou Bathia reaffirmed NATO and Mauritanias ongoing cooperation in the framework of the Mediterranean Dialogue partnership and the need to counter regional instability. With the complex nature of regional challenges, it is essential to look for and provide holistic solutions which bring together economic, social, political, non-governmental, other international organizations as well as the military. The Chairman stressed during his press statement, in this ever changing security environment, now more than ever, it is important that we work together to increase global security and stability.

While in Nouakchott, General Pavel took the opportunity to visit the new G5 Sahel College and meet with high representatives at the G5 Executive Secretariats Headquarters. Touring the college, the Chairman stressed the importance of education and training as it enhances not only an individuals knowledge and skills but also fosters interoperability with partners. Following the meeting with the G5 Sahel high representatives, the Chairman welcomed the detailed briefings he received from the subject matter experts on the ongoing security and development projects and tasks.

G5 Sahel or G5S is an institutional framework for coordination of regional cooperation in development policies and security matters in West Africa. It was formed on 16 February 2014 in Nouakchott, Mauritania at a summit of five Sahel countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday (2 June 2018) the NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller said that NATO is determined to strengthen its cyber-defences.

Addressing a special session dedicated to New Strategic Technologies and the Future of Conflict, Ms. Gottemoeller said that ''NATO must be just as effective in the cyber domain as we already are on land, in the air and at sea''. She said that this ''means having the best possible partnerships with governments and industry, so that we are sharing threat information in real time, as well as techniques to defend against these threat''.

Ms. Gottemoeller stressed that NATO is ''working with Allies and partners to ensure that they are as resilient as possible against cyber-attacks''. She said that ''it is only by working together that we will be able to keep pace with the evolving threats, deter and defend against them, and realize the benefits that these technologies have to offer''.

In Singapore the NATO Deputy Secretary General also met with the Minister of Defence of New Zeland Mr. Ron Mark, with the Senior Minister of State for Defence of the Republic of Singapore, Mr. Heng Chee How, as well as with senior officials from the Peoples Republic of China and from Mongolia.

During her meetings, Ms, Gottemoeller highlighted the value of dialogue and cooperation with NATOs Partners across the Globe and noted the importance of the Shangri-La Dialogue as a key opportunity to also engage with other major stakeholders from the Indo-Pacific region.

The Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Lieutenant General Steven Shepro also attended the Shangri-La Dialogue and joined Ms. Gottemoeller in the meetings, as well as meeting with military representatives from NATO partner nations.
(Natural News) A fresh batch of now-unveiled emails recently obtained by Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) contains some shocking revelations about the collusion thats been taking place between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and fake news network CNN in their joint effort to take down President Trump.

We now know that the FBI put together a sensitive matter team prior to the presidents inauguration that actively discussed the details of the infamous Steele dossier with CNN before the fake news network decided to break the story on former FBI Director James Comeys briefing of it with President Trump.

These emails show that former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was fully aware of the fact that CNN was being briefed by the FBI on the details of the dossier briefing, as well as the fact that FBI officials on the sensitive matter team were discussing these correspondences using coded language in their back-and-forth emails.

The now-debunked dossier, which was jointly funded by both the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC), contains a slew of unfounded allegations against President Trump, including that he colluded with the Russians to steal the presidential election. But the truth of the matter, as revealed in these latest emails, is that the FBI colluded with CNN to spread lies about a lawfully-elected president in an effort to unseat him.

Obama crony Laura Jarrett, daughter of former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, was hired by CNN in Fall 2016 to coordinate planned takedown of Trump

A timeline of the email correspondence between FBI officials, the sensitive matter team and CNN reveals the following:

 On January 6, 2017, at 9:44 a.m., FBI Chief of Staff James Rybicki sent an email to unspecified recipients explaining that the director is coming into HQ briefly now for an update from the sensitive matter team.

 Later that day, then-FBI Director James Comey met with President-elect Trump to discuss the dossier.

 The next day, on January 7, Comey sent an email to other FBI leadership explaining that there was something that Clapper wanted me to speak to PE [President Elect] about alone or in a very small group. Comey added: I then executed the sessions exactly as I had planned, and I said media like CNN had them and were looking for a news hook.

 On January 8, just after noon, then-FBI Deputy Director McCabe sent an email to senior FBI leadership with the subject line, Flood is coming. In the body of his email, McCabe admitted that CNN is close to going forward with the sensitive story  again using coded language. He added that CNN receiving a copy of what was discussed during Comeys meeting with President Trump was the trigger for publishing the story.

 Less than one hour later, McCabe emailed then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and then-Principal Deputy Attorney General Matthew Axelrod a heads-up about the fact that CNN was close to running a story about the sensitive reporting.

And just two days later, CNN did exactly that, igniting a fake news firestorm of hysteria about baseless accusations of Trump-Russia collusion that never actually happened. And working her magic behind the scenes was none other than Laura Jarrett, the daughter of top Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, who was hired by CNN back in the fall of 2016 to cover events at the Justice Department.

American Lookout reported:

The network announced in a press release that Valerie Jarretts daughter Laura would be one of four reporters to cover the Justice Department in 2017. The New York Post broke the news that Jarrett had been hired in September, though a formal announcement about her beat did not come until Thursday.

For a full timeline of all the collusion and treason that took place between the FBI, Obama, Comey, Clinton and many others, check out this link.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

TheFederalist.com

NaturalNews.com

AmericanLookout.com

NaturalNews.com
Monarch butterflies have fascinated humans with their vivid black and orange colors. What's more fascinating is their ability to journey for up to 3ooo miles or 4800 kilometers. Sadly, the population of these remarkable insects is relatively declining.

Based on the Biological Conservation journal's study, the population of the monarch butterflies from western North America has radically shrunk than previously thought. This species is more prone to be wiped out compared to the eastern monarch butterflies.

According to the associate professor at Washington State University Vancouver and lead author of the study, Cheryl Schultz "Western monarchs are faring worse than their eastern counterparts. In the 1980s, 10 million monarchs spent the winter in coastal California. Today there are barely 300,000."

She added that the western monarch butterflies might vanish in the coming eras if measures will not be taken to replenish its population.

Eastern monarch butterflies spend winter in Mexico while western monarch butterflies vegetate near the coast of California's forests. It lays its eggs on milkweed in spring and feasts on the nectar of the flowers that flourish in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Utah. During fall, these beautiful insects revisit their overwintering ground, the Washington State University points out.

It was in 1990 that Californian residents who live near the coasts noticed that the western monarchs seems to be vanishing and was confirmed by the Biological Conservation study. The data was acquired from the counts done by both amateur and professional butterfly participants during the 1980's and early 1990's. The information was integrated with the data gathered from counts conducted by the Xerces Society's Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count since 1997.

According to a National Geographic report, only monarch butterflies that were born in late summer or in early fall can survive the migration with just one round trip. When the next year's winter migration starts, more generations that hatched during the summer would have survived and died and is going to be the last trip for the great grandchildren of the last year's migrators.
The states Community Care Licensing Division and the state Public Health Department have launched probes of the death of a 75-year-old woman whose body was found in a stairwell of an engineering building at San Francisco General Hospital, officials said Friday.

Ruby Lee Andersen was discovered Wednesday, 10 days after she failed to return to a city-run Residential Care Facility at the hospital. An autopsy has ruled out homicide, but NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit has learned Anderson was likely alive for several days after she vanished from the center at 887 Potrero Avenue.

City officials say they are still investigating, but have already acknowledged that there were lapses related to how the missing persons case was handled. The state public health department is investigating, and the state community care licensing agency said it, is looking into whether the facility followed state regulations regarding the care of a resident.

Care advocates welcomed the probe, saying the circumstances of Andersens death are troubling.

Thats a big deal, said Pat McGinnis, head of San Francisco-based California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. Theres something wrong with that, theres something that needs to be done so this doesnt happen again.

She is concerned that Andersen  who reportedly had dementia -- was not labeled as high risk when she was initially reported missing.

Obviously, you are there because you need care and supervision. If thats not high risk, I dont know what is.

Inspection records reveal past questions about the care and monitoring at the facility.

Back in 2016, care licensing authorities investigated allegations of a lack of supervision resulting in resident being found in middle of street.

At that time a doctor told the inspectors residents were legally free to come and go through an unalarmed exit. That investigation was ultimately deemed inconclusive.

Later that same year, another resident was found to be suffering from untreated chronic conditions. In that case, inspectors found that the staff practice a hands-off approach to encourage resident independence."

That resident ended up in the emergency room and the facility was cited for neglect.

McGinnis says shes also troubled by that 2016 report of a resident who apparently wandered out an unalarmed door onto Potrero Avenue, one of the busiest streets in the city. She understands that the facilitys residents are allowed to come and go under current law, but believes there should be limits.

"They are still, under the law, required to provide care and supervision  otherwise, you can live in a hotel."

Rachael Kagan, spokeswoman for the city, provided a statement late Friday which reads, The Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) is a board and care residence for adults 60 and over with diagnosed mental health issues. It is a non-medical facility that provides room, meals, housekeeping, medication support and personal care assistance with basic activities. The program also provides recreational facilities on site. This is a 59-bed, non-locked facility and residents can come and go.

The residents of this facility are not ready for completely independent living, and the program supports them to reach the greatest level of independence that they can achieve, depending on individual needs and circumstances. The safety and stability of residents is our highest priority.

Although the March 2016 inspection was found to be inconclusive, we welcome the oversight and opportunity to respond to complaints.

The July 2016 inspection was found to be substantiated and resulted in a plan of correction that has been implemented to improve pre-admission appraisals and re-appraisals of residents physical, medical, mental, and social condition. In addition, residents are regularly observed for changes in physical, mental, emotional and social functioning and appropriate assistance is provided when such observation reveals unmet needs. Any such changes in conditions are documented and brought to the attention of the residents physician and the residents responsible person, if any.

The program received its annual licensing inspection on April 27 and is in full compliance and licensed by the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division."
San Jose police and private security guards were more visible at a South Bay middle school after threats of a mass shooting on campus.

Police said the threat was not credible, but still appeared at Caroline Davis Intermediate School in force.

"We do have officers on campus before, during and after school," San Jose Police Officer Gina Tepoorten said. "We want to ensure that each student going to school today feels safe, as well as staff. And we want parents to have confidence."

The security spike came after a fight last week where one student allegedly threatened to bring a gun to campus on Friday.

"The rumor was that something was going to happen Friday," student Anthony Flores said.

Eva Flores is one of several parents who told NBC Bay Area they felt were left in the dark by the school and not knowing what the exact threat was, and how it was being handled.

The district said it followed all protocols and relied on police for guidance. The district even posted a message on the school website to inform its community.

School threats and rumors have been keeping San Jose police very busy. Tepoorten said police have seen an increase in kids talking about school shootings.

Rumor or not, police said they take every threat seriously.
Clusterfest 2018 is set to take over the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco with music, food and some of the biggest names in comedy this weekend.

The all-star gathering, which includes John Stewart and Trevor Noah, comes amid a national firestorm over controversial remarks made by high-profile comedians Roseanne Barr and Samantha Bee.

"I think comedy can be incredibly disarming," said Comedy Central Correspondent Desi Lydic. And sometimes a great way to open up a conversation between people who may not agree otherwise."

At the event, visitors will have much to talk about including a Donald Trump twitter library featuring battles and a collection of his most infamous nicknames.

"Again, our president is undefeated on the internet," said Ronny Chieng.

Yet the calling card of the event is "coming together through comedy," a point emphasized by many of the Daily Shows brightest stars in the wake of racist comments from Roseanne Barr and misogynistic words from Samantha Bee.

"I think you always just sort of have this scale and you have to check in with yourself and go, 'Ok, do I feel right about this? Or is this crossing the line,'" Lydic said.

For Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr., who is set to perform Friday night, context is everything.

"Its easy for people to say, 'the line is the line! And you cannot ever cross the line.' But the line is dictated by the level of outrage of the people and the sponsors," he said. "It's a tough argument with Sam Bee because that is a woman using a word traditionally used to slander women, against another woman. So, maybe that will make the line different for Sam Bee than it does for Roseanne."

No matter what, comedians like Ronny Chieng from the Daily Show want everyone to remember they are in the business of jokes.

"I've never apologized. Thats my policy! I've never apologized for anything," Chieng said. "I've never apologized to my wife, I've never apologized to my mother and I've never apologized to anyone, anywhere."
A close friend of Jared Kushner with proximity to key meetings between Trump associates and foreign officials is coming under scrutiny from special counsel Robert Mueller, five people familiar with the matter told NBC News.

Hedge fund manager Richard Gerson was in the Seychelles around the time of a secret meeting between a Trump associate and officials from Russia and United Arab Emirates, sources said.

On the islands, he also met with Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, whom he, Kushner and other Trump officials had met with at a hotel in New York weeks earlier, according to sources.

A spokesman for Gerson emphasized that Gerson did not participate in the Seychelles meeting with Russian and Emirati officials but declined to discuss why Gerson met with others while there.
Illinois State Police have arrested a man that they say was responsible for some scary incidents involving moving vehicles on an interstate highway.

According to police, 53-year-old Kevin Casey of Janesville, WI was arrested and charged with aggravated battery to a child, aggravated battery on a public way, and criminal damage to property after allegedly causing damage to numerous vehicles travelling on Interstate 74.

In one of the incidents, a 3-year-old boy was cut by flying shards of glass after the passenger side window of his familys minivan shattered while driving through Champaign on the interstate highway, according to the Champaign News-Gazette.

Police also believe that Casey is responsible for damaging vehicles in states to the east of Illinois along the highway.

Police did not offer details on how Casey allegedly caused the damage, but will hold a press conference on Monday morning to address the case.
Police arrested a man accused of assault after a chase that cut through a funeral ceremony Friday.

Connecticut State Police said 44-year-old Bart Donnelly faces charges of third-degree assault, breach of peace, interfering with investigation, and disruption of a funeral after an incident in Danielson Friday.

According to police, around 6:30 p.m. a citizen flagged down an off-duty trooper in his cruiser and reported an assault in Davis Park. The off-duty trooper responded, but the suspect fled. The trooper provided a description of the suspect to Troop D and more units responded.

The Killingly Resident State Trooper and Troop D troopers began searching for the suspect, identified as Donnelly. When troopers spotted Donnelly he fled, rushing through a funeral ceremony as police gave chase, police said.

Police captured Donnelley on Academy Street and took him into custody. He was held on a $3,000 bond.
After more than two months, an arrest has been made in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian in Carrollton, police say.

Carrollton police said 31-year-old Jacqueline Christina Fisher surrendered at the Carrollton City Jail Monday and was released the same day on $50,000 bond.

Fisher, police said, struck a pedestrian at about 3 a.m. Sunday March 18 along the 4000 block of Marsh Lane.

Carrollton Police and Fire Rescue were called to the scene by passersby who saw a critically injured man lying in the southbound lanes.

The victim, a 25-year-old Dallas man, survived and has moved out of state to continue his recovery.

"Investigators found evidence at the scene which eventually led them to Fisher and her vehicle, a gray Toyota 4Runner," police said. "Carrollton Police thank Toyota of Denton and Service King Collision Center of Plano for their cooperation in this investigation."

Fisher has been charged with one count of failure to stop and render aid. If convicted, she faces up to a $5,000 fine and five years in prison.


Students at McKinney North High School are being sent home early Friday after a student died on campus from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.



District officials said the school was initially placed on lock down at about 11 a.m. after reports of a gunshot.

A short time later it was confirmed a student had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.



The district said no other students were injured in the shooting and confirmed no other details.



The identity of the student, including age and gender, is not known.

On Friday night, McKinney ISD released a statement about the shooting on Facebook.

Following the shooting, district officials said students would be allowed to leave campus. McKinney North students who drive were allowed to check out and leave on their own while students who do not drive were being moved to Boyd High School where they can either ride a bus home on their normal route or be picked up by family members.

Several parents still flocked to the school after getting panicked calls and text messages from their kids.

I just wanted to get here to see for myself and see that my kids are OK," said Nicole Hutchins.

Hutchins had three kids inside the school at the time of the shooting. She said her youngest was just outside of the room where the gun went off.

Its a horrible thing for these kids to have to go through, and theyre forever going to be changed," said Hutchins.

She, like others, waited hours to be reunited with her son up the road at Boyd.

Students in the McKinney ISD have less than a week left of school before summer break; the last day of classes is Thursday, June 7.

The shooting at the high school comes two weeks after a gunman fatally shot eight students and two teachers at Santa Fe High School south of Houston. Since that shooting, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has hosted three roundtable discussions with Texas leaders; from those discussions dozens of recommended strategies have been shared on how to make schools safer.

On Saturday, people will gather in Dallas for the "Out of the Darkness" walk to raise awareness for those affected by suicide. You can find more information about the walk by clicking here.


Rowlett Police are looking for a suspected shoplifter who attacked and bit a security officer at a Target store located in the 4701 Block of Lakeview Parkway.



Police say that the incident happened on Wednesday, around 1:57 p. m., when the woman attempted to leave the business without paying for merchandise.



The loss prevention officer immediately called Rowlett Police advising that he had contacted a theft suspect. He also reported that she caused some injuries on him during the attack.



She is described as a black female wearing a light purple hat, white tank top, blue jeans and white sandals, according to authorities.



The woman also drove away in a black Ford Expedition with Greek Letter front plate. If you recognize her or have any information about the case, you are asked to call Detective B. McKenzie at 972-412-6211.
Construction of a new barrier wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego began Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Diego Sector said.

The project will replace a portion of the barrier constructed of scrap metal roughly 10 feet high with an 18 to 30-foot "bollard-style" wall capped with an anti-climbing plate.

Fourteen miles of barrier will be replaced, starting about a half-mile west of the Pacific Ocean and extending into the Otay Mountains in East San Diego County, the CBP said.

The CBP said the San Diego area was one of its highest priorities in the border wall project.

Under this Presidents leadership, we have a renewed commitment to secure our border," said Ronald Vitiello, U.S. Customs and Border Protections Acting Deputy Commissioner. "The new primary wall-project represents an important milestone in our work to secure the international border. Not only does it significantly upgrade our existing infrastructure in San Diego, it also marks the third concurrent wall project in the U.S. and reflects CBPs unwavering commitment to secure our borders and protect our Nation.

According to the CBP, the older steel wall built in the 1990s out of recycled material and steel plates was underperforming and in need of replacement.

Border wall construction is underway at two other locations; a two-mile primary wall project in Calexico, California, about 60 miles west of Yuma, Arizona, and a 10-mile project near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, west of El Paso.

Texas-based construction corporation SLSCO was awarded the $147 million contract for the wall project.

In March, the CBP said 100 miles of border fence would be replaced with funding from the 2018 appropriations.

The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis talked with President Donald Trump about the possibility that the Defense Department could fund the long-promised border wall with Mexico.

In fiscal year 2017, San Diego Sector CBP said it apprehended more than 26,000 undocumented people and seized more than 23,000 pounds of illegal drugs.


What to Know The body of a man was found in brush off a mountain road in Angeles National Forest on Wednesday

He had been thrown out of a pickup truck after being beaten at a home in unincorporated Azusa on Monday

Three acquaintances were arrested in the slaying and a fourth man was being sought

Investigators on Friday turned to the public to help find a man facing capital murder charges in the killing of a father of an infant son with a second child on the way whose body was found entangled in brush off an Angeles National Forest road in California.

Police were searching for 21-year-old Martin-Capiendo, who also goes by Matthew or Matt Martin and Matthew or Matt Luzon in the slaying of Julian Hamori-Andrade, 20, of Glendora.

Martin and three other suspects allegedly beat the victim and dumped his body in Azusa Canyon, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The other suspects  Hercules Balaskas, 18, of Glendora; Jacob Hunter Elmendorf, 19, of La Verne; and Francisco Amigon, 19, also of La Verne, were arrested on Thursday.

The four suspects were charged on Thursday with first-degree murder with special circumstances, first-degree residential robbery and kidnapping, prosecutors said. The charges include special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and murder during the commission of a kidnapping and robbery.

Balaskas allegedly beat the victim with a metal chair, prosecutors said. Marin was accused of using a rock and a broken glass pipe, officials said.

Capital murder charges make the suspects eligible for the death penalty.

Hamori-Andrade was beaten unconscious at Luzon's home on Monday before he was driven to Azusa Canyon where he was beaten again, thrown over the side of a road and left for dead, officials said.

Deputies found Hamori-Andrade's body Wednesday night in heavy brush about 30 feet down a hill off San Gabriel Canyon Road (Highway 39) near mile marker 20 in Azusa Canyon.

Drivers who saw the pickup truck on a roadside turnout the night Hamori-Andrade was dumped led investigators to the location, officials said.

Deputies said three of the suspects were acquaintances of Hamori-Andrade.

It wasn't clear what led up to the killing.

On a gofundme page, family and friends described Hamori-Andrade as a beautiful soul.

"Life can be unfair in the most heartbreaking ways," the page read. "As of today, May 31st, our family lost an important piece of our hearts. At only 20 years old his life was taken from him, he lived his life the best way he could."
After a week of hard-nosed negotiation, diplomatic gamesmanship and no shortage of theatrics, President Donald Trump has announced that the historic nuclear-weapons summit he had canceled with North Korea's Kim Jong Un is back on.

The June 12 meeting in Singapore, the first between heads of the technically still-warring nations, is meant to begin the process of ending North Korea's nuclear program, and Trump said he believes Kim is committed to that goal. The announcement puts back on track a high-risk summit that could be a legacy-defining moment for the American leader, who has matched his unconventional deal-making style with the mercurial Kim government.

Despite recently envisioning Nobel laurels, Trump worked on Friday to lower expectations for a quick breakthrough.

"We're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process," Trump said. He spoke from the South Lawn of the White House after seeing off a senior Kim deputy who spent more than an hour with him in the Oval Office. Much had been made of a letter his visitor was bringing from the North Korean leader, but Trump's comments left it unclear when he had even managed to take a look at it.

The president said it was likely that more than a single meeting would be necessary to bring about his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. He said, "I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end, not from one meeting."

In the latest sign of hostility cooling down but hopes kept in check, Trump said he had unilaterally put a hold on hundreds of new sanctions against the North, without Kim's government even asking. "I'm not going to put them on until such time as the talks break down," he said.

"I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore," Trump added, referencing his preferred term for the punishing U.S. economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in response to its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. But he said he would not remove current sanctions until the North took steps to denuclearize.

Trump warmly greeted Kim Yong Chol, the vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's central committee, in the Oval Office, where a brief encounter meant for the hand delivery of a personal letter from Kim Jong Un became a longer discussion of areas of disagreement between the two countries.

After the meeting, Trump posed for photos with Kim Yong Chol outside the Oval Office, and they talked amiably at Kim's black SUV before he was driven away.

Trump told reporters he hadn't yet read the letter from the North Korean leader and added with a smile, "I may be in for a big surprise, folks." But minutes earlier, he had described the note as "a very interesting letter," and teased journalists about revealing its contents.

Later Friday, deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley confirmed that Trump had read the letter, but he did not reveal its contents.

Plans for the meeting in Singapore had been cast into doubt after Trump suddenly announced his withdrawal last week, only to announce a day later that it could still get back on track. White House officials cast the roller-coaster public statements as reflective of efforts by each leader to test the resolve of the other.

Trump cited increasingly bellicose statements from the North  and ignored messages about summit logistics  when he announced he was backing out of the summit in a strongly worded letter. He cited "tremendous anger and open hostility" by Pyongyang but also urged Kim Jong Un to call him. By the next day, he was signaling the event could be back on after a conciliatory response from North Korea.

Within days, three teams of officials in the U.S., Singapore and the Korean demilitarized zone began meeting on preparations for the summit.

Trump has declined to publicly acknowledge whether he's spoken directly with Kim Jong Un ahead of the talks.

Kim Yong Chol, whisked to the Oval Office by White House chief of staff John Kelly, is the most senior North Korean to visit in 18 years, a symbolic sign of easing tensions after fears of war escalated amid North Korean nuclear and missile tests last year.

Questions remain about what a deal on the North's nuclear weapons would look like. Trump said Friday he believed Kim Jong Un would agree to denuclearization, but the two countries have offered differing visions of what that entails. Despite Kim's apparent eagerness for a summit with Trump, there are many doubts that he would fully relinquish his nuclear arsenal, which he may see as his guarantee of survival.

U.S. defense and intelligence officials have repeatedly assessed the North to be on the threshold the capability to strike anywhere in the continental U.S. with a nuclear-tipped missile  a capacity that Trump and other U.S. officials have said they would not tolerate.

Defense ministers from Japan and South Korea offered very different views of the North Korean leader at an international security conference in Singapore. Japan's defense chief urged caution in dealing with North Korea, while his South Korean counterpart said there was no reason to question the North Korean leader's sincerity.

Trump has promised that he will provide "protections" for Kim and his government in return for giving up the nuclear program. He also indicated that South Korea, China, and Japan would be prepared to invest in the North to boost its besieged economy.

Kim Yong Chol left his hotel in New York City early Friday for the trip to Washington in a convoy of SUVs. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the former CIA chief who has traveled to North Korea and met with Kim Jong Un twice in the past two months, said he believed the country's leaders are "contemplating a path forward where they can make a strategic shift, one that their country has not been prepared to make before."

Kim Yong Chol was allowed into the United States despite being on a U.S. sanctions list, and granted special permission to travel outside the New York area to meet with the president.

Associated Press writers Christopher Bodeen and Matthew Lee contributed.
If a trade war is coming, the cheesemakers of Wisconsin are standing in the line of fire. So are the farmers of the Great Plains and the distillers of Kentucky. And the employees of iconic American brands like Harley-Davidson and Levi Strauss.

The likelihood of a trade conflagration leapt closer to reality this week after the United States imposed tariff on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union. Infuriated, the jilted U.S. allies vowed to retaliate with tariffs of their own. And in a separate dispute, China is poised to penalize $50 billion in U.S. goods  many of them produced by supporters of President Donald Trump in the America's agricultural heartland.

"They're going to hit the farmers," said Bryan Klabunde, a farmer in northwestern Minnesota. "We want things fair for all industries, but we're going to take the brunt of the punishment if other countries retaliate.'"

President Donald Trump, who entered office promising to rip up trade deals and crack down on unfair trading practices, is clashing with trading partners on all sides. To the north, he's battling Canada; to the south, Mexico; to the east, Europe; across the Pacific Ocean to the west, China and Japan.

"The president seems to be creating trade (and other) disputes with everyone  allies and adversaries alike -- and it's difficult to discern any coherent strategy," said Rod Hunter, a former National Security Council staffer under President George W. Bush. "The impacts of the disputes have been limited so far, but the economic and political costs will go up as retaliation by trading partners begins in earnest."

Mexico, for instance, plans to retaliate against the steel and aluminum tariffs by targeting U.S. cheese, among other products.

"It's our second-largest market," Jeff Schwager, president of Sartori, a cheese company in Plymouth, Wisconsin, said of Mexico. Retaliatory tariffs "will reduce sales  there's no question."

"The hard-earned sales we've secured in Mexico could be at risk given the potential for retaliation," the National Milk Producers Federation warned in a statement.

The EU is threatening to penalize Kentucky bourbon and the motorcycles of Wisconsin-based Harley-Davidson. The potential tariffs pack a political punch: They'd hurt constituents of House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.

On Friday, reporters in Louisville, Kentucky, asked McConnell if he thought the Europeans were trying to get his attention.

"Well," the Senate leader said, "they got my attention. They didn't need to do that. These are our friends. These are not enemies. Canada and Mexico, Europe  these are our allies, and we need to work this out in a way that's comforting to everyone."

Harley-Davidson has already absorbed higher steel and aluminum costs since Trump first announced the metals tariffs three months ago. Now, the threats of retaliatory tariffs from abroad raise the fear of higher prices for Harley motorcycles sold outside the U.S.

In a statement, Harley-Davidson said retaliatory tariffs "would have a significant impact on our sales" in those countries. The Milwaukee-based company said it was evaluating options for controlling higher materials costs. In April, its chief financial officer warned that cost increases could be worse than the company forecast in January and might last for several quarters.

The jeans maker Levi Strauss is also on the EU's target list.

"American brands, workers and consumers will ultimately suffer," the San Francisco-based company said in a statement.

Ben Steffen, a dairy farmer who also grows corn, soybeans, and wheat on 1,900 acres southeastern Nebraska near Humboldt, is angry about the U.S. tariffs being imposed on America's closest trade partners and allies.

"I'm upset because it hits me in my pocketbook from multiple angles," he said. "I sell beef, I sell corn, I sell soybeans and I sell milk. All of those products are vulnerable because we export significant amounts in those markets."

The milk market has been depressed for about three years, and farmers have struggled to break even. About 14 percent of U.S. milk production is exported; the largest customer is Mexico.

"This is the worst possible thing to have for our milk market, and it's the same for every other commodity," Steffen said. " These are important relationships."

In Stockton, California, Jeff Colombini is worried about the financial damage a trade war would bring to his 1,800-acre farm. His company, Lodi Farming, exports walnuts, cherries and apples to Mexico, Canada, the European Union and other countries.

"With these tariffs, it's going to make the product too expensive for the consumers in Mexico and in Canada and in the EU," Colombini said. "We're not going to be able to sell all of our crop. And so some of it is probably going to go unharvested or just dumped ... I have 200 employees, and they depend on the success of this operation for their jobs to feed and clothe their families."

A trade fight with the Europe would also cause collateral damage across the Atlantic. Steelworkers in Port Talbot, Wales, who have struggled to protect their factory and 4,000 jobs, now face another threat.

Union leader Mark Turner said workers are trying to sort out what the tariffs will mean for Port Talbot. But they feel "everything is against us," particularly given Britain's economic uncertainty as the country prepares to leave the European Union.

"We will keep fighting," Turner said. "If we can't go into the American market, then there's other markets out there we will try and get into.

An even higher-stakes trade dispute is playing out on the Pacific Rim. The United States and China are poised to impose tariffs on up to $200 billion worth of each other's goods in a battle over Beijing's strong-arm efforts to overtake U.S. technological supremacy.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is traveling to Beijing this weekend for talks aimed at preventing an all-out trade war between the world's two biggest economies. On the Chinese target list are American soybean farmers, who send about 60 percent of their exports to China.

On Friday, Klabunde, who grows corn and soybeans on 3,000 acres near Waubun, Minnesota, spent two nerve-wracking hours with a hired hand, pulling a stuck tractor out of a drainage ditch. They finally got the machine free.

"I think the tariffs and trade war scare me more than a stuck planter," Klabunde said. "I can lose only so much money on a stuck planter. I can lose a lot more money in a trade war."

AP staffers Terry Chea, Carrie Antlfinger, Bruce Schreiner, David Pitt, Anne D'Innocenzio, Candice Choi, David Koenig and Danica Kirka contributed to this report.
The Atlantic hurricane season was devastating for the United States in 2017. Damage from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria cost the United States $267 billion.

But scientists are now working to find out: Is there a link between those superstorms and our warming oceans? Could this be the new normal?

Im concerned when hurricanes are used as the poster child for global warming, said Dr. Chris Landsea, who is the science and operations officer at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Its very difficult to say how hurricanes are now versus 100 years ago. Were still challenged today in knowing how strong a hurricane is, even in 2018, said Landsea.

Landsea understands the climate is changing and the oceans are warming, but doesnt see a direct link to the frequency or intensity of storms.

Theres periods where its busy and quiet and busy and quiet, but no trend, said Landsea, Theres no statistical change over a 130-year period. Since 1970, the number of hurricanes globally is flat. I havent seen anything that suggests that the hurricane intensity is going to change dramatically. It looks like a pretty tiny change to how strong hurricanes will be. Its not zero, but its in the noise level. Its very small.

But many, including the United Nations Intergovernmental panel on climate change dont agree.

At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, some of the most advanced research on the effects of global warming on extreme weather is being done at their department of earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences.

Youll find that in any scientific discipline, theres controversy. Its actually what drives the profession forward, said Dr. Kerry Emanual, an MIT professor, and is one of the worlds leading scientists studying hurricanes. He argues the influence of climate change is much more pronounced.

Frequency, we see nothing at all. And the best most honest answer is  we dont know, said Emanual. The intensity is a little bit different. Models are more unanimous about that. 30 years ago, a 210 mph hurricane would not have even been possible. Today its possible. It might be rare, but you have one where you didnt have one before. The category fours and fives seem to be increasing.

Its a troubling trend, but one that seems to be bolstered by recent research. Rapid intensification usually found in major hurricanes has likely increased in the Atlantic Ocean since 1970 and may be more common due to global warming.

One study shows a 70 mph increase in 24 hours happens only once a century. But by 2100, that same intensification could happen once every five to ten years.

This cap on wind speed is projected to keep going up so it will become possible to have more intense storms, said Emanuel. Some people have talked about coming up with category 6. We may need to do that.

Storms over the past five years have been continually breaking records around the glove, like Hyann in the Philippines and Patricia in Mexico.

Hurricane Irma, which battered South Florida, set a global record for the longest sustained category five winds.

Were all pretty confident that were going to see higher incidents of the rare high category events and were already arguably beginning to see that, said Emanuel.

But Dr. Landsea doesnt share that confidence.

It shows stronger hurricanes but how much of that is real and how much of that is technology? Thats a difficult question to answer, said Landsea.

Other recent studies show a trend for hurricanes to move slower, which along with the ability for warmer air to hold more moisture, it can lead to considerably more rain and flooding, similar to Harvey in Houston.

And when it comes to seawater, we can expect to see a higher risk from storm surges.

We have high confidence in an increased risk from storm surges if only because sea level is going up, thats for sure, said Emanuel.

And with many wanting to live or enjoy amenities on the coast, that increases the chances for heavy damage.

Theres a lot more stuff that can be destroyed if a hurricane comes ashore and the potential for a lot of people to get hurt or killed if they dont evacuate in time, said Landsea.

Scientists also fear what they call the Gray Swan, a now theoretically possible storm that is stronger than anything ever recorded  one that could decimate a coastal area.

Tampa is something were worried about because it has a large population. Its very low-lying and they havent had a really big storm since the 1920s. Were all worried about Tampa.
A South Florida woman is accused of elderly exploitation after police say she was running an illegal assisted living facility in Hialeah.

The facility was being operated out of a small home in Hialeah, where there were more than 20 victims, most elderly and mentally disabled.

New cell phone video shows Hialeah police and emergency crews outside the home, where investigators say an illegal assisted living facility was being operated. The victims were 20 to 80 years old, most were elderly.

It was crazy, said one neighbor.

Martha Rodriguez, 60, was arrested on Thursday.

Rodriguez was in court Friday, facing charges for operating the facility without a license. She also faces 24 counts of exploiting the elderly and disabled. Martin Sullivan lives in a separate unit attached to the home.

I mean, this is crazy. This is the first time Ive ever come here. I live on the other side, its like another world, said Sullivan.

He showed NBC 6 the back of the home, where a door was left open, exposing a bed in the entryway. Police said there were not enough beds for all the people living there when they went in the home. Many complained they had to sleep on the floor or share a bed.

They also accused Rodriguez of only feeding them once a day and giving them unknown medication that made them tired.

Police said they also found elderly residents who had soiled themselves.

Police initially responded to the home on East 10th Street for a suicide call, but her attorney in court said they had no probable cause to enter the home.

Rodriguezs attorney said she was the legal caretaker for many of the residents, saying many of them are mentally disabled. He also said that Rodriguez has dedicated her life to helping people.
The Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office has closed an investigation into blackmail and extortion allegations in North Bay Village by deciding that no crime was committed.

Former Commissioner Dr. Douglas Hornsby said he received threatening letters about his past forcing him to disclose he had been convicted of a felony drug charge years before.

Hornsby did not reveal the conviction on his voter registration cards. Miami Dade Elections Director Christina White wrote Hornsby telling him he had not been an eligible voter for two decades. North Bay Village commissioners must be registered voters in order to serve.

An investigation was launched after Hornsby alleged he received threats to in an attempt to influence him to resign or vote to fire the village manager at the time.

Hornsby said the threats came to him in the mail at his home.

In a close-out memo, the Public Corruption Unit of the State Attorneys office released its findings in its nearly year-long investigation.

The memo says, there were no threats on any of the letters themselves and no independent witnesses that can testify to the three subjects threatening Hornsby.

The memo mentions Mayor Connie Leon Kreps and two North Bay Village residents as those Hornsby suspected of foul play. Click here to see the memo.

In January, Hornsby was voted off the commission after months of controversy.

Former police chief Carlos Noriega initially announced he was launching an investigation into Hornsbys blackmail claims. At the time, Noriega sent out a media releasing saying the investigation may also include FDLE and the FBI.

Noriega was terminated from the village in April.

Friday, he filed a federal lawsuit saying his job should have been protected because he was a whistleblower who was trying to root out public corruption.

The village attorney, Norman Powell, called Noriegas lawsuit completely without merit and frivolous.

The Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office Friday also confirmed that no North Bay Village police officers would be prosecuted over an alleged Hurricane Irma party.

The NBC 6 Investigators exclusively obtained video from inside the police station the night of the storm. It showed that one officer blocked a surveillance camera.

It remained blocked nine hours.

One patrolman filed an internal affairs complaint alleging multiple officers were drinking on the job that night and the camera was concealed to prevent them from being seen.

A spokesperson for the state attorney said there was nothing that indicated a crime had been committed.
A Queens man who had been previously arrested for impersonating a cop was arrested Thursday after police found a trove weapons, prescription pills, cash and faux NYPD and FBI equipment in his home.

Authorities said that Kevin Nugent was arrested on weapons, drug possession and forgery charges in the bust on 254th Street in Rosedale.

Authorities allege that Nugent had stashed a handgun, shotgun, ammunition, ballistic vests, phony police IDs, methadone pills and $2,230 cash in his home. Police havent revealed, if anything, he had planned to do with the items.

Provided by the NYPD

But authorities said the man has been arrested five times in New York City previously, most recently for impersonating an officer. It was not clear if he had been convicted in any of those arrests.

Nugents family, meanwhile, said the 40-year-old meant no harm.

Hes a wonderful father. Hes a wonderful son. I know he has his issues but hes never disrespected his mother, said his mother, Donna Nugent.

Attorney information for Nugent wasnt immediately available.

Top Tri-State News Photos
What to Know Former Rep. Michael Grimm is fighting to get his Staten Island Congressional seat back after serving time in prison

He stepped down in 2015 after pleading guilty to felony tax fraud involving a restaurant he partially owned before going to Congress

Now he's challenging incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan, who has President Trump's endorsement

Michael Grimm doesn't want to talk about his time in prison. He just wants your vote.

The former Republican congressman from Staten Island is fighting his party, his president and the stigma of a felony conviction in a no-holds-barred primary June 26.

Just two years out of prison, the amateur boxer with a fiery temper wants his old job back. And he has a legitimate chance to seize the nomination from the incumbent, Dan Donovan.

Just don't ask Grimm about his time behind bars for tax fraud.

"I'm done talking about it," Grimm said in a recent Associated Press interview, blaming his seven-month stay in a federal prison on a politically motivated Justice Department under the Obama administration. "It's a closed chapter in my life. I'm looking to the future."

President Donald Trump spotlighted the race this past week with a Twitter endorsement of Donovan, warning that a Grimm primary victory would risk losing the GOP's only U.S. House seat in the city.

"Remember Alabama," Trump wrote, likening Grimm to Republican Roy Moore, the Alabama Senate candidate who was nominated even despite being accused of molesting teenage girls and who lost the general election to a Democrat in the GOP stronghold.

Trump's decision to step into New York's turbulent GOP primary tests the strength of his influence in his hometown's only conservative pocket. The 11th Congressional District covers the quiet streets of Staten Island as well as a slice of southern Brooklyn.

It is truly the heart of New York's Trump country and is home to many white working-class voters - police officers, firefighters and hairdressers - who have sent a Republican to Washington for most of the past decade.

Donovan, a 61-year-old former public prosecutor, isn't shy about highlighting Grimm's criminal history.

"Once you betray the community you don't get a second chance," Donovan told the AP as he toured the district this past week. "This race comes down to integrity: Who can the public trust?"

Grimm, 48, is a former Marine and FBI agent who represented the area from 2011 to 2015.

He survived a political firestorm in 2014 after his violent threat against a reporter on Capitol Hill was caught on video. A year later, Grimm was forced to resign after pleading guilty to felony tax fraud involving a restaurant he partially owned before going to Congress.

In an interview, Grimm suggested that Donovan dangled the possibility of a presidential pardon should he abandon his primary challenge. A Donovan spokeswoman denied the claim.

A spokeswoman for Trump, who pardoned one conservative supporter this past week and is contemplating other pardons, did not respond to questions about a possible pardon for Grimm, who insists his harsh sentence was politically motivated.

Does Grimm want a pardon?

"Of course! I don't know of anyone who wouldn't, especially in my circumstances," Grimm told the AP.

While Grimm's criminal history is a central issue in the race, so is Trump.

As in other Republican primary contests this year, the New York candidates have sparred over the strength of their loyalty to the Republican president.

Donovan, who has been active in New York City politics for decades, notes that Trump has endorsed him six times over his political career. Yet Donovan has had to explain voting against Trump's tax overhaul and plan to replace President Barack Obama's health care law.

"I vote with Trump 90 percent of the time," Donovan said. "I vote with my constituents 100 percent of the time."

Grimm's campaign released a new TV ad on Friday that says: "Every time it mattered, Dan Donovan voted against President Trump."

"Look, if they want a guy like Dan Donovan, who's about as exciting as a wet noodle, to represent them, they already have that," Grimm said in the interview. "I'm a Marine. Guys like me don't charge into combat because we don't have an aggressive personality."

He added: "I'm a fighter in every way."

On Staten Island, voters have strong opinions about Grimm's personality and his baggage.

Outside of Tony's Brick Oven pizzeria on Bay Street, 61-year-old Victor Aasen said he's definitely voting for Donovan.

"The other guy is just full of drama," Aasen said, citing Grimm's threat against the reporter in Washington. "He's a hot head."

Later, Dennis Quirk, president of the New York State Court Officers Association, railed against Grimm's background after endorsing Donovan.

"I think it's a disgrace for someone who's a convicted felon to run for office," Quirk said. "He should be ashamed of himself."

Yet evidence of Grimm's appeal across the district is easy to find.

His red, white and blue campaign signs are plastered along businesses and homes up and down Staten Island's main streets. Constituents talk openly about his dedication to the district after Superstorm Sandy, which caused damage that's still being repaired in some cases.

Grimm is an aggressive campaigner who insists he can win simply by outworking his opponent.

At Andrew's Diner, he hugged a boy in a wheelchair and promised to write a letter of recommendation for another who hoped to go to West Point.

"I really feel that he was railroaded," 81-year-old Bob Demarest said of Grimm as he waited for his pancakes. "I want him back."

It's unlikely that the president will visit the district on Donovan's behalf. With far more consequential races across the country this fall, Trump is expected to focus his time and energy attacking vulnerable Democratic Senate candidates in Republican-leaning states.

Grimm, who says he maintains connections in the White House, recommends that Trump stay out of Staten Island.

"If I was legitimately advising the president, which I'm not, but if I was, I would say, 'Stay out of a race like this because I don't see how it would benefit him to get into such a contentious race,'" Grimm said. "By going into the race, he puts himself in a situation where he's going to lose."
Two people have been shot at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, police said.

The shooting happened around 7:10 p.m. Friday in the parking lot in front of Macy's, Whitehall police said.



Whitehall Police Chief Michael Marks said a male gunman shot two other men before fleeing the scene.

The men were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Their condition was not available.



Officials are investigating whether the shooting escalated from an argument inside the Macy's, but they cautioned that the investigation is preliminary.

No other shoppers were hurt in the shooting.

The gunman remains at large. A description of him was not immediately available.


For the first time since the recession hit a decade ago, the demand for workers is steady.

But leaders with many of the companies trying to fill those posts across Pennsylvania  in areas such as manufacturing, health care and transportation  say they are stymied by a lack of workers ready, willing or able to do the work.

A decades-long education message that economic development leaders say stigmatized the trades, and an opioid crisis draining America's "prime'' pool of 25- to 54 year-old workers, have fueled the troubling trend - a situation further complicated by the fact that a generation of baby boomers is now retiring.

State officials predict that the hiring woes will only get worse, with the demand for already plentiful jobs such as truck-driver and nurse to see double digit surges by 2024. The need for electricians - much like many other trades - is expected to surge by more than 12 percent, Department of Labor data shows.

"It's the best time in a long time to be looking for a new job,'' Johnstown Area Regional Industries Workforce Development Director Deb Balog said, pointing to Cambria County's 1,000 or more ever-changing job postings monthly since last summer.

But for communities such as New Castle, Johnstown and Sharon - areas where unemployment still falls between 5.2 percent (Mercer County) and 6.3 percent (Lawrence County) - the timing couldn't be worse.

'We aren't prepared'

To Gale Measel Jr, of New Castle-based GEM Building Contractors, the problem shouldn't be a surprise. Manufacturers and the communities they call home "ramped down'' for so long that they didn't consider the possibility of a rebound in the industry, he said.

"We have been down and diminished so long,'' Measel said. "We have been so low-profile so anti-economic growth for so long (that) we aren't prepared for any of it.'

Balog said there's more behind the worker shortage than the rapid retirement of a generation of employees. There was an unintended consequence delivered to their Generation X and Millennial offspring.

"For decades, the message we were telling high school students was that if they wanted to succeed in life, they had to go to college - they needed that four-year degree,'' Balog said. "Ten years ago, there was no push here to train people in the trades or to guide them toward jobs in fields like transportation.''

A growing number of jobs that were ignored - or never considered - are now in high demand.

"I've never seen labor shortages as severe as they are right now - particularly in the skilled trades,'' said Shawn Kaufman, human resources director for Somerset-based Riggs Industries.

His company was looking to fill dozens of production field jobs such as welding, mechanics, machine operators and painters as of early May.

This is happening in areas of Pennsylvania and the nation where blue-collar work once fed many families.

Nursing - a field that has provided plenty of well-paying jobs to communities across the United States for decades - is also seeing shortages, driven not by a shallow worker pool but by a surging demand.

The pool of qualified candidates might not be large enough to fill Pennsylvania's projected need forecasted for the years ahead, Quality Life Services Chief Administrative officer Susie Tack Beardsley said.

"It used to be nursing was the way to go if you were a woman who wanted a career, but women have so many more options now,'' said Beardsley, whose company owns the 204-bed Golden Hill Nursing Home in New Castle.

That's "a wonderful thing'' for women in general, she said, but it can leave those tasked with filling licensed nursing positions struggling to fill their rolls.

Statewide shortages

The state provides data on high-priority jobs to help regional workforce boards figure out where to invest their money, said Keith Bailey, director of the Center for Workforce Information and Analysis for the Department of Labor and Industry.

That means trying to help identify areas where their investment might stretch the farthest while helping the most workers and employers.

The state also projects what jobs are expected to be in demand, while sorting the information based on the level of training or education needed to do the work.

Analysts focus on the "imbalance between what's needed and what's available,'' Bailey said.

As more stores add self-service lanes for shoppers, the number of cashiers needed in Pennsylvania is expected to decline. There were almost 148,000 cashiers in Pennsylvania in 2014, according to Labor and Industry projections. By 2024, that number will be done to 147,000, but there are still 6,000 openings a year for people to do that job.

Similarly, while shopping malls struggle with store vacancies, the number of retail salespeople needed across the state is only expected to increase slightly. There were 196,000 retail salespeople in 2014. That's expected to increase to 202,000 in 2024. There are a projected 7,400 job openings a year for that job.

The Wolf Administration has tried to tackle the needs for more and better-trained workers on a number of fronts. The governor has asked the Legislature to provide $50 million in the 2018-19 budget to pay for a variety of workforce development initiatives, which the administration has touted as PAsmart.

'No longer a luxury'

Some of the fastest-growing jobs in the next few years will be in health care, but labor estimates suggest there will also be strong demand for truck drivers and some industrial jobs.

The state predicts these looming increases:

Nursing assistants - 12 percent by 2024, with 2,700 job openings a year. Starting pay is about $23,420, with average pay at $29,190.

Registered nurses - 14 percent by 2024, with close to 5,000 job openings a year. Pay starts at $51,340 a year and averages $68,770.

Electricians - 14 percent, with 600 job openings a year. Pay starts at $38,330 and averages $60,160.

Carpenters - 10 percent, with 1,000 job openings a year. Pay starts at $29,700 a year and averages $48,600.

Tractor-trailer drivers - 12.4 percent, with 2,335 openings a year. Pay starts at $31,410 and averages $45,270.

Pennsylvania's key stakeholders - employers, colleges and other educators - need to prepare to fill the void, the Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Conference on Community Development leaders warned.

In their 2017 report "Inflection Point,'' the economic development group projected a work-force shortfall of more than 80,000 through 2027 across a 10-county region spanning from Lawrence County to Fayette County.

"Our numbers do not add up,'' Allegheny Conference Chairman and PNC Financial Services Group CEO Bill Demchak wrote, saying changes must be made to change course. ``With Baby Boomers retiring, not enough skilled workers to take their place and slow inward migration ... we are at a critical moment for the future of our region.''

Bob Garrett, president of the Greater Susquehanna Chamber of Commerce agreed.

For those working to spur economic growth and business development at a local level, practical solutions must be found, he said.

"This is no longer a luxury,'' he said. "This is not something we can afford to just chat about over cocktails.''
A retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel hated D.C.-area drivers so much, his family mentioned them in his obituary.

Col. Robert F. Gibson died in Annandale, Virginia, on Dec. 26, 2017. He was 77. In an obituary published Sunday in The Washington Post, his family wrote about his distinguished military service  and his feelings about local drivers.

"A native of Northern Virginia for the last 30 years of his life, he hated how all of you were incapable of driving competently," the obituary says.

Gibson's widow, Barbara Gibson, told News4 her family wanted to capture in the obituary a part of her husband's daily life.

"Its a general sentiment a lot of folks have," she said. "He traveled on the Beltway, and traffic is horrendous."

News of the obituary was first posted on the Reddit page for Washington, D.C.

Gibson, who was from Dayton, Ohio, served as a Marine officer for 30 years and was deployed to Vietnam twice. Also, he participated in operations in Operation Desert Storm, Kuwait and Lebanon, among other countries. His obituary says he was awarded the Legion of Merit with Gold Star and the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, his children and a grandson. He was set to be buried Thursday with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Even by President Donald Trump's mercurial standards, it was a quick shift.

A week after abruptly canceling his historic summit with Kim Jong Un, Trump announced it was back on  and in the process appeared to accede to a key North Korean demand.

Beyond the symbolism of Friday's Oval Office meeting between Trump and Kim Yong Chol  the most senior North Korean official to step inside the White House in 18 years  Trump signaled a subtle change in his administration's approach toward the goal of getting the pariah nation to give up its nuclear weapons.

U.S. officials have previously been calling for North Korea to abandon its nukes rapidly, with the expectation of getting benefits afterward in the form of security assurances, sanctions relief and the opportunity to boost its meager economy.

But as he spoke to reporters Friday, Trump repeatedly referred to the June 12 summit in Singapore  a first between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea  as the start of a "process," and said it was likely that more than one meeting would be necessary to bring about his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

"June 12th, we'll be in Singapore," Trump said after his lengthy goodbye with Kim Yong Chol, a former North Korean military intelligence chief, whom he escorted to a black SUV. "It will be a beginning. I don't say and I've never said it happens in one meeting. You're talking about years of hostility; years of problems; years of, really, hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end."

Trump gave no indication of what kind of timetable he might have in mind for getting North Korea to abandon a weapons program it views as a guarantee for the survival of its authoritarian regime. Still, his comments marked a sea change from the views expressed weeks earlier by his national security adviser John Bolton, who was notably absent from Friday's meeting.

Bolton, who before taking office in April advocated military action against North Korea, had pointed to the disarmament of Libya in 2003 and 2004 in exchange for sanctions relief as a model for a possible deal with North Korea. For the North, that was a deeply provocative comparison, because Libyan autocrat Moammar Gadhafi was killed following U.S.-supported military action in his country about seven years after giving up his fledgling nuclear program.

Rather than surrender its program all at once as Gadhafi did, North Korea has repeatedly said it envisions a "progressive and synchronous" approach, where it gets benefits along the way. The latest expression of that came Thursday from Kim Jong Un himself when he met in Pyongyang with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

In a dispatch Friday, North Korean state news agency cited Kim saying "he hoped that the DPRK-U.S. relations and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula will be solved on a stage-by-stage basis." DPRK refers to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

That sounds reminiscent of past U.S. efforts to negotiate North Korea's disarmament with incentives of aid since the mid-1990s  efforts that have ultimately failed. The Trump administration has often said it can't afford to repeat those mistakes because of the threat that North Korean nuclear-tipped missiles now pose to the continental U.S.

But there's always been doubt about whether it was realistic to expect instant results  both because of North Korea's negotiating position and the scale and sophistication of its weapons program.

This week, Stanford University experts  including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker, who has inspected North Korea atomic facilities firsthand  proposed a denuclearization road map spanning 10 years. They warned that the idea of shipping the North's nuclear weapons out of the country was "naive and dangerous."

North Korea has shown some goodwill: halting missile tests for six months so far, and last week demolishing key areas of its nuclear test site in front of international journalists. It has also released three American detainees.

Now Trump, keen to strike a historic deal with a bitter U.S. adversary, appears eager for rapprochement to work. After meeting Kim Yong Chol, the president said he was putting new sanctions against the North on hold and doesn't want to use the term "maximum pressure" anymore  referring to his signature policy to isolate Pyongyang economically and diplomatically.

That may ease fears of renewed confrontation that fueled fears of war last year. But doubts linger about North Korea's intentions.

By hosting a top official from the North  whose trip to New York and Washington required waiving a travel ban against him  Trump has provided an early public relations victory for an isolated government eager for international recognition. He's also generated considerable expectations about how the summit can herald a warm relationship between longstanding enemies.

Hawks in the U.S. administration may also be concerned that Trump, who often complained during his election campaign about American military burdens overseas, would ultimately agree to a timetable for denuclearization by North Korea in exchange for withdrawing American troops from South Korea  removing a military tripwire to deter aggression by the North.

Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
Mount Rainier, Maryland's chief of police is stepping down and an investigation of the department is expanding.

Chief Michael Scott announced his retirement after 16 years with the department, including 12 as chief.

Mayor Malinda Miles praised Scott in a release from the city manager.

Chief Scott brought Mount Rainier law enforcement into the 21st century," Miles said. "His commitment to community policing and best practices have helped make Mount Rainier a great place to live and work.



Scott and six of his officers have been on administrative leave. A source told News4 in April they are under investigation for allegedly throwing out some parking tickets and lowering enforcement fees for some but not others.

The city council released a statement in April saying, in part, About two weeks ago, Mount Rainiers mayor and council became aware of information that, after consulting with legal counsel, required all five of the council members to unanimously vote to place seven members of the Mount Rainier Police Department on paid administrative leave.

Sources told News4 Scotts retirement is an agreement between the chief and the city as the investigation expands. A forensic accounting firm will be investigating the department's finances.



Stephen Malley, a 30-year veteran of the department, was named acting chief.
Nothing brings people to the table quite like Maine lobster. On Friday, the table was set for Maine's congressional delegation to meet with U.S. trade representatives to talk to lobster trade.

"This is a big deal," said Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine.

Their meeting comes one day after President Donald Trump announced plans for new tariffs on aluminium and steel from Canada, the European Union and Mexico.

"Our trade policy seems to be rather chaotic in this country," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

Maine's federal delegation worries that the Trump administration may be rocking the boat, and they want some stability on trade policy.

"It is never helpful in my judgement for the president to try and establish important policies through tweets," said Collins.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said they were worried that countries will retaliate against new tariffs, and hurt American products like lobster.

"This cannot be a chaotic policy," said Rep. Pingree. "The collateral damage can happen to lobsters."

In some markets, Maine lobster dealers are already at a competitive disadvantage. The European Union and Canada made a deal last year to lower the price of tariffs dramatically on Canadian lobster.

It's already impacting Maine businesses like the Calendar Islands Maine Lobster, which ships frozen lobster products domestically and internationally.

"We've had to transition business, tried to look for new markets," said John Jordan, president of Calendar Islands.

In a closed door meeting, members of Maine's congressional delegation urged federal trade representatives to consider new ways to make Maine lobster competitive, like reducing inspection fees on export products. King and Poliquin said they'd like to include lobster negotiations in an ongoing deal to trade U.S. beef products.

"In other words, surf and turf," said King.

"Why not add lobsters to the mix?" asked Collins. "That, to me, seems to be the promising short term solution, but this is very complicated."
A 29-year-old Maynard man died Friday night after the motorcycle he was driving crashed through a fence in the area of Waltham Street and Wood Lane in Maynard and struck a tree.

The Middlesex District Attorney's Office did not release the name of the accident victim, citing a policy that the office does not identify those involved in single motor vehicle fatalities.

In a news statement issued Saturday morning, police said a preliminary investigation suggests the driver was traveling eastbound on Great Road in Stow when an officer spotted the operator speeding. Stow Police ran the license plate and determined the registration did not match the make and model of the motorcycle it was attached to, officials said.

Police attempted to pull the driver over but the operator allegeldy refused to stop. Stow police followed the motorcycle into Maynard where the vehicle lost control and crashed. Police said speed did not appear to be a factor in the crash.

The investigation is being led by the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, maynard Police, Stow Police and the Massachusetts State Police CARS Unit.
Police in Bath, Maine, say a school bus driver took upskirt photos of young children he was transporting.

Fifty-year-old Timothy McGowan of Bath was arrested after a weeklong investigation and charged with violation of privacy. According to police, McGowan, a driver for the Bath Bus Service, is accused of taking illegal photos of six children while he was taking them to and from school and events.

The children photographed were identified by police and staff from RSU1 and West Bath School. They attend elementary, middle and high school.



Homeland Security notified Bath Police on May 23 that the photos had been uploaded to a foreign website. McGowan was identified as the photographer following a subpoena and email traces, police say.

The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit searched several of McGowan's electronic devices; they found the same images that were uploaded online, according to Bath Police.

McGowan was served a criminal summons Wednesday at his home. The following day, the parents of the children involved were notified of the incident by school officials.

McGowan is due in West Bath District Court on July 7. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Thief came equipped with shoplifting 'kit,' court is told

HUNGERFORDS neighbourhood police team has brought an out-of-town shoplifter to justice.

The thief travelled all the way from Swindon, to target local shopkeepers.

The sentencing hearing followed an announcement by Sgt Alan Hawkett that he and his team would be fighting back against individuals and gangs who viewed Hungerford stores as an easy target.

On Friday, May 18, Lee Goodchild, of Robins Green, Swindon, appeared in the dock at Reading Magistrates Court for sentencing.

The 37-year-old admitted stealing 44-worth of alcohol from Tesco in Hungerford High Street on March 14.

He further admitted having with him on the same occasion an article specifically for use in the course of theft  namely a de-tagging device designed to foil shop security measures.

Mr Goodchild was conditionally discharged for two years  meaning he will face no punishment if he keeps out of trouble for that time.

In addition, he was ordered to pay 85 costs plus a statutory victim services surcharge of 20.

A similar case of an out-of-town thief targetting Hungerford with a shoplifting kit  this time from Newbury  had to be adjourned recently because the defendant did not turn up.

That case is due to be heard at a later date.

Meanwhile Sgt Hawkett has said that, while shoplifting had been on the increase in the town, police community support officers from the neighbourhood team will be patrolling with a particular brief to be on the alert for shoplifters, as a deterrent.
Police want to speak with two men in relation to spends in Pangbourne and Reading

POLICE want to talk to two men following thefts from a woman's bank account in Pangbourne and Reading.

Shortly before 7.30pm on Thursday, May 31 a 49-year-old woman used the ATM at the Co-op in The Square, Pangbourne.

The machine swallowed her card and she believed there was a skimming device attached to it.

Several minutes later a quantity of cash was withdrawn from her account using the same machine.

Ten minutes later her card was used to purchase gift cards from Waitrose in Oxford Road, Reading.

Thames Valley Police has released CCTV images of two men who officers would like to speak to in connection with the theft.

Anyone with information relating to this case should call 101 quoting reference '43180165240', or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
Japanese manufacturers have never really been particularly enamored with diesel engines, so not too many tears will have been shed by Toyota as it was announced production of the diesel version of the RAV4 is now ending. The Japanese auto giant is committed to eradicating oil-burning models from its portfolio, and the popular RAV4 is the latest victim of the ongoing purge of all things diesel at Toyota.

Petrol and electrified powertrains are where Toyota now sees its future, so the single 2.0-litre diesel version of the compact crossover has now been axed.

Speaking to the UK's Autocar publication, A Toyota spokesperson said: "there will still be cars in stock or in allocation from production" based on predictions of demand, but "no new specific orders [for diesels] can be placed."

The end of the diesel to leave just 2.0-liter petrol and 2.5-liter hybrid versions of the RAV is well timed as the current generation of the globally popular RAV4 is now entering in its "run-out phase." A new, considerably more rugged generation that was unveiled at the most recent New York International Auto Show replaces the current model in 2019.

Even though the 2019 RAV4 will be built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform and will be larger than the current model, the same powertrains will be offered, albeit in updated forms. Of course, no diesel variants of the new model will be offered whatsoever.

The end of the diesel RAV4 is no surprise as only last year Toyota's executive vice-president, Didier Leroy, claimed the company's success with petrol and hybrid powerplants meant diesel was no longer relevant. Leroy said: "My personal opinion  and this is my personal opinion, not a company one  is no, we'll not launch another diesel car."

The diesel version of the Toyota Auris already ceased production towards the end of last year, so that now leaves the Verso MPV, Proace Verso MPV, Land Cruiser, Proace Van and Hilux pickups as the only diesel models in the company's European lineup. In the US, even Toyota's full-size Tundra pickup truck is a petrol-only model.
Ottawa: Canada filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization in response to "illegal" US tariffs on imports of Canadian steel and aluminum, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said.

"These unilateral tariffs, imposed under a false pretext of safeguarding US national security, are inconsistent with the United States' international trade obligations and WTO rules," Freeland said in a statement issued today(Friday).

Canada will coordinate its WTO case with the EU, which also filed a challenge. It also requested a review of the US measures under the North American Free Trade Agreement Chapter 20 trade dispute mechanism.

"As a key NORAD and NATO ally of the United States, and as the number-one customer of American steel, Canada views the US trade restrictions imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum as absolutely unacceptable," Freeland said.

On Thursday, Washington announced tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminum.

Ottawa immediately hit back with proportional Can$16.6 billion ($12.8 billion US) in tariffs on US steel and aluminum as well as consumer goods.
Kolkata: The body of a BJP worker was found hanging from an electric pole in Balarampur town of Purulia district on Saturday morning in second such incident this week.

The deceased was identified as 32-year-old Dulal Kumar, the BJP secretary in Balarampurs Block 10 Zila Parishad. His body was found in a farm land near his house.

The incident, which comes after an 18-year-old BJP worker was found dead in similar circumstances on May 29, sparked panic in Balaramapur with the villagers refusing to allow the police to remove the body. The body was still hanging from the pole at the time of filing this report.

ADG (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma said the investigation has been handed over to the CID. A conspiracy is suspected as two incidents have occurred in the same district. The role of outsiders is being looked into, he said.

Kumar had been credited with ensuring BJPs victory in recent panchayat elections in Balarampurs Khatberia area.

The saffron party alleged that Dulal was abducted by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and brutally killed.

Ever since the panchayat election results, Trinamool Congress workers have been threatening our supporters. Late last night, Dulal was abducted by TMC workers and killed brutally. Later, his body was hanged on an electric pole, BJPs Purulia district president Vidyasagar Chakraborty said.

We have lodged an FIR at Balarampur police station and demanded immediate arrest of those who are behind the killing, he added.

The BJP also accused the ruling TMC of trying to dismiss Dulals death as a case of suicide. TMC is trying to suppress the matter by pressuring the police to declare it as a case of suicide. We want a team of five doctors to conduct post mortem and record it on video so that it could be submitted before the court for fair investigation, said BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.

Vijayvargiya also claimed that he had earlier spoken to ADG Anuj Sharma and alerted him that Dulals life was under threat.

Protesting against the incident, BJP workers took out rallies in the district on Saturday. Police teams were rushed to the area to maintain law and order.

The Trinamool Congress, however, alleged a conspiracy by the BJP and sought a high-level inquiry. Speaking to News18, the partys Purulia district president Shanti Ram Mahato said, The BJP is attempting to gain political ground in Purulia by linking such incidents to our party. It seems to be an attempt to highlight the issue for political gain. We are against any violence and want a high-level inquiry to determine the exact cause of death.

Trinamool MP Derek OBrien, too, demanded a proper investigation into all angles.
Chandigarh: On June 1, the skies over Shimla opened up and the locals had something to cheer about. The mercury did abate but the downpour wasnt enough to ensure that residents, who have been struggling due to water scarcity for the past 10-12 days, get enough to meet their needs.

The summer capital of the British Raj is facing the worst water crisis it has ever seen. Taps are running dry even as natural resources like springs and freshwater pits have dried up or have been rendered redundant thanks to the negligence of the authorities and an equal exploitation by locals.

Long queues for water are commonplace in the city these days with some even thronging the crematoria to fill up their buckets.

The grim situation has sent the authorities into a tizzy. The state government, as well as the municipal corporation, devised new short-term methods to address the catastrophe. Water tankers under police protection have been pressed into service, water for irrigation purposes in places like Gumma (from where water is lifted for the city) has been stopped and some social organisations have deployed tankers to transport about 20 lakh litres of water from the Sutlej and dump it in the Gumma plant. The practicality of it still eludes many.

The issue has even reached the judiciary with the Himachal Pradesh High Court taking suo motto cognizance and is monitoring the situation on a daily basis. The acting Chief Justice, Sanjay Karol, who is heading the special bench on the water crisis, personally went on a night vigil, visiting the control rooms of the Municipal Corporation at 3:00 am on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, a gesture ample enough to underline the gravity of the situation.

The crisis has also hit the tourist industry with visitors packing their bags and returning home. Locals even took to social media to highlight their plight and have appealed to tourists to not visit Shimla. There is no water for us, please do not come here. Select another destination, they pleaded.

Shimla requires around 42 million litres per day (MLD) as against the 36 MLD supply. Normally, during summers, the water supply comes down to 30 MLD but for the past 10 days the supply has drastically fallen to 22 MLD. This is mainly due to shortage of water in natural sources owing to the region receiving scant snowfall.

The city was planned by the British for 20,000 people, 142 years ago. Accordingly, the British had laid down a water supply system to meet the demand. Today Shimlas population has increased to over 2.5 lakh but the water supply hasnt seen that much growth. The influx of tourists during peak summer season puts an additional burden of about 80-90 thousand people on the already stretched water resources.

The city still gets its water from the age-old water pumping system installed by the British for the then not-so-populated Shimla. The water is still lifted from nearby khuds or perennial streams and is catered to the residents.

Shimla gets its water supply primarily from Gumma and Ashwini Khud. Water lifted from these places is supplied to the city through an intricate system of pipes. However, supply from Ashwini Khud has been currently reduced after there were reports of sewage mixing with drinking water supply. The Khud was contaminated in 2005 by the upstream construction of a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), killing over 10 persons and infecting the populace with jaundice.

There are numerous factors which have led to this acute water crisis in the Queen of Hills. The city receives a good precipitation but the terrain ensures that the water just gushes down the slopes, without anybody harvesting it. The topography doesnt allow each and every one an access to roads  a major impediment in providing water through tankers, which the Municipal Corporation has been relying on for the past few days. Besides unplanned urban growth, large-scale deforestation is also equally to blame.
Srinagar: Clashes broke out between protesters and security forces in the old city here on Saturday after the death of a youth who was allegedly hit by a CRPF vehicle during another confrontation on Friday.

Protesters pelted stones when security forces stopped his funeral procession at Fatehkadal, a police official said. The forces fired dozens of tear smoke shells and pellets to chase them away.

Some protesters received minor injuries, the official said.

The authorities had imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar after Kaiser Bhat (21) died in hospital around midnight. But hundreds of people turned out for the funeral.

He was later buried at Eidgah even as reports came in of clashes elsewhere in the city.

Following the youth's death, the separatists had given a strike call across Kashmir on Saturday, prompting shopkeepers and other business owners to down shutters.

The clash in which Bhat was fatally injured took place after Friday prayers ended at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar's Nowhatta area.

A group of youths had started pelting stones at the security forces, with some of them attacking a CRPF vehicle.

Bhat and another man were taken to SKIMS hospital at Soura after being hit by that vehicle.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah criticised the security forces, tweeting that they now drive their jeeps right over protestors.

This prompted a sharp reaction from Union minister Jitendra Singh, who told reporters that some politicians find security forces soft targets and are quick to condemn them.

Earlier in the day, before the violence during the funeral procession, the authorities had imposed a curfew in Nowhatta.

Restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC, which prohibits the gathering of people, were also in force in six other police station areas of the city Rainawari, Safakadal, Khanyar, MR Gunj, Maisuma and Kralkhud.

The curbs were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

Buses didn't run in Srinagar following the strike call by the separatists. But private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in the areas where there were no restrictions.

Private schools were shut in the city, an official said.

He said similar reports of the strike being observed were received from other district headquarters in the Valley.

Train services in Kashmir were also stopped for the day.

The authorities suspended mobile internet services in Srinagar and Budgam districts while the network speed was reduced in four south Kashmir districts.

Police had booked unidentified stone-pelters for attempt to murder and rioting while charging the CRPF driver with rash driving in connection with yesterday's clashes.
New Delhi: As the ongoing farmers' protests across eight states entered the second day, retail prices of vegetables shot up in many cities with some of the organisers threatening to further intensify the stir from June 5

Protesting farmers have stopped the supply of vegetables, fruits, milk and other items to various cities and instead they chose to throw away their produce with many spilling milk and dropping their vegetables on the roads as a mark of protest.

According to PTI, while the impact of farmers' stir on price of farm commodities was not visible on Friday, the first day of the protest, the retail prices of vegetables in several cities rose in the range of Rs 10-20 per kg on Saturday.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday mocked the 10-day farmers' protest that has been launched across eight states by calling it "issue-less".

"Kisan hartal (farmers' strike) doesn't have any purpose or topic. This protest is unnecessary," Khattar said. He then added that the organisers of the strike were only harming the farmers as they wouldn't be able to sell their produce for ten days. "By saying they won't sell farmers' produce they'll only cause losses to the farmers," the Haryana chief minister said, according to ANI.

Farmers unions across eight states launched a mega 10-day protest on Friday morning, shutting down supply of milk, vegetables and essential farm produce to mark the first anniversary of the Mandsaur demonstration in MP in which six farmers were killed in police firing. The strike is effective in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana and Chhattisgarh.

In Madhya Pradesh, about 15,000 police personnel have been posted at various headquarters for 24 continuous hours for all 10 days of the strike. Police headquarters in Bhopal are monitoring the situation very closely while 18 districts have been identified as sensitive where extra police force have been deployed.

Social activist Medha Patkar, too, reached Sehore to express support to the protesting farmers. ADM GP Mali and SDM Mukul Gupta also visited the Bhopal mandi after observing a very low turnout of farmers compared to other days.

As the ongoing farmers strike entered the second day on Saturday, vendors in Delhi-NCR vegetable market said prices have shot up due to country-wide farmers protest. Delhi may face problems in supply of fresh vegetables, fruits and other perishables in next week in case the farmers' stir in neighbouring states intensifies in the coming days.

The retail prices of vegetables in city's different areas were reportedly already up by 20-50 per cent, with the buzz of the farmers' strike.

According to traders in Chandigarh, the price of tomatoes soared to Rs 20-25 per kg against Rs 10-15 per kg prevailing two days ago. Similarly, retail prices of potatoes, capsicum, bottle gourd, cucumber, have also gone up on short supplies, said a PTI report.

More than 100 farmers' groups are participating in a 10-day nation-wide strike to demand a complete loan waiver in the agriculture sector and the implementation of recommendations made by the MS Swaminathan Committee. The strike, declared by the All India Kisan Mahasangh, is being staged in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, among other states.

The Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Saturday accused the Maharashtra government of having a "negative approach" to the ongoing 10-day farmers' protest and said the stir would intensify from June 5.

"Farmers across the state are holding protests but the government seems to have a negative approach over keeping the promises it had made to farmers last month," AIKS general secretary Ajit Navle told reporters.

At a meeting of farmers' organisations on Saturday, it was decided that the protests would be intensified from June 5, he said. "We have given a call to farmers to stop selling their produce meant for cities," Navle said.

Farmers in Ahmednagar spill milk down a road during a state-wide protest, in Pune on Friday. (PTI Photo)

There has been no response from the government on the demands of the protesting farmers, AIKS general secretary Ajit Navle told reporters in Mumbai as the agitation entered its second day.

Meanwhile, farmers in Mandsaur who are sitting on a 10-day 'kisan avkash' strike prepared 'kheer' and distributed it among villagers. They are not supplying vegetables, fruits, grains and milk to the cities.

Madhya Pradesh minister for agriculture, Balakrishna Patidar on Saturday said that no farmers are participating in the strike and that they are happy with the schemes offered by the CM.

"Its June 2 today, where is the strike happening? No farmers are participating in the strike. Farmers are happy with the schemes the chief minister has launched for them. They have faith that the state and central government will solve their problems," he said.

The protesting farmers have decided to stop supplies instead of blocking roads. Among their major demands are one-time loan waiver, higher minimum support prices and higher prices for their produce in general.

Four farmers were taken into preventive custody, said Bathinda police station Sadar SHO Iqbal Singh. The farmers even staged sit-in outside police station demanding release of their fellow farmers.
Patna: After a report highlighted instances of sexual exploitation at a home for girls in Muzaffarpur, the district administration has taken action and an FIR has been registered under POCSO.

The government has shifted all the girls staying at the home to Madhubani and Patna.The district child protection unit has taken the building under its control on the direction of the Social Welfare Directorate, Patna.

An FIR has been lodged against NGO Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti, run by local politician and muscleman Brajesh Thakur. However, Thakur denied any wrongdoing and rubbished the report published by TISS.

State's social welfare minister Manju Verma told News18 that strict action would be taken against the culprits and if found guilty NGO Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti would be black listed.

When asked why her department's nodal office in Muzaffarpur failed to check such incidents, she came up with a bizarre logic. "How we will know about such things unless someone will report about it. Now that the case has been reported, I have taken cognisance."

Short stay homes give shelter to girls who flee from their homes, unable to locate family due to unstable mental conditions or left unattended by parents. These homes are funded by the state government but run by NGOs.

Social Security Directorate and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) are responsible for keeping a vigil on such NGOs.

Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Mohammad Sohail told News18 that Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harprit Kaur was heading the investigation and those responsible for such heinous crimes would be nabbed soon.

However, no arrests have been made so far. Based on the social audit report of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), a case has been registered under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) against the NGO and its functionaries.

The TISS report said many girls complained of physical abuses when its team interacted with them and recommended an inquiry and initiation of legal proceedings against the NGO.
Qatar-based Retaj Hotels & Hospitality Group said it has signed an agreement with Turkish Nivo Group to manage and operate Retaj Suites and Residences - Nivo Atakoy Suites & Residences.

With this, Retaj has become the first Arab company to operate a hotel in the Atakoy area, located approximately 5 km from the airport. Well-known for its charming sea-view, Atakoy area, which is 20 minutes by car from Taksim Square, makes it a great destination for visitors.

The upcoming Nivo project is being developed at Atakoy, one of Istanbul's most up-and-coming quarters in partnership with Turkey-based Cathay Group.

Retaj Hotels & Hospitality Group is keen on providing conservative tourism to Qatari and Arab visitors who are primarily targeted by Turkish tourism, remarked Dr Mohammed Bin Johar Al Mohammad, the vice chairman and managing director of Retaj Group, after signing the deal with Mahmut Alper Tugsuz, the chairman of Cathay Company, Mehmet Ylmaz, the vice chairman of Cathay and Imad Shanan, the chairman of Liderlik development.

In addition, the ceremony included the signing of a real estate marketing contract for the properties of the Turkish company in Qatar, as well as a technical support contract to provide technical advice and support by Retaj.

"Expanding the management and operation of hotels in Turkey stems from the group's vision and strategy aimed at expanding local and international investment horizons as well as Qatar's vision of diversifying its sources of income and resources," stated Dr Al Mohammed.

Retaj Hotels and Hospitality Group, he stated, aims to provide conservative tourist destinations for Qatari investors.

The Qatari investments in Turkey are in the second place in terms of size, which exceeds $20 billion and are expected to jump to the first place in few years in many sectors, topped by tourism sector, he added.

Atakoy Hotel has 314 hotel apartments, with full privacy, and this comes in line with the vision and mission of the Retaj Hotels and Hospitality Group, which aims to spread the principles of genuine Arab hospitality.

Alper Tugsuz expressed delight in Retajs interest in Atakoy project, located in one of Istanbul's most exclusive locations.

"Retaj is one of only few investors from the Gulf to invest in the Turkish real-estate development industry. Therefore, we consider their choosing our project to invest in as a global seal of approval for our project." Thanks to the partnership agreement, Nivo Atakoy will elevate both the value and the quality of life in the region," he noted.

Located right at the centre of Atakoy and supported by its architectural and social facilities, Nivo Atakoy is now a truly a world-class real-estate project, he added.

Shanan,underlining the significance of the Nivo Atakoy project, said: "We aim to offer more lucrative opportunities to our investors with our agreement with Retaj Hotels and Hospitality."

"This agreement will help us introduce many firsts under the project, which we believe make it much more appealing to international investors," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Palwal/Faridabad: A five-year-old girl was kidnapped, brutally raped and stabbed to death allegedly by a man who used to work at her father's tent house in Asaoti village in Haryana's Palwal district.

The accused, identified as Virender alias Bholu, allegedly committed the heinous act on Thursday night over some old enmity with the girl's father.

"Virender was arrested and remanded in three-day police custody today. He is being interrogated," SP, Palwal, Waseem Akram said.

Virender used to work at the tent house owned by the girl's father. They had a heated argument over some issue earlier.

In order to vent his anger, the accused abducted the girl and took her to his house. He then stabbed the girl in the stomach and stuffed her body inside a container to conceal the act.

When the girl did not return to her house late in the night, the family members and villagers launched a search. It was only with the help of CCTV footages of the area that they could trace the girl's body.

The details of the incident could be revealed after police interrogated Virender, the accused.

An FIR was registered in connection with the incident under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The body has been sent for post-mortem and further investigation into the case is on, police said, adding they were also probing if there were other accomplices too.
Mumbai: Former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, a key accused in the murder case of her daughter Sheena Bora, was admitted to the hospital on Friday night after complaining of chest pain in jail.

The 46-year-old, lodged in Byculla women's jail, was admitted in the critical care unit (CCU) of the state-run hospital at around 11.30 pm and her condition is now stable, doctors said. "She was admitted for chest pain evaluation. Clinical evaluation and investigations are going on. She is stable," said a doctor.

This is the second time in two months that Mukerjea has been admitted to the hospital. In April, she was admitted to the hospital in a "semi-conscious" condition. She subsequently underwent a series of medical tests. The hospital authorities had then said she had an overdose of anti-depressants that were not prescribed to her.

Indrani is currently facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora. Bora (24) was allegedly killed and her body disposed of in a forest area in the neighbouring Raigad district in April 2012, according to the police. Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai were arrested for the crime which came to light in August 2015.

Rai later turned an approver (prosecution witness) in the case.

Bora, Mukerjea's daughter from an earlier relationship, was killed over a financial dispute, said the CBI which is probing the case. The central agency later also arrested Mukerjea's husband Peter Mukerjea, a former media baron, for allegedly being part of the murder conspiracy.

The high-profile case, which has attracted a lot of media attention, was initially handled by the Mumbai Police and later transferred to the CBI.

(With PTI inputs)
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said she will not be able to attend the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled on June 16 as it coincides with Eid-ul-Fitr.

She indicated that no representative would be sent on her behalf.

"I have received the letter for the meeting. According to the calendar, June 16 is a national holiday on the occasion of Eid. How can I leave the state?" Banerjee told reporters here.

"All festivals are important for me. Durga puja is very important as well as Eid. I don't leave my people during festivals," she said.

However, she did not say anything about attending the meeting in case the date of Eid is changed over sighting of the moon.

Asked whether someone would be sent to represent her, she said "The invite is to me. How can someone else go?"

Banerjee expressed concern over the rise in the prices of petroleum products like domestic LPG cylinders "that hits our kitchen".

"There is a constant rise in prices of everything," she added.
Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati, in a surprising move on Saturday, announced that she is vacating a 'portion' of the government bungalow in Lucknow that she had earlier said is a memorial of BSP founder Kanshi Ram.

Claiming compliance with a Supreme Court order, Mayawati had earlier vacated the second government house she had, but was holding on to a second sprawling bungalow.

Mayawati on Saturday handed over the charge of her government bungalow to an officer of the 'Rajya Sampati Vibhag'.

The interiors of Former UP CM Mayawati's govt bungalow turned Kanshi Ram Memorial

She said that she is vacating a portion of the bungalow that served as her residence apart from being Kanshi Rams memorial. Mayawati, however, urged that the memorial should continue to remain so.

Her announcement comes just ahead of the deadline set by the Uttar Pradesh estates department, following a Supreme Court order that former UP chief ministers are not entitled to official accommodation.

The BSP chiefs personal secretary, Mewa Lal Gautam, had on Wednesday said that she has vacated the bungalow on 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, which was allotted to her as former chief minister.

The Supreme Court had on May 7 said former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office.

A day left to the expiry of the deadline to vacate their official bungalows, former chief ministers Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh have moved to the VVIP guest house in Lucknow while Mayawati will be moving to her private bungalow.

"Mulayam Singh Yadav shifted to the VVIP guest house on Friday, while Akhilesh Yadav along with his MP wife Dimple and children shifted to the VVIP guest house on Saturday. One room each has been allotted to Akhilesh, Dimple and Mulayam," Chief Management Officer of VVIP Guest House Rajiv Kumar told PTI.
Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

Modi, who is in Singapore on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister on Friday night.

In his keynote address at the Dialogue, Modi had said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century.

Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests, he had said.

"We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law," he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and "reaffirmation for rule based order".

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said.

The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area. The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area.

The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking.

India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.
Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday purchased a Madhubani painting using a RuPay card during his visit to the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore.

Modi received a rapturous welcome on his arrival at the centre, which traces the journey of the Indian community in the Southeast Asian region.

"Commendable efforts by the Indian Heritage Centre to bring Singapore and India even closer. Using a RuPay card, I bought a splendid Madhubani painting," Modi tweeted.

Madhubani painting (or Mithila art) is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal.

Modi had launched three Indian mobile payment apps  BHIM, RuPay and SBI  in Singapore on Thursday, saying the international launch of these apps reflect Digital India.

Through RuPay, users will be able to make payments at all NETS acceptance points across Singapore.

The Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore showcases the culture, heritage and history of Indian Singaporeans. Located at the Campbell Road thoroughfare in the Little

India precinct, the centre was launched on May 7, 2015.
Kolkata: Amid widespread allegations of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) tampering, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) OP Rawat on Saturday ruled out any possibility of going back to ballot papers to conducting elections in India.

In an interactive session organised by Merchants Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) in Kolkata, Rawat said, We should not doubt the integrity of the system (EVMs).

He further added, saying, There are allegations against tampering of EVMs. They come from political parties who are seeking a scapegoat route. Completely baseless insinuations. We had convened an all-party meeting in July last year and announced that all future elections will be conducted through Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) equipped EVMs. Now, there is no question of bringing the ballot papers back.

On electoral misconducts and safety of those who want to expose it, Rawat said, I would like to assure all those who want to expose electoral malpractices through Election Commissions (EC) mobile app that their identity will be protected. There is nothing to worry about.

Our mobile app empowers anyone to send complaints with evidences to us wherever they come across malpractices during polls. We will ensure that prompt action will be taken. The mobile app system was introduced on a pilot basis during the last Karnataka assembly elections. Back then, we had received nearly 780 video complaints of electoral malpractices. This practice will be followed from now in every election, he added.

On the context of simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections, he said, This will require changes in the Constitution and Law.

Referring to Cambridge Analyticas data scandal, Rawat said, EC is working on a code of conduct for social media platforms to prevent harvesting of data

Cambridge Analytica Limited was a British consulting firm for political parties which was involved in data mining, its brokerage, and its analysis with strategic communication for the poll process.

Rawat also spoke about de-listing political parties which are not active. "Under the plenary power given to us, we have started de-listing political parties which are not active," the CEC said, adding that the EC is not empowered by law to de-register political parties.

So far, 1000 political parties have been delisted, he said. On electoral bonds, Rawat said so far, three tranches have been issued and the EC is waiting to see the outcome.
The iconic Fullerton hotel in the heart of Singapore, is the site of an odd yet urgent logistical issue ahead of the Trump-Kim summit, according to a news report.

The United States is trying to figure a way to pay for North Korean delegation's stay without offending the nation, the Washington Post reported.

The June 12 summit between the US and North Korea has seen its fair share of controversy already when US president Donald Trump called it off a week ago only to make a U-turn later.

Fullerton is the five-star star hotel preferred by Kim Jong Un, and the nation requires another country to cover its costs whenever a delegation visits foreign shores, said the Post.

The US is on board with footing this bill  the presidential suite at the Fullerton costs $6000 a night  yet must do so without embarrassing or offending Pyongyang. An option is to ask Singapore to pay the bill. The Post report does not say how the city-state playing host to the summit might react.

It's not just Pyongyang's reaction the US staff planning the meeting is worried about. Any request to pay for North Korea needs written waivers from its own Department of Treasury and from the United Nations, given the sanctions the West has imposed on the DPRK. Any questions about the waivers could also go down ill with Pyongyang.

Lodgings are one problem. North Korea's Soviet-era plane may not make the 3000 mile trip to Singapore, said the report. If it needs to land in China, the summit planners will have to come up with a story for that, against to not embarrass the country.
WBBSE Madhyamik Result 2018 | The students who are much anxious and are waiting for their West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, West Bengal 10th Result 2018, WBBSE Result 2018 can relax as the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has declared the WB Madhyamik Result 2018 on 6th June 2018 (today) at 10 am. The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education will declare the WB Board Madhyamik Result 2018, WB Board 10th Result, WBBSE Madhyamik Result 2018 on the official website wbresults.nic.in. The WBBSE board has announced the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018 through a press conference today. The WB Madhyamik Result 2018 was activated at 10 am on the official website. he pass percentage for WBBSE Madhyamik Result 2018 is 85.49%. East Midnapore tops among districts with 96.13%. Uttarbanga's Sanjeevani Debnath bags first place with 689, Bardhaman's Krishnendu Saha 688

second, and the three place goes to Nilabaja Das 687

The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education is responsible to hold the West Bengal Madhyamik Examination. For the year 2-017-18, the board organised the examination from 12th - 21st March. To check the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, WB Board 10th Result 2018, WB 10th Result 2018, candidates are asked to keep an eye on these websites also examresults.net/wb, west-bengal.indiaresults, exametc.com.

Candidates who are sorting any kind of issue in checking the West Bengal Board 10th Result 2018 can go through the beneath mentioned steps.

Step 1: Need to visit official website wbresults.nic.in

Step 2: Click on West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018 link.

Step 3: A new page will appear on your screen.

Step 4: Fill all the required details carefully like roll no., dob carefully.

Step 5: Click on Submit icon.

Step 6: The WB Board Madhyamik Result 2018 will be displayed on your screen, students can take the print out of your WB Result 2018 for future reference.
West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018 | The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education issued the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018 also known as WB 10th Result 2018 or WBBSE Resulton June 6 at 9 am (today). The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education responsibly hosted the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, WBBSE Result 2018, WB Class 10 Result 2018 on its official website wbresults.nic.in. The candidates who appeared in the exam can check their West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018 from official website wbresults.nic.in. The WBBSE board has announced the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018 through a press conference today. The WB Madhyamik Result 2018 was activated at 10 am on the official website. The pass percentage for WBBSE Madhyamik Result 2018 is 85.49%. East Midnapore tops among districts with 96.13%. Uttarbanga's Sanjeevani Debnath bags first place with 689, Bardhaman's Krishnendu Saha 688 second, and the three place goes to Nilabaja Das 687

The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education earlier conducted the Madhyamik Examination in between 12th March -21st March. Earlier the WB Board has decided to announce the WB Madhyamik Result 2018 on 29th May, but due to panchayat election, the West Bengal Board Result 2018 are postponed. Students who are concerned for the WB 10th Result 2018 can check West Bengal Board Badhyamik Result 2018 at examresults.net/wb,west-bengal.indiaresults.com, results.nic.in, exametc.com

How to check West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018:

Step 1: Click on the official website link wbbse.org, wbresults.nic.in

Step 2: Look for a tab - West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, WB 10th Result 2018

Step 3: Click on the link which says WB Madhyamik Result 2018, West Bengal 10th Result 2018

Ste 4: Enter Roll Number

Step 5: Download the West Bengal Board Result 2018 and keep a printout for future reference

Students who are waiting with much anticipation can also check their West Bengal Board Class 10 Result 2018, West Bengal Board Class 12 Result 2018 via SMS as well

GET YOUR WB Madhyamik Result 2018 ON MOBILE - SMS

SMS - WB10 ROLL NUMBER - Send it to 56263

Get Your WBCHSE Higher Secondary Result 2018 ON SMS

SMS - WB12 ROLL + NUMBER - Send it to 56263

About WB Board: WB Board is known as West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. It is popularly known as WBBSE. The board bears the major responsibility including the conduction of West Bengal Madhyamik and Higher Secondary Examinations. The headquarter of board is situated in Nivedita Bhawan, Kolkata.
WBBSE Result 2018 | The WBBSE West Bengal Board of Secondary Education announced the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, WB Madhyamik Result 2018, West Bengal Board Result 2018 on June 6 at 9 am. The WBBSE West Bengal Board of Secondary Education released the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, WB Madhyamik Result 2018, West Bengal Board Result 2018 on its official website wbbse.org, wbresults.nic.in. The WBBSE board has announced the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018 through a press conference today. The WB Madhyamik Result 2018 was activated at 10 am on the official website. The pass percentage for WBBSE Madhyamik Result 2018 is 85.49%. East Midnapore tops among districts with 96.13%. Uttarbanga's Sanjeevani Debnath bags first place with 689, Bardhaman's Krishnendu Saha 688

second, and the three place goes to Nilabaja Das 687

The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education conducted the Madhyamik Examination for the academic year 2017-18 from 12th of March 2018 - 21 March, 2018. All students, private and regular, can check their West Bengal Board Madhyamik Result 2018 here on this page. Students can also check their West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018: examresults.net/wb, west-bengal.indiaresults.com, results.nic.in, exametc.com

How to check West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, WBBSE Result 2018:

Step 1: Click on the official website link wbbse.org, wbresults.nic.in

Step 2: Look for a tab - West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2018, WB 10th Result 2018

Step 3: Click on the link which says WB Madhyamik Result 2018, West Bengal 10th Result 2018

Ste 4: Enter Roll Number

Step 5: Download the West Bengal Board Result 2018 and keep a printout for future reference

Students who are waiting with much anticipation can also check their West Bengal Class 10 Result 2018 via SMS as well

GET YOUR WB Madhyamik Result 2018 ON MOBILE - SMS

SMS - WB10 ROLL NUMBER - Send it to 56263

Around 10 lakh students appeared for the West Bengal Board Madhyamik Examinations 2018. This year the WBBSE Class 10 Exams were conducted from 12th March to 21st March. The West Bengal Board Madhyamik Results 2017 was declared on May 27. This year around 8 lakh students appeared for the West Bengal Board Class 12 Exams. The WBCHSE Exams 2018 were conducted from 27th March to 11th April for the academic session of 2017-18. Last year the West Bengal Board HS Results were declared on May 30.
Thailand plans to shoot durian into orbit to test its durability in a project that could see the staple "king of fruits" consumed in zero-gravity conditions.

"In the future we want astronauts to be able to eat Thai food," said a spokesperson for Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).

"We want to see whether there are any physical changes after it returns to earth, for example it might get smaller, or cracked."

The sticky snack is eaten across the region and is both famous for its popularity and infamous for its pungent smell, prompting bans on durians in hotel rooms, elevators and airplane cabins.

The fruit's reputation raises questions about how it will be received inside such close confines as a spaceship.

But the test, carried out with an organisation that has yet to be named publicly, will use a dried and vacuum-sealed version of the fruit, which packs much less of an odour.

Liftoff is scheduled for July, when packages of durian will be sealed, placed in a box and rocketed into space for five minutes.

Different kinds of Thai rice will also make the daring journey.

Advances in technology and the growing number of countries sending their citizens into space have enriched astronauts' controlled cuisine with new flavours.

And with Asia catching up with more established space programs, menus are diversifying.

The pickled dish kimchi boldly went where few fermented vegetables have gone before when a South Korean astronaut brought it with her in 2008.
CHAITI NARULA catches up with DR SAMIR PARIKH, a leading psychiartist, and understands some basics that are often not spoken about openly in society. We also gain a deeper understanding of how, like any other part of the body, the brain needs attention too

Q. Firstly, whats the percentage of Indians affected by depression or stress disorders? This would enable us to understand the intensity of the problem at hand.

Depression is one of the most common mental health related illnesses to affect a person and is found in people of all ages including children and adolescents (Kaplan and Saddock, 2007). According to the WHO, depression affects more than 300 million people globally (2018). Specifically, 1 in 20 Indians have been found to be suffering from depression, according to the National Mental Health Survey of India (2016).

Q. How can we to identify if we are depressed or on the brink of a disorder as such? What are the first tell tale signs?

Depression is a condition which involves recurrent and persistent low moods which last for at least two weeks and interfere with the affected individuals daily life and activities such as going to school and maintaining relationships with friends and family.

Know you have a problem if you are suffering from any of these symptoms and signs of depression:

- Sadness of mood

- Lethargy

- Social withdrawal

- Sudden increase or decrease in appetite

- Sleep disturbances

- Less interest in previously enjoyed activities

- Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness

- Difficulty in attention and concentration

- Difficulty in decision making

- Suicidal ideation

- Frequent and unexplained somatic complaints

Depression is a clearly recognized medical condition, that needs to be taken seriously, and for which professional help is irreplaceable. It is not due to a character weakness or laziness, which can be overcome by will-power, or can pass out over time. Depression requires adequate and timely medical and psychological interventions. Professional help including psychiatric medications and psychological counselling is irreplaceable.

Image for representational purpose only (Photo courtesy: AFP Relaxnews/ KatarzynaBialasiewicz/Istock.com)

Q. Why is it that seeking professional help is such a taboo in society?

One of the primary obstacles which typically comes in the way of identification and management of mental illnesses is the stigma attached. It is important to consider the historical evolution of mental health, with mental illnesses being attributed to evil spirits as per ancient Greek mythologies, transcending to the relatively late advent of medications being discovered for the treatment of mental illnesses. Stemming from such an evolutionary background, it is inevitable for mental illnesses to be shrouded in stigma and self-blame.

Furthermore, there is a significant deficit in the number of experts available till date, with the recent findings by World Health Organization being indicative of a 200-300% shortage of mental health professionals in India. Another major obstacle that often blocks help seeking behaviour comprises of worries about being misjudged, not being listened to or fearing betrayal, thereby experiencing mistrust and shame. This can be further compounded by the lack of understanding and awareness amongst members of the community. It is primarily due to lack of awareness and information that families and individuals frequently turn a blind eye to potential conditions of mental health related problems and do not seek the required help. They may not know who to go to for help or may be misinformed about the nature of their problem. Often, they may not even be aware that they have a problem and can carry the agonizing pain of feeling responsible for their own suffering, experiencing a lot of guilt and self-blame.

Therefore, open mindedness is essential to fight the roots of such myths, along with increasing a widespread awareness and education about mental health. Talking about ones distress is undoubtedly a prerequisite to seeking help. It is important to remember not to bottle up ones feelings inside of us. Instead, we need to be willing to talk it out, vent out our emotions, while at the same time sharing our distress with our near and dear ones. Not only is this process cathartic, but also serves as an agent of encouraging willingness to seeking help.

Q. Men and women who battle depression go through professional challenges and are unable to cope. How would you advise them to go about getting back to normalcy?

A depressed individual typically does experience a disinterest in most activities and going to the workplace daily can become an effortful task. Such a task can become more challenging when amplified by the burden of pending work load, as well as dealing with the questions, expectations as well as unsolicited advice by ones peers and colleagues! However, at such times it is important for the individual to ease back into work, as much as possible. At the same time, having a strong system of social support at the workplace can be a huge help, including emotional as well as practical support being available. And last but not the least, it is important to destigmatize mental illness, and be willing to talk about it, rather than falling prey to an avoidant approach of looking for an escape route. It is necessary to remind oneself that mental illness is a medical illness, which is not to be associated with any kind of self-blame, and recovery from the same needs to be considered as a process similar to that of a recovery from any other medical illness.

Q. Simply explain how mind/brain can be ill just as any other part of the body.

The overall well-being of an individual encompasses both physical as well as mental health. However, such a concept seems only to be understood theoretically, and gets lost in translation when it needs to be implemented in the real world. For instance, it is more acceptable for one to skip a days work if running a temperature, as compared to staying in home when the person is suffering from an anxiety disorder or depression. To quote another example, just as the thyroid levels in the body could be dysregulated leading to a hypo or hyperthyroidism, similarly a dysregulation of the neurotransmitters in the brain like serotonin would lead to the individual to be suffering from an anxiety disorder or depression. Therefore, it is vital for mental illnesses to be equated to, if not supersede physical illnesses, and subsequently their impact on the individuals functioning as well as the importance of seeking treatment for such mental illnesses needs to be advocated. The causation of mental illnesses cannot be attributed to a single factor, and is typically seen as the result of an interaction of a variety of factors, including an imbalance in the neurochemicals in the brain, along with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors.

Q. How can modern medicine help? How can one supplement it through cognitive behavioral therapy?

As the biological basis of the illness has been widely established, the role of psychiatric medications is of utmost importance, as they target the regulation of the neurotransmitters in the brain. In addition, psychotherapy, including cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy, which serve as an adjunct to the treatment, and helps them develop more adaptive coping mechanisms. If untreated, depression can last for weeks, months and even years, significantly impacting various spheres of the affected individuals life.

Q. How can Indians today speak up more about these issues in their families, with their peers and start talking openly about it? There still seems to be a large level of resistance in speaking up about mental health and well being.

It is only by talking about your own concerns that it is possible to reach out for the support of others. In fact, sharing ones problems in itself is the first step as it helps the individual realize that he or she is not alone. Therefore, reach out to your family, friends, or peers, and talk to them. It is necessary for all of us to create a sensitized approach within the society in order to ensure greater receptivity as well as understanding of mental health related concerns. We need to be able to offer a listening ear to others and encourage them to reach out for professional help if needed. And lastly, we need to be informed, we need to educate ourselves about these concerns in order to be equipped with the adequate knowledge to identify and guide others.

Q. What can one do if one learns that a near and dear one is battling a mental illness?

We should not hesitate to initiate the conversation with the affected persons, as it is important to give a chance to express their feelings and release their pent-up emotions. It is a myth that talking about the problem aggravates the situation. In fact, giving them a chance to vent out their feelings and emotions is more likely to help the person lighten the burden by being able to share it with someone who is concerned. In fact, if you are able to engage in a conversation about the persons feelings, you can help the person in coping with the situation by taking a solution-oriented approach and reaching out to the existing support mechanisms. Give the person a chance to express him/herself. Convey your genuine concern and support. Giving reassurance with active listening and engaging with the person is very beneficial. Try and empathize with the individual, to try and understand his or her emotions. Show that you care for the person, and do not interrogate or form judgements. The most effective role you can play is to be a listener and offering your support. Besides being a source of support as a friend, family or a colleague, it would be beneficial if you could help the individual to reach out to the help of a professional mental health expert for adequate interventions.

Q. What could be the repercussions of mental disorders if left unaddressed?

Ignorance of mental health related issues could lead an adverse impact across various levels, including harm to self as well as others, while also reducing the life span of individuals. In fact, if left untreated over a prolonged period of time, there are greater chances of the individual feeling more helpless and hopeless and might also lead to suicidal tendencies. Furthermore, the consequences of undiagnosed or untreated mental disorders could be severe, influencing the physical, social functioning as well as overall health outcomes. Mental and behavioural problems are clearly recognized risk factors for morbidity and mortality.

Q. What are the factors today that create stress and anxiety syndrome in patients and if left unaddressed what could be the physiological manifestation of it?

Stress is such an inherent part and parcel of the air we breathe. Todays hectic lifestyle, with the competitive race against time, excessive dependence on technology and the media, along with the consequent social isolation and its impact on the sense of self, are ample to lay the foundation for a stressful life. It is next to impossible to imagine a stress-free life for almost anyone today. There are many daily events that create stress, including a traffic jam, balancing between work and home, or having to get up early in the morning, amongst many others. In addition, the interplay of various personal, social, economic, professional, emotional and environmental factors, while managing our multiple roles, contribute to increasing the stress in our daily lives.

Chronic stress, if not managed effectively, can in the long run have major detrimental impacts on the persons physical as well as psychological well-being, as it could increase their vulnerability to not just mental illnesses like depression or anxiety, but also physical health. To name a few, stress leads to increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, menstrual problems, acne and other skin problems, headaches and body aches, indigestion, eating disorders, ulcers, as well as sexual dysfunctions.

Q. What about children? Walk us through mental illness in kids and the way forward in tackling them.

There is abundant stigma associated with mental illnesses till date, stemming from which are some myths, especially for children. First and foremost, it is important to reiterate that children CAN have mental illnesses. There are many psychiatric disorders which can have an early onset in childhood. In fact, the developmental disorders are not necessarily a label for the individual life long, and most of the times can be overcome with adequate and timely identification and interventions. Secondly, children with mental illnesses CANNOT outgrow them with age. A mental condition in childhood would not simply outgrow with age. These are disorders that requires adequate psychiatric as well as psychological interventions to be treated. Thirdly, mental illnesses are NOT the result of bad parenting. While stressful situations do play a major role in the exacerbation as well as maintenance of mental illnesses, stress alone cannot lead to the development of the illness without the presence of other etiological factors. Most of the psychiatric disorders are formed due to multiple interactions of biological, psychosocial and genetic factors.

The need of the hour today is to strongly advocate the preventive as well as curative aspects of mental health. The best model to build is an integration of private-public partnerships, so we all could join forces to work towards targeting the very grass-root levels and help make a difference in the community at large. Intervention and prevention at an early stage can help transform at-risk children into healthy and contributing adults of society. Emphasizing the role of mental health is imperative in ensuring social and emotional well-being and is crucial in the development of adequate coping resources that would help the child learnt to be prepared for and be able to effectively face the challenges of life. We must understand the importance of ensuring the mental health and well-being of children by learning to identify and deal with situations in which the childs mental health has been compromised as well as working on preventive measures to promote positive mental health.

Q. A few success stories where patients have overcome these disorders being in the hands of a correct doctor. How should one even identify the right doctor?

It is not as important to identify the right doctor, as necessary it is for an individual to be able to reach out to a professional expert. The challenge here is to address the deficit in the availability of such professionals, given the huge gap which exists in the need of such professional experts. It is the need of the hour to ensure a greater accessibility of any such mental health expert, be it a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, a counsellor, or even a psycho-social worker.

Q. Headaches, migraines, fatigue, feeling of disorientation have become too common. How would you explain this in relationship with untreated mental / stress/ anxiety conditions?

As mentioned above, mental and physical health of an individual are closely interrelated, and chronic stress, if not managed effectively, can in the long run have major detrimental impact on the persons physical as well as psychological well-being, increasing the individuals vulnerability to both mental and physical illnesses. Further, such psychological symptoms like stress, anxiety and depression may also be manifested in the form of somatic manifestations, including headaches and body aches, tiredness and fatigue, indigestion, lack of attention and concentration, indecisiveness, along with an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, menstrual problems, acne and other skin problems, amongst others.
French President Emmanuel Macron launched a new lottery on Thursday to raise funds for the restoration of endangered heritage sites, including an island fort in Brittany, a Roman aqueduct near Lyon and a disused sugar refinery on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte.

The lottery, inspired by the British national lottery's heritage fund, will take place in September and is expected to raise 15-20 million euros ($17 million-$23 million).

Eighteen imperilled sites of historic, religious, architectural and cultural importance have been earmarked for the funds. They include the home of poet and political activist Aime Cesaire (1913-2008) on the French Caribbean island of Martinique and the Burgundy castle of Count Roger de Bussy-Rabutin (1618-1693), who was banished from the court of Louis XIV for exposing the trysts of fellow members of the nobility.

Players will be able to choose between tickets for a 13-million-euro jackpot and scratch cards with a top prize of 1.5 million euros.

Macron launched the lottery while visiting with his wife Brigitte the home of Enlightenment writer and philosopher Voltaire in Ferney on the Swiss border. Voltaire's chateau reopens to the public on Friday after a nine-million-euro facelift by the state.

Macron, who has embarked on a cost-cutting drive, told residents in Ferney he was now asking heritage lovers to gamble on conservation to avoid increasing taxes. A quarter of France's listed monuments are in a bad state of repair, of which around 2,000 -- or five percent -- are endangered, according to Culture Minister Francoise Nyssen. The government has earmarked 326 million euros for heritage restoration and conservation this year, up five percent on 2017.
Paris: "Scarface" director Brian De Palma is to tackle the story of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood legend told AFP.

The maker of "Carrie" and "The Untouchables" said he was toying with the idea of dealing with Weinstein and the #MeToo movement the Hollywood producer unleashed after claims that he had raped and abused a string of actresses over the years.

"I have been following it very closely because I know a lot of the people involved," De Palma told AFP in Paris, where he has just published his first novel in French.

"This has inspired an idea for another book," he added.

"As a director you have to get actors' confidence and their love in order to be able to use their instrument in your movie. And to violate it on any level is just to me the worst thing you can do, just because of your gluttony or your lust," the 77-year-old said.

"I've heard stories over the years" about abuse and casting couches, the veteran filmmaker added. "I always reacted very strongly to anybody that was doing such things. And of course, you would hear stories about the most notorious people."

De Palma said later that he was writing a script based on the scandal, "although my character will not be called Harvey Weinstein."

"But it is a horror film, with a sexual aggressor, and the story will take place within the film industry," he told the French daily, the Parisien.

De Palma defended his treatment of women characters in his films, arguing that the violence they faced was necessary for the stories to work.

- Is the male gaze over? -

"I would get that question year after year, and I would always give the same answer," he told AFP. "But fortunately Quentin Tarantino took over that problem. They started asking him that question and they forgot about me, thank God.

"I was accused of putting women in jeopardy and I said this is a suspense movie. A woman presents a more vulnerable creature. To me it was just part of the genre, and I never thought it was anything sexist," said the maker of the first "Mission: Impossible" film.

"I like women characters," said the director, whose has co-written his first novel with his wife, journalist Susan Lehman.

The Hitchcockian thriller "Les serpents sont-ils necessaires?" (Are Snakes Necessary?) has been published in French before it comes out in English.

De Palma said Hitchcock's film "Vertigo" was central to making him a film director. "I saw it in 1958 and it haunted me for the rest of my career," he told AFP.

Lehman, a former New York Times reporter, said the book brings the Hitchcockian chiller into the post-#MeToo age.

"Brian has a particular sort of macho sensibility, and I thought it would be interesting to see what happens if a sort of a feminine streak got injected into that," she said.

"What happens here is women take things into their own hands. And the men who are creepy and crude at best get what they deserve."

De Palma said the #MeToo movement was not just changing the pay and working conditions of women in Hollywood, but it could also fundamentally change what movies are about.

"It will be interesting to see when women start controlling the aesthetic what is going to happen. It would be interesting to see if their gaze is so much different than ours. Because a lot of movies are about the male gaze, what the male sees."

De Palma said he has just finished his latest film "Domino", a thriller set in Denmark with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Carice van Houten of "Game of Thrones" fame, and is planning his next -- another murder story -- "Sweet Vengeance", which will be shot in Uruguay.
Nagpur: People fondly call him 108. Madhukar Kukde, who won the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha by-election on an NCP ticket defeating BJP candidate Hemant Patle, is 67 years of age, but his agility and his ever-readiness to rush to the help of the needy across the vastly spread constituency has won him this name: 108.

Hes like the 108 ambulance that patients frantically call when in need, his supporters quip.

A three-time BJP legislator who switched over to the NCP in 2014 and went into political oblivion until his name sprung up as a low-profile candidate for this by-poll. Devoid of financial resources against a mighty BJP poll apparatus and apparently at the mercy of the NCP satrap and former civil aviation minister Praful Patel, Kukde was a dark horse in the race.

The by-poll was necessitated after the resignation of former BJP MP Nana Patole, who crossed over to his parent party, the Congress, late last year, after an alleged tiff with the BJPs national leadership.

The seat is from the NCP quota  Patels home turf; the Congress did not press for it to be given to Patole, who did not want to contest either for a mere one-year-term. Patel and Patole in fact buried the hatchet and publicly showed that they had patched up in the interest of the opposition unity.

Kukdes name was proposed by Patel for two reasons: the simpleton veteran could not be a threat and would not stake any claim to a ticket in 2019 and even if the NCP lost, it wont come as a major blot on Patel himself.

All through the electioneering the major buzz in Bhandara and Gondia was that Patel did not want Kukde to win this election for obvious reasons and thus did not support him with the party or individual kitty, compared with the high profile campaign that the BJP ran in favour of their own candidate, Hemant Patle.

Patel had publicly said in one of his speeches that this arrangement was only for a short term and not for 2019, implying that Kukde wont naturally have a claim to the next election.

It was a point that the BJP played on when its leaders publicly described Kukde as a scape-goat of the opposition and a non-serious candidate. Kudke eventually wrested the seat by over 48,000 votes.

How did Kudke win against a formidable BJP has many lessons for the opposition, particularly the Congress party, which came a poor fifth in the Palghar Lok Sabha by-poll in a trend that confirms a continuing slide of the party in a state it ruled for 15 years not so long ago.

Masses versus Leaders

The first binary that emerges from the Bhandara-Gondia by-poll is that this was an election in which the masses won against stalwarts  Patel of the NCP on the one hand who was perceived to be not keen for a Kukde victory, the BJPs bandwagon that included of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, et al, on the other hand.

People said if big leaders  including Gadkari and Fadnavis who were said to be responsible for Kukde not getting a ticket from the BJP in 2014 Assembly elections  were not supporting Kukde, they were.

It was a local election, fought on local caste equations, with no resonance to national theme. Despite its financial resources and formidable poll machinery, the BJP could not push its candidate to a win.

Kukde is a Kunbi, a creamy layer of the OBCs. Patle, the BJP candidate, is a Powar, another major caste in this constituency. So it was a Kunbi versus Powar battle.

Nana Patole, a Kunbi, was obviously a key player, since he had positioned this election as one of his own, where he was to prove his domination, but fact is that Patoles influence among voters and his standing within his own community and the Congress  notwithstanding the perception in New Delhi  does not cut ice with others. There are other communities, including the Dalit Ambedkaries (Buddhists), who do not trust Patole ever-since the Khairlanji incident when he led an anti-Dalit campaign to mobilise OBCs.

While Patel, the NCP stalwart, remains a major influence over this constituency, he does not play any role when it comes to a battle between caste-combination.

The NCP-Congress poll machinery was no match for the BJP election machinery, and financial and administrative advantage.

With this as a context, the OBC mass, led by the dominant Kunbis, came out overwhelmingly in support of Kukde, and turned what a fortnight ago looked like a one-sided election into a contest.

The BJP had won the 2014 election by a margin of 3 lakh votes in a Modi wave. Patole was the winner, Patel the loser. While Kukde was the NCP candidate this time around, it was finally the perception that the BJP and Patel would defeat a Kunbi drove the community and his support base to vote for him.

That Kukde commanded a clean and people-oriented image and someone stacked against a formidable force brought him the much-needed support from other communities, including the Dalits, who did not allow their votes to be cut by the Prakash Ambedkar-led partys candidate to give the BJP any edge.

The fight turned a one-on-one, with the entire opposition voter-base in-tact.

Add to it the general unrest growing within the farmers against the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state and the local issues boiled over. Bhandara and Gondia are in drought after a failed monsoon. Paddy growers had virtually no support on any front. The CM or his cabinet that campaigned in the by-poll could hardly promise anything new or enlist the initiatives that had aided a struggling peasantry.

In the end, on the day of voting, the wide-spread perception driven by complaints about EVM failures that the BJP was managing the elections led the voters to in fact vote against the BJP, it now turns out from the voter trends. No wonder, Kukde got heavy leads in four of six Assembly segments, including his home turf of Tumsar from where he had won three Assembly elections, where the BJP polled heavily in the 2014 elections that saw Patole defeat Patel. Kukde trailed only in two urban constituencies by a margin of about 3000 votes: Gondia, Patels home town, and Bhandara, a reserved (SC) seat.

In the last two days, it turned into a battle not between two castes, but between people and leaders.

To his credit, Patel made amends in the last leg when the message went out to him from the people that leaving Kukde high and dry would not bode well for him in the long run in this constituency.

That the NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and newly appointed state president Jayant Patil rushed to Bhandara and Gondia to address public meetings in the last leg aided Kukde.

Local political watchers say it would now be difficult for Patel, a Rajya Sabha member, to stake a claim to an NCP ticket for 2019 Lok Sabha election, unless Kukde himself backs out from the race.

If the veteran is denied a ticket, the community with a formidable vote share would revolt.

Grassroots versus big trees

Kukdes victory was also shaped by a groundswell of support from the Congress grassroots workers, who went door to door to convince masses to vote for him and not the BJP.

It was a kind of silent mass campaign that the Congress had not tested in ages, sans any fanfare or the financial support. Five of the six Assembly segments that fall under this Lok Sabha constituency are erstwhile Congress strongholds, now with the BJP. It was Patoles switch to the BJP in 2014 that brought the Kunbi votes to the saffron fold. With Patole back in the Congress and Kukde, a candidate, this vote seems to have deserted the BJP this time around.

For a Congress worker in Bhandara and Gondia, Kukdes victory was the first occasion in long, long time to rent the air with Gulal to celebrate a victory  and they did so on Thursday with a sack-full.

An indifferent state Congress leadership did not even bother to go to Bhandara-Gondia for election campaigning, let alone sending any financial aid or other support to the local party workers. It was left to Patole and other local leaders to take a call on supporting Kukde. It turns out the Congress workers went out of the way and worked well in tandem when they were left to fend for themselves.

Among the Kukdes formidable supporters in this by-poll were the Congress grassroots workers, who got a chance after a long time to play centre stage and manage an election that was theirs for a taking.

Several local Congress leaders saw in this election an opportunity to reconnect with the masses and test the waters for their cause in the next assembly and local body elections.

Ironically where the Congress state leadership engaged  Palghar  the party finished a poor fifth and failed to save their candidates election deposit. That the State Congress leadership stands disconnected with their own party workers and masses is no more an open secret.

(The author is a Nagpur-based journalist and a volunteer for the Peoples Archive of Rural India. Views are personal)
Both Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar are visibly uncomfortable in the NDA. Both see themselves as the victims of BJPs aggressive expansionist moves to occupy their political space in Maharashtra and Bihar, respectively.

Interestingly, both the Sena and the JD(U) are sharing power with the BJP. One is a junior partner without a strong face in these states. The other is leading the government, but is unsure of how future ties would shape up after the next general elections.

Of the two, Shiv Sena has declared war against the BJP. The JD(U), on the other hand, is feeling uncomfortable after rejoining the NDA and is looking for realignment minus the saffron party.

Shiv Sena, the oldest BJP ally and once the big brother in Maharashtra under the stewardship of Bal Thackeray, was compelled to accept the role of junior partner after the BJP decided to severe ties, forcing Sena to contest the 2014 Assembly elections on its own strength. It emerged a poor No. 2 and agreed to join the BJP-led government.

In Bihar, Nitish Kumar joined forces with Lalu Prasad Yadavs RJD and the Congress to defeat the BJP in 2015 Assembly elections. At the time of swearing-in, a Congress veteran prophetically quipped: Lalu se raha nahi jayega, Nitish se saha nahi jayega aur Congress se kaha nahi jayega.

Despite repeated skirmishes with the BJP, both Uddhav Thackeray and Nitish Kumar are still within the NDA fold. And they have only two options  fight with the BJP openly or surrender meekly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

Ghut ghut ke marna ya ladai karke shaheed hona ye unhe tay karna hai (They have to decide whether to go down fighting as martyrs or prefer slow death by remaining in power), said a veteran political observer from Maharashtra.

In Punjab, the BJP could never make inroads to overwhelm Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to emerge as a stiff challenge to the senior alliance partner in the state. Interestingly, in the Punjab Assembly elections, the Congress and BJP seemed to have a common adversary in Arvind Kejriwal.

AAPs victory would have posed a threat to us (Congress and BJP) in the Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan Assembly elections, admits a BJP strategist.

The same formula of enemys enemy is a friend could be applied in Maharashtra as well where the BJP is the common target of the Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena and the MNS.

Shiv Senas saffron surge has always been different from the RSS definition of Hindutva. Its political doctrine has never been an impediment in its way of striking tactical understating with parties seen to be ideologically adversarial.

The Congress and NCP have been relatively comfortable with the Shiv Senas brand of Hindutva. The reason is simple. Sena checks the BJPs electoral and ideological expansion. Besides these parties, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has already given a call of Modi-mukt Bharat.

So who would be the biggest gainer from the possible anti-BJP front in Maharashtra? Uddhav Thackeray has thus far not tested any waters. He seems to be unsure of the reaction it would invite from Senas core votebank.

BJP top brass has already sensed the threat coming from Maharashtra. According to Shiv Sena insiders, the partys objective in 2019 general elections could be to dent and restrict the BJPs tally to a dozen seats in Maharashtra.

Thackeray's remarks during the campaigning for Palghar Lok Sabha bypolls  appealing for the coming together of all parties, including the Congress and the Communists  was indicative of his efforts to chart out a route independent of the BJP. It also showed that the Sena supremo could go to any extent to spite the BJP as he feels the Modi-Shah duo have consistently humiliated his party.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar could work on this strategy as he has been comfortable with the Congress, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray.

For Nitish, the options are limited after burning bridges with the Congress and dumping the RJD unceremoniously. The problem with Nitish is that he has never come to power on his own in Bihar. The BJP is now realising that if it wants to have a larger footprint in Bihar, the JD(U) needs to be either marginalised or given a secondary position.

(The author is a senior journalist. Views are personal)
New Delhi: Within minutes of JD(U) losing the Jokihat Assembly by-elections to Lalu Prasad Yadavs RJD, spokesperson KC Tyagi blamed the defeat on the BJP-led Centres failure to curb fuel prices.

But the margin of JD(U)s defeat  more than 41,000 votes  was a telling commentary of Chief Minister and party president Nitish Kumars losing ground.

This defeat came a day after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told News18 that Nitishs demand for special status to Bihar was constitutionally untenable. The Centre has a job to do and granting special status to one state would set off a chain reaction and result in more such demands, Gadkari said.

Sources close to Nitish said Gadkaris statement was unnecessary. We havent gone to the Centre asking for it (special status). Gadkari shouldnt have spoken about it. It wasnt needed. This issue is supported by all parties in Bihar and we are going to the 15th Finance Commission asking it to revisit it. They have to make changes in the policy, a source said.

Corridors of power in Bihar are abuzz with rumours of Nitish complaining about Centres neglect of his governments demands.

The Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF), which started during Atal Bihari Vajpayees tenure after the creation of Jharkhand, hasnt been given to the state since UPA 2. Flood relief for the state has also been cut by the Centre, said a bureaucrat who works closely with the Chief Minister.

When we entered into an alliance with the BJP, people had expectations of large scale growth. They would say that Bihar would get a double engine push with the same government at the Centre and in the state, but that hasnt happened, said a source in the JD(U).

The source, however, hinted that all was well between the allies, adding that the government in Bihar is running smooth and unlike in the Mahagathbandhan, Nitish has a free hand in matters of governance.

Highlighting the personal equation between Nitish and PM Modi, the source recalled how the two had an unscheduled meeting at Lok Kalyan Marg in the first week of May. Nitish was in Delhi to attend a meeting chaired by President Ram Nath Kovind on plans to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The two leaders met at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and then Nitish drove to the PMs residence. In the hour-long meeting, they discussed political and developmental issues.

Raising issues in the interest of the state shouldnt be seen as JD(U) being against the BJP, a source close to the CM said, adding that seat-sharing for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar has also been largely settled.

How can anyone claim to know that seat-sharing hasnt been settled? When the alliance was struck, lots of issues were discussed. Having worked together for years, both sides have shown enough maturity Nitish scaled down his national ambitions the day he entered into an alliance with the BJP, said the source.
Patna: The Bihar government appointed Anjani Kumar Singh as an advisor to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hours after his retirement as the states chief secretary on Friday.

Singh will hold the post of Policy and Programme Implementation Advisor and will enjoy the status of a minister of state, a government notification said. Singh is now entitled to six personal staff members, government bungalow and car for personal use.

"His responsibilities would include extending necessary advice and cooperation to the Chief Minister for effective and result-oriented implementation of the government's programmes and achievement of targets within the stipulated period of time," the notification said.

A 1981 batch IAS officer Singh, considered to be a close aide of Nitish Kumar, was due to retire in February this year but was granted three-month extension.

Singh had earlier served as the Principal Secretary to the CM following which he was elevated to the post of Chief Secretary by the Jitan Ram Manjhi government, overlooking the seniority of eight other IAS officers of the state cadre.

Following Singhs retirement, 1984-batch IAS officer Deepak Kumar has taken over as the new chief secretary.

The Nitish Kumar government had made a similar appointment in 2015 when poll strategist Prashant Kishor was made advisor and given the rank of cabinet minister. Kishor was widely credited with the BJPs win in 2014 general elections and the JD(U)-RJD-Congress Mahagathbandhan win in 2015 Assembly elections. Opposition uproar, however, prompted Kishor to make a quiet exit.
Ahmedabad: Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani was in Ahmedabad on Saturday to propagate achievements of the central government in the last four years. While she did list various scheme launched and implemented by the Narendra Modi-led government, she chose not to directly answer questions about issues other than her department.

When asked what she thought about opposition parties coming together to form a grand alliance against the BJP in the general elections next year, Irani said, This is indicative of the fact that opposition parties cannot win on the basis of their own popularity and prowess. They are struggling for survival. The coming together of several parties against the BJP is a backhanded compliment to Narendra Modi, which shows that they cannot win on their own.

When the union minister was quizzed over the Centres plans to reduce excise on petrol, diesel and LPG, she answered saying that it was up to the Gujarat excise department minister to take a decision on whether the duty should be reduced or not.

When specifically asked if the central government had any plans to reduce excise on petroleum, she replied, I am not the petroleum minister nor the finance minister. If I say something, it would be an irresponsible comment. All I can say is that the government will take a decision that will benefit the common man.

Irani, who was the union HRD minister until July 2016, also evaded questions on when the new education policy be announced and why was there a delay in doing so. The draft for the new education policy was put up in public domain and the current HRD minister has received many responses on it. Since I was the HRD minister earlier, it would be impolite for me to speak about it. In either case, the HRD minister has spoken extensively about it. I believe he is better disposed to give an answer to this question.

When asked about NDA allies like the Shiv Sena and Telugu Desam Party distancing themselves from the ruling party and how her party expects to win without them, Irani replied it was best to ask BJP national president Amit Shah this question. The NDA, led by the BJP, will comfortably win the 2019 general election. The BJP has said many times that it is willing to jointly contest with the Shiv Sena but Amit Shah is not addressing this conference and it will be best to ask him this question, said the union textiles minister.
Kolkata: Amid clamour for him to skip the RSS function on June 7, former President Pranab Mukherjee has said he will respond only in Nagpur.

Whatever I have to say, I will say in Nagpur. I have received several letters and phone calls but I havent responded to anyone yet, Mukherjee was quoted as saying by Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika.

Several senior Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, CK Jaffer Sharief and Ramesh Chennithala, have written to Mukherjee asking him to reconsider his decision.

Leader of opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala has said that Mukherjees decision to attend the function has come as a rude shock to the secular minds and he asked the former President to refrain from going to Nagpur.

Calling the RSS a communal outfit, Chennithala accused the Sangh of working towards creating a Hindu Rashtra comprising of only one section of the people which is against the Congress ideology of secularism and democracy.

Anandabazar Patrika quoted Ramesh citing sources. What happened suddenly that a great leader like Pranab Mukherjee who guided us all through his political career, is now going to attend RSS event to deliver a speech, Jairam Ramesh said, according to the Bengali daily.

However, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has gone against the grain and asked his former colleague to go ahead with his visit to the RSS headquarters. But he has a special request for him.

Chidambaram said Mukherjee should tell the RSS what is wrong with the outfit's ideology when he addresses its event. Now that he has accepted an invitation, there is no point debating why he did so, said Chidambaram. The more important thing to say is, sir you have accepted the invitation, please go there and tell them what is wrong with their ideology, he added.

Mukherjee will address Sangh workers on nationalism on June 7 and will also be the chief guest at the valedictory session of the Tritiya Varsh Varg or the Third Year Course.

His accepting the invite has led to a raging debate in political circles. Although the Congress had refrained from making a comment on the issue till now, there had been enough noises from its camp to suggest its clear displeasure.

The RSS, on its part, claimed even Mahatma Gandhi and Jaiprakash Narayan attended their functions and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had invited its workers for the Republic Day parade in 1963 after being impressed with its work.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari also jumped to his defence. He said, "The RSS is not Pakistan's ISI. The RSS is an organisation of nationalists." "Mukherjee's acceptance of the invitation is a good start. Political untouchability is not good," he added.
Lucknow: If writings on the wall are any indicator, Congress is all out on the ground to rope in as many opposition parties as it can in its fight against the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections, even more so in Madhya Pradesh, which is due for elections this year.

In Madhya Pradesh, a pre-poll alliance or an opposition 'mahagathbandhan' like that in Kairana looks like a strong possibility with both Congress and BSP sending feelers to each other.

If all goes well, even Samajwadi Party could ride the opposition bandwagon, along with other regional players.

Opposition and especially the idea of a mahagathbandhan against BJP got wings after a successful run first in Gorakhpur and Phulpur bypolls, followed by the recent Kairana victory. Meanwhile, the Karnataka elections have only reiterated the oppositions need to project a united front in order to fight the BJP.

The way the Congress rushed to extend unconditional support to JD(S) following a fractured mandate and subsequent maneuverings to counter BJP's moves, gave a sense that Congress is now willing to engage with regional parties and give them their due space. The icing came with the perfect photo op at Kumarswamy's oath-taking ceremony last month, echoing a larger opposition unity against BJP.

Sources say, Congress is now eager to dwell on the idea of a pre-poll alliance ahead of the Madhya Pradesh elections as well. The most promising ally here is likely to be the Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party with around 8 percent vote share and 4 MLAs in the present state assembly.

BSP enjoys a decent presence in the state as past statistics show that Congress and BSP combined would exceed their vote share as compared to the ruling BJP.

At a political level, there are several reasons to believe that the possibility of an alliance is very high and at some level even the channel of communication is also open between the Congress top brass and BSP president Mayawati.

Mayawati said on May 26, Our party is open to alliances with other parties in the upcoming state elections and other elections if such alliances are respectable ones.

Ahead of the 2019 General Elections, the only states left to face elections are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Mayawatis statement could very well indicate these states as BSP has a footing in all three of them.

Mayawati's recent statement and her bonhomie with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi have already sent out a strong political message.

Top leaders of AICC and those being responsible for Madhya Pradesh, too, are indicating at such possibilities. In fact, a senior Congress leader not willing to be quoted, said, Congress is willing to have both BSP and the Samajwadi Party on board ahead of the assembly elections.

According to sources, Congress wants to leave 50 seats for BSP and SP and contest the remaining 180 seats in Madhya Pradesh.

BSP and SP might get a larger number of seats in Bundelkhand and Chambal regions along the UP border as Congress would focus more on Vindhya.

However, BSP and SP are likely to demand a slightly larger slice of the pie while sources say things would be worked out as and when talks gain pace.

A senior leader of the Samajwadi Party said, We are in favour of this idea of opposition unity, but it will not be at the cost of our respect and politics. Our party is not putting its own strategy for Madhya Pradesh on hold because of a possible alliance.

Elections to three state assemblies are still a few month away, thus opposition parties have time to deliberate and formulate their strategy. No doubt there will be a lot to iron out in the process of seat sharing and it will be no easy task to consider everyones political interests and personal ambitions.
Washington: Donald Trump is a product of two things: Reality TV and the New York City tabloid culture. Some weeks those roots show more than others. This was one of those weeks.

Consider the 48-hour run from Wednesday afternoon until Friday afternoon. It began with Trump meeting with celebrity famous person Kim Kardashian in the White House to talk about prison reform. And, yes, of course, there was a picture of that historic summit. (Pics or it didn't happen!)

The bookend for the Kim K. news came on Friday afternoon when Trump, after huddling with a senior official from North Korea, announced that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which he had called off last month, was actually back on! And on the same day (June 12) and in the same place (Singapore) as the one Trump pulled out of with a publicly released letter!

This is the Trump presidency. Kim Kardashian using her famousness for being famous to push a pet issue at the White House one day and a historic nuclear summit with Kim Jong Un on another day.

Highs and lows. Ups and downs. Roller coaster always. Below are the 30 major headlines from the week that was in Trump world.

Monday:

Ivanka Trump granted seven new trademarks in China

Trump honors fallen service members at Arlington National Cemetery

US delegation travels to North Korea for potential summit preparation

Tuesday:

Trump says, without proof, that Mueller team will meddle in midterm elections

White House slaps 25% tariff on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods

Bolton adds two loyalists to the National Security Council

Trump holds rally in Tennessee to help GOP in key Senate race

NYT: Mueller probing Trump's request that Sessions rescind his recusal from Russia investigation

'Taxi King' gets better plea deal after raid on Trump's lawyer

Wednesday:

Giuliani says Trump won't fire Jeff Sessions before Mueller probe ends

Trump wishes he hadn't picked Jeff Sessions for attorney general

Trump still has 'concerns' about unfounded spy allegations, Sarah Sanders says

North Korean ex-spy chief arrives in US for Pompeo meeting

Avenatti drops request to participate in Cohen case after warning to 'stop your publicity tour'

Avenatti alleges Michael Cohen recorded 'inappropriate' conversations

Trump signs 'Right to Try Act' aimed at helping terminally ill patients seek drug treatments

Trump's weight-loss regimen: fish and half a bun

White House: 'No one's defending' Roseanne, but Trump still owed an apology

Kim Kardashian meets with Trump to discuss prison reform

Thursday:

Trump hits Canada, Mexico, EU with steel and aluminum tariffs

Trump pardons Dinesh D'Souza -- and hints at more celebrity pardons

Trump says talks with North Korea going 'very well'

Trump, again, denies firing Comey over Russia despite saying exactly that at the time

Pompeo says he doesn't know if Kim-Trump summit will happen

Friday:

Trump says Bee should be fired over Ivanka slur

Unemployment rate matches lowest point in half a century

Pentagon says nearly 500 civilians killed in US military operations in Trump's first year

Melania Trump's absence continues, skipping Camp David weekend

Trump to receive letter from Kim Jong Un

Trump says Singapore summit with Kim is back on
Lahore: Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jammat-ud-Dawah will contest the July 25 general elections on the platform of Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek as the group's Milli Muslim League is yet to be registered as a political party, a senior member of the outfit said on Saturday.

Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), a front for the Lashkar-e- Taiba militant group that carried out the deadly 2008 Mumbai attack, launched its political front Milli Muslim League, but it has not been yet registered by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

With general elections approaching, the group has decided to contest on the platform of the "dormant" political entity Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT), which was registered in the ECP. "It was a kind of dormant party registered by a citizen Ehsan. There are several such parties registered with the ECP and such an arrangement is made ahead of the general elections if any mainstream party or organisation faces any issue or complication," a member of the JuD told PTI.

"Since the Milli Muslim League (MML) fails to get registered with the ECP it is going for this arrangement (contesting the upcoming polls on AAT platform)," he said.

MML president Saifullah Khalid will make a formal announcement regarding this shortly, he added. The AAT's election symbol is 'chair'.

"Now the JuD/MML candidates will contest on the 'chair' symbol across the country," the member said.

He said since the MML has hardly any chance to get registered with the ECP as it had announced the election schedule and issued election symbols, it had no other option but to contest the election on any 'dormant' entity like AAT or support the Mutahidda Majlis Amal (MMA), an alliance of mainstream religious parties of the country. "But Saeed chose to contest independently," he said.

The MML has also confirmed contesting the July 25 election on the 'chair' symbol. "We have decided to support the candidates of AAT in July 25 elections," MML President Saifullah Khalid told PTI.

"We will play a role in the victory of those contesting on the symbol of chair. To save Pakistan, patriotic people should be supported in the elections," he said.

Khalid said the MML had been denied registration in the ECP for the last 11 months but will take part in the polls by supporting the candidates of AAT. "Meanwhile we will continue fighting our case (registration of MML) in the court and ECP," he added.

The MML president said over 350 political parties were registered with the ECP but there are objection regarding the MML. "I ask the MML workers to get ready and make full preparations across the country to make the AAT candidates successful in the upcoming elections. We have to serve humanity and no one can stop us from our political struggle," he said.

Meanwhile, the MML has filed a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the ECP for using delaying tactics regarding its enlisting as a political party as per law. June 11 is fixed for the case hearing in the IHC.

The court in March had set aside the ECP order declining registration of the MML.

Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC bench had referred the matter to the ECP, directing the electoral body to pass a speaking order.

The MML had challenged the October 11 order of the ECP declining registration to the MML as a political party allegedly on the behest of the interior ministry.

The interior ministry had opposed enlisting of the MML as a political party arguing it's an offshoot of the Jamaatud Dawa of Hafiz Saeed banned under a UN resolution.

The JuD formed MML at the time when Saeed was detained in Lahore. Saeed and his four aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain - were placed under house arrest in Lahore on January 30 under anti-terrorism act.

The JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief also carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for his role in terror activities.
Singapore: China's military build-up in the South China Sea and its deployment of high-end weapons systems in the disputed waterway is designed to intimidate and coerce neighbours, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday.

Speaking at a high-profile security summit in Singapore, the Pentagon chief also said the US military continues to support diplomats pushing for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Mattis said Beijing had deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities.

Beijing has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue.

He also called out Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea.

Mattis' address in Singapore was the second time he had attended the summit since becoming Pentagon chief.

He returned to a theme that he and other senior US officials have hammered since President Donald Trump took office -- that America is here to stay in the Asia-Pacific region and that allies should stick with Washington instead of aligning with Beijing.

Tariffs on close allies

But the message of inclusivity, cooperation and working with allies might be a tougher sell for Mattis, who is generally popular on the international scene, after his boss this week imposed metals tariffs on some of America's closest allies in the name of "national security".

"Most countries in the region which are part of the global supply chain are anxious that they will be impacted by a trade war between China and the US," said Murray Hiebert, a senior associate of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

In a dig at China, which the Pentagon has accused of using "predatory" economics to exploit neighbours, Mattis said the US supports the peaceful resolution of disputes, "free, fair and reciprocal trade and investment" and adherence to international rules and norms.

Despite frequent warnings from Washington about China's rising might and the pitfalls of its "Belt and Road" global infrastructure initiative, Beijing has faced few consequences for its South China Sea buildup and sweeping territorial claims.

One modest exception came last week when the Pentagon disinvited China from biennial maritime exercises in the Pacific. Mattis characterised this action as an "initial response".

Delegates hoping for clarity on Trump's intentions for a scheduled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not get much from Mattis.

He has steadfastly avoided weighing in on the issue, deferring questions to the State Department and Trump's national security team.

"On the Korean peninsula, we hold the line with our allies, supporting our diplomats who lead this effort," Mattis said.

"Our objective remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."
Singapore: Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 U.N. World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

"If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing?

"There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly."

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organisations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading".

"Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less."

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.
Canada: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has a reputation for playing it safe on burning political issues, showed a new level of grit in the face of two crises, and it may help him win re-election in 2019.

On Thursday, Trudeau hit back at punishing US tariffs on steel and aluminum with Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion) in duties on US goods, and accused American President Donald Trump of lacking "common sense."

His actions and words were in stark contrast to the charm offensive he launched after Trump's inauguration in 2016.

The amateur pugilist traded in his "sunny ways" for fighting words. He also launched the largest trade action that Canada has taken in eight decades.

Canadians, industry and even opposition parties applauded the prime minister's unusually pointed rebuke of Trump and retaliatory tariffs.

"Trudeau uttered some of the harshest words a prime minister has directed at an American administration in decades," said Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert, calling this a "watershed moment in the Donald Trump-era Canada/US relationship."

"It is not every day that a Canadian head of government pointedly notes that he is dealing with a US administration that is short on common sense" or "that a prime minister uses a news conference to dig in his heels in a trade negotiation," she noted.

Two days earlier the prime minister stuck his neck out to save an oil pipeline project, likely alienating environmentalists but picking up broader support with his defense of the energy sector.

University of Ottawa professor Patrick Leblond said in an interview with AFP that Trudeau's newfound swagger "will help the Liberals in the next election."

"I think people understand that this (trade row) is not the Liberals' fault in any way," he said.

"I think the Canadian government did as much as they could to avert this outcome, they've tried engagement and continue to do so. It's Donald Trump's failure to understand the implications for the US and world economy of his isolationist policies."

- Punching back -

If the Canadian economy tanks as a result of a trade row, however, that may change. "We know that the incumbent party suffers (at the ballot box) when the economy is bad," Leblond said.

Since 2016, Canada and the United States have sparred over softwood lumber and aircrafts, while also endeavoring to negotiate, along with Mexico, a revamp of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Washington had granted Canada and Mexico an exemption on the metals tariffs to give the parties time to successfully renegotiate the 1994 continental trade pact.

But those talks are now bogged down.

On Thursday, the US announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from Canada and others, from Friday.

Canada responded with duties of 25 percent on US steel and aluminum, and 10 percent on consumer goods such as ketchup, orange juice, sailboats and washing machines, which will take effect July 1.

"The government of Canada is confident that shared values, geography and common interests will ultimately overcome protectionism," Trudeau told a news conference on Thursday.

"We have to believe that at some point common sense will prevail, but we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration."

He said Ottawa would try to convince Washington to repeal the tariffs, but the Trump administration has so far stood firm.

In a Twitter message, the American president lashed out at Canada for treating US farmers "very poorly for a very long period of time."

"If President Trump thinks this move will give him leverage in the NAFTA negotiations, I think Canada's response shows he's wrong," Leblond opined.

"Canada has negotiated in good faith, but at some point if you punch us in the face, we'll punch back," he said.

In the end, "this fight is not going to be resolved through diplomacy or at the G7 next week; it's going to be political developments in the United States," he added, noting that Canadian tariffs on US consumer goods aimed to sway voters in key districts in the upcoming US mid-term elections.
New York: A retired English teacher found many errors in a White House letter bearing President Donald Trump's signature and mailed it back after making corrections, a media report said.

The letter, dated May 3 and printed on White House stationery, was addressed to Yvonne Mason, 61, who retired in 2017. After she made the corrections, she snapped a picture, posted the letter on Facebook and mailed it back to the White House.

"It was a poorly worded missive," she told The New York Times on Sunday.

"Poor writing is not something I abide. If someone is capable of doing better, then they should do better."

Mason, a Democrat who lives in Atlanta, had written to Trump to ask that he visit each family of those who died in the shooting that killed 17 people at a school in Parkland, Florida, in February.

"I had written to them in anger, to tell you the truth," she said. "I thought he owed it to these grieving families."

According to the former teacher, the letter she received did not address her concerns.

Instead, it listed a series of actions taken after the shooting, like listening sessions, meetings with lawmakers and the STOP School Violence Act, a bill that would authorise $500 million over 10 years for safety improvements at schools but had no provisions related to guns.

Some of the things Mason wrote in the letter were: "Have y'all tried grammar & style check?"

"Federal is capitalised only when used as part of a proper noun."

There was more, but she did not correct everything.

"I did not mention the dangling modifier... I focused mainly on mechanics," Mason told The New York Times.

"Nation" was capitalised, so was "states". She circled both the words.

The letter stood in contrast to other letters she has received from politicians, Mason said.

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, sent "beautiful" letters that struck a tone that "makes me more important than him", she said.
Paris: Saudi Arabia's King Salman has threatened to take military action if Qatar installs a Russian air defence system, France's Le Monde newspaper reported.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar last year, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, which it denies.

Qatar and Russia signed an agreement on military and technical cooperation last year. Qatar's ambassador to Russia was quoted as saying in January that it was in talks to buy the Russian S-400 missile air defence systems.

Le Monde said that Saudi King Salman had written a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing his profound concern over negotiations between Doha and Moscow and the possibility that Qatar could deploy the missiles.

"The kingdom would be ready to take all necessary measures to eliminate this defence system, including military action," Le Monde quoted the letter to Macron as saying. It said the letter had been sent "recently", but was not more specific.

Salman asked Macron for his assistance to prevent the sale of the missiles and preserve peace in the region, Le Monde said.

The French president's office and the Saudi government's communications office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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NEW MILFORD  Just 90 days into the newly created grants position, Tammy Reardon announced the town has been awarded about $400,000 in grants.

The position of grants and compliance specialist was created this winter as a way for the town to get more revenue to offset the loss of millions in state aid for the current fiscal year and possible cuts for the upcoming year.

When Mayor Pete Bass announced creation of the position, he said he expects it to bring in at least $2 million in federal, state and private aid annually.

On Tuesday, Reardon told Town Council she has identified more than $2.7 million in possible grant opportunities in the next 12 months, including $250,000 for healthy meal options for seniors through AARP. Shes also going to meet with staff of the Western Connecticut Council of Government to find grants for road and bridge projects.

She said the bulk of the grant opportunities are geared toward seniors, given the increased senior population in New Milford and the state as a whole.

So far, Reardon has applied for $464,000 in grants and been awarded $401,000. She expects to hear about other applications this summer.

Of that $401,000, about $351,000 is money from the states Local Capital Improvement Program and is expected to be deposited in the towns account on June 11, Reardon said.

She pointed out that, while it is a non-competitive grant, it does require extensive paperwork.

You shouldnt be paying the finance director to do it, she said. He has more important work to do.

During the previous fiscal year  the 2016-17 fiscal year  the town applied for and received nearly $1.2 million, Reardon said Friday.

That number does not include grants received last year that the town had applied for several years prior, including $180,000 in GE Settlement funds applied for in 2007 and more than $1.9 million in state Department of Economic and Community Development funding for the Century Enterprise demolition.

Both of those programs had either lengthy review, authorization and allocation time frames, specific to each project, Reardon said.

Reardon said she has also been meeting with department heads to assess their needs so she can look for grants in their areas of responsibility. She is also making sure the town complies with the requirements of current grants.

Its important to maintain the compliance piece moving forward, she said, adding it helps the town be approved for future grants.

Council members applauded her efforts so far.

Job well done, Councilwoman Katy Francis said.

kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345
Editors note: This is the second of a series of profiles of candidates for the U.S. House from Connecticuts 5th Congressional District.

Jahana Hayes had two dreams while she was growing up with her grandmother in Waterburys toughest housing project: to be a teacher and to live in a house with a back yard.

When she got pregnant at 17 - the same age her mother got pregnant with her, and the same age her grandmother got pregnant with her mother  Hayes was forced to delay college, but resolved to follow the detour to her destination.

In 2016, when Hayes was named the National Teacher of the Year for her work in the same public high school where she was a teenage mom, it seemed as though her story had come full circle.

That was certainly the view of the daughter Hayes had in high school, who grew up to become a history teacher, just like her mom.

I told my class that my mom was the National Teacher of the Year and that my family had met President Obama, said Asia Clermont, 28, the oldest of Hayes four children. And I thought that would be the highlight of her life and her career.

But it might be that the story is just beginning for Hayes, who never dreamed that she would run for Congress.

I look at the grace and the blessings that I have had in my life, because I know where I should be, says Hayes, 45, of Wolcott, who is running in the August primary for the 5th District against Mary Glassman.

I feel obligated to help improve the outcomes for other people, Hayes said. This is where I think I can be the most impactful - to be a voice at the table who understands what people in this state, in this district, in these households are going through.

The principal of Waterburys John F. Kennedy High School, where Hayes taught for 13 years, said the attributes voters want in a Congressional representative are those that good teachers bring to the classroom.

We are talking about tireless workers who are dedicated to something larger than themselves, who make lives better, and who are not doing it for the money, said Robert Johnston. And when you speak about Jahana, she brings an incredible amount of passion and energy to improve the lives of others that is contagious; I have seen it myself, and it is amazing.

Although Hayes 2016 award was Waterburys biggest story of the year and her subsequent speaking tour of the United States in 2017 gave her national exposure, not all Democrats in greater Danbury know her story.

She was singled out for getting students to volunteer in community service projects such as Habitat for Humanity, which led to better classroom performance, and for her initiative to recruit more minority teachers.

I was trying to help kids understand that no matter how little you have, you still have the capacity to give, Hayes said. Anybody can be a giver, and thats one thing nobody can take away from you.

Hayes is now Waterbury school districts talent and professional development supervisor.

Jahana has an uncanny vision of her students and their situations, said Cassandra Fann-Pierce, a child development teacher at Kennedy High School who co-advised a club with Hayes called HOPE, for Helping Out People Everywhere. She was able to see possibilities and identify opportunities, but refused to stop there: she had the foresight to turn ideas into actions.

At stake in the 5th

If the 5th Congressional District seems as though its been in the news a lot this year, its for good reason. In early April, three-term Democrat Elizabeth Esty shocked the district by announcing she would not seek re-election, just days after Hearst Connecticut Media broke the news that she covered up an office abuse scandal.

The resulting scramble in both parties to field big-name candidates in Connecticuts most competitive Congressional seat was followed by Hayes strong showing at the district Democratic convention in mid-May.

Hayes, who had joined the race only two weeks before the convention, would have won the endorsement if not for an eleventh-hour vote switch by three delegates that gave Glassman the edge.

At that point, Glassman had been raising money for a month and had impressed Democrats with the strength of her organization.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, who had encouraged Hayes to run, assured her after the convention disappointment that she was as qualified as anyone to represent Connecticut in Washington, D.C. It took her just one day to decide to stay in the race and challenge Glassman, a former 8-term first selectman from Simsbury.

In characteristic fashion, Hayes made her decision after drawing on her childhood trials, and her challenges as a working mom, pursuing a degree to make her dream a reality.

We have to break away from these traditional ideas of the right way to do everything, and deal with people the way they are and let them know whatever their situation, we can help navigate a path through this... Hayes said during an interview in Danbury last week with The News-Times. I am in that situation right now where I obviously would have loved to come out of the convention with the endorsement ... but to have to navigate out of this speaks to resilience and persistence.

With Republicans waging their own battle for Estys seat, voters in greater Danbury can expect to see more headlines about the 5th District as the August primary nears.

Hayes, who was in Danbury last week to attend the city Democratic Partys annual dinner, has been telling those who question her political experience about the parallels between being a teacher and being a leader.

The classroom is emblematic of everything that is happening in our society right now, Hayes told The News-Times. People talk about education as a single-issue thing, but in my classroom we are dealing with health care and homelessness and gun violence and addiction, because before I can begin to teach young people, we have to get through all those layers.

Hayes connected with students by sharing her own experiences growing up in poverty and crime, she said.

I remember as a young girl the coroner removing a dead body from the hallway, and I remember that smell the next day as we were playing in that same space, Hayes said. I want people to understand that there are young people who are in that situation right now who are worrying about making it home safely  and hearing gunshots in the middle of the night.

Dreams and vision

Although it is true that Hayes never dreamed of anything but being a teacher, its easy to see how running for Congress fits her, supporters said.

As a teenager, Hayes would drag her best friend around Waterbury during election time, rounding up people to vote for Democrats.

She was always talking about how important elections were and about making your voice heard, said her best friend from childhood, Ramona Brock. She always wanted to be a teacher, but maybe this is truly her ultimate purpose.

Hayes is inclined to agree.

Standing before the National Education Association during its 2016 convention, Hayes told educators from around the country, I am my students, a reference to her method of connecting to students by sharing her life with them.

Now, in the campaign for Congress, where she shares how her own life formed her vision to make others lives better, Hayes could just as easily say, I am my constituents.

I am a consensus-builder and a respecter of people, Hayes said. And I have learned that even though we may have different experiences, at the end of the day I know there is good in people.

That is despite her experience of being National Teacher of the Year during the contentious 2016 election, when she would go to some parts of the country to speak and be warned about what to expect.

I was forewarned that there was hostility, and people straight out said to me the only reason I was selected was because I was a person of color, Hayes said. Then I realized that is no different than the narrative that has played out my whole life. I had to just ignore it and keep moving forward.

Hayes will campaign in the districts 41 towns and cities over the next two months, trying to match Glassmans organization.

Last week, Glassmans campaign said she had raised $170,000, and planned to raise $340,000 more by the primary.

Hayes had raised $100,000 with the help of Meghan Scanlon, who was helping Esty raise money for her re-election when the incumbent dropped out.

Meanwhile, Hayes biggest fans are watching her run with intense interest.

Everything in life kind of works out the way it is supposed to, even though you dont know how, said Hayes' daughter, Clermont. I am just amazed at the last two years about everything that my mom has accomplished.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
The Carnival of Space 563 is at Everyday Spacer.

Universe Today- There was Evidence for Europas Geysers Hiding in Plain Sight in Old Spacecraft Data From 1997

Jupiters moon Europa continues to fascinate and amaze! In 1979, the Voyager missions provided the first indications that an interior ocean might exist beneath its icy surface. Between 1995 and 2003, the Galileo spaceprobe provided the most detailed information to date on Jupiters moons to date. This information bolstered theories about how life could exist in a warm water ocean located at the core-mantle boundary.

Even though the Galileo mission ended when the probe crashed into Jupiters atmosphere, the spaceprobe is still providing vital information on Europa. After analyzing old data from the mission, NASA scientists have found independent evidence that Europas interior ocean is venting plumes of water vapor from its surface.

Universe Today- The Pressure Inside Every Proton is 10x That Inside Neutron Stars

Neutron stars are famous for combining a very high-density with a very small radius. As the remnants of massive stars that have undergone gravitational collapse, the interior of a neutron star is compressed to the point where they have similar pressure conditions to atomic nuclei. Basically, they become so dense that they experience the same amount of internal pressure as the equivalent of 2.6 to 4.1 quadrillion Suns.

Universe Today- Are Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts Coming From the Collapse of Strange Star Crusts?

Fast Radio Bursts (FBRs) have fascinated astronomers ever since the first one was detected in 2007. This event was named the Lorimer Burst after it discoverer, Duncan Lorimer from West Virginia University. In radio astronomy, this phenomenon refers to transient radio pulses coming from distant cosmological sources, which typically last a few milliseconds on average.

Over two dozen events have been discovered since 2007 and scientists are still not sure what causes them  though theories range from exploding stars and black holes to pulsars and magnetars.

The Hill  Ted Cruz and Bill Nelson give NASA a reality check on privatizing International Space Station

Ted Cruz and Bill Nelson believe the Trump administrations plan to privatize the ISS by 2025 is not happening. It is questionable whether a sufficient business case exists under which private companies can create a self-sustaining and profit-making business independent of significant government funding. In particular, it is unlikely that a private entity or entities would assume the Stations annual operating costs, currently projected at $1.2 billion in 2024. Such a business case requires robust demand for commercial market activities such as space tourism, satellite servicing, manufacturing of goods, and research and development, all of which have yet to materialize.

Blasting News  China launches communications satellite called Queqiao toward the moon

Nextbigfuture  Robert Zubrin has new propellantless space propulsion concept  Dipole Drive

Nextbigfuture- Zubrin Moon Direct Plan

Nextbigfuture  Bezos and blue origin will work with NASA and ESA for moon base
Google will not seek another contract for its controversial work providing artificial intelligence to the U.S. Department of Defense for analyzing drone footage after its current contract expires.

Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene announced the decision at a meeting with employees Friday morning, three sources told Gizmodo. The current contract expires in 2019 and there will not be a follow-up contract, Greene said. The meeting, dubbed Weather Report, is a weekly update on Google Clouds business.

Google would not choose to pursue Maven today because the backlash has been terrible for the company, Greene said, adding that the decision was made at a time when Google was more aggressively pursuing military work. The company plans to unveil new ethical principles about its use of AI next week. A Google spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about Greenes comments.

Project Maven uses artificial intelligence to enhance drone strikes. Google has also worked to develop machine learning algorithms that would help the Pentagon enhance its surveillance efforts generally.

4,000 Google employees signed a petition demanding a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology. About a dozen employees resigned in protest.

Googles senior leadership was enthusiastically supportive of Project Mavenespecially because it would set Google Cloud on the path to win larger Pentagon contractsbut deeply concerned about how the companys involvement would be perceived.

Government authorization, known as FedRAMP, establishes security standards for cloud services that contract with the government. But Google didnt have itso it had to rely on other geospatial imagery for its early work on Project Maven. According to an email written by Aileen Black, an executive director overseeing Googles business with the U.S. government, Project Maven sponsored Googles application for higher levels of FedRAMP authorization, Security Requirements Guide 4 and 5. They are really fast tracking our SRG4 ATO (security cert), she wrote. This is priceless.

On March 23, 2018, Google was excited to announce that Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Googles underlying common infrastructure have received the FedRAMP Rev. 4 Provisional Authorization to Operate (P-ATO) at the Moderate Impact level from the FedRAMP Joint Authorization Board (JAB).

Google Cloud Platform (GCP), like all our products, is built with security as a core design and development principle. Google goes to great lengths to document how their infrastructure and platforms can help their customers keep their data safe. But third-party validation helps.

FedRAMP is a U.S. government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. FedRAMP compliance is an involved process with a high quality bar for cloud data security, and a JAB Provisional Authorization requires a rigorous technical review process.
From June to November, Connecticut residents experience hurricane season, but some years are worse than others.

Earlier this summer, tropical storm Elsa hit Connecticut and caused power outages in thousands of homes across the state. However, last year's tropical storm Isaias heavily affected state residents. Hitting early August, Isaias damaged power lines, utility poles and trees. Tropical storm Isaias caused over 750,000 power outages in the state, with some residents not having power for a week.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer some tips to get ready for a storm: gathering emergency supplies, getting gas for your car and preparing in case of an evacuation.

"Just in case, you need a hurricane plan in place, especially if you live in a flood prone area that you may have to evacuate," Dan Kottlowski, Senior Meteorologist at AccuWeather, told Hearst Connecticut Media in a previous interview. "Dont wait until the last minute."

The most damaging storms turn into hurricanes with winds of more than 74 mph like the hurricane of September 1938, considered by weather experts to be the worst storm to ever hit New England. The day it landed, the Associated Press reported that a tropical hurricane was heading towards the Northeast, but this was before the advance of forecasting technology. When the hurricane struck the coast, it took nearly everyone by surprise.

"The 1938 [hurricane] was one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit New England," said Kottlowski. "It was a fast-moving hurricane and caught a lot of people off guard. When the storm started accelerating, it caused a huge storm surge that we've never seen in modern history in New England.

Most of the destruction was caused by water and the worst damage was right along the coast of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Almost 700 people died and more than 60,000 people lost their homes, according to news reports.

In 1954, Hurricane Carol hit the state, killing 72 people and causing an estimated $460 million in damages in today's dollars. Tropical storm Diane ravaged the coast of New England a year later, unleashing some of the most devastating floods the region has seen and killing dozens of people.

Many in Connecticut still remember the day Hurricane Gloria made landfall in Southwestern Connecticut on September 27, 1985. Its winds and rains destroyed hundreds of homes from Westport to Milford. News reports spoke of at least eight people killed and thousands homeless.

Hurricanes Irene and Sandy rank among the deadliest and costliest storms in recent memory. Irene, which struck in late August 2011, will long be remembered for its widespread damage from the Caribbean to Canada. Multiple states along the East Coast declared states of emergency and hundreds of thousands of people had to evacuate or lost their homes in the aftermath of the hurricane. In October 2012, Superstorm Sandy inundated many Connecticut coastal towns and was responsible for more than 110 deaths throughout the U.S.
The Church Street South housing complex in New Haven has been in the news over the years. Here's a look through the years.
A North Augusta man was arrested and charged Thursday, May 31, in connection with the double murder in the Hahn Village public housing complex in Aiken in November 2017.

Anthony Tyron Price, 26, is charged with two counts of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to jail records.

Price was denied bond Friday morning in magistrate court at the Aiken County detention center.

Price is charged in the deaths of Harry A. Butler, 26, and Logan Michael Novak, 28, who were both shot sitting in a vehicle on the 300 block of Bradby Lane on Nov. 18, 2017, according to Aiken Public Safety.

The suspect then fled the scene, police said.

According to arrest warrants, police believe Price shot Butler "in the head at a close range with a handgun" and shot Novak "in the face and back at close range with a handgun."

This double homicide has been being investigated by the ATF Regional Anti-Gang Enforcement RAGE Unit, which consists of ATF, Aiken Public Safety, the North Augusta Department of Public Safety, the Aiken County Sheriffs Office, the Richmond County Sheriffs Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Two Aiken men ID'd as victims in double homicide at Hahn Village The Aiken County Coroner's Office has released the identities of the two men who were killed in a double homicide early Sunday morning in Hahn Village in Aiken.

Public Safety responds to double homicide According to a release from Aiken Department of Public Safety, officers responded to reports of a shooting on Bradby Lane in Hahn Village, at 12:19 a.m., Sunday morning.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, announced on Jan. 29, they were offering a reward up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murders of Harry A. Butler and Logan Michael Novak in Aiken, according to a release.

Price has been charged many times in the past for crimes such as armed robbery, burglary, kidnapping and several drug convictions, according to detention center records.

Aiken Public Safety investigators are seeking additional information from members of the community. ATF is offering up to $10,000 for additional information in this case. Callers can contact the ATF Tip Line by dialing 888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477). In addition, callers with information related to this incident can contact CrimeStoppers of the Midlands at 888-CRIME-SC (888-274-6372). Callers to CrimeStoppers of the Midlands will remain anonymous, and could be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds light and variable.
Managing Editor

Having lived and worked in Indy on and off since 1977, and currently living in Carmel, I've seen the city change a great deal. I love covering the arts in all its forms, and the places where the arts and broader cultural issues intersect.
WASHINGTON  The lobbyist whose wife rented a $50-a-night condo to Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, has revised his disclosure reports after his firm concluded he had not properly disclosed additional efforts to influence Mr. Pruitt and the agency  including appeals when Mr. Pruitt was living in the condo.

The lobbying firm, Williams & Jensen, has refiled lobbying disclosure reports from 2017 to acknowledge that Steve Hart, the firms former chairman, lobbied the E.P.A. on behalf of Coca-Cola and a government board from Puerto Rico helping the island address its fiscal debts. Lobbyists are legally required to disclose which agencies they target and the topic of their lobbying work.

The revisions come after an outside review of the activities of Mr. Hart, whose wife, Vicki Hart, rented the condo to Mr. Pruitt. The E.P.A. chief lived in the unit from shortly after his confirmation in February 2017 until August 2017.

Previously, both Mr. Hart and Mr. Pruitt  in defending the condo lease as not representing a conflict of interest  had said that Mr. Hart never lobbied Mr. Pruitt. Earlier, however, emails released as part of congressional investigation into Mr. Pruitt in April showed that Mr. Hart in fact had met with Mr. Pruitt in July 2017, on behalf of a former Smithfield Foods executive who then served on the Smithfield Foundation board.
As cities across the United States pulled back from towering public housing developments in the waning decades of the last century, New York City held firm.

Others may have been plagued by mismanagement and corruption, but the nations oldest and largest public housing system, the New York City Housing Authority, stood out as a relatively successful example of what was possible: a subsidized housing model borrowed from Europe that still provides 180,000 affordable homes for poor and working-class New Yorkers.

Yet for years, the authority, underfunded and overlooked, has been crumbling. Now it is facing a period of federal oversight and court-mandated spending on repairs that could exceed $1 billion and would stretch over at least the next four years

How did we get here?

The decision by Mayor Bill de Blasio to avoid a legal battle and negotiate a settlement with the United States attorney in Manhattan, a process that could be finished as soon as next week, capped months of turmoil at the authority, including the departure of its chairwoman and other top officials amid scandal involving false certifications of lead-paint inspections.
In the lawsuit filed on Friday in Federal District Court in Manhattan, Ms. Thompson said she first talked to Mr. Weinstein about her digital marketing platform at a meeting in his office at 375 Greenwich Street on Sept. 29, 2011. He asked if he was allowed to flirt with her, then caressed her leg and put his hand up her skirt as she was trying to demonstrate the product, the suit said. She moved away from him, but continued her sales pitch.

Mr. Weinstein then said he had to edit a film and asked her to meet him for a drink at 5:30 p.m. at the TriBeCa Grand to continue the conversation. At the hotel, he led her to a room, where, she said, a few minutes later he forced her onto a bed and raped her. Thompson was fighting back, but could not outmuscle him, the lawsuit said.

The other plaintiffs in the class-action suit are both actresses: Caitlin Dulany and Larissa Gomes. Ms. Dulany accused Mr. Weinstein of sexually assaulting her in a room at the Hotel du Cap in Cannes, France, in 1996. Ms. Gomes said Mr. Weinstein invited her to his room at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto in 2000, ostensibly to talk about parts for her, then groped her breasts and propositioned her, saying other actresses had no problem having sex with him. She fled the room.

The New York Times does not normally publish the names of victims of sex crimes. Elizabeth A. Fegan, the lawyer for the three plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said they had consented to their names being published.

Their allegations follow a now-familiar script. More than 80 women, some of them famous actresses, have come forward in the last seven months to accuse Mr. Weinstein of sexually harassing or assaulting them in hotel rooms and his offices, often during what he had said would be business meetings about films. Once one of Hollywoods most successful producers, Mr. Weinstein has been turned by these accusations into a symbol of sexual harassment and the catalyst for the #MeToo movement.
ALBANY  A $15 million state-built film studio outside Syracuse, which promised to produce hundreds of jobs and bring Hollywoods glitter to Central New York, hit an inglorious milestone on Friday with its sale to a new corporation set up by Onondaga County to manage it.

The price? $1.

The flop of the Central New York Film Hub, built by frequent and generous donors to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo who are facing federal corruption charges, had been presaged almost since its announcement in 2014, when the governor wondered aloud the miracle of the concept.

Who would have ever figured: Hollywood comes to Onondaga, right? Mr. Cuomo said. You would have never guessed. But it has.

It actually never did.

Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat facing re-election in the fall, had promised that the project would create at least 350 new high-tech jobs and would be a hot spot for cutting-edge filmmaking techniques. But beyond temporary construction jobs, sporadic shoots and a lucrative contract for its builder, COR Development, the film hub has been anything but a success. It sat rarely used and became the subject of lawsuits by COR, which said the state owed it back rent.
Mr. Grimm was convicted of felony tax fraud, which led to a federal prison stay of several months. Prosecutors said he underreported wages and revenue at his Manhattan restaurant and filed false tax documents.

Some Republican strategists fear that if Mr. Grimm were to defeat Mr. Donovan, it could pave the way for a Democrat to win the general election this November, when Democratic turnout is expected to be heavy.

There is little doubt that Staten Island, New York Citys most conservative borough, is Trump country, and what the president decrees can trickle down to kitchen tables and backyard barbecues. For many, Mr. Trump and Mr. Grimm represent a strange political fusion. At a recent campaign event for Mr. Grimm, supporters held aloft signs emblazoned with Grimm on one side and Trump on the other.

But after the presidents tweets on Wednesday, a swing through some of Staten Islands suburban enclaves  communities like Bulls Head, Graniteville and Todt Hill  found that, despite Mr. Trumps endorsement of Mr. Donovan, many voters remained committed to Mr. Grimm, 48, a former F.B.I. agent and Marine who was elected to Congress in 2010. Indeed, an unofficial survey suggested that Michael Grimm lawn signs outnumbered those for Mr. Donovan by 20-to-1.
And finally, chronic stress typically causes insomnia and sleep deprivation, which can impede neurogenesis in the hippocampus. So if you like to pull all-nighters to study, think again: Your brain is a poor learner without sleep.

And here parents do have something to be concerned about. A 2017 survey found that about 40 percent of adolescents in 2015 slept less than seven hours a night, compared with 26 percent of teenagers in 1991. This large increase is bad news.

But parents, dont get too overbearing about it; trying too hard to control your kids is likely to backfire. One small 2012 study found that anxious and inhibited kids whose mothers tended to be overprotective were more likely to have anxiety disorders during adolescence than those whose mothers were not overcontrolling. The implication is that parents who tried to shield their children from experiences that made them anxious actually prevented them from learning to be unafraid.

This suggests that exposure to some level of stress promotes resilience. So what can we do to encourage more of it?

One clue comes from research showing that when people felt in control of a difficult situation  whether they were actually right about being in control or not  they were less impaired by stress than those who felt out of control.

Dr. Alia Crum, a psychologist at Stanford University, and colleagues demonstrated that you can change your emotional and biological response to stress just by adjusting your mind-set about it. She examined the response of a group of healthy undergraduate students to the stress of giving a public speech. Students who viewed stress as enhancing had levels of the stress hormone cortisol that were neither too high nor too low, and were more likely to ask for feedback about their performance than those who saw stress as debilitating.

The idea is that our attitude about stress  something thats pretty easy to change  can influence whether we experience it as manageable or noxious.
In 2014 I published a book called America in Retreat, with the subtitle, The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder. Though an entire chapter is devoted to a critique of Tea Party foreign policy, it was mainly a lament about what I saw as President Obamas imprudent retreat from Americas global responsibilities and the risk of returning to the disastrous foreign policy mind-set of the 1930s.

Silly me. I wrote the book one administration too soon.

Thats the conclusion to draw from Donald Trumps long-promised and now bluntly delivered imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico, Canada and the European Union. And that was just after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin decided to put tariffs on China on hold to allow negotiations to continue.

What was it that Sarah Palin once said about Obamas foreign policy  that he was coddling enemies and alienating allies? Well, move over, Barack.

Those tariffs on China might still be on  with this administration, inconstancy and idiocy seem to contend like wrestlers in a W.W.E. match  but that would only compound the damage. Protectionism anywhere is invariably bad for local consumers and the global economy, but American protectionism is infinitely worse. Its a betrayal of the liberal-international order we founded nearly eight decades ago; an invitation to anti-Americanism; a rebuff to our friends; and sometimes (Boston Tea Party, anyone?) a prelude to war.
WASHINGTON  Adm. Karl L. Schultz was named the 26th commandant of the Coast Guard on Friday, taking over a military service that is in the midst of a fleet modernization as it juggles homeland security priorities like intercepting drugs and migrants and responding to disasters.

President Trump attended Admiral Schultzs change of command ceremony, held on the first day of the annual hurricane season.

I envision our heading remaining generally steady, Admiral Schultz said.

It was a compliment to his predecessor Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, who had directed the fleet modernizing effort and steered the first budget increase in years to the Coast Guard, the 227-year-old military branch that is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.

Admiral Schultz had commanded the Coast Guards Atlantic area and last year oversaw the fleets response to Hurricanes Irma, Maria and Harvey. The service rescued nearly 12,000 people along the East Coast and in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands during the deadly 2017 hurricane season.
WHAT WAS SAID

We talked about ending the war. And you know, this war has been going on  its got to be the longest war  almost 70 years, right?

 Mr. Trump, speaking to reporters after a meeting with a North Korean envoy on Friday

THE FACTS

False.

The Korean War began in 1950 and an armistice ended the fighting in 1953, but no peace treaty was officially signed. Still, Mr. Trump is wrong that the uneasy 65-year truce could constitute the longest war.

It is difficult to definitively say what was the longest war ever. Some involved a continuing fight while others were a series of conflicts with periods of peace. But no matter the parameters, there are numerous examples of wars that ran longer than the Korean War.

For example, the Hundred Years War between England and France spanned from 1337 to 1453.

The Punic Wars, from 265 B.C. to 146 B.C., lasted longer, but was made up of three wars between Rome and Carthage.

Like the Korean War, several wars have been technically extended because no formal peace treaty was signed.
President Trump said on Friday that the summit meeting with North Korea on June 12 in Singapore had been rescheduled after a week of meetings and scrambling between American and Korean officials.

The president made the announcement after a North Korean envoy, Kim Yong-chol, personally gave him a letter from Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader. Mr. Trump said he had not yet opened the letter, but felt the meeting  really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation, he said afterward  went well.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Kim Yong-chol, one of the highest-ranking North Korean officials, on Thursday in New York and had expressed optimism this week about the potential talks.

But that same day, Kim Jong-un met with a top Russian official, Sergey V. Lavrov, in North Korea. Mr. Lavrovs welcome in Pyongyang, the capital  and the invitation he brought from President Vladimir V. Putin for Mr. Kim to visit Moscow  was a reminder that competing powers could still upend efforts to hold the summit meeting.
Now they have one in President Trump, who has pardoned five people in his first 17 months in office and bypassed the Justice Departments recommendation system to do so. This week, he pardoned Dinesh DSouza, the conservative commentator who pleaded guilty in 2014 to violating campaign finance law. Mr. DSouza responded on Twitter by claiming victory over what he viewed as a political prosecution and by mocking Preet Bharara, the former United States attorney in Manhattan whose office prosecuted the case.

But by choosing to pardon political supporters whose cases largely failed to meet the basic guidelines for pardons, Mr. Trump could turn a slow and imperfect system into an unequal and unjust one, both liberal and conservative advocates warn, in which those with fame, money or access to the presidents ear are first in line to receive clemency.

A more regular and robust use of presidential clemency, and a willingness to go around the Justice Department process, would be applauded by many, said Kevin Ring, a conservative public policy expert and the president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums. The issue is whether the president will still apply standards and meritocracy. Will he weigh the injustices and mete out justice to reflect the needs of a situation? That doesnt seem to be the case.

Mr. Trump has pardoned some people, like Joe Arpaio, the former Arizona sheriff convicted of criminal contempt for his campaign against undocumented immigrations, who did not serve out their entire sentences. And he said he might commute the sentence of Rod R. Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor, who in 2011 was sentenced to 14 years in prison for trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Their cases stand in stark contrast to those of Mr. Charles, whose plight has gained national prominence, or John Knock, who in 2000 was given two life sentences plus 20 years without parole for conspiracy to launder money and distribute marijuana. While in prison, Mr. Knock has taken and taught home-building classes, served as a mentor in the Fathers Behind Bars Discussion Group and has a clean disciplinary record, according to a petition created by his sister. Mr. Obama denied his application for a commuted sentence.
The report also said there were no credible claims of civilian casualties in Libya.

Such discrepancies are not exclusive to the Trump administration. During both Barack Obamas and George W. Bushs presidencies, accounts of strikes from American and nongovernmental organization sources were so at odds that they often seemed to be describing different events.

A 2016 executive order signed by Mr. Obama, and later enshrined by Congress, mandated that the Defense Department give an annual accounting of the number of civilians killed in American counterterrorism strikes around the world. Human rights groups criticized the Trump administration when the May 1 deadline for the first report came and went.

After its release, the report was also condemned by organizations that track civilian casualties.

The Defense Department has deemed that the vast majority of claims of civilian casualties are not credible without ever investigating them, Daphne Eviatar, a director with Amnesty International USA, said in an email. Its numbers therefore likely severely undercount the actual civilian death toll.

She called on the government to meaningfully investigate all claims of civilian casualties and to be transparent about who is killed and harmed in U.S. military operations.

In August, 10 civilians, including three children, were killed in a raid by foreign and Somali forces on a farm in southern Somalia, a deputy governor told reporters. At the time, the United States military confirmed that it had supported a counterterrorism operation in the area, and said it would look into the allegations. The report released on Friday does not mention the episode.
CARACAS, Venezuela  Dozens of activists in Venezuela whom opponents of the government considered political prisoners were released from prison on Friday in what the authorities called a gesture aimed at uniting the fractured nation.

Among the 39 prisoners set free under strict conditions was Daniel Ceballos, who had been detained for four years for promoting protests as mayor of the western city of San Cristobal, according to Venezuelas Supreme Court.

President Nicolas Maduro said after being re-elected in May in a contested victory that chief among his conciliatory measures would be releasing prisoners jailed for acts against the government.

Mr. Maduro said on state television on Friday that the freed prisoners had him to thank for going home, despite having been prosecuted for their crimes.
SINGAPORE  Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis harshly criticized the Chinese government on Saturday for its continuing militarization of a string of islands in the South China Sea, calling the new presence of advanced military equipment and missiles there a flagrant show of military power.

Despite Chinas claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapons systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion, Mr. Mattis said during a speech on Saturday at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference.

Mr. Mattis recently disinvited the Chinese military from a large, multinational naval exercise this summer due in part to Chinas positioning of those weapons, including antiship and surface-to-air missiles, on the Spratly Islands.

Chinas activities, Mr. Mattis said, are in stark contrast to the openness our strategy promotes, calling into question Chinas broader goals.
The woman whose accusations against Bill Cosby resulted in his conviction for sexual assault said she forgives him, but she predicted that her victory in court would help many other women avoid a similar ordeal.

I forgave Bill Cosby for what he did to me, said the woman, Andrea Constand, in an interview with NBC that aired on Dateline on Friday evening. Its been many, many years, and if I did not forgive him, I wouldnt have peace, and I sit here today, and I have my peace.

In her first interview since Mr. Cosbys conviction, Ms. Constand said she considered herself part of the #MeToo movement against sexual assault. Mr. Cosby molested her at his home outside Philadelphia in 2004.

Im just proud of everything that has unfolded in the past couple of years, especially in the past year, because we will hold people accountable, we will teach consent, she told the reporter Kate Snow. This is just getting started, so Im glad to be a part of where its going in the future.
It is arguably the most powerful negative word in the American English language, the author Inga Muscio writes. Her book happens to be sitting on my desk, but Ive been told we cannot print its title. It is a word, she continues, that is the ultimate one-syllable covert verbal weapon. The kind that any streetwise 6-year-old or passing motorist can use against a woman.



This week, the woman who was called the c-word happened to be Ivanka Trump. Samantha Bee, the late-night talk show host and satirist, displayed a photo Ms. Trump had posted on social media in which she is nuzzling her son. Contrasting that motherly image with the news of the moment, the Trump administrations immigration policy of separating children from parents, Ms. Bee called Ms. Trump a feckless version of that word.

[Read about the controversy over Ms. Bees remark.]

We invited a group of New York Times journalists who happen to possess the anatomy in question to pick apart the controversy over the remark, and discuss why the word itself is so radioactive. They are Fahima Haque, social media strategy editor; Amanda Hess, culture critic-at-large; Bari Weiss, opinion writer; and Bonnie Wertheim, Styles staff editor; I am the moderator, Jessica Bennett, gender editor. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation:

Lets just acknowledge that were going to have an entire conversation about a word weve been told we cannot print. What is it about this word that so many people  including our bosses  consider unspeakable?

Bonnie Wertheim I try not to use the word, and have at times taken the See you next Tuesday approach of Charlotte of Sex and the City (and I am definitely not a Charlotte). Theres something about the sound of it that is sonically shocking  the juxtaposition of two harsh plosives in a string of so few letters. But I dont see the big deal with spelling it out once in print.
Blade Runner 2049 arrives on HBO, and The Disaster Artist streams on Amazon Prime.

Whats on TV

BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017) 8 p.m. on HBO; also on HBO streaming platforms. This long-overdue sequel to the 1982 science fiction thriller Blade Runner stars Ryan Gosling as K, a police operative who tracks down and annihilates insurgent replicants  genetically engineered androids. K isnt human, either: Hes a newer, more obedient type of replicant. But when he comes face to face with Deckard (Harrison Ford), the original blade runner, whos been missing for 30 years, he questions everything about his own life. Blade Runner 2049 stands in relation to Blade Runner almost exactly as K stands in relation to Deckard before the two meet: as a more docile, less rebellious improvement tweaked and retrofitted to meet consumer demand, A. O. Scott wrote in his review. And the customers are likely to be satisfied.

MARRYING MR. DARCY (2018) 9 p.m. on Hallmark. This modern-day take on Pride and Prejudice picks up six months after the prequel, Unleashing Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth (Cindy Busby) and her well-to-do philanthropist boyfriend, Donovan (Ryan Paevey), faced a rocky start when Donovans aunt told Elizabeth that she wasnt right for him. Now the couple are planning their wedding and facing another struggle: Everyone wants to have a say. The chaotic lead-up to the big day makes the two question their bond yet again. To catch up on their story, watch Unleashing Mr. Darcy at 7 p.m.

THE ARTFUL DETECTIVE 10 p.m. on Ovation. Season 11 wraps up as Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) helps a man search for his missing wife. A job offer makes Constable George Crabtree (Jonny Harris) rethink his relationship with Nina (Erin Agostino), and the Station House No. 4 team takes on a murder case.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia  Between multimillion-dollar tear-downs, blocks full of backyard cottages and towering condominiums that are sold and resold several times before they are even built, there is no shortage of anecdotes about this citys housing frenzy.

Here is a new one: Vancouver is so expensive that politicians want to tax its real estate market into submission, and many homeowners  who will lose money if home prices fall  think its the best idea theyve heard in years.

I would like to see a correction to sober up this whole place, said Rob Welsh, a retired airplane mechanic who lives in a Vancouver suburb. Mr. Welsh bought his house in 2000 and has become a paper millionaire based on its appreciation. It makes him more anxious than happy.

If I got to lose 200 or 300 grand to keep the kids and the future of this place, so be it, he said.
SHANGHAI  As the United States challenges Europe, China, Canada, Mexico and much of the rest of the world over trade, deep factionalism within the Trump administration has flummoxed both American allies and rivals. The White House strikes a conciliatory tone one day and a militant one the next, often depending on which Trump advisers are in favor.

Increasingly, leaders in other countries are asking who is calling the shots: the globalists, the nationalists, the trade hawks or someone else?

To a degree, the mixed messages reflect the negotiating tactics of a president who likes to keep the other side off balance. Even while his team was in Beijing this weekend, President Trump, in a tweet, suggested a confrontational approach, calling out China over the trade imbalance. The two sides made little progress in discussions.

The inconsistency has spurred international leaders to court Trump officials who they think will offer a sympathetic ear, rather than the White House as a whole  a divide-and-conquer approach that could make trade deals harder to strike. It has also eroded the belief among many leaders that the Trump administration will keep its word.
Julie Garetto Shafer and Jeffrey Eric Davitz were married June 1. Paul Bass, a Universal Life minister and lifelong friend of the groom, officiated in the New York apartment of Lesley and Evan Heller.

Mrs. Davitz, 56, is the head of strategic philanthropy and purpose investment, in New York, at BNP Paribas/Bank of the West. She graduated from the University of California, Davis, and received a masters degree in marriage, family and child counseling from the University of San Francisco.

She is the daughter of Geri Garetto of Napa, Calif., and the late Paul Garetto. Her father was a regional manager, in Napa, for Pacific Gas & Electric, the California utility.

Mr. Davitz, 58, is the chief executive of Reperio, a company in San Francisco concerned with artificial intelligence applied to training and education. He graduated from the University of Chicago and received a doctoral degree in statistics from Columbia University.
Carolyn Virginia Grady and Mary Elizabeth Langer were married June 1 in Waitsfield, Vt. Kimberly B. ODonnell, a friend of the couple who received permission from Vermont to solemnize this marriage, officiated at the Inn at Round Barn Farm.

Ms. Grady and Ms. Langer met at Boston College, from which each received a law degree.

Ms. Grady (right), 54, is an assistant federal public defender for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond. She graduated from Skidmore College.

She is a daughter of Alexandra Diepenbrock Grady of Naples, Fla., and the late John H. Grady. Ms. Gradys father was the corporate secretary for IBM in Armonk, N.Y. Her mother retired as an antiques dealer in Darien, Conn.

Ms. Langer, also 54, is a judge in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in Richmond. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame.
Iasmina Milutinovici and Bradford Aaron Hill are to be married June 3 at the Rainbow Room in New York. Mark Giller, a Sanctuary of the Beloved minister, is to officiate.

The bride, who is 27 and taking her husbands name, is the corporate communications officer at Evelyn Hill, the concessionaire at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The groom is president of the company.

She graduated from the West University of Timisoara, Romania, and received a masters degree in communications and public relations from the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration in Bucharest, Romania. She is currently studying for a second masters degree in corporate communication and public relations at N.Y.U.

She is the daughter of Radmila Milutinovici and Veselinco Milutinovici of Timisoara. The brides father is a construction engineer at SC Implenia, a construction company based in Bucharest. Her mother is a computer engineer at the Ministry of National Defense in Timisoara.
The bacteria can take over a persons intestines and be difficult to eradicate. The infection causes fever, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea so severe that it kills 14,000 people a year in the United States alone.

The first line of treatment for the attacking microbes, called Clostridium difficile, is antibiotics. But a group of Norwegian researchers asked if something more unusual  an enema containing a stew of bacteria from feces of healthy people  might work just as well.

The answer, according to a report today in the New England Journal of Medicine, is yes.

Until now, there has never been a clinical trial conducted in more than one medical center that has investigated so-called fecal transplants as a first therapy for C. difficile infections, said Dr. Michael Bretthauer, a gastroenterologist at the University of Oslo and lead author of the new study.

The Food and Drug Administration permits fecal transplants and professional societies endorse them, but only a last resort for treating C. difficile infections after antibiotics have failed, said Dr. Alexander Khoruts, a gastroenterologist at the University of Minnesota.
In the face of growing pressure to tackle New York Citys widespread school segregation, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Saturday a proposal that would change how students are admitted to eight of the citys specialized high schools, a group of highly sought-after institutions where students gain entry based on a single test.

Black and Hispanic students, who make up 67 percent of the public school population, are grossly underrepresented at the specialized high schools, which include Stuyvesant High School and the Bronx High School of Science.

Mr. de Blasio campaigned on the issue when he first ran for mayor in 2013, saying the specialized schools should reflect the city better, but he has yet to make a dent in the problem. This year, black and Latino students received just 10 percent of the offered seats at specialized high schools, a percentage that has held essentially flat for years.

The Specialized High School Admissions Test isnt just flawed  its a roadblock to justice, progress and academic excellence, Mr. de Blasio wrote in an op-ed published Saturday on the education website Chalkbeat.
First is the fall of tourism from the United States and the new tough line on Cuba adopted by the Trump administration. Through March of this year, the number of visitors from the United States is down more than 40 percent compared with 2017. This is partly because of travel warnings over safety issued by Washington, partly because of new travel restrictions put in place by President Trump and because after the initial boom of nostalgic tourism, Cuba is now competing for normal travelers with the rest of the Caribbean. Its beauty and charm do not easily outweigh other destinations far superior services and infrastructure, and lower prices. Today myriad start-up businesses  always thought to be too small and numerous to survive  that sprang up for United States visitors are failing as a result of falling tourism.

Second, American sanctions and Cuban fear of economic reforms have rendered the push for greater foreign investment somewhat futile. After an initial rush of highly publicized announcements, some United States companies have proved reluctant to run risks, particularly given Mr. Trumps hostility toward all things Obama, and his dependence on Florida for re-election.

The economy has stopped growing, scarcities have re-emerged and new opportunities for employment and hard-currency earnings are not appearing. If one adds to this the governments decision to suspend new cuentapropista or private self-employment permits, it is no surprise to discover that economic prospects are dim. Hence the appropriateness of the metaphor regarding the crash outside Havana: like the Cuban economy, the plane was old, poorly maintained, leased by the national airline because it was the only one it could afford, and the rest of Cubana de Aviacions domestic fleet had already been grounded.

Which brings us to the third source of concern. Venezuela is no longer able to subsidize Cubas transition to a Vietnam-style socialist economy the way it did before.
At Hiawatha Academies elementary school in the Morris Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, signs welcome immigrants in multiple languages. Over 75 percent of students there are learning English as a second language, and most are the children of Hispanic immigrants. Hiawatha runs some of Minnesotas best public schools for serving such students; the Morris Park school, where math and literacy proficiency rates for students learning English are more than double the statewide averages for that group, is one of its flagships.

Hiawatha schools should be easy for the left to love. Theyre full of progressive educators helping children of color from low-income families succeed. And yet, theyre charter schools.

Like most charters, Hiawatha schools get public funding, but their daily operations are run by a nonprofit organization and their teachers are not unionized. Progressives have long been open to research suggesting that well-regulated charter schools can extend educational opportunities to historically underserved children. But many also worry that charters foster segregation, siphon funding from traditional public schools and cater to policymakers obsession with standardized tests.

And the more President Trump and his secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, embrace charters, the more suspect they seem to people on the left.
Ms. McCray has attended fewer than half of the meetings of the funds board, according to The Timess reporting, and spends only an hour each week on the nonprofit, its tax returns show. As of last week, Ms. McCray hadnt appeared at the funds offices in nearly a year.

And while the funds revenues have fallen, its expenses rose by 50 percent in the two-year period ended last June, to $753,000, after the organization moved into bigger offices. It also supports fewer initiatives.

In other words, the Mayors Fund under Mr. de Blasio and Ms. McCray has done less with more.

Speaking to reporters, Ms. McCray said fund-raising wasnt the only way to measure the agencys success. Its not about who can raise the most money, she said.

Except that is exactly what fund-raising is about.

The fund, which was created in 1994, is meant to harness some of New Yorks immense wealth and put it to work to the benefit of the city. Among the dozens of initiatives it funds are programs for free tax preparation, legal help for those applying for citizenship and job-readiness programs for youths. It was professionalized by Mr. Bloomberg, who was able to draw upon affluent New Yorkers  many of them his friends  and who personally donated to the fund several times. Those donations undoubtedly inflated the fund-raising totals during his tenure in office, as did a spike in donations in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks and after Superstorm Sandy.

Mr. de Blasio defended his wife, noting that the Mayors Fund was only one of Ms. McCrays responsibilities. She also oversees an $850 million mental health initiative and does work with L.G.B.T. youth and incarcerated women. In March Ms. McCray said she was weighing a future run for office.
The Moody Bible Institute in Chicago seems like the last place in which to expect a scandal over Title IX.

Moody is one of the most conservative Christian colleges in the country, and Title IXs authority is diminished these days. Last year, the White House rescinded the Obama administrations stricter enforcement of the federal law against sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal financial aid. Moreover, under President Trump, the Justice Department seems disinclined to challenge conservative Christians insistence that the First Amendment exempts their institutions from the full force of anti-discrimination laws.

Yet recent events at Moody show that religious freedom does more than protect the dissenting views of minority groups  it encourages members of those groups to fight vigorously among themselves. In January, a former Moody communications instructor named Janay Garrick filed a suit in Federal District Court. She accused Moody of discrimination and retaliation, charging that the school fired her for such insubordinate acts as helping female students file Title IX complaints about the pastoral ministry program, which was then restricted to men and still excludes women from some parts of the major. She also counseled lesbian and transgender students and collected the testimonies of female students who reported sexual assaults and harassment, according to court documents. (Moody declined to comment.)

Moody, like many evangelical and fundamentalist schools, adheres to a complementarian theology of gender  meaning that God created men and women for separate, complementary roles in family and church life. If a church or parachurch organization has no watchdog and will do as it will under religious freedom, and women are pulled down a slope, and told they cant understand or handle religious texts, and theyre being harassed and raped, then our Christian liberty has gone too far, Ms. Garrick told me.
As a young adult, she was the first woman in her neighborhood to ride a bicycle. Today, youd be praised for choosing such an eco-friendly mode of transport, but back then it was scandalous for a woman to travel by bike without a male escort. Many people scolded her for it, calling her a prostitute (this seemed to be a theme in her early years).

She wanted a life beyond the limitations she felt in Pakistan, so she came to Britain in the 1990s with my sister and me tucked under her arms  and no money, no husband, no connections. It was four years before my dad could follow. In the meantime, my mom did every real job possible, from cleaning to sewing in a factory. She got an English degree and eventually found a job teaching English to other immigrants.

But she was always a performer. When I was a kid, she would organize plays at our town hall  she rented it by the hour to write, direct and produce the shows. The cast consisted of her children and the Lithuanian students she roped into learning lines as part of their English lessons. The plot of her first play, Husband for Sale, was about a business-minded wife (played by her) who tries to sell off her husband (played by my dad) to a rich elderly lady. Im sure it was more therapeutic for her than anything.

When I was 8 years old, my mom received a letter of deportation, informing her that wed have to leave the country. She had one main focus  to get her children educated before we had to go. I studied around the clock, signing up for every scholarship exam possible.

While I was doing that, my mom was engaged in a year of protests and legal battles. Every weekend I had to help her distribute fliers door-to-door, to gather petition signatures in support of immigrants rights. She managed to build a support network not only for herself but also for other immigrants and began to organize weekly meetings in the basement of a South Asian supermarket. She gave a speech at a conference and caught the attention of a lawyer who offered to represent her at no cost.

After all her community work and court proceedings, we gained indefinite leave to remain. By the time the Spice Girls released their third album, we were bona fide citizens of Britain.

A few years later, I stumbled across YouTube and spent all my spare time learning how to use a secondhand camcorder. Life suddenly became a lot more exciting when I could make a video of me titled Twerking in Public and share it with the world.
Why do black people still live in the South? a black friend from Chicago asked me last year, genuinely bewildered. She had just seen the film Mudbound, which tells the story of a black family and a white family living intimately, side by side, in post-World War II Mississippi.

It was inconceivable to her that anyone would want to live in an environment where black people had faced the kind of poverty and brutality that was depicted in the film, and she wanted me, as someone who grew up in Alabama, to explain.

My friend was viewing the Deep South through the lens that popular culture and most of the country outside the South also use  the same stereotypes I heard when I left Alabama to go to college in the Northeast. I encountered classmates who thought they were surer about the South than I was  it was too racist, too religious, too backward, too conservative, even though theyd never been there.

And so Alabama voters surprised observers last December, when they sent Doug Jones to the Senate in a special election  the first time an Alabama Democrat had won a seat in that chamber since 1992. This fall, Democrats hope to elect more candidates to offices around the state and through the South. Stacey Abrams won the Democratic primary for governor in Georgia last month, becoming the first black female candidate for governor from a major party in the United States. Liberals around the country are feeling cautiously optimistic as they look to the midterms.
My husband was also hormonal, churning with insulin, testosterone and estrogen (yes, men have estrogen). If you believe a recent study that showed that child care lowers testosterone among men, he may have been on his way to a hormonal dip.

Sure, hormones have been shown to cause mood swings (making both women and men cranky or tired or hungry). And weve known about PMS  premenstrual syndrome  ever since Dr. Robert Frank described premenstrual tension in 1931. Lots of women say they feel edgier in the days leading up to their periods. But the link isnt clear-cut. A review of PMS studies published in Gender Medicine in 2012 found that nearly 40 percent of 47 studies did not show a tie between periods and bad moods.

Despite knowing all this, I, too, am guilty of throwing around the word hormonal. When my boys grew into teenagers and responded with grunts, I thought, Must be their hormones. When my daughters were the same age, I dismissed their snarky comments the same way. Sure, the girls could have had PMS and the boys could have been experiencing testosterone surges, which have been tied to behavioral changes like increased risk-taking and aggression. But more likely, my nagging was just irking them, and it had nothing to do with their ovaries, testes or pituitary gland.

Hormones prompt growth, hunger and libido, and help break down sugar and build bones and do all the things we need them to do that make us the living, breathing, moody creatures that we are. They are also tied to the immune system in ways scientists are just beginning to unravel. Investigators have long wondered whether differences between male and female hormones make women more susceptible to autoimmune disorders, such as lupus, but also more likely to fend off infections.

If you suffer from a dearth of a hormone (say, insulin, if you have diabetes), you may need to replenish the supplies with synthetic hormones. But for the most part, the body does this automatically. On a day-to-day basis, our hormones are so interconnected with one another and with our immune system and our brain chemical signals that blaming this hormone or that one for one nasty comment is not just simplistic but also underestimates the chemical stew that makes us.

Had my oxytocin been lower and my progesterone higher that day at the hospital all those years ago, I still would not have wanted that doctor to prick my babys hand. Hormones do a lot. They dont make women stupid.
Whats more, both sides broadly agree that mental institutions alone would not be the solution. Bring back the asylums sounds catchy, but here are some more useful slogans to help steer the conversation:

1. DEMAND SENSIBLE COMMITMENT STANDARDS Exact wording varies by state, but commitment standards in general dictate that people cannot be hospitalized against their will unless they pose a clear and significant danger to themselves or others. That sounds reasonable, but with so few inpatient facilities, mental health workers have a strong incentive to determine that even someone who needs to be committed  perhaps someone dangerously delusional  does not meet that standard.

2. CREATE A CONTINUUM OF CARE Deinstitutionalization was predicated on the 1963 Community Mental Health Act, which was supposed to create well-staffed, well-funded community mental health centers in about 1,500 catchment areas across the country. These centers were supposed to provide clinical care, housing and employment support, and community outreach. When President John F. Kennedy announced the legislation, he estimated that it would ultimately return about half of the 500,000 or so people then living in state psychiatric hospitals to be treated in their own communities and returned to a useful place in society.

If only the law had been given a chance to work. States failed to devote their savings from the closure of large institutions to community-based care, and few communities were willing to host the centers in their backyards. In the end, only about 750 centers were ever built, and zero were ever fully funded. Today, less than half of all adults suffering from mental health conditions receive help, and mental illness is the leading cause of lost workdays in the United States, costing about $193 billion in lost earnings a year.

People who suffer from behavioral and psychiatric disorders need and deserve a wide range of care options: community mental health centers, short-term care facilities, and  yes  longer-term arrangements for the small portion of people who cant live safely in the community. The pro-asylum camp is right that the number of people needing those longer-term placements is greater than zero. But the figure is also small enough to avoid the need for the thousand-plus-bed facilities that were once the sites of so much abuse.

3. STAND UP FOR INSURANCE PARITY This October marks 10 years since Congress passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires health insurers to provide the same level of benefits for mental health treatments and services as they provide for medical and surgical care. On paper at least, both the Affordable Care Act and the 21st Century Cures Act bolstered that 2008 statute by requiring plans on the health insurance exchange to cover a list of essential behavioral health benefits and by enacting greater enforcement of the parity rules.
On Saturday, the Scottsdale Police Department announced in another statement: Our investigation has determined that this double homicide is related to the shooting of Steven Pitt.

The Scottsdale Police Department also announced it was investigating a fourth homicide in the area. The police responded to a call just after midnight Saturday about a shooting at a business approximately halfway between the other killings, said Sgt. Benjamin Hoster, a spokesman for the Scottsdale Police.

The police did not know whether that shooting was related to the previous two attacks, Sergeant Hoster said. On Sunday, they identified the man as Marshall Levine, 72, and said he was found dead in his office, which indicated he was a life coach, Sgt. Hoster said.

Sergeant Lewis of the Phoenix Police described the suspect in Dr. Pitts killing as a bald, white male wearing a dark-colored hat with a short brim, kind of like a fedora.

He said that the police had been receiving continual tips from the community, but that no arrests have been made. Late on Saturday, the authorities announced that the potential reward for tips leading to an arrest and conviction in the homicides had been increased to $21,000.

Sergeant Lewis said he could not provide details about how the two crimes were connected, or whether the same person was suspected of both crimes. Sergeant Hoster said that although the department believes that the homicides are related, he could not offer any details about the suspect or suspects. He also said the police had not determined whether there was a connection between the paralegals law firm and Dr. Pitt and his practice.

Dr. Pitt and his firm, Steven Pitt & Associates, frequently consulted with the Phoenix Police Department, Sergeant Lewis said, most notably in the recent case involving the so-called serial street shooter, in which a suspect is in jail awaiting trial.
A man in Maryland has been charged with murder after his secretive project to build an underground nuclear bunker ended with the death of a worker hired to dig the network of tunnels.

The man, Daniel L. Beckwitt, 27, was concerned about the increase in international tensions, and in particular North Koreas acquisition of long-range ballistic missiles, and he was in the process of building a secure location for himself, said his lawyer, Robert C. Bonsib.

Mr. Beckwitt was indicted on Thursday on charges of involuntary manslaughter, which can be punished by up to 10 years imprisonment in Maryland, and second-degree murder, which can be punished by up to 30 years imprisonment. Mr. Bonsib said he expected Mr. Beckwitt to post his $100,000 bail by Monday, adding that he would contest the charges.

The authorities were called on the afternoon of Sept. 10, when a fire broke out at Mr. Beckwitts home in a leafy residential neighborhood in Bethesda, Md., northwest of Washington.
FRESNO, Calif.  As the drama over offensive comments by two television stars gripped the nation last week, much of the attention focused on President Trumps Twitter responses: his decision not to condemn the racism in Roseanne Barrs tweet, and his questioning of whether there was a double standard at play.

Why, he asked, did Ms. Barrs remarks result in her show being canceled while ABC, which aired Ms. Barrs show, had never apologized to him for the networks many perceived offenses against him?

The day after Ms. Barrs tweet, Samantha Bees vulgar reference to Mr. Trumps daughter Ivanka amplified the argument. Why wasnt Ms. Bee losing her show, the president asked, suggesting an inconsistency under which the conservative Ms. Barr was punished harshly while Ms. Bee, a Trump-bashing liberal, received a pass.

That sentiment resonated here in the Central Valley communities of California, where Christian conservative values run deep. Evangelicals have long complained that they are lampooned based on caricatures of their faith, resulting in little or no outrage.
Gov. Eric Greitens of Missouri resigned rather than face a felony computer tampering charge, depriving Democrats of a political weapon they had hoped to wield in the Senate race there. (A felony invasion of privacy charge against Mr. Greitens, who was accused of sexual misconduct, was dropped weeks earlier.) And the ailing Senator John McCain remains in office, passing a crucial deadline that all but ensures there will be only one Senate seat up for grabs in Arizona.

The Republican caucus in the Senate is feeling substantially more optimistic now than at this time last year, said Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, predicting his party will gain a handful of seats.

Not everyone in the G.O.P. is as bullish, with worries that the presidents capacity for political self-sabotage, the Democrats fund-raising advantage and the anti-Trump intensity propelling the left will make it difficult to do much more than break even and protect its one-seat Senate majority.

But that Republicans are even discussing the prospect of gaining Senate seats, in the first midterm campaign of a president whose approval rating has never reached 50 percent, illustrates the wildly divergent electoral landscapes for the House and the Senate.

While the fight for control of the House is playing out mainly in the affluent and highly educated suburban districts that have been hotbeds of anti-Trump fervor, many of them on the coasts, the Senate campaign is taking place on much more Trump-friendly terrain. Six of the most competitive Senate races are in states he carried by double digits: Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia. (Democrats hold all of those seats except Tennessees.)
For the past year, the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has been examining two chief questions: ties between Donald Trumps campaign and Russia, and whether Trump, as president, has tried to obstruct that investigation. I dont know if I can explain it as well as I did before. Like, the special  the special counsel is this, you know  Robert Mueller will likely reach one of two conclusions about the president. Either there is evidence he broke the law or not. If Mueller has evidence that the president broke the law, he has a series of decisions to make about how to move forward. The least aggressive of them would be to try and write a report that he would hope would end up in Congress. Mueller could take a more aggressive measure, which the special counsel did during Nixon, and make the president an unindicted co-conspirator in court documents. The most aggressive option would be for Mueller to try and indict the president. But there are many obstacles to that, particularly a longstanding Justice Department policy that says the president cannot be indicted. Mueller cannot make any of these decisions on his own. It all has to go through the gatekeeper, in this case, the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein. If Mueller tries to indict someone like the president, and the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, says no, it automatically triggers a report to Congress  a way of sort of giving the process additional sunlight and oversight. Rosenstein would have to explain to Congress why he didnt want to go along with what Mueller wanted to do. Some experts believe that Mueller may try and indict Trump just to ensure that it triggers a report to Congress. If Republicans control the House, they are not likely to do anything with information from Mueller unless it is really damning. If Democrats win control of the House in the fall, regardless of what Mueller finds there will be immense political pressure on them to do something. And if they get a report from the Justice Department, they will likely, certainly, take impeachment seriously, if not begin an impeachment process against the president.
Watching this monster pummel the island from afar, while not being able to communicate, was devastating. For those of us who left, our contact was lost, our lifelines were gone.

With too much information and enormous guilt, the only way not to feel helpless was to find things to do for the island. But was that enough? How could it be enough? We left. We werent there when it happened. Could we do more from here than there?

To say that Puerto Rico is a complicated place is an understatement. Our political, economic, cultural and social situations, historic and current, have made us hard to be understood and even harder to explain. We feel too close to our Latin American roots to be completely a part of the United States, but we are American citizens nonetheless.

That predicament, along with a new set of concerns over how this crisis was managed, left us in the diaspora feeling a very lonely type of trauma. We couldnt seek comfort in friends and family who were actually there. We couldnt talk about the anxiety, the hurt and the overwhelming sense of failure we felt for not having been there, not done enough.

The first time I went back home after Maria was in January. Enough time had gone by that nature had replenished itself, but not enough for things to feel back to normal. It was beautiful to see the people I love, but talking to them I could hear their struggles and the hardships they went through during those first days, weeks and months after Maria. As I listened to the stories of friends and family, I felt the lump in my throat and the guilt wash over me again. Why wasnt I there? Is this their new normal? How is this normal?

I went back again in April. Although there are still thousands of people without power and many other services, the scene looked and felt better in San Juan. I began to feel optimistic about our recovery. Although leaving is always hard, this time I felt a little better about it. Then, as I arrived in New York the next day, I saw the alert. The power grid had collapsed and there was a total blackout. Puerto Ricans were left in the dark for hours. My heart sank again.

The arrival of hurricane season brings wonder and worry about whats to come.

I left because sometimes you have to. I left because I like to think doing things and going places where you represent your homeland is a way to metaphorically grow that piece of land beyond its natural borders.
Through my years of hacking, I realized the problem wasnt so much the politics, but the politicians, Mr. Markun said in an interview at LabHacker, a digital laboratory he opened in Sao Paulo. And the only way to bring politics closer to the people is to bring common people into politics.

Experts say it is unlikely there will be a big shift in the political landscape in October, but the new candidates could lay the groundwork for greater success in future elections.

Its a very steep climb, said Monica de Bolle, a Brazil expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. There is a good possibility that a small group of candidates will make it. If they stay on message, there will be more chance for renewal in the future.

Another outsider candidate, Michelle Guimaraes, a former executive at Johnson & Johnson, said she was drawn to politics by the poor health services in her native state of Amazonas and the meager representation of women in elected office in Brazil.

I decided it was time for the same politicians whove been in power for the last 30 years to retire, said Ms. Guimaraes, who is running for the lower house of Congress, where women hold less than 10 percent of seats. And that meant people like me would have to get involved.

She may get a lift from a recent decision from the Supreme Electoral Court that ordered parties to devote at least 30 percent of public campaign funds and federally mandated airtime to female candidates.
Why are we invisible? she asked. Because we have made ourselves invisible? Or have we been made invisible? I dont want to be seen as a criminal. That is what this is about.

In Bilaspur, a sun-cracked city in central India, Rajesh Yadav, slim with sharp cheek bones, said she had been gang-raped four times in less than one year, beaten with a brick and nearly thrown out of a moving vehicle because of her sexuality.

I would beg them to leave me every time, but they would beat me and use violence against me and then rape me, said Ms. Yadav, 25, who identifies as a gay cross-dresser and prefers female pronouns. If I start telling you my story, several nights would pass.

A., a young gay man who asked to be identified only by his first initial, shared a similar account.

When A., 22, made plans to meet a man from an instant messaging application in eastern India, he was greeted instead by two different men, one of them in a police uniform, who drugged and raped him, he said. Afterward, one of the men took a selfie with A. I was afraid he would blackmail me, he said.

Neither of them considered approaching the police to report the crimes, fearing the consequences of doing so.

Section 377 is cruel, A. said. It is being misused to harm people like me. It makes people hide.
In the process, Mr. Trump is upending the usual sequence of events in diplomacy: beginning with a leader-to-leader summit meeting, and then leaving the details to underlings.

What is most remarkable, however, is that Mr. Trump agreed to the meeting on an impulse in March, pulled out of it a week ago after reacting to threats in a North Korean statement, and now has restored it without obtaining, at least in public, even the minimum concessions of the kind that North Korea made a decade ago.

Without question, Mr. Trump has gotten farther with North Korea than any American president since that time. Until recently, White House officials said that was because of his laser focus on harsh sanctions and his threat to use military force, giving the United States leverage it never had before.

But in the past few days, trying to coax the North Koreans to keep the June 12 meeting on the calendar, Mr. Trump now risks making Mr. Clintons mistake: an agreement so thin and slow to execute that Mr. Kim may be able to run the play his father and grandfather mastered  giving just enough ground to weaken the sanctions on the North, waiting things out, then looking for a way to resume the fastest-developing nuclear program on earth.

Indeed, Mr. Trump appears more willing to make concessions to North Korea than he is to Iran, which has a small fraction of the Norths nuclear infrastructure, and no nuclear weapons. That may partly reflect the fact that ending the threat from North Korea is Mr. Trumps bid for history, much as Iran was Barack Obamas bid.

Mr. Trumps concessions, some people involved in those past negotiations said, are also a sign that he recognizes the realities of dealing with a suspicious, reclusive government that is wedded to its nuclear shield.

The presidents evolution toward a more conventional approach was dictated by events he helped set in motion, Mr. Cha said. The diplomatic thaw initiated by Mr. Kim and South Koreas president, Moon Jae-in, and endorsed by Mr. Trump, has already weakened the sanctions regime he spent more than a year marshaling.
Pedro Sanchez was sworn in on Saturday as Spains new prime minister, capping a remarkable personal comeback and a week of political upheaval that culminated in the first removal of an incumbent leader by Parliament in modern Spanish history.

Little more than a year ago, Mr. Sanchez, 46, seemed lost in the political wilderness, deposed as the leader of the Socialist party after two record electoral defeats. And the man he has now replaced, Mariano Rajoy, 63, was seen as the great survivor of Spanish politics, one of Europes longest-serving heads of government.

But Mr. Sanchez was unexpectedly re-elected as Socialist leader seven months after his ousting. Then, when Mr. Rajoys conservative Popular Party was tarnished by corruption  a court last week found the party guilty of operating a slush fund  he pounced, assembling parliamentary backing for a vote of no confidence in Mr. Rajoy, which passed on Friday.

Still, his tenure could be short. The Socialist party holds just under a quarter of the seats in Parliament. Like the vote against Mr. Rajoy, his government will rely on support from the far-left Podemos party and nationalists from Catalonia and the Basque region.
This spring has been nightmarish for the Jewish community, said Dan Rosenberg Asmussen, chairman of The Jewish Community in Denmark. The proposal takes as a starting point that Jews are child molesters.

A ban would make it difficult for the next generation of Jews to maintain a religious life in Denmark, he added.

Some rituals are central to identity and belonging. Circumcision is one of them, said Waseem Hussain, an imam from the Danish Islamic Center in Copenhagen, adding of the proposed ban: It shows a willingness to submit religious freedom to other liberties. Next up for discussion could be the right to wear a veil, to pray, to read the Bible or go to church on Sundays.

A possible age limit has been a simmering issue on the political agenda in Denmark, but no major party has sought to push it forward. Pressure has come instead from campaigning groups like Intact, which started the petition.

Of nine political parties in Parliament, three  including two in the governing coalition  have taken the rare step of letting lawmakers choose independently how to vote on the issue. Two parties are in favor of an age limit and four will vote against.

A string of Danish organizations working on health or childrens rights discourage circumcision on ethical grounds, but have not found reason to advocate an outright ban. Indeed, there is evidence pointing in the other direction: The World Health Organization has found that circumcision reduces the risk of HIV by 60 percent for heterosexual males.

Mr. Khader, the lawmaker who favors an age limit, is Muslim. He said he made up his mind about the issue in 2004, when he faced family pressure to have his newborn son circumcised.
Other witnesses and the Gaza Health Ministry offered a slightly different version of events, saying that Ms. Najjar and other paramedics were walking toward the fence with their arms raised on their way to evacuate injured protesters when she was shot in the chest.

Ms. Najjar was a resident of Khuzaa, a farming village near the border with Israel, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Her father, Ashraf al-Najjar, had a shop that sold motorcycle parts, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike during the 2014 war between Israel and the militant group, he said. He has since been unemployed.

The eldest of six children, Ms. Najjar did not score well enough in her high school exams to attend university, Mr. Najjar said. Instead, she trained for two years as a paramedic at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis and became a volunteer of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, a nongovernmental health organization.

Mr. Najjar, 44, said his daughter rose before dawn on Friday to eat and pray before the start of the daily, sunrise-to-sunset Ramadan fast. That was the last time he saw her.

When we met her at a protest camp in Khan Younis last month, she said her father was proud of what she did.

We have one goal, she said, to save lives and evacuate people. And to send a message to the world: Without weapons, we can do anything.

On Friday, she was less than 100 yards from the fence when she was bandaging the man struck by the tear gas canister, Ibrahim al-Najjar said. The man was taken away in an ambulance, and other paramedics tended to Ms. Najjar, who was suffering the effects of the tear gas.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  Saudi Arabia installed several new ministers in a series of royal decrees on Saturday, putting allies of the powerful crown prince in key positions to help push forward his efforts to diversify the economy away from oil and to make life more enjoyable for citizens.

The decrees by King Salman, the crown princes father, put a businessman in charge of labor policy, a moderate cleric at the helm of the Islamic affairs ministry and a close friend of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the head of a newly created ministry of culture.

The new culture ministry, which was split off from the Information Ministry, is headed by Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, who is in his early 30s. The young prince was the mystery buyer of Leonardo da Vincis painting Salvator Mundi, which sold for a record $450.3 million at auction last year.

American intelligence officials and Arabs familiar with the details of sale said at the time that the real buyer was Crown Prince Mohammed. But Saudi officials provided an alternative story.
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Four years of Modi govt: An Amul like movement for tribals on the cards

PMEGP a flagship programme under Ministry of MSME

Feature

oi-Staff

By Oneindia Staff Writer

The Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) has been one fo the flagship programmes of the Narendra Modi government which completed four years in office. Under this credit linked subsidy to establish new enterprises for generating continuous and sustainable employment opportunities in Rural and Urban areas of the country is offered.

The Ministry of MSME says Rs 860.51 crore has been released by the Ministry as margin money under PMEGP out of which Rs. 528.32 crore has already been disbursed by the banks.

As the Modi Sarkar completed four years in office, let us take a look at the initiatives and achievements of the Ministry of MSME.

Cabinet approves creation of 'Indian Enterprise Development Service (IEDS)' in the Office of Development Commissioner (MSME) under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum (UAM) launched and 3734738 till now

Foundation Stone Laid for MSME Technology Centre at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh under Technology Centre Systems Programme (TCSP) & National Vendor Development Programme

National SC/ST Hub launched in Ludhiana

MSME Databank and Finance Facilitation and Online Census of MSMEs and Finance Facilitation Centres Launched

Giant Charkha unveiled at IGI Airport, Delhi. 42 carpenters from Ahmedabad built the Charkha in 55 days

Incubation cell at IIFT Delhi Launched

Mauritius to exclusively offer Biofarming Technology to India

National MSME Policy to be formulated for the First Time in India

India concludes MoU on MSME Cooperation with Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Member Countries. IORA Special Fund Created to Carry Out Activities Under this MoU

Cabinet approves MOU between India and United Arab Emirates for cooperation in the field of Small and Medium Enterprises and Innovation

Micro and Small Enterprise Facilitation Council (MSEFC) Portal and MyMSME Mobile App Launched

Financial Support to MSMEs in ZED Certification Scheme launched.

MSME Delayed Payment Portal - MSME Samadhaan Launched

Framework for Revival and Rehabilitation of MSMEs

The existing mechanism for addressing revival, rehabilitation and exit of small enterprises is very weak in the country. The most recent Doing Business (DB) Report ranks India 137 out of the 189 economies for resolving insolvencies. It notes that resolving insolvency takes 4.3 years on average and costs 9.0% of the debtor's estate, with the most likely outcome being that the company will be sold as piecemeal sale.

Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)

PMEGP is the flagship programme of the government offering credit linked subsidy to establish new enterprises for generating continuous and sustainable employment opportunities in Rural and Urban areas of the country.

Rs. 860.51 crore has been released by the Ministry as margin money under PMEGP out of which Rs. 528.32 crore has already been disbursed by the banks.

24126 new enterprises providing employment to 170983 persons have been benefited under the Scheme.

There is more than 50% increase over the previous year in terms of funds disbursed by the banks, no of projects with funds disbursed and the employment generated.

A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE)

ASPIRE has been launched on 16.03.2015 with an objective to set up a network of technology centers, incubation centres to accelerate entrepreneurship and also to promote start-ups for innovation and entrepreneurship in rural and agriculture based industry with a fund of Rs.210 crores.

The planned outcomes of ASPIRE are setting up Technology Business Incubators (TBI), Livelihood Business Incubators (LBI) and creation of a Fund of Funds for such initiatives with SIDBI.

1st LBI set up in April-2015 under ASPIRE within a month of launching the Scheme. The first batch of 107 youth has been trained and skilled through it.

19 LBIs have been approved till September 2015 and another 9 LBIs & 2 TBI is ready to be approved.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 9:00 [IST]
After clashes broke out between groups, authorities impose curfew, ban internet in Shillong

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

Shillong, June 2: Situation in Meghalaya's capital Shillong was tensed till Friday evening even after the authorities decided to impose curfew in at least 14 localities in the city following clashes between two groups which began on Thursday.

The authorities also banned mobile internet and SMS services in Shillong till the situation turns normal, stated various media reports. According to The Indian Express, problem erupted in the city following an argument between a Punjabi woman and a local Khasi boy on Thursday.

Thereafter, violent protests and clashes broke out in various parts of the city on Friday which forced the authorities to impose curfew in Shillong. Authorities blame social media for spread of rumours following the Thursday's incident.

"We are monitoring the law and order situation closely in Shillong. Efforts are being made to bring normalcy in the affected areas. Request the citizens to maintain peace," Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. The CM also held an emergency meeting with the state home Minister and other Cabinet ministers over the ongoing tension in Shillong.

Stephen Rynjah, superintendent of police (city), East Khasi Hills, told The Indian Express, "At least 10 people were arrested for separate incidents of violence that started on Thursday morning. One among them is an accused in the beating up of a minor boy which led to the violence. The others (arrested) are for the violence last evening. The minor's condition is stable now."

After the argument between the boy and the woman turned ugly, residents of a locality where the woman stays, beat up the boy. The argument started after the bus in which the minor was travelling and driven by his relative was parked at the residential area where the woman stays.

The woman alleged that the bus was wrongly parked leading to the verbal duel. After the boy was assaulted, mob, including bus drivers, attacked residents at the locality where the incident first started.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 10:33 [IST]
AIJASS threatens to launch Jat agitation again from August 15

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) has threatened to launch agitation again from August 15 to press for reservation and also said that Jats and people from other communities should join hands to defeat the BJP.

After violence rocked Haryana during the Jat quota stir in February 2016, leaving 30 persons dead, the state assembly had in March 2016, unanimously passed a Bill on reservation for persons belonging to the state's backward classes including Jats.

Later, acting on a PIL filed by a Bhiwani resident Murari Lal Gupta, the High Court had ordered a stay on the Haryana government's notification on 10 per cent reservation for Jats and six other communities including Jat Sikhs, Tyagis, Rors, Gujjars, Bishnois and Mulla Jats or Muslim Jats.

"We have passed a resolution. If our demands aren't fulfilled by 15 August, we will stage protest at the same place where Haryana CM or his ministers will hold rally. We will not let the govt function," AIJASS president Yashpal Malik told news agency ANI in Rohtak today (June 2).

"We will boycott them in upcoming elections and spread the message to other states where elections are to be held. Like Hindu-Muslim came together in Kairana and Noorupur, if Jat and non-Jat people get together, they (BJP) will be wiped off from everywhere," he added.

Starting on 12 February, 2016, the Jats organized non-violent protests for reservation by blocking railway lines and roads, while non-Jats opposed to their demands organized counter-protests. On 18 February, 2016, a group of non-Jats protesters clashed violently with a group of lawyers protesting against 2016 JNU sedition controversy, mistaking the lawyers for Jats.

Later on, they also came into conflict with the Jat students. On the same day, the police allegedly beat up some Jat students in Rohtak, while trying to open a blockade. Police also raided a Boy's hostel, and reportedly assaulted the Jat students, an occurrence which was "captured on camera and circulated over social media". Following these incidents, several incidents of inter-caste violence took place across Haryana.

By 22 February, 2016, the protests were estimated to have caused a loss of Rs 340 billion in northern India. Railway Minister told in Lok Sabha, "The total loss suffered by Railways on account of damage to property and cancellation of tickets during the agitation is about Rs 55.92 crore. By 26 February, 30 people had been killed in the violence.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 17:55 [IST]
Akhilesh Yadav vacates official residence, moves to Sultanpur Road bungalow

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Former Uttar Pradesh CM and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav vacated his official residence on Saturday, complying with the orders of the Supreme Court. Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav to reside in bungalows located at Sultanpur Road after vacating their official residences.

This comes just days after the father-son duo had moved the Supreme Court against the order that asks former chief ministers to vacate their official bungalows, and asked for two-year's time.

The UP government had served notice to Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav and four other former chief ministers earlier this month, asking them to vacate their official homes in 15 days as ordered by the Supreme Court.

The top court has cancelled changes to the law that enabled former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh to live in official homes for life, saying that these were "based on irrelevant and legally unacceptable considerations, unsupported by any constitutional sanctity."

BSP supremo Mayawati vacated a government house in Lucknow but is holding on to a second sprawling bungalow which her party says is a memorial to their founder Kanshi Ram. Her personal secretary had said she has vacated the bungalow on 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, which was allotted to her as former chief minister.

(With PTI inputs)

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 15:18 [IST]
Never imagined I would reach here: PM Narendra Modi on completing 20 years in public office

Non-inclusion doesnt reduce my stature: Maneka Gandhi on being dropped from BJP executive committee

BJP attacks Rahul, Priyanka for turning blind eye to atrocities on Dalits in Cong-ruled states

Another BJP worker found dead in West Bengal, CID takes over investigation

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

A BJP worker found hanging from an electric pole in Balarampur in Purulia district of West Bengal on Saturday. BJP has alleged that the worker was murdered by TMC supporters for participating in a thana gherao protest organised by the BJP.

The BJP worker has been identified as Dulal Kumar (32). The investigation of Balrampur incident has been handed over to Crime Investigation Department (CID).

TMC leader Derek O' Brien said, "Strongly condemn this despicable act. All angles must be probed. Perpetrators of the heinous act must be punished. What role did J'khand border play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved. Let the truth be found by investigation."

This is the second incidence where a BJP worker was allegedly murdered by TMC workers in West Bengal.

The dead body of Trilochan Mahato (18) was found hanging by a tree with a poster stuck to his back on May 30.

"Being involved with BJP politics at the age of 18 claimed your life. I have been searching for you since the elections and now you are dead," read the handwritten poster in Bengali.
Are Congress and AAP forming an alliance in Delhi to contest 2019 Lok Sabha polls?

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

New Delhi, June 2: In the last few weeks, especially after the Karnataka Assembly elections and the recent by-polls in 11 states, the opposition parties seem to be determined to contest the big 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre.

Although the unity in the opposition parties is mostly the handiwork of the regional parties like the Trinamool Congress of West Bengal and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi of Telangana, the Congress in order to avoid being left out in all these political parleys is also reaching out to important regional players.

After forming the government in Karnataka by stitching a quick post-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)), now reports say that the Congress is all set to form an alliance with its former bitter rival Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, there are seven in Delhi. In the 2014 General Elections, the BJP won all the seven seats in the national capital. The Congress is hoping that by forming an alliance with the ruling AAP in Delhi its chances will be little better in 2019 than it was in 2014.

On Friday, the Congress announced that it will contest the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka with the JD(S). Reports also say that the Congress will form an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

According to ANI, the AAP approached the Congress to form an alliance in Delhi. The AAP has proposed that it will field five candidates from Delhi and the rest two seats will have Congress candidates in the 2019 elections.

The Congress, however, demanded three out of the seven seats in the national capital. Unless both the parties don't arrive at a conclusion, the alliance between the two former bitter rivals seems unlikely.

However, a recent tweet by Delhi chief minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal praising the former Congress Prime Minister Manmohan Singh indicates that the former rivals are ready to forget their past to defeat the Narendra Modi government next year.

Kejriwal on Thursday after attacking the Modi government on various issues stated that the nation is "missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh". "People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh--PM should be educated. It's dawning on people now that the PM should be educated," Kejriwal tweeted.

People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh



Its dawning on people now -PM       https://t.co/BQTVtMbTO2  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 31, 2018

Kejriwal had also attended the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in May. The swearing-in ceremony was dubbed as a show of strength and unity of the Opposition against the Modi government.

Many also believe that if the Congress and the JD(S) can iron out their differences in Karnataka to form the government, the AAP and the Congress alliance also does not look impossible. Only time will tell if the Congress-AAP alliance will be a reality or not in the future.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 13:56 [IST]
Bodhgaya blasts: How an old SIMI cadre orchestrated the attack

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

On Friday, a special court awarded life imprisonment to 5 persons for their involvement in the Bodhgaya bomb blast case.

The judgment comes as a relief to the NIA as it was a tough case on hand. Investigations into the case revealed that Umair Siddiqui, an old SIMI cadre, was the master mind of the terrorist act. He along with Azharuddin Qureshi arranged the logistics, did the planning, organised hideouts, raised funds and procured explosives and chemicals used in the preparation of IEDs.

Haider Ali also known as 'Black beauty' was a trained bomb maker. Haider had close links with proscribed organisation SIMI and Indian Mujahideen. His entity "Black beauty" surfaced in the chats.

During planting of IEDs Haider Ali dressed himself like a Buddhist monk and left the dress which was later seized by NIA. Haider Ali's DNA was forensically matched with his Buddhist Monk attire. Mujibullah Ansari was Haider's roommate in Ranchi, from whose room a map of Bodhgaya blast site and explosive materials were recovered. Majibullah alongwith Haider Ali and Imtiyaz Ansari planted the bombs at Bodh Gaya.

After a trial spanning more than 3 years, Special NIA Court, Patna, Bihar held all the prosecuted accused namely Umer Siddiqui, Azharuddin Qureshi, Imtiyaz Ansari, Haidar Ali and Muzibullah Ansari guilty.

The Special NIA Court took a very strong view of the terror act committed by the accused persons and awarded punishment of life imprisonment for all the 5 accused persons namely.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 15:15 [IST]
Congress may contest lesser seats if alliances materialise

India

oi-Vinod

By Vinod

New Delhi: The Congress has decided to go with Janata Dal (S) in Karnataka; reports are coming in that the party wants to go for alliance in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and even in Madhya Pradesh with like-minded parties and with all these alliances fructifying, will the Congress be able to get even as much seats as in 2014. Having said this, it appears to be unlikely that Rahul Gandhi or the Congress will be in the reckoning for the leading alliance.

Rahul Gandhi expressed his desire to take up the responsibility of the Prime Minister during Karnataka elections; however the ground reality is that the party is far behind even regional parties in certain states. With the decision of JD (S) and the Congress leadership contest Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka together on 28 Lok Sabha seats, the party accepted JD (S) upper hand. In Uttar Pradesh as per proposed formula, the SP and the BSP considered fielding their candidates in seats where they finished second in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It was 34 seats for BSP and 31 for the SP out of 80 seats. But today Mayawati demanded 40 seats, in such a situation the Congress might be getting around 5-8 seats if its wants to join alliance in UP.

Apparently the Congress appears to be the fourth player in Bihar with the RJD of Lalu Prasad being the biggest party in the Assembly followed by the JD (U) and the BJP. During the last Lok Sabha polls Lalu had offered the Congress just four seats and situation is neither better anymore despite Congress winning 40 seats in the last Assembly polls?

In the days of alliance being made and realignment taking shape, the Aam Aadmi Party offered three seats to the Congress in Delhi's seven Lok Sabha seats to which Delhi Congress President Ajay Maken tweeted, "When the people of Delhi are continuously rejecting Kejriwal Govt, why should we come to their rescue? After all, Kejriwal with team Anna supported was by the RSS, helped in creating this monster of Modi!" To this AAP spokesperson responded by saying that some of the senior Congress leaders are in contact with AAP and they want our cooperation in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and demanding just one seat in Delhi.

The Congress also wants a united opposition against the BJP in Madhya Pradesh to replicate success story of Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur assembly seats UP by-polls. Newly-appointed state Congress president Kamal Nath has already made it clear that he would like to go with like-minded parties to defeat the BJP. Madhya Pradesh Congress in charge Dipak Babaria said, "All I can say at this juncture is that we are open to joining hands with parties like the BSP, Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), etc but it's a matter of negotiations before any alliance takes a final shape."

If sources are to be believed the Congress will go on with All India Muslim League in Kerala while they are still looking for partners in Tamil Nadu's 39 Lok Sabha seats and there too the Congress will be a minor player. In Andhra Pradesh, they will have to live at the mercy of Telugu Desam Party. Sources said that the reason behind the TDP leaving the NDA was not that money it was demanding but fear of losing ground to the BJP so by pulling out of alliance of special status, TDP tried to project the BJP enemy of the Andhra causes. So there are chances of triangular fight there. Political analysts were of the view that in Orissa the Congress will be fighting for the third spot while in West Bengal it will be having neck and neck for third or fourth spot with the Left front.

The Congress is likely to forge alliance with Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra for 48 seats but that will also reduce the total number of seats it will be contesting on across the country. In Jharkhand the Congress may go with its old allies and Jammu and Kashmir too the Congress is likely to have an alliance. Assam (14), Gujarat (26), Himachal Pradesh (4), Uttarakhand (5), Chhattisgarh (11), Rajasthan (25), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Goa (2) and a few smaller states or union territories with one or two seats where either the Congress or the BJP are in advantageous position. Looking at these scenarios, the Congress won't be contesting on that much seat what is required for simple majority to form the government. A Congress leader said that alliance had always harmed the party so we must think twice before forging any alliance in any state.
Right to be forgotten: HC asks Centre, Google to reply to plea for removing verdict from search engine

Delhi HC gets time to get sanction to prosecute Lalu in IRCTC case

India

oi-Staff

By Oneindia Staff Writer

A Delhi court granted time till July 27 to the CBI to get sanction from authorities concerned to prosecute an accused official in a graft case against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav relating to allotment of IRCTC hotels.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar directed the CBI to get the required nod till July 27 rpt July 27 to prosecute Additional Member of Railway Board, V K Aggarwal, who was then the group general manager of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

"Senior public prosecutor (advocate V K Ojha) for the CBI submits that sanction qua accused V K Aggaral is still pending before the competent authority and they are pursuing the matter and most probably they would get sanction in the month of July, 2018," the court noted, while putting up the matter for further hearing on July 27.

The court also noted some discrepancies in the list of documents filed by the investigating officer (IO) and took on record his submission that he will be rectifying the defects in the list or he will file a fresh list by the next date of hearing.

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 the 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.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 13:09 [IST]
End game for terrorists in Kashmir says Jitendra Singh

India

oi-Staff

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has claimed that terrorism is in its "last stage" in Kashmir and over 600 militants had been killed because of the government's decisive actions on the anti-terrorism front.

His remarks come ahead of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's expected visit to Jammu and Kashmir next week.

"The decisive actions that the government has taken... 600 militants have been killed during the period, and this is much higher than the number of militants killed during the UPA-I and UPA-II (governments). Terrorism in the Valley is in its last stage," he told reporters here.

Replying to a question on whether the cessation of anti-terror operations be followed by talks with Pakistan and separatists, he said, "The Government of India will take a decision which will be in the interest of the country."

On talks with separatist, the Minister of State (MoS) in the Prime Minister's Office said, "Everybody is welcome to talk. Nobody has said that we are going to send an invitation to the separatists. Anybody (any Indian citizen) is welcome to meet me."

Jitendra Singh said he had met 45 delegations in Jammu and 70-75 in Srinagar. "Nobody has been barred from coming and meeting me," he said.

He said Union Minister Rajnath Singh has said that anybody is welcome to meet him.

On Pakistan, he said the neighbouring country has suffered due to the decisive action by India and now the issue of cross-border terrorism will be dealt on the military and diplomatic fronts.

Jitendra Singh said countries that never heard India's point of view on Pakistan and cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, have begun to hear, respond and support the country.

On the truce announced before Ramzan, he said it was a "conditional ceasefire and to that extent the government stands vindicated".

He said that the government has been endeavouring to resolve issues with Pakistan both at the diplomatic and military levels.

The Modi government has taken bold decisions such as demonetisation and implementing the GST for the development of the country, the MoS said.

He reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to pay special attention to Jammu and Kashmir

"The Central government has taken a number of initiatives to address the problems of border people, including compensation and relief to the victims of Pakistani shelling," said Jitendra Singh.

On the opposition's formula of contesting forthcoming elections against the BJP under the one seat-one joint candidate formula, he said this is an experiment and is being tried by certain groups that tried to come together despite difference in ideologies.

Replying to a question on the demand for delimitation of assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that delimitation is also part of the agenda of alliance (AoA).

On the killing of a BJP worker in West Bengal, the MoS alleged there is state-ruled terror unleashed against the BJP in Bengal.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 10:45 [IST]
Superstar Salman Khan to fans: Say no to piracy, watch 'Radhe' on right platform

Salman Khan warns of action by Cyber Cell after 'Radhe 2021 movie' leaks on pirated sites

'You will get into trouble': Salman Khan warns of action after 'Radhe' leaks online

Actor Arbaaz Khan confesses to IPL betting, says he lost Rs 2.75 crore

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Actor-Producer Arbaaz Khan has accepted before the anti-extortion cell of Thane Police that he placed bets in IPL matches. He was being questioned by Thane Police in IPL betting case on Saturday.

Bookie Sonu Jalan's police custody was extended till June 6.

News agency ANI quoting sources reported that during interrogation Arbaaz Khan accepted that he had placed bets in IPL matches last year and had lost Rs 2.75 crore.

"My statement has been recorded. Police asked whatever they needed in this investigation and I answered them. I will continue to cooperate with them," said the actor.

DCP, Crime Branch, said, "We have arrested 6 accused in the IPL betting scam. The investigation is underway. Soon more arrests will be made."

According to reports, after being summoned by the police Khan was confronted with call recordings and photographs during the questioning.

Maharashtra: Visuals of Sonu Jalan outside Thane Police's crime branch office. Jalan was arrested for operating an IPL betting racket by Anti Extortion Cell of Thane Police Crime Branch on May 30. pic.twitter.com/JPQ4eMSzCL  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

Special Line Holding Machine (a machine that works as a small telephone exchange) used by Sonu Jalan, accused of running IPL betting racket, has been seized by police.

#Visuals of Special Line Holding Machine (a machine that works as a small telephone exchange) used by Sonu Jalan for running IPL betting racket. During interrogation earlier today, actor #ArbaazKhan accepted that he had placed bets in IPL matches last year&had lost Rs 2.75 crore pic.twitter.com/glRYs9qvrz  ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

Actor Salman Khan's brother was summoned days after the arrest of a bookie Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Batla. The police had recently busted a betting ring and had arrested 42-year-old Jalan, who allegedly operated in the country as well as abroad.
Is the nationwide farmers protest 'politically motivated'?

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

New Delhi, June 2: On Friday, farmers in several states of the country started their 10-day-long strike which saw the protesters throwing their agricultural produce including milk on roads. The main demands of the agitating farmers are complete loan waiver, minimum support price for their produce and an assurance of permanent minimum income from the government, to name a few.

The farmers' agitation in seven states--Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh--has been spearheaded by the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (RKM)--a conglomeration of 130 farmers' organisations across the country.

The protesters have threatened to stop the supply of pulses, rice, vegetables and dairy products to various cities of the country for 10 days raising fear for scarcity of food items in the country.

The RKM has stated that the protest will be peaceful and the protesters won't block roads, but farmers will stage dharnas on at least 30 highways in the country. The farmers' agitation continued for a second day on Saturday and likely to proceed in the coming days as the ruling Narendra Modi government at the Centre seems to be in no mood to talk to the protesters and come to a settlement.

The whole protest has taken a political colour now, as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress accused each other of being responsible for the farm crisis in the country.

In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, Union home minister Rajnath Singh alleged that the farmers' agitation was an agitation of the Congress. "The BJP government in the state is working for the welfare of farmers and it has taken several big decisions in their interest," he added.

Denying the allegations, newly appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath said it's surprising that those who ordered firing at the farmers are now trying to shift the blame for violence on our party.

Last year, a farmers' protest in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh turned violent which led to the killing of seven farmers by the police. The farmers were protesting to demand better prices for their crops and loan waiver.

The 10-day-long ongoing farmers' agitation has been hosted to mark the first anniversary of killing of farmers in Mandsaur on June 6 last year. On Saturday, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar dubbed the farmers' protest as "unnecessary".

"They don't have any issues. They are just focusing on unnecessary things. They are not selling produce and this will bring losses to them," the CM said.

Balkrishna Patidar, Madhya Pradesh minister for agriculture, said, "Today is June 2, where is the strike happening? No farmers are participating in the strike. Farmers are happy with the schemes the CM has launched for them. They have faith that the state and the central government will solve their problems."

Since the last year, the Modi government is facing the ire of farmers because of what they called the "anti-farmer policies" of the current regime at the Centre. A few months ago, around 4,000 farmers walked 180 kms from Nashik to Mumbai to meet CM Devendra Fadnavis. They presented a list of demands to the CM. The CM has agreed to meet their demands.
Govt needs to give sense of security to people cutting across religions in J&K: Omar

Spree of grenade attacks in Kashmir; 4 CRPF personnel injured

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Three CRPF personnel and a civilian were injured after terrorists lobbed grenade in Jammu and Kashmir's Fateh Kadal on Saturday, said reports. The incident took place at Chinkral Mohalla when terrorists hurled a grenade at the CRPF personnel.

In a seperate incident, a grenade was lobbed at CRPF deployment at Badshah Bridge in Srinagar in which one security personnel was injured.

In a third such attack today, a grenade lobbed on CRPF troops at Srinagar's Magarmal Bagh.

On Friday (June 1), two security personnel and one civilian were reportedly injured after the terrorists lobbed a grenade on a police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag area. A vehicle was also reportedly damaged in the incident.

On May 25, terrorists hurled grenade at a camp of 34 Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam.

On May 7, one CRPF personnel was injured after terrorists hurled a grenade at Tahab Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The grenade was lobbed at police and CRPF personnel who were deployed at Tahab Chowk to maintain law and order.

On May 4, terrorists hurled a grenade at a police station in Pulwama. The grenade exploded outside the police station and no one was injured in the incident.

On April 12, terrorists had lobbed a grenade at a police station in Pulwama in which two policemen were left injured. Following the incident, the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a hunt to nab the attackers.

Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 166 percent more civilian fatalities due to militancy while there was a 42 percent rise in the number of terrorists neutralised in 2017 compared to the previous year, the Home Ministry said in April. The annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for 2017-18, released in April, said that since the advent of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir in 1990, a total of 13,976 civilians and 5,123 security personnel have lost their lives till December 31, 2017. In 2017, there were 342 violent incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in which 80 security personnel, 40 civilians and 213 terrorists were killed.
Justice BV Nagarathna in line to become Indias first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027

Gujarat: Woman forces 11-year-old girl to dip her hand in boiling oil to prove she was not lying

Japanese tourist raped by taxi driver in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

Shimla, June 2: In a shocking incident, a Japanese woman has been allegedly raped by a taxi driver in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh on Friday. The incident has once again brought to light the question on safety of foreign tourists, especially women travellers, in India.

According to ANI, the police has registered a case and arrested a person based on the clues given by the victim.

"A case has been registered and one person has also been arrested. The victim has been sent for the medical test. Her medical test reports are awaited," said Superintendent of Police, Kullu, Shalini Agnihotri.

Japanese woman was allegedly raped by a man in Kullu. Police official says, 'case has been registered & 1 person has been arrested. Victim has been sent for the medical test. As per the victim the accused is a taxi driver. Further investigation underway.' #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/BIgZnLxSSL  ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2018

"According to the victim the accused is a taxi driver. Further investigation underway," the official added.

In the last few months, the nation has witnessed alarming rise in the number of cases of rapes, especially of minor girls. Angry citizens of the country protested on roads in various parts of the country over the horrific rape cases reported from Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao in April.

Both the cases caught the attention of the nation because of its barbarity and open support for the accused from a section of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After its "studied silence" over crimes against women, especially minor girls, the Narendra Modi government approved the ordinance to allow courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping girls under 12 in April.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 11:27 [IST]
As Karnataka polls on May 12, here are the top ten constituencies to watch out for

Karnataka polls: Winner with highest vote share was 77 per cent, lowest 24

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

In the recently concluded Karnataka assembly elections, the win by the highest vote share was 77 per cent while the lowest was 24 per cent. Data prepared by the Association for Democratic Reforms states that 44(57%) out of 77 winners with declared criminal cases have won with a vote share of 50% and above.

Vote share margin:

The Congress candidate from Pulakeshinagar, Akhanda Srinivasamurthy polled 97574 votes and won with a vote share of 77 per cent. In the constituency there are 231913 voters and the total votes was 126432.

Second on the list is D K Shivakumar of the Congress who contested from Kanakapura. Of the 220409 registered voters, 186152 voted. Shivakumar polled 127552 and won with a vote share of 69 per cent.

Dr. Ashwathnarayan of the BJP who contested from Malleshwaram comes third on the list with a vote share of 67 per cent. Malleshwaram has 213537 voters of which 123665 voted. He bagged 83130 votes.

Anjali Hemant Nimbalkar of the Congress who contested the Khanapur seat polled 36649 votes and won with a 24 per cent vote share.

Y V Patil of the Congress who contested from India polled 50401 votes and won with a vote share of 30 per cent.

D S Suresh of the BJP won the Tarikere seat with a vote share of 30 per cent and polled 44940 votes.

Winners with margin of less than 1000 votes:

Winners with margin of victory more than 30 per cent:

Performance of women winners:

Performance of re-elected winners:

NOTA

Other statistics:

The voter turnout for the Karnataka Assembly was 74% whereas voter turnout in 2013 assembly elections was 71%. Out of 104 winner of BJP, 53(51%) won with less than 50 % of total votes polled in their constituencies. 48(61%) out of 78 winners from INC; 19(50%) out of 38 winners from JD(S); 1(100%) winner each from KPJP and BSP have won with less than 50% of total votes polled in their constituency.

44(57%) out of 77 winners with declared criminal cases have won with a vote share of 50% and above.

95(44%) out 215 crorepati winners have won with a vote share of 50% and above.  Representativeness of Winners

All the winners of the Karnataka State Assembly Elections, 2018 won with an average of 36% of the total registered voters. This implies that the winners represents on an average, 36% of the total electorate. In the Karnataka State Assembly Elections, 2013 won by an average of 32% of the total registered votes.

Out of 104 winner of BJP, 69(66%) have won less than 40% of votes of the total registered voters in the constituency. 61(78%) out of 78 winners from INC; 15(39%) out of 38 winners from JD(S); 1(100%) winner each from KPJP and BSP have won less than 40 % of votes of the total registered voters in the constituency.

Winners with Declared Criminal Cases and their Margin of Victory:

49 out of 77 winners with declared criminal cases have won against a runners up with a clean background.

Among these 49 winners, 12 winners have won with more than 20 % margin of victory.

Among these, Dr. Ashwat H Narayan CN (BJP) from Malleshwaram constituency won with 44% margin of victory.

Crorepati Winners and their Margin of Victory:

18 out of 215 crorepati winners have won against a non-crorepati runners up.

Among these 18 winners, 7 winners have won with more than 20 % margin of victory.

Among these, Mr. Yathindra S (INC) from Varuna constituency won with 33% margin of victory.

Out of total 94 re-elected winners, none have won with less than 32 % of vote share in their respective constituency. 45(48%) have won with more than 50% of vote share.

21(22%) re-elected winners have won with less than 5% of margin of victory whereas 7 have won with more than 30% of margin of victory.

The NOTA button instated by the ECI in 2013 gave the voters an options of rejecting all the candidates in their constituency. The total number of votes polled for None-of-the-above option were 322841 votes during the Karnataka State Assembly Elections, 2018.

Out of total votes polled for NOTA, 22% (70,941 votes) of votes were polled in 55 Red Alert Constituencies. Red Alert Constituencies refer to constituencies where among the contesting candidates, 3 or more candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
BSP to fight solo in UP, Uttarakhand, no tie-up with Owaisi's AIMIM, says Mayawati

'Should not be misled': Mayawati reaches out to Brahmins before UP polls

Why is Congress high command silent over killing of Dalit man in Rajasthan, asks Mayawati

Mayawati hands over bungalow to UP govt, maintains that it's Kanshi Ram's memorial

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

BSP Chief Mayawati on Saturday handed over the charge of the bungalow at 13A, Mall Avenue, Lucknow, to the Uttar Pradesh government, days after Supreme Court directed former chief ministers to vacate their government accomodation. Mayawati has now shifted to her new residence at 9 Mall Avenue.

"It is now the responsibility of the state govt to look after and maintain the security at 13-A Mall Avenue residence which is the memorial of Kanshi Ram," she said after vacating the government acoomodation.

The UP government recently sent notices to six politicians after Supreme Court ordered that they should shift out of the official accommodation allotted to them as former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh.

Mayawati then went ahead and converted into a Kanshiram Yadgar Vishram Shthal.

The BSP recently said Mayawati occupied just two rooms of the "Shri Kanshi Ram Ji Yadgar Vishram Sthal".

Following the Supreme Court order, the UP government on May 17 issued notices to Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav to vacate the bungalows. While Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh indicated their willingness to do so, the others have expressed reluctance.

N D Tiwari's wife Ujjwala Tiwari sought more time, pleading that her husband was in the "last stages" of his life.

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav have written to the Estate Department seeking two more years at their official residences and have moved the apex court on this.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 21:10 [IST]
Mining case against me false says former Goa CM, Kamat

India

oi-Staff

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Congress leader and former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, named an accused in the multi- crore mining scam, today said allegations against him were false and asserted he will not buckle under them.

He said the priority now should be to get the mining activity in the state restarted.

Kamat was addressing a meeting organised by the "Goa Mining Dependents Front" at Usgao village, 50km from here.

The meeting was held to demand resumption of the mining activity, which came to a standstill in the coastal state after a Supreme Court order in February.

"Many things have been said about me and the mining industry. I will not buckle under fake allegations," the former Congress Chief Minister maintained.

"I am capable of facing any allegation because I have God with me. I never went against the interest of the common people when I was the Chief Minister or a minister," said Kamat, who headed the Congress-led government from 2007 to 2012.

Kamat has been named one of the accused by the Goa Crime Branch in the multi-crore mining scam.

As per the report of the Justice (retd) M B Shah Commission, illegal mining to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore had taken place in Goa from 2005 to 2012, when the Supreme Court banned extraction of iron ore in the coastal state.

Kamat had held the charge of the Mines and Geology Ministry from 2000 to 2012. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Speaking further, Kamat said thecurrent question is how to start the mining industry.

"There are two ways - either go to the Supreme Court and file a review petition or issue an ordinance," he said.

The former Chief Minister said the closure of iron ore mines has slowed down economic activities in cities.

"Our party will support the cause of mining resumption. We were part of the Goa delegation which went to Delhi in the past demanding resumption of mining activity."

As per the government estimates, around two lakh people in Goa are dependent on the mining industry, a key source of revenue for the tiny state.
NIA books ten govt officials in NSCN(K) extortion case

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

The National Investigation Agency has filed a chargesheet against ten government officials in Nagaland for allegedly helping a terrorist outfit raise funds.

The accused Government officials helped NSCN (K), a banned terrorist organization to raise funds through Government resources. The government officials were arrested by NIA on different dates in the years 2017 and 2018. Investigation has clearly established involvement of these Government Officials in the crime.

The case was registered on the charges of large-scale extortions and unlawful tax collections by various terrorist organizations/gangs. The extortion drive was carried out under the direction of self-styled Brigadier of NSCN (K), Issac Sumi (A-3).

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 10:00 [IST]
Nowhatta incident: J &K Police files 2 FIRs against CRPF's Srinagar Unit

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Jammu and Kashmir Police registered two FIRs against CRPF's Srinagar Unit over the Nowhatta incident on Saturday. The FIRs were registered under sections 307 (Attempt to murder), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 279 (Rash driving) among other sections including sections 149, 152, 336 and 427.

A stone-pelter was allegedly run over by a CRPF vehicle which was escaping a mob. The incident reported, just a few days before Home Minister Rajnath Singh is to visit the valley.

This could dampen the centre's renewed efforts to reach out to Kashmiri youth after announcing the Ramzan truce with terrorists.

Mr Singh had planned to use his visit to not only review preparations for the Amarnath Yatra due to begin on June 29 but more importantly, signal his intent to engage with all stakeholders including the Hurriyat leaders.

The CRPF vehicle ran into a street protest when it was on its way back after dropping off a senior officer. A mob tried to encircle the vehicle and some of the protestors were trying to get into it. The driver tried to get away, but ended up running over three persons. The incident took place at a time when the Centre had declared a unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah tweeted, "earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protestors now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps?".
Telangana formation day: The birth of a movement

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

On March4 2017, the Government of India declared June 2 2014 as the Telangana Formation Day. An agitation that went on for years finally paid off and the people of Telangana had their separate state.

It all began in 1953 when the States Reorganisation Committee was appointed to prepare for the creation of states on linguistic lines. After going through the recommendations of the SRC, the then Home Minister Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant decided to merge Andhra state and Telangana to form Andhra Pradesh state on 1 November 1956 after providing safeguards to Telangana in the form of Gentleman's agreement.

The period between 1969 and 1973 was marked by two political kranthi namely 'Jai Telangana' and 'Jai Andhra' movements. Social tensions arose due to influx of people from the Coastal Andhra region. Protests started with the hunger strike of a student from Khammam district for the implementation of safe-guards promised during the creation of Andhra Pradesh. The movement slowly manifested into a demand for a separate Telangana.

In 1997, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) passed a resolution seeking a separate Telangana. In 2000, Congress party MLAs from the Telangana region who supported a separate Telangana state formed the Telangana Congress Legislators Forum and submitted momorandum to their president Sonia Gandhi requesting to support the Telangana state.

A new party called Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), led by Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), was formed in April 2001 with the single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital.

In 2001, the Congress Working Committee sent a resolution to the NDA government for constituting a second SRC to look into the Telangana state demand. This was rejected by then union home minister L K Advani citing that smaller states were neither viable nor conducive to the integrity of the country.

In April 2002, Advani wrote a letter to MP A Narendra rejecting a proposal to create Telangana state explaining that "regional disparities in economic development could be tackled through planning and efficient use of available resources". He said that the NDA government, therefore, does "not propose creation of a separate state of Telangana"[39] However, in 2012, Advani said that if their then partner TDP cooperated during NDA tenure, a separate state of Telangana could have been created.

On 9 December 2009, the then Union Minister of Home Affairs P Chidambaram announced that the Indian government would start the process of forming a separate Telangana state, pending the introduction and passage of a separation resolution in the Andhra Pradesh assembly. This resulted in protests across both Andhra and Rayalseema.

Students, workers, lawyers and various organisations in the regions launched the Samaikyandhra Movement demanding that the state be kept united.

MLAs from these regions also submitted their resignations in protest seeking a reversal of the home minister's statement.

On 23 December, keeping in view the reactions of people of other regions, the Government of India announced that no action on Telangana will be taken until a consensus is reached by all parties and groups in the state.

A Joint Action Committee (also known as JAC or TJAC) comprising political and non-political groups was formed to lead the demand for separate Telangana with Osmania University professor M Kodandaram as its convenor. On 3 February, the government appointed a five-member committee headed by Justice Sri Krishna to look into the issue.

Committee Report:

The committee opined that most regions of Telangana (excluding Hyderabad) were either "on par or a shade lower" than Coastal Andhra. When Hyderabad is included, Telangana fared better. The most backward of all regions was in fact Rayalaseema.

The committee, however, agreed with the violations of GO 610. Most violations, however, have been in the education and health sectors due to dearth of qualified locals. It also noted that the funds released for educational institutions in Telangana were lower than in the other two regions of the state. The committee did not see the Telangana movement as a threat to national integrity. Noting the emotions in the general public about the issue, a perceived neglect in implementation of assurances given to the region,it also said that "The continuing demand, therefore, for a separate Telangana, the Committee felt, has some merit and is not entirely unjustified". The conclusion of the report included the following statements "Therefore, after taking into account all the pros and cons, the Committee did not think it to be the most preferred, but the second best, option.

Separation is recommended only in case it is unavoidable and if this decision can be reached amicably amongst all the three regions.

Cabinet approval:

On 3 October 2013, the Union Cabinet approved the creation of the new State of Telangana. A Group of Ministers (GoM) was created to settle issues concerning the new state and the State of Andhra Pradesh.

Hyderabad will be the shared capital for 10 years, after which it will belong to Telangana, said the Home Minister.

On 8 February 2014: the Telangana Bill is passed by the Lok Sabha with support from the BJP and Congress. The Telangana bill is passed by Rajya Sabha with the support form the BJP.

The bill receives the assent of the President and published in the gazette on 1 March 2014. On 4 March 2014 the Government of India declares 2 June 2014 the Telangana Formation Day.
Telangana four years later: The farmer is all smiles

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Telangana which turns four today has faced several challenges since its formation. The people of the state not just fought but laid down their lives to ensure that a separate state was formed.

Four years down, the people of the state are relatively happy with the developments. Sudhakar Rao, a resident of Hyderabad says that the developments have taken place at a good pace. However what brings them the most joy is that the identity that they had been fighting for has been restored. It is a very emotional moment for all of us he also says.

Telangana formation day: The birth of a movement

On the development front, the youngest state of India has created a record by implementing 60 different farmer-friendly programmes. The people say that the biggest development factor has been on the agriculture front. K Chandrashkara Rao understands the pain of a farmer she he was one himself. KCR as he fondly called also says that he knows the pain and suffering of the farmers and hence my government stood as a backbone to them.

The big change was affected when the government decided to provide free and uninterrupted power to the farming sector. The government also waived off farm loans and also introduced the popular scheme Rythu Bandhu, a farmer input support scheme of Rs 8,000 per acre which goes directly into the account of the farmer through cheques.

As per the NITI Aayog's Agriculture Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index' Telangana is ranked among the top 10 most farmer-friendly states in the country.

KCR in addition to this also undertook a drive to clean up land records, distribute new Pattadar pass books which has ended unwanted litigation among the rural folk.

Telangana: The gamble Congress took in 2014

Telangana is also the first state in the country to provide 26% of its annual budget to agriculture. Telangana also allocated Rs 3,390 crore in the first year and, subsequently Rs 3,397 crore and Rs 8,083 crore for purchase of produce at Minimum Support Prices from farmers. A separate mechanism has also been put in place for stabilisation of prices of agricultural produce. The State government has been providing tractors to farmers at 50% subsidy while waiving off transport tax on them.

The Telangana government also provides 'Saddi Muta' hygienic food at Rs five to farmers who bring their produce to market yards in Boinpally, Siddipet, Gajwel and Adilabad. Efforts are also made to supply seeds, fertiliser, and pesticides to farmers at farmers' doorstep through Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 10:21 [IST]
Telangana: The gamble Congress took in 2014

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Today is Telangana formation day. The 29th state of India was formed after decades of agitation and flip flops by political parties. It was finally the UPA government at the Centre which decided to accord a separate state of Telangana in the run up to the 2014 elections.

The movement was largely led by the students and after the formation of the Telangana Rastriya Samithi, the issue turned political. The TRS founded by K Chandrashekar Rao had only one agenda and that was the formation of the state.

He had entered into an alliance with the Congress when Rajashekara Reddy was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. However the state was not formed and Andhra Pradesh remained united. Reddy held immense control over the entire state.

However following his death, the Congress party split with his son, Jagan Reddy coming out and forming the YSR Congress party. The Congress was weakened to a great extent and KCR stepped up the pressure on the Congress to declare a separate state.

The Congress which had ruled for two straight terms at the Centre was facing a crucial election in 2014. Many from the Congress who belonged to the Telangana region pressurised the high command to give in to the demand. The Congress was hoping for a big win in a new state as it felt that the people who have been agitating for several years would reward it.

Telangana formation day: The birth of a movement

KCR on the other hand was stepping up the pressure as well. The Congress was not entirely sure whether the people would entirely back it in the elections as the movement got political recognition due to the efforts of KCR. The Congress began bargaining with the TRS for an alliance ahead of the elections. The Congress said that the state would be formed if TRS agreed to the alliance.

However KCR sensed more on the ground and felt that the people would reward him first.

He was confident of a full majority and felt that allying with the Congress would make him the junior partner in the alliance. He told the Congress that he would stitch up an alliance after the Centre makes the announcement. The Congress was left with no choice. Not according a state would have been a huge risk as the party would have reduced to single digits in the elections at Telangana.

The Congress took the risk and granted the state. However after the decision was made, KCR said that there would be no pre-poll alliance with the Congress. This was termed as a betrayal by many in the Congress. The elections were held in 2014 and the full mandate went to the TRS, which is currently ruling the state.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 7:27 [IST]
War on naxals: NIA seizes 4,000 kgs of gelatine explosives

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

A team of the National Investigation Agency has seized 4,000 kilograms of gelatine explosives in Jharkhand. The seizure comes close on the heels of the arrest of a naxalite, Mahavir Manjhi.

On March 5, the Jharkhand police arrested 15-armed Maoist cadres including functionaries of CPI (Maoist) from village Akabakitanr, PS Dumri, district Giridih and 12(Twelve) regular weapons, 60 ATM (SBI) cards, 199 letter of thanks issued by Allahabad Bank, for opening accounts and 1125 Aadhar cards, besides others.

Meanwhile six Naxals, two of them with cash rewards on their heads, were arrested by security forces in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, a police official said.

Kanti alias Rama Korram (35), carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh, was arrested from Kondagaon district, while Koso Poyam (35), who carried a reward of Rs one lakh on his head, was nabbed from Bijapur district.

Other four, including a woman, were arrested from Dantewada district, the official said.

The arrested Naxals faced charges of abducting government officials and attacking police teams, among other offences, he said.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 14:15 [IST]
West Bengal Police rules out political enmity in BJP workers' murder

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

West Bengal Police ruled out political enmity in connection with the murders of the BJP workers. The bodies of two BJP workers were found under suspicious circumstances in Purulia district.

Briefing about the reasons for the alleged murder of BJP workers, Joy Biswas, Purulia SP, said, "In the preliminary investigation in the 1st incident, it seems to be the case of personal enmity. We've started investigating and we'll take proper action. The second incident seems to be the case of suicide. Body sent for postmortem."

However, BJP leadership levelled allegation against the nexus between ruling TMC and the state police.

Babul Supriyo, said, "What TMC is doing under the leadership and dictate of Mamata Banerjee isn't new. If action isn't taken immediately, we won't be able to face people. The biggest issue is a nexus between TMC and police. Police is supporting and unleashing violence."

Meanwhile, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya wrote to NHRC over the incident of murder of a BJP worker in Purulia. He writes, "We do not trust state government, police, and the CID. We want NHRC do conduct a thorough investigation in the incident.'

BJP worker Dulal Kumar was found hanging from an electric pole in Balarampur in Purulia district today. In a similar incident, the dead body of Trilochan Mahato (18) was found hanging by a tree with a poster stuck to his back on May 30.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 16:21 [IST]
"Whatever I have to say, I will say in Nagpur", says Pranab Mukherjee

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Amid the raging debate over Pranab Mukherjee's attending an RSS event, the former president has, in a veiled response, said that all queries will be answered once he speaks in Nagpur, where the event is scheduled to be held.

"Whatever I have to say, I will say in Nagpur. I have received several letters and phone calls but I haven't responded to anyone yet," Mukherjee was quoted as saying by Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika.

Senior Congress leader C K Jaffer Sharief had earlier this week written a letter to Pranab Mukherjee requesting him to 'reconsider and avoid visiting' the RSS headquarters.

Congress leader P Chidambaram said that, 'now that he has accepted invitation there is no point debating why he accepted it.'

'More important thing to say is, sir you have accepted invitation, please go there and tell them what is wrong with their ideology,' the former Finance Minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said that the former president's "decision to attend the function organized by the communal outfit has come as a rude shock to the secular minds in this country".

"I have been associated with him for many years. I am very concerned and surprised by his decision. The RSS is always trying to divide the society," the Opposition leader in Kerala Legislative Assembly told reporters.

Meanwhile, the RSS hailed the former President's greatness for accepting their invitation to address their workers in Nagpur.

"This isn't surprising for those who know and understand the Sangh, because RSS has always invited prominent people of the society in its programmes. This time, we invited Dr Pranab Mukherjee and it's his greatness that he has accepted our invitation," read a statement from the RSS.

Mukherjee, who has been a Congress veteran, will be the chief guest at the valedictory function of Sangh Shiksha Varg - a training camp for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteers - at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, scheduled on June 7.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 18:29 [IST]
Will Rahul and Sonia decide if Lingayats are Hindu or not?: Indresh Kumar

India

oi-Vinod

By Vinod

National Executive member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Indresh Kumar, has been interacting with people from different faiths. He is the patron of Muslim Rashtriya Manch that works among Muslims in India to bring them out of religious radicalism and hatred. Many other tasks are cut out for him as he is visiting Cambodia to oversee making of the fifth dham there.

He spoke to OneIndia on various issues concerning the country. Here are the excerpts from the interview:

Q. What are your plans in Cambodia that you are visiting with some other RSS functionaries?

A. There is a plan to built Fifth Dham with Cambodia having the biggest Hindu shrine. Guruji Kumaranswami is taking the project further on. There is a plan afoot that more such places should be built across the world that can bring Sanatan (Hindu) religion together. There is a plan for the formation of Fifth Dam in Cambodia and Bhumi Poojan (stone laying) of this has been done. Around 500 acres of land has been acquired for the project.

Q. You are visiting with some of your associates, what is your role in this endeavour. You will be the keynote speaker or some other role too?

A. I will be there as the chief guest. The structure of the programme is such that the stone laying was done on May 31 and after that programme of Subhashish Prakalp started. There are Four Dham in India some more Dham need to be created across the world where people from all caste creed, religion, culture, civilization and community should gather. It is said that Sanatan is not radicalism but humanism; it is not communalism but goodwill (Sadbhav). Therefore there is no threat to any faith, it will be a place of realization of peace. A dialogue is also planned with Buddhists in Cambodia as the birthplace of Sanatan and Buddhism and even family lineage is the same. This is an attempt to make this world free from intolerance, violence and radicalism.

Q. What is the next step of this project?

A. Guru ji will take the project ahead and whatever plan is made in Cambodia, India or any part of the work they all will be implemented as per his guidance.

Q. Will you remain associated with this project even afterwards?

A. It is the tradition of India that there remains continuity of relations. In western world, there is no concept of bigger family so relations are not guaranteed but it is there in India. So we will continue with this for sure. We keep relations with living and non-living being, relations with pilgrimages are here to stay. These places are not for an individual but for everyone so relations are here to continue for long.

Q. Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism have their origin in India and they are linked to each other. You have the credit of initiating dialogue even with Islam and establishing connection with the community. How far you have been successful and what is your future plan?

A Presence of Islam in India is from very long time but no one can say that there was any attempt to establish dialogue with it. Dialogue is the only way that can produce some results. So we tried to establish some dialogues that provided some results as well. We started movements against exploitation of Muslim women, radicalism of youths and many other evils in Islam and we mobilized people within the community to counter it. We succeeded in getting them rid of injustices like triple talaq and many more. Similarly they agreed cow slaughter should be banned and during the everyday Iftari of Ramzan Roza lakhs of Muslims are doing it by cow milk. Muslims are using cow milk along with date for Roza Iftar. They are making commitment that they will not kill cow, will not eat meat, serve them and drink cow milk and juice. Lakhs of Muslims have joined this movement and it is growing leaps and bounds. Similarly Muslims have also started standing up against terrorism. Muslims have been maintaining distance from racial riots, radicalism, communalism due to our efforts and they have started realizing that the country is ours, our ancestors are one, our god is one, our citizenship is one only way of worship has been changed. This kind of thinking has been developed in the Muslims and increasing very fast in their psyche.

Q. Have you been able to give them a message on the issue of terrorism?

A. Of course! You will see processions are organized by Muslims against terrorism, national flag has been raised on thousands of madarsa in the recent past, singing National Anthem and chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Jai Hind by Muslims is increasing by the day. Protests, march, procession and mobilization against terrorism is organized against terrorism.

Q. Dalits and Sunni Muslims are united on one hand and on the other Shia Muslims and other Hindus castes are joining hands. Don't you think this is a dangerous sign for India or it is at a superficial level only?

A. See untouchability is absolutely wrong, crime and a sin. It must perish. As long as untouchability remains, the reservation must continue and protected. If anyone says that the BJP will remove reservation the person is misguiding and telling lie. RSS has been in the support of reservation since beginning till today. As far as such political combinations that are being made, they will simply destroy unity and integrity of the society. Such moves should not be legally accepted and morality accepted. Some people are trying to make such attempts but they will not succeed. Balmiki has given us Ram, name of Ram and Ramayan that no one can deny therefore this is superficial and tactics of exploitation. There is a need to bring awakening among the community. Working for the unity and integrity of the country is the duty of every citizen of the country he may be of any caste or religion.

Q. Muslim Rashtriya Manch works under your guidance. It has its influence in north India! Does it have its presence in south India also?

A. It started from Delhi and reached the entire country. It has its presence in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and entered in North-East. It has reached Maharashtra. Moving ahead from Hyderabad, Telengana and reached Karnataka with further expansions plan for Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In the past 15 years no any such organisation in India grew that fast. They have their programmes all across the country including Kerala and Manipur. They are gradually making their presence felt and getting support from the society. The Muslims Rashtriya Manch decided to raise National Flag on every madarsa and it had happed which no secularist had been able to do. The MRM has successfully done without making any fuss and noise. Secularists were defeated by their spirit and enthusiasm. Their work is now accepted and spreading in the country.

Q. There has been an attempt to divide Hindu community in the name of Lingayat. What do you have to say about it?

A. Will Rahul and Sonia decide if Lingayats are Hindus or not? This was the biggest sin committed by the Congress for gaining political brownie points, tomorrow if they feel Protestant, Baptists and Catholic will be declared separate religion, Shia, Sunni and people visiting dargah will be declared separate religion. They will say Vohra community is a separate religion. In Jainism, Swetambar, Digambar, Terapanthi and Baispanthi will be declared separate faith. If politicians will start it, they will break and divide everyone. Lingayats have given an identity to Sanatanies and vice versa. Today they are priests at Kashi Vishwanath, Badrinath, Kedarnath and Pashupatinath. They are not separate from Sanatan and Sanatan is not separate from Lingayats. Due to these divisive politics, the Congress is confined in packets and is paying for its mistakes that they had committed in the country.

Q. You talked about Assaduddin Owaisi, don't you think your entire attempt to unite Muslims is spoiled by people like Owaisi.

A. No! He cannot do anything; no one should live in any misconception. He is a rejected stuff and he cannot do anything. Evil cannot have the last laugh but goodwill always prevails. People are wise enough; Owaisi does not have any space outside Hyderabad forget about the country?

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 19:42 [IST]
At Shangri-La, Modi targets protectionism; hails Indias ties with big powers

International

oi-Shubham

By Shubham

At a time when the US, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, escalated protectionism more by putting tariffs on goods imported from his countries' allies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the opposite course by targeting protectionism at the high-profile Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore on Friday, June 1.

Stressing that nations could not find solutions behind walls but by embracing changes, Modi said: "What we seek is a level playing field for all. India stands for open and stable international trade regime."

Modi, who delivered the keynote speech at SLD as the first Indian prime minister, said India backed a rule-based trade environment in the Indo-Pacific region which will benefit all countries in trade and investment.

Modi, who is on the final leg of his three-day visit to Southeast Asia starting from Indonesia on May 29, also said that India had many friendships and none of them aimed at containing those with others. He said this in connection to India's relations with the US, Russia and China.

On India-US relations, Modi said New Delhi's global strategic partnership with Washington deepened across the breadth while on his country's relation with Russia, Modi said its first Strategic Partnership was with Russia and it became special over time.

He also hailed India's ties with China saying no other external relation that India shares has so many layers as it is with its northern neighbour. The two countries are often seen as enemies but one can't deny the fact that the two - which are making fast economic progress -- also harbour hopes of working together to facilitate global economy.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 7:02 [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

June 12 summit with North Korea's Kim is back on, says Trump

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Ending weeks of uncertainly, President Donald Trump announced Friday that his historic summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is back on for June 12 in Singapore.

Trump's announcement came at the end of a two-hour meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol, who had travelled from New York after two days of talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Kim Yong Chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump. "We are meeting with the Chairman (Kim Jong-un) on June 12 (in Singapore). It is ultimately going to be a successful process," Trump said immediately after Kim Yong Chol left the White House.

"I will travel to Singapore on June 12. Relationships are building. It will be a beginning...I never said that it will happen in one meeting. I think, we will have a very positive result in one meeting," the president said.

While admitting that dealing with North Korea was "going to be a process," Trump said he believed that process would ultimately be "successful."

Trump said the letter from Kim, hand-delivered by Kim Yong Chol, was "very nice" and "very interesting," without immediately disclosing its contents.

After exchanging threats and insults since Trump became president last year, the United States and North Korea have been trying to set up the summit between their leaders.
Collapse of Kabul will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history: Donald Trump

Trump meets North Korean envoy, confirms Singapore Summit on June 12

International

pti-PTI

Washington, Jun 2: US President Donald Trump held nearly 80-minute long meeting with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol in the Oval Office of the White House. Kim Yong Chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump.

After the meeting, Trump confirmed that his Singapore Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would take place on June 12, and said it would begin the process of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

"The meeting went very well. We'll be meeting on June 12th in Singapore. It went very well. It's really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation," Trump said at an impromptu press conference with the White House pool soon after the North Korean envoy left. Kim Yong Chol arrived in Washington DC after two days of talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York.

Trump acknowledged that denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was going to be a long process. "I think it'll be a process. I never said it goes in one meeting. But the relationships are building, and that's a very positive thing," he said.

Confident that the North Koreans wanted to achieve this goal, he said they want other things along the line. "I think they want to do that. I know they want to do that. And they want other things along the line. They want to develop as a country. That's going to happen. I have no doubt," the US President said. Trump said countries in the region  Japan and South Korea  were also involved in this.

"We're involved in terms of getting everything. Everybody wants the United States. So we're going to help in the process. Without us, it wouldn't happen. But I think that you see a lot of very positive things, including with China. I think you see a lot of very positive things happening with President Xi, who has helped me quite a bit with this. So we'll see where it leads," he said.

The President went on to confirm that the summit would take place in Singapore on June 12.

"It will be a beginning. I don't say and I've never said it happens in one meeting. You're talking years of hostility, problems and hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end," he added. Responding to a question, Trump said he had never cancelled the meeting. His letter to Kim Jong-un was in response to statements coming from them.

"My letter was a response to their letter. The media forgot that. You know, the media said, 'Oh, you had a meeting, then you cancelled.' I didn't cancel the meeting. I cancelled it in response to a very tough statement. And I think we're totally over that. Now we're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process," he said.

"We are meeting with the Chairman (Kim Jong-un) on June 12 (in Singapore). It is ultimately going to be a successful process," Trump said.

The president described the letter as very interesting and nice. "It was actually very interesting because this was literally going to be the delivery of a letter, and it ended up being a two-hour conversation with the second-most powerful man in North Korea," he said.

"We talked about almost everything. We talked about sanctions," Trump added. Based on the talks, Trump said the North Korean leader was committed to denuclearisation.

"I do think so. He'd like to see it happen. He wants to be careful. He is not going to run and do things. But I told him, to be honest with you, look, we have sanctions on; they're very powerful sanctions. We would not take sanctions off unless they did that. But the sanctions are very powerful. You're going to see how powerful sanctions are when it comes to Iran. You see what that's doing to Iran," he said.

The President said he looked forward to the day when the sanctions could be lifted Trump, however, said the current level of sanctions on North Korea would remain. "It's going to remain what it is now. I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore because we're getting along," he said.

He said the United States was unlikely to offer much aid to North Korea, which would be taken care of by South Korea and Japan. Responding to a question, Trump said he was concerned about the recent visit of the Russian foreign minister to Pyongyang.

"I didn't like it, but it could be very positive, too. I didn't like the Russian meeting yesterday. If it's a positive meeting, I love it. If it's a negative meeting, I'm not happy," he said. Trump said they also talked about ending the Korean war.

"We talked about ending the war. This war has been going on -- it's got to be the longest war -- almost 70 years, right? And there is a possibility of something like that. That's more of a signing of a document that it's very important in one way. Historically, it's very important. But we'll see. We did discuss the ending of the Korean War," he said. The United States, Trump said, was going to ensure the security of Kim Jong-un.

"We're going to make sure when this is over, it's over. It's not going to be starting up again. They have a potential to be a great country. I think South Korea, Japan and China are going to help a lot," he said.

PTI
New Delhi (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the advocate, who has sought a direction to declare the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya a national heritage, to file a representation before the Central government.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked petitioner advocate Anu Mehta to make a representation before the Union Ministry of Culture in this regard and said that the government may consider the representation and take a decision within three months.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Mehta, who has sought the courts direction for protection and preservation of the ancient and endangered archaeological monument located at Ayodhya.

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In the plea, she has sought a direction to declare the Ayodhya site as well as the entire monument at the site as per Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act a national heritage.

The petitioner has also sought the courts direction to preserve the protected Ayodhya site, take necessary action to preserve both monuments  the ancient temple as well as the mosque independently, and if required, separate the superstructure from the original structure of the entire monument at the site to maintain the sanctity of both the monuments.

Beneath the superstructure lies an ancient monument which dates back to centuries and holds a vital key to the history of the continents ancient civilisation. Thus, the ancient monument constitutes national heritage as per the provisions of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, the plea read.

The PIL said that the monument holds vital information and proofs regarding the past civilisation and points at the social, cultural and religious advancement in the region in that era.

The plea also mentions that there also exists a mosque at the site which too may be acquired and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and holds a historical importance as it signifies and denotes the sad invasion of India by Babur which too is a vital and historically unfortunate event in Indias history.
New Managers

Bulletin: Oregon based Blockchain hedge fund manager up 259.65% net through April

Oregon based Blockchain hedge fund manager up 259.65% net through April

Stonegate Capital said that its Stonegate Octic AllWeather Blockchain Master Fund returned 259.65% net of fees as of April this year compared to its benchmark, the HFRI Cryptocurrency Index which is down 17.48% during the same period. The fund is managed by Octic Capital Management, a multi-strategy alternative asset manager focusing on relative value trading strategies in crypto markets

Since the fund's inception in November last year, the fund is up 530.92% (gross), Stonegate said in its report.

Opening to outside capital and limiting capacity to $50 million

At the same time, Stonegate founder, CEO and portfolio manager John McCorvey III announced plans that the hedge fund is limiting its capital capacity to $50 million and would open to outside

investors by this year.

He added, "Our team has had the great fortune to able to fine tune our models trading live in both parabolic up and parabolic down markets since beginning our investment strategies in November 2017. It's still a very early market, with a tremendous amount of inefficiencies that will likely persist longer than a year or two due to the odd market micro-structure of cryptocurrency. As we navigate these markets I'm often reminded of my time at Trillium Trading (formerly Datek) and hearing the stories from the biggest equity traders of 98-99'. The cryptocurrency markets are reminiscent of that era's volatility, valuation, and even market microstructure."

Corvey explained that while valuation (mainly of ICOs) will come in, volatility will likely stay substantial until natural consumers of derivatives, such as pension funds, come in, which will lead to thickening of volatility desks since theta sel......................

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From Common Dreams

While gaining the right to drive certainly brings Saudi Arabia a step closer to joining the 21st century, the biggest impediment for women has not been the inability to drive--but the male guardianship system that is a form of gender apartheid.



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The June issue of Vogue Arabia is dedicated to the "trailblazing women of Saudi Arabia" and the much-awaited June 24 date that will give Saudi women the right to drive. The cover shot is a glamorous photo of Princess Hayfa bint Abdullah Al Saud in the Jeddah desert, perched in the driver's seat of a vintage red 1980s Mercedes-Benz convertible.

"It is easy to comment on other people's societies and think that your own society is superior, but the Western world must remember that each country is specific and unique," the princess told Vogue. "We have strengths and weaknesses but, invariably, it's our culture, and it's better to try to understand it than to judge it."

But unlike the wealthy, pampered princess, for decades Saudi women themselves have been judging, and desperately trying to change, their society. They have been fighting to lift the travel ban since 1990, when 47 women piled into cars and drove around the capital. They were arrested and thrown in jail. Their passports were confiscated, those with government jobs were fired, and they were denounced in mosques across the country. Similar protests took place in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

Many Saudis believe the faces of these activists should be gracing the cover of Vogue Arabia and social media is ablaze with "corrected versions" of the magazine. But instead of celebrating the true Saudi heroes, since May 15 at least 11 activists, both women and male allies, have been arrested. One of the activists is in her 60s and another is 70 years old. Four have since been released.

They are accused of "suspicious contact with foreign parties" and undermining the "security and stability" of Saudi Arabia. In a v icious smear campaign, the state-run media released their photos with the word "traitor" stamped in red across their faces. These peaceful activists may now face up to 20 years in prison for their work against the decades-old driving ban.

One of the best-known activists, 28-year-old Loujain al-Hathloul, has been arrested several times, including in March, just days before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embarked on a three-week whirlwind visit to the United States to improve Saudi Arabia's reputation and his role as the nation's chief "reformer." On this occasion, Al-Hathloul was not arrested for driving in Saudi Arabia but for driving in the nearby United Arab Emirates, where women are allowed to drive. In a spectacular abuse of power, she was snatched from her vehicle, deported to Saudi Arabia, imprisoned, and later released with a ban on using social media or leaving the country. Despite complying with the ban, she was re-arrested on May 15 and is reportedly being held incommunicado.

These Saudi women have been fighting for the right to drive but also for women's rights more broadly. For while gaining the right to drive certainly brings Saudi Arabia a step closer to joining the 21st century, the biggest impediment for women has not been the inability to drive -- or the fact that they, by law, must be totally covered in public. The biggest obstacle to women's freedom is the male guardianship system that is a form of gender apartheid. Under this system, a woman, no matter her age, is treated as a minor and must live under the supervision of a wali, or guardian. This is a legally recognized male -- her father, husband, uncle, or some other male relative (even her son) -- who must grant formal permission for most of the significant issues affecting her life. Women are not allowed to marry, obtain a passport, travel -- or drive -- without the permission of their guardians.

Saudi Arabia is also the most gender-segregated society in the world. The government enforces sex segregation in virtually all workplaces except hospitals, and it fines businesses that fail to comply. In food outlets, including U.S. chains such as McDonalds or Kentucky Fried Chicken, all lines and eating areas are separated to keep unrelated men and women apart. The men's section is usually the airy, front section, while the women and children are relegated to the back, shielded from public view. The majority of public buildings have separate entrances for men and women. Some even ban women from entering.

Now some of the nation's most vociferous advocates for women's equality are behind bars. Human Rights Watch said the arrests have sparked a "frenzy of fear." Kareem Chehayeb of Amnesty International says that the recent sweeping crackdown on human rights activists is not an anomaly. "While Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continues to present himself as a reformer, peaceful human rights activism that calls for reforms continues to be criminalized," said Chehayeb. It simply doesn't make sense."

It does make sense, however, when you look at the chilling message it sends to Saudi women. It says that he, Mohammed bin Salman, is the agent of change who will dictate the pace of reform, not the Saudi women who have been fighting for their rights for decades. It says that he, Mohammed bin Salman, deserves and will get the credit for these reforms, not those who have been imprisoned over the years for their advocacy. Bin Salman's message to women is simple: Shut up and drive.

So the next time you hear the hoopla about Saudi women driving or some propaganda story about the reformist crown prince, think about al-Hathloul and the women who have risked their lives not just to drive a car, but to drive out the extreme misogyny that forms the basis of the present-day Saudi regime.

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From Middle East Eye

Since Trump took office, the Israel lobby has mobilized four other powerful lobbies: Christian evangelicals, the alt-right, the military-industrial complex and Saudi Arabia

The Trump administration's recent steps in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should surely lay to rest any doubts about the enormous, and dangerous, power of the Israel lobby in Washington.

Under Trump, the lobby has shown it can wield unprecedented influence -- even by its usual standards -- in flagrant disregard for all apparent US interests.

First, there was the move this month of the US embassy to Jerusalem, not quietly but on the 70th anniversary of the most sensitive day in the Palestinian calendar, Nakba Day. That is when Palestinians commemorate their mass expulsion from their homeland in 1948.

By relocating the embassy, Trump gave official US blessing to tearing up the 25-year-old peace process -- and in choosing Nakba Day for the move, he rubbed the noses of Palestinians, and by extension the Arab world, in their defeat.

Then, the White House compounded the offence by lauding Israeli snipers who massacred dozens of unarmed Palestinians protesting at the perimeter fence around Gaza the same day. A series of statements issued by the White House could have been written by Israel's far-right prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, himself.

At the United Nations, the US blocked a Security Council resolution calling for the massacre to be investigated, while Nikki Haley, Trump's UN envoy, observed to fellow delegates: "No country in this chamber would act with more restraint than Israel has."

None of these moves served any obvious US national interest, nor did Trump's decision the previous week to tear up the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran that has long been reviled by the Israeli government.

In fact, quite the contrary: These actions risk inflaming tensions to the point of a regional war that could quickly drag in the major powers, or provoke terror attacks on US soil.

It should be recalled that two decades ago, it was impossible even to mention the existence of an Israel lobby in Washington without being labelled an anti-Semite.

Paradoxically, Israel's supporters exercised the very power they denied existed, bullying critics into submission by insisting that any talk of an Israel lobby relied on anti-Semitic tropes of Jewish power.

The wall of silence was broken only with the publication in 2006 of a seminal essay -- later turned into a book -- by two prominent US academics, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt.

But in a sign of the immense weight of the lobby even as it was being dragged into the light, the pair were unable to find a publisher in the US. Instead, the essay found a home across the Atlantic in the prestigious, if obscure, London Review of Books. One of the pair, Stephen Walt, has publicly admitted that his career suffered as a result.

Since then, a little leeway has opened up on the subject. Even New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, a staunch advocate for Israel, has conceded the lobby's existence.

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Orlando, Florida, 2016, at the Libertarian Party's national convention: "Jim Fulner (MI) moved that we adopt the following resolution: 'Be it resolved, taxation is theft.' Following debate, the resolution was adopted by a voice vote."

Thus making a slogan much-loved by radical libertarians, and a claim implicit in the party's Statement of Principles and platform, official party dogma.

Are Mr. Fulner and the convention delegates (including me) fire-breathing radicals? Well, he certainly is, and I certainly am, and a number of those delegates certainly were.

But here's former Massachusetts governor William Weld, whose reputation as a squishy moderate nearly cost him the party's 2016 vice-presidential nomination (conferred on him by those same delegates), in a speech a decade earlier: "I think coercive taxation is theft, and government has a moral duty to keep it to a minimum."

Slightly weaker tea ("stealing car stereos is wrong, what say we cut it back on that a little, say to two or three a month?") but the sentiment's at least in the same ballpark.

So, let me say this again: It is the official position of the Libertarian Party that taxation is theft. It is also the official position of the Libertarian Party that we oppose theft (per our Statement of Principles, "[we] support the prohibition of robbery").

Why do I bring this up? Because in recent discussions with some of my fellow partisan Libertarians, I get the impression that they either honestly don't understand that it IS the party's official position, or else do understand that but think that it's a bad idea to say so in public.

I disagree. A political party should always be completely honest and crystal clear about its positions when addressing the public.

Yes, we want the public to agree with us and to elect our candidates to office.

No, we shouldn't try to trick the public into thinking it agrees with us if it doesn't.

Nor should we let ourselves be pressured by internal factions to conceal or minimize positions that those factions find embarrassing or inconvenient. If those internal factions don't like the party's positions, they're free to try to persuade the party to change those positions.

So, I'll say it one more time:

Agree with us or not, it is the official position of the Libertarian Party that taxation is theft. It is also the official position of the Libertarian Party that we are against theft. Vote accordingly.
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From Gush Shalom

OH, GAZA. Strong as death is love.

I loved Gaza. That is a play on words. The Biblical Song of Songs says that love is strong as death. Strong in Hebrew is Aza. Aza is also the Hebrew name of Gaza.

I have spent many happy hours in Gaza. I had many friends there. From the leftist Dr. Haidar Abd al-Shafi to the Islamist Mahmoud al-Zahar, who is now the foreign minister of Hamas.

I was there when Yasser Arafat, the son of a Gazan family, came home. They put me in the first row of the reception at the Rafah border, and that evening he received me at the hotel on the Gaza sea shore, seating me next to him on the stage during a press conference.

I met with a friendly attitude everywhere in the Gaza Strip, in the refugee camps and in the streets of Gaza City. Everywhere we talked about peace and about the place of Gaza in the future State of Palestine.

GOOD, BUT what about Hamas, the terrible arch-terrorist organization?

In the early 1990s, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin exiled 415 prominent Islamists from Gaza to Lebanon. The Lebanese did not let them in, so the exiles vegetated for a year in the open air on the border.

We protested against the expulsion and put up a tent camp opposite the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem. We stayed there for 45 days and nights, including some days in snow. In the camp were Jews and Arabs, including Israeli Arab Islamists. We spent the long days and nights in political discussions. What about? About peace, of course.

The Islamists were nice people, and treated my wife, Rachel, with utmost civility.

When the exiles were finally allowed home, a reception was held for them in the largest hall in Gaza. I was invited, together with a group of companions. I was asked to speak (in Hebrew, of course) and after that I was invited to a banquet.

I am recounting all this in order to describe the atmosphere at that time. In everything I said, I stressed that I was an Israeli patriot. I advocated peace between two states. Before the first Intifada (which started on December 9, 1987) Gaza was not a place of dark hatred. Far from it.

Masses of laborers crossed the checkpoints every morning in order to work in Israel, and so did the merchants who sold their wares in Israel, or crossed Israel on the way to Jordan, or got their merchandise through Israeli harbors.

SO HOW did we succeed -- we, the State of Israel -- in turning Gaza into what it is today?

In the summer of 2005 the then Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, decided to cut all ties with the Gaza Strip. "Arik," a soldier in his heart, decided that the costs of occupying the strip were higher than the benefits. He pulled the army and the settlers out and turned the strip over -- to whom? To nobody.

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I am writing a piece called "Utter Contempt;" Thus, I have collected links that demonstrates how the behavior we are witnessing defines utter contempt. I share with you in this post, a few examples of utter contempt but the letter from Sandy Hook Promise, at the end --defines, this moment in time. Please read the letter.

"Is the United States Losing Its Humanity?" The country is being steered towards a "dramatic change of direction" that is rewarding the rich and punishing the poor b y blocking access even to the most meager necessities."Philip Alston, the UN special rapporteur who acts as a watchdog on extreme poverty around the world, has issued a withering critique of the state of America today. Asked to define "ruination," Alston said: "Severe deprivation of food and almost no access to healthcare."

* The Supreme Courtmakes itimpossible for workers to bargain for their rights, undoing decades of effort by the unions to make collective bargaining a right. And, Womens' Rights are at Stake., c.org/resources/women's-rights-stake-why-federal-courts-matter-women/

* The Congress gives a port of gold to the richest people, and wants to pay for this grand theft of our national wealth, by farther trashing all the social programs that offer health care, food or education that are necessary to 'provide for the common good.

Wall Street banks have been handed $16 trillion in bailouts and other subsidies by the Federal Reserve and Congress at nearly zero percent interest since the 2008 financial collapse. They have used this money, as well as the money saved through the huge tax cuts imposed last year, to buy back their own stock, raising the compensation and bonuses of their managers and thrusting the society deeper into untenable debt peonage. The CEO of Disney gets 400 million and the workers get zilch! Teachers, Not the 1%, Deserve Raises. As of 2016, weekly teacher pay in the U.S. was 17% lower than comparable workers. In a 2018 survey, 18% of U.S. teachers reported working additional jobs to pay the bills.

* The Executive Office is run by a the consummate charlatan. Read this Atlantic Magazine piece, which demonstrates how the total lack of accountability empowers and perpetuates his scandalous behavior. His tweets model contempt. Roseann's behavior is no accident. The Impossible Poverty of American Discourse

Maybe "The Antidote to Trump IS Decency" but with the 24/7media circus out there and the anarchy of cyberspace, it will be a hard push, unless we all get busy" not just to bring back our INSTITUTION of Public Education but tobring back civility. "History is not going to be kind to those who were silent" about Trump's attack on truth, norms, civility and so much"

THIS model of Utter C-o-n-t-e-m-p-t at the top-- promotes this, which I received from which I received from Sandy Hook Promise:

"Susan, my beautiful butterfly-- Dylan's murder --isn't a game. My baby boy was shot at least five times in his first-grade classroom. He died in the arms of his special education assistant when he was just six years old."

"Yet more than five years after Dylan was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary, a company called Revived Games has turned that day into a game. They have created a video game where the objective is to murder people in a school -- and even after it was removed from one gaming platform, they're still planning to release it."

"This is absolutely sickening. It disgusts me to think that someone saw what happened to my son, and every person injured or killed in a school shooting, and thought it would make a fun game for other people to play. They're actually trying to make money by glorifying school shootings."

"I'm demanding that Revived not release or sell this game, and I need you to join your voice with mine to make sure we're heard. Will you stand with me by signing our petition right now?"

Please sign our petition to demand that Revived Games not release the "Active Shooter" video game and tell them that school shootings are not a game.

"This video game makes light of Dylan's murder and the deaths of everyone who has been killed by gun violence. It's abhorrent. I know the real toll school shootings take. I'll never see my little boy again, and that's a reality I still struggle to live with. "

"Thank you for standing with me today to stop this game from being distributed."

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From Counterpunch



Statue of Liberty

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"The first time it was reported that our friends were being butchered there was a cry of horror. Then a hundred were butchered. But when a thousand were butchered and there was no end to the butchery, a blanket of silence spread. When evil-doing comes like falling rain, nobody calls out 'stop!' When crimes begin to pile up they become invisible. When sufferings become unendurable the cries are no longer heard. The cries, too, fall like rain in summer." -- Bertolt Brecht, Selected Poems

There are days I wake up, and I'm not sure what country I live in anymore.

There are days I wake up and want to go right back to sleep in the hopes that this surreal landscape of government-sanctioned injustice, corruption and brutality is just a really bad dream.

There are days I am so battered by the never-ending wave of bad news that I have little outrage left in me: I am numb.

And then I get hold of myself, shake myself out of the doldrums, and remind myself that it's not yet time to give up: America needs our outrage and our alertness and our tenacity and our fierce determination to remain a free people in a land where justice matters.

This is still our country.

Don't just sit there.

Do something.

When you hear that the U.S. government "lost" 1,475 migrant children within its care over a three-month period, in some cases handing them off to human traffickers, don't just chalk it up to incompetent bureaucrats. The Trump Administration's plan to separate immigrant children from their parents at the border should outrage anyone with a moral conscience, especially in light of the government's latest revelation that it is unable to account for the whereabouts of 1,500 of those children.

Mind you, this is not just a Trump problem. A recent report indicates that under President Obama's watch, migrant children were allegedly beaten, threatened with sexual violence and repeatedly assaulted while under the care of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. According to Newsweek, "Border authorities were accused of kicking a child in the ribs and forcing a 16-year-old girl to 'spread her legs' for an aggressive body search. Other children accused officers of punching a child in the head three times, running over a 17-year-old boy and denying medical care to a pregnant teen, who later had a stillbirth."

ACT. It doesn't matter what your politics are or where you stand on immigration issues. There are some lines that should never be crossed -- some government actions that should never be tolerated or justified -- no matter what the end goal might be, and this is one of them. Demand that Congress stop playing politics and endangering children's lives.

When you read that Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants police to use stop and frisk tactics randomly against Americans without even the need for reasonable suspicion, don't just shake your head disapprovingly.

ACT: Call the Justice Department (202-353-1555) and read them the Fourth Amendment: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

After you watch the video of how the Transportation Security Administration, unfailingly tone deaf to the spirit of the Fourth Amendment, subjected a 96-year-old World War II veteran in a wheelchair to a patdown that left no part of her body untouched, don't just seethe in silence.

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From Robert Reich Blog

On Wednesday, Federal bank regulators proposed to allow Wall Street more freedom to make riskier bets with federally-insured bank deposits -- such as the money in your checking and savings accounts.

The proposal waters down the so-called "Volcker Rule" (named after former Fed chair Paul Volcker, who proposed it). The Volcker Rule was part of the Dodd-Frank Act, passed after the near meltdown of Wall Street in 2008 in order to prevent future near meltdowns.

The Volcker Rule was itself a watered-down version of the 1930s Glass-Steagall Act, enacted in response to the Great Crash of 1929. Glass-Steagall forced banks to choose between being commercial banks, taking in regular deposits and lending them out, or being investment banks that traded on their own capital.

Glass-Steagall's key principle was to keep risky assets away from insured deposits. It worked well for more than a half century. Then Wall Street saw opportunities to make lots of money by betting on stocks, bonds, and derivatives (bets on bets) -- and in 1999 persuaded Bill Clinton and a Republican congress to repeal it.

Nine years later, Wall Street had to be bailed out, and millions of Americans lost their savings, their jobs, and their homes.

Why didn't America simply reinstate Glass-Steagall after the last financial crisis? Because too much money was at stake. Wall Street was intent on keeping the door open to making bets with commercial deposits. So instead of Glass-Steagall, we got the Volcker Rule -- almost 300 pages of regulatory mumbo-jumbo, riddled with exemptions and loopholes.

Now those loopholes and exemptions are about to get even bigger, until they swallow up the Volcker Rule altogether. If the latest proposal goes through, we'll be nearly back to where we were before the crash of 2008.

Why should banks ever be permitted to use peoples' bank deposits -- insured by the federal government -- to place risky bets on the banks' own behalf? Bankers say the tougher regulatory standards put them at a disadvantage relative to their overseas competitors.

Baloney. Since the 2008 financial crisis, Europe has been more aggressive than the United States in clamping down on banks headquartered there. Britain is requiring its banks to have higher capital reserves than are so far contemplated in the United States.

The real reason Wall Street has spent huge sums trying to water down the Volcker Rule is that far vaster sums can be made if the Rule is out of the way. If you took the greed out of Wall Street all you'd have left is pavement.

As a result of consolidations brought on by the Wall Street bailout, the biggest banks today are bigger and have more clout than ever. They and their clients know with certainty they will be bailed out if they get into trouble, which gives them a financial advantage over smaller competitors whose capital doesn't come with such a guarantee. So they're becoming even more powerful.

The only answer is to break up the giant banks. The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 was designed not only to improve economic efficiency by reducing the market power of economic giants like the railroads and oil companies but also to prevent companies from becoming so large that their political power would undermine democracy.

The sad lesson of Dodd-Frank and the Volcker Rule is that Wall Street is too powerful to allow effective regulation of it. America should have learned that lesson in 2008 as the Street brought the rest of the economy -- and much of the world -- to its knees.

If Trump were a true populist on the side of the people rather than powerful financial interests, he'd lead the way, as did Teddy Roosevelt starting in 1901.

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Molecular Diagnostics Market is projected to reach more than US$ 30 Billion by 2021 | Growing Key Players  Roche, Abbott Laboratories, Myriad Genetics, Qiagen, Cephied, Becton Dickinson, Biomerieux

Molecular Diagnostics Market

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Molecular Diagnostics has emerged as one of the largest and fastest growing segment in the IVD industry. It is the most dynamic and transformative areas of diagnostics, leading to advances in research and treatment that are revolutionizing healthcare across a wide range of diseases and health conditions and has been driven by accuracy, high sensitivity, fast turnaround time, easy workflow, and costeffective testing.Get a sample report atThe global molecular diagnostics market is projected to reach more than US$ 30 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of XX% from 2016 to 2021.The global market is mainly driven by chronic infections, growing geriatric population, increasing demand for personalized medicines, and R&D activities for biomarker identification equipped with emergence of new technology and applications. In addition, innovations in molecular diagnostics for treating cancer, government support for research and development, and high patient awareness levels are driving the growth of molecular diagnostic marketNorth America dominates the global market of molecular diagnostics due to increasing incidence of infectious diseases and lifestyle associated diseases. North America controls more than 40% of the market share by the year 2021. Japan, China and India is expected to show high growth rates in the next six years in molecular diagnostics market.On the basis of application, Molecular oncology tests have emerged as a significant rapidly growing market segment. Oncology test controls nearly 25% market share by the year 2021.Other segments such as infectious diseases test and genetic testing is poised to be remarkable expansion in the near future. Growing demand for infectious diseases and genetic tests is an opportunity for global molecular diagnostics market.In terms of technology, Biochips/Microarrays is the fastest growing segment and is expected to boom further within the forecast period. FISH & Innovations and PCR based test is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the coming years.Complete report on Global Molecular Diagnostics market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 is spread across 117 pages and provides exclusive vital statistics, data, information, trends and landscape details in this niche sector. Get Direct Copy of this Research Report @On the basis of company, Roche is the leading company with more than 30% market share in the global molecular diagnostics market and is expected to hold its strong position in the market. Becton Dickinson, Myriad Genetics, Abbott and Qiagen is expected to robust market growth in the global molecular diagnostics market.The Research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data and statisticallysupported and industryvalidated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. It provides analysis and information by categories such as 1) Market and Forecast 2) Application Wise Market & Forecast 3) Geographical Market & Forecast 4) Technology Wise Market & Forecast 5) Company Wise Molecular Diagnostics Sales & Forecast 6) Market Growth Drivers & ChallengesGlobal Molecular Diagnostics Market has been analyzed from 6 viewpoints:1) Market and Forecast2) Application Wise Market & Forecast3) Geographical Market & Forecast4) Technology Wise Market & Forecast5) Company Wise Molecular Diagnostics sales & Forecast6) Market Growth Drivers & ChallengesThe following application segments of the molecular diagnostics market are detailed with size and six year forecast. Infectious Disease Testing Cardiovascular Disease Testing Oncology Testing Neurological Disorders Testing Food Pathogen Detection Testing Genetic Testing Blood Screening Tissue Typing (HLA Testing) Others Molecular TestingFurthermore, the following technology segments of the molecular diagnostics market are detailed with size and six year forecast. PCR Based Test PCR Related Technologies NonPCR Test Fish & Innovations Testing Biochips/Microarrays Biosensors Molecular Imaging Other TechnologiesThe report analyses the market based on regions and presents the forecast in terms of value for the next six years. Regions covered in the report include: North America Europe Japan China India Brazil Mexico Korea Rest of the worldThe following companies of the molecular diagnostics market are detailed with size and six year forecast. Roche Abbott Laboratories Myriad Genetics Qiagen Cephied Becton Dickinson Biomerieux Other CompaniesGet a discount atAbout usBusinessIndustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined - we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Market ReportsPune  Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940
Portland had only five days of measurable rain. Twenty-one days that hit 70 degrees or higher. Total precipitation well below normal.

The month of May in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington turned out much warmer and drier than average, according to the National Weather Service. And the agency's Climate Prediction Center says June is also likely to be warmer and drier than normal.

Here are 5 things to know about May weather and what we have in store for this month.

National Weather Service

2nd warmest May on record

You weren't imagining it: Portland's average May temperature was well above normal. The city's average temp of 63 degrees is the second-warmest on record at Portland International Airport. Our normal average May temp is under 58 degrees.

Don't Edit

National Weather Service

2nd driest May on record

Portlanders were able to leave their raincoats (or umbrellas) at home more often than not last month. The city got only .17 inches of precipitation, which makes it our second-driest May on record at the airport. For reference, the city's average May precipitation is much higher: 2.47 inches.

Don't Edit

Mark Graves | The Oregonian/OregonLive

8 days of 80 or higher

It got downright hot a few times last month. Portland hit 80 or higher eight times, topping out at 90 degrees May 13.

Our wettest day? May 8, when Portland got a measly .08 inches of precipitation.

Don't Edit

Mark Graves/Staff

What's in store for June

Portland has about a 50 percent chance of above-normal June temps and about a 40 percent chance of below-normal precip.

In other words, the Climate Prediction Center thinks the city has a better chance of having above-normal temps this month than it does of having average or below-average temps. It also thinks Portland has a better chance of getting below-normal precip than average or above-average amounts.

Not bad -- for those of us who enjoy the sun, at least.

Don't Edit

Mark Graves/Staff

If you can't look past the weekend

The coming weekend is shaping up to be a gem. The weather service says Portlanders should expect sunny skies and a high near 79 on Saturday. The agency predicts we'll have mostly cloudy skies, a 30 percent chance of showers after noon and a high near 70 on Sunday.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Don't Edit
Twenty-one Midland High School students traveled to the recent 2018 Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas.

About 5,657 delegates were in attendance representing 25 states and Puerto Rico. Michigan had 435 student participants in attendance.

Midland students competed and placed among the top competitors in the Workplace Skills Assessment Program. They were second in Accounting and Parliamentary Procedure and sixth in Global Marketing. Midland also finished 10th in Video Production and 14th in Presentation Management.

Students expressed thanks to Dow Chemical, Fisher Contracting, Servinski Sod, Park Place Homes, Red Threads, Bone & Bailey Insurance, Auto Owners Insurance, and multiple family and friends of the Chemic Family. Together, the sponsors helped raise $16,500, allowing MHS students to prove that they are "Tomorrow's Business Professionals."

The educational and professional development conference for students in business education programs afforded them the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and gain new skills, officials said.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Kelly Dame.

Thursday, May 31

1:12 a.m. - A deputy assisted Lee Township firefighters by blocking a roadway so firefighters could remove a fallen tree.

12:47 p.m. - A trash can, valued at $75, was stolen from a Mount Haley Township home.

8:29 p.m. - Items, valued at $120, that were left at a grave site were damaged.

9:14 p.m. - A deputy was sent to an Edenville Township home for a report of what appeared to look like a young man tied to a pole. The deputy found a 17-year-old male with disabilities who likes to play with rope and tie himself to objects in the yard. The male's father was at the scene.

10:11 p.m. - Police made arrests for heroin and methamphetamine possession on East Ashman Street near Stratford Woods Drive.

10:35 p.m. - An Edenville Township man, 32, was arrested on a felony warrant after a traffic stop in the township for a lane use violation.

11:42 p.m. - A motorist was arrested at McDonald and East Main streets for drunken driving.
East Jordan to debut new holiday event Mingle and Jingle in November
Mary Katherine, who also goes by MK, covers health care for The Post and Courier. She is also pursuing a master's degree in data science. She grew up in upstate New York and enjoys playing cards, kayaking and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category.
Chloe Johnson covers the coastal environment and climate change for the Post and Courier. She's always looking for a good excuse to hop on a boat.
Angie Jackson covers crime and breaking news for The Post and Courier. She previously covered the same beat for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com in Michigan. When shes not reporting, Angie enjoys teaching yoga and exploring the outdoors.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
In this May 16, 2018 photo, deteriorated U.S. and Puerto Rico flags fly on a roof eight months after the passing of Hurricane Maria in the Barrio Jacana Piedra Blanca area of Yabucoa, a town where many continue without power in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican officials said 98.86 percent of PREPA's customers had electricity on May 17, but many remain without power as the longest blackout in U.S. history continues. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
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.
Assistant Columbia bureau chief

Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-06-02 04:58:09

Press Information

Colorado Springs Urgent Care

4194 Royal Pine Dr, Suite 100



Colorado Springs, CO 80920



Dr. Julie Marmon

Doctor

(719) 522-2727

email

https://www.erspecialistsuc.com/





# 634 Words

4194 Royal Pine Dr, Suite 100Colorado Springs, CO 80920Doctor(719) 522-2727

May 9, 2018 - Colorado Springs Urgent Care Facility is focused on providing medical care that is quick and centered on the needs of the patient. The cost is cheaper then what is common for most emergency rooms and the medical staff is trained and certified in providing emergency care. Patients of the Colorado Springs Urgent Care facility can find a doctor quickly and at a low-cost. Patients of Colorado Springs Urgent Care can confirm that less time is spent in the waiting room, meaning that treatment is provided much quicker. The facility has been providing quality medical care to patients for the past year.Colorado Springs Urgent Care is set up to meet a multitude of needs. They have medical equipment on-site that cannot be found in most other urgent care locations in Colorado Springs. Among the equipment they have is a CT Scan, ultrasound equipment, X-Ray Machine, and medical laboratory. This equipment allows them to quickly find the diagnosis and provide treatment, meaning that patients can feel better much quicker. They treat patients with a multitude of illnesses and provide numerous services to their clients. They provide services to address headaches, pregnancy/gynecology issues, Ear Nose and Throat issues, Abdominal Pain, Blood Clots, Shortness of Breath and/or Chest pain, and even appendicitis. They also provide many services not related to being sick. They provide flu shots and physicals among other services.People become frustrated when they go into an urgent care facility and never see the doctor. Nurses are important and valued at Colorado Springs Urgent Care. However, doctors are the ones that provide the diagnosis. For this reason, it is guaranteed that you will see a doctor when you go to the facility for treatment, so that the doctor can have first hand knowledge of what is going on and provide you with the quality care that you deserve.Colorado Springs provides clean facilities that can meet almost any medical emergency you may have. Many individuals run into problems with having to take off work to see a doctor. Colorado Springs Urgent Care understands this and is open on the evenings and weekends so that you can come when it is convenient for you, without having to take money out of your pocket to do so. You dont have to sacrifice your quality of life for your medical needs! The facility provides care that puts the patients first, medically, emotionally and financially. Here is a Quote from Dr. Julie Marmon: ER Specialists Urgency Center is a walk-in Urgent Care clinic focused on providing patient-centered medical care that is fast, friendly and efficient, with costs only a fraction of traditional emergency rooms. Many individuals avoid going to the doctor due to the cost. Colorado Springs does everything they can to keep the cost as affordable as possible. They also accept many insurances. Beyond attempting to make healthcare affordable, they also provide many other services at the same location. For example, they can fill many of the prescriptions while you are at the facility.March 1, 2018 marked the one-year anniversary of the opening of Colorado Springs Urgent Care Facility. Over the past year, the facility has had many satisfied patients. Just read the following quote from a review left by Tiffany D in Colorado Springs:I took my 11-year-old son in on a Saturday afternoon. He was in tears because his ear hurt so bad. They were great! We didnt have to wait, they were kind, and my favorite part was that we got his antibiotic right then and there, saved me a trip to the pharmacy. Colorado Springs Urgent Care has been able to help many families over the past year and is excited to help many more in the years to come. More information can be found at https://erspecialistsuc.com/
PR-Inside.com: 2018-06-02 05:13:19

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# 392 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Far Resources Ltd.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Far Resources Ltd. (CSE:FAT). has issued a press release with the following headline:Far Resources Provides Corporate Update: A Positive Message from the CEOTo 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 Far Resources Ltd., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Far Resources Ltd.Source: Far Resources Ltd. (CSE: FAT, FWB: F0R, WKN: A2AH8W, ISIN: CA30734R1001, OTC Pink: FRRSF)Date: June 01, 2018Time: 11:12 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Far Resources Ltd. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
President Muhammadu Buharis persona sometimes comes across as complicated. And nothing exemplifies this like his views about his late subordinate, and later boss, Sani Abacha. Frankly, the president would never accept that Abacha was corrupt, despite all of the heart-shattering revelations pointing to the contrary.

Ten years ago in Kano, speaking at the remembrance prayer marking the 10th anniversary of Mr Abachas death, he was reported to have told the gathering that the the late dictator never looted the treasury. Rather than chastise the man, Mr Buhari said, Nigerians should canonize him because he built roads and hospitals and other developmental projects. This was despite the huge amount of money the government was and is still repatriating from different sources around the world. Abacha was said to have stolen more than Euros Five billion, out of which over $1 billion has been reportedly recovered according to The Guardian.

In April, the ministry of finance announced that $322.5 million was returned to Nigeria by the Swiss Government as part of the Abacha loot. Last month, the president himself hinted that the government was awaiting $320 million Abacha loot, which is expected to go into developmental initiatives. But the president would still not describe the fund as loot, ostensibly to avoid self-contradiction.

It is quite an irony that a man seen and hailed as being anti-graft would by whatever means justify and defend Mr Abachas plundering of the nations resources. But thats quite beside the point here.

On the dictatorial front, no government has come close to competing with Abachas bestial tendencies in the nations history. It is still unclear whether President Buhari believes that Mr Abacha actually tormented and maimed and murdered numerous pro-democracy campaigners who stood at the forefront of the struggle, with many losing their lives, to liberate the nation and install the democracy he now enjoys. He gave a hint into what has been in his mind penultimate week when he said No matter what opinion you have about Abacha

First, Mr Abachas bestiality is not a matter of anyones opinion; they are sad facts of history the most unpatriotic Nigerian would not want the nation to witness again. I find it painful that Mr Buhari was allowed to get away with that heresy, a point made by columnists Owei Lakemfa at the 60th birthday colloquium of journalist and mentor, Kunle Ajibade, on Wednesday.

Suliyat Adedeji was gruesomely murdered in Ibadan in 1996. Bayo Onanuga was arrested twice, taken to Aso Rock, but escaped with the help of Gen. Oladipo Diya. He quickly fled the country. Femi Ojudu, now Buharis aide, was detained for nine months and when he returned, his son ran away upon seeing him  he had become something else! Tokunbo Fakeye, defence correspondent of The News Magazine, was at Bonny camp for nine months. Dele Omotunde was arrested and spent six months in detention. Nosa Igiebor of Tell was not spared.

Fayemiwo Moshood, the publisher of the fiery Razor Magazine, was abducted from Cotonou in neighbouring Republic of Benin, locked in the trunk of a car, dragged all the way to Nigeria and kept in the dungeon at the DMI, in solitary confinement. Bagauda Kaltho was summarily murdered and the goons lied that he died while trying to detonate a bomb!

Alfred Rewane was killed. Ditto Kudirat Abiola. Femi Falana was serially arrested and detained while Bola Ige and others were jailed, including Kunle Ajibade. The late icon, Gani Fawenhimi, suffered huge. The list is endless.

The human rights atrocities of the Abacha years, and the mega financial corruption, are heart-wrenching enough and it would be insensitive of anyone, including the president, to keep assaulting peoples senses with such ahistorical infatuation.

Of course, one mans hero is another mans villain; but Abacha that fiendish cacodemon!is a crude exception. He should, ideally, be nobodys hero. In a sane society, Mr Abachas name will be written in full at every strategic points in our cities, with strong caveats screaming NEVER AGAIN!

That president Buhari got away with that unsettling comment speaks to a sad part of our recent history: our disdain for history. One, the largest chunk of those who witnessed Abachas bestiality are, for some curious reasons, silent. Two, a large percentage of our Twitter-dwelling collective children of anger knew very little or nothing about the man.

What this exemplifies is that if a descendant of Adolf Hitler accidentally finds himself in power tomorrow, all what he needs to do in Germany is to suspend history in the school curriculum for a decade and, the next decade, name Hitler the best thing after Ghandi. There would be no uproar!

Elder Ajibade @ 60!

On Wednesday, we were at the NIIA to celebrate Elder Kunle Ajibade, model journalist and author. I was fascinated by Mr Ajibades humility, his charm, his gentle mien, all through the programme. At a point, Prof. Wole Soyinka refered to him as Elewon (Prisoner) and we all laughed. The tragi-comedic essence of that statement wasnt lost on me.

I was particularly moved by the general consensus among all speakers that the celebrant is an Omoluabi who never betrayed his colleagues despite the challenge. Quite a pity that the nation the Ajibades and Olorunyomis stood for is still in the hands of looters and jobbers, a point Mr Ajibade too lamented about. But in the end, he urged us all never to give up. If he still has such level of optimism despite his bitter experience in the hand of the agents of the state, it means young ones like myself have no reason to give up. Nigeria will be great.

Happy birthday, Sir, Omoluabi Atata!
The health sector under the present administration has attracted media attention mostly due to unpleasant events reflecting the true state of healthcare delivery in Nigeria. PREMIUM TIMES takes a look at some of these issues, three years into the Buhari administration.

Poor primary healthcare services/facilities

In the past three years, the nation has been hit by various diseases outbreaks that claimed the lives of over 2,000 Nigerians.

This has revealed the weakness and poor state of the primary healthcare centres in the country.

The high casualty recorded from the diseases outbreak was as a result of late diagnosis, lack of medical expertise to handling disease emergencies and low disease surveillance rate in the country.

This was evident in that some of the diseases, when they broke were not quickly detected and reported to the appropriate authorities until it nearly reached epidemic alert thresholds.

The poor facilities, poor staffing, lack of equipment, low disease surveillance rate among others were identified as part reasons why most of the diseases were not quickly curtailed.

All these challenges were meant to have been effectively tackled if the government had delivered on its promise to bring healthcare delivery closer to the people.

This was meant to be achieved with the revitalisation of 10,000 primary health care centres across the country.

The minister of health, Isaac Adewole, a professor of medicine, had emphasised that revitalisation of the primary healthcare was one of the top priorities of the government.

This, the government believed was the bedrock of healthcare provision in the country. It said, would ensure that the poor have access to qualitative and affordable healthcare services.

However, much improvement is yet to be seen.

Many primary healthcare centres across the country are still in dilapidated states, low staffed, poorly equipped, lack electricity, water, and cannot effectively cater for the people in the rural areas.

Most pregnant women still seek the services of traditional birth attendants for delivery. Many children in the rural areas also miss out on routine immunisation which is meant to be one of the responsibilities of an effective PHC.

A store room Of a Nigerian PHC.

According to a 2016 Survey by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, only 33 in 100 children got immunised around the country. About 4.3 million children have never been immunised in the last two years.

Shortage of vaccine and low immunisation

The country still records shortage of vaccines to combat deadly diseases.

Most of the deadly diseases such as Meningitis, Yellow Fever, Measles, Cholera, which ravaged the country in the last three years are vaccine preventable.

President Muhammadu Buhari during his campaign had promised to revive the local production of vaccines in Nigeria as a means of reducing dependence on international donors. This was also very necessary as Nigeria was tipped to graduate from the GAVI intervention list.

Though the government has made effort towards achieving this, by signing a MoU with May and Baker, the first batch of vaccines are yet to be produced.

Nigeria is still dependent on international agencies and donors for most of its health activities especially vaccinations.

File photo of a female health official vaccinating a child

Most large vaccine intervention in the country to curb the spread of Meningitis, Cholera and Yellow Fever outbreaks were championed by international donors.

The government has also asked for an extension from graduating from the GAVI vaccine intervention because it still need to put in place the necessary mechanism to fund vaccine procurement for the country.

Low response to public health emergencies

Response to public health emergencies in the country was put to test by the outbreak of different diseases.

The epidemic outbreak of Meningitis C and Lassa Fever revealed that there is a low state response to public health emergencies across the country.

Though there has been an improvement in the response rate as compared to what was obtainable last year during the meningitis outbreak, the country still needs to do more in terms of preparedness, surveillance, response.

Mr Adewole also laid the blame of low public health response on the state government. He said most of them wait for the Federal Governments intervention to disease outbreak before taking steps.

Incessant strike by doctors and health workers

As if the challenges facing the health sector are not enough, the staff too have been putting a strain on public healthcare delivery in the country.

Currently, there is an ongoing strike by members of the Joint Health Sector Workers. This has crippled health delivery across secondary and tertiary health institutions for 41 days.

In the last three years, health workers had been on strike for about 57 days and their demands have largely been the same.

Medical doctors have also not been left out in the strike. In the last three years, doctors under Nigeria Medical Association and National Association of Resident Doctors have embarked on nationwide strikes which crippled the health sector. In 2015 and 2016, two strikes were called to press home their demands from the government.

FILE PHOTO: Deserted corridors of the National Hospital during the JOHESU Strike

In 2017, the government attended to their demands after 14 days strike. Since then, they are yet to embark on national strike. However, there has been series of doctors strikes across the states.

Mass migration of doctors and health professionals from the country

There has been a consistent mass migration of doctors and health professionals from the country. This is in relation to the incessant strikes and poor working conditions and environment at the healthcare delivery centres.

This is has led to an acute shortage of staff across the three levels of healthcare delivery in the country.

War on drug abuse

The Federal Government, as part of its war on illegal use of pharmaceutical prescribed drugs banned the importation and production of codeine-related drugs in the country. This is to curb the menace of drug abuse in the country. The war is yet to be won however.

Inclusion of the one per cent basic health fund in the budget

The Federal Government, through the National Assembly successfully included the one percent consolidated revenue fund into the 2018 budget for basic healthcare provision. This was achieved after 10 years of considering the National Health Act.

About N 57.15 billion was earmarked for the basic healthcare provision fund as mandated by the National Health Act, a law passed in 2014 but which has not been fully implemented.

For many, these and many other challenges stand in the way of President Buhari achieving his agenda in the health sector.
A Nigerian woman has lost her job a week after criticising Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, on Twitter.

In the July 5, 2017 tweet, Bolouere Opukiri described then-Acting President Osinbajo as a novice for travelling out of the country at a time President Muhammadu Buhari was receiving medical treatment in London and tension was flaring between the executive and the legislature.

Senators had criticised Mr Osinbajos trip the day before, with Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia saying it created a vacuum that Senate President Bukola Saraki should step in to fill.

In another post five days later, Ms Opukiri threw a shade at Mrs Buhari for railing against some hyenas and jackals within her husbands inner circle, suggesting that Ms Buhari might not be as classy as former first lady, Patience Jonathan.

The two tweets and other similar rants against Buhari administration figures were subsequently chronicled by some pro-government netizens and sent to the presidency.

The presidential amnesty office, where Ms Opukiri worked at the media unit, saw her abuse of government official as a threat to national security and summarily dismissed her as recommended by the public service rules.

Ms Opukiri told PREMIUM TIMES her dismissal was a violation of her right to free expression as enumerated in the Constitution and vowed to challenge it in court.

Sacked for prejudicial claim, and state security

Laolu Akande, the spokesperson for Mr Osinbajo, received an e-mail from one of the administrations supporters online with a quibble about Ms Opukiris continued stay in office despite her regular insults against the administration, especially Messrs Buhari and Osinbajo.

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo

If characters like Ms Opukiri continue to work in government, it would portray the administrations online supporters as weak and their loyalty unrewarding, the petitioner said in an e-mail seen by PREMIUM TIMES

Mr Akande forwarded the e-mail to Paul Boroh, then-head of presidential amnesty office, with an annotation: Pls is this correct? according to details of the communication confirmed by PREMIUM TIMES showed.

Mr Boroh did not appear to have responded to Mr Akandes e-mail, but he did order an immediate probe into Ms Opukiris online activities.

Ms Opukiri, 30, learnt of the complaints against her for the first time on July 12. She arrived at work on that Wednesday morning and was immediately summoned by Dedis Abel, then chief of staff at the presidential amnesty office, Ms Opukiri told PREMIUM TIMES.

She said Mr Abel, a retired colonel, told her she was the subject of a petition that came in from the presidency. He then detailed two soldiers to follow Ms Opukiri home to search her apartment for any material that could aid in their investigation of her online activities.

By noon, she appeared before a disciplinary panel and was confronted with printouts of her tweets, one of them was one in which she excoriated Mrs Buhari for her jackals and hyenas comment on July 5.

Ms Opukiri denied all allegations of misconduct in her response to the six-person disciplinary committee, including two women, according to her employee records seen by PREMIUM TIMES. She was not queried, but only made to respond to specific allegations when she faced the committee, all of which bordered on her use of social media.

Ms Opukiri was asked to go home and await further communications after her grilling. The committee went on to recommend Ms Opukiris dismissal when it submitted its report the same day, and she was dismissed the next day, July 13.

Her dismissal letter, seen by PREMIUM TIMEES, said she made false claims against a government official in her July 5 tweet. The claims were prejudicial to state security and also inimical to the image of the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger-Delta Affairs.

The office based its actions on public service rule (PSR) 030407, which defines false claims against government officials as a serious misconduct for which an employee should be dismissed as ultimate penalty.

Ms Opukiri was posted to the amnesty office as an in-house consultant on the re-integration of rehabilitated Niger-Delta militants as part of the amnesty programme launched by late President Umar YarAdua.

Bolouere Opukiri worked as an in-house consultant on the re-integration of rehabilitated Niger-Delta militants

Tidal Streams, an outsourcing firm, which was Ms Opukiris primary employer, was given prior notice of her dismissal, the sack letter said. As an in-house consultant for a government agency, Ms Opukiri could be subjected to public service rules, according to senior civil servants who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES about the nature of her employment, including a permanent secretary and a director.

Ms Opukiris employment letter implored her to be responsible in her conduct while on the job, but did not include a specific guideline about what she could engage in on social media.

Ms Opukiri said she was told that Mr Akande and other presidency officials mounted pressure for her dismissal. PREMIUM TIMES was unable to independently verify this claim.

She said the complaints were sent to Mr Akande following an online brawl she had with Segun Dada, another pro-government commentator on Twitter.

He insulted me as a fat woman and I responded that he should be the last person to call anyone fat because his wife is also fat by nature, Ms Opukiri said.

Mr Dada confirmed exchanging tense tweets with Ms Opukiri, which they both mutually deleted later, but strongly denied the allegations, telling PREMIUM TIMES he had never owned an iPad which was used to send the complaints to Mr Akande as indicated by the e-mail server.

I have not and will never be personally responsible for anyone losing their job, Mr Dada told PREMIUM TIMES in a message.

Mr Boroh could not be reached for comments. He was fired as head of amnesty office by Mr Buhari in March. His successor, Charles Dokubo, did not return PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments throughout the week. A spokesperson for the amnesty office made promises to return enquiries about matter but failed repeatedly.

Months after her dismissal, Ms Opukiri was re-engaged early last month by Double Helix Nigeria Limited, a new outsourcing firm contracted by the amnesty office, but she was asked to stop work within the first week. Tidal Streams had been dropped by the office shortly after Ms Opukiri left.

She said Mr Dokubo was asked to dismiss her again when he visited the State House early May.

They told him they were aware that I had been reinstated and he immediately took steps to get me fired once again to avoid offending the presidency, Ms Opukiri said. PREMIUM TIMES saw the May 2 employment offer from Double Helix, but could not independently verify claims that Mr Dokubo ordered her termination under pressure from the State House.

Emilia Achor, head of human resources at Double Helix, said the firm rescinded Ms Opukiris offer letter because it had the rights to do so. She offered no further explanation.

A telephone number for Tidal Streams did not connect.

Mr Akande also did not return PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments.

Emerging pattern?

Analysts said the dismissal followed a trend of intolerance that has seen critics of the government being targeted.

Cheta Nwanze, a political and security analyst with SBM Intelligence, said in 2016 SBM was on the verge of sealing a contract when at the last minute the other party pulled out without explanation.

Mr Nwanze said a few months later he met a member of the other group who told him he had been reported because of his activities online. Mr Nwanze campaigned vigorously for Mr Buharis election in 2015. He said fell out with Mr Buhari after some early controversies by the administration. He regularly clashes with pro-government handles on Twitter.

Also, when Dipo Awojide, a disillusioned supporter of Mr Buhari, started raising his voice against the administration in 2016, he was reported to his employers at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.

President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government unilaterally  without required consultation with states and the national assembly tampered with the NLNG funds.

Mr Awojide declined comments to PREMIUM TIMES about the matter, but he disclosed it on Twitter at the time.

PREMIUM TIMES also learnt of at least two other persons whose online activities were reported to their employers. They, however, declined to comment for this story and requested that their names should not be mentioned to avoid any backlash.

Free speech or recklessness?

Federal civil service rules have long been used to punish public officials for being critical of the government or senior officials, a practice that has continued to elicit mixed reactions from commentators.

Ms Opukiris dismissal came three years after the Nigerian government sacked an official of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for penning a critique of former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

In the March 5, 2013 article, Yushau Shuaib, then NEMA spokesperson, highlighted a slew of complaints bordering on nepotism against Ms Okonjo-Iweala. He was subsequently queried, compelled to appear before a disciplinary panel and summarily dismissed.

Mr Shuaib challenged his dismissal in court. In November 2017, the National Industrial Court declared Mr Shuaibs dismissal illegal and ordered his immediate reinstatement with full payment from the day of his sack in 2013.

Yushau Shuaib with his lawyers at National Industrial Court

More than six months later, Mr Shuaib has not been reinstated because the information minister, Lai Mohammed, who criticised the dismissal while an opposition spokesperson in 2013, appealed the ruling.

Nelson Ekujumi, a civil rights activist and public affairs analyst, said Ms Opukiri was reckless with her comments online and her dismissal would serve as a warning to other would-be critics of the government to be more circumspect about their public conduct.

Your right to free speech is not absolute, Mr Ekujumi said. You cannot express your free speech to libel and slander people.

Your right to free speech does not allow you to make hate speech or make false allegations against people, be it a public official or a private citizen, he added.

Mr Ekujumi said the amnesty office committed no wrongdoing since it followed the public service rules in dismissing Ms Opukiri.

But rights activist, Inibehe Effiong, condemned the governments action as extremely disproportionate.

Mr Effiong, a Lagos-based lawyer, said the amnesty office should have forwarded complaints to Ms Opukiris primary employer rather than taking the action directly.

Inibehe Effiong

Still, even the public service rules applied against Ms Opukiri could be challenged in court because of obvious inconsistencies with the Constitution, Mr Effiong said.

Chapter one of the PSR said the the rules applied only to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in so far as their conditions of service and any other law applicable to these officers are concerned.

The public service rules cannot override Section 39 of the Constitution which accorded all individuals a right to freedom of expression, Mr Effiong said.

Chris Ngwodo, a political analyst, said Ms Opukiri was serving at the pleasure of the president and should not have used her social media account to issue uncomplimentary remarks against his administration.

According to Mr Ngwodo, while Mrs Buhari is not a public official but a public figure, Ms Opukiris reference to the Vice President in her posts, meant that her dismissal letter was accurate in describing her as having attacked a government official.

Even so, the analyst said Ms Opukiri could seek legal counsel for clarification of any potential ground for challenging her dismissal.
The Senate resumed legislative activities on Wednesday following the Democracy Day celebration on Tuesday, May 29.

Below are some major events at the Senate last week

Wednesday:

 Embattled Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, attended the Senate plenary on Wednesday after some weeks of absence.

Mr Melaye has been bedridden since he landed in the hospital after a failed attempt to evade being taken to Kogi State by the Nigerian police.

The lawmaker, raising a point of order on Wednesday, Mr Melaye, who attended the chamber with a neck support, also asked the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to mandate the sergeant-at-arms to create a seat for him at the opposition wing of the chamber.

 The Senate resolved to probe a sex-for-mark case at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Even though OAU has investigated the case and placed the professor on indefinite suspension, the Senate said more needed to be done to stem the trend.

 The Senate dared a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, to mention the names of committee chairmen who he had earlier said seek bribes at the National Assembly.

Mr Jega on Monday accused federal lawmakers of seeking bribes to carry out their constitutional duties and said they were more notorious for bribe taking antics.

 The Senate summoned the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Prisons, Jaafaru Ahmed, over alleged confinement of underage offenders and infants in the same prisons with adult prisoners.

The summon was sequel to deliberation on a motion moved by Victor Umeh (APGA, Anambra Central) who expressed worry that juvenile offenders are not being treated in accordance with the provisions of the Prisons Regulations Act and the Childs Right Act.

 A federal lawmaker caught in a certificate scandal, Foster Ogola (PDP, Bayelsa West), sponsored a bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of a Federal College of Education (Technical) in Aghoro, Bayelsa State which passed second reading.

The bill seeks to encourage an advancement of learning of all persons without distinction of race or political conviction.

Thursday:

 Mr Melaye, accused President Muhammadu Buhari of making derogatory statements about him and the National Assembly.

He was referring to a statement credited to Mr Buhari where he accused the National Assembly of indolence. He also demanded an apology from the president.

 The Senate confirmed four of five nominees named as non-executive directors of the board of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The confirmed nominees are Ummu Jalingo, Justitia Odinakachukwu, Mike Obadan and Adeola Adetunji.

It however, rejected Abdu Abubakar, as senators who screened him said they were dissatisfied with his responses to their questions.

 Following a two-and-half hour executive session with the, the Senate on Thursday asked the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, to submit a request for funding.

The special funding will enable the security agencies tackle the spate of killings, kidnapping as well as terrorism across the country.
The governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said that he had nothing to do with the shooting in Ekiti on Friday at the rally organised by the All Progressives Congress for its governorship candidate, Kayode Fayemi.

He was responding to allegations made by the campaign organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kolapo Olusola, linking him with the shooting which left five people injured with bullet wounds.

Mr Akeredolu rode with Mr Fayemi from the Akure Airport to Ado Ekiti and was at the scene where the shooting occurred.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ajiboye, said none of his security aides fired a shot at the scene as being alleged.

The statement said the allegations by the PDP campaign were malicious, as the governor was only in Ekiti to give support to Mr Fayemi.

 Governor Akeredolu knew nothing about the identity of the suspect. It is nothing but a wicked lie from the pit of hell, the statement said.

Governor Akeredolu was in Ekiti State to show support for the APC and its candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and none of the governors security detail fired a single shot throughout the rally in Ekiti.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Police PPRO, Caleb Ikechukwu , has disclosed that the policeman who handled the rifle was hired from Lagos. We hope this will put to rest dangerous allegation.

The PDP campaign organisation had earlier claimed that Mr Akeredolu was mobilising thugs and funds to Ekiti State to help win the election for Mr Fayemi.

The statement denied that allegations that the governor was earmarking funds for the Ekiti election.

Once again, we condemn the incident that occurred in Ado Ekiti and sympathize with the victims and their family. We also sympathize with the APC family in Ekiti and the nation in general, the statement further said.

Governor Akeredolu is a man peace who is known to have devoted unrelenting efforts at sustaining peace in his state.

We are, however, relieved with the news of the arrest of perpetrator by the police.
Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State, was on Wednesday jailed 14 years for mismanaging government funds while in office.

Elected three times as governor of the state, Mr Nyames trial commenced in 2007 and lasted 11 years.

PREMIUM TIMES brings you 13 things you may not know about the former govenror.

1. Jolly Tavoro Nyame was born on Christmas day, December 25, 1955, in Zing Local Government Area of Taraba State.

2. He was born to parents of deep Christian backgrounds and in line with his roots took up a vocation in priesthood.

3. Mr Nyame was ordained a Reverend in the United Methodists Church of Nigeria (UMCN).

4. He delved into politics in 1991, a time when Nigeria attempted to return to democratic rule

5. He contested and won the Taraba State gubernatorial elections thrice in a row.

6. He was the first governor of Taraba State after it was created from the old Gongola State

7. His 1992 tenure as governor was short-lived due to military insurrection in November 1993.

8. When Nigeria finally returned to democratic rule, Mr. Nyame was governor of Taraba State for eight uninterrupted years between 1999 and 2007  he was re-elected in 2003.

9. Shortly after his tenure expired, he was confronted with criminal charges arising from a petition by Umar Baba and Kelas Obadia titled Taraba State in a Mess; the Commissioner of Finance goofed.

10. In May 2007, the former governor was charged by the EFCC for allegedly diverting N1.64 billion. Also, in a 41-count charge of fraud.

11. In June 2007, the ex-governor admitted to the EFCC that he took N180 million of the N250 million he approved for the purchase of stationery as his share of the unexecuted stationary contract, and that he was ready to refund same.

12. After 2007, Mr. Nyame still tried to secure a seat in the Senate in 2011 and 2015 but failed.

13. Eleven years (May 30) after the EFCC made the charges against him, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. He was als ordered to refund the monies he diverted.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed the chairman of the board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Victor Ndoma-Egba, as its new national convention committee secretary.

The former secretary, Benjamin Uwajumogu, resigned on Saturday.

According to the publicity secretary of the APC, Bolaji Abdullahi, who confirmed this in a telephone conversation, Mr Uwajumogu resigned for personal reasons as the change of date no longer tallies with his programme.

He dismissed claims that the former secretary was forced to resign in respect of the demands of his state governor, Rochas Okorocha.

Yes. He said personal reasons, that they changed the date for the convention. It affected some of the other plans he had. There is a replacement already, senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.

While addressing a news conference on Saturday, Mr Uwajumogu officially announced his resignation as the Secretary of the National Convention Committee, to attend to some family matters.

Mr Uwajimogu, who is a party chieftain in Imo State, has been having issues with Mr Okorocha over the recently conducted congresses. He said the governor had been in Abuja doing everything possible to get him implicated.

He said when he accepted the appointment, he had believed that the convention would hold on May 14, saying the new date of June 23 would clash with his long term ambition to attend the graduation of two of his children from universities in England.

I want to announce to you that yesterday, I tendered my resignation as the Secretary of the APC Convention Planning Committee and the resignation was accepted last night by the national chairman of the party.

The reason why I resigned, primarily is that when I was appointed, the date for the national convention, as we were informed, was to be on May 14. Eventually that date was moved to June 2 and there were hopes that the Convention would hold between June 2 and 9. However, the date has now been moved to June 23 and it will conflict with my family activities and responsibilities.

For example, two of my children are graduating from the university in England within this month and I have a responsibility to be there, he said, adding that he had some other jobs too.

So, I decided that since I wont have the time for this convention, I should resign so that the position can be given to somebody who has the time. It is a decision that I took by myself. In my letter thank the national chairman and the Convention committee for all the support I received while I was here.

Speaking about Mr Okorocha, Mr Uwajumogu said: For me, my relationship with him is nor a personal thing. It is something that all of us in Imo State are opposed to the way government in Imo State is being run.

Our opposition to that its something that is based on principle; based on the fact that 95 per cent of Imo citizens and indeed South-easterners are not happy with what is happening in Imo State. South-east citizens are ashamed, that the only state we, APC, have in the region is being run the way it is in the past three years and for me, I did not have a choice than to detach myself from that government.< "I am aware that the governor is supporting some South-east citizens to run for offices zoned to the region and so now that I have resigned, nobody will accuse me of manipulating the process. He revealed the committee had received N13 million so far. Now that I have resigned, I can only hope that my governor, Rochas Okorocha, will spend more time in Imo State attending to the various issues that he has created for himself because in the last two weeks, he has been here in Abuja running around for the convention and trying to put only people that are favourable to his policies. "Okorocha has always threatened to leave the party if the congresses were not reversed. I hear he has threatened to leave if my position was not takenThis started more than two weeks ago and it is just a coincidence because I had made up my mind to leave. I am just hoping that now that I have left, he will return to Owerri. He has 27 hospitals he said he has built which have been overtaken by weeds. Imo State is a massive basket of fraud and I am very sure that the EFCC have their records. "It is very clear today, that this is no longer an Imo issue but a South-east issue. It is very clear now that the entire South-east has lost confidence in the leadership of Rochas Anayo Okorocha and all we are saying is that Nigerians should take note that we no longer have him as our leader. My appointment was by the NWC and nobody has asked me to leave this position. The NWC met yesterday and there was no where in their meeting where I was asked to resign. It is a decision I made by myself. However, in any decision you take, there must be political consequences. On nominations received, he said "We have a total of about 20 members for each committee and the committees are 12. That makes it 240 members. In that regard, the NWC sent about 108 people to the committee. We got nominations from different groups. "The Buhari Support Organization, the Buhari Campaign Organization, the wife of the president and various interest groups in the APC including diaspora organizations and of course, there is no way I will be a member and the Secretary of the national convention and I will not have nominees in the Convention. I brought about 18 members of my own which was granted to me and approved by the national convention chairman. Some of my nominees are Yorubas, Northerners and Igbos. "Aside the nominees to the subcommittees, I have a secretariat to run and I have my own staff who have been working with me from when I was a Speaker and who of course are people that I trust for this sensitive position. My supporters are always here all the time and the impression created is that all the people you find here are working for the Secretary. People come here so that their businesses could be patronized by the convention committee and I have forwarded such proposals to the various subcommittees. He also said six nominees of the NWC whose names were missing from the committees list have been reabsorbed even though the presidency denied reports that it tampered with the membership of the committee.
The Navy in Rivers State on Friday handed over 10 suspected oil thieves apprehended while transporting petroleum product without permit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Suleiman Olorundare, a captain and Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Bonny, Rivers, handed over the crewmen to the anti-graft agency in Bonny after parading them before journalists.

The commanding officer said that the suspects were arrested while moving illegally refined diesel to Lagos.

He said: On January 31, at about 0800 hours, one of our gunboats while on routine patrol of the waterways and creeks intercepted a vessel, MT Ellen.

MT Ellen was intercepted eight nautical miles off Bonny Fairway Bouy (coastal waters) over its suspicious movement and activities on sea.

On boarding the vessel, troops discovered that it did not have approval to move the petroleum product.

Ten crewmen of Nigerian nationality onboard the vessel were immediately arrested for their involvement and conspiracy in moving petroleum product suspected to be illegally refined diesel.

Mr Olorundare explained that the vessel, the crewmen and the product had been in naval custody to enable interrogators to determine the source, supplier and receiver of the petroleum product.

He said the vessel neither had calibration chart nor an approval, which made it difficult to determine the volume of the product concealed inside the vessels storage compartments.

The Nigerian navy will not rest on its oars until it brings to justice all criminal elements sabotaging the nations critical oil and gas facilities, he warned.

Receiving the suspects a Senior Detective with the EFCC, Aminu Ismaila, said the commission would conduct speedy investigation into the arrest.

According to him, the suspects will be arraigned and if found culpable dealt with appropriately, according to the laws of the land.

The vessel does not have calibration chart and we will immediately take the diesel sample to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency to ascertain the volume of the diesel inside the vessel.

The EFCC has prosecuted many suspects in court. However, we lack manpower to guard vessels, hence the navy has been assisting us by guarding vessels handed over to us, he said.

(NAN)
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.




Link4 Australia Announces Andrew Mitchell Signing on as Senior Sales Representative.

End

-- Andrew Mitchell has officially joined the Link4 Australia team, bringing his years of industry experience and leadership to the Link4 sales team.Mr Mitchell is one of the foremost salespeople currently working in the Australian e-Invoicing space and he could see the importance Link4 already had in streamlining the invoicing process for small and medium businesses. Mitchell will be responsible for developing new business opportunities, fostering new partnerships and creating customised solutions for Link4 users.Link4 is well established as an e-Invoicing market leader through important government and enterprise projects. Given this standing, Mr Mitchell will drive Link4's sales forward making them ready for rapid expansion.Link4 Australia Co-Founders, Robin Sands and Sam Hassan, were very pleased that Mr Mitchell showed such a great interest in Link4's unique e-Invoicing solution and signed on to their sales team."Having Andrew on board driving our Australian sales team is a huge boost for us. His expertise will help us expand the use of e-Invoicing now as well as on the Digital Business Council's e-Invoicing Framework in the future," said CEO Robin Sands."I am thrilled to be a part of the growth of e-Invoicing in the Asia Pacific region," said Andrew Mitchell following the announcement that he took the senior sales representative position. "We have an exciting time ahead helping as many small and medium businesses benefit from streamlining their invoicing processes as we can."Mr Mitchell joined the team at Link4's Adelaide headquarters for his first day and after this, he will be returning to the Melbourne office and continuing his operations from there.Founded in Adelaide, Australia, in 2016 with backing from the entrepreneur-funded SouthStart Accelerator, Link4 specialises in electronic invoice delivery for small and medium businesses. The Link4 SaaS service is an Account Payables and Account Receivables automation solution that allows SMBs to exchange invoices and purchase bills instantly without requiring any software installation of long-term commitments.
Community art showcase on criminal justice reform, interactive police relations discussion to be held on Saturday, June 9th from 11 am  3 pm at BBF Family Services

By: Illinois Humanities - Envisioning Justice

www. EnvisioningJustice. org

Contact

Kitty Kurth

***@kurthlampe.com Kitty Kurth

End

-- On Saturday, June 9, the North Lawndale Envisioning Justice community will come together to celebrate and publicly present the arts and humanities work they have been doing to envision and ensure criminal justice reform. Art created by residents will be on display, followed by an interactive discussion on police relations between residents, representatives from the Chicago Police Department and North Lawndale community leaders.This Open House is one in a series of events produced by Illinois Humanities and Envisioning Justice community partners (Hubs) over the past month to bring Chicagoans from all areas and walks of life to the same table to share the culmination of a ten-week session of arts education classes and community discussion programs. To date, Envisioning Justice Open Houses have been held in Back of the Yards, Little Village, Rogers Park and Bronzeville.Saturday, June 9, 201811:00 am to 3:00 pmBBF Family Services, 1512 S. Pulaski, Chicago 6062311:00 am to 1:00 pm1:00 pm to 3:00 pmMaurice Classen Director of Strategy, Chicago Police DepartmentMaira Khwaja Journalist and Outreach and Development, Invisible InstituteKenny Smith Community Leader, North Lawndale ResidentSpeakers will share some brief thoughts followed by smaller discussions on how community and police relations can be strengthened and what people in the room can do to help enact the change they want to see.For more information:BBF Family Services, with support from Urban Gateways, is directing Envisioning Justice in North Lawndale. Throughout the initiative, BBF will focus its arts and humanities programming on restorative justice and re-entry back into the community.: 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. Followat @EnvisioningJustice on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EnvisioningJustice)and @envisionjustice on Twitter (https://twitter.com/EnvisionJustice): Our mission is to strengthen the social, political and economic fabric of Illinois through constructive conversation and community engagement.
By: Florida Health Care Plans

Contact

Mary Decator

***@fhcp.com Mary Decator

End

-- As part of its community event series, Florida Health Care Plans (FHCP) this month will host one segment of the Holly Hill Police Department's 'Cops, Coffee & Conversation' series.The event will be held Tuesday, June 12 from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and will offer community members an opportunity to have a cup of coffee and donuts with members of the Holly Hill Police Department as they discuss important safety awareness topics, crime prevention tips and community programs.Future events scheduled for this month include:'Cataracts & Your Health' presented by Todd Geis, M.D., an ophthalmologist who will share facts about this important topic during Cataract Awareness Month. This event will take place June 19 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.'Hidden Risks: Avoiding Common Estate Planning Mistakes' with Elder Law Attorney Scott Selis, who will discuss estate planning essentials and other facets of planning an estate on June 26 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Each event will be held at the FHCP Community Wellness and Education Center, located at 471 S. Nova Road in Ormond Beach, FL 32174.For more information on all workshops, contact Mary Decator at 386-676-7100, ext. 7293, or mdecator@fhcp.com.###About Florida Health Care PlansFHCP opened in 1974 and is the longest recognized federally recognized Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) in Florida. The organization serves 90,000 members in Volusia, Flagler, Seminole, St. Johns and Brevard Counties including group/employer, Medicare Advantage, and individual ACA/Exchange members.The mission of FHCP is to provide its members with health care and related services through dedicated employees and service partners who manage both the quality and cost of health care. FHCP strives to set the standard of managed healthcare in the community and to be acknowledged as a health care leader, pioneer, and advocate by its members, employees, and service partners. FHCP members enjoy the convenience of its online member portal, as well as our state-of-the-art Electronic Health Record system that allows our staff to access the latest, most up-to-date patient health information at any time, from any facility. FHCP can be reached at 855-243-5704 or online at www.fhcp.com or https://www.facebook.com/ myFHCP/
Community Comes Together to Celebrate Proposed Plan That Can Help Revitalize Africatown, Which Was Founded By Former Clotilda Slaves, and Make It A Tourist Destination

By: Africatown-C.H.E.S.S.

One of the concept drawings for the proposed Africatown Connections Blueway

Media Contact

Liz Smith-Incer National Park Service 228.230.4120

Joe Womack AfricatownCHESS 251.404.9558

***@africatown- chess.org

2055663131 Liz Smith-Incer National Park Service 228.230.4120Joe Womack AfricatownCHESS 251.404.95582055663131

End

-- The National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program is pleased to announce the official launch of the Africatown Connections Blueway -- a cultural, environmental, and community development project nearly two years in the making -- on Saturday, June 16, 2018, under the Africatown Bridge in Plateau from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.The Africatown Connections Blueway Team is a coalition of local and regional organizations and citizens working in partnership with the National Park Service since 2016 to create the plan. The Blueway project connects the historic Africatown Community in the City of Mobile with Africatown U.S.A. State Park in the nearby City of Prichard, Alabama, via several key waterways: 10 miles of Chickasaw Creek, which flows through Prichard, the City of Chickasaw and unincorporated Mobile County; the Mobile River; and Three Mile Creek.Its mission is to preserve the natural spaces, habitat, and waterways for the sustainability of healthy communities, for educational enlightenment, and for economic opportunities in both Mobile and Prichard, and points in between.The celebration comes as the notes of Zora Neale Hurston's interview with Cudjo Lewis 90 years ago has finally been turned into a book, currently a New York Times best-seller, Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo." It tells the harrowing tale of Lewis, the last known living slave to have come directly from Africa. Named Oluale Kossola, he was one of 110 people kidnapped and sold by the Kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin), then brought to Mobile aboard the Clotilda. Importing Africans for slavery had been illegal for 52 years when the Clotilda arrived in 1860. Its captain claimed to have burned and sunk the ship to hide the crime.The Blueway project also comes as the Alabama Historical Commission continues its search for the Clotilda, which was thought to have been found in the Mobile River Delta earlier this year ( https://ahc.alabama.gov/ news_detail.aspx? ID=12821 ). Plus, the Africatown Community Development Corporation's request for $3.58 million from the BP Oil settlement fund was approved to build a welcome center and tourism program that celebrate the unique history of Africatown, founded by Lewis and some of the other Africans brought by the Clotilda.In an added boost, students from Mississippi State University's School of Landscape Architecture have created a very dynamic, multi-dimensional plan for the Blueway that can potentially revitalize the entire Africatown community.Residents and supporters who have been part of planning the Africatown Connections Blueway are overjoyed at recent developments like these that strengthen their resolve to rebuild the neglected community."It's like the windows of heaven are finally opening up over Africatown and pouring out so many blessings at once," says Joe Womack, president of Africatown-C.H.E.S.S., itself a relatively new community-based organization. It is funded through a $3.375 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation in partnership with the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, the HBCU-CBO Gulf Coast Equity Consortium."We can't help but believe that these breakthroughs will help us preserve what's left of our beloved community. It's like being rewarded for decades of hard work that so many of people put into bringing Africatown back to wholeness and prosperity. If all our individual plans succeed collectively, then Africatown might be even better than it was when I grew up here," he says.Quick Details:Celebration of the Africatown Connections Blueway ProjectWHO: National Park Service and the Africatown Connections Blueway Planning TeamWHAT: Initial Celebration of the Blueway ProjectWHEN: Saturday, June 16, 2018, at 3 PM to 6 PMWHERE: Under the western side of the Cochrane Africatown Bridge in Mobile (Plateau), ALWHY: To announce the project and invite the public support of Africatown's newest revitalization effortThe National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program (RTCA) supports community-led natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the nation. The national network of conservation and recreation planning professionals partners with community groups, nonprofits, tribes, and state and local governments to design trails and parks, conserve and improve access to rivers, protect special places, and create recreation opportunities.The Africatown Connections Blueway Team includes representatives from: Mobile County Training School Alumni Association;Africatown-C.H.E.S.S. (Clean, Healthy, Educated, Safe and Sustainable);Center for Fair Housing; Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition (MEJAC); City of Prichard; City of Chickasaw; City of Mobile; Mobile County; Alliance Institute; Success 4 the Future; Public Lab; GulfCorps; Alabama Coastal Foundation; University of South Alabama; Auburn University's School of Landscape Architecture;Tuskegee University's College of Agriculture Environment & Nutrition Science; Mississippi State University's School of Landscape Architecture;and other individuals.Liz Smith-Incer, Mississippi Field Office DirectorNational Park Service's Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance ProgramPhone: (228) 230-4120Email: liz_smith-incer@nps.govJoe Womack, Executive DirectorAfricatown~C.H.E.S.S. (Clean, Healthy, Educated, Safe and Sustainable)Phone: (251) 404-9558Email: jwomack@africatown-chess.org or jnwomack1@yahoo.comHear WNYC's recent podcast on Africatown here at https://www.wnycstudios.org/ story/africatown/
IRVINE, Calif., June 1, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Working Wardrobes, a nonprofit that helps people overcoming difficult challenges find meaningful employment, today announced that Project Runway Season 14 Winner, Ashley Nell Tipton, is lending her support once again to the nonprofit and to Our Curves Work, a plus size clothing drive and fashion show to benefit Working Wardrobes' plus size clients. Tipton supported plus size clothing donations for Working Wardrobes' clients in 2017 and is generously lending her assistance again this year.

While 60% of the men, women, young adults, and veterans Working Wardrobes serves are plus size, most of the professional clothing donations the organization receives aren't. Our Curves Work is designed to solicit gently used work and casual clothing for Working Wardrobes' plus size clients.

This campaign is being launched in partnership with the Orange County Chapter of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (OC VAREP) who are committed to supporting and enabling veteran home ownership here in Orange County.

The clothing drive runs the entire month of June 2018. The fashion show, featuring Ashley's custom plus size designs and beautiful smaller size looks for women and men from the Working Wardrobes Hanger Boutiques, is scheduled for June 14th at the nonprofit's Career Center in Irvine. Clothing drive and fashion show event details are below.

"Like the fashion industry as a whole, the need for plus size clothing is great among Working Wardrobes' clients," said Ashley Nell Tipton. "Working Wardrobes provides career development services, training, and professional wardrobes to transform clients from the inside out on their road to employment and outfits that help plus size clients look and feel their best are in high demand. This year's campaign is designed to help meet that demand."

Jerri Rosen, founder and CEO of Working Wardrobes, says the partnership between her organization, Ashley Nell Tipton, and OC VAREP makes perfect sense.

"Our job is to help clients gain self-confidence and achieve self-sufficiency," said Rosen. "Ashley empowers our clients with her positive attitude and giving spirit, and OC VAREP works tirelessly to help veterans find homes after service. Together, we are joining forces to help the men, women, young adults, and veterans we serve find jobs, homes, and hope."

To support Our Curves Work during the month of June, please donate gently used, good condition plus size professional and casual clothing at the Working Wardrobes Career Center located at 1851 Kettering Street, Irvine, California 92614 on Mondays through Saturdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm. You can also mail your donations to this same address.

The Our Curves Work Fashion Show will also be held at this same address on June 14th from 5:30pm  8:00pm. Guests will enjoy a live runway show, fashions from Ashley Nell's line and the Hanger Boutiques, swag bags, an exciting auction, shopping, delicious appetizers and dinner, a no host bar, music, and more! Plus size clothing donations will be accepted that evening as well.

To purchase tickets and to learn about all the sponsorship opportunities that are available, visit http://workingwardrobes.org/ourcurveswork/.

About Working Wardrobes

Working Wardrobes does everything in its power to help men, women, young adults, and veterans overcome difficult challenges so they can achieve the dignity of work. The organization provides career training, job placement assistance, and professional wardrobe services in an environment of dignity and respect. Since its inception in1990, Working Wardrobes has served over 95,000 clients, including thousands of veterans.

SOURCE Working Wardrobes

Related Links

http://workingwardrobes.org


NEW ORLEANS, June 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Caterpillar, Inc. (NYSE: CAT).

On March 2, 2017, multiple federal law enforcement agencies executed search warrants in a raid of Caterpillar's offices, which the Company stated was related to "export filings" for its Swiss subsidiary. Media reports alleged that the raids were "related to potential crimes, including 'failure to file or submitting false electronic export information' and 'false and misleading financial reports and statements'" and that a report commissioned by the federal government accused Caterpillar of tax and accounting fraud, avoiding federal income taxes on billions of dollars of offshore money, to boost its stock price.

Thereafter, Caterpillar and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws, which is ongoing. On October 10, 2017, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the suit, which is presently under consideration by the court.

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Caterpillar's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Caterpillar's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-time holder of Caterpillar shares, and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cat/ to learn more.

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.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

[email protected]

1-877-515-1850

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com


NEW ORLEANS, June 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO).

In August 2016, the Company disclosed that it was under review by the U.S. Department of Labor ("DOL") for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The investigation reportedly involves the Company mischaracterizing distributors employed by it as independent contractors resulting in the loss of overtime pay and other benefits.

The Company's actions, directed by its executives, have exposed it to numerous lawsuits filed by the distributors, one of which was settled for $9 million, as well as the cost of defending the Company against the DOL investigation and potential liability for penalties, fines, and repayment of back wages and benefits that could reportedly reach $1 billion. The Company has also been sued in a securities class action lawsuit for failing to disclose material information, violating federal securities laws. Recently, the court in that case partially denied the Company's motion to dismiss, allowing the case to move forward.

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Flowers' officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Flowers' shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of CBS shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-flo/ to learn more.

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.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

[email protected]

1-877-515-1850

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com


"GAC Motor has successfully brought a variety of signature models to Nigeria, gaining bulk purchase orders from local governments for showing its quality and positive brand image. This latest cooperation will accelerate our further development in the Nigerian market," said Yu Jun, President of GAC Motor.

The Nigerian police spoke highly of the powerful and intelligent design and excellent safety features of GA3S. It is believed that the model's style, design and customized smart safety features can be adapted to the complex requirements of police cars.

To better adapt to market developments in Africa, GAC Motor is constantly optimizing vehicle designs based on local road conditions to guarantee reliable quality and performance. Most models have been specifically adjusted to meet the requirements of performing on bumpy and muddy roads, such as by adding higher chassis to improve passing clearance. With its excellent product quality and high adaptability to the African market, GAC Motor won the favor of local consumers and has been the best-selling Chinese brand in Nigeria.

GAC Motor achieved its market success by sticking to its quality-first principle. For five years in a row, GAC Motor has been ranked first among all Chinese brands in J.D. Power Asia's IQS study. GS8, the most popular model in Nigeria, is rated five-star by C-NCAP (China-New Car Assessment Program). It has also established strategic partnerships with the world's top suppliers and recruited top talent to strictly monitor quality, which will boost the company's expansion in the African market and the world at large.

Noteworthy milestones for GAC Motor in African market

Opened the first dealer shop in Nigeria in December 2014 , and a second two years later.

in , and a second two years later. In 2016, GAC Motor established a SKD (semi knocked-down) factory in Nigeria , becoming the first Chinese auto brand to have parts assembled locally.

, becoming the first Chinese auto brand to have parts assembled locally. In 2017, the Nasarawa State government made a bulk purchase of GS8s, GS4s and GA3Ss as official reception vehicles.

In February 2018 , GAC Motor's signature model GS8 was launched in Nigeria .

Nigeria is one of the most important markets in GAC Motor's growth strategy for Africa, which includes developing its local management team, the release of localized versions of its top models, and a factory on the ground that enables the automaker to achieve continuous breakthroughs in the market.

Achieving a solid foundation in Nigeria, a participating country in China's "Belt and Road" Initiative, will allow GAC Motor to more effectively reach the greater African market, and to push forward its brand internationalization.

About GAC Motor

Founded in 2008, Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor CO., LTD (GAC Motor) is a subsidiary of GAC Group which ranks the 238th among the Fortune Global 500 companies. The company develops and manufactures premium quality vehicles, engines, components and auto accessories. GAC Motor has now ranked the first among all Chinese brands for five consecutive years in J.D. Power Asia Pacific's China Initial Quality Study SM (IQS), demonstrating the company's quality-centric strategy from innovative research and development (R&D), manufacturing to supply chain and sales & services.

For more information, please visit:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GACMotor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gac_motor

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/gac_motor

Media Contact:

Sukie Wong

+86-186-8058-2829

[email protected]

SOURCE GAC Motor
NEW ORLEANS, June 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until June 2, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 28, 2015 and April 25, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Get Help

LendingClub investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-lendingclub-corporation-securities-litigation-1 or call to speak to our claim center toll-free at (844) 367-9658.

About the Lawsuit

LendingClub and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On April 25, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against the Company based on multiple charges of wrongdoing including falsely promising loans to consumers with no hidden fees and subsequently applying "hundreds or even thousands of dollars in hidden up-front fees from the loans"; misleading consumers as to the approval status of their loan applications; and improperly withdrawing funds from consumer accounts.

On this news, the price of LendingClub's shares plummeted $0.49 per share, or over 15%, to close at $2.77 per share on April 25, 2018.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. ClaimsFiler's team of experts monitor the securities class action landscape and cull information from a variety of sources to ensure comprehensive coverage across a broad range of financial instruments.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler

Related Links

http://www.claimsfiler.com


EAST HANOVER, N.J., June 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New Novartis data from two long-term Treatment-free Remission (TFR) studies in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase (CP) will be presented during the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago. Results from the open-label Phase II trials, ENESTop and ENESTfreedom, show sustained TFR in patients treated with both front-line and second-line Tasigna (nilotinib) therapy. The 144-week trials evaluate the potential to maintain molecular response (MR) after stopping therapy in eligible adult patients with Ph+ CML-CP.

"Treatment-free Remission is a new treatment goal in CML," said Francois-Xavier Mahon, Cancer Center of Bordeaux, Institut Bergonie and lead investigator of ENESTop. "Clinical studies like ENESTop and ENESTfreedom offer evidence that when a Ph+ CML-CP patient achieves a deep molecular response with Tasigna, along with other eligibility criteria, s/he can attempt TFR and have a nearly 50% chance of remaining treatment-free long-term. These results confirm an exciting opportunity for eligible patients  the opportunity to reduce time on drug for a chronic leukemia."

Data from ENESTop, presented today in an oral session (Abstract #7003) show that approximately half (48.4%; CI 95%, 39.4%-57.5%) of patients with Ph+ CML-CP who are eligible to stop second-line Tasigna therapy maintained disease remission over a prolonged period of time in the absence of treatment at 144 weeks of follow up, almost 3 years1. Patients in this trial took Tasigna following a switch from Gleevec (imatinib mesylate)*. ENESTop data also show that of the patients who restarted Tasigna due to loss of major molecular response (MMR=BCR-ABL/ABL <=0.1% IS), during the study period, nearly all (97.1%) regained MMR and 95.8% regained MR4.5 (BCR-ABL1 IS  0.0032%)1. Study authors stress that frequent scheduled and compliant monitoring is necessary to assess for loss of response. Results of ENESTop at 144-weeks are consistent with previously reported data at both 96- and 48-weeks.

A second long-term clinical trial, ENESTfreedom, is also part of the ASCO Scientific Program this week. The authors will report on TFR results at 144 weeks in patients who started front-line CML therapy with Tasigna. Results from ENESTfreedom will be shared with ASCO attendees on Monday, June 4 (Abstract #7063). In this trial, researchers found that almost half (46.8%; CI 95%: 39.6%-54.2%) of Ph+ CML-CP patients eligible to stop Tasigna treatment remained in MMR following treatment discontinuation2.

"Novartis continues to redefine treatment options for Ph+ CML patients," said Samit Hirawat, MD, Head of Novartis Oncology Global Drug Development. "The importance of achieving deep and sustained responses with Tasigna has been demonstrated in our TFR clinical program, which is the largest among all oncology companies. These long-term trials deliver on our commitment to the patient community to continue to look for more and better solutions for CML."

An update on the Phase III clinical trial design for Novartis' investigational BCR-ABL1 inhibitor, asciminib, will also be presented as part of the ASCO Scientific Program (Abstract #TPS7081).

Novartis Commitment to CML

Novartis' ongoing research in Ph+ CML has helped transform the disease from a fatal leukemia to a chronic condition in most patients. The company maintains an unwavering commitment to scientific innovation and access to care for patients worldwide. As an organization committed to patients, Novartis continues to reimagine CML by pursuing ambitious goals with courage, passion and commitment for the global CML community.

About ENESTop

ENESTop (Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety Trial) is an open label Phase II study involving 163 Ph+ CML patients, conducted at 63 sites across 18 countries. The trial evaluated stopping treatment in 126 adults with Ph+ CML-CP receiving Tasigna for at least three years, after patients had achieved and sustained deep molecular response (DMR) for one year with Tasigna following Gleevec. The study is ongoing with planned follow-up to evaluate the ability of patients to sustain remission for longer durations upon discontinuation of Tasigna.

Findings from ENESTop at 144-weeks found that 48.4% (CI 95%, 39.4%-57.5%) of 126 patients were able to remain in TFR at 144 weeks1. In the study, 58 patients with confirmed loss of MR4 (n=24; BCR-ABL1 IS  0.01%) or loss of MMR (n=34) restarted Tasigna by the cut-off date1. Of the 34 patients who restarted treatment with Tasigna due to loss of MMR, 91.2% regained MR4.5 (n=31; BCR-ABL1 IS  0.0032%)1. Of the 24 patients with loss of MR4 who restarted Tasigna, 95.8% (n=23) regained MR4.5,1. No new major safety findings were observed in ENESTop in patients treated with Tasigna beyond those in the known safety profile of Tasigna1. Among patients who remained in the TFR phase of the trial for more than 96 weeks (n=68), 10.3%, 51.5%, 19.1%, and 11.8% experienced any-grade musculoskeletal painrelated adverse events in the consolidation phase and first, second, and third 48-week phases of TFR, respectively1.

About ENESTfreedom

ENESTfreedom (Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in Clinical Trials  Following REsponsE in De nOvo CML-CP Patients) is an open label Phase II study involving 215 Ph+ CML patients in the chronic phase, conducted at 132 sites across 19 countries. ENESTfreedom evaluated stopping treatment in 190 adults with Ph+ CML-CP receiving Tasigna for at least three years, after the patients had achieved a response of MR4.5 with Tasigna and a sustained DMR for one year as a first-line treatment. The study is ongoing with planned follow-up to evaluate the ability of patients to sustain remission for longer durations following discontinuation of Tasigna.

Findings from ENESTfreedom at 144-weeks found that 46.8% of 190 eligible CML patients (CI 95%: 39.6%-54.2%) remained in MMR following discontinuation of Tasigna2. Of the 91 patients who restarted treatment with Tasigna due to loss of MMR by the cut-off date, 98.9% (n=90) and 92.3% (n=84) were able to regain MMR and MR4.5, respectively2. No new major safety findings were observed in ENESTfreedom in patients treated with Tasigna beyond those in the known safety profile of Tasigna2. Among patients who remained in TFR for more than 96 weeks (n=94), any-grade musculoskeletal pain-related AEs were 16.0%, 40.4%, 9.6% and 4.3% in the consolidation phase and first, second and third 48-week phases of TFR, respectively2.

About Tasigna

Tasigna (nilotinib) is approved in more than 130 countries for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase and with chronic and accelerated phase Ph+ CML resistant or intolerant to at least one prior therapy, including Gleevec (imatinib mesylate). Tasigna is also approved for the treatment of pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in the chronic phase and with resistance or intolerance to prior TKI therapy.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION for TASIGNA (nilotinib) Capsules

Tasigna can cause QT prolongation, a possible life-threatening heart problem. Patients with long QTc syndrome or low levels of potassium or magnesium should not take Tasigna. Obtain a baseline ECG prior to initiating therapy and as clinically indicated. Monitor closely for an effect on the QTc interval. Low levels of potassium or magnesium must be corrected prior to Tasigna administration. Cases of sudden death have been reported in clinical studies in patients with significant risk factors. Avoid use of concomitant drugs known to prolong the QT interval and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. Avoid food 2 hours before and 1 hour after taking dose.

Use with caution in patients with liver impairment, with a history of pancreatitis and with total gastrectomy. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, severe lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not use Tasigna. Tasigna may cause fetal harm in pregnant women. If pregnancy is planned during the treatment-free remission phase, the patient must be informed of a potential need to re-initiate treatment with Tasigna during pregnancy. Women should not breastfeed while taking Tasigna and for 2 weeks after the last dose.

Cases of cardiovascular events included ischemic heart disease-related events, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, and ischemic cerebrovascular events have been reported. Serious cases of hemorrhage from various sites including gastrointestinal were reported in patients receiving Tasigna. Grade 3 or 4 fluid retention including pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, ascites and pulmonary edema have been reported. Cases of tumor lysis syndrome have been reported in Tasigna-treated patients who were resistant or intolerant to prior CML therapy.

Frequent monitoring of BCR-ABL transcript levels in patients eligible for treatment discontinuation (TFR) must be performed with a diagnostic test validated to measure at least MR4.5. After discontinuation of Tasigna, frequently scheduled patient monitoring of BCR-ABL transcript levels is required to detect possible loss of remission. Loss of MMR in first line or confirmed loss of MR4 (2 consecutive measures separated by at least 4 weeks showing loss of MR4) in second line will trigger treatment re-initiation within 4 weeks of when loss of remission is known to have occurred. For patients who fail to achieve MMR after 3 months of treatment re-initiation, BCR-ABL kinase domain mutation testing should be performed.

Musculoskeletal pain, myalgia, pain in extremity, arthralgia, bone pain and spinal pain may occur upon discontinuing treatment with Tasigna within the framework of attempting treatment-free remission.

The most frequent Grade 3 or 4 adverse events in adults are hematological (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia) which are generally reversible and usually managed by withholding Tasigna temporarily or dose reduction. Chemistry panels, including electrolytes, lipid profile, liver enzymes, and glucose should be checked prior to therapy and periodically. Tasigna can cause increases in serum lipase. The most frequent non-hematologic adverse events were rash, pruritus, nausea, fatigue, headache, alopecia, myalgia, constipation and diarrhea.

Tasigna may result in hepatotoxicity as measured by elevations in bilirubin, AST, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase. Grade 3-4 elevations of bilirubin, AST, and ALT were reported at a higher frequency in pediatric than in adult patients. Monitor hepatic function tests monthly or as clinically indicated.

Adverse reactions observed in pediatrics were generally consistent with those observed in adults. Two Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities, hyperbilirubinemia and transaminase elevation were reported at a higher frequency in children. The long-term effects of prolonged treatment with Tasigna on growth and development in children treated for chronic phase Ph+ CML are unknown.

Please see full Prescribing Information including Boxed WARNING at https://www.us.tasigna.com/ .

About asciminib

Asciminib (ABL001) is an investigational compound. Efficacy and safety have not been established. There is no guarantee this compound will become commercially available.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Located in East Hanover, NJ Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an affiliate of Novartis which provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2017, the Group achieved net sales of USD 49.1 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 122,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

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*Known as Glivec (imatinib) outside the US and Canada.

References

Mahon, F.X. et al. Long-term treatment-free remission (TFR) in patients (pts) with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) after stopping second-line (2L) nilotinib: ENESTop 144-wk results. Abstract #7003. 2 June 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) in Chicago, IL. Radich, J. P. et al. Long-term treatment-free remission (TFR) following frontline (1L) nilotinib in patients (pts) with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP): ENESTfreedom 144-wk results. Abstract #7063. 4 June 2018 . American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) in Chicago, IL.

Novartis Media Relations Central media line: +41 61 324 2200 E-mail: [email protected]



Eric Althoff Mary Curtin Creaser Novartis Global Media Relations Novartis Oncology Communications +41 61 324 7999 (direct) + 1 862 778-2550 (direct) +41 79 593 4202 (mobile) + 1 862 345-4102 (mobile) [email protected] [email protected]



Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944 E-mail: [email protected]

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SOURCE Novartis
MISSOULA, Mont., June 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Forest Foundation (NFF) and REI are joining forces again in 2018 to improve National Forests across America. In 2017, REI supported $1 million worth of work on America's National Forests and Grasslands -- from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie near Chicago. REI's support generated significant positive benefits for our National Forests, including:

More than 66 miles of trail restoration and maintenance,

More than 660 volunteers engaged on projects,

More than 16,627 volunteer hours dedicated to projects,

17 campsites maintained or improved,

More than 1,200 acres of wildlife habitat restored or maintained.

In 2018, REI will donate up to $1 million to the NFF through the REI members-only REI Co-op World Mastercard. With every purchase made on the REI Co-op Mastercard, REI makes a donation to the National Forest Foundation1. This year is also the 50th Anniversary of the National Scenic Trails Act, making 2018's slate of projects that focus largely on restoring, maintaining and building trails on National Forests especially relevant.

"Access to quality trails is key to a life outdoors," said Taldi Walter, REI community and government affairs manager. "As we celebrate 50 years of the National Scenic Trails Act, we're grateful for partners like the National Forest Foundation who are working to improve access in America's national forests and ensure these spaces remain accessible for all."

Projects in 2018 will help repair damage that 2017's hurricane season wreaked on National Forests in Texas and Florida including trail restoration on the Sam Houston National Forest and on the Ocala National Forest. Additional projects include:

Trail restoration in the Seneca Rocks  Spruce Knob National Recreation Area on the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia ;

 Spruce Knob National Recreation Area on the Monongahela National Forest in ; Pairing midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy with volunteer crews to conduct wilderness restoration in the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest in Virginia ;

with volunteer crews to conduct wilderness restoration in the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest in ; Building more than six miles of new trail for mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers on the Tahoe National Forest in California ;

; Working with Native American youth from Oklahoma on forest restoration and archeological projects in Georgia's Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest;

on forest restoration and archeological projects in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest; Repairing and rerouting trails on popular peaks in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, including Pikes Peak;

Rocky Mountains, including Pikes Peak; Trail restoration and trailhead improvements in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument,

Trail restoration and trailhead improvements on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington .

"REI's commitment to our National Forests is truly extraordinary," said Mary Mitsos, NFF president. "Today is National Trails Day and we couldn't find a better opportunity to express our appreciation for the leadership that REI demonstrates and the impacts they've had on our National Forests and other public lands."

To celebrate the partnership and National Trails Days, the NFF and REI are collaborating on a volunteer trail restoration event in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, outside of Los Angeles. For detailed descriptions of 2017 and 2018 projects supported by REI, please visit www.nationalforests.org/REI.

About the National Forest Foundation

The National Forest Foundation promotes the enhancement and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. By directly engaging Americans and leveraging private and public funding, the NFF improves forest health and Americans' outdoor experiences. The NFF's programs inform millions of Americans about the importance of these treasured landscapes. Each year, the NFF restores fish and wildlife habitat, plants trees in areas affected by fires, insects and disease, improves recreational opportunities, and enables communities to steward their National Forests and Grasslands. Learn more at www.nationalforests.org.

About REI

REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation's largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of more than 17 million members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. REI has 152 stores in 36 states. If you can't visit a store, you can shop at REI.com, REI Outlet or the free REI shopping app. REI isn't just about gear. You can take the trip of a lifetime with REI Adventures, a global leader in active adventure travel that runs more than 170 custom-designed itineraries worldwide. The REI Outdoor School is run by professionally-trained, expert-instructors who teach beginner- to advanced-level courses about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access toand stewardthe outdoor places that inspire us all.

1This year, REI will donate $0.10 per REI Co-op Mastercard purchase transaction made to the National Forest Foundation, up to $1 million. Non-Purchase transactions, including cash advances, convenience checks, balance transfers, and other advance transactions as defined in the Cardmember Agreement, as well as interest charges and fees, do not qualify. Transactions posted in late December of the current year may be applied in the following year. REI may change the benefit or named charity in future years. REI is solely responsible for making the donation.

The creditor and issuer of the REI Co-op Mastercard is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated.

 2018 U.S. Bank

 2018 Recreational Equipment Incorporated. All rights reserved.

SOURCE National Forest Foundation

Related Links

http://www.natlforests.org


BERWYN, Pa., June 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RM LAW, P.C. has commenced an investigation into potential securities law violations by certain officers of FleetCor Technologies, Inc. ("FleetCor" or the "Company") (NYSE: FLT).

If you purchased shares of FleetCor and would like to learn more about these claims or if you wish to discuss these matters and have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights, contact Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or to sign up online, click here.

On December 19, 2016, the Company's largest U.S. customer, Chevron, terminated its 10-year relationship with the Company. Then, beginning in March 2017, numerous news and analyst reports revealed allegations against the Company for a pattern of misconduct involving fraudulent billing, misleading marketing and predatory sales tactics. In May 2017, Chevron filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the Company relating in part to the Company's mistreatment of customers. Further, between May 10, 2016 and March 10, 2017, the Company's President/CEO/Chairman, CFO and four other directors disposed of 685,720 shares of FleetCor stock at artificially inflated prices, receiving over $108 million in proceeds.

Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. Recently, the U.S. District Court presiding over that case denied the Company's motion to dismiss in part, allowing the case to move forward.

For more information regarding this, please contact RM LAW, P.C. (Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire) toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or by email at [email protected] or click here. For more information about class action cases in general or to learn more about RM LAW, P.C. please visit our website by clicking here.

RM LAW, P.C. is a national shareholder litigation firm. RM LAW, P.C. is devoted to protecting the interests of individual and institutional investors in shareholder actions in state and federal courts nationwide.

CONTACT:

RM LAW, P.C.

Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire

1055 Westlakes Dr., Ste. 300

Berwyn, PA 19312

484-324-6800

844-291-9299

[email protected]

SOURCE RM LAW, P.C.

Related Links

http://www.rmclasslaw.com


BURBANK, Calif., June 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryan Herco Flow Solutions, the leading specialty distributor of flow solutions for mission critical fluids, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Seltin Supply, headquartered in Richardson, TX.

Randy Beckwith, Chief Executive Officer of Ryan Herco, stated, "We're thrilled to be joining forces with the team at Seltin. The Rays have built a wonderful business with the help of a great group of people. Their technical knowledge, focus on customer service, and long history of serving customers in the high-tech Texas market make Seltin a perfect fit rounding out Ryan Herco's capabilities." Beckwith added, "We look forward to working with Jason to expand our capabilities to better support customers and further grow our presence in the areas Seltin has served so well."

Jason Ray, Vice President of Seltin Supply, said, "We're pleased to be coming together with Ryan Herco to transition into the next phase of Seltin Supply's life. This match makes sense on so many levels, from gaining access to a much broader product offering and inventory for our existing customers to leveraging industry leading operational platforms. It will allow us to further strengthen our position in the Texas marketplace in the microelectronics and high-purity space." Mr. Ray also said, "Erika and I are pleased that our employees, whom we've invested heavily in over the years and look upon as family, will have new opportunities to grow while continuing to provide our customers with the top notch service they expect from Seltin Supply."

About Ryan Herco Flow Solutions

Ryan Herco Flow Solutions (Burbank, CA) is the leading North American distributor of high purity and corrosion resistant fluid handling Systems and high value filtration products. Ryan Herco Flow Solutions augments its products with world-class technical expertise and application support providing a wide array of products and services ranging from equipment rental to custom fabrication.

Founded in 1948, Ryan Herco Flow Solutions operates from 30 locations worldwide serving the Aquatics, General Industrial, Water and Waste Water, Chemical Processing, Semiconductor, Life Sciences and Food & Beverage market segments. For more information, please visit www.rhfs.com.

About Seltin Supply

Seltin Supply is an industrial distributor of stainless steel pipe, tube, fittings, valves and other ultra high-purity components. Seltin Supply has branch locations in Richardson, TX and Austin, TX. For more information, please visit www.seltinsupply.com.

SOURCE Ryan Herco Flow Solutions

Related Links

http://www.rhfs.com


WASHINGTON, June 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, justice and recovery professionals fighting the nation's battle against the opioid epidemic have convened in Houston for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) annual conference.

In an inaugural scholarship program through its Law Enforcement & Medical Response Line of Operation, S.A.F.E. Project US (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic) provided three opportunities for law enforcement professionals to gain education, training and a network of support in the addiction epidemic.

"Law enforcement professionals are on the front lines of the addiction crisis in our country, and having them embrace a response that doesn't rely on arrests and incarceration begins with education," said S.A.F.E. Project US Co-Chair Admiral Sandy Winnefeld. "Offering training to members of law enforcement is a critical component to the S.A.F.E. Project US strategy, and we are grateful to our partners at NADCP for working with us to identify this opportunity."

The scholarships were presented to two Deputy Sheriffs of the Harris County Sheriff Department (PA), and a Sergeant of the Houston Police Department. They were chosen based on the needs of their departments and their roles in the opioid crisis, with a keen focus on community involvement.

The program is aimed at filling the gap in education and training opportunities afforded law enforcement on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, while also fundamentally changing how law enforcement views their interactions with those suffering from substance use disorder. Sponsoring Law Enforcement officers to attend training on best practice policing, the science of addiction and innovative pre-trial and post-arrest diversion programs, is a major step in the organization's nationwide "S.A.F.E. Communities" initiative.

"The scholarships provided by S.A.F.E Project US help ensure law enforcement have the training they need to respond to the opioid epidemic. NADCP is honored to partner with the S.A.F.E. Project US as we continue to ensure people struggling with opioid use disorder have access to life-saving treatment," said NADCP CEO Carson Fox.

The scholarship recipients will return to their departments and share what they learned with their law enforcement colleagues, and continue to work with the S.A.F.E. Project US team to identify opportunities to share what they've learned with other departments, and future potential scholarship recipients.

"Ultimately, S.A.F.E. Project US hopes to increase the number of law enforcement agencies proactively engaging with their communities to both decrease drug supply and demand in this national crisis," concluded ADM Winnefeld.

Admiral and Mrs. Winnefeld will recognize the scholarship recipients at the conference closing ceremonies on June 2.

S.A.F.E. (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic) is a non-governmental organization that is committed to contributing in a tangible way to overcoming the epidemic of opioid addiction in the United States.

Contact: Tracey Lynn Shifflett

301.602.8688

[email protected]

SOURCE S.A.F.E. Project US
Shortly after its inaugural launch in 2014, Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate cemented its status as the best-selling product in the SHISEIDO range, with one bottle sold every 13 seconds.* This game-changing serum has received over 132 beauty awards globally** - more than any other product in SHISEIDO's portfolio in the course of the brand's 145-year history. Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate was developed with an uncompromising commitment to fortifying the skin's inner defenses, and the global #StrongSouls campaign is a motivating expression of the product's end promise. A salute to the inner strength of every individual, #StrongSouls invites each of us to embrace our own convictions, our personal power and the empathy that unites us with others, through these shared celebrations and the sense of positivity they evoke.

Marrying Art with Grace and Strength

With its inspiring imagery, the #StrongSouls campaign taps into both SHISEIDO's enduring heritage as a distinguished beauty brand, and its position as a progressive voice for women. The campaign film is shaped by the dance artistry of Koharu Sugawara as she moves through the city of Tokyo. Through dance, she conveys a story of deep emotion and with calculated nuance, she draws from her own inner and outer strength to create the ultimate expression of joy and power.

Celebrate the power of inner strength and share in the joy that it brings with Koharu Sugawara at https://youtu.be/ELYYRQkCYzc

For more event images, please follow SHISEIDO at www.instagram.com/shiseido/

To go behind-the-scenes, please visit https://www.image.net/ultimune_strongsouls2018

*Based on global sell-in data collected from January 2017December 2017, in which 1 day is counted as 24 hours

**Total number of awards globally as of December 2017

Shiseido Brand Unit

Hiroko Ozeki

[email protected]

SOURCE Shiseido Co Ltd
David Hanson | Alumni Award for Artistic Achievement + keynote speaker

As founder and CEO of Hanson Robotics, David Hanson 96 FAV has built a worldwide reputation for creating the world's most humanlike, empathetic robots, endowed with remarkable expressiveness, aesthetics and interactivity. His work in this realm has received widespread media attention and public acclaim.

With a BFA in Film/Animation/Video from RISD and a PhD in interactive arts and engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas, Hanson publishes regularly in materials science, artificial intelligence, cognitive science and robotics journals, and has been featured in numerous popular media outlets including The New York Times, Popular Science, Scientific American, the BBC and CNN. Dubbed a "genius" by both PC Magazine and WIRED, he has earned awards from NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Cooper Hewitt, among many others.

Cai Guo-Qiang | honorary degree

Now based in New York, Chinese-born artist Cai Guo-Qiang works across several disciplines, including drawing, installation, video and performance. He is best known for his signature "explosion events" and paintings made by detonating gunpowder. Through these works the artist says he's "attempting to achieve a sense of the eternal from the ephemeral."

Cai's work has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim, which hosted the 2008 retrospective I Want to Believe. In 2012 he earned the prestigious Praemium Imperiale from the Japan Art Association and was among five artists to receive the first US Department of State Medal of Arts award for his commitment to international cultural exchange. In 2016 Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald further illuminated Cai's life and work in the Netflix documentary Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang. The artist is also the father of RISD alumna Wen-You Cai, who graduated in 2012 with a BFA in Sculpture.

Annie Leibovitz | honorary degree

Over the course of her career, Annie Leibovitz has produced a large and distinguished body of work that encompasses some of the most well-known portraits of our time. She began her work as a photojournalist for Rolling Stone in 1970, while she was still a student. By the time she joined the staff of the revived Vanity Fair in 1983, she had established herself as the foremost rock music photographer and an astute documentarian of the social landscape. At Vanity Fair and later at Vogue, her work with actors, directors, writers, musicians, athletes and political and business figuresas well as her fashion photographsexpanded her collective portrait of contemporary life.

Leibovitz has published several books and has exhibited widely. She is a Commandeur in the French government's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and has been designated a Living Legend by the Library of Congress.

Rise Wilson | graduate hooding speaker

For two decades social entrepreneur Rise Wilson has been a powerful voice for the arts as a catalyst for change and community building. Currently the chief program officer for The High Line, a public park and cultural center on Manhattan's West Side, she is known for founding The Laundromat Project in 1998. The New York-based nonprofit stages public arts projects in laundromats throughout Harlem, the South Bronx and other areas of city, inspiring people to not just view art but also "reconsider their own neighborhoods [by] discovering art in unexpected places."

Wilson's work in arts and culture advocacy extends to previous roles at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, MoMA and Parsons. She holds a BA from Columbia University, where she was a Kluge Scholar, and an MA from NYU, where she was a MacCracken Fellow.

RISD's joyous Commencement ceremony offers a festive culmination to years of creative exploration in the studio. Students traditionally transform their caps and gowns in idiosyncratic waysby painting, reimagining and embellishing them to make a more personal artistic statement or simply to have fun with this colorful RISD tradition. For more information on RISD's 2018 Commencement and to view the ceremony streaming live on June 2, visit commencement.risd.edu.

On Friday, June 1 social entrepreneur and community organizer Rise Wilson spoke at the Graduate hooding ceremony as part of Commencement celebrations.

A series of exhibitions leading up to Commencement highlighted new work produced by graduating students, including the Senior Invitational Exhibition at Woods-Gerry Gallery, the RISD graduate thesis exhibition at the RI Convention Center, a selection of graduate student works at Sol Koffler Gallery and the Senior Film/Animation/Video Festival at the RISD Auditorium. A student-curated exhibition of undergraduate and graduate student work is also on view at the Gelman Student Exhibitions Gallery in the Chace Center.

About Rhode Island School of Design

Known as the leading college of art and design in the United States, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is ranked #1 in Business Insider's survey of The World's 25 Best Design Schools. Approximately 2,450 students from around the world are enrolled in full-time bachelor's or master's degree programs in a choice of 19 majors. Students value RISD's accomplished faculty of artists and designers, the breadth of its specialized facilities and its hands-on approach to studio-based learning. Required courses in the liberal arts enrich the studio experience, equipping graduates to make meaningful contributions to their communities. Through their creative thinking and problem solving in a broad range of fields, RISD's 26,000 alumni exemplify the vital role artists and designers play in fueling global innovation. Founded in 1877, RISD (pronounced "RIZ-dee") and the RISD Museum help make Providence, RI among the most culturally active and creative cities in the region. For more information, visit risd.edu and our.risd.edu.

SOURCE Rhode Island School of Design

Related Links

https://www.risd.edu


United Nations, June 2 : The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has failed to adopt a US-drafted resolution on the protection of Palestinian civilians.

The US text, a competing draft resolution to a Kuwaiti one, got only one vote in favour -- from the United States itself, on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Three of the 15 Security Council members -- Kuwait, Russia and Bolivia -- voted against it, and the remaining 11 members abstained.

A Security Council resolution needs at least nine affirmative votes to be adopted, on the condition that none of the five permanent members of the council -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the US -- votes against it.

Immediately after the vote, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley blamed "anti-Israel bias" in the Security Council.

"With its votes today, the UN Security Council majority showed that it was willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas, for violence in Gaza," Haley said in a brief statement.

"Further proof was not needed, but it is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel. The United States will not allow such bias, which is why we did not hesitate to cast our veto," said the statement.

The US draft resolution blames Hamas for the recent escalation of violence in Gaza.

The Kuwaiti text, which was vetoed by the US in an earlier vote, deplores the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

It also calls for the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population.

The Kuwaiti draft further calls for immediate steps toward ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip.
London, June 2 : British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she was "deeply disappointed" at the unjustified decision by the US to apply tariffs to European Union (EU) steel and aluminium imports.

Her comments on Friday came a day after US President Donald Trump announced the decision to levy tariff amid waves of criticism, Xinhua news agency reported.

May said in a statement that the US, the EU and Britain are close allies and have always promoted values of open and fair trade across the world.

"Our steel and aluminium industries are hugely important to the UK, but they also contribute to US industry including in defence projects which bolster US national security," she said.

"The EU and UK should be permanently exempted from tariffs and we will continue to work together to protect and safeguard our workers and industries," the Prime Minister added.

The tariffs of 25 per cent on steel products and 10 per cent on aluminium, which affect the EU, Canada and Mexico, came into effect on Friday.
United Nations, June 2 : The US was completely isolated defending Israel during the voting on two resolutions on Palestine, one proposed by Kuwait and a counter-motion put forward by it.

The unusual asymmetry in two consecutive votes on Friday came about because even its closest allies abandoned the US while its Permanent Representative Nikki Haley stood defiantly vetoing a resolution put forward by Kuwait and proposing a countermeasure that received only her vote.

Hamas was at the heart of the stand-off, with the US demanding that the organisation should also be condemned.

The resolution drafted by Kuwait sought to condemn what it called the disproportionate use of force by Israel, including the firing of live ammunition by its forces on Palestinian protesters last month near the border with Gaza.

It received 10 votes, while the sole vote against it by the veto-wielding US killed it as Ethiopia, Netherlands, Poland and Britain abstained.

Hailey blamed the "terrorist group Hamas" for the conditions in Gaza and said the resolution was one-sided as it blamed only Israel.

She proposed the counter resolution that described Hamas as a terrorist group and condemned the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Palestinian militants in Gaza towards Israel.

The resolution received only her vote, while Kuwait, Russia and Bolivia voted against it and the remaining 11 countries abstained.

Haley said: "It is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel. The US will not allow such bias."

Kuwait's Permanent Representative Mansour Ayyad Alotaibi spent several days negotiating with Council members to come up with a veto-proof resolution on the Palestinian protests that have resulted in 119 deaths since March from Israeli action.

While he managed to get enough direct support for it, he could not get the US to give up its veto.

In contrast, Haley did not consult other members of the Council before proposing the US resolution.

France's Permanent representative Francois Delattre said it was brought to a vote without any negotiations and did not reflect a balanced approach to the Palestinian conflict.

Alotaibi said that the message from the Council after the US veto was that Israel, which occupied Palestinian territories, was exempt from international law.

srael's Permanent Representative Danny Danon countered that the Kuwaiti resolution sought to give the Hamas - a "terrorist organisation" - the Council's stamp of approval by not mentioning its role in the conflict.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
New York, June 2 : US President Donald Trump is proposing phased negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, starting with the planned June 12 summit in Singapore during which he does not expect a complete deal on denuclearisation.

At the same time, Trump has also set an ambitious goal for his interactions with Kim aiming for an end to the official 70-year state of war between the US and North Korea.

After a meeting Kim Yong-chol, the North Korean leader's emissary, in Washington on Friday, Trump confirmed that the Singapore summit he had canceled last week was back on track.

"I think we're going to have a relationship, and it will start on June 12th," the President said.

Kim Yong-chol traveled to Washington after two days of negotiations with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York to hand over a letter from Kim Jong-un to Trump.

Trump said that "it ended up being a two-hour conversation with the second most powerful man in North Korea" during which they discussed a whole range of subjects.

Tamping down hopes of an imminent breakthrough, Trump said: "We're not going to go in and sign something on June 12th and we never were. We're going to start a process. And I told them today, 'Take your time. We can go fast. We can go slowly'. But I think they'd like to see something happen.

"You're talking about years of hostility; years of problems; years of, really, hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end."

As a goodwill gesture, Trump said that he will not be putting any more sanctions on North Korea, but the existing ones will continue.

Pompeo, however, has asserted that the US won't budge from the ultimate goal of denuclearising North Korea.

"I have been very clear that President Trump and the United States objective is very consistent and well known: the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," he sad on Thursday.

North Korea poses a major threat with the nuclear devices as well as missiles capable of reaching the US mainland that it has developed.

After it tested them last year, the two leaders traded threats and abuses, while the US succeeded in tightening the UN sanctions on North Korea.

Later this year they cooled down and agreed to talk.

While preparations were going on for the talks, there was a burst of "tremendous anger and open hostility" coming out of Pyongyang last month, which Trump cited to call off the talks.

They were provoked by comments from Trump's new National Security Adviser John Bolton and Vice President Mike Pence invoking a "Libyan model" for dealing with North Korea.

It upset Pyongyang because after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi shutdown his nuclear programme in 2003 after which he was overthrown and killed in 2011 following attacks by US and its European allies.

Bolton and Pence have been sidelined and Pompeo, whom Trump has praised for negotiating with North Korea, has taken centre stage.

While Trump would score points internationally and domestically by pulling off the summit and soften his hardline image by having the summit, Kim Jong-un appears to be equally invested in the denuclearisation talks that could translate to economic development for his impoverished country that is under severe economic sanctions.

Trump said that if the nuclear issue is resolved, he expected South Korea, Japan and China to provide aid to North Korea, without any cost to the US for rebuilding it.

Trump said that during the meeting with Kim Yong-chol they talked about ending the Korean War which continues formally.

"And there is a possibility of something like that," he added.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
New Delhi : Earlier this week, I spent the morning listening to late Bhupen Hazarika's compositions in "Ek Pal", a film that introduced me to the wonderful directorial acumen of Kalpana Lajmi.

I don't remember who introduced us. I think it was Prakash Jha. But Kalpana was one of my first friends in the Mumbai film industry. She was feisty and knew many in the filmworld. The formidable Shyam Benegal is her uncle and so was the even more formidable Guru Dutt.

Yes, she is well-connected. But when Kalpana made her first film, the underrated, hauntingly romantic "Ek Pal", she sought no one's help. She approached the mighty trio of Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Farouq Sheikh and all three said yes to her, not because of who she was but because of what she had to offer.

Today, I see shameless nepotism in the industry. Talentless relatives of powerfully-placed industry folks get big breaks while genuinely talented strugglers languish for want of an opportunity. In a world dominated by patriarchy and nepotism Kalpana made it on her own steam.

After "Ek Pal" came the stunning "Rudaali". I was hooked.

The industry has all but forgotten her as she remains seriously ill moving in and out of the hospital. She has little hope of recovery with almost no money to pay for the hefty hospital bills. You know what they say: If the disease doesn't kill you, the bill will.

She survives on the largesse of a few industry folks who still have some core of humanism left in them. Since most charity in showbiz is done with the intention of getting attention, I am not sure how much of the financial help for Kalpana comes out of genuine concern.

What the film industry needs is a solid health fund for ailing artistes so that we don't have talented filmmakers dying for want of adequate medical care.

There are chilling stories of stars falling on hard days. The legendary Meena Kumari died in the servant's room of a bungalow purchased by her. Generous to a fault, she had gifted a bungalow to her sister Madhu and her husband, the comedian Mehmood. The couple was "kind" enough to let their benefactor spend her last days in the outhouse where they served her one meal a day.

What happened to all her earnings? What happened to all of Tamil-Telugu superstar Savitri's earnings? Like Meena Kumari, Savitri hit the bottle and... well, you only have to see her bio-pic Mahanati, to discover the similarities between the doomed lives of two legendary actresses.

Meena Kumari invested in the wrong projects and people. She paid for it. Her plight was better than poor Vimi's. Once a B.R. Chopra heroine, she fell on hard days and drank herself to death. There was no one to claim her body when she died.

Why can't the Indian film industry take care of its own? Make sure that its denizens are looked after in their lean days. Kalpana Lajmi should be getting the best medical treatment by right. She shouldn't have to depend on the largesse of some actors who make 65-80 crores of rupees per film and feel very good about themselves after giving a few lakhs to soldiers' widows and colleagues who have seen better days.

As Kalpana lies alone in her illness, does she regret spending all her savings looking after her mentor and beloved Bhupen Hazarika? Or does she feel happy to have touched the higher notes of love in an era of debilitating self-interest?

Does Deepika Padukone know she has a relative named Kalpana Lajmi who could do with a kind touch?

(Subhash K. Jha can be contacted at jhasubh@gmail.com)
Mumbai, June 2 : Anupam Kher has joined the Audit Advisory Board (AAB) as a member. The veteran actor says he is honoured to be in the company of such learned board members.

Anupam on Saturday shared a letter by Guljari Lal, Director General of Audit (Central), on Twitter, which reads that it's an honour and privilege to have the actor on board.

"Your rich experience in the various walks of life would be of immense use for us to give proper perspective to our work and shall also help us to refine our audit approaches and bring more balance in our audit reporting... The tenure of the AAB is two years," the letter read.

The 63-year-old actor thanked the Director General of Audit (Central) for having him as a member.

"Thank you Director General of Audit (Central) Guljari Lalji and the Indian Audit and Accounts Department for having me on your Audit Advisory Board. It is an honour and a privilege to be in the company of such learned board members," Anupam tweeted along with a string of photographs with the members of AAB.
Hyderabad, June 2 : Telangana celebrated its fourth formation day on Saturday with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao declaring that his goal is to free farmers from the loan trap.

The main official celebration was held at Parade Grounds in the state capital, where the Chief Minister unfurled the national flag and reviewed a colourful parade by police.

State ministers, MPs, legislators and other public representatives hoisted the Tricolour in the districts while the day was also celebrated with enthusiasm at government offices. The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the opposition parties also organised the celebrations at their respective offices to mark the day.

For the first time the Telangana Formation Day was also celebrated in schools as the government shortened the summer vacation to ensure opening of schools from June 1.

Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh as the 29th state of the country in 2014 after a long people's struggle.

Rao, who was leading the movement since 2001, paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Telangana. In his address at the main official function, he recalled that the state was achieved after a struggle with the belief that only statehood to Telangana could change the destiny of its people.

KCR, as the TRS chief is popularly known, said his government implemented several welfare schemes during the last four years to help the people. He listed the programmes launched for the welfare of various sections of the society.

He spoke in detail about the schemes launched for farmers, the latest being the Rythu Bandhu scheme under which farmers will get Rs 8,000 per acre each every year as crop investment support. He said this scheme brought smiles on the faces of farmers, who no longer need to borrow money for cultivation.

KCR announced that from August 15, the government will provide insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to farmers in the state. The government will pay the premium of Rs 2,271 per farmer per year and in case of the insured farmer's accidental or natural death, the nominee will be paid Rs 5 lakh. "The farmers need not pay even a rupee for this insurance scheme," he said.

The Chief Minister said the TRS government took up construction of irrigation projects across the Godavari and Krishna rivers. He exuded confidence that the Kaleshwaram project will become the lifeline of Telangana. He claimed that no other irrigation project in the country is being built with such speed and modern technology.

Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Madhusudhana Chary and State Legislative Council Chairman Swamy Goud participated in the formation day celebrations in the Legislature premises.

At Telangana Bhavan, the TRS headquarters, Home Minister N. Narasimha Reddy unfurled the national flag.

The opposition parties too celebrated the day at their offices. State President of the main opposition Congress party Uttam Kumar Reddy predicted that KCR will not be the Chief Minister on June 2 next year as "by then people would have voted out TRS". He claimed that it was the Congress party that carved out Telangana.
Rabat, June 2 : Morocco and the EU have resumed their negotiations on reaching a new fisheries agreement, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

This is the second round of negotiations after the first one on April 20. The meeting made progress towards the finalization of negotiations to reach a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement likely to bring qualitative added value to the partnership between Morocco and the EU, the statement said on Friday.

The meeting was attended by several Moroccan ministers and a high level EU delegation, chaired by Joao Aguiar Matchado, Director General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries at the European Commission.

The current fisheries agreement between the two sides will expire in July. The first fisheries agreement concluded between the EU and Morocco dates back to 1995.
Riyadh, June 2 : Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Saturday announced another cabinet reshuffle, giving Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Al Saud the portfolio of the newly-established Ministry of Culture after extracting it from the Ministry of Information and Culture.

According to royal orders published by the state media, King Salman appointed private sector businessman Ahmed bin Suleiman Al Rajhi as Minister of Labour and Social Development, succeeding Ali Bin Nasser Al-Ghafees.

The king also set up new government bodies to promote culture and protect the environment in an attempt to modernise and create jobs for the young population, Saudi Gazette reported.

Abdul Lateef Al Shaikh was appointed Minister of Islamic Affairs. Al Shaikh had headed the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice whose powers were seriously curbed two years ago as the kingdom embarked on a massive reform drive.

King Salman also appointed Nasser Al Dawood as deputy Interior Minister and Abdullah Al Motani as Shura Council deputy chairman.

The Saudi monarch ordered the formation of a royal commission for the city of Mecca and the holy sites. Another royal decree saw the establishment of a Council for the Royal Protected Areas in the Royal Court.

The Royal Protected Areas Council would be chaired by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.

An administration for preserving historical areas in the Red Sea city of Jeddah to be affiliated to the Ministry of Culture, was also ordered to be formed.

Under the royal orders, six nature reserves were designated in order "to re-establish wildlife, enhance their development and promote eco-tourism".

The changes in government institutions came amid reform-minded Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's resolve to modernise the economy of the world's biggest oil exporter.

The crown prince, who also serves as the Saudi Prime Minister under his father, launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign involving several of his royal siblings shortly after he became heir to the king in June 2017.

The royal orders also named several new deputies in the Ministries of Interior, Telecommunications, Transport and Energy, Industry and Minerals, and appointed new heads to the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu and the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, the report said.
Singapore, June 2 : China is deploying missiles in the disputed South China Sea to "intimidate and coerce" its neighbours, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said on Saturday, adding that Washington does not plan to abandon its role in the region.

"Make no mistake: America is in the Indo-Pacific to stay. This is our priority theatre," Mattis said in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual gathering of security officials, contractors and academics in Singapore.

Mattis called out Beijing's militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea, home to some of the world's busiest sea lanes.

He told the security summit that Beijing had deployed military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers to locations across the South China Sea.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis said.

"We are aware China will face an array of challenges and opportunities in coming years, we are prepared to support China's choices if they promote long-term peace and prosperity for all in this dynamic region.

"Yet China's policy in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to the openness our strategy promotes. It calls into question China's broader goals," Mattis said.

However, a Chinese military official dismissed the comments as "irresponsible".

The South China Sea, a key trade route, is subject to overlapping claims by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. Tensions increased in recent years and China has backed its claim with island-building and patrols.

In May, China said it had for the first time landed bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands, prompting US warnings that it was destabilising the region.

Talking about the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Mattis said that the issue of US troops in South Korea was "not on the table" at the June 12 meet.
Srinagar, June 2 : Four people, including three CRPF troopers, were injured on Saturday in a grenade explosion in Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar.

According to police, militants hurled a grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) patrol in Fateh Kadal area of Downtown.

"Three CRPF jawans and a woman were injured in the explosion. They have been shifted to hospital and the area has been cordoned off for searches," police said.
Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode, June 2 : Indian Medical Association (IMA) President Ravi Wankadekar on Saturday said Kerala need not worry about the Nipah virus as the state is absolutely safe from it now.

State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that Kerala was indeed a safe destination as around 300 doctors arrived in Kerala from various parts of India for the IMA conference to be held at Kovalam.

"The arrival of the renowned doctors to Kerala has an immense significance," said Surendran.

Wankedekar, who is in the capital city for the IMA conference, said that the virus outbreak does not hold any threat.

"Around 300 doctors arriving in the state itself shows that the virus isn't a threat at all," said the IMA President.

State Health Minister K.K. Shailaja said that the medical teams of the Centre, state and the private sectors need to be complimented for effectively containing the outbreak.

"Of the 18 positive cases, 16 have died and the remaining two are recovering well at the Kozhikode hospital. In all we had sent 193 samples of which 175 were negative.

"Almost 2,000 people have been reported to have come in contact with the affected and this figure might go up. Things are in control, but we have to be very careful" said Shailaja.

Anxious moments were witnessed on Saturday morning when it was wrongly reported that a 38-year-old woman had died in Kannur district due to the Nipah virus.

However, soon other reports surfaced that she had died of other causes and did not carry the Nipah virus.

But even while the state government has assured that the situation is under control, people in Kozhikode district are taking extra precautions with many people wearing masks outdoors.

Businesses and market places are less crowded while some movie theatres have downed shutters.
Jerusalem, June 2 : A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli soldiers on Saturday in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, with the Israeli Army alleging that the man tried to deliberately ram his vehicle into a group of soldiers.

Rami Wahid Sabarneh, 36, was killed while driving a skid loader in the Old City of Hebron near the holy site known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque and to Jews as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Efe news reported.

"A terrorist attempted to run over troops located at the site with his vehicle. In response, the troops fired towards the terrorist, killing him," the Israeli Army said on Twitter, adding that no soldiers were wounded.

However, a Palestinian activist in Hebron, Aref Jaber, claimed Sabarneh was not attempting to ram the Israeli soldiers when he was killed.

The activist said Sabarneh had been unable to hear the soldiers' commands due to the loud noise of his skid loader, a vehicle similar to a small tractor with a front-mounted bucket.

Hebron is the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank, where some 200,000 Palestinians live along with 800 Jewish settlers protected by Israeli security forces.

Though 80 per cent of the Hebron jurisdiction is under the control of the Palestinian Authority, Israel maintains a military presence to protect Jewish settlements in the city's old quarter.

Tensions have increased in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem both before and after the US embassy's move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14, which sparked protests that left several Palestinians dead and hundreds injured.
Patna, June 2 : Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday said some farmers have been staging protests just for the sake of media attention.

Talking to media persons here, Singh said: "There are crores of farmers in the country but only a few farmers have been staging protest. It has no relevance at all."

Singh's remarks came in response to a query on the going protests by thousands of farmers in Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere over low support price for their products, among others.

The 10-day protests that started on June 1 coincide with the farmers' agitation in Mandsaur of Madhya Pradesh last year, when seven farmers had died in a police firing on June 6.

Farmers in the agrarian states of Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan on Friday joined the 10-day protest call given by various farmer organisations.

Singh reportedly surprised one and all when he said that farmers were committing suicide just for media coverage.

He further claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh was pro-farmer and had been doing a lot in the interest of farmers.
Mumbai, June 2 : Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has asked aerospace major Airbus to manufacture aircraft in India.

According to the minister, who also holds the charge of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a "roadmap" for the same will be worked out.

"Visited the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France. Growing Indian aviation sector, stress on regional connectivity leading to more demand for aircrafts. It is also an opportunity for global aircraft manufacturers," the minister tweeted.

"Linking this opportunity with Make In India will lead to more job creation in India while creating win-win for both sides. Impressed upon them to Make In India. We will work on a roadmap."
Bengaluru, June 2 : Within days of taking charge as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, H.D. Kumaraswamy has banned the state government officials from carrying mobiles to his meetings to enforce discipline and avoid diversions, a top official said on Saturday.

"The Chief Minister has directed to ensure that the officials do not carry mobile phones to the meetings to avoid distractions and to enforce discipline," state's Chief Secretary K. Ratna Prabha told IANS here.

Calling it a welcome move, the Chief Secretary said the decision to ban mobile phones will ensure that the officials contribute effectively to the meetings.

"It is a welcome step by the Chief Minister as distractions through mobile phones will be removed during crucial meetings," she added.

The Chief Minister's decision came 10 days after he took charge on May 23 and held only a few meetings with the officials.

A senior officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) rank in the state, however, declined to comment on Kumaraswamy's order.
Srinagar, June 2 : Two more explosions rocked Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital on Saturday as militants lobbed two grenades at two CRPF vehicles at different places in Srinagar, injuring two more people, police said.

Two persons including a trooper of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and a civilian were injured in a grenade attack in Budhshah Chowk when militants hurled a grenade at a CRPF vehicle on Saturday evening.

"A CRPF jawan and a pedestrian were injured in this attack. They have been shifted to hospital," police said.

Minutes later, another grenade was lobbed at another CRPF vehicle in Magarmal Bagh in Srinagar. However, no casualties were reported.

Earlier, three CRPF troopers and three civilians were injured in a grenade attack in Fateh Kadal area of Srinagar.

Militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed the responsibility for the attacks in Fateh Kadal and Budshah Chowk.
Kolkata, June 2 : In the wake of murders of two youths in West Bengal's Purulia district, the state government on Saturday ordered transfer of district's Superintendent of Police (SP) Joy Biswas.

According to the notification, Biswas was transferred to the post of Commanding Officer of State Armed Police 9th Battalion and Akash Magharia was given charge as Purulia SP.

On Saturday morning, a 32-year-old youth was found hanging from a high-tension tower in Dabha village of West Bengal's Purulia district, police said.

The state government's move came hours after Biswas, at a press conference, claimed that preliminary investigation suggested it to be a case of suicide.

Claiming that the deceased was a prominent party worker, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the ruling Trinamool Congress for his killing and sought a CBI probe into it. It also demanded imposition of President's rule in the state.

Dulal Kumar's death came close on the heels of the murder of a BJP worker Trilochan Mahato in the area.

The Trinamool has, however, denied its involvement in either incident. The state government has handed over the probe to the Criminal Investigation Department.
New Delhi, June 2 : Breaking his silence on accepting an invitation to attend an RSS event at its Nagpur headquarters on June 7, former President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said whatever he has to say, he will say in Nagpur only.

"Whatever I have to say, I will say in Nagpur. I have received several letters, requests and phone calls, but I haven't responded to anyone yet," Mukherjee was quoted as saying by Bengali newspaper Anandabazar Patrika.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has invited Mukherjee to be the chief guest at the concluding function of "Tritiya Varsh Varg" or third-year course and address the Swayamsevaks' on June 7.

The RSS invite to Mukherjee sparked off a controversy, as the Congress leaders expressed unhappiness over his acceptance, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh saw nothing wrong in it.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also wrote to Mukherjee requesting him not to attend the RSS event.

Earlier, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram had urged him to take the opportunity to tell the RSS what is wrong with their ideology.

"Now that he has accepted the invitation, there is no point in debating why he accepted it.

"The more important thing to say is, Sir you have accepted invitation, please go there and tell them what is wrong with their ideology," the former Union Minister had said.

Another former Union Minister C.K. Jaffer Sharief in a letter to Mukherjee had urged him to reconsider his decision and avoid attending the event in the interest of secularism.

Expressing surprise over former President Pranab Mukherjee's decision to attend an RSS event, West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury had said he was unable to relate the visit with Mukherjee's previous comments against the Sangh Parivar and other Hindutva forces.

"My question is does he (Mukherjee) think his previous comments against RSS were wrong? We remember how Pranab Mukherjee as a senior leader of the Congress had come down heavily on RSS as a communal and a divisive organisation," he had said.

"I am surprised to hear about Pranab Mukherjee's decision to attend RSS's function in Nagpur. Just like any other Congressman, I am astonished too," Chowdhury, who has shared a long association with Mukherjee, said.
Shillong, June 2 : Curfew will be lifted for seven hours on Sunday in curfew-bound areas in Meghalaya's capital Shillong, but restrictions will remain in force, a senior government said on Saturday.

"Curfew would be lifted from 8.00 a.m to 3.00 p.m tomorrow (Sunday) in curfew areas under Lumdiengjri Police Station and Cantonment Beat House areas to allow people to get their essential commodities," Deputy Commissioner in-charge East Khasi Hills district, Peter S. Dkhar, told IANS.

Dkhar, however, said that suspension of internet on mobile services would continue besides prohibiting the sale of petrol, diesel etc., in loose jerricans, bottles and any other containers to public by all petrol pumps within the district.

The magistrate also appealed to the people not to trust false reports propagated in social media like attacks on gurdwara in the city.

"The situation is still tense but under control. The Army is on standby and will be deployed if the situation warrants. The district administration and the state police are making all efforts to restore peace and normalcy," he said.

Dkhar imposed indefinite curfew in areas under Lumdiengjri Police Station and Cantonment Beat House from 4 a.m on Friday in view of the breakdown of law and order in Motphran, Mawkhar and adjoining areas following Thursday's clash.

The clash erupted after a skirmish between some women and a driver of Shillong Public Transport Service (SPTS) bus at Them Meteor, which led to the assault of three persons. The parties involved in the skirmish had arrived at a verbal compromise though.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to probe the incident as well as to identify the elements spreading rumours and inciting violence.

Making a fervent appeal to all citizens to maintain peace and extend help to bring normalcy back to the city, a government communique said: "It has been observed that false news and propaganda played a vital role in raising tempers and inciting violence...

"The members of the public are requested to remain calm and not to fall prey to rumours..."

A case has been registered an an arrest made in connection with an incident in which three boys were assaulted.
Gaza, June 3 : Thousands of Palestinians have attended the funeral in Gaza of a volunteer medic who was killed by Israeli fire during protests along the border on Friday.

Razan al-Najar, 21, was shot dead as she ran towards the border fence in southern Gaza to help a casualty, Palestinian health officials said, BBC reported on Saturday.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it would investigate her death.

The incident follows weeks of deadly violence on the Gaza-Israel border.

More than 100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces amid protests in support of the declared right of Palestinian refugees to return to their ancestral homes in what is now Israel.

Israel says its soldiers have only opened fire on people trying to break through the border under cover of protests, and has blamed the group Hamas for orchestrating the violence.

UN and human rights officials, however, have accused Israel of using disproportionate force.

At Saturday's funeral procession, Razan al-Najar's body was carried through the streets of Gaza wrapped in a Palestinian flag.

Her father carried her blood-stained medical jacket, while other mourners demanded revenge.

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society said Ms Najar had been trying to reach an injured protester when she was shot near the city of Khan Younis.

"Shooting at medical personnel is a war crime under the Geneva conventions," it said in a statement.

UN envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov tweeted that Israel needed to calibrate its use of force and Hamas needed to prevent incidents at the border.

The UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also said it was "deeply concerned" and called for the protection of medical workers.

Israel's military said its troops along the border had been attacked by militants with gunfire and a grenade on Friday.

It said in a written statement that it would investigate the death of Najar.

"The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) constantly works to draw operational lessons and reduce the number of casualties in the area of the Gaza Strip security fence. Unfortunately, the Hamas terror organisation deliberately and methodically places civilians in danger," it said.

Hours after the funeral two rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel, the IDF said, triggering air raid sirens in Israeli villages near the border.

One rocket was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system and the other apparently landed inside Gaza, a statement said.
In Kims debut novel, If You Leave Me (Morrow, July), a young womans choice between lovers changes the lives of those around her during the Korean War.

What drew you to write the story of this family, and to tell it through five points of view?

I began with Haemi Lee, who is the central figure of the novel. However, as I delved into the intricacies of this family surviving the Korean War and the love triangle between Haemi, Kyunghwan, and Jisoo, I realized that multiple voices were necessary. By also giving voice to the two men in her life; her younger brother, Hyunki; and eventually her daughter, Solee, I could create multiple layers of meaning and a richer texture to the novel overall.

How did your research into the novels setting change the story you set out to tell?

I grew up hearing my grandmothers stories about surviving the Korean War, so I quickly chose Korea in the 1950s as the starting point of my novel. Then, I did a lot of researchI read memoirs, pored over photos of refugee life during the war, and studied how South Korea was transformed afterward. The information I found was most often about the soldiers experiences. I was more interested in how the women left behind were affectedhow these women were scarred in less visible ways. What I couldnt find in research I made up for in imagination and by reading novels about complicated women growing up in wartime conditions.

How do you think the tension between tradition and modernization that runs through the novel will resonate for modern readers?

Haemi wants a college education and desires autonomy, and yet she rejects Seouls modernization after the war and clings to the comfort of her traditional clothes. Similarly, I think that people often have complex feelings about the traditions theyve grown up with versus the modernization that surrounds us. Though the tradition and modernization in my novel is very different from what we face now, I think the core question of how much should we embrace technological change and should we be skeptical? remains the same.

What do you hope readers come to understand about this era of Korean culture and history?

I hope that by experiencing this story through Haemi, Kyunghwan, Jisoo, Hyunki, and Solees eyes, readers can imagine what it felt like to grow up during this tumultuous time in Koreas history. I hope readers come away from the book considering the ways in which we have all been shaped by the social, cultural, and political expectations of our time.
Nearly a decade after Harlequin introduced the Harlequin Teen imprint in August 2009, broadening its presence in the young adult market, the press is poised to relaunch the imprint under a new name, Inkyard Press.

Starting in January 2019, all Harlequin YA titles will be published under Inkyard. The list will include The Evil Queen, first in a fantasy trilogy by bestselling author Gina Showalter. Her novel Intertwined was one of the books on the original Harlequin Teen list. Other Inkyard titles include 29 Dates, a romantic contemporary novel by Melissa de la Cruz, and The Voice in My Head by Dana L. Davis, about a teen girl who convinces her family, including her terminally ill twin sister, to go on a road trip. Inkyard will continue to publish a wide range of books, from contemporary and mainstream novels to genre fiction.

The rebrand is intended to give Harlequins YA list a fresh feel. The name Inkyard is original and evocative: ink, the very foundation of the written word, and yard, an open space to explore, says Margaret Marbury, v-p of editorial at Harlequin. Together they represent a strong, creative community of established and emerging voices bringing unforgettable stories to our ever-expanding readership.

Our mission to publish books that resonate remains at the heart of the imprint, adds Natashya Wilson, editorial director of Harlequin Teen, who will lead Inkyard. We will continue to publish bestselling, award-winning, critically acclaimed novels for readers of young adult fiction.

Over the past year, Harlequin Teen has increased its annual title count to 30, which is where it will stay as it transitions to Inkyard. Other books on the 2019 list include Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummingss sequel to Zenith, titled Nexus; Elizabeth Keenans Rebel Girls, a feminist sister story chronicling the abortion issue as it played out in the 1990s; and Adi Alsaids Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak, an exploration of love.
Poetry is going viral, and the poets of [Dis]Connected can tell you why Social media poetry is suddenly everywhere: on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and increasingly in print, too. These short, snappy poems, often accompanied by illustrations, are shared by countless readers every day. The better known social media poets can have online followings that number in the hundreds of thousands.

The anthology [Dis]-Connected: Poems & Stories of Connection and Otherwise, edited by Michelle Halket and published by Central Avenue Publishing, presents the voices of many of these poets, from some of the biggest names, like Amanda Lovelace, to relative newcomers. The BookCon panel "The Poetry Connection: Stories from Today's Most Popular Poets," will feature several poets, most of whom are contributors to [Dis]Connected, in a discussion led by Michelle Halket.

Many of the first, and now well-known, poets on social media, like Warsan Shire, Nayyirah Waheed, Yrsa Daley-Ward, and Rupi Kaur, were women of color, especially Black women immigrants to the U.K. Their poems discussed such topics of marginalization as misogyny (including sexual violence), racism, mental illness, and the migrant experience. These authors often turned to social media after facing exclusion from traditional publishing, and they paved the way for many other poets from a variety of backgrounds and gender orientations. As panelist K.Y. Robinson says, "Women of color have spearheaded this movement, and I hope their contributions aren't erased. Their brilliant work inspired me and countless others to self-publish. We need more marginalized groups telling their stories, especially [now]."

The community that has grown around poetry on social media strives to produce an inclusive atmosphere while at the same time engaging with difficult topics. "With my art," says Amanda Lovelace, "I always aim to create a safe place where other queer people can see themselves reflected."

Both the anthology and the panel discussion focus on connection and its reverse, disconnectionthemes that are integral to the social media poetry experience. Contributor Cyrus Parker says, "I've made connections with so many amazing people ever since I started posting my poetry online, both writers and readers. We don't see each other as competition, but instead, we support and lift one another up."

Global connection is part of this poetry and of [DisConnected. As South African panelist Iain S. Thomas puts it, "[Some readers] want you to be the South African version of someone who already exists, the South African Lee Child, the South African Margaret Atwood, the South African Jonathan Franzen. I made a decision a while back that I would rather be the world's Iain Thomas."

As social media communities develop and new technologies arise, poetry adapts. This process is ongoing and can be witnessed in [Dis]Connected, too. Social media poetry can have a specific aesthetic, and it often includes visual elements, such as illustrations or unique ways of shaping and presenting poetic lines. A number of the contributors to the anthology have a design background.

Several of the stories in [Dis]Connected, which were written in response to the poems, have fantasy elements, from selkies to dragon taming, and still engage with the serious themes of the authors' poetry. As author Amanda Lovelace explains, "By taking an issue like intimate partner abuse and putting it in the context of a world constructed from scratch with characters and a magic system to become invested in, we're finally able to make connections that we weren't necessarily able to make [otherwise]. It's about giving your reader a fresh perspective free of their own everyday distractions." The magic can also be present in the mundane, like in Nikita Gill's story. Gill says, "Perhaps your next door neighbor was a magical being all along, and we just missed it until now. I wanted to explore this disconnect within us as humans that makes us miss what could be something that changes our lives." Another contributor, Trista Mateer put it this way: "At the root of everything is truth, whether it's short, fabulist fiction or confessional poetry."

Now we can follow these poets in their quest: on the panel discussion, while reading the anthology and their collections, and in the follow-up volumes that Michelle Halket is already planning.
The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives, a startling anthology of essays by various authors, was the brainchild of Abrams executive editor Jamison Stoltz. He was, according to the anthology's editor, Viet Thanh Nguyen, "moved by the protests against the Muslim ban at New York airports" partly because his wife was a refugee when she came to the United States, and he wanted to do something to help people in that situation.

He recruited Nguyenthe Pulitzer Prizewinning author of the novel The Sympathizer, the scholarly study Nothing Ever Dies, and the short story collection The Refugees, all about the experiences of refugees from Vietnam, from which he and his family fled in 1975to help create a book that would raise awareness of issues surrounding displacement and funds for refugees.

Nguyen and Stoltz brought together "17 refugee writers who were already established, and asked them to write about their own lives or the lives of refugees they've encountered." The contributors are, Nguyen explains, "standing in, to a certain extent, for 66 million displaced people in this world, about 22 million of whom are classified as refugees by the United Nations," says Nguyen

The result is The Displaced, which was released by Abrams in April. A portion of its proceeds will benefit the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian aid organization that offers assistance to refugees. The contributors and their stories vary widely: Fatima Bhutto describes a visit to an immersive virtual reality installation designed to simulate the experience of crossing the Mexico-U.S. border; Ariel Dorfman rhapsodizes about the joys of a panLatin American grocery store in his adopted home; Joseph Azam remembers the significance of name changes to his experience of cultural assimilation; Aleksander Hemon narrates the story of a fellow Bosnian refugee who changed his name from Kemal to Kemalemir to remain connected to his deceased brother, Emir.

What these writers and their stories have in common, Nguyen says, is that "their refugee experiences have left them with a deep empathy for human beings and refugees." With gentle irony, he points out, "They're overlapping categories." Nguyen describes writers and readers in general as being "engaged in the work of empathy." What unites the entries in this volume, he says, is the implicit, sometimes explicit, claim that the act of empathywhich is so crucial for becoming a writeris also crucial for identifying with refugees, or recognizing their humanity and maintaining our own humanity in the face of this extraordinary crisis." The relationship between refugee identity and literary identity is part of the discussion he's looking to have at BookCon's panel "Refugee Writers and Refugee Lives," which brings Nguyen together with four contributors from the book. "What does it mean," he asks, "to go from being a refugee to being a writer, and once you're a writer, can you still call yourself a refugee, or have you been completely made over into something else?"

This ties into larger questions about who can be considered a refugee. "Am I, personally, for example, a refugee, even though I was a refugee 40 years ago? I personally think that I am. I have to keep on talking about being a refugee because the temptation to pretend that I'm not a refugee is very strong."

He wants The Displaced to speak to, and encourage the aforementioned empathy among those who distance themselves from refugees. "I think the ideal intended readers for this book are people who don't care about refugees"he laughs a little"or people who hate refugees or people who may have ambivalent feelings about refugees, but who are going to enact policies that punish refugees in one way or another. But I think, sadly, these people are not likely to pick up the book."

He also hopes to reach refugees and former refugees who are or want to be writers. "Out of that population of 22 million officially classified refugees, some percentage of those people are going to become writers, which means they're readers or want to be readers. This book would hopefully validate their experience to them and let them know that they will eventually have that opportunity to write about what they have been through or what they are going through."
The years edition of BookExpo kicked off Wednesday, May 30, at New Yorks Javits Center with a well-received pep talk by Barnes & Noble chairman Len Riggio on the importance of physical bookstores and lots of confusion over the split nature of the exhibition floor. Under a plan implemented this year by BookExpo organizer Reed Exhibitions, publishers had the option to exhibit Thursday and Friday at BookExpo and Saturday and Sunday at the consumer-focused BookCon, which was also at Javits, or to exhibit for all three days of BookExpo but not at BookCon. As a result, the roughly 150 companies that exhibited on Wednesday occupied only about one-quarter of the show floor, while the balance of the exhibits were still being set up for a Thursday opening. Though the exhibitors had no problems with Wednesday foot traffic, they had lots of issues with the confusion the split floor caused for book buyers and, in some cases, publishers.

Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari was one of the exhibitors in the section that opened on Wednesday. CEO Michael Kerber said that though he had retailer traffic and conducted meetings that day, it was clear that book buyers were frustrated because they couldnt visit all of the houses they came to see until Thursday. Kerber gave Reed credit for trying some new things to improve the show, but said it is not clear in which direction Reed wants to move event.

The biggest company taking advantage of the three-day BookExpo option was the Ingram Content Group, which had a large exhibit for its various service operations, as well as a large space for its distribution clients, which are part of Ingram Publisher Services. Phil Ollila, chief content officer of Ingram, said on Wednesday that he was pleased with how things went. I think it was a good way to start the show, he noted. It is great to have our distribution clients and our other businesses all in one place.

Phillip Ruppel, chief operating officer at Phaidon, said he was very pleased with the first day of the showwe were busy the entire day.

But in a sign of the uncertainty that hovered over the opening day, the head of a large independent publisher said she had no idea that parts of the floor were open to publishers on Wednesday.

Another new element that caused some confusion throughout the three days of BookExpo was the inaugural New York Rights Fair (see New York Rights Fair Maps a Booming Marketplace, p. 8), which ran concurrently with BookExpo at the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 18th Street. A collaboration between BolognaFiere, which runs the Bologna Childrens Book Fair, Publishers Weekly, and Combined Book Exhibit, NYRF hosted exhibitors from the U.S. and from around the world. In an agreement reached with Reed, NYRF became the official rights fair for BookExpo, with shuttle buses moving between the two locations. A number of BookExpo attendees, however, wondered why the center had been moved and said they would like to see NYRF colocate with BookExpo at the Javits next year.

Logistical concerns aside, this yearss BookExpo featured some of the biggest names from across the publishing and bookselling businesses. Riggio, who was once viewed by independent booksellers as their archenemy, was introduced as the keynote speaker by ABA CEO Oren Teicher, who acknowledged that such a thing would have been impossible to imagine not so long ago. Both men emphasized that the long-term interest of the general public is for B&N and indie bookstores to survive in tandem.

I dont see the independent bookstore in mortal competition with B&N, Riggio said. The more bookstores the better.

Thursday morning began with a leadership panel featuring Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House; Simon & Schuster CEO Carolyn Reidy; and Macmillan CEO John Sargent. The importance of protecting free speech, especially in the wake of President Trumps attempt to block the publication of Fire and Fury (published by Macmillan) was a prominent topic. All three executives also agreed that the financial status of the business is stable. Dohle, citing a fairly healthy coexistence between print and digital, said, There is no reason to be pessimistic. Sargent added a note of caution, pointing out that the industry still faces some serious challenges in protecting the current ecosystem amid changing consumer buying habits.

In another largely upbeat panel, a trio of copyright heavyweights agreed that though the industry may have its issues with Trump, when it comes to copyright policy, the publishing industry stands with the president. The Obama administration was not kind to copyright, said Keith Kupferschmid, CEO of the Copyright Alliance. The Obama administration, and President Obama in particular, was somewhat enamored with Silicon Valley, and in particular one company in Silicon Valley: Google. He characterized Google as enemy #1 when it comes to copyright.

But the panelists agreed that the Trump administrations stance is different. I would say that so far we are very pleased with the access, and the interest we have with the Trump administration, said Maria Pallante, CEO of the AAP. Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger added that there seems to be a reset in Washington when it comes to copyright policy.

At the ABA Town Hall and Annual Meeting, Teicher urged booksellers to push American publishers to debut the centralized web-based invoicing program known as Batch. The use of Batch, Teicher said, will allow indie booksellers to radically streamline invoicing, payments, and returns. I cant overstate what a game-changing event Batch could be for the bottom line of indie bookstores of all sizes, he said, adding that the ABA board has approved a serious financial commitment to bring Batchwhich has been developed in the U.K.to the U.S. in January 2019.

Books and Authors

Along with all the meetings and panels, there was plenty of discussion about books. One of the most-talked-about titles wasnt even available at the show: Crown, the publisher of Michelle Obamas memoir, Becoming, had postcards of the books cover but no galleys to distribute.

Jonah Zimiles of Words Bookstore in Maplewood, N.J., was touting Gary Shteyngarts new novel, Lake Success, as was David Enyeart of Common Good Books in St. Paul, Minn. Mike Fusco-Straub of Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, N.Y., was high on Lauren Groffs story collection Florida. And Jonathan Lethems new novel, The Feral Detective, is a book that Anne Holman of the Kings English in Salt Lake City cant wait to read.

A novel that several booksellers mentioned was Tommy Oranges debut, There, There. Another anticipated debut is a novel about a Muslim Indian-American family: Fatima Farheen Mirzas A Place for Us. And Pamela Klinger-Horn of Excelsior Books in Excelsior, Minn., couldnt say enough about Vox by Christina Dalcher.

Two titles that touch on the struggles of the working class were high on booksellers lists: Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh and Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mothers Will to Survive by Stephanie Land.

There were plenty of childrens books that excited booksellers at BookExpo as well. In terms of the big picture books of the show, several booksellers shared their excitement for We Dont Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins. Philipp Goedicke, childrens book buyer and specialist at Community Bookstore in Brooklyn, is eager for Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christian Robinson. Another illustrated title that was stirring up interest at the show was Jacqueline Woodsons forthcoming picture book, The Day You Begin, illustrated by Rafael Lopez.

On the graphic novel front, Heather Herbert of Childrens Book World in Haverford, Pa.,was looking forward to Jarrett Krosoczkas Hey Kiddo.

Buzzworthy novels for teens drew long lines at publishers booths and the autographing stations. Brittany Lockhart, a YA bookseller at Barnes & Noble in Hackensack, N.J., was ready to claim her galley of Bridge of Clay, Marcus Zusaks highly anticipated follow-up to The Book Thief. She was also excited about Deb Calettis A Heart in a Body in the World. Jamie Kurtz, general manager at Books-a-Million in Paramus, N.J., was queued up to get a signed copy of Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel.

Contemporary YA was also in high demand at the show. Among the most highly anticipated were People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins and Wildcard, book two in Marie Lus YA Warcross duology.

For more coverage of BookExpo, go to publishersweekly.com/bookexpo.
YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat have supplanted Facebook as the most popular online platforms among U.S. teensalmost all of whom now report access to a smartphone, and nearly half of whom say they are online nearly constantly.

Thats according to a newly published report from the Pew Research Center titled Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018 . Based on survey interviews with 743 youths ages 13-17 (as well as 1,058 parents) in March and April of this year, the report updates a similar survey conducted by Pew in 2014-15 .

The new results show how the online landscape for young people is rapidly shifting.

Three years ago, Facebook was king, and just under a quarter of teens said they were online constantly. Now, about half of 13-17 year olds report using Facebook, and just 10 percent say its the platform they use most often. Compare that to YouTube (used by 85 percent of teens, 32 percent of whom say its the platform they use most often) and Snapchat (69 percent, 35 percent.)

The increasing ubiquity of mobile devices and social media has presented significant challenges for schools and parents alike. Last year, for example, Education Week rounded up 10 big social media controveries that had roiled schools, including shooting threats, racist hate speech, and sharing of nude photos. And in April, we took a deep look at principals feelings of frustration and helplessness with the problem. An exclusive survey by the Education Week Research Center found that more than half of school leaders are extremely concerned about student social media use outside of school, but just 14 percent felt very prepared to help students use social media responsibly.

Mixed views on social medias impact

Amid such concerns, the new survey results from Pew also present an interesting perspective on how teens view social medias impact on their own lives.

Nearly half of those surveyed said they believe social media has neither a positive nor a negative effect on people their age.

Thirty-one percent of teens said social media has a mostly positive affect, citing the ways it helps them connect with friends and family, find news and information, and meet others with similar interests. And almost a fourth of teens said the opposite, citing bullying, a loss of in-person contact, the propagation of unrealistic views of others lives, and distractions as reasons why social media has a negative impact.

Pew also noted some variation across teens of different backgrounds.

Teens living in households earning less than $30,000 annually are almost twice as likely to use Facebook as teens living in households earning $75,000 or more per year.

Boys were more likely than girls to play video games, but girls (50 percent) were more likely than boys (39 percent) to say they were online almost constantly.

And while access to smartphones was near ubiquitous for teens from every gender, racial/ethnic group, and household income level, there were meaningful disparities in access to desktop or laptop computers. Seventy-five percent of teens from lower-income households reported access to such devices, compared to 96 percent of teens from higher-income households. And 82 percent of Hispanic teens said they had access to a desktop or laptop computer, compared to 90 percent of white teens and 89 percent of black teens.

An ongoing challenge

So whats the big takeaway for schools?

Most likely, the Pew report will serve primarily to put hard numbers on a reality that educators and administrators see and experience every day.

Its no secret that teens preferred platforms are constantly shifting, creating an ongoing challenge for schools struggling to keep up. (The same goes for lawmakers and regulators, who have recently focused their attention on Facebook , even as YouTube--now far more popular among teens--has faced serious questions about the appropriateness of its content and the type of data it collects and uses from kids .)

And its now empirically true that teens are online more than even just a few years ago. Back in 2014-15, Pew found that 24 percent of 13-17 year olds used the internet almost constantly, 56 percent used it several times a day, and 20 percent of teens were online less frequently.

Now, just 11 percent of teens say they go online less than several times a day, and 45 percent say theyre online almost constantly.

Photo: Snapchat is a popular app among todays students.--Bill Tiernan

See also:

for the latest news on ed-tech policies, practices, and trends.
Oil dropped to the lowest level in more than a month amid surging U.S. output and signs that OPEC and Russia may ease production limits. As Bloomberg writes in an article "Oil Slides to Lowest in a Month as U.S. Drillers Boost Output", futures in New York lost 3.1 percent this week, while the global benchmark traded in London ended the week 0.5 percent higher. Unprecedented U.S. production and transportation bottlenecks at the biggest American oil field are weighing on West Texas Intermediate crude. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Russia are indicating they may push more supplies onto global markets.

When you look at the production weve had in the U.S., it continues to ramp up and you end up having some capacity constraints with the pipelines, said Mark Watkins, who helps oversee $151 billion at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. Overseas, as people are wanting our cheaper oil, weve go to get it to port cities to ship that off and theres not a quick fix for this.

Saudi Arabia and Russia said last week that they are considering raising production, yet there are questions as to whether other nations will be on board with the proposal. Russias largest oil company, Rosneft PJSC, is testing its capacity to bring back production it cut under the OPEC-led accord, Renaissance Capital said.

The spread between front-month and second-month WTI contracts narrowed to 4 cents Friday, from 13 cents on Thursday. The gap, an indication of a tight market and strong demand known as backwardation, shrank from 38 cents at the start of February.

WTI for July settlement slid $1.23 to close at $65.81 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent for August dropped 77 cents to end the session at $76.79 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark is at a $11.02 premium to WTI for the same month.

In the U.S., crude production jumped to another record high, according to Energy Information Administration data released on Thursday. The oil rig count in the U.S. also increased this week and activity levels in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico continue to rise, according to a Rystad Energy report Thursday.

Other oil-market news:

Gasoline futures dipped 0.8 percent to settle at $2.1434 a gallon.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak was scheduled to meetwith President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss gasoline prices in Russia that have surged amid stronger crude prices, two people with knowledge of matter said

Money managers decreased bullish ICE Brent crude oil bets by 49,638 net-long positions to 451,996, the lowest level since September 2017, weekly ICE Futures Europe data on futures and options show.
On May 8, the Duke University student newspaper published a stirring letter addressed to the school community that was co-signed by 101 students and former students. The letter protested the decision of the universitys Sanford School of Public Policy to decline to renew the contract of Evan Charney, associate professor of the practice of public policy and political science, and called on the provost to reverse the decision.

To no avail. On May 23, incoming Sanford School Dean Judith Kelley informed Charney that Provost Sally Kornbluth rejected his appeal.

Dukes termination of Charney, a productive scholar with wide-ranging interests in ethics and politics who has taught at Duke for 19 years (and with whom I worked in the 1990s when he was a graduate student at Harvard and I was an assistant professor), has all the earmarks of faculty and administration acquiescence to the swelling forces of campus intolerance and anti-intellectualism. At the same time, the legions of grateful students who have rallied around Charney show that a reservoir of love for learning survives at Duke  among the young.

Professor Charneys teaching style is wonderfully thought-provoking and challenging, according to the Duke Chronicle letter. In his classes, the students explained, ideas are vetted and sharpened through rigorous debate and discussion on issues ranging from physician assisted suicide to the legalization of sex work. Charney treats all opinions equally: No thought goes unexamined; no assertion goes unchecked.

In addition, missives praising Charney from students, alumni, and parents poured into Sanford. In a lengthy email to Associate Dean Billy Pizer, outgoing Dean Kelly Brownell and Dean Kelley, a Duke graduate wrote that losing Charney represents a devastating blow to the university because he provides tools, week after week, to think. Another graduate warned that terminating his contract would not only be a serious loss for Duke, but it would also threaten professors academic freedom by showing that those who explore controversial topics or express unpopular opinions are at risk of losing their jobs. A third graduate declared, Not only did Professor Charney create an environment that was fun and engaging, he also found a way to force me to question and probe my long-standing assumptions about ideas as varied as sex work, drug legalization, and the proper role of courts in protecting free speech.

Beyond these written testimonials, a regular Duke Chronicle poll of undergraduates repeatedly recognized Charney as among the universitys three most popular professors. After receiving their diplomas at Sanfords May graduation, many students interrupted their march across the stage to approach Charney, who was sitting among the faculty, to shake his hand and thank him.

So, what went wrong for Charney at Duke?

Dukes explanation to Charney was opaque. His colleagues did not present him with concrete complaints or identify specific incidents. The Sanford School told him only that some students rated his teaching very low and that he creates a hostile class environment.

Certainly, huge numbers of Charneys students cherished his courses precisely because he created a class environment hostile to ignorance, self-righteousness, and dogmatism. Since student surveys consistently ranked him among Dukes finest teachers, it is reasonable to surmise that only a small number of students rated his teaching very low.

One cant rule out that Charney treated a few students brusquely or bluntly. As some 100 students stressed in their letter to the Duke Chronicle, His courses undertake the difficult challenge of exposing students to viewpoints that conflict with how they think and what they value  and although many students find this teaching style uncomfortable, this is both welcomed and desired. In this Socratic format, the professor leans into student discomfort in order to encourage self-examination and critical inquiry.

Then again, Duke isnt talking. I emailed Deans Pizer, Brownell and Kelley, and Provost Kornbluth seeking information on the decision to terminate Charney. Only Kelley replied, writing, [W]e are not able to comment on personnel matters.

Its also possible that colleagues who disliked Charney used claims of a hostile class environment as a pretext to get rid of him.

But given the flood of impassioned student support for Charney, the proliferation of campus safe spaces (the Sanford School boasts one), and the rise of bias response teams at colleges and universities around the country, a different explanation seems more likely. Its quite possible that a handful of students who took Charneys section of his departments required class on ethics and public policy were offended by his penchant to put all perspectives to the test. After all, many of the young men and women who now reach our elite universities have been inculcated since primary school with the belief that their moral judgments are beyond reproach and that the purpose of the classroom is to reinforce their political convictions.

It would be little wonder if offended students denounced Chaney to the authorities. He requires all students  regardless of race, class, gender, or political persuasion  to justify their views with facts, evidence, and reasoned argument.

Nor would it be a surprise if Charneys Duke colleagues and the university provost preferred to indulge a small minority who marshal indignation and grievance to curtail liberty of thought and discussion. Never mind the overwhelming majority of Charneys students who have been astonished to encounter at Duke a forum for the robust exchange of ideas and delighted by the pleasures and rewards afforded by genuine intellectual give-and-take. Tough luck for future Duke students hungry for knowledge and seeking truth.

Last week after Dean Kelley told him the provost rejected his appeal, according to Charney, she offered a yearly renewable adjunct teaching position when his contract expires next year. But she attached onerous conditions: Undergo diversity training, cease teaching required courses, accept heightened monitoring of his classes by colleagues, and forgo an appeal to the Faculty Hearing Committee.

The next day Charney emailed Kelley to decline her offer and say that he will initiate a Faculty Hearing Committee appeal.

The new appeal will focus on improprieties in the review process. The main impropriety is rooted in an explicit provision of Dukes Faculty Handbook. For professors of practice such as Charney, Duke requires annual reviews to be conducted by the director of a program, chair, or dean for the purpose of providing direction and advice to the faculty member regarding progress at Duke. Yet over the course of his last five-year contract, the Sanford School failed to provide Charney a single review, or even the slightest indication of dissatisfaction. This deprived him of the opportunity to respond to concerns about his teaching and make appropriate adjustments.

By disregarding its published rules and regulations, Duke appears to have violated its contractual obligations to Charney.

And by dismissing a professor renowned for inspiring students to think for themselves, Duke seems to have betrayed its fundamental obligations to liberal education.
A lot goes on around Athens, and sometimes it can be hard to keep up. From the Five & Ten hiring a new chef de cuisine, to a sinkhole open
3 1 of 3 Contributed photo / Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3





FALLS VILLAGE  The Beebe Hill Schoolhouse was once a thriving educational center in town, and its 100th anniversary is a reminder of its place in the towns history.

The Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the last day of school at the historic one-room schoolhouse with a family-friendly party on Saturday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., according to organizers.
TORRINGTON  The Board of Education accepted the resignation of Superintendent Denise Clemons Friday evening, according to NBC Connecticut.

Board Chairman Fiona Cappabianca did not return a call requesting comment Friday.

A special meeting with "Possible Action Concerning the Employment of the Superintendent of Schools" listed as an agenda item was scheduled for 5:30 p.m., according to the district.

The decision was described as mutual by the board, according to NBC Connecticut. Susan Lubomski, the former assistant superintendent, was appointed to replace Clemons in an interim capacity.

Clemons had been on vacation since May 10.

During Clemons' tenure, which began in Jan. 2017, the board voted to close East School and move forwarding with redistricting the city schools.

A petition of no confidence in Clemons had garnered was circulated following allegations about the district special education program, its work environment, as well as the pending closure of a school.

Former Torrington Middle School Principal Valerie Bruneau sued Clemons and the board in January, claiming she was fired in retaliation for repeatedly raising concerns about the number of paraprofessionals assigned to the school and noting that students were not receiving what she believed to be mandated services.

Clemons formerly served as the superintendent of the Gardner, Mass. schools, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Groton, the assistant superintendent of secondary education in Bridgeport, and as an English teacher in New Haven, according to the Torrington Board of Education.

She holds a masters degree from Sacred Heart University and a B.A. from the University of Michigan, according to information provided by the school board.

Clemons replaced Interim Superintendent Mark Winzler, who was hired to succeed former Interim Superintendent Lynda Reitman in July 2016.

Reitman was the successor to Cheryl Kloczko, the districts last full-time superintendent before Clemons, and began in August 2015.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
As a businessman, President Donald Trump saw strength in his willingness to keep multiple balls in the air and change approach as they fell. In international relations, that unpredictability may be proving a liability.

In recent days, Trump's sudden policy reversals on everything from tariffs to nuclear non-proliferation have prompted complaints from allies and rivals alike. Such flexible negotiating tactics -- laid out in Trump's 1987 book "The Art of the Deal" -- have led them to question America's reliability as a negotiating and, in some cases, security partner.

With defense ministers from around the world convening Friday for the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, questions around U.S. reliability are likely to rival familiar concerns about China's growing military assertiveness.

"A lot of delegates will be asking the questions they started asking last year about U.S. consistency and its determination to carry on a full defense of the rules-based international order," said John Chipman, director general of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, which organizes the event at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore.

Trump's moves have put long-standing alliances under strain and created opportunities for China -- which has already displaced the U.S. as the top trading partner for most Asian nations -- to conduct outreach of its own. Amid U.S. tariff threats in April, China and Japan held their first trade negotiation in eight years.

Fresh in the minds of delegate are Trump's decisions to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, abandon a trade ceasefire with China, remove exemptions for some allies on steel and aluminum tariffs, and cancel -- and then revive -- his planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The summit moves blindsided two key Asian allies: South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who had just returned from Washington, and Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe.

"I'm lost" when it comes to Trump, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said during a speech in Brussels on Thursday, just before the U.S. confirmed it would impose new steel and aluminum tariffs on the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

Trump later warned Canada that any renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement must be "a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all." Earlier in the day, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed frustration that Trump had nixed the chances for a "win-win-win deal" on NAFTA.

China spoke out after Trump said he would proceed with imposing tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports despite his treasury secretary's announcement that a trade war was "on hold."

"Every flip flop in international relations simply depletes a country's credibility," said Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry.

The same day, Abe expressed frustration over U.S. plans to impose trade penalties on his country on national security grounds. Abe, who has invested heavily in cultivating a relationship with Trump, said it was unacceptable for the U.S. to take such an action against one of its closest military partners.

On Tuesday, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad -- who took power in May -- said he had no interest in meeting Trump. "I don't know how to work with a person who changes his mind overnight," he told the Financial Times in an interview.

Still, Trump's willingness to switch tack midstream -- as he did with his letter to Kim canceling their planned June 12 summit -- may at times yield results.

The president can claim success in securing the release of three American detainees from North Korea and one from Venezuela. More aggressive attacks on Islamic State have helped bring the terrorist group closer to defeat in former strongholds in Syria and Iraq. And less than a year after Trump and Kim were trading threats of nuclear war, the two sides are back in talks over the historic summit.

That highlights how concerns about U.S. reliability are less acute in the security sphere, where nations who want to address potential threats from China, North Korea, Russia or international terrorism have few alternatives. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has strengthened ties with the U.S. since coming to power in 2014, will this year become the first Indian leader to address the Shangri-La conference.

The Pentagon -- with its $700 billion budget -- has also shown consistent support for security in Asia, regardless of course changes in the White House. Defense Secretary James Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, enjoys wide respect among his peers and was expected to reaffirm the U.S.'s commitment to the region while addressing the Singapore gathering Saturday.

Chipman, of IISS, said Trump's policy of maintaining full pressure on North Korea was evidence of the U.S.'s continued commitment to Asian security. He also cited a Pentagon decision to disinvite China from the Exercise RIMPAC maritime military drills -- the world's largest -- after China landed a long-range bomber and deployed missiles on disputed outposts in the South China Sea.

At the same time, the U.S.'s U-turn on the Iran deal infuriated many allies, who see the agreement as essential to avoiding yet more conflict in the Middle East. German Chancellor Angela Merkel concluded that the European Union could no longer rely on the U.S. for security.

That shift -- like Trump's earlier decisions to pull out of the Paris climate change agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal -- threatens to erode alliances built up over 70 years. Whereas Russia and China must negotiate every issue with every partner from scratch, proponents of the current American-led order say a vast network of alliances creates an advantage for the U.S.

Trump "is oblivious to the advantages of being at the center of the global order," said Michael Fullilove, executive director of the Lowy Institute, in Sydney. "He is dubious about the value of alliances, even though China or Russia would dearly love to have an alliance network as powerful and cost-effective as that of the United States."

- - -

Bloomberg's Jason Koutsoukis contributed.
Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov posted a photo of the Crimean bridge made on the board of the ISS.

"My third space flight is coming to an end, and I'm finishing monitoring the construction of @Krymsky_bridge from space. I will now track it from the Earth, " Shkaplerov wrote on his Twitter.

Yesterday, he handed over the command of the ISS to his American colleague Andrew Foistel.
Apple is no longer complying with a Russian ban on Telegram and is now providing an updated version of the popular messaging service through its App store for iPhone users, Telegram said.

Apple's move on June 1 came one day after Telegram Chief Executive Pavel Durov complained that the technology giant appeared to be appeasing Russian authorities by preventing iPhone owners worldwide from getting Telegram's free software improvements for iPhones.

Apple did not explain its reversal, but Durov thanked Apple and its chief executive, Tim Cook, in a Twitter post for "letting us deliver the latest version of @telegram to millions of users, despite the recent setbacks."

"Amazing news," the Russian entreprenuer wrote.

Earlier this week, Durov said Apple was refusing to allow updates since being ordered by Russian authorities in April not to allow Russian users to download updates.

Without updates, not all Telegram features work on the latest iPhone software. If the ban were to become permanent, Telegram would grow unsafe over time as the company would be unable to patch security flaws discovered in its network.

Telegram lets people exchange messages, stickers, photos, and videos in groups of up to 5,000 people. It has attracted more than 200 million users since its launch by Durov and his brother Nikolai in 2013.

A Moscow court in April banned Telegram following a long-running battle with authorities over access to its securely encrypted communications by Russian security agencies.

The ban has provoked repeated protests in Russia by thousands who use and support the widely used messaging service.

Russian officials have claimed the ban against Telegram is justified because the service has been used in the planning of terror attacks around the world.

Apple and other major technology providers periodically come under pressure from governments to ban or restrict access to various applications and websites.

In China, Apple recently banned Virtual Private Network applications and removed The New York Times from its digital marketplace.

Apple has said its policy is to notify developers when their applications are removed at a government's request. And if it decides to comply with a government ban, it says it will limit the restriction to specific countries wherever possible.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters


A deal resolving a decades-old dispute with Greece over Macedonia's name is not likely to be reached in coming days, a Greek government official said on June 1.

The apparent delay in announcing what would be a landmark settlement over the long-running dispute came as opposition has re-emerged in both countries to proposals to give the Balkan country a new name like "Upper Macedonia" or "New Macedonia."

Macedonia's opposition has called for protests against a name change on the evening of June 2. Greek activists were also planning demonstrations against a possible settlement on June 6, which they claimed would attract as many as 3 million people.

The delay also came one day after Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov issued a statement saying he would oppose any name change that alters the way Macedonians refer to their country or that requires a change in the country's constitution.

Macedonia and Greece have held intensive talks this year to resolve the name dispute, which has blocked the amall Balkan state's hopes to join NATO and the European Union. Their aim had been to announce a settlement before an EU summit in late June.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said earlier this week that he and his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov had concluded talks on the issue and their prime ministers were expected to take over to negotiate a final deal.

The two leaders were expected to discuss the issue over the phone on June 1.

But the Greek official said that top-level phone call was likely to be postponed, and "the chances of a deal within the coming days seem to be getting slimmer."

He said the reason was that Skopje was not "ready to respond" to what was agreed between the two ministers.

Earlier, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said there were still legal and political issues to be resolved.

A Macedonian government official said talk of a delay in resolution of the name issue amounted to "speculation."

"Responsible political behavior by all political factors in both countries is of the greatest benefit and serves the interest of finding a solution," he said.

Macedonia's dispute with Greece dates back to 1991, when it peacefully broke away from Yugoslavia, declaring its independence under the name Republic of Macedonia.

Athens objected to its neighbor's new name, saying it implied a territorial claim over Greece's northern province of Macedonia, which borders the Balkan country.

Because of Greek objections, Macedonia was admitted to the United Nations with only a provisional name, Former Yugolsav Republic of Macedonia.

As an EU and NATO member, Greece has also cited the dispute in blocking Macedonia's bid to join those alliances.

Both countries are under pressure to resolve the dispute, as Western leaders have said the integration of Balkan countries into the EU and NATO is the best way to improve stability in the region.

With reporting by AP and Reuters


TBILISI -- Hundreds of people gathered again in the Georgian capital for a fourth night of antigovernment rallies.

Late on June 3, the leader of the protest movement, Zaza Saralidze, appeared and vowed to stand by the protesters' side, as he said they have stood by his.

In a short speech, he said that his demands remain the same.

I have promised my murdered child that every killer will be punished, he said.

He closed by shouting, The system must be destroyed!"

The demonstrations began on May 31 as a protest against the verdict in the trial of two young men suspected of killing Saralidzes teenage son.

Protesters originally called on chief prosecutor Irakli Shotadze to step down, but after Shotadze resigned, demonstrators increased their demands for the entire government to quit.

Rustaveli Avenue, the city's main thoroughfare, remained closed and thronged with people late on June 3.

RFE/RL's Georgian Service reports that Saralidze is scheduled to meet with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili on June 4.

Earlier on June 3, the crowd had turned in unison to face a line of some 100 police officers and began to push out onto Rustaveli Avenue. The crowd eventually blocked the street.

Small scuffles broke out between police and some protesters, our correspondent reported from the Georgian capital. No arrests were reported.

Saralidze had earlier urged all political parties in Georgia to join the demonstrations.

I can see how instigators are attempting to drive a wedge among us in this peaceful rally," Saralidze told hundreds of protesters late on June 2, before calling on all Georgian political parties to join forces and to dismantle this system together."

Demonstrations in sympathy with Saralidze have occurred elsewhere in the country, including the town of Gori, where inscriptions appeared scrawled on central streets and underground crossings overnight, saying, "The killer is in the street" and "Where is justice?

The leader of the opposition Democratic Georgia party, Nino Burjanadze, was quoted by Russia's Interfax news agency as saying her group did not intend to politicize" the protest movement, although she added that it did not mean opposition parties are giving up their political struggle.

Rather, it means we are not using this process for our own political ends," she added.

Saralidze said demonstrators will not relent on their demands despite efforts by Georgian President Georgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to address the protesters' calls for reforms in the justice system.

Saralidze and the protesters were not deterred on June 1 after a Tbilisi City Court handed down prison sentences of 10 years and nine years for the two suspects, who the court earlier found guilty of murder and attempted murder of Saralidze's son and another teenage boy stabbed to death in a brawl in December.

The protest leader insisted that people other than the two suspects who were put on trial were responsible for his son's death and escaped punishment because their relatives worked in the Prosecutor-General's Office.

"We are against injustice. We are against the arbitrariness of the authorities and the rotten political system, which must collapse," Saralidze told the rally on June 1.

Late on June 1, a small counterdemonstration was organized by nationalists and religious activists, including leaders of the hard-line March of the Georgians movement, near the Tbilisi Concert Hall.

The protests in Georgia followed weeks of unrelated street demonstrations in neighboring Armenia that forced the prime minister to resign and led to the election of Nikol Pashinian, an opposition activist and politician, to the premiership.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Georgian Service, RFE/RL's Amos Chapple, Civil.ge, AFP, Reuters, RIA Novosti, 1TV, BNE IntelliNews, and Interfax
For Russia, as for a multinational state, where about 200 nationalities live, the problem of interethnic relations is always acute. The interethnic conflicts now arise because of political, social and economic reasons, changes in the ethnic composition, the presence of negative ethnic stereotypes, etc. All this can negatively affect the child's social and psychological development, therefore the problem of education of the interethnic relations culture is among the most important educational problems, an analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza, Darya Melekhova said in the National Question program on Vest FM.

According to the expert, the principles of Russian education linked to the development of interethnic relations are the education of mutual respect between people, the protection and development of the ethno-cultural characteristics and traditions of the peoples living on the territory of Russia.

"As psychologists say, children under the age of 4 still do not know about the existence of different peoples, and their attitude to peers does not depend on nationality. Later, during the fifth year of life, the child's self-awareness, both personal and national, is beginning to awaken. During this period, parents should bring up a benevolent attitude in a child towards people of a different nationality through a game and favorable psychological situation, " the analyst said.

Melekhova stressed that the primary school education plays a particularly important role in this process, since the younger school age children are especially susceptible to the new information.

According to the expert, in this regard, one of the main tasks of parents and teachers is to bring up sensitive and responsible citizens, able to respect human dignity and individuality. "Today, schools should develop immunity to various attempts to influence the minds of a younger generation by various nationalist movements and organizations, but first of all students should be taught respect for the values, traditions and cultures of different peoples. In the educational process, it is important to pay more attention to the history, traditions, languages of different peoples of the world.The more children will have experience with different cultures, the less there will be conflict situations in the children and adolescent environment, " the expert concluded.
The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry says police officers will be punished over the brutal killing of a 20-year-old woman by a man who abducted her as part of a longstanding but illegal Kyrgyz practice known as "bride kidnapping."



Interior Minister Kashkar Junushaliev is personally overseeing the internal probe into the May 27 killing of Burulai Turdaaly Kyzy at a police precinct where she and her abductor had been taken after being detained, ministry spokesman Bakyt Seitov told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service on June 2.

Officials said that Turdaaly Kyzy and her abductor had been allowed by investigators to be alone in a room together at the precinct, for unknown reasons.



"Today or tomorrow, as a result of the internal investigation, officers who demonstrated negligence will be held responsible," Seitov said.



Kyrgyz prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the stabbing death.



The 29-year-old suspected attacker, whose name has not been released, was hospitalized after stabbing himself, officials said.



Bride kidnapping, which occurs in Kyrgyzstan and some parts of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has been illegal for years in Kyrgyzstan but prosecutions have been rare.



In 2012, Kyrgyz lawmakers strengthened the punishment, raising the maximum prison term from three to 10 years.



Following the killing of Turdaaly Kyzy, United Nations agencies in Kyrgyzstan urged the Central Asian country to take "all appropriate measures" to stop illegal practices such as bride kidnapping as well as child and forced marriage.


Authorities in Pakistan say an official in the northwestern tribal region was shot dead and three local security personnel injured in an ambush by assailants in a mountainous area.



The June 1 attack that left Hameedullah Wazir dead was the eighth incident in the past two months involving targeted killings in North Waziristan, one of the mainly rugged, mountainous areas along the border with Afghanistan.



So far no group has claimed responsibility for these killings.



Wazir, who was in his early 30s, served as a political clerk in the political administration office in North Waziristan.

His father, Amanullah Wazir, had also worked for the government in the same area and was killed by Taliban militants several years ago.



Islamic militants had sanctuaries in the tribal region until a 2014 Pakistani Army offensive, after which most militants escaped to Afghanistan. They continue to carry out sporadic attacks.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have discussed ways to boost defense and security cooperation between the two countries during a telephone call, the Ukrainian presidential office said on June 2.

Poroshenko again thanked the United States for delivering to Ukraine Javelin antitank missile systems, the statement said.

RFE/RL was first to report the delivery of 37 Javelin launchers, including two spares, and 210 missiles to Kyiv in April.

The U.S. State Department approved the sale of the Javelin systems to Ukraine at an estimated cost of $47 million in March.

According to Poroshenkos office, the Ukrainian president and Pompeo also discussed the impact of the planned Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline.

Nord Stream 2 is a controversial project that would expand the current Nord Stream pipeline, which passes along the bottom of the Baltic Sea to deliver Russian gas to Germany.

The United States, Poland, the Baltic states, and several other EU countries have expressed concern about Nord Stream 2 -- which avoids existing gas pipelines through Ukraine -- and the added leverage on energy security it could give Moscow.

Poroshenko and Pompeo also discussed recent developments in the probe of MH17 -- the Malaysian airliner that was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people aboard.

The Dutch-led criminal probe announced on May 24 that it had concluded that the Buk missile that downed the airliner came from a Russian military brigade that was originally based in Kursk, Russia.

Poroshenko stressed the importance of maintaining sanctions on Russia. The United States and the European Union have sanctioned Russia for its March 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, where more than 10,300 people have died in fighting since April 2014.

Poroshenko also informed Pompeo of Ukrainian efforts to push through reforms, "in particular with regard to building efficient anticorruption infrastructure," according to the statement.
A rally by thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Georgia's government ended in the early hours of the morning on June 2, but organizers said the demonstration would resume later in the evening.

Zaza Saralidze, leader of the rally which started out on May 31 as a mass protest against the verdict in the trial of two young men suspected of murdering his teenage son, said he would stay overnight in a tent encampment erected in front of Tbilisi's old parliament building.

He said demonstrators will not relent on their demands for a new government despite efforts by Georgian President Georgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to address the protesters' demands for reforms in the justice system.

Saralidze and the protesters were not deterred from their campaign against the government on June 1 after a Tbilisi City Court handed down prison sentences of 10 years and nine years for the two suspects who the court earlier found guilty of murder and attempted murder of Saralidze's son and another teenage boy stabbed to death in a brawl in December.

Saralidze has insisted that people other than the two suspects who were put on trial were responsible for his son's death and escaped punishment because their relatives worked in the prosecutor's office.

Saralidze was not satisfied when chief prosecutor Irakli Shotadze stepped down on May 31 in a nod to his demands. He says the entire government should step down.

"We are against injustice. We are against the arbitrariness of the authorities and the rotten political system, which must collapse," he told the rally on June 1.

Media reported that demonstrations in sympathy with Saralidze have occurred in towns around the country, including Akhaltsikhe, Borjomi, Gori, Kutaisi, and Zugdidi.

Late on June 1, a small counterdemonstration was organized by nationalists and religious activists, including leaders of the hard-line March of the Georgians movement, near the Tbilisi Concert Hall.

Media reported that Tbilisi police detained several of the nationalist protesters for allegedly breaching public order.

During the day on June 1, Saralidze met with Margvelashvili, who he said voiced "solidarity" with the protests.

"I already said that there is no investigation -- witnesses are being intimidated, evidence is being destroyed. I told the president about the details that were hidden by the investigation. I cannot say what leverage he has and what he intends to do. But, it seemed to me, the president will hold talks with the government on how to come to a situation that will correspond to the definition of truth," Saralidze said.

Saralidze has charged that the government investigation of the teens' murder was hampered by prosecutors who are protecting the real culprits because they are "sons of influential people."

Despite calls for his resignation, Kvirikashvili has refused to step down and instead has ordered a new probe into the killings.

Kvirikashvili said the interior minister would lead a new, more thorough probe and that parliament would convene in a special session as soon as possible to appoint members of an investigative commission.

With reporting by Civil.ge, AFP, Reuters, RIA Novosti, RFE/RL's Georgian Service, RFE/RL's Amos Chapple, 1TV, and Interfax


Syria's foreign minister says Iranian military advisers are embedded with Syrian troops but Tehran has no combat forces or fixed bases in the country.

Walid al-Muallem told reporters on June 2 that Iran's presence is legitimate and based on an invitation of the government.

Israel has repeatedly warned against any permanent Iranian military presence in Syria. Al-Muallem says Israel is making false claims to try and pressure Iran, its archrival.

In May, Israel carried out a wave of air strikes in response to what it said was an Iranian rocket attack on its positions in the occupied Golan Heights. It was the most serious confrontation between Israel and Iran to date.

Scores of Iranian soldiers have been killed in battles with insurgents in Syria, including a number of officers.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Ukrainian authorities claim they have uncovered a hit-list of 47 people -- mostly journalists -- who are potential Russian assassination targets as a result of their sting operation staging the faked murder of exiled Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko.

Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko wrote on Facebook on June 1 that the controversial operation, which involved top officials lying to the media and public about Babchenko's death, had helped security services uncover a list of 47 mainly Ukrainian and Russian-emigre journalists who he said "could be the next victims of terrorists."

The number of people Lutsenko claimed the Russian secret service is targeting is significantly higher than the 30 people Ukrainian authorities earlier had said were likely assassination targets.

Lutsenko said all 47 have been informed they are on the alleged hit-list, and arrangements are being made for their safety.

Russia did not immediately respond to Ukraine's claims.

Kyiv-based journalist Matvei Ganapolsky, who works for Ekho Moskvy radio, told the station that he and another prominent journalist Yevgeny Kiselev had both been summoned by the Ukrainian security service and warned of potential risk to their safety.

Ganapolsky said he was also shown additional materials on the Babchenko attack that showed "this is all serious and a real attack was in fact being prepared. They were planning to kill him."

In an effort to quell widespread criticism and questions about the sting operation from media and government officials, Ukrainian law enforcement chiefs including Lutsenko on June 1 met with Western diplomats to brief them on Kyiv's decision to stage the fake contract-style shooting of Babchenko.

Around a dozen diplomats went to Ukraine's prosecutor-general's office for the meeting with Lutsenko behind closed doors that lasted nearly two hours.

Diplomats attending the briefing were from major Western countries -- Germany, the United States, France, Britain, Italy,Japan, Australia, Norway, and Canada -- as well as the European Union and Council of Europe.

The prosecutor's office said the diplomats were told that law enforcement agents were able to "prevent the journalist's death" through a ruse that involved top officials -- and even Ukraine's president -- issuing false statements about his supposed murder over more than 12 hours on May 29 and 30.

Ukrainian authorities were also able to "fully document the organizer's criminal actions," gaining information on "possible potential victims, against whom it is likely terror attacks and murders were being planned," the office said.

The sting operation began on May 29 when Ukrainian police announced that Babchenko, a Russian-born journalist known for his outspoken anti-Kremlin views, had been shot dead outside his apartment in Kyiv.

After staging his "death" and taking his body to a morgue, authorities hid Babchenko overnight and he reappeared the next day, alive and well, at a news conference in Kyiv.

It was then that Babchenko and prosecutors revealed that the announcement of his death, which had prompted a grief-stricken reaction around the world overnight, was part of a sting operation aimed at foiling a real plot to assassinate the journalist.

The way the fake murder was staged has attracted criticism particularly from organizations representing journalists, which questioned the need for such extreme tactics.

Some government officials and commentators said the incident also undermined Kyiv's credibility and handed the Kremlin a propaganda gift.

Some Ukrainian allies in the West openly expressed unease with the incident. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who was visiting Kyiv during the week, said the incident had raised "questions" and it was "indispensable to shed light on what happened."

He called on Ukraine to clarify the situation to "encourage trust."

Reuters also quoted a senior European Union official as saying the staged murder had the potential to undermine trust in Kyiv if the government did not come forward quickly with evidence of the plot's links to Russia.

After Lutsenko's briefing on June 1, Reuters quoted a senior EU country diplomat as saying that the Ukrainian minister had given a convincing explanation to justify the sting operation.

"I'm happy, others are happier than before. I'd say it was the right thing to do," the diplomat said, adding that Lutsenko during the briefing "acknowledged that the media reaction came as a surprise and that side should have been handled better."

With reporting by AFP and Reuters


By Alan Crosby and Maja Ficovic

At first, Ivana Petronic was hesitant to travel from the Serbian side of the divided city of Mitrovica to the Albanian side. Then she discovered ETC, Kosovos answer to big-box stores all around the world.

Petronic now crosses the Ibar River regularly to hunt for bargains because the superstore's giant red letters have shown her and many other Mitrovicans that the one thing that trumps politics in the city is economics.

"Trade is the easiest way to get in contact. It always has connected us and I believe that this is the first step toward establishing a normal relationship," Petronic says as she hauls bags full of goods she says she cant find in the north.

The Ibar cuts through Mitrovica, dividing ethnic Albanians to the south and ethnic Serbs who have clustered together to the north since the end of the Kosovo War in 1999.

Including villages and nearby small towns, about 40,000 ethnic Serbs live in Kosovo north of the river.

Political leaders of northern Kosovar Serbs refuse to recognize Pristina's 2008 unilateral declaration of independence and insist that Kosovo will always be part of Serbia.

But inside the Elkos Trading Center (ETC), where shoppers wade through aisles stacked with everything from air conditioners to laundry detergent, goods, not dirty looks, are traded.

"Unfortunately, politics is a factor that often manipulates the masses. Its not in the interest of either the northern part or the southern part to widen the gap between us. Instead, its in our interest to establish new relations that are even better than they used to be," says Adem Salihaj, an ethnic Albanian from the south.

Here, everyone is the same; were all shoppers. We arent interested in anything other than commodities. There are no boycotts or misunderstandings, he adds.

The de facto partition of Mitrovica emerged in June 1999 during the chaotic days after NATO's bombardment campaign against Serbia. As hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanian refugees were returning to Kosovo, Serbian houses and businesses south of the river were torched. Most Serbs who lived there fled north.

That's when Serbs erected barricades and informal checkpoints on Mitrovica's three main bridges to prevent ethnic Albanians from returning to homes in the north. Ethnic hatred -- fanned by nationalist extremists on both sides -- was acute and almost tangible in the divided city.

Almost 19 years later, many Serbs in northern Mitrovica still havent crossed into the southern part -- either because they are afraid or they simply have no interest. The same can be said for many ethnic Albanians in the south, who have kept to their side of the river.

Sanja Milovic has no such qualms.

She used to live in the south but has resettled in the north. Unlike most folks, she walks freely across the bridge to shop under the bright blue roof that covers the store on the rivers southeastern bank.

The situation wasnt always pleasant, but now its different, she says.

People freely come and go to the store. I dont feel uncomfortable making the trip, and to me its completely normal to trade with Albanians. Plus, its cheaper!

Staff at ETC say they cannot comment to media when asked by RFE/RL about the store.

On busy days, the chaos inside ETC is the good-natured kind, with children running through aisles screaming and laughing. The carefree atmosphere belies the tensions that simmer, mainly below, but sometimes above the surface in Mitrovica.

Just two months ago, the detention and expulsion of senior Serbian government official Marko Djuric by Kosovar authorities heightened friction between the two neighbors to the point that ethnic Serbs walked out of the countrys government and set up a roadblock in the north.

That incident came a day after Djuric was briefly detained after entering Mitrovica because authorities said he had entered the country illegally.

Djuric, who is the head of the Serbian governments office for Kosovo, was transferred to a court in Pristina before being expelled from the country.

European Union officials were forced to make an urgent trip to Belgrade to calm the situation, which had only fanned the flames ignited by the January 16 assassination of Oliver Ivanovic, a leading ethnic Serb politician gunned down in front of his office in northern Mitrovica.

"When tensions arise, its logical that people wont go from one part of the city to the other," says Zeljko Tvrdisic, a Serb from northern Mitrovica.

"But do I feel free when I come to ETC? Absolutely. I've never encountered unpleasant shopkeepers here," Tvrdisic adds.
Forest fires in state significantly decreased this year

Chetumal, Q. R.  The forest fire season in Quintana Roo has been a much slower one compared to last year, say officials.

Rafael Leon Negrete, manager of the Comision Nacional Forestal, says that so far this year, the state has registered a total of 5,278 hectares, a decrese of 44.5 percent from January to May of last year.

He says that last year by this time, the state had already fought 9,502 hectares of burned areas.

Leon Negrete explained that only five of the states 11 municipalities have recorded forest fires this year. They have come from Jose Maria Morelos, Solidaridad, Cozumel, Benito Juarez and Isla Mujeres adding that Bacalar has the most fires.

He says that of the 35 fought forest fires, Bacalar has already had 15 this year, losing 2,590 hectares of forest and vegetation.

Recent rains along with preventative training has helped reduce the amount of fires this year, he says.
Nearby residents were told to lock their doors and windows and stay indoors as police carried out the manhunt. After a five-hour manhunt the suspect was in the custody of police. He was arrested near Sapphire Coast Drive at Bermuda. He was taken to Bega Police Station. Police say after stabbing the pair, the man carjacked a vehicle on the Sapphire Coast Drive in Bournda and seriously assaulted the male driver with a hammer before taking off. The driver was taken later to a Sydney hospital and remains in a critical condition. A female passenger in the car escaped without injury.The ages of the deceased and injured were not available.

The investigators found that the attacker killed his grandmother and critically injured his grandfather. Inspector Sue Charman-Horton today told media that the incident is unusual for the community. Authorities have urged anyone in the public with information to assist them. The whole thing is just a terrible event, Inspector Sue CharmanHorton, South Coast Police District duty officer, said at a media conference in Bega on Saturday morning.
Amanda Seyfried

Amanda Seyfried says she felt the urge to get married after Donald Trump was elected the President of the United States. The 32-year-old actor eloped with her partner Thomas Sadoski last year after she was convinced that the "world was going mad" when Trump was sworn-in as the POTUS. "It was one of those things where Trump had gotten elected, the world was going mad and I was like: 'This is a dream I might never wake up from. If that's the case, let's just get married'," Seyfried told ELLE magazine.

Donald Trump

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The "Mamma Mia" star got married to Sadoski in a secret, private ceremony in March 2017. The couple announced the arrival of their first child, a daughter, on March 24 last year. They wanted to get married before their daughter was born. "I feel like now I have a kid, it just goes without saying that I'm responsible... I learned after having a child: not to take things so personally, because it's such a waste of time," she adds. Seyfried has decided to keep her little one's name a secret.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on the United States to fulfill its obligations under the agreement to supply F-35 fighter-bombers, Al-Masdar News reported.

He also said that it is not necessary to force Ankara to knock on other doors.

We are saying that the US is our strategic partner  I discussed this issue with the US President, and it was discussed at the talks of delegations. If we are strategic partners, then the US should fulfill its obligations, Erdogan stated.
Harvey Weinstein hit with new accusations of sexual assault

Three actresses have filed a new lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein alleging sexual assault and urged other victims of the disgraced Hollywood producer to come forward and join their complaint.Melissa Thompson, one of the women filing the class action lawsuit yesterday, said she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein during a 2011 meeting to discuss a new marketing tool.

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Following public revelations last year about his predatory behavior, Thompson said she was referred to lawyer Benjamin Brafman and another attorney at his firm, Alex Spiro.Brafman is defending Weinstein following his indictment last week on rape and sex crime charges."Thompson was led to believe that Brafman and Spiro were representing victims against Weinstein," the law firm representing her, Hagens Berman, said in a statement.

"Deceptive tactics were used to entice her to turn over her visual and audio evidence of Weinstein's conduct (which she did)," it said."Melissa did not learn that Brafman was actually then or would later be Weinstein's lead criminal defense attorney until after turning over the video as evidence." Brafman's law firm was named as a defendant in the lawsuit along with Weinstein's former movie company Miramax and The Weinstein Company.The other two actresses who are a party to the lawsuit are Caitlin Dulany and Larissa Gomes.

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It accusses Weinstein of "assaulting, threatening and falsely imprisoning (Dulany) in her apartment" in 1996 and again at the Cannes Film Festival that same year.As for Gomes, the second time Weinstein met with her, he "imprisoned her in his hotel room and threatened, battered and assaulted her," the law firm said.The lawsuit is the third class action suit filed against Weinstein by Hagens Berman since late last year.Other women who were victimised by Weinstein were invited to join the suit.

"We deserve to live in a world in which accountability for the abuse of power exists," Thompson said. "Stand up and say something -- because now is the time that enough is enough." Elizabeth Fegan, a partner at Hagens Berman, said "we are working to see a day of justice for the hundreds of women who were exploited for Weinstein's sexual gratification and silenced by this ring of conspirators.

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" The 66-year-old Weinstein was charged with rape and a sex crime in New York last week, nearly eight months after his career imploded in a blaze of accusations of misconduct.Nearly 100 women have now accused Weinstein of crimes ranging from sexual harassment to assault and rape going back decades.Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie are among more than two dozen actresses who say they were sexually harassed by the producer.

A few, including Asia Argento and Rose McGowan, said they were raped.Brafman, Weinstein's lawyer, is one of America's most celebrated criminal defense attorneys. His past clients include former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who escaped criminal prosecution for alleged sexual assault in 2011.
A vest designed with a built-in decontamination kit to help humanitarians respond to chemical attacks more intuitively in the field has been launched with an open-source design.

Roger Morton, a logistician with the medical charity Doctors without Borders (MSF-Medicins Sans Frontiers), worked on the idea after a six-month mission in Iraq and presented his invention at MSFs annual Scientific Days conference this month.

Morton told SciDev.Net that currently field teams have all the decontamination materials they need in a backpack  thats the only way to carry a decontamination kit. If a chemical attack happens, they need to have it on hand and remember their training. But its large and heavy, and what often happens is that field staff end up leaving the backpacks lying around. With this [vest], its always with you, and the trainings built into it, so theres less to remember, less mistakes to make, he says.

Although the use of chemical weapons in conflict areas is often difficult to verify, several attacks have been reported in Iraq and in Syria over the past few years. Mustard and chlorine gases have been implicated in a number of suspected incidents.

The lean chemical weapons decontamination kit is designed so field workers can follow standard procedures for personal decontamination in three steps.

Items stored on the outside of the vest  such as a gas mask and an EpiPen device to auto-inject a nerve agent decontaminant  can be used for the initial step.

The second step is full decontamination. This can be done by standing on the inside of the vest that holds items such as lotion to neutralise chemicals, gloves to avoid spread of the contaminant, and a reference guide with more detailed information on what to do which is printed on the vest itself.

The last step is re-dressing and waste disposal  and for this, Morton and his design team have built into the collar a hidden compartment with a spare change of clothes and carbon-activated cloth waste bags. The vest then easily turns into a drawstring bag to carry the material away safely.

First results from ongoing tests of its usability are promising, he says. Generally people really like it. There are a couple of things to tweak  maybe well move the water up on to the shoulder, maybe [use] bigger zips so its easier to use.

Morton came up with the idea for the vest about a year ago, when he was deployed to Iraq, and began to develop it in January with funds from MSFs Sapling Nursery Innovation Fund. He sourced the materials, designed it, worked with a graphics specialist for the interiors, and found a fashion designer to make it so its both practical and stylish enough for aid workers to want to wear it.
Rotavirus A causes acute diarrhea in young children, and infects both animals and humans worldwide. A Japanese research group has found that the acute gastroenteritis infecting children in Indonesia between 2015 and 2016 was caused by dominant strains of equine-like G3 rotavirus, genetically different from human strains of the virus. The findings could shed light on how the virus traveled to Indonesia from neighboring countries.

The research team was led by Professor Ikuo Shoji, Project Assistant Professor Takako Utsumi (both from Kobe University's Graduate School of Medicine) and Professor Kazuhiko Katayama (National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan). Their findings were published on March 27, 2018 in the online edition of Infection, Genetics and Evolution.

Rotavirus A (RVA) consists of 11 segmented genomes. This segmented nature means that genetic reassortment often occurs, and the virus can evolve into new versions. In 2006 a rotavirus vaccine was developed and used in many countries, but recently different countries have reported varying levels of effectiveness for the vaccine. This could partly be caused by different dominant strains of the virus.

The research team aimed to shed light on the genetic characteristics of rotavirus strains in Indonesia. They carried out molecular analysis of the rotavirus genome using stool samples from children in Indonesia infected with acute gastroenteritis. For one year from 2015 to 2016, the group collected stool samples from 134 children under 5 years old admitted to hospital in Surabaya. Using immunochromatography, they examined the children for rotavirus A, and found that 31.3% were RVA antigen-positive. They then discovered that the RVAs were the rare strains G3P[8] and G3P[6]. With further analysis of all 11 strains of the virus using next-generation sequencing, they determined that this was equine-like G3 rotavirus with a DS-1-like genetic backbone. This strain has also been reported in Australia, Hungary, Spain and Brazil.

"Our team now plans to analyze time-dependent changes in Indonesia's dominant rotavirus strains and clarify how they were transmitted to Indonesia from neighboring countries. We will also investigate their impact on infection in Japan" comments Professor Shoji. "We will examine samples collected from vaccinated patients, analyze the genetic information of strains that resist vaccine-based immunity, and establish a surveillance system to prevent these strains from entering Japan."

This study was supported by a grant from the Japan Initiative for Global Research Network on Infectious Diseases (J-GRID), part of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). The research was carried out at the Institute of Tropical Disease in Airlangga University, Indonesia in collaboration with Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine and National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) chips are used today for everything from paying for public transit to tracking livestock to stopping shoplifters. But now, researchers in the U.S. and Japan want to use them for something else: keeping track of organoids, samples of human tissue that mimic pieces of organs and are grown from stem cells. The organoids the researchers embedded with RFID chips functioned normally and withstood extreme conditions, suggesting that they could be a useful way to organize and identify the large quantities of organoids that are often needed in experimental situations. The work appears May 31 in the journal iScience.

"This kind of multidisciplinary approach potentially offers a disruptive way forward: the idea is to combine organoids with digital technologies to advance drug testing and transplantation," says senior author Takanori Takebe, a clinician and researcher at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and Yokohama City University.

Human organoids are a promising avenue for research into human development and disease because they replicate the structure, function, and phenotype of our organs in miniature in the lab. Grown from human induced pluripotent stem cells, they divide, differentiate, and self-assemble according to the growth programs of their corresponding organs. And particularly in medicine, they can illustrate the effects of certain drugs on our organs in ways that more traditional cell cultures cannot.

The idea of embedding microchips into human organoids seemed like a natural fit to Takebe, who has worked extensively with RFID chips in health contexts. The chips could be used to sense, record, and track interesting changes live in large quantities of organoids at once -- and because cells self-assemble into 3D structures during the growth process of an organoid, he thought it might be possible for the microchips to be naturally integrated into the organoids as they were growing. "Introducing the chips by forceful methods like injection is extremely toxic to organoids, so we leveraged the organoid's natural self-cavitation power to integrate the microchips so that we could prevent tissue damage and destruction," he says.

To test this procedure, he and his team grew hybrid liver organoids containing cheap, commercially available RFID chips the size of grains of sand. They found that 95% of their 96 test organoids successfully incorporated the chip. The organoids were undamaged by the procedure: they were shaped normally, secreted normal liver proteins, and transported bile as expected. "There were almost no differences, surprisingly," says Takebe.

The RFID chips, which are known for their durability, also functioned as expected. Hybrid organoids grown from stem cells of donors with fatty liver disease could be identified by RFID in a pool of organoids from a variety of donors. And the chips also stood up to a number of tests of the kinds of conditions they might need to survive in order to be useful in research: they and their organoids still functioned normally after being frozen and thawed for cryopreservation, at temperatures of nearly minus 200 degrees Celsius, after being embedded in paraffin, and at a range of different pHs.

Takebe acknowledges that there are still limitations with this approach. More work needs to be done to scale up the production of these hybrid organoids, and he and his team are currently working to develop a system that could scan the radio frequency and fluorescence of an organoid at the same time. He also hopes that other kinds of microchips could be integrated into organoids in the future and that RFID chips with sensing technologies could be used to record real-time data about the organoids. "My lab's focus is completely biological, so some of these challenges are things we cannot resolve alone. But with collaboration between experts in different fields, and especially given how rapidly technology is evolving, I believe that we can and will solve them," he says.

This work was supported by the Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, the Digestive Disease Research Core Center at CCHMC, the Just-In-Time Core Grant Program at CCTST, a PRESTO grant from Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the State of Ohio, the Ohio Development Services Agency, Ohio Third Frontier, and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's Innovation Fund.
In just a few short months, hospitals across the country will start their annual push to make sure their workers get vaccinated against influenza, to protect themselves and others. Memories of the last flu season -- one of the worst in years -- still linger.

A new study shows a rapid rise in the percentage of hospitals that require the vaccine -- except among those that focus on treating the nation's military veterans.

In two surveys taken four years apart, the percentage of Veterans Affairs hospitals that have a flu vaccine mandate rose only slightly, from 1 percent in 2013 to 4 percent in 2017, the study shows.

But at the same time, the percentage of non-VA hospitals requiring flu shots rose from 44 percent to nearly 70 percent.

The study, by a team from the University of Michigan and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, is published in JAMA Network Open, a new open-access journal from the publishers of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"In just four years, the non-VA hospitals have really stepped up on requiring the vaccine, rather than just encouraging it," says Todd Greene, Ph.D., M.P.H., the U-M and VA researcher who led the study. "Studies have shown that vaccination mandates, coupled with an option of declining vaccination in favor of wearing a mask, are most effective in reaching high percentages of vaccination."

Short of a mandate, all VA hospitals have a general goal of increasing flu vaccination among their health care workers, and a national VA directive last fall set an expectation that employees would get vaccinated or wear a mask when caring for patients during flu season.

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While the flu vaccine does not offer total protection against getting the flu, it can also reduce the severity of symptoms among those who do get infected. Each year, the flu leads to tens of thousands of deaths, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and millions of outpatient visits and lost work and school days.

Flu prevention: a mixed record

Among all hospitals without a mandate, efforts to prevent the flu virus from spreading among patients and workers were mixed, the study shows. Only 41 percent of non-mandate hospitals required unvaccinated workers to wear a mask during patient interactions in flu season, and only 21 percent had penalties for non-compliance with the hospital's policy. In all, two-thirds of non-mandate hospitals did have a formal policy outlining how workers could officially decline to get vaccinated.

All hospitals with vaccination mandates, on the other hand, had formal declination policies in 2017. The vast majority of hospitals with mandates allowed medical contraindications and/or religious reasons as allowable reasons to decline vaccination. Just under 13 percent allowed workers to give any reason for declining. Nearly 83 percent of hospitals with mandates required unvaccinated healthcare workers to wear masks during patient interactions. And for those who neither got vaccinated nor signed a declination form, nearly three-quarters of hospitals with a mandate had penalties in place for non-compliance.

The researchers also looked at differences by hospital-level characteristics. For instance, nonprofit hospitals were much more likely to mandate flu vaccination. One-third of the non-VA hospitals were teaching hospitals, meaning that they train new doctors through residency programs, but they were no more likely than non-teaching hospitals to require flu vaccination by 2017. Nearly 80 percent of the VA hospitals were teaching institutions.

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About the study

The new study is based on the latest two waves of a hospital infection prevention survey that Greene and his colleagues in the U-M/VA Patient Safety Enhancement Program have conducted since 2005.

In 2015, they published data from the 2013 survey, which sent a questionnaire to the infection prevention specialists at all U.S. general hospitals that had 50 beds or more and an intensive care unit, and to all VA hospitals.

In 2017, they repeated the survey, but changed the methodology slightly, to randomly sample 900 general medical/surgical hospitals of any size that have an intensive care unit. They again surveyed all VA hospitals.

While the percentage of hospitals that responded to the survey dropped from 69 percent in 2013 to 59 percent in 2017, the researchers say their results are still nationally representative. The 2013 findings are based on 386 non-VA and 77 VA hospitals; the 2017 data are from 526 non-VA and 73 VA hospitals.

Greene notes that 2013 was the first year when non-VA hospitals faced the prospect of public reporting of their worker vaccination rates, if they were taking part in a national pay-for-reporting quality program run by the federal agency that oversees Medicare.

Under the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, such hospitals were required to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention what percentage of their healthcare workers were vaccinated against the flu. The results were posted online starting in October 2014, and showed that 90 percent of workers at participating hospitals were vaccinated.

Even if a hospital doesn't have a mandate in place, studies have shown that having a written policy in place and making efforts to encourage vaccination can help raise vaccination rates.

The researchers note that some VA hospitals have made special efforts to increase vaccination, bringing vaccine to workers on inpatient floors or even offering extra time off for workers who get vaccinated.

Greene, an Assistant Research Scientist in the Division of Hospital Medicine at the U-M Medical School, is an epidemiologist and program manager for the U-M/VA Patient Safety Enhancement Program (PSEP). In addition to Greene, the study's authors are PSEP director Sanjay Saint, M.D., M.P.H., U-M/VA infectious disease specialist Suzanne Bradley, M.D., and PSEP members Sarah Krein, Ph.D., R.N.; Karen Fowler, M.P.H. and David Ratz, M.S.

Greene, Saint and Krein are members of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, and the VA Center for Clinical Management Research. The study was funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation and the Veterans Affairs administration.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says ride-hailing app Uber no longer exists in his country. His statement comes after Istanbul taxi drivers called for the service to be banned, Deutsche Welle reports.

The ride-hailing service Uber no longer exists in Turkey and the country will rely only on its own official taxi system from now on, the Turkish president said in a statement. "This thing called Uber emerged. That business is finished. That does not exist anymore," he said, adding: "We have our taxi system."

He also said that just because Uber was used in some European countries, it did not mean that Turkey had to follow suit.
Handout photo

DNA technology and databases, both for commercial and law-enforcement use, are becoming increasingly more advanced  and it's leading detectives to open long-cold cases back up for another look.

California murders, unsolved for decades, are getting new leads, new suspects and new life. Within the last five years, infamous slayings, from Suzanne Bombardier to the Gypsy Hill killings, have been revived thanks to new forensic testing.
An Iranian military jet crashed on Saturday in the central Isfahan province, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, but the two pilots ejected before it came down in a desert area.

The fighter ran into technical problems after departing the Shahid Babaei Air Base in Isfahan on a training flight and crashed mid-day near Hasanabad village, the air force said in a statement published on Fars, Reuters reported.

Emergency teams arrived at the crash site, Fars said, and the pilot and co-pilot of the F-7 jet were taken to a hospital.
The late Mayor Ed Lee cast himself a housing champion, a tower crane-loving bureaucrat who not only put unprecedented resources into subsidized, affordable housing but also pushed more controversial market-rate towers and mid-rises that have reshaped neighborhoods from Hayes Valley to Rincon Hill to Dogpatch.

None of the candidates running to replace Lee is such a straightforward promoter of any and all new residential development. Instead, they are taking nuanced positions to deal with a highly energized electorate that ranges from YIMBYs  the Yes in My Backyard movement, young newcomers who favor building the densest, tallest buildings wherever they can be squeezed in  to old-guard homeowners who blame the tech-propelled housing boom for everything from increased traffic to crowded trains, homeless encampments, and displacement of longtime residents and businesses.

The four top candidates running for mayor  Board of Supervisors President London Breed, Supervisor Jane Kim, former state Sen. Mark Leno and former Supervisor Angela Alioto  strike many of the same notes around housing. They all say they support increased residential building, particularly below-market-rate units. They all cite the need for housing the middle class  the teachers and nurses and police officers who work in the city but cant afford to live here.

More Information Online: Our guide to Bay Area ballot measures and races that state and local voters will be deciding: www.sfchronicle.com/voter-guide See More Collapse

Their starkest differences emerged over a piece of state legislation thats now moribund  state Sen. Scott Wieners SB827, which would have given developers broad leeway to build multifamily housing complexes near public transportation, regardless of local zoning restrictions.

San Franciscos next mayor wont have any direct say over the bill, which stalled in committee in April but which Wiener plans to revive next year. Yet it has become a defining issue in the campaign.

Breed fully supported SB827, solidifying her position as the candidate of the pro-housing development YIMBYs.

At the other extreme, Kim characterized the bill as a neighborhood-destroying giveaway to developers.

Between Kim and Breed were Alioto and Leno, both of whom at times said they supported aspects of the bill but ultimately opposed it as being too broad and stripping too much local control from development decisions.

Wiener, D-San Francisco, said the bill has had a positive effect on the mayors race. It flushed people out in terms of where they stand on housing, he said. Im glad it provoked such a passionate debate  voters need to know where the mayoral candidates stand.

The watershed moment on SB827 came March 15, when Kim held a rally outside West Portal Muni Station opposing the bill.

She said it would let suburban communities without robust public transit off the hook, putting additional pressure on San Francisco to meet the regions growing housing needs. She argued that the city should focus on streamlining building permits of the 30,000 units that have been approved but not built. The west side, she said, could help alleviate the crisis with more three- to five-unit buildings that fit the character of our neighborhoods.

Kims supervisorial district includes the Tenderloin and eastern neighborhoods south of Market, and housing advocates saw her opposition as an effort to curry favor with west side homeowners who have long blocked multifamily development projects in their neighborhoods. Wiener, who has endorsed Breed and Leno in the ranked-choice election, called the rally the most cynical move Ive ever seen in politics.

Kims opposition did indeed give her a significant boost among one organization of single-family homeowners. George Wooding, president of the anti-development Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, said Kims stance made her a front-runner among the groups members.

Its helped her tremendously on the west side, Wooding said. All politics is local, and nothing is more local than whats going to be built next to your house. She didnt have much traction before  it was, Who is Jane Kim? After that, her stock really went up.

Laura Clark, executive director of the group YIMBY Action, said Kims rally had the opposite effect on her pro-development allies: They went all in for Breed.

The West Portal rally with George Wooding and the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods was an ahhhh moment for a lot of people, Clark said. I think it riled up everyones bases on both sides.

Kim says her approach can also lead to more housing. She points to her role as an intermediary between community groups and market-rate developers in her district, where she has leveraged neighborhood opposition to push builders to add more affordable units and supply more cash for nonprofits that operate nearby. Development deals that Kim helped work out include the 5M project at Fifth and Mission streets being developed by Hearst Corp., which owns The Chronicle. Others include the Giants Mission Rock project near AT&T Park.

People have seen what I have done, Kim said. My portfolio of development deals demonstrates the breadth of my work.

Breed, who grew up in public housing, is the candidate most closely aligned with YIMBY. She worked to rezone parts of her district, which includes the Western Addition and Haight-Ashbury, to allow bigger buildings. She also persuaded the owners of the crime-plagued McDonalds at Haight and Stanyan streets to sell the property to the city for affordable housing. Her hardest-fought housing measure was focused on local preference  giving residents an advantage in the lotteries that determine who gets to move into below-market-rate housing.

Breeds support of SB827 was a big deal to YIMBYs, Clark said. The movement has at least 100 volunteers working on the Breed campaign.

A lot of people are inspired by her pro-housing message but also by her personal story, Clark said. Having a renter who is a black woman and grew up in public housing and believes in building without displacement is inspiring for YIMBYs.

Yet Breed has not always been an enthusiastic supporter of the build, build, build camp. She has frequently expressed frustration that so much of the new housing the city is producing is affordable only to the wealthiest buyers and tenants. She also supported a moratorium in 2015 on new housing in the Mission District, which put her at odds with YIMBYs.

But shes also made accommodations for market-rate projects, such as One Oak St., a luxury condominium tower to be built at Market Street and Van Ness Avenue  holding out for an agreement from its developer to add 31 affordable units to the 72 it had already agreed to. All the units will be built in Hayes Valley, a few blocks from the One Oak site.

Luxury housing provides a funding source for lower- and middle-class housing, Breed said. You can say no and be obstructionist, but that does nothing. My approach is to be creative to make sure we are hitting different layers of affordability in a way that is evenly distributed.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

Breeds ultimate support of One Oak and relaxed zoning rules in the Hub neighborhood around Market and Van Ness puts her at odds with Leno, who owns a commercial building near the intersection. He said Breed is inviting thousands of new units into the area without improving public transit.

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.

Have you tried to get on a train at rush hour at Market and Van Ness? Its not pretty, and were talking about adding many thousands of new residents, Leno said. There has to be more focused attention on the impact these new housing units will create in terms of transit needs and open space and parks.

Leno was largely absent from local housing politics during his years as a state legislator, but has been a major player in protecting rent control on the state level. In 2000, when he was a supervisor, he wrote the citys first inclusionary housing ordinance, which required that 15 percent of market-rate developments consist of affordable units. In Sacramento, he sponsored state legislation that allows school districts to use surplus property to develop affordable teacher housing.

Leno said he would push the city to build 50,000 affordable housing units over a decade. He has not laid out a plan to pay for that many units  the city pays more than $300,000 subsidy for each affordable housing unit produced, which means that Lenos plan could cost $1.5 billion a year.

Yes, we need more housing, but we have to look at what kind of housing and figure out how to get there, Leno said. Our goals have been too low. We need to go bigger and regional and set a moonshot goal and make a commitment.

Like Leno, Alioto supports more housing, but has not laid out a plan to pay for it. She says she would double Lees goal and build 10,000 units per year  but has not said where those additional units would be constructed.

After initially telling YIMBY that she could support SB827 if it was amended, she ended up questioning the wisdom of increasing building heights even along Geary Boulevard  one transit corridor that even anti-growth advocates say could handle increased density.

You cannot have these small dwellings and a 10-story building slammed next to them, Alioto said. You cannot do that to our beautiful city, just because, right now at this minute, you think you need density and height.

Alioto says she would focus housing efforts on two ends of the spectrum  supportive units for homeless people and development for teachers, nurses, firefighters and police officers. She touts the 11,362 homeless placed in permanent supportive housing from 2004 to 2014, when she was working on homeless policy for Lee and former Mayor Gavin Newsom, a candidate for governor.

Whatever happens in the race, Peter Cohen, co-director of the Council of Community Housing Organizations, said the focus on affordable housing in the mayors race has been unprecedented.

This is the new San Francisco, which is a tech-centric boomtown at the hyper end of gentrification, and without question housing stability and housing affordability is the top issue, Cohen said. Its been many, many years since we have seen housing and development at the center of a mayors race.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Californias electric utilities would need to notify customers, local governments and state regulators in advance if they decide to preemptively shut down power lines at times when fire danger spikes, under a new proposal from state regulators.

The proposal, announced Friday by the California Public Utilities Commission, marks the states latest attempt to prevent power lines from sparking wildfires during periods of high wind and low humidity. Lines owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. are suspected of causing some or all of the Wine Country wildfires that broke out in early October during a windstorm.
It wont happen overnight, but Californias new residential solar mandate could change the look of new homes and solar panels themselves  by making them cleaner and simpler.

Last month, the California Energy Commission adopted regulations that will require electricity-producing solar panels on most new homes starting in 2020.

Although any type of roof can accommodate panels, some designs are more solar-friendly than others.

A basic gable roof with a large south-facing slope is ideal, according to Ann Edminster, founder of Design Avenues, a green-home consulting firm in Pacifica. But thats not what you see going up in most California neighborhoods.

Oftentimes roof designs are just too convoluted, with hip forms and fake dormers that leave it looking chopped up, she said. Somebody called it the crumbled paper style of roof designs.

JOSH EDELSON / JOSH EDELSON / SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

C.R. Herro, vice president of innovation with Meritage Homes, agreed. The best thing (for solar) is a simple design. But municipalities have been pushing against that. They are looking for a much more dimensional, multiplane roof design. It reduces the amount of solar you can accommodate.

The usable space is also limited by state regulations that require panels to be set back a certain distance from the roof lines for firefighter access.

At a minimum, roof architecture is going to change, Herro predicted. Municipalities will push back. We will have to educate them.

The solar mandate will require all new single-family homes and multifamily buildings up to three stories to have solar arrays capable of producing as much electricity as the home is estimated to consume. The requirement for each home will be based on a formula that takes into account its size, orientation and number of units. The formula assumes the home will use a standard combination of electricity and natural gas.

The commission estimates that the average statewide requirement for a 2,100-square-foot single-story home will be 2.8 kilowatts. The home buyer can own or lease the solar system, but only owners can claim a federal tax credit equal to 30 percent of the systems cost. (The credit drops to 26 percent in 2020, 22 percent in 2021 and zero thereafter, unless Congress renews it.) The commission estimates that the mandate will increase the cost of constructing a new home by about $9,500 but save $19,000 in energy and maintenance costs over 30 years.

Homes can get exemptions. One is if existing natural or man-made barriers (such as hills, trees and structures) shade most of the roof.

The solar mandate is part of the energy commissions latest code update. Other parts limit the homes energy consumption with factors such as insulation, ventilation, whole-house fans and window and eave placement. In the past, architects could put in solar as a trade-off for other requirements. Come 2020, that trade-off capability goes away, said Fresno home builder Brandon De Young. Homes must meet energy-efficiency standards and solar requirements separately.

One advantage of incorporating solar into new construction is that you can adjust the placement of vents and other protrusions to create more of a flat uninterrupted surface for the solar system. You can also, with gables and overall design, make a surface area oriented in the right direction. Definitely not north. East in some limited situations. But mostly west or south, said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of California Solar & Storage Association.

Some architects say the new rules wont affect design much. Since 2014, the energy commission has required most new homes in California to have a minimum amount of roof area that could accommodate solar panels. Some cities, including San Francisco, San Mateo, Brisbane and Fremont, have adopted solar requirements for new homes.

Josh Edelson / The Chronicle

I dont think it will be noticeably different, said Murray Milne, a UCLA architecture professor emeritus. A good architect can make solar work on any style, he said.

However, builders might have to add more panels on east- and west-facing roofs than they would on a south-facing one to meet the kilowatt requirement, and that could cost a little more if the design requires it. Milne thinks most homeowners will be willing to pay for it, the same way theyre willing to pay more for marble countertops.

He added that complicated roof styles could seriously compromise the output of certain collectors if they are shaded by another part of the roof during part of the day.

De Young Properties, a Fresno builder that specializes in energy-efficient homes, has been including solar on almost all of its new homes for over two years. DeYoung can install solar on any style it offers, including cottage/craftsman, Tuscan, Provencal and farmhouse. But it works better on some than others.

We try not to put it on the front if we dont have to, but with some styles, it may be challenging to put any panels on the rear, De Young said. Most of his customers dont mind solar panels on the front, but they are generally searching for energy-efficient homes.

The aesthetic sensibility around solar panels has shifted significantly. A lot of people say theyre ugly, Edminster said. Now, though, some see them as a badge of eco-honor and want to show them off.

Depending on the terrain and height of the home, some panels may not be visible even when they are on the front. Architects can also use parapets or wall extensions to hide them.

Manufacturers and installers are making the panels sleeker and more efficient  trends that should accelerate into 2020 and beyond.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

In about half of existing homes, you cant get enough standard panels on the roof to offset the full electricity bill, said Suvi Sharma, CEO of Solaria, an Oakland maker of high-efficiency solar panels. You can solve that by having more roof space, which is expensive where land is at a premium, or making panels that produce more electricity.

He says his panels produce 350 to 360 watts in the same size as a standard 250-watt panel. One way Solaria does this is by eliminating the silver lines or busbars that form a checkerboard on traditional panels. That also gives the system a sleeker, all-black appearance.

Todd Jaquez-Fissori had been looking at solar for years, waiting for the price to come down and the look to improve. The front of our house is dead south. When you are driving by, everybody can see it.

He said he chose Solarias all-black panels because we wanted high-power-density panels that blended in with the rooftop, not just for us but for the neighborhood. I wanted something low-profile, even the piping I wanted to blend in. He chose his own installers and had them paint the piping black.

Before installing the system on his San Anselmo home in December, his electric bill was averaging $240 per month. Now its about $10. The 9kW system, including permits, cost about $30,000 or just $20,000 after the federal tax credit. He figures hell make that back in about seven years.

De Young said his firm uses Teslas low-profile black-on-black panels because they are more attractive than traditional panels with white backing, silver racks and bluish cells. Tesla also uses a trim piece that angles downward to the roof tiles. It blocks the view of the underside where you might see wiring and electrical, he said.

Another way to disguise solar is to build it into shingles or tiles that blend into the roof. These have been on the market for some time, but havent been widely used, Edminster said.

John Suppes of Clarum Homes used them in about 20 homes in East Palo Alto about 15 years ago. The drawback is that they cost more and lose efficiency when the roof gets over 90 degrees. Standard panels sit 2 or 3 inches off the roof and do better in high temperatures because air can circulate beneath them, he said.

Tesla is testing a more advanced solar roof, but it wont be on the market until next year, a Tesla spokesman said.

Suppes predicts that architects will have to make significant adjustments when the solar mandate takes effect. On custom jobs, architects have done very little to accommodate solar unless a developer/builder is involved on the front end, he said.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
SACRAMENTO  As police were closing in on a man they suspected of being the Golden State Killer, detectives took a DNA sample from their targets car door handle while he shopped at a Hobby Lobby, according to arrest and search warrant records released Friday.

A second DNA sample, from a tissue found in trash that Joseph James DeAngelo had put out for garbage pickup, confirmed for police that they had the right suspect, leading to his arrest in a case that had haunted law enforcement agencies around the state for more than three decades.

The information in the arrest and search warrants was previously kept under seal, but Judge Michael Sweet of Sacramento County Superior Court sided with media outlets, including The Chronicle, that argued the documents should be released in the public interest.

DeAngelo, 72, is charged with 12 murders in four counties. The slayings have been linked to a suspect known variously as the Golden State Killer, the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker.

DeAngelo has not entered pleas to any of the charges. He is suspected in a 13th killing, according to the search warrant affidavit: The victim was a journalism professor in Tulare County who was shot in September 1975 while stopping a man from kidnapping his daughter from their home.

DeAngelo is also suspected in dozens of rapes in the 1970s and 1980s, but its unclear whether he will face charges in any of those cases because the statute of limitations has passed.

In page after page, the documents released Friday detail the horror of the crimes and terror that neighborhoods were experiencing in the 1970s and 80s. Sweet required that details of nearly all the rapes DeAngelo is suspected of committing be redacted, saying those cases have not been charged and that releasing the information would make it difficult for DeAngelo to receive a fair trial.

Sweet also did not allow the release of records detailing what evidence authorities found in April inside DeAngelos home in Citrus Heights near Sacramento. The search warrant unsealed Friday detailed dozens of personal items  rings, cameras, photos, drivers licenses, a womens bathrobe  that were stolen from victims homes.

Investigators had zeroed in on DeAngelo after trying a novel approach  they uploaded a DNA profile from one of the unsolved cases attributed to the Golden State Killer to an open-source genealogy website that was able to identify relatives of their suspect.

Detectives then obtained a search warrant to collect DNA from an unsuspecting DeAngelo. On April 18, detectives tailed him as he drove to a Hobby Lobby in the Sacramento suburb of Roseville and swabbed his car door handle while he was inside the store, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

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.

That sample contained DNA from three people, one of which matched their suspect in the 1980 killings of Charlene Smith and her husband, Lyman Smith, in Ventura, according to the affidavit.

Five days later, detectives returned to DeAngelos home for another DNA sample, sifting through his trash can on Canyon Oak Drive that he had pulled out to the street the night before. A tissue was the only item to produce enough DNA to run a test, but was a match to the suspected killer, the affidavit says.

DeAngelos attorneys had argued against releasing the information from the search and arrest warrants, saying intense media scrutiny will make it difficult to seat an unbiased jury for what will inevitably be the biggest trial in California history.

Sacramento County prosecutors did not object to releasing some of the information, but asked that names of victims and witnesses be omitted to protect their privacy and to avoid tainting a continuing investigation.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker has said its time for the EU to reconnect with Russia and stop bashing it, in surprising contrast to those in the West who have been piling blame and sanctions on Moscow, RT reports.

Juncker spoke to an audience at a Brussels think tank event on EU reform. Though his statement had a few catches, the overall message was conciliatory.

So we have to come back to, I wouldnt say normal relations with Russia, but there are so many areas, so many domains, where we can cooperate in a better way with research and innovation and others. Not forgetting what our differences and divergences are. But this Russia-bashing has to be brought to an end, he said.
Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

If Jerry Browns impending exit following a cumulative decade and a half as governor has legislators feeling sentimental, theyre not showing it by deferring to his relatively stingy valedictory budget. Citing a substantial surplus, the states housing crisis and a host of other needs, lawmakers are pushing to spend billions of dollars more.

The governors tightfisted approach has become familiar by now  and no doubt tiresome to some of his fellow Democrats in Sacramento. But given the vicissitudes of state finances and the inevitability of an economic downturn, Browns restraint remains for the most part right.
If polls are to be believed, Sen. Dianne Feinstein is a virtual lock to finish on top in Tuesdays 32-candidate primary.

But those same surveys might as well be looking at different contests when it comes to predicting who will grab the all-important second spot in the election and advance to the fall campaign.

Now youre getting into the Twilight Zone, said Bill Carrick, a Feinstein consultant, when asked whos likely to finish No. 2.

While state Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, has held second place in almost every poll, his numbers have seesawed wildly.

A poll released Friday by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley only increased the number of question marks. Feinstein continued to hold a comfortable lead at 36 percent, with de Leon at 11 percent, unchanged from the groups April poll. GOP businessman James Bradley remained in third at 7 percent, down from 10 percent.

But the numbers behind the numbers are what is really concerning for the former state Senate leader.

Now Playing: Interviewed at the CA GOP convention in San Diego, James Bradley explains why he'd run for as Senate in his first campaign Video: SFChronicle

The big finding in the poll is the weakness of Kevin de Leon, said Mark DiCamillo, the polls director. The number of undecided voters dropped 12 percentage points, and none of them went to de Leon.

More than half the voters didnt know enough about de Leon to even have an opinion, which is a problem for a statewide candidate who has never run for office outside Los Angeles.

Other polls also suggest de Leon is far from certain to advance to the November election.

A Public Policy Institute of California poll released last week showed de Leon at 17 percent, but no Republicans were included in the survey. A recent USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll that did include Republicans showed de Leon at 7 percent.

A SurveyUSA April canvass found de Leon tied for third at 6 percent with GOP businessman Rocky De La Fuente. They both trailed Feinstein at 39 percent and Republican Patrick Little, a neo-Nazi and Holocaust denier, at 18 percent.

Then theres a new poll done by Emerson College in Boston, which shows Feinstein at 38 percent and five other candidates, including de Leon, in a virtual tie for second at 4 percent to 6 percent.

Thats good news for second-tier candidates like Los Angeles Democrat Pat Harris, who has embraced the Emerson College poll because it shows him as one of the candidates in the dead heat for second.

I feel very confident, said Harris, an Arkansas-born attorney and animal rights activist who is running as an unapologetic progressive.

The vote is going to be splintered and the second-place finisher will be lucky to get 12 percent, or maybe 10 percent, he said.

De Leons team sees it differently.

The polls are all over the lot, said Jonathan Underland, a spokesman for de Leon. Its hard to put a lot of stock in what those polls are saying.

But de Leon doesnt dismiss everything the polls are showing.

One thing were seeing is that Dianne Feinstein is below 50 percent in almost every poll, and thats not good for a longtime incumbent, Underland said.

Some of the confusion is probably linked to the large number of voters who still havent made a choice. The May USC/Los Angeles Times poll, for example, found that 41 percent of those surveyed were still undecided. The Berkeley poll released Friday had that number at 27 percent.

The largest group of undecided voters are Republicans and the second-largest are no political party voters, said Carrick, Feinsteins consultant. The Democrats are with Dianne.

Melissa Lyttle / New York Times

Thats a problem for de Leon, since twice as many Republicans as Democrats remain undecided, said DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley poll. It leaves the GOP candidates with more potential voters to pick up.

Feinstein is strong with Democrats and independents and de Leon cant expect to get many votes from Republicans, DiCamillo said. I dont see a constituency.

Those undecided numbers show that Republicans and conservative-leaning independents are voters without a candidate in the Senate primary. None of the 11 GOP hopefuls is well-known, and they all lack the campaign cash to boost their visibility.

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The $12,832 that Arun Bhumitra, a Southern California businessman, had in his campaign account on May 16 was thousands more than any other Republican. And it was in a different financial universe from Feinsteins $7 million or even de Leons $672,330.

While many of those GOP voters are going to cast their ballot for a Republican on Tuesday, theres only an inkling of an indication they have begun to line up behind a particular candidate.

Bradley, who has shown backing in the past two polls, seems to be the only Republican within striking distance of de Leon, DiCamillo said.

But Bradley, a health care executive making his first run for office, has raised almost no money and may be depending on his Anglo-sounding name and businesslike ballot designation of chief financial officer to distinguish him from the other Republicans, DiCamillo said.

The poll raises uncertainty, he said.

For de Leon, now, its a matter of holding on through Tuesday.

Were shooting for being in the top two  thats all we want, said Underland, de Leons spokesman. Because after the primary, everything changes.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
Original Double Dare host Marc Summers recalled the first obstacle courses for the 1980s/1990s Nickelodeon game show being tested with grown-ups, not children.

When Summers saw the slime, chocolate sauce, feathers and other messiness, he was not optimistic for the shows success.

I stupidly said, Do you think kids would want to do that? And guess what, they did, he said. Thats what kept us on the air all those years.

On Friday, June 1, Summers was a guest at Comedy Central Presents Clusterfest at the Double Dare mini-obstacle course, presented by Mountain Dew Kickstart, set up in Civic Center Plaza across from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. The attractions is part of a promotional push for the reboot of the show, which returns to Nickelodeon on June 25, with Summers providing color commentary.

There was a heavy nostalgia vibe at Clusterfest, where the key original Double Dare demographic  now mostly in their 30s or early 40s  tried to make their way through a Wringer machine and the Icy Trike obstacle, which was actually a tricycle rolling over baby oil. After the first contestest hurt her nose badly enough to require first aid, others seemed able to pass through the course incident-free.

There were no sundae toppings or other messy fluids, but Nickelodeon did provide a booth to slime a contestant every hour.

Leaving the hosting to DJ Maxwell of Nick Radio this time, Summers watched from the sidelines and seemed to enjoy the chaos  which he says was the way things started.

Now Playing: Original Nickelodeon "Double Dare" host Marc Summers talks about the show at a Clusterfest obstacle course. He hosted "Double Dare" from 1986-1993. The show returns June 25, 2018. Video: SFChronicle

It was a bunch of misfits who got together, it was like being in a college dorm, Summers said, recalling the early years of the show.  Im telling you, we would have done it for free. We were laughing all the time, we were having so much fun.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub
D. Ross Cameron / Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As closer Blake Treinen was named the American League Reliever of the Month on Saturday after saving all 10 of his save opportunities in May.

Treinen put up a 0.59 ERA in 15 1/3 innings and he struck out 19 and walked five in his 14 appearance. Opponents batted .151 against him.
A great white shark was spotted by a California Highway Patrol helicopter about 100 yards from the Pacifica Pier on Friday afternoon, according to CHP.

The shark was spotted about 12:25 p.m. as the helicopter patrolled the air above San Mateo County. Police estimate that the shark is about 12 feet long.
A kite surfer who was found face-down in the water off Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda died after rescue attempts, officials said.

The Alameda Fire Department received a call at 4:26 p.m. Friday. We got a call that two kite surfers were struggling in the water, said Capt. Jim Colburn. What was actually happening was that one kite surfer was trying to rescue another kite surfer.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) 

One million fall-run chinook salmon were released into the Sacramento River Wednesday.

The smolts were bred at Feather River Hatchery in Oroville through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The smolts will now head to the ocean and face trying odds. A resilient fraction will return a few years later as adults.

"On this particular release, the success: We may get 1,000 to 10,000 fish back out of the million," said Harry Morse with the CDFW.

The numbers can be greater, cautioned Morse, adding it's difficult to forecast years in advance.

CDFW releases more than 20 million fish each year. However, the Sacramento River release is a relocation. The salmon would normally be released along the Feather River. The location was moved about 35 miles downstream to the Sacramento River.

The Oroville Dam controls Feather River conditions downstream. The Department of Water Resources is currently refraining from water releases, which means the river is low and conditions are dangerous.

One of the biggest threats to the smolts are striped bass. With little turbidity in the river to provide camouflage for the young salmon, their survival is significantly at risk in the Feather River.

"We would lose a high percentage of the fish. We are trying to pick the best location possible under the conditions that we have," Morse said. "The best conditions are what we call high turbidity -- silt in the water, where the fish go down and they can't be seen very well."

The angling community is critical of DWR's decision to not release water in support of the hatchery release.

Both the Nor-Cal Guides Sportsman Association (NCGASA) and Golden Gate Salmon Association (GGSA) were at the release, arguing they asked DWR to release a small amount of water in the Feather River to help with turbidity.

"DWR wouldn't cooperate with us on that," said Ron Kelly with NCGASA. "The bad part is it hurts the economy in Yuba City and Marysville because by releasing them down here, we have to fight the stray rates too -- the fish not finding their way back because they are not released in their home water."

GGSA argues that the state is prioritizing water delivering over the fishing economy, which particularly was hurt along the Feather River due to the Oroville Dam spillway failure compromising the habitat.

"Lake Oroville has plenty of water in it now, and it wouldn't take much water to safely deliver these fish," said John McManus with GGSA.

DWR spokesperson Erin Mellon released the following statement:

"DWR attempts to synchronize flow increases for project purposes with hatchery releases, but this is not always possible. Although a pulse for a hatchery release in early March was a success, it was not possible this week because Lake Oroville is currently being operated to conserve water in light of the low snowpack with low water content. As a result, CDFW decided the best adaptive approach for this week would be to move the release downstream. DWR paid for the production and tagging of these fish, which are additional to normal production levels. CDFW believes they are being released in a spot that should have good recruitment to the ocean fisheries."
Airbnbs founders were moments away from merging their China business with local competitor Tujia in January 2017. Executives and investors spent hours hashing out a deal. Preliminary term sheets were drawn up. Then in the final hour of negotiations, Airbnb pulled out.

Investors had hoped a truce would stop the companies from hemorrhaging money in the fight for control of Chinas blazing home-sharing industry. But rather than take a page from Uber, which agreed to cede China to rival Didi in exchange for an equity stake, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky had a change of heart and decided to forge ahead in China alone.

Sixteen months later, the decision still rankles investors and has further emboldened Chinese rivals, according to people close to both companies. Tujia remains keen to cut a deal  although both sides deny formal talks  and says its simply waiting for Airbnb executives to accept reality.

We would love to issue shares in Tujia in exchange for Airbnbs China operations, says Tujia Chief Financial Officer Warren Wang. Until Airbnb is ready, we will prove ourselves and show our muscle, he said. If Airbnb needs more time to understand that they or any other foreign tech companies just cant do that well in China without a local partner, once we show them theyll sit down and talk about a deal.

Airbnb says its making strides in China, more than doubling the number of Chinese guests staying at Airbnb properties and boosting listings in China by 125 percent to 200,000 from a year before. The company declined to disclose sales growth but pledged to continue making aggressive investments in China.

But the market is fiercely contested, and domestic players like Tujia, which is backed by Chinas largest travel operator Ctrip.com International, are leveraging their knowledge of local conditions. Airbnb, meanwhile, doesnt have a China chief: The previous one stepped down last year after dating a subordinate, people familiar with the matter said. Airbnb is struggling to find a replacement with international experience who also knows the local market. People with such attributes tend to want to run their own businesses and balk at being a hired gun beholden to bosses in far-off San Francisco.

For now, co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk is running the show in China. The 34-year-old travels to Beijing monthly. He oversees 140 people working in a plant-filled Beijing office stocked with Hoegaarden beer, coconut water and fresh fruit.

As a co-founder I had a moral authority to make things happen in China and push forward, Blecharczyk told Bloomberg in March. Still, he said toggling between China and San Francisco would be difficult long-term. He stopped trying to learn Chinese after a month because the tones didnt stick in his head. Im sure well find a great leader in China, he said.

Home-sharing in China differs from the U.S. and Europe, where travelers are accustomed to a rich bed-and-breakfast culture and many hosts rent out their primary homes while theyre away. In China, hosts dont want strangers in their own homes. Instead, home sharing has thrived because a national building boom left a glut of empty apartments in the hands of real estate firms and property investors. With homes vacant, local home-sharing companies are tapped to clean, list and manage properties. Theres little to no owner-guest contact. Property quality varies widely.

Without any national regulations around the homestay business, companies have to navigate the whims of local, provincial and national governments and police forces. The three biggest companies  Tujia, Alibaba-backed Xiaozhu and Tencent-backed Meituan-Dianping  are spending heavily on marketing and discounts. Tujia, which has distribution deals with Ctrip, Expedia and Qunar, doesnt expect to break even until the end of 2019. The company remains dependent on venture capital money.

Initially, Airbnb operated a skeleton operation in China with 30 people, focused on attracting mainlanders going overseas. Chinese tourists took 131 million overseas trips and spent $115 billion abroad last year, according to the China National Tourism Academy. But after noticing a surge of Chinese tourists using Airbnb abroad and thriving local home-sharing apps, the company in 2015 decided to expand its domestic China business. Its a market well worth chasing: The domestic tourism industry took in $710 billion in 2017, up 15.9 percent from the year before, according to the China National Tourism Administration. Unlike small hotel rooms, home stays let Chinese travel with extended families, cook Chinese fare and bring pets.

Airbnb tapped LinkedIn co-founder and board member Reid Hoffman to help navigate a government that has been hostile to the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Google. LinkedIn and Airbnb are among a handful of American tech companies still operating in China. Like LinkedIn, Airbnb acceded to official demands: incorporating as a separate Chinese entity, sharing information such as passport numbers and guest whereabouts with authorities, storing that data in Chinese rather than U.S. servers. Those decisions have been criticized, but Airbnb remains happy with its choices.

From the beginning, we decided what we were comfortable committing to and made that clear to Chinese authorities, Blecharczyk said.

Less controversially, Airbnbs local operation  known as Aibiying  lets travelers log in with the popular messaging service WeChat and rent rooms using the Chinese payments service Alipay. Airbnb plays by the same rules as hotels, which pay taxes, and prizes partnerships with local governments. Airbnbs policy team spent almost two years courting officials in Guilin, home to celebrated rice terraces.

We want to promote Guilin to the whole world, and a local company doesnt have the kind of valuable global network Airbnb has, says Guilin tourism chief Luo Jianzhang, who first heard of Airbnb when his daughter used it to rent an apartment in France.

In an effort to differentiate itself from rivals, Airbnb says its emphasizing quality over quantity. This year, the company visited thousands of homes and kicked out several thousand that didnt meet its standards. Airbnb is marketing itself as a provider of high-end accommodations. In March, the company rolled out its premium service, Airbnb Plus, in China. About 100 Chinese social media influencers showed up at a Shanghai restaurant to snap photos, sip cocktails and nosh on pink macaroons emblazoned with Airbnb logos.

Top-line growth is the easiest thing to demonstrate performance, but as we get bigger globally, we have a reputation to protect, Blecharczyk said. In China, we chose slow and steady over fast and unsustainable.

Maybe so, but Airbnb is locked in an expensive battle with its deep-pocketed local rivals. Tujia, Xiaozhu and Meituan-Dianping are all spending heavily on promotions, discounts and advertising. Theyre recruiting hundreds of people as they push into the Chinese hinterland and across Asia. Blecharczyk wouldnt disclose the companys China cash burn but said its spent less than local competitors but more than it spends in other markets. (Uber burned at least $2 billion in China.)

The whole point of the proposed marriage with Tujia was to prevent this war of attrition. The companies planned a joint venture commensurate to the economic contributions of Airbnb China and Tujia. Airbnb would have owned 70 to 80 percent of the China business, with Tujia owning the rest, according to people familiar with the discussions. Key deal criteria included operational and technology responsibilities, voting rights, management selection and the capitalization of the new entity. The companies planned to sign final documentation and announce a deal in February 2017. Tujia wanted to move quickly because it had agreed not to raise more money to avoid dilution.

It was Chesky who pulled the plug, these people say. He worried that Airbnb would lose control of its carefully curated brand, they say. One investor likened Cheskys attitude to someone who couldnt commit to a long-term relationship.

Shortly after Airbnb pulled out of merger talks, Tujia raised $300 million in financing from Ctrip and investment firm All-Stars Investment, garnering a $1.5 billion valuation last October. Tujia says its business has been growing three times as fast as Airbnbs and that it now has 1 million listings in 300 Chinese cities and 1,000 overseas locations including Japan and Thailand. About 700,000 of the listings are inside China.

Critics say Airbnb remains out of touch with the local ground game. Without a Chinese partner, they say the company will struggle to operate in the gray zone of an unregulated home-sharing industry. It has to be careful to avoid getting kicked out of China like other American tech companies. As a Chinese company, Tujia says its more adept at knowing when to push and when to hold back. It says it has closer connections with government officials and people working with police departments, local and federal governments.

Airbnb declined to comment on a Tujia tie-up, and Blecharczyk has said Airbnb isnt persuaded by the need for a Chinese partner. He recognizes Airbnbs shortcomings but scoffs at doubters who say U.S. tech companies cant thrive in China.

How can Airbnb succeed if were not moving as fast and not spending as much money as competitors? Our global network is something no one else has, he said, referring to Airbnbs 5 million listings worldwide. It might seem like an impossible task, but I actually do think theres a path to be No. 1 in China.

Shelly Banjo and Olivia Zaleski are Bloomberg writers. Email: sbanjo@bloomberg.net, ozaleski@bloomberg.net
While scams proliferated in the unregulated world of virtual currencies over the past year, a company in Switzerland seemed to be among the more legitimate outfits creating its own cryptocurrency.

The company, Envion, said it had collected $100 million from investors this year with a plan to bring clean energy to the computers that manage bitcoin. The project was reinforced by partnerships with German businesspeople and politicians and with a German academic institution, as well as by promises of compliance with Swiss and U.S. laws.

But like so many other projects that have pulled in millions of dollars through initial coin offerings, Envion is now melting down, with its creators accusing one another of fraud. There is no functioning business in sight. And investors are bonding on social media about how much they figure they lost on the project.

Adam Elfarouq, a 29-year-old in Morocco, said he had put $3,000 into Envion and encouraged friends and relatives to invest their money.

I know most of the ICOs out there are either fraud or wont deliver on their promises, he said. Envion, he believed, was different.

The Envion experience is the latest reminder of how the sudden rise of virtual currencies has allowed entrepreneurs to have direct access to investors without regulatory oversight  often with financially disastrous consequences for investors.

Initial coin offerings came out of almost nowhere last year to become one of the most popular ways for startups to raise money. Investors threw more than $5 billion at coin offerings last year.

Most projects have raised money by selling custom cryptocurrencies  akin to bitcoin  that are designed to be used as a method of payment on software the startups are building. The hope is that the coins will become more valuable as the software becomes more useful.

But even for the people who work in the virtual currency world, the complex structure and speed of initial coin offerings make it difficult to separate the good from the bad.

Seif Shieshakly, an adviser to Envion who is in the United Arab Emirates, said that the ICO structure had cut out so many middlemen and created new investment opportunities, but that the lack of regulations, again because of the infancy of ICOs, carries risks that regulated environments would generally have far less of.

Regulators around the world have scrambled to stay on top of ICOs. China banned coin offerings last year, and the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States has done a broad sweep of the industry, sending out dozens of subpoenas.

But so far, authorities have cracked down on only a few projects, and coin offerings have continued at a blazing pace, raising more money so far in 2018 than they did in all of 2017.

Envion tried to separate itself from the flood of scam offerings that have popped up over the last year.

A spokesman for Envion, Chris Pfaff, sent out emails last year saying it was closing deals with IBM and the ruler of Dubai. But Pfaff said last week that those deals never panned out.

Envion said it would use the money collected from investors to build mobile rigs, filled with computers designed to mine or digitally create new bitcoin. The rigs could be moved between sources of renewable electricity, which would power the mining computers. Envion said people who bought its new tokens would have a right to a share of the new bitcoins mined.

The founders of the company, about half a dozen programmers and marketers, set it up in Switzerland, and said they were compliant with all the necessary regulations. In one of its many promotional posts on Medium, the Envion team wrote: As financial regulators across the globe look to regulate ICOs and protect investors, Envion serves as a model for a compliant crowdsale that operates with the same transparency and integrity of traditional financial markets.

A current spokesman for the founders, Laurent Martin, said problems had begun even before the project started fundraising late last year, because of the chief executive the founders brought in, Matthias Woestmann.

According to Martin, the founders gave Woestmann what they thought was temporary control of their shares in the company. Woestmann later refused to give them back, and then diluted the shares of the other owners, providing him with control of the money that was raised.

Martin said the problems that had come up since then were not caused by the ICO structure. Instead, he said, they are a result of Woestmanns tactics and his refusal to give back ownership of the company.

Envion did something truly unique in the way they protected investors, Martin said. Its unfortunate that each of these bulwarks is being tested.

In an interview, Woestmann said he had taken control of the company because the founders created extra Envion tokens to enrich themselves  a claim the founders deny. He has recently made efforts to sell the company to new owners.

Most of the investors on Envions channel on the messaging service Telegram have sided with the founders against Woestmann, who they say should either begin building the product that was promised or refund investors.

But large Envion investors who have organized a group online say they distrust the founders as well.

They note that the founders are now led by a man named Michael Luckow, who was never mentioned during the fundraising process. They complain that the founders let investors buy tokens without providing any information about the turmoil behind the scenes. The investors have also turned up evidence that some of the founders sold their own tokens before the current mess spilled into the public.

As an investor, this is a horrible situation to be in, as in my point of view both parties are to blame, said Peter Kozak, a 47-year-old in Switzerland who put $55,000 into Envion. So many questions and no answers.

Martin said that the tokens had been sold to pay Envion expenses and that Luckow simply had not wanted to take on a more public role early on.

It is still possible that investors will get at least some of their money back. Woestmann said he still had control of most of the money in the bank, with the founders controlling another chunk.

But he said the funds added up to only $50 million at this point, not the $100 million that the founders had claimed. Woestmann said the founders had not raised as much money as they claimed. And the declining price of virtual currencies has dropped the value of the various digital tokens Envion is holding.

Jessica Smith, a 21-year-old in England, said she had put $28,000 into Envion  almost all of the money she had made over the past two years of trading cryptocurrencies nearly full time. She said she was now looking for new work.

This has been very painful, she said.

Nathaniel Popper is a New York Times writer.
Americans will soon have the right to freeze their credit files free of charge.

On May 24, President Trump signed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, which has received attention for loosening restrictions placed on banks after the financial crisis. The legislation, however, also made some changes to the federal law dictating consumer credit rules.

One helpful change, which consumer advocates had been seeking for years, will allow consumers to freeze their credit files at the three major credit reporting bureaus  Equifax, Experian and TransUnion  without charge. Consumers can also thaw their files, temporarily or permanently, without a fee.

Its a good thing, said Susan Grant, director of consumer protection and privacy at the Consumer Federation of America.

Credit experts often recommend a credit freeze, also called a security freeze, as a way to protect personal information from credit fraud and identity theft. A freeze means that no one can get access to your credit files to fraudulently open a new account in your name. It also means that you cant apply for new credit, either, unless you lift the freeze using a special personal identification number.

Currently, many consumers must pay to freeze  and to thaw  their credit files, unless they have already been a victim of identity theft. Fees vary by state. Some states prohibit them, while others allow charges of $5 to $10. Because consumers must contact all three credit bureaus separately and pay fees to each to establish a freeze, the move can potentially cost $30.

The freeze change has the potential to save consumers a lot of money, said Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy at the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

Lawmakers, however, missed opportunities to make freezes more convenient, Stephens said. For instance, a freeze at one bureau cant be automatically applied at the other two major bureaus. Consumers must still contact all three individually, so the process can be very cumbersome, he said.

The three credit bureaus all offer a service akin to a credit freeze, called a credit lock. The lock has the same effect as a freeze, but is marketed as being more convenient since consumers can typically lock or unlock their credit files using a smartphone app. But there may be drawbacks, including monthly fees in some cases.

Equifax has been offering free credit locks for life as part of its response to the huge data breach it suffered last year. TransUnions online menu has several, somewhat confusing options, including a free credit lock service called TrueIdentity. Another offering, Credit Lock Plus, charges about $20 a month and includes lock capability for both TransUnion and Equifax credit reports. Experian, according to its website, charges as much as $20 a month for a service that includes credit locks.

Anna Laitin, director of financial policy with Consumers Union, said the group generally recommended freezes rather than locks, since rules for freezes are established by law, but those for locks, a service designed by the credit bureaus, may change. Consumers will know what theyre getting with a freeze, she said.

John Ulzheimer, an author and a consumer credit expert, said another benefit of the new law was that fraud alerts  a step below a freeze, in which the credit bureau has to verify your identity before releasing information  would remain in place for a year. Currently, alerts expire after 90 days, unless they are renewed.

Here are some questions and answers about credit freezes:

Q: When will free credit freezes be available?

A: The consumer credit rules in the new law take effect 120 days after the law was enacted, so most likely sometime in September.

Equifaxs freezes were already free through June 30, as part of the companys response to last years data breach. On Thursday, spokesman, Wyatt Jefferies said in an email, Equifax is extending free credit freezes until the law takes effect.

TransUnion and Experian did not immediately respond to inquiries about when they will end freeze fees.

Q: How do I place a freeze on my credit file?

A: You can do it by phone or by filling out a form on the website of each of the three credit bureaus. Youll receive a personal identification number that you must use to lift the freeze if you want to apply for a loan or a credit card.

Q: Does the new law offer freeze protection to children?

A: Yes. The law allows parents or guardians of children under 16 to freeze a childs credit file. If a child doesnt have a credit file  which is often the case  the law directs the bureaus to create one, and then freeze it. (Currently, options for freezing a childs credit vary by state and credit bureau.)

Eva Velasquez, president and chief executive at the Identity Theft Resource Center, advised parents who freeze a childs credit file to carefully safeguard the PIN, and plan ahead for removing the freeze when the time comes.

Ann Carrns is a New York Times writer.
NATOs secretary-general said Saturday that the alliance wouldnt come to Israels defense in case of attack by Iran, The Times of Israel reports.

Jens Stoltenberg told the magazine Der Spiegel that Israel is a partner, but not a member and that NATOs security guarantee doesnt apply to the Jewish state.

NATOs treaty requires the alliance to militarily defend members nations, of which there are 28, but not partner ones. Still, partner states regularly contribute to NATO operations such as those in Afghanistan and naval missions off Somalia and in the Mediterranean Sea.
In route news this week, Icelandair lands today at SFO from Reykjavik, JetSuiteX adds a destination from Oakland; United starts San Francisco-Zurich and other seasonal service and adds more domestic code-shares; Aeromexico comes to San Jose; Virgin Atlantic drops a Las Vegas route but adds service to Manchester; American brings free drinks to some customers; Hawaiian kicks off a new California route; Delta drops a Cuba route; and Sun Country overhauls its aircraft.

JetSuiteX, which operates small-jet service in several California markets, has added another one. The company has started flying between Oakland and Reno, initially operating two flights a week, but increasing that to six a week on June 10. Initial fares on the route were as low as $99 one-way. JetSuiteX, which has attracted investments from JetBlue and Qatar Airways, uses 30-passenger jets operating out of private terminals, and includes checked baggage, snacks and drinks in its fares.

United Airlines will begin more seasonal service next week, including transatlantic flights from San Francisco to Zurich, operating daily from June 7 through October 27 with a 787-8 Dreamliner. Also starting June 7 are United seasonal flights from Newark to Bermuda, followed on June 9 by service from New Orleans and San Antonio to Cancun.

Meanwhile, United has started code-sharing in the U.S. with Boutique Air, a company that specializes in service to smaller communities. Uniteds code is going onto Boutique routes from Denver to Alamosa and Cortez, Colorado; Dodge City, Kansas; and McCook, Nebraska; from Atlanta and Nashville to Muscle Shoals, Alabama; from Portland to Pendleton, Oregon; and from Minneapolis/St.Paul to Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

Today is the launch date for Icelandairs new San Francisco service. The carrier will fly to Reykjavik four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday), offering connections in Iceland to 25 destinations in Europe. Icelandair, a partner in Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, will compete with WOW Air on the SFO-Reykjavik route. (STAY TUNED FOR A LOOK INSIDE ICELANDAIR'S INAUGURAL FLIGHT TO SFO!)

Aeromexico has kicked off summer seasonal service from Mineta San Jose to Mexico City, offering daily non-stop flights through August 31. The airline is using a 160-seat 737-800 on the route.

David Becker/Associated Press

The only non-stop service between the Bay Area and Memphis got its start this week. Ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air has started service between Oakland and Memphis, operating twice-weekly flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

American Airlines is bringing a new benefit starting June 5 to customers in its Main Cabin Extra seats  those extra-legroom seats in the front of the economy cabin. It will offer them free alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine and cocktails. The airline has reportedly told its flight attendants to keep an eye out for passengers in regular economy who try to move up to empty Main Cabin Extra seats to partake of the free booze.

Virgin Atlantic will increase its operations at Manchester next year, including a new route from Los Angeles that will operate three times a week starting May 22, 2019. The airline will also boost its Las Vegas-Manchester schedule from two flights a week to four starting March 31 and will increase Boston-Manchester to three flights a week as of May 22, 2019.

Meanwhile, Virgin is also expected to discontinue its daily Las Vegas-London Gatwick service as of March 31 next year. And during the month of June, Virgin has replaced the 787-9 on one of its two daily flights from San Francisco to London Heathrow with an Airbus A340-600.

Hawaiian Airlines on June 1 started new service between Long Beach and Honolulu, using its new Airbus A321neos for the route. The airline is gradually replacing its 767s on California routes with the new single-aisle planes.

Airbus

In February, Delta reduced the schedule on its New York JFK-Havana route from daily to weekly service. And now the carrier plans to drop the route altogether effective September 1. Delta will continue to fly to Havana from Atlanta and Miami.

Twin Cities-based Sun Country Airlines, which has been transitioning to an ultra-low-cost carrier model since it was acquired by new owners several months ago, is reconfiguring its aircraft to match its new business plan. The airline plans to revamp its 737 fleet from the current 168 seats to 183. The existing 12-seat, 2x2 first class section will be eliminated, and instead the planes will offer a 27-seat premium section, 36-seat extra-legroom seating, and 120 standard economy seats, all in a 3x3 layout. Sun Countrys new CEO Jude Bricker was previously a top executive at ultra-low-cost Allegiant Air.

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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.
NEW YORK  Harvey Weinsteins legal problems multiplied Friday as three women filed a lawsuit in federal court, accusing him of using his power as a movie producer to lure them into hotel rooms where he sexually assaulted them.

One of the women, Melissa Thompson, accused Weinstein of raping her in a room at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in September 2011 as she was trying to demonstrate an online marketing tool.

This week a Manhattan grand jury indicted Weinstein, 66, on charges he forced an aspiring actress to perform oral sex on him during a meeting at his office in 2004 and that he raped a woman at the Doubletree Hotel on Lexington Avenue in 2013. His lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, maintains the encounters with both women were consensual.

Danny Frost, a spokesman for the Manhattan district attorneys office, declined to comment on whether investigators were aware of or had looked into Thompsons accusation.

In the lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Thompson said she first talked to Weinstein about her digital marketing platform at a meeting in his office at 375 Greenwich St. on Sept. 29, 2011. He asked if he was allowed to flirt with her, then caressed her leg and put his hand up her skirt as she was trying to demonstrate the product, the suit said. She moved away from him, but continued her sales pitch.

Weinstein then said he had to edit a film and asked her to meet him for a drink at 5:30 p.m. at the Tribeca Grand to continue the conversation. At the hotel, he led her to a room, where, she said, a few minutes later he forced her onto a bed and raped her. Thompson was fighting back, but could not outmuscle him, the lawsuit said.

The other plaintiffs in the class-action suit are both actresses: Caitlin Dulany and Larissa Gomes. Dulany accused Weinstein of sexually assaulting her in a room at the Hotel du Cap in Cannes, France, in 1996. Gomes said Weinstein invited her to his room at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto in 2000, ostensibly to talk about parts for her, then groped her breasts and propositioned her, saying other actresses had no problem having sex with him. She fled the room.

The New York Times does not normally publish the names of victims of sex crimes. Elizabeth Fegan, the lawyer for the three plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said they had consented to their names being published.

James C. McKinley Jr. is a New York Times writer.
A federal appeals court has overturned a Pleasant Hill mans murder conviction and life-without-parole sentence for a fatal shooting during a 2004 home burglary, saying his trial lawyer ignored cell phone records that could have undermined the prosecutions case.

Kenneth York was convicted of first-degree murder in the May 2004 death of Michael Fidler after a late-night break-in by two men at Fidlers apartment in Pleasant Hill. The killing went unsolved for three years before witnesses identified the alleged participants  the shooter, who has not been caught, and York.

The critical witness against York was Ricardo Junior Perez, who testified under a grant of immunity and said York was one of the men who broke into the apartment to rob Fidler of money and drugs. He did not identify him as the shooter.

State courts and a federal judge upheld Yorks conviction. But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled Friday that York had been deprived of effective legal assistance because his lawyer failed to bring up phone records that might have discredited Perez.

The court said the records would strongly support a finding that York did not call Perez about two hours after the 1 a.m. shooting, an important part of Perezs testimony that gave him an alibi. Perez said he had been at home sleeping when York phoned him and asked him to come to his home, where both York and the gunman were waiting in an apparent state of shock. He said York gave him a duffel bag containing the stolen items and told him to take it to a home that he and Perez jointly owned.

The phone records would have undercut Perezs alibi and bolstered the defenses theory that Perez  not York  was the second intruder, the court said. With no physical evidence connecting York to the break-in, the court said, the states case rested on Junior Perezs testimony; the evidence that trial counsel failed to locate and introduce would have undone that testimony.

Yorks lawyer had obtained the cell phone records from the prosecution but, for reasons he did not explain, never mentioned them at the trial, the court said. It said other evidence indicated that York had some role in the crime, possibly helping to cover it up, but he might not have been convicted of murder if the jury had learned about the records.

The ruling was issued by Judges Marsha Berzon, Michelle Friedland and William Sessions, a federal judge from Vermont temporarily assigned to the appeals court.

Hopefully this means hell get another chance at life, said Jason Campbell, an appellate lawyer for York, who has been in prison for more than a decade. It was a weak case.

Prosecutors could appeal the ruling.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Bill Hutchinson / The Chronicle

A 22-year-old man was shot in Richmond early Friday and later died from his wounds, officials said.

Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County Sheriffs office, said in a statement that the man was shot in a car on the 500 block of Grove Avenue at 6:28 a.m. Thursday. Sheriffs deputies responded and found him suffering from gunshot wounds.
HOMESTEAD, Fla.  Cipriano Garza says Rep. Carlos Curbelo is a decent man, a family man. He lauds the Florida Republican for defiantly pushing his party to protect young Dreamer immigrants from deportation.

Founder of a nonprofit that helps farm workers, Garza happily hosted Curbelo at a recent reception honoring high school graduates at the huge Homestead-Miami Speedway. But his praise came with a warning about this Novembers elections.

He better do whats right for the community, said Garza, 70, himself a former migrant laborer. If not, he can lose.

Across the country  from Californias Central Valley to suburban Denver to Curbelos district of strip malls, farms and the laid-back Florida Keys  moderate Republicans like Curbelo are under heavy pressure to buck their partys hardline stance on immigration. After years of watching their conservative colleagues in safe districts refuse to budge, the GOP middle is fighting back  mindful that a softer position may be necessary to save their jobs and GOP control of the House.

Members who have priorities and feel passionate about issues cant sit back and expect leaders to address them, Curbelo said. Because it doesnt work.

Curbelo, 38, is seeking a third term from a district that stretches from upscale Miami suburbs to the Everglades and down to eccentric Key West. Seventy percent of his constituents are Latino and nearly half are foreign-born. Those are among the highest percentages in the nation, giving many of them a first-hand stake in Congress immigration fight.

Curbelo and Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock (Stanislaus County), whose district thrives on agriculture powered by migrant workers, have begun a petition drive that would force House votes on four immigration bills, ranging from liberal to conservative versions. Twenty-three Republicans have signed on, two shy of the number needed to succeed, assuming all Democrats jump aboard.

Another supporter of the rare rebellion by the usually compliant moderates is Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., a Marine who learned Spanish when his district was redrawn to include Denvers diverse eastern suburbs. In an interview, Coffman expressed frustration over waiting nearly 18 months for House Speaker Paul Ryan to deliver on assurances that Congress would address the issue.

He was always telling me, It will happen, it will happen. I never saw it happen, Coffman said.

The centrists favor legislation that would protect from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. They back a path to citizenship for these immigrants, who have lived in limbo since President Trump ended the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, called DACA. Federal courts have blocked its termination for now.

Trying to head off the petition, Ryan, R-Wis., and conservatives are negotiating with the centrists in hopes of finding compromise.

Alan Fram and Nicholas Riccardi are Associated Press writers.
BILLINGS, Mont.  Yellowstone National Parks superintendent plans to retire next year from a job he called the best in the National Park Service and dismissed speculation that the Trump administration pushed him out for political reasons.

Superintendent Dan Wenk told the Associated Press on Friday that he decided last fall he would retire in early 2019 after more than four decades with the National Park Service.

His seven years leading one of the premier national parks have been marked by an explosion in visitor numbers; tension with neighboring states over wild bison slaughters, wolf hunting and grizzly bears; and a sexual harassment scandal involving Yellowstones maintenance division that echoed allegations at other national parks.

Wenk, 66, said he had not planned to announce his decision to leave so far in advance but went public following recent news reports that said he faced possible transfer to a job in Washington, D.C.

He confirmed that a transfer had been proposed  a possibility that had stoked concerns among conservation groups that Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke was reassigning senior park service staff for punitive or political purposes.

But Wenk said he always understood that as a member of the U.S. governments senior executive service, he could be moved to another job, adding, Im not aware of any politics in that decision.

Coming to Yellowstone National Park was the pinnacle of my career, Wenk said. I personally believe its the best job in the National Park Service, so taking any other job wouldnt feel good.

Despite Wenks statements, former National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis, an Obama appointee, said he thought politics were behind the move.

Jarvis said Trump appointees likely were driving out Wenk because he was an advocate for protecting wildlife that cross back and forth over the parks border with Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

Installing someone more loyal to the Trump administration, Jarvis said, would fit with its agenda of removing protections for wildlife such as grizzly bears and lowering resistance to industries such as mining.

Zinke spokeswoman Heather Swift said she could not comment on personnel matters. In response to Jarvis claims, she said an Obama appointee was not a credible source.

An investigation by the Interior Department inspector general in April into 35 reassignments proposed in the Interior Department since Zinke took office revealed that 16 senior employees viewed their moves as political retribution or punishment for their work on climate change, energy or conservation.

Matthew Brown is an Associated Press writer.
A rally by thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Georgia's government ended in the early hours of the morning on June 2, but organizers said the demonstration would resume later in the evening, RFE/RL reports.

Zaza Saralidze, leader of the rally which started out on May 31 as a mass protest against the verdict in the trial of two young men suspected of murdering his teenage son, said he would stay overnight in a tent encampment erected in front of Tbilisi's old parliament building.

He said demonstrators will not relent on their demands for a new government despite efforts by Georgian President Georgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to address the protesters' demands for reforms in the justice system.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved concept of system that will help to fight against financing of terrorism, the Kremlin website reported.

This concept envisages following tasks: strengthening of control over spending budgetary funds during procurement of goods and services for state needs and development of system that can prevent crimes related to money laundering.

It is expected that implementation of this concept will helpt to bring anti-terrorism to international standards, as well as obtain optimal institutional structure and regulatory support.

Control over implementation of this set of measures will be a part of the annual report of director of the Rosfinmonitoring, presented to President of Russia.

Earlier the Interior Ministry reported that 100 crimes associated with financing of terrorism were recorded in 2017.
Billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has announced that his philanthropy will devote $375 million over the next five years to initiatives designed to better prepare students for work or college.

At the New York Times Higher Ed Leaders Forum on Thursday, Bloomberg announced a variety of projects to improve K-12 education. The lions share focused on college- and career-readiness.

Its a false choice, Bloomberg said, to argue that students need to be ready for work or four-year college.

The truth is, this is not an either/or situation, he said, according to a transcript of his remarks. We need to do both: Put more focus on college and careers, so that students have a real choice, but also, help more low-income students attend good colleges so they can boost their chances of having good options.

Bloomberg Philanthropies is already working on one project designed to address this issue, the American Talent Initiative. Launched in late 2016, it formed a coalition of elite colleges and universities that are working to increase their enrollments of low-income, high-achieving students. Membership began at 30, but now exceeds 100.

The philanthropy is also working on CollegePoint, which uses phone counseling, texting, email, and video chat to provide support for low-income, high-achieving students as they plan and apply to college. He said that more than 40,000 students have participated in that program.

Bloomberg Philanthropies will also be supporting districts, cities, and states that are partnering with business to create opportunities for students. Bloomberg cited CareerWise in Colorado , Youth Force in New Orleans, and Career Pathways in Delaware as examples of places that have linked forces with employers to create apprenticeships and chances for students to experience the world of work, and build on those experiences as they progress toward associate or bachelors degrees.

Bloomberg included other priorities in his philanthropys planned spending, but didnt outline where he would put them into action.

Among the things he mentioned: creating more charter schools, raising teacher salaries in exchange for greater accountability, giving principals more freedom to hire and train their staffs, and stepping up efforts to ensure that each classroom has a skilled and effective teacher. He also noted that its important for schools to be able to move out of their classrooms teachers who dont improve sufficiently despite good mentoring and professional development.

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State Duma deputy and former Crimean prosecutor Natalya Poklonskaya said she considers Serbian President Alexander Vucic position on Crimea to be forced.

According to her, the position of the Serbian leader is due to the fact that Serbian society still has a fresh memory of NATOs strikes against Belgrade. "The whole world remembers the horror that the people of Serbia experienced when the NATO troops were cowardly bombing Belgrade ... That's why Vucic, not free in his statements, I think, he is still under the influence of such directors of these kind of the world operations," Poklonskaya noted.
While students and teachers lay gravely wounded inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a fire department official outside was begging to send in paramedics.

In the chaos immediately after the shooting rampage on Feb. 14 in Parkland, Florida, the Coral Springs Fire Departments deputy chief, Michael McNally, repeatedly asked to dispatch specialized teams of paramedics and police officers to treat victims.

But his requests, according to a report the department released Thursday, were denied by a captain with the Broward County Sheriffs Office who was overseeing the law enforcement response.

McNally wrote that he asked six times to send in the groups, but that Capt. Jan Jordan kept offering the same response: She would have to check before approving this request.

While the Fire Departments specialized paramedic units were kept out of the school, medics assigned to SWAT officers entered the building and removed injured teachers and students. The SWAT teams were searching the hallways and classrooms for the gunman but stopped and helped victims if they were still alive, authorities said.

Viable patients were being brought to us in a well-organized manner, Mike Moser, a division chief with the Fire Department, said Friday. We were able to take everyone out of the school that we were able to.

Since the shooting nearly four months ago, which left 14 students and three staff members dead, law enforcement officers have described widespread confusion and maddening lapses among the multiple agencies that responded.

A deputy assigned to the school stayed outside during the shooting. Broward County deputies and Coral Springs police officers could not communicate over their radios because they had separate systems. And officers reviewing surveillance video to try to locate the gunman did not immediately realize that it was on a 20-minute delay.

The two-page report by McNally, which outlines his interactions with the authorities outside the school, was the latest account of frustration and bewilderment over the law enforcement response.

After he arrived at the school, he offered four times to send in paramedics while the police were watching security footage to find the gunman, identified as Nikolas Cruz, a former student. The deputy chief told Jordan that the teams  which each consist of three to four police officers and at least three paramedics  were specially trained to treat victims in an active shooter situation and would enter only the areas that the police had searched.

He offered two more times after the police discovered the video delay and saw that the gunman had escaped unnoticed from the building. The deputy chief was told to wait. Once again, the incident commander advised, She would have to check and let me know,' he wrote in the report.

A Broward County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman said Friday that paramedics were allowed in only after it has been confirmed the threat is mitigated.

Reporters will be able to provide a more accurate narrative once all the facts are gathered and the investigation is completed as well as the findings from the independent reviews by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the MSD Commission, the spokeswoman said, referring to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission.

The gunman opened fire with a semi-automatic AR-15, a civilian version of the militarys standard rifle that produces devastating wounds to organs and severe bleeding. Many victims bleed to death before reaching the hospital.

The police arrested Cruz about an hour after the shooting, walking on a residential street about 2 miles from the school. Even though the suspect was in custody and the school had been deemed safe, the Fire Departments specialized teams were advised to stand down.

Nobody who remained in the school at that point could be saved, Moser said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Saturday congratulated his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on his recent reelection, Anadolu agency reported.

In a phone conversation, the two premiers also hailed the significant progress in Turkey-Russia relations over the past 15 years, confirming the common will to further strengthen ties, said a Turkish Prime Ministry statement.
SANTA CLARA (BCN)



Santa Clara County community college trustees, presidents and students joined Supervisor Cindy Chavez at Mission College today to discuss proposed affordable housing that would be placed on community college campuses for students and extremely-low income locals alike.



Chavez said that she met with presidents and chancellors of every community college district in the county recently about their biggest obstacles and the resounding issue was affordable housing.



As housing prices in the area continue to rise, Chavez is proposing a partnership between the county and interested districts to put reasonably-priced units on the colleges' land.



Chavez got the idea from noticing that some community colleges she visits for addresses and news conferences have parking areas that always seem to be vacant, while some are always full.



The supervisor took this into account and was convinced the underutilized lots could be changed for the greater good.



"I cannot think of more deserving people than those who are working for both their humanity and their education," Chavez said after discussing how some students live out of their cars and shower at their community college facilities in order to keep earning their degree.



Representatives from the Foothill-De Anza and San Jose Evergreen community college districts, San Jose City College and Mission College listened on as Chavez explained the project, which will appear as a motion in front of the Board of Supervisors at their June 5 meeting.



Chavez is asking the board to approve entering into a six-month memorandum of understanding with districts who would like to participate in finding a way to use remaining Measure A funding, passed in Santa Clara County in 2016, to house those who need it.



Chavez said she was originally going to propose year-long memorandums but wanted to expedite the process because she saw heavy demand for the housing now.



The supervisor believes that part of the $950 million affordable housing bond could be used to house not only struggling faculty, staff and students in these complexes, but also who the bond was designed for: homeless, individuals suffering from mental health or substance abuse, foster youth and victims of domestic violence and more.



In the area of the housing units that the county would pay for, those demographics would be offered refuge. In areas funded by the community college districts, their students and staff would have a place to live, Chavez explained.



Some of Mission College's at-risk youth, or "opportunity youth," attended the conference in support. First-year student Maria Vans said that this initiative could benefit students like her who always worry their temporary housing could fall through.



Vans utilizes Mission College's Extended Opportunity Program and Services, through which she gets financial aid, textbook vouchers and student health and academic counseling. She says without this aid, she would have dropped out of the college by now.



Vans has seven units left before she can transfer with a major in sociology, political science and administrative justice. She hopes to maintain a 4.0 and go to a private university so that she can become a lawyer, inspired by an aspiration to help people with backgrounds like her own.



Several representatives of the school districts spoke, and each of their remarks echoed that while their college campuses had systems in place to help hungry or homeless students and staff, they are always open to providing more resources.



"We know that the cost of living is a real concern to our students," Mission College president Daniel Peck said. "We have partnered locally with Panera Bread and Second Harvest and invest in services directly on campus to make an impact. But we can always look to do more."









Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
DALY CITY (BCN)



More than 30,000 people are expected to ride out of Daly City's Cow Palace early Sunday in one of the Bay Area's most longstanding HIV/AIDS fundraising efforts, the AIDS/Lifestyle ride.



Members of the media covering the event must arrive by 6:30 a.m. in order to park inside the Cow Palace gated areas, organizers said. Any media arriving after 6:30 a.m. or leaving before 7:45 a.m. should park outside the gated areas at the Cow Palace.



The Cow Palace is located at 2600 Geneva Ave. in Daly City.



Participants are expected to begin arriving around 5 a.m. The opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6 a.m., and cyclists will begin riding out at 6:30 a.m., organizers said. There will be a lunch stop between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. at San Gregorio Sate Beach.



The AIDS/Lifestyle ride is in its 25th year, and lasts 7 days, spanning 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The event raises millions of dollars annually to support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV and AIDS-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT center, organizers said.





Copyright  2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Ahead of a new law scheduled to take effect in Oklahoma in November described as discriminatory against LGBTQ people, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced today that California will put a stop to state-funded and sponsored travel there.



Speaking in San Francisco this morning, Becerra said that Oklahoma will join a list of other states where California-funded and California-sponsored travel is prohibited due to those states' laws that discriminate based on individuals' sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The move is in accordance with California Assembly Bill 1887, which took effect in 2017.



Last month, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed Senate Bill 1140, which allows private adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents and to refuse to place LGBTQ foster children in homes based on religious or moral grounds, Becerra's office said.



"The state of California does not sanction discrimination against anyone in the LGBTQ community," Becerra said.



"We do not wish to see the list grow, but if a state decides to pass a law that discriminates against any one of us, simply based on how we look, how we speak, our religion, our sexual orientation; we want to make sure that it's clear, that California is not going to be part of it," Becerra said. "We are taking this action to make sure that no taxpayer dollars are used to fund or sponsor travel to Oklahoma."



"Let me be very clear, we do not take any enjoyment is this announcement today, but as we celebrate the month of pride in June, this goes to reflect the struggles we still have today. These are not the struggles of past, we still fight these struggles each and every day," Assemblyman Evan Low, D-Campbell, said. Low is the author of AB 1887.



"Laws that tell loving, committed Oklahomans or Kansans, or any Americans, that they're somehow less than, that they're somehow unworthy of this fundamental human experience of providing loving homes to our kids simply because of who they are or what their family looks like, are antithetical to everything that we stand for and shame on us if we stand by and do nothing," Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California, said.



"Oklahoma's new law allows taxpayer-funded adoption and foster agencies to deny placement of children with families solely because of the parents' sexual orientation or gender identity. This means an agency could refuse to place a child with a parent, even if it's in the child's best interest to do so," Cathy Sakimura, family law director with the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said. "This law not only harms children in need of adoption and prospective parents, but also sends a message that Oklahoma tolerates, and in fact, promotes this kind of discrimination against LGBTQ families."



In accordance with AB 1887, California-sponsored and California-funded travel to Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas is prohibited.



The ban on travel to Oklahoma using state funds takes effect on June 22, Becerra's office said.





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OAKLAND (BCN)



A career criminal whose record dates back to 1985 was sentenced today to 19 years in state prison for a string of armed robberies at banks in Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley and Fremont in late 2016 and early 2017.



Russell Bartlow, 54, pleaded no contest on May 3 to second-degree robbery and a gun use enhancement for the string of robberies.



Bartlow was charged with robberies at a Chase Bank branch in Oakland on Nov. 19, 2016, a Citibank branch in Alameda on Dec. 19, 2016, a Bank of the West branch in Oakland on Jan. 23, 2017, a Chase Bank branch at 1870 Solano Ave. in Berkeley on Feb. 9, 2017, and a bank in Fremont on March 18, 2017.



Police said at least $40,000 was taken in the robberies.



Bartlow, who was on probation for a conviction in federal court for bank robbery, ultimately confessed to four of the five robberies, including the two in Oakland and the ones in Berkeley and Fremont, according to police.



Bartlow, who lists his occupation as "student," also admitted to wearing a security guard uniform and being armed with a revolver during the robberies, police said.



Bartlow has three prior convictions for armed robbery, two for second-degree burglary, one for second-degree commercial burglary and one for possession for sale of a controlled substance.



Bartlow's brother Jerron Bartlow, 37, was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and one count of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm for allegedly being involved in at least some of the robberies.



But the charges against him were dismissed today.





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Air strikes by Turkish warplanes neutralised at least 15 militant sof the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq as well as in Turkeys eastern provinces of Tunceli and Siirt, the military said on Saturday, Middle East Monitor reports.

The strikes were carried out on Friday and Saturday, it said on Twitter.

Turkey regularly carries out air strikes on PKK targets over the border in northern Iraq, where the group is based in the Qandil mountains.

The PKK, considered a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union and Turkey, has waged a three-decade insurgency in Turkeys largely Kurdish southeast in which 40,000 people have been killed.
OAKLAND (BCN)



Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said today that her office is working with Oakland police to find and prosecute the person or persons responsible for mutilating three puppies who were found in an East Oakland trash pile over the Memorial Day Weekend.



Speaking at a news conference at the Oakland Animal Shelter, O'Malley said, "We will work with the Oakland Police Department to figure out who hurt these puppies and bring them to justice."



O'Malley said she's concerned because many people who abuse animals also commit violent crimes against humans.



O'Malley said, "Our fear is that whoever is hurting these dogs is also hurting people."



Joining O'Malley at the news conference, Oakland police spokeswoman Johnna Watson said, "Our concern is that if they are doing this to puppies are they also doing this to human beings?"



Watson said the mutilation of the three puppies is one of the worst cases of animal abuse she's seen in her 26 years with the Oakland Police Department.



"We haven't seen this to this level," she said.



Two German Shepherd puppies were found in a pile of garbage at 89th Avenue and G Street on Saturday night.



One of them, named Frigg by animal rescue officials, had a rear paw that was chopped off, and the other, her sister Freya, has a jaw that's badly broken.



On Monday, a third German Shepherd puppy, Chloe, was also found in the same area with a broken jaw.



All three puppies are four months old and all are receiving veterinary care.



O'Malley said the injuries the puppies suffered don't appear to be a result of dog-fighting but instead to be a result of what she described as "a very specific type of mutilation, very purposefully done" with some kind of a tool.



O'Malley said animal abusers are five times more likely than the normal population to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit violent crimes against property.



She also said about 75 percent of animal abusers are also abusing their own family members.



The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for mutilating the puppies has now been increased to $15,000, O'Malley said.



Anyone with information about the puppies and the injuries they suffered is asked to call Oakland police Sgt. Robert Muniz at (510) 238-3728 or the Oakland Animal Shelter at (510) 535-5602.





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MENLO PARK (BCN)



Firefighters extinguished a blaze at a vacant home under renovation in Menlo Park's Sharon Heights neighborhood Thursday evening, fire officials said.



Neighbors of the home on La Loma Drive reported the fire at 9:24 p.m. and firefighters arrived three minutes later, according to Menlo Park Fire Protection District Chief Harold Schapelhouman.



The 6,000-square-foot, two-story home was partially surrounded by scaffolding put up for the renovations, complicating the firefighters' efforts, the chief said.



The crew found the fire in a room behind the first floor garage and caught it just as it was starting to spread, according to Schapelhouman.



Firefighters brought the fire under control at 9:47 p.m. and crews remained on the scene until 2 a.m. today to make sure the blaze was completely out, the fire chief said.



The homeowners and the contractor working on the renovations showed up after the fire and worked with investigators to try to identify the cause of the fire, which remains under investigation.



The fire caused about $150,000 in damage to the house, Schapelhouman said.





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SAN JOSE (BCN)



Immigration rights advocates, faith leaders and elected officials came together in San Jose this morning to denounce the conditions of the detention centers at the Mexican border and encourage Congress to open an investigation into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.



Community members rallied at the Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network headquarters to ask for direct action to discuss the treatment of undocumented people and the action separating parents from their children when they are detained.



Many families in Santa Clara County are more worried than ever following Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement that children whose parents are taken into custody by border patrol would be removed from their parent's care, SIREN representatives said.



SIREN Executive Director Maricela Gutierrez said that immigrants who are just trying to seek refuge by crossing into the United States are facing serious atrocities.



Gutierrez mentioned the death of Claudia Gonzalez, a young Guatemalan woman who was coming to the U.S. after earning an accounting degree in hopes of increased opportunities. The SIREN leader said that a Texas border patrol agent shot and killed her last week.



Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, a long-time advocate for immigrants in the United States, spoke on the "egregious situation" of removing children from their parents at the border.



Lofgren stated that the activity goes against international law and puts this country in the same category as other regimes with similar policies. She specifically named Germany's Third Reich as an example.



Lofgren, a former immigration lawyer, emphasized her distress that those seeking political asylum are not being granted that opportunity when they report to a Port of Entry.



When immigrants try to go between ports to find a border patrol agent to turn themselves in, they're arrested, Lofgren said.



Children as young as two or three years old are taken away and housed "who knows where," Lofgren said, and some of them may have been lost track of.



Lofgren believes the separation tactic is not only inhumane but is counterproductive, as she thinks parents will continue to come back into the country to try to find their child.



California Sen. Kevin de Leon was also in attendance and spoke about a news conference that took place Thursday in Sacramento to condemn the administration's actions in this regard and the "cowardly members of the Congress on the Republican side who have not raised their voice in opposition."



The senator stated that even during the Bush and Reagan administrations, the nation never saw policies that allowed what de Leon called kidnapping to take place.



"We believe that no federal government should ever separate mothers from their children," de Leon said. "This is a time that we need to come together and be there for each other."



The gathering concluded with a call to action by one of SIREN's youth advocates, Amairani Oronia.



Oronia gave a comprehensive background of what children who are taken from their parents could face, such as waiting in shelters alone for their case to be called. This process can take years, she said.



The young woman urged people to speak out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by calling members of Congress at (202) 224-3121 and urging them to demand the Trump administration end family separation and detention.



Voters can speak up by exercising their right and show up to polls for representatives who stand for the immigrant community, Oronia said.



"Immigrant rights are human rights," the advocate said. "We must ensure that these people are being treated and looked after to the best of our abilities."









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Legislation that would have eased the insurance claims process for North Bay wildfire victims died in California's Senate Thursday because of insurance industry opposition, according to the bill's author.



Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Ukiah, was the author of Senate Bill 897, which sought to amend insurance coverage for contents, allowing policyholders to settle for 80 percent of the contents limit without having to compile a home inventory during a declared state of emergency.



If the bill had become law, it would have been retroactive for the North Bay fires and the Thomas Fire in Southern California.



However, an aide confirmed today that McGuire on Thursday declined a compromise with the insurance industry on the bill, which prevented it from advancing.



"We had to draw the line when insurance corporations insisted on amendments that would have watered down the bill close to useless," McGuire said in a statement.



"The deal that was put on the table harms those who are struggling to recover, now, and all future homeowners who would be impacted by California's new normal," McGuire said.



Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones blasted the insurance industry for what he called their efforts to defeat the bill, which he described as "common-sense legislation."



Jones said, "Their priority is profit over the needs of their policyholders who have been through hell. This is about doing the right thing to help wildfire survivors begin the recovery process without putting them through more heartache and pain during one of the most difficult times of their lives."





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An arrest was made this morning in the case of three teenage boys who were attacked with a hammer by masked suspects in Aptos Monday morning, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.



Detectives identified and arrested a 15-year-old as one of the attackers, deputies said this afternoon. The minor was arrested at about 10:30 a.m. in Watsonville.



The boy was booked into Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and robbery, both felony charges, the Sheriff's Office said.



At 1:41 a.m. on Monday, the suspects accessed a garage in the 100 block of Monte Vista Drive and assaulted the victims, including two had been sleeping, sheriff's officials said.



Following the attack, the suspects stole several items in the area and fled in a vehicle.



Two of the victims were taken to a hospital and released later that day. The remaining one, a 17-year-old boy, was taken to a trauma center for significant head injury and was in critical condition.



That victim is now in stable condition and has a long road to recovery, deputies told the public today.



Detectives are continuing their work to find the remaining suspects, originally described as boys in their late teens or men in their early 20s, according to deputies.



"This assault was beyond stupid and these suspects are fortunate nobody is dead as a result of this attack," county Sheriff Jim Hart said in a statement. "Our deputies are going to find every one of the suspects, they should turn themselves in now."



Sheriff's officials are asking that anyone with information on the attacks to call Sgt. Baldwin at (831) 454-7635.









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A young man is dead following a shooting Friday morning in the unincorporated Contra Costa County community of North Richmond, sheriff's officials said.



Deputies were sent at 6:28 a.m. to the 500 block of Grove Avenue after someone called and said someone had been shot in a vehicle.



Deputies arrived and found a 22-year-old man with bullet wounds.



Sheriff's officials said the man was taken to a hospital, then transported by helicopter to a trauma center but later died.







A man died after he went kite-surfing Friday afternoon in San Francisco Bay off the coast of Alameda, an Alameda Fire Department captain said.



Fire officials received a call at 4:26 p.m. about an unresponsive kite-surfer who was being brought to shore by another kite-surfer at Crown Memorial State Beach at Eighth Street and Otis Drive, Capt. Jim Colburn said.



The unresponsive surfer was taken to Alameda Hospital and he has died, Colburn said.







A bicyclist was killed in a head-on collision with an SUV in the Oakland hills on Thursday afternoon, police said.



The cyclist, identified by the Alameda County coroner's office as 28-year-old Tatyana Schmid of Oakland, collided with the SUV in the 7000 block of Skyline Boulevard near Elverton Drive at about 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to police.



Schmid was a blogger and tour guide for Backroads, a hiking and biking company.







A forensic examination on Ruby Andersen, whose body was found at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital campus Wednesday afternoon, concluded that no foul play was involved in her death, according to the city's Department of Public Health.



The San Francisco medical examiner's office has not yet determined a manner of death and is expected to complete a report in the coming weeks, health department officials said.



Andersen, 75, was reported missing May 20 from the hospital's campus, although she was not a patient there.



An engineering employee discovered Andersen's body in the stairway of a power plant facility on the hospital's campus around 1 p.m.



The building is only used by hospital staff and is not regularly patrolled by deputies, according to Sheriff Vicki Hennessy, whose deputies provide security for the hospital.







Immigration rights advocates, faith leaders and elected officials came together in San Jose Friday morning to denounce the conditions of the detention centers at the Mexican border and encourage Congress to open an investigation into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.



Community members rallied at the Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network headquarters to ask for direct action to discuss the treatment of undocumented people and the action separating parents from their children when they are detained.



Many families in Santa Clara County are more worried than ever following Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement that children whose parents are taken into custody by border patrol would be removed from their parent's care, SIREN representatives said.



SIREN Executive Director Maricela Gutierrez said that immigrants who are just trying to seek refuge by crossing into the United States are facing serious atrocities.







Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said Friday that her office is working with Oakland police to find and prosecute the person or persons responsible for mutilating three puppies who were found in an East Oakland trash pile over the Memorial Day Weekend.



Speaking at a news conference at the Oakland Animal Shelter, O'Malley said, "We will work with the Oakland Police Department to figure out who hurt these puppies and bring them to justice."



O'Malley said she's concerned because many people who abuse animals also commit violent crimes against humans.



O'Malley said, "Our fear is that whoever is hurting these dogs is also hurting people."







Ahead of a new law scheduled to take effect in Oklahoma in November described as discriminatory against LGBTQ people, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Friday that California will put a stop to state-funded and sponsored travel there.



Speaking in San Francisco Friday morning, Becerra said that Oklahoma will join a list of other states where California-funded and California-sponsored travel is prohibited due to those states' laws that discriminate based on individuals' sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The move is in accordance with California Assembly Bill 1887, which took effect in 2017.



Last month, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed Senate Bill 1140, which allows private adoption agencies to deny placement services to same-sex parents and to refuse to place LGBTQ foster children in homes based on religious or moral grounds, Becerra's office said.



In accordance with AB 1887, California-sponsored and California-funded travel to Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas is prohibited.



The ban on travel to Oklahoma using state funds takes effect on June 22, Becerra's office said.







An arrest was made Friday morning in the case of three teenage boys who were attacked with a hammer by masked suspects in Aptos Monday morning, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.



Detectives identified and arrested a 15-year-old as one of the attackers, deputies said. The minor was arrested at about 10:30 a.m. in Watsonville.



The boy was booked into Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and robbery, both felony charges, the Sheriff's Office said.



At 1:41 a.m. on Monday, the suspects accessed a garage in the 100 block of Monte Vista Drive and assaulted the victims, including two had been sleeping, sheriff's officials said.



Following the attack, the suspects stole several items in the area and fled in a vehicle.







Santa Clara County community college trustees, presidents and students joined Supervisor Cindy Chavez at Mission College Friday to discuss proposed affordable housing that would be placed on community college campuses for students and extremely-low income locals alike.



Chavez said that she met with presidents and chancellors of every community college district in the county recently about their biggest obstacles and the resounding issue was affordable housing.



As housing prices in the area continue to rise, Chavez is proposing a partnership between the county and interested districts to put reasonably-priced units on the colleges' land.



Chavez got the idea from noticing that some community colleges she visits for addresses and news conferences have parking areas that always seem to be vacant, while some are always full.



The supervisor took this into account and was convinced the underutilized lots could be changed for the greater good.







Three little osprey chicks that hatched high atop a crane in Richmond on live video in May now have names, thanks in part to members of the public.



The three baby ospreys, or sea hawks, hatched in a nest on a historic World War II maritime crane at the city's shoreline. Live video cameras set up by Golden Gate Audubon last March captured the hatching, and the agency then held a contest to name the birds.



The oldest chick is now "Roemer," pronounced "Roamer," in honor of Elsie Roemer, a Golden Gate Audubon conservationist who championed local bird life and shoreline habitats, said Cindy Margulis, executive director of Golden Gate Audubon.



The second chick is named "Victory," in honor of the Red Oak Victory ship located near the nest, "and all the workers who built the Victory and Liberty ships during World War II," Margulis said.



Thousands of people came to Richmond during World War II to build ships for the war effort, many of them women who were entering the workplace.



Since the chicks' gender isn't yet known, Victory may end up being known as Vic or Vickie at some point, Margulis said.



The third chick is named "Brisa," which means "breeze" in Spanish, Margulis said. "We thought it would be great to have a connection to that language."





























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Two Salinas residents have pleaded guilty to felony receiving aide by misrepresentation, Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo announced Friday.



Prosecutors said Ryan Kapku, 35, and Christina Leon, 41, claimed to be unemployed and were receiving cash aide and food stamps when Kapku was in fact employed and was receiving income well above the threshold to receive benefits.



The fraud occurred between October 2013 and February 2014.



Both Kapku and Leon misrepresented income on their eligibility status reports to the Department of Social Services, and that misrepresentation resulted in an overpayment of $2,811 in benefits.



The two are facing up to 365 days in county jail and three years of formal felony probation. They will also be ordered to pay back the overpayment of benefits.



They are scheduled for sentencing in November.





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Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with his Turkish counterpart Gen. Hulusi Akar over the phone early Saturday, according to the Pentagon.

"The two leaders continued their ongoing conversation regarding Syria, to include ensuring the lasting defeat of ISIS [Daesh], said Pentagon spokesman Col. Patrick Ryder, Anadolu agency reported.

The U.S. and Turkey enjoy a strong military-to-military relationship as key members of the NATO alliance, he added.
Online shopping website Tiki, said in the next three to five years, the company would decide whether to conduct initial public offering (IPO) or be acquired by another company. Photo theleader.vn

HA NOI  Online shopping website Tiki, said in the next three to five years, the company would decide whether to conduct initial public offering (IPO) or be acquired by another company.

Ngo Hoang Gia Khanh, Head of Finance at Tiki told news website theleader.vn that the e-commerce site is preparing for a new round of fund-raising (Series D), which aims to call US$50 million to $100 million from the strategic investment funds or financial investor groups.

Series A, B, C or D correspond with the development stage of the companies that are raising capital.

Tiki expects to raise $50 million by the end of 2018 and in the next 18 months through issuing additional shares to support their research and development, infrastructure construction and user training.

Currently, Tiki is developing several mobile applications and adding new services, which are why Tiki wishes to call capital from investors in the field of e-commerce, in order to get more support for strategic planning and operations.

Former shareholders of Tiki, VNG and JD.com, in previous rounds of capital rising may continue to participate in this round. The presence of JD.com will be the fulcrum to attract other strategic investors.

JD.com is one of the two largest B2C (business to consumer) online retailers in China by transaction volume and revenue.

Recently, JD.com suddenly joined Tikis Series C of funding and became one of Tikis largest shareholders with a possible deal value of $43.7 million.

Although, Tiki had successfully raised lots of money in the past, the company also spent most of that funds to maintain their position in the market.

According to VNGs financial report, one of Tikis strategic investors, it was revealed that VNG recorded an accumulated loss of $14 million when investing in Tiki.

For those firms that do not shut down or achieve financial sustainability, an exit from the fundraising cycle comes with two options, initial public offering (IPO) or acquisition.

Despite this, Tiki has no plans for an IPO until 2021 as the company wants to expand its operations even further and continue to call for capital to promote their value.

In the case of listing, Tiki prefers to board the Hong Kong stock market. As for the case of acquisition, Tiki wants to be acquired by a global brand to bring its business to a new level.

Tikis loss story partly reflects the general picture of the e-commerce service, unlike conventional businesses, startups like Tiki are not assessed based on their profit but mainly on market share, sales, purchase value per customer and return rate in a fast growing market like e-commerce.

Founded in 2010 by an online bookseller, Tiki has grown into a multi-faceted e-commerce platform with 250 million page views over the past year and accounts for about 10 percent of traffic on the e-commerce sites in Viet Nam .
On the occasion of the National Day of the Italian Republic, Ambassador Cecilia Piccioni sends a message to mark the anniversary and celebrate the diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

June 2 marks the anniversary of the Italian Republic. Indeed, 72 years ago on June 2nd 1946, the Italian people gave birth to our Republic thereby laying down our democratic foundations on the pillars of freedom and democracy.

Thus, every June 2 we celebrate the beginning of the Italian journey towards development, industrialisation and international integration. Through this very transformative, not always simple, journey, Italy has become a major player at the regional and international level, a founding father of the EU, a member of the G7 and G20.

But this years commemoration bears an additional, special significance, as it also coincides with the celebrations of 45 years of Italian-Vietnamese diplomatic relations.

Indeed, Italian-Vietnamese cooperation has been flourishing over past decades, taking our bilateral relationship to the next level and making it truly strategic. Weve been working together across various fields to achieve our ambitious targets set forward by our Strategic Partnership and then reaffirmed on the occasions of the many visits that have taken place in the last few years, at all levels. As a result of these institutional exchanges not only are our economic and commercial partnerships thriving, but every day more Italian and Vietnamese companies show growing interest in our respective countries, as the success and the figures of the latest Italian business delegation with more than 60 top Italian companies proved last November. Our two-way trade is steadily progressing, having reached US$4.3 billion.

Thanks to our partnership we work hand in hand, sharing experiences and knowledge and tackling some of the most crucial global challenges we all face, such as environmental protection, disaster risk reduction or preservation of cultural heritage. Against this backdrop, on June 5, well enrich our collaboration in the fight against climate change and its impact, providing a necessary framework to identify and implement environmental protection solutions, thus strengthening Viet Nams resilience.

Cultural exchange is also one of the most meaningful pillars of our bilateral relations, as underscored by our President during his historic visit to Viet Nam in 2015. Undeniably, through bridging gaps and breaking down walls, culture proves the most powerful and effective tool to strengthen relationships. Its preservation and dissemination are at the core of the Italian global approach based on mediation, dialogue and acceptance. It is also thanks to such a holistic approach that in the last three years the mutual understanding and awareness of our respective heritages have dramatically increased throughout all Vietnamese Provinces thanks to the wide variety of events weve organised in Ha Noi, in HCM City and lately also in a Nang where we are engaged in strengthening our presence.

In short, today we can proudly say that Italy and Viet Nam know each other better and are closer than ever! It is always moving for me to see how much the Vietnamese public loves Italy and its icons. Today, the Vietnamese know and appreciate truly Italian food, they value the inventiveness and creativity of our design, art, music, and in the work of hundreds of thousands of artisans, whose creations are still deeply inspired by tradition, but are now efficiently crafted with the help of cutting-edge technology! We are also working with many provinces in this capacity, knowing that high quality artifacts are key for a sustainable and competitive manufacturing industry. We are cooperating in the training field, sharing our know-how and best practices to enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese products. To this end, in 2017 weve established two Technological Centres for the production of leather shoes and textile garments and enhanced our scientific co-operation programme.

In the same vein, strongly believing in the power of culture, we have decided to offer to the Vietnamese public on the occasion of our National Day a classical music delight. It will unfold along with the notes and poetry of the world-renowned Gioacchino Rossini, commemorated this year for the 150th anniversary of his passing. This is consistent with our commitment to make each one of our National Days an occasion to enchant the public with a special Italian treat, just as it happened with our outdoor fashion show on Le Phung Hieu in 2016 or with the Raffaello Opera Omnia digital exhibition in 2017.

The decision to bring to Viet Nam some of the most iconic arias from Rossinis repertoire, embodies our way to engage with Vietnamese counterparts in the cultural promotional activities, within the framework of a genuine partnership and a special focus on the value of sharing good practices and knowledge. Thanks to an unprecedented collaboration between the newly established Sun Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mo Ochanine and the Associazione Concertistica Romana, we intend to take the Ha Noi public along a journey of timeless harmony made of Rossinis unique notes and words.

A key role in making this initiative possible has been played by the sponsors, modern art patrons that have greatly contributed to make this initiative possible: Piaggio, Leonardo, Ariston, Bedeschi, Ghella, Hung Yen, CAE, Mapei, Studio de Masi Taddei-Vasoli. As Rossini with his unique art, they keep on representing Italian gifts of creativity, leadership and farsighted vision .  VNS
HCM CITY  French photographer, journalist and publisher Nicolas Cornet yesterday released a photo book on pagodas in Viet Nam in HCM City.

The 250-page book Vietnam Pagodas in English and French includes hundreds of photos of 31 pagodas and temples taken over the last three years.

Cornet began his journey from northern to southern Viet Nam in 2014 to discover Viet Nams major pagodas, temples and places of worship.

He took more than 20,000 pictures, and visited nearly 100 pagodas and temples.

I decided to make the book to show the beautiful heritage of Viet Nams pagodas, and to allow the next generation to remember this heritage. I wanted my children, whose mother was Vietnamese, as well as my Vietnamese friendschildren, to be able to have memories about that, said Cornet.

Published by the Viet Nam News Agency Publishing House, the book consists of five chapters, featuring traditional pagoda architecture, artistic details, daily life of monks and people gathering for worship, and ceremonies.

The first and second chapters are about the beginning of Buddhism in Viet Nam and its old pagodas and temples in the North.

The third chapter centres on Hue and the central region. Hue is considered a Buddhism centre in Viet Nam, with many famous monks coming from the region.

The fourth chapter introduces pagodas and Chinese temples in HCM City, and the last chapter highlights Khmer pagodas in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.

A collection of 49 photos in the book are on display at the Vietnam: Pagoda Legacy of Faith exhibition from June 1 to June 10, which opened at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum yesterday.

Cornet has been dividing his time between Europe and Asia for over 30 years.

He has collaborated with major European newspaper and magazines such as LEspresso, Mare and Le Monde, and film crews and TV documentaries.

Cornet has published six photo books on Viet Nam and South East Asia and plans to release a new book on Vietnamese cuisine next year.

As an art director and curator, Cornet has organised several photo exhibitions and events in France, Germany, Switzerland, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, and conducted photo workshops and photojournalism courses.

Vietnam Pagodas is available at Nam Phong Book Shop, Tri Books, and Art Book in District 1. It will be released in Ha Noi later this month.

Cornet will hold a book signing at the museum at 97A Pho uc Chinh Street in District 1 on June 2,3, 9 and 10.  VNS
HA NOI  The National Assembly yesterday agreed to remove the master plan on the development of notarisation from a law being drafted to amend planning-related laws.

Those at the meeting also agreed to put the Government in charge of developing detailed regulations on the establishment and operation of notary offices, and assured the development of the notary offices complies with the Law on Planning and meets requirements of the State.

Vo Thi Nhu Hoa from a Nang said as a notary was a special occupation, it needed to be closely monitored by the Government and its agencies.

Notarisation used to be a public service, but now private companies are also able to notarise after being empowered by the State. Such characteristic requires notaries and notary offices to be strictly supervised, Hoa said.

There are high risks that could come from rising competition among notary offices and customers, she said, adding that some notarisation-related violations had occurred in the past because notaries worked with their customers to falsify legal documents, especially in real estate deals.

According to Hoa, the existing Law on Notarisation has some regulations on the establishment of notary offices, however, the quality of notary offices is not tightly bound to those regulations, especially when those policies, stated in the 2006 Law on Notarisation and the 2014 amended Law on Notarisation, have become out-of-date.

Thus, she asked for the improvement in the quality of notary offices so that notaries and their activities became more professional and less risky for both people and local businesses.

Notarisation is a form of business that can have negative impacts on the socio-economic development, according to deputy Truong Trong Nghia from HCM City.

It was reasonable to remove the master plan on the development of the activity but it did not mean localities (provinces and districts) can get neglectful of the development of notary offices in their local areas, he said.

The impacts that notarisation could make on the socio-economic development could only be seen in the following 20-30 years after the documents were notarised, he said.

In the case the notary office is dismissed and closed after a few active years and the owner of that office settles abroad, how can we take him back and charge him for what he has done illegally? Therefore, the State must also take responsibility for supervising notary offices even if they are set up in the remote areas.

He suggested the issues on notarisation should not be completely resolved and approved within the 14th National Assembly meeting as further adjustment were needed.

According to deputy ang The Vinh from the southern province of Hau Giang, four changes in the Law of Notarisation were enough and the draft law on amendment to the planning-related laws must be reviewed insightfully before taking effects so that businesses and people would not encounter overlapping policies.

The removal of the master plan on the development of the notarisation will enable individuals and private companies set up notary offices to meet the rising demand of the people and businesses, Vinh said.

Any violations committed by notary offices and notaries could be handled under the Law on Competition as notarisation was a condition-required service that had been included in the Law on Investment, he added.

Confusing items

Voter Ha Sy ong from the central province of Quang Tri raised concern about Article 37 in the Law on Urban Construction and Article 49 in the Law on Urban Planning that contained two types of adjustment for both overall and local areas but did not clarify the scale and the scope of the two types.

Of the two types, local adjustment was defined as a brief, simple adjustment that did not pose big impacts on the local area, however, the articles did not specify particular cases where the regulation should be applied, he said.

That can allow government agents and officials to abuse their power to make unreasonable, unsustainable changes to the urban planning policies such as increasing the density of buildings and turning production and commerce establishments into apartment buildings, thus overloading the infrastructure for certain areas, ong said.

He asked the National Assembly and the developers of the draft laws to stipulate in which cases the overall or local planning policies stated in the laws on urban construction and planning should be applied to keep government agencies away from group interest issues.

I recommend we remove the certification process and certificates regulated by the laws on urban construction and planning to make sure the action is unbiased, transparent and public in accordance to the Law on Planning, and people and local businesses may not encounter difficulties.

Regarding the Law on Construction, voter Ha Sy ong from the central province of Quang Tri suggested the draft law should exclude the planning and development plans for provinces, inter-province regions, districts and special zones to avoid planning overlaps and cause losses of resources.

He also suggested the laws on urban construction and planning only focused on specific planning and development details for the urban, rural and administrative areas like other sectors such as transportation infrastructure, airport and environment.

The National Assembly participants also discussed the draft laws on breeding, and mapping and measuring on Friday.  VNS
KHUZAA, Gaza Strip  Thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of medical workers in white uniforms, took part Saturday in the funeral procession of a colleague who was shot dead by Israeli troops the previous day along the Israel-Gaza border.

Relatives say 21-year-old Razan Najjar was a volunteer paramedic who had helped evacuate and treat the wounded during weeks of cross-border violence. She is just the second female fatality out of more than 115 killed since the deadly border protest campaign began in late March.

After the funeral, dozens of mourners headed to the fence and started throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers. The Palestinian Health Ministry said five protesters were wounded by Israeli fire.

In the West Bank, the Israeli military said its troops shot dead a Palestinian who tried to ram a tractor into its forces.

The military said its initial investigation revealed that a 35-year-old Palestinian from a village near Hebron tried to run over an officer with a Bobcat tractor. The attacker then turned around and tried to attack nearby Israeli civilians, the military said. It said a soldier opened fire, killing the assailant. No Israeli troops were harmed.

Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks. Over 260 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in that time. Israel says most were attackers. The attacks have petered off in recent months as the Palestinian focus has shifted toward mass protests at the Gaza border.

On Friday, the Palestinians protested for the 10th week in a row. The military said some hurled grenades and pipe bombs at troops behind the security fence. Some 40 Palestinians were wounded and Najjar was the only one killed.

The Khan Younis hospital said Najjar had a gunshot wound in the chest with an exit wound in the back.

The military said its troops operated in accordance with standard operating procedures and that it was investigating the incident. Israel insists that throughout the weeks-long campaign it has only opened fire at instigators and that Hamas has been cynically using the demonstrations as cover to carry out attacks.

But Palestinians and human rights groups have accused Israeli forces of using excessive force.

Fares Akram is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  Even by President Trumps mercurial standards, it was a quick shift.

A week after abruptly canceling his historic summit with Kim Jong Un, Trump announced it was back on  and in the process appeared to accede to a key North Korean demand.

Beyond the symbolism of Fridays Oval Office meeting between Trump and Kim Yong Chol  the most senior North Korean official to step inside the White House in 18 years  Trump signaled a subtle change in his administrations approach toward the goal of getting the pariah nation to give up its nuclear weapons.

U.S. officials have previously been calling for North Korea to abandon its nukes rapidly, with the expectation of getting benefits afterward in the form of security assurances, sanctions relief and the opportunity to boost its meager economy.

But as he spoke to reporters Friday, Trump repeatedly referred to the June 12 summit in Singapore  a first between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea  as the start of a process, and said it was likely that more than one meeting would be necessary to bring about his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

June 12th, well be in Singapore, Trump said after his lengthy goodbye with Kim Yong Chol, a former North Korean military intelligence chief. It will be a beginning. I dont say and Ive never said it happens in one meeting.

Trump gave no indication of what kind of timetable he might have in mind for getting North Korea to abandon a weapons program it views as a guarantee for the survival of its authoritarian regime. Still, his comments marked a sea change from the views expressed weeks earlier by his national security adviser, John Bolton, who was notably absent from Fridays meeting.

Bolton had pointed to the disarmament of Libya in 2003 and 2004 in exchange for sanctions relief as a model for a possible deal with North Korea. For the North, that was a deeply provocative comparison, because Libyan autocrat Moammar Khadafy was killed following U.S.-supported military action in his country about seven years after giving up his fledgling nuclear program.

Rather than surrender its program all at once as Gadhafi did, North Korea has repeatedly said it envisions a progressive and synchronous approach, where it gets benefits along the way.

Matthew Pennington is an Associated Press writer.
The foreign exchange market in India has been around for about 40 years now. The market started operating in 1978 after the government's decree. After its establishment, the forex market has seen significant growth over the years. The market is regulated by the central government and all aspects of the trade are defined by national laws. There are many things about this market that make it distinct from other markets in the world. To start with, its structure is slightly unique and defined by different market dynamics. In order to understand the forex market in India, you need to study its structure and what makes it different.

The structure of the forex market in India

Like other forex markets in the world, the forex in India consists of several stakeholders. The main stakeholders in this market are:

Traders

Banks /Authorized dealers

The Reserve Bank of India

The three actors mentioned above play different roles in the trade. Traders are generally all individuals in the public who are also corporate customers of the banks. These customers use the banks as authorized dealers to access the forex market. There are traders of different kinds but all of them are able to access the market only through dealers. This is much like elsewhere in the world where brokers are the intermediaries between the forex and ordinary traders.

The banks, on the other hand, are the legally authorized institutions to handle currency. In India, banks exist in different tiers and there are clear laws that determine which institution is categorized as a financial institution. From these legal institutions, all those who want to trade can create accounts, access the market and choose products that they would like to trade in. The trading landscape has changed a lot over the years especially since the 1990's when the Indian regulatory authorities liberalized this market.

Lastly, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the central financial institution which is responsible for the monetary policy in India. This institution has been instrumental in shaping the trading landscape in India. Before 1993, the Indian Rupee had a fixed value which was determined by the RBI. This meant that the currency only attracted a certain exchange rate even though the market dynamics were changing. In 1993, though, the RBI repealed the prevailing law at the time to allow for an exchange rate determined by the market itself. Since then, the Rupee's value has changed a lot in relation to different currencies.

The status of the forex market in India

In 2018, the forex market in India is quite vibrant. Even though it is not the market with the most daily volume, it is among the top ten markets in the world. As of 2017, the forex assets in India place it as the 8th best market in the world by forex reserves. The top asset in this market is the United States as represented by US institutional bonds and government bonds. The Indian forex reserves are also held in terms of gold. Indeed, India is the first nation in the world in terms of gold consumption.

Statistically, the Indian forex market has changed a lot. To start with, the daily turnover for the market is well over several billion dollars down from a couple of millions when it started. The Indian forex market has several forex players that facilitate the exchange of currency. The markets in these exchanges have several listed brokers and authorized institutions. There are several non-bank financial institutions that are legally authorized to facilitate trade in the Indian market. These institutions are regulated by the FEDAI and they use the USP for better rates of exchange. The market is open 24 hours every day and it is linked to the rest of the world markets.

Conclusion

In many ways, the structure of the Indian forex market is the same as other countries in the world. This market is however not as advanced as the major markets. There is a huge daily volume of transaction and the growth of the market has been steady. Since it is not as developed as the markets in the advanced economies though, the volumes of trade tend to be tilted towards particular assets. The diversity of the market is not as entrenched and the total value of the market is mostly big in terms of assets but not as big in terms of transaction rates.

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HCM CITY  The City Paediatrics Hospital in HCM Citys Binh Chanh District yesterday officially opened after four years of construction.

The hospital, which cost VN4.5 trillion (US$197 million) and was paid for with funds from the central governments budget, covers more than 12,000 square metres. It includes one basement and eight floors with more than 1,000 beds.

The hospital focuses on the most modern techniques in the paediatrics field in Viet Nam.

It is equipped with an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine, which is similar to a heart-lung bypass machine used in open-heart surgery; a hybrid operating room for cardiac surgery; and other modern equipment.

For the paediatrics oncology unit, the hospital has set up the first nuclear medicine unit for children in the southern region.

Nguyen Thi Thu, vice chairwoman of the citys Peoples Committee, said that besides the citys pediatrics hospitals 1 and 2, the City Pediatrics Hospital provides healthcare services and rescue services for children not only in the city but also in provinces and cities in the southern region.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the hospital would become one of the most modern specialised hospitals in Viet Nam.

Since January last year, the hospital has opened several facilities and admitted 1,200 to 1,300 children daily for health examinations and treatment. It sees between 350 to 400 inpatients each day.

The new hospital is expected to reduce overcrowding at the citys paediatrics hospitals 1 and 2. VNS
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- They dated for nearly three years before deciding to get hitched. And nearly three quarters of a century later, they're more in love now than they've ever been.

Meet Vincenza and Albert Buttafuoco, the Dongan Hills couple who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary Friday by renewing their vows at a mass celebrated by Rev. Ed Devina in chapel at Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center & Home.

The couple chose Sea View since they're members of their Day Care Center and thought it would serve as the perfect backdrop.

The ceremony was followed by a reception in Colony Hall on the campus of Sea View, where Linda Duane, who doubles as the adult day care director and party planner extraordinaire, saw to it that no stone was left unturned.

Vincenza was escorted to the altar by her great-grandson, Charles Petruzzi.

In addressing the couple during the mass Rev. Devina said:

"May God continue to bless you. You've shown us that it's possible for a husband and wife to become one without losing your individuality. You've shown us there's no selfishness in a marriage. And thank you for giving us hope and inspiration and that a good marriage is still possible."

Mood music from the golden era of swing -- a la saxophonist Tony Michaels -- reverberated in the background, as fine food filled the bill of fare and a multi-tiered wedding cake, created by chef Kioshi Ferninando of Sea View, was showcased to plenty of oohs and ahhs.

Best man Domenic Coscia spoke poignant words as guests raised their glasses to toast the couple:

"We're here to celebrate Vincenza and Albert's 70th wedding anniversary. Many of us can't brag about that. Think about all their trials and tribulations and let's celebrate what a wonderful example they are for us. Albert and I met at the Sea View center and we became good friends."

Said daughter, Donna Caputo,

"On behalf of myself and my family, I'd like to say congratulations to my parents on their 70 years of marriage. Per c'ent anni," which translates from Italian into another hundred years.

"My parents set the bar so high," said daughter Linda DeMizio. "We are so happy to be at this celebration. We weren't at their wedding. But we're here now."

And granddaughter, Stephanie Badalamenti stated:

"Nanny and poppy are a true example of love, respect and patience in a world where that almost doesn't exist anymore. We are very lucky to have them."

HOW THEY MET

The couple met in Brooklyn at the home of mutual friends.

"We met at a party," Vincenza gushed, before adding:

"I had my eyes on him. I went up to him first. He was sitting with the guys and I walked over to him with a cigarette in my hand and asked him for a light. He walked me to the trolley car that night and asked for my phone number. The marriage isn't long enough. He's a good husband I really got the prize."

Albert chimed in in referring to the night they met:

"I still remember her number. It was Nightingale 5 - 2846. And I feel great. Some of the memories are a little melancholy at times, but we have very happy memories as well. And though we can't travel as much as we used to, we have fun with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And Sea View is a blessing to us. Linda Duane runs the show here at the Day Care Center. And she's terrific."

A LITTLE ABOUT THE BUTTAFUOCOS

The couple were married in Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church, Brooklyn, on June 5, 1948. A reception followed in the Imperial Mansion.

Vincenza, 89 and Albert 91, are also grandparents of eight and great-grandparents to six.

The former Vincenza (Vinnie) Citrano, was born in Brooklyn and attended Central Needle Trades High School in Manhattan. Prior to her marriage she worked in the photography industry, retouching photographs by hand, before the task was accomplished digitally.

A homemaker, she revels in her role as wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The family moved to Ocean Breeze in 1985 and their present home in 1996.

Through the years Vincenza enjoyed creating Victorian crafts, retouching family photos and sponsoring needy children through the Christian Children's Fund.

She also became interested in her granddaughter's dance studies. And because of her enthusiasm, the school gave her the title "Nanny." At the school's 10th dance recital Vincenza was honored as the school's number one fan.

The Buttafuoco's have traveled to many distant destinations including Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Germany and Canada.

Albert was born in Brooklyn and graduated from the School of Industrial Arts. He enlisted in the US Navy and served as a seaman first class aboard the USS Fort Manden during World War II.

Upon his return, he began his career working as a photographer while attending the Germain School of Photography in Manhattan. He eventually opened J & B Color Labs in Brooklyn, and continued as a freelance photographer. He retired in 1985, but still enjoys capturing photos of all sorts.



Ten years ago in celebration of their 60th wedding anniversary, the Buttafuoco's gathered for a party with family and friends, in LaBotte Restaurant, Grant City. Hosted by their children, guests came from as far away as London, England, and included Angie DiFranco, the maid of honor on their wedding day.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A health-care executive from Staten Island is on the hook for nearly $1.4 million for his role in a ring that authorities said ripped off $33 million from the Medicaid and Medicare systems through kickbacks and fraudulent medical clinics in Brooklyn.

Asher Oleg Kataev, 49, was sentenced on Thursday in Manhattan federal court to three years in prison and three years of supervised release and must pay back $1.38 million in forfeitures and reimbursement, said authorities.

Kataev, 49, was one of six defendants - including three doctors - charged in January 2017 in the scheme, which ran for several years, said authorities.

Public records indicate Kataev lives in Sunnyside.

A key figure was Aleksandr Burman, who was sentenced in June of last year in Manhattan federal court to 10 years in prison, fined $175,000 and ordered to pay more than $18 million in restitution.

Burman, who has no medical license, established eight medical clinics in Brooklyn, which operated between 2007 and 2013, said officials.

State law requires a medical professional to own such an establishment.

Burman skirted that requirement by hiring three doctors to pose as the owner of one or more of the clinics, authorities said. The doctors would periodically go to the clinics and sign medical charts, falsely stating they had examined patients, officials said.

Burman paid the physicians to write prescriptions for medically unnecessary supplies, such as adult diaper sets. The supplies were then ordered from a company jointly owned by Marina Burman and Aleksandr Burman.

The doctors also provided medical referrals for medically unnecessary prescriptions, diagnostic tests and transportation services for patients, officials said.

The referrals were to specific medical testing companies, which, in turn, provided kickbacks to Aleksandr Burman, said authorities.

In 2012, Kataev and a co-defendant, his sister Alla Tsirlin, of Brooklyn, became Burman's business partners.

They managed two of the clinics, while paying for Dr. Paul J. Mathieu, of Morristown, N.J., and Dr. Ewald J. Antoine, of Valley Stream, L.I., to pose as the owners, authorities said.

Kataev and Tsirlin also doled out kickbacks directly to patients, said officials.

In November of last year, Kataev pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to health-care fraud and to conspiracy to commit health-care fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud.

In a sentencing memorandum, Kataev's lawyers asked for a non-jail sentence of supervised release.

The defendant, they said, was remorseful, and his "shame and pain run deep."

Kataev was only involved with the clinics for four months in 2012, after which he "disassociated" himself from "Burman and his criminal activities," they wrote.

Kataev is the principal bread winner for his family, which includes a daughter whose extensive medical needs require significant parental support, said the lawyers.

Prosecutors sought a prison sentence within the recommended guideline range of 51 to 63 months.

Contrary to the defense's contention, Kataev was "an active participant in establishing two corrupt clinics as a part owner," prosecutors maintained in a sentencing memorandum.

The defendant also managed the clinics with Tsirlin and "participated directly and repeatedly in paying cash kickbacks to patients," wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raymond Lewis.

Kataev "profit(ed) handsomely" from his actions, prosecutors said.
WASHINGTON -- The U.S.-North Korea summit is back on, President Donald Trump announced Friday, ending weeks of uncertainty about a historic meeting with Kim Jong Un, to discuss ending the North Korean leader's nuclear program.

Trump made the announcement, just a week after he had said he was canceling the Singapore summit, following a more than hour-long meeting with a top North Korean official who delivered a letter from the North Korean leader. The official, Kim Yong Chol, posed for photos with Trump outside the Oval Office, and they talked amiably at Kim's car before he was driven away.

"We're going to deal," Trump told reporters after Kim left. He also said it was likely that more than one meeting would be necessary to bring about his goal of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula but "I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end. We will see what we will see."

In the latest sign of hostility cooling down but hopes kept in check, Trump said he's unilaterally put a hold on new sanctions against the North "until the talks break down."

"I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore," Trump added, referencing his preferred term for the punishing U.S. economic sanctions against North Korea.

Trump told reporters he hadn't yet read the letter from Kim and added with a smile, "I may be in for a big surprise, folks." But minutes earlier he had described the note as "a very interesting letter," and teased journalists about revealing its contents.

Plans for the high-stakes sit-down in Singapore had been cast into doubt. Trump suddenly withdrew from the meeting last week, only to announce a day later that it could still get back on track. White House officials cast the roller-coaster public statements as reflective of the hard-nosed negotiation by the two nations.

Three teams of officials in the U.S., Singapore, and the Korean demilitarized zone have been meeting this week on preparations for the summit.

After North Korean officials delivered a series of bellicose statements last month, Trump announced he was withdrawing from the summit with a strongly worded letter. He cited "tremendous anger and open hostility" by Pyongyang but also urged Kim Jong Un to call him. By the next day, he was signaling the event could be back on after a conciliatory response from North Korea.

Trump has refused to publicly acknowledge whether he's spoken directly with Kim Jong Un ahead of the talks.

Kim Yong Chol was greeted at the White House by chief of staff John Kelly and then whisked into the Oval Office. He is the most senior North Korean to visit in 18 years, a symbolic sign of easing tensions after fears of war escalated amid North Korean nuclear and missile tests last year.

Questions remain about what a deal on the North's nuclear weapons would look like, though Trump said Friday he believed Kim Jong Un would agree to denuclearization. Despite Kim's apparent eagerness for a summit with Trump, there are lingering doubts about whether he will fully relinquish his nuclear weapons, which he may see as his only guarantee of survival.

U.S. defense and intelligence officials have repeatedly assessed the North to be on the threshold of having the capability to strike anywhere in the continental U.S. with a nuclear-tipped missile -- a capacity that Trump and other U.S. officials have said they would not tolerate.

Kim Yong Chol left his hotel in New York City early Friday for the trip to Washington in a convoy of SUVs. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the former CIA chief who has traveled to North Korea and met with Kim Jong Un twice in the past two months, said he believed the country's leaders are "contemplating a path forward where they can make a strategic shift, one that their country has not been prepared to make before."

Yet he also said a news conference that difficult work remains including hurdles that may appear to be insurmountable as negotiations progress on the U.S. demand for North Korea's complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.

"We will push forward to test the proposition that we can achieve that outcome," he said.

Despite the upbeat messaging in the United States, Kim Jong Un, in a meeting with Russia's foreign minister on Thursday, complained about the U.S. trying to spread its influence in the region, a comment that may complicate the summit. "As we move to adjust to the political situation in the face of U.S. hegemonism, I am willing to exchange detailed and in-depth opinions with your leadership and hope to do so moving forward," Kim told Sergey Lavrov.

North Korea's flurry of diplomatic activity following an increase in nuclear weapons and missile tests in 2017 suggests that Kim is eager for sanctions relief to build his economy and for the international legitimacy a summit with Trump would provide.

Trump views a summit as a legacy-defining opportunity to make a nuclear deal.

Kim Yong Chol is the most senior North Korean visitor to the United States since Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok visited Washington in 2000 to meet President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. That was the last time the two sides, which are technically at war, attempted to arrange a leadership summit. It was an effort that ultimately failed as Clinton's time in office ran out, and relations turned sour again after George W. Bush took office in early 2001 with a tough policy on the North.

Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's central committee, was allowed into the United States despite being on a U.S. sanctions list. He was granted special permission to travel outside the New York area in order to meet with the president.
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Frigate Surcouf, whose crew is commanded by Commander Christine Ribbe, docks at Sai Gon Port in HCM City.  Photo Thu Hang

HCM CITY  The Jeanne dArc task force from France, with more than a 700-member crew, began a five-day visit yesterday to HCM City.

The Jeanne dArc is a long-term operational deployment of an amphibious battle group allowing young officer cadets to get on-the-job training.

Commander Christine Ribbe shakes hands with a Vietnamese Navy cadet at a ceremony held yesterday in HCM City.  Photo Thu Hang

The visit is part of the activities to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations and five years of the strategic partnership between Viet Nam and France.

The crew is scheduled to participate in a range of cultural and experience exchanges with the Vietnamese Navy, and visit famous tourist destinations in the city.

An officer cadet works on the landing helicopter dock (LHD) Dixmude of the Jeanne dArc task force from France.  Photo Thu Hang

The task force is built around a landing helicopter dock (LHD) Dixmude, whose commanding officer is Captain Jean Porcher, and the frigate Surcouf, whose crew is commanded by Commander Christine Ribbe.

The mission, which started on February 26, from Toulon, France, emphasises international cooperation and practical training courses for 131 officer cadets. VNS
Posted Friday, June 1, 2018 10:30 pm

Bolivars own Lt. Gov. Mike Parson spent the past few days preparing to take the reins this week as Missouris 57th governor  the first Polk Countian to ascend to the states highest office.

Following Gov. Eric Greitens resignation announcement Tuesday evening, Parson will step into his new role at 5:30 p.m. Friday during a private swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol. Details regarding a public reception at a later date are expected soon.

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Parson said with Governor Greitens decision to resign from office, he has put the best interests of our state and all Missourians at the forefront where they belong.

This is a decision that will allow our state to heal and move forward from what has been a difficult time, Parson said. This is an enormous responsibility serving as our states next governor, and I am ready to fulfill the duties of the office with honor and integrity, and with a steadfast commitment to making our great state even greater for the people we are entrusted to serve.

Parsons office said Wednesday the 62-year-old U.S. Army veteran and Hickory County native has been busy with a non-stop series of meetings and phone calls in preparation of the transition.

We are taking every step and working around the clock to ensure Missouri state government does not miss a beat throughout this transition, Parson said in the release. My commitment to all Missourians is to listen to them and work together to advance the interests of our great state.

On Wednesday, the lieutenant governor met with House Speaker Todd Richardson, Senate President Pro Tem Sen. Ron Richard and legislators from both parties, the release said.

In addition, Parson reached out to all cabinet members and is planning to hold a meeting with the cabinet early next week, the release said.

Polk Countys first governor

Parson, a third-generation farmer who, along with wife Teresa, owns a cow and calf operation, will be the first Missouri governor to call Polk County home  although former governor Matt Blunt has Polk County ties through his father, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, who went to high school here and then Southwest Baptist University. The elder Blunt later returned to Bolivar as SBUs president.

Parsons first stint in public office was as Polk Countys sheriff, a role he filled from 1993 to 2005. He subsequently served as state representative for the 128th district from 2005 to 2011 and as state senator for the 28th district from 2011-2017.

In April 2015 at Bolivar High School, he announced a bid for the Missouri governorship. Three months later, Parson shifted his campaign to the lieutenant governor race.

Parson won 110 out of the states 114 counties during his 2016 successful bid for the lieutenant governorship, becoming the first statewide official to be elected out of Polk County since 1928, when Charles U. Becker won his third term as secretary of state.

Area leaders, residents react

Local politicians reacted Wednesday and Thursday to the news Parson will be governor.

Today is a great day for all citizens of Polk County, 128th district state Rep. Mike Stephens, R-Bolivar, said. More importantly, Missouri is getting the finest example of a true civil servant in Mike Parson. Ever since he served as sheriff, it has been clear to all, Parson represents the true meaning of being from Polk County.

He also offered up a message for Parson.

Gov. Parson, you have made Polk County proud, and now you will continue to make Missouri proud, Stephens said.

Rich Horton, the Democratic contender for Stephens seat in November, said Parson will be a breath of fresh air in the governors office.

He said he foresees Parson will help usher in bipartisan cooperation in the state.

Gov. Parson and I are not of the same political party and disagree on many policy issues, Horton said. What I think we can agree on is that we both want what is best for the State of Missouri. As long as we can work together to find bipartisan solutions to the issues in this state, our state will be better with Gov. Parson instead of Eric Greitens.

Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, said Parson is a great friend.

I think there is no better person to lead the state at this time, she said. His background as a farmer, small business owner, former sheriff, U.S. Army veteran, state representative and lieutenant governor gives him a perfect background to move Missouri forward.

Joseph Poor, the Democrat who will oppose Crawford in the November election, said via social media Parson is by all accounts a levelheaded guy.

Referencing right-to-work legislation, Poor said his levelheadedness may make Parson much more effective in implementing the GOPs anti-worker agenda.

Its well and good that Missourians are nearly rid of Eric Greitens, Poor said, but make no mistake, unless we do some personnel shifting in the Capitol in November, itll be more of the same, but less headline grabbing.

In a statement Tuesday night, former Bolivar resident and previous Southwest Baptist University president Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt also offered up support for Parson.

I look forward to Gov. Parsons leadership and will do everything I can to be helpful, Blunt said.

Area residents also chimed in with support of the soon-to-be governor via BH-FPs Facebook Wednesday and Thursday.

Paula Shepard, Roy Blunt YMCA of Bolivar director, said Parsons personality bodes well for the state.

Parson is even-tempered and well liked by everyone who has encountered him both personally and professionally, she said, adding rural Missourians will be especially well represented.

Barbara Mitchell McCarty, Springfield, said she expects Parson will do well.

He appears to have common sense and to truly care about Missouri, she said.

Ronald Kemp the younger of Bolivar said Parson is the best choice Missouri could have, adding that he hopes Parson will be reelected for two terms.

Bolivar resident Julie Sexton had a short but exuberant response to the news.

Completely awesome! she said.
Many people sneered when he opened his first co-working space on Trang Thi Street in Ha Noi. Few believed the concept, new and odd at that time, could succeed.

Years have passed, and Duong os ambition has come true, and his Toong co-working space has become a smashing success, even spawning copycats.

Le Thu Ngan speaks to Duong.

Inner Sanctum: You used to be the managing director of a reputed foreign company. Why did you quit a job that is even now the dream of many young people to start Toong? How did the idea of opening a co-working office first come to you?

Repetition will not add more new value to society. So, since the start of my professional career, I have always chosen unconventional routes. I joined Galaxy Studio when the cinema industry in Viet Nam was at a nascent stage. Then I joined Richard Moore Associates when branding was still a foreign concept in Viet Nam. The challenge of educating the market on new products and services, and then seeing many people benefit from new values is very rewarding for me.

At some point I wanted to take that to a whole new level by starting my own company. When the time was right, Toong was created in 2015. As managing director earlier I had paid special attention to creating interactive communities and environments where people feel inspired, connected with other like-minded members and work hard on their passion. I myself feel most productive when working in such an environment. With Toong, I wanted to create that very exact environment for people like me out there in the market. The rest is history. It turns out the demand for it is very high.

Inner Sanctum: You once said few people believed the new model would succeed since it was a new concept in Viet Nam at that time. What were your biggest difficulties in the early days?

Toong is a unique work environment. In fact, it was unique to the point that most people in Viet Nam had not seen anything like that before. Thus there were many doubts and many people (investors, journalists, entrepreneurs, and companies) were sceptical about whether Toong will work.

The biggest difficulty in the early days for us was to educate a sceptical market about a completely new demand that had not existed before with a very small team and limited financial resources.

In fact, we are still doing it now as Toongs products keep evolving and our network keeps expanding to four cities and three countries.

Inner Sanctum: What does Toong mean? Are you happy with where it is now?

The name Toong, inspired from the word to ong or beehive in Vietnamese, embodies the vision of our company, which is to create a human-centred platform that cultivates character and fosters self-transformation of each and every individual. These people will then set forth to create new things and values, helping us propagate positive changes in society.

In that mission, we are only at the beginning of a long journey of making peoples lives better. And there are still a great many things to do.

However, I am happy to see that Toong is heading in the direction we originally set out, inspiring people to switch from traditional offices to work in co-working spaces and some even opening their own co-working spaces. Toong is shaping a new culture where everyone is more open-minded, flexible and focused on creating new values than just new things.

Inner Sanctum: Toong is the most successful co-working space in the country. What are the factors behind its success?

Success is a very subjective word. I will say that for us success means seeing more people in Viet Nam switching from traditional offices to co-working spaces. Our success so far is backed up by the three following factors:

First is sustainable, meaningful innovation creating value that puts customers at the centre.

Next is detailed execution with speedy results from a combination of both anticipating market needs and swift action to create benchmark products that meet the needs and lead trends.

Last but not least is the capability to educate the market about new ideas, products and services. We leverage our collective experience of understanding the multi-faceted nature of marketing and branding strategy to continuously launch new products and educate the market on new values.

Inner Sanctum: Toong plans to expand outside Viet Nam. Can you tell us about it? Have you lined up an investor who will help implement the plan?

By the end of this year, Toong will cover the entire Indochina region with eight locations and more than 13,000sq.m in our network. We also signed a partnership in March with Indochina Vanguard to open co-working spaces in new Wink Hotels, which will launch 20 hotels over the next 10 years in the region. With this collaboration, Toong will replace the traditional business centre/lounge in hotels with co-working spaces for a new generation of entrepreneurs and business travellers.

We have finalised the design and will launch our first location in Laos in Q2, 2018. It will be the first professional co-working space, educating the Laos market on a new working culture.

We have also signed a deal with the landlord and will launch our first location in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in Q3, 2018.

Both Laos and Cambodia are great markets with lots of potential, and we believe that our products can bring value to companies and entrepreneurs in those countries.

At the same time, to fulfill our mission, we are working with our strategic investors who share the same values to take Toong to other markets in Southeast Asia.

Inner Sanctum: Foreign co-working operators are bound to come to Viet Nam. Have you gazed into the crystal ball? How do you plan to take them on?

I see the market is big enough for multiple players to serve customers better. Co-working space operators should focus on offering better services and educating the market than competing with each other.

Toongs product offerings allow customers to grow professionally and personally while providing them a cost-effective and high-quality working environment. Our human-centric and experience-oriented nature allows us to take on the fierce competition based on our low prices.

Inner Sanctum: As a successful start-up entrepreneur, please tell young people how to raise capital from investors. How do you think start-up ideas should be nurtured in Viet Nam?

I wont say I am successful, but I very much enjoy my entrepreneurial journey. From my experiences I would say the effective way to raise capital is not by fancy talking and running after investors. Instead, focus on yourself, create new values, always have clear vision. And most of all, be humble.

I believe people, especially entrepreneurs, should focus on creating new values to make society better. And to create new values and meaningful innovations, you have to have empathy with other people and be able to imagine a picture of how you want life should be, then work hard on execution to make that picture a reality.-- VNS
Jamie's Italian Parramatta has become the second victim of the restaurant group's collapse, unexpectedly shutting its doors on Monday after its new management failed to reach a rental agreement with the site's landlord.

Jamie Oliver only relaunched his chain of Australian restaurants in November last year. Credit:Katherine Griffiths

The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group (Australia) Pty Ltd collapsed in April, less than a year after the celebrity chef made an appearance down under to relaunch the six restaurants operating under his name  and not long after it had been revealed his UK operation was floundering in debt.

The Canberra restaurant closed immediately.

As the company was placed into voluntary administration, its other five restaurants  in Sydney CBD, Parramatta, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide  received a lifeline from the Brisbane-based Hallmark Group.
The year was 1916 and, as the Great War raged around Paris, a 20-something Catalan painter sat for his portrait in the Montparnasse studio of a young man from Italy.

The Italian, one Amedeo Modigliani, would go on to become a great master. But that would be a title earned posthumously.

Raye Collins with the painting she brought back to life  Amedeo Modiglianis Portrait of the painter Manuel Humbert. Credit:Photo by Eugene Hyland / NGV

Because though he was not much older than 30 when he painted that portrait of his good friend Manuel Humbert, Modigliani had less than four years left in a life notorious for the abuse of drugs and alcohol and synonymous with lust, poverty, sickness and self-destruction.

The century which followed would be less rollicking for the Humbert portrait itself, but the years werent kind to the painting either.
My mom, Chen Mei-Yun, felt Taiwan wasn't suitable for her sons. Kevin had started high school and was struggling with the pressure  the education system there is really full-on. I guess she could see I was never going to survive as I was creative and not academic. My dad, Wu Kun-Min, worked in agriculture and it wasn't so easy for him to move his business. He remained home and we relocated  he would come to see us.

I really missed her once we left Taiwan and migrated to Vancouver, Canada, with my mom and brother, Kevin. I was nine. I would go back and see my grandmother during the school holidays, but it wasn't quite the same. She died last year.

As a child, I remember my maternal grandmother [Chen Wen-Yin] making me Barbie doll costumes to keep me amused. I loved playing with dolls and wasn't a typical grandson. She was an amazing seamstress who taught me to sew and the one who inspired me to design.

I'm quite similar to my mom and still very close to her. She was a restaurateur. While she never worked in the fashion industry, she is a creative person with an eye for style and wore Yves Saint Laurent. She would take me shopping and I loved watching her get ready in the morning. I was not the typical boy who wanted to play with Transformers and she was the first to recognise that.

Seeing Mom learn to drive in the Canadian snow was something else as it never snows in Taiwan. Being away from her culture and family and finding herself in different circumstances was really hard on her, but she never gave up adapting.

I had a teacher, Muriel Kaufmann, who would come to our house three times a week to teach English. She became my mom's confidante and somebody I looked up to. Muriel taught me so much more than just language; she made me read books. Then she gave me fashion magazines and we started reading the articles in old issues of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She could see that fashion was something I was interested in and applied it to my learning.

I never had a girlfriend as a teenager, but I did date boys. I don't have memories of a first kiss  that's so long ago! But I always found it easy to be around girls.

My mom has never missed a fashion show of mine. She's kept me grounded. In my 20s, she'd always remind me to calm down, remain humble and never stop being a student. That's the best advice  because when you're young you aren't so busy behaving that way. She also made sure I never let the hype go to my head.
The ACT government does not know how many Canberra prisoners have disability despite the auditor-general three years ago recommending Corrective Services collect the data.

What data the government has - captured in a 2016 census of one-quarter of the prison population - found 28 per cent of detainees had an intellectual disability, a figure almost 10 times higher than that in the general population.

The Alexander Maconochie Centre. Credit:Jay Cronan

Further, the territory's two-year-old commitment to a disability justice strategy has so far resulted in just $302,000 in the last budget linked only to "initial consultation with key stakeholders" and the sponsorship of "a presentation by an expert" last month.

"The ACT government remains committed to recognising and responding to the disadvantage faced by people with disability when dealing with the justice system," a government spokesman said.
"There should be research and evidence and resourcing given to what needs to be done to support students." Australia benefits hugely from international education. The sector last year poured $28 billion into the economy and remains the nation's third largest export. Increasingly, universities are reliant on students from overseas, with the cohort providing more funding to the sector than their domestic counterparts. The latest data has the number of international students in Australia at more than 530,000, about one-third of them Chinese. International students face particular stresses. Credit:Andrew Plant Mental illness is most prevalent among Australians aged 18 to 24. And one study from the University of Technology Sydney published in the Australian Journal of Psychology in 2015 noted Chinese students experienced significantly higher levels of anxiety and stress than their Australian counterparts. Monash University sociologist Helen Forbes-Mewett has extensively researched the experiences of international students in Australia. The move could be more challenging than expected, she noted.

"Theres always risks when you take on such a big endeavour," she said. "When you throw mental health issues into the mix, those risks escalate." One of her studies found some parents actually send their mentally unwell children overseas in the hope the health system in their host country was superior to that of home. "The parents may think they will get better while they are away from home and they will succeed and come back and everything will be alright, but of course being away compounds the issues," Professor Forbes-Mewett said. "On top of that, the students are [then] often under enormous pressure to succeed.

"When it comes to exam times or getting near the end of their degree or something, this is often when it can all fall apart for students if theyve been trying to hold it together for a long time and not seek supports that are there." The federal government this year clarified the Higher Education Standards Framework - guidelines universities must meet to maintain their registration. The standards dictate there must be avenues and contacts for support for students and that the services offered reflect the needs of different cohorts. A spokesman for the body charged with monitoring the standards, the Tertiary Quality and Standards Agency, warned "many" universities would be required to submit their applications for registration renewal in the next financial year. "During this process, universities will be required to submit evidence relating to standards in the Higher Education Standards Framework to TEQSA, including standards on student wellbeing and safety," he said. " ... where there is any doubt about whether particular support services are available, such as support services for mental health and wellbeing, we will move to ensure that these are made available."

Locally, the most recent ANU Dean of Students' report showed international students disproportionately presented with severe problems related to academic progress. Male international students were, however, strongly underrepresented in presentations for mental health issues. The report noted that some international students were studying courses chosen by their parents, rather than interest, and may face financial pressures. An ANU spokesman urged caution on the university's own data, noting up to 28 per cent of international students sought support from the university - a figure proportionate to the institution's enrolments. He added the ANU had implemented a range of measures aimed at reaching international students. "It is reasonable that students who do seek support for academic progress will also be suffering some levels of anxiety, and students suffering mental illness will also experience difficulty with academic progress," the spokesman said. "However, most international students with poor academic progress issues do not present with mental illness."

A University of Canberra spokeswoman said international students were "less than a quarter" of presentations to the services provided by the institutions Medical and Counselling Centre. The cohort makes up 18 per cent of total enrolments. Education Minister Simon Birmingham. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham this week told the Sunday Canberra Times his department and the Council for International Education would "[support] a number of initiatives to focus on improving mental health and appropriate data collection". Data was "king and queen" in identifying and responding to issues, Orygen senior policy analyst Vivenne Brown agreed. A key finding from the youth mental health organisation's 2017 report into university students' mental health was that it was difficult to paint a picture of how widespread the issues were because of the lack of comparable data. "You could understand it uni by uni or counselling service by counselling service, but thats only the students who are presenting to the service and not necessarily indicative of the extent of mental health issues on the campus," Ms Brown said.

Many students, researchers and academics the Sunday Canberra Times interviewed noted the reluctance of many international students in seeking help. Some students incorrectly feared deportation should their mental health deteriorate because of the health requirements attached to student visas. Others were unaware of their coverage under private health insurance, or worried personal information would be fed to their institutions or families. Indeed, international students were likely to leave help-seeking until they're "really, really unwell", according to Ms Brown. She added international students may come from a culture where mental illness is stigmatised or not even recognised, making seeking help near impossible. In China symptoms of mental illness such as headaches, insomnia or gastrointestinal issues may be interpreted as physiological, rather than psychological, according to the University of Technology Sydney. ANU Postgraduate and Research Students Association international student officer Harish Chakravarthy, originally from India, said some of his countrymen were unsure how to respond to homesickness, isolation, stress related to their studies or issues in finding a home.

I think [mental illness is] quite common but nobody really opens up," he said. "Its a barrier for international students to come to a different country and seek help from someone and let out what they feel. Seeking these services is a big barrier because its culturally different." Professor Forbes-Mewett, from Monash University, said it was impossible to lay responsibility with any one agency, department or university, arguing the mental health of international students was "everyone's problem". She added it was difficult to know what to provide if students had never experienced mental health support. ANU Postgraduate and Research Students Association president Alyssa Shaw has called on universities to gather more data. Credit:Fairfax Media Regardless, everyone agreed more could be done. Churchill Fellow and Melbourne-based psychiatry registrar Benjamin Veness's report The Wicked Problem of University Student Mental Health recommended universities run health screening programs matched with appropriate services to respond. This should include outreach initiatives targeted at cohorts including international students, he said.

The University of Technology Sydney report on Chinese students' mental health called on universities to provide culturally specific support services and reinforce them "constantly". Further, Thinktank China Matters has called on the federal government to provide universities with financial incentives to lessen the isolation of international students, and state and federal governments to celebrate a "National International Student Weekend" to encourage Australian families to welcome international students into their homes. Mr Kang, this week studying hard for exams at ANU, said he wasn't sure of the solution. "The difficulty faced by international students shouldn't include a search for blame, but it's just a shame that it's also exacerbated by the stereotype created of international students - that we aren't social and we aren't keen on being engaged with any local Australians," he said. "Coming to this country has been an unintended stage of my life, but I am very grateful for the experience."
The ACT Opposition has called on the Health Minister to guarantee practices ordered in 2013 directing Calvary Hospital staff to "manipulate" some elective surgery waiting lists are no longer taking place.

Canberra Liberals health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne has urged the government to set the record straight as to whether patients newer to elective surgery waiting lists were still being treated before those who had waited the longest.

Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne has called for the 2013 directive from ACT Health to be formally revoked. Credit:Jamila Toderas

A spokeswoman for Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris said instructions from a 2013 ACT Health directive no longer stood but did not comment on whether the method was still employed.

The comments from the opposition come after The Sunday Canberra Times revealed Calvary executive staff expressed concern with the directive, calling it "unethical" and likely to put patients at risk, according to leaked confidential emails.
Kathryn Allen remembers the first time she fell in love. His name was Kevin.

A volunteer wildlife carer brought the tiny fruit bat into Ms Allen's practice, Parkway Veterinary Centre in Kambah, desperate for antibiotics. Having already had her rabies shot she became Kevin's full-time carer and nursed him back to good health.

Wildlife carers Tabitha Plovits, Lindy Butcher, Kathryn Allen, and Erika Guenther. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

Oh my god, I loved that bat," she said.

Walking away from that little bat, when I had to put him in with all of the adults, and he was upside down staring at me - " she said, imitating her beloved fruit bat's sad eyes and then her own sobbing as she waved goodbye.
A virtual petition established a year ago to have the Aboriginal flag fly permanently atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge has entered the real world.

The founder of the popular Change.org campaign, Cheree Toka, led a small protest group on Saturday as the activists marched across the Harbour Bridge calling for the Aboriginal flag to be flown above the iconic landmark 365-days a year.

Toka, a 27-year-old Kamilaroi woman, originally established her online petition calling for NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her colleagues to make the change. It has so far attracted more than 86,000 signatures.

"We want Gladys to recognise Aboriginal voices. She keeps dismissing the issue," Toka said.
In a non-descript health clinic in Sydneys south-east, Stacey Foster-Rampant nuzzles her newborn as they wait for his first health check. She holds little Tyler with a sense of strength and confidence that she has never felt before.

As an Aboriginal woman she has defied the shocking statistics - Indigenous women are dying from pregnancy and childbirth complications at nearly triple the rate, and Indigenous babies are dying at twice the rate, of their non-Indigenous counterparts.

Stacey Foster-Rampant with her baby boy, Tyler. She received support from the Malabar Midwives service. Credit:Louise Kennerley

"Because of the history, there's a lot of distrust in regular health services. So if they don't feel comfortable with them, they won't use them," Ms Foster-Rampant, 31, of La Perouse, says.

"For my two pregnancies I was supported by familiar faces, [Indigenous] midwives. They were unreal. They called me, checked in and did home visits - just building a bond so I felt safe with them."
A unique opportunity will be available at this years RAF Cosford Air Show on June 18th. Eight of the RAF Museums historic aircraft will be on static display outside for visitors to see in the open air. While it is not unprecedented for museum aircraft to make brief outdoors appearances, it doesnt happen very often, and never before for this particular group of airframes.

Representing WWI in the lineup will be a WWI era Bristol M1C monoplane fighter and Sopwith 1  Strutter.

For WWII, the worlds sole surviving Boulton Paul Defiant turret fighter and an ultra-rare Gloster Gladiator will feature. However, an extraordinary addition to the lineup will include the WWII prototype for Britains first jet fighter!

As RAF Museum Cosfords Public Relations Executive, Michelle Morgans stated, We are delighted to be able to support the show again this year and celebrate the RAF centenary in such a spectacular way. In addition to the aircraft being moved out of our hangars for display on the airfield, we will also be bringing the Gloster Meteor F9/40 out of storage exclusively for the show, which we hope will prove popular with visitors.

There is no doubt this will be a major hit for many visitors!

Post WWII transports will be represented by the de Havilland Devon C2, Percival Pembroke C1, the Scottish Aviation Jetstream T1 pilot trainer. While not as exciting to the average enthusiast, these last three are seminal British designs, and increasingly rare these days, and the museum aircraft have not been outdoors on public display for many years, so it will be a treat to have this opportunity.

The RAF Cosford Air Show itself is a major display, and attracts in excess of 50,000 visitors. For those interested in going, tickets are advanced sale only and cost 29 per person with free entry for accompanied children under 16. Tickets will not be available to purchase on the gate, so to avoid disappointment, visit the shows website www.cosfordairshow.co.uk and book online. Tickets are also available to purchase in advance from the Museum.
A Curtin University professor has been hailed as Western Australian of the Year at an annual gala dinner ahead of Mondays WA Day public holiday celebrations.

Curtin University Professor Mike Daube has been named Western Australian of the Year. Credit:Curtin University

Professor Mike Daube AO was presented with the award at the dinner at Crown Ballroom on Friday evening, honoured for his work in public health, including his role in developing tobacco policies such as plain packaging.

Professor Daube was one of 32 finalists selected across seven categories, and also won the Community Award.

Among the winners was Gail Allison JP, who won the Aboriginal Award, and Janet Holmes A Court AC, who was presented with the Arts and Culture Award.
Two men have been charged over an incident in February where an elderly couple were assaulted at their Oakford home.

Police allege on the morning of February 11 the two men climbed the gate of the property before being disturbed by one of the residents.

The men are then alleged to have assaulted a 71-year-old man and his 64-year-old wife outside their home, with the injuries so serious the 71-year-old was taken to hospital for treatment.

The victims and the accused were not known to each other.

Police put out a call for information in the hunt for the two offenders, with the pair allegedly fleeing the scene in a black Ford utility.
This was all about hedging bets, and Burston did not call off the meeting. Why not? I thought it wouldnt do any harm to say hello again, he says. And we might want to do preference deals again. Only a handful of people knew of this meeting, and one of them got the word out. Hanson was already estranged from Burston  this had been happening for months  and was easily led into launching her accusation on air. She took things to the point of no return. Im not sure how she got the feedback, says Burston. I understand she received the call on the way to the studio. I did speak to her on the phone just before she went on air  she was on the phone, still on speaker  and she was very angry but she didnt raise the fact that she thought I had approached the Shooters. Otherwise I would have set her straight then and there. Asked if he had been sold down the river by the Shooters, Senator Burston says: Who knows? I dont know them all that well. If thats their way of operating, it might have been designed to damage One Nation. We are their opponents, at least in the state of NSW. Voters have no reason to care much if Burston stays in One Nation or sits as an independent, but his criticisms of Hanson and her dictatorship over the party send a warning to anyone who still believes she is fighting for anything but herself.

Senator Hanson wore a burqa into the Senate on Thursday, August 17, 2017. Credit:Andrew Meares Hanson has nothing to fear from the criticism she gets from Labor, the Greens or the Coalition. This is rocket fuel for her cause as an outsider who challenges the political class. Consider the furore over her decision to wear a burqa in the Senate, which gave her just what she wanted: shock, outrage and hours of publicity. Most attacks on Hanson just make her stronger. What makes her weak is her own bad judgment. She is a magnet for shysters and a willing listener to conspiracy theories and dumb ideas  on climate change, on immigration and more. Hanson falls hardest when left to herself. Campaigning in Western Australia last year, she stumbled badly on whether WA or her home state of Queensland should get more GST. Then she blundered on vaccinations. One Nation got 8.5 per cent of the primary vote in the seats it contested, far short of its goal.

In the Queensland state election last year, Hanson predicted she would send shockwaves across the country but ended with just one seat. One Nations biggest impact was in splitting the conservative vote and giving Labor an edge after preferences. This is not much of a record, but Hanson pretends to be getting results for battlers. Theyre sick of politicians because they dont do anything, and Ive been able to achieve so much in such a short period of time and Im not finished, she told Sky News through tears on Thursday night. What achievements? Hanson had an agreement with the government on company tax that included meeting her demands on things like resource taxes, but she welched on the deal and ended up with nothing. Treasurer Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in discussion with Pauline Hanson in the Senate in February 2018. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

While the government has made policy decisions that One Nation likes, such as keeping the migrant intake lower than expected, cutting ABC funding or spending money on chaplains in schools, it has done this to win back conservative voters rather than win over Hanson. On her current record, Hanson will go to the next election with nothing to show for herself. Worse, she will go to the election with just one senator alongside her when she used to have three. The dominant pattern is Hansons reliance on key supporters, mostly men, who become essential allies right up to the moment when there is a crisis and she casts them aside. Consider the list compiled by Fraser Anning, former One Nation candidate and now Queensland independent senator. There were Peter Wise, Ian Nelson, John Pasquarelli, David Oldfield, David Ettridge and Ron Mclaine. Now there are Burston and Anning himself. Hansons closest adviser these days, James Ashby, may want to pack a political parachute to match the one in his plane.

Malcolm Roberts during a Senate estimates hearing in October 2017, before he lost his spot in the citizenship saga. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Observers say Hanson is enamoured with her former Queensland Senate colleague Malcolm Roberts, who was thrown out of the upper house over his citizenship but is looking for a way to come back. Hanson wanted Anning to make way for him and was furious when he refused. Of the 30 members of One Nation who have been elected to federal or state parliament over the years, at least 21 have been disqualified from Parliament, quit or been drummed out of the party. That is a 70 per cent failure rate. About 720,000 voters put One Nation first on the Senate ballot at the July 2016 election, and polls showed a surge in support in the months that followed, but this has fallen significantly this year. The latest implosion will not help, although Hanson tried for victimhood in her Sky interview. Is Hanson really being betrayed over and over again by every member of her party who comes close to power? Or is this president for life incapable of running a party?
A museum commemorating the Myall Creek massacre of Aboriginal people is inching closer to reality almost two decades after the first granite memorial was erected at the site.

Construction of the Myall Creek Education and Cultural Centre could begin by the end of next year, as advocates welcomed a funding commitment by NSW Labor to invest $3 million in the project if elected in March.

The Myall Creek site where on June 10, 1838, the slaughter of 28 Aboriginals took place. Credit:Brendan Esposito

Graeme Cordiner, from the Friends of Myall Creek, which first began planning the centre more than a decade ago, described the funding promise as "incredibly significant".

"The dream of an education and cultural centre has been there for the past 15 years. Now it's got legs," Mr Cordiner said.
"Sometimes I think, 'Ah, we're competing in this now, too? All right then,'" Ma said, chuckling. "It's a little frustrating." A duopoly this broad could not be easily replicated in other countries, for example the United States. Entrenched competitors and the threat of government intervention generally keep the likes of Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook from expanding pell-mell into adjacent businesses. All of them have sprawled and overlapped mightily, but Amazon, with its forays into groceries, pharmacies, health care and more, might be the furthest along towards creating an inescapable commercial universe. Loading Still, with the European Union enacting tough new privacy laws, and some in the United States eager to follow, Google and Facebook could soon be forced to find ways to make money beyond selling users' personal information to advertisers, said Raj Rajgopal, president of digital business strategy at Virtusa Corp, a consulting firm. "As profitability reduces, they'll say, 'Now I need to monetise my customer base,'" Rajgopal said. "The innovation we're seeing in China could be seen in the US in the next three to five years," he added. "Customers are demanding that."

China's internet titans have a powerful ally found nowhere else, though: the Chinese government. Tencent and Alibaba have avoided anti-monopoly clampdowns by staying in Beijing's good graces, said Hu Wenyou, a partner at the Beijing law firm Yingke. Their sheer size also makes them easier for authorities to control. They simply have too much to lose. "If you can become so big, and so successful in so many areas, this in itself shows that you must have maintained very good, very friendly relations with the government," Hu said. Neither giant is done getting bigger. Loading Each has a market capitalisation of close to $US500 billion ($663 billion), making them among the most highly valued technology firms on the planet. Google and Facebook still claim more users, but the Chinese heavyweights arguably do more  and more, and more  for theirs.

The latest battleground? Brick-and-mortar stores. Alibaba has spent great sums  $US2.9 billion on a supermarket chain, $US2.6 billion on a department store and mall operator  to conquer the real world. Tencent has followed suit with its own retail partnerships and investments. Once the companies have locked people into their payment systems, they can become the enablers of commerce and financial services of even more kinds. In a sign of investors' excitement about the possibilities, Ant Financial is making plans to go public, in a blockbuster stock offering that could give the company a market value larger than Goldman Sachs. China has become a model for tech's world-swallowing tendencies partly out of circumstance. With the country's high-speed churn of well-funded startups, planting flags on new turf is often the only way for large players not to be constantly losing ground. Also, both Alibaba and Tencent have struggled to make much money outside their home market. That means their surest way to keep growing is to get more deeply involved in more areas of their Chinese users' lives.
"Just an accident", is how the defence lawyer for hit-and-run driver Puneet Puneet described the death of Queensland student Dean Hofstee, aged 19, in 2008 when Puneet smashed into him after drinking and driving at high speed in Melbourne.

Speaking in a Delhi court hearing the Puneet extradition case, Kanhaiya Kumar Singhal said Puneets crime was "not heinous in nature". He went on: Yes a life was taken but it was not intentional. Accidents happen. Its not as though it was a rape or murder, he said.

Hit-and-run driver Puneet Puneet (right) leaving court with his uncle in Dehli on Friday. Credit:Amrit Dhillon

At this point in the proceedings in Patiala District Court, the prosecution lawyer Bhaskar Vali strongly countered the observation, saying sternly: This is not a defence  accidents happen. He was drinking and driving and driving at 150 kilometres an hour. Why didnt he take a taxi? Even India now has tough drunk driving laws. There have to be consequences and repercussions to every mans act," said Mr Vali.

Some heated exchanges took place before Justice Gurmohina Kaur, who is hearing the case. The issue at hand was the defence counsels request for an inquiry to take place into Puneets mental state. Mr Singhal said Puneet was a mental health patient and that, on the grounds of medical unfitness, the extradition case against him should be withdrawn.
Benedict Cumberbatch, the Sherlock and Dr Strange actor, has been hailed a hero after leaping to the defence of a Deliveroo cyclist to help fight off a gang of muggers.

The 41-year-old reportedly said that he had to intervene after jumping out of an Uber taxi near his fictional characters home in Londons Baker Street.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, here as Marvel's Dr Strange, has been hailed a real-life superhero Credit:Chuck Zlotnick

His actions meant the attackers fled, it was claimed, as he bravely fended the perpetrators off who allegedly smashed the cyclist over the head with a bottle.

According to witnesses, he dragged the four muggers off the victim, who was in his 20s, after screaming at them to leave him alone. One of the men had tried to steal the cyclists bike, but nothing was stolen.
Frankfurt, Germany: Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! In a brief but dramatic episode, two lions, two tigers, a jaguar and a bear were found to be missing from their enclosures in a zoo in western Germany on Friday, prompting an all-hands search effort from the police, the fire brigade and a team of veterinarians.

Floodwaters sweep through the Eifel Zoo on Friday prompting the great escape. Credit:AP

The drama peaked midmorning when the bear was discovered - and shot dead.

Then a local broadcaster mistakenly reported that some of the big cats might have slipped from the 30-hectare compound of the Eifel Zoo in Lunebach, near the border with Luxembourg and Belgium.

Residents in surrounding areas were told to stay indoors until all animals were accounted for.
There is an opportunity for Australia to help resolve matters, particularly given that the reason for the reticence on Canberras part to involve itself in the Assange case has now gone.

The message from the United States confirms the fear that drove Assange to seek asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012, when Swedish prosecutors were seeking to question him about some allegations  that is, the US will seek to extradite him to face charges concerning WikiLeaks activities. Furthermore, the tenor of the recent comments by Pompeo, Sessions and Schiff are decidedly aggressive and hostile from which a reasonable person would infer that Assange will be subjected to torture and cruel and unusual punishment of the sort meted out to Chelsea Manning, when she was detained in July 2010, and subsequently tried and convicted for allegedly providing material to WikiLeaks.

Julian Assange has been detained in the Ecuadorean embassy for the best part of six years now. He is more isolated than ever with the Ecuadorean government cutting his access to the Internet in April. And the Americans are baying for his blood, some might say literally. Attorney-General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have made no secret of their desire to shut down WikiLeaks which the latter calls a hostile non-state intelligence service, and to see Assange arrested. This week, the senior Democrat congressman on the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, rebuffed overtures to meet Assange with the statement that he would only do so when Assange was in US custody.

While Assange has been granted Ecuadorean citizenship he remains an Australian citizen and has familial ties to this country. Assange has strong family ties to Australia: both his parents live here and are aging, and this is the country he grew up in and lived in for the first two and a bit decades of his life. Up until 2010 this was home.

Up until now the Australian government has had a very hands off approach to Assanges plight. Early on there were nonsensical utterances by then prime minister Julia Gillard that Assange had committed offences under Australian law in publishing documents about the Iraq and Afghanistan interventions by the US and its allies in the aftermath of 9/11. Fortunately that is no longer the attitude and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his government have been more circumspect in dealing with the Assange case. Turnbull rightly criticised Gillards response.

But there is now an opportunity for Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to assist in ensuring that this Australian citizen is no longer at risk of being subjected to US detention and can therefore leave the Ecuadorean embassy. This is because a key hurdle to Australian involvement in the Assange case has been removed, namely the Swedish warrant.

In documents obtained last year under FOI by lawyer and WikiLeaks advocate Kellie Tranter, the formal Australian position on the Assange case was outlined. Documents from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, written in February 2016 after the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared that Assange was being unlawfully detained because of the US threat and the refusal of Sweden and the UK to rule out undertaking not to comply with an extradition request by Washington, indicate that Australias position was it would not be appropriate for the Australian government to comment on the legal system of either the UK or Sweden which have matters on foot in relation to Mr Assange.

Another document recommended that Bishop not accede to a request from some members of Assanges legal team to intervene if the arbitrary detention was not brought to a close by the UK and Sweden. Again the reasoning was the same  Australia will not intervene in the active legal processes of other countries.
New York: A bitter divide over who is to blame for scores of Palestinian deaths from Israeli fire at protests near Gaza's border shifted Friday to the United Nations, where the United States vetoed a measure backed by Arab countries to protect Palestinians and condemn Israel.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, described the measure, a UN Security Council resolution drafted by Kuwait, as one-sided. She accused the measure's authours of inexplicably absolving Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and organised the protests.

Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the United Nations, says no further proof is needed that the UN is 'hopelessly biased' against Israel. Credit:AP

The United States, a permanent Security Council member with veto power, was the sole no vote on the measure, which was enough to defeat it. Ten members voted in favour and four abstained.

A separate American resolution proposed by Haley, which would have condemned Hamas for the Gaza violence, failed to gain any support from fellow council members.
The US, he said, remains committed to ensuring free and open transit in the region.

He warned that America's recent move to disinvite China from a multinational naval exercise this summer was an "initial response" to the militarisation of the islands. And, in response to a question, said that "much larger consequences" could be in the future, if China doesn't find a way to work more collaboratively with others in the region.

Singapore: China's placement of weapons systems on manmade islands in the South China Sea is designed to intimidate and coerce others in the region, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday, laying out a sharp criticism of Beijing at an international security forum and threatening larger consequences if militarisation continues.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapons systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis said, referring to the recent deployment of anti-ship missiles, surface- to-air missiles, electronic jammers and other equipment on the Spratly Islands, and the landing of bomber aircraft at Woody Island.

Mattis also struck at one of the key, longstanding disputes between the US and China, telling the conference that America will continue to provide defense equipment and services to Taiwan and oppose any effort to alter the status quo. China claims the self-governing island as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

But in a quick pivot, he said the US welcomes cooperation with China "wherever possible", and announced that he has accepted Beijing's invitation to visit there soon. It remains to be seen if that invitation will stand after this conference.

As expected, the Pentagon chief gave only a brief mention of the ongoing negotiations for an historic summit later this month between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Trump announced Friday that the nuclear-weapons summit he had canceled with North Korea's Kim Jong Un is back on. The summit is expected to be here in Singapore.

Mattis said the Pentagon will "hold the line" and support the diplomatic effort to secure the "complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) on June 20, 2018 will release postage stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of UNISPACE, the first conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space.

A new set of postage stamps to be issued this month will mark the half century since the world first came together to discuss the peaceful uses of outer space.

The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will release six commemorative stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. UNISPACE I, held in Vienna, Austria in 1968, brought together 78 countries to discuss the potential benefits of space exploration for all humankind.

Two more conferences, UNISPACE II and III, were held in 1982 and 1999.

The new postage stamps, to be issued June 20 in Geneva, New York and Vienna, coincide with UNISPACE+50, a special segment of the 61st session of the United Nations' Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in Austria. [In Photos: Space Age Postage Stamps Through History]

"I am sure all of you who collect space-themed stamps will be intrigued by these stunning designs, which highlight humankind's achievements in space," Thanawat Amnajanan, UNPA chief, wrote in the postal administration's Philatelic Bulletin.

The six stamps, which will be issued in pairs with U.S. dollar, Swiss franc and Euro denominations, depict images related to human spaceflight and space technology, as well as Earth observation and space exploration. Each 1.4-by-2-inch (35-by-50-millimeter) stamp comes 20 to a sheet.

Two of the stamps show the International Space Station.

A $1.15 stamp reproduces a 2011 photograph captured by Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli of the space shuttle Endeavour docked with the orbiting laboratory. And a  0,80 stamp reproduces an image of Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft set against the green glow of the Aurora Australis as taken by a member of the space station's Expedition 29 crew also in 2011.

A CHF 1,00 stamp depicts Egypt as seen from aboard the space station by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly during his year in space in 2015. "Your colors never cease to amaze!" Kelly wrote, captioning the photo when he originally shared it on Twitter.

A CHF 1,50 stamp shows the launch of Tiangong-1, China's first prototype space station, on Sept. 29, 2011. The small space lab, which hosted two crews of three Chinese taikonauts each, fell back to Earth and was destroyed in April 2018.

A  0,68 stamp presents the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. The photo of the large swirling storm was assembled from three frames transmitted by NASA's Voyager 1 interplanetary probe in 1979.

A sixth stamp in the set, a 50-cent issue, depicts the Milky Way galaxy. The photo, which is focused on an area around the galaxy's center, is a composite of images in X-ray, optical and infrared wavelengths. [Related: USPS Unveils Sally Ride Postage Stamp]

Three "souvenir sheets" will offer three additional stamps, including a $1.15 issue depicting Scott Kelly during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station; a CHF 2,00 stamp showing the comet 65P/Gunn as captured by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE); and a  1,70 stamp showing the eastern edge of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh as taken by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Sentinel-2A satellite in 2016.

In addition to six postage stamps, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will offer three souvenir sheets as part of its UNISPACE+50 commemoratives. (Image credit: UNPA via collectSPACE.com)

The souvenir sheets measure 3 inches square (81 mm), which frames a 1.7-inch (43 mm) stamp.

In addition to the stamps, the UNPA has also produced three special postmark devices for the UNISPACE+50 set's first day of issue. The New York cancellation features a meteor entering the atmosphere of a planet; the Geneva device shows a solar system; and the Vienna postmark depicts a telescope.

The UNPA will offer 14 different first day covers, or stamped envelopes canceled on the day of release, using the pictorial postmarks and new issues. Each of the six stamps will be printed in quantities between 70,000 and 90,000. The souvenir sheets will be limited to 22,000 to 27,000 sheets.

The stamps were created by UNPA art director Sergio Baradat. His previous work has included a 2013 set of stamps themed around photographs of nebula.

The UNPA earlier marked the 50th anniversary of the world's first satellite, Sputnik with a 2007 set of six World Space Week postage stamps featuring illustrations of astronauts, orbiting observatories and space stations.

See more of the United Nations' UNISPACE+50 postage stamps at collectSPACE.

Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2018 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.
The surface facility for the IceCube experiment, which is located under nearly 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of ice in Antarctica. IceCube suggests ghostly neutrinos don't exist, but a new experiment says they do.

Scientists have produced the firmest evidence yet of so-called sterile neutrinos, mysterious particles that pass through matter without interacting with it at all.

The first hints these elusive particles turned up decades ago. But after years of dedicated searches, scientists have been unable to find any other evidence for them, with many experiments contradicting those old results. These new results now leave scientists with two robust experiments that seem to demonstrate the existence of sterile neutrinos, even as other experiments continue to suggest sterile neutrinos don't exist at all.

That means there's something strange happening in the universe that is making humanity's most cutting-edge physics experiments contradict one another. [The 18 Biggest Unsolved Mysteries in Physics]

Sterile neutrinos

Back in the mid-1990s, the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector (LSND), an experiment at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, found evidence of a mysterious new particle: a "sterile neutrino" that passes through matter without interacting with it. But that result couldn't be replicated; other experiments simply couldn't find any trace of the hidden particle. So the result was set aside.

Now, MiniBooNE  a follow-up experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), located near Chicago  has picked up the hidden particle's scent again. A new paper posted to the preprint server arXiv offers such a compelling enough the missing neutrino to make physicists sit up and notice.

See more

See more

If MiniBooNE's new results hold up, "That would be huge; that's beyond the standard model; that would require new particles ... and an all-new analytical framework," said Kate Scholberg, a particle physicist at Duke University who was not involved in the experiment.

The Standard Model of physics has dominated scientists' understanding of the universe for more than half a century. It amounts to a list of particles that, together, go a long way toward explaining how matter and energy interact in the cosmos. Some of these particles, like quarks and electrons, are pretty easy to imagine: They're the building blocks of the atoms that make up everything we'll ever touch with our hands. Others, like the three known neutrinos, are more abstract: They're high-energy particles that stream through the universe, barely interacting with other matter. Billions of neutrinos from the sun pass through the tip of your finger every second, but they're overwhelmingly unlikely to have any impact on the particles of your body.

Electron, muon and tau neutrinos  the three known "flavors"  do interact with matter, though, through both the weak force (one of the four fundamental forces of the universe) and gravity. (Their antimatter twins sometimes interact with matter as well.) That means specialized detectors can find them, streaming down from the sun as well as from certain human sources, such as nuclear reactions. But the LSND experiment, Scholberg told Live Science, provided the first firm evidence that what humans could detect might not be the full picture.

As waves of neutrinos stream through space, they periodically "oscillate," jumping back and forth between one flavor and another, she explained. Both LSND and MiniBooNE involve firing beams of neutrinos at a detector hidden behind an insulator to block out all other radiation. (In LSND, the insulator was water; in MiniBooNE, it's a vat of oil.) And they carefully count how many neutrinos of each type strike the detector.

Both experiments have now reported more neutrino detections than The Standard Model's description of neutrino oscillation can explain the authors wrote in the paper. That suggests, they wrote, that the neutrinos are oscillating into hidden, heavier, "sterile" neutrinos that the detector can't directly detect before oscillating back into the detectable realm. The MiniBooNE result had a standard deviation measured at 4.8 sigma, just shy of the 5.0 threshold physicists look for. (A 5-sigma result has 1-in-3.5-million odds of being the result of random fluctuations in the data.) The researchers wrote that MiniBooNE and LSND combined represent a 6.1-sigma result (meaning more than one-in-500 million odds of being a fluke), though some researchers expressed a degree of skepticism about that claim.

See more

If LSND and MiniBooNE were the only neutrino experiments on Earth, Scholberg said, that would be the end of the matter. The Standard Model would be updated to include some sort of sterile neutrino.

But there's a problem. Other major neutrino experiments, like the underground Oscillation Project with Emulsion-Tracking Apparatus experiment in Switzerland, haven't found the anomaly that both LSND and MiniBooNE have now seen.

As recently as 2017, after the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica failed to turn up evidence for sterile neutrinos, researchers made the case to Live Science that another reported signal of the particles  missing antineutrinos around nuclear reactors  had been a mistake, and was actually the result of bad calculations.

Sterile neutrinos weren't a rejected idea, Scholberg said, but they weren't accepted science.

The MiniBooNE result complicates the particle picture.

"There are people who doubt the result," she said, "but there's no reason to think there's anything wrong [with the experiment itself]."

It's possible, she said, that the anomaly in the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments might turn out to be the "systematics," meaning there's something about the way neutrinos are interacting with the experimental setup that scientists don't yet understand. But it's also looking more and more possible that scientists are going to have to explain why so many other experiments aren't spotting very real sterile neutrinos that are turning up in Fermilab and Los Alamos Lab. And if that's the case, they'll have to revise their entire understanding of the universe in the process.

Originally published on Live Science.
The six-member Expedition 55 crew poses for a portrait in the Japanese Kibo laboratory module of the International Space Station. Clockwise from left are flight nngineers Norishige Kanai, Ricky Arnold, Drew Feustel, Oleg Artemyev and Scott Tingle. In the center is Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov.

Three spaceflyers are returning to Earth early Sunday morning (June 3), and you can watch their homecoming live.

Coverage starts at 1:30 a.m. EDT (0530 GMT), when NASA astronaut Scott Tingle, cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov and Norishige Kanai of Japan say goodbye to their fellow International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers and board a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for the trip back to terra firma. You can watch this farewell, and all the action to follow, live at Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV.

Hatches between the ISS and the Soyuz are scheduled to close at 1:55 a.m. EDT (0555 GMT). If all goes according to plan, the Soyuz will depart at 5:16 a.m. EDT (0916 GMT), perform a deorbit burn at 7:47 a.m. EDT (1147 GMT) and touch down on the steppes of Kazakhstan at 8:40 a.m. EDT (1240 GMT), NASA officials said.

Undocking coverage will begin at 4:45 a.m. EDT (0845 GMT), and landing coverage will start about 30 minutes before the deorbit burn, at 7:15 a.m. EDT (1115 GMT).

Tingle, Shkaplerov and Kanai were part of the ISS' Expedition 55 mission, which will officially end when the trio's Soyuz undocks. Shkaplerov already handed the keys to the orbiting lab over to NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, during a ceremony on Friday (June 1). Feustel will command the new Expedition 56.

The three homecoming spaceflyers are wrapping up a 168-day orbital mission that featured 2,688 laps around Earth, which covered a total of 71.2 million miles (114.6 million kilometers), NASA officials said.

The departure of Tingle, Shkaplerov and Kanai will leave the ISS with just three residents  Feustel, fellow NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold and cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev. But this skeleton crew will soon have company: A Soyuz spacecraft carrying cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev, NASA astronaut Serena Aunon-Chancellor and the European Space Agency's Alexander Gerst is scheduled to launch atop a Russian Soyuz rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early Wednesday (June 6). If all goes according to plan, the newcomers will arrive at the ISS on Friday morning (June 8).

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
[Resending because the email bounced back from all 3 mailing lists. Sorry if you get this email twice] Hi Eric et al., I know that this thread is already stale, and I'm sorry I couldn't join earlier but maybe late is better than never. Allow me to first introduce myself: my name is Tomer Ashur and I'm a post-doctoral fellow in KU Leuven. I am part of symmetric-key group led by Vincent Rijmen where I'm mostly involved in cryptanalysis. I am also part of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27/WG 2, the group which decided to reject Simon and Speck from ISO. If it's okay with you, I'd like to give my perspective on what happened in ISO and what is Speck's real standing with the academic community. First, I'd like to say that the NSA has done quite extensive work in muddying the waters, arguing that Simon & Speck are secure and that all objections are political. This is not true, as I will now show with examples. The bottom line is that there are still many open questions about their security, questions that the NSA has, on multiple occasions, refused to answer. > It seems to me justified about as well as one would hope for a new cipher - > "Notes on the design and analysis of Simon and Speck" seems to me to give ... detail on the reasoning This is actually an optical illusion. First you need to understand the context for this document. The NSA (in particular, the exact same person who previously promoted DUAL_EC in ISO) proposed to include Simon & Speck in ISO/IEC 29192-2 back in 2015. For obvious reasons they were met with skepticism. A main concern was the lack of any design rationale and internal cryptanalytic results. The NSA people fought tooth and nail for a year and a half simultaneously arguing two almost mutually-exclusive points: (i) they employ the most talented cryptographers and hence, we should trust them when they say that an algorithm is secure; and (ii) they are average cryptographers and hence they would not be able to insert a backdoor into the algorithm. More than once they argued in a meeting that the cryptanalysis for the ciphers has been stabilized (i.e., that attacks will not improve) just to be proved wrong in the next meeting (their answer: "well, _now_ it has fully stabilized", which was again proven wrong in the next meeting). One of them even had a bet with Tanja Lange that no attack on either Simon or Speck would be extended by 3 rounds or more in the upcoming year. He lost this bet. They were very uncooperative, and made it a point to let us know that they will not be providing more information about the algorithms. So, in this climate, you can imagine how surprised we all were when in one of the meetings (after not getting the votes they needed in order to proceed to the next stage) they announced that they will provide a design rationale. At first they distributed it to us in ISO, but per my suggestion they then uploaded it to ePrint (see ePrint 2017/560). But our joy was short-lived. Once you read this so-called design rationale you can immediately notice two things. Firstly, that they explain in length all decisions affecting performance (in particular, rotation amounts - which in one of the meetings they described as "most-efficient; secure-enough"). The second thing is that when it comes to cryptanalysis this document is merely a literature review. There is literally nothing new there - all they do is to cite published works by academics, something wrongly. Now, there is no nice way to say that, but this document includes omissions, falsehoods, half-truths and outright lies. I will not go into the full analysis of the document, but here are some examples: 1. Omissions - I already said that this document does not provide any new information. This becomes apparent when you try to find out how they chose the number of rounds. The document remains quite vague on this question. There is a lot of hand waving about "Matsui-like techniques", "multipath effect", etc. but nowhere you can find (in the old version, they recently uploaded a new version which I didn't have time to read yet) a place where they say: "this is how we set the number of rounds". Another omission is about the key schedule - you won't find any useful information about the design decisions leading to these particular key schedules. Simon uses 3 matrices U,V, and W which are not explained, not does the constant c. Speck's key schedule is more straightforward but a discussion about the symmetries that may arise from using the round function for the key schedule would still be appropriate here. Not discussing the combined security of the cipher with its key schedule goes against the current trend in linear cryptanalysis (see e.g., [2] and many follow up papers). 2. Half-truths - take a look at page 16 where they explain how they avoided rotation/slide attacks. They give the standard explanation that using round-constants would thwart these attacks. This could have been fine if the last sentence wasn't "/Also see [AL16]/". From the text it seems as if /AL16/ supports the claims made in this paragraph. However, /AL16/ is a paper I co-authored which is how I know that not only that it doesn't support the claim, it actually shows how to adapt rotational cryptanalysis to algorithms using round constants. As a side note, the goal of /AL16/ was to present a novel way to use rotational cryptanalysis in the presence of round constants. This paper was published in FSE'17 and we followed up on it with a paper in FSE'18 using this attack against Speck{32,48,64} [1]. The reason we focused on these versions and not the larger one is not, as was suggested in this thread, that they are somehow more secure. The actual reason is much less prosaic: these are the resources we had at our disposal. This is also the reason the weak-key classes are so small. But the fact that my publicly funded university cannot afford a better number cruncher doesn't mean that someone with access to such won't be able to find better results. In fact, I am quite convinced that if you give our tool the resources it needs, it would penetrate way more than the currently best known distinguisher of 19 rounds for Speck128 (translating to better key recovery attacks). What is important to understand here is in the same way you do "real-world crypto", academics often do "proofs of concept". After publishing the attack technique and the attack on (reduced-)Speck, I moved to my next project because the scientific marginal benefit is small. There is of course the personal gain of being known as the guy who broke Speck, but I'm not particularly interested in such fame. All of that being said, if anyone has the firepower to run this tool and to improve the existing attacks for Speck128, feel free to drop me an email. 3. Falsehoods - with this word I refer to claims in the so-called design rationale that are wrong. We can argue whether they were included on purpose or if they are simply mistakes. But in either case, they are exist and they are worrisome. I would only give one example: "/the design teams early analytic efforts led us to believe that the limiting cryptanalytic features for Simon and Speck-type block ciphers would be of the linear and differential sort"/ (see Page 4). Believing that differential and linear attacks would be the most dangerous attacks is reasonable, but as we can see from [1], it is wrong. 4. Lies - this is the most troubling part. The NSA lies to the public (including the American people) on official documents. I already wrote that the choice for the exact number of rounds is only motivated through some hand waving. This makes it hard to tell what the real security margin is. But even if you interpret the hand waving conservatively, the math results in much smaller security margins than what is claimed. I gave a rump session talk about this in Crypto 2017 which you can view here [3]. The talk focuses on Simon but the story for Speck is similar and results in security margins of 15.6%, 15.6%, and 14.7% for Speck128 with key sizes 128, 192, and 256, respectively. According to the NSA, that is, and only if you accept the claim that attacks have stabilized. the choice for the number of rounds was heavily discussed in the ISO meeting in Berlin about 6 months ago. When confronted with this question, the NSA answered (again) that they will not be providing further information, added that anyone with a decent level of English would immediately understand what they meant, and called me an incompetent cryptographer. Nevertheless, a few months after the meeting they updated the so-called design rationale and added a footnote that reads: > "The original version of this paper said 50% here, but noted that > this was very conser- > vative. This led to confusion by some, who interpreted 50% as an > exact value, rather than > the very conservative upper bound we intended it to be. This is > supported by the literature > (see, e.g., [CW15]) and by our internal analysis. Indeed 50% is a > significant overestimate; > 25% appears to be a more accurate estimate. We apologize for the > lack of clarity here, and > note that even if future advances increased the 25% to 50% Simon > would still be secure." (Page 11) This is a fine clarification except that it is an outrageous lie. For example, for Simon32 the so-called design rationale reports that the best linear trail can penetrate at most 12 rounds. As part of my research I found an 18-round linear hull which _was confirmed, in writing,_ by the NSA (I should have the email somewhere and can find it if anyone is interested). The difference between 12 and 18 rounds is indeed 50% and not 25% as they argue in the updated document. These are only part of the problems I and others found with the so-called design rationale. Having so many problems in a document meant to convince people that you're not doing anything sinister is either an indication for some serious incompetence, or an indication that something sinister is actually happening. Either way, it is clear that this document is meant for PR and has no scientific value. It surely does not inspire confidence in the algorithms. All of this was known to the people in the room when ISO made its decision to reject Simon and Speck (after deliberating about this for more than 3 years. Not because there were disagreements but because we wanted to give the NSA a fair chance). These people also got a first hand impression of how poorly the people the NSA sent fare with _technical_ questions, basically refusing to answer all, and throwing tantrums instead. And then, the ISO people also saw another thing. During the discussions I asked the NSA two non-technical questions (from a crypto point of view. These are technical questions from a standardization point of view): - Q: You claim that third party analysis is indicative of the algorithm's real security. Were you aware of all these results when you published the algorithms, or are any of them better than what you knew of? - A: I refuse to answer that -Q: Are you aware of any cryptanalytic results better than those already found by academia? -A: I refuse to answer that either. Now, there seem to be some notion that the people in ISO are bureaucrats with limited understanding in cryptography. The truth is that WG 2 (the cryptography experts) includes people like Kan Yasuda, Shiho Moriai, Dan Berenstein, Pascal Paillier, Tanja Lange, Orr Dunkelman and Jian Guo (partial list). You can't say that they don't know what they're doing. Which is why, having all this information, we decided that including these algorithms in one of our standards would undermine the trust people have in ISO and the work it is doing. Note that in parallel to the Simon and Speck process, people from the NSA (different from those involved in Simon and Speck) are successfully promoting at least two other projects. So you can't say that there really is a significant anti-NSA bias either. No, these algorithms seem insecure, attacks against them keep improving, their designers either refuse to answer basic questions about their security or lie... What other conclusion could we have reached except that there might be a security problem with these algorithms? This of course brings us back to the question asked early in this thread: > support for SM4 was just added too, which is a Chinese government standard. Are you going to send a patch to remove that > too, or is it just NSA designed algorithms that are not okay? This seems pretty obvious to me. If you don't feel comfortable with SM4, don't add it either. There are at least that many reasons to distrust the Chinese government as there are to distrust the NSA. However, the answer to the question > Could you say a little more about what it is that separates Speck from SM4 > for you? is a bit different. There are two main things that separate Speck from SM4. Firstly, it seems more secure. This is either because it actually is more secure, or because the Chinese did a better job in hiding their backdoors; but at least it doesn't scream "something strange is going on here!!!". Second, SM4 is also being standardized in ISO these days and the Chinese are very cooperative with the process. Whatever question you have about this algorithm, I can get you an answer from the person promoting SM4. This inspires confidence in the algorithm and the process. Is this enough? I don't think so. But being a member of ISO I'm bound by certain rules that don't allow me to reject algorithms based on my intuition, so it seems that SM4 (as well as LEA and Kuznyechik) would probably find their way into the respective standards. That being said, if you ask for my opinion, just don't include SM4. Which bring us to the million dollar question: > So, what do you propose replacing it with? Nothing. I am usually not one to argue for maintaining the status quo and I sure am in favor of encryption-for-all but this case is the text book example for employing the Precautionary Principle. You yourself are not fully convinced that Speck is secure and does not contain any backdoors. If it was really secure, it could have been used in all cases and not only on low-end devices where AES is too slow. AES is slower than Speck on most platforms. Now, I'm a sort of a mathematician which doesn't know much about processor generations and implementation efficiency. Things like 134833 KB/s are Chinese to me. But the way I understand it, these devices that are to weak to support AES would not be around in 2-5 years which would make the problem go away. In the foreseeable future, even if the crypto-extension isn't added to low-end processors, they would still improve to a degree they can run some of the efficient-but-not-enough algorithms of today, no? I would also like to point out that including an algorithm because "it's better than nothing" result in something that is not better-than-nothing, but stands in the way of good solutions. Since there is no acute problem, why do we need to solve it? This is from the cryptographers' point of view. From the end-user point of view when they get something bundled into Android, they don't know that it was included there as something that is "better than nothing". They think of it as "good enough; endorsed by Android/Google/Linux". What you give them is a false sense of security because they don't know of all the question marks surrounding Speck (both technical and political). So I think that as a first step, no-encryption is better than using Speck. Then we can move for a longer term solution. Since this is an important enough issue I asked around and people are happily willing to help. For example, Dan Berenstein seems to believe that a solution can be built using a generic construction along the lines of your discussion with Samuel (with or without a variant of ChaCha). Even if a generic construction cannot be used Berenstein told me he's willing to help design a solution. I also asked Vincent Rijmen and Orr Dunkelman and they both told me they'd be willing to work in a team to find (or design) a solution. This is already an impressive cadre and I'm sure it would not be too much of a problem to solicit other notable cryptographer because basically, no one in this community thinks it's a good idea to use Speck. Sorry for the long post and Shabbat Shalom, Tomer Ashur, PhD Senior Researcher COSIC, KU Leuven [1] https://eprint.iacr.org/2017/1036 [2] https://eprint.iacr.org/2012/303 [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d-xruyR89g&t=2s On 05/08/2018 01:20 AM, Eric Biggers wrote: > Hi Samuel, > > On Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 03:05:44AM +0100, Samuel Neves wrote: >> On Wed, Apr 25, 2018 at 8:49 PM, Eric Biggers <ebiggers@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >>> I agree that my explanation should have been better, and should have considered >>> more crypto algorithms. The main difficulty is that we have extreme performance >>> requirements -- it needs to be 50 MB/s at the very least on even low-end ARM >>> devices like smartwatches. And even with the NEON-accelerated Speck128-XTS >>> performance exceeding that after much optimization, we've been getting a lot of >>> pushback as people want closer to 100 MB/s. >>> >> I couldn't find any NEON-capable ARMv7 chip below 800 MHz, so this >> would put the performance upper bound around 15 cycles per byte, with >> the comfortable number being ~7. That's indeed tough, though not >> impossible. >> >>> That's why I also included Speck64-XTS in the patches, since it was >>> straightforward to include, and some devices may really need that last 20-30% of >>> performance for encryption to be feasible at all. (And when the choice is >>> between unencrypted and a 64-bit block cipher, used in a context where the >>> weakest points in the cryptosystem are actually elsewhere such as the user's >>> low-entropy PIN and the flash storage doing wear-leveling, I'd certainly take >>> the 64-bit block cipher.) So far we haven't had to use Speck64 though, and if >>> that continues to be the case I'd be fine with Speck64 being removed, leaving >>> just Speck128. >>> >> I would very much prefer that to be the case. As many of us know, >> "it's better than nothing" has been often used to justify other bad >> choices, like RC4, that end up preventing better ones from being >> adopted. At a time where we're trying to get rid of 64-bit ciphers in >> TLS, where data volumes per session are comparatively low, it would be >> unfortunate if the opposite starts happening on encryption at rest. >> >>> Note that in practice, to have any chance at meeting the performance requirement >>> the cipher needed to be NEON accelerated. That made benchmarking really hard >>> and time-consuming, since to definitely know how an algorithm performs it can >>> take upwards of a week to implement a NEON version. It needs to be very well >>> optimized too, to compare the algorithms fairly -- e.g. with Speck I got a 20% >>> performance improvement on some CPUs just by changing the NEON instructions used >>> to implement the 8-bit rotates, an optimization that is not possible with >>> ciphers that don't use rotate amounts that are multiples of 8. (This was an >>> intentional design choice by the Speck designers; they do know what they're >>> doing, actually.) >>> >>> Thus, we had to be pretty aggressive about dropping algorithms from >>> consideration if there were preliminary indications that they wouldn't perform >>> well, or had too little cryptanalysis, or had other issues such as an unclear >>> patent situation. Threefish for example I did test the C implementation at >>> https://github.com/wernerd/Skein3Fish, but on ARM32 it was over 4 times slower >>> than my NEON implementation of Speck128/256-XTS. And I did not see a clear way >>> that it could be improved over 4x with NEON, if at all, so I did not take the >>> long time it would have taken to write an optimized NEON implementation to >>> benchmark it properly. Perhaps that was a mistake. But, time is not unlimited. >>> >> In my limited experience with NEON and 64-bit ARX, there's usually a >> ~2x speedup solely from NEON's native 64-bit operations on ARMv7-A. >> The extra speedup from encrypting 2 block in parallel is then >> somewhere between 1x and 2x, depending on various details. Getting >> near 4x might be feasible, but it is indeed time-consuming to get >> there. >> >>> As for the wide-block mode using ChaCha20 and Poly1305, you'd have to ask Paul >>> Crowley to explain it properly, but briefly it's actually a pseudorandom >>> permutation over an arbitrarily-sized message. So with dm-crypt for example, it >>> would operate on a whole 512-byte sector, and if any bit of the 512-byte >>> plaintext is changed, then every bit in the 512-byte ciphertext would change >>> with 50% probability. To make this possible, the construction uses a polynomial >>> evalution in GF(2^130-5) as a universal hash function, similar to the Poly1305 >>> mode. >>> >> Oh, OK, that sounds like something resembling Naor-Reingold or its >> relatives. That would work, but with 3 or 4 passes I guess it wouldn't >> be very fast. >> >>> Using ChaCha20's underlying 512-bit permutation to build a tweakable block >>> cipher is an interesting idea. But maybe in my crypto-naivety, it is not >>> obvious to me how to do so. Do you have references to any relevant papers? >>> Remember that we strongly prefer a published cipher to a custom one -- even if >>> the core is reused, a mistake may be made in the way it is used. Thus, >>> similarly to Paul's wide-block mode, I'd be concerned that we'd have to >>> self-publish a new construction, then use it with no outside crypto review. >>> *Maybe* it would be straightforward enough to be okay, but to know I'd need to >>> see the details of how it would actually work. >>> >> This would be the 'tweakable Even-Mansour' construction and its >> variants. The variant I'm most familiar with would be MEM [1], >> focusing on software friendliness, but there is other provable >> security work in the same vein, including [3, 4, 5]. It's very similar >> to how the XEX mode turns a block cipher into a tweakable block >> cipher. >> >> In [1, 2] we used a 1024-bit permutation out of BLAKE2 instead of >> ChaCha20's, but everything translates easily from one to the other. We >> also included cheap masks for 512-bit permutations, just in case. >> >> [1] https://eprint.iacr.org/2015/999 >> [2] https://github.com/MEM-AEAD/mem-aead >> [3] https://eprint.iacr.org/2015/539 >> [4] https://eprint.iacr.org/2015/476 >> [5] https://competitions.cr.yp.to/round2/minalpherv11.pdf >> >>> But in the end, Speck seemed like the clear choice because it had multiple NEON >>> implementations available already which showed it could be implemented very >>> efficiently in NEON; it has over 70 cryptanalysis papers (far more than most >>> ciphers) yet the security margin is still similar to AES; it has no intellectual >>> property concerns; there is a paper clearly explaining the design decisions; it >>> is naturally resistant to timing attacks; it supports a 128-bit block size, so >>> it can be easily used in XTS mode; it supports the same key sizes as AES; and it >>> has a simple and understandable design with no "magic numbers" besides 8 and 3 >>> (compare to an actual backdoored algorithm like Dual_EC_DRGB, which basically >>> had a public key embedded in the algorithm). Also as Paul mentioned he is >>> confident in the construction, and he has published cryptanalysis on Salsa20, so >>> his opinion is probably more significant than mine :-) >>> >>> But I will definitely take a closer look at SPARX and some of the other ciphers >>> you mentioned in case I missed something. I really do appreciate the >>> suggestions, by the way, and in any case we do need to be very well prepared to >>> justify our choices. I just hope that people can understand that we are >>> implementing real-world crypto which must operate under *very* tight performance >>> constraints on ARM processors, and it must be compatible with dm-crypt and >>> fscrypt with no room for ciphertext expansion. Thus, many algorithms which may >>> at first seem reasonable choices had to (unfortunately) be excluded. >>> >> I understand it is a tough choice, and it's unfortunate that many of >> the algorithms we have cater mostly to either the >> high-hardware-accelerated-end or the extremely low-end, without a lot >> of good options at the middle-end. >> > First, we're planning a publication which explains our choices in more detail, > so please treat this as some more preliminary notes. > > To make sure we've exhausted as many alternatives as possible, I wrote NEON > implementations of all the block ciphers you suggested with the exception of > SKINNY (which looked very hardware-oriented and not efficient in software), as > well as some that others have suggested. (It was tough, but after doing a > couple, it got much easier...) The following shows the decryption performance > I'm getting on an ARMv7 platform. Encryption speeds were usually similar, but > in our use case we care much more about decryption, as that affects the most > critical metrics such as the time to launch applications. > > ChaCha8-MEM: 183256 KB/s > ChaCha12-MEM: 134833 KB/s > Chaskey-LTS-XTS: 99097 KB/s > ChaCha20-MEM: 87875 KB/s > Speck64/128-XTS: 85332 KB/s > Speck128/128-XTS: 73404 KB/s > RC5-128/12/256-XTS: 69887 KB/s > Speck128/256-XTS: 69597 KB/s > RC5-64/12/128-XTS: 69267 KB/s > LEA-128-XTS: 67986 KB/s > CHAM128/128-XTS: 52982 KB/s > LEA-256-XTS: 50429 KB/s > Threefish-256: 48349 KB/s > RC6-XTS: 46855 KB/s > RC5-128/20/256-XTS: 44291 KB/s > RC5-64/20/128-XTS: 43924 KB/s > NOEKEON-XTS: 40705 KB/s > Sparx128/128-XTS: 39191 KB/s > XTEA-XTS: 38239 KB/s > AES-128-XTS: 25549 KB/s > AES-256-XTS: 18640 KB/s > > Remember that for dm-crypt or fscrypt over flash storage and/or f2fs, a stream > cipher is insecure. Moreover, on these (low-end) devices the status quo is no > encryption, and we need every bit of performance available. Anything below > 50 MB/s is definitely unacceptable. But even at that speed we get many > complaints, so in practice we need something faster. That means that the > algorithms close to 50 MB/s, such as Threefish, still aren't fast enough. > > ChaCha-MEM (based roughly on your paper: https://eprint.iacr.org/2015/999), has > the best performance, especially if we allow for the 12 or 8-round variants. My > code for it is based roughly on the existing > arch/arm/crypto/chacha20-neon-core.S, but updated to support the inverse > permutation (on 4 blocks at a time, using all 16 NEON registers) and do the > masking required by MEM. However, ChaCha-MEM would be a pretty bleeding-edge > and customized construction, and Paul Crowley and I have concerns about its > security. The problem is that the MEM security proof assumes that the > underlying permutation has no more detectable structural properties than a > randomly selected permutation. However, the ChaCha permutation is known to have > certain symmetries, e.g. if the sixteen 32-bit words are (a, a, a, a, b, b, b, > b, c, c, c, c, d, d, d, d), then they always map to some (e, e, e, e, f, f, f, > f, g, g, g, g, h, h, h, h). > > For the MEM mask generation, we can use the "expand 32-byte k" constant to break > the symmetry, like is done in the ChaCha stream cipher. However, that's not > possible for the inner application of the permutation. So, we'd be using the > ChaCha permutation in a manner in which it wasn't intended, and the security of > the ChaCha stream cipher wouldn't directly carry over. Granted, it's not > impossible that it would be secure, but at the present time it doesn't seem like > a good choice to actually field. > > Chaskey-LTS is faster than Speck, but unfortunately it's not really a viable > option because it has only a 64-bit security level, due to its use of the > Even-Mansour construction with a 128-bit key. Of course, it would still be > better than nothing, but we prefer a cipher that has a security level in line > with what is accepted for modern crypto. > > RC5 with the traditional 12 rounds is about as fast as Speck, but there is a > known differential attack on that number of rounds. So if we choose RC5 we'd > almost certainly have to use the 20-round variant, which is much slower. > > That leaves LEA-128-XTS as the only other algorithm that might meet the > performance requirement, as it is only slightly slower than Speck128-XTS. It > may be the most viable alternative, but beyond the slight performance loss it > still has some disadvantages compared to Speck: > > - Importantly, the LEA authors forgot to include test vectors, so I'm not yet > 100% sure I implemented it correctly. (The Speck authors unfortunately didn't > make the endianness of their test vectors clear in their initial publication, > but at least they actually provided test vectors!) > - LEA has received some cryptanalysis, but not nearly as much as Speck. > - It took some very heavy optimization to get good LEA performance, much more > than I had to do for Speck. My final LEA code has separate code paths for > 128-bit and 256-bit keys, and has reordered and preprocessed the round keys, > and reordered the operations. As a result, it's harder to see how it maps to > the original paper. In contrast, my Speck code is more straightforward and > maintainable. > - LEA-256 (256-bit key) is much slower than LEA-128 (128-bit key), as it has > 33% more rounds. LEA-256 would not be fast enough, so we would have to use > LEA-128. In contrast, with Speck we can use Speck128/256 (256-bit key). > We're willing to accept a 128-bit security level, but 256-bit is preferable. > (I think the Speck designers took a more informed approach to setting > appropriate security margins for a lightweight cipher; it seems that other > designers often choose too few or too many rounds, especially as the key > length is varied.) > - LEA encryption is also a bit slower than decryption, while with Speck > encryption and decryption are almost exactly the same speed. > > Note that like Speck, LEA doesn't appear to be approved by a standards > organization either; it's just specified in a research paper. > > Thus, from a technical perspective, and given the current state of the art in > lightweight cryptography, currently Speck128-XTS seems to be the best choice for > the problem domain. It's unfortunate that there are so few good options and > that the field is so politicized, but it is what it is. > > Still, we don't want to abandon HPolyC (Paul's new ChaCha and Poly1305-based > wide-block mode), and eventually we hope to offer it as an option as well. But > it's not yet published, and it's a more complex algorithm that is harder to > implement so I haven't yet had a chance to implement and benchmark it. And we > don't want to continue to leave users unprotected while we spend a long time > coming up with the perfect algorithm, or for hardware AES support to arrive to > all low-end CPUs when it's unclear if/when that will happen. > > Again, we're planning a publication which will explain all this in more detail. > > Thanks! > > Eric

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Paramount Network is killing the new Heathers before it even premieres on TV. Keith Cox talks with The Hollywood Reporter exclusively in a lengthy, detailed interview so check the entire thing out on THR. Viacom is actively seeking out a new home for the anthology dramedy which has nearly completed mapping out Season 2 in the writer's room.





The decision to pull the plug on the anthology  which was poised to feature a largely new cast in its second season  came after multiple meetings internally with Paramount Network president Kevin Kay, Cox and senior vp development Brad Gardner as well as Viacom corporate execs including CEO Bob Bakish. Ultimately, the decision to not air Heathers on any Viacom platform was made after the youth-focused conglomerate supported the movement that sprang out of Parkland by going dark across all of its brands for 17 minutes in a show of support for the victims in the Florida high school shooting. Those connected with the series were informed of the decision Friday afternoon.Production on the 10-episode first season has long been completed and a writers room was opened months ago and has nearly completed work on a sophomore season which is tied to the first but set in a new location  and one that isn't a high school.
Maseru (Lesotho), May 30, 2018 (SPS) - The King of Lesotho, Letsie III, has received at the Royal Palace, the President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),Brahim Gali , reiterating during the meeting, the firm support of his country to the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.

At the reception, the monarch of Lesotho, who is considered the symbol of unity of the kingdom, expressed his understanding of the challenges facing the Saharawi people on their way to independence, clarifying that his country supports the efforts of the United Nations and the African Union, concerning the search for a solution.

For his part, the President Brahim Gali, has expressed his thanks to the King Letsie III, for his country support to the cause of the Saharawi people.

In the same regard, the head of state, who will have other meetings with the prime minister and the president of the legislative chambers, underlined the will of the Saharwi Republic to deepen, even more, the bilateral relations between both countries. SPS

125/090/TRA
The fourth annual Greenwich International Film Festival will be presenting 70 programs during its four-day run, from more than 30 of the best new narrative and documentary films to panels featuring such Hollywood notables as Scandal star Tony Goldwyn and the 2018 Oscar winner writer-director James Ivory.

A Friday, June 1, party will feature a concert by Lauryn Hill and a gala Changemaker Award evening on Thursday, May 31, will salute #MeToo activist Naomi Judd for her humanitarian work

Actor-director-producer Tony Goldwyn will be honored with a special public interview about his far-ranging career on Saturday, June 2.

The New Canaan resident first attracted attention with his performance as the handsome villain in the 1990 blockbuster Ghost but has gone on to direct and produce films as well as appear in the hit ABC series Scandal.

Goldwyn says he likes to think of himself as a moving target who has eluded typecasting and other show business limitations. He even satisfied a longtime hankering to appear in a Broadway musical when he starred opposite Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes in the hit 2010 revival of Promises, Promises.

It keeps things interesting. It helps business-wise and its more fun, too. Thats the joy, seeing whats out there and taking on new challenges, the actor-director once told me in a chat about foiling peoples expectations and being open to new kinds of work.

The performer and director also will be talking about being part of a Hollywood dynasty that includes his movie mogul grandfather, Samuel Goldwyn, and his producer-distributor dad, Samuel Goldwyn Jr.

James Ivory, who won the 2018 best original screenplay Oscar for Call Me By Your Name will be doing two events at GIFF. He will talk about his career during a public interview June 3 and also do a question-and-answer session after a screening of the recently restored version of his early film Shakespeare Wallah on Saturday, June 2. Ivorys long list of art house hits as a director includes A Room with a View and Howards End.

The festival is screening more new films than I can list here, but I am especially looking forward to the Fred Rogers documentary Wont You Be My Neighbor on Sunday, June 3. The film has won rave reviews in advance screenings for its insights into a 50-year career in childrens television.

Another highly touted non-fiction film, The Price of Everything, examines the art world, from the perspectives of both artists and dealers, collectors and auctioneers. The June 1 screening will include a Q&A with director Nathaniel Kahn.

An intimate look at the late great British fashion designer Alexander McQueen  McQueen  will be screened on May 31 and June 1. Director Ian Bonhote promises honest insights into the life of a self-destructive genius.

jmeyers@hearstmedia.com; Twitter: @joesview
STAMFORD  Election Day is five months away, but preparations are well under way.

Its a year for challengers, which will make for interesting primaries on Aug. 14.

Thats the day voters from each major party will go to the polls to choose among nominees who want to run for top state offices and General Assembly seats in November.

Among Stamford Democrats, the race for a state House of Representatives seat in District 146  downtown, the South End and Shippan  will be particularly competitive.

The first clue came last week, when members of the Democratic City Committee failed to endorse the two-term incumbent, state Rep. Terry Adams, who sits on the committee and is a longtime member of the Stamford Board of Representatives.

In a 4-3 vote, committee delegates instead chose David Michel, an environmental activist and former Green Party candidate who tried unsuccessfully to unseat Adams in 2016.

A third contender, newcomer Corey Paris, got no votes but has the support of a number of city Democrats and several in the state, and the endorsement of a national group that supports young progressives. Paris said he is out collecting the signatures he needs to petition his way onto the ballot in August.

Adams did not return requests for comment, but Stamford Democratic Registrar of Voters Ron Malloy confirmed Friday that Adams and Paris have taken out petitions. Signatures are due June 12, according to the secretary of the states office.

Change in direction

Democratic City Committee Chairman Josh Fedeli said the vote against the incumbent was surprising, sort of.

Ive stopped expecting anything, Fedeli said. The thing is that only seven people on the committee live in the 146th District, so they were the only ones who could vote on the endorsement. When all you need is a majority of four people, things can change quickly.

A primary outcome would be equally difficult to predict, Fedeli said.

Adams is the incumbent, so thats a factor. Michel and Paris will work hard and, from everything I can see, run competent campaigns, he said. For Michel, the party endorsement means his name will appear in Row A, the most advantageous ballot position.

The other advantage is that this time Michel, who is accustomed to the lower ballot lines reserved for challengers, does not have to collect signatures for the primary. But he was out Thursday night in the rain meeting people in the South End.

The cleanup vote

For five years, I did a lot of ground work with conservation. Ive been fighting against polluters, including one of the biggest developers in the city, BLT, said Michel, 43, an eyewear designer who has lived in Stamford for 10 years.

Michel worked to stop BLT from polluting Stamford Harbor with particles of Styrofoam used to insulate buildings going up in the companys Harbor Point development. Cleanups of parks, beaches, streets and wetlands that he organized have resulted in the collection of thousands of pounds of trash.

Michel said he believes those efforts won him endorsement votes.

I think it was my energy and relentlessness in trying to make things better for people, said Michel, who moved to the United States from France when he was 14. Working in conservation helped me see the bigger issues that allow problems to occur. Choices made in local government affect public health, air quality, water quality and other issues.

Government also needs cleaning up, Michel said.

I try to document things and put them in the public eye, so people know when there is a lack of attention to something, he said. Thats why I want to go to the state. There is more of a chance to make changes, to represent the peoples interests and block special interests. The way to attract more people to Connecticut is to fix the infrastructure, improve the parks, end homelessness  not give tax rebates to big companies.

Shining city

Paris, 26, is an Arkansas native who grew up in Kansas and moved to Stamford in 2011. He said he moved to Danbury to attend Western Connecticut State University for two years, and lived in Bridgeport for a year before returning to Stamford.

Paris said he examined the demographics of District 146 and found that people are generally transient, 30 percent Latino, 41 percent millennial, 54 percent female and 13 percent black.

My fiance and I say there is nowhere we would live other than Stamford, said Paris, who will be married in November. The culture, the diversity, the amount of opportunity  its just bustling. Its a great place to raise a family.

Stamford is the shining city on a hill compared to other cities in Connecticut, he said, but we have our challenges, which means they can be overcome.

One is traffic gridlock, he said. Another is strengthening the school system, and a key one is good housing that people can afford, he said.

Ive studied whats happened in Stamford over the last 40 years  where weve been going with building and development. History indicates the boom will burst, Paris said. Developers are taking over the open spaces and not offering enough options for single-family homes. People want the option to purchase housing. Now they can only rent.

Paris has been endorsed by Run for Something, a nationwide activist group launched last year to recruit and back young Democrats for state and local races.

August attendance

Adams, 59, is a longtime Pitney Bowes employee and South End community leader who has lived in Stamford for four decades. After he won his second term in the House in 2016, Adams said he would step down from his District 3 seat on the Stamford Board of Representatives. But he ran for an eighth board term last year and won. He did not return multiple requests for comment.

Fedeli said several factors will make for a higher-than-usual turnout Aug. 14.

Connecticut will be one of 36 states electing a governor. Stamford native Dannel Malloy, a Democrat who was the citys mayor from 1995-2009, will not seek a third term.

Democrats endorsed Greenwich cable TV magnate Ned Lamont in his second bid for governor. Republicans endorsed Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. Both have challengers within their parties.

There are primaries not just for governor but for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of the state, treasurer, Fedeli said. It will be a very busy season.

acarella@stamfordadvocate.com
As part of a state-wide effort to help Puerto Rican victims of Hurricane Maria, Fairfield County's Community Foundation has committed a $10,000 grant to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH). The money will be used to provide relief funds to evacuees.

Along with other Connecticut organizations, the FCCF is committed to preventing Puerto Rican evacuees from entering the homeless response system.
In today's startup world, it's easy to feel left out if you're not in Boston or New York or Silicon Valley or Seattle. That's where the talent often migrates, where the media spotlight is centered and, most importantly, where the money is: According to a data analysis by Richard Florida and the Martin Prosperity Institute, the vast majority of venture capital money still flows primarily to the startup hubs on the coasts, and very little trickles to the cities in between.

Related: Capital-Hungry Startups Should Consider This Alternative to VCs

But great amounts of money don't automatically produce great businesses. One of the most recent examples is the high-end tea infuser brand, Teforia, which shut down operations last October after dismal sales. Despite huge venture capitalist investments, this $1,000 internet-connected tea-maker never caught on with consumers.

Even still, you may assume your own business is at a disadvantage based on its location. So where does that leave those of us who are growing businesses outside of California or Massachusetts or New York? Luckily, successful founders and CEOs between the coasts can look to their own roots to help them grow.

Building a local network

Every city in America has opportunity, even those in so-called "flyover" states. Seizing that opportunity is what's important. Forget the startup mythology in movies such as The Social Network: Investors hardly ever go begging, no matter how good the business idea is. Investors, partners and vendors are generally secured only when entrepreneurs pick up the phone, type out an email or pound the pavement.

Luckily, there's never been a better time to be an innovator or entrepreneur. Startup ecosystems are developing in nearly every city in America.

In my own city, St. Louis, for example, weekly Venture Cafe events give our local entrepreneurs a chance to congregate in person. At the University of Missouri-St. Louis, we host programs such as the Ameren Accelerator, which connects a large corporation with customers, students and startups in the area. And in 163 communities around the country, the coffee-themed program 1 Million Cups seeks to "educate, engage and connect entrepreneurs with their communities."

Related: 3 Ways a Midwest Mindset Can Build a Better Business

Even cities without dedicated entrepreneur programs have opportunities for creating connections. Visiting your local chamber of commerce is always a good start. Rotary International, which has clubs in nearly every city, has been bringing philanthropically minded business people together since 1905.

Also consider manufacturing associations, marketing associations, luncheons and so on -- all happening in even the smallest communities across America.

Forging connections that last

Networking in most cities means entrepreneurs learning from one another. No matter where you are, once you find a networking group or event, the rules for making strong, profitable connections are the same. Here are my top three tips:

1. Comb your hair.

Everyone knows it, but it bears repeating: First impressions matter. They're powerful, and they're formed in less than half a minute, according to research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

When you go out to network, you are the brand. Whether you like it or not, people will judge your business by what you wear and how you carry yourself: A study by Great Business Schools found that 72 percent of people it polled said they were influenced by looks and handshakes when networking. Mark Zuckerberg built his personal brand on the notion of comfort over style, and now he's known for his t-shirts and hoodies; regardless, I'm a firm believer that overdressing will never hurt your image. Don't buy into the idea that outward appearances don't matter. Put some effort into your wardrobe and grooming.

2. Don't let your business card haul go cold.

It's exciting to meet new people at networking events, especially when there's a strong personal connection. But an initial conversation is just like a blueprint -- informative but useless on its own. On the other hand, repeated follow-up is like pouring a foundation for a building: It's something solid that a profitable relationship can be built on.

Attending Rotary club meetings and trade shows won't change anything if you don't follow up with the people you meet. Thirty business cards arent an impressive haul when they all go cold. Just make sure that you act quickly. In one analysis in the Harvard Business Review, researchers found that people are seven times more likely to forge a strong connection with a lead when they reach out within an hour. You might not always be connecting with potential customers, but it's clear that a proactive approach yields results.

After 25 years with my company, I wanted to give back to my entrepreneurial community, so I reached out to the dean of the UMSL College of Business, Charlie Hoffman. We weren't familiar at the time, so I made an introduction via email and then followed up by phone. I did so because I wanted to show him that I was intentional about catalyzing future entrepreneurs. Thanks to my follow-ups, we formed UMSL Accelerate with the senior leadership team's help.

3. Be a gift to somebody.

If you are looking for great business partners, clients or investors, you must first become a great one yourself. No matter who you are or where you're from, you can be a "gift" to somebody. What this means is that when you're engaging, stop talking about yourself and, instead, understand how you might help that person. Ask questions that go beyond the surface and listen to people's responses. According to studies analyzed in the University of California-Berkeley's Greater Good magazine, curious people connect better with others and ultimately cultivate more meaningful relationships.

Let me illustrate: In March 1988, I walked into an event and didn't know a soul. I told myself: "I'm going to meet five people, and one person is going to become a friend." That summer, I went back and did what's called a Two-Minute Forum and secured an investor through it. Because I focused on forming a relationship rather than just finding someone to fund my business, I gained not only a lifelong friend, but also a happy investor in my company.

Related: Dress for Success: A Guide to Getting the Business Casual Look Right

It's easy to assume you need to pack up and head for the coasts to forge connections that can help your budding venture grow. But that's a misconception. To create a thriving startup ecosystem, you just have to start watering the seeds that others are already planting in your own community.

Related:

Analysing the Unconventional Trend : Photography and Videography as Freelance Entrepreneurship

4 Ways to Develop the People Skills You Need to Grow Your Business

Entrepreneurs Succeed by Showing up Every Day and Earning It



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
W hen you think of the Hamptons, what springs to mind? Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha of Sex and the City fame enjoying that weekend on the beach? Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and her famous Cobb salads? The Real Housewives of New York City?

The East End of Long Island has long-been synonymous with glamour and luxury, the rich and the famous. The Cotswolds of the East Coast, it's a neighbourhood marked by exclusivity, where seaside properties are much in-demand and come with eight figure price tags attached.

But what actually is 'the Hamptons'? And what can you do there if you are, merely, a tourist (one without that Little Black Book of high profile contacts to tap)?

Fancy finding out? Keep reading...

Where (and what) are the Hamptons?

The Hamptons is a corner of Long Island, USA made up of a collective of villages and hamlets in the towns of Southampton and East Hampton.

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A popular (and famous) seaside resort, it's connected to New York City and other parts of Long Island via a number of roadways, of which the Montauk and Sunrise Highways, are undoubtedly the most renowned.

Where to stay?

For a luxury visit, head to Gurney's Montauk. Situated on the seafront of Montauk (a hamlet), it boasts 146 rooms, suites, and cottages, and access to a 2,000-foot private sand beach.

A Standard King Ocean View room is the ultimate in understated luxe: dressed in neutral colours, it offers a king-size bed (naturally), a walk-in rain shower and a terrace with partial views of the ocean.

Its pricier cousin, the Oceanfront Two-Bedroom Suite, offers two king-size beds, a queen sofa and outstanding views of the ocean beyond.

What to do there during the day? Head to the resort's Beach Club. It delivers on beach chairs and day beds - on which you can while away hours in the sun - and serves up mouth-watering plates of shrimp skewers, bbq hot dogs and lobster rolls, all washed down - if you so choose - with pineapple mojitos and the Gurney's Punch.

Scarpetta Beach, Gurney's Montauk's night restaurant, offers all-manner of plates to delight, from Lobster Tagiatelle to Black Cod and Long Island Duck. For that holiday post-sun nightcap, frequent the Regent Cocktail Club and sample their Margarita or Cucumber Gimlet.

Elsewhere in the Hamptons, there is Baker House 1650, East Hamptons most luxurious and historic hotel, Hero Beach Club - a chic Montauk residence featuring Balinese-inspired design - and Topping Rose House, a stately, restored 19th-century boutique hotel based in Bridgehampton.

Where to dine and drink?

Home to a number of VIPs, it's little wonder there are a great many top class places to eat - and drink - in the Hamptons .

Take Nikki Beach. A pop-up of the renowned international beach club at Southamptons Oreya, its menu changes daily but there is the promise of seafood and rose and, really, what else is required?

The Highway Restaurant is an established Hamptons stalwart, and this season will also be featuring a pop-up of celebrated Japanese restaurant, Shuko. Usual plates to expect include Squid Ink Rigatoni, the Classic Cheeseburger and Prosciutto & Fennel Sausage Meatballs, with a choice of broccoli rabe, tri-colour quinoa and grilled asparagus on the side.

Lulu Kitchen & Bar is where to go for your sundowners. Think jalapeno infused tequila cocktails and the 'You Are Lulu' creation, of pear Grey Goose, St. Germain, Aperol, citrus juice.

For straight-up lobster rolls and cocktails, head to Grey Lady, or if it's a simple picnic and a bottle of wine you're looking to enjoy, look to Wolffer Estate Vineyard.

Where to shop?

And so we arrive at a key Hamptons pull: the shopping. Where should you shop when there? Where shouldn't you shop, more like?!

Zimmerman originated in Sydney and has a variety of swim and resort-wear made for the Hamptons - ideal if your two-piece collection brought over from Blighty needs a little mid-holiday upgrade.

For men and womens clothing and accessories which are contemporary, elegant, and understated in feel, head to Club Monaco, and for classic American resort-wear, where else but the trusty Ralph Lauren?

For something new, Gwyneth Paltrows modern lifestyle brand, Goop, is unveiling its Hamptons boutique, Goop MRKT, which is set to feature all sorts of summer essentials.

For a wide selection of designer gear, go to What Goes Around Comes Around as there, you'll find a refined selection of vintage designer items from the worlds most notable brands: Gucci, Chanel, Christian Dior, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and so it continues.
L ondoners will stand together on Sunday to remember the victims of the London Bridge terror attack.

Eight people died and 48 more were hurt on June 3 last year, when the three terrorists drove a white van into pedestrians on London Bridge.

Armed with 12-inch knives and strapped with fake suicide vests, they attacked people in nearby Borough Market and local pubs before being shot dead by police.

On Sunday a service of commemoration will be held at Southwark Cathedral for the victims and their families, the survivors, emergency services and members of the community.

Borough Market & London Bridge terror attack tributes - In pictures 1 /19 Borough Market & London Bridge terror attack tributes - In pictures Flowers and post it notes on the wall by London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Floral tributes and messages to those killed and injured after the London Bridge terror attack left at London Bridge Nigel Howard A message of "love not hate" posted among the tributes Jeremy Selwyn Thousands of people wrote messages to the victims Jeremy Selwyn Red roses laid out on London Bridge after the terror attack Jeremy Selwyn More flowers at Monument in remembrance of victims Jeremy Selwyn Floral tributes and messages to those killed and injured after the London Bridge terror attack left at London Bridge Nigel Howard A woman sticks a post-it note to the wall of messages Nigel Howard People from all over the world left messages of strength and support after the attack Jeremy Selwyn Onlookers take photos of the floral tributes Nigel Howard It comes as the market gears up to reopen Nigel Howard The Borough Market community left this message of strength Nigel Howard A woman takes a photo of the messages left at the scene Nigel Howard One person Rob wrote: They did not dent our democracy Nigel Howard The sea of flowers by London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Flowers and post it notes on the wall by London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Flowers and post it notes on the wall by London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Floral tributes and messages to those killed and injured after the London Bridge terror attack left at London Bridge Nigel Howard A giant blue screen closes an entrance to Borough Market Jeremy Selwyn

Councillor Peter John, leader of Southwark Council, said June 3 will be forever imprinted in the memories of residents.

He said: We must also be thankful for the heroism and commitment of many, many people who worked tirelessly in the hours, weeks and months that followed to support those affected, and help our borough and city to remain united in the face of such cowardice and brutality.

Policeman blinded in one eye by London Bridge attackers fought off all three

I hope we can all stand together to send a message to the world that we do not give in to terror, and evil will never win.

Entrepreneur James McMullan, 32, was the only British person killed when he was stabbed as he stood near the Barrowboy and Banker pub on London Bridge.

Heroes of London Bridge attack - in pictures 1 /7 Heroes of London Bridge attack - in pictures Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff, clinical director and consultant in emergency medicine at Kings Malcolm Tunnicliff featured in TV programme 24 Hours in A&E Ex-police officer Darren Jaundrill Matt Writtle Joe Palermo, a bouncer from Italy Joe Palermo helped people to shelter in Bill's Matt Writtle Baker Florin Morariu Journalist Geoff Ho was stabbed in the neck while trying to help others Twitter

Ignacio Echeverria Miralles De Imperial, 39, from Spain, was murdered when he tried to stop a woman from being stabbed by the attackers.

Three French citizens were killed: chef Sebastien Belanger, 36, waiter Alexandre Pigeard, 26, and Xavier Thomas, 45, whose body was found in the River Thames four days later.

'It was pandemonium' says officer who helped London Bridge attack victims

Two Australians were also killed: au pair Sara Zelenak and nurse Kirsty Boden, who ran towards the danger to help victims on the bridge.

Canadian Chrissy Archibald died in the arms of her fiance, Tyler Ferguson, on London Bridge.

The cathedral is just yards from where the three attackers went on their rampage.

Family members will light candles at the church and an olive tree - the 'Tree of Healing' - will be planted in compost made from the flowers left on the bridge after the attack.

Shortly after the service there will be a minutes silence and speeches at the Southwark Needle monument at the corner of London Bridge and Duke Street Hill.

At 4.30pm, a procession will march from Southwark Cathedral to the Needle, the monument on the corner of London Bridge and Duke Street Hill.

A minutes silence will be held in government buildings and other locations at 4.30pm.

A Book of Hope will be at Southwark Cathedral this weekend for people to leave messages of condolence.

The flowers laid at London Bridge will be left in situ for several days allowing local workers and passers-by to also pay their respects in the days following the anniversary.

The Dean of Southwark, The Very Revd Andrew Nunn, added: Having been at the heart of the events of that dreadful night it is right that the cathedral is the focus for our remembering and prayers for healing and peace.
A group of 16 Labour MPs have broken ranks to call for a second referendum on Brexit.

The group of London politicians joined forces with Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable and two of his MPs to warn of the dangers that the capital faces when the UK leaves the European Union.

The signatories of the letter to the Independent, which urged a deal that keeps Britain in the customs union and single market, included six former shadow ministers, several of whom were in place until last year.

Among the 16 are regular critics of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, including Mike Gapes and Wes Streeting, plus other including Rushanara Ali, Margaret Hodge, David Lammy and Tulip Siddiq. They represent a third of the 49 Labour MPs in London.

It comes the day after 10 Welsh Labour MPs called for a second referendum, including Anna McMorrin and Tonia Antoniazzi, who are parliamentary private secretaries to shadow cabinet members.

Mr Corbyn - himself a London MP - has repeatedly said Labour does not support a second national poll and fired Owen Smith as shadow Northern Ireland secretary for proposing one.

Labour leader: Jeremy Corbyn / Bloomberg via Getty Images

In the letter to the Independent on Saturday, the London MPs warned that the capital "represents all the most positive elements of being global, outward-looking, welcoming and tolerant, but that was all at risk if Brexit went badly".

They added: "The Government has a mandate to negotiate a Brexit deal. What the Government absolutely does not have is a mandate to force a bad Brexit deal on our city that could damage London for generations to come.

"So much of the economy of London relies on being in the single market and the customs union, and on freedom of movement.

"From the tech sector to finance, from construction to culture, London benefits hugely from being part of a larger European market. Outside of this European market, our city will suffer."
D onald Trump has blasted current trade agreements between the US and other nations as "stupid" after imposing harsh new tariffs on steel imports.

Taking to Twitter, the president wrote: "The United States must, at long last, be treated fairly on Trade.

"If we charge a country ZERO to sell their goods, and they charge us 25, 50 or even 100 percent to sell ours, it is UNFAIR and can no longer be tolerated.

"That is not Free or Fair Trade, it is Stupid Trade!"

Theresa May will use the forthcoming G7 meeting in Canada to press the US to reverse tariffs introduced on European steel and aluminium, Liam Fox has said.

The decision by the US leader to slap 25 per cent and 10 per cent tariffs respectively on the metal imports was wrong and illegal, the International Trade Secretary insisted.

But while he said EU counter-actions had so far been proportionate, he cautioned against measures that might spark a full-blown trade war.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the UK was still seeking tariff exemptions based both on specific products and also geographic location.

Mr Trump's charges have been branded 'illegal' / PA Wire/PA Images

He followed the lead taken by Theresa May on Friday in drawing a link between UK steel imports and US national security projects.

Dr Fox told Today: "We will still be making that case throughout this week.

"We of course have the G7 leaders meeting at the end of the week where the Prime Minister will be raising this with President Trump alongside other leaders."

President Donald Trump's first year in office - in pictures 1 /40 President Donald Trump's first year in office - in pictures U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington Reuters 20 January 2017 President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump are greeted by President Barack Obama and his wife first lady Michelle Obama, upon arriving at the White House in Washington, DC. before being sworn in as the nation's 45th president during an inaugural ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Getty Images 20 January 2017 President Barack Obama greets President Elect Donald Trump on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty Images 20 January 2017 Attendees line the Mall as they watch ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump on Inauguration Day in Washington, DC Getty Images 20 January 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump sings to the song "My Way" while dancing with first lady Melania Trump during the inaugural Liberty Ball at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC Getty Images 21 January 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer makes a statement to members of the media at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. This was Spicer's first press conference as Press Secretary where he spoke about the media's reporting on the inauguration's crowd size Getty Images 22 January 2017 US President Donald Trump congratulates Senior Counselor to the President Stephen Bannon during the swearing-in of senior staff in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC AFP 22 January 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with James Comey, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during an Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, DC Getty Images 27 January 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May with U.S. President Donald Trump walk along The Colonnade at The White House Getty Images 09 February 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House February 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. Prior to signing the three executive orders, Trump participated in the swearing in ceremony for new Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) along with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (L) and Sessions's wife Mary (2nd R) Getty Images 19 February 2017 Muslim women protest against US President Donald Trump on in Chicago, Illinois AFP/Getty Images 27 February 2017 Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway checks her phone after taking a photo as U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders of historically black universities and colleges pose for a group photo in the Oval Office of the White House before a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence in Washington, DC AFP/Getty Images 17 March 2017 Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ivanka Trump talk before a meeting with US President Donald Trump and business leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC AFP/Getty Images 23 March 2017 U.S. President Donald J. Trump gets in the driver's seat of an 18-wheeler while meeting with truck drivers and trucking CEOs on the South Portico prior to their meeting to discuss health care at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 23 March 2017. The House of Representatives has yet to vote on the Republican-crafted American Health Care Act, that would replace the Affordable Care Act, as it remained unclear whether Republicans had enough votes to overcome opposition from Democrats and those within their own party. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO EPA 17 April 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks from the Truman Balcony with first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron Trump during the 139th Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 04 May 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump (C) speaks while flanked by House Republicans after they passed legislation aimed at repealing and replacing ObamaCare, during an event in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. The House bill would still need to pass the Senate before being signed into law Getty Images 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray in Jerusalem's Old City AFP/Getty Images 24 May 2017 Pope Francis walks along with US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump during a private audience at the Vatican AFP/Getty Images 26 May 2017 European Council President Donald Tusk, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pose for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily on May 26, 2017 in Taormina, Italy. Leaders of the G7 group of nations, which includes the Unted States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy, as well as the European Union, are meeting at Taormina from May 26-27 Getty Images 7 July 2017 US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, AFP/Getty Images 25 July 2017 Incoming White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci talks with reporters during 'Regional Media Day' at the White House July 25, 2017 in Washington, DC. Conservative media outlets were invited to set up temporary studios on the north side of the West Wing so to interview White House officials and members of President Donald Trump's cabinet Getty Images 28 July 2017 Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) leaves the the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol after voting on the GOP 'Skinny Repeal' health care bill on July 28, 2017 in Washington, DC. Three Senate Republicans voted no to block a stripped-down, or 'Skinny Repeal,' version of Obamacare reform Getty Images 22 August 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump looks up toward the Solar Eclipse while joined by his wife first lady Melania Trump on the Truman Balcony at the White House on August 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. Millions of people have flocked to areas of the U.S. that are in the "path of totality" in order to experience a total solar eclipse Getty Images 22 August 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a rally at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. An earlier statement by the president that he was considering a pardon for Joe Arpaio,, the former sheriff of Maricopa County who was convicted of criminal contempt of court for defying a court order in a case involving racial profiling, has angered Latinos and immigrant rights advocates Getty Images 15 September 2017 11-year-old Frank "FX" Giaccio (L) gets a pat on the back from U.S. President Donald Trump (C) while mowing the grass in the Rose Garden of the White House September 15, 2017 in Washington, DC. Giaccio, from Falls Church, Virginia, who runs a business called FX Mowing, wrote a letter to Trump expressing admiration for Trump's business background and offered to mow the White House grass Getty Images 03 October 2017 President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at the Muniz Air National Guard Base for a visit after Hurricane Maria hit the island in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The President has been criticized by some that say the governments response has been inadequate Getty Images 11 October 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pose for photographs after Trudeau's arrival at the White House in Washington, DC. The United States, Canada and Mexico engaged in renegotiating the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement Getty Images 23 October 2017 Seven of U.S. President Donald Trump's eight border wall prototypes are shown near completion along U.S.- Mexico border near San Diego, California Reuters 30 October 2017 Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort gets into his car after leaving federal court, October 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election Getty Images 06 November 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump pours fish food out as Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looks on while they were feeding carps before their working lunch at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan Reuters 09 November 2017 China's President Xi Jinping (L) and US President Donald Trump review Chinese honour guards during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing AFP/Getty Images 21 November 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, their son Barron, National Turkey Federation Chairman Carl Wittenburg and his family and members of the Draper County, Minnesota, 4-H chapater pose for photographs after Trump pardoned, Drumstick, the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. Following the presidential pardon, the 40-pound White Holland breed which was raised by Wittenburg in Minnesota, will then reside at his new home, 'Gobbler's Rest,' at Virginia Tech Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 30 November 2017 President Donald Trump and the first lady Melania Trump attend the 95th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting held by the National Park Service at the White House Ellipse in Washington, D.C. The Beach Boys, Wynonna, The Texas Tenors, Craig Campbell were among the artists who provided the entertainment Getty Images 01 December 2017 Michael Flynn, former national security advisor to President Donald Trump, leaves following his plea hearing at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, DC. Special Counsel Robert Mueller charged Flynn with one count of making a false statement to the FBI Getty Images 06 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump signs a proclaimation that the U.S. government will formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after signing the document in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House December 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. In keeping with a campaign promise, Trump said the United States will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sometime in the next few years. No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem Getty Images 14 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump cuts a symbolic piece of red tape during an event at the White House promoting the administration's efforts to decrease federal regulations in Washington, DC. The administration has vowed to remove two regulations for every single regulation added in an effort to reduce the amount of bureaucratic "red tape" Getty Images 18 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump pauses during a speech at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC. The president was expected to outline a new strategy for U.S. foreign policy through the release of the periodic National Security Strategy, a document that aims to outline major national security concerns and the administration's plans to deal with them Getty Images 20 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by Republican lawmakers, celebrates Congress passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the South Lawn of the White House on December 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. The tax bill is the first major legislative victory for the GOP-controlled Congress and Trump since he took office almost one year ago Getty Images 22 December 2017 A Palestinian protester throws a stone during clashes with Israeli forces near the Huwara checkpoint south of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as protests continue in the region amid anger over US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as its capital AFP/Getty Images 12 January 2018 US President Donald Trump shakes hands with White House Physician Rear Admiral Dr. Ronny Jackson, following his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland AFP/Getty Images

He added: "The United States believes, I believe wrongly and illegally, that this is a national security matter for the US.

"Given that we export some pretty complex steel products to the US which are part of their national security programmes themselves, this reasoning that is given is wrong and therefore we believe unlawful."

Mr Trump originally imposed the tariffs in March, saying a reliance on imported metals threatened national security.

Michel Barnier: No spirit of revenge in Brexit negotiations

But he exempted Canada, Mexico and the European Union to buy time for negotiations, a reprieve that expired at midnight on Thursday.

Theresa May on Friday described Mr Trump's decision to hit EU steel and aluminium imports to the US with tariffs as "unjustified".

The Prime Minister said she was "disappointed" at the decision to impose a 25 per cent duty on European steel and a 10 per cent duty on European aluminium, which both came into effect on Friday.

Key Brexit Players - In pictures 1 /6 Key Brexit Players - In pictures David Davis Reuters Michel Barnier AP Tim Barrow AFP/Getty Images Oliver Robbins Sabine Weyand Didier Seeuws AFP/Getty Images

She added her voice to calls for British and European products to be exempt from the charges, saying they contributed to US national security projects.

It came after the EU said it would introduce retaliatory tariffs after Mr Trump's "illegal" and "dangerous" decision.

Mrs May said: "I am deeply disappointed at the unjustified decision by the US to apply tariffs to EU steel and aluminium imports.

"The US, EU and UK are close allies and have always promoted values of open and fair trade across the world.

"Our steel and aluminium industries are hugely important to the UK, but they also contribute to US industry including in defence projects which bolster US national security.

"The EU and UK should be permanently exempted from tariffs and we will continue to work together to protect and safeguard our workers and industries."
H ome Secretary Sajid Javid launched a scathing attack on cosmetics giant Lush over a campaign which criticised police officers.

The minister hit out at the company for a campaign accusing the police of lying.

The new adverts for the chain said officers were paid to lie, and use phrases such as police have crossed the line and police spies out of lives.

Lush said it is aiming to expose intrusive, abusive, political policing  including officers who have allegedly been secretly investigating activists in the UK.

But Mr Javid, who was promoted to Home Secretary in April, said: Never thought I would see a mainstream British retailer running a public advertising campaign against our hardworking police. This is not a responsible way to make a point.

Criticism: Sajid Javid (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images) / Getty Images

The campaign, launched in partnership with two activist groups, references a public inquiry into undercover policing in the UK which was launched three years ago.

Lush is calling on its customers to sign an online petition, wear a badge and pass on the message about so-called spycops.

But police officers across the country have reacted with outrage, with scores vowing to boycott the store over what they believe is an anti-police campaign.

Che Donald, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said he would never use Lush products again.

The Lush Twitter account has been taken over by the campaign / Twitter

He tweeted: "This is very poorly thought out campaign @LushLtd & damaging to the overwhelmingly large majority of police who have nothing to do with this undercover enquiry.

"I will now clear my house of any of your products and my family and friends will never use them again."

Calum Macleod, Chair of the Police Federation, added: The Lush advertising campaign is offensive, disgusting and an insult to the hard work, professionalism and dedication of police officers throughout the UK.

I cannot believe that someone, somewhere, actually thought this campaign was a good idea. All it serves to do is to criticise police officers and encourage an anti-police sentiment. Police officers already face enough abuse from those who break the law and are a menace to society, without the need for a cosmetic company to start putting the boot in too."

However, a spokeswoman for Police Spies Out Of Lives said the campaign has been "taken completely out of context" and they were not accusing all police of lying.

Lush is calling on customers to support its campaign against undercover police spying / PA Archive/PA Images

The group, who secured a public inquiry into the undercover scandal which they have described as being "years behind schedule", said it only aimed to target police from particular units.

Cathy, a campaign member, said: "We thought it was quite obvious that this campaign was directed at very specific police officers in the undercover units - quite notorious units which have since been disbanded.

"The vast majority of police officers are paid to tell the truth. We are lost in trying to understand why a normal police officer would think this is about them."

A spokesman from The Undercover Policing Inquiry insisted their work will be rigorous and objective and that hearings for evidence are expected to begin in June 2019 and will continue for two years.

Lush said: "This is not an anti-state/anti-police campaign. We are aware that the police forces of the UK are doing an increasingly difficult and dangerous job whilst having their funding slashed.

"We fully support them in having proper police numbers, correctly funded to fight crime, violence and to be there to serve the public at our times of need.
A n investigation into the Jeremy Thorpe scandal will be reopened after police admitted they may have wrongly assumed one of the suspects was dead, according to a new documentary.

A probe launched in 2015 into the alleged attempted murder of the former Liberal leader's lover Norman Scott was closed last year.

Gwent Police had believed Andrew Newton, who was allegedly hired to kill Mr Scott, was dead.

But the force has told BBC Four documentary The Jeremy Thorpe Scandal that new information has come to light, suggesting he may still be alive.

Mr Scott, 78, said he thought police were "continuing the cover up".

Suspect: Police admitted they may have wrongly assumed Andrew Newton was dead / PA

He told the programme: "I just don't think anyone's tried hard enough to look for him. I really don't.

"There must be people who knew him and there would surely be a record of him dying.

"I thought (Gwent Police) were doing something at last and soon found out that absolutely they weren't, they were continuing the cover up as far as I can see."

The documentary, which is due to be broadcast at 10pm on Sunday, investigates the alleged plot to murder Mr Scott, who was involved in a relationship with Mr Thorpe in the early 1960s, when homosexuality was illegal.

Mr Thorpe, who died in 2014, was acquitted of conspiracy to murder after an Old Bailey trial in 1979.

A fresh probe was launched by Gwent Police in 2015 after new claims emerged.

But Mr Scott was told the investigation was over after the force concluded Mr Newton, who was jailed for firearms offences over the shooting of Mr Scott's dog on Exmoor in 1975, was no longer alive.

Gwent Police told documentary makers: "Enquiries were completed which indicated Mr Newton was deceased.

"We have now revisited these enquiries and have identified information, which indicates that Mr Newton may still be alive.

"As a result, further enquiries will be conducted to trace Mr Newton to assess if he is able to assist the investigation."
F orecasters have warned that heavy downpours and thunderstorms are on the way again this week as a recent dry spell comes to an abrupt end.

London and the South East is expected to see the worst of the weather as systems currently above Europe bring cloudy and humid conditions from Thursday morning.

The threat of thunder and lightning will remain in the south for the rest of the week, while northern parts are expected to experience the best of the countrys sunshine.

It comes after last month brought days of thundery weather in Britain, including one epic storm over the capital.

'Mother of all thunderstorms' 1 /11 'Mother of all thunderstorms' Lightning over the Suleymaniye Mosque in Dalston as the mother of all thunderstorms swept over London Andrew Lanxon Hoyle/@Batteryhq/P The thunderstorm illuminates the night sky over the Thames in this picture from Tower RNLI TowerRNLI/PA A lightning bolt arcs over London's skyscrapers Reuters The display of lightning in a Twitter picture that passed near Reigate @robinpeyton Lightning in south-west London @NitaiLevi/Twitter This time-lapse image shows lightning striking behind Big Ben in central London James Brewin/PA Lightning above Wembley Stadium REUTERS Londoners run for cover as a lightning bolt darts across the sky over Kings Cross @pamelsaurusrex/PA Lightning over the Shard @samueltwilkinson /PA Lightning seen from a bedroom window as it strikes above a street in south London REUTERS There were between 15,000 and 20,000 lightning strikes over the UK last night REUTERS

Met Office forecaster Dean Hall told the Standard: Keeping an eye on developments on the near continent, this will introduce more clouds in the south and by the end of tonight, into the morning, there will be heavy rain and a risk of thunderstorms.

It will be a cloudy start across southern parts, and the heavy rain and thunderstorms will move northwards through the day.

For south and south east England the risk of thunder storms will be at its greatest, away from there it will be brighter with a good chance of sunshine and fairly warm as well. Temperatures will reach a maximum of 22 or 23C.

For the rest of the week the outlook remains the same, with thundery weather moving in from the near continent, warm and humid, cloudier in eastern parts with the best of the sunshine across northern parts of the UK.

Before then, Wednesday will see widespread sunshine across most parts of Britain, with temperatures peaking at 24C in London.

Mr Hall said: For today off to a fine start for many, some lowish cloud affecting parts of east England and the south east, which should move back towards the coast leaving a fair amount of sunshine, warm sunshine, with maximum temperatures in London of 23 or 24C.

Across Scotland and Northern Ireland, Wales, southern England we will see sunny spells but there will still be some lowish cloud in north east England and along the North Sea coast.

It will be a fine end to the day with some pleasant evening sunshine for the coming night, beginning with clear skies for most which will see temperatures drop.
V isa says its systems are operating at "close to normal levels" after a major disruption affected cardholders across Europe.

Customers across the UK and Europe reported that their card payments were failing as the company grappled with a service disruption.

Visa said it was working towards resolving the problem on Friday afternoon.

Angry customers took to social media to complain, and it is understood the Bank of England is aware of the issue and is in touch with Visa.

One man named Philip Keeler wrote: "My visa rejected in posh Waitrose of all places. Im a well to do man, I dont expect to have my visa declined this is highly embarrassing."

Another person said "Machines were declining any visa cards that were being used to pay for shopping. Happened to me and a lot of others while I was in the store."

Visa card payments failing across Europe

A Visa spokesman said at the time: "Visa is currently experiencing a service disruption.

"This incident is preventing some Visa transactions in Europe from being processed.

"We are investigating the cause and working as quickly as possible to resolve the situation."

HSBC's UK Twitter account replied to a customer query on Twitter: "We believe there may have recently been issues with Visa's payments processing.

"From what we understand there are still intermittent issues but services are slowly recovering."
BALMORHEA STATE PARK

Balmorhea State Park is located on 45.9 acres in the foothills of the Davis Mountains southwest of Balmorhea in Reeves County. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the early 1930s, the park was deeded in 1934 by private owners and Reeves County Water Improvement District No. 1. The park was opened in 1968.

Nature of the Area

The Balmorhea State Park Cienega Project, which recreated a desert wetland in West Texas, has won a 1998 Texas Quality Initiative Award for "innovation" from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and its cooperative partners. Described as a "classic win-win situation by organizations ranging from the Texas Organization for Endangered Species to the Cotton Council, the Balmorhea Cienega Project conceived by the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) was awarded the TQI award for its unprecedented cooperative effort among the local farming community, and a host of state and federal agencies. The pacesetting project spearheaded by TPW fisheries biologist Dr. Gary Garrett brought together such diverse interests as the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency with the Texas Department of Agriculture, TxDOT, Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Reeves County Water Improvement District #1. Special acknowledgment goes to TPW staff David Riskind, Delton Daugherty, Kelly Bryan, Michael Young, and Tom Johnson.



The cienega now serves not only as an attractive habitat for endangered fish and other aquatic life, birds and other animals, but also as a tourism draw for Balmorhea State Park.

History of the Area

San Solomon Springs has provided water for travelers for thousands of years. Artifacts indicate Indians used the spring extensively before white men came to the area. In 1849, the springs were called Mescalero Springs for the Mescalero Apache Indians who watered their horses along its banks. The present name was given by the first settlers, Mexican farmers who used the water for their crops and hand-dug the first irrigation canals.



Situated about four miles west of Balmorhea, Texas, the 45.9-acre Balmorhea State Park was constructed by Company 1856 of the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, between 1936 and 1941. The CCC was established as a New Deal program by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression as a way to employ people that would have otherwise been out of work. Many of the state parks in Texas were developed during this time.



The 77,053 square ft San Solomon Spring is the focal point of Balmorhea State Park. From 22 to 28 million gallons of water flow through the spring-fed swimming pool each day. Other CCC structures in the park include a limestone concession building, two wooden bathhouses, an adobe superintendent residence, and San Solomon Courts, an early expression of the modern-day motel, constructed of adobe bricks. All of the CCC buildings are constructed in a Spanish Colonial style with stucco exteriors and tile roofs.



Visitors to Balmorhea State Park can enjoy a swim in the CCC-constructed pool and, if staying overnight, may choose to relax in one of the historic rooms at San Solomon Courts. The lobby of the park office includes several photographs of the CCC at work in what is now Balmorhea State Park. When visiting the park, take time to see what the park property looked like in the late 1930s and what it looks like today. Balmorhea State Park is a substantial monument to the construction skills and hard work of the CCC crew and their supervisors.

Camping

Facilities include restrooms with showers; campsites with a shade shelter and water; campsites with a shade shelter, water, and electricity; pull-through campsites with water, electricity, and cable TV hookups; campsites without a shade shelter, with water and electricity.
Distorting some figures does not have the desired effect on the determination of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) to fulfill its missions, but on the state of mind of citizens, the spokesperson of the SRI, Ovidiu Marincea, said in a press statement on Friday.

"The SRI believes that the taking over and distortion of some information, figures, erroneous facts does not have the desired effect on the determination of the Service to fulfill its legal missions, but one that is more profound on the state of mind of citizens, which can have graver effects on the state of national security. The SRI Director, Eduard Hellvig, wishes to assure our internal and external partners that the SRI remains committed in its missions to preserve national security in a fair relation to all partners and the civil society and in the service of Romanian citizens. We state our determination to continue correct and institutional cooperation with the Parliamentary Control Committee on the SRI's activity," Marincea said.

He mentioned that on Thursday the mass media was rife with three unofficial figures. "We have received several requests from you, from the media to explain those numbers, but I believe it's the role of those issuing them to explain them, as on behalf of SRI, nobody has send those numbers through any address to any institution. The first figure, 311,000 mandates and authorizations in total. I mention that the SRI has not sent any address to the Parliamentary Committee in which this figure is mentioned. I, as a spokesperson, have heard of this figure, I saw it in a study online on blog in Cluj. The second figure - an average of 20 persons listened to on one mandate. The Chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee on the SRI's activity stated that, in his belief and that of the commission, of the total mandates for national security interspersed with those for normal crimes there were, I quote, on average, 20 persons listened to on one mandate. It is an inaccurate average, if we take into account that in most SRI mandates, for example, we have one or two persons on the mandate. The third figure is 6 million Romanians listened to. This figure is the result of multiplying an inexact coefficient with an unofficial figure from a blog," Marincea stated.He said that the data that the SRI has made available to the Control Committee on the SRI's activity since November 2017 were also publicly relayed in the press release of the SRI remitted on Thursday, namely that in the 11.12.2004 - 16.02.2016 the total number of national security mandates (initial, extensions, completions) requested by the SRI was of 28,784, and of those, initial mandates were 9,292.He mentioned that he is making this statement not as a reply to someone, but because it involves the SRI's responsibility towards its citizens, towards its internal and external partners.Chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee on the SRI's activity, Claudiu Manda, stated, on Thursday, that over six million people were listened to in the 2005-2016 period, as he read in a report elaborated by the Committee."One of the conclusions of the Committee's report is that the restraining of rights and liberties of citizens, guaranteed by the Constitution, was made on a large scale, using abusively those legal instruments that are national security mandates, technical surveillance mandates or authorizations for technical supervision set down by prosecutors. (...) In the context in which one surveillance mandate, as we have seen and have heard in the Committee, can contain an average of 20 persons or spaces listened to, we can assume that there were more than 6 million persons listened to in this entire period," Claudiu Manda said.
Senate President, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, stated, on Friday, that the protocols concluded by the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) with other institutions in the realm of justice, including the General Prosecutor's office, when its leadership was ensured by Laura Codruta Kovesi, as matters of "extreme severity" that may have affected the independence of prosecutors.

"Some secret protocols popped up, concluded between the SRI and the General Prosecutor's office, when Ms. Kovesi was General Prosecutor. Secret protocols concluded by SRI with other institutions in justice. These matters are of extreme severity and I see that some which today are extremely vocal, they speak of the necessity to maintain the independence of justice and prosecutors - and I absolutely agree with this, it's not a necessity, it's an obligation - but exactly these protocols did nothing but infringe, brutally, on the independence of prosecutors and nobody said a word and everybody was quiet. And Ms. Kovesi has a huge responsibility in this sense," said Calin Popescu Tariceanu, invited on a show at private broadcaster Digi24.

In his opinion, the head prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has made two other "very grave, extremely dangerous" mistakes, which refer to investigating some acts of the Government and their political opportunity, as well as her refusal to participate in the works of the Committee regarding the 2009 elections."The first mistake was of investigating acts of Government, not respecting the principle of separation of powers, trying to see and analyse, without having that right, the political opportunity of the Government's decisions. It's very grave. So, this matter is not encountered in any democracy in which the principle of separation of powers works and in which we speak of the principles of rule of law. The second matter is the systematic refusal that has translated into a defiant attitude towards Parliament, when she was called by the Inquiry Committee regarding the famous 2009 elections," said the President of the Senate.In his opinion, President Iohannis should take into account the decision of the Constitutional Court and the considerations given in taking a decision regarding the head prosecutor of the DNA."I believe that at this moment, given that the procedures were completed and the considerations that I referred to, partially, are extremely serious, I believe the President should, certainly, take act of these matters and pursue appropriate measures, once the motivation of the Constitutional Court is published," Calin Popescu Tariceanu concluded.
To start with, lets point out that there is much to admire about the current Polish government under the Law and Justice (Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc, PiS) party. It is socially and culturally conservative (prolife, pro-family); opposed to the non-European, largely Islamic, migratory invasion threatening the demographic replacement of native, Christian Europeans (and which may already be irreversible in some countries, like Sweden); and takes a strong patriotic stand for Polish sovereignty against the Moloch in Brussels. The European Union (EU) even threatens sanctions over absurd claims that the PiSs strictly domestic judiciary and media practices violate democratic freedoms.

In contrast, democratic freedoms evidently werent much of a concern in the corrupt EU establishments (now hopefully failed) attempt to block the validly elected populist coalition in Italy. Nor are Europes democracy champions troubled by the arrest, muzzling, and peremptory sentencing  and possible death sentence  of activist-journalist Tommy Robinson in the United Kingdom. What the EU calls democracy of the elites and actual citizens democracy clearly are two very different things. The voters choice is only valid when it delivers items on the EUs anti-traditional, anti-Christian, anti-national, anti-human values, like the tragic abortion referendum outcome in Ireland.

In such a context, any European government that so upsets the mandarins in Brussels as much as the PiS in Warsaw does must have something good going for it. Together with the other three members of the Visegrad Group  and especially of Viktor Orbans Hungary, which if anything is even more of a bete noir of the neo-liberal, Sorosite Eurocrats than Poland is  Poland is at the cutting edge of the nationally, religiously, and culturally based Euroskeptic movement, one which now includes the populist coalition in Austria.

Bravo! Lets give credit where credit is due.

But seemingly alone of the countries of the Visegrad plus one (V+1), Poland appears unduly attached to an outsized, anachronistic sense of its weight in continental affairs. This is combined with a visceral, unselfconscious antipathy towards Russia and, perhaps to a slightly lesser degree, towards Germany (which in practice means towards the EU itself, a Fourth Reich that has succeeded economically where Berlin had twice in the past failed militarily). However painful the nostalgicphantom limb pain of a once-great power whose borders formerly reached to Smolensk, encompassed all of Belarus and much of Ukraine, and which even briefly occupied Moscow during the Time of Troubles, such antipathies are not useful today for anyone  certainly not for Poland, nor for the rest of Europe.

An early inkling that Poland would seek to punch above its weight in prosecuting its anti-Russia vendetta was in February 2014 (prior to PiSs accession to power) when then-Foreign minister Radosaw Sikorski stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his German and French counterparts in brokering a political compromise between Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and the Maidan opposition. Of course, neither Poland, nor Germany, nor France (nor their American backers) murmured a peep of protest when the opposition proceeded over the space of a few hours to trash the arrangement, which was little more than a sly ruse for the seizure of total power that sent Yanukovych fleeing for his life. While for many Poles the anti-constitutional regime change in Kiev may have been a gratifying jab at Russia it also empowered Ukrainian nationalists who honor as heroes criminal perpetrators of the butchery of many tens of thousands of Polish victims of the massacres in Volhynia, the Lublin region, and Eastern Galicia from 1943 to 1945 by the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists-Bandera faction (OUN-B) and its armed wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

But with the PiS in power, Polands bid to again play with the big boys shifted into high gear. Key to this is a special relationship with Washington, which Warsaw sees as a powerful counterweight to its immediate neighbors. While other manifestations will surely follow, at the moment playing the American card involves two key initiatives:

1. Against the EU : Warsaw is positioning itself as the critical mediator between the United States (Polands friend) and the EU (Polands antagonist) with respect to US threats to hit European companies with secondary sanctions on trade with Iran following American withdrawal from the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action); and

2. Against Russia : Warsaw has offered the US up to two billion dollars in support for a permanent American base in Poland.

Regarding the Iran sanctions, because of the need for unanimity in any EU-wide countermeasures, Poland has a lot of leverage. While EU midgets like Donald Tusk, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Federica Mogherini talk a brave fight against US sanctions, the outcome at the EU and in European capitals is very much in doubt. The US will try to pick off one or another of the top three European governments (United Kingdom, France, or Germany) to cave to the US position, then expect the others to follow. The almost certain pullout of the French company Total from Iran is a good indicator of how things may go.

Moreover, since standing firm against Washingtons threats requires solidarity with Russia (as well as with China) the US will rely on the most anti-Russian members  not only Poland but the Baltic states and maybe Romania  to block any concerted resistance. The US will count on the leading role to be played by Poland, which, as noted above, already has its other problems with Brussels. Washington will expect Warsaw to jump at the chance to not only poke the EU (and Germany) in the eye but Russia too.

It cannot be emphasized too strongly that European resistance to reimposition of Iran sanctions is not just a test for the EU institutionally (in which case, who cares) but is a critical measure of whether European countries individually as well as collectively can reassert their sovereignty against the hegemon across the Atlantic. At this juncture, Poland appears ready to help Washington maintain dominance over our European satellites.

How that helps Poland is less than clear. Certainly it is understandable, perhaps even praiseworthy, for the PiS government to want to deliver a sharp riposte to Brussels for its threats against Poland over migration policy and meddling in Polands internal constitutional affairs. But a binary identification of Brussels bad, Washington good doesnt logically follow. This relates not just to interests but values. US elites overwhelmingly share the postmodern, post-Christian values of Western Europe. As Patrick Buchanan observes: A scholarly study sums it up: The statistical trends in religion show two separate Europes: the West is undergoing a process of secularization while the post-socialist East, de-secularization. One Europe is turning back to God; the other is turning its back on God. (Ironically, along with Poland and Hungary, one of the primary examples of post-communist Christian revival is Russia  something many Poles might not choose to acknowledge.)

Thus, despite the Trump administrations blowing up the US relationship with the EU over the Iran nuclear deal, there is still more that unites than divides the unelected bureaucracy in Brussels with its American counterpart  no, not Trump himself, who was legitimately elected, but the Deep State oligarchy that has been attempting to overthrow him. Consider the contrast: Poland now has indicated its willingness to torpedo concerted EU resistance to Washingtons demand for new sanctions on Iran (plus secondary sanctions on Europe) just as Brussels (with likely American involvement, according to Tom Luongo) tried to torpedo formation of a new, right-left populist Italian government that would have been a powerful partner for V+1. Why? Because a Five-Star/Lega government might pull the plug on sanctions against Russia.

Even more momentous than what Warsaw chooses to do about Iran-related sanctions is the offer of an American base in Poland, which creates a positive and direct danger to the Polish people. Poland needs neither an American base (nor the American defensive missiles set to be deployed there) for the simple reason that there is no military danger to Poland, neither from Russian aggression nor from a non-existent Iranian missile threat.

Rather, these measures themselves run the risk of creating a menace where there wasnt one before. As Washington and our NATO satellites continue to step up pressure on Russia  through forward basing in the East, arming Kiev with Javelin missiles, naval and aerial probing in the Black and Baltic seas  the possibility of a mishap that leads unintentionally (one hopes it would be unintentional) to hostilities goes up accordingly. (We should also add US provocations against Russia in Syria.) In that case, any US presence would be of zero value as military protection to Poland, but it would ensure that Poland would be a primary target if war were to break out.

Moscow warns that a permanent US base in Poland would be a violation of the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, which states that in the current and foreseeable security environment, the Alliance will carry out its collective defence and other missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, integration, and capability for reinforcement rather than by additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces. NATO has already moved to skirt this provision by claiming that force rotation in Poland and the Baltics and the Nordic region is neither permanent nor substantial. Moreover, as the neoconservative-dominated think tank Heritage Foundation asserts, due solely to Russian actions in its Near Abroad the current and foreseeable security environment in Europe has changed dramatically since 1997. This alone justifies permanently basing NATO troops in Central and Eastern Europe.

In other words, the Founding Act is a dead letter. That would have to include its key assertion: NATO and Russia do not consider each other as adversaries. An adversarial stance towards Russia is the heart of the so-called Three Seas Initiative  lauded by US President Donald Trump during his 2017 visit to Warsaw  which seems nothing more than a warmed-over version of earlier Polish effort to isolate Russia from Europe, Jozef Pisudskis Prometheism and Intermarium initiatives.

Unless Poland intends to levitate itself to some other place in Europe, even with Americas favor Poles will have to contend with the fact that they have Germany on one side and (in effect, not really counting Belarus) Russia on the other. These are the neighbors God gave the Poles, with which they can be friends or enemies.

With a looming confrontation between the US and the EU over trade and Iran sanctions, and with ties to Russia locked in a deep freeze, there are those in Washington happy to use Poland as a cats paw against both. How that is in Polands interest is another matter.
The Russian military is increasingly relying on robots to minimize casualties in current and future conflicts. The defense industry has achieved technological breakthroughs that have made it the world leader in the development of unmanned ground-combat systems. This gives Russian soldiers a major edge on the battlefield. The Platforma-M automated systems patrol key infrastructure installations, including military bases for ground and naval strategic nuclear forces. Other Russian military robots are already performing important missions on the ground. Many of them have been tested on Syrian battlefields.

The Uran-9 tracked Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), or remote-controlled tank, is larger than the others and is capable of the most difficult missions under combat conditions, in addition to its primary missions, which are reconnaissance and the fire-support of infantry units. Unique and unrivaled, this  the worlds one and only operational unmanned battle tank  is an example that illustrates how artificial intelligence boosts the capabilities of Russias contemporary systems.

This new wonder weapon has seen action in Syria. Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Borisov, responsible for armaments and acquisitions, has confirmed this information.

The weapons system includes two vehicles to fulfill command and control functions and a transporter truck for moving the tank from place to place. The UGV can travel at a top speed of 35 km/h on highways. Its maximum cross-country speed is 25 km/h, and off-road  10 km/h. The average specific ground pressure is 0.6kg/sq.

The armament suite includes a 30mm 2A72 automatic cannon, the primary weapon consisting of a coaxial 7.62mm 2A72 machine gun to engage ground-based light armored targets, four 9M120 Ataka anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs, two on each side), and 6 thermobaric rocket launchers (three on each side of the turret). The Uran-9 has been reconfigured to carry point-defense systems.

The auto-cannon has a fire rate of 350 to 400 rounds per minute and can shoot high explosive incendiary and armor-piercing ammunition against ground and low-flying aerial targets. The ATGMs have a range of 0.4 km to 6 km, enabling them to hit a tank with 90% probability. Four Igla-S surface-to-air missiles can shoot down low-flying aerial targets at a range of 3 km. In addition to this formidable suite of weapons, its smaller silhouette makes the Uran-9 harder to hit than any other platform of comparable lethality.

The system can take out any target from personnel assets to heavy vehicles and heavily protected sites. The heavily armed Uran-9 can provide backup for soldiers located in areas of contention.

The robots optics and targeting system consists of electro-optic and thermal imaging cameras and a laser designator. The fire-control system makes it possible to detect, identify, and track traveling enemy targets from a distance of 6 km during the day and 3 km at night. The drone can operate in either autonomous or manual mode.

The software is the hard part. It has been reported that Russia has already tested the Unicum software package (Skynet) that provides the artificial intelligence that allows unmanned systems to perform complicated functions on their own. Up to ten robotic systems can be guided, automatically distributing the information and assigning each mission to a commander . Any robotic system  sea, ground, or air-based  can be equipped with Unicum.

The software package can be used to coordinate the activities of the Uran-9 as a killing element and the Uran-6  another example of Russian leadership in ground UGV technology. The remote-controlled mine-clearing robotic system can operate at a safe distance of up to one km. away, doing the work of 20 sappers. Able to survive mine explosions of up to 60kg of TNT, it searches for mines and unexploded ordnance in order to neutralize it and clear the way for the forces to advance. With a mine-clearing speed of 2 km/h and a maximum speed of 5 km/h, the Uran-6 robot can operate continuously for up to five hours, overcoming 1.2 m-high obstacles and crossing 1.5m-wide trenches. It can climb 20 inclines. The system did a great job clearing the area in and around the Syrian town of Palmyra in April 2016. Roughly, 19,000 explosive devices were defused.

Both the Uran-9 and the Uran-6 took part in the May 9 Victory Day Parade in Moscow and were presented to the spectators there as systems that had demonstrated their effectiveness in Syria.

Many nations are making efforts to develop unmanned ground combat vehicles, but only Russia has an operational UGV that has been tested under combat conditions, leaving the US behind. Under the direction of an operator working at a safe distance, the well-armed, fast, agile, and small Uran-9 is a real boon for the Russian infantry on the battlefield. The art of war is changing and so is Russias military, steadily building what other nations still dont have  a ground force of unmanned tanks with formidable strike capability that utilize artificial intelligence to coordinate their activity.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and sanetor Aitzaz Ahsan said that it seems system is trying to delay elections however,there party stances that election should be on time.

Speaking at a press conference here, Ahsan, however, said that his party wished for timely conduct of polls.

He said the Islamabad High Court had declared delimitation of multiple constituencies null and void and now the election commission would approach the court on the issue.

He said that if from the beginning delimitations has happened then protest would also happened.

Ahtazaz Ahsan said that due to the present situation anxiety has been created in PPP, exchange of ideas been done in detail by sitting on the present situation.

Ahsan also said the Balochistan Assembly hastily adopted a resolution seeking one-month delay in elections, on another side there is a letter of Chief Minister of Khaber Pakhtunkhawah (KPK).

On the occasion party leader Farhat Ullah Baber said, we do not know who wants to postponed elections, election commission would tell us.

They said that we would take decision after meeting of election commission.

They said after the resolution of Baluchistan Assembly, election commission has not given any statement.

Sherry Rehman said that parliament responsible to make law and amendments we do not want any confrantation.
Former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday suggested four names for the post of caretaker provincial chief minister.

The Pakistan Muslim League  Nawaz (PML-N) president has nominated Pakistan Navy former chairman Admiral Muhamamd Zakaullah, former DG Intelligence Bureau (IB) Aftab Sultan, Justice (r) Sahir Ali and former IG Punjab Tariq Saleem Dogar for the post.

Shehbaz put forward the names after discussion with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif during a meeting of Pakistan Muslim League  Nawaz (PML-N) leaders in Model Town, Lahore, sources told.

The meeting which was presided over by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and attended by Marriyam Aurangzeb, Saad Rafique and Rana Sanaullah among others discussed the current political situation of the country and caretaker CM setup, sources added.

The former Punjab CM said, The names proposed will be forwarded to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (pPTI).

PTI should consider our names and we will consider theirs, who knows may be we reach a consensus in the first meeting, Shehbaz further said.

According to sources, a meeting is expected between Shehbaz and former leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly Mehmood-ur-Rasheed within the next two days to discuss the nominees for caretaker Punjab chief minister.

If Shehbaz and Rasheed do not reach a consensus, then the matter will be resolved by a parliamentary committee, sources added.

A day earlier, confusion surrounded the list of candidates suggested by PTI for caretaker chief minister of Punjab.

After Rasheed presented the names of Orya Maqbool Jan, Yaqub Izhar, and Hassan Askari, party spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry later took to twitter to announce the candidates proposed as caretaker CM which did not include Orya's name.

"PTI has proposed three names to be appointed as Caretaker Punjab CM. 1)Hassan Askari 2) Ayaz Amir 3) Yaqub Izhar... agreement on one name is expected by tomorrow evening," the partys spokesperson confirmed on Twitter.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the bloc and China share commitment to preserve a nuclear agreement signed between Iran and major world powers in 2015 and to work for its continuation.

Mogherini was speaking at a joint press point with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Brussels on Friday following the EU-China strategic dialogue after the United States' move to withdraw from the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), last month.

"Indeed, we are one hundred percent determined to continue cooperation between China and the European Union, but I can add also with Russia as it belongs to the signatory countries, but also with other partners internationally who are committed to preserve the nuclear deal and its full implementation," the senior EU official said.

Mogherini added that she held talks with the Chinese foreign minister on the "key" issue of the full continued implementation of the nuclear deal that has been the result of twelve long years of diplomatic work.

She noted that China played an "essential" role in the nuclear negotiations and would continue its leading role in the upcoming weeks, months and years "in continuing the full implementation of the agreement."

The senior EU official stressed the importance of "the continued implementation of the nuclear-related commitments" under the JCPOA and said, "China's contribution here is relevant, key, and essential - in particular, the leading role that China has on the Arak [heavy water reactor] project."

In April 2017, Iran and China signed the final version of a contract to redesign and modernize the Arak heavy water reactor in central Iran, an important step in line with the implementation of the historic nuclear agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries.

According to the agreement, China is to review the new design of the Arak reactor made by the Iranian experts and confirm its compliance with the international safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The 40-megawatt Arak reactor is intended to produce isotopes for cancer and other medical treatments. Iran is redesigning the planned research reactor to sharply cut its potential output of plutonium.

Mogherini further pointed to her talks with the Chinese foreign minister on bilateral cooperation on the economic aspects of the JCPOA implementation and urged "full coordination between China, the European Union and others in the world to guarantee that Iran can continue benefiting from the economic benefits that came from the agreement and will continue in the weeks to come."

She hailed "good" coordination between the sides on both the implementation of nuclear-related commitments and on the implementation of economic commitments of the nuclear deal.

"And the role of China, let me say it very clearly, has been and continues to be extremely crucial, positive and appreciated not only by the European Union, but also by our other partners," Mogherini pointed out.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, the European Union's foreign policy chief said the 28-nation bloc is determined to save the JCPOA despite the United States pullout from the deal.

She added, "You know that we have been acting already at European Union level to put in place a set of measures to make sure that the nuclear agreement is preserved and the economic investments from the European side, but also from other sides in the world are protected."

In a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing on May 13, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he seeks a "clearer image" of the future of the key nuclear agreement after the US withdrawal.

During talks with the Chinese foreign minister, Zarif pointed to good relations between Tehran and Beijing after the JCPOA implementation started in 2016, adding, "We are confident that China will stand by Iran. China and Iran have comprehensive strategic partnership and are trade partners and these relations still continue."
The Tauranga City Council is proposing to stage a series of improvements and road-widening along 15th Avenue that will eventually create space for more people to bus, carpool and bike.

Transportation manager Martin Parkes says the first stage of work is expected to start later this year.

Well be adding a new traffic lane between Fraser Street and Grace Road to give the 15th Avenue and Fraser intersection a better chance to clear in the afternoons, says Martin.

The bulk of the work is scheduled for 2021, after the NZ Transport Agencys Baypark to Bayfair Link project is finished.

Any major work we do along 15th Avenue or Turret Road needs to be timed carefully so it doesnt clash with the Bay Link project.

We saw how widespread the delays got when people parked their cars along Turret Road to watch the dolphins a few weeks ago.

Having two major construction projects underway at the same time along two major transport routes will create much more disruption than people are seeing now.

A video and concept plans are available at www.tauranga.govt.nz/15thavenue along with an online form for people to give their feedback.

Tauranga City Council will host information sessions for the community throughout this month.

People who live, work, go to school and travel through the Avenues are invited to learn more about the plans for 15th Avenue.



Community information drop in session details:

Wednesday, June 6 from 4pm- 6pm at Tauranga Special School, Kaka Street

Saturday, June 16 from 12pm-2pm at Tauranga Central Baptist Church, Corner 13th Avenue and Cameron Road (plenty of parking available around the back)

Thursday, June 21 from 10am-12pm at Blind Foundation, 160 Seventeenth Avenue  parking available.

Council staff will also be stationed at Pak n Save Cameron Road and the Fraser Cove shopping centre during selected lunch hours through June.
Taurangas Peter Burlings efforts to retain the Auld Mug in 2021 will be available live on all New Zealanders TV screens free-to-air.

State-owned broadcaster TVNZ has signed an agreement with defenders Emirates Team New Zealand and Challenger of Record Luna Rossa for the exclusive national broadcast rights for the event, to be contested on the waters of Aucklands Hauraki Gulf.

The deal covers all of the associated Americas Cup events, including the preliminary World Series, the Christmas Race in 2020, the Prada Cup (defenders elimination series) in early 2021, followed by the 36th Americas Cup presented by Prada in March.

After helming Team New Zealand to victory over Oracle Team USA last year, Burlings elevation to the skippers role for the 2021 defence was confirmed by team officials in April.

Burlings unflustered performance behind the wheel in Bermuda last year was only seen live on New Zealand screens by subscribers to Sky TV.

With this new agreement however TVNZ are restoring their link with the event that goes back to 1987 when it was part of the original family of five sponsors of Emirates Team New Zealand.

TVNZ Chief Executive Kevin Kenrick says the channel will screen coverage across all their platforms, including live streaming on TVNZ OnDemand.

The event returning to TVNZ brings to mind Peter Montgomerys iconic TV commentary  'The Americas Cup is now New Zealands Cup  because it brings the whole country together and as a nation, were really invested in the teams success. Were going to push the boat out to make our coverage accessible to the biggest audiences so everyone feels part of the action.

Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton says TVNZs coverage will maximise the number of New Zealanders that experience the event.

It has been a fundamental principle of Emirates Team New Zealand and the Challenger of Record that the Americas Cup be accessible to as many Kiwis as possible since we won the trophy back almost one year ago.

TVNZ have committed to provide coverage of this Americas Cup like no other, so we are delighted that the Americas Cup Match Presented by Prada and all preceding events will be broadcast live and free to air for all New Zealanders to watch and be part of.
Rome wasnt built in a day and neither was Ryan McNaughts LEGO masterpiece. In fact his display took 4,944 hours and over seven tonnes of LEGO bricks to build.

Known as The Brickman, Ryan is the only LEGO Certified Professional in the Southern Hemisphere and one of only 14 in the world.

His latest display Wonders of the World is an interactive display that allows you to travel around the globe to see some of the worlds most iconic landmarks, such as the Empire State Building, Arc De Triomphe, Big Ben and Leaning Tower of Pisa.

After wowing Auckland, Hamilton LEGO fans, the popular event will be coming to Mount Maunganui from Saturday, June 30- Sunday, July 22.

The exhibition is super interactive with lots of activities for LEGO fanatics of all ages to get involved in, says Ryan.

Brickies will have the chance to build a statue of themselves next to the mighty Statue of David, build cars to drive around the Arc De Triomphe, add their own LEGO fish and coral to our Great Barrier Reef and heaps more.

Hopefully all the budding builders in Tauranga are up for the challenge.

The exhibition will feature 50 awe-inspiring models on display, taking visitors on an educational journey through history.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to learn along the way and discover more about each attraction- real life and LEGO life.

As well as being immersed amongst the incredible LEGO creations, there will also be a number of hands-on activities to take part in.

Ryan will also be enlisting the building skills of the public to help with some of the model making, with little and big kids giving them the chance to show off their building talents in eight interactive zones.

It was incredible to have so many people come to see Brickman Wonders of the World at Auckland Museum, a phenomenal turnout of kids and adults that love LEGO as much as I do.

Now I cant wait to bring the party to Mt Maunganui, its going to be awesome.

The Brickmans Wonders of the World LEGO event will be held at Baypark Stadium Lounge from June 30- July 22.

Tickets start from $12.50 and will be available to purchase at www.ticketek.co.nz.
Female Australian duo This Way North are returning to New Zealand shores with an electric live show to promote their recently-released EP, Vol 2.

They will be touring the country, with a Tauranga show scheduled for June 9 at The Incubator.

Drummer/vocalist Cat Leahy and guitarist/vocalist Leisha Jungalwalla first met in Canada, at a festival in British Columbia.

We hung out there and realised that we only lived 500m away from each other in Melbourne. We started casually writing music together after that and we've been playing together since 2014.

They describe themselves as a drums and guitar duo who sound more like a five-piece band.

Or so we keep getting told! We play a mixture of indie-rock, with some strong pop elements mixed with a little soulful alt-pop.

The band has toured New Zealand twice last year, and chose to perform at The Incubator in Tauranga after another New Zealander raved about the wonderful shows they put on there.

We just love New Zealand, the people, environment and their love of music and support of arts and culture keeps us coming back! We haven't been to Tauranga yet so we are really excited to explore a new place.

In the future theyre hoping to continue to tour, write music, and try to have a sustainable career in the industry. An album is also on the cards sometime soon.

For more info on the bands tour, or to book tickets, visit www.thiswaynorth.com/tour.

WIN WITH THE SUN

SunLive has one double pass to the This Way North June 9 show at The Incubator for one lucky reader who can tell us the name of the bands drummer.

Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the competition section. Entries must be received by Wednesday, June 6.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A mother who shook and seriously injured her baby in 2013 has been charged -- along with a man -- of leaving dogs to die in Syracuse.

Wanda Trumble and Timothy E. Stevens were arrested Friday by the Syracuse Police Department and charged with animal cruelty. The couple was arrested after three dead dogs were found in their former North Side home.

Trumble is the mother of Nataliah Trumble, a 5-month-old baby who died in November 2013.

Trumble pleaded guilty to assaulting Nataliah days before her death but was cleared by a grand jury of killing her daughter. Nataliah's father, Joseph Molina, was also acquitted of killing his baby girl.

Trumble was arrested again after police started investigating an animal cruelty complaint this week.

The police department's animal cruelty officer responded to 111 Seward St. on Tuesday with the city's animal control officer.

When the officers arrived, they found three dead dogs inside the vacant home, said Sgt. Richard Helterline, a police spokesman. Two of the dogs were found severely decomposed inside the basement.

All three dogs died from not being properly fed and cared for, Helterline said.

Stevens and Trumble -- the home's previous tenants -- left their dogs behind when they moved from Seward Street, Helterline said.

Two of the dogs were often left inside the home's basement, Helterline said. Although Stevens told Trumble he had given the third dog to the SPCA, he left the animal inside the home, he said.

Stevens, 30, was charged with three counts of animal cruelty. At the time of his arrest, he was also wanted on a warrant for unrelated vehicle-related charges.

Trumble, 24, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty. No mugshot is available.

Stevens is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center in lieu of $5,000 bail. Trumble was given an appearance ticket and released.
Federal prosecutors today dropped the charges against one of three Buffalo men scheduled to go on trial this month in the corruption case that also involves a former state official and two Syracuse business executives.

To prosecute defendant Michael Laipple "would not be in the interests of justice,'' the prosecutors wrote in a court document filed today. Laipple was one of three executives from the LP Ciminelli company who were indicted in 2016 and accused of bid-rigging.

Of the three, only CEO Louis Ciminelli still faces trial this month.

Another LP Ciminelli executive, Kevin Schuler, pleaded guilty last month and is cooperating with the U.S. attorney's office.

Prosecutors said today that their decision to drop the charges against Laipple was based on a review of evidence and "information acquired subsequent'' to the indictment. They provided no details.

The Buffalo executives were accused of colluding with Alain Kaloyeros, former head of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, to rig a request for proposals to ensure that LP Ciminelli would get a lucrative state contract. Kaloyeros, who has pleaded not guilty, will also face trial this month.

Two executives from Cor Development Co. of Fayetteville also are accused in the case. Steven Aiello and Joseph Gerardi have denied charges that they colluded with Kaloyeros to rig an RFP for Syracuse-area construction work.

The trial is scheduled to begin June 11 in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. Prosecutors are seeking a one-week delay to process new information obtained since Schuler pleaded guilty.

Contact reporter Tim Knauss | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023

Laipple_Charges dropped by Tim Knauss on Scribd
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Onondaga County officials say they are taking possession of the state's Central New York Film Hub with the expectation that the state will provide $1.7 million to pay for its operation and capital improvements.

A state board today approved the sale of the often-empty film hub to the county for $1. County officials say part of the arrangement is for the state to provide $1.5 million to make capital improvements to the facility and $200,000 to cover the film hub's operating costs for the next two years.

The grant money has not been approved yet, but it's expected.

"I would anticipate an announcement in the near future,'' said Bill Fisher, deputy county executive.

County Executive Joanie Mahoney established a nonprofit entity, the Greater Syracuse Soundstage Development Corp., to own and operate the facility. The corporation will not be supported by county tax dollars.

Instead, county officials are counting on $200,000 from Empire State Development, the state economic development agency, to pay for heat, lights, maintenance and other costs for at least the next two years, Mahoney said.

After that, the facility should be able to sustain itself from fees it charges for use of the soundstage, she said.

"We thought that was a safe enough cushion to be able to move ahead with this transaction,'' Mahoney said.

The other $1.5 million sought from the state would be used for a variety of capital improvements to make the facility more user-friendly to filmmakers. The money could help pay for technology to support film editing and other post production work, to enhance the soundstage, or similar purposes, Fisher said.

County officials emphasized that the sale is not contingent upon state funding. The grant applications must be endorsed by the Regional Economic Development Council and approved by state officials before the money is awarded.

If the grants are denied, the county's local development corporation will have to seek other sources of funding, Mahoney said.

The facility will be rebranded the Greater Syracuse Soundstage. County officials want to emphasize that the soundstage is a "qualified production facility'' that allows filmmakers who use it to claim New York's lucrative film tax credit.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in March 2014 that the state would build the facility and that it would create 350 new jobs and bring "Hollywood . . . to Onondaga.'' Construction ultimately cost $14.4 million.

But the anchor tenant that state officials had hoped would generate business for the film hub, a startup called The Film House, disappeared from the scene after making just one low-budget film in 2015. The movie, "American Dresser,'' has yet to be released.

Since then, the facility has been used sporadically.

Since it opened in 2015, the soundstage has been used by a dozen film productions. County officials estimated those productions generated $13 million to $15 million in economic activity, but did not provide details.

By bringing the soundstage under local control, Mahoney hopes to ramp up its usage. Without having to wait for state approval to book films or make improvements, the county will be able to operate the facility more efficiently, she said.

Mahoney said a busier soundstage will fuel the growth of a local movie work force and would support a lot of offshoot economic activity, from electrical work to catering.

"The soundstage is the key to making these jobs a reality,'' Mahoney said. "We're making some progress, but we believe . . . that we can accelerate the progress when we have local management of the facility that can better respond to the needs of the filmmakers.''

Key local officials support the county's move to acquire the film hub, including state Sen. John DeFrancisco.

"The CNY Film Hub has great potential to bring in more economic development to our area,'' DeFrancisco said in a prepared statement. "I feel the best way to maximize this potential is by having the film hub operate under local control.''

Contact reporter Tim Knauss | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023
Students of Bishop Ludden Jr./Sr. High School celebrated at their gala Friday, June 1, 2018. The event had a masquerade theme and was held at The Links at Erie Village in East Syracuse.

Our gallery of photos can be found above.

Want to buy a photo?

As you're browsing the gallery, look for the "BUY IMAGE" link to order high-quality reprints and other products.

More prom photos

See all photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York.
June 02--TOWN OF NEWBURGH -- Once left for dead and then resurrected to fill gaps in electricity demand, the Danskammer power plant would be remade under a $400 million proposal by its new owners.

In a May 24 filing with the state Public Service Commission, Danskammer Energy LLC outlined a plan to replace the existing power plant with a new one producing more energy with lower emissions and fewer water draws from the Hudson River. The project would replace the facility's four steam turbine generators with the "Danskammer Energy Center," which would include a natural gas-powered turbine and a steam turbine.

The new system, to be built at Danskammer's 180-acre property off River Road, would increase generation capacity to between 525 and 575 megawatts, compared to the current 511 megawatts.

Danskammer currently operates as a peaking facility that powers up to fill energy needs at times of high demand, such as during hot weather.

The new plant would help replace electricity generation capacity lost when the 2,000-megawatt Indian Point nuclear power plant closes in April 2021, according to Danskammer Energy.

New $400M Danskammer power plant proposed https://t.co/hkr68JUmm3  Leonard Sparks (@LeonSparks845) June 1, 2018

"The proposed site repowering will provide a more fuel-efficient facility, minimize impacts on surrounding communities and maintain economic benefits into the future," said William Reid, chief executive officer for Danskammer Energy.

Danskammer Energy is preparing engineering and environmental studies, and meeting with local representatives as it refines the project design, according to the company. Its filing outlines a public participation process that will include forums and a website.

The new plant would need approval from both the state and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The Energy Center would occupy less space than the existing plant and be a "quick start" facility that could go from being off to operational in less than an hour, according to Danskammer Energy.

The ability of the new plant to begin generating quickly "will help improve the energy grid's reliability by providing a rapid source of power for times when intermittent renewable resources, like wind and solar facilities, cannot produce energy," Danskammer said.

The new facility would also use an "air-cooled condensing" system designed to "eliminate" the drawing of water from the Hudson River for cooling, according to the filing. The water draws, and accompanying discharges of heated water, have long angered environmentalists.

In a lawsuit filed in 2014 as Danskammer planned to reopen, environmental group Riverkeeper claimed that the plant's cooling system killed fish larvae and young and adult fish sucked into its intake system or in the path of released heated water.

"New fossil fuel infrastructure projects in the region are not necessary," Cliff Weathers, a spokesman for Riverkeeper, said Friday. "We see a brighter future and more opportunities associated with energy efficiency and renewable power."

Danskammer, once powered by coal, was originally operated by Central Hudson Gas & Electric. It closed temporarily after another former owner, Dynegy, declared the plant inoperable because of damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. It was reopened by new owner Mercuria Holding Group in 2014 as a peaking plant fueled by natural gas.

In September 2017, New York City-based private equity firm Tiger Infrastructure announced an agreement to buy Danskammer in partnership with Agate Power. The announcement came eight months after Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially announced the closure of Indian Point.

Danskammer currently has a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with the Orange County Industrial Development Agency under which it pays the town $200,000 annually. The town gets another $200,000 annually under a separate "host" agreement.

"I would be glad to see it as long as it is environmentally friendly and, hopefully, generates more tax revenue for the town and the (Marlboro) school district," Town of Newburgh Supervisor Gil Piaquadio said Friday.

- By Leonard Sparks, The Times Herald-Record, Middletown, N.Y.
Police are looking for a tree thief who prefers evergreens - especially balsam firs, Canaan firs and blue spruce.

According to The Post Star, someone took 130 saplings from the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District earlier this month.

The seedlings were part of the district's annual tree and shrub sale this spring.

Good morning. It appears that someone decided to help themselves and dig up leftover specimens from the tree and shrub... Posted by Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District on Monday, May 14, 2018

District Manager Jim Lieberum said the trees were pulled from the ground. Lieberum and his staff discovered rows of their saplings had vanished on the weekend of May 12 next to the district's offices on Schroon River Road in Warrensburg.

The Warren County Soil and Water District offers a variety of trees for sale to local landowners for conservation benefits from supporting wildlife to improving the soil.

Lieberum said the financial loss is about $120, but it's not about the money. He told News10 that the act of the theft was unfortunate and disheartening.

However, Lieberum still has a sense of humor about the ordeal.

"You have to smile and wonder what the motivation was," he said.

Lieberum contacted the Warren County Sheriff's Office after the theft incident. The sheriff's office recommended the district to install cameras.

The district is considering installing cameras on the property.

"It's just unfortunate," Lieberum said. "I think it's the first thing we've ever had stolen here."
The accusation is in connection with the Pandora Papers revelations about the corrupt acts of President Sebastian Pinera. | Read More
Wood reckons wed all be better off without status quo bias - it would make providers work a lot harder for their money. Remember doing nothing is also a decision, she says. Avoid distractions Traditional economic models assume buyers and sellers have perfect knowledge but for modern consumers, acquiring valuable, trustworthy information can be difficult. If you are buying a house "don't get distracted by unrelated stuff you don't really need". Credit:Fairfax Media Gigi Foster, an economist at the University of NSW, reckons consumers will be happier if they control the mental effort they devote to acquiring good information and guard against useless distractions. This is especially important when making big decisions or major purchases.

If you are interested in buying a new house ... dont get distracted by unrelated stuff you dont really need, says Forster. Try to be more directed in how you acquire good information. While our mental attention is scarce, warns Foster, the stream of information coming from social media, television and newspapers makes it easy to get distracted by things that dont add to our wellbeing. Treat your mental attention as a precious resource, she says. Dont let it be washed over by all sorts of information thats not really going to make you any happier. Time, money and happiness Dean Pearson, National Australia Banks head of behavioural economics, thinks busy families need more time and should pay for it if necessary.

His research has shown feelings of time-pressure are a major drag on the wellbeing of Australians. In a busier and busier world the question is how do we claw back more time for the stuff we really want to do? he said. Families would be happier if they spent more of their money to free-up time  maybe by outsourcing domestic work - and less money on purchasing things. You dont have to be rich to do this, says Pearson. But money can buy happiness, provided you spend it on things that really make you happy. If you value your time, pay for services like cleaning or gardening. Credit: Another economist, Jim Stanford from the Australia Institutes Centre for Future Work, drew attention to our tendency to undervalue time. Despite all the talk about people being time-poor were often willing to give a lot of time away for free.

This trait crops up in many ways from a willingness to drive long distances to save a few dollars at the petrol pump to spending precious leisure hours assembling furniture purchased in a flat-pack. Valuing our time is likely to become an even bigger challenge as new technologies and forms of employment blur the boundaries between leisure time, voluntary work and paid work. Stanford warns the less astute we are at valuing our time, the easier it will be for employers and even governments to steal it. Think about the long-term Andrew Leigh, an economics professor turned federal Labor MP, singled out the tendency for people to put off making healthy choices.

He cites an experiment in which people were asked to choose between a chocolate bar and a piece of fruit, to be collected in a weeks time. Half the participants chose fruit at the outset but two-thirds of them switched to junk food when it came time to pick up the food. This trade-off - known by behavioural economists as hyperbolic discounting - suggests government policies which constrain our choices can make us much better off over a lifetime, health being a prime example. Preventive health is largely about making decisions today whose effects come much later, he says. People tend to put off making healthy choices. Credit:Quentin Jones Another economist, Saul Eslake, says this kind of short-termism also undermines financial wellbeing. A prime example is the costly but widespread practice of paying only the minimum repayment each month on credit card debt. Beware our housing blind spot
Cosplay is part of the fun at Oz Comic Con. Lancaster has been a comic book fan since childhood, especially the classic superhero titles, but it was when a high school history teacher introduced him to more independent and "offbeat" titles that he became dedicated to the genre. "It's such a unique marriage of art and text and I don't think that other stories, whether they be art or film or prose, capture that as well as comics do. And there's something powerfully imaginative about comics and it engages character in a way that no other media does," he explains. Oz Comic Con by Wayne Nichols. "It's icons like Batman and Spiderman, characters that have been around for decades, that people are still enthralled with today and so many writers have been able to put a new spin on those characters and create something new and interesting."

For those who read comics only as children, the genre has expanded well past that of just superheroes and simple stories of good versus evil. Shelves are stocked with titles that incorporate television shows and pop cultural phenomena, such as American Horror Story, Angry Birds, Arrested Development, Dr Who and 1980s classic, Alf. The flexible medium has found fans who have followed a popular television show to the comic format, for example, when the cult series Buffy the Vampire Slayer finished after its seventh season in 2003, an eighth season was told via a new comic series. Iron Spider-Man by Wayne Nichols. While superhero and action titles remain extremely popular, the variety in characters and stories being told has evolved significantly, which is what is drawing in a more diverse fandom. The industry also has a healthy independent section, too. Lancaster adds: "The way the audience has changed, it's gone from something that targeted a much younger demographic to essentially a serious medium for artists now, and that level of sophistication has grown with us. Melbourne comic artist Dean Rankine

"As more people accept comics are serious art forms, we get more sophisticated stories." Like the genre itself, Melbourne's comic book scene has evolved over the years, and is no longer the exclusive domain of children or young men who live in their parents' basement. "Nerd culture" has gone mainstream and everyone is welcomed and that increasingly means women, the LGBTI community and everyone in between. Melbourne's comic books scene is closely tied in with cosplay, video game, anime, sci-fi and fantasy, and graphic novels. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (stariing Sarah Michelle Geller) went from TV series to comic books. There are dedicated spaces for all types of comic book fans, including the ever-popular All Star Women's Comic Book Club which hosts a monthly meet-up for women comic book fans and also doubles as a comic swap and offers comic-themed craft activities. Melbourne City Library hosts a monthly graphic novel meet-up, while at Brunswick's Squishface Studio, creators can meet monthly to draw, write and discuss the latest developments in the industry, such as "why does Zack Snyder remain head of the DC Extended Universe despite the obvious reasons that he shouldn't?" Melbourne Queer Comic Group was created in 2015 by Haydn Klemm as a way to create a community for like-minded comic book clubs, and which emphasised comic titles about women and queer characters.

"It's a group of people who were interested in comics but have a queer perspective. There's a wide range of ages and gender identities, and we all just love comic books and it's a place where we can feel comfortable and discuss these things," he says. CBD comic book stores such as Comics 'R' Us, Minotaur, All Star Comics and Classic Comics are among the most popular places in Melbourne not just for comics, but also for books, clothes, figurines, DVDs and every type of merchandise you can think of. On the weekends in particular, you'll find aisles stocked with fans checking out the latest issues and being deep in discussion with fellow fans. It's very much a community and although most fans hold pretty passionate opinions on characters and storylines, it's a community that embraces people, and where the words "nerd" and "geek" are badges of pride. Matthew Guy  no, not that Matthew Guy  has worked at Comics 'R' Us for 26 years and witnessed how much the comic scene has changed in the past few years, for the better. "It's changed quite dramatically; in the early days of the 1990s, the customers were mostly male, like 95 per cent male, and if a female came in, it was probably a mistake or they'd made a wrong turn," he says.

"Now, we're getting a much wider demographic, more women customers who are into a wide range of comics, and we're getting a lot more younger people in too, which wasn't the case in the 1990s. It's changed a lot, we get all sorts of people between the ages of eight and 45." Guy adds that the flourishing comic movie industry, which spits out at least half a dozen adaptations a year, has helped produce a new generation of comic book fans and they are especially dedicated to their favourite writer, character or animator. "Comics are a lifelong passion for me and lots of people; it's a magical world that appeals to lots of people for lots of different reasons. Like many kids, Melbourne comic artist Dean Rankine grew up drawing, and instead of growing out of it, he made it his career. After honing his skills drawing for various children's magazines, Rankine scored his dream jobs working for The Simpsons, Futurama and Mad magazine. "I've always drawn, ever since I was a shy, awkward kid and I was encouraged to draw. And people would compliment me on my work and because I'm a praise monkey, I found that was my thing."

Rankine did an art and design course at TAFE and continued to draw. He had been working for about 20 years before he scored his "big break", working on The Simpsons comic book. "It's been life-changing. I was drawing for 20 years before that and no one had heard of anything I've done; it was like a switch being turned on. "Every now and then, I pinch myself; I get to draw Milhouse and I know his personality and what he would say, and there's something really special about it." Rankine will be appearing at Oz Comic Con, and says it's a great opportunity for creators to meet and mingle with fans. "The first convention I went to was mind-blowing; I thought these are my people. It's OK to geek out about things and it's a place where you can be totally excited about the pop culture you're into and you'll find kindred spirits who will love the same things you're into."

Rankine says that Melbourne is a great place for both comic fans and creators and has embraced all fans, adding that the "thriving independent community" has embraced more diverse stories and characters, which not only makes the choice of comics available more interesting, but also takes the industry forwards. "We've got some really great shops and they're really supportive of the local scene," he says. "Walk into a comic store and the people who are there are all different: men and women, kids, everyone. "Comics are no longer just for kids; it's a bit like film  some movies are popcorn blockbusters and others are arthouse and have a much deeper story  and it's the same with comics, it covers all genres." Lancaster says that the increasing sophistication of stories and the welcoming of more types of readers and creators will only make the comic book scene stronger and more diverse. "Comics are becoming more accepted by more people, and it's opening its arms more to women, and that's such a good thing."
MY FRIEND DAHMER 

M, 103 minutes. Cinema Nova, now screening.

Between 1978 and 1991 Jeffrey Dahmer, murdered, raped and dismembered 17 men and boys, establishing himself as one of the serial killers whose heinous actions established the true crime genre. Ending on the very cusp of that sustained killing spree, My Friend Dahmer is a portrait of the monster as teenager, tracking Dahmer (Ross Lynch) and his incipient needs. Fascinated by roadkill and terrified by his own sexuality, Dahmer is an outcast adrift in his Ohio high school while at home his unstable mother (Anne Heche) and weary, distant father (Dallas Roberts) battle towards divorce. His presence creates an extreme take on adolescent alienation, with Marc Meyers' film suggesting that he struggled with his psychiatric disorders before being overwhelmed. Dahmer's spectral vacancy is haunting, although the camera is sometimes cliched in how it examines him. The movie is best as a study of teenage enthusiasm and exploitation, charting his association with a trio of anarchic classmates  including John Backderf (Alex Wolff), whose graphic novel memoir is the film's source text  who stoke his antisocial stunts.

Brigitte Bardot in Jean-Luc Godards Contempt.

CONTEMPT 

PG, 105 minutes. Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Sunday 3, Saturday 9, and Sunday, June 10.

A witheringly beautiful and emotionally roiling study of various divides including art and commerce as well two people in a marriage, writer-director Jean-Luc Godard and cinematographer Raoul Coutard's 1963 masterpiece coolly conjures multiple commentaries. Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli) is a screenwriter being pursued by a hubristic American movie producer, Jeremy Prokosch (Jack Palance), to rewrite an adaptation of Homer's Odyssey that the great German filmmaker Fritz Lang (playing himself and proudly inscrutable) is shooting for him at Rome's storied Cinecitta studios. Paul's diffidence towards the attention the looming Prokosch pays to his wife, Camille (Brigitte Bardot), fractures their union, and the divide is played out in a long sequence that ranges across their apartment as the film's elegiac tracking shots are supplanted by sharp edits that emphasise architectural space and personal discord. "I'm the same as always," Paul insists, but what's lost cannot be recovered, and Godard  seen as Lang's assistant director  makes Camille the film's true voice as she turns back the camera's admiration.
In popular culture right now superhero movies, comic books, and video games reign supreme, but the fandom they inspire isnt just about watching or reading or playing.

In the case of cosplay  a contraction of the words costume and play  its about wearing a costume and accessories to represent a favourite character.

Whether youre recreating Spider-Mans red and blue suit or Elsa from Frozens blue dress, cosplay is the ultimate act of public homage.

Next weekend Melbourne will draw cosplayers from around the country for Oz Comic-Con, where alongside the international stars on stage the floors will be thronged with cosplayers sharing their allegiances.
AFTER MABO



8.30pm, NITV

Filmmaker Richard Frankland, the driving force behind this detailed chronicle of the fight to retain the hard-won native title rights of the 1992 Mabo High Court decision, features prominently in the video evidence of negotiations behind closed doors. Repetition of a telling scene from 1951 film Bitter Springs reinforces the pervading colonial prejudice and just how powerful is this example of resistance.

After Mabo.

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH'S TASMANIA



7.40pm, ABC

The Madagascar of the Bass Strait, our Apple Isle, is a cornucopia of flora and fauna that has evolved in isolation to become unique. With such wonders as the white wallaby of Bruny Island, the enormous Tasmanian platypus and, of course, the ferocious Devil, "Weird and Wonderful" is an apt subtitle for this sumptuous documentary. This is armchair wilderness travel at its finest, with much to learn from the esteemed narrator.
The ACT opposition will call for an investigation into possible business losses suffered by traders caused by Gungahlin construction works.

Gungahlin Sultan Turkish Cuisine co-owner Radhika Reddy said the restaurant was supposed to be her retirement plan but the downturn has eaten into her savings.

Canberra Liberal James Milligan (right) will next week call for an independent inquiry into the financial impact of light rail construction on Gungahlin businesses. Pictured with business owners Cam McAlister from Prodigy, Radhika Reddy of Gungahlin Sultans Turkish Cuisine, Gary Woo of G tree Cafe, Tang Jong from Asian Tea House, Allan Russell from Diamond Ring Designs and Raj Karingula from Sultans Turkish Cuisine. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Ms Reddy also said her staff were threatening to leave as she cuts hours to make up for the loss of trade.

"I think people are refraining from coming to Gungahlin," Ms Reddy said.
Australian women are most at risk of fatal violence in their own home at the hands of a male well known to them who has a history of violence, a report based on Australia's femicide census has shown.

The report, recently published in the Journal of Family Violence, builds on the work of Counting Dead Women Australia, which recorded 234 "femicides" between January 2014 and December 2016.

The two-year figure amounts to about one woman being violently murdered every 4.7 days in Australia, by known and unknown perpetrators.

In 2014 alone there were 81 victims of femicide, ranging from 20 years old to 82, with almost one third of them aged over 50.

In the 59 cases where the relationship between victim and perpetrator was known, more than half of femicides were committed by intimate partners.
It is a quiet afternoon off Sydney Heads but a boatload of paparazzi wait anxiously, cameras poised, for their quarry.

The target of their lenses is not a Hollywood heart-throb, nor a minor royal, but a gentle giant rescued from the brink of extinction.

An estimated 30,000 humpback whales are expected to migrate from Antarctica to Queensland this year. Credit:Simon Millar/Go Whale Watching

The boats skipper, Simon Millar, steers the Explorer, a 17-metre catamaran, alongside the whale highway that runs along Australias east coast.

The annual migration of humpback whales from the chilled waters of the Antarctic to the balmy climate of North Queensland has barely began, but it does not take long for the tranquil waters to be disturbed by an exhalation that sprays water upwards followed by a dorsal fin and tail.
A stoush over a derelict motel on Sydney's northern beaches is heading to court, with some residents determined to stop the sites owner from opening a restaurant and boutique hotel.

The Church Point Community Projects Inc will take the owner of the Pasadena to the NSW Land and Environment Court to prevent further work on the site and to stop unauthorised and unlawful use.

The redevelopment of the Pasadena at Church Point into a restaurant and hotel has divided residents. Credit:Nick Moir

Nicholas Cowdery, QC, the former NSW director of public prosecutions and a spokesman for the community association, said the legal action was triggered by official inaction, lack of transparency, continuing legal uncertainty over the Pasadena site, and the development and use of the adjacent Crown land foreshore.

It will bring at business hours more cars, more people including large numbers for functions, more noise, more light pollution, more drunken rowdy behaviour [and] service vehicles, Mr Cowdery said in April.
A popular waterway near the defunct Hazelwood Power Station has been temporarily closed amid fears that its ageing dam walls could break and inundate nearby properties.

A technical study commissioned by Hazelwood Power Station owner Engie found that Hazelwood Pondage  built in the 1960s to help circulate cool water through the power station's machinery  could burst its banks because of "deterioration", or in the unlikely event of an earthquake over a magnitude 6.

Engie announced the closure to shocked local residents and councillors on Friday. They were surprised to learn the much-loved recreational waterway had structural problems. But a spokesperson for Engie said in a statement on Saturday that they, as managers of the pondage, had been dealing with the risk posed by the ageing walls for "some time" and that the pondage had to be closed so the water level could be immediately lowered to mitigate any risks.

Hazelwood Pondage sits next to the defunct Hazelwood Power Station.

"This new report indicates that the deterioration, due to age, has escalated. As part of our emergency response procedures, we have a Dam Safety Emergency Plan in place in case of any unexpected event," the statement read.
The blaze in Somerton. Credit:MFB

More than 20 firefighters remained on the scene on Sunday morning of a fire that destroyed a family-run pasta factory in Melbourne's north.

Residents were told to stay indoors and roads closed as firefighters battled a blaze which has ripped through the factory on Saturday night.

Emergency services urged residents in suburbs surrounding Somerton to take shelter indoors, to close all doors, windows and vents and to ensure heating and cooling systems were switched off.
Illustration: Matt Davidson Credit:Fairfax Media

Who doesnt share in the distaste over Barnaby Joyce selling his story to Sevens Sunday Night program for $150,000 and trying to deflect criticism for what this time really is, to borrow the Prime Ministers phrase, a shocking error of judgment by saying the interview was Vikki Campions idea?

But lets at least acknowledge the reason Seven is forking out for the story is because we remain over-invested in the Barnaby scandal. Shrinks might call this collective meltdown a displacement. A dispassionate analysis suggests our interest in the saga is tangled up with cultural anxieties that bear only a tangential relationship to this peculiar man and the bizarro soap opera he keeps making of his life.

The fury about Sevens interview implies an element of genuine surprise  thats the first sign that when were talking about Joyce were really talking about something else. For weve had ample opportunity to acclimatise to the alternate reality thats always defined Planet Barnaby.

While possessed of energy and untamed charm, rarely has Joyce displayed intellectual sobriety, poise, insight, self-awareness, sensitivity, coherence or maturity. Not two years ago when he risked a diplomatic rumble with Indonesia in linking Australias live exports to the arrival of asylum seeker boats. Not when, as finance shadow in 2010, he risked a panic flight of global capital in warning Australia was going into hock to your eyeballs to people overseas and might default on its sovereign debt. And when the latter misstep, among others, persuaded then leader Tony Abbott to shift him to the safer post of regional development, infrastructure and water, he blamed his demotion on white anting rivals.
"Democracy doesn't work if journalism doesn't work", said Walter Robinson, the editor-at-large of the Boston Globe, when I interviewed him this week on Radio National during his visit to Australia. Robinson led the team that exposed child sexual abuse among Catholic clergy in Boston, an investigation that went on to become the subject of the Oscar-winning movie, Spotlight.

He was, of course, talking about journalism in the age of Trump and fake news, but it rang true for us here in Australia, especially during a week in which the relationship between journalism and our democratic system felt more vexed and tenuous than usual.

Barnaby Joyce in Parliament on Tuesday, his last day before taking personal leave. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Democracy felt weaker because one politician decided to put a price on public accountability. How much was it worth? $150,000.

Depending on your point of view, the saga of Barnaby Joyce's love life is a witch hunt, a train wreck, a beat-up. It has given a lot of people a lot of airtime to moralise, sermonise and demonise. It has provided us all with a tad too much information about Joyce's private antics and probably sent Joyce's blood pressure through the roof.
Independent senator Fraser Anning, who was ejected from One Nation last year after a dispute with Pauline Hanson, says the latest chaos inside the minor party is a "strong case of deja vu" and typical of Senator Hanson's alienating leadership style.

Senator Anning's attack on his former leader comes amid the spectacular breakdown in her relationship with one of the party's three remaining senators, Brian Burston, who is refusing to quit from Parliament after splitting from Senator Hanson over company tax cuts.

Brian Burston, bottom left, and Fraser Anning, top right. Credit:Andrew Meares

"Given my own experience with being forced out of One Nation, I strongly sympathise with Brian over the way hes being treated," Senator Anning said.

"Six months ago, it was me that was being falsely accused of disloyalty and being pushed out of the party and now it seems it's Brians turn to be the brunt of the false accusations and the histrionics. This is like a broken record.
It was the only recommendation of the live exports review that the government did not agree to implement immediately. Now Fairfax Media can reveal why.

Hidden behind confusing jargon and acronyms, recommendation four of Michael McCarthy's snap review into the live export trade called for what would have constituted an effective ban on the summer live trade effective July 1 this year. It required such drastic changes to animal welfare standards that exporters would have been left with no other choice than to close down.

The review was commissioned after footage filmed by a whistleblower onboard the Awassi Express, operated by the Perth-based Emanuel Exports, showed sheep boiling to death during a heatwave on their way to the Middle East in August last year. A total of 2400 sheep died.

When Agriculture Minister David Littleproud viewed the footage he said what he saw was "total bullshit" and commissioned a snap review, promising it would be finished "in time to make any recommended changes to the 2018 northern summer trade".
The NSW government has announced it will hand out $150 million over the next 10 years to help researchers tackle Australia's biggest killer - cardiovascular disease.

One Australian dies every 12 minutes from heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Heart disease is the single leading cause of death in Australia. Credit:Michael Howard/Phil Carrick

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the record amount in the next NSW budget would start with a $60 million rollout to researchers over the next four years.

"Heart disease remains Australias No.1 killer but, with greater investment, researchers can predict, prevent and treat it more accurately," she said.
When state MPs debated changing euthanasia laws, the scientist whose papers are peer reviewed, sat on a panel at the partys Exhibition Street headquarters warning them against it. And when acolytes of new state vice-president Marcus Bastiaan and federal MP Michael Sukkar embarked on a takeover of the Victorian branch, Stratov was one of Bastiaan's key lieutenants. The Bastiaan-Sukkar forces have long argued that recruiting new members is critical to fighting Labors well-oiled campaign machine. Rising Liberal Party star Marcus Bastiaan. Credit:Jesse Marlow But it does represent a changing of the guard, and it raises some serious questions for the Liberal Party.

Will party policy on social issues shift sharply to the right? Would such a shift risk Matthew Guys shot at being Premier at Novembers election? And now that the power balance has altered, what does Stratov and his band of new recruits want? According to Nielsen pollster John Stirton, internal party machinations don't tend to resonate with voters - unless it manifests in policy decisions or "what the leader can and can't do''. But some insiders believe the early consequences of this upheaval are already being felt, with about 1800 people not renewing their party membership by the end of Mays deadline. Loading Part of the drift is attributed to dissatisfaction with the Turnbull government or Matthew Guy's team; another part to political fatigue more broadly. But some concerned members also cite unease at the partys ongoing lurch to the right.

The Mormons and other church groups may not have a numerical majority across the Victorians Liberals 12,000-odd membership, but they have advantages - they are well-organised, they turn out to vote, and they are coalescing against rapid social change. Already the new power bloc is using its numbers. After seizing control at Aprils state council, the Bastiaan forces put Senate preselections on hold - openly defying Malcolm Turnbulls desire to quickly settle on federal candidates. Senator Jane Hume, who holds socially liberal views, is regarded as most under threat and even James Paterson, a rising conservative, has been mentioned as being at risk of a challenge, potentially by Stratov himself (although sources close to the doctor insist he is not yet planning to run for a seat). Senator Jane Hume during the Economics References Committee public hearing into the 2016 Census. Credit:Andrew Meares

Next weekend, Paterson will be the keynote speaker at a Mormon church in Moorabbin to discuss protecting religious freedom. Some Liberals wryly note his new-found interest in Mormonism. He defends his presence - and long interest in the issue - while noting it will be a multi-faith event. Id accept any invitation to speak about religious freedom anytime, anywhere, he tells The Sunday Age. Others in the party have been less embracing of the new church faction, with one branch member now facing expulsion for attacking them on social media as moronic Mormons. Its the kind of reticence Stratov also once displayed towards religion.

Brought up an atheist, it wasn't until his late teens that he discovered God, after a friend invited him to a Tuesday night church group. He realised that "these people aren't the kooks and the fools that maybe I had been led to believe they were''. God revealed himself to me, he said in a 2015 Support Life interview on YouTube, and I knew it wasnt some brainwashing. Now a senior lay Mormon religious leader in the Heidelberg "stake, Stratov is smart, quietly spoken and polite, but a closed book to those outside his group, according to senior Liberals who have dealt with him. Senator James Paterson during Question TIme in the Senate. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The 52-year-old declined to be interviewed and is understood to be aggrieved by previous reporting on his views on HIV where he blamed ungodly love for the spread of the disease.

But The Sunday Age has spoken to Liberals who know him well and has combed online video interviews with him where he describes his background and his political awakening. Stratovs political activism did not emerge until 2008, he says, when the Brumby Labor government sought to decriminalise abortion in Victoria. "We should be preserving life, he told Support Life. "We should be doing things to help women to keep that child. From there, Stratov got involved in the Life movement and the Australian Family Association, and ran as a Family First candidate in 2010 for the state seat of Forest Hill. A few years later, he defected to the Liberals. Its become a familiar transition.

To a large extent, the demise of micro-parties such as Family First and the Australian Christians have fuelled the Liberals grassroots revolution. But the past decade has also seen both a wave of social reform and change, in particular in Victoria, and a continued decline of organised Christianity. Fewer than half of all Victorians identify as Christian as of the 2016 census - a dramatic fall since the 1990s. Nonetheless, the policies of the Andrews Labor government - Safe Schools, voluntary euthanasia, access zones around abortion clinics - have become effective political recruitment tools. Whether they stick around the Liberals is a moot point.

You often get people join for a reason of a single issue," state president Michael Kroger told gay radio station Joy FM radio last week. "When that issue dies, those people tend to leave. They get very excited and agitated and join you - which is great - but theyre not lifelong members. Michael Kroger Credit:Justin McManus One of the most prominent new Liberals is Marijke Rancie. She was elected recently as a delegate to the party she joined just two years ago. A Mormon since the age of 20, Rancie has led an incendiary online campaign against Safe Schools, claiming it is trying to "erase gender", expose children to dildos in the classroom, and teach them how to masturbate using household items. Many of her claims have been dismissed as false by the Education Department, but she is unrepentant.

She dismisses suggestions that church members have joined the Liberals solely on social issues. Anti-Safe Schools campaigner and Liberal delegate Marijke Rancie. In an email interview with The Sunday Age, Rancie says she was brought up in a "very strong left leaning Labor home but became a swinging voter once she had children. She was later drawn to the Liberal Party after being involved in her husbands small business. Safe Schools was perhaps the final straw, she says, but other issues - home invasions, health care, religious freedom - are also critical. When religious freedom has been trampled on, those who are affected want to fight for their values, Rancie says. It's as simple as that. Judeo-Christian values have given the West a wonderful backbone for a free society. Extreme activists are attacking the very roots of a culture that has borne much good fruit. It's disheartening to witness.

The influence of the new religious right has jarred with other party traditions, such as its support for freedom of speech. In one of its first acts, the new-found power on the administrative committee has been used to pursue a young Liberal from Melbournes outer east, James Penny. In early May, a Sunday Age investigation revealed some disturbing practices in the Mormon church, including children as young as 12 being asked by adult male religious figures explicit questions about their sexual thoughts and whether they masturbate. Penny wasn't impressed, writing on Facebook: "We true liberals, the ones aligned with Malcolm Turnbull, and those who believe in what Menzies created, hate these moronic Mormons just as much as everyone else. The administrative committee immediately voted to suspend him and refer an expulsion motion to State Assembly. Sources say Guy - who sits on the committee - made a hasty exit from the room before the vote was taken.

With six months until the Victorian election, some MPs fear the perception of a party shifting further to the right could make it harder for Guy to appeal to voters in Robert Menzies sensible centre. Guy doesn't think so, telling The Sunday Age: "I've been in the party for 28 years and I've seen many changes to administrative committees. It won't alter any of the sensible policies I put forward." Nonetheless, this years Liberal state council agenda was filled with a noticeably large number of contentious motions that sections of the party wanted to debate. One proposal - put forward by a conservative branch linked to federal MP Kevin Andrews - advocated in favour of gay conversion therapy. Another called for sexual orientation to be removed from the federal Sex Discrimination Act, which would have allowed for discrimination against LGBTI people. Both were removed from the agenda following a public backlash.

The push has also placed pressure on Kroger who has been blamed by senior Liberals for allowing alleged branch stacking to occur on his watch. Many across the party now see him as a much-diminished president. Asked on radio last week about the rise of the religious right, Kroger insisted the narrative was grossly overstated. I went to a Christian school. Am I religious? No. Marcus Bastiaan, whos standing 20 feet from me, has just become a Catholic but hes not terribly religious, frankly. This is just a total exaggeration. Its no exaggeration, however, that the new power bloc wants to sweep out what they view as dead wood and re-generate the party with fresh blood. And with more delegates appointed to state council and the Liberals governing administrative committee, the right now has more sway than ever before.

Some federal senators are feeling the preselection pressure, and conservative sources would like to reopen state preselections. They admit there is no mechanism to do so, but a number of long-serving MPs - including upper house president Bruce Atkinson, former minister Kim Wells, and western metro MP Bernie Finn - appear to be on a hit list for the future. Stratov and Rancie are being spoken of as future parliamentarians, as is state vice president Karina Okotel, a lawyer who helped lead last years No campaign against same-sex marriage. Rancie - who insiders say has been earmarked for a future seat in Melbournes east - says shes busy at the moment with her activism and toddler but I wouldnt rule it out for the future.' Stratov has not declared his hand. Meanwhile, the culture war continues, as some fear the party is being captured by hardliners less concerned about broad economic issues such as lower taxes and balanced budgets than they are with socially conservative single issues.
Darling Range Labor candidate redux

Premier Mark McGowan has found yet another candidate to stand for Labor in the Darling Range byelection this week.

Tania Lawrence, a Woodside manager and former bureaucrat who met Mr McGowan when he was parliamentary secretary to former premier Geoff Gallop, joined the Labor party "in the last week or so," even though she had always been a supporter.

Here we go again: WA Premier Mark McGowan and Labor's new candidate for Darling Range, Tania Lawrence. Credit:AAP Image/Rebecca Le May

She replaced former Labor candidate Colleen Yates, who pulled out last Friday following scrutiny about unearned educational qualifications she listed in her LinkedIn profile.
Montana: For Helena Brandfors, moving to Hawaii from Sweden eight years ago seemed like a dream come true.

She purchased an acre of land in an area called Leilani Estate for $US22,000 ($29,000) and set about building her dream home. The land appealed because of its price, as well as being in a very lush green area, close to both the ocean and the small "hippy town" of Pahoa just six kilometres away which plays host to regular music events and a farmers' market.

Helena Brandfors, who has had to evacuate her Hawaii home.

But there was always an element of risk to her purchase. Brandfors lives within 500 metres of a massive fissure on Kilauea volcano, which since early May has been pumping out a river of blue orange lava and sulphur. It has already destroyed hundreds of homes in her neighbourhood. And now the lava flows threaten to engulf hers.

None of us ever thought this would happen during our lifetime. Flows like this occur in the hundreds of years. It was a gamble with time and we lost, she tells Fairfax Media. I evacuated on May 3, and have not been able to return, except for a couple of short visits, wearing a gas mask, to retrieve important papers and sentimental items.
President Trump on Friday shattered several decades of protocol  and possibly violated a federal directive  by hinting strongly that the monthly US jobs report would be a rosy one 69 minutes before its release.

In an 11-word Twitter post, Trump jolted financial markets and provided the latest example of how he is reshaping the presidency to fit his freewheeling impulses, pushing aside years of tight controls on the public release of sensitive material that were put in place by Republicans and Democrats.

Looking forward to seeing the employment numbers at 8.30 this morning, Trump tweeted at 7.21am.

Trump, like past presidents, is given a preview of the sensitive report before its official release, but a 1985 directive issued by the Reagan administration requires that the executive branch not comment on the information until an hour after it is made public.
Mueller has told the president's lawyers that he needs to talk to their client to determine whether he had criminal intent to obstruct the investigation into his associates' possible links to Russia's election interference. If Trump refuses to be questioned, Mueller will have to weigh their arguments while deciding whether to press ahead with a historic grand jury subpoena. Mueller had raised the prospect of subpoenaing Trump to Dowd in March. Emmet T. Flood, the White House lawyer for the special counsel investigation, is preparing for that possibility, according to the president's lead lawyer in the case, Rudy Giuliani. The attempt to dissuade Mueller from seeking a grand jury subpoena is one of two fronts on which Trump's lawyers are fighting. In recent weeks, they have also begun a public-relations campaign to discredit the investigation and in part to pre-empt a potentially damaging special counsel report that could prompt impeachment proceedings. Trump complained on Twitter Saturday before this article was published that the disclosure of the letter was a damaging leak to the news media and asked whether the "expensive Witch Hunt Hoax" would ever end. On both fronts, they have attacked the credibility of a key witness in the inquiry, the fired FBI director James B. Comey; complained about what they see as investigative failures; and contested the interpretation of significant facts.

Giuliani said in an interview that Trump is telling the truth but that investigators "have a false version of it, we believe, so you're trapped". And the stakes are too high to risk being interviewed under those circumstances, he added: "That becomes not just a prosecutable offence, but an impeachable offence." Trump's defence is a wide-ranging interpretation of presidential power. In saying he has the authority to end a law enforcement inquiry or pardon people, his lawyers ambiguously left open the possibility that they were referring only to the investigation into his former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, which he is accused of pressuring the FBI to drop  or perhaps the one Mueller is pursuing into Trump himself as well. Dowd and Sekulow outlined 16 areas they said the special counsel was scrutinizing as part of the obstruction investigation, including the firings of Comey and of Flynn, and the president's reaction to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' recusal from the Russia investigation. Over the past year, the president's lawyers have mostly cooperated with the inquiry in an effort to end it more quickly. Trump's lawyers say he deserves credit for that willingness, citing his waiver of executive privilege to allow some of his advisers to speak with Mueller. "We cannot emphasise enough that regardless of the fact that the executive privilege clearly applies to his senior staff, in the interest of complete transparency, the president has allowed  in fact, has directed  the voluntary production of clearly protected documents," his lawyers wrote.

Presidents frequently assert executive privilege, their right to refuse demands for information about internal executive branch dealings, but its limits are murky and mostly untested. Trump's lawyers are gambling that Mueller may not want to risk an attempt to forge new legal ground by bringing a grand jury subpoena against a sitting president into a criminal proceeding. "Ensuring that the office remains sacred and above the fray of shifting political winds and gamesmanship is of critical importance," they wrote. They argued that the president holds a special position in the government and is busy running the country, making it difficult for him to prepare and sit for an interview. They said that because of those demands on Trump's time, the special counsel's office should have to clear a higher bar to get him to talk. Mueller, the president's attorneys argued, needs to prove that the president is the only person who can give him the information he seeks and that he has exhausted all other avenues for getting it. "The president's prime function as the chief executive ought not be hampered by requests for interview," they wrote. "Having him testify demeans the office of the president before the world."

They also contended that nothing Trump did violated obstruction-of-justice statutes, making both a technical parsing of what one such law covers and a broad constitutional argument that Congress cannot infringe on how he exercises his power to supervise the executive branch. Because of the authority the Constitution gives him, it is impossible for him to obstruct justice by shutting down a case or firing a subordinate, no matter his motivation, they said. "Every action that the president took was taken with full constitutional authority pursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution," they wrote of the part of the Constitution that created the executive branch. "As such, these actions cannot constitute obstruction, whether viewed separately or even as a totality." That constitutional claim raises novel issues, according to legal experts. Under the Constitution, the president wields broad authority to control the actions of the executive branch. But the Supreme Court has ruled that Congress can impose some restrictions on his exercise of that power, including by upholding statutes that limit his ability to fire certain officials. As a result, it is not clear whether statutes criminalising obstruction of justice apply to the president and amount to another legal limit on how he may wield his powers. The letter does not stress legal opinions by the Justice Department in the Nixon and Clinton administrations that held that a sitting president cannot be indicted, in part because it would impede his ability to carry out his constitutional responsibilities. But in recent weeks, Giuliani has pointed to those memos as part of a broader argument that, by extension, Trump also cannot be subpoenaed. Subpoenas of the president are all but unheard of. President Bill Clinton was ordered to testify before a grand jury in 1998 after requests for a voluntary appearance made by the independent counsel, Kenneth W. Starr, went nowhere.

To avoid the indignity of being marched into the courthouse, Clinton had his lawyers negotiate a deal in which the president agreed to provide testimony as long as it was taken at the White House and limited to four hours. Starr then withdrew the subpoena, avoiding a definitive court fight. In making their arguments, Trump's lawyers also revealed new details about the investigation. They took on Comey's account of Trump asking him privately to end the investigation into Flynn. Investigators are examining that request as possible obstruction. But Trump could not have intentionally impeded the FBI's investigation, the lawyers wrote, because he did not know Flynn was under investigation when he spoke to Comey. Flynn, they said, twice told senior White House officials in the days before he was fired in February 2017 that he was not under FBI scrutiny. "There could not possibly have been intent to obstruct an 'investigation' that had been neither confirmed nor denied to White House counsel," the president's lawyers wrote. Moreover, FBI investigations do not qualify as the sort of "proceeding" that statute covers, they argued.

"Of course, the president of the United States is not above the law, but just as obvious and equally as true is the fact that the president should not be subjected to strained readings and forced applications of clearly irrelevant statutes," Dowd and Sekulow wrote. But the lawyers based those arguments by citing an outdated statute, without mentioning that Congress passed a broader law in 2002 that makes it a crime to obstruct proceedings that have not yet started. Samuel W. Buell, a Duke Law School professor and white-collar criminal law specialist who was a lead prosecutor for the Justice Department's Enron task force, said the real issue was whether Trump obstructed a potential grand jury investigation or trial  which do count as proceedings  even if the FBI investigation had not yet developed into one of those. He called it inexplicable why the president's legal team was making arguments that were focused on the wrong obstruction-of-justice statute. They went beyond asserting Trump's innocence, casting him as the hero of the Flynn episode and contending that he deserved credit for ordering his aides to investigate Flynn and ultimately firing him. "Far, far, from obstructing justice, the only individual in the entire Flynn story that ensured swift justice was the president," they wrote. "His actions speak louder than any words."

The lawyers acknowledged that Trump dictated a statement to The Times about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting between some of his top advisers and Russians who were said to have damaging information about Hillary Clinton. Though the statement is misleading  in it, the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said he met with Russians "primarily" to discuss adoption issues  the lawyers call it "short but accurate." Mueller is investigating whether Trump, by dictating the comment, revealed that he was trying to cover up proof of the campaign's ties to Russia  evidence that could go to whether he had the same intention when he took other actions. The president's lawyers argued that the statement is a matter between the president and The Times  and the president's White House and legal advisers have said for the past year that misleading journalists is not a crime. Trump's lawyers also try to untangle another potential piece of evidence in the obstruction investigation: his assertion, during an interview with Lester Holt of NBC two days after Comey was fired, that he was thinking while he weighed the dismissal that "this Russia thing" had no validity. Mueller's investigators view that statement as damning, according to people familiar with the investigation. But the lawyers say that news accounts seized on only part of his comments and that his full remarks show that the president was aware that firing Comey would lengthen the investigation and dismissed him anyway.
2018 2017 % Change May Sales 11,625 12,514 -7.1 Total Sales 61,472 66,872 -8.1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. June 1, 2018; In its second full month at INFINITI retailers, the all-new 2019 QX50 luxury crossover, powered with the world's first variable compression engine, was up more than 51 percent, contributing to its best May with 1,859 deliveries.

Boosted by the increased traffic that the all-new QX50 is bringing to INFINTI showrooms, the QX60 7-passenger luxury crossover also saw an 8 percent increase, bringing its second best May with more than 3,700 delivered.

In total, INFINITI reported deliveries of 11,625 vehicles in the U.S. during May, down 7 percent against last year's record.

May May Monthly CYTD CYTD CYTD 2018 2017 % chg 2018 2017 % chg INFINITI Total 11,625 12,514 -7.1 61,472 66,872 -8.1 Q50 2,945 3,370 -12.6 16,526 16,379 0.9 Q60 848 972 -12.8 4,101 5,087 -19.4 Q70 390 459 -15.0 2,153 2,864 -24.8 QX30 672 927 -27.5 4,158 8,667 -52.0 QX50 1,859 1,230 51.1 7,356 6,745 9.1 QX60 3,718 3,449 7.7 18,794 14,921 26.0 QX70 69 683 -89.9 741 4,094 -81.9 QX80 1,124 1,424 -21.1 7,643 8,115 -5.8 Car 4,183 4,801 -3.5 22,780 24,330 -6.4 CUV/SUV 7,442 7,713 -7.1 38,692 42,542 -9.0

About INFINITI

INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with representations in 50 markets around the world. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of luxury automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico and China. INFINITI design studios are located in Atsugi-Shi near Yokohama, London, San Diego and Beijing. The brand has been widely acclaimed for its industry-leading client services, having received the top overall ranking in the 2018 JD Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Index and AMCI's Most Trusted Brand in the luxury segment, as well as its world's first driver assistance technologies and daring designs. From the 2016 season, INFINITI is a technical partner of the Renault Sport Formula One team, contributing its expertise in hybrid performance.
Man Killed in Millionaires Mysterious TunnelIts Purpose Has Been Revealed

A Maryland millionaire has been charged in the death of a worker he hired to build an elaborate underground bunker in case of a North Korean nuclear strike.

Daniel Beckwitt, 27, was charged with depraved heart murder a form of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, in the death of Askia Khafra, Fox5DC reported.

Beckwitt hired Khafra to dig an elaborate tunnel network under Beckwitts Bethesda home. The 200-foot-long tunnel network descended 20 feet.

Kahfra died of burns and smoke inhalation after he was trapped by a fire in the tunnels.

The tunnels were lit by what prosecutors called a daisy chain of linked electrical extensions cords, which prosecutors think might have sparked the lethal blaze.

Khafra was unable to escape from the underground maze because he didnt know his wayBeckwitt had forced him to wear a blindfold so he couldnt later reveal any secrets about the subterranean hideout.

Khafra had told Beckwitt, via text, that he smelled smoke a few hours before the fire, prosecutors claimed.

Beckwitt twice flipped a circuit breaker, which prosecutors say shows Beckwitt knew there was a potentially serious electrical issue.

Beckwitts attorney, Robert Bonsib, claimed that his client tried to rescue Khafra, but couldnt get through the dense smoke. Beckwitt inhaled enough smoke to need medical attention.

Daniel Beckwitt (Montgomery County Police)

At some point, Beckwitt called 911.

Neighbors said Beckwitt appeared to be distraught when firefighters could not rescue Khafra, according to Fox5DC

Beckwitt, who made millions in the tech industry, had hired Khafra to build an elaborate survival shelter.

It was his project to create a secure bunker because of his concern for international threats, including from North Korea, Bonsib told Fox5DC.

Beckwitt was well known enough in tech circles that he had been invited to speak at two major hacker conventions: DEF CON and ShmooCon.

He was convicted of computer fraud in 2013 and sentenced to probation, Fox5DC reported.

Beckwitt is free on a $100,000 bond.

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A story of tragedy, faith, and resistance in the face of brutal totalitarianism, Memoir of a Communist Slave is one mans journey to uncover what he believes has held him and his people hostage for too long.
010618MIRIORI ON BOUGAINVILLE HISTORY

NEW DAWN FM NEWS

Buka Businessman and former BIG/BRA secretary, MARTIN MIRIORI is calling on the people of Bougainville to appreciate the rich history of Bougainville and prepare well for the coming referendum.

MR. MIRIORI said that our forefathers and great leaders fought hard for this day since 1899 when Great Britain and Germany signed a trade-off deal in Berlin between them hence giving away and separating Bougainville from the rest of the Solomon Islands without the peoples consent at that time.

He strongly urged the people to correct this past colonial mistake once and for all come the Referendum next year.

MR. MIRIORI said that the deal was followed by the annexation of Bougainville into what was called German New Guinea which was an arrangement Bougainvilleans have always strongly objected to.

In 1962 the first UNITED NATIONS mission visited Bougainville and the people for the first time openly expressed their political consciousness and called on the UN Mission to transfer the trusteeship to the United States of America.

He said all this time Bougainville remained an unwilling partner to such arrangements.

Ends


Boz Scaggs doesnt remember the first time he performed in public, but he absolutely recalls how it felt the first night he was paid to make music  pretty cool.

Known for his five-decade career, with hits such as Were All Alone and Lido Shuffle, Scaggs love of music took root during his early years in Oklahoma and Texas, where he immersed himself in blues, rhythm and blues, and rock.

It starts rather simply, sitting with a friend or a couple of friends and playing an instrument and singing along with each other, he said in a recorded response to email questions. Soon he was sitting in with a combo, singing or playing harmonica, then the guitar.

I suppose one landmark was the first night I played a full electric set..., he said of the New Years Eve he filled in for a bass player at a Dallas motel party. The details are fuzzy, but Scaggs said he probably was wearing some sort of jazzed up clothing for the occasion, and likely earned between $15 and $25.

It was a special feeling to have performed a service, to have turned people on and to have had so much fun and be handed what at that time seemed like a generous compensation. He said he has heard many other musicians talk about that same moment when there is an exchange between this thing you are passionate about doing and getting paid for it.

Scaggs, whose new album, Out of the Blues, comes out July 27, will perform at Stamfords Palace Theatre on Thursday, June 14. He said he and his band have an extensive repertoire to share.

I like to play those few things that everyone recognizes from the radio and from CDs and wherever, because they give me an immediate connection with my audience, and then see where we can go.

Im playing more bluesy and R&B things these days, along with a smattering of songs from the last couple albums that people may not have heard. I talk sometimes about the provenance of some of these songs. It really varies with the audience and situation that night.

Aside from asking about his concert plans, we decided to see if Scaggs could confirm the validity of an intriguing notation we found online about a 1976 interview he did with Creem magazine. The report said Michael Jackson had recorded versions of two Scaggs hits, Were All Alone and What Can I Say, but never released them.

It is true to my knowledge as far as I know, Scaggs told us, but he said since he never heard the recordings, he cant be sure. What hes more clear about is that Jackson recorded Were All Alone, because he heard that from the head of a subsidiary of CBS Records, where he and Jackson were both under contract.

... Michael was probably recording a lot of material at that time. He spent a lot of time in studio. There was a great demand for anything he did. That song had been made a worldwide hit by Rita Coolidge. It got all around. I can see Michael doing that. ... Maybe one will pop up one day. I would love to hear it.

lkoonz@newstimes.com; Twitter: @LindaTKoonz
Halloween is almost here, and while visiting a haunted house or telling scary stories or legends can be fun, it is even more exciting to see and experience ghost stories in real life.

Once booming areas all over the world now sit abandoned and decaying, making for the perfect eerie Halloween escape.
Sloppy management at the University of Connecticut Health Center highlighted in a state auditors report this week has lawmakers and political candidates calling for hearings and additional oversight.

After a review of 2015 and 2016 records, state auditors found a range of staffing, purchasing and documentation issues at UConn Health, a medical school, dental school and hospital complex in Farmington that sees more than 1 million patients a year.

We identified: deficiencies in internal controls; apparent noncompliance with legal provisions; and need for improvement in management practices and procedures, auditors John C. Geragosian and Robert J. Kane wrote.

The report said UConn Health made improper leave payments, rehired retired state employees against state policy, did shoddy evaluations of requests for proposals or construction costs and failed to keep good records of purchases. It stated thousands of items, including 746 pieces of equipment worth more than $5,000 each, had been missing for two years.

The audit should be kept in perspective, Chris Hyers, spokesman for UConn Health said. UConn Health takes audit findings very seriously, but they do not define the institution as a whole.

UConn Health has addressed or will address issues raised in the audit, Hyers said.

The health center has not broken the law, but some of the issues were repeats that had been raised in previous auditors reports, the auditor Kane said.

When we audit a particular agency, we give them the opportunity to fix or correct a matter that has come up, Kane said. When they dont, it flies in the face of all the work were doing and of course, the taxpayers and legislators should be aware and hold them accountable.

Hearings possible

This weeks report follows other negative scrutiny of UConn Health, some of which resulted in it losing its contract with the state Department of Correction.

We all want to see UConn Health succeed, Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, wrote in a Wednesday letter to Susan Herbst, UConn president, and Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health. But success cannot be achieved until the institution can overcome its pattern of disregard for state rules, regulations and standards for oversight.

Martin Looney, senate president pro tempore, said he is against government waste.

It is incumbent on state agencies to operate within these constraints and in accordance with state policy, the New Haven Democrat said.

The state House leaders agreed.

The sheer magnitude of government mismanagement and questionable spending and hiring practices within state government has been repeatedly highlighted by the auditors in their oversight reports, House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby said in a statement. It appears that taxpayer money has apparently been misused.

Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said hearings would be appropriate.

It is ultimately up to the committee leadership, Democrat and Republican, to call for such hearings, which can be triggered by an agency violation of statute or regulation, he said in a statement.

When asked Friday if he thinks action should be taken on the UConn Health report, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Whatever steps the Legislature deems appropriate would be appropriate.

Inspector squabble

Some of the candidates running for governor were quick to speak about the issue.

Steve Obsitnik, a Republican from Westport said: Connecticuts financial house is an abysmal black hole and these findings by the state auditors only serve to make a horrible financial situation even bleaker.

If elected, he said, he would create the office of inspector general to avoid government waste and mismanagement.

But the campaign of rival Republican governor hopeful Tim Herbst said he was the first candidate for governor to call for an inspector general, citing media reports from last July.

The endorsed Democratic candidate for governor Ned Lamont said the auditors report showed change is needed, but an inspector general is not the right solution.

We dont need more bureaucracy, Lamont said in a statement. What we need is a governor who can work with the Legislature, agency heads, management and frontline workers to make sure we are running those agencies efficiently and effectively, and who will take immediate action when problems are identified.

emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson
NORWALK  Back when he attended Brien McMahon High School in the mid-1960s, Bob Rossi had every intention to pursue a career in chemistry.

I loved my chemistry teachers at McMahon, Mr. (Arnold) Diamond and Mr. (John) Alcock, Rossi said. I took both chemistry and AP chemistry and I enjoyed it.

So much so that Rossi, a 1967 BMHS graduate, majored in Chemistry Engineering when he arrived at Northeastern University that fall.

But then I saw what chemistry engineers were doing and decided thats not what I wanted to do the rest of my life, he said. So I looked around to see what other students were doing.

They were just starting a Criminal Justice program at Northeastern and it sounded interesting so I transferred to that, he said.

Rossi parlayed his degree in Criminal Justice and his ROTC training while in college into a career in the U.S. Army that spanned over four decades.

Because of that devotion to the military community and the soldiers he served with, Rossi will be inducted into the Brien McMahon High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame on June 3 during a ceremony at his alma mater.

Born and raised in Norwalk, Rossi was commissioned a second lieutenant and following active duty he began work for the Department of the Army as a civilian inspector general (IG).

I did that for about 30 years, he said. I retired after 41-plus years (combined military and civilian service) in June 2015. And I loved it.

Rossi became known as an expert in IG actions and the go-to guy when soldiers and other IGs needed assistance.

When someone had a problem, we provided assistance to the soldier and his family, Rossi explained. When folks had issues and problems, we resolved it.

Rossis work had a positive impact on the morale and well-being of many soldiers, their families and the military community in which he served.

The soldiers knew their family was taken care of when they were deployed, he said.

Rossis assignments took him to stations across the U.S., to Korea and to Germany. He also enjoyed teaching his craft to other IGs in Army units.

One of the things you do in the Army is teach and train, he said.

Rossi was recognized for his work throughout his career with numerous awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Commanders Award for Civilian Service. Upon retirement he was presented the Meritorious Civilian Service Award for exceptionally meritorious service to the United States armed forces.

Rossi, who still has family in Norwalk, has lived in Georgia with his wife Pamela since the early 1980s. Their son, John Rossi, is an Engineer captain in the Army who has been deployed four times.

There is nothing greater than an American GI, Bob Rossi proudly stated. That goes for all the military services.
NORWALK  Patricia Baldwin Adams cant imagine a better present for her 70th birthday.

Adams will reach that milestone June 3, the same day she will be inducted into the Brien McMahon High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame during a ceremony at her alma mater.

The 1966 graduate is being recognized for her more than 40-year career in the health care field. But that wasnt the plan back when she was attending classes on Highland Avenue more than half a century ago.

I was going to be a stewardess, said Adams, who grew up in Washington Village. Not a flight attendant. They were called stewardesses back then. That was something I aspired to do.

How did she go from that to health care?

I took care of my great aunt, who raised me, she said. I was caring for her during my teen years, and thats where my interest started.

That sort of delayed my college, she said. I was accepted at Howard University but I didnt have the money, so I ended up getting a job.

She joined the aircraft division at Norden Systems in Norwalk, but eventually left to pursue a nursing career.

A friend of mine knew the dean at the School of Nursing at Norwalk Hospital, Adams said. I met the dean and took the test. I tested high and was accepted into the program. Everybody thought I was crazy leaving a good job at Norden.

Adams followed her passion anyway and excelled at the School of Nursing, becoming president of the student government in 1973.

If you go to Norwalk Hospital, my name is on a plaque, she said.

Adams continued her studies at North Carolina A&T University, graduating with high honors, then earning her Master of Science in Nursing degree at Yale University.

Thats how I became a clinical nurse specialist, said Adams, who was a clinical instructor at Norwalk Community College while in graduate school.

Early in her career, Adams held nursing positions in critical care and emergency nursing at Norwalk Hospital, as well as hospitals in North Carolina. She established the first angioplasty unit at St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport, and was director of critical care and emergency care at other state hospitals.

Her most rewarding position, however, was her last one, returning to Norwalk as the school nurse at Roton Middle School. She started the first Nurses Club there as an after-school program, drawing an initial group of 25 students, including three males.

I spent the last six years of my career there and I loved every minute, she said. Once I got to Roton, I knew it was my place.

After June 3, her place will be in the Brien McMahon Alumni Hall of Fame.

It was a long road home, said Adams, who has received numerous awards during her career. When I think about how a person who came out of Washington Village like me can have the career I did, someone saw something in me.
NORWALK  Family, friends and public officials honored former Norwalk Frank N. Zullo for a long life of service to the city he loved during a Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Philip Church on Friday morning.

Zullo, who was elected as Norwalks youngest mayor in 1965 and served three terms, died May 26 at age 85.

Thomas A. Flaherty, his lifelong friend, former law partner and a past corporation counsel for the city, delivered the last of three eulogies in honor of the late mayor. He credited Zullo with bringing the city together and averting racial violence after the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, comforting families whose members died in the Vietnam War, and rehabilitating Norwalks schools and expanding its parks.

We have had many great mayors in the city of Norwalk, some are here this morning, Flaherty said. But I submit and many agree that Frank Zullo was the best mayor the city of Norwalk has ever had. But his legacy and his life is not defined only by his service as mayor. He was involved and worked hard in so many things.

Flaherty said Zullo engaged himself at St. Philip  he loved this church  as well as with Norwalk Hospital and the University of Bridgeport, all while practicing law for more 60 years.

More than 250 people attended the funeral service, including Zullos wife, Berenice, his daughter, Lesley Anne Zullo, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, Mayor Harry Rilling, and past and present City Hall employees.

Zullos work in Norwalk continued long before and long after his six years as mayor (1965-1971). As a young attorney in 1959, he entered the partnership of Tierney & Zullo. In 1966, he worked to form the Connecticut Conference of Mayors.

For 30 years, he served as campaign treasurer for Dodd. He was a life trustee of the Norwalk Hospital and a trustee of the University of Bridgeport since 1992. Most recently, he was a First Taxing District commissioner and attorney for the district. Employees of the taxing districts Water Department attended in his honor.

The Rev. Michael Boccaccio, former pastor of Saint Philip Church, led the Mass with the Rev. Andrew Garavel and Deacons John Mahon and Paul Reilly.

He is very much a part of our life, very much a part of our history, said Boccaccio, pointing to those in attendance as proof of the honor of the man who has touched your life in so many ways.

The liturgy included readings from Romans 8:31-39 and Matthew 5:1-12. The Mass continued with a presentation of gifts, a communion prefaced by the saying of the Lords Prayer and commendations by Flaherty, University of Bridgeport President Neil Salonen and Norwalk Hospital Chaplain Carol Bauer.

Bauer described Zullo  attorney for the hospital and past chairman of its board of trustees  as having made a difference in the community.

A true servant leader and renaissance man, Bauer said. The modern definition of the Renaissance Man states an individual who truly makes a difference in business, in society and whichever facet of life he chooses to engage. He is and will be remembered not only by his words, but even more so by his actions. I know there isnt a person here who doesnt have a story about Frank Zullo.

Bauer recalled Zullo, as the hospitals longtime legal counsel, speaking passionately during a public meeting against Stamford Hospitals plan to open a health-care facility in Norwalk.

Salonen credited him with bringing people to the table and solving problems after joining the board of Bridgeport University at a time when the school faced bankruptcy and grappled with low enrollment.

Frank is one of the most authentic leaders I have ever known, Salonen said.

Rain and drizzle stopped and skies began to brighten as Zullos friends and family left the church on Father Conlon Place for his burial at Riverside Cemetery on Riverside Avenue.

In honor of Zullos passing, flags at all city buildings remained at half-mast through Friday.
By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 31, 2018 | 03:19 PM | MARSHALL COUNTY, KY

One man is dead and another is charged with homicide after a shooting early Thursday morning in Marshall County.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the area of Scale Road in reference to a person stealing anhydrous ammonia and a shooting. There had a been a report of theft of anhydrous ammonia on Wednesday, but the suspect escaped on an ATV.

At approximately 3:40 Thursday morning, an ATV was again heard in the area of the anhydrous ammonia tank. Deputies said a resident, Kelly Raymond Allen of Benton, took his .38 pistol and walked outside. The suspect stopped at the end of the man's driveway.

According to the police report, Allen fired two shots. The man on the ATV traveled a short distance and stopped again. Allen went to check on the ATV rider and discovered that one of the rounds had struck him. Deputies said when paramedics arrived, the man was dead.

The investigation resulted in the arrest of Allen on a charge of reckless homicide.



An autopsy was completed on Thursday afternoon. The shooting victim has not yet been identified.



The investigation is continuing with the Marshall County Coroner's Office.
Missouri Gov. Greitens Resigns, Charges Dropped

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By The Associated Press

May. 30, 2018 | JEFFERSON CITY, MO

By The Associated Press May. 30, 2018 | 01:08 PM | JEFFERSON CITY, MO

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens suggested two weeks ago that he would never quit fighting allegations of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations, but announced Tuesday that he is resigning at 5 pm Friday.



Greitens' departure marks a stunning political defeat for the 44-year-old, self-made warrior-philosopher who had aspirations of someday becoming president.



For those fellow Republicans who had strenuously urged his resignation, Greitens' exit provides the divided party a chance to reunify at the start of a summer campaign season in which it's seeking to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill.



On Wednesday morning, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced her office will drop a felony charge of computer data tampering against Greitens. A St. Louis judge agreed to dismiss the case a short time later.



A spokeswoman for Gardner said the office agreed to drop the charge against Greitens after his attorneys approached her and suggested he would resign if the case was dismissed.



Defense attorney Jim Martin acknowledged reaching out to Gardner to resolve the issue but added, "I don't think that's exactly the full play." He didn't elaborate.



Martin says he expects a felony invasion of privacy charge against Greitens will be resolved soon as well. A special prosecutor is weighing whether to refile that charge.



The charge accused Greitens of using a donor list from the veterans charity he founded, The Mission Continues, for his 2016 gubernatorial campaign.



Meanwhile, Missouri's top legislative leaders are meeting with Lt. Gov. Mike Parson to plan the transition in power when Gov. Greitens resigns.



Parson met Wednesday with House Speaker Todd Richardson, Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard and Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe.



The lawmakers said they have invited Parson to deliver a speech to a joint session of the Legislature in the coming weeks.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Millions of retirees on Social Security will get a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows a burst in inflation as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of the coronavirus pandemic. The COLA, as it's commonly called, amounts to $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates released Wednesday by the Social Security Administration.

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Grafton Group plc engages in the distribution, retailing, and manufacturing businesses in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Its Distribution segment distributes building and plumbing materials to professional trades people engaged in residential repair, maintenance, and improvement projects, as well as in residential and other new build construction. This segment operates 487 branches primarily under the Selco, Buildbase, and Leyland SDM brands in the South East, Midlands, and North of England; the Chadwicks brand in the Republic of Ireland; and the MacBlair brand in Northern Ireland; and the Isero, Polvo, and Gunters en Meuser brands in the Netherlands. The company's Retailing segment engages in DIY retailing and home improvement business that supplies a range of products, including paints, lighting products, homestyle products, housewares, bathroom products, and kitchens, as well as gardening and Christmas products. This segment operates 35 stores primarily under the Woodie's brand. Its Manufacturing segment manufactures silo-based dry mortar for use in new build residential and commercial construction projects in England and Scotland; plastic pipe systems in Dublin; and wooden staircase in the United Kingdom. Grafton Group plc was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

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Skateboards and scooters come from far and wide for chance to skate
CALGARYAs Calgary scrambles to regulate a growing home-share industry, a preliminary city report shows a surprisingly high number of houses, apartments, and bedrooms offered are rarely rented.

Calgary is not New York or Banff, said Lindsay Luhnau, business strategist with Calgary community standards.

New York is this really strong tourist destination where hotel space and hotel accommodation is in really, really high demand, said Luhnau. Our story is different than that.

Council directed city bureaucrats late last year to explore short-term rental regulations as travellers increasingly shun hotels and turn to platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.

A short-term rentals scoping report shows about half of the 3,780 listings (as of April 2018) are concentrated in inner-city neighbourhoods. However, a very high percentage are rarely rented and 38 per cent have never been rented.

Luhnau pointed to the finding that 42 per cent of the rentals are partial listings, where the host is offering a bedroom or couch rather than an entire unit.

Its not the number that you see in other municipalities, said Luhnau. Usually its a much, much smaller percentage  between the 10 to 15 per cent mark.

Theres a couple of pictures that are just an empty room with not even a bed in it, for instance, she said. So, that might explain why theyre not getting any renters.

Across Canada, cities are crafting and enforcing new laws to rein in and regulate short-term rentals as homeowners try to capitalize on the growing popularity of sites like Airbnb and VRBO to generate extra income.

These platforms allow property owners to rent their entire home, a single room or even a couch for days, weeks or months at a time.

I love the idea of a sharing economy and think we can become leaders in Calgary, said Ward 7 Councillor Druh Farrell. But there are also issues that need to be addressed.

Farrell said shed heard many complaints from residents, particularly in the East Village, expressing frustration with negligent owners who have bought several units that are used solely as short-term rentals.

In the East Village, it is a concern because were trying to encourage this sense of neighbourhood in this community thats tremendously diverse and its posing some issues, she said.

Luhnau said the city had recorded about 40 complaints over the past two years. However, those were filed and investigated through the business licensing and development compliance departments.

The problem could, in fact, be much more significant. But residents who complain through the citys 311 line arent asked whether the property is a long-term or a short-term rental.

Its very hard for us to go through the historical records of what comes in through 311 to figure out if it is a short-term rental or not, said Luhnau.

In recent years, cities have grappled over how to deal with emerging, app-based companies, such as Airbnb or ride-share companies like Uber, that often flout or operate outside of existing laws governing long-established industries.

The thing about Uber is within the Municipal Government Act we have a critical role in public transit, and Uber is a form of public transit, and so it very much was within our regulatory purview, said Ward 8 Councillor Evan Woolley.

The challenge that we have in the Airbnb market is that this is us inserting ourselves into private property, and what is our regulatory role in telling people what you can or cant rent? he said.

Last year, the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association asked the province to establish a regulatory framework to level the playing field for its members who must adhere to strict licensing, insurance and health and safety rules.

In Calgary, short-term rentals fall outside existing bylaws that govern lodging houses and bed and breakfasts. Further, theyre not subject to the same provincial tourism levy imposed on hotels.

City administration will present its findings to a committee in the fall and offer a range of options and recommendations, which could include modernizing the lodging house business licence.

Were actually very well situated at this point to be able to thoughtfully come up with the best solution thats going to work for the municipality, said Luhnau.

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CALGARYThe provinces highest-paid school superintendent plans to stay on the job even though new government rules mean she will have to take at least a 25 per cent cut in pay.

The chairman of the Edmonton Catholic School District says Joan Carr will serve out her two-year contract, even though pay limits leaked exclusively to StarMetro mean she will earn between $87,000 and $102,000 less next school year.

The new regulation does not change ... Carrs commitment to students, staff or Catholic education, Terry Harris said in a prepared statement.

We will not be making any additional comment.

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Province to cut pay for top school board officials

Gym memberships, kids college tuition paid among perks for Alberta school board execs, sources say

Top officials at each of the 74 public, separate, Francophone and charter school authorities will have their pay limited and perks largely eliminated as the result of changes announced Friday by the New Democrat government following a review by an outside consultant.

Based on salary figures from last year, 67 of those superintendents face the prospect of salary reductions as their contracts come due for renewal over the next five years.

Carrs pending contract for $430,000 a year and those of eight other top officials at other boards have been in limbo during the review.

Education Minister David Eggen told reporters at a news conference that he is now sending those deals back to trustees for renegotiation to make them compliant with the new rules.

Eggen said the new salary grids for superintendents  which range from as little as $60,000 for a small charter school authority to an absolute maximum of $275,000 at one of the four metro boards in Calgary and Edmonton  were arrived at by looking at compensation levels for top officials at boards in British Columbia and Ontario.

He said a review now of pay for lower-level executives, whether initiated by boards or by his department, could result in additional savings that could be moved into classrooms.

We inherited a system where superintendent salaries were running out of line with the rest of the country.

I knew I was on the right track when I started to see the details from some of the contracts.

The leaked documents obtained by StarMetro showed perks that appear in some current contracts  such as a $1,200 gym membership, payment of up to $10,000 a year to cover post-secondary education expenses for children, $1,200 for spouses to attend board social events, and an ill-defined executive compensation fund that paid out up to $25,000 annually in cash  will now be forbidden.

But Eggen noted it may take years for all of those egregious clauses to disappear as existing contracts that boards have negotiated, including 43 deals with terms longer than 24 months, will be honoured.

But he encouraged boards to look at getting rid of them sooner.

My advice to anyone is to always make sure you are having an honest discussion, you have an authentic plan to move forward, said Eggen, and maybe part of that is to have discussions around existing contracts.

He also said he will consider requiring all future deals inked with superintendents be made public so Albertans can see the new rules are being followed.

The school boards lobby and the group representing school superintendents had a muted response to the changes.

A spokesperson with the Alberta School Boards Association failed to get back to a reporter Friday after promising to do so.

Chris MacPhee, president of the College of Alberta School Superintendents and the top bureaucrat at Canadian Rockies School Division who will have his salary cut by at least $22,000 under the new rules, was not available for comment.

Instead, the college issued a terse release noting not all its recommendations were adopted in the review, but pledged to work with the government now to ensure the new compensation structure is properly implemented.

Trina Hurdman, chair of the Calgary Board of Education, said the provinces new salary limits and the elimination of most contract perquisites  like the one year in severance pay ($295,000) it is giving current superintendent David Stevenson even though he is leaving voluntarily  will make it more difficult to recruit a replacement.

I do anticipate there will be an impact on our recruitment efforts, Hurdman said.

We need more time to understand all the implications of this regulation.

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HALIFAXA Calgary-based group with controversial views on immigration and multiculturalism is no longer allowed to host a town hall at a Royal Canadian Legion in Halifax.

The National Citizens Alliance was set to host its meeting at a legion branch in Halifaxs north end Friday evening, but the event was cancelled by the legion Thursday.

The original booking was made by an individual for a private function. When RCL Branch 27 learned that the booking was intended as a town hall meeting for the National Citizens Alliance, the booking was cancelled, Valerie Mitchell-Veinotte, executive director of the Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command, told Global News.

The alliance promotes the idea of integration of new arrivals into what it calls the basic cultural norms of Canada and a belief that political correctness threatens Canadas identity and culture.

The group said Friday it had further been banned from meeting at a church hall and a Halifax hotel, and now plans to hold a rally at a downtown park. It had also recently been banned from participating in the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival, whose organizers apologized on Sunday after the NCA walked in its parade.

We apologize to anyone who may have felt unsafe at the Grand Street Parade because of this political partys attendance and derogatory messaging, organizers of the week-long festival in Kentville, N.S., said in a statement.

Stephen Garvey, leader of the NCA, said on Thursday that he rejects the characterization of the party, adding that no one in his party made hateful comments or uttered any hate speech.

Garvey added his party doesnt tolerate racism, and argued that his organization was taking part in the parade just like other political parties were. The NCA is not an officially registered party but has committed to running candidates in the 2019 federal election.

Theyre the ones dividing people, he said. If we offended people, thats their problem, not ours. As far as were concerned, we probably added some nice spice to the festival.

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Canadian anti-immigration party marches in Nova Scotias Apple Blossom parade

Garvey said the group wanted to host a town hall at the Halifax legion to clear up the confusion that has plagued the group since it made headlines with its role in the apple blossom festival.

Garvey told Global News that organizers had called the legion on Thursday morning to confirm the booking.

They had actually confirmed it with us, Garvey said. Then someone higher up said no.

Among the groups core tenets is the goal of implementing a strong no nonsense immigration policy that puts the well-being and safety of the Canadian people first and implementing a temporary pause and substantial reduction in immigration.

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The spacious home in Guelphs toney Heritage Lake Estates has all the bells and whistles youd expect in a $6.5-million, luxury residence: seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, 16-foot ceilings, high-end appliances, a wine room, home gym, theatre room and games room.

Outdoors, there are covered and open patios, an al fresco kitchen, limestone facade and walkways, feature walls and a concrete pool.

Built by Timberworx Custom Homes and completed in 2017, the total 9,200-sq.-ft. house has it all  except for costly energy bills.

As Canadas first luxury certified Net-Zero home, it produces at least as much energy as it consumes, thanks in part to the expansive array of rooftop solar panels. To qualify as Net Zero, it also includes enhanced insulation and air tightness, triple-glazed windows, superior indoor air quality, water-saving features and energy-efficient lighting.

This is the future of home building. Its a timely look ahead Tuesday, June 5 is World Environment Day. As well, the provincial government requires that,by 2030, all new houses be constructed as Net Zero. A year ago, the Canadian Homebuilders Association launched a labelling program to provide a system to recognize Net Zero and Net-Zero Ready homes. (Net-Zero Ready homes lack only the solar panels).

Fully Net-Zero homes are still rare in Canada and most are modest in size. They have their challenges, such the high cost of some components, and insufficient hydro infrastructure that limits how many homes can be hooked up to the grid.

With his Heritage Lake Estates house, Shawn Marsh, president of Timberworx, wanted to prove that someone could have a large, luxury home yet still be a good eco-citizen. And he wanted to build a house that didnt sacrifice curb appeal or features, such as 19-foot glass curtain walls.

Initially, my designers said it couldnt be done, but after a lot of Why nots?, they engineered a design that met all the Net-Zero criteria, says Marsh. We didnt want to build a one-off glass castle. We wanted to be able to integrate the technology and offer it to our clientele.

He and wife Eve Claxton, who had a major hand in designing the house, moved into it last summer to gain first-hand insights and work out any issues since Marsh plans to build two Net-Zero estate subdivisions. He is installing a comprehensive monitoring system on every circuit in the home to show clients where the hydro goes and what the consumption is.

My wife made it clear she did not want to see any solar panels, says Marsh, who plans to sell the house later this year. So we designed a commercial-style flat roof, complete with parapet walls to hide the panels. This had the added advantage of allowing us to disregard home orientation. The home faces north and all our panels face south.

Timberworx became the first builder to install the Tesla Powerwall 2 as its battery storage system for energy collected from the panels, and partnered with Panasonic for the solar component. The three Powerwalls store excess solar power and the system also sends power to the hydro grid for a rebate under Ontarios microFIT program.

The Powerwall 2 design and performance have been flawless, says Marsh. The Tesla app, which is quite beautiful, is addictive. One finds oneself constantly checking todays (solar) production and consumption, says Marsh.

The added benefit is you can double-check if you have turned off everything not being used in your home.

Heating and cooling equipment is in the early stages of development for Net-Zero homes, says Marsh, and that was problematic; the reduced loads created by ultra-efficient insulation and windows calls for smaller mechanisms. Air-source heat pumps were are used to heat and cool Marshs Net-Zero house.

There are other Net-Zero homes in the province, with more on the horizon. A few other examples.

COUNTRY CUSTOM: Marc Fortier, 57, and his wife moved into a custom-built, 3,600-sq.-ft., two-storey home on a 68-acre rural property in Durham Region last year. The home, built by Steve Snider Construction, is currently Net-Zero Ready, with superior insulation, windows and doors and a ground-source heating and cooling system.

This year, they plan to add solar panels and make it fully Net Zero, taking advantage of the provincial governments upcoming solar power installation incentive  pending the outcome of the election on Thursday, June 7. Fortier says they also plan to join Hydro Ones net metering program that will see them accumulate credits in summer when feeding the grid, and use those credits in winter.

SMALL-TOWN SOLAR: When newly retired couple Karen and Wayne decided to sell their Newmarket home and downsize to a quieter community, they were also looking to scale back on utility bills.

Wayne, an engineer, started investigating and found certified Net-Zero home builder Doug Tarry Homes in Strathroy, a small town west of London. The couple customized one of Tarrys plans and added a full solar system to their new 1,945-sq.-ft. bungalow they moved into in April, 2017. It has a 10kW system with 22 solar panels on the roof, air-source heat pumps and a gas-powered generator that automatically starts during a power outage. Their solar array feeds into the grid and theirs was the first home the local hydro company, Entegrus Powerlines, hooked into its system.

We estimate it cost us $60,000 to go Net Zero, but we figured if we were going to build a new home, wed put it in initially rather than tearing things apart later on, says Karen. Our hydro bill is $33 (plus about $30 a month for the transmission line to the grid), and our gas bill is $22. Its been a very good move for us and good savings.

(Doug Tarry Homes says the average cost is $7,500 to $10,000 to upgrade one of its new houses to Net-Zero Ready and another $30,000 to $40,000 for full Net Zero.)

Ryerson University, in conjunction with Union Gas, has been monitoring the house since last fall to track how the systems work and how much energy it generates and uses.

ZERO HOUSE: Created by Ryerson students for last falls EDIT  Expo for Design, Innovation and Technology  Zero House is a modular home that can be adapted as a single home for infill lots or used as a stacked townhouse.

It was built in partnership between EcoStudio, a research cluster founded by a trio of Ryerson professors, and the Endeavour Centre, a Peterborough not-for-profit agency that teaches and promotes sustainable design and construction.

The 1,100-sq.-ft. house was bought and reconstructed on the new owners land in Clarksburg, west of Collingwood. Its orientation and construction methods maximize passive solar heating and ventilation  straw bales and cellulose fibre provide dense insulation; it has high-tech breathable and weatherproof interior and exterior membranes; solar panels line the roof.

The structure is unique among Net-Zero homes in that it also achieved zero embodied carbon emissions, zero toxins and zero construction waste. Its ash wood flooring was made from trees felled due to emerald ash borer infestation. By using organic materials, like wood and straw bales, the home sequesters 25 metric tons of carbon where a similar-sized conventional homes materials would emit 45 tons into the atmosphere.

It is tied into the hydro grid and was one of the last homes accepted into Ontarios microFIT program and earn credits for feeding energy into the grid, says Chris Magwood executive director of the Endeavour Centre

The house isnt certified Net Zero, but the Ryerson team did the energy modelling that indicated we would meet our Net-Zero energy-use target, says Magwood.
Im seriously thinking about buying a house that has a tenant, but I dont want to become a landlord. What are my options?

Any time you buy or sell a property that houses tenants, its important to remember: a) tenants have rights, and b) the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board takes those rights very seriously.

I recommend speaking to a lawyer who understands landlord and tenant issues, and working closely with a real estate salesperson who has handled similar transactions. Be sure to ask specific questions about their experience when you interview potential candidates.

The Real Estate Council of Ontario regulates the conduct of real estate salespeople, brokers and brokerages. We dont adjudicate landlord and tenant cases, but we expect anyone who is registered with us to be aware of all relevant laws  including the fundamentals of the Residential Tenancies Act.

A landlord has the right to put their property up for sale at any time, and a tenant cant prevent potential buyers from viewing their home. But there are some defined rules on the subject. For example, a tenant must receive at least 24 hours of advance written notice before a showing, and it can only occur between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Youre not allowed to photograph the property while it is occupied by a tenant unless they provide their express consent.

You mentioned that you dont want to become a landlord. If you decide to purchase the house, its a good idea to obtain a copy of the tenants lease so you know how long they have been living in the building, and the terms of the agreement. You cant evict the tenant until and unless their lease has expired. If the tenant is paying month-to-month  meaning the lease has expired  you must give them adequate notice to vacate the property.

As the owner, you are allowed to evict the tenant if you plan on living in their unit, or allowing a family member to use it. But you or the family member must intend to live there, and youll have to provide compensation and sufficient notice.

Its illegal for a homebuyer to evict a tenant under a false claim of the Landlords Own Use rule. If you evict your tenant and they find out you werent truthful, the tenant could sue you for moving costs and the higher rent paid at their new home. Moreover, the Ontario Rental Housing Enforcement Unit may investigate the matter and press charges.

Check out the Landlord and Tenant Board website if you wish to learn more about a landlords rights and responsibilities.
MONTREALIn Lucie Roys retelling, the chain of events that led to her daughters suicide began with the burst of gunshots that killed six men and injured five others in a Quebec City mosque in January 2017.

Andreanne Leblanc was on shift that Sunday night. She was one of the first paramedics to arrive at the bloody scene that greatly traumatized Canadians.

She and her work partner transported one of the victims to hospital. In the fear and confusion of that frigid winter night, as police hunted the armed and fleeing killer, they were told to prepare in case there were other victims.

Leblanc, 31, didnt talk to her family about what she had experienced.

That seems to have been part of her nature.

Her grieving mother wants to draw attention to the mental health problems faced by her daughter and other emergency workers who work in difficult or potentially distressing conditions.

A number of medical surveys and studies find paramedics are more vulnerable than other first-responders to job-related trauma.

Dr. Jonathan Douglas, a psychologist from Barrie, Ont., said police and firefighters have similar ways of dealing with the most difficult aspects of their professions.

They try to push through it. They go back to work and they push through it and they push through it and they push through it, until they cant push through it anymore. That can be months or years down the line, he said.

After the mosque shooting, Leblanc and her partner arrived back at the station long after the other paramedics. She missed the initial debriefing during which her colleagues shared what they had experienced and were feeling.

Roy said her daughter had to wait two or three days for a debriefing session that lasted just one hour. If she felt any initial pain, she pushed past it, burying herself in her work. In June, she took an additional job that had her working a seven-day shift in Quebec City, then travelling 350-kilometres to work on-call for seven days in Rimouski.

One of her first calls at the new job was to transport someone who had taken their life with a gun. Standing just five-foot-one in a physical job, Leblanc developed back pain. Exhaustion took hold.

After that, it started falling apart, Roy said in an interview. When I went to see her in August, I found her to be agitated. She spoke a lot. She was seeing a chiropractor for her back pain, but continued working. I came back again in September, but I found her disorganized and irritable.

The accumulation led to Leblanc quitting her job as a Quebec City paramedic, but her problems did not recede. Last fall, she had a crisis that led her friends to stage an intervention. She saw a doctor who prescribed a medical leave from work, without giving a formal diagnosis to her problems.

She returned to her childhood home, to stay with her mother in Quebecs Magdalen Islands. The idea was to rest and relax, but her emotional wellbeing continued to deteriorate. She was upset at not being able to do the job she loved. She broke up with her boyfriend. Her backpain did not alleviate and she began suffering from insomnia.

After that, she was living with a lot of loss, I think, Roy said.

She was hospitalized last December, emerging with medication, a psychiatrist to oversee her treatment and a fragile sense of calm.

Leblanc found a job as an attendant in a home for the elderly, transporting and bathing residents. But one day she received a letter that contained bad news, the contents of which Roy said she did not wish to share.

I think it was at that moment that she fell into distress, she said. It was like this added to everything she had lost and was suffering from.

She died the following day, on March 15. After a search, her body was discovered, dressed in her paramedic uniform. Her family also found a note to her family that read, in part: At least, I saved some lives.

Leblancs psychiatrist told her mother afterward that he was treating her for post-traumatic stress and a professional burnout.

Douglas, whose psychological practice includes a significant number of first-responders, said the everyday struggle of their jobs are what often lead to psychological problems for them over the course of a career.

Youll get those really, really striking traumatic events like the recent events in Toronto, the (Quebec City) mosque shooting. These are things that would affect virtually anybody, he said. But the ones that really do it are those that cross the barrier between the personal and the professional.

Ontario has had a policy in place since April 2016 that allows first-responders to make claims for post-traumatic stress disorder to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board without having to tie their psychological condition to a specific incident.

But the support and services offered in particular workplaces varies widely.

One of the most active is the paramedic service in York Region, which has a dedicated peer-support and PTSD prevention team. They have working paramedics who are also trained to assist colleagues in difficulty, as well as a dedicated staff member monitoring the paramedic crews to spot those who need help.

There are some key signs and symptoms and changes in people that you can see, but to be able to see those changes, you have to know them, said John Anderson, the York Regions head of peer support and PTSD prevention.

Roy wonders if her daughter would have accepted the help even if it was available to her. Part of it was her mindset; she was convinced she could get better by herself.

But part of it was the stigma.

When youre a paramedic, its difficult to go seek help, particularly when you dont have a family doctor, she said.

Everyone at the emergency room already knows you; its you who takes the injured to the hospital.
Toronto City Council has rescinded a regulation that limited the number of restaurants permitted in Parkdale.

The cap, which began in 2013, allotted 25 per cent of properties along Queen St. W. to the category of eating establishments, in an effort to turn the tide of what was, at one point, a crisis, Councillor Gord Perks said.

The strip was overrun with people pouring out from late night spots, disrupting the surrounding community, he said.

Urine, feces, vomit on peoples property, he said. There were windows smashed, cars smashed. It was sort of like a mini John St. We implemented some planning controls to deal with the crisis.

The strip, between Dufferin St. and Roncesvalles Ave., was divided into four quadrants, the result of a year-long planning study, Perks said, during which there was a freeze on new eateries.

Three of the sections were restricted to about 25 per cent for restaurants. The easterly portion, near Dufferin St., was at roughly 33 per cent, Perks said.

A City Planning report, produced in April, says the number of eating establishments decreased over the course of the cap, from 71 to 64.

But such decline, it says, is more likely connected to changing market forces, both in Parkdale and Toronto, including increased land value, commercial rents, a dip in vacancy rates and new trends related to the business operation of the restaurant industry.

Certain bylaw restrictions will remain, including a maximum floor space of 200 square metres and a prohibition of back or rooftop patios, according to the report.

The decision will be reviewed in five years, Perks said.

The crisis diminished  so you remove the planning controls, he remarked.

Anna Bartula, executive director of Parkdale Village BIA, said its a good thing to move on, noting a few dozen businesses that wanted to take root in the neighbourhood didnt pan out. But this cannot be attributed entirely to the cap, she said.

Bartula said Queen St. W., near Dufferin St., is heavy with foot traffic compared to the west end of the strip.

We do have restaurant and bar owners (closer to Roncesvalles Ave.) who wished there were more restaurants and bars because they feel that brings in more people at night, she said.

That really speaks to how polarized our membership has been because it really depends on where you are located.

Namgyal Jampa, co-owner of Shangrila, a Tibetan restaurant located closer to Roncesvalles Ave., said what hes mainly concerned about is rent increases, which could be compounded if new restaurants crop up around him.

If more restaurants come, it means more competition, he said.

His restaurants rent went up by about 40 per cent this week, he said, a problem which should be addressed by implementing commercial rent control.

Jacob Wharton-Shukster, who owns Chantecler, located near Dufferin St., hopes the removal of the cap will mean more businesses and a decrease in unused storefronts.

What happens is when you have bylaws like this is it drives out small businesses, as demonstrated by the study, in favour of generic businesses, he said. Being forced out, or being forced to make decisions, based on goofy city regulations is very antithetical to the idea of creating a city that has independent spirit, that has art, culture and community.

Ric Amis, secretary of the Parkdale Residents Association, which initially lobbied for cap, has mixed reviews on whether it lived up to its mandate.

It had more to do with the economy, than whether it was effective or not, he said. There was a downturn in the market.

He said there were two reasons the association lobbied for the cap: We had these licenced establishments starting to infiltrate into the Queen St., and the makeup of the street was changing.

We did not want a nighttime culture to dominate.

Could the caps removal could open the floodgates to gentrification?

Amis said its a wait-and-see kind of thing.

We dont just want to be at the whim of developers and just run shotgun over us. This isnt the Wild West. This isnt a ghost town. Theres a community here.
Staring at certain defeat, Kathleen Wynne has conceded she will no longer be Ontarios premier after Thursdays election.

In an unprecedented gambit for a sitting premier, the Liberal leader on Saturday pleaded with voters to elect as many Grits as possible to prevent a Progressive Conservative or NDP majority government.

Wynne, in power since succeeding Dalton McGuinty in 2013 and the first female premier in Ontario history, said neither Tory Leader Doug Ford nor NDP Leader Andrea Horwath should be given a blank cheque.

This is a hard thing to do, Wynne told reporters at a French-language school in North York, at times fighting back tears.

On June 7, voters will choose a new government, she said against a backdrop of Liberal staffers children frolicking on the schools playground.

I dont know who voters will choose but I am pretty sure that it wont be me. After Thursday, I will no longer be Ontarios premier, she said.

And Im OK with that, because, as Ive said many times before, its not about me. Its about the people of this province. Its about their well-being. And their futures. Its about their jobs. Not my job.

Wynne, who polls suggest is in third place behind Ford and Horwath, said voters are worried about the rookie PC leader, who has not released a fully costed platform but has promised billions of dollars in unspecified spending cuts.

With a majority government, Doug Ford would have too free a hand for the comfort of most people  they dont trust his judgment, the Liberal leader said.

They dont trust the choices he would make. This is a man who was only too happy to open up the Greenbelt to condo development until he was caught out, who mused about selling cannabis in corner stores where our kids shop.

I dont believe this is a man that people want to hand Ontario over to without putting him on the shortest of short leashes.

Read more:

Opinion | The day Kathleen Wynne lost the 2018 election

Editorial | Ontario voters should back NDP to stop Doug Ford

Victory has different meanings for Liberals and PCs as election day looms

Wynne said a New Democratic majority government also has its risks.

People worry about what will happen to our economy if the NDP take power and form a majority government with nothing to hold them back. People worry that the NDP will raise taxes on small businesses, that they will take unemployment higher, she said.

The more Liberal MPPs we send to Queens Park on June 7, the less likely it becomes that either Doug Ford or the NDP will be able to form a majority government.

By voting Liberal you can keep the next government, Conservative or NDP, from acting too extreme  one way or the other. By voting Liberal you can keep the next government, Conservative or NDP, accountable to you. By voting Liberal you can keep Doug Ford  and the NDP  from having a blank cheque, Wynne said.

However, she would not say whether she would prefer to work with a PC or NDP minority.

Nor did the Liberal leader say whether the party would reallocate resources or work with the NDP to prevent progressive voter splits that could help Ford win a majority.

Horwath, for her part, urged progressives to come together.

Lets stop Doug Fords cutting and privatizing plan in its tracks, said the NDP leader.

Kathleen Wynne has abandoned the fight against Doug Ford cuts. And her request today for a minority government is a demand that she be allowed to continue to hold the power at Queens Park  something voters have already rejected, Horwath said, warning its a dangerous game.

Liberal votes wont result in a minority  theyll result in a Doug Ford majority, she said.

Asked if he was surprised by Wynnes announcement Saturday, Ford said his team is focused on getting its message out.

This whole election has been about change, the PC leader said. People are sick and tired of being the most indebted government in the entire world. People are sick and tired of having the highest hydro rates in North America. People are sick and tired of high taxes. Were focused on our message, a message of change for the people of Ontario.

While Wynne did not say specifically if she would stay on as Liberal leader after Thursday, her move effectively marked the unofficial launch of a leadership race.

Former premiers rarely remain long as leader after an electoral defeat.

Asked if she will still be leader Friday morning, Wynne said: I think we need to see what happens. I cant tell you exactly what the process will be. The sure thing is were dealing with the reality that I wont be premier.

There are many in Wynnes cabinet who could replace her.

Ministers Steven Del Duca, Yasir Naqvi, Glenn Thibeault, Mitzie Hunter, Charles Sousa and Michael Coteau are considered potential successors.

But each is in a dogfight to win their own seats on Thursday.

One senior Liberal said Saturday that Wynnes act cant hurt the partys prospects.

It should help save some seats. The party is more popular than the premier, said the insider, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal party business.

Not that its fair, because shes head and shoulders above Ford or Horwath, but thats the reality.

While the Liberals have 46 incumbents seeking re-election, the party, which has been in power since 2003, is at risk of losing official status in the legislature if fewer than eight MPPs are elected.

Hopefully, this removes one obstacle to maintaining party status, said another senior party official.

Despite a disappointing end to her five years as premier, Wynne emphasized she has few regrets.

It is hard, she said. Im not going to pretend that its not hard. For someone who is as competitive as I am.

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The mood in staunchly conservative Eganville is likely to put a smile on Doug Fords face.

The picturesque town of 1,300 people nestled in the Bonnechere Valley, 110 kilometres west of Ottawa, may not count for much in terms of raw votes, ranking 286th on Statistics Canadas list of Ontario population centres.

Yet it is no accident that Ford made a beeline for the electoral district on May 9, the day campaigning began. Progressive Conservative strategists are banking on rural ridings like Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke serving the coup de grace when the returns are counted in Thursdays election, ultimately painting an evenly divided province in majority blue.

The overriding mood is anger, said Gerald Tracey, publisher of the Eganville Leader. Anger at hydro rates, anger at the sell-off of Hydro One, anger at government spending that is saddling our kids with crippling debt. There is no question in my mind: in rural Ontario, this government is finished. And around here, that means Progressive Conservative victory.

A rout of historic proportion now appears imminent, with the ruling Liberals, who have held power as long as the provinces youngest voters can remember, at risk of losing official party status.

A sobering reminder that elections always matter is how Chatham Daily News columnist Peter Epp framed the scenario this week. No majority government in Ontario has ever lost their party status following an election. And no majority government in this province has ever been reduced to one or two seats following a general election.

Read more:

Victory has different meanings for Liberals and PCs as election day looms

How much do political platforms influence the outcomes of elections?

Opinion | Susan Delacourt: Why the Ontario election is for the people, but not the political scientists

Polls, if we dare trust them, suggest a near dead heat between Fords PCs and Andrea Horwaths New Democrats  as stark an electoral choice as once middle-loving Ontario has ever seen.

But the devil is in the drilled-down details, with data analytics suggesting that the PCs command an enormous advantage, their support more evenly distributed. CBCs Ontario Poll Tracker, as of noon Friday, showed the NDP slightly ahead of the PCs, 37.6 per cent to 36.9 per cent  yet the CBC model nevertheless projected victory for Team Ford, with an 82.9 chance of winning a majority government.

A few percentage points could well change everything. All that appears certain is a defenestration of the status quo. What follows the Liberals is still up for grabs, as candidates scramble to mobilize the 20-or-so ridings on which the outcome will swing.

And while the outcome in places like Eganville is not in doubt, Conservative victory is likely not to hinge on Doug Ford but perhaps to come in spite of him. The PC leaders failure to table a coherent, costed platform, relying instead on populist bromides like buck-a-beer, has shifted the conversation away from leadership altogether, settling instead on the relative merits of local PC candidate John Yakabuski.

John has held office since 2003 but always on the opposition bench and hes gained support with every election, said Tracey. We know hes cabinet material. Hes local and hes likable. So thats the biggest piece for us  people around here see a chance for a major voice in the next government.

Displeasure with the ruling Liberals, defenders of Kathleen Wynne argue, is a contempt bred by both familiarity and longevity. They contend she deserves better than her numbers suggest. But in too many voters eyes its a 15-year-old story she is selling. And Ontario is not buying. Not this time.

Another portion of Wynnes support clearly is hemorrhaging not so much to spite the Liberals but rather to bolster Horwath, whose NDP now offers left-leaning Ontario voters the only chance to stop a policy lurch to the right under Doug Ford.

There definitely seems to be a throw the bums out impulse in play right now, people just wanting change for the sake of change. Thats always a risk that for majority governments, once a sense of impunity sets in, said Real Lavergne, president of Fair Vote Canada.

But it is also important to remind people that even if the Liberals are reduced to a single seat, that doesnt mean their share of the vote will have collapsed to zero. Right now they are polling around 20 per cent and yes, under our system 20 per cent can translate into one seat. But that says as much or more about our first-past-the-post system than it does about the Wynne government.

Too much can be made of Ontarios rural-urban divide. But its there, in the aggrieved sense of neglect and decline that permeates blue-leaning Ontario. One statistic that sears is the uneven distribution of opportunity over the past decade, with eight out of 10 new jobs in the province created in the Greater Toronto Area, where just half of Ontario lives. Ontarios top 25 cities are growing communities, registering population increases with each census  yet hundreds of smaller cities and towns have flatlined or are actually shrinking.

We cant all be herded into cities. But one of the biggest challenges in rural Ontario is getting sufficiently reliable high-speed internet, said Eganvilles Tracey.

With an injection of advanced technology, wed be in a position to compete very nicely. Until then, our next best industry is attracting retirees. Weve been able to achieve nice, slow growth in our community by appealing to people from the GTA or the Ottawa region with nice pensions who dont want to spend the rest of their lives at a goddamn red light. Its the cleanest industry you can get  retirees. And they can move right into a brand new townhouse for $1,400 a month.

Ford, who has routinely voiced disdain for Toronto elites in his bid for rural support, sounded uninformed on northern issues during a leaders debate in Parry Sound. When the leaders were queried on whether they would support an immigration pilot program similar to that now underway to battle population decline in Atlantic Canada  an idea already under serious discussion in shrinking northern communities  Ford answered with nativist reluctance, saying he would take care of our own first.

Once we take care of our own and we exhaust  every single avenue, and we dont have anyone that could fulfil the job, then Id be open to that, Ford said.

Horwath, after what was arguably her strongest debate performance of the campaign, told reporters that she thought Ford had simply missed the point of the question. Northern voices, she said, are already looking for help in attracting newcomers.

The point of the question was that these municipalities, they need more population, they need new people to come and live here, she said. They are opening their communities to immigration and they want the provincial government to step up to the plate and negotiate these agreements with the federal government to get these kinds of skills and newcomers to come north.

But that exchange rings today like sobriety itself compared to the increasingly desperate, at times cartoonish messaging driving the campaigns to the finish line. Whatever thoughtful debate we got is long gone, supplanted now with fear-mongering all around.

As Horwaths NDP surged, nosing ahead in the polls, Team Ford screamed economic Armageddon. With the NDP  there wont be any large companies left to tax, because they will all be going south of the border, Ford tweeted. The NDP will annihilate the middle class, weve seen it before.

In lockstep with Ford this week was Kathleen Wynne, who, absent hope of remaining premier, still can play spoiler, warning a Horwarth government would be entirely bad for business. Are we ready to turn Ontarios economy over to the NDP? We believe the risk would be too great, Wynne said.

Simultaneously, the Liberals followed with days of conservative-style attacks chiding the NDP for its relationship with organized labour. The move prompted withering contempt from TVO columnist Jon Michael McGrath, who effectively closed the case on Wynnes legacy as one of Ontarios most cynical politicians  just as willing as her predecessors to do anything and say anything to hang on to political power.

Horwath, in turn, went for the metaphorical jugular on Friday, venturing into the heart of Wynnes own Don Valley West riding to ask voters to unseat the premier and instead side with the NDP.

As we get closer and closer to Thursday, its becoming very apparent that the new premier is either going to be Mr. Ford or me, Horwath said.

Those indeed appear to be the stark choices. Ford, with slightly more than a third of the electorate behind him, versus Horwath, with about the same. However it goes, Ontario will at least have the satisfaction of doing away with what was. A fleeting electoral thrill, out with the old, is upon us.

But however it goes, the outcome is every bit as likely to leave nearly two-thirds of Ontarians every bit as angry  perhaps more so  than they are today.

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IUKA, MISS.When Chris McDaniel first ran for Senate four years ago, his campaign became a cause for disaffected and restless Republicans across the country. Activists waving Dont Tread on Me flags flooded Mississippi. Tea Party-aligned groups spent millions supporting him. Donald Trump  who was still a year away from announcing his presidential campaign  took notice and tweeted his endorsement: He is strong, he is smart & he wants things to change in Washington.

McDaniel, a state senator and an attorney, received more votes than any other candidate in that Republican primary, but eventually lost in a runoff to the incumbent, Thad Cochran. But now as McDaniel embarks on another run for Senate, his campaign contributions are a fraction of what they were in 2014. On a good night, a few dozen people show up to hear him speak. And Trump is so far keeping his distance from the race.

McDaniels faded political fortunes point up one of the more unforeseen effects of Trumps leadership of the Republican Party. Instead of elevating the renegade, insurgent conservatives who have vowed to challenge party leaders in Washington  candidates who are politically and temperamentally cut from the same cloth as the president  Trump has effectively shut off the oxygen to the noisiest and most fractious wing of his party.

He has endorsed almost every incumbent Republican senator, making it much more difficult for challengers like McDaniel to wage the kind of primary fights that have sown division inside the party for most of the last decade. In Alabama, Nevada and West Virginia, Trump has actively worked against candidates that had strong support from grassroots conservatives.

And while the president has publicly carped at Speaker Paul Ryan and Sen. Mitch McConnell, the majority leader  while also privately badmouthing them as unreliable and weak  he has maintained a partnership of mutual convenience with these frequent targets of the rights ire.

Trumps repositioning has led some self-styled conservative agitators to acknowledge that their bomb-throwing, anti-establishment playbook is in need of refinement.

Read more:

I love Canada, Trump says after lashing back at Canada over Trudeaus tariff criticism

Trump meets with families affected by Texas school shooting that killed 10

Trump says summit with Kim Jong Un is back on

People are starting to realize that the anti-establishment thing is kind of a luxury we cant afford right now, said Steve Bannon, the presidents former chief strategist who six months ago said it was his objective to see McConnell removed as the Senate Republican leader.

That effort has been put on hold. And Bannons rebellion has considerably smaller ambitions than it did six months ago, when he was trying to recruit challengers to every Republican incumbent senator up for re-election this year, with the exception of Ted Cruz of Texas.

Of those Bannon worked most closely with, just two are still running: McDaniel and Kelli Ward in Arizona, who is competing in a three-way primary for the seat that opened up after Sen. Jeff Flake announced his retirement. The candidate Bannon backed most conspicuously, Roy Moore of Alabama, lost in December after multiple women accused Moore of sexual misconduct.

As McDaniel campaigned in Mississippi last month, the challenge of hitting the right note with voters was evident. If he talked too much about how Washington has failed, he might leave the impression he was criticizing Trump  a third rail with Republican voters in deep-red states. Attacking McConnell was useful, but only to a point. So he tried a softer, more self-reflective approach.

Were thankful for Donald Trump. Were thankful to have him in the White House. But he cant do this by himself, McDaniel told a room of about 30 people at an American Legion post in Iuka, a town of about 3,000 in the northeast corner where Mississippi borders Tennessee and Alabama.

Send him to the Senate, McDaniel went on, and he would do his best to be a vehicle for the will of the people of Mississippi. Im just a guy with a message, he said, a flawed individual; a sinner saved by grace.

This is not the campaign McDaniel thought he would be running. Last fall he was the standout candidate in Bannons class of Republican rogues. The party establishment was spooked, having just lost two incumbents to retirement, Flake and Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee.

But Trump thwarted McDaniels would-be mutiny before it could get off the ground. He endorsed Sen. Roger Wicker, the man McDaniel hoped to replace and had spent months attacking as half-heartedly committed to the presidents programs.

Seeing Wicker as a much stronger opponent with the presidents backing, McDaniel switched races after Mississippis other senator, Cochran, resigned because of poor health. Now, in a special election being held in November, he is running against Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was appointed in March to fill Cochrans seat. Establishment Republicans in Washington have tried to convince Trump to endorse her, though he is wary of intervening in some state-level races and has held off so far.

In other cases, the Presidents endorsements have defied his reputation as a political outsider who has little interest in going along to get along.

In Nevada, he pressured Danny Tarkanian, the Senate candidate preferred by Bannon and many conservative activists, to run for a House seat instead  despite the fact that the incumbent, Sen. Dean Heller, had enraged Trump and the partys right flank by waffling on a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In Utah, Trump made a once-unthinkable concession and endorsed Mitt Romney, a pillar of the Republican establishment whom he once attacked as a fool who was too awkward and goofy to win the White House.

If these moves seemed off-brand for Trump, Republican voters didnt seem to mind. They have appeared willing to follow his lead, party strategists and candidates said, much as they have on issues that once drove the Republican agenda like fiscal responsibility and the debt, which Trump has largely ignored.

There are a lot of Republicans that dont care  a lot more than Ive ever seen before, because President Trump has signed off, Tarkanian said, referring to the anti-deficit and spending campaigns that animated Tea Party-styled candidates like him. If anybody questions who controls the Republican Party, or who Republican primary voters support, he added, theyre not out talking to them. They support Trump.

Trumps manoeuvres have largely worked. Tarkanian eventually dropped his challenge to Heller. And Trumps backing of Sens. Deb Fischer in Nebraska and John Barrasso in Wyoming appeared to head off any serious challenges from the right before they could get off the ground. (Fischer won her primary last week with nearly 76 per cent of the vote; Barrasso is running unopposed in the Wyoming primary after Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, considered and ultimately chose not to challenge him.)

Then, this month in West Virginia, Trump intervened at the last minute to encourage voters to oppose Don Blankenship, a coal executive recently released from prison who tried to pull off a cruder version of the presidents punch-down, no-apologies style of political combat. Blankenship came in a distant third in the Republican Senate primary.

When McDaniel ran four years ago, his lane was much clearer. His opponent, Cochran, was seeking his seventh term, making him an easy target for McDaniels appeal that it was time to pass the torch of liberty to a new generation. He could make a clearer case that he was the true conservative who would fight the kind of pork barrel spending that made Cochran a legend. His complaints that millions in this country feel like strangers in this land sounded fresher in a pre-Trump Republican Party.

McDaniel said he expects more attacks from fellow Republicans this time. My party finds conservatives; they target us; they spend untold amounts of money against us. Then they say, See, hes unelectable, he said in an interview before he boarded a camper that would carry him across the state for his speech in Iuka. Its the same vehicle he used in his first Senate campaign, with the same three-foot-high decal of the Constitution slapped on the side. New stickers that say 2018 cover up where it used to say 2014. It breaks down more frequently now.

There is no primary to fill Cochrans seat. It is candidates from both major parties competing directly against each other: Hyde-Smith and McDaniel, and Democrats Mike Espy and Tobey Bartee. If none receive a majority Nov. 6, the top two will compete again three weeks later.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a longtime ally of McConnell and the Republican leadership on Capitol Hill, has already committed $750,000 to pay for ads supporting Hyde-Smith and attacking McDaniel. A new Mississippi-based super PAC run by the nephews of Haley Barbour, the former governor and Republican National Committee chairman, is waiting in the wings for the right time to strike at McDaniel, likely closer to the election.

On the Democratic side, Espy, a former congressman and agriculture secretary, is hoping to push McDaniel into a runoff.

McDaniel said he has been puzzled by some of Trumps political choices, especially the Romney nod. Mitt Romney could not have been more establishment, more hateful toward Donald Trump. And he endorsed him. How do you look at that? he asked.

On one level he said he understands Trumps approach. Hes raged against the machine and won. And now hes pretending to work within the machine, he said. I think its probably necessary under the circumstances to play some of those games.

But as for how Trumps realignment has affected him, McDaniel said, Its changed the whole ball game.

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MBANDAKA, CONGOThe two brothers of Adalbert Wanza made a 275-kilometreround trip voyage on foot, boat and motorcycle through Congos dense rain forest to bring him, and ultimately the rest of the world, grave news.

A visitor had died while in their home village, Ikoko-Impenge. A local priest buried him with ritual honours, including giving the corpse its last food and drink. Days later, the priest and most of his family were dead, too. When he heard the story, Wanza, the Catholic bishop of Mbandaka, knew it could be Ebola, which is endemic in the forest, and contacted health officials. Lab tests would prove him right.

Over the next three weeks, the most serious outbreak of the virus since a devastating epidemic in West Africa between 2014 and 2016 spread from deep within the rain forest to bigger towns and finally to Mbandaka, a regional hub of nearly 1.2 million people at the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers.

As of Friday, 37 cases of Ebola had been confirmed, four of them in Mbandaka, where it can more easily spread. Twelve confirmed cases resulted in death, as have an additional 13 suspected or probable cases.

The outbreak has triggered a massive effort to contain it, led by the Congolese government and the World Health Organization, and aided by numerous aid groups. Dozens of health workers are bringing experience from the West African epidemic.

They are also bringing an abundance of caution. The WHO, aid groups and West African governments underestimated the last big outbreak, which started in Guinea in 2014. By the time resources were mobilized, Ebola was already in or on its way to the capital cities of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

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A sense of foreboding hangs over conversations among these groups, even as their work appears to have stemmed the outbreaks growth for the time being. The last confirmed case in Mbandaka was reported May 22, but the horror of the past is still raw  more than 11,000 died in the West Africa epidemic, and cases spread as far as Nigerias capital, Abuja, and Dallas in the United States.

We must make sure we leave not even one stone unturned, said Pierre Rollin, an Ebola expert for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who is now in Congo. Signs point to a diminishing number of cases, but there are no guarantees until we have gone weeks without any.

The aid community has gone into overdrive since the Wanza brothers revelation in early May, which helped alert the national government to the outbreak. Medical organizations are using every strategy available, including an experimental vaccine cleared by the WHO for compassionate use. It was administered in the waning days of the West African epidemic, but this is its first deployment in the critical early stages of an outbreak. Hundreds have received the vaccine and there are supplies for thousands more.

Vigilance is crucial. The virus is not one of the most contagious  it is transmittable through direct contact such as touching bodily fluids  but symptoms can take days if not more than a week to show, meaning infected individuals can travel long distances and encounter many people before theres any inkling of their condition.

The outbreak is at a critical point where good contact tracing is going to determine its extent, said Anne Rimoin, a researcher at UCLA who has worked with the Congolese government for 16 years on Ebola.

Contact tracing is the process through which everyone who has interacted with someone suspected of having Ebola is identified and monitored. To succeed, it requires the near-instantaneous creation of a network of informants who surveil movements of people in and out of areas where the virus is suspected.

A tip from one of these people-watchers is what recently led a team of 16 Guinean doctors to a riverside village on Mbandakas outskirts. A woman had arrived in the village to stay with relatives after her husband died in an area near Ikoko-Impenge, where the outbreak seems to have begun.

Within a day, the doctors had set up a contact-tracing operation. But monitoring contacts isnt the only tool they have: The Guineans were flown in because they are the only ones with hands-on experience administering the experimental Ebola vaccine, during the end of the epidemic in their home country.

Because the vaccine is as-yet unlicensed, everyone who receives it must sign a consent form. Aid workers say that sometimes involves considerable persuasion.

The lesson from West Africa is this: The concept of a vaccine is not something that someone in rural Guinea or Congo will understand in just two minutes, said Fatoumata Battouly Diallo, 31, the team leader of the Guinean vaccinators.

They try to communicate the danger in a way people can understand. We say, You want to protect your family, right? You want to protect your people? Your signature and five seconds of pain is all that is required. 

This part of Congo, Equateur province, is the most neglected in a country that generally has little in the way of infrastructure. That underdevelopment complicates the response to Ebola, forcing aid workers to use scarce helicopters or motorcycles to reach affected areas. Roads are so bad it can take a full day to drive 160 kmsin a truck.

The vaccines are particularly difficult to transport. They must be kept at a temperature of 76 degrees below to 112 degrees below and have been shipped from Geneva in special containers that can retain that temperature for up to six days.

Ironically, the regions underdevelopment has helped slow the outbreak, officials say. Compared with the parts of West Africa where the last epidemic took place, people in Equateur are poorer and travel less. Whereas Sierra Leoneans infected with Ebola were lured to bigger towns by better health facilities, Mbandaka doesnt have that same draw. And transport itself is more difficult in the rain forest. Most of it takes place on boats  from smoke-belching steamers to cargo-bloated barges to slender pirogues carved by axe out of massive trees.

Although Congo may sorely lack infrastructure, it has one of the most successful Ebola response mechanisms in the world, according to researchers and aid workers. Congo is where Ebola is most prevalent, and the current outbreak is the countrys ninth since 1976.

It has been just amazing to watch how quickly the Congolese health ministry detects these outbreaks, even when they are in such remote areas, the CDCs Rollin said. The health ministrys close monitoring of unusual or clustered deaths in the rain forest is credited with early outbreak detection, but in many cases the alarm bells are rung by locals, like Bishop Wanzas brothers.

Not everyone in Equateur is taking the outbreak seriously, however. About half of the dozen Mbandaka residents the Washington Post interviewed along the citys one fully paved road said Ebola was a conspiracy. Before the outbreak, foreigners were exceedingly rare in Mbandaka, and the recent influx of hundreds of aid workers has brought large amounts of cash into the city. That has caused many to believe that Westerners brought Ebola here to make money.

Upon seeing foreign aid workers passing by in their Toyota Land Cruisers, some locals have taken to shouting, Mundele Ebola! which means white persons Ebola in Lingala, Congos lingua franca. These theories have complicated the process of getting consent for vaccinations in some cases, though most people have ultimately agreed.

The community in Mbandaka is divided between those who are fearful and those who dont care one bit, Wanza said. Some people are not aware of how serious this is.

The process of contact tracing can also alienate Congolese who are unfamiliar with Ebola. Suddenly, they are surrounded by strangers, sometimes including people speaking in foreign languages, asking them about every move theyve made in the past few days. Their family compound is abuzz with disease detectives, who may be wearing protective gear, or pointing gun-shaped thermometers at their foreheads.

It is a fact that foreigners are a cause of stress for people here, said Prudence Toukou, a psychologist working for the Congolese health ministry. Their lives are suddenly invaded and it is hard to understand who these people are.
JERUSALEMThe Israeli military said its troops have shot dead a Palestinian who tried to ram a tractor into forces stationed in the West Bank.

Since March 30, Israeli fire has killed more than 115 Palestinians.

The military said its initial investigation revealed that a 35-year-old Palestinian from a village near Hebron tried to run over an officer with a Bobcat tractor. The attacker then turned around and tried to attack nearby Israeli civilians, the military said.

It said a soldier opened fire, killing the assailant. No Israeli troops were harmed.

Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks. Over 260 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in that time. Israel says most were attackers. The attacks have petered off in recent months as the Palestinian focus has shifted toward mass protests on the Gaza border.

On Friday, the Palestinians protested for the 10th week in a row. The military said some hurled grenades and pipe bombs at troops behind the security fence. A 21-year-old woman, who witnesses in Gaza described as a volunteer paramedic treating wounded protesters, was killed by Israeli fire.

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The army said its troops operated in accordance with standard operating procedures and that it was investigating the incident.

The Palestinians and human rights groups have accused Israeli forces of using excessive force on some occasions, and of killing Palestinians who did not pose an imminent threat both in the West Bank and Gaza.

The Gaza protests are being organized by the territorys militant Hamas leadership and are aimed at drawing attention to the decade-old Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the territory. The protesters are also demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war and their descendants. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were expelled from what is now Israel during the war that attended its creation. They and their descendants now number over five million.

Israel says it has only opened fire at instigators and that Hamas has been using the demonstrations as cover to carry out attacks.

The military said that on Saturday it thwarted a Palestinian attempt to damage the security fence surrounding Gaza. It said a group of militants briefly entered Israel before fleeing back into Gaza when Israeli troops opened fire.

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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREANorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un is known for pushing the envelope with threats and bluster as he seeks to leverage his nuclear weapons program into security and economic benefits for his country. But lately hes gained notoriety for his envelopes alone.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday declared that his on-and-off summit with Kim was on again. The announcement came after Trump hosted a senior North Korean envoy at the White House and he delivered a personal letter from Kim that was inside a white envelope nearly as large as a folded newspaper.

Trump has not yet revealed what was written in the letter, but he sure seemed happy to get it. A photo showed a grinning Trump holding up the envelope alongside Kim Yong Chol, the most senior North Korean to visit the White House in 18 years, as they posed in the Oval Office in front of a portrait of Thomas Jefferson.

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The photo made rounds on social media, where theories abound about why Kim would have sent Trump what seemed like a comically oversized letter.

Did Kim, a third-generation heredity leader, think Trump would share his love for lavish gestures and things grandiose? After spending months trading insults and war threats with him, has Kim learned that the way to influence Trump is to appeal to his ego  something South Korean President Moon Jae-in seemed to try in April when he openly vouched for Trump as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize?

No one outside North Korea likely knows the real reason for the letters size. It could just be thats how Kim likes it.

Moon, who lobbied hard for nuclear negotiations between Trump and Kim, received a letter of similar size from Kim during Februarys Winter Olympics in which he expressed a desire for an inter-Korean summit.

Kims to letter to Moon was personally delivered by Kims sister, who attended the Olympics as a special envoy, and was covered by a blue folder emblazoned with a golden seal.

Analysts say the gesture of sending the letter itself is part of the meticulous steps North Korea is taking to present Kim as a legitimate international statesman who is reasonable and capable of negotiating solutions and making deals.

Following a provocative 2017 in which his engineers tested a purported thermonuclear warhead and long-range missiles that could target American cities, Kim has engaged in a flurry of diplomatic activity in recent months in whats seen as an attempt to break out of isolation and obtain relief from sanctions decimating his countrys economy.

While trying to communicate its willingness to embrace Western diplomatic norms, Pyongyang has put in painstaking efforts to maintain reciprocity with Washington and Seoul, said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

Kim Yong Chols trip to Washington was clearly a response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeos travel to Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, twice in recent weeks for pre-summit negotiations with Kim. Likewise, Kims letter to Trump would have been a reciprocal response to Trumps own letter to Kim on May 24 that temporarily shelved the highly anticipated meeting, Yang said.

In his letter printed on White House stationery, Trump, in an uncharacteristically warm and congenial tone, said he was cancelling the summit because of North Koreas harsh comments about U.S. officials. But he also told Kim please do not hesitate to call me or write.

North Korea then issued an unusually conciliatory response to Trumps letter, with senior diplomat Kim Kye Gwan saying in a statement that Pyongyang had highly appreciated Trumps willingness to hold a summit, calling it a bold decision, which any other U.S. presidents dared not. Hours later, Trump said the summit was potentially back on.

Kims letter to Trump on Friday will probably borrow much of the language from the statement of his vice foreign minister, said Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korea expert at Seouls Dongguk University.

Kim would begin by praising Trumps leadership and his bold decision to build up the summit, said Koh, who is also a policy adviser to the South Korean president. He will then talk about denuclearization, ending hostility and normalizing relations between the countries.

Because of the directness and weight of formality they provide, Kim might see personal letters as an important way to communicate with leaders of countries the North never had close ties with, Koh said.

This sets Kim apart from his father and grandfather, who were never bold proponents of letter diplomacy and mostly limited the exchange of letters and telegrams with traditional ally Beijing and, to a lesser extent, Moscow.

It remains unclear whether North Korean Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok was carrying a letter from the late Kim Jong Il, the second North Korean leader, when he visited former president Bill Clinton at the White House in 2000.

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KHUZAA, GAZA STRIPShe had become a fixture at the weekly protests along the fence dividing the Gaza Strip from Israel, a young woman in a white paramedics uniform rushing into harms way to help treat the wounded.

As a volunteer emergency medical worker, she said she wanted to prove that women had a role to play in the conservative Palestinian society of Gaza.

Being a medic is not only a job for a man, Razan al-Najjar, 20, said in an interview at a Gaza protest camp in May. Its for women, too.

An hour before dusk on Friday, the 10th week of the Palestinian protest campaign, she ran forward to aid a demonstrator for the last time.

Israeli soldiers fired two or three bullets from across the fence, according to a witness, hitting Najjar in the upper body. She was pronounced dead soon after.

Najjar was the 119th Palestinian killed since the protests began in March, according to Gaza health officials. Hers was the only fatality registered Friday.

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The Israeli military said Saturday that the case would be examined.

The military said it has repeatedly warned civilians against approaching the fence and taking part in violent incidents and terrorist attacks and will continue to act professionally and determinedly to protect Israeli civilians and Israeli security infrastructure.

The weeks of protests, called the Great Return March, have largely been orchestrated by Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza. They aim to draw attention to the 11-year blockade by Israel and Egypt of the coastal territory and to press refugee claims to lands lost when Israel was established in 1948.

Most of those killed during the protests have been shot by Israeli snipers. Half were killed in a single day, May 14, the peak of the campaign. Human rights groups have accused Israel of using excessive force against the mostly unarmed protesters.

On Friday, a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israel for using excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force against Palestinians failed when it was vetoed by the United States.

On Saturday, U.N. agencies and officials expressed their outrage in a statement that described the killing of a clearly identified medical staffer by security forces during a demonstration as particularly reprehensible.

The conflict exploded into a day of cross-border fighting Tuesday, when Islamic militants in Gaza fired scores of mortar shells and short-range rockets into southern Israel. Israeli jets bombed at least 65 military sites across Gaza.

On Friday, the protests resumed. Thousands of Palestinians took part in what the Israeli military described as violent riots at five locations along the security fence, burning tires and throwing stones. One Israeli army vehicle was fired on, and Palestinians planted a grenade that exploded on the Israeli side of the fence, the military said.

This was the scene that Najjar dashed into in her white coat to tend to an elderly man who had been hit in the head by a tear-gas canister, according to a witness, Ibrahim al-Najjar, 30, a relative of Najjars.

Other witnesses and the Gaza Health Ministry offered a slightly different version of events, saying that Najjar and other paramedics were walking toward the fence with their arms raised on their way to evacuate injured protesters when she was shot in the chest.

Najjar was a resident of Khuzaa, a farming village near the border with Israel, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Her father, Ashraf al-Najjar, had a shop that sold motorcycle parts, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike during the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, he said. He has since been unemployed.

The eldest of six children, Najjar did not score well enough in her high school exams to attend university, Najjar said. Instead, she trained for two years as a paramedic at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis and became a volunteer of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, a nongovernmental health organization.

Najjar, 44, said his daughter rose before dawn on Friday to eat and pray before the start of the daily, sunrise-to-sunset Ramadan fast. That was the last time he saw her.

When we met her at a protest camp in Khan Younis last month, she said her father was proud of what she did.

We have one goal, she said, to save lives and evacuate people. And to send a message to the world: Without weapons, we can do anything.

On Friday, she was less than 100 yards from the fence when she was bandaging the man struck by the tear gas canister, Ibrahim al-Najjar said. The man was taken away in an ambulance, and other paramedics tended to Najjar, who was suffering the effects of the tear gas.

Then shots rang out, and Najjar fell to the ground.

Ibrahim carried her away, with the help of two others, and accompanied her in the ambulance.

Razan was not shooting, Ibrahim said. Razan was saving souls and treating the wounded.

She arrived at a field hospital in serious condition, the hospital manager, Dr. Salah al-Rantisi, said. She was then transferred to the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis, where she died in the operating room.

In a video of an interview in Arabic with a local news agency on Saturday, a woman identified as Najjars mother held up a blood-soaked vest and said, This is my daughters weapon with which she was fighting the Zionists. The woman also held up two unopened bandage rolls she said she had found in the vest and said, These were her ammunition.

Najjar was one of the first medical volunteers at the Khan Younis protest camp, and particularly relished the idea that a woman could do that work.

In our society women are often judged, she said. But society has to accept us. If they dont want to accept us by choice, they will be forced to accept us because we have more strength than any man.

The strength that I showed the first day of the protests, I dare you to find it in anyone else.

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Trudeaus boldest move, Editorial, May 30

After the crippling rage and ensuing cynicism Ive harboured since Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus callous electoral reform betrayal last year, I didnt feel anything at all when I found out he was buying a $4.5-billion pipeline.

How silly of me to think that, in 2019, I would finally be able to vote for someone who would take our carbon budget seriously, and have it actually count toward something other than a tally of the other conscious voters who also wasted their ballot.

When Trudeau went to Paris, he made a major commitment to the rest of the world on our behalf. It was a commitment that his Liberals evidently had no intention of keeping (much like electoral reform), as he preached sanctimoniously to other countries of its critical imperative. Trudeau has made self-righteous liars out of all of us, and many dont seem to care.

How silly of me to think that Canadians would eventually be embarrassed by the global communitys disapproval of our myopic selfishness, as we refuse to even stop growing our oil industry, let alone phase it out.

I am 34 and live in Toronto. A large portion of my meagre paycheque is depleted by riding expensive public transit, buying expensive vegan groceries and renting a tiny, overpriced apartment. But I dont mind forking over the money because I feel like I am doing my part to help tackle climate change. After all, our governments are busy subsidizing more important things with their share of my cheque, Im told. How silly of me.

Once a year, I try to take a camping trip to get away from the grind and pretend that I am living in harmony with nature for a few days. This month, Ill bring my tent to Burnaby Mountain, along with some hard-earned cash that I have set aside to help pay the salaries of those who will arrest and fine me when I get there. At least I can say I helped create jobs, right?

Alykhan Pabani, Toronto

Your pro-pipeline editorial states: To be clear: The new pipeline should be built, or more precisely, expanded.

I am at a loss as to why the Star would make such a statement when this particular investment in, and expansion of, the Trans Mountain pipeline flies in the face of the Justin Trudeau governments platform to help Canada (and the world) transition to more of a green-energy economy.

When we expand our investment in fossil fuels by a massive amount, we are obviously moving Canada away from transitioning toward a green economy. Canada has already generously supported the oil industry in a multitude of ways through enormous subsidies, etc. By expanding pipelines and thus promoting the expanded use of fossil fuels, instead of shrinking our dependence on oil, we perpetuate the status quo, which has our planet sitting at the verge of collapse.

If our federal government intended to expand its investment in green technologies and help us transition to a more environmentally feasible energy base, it would not have blown the bank to support this pipeline. Where will the money come from to support green industries and initiatives?

When the sustainability of our planet and our childrens future is at stake, Trudeaus boldest move should have taken a completely different direction. I am so disappointed.

Fran Bazos, Newmarket

It is no surprise that a deal has been made for a pipeline to transport fossil fuels for financial gain. It seems there is no political party standing the slightest chance of forming a federal government that is prepared to turn its back on the enormous wealth buried below Alberta soil  no one prepared to leave the pristine boreal forests in the ground where they belong.

The resulting toxicity to the land in which we live and breathe, native land rights and the increased world dependence on non-renewable energy sources seem to have no influence on the decision-making process. Its big business that dictates decisions and the policymakers will ride roughshod over anyone who gets in the way.

Timothy Phillips, Toronto

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has obviously forgotten, or disregarded, what most scientists have preached repeatedly, that keeping fossil fuels in the ground is essential if we are to save our planet. He is planning to ship our dirty oilsands to be burned in Asia, and then claim that Canada is adhering to our commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change. Ethical?

Ross McCallum, Toronto
Make no mistake about how Ford Nation wins over a province.

It matters little how many mistakes Doug Ford makes on the stump, or how many televised debates hes botched.

Even if the Progressive Conservative leader often looks like hes running a losing campaign, most polls still show his party poised to win the most seats in next weeks election. Yes, his early lead has declined, but Ford could well become premier with a majority government.

The more Ontarians see of him, the less they seem to like him. So why is Ford seemingly losing his way to victory?

Populism isnt about being right or wrong. Its about being seen to be on the right side of the issues, of the people and their pain.

While his provocative messages have turned off many Ontarians, they resonate with people in the right ridings, the ones outside large urban areas where Tories can convert votes into victories.

Questions about his personal character? Supporters see a plain-speaking character, a man of the people who stands up to the so-called elites.

For all the talk of his checkered past  using abusive language when challenged; handing out $20 bills while touring public housing; allegations of drug dealing in his 20s (denied but never challenged in court)  Fords rough-hewn rhetoric stands him in good stead on the podium.

When not reading from a Teleprompter in front of reporters (who are limited to four or five questions a day), he marches to his own distinctive beat onstage.

My friends, he begins. We will always respect you. Change is coming, help is on the way, he tells a London audience, flanked by Ontario flags and a podium that proclaims, Doug Ford  for the people.

He provokes lusty boos by bashing the NDP. He promises magical hydro rate reductions and tax cuts (details to come), and that hell slash $6 billion in waste without anyone losing their jobs.

His closing is borderline biblical: A new day will dawn in Ontario ... God bless you. If there is an evangelical, messianic quality to the leaders campaign sermons, they are perhaps a leap of faith for Ford Nation.

Questions about his credibility? All those criticisms may be beside the point.

Didnt he promise a fully costed platform, showing how hed eliminate the budget deficit while simultaneously cutting taxes, with nary a layoff? This week Ford went back on his word  and his numbers.

Economists and reporters pointed out that his partial plan would put the province deeper into debt than it would be under the Liberals or New Democrats. And yet, those earnest academics and meddling media are perhaps missing the point.

Even if he cant keep his facts straight, isnt he a straight shooter? Have we not learned that he is less interested in substantive positions than positioning? Isnt it clear by now  months after Ford became party leader and promptly suspended the pre-existing PC platform  that he is all about personality, not policy?

Why insult the intelligence of Ford Nation, telling people what they already know? Everyone knows the numbers dont add up, but their leader will shake things up. Which is why hes winning so many hearts and minds.

It all sounds persuasive enough onstage in London, but the next night in Windsor there is a discordant note from Ford. Donald Trump has just announced punishing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Terrible news, the PC leader muses onstage. But then his public response to the threat takes a jarring turn.

Make no mistake about it, were going to go after them full tilt  on reducing our taxes, making ourselves more competitive.

Wait  Ford is staring down Trumps higher tariffs by talking up lower taxes? And where does he go from here?

We will go down to the street at the border and put up that big sign Ive been talking about and tell our neighbour, Ontario is open for business.

This is how Ontarios putative premier would confront the U.S. presidents tariff attack? Perhaps this is what makes Ford so surprisingly terrifying.

Its not the buffoonery, the vulgarity, the chicanery, the questions about character and trust and temperament. No, what is most daunting about the man is that he is so overflowing with confidence yet so lacking in competence.

In the week Ontario was buffeted by the beginnings of a trade war, his only response was to repeat a bumper-sticker slogan  the wrong one. While other political leaders talked about defending the provinces vital trade routes, Ford lapsed into non sequiturs about tax cuts.

Another miscue? Make no mistake, the blunders will catch up to Ford Nations province sooner or later  if not before June 7, then surely after.

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Some people seem a bit surprised that Doug Ford has not  and will not  release a fully costed platform that matches spending promises with revenue projections and shows how and when he plans to balance the budget.

After all, he did repeatedly promise he would release such a document. We have a solid platform that is fully costed, he said back in March when he was critiquing the Liberal governments budget. Thats the difference. Ours will be fully costed. Theirs isnt fully costed.

That was then. This is now, and he and his handlers are saying: what you see is what you get. They have made some promises. Theyve now published estimates of what those promises cost. Who needs revenue projections? Balancing? Any context on how a gas-tax cut will affect revenue?

Who wants to get hung up on pinko elitist concepts like accounting or reality, man? Were gonna legalize buck-a-beer!

So yeah, some people have questions. At a short press conference May 31, as transcribed and annotated by my colleagues at QP Briefing, four of the six questions from reporters were about the lack of a proper costed platform.

Im not breaking my promise at all, he said in response to one. Weve got a dollar-figure right beside every single item. Its very clear. Were going to balance. Were the only party thats fiscally responsible. And were the only party that is accurate.

Get it? The other parties may have provided details with their plans, and those details may have been inspected by outside parties and available for everyone to see, and independent observers may have weighed in on those plans and details and concluded that they will show much lower deficits than Fords vague plan is likely to.

But, as his rebuttal showing that they are liar-pants-on-fires and he is in fact the only accurate and honest one, he offers the strength of his frequently repeated convictions. His gut.

He offers his words, even though his definitions of certain things  efficiencies, disingenuous, fiscally responsible, costed  are eccentric and subject to frequent redefinition.

This isnt actually a surprise.

It is sort of unprecedented, in recent history. As John Michael McGrath outlined in late May at TVO, pretty much every party since at least 2003 has released a detailed balance sheet showing the costs of its promises and the projected revenues that would pay for themin 2007, Howard Hamptons NDP didnt release a full platform, but did release a consolidated financial estimate of costs of their promises and new revenues to pay for them.

But that Ford does unprecedented things  especially when it comes to something like showing your work, or providing evidence to back up your claims  is unsurprising. Its one of his defining characteristics.

It is something we all could have learned about Ford by watching him, and his late mayor brother Rob, operate at City Hall. The details dont matter to them. And what they consider details, many people would consider the whole point.

For example: when Rob Ford was campaigning for mayor, with Doug as his campaign manager, allied council candidate and closest adviser, they promised a Scarborough subway extension. This would, they said clearly at the time, be an extension of the Sheppard subway, running east-west in the north of Scarborough. It would be in service by 2015. This was an explicit promise. And it was a costed promise. The cost to taxpayers, we were told again and again, would be $0. The private sector would pay for it, through some Ford math mojo that was vague and frequently changing.

What actually happened was that Sheppard extension was cancelled, and then a different councillor  by then an enemy of the Ford brothers  proposed a different subway extension that ran up northeast through the middle of Scarborough, on an entirely different route. Some variation of it may be finished by 2030. This cost was not $0, but something on the order of $3.5 billion. And property taxes were raised 2.5 per cent to pay for it.

The Fords embraced this entirely different subway extension plan, serving a different route, at an astoundingly high cost, and in fact claimed it was their own plan all along. They mark it as a promise kept! Doug Ford continues to claim it as evidence he and his brother delivered exactly what they said they would. The words Scarborough and subway are pretty much the only things the two proposals have in common, and Ford logic says they are the only things that mattered.

Or take again this matter of costing promises and unspecified efficiencies filling in all the gaps. Rob Ford explicitly promised $2.8 billion in savings over four years as mayor, with no service cuts, and the bulk of it coming from efficiencies.

He did not deliver those savings and he did cut many service levels. Staff under him did, if you look sideways and lump a lot of things together (few of which are related to more efficiency, some of which were fee hikes on taxpayers), realize various departmental savings adding up to just over a billion dollars compared to some budget projections, though the budget as a whole went up.

Doug Ford, today, trumpets this as a promise kept by him and his brother. Math, schmath; logic schmogic. Doug Ford is a man of his word. Just ask him.

His platform is whatever he says it is on a given day. His plan is a series of catchphrases. His evidence is the volume of his voice and the frequency with which he repeats things. His execution will always be a chaotic mess. And his measure of success will always be his own strong certainty that whatever happened must be what he always said would happen.

Thats what he and his brother did at city hall. Thats what hes done so far as leader of the Conservatives. And thats what we should expect if he becomes premier.

If it does, no one should claim to be surprised.

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VANCOUVER  Residents could one day see autonomous buses and drones zooming by them in what Vancouver and Surrey are advertising as collision-free corridors.

But thats only if the cities, the two largest in B.C., can win a joint bid in a competition for $50 million of federal funding, part of the governments efforts to encourage smart cities.

Vancouver and Surreys idea is to build two corridors  one in each city  lined with hundreds of cameras and sensors to make them as safe as possible. Think of a transit hub where all the technologies can communicate with one another, said Sean Simpson, director of Surreys information technology department.

That means cars talking with each other, as well as connecting to our infrastructure, our technologies, our signals, and our sensors, he said.

A lot of work and innovation has gone into early detection systems.

The cities have yet to choose exactly which technologies they plan to use, but this is not about building a new highway or a new public transit route, said Jessie Adcock, Vancouvers chief technology officer.

She emphasized that the cities would simply be adding technologies to the periphery of the corridor that complement what is already there.

And her team has already picked the neighbourhood that would receive those new technologies if Vancouver won the competition  south False Creek. The corridor would connect Granville Island to Science World but the exact route is yet to be determined, said Adcock.

The area is home to an iconic part of the citys seawall, and Vancouver installed a streetcar from Granville Island to Olympic Village Canada Line station during the 2010 Olympics.

The streetcar project gave staff the experience and positive feedback it needed to prove in the Smart Cities bid that building a corridor in that area was feasible, Adcock explained.

Surrey has not picked the location of its hypothetical high-tech corridor yet but is already piloting several smart tech projects to help the city make transportation decisions with real-time data on its sidewalks and highways.

Vancouver and Surrey announced Friday that they have jointly received $250,000 to bring their crash-free corridor idea to life  on paper, at least  as part of the Infrastructure Canadas Smart Cities Challenge. They would split the funding in half if their proposal won the competition. Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec City, and Waterloo Region are also vying for the $50 million prize.

One transportation engineer says the potential funding from the competition could help the Lower Mainland figure out how to design roads where autonomous cars can safely share the road with residents, something other cities like Arizona have failed to do. There, a pedestrian was killed in March after a collision with a driverless Uber car.

As long as this is done cautiously and prudently, this is a good opportunity to explore better ways to integrate autonomous vehicles with non-autonomous vehicles and cyclists and pedestrians, said Alex Bigazzi, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia.

Vancouver has shown it follows a certain hierarchy that puts people, not vehicles, first when it comes to planning for street users, he noted.

Adcock confirmed the citys intention to design a corridor built for all modes of transportation.

We really want to design a corridor of the future that allows us to make safer choices that enhance our quality of life, that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, all the while moving more people in more predictable ways.

The winning bid will be announced spring 2019.

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VANCOUVERMayor Gregor Robertson made a renewed call Thursday for federal and provincial support to launch an opioid distribution pilot program delivering clean drugs to users as an alternative to the citys increasingly tainted street supply.

The program, spearheaded by Mark Tyndall, executive medical director for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), would provide access to opioids through dispensing machines activated by biometric data such as a fingerprint or retinal scan.

Poisonous, illicit drugs are killing our residents, friends and loved ones, Robertson said in an official statement from the City of Vancouver. We need to continue taking bold new actions to halt the devastating death toll of the opioid overdose crisis.

Recent analysis of illicit drugs from the B.C. Centre on Substance Use found less than one in five samples of drugs sold as opioids actually contained the substance they were purported to be in any detectable amount. Almost 90 per cent contained fentanyl  a highly potent synthetic opioid up to 75 times stronger than morphine  the presence of which has led to thousands of overdose deaths in Canada.

Last year, 366 people died of overdoses in Vancouver, while more than 1,400 overdose deaths occurred provincewide, according to a report from the B.C. Coroners Service.

The Vancouver Fire and Rescue Service has voiced support for the proposed pilot project.

The number of overdoses shows no signs of slowing down, said Capt. Jonathan Gormick. The precrisis acute spikes have been replaced by endless days of high call volume.

The last week of April 2018 alone saw Vancouver Fire and Rescue respond to a total of 207 overdose calls  74 per cent higher than its weekly average for the year previous.

The mayors statement adds that the Vancouver Police Department has also given its support to the pilot proposal, which dovetails with the harm reduction and treatment pillars of the VPDs four-pillar approach to drug enforcement.

VPD Chief Adam Palmer told reporters in the spring that he saw the wisdom in finding ways to deliver a clean drug supply to people who might otherwise have to risk their lives by turning to an illicit supplier.

I think that there are really creative solutions that wed be open to in Vancouver, Palmer said. Things like replacement therapy and substitution therapy  prescribing heroin and that sort of thing to people. A lot of that stuff makes sense.

While the federal Liberals have rejected recent calls for extraordinary harm-reduction measures such as decriminalization of simple possession, the government says on its website that the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse Treatment is committed to finding new approaches to substance use disorder treatment.

A spokesperson for the BCCDC told StarMetro an announcement for the launch of the opioid distribution pilot program will be made at a later date.

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VANCOUVEROn Sunday, members of Vancouvers oldest political party will choose between two middle-of-the-road mayoral candidates  and an outsider with a deep suspicion of real estate developers and their ties to city hall.

The results of the June 3 vote for the centre-right Non-Partisan Associations mayoral nomination could drastically change the tone of Vancouvers upcoming election campaign.

I think its going to be very, very close on Sunday, predicted John Coupar, a two-term NPA park board commissioner who is running for the nomination and has the support of many party veterans.

Coupar and one of his opponents, Ken Sim, both have deep ties to Vancouvers business community and are emphasizing their business and political experience. When it comes to fixing Vancouvers housing problems, the single biggest issue of the campaign so far, they have similar views on the need to shorten building permit times and allow gentle density in some neighbourhoods after community consultation.

The third candidate, Glen Chernen, works nearly full time trying to prove wrongdoing in city land deals  an attempt that at times involves lengthy court battles. He has not had a conventional job in 20 years but makes his living managing his own investments, he told StarMetro in a May 17 interview.

He appeals to voters who believe developers have too much influence over city hall and are calling for more measures to slow demand for housing, especially from offshore buyers. To make housing more affordable, Chernen has said he would allow extra density only when developers agree to put a covenant on the new homes, to ensure theyll be sold to people who live and work in Vancouver.

Missing from the upcoming contest are the views of Hector Bremner, a sitting NPA city councillor who was rejected for the mayoral nomination by the partys board. Bremner supports the idea that many of Vancouvers single-family neighbourhoods should be opened up to denser development.

But Bremner was not chosen as a nomination candidate because of conflict-of-interest concerns raised by two of Chernens supporters  allegations that have not yet been proven and that Bremner characterizes as politically motivated.

Bremner is now contemplating starting his own party.

Coupar believes the vote will be close because Chernen got a head start signing up new NPA members, before Coupar announced his candidacy on March 21 and Sim announced on April 16.

He had a head start and I think weve been catching up quickly, Coupar said. I just dont know whether weve had a chance to catch up fully, but I feel pretty good from what Im hearing.

Coupar has the support of many current and former NPA city councillors, school board trustees and park board commissioners, as well as the endorsement of former mayor Philip Owen.

Sim said hes been relying on a large network of friends, family and volunteers to secure votes as the nomination meeting nears.

Chernen declined an interview request, but he said in an email that his team has been letting people know there is a clear choice in this nomination meeting; voting for myself who is free from outside influence, who only wants to work for the communities of this great city and has been hot on the heels of the current administration for nearly six years.

Or they have a choice for the two other candidates who have been reluctant to take a strong stance on any of the issues. The fact of the matter is that the provincial government has finally moved to ban big money from civic politics, so we need to get with the times and operate with total transparency and accountability.

Sim is new to politics, but he said his experience as an accountant and the founder of two businesses  Nurse Next Door and Rosemary Rocksalt  will allow him to take a fresh look at city hall. He believes he can use his experience studying business operations to improve the citys building permit process, which can take years.

I understand financials, Sim said. Being able to look at a citys finances from a difference perspective and understanding how things work will be incredibly valuable.

Coupar, the president of Novex Courier, also wants to tackle building permit times. He thinks the way to help is to look at putting city permit approval storefronts in Vancouver neighbourhoods, so theyre easier to access.

Coupar is also passionate about the need for more community centres and other recreational amenities, in a growing city where families are increasingly living in small apartments.

I dont like to walk by problems and not see them solved, Coupar said. When I go around the city, I see little things sometimes that I think, Why cant we fix that?

Vision Vancouver, the centre-left party that has held power in Vancouver for a decade, will hold its mayoral nomination meeting on June 24. Only one candidate is running for that nomination, Ian Campbell, a hereditary chief of the Squamish Nation. Taleeb Noormohamed, a technology executive, recently announced he would bow out of that race because of health concerns.

In addition, several candidates are running as independent mayoral candidates, hoping to gain support from Vancouvers various left-wing parties. Those candidates include Kennedy Stewart, NDP MP for Burnaby South, and Shauna Sylvester, executive director of Simon Fraser Universitys Centre for Dialogue.

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VANCOUVERAmid mounting opposition to the presence of open net-pen fish farms along British Columbias coast, some First Nations and industry representatives are defending the farming practices they say provide stable jobs and food for consumers.

The BC Salmon Farmers Association held a news conference on Friday to draw attention to the partnerships the industry has formed with some First Nations, and to make the case that protests of net-pen fish farming are unfounded.

We feel threatened with the opposition movement to get rid of all the fish farms when theyre an economic driver for us, Tlowitsis Nation Chief John Smith said in an interview with StarMetro on Friday.

Smith described the revenue-sharing agreement the Tlowitsis Nation has with the fish-farming industry as something its members can rely on  since money comes in for both the use of the Nations territory and the fish yield.

Namgis First Nation Chief Don Svanvik, a vocal opponent of open net-pen farms, said First Nations in north Vancouver Island arent seeing much economic benefit from the industry  and even if they were, it wouldnt be worth the environmental destruction.

If you were to do a real survey within all these Nations, even the Nations involved there, Id be willing to make a sizable wager that youd find the majority of members of those Nations are not in favour of fish farms, he said.

Opposition to the industry has centred on concerns that farmed fish  which are mostly Atlantic salmon  are spreading parasites and disease to wild Pacific salmon populations.

There is empirical evidence that theyre detrimental to wild salmon and still were saying no, its not, Svanvik said.

And there is concern the federal department tasked with protecting wild fish stocks isnt fulfilling that mandate. In her April report, federal Environment Commissioner Julie Gelfand concluded that Fisheries and Oceans Canada had failed to adequately manage the risks farmed salmon pose to wild populations.

While the department has done some research to better understand those risks, significant gaps remain, she reported.

The BC Salmon Farmers Association, meanwhile, has contested studies that claim farms could be making wild salmon sick, saying they are inconclusive.

Smith said the environmental standards surrounding the farms they work with are high. We have a guardian program, we have people that check the environment out. They check the prawn, shrimp and clam population around our farms, he said.

Hopefully the general public will start to pay attention to the quality of the product and how small a footprint fish farms have.

Shawn Hall, a spokesperson for the salmon farmers group, said considering how vocal the First Nations opposition to fish farming has recently been, its a good time to put forward the perspective of the First Nations that work in partnership with the industry.

He said a fifth of the people working on fish farms in B.C. have Indigenous heritage, and the majority of fish farms are in partnership with First Nations.

Hes hoping for more understanding of the work that the industry does, the importance that the industry plays in communities.

In a release issued Friday morning, Hall and Smith called on the international environmental organization Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to stay away this summer.

In response, Paul Watson, the societys president, said the organization hasnt done anything wrong.

Our only crime would be research and observation, he told StarMetro.

Svanvik wants to see a ban on open net-pen fish farming, which he said is outdated technology. The industry, he said, should move to land-based farms instead.

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A community uprising over lawn signs is brewing in Etobicoke, with dozens of people relentlessly emailing the city to demand that they be removed.

Or is it just one person, fixating on a problem that exists only in their head?

The city believes its the latter  and so do we  after officials put far more time and effort into investigating the complaints than they deserve.

Our inbox recently began filling up with email from alleged Etobicoke residents that were sent to municipal licensing and standards staff, along with numerous other city officials, demanding action on lawn signs.

The signs, for trades such as paving, roofing, pool services and renovation contractors, are technically illegal. But the city has an informal policy of allowing them while the work is in progress, and for a short time after.

If they are a problem, its one that mostly resolves itself. Once their driveway is repaved or their roof fixed, most people take down the signs, if the contractor didnt.

But judging by the emails to the city that we started getting a few weeks ago, its a crisis in Etobicoke.

At first, we assumed one person had managed to rile up a few neighbours as a way to add weight to the issue. Some mentioned 300 offending signs. But as the list of senders grew longer, we began to notice oddities.

The names of the senders  upwards of 20 in total  sounded more like Toronto in the 1960s than 2018: James Graff, Mark Bowman, Jean Lewis, Henry Murhpy, Ken Black, Sandra Fink and June Campbell, to name a few.

The email addresses are strange, and not one was Rogers, Bell or even g-mail. Instead, they are exotic-sounding sites like null.net, gmx.com or greenmail.net.

But the biggest tipoff that somethings hinky is the total absence of any other contact information, particularly phone numbers or home addresses.

So we started replying, asking over and over for a phone number or address or some other way to verify the authenticity of the sender.

The best we got was a reply from Mark Bowman, saying nobody will talk, and that people are afraid because the MLS plays dirty pool.

As our skepticism grew, we emailed Mark Sraga, director of investigations for MLS, to ask about it. You could almost hear the long sigh in his reply.

STATUS: In a phone interview, Sraga said the email campaign started last summer, stopped for a while and then resumed this spring. He said the city has put a lot of effort into investigating and verification, including having its IT staff determine where the emails are coming from. IT concluded that the servers are in Europe and the U.S., but Sraga said they have not been able to specifically identify the sender. Whether this is one individual or two or three, we dont know, he said, adding that upwards of 1,000 emails have been sent since it began. Due to the lack of identifying information, they are considered anonymous complaints, he said, adding that the city does not usually respond to anonymous complaints. Enforcement officials sometimes get in touch with people who put up the signs and ask them to get rid of them, if a complaint is legitimate, he added. But with MLS charged with enforcing the citys vast range of bylaws, the signs are at the bottom of the priority list, Sraga said. So it seems the Etobicoke sign uprising is, uh, overstated, to say the least.
Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.  Robert Kennedy, quoting Aeschylus on the night of the assassination of Martin Luther King

The night before we were released from St. Procopius grade school, its last graduating class, Robert Kennedy was declared dead. Death hung like a pall over 1968  Martin Luther King, riots, and the Thursday night death tally in Vietnam, when over one hundred young men were dying per week.

I think something died in our land that first week of June. I recall being moved by the little knots of people standing by the tracks for his funeral train, even nuns pulled children out of school to pay their respects.

His father considered him the runt of the litter and took years for him to accept his sons abundant talents. To gain his mothers approval, he was the most devout Catholic of the children. So, he had a dual nature: a ruthless side that mirrored his father and a religious side, attracted to the world of the spirit.

He would serve Mass at different campaign stops and his family said their daily prayers. That side grew much stronger as he faced his grief at losing a second brother to death. The side of Catholic social justice grew in those last few years.

RFK was his brothers campaign manager and Attorney General, where he walked a political tightrope on civil rights. JFK entrusted him to conduct a negotiation with the Soviet embassy that helped ease the tension of the Cuban Missile Crisis, as he admirably demonstrated in his book 13 Days.

On the 26th of October, the Soviet leader made an alluring offer: removal of missiles in Cuba in exchange for a promise that the United States would never invade Cuba, as well as the removal of U.S. missiles in Turkey. Robert Kennedy himself actually delivered the United States message to the Soviet ambassador in Washington, as he accepted the offer but demanded the missile removal had to be secret.

Obviously, he was from a rich family, but he developed a concern for the poverty that beset our land. As senator, he visited poor areas of his new locale of New York. He toured the Mississippi Delta, where he wiped away tears after venturing into a familys shack and meeting a child with a distended stomach who was listless from malnourishment. Kennedy traveled to eastern Kentuckys coal country, where a doctor told Kennedy that 18 percent of the population was underweight and 50 percent suffered from intestinal parasites.

In 1966, the Richard Goodwin helped write a speech for South Africa. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

Even though he participated in Vietnams escalation, he came to oppose the war: past error is no excuse for its own perpetration.

RFK developed a sense of being a citizen of a great country, where all deserved fundamental fairness. That sense is threatened.

Perhaps what I lost in 1968 was a sense of optimism about the future, that glowing sense of forward movement that lit our land with JFK. There are people in every time and every land who want to stop history in its tracks. They fear the future, mistrust the present, and invoke the security of a comfortable past which, in fact, never existed.

David Crowley is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Alton.
Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter are officially man and wife after tying the knot today.

Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter are officially man and wife after tying the knot today.

The pair, who met at a party in 2013, flew out to Indonesia for their vows, saying their I dos in the beautiful surroundings of island Nihi Sumba.

While Brodys famous father Caitlyn Jenner, who was formally known as Bruce, missed the big day, Brodys mother, songwriter Linda Thompson, and brother Brandon Jenner were there to support the former Hills star.

The exotic wedding comes two years after Brody and Kaitlynn became engaged, with the question being popped at the same resort they married in.

Leading up to the nuptials, 34-year-old Brody told People: Were just excited to celebrate spending the rest of our lives together. I cant wait to marry Kaitlynn.

Im looking forward to living the rest of my life with Kaitlynn. Hopefully not too much changes. But having the ring and the commitment, thats really exciting.

Of the long engagement, the new Mrs Jenner, 29, said she was glad they took their time to get to get to know each other".

We know for sure that we can work through things and that we want to be together, she added.

Earlier this week, Brody revealed his half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner would not be at the wedding, as they had failed to respond to the invite.

Caitlyn, the former Olympian, who was known as Bruce until 2015, was not present at the wedding due to "work committments".

Video of the Day

Caitlyn posed for photos at an amfAR event in Austria on Friday, when a Life Ball plane flew through the European country to raise money for the organisations research into finding a cure for AIDS.

A source told People.com that the 68-year-old "has work commitments that have been set up for months and couldnt be changed in the end". TMZ reported that Brody was devastated his father was skipping out on his big day.

According to People, Caitlyn is instead throwing the newlyweds a huge party for when they return to Los Angeles.

Brody, 34, proposed to 29-year-old model Kaitlynn in May 2016, after two years of dating.

I couldnt be more in love with this woman and I cant wait to spend the rest of my life with her, the DJ said at the time.

Caitlyn has been involved in the couples wedding festivities in the build-up to the big day, and celebrated her future daughter-in-law when she attended her bridal shower at the Santa Anita Park racetrack in Los Angeles back in April.

Went to my first bridal shower, she captioned a photo of her and Kaitlynn on Instagram. I had so much fun! PS so much better than Bachelor parties!

Kaitlynn sweetly replied: Im so happy you were there!!! It meant a lot to me!!

Brody previously revealed his sisters Kendall Jenner, 22, and Kylie Jenner, 20, also wont make it to the wedding, as they haven't even responded to their invitation.

My two little sisters, we never even heard from them, Brody told People. They never even RSVPd, I dont think. We sent them an invite but we just never heard anything back.

Well, theyll be missed. I would have loved to have had them there.
The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite...
The Avengers: Infinity War actor Benedict Cumberbatch turned into a real life superhero on a city street when he jumped out of a taxi to fend off a mugging attack on a delivery boy.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who also plays the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, jumped to the cyclist's rescue near London's Baker Street. Benedict Cumberbatch said he "had to" intervene, reports telegraph.co.uk.

The attackers fled. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that they received reports of the assault.

Benedict Cumberbatch fended off the perpetrators who allegedly smashed the cyclist over the head with a bottle and then headed off along Marylebone Road towards Baker Street. The victim did not need hospital treatment.

According to witnesses, Benedict Cumberbatch dragged four muggers off the victim, who was in his 20s, after screaming at them to leave him alone.

One of the men had tried to steal the delivery cyclist's bike, but failed to do so.

Responding to reports of his heroics, Benedict Cumberbatch told The Sun newspaper: "I did it out of, well, I had to, you know..."

The Uber taxi driver, Manuel Dias, who was driving Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife, Sophie Hunter, said the cyclist was lucky, and described Benedict Cumberbatch as a "superhero".

Dias, 53, said he only recognised it was Benedict Cumberbatch when he was out of his car. The driver, who also tried to help the victim, said: "Then it all got a bit surreal."

"Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street. I held off one lad, and Benedict Cumberbatch another. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest."

"They tried to hit him, but he defended himself and pushed them away. Benedict Cumberbatch was not injured. Then I think they also recognised it was Benedict Cumberbatch and ran away."

He said the actor embraced the cyclist after the scuffle. No arrests have been made.


Amid the farmers protest in various states, the Jats, an influential community in Northern India, have threatened to launch an agitation if they are not given reservation in Haryana.

The Jat leaders have given an August 15 deadline to Haryana's BJP government to fulfil their demands otherwise they would start protests outside the venues of all functions attended by Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar and his cabinet members.

A key body of the community passed a resolution to this effect in Rohtak in Haryana. We have passed a resolution. If our demands aren't fulfilled by 15 August, we will stage protest at the same place where Haryana chief minister will hold rally. We will not let the government function, Yashpal Malik, All India Jat Aarkashan Sanghrash Samiti (AIJASS) leader said. Malik has been leading the Jats protests for reservation.

Malik said he would even urge the Jats to boycott elections so that they could teach BJP a lesson.

In the past few elections, the Jats had sided with the BJP particularly in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and Haryana and Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. However, as farmers' woes increase, their anger could spell trouble for the BJP. This was evident during the Kairana Lok Sabha bypoll where Ajit Singh's RLD fielded a Muslim candidate, who won the elections. RLD has been a political party with a Jat base. The bypoll showed that Jats were amenable to vote with Muslims, even though sharp polarisation had taken place in 2014 elections.

The BJP would again need to placate the farmers and the Jats as three states ruled by it are going to polls later this year. Jats have presence in Rajasthan.
They save lives, at times, risking their own. Even as the memories of Lini Puthussery, a Kerala nurse who died after she contracted the deadly viral infection from the first victim of Nipah virus in Kozhikode are fresh, the Centre has decided to immunise all health workers against Hepatitis B infection. Health workers at an increased risk of acquiring the viral infection, such as those involved in conducting deliveries, giving injections and exposed to blood or blood products would now be vaccinated against the viral hepatitis, the Centre has announced.

According to data from the ministry of health and family welfare, in India, the prevalence of Hepatitis B in the general population ranges from two to eight per cent, making it the second largest global pool of chronic hepatitis B infections. In 2015, the global prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection in the general population was estimated at 3.5 per cent with about 257 million persons living with chronic HBV infection. Each year, about 780,000 people die due to the consequences of Hepatitis B such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Doctors, nurses and paramedics are at a high risk than the general population, because of their exposure to the virus. Among those, paramedics are at a higher risk of HBV transmission and do not receive the vaccination as often as doctors do.

Health workers are often either unaware of their exposure to infections, or, even when they are aware, they do not seek treatment. Only 16-60 per cent of health workers have received complete HBV immunisation in India.

It is a well-recognised occupational risk for health workers including housekeeping staff and emergency workers who are exposed to infected blood and body fluids or blood-contaminated environments. The infection can spread through sexual contact; sharing needles/syringes, needle injuries; or other invasive equipment; or from mother to baby at birth.

Hepatitis B is a highly contagious viral infection that attacks the liver, and can cause acute and chronic disease. The virus is transmitted through contact with blood or other body fluids of an infected person. There's no specific treatment for it, but the infection can be prevented through vaccines.
The Delhi government proposed a profit margin on drugs and consumables at 50 per cent on the purchase price and for implants at 35 per cent of the purchase price and various other policies in its latest draft advisory earlier this week. A summary of major provisions can be looked up here.

Currently, the advisory will be kept in the public domain for 30 days after which the government plans to make it mandatory. Apart from the legal challenges that it may face, the advisory may prompt international consequences as well, especially from the US to which India exports drugs worth USD 16.5 billion annually.

India is at a stage right now where it is aiming to completely liberalise the pharmaceutical sector. With 100 per cent FDI allowance in Greenfield projects, the market is already a fishing ground for foreign companies. However, since February last year, when the NPPA ordered to cap the prices of coronary stents, pharmaceutical relations with US started to strain. This was because the decision had hit several US based companies such as Abbott Laboratories, Medtronics, Meril Lifesciences, Boston Scientific Corp. which dominate the Indian stent market controlling three fifth of the share.

In fact, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), last year, had written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office and Trade Minister Suresh Prabhu urging them to not expand price controls to additional medical devices, according to a copy of the letter seen by Reuters.

Indias official position remained that it would not abstain from capping prices for more medical devices, regardless of pressure to rethink its price controls on heart stents and knee implants which have not been favourable for some US firms.

Two months back, in its annual National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE), the US government publicly commented on the issue for the first time. They were categorical that the NPPA order has caused losses to medical companies as a result of their highly advanced products being sold at substandard prices.

What these companies demanded was either an allowance of immediate withdrawal of their products from the Indian market or a higher price category which would not be subjected price regulations. In April last year, the NPPA had rejected applications by multinational firms Abbott and Medtronic to withdraw their advanced coronary stents from India while asking them to maintain supplies of the products. This is because according to Section 21 of Indias Drug Price Control Order, manufacturers are not allowed to suddenly withdraw their products from the market. This is to avert any public health crisis, or shortage in medicines.

Adding to that, their claims of superiority have not been borne out by evidence or data. As The Wire reported, "leaders in the medical device industry like Abbott and Boston Scientific were asked by the Indian government to submit scientific statistics to back up claims of superiority of their products, and thus a higher price". Despite repeated invites, they did not submit any data.

The US response to the tussle was that India found itself under review for its GSP status as announced by USTR in April. This was owing to petitions signed by AdvaMed, a medical device industry body of multinational firms in October last year. The body appealed the USTR to withdraw GSP trade benefits that India gets for imports into the US. A copy of this petition has been reviewed by The Wire. It cites the cause of this move as Indias failure to provide equitable and reasonable access to its market for medical devices. US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) basically enables selected developing countries to export their products into US duty-free.

The stakes will be high considering India is the most commercially significant beneficiary of the preference scheme, having exported USD 5.6 billion worth of GSP-eligible goods to the US in 2017, roughly one-quarter of the total value of products that the US imports under the programme. If the US further presses ease on price controls, India would have to take a firm stance.
As farmers across India continue their 10-day long nationwide strike in major states of the country, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stated the reason for the protest as a 'non-issue'.

"They don't have any issue; they are just focusing on unnecessary things through this strike. Not selling produce will bring losses to the farmers only," Khattar said

Besides Khattar, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture minister Balkrishna Patidar also dismissed the issue and claimed that farmers are happy with the state and central government.

"It's 2nd June today. Where is the strike happening? No farmers are participating in the strike. Farmers are happy with the schemes that the chief minister has launched for them. They have faith that state and central government will solve their problems," Patidar said.

On the second day of the strike on Saturday, farmers in Punjab's Ludhiana continued their protest and threw vegetable produce on roads.

The strike started on Friday when thousands of farmers from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana started a 10-day nationwide strike demanding waiver of loans, right price for their crops and implementation of recommendations of Swaminathan Commission.

The protests were called to mark the first anniversary of the Mandsaur demonstration in Madhya Pradesh, in which six farmers were killed in police firing.

As part of the protest, farmers have shut down the supply of milk, vegetables and essential farm produce due to which the vegetable prices in the market have gone up.

Vendors at Delhi's Okhla vegetable market say prices have shot up extensively due to the country-wide farmers' protest.

The decision to stop supplies starting from June 1 till June 10 was taken by farmers under the banner of Kisan Ekta Manch and Rashtriya Kisan Maha Sangh, which claim to be representing 172 farmer outfits.

On the last day of the protest on June 10, the farmers' bodies will organise 'Bharat Bandh'.
010618OBEC ANNOUNCES DATE FOR URBAN COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

NEW DAWN FM NEWS



The Bougainville Electoral Commissioner, GEORGE MANU this afternoon released dates for the Bougainville Urban Community Government Elections.

Issue of Notice was made today Friday June first, 2018 at 2pm.

Nominations will open on Friday the 08th of June and Nominations will close on Sunday June 10th, 2018.

Campaign period opens on Monday the 11th of June, 2019 and polling will start on Thursday the 14th of June, 2018.

Declarations will be made starting Saturday the 16th of June and the final declaration must be made after fourteen days.

MR.MANU said that the ABG had released funds for the running of the urban Community Government election.

He said if the Government releases ONE MILLION KINA he can run the three outstanding ABG By elections.



Ends






A 37-year-old accountant from Charlottesville, Virginia, who is running for Congress, has openly admitted that he is a paedophile. Nathan Larson, who is running independently, also bragged on one of his websites that he raped his ex-wife repeatedly.

Larson confirmed to The Huffington Post, which broke the story, that he created multiple websites that served as an online gathering of paedophiles and misogynists like himself. The websites suiped.org and incelocalypse.today were shut down by the domain host after they were reported only.

In a graphic conversation that was published by The Huffington Post, Larson talks about having sex with his daughter. He says, "I just want to bang my daughter. But, even if it were legal, I'm not sure it would happen, since I don't have custody." He goes on to say, "After sex with kids is legalised, parents [or other guardians] will be gatekeepers to some extent, and a lot of them will want to bang their own kids and not share them with others."

According to the report, Larson has a three-year-old daughter who lives with relatives. He claims he gave up the parenting rights during a custody battle. His ex-wife, before committing suicide, had a got restraining order against him in 2015. Larson claims to have remarried since.

Larson seems to openly promote paedophilia and claim that it is "normal" for men to be attracted to underage women. He has used different names on his own websites to endorse child rape and other forms of sexual abuse. He wrote on suiped.org: Why doesnt every pedo just focus on making money so they can get a pedo-wife and then either impregnate her with some fucktoys or adopt some fucktoys? That would accommodate both those who are and arent into incest. And, of course, the adoption process lets you pick a boy or a girl.

Larson seems to be proud of the fact that he is a paedophile and claims that "people are tired of political correctness" and do not want to continue to be "constrained by it". He says that people prefer someone willing to say what is there on everyone's minds. The Congressional candidate has written about incestuous sex and about raping his ex-wife repeatedly in essays on his website and claims that there is truth in his words.

Larson promises to protect gun ownership rights and establishing free trade in his campaign manifesto, which is a wiki page. Adolf Hitler, for Larson, is a "white supremacist hero", and he promises to protect benevolent white supremacy if elected to power. Nathania.org, a wikipedia page which details his candidacy, was pulled down. In it, he had promised to legalise incestuous marriage and child pornography. He had also written about Advantages of Father-Daughter Incest and A Man Should Be Allowed to Choke His Wife to Death as Punishment for Cutting Her Hair Short Without Permission, or Other Acts of Gross Insubordination, apart from other violent topics.

He proposes switching to a system that classifies "women as property, initially of their fathers and later of their husbands." He calls "feminism a global problem that, if left unchecked, will eventually destroy all races." He wants the Congress to repeal the Violence Against Women Act and all other rules that interfere with patriarchy. Larson told other members on his website: "Dont forget: feminism is the problem, and rape is the solution.

Larson first ran for Congress in Virginia in 2008. He was arrested in the same year for sending a letter to the Secret Service, threatening to kill then president Barack Obama. He was in federal prison for 14 months, which barred him from seeking public office. But, in 2016, his voting and civil rights were restored by the then Virginia governor, making it possible for him to run for election this year.
Spanish socialist Pedro Sanchez was catapulted to power on Friday, taking over as prime minister from veteran conservative Mariano Rajoy, who lost a no-confidence vote in the wake of a corruption scandal.

Lawmakers stood and cheered in parliament as the untested 46-year-old - a pro-European lawmaker who has never been in government - became the countrys seventh head of government since its return to democracy in the late 1970s.

Rajoys departure after six years in office may lead to a spell of political uncertainty in the euro zones fourth-largest economy, just as the third-largest - Italy - pulls back from early elections.

I am aware of the responsibility I am assuming, of the complex political moment our country is going through, and I will rise to all the challenges with humility and dedication, Sanchez told reporters.

Sanchez, who became prime minister with only 84 seats for his Socialists in the 350-member assembly thanks to support from the hard-left Podemos and smaller nationalist parties, said he intends to steer the country through to mid-2020 when the parliamentary term ends.

But his majority - the smallest for a Spanish government since the return to democracy following Francisco Francos death in 1975, makes it unclear how long his administration can last.

His strong pro-European credentials, and the fact that Rajoy also ran a minority government, suggest fallout from any political ructions is likely to be limited.

Spains stock market rose after the parliamentary vote, to trade nearly 2 percent higher on Thursdays close, while the countrys borrowing costs fell, soothed by Sanchezs commitment to respecting a fiscally conservative budget passed by Rajoy.

Sanchez has reiterated a commitment with European orthodoxy and budget control in Spain, UBS analysts said. We do not anticipate a substantial impact on the pace of growth.

Anti-establishment parties in Rome revived coalition plans on Thursday, ending three months of turmoil by announcing a government that, by contrast, says it will increase spending and challenge European Union fiscal rules.

In Berlin, a government spokesman said Germany hoped for a stable government in Madrid.

Pro-Europe

The socialists unlikely leap into office, unexpected just a few days ago for a party that lags the centre-right Ciudadanos and Rajoys conservative Peoples Party (PP) in opinion polls, was precipitated by last weeks sentencing of dozens of people linked to the PP to decades in jail in a corruption trial.

Anger with corruption allowed Sanchez to win Fridays no-confidence motion by 180 votes to 169, with one abstention.

But the fragmented parliament means he will find it hard to row back on structural reforms passed by his predecessor, including new labour laws and cuts in healthcare and education.

The anti-austerity Podemos, a product of widespread anger at spending cuts imposed by Rajoys first government at the height of the euro zone crisis, has promised to support Sanchez in parliament.

But the hard-left party seems unlikely to gain major influence over Sanchez, who is keen to win back centrist voters.

Catalonia talks?

Outgoing premier Rajoy conceded defeat prior to the no-confidence vote, congratulating Sanchez and telling deputies in a short speech: It has been an honour to have left Spain in a better state than I found it.

The 63-year-old veteran took over the government in 2011 in the middle of a deep recession and presided over a dramatic economic recovery.

However, his position had become increasingly untenable, undermined by scandals encircling his party as well as an independence drive in the wealthy region of Catalonia, which led Madrid to impose direct rule on the region last autumn.

Two Catalan pro-independence parties backed the motion of no-confidence in Rajoy.

Sanchez, who will be sworn in on Saturday, is expected to appoint his cabinet next week, has promised to start talks with the Catalans but has said he will not give the region an independence referendum.

On Friday, Catalan authorities announced their new cabinet, hoping to pave the way for Madrid to end its direct rule.

German prosecutors on Friday made a court application for the extradition to Spain of the leader of Catalonias independence movement, former regional president Carles Puigdemont, on charges linked to his role in the regions independence drive.

-Reuters
A prominent Emirati human rights activist, Ahmed Mansoor has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for "defaming" the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on social media, as per several local media reports.

The prosecutors said Mansoor was found guilty of damaging the reputation of the country by publishing "rumours and lies about the UAE" and "promoting sectarian feelings and hatred," CNN reported.

An appeals court announced the sentence and imposed a fine of one million dirhams ($270,000).

It also ordered the confiscation of Mansoor's communication devices and closure of his "anti-national" websites and social media accounts.

In March last year, Mansoor was held under a legislation "tarnishing" the image of the UAE.

He was charged under the country's cybercrime law which criminalises publication of any information or rumours online "with intent to make sarcasm or damage the reputation, prestige or stature of the state" or any of its rulers, its institutions, its flag, or its anthem, according to the report.

Many international human rights organisation have strongly condemned the move and called for Mansoor's release.

"The UAE has exposed itself as a brutally repressive place more interested in sending rights defenders to rot in jail than in any real reform," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

"So long as Mansoor remains in prison, no amount of money nor army of public relations firms will be able to wash away this stain on the UAE's reputation," she added.

Amnesty International's Lynn Maalouf said in a statement, "Ahmed Mansoor is one of the few openly critical voices in the UAE, and his persecution is another nail in the coffin for human-rights activism in the country."

In 2011, the 48-year-old garnered international attention when he and other four activists were tried for "insulting" Emirati politicians.

However, they were pardoned by the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The United States closest allies attacked the Trump administration on Friday for imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and mounted challenges with the worlds top trade body, fouling the mood at a G7 finance leaders meeting.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was the prime target of the criticism at the meeting of Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors in Canada, with the six other G7 member countries subject to the US metals tariffs, which were imposed on national security grounds.

Their complaints also complicated US efforts to gain cooperation to challenge Chinas trade practices.

The European Union and Canada both filed challenges with the World Trade Organization.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement that the tariffs were imposed under a false pretext of safeguarding US national security.

Canadas finance minister, Bill Morneau, told reporters that in a meeting with Mnuchin, I expressed in strong terms our opposition to these tariffs in the steel and aluminum sector, our absolute view that this is absurd that Canada could in any way be a security risk.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Mnuchin was clearly isolated on the issue, though France, Germany, Japan, Britain, Italy and Canada were trying to talk the Trump administration back to good reason.

Unfortunately, we are going to have a G6 plus-one with the United States alone against everyone and running the risk of economic destabilization, Le Maire told reporters.

British finance minister Philip Hammond told reporters that the US action worries the G7 members, but he hoped that Fridays discussions could lay the groundwork for G7 leaders to reach an understanding with President Donald Trump on tariffs next week at the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Quebec

We know that the president has a very personal style. He likes to deal personally with issues, Hammond said.

Mnuchin, regarded as one of the more moderate trade voices in Trumps cabinet, took a low profile during the G7 discussion of tariffs but was clearly isolated, two officials participating in the talks said.

He said it may need to be solved at the summit level, one of the officials said.

The US tariffs of 25 per cent on imports of steel and 10 per cent on aluminum were imposed early on Friday on Canada, Mexico and the European Union after they refused to accept steel and aluminum quotas in negotiations with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

Trump's Twitter tirade

Trump took to Twitter again on Friday to castigate Canada after his testy exchange with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday over rocky negotiations to update the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump tweeted that Canada had treated US farmers very poorly for a very long period of time.

Highly restrictive on Trade! They must open their markets and take down their trade barriers! They report a really high surplus on trade with us, he wrote.

Later on Friday, Trump told reporters that he might prefer separate trade deals with Canada and Mexico instead of a revamped NAFTA.

The White House said Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron of the need to rebalance trade with Europe.

Trumps words followed swift responses to the tariffs by Canada, Mexico and the EU, which plan to retaliate with levies on billions of dollars of US goods, including orange juice, whiskey, blue jeans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Harley-Davidsons stock dropped about 1 per cent on Friday, while shares of steelmakers US Steel and AK Steel both rose 2.2 per cent. The broader stock market rebounded on strong monthly jobs data.

Canada, the largest supplier of steel to the United States, said it will impose tariffs covering C$16.6 billion ($12.8 billion) on US imports, including whiskey, orange juice, steel, aluminum and other products.

Mexico announced equivalent measures on a wide range of US farm and industrial products, including pork legs, apples, grapes, cheese, steel and other goods.

The EU plans tariffs on US exports running the gamut from canoes to manicure or pedicure preparations.

We are determined to protect the multilateral system, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said of the WTO challenge. We are expecting everybody to play by the rules.

China complications

The complaints came on the eve of a visit by Ross to China to try to secure long-term purchases of US farm and energy commodities to help shrink the US trade deficit and avert a looming tariff war between the worlds two largest economies. The US team also wants to secure greater intellectual property protections and an end to Chinese subsidies that have contributed to overproduction of steel and aluminum.

Officials at the G7 meeting said the tariffs made it more difficult for the group to work together to confront Chinas trade practices, especially when Beijing, like most G7 members, supports the current World Trade Organization-based trade rules and the United States is seeking go around them.

Le Maire asked Mnuchin, How can you get the Chinese to respect international law if you dont? one meeting participant said.

A US Treasury spokesman was not immediately available to comment on the G7 discussions.

For the EU, a decision on how far to push back will require agreement among the 28 member states that make up the worlds biggest trade bloc.

Germany, by far the biggest exporter to the United States, is keen to avoid a wider trade war, especially as the Trump administration has floated the prospect of tariffs on cars, which would potentially be devastating to German exporters.

Other EU countries such as France favor a more robust stance against what they see as American bullying.

-Reuters
The BJP is securely ensconced in power and behaves pretty much as it likes. There is no issue, no suffering, no pain, which the people are not willing to undergo, drunk as they are with the heady wine of rabid communalism. Yashwant Sinha Trinamool Congress leader

Someone becomes an Indian captain based on his philosophy, and because he should be a leader. I have not seen that in K.L. Rahul [cricketer] so far because hes very soft-spoken and adjusts in everything. If he becomes the captain one day, then its a certainty hell last the longest Ajay Jadeja former cricketer

There is a lot of debate over my health. Shivraj Singh Chouhan [Madhya Pradesh CM] said Kamal Nath is sick and old. Shivraj ji, I throw a challenge to you, come let us have a race. Kamal Nath Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister

One of the key aspects of the elite status of the self-proclaimed liberals was that they read English books. These people of privilege have problems when the masses start doing what the former thought was their exclusive preserve: Reading English books. Chetan Bhagat author
Dallas

Allison Preiss became a hero to airline passengers this spring when she scored a $10,000 travel voucher for losing her seat on an oversold flight.

Negotiating skill mixed with a bit of luck helped Preiss land the elusive payoff.

With the peak summer travel season right around the corner, other passengers can learn from Preiss' example if they wind up on an overcrowded flight.

There are two situations that passengers might find themselves in, and their rights  and bargaining power  vary greatly between them.

In the first, an airline forces a passenger off a flight for lack of space  called bumping. Under federal rules, the passenger is entitled to cash compensation, not just a voucher, and a seat on a later flight. Bumped passengers whose travel is delayed for at least an hour are entitled to up to $1,350 in compensation, with the amount based on the length of the delay and the one-way price of the ticket.

"The vast majority of Americans take one airline trip a year, and since vouchers are usually valid for just one year, most people should ask for cash," said George Hobica, a travel expert who founded the airfarewatchdog.com website. But, he added, frequent fliers might want to negotiate to see how high the airline will go with a voucher.

That's what Preiss did back in March. Thanks to a broken seat, United bumped her from a flight from Dulles Airport outside Washington to Austin, Texas. But Preiss had leverage because United couldn't find anyone willing to give up their seat. She calculated that she was entitled to about $650 in cash based on the price of her ticket, and she turned down a $2,000 voucher. Then a second United employee said she could offer a voucher up to $10,000 plus a seat on a later flight, and Preiss took it.

The second situation occurs when the airline hasn't yet kicked anyone off an overbooked flight but instead looks for people to take a later flight in exchange for compensation  usually a voucher; the airline is not legally required to pay cash to volunteers.

When airlines know a flight is overbooked, they will make lowball offers to customers at ticket counters, kiosks and gate areas. They will raise the amount of the vouchers until they find a taker, pitting passengers against each other in a kind of reverse auction.

"My advice would be to start high," said Brian Kelly, CEO of travel website The Points Guy. "If you're going to be displaced for several hours, don't take the quick and easy $200 (voucher)."

Kelly said a $400 voucher for getting off a domestic flight or $800 for an international one would be "a solid starting point."

Travel experts suspect that airlines prefer vouchers partly because a high percentage of them never get used.

The airlines do not disclose redemption rates.

Airlines have gotten very good at buying off passengers on overbooked flights. Last year, 23,000 passengers were forcibly bumped  the lowest rate since the federal government started keeping track in 1995  while nearly 342,000 people took an airline's offer and gave up their seat.

You might wonder how airlines ever come up short on seats.

Airlines can legally oversell flights  although some, like JetBlue, say they don't  on the assumption that some people won't show up. Overbooking can also occur when bad weather or a mechanical breakdown causes flights to be canceled, forcing the airline to scramble to accommodate stranded passengers.

Sometimes airlines switch a flight to a smaller plane with fewer seats. Occasionally, they need to make room for an air marshal or employees. And airlines may cancel flights or limit seating on smaller planes in hot weather because the thinner air makes it harder to generate enough lift for takeoff.

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If you take a voucher for getting off a flight, there are some rules you should know. For instance, most airlines won't replace lost vouchers, and they can't be sold, although Delta allows them to be transferred to someone flying on the same reservation as the person who got the voucher.

On Southwest, vouchers can only be applied to airfare while American also lets them cover taxes and fees and Delta vouchers can be applied to government taxes. But you can't use vouchers to purchase extra legroom or an in-flight meal.

If your airline looks for volunteers to get off an overcrowded flight, experts offer this advice before accepting a voucher:

Insist on a confirmed seat, not standby, on the next available flight in addition to the voucher for future travel.

If you will be stuck for an extended time, ask for meal or hotel vouchers, too.

Ask when the travel voucher expires  typically they are good for one year  and whether it can be combined with other discounts.

Find out if the voucher can be used on other airlines; American and Delta vouchers can be used on some partner airlines, United and Southwest certificates cannot.

Kelly, the travel-points expert, advises that no matter what, "don't get stressed."

"Look at it as an opportunity for a nice little payday."
ALBANY  At least two dozen residents gathered in front of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Albany Friday afternoon to protest the federal government's handling of and policies regarding immigrant children.

In April, the New York Times reported that Steven Wagner, the acting assistant secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, reported to Congress that the agency had lost track of nearly 1,500 immigrant children that were placed with sponsors in the U.S. The story has recently gained traction as reports trickle in of the Trump administration's strict policies regarding immigrants  specifically, the separation of children from their parents at the border when they legally declare asylum.
ALBANY  Immigration law experts from across the nation gathered at Albany Law School Friday afternoon to discuss the connection  or lack thereof  between immigration rights, civil rights and human rights. The panel was part of a two-day conference, "Race Hate: The New Normal?"

"Scholars and teachers who work on racial justice and civil rights issues don't always think of immigrants' rights issues as a part of their field of concern, and vice versa  scholarship about immigration law has often proceeded in very race neutral terms," said Anil Kalhan of Drexel University. "This is a moment for a fair amount of self reflection as to why that is the case, what has been lost in having these siloed conversations."

The panelists focused heavily on the national immigration discourse during the Trump administration, and noted that while the federal government has enacted stricter immigration policy, it has been met with strong mobilization and resistance that has led to more awareness about immigration rights and issues.

However, Kalhan warned against the dangers of focusing exclusively on the "shiny objects" that can be found in the administration's "anti-immigrant crackdown."

"Sanctuary cities, a Muslim ban, the wall, what happened to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals are all important issues that deserve all of the attention they've received," he said. "Beneath the surface there are so many other highly technical, less visible things that are happening on a day-to-day basis and are incredibly consequential, but hard to mobilize around beyond the community of immigration lawyers with specialized expertise on these matters."

One example of a beneath-the-surface immigration issue, said Peter Marguilies of Roger Williams University Law School, is local policing.

"The nature of policing in this country is a (racial) phenomenon," he said. "All cities and all states participate in federal immigration enforcement."

Marguilies went on to explain that every arrest or stop made by state and local police runs an individual's information against the federal NCIC database, which is regularly checked by federal officials  including Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, who then use the information for their own work.

Another issue the panel discussed is barriers to naturalization  and sometimes even de-naturalization  faced by Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities. Sahar Aziz of Rutgers University Law School talked about the connection between naturalization and national security issues.

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"It's all connected to who the enemies of the state are," she said, specifically citing Palestinians, the Muslim Brother and Iranians. "Anyone who has some connection to an identity the U.S. has decided is an enemy is collectively punished."

Which somewhat answers an umbrella question Margaret Hu of Washington and Lee University School of Law posed to the panel: Who deserves to be an American?

"There are immigrants who are trying to naturalize or have the dream of becoming Americans," she said. "What do we allow as a country? When can you claim the mantel of being able to carry forward the American dream when those who control the rhetoric deny access to being able to claim that part of the dream?
THE REV. DONNA ELIA

Background: She's from Philadelphia where she graduated from La Salle University and was a special education teacher in the city's public schools. She went on to Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey and received a Master of Divinity degree. She came to New York as pastor of Tribes Hill Presbyterian Church in Montgomery County and moved to Albany as associate pastor and then acting head of staff of First Presbyterian Church. Since 2000, she's been the executive director of Troy Area United Ministries. She lives with her family in Niskayuna, and is a black belt in taekwondo.

Teaching was your first career. What led you to ministry?

I felt called to ministry right after receiving tenure. My experience with ecumenism was also formative. I was invited by a friend to go to her church, which happened to be Presbyterian, where it was OK to ask questions and grapple with faith. That was not my experience growing up Roman Catholic in Philadelphia. The Capital Region is much more open. When I started at TAUM, Bishop Hubbard told me we were doing work the Church should be doing. That open-heartedness meant a great deal.

In 1989, I was called to Tribes Hill Pres. and was warmly embraced by the congregation. It was a great place to begin ministry. Then at First Pres., which had a strong tradition of doing advocacy and justice, I worked with youth, leading groups to Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and Appalachia. It was a joy to encourage young people to articulate their faith and put it into action. When the position at TAUM became vacant, it seemed like a good fit.

I'm also serving a church with 30 members in Hoosick Falls. I took that on as a temporary quarter-time position, and I'm in my 12th year! Serving small congregations is a justice issue too. When the PFOA water crisis hit, I felt committed to accompanying the congregation through it.

It's been a privilege to do the opening prayer for the state Assembly. In that work, it is important to invoke God in ways that are open and expansive, since we call God by many names. I know there are some Christians who can only pray in the name of Jesus, but I believe in interfaith contexts, it's incumbent upon the leader to avoid doing that, so everyone can be included.

What's the mission of TAUM and how has it changed in your 18 years there?

Most significantly, we moved from renting three places, to becoming a stakeholder in South Troy. Our mission statement has changed too, and we now are more expansive in our collaborations. In partnership with interfaith communities and others, Troy Area United Ministries provides a safe space for those in need, offering meals, HIV/AIDS services, furniture, education, spiritual counseling and advocacy.

Our Troy Damien Center is a community center, offering nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS and other serious illness, and a great many people without food security. Guests have access to case management and information about insurance, housing, overall well-being and harm reduction. We work with other service providers, with an emphasis on ending the AIDS epidemic. Our furniture program annually gives away a total value of a quarter of a million dollars of furniture to women and children fleeing domestic violence, recently homeless families and people suffering catastrophic events or lacking basic goods. We bring beds to people who had been sleeping on trash bags filling with clothing. And I'll always remember hearing about the child who exclaimed, "A dresser with a mirror, for me?"

We're doing educational work with our Computers for Kids and addressing racism and injustice through our MLK program. That's where we're going  working with various faith traditions and community partners to lift people up and work for justice and the alleviation of poverty.

Every year, more than 2,000 people in Rensselaer County and surrounding towns are served by our programs with a small cash budget of $230,000. We have established a legacy fund to sustain our work in the future.

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Your annual fundraiser is called FEAST! Dining for a Cause.

This year, we're focusing upon our Troy Damien Center to enhance our program with adding additional meals and services. Our board's commitment is that anyone in need of a meal can have it, and it's also a point of entry for people with HIV/AIDS gaining access to services. The Spirit of Generosity award will be given to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This great organization has been raising money on Broadway and when shows go on tour. Brenny Rabine, who starred most recently in "Blythe Spirit," will receive the award.

You're located in South Troy. How is that neighborhood doing and how is it going for the city itself?

In 2004, with the help of supporters through a capital campaign, TAUM purchased and renovated the building at 392 Second St. and became a community center. Our role is to do what we can to build up the neighborhood, serving as a community resource and gathering space. It's a mixed neighborhood, with significant economic need and people of moderate income as well.

There's creative energy in the city. There are problems to be addressed, yet the city is working hard to carve out its identify in ways that lift people up.

 Rob Brill
Albany County is making moves to prepare for shifts in how law enforcement handles pot smoking.

District Attorney David Soares plans public meetings in June to get county residents thoughts on what future marijuana laws and how theyre enforced will look like ahead of any changes in policy. Soares had mentioned his intentions to discuss things with the public in a Times Union article a week ago.

The first public meeting will be 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 6 at the Albany Public Library Arbor Hill/West Hill branch on Henry Johnson Boulevard. Other opportunities for the public to weigh in include:

6 p.m. Monday, June 11 at Berne Public Library at 1763 Helderberg Trail in Berne.

6 p.m. Wednesday, June 13 at Guilderland Public Library at 2228 Western Ave. in Guilderland.

6 p.m. Monday, June 18 at Cohoes Public Library at 169 Mohawk St. #2 in Cohoes.

6 p.m. Wednesday, June 20 at Bethlehem Public Library at 451 Delaware Ave. in Delmar.

Between New York City recently changing its policy and discussion on a statewide level being fast-tracked by the gubernatorial race, Soares said Friday he wants to take a holistic approach to address any fallout from shifts in the policy  whether locally or statewide.

You cannot engage in decriminalization and market regulation without having a plan, a solid plan, for reinvestment in communities where the war on pot has been waged, he said.

New York Citys policy with take effect Aug. 1, and those caught smoking in public or with small amounts of the drug will receive a summons rather than be arrested. The policy does have exceptions for cases that are part of a larger public safety concern.

Changes in the policy downstate are easier to implement because of New York City having one large law enforcement agency, Soares said. Albany County must contend with local law enforcement as well as State Police, entities that will also be brought into the discussion, he said.

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The state's two lowest level marijuana charges are possession of marijuana, which is a violation, and possession of marijuana in the fifth degree, which is a low-level misdemeanor. That includes smoking in public or possessing between 25 grams and two ounces of the drug.

The mix of communities  from the rural Hilltowns to the capital city  also will offer differing opinions.

What were hoping to do is get the opinion of the public, and then well be shaping that policy in a way that reflects how the folks here in Albany County want to be served by us, Soares said.

The district attorney emphasized that seeking to decriminalize marijuana and regulate the market wouldnt mean arrests couldnt be made, using the example that if someone is pulled over and there is an odor of alcohol that gives police probable cause to investigate further.
Charlotte Fox's eyes were frozen behind her contact lenses. The snow had begun falling as Fox and her fellow climbers descended from the top of the world, the peak of Mount Everest, where she could see for 100 miles in every direction. But now, trapped in the middle of a blizzard with the force of a hurricane, in temperatures somewhere south of 40 below, she couldn't see anything. She was out of oxygen. Her feet were numb with frostbite. No longer able to stay moving, she scrunched herself into the fetal position, huddled with her climbing mates in the ice and snow, and waited for it all to end.

"I didn't see how we were going to get out of it alive," Fox told Jon Krakauer in his book "Into Thin Air," which recounted the infamous 1996 blizzard that stranded climbers for one freezing night, leaving eight dead. "The cold was so painful, I didn't think I could endure it anymore. I just curled up in a ball and hoped death would come quickly."

Instead, she would survive through the night and live 22 more years to scale countless mountains around the world. The experience on Mount Everest the night of May 10, 1996, may have made Fox and her fellow climbers celebrities for a time, but for Fox it was but a rung on the ladder in a life of great heights.

That's why, when she died last week at home in Telluride, Colorado, from an apparent fall from the top of her stairs, her friends were in disbelief. She had just turned 61. Her birthday was May 10.

"Charlotte had survived so much up high," her friend Alison Osius wrote in a tribute for Rock And Ice magazine this week, "it was stunning and profoundly sad that she died that evening of May 24 in a household accident."

Fox, who grew up in North Carolina, spent most of her life at high altitudes, working as a ski patroller in Colorado for 30 years, Osius wrote. When she reached the summit of Mount Everest in 1996, she became the first American woman to climb three mountains at altitudes of 8,000 meters (about 26,246 feet) or higher. She was the first American woman to summit the 8,000-meter Gasherbrum II, in Pakistan, in 1994 - which Fox once said in an interview with Rock and Ice was her greatest accomplishment - and then Cho Oyu in 1995.

In the two years before her death, she climbed two more 8,000-meter mountains, returning home May 3 from her last climb, of Baruntse, a 7,129-meter mountain.

Osius was supposed to be staying at her house the weekend of May 25. Fox had invited friends over for the popular "Mountainfilm" festival that weekend, and Osius had texted her before leaving if she wanted to go climbing. "Yes - ink me in my dear!" Fox wrote back to her.

The first friends, Kim Reynolds and Peter O'Neill arrived the evening Fox died. They had said goodbye to Fox before heading to different dinners, but when they returned, around 10:30 p.m., they found Fox at the foot of her steep, hardwood stairs, Reynolds told the Telluride Daily Planet.

"Finding her body was a very shocking and difficult thing," Reynolds told the newspaper, but still, she said, "there was something profound about [the experience of] Fox's death."

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"She gave me a gift when I arrived," Reynolds said. "She recently had a birthday, and she told me, 'I'm happy to be 61.' . . . Those words, 'I'm happy,' might have gone right in and out of my ears if this hadn't happened. . . . To be the last person with her, with my hands on her heart, and to remember those last words she said to me, I have to look at it as a privilege rather than a horror. . . . I got to send her off, with love."

According to the Aspen Times, the coroner has not yet determined Fox's cause of death, but said foul play is not suspected. According to Rock And Ice, she is survived by her mother, stepmother and stepbrother, among others. Her husband died in a paragliding accident in 2004, Rock And Ice reported.

Osius said it was one of several serious tragedies Fox endured over the years, including when a longtime boyfriend died in an avalanche in 1993, and, of course, the night on Everest. She never liked to talk about that night, Osius wrote, and always avoided doing interviews or films.

But Osius asked her once what was going through her head that night she was huddling in the snow, and Fox told her.

"I thought, Well, old girl, it's been a good ride," she said. "No regrets."
City still bears scar of 1978 fatal arson Cohoes father, 7 children died in blaze the mother escaped. Will anyone ever be charged?

City still bears scar of 1978 fatal arson Cohoes father, 7 children died in blaze the mother escaped. Will anyone ever be charged?

Editor's note: This Times Union story originally appeared in print on July 26, 2010. Little progress has been made in this case in the past eight years. "The investigation of this matter was never officially closed," Cecilia Walsh, a spokeswoman for the Albany County District Attorney's Office, said Thursday, May 31, 2018. "There have been no arrests made." Saturday, June 2, 2018 is the 40th anniversary of the Capital Region's deadliest fire in recent memory.

COHOES  The seven young children of Virginia and John Gratto were a few hours from death.

It was a hot Friday night in June 1978. The needy family, several of the kids still in diapers, crammed into their Chevy Corvair and drove south on Route 32 into Menands. The plan was to watch a line-up of R-rated horror and sex films at the Tri-Cities Drive-in.

But as storm clouds gathered the family returned to Cohoes around dusk. They settled in for a sweltering night inside their two-story apartment in the city's east end, near the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers.

John Gratto, an unemployed truck driver, slid into a recliner as his wife, whose latest job was peddling cosmetic products, fixed him something to eat. To some neighbors, the Grattos were just another large family struggling to get by. Beneath the surface, their story was a tragic tale of broken dreams, marital problems, financial hardship and abuse.

A year earlier John Gratto had served 60 days in a local jail for molesting the couple's second-oldest child, Evelyn, who was 8 years old. As part of a plea in Rensselaer County Family Court, Gratto also allegedly admitted abusing their oldest child, Eleanor, 9, who was in third grade.

Gratto, 31, was rail thin and had a reputation as a hard drinker. He fell asleep in his chair that night as the couple's five older children headed upstairs to their bedrooms on the third floor. Virginia Gratto, three months pregnant with her eighth child, tucked her 4-month-old twins, Sarah and Patricia, into a crib outside her second-floor bedroom and settled into bed to watch the late television news.

The fire that would kill John Gratto and his children began less than an hour later.

Despite the passage of 32 years, no one has ever been charged with setting the fire.

In recent months investigators have quietly re-opened the case and crisscrossed the country re-interviewing witnesses. Once again they have zeroed in on Virginia Gratto as their primary suspect. Two months ago a team of detectives flew to Washington, where Gratto lives, and questioned her for more than seven hours in an interview that sources said culminated with Gratto making incriminating admissions.

But in a case that's more than three decades old, with little physical evidence and many witnesses who have died, forgotten or moved on, it's unclear whether anyone will be charged.

Shortly after the blaze investigators determined it was deliberately set by someone who poured an accelerant near a rear porch and lit it. They also concluded the fire that engulfed the four-unit apartment building had a second point of origin in the back of the Gratto's apartment, near the kitchen.

Still, in 1978 the art of arson investigation was more guess-work than science. Law enforcement sources familiar with the case said there was very little physical evidence to support the conclusions of the New York City fire investigators who had flown up -- on loan from Mayor Ed Koch -- to help solve one the region's most unsettling arson cases on record.

In the days following the blaze Virginia Gratto told police she had fallen asleep in her second-floor bedroom after watching the 11 o'clock news. Minutes later, she said, Sarah's cries woke her mother as blinding and acrid smoke started filling the apartment.

Virginia Gratto told police she was unable to breathe. She couldn't get to her crying babies who were just a few steps away. It's unclear whether she screamed for her husband or tried to wake him. She exited the interior front door, which firefighters later found closed and locked. On the street outside, "she began screaming for help," according to a grand jury report issued a year after the fire.

Raymond LaMora's eyes filled with tears last week as he described the after-effects of a fire that still haunts him. In his four decades as a Cohoes firefighter, including 22 years as chief, LaMora, 82, doesn't recall another like the Gratto fire.

"A lot of my men who were at that fire they took that really bad," he said, pausing to draw a breath. "I've seen them cry. I'd seen their style change completely at a fire. I had guys that were good firemen but they wouldn't go in a building anymore. ... I finally said to one guy one time: 'What the hell is wrong with you?' He said: 'I'm afraid to see what we saw down there.'"

LaMora had crawled into the Gratto apartment on his stomach. He entered through the second-story door that was secured with a Yale lock until being smashed open by his firefighters. It still bothers LaMora that door was locked. The smoke was as thick as ink and heat from overhead flames pressed down on him. With no breathing equipment LaMora used his hands to feel his way.

"I was shaking the body and it was Mr. Gratto," he said. "I knew he wasn't alive but I also thought there was some kids there, but I wasn't sure because, you know, when you get to a fire and you get in and everything is charred ... it might be a stuffed animal or a big bag of rags or something like that."

LaMora slithered back out. As the fire fight wore on LaMora searched the crowd with his eyes and spotted Virginia Gratto. He didn't like what he saw.

"I just keep thinking back, my gosh, how could she possibly be in that building in bed when everybody else was in bed and get out and look as good as she did when I first saw her," LaMora said. "She didn't look like she was in a hurry to get out or she was burnt or her clothes might be burnt. ... So right away you form opinions. That's your job. You try to right away figure what the hell happened here. And right at that very time I was kind of suspicious and when I was able to talk to her she wasn't very talkative."

Hours later, after Gratto returned from being checked at a hospital, LaMora approached her. He said someone behind Gratto told her not to say anything. She already had an attorney.

The firefighters found the five bodies of the older children huddled near a bed in their third-floor bedroom. A neighbor who was there and got out safely said the children's bedroom window was inexplicably blocked by a board nailed across it.

Michelle Proctor, who was 19, was drifting to sleep when she heard the nails of her dog pacing nervously across the floor. The apartment she shared with her now-husband, Chuck, was separated from the Gratto's by a thin wall. The dog, a mixed-breed named "Babe," wouldn't stop fidgeting.

Chuck Proctor saw the flames lapping up the back of the house below a window. He started hopelessly dousing the flames with pitchers of water. "Get out," he yelled to Michelle. They ran downstairs. Michelle Proctor was wearing only her bathing suit bottoms and wrapped in a comforter. She dropped her puppy in the chaos.

Outside, Michelle Proctor locked eyes on Gratto. Where were the children, she recalled thinking. The Gratto's Corvair wasn't against the curb, where it usually was parked. Proctor, now 50, said State Police investigators visited her twice in April to go over everything she could remember.

Proctor said she remembered being stunned that when she ran outside the fire fight was underway and the block filled with onlookers.

"They were hosing down the house,'' Proctor said. "She told them we went camping, we weren't home. Gratto did."

Chuck Proctor, unaware the Grotto children were trapped, ran back inside and raced upstairs to the third floor. He flipped over a chair and a couch looking for the dog, which was already safe outside.

Michelle Proctor, in a recent interview at her Duanesburg home, shook her head and jabbed a cigarette in the air for emphasis as she recalled Virginia Gratto being void of emotion and overly concerned with retrieving her pocketbook after the fire.

"I wouldn't breathe one breath before their bodies were in the ground," Proctor said. "She had to walk right by her husband to get out. They said they found him by the door holding the two babies."

Also, Proctor said, it bothered her that Gratto had burns on her face when she had exited the apartment so quickly, apparently before the fire had engulfed it.

In the days following the fire the investigation, lead by Cohoes detectives, intensified. The community, and police, looked on Gratto with deep suspicion.

The publicity didn't help. The fire's ashes were still hot when Gratto stood out front that morning and told a reporter: "I've got to stay calm. I'm having another kid in December and I don't want to lose it. I have to start life over again."

A Times Union article a day after the fire described how Gratto climbed into the Corvair, asked someone to move their truck and said: "I want to get the heck out of here and never come back."

A couple months later Gratto left the state and moved to Washington, near the Canadian border. She quickly married an apple orchard farmer whose brother, according to news reports at the time, had sent her a sympathy card offering her a new start out west.

But Gratto wasn't the only suspect.

In the crowd outside the fire that night stood John Kilduff, a taxi driver who was one of the first witnesses on the scene. Kilduff and his brother, George, a deceased volunteer firefighter, had demonstrated a knack for showing up quickly at fire scenes in the 1960s and 70s.

Some 13 years earlier firefighters in neighboring Troy were suspicious of how often the Kilduff brothers turned up at fires. In October 1965, after the brothers were found watching an abandoned shirt factory fire, Troy police hauled them in for questioning. The Kilduffs, at the time in their early 20s, were unmarried and living with their parents. Detectives grilled them for hours about a house fire in early 1964 that killed nine children ranging in age from 2 to 18.

The Kilduffs, who liked to jump in and help at fire scenes, had been spotted at the 1964 fatal fire and helped remove the children's bodies. Police said they made "incriminating statements" and the brothers were charged with arson and first-degree murder. But the case was later thrown out when an appellate court ruled their statements had been coerced. Troy police at the time said the brothers had admitted setting 14 fires across Troy.

John Kilduff's presence at the Gratto fire on June 2, 1978, wasn't something detectives could overlook.

Days after the fire John Kilduff told a Times Union reporter he spotted the flames while driving his taxi along Ontario Street. He pulled over, yelled into his cab radio that 108-110 Ontario Street was on fire, and jumped out to help, he said.

Kilduff, who records indicate may still live in Cohoes, could not be reached for comment for this story. In 1978 he told the Times Union that he didn't know Gratto, but then said he had driven her in his cab. Detectives built a timeline and concluded that Kilduff, based on his cab fares that night, was not involved with the blaze.

Police sources close to the case said Kilduff may have been one of a few men who had close ties with Virginia Gratto, who had a troubled marriage and claimed her husband had been abusive.

Former Cohoes Mayor Ronald Canestrari, here visiting the scene of a 1978 fatal fire, said Virginia Gratto stoked the suspicions of detectives who tried unsuccessfully to build a murder case against her. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union) less Former Cohoes Mayor Ronald Canestrari, here visiting the scene of a 1978 fatal fire, said Virginia Gratto stoked the suspicions of detectives who tried unsuccessfully to build a murder case against her. (Skip ... more Photo: Skip Dickstein Photo: Skip Dickstein Image 1 of / 335 Caption Close City still bears scar of 1978 fatal arson 1 / 335 Back to Gallery

Thomas Mallon, who was 42 when the fire struck, came forward two weeks after the fire and identified himself as John Gratto's friend and a boyfriend of sorts to Virginia Gratto. "I wanted to marry her," he said, adding they had met while being treated at a state-run hospital. Mallon died 11 months later.

Michael Robich, 81, who was Cohoes police chief at the time of the fire, said he wished Albany County prosecutors had filed criminal charges, even if the evidence was largely circumstantial.

"I firmly believe that her attitude, if they would have allowed it in, her state of mind ... it would have been a factor," Robich said.

The former chief, who still lives in Cohoes, said he met with investigators at the Albany County district attorney's office several weeks ago to pore through the massive case file. The meeting was part of an ongoing effort by State Police, federal agent, Cohoes detectives and county prosecutors to revive the investigation.

Robich conceded the case may never be solved. But he said many of the city's old-timer firefighters and police officers regard it as the one they hope gets resolved before they die.

LaMora echoed that sentiment.

"It was a terrible black eye for me and my department," he said. "I hope something gels here so we can put this thing to rest."

Brendan J. Lyons can be reached at 518-454-5547 or by e-mail at blyons@timesunion.com.
ALBANY  SUNY Empire State College will confer an honorary doctorate of humane letters on Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, at its Capital Region commencement ceremony at 1 p.m., Sunday, June 3, at the Empire State Convention Center in Albany.

Lumina, based in Indianapolis, is the nations largest private foundation focused solely on increasing Americans access and success in higher education.

Merisotis also will deliver the keynote address at the event.

Im honored to address this years graduating class at SUNY Empire, said Merisotis. And Im truly humbled to accept an honorary degree from a university that is doing so much to support the success of students who dont fit the traditional mold  students who are critical to this nations future success.

"Lumina Foundation has been an extraordinary partner to SUNY Empire over many years, providing programs that address the needs of traditionally underserved students, including adults, said SUNY Empire State College Officer in Charge Mitchell Nesler.

Through his leadership, Jamie Merisotis has ensured a continuing national focus on increasing college access and completion for students who are most in need. We are proud to award him an honorary degree from SUNY Empire in recognition of his support for our students and students like ours across the country."

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Nesler pointed to Luminas Todays Student as an example of a national initiative, which focuses on students with profiles that match those of SUNY Empire students.

Todays Student educates the general public, state and federal higher education officials, as well as elected representatives, on the nature of a typical college student.

This Lumina initiative demonstrates that the profile of todays college student, an economically challenged, diverse, working adult learning on a part-time basis, is the new normal.

Through Todays Student and many other initiatives, Lumina works to reorient how key stakeholders view, support, legislate and regulate for higher education and post-secondary institutions and the students they serve.
ALBANY  A former forensics director at the state Division of Criminal Justice Services has accused the agency's acting commissioner, Michael C. Green, of providing false information to a state forensic science commission during a meeting in March.

The former director, Brian J. Gestring, headed DCJS's forensic science unit before he was fired that month following an unrelated workplace misconduct investigation. In a letter sent Friday to the state Commission on Forensic Science, Gestring said that Green also did not disclose to the commission that the agency had three "catastrophic" cases in the past year in which it misidentified suspects who had been linked to crimes through DNA.

Green is chairman of the state's 14-member forensic science commission, which oversees accreditation of New York's crime laboratories and also develops minimum standards for those facilities.

Gestring's six-page letter to the commission said Green's alleged misstatements took place during a March 21 meeting in Albany as Green responded to questions from Marvin E. Schechter  a New York City criminal defense attorney who sits on the commission  about whether DCJS employees perform DNA identification work and if any "non-conformances" are reported to the panel.

"While it is true that DCJS does not operate a physical DNA laboratory and does not perform the analysis of the sample, the statement (by Green) that 'DCJS has nothing to do with DNA identifications' is not accurate," Gestring wrote in his letter. "In fact, DCJS is the agency that makes the identification once the lab analysis is completed."

Gestring said that Green made the misstatements at a time "he was aware of three catastrophic DNA hit notification failures directly attributable to DCJS within the last year."

"Within that same time frame, Chair Green was also aware that another DCJS employee, ironically the DNA hit coordinator, had falsified a certification document associated with a high-profile case going to trial," Gestring added.

Schechter could not be reached for comment.

Green declined a request to be interviewed for this story. A spokeswoman for DCJS issued a statement late Friday characterizing Gestring as a "disgruntled former employee."

"The division is unaware of any instances in which an incorrect DNA identification has resulted in a wrongful arrest or prosecution," said Janine Kava, the agency's spokeswoman. "Mr. Gestring also fails to mention that DCJS has internal processes in place to identify errors and address them. It is telling that this individual waited months until after he was fired for inappropriate behavior to raise this non-issue and extoll his own virtue."

Gestring did not identify the person accused of falsifying the DNA document, but said the female employee was suspended and subsequently retired. The case in which the DNA certification was allegedly falsified involved a double murder on Long Island in which John Bittrolff, a 51-year-old carpenter, was convicted in July 2017 of murdering two women in 1993 and 1994.

Bittrolff was tied to the murder through DNA taken from semen found in the women's bodies, according to published reports. It was not immediately clear on Friday whether the falsification of the DNA records was disclosed by prosecutors to Bittrolff's attorney or what impact, if any, the incident may have had in the case.

It was the first case in New York in which a person was convicted based on the use of "familial DNA." Police zeroed in on Bittrolff after his brother's DNA  which was in a state database because of an unrelated arrest  was linked to the evidence found in the victims. The jury deliberated for seven days and told a judge three times they were deadlocked before convicting Bittrolff of second-degree murder, according to Newsday.

In a letter to Green last December, state Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott informed him that her office, which had been asked by DCJS to investigate the DNA-falsification allegation, had determined the agency's "DNA hits coordinator negligently re-created and sent an inaccurate certified letter to the Suffolk County District Attorney."

In an interview Friday, Gestring said that in the other three cases he cited, no one was mistakenly arrested after law enforcement agencies were provided the wrong names of suspects. But he also said that no action was taken to notify the forensic commission or find out how many other times it may have happened and why.

"If you don't fix the problems that cause these failures to occur ... they're going to happen again," Gestring said. "The police didn't make the arrest yet, but who's to say they didn't in other cases?"

In his letter, Gestring urged the commission to expand its oversight to include overseeing the databank operations of the DCJS Office of Forensic Science.

"While OFS is not an accredited laboratory, nor does OFS have any mandate to report to the commission, these recent failures, and the seemingly deliberate attempt to hide them from this body have illustrated the need for change," Gestring wrote.

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Gestring also maintained that he remains a member of the forensic science commission  even though he was terminated by DCJS  because the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has not appointed his successor.

However, "I suspect this letter may prompt the usually lethargic and bureaucratic Governor's Office of Appointments to suddenly spring into action," he said.

Gestring's letter also confronted the allegations that preceded his termination three months ago: He said a DCJS program manager, Kimberly Schiavone, made "false claims" against him about inappropriate remarks and workplace violence incidents. He accused Schiavone and Gina L. Bianchi, a DCJS attorney who became embroiled in the case when she testified during an inspector general's investigation, of creating "a toxic culture within OFS that I spent years trying to fix."

In an interview, Gestring characterized Schiavone as a "constant complainer" who had performance issues and was more concerned about the size of her office than the integrity of the work done by their agency.

An inspector general's investigation found that Gestring had threatened female employees with physical violence and engaged in years of sexual harassment. But DCJS said they conducted an independent investigation of the allegations and determined Gestring had not engaged in misconduct.

On March 23, after a series of articles in the Times Union had highlighted the inspector general's investigation of Gestring, he was fired by the agency for an unrelated incident in June 2017 in which he allegedly made an inappropriate comment during an off-site training seminar.

Bianchi, who has worked as an attorney at DCJS for 24 years, was terminated by Green last December after he interrogated her for more than two hours about her testimony to the inspector general's office.

Schiavone, a manager in the Forensic Services Office who had reported directly to Gestring since 2012, was notified that same day by three top DCJS officials, including Green, that she was being transferred to a different department because of their concern that she would not be able to work with Gestring anymore.

Schiavone had filed a workplace violence complaint against Gestring last August, but the agency did not follow up and never interviewed her about the complaint, said John W. Bailey, who is alsoSchiavone's attorney.

"The inspector general, an independent agency, found that it was Mr. Gestring who created the toxic environment," Bailey said. "His misconduct included sexism, ageism and racism. It was Mr. Gestring that did that and that was the conclusion of the inspector general."

Although she was terminated from her special counsel position, Bianchi was able under state employment rules to fall back to a junior-level attorney's position and remains employed at DCJS, although she took a $44,000-a-year pay cut.

She filed a federal lawsuit against the state last week.

Gestring, 48, is a former New York Police Department scientist. The inspector general's examination of his alleged workplace misconduct began 13 months ago when investigators with the inspector general's office stumbled onto the charges during their probe of the falsification of the DNA records in the Suffolk County murder case.
ALBANY  The Democrats have a Felder problem.

Sen. Simcha Felder, a Democrat who has caucused with the Senate Republicans since he was elected to his Brooklyn seat in 2012, holds the 32nd voted needed to pass legislation, making him arguably the most powerful lawmaker in Albany at a critical juncture for the Democratic Party.

Felders alliance with the Senate GOP, his polite rejection of Gov. Andrew Cuomos plea for him to return to the fold amid a Democratic reunification deal, and his willingness to hold the budget process hostage over a mostly meaningless educational provision that would placate a segment of his constituents, have exasperated the state Democratic Party leadership.

With political winds blowing leftward in the aftermath of the 2016 election of President Donald Trump, and growing momentum from the progressive wing of the party, Democratic State Committee members, in a somewhat chaotic, informal vote last week, approved a resolution recommending Felders ouster from the party.

Former state Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs, speaking to reporters at the party's state convention last week, justified the Democrats frustration with the intractable senator.

Its my belief is that the party is not merely a vessel for someones personal ambition to take someone from where they are to where they want to be. The party represents certain principles, Jacobs said. Here you have someone who took the Democratic line, ran on it, won on it, and immediately stood with the Republicans.

Brooklyn Democratic Party Chairman Frank Seddio immediately shut down the idea and Brooklyn political insiders say the tactic by the Democratic establishment is emblematic of a misunderstanding of transactional way the Orthodox Jewish communities that make up a large chunk of Felders district have come to see politics.

Felder's supporters say the wayward Democrat is untouchable and the largely symbolic gesture is likely to alienate his conservative-leaning Democratic voters, who would willingly change their registration to elect Felder on the Republican line.

"Anger doesn't make for smart decisions, and this insult against Simcha will ultimately hurt those who think they'll benefit, political consultant Michael Tobman said.

In District 17, where religious institutions and rabbinic leaders can turn out thousands of votes for candidates who are willing to cater their interests, party affiliation doesnt matter, those familiar with the district say.

(Religious institutions) have reasons to register people as Democrats for mayoral and municipal elections, but ideologically, when it comes to Albany, they prefer Republicans, said Jacob Kornbluh, a reporter for Jewish Insider who lives in the district.

The question mark

Cuomo has publicly pressured Felder to rejoin the Senate Democrats, who now have 31 seats in the 63-seat chamber, while acknowledging that Felders unpredictability and conservative stance on items like the DREAM Act and abortion rights could pose a problem.

"Simcha Felder I call the question mark," Cuomo said as he announced that the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference would disband and rejoin the Senate Democrats in April.

In an open letter, Cuomo warned Felder now is the time that matters, given the likelihood of Democrats picking up additional seats in Novembers general elections.

Felder told members of the press he was weighing his options, before announcing that he would stay with the conference that had showered his district with benefits for the last six years.

Im only loyal to God, my wife, my constituents and New Yorkers, Felder said, repeating a refrain he often uses to explain why he eschews party loyalty.

That loyalty has paid off. Until this year, Felder has never seen a primary despite having run on Democratic, Republican and Conservative lines in 2016.

"People know him and trust him. There is nothing that the Democrats can do that's going to erode that," said Michael Fragin, a Republican operative who works in Orthodox political circles.

Felder remains well-liked and respected by his peers in the Senate Republican conference and he is a favorite among the Albany press corps, whom he regularly feeds entertaining sound bites. While Felder claims he doesnt like the spotlight (he declined to be interviewed for this article), he is known for his dramatic flair, once brandishing a loaf of bread and carton of eggs to demonstrate his opposition to a proposed plastic bag tax.

He is also known in the chamber as a bit of a jokester. As the chairman of the Senate's Standing Committee on Cities, he has been known to take a moment at the start of each meeting to address the nonexistent viewers of the Senate's webcast.

"On our webcast, we've had a 600 percent raise in our viewership. There were three people and now there are at 18," Felder declared at a meeting in May. "Welcome!"

The 2012 redistricting plan

It was a 2012 redistricting plan that created the seat that appeared custom-made for Felder.

Senate District 17 has historically been seen as safely Democratic until Sen. Carl Kruger was indicted on bribery charges and removed from office in 2011. Then, in a fluke, Republican David Storobin beat out Democrat Lew Fidler - who fell ill and was hospitalized that year - in a special election that came down to a handful of votes.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Sklelos saw an opportunity to create a conservative-leaning "Super Jewish" district that would enable the GOP to maintain control over the Senate. "The district was carved out specifically for Felder," who was enticed by the the idea of a political office that he couldn't lose, Kornbluh said.

The tacit understanding could be seen in the way Republicans treated Felder's first bid for the Senate in November 2012. When Storobin, a Republican, ran for his first full term that year, Senate Republicans did not offer financial support to the unlikely newest member of their conference against Felder. Felder easily beat Storobin and fended off an Independence Party candidate in 2012, only to align himself with the Republican Party once in office.

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While Skelos no longer leads the Senate, having been indicted on corruption charges in 2015, Senate Republicans continue to have a cozy relationship Orthodox Jewish leadership in Brooklyn.

"[The Senate Republicans] are seen as the only institution in the state that are sympathetic to yeshivas and the Orthodox communities," Kornbluh said.

Aside from being roughly 50 percent Jewish, according to estimates, District 17 is exceptionally diverse, with a number of overlapping immigrant, ethnic and religious groups competing for housing, grants and social services. It encompasses large and growing Chinese, South Asian and Hispanic populations with smaller, well-established Italian-American and Caribbean-American pockets, according to voter roll data. It is a high-needs district, with a large portion of constituents relying on social programs, and Felders position as a swing vote in the Senate has enabled him to direct funds to district schools and organizations.

The Jewish communities in the southern Brooklyn district are also not monolithic, and lawmakers there must straddle ideological, political and religious divides. On the east side of the district, there are the Jews of Syrian descent in Gravesend and the modern Orthodox and more stringently religious black-hat enclaves in Midwood. To the west, there are the various Hasidic factions in Borough Park and to the south, there are the Russian and Azerbaijani Jewish immigrants of Sheepshead Bay. Figuring out what each of these communities need is a juggling act that that Felder might seem uniquely qualified to perform.

Felder grew up in Borough Park, where his late father Rabbi Harry Felder led a popular congregation. His mischievous streak was evident as a boy, when he attended a Hasidic school, Yeshiva Karlin Stolin where he says he did not have the patience to sit in his seat through the all-day Talmudic study. Still, he was ordained as a rabbi by a non-Hasidic yeshiva, as is the practice among Brooklyn's religious Jewish communities, and later studied accounting at Touro College.

The senator is a certified public accountant and worked as a tax auditor in New York City's Department of Finance. Later, he became chief of staff to Borough Park Assemblyman Dov Hikind.

Felder served as a Democrat on the New York City Council for two terms, from 2002 to 2010 and would have served a third, but shortly after 2010 election, he took a job as deputy comptroller for then-New York City Comptroller John Liu.

On the City Council, his transactional style of politics and unpredictability on social issues became his trademark. For example, while he personally opposed to homosexuality, which is prohibited by stringent interpretations of Jewish law, he backed openly gay Christine Quinn for City Council speaker, a move that won him allies. When it came time to vote for Quinn, Felder stepped out of the proceedings to use the bathroom and did not cast his vote.

Felder has been described as both opportunistic and pragmatic, but those who know him well note that his messaging has been fairly consistent since his time on the City Council.

As one Brooklyn political insider said, "The hard thing for people to accept is that he actually means what he says. He is not loyal to any party, he never has been, and never will be. He is remarkably sincere about that."

Who can unseat Sen. Simcha Felder?

Back in the Brooklyn district, Felder is well-liked, but there are some that see him as heavily influenced by Agudath Israel, which lobbies state politicians on behalf of ultra-Orthodox yeshivas on issues like tuition tax credits and the Child Victims Act.

The yeshiva oversight provision in the 2018-19 state budget was particularly divisive at a time when Jewish parochial schools are being scrutinized for supposedly failing to meet basic educational standards.

Now some in the district are disillusioned with the senator who consults rabbinic leadership for policy decisions and whose partnership with the Republicans has helped prevent the passage of legislation like the DREAM Act and women's health protections. Felder is being challenged by attorney and progressive activist Blake Morris, and the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee is reportedly seeking another potential challenger. But even Morris has called his candidacy an "experiment" in a district that slightly favored Trump in the 2016 presidential election and voted for Mitt Romney by a notable margin in 2012.

Former New York City Councilman David Greenfield and soon-retiring Assemblyman Dov Hikind are names that one Brooklyn operative floated as viable Democratic challengers. Both are Orthodox Jewish politicians who are seen as less beholden to right-leaning Agudath Israel, which coordinated with Senate leadership to create a district designed just for Felder, sources say. Neither politician has signaled an interest in the seat.

In a statement addressing the state Democratic Committee resolution, Felder stayed on message, homing in on the needs of his constituents.

Hard-working New Yorkers are struggling to survive, Felder said in an emailed statement. With high taxes, crushing cost of living and ever-increasing homelessness, it is disheartening to see so many Democratic party operatives focused on throwing me out.
My Dacha, also known as Slavonian European Cafe, which struggled during the nine months it was open in an easy-to-miss spot on Lark Street in Albany, reopens Monday at 7 Northern Drive in Troy, a strip plaza all the way at the top of Lansingburgh.

I don't have more information, but the owners confirmed the opening. Check back on its Facebook page, which still lists the Albany address, for updates.
Tipperary Fianna Fail TD Jackie Cahill has said that the parents of third level students are being placed under severe financial pressure as a result of rocketing accommodation prices in cities across the country.

Were now coming towards the end of the academic year, and the parents of third level students have been forking out large sums of money to rent rooms in cities such as Limerick, Galway, Cork and Dublin, he said.

Deputy Cahill said that in some cases, students in Dublin were being charged over 700 per month for a room in a shared house. Campus accommodation can be well in excess of 6,000 for the academic year.

In other cities, students were being charged well over 400 and in some cases, 500 per month.

Families who are not eligible for a SUSI grant are paying for this accommodation and all of the other costs associated with going to college out of their own pocket. There is a concern that these costs will increase next year, said Deputy Cahill.

he said that it was disturbing to note that out of term, the cost of rent in many student accommodation units dropped by as much as 40 per cent.

It appears that landlords are gorging on students, and its just not fair on them or their parents. They are being forced to take on more hours in part time jobs to pay for rent which can only distract from their studies. Its not sustainable in the long run, said Deputy Cahill.
[June 01, 2018] ADT SHAREHOLDER ALERT by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against ADT, Inc. - ADT

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until July 20, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against ADT, Inc. (NYSE: ADT), if they purchased the Company's shares pursuant to its January 2018 initial public offering (the "IPO"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. What You May Do If you purchased shares of ADT 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-adt/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by July 20, 2018.



About the Lawsuit ADT and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information in its Registration Statement filed pursuant to its IPO, violating federal securities laws.

On March 15, 2018, ADT disclosed disappointing financial results for 4Q2017 and FY 2017, specifically "net income of $638 million, up from negative $85 million last year, and diluted earnings per share of $0.99 versus $(0.13) in the prior year" (however, net income results included a $690 million government tax reform benefit), and that "[e]xcluding special items, diluted earnings per share were $(0.06) versus $(0.07) in the same period last year," a result much lower than analysts' estimates. On this news, the price of ADT's shares plummeted. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include 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/20180601005111/en/

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You may be ready for summer. But is your smartphone? This is the time of year for adventure, and there's no easier way to capture those moments than with the phone in your pocket. But that's going to be difficult if your device is knocked out of commission by sand or surf at the very moment inspiration strikes.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

It doesn't matter what phone you own or how durable the manufacturer claims it is: A vigorous swim or a fall at the wrong angle could destroy it. Trips to the beach can be particularly damaging  not only due to water, but sand as well, which can easily clog ports and effortlessly scrape Gorilla Glass and aluminum.

With that in mind, we've put together a guide to help you prepare your phone for a day at the beach, so that it survives the trip and lives to vacation again.

Preparing for the beach

The most obvious and best thing you can do to protect your phone is to make sure there's a barrier between it and the outside world.

There are a couple different ways to go about this. In lieu of a dedicated case or pouch, a Ziploc bag can be fine in a pinch. But these can obviously open and tear relatively easily, so only consider them an option if you have nothing else around and need to improvise.

(Image credit: Anker)

Many companies make clear watertight pouches that seal shut, but still allow you to use your phone. They're cheap at retailers like Amazon (this Anker one is just $10) and typically one-size-fits-all. They're easy to use, too: Simply toss your phone in, close it up and hit the sun. Some of them even function as flotation devices for your phone in the water.

MORE: Best Waterproof and Water-Resistant Phones

If you want a better line of defense, it might be wise to invest in a case that can withstand more abuse. Otterbox and Lifeproof are two bands with reputations for producing sturdy cases. Otterbox's Defender is relatively cheap (between $25 and $45, depending on the phone model), and features a door for the charging port and a clear touch-screen cover. However, the Defender line typically leaves the camera exposed, and it doesn't add any water resistance. Lifeproof's more expensive Fre case is better sealed against the elements, but doesn't have the same level of drop protection. Depending on your needs, one might be a better choice than the other.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Ultimately, no matter what type of case or pouch you use, it's best to keep your phone out of areas where it might encounter water and sand, like a bag that you're constantly pulling things out of and putting things into. And never leave your phone in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The device could overheat, which will limit functionality.

Overheated phones will charge more slowly or not at all, and exhibit slower performance and data speeds. Some devices, like iPhones, are even programmed to shut off their displays until they cool down sufficiently.

Rescuing your phone

No matter how much you prepare, mistakes can happen. And when they do, it's best to know the limitations of your device, and what steps you can take to get it back up and running again.

First, a discussion about water resistance: No phone is truly waterproof  they just offer different levels of resistance. And even in the event that water damages your water-resistant phone, the manufacturer's standard warranty won't cover it.

Devices that offer water resistance are usually either rated IP67 or IP68, and these numbers denote different levels of protection. A phone with an IP67 rating, like newer iPhones and the Google Pixel 2, is certified to withstand 30 minutes of submersion at a maximum depth of 1 meter, or 3.3 feet. IP68 phones, which include the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S8 Active, can go a little bit deeper, with a maximum depth of 1.5 meters, or 5 feet, for the same amount of time. Also note that these ratings apply to fresh water  salt water is trickier, because it can corrode components more easily.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

Those limitations mean there are times when your phone's IP rating won't be enough, and so you might want to invest in something like a Lifeproof case to be ready for the unexpected dunk. There's also a class of more durable handsets  ranging from the aforementioned S8 Active to CAT's line of tough phones  that aren't necessarily more water resistant, but feature bolstered designs that can withstand shock, dramatic temperature changes and more, and adhere to military-spec guidelines.

We reached out to Apple and Samsung for their recommendations when your phone goes for an impromptu dive. Both stressed the importance of wiping down the device with a clean, dry and soft cloth as quickly as possible, paying special attention to patting areas of ingress, like the earpiece and headphone jack.

Apple suggests tapping a waterlogged iPhone "gently against your hand with the Lightning connector facing down" to remove moisture. It's recommended that you leave your iPhone against or near a fan to expedite the drying process. Moreover, the company says not to charge a wet iPhone for at least 5 hours after it's gone into the drink.

MORE: Best Smartphones on the Market Now

Samsung's tip for saltwater exposure sounds counter-intuitive, though it makes sense. For water-resistant devices, like the Galaxy S9, S9+and S8 Active, the company suggests rinsing phones in fresh water to push all the salt out before drying."Otherwise, when it dries, salt may accumulate and block the primary microphone, earpiece and external speaker," a Samsung representative told us.

These tips won't save your phone in every instance, though they're handy to remember before you take to the beach. More important, they give you the peace of mind to concentrate on swimming, sunbathing, having a cookout or whatever summertime activities await you.
Covid-19 has exposed the fragility of food systems in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. Pre-existing inequalities have been exacerbated by the socio-economic impacts of the crisis and the mitigation measures taken around the world.
>>Some of the tours don't visit as many places in Australia as that one does.<<

I think it's a balancing act to combine the maximum number of places and amount of variety with the minimum time wasted in transit. I had a look at one of the detailed itineraries (I note they say "tour inclusions and available options may vary based on departure date"). It's varied and includes a lot of great places, it's hectic but it's for them to deal with the logistics of it while you just enjoy. I just wish they'd tone down how they 'sell' tours, the language of tour websites always makes me groan a bit. For example this tour is called "The Complete South Pacific" without including any of the South Pacific islands and the subheading "Do It All Down Under" ignores that you'd need months to really aspire to that (btw the itinerary includes only one of the two country's capitals) and I despair at the idea of compressing the "rugged and pristine beauty of Tasmania" into only two nights in and around the state's largest city. But if you're realistic about what the tour offers you and you're up for the hectic style, you'll see a lot, and that October-November time of year is a good time to do it.
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You don't have to drive near Yankee stadium if you leave Queens via the Whitestone or Throgs Neck bridges.

Take the Hutchinson River Parkway north and then I-287 towards Tarrytown

Edited: 3 years ago
Saturday May 12- this was mostly a travel day. If you aren't into travel details feel free to skip ahead. I'm including info about the toronto Airport only because it was reno'ed recently and there are quite a few Torontonians on this board.

We had a night flight scheduled departing Pearson at 9 pm EST. Due to WestJet and Air Canada's scheduled the only non stop flight options are early morning and late evening. I like flying at night heading west because it's easier to adjust to the time difference after sleeping late that morning rather than getting up at 5 am to head to the airport.

For my fellow Torontonians, the remodel of Terminal 3 is really nice.there are a lot of new food options, there is finally a nail salon and the new plaza premium lounge is really nice. Since we were flying to the US and going through customs we got there early so I had some time to kill. I got a quick pedicure because I didn't have time to get my toes done before our trip. The nail salon was pleasantly decorated, the staff was friendly and the facility was really clean. We have lounge passes so my husband was in the lounge watching the Jay's game. I met him there after my pedicure. The lounge has a really great selection of food, good beer and wine choices and comfy chairs. It's a credit card perk for us so we didn't pay to use it but I can see it being worthwhile on a long layover.

Our flight was uneventful and we picked up our rental car pretty quickly from Alamo. The airport rental car shuttle was pretty convenient and quick. After that we went to The Dispensary at Hacienda and Decatur. I don't really partake in that legal in Nevada activity but my husband is fond of what they sell there so he researched what stores had good prices. He was very happy with what he bought and the store was a nice, bright facility with a friendly staff. (I'm only being vague because even though it's legal in Nevada I'm not sure how trip advisor woukd react to me naming exactly what he bought there)

After, we went and checked in at the Signature. I had booked their base level room with no perks and they put us in Tower 3. At check in I asked nicely if they had anything available closer to the MGM. They put us in a Tower 2 strip view penthouse, so that was a nice upgrade. I didn't use the $20 trick but we did tip the woman at the front desk after she changed our room.

The room was lovely. We always like the Signature. I love the large bathroom, the bed is comfy, the fridge is convenient and having a mini suite is handy on a longer trip. It's nice to have some living space.

We were really hungry and tired at this point, it was 4 am back home, so we just went to the MGM food court and grabbed a slice from Bonanno's. Bonanno's is surprisingly tasty for chain food court pizza so I didn't really mind this being my first vegas meal. We wandered back to our room and went to bed after that.

Next up: The Hoover Dam and Boulder City

Edited: 3 years ago
- Raila said so much was put in the handshake and the unity agenda is unstoppable

- He said law reforms and constitutional changes will be inevitable if the taskforce proposes so

-Raila says they resolved to transform Kenya and there will be no turning back

- He revealed they held long discussions before making a public handshake

- Uhuru has also slammed leaders opposed to the handshake insisting on the need to unite

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has firmly stated nobody will stop him and President Uhuru Kenyatta from transforming the country as they agreed ahead, and after the Friday, March 9, handshake at Harambee House.

The former prime minister reminded those who are opposed to his unity bid with the president that they had lost it and could not do anything to stop the train that had left the station.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

Speaking in Mombasa during the governors Iftar dinner on Friday, June 1, in an address monitored by TUKO.co.ke, Raila said the handshake caravan is unstoppable by anyone.

READ ALSO: Uhuru slams leaders opposed to his handshake with Raila

President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga. Raila vowed nobody will stop his transformation agenda for Kenya with Uhuru. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

The dinner was hosted by Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho.

Before we publicly shook hands with Uhuru we had detailed discussions and agreed on a number of solutions to challenges facing the country. We formed a taskforce to share our meeting points and reach out to Kenyans for more views. We will actualise all recommendations made by the team with Uhuru, nobody can stop us on that, said Raila.

The opposition leader revealed they had a consensus with Uhuru that the country was faced with tribal, religious, gender and even devolution discrimination and resolved to address these issues before the 2022 general elections.

READ ALSO: I must reach out to opponents first before meeting my co-principals - Raila

There was an agreement that poverty, youth unemployment and electoral injustices had created divisions among Kenyans and formed a taskforce to guide the solving of these problems. The team was gazetted and we will fully work with their proposals, he said.

Former Vice President Kaalonzo Musyoka, opposition leader Raila Odinga, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. They reconciled in National Prayer meeting. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook

Raila said together with Uhuru, they could not limit the findings of the taskforce with regards to their preferences because the taskforce would be using views and proposals made by Kenyans which are supreme.

READ ALSO: Kenyans ask Miguna Miguna to drop the hate and move on

If the taskforce proposes the formation of new laws we will do it. If the team says we need a constitutional amendment we will do it. Nothing can stop us from achieving the goals we set, he added.

He said such reforms would enable anyone who wanted to vie for presidency to do so without fearing they are from a lesser tribe or religion.

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.

Untold Stories: Karen Onyango Saved by a Stranger - on Tuko TV

Source: Kenya Breaking News Today
- Wetangula told Raila to keep away from FORD Kenya and ANC affairs

- He accused the former prime minister of being envious of the Luhya unity plans

- The Bungoma Senator said Raila was mean and never funded the NASA campaigns

- He termed the opposition leader mean and ungrateful

FORD-Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula has furiously asked opposition leader Raila Odinga to stay away from his Luhya unity push with Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Wetangula together with Mudavadi and Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) leader Kalonzo Musyoka backed Raila as their National Super Alliance (NASA) flag bearer in the Tuesday, August 8, 2017 elections.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

Speaking during a public event aired by KTN News on Saturday, June 2, Wetangula accused Raila of being envious of the move to unite residents of Western Kenya, questioning the grounds that led former prime minister to term the initiative a tribal activity.

READ ALSO: It's over between me and Raila - Moses Wetangula

FORD Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula has accused opposition leader Raila Odinga for being mean and ungrateful. Photo: Moses Wetangula/Facebook.

He said it is ironical for Raila who shook hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta in the name of uniting Kenya could refer to their call to unite the voters in Western Kenya tribal.

"Raila has been meeting different leaders and shaking hands saying it is for the sake of uniting the country. It beats logic that the same person advocating for unity is condemning my initiative with Mudavadi in the name that it is tribal," he said.

The visibly angered Wetangula insinuated that Raila was ungrateful and was biting the hands that once fed him.

READ ALSO: Wetangula is a casualty of Raila and Uhuru handshake - Murkomen

FORD Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula and Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi have announced plans to merge parties in the quest for Luhya unity. Photo: Musalia Mudavadi/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

"Together with Musalia and Kalonzo we moved around the country to campaign for Raila and he got 95% from my area which had been infiltrated by Jubilee supporters whom we neutralised. I don't remember a single day he gave us even a cent to facilitate the vote hunting activities as we used our own resources. It hurts that he is now abusing us," Wetangula ranted.

READ ALSO: DP Ruto responds to Uhuru's kutangatanga jibe

The Bungoma Senator who together with Musalia missed the National Prayer Breakfast meeting in Nairobi on Thursday, May 31 where Uhuru, Raila, Kalonzo and Deputy President William Ruto met, asked Raila to stay away from other people's affairs.

"I don't understand what hurts Raila when he sees me and Mudavadi working together. I am still puzzled why he is against our unity yet we do not interfere with his affairs.

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.

Untold Stories: Karen Onyango Saved by a Stranger - on Tuko TV

Source: Tuko
Militants launched 33 attacks on positions of Ukrainian troops in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area in Donbas over the past day.

This is reported by the press center of the JFO Headquarters.

"Over the past day, Russian-occupation violated ceasefire 33 times, using heavy weaponry (122mm artillery and 82mm mortars) three times," the report reads.

Illegal armed formations shelled Ukrainian positions near Krymske (42.5km north-west of Luhansk), Troitske (Luhanskregion) and Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk), using small arms.

In addition, snipers of militants were operating in the area of Avdiivka (18km north of Donetsk) and in other directions. However, Ukrainian military conducted counter-sniper operations, preventing fire activity.

The most active armed hostilities took place near Chermalyk (31km north-east of Mariupol), Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol), Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol). Militants used 122mm artillery and 82mm mortars.

One Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in fighting in last day. He was promptly delivered to hospital.

No casualties have been reported on June 2 so far.

ish
President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid has urged to call the events taking place in eastern Ukraine for four years as war but not a frozen conflict.

She stated this at a conference in memory of Estonias former president Lennart Meri, the press service of the Estonian president reported.

"In Ukraine, during the last week alone, four people, including a 15 year old girl, have been killed in shellings, and another 15 people have been wounded. That's not a frozen conflict  that's war," Kaljulaid said.

Speaking about her visit to Ukraine, she noted that there was hope for a turning point in the implementation of reforms and the fight against corruption in the country. "I could see that the civil society of Ukraine is hopeful, and even if we fail to see much change, they themselves feel the reforms are gathering speed. In healthcare, in the pension system, in empowering the local governments. So, there is hope among Ukrainians, thus there are good grounds to keep also our faith and hope alive too," she said.

As Ukrinform reported, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid visited Ukraine from May 22 to 24.

ish
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine intends to join the global action #SaveOlegSentsov in support of political prisoner Oleg Sentsov.

"We join the global call to #SaveOlegSentsov, victim of Russias campaign to silence those speaking out against its occupation of Crimea," the U.S. Embassy informed on Twitter.

On June 1-2, the global action #SaveOlegSentsov is held in different cities around the world.

As reported, Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was detained by Russian security services in Crimea in May 2014. On August 25, 2015, the North-Caucasian Military Court in Russia's Rostov-on-Don sentenced Oleg Sentsov to 20 years in a penal colony for alleged "plotting acts of terrorism." On May 16, 2018, Sentsov went on an indefinite hunger strike in a Russian colony, where he serves his sentence. He demands to release all Ukrainians held in Russia and in the annexed Crimea. Sentsov announced his intention to be on hunger strike "till the tragic end."

ish
Babchenko was to be the first victim.

Ukraine's Chief Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko has said that the Ukrainian special services received a list of 47 persons who were to be targeted for assassination, and Russian journalist and Kremlin critic Arkady Babchenko was to be the first victim.

"We did not receive the information from the organizer, but we were able to get more information from his allies thanks to a special operation. And I was informed between 21:00 and 22:00 yesterday [May 31], that we got the list. We got a list of 47 people, which the organizer shared with a third person, and as a result of the special operation, we were able to identify them," Lutsenko told Radio NV on Friday, June 1.

Read alsoBabchenko case: Prosecutors dismiss suspect's claim about his cooperation with secret service

Boris German was suspected of organizing the assassination attempt on Babchenko.

"The night after the staged 'killing,' the organizer called the 'hitman' and said he was going to urgently fly abroad and another half of money [for the contract hit] would be paid by someone else some day. It became clear that the chain may broke, therefore, the SBU Security Service was absolutely right when it detained German in the street," Lutsenko said.

According to him, most people on the list are journalists. "Most of these people are journalists from Ukraine, as well as journalists who have left Russia. Most of them are journalists, but not only them," Lutsenko said.

Lutsenko said he was not on the list. When asked about politicians on it, Lutsenko answered: "No comment!"

It became known on May 29, 2018, that Babchenko was reportedly shot dead at his apartment in Kyiv. Chief of Ukraine's SBU Security Service Vasyl Hrytsak said at a follow-up briefing on May 30, that the assassination was staged to prevent the killing of Babchenko and other persons who were targets for assassination.

The SBU is investigating German pursuant to crimes under Part 1 of Article 14 (preparing a crime), Part 5 of Article 27 (abetting a crime), Part 3 of Article 258 (an act of terrorism) of Ukraine's Criminal Code.

Hrytsak said German had offered US$30,000 to an acquaintance who served in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine to assassinate Babchenko. German was said to have paid a US$15,000 advance for the crime.
The parties discussed the enhancement of cooperation in security and defense sector.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during which he stressed the importance of continuing pressure on Russia in order to get all Ukrainian hostages released.

Read alsoPoroshenko: Nord Stream 2 not economic project, damages European unity

Poroshenko thanked the U.S. for providing Ukraine with Javelin antitank missile systems. The parties also discussed the enhancement of cooperation in security and defense sector, the presidential press service said in a statement on June 2.

The officials talked about the possible risks in the case of the Nord Stream 2 implementation and coordinated positions in the context of the announced conclusions on downing of Malaysia's flight MH17 over occupied Donbas in 2014.

They also highlighted the importance to keep sanctions policy vis-a-vis Russia.

"The head of state informed the Secretary about reforms implementation in Ukraine in the context of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, in particular with regard to building efficient anti-corruption infrastructure," the press service said.

The Ukrainian president invited Pompeo to visit Ukraine.

As was earlier reported, the U.S. Senate approved Mike Pompeo's nomination as the next secretary of state on April 26.

In May, he said that the U.S. "must continue to exert pressure to curtail Nord Stream 2."
The detainees were taken to a police station in St. Petersburg.

Three activists, holding a Ukrainian flag and a poster in support of Ukrainian filmmaker and Russia's political prisoner Oleh Sentsov, were detained outside the building of the Petrogradsky district court in St. Petersburg on June 2.

Read alsoActivists hold rally in Kyiv in support of Sentsov, other political prisoners

Activists Olga Smirnov, Maria Kozhevatov and Asan Mumji came to the court where the trial over activist of the Democratic Petersburg coalition Vsevolod Nelaev was due to be held. Law enforcers detained them for "violating the federal law on public events," OVD-Info reported.

Vsevolod Nelaev was detained on June 1 during a picket in support of Sentsov. However, the reason for the detention was his participation in the May Day march, it said.

The detainees were taken to a police station in St. Petersburg. As reported, Smirnova was released without any records. The police detained the other activists, drawing up protocols on repeated violation of the procedure for holding public events.

As UNIAN reported earlier, over 1,000 people held a rally at Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv on Saturday, June 2, in support of Sentsov and other Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia.
Sentsov declared hunger strike on May 14 indefinitely.

About 1,000 people have rallied at Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv in support of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who is serving a 20-year prison term in Russia on trumped up "terrorism" charges, as well as other Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia.

Read alsoGlobal Sentsov campaign planned ahead of Russia World Cup  media

Activists are holding posters saying: "Free Sentsov" and "Free Kremlin's hostages."

They also keep in hands drawings, showing Sentsov behind bars.

As UNIAN reported earlier, activists announced a global campaign to demand the release of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who opposed Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea, and went on hunger strike in a Russian prison.

Russia's security forces detained Sentsov together with Oleksandr Kolchenko in the occupied Crimea in May 2014 on charges of organizing terrorist attacks on the peninsula.

In August 2015, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Russia's Rostov-on-Don sentenced Sentsov to 20 years in a high-security penal colony. Kolchenko was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Both men pleaded not guilty.

Kolchenko is serving his sentence in Correctional Colony No. 6 (Kopeysk, Russia's Chelyabinsk region).

Sentsov declared hunger strike on May 14 indefinitely.

He went on hunger strike against the actions of the Kremlin, demanding the release of all the Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia.
The occupiers used proscribed heavy weapons three times.

Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 33 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA).

Read alsoJFO in Donbas: Militants suffer huge losses last month

The enemy opened fire from small arms near the village of Krymske in the Luhansk sector, as well as near the villages of Troyitske and Luhanske in the direction of the town of Horlivka. The Ukrainian military suppressed the enemy fire, the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on June 2, 2018.

Enemy snipers were active near the town of Avdiyivka and in other areas. At the same time, Ukrainian troops took counter-sniper measures, suppressing the enemy fire.

Active fighting continued near the villages of Chermalyk, Pavlopil, and Shyrokyne, where the militants used heavy weapons twice, namely 122mm artillery and 82mm mortars.

"One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in the last day. He was evacuated to a hospital to receive medical assistance. According to intelligence data, the enemy suffered losses: three occupiers were killed, while two others were wounded," the press center said.

The Russian occupation forces opened fire from small arms at the Mayorsk checkpoint at 06:10 on June 2. No casualties are reported.

The militants also opened fire at civilians living in the village of Pivdenne in Donetsk region.
The Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire at the JFO positions nine times as of 11.00 on Saturday.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry press secretary Oleksandr Motuzianyk says two Ukrainian soldiers have been wounded by enemy snipers in the area of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbas.

Read alsoDonbas death toll rises as 2 Ukrainian WIAs die in Dnipro hospital

"They were immediately evacuated in medical facilities. The health condition of both soldiers is critical," Motuzianyk told a briefing on June 2.

He also said that the Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire at the JFO positions nine times as of 11.00.

The enemy resorted to armed provocations mainly in the Donetsk sector, using grenade launchers of various types, machine guns and small arms near the villages of Hnutove, Taramchuk, Lebedynske, Shyrokyne, Vodiane, Pavlopil, and Butivka coal mine.

Moreover, the Russian-led militants used 82mm mortars to attack the defenders of the village of Novotoshkivske in the Luhansk sector.

The Ukrainian military are firmly holding ground, suppressing the enemy fire, Motuzianyk added.
A Pakistan citizen to have received umbilical cord blood in China as part of a hematopoietic stem cell transplant was discharged from hospital

BEIJING,UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jun, 2018 ) :A Pakistan citizen to have received umbilical cord blood in China as part of a hematopoietic stem cell transplant was discharged from hospital.

Tahseen Dilbar, 30, underwent the transplant on April 25 at Shanghai General Hospital, according to a media report here Friday.

He regained his ability to produce healthy blood cells two weeks later as expected, according to his wife, Jasmin Tahira, who accompanied him to Shanghai for the procedure.

After another two weeks of inpatient rehabilitation, he has now returned to join his wife and youngest daughter in their apartment in Shanghai's Songjiang district. The family will remain in China for more than two months, as per his doctor's orders.

Dilbar, a father of three, was diagnosed in 2010 with myelodysplastic syndrome, characterized by the bone marrow's inability to produce enough healthy blood cells.

Over the past eight years, he has relied on regular blood transfusions to survive. By the end of last year, he had developed a high risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia, which usually progresses rapidly and is typically fatal within weeks or months if untreated.

Stem cell transplantation is regarded as the most effective treatment for the syndrome.

But Dilbar failed to find a full match among his three brothers and sisters. One elder brother's hematopoietic stem cells showed only a half match.

While Pakistan can perform transplants using completely matched hematopoietic stem cells, it is still not experienced in handling half-matched procedures, Tahira said.

Doctors in Pakistan suggested reaching out for treatment in China, where Wang Chun and his team at Shanghai General Hospital are known as pioneers in the transplant of half-matched hematopoietic stem cells.

The addition of matched umbilical cord blood is an essential part of such transplants, Wang said.

"Half-matched hematopoietic stem cell transplants usually elicit strong rejection from the recipient's body," said Wang, director of the hospital's hematology department. "The addition of matched umbilical cord blood can effectively reduce the chance of rejection."The transplant took place soon after Dilbar found a match from the Shanghai Cord Blood Bank, which is part of the China Stem Cell Group and is the only licensed cord blood bank in the city.

The cord blood was injected into his body along with half-matched stem cells donated by his elder brother.
AJK President Sardar Masood Khan and Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan met at the President Houseon Saturday and discussed the successful passage of the 13th amendment of the AJK Interim Constitution Act,1974, which devolves additional legislative, administrative and financial powers to the Government of the State ofAzad Jammu and Kashmir

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Jun, 2018 ) :AJK President Sardar Masood Khan and Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan met at the President Houseon Saturday and discussed the successful passage of the 13th amendment of the AJK Interim Constitution Act,1974, which devolves additional legislative, administrative and financial powers to the Government of the State ofAzad Jammu and Kashmir.

Both leaders said that the passing of the 13th amendment leading to reforms of the AJK Council is a historicstep which empowers the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The President extended his felicitations to Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider for successfully spearheadingthe efforts towards the strengthening of the AJK Legislative Assembly and helping pave the way for this significant amendment.

The President said that this amendment truly reflects the sentiments and aspirations of the people of Azad Kashmir towards achieving greater empowerment and autonomy.

This, he said, will also open the doors to the accelerated development of infrastructure, power generation, health, education, tourism, industry, agriculture and telecommunications sectors in AJK.

Masood Khan said that with the passage of the reforms package results in an increase in the responsibilitiesof the AJK Government where we have to ensure enhanced efficiency and effectiveness of the government machinery, good governance, socio-economic and political development, general welfare of the people of AzadJammu and Kashmir in a sustained manner.

He urged political parties across AJK to forge unity and come towards working together for the welfare of the citizens and the prosperity of Azad Kashmir.

President AJK while commending the efforts of all those involved in the process leading to the 13th Amendment said that with greater financial and administrative autonomy provided through the reform package, the AJKGovernment to will be able to address more of it chronic issues like the supply of electricity, water usagecharge and resource sharing.

The President said that these reforms will help enable the government to streamline matters related to governance, service delivery and enhance the capacity of the administrative machinery by making it more efficient. Empowering AJK's legislators would make them more accountable and answerable to their constituents, which hesaid would strengthen the legislative body and the democratic structure in AJK.

Both the President and the Prime Minister expressed their gratitude to former Prime Minister of Pakistan,Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former Federal Minister for Kashmir for their support in approving these well-needed reforms.

With these reforms, the President and the Prime Minister said that the citizens and government of AJK havebeen further empowered, and AJK being the base camp would help inject new vigour towards our struggle for the realization of the right to self-determination of the innocent Kashmiris of Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Both the leaders renewed their pledge to selflessly dedicate all efforts in helping raise the profile of the Kashmir issue and also thanked Pakistan for its continued support to the Kashmir cause.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Jun, 2018) A total of 2,926 students are currently enrolled in Zayed University's 2018 summer semester, which began recently in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and will continue till 28th June, coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan.

The semester examination will be held on 1st and 2nd July and the results will be announced on 4th July. The number of students recorded for summer courses in their field of study was 1,597 in Abu Dhabi, including 1,297 female students and 300 male students. The number of students in the Dubai campus was 1,040, including 1,020 female students and 20 male students.

The number of students enrolled in the "Academic Bridge" programme was 289, including 212 students in the Abu Dhabi campus with 174 female students and 38 male students, and 77 female students in the Dubai campus.

Prof. Reyadh AlMehaideb, Vice President of Zayed University, said that 203 courses covering all available fields were offered in both campuses to students who wished to complete their studies during the summer period. He pointed out that the summer semester is organised for five days a week (Sunday to Thursday) for female students in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, from 9:00 to 14:30.

The course for male students runs at the Abu Dhabi Campus parallel to the days and hours dedicated to female students. In Dubai, they begin their courses at 15:00 and continue until 17:20.

AlMehaideb added that the introduction of the summer semester courses comes within the universitys framework of providing advanced educational programmes for students continuously, to enable academic success regardless of the time of the year.

"Zayed University seeks to develop students skills, their career paths and raise their performance levels post graduating, and at the same time contributes to the interests of our community and nation across various sectors," he said.

He stressed that the directives of Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, President of Zayed University, indicated that the university should continuously form a successful learning community including students and faculty members, and their effective contribution to study and research, 0which positively reflects the level of learning outcomes.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Jun, 2018) In a gesture to boost their morale, Mohammed Haji Al Khouri, Director-General of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, has visited the injured Yemenis who are receiving treatment in the UAE hospitals after being evacuated from the Socotra Island following cyclone Mekunu.

The Khalifa Foundation is paying the treatment expenses of those injured who were evacuated to the UAE as per the instructions of the leadership.

Accompanied by Sultan Al Humairi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs for Support Service Sector, and Fahad Saeed Al Menhali, Yemeni Ambassador to the UAE, Al Khouri appreciated the UAE leadership's directives to provide whatever necessary assistance to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people as a result of their hard conditions.

The Yemeni Ambassador asserted that the UAE's inclusive assistance to the inhabitants of Socotra underscores the depth of ties with Emirati brethren. He thanked the leadership and people of the UAE for supporting those injured and affected by the tropical storm.

The beneficiaries paid gratitude to the UAE leadership for taking care of them. They said the UAE has been providing significant humanitarian services to the islanders since years.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

DHAKA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Jun, 2018) The Sheikha Fatima Global Humanitarian Campaign has provided health care to thousands of patients including women and children among Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh by providing diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive services under the supervision of a number of Emirati doctors.

The initiative is part of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Volunteer Programme, and is operating across various countries in coordination with governmental, private and non-profit organisations in line with the volunteering approach laid down by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

It is also part of the great attention paid by the country's leadership under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Sheikha Fatima campaign is part of the 'Yea of Zayed 2018' to strengthen the role of the UAE youth volunteers and their humanitarian mission to alleviate the suffering of patients regardless of colour, gender, race, or religion. It is a joint initiative of the Zayed Giving Initiative and the General Women's Union, GWU, in partnership with the Dar Al Ber Society, Sharjah Charity House, the Saudi-German Hospitals Group, Zayed Humanitarian Work academy and Hope Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh.

Noura Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the GWU, said that Sheikha Fatima Humanitarian Campaign, through its relief programme, was able to reach thousands of women and children and succeeded in attracting the best medical staff enabling them to provide better diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive services that greatly contributed to alleviate the suffering of underprivileged patients and increase community awareness on diseases.

She stressed that the humanitarian tasks of the Sheikha Fatima Campaign for treating women and children are led by Dr. Adel Al Shameri, CEO of the Zayed Giving Initiative and President of UAE Doctors. The campaign aims to establish a culture of volunteering among UAE youth in the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Volunteer Programme, which was launched nine months ago by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the GWU, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation.

Al Suwaidi added that Sheikha Fatima attaches great importance to humanitarian work and is keen to provide the best health services to vulnerable groups, especially women and children, through attracting, qualifying and empowering women in voluntary and humanitarian fields.

In turn, Iftikher Mahmood, President of Hope Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh, praised the efforts of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak in the humanitarian work field. He also lauded the unique and innovative role of Sheikha Fatima campaign, which presented a qualitative leap in empowering women in the charitable field.

Al Anoud Al Ajami, Executive Director of the Emirates Volunteer Centre, said that the centre will welcome those doctors who want to join the campaign to relieve the suffering of patients through working at the Zayed Humanitarian Hospital.
ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Jun, 2018) The Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, rescue teams in Yemen were among the first on the ground to help in the aftermath of Cyclone Mekunu, which hit the Yemeni island of Socotra in May, by initiating immediate recovery work and providing food and relief assistance, as well as reconstructing and reopening roads and restoring power supply networks.

This report looks back at the UAE's comprehensive relief efforts in Yemen in May. As well as being involved in major relief efforts following the cyclone, the UAE continued to revive major and vital sectors, including by launching initiatives to boost the health, infrastructure and education sectors, as well various Ramadan projects that oversaw the daily delivery of thousands of meals to fasting Muslims across the country.

The UAE, through its humanitarian arm, the ERC, also continued to support the locals in Yemens liberated areas through its various development programmes while providing emergency relief and humanitarian assistance wherever required.

These efforts reflect the desire of the UAE leadership to ensure the future of the Yemeni people, and alleviate their hardship caused by the destructive actions of the Houthi militias, by providing essential supplies and restoring the countrys normal living conditions.

Ramadan Programmes During May, the ERC launched its "Iftar Project" in Yemen's Red Sea Coast, which assisted over 72,000 fasting people, as part of its Ramadan campaign in the country. ERC teams delivered aid and food parcels to local people, which helped them face some of their challenges and eased their difficult humanitarian conditions.

As well as its Iftar Project, the authority also launched the "Ramadan Rations" and "Eid Clothing" initiatives to support those in need during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

At the start of Ramadan and as part of the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the ERC, the authority dispatched three ships carrying thousands of tonnes of aid to Socotra.

The ERC also launched an initiative on behalf of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the wife of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, which provided thousands of iftar meals to the people of several Yemeni governorates, in hospitals, streets, orphanages, mosques and shelters housing the displaced.

The Red Crescent continued its development programmes in Yemen's liberated areas, which included the health, education and infrastructure sectors, as well as the provision of emergency relief and humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of underprivileged Yemeni people.

Relief Efforts During May, the ERCs distribution of relief and food aid increased significantly, in response to the urgent appeals made by authorities and social figures in many Yemeni areas.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Mekunu, the ERC initially focused on distributing iftar and suhour meals to those displaced in Hodeidah and those taking refuge in schools and mosques.

The organisation also repaired a major road where many fleeing the devastation were stranded, and contributed to the efforts to restore power supplies in affected areas.

May also witnessed the arrival of an Emirati cargo ship at the port of Mukalla, which carried tonnes of medical aid provided by the UAE, to support the health sector of Shabwa Governorate.

The ERC also continued to monitor the conditions of those fleeing from the brutality of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias and ensured that they were provided with basic supplies, such as food, tents, blankets and medicine.

Infrastructure Projects May also witnessed the launch of several reconstruction projects in various Yemeni governorates, which aim to support the reconstruction of the country's infrastructure that was devastated by the war started by the Houthis.

One such initiative was the launch of a water project in Lawdar, Abyan Governorate on 14th May, which will benefit over 30,000 people. The ERC stated that it has prioritised water projects to meet the challenges of thirst and drought that affect many people across the country.

The projects first stage included the digging of four wells with a depth of 50 feet, at a total cost of AED670,000. The projects second stage will witness the construction of a water transfer line and a large tank with a capacity of 500 cubic litres.

The ERC also signed an agreement worth AED2 million with the Taiz Governorate to implement the first phase of its Year of Zayed 2018 projects in the areas of education, water and food.

The authority also launched a project to construct an integrated solar-powered water pump in Yashbem, Shabwa Governorate, which is expected to benefit around 5,000 people.

Health Assistance The ERC added to its support to the health sector in Yemen in May, by providing urgent medical assistance to patients with chronic kidney disease and cancer, as well as those disabled, in the city of Ataq, Shabwa.

The ERC also organised first aid training courses for women in the rural region of Al Hadba, Hadramaut, and its comprehensive health-training programmes witnessed a variety of educational activities related to health and environmental safety, first aid and other skills.

Education Development During May, the ERC continued its diverse education projects in Yemen, beginning with the restoration of the "Greater Taiz" and "26 September" secondary schools in Taiz Governorate. The projects will enable students to return to their classes after many years of war.

On 28th May, eight envelopes containing project tenders to restore seven schools, as well as another project to construct the Education College Hall in Dhale Governorate, were opened, as part of the ERCs efforts to improve education facilities that were damaged by the war.
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Recent reports threaten that there will be no water in Pakistan by 2025

Islamabad (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News  2nd June, 2018) German Ambassador to Pakistan Martin Kobler seems more concerned about water insecurity in Pakistan than many of our authorities as he recently posted a picture on Twitter while washing his car using a bucket.

The citizens of Pakistan are fond of using excessive water for washing purposes while using a bucket for the same purpose can help save water.

In a bid to save water for Pakistan and spread awareness regarding the issue, Kobler said, Using a bucket to save water while washing my car. Pakistan ranks third amongst countries facing water shortage. One major reason is excessive use. 100 liters wasted washing a car with running tap water. Many ways to save water in our daily life! #SaveWaterforPak

Some of the recent studies have threatened that there will be no water in Pakistan by 2025.

Reports by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) have alerted that the country will reach absolute water scarcity by the year 2025.

Pakistan is on its way to become the most water-stressed country in the region, by the year 2040, according to the report.

This is high time that people start realizing the importance of water and start saving it as much as they can. This responsibility lies on each and every person residing within Pakistan as water shortage is what the country cannot afford with its increasing population.
Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Ch. Abdul Ghafoor Khan has welcomed the electronic visa system introduced by Embassy of Tajikistan.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Jun, 2018 ) :Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Ch. Abdul Ghafoor Khan has welcomed the electronic visa system introduced by Embassy of Tajikistan.

In a statement issued here, he said that online visa facility would provide great relief to tourists during getting visa of Tajikistan online.

The new electronic visa system Managing Director said had also ended hardships for tourists to stand in queues for hours.

It is also facilitating the process of obtaining a visa of Tajikistan and increasing the number of tourists in various countries.

He said that such initiatives through joint cooperation would ultimately create good impact in the economy sector of Pakistan and Tajikistan besides making improvement of relations between these two countries.
Ministry of information Technology and Telecommunication has established NationalIncubation Centers across the country with the mission to discover, groom, anddevelop high-growth, high-impact companies

ISLAMABAD, Jun 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jun, 2018 ) :Ministry of information Technology and Telecommunication has established NationalIncubation Centers across the country with the mission to discover, groom, anddevelop high-growth, high-impact companies.

The National Incubation Center (NIC) is an Incubator and accelerator designedto promote and support Pakistani entrepreneurs and start-ups that are funded bythe Ministry of IT & Telecom through the National ICT R&D fund.

Pakistan's first largest National Incubation Center (NIC) at Islamabad is up andrunning, under the public-private partnership, providing a comprehensive ecosystemfor start-ups, incubators and accelerators.

While NIC Lahore has been established at LUMS ,MOS IT and inaugurated inDecember 2017.

After the successful launch of NIC Peshawar, NIC Karachi is LMKT's secondventure into the national incubation space. The Karachi incubation center isprojected to start operations in the second quarter of 2018.

Ignite - The Technology Fund has awarded the Lahore University of ManagementSciences (LUMS), a project worth PKR 560 million to set-up the National IncubationCenter (NIC) in Quetta.

NIC Quetta is the last of the 5 regional NICs that the Ministry of Information Technologyand Telecom is funding through Ignite for the promotion of entrepreneurship in the country.

For establishment of Information Technology park, cost estimate for first phase is USD88.25 million for which loan agreement has been signed.

According to Economic Survey of Pakistan, released recently, a new state of the artIT Park in Islamabad is being established under financing from Korea Exim bank throughthe Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), spreading over an area of47.7 acres of land.

The Software Technology Parks (STPs) are a major factor in facilitating the IT companiesand play a major role in the development of the IT industry.

The construction of IT Park will be undertaken in two phases on 14.9 acres of land isexpected that design and construction of IT Park will be completed by 2020.

Ministry of IT & Telecom is in process of planning, for undertaking the feasibility study,to establish such state-of-the-art technology parks in the cities of Lahore andKarachi.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Latvia's prime minister on Friday "categorically" rejected the European Commission's proposal to slash cohesion funds and spending priorities for the Baltic eurozone state in its next multi-year budget

Riga(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jun, 2018 ) :Latvia's prime minister on Friday "categorically" rejected the European Commission's proposal to slash cohesion funds and spending priorities for the Baltic eurozone state in its next multi-year budget.

The EU on Tuesday proposed spending more on Italy and other member countries hit by the economic and migrant crises and less on increasingly wealthy eastern states.

Latvia stands to get 13 percent less in cohesion funds in the post-2020 spending plan, while Poland and Hungary stand to lose more.

"This is unacceptable to Latvia," Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said, quoted by the BNS Baltic news Service, adding that Latvia "categorically rejects the existing proposal".

Cohesion or development policy aims to bring economic conditions in the 28-nation bloc's traditionally poorer eastern countries up to the higher western levels.

Kucinskis also objected to the European Commission's proposal to identify spending priorities that member states would be expected to follow during the next budget period.

"Since we know that a reduction can be expected... we want some flexibility regarding the programmes," Kucinskis said according to the BNS, adding that "Latvia should be allowed to choose where to invest and not be ordered to follow the programmes forced on us by the European Commission."It proposed May 2 a seven-percent cut to cohesion funds in a 1.279 trillion euro budget to help make up for the loss of Britain's contribution after Brexit in 2019.

Funds for agriculture, which with development funds account for the biggest share of the budget, are slated for a five-percent cut.

European sources said Poland and Hungary would receive more than 20 percent less in cohesion funds in the next budget, compared to the current 2014-2020 budget.

The Polish government denounced as "unacceptable" the proposed reduction in funds.

EU officials deny the cuts are aimed at punishing eastern EU countries like Slovakia, Poland and Hungary for refusing to admit migrants.
Chicago, IL (UroToday.com) Dr. Markham gave an interesting talk about a topic not often discussed but with great importance in this age of social media usage and expansion. She presented her views on the appropriate communication between doctors and their patients and families online.Dr. Markham wanted to convey several important objectives in her talk. Firstly, physicians need to recognize that patients are communicating with each other and with physicians online, and this is only going to expand. Secondly, it is important to understand that professional guidelines exist to guide physician-patient online communication, and they should be adhered to. Lastly, she would focus on developing a strategy for how to communicate safely with patients on social media.We have significantly progressed from the time where patients only communicated with their doctors in the examination room. Nowadays, patients have 24/7 excess to their electronic charts, they can see the results of their tests, schedule an appointment, refill or request a prescription, view their account statement and pay their bills, and even send a message to any one in their care team.Modern communications also includes and involves social media such as twitter, Facebook, and other dedicated health platforms such as cancer community support (www.wellnesshouse.org/Cancer-Support), patients like me (https://www.patientslikeme.com), Inspire (https://www.inspire.com/), Smart patients (https://www.smartpatients.com/), and more.Dr. Markham then discussed the important question of whether physicians should be friends with their patients on a platform like Facebook. She presented some statistics on this topic, including a survey of 1500 Australian physicians, showing that 1 in every 5 physicians received a friend request from a patient. [1] Furthermore, a survey of US and Canadian academic physicians in 2011 demonstrated that 4 out of 5 physicians felt it was never or rarely appropriate to become social networking friends with patients. [2]Next, Dr. Markham discussed the Pros and Cons of physician-patient communication online. She began with the cons which include potential violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), which is a United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information. Additionally, this kind of relationship is unprofessional, with a potential to make the physician always available to the patients, due to the high accessibility of these platforms. Lastly, this kind of digital online relationship can cause unwanted blurring of physician-patient boundaries.In contrast, the advantages of this kind of online communication include the fact that it can provide education with reliable information, and an ability to correct misinformation. Furthermore, it can raise awareness and advocacy of different topics. It also enables the physician to publicly demonstrate compassion, expertise, and passion. Finally, it enhances the understanding of patient experience on the one hand, and trust in the medical profession on the other hand.Dr. Markham then showed the position of various guidelines on this important topic. The American Medical Association (AMA) states that doctors must maintain appropriate boundaries of the physician-patient relationship. Furthermore, doctors need to consider separating personal and professional content online. The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) states that physicians should not friend or contact patients through personal social media. More liberal recommendations come from the American College of obstetricians and gynecologists (ACOG), stating that the social media profile is a powerful tool with low risk when maintained with close surveillance. Furthermore, ACOG state that how physicians should interact with patient personal digital and social profiles remains unsettled. Importantly, the ACOG declines to recommend against it.Dr. Markham then gave 10 tips for use of social media by physicians:1. Get involved  take advantage of the greatest opportunity to disseminate credible information and influence both peers and patients2. Engage often  To increase your profile, provide input, respond to others and create new content3. Always identify yourself  anonymity is a myth4. Protect patient confidentiality and privacy5. Contextualize your activities6. Avoid impropriety  ensure that any potential conflict of interests are readily disclosed7. Give credit where credit is due8. Professionalism is critical9. Separate the personal from the professional  Maintain professional distance between you and the patients10. Be aware of your institutional guidelines on social media  If you have questions, seek guidanceDr. Markham reiterated that if social media is to be used by physician, it must be done in a safe manner, while adhering to institutional guidelines. Additionally, one must separate personal from professional content in online activities. Lastly, physicians need to create professional profiles and always act professionally.Dr. Markham concluded her great talk saying that it important to always be authentic in online activities and gave a quote by Dr. Amy Caruso Brown from the JAMA journal, summarizing her own view on social media: The ethical complexity of this new world does not change the simple truth of my experience: I am a more mindful and compassionate physician because, against all I had been taught, I accepted a friend request.[3]Presented by: Merry Markham, MDWritten by: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Twitter:@GoldbergHanan at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting - June 1-5, 2018  Chicago, IL USA References:[1] Brown et al. JMIR 2014; 16(12):e267[2] Chretien et al. Acad Med. 2011; 86(12) 1545[3] Amy Caruso Brown JAMA 2017;317(24)
Pope Francis receives in audience a Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow and says he is praying for unity.

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis on Wednesday received a delegation from the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate in Moscow and expressed hope for full Christian unity, saying it is the path to peace.

Expressing his wish to follow the path of unity, the Pope said unity is the only path of fruitful promise, whilst the path of division leads to war and destruction.

He expressed his commitment never to allow an attitude of division to spring from the Catholic Church, and calling the Orthodox Patriarch Kirill his dear brother he said: In Moscow, Russia, there is only one Patriarchate: yours. We will not have another.

Path of unity, not uniatism



Pope Francis also said that the path of uniatism is not the path to walk today, and reiterated his belief that ecumenism, which is achieved by walking together, is the path towards Christian unity.

Lets walk he urged, commenting on the fact that some believe that first there must be doctrinal agreement, even though it is not known when such an agreement will be signed.

He said it is important to continue to study theology, in order to provide clarity where there are sticking points, but at the same time, to continue walking.

The Pope urged the delegation to continue to walk in charity and in prayer, praying always for dialogue.

Pope Francis recalled the February 2016 meeting in Cuba, which he said "did him much good", with the Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, in whom  he said  he found a brother.

Respect for Russian Orthodox Church



In conclusion, the Holy Father underscored the respect the Catholic Church has for its Russian Orthodox brothers and reiterated its intention not to interfere in the internal affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church. Those who do not obey this order," he said, "do not obey the Holy See".

Finally, he called on all those present to pray personally for each other, and said he keeps the relic of Saint Seraphim given to him by the Patriarch on his bedside table, and that every night and every morning he prays for unity.


Magical Memories featuring Disney Fine Art Gallery is shining the spotlight on a trio of its most highly regarded and accomplished artist/authors in a series of free public events including book presentations and signings, meet and greets and more Friday, June 8  Sunday, June 10 at its flagship gallery and at its newest gallery Magical Memories Dimensions, both inside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. (Pictured: Don Hahn, Producer of The Lion King and Beauty and The Beast).

Academy Award nominated producer of the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, Don Hahn, will be presenting and signing his book, Yesterdays Tomorrow: Disneys Magical Mid-Century.

Dave Bossert, veteran and acclaimed Disney artist, author and filmmaker, will be presenting and signing his book, Dali and Disney: Destino: The Story, Artwork, and Friendship Behind the Legendary Film.

Award-winning author, animation and film historian, musician, and educator, Mindy Johnson, will be presenting and signing her book, Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disneys Animation.

Special guest Paige OHara, the amazing voice of Belle in the original, animated Beauty and the Beast movie, will be at the gallery for meet and greets and signings on Friday and Saturday.

WHEN:

Friday, June 8

4pm  Dave Bossert Presentation & Book Signing

5pm  Mindy Johnson Presentation & Book Signing

6pm  Don Hahn Presentation & Book Signing

*Special Guest appearance by Paige OHara

Saturday, June 9

12pm  Dave Bossert Presentation & Book Signing

1pm  Mindy Johnson Presentation & Book Signing

2pm  Don Hahn Presentation & Book Signing

*Special Guest appearance by Paige OHara

Saturday Evening, June 9

Join us between 6 p.m.  8 p.m. for a FREE night of food and art and fundraising in support of non-profit Core.

6pm  Dave Bossert Presentation & Book Signing

7pm  Mindy Johnson Presentation & Book Signing

8pm  Don Hahn Presentation & Book Signing

*Special Guest appearance by Paige OHara
As forces of the Saudi-led military coalition close in on the main Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, aid agencies fear a major battle that will shut down a vital lifeline for millions of hungry civilians.

Senior aid officials urged Western powers providing arms and intelligence to the coalition to push the mostly Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab allies to reconvene U.N. talks with the Iran-allied Houthi movement to avoid a bloodbath and end the three-year war.

A coalition spokesman said Tuesday that forces backed by the coalition were 20 kms (12 miles) from the Houthi-held city of Hodeidah, but did not specify whether there were plans for an assault to seize the Red Sea port, long a key target.

The coalition ground forces are now at the doorstep of this heavily fortified, heavily mined port city, Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told Reuters. Thousands of civilians are fleeing from the outskirts of Hodeidah which is now a battle zone.

We cannot have war in Hodeidah, it would be like war in Rotterdam or Antwerp, these are comparable cities in Europe, Egeland said.

Looming battle

Troops from the United Arab Emirates and Yemeni government are believed to lead coalition forces massing south of the city of 400,000, another aid official said, declining to be named.

Last week U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock urged the Saudi-led coalition that controls Yemens ports to expedite food and fuel imports. He warned that a further 10 million Yemenis could face starvation by year-end in addition to 8.4 million already severely short of food in the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

Hodeidah, the so-called big battle, has been looming now for 18 months with ups and downs, Robert Mardini, Middle East regional director for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told Reuters. Its a densely populated area where any military scenario will risk coming at a huge human cost.

The coalition is carrying out air strikes in Yemen in support of restoring the internationally recognized government, while Houthis have launched missiles into Saudi Arabia. Some 10,000 people have been killed and 3 million displaced.

Lifeline for Yemen

Yemen traditionally imports 90 percent of its food, mainly through Hodeidah where U.N. inspectors check ships to ensure they do not carry weapons.

It remains a lifeline for the highlands where close to 70 percent of Yemenis live. Its about the need to have commercial imports, Mardini said. Despite all the measures put in place by the Coalition to improve imports, what is reaching Hodeidah is very short of the needs.

Egeland called for Western powers, led by Britain, the United States and France, and Iran, which is allied to the Shiite Houthis, to help avert disaster.

The situation is screaming for more robust diplomacy on both sides, Egeland said. We are now in a race against the clock, to really get enough supplies in through Hodeidah which is very difficult given the continued severe restrictions on fuel and other imports by the coalition.
At least four Somali soldiers were killed and more than 10 others were wounded when al-Shabab militants stormed a military base in the semiautonomous region of Puntland in northeastern Somalia, witnesses said Saturday.

The militants began the raid at midnight on the Bali-Khadar base near the Galgala mountains of the Bari region. Sources said the Puntland soldiers stationed there were forced to retreat but later recaptured the base from the militants.

Sources said scores of heavily armed al-Shabab militants carried out the raid on the base as they burned a number of military vehicles.

According to witnesses, at least four soldiers were killed in the raid, but al-Shabab claimed to have killed at least eight soldiers.

And in a new statement, Somalia's Puntland state said its forces had killed 41 al-Shabab fighters in an operation to respond to the attack on the base.

The Puntland regional government accused Somaliland, the breakaway republic, of being involved in the attack on its military base, a claim VOA could not verify.

Somaliland denied any involvement in the Bali-Khadar attack. "We have nothing to do with" the raid, Mohamed Kahin, Somaliland interior minister, said in a telephone conversation with VOA.

Puntland uses the Galgala operation to try to convince Western countries "that they are fighting against al-Shabab militants operating in the area," the minister said.

Both Puntland and Somaliland have been engaged in various military confrontations after recently clashing over land ownership in the northern Sool region.

Galgala is a chain of mountains in Puntland in northern Somalia where al-Shabab militants and pockets of Islamic State fighters have been battling regional forces for several years.

Meanwhile, Somalia government soldiers on Saturday recaptured the town of Moqokori in the central Hiran region, hours after it had fallen into the hands of al-Shabab fighters.

Residents said both sides engaged in fierce fighting Friday that resulted in an unknown number of deaths. Al-Shabab claimed to have killed more than 40 soldiers in Moqokori.

The jihadist al-Shabab group often steps up attacks on government facilities during the holy month of Ramadan. The group conducted a similar attack on a military base in Puntland during Ramadan last year, killing more than 50 Somali soldiers.
"Blood In, Blood Out."

So goes a common saying about the inescapability of gang life, a reference to a 1993 movie that chronicled the bloody lives of three gangsters in East Los Angeles.

In fact, leaving gangs is quite common. According to the National Gang Center, a Justice Department-funded research project, the majority of youth who join gangs remain active for one to two years. Fewer than one in 10 stays involved for four or more years.

As the Trump administration cracks down on the violent street gang MS-13, experts say a significant law enforcement response to the gangs violence is warranted. But there is a downside to the relentless drive to lock up gang members, said University of Colorado sociologist David Pyrooz.

These guys arent going to be in MS-13 in 10, 20, 30 years from now unless theyre incarcerated, said Pyrooz, who has studied gangs for over 10 years. When people are incarcerated, it prolongs their gang careers.

Likely to return

Of the more than 800,000 gang members in the United States, more than a quarter are behind bars. While incarceration can lead some members to leave gangs, recidivism among them is exceedingly high. A 2009 Arizona study showed that gang members were twice as likely to return to prison for a new crime as non-gang members.

There are no reliable data on people who leave gangs. Until recently the reasons for joining gangs were better understood than the reasons for leaving them. But a major 2017 study of gang leaving by Pyrooz and two other researchers helped address the gap in knowledge, providing critical insights that some practitioners say can help reduce membership in gangs such as MS-13.

The researchers examined three recent studies of gang leaving to identify patterns of disengagement. The studies looked at 784 former gang members from 13 U.S. cities. Their goal was to identify how the key research findings can contribute to the ways that such programs can facilitate gang leaving, the authors wrote on the Crime Report website last October.

3 key findings

First, leaving a gang is often the result of multiple rather than single factors. For example, a member leaves a gang not simply because of the pregnancy of his wife but because of the pregnancy and getting a job. One life event is often not enough motivation.

Second, the most frequently cited reason for leaving was disillusionment, followed by victimization of the gang member or a relative or friend. While most respondents cited both so-called push factors (victimization) and pull factors (getting a job), push factors were most prevalent.

Finally, the researchers found that motivations to leave a gang vary between juveniles and adults. While youngsters can quickly grow out of gang life as they develop other interests, older members are more deeply entrenched and need greater support to transition out.

Based on these findings, the researchers recommended supporting a number of programs and strategies such as hospital-based intervention and street outreach efforts.

We believe that the knowledge gained from the disengagement research about the importance of multiple factors in disengagement, leveraging both the pushes and pulls, and that older members require greater social supports and opportunities, is useful for practitioners, the researchers wrote.

Hard, dangerous to leave

Michelle Young, a consultant who works with communities in North Carolina on gang issues, said knowing why members leave gangs is important for practitioners and policymakers.

The studys findings can help shape our programmatic responses to gangs, can help inform people who are in the trenches working with gangs, she said. They can also help policymakers think about the types of resources that need to be available to young people to help them transition out.

Leaving a gang can be risky and even fatal. Last year, a Long Island teenager was executed by MS-13 members after turning his back on the gang over the brutal slayings of three young girls.

But the danger of leaving gangs has always been overstated, said Young, who has worked with gangs for more than 20 years.

There have always been people leaving gangs, she said. The ramifications for leaving gangs, especially if youre young and adolescent, are relatively minor.

MS-13 members are no different, she said.

A lot of whether a young person decides to leave doesnt have so much to do with the particular gang theyre involved in as it does with their level of involvement and the availability of other, more positive options, she said.

'A better deal'

Luis Cardona, a former gang member who heads the Positive Youth Development Initiative for Montgomery County, Maryland, said programs of the kind recommended by the researchers can only succeed when there is a parallel system of support within communities in which gang members live.

It's not one program solely, he said. There is a variety of things that need to happen.

If you truly want to change the paradigm on the gang subculture, then its critical to offer the membership a better deal than what they believe they may be getting in the gang life, Cardona said.
Britain will not sign a trade agreement with the United States that is not in the country's best interests, Trade Minister Liam Fox said Saturday after European Union officials filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization over stiff U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

"If we can't come to an agreement that we believe is in the interests of the United Kingdom, then we wouldn't be signing any trade agreement," Fox said Saturday in an interview with BBC radio.

Fox's comments came one day after European Union officials submitted a formal complaint to the WTO, the first in a series of retaliatory actions, including possible tariffs, against the U.S. Fox said the tariffs are "illegal" and that British Prime Minister Theresa May would raise the issue at the Group of Seven meeting next week in Canada.

Trans-Atlantic and North American trade tensions escalated when the U.S. imposed on Friday a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico. The U.S. also negotiated quotas or volume limits on other countries, such as South Korea, Argentina, Australia and Brazil, instead of tariffs.

In a separate dispute, China is prepared to target billions of dollars in U.S. products, many of which come from America's agricultural heartland, where Trump enjoys strong voter support.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross arrived in Beijing Saturday in an attempt to avert an all-out trade war between the world's two largest economies. On China's target list are U.S. soybean farmers, who export about 60-percent of their soybeans to China.

A dairy farmer who also grows soybeans in the midwestern state of Nebraska, Ben Steffen, is angry about the U.S. tariffs "because it hits me in my pocketbook from multiple angles."

California farmer Jeff Colombini, who grows walnuts, cherries and apples, is concerned about the financial damage a trade war could bring.

"With these tariffs, its going to make the product[s] too expensive for the consumers in Mexico and in Canada and in the EU," he said. "I have 200 employees, and they depend on the success of this operation for their jobs and to feed and clothe their families."

The imposition of the tariffs is also not popular with some members of Congress, including those from Trumps own party, whose states are dependent on exports.

Imposing steel and aluminum tariffs on our most important trading partners is the wrong approach and represents an abuse of authority intended only for national security purposes," said Bob Corker of Tennessee, who is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

You dont treat allies the same way you treat opponents, Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska said on Twitter. Blanket protectionism is a big part of why we had a Great Depression. 'Make America Great Again' shouldnt mean 'Make America 1929 Again.'

Tennessee has three major auto assembly plants. Nebraska is a significant exporter of cattle, corn, soybeans and hogs.

Mexico said, in response, it will penalize U.S. imports, including pork bellies, apples, grapes, cheeses and flat steel.

Theres a reason why the countries are carefully selecting which American products to target in response, said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Most of bourbon is made in Kentucky, which is the state of the Senate majority leader. Harley Davidsons are made in Wisconsin, which is the state of the speaker of the House, Reinsch told VOA News. Usually when other countries retaliate, and the Chinese have done something similar, is theyre good at maximizing political pain by picking out products that are made in places where people are politically important.

Tariffs on steel and aluminum imports are a tax hike on Americans and will have damaging consequences for consumers, manufacturers and workers, said Republican Orrin Hatch, who chairs the Senates finance committee and is a longtime advocate of breaking down trade barriers.

Expected higher prices for U.S. consumers on some products is only one side of the equation, said Ross, who noted that steel and aluminum makers in the U.S. are adding employment and opening facilities as a result of the U.S. government action.

You can create a few jobs, however, youre going to lose more in the process, as consuming industries will be placed at a disadvantage of paying more for raw materials compared to their foreign competitors, Simon Lester, trade policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, told VOA News.
The government in China is further tightening its grip on minority groups in the Uighur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as it continues to use its deradicalization campaign to suppress local residents, Uighur leaders and human rights activists warn.

China started a campaign in April 2017 to arrest local Uighur Muslims accused of holding extremist sentiments and detained them in re-education camps. Estimates of the number of people detained run from 120,000 to as many as 1 million people, according to Uighur activists, human rights groups and others.

Dolkun Isa, the head of World Uighur Congress, told VOA the Chinese government recently began jailing more ethnic Uighurs, especially during Ramadan, which started May 16 and will continue until mid-June.

"They are continuing to put people in those concentration camps while very few people can come out," Isa told VOA. "No one knows under what terms they are detaining people. No one feels safe."

Isa added that the government has prohibited since last year most religious practices of Muslims, including preventing government employees from fasting and visiting mosques during Ramadan, while at the same time organizing alcohol and pork consumption competitions.

"If someone at work tries to secretly fast, they will give him food and water during lunch," he added.

US criticism

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday released its annual assessment of global religious freedom, accusing China of aggressively expanding oppression of Uighurs, Tibetan Buddhists, Christians and Falun Gong practitioners.

Sam Brownback, the U.S. envoy for international religious freedom, said re-education camps of Uighur were "very troubling."

"That was a concept you thought was gone decades ago, and [it's] being experienced in a growing amount," Brownback said.

Exiled Uighur leader Isa charged that most of the increase in detention had been against young men in Kashgar, located near the border with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said the government had cut off the residents' communication with the world, including restricting their usage of the WeChat social media site.

"Tradesmen from Kyrgyzstan and other countries tell us they can't find young men in Kashgar markets anymore. All that is left are old men, women and children. Id Kah Mosque, which used to be a symbol of Kasghar and hosted hundreds of people, is now completely empty," Isa said.

The vast region of deserts and mountains in the northwest is home to nearly 22 million people and has the greatest concentration of Muslims in China, estimated to be 11 million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities.

Separatist movement

Conflict in the region is not new. The Chinese government has for decades tried to push back against a separatist movement by Uighurs to establish an independent state called East Turkestan. Uighurs accuse the government of forcing demographic changes by settling millions of Han Chinese in the region.

The government crackdown increased in recent years because of the rise of the Islamic State and fears of expansion by the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) or Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which China accuses of being behind several terrorist attacks in the country.

China says ETIM and TIP are the same entity, but there are some disagreements about that claim internationally.

Three evils

ETIM has been sanctioned by the United States, United Nations and the European Union.

Chinese authorities, who have not publicly acknowledged the existence of the re-education camps, say their measures are necessary to combat the "three evils" of "ethnic separatism, religious extremism and violent terrorism."

The country's officials say they hope to eliminate the sources leading to violent extremist activities.

"It's necessary to comprehensively implement measures to address the root cause and improve the anti-terrorism work system," Zhao Kezhi, the state councilor, said Saturday. The official Xinhua News Agency quoted him calling for "deepening anti-terror international cooperation and making efforts to destroy the breeding ground of terrorism."

The country in December 2015 passed its controversial anti-terror law, which according to Human Rights Watch gave government agencies "enormous discretionary powers."

The government's April 2017 regulations to "prevent extremism" drew international condemnation, with critics saying they violated basic human rights and religious freedom.

According to the state-run China Daily, the new law forbids people in the region from wearing full-face coverings and long beards. It also prohibits them from "choosing names in an abnormal way" or "rejecting or refusing state products and services that include radio and television programming."

Beijing reportedly has since prohibited Uighur parents from giving their children Islamic names, and it has increased surveillance in the region by confiscating passports and installing mandatory GPS trackers in cars.

'Home stays'

Human Rights Watch earlier reported that since early 2018, Uighurs also have been forced to welcome Communist Party officials into their homes as part of a government plan to dispatch more than a million government officials to live with local farmer households in southern Xinjiang.

It said during the so-called "home stays," families were subjected to political indoctrination and required to provide officials with information about their lives and political views.

"Muslim families across Xinjiang are now literally eating and sleeping under the watchful eye of the state in their own homes," according to Maya Wang, a senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The latest drive adds to a whole host of pervasive and perverse controls on everyday life in Xinjiang."

Experts say China's polices could be driven by fears the ETIM militants could come home after losing global jihad elsewhere.

The ETIM group has ties to al-Qaida and other Islamist groups, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban. Katibat Turkistani, or the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, also has joined the jihadist side in the Syrian civil war, most noticeably in the 2015 fight for Idlib and Hama governorates.

"Since the war in Syria is wrapping up, the next stop for TIP militants fighting in Syria is likely going to be Afghanistan," counterterrorism analyst Faran Jeffery told VOA.

"This has been worrying China, since it doesn't want these militants in its backyard, especially since there's going to be a real possibility of these militants creating a network within Xinjiang to carry out attacks on Chinese soil," Jeffery added.

ETIM camps targeted

U.S. forces, who are heavily involved in the Afghan government's counterterrorism efforts, say they will not allow the jihadists to take sanctuary in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, U.S. airstrikes targeted training camps for ETIM in northern Badakhshan province, bordering with China, Tajikistan and Pakistan.

Experts say the ultimate solution, however, to address the Uighur jihadist threat should come from the Chinese government.

"China needs a radical rethink of its policies toward the Uighurs. Their current approach is inciting retaliation, not calming the situation," according to researcher and human rights activist Carol Anne Grayson.

"Some Uighurs attempt to leave the country in the hope of finding freedom elsewhere, Others become radicalized and choose a path of violence, as we have seen in recent knife attacks carried out in Chinese cities," she said.

VOA's Mehdi Jedinia contributed to this report.
A former Venezuelan army general famous for taking to the roof of his home with an assault rifle in defiance of President Nicolas Maduro's government has been freed from jail, supporters said.

Angel Vivas, 61, had openly called for rebellion against the socialist government foes view as a dictatorship, and became widely-known to Venezuelans during a standoff at his Caracas residence during 2014 protests.

He left jail late on Friday, footage on social media showed, among 17 people classed as political prisoners by local rights organization Penal Forum released during a reprieve Maduro said was meant to help national reconciliation.



Opposition critics and rights campaigners say Maduro's government is still holding more than 300 political prisoners, most jailed around demonstrations in 2014 and 2017.

Along with Rivas, the best-known among Friday's releases was Daniel Ceballos, former mayor of the restive western city of San Cristobal. The list did not include militant opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, the best known of Maduro's detained critics.



Video showed Vivas entering a meeting with government officials using a walking stick, and then being feted by supporters as he left the Helicoide prison in Caracas.



"Death to tyranny, long live liberty!" he said, before stating that the terms of his release prohibited him from speaking further to media. Supporters surrounded his car, thanking him and singing the national anthem.

Maduro was re-elected on May 20 for a six-year term, in a vote widely condemned as a farce by the West and major Latin American nations. Two of his most popular rivals, including Lopez, were banned from standing.

The president says he is victim of an "economic war" and coup plot led by the opposition with the backing of Washington.

Venezuelan authorities gave a list of 39 people released on Friday, but Penal Forum said only 20 of them were political prisoners, of whom three had already been freed.

Maduro bristles at the term political prisoners, saying all detainees are there on legitimate charges and convictions, including terrorism and plotting to topple him.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi was sworn in for a second term before the Egyptian parliament Saturday, telling legislators that he considered himself to be the president of all Egyptians, both those who support him and those who do not.

The speaker of Egypt's parliament, Ali Abdel Aal, introduced President Sissi to lawmakers, telling them that he had been officially declared the victor of the country's presidential election in April by the country's electoral commission.

Sissi won more than 90 percent of the vote in a contest that pitted him against a relatively unknown architect who entered the race at the last minute. Several more well-known candidates either withdrew or were declared ineligible to run for office.

Sissi took the oath of office, saying he vowed before God to preserve the country's republican system of government, respect the constitution and preserve both the independence and unity of the state and its people.

In a brief speech to parliament, following his swearing in, Sissi told legislators that despite all the quarrels and contention among Egyptians that the country has been through since the 2011 revolution, it was his aim to unite everyone:

He said he considers himself the president of both those who agree with him and those who disagree and asked for the sincere efforts and courage of everyone, saying Egypt deserves that we live and die for her and her great people.

Sissi blasted those people and forces he claimed damaged the country in the struggles that overtook Egypt since 2011.



He said he intends to work to build a future and fashion a path toward tomorrow that will accomplish the people's dreams for a modern state, built on a foundation of freedom and democracy, and restoring Egypt's rightful place among the nations, which was damaged as a result of domestic and external doings.

Sissi went on to stress that Egyptians have "fought together against brutal terrorism and defeated it, despite its efforts to tear apart society and the heavy social, economic and political price it has imposed on everyone."

Political sociologist Said Sadek tells VOA that President Sissi also spoke about a "cultural revival" and rebuilding the country's cultural identity:

"He emphasized the importance of Egyptian human development and said that [he] will concentrate on education, health and culture, because we have to respond to ideas against the nation," he said.

Sadek added that Sissi spoke briefly about the economy, saying he was planning to continue with economic reforms that he undertook during his first term, including the gradual lifting of subsidies on fuel.

An official military honor guard fired a 21-gun salute following the swearing in ceremony, as legislators applauded the president inside parliament. Egyptian F-16 fighter jets also circled the center of Cairo to mark the event.
Facebook has faced backlash from customers, regulators and lawmakers over its handling of user data and its response to reports that foreign actors have used its service to upend elections. Now it's Facebook shareholders' turn to sound off at the company's annual meeting in California. Michelle Quinn reports.
Google says it will not extend a contract into next year to help the U.S. military analyze drone videos following complaints from company employees.

U.S. media reports said Googles parent company, Alphabet Inc., told Google employees about the decision Friday. The development was first reported by tech publication Gizmodo.

Google employees say the tech giant will continue to work on the Maven Project until the contract ends next March. The military project uses artificial intelligence to increase defense capabilities, including using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze aerial drone imagery.

Thousands of Google employees signed a petition urging the company to cancel the contract, arguing that helping the military would violate Googles motto of Dont be evil.

Reuters reports that several hundred Google employees had planned to hold a public rally in San Francisco in July to protest the military contract.

Google had earlier defended the companys involvement in the project saying it was limited to helping the military with nonoffensive tasks and said the project would help save lives.

Google says it will soon release new company guidelines related to the ethical uses of AI.
An organizer says 16 people have been injured in clashes between Mali's security forces and opposition supporters during a prohibited march ahead of elections.

Cheick Diallo says the injured include two candidates for president in the July 29 election, Igor Diarra and Aliou Diallo. This is the first such clash ahead of the West African nation's vote in which President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is running again.



The number of injured was confirmed by a member of the emergency service transporting them.



Opposition leaders organized Saturday's march to call for free and transparent elections and for more state television coverage of their activities.



The governor of the capital, Bamako, banned the march under Mali's state of emergency that was imposed in 2015 after an extremist attack on a local hotel.
Italy's new populist leaders promised to get to work creating jobs and curbing illegal migration as they made their first outing at Saturday's symbolically-rich anniversary commemorations for the founding of the Italian republic.



Premier Giuseppe Conte and his newly sworn-in Cabinet had places of honor to view the pomp-filled military parade and Italy's aeronautic acrobatic squad. The planes flew low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag.



The national pride on display is a feature of every Republic Day, but it took on a particular significance this year after Italy on Friday ended three months of political and financial turmoil and swore in a government whose populist and euroskeptic leanings have alarmed Europe.



Conte, a law professor plucked from relative obscurity to head an unlikely governing alliance of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and right-wing League party, said the celebrations Saturday transcended all the tensions of recent days.



"It's the celebration for all of us, of our republic," he said.



Republic Day commemorates the day, June 2, 1946, when Italians voted in a referendum to abolish the monarchy in favor of a republic, Italy's first.



The political upheaval that has created western Europe's first populist government this week has been dubbed Italy's Third Republic.



Conte's Cabinet was sworn in Friday after a last-minute deal averted the threat of a new election that had sent stock markets around the world tumbling. The political stability brought financial relief, but Italy's European neighbors continued to express concern about the euroskeptic bent and the heavy spending agenda of the new government.



"Italy is destroying itself  and dragging down Europe with it," read the headline of Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, the cover of which featured a forkful of spaghetti with one dangling strand tied up as a noose.



Conte has left policy specifics to the drivers of his improbable rise, with 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio reporting for work after the parade to the ministry of economic development, which would have otherwise been closed for the holiday.



"Starting today, we get to work to create work," Di Maio said in a Facebook video giving Italians a tour of the empty ministry. Di Maio is also minister of labor, a combination he said made sense since the two ministries must work together.



League leader Matteo Salvini, meanwhile, had a series of rallies in northern Italy. He heads Sunday to Sicily, the destination for most of the hundreds of thousands of migrants who have arrived in Italy in recent years after setting off on smugglers' boats from lawless Libya.



"We have to improve deals with countries of origin," Salvini said.



Offering the new government cautious support was Italy's far-right, neo-fascist CasaPound party, which held its own Republic Day commemoration Saturday. Banners featured images of a crossed-out European Union flag and "(hash)exIT" written underneath, a reference to calls for Italy to leave the 28-nation bloc.



The 5-Star-League agenda has no such plans, but Conte made clear he was irked by comments this week by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who said Italy had to stop blaming the EU for its problems and take responsibility itself to address the poverty in southern Italy.



"That means more work, less corruption. Seriousness," Juncker said in comments his spokeswoman later said he regretted.



In an unscripted blast from the parade route, Conte insisted Italy wasn't alone in facing cases of corruption and declared that "we all have to work for legality."



Conte's government faces mandatory confidence votes next week in parliament, where the two governing parties have a slim majority.
Neighborhood residents say the armored vehicle drove wildly into a crowd of anti-India protesters in Kashmirs largest city, slamming into a half-dozen people and crushing one man beneath its wheels, injuring him critically.

Officials say thats nonsense, and that the vehicle was surrounded by a crowd of angry young men, some of whom fell beneath the jeep-like car when they tried to pull the soldiers out and lynch them.

It was a situation created by the crowd. We showed extreme restraint, said Sanjay Sharma, a spokesman for the paramilitary force involved.

A police officer offered a third version. The vehicle, he said, accidentally strayed into an area crowded with protesters, then struck some people when the nervous driver realized what had happened and tried to get quickly away.

It was a mistake, said the police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to comment.

An Associated Press photographer captured the horror in a series of photographs, though even he couldnt see how everything transpired.

Protesters regularly spill into the streets of Srinagar after Friday prayer services, demanding an end to New Delhis rule over Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The protests were largely peaceful Friday, with government forces hanging back after the previous week, when more than 50 people were injured in fierce clashes.

Police and soldiers were standing at a safe distance from the crowd, avoiding confrontation. And then from nowhere this vehicle ran into the crowd, said resident Reyaz Ahmed.

The vehicle rocked back and forth for about 30 seconds when a man was caught beneath it, finally driving away from the furious crowd. He was hospitalized in critical condition. It was not immediately clear if he was a protester or onlooker.

Officials say another man hit by the car died a few hours after the accident. His funeral was expected later Saturday, and officials were gearing up for protests.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan territory divided between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan but claimed by both in its entirety. In recent years, the Indian-controlled portion has seen renewed rebel attacks and repeated public protests against Indian rule.

Rebels have been fighting Indian control since 1989, demanding that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies.

Most Kashmiris support the rebels cause while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.
Harvey Weinstein was facing a new rape allegation on Friday, including claims that a woman captured video of Weinstein assaulting her, as part of a lawsuit alleging that he had help covering up his misconduct with women.

The lawsuit was filed in New York by three women, including one who says Weinstein raped her at a Manhattan hotel in 2011. It comes a week after Weinstein was arrested on New York state rape and criminal sex act charges.

According to the lawsuit, Melissa Thompson met with Weinstein at his Manhattan office, where she turned on her computer's video recording capability to help demonstrate internet technology she wanted his company to buy. The lawsuit alleged that the recorded images captured some of Weinsteins advances.

As she showed him the technology, Weinstein asked So am I allowed to flirt with you? the lawsuit said. It said Thompson, feeling cornered but wanting to finish the demonstration, responded: Ummmmm. Well see. A little bit.

Weinstein became curt and when she continued with her business presentation, he ran his hands over her back, caressed her leg and moved his hand under her dress, according to the lawsuit.

At the end of the meeting, Weinstein promised to make a deal for the technology but asked her to meet for a drink later in the day at a Manhattan hotel bar, the lawsuit said.

When she met him at the bar, according to the lawsuit, Weinstein almost immediately led her to a room at the hotel and then cornered and out-muscled her as she tried to fight off his advances. She alleges he then held her down and raped her.

She did not report it to law enforcement authorities because she feared for her safety and career, the lawsuit said. She knew that Weinstein could and would destroy her if she complained about his sexual misconduct.

Besides Thompson, two other women made new claims in the lawsuit, which seeks class-action status to represent hundreds of other women it says were victimized by Weinstein and what it described as his enablers.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages as well as retribution for class members loss of work opportunities and devastating damage to their careers. It alleges racketeering, witness tampering, mail and wire fraud, assault, civil battery, negligent supervision and retention and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit alleges that Weinstein was supported in his sexual pursuits by film companies and dozens of workers for those companies who knew he was abusing women.

Phyllis Kupferstein, a lawyer for Weinstein, likened the lawsuit to an earlier one filed by the same lawyers on behalf of a different group of women and said the case suffers from the same lack of merit. Weinstein has denied sexually assaulting anyone.

Following his arrest last week, Weinstein was released on $1 million bail and is required to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

Harvey Weinstein may have been put in handcuffs for his assault on two women, but we are working to see a day of justice for the hundreds of women who were exploited for Weinsteins sexual gratification and silenced by this ring of conspirators, said Elizabeth Fegan, an attorney who worked on Fridays lawsuit.

In a release, Thompson said she was referred to Ben Brafmans law firm after allegations from dozens of women made headlines last fall. Brafman, who represents Weinstein in his criminal case, said in a statement Friday that his firm has never represented Thompson and he has never met her or the other women identified in the new lawsuit.

Caitlin Dulany, a second plaintiff, was sexually assaulted, battered, threatened and falsely imprisoned in Weinsteins hotel suite during the Cannes Film Festival in 1996, the lawsuit said.

Larissa Gomes, the third plaintiff, went to discuss work opportunities in film but ended up imprisoned in Weinsteins hotel room, threatened, battered and assaulted, the lawsuit said.

Through her law firm, Thompson said she was comfortable with being named publicly. Dulany and Gomes have previously spoken publicly. The Associated Press does not identify alleged victims of sexual assaults unless they come forward publicly.
A Madagascar-based consultant said the countrys bourgeoning tourism businesses has been adversely affected following Wednesdays attempted coup detat that led to a renewed political crisis in the southern African island nation.

Patricia Rajeriarison said the situation in the capital, Antananarivo remains tensed, adding that it will take several more days for the electoral body to declare the final results of the referendum.

According to the people I met today, most of them didnt vote yesterday (Wednesday) because they thought it was useless and it wont change much. And they knew that Yes would win so as for them, they felt that their vote wouldnt change a thing, said Rajeriarison.

I wouldnt say that they are quite happy with the coup attempt, but they said maybe it is not such a bad thing. And that it will help towards a solution that would be negotiated.

Her comments followed reports that representatives of President Andry Rajoelina are negotiating with troops who declared a coup Wednesday but are now holed up in their barracks.

The unrest occurred on the same day that Madagascar voted on a new constitution. If passed, the new charter would solidify Mr. Rajoelina's hold on rule. He seized power in a coup last year.

Rajeriarison said there are suspicions that the officers are backing some of the countrys former leaders including Ex-President Marc Ravalomana.

It is quite strange that those military people managed to get together (when) they were enemies yesterday and now they are allies. There were people there who supported (Mr.) Rajoelina when he took power in March 2009. There were some military people who were working with Marc Ravalomanana (and) there were people that worked with (Didier) Ratsiraka.

Initial returns showed voters approving the new constitution but turnout was below 40 percent. Several hundred protesters tried to block security forces from reaching the rebels at their barracks late Wednesday but were dispersed by police using tear gas.



The spokesman for the rebel officers, Colonel Charles Andrianasoavina, was one of Mr. Rajoelina's main supporters during the coup that toppled President Marc Ravalomanana. The rebel spokesman has called for all the armed forces to support the attempt to overthrow the Rajoelina government.



The Rajoelina government has said the new constitution will help stabilize the country following nearly two years of political turmoil.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Saturday slammed China's militarization of disputed South China Sea islands, insisting that weapons systems recently deployed in the area were meant to intimidate and coerce Beijing's neighbors.

The comments came during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual Asian defense forum in Singapore. In the speech, Mattis laid out the broader U.S. strategy for a "free and open" Indo-Pacific region.

"China's policy in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to the openness our strategy promotes. It calls into question China's broader goals," Mattis said.

Specifically, the Pentagon chief mentioned China's deployment of anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles, electronic jammers, and the landing of a bomber aircraft at the Paracel Islands off the coast of Vietnam.

"Despite China's claim to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis added.

Though much of the world is focused on an upcoming summit between North Korea and the United States, this year's Shangri-La Dialogue has focused primarily on the region's long-term future and how to deal with a more assertive China.

Beijing has begun projecting power beyond its borders, most notably through the construction and militarization of islands in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, despite overlapping claims by countries including Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.

Last week, the United States disinvited China from the Rim of the Pacific exercise (RIMPAC), a major international maritime exercise to be held later this year, citing Beijing's behavior in the South China Sea.

Mattis on Saturday referred to that disinvitation as an "initial response" to China, but he did not outline any additional steps that might be taken.

"The U.S. will continue to pursue a constructive, results-oriented relationship with China, cooperating when possible and competing vigorously where we must," Mattis said.

China blamed for tensions

During a question-and-answer session afterward, Mattis fielded a question from a Chinese colonel, who claimed that U.S. freedom of navigation operations are a provocation that violate international law.

"I understand the disagreement, but it is not one on which we are unstudied," Mattis shot back, noting that the operations take place in international waters. "This is not a revisionist view."

Mattis laid the blame for rising South China Sea tensions on Beijing, saying it had ignored neighbors' concerns and an international tribunal's ruling on the issue.

"Nobody is ready to invade those features," Mattis said. "Certainly, we could have had the dispute resolution go in a peaceful way."

China's reaction

Without mentioning Mattis, the head of the Chinese delegation denounced "irresponsible comments" that were made at the forum about China's military buildup in the South China Sea.

"Any irresponsible comments from other countries cannot be accepted," said Lieutenant General He Lei, vice president of China's Academy of Military Science. "It's within China's sovereignty to deploy troops and weapons on islands and reefs in the South China Sea. And it's allowed by international law."

Lei said the purpose of China's buildup was "avoiding being invaded by others" and contended that tensions in the region had eased significantly because of the joint efforts of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He also accused the U.S. of fueling tensions in the area.

"The purpose for the United States to mess up the situation at this moment is obvious," he said. "I think it is escalating the tensions to find more excuses for it to seek more military presence or actions."

North Korea

The Shangri-La Dialogue comes as the United States and North Korea prepare to hold denuclearization talks in Singapore. President Donald Trump on Friday said the summit would take place June 12.

"Our objective remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Mattis said.

The United States has long demanded that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons. But what's less clear is what Washington is prepared to offer Pyongyang.

Mattis said any discussion about the future of 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea "will be separate and distinct from the negotiations" with North Korea.

"That issue will not come up in the negotiations with DPRK ... nor should it," he said, using an initialism for North Korea's official name.

Instead, Mattis said any discussions about U.S. troops would be conducted between Seoul and Washington.

During his trip to Singapore, Mattis has been reluctant to discuss the summit preparations, instead insisting that the Pentagon is focused on backing up U.S. diplomats leading the process.

"The hopes of the world are on these talks," Mattis said.

But Japan's defense minister, Itsunori Onodera, warned that the negotiations in themselves were not the goal.

"I believe that it is important not to reward North Korea solely for agreeing to have a dialogue," Onodera said, noting that Pyongyang has made denuclearization promises in the past, only to backtrack.

During his speech, Onodera repeatedly spoke of the need to deal with the threat of North Korea's ballistic missiles "of all flight ranges."

A report in The Washington Post suggested that Japanese officials were concerned the United States may strike a deal with North Korea that removes the threat of intercontinental ballistic missiles, but not medium- and short-range missiles.

"These things fly over the Sea of Japan. They even fly over northern Japan. So that's where the security threat comes from for them," said Mintaro Oba, a former U.S. diplomat focused on Northeast Asia.

Oba said it would be important for the United States to closely consult with its allies in South Korea and Japan on its negotiations with the North.

"I think the most important thing for all of our allies is to stay relevant in the process and to demonstrate to their public that they've been closely consulted by the United States on this," he said.
Even as it signals a willingness to give up its nuclear arms, North Korea is brandishing another well-known weapon in its arsenal: cyber.

Under heavy sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, the cash-starved government in Pyongyang has for many years used cyberattacks to steal money from banks and other institutions.

Those intrusions are continuing, primarily in Asia and Latin America, even as U.S. President Donald Trump says that a planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will proceed later this month, according to a U.S. cybersecurity firm that advises companies and government agencies that have been breached by hackers.

"We continue to see offensive operations by North Korean actors," Charles Carmakal, vice president at Mandiant Consulting, a subsidiary of cybersecurty firm FireEye, told VOA. "There are multiple intrusions discovered this year and some of them are ongoing."

Theresa Payton, CEO of leading security firm Fortalice Solutions, who served as chief information officer for the White House under former President George W. Bush, said the North Koreans are not simply after money.

"This is an opportunity for them to flex their muscle and to say, 'If you think you're going to take our nukes, and if you think you're going to put us under economic sanctions, we just want you to know this is a weapon and we're not afraid to use it,' " Payton told VOA.

Among the multiple North Korean hackers tracked this year by FireEye is a group known as Lazarus, which was responsible for an $81 million cybertheft from the Bangladesh Central Bank in 2016.

"The Lazarus group, which is the more destructive of the threat actors that operate in North Korea, tends to go after financial institutions that have large volumes of money that could be robbed," Carmakal said.

The institutions being targeted by the North Korean hackers are based in Latin America and Asia, he said, declining to name them or the countries from which they operate.

North Korea's long-term plan "is to generate wealth by stealing it from other organizations across the globe," Carmakal said, estimating Pyongyang's cybercrime revenue in the range of tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars.

In recent years, U.S. officials have singled out North Korea among countries that pose growing cyberthreats to the United States. In its annual Worldwide Threat Assessment report released in February, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Russia, China, Iran and North Korea "will pose the greatest cyberthreats to the United States during the next year."

"We expect the heavily sanctioned North Korea to use cyberoperations to raise funds and to gather intelligence or launch attacks on South Korea and the United States," the agency said.

North Korean hackers have been active for a number of years, but not all their attacks are aimed at financial institutions.

In 2014, suspected North Korean hackers launched a massive attack on Sony Pictures in retaliation for releasing a movie that depicted a fictional assassination plot on Kim.

In 2017, North Korea unleashed the ransomware known as WannaCry that disrupted businesses and government services around the world, including England's National Health Service.

Earlier this week, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released an alert about a series of alleged North Korean cyberattacks that date to at least 2009.

In addition to sanctions aimed at Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs, the U.S. has imposed a limited set of restrictions on North Korean persons and entities in involved in cyberattacks such as the Sony hack.

Still, Payton, the former White House chief information officer, said the lack of a vigorous and concerted response to North Korea's brazen cyberattacks has only emboldened Pyongyang.

"They have everything to win, nothing to lose, by continuing to show, 'This is something we've developed, we're very skilled at this and we're not afraid to use it, if we're unhappy,' " she said.
As a new caretaker government assumes control in Pakistan and the country prepares for general elections in July, Pakistan's Election Commission (ECP) this week held a session in Islamabad with representatives of major political parties in which party representatives urged the commission to bar militant-turned-political parties from participating in the election.

Zahid Khan, a leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and former senator, told VOA that ECP officials and party representatives, in their meeting Thursday, also discussed measures taken to prevent vote rigging and the importance of conducting timely elections across the country.

One of our main concerns, on what all the political parties had a consensus, was the measures taken by ECP to bar the militant-turned-political parties to participate in upcoming elections, Khan said.

We categorically told the Election Commission it is their duty to stop such elements from entering the political arena. It is against the constitution and the National Action Plan, he added.

The National Action Plan is a 20-point strategy adopted in 2015 to combat terrorism. The plan states that no banned groups can operate in the country by changing names or identity.

The current parliament completed its five-year term on Thursday, and a caretaker government has taken over until the July 25 election, which will determine the ruling party and the next government.

Banned groups

The electoral body said it was vigilant and aware of the concerns expressed by political parties and would not allow any banned group to participate in the elections.

"The Election Commission works according to the law and constitution of the country, commission spokesperson Altaf Ahmad told VOA.

One example is the Milli Muslim League, a party with alleged ties to a banned militant group, was not allowed to be registered once the government and intelligence agencies lodged their concerns about MML to ECP, Ahmad added.

Milli Muslim League, a political party established last year, is linked to Hafiz Saeed, a Pakistan-based, U.S.-designated global terrorist and leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Last year, the government of Pakistan wrote a letter to the Election Commission, declaring that Milli Muslim League was a front organization for Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a U.S.-designated terror organization with links to Saeed.

MML and its leadership were declared terrorists by the U.S. State Department in April this year.

Some analysts, like Rasul Baksh Raees, a Lahore-based security expert, believe that while the decision to disqualify MML from participating in general elections is laudable, many other hardline radical groups are registered with ECP under new names and identities.

"The point of concern is the registration of extremist political parties, such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat, who are contesting these elections. The National Action Plan clearly instructs the government to take measures to bar religious extremist parties, Raees told VOA.

Mumtaz Qadri

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, or TLP, is a political party that was established last year. Its members say they want to continue the legacy of Mumtaz Qadri, a bodyguard of Salman Taseer, Punjabs governor, who killed the governor in 2011 after Taseer demanded changes to the countrys controversial blasphemy law.

Qadri was hanged by the state in 2016, but his grave has turned into a shrine for those who admire his stance on Pakistans blasphemy law.

TLP is aiming to field its contestants in the upcoming elections.

Similarly, Alh-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ), a banned group, is reportedly planning to run for seats as independent candidates and through the platform of Pakistan Rah-i-Haq Party (PRP).

ASWJ is the political front for Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a radical group that is blamed for deadly attacks against the countrys minority Shiite Muslims.

Both SSP and ASWJ have been placed on Pakistans terror watch list.

Another banned group, Tehreek-i-Jafria Pakistan (TJP), a Shiite Muslim sectarian religious organization, is registered with the ECP under the name of Islami Tehreek Pakistan (ITP) and is also considering running for seats in next months elections.

TJP also goes by other names, including Tehreek-e-Islami (TEI) and Tehreek-e-Fiqah-e-Jafria (TFJ).

Growing concerns

The mainstreaming of several banned militant groups in Pakistan has raised concerns and led some analysts to question the governments willingness to hold such groups accountable and ban them from politics.

The emergence of hardliner political parties is alarming. But what is more alarming is: What measures are the government and ECP taking to stop this from happening? Raees asked.

The Election Commission officials say that declaring groups as banned or free is not their duty. The countrys law enforcement authorities have made that determination.

It is not our duty to declare any group or party as a proscribed outfit. This duty lies with the Interior Ministry and government of Pakistan, ECP spokesperson Ahmad said. ECP makes sure the legal procedures and requirements are fulfilled, and only after that it allows the parties to register with the national electoral body.
For Muslims, the month of Ramadan is a time for self-reflection and prayer  and fasting from sunrise to sunset. After sunset, families and friends enjoy a meal called Iftar. At a mosque in Virginia, outside Washington, people of various faiths came to Iftar one evening and to join Muslims in prayer. VOA's Deborah Block has the story.
Government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir fired shotgun pellets and tear gas at hundreds of mourners Saturday during a funeral march for a man killed when he was run over by a paramilitary vehicle during a protest.



The angry mourners were marching with the man's body to a graveyard in Srinagar on Saturday when police and soldiers used force to stop them. Police said the marchers were defying a government order that bans assembly of more than four people in the city.



Residents said youths from the funeral regrouped in the winding streets of the city's downtown and threw stones at troops while chanting slogans in favor of rebels and demanding an end to Indian rule over disputed region. Fierce clashes broke out in several places in the city.



Police later took the custody of the body and said they would allow only a handful of relatives to take the body for burial in the city's main martyr's graveyard where hundreds of rebels and civilians killed since the start of an anti-India armed rebellion are buried.



When hundreds of residents showed up, witnesses said police again fired tear gas into the mourners. That set off pitched battles between residents and government forces. At least a dozen people were injured in the day's clashes.



The man was critically injured Friday and died overnight in a hospital after a paramilitary armored vehicle crushed at least two men during an anti-India protest.



Armed police and paramilitary soldiers laid razor wire and steel barricades at roads and enforced a curfew in old parts of Srinagar to restrict participation in the funeral. Authorities cut mobile internet services in Srinagar, and reduced connection speeds in other parts of the Kashmir Valley, a common government practice to prevent anti-India demonstrations from being organized.



Shops, businesses and schools remained closed in the region Saturday as separatists had already called for a strike to protest Indian rule.



Friday's incident was the second of its kind in recent weeks. Last month, a young man was killed when a when a police armored vehicle ran over him during clashes with government forces in Srinagar.



Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan territory divided between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan but claimed by both in its entirety. In recent years, the Indian-controlled portion has seen renewed rebel attacks and repeated public protests against Indian rule.



Residents said the armored vehicle in Friday's incident drove wildly into a crowd of anti-India protesters, slamming into a half-dozen people and crushing at least two men beneath its wheels, injuring them critically.



An Associated Press photographer captured the horror in a series of photographs of the other injured man, who doctors say is still in critical condition.



Indian officials blamed the protesters and said the crowd was trying to drag the soldiers from their vehicle. Police, however, said the incident was a mistake by the nervous driver and on Saturday registered a case against him for "rash and negligent driving."



Police also said they were registering cases of attempted murder against an unspecified number of protesters who attacked the vehicle.
White House officials are making plans for a possible summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The report, citing a senior administration official, said U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, has been in Washington to help schedule the meeting.

"This has been an ongoing project of Ambassador Huntsman, stretching back months, of getting a formal meeting between Putin and Trump," the official said.

People familiar with the plans said the purpose of the summit would be to address long-standing differences between the two countries.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election with the intent of helping Trump win. The findings have led to a special counsel investigation into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia. Trump has denied any collusion.

The U.S. also has denounced Russia's alliance with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has expressed opposition to Moscow's military intervention in eastern Ukraine.

Tensions between Washington and Moscow escalated in March when the U.S. and dozens of other nations ordered Russian diplomats to leave their countries after a former Russian spy and his daughter were poisoned in the United Kingdom with a military-grade nerve agent. Russia has denied responsibility and has accused the U.S. of coordinating an extortion plan.

Regarding the potential summit, the official said a lot of planning still must be done, including setting a date and location.

If the summit does take place, it would be the third meeting between the two leaders. They met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit last July in Hamburg, Germany, and in November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam.

Trump currently is focusing on a planned June 12 summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The senior administration official said if negotiations with North Korea continue, plans for the summit with Russia will be delayed.

Trump has said a number of times he would like to improve relations with Russia.
Puerto Rico, the U.S. territory devastated last year by Hurricane Maria, is facing the start of this year's hurricane season with controversy over how to help the island's struggling school system, as thousands of students emigrate to the mainland with their families.

The New York Times reported Saturday that Puerto Rico plans to shutter 265 schools in addition to the 167 that were closed last year in the face of the island's deep financial problems and battered infrastructure.

A sharp drop in enrollment is driving the school closures, officials say, following the island's slow recovery from the storm. Standardized tests have also revealed that only 10 percent of Puerto Rico's seventh-, eighth- and 11th-graders achieved proficiency in mathematics last year. Officials say only about 49 percent of students in Puerto Rico achieved proficiency in Spanish last year.

Julie Keleher, appointed in 2017 by Governor Ricardo Rossello to save the school system, told the Times that a new law that allows charter schools in Puerto Rico  independently run, publicly funded schools parents can choose over standard public schools  will help students get the education they need, as well as give raises of $1,500 to teachers. But opponents say the charter school plan, which is used elsewhere in the United States, will drain traditional public schools of gravely needed funds.

Threat to neighborhoods

With the island still struggling to restore power and clean water to some communities, opponents of the plan say closing local schools will further break down their neighborhoods. Opponents of the school closures have asked the U.S. Congress, which makes decisions on federal allocation of funds to Puerto Rico, to ensure that the new charter schools do not receive any of the $589 million in federal hurricane assistance that was set aside to help public schools.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit Puerto Rico in September last year, in what became one of the island's worst natural disasters, sparking an exodus to the mainland that is expected to continue.

The report quotes U.S. Department of Education statistics as saying enrollment in Puerto Rican schools has dropped by 38,700 since May 2017. It says the island's current 319,000-student enrollment is expected to fall to 312,000 in the upcoming school year and to about 292,000 by 2021.
Gunmen shot dead six traffic police in the central Mexican city of Salamanca on Friday, authorities said, one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent months.

The six were carrying out routine checks when they were killed, Guillermo Maldonado, a senior Salamanca city official, said in a video broadcast on Mexican television.

The motive for the daylight attack was not clear.

Broadcaster Televisa said at least three gunmen in a white vehicle opened fire on the unarmed victims, then fled the scene.

Homicides reached record levels last year in Mexico, and have climbed further this year, official data show.

Salamanca is home to one of state oil firm Pemexs six refineries, which have been plagued by rising fuel theft and violence between rival criminal gangs.

Separately, the newspaper Reforma and broadcaster Milenio said that five people had been shot dead in the municipality of Leonardo Bravo in the violent southwestern state of Guerrero, according to state security spokesman Roberto Alvarez.

Reforma said the five were all members of one family.

Authorities in the state could not immediately be reached for comment.
Syria's foreign minister said Saturday Iranian military advisers are embedded with Syrian troops but Tehran has no combat forces or fixed bases in the country.



Walid al-Moallem's comments came amid rising tension in the region as Israel has repeatedly warned against any permanent Iranian military presence in Syria. Al-Moallem said Israel is making false claims to try and pressure Iran, its archrival.



In May, Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes in response to what it said was an Iranian rocket attack on its positions in the occupied Golan Heights. It was the most serious confrontation between Israel and Iran to date.



Scores of Iranian soldiers have been killed in battles with insurgents in Syria, including a number of officers. Several others were also killed in the past few months in airstrikes said to be carried by Israel.



Iran has repeatedly said in the past that it only has advisers in Syria but thousands of Iran-backed groups from Lebanon, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan have played instrumental role in helping government forces regain control of areas held by insurgents. Those areas include eastern neighborhoods of the northern city of Aleppo, the eastern province of Deir el-Zour and parts of Idlib and Hama provinces to the west.



On April 9, an airstrike struck the T4 air base in central Syria reportedly targeting a unit of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard Crops and killing several Iranians, including a colonel who was a commander of the guards Aerospace Force. Russia blamed Israel for the attack.



"There are Iranian advisers in Syria some of whom were martyred while working with the Syrian Arab army and their presence is part of an agreement and in coordination with the armed forces on where they should be," al-Moallem said. "There are no fixed military bases for the Islamic Republic of Iran and what Israel is circulating are lies."



"When the conspiracy against Syria began in 2011 our brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran came to help Syria in fighting terrorism," al-Moallem said adding that the Syrian people are "grateful" for this help from Iran.



"As long as there is war on terrorism, Syria as a sovereign state will cooperate with whoever it wants in fighting terrorism," he said.



Al-Moallem denied reports that an agreement was reached between regional and other powers over the situation of southwestern Syria where the country's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights are located.



On Friday, Russia's ambassador to the U.N. Vasily Nebenzia said he heard from the news that an agreement was reached on "certain disengagement in the southwest of Syria and, I think, my understanding is that an agreement has been reached."



However, asked about Nebenzia's comments al-Moallem said no agreement has been reached for southern Syria, adding that Damascus is not currently involved in any negotiations over the area.



Al-Moallem said that only when U.S. troops withdraw from the Tanf area near the Jordanian border can an agreement be discussed. The U.S. has military advisers based in Tanf.



"The US troops should withdraw from Syria and Syrian sovereignty over the Tanf area is undoubted," he said.



Earlier this week, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Syrian troops should be positioned on the border with the Golan Heights, which have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Mideast war. The area between the southern province of Daraa and the Golan Heights has emerged as a flashpoint in a wider standoff between Israel and Iran, and the United States has warned it will take action to protect a cease-fire there.



In Tehran, Ali Shamkhani secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council told the pro-reform Shargh daily that Iran has no presence in southern of Syria but supports Damascus' efforts to regain control over the area.



"Iranian military advisers have no presence in southern area of Syria and have had no role in operations there," Shamkhani was quoted as saying. "We strongly support Russia's effort for removing terrorists from Syria-Jordan border and restoring Syrian army control over the region."



The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported on Thursday that Iranian troops and members of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group are getting ready to withdraw from southern Syria.



A Syria-based official with the Iran-led axis of resistance denied the report.



Al-Moallem reiterated the government's position that it aims to regain control of the whole country.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday met for 80 minutes in the Oval Office with a general he described as the second most powerful man in North Korea. Afterward, Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn that the June 12 summit in Singapore between him and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, was back on.

This is what President Trump told the media about their Oval Office Meeting.

President Trump: Well be meeting on June 12 in Singapore. It went very well. Its really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation. Mike has spent two days doing this. Weve gotten to know their people very well. And we will  you people are going to have to travel because youll going to be in Singapore on June 12. And I think itll be a process. Its not  I never said it goes in one meeting. I think its going to be a process. But the relationships are building, and thats a very positive thing.

Question: You appeared to question their sincerity in your letter to Kim Jong Un last week. Have they gone far enough now, are they sincere?

President Trump: Well, dont forget, my letter was a response to their letter. The media forgot that, you know. The media said, Oh, you had a meeting and then you canceled. I didnt cancel the meeting. I canceled it in response to a very tough statement, and I think were over that, totally over that. And now were going to deal, and were really going to start a process. Were meeting with the chairman on June 12, and I think its going to be a very successful, ultimately a successful process. Well see. Remember what I say, we will see what we will see. But I think its going to be a process that we deserve to have, I mean we really deserve to have. They want it, we think its important, and I think we would be making a big mistake if we didnt have it. I think were going to have a relationship, and itll start on June 12.

Question: Do you believe Kim is committed to denuclearization?

President Trump: Yeah, I do think so. Hed like to see it happen. He wants to be careful, he wants to be, you know, hes not going to run and do things, but I told him look, to be honest with you, we have sanctions on, theyre very powerful sanctions. We would not take sanctions off unless they do that, but the sanctions are very powerful. Youve seen how powerful. In other ways, youre going to see how powerful sanctions are when it comes to Iran. You see what thats doing to Iran. So we have sanctions on, and at a certain point, Ill tell you what, I look forward to the day when I can take the sanctions off of North Korea.

Question: Yesterday you were concerned about the meeting Lavrov was having with Kim Jong Un.

President Trump: I didnt like it.

Question: Where are you on that today?

President Trump: I didnt like it, but it could be very positive, too. I didnt like the Russian meeting yesterday. I said Whats the purpose of that? But it could be a positive meeting. If its a positive meeting, I love it. If its a negative meeting, Im not happy, and it could very well be a positive meeting.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is heading to Washington to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The two-day visit starting Sunday seeks to resolve bilateral tensions between the NATO allies.

Topping the agenda will be Washington's support of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in its war against the Islamic State group. Ankara calls the YPG terrorists, accusing the militia of being linked to a Kurdish insurgency inside Turkey.

"[The United States] has preferred to collaborate with a terrorist organization in Syria. That was a grave mistake, and we are trying to change their position," Cavusoglu said Saturday.

The foreign minister went on to warn Washington of how high the stakes have become. "Nobody wants to lose such an ally [Turkey]," he said. "And if one does, it will damage them [the U.S.], not us. We are not without options or alternatives, and we don't need anyone else."

Ties to Russia

Analysts say what Cavusolgu means by alternatives is Russia. To Washington's alarm, as relations have plummeted with its NATO ally, Ankara has been deepening its ties with Moscow.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Cavusoglu's talks in Washington would focus on a "road map" for the Syrian town of Manbij.

Manbij has become the epicenter of Turkish-U.S. tensions. The town was seized by mainly YPG forces with U.S. backing from Islamic State. Ankara claims Washington reneged on an agreement that the militia would withdraw after taking Manbij.

The tensions over Manbij have threatened to turn into a confrontation. U.S. Special Forces are working with the Kurdish militia in Manbij, while Ankara has repeatedly warned it was ready to use force to oust the YPG.

However, analysts suggest there is cause for cautious optimism. "I see that there is a common understanding when it comes to Manbij," said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who served in Iraq and Washington.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry is claiming a deal has been reached, but the State Department says talks are continuing.

Analysts suggest Washington's caution is because any deal over Manbij is likely to be tied to resolving other differences. "It will be a whole package," Selcen said.

Iranian influence

Iran is expected to be a crucial part of talks between Cavusoglu and Pompeo. Given Turkey's growing military presence in northern Syria, including the critical Idlib province, some analysts suggest Ankara could be vital to Washington's efforts to curtail Iran's influence.

Ankara is likely to be wary of Washington's effort to confront Iran in Syria. "Iran is an important player, and Iran's contribution is needed if some normalcy is to return to Syria," said Sinan Ulgen, head of the Istanbul-based Edam research organization. "So Turkey does not want Iran to be pushed into a corner, into a much more confrontational environment that is generally seen as an unwanted scenario for the region."

However, Washington does have considerable leverage over Ankara. "Turkey will be cornered," political scientist Cengiz Aktar said. "The United States has a very big stick in its hands with the Halkbank case."

The Turkish state-owned Halkbank is facing a potential multibillion-dollar fine from U.S. regulatory authorities after a New York court convicted one of its senior employees of violating American sanctions on Iran. Analysts warn a substantial penalty could threaten Turkey's fragile financial system.

However, Pompeo could have other objectives. "There is Pastor Brunson, the purchase of S-400 missiles, so I am not of the opinion the U.S. will try to wring the arm of Turkey against Iran, to try to involve Turkey in direct military action against Iran," said Selcen.

During his talks with Cavusoglu, Pompeo is likely to push for the release of U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson, jailed for 18 months and on trial on terrorism charges. The case has been condemned as baseless by U.S. President Donald Trump. Ankara insists it's a matter for the courts.

Alleged support for Gulen

Among the charges faced by Brunson is supporting the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for 2016 failed coup. Cavusoglu is expected to press Pompeo for the extradition of Gulen.

Pompeo also is likely to raise Ankara's purchase of a Russia's S-400 missiles, deemed by NATO as a security threat to its military systems. Analysts suggest a compromise could be in the offing whereby the missile system is isolated from NATO equipment.

Observers point out despite the continual anti-U.S. rhetoric by Turkey's political leaders, cooperation with the U.S., especially in intelligence, is continuing. That rhetoric heated up last month when the Turkish interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, accused the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, John Bass, of being behind a surge in Afghan refugees and narcotics smuggling into Turkey.

"To my mind, the U.S. is ready to live with that anti-American rhetoric, as they have other priorities in the region. They see rightly that Turkey is an indispensable partner to do business [with] in the region. But the relations between U.S. and Turkey are transactional. It is not realistic to talk about strategic partnership," Selcen said.
The United States has vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft resolution seeking protections for Palestinian civilians, while a U.S.-drafted text that blamed the Palestinian militant group Hamas for the recent surge in violence also failed.

The United States was isolated in Fridays vote on its draft, casting the only vote in favor. Bolivia, Kuwait and Russia voted against it, while the 11 other council members abstained.

Kuwaits proposed resolution had enough support to be adopted, but was blocked by the U.S. veto.

With its votes today, the U.N. Security Council majority showed that it was willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas, for violence in Gaza, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a written statement after the double vote. Further proof was not needed, but it is now completely clear that the U.N. is hopelessly biased against Israel. The United States will not allow such bias, which is why we did not hesitate to cast our veto.

This was the second time the Trump administration had used its veto to block a measure in the council it saw as anti-Israel. The first was in December, when the U.S. was isolated 14-1 in a vote calling for the withdrawal of the Trump administrations recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Diplomatic drama

Two weeks ago, Kuwait circulated a draft resolution condemning the recent surge in violence along the border fence separating the Gaza Strip and Israel that has killed more than 120 Palestinians since March. Its text deplored Israel for using excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force against Palestinian civilians. It also deplored the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel, but it did not name Hamas and allied militants for conducting the launches.

The Kuwaiti draft also called for an immediate, durable, and fully respected cease-fire as well as asking U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to report on an international protection mechanism for Gaza.

We deplore that the council failed to adopt the draft resolution, said Kuwaiti Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi. He said the recent violence proved that the Palestinians were in dire need of protection. He later told reporters that the bloc of Arab countries would consider going to the General Assembly and other U.N. bodies to try to find a way to get it.

The United States was not happy with the Kuwaiti draft and put forward 31 amendments to it on Thursday, which would have substantially altered its substance.

On Friday, council members asked the U.S. to resubmit its amendments as a proper draft resolution. That was the text that had support from only the United States.

Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour expressed disappointment that the Kuwaiti draft was not adopted, but noted what many observers were saying about the U.S. draft  that this was the first time anyone could remember a council member putting forward a resolution that got only one vote in favor.

If that is not the epic of complete failure, I want you to tell me what is failure in the Security Council, Mansour said. 

Israel's ambassador questioned why the Kuwaiti draft mentioned Israel by name five times but did not mention Hamas once.

Don't you know how to spell it? Danny Danon asked council members.

The U.N. has warned that the latest violence between Israelis and Palestinians is the most serious escalation since the 2014 conflict between Hamas and Israel.
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Zimbabwe Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo and European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe Philippe Van Damme, last week signed a memorandum of understanding for the Election Observation Mission. Both said the MOU helps establish confidence in the July 30th Harmonized Election process.
One on One with Joe Korkowski, as heard Saturdays on KXRA-1490AM (@7:40am) and KXRA-92.3FM (@8:00am), as well as each Sunday morning on KXRZ Z99.3fm (@10:15am).

The interview is also re-broadcast on Monday mornings on KX92 at 10:00am and on Z99 at 9:10am.
Murray presented an emergency plan to Perry in March 2017, days after Perry became energy secretary. Murray and Jones met Trump together in August 2017 to appeal for aid to prevent a FirstEnergy subsidiary from filing for bankruptcy, which it did anyway in early April. FirstEnergys highly paid lobbyist Jeff Miller was Perrys campaign manager when he ran for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, and Trump dined with Miller and a small number of other reelection strategists that week.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the jobs report on the first Friday of each month at 8:30 a.m. The information is protected so carefully that the chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers receives it only the afternoon or evening before its release. In the Trump administration, it is the director of the NEC who often shares the data with the president. In past administrations, that task was often performed by the CEA chairman, who is seen as less political.
With a continuously improving performance by Christian Fromm, Germany beat China 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-21) in Lodz on Friday to register their first victory in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.Fromm delivered as many as 19 points to top the charts for Germany. Simon Hirsch kept him good company on the scoreboard with 13 points, including four stuff blocks, one ace and the successful hit that ended it all in the fourth set.Two more German players went into the double digits. Marcus Boehme and Tobias Krick finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively.Chinas Chuan Jiang was the best scorer of the match. He added 24 points to his tally, but his efforts alone were not enough for winning more than one set.With many Polish fans enjoying themselves on the stands at the Atlas Arena, China came from behind to win the first set, but Germany reacted by winning the next three and the match, putting both teams at a 1-3 win-loss record in the bottom half of the current VNL standings.Hammering the ball at 120 km/h, Jiang got a four-point Chinese run underway in the first set. Libin Liu chipped in with a couple of aces, sandwitching in between another Jiang hit that squeezed the ball between the block and the net, to give China a 12-10 lead and never look back through the end of the set.But Fromm had just warmed up with a couple of points in this first set and was ready to explode in the next three. He started the second set with a fantastic back row hit to give Germany the early lead and finished the set with a brilliant cross-court spike to level the match.Hammering one point after another, Fromm really took the leading role on the squad from the third set on. At 9-9 in the fourth, he scored from the serving line to reverse a short-lived Chinese lead, and followed soon after with a 101.7 km/h pipe shot. Moments later, he showed his gentle side, elegantly tipping the ball over the block for the next German break point. China never recovered from this blow, while Germany celebrated victorious.
Are you searching for the best venues in Mystic CT, Groton CT, and Stonington CT for your corporate event, corporate parties, or family reunion? Rentit CT can perfectly help.

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Families are the one constant in life that you should always look to for support, love and happiness. These days, life can get too hectic to really enjoy family  whether they live across the country, or just across the street. Family reunions are the best way to gather everyone in one place in order to catch up and renew close relations. Connecticut is host to so many venues ideal for family reunions, and Rentit CT can help you find the perfect place for your family.

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Company Name: Groton Connecticut

Contact Person: Steven Michael

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Phone: 860.415.0340

Address:http://rentitllc.com/

City: Groton

State: Connecticut

Country: United States

Website: http://rentitllc.com/
In Ocean City, the beach is designed to be at an elevation of seven feet above what is known as mean high water, and 100 feet wide before sloping into the ocean, said Chris Gardner, a spokesman for the Corps of Engineers Baltimore district office. Since the early 1990s, he said, it has been engineered with a 14.5-foot steel bulkhead from Fourth Street to 27th Street and a system of dunes from there north to the Delaware state line.
She said officers gathered up the fliers Thursday in a racially diverse neighborhood just outside downtown Frederick. The fliers had been placed in clear, plastic bags weighted down with birdseed and left on residents driveways. Police sent a group email to neighborhood residents asking if anyone had seen anything suspicious or might have useful surveillance camera footage.
Police went to the 6200 block of Maxwell Drive in Camp Springs, Md., about 12:50 a.m. after a shooting was reported. When they arrived, police said, they found two men, both with gunshot wounds to the upper body, in the parking lot of an apartment complex.
Under the plan, 35 full-time faculty positions would be eliminated through retirements, resignations and other means to save about $3.5 million a year. That represents a 9 percent reduction from the current level of 379 faculty members. The administration said the reductions are virtually complete and have been accomplished through voluntary departures. Critics had wondered whether the university would try to fire or lay off tenured professors, but university officials said they were trying to avoid that.
The passage of the No Child Left Behind law nearly two decades ago sparked the rise of a culture of standardized testing and narrowed the focus of instruction to math and reading, shortchanging other subjects. It vastly expanded the governments role in public-school classrooms to the dismay of teachers, some of whom are evaluated on how their students perform. Frustration with that law lingers, even though key components were rolled back by the Every Student Succeeds Act, which was signed into law in 2015.
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Ms. Graves was born in Charles City, Va., and moved to Reston in the mid-1980s. After retiring from IBM, she was executive director of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Womens Clubs. In 2013, she was elected to the Reston Associations board of directors and became president. She was also chief of staff in the early 2000s for Cathy Hudgins, who represents the Hunter Mill District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
On Friday night, White complained that the increased efforts to drive down crime had led to abuses by police. He posted two videos on Facebook documenting what he described as a random stop of two young men by officers in the Southwest part of Ward 8. White said that police detained the men without cause for two hours and told them they could be freed if they called somebody to give up a weapon.
SolTech Inc, a solar energy firm has announced plans to allocate and invest up to 2 billion dollars for a new solar energy farm in western Maricopa county, near Tonopah, Arizona where Bill Gates is building a new smart city.

This new initiative by this relatively new company will look to purchase up to 3,000 acres that will be used for solar energy generation.

Arizona is definitely the place to be in Tech right now. Our hope is to get approval to build in this unincorporated area of Maricopa County by this time next year. Our developmental plans began years ago, before the announced new smart city. It came to our amusement when we became aware of BillGates ambitious plans in Arizona says David McNeill, CEO of SolTech Inc. We hope to be an energy provider to the new proposed development, however, our focus is to supply our California partners with clean renewable energy.

SolTech Inc, a rising contender in renewable energy will be hosting a summit in Phoenix, AZ to announce their timelines, strategy, and investor notes, late this summer or early fall. SolTech Inc invites anyone to this summit. Location and details to follow soon.

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Address:7275 N. Scottsdale Rd #1021

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Website: www.soltech.com
While the law does not take effect until July 1, officials began the process of reducing alternates roles at the May 24 board meeting. There were no name tags for them at the board table, nor seats designated for them. Some sat in a section of the boardroom usually occupied by agency staff; one sat where members of the public sit while they wait to testify before the board; others sat in the back with the rest of the audience.
Im not built for Congress, Stanley said on the radio. I want to do something. I dont want to be one of 435. Im either going to be the next attorney general or governor because we need to take those state offices back.
The time has come to end the scourge of illegal aliens who are preying on law-abiding United States citizens here in Fairfax County, Stewart said during a rally in front of the Fairfax County Detention Center that was attended by about 50 supporters. We are going to take Fairfax back and we are going to destroy MS-13.
Paul Lanctot, an organizer with the L.A. Tenants Union, said rent strikes and protests are sometimes necessary to prevent unfair rent hikes or evictions, and to prod landlords to properly maintain their buildings. Kims buildings, Lanctot says, are laden with mold and crawling with cockroaches. An elevator has been broken for six months, he adds, even though a disabled tenant lives on the third floor. Lanctot also charges that the Kims want to convert the dwellings into student housing because they just want to rent to a different class of people and a different race of people.
UPDATE: 6/5/2018 7:55 p.m.

SHASTA LAKE CITY, Calif.The name of the woman struck and killed at an ATM machine in the City of Shasta Lake was released Tuesday.

The coroners office identified her as 79 year old Bonnie Lou Tibbitts of the City of Shasta Lake.

Authorities from the Shasta County Sheriffs Office say a 58 year old Redding woman told them she accidentally hit the gas when trying to park her truck outside the Tri Counties Bank Friday morning.

Tibbits was taken to a Redding hospital where she died.

The investigation in ongoing at this time.

______________________________________________

SHASTA LAKE CITY, Calif.Deputies from the Shasta County Sheriffs Office, Shasta Lake City Division were dispatched to Tri Counties Bank on Shasta Dam Boulevard for a car that struck the building around 11 a.m. Friday morning.

When deputies arrived they contacted the driver of the car and learned that a pedestrian was hit as well.

The driver was identified as Deborah Beaupre, 58 years old of Redding.

Medical personnel arrived on scene and transported the pedestrian to Mercy Medical Center where she later died as a result of the collision.

The pedestrians name is not being released at this time, pending family notification.

During the investigation deputies learned that Beaupre was parking her car into a parking stall.

Beaupre accidentally accelerated, and then struck the walk up ATM on the east side of the bank.

Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be the cause of the accident.

The collision caused damage to the east side of Tri Counties Bank building.

The bank is still open and is requesting customers to use the entrance on the west side of the building.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the Sheriffs Office is requesting any witnesses who saw the collision to contact them at 245-6540.

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American killed in Nicaragua violence: Nicaraguan authorities say a U.S. citizen has been killed in the streets of Managua as violence and social unrest continue to grip the capital. The Legal Medical Institute said Sixto Henry Vera was found beside two burned out vehicles with a bullet wound to the head. Employees at the Managua bar that Vera owned say he left Friday evening to help a friend who was under attack. The U.S. Embassy confirmed that Vera was a U.S. citizen. More than 110 people have been killed in Nicaragua during clashes between forces loyal to President Daniel Ortega and opposition groups.
The hashtag #LivingWhileBlack speaks to the breadth and depth of embedded racism in the country. We can use it. Take to Twitter to let other folks of color know they are not alone. Use social media through personal accounts to unmask the magnitude of racism in the workplace, in social life and where we pray. Cite chapter and verse, and name names.
Lets not be deceived: The racial wedge Trump has driven through the United States cleaves us deeper all the time. It has been shown in innumerable studies and regression analyses that the main predictor of support for Trump is racial anxiety  far more than economic anxiety. Thats why Trumps base remains rock-solid behind him even as the tax cut, in the first quarter, contributed to an 8 percent increase in corporate earnings but only a 1 percent increase in consumer spending  the lowest increase in five years  and even though coal jobs are disappearing faster than before, wages remain stuck and the promised return of manufacturing hasnt happened.
The two instructors at IASCO flight school in Redding are back on the job after being arrested, accused of kidnaping student Tianshu Shi.

Attorney John Runfola said his client Jonathan McConkey and IASCO employee Kelsie Hoser are innocent and that the incident was not a kidnaping because there were no weapons or restraints involved.

He said Mr. Shi was picked up at his home and transported in an unlocked van driven by Hoser who weighs about 90 pounds.

It certainly doesn't sound like a kidnaping to me, Runfola said. And I'm hopeful that it won't sound like a kidnaping to a jury or law enforcement.

Runfola said he has documents that show Shi's visa had expired May 25 and that McConkey and Hoser were simply trying to send him home because he was no longer enrolled in the training program at the flight school.

But this isn't the first time the school has faced charges of wrongdoing.

IASCO is also battling an unrelated civil lawsuit filed in a Sacramento federal court last year by a former IASCO certified flight instructor.

CLICK HERE to read the complaint.

The lawsuit alleges the school violated FAA rules by forcing instructors to work long hours and teach students who "lacked the ability to read, speak, write and understand the English language."

The school also had other civil suits filed in Shasta County that were settled out of court going back as early as 1992.

Runfola said he has documents that Homeland Security already had an order for Shi to be removed from the country and what his client did was more akin to a citizen's arrest

There's just such hysteria that when government is not responding, Runfola said. People are stepping in to fill the gap

He said he's confident his client will be exonerated once he submits the documents he has in his possession.

What I'm more hopeful of is that the district attorney's office and that local law enforcement will sort through the documents I'll be sending and see that it's more than a three-minute audio, Runfola said.

Shi was unavailable for comment.

A person close to him said he's not wanting to speak out at this time.

McConkey and Hoser are scheduled to appear in Shasta County Court June 29.
It is crucial to note that forgiveness doesnt preclude accountability: Its possible (and probably preferable) someone can both make restitution for their wrong and be forgiven. In Barrs case, for instance, stepping away from her public role makes sense, given the egregiousness of her tweet  which doesnt have to mean that shell be persona non grata forever or that shell never work again. Its the total absence of forgiveness from our cultural logic that makes any penalties whatsoever feel terminal, which feeds this toxic habit of ours. It doesnt have to be like this, but neither can the decision to change it be left up to someone else. What would it take for you to forgive whichever of these two women who has offended you more? Not just to ignore them or release them into the icy waters of vague contempt  but to wish them well, or well enough, and perhaps one day give them a chance to make you laugh?
California, a state that long has had a reformist bent, has been on a quest for the ideal system for nominating candidates, one that would put the decision in the most hands possible. Two decades ago, through another ballot initiative, voters eliminated closed primaries (open only to members of the specified party) and replaced them with what were called blanket primaries. In those primaries, all candidates were listed on the same ballot and voters could decide whom to support. But unlike todays open primary, the top vote-getter from each party advanced to the general election.
The arguments parallel those that the presidents attorneys have pressed publicly for months, even as quiet negotiations over whether Trump might agree to sit voluntarily for an interview have continued. They help underscore the legal battle now underway between the White House and the special counsel. Should Mueller seek to compel Trumps testimony with a subpoena, the arguments advanced in the letter could ultimately form the basis of a courtroom battle that would probably reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump critics call his approach to foreign policy inconsistent and naive, handing his rivals unintended victories by allowing his instincts to undermine his own administrations strategy. On Friday, Trump said that, in the spirit of the diplomatic talks, he would no longer use the phrase maximum pressure to describe the administrations policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation  even as his aides have vowed to keep the pressure on.
I am optimistic about Abiy; this measure is really encouraging, even though it should have been lifted earlier, said Atnafu Berhane, a blogger who spent years in jail for his writings, was released and then detained briefly under the state of emergency. Once again he did the right thing; its a good sign.
The aid community has gone into overdrive since the Wanza brothers revelation in early May, which helped alert the national government to the outbreak. Medical organizations are using every strategy available, including an experimental vaccine cleared by the WHO for compassionate use. It was administered in the waning days of the West African epidemic, but this is its first deployment in the critical early stages of an outbreak. Hundreds have received the vaccine and there are supplies for thousands more.
The South Korean reaction is also notable for what it leaves out. South Korea has been cautious not to set clear expectations for the planned June 12 summit in Singapore between Trump and Kim. There are too many potential pitfalls, chiefly how far the North is willing to make concessions over its nuclear program in exchange for a possible easing of economic sanctions and other incentives from the United States and its allies, such as South Korea.
What they hadnt counted on was the ferocity of the public reaction to Regans evidence. The heat started rising for Brenner when the questioning began to home in on an investigation which AMP had asked law firm Clayton Utz to carry out in 2017, probing the history of the fee for no service issue. The final report of that investigation had been searing. But attachments to Regans witness statement showed numerous emails about drafts of the report bouncing back and forth between Clayton Utz and AMPs top in-house lawyer, Brian Salter. The email trail linked Brenner to some of the changes Salter had sought. Brenner suddenly saw herself painted as having tried to influence the independent and external report in a way that shored up the position of her chief executive, Craig Meller. Loading Regan was not well versed in this area. The company would later protest that he was not involved in any material way in the preparation of the report. He floundered in questioning. Yet he agreed with a proposition put to him by the royal commissions QC that he felt discomfort about assurances to ASIC that the Clayton Utz report was independent of AMP. In the companys response some days later, AMP insisted that the report had never been portrayed to ASIC as completely independent rather it had been independent of the advice business unit within AMP. And it completely rejected wrongdoing by Brenner, who, the argument ran, was just being diligent by ensuring the role of her chief executive was clarified.

But by then it was too late. The public travails of Catherine Brenner - one of the most senior women in the Australian business community - had begun. The firestorm From Japan, Brenner spoke to senior AMP executives the night that Regans evidence concluded. It was clear she would have to fly back to Sydney. Another director, Holly Kramer, was also overseas, on a trip to Israel. Frantic calls between board members bounced across the globe. Brenner arrived back in Sydney on Thursday morning after an overnight flight. Loading The dominoes began to fall in quick succession. By Thursday, Salter had stepped aside from his general counsel duties. By Friday, chief executive Craig Meller had fallen on his sword. The following weekend a crisis board meeting saw Brenner hand in her resignation. Soon afterwards it was announced that two other female directors ( Kramer was one) would step down before the annual general meeting due on May 10. Salter learned that he was to be terminated permanently, despite vehemently denying wrongdoing.

At the senior levels of AMP, there was shell-shock, according to well-placed sources. We were not expecting the firestorm that suddenly broke out inside the media, our investors and also within the government, one told Fairfax Media. It took everybody by surprise. And its one of the reasons Catherine was in Japan, because she didnt expect it either. So then there was a gap of a couple of days, where there was a vital lack of leadership about how to manage the fallout. You end up with half your board gone, you lose your CEO, and chairman, and general counsel; and there are now five class actions pending. In terms of crisis management it was a complete disaster. The episode became a lightning rod for other concerns some had about Brenner's chairmanship. "Normally you have a much more seasoned executive as your chair, who is older and more experienced than your CEO. The situation was reversed here," said one observer. Brenner had established herself at a relatively young age at the very top tier of the corporate world. She sat on the boards of major listed companies Coca-Cola Amatil and Boral as well as her prestigious AMP chairmanship. She also sat on the board of trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales (from which she has since stepped aside) and the board of SCEGGS Darlinghurst, the top private girls school attended by her daughters. Now what she had worked towards all her life was hanging by a thread. Catherine Brenner at the Coca Cola Amatil annual general meeting in May, after the AMP scandal broke. Credit:Janie Barrett As Brenner went to ground, the media pack closed in. Photographers camped outside the family home at Centennial Park. In the financial press, unnamed sources poured scorn on her fitness for the chair, questioned her past business record, lampooned the emphasis the slender blonde placed on her (always immaculately) groomed appearance, and queried the amount of family time she had sacrificed to pursue her corporate ambitions. Her husbands past was raked over (he had been a senior urologist but lost his authority to possess or issue prescriptions for addictive drugs in 2015).

Further commentary painted Brenner as a jumped-up creation of corporate guru David Gonski  the chairman of everything as he is sometimes known  a man with more reach into more corporate boardrooms and government ears than anyone else in the country, who had championed a number of women, including Brenner. She had never run anything, never been a CEO, had come out of nowhere as a mid-level investment banker and taken up plum corporate positions that she was not ready for. Or so the arguments ran. Union-busting businessman Chris Corrigan was one of the few to put his name to such criticisms. It was demonstrably the case that she had only got the AMP job because she was a woman, he told The Australian newspaper. Can you imagine that a man with moderate investment banking experience at a second-rate investment bank would have got to be chair of the AMP? Her supporters were horrified. Some - senior figures in the business community  are now rallying publicly in her defence (although keen-eyed observers note Gonski thus far has not been among them). Prominent in Brenners support is Ilana Atlas, chair of Coca-Cola Amatil, where Brenner still holds a seat on the board. Atlas and her fellow directors held the line when the shareholders' association demanded Brenners head at the companys annual general meeting two weeks ago, with camera crews hanging outside the doors.

Atlas said Brenner would stay on until her term reached its natural expiry date next year, and would remain in charge of the boards risk and sustainability committee. Atlas told Fairfax: I have found some of the commentary on Catherine quite extraordinary. Its obviously coming from people who have not worked with her. As a professional colleague, I would say that she is an excellent director: highly committed, very hardworking, very diligent, always across every issue. She went about getting a deep understanding of the business and the people in it. Pushing back against comments like Corrigans, she said, you hear some of the blokes complaining - but we are in the midst of a social revolution; now they have to compete against 100 per cent of the population, not 50 per cent. Prominent businesswoman Yasmin Allen. Prominent businesswoman Yasmin Allen, who sits on the boards of Santos, Cochlear and the ASX, was in London soon after the storm broke over Brenner. She says the view from Britain has been one of astonishment. To be criticised for a business judgement or decision is absolutely fine. No-one has a problem with that. But to move into that kind of personal attack? I feel like I have stepped back 50 years. People are saying 'Wow, if you put your head up and take a high-profile position and something goes wrong this is what is going to happen to you if you are a woman'.

As a company chair, she said, Brenner's job was not to direct the business but act as sounding board for the CEO. "These are high-level, evolved skills that not everyone has. She has a high level of integrity and was very generous with her time when I sent people to her for advice." Bob Cameron, who founded and then chaired Centennial Coal, where Brenner was a director for five years, told Fairfax: She was a major contributor around the board table. We all held her, and I still do, in very high regard. Based on my experience I would happily serve on another board with her. Others speaking up for Brenner include Kim Williams, with whom she served on the Opera House board, former investment banker John Wylie, and businesswoman Belinda Hutchinson, chancellor of the University of Sydney, and former head of Chief Executive Women. I have been distressed and saddened about some of the things written about her, says Hutchinson. Her family life has nothing to do with her professional life, you don't hear men being written about in that way. To have your children put through what they have been put through, not being able to go to school without the press waiting at the door, I think is incredibly cruel.

Angus James, her former boss at ABN Amro, said: Shes become the get-squared for every white Anglo-Saxon male who feels aggrieved about not getting any board posts, supposedly because women of less calibre are getting them. It's complete tripe. The rise of Catherine Brenner In some ways, Brenners rise is the classic tale of the small-town girl made good. Brenner herself did not wish to be interviewed. Those who know her well speak of a softly-spoken woman, not an out-sized personality but charming and highly intelligent, with a marked drive to succeed. Unlike many of the those she now mixes with, Brenner did not go to one of the best private schools or best university colleges. The eldest of four children, she was born in Gundagai, to Mike and Diana Hogan, both teachers who moved frequently to take up rural postings around the state. When she was in primary school they moved to Canberra so her father could fill a headmasters position, and they upped sticks again when Brenner was in year 8, to the lush mid-north coast. There Hogan became the first lay head of the Catholic school, St Augustines, while Brenner attended Coffs Harbour High, known locally as Jetty High. She seems to have found school a breeze: winning prizes, debating, public speaking, and still finding time to get to the top of the local Girl Guides. She told one friend she tried to get every badge you could get in the book. She worked in local stores to earn extra cash, and was anointed Lions Youth of the Year in one of her final high school years.

Goal-setting, determination and pursuing opportunity at every turn were early hallmarks. An influential high school economics teacher and the work experience she landed with a Coffs Harbour solicitor nudged her towards law and economics at Macquarie University. Throughout most of her five-year degree, she supported herself by working as the in-house boarding mistress at Sydney girls school, Loreto Normanhurst, a role which often meant sacrificing evenings and Saturday nights. After graduation and a six-month backpacking tour overseas, Brenner took up a position at leading law firm Phillips Fox. She discovered an appetite for corporate law and the more entrepreneurial side of legal practice. Two years later, she left the law to join investment bank BZW, which later acquired ABN AMRO. Those years gave her a seat at the table through one of the biggest corporate transactions Australia had seen  the privatisation of Telstra, through tranches 1, 2 and 3. Her boss at ABN AMRO, Angus James, says he had huge confidence in Brenner. We handled Telstra 1 through 3 and she was a core part of those teams, he told Fairfax. When UBS tried to poach Brenner, he fended them off by agreeing to support her longer-term plan. Catherine is a very meticulous person, he said. She had a plan about what she wanted do with her career, and she consulted widely on that. She made it very clear that she would continue in investment banking, but only for a short period and then look at board positions, because that's where she thought she could progress herself and add some value. James told her: Look it's early, [she was still in her early thirties] but there is nothing wrong with that if you can achieve it. He smoothed the path, as she sought out mentors, among them the late Ken Moss, with whom she used to catch up every few weeks. Gonski became another key supporter.

Catherine Brenner with mentor Ken Moss in 2008. Credit:Louie Douvis In 1998, in the middle of pitching for the Telstra 2 float, Brenner met her husband to be, Phillip, then an up-and-coming urologist, and the brother of Maxine Brenner, who went on to marry OneTel founder Jodee Rich. Now Brenner entered a world which overlapped with that of some of Sydneys wealthiest families, including the Packers. Phillip Brenner had once dated James Packers sister, Gretel, and his uncle, property tycoon Robert Whyte, was a mate of billionaire Kerry Packer. The wedding of Catherine and Phillip took place on Observatory Hill in 1999, in a ceremony which incorporated elements of both her Catholic and his Jewish background. Friends say she had to fit the wedding date around a corporate deal. The family connection opened the door to her first non-executive directors position, on the board of Whytes private company Trafalgar, in 2003. Other board appointments soon followed: Centennial Coal in 2005, biotech company Cryosite in 2006, and in 2007, membership of the federal governments Takeovers Panel. In 2008 she finally broke through to the top echelon, joining the Coca-Cola board, then chaired by Gonski. Her status as a non-executive director was further enhanced when she joined the AMP board in 2009, followed by Boral in 2010. Loading
Believing in her, circa 1429, meant believing she heard the voices of St Margaret, St Catherine and St Michael relaying the will of God  challenging stuff for a renowned sceptic like Shaw to build into his protagonist's reality.

The production, directed by Imara Savage, highlights the gender facet of the story. "If this was a young boy, he wouldn't have been able to achieve the things that she did in the way that she did," says Snook. "People were so confounded by her that they had no other choice but to believe in her."

The sheer implausibility of Joan's short life  she was burned at 19  is not lost on Sarah Snook, who plays the title role in Sydney Theatre Company's new production George Bernard Shaw's St Joan. Snook, active across theatre, television and film (the latter including The Dressmaker and Predestination), says she has enjoyed "discovering who this person is  the sort of anomaly that she is". She also admires Joan's capacity to turn perceived handicaps into strengths.

She was improbable to her contemporaries 600 years ago, and she remains just as improbable now. Joan of Arc bent France's king, nobility, army and church to her will (turning the tide of the 100 Years War with England), all as a low-born, teenaged girl claiming to be an agent of the Almighty, and in the ultimate patriarchal, hierarchical, ecclesiastical, warrior society.

"I think he manages to balance it," says Snook. "He allows the possibility of a divine presence, but at the same time, [in his lengthy preface] he talks about how it's the outcome that we should look to. He talks about Newton having the apple fall on his head and discovering gravity, and, had he discovered it in another more bizarre way, it wouldn't change the outcome of having discovered gravity. Joan managed to change the course of the 100 Years War. That she did it through hearing voices shouldn't change that actuality."

Debate about Joan's voices has ranged from labelling her a saint to a schizophrenic. Snook simply accepts that she heard them. "I think it's not necessarily useful to analyse why she heard them or how she heard them," she says. "I think her voices came to her as another sense. You can't question someone else's sense of touch, sight, or smell. That is theirs alone, and you can never really experience someone else's version of life. So looking at it through a lens of whether she's schizophrenic I don't think is helpful in the playing of it."

The paradoxical Joan was also unwaveringly practical, both in history and in the play's very Shavian depiction of a 1920s teenaged female. "I want to find what that teenaged quality is in 2018," says Snook, pointing out that every generation, including Shaw's, has remade Joan in its own image to try to explain away her improbability. "We're doing the same thing: we're looking back and seeing what it was to be a teenager at that point, and how that translates into what it is to be a teenager now."

As well as being a proto-feminist and proto-Protestant, Joan was a proto-nationalist who trumpeted that God was on her side, who was relentlessly self-righteous and who bullied people into enacting her will. So what does Snook ultimately make of her as a character?

"It's an interesting conundrum," she responds, "because I do like her, but I don't know if I would be friends with her. She was very polarising. She's not an easy person to get along with, and to be around her every day would be exhausting. I think that was part of her downfall: she was just too much.
A few days later, she went to see her GP, who prescribed antidepressants. Gabrielle, who won't take Panadol for a headache, didn't want them. Instead, she made an appointment to see a psychologist. She made it to just one session. She had become consumed by a new and troubling narrative, one that quickly established itself as her incontrovertible reality: she wasn't coping, she was a bad mother and David was going to be taken away from her. Worse, Andrew was conspiring with this nameless enemy to bring about her downfall. "I wouldn't have anything more to do with him," says Gabrielle. "We had a clock on our living-room wall and I became convinced there was a camera in it. I was under surveillance and Andrew was reporting back to them." She was ambushed by terrifying hallucinations. Standing naked in front of a mirror after a shower that took every atom of her rapidly dwindling mental and physical reserves, she saw that one half of her body was grotesquely scarred and disfigured. There were vivid flashes of arterial red, repeated visual cues of imminent physical annihilation. And she'd started seeing the face of her father, who died when she was nine, in the place of her baby's. Gabrielle lapsed into a near-catatonic stupor, unable to act, eat or speak  "Because I was so scared of what I'd say"  and could no longer bear to have David anywhere near her, not even to hold him to her breast. "He was feeding all the time," she says. "I felt suffocated by him."

Desolately surveying the wreckage of his new family, Andrew wondered where on earth his vivacious young bride had gone. On the advice of their GP, he called the 24-hour Crisis and Assessment Team (or CATT, a kind of psychiatric SWAT team) to arrange a visit. With trembling fingers, Gabrielle managed to send a two-word text to Frances: "Come back." PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia) was founded in 1983 to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of postpartum mental illness. Until recently, says CEO Terri Smith, the organisation was reluctant to go public about the psychiatric emergency that is postnatal psychosis (PP) for fear of its being sensationalised. But it has recently begun working with "community champions", women who've survived it and want to talk about what's happened to them. "They said, 'Come on, why aren't you doing anything about this? Every expectant woman and her partner should know that this is a possibility. It shouldn't be a secret,' " says Smith. "As a consumer-led organisation, we knew we had to represent their voices." PP affects two women in 1000 in the days or weeks after having a baby. It's not to be confused with either the "baby blues", or postnatal depression (PND). More than half of new mums experience the first of these. It usually kicks in around day three or four, causing them to feel low, teary and irritable. It doesn't require any treatment and has usually cleared off by about day 10. PND is more serious. It has a minimum duration of weeks, and looks and feels like the kind of depression that can show up at any other time of life. It affects 10 to 15 per cent of women and is usually treated with a combination of therapy and antidepressants. PP is their hulking, black-clad relative at the celebration, the uninvited guest who always leaves a trail of devastation, even tragedy, in its wake. It can strike without warning, swiftly spiral into debilitating mental illness and be dangerously unpredictable, capable of changing course from hour to hour. Its party pack comprises manic highs (the "baby pinks"), depressive lows, paranoia, delusions and hallucinations.

To make matters worse, the sufferer is often unaware she's descending into madness, so authentic has her substitute reality become. It falls to those who love her to sound the alarm  and sound it they must. Professor Marie-Paule Austin is director of acting perinatal psychiatry at the Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) in Sydney and St John of God chair of perinatal mental health at the University of NSW. Her windowless office, accessed by way of a labyrinthine, ground-floor corridor at the RHW, contains two desks with a computer on each: one for research, the other for her clinical work. She listens intently and talks slowly in a low, well-modulated voice, the signs of someone who spends her days in the company of the emotionally ravaged. "Women suffering from puerperal psychosis don't come forward themselves typically," she affirms. "They lose what we call 'insight', the ability to distinguish between what's real and imagined. Often families are loath to seek help when the mother becomes unwell: they don't want her to feel that they don't trust her with the baby. She might see any efforts by family to help as proof that they wish to harm her or take her baby away." Often, a well-meaning husband finds himself at the centre of his wife's paranoid delusion. "But if the psychotic episode is more depressive," continues Austin, "a mother might start to think that the world is too bad a place for her and her baby to live in. And thoughts like these can lead to very dangerous outcomes." Perinatal psychiatric expert Professor Marie-Paule Austin says sufferers lose the ability to tell whats real. Credit:Christopher Pearce/Fairfax Media

Asta* is a 29-year-old nurse who lives in rural South Australia. As we talk for almost an hour over Skype, she asks me not to publish her real name or that of the town where she lives. "I still feel so much grief and guilt," she tells me. "I don't need the judgment: I judge myself enough already." She has finally summoned the courage to talk about something that happened to her nine years ago when her daughter, Olive*, was 10 months old. Her story goes to the very heart of one of society's darkest taboos: the private and public shame of a mother who can't take care of the baby she has waited her whole life to hold. Olive was six weeks old when Asta was diagnosed with PND; her GP prescribed antidepressants. "I'd put up a mask and everyone around me thought I was doing just fine," she tells me. "I felt embarrassed about not coping. I was a nurse who'd looked after children for years: how was it that I wasn't able to cope with my own baby?" Two weeks later, Asta experienced her first psychotic episode. She and her then husband had just got home after being at church with Olive, who was unsettled and crying continually. As she sat in her bedroom with the blinds drawn holding her screaming baby, Asta became convinced there were people outside watching and that, any minute now, they were going to burst in and take Olive away. Asta went into the lounge, but felt countless eyes on her there, too, this time coming from the flat-screen TV. Becoming more and more distressed, she wouldn't relinquish her hold on her daughter, not even to give her to her father. Later that day, Asta was admitted, involuntarily, to the psychiatric unit at Flinders Medical Centre in Bedford Park, Adelaide: she'd been sectioned. "It wasn't nice there," she says. "I remember random things. We were shepherded into the dining room at meal times and all the cutlery had to be counted before and after we ate. One night a spoon was missing. None of us could go back to our rooms until it had been found. Turned out they'd just miscounted."

Later, Asta was transferred to mother and baby unit Helen Mayo House at Glenside Health Services, an inpatient facility which she'd revisit at least three times during the next eight months as doctors struggled to find a treatment that would stabilise the worst of her symptoms. Finally, she was prescribed olanzapine, an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In July 2010, her condition suddenly worsened. With her marriage stumbling towards its conclusion, she and Olive had moved back in with her mum and dad. It was an arrangement that seemed to be working until, one night, Olive woke up and started to cry inconsolably. "I just couldn't get her to settle and all of a sudden  I don't know, but something snapped in me  I couldn't look after her anymore. I'd never felt that before, I'd always wanted her. Yeah, that was the lead-up, very sudden and very strong feelings of just not wanting her anymore." She pauses, the pain of the recollection etched on her pale young face. "She was in her cot and I grabbed a pillow, put it over her face and held it there. Mum and Dad's bedroom was right next door, they'd woken up with Olive's crying and, all of a sudden, Mum heard her cry become muffled  she came running in, she knew something was going on. I let go of the pillow. I don't remember, but she says I told her straight away what I'd done." The next day, Asta was readmitted to Glenside Health Services for acute, one-on-one care. It was here, during her nurse's scheduled, five-minute break, that she came perilously close to ending her life. She'd had only vague thoughts about it before, she says, but, in that moment, she felt a swift and intense certainty. "I didn't want to be here anymore," she explains. "I felt 100 per cent that Olive would be better off and Mum and Dad would be better off. I felt I'd put them through so much and this would end my pain and suffering and theirs."

I ask Asta gently what would have happened if her mum hadn't heard the change in Olive's cry that night. "I think I would have completed the job," she says with infinite sadness. "I really do." Professor Phillip Boyce is head of the Perinatal Psychiatry Clinical Research Unit at Sydney's Westmead Hospital. He tells me that at no other time in a woman's life is she more at risk of developing a mental illness than during the postpartum period. No one knows exactly how or why PP strikes, he says, but it's possible that one or more factors are at play when it does. The first might be hormonal. In the minutes after a baby is born, the placenta is expelled from the uterus, leading to a 200-fold reduction in the reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone in a woman's body. "Some women seem to be exquisitely sensitive to this changing level of oestrogen," says Boyce, "and oestrogen, we know, has a buffering effect on dopamine." The role of dopamine  the neurotransmitter that conveys signals across the spaces between brain cells  is key when trying to understand the changes taking place in the brain when psychosis is afoot. "Whether too much dopamine is being pumped out in the first place or whether the dopamine receptors aren't working properly, we really don't know, but this [improper level] causes alterations in the way the brain functions and thinking goes badly awry," he says. Another element could be an acute disruption in the body's biological circadian rhythms, which also has been known to trigger bipolar disorder. "Oftentimes," says Boyce, "a woman doesn't sleep during her labour, then she can't get to sleep in the days after the birth. She becomes increasingly over-aroused and this can also lead to psychosis in a woman who has an underlying susceptibility." Anyone with a personal or family history of psychosis or postnatal mental illness can fall into this category.

A third possible trigger being explored by psychiatrists, says Boyce, is an inflammatory immune response in the brain to the stressors of childbirth. Any one of these factors, acting alone or in combination, has the potential to hurl a perfectly well woman over the precipice of mental oblivion precisely at a time when society expects her to be at her happiest and most nurturing. The shame is immense. PP still has no listing in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), an omission that one expert I speak to attributes to "politics". Not only does this omission impede research, it makes arriving at the right diagnosis less straightforward: not every woman who's dangerously unwell, for example, will have manic symptoms. The good news is that most women with PP respond very well to treatment, which comprises antipsychotic medication and, in some severe cases, electroconvulsive therapy (or ECT). "Yes, I know," says the RHW's Marie-Paule Austin, raising her hands in mock surrender, "it sounds like something out of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. That movie has been such a scourge on psychiatry!" ECT involves inducing an epileptic seizure under a very light general anaesthetic. These days, Austin says, it's a very safe, refined procedure tailored to an individual's needs. "We don't know exactly how it works, but it's incredibly effective in the right patients. Women start to respond after three or four treatments, whereas an antipsychotic drug can take up to two to three weeks to kick in. It's a short-term treatment, though: a patient will need to be on medication, too, for at least six months afterwards to avoid a return of symptoms." Many women who recover from PP will stay perfectly well  until they have another baby, at which point the likelihood of a relapse is more than 50 per cent. For others, there's a 15 per cent chance of being diagnosed with a mood disorder (such as bipolar disorder) at some point in the future.

Gabrielle Micallef had no history of mental illness, nor had she ever heard of PP. But none of this mattered as her mind soared and plummeted like a kite in a hurricane while she waited for the olanzapine she'd been prescribed to take effect. After receiving her daughter's mayday text, Frances had driven straight back to the airport. Gabrielle slept with Frances in a made-up bed in the living room because it was the only place she felt safe; by now she was convinced that she and Andrew were under investigation for poisoning David with baby formula. Everything that she saw now, inside the house and out, supported her paranoia. She could shower, but not dress herself; just doing up a bra was a feat of mental endurance. While Frances looked after Gabrielle and did what she could to protect the fragile mother-baby bond, Andrew, who had an incredibly understanding boss, took care of David. Jane, Andrew's mum, managed the house. The sedating effect of the olanzapine helped Gabrielle sleep and, as she slept, her brain began to heal. The psychosis gave way, eventually, to a dull depression. "I just felt so ashamed," she says. "I'd always thought of myself as strong, resilient, independent. This shook me to my core." In mid-2014, after eight months on it, Gabrielle came off the medication ("They told me this illness could take 12 months and I was, like, "Hell, no!" she thunders). She started walking and doing class workouts at her gym: she'd put on 20 kilograms in the time she'd been "away". When David was 10 months old, the Micallefs moved to Gwynneville and Gabrielle was well enough to think about going back to work part-time. By the time David's first birthday rolled around, she and Andrew had found each other again. Most women in the grip of PP will need to be hospitalised during the most acute phase of their illness. Only a very small percentage of these will be lucky enough to have access to a bed in a publicly funded mother and baby unit (MBU); the majority will be sent to an acute psychiatric ward in a general hospital where the difference in the quality of care they'll receive is likely to be stark. As its name suggests, the function of an MBU is not only to help mums get well, but also to help them overcome any attachment issues they might be experiencing.

Unfortunately, the distribution of MBUs nationwide is patchy at best. Victoria, by far the best-served state, has 35 beds in six units, while WA has 16 in two; there are only six beds in SA, four in Queensland (one unit each) and, incredibly, none in NSW  the country's most populous state  Tasmania, the NT or the ACT. (There's one private, 12-bed MBU at St John of God Burwood Hospital in Sydney's inner west.) This unevenness frustrates and baffles just about everyone working in the field of perinatal mental health, particularly those who live in NSW, where more than 90,000 babies were born in 2016. "Add them all up and you see that PP, which affects two women in every 1000 deliveries, isn't that uncommon," says Professor Boyce with feeling. "These women need specialists looking after them. They can be floridly psychotic one day and appear to be doing very well the next; you've got to be very cautious." When I ask Tanya Davies, the NSW government's minister for mental health, for comment, her email is Delphic in its obscurity: "As part of the mental health infrastructure planning process, the Ministry of Health regularly reviews services  such as mental health beds that can accommodate a mother and her baby. This work will inform future investment." Martin Foley, her Victorian counterpart, underlines that his state is leading the nation in its support of new mothers: "With one in six new mums experiencing mental health challenges, it's crucial we provide them with the help they need," he writes. "That's why perinatal depression is a priority of our [2015] 10-year mental health plan." The state's newest MBU, its sixth, opened at Bendigo Hospital last year. Gabrielle and Andrew Micaleff with David and Joshua. "Gab's illness brought us closer together," says Andrew. Credit:Janie Barrett

For a woman who has survived one round of PP, the chance of falling down the rabbit hole again after a subsequent delivery is high. When Gabrielle gave birth to her second son, Joshua, on September 29, 2015, at Wollongong Hospital, her doctors advised her to start taking antipsychotic medication immediately, but she preferred to watch and wait. "What can I say?" she says. "I'm a glass-half-full person. I believed it would be different this time around." It was different this time around. This time, she had to be admitted, in the middle of the night, to the locked ward of the Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre (PECC) at the same hospital where Joshua had been born five weeks earlier. "There's a pub not too far away from our house," she says. "One night, I heard people walking past our house on their way home. They were shouting and swearing and their voices sounded so loud and threatening and, suddenly, I just felt more frightened than I'd ever been in my life. I was terrified." Andrew didn't think twice: he left the boys sleeping at home with his parents and drove her straight to emergency. Later that night he had a panic attack. "Yeah, I hit rock bottom," he tells me. "My parents were about to leave to go back to Victoria and I was going to be by myself. I knew what was coming this time and I doubted everything. I thought, 'I'm not going to be able to do this and they're going to take David and Joshua away and maybe that's a good thing.' I couldn't sleep, millions of thoughts were going round in my head. I thought I was going crazy, too." Was it a difficult decision for him to agree to have a second child? "For me having one baby was a big decision," he says, "and that was before we knew of the likelihood of Gab getting sick. I feel we had a second child mainly for our first. Both of us know the benefits of having brothers and sisters and we felt we'd put in enough protective factors to stop Gab getting sick again." He pauses. "I doubt we'll have more."

Gabrielle recovered more quickly the second time around, although she's still traumatised by the "10 days of hell" she spent alone inside that PECC ward. On the other hand, her brush with madness has made her a better psychologist. "I've been there," she says. Andrew, too, is damaged in ways that can't be seen: "I get highly anxious around other people's newborn babies. They're a reminder, I suppose, of all the pain," he says. He brightens suddenly. "Gab's illness brought us closer together. We have confidence now that no matter what challenges life throws at us, we'll be able to get through them. Nothing can ever get in the way of the love we have for each other." Loading In 2012, Asta moved out of her parents' house; she found a place close by and sees Olive, who still lives with her grandparents, every day. She doesn't know if they'll ever live together  just the two of them  again: "I just don't know if I could do it by myself," she says. In the meantime, she has a new partner who has two children from a previous relationship; neither marriage nor another child is on the cards  for now. No mental illness is more freighted with emotional heft than the one that plays out in the space between mothers and their babies. And PP, with its implications for the safety of a helpless infant, is particularly loaded with judgement. PANDA's national helpline receives 1000 calls a month from women who are finding motherhood a struggle: "Eighty-seven per cent of them," says Terri Smith, "haven't told their midwife or their maternal child heath nurse about their feelings. This doesn't mean that they haven't been asked; it means they haven't been asked in a way that encourages them to answer honestly."
Tears, frayed tempers and plot twists: the Supreme Court battle over the estate of Australian author Colleen McCullough has proved as dramatic as the works of fiction that made her fortune.

In a bitter dispute characterised by extraordinary claims of falsehoods and "decoy" documents, McCullough's strained marriage has been scrutinised and her widower Ric Robinson accused of pressuring her to change her will in the months before her death in January 2015.

Author Colleen McCullough in 2008. Credit:Danielle Smith

Justice Nigel Rein, who reserved his decision on Thursday after eight days of evidence, faces the unenviable task of wading through two wildly different accounts to arrive at a decision about McCullough's intentions.

At stake is a multimillion-dollar estate ranging from McCullough's art collection and royalties from her 1977 hit The Thorn Birds and other books, plus an estimated $2.1 million in real estate and cash.
Kiev: Ukraine, seeking to reassure its Western allies after faking the murder of a Russian dissident to thwart what it said was a plot on his life, has told how its ruse led to the discovery of a hit-list of 47 people whom Russia planned to kill abroad.

Exiled Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko was key to the Ukrainian plot. Credit:AP

The Kiev authorities drew both praise and consternation this week for staging the fake shooting of Arkady Babchenko, an exiled journalist, which they said was necessary to protect him and dozens of others who were targeted in a genuine Russian plot.

Russia has poured scorn on Ukraine's allegations while some organisations and commentators criticized Kiev for the kind of trickery which Ukraine routinely accuses Russia of using.
Washington: US President Donald Trump announced Friday that the summit meeting he had cancelled with North Korea's leader would be held this month after all, the latest head-spinning twist in a nuclear-edged diplomatic drama that has captivated and confused much of the world.

The president rescheduled the June 12 get-together with the North's leader, Kim Jong-un, barely a week after scrubbing it on the grounds that Kim's government had shown ''open hostility'' toward the Trump administration. In the days since, both sides have worked to bridge the divide and proceed with the meeting.

US President Donald Trump with North Korea's envoy, former military intelligence chief Kim Yong Chol. Credit:AP

"We're over that, totally over that, and now we're going to deal and we're really going to start a process," Trump said after meeting at the White House with a high-ranking North Korean envoy who delivered a personal letter from Kim. "We're meeting with the chairman on June 12, and I think it's probably going to be a very successful  ultimately, a successful process."

Trump sought to play down expectations of a quick breakthrough at the upcoming meeting in Singapore, saying that a resolution of the decades-long dispute over North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs could require multiple sessions.
Kind and caring Breda was always thinking of others
In the program for Shakespeare in the Ruins 25th anniversary show Timon of Athens, SIRs artistic director Michelle Boulet is upfront about the inherent riskiness of mounting a production of Timon. She states uninhibitedly that the play is on the Royal Shakespeare Companys secret list of productions guaranteed to make a loss.

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This article was published 2/6/2018 (1229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the program for Shakespeare in the Ruins 25th anniversary show Timon of Athens, SIRs artistic director Michelle Boulet is upfront about the inherent riskiness of mounting a production of Timon. She states uninhibitedly that the play is on the Royal Shakespeare Companys "secret list of productions guaranteed to make a loss."

One can see the issue with a play about a rich hero who, to paraphrase Othello, spends not wisely but too well. It lacks the higher stakes of tragedies such as Hamlet or Macbeth. (When all is said and done, its about the betrayal of a rich fool at the hands of his greedy false friends.) Its plot is rather straightforward and linear compared to the twisty comedies such as Twelfth Night and As You Like it.

DANO TANAKA Sarah Constible plays Timon in Shakespeare in the Ruins' Timon of Athens.

Even its genus is ambiguous. Lumped in with Shakespeares tragedies, scholars have made the case its one of the Bards "problem plays," perhaps best summarized as tragicomedies.

Directed and adapted by Boulet, the Ruins production wisely emphasizes and enhances the comedy, even as it playfully layers the proceedings with a gender overhaul, turning every speaking part into a female. On the style front, the action is plunked into the New Wave 80s, giving the opportunity to designer Daina Leitold to run costumes and hair through a Patrick Nagel filter. (Of all the cast members, Melanie Whyte as Sempronius is especially a beneficiary of the shes-got-the-look look.)

Timon (played by Sarah Constible) is a good citizen of Athens, a patron of the arts, and, alas, extravagant beyond her means. She is a reliable touch for various artists and greedy friends, much to the consternation of Flavius (Brittany Hunter), her much-distressed chief steward.

The only person who doesnt exploit Timon is Apemantus (Andrea del Campo), a cheeky philosopher who alone sees the folly of Timons generosity toward the undeserving: "It grieves me to see so many dip their meat in one mans blood; and all the madness is, she cheers them up too."

Before long, Timons funds run out and her creditors come calling (looking like a cadre of hit ladies in matching black trenchoats, sunglasses and blonde wigs). The friends who once protested their devotion turn their back on Timon when she requests money to remain solvent. And in the process, Timon undergoes one of the more dramatic transformations ever seen in a Shakespearean hero, from smiling benefactor to hermit/misanthrope.

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If putting on Timon of Athens is a risky business, its a risk worth taking for theatregoers, too, especially given Boulets impertinent fem-centric take on the material. When male characters do appear, suffice to say, they have no lines but they do have moves.

Its a tricky thing to tell a story of grand-scale betrayal from a feminine perspective without evoking cat-fight cliches, but Boulet pulls it off with a cast that employs a barrage of skills, including Hunters considerable charm and del Campos insouciance. As two of Timons leechier "friends," Whyte and Lorraine James get more laughs from idiomatic touches than Shakespearean prose. Hera Nalam is especially hilarious as one of Timons emotionally distraught servants.

And, wow, all of these women can sing.

Constible anchors the show with a nicely judged sense of humour. Even when Timon, self-exiled to a forest, relinquishes to towering rage, Constible unerringly finds comic sweet spots to keep the tone as light as befits the idyllic outdoor venue at St. Norberts Trappist Monastery.

Perhaps the most important attraction is the comparative obscurity of Timon in Shakespeares canon, offering a rare joy within the context of an all-Bard company: the thrill of discovery.

randall.king@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @FreepKing
King of Donair (KOD) is expanding to Western Canada  and a Winnipeg location is in the works.

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This article was published 1/6/2018 (1230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

King of Donair (KOD) is expanding to Western Canada  and a Winnipeg location is in the works.

The donair, a pita filled with spicy beef, tomatoes and onions and topped with a sweet sauce, is the official food of Halifax.

The dish was created in 1973 by the original owner of KOD, a franchise that has since expanded across the Maritimes and, as of last week, to Edmonton.

"Everyone that has it, they love it. They all come back for more, and thats kind of how the word of King of Donair has spread over the years," KOD president Norman Nahas said.

"For someone whos never had one, its quite the experience. You have the sweetness of the sauce and spices of the meat and they contrast but yet, at the same time, they work together so well."

Condensed milk and sugar are two ingredients of the "semi-secret recipe" for sweet sauce, also known as donair sauce.

KOD plans to expand to Regina, Calgary and Vancouver too, Nahas said, adding the company has "boots on the ground" in the Prairies at present.

He said theyre connecting with potential franchisees and looking at potential locations.

The expansion is due to high demand from Maritimers whove moved away and people whove tried their donairs while travelling, Nahas said.

"Were a bit of a university town in Halifax, and the students come here to get educated, and they go back home and they cant replicate that taste. Theres nowhere that has that same combination. Out west, people use a tzatziki sauce or hot sauce.

"Plus, theres nowhere that does it the same way here, the way a donairs intended to be."

They also sell donair-themed egg rolls, pizza, poutine and chicken wings.

Alyssa Hurd moved to Winnipeg from Halifax four years ago. Born and raised in the Maritimes, she said she was very excited to hear KOD plans to open a Winnipeg location.

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"Its one of those things that I definitely miss about home.

"The first time that I had a donair here, it was extremely disappointing. It was more of a gyro."

When she or any of her family members visit Halifax, they make a stop to KOD to pick up donairs for the rest of the family.

"The deal is, whoever goes back, they bring one with them back. We just get the sauce on the side and then put the donair in lots of plastic baggies."

Hurd said she hopes they open soon. In the meantime, her moms headed back to Halifax at the end of the month so she said shell have something to tide her over until then.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @macintoshmaggie
Former Manitoba attorney general, lawyer, University of Manitoba dean of law, author and social justice champion Roland Penner, 93, died Thursday from complications following a broken ankle.

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This article was published 2/6/2018 (1229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Manitoba attorney general, lawyer, University of Manitoba dean of law, author and social justice champion Roland Penner, 93, died Thursday from complications following a broken ankle.

As attorney general, Penner was known for his role in introducing Manitobas first human rights legislation and including protections for sexual orientation, Manitobas first Legal Aid system, the freedom of information legislation and legislation requiring French-language services in Manitoba.

Penner was a U of M law professor from 1972 to 2009, the founding chair and president of Manitobas new Legal Aid system in 1972 to 1978, the dean of the U of M Faculty of Law in 1989 to 1994 and a senior scholar with the faculty until his death. He was an NDP MLA from 1981 to 1988 in Winnipegs Fort Rouge riding under the Howard Pawley government and served as attorney general, among other appointments.

Penner was appointed to the Queens Council (1972), the Order of Canada (2000), the Order of Manitoba (2014) and was the recipient of the Canadian Bar Associations Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community Ally Award (2016).

In his obituary, his family notes Penner was headed out to play bridge on the day after a blizzard when he broke his ankle and "was determined to live his life to the fullest."

His family stated in his obituary Penner spent a "lifetime fighting for social justice and human rights."

"He was unstoppable," said Lorna Turnbull, Penners former U of M colleague who also served as dean of law (2011-2016). She said she knew Penner for nearly two decades.

"He was coming up to his 94th birthday in July and wed still see him out at the faculty on a regular basis. He was still working on a couple of books. He was a regular force of nature."

Turnbull said Penner was known at the U of M, in addition to his work with students, for the way he mentored colleagues.

His public service work changed the legal and social landscape for people across the country, she said.

"The impacts that he had affect the day-to-day lives today of Manitobans and Canadians in ways that are lasting," Turnbull said.

She said Penners work in implementing French-language services in Manitoba "has absolutely enriched our province" and was particularly significant since there was pushback at the time from the Supreme Court of Canada.

Andrew Swan, the NDP MLA for Minto, said he had a chance to work with Penner in 2012 when the NDP was updating the human rights code which was the 25th anniversary of Penners work on the human rights legislation in Manitoba.

"I had a look in the Hansard of what was said in the legislature at that time and it was some pretty fierce opposition," Swan said. "I really think it can be said that we stand on the shoulders of people like Roland Penner who was brave and was prepared to move the goalposts in a way that a generation later is continuing to benefit from."

NDP leader Wab Kinew expressed his condolences to Penners family and paid tribute to Penner in a statement on his Twitter account.

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"Rest In Power Roland Penner: a great Manitoban and a strong New Democrat who served our province as Attorney General, among many other important roles...Miigwech Roland for all youve done!" the statement read.

"Roland did a lot to advance social justice in Manitoba but seeing as its Pride week it may be particularly poignant to commemorate his work on the Manitoba Human Rights Code and for bringing human rights protections for sexual orientation to our province."

Penner was born in Winnipeg on July 30, 1924, to Jacob Penner and Rose Shapack was raised in Winnipegs North End.

He joined Canadas military at age 19 and served in the Canadian artillery in Europe during the Second World War. After the war, he attended the U of M where he earned arts and law degrees. He was called to the Manitoba bar in 1961.

Penner began his teaching career in law at the U of M in 1967 while he was still a practicing lawyer. His obituary notes he taught courses in constitutional law, criminal law, labour law, evidence, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca
Weve had a few days of balmy weather already this spring, but Saturdays prospects of rain with a high of 13 C dont necessarily put people in the mood to pitch a tent and go camping this weekend.

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This article was published 2/6/2018 (1229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Weve had a few days of balmy weather already this spring, but Saturdays prospects of rain with a high of 13 C dont necessarily put people in the mood to pitch a tent and go camping this weekend.

For many of us, thats a choice we can make. If we want to still pitch a tent, regardless of the forecast, we can do so. If we want to take a camper or trailer to a provincial park and still have a warm place while enjoying the great outdoors, again, we can choose to do so.

However, there are others  and it doesnt matter whether its raining or if the sun is shining  who just cant afford to go to camp. Many are children.

And thats where you come in.

For the 39th time, the Winnipeg Free Press Sunshine Fund is setting up camp to ask our readers to help give deserving children a summer experience to remember.

Today, Paul Samyn is the editor of the Free Press, but when he was younger he made wonderful memories at summer camp himself.

"Putting on my Camp Wannakumbac shirt for the kickoff of the Sunshine Fund not only reminded me of my days as a camp counsellor, but also the importance of ensuring as many children as possible get to experience the kinds of summers I still cherish from my youth," Samyn said.

"The generosity of Free Press readers has made the Sunshine Fund a success for decades and changed the lives of hundreds of Manitoba children in the process. I know they will again be there to help us make this a summer to remember for the Sunshine Fund."

Kim Scherger, the executive director of the Manitoba Camping Association, said she also is thrilled to kick off another summer camping season with the Sunshine Fund.

In fact, Scherger pitched her fundraising tent earlier than us. The association already has raised $128,000, so the Sunshine Fund needs to raise about $100,000 during the next two months.

Scherger says the money already raised allows 351 children to be approved to go to camp, but the goal is to send 600 children in total. The children have 36 camps to choose from in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario. They include Camp Arnes, YMCA/YWCA Camp Stephens, Circle Square Ranch, and Winkler Bible Camp.

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"What the kids learn now will affect their lives in the future," she said. "We really appreciate the participation of the Free Press  we couldnt do this without this promotion."

The camping association believes every child deserves to go to camp, no matter their race, faith, family income or special needs, because camp is a place where everyone belongs.

Scherger said donors dont have to worry about who their donations are helping. The Sunshine Fund uses the low income cutoff chart from Statistics Canada to determine which children and families qualify for funding and which dont.

For example, a single parent with one child would qualify if the family earns less than $31,544 a year. As well, a family with four members in it  doesnt matter if its a single parent with three children or two parents with two children  would receive Sunshine Fund funding only if the family earns less than $47,084 a year.

Now, its up to you. Were hoping you will join us and help. And just think: you can help without even having to pitch a tent this soggy weekend.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Paramedicine now falls under the umbrella of the Regulated Health Professions Act, the province announced Friday -- and Manitoba's civil service union is delighted.

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This article was published 1/6/2018 (1230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Paramedicine now falls under the umbrella of the Regulated Health Professions Act, the province announced Friday -- and Manitoba's civil service union is delighted.

The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union applauded the move by Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen.

"It has taken years to get to this point, but I know our paramedic members are happy this day has arrived," said MGEU president Michelle Gawronsky. "Our union has supported self-regulation from the outset, because its in the best interests of our paramedics and Manitobans.

"This will ensure there is a standard of practice for paramedics that show up at your door."

The long journey to Manitoba's paramedics joining 22 other regulated health professions led to consultation, resulting in a series of recommendations in May 2017. Even then, there were concerns about start-up costs, membership fees, and liability insurance that are still being studied.

"Paramedics are often the first point of contact for patients suffering through potentially life-threatening, traumatic situations," Goertzen said Friday. "Giving this profession the right to self-regulate acknowledges their importance to the health-care system and the work they do, for the benefit of all Manitobans."

Cameron Ritzer, chairman of the Paramedic Association of Manitoba, could not be reached Friday, but had previously said self-regulation will ensure paramedics are held to the same standards for education, licensing, conduct and competence as Manitoba's 22 other regulated health professions.

Goertzen said the Regulated Health Professions Act will bring all regulated health professions under one umbrella piece of legislation. It set out a new way of regulating who does what in the provision of health services, based on the concept of regulating specific procedures.

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"The act includes the establishment of a college for the profession and also sets out the scope of practice for paramedicine. The act also provides for the creation of a 15-member transitional council," Gawronsky said.

"As previously announced, four MGEU members have been appointed to it... Leah Braun, an emergency medical services superintendent from Portage la Prairie; Christine Greer, a (Medical Transportation Co-ordination Centre) dispatcher; Karen Martin, a paramedic from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, and Marilyn McNeill, a paramedic from Pinawa."

"On behalf of the council, Im pleased the regulations have been put in place to move this process forward," said council chairman John Wade, a former deputy minister of health and past chairman of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority board. "Our next steps are to undertake the work needed to enable the college to assume the responsibility to regulate the profession, including recruiting the first registrar/executive director."

Goertzen said the appointments follow the Manitoba governments announcement earlier this spring to fund 60 new full-time equivalent paramedic positions throughout the province.

"The new hires, which will reduce emergency medical service reliance on on-call staffing positions by hiring full-time positions instead, represent a $2.4-million investment for the final two quarters of this year, increasing to $5 million in 2019," the minister said.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
When Mamie Dunlops family sat down to tally the number of sick children their mother took in and cared for over the course of her life, the final count surprised even them.

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This article was published 2/6/2018 (1229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Mamie Dunlops family sat down to tally the number of sick children their mother took in and cared for over the course of her life, the final count surprised even them.

Mamie Dunlop opened her doors to hundreds of sick children who, while not requiring hospitalization, needed a place to stay while getting medical treatment in Winnipeg. (Supplied photos)

"Over a 10- to 15-year span, a ballpark figure, our mother took in about 1,000 children," said Matt Dunlop, 62, one of Mamies biological children.

"I think it kind of overtook her eventually. She didnt realize what she was getting into at first. She enjoyed it so much. She loved those kids."

Mamie passed away on March 3, 2018, at the age of 93. To the woman who showed kindness to so many children in need, time  in return  was not as kind. Throughout the final years of her life, Mamie suffered a series of strokes  none of which killed her, but all of which diminished her body.

It is for that reason Mamies family has chosen to look at her passing not only as a time of mourning, but as a time of joy, as their mother  resolute and devout in her faith  is now liberated from the body in which she was trapped.

Mamie was born Jan. 4, 1925, in the northwestern Ontario town of Gold Rock. Her parents, Maggie and Jonas Wetelainen, would hold a special place in her heart. To hear Matt tell it, she looked up and admired her parents the same way her children looked up and admired her.

Her father passed away when she was eight years old and she had to grow up quick, fishing and harvesting wild rice. From an early age she loved being outside, something which would follow her throughout life.

Mamie Dunlop enlisted in the Second World War and served as a cook at the Fort Garry Barracks.

"She wanted to be outside all the time, barefoot if she could. She liked to feel the earth under her toes. Unless it was a very formal thing... you could not get her in a pair of socks," Matt said.

During the Second World War, Mamie felt the need to do her part, so she left Ontario and drove to Winnipeg  the place where shed later settle with her future husband  to enlist. She graduated basic training in Alberta, before being stationed at the Fort Garry Barracks in Winnipeg as a cook.

That she enlisted during a time when it was uncommon for women to serve their country is something she remained proud of for the rest of her life, Matt said.

After the war, back in Ontario, she met her future husband Walter Dunlop, himself a Second World War veteran who had served overseas. The two married in 1946 and settled in Winnipeg in the early 1950s, the place both would call home for the rest of their lives.

Walter worked at a packing company and Mamie ran the kitchen at a curling club. While money was tight, Matt said Walter and Mamies biological children  six in total  never went without and their home was a place filled with love. To provide for her children, Matt said he doesnt remember ever seeing his mom take a day off during her working life.

In the mid-1960s, Mamie began taking in medically sick children, the majority from First Nations health agencies and northern reserves, who were far away from home but not sick enough to be in the hospital. She treated the children as if they were own, administering medical treatment, providing care and staying in touch with many long after they left.

Some became permanent members of the family, with one child  a boy named Eric  living with the Dunlops for 20 years.

Even when Walter died in 1976, Mamie  now a single mother with four children of her own still at home  continued to take in children, sometimes as many as nine or 10 at a time.

"I think it kind of overtook her. She recognized there was a deep need. For lack of a better term, it was almost a halfway house. Some would stay for a day or a week, some for a year," Matt said.

"They might need therapy, or perhaps they were burned and required special bandaging. Or special needs for lung conditions, suction therapy, there were all kinds of different things like that. Some were just babies, just newborns with cleft palates."

While having nine or 10 children in one home may not meet todays stricter standards, Matt said it speaks to the fact various agencies had a lot of confidence in his mothers ability to take in and provide care for the children.

"It speaks to the need back then, for sure. But it also speaks to the confidence they had in her ability. She was their go-to person. Mom was the first person theyd call. She never turned anybody away. She couldnt do it."

At the age of 65, Mamie finally decided to retire. She sold her house, gave much of the revenue to her children and set off on the next chapter of her life.

She was very close to her brother Willie. For the next decade, the two drove all across North America, from as far south as Florida to as far north as Alaska, seeking out adventures and travelling to wherever piqued their interest.

"It really was the first time in her life she was able to travel like that. They jumped in his Cadillac and away they went wherever the wind took them," Matt said.

When Mamie passed away earlier this year, her family wrote in her obituary, "it is with great sadness, and joy, that we announce the passing of our wonderful mother after a courageous battle with life."

And thats how Matt remembers his mother: a woman with a heart of gold, a generous spirit, who loved life and loved children.

"She was just a regular girl who lived her life to the best of her ability. She was proud of her work with kids. She was proud of her role in the army, as there werent many women in the army at that time. She was proud of her children and her parents. She was proud of her heritage and where she came from."

She is survived by her children Wayne, Doreen, Dennis, Alex, Matt and Connie, as well as 38 grandchildren and great grandchildren.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca
The ferry that ships essential goods, such as fuel and water treatment chemicals, to York Factory First Nation is being held hostage by a neighbouring community, Chief Leroy Constant says.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 1/6/2018 (1230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The ferry that ships essential goods, such as fuel and water treatment chemicals, to York Factory First Nation is being held hostage by a neighbouring community, Chief Leroy Constant says.

On Friday, Constant said Tataskweyak Cree Nation is not allowing the M.V. Joe Keeper to set sail because of disputes with the provincial and federal governments, and York Factory is running out of supplies due to the conflict.

York Factorys ferry usually docks in the middle of Tataskweyak, which is located on the northern shore of Split Lake. York Factory is set up on the south shore of the lake, some 700 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

The community of about 500 people is only accessible by winter roads for a few months of the year and, as of June, can only be arrived at by ferry or plane.

"(Tataskweyak) has a boil-water advisory in place right now, and theres a whole list of issues that they want addressed. Another one being that the ferry is situated in their First Nation, and they want a commitment from the province to move it," Constant said Friday afternoon.

The York Factory chief said Tataskweyak Cree Nation wants a commitment in writing from the province to find a new place to dock the ferry.

It also wants Indigenous Services Canada to step up with help getting clean water and other resources.

Tataskweyak Chief Doreen Spence couldnt be reached for comment Friday evening. Federal government spokespeople were also not available to comment.

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A spokesperson for Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler said talks with the northern First Nations are underway.

"Discussions remain ongoing between the province and the affected Indigenous communities, and we will have further comment in due course as these negotiations continue," the spokesperson wrote by email late Friday.

Constant said his community was notified Thursday that the ferry  and its supplies  wouldnt be budging.

"We feel that its leverage for them to get what they want with the province, because our ferry is situated in their First Nation, right in the middle. Theyre looking at it as leverage, holding us hostage for their needs," he said.

Without the ferry moving goods, two infrastructure projects  a school expansion and water treatment plant upgrades  are in jeopardy, the chief said. The community is also low on fuel right now and down to its last barrel of water treatment chemicals, Constant said.

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @_jessbu
We see your steel and aluminum tariffs and we raise you steel, aluminum, yogurt, coffee, maple syrup, chocolate, pizza, jams, jellies, condiments, pickles, hair spray, after-shave, soap, detergent, toilet paper, mattresses, refrigerators, dishwashers, lawn mowers, sailboats, whiskey, ball-point pens and beer kegs.

This article was published 1/6/2018 (1230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We see your steel and aluminum tariffs and we raise you steel, aluminum, yogurt, coffee, maple syrup, chocolate, pizza, jams, jellies, condiments, pickles, hair spray, after-shave, soap, detergent, toilet paper, mattresses, refrigerators, dishwashers, lawn mowers, sailboats, whiskey, ball-point pens and beer kegs.

Its your move, America.

A furious fusillade of trade-related actions and retaliations was launched Thursday after the United States unilaterally imposed heavy tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union. By days end, Canada and its largest trading partner appeared to be on the brink of a full-fledged trade war.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced tariff countermeasures on up to $16.6-billion worth of U.S. imports in response to the American decision to make good on its threat of similar tariffs against Canadian-made steel and aluminum. (Patrick Doyle / The Canadian Press)

Justifying the blunt-force imposition of tariffs as "national security" concerns, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday that ending the previously granted one-month tariff exemptions to regional trading partners Mexico and Canada, along with the EU, was at least in part due to the slow progress in renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The talks, said Mr. Ross, "are taking longer than we had hoped."

The U.S. imposed tariffs of 25 per cent on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminum imports, effective June 1.

Approximately 90 per cent of Canadas steel exports head south of the border, while half of U.S. steel exports end up in Canada.

Canada responded quickly, as did Mexico and the EU. This countrys retaliatory tariffs are valued at $16.6 billion  a dollar-for-dollar matching of the U.S. tariffs impact  and will take effect July 1.

The U.S. imposed tariffs of 25 per cent on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminum imports, resulting in Canada issuing a dollar-for-dollar matching of the tariffs impact. (Tara Walton / The Canadian Press Files)

Its a startling turn of events for Mr. Trudeau, who long has been lauded for his seeming ability to keep the often-impulsive U.S. President Donald Trump in check when it comes to Canada-U.S. relations. In some diplomatic quarters, Mr. Trudeau had been referred to, in lightly reverential terms, as "the Trump whisperer."

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But as the U.S. presidents frequent NAFTA-related outbursts  most recently referring to Canada and Mexico as "very spoiled" and "very difficult to deal with"  have demonstrated, there really is no reining in Mr. Trump. His grasp of trade-related issues seems rudimentary at best, with the primary concerns within his focus being "winning" and creating fodder for rally-ready proclamations about how hes defending the American worker.

No mention, of course, of the cost of retaliatory trade measures on those same U.S. employees whose products are no longer priced for easy export, or American consumers who are hit hard in the wallet by higher-priced imported goods.

When it comes to the U.S. presidents embrace of expert counsel when dealing with matters of great import, one need look no further than this weeks agenda: Mr. Trump held a high-level meeting in the Oval Office on the issue of prison reform. The invited guest offering wisdom and direction: Kim Kardashian.

The frustration of Mr. Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland was evident during the Thursday press conference in which Canadas retaliation was outlined.

"We will continue to make arguments based on logic and common sense," the PM offered, "and hope that eventually they will prevail against an administration that doesnt always align itself around those principles."

Its Americas move  and one can only wonder if Mr. Trumps ongoing inflammatory oration about the auto sector is a signal of whats to come.
For 44 years, the Nonsuch has been enchanting visitors to the Manitoba Museum, bringing a whiff of adventure and the romance of the sea to our landlocked city.

This article was published 1/6/2018 (1230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. For 44 years, the Nonsuch has been enchanting visitors to the Manitoba Museum, bringing a whiff of adventure and the romance of the sea to our landlocked city. The jewel in the crown of the Hudsons Bay Company Museum Collection, the replica of the 17th-century fur-trading ship takes those who board her back in time. Decades worth of schoolchildren have clutched the rails at the side of the rickety gangway that leads you onboard and descended the narrow stairs  backwards, please, for safety!  into the focsle, where they could marvel at the tiny bunks  how short men were back then  and peer out the round portholes, imagining them being lashed by salt spray as you crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a grand adventure to find a new trade route for England. Few of us on long-ago field trips ever stopped to think about why this Prairie city was honouring a British ship that never actually visited Manitoba  let alone why we had built an entire museum wing around a replica that, while it sailed more than 14,000 kilometres in European, Canadian and American waters, was hauled into Winnipeg in pieces. As the first phase of its $17.5-million Bringing Our Stories Forward capital campaign, the museum has spent about three years planning its refurbishment of the Nonsuch exhibit, which has remained largely untouched since it was installed in 1974, in part to better tell that story. The project, funded in part by the HBC History Foundation and Canadian Heritage: Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, reverses the ships journey. Instead of leaving Deptford, England, in 1668, the Nonsuch is now returning to that British port town in 1669, its cargo hold laden with beaver pelts from trading with the northern Cree, its crew full of stories from the New World. The shift is more than temporal and directional. In a subtle but meaningful way, it changes the narrative from a purely colonial view  European fur traders "discovering" Canada  to one of relationships and mutual influence. Amelia Fay is the curator of the HBC Museum Collection  the Nonsuch is the largest artifact  and the lead on the renovation project. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Amelia Fay is curator of the Hudsons Bay Company Museum Collection and main curator for the renovations of the Nonsuch gallery. "Im mostly interested in relationships between Indigenous peoples and Europeans who came over for trade and other reasons," says Fay, 36, an archeologist with a BA in anthropology. "My interest in the Hudsons Bay Company kind of grew out of that  thinking about those connections between people, especially early on, and what it meant before Canada was even Canada." Under her guidance, a team of curators and conservators has widened the exhibitions focus considerably. "Were able to bring in more stories about what it meant to these early fur traders to interact with these people that theyd never heard of before or seen or met and some of the experiences they had," Fay explains. "And were able to also bring in the Cree perspective, so we have a Cree oral history that starts the gallery, talking about the first contact with Europeans." Telling more stories requires much more than new information panels and some fresh artifacts. The Nonsuch project involves a huge team of contributors from both in and outside the museum to provide everything from props and lighting to audio components, interpretation and construction. New installations were envisioned and created, custom display cases ordered, video clips assembled, descriptions researched, written and translated into French. Interpretive planning and exhibit design was provided by Vancouver firm AldrichPears. There is a beautiful new backdrop by local mural artists Charlie Johnston and Pat Lazo. As the Manitoba Museum readies to unveil the new Nonsuch on Friday, the Free Press takes you behind the scenes with a look at just a fraction of what went into bringing a 17th-century replica up to 21st-century museum standards. COURTESY OF SAM RICHARDS The replica sailing in U.S. waters. In the mid-17th century, the fur trade was complicated and indirect. Northern Cree were the source of most of the beaver pelts prized by Europeans (the underfur of the beaver, with tiny barbs that makes the hair mat together, made excellent felt for hats), but getting those pelts involved Indigenous middlemen, who would bring them from the Cree via canoe, along a wandering route of lakes and rivers to the established trade depots along the St. Lawrence in what was then New France. Two French fur traders, Medard Chouart, Sieur de Grosseilliers, and his brother-in-law, Pierre Esprit Radisson, had explored inland and made connections with various First Nations. They realized there was an easier, or at least more direct, way: find a sea route to Hudson Bay, establish depots there, trade directly with the Cree, and load the ships for England. British artist Norman Wilkinsons painting of the Nonsuch imagines the scene of the ships return to London in 1669. When France showed no interest in the idea because it threatened their dominance along the St. Lawrence, Grosseilliers and Radisson took their plan to the British in 1665. After gaining an audience with King Charles II, the two explorers convinced him of the potential of their scheme.

The Nonsuch was purchased for 290 pounds and fitted out for the long journey. Commanded by Capt. Zachariah Gillam, the ship left port on June 3, 1668, and reached James Bay 118 days later. In his journal, Gillam claimed they traded with 300 peaceful Cree and returned home the following August with "a considerable quantity of Beaver, which made them some recompense for their cold confinement," as the London Gazette reported. The beaver sold briskly on the London market and though the profits didnt offset the cost of the trip, there was little doubt of the value of the new trade route. The investors applied to the king for a charter to trade, which was granted on May 2, 1670. Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudsons Bay, more familiarly known as the Hudsons Bay Company, now HBC, would go on to play a huge role in establishing trade and scientific exploration, as well as contributing to the colonization of what would become Canada.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Matthew Stepian of International Fur Dresser, is responsible for dressing all the beaver pelts for the Nonsuch boat.

It might surprise you to discover that International Fur Dressers and Dryers, a family-owned and -run business in industrial St. Boniface, is the largest tanning facility in North America. Then again, it might not  its part of the legacy of the fur trade in this province. Matthew Stepian is a third-generation tanner; his grandfather started International Fur in 1967. Hes intensely proud of the work they wdo, everything from garment-quality furs for European fashion houses to hides for taxidermists across Canada. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The finishing touches being applied to the new Boreal Forest gallery. Its that pride that led to his involvement in the Nonsuch project. He had taken his kids to the museum, where his attention was naturally drawn to the furs on display as part of the HBC collection. They were looking a little worse for wear, a little shabby  and he knew he could do better. He contacted the museum and offered them an arctic fox; he has since provided the Nonsuch exhibit with dressed beaver pelts much like the ones traded in the early days of the HBC. Taking an animal pelt from raw fur to usable textile is a process, an incredibly time-consuming one, that hasnt changed that much in the last 400 years. Its become less toxic  tanners no longer use mercury, for instance  but the basic treatment is the same, and much of the work is done by hand or via low-tech processes (the specifics of which, however, are closely guarded secrets). "Just like a baker who has his own recipe for bread, in tanning, we all have our own recipe," Stepian says, walking through an enormous cold storage room full of cardboard boxes full of coyote, bison, arctic fox, lynx, bear and muskrat hides waiting to be tanned. First, trappers remove as much flesh and fat as possible, and then dry-stretch the skin, which helps prevent the proliferation of bacteria that will loosen the hair follicles. In this state, called raw fur, it can be stored in a cooler at low humidity for up to four years. If it gets wet, however, its unsalvageable, which is some indication of how perilous the fur trade was in the days when pelts travelled by boat with no refrigeration. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Undressed or unfinished beaver pelts and other furs in the showroom. Tanners take the raw furs and put them through a 24-hour soak in soapy, salty water, "just like a giant bubble bath," Stepian says, to remove natural oils. Next step is a pickle, a brining process to help preserve the hide. Finally, the skin is tanned in a solution that locks the hair follicles into the epidermis. Between each step, the skin is shaved down by hand. Next, the skins go to the dry room, with a large dehumidifier. Once dry, the fur is soft, locked in place and the skins wont decompose, but the leather is stiff and unworkable. To remedy that, the hides are tumbled in giant wooden drums with sawdust for up to 24 hours. "The friction makes it heat up; itll make the animal sweat a little bit and open up their pores, and well rub warm oil into their leather and let it sit and absorb," Stepian says. The hide is hand-stretched and more tumbling soaks up the excess oil. This process is repeated multiple times. Finally, any seeds or debris are removed manually, and the fur is detangled and brushed. In the early days of the HBC, beaver pelts were so important, the company issued currency, called Made Beaver, based on the value of one prime skin in good condition. Nowadays, the market is down: a trapper can expect only about US$35 for a beaver pelt. The Nonsuch arrives in Winnipeg The Nonsuch arrives in Winnipeg - Manitoba Museum - Manitoba Museum - Manitoba Museum - Manitoba Museum - Manitoba Museum The Nonsuch is an oak ship called a ketch, which was the typical merchant ship of the 17th and 18th centuries. Measuring just 16.5 metres (54 feet) from stem to stern, with a maximum width of 5.4 metres, its tough to imagine a dozen men living in her cramped quarters for such a long voyage, never mind how she would have been tossed about in an Atlantic gale. However, the Nonsuchs small size was an asset in the frigid Canadian North. Whereas larger ships would be crushed as ice formed around them on the water, Nonsuch could be lifted out to overwinter on land. When her crew landed at the river in the south end of James Bay, which they christened Rupert (in honour of Prince Rupert, the cousin of King Charles II and one of the voyages benefactors), they hauled her out, spending the winter in a cabin they constructed. According to the informative bookThe Return of the Nonsuch: The Ship That Launched an Empire by Winnipeg author Laird Rankin, she carried cargo that included tar, compasses, axes, hammers, blunderbusses, pistols, shot, paper, quills and eel nets. Food rations aboard included salt pork and beef, as well as raisins, prunes, lemon juice and sugar. The seamen drank beer and brandy  quite a lot of the former. Because it wasnt possible to keep water potable for long on board, every man had a ration of eight pints of beer a day, although it was whats known as "small beer," with a lower alcohol content.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Matt Jenkins, co-owner of local blacksmith shop Cloverdale Forge, works on an axe head that will be on display at the Manitoba Museum in the newly renovated Nonsuch gallery.

In planning for Nonsuchs renewal, curator Fay wanted to flesh out the area around the ship, which was largely empty rooms. "The ship is awe-inspiring and people love it, so they perhaps dont notice how sad the townscape is," Fay says. She wanted to bring it to life with furniture, dishes, tools and food of the time. "That was one of the things I sort of laughed about, because I had to choose period-appropriate bread," the curator says. "I never would have thought I got a PhD to look at fake loaves of bread to see which looks the most 17th-century-like, but there I was. I got sent a (props) catalogue of things and picked the stuff I liked. Theyre even making a custom dish for me thats not in their catalogue." For some other items to complete the picture, such as replica axe heads to put in the warehouse space, Fay went to local sources. Blades are not Cloverdale Forges usual stock in trade, but the opportunity to be part of a museum display was too tempting to pass up for the local blacksmith shop run by Matt Jenkins and Karen (Rudy) Rudolph. Their small forge on Cloverdale Road off Highway 8, about 25 minutes north of Winnipeg, specializes in more decorative items (the ironwork in the Common at The Forks is their handiwork), but when Fay asked them to contribute to the Nonsuch project, Jenkins couldnt resist. "It was always my favourite spot in the museum," he says. The blacksmith also worked at Lower Fort Garry for years (as did his father before him), so hes knowledgeable about the Hudsons Bay Company. The axe heads Cloverdale is recreating, which are part of the HBC Museum Collection, are not beautifully etched weapons but tools of the "cheap and dirty" variety known as trade axes, used for such everyday tasks as splitting kindling, chopping down tent poles, cracking open crates and popping open barrels. "Its just a wrapped piece of steel," Jenkins explains, as Sophie, a grey Persian whos "90 per cent fur, 10 per cent attitude" winds around his feet in the handsome log cabin on their rural property. "Kind of French in origin; it typically has a rounder handle than the rectangular oblong, lozenge-shaped axe handle that everyones used to nowadays." Theyre quite small and have no pole, an extension on the back of the blade that acts as a counterweight. They have a "French notch" on the underside, the origins and benefits of which Jenkins says are debated but remain undecided. Another element that makes them distinctive is the crack that forms where two metals  mild steel for the body and high-carbon steel for the blade  have been forge-welded together. "And its more of a wrapped eye than a punched eye," says Jenkins, referring to the hole for the handle. "You could punch it, like sticking your finger through a piece of plasticine, but in this case were wrapping it around and welding it." There are some concessions to modernity: in the late 1600s, blades would have been made of low-quality wrought iron; known for pitting, its no longer manufactured. "But Im taking the attribute I think is the most important from back then, which is that it was the cheapest," Jenkins says. "Were using that attribute for the material (mild steel) were using today." Wearing steampunk-style goggles Rudolph refers to as "birth control" and a fire-retardant apron, Jenkins holds the tongs in his bare hands alarmingly close to the glowing coals of his gas-fired forge to pull out a rectangular piece of low-carbon steel, which he wraps around a mould to shape the eye and then hammers almost flat, leaving a gap to insert the wedge of the blade. In forge welding, Rudolph explains, "You actually stick the metals in the fire and they get so hot on the surface that they start to melt, so you bring them out and slam them together and sparks go everywhere and they become one piece of metal." If that sounds kind of magical, it is. Heated to a yellow-white molten heat, the metal starts to look like a sparkler. Jenkins holds a hammer where he wants pressure and Rudolph swings a mallet, melding the two metals together. After a few more fires and shaping, its been transformed from two bits of steel to an axe head. "The beautiful thing about what we do in our shop is were not a big manufacturer, so we dont have the machines or modern technology to produce hundreds of axes a day," Rudolph says. "So the tools and technology that we use are a lot of the same tools and technology that would have been used when these axes were made back in the day." The replica of the Nonsuch was commissioned by the HBC to celebrate its 300th anniversary in 1970 and pay homage to its nautical history. At the time, the company, though based in London, England, had its Canadian administrative headquarters in Winnipeg; Manitoba would, coincidentally, turn 100 in 1970. In 1966, Manitoba Centennial Corp. was planning a cultural complex of concert hall, museum and planetarium to celebrate the provinces centenary year. It approached the HBC for a contribution to the project, and the company saw a way to dovetail its own commemorative ad campaign into the corporations plans. PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipegs Sam Richards still has a mallet and belaying pin from his time aboard the small tall ship, which he sailed for three seasons in the 1970s. It sounds a bit mad and not a little grandiose in hindsight, but the HBC offered to organize and pay for construction of a seaworthy Nonsuch replica that would eventually be housed in a wing of the proposed museum complex. Designed by Warington Smyth, she was manufactured in Britain and staffed with a crew of seven, in addition to her captain, Adrian Small. The ship proved immensely popular on her tour around England and France. Crowds greeted her wherever she travelled, drawn to harbours and shores by the sound of the six-gun salute and the beauty of her unfurled sails and elaborately carved prow. When it came time to make her way to Canada, the long ocean voyage was deemed too risky  Nonsuch was brought over on the deck of a steamship  but before reaching her final dry dock, the ship would do a promotional tour, sailing up the St. Lawrence and through the Great Lakes. For her Canadian journey, HBC decided to include some Winnipeg sailors as an acknowledgement of the ships final destination. Sam Richards joined the crew as an ordinary seaman or deckhand in 1970. Then 20 years old, he was one of two local men hired after responding to a tender in the Free Press, "based on the fact that wed been in a boat before," he says, laughing. His only experience was racing 19-foot lightning sailboats on Lake of the Woods. Now 68 and a landlubber working in software support, he looks back fondly on his days with the Nonsuch, despite the cramped quarters and the lack of amenities. "It was a lovely time," he says. "I think of it as a separate life, almost." After his three seasons aboard Nonsuch, he joined the crew of the Golden Hinde, a replica of explorer Sir Francis Drakes 1500s galleon, for a voyage across the Atlantic; he shows off an impressive scar on his leg thats a memento of an incident with one her cannons. As a novice seaman, Richards learned the ropes, literally, while aboard the Nonsuch. Luckily, Smyth had made her easy to handle. COURTESY OF SAM RICHARDS Sam Richards aboard the Nonsuch on the West Coast in 1972. "You put your butt on the tiller, you could focus on point on the horizon and she would just go in a straight line," he recalls. "It was beautiful sailing." As a floating billboard for the HBC, Nonsuch was a great success. "The Hudsons Bay Company got a lot of free coverage," Richards says. "Wed often be on the front page of the local paper. Youd go into these small towns along the St. Lawrence Seaway and tons of people would be there.Every once in a while thered be a floating dock and it would be sinking (under the weight of the crowd). "When we went to Niagara-on-the-Lake, we sailed into it through a fog. We came out of this fog and you couldnt believe how many people were on the shore. It was just fabulous." By 1972, it became evident the construction of Nonsuchs new home was behind schedule. A Manitoba election in 1969 saw the New Democrats replace the Progressive Conservatives; the new government had no formal ties to the Manitoba Centennial Corp.s project and there was some concern it would not honour the agreement. (Oddly, the situation is now reversed. The NDP had promised $10 million to the Manitoba Museums $17.5-million capital campaign, but Premier Brian Pallisters government has committed to $1.4 million with an addition $3.6 million in matching funds). HBC took advantage of the delay to give Nonsuch another season at sea, this time along the coast of British Columbia and Washington State, before wintering her in a Seattle boatyard. The ship was finally dismantled and transported over land to Riverton Boatworks, about 90 kilometres north of Winnipeg. On Nov. 20, 1973, a crane placed the hull of the Nonsuch on the floor of what would become her permanent home.

Hudsons Bay Company Archives / Archives of Manitoba The Nonsuch at Tower Pier, London, in 1969. From left: Stephen New, Alfred Weatherill, Capt. Adrian Small, Jan Pearce, Mark Myers and Robert Cann.

When the replica Nonsuch set sail from England in 1969, almost 40,000 people turned out to watch her embark on her maiden voyage. Theres no record of who gathered on the shores to bid farewell to the original Nonsuch on June 3, 1668, but in the Manitoba Museum, since 1974, the ship has rested on the banks of the Thames at dawn, the town of Deptford evidently asleep around her  the only sound visitors hear is the call of a lone gull. No vendors hawk their wares, no crowds jostle on the banks. Curator Amelia Fay envisioned a livelier atmosphere for the ships return  "Oh, that sad, lonely seagull!" she says. To bring her vision to life, she turned to Dacapo Productions, a Winnipeg audio production company that has extensive experience in theatre, film, animation and video games. At the Exchange District studio in early May, the finishing touches are being put on the expansive soundscape elements that will fill the gallery, as well as a special soundtrack to play in the tavern. (That space has been expanded and made to feel like a cosy pub; it will feature chatter from the returning sailors about their journey and their interactions and relationships with the Cree hunters they met overseas.) Voice director Nolan Balzer is working with actor Monique LaCoste to provide bilingual voice-over for five documentary video clips about the replica Nonsuch that will play in a kiosk. Sound engineer Steve Payne plays a snippet of conversation between two women haggling over the price of a bolt of cloth, and another of boisterous tavern customers lustily singing along with a tune penned by Olaf Pyttlik as part of a collection of original period-style music. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Clinton Skibitzky, manager of operations at Dacapo Productions in Winnipeg, helped produced a soundscape for the Nonsuch exhibition that brings the scene to life. Seven members of the Dacapo crew have been working since November on the project, which general manager Clinton Skibitzky says is the most ambitious soundscape of its kind that the company has tackled. The audio setup features 40 speakers, all transmitting something different in a very tall space with a lot of reverb. After consulting with Fay, they brought on Governor Generals Award-winning Metis playwright Ian Ross (fareWel) to craft a script that would reflect the language and activities of the time. Sixteen voice actors, including some names that will be familiar to local theatre-goers, such as Gord Tanner and Mariam Bernstein, provide a large cast of characters. "We didnt want to hear same voice in two locations  thats a moment where you lose the magic," Skibitzky says. "Its like on The Simpsons when you realize Chief Wiggum has the same voice as another character; you cant suspend disbelief. We want to make it feel like a vibrant, real community." MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Voice actor Monique LaCoste reads lines in the Dacapo studio. Dacapo has created three different 17-minute, day-to-night cycles, meaning every visit to the gallery should provide a slightly different experience (the gallery lighting will adjust with the cycle). Visitors might catch the quiet of a town just waking up, the bustle of a busy morning marketplace or the rowdy sounds of a tavern at night. "We started thinking abut the duration of the timeline  how long does a person actually spend in the gallery?  which is about 10 minutes, so you dont want a one-hour day because youd only get a small fraction of it," Skibitzky says. "Then we looked at things that would actually happen in this town in that century, the kinds of activity you would have. In the market, they would barter like this and use this currency and ask to buy these kinds of goods," he says. "There would be this kind of ship repair going on with these kinds of tools in this warehouse. "Even in the tavern  how did you pour ale then? Youre not going to have it on pressurized taps like you do now." The soundtracks dedication to veracity goes beyond what the casual museum visitor might notice. For instance, one of the day cycles features a rainstorm, necessitating research into building materials of the day. "Its slate roof here and thatch over there; as you walk by, youre on wooden planks or stone, so the sound of the rain would change," Skibitzky explains. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Voice director Nolan Balzer works on narration to accompany videos on the Nonsuch replica. For sound effects engineer Gisele Nazareno, it was capturing home life that was most challenging. "Its a real historical thing where I had to look online to find out what utensils did they use. The women just sweep a lot," she says, laughing. "The sounds of the homestead were the hardest. You cant just have a TV on in the background!" The Nonsuch is typical of 17th-century ketches. She features two square-rigged masts  a tall main in front and a shorter mizzen behind  with two sails on each. She has bowspirit (a spar extending out from the vessels prow), and a high foredeck and poop (the deck that forms the roof of the cabin in the rear of the ship). Though visitors revel in the details of the Nonsuch replica  the carved wooden dogs known as Wellington and Boot, the many naked torsos of women, which 17th-century sailors believed would keep bad weather away  they largely mimic similar ships of the period. Few specifics are available about of the appearance of the Nonsuch herself, about which few records were kept and precious little is known, beyond dimensions and some provenance  she was purchased from Sir William Warren, who had likely bought her from the British navy, where she had been in service since 1654 (hence her cannons). That said, much research and effort was undertaken to make her free of anachronisms or modern conveniences When the shipbuilding yard J. Hinks & Son of Appledore, England, won the tender to build the replica in 1967, there were strict instructions to make the Nonsuch as authentic as possible. That charge of authenticity extended to the painstaking use of 17th-century tools and methods. She had to be made of oak, and the seams of her hull were caulked with oakum, a fibre made by unravelling tarred hemp ropes, which was hammered into her seams with a wooden caulking mallet. The sails were handmade out of flax canvas; no machine stitching was used and such modern inventions as wire and brass eyelets were verboten. The few concessions to the 20th century were the installation of electricity, mandated safety equipment and a toilet. A 39-year-old British sailor, Adrian Small, was named captain of the Nonsuch. He had much experience with square-rig ships, having been second mate on a Mayflower replica, as well as working aboard replicas used in films including Moby Dick and Billy Budd.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A professional ship rigger climbs during the re-rigging of the Nonsuch for historical accuracy.

Over time, an important aspect of the Nonsuchs authenticity became unravelled. The rigging  the complex system of ropes that hoists the sails  has been redone frequently over the years, as sailors aboard the replica adapted it to be more functional for their needs. To rectify the situation, Cindy Colford, the museums manager of collections and conservation, brought in Courtney Andersen, an American expert in historical rigging, to lead a team of riggers in returning the ships lines to a pristine period condition. Their job was threefold: to correct historical inaccuracies; to make sure the rigging was all in working order; and to make it safe for curators who actually have to climb it. Andersen, one of about 20 historical riggers in North America, has worked on several replica ships, including the Bounty (of the famous mutiny); the Half Moon, a reproduction of Henry Hudsons 1609 square-rigged vessel; and the same Golden Hinde facsimile Sam Richards sailed on. Hes also been a consultant on films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and works at the Maritime Museum in San Francisco. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Courtney Andersen is the historic ship-rigging supervisor at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. When re-rigging the Nonsuch, he relied on the same tools  marlin spikes, serving mallets  sailors used for hundreds of years. Talking to Andersen, 49, after a February lecture at the Planetarium auditorium, he exudes a distinctive aroma, noticeable from about a metre away  but thats not a bad thing. The smoky scent is one that will make many museum-goers intensely nostalgic, because its the same odour that permeates the Nonsuch gallery: the smell of pine tar, often called Stockholm tar. This sticky substance, made by cooking the roots and stumps of pine trees down to a thick molasses-like goo, is used to waterproof ropes. The rigging on the Nonsuch is maintained using the age-old treatment of traditional twisted rope. First, to protect from moisture and rot, it is "wormed" by laying small line in the spiral grooves between the strands of the rope, to make a smoother surface. Then its "parceled" by wrapping in the same direction with long canvas strips, and finally its "served" by wrapping it in the opposite direction with twine to prevent wear and chafing. Its then treated with Stockholm tar. "Everyone Ive talked to in Winnipeg says, Oh, yeah, I went on that when I was a little kid! and everyone talks about the smell of the ship," says Andersen, who looks like you might imagine a historical rigger to look, weathered and bearded with a strapping Nordic vibe. "Its kind of cool. "This is a huge crowd for a topic like this," he adds, gesturing at the lineup of people waiting to talk to him about futtock shrouds, lateen sails and poop decks, or why Stockholm tar is superior to other tars (pro tip: its not; its just pine tar from trees in Sweden). "That really just shows how excited people are about the museum and the Nonsuch." Though no drawings exist of the Nonsuch, much as the designers of the replica relied on paintings of similar ships of the day, Anderson studies paintings and book illustrations to untangle the mysteries of historical rigging. "Square sails are designed for the trade winds," he explains. "Theyre called the trade winds because they blow constantly from one direction, so European ships would sail from Europe, follow the trade winds to the Americas and then follow another set of winds going in the other direction, not the same latitude. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Climbing in the rigging, Courtney Andersen is the Historic Ship Rigging Supervisor at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and is overseeing the re-rigging of the Nonsuch for historical accuracy, and longevity. "If youre going basically downwind, a square-rigged ship with the sails going across the beam of the ship, the width of the ship, is ideal because its just basically pushing you along. When people wanted to start going  and this is very simplified  but when people wanted to start going in other directions, square sails arent the most efficient. You need to have fore- and aft-rigged sails that you can point up into the wind." Historical accuracy can include everything from the way ropes are coiled on deck to what they are made of. In the 1600s, ships would have used hemp rope; when it became hard to find, Manila rope was used as replacement. Manila is made from the fibre obtained from the leaves of the abaca, a type of banana native to the Philippines. It gives you splinters and its difficult to work with; it has been replaced with Hempex, a synthetic alternative (true hemp rope is no longer available). Andersen also had to replace a couple of blocks (pulleys) that had seized. When global commerce relied on trade ships, wooden blocks were one of the first mass-produced items in the world, made by the Dutch. "Its a lot more difficult to find them these days," he says. When the Nonsuch crew made camp at the mouth of the Rupert River (todays Waskagnaish, Que.), they were greeted by a climate and an environment that was utterly foreign to them. Blackflies and mosquitoes were a plague in the summer months and the bitter winter was unlike anything they would have experienced in England.They no doubt brought home tales of unique animals, unfamiliar plants and new customs. The time was one of exploration and adventure, with the British Empire devoted to expansion by colonization. The Restoration era also saw the founding of the Royal Society in London in 1660. This prestigious independent scientific academy was devoted to research and innovation in trade and technology; regular trips to New France and beyond provided opportunity for gathering specimens from a new part of the globe. The Hudsons Bay Company went on to be involved in much more than just the fur trade, branching out into oil and gas, and salmon fisheries. They had outposts in such far-flung locales as Hawaii, California and Siberia  the Hawaiian dish lomi-lomi can be traced back to HBC introducing salmon to the area.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Curator of zoology Randy Mooi in the revamped boreal forest exhibit at the Manitoba Museum.
SINTET, Gambia  Yahya Jammeh was 15 years into his tenure as Gambias autocratic leader in 2009 when, according to local media reports, he ordered security forces to round up hundreds of sorcerers  reportedly in retribution for the death of his aunt, who he said was killed by witchcraft.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 2/6/2018 (1229 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SINTET, Gambia  Yahya Jammeh was 15 years into his tenure as Gambias autocratic leader in 2009 when, according to local media reports, he ordered security forces to round up hundreds of "sorcerers"  reportedly in retribution for the death of his aunt, who he said was killed by witchcraft.

Over the next seven years, Jammeh directed sporadic "witch hunts" across the West African country of two million, a practice confirmed by Gambias government. Armed soldiers targeted poor, elderly farmers, forcing them to drink a hallucinogenic liquid before pressuring them into confessing to murders by sorcery, according to victims.

Interviews with more than 20 victims and dozens of witnesses and local leaders in two rural villages revealed a pattern of kidnappings, beatings and forced confessions that have had lasting health implications on survivors and resulted in several deaths, according to surviving family members and neighbours.

Gambias government last year launched a commission to investigate alleged abuses under Jammeh, working with an independent centre to provide support for survivors of Jammeh-ordered atrocities. But none of the villagers interviewed by the Washington Post said they had contact with government investigators or the victims centre.

Gambian Information Minister Demba Jawo confirmed the "witch hunts" took place, both in Gambias countryside and in government offices in the area around the capital, Banjul. Jawo also confirmed he had heard reports that some victims had died. He called the witch hunts "yet another manifestation of (Jammehs) superstitious tendencies."

"Hardly any people could question those things," he said. "The program was mere superstition, and it had no scientific basis."

No one really knows what Jammeh hoped to gain from the witch hunts. Once the soldiers gained the forced confessions, villagers said, the victims were released or left to be found by family and friends. The deaths that followed days, months and years later were mostly the result of health complications triggered by ingesting the hallucinogenic liquid.

Baba Jallow, the executive secretary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said he is waiting until the body is fully established to begin reaching out to victims.

Jawo echoed this, saying officials expected outreach to begin as early as July: "The process is definitely on. The government wants to concentrate on that process."

Jammeh was in power for 22 years before being voted out as president at the end of 2016. Although he initially conceded defeat, Jammeh later changed his mind  only fleeing to Equatorial Guinea when the Economic Community of West African States threatened to send in troops to remove him.

But he continues to be a divisive figure among Gambian communities. Many villagers are still unwilling to speak about human rights abuses out of fear that Jammeh will return. Others say they still support the ex-president.

For the many illiterate residents of the farming village of Sintet, about 130 kilometres east of Banjul, dates and numbers are difficult to specify, and the years blend together. But one day nine years ago stands out.

Witnesses recall dozens of security forces arriving one afternoon in 2009, accompanied by men they describe as foreign "witch doctors," dressed in red and wearing mirrors around their necks, who had come to cleanse the areas of witches. Jawo, the information minister, said the figures were "sorcerers from Guinea." Their attire is thought to play a role in witch hunting: The mirrors are used to identify targets, locals said.

Lamin K. Sanyang, a spokesman for the Gambian armed forces, said that while "officially there is no document or correspondence" that says the military was involved in witch hunts, "there have been incidences where some of our people have been used, escorting witch doctors going around."

That would have been an "abuse of the armed forces," he said.

Dembo Badjie, Sintets village chief of four years, said he remembered soldiers with guns. His wife was one of those taken, he said. She later died of health complications caused by the witch hunt, several neighbours said. Badjie confirmed that his wife died but refused to specify her cause of death.

"They surrounded the village," said 21-year-old Wday Darboe, who was a primary-school student at the time. "Some (soldiers) went to the bush. Others went house to house."

"They would chase you and beat you seriously," recalled Fatou Dubba, a mother of six in her 40s. The villagers were consistent in their accounts and told a harrowing story.

In Sintet, locals were rounded up, witnesses said. Soldiers filled one minibus and two trucks with people before driving them to Kanilai, Jammehs hometown, according to multiple victims taken on the buses and witnesses who saw them leave.

There, victims said, they were held in a compound until, one by one, they were forced to drink a bitter liquid at gunpoint.

They say it was kubejaro, a plant with hallucinogenic properties that grows in Gambia and is sometimes used by traditional healers. Several villagers recognized the effects of the plant after seeing teenagers consume it to become inebriated.

"Most of the people lost their senses. They peed themselves," said Dubba, who was captured with her mother-in-law.

"Its like if you get drunk, you become unconscious," said Fatou Darbo, a victim in her 60s. "We were terrified. I cant remember anything. After drinking, they forced us to confess how many people we killed."

Many Gambians say they believe in witchcraft. Faith healers and spiritual cures have devotees here. But Sintets residents say they were selected randomly and forced to confess to crimes they didnt commit.

"One of my children passed away before that happened," said Fadou Drammeh, 66. "I was forced to confess I killed my own child." Drammeh said a soldier also poured urine on her head.

Fatou Camara remembers being surrounded by 10 men. After declaring she would rather die than say she practised witchcraft, they made her swallow the liquid a second time. She fainted and hit her head, then lost the ability to speak for hours, she said.

"The only thing we knew was that Jammeh said we were witches," said Matty Sanyang, a victim in her 50s. "After we were released, it took me awhile to even be able to walk." Sanyang was later admitted to a hospital for medical treatment.

In 2009, Amnesty International reported two deaths from kidney failure during the witch hunts that year. But victims and others in Sintet say at least nine people died in the weeks and months that followed as a direct consequence of what happened.

One died of injuries from being heavily beaten during the village roundup, and eight others died of health complications that friends and relatives attributed to the liquid they were forced to drink.

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Sansan Cammara was whisked away by soldiers during a naming ceremony for a relatives baby, according to five other women in attendance. She died less than a week after being taken, according to friends, neighbours and her daughter, Muskeba Jarjue, 39, who cared for her and organized her funeral.

"She was a very hard-working woman," said a friend, Isatou Jobatah. "She valued humanity, discriminated against no one."

Jarjue remembers her horror at Cammaras appearance upon her release. Cammara was unable to eat or sleep, she said, and the inside of her mouth was discoloured.

Nine years after the first round of witch hunts, many survivors say they still suffer from health issues, including stomach problems, weakness, body pains and anxiety. One woman hides whenever she sees a van approaching. Others still have nightmares.

"People still get upset," Darbo said. "They threatened to come back."

 Washington Post
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Over 100 people have been killed and around 12,000 arrested so far in an anti-drug crackdown launched last month by the Bangladesh government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The operation has been compared with the murderous so-called anti-drug war being conducted by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.

Under the pretext of saving the country from the drug menace, hundreds of police officers and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel have been mobilised against residents in slum areas of the capital Dhaka and other major cities. The RAB is notorious for brutality and has been widely condemned by human rights groups.

The real purpose of these police-state style operations is to strengthen the state apparatus against growing anti-government opposition by workers, youth and other oppressed layers, in preparation for mass social struggles against the Bangladesh capitalist elite.

Virtually all those killed in the crackdown were supposedly shot during gunfights, crossfire or shootouts with law enforcers. Not a single police or state security officer has been killed in the military-style operations.

On May 26, heavily-armed RAB personnel raided the poverty-stricken Stranded Pakistanis Relief Camp, popularly known as the Geneva Camp, in Dhakas Mohammadpu area. Over 150 people were arrested. More than 40,000 Urdu-speaking people are housed in miserable conditions in the settlement, with an average of 90 people forced to share a single toilet.

Later that night, 52 people were arrested during raids on Dhakas Kamlapur and Korail slums. Police claimed to have recovered marijuana, methamphetamine tablets and locally-made liquor.

Prime Minister Hasina has been centrally involved in the anti-drug campaign from the outset, giving a free hand to the RAB and other police units. In line with her instructions, RAB Director-General Benazir Ahmed announced on May 14 that the operations would include mobile courts. These virtual kangaroo courts violate basic legal procedures and democratic rights.

According to a bdnws24.com report on May 27, mobile courts sentenced 77 people in one day, issuing jail terms ranging from three months to two years. Geneva Camp residents told the Daily Star that most of the detainees were innocent. The real drug dealers had fled after being tipped off in advance.

Media reports revealed that some victims were killed after victims families failed to pay bribes to the police. A Daily Star editorial on May 25 reported: In Feni and Gazipur, families of men killed in shootouts have alleged that the local police sought bribes in exchange for their release. In Feni, relatives have alleged that the failure to pay the bribe led to their deaths, while in Gazipurs Tongi, the police allegedly killed a detained man even after having been paid the bribe.

A motor mechanic detained and later released during one raid told the media that ordinary people were suffering for a few drug dealers. We cant do anything against the drug traders because people in the administration and politicians are also involved in drug trade, he said.

Under conditions of growing social inequality, wage demands by garment workers and student protests over jobs, sections of the ruling elite have begun voicing concerns about the anti-drug operations.

A New Age editorial on May 26 described the so-called gunfight deaths as typical of extrajudicial killing. It criticised law enforcers who were able to play the judge, the jury and the executioner. Two days earlier, the Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights condemned the anti-drug operations and mobile courts, and pointed out that the number of deaths had increased alarmingly.

The main bourgeois opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Khaleda Zia, and the Jatiya Party (JP) of former military dictator H.M. Ershad, denounced Hasinas repressive operations as extrajudicial killings. These parties are manoeuvring in preparation for national elections later this year. Their statements are cynical frauds. Both parties were involved in extrajudicial killings whilst in power.

Just as hypocritical is the Democratic Left Alliance, a platform of eight Stalinist and Maoist parties, including the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist), Revolutionary Workers Party, United Communist League and Democratic Revolutionary Party. It issued a pathetic appeal to the Hasina government to defend the rule of law, democratic norms and the constitution.

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The Australian government this week reiterated its determination to push through unprecedented foreign interference bills, even if they affect a broad range of people and organisations involved in political activity.

Attorney-General Christian Porter told the Australian on Thursday he would not withdraw the bills, which will compel thousands of people to list themselves on a public register if they lobby for, or co-operate with, a foreign person or entity.

Porter dismissed the newspapers suggestion that one of the measures, the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme (FITS) Bill, could effectively defame people by portraying them as agents of foreign influence because they had to register.

Whilst there can be significant improvements to the drafting to improve the regulatory impact, there is no overarching concern that mere registration paints a poor picture of anyone, Porter said.

A key figure in the Liberal-National government, Porter rejected calls from Murdochs Australian and other corporate media outlets to scrap and redraft the FITS bill to target only influence exercised on behalf of foreign governments. Instead, he said the bill could be amended to provide a wider media exemption without detracting from the overall intent and outcome.

Porters comments underscore the far-reaching threat to freedom of speech and other fundamental legal and democratic rights contained in the package of five bills, which also criminalise any joint political activity with overseas or global organisations.

His remarks further demonstrate the intensifying pressure that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls government is under. Washington and Australias US-connected military and intelligence apparatus are demanding that it override public opposition to the bills, which particularly target alleged Chinese influence in the country.

Porters vow followed extraordinary interventions last week by Andrew Hastie, the chairman of the Parliamentary Joint Intelligence and Security Committee, which is reviewing the main foreign interference bills, and Duncan Lewis, the director-general of security. Both insisted the bills had to be pushed through parliament.

Without consulting Turnbull, Hastie, a former SAS commander, dropped a bombshell, using parliamentary privilege to accuse a prominent Chinese Australian billionaire of conspiring to bribe a UN official. Lewis, an ex-general who heads the main domestic surveillance agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), backed Hastie in accusing Beijing of plotting to undermine Australias political system.

Without any public explanation, the committees report on the bills has been delayed, despite the Labor Partys in-principle backing for them. Whatever the reasons for the hold up, Porters remarks make it even clearer that the legislation is thoroughly anti-democratic.

The FITS register itself would provide a ready-made means for monitoring and persecuting anyone linked to China, but go far further.

A number of submissions to the parliamentary committee have warned that it has far-reaching implications for political and commercial activity. Constitutional law professor Anne Twomey pointed out that its language was so sweeping it would force thousands of peopleincluding academics, authors and book publishersto register as agents of other countries.

Any company with a foreign principal that operates in Australia, not just media companies, would have to register and continuously lodge documents disclosing activities that could influence politics. Failure to register or comply with its rules would trigger criminal penalties.

GetUp!, a reformist lobby group, explained that an organisation would need to register if asked by a foreign group to campaign against an Australian policy, regardless of whether the campaign went ahead.

The repressive potential of the proposed bills was displayed this week. Former foreign minister and New South Wales state premier Bob Carr, who heads a China-Australia institute at a Sydney university, was denounced, and threatened with expulsion from the Labor Party. His alleged offence was to have questions asked in parliament.

Such proposals for parliamentary questions are routine, but Foreign Minister Julie Bishop accused Carr of acting against the national interest by asking about the governments continuing paid employment of John Garnaut. An ex-Fairfax Media journalist, Garnaut worked with ASIO to write a still-classified report to Turnbull that led to the tabling of the foreign interference bills last December.

Garnaut was a senior advisor to Turnbull from 2015 to 2017. This March, while still employed as a government consultant, he testified at a US House committee hearing on State and Non-State Actor Influence Operations: Recommendations for US National Security. Garnaut told the committee that China was conducting aggressive influence peddling in Australia in order to weaken the US-Australia military alliance.

Carr was branded Beijing Bob in a recent book that claimed China is silently invading Australia. He is the second prominent political figure to be targeted in this reactionary nationalist anti-Chinese campaign. Last year, Labor Senator Sam Dastyari resigned from parliament after being accused by the government and mass media of being a double agent for the Chinese Communist Party regime.

The active role of the US military and intelligence machine in this witch hunt was amplified this week by the release of a report entitled Countering Comprehensive Coercion by a Pentagon- and corporate-funded think tank, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA).

The report calls for defensive and offensive action by the US and its allies, including Australia, to fight back against China and Russia, accusing them of waging a unique form of authoritarian political warfare: comprehensive coercion to subvert their democratic opponents.

No evidence is provided for these allegations, just vague references to secret intelligence material, plus frequent citations from Garnaut and other corporate media sources, and the anti-China books published by Australian Greens member Clive Hamilton and New Zealand academic Anne-Marie Brady.

As well as transparency laws to monitor political warfare, the report canvasses war and trade war options. It urges the US and its allies to explore which military or economic measures would have the biggest impact on adversary decision-making.

One of the reports authors is Ross Babbage, a former high-ranking Australian intelligence and defence official and one-time Labor government ministerial adviser. The two US authors, Thomas G. Mahnken and Toshi Yoshihara, both held leading posts in the US Naval War College and other Pentagon agencies.

Previous CSBA reports described Australia as the Pentagons critical gateway to the Indo-Pacific in the conflict with China, and called for the Trump administration to initiate a major escalation of the US confrontation with China over the South China Sea.

The latest report is part of an offensive by the US ruling establishment, which began under the Obama administration, to ensure there is no wavering in Canberras commitment to its involvement in American war preparations against Beijing, despite China being Australian capitalisms largest export market.

Such war plans require police-state measures to suppress political dissent, especially anti-war opposition. That, combined with the demonisation of anyone connected to China, is the purpose of the foreign interference legislation.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

This eight-part series first appeared on the World Socialist Web Site during MayJune 2008, on the 40th anniversary of the general strike in France. We are presenting it here unchanged, but with a new Introduction in light of intervening events. Part 1, posted May 29, deals with the development of the student revolt and the general strike up to its high point at the end of May. Part 2, posted May 30, examines how the Communist Party (PCF) and the union it controls, the CGT, enabled President Charles de Gaulle to regain control. Part 3, posted May 31, and Part 4, posted June 1, examine the role played by the Pabloites. Part 5, posted below, and the concluding three parts will examine the role of Pierre Lamberts Organisation Comm uniste Internationaliste (OCI).

The Organization Communiste Internationaliste (OCI) officially broke with the International Committee of the Fourth International in 1971, but the political course it pursued in 1968 was already far removed from the revolutionary perspective it had defended, along with other ICFI sections, against Pabloite revisionism at the beginning of the 1950s.

The program advanced by the OCI in 1968 had much more in common with the traditions of centrism and French syndicalism than with the revolutionary program of the Fourth International. Together with the French supporters of the Pabloite United Secretariat, the Revolutionary Communist Youth (Jeunesse Communiste RevolutionnaireJCR) led by Alain Krivine and the International Communist Party (Parti Communiste InternationalistePCI) headed by Pierre Frank, the OCI bears a large degree of responsibility for the fact that the Stalinist leadership of the Communist Party of France (PCF) and the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) was able to suffocate the May general strike and save the Gaullist regime.

The main axis of the political line of the OCI was the demand for a central strike committee. This was accompanied by an all pervasive call for unity, or, according to the formula favoured by the OCI, the united class front of workers and their organizations. In the crucial months of 1968, these were the main slogans to be found in all the statements and political appeals produced by the OCI and its associated organizations.

The OCI summed up its general orientation at that time in a 300-page book, published one year after the general strike. The OCI concluded: The strategy and tactics of the proletariat in the struggle for power  consisted in the struggle for the united class front of workers and their organizations, a struggle which in May 1968 took the specific form of the slogan for a national general strike committee.

The author of this book, which was published as a special issue of the OCI newspaper Information Ouvrieres, is Francois de Massot, a prominent member of the organization since 1950. De Massot gives a detailed description of daily developments and the book provides detailed material on the intervention of the OCI, including the reproduction of political appeals and leaflets. The book makes it possible to accurately chart the OCIs political line. [1]

The united class front

Leon Trotsky, who had founded the Fourth International in a protracted political struggle against centrism, summed up his attitude to the united front demand with the words: The centrist swears by the policy of the united front as he empties it of its revolutionary content and transforms it from a tactical method into a highest principle. In 1932, he wrote of the centrist German Socialist Workers Party (SAP): In any case, the policy of the united front cannot serve as a program for a revolutionary party. And in the meantime, the entire activity of the SAP is now being built on it. [2]

This reproach applies equally to the activity of the OCI in 1968. It transformed the policy of the united front from a tactical method into its primary programmatic principle. In the name of the united front, by which it understood the unity of all trade unions, it evaded any form of genuinely revolutionary initiative.

This was the significance of the strange formula for the united class front of workers and their organizations, which ritually appeared in all of its appeals and statements. While the OCI quite correctly accused the Pabloites and petty-bourgeois student leaders of ignoring existing mass organizations, it adopted a fetishistic attitude toward those very organisations, and insisted that they constituted the sole framework for any struggle undertaken by the workers.

Already in the summer of 1967, a large meeting organized by the OCI had adopted a resolution that stated: We solemnly declare that it is not our intention, in the place of the workers organizations and their headquarters, to realise action in unitya task which is naturally incumbent on the trade unions.

De Massot quotes this resolution in his book and goes on to justify it with the argument that irrespective of the policy of their leadership, the unions embody the interests of the working class. He writes: The workers become a class through the organizations which they have developed in the struggle against exploitation and which serve as the means of uniting them against the class enemy. Due to their objective position in the strugglei.e., independently of the policy of their leadership at any given timethese organizations embody positions of the working class in its constant struggle against exploitation. The united workers front can be realised only by means of the class organizations of the proletariat (emphasis added).

Proceeding from this assessment, the OCI refrained in 1968 from criticizing the bourgeois-reformist program of the trade unions. The only reproach they raised against the union leaderships was that they impeded the unity of workers. The OCIs own political initiatives were limited to calling for cooperation, at all levels, between the different unions. This was the basic substance of their demand for a central strike committee, as we shall later see.

In its widely distributed leaflets and appeals, the OCI also abstained from any open criticism of the Stalinist and social democratic parties. While the counterrevolutionary role of Stalinism and social democracy was dealt with in theoretical articles and analyses intended for a small circle of readers, in its leaflets directed at the masses, the OCI simply appealed to the reformist and Stalinist union leaders to unite.

The OCIs interpretation of the united front had nothing in common with the tactic developed by the Marxist movement. In 1922, Leon Trotsky explained the necessity of the united front, speaking of the urgent need to guarantee to the working class the possibility of a united front in its struggle against capitalism, notwithstanding the inevitable split, in a given period, between the political organizations which lean upon the working class. [3]

One year previously, the Third Congress of the Communist International had insisted that the German Communist Party (KPD) take up the policy of the united front. The Comintern drew the lessons from the so-called March Movement, an uprising by the KPD that remained isolated and collapsed. It concluded from this defeat that the KPD must first conquer the allegiance of the masses before it could conquer power. It combined the policy of the united front directly with the demand for a workers government, intervention in the reformist trade unions and a number of transitional demands, because, as Trotsky argued, the mass continues to live its daily life in a revolutionary epoch, even if in a somewhat different manner. [4]

Ten years later, Trotsky once again called for the adoption of the united front tactic in Germany. Now the issue was preventing Hitler from taking power. Trotsky urged the Communists and Social Democrats to form a united front against the looming threat of National Socialism (Nazism). The leaders of both parties adamantly rejected such a course. The refusal by the Stalinist KPD leaders to cooperate with what they termed the social fascists of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) divided and paralysed the working class, making Hitlers victory possible.

In both casesthe early 1920s and the early 1930sthe united front was advanced as a tactic, and not a substitute for a revolutionary strategy. It was limited to cooperation on practical issues and did not mean that the KPD would obscure its own program or refrain from criticism of the SPD.

Trotsky never gave himself over to the illusion that the social democratic leaders could be transformed into revolutionaries on the basis of a united front. Rather, the united front was aimed at breaking the masses from the influence of the social democratic leaders.

To the extent that the communists demonstrated to the social democratic workers that they were willing, without any conditions attached, to defend their daily interests and form a block with the SPD against the fascists, this could only serve to weaken the SPD leadership, which preferred to collaborate with the bourgeois state. The SPD members could then, based on their own experience, judge the value of their organization and its leadership.

Under no circumstances did the united front mean the renunciation of an independent revolutionary policy. Trotsky stressed in 1932: In the event that the reformists begin applying the brake to the struggle, to the evident detriment of the movement and in counter-position to the situation and the state of mind of the masses, we, as an independent organization, always reserve the right to lead the struggle to its conclusion without our temporary semi-allies. [5]

Syndicalism instead of Marxism

The OCI transformed the united front policy from a revolutionary tactic into an opportunist justification for its own subordination to the trade unions. It insisted that the struggle conducted by workers and students had to be limited to the framework of these organizations, and refrained from any political initiatives which could have intensified the conflict between the workers and the trade union apparatuses.

In fact, only a minority of workers were organized in the unions. At that time, just under 30 percent of the workforce was unionised. (Today this figure is down to 7 percent.) Two thirds of all workers and the overwhelming majority of youth were not organized, and were quite rightly distrustful of the unions. The OCI was unable to offer a perspective for these layers outside of directing them to the unions.

Students were directed toward the student federation UNEF, which at that time was dominated by the social democratic United Socialist Party (Parti socialiste unifiePSU), led by Michel Rocard. De Massot writes: For organizing resistance the students had a trade union, the Union National des Etudiants de France. With the beginning of the real struggle, the UNEF recovers its full significance despite the hesitation and weaknesses of its leadership. With its responsible intervention in its role as a student trade union organisation, it makes the struggle against repression an issue for the masses of students and confronts the worker organizations with their own responsibility. It is the means for the mobilization of students and simultaneously makes possible a genuine struggle for the united front (emphasis in the original).

In an attack directed against the Pabloites, de Massot writes: Whoever rejects the struggle for the united front of workers and their organizations in favour of a so-called united front from below, which simply ignores the organizations established by the working class over one-and-a-half centuries of struggle and sacrificethe organizations by which it constituted itself as a class, conscious of itself and its struggle against capital, and in the ranks of which it necessarily comes together in order to lead this strugglewhoever confuses the mass organizations with their bureaucratic leadership, whoever screams CGT betrayal and simply sweeps, with a brush of the hand, the trade unions and political parties from the map of the class struggle, retreats from the struggle against the bureaucracies and the capitalist state.

This glorification of the trade unions as organizations in which the working class constituted itself as a class, conscious of itself and its struggle against capital has nothing to do with the tradition of Marxism, but comes, rather, from the tradition of syndicalism, which has a long and notorious history in France. The Marxist movement has always maintained a critical stance towards the trade unions. Already at the start of the twentieth century, Lenin stressed that trade union consciousness was bourgeois consciousness, and that in periods of extreme social tension (such as 1914 to 1918 in Germany) the unions invariably stood at the outermost right wing of the workers movement. [6]

The French syndicalists insisted on the principle of non-interference of political parties in trade union work. In 1906, the CGT embodied the principle of the complete independence of the trade unions from all political parties in its Charter of Amiens. As long as this independence was directed against the increasing conservatism and parliamentary cretinism of social democracy, French syndicalism possessed a certain degree of revolutionary vitality. Although it denied the role of the party, it was essentially nothing but an anti-parliamentary party of the working class, as Trotsky once noted. [7]

However, this was no longer the case when the principle of the political independence of the trade unions was directed against the influence of the revolutionary party. In 1921, Trotsky, then a leading member of the Communist International, wrote: The theory that there is a complete and unconditional division of labour between the party and the trade unions and that they must practice mutual and absolute non-intervention is precisely a product of French political development. It is the most extreme expression of it. This theory is based on unadulterated opportunism.

So long as the labour bureaucracy, organized in the trade unions, concludes wage agreements, while the Socialist Party defends reforms in parliament, the division of labour and mutual non-intervention remain more or less possible. But no sooner are the real proletarian masses drawn into the struggle and no sooner does the movement assume a genuinely revolutionary character than the principle of non-intervention degenerates into reactionary scholasticism.

The working class can gain victory only if there stands at its head an organization which represents its living historical experience, and is capable of generalizing theoretically and directing the entire struggle in practice. On account of the very meaning of its historic task, the party can include only the most conscious and active minority of the working class. The trade unions, on the other hand, seek to embrace the working class as a whole. Those who recognize that the proletariat urgently needs the ideological and political leadership of its vanguard, united in the Communist Party, thereby recognize that the party must become the leading force inside the trade unions as well, that is, inside the mass working class organizations. [8]

This tradition of syndicalism had exercised considerable influence within the OCI for a long time. If one believes Pierre Lambert, the relationship of his organization to the unions had been based on syndicalist rather than Marxist principles for a considerable period.

In an autobiographical work written towards the end of his life, Lambert boasted that he restored the Charter of Amiens in his own organisation in 1947. Based on his experiences in illegal trade union work during the war, and within the Stalinist dominated CGT, he proposed an amendment during the congress of the Trotskyist organization in France which was unanimously accepted and replaced points 9 and 10 of the 21 conditions by the acknowledgment of the mutual independence of parties and trade unions. [9]

The mention of 21 conditions refers to the conditions for membership laid down by the Second World Congress of the Communist International in 1920, which were designed to exclude reformist and centrist organizations. Point 9 obligated member parties to systematically and persistently develop communist activities within the trades unions and to expose everywhere the treachery of the social patriots and the vacillations of the centrists. Point 10 required a break with the Amsterdam International of yellow trade union organisations and the support of trade unions which adhered to the Communist International.

The replacement of these two points by the acknowledgment of the mutual independence of parties and trade unions meant abandoning the political struggle against the reformist and Stalinist trade union bureaucracy.

Political hide and seek

While the OCI uncritically glorified the trade unions, it carried out a game of political hide and seek regarding its own identity, which it largely kept secret. It only rarely spoke out in its own name, preferring to hide behind front organizations such as the Comites dalliance ouvriere (Workers alliance committees), whose precise political identity remained in the dark. Even de Massot only rarely refers to the OCI by its own name. Usually he writes of the revolutionary avant-garde, leaving open whether he is referring to the OCI, one of its front organizations, or simply a group of active trade unionists.

As the conflict with the Gaullist regime approached its high point on May 29, and the reactionary role of the trade unions became highly visible, a widely distributed leaflet produced by the Comites dalliance ouvriere did not call for the construction of the OCI or the Fourth International, but rather for the creation of a fictitious Revolutionary Workers League.

This Revolutionary Workers League was a pipe dream. Nobody had heard of it before. It had neither members, nor a program, nor a constitution. It did not exist as a physical entity. The only mention of this organisation comes at the end of a 40-page manifesto drawn up by the OCI in December 1967.

There, the Revolutionary Workers League is described as a stage on the way to the building of the revolutionary party. According to this manifesto, the perspective of the Revolutionary Workers League arises from the assumption that only the program of the OCI can provide an answer to the historical crisis of mankind, but that the organizational cadres of the French working class are not ready to immediately join it. [10]

This kind of political camouflage reoccurs with regularity throughout the entire history of the OCI and its successor organizations. It recalls a Matryoshka doll. Just as one Russian doll hides inside another, so the OCI seeks to conceal its identity behind a succession of front or camouflage organizations. The political observer never really knows with whom he or she is dealing.

This game of political hide and seek is a specific form of opportunism. The OCI shrank from the basic revolutionary principle, Tell the truth! and refused to show workers its true face. While invoking the Fourth International in small circles, it presented a watered down program to the masses, assuming that this was all they were ready to accept.

There may, of course, be circumstances when a revolutionary party refrains from openly presenting its entire programe.g., under a dictatorial regime or within a reactionary trade union. But for the OCI, the task was not to deceive the state apparatus or the trade union bureaucracy, which were both well aware of the partys identity. The OCI deceived those workers and young people who had entered political life intent on finding a new orientation.

In particular, the OCI was keen to avoid any embarrassment for the lower ranks of the trade union bureaucracy, whose support it intensively sought. By hiding its own identity, it created conditions whereby these functionaries could enter into a relationship with the OCI without risking an open conflict with the anti-Trotskyist upper echelons of the bureaucracy.

The OCI described these lower-rank trade union functionaries as organizational cadres of the working class or natural organizers of the classtwo terms which show up repeatedly in its writings. The OCI was quite clear that this layer was of crucial importance for the union apparatus as a whole in maintaining control over the membership. Nevertheless, it argued that the conflict between the upper and the lower levels of the bureaucracybetween apparatus and cadreswould impel the latter in a revolutionary direction.

A statement produced by the party at the beginning of 1968 in La Verite, explains that the cadres are both the mediators, by means of whom the apparatusand above all the Stalinist apparatussecures its control of the class, and the militant layer which enables the proletariat to develop and organize as a class. In the same statement, these organizational cadres are numbered at between 10,000 and 15,000 activists, who to a large extent are controlled and organized by the Communist Party. [11]

The OCI saw its own task as pushing to maturity and rupture the objective contradiction that brings the pro-bourgeois orientation of the apparatus into conflict with these activists and organizational cadres, who are compelled by necessity to offer resistance and to fight alongside their class.

The above-quoted passages are linked to fierce attacks on Pabloism. But, in reality, the attitude adopted by the OCI to the unions and the Stalinists in 1968 was virtually identical to that of the Pabloites in 1953.

Pablo had concluded, at that time, that a new revolutionary offensive would not develop in the form of an independent movement of the working class under the banner of the Fourth International, but would rather take the form of a shift to the left by sections of the Stalinist apparatus, under the pressure of objective events. In similar fashion, the OCI anticipated a revolutionary development emerging from the internal differentiation inside the organizations and the maturation of the present contradiction between the apparatus and the organizational cadres of the class. [12]

Even though there existed profound divisions and tensions within the trade unions and the Communist Party in 1968, a revolutionary movement could have developed only in an open struggle against, and in a political break with, Stalinism. But the OCI avoided this task by elevating the united front tactic to a strategy, and by hiding its own identity.

There are even many passages in de Massots book indicating that the Stalinists themselves could turn in a revolutionary direction. The author praises, for example, an appeal made by the Stalinist youth organization on May 13, because it did not attack the radical left, called for the unity of college students, high school students and young workers, and advocated a workers government. De Massot comments: The apparatus not only sees itself forced to follow the movement. In order to maintain control and regain the initiative in the working class, it must also, in a certain form and within certain limits, precede it: take over the leadership  By proceeding in such a way, the apparatus assembles the activists around itself, and these then radicalise the working class as a whole. [13]

To be continued

Notes:

1. Francois de Massot, La greve generale (Mai-Juin 1968), Supplement au numero 437 de Informations Ouvrieres. All quotes in the above article, if not indicated otherwise, are from this book.

2. Leon Trotsky, Two Articles On Centrism (February/March 1934), Leon Trotsky, What Next? Vital Questions for the German Proletariat (January 1932)

3. Leon Trotsky, What Next? Vital Questions for the German Proletariat (January 1932)

4. Leon Trotsky, The Third International After Lenin

5. Leon Trotsky, What Next? Vital Questions for the German Proletariat (January 1932)

6. On the attitude of the Marxist movement to the trade unions see: David North, Marxism and the Trade Unions

7. Leon Trotsky, A School of Revolutionary Strategy

8. Leon Trotsky, A School of Revolutionary Strategy

9. Daniel Gluckstein, Pierre Lambert, Itineraires, Editions du Rocher 2002, p. 51

10. La V erite, no. 541, avril-mai 1968

11. Le bonapartisme gaulliste et les taches de lavant-garde, La Verite No. 540, fevrier-mars 1968, pp. 1314

12. Le bonapartisme gaulliste et les taches de lavant-garde, La Verite No. 540, fevrier-mars 1968, p. 15

13. Francois de Massot, La greve generale (Mai-Juin 1968), p. 58
Asia

Chinese teachers protest

About 200 teachers demonstrated last Sunday morning at Luan in Chinas Anhui province over unpaid performance bonuses. Teachers marched to the municipal government office with banners demanding payment of arrears and better treatment.

Hundreds of police arrived at the scene and allegedly beat some of the demonstrators. Sixteen were reportedly arrested. Photos and a video being circulated on Chinese social media show police officers pulling and shoving individuals as they try to escape arrest and a woman on a hospital stretcher.

Officials have claimed they do not owe the teachers any pay or benefits.

The strike comes a week after more than 2,000 teachers across the northern region of Inner Mongolia took to the streets of the regional capital Hohhot. Teachers from kindergartens and elementary and high schools demonstrated against the Chinese Communist Partys widespread layoff of teachers, demanding reemployment, compensation and pension plans.

India: Karnataka garment workers to protest for higher pay

Over 400,000 Karnataka garment workers are threatening protests for immediate payment of previously agreed wage rises. In the lead-up to Februarys state assembly elections, the then Congress government promised to increase minimum wages in the tailoring industry.

Congress leaders said unskilled garment workers in Bangalore would receive 445 ($US6.63) rupees per day, double the existing salary of 220 rupees, high-skilled workers 593 rupees and there would be higher salaries for other workers. Draft legislation for the increases, however, was withdrawn by the Labour Department in late March, after industry bosses objected.

Under existing labour laws, wages are supposed to be increased at least once every three years or a maximum of five years. There have only been four revisions in the last 38 years. The last garment sector wage increase was in 2014, after a High Court order.

The garment industry employs around 450,000 people across the state, with 350,000 in Bangalore. According to the Garment and Textile Workers Union, 90 percent of the garment workers in Bangalore are women, most of whom are the single bread-winners for their families. Almost 10 million people are employed in related industries such as printing, dyeing and spinning.

Shivraj Press workers protest in Indias Maharashtra state

Fifty-five workers from Shivraj Press staged a sit-down protest at Samvidhan Square, in Nagpur on May 19 to demand implementation of service rules and regular pay. Despite being employed by the state-owned company for more than 20 years the workers are paid just 5,000 rupees per month under the Minimum Wages Act. The Shivraj Litho Press Kangmar Union had already submitted a memorandum to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that they be considered as industrial workers and paid accordingly.

Union officials, who have been appealing to the state government ministers since 2015, told the media that protests would be staged across the state if their long outstanding demands were not met within 15 days.

Striking Haryana sanitation employees return to work

A 16-day strike by sanitation workers in Haryana ended last Sunday after the state government reportedly agreed to increase workers salaries and allowances and end contract employment.

The decision was announced at a press conference with the Municipal Workers Union and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh officials and three state government ministers. The sanitation workers will be paid a 13,500-rupee lump sum per month by the municipal authorities who will also end the use of contract workers, the government ministers told the media. Broom, washing and holiday allowances will also be increased.

The unions have hailed the outcome as a victory, but union officials will collaborate with municipal management to formulate the end to contract work. No deadline or details, however, have been provided over this issue.

Pakistan government cuts pay of protesting Punjab health workers

Hundreds of workers from the governments Lady Health Workers program in Bahawalnagar, Punjab have been fined for demonstrating to demand the immediate payment of several months of outstanding dues.

After demonstrating for hours outside the Punjab Deputy Commissioners office, the protesting workers entered and occupied the building on May 25 and called for an immediate solution to their demands. Workers were persuaded to call off their protest after authorities agreed to resolve the problem by June 5.

On May 26, however, the authorities filed a case falsely claiming that about 800 workers had damaged the property and taken staff hostage. The union had not yet made an official response to the allegations.

Karachi teachers demonstrate over non-paid salaries since 2012

As part of their continuing struggle to secure unpaid wages, hundreds of government school teachers protested outside the Sindh provincial parliament on Monday. Over 3,600 teachers in the Karachi district and over 220 teachers in the Ghotki district have not been paid since 2012. Teachers in Sukkur, Shahdadpur and Sanghar districts are also affected.

Although the teachers still continue to work, the government has refused to make any payments, claiming there were anomalies in the administrative process when they were recruited. The Pakistan government has mobilised police to ruthlessly crack down on teachers protests and strikes.

Bangladesh: Garment workers demand wages and festival allowances

Garment workers established a human chain protest outside the National Press Club in Dhaka last Saturday to demand payment of their wages and festival allowances before the Eid-ul-Fitr religious festival.

The demonstration was organised by the Bangladesh Garments Workers Unity Council (BGWUC), an alliance of various garment workers federations. BGWUC leaders issued pathetic appeals to Bangladesh Prime Minister Shiek Hasina to intervene and make sure the payments were made on time. The union president threatened to encircle the factory owners houses, if necessary to secure their legal entitlements.

Bangladesh Minister for Labour and Employment claimed that the government had ordered to pay the May salaries and bonus by June 14.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association claims that some 1,200 garment factories across the country may not make the payment before the upcoming festival. Bangladesh police told the media that 200 factories might default on the payments.

Sri Lankan water supply workers strike

National Water Supply and Drainage Board workers held a half-day strike on May 30 to demand payment of a 25 percent salary increase promised at the beginning of this year. The increment was to make up for three years of outstanding salary increases.

After management did not respond to the industrial action, the Water Supply Joint Trade Union Alliance announced that industrial action would continue and imposed bans on all overtime work. Water supply workers struck over the same demand in January and February.

Cambodian garment workers protest over unpaid wages

Workers at the First Gawon factory in Chak Angre Krom commune in Phnom Penh are continuing a protracted strike and protest outside the plant. Their employer has not paid wages since last December. In January, the South Korean-owned firm sacked 600 employees after they refused to obey a court order demanding an end to industrial action.

On Tuesday hundreds of workers attempted to present a petition to the Cambodian labour ministry and the South Korean Embassy but only two workers were allowed to approach the building.

President Hun Sen referred to the dispute on Wednesday at a meeting of thousands of garment workers in Koh Thom district in Kandal province. He claimed that the First Gawon workers had also attempted to deliver their petition to his private residence. Amid growing fear that the dispute could become the focal point of a broader movement of the working class, Hun Sen said he had ordered the Labour ministry to extinguish this fire.

Australia and the Pacific

University of New South Wales staff strike for 24 hours

Hundreds of staff at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney walked off the job for 24 hours on Wednesday as part of a dispute over a new workplace agreement. The stoppage caused the cancellation of a number of tutorials and lectures on campuses in Sydney and Canberra.

The staff are protesting high rates of casualisation, unsustainable workloads and the lack of consultation for major changes, including the universitys moves to introduce a trimester system. This would result in three semesters per academic year rather than two, resulting in a greater number of classes and shorter breaks.

According to the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), over 70 percent of UNSW staff are on contracts or employed casually. This is a result of union-enforced job cuts.

The NTEU restricted the UNSW strikes to just 24 hours and has not scheduled further industrial action, instead calling for negotiations with management.

Sydney chemical company locks out workforce

Workers at the Ixom chemical plant in Sydneys Botany Bay Industrial zone were locked out by the company this week after they notified management that an indefinite strike would begin on Monday.

The Australian Workers Union (AWU) claims that in negotiations for a new workplace agreement, the company has demanded wage cuts of 30 percent.

The workers had offered to bring the chemical plant safely off-line before going on strike. Management imposed the lockout having made arrangements for a replacement workforce to keep the facility operating around the clock.

The AWU told the media the managements actions could lead to potential safety problems for the companys clients. The company supplies the water purification chemical sodium hypochlorite to a number of entities, including Sydney Water.

Brisbane brewery workers strike again

About 100 workers at the XXXX brewery in Milton, an inner-city suburb of Brisbane, walked out on Wednesday and protested at the plant gates. They temporarily prevented delivery trucks from entering the facility. The short strike was the eighth at the plant in the past two months.

Brewing company Lion is seeking to introduce an enterprise agreement that would allow it to cover the leave of permanent employees with casual and contract labour. Workers suspect the move could be a first step in plans for a broader casualisation of the workforce and are concerned that Lion may shut the plant altogether and locate production elsewhere.

The United Voice union, which covers the workers, has limited the campaign to short sporadic stoppages. It is calling for a meagre pay rise of just three percent per year, well below the rapidly rising cost of living.

Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) secretary Sally McManus appeared at the protest to bolster its Change the Rules campaign. The real purpose of the ACTU campaign, however, is to harness the widespread working class anger over the decades-long assault on jobs, wages and working conditions behind the election of yet another pro-big business Labor government.

Fast Food workers strike at Wendys in New Zealand

Workers at the Wendys fast food restaurant chain took nationwide strike action from 6 a.m. last Saturday until midnight Sunday. The strike was called after months of negotiations broke down between the Unite Union and Wendco, the company behind the chain.

Workers were given individual contracts after the collective contract expired on May 21. Employees have had up to 20 percent of their hours cut. They also want a 15-minute break after the first three hours work. Last November, the Employment Relations Authority ordered Wendco to compensate workers for days-in-lieu that were not given to them after working public holidays, as far back as 2012.

The union limited the strike to intermittent walkouts during peak times. Unite Christchurch organiser Moniqua Reid told Fairfax Media that the strikes were kept to only one hour because the workers went unpaid during that time.

New Zealand cinema workers continue strike

After striking on May 23, workers at New Zealands largest cinema chain Event continued to strike over the weekend, from Friday night until Sunday night. The strike was timed to coincide with the release of Solo, the latest instalment of the multi-billion dollar Star Wars film franchise.

The strike was called after months of negotiations for higher wages broke down between the Unite Union and the company. Many Event workers are only on minimum wage or slightly above. They rejected a 4 percent pay increase.

Event is now threatening to cut wages by 10 percent in retaliation for the strike, which they described as unlawful. The union has not opposed this action, so long as the company complies with employment law.
On Wednesday, a Mother's Day march in Managua, where mothers of dead protesters and students headed a 5-kilometer-long stream of hundreds of thousands, ended when shooters opened fire on the crowd. Shocking images show hundreds crouching desperately in the open against flurries of bullets from semi-automatic or automatic weapons.

The shooters are still unknown, but videos show groups of police and masked men carrying rifles in the vicinity. When the shooting started, the marchers rushed to the nearby University campuses, the Managua Cathedral, the Metrocentro mall, and nearby homes for cover. New barricades were set up, and a cooperatives bank, a pro-government radio station, and cars were torched as anger flared and reports of further shootings continued throughout the evening.

The massacre of participants in what was likely the largest single demonstration since 1979 signals that the 45 days of demonstrations, which began with students and pensioners protesting IMF-dictated pension cuts on April 18, are trending toward more violent and wider social explosions.

Scattered media reports from hospitals indicate that at least 8 demonstrators died and more than 50 were injured on Wednesday in Managua, with demonstrators accusing the National Police and pro-government armed groups for firing. Opposition figures say at least 15 were killed.

The ruling Sandinista Front for National Liberation (FSLN) held a rally with thousands of supporters earlier Wednesday in Managua, at which president Daniel Ortega declared he intends to stay in power. The same day, the government reported that at least two Ortega supporters were shot dead and 20 were injured in the Esteli department when protesters manning a roadblock attacked them. Local NGOs reported that three anti-government demonstrators died in Esteli, three more in Chinandega, and one in Masaya.

These incidents were preceded by the publication Tuesday of a report by Amnesty International, titled Shoot to Kill: Nicaraguas Strategy to Repress Protest. Based on dozens of eyewitness reports, analysis by munitions experts, security camera, video and other footage, the report confirms that police and pro-government armed groups attacked protesters with firearms. Officials have repeatedly blocked medical attention, autopsies and investigations, have sought to intimidate and bribe families of the victims, and continue to criminalize the mostly student protesters.

The Amnesty report concludes: Nicaraguan authorities have adopted a strategy of repression characterized by the excessive use of force, extrajudicial executions, control of the media, and the use of pro-government armed groups, to crush protests in which at least 81 people have been killed 868 injured and 438 arrested.

After a preliminary report with similar findings was presented last week by the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR), the governments Commission for Truth recognized 85 dead, including three police officers.

A new CID Gallup poll published Tuesday shows that 7 out of every 10 Nicaraguans surveyed support the demonstrations, with a majority not identifying with any political party. Thirty-one percent still back the FSLN, compared to 52 percent last September. However, significant numbers of FSLN supporters oppose the Ortega clique.

The organizers of the Mothers Day march, the Civil Alliance for Justice and Democracy, have been struggling to contain and channel the social anger behind a backroom national dialogue with the Daniel Ortega administration, using the Catholic Church as a mediator. After Wednesdays incidents, however, the Church leaders suspended the talks.

Composed of the local American Chamber of Commerce, the business organization COSEP, the university-student leadership, the Anti-Canal Peasant Movement, among other organizations backed by the right-wing opposition parties, the Civil Alliance has exploited the protests to force the government to resume talks aimed at immediately stripping the FSLN of its control over the security and justice apparatus by naming new judges and top officials, eventually reducing the size of the FSLN-controlled Congress and calling for snap elections.

Last week, the US State Department called for supporting the national dialogue. Its diplomatic arm in Latin America, the Organization of the American States has insisted on an electoral solution, with its Secretary General, Luis Almagro, insisting Tuesday that Nicaragua is still a democracy.

Last Thursday, McClatchy DC spoke to several senior Trump administration officials in anonymity about the Nicaraguan crisis, commenting that they are meeting frequently as it is an important matter to us. One official said that the Trump government is ready to act if Ortega fails to stem the violence or uses the dialogue as a stalling tactic. However, he added, We have to let part of that process play out because we demanded this process.

In other words, while still hoping that Ortega can repress the protests into submission and continue imposing US austerity demands, Washington is ready to support a change in government through the agenda of the national dialogue to stem the social unrest amid an ever-wider resurgence of the class struggle across the region and the world.

So far, the US has avoided imposing financial sanctions like those against Venezuelan officials, in order not to feed Ortegas anti-US demagogy. In part, Washingtons approach is explained by recent statements from the Pentagon, urging Nicaragua to break its ties with Russia and China, which have strengthened during Ortegas rule.

Within the ruling class, there are conflicting tactics over how to proceed. On the far-right, the deeply unpopular Broad Front for Democracy (FAD) and other opposition parties hope to gain from the repression and have been making provocative calls for bolder protests and an immediate change in power. On the other hand, the business organizations have continued appealing to Ortega to find a way to stop the protests, calling for a more gradual democratic reform. The COSEP has so far opposed any call for a national strike, fearing that a massive employer lockout will actually trigger a wider active participation of the working class in the crisis that could escape the control of the Civil Alliance.

No faction of the national dialogue, of the Nicaraguan bourgeoisie, the state armed forces, and state appendages like the trade unionswhich are all guided by the capitalist imperative of attracting foreign investmentsrepresents any opposition to imperialist control, to austerity, or social inequality. The ruling elite is grappling over which is the best way to subordinate growing social opposition behind bourgeois politics and resume its attacks against the social and democratic rights of the working class.
Graham Vigrass produced a rock-solid performance as Canada brought Italys winning start in the Volleyball Nations League to a crashing halt with a 3-1 victory (22-25, 27-25, 25-23, 25-16) on Friday.Vigrass led the way with power and precision and racked up 14 attacking points as the Canadians bounced back from losing the opening set to blunt their opponents fierce attacking options and clinch their second win of the tournament.Stephen Maar joined Vigrass and offered a two-way threat, smashing down 11 winners while also chiming in with four crucial blocks. Maar was involved in what ultimately proved to be the turning point of the match, the final rally of the second set, that ended when captain Tyler Sanders tipped the ball downwards for a winner and leveled things at 1-1.Osmany Juantorena struggled with an elbow injury throughout but fought hard for the Italians, who struggled for the kind of consistency that had seen it defeat Germany, Brazil and Serbia in the opening week of matches. Juantorena collected 14 total points, with Ivan Zaytsev blasting 15 in attack, but it simply wasnt enough.While the crowd in San Juan was mainly in attendance to see the host nation Argentina in later action against Iran, it appreciated a tense and entertaining affair that was decided by Canadas resiliency.Canada had looked determined from the start despite a 2-15 historical record against Italy and settled quickly in the first set. However, Italy came back into it thanks to Oleg Antonov, who swung things around with a dipping ace and a run of forceful serves. Juantorena secured the set with a block on the final point and Italy looked to be on its way.Yet it was during the second that Italy began to wobble. Juantorena was visibly nursing his elbow and Zaytsev, who crushed 69 points in the opening three matches, was misfiring too often, both on serve and attack.Indeed, the entire Italian service game was off kilter, with five straight faults late in the set. Italy kept responding with sideouts before its luck was extinguished as Sanders got the magical touch to take the set by the narrowest of margins.With the match evenly poised, Canada seemed to want it more and was chasing down everything. Sanders cut his hand sprinting into the boards, necessitating a slight delay while his cut was treated, but it merely served to fire up his team further.Canada maintained their slight advantage, Juantorena kept things tight with some heavy serving, but the last rally summed up the confusion in the Italian camp. After libero Massimo Colaci came up with a desperate dig from a Jason Derocco spike, no one responded in time and the ball was allowed to drift into the net.The fourth set was one-way traffic, with Canada jumping out strongly and never looking back. Zaytsev rammed home another handful of winners but by now Italy was going for broke and committing far too many errors.Canada cruised to the victory that has injected life into their VNL campaign after mixed results in the opening round.The Italians will try to regroup when they take on Iran during day two of action in San Juan while Canada will take on the hosts Argentina. Canada now has six points from its four matches in the inaugural VNL, with Italy remaining on eight.
The two tied the knot during a gorgeous beach ceremony in Indonesia over the weekend.

Brody Jenner is a married man!



The 34-year-old reality star tied the knot with his longtime love, Kaitlynn Carter, at the Nihi Sumba resort in Indonesia on Saturday, according to People.

As previously reported by ET, Caitlyn Jenner did not attend her son's nuptials due to work commitments. However, a source said that the two are on good terms and Caitlyn -- who arrived in Austria for an HIV/AIDS fundraiser on Friday -- would be throwing a party for the newlyweds once they returned to Los Angeles, California.

While Body's brother, Brandon, hit the town and enjoyed a surf prior to the wedding, his sisters, Kendall and Kylie, reportedly failed to RSVP to the event.

We sent them an invite but we just never heard anything back, Brody told People. Well, theyll be missed. I would have loved to have had them there.
Police in Winfield, Illinois, say a 50-year-old man murdered both of his parents last week and then killed himself after learning they were working to get him out of their house, according to multiple news outlets.

The fatal altercation occurred May 20, the day before Clyde and Nancy Clinkenbeard, 76 and 77, were discovered dead in the Winfield home they shared for more than three decades, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Son Karl Clinkenbeard is believed to have attacked his parents sometime between noon and 1:15 p.m., according to local TV station WBBM.

All three died from multiple injuries sustained from an unspecified sharp-edged object, local station WLS reports.

Clyde and Nancy were taking steps to have Karl removed from their home, which is what police say most likely motivated the murder-suicide, according to these reports.

Clyde was a retired school maintenance worker and Nancy had worked as a school reading specialist, according to the Tribune.

 It was the scandal that rocked Americas most storied political family and changed the course of presidential history. PEOPLEs first-ever podcast, Cover-Up, dives into the Chappaquiddick scandal and attempts to piece together what happened in the hours after Ted Kennedys car went over a narrow wooden bridge, killing his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play or wherever podcasts are available.

The morning after their deaths, upon noticing lights on in the home and the family dog outside, a neighbor glanced through a window and saw two bodies, according to WBBM.

Police reportedly said that they had been called to the Clinkenbeard residence the day before the killings for what they characterized as a family disturbance. That incident involved Karl and an unnamed relative  not his parents.

The Tribune reports that Karl, who was diagnosed as bipolar, had a criminal history including convictions for burglary, weapons possession, drug possession, driving under the influence and domestic battery.

He has been committed several times since 1989, according to the Tribune, and spent time in a mental health facility in 1991 following a failed suicide attempt.
Search continues at kidnapping suspect's home in Massachusetts where 3 bodies were found (ABC News)

Investigators on Saturday continued scouring the home of a kidnapping suspect in Springfield, Massachusetts, where three dead bodies have already been found in and around the unassuming, green clapboard house.

"Needless to say, the search has been very thorough, it's very painstaking and it's very much ongoing and it remains active," Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni told reporters Friday.

The probe could go on for "days, if not longer," the district attorney said.

Authorities began combing the residence, the last known address of 40-year-old Stewart Weldon, on Wednesday and announced their grisly discovery of three bodies the next day.

No additional human remains have been discovered since, but investigators have brought in ground-penetrating radar technology to assist in their search beneath the ground's surface, according to Gulluni.

PHOTO: Authorities at the scene where three dead bodies have been discovered at a Springfield, Massachusetts home associated with a kidnapping suspect. (WCVV)

Weldon's mother bought the property two years ago and is listed as the owner, according to public records.

PHOTO: A mugshot of Steward Weldon who was arrested Sunday after a police pursuit. The Springfield, Mass. home, where where three dead bodies have been discovered, is the last known residence of Weldon, according to ABC-affiliate WCVB. (WCVB)

Weldon and the home where he is believed to live came under investigation after a police encounter with him Sunday night. Officers stopped his car for having a broken tail light, and he tried to drive away.

After police apprehended Weldon following a short chase, they found a woman with him in the car who told officers that Weldon had held her captive for a month, sexually assaulted her and beaten her, according to ABC affiliate WGGB-TV in Springfield.

The woman, who has not been identified, was transported to a hospital for multiple injuries and is expected to recover, according to Gulluni.

Weldon was arrested that night. He pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and other charges on Tuesday and was ordered held on $1 million bail, WGGB-TV reported.

It wasn't Weldon's first run-in with police. In Massachusetts, he has been previously charged with breaking and entering as well as assault with a dangerous weapon, for which he spent time in jail, according to court records.

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Police records show Weldon was arrested three times in Springfield last year.

PHOTO: Authorities have erected a tent where three dead bodies have been discovered at a Massachusetts home associated with a kidnapping suspect. (WCVV)

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No one has been charged in connection to the bodies found at the Springfield property, nor has Weldon been linked to them. The identities of the deceased have not been released.

Other individuals who lived in the residence are accounted for and safe, according to Gulluni.

Neighbors said they're anxious for investigators to conclude their search and provide answers.

"Hopefully there's no more [bodies] and no one else is injured," Stacy Serrano, who has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years, told WGGB-TV.
Bamako (AFP) - At least 16 people were injured when opposition demonstrators clashed with police Saturday, at a banned political rally in Bamako just two months ahead of Mali's presidential election, protest organisers said.

Police attempted to break up a rally of several hundred people outside the headquarters of the Democratic Alliance for Peace -- the party of the current president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita -- firing tear gas and beating demonstrators with batons, according to an AFP reporter on the scene.

The Bamako authorities had banned the "peaceful march", organised by the opposition Coalition for Alternation and Change, in view of a state of emergency still in place.

The organisers published a list of 16 people injured, including a policeman and a journalist.

A doctor at the nearby Gabriel Toure hospital had earlier told AFP that at least 12 people were injured, including a politician.

The ministry of security justified the authorities' response citing a need to "prevent associations liable to trouble public order."

The ministry added that some at the demonstration had "insulted" the police who had remained "professional and courteous" even though one had suffered a head wound.

"I was slightly injured when I took part in a march calling for credible elections," former finance and economy minister Mamadou Igor Diarra tweeted.

"Thank God I was able to help some of the injured, women and young people, which explains the blood on my clothing in some of the pictures that are being circulated," he wrote.

Diarra was finance and economy minister between 2015 and 2016. He is one of around 15 candidates in the presidential election on July 29.

"Why do you want us to keep quiet? We're demonstrating to call for transparent elections and equal access" to the state broadcaster ORTM, said Oumar Sangare, head of an association which "supports change in Mali."

"You see, our march was peaceful. And it was an anti-democratic power that gassed us. The dictatorship will not pass," said Ousmane Kone, a mason who took part in another demo in the city centre, similarly broken up by police.

Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, 73, announced his candidacy for a second term on May 28.
Pozzallo (Italy) (AFP) - More than 150 migrants disembarked a rescue ship Friday evening in Sicily, the NGO SOS Mediterranee said, days before hardline anti-immigrant League leader Matteo Salvini visits the island as Italy's new interior minister.

The Aquarius, a rescue ship chartered by the French NGO, rescued 158 people, including nine children, 26 women and 36 unaccompanied minors, the organisation said in a statement.

All were suffering from dehydration or showed signs of maltreatment, it added.

Salvini, who is also joint deputy prime minister in the populist coalition government sworn in on Friday, has ridden a wave of public discontent in recent years, playing on anti-immigrant sentiment as hundreds of thousands of migrants landed in Italy.

His far-right party surged in the polls ahead of a March election after he promised to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants and tackle what it calls the "danger" of Islam.

Asked about the arrival of Salvini on Sunday, Marco Rotunno of the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said it was too early to comment but added that "there are a lot of people fleeing war and persecution who are in need of international protection".

Some 700,000 migrants have landed in Italy since 2013.

Salvini, who said he was making a trip to Sicily to assess the situation, has already pledged to cut funding for migrant reception centres to finance repatriation programmes for those living in Italy illegally.
Eric Greitens lived his last days as the states leader to the fullest  at least from a legislative perspective.

The Missouri Governor, who officially resigned on Friday, issued five pardons, commuted four sentences, and signed 77 new laws  all in one day. He has been replaced by his former deputy, Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson.

The ability to make wrong things right, for Missourians who have not gotten fair treatment from our criminal justice system, is one of the most solemn and precious abilities of a governor. I believe in justice, and I believe that with these actions today  justice will be done,Greitens said of his decision to issue the pardons. In referencing the legislation, the now-former governor said he was proud to put my name on many important laws and bold reforms.

Those pardoned included Stacey Lannert, who served 18 years in prison for killing her father, who she alleged raped and abused her, and Judy Henderson, who was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment after a robbery and a murder.

Greitens, a former navy seal once seen as one of the Republican Partys rising stars, had announced on Tuesday that he would resign by the end of the week, after becoming embroiled in a sex scandal that spawned investigations. He was elected governor in November of 2016.

In January, local St. Louis station KMOV-TV reported that Greitens had an affair with a woman  who has not been publicly identified  in 2015, and allegedly threatened to release nude photographs of her if she ever spoke publicly about their extramarital relationship. KMOV learned of the report from the womans husband, who claimed to have audio of her describing the allegations. One day later, a St. Louis circuit attorney launched a formal investigation into the allegations. Greitens has acknowledged the affair but denied any claims he coerced or blackmailed the woman.

On Friday, one of the laws he signed, HB 1558, made non-consensually disseminating sexual images  the pending allegations against him  a felony.

In February, Greitens was indicted for invasion of privacy, which is a felony, but the charges were dropped last month, right before the trial was slated to begin. But in April, he was indicted again, this time for stealing a donor list from the charity he founded to raise money for his campaign.
Kiev (AFP) - Anti-Kremlin journalist Arkady Babchenko, who has dismissed criticism of helping stage his own death, disclosed Thursday some details of the ruse that fooled the world for a day.

Babchenko made a shocking reappearance at a press conference in Kiev on Wednesday, more than 12 hours after the Ukrainian authorities reported he had been shot dead at his home in a contract-style killing.

Ukraine's SBU security service said the ruse was meant to foil a real assassination plot against Babchenko ordered by Russia and has arrested the organiser of the crime.

"From what I know, planning for the special operation got under way two months ago," Babchenko told journalists, adding he was brought into it one month ago.

Babchenko said that at first he was incredulous, and even angry at the SBU, but changed his mind when he saw the very detailed information the hit man had on him.

Babchenko left Russia in February 2017 after receiving threats, living first in the Czech Republic, then in Israel, before moving to Kiev.

A contributor to a number of media outlets including top opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta and an avid blogger, he had sparked emnity by accusing Russian authorities of killing Kremlin critics and unleashing wars in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere.

After Babchenko agreed to cooperate, they needed to cut down on him leaving his apartment.

"To reduce the danger we came up with a cover story that I had broken a leg in order to explain why I wasn't leaving home," said Babchenko, who served as a soldier in both Russia's campaign's in Chechnya before becoming a war correspondent.

- Blood covered body -

Despite the detailed planning the operation had to be rushed into action.

"They began to put pressure on the guy (the hitman) because they had given him three weeks to carry it out," said Babchenko, adding they had planned to stage the killing on June 1.

The day of the operation the make up artist arrived at his apartment at six in the evening.

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"We had already thought out how it would happen, that the murder would take place on the landing when I opened the door" to go inside, he said.

Moreover, Babchenko said he was given a t-shirt with holes for the three gunshots and was instructed in how to lay down like a dead person in order to fool any chance witness.

"I had real pig's blood. They covered my mouth, nose and the three bullet holes with it. And behold, I'm dead," said Babchenko.

Then began the operation to deceive the media, the public, and most importantly, the person who ordered the killing.

"My wife called the police, then the ambulance. The Berkut (police SWAT team) came in an instant ... they immediately checked the rooms, the safety of the stairwells, like in a film. They didn't know about the operation," said the journalist.

At some point a photo was taken of his blood-covered body lying in the stairwell that was later posted on social media.

Ukrainian authorities told the media that Babchenko had died in the ambulance, but he said the show continued until "they closed the door of the morgue behind me."

"There, they resuscitated me," said Babchenko.

Between the staged murder and his arrival at the morgue four hours had elapsed during which Babchenko successfully fooled the Ukrainian police and the world.

Then began the waiting: "I watched the news, how far they went in saying I was a nice guy."

Eventually he was moved out of the morgue to avoid being caught by a persistent journalist.

"I was taken to a safe location. It finished only at five in the morning. Then I could go to sleep."
(HOUSTON)  Seeking to comfort grieving families and shaken survivors, President Donald Trump spent more than an hour privately Thursday with some of those impacted by a Texas mass school shooting that killed 10 and wounded more than a dozen on May 18.

The latest spasm of violence in a year marred by assaults on the nations schools, the shooting at Santa Fe High School was the latest to test the presidents role as national comforter-in-chief. Trump met with more than two dozen people affected by the shooting, and did not publicly share his message for the grieving families and local leaders during a meeting at a Coast Guard base outside Houston.

Pamela Stanich  whose 17-year-old son, Jared Black, was among the eight students killed  was one of the parents who met with Trump, presenting him with a family statement and a copy of her sons eulogy.

Trump met with us privately and showed sincerity, compassion, and concern on making our schools safer across the nation, she wrote in a Facebook post after the meeting. He spent time talking to the survivors and asking on what happened and what would have made a difference. Changes are coming for the good. Thank you Mr. Trump.

Rhonda Hart, whose 14-year-old daughter, Kimberly Vaughan, was killed at the school, told The Associated Press that Trump repeatedly used the word wacky to describe the shooter and the trench coat he wore. She said she told Trump, Maybe if everyone had access to mental health care, we wouldnt be in the situation.

Hart, an Army veteran, said she also suggested employing veterans as sentinels in schools. She said Trump responded, And arm them? She replied, No, but said Trump kept mentioning arming classroom teachers. It was like talking to a toddler, Hart said.

Reporters were not permitted to witness the meeting.

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While the president was in Texas, Trumps school safety commission met outside Washington, part of the presidents chosen solution to combat the rising tide of bloodshed after his brief flirtation with tougher gun laws after Februarys mass killing at a high school in Parkland, Florida went nowhere.

A White House spokesman said Trump was moved by the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which left eight students and two substitute teachers dead. A student faces capital murder charges in the attack.

These events are very tragic, whenever they happen. And you know, the president wants to extend his condolences and talk about the issue of school safety, spokesman Raj Shah told Fox News Channel.

Also Thursday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whom Trump put in charge of the school safety commission, announced a $1 million grant to the Santa Fe school district to help with post-shooting recovery efforts.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz, both Republicans, greeted Trump after Air Force One landed at a Houston military base. Abbott joined Trump for the short ride in the presidential limousine to a Coast Guard hangar where the meeting took place.

Trump then headed to a fundraiser at a luxury hotel in downtown Houston, the first of his two big-dollar events in Texas on Thursday. A White House official did not immediately respond to requests for details about how much money was to be raised, and who was benefiting, from the fundraising events.

After 17 teachers and students were killed during a February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Trump said he would work to improve school safety, but has not called for new gun control legislation. He created the commission to review ways to make schools safer.

Trump briefly strayed from gun-rights dogma after the Parkland shooting, but quickly backpedaled. Abbott, a Republican and a staunch gun-rights supporter, has called for schools to have more armed personnel and said they should put greater focus on spotting student mental health problems. Hes proposed a few small restrictions on guns since the shooting.

Investigators say student Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17, carried out the attack with a shotgun and pistol that belonged to his father. Classes at Santa Fe High School resumed Tuesday for the first time since the shooting.

As the Parkland students became vocal advocates for gun control, embracing their public positions as few school survivors had before, Trump quickly became a focal point for their anger. In Trumps visit to Florida after the shooting, aides kept him clear of the school, which could have been the site of protests, and he instead met with a few victims at a local hospital and paid tribute to first responders at the nearby sheriffs office.

There has yet to be a similar outcry for restrictions on firearms from the students and survivors in deep-red Texas.

Displaying empathy does not come naturally to Trump, who has been criticized for appearing unfeeling in times of tragedy, including when he sharply criticized a mayor in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of a deadly hurricane and fought with a Gold Star military family.

But Trump has at times displayed a softer side. On Wednesday, he returned a hug from an 8-year-old boy with muscular dystrophy who attended a White House event where he signed legislation to give patients the right to try experimental treatments.

Before Thursday, Trump was most recently in the Lone Star State on May 4 to attend the annual National Rifle Association convention. He pledged in his address that NRA members Second Amendment rights will never, ever be under siege as long as I am your president.

He also touted the administrations aggressive strategy on community safety and mentioned armed guards, armed teachers, mental health and metal detectors, but did not mention assault rifles like the one used in Florida.

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For Delilah Cassidy, her knight in shining armor arrived in a gray T-shirt while carrying a credit card.

The 22-year-old recent college graduate was at Los Angeles International Airport, trying to board a plane headed home. But American Airlines said her carry-on bag was too big and she needed to pay a $50 fee to get it on board.

The agent wasn't allowed to take cash and Cassidy's credit cart was declined because she had just returned from Europe and her bank was not aware she was back in the country, she said.

She was tired and frustrated and just wanted to go home.

They tell me that Im going to have to miss the flight and head back to the ticket counter to pay down there. Im pleading, devastated after a long day of travel. Then, this man walks up and says, How much is it? They tell him $50 and he says I got it.  Delilah Cassidy (@Delilah_Cassidy) May 30, 2018

Up stepped a man she had never seen before. "I got this," he said and handed over his card. He paid her luggage fee and walked onto the plane.

"I was overwhelmed with emotion and happiness," she told InsideEdition.com. "I started sobbing. I broke down crying."

When she boarded, she saw him seated in first class and tried to pay him with cash. He wouldn't take it. "You don't have to pay me," he told her. "Just pay it forward." And then she gave him a big hug.

She was embracing Arizona Cardinals tight end Jermaine Gresham, she found out later.

WOW okay so the most amazing thing just happened to me and I cant help but share it with the world. American Airlines instituted a new policy where you have to pay to take a carry-on onto the plane. Which is ridiculous but off topic.  Delilah Cassidy (@Delilah_Cassidy) May 30, 2018

"What I hope is that it inspires other people to commit random acts of kindness like he did," she said. "To do good just for the sake of doing good."

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After their flight landed in Phoenix, she hooked up with Gresham again and grabbed a selfie with him.

Update: It was Jermaine Gresham. pic.twitter.com/aJ0bXoNm8Q  Delilah Cassidy (@Delilah_Cassidy) May 30, 2018

American Airlines also weighed in after her tweets went viral.

@Delilah_Cassidy That's an amazing act of kindness. Bag charges may apply on Basic Economy fares. Please DM your flight info for a look.  American Airlines (@AmericanAir) May 31, 2018

Some of Gresham's fellow players chimed in as well, saying it was no surprise because Gresham is just that kind of man.

Maineeee!! bro always been solid !  D.J. Humphries (@74_hump) May 30, 2018

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Husnain Rashid, the 32-year-old British ISIS supporter who called for jihadis to attack Prince George last year, pleaded guilty to terrorism offenses in a London court on Thursday.

Rashid, who was arrested last November, admitted to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts and encouraging terrorism. He will be sentenced on June 28.

According to a press release from The Crown Prosecution Service, he created an online publication and posted messages glorifying successful terrorist acts, encouraging his readers to plan and commit attacks of their own. CPS says that all of the offenses relate to Rashid's online activities between October 2016 and November 2017.

One of his posts, the press release notes, included a photograph of Prince George with the address of his school, along with a superimposed silhouette of a jihad fighter and a message that read, "Even the royal family will not be left alone."

"Husnain Rashid is an extremist who not only sought to encourage others to commit attacks on targets in the West but was planning to travel aboard so he could fight himself," Sue Hemming, Head of the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division of CPS, said in a statement. "He tried to argue that he had not done anything illegal but with the overwhelming weight of evidence against him he changed his plea to guilty."

"The judge will now decide on the appropriate sentence and Rashid must face the consequences of his actions," the statement continued.

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Whistler (Canada) (AFP) - Canada and other key economies will push Washington to reconsider its decision to impose harsh metals tariffs on its allies, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said Thursday.

The world's major economies were at the brink of trade war as Canadian and European officials vowed Thursday to retaliate against the United States after Washington said it would impose duties on steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico and the European Union after a two-months reprieve.

Canada is the largest exporter of aluminum to the United States while the EU is the largest source of steel.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is due to dine Thursday evening in this Canadian mountain resort with his counterparts from the Group of Seven top global economies.

Morneau told reporters he would seize the occasion to object to the tariffs.

"Among friends sometimes you have disagreements. I'll be stating very clearly our disagreement with the actions they've taken," Morneau told reporters. "I have every expectation that our other allies around the table will express the same sentiments."

He said the finance officials will "try to encourage them to reconsider a decision we think is not in anyone's best interest."

Washington's multi-front confrontation has cast a pall over the G7 talks, a traditional mainstay of trade liberalization.

Earlier Thursday participants defended free trade, and more or less acknowledged that the meeting's agenda had been entirely upended by Washington's latest assault on the prevailing global trade regime.

"At the end of the day, if trade is massively disrupted, if the level of trust among economic actors is severely damaged, those who will suffer most are the poorest people," IMF chief Christine Lagarde said.
Ottawa (AFP) - A Canadian former hostage who has been charged with sexual assault, misleading police and making death threats after returning home from years in captivity in Afghanistan was granted bail Friday.

Joshua Boyle, however, will be required to live with his parents in Smith Falls, near Ottawa, and under electronic monitoring.

He was arrested on December 31 only two months after his return to Canada and faces 19 charges.

The court has banned the identification of Boyle's alleged victims. According to court documents, the alleged crimes occurred between October 14 -- the day Boyle and his family returned to Canada -- and December 30, 2017.

In a previous statement, his American wife Caitlan Coleman blamed Boyle's actions on his mental state -- resulting from "the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years."

She said it was "with compassion and forgiveness that I... hope help and healing can be found for him."

Boyle and Coleman, who married in 2011, were kidnapped by the Taliban during what they described as a backpacking trip through Afghanistan in 2012.

They were later transferred to the custody of the Haqqani faction of the Taliban.

The couple were freed last year, along with their three children aged between six months and five years -- all of whom were born in captivity.

A trial date has not been set.
On June 2, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed into law the Indian Citizenship Act, which marked the end of a long debate and struggle, at a federal level, over full birthright citizenship for American Indians.

coolidgeIndianAct

The act read that all noncitizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided that the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property.

Link: Read the Act

American Indians had occupied a unique place since the drafting of the Constitution in citizenship matters. Originally, the Constitutions Article I said that Indians not taxed couldnt be counted in the voting population of states (while slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person).

American Indians were also part of the Dred Scott decision in 1857 but in a much different way. Chief Justice Roger Taney argued that American Indians, unlike enslaved blacks, could become citizens, under congressional and legal supervision.

The 14th amendments ratification in July 1868 overturned Dred Scott and made all persons born or naturalized in the United States citizens, with equal protection and due process under the law. But for American Indians, interpretations of the amendment immediately excluded most of them from citizenship.

There was enough confusion after the 14th amendment was ratified about American Indian citizenship that in 1870, the Senate Judiciary committee was asked to clarify the issue.

The committee said it was clear that the 14th amendment to the Constitution has no effect whatever upon the status of the Indian tribes within the limits of the United States, but that straggling Indians were subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

At the time, U.S. Census figures showed that just 8 percent of American Indians were classified as taxed and eligible to become citizens. The estimated American Indian population in the 1870 census was larger than the population of five states and 10 territorieswith 92 percent of those American Indians ineligible to be citizens.

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The Dawes Act in 1887 gave American citizenship to all Native Americans who accepted individual land grants under the provisions of statutes and treaties, and it marked another period where the government aggressively sought to allow other parties to acquire American Indian lands.

Another Supreme Court case in 1886 ensured that the federal government had full power and control of all lands inhabited by American Indians. And a separate act eliminated the definition of Indians not taxed for legal purposes.

The issue of American Indian birthright citizenship wouldnt be settled until 1924 when the Indian Citizenship Act conferred citizenship on all American Indians. At the time, 125,000 of an estimated population of 300,000 American Indians werent citizens.

The Indian Citizenship Act still didnt offer full protection of voting rights to Indians. As late as 1948, two states (Arizona and New Mexico) had laws that barred many American Indians from voting, and American Indians faced some of the same barriers as blacks, until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, including Jim Crow-like tactics and poll taxes.
Todays Republican voters are just not receptive to my views on a lot of issues, Richard Painter said. (Photo: Erika Goldring via Getty Images)

Richard Painter, an ethics lawyer in former President George W. Bushs administration, has earned a reputation as a resistance hero with his sharp criticisms of the current White House occupant, Donald Trump. Hes amassed a large audience on Twitter  nearly half a million followers  and he appears often on cable news shows to make the case that Trump has violated ethics laws, abused his power and obstructed justice during the Russia investigation.

Unlike most #NeverTrump Republicans, Painter is doing more than speaking out against the presidents alleged transgressions  hes putting his money where his mouth is and running for office in Minnesota.

Theres only one problem: Painter has chosen to run in the Aug. 14 Democratic primary against Sen. Tina Smith, the states former lieutenant governor who replaced Democratic Sen. Al Franken after he resigned early this year amid sexual misconduct allegations.

Painters campaign will test whether Democratic voters are willing to support a one-time Bush administration official who hates Trump as much as they do.

Painter, 56, worked in the White House as chief ethics lawyer from 2005-2007 before he left to teach at the University of Minnesota. He describes himself as a centrist who doubts there is a place for him in the Republican Party the age of Trump.

Todays Republican voters are just not receptive to my views on a lot of issues, Painter told HuffPost. He added that to run as an independent in this race, it almost certainly would have handed the Senate seat to the pro-Trump Republican.

Democrats will agree with much of his campaign platform. Painter views climate change as an existential threat to the planet and opposes Trumps withdrawal from the Paris Accord in global warming. He supports reasonable gun regulations and even a responsible path to single-payer health care.

He believes decisions about marriage and abortion are strictly personal and none of the governments business. He disagrees with the tax cut measure the GOP pushed into law late last year because it blows a hole in the federal deficit.

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What raised his profile has been his pointed critiques of Trumps ethical failings.

Last year, as vice-chair of the liberal Washington watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, he helped file a lawsuit that argued the president was violating the Constitution by not fully divesting from his business properties that take in rent and other payments from foreign governments.

Tina Smith took over the Senate seat fellow Democrat Al Franken gave up earlier this year. She now seeks to hold the job in November's election. (Photo: Tom Williams via Getty Images)

One might get the impression that Painter is actually a member of the Democratic Party. But ask him about his party preference and hell be quick to criticize policies backed by Democratic lawmakers in his state, as well.

I dont know whether Im a Democrat. ... Democrats in this state cant make up their mind what they want to do with the environment, he said, referring to the backing some party leaders have given to efforts to build Minnesotas first copper-nickel mine.

Painter also criticized Smith and Minnesotas other senator, Democrat Amy Klobuchar, for supporting the repeal of Obamacares medical device tax, lamenting that the health care law was starting to get chopped up thanks to the influence of special interests.

Pretty soon you dont have anything left, he said.

Painters stint in the Bush counsels office, though, will likely pose problems in his primary race. In a 2016 New York Times Op-Ed article, for example, he wrote that he helped Bush with the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court  two of its most solidly conservative members who voted against marriage equality, gutted the Voting Rights Act and supported the Citizens United decision that has allowed huge sums of special-interest money to influence elections, to name a few.

But Painter now maintains his role was limited to vetting the court nominees for financial conflicts, and not their judicial philosophy.

My opinions are quite different to those of the conservative justices, and I have repeatedly disagreed with a number of their decisions, he said.

While he disagrees with Citizens United ruling, Painter has argued that overturning the poorly reasoned decision will do little to stem the flow of unaccountable money in politics. In his 2016 book, Taxation Only with Representation: The Conservative Conscience and Campaign Finance Reform, he wrote that fighting to reverse the decision isnt worth the trouble because lawyers will simply find another way to get around campaign money laws.

Smith, 60, wants Congress to overturn the 2010 decision in part through a constitutional amendment and in part by enacting legislation to require super PACs and other organizations spending more than $10,000 in an election cycle to disclose the names of their donors.

What I dont like is the strategy of emphasizing just the constitutional amendment, Painter said. What it allows politicians to do is check the box ... of supporting an amendment ... thatll get blocked, and theyll just keep raking in huge amounts of cash at the same time.

Painter, in contrast to Smith, has been vocal about opening impeachment proceedings against Trump  an explosive issue that could help him win some votes in a Democratic primary. Whereas most Democratic officials fear that using such rhetoric could backfire by driving Republican voters to the polls in November, Painter has said, We need to hold the executive branch accountable: the president and everyone working for him.

But Painters past comments on abortion rights might raise eyebrows in a Democratic primary. Appearing at a February 2016 conference on conservative campaign finance reform efforts, he suggested money from pharmaceutical companies helped lead to the approval of the morning-after pill. He mused that corporate donors like health insurance companies would save money if pregnancies that are likely to lead to serious health issues for newborns are terminated.

Who makes Plan B? Drug companies, Painter said. Once again, maybe thats a good product, maybe that should be on the market, maybe not. But [thats] a decision for the people, not a decision that should be rammed down anybodys throat by the drug companies through campaign contributions.

A big hurdle Painter also faces will be fleshing out his views on an array of domestic and foreign policy issues that arent known to many voters. And, of course, there will be the constant challenge of being labeled a Bush Republican in a Democratic race.

Painter said he believes voters can look past that latter matter.

Im not sure those labels  Democrat or Republican  mean a lot, he said. Its up to whether members of Congress are going to deliver for their constituents or not.

This story has been updated with Painters comments on contraceptives.

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Rome (AFP) - Dubbed 'Mr Nobody', political novice Giuseppe Conte suddenly finds himself at the helm of one of the eurozone's largest economies, running a cabinet of far-right and anti-establishment ministers.

The little-known academic, 53, was sworn in as prime minister on Friday, less than a week after walking away amid a row over a proposed eurosceptic economy minister.

The devout Catholic and former leftist formally took the reins after darting down from lessons at the University of Florence a day earlier for last-ditch talks, which propelled him into the hot seat.

Conte had given up the mandate handed to him by President Sergio Mattarella days after being nominated to head a coalition of the far-right League Party and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S).

He bounced right back after the partners agreed to jettison controversial financier Paolo Savona as finance minister -- Mattarella's demand that they find someone else briefly sparking calls for the head of state's impeachment.

On Saturday, he will stand alongside Mattarella for national day celebrations in Rome before jetting off to the G7 in Canada.

Born in 1964 in the tiny village of Volturara Appula in the southern region of Puglia, Conte joined the anti-establishment Five Star Movement.

"I used to vote left. Today, I think that the ideologies of the 20th century are no longer adequate," media have quoted Conte as.

Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio, also from Italy's poorer south, hailed Conte as "someone from the periphery of this country (...), who has made something of himself".

A friend told state broadcaster Radio 1 that Conte is "very religious" and devoted to mystic Catholic saint Padre Pio, who lived in Puglia.

The saint was famous for exhibiting "stigmata" -- marks on his body supposedly matching the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ.

- Who's boss? -

Analysts say Conte will serve at the command of the leaders of the two groups forming the new cabinet.

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They said Di Maio and Matteo Salvini of the anti-immigrant League would call the shots.

The Italian press has raised concerns over Conte's credibility as premier on the international scene.

Left-wing newspaper La Repubblica has branded him "a prime minister who will not count," asking "what authority will he have when he goes to meet Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron?".

- CV or not CV? -

Di Maio had initially presented Conte as part of the Five Star team of ministers ahead of the March 4 general election.

That was the general public's first glimpse of the discreet lawyer. He stayed out of sight in the coalition talks to form an alliance after an inconclusive election.

After the parties nominated him, the media uncovered snippets of information about the likely future prime minister.

He is reportedly separated from his wife, with whom he has a 10-year-old son.

Conte currently teaches law at the University of Florence and at Rome's Luiss University.

In a CV posted on the website of a lawyers' association, Conte boasted of an impressive career in law and academia.

His claims of study positions at some of the world's most prestigious universities were cast into doubt, however.

New York University (NYU) and the Sorbonne's law school told AFP they had no record of him as a student or faculty member.

NYU said that he was granted permission to conduct research in its law library between 2008 and 2014. Cambridge University declined to give details about Conte.

Another of the institutions where he claims to have "furthered his juridical studies" was Vienna's Internationales Kulturinstitut -- a language school.

Conte has not spoken out publicly about the CV affair, but Di Maio and League chief Matteo Salvini staunchly defended him, and when the chance of forming an alliance reappeared, the pair had no hesitation in putting they quite man forward again.
For some, the presidents efforts to undermine the justice department and the Mueller investigation represent a threat to democracy

In recent weeks, Trump has escalated his war on his perceived foes in the DoJ, which hosts the office of special counsel Robert Mueller. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP

Ask people with deep knowledge of the US justice department about the damage Donald Trump might be doing to the country, and the conversation quickly flips back to Watergate.

Following Richard Nixons failed attempt to pull the plug on a special prosecutor who turned out to be on to something, the need for investigators to work free from White House interference was recognized by the public and reinforced by elected officials.

But now Trump is president, the public can seem apathetic or amnesiac and the norms governing justice department independence are being tested. Severely.

In interviews, two former assistant attorneys general, law professors and analysts from across the political spectrum used recurring words to describe Trumps assault on justice: dangerous, alarming, high-stakes.

Some analysts warn that national security has also been endangered, as Trump has undermined public trust in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and intelligence agencies whose work is often conducted in secret and who therefore depend uniquely on such trust to function.

The question is whether Trumps snips and snaps at the norms of justice department independence represent some greater dislocation: a constitutional crisis of some kind or even an erosion of the rule of law in America, as some commentators have posited.

In recent weeks, Trump has escalated his war on his perceived foes in the Department of Justice (DoJ), which hosts the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating alleged collusion between Moscow and Trump campaign officials.



That investigation, Trump has informed his Twitter followers, is the work of a criminal deep state engaged in a WITCH HUNT originally engineered by none other than Barack Obama.

If the Trump-supporting public is bothered by that kind of freewheeling conspiracy talk, theres little sign of it. The presidents average approval rating is hovering close to 42%, pretty good for him. But others are deeply bothered by Trumps seemingly nonstop provocations directed at the FBI, the attorney general, the intelligence apparatus and other DoJ agencies.

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On Thursday, Trump casually granted a pardon to the race-baiting conservative commentator Dinesh DSouza, who pleaded guilty in 2014 to campaign finance charges. The pardon was taken as a potential signal to former associates not to flip and cooperate with federal prosecutors  because even if they are convicted, a pardon may be waiting.

In an interview aboard Air Force One, the president mentioned he was considering pardoning other boldface names with unfair convictions.

Weve never had a president attack the intelligence and law enforcement agencies that work for him in this way, Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard law professor and former assistant attorney general under George W Bush, said in an email. Hes attacking them in order to discredit the Mueller investigation. But the baleful impact on those agencies morale and on public trust in them unfortunately extends far beyond that investigation.

While whispers of a constitutional crisis are in the air, many mainstream analyses reject that idea, pointing out among other things that the Mueller investigation continues full steam ahead, no matter how much Trump might whine about it. The bad news is that it doesnt take a constitutional crisis to constitute a national emergency, said Eric Posner, a University of Chicago professor specializing in constitutional law.

I think the problem with thinking about this in terms of crisis is that we should be concerned about what Trump is doing whether or not there ever is a crisis, Posner said. Its perfectly possible, for example, that Trump could undermine Muellers investigation without causing a constitutional crisis.

You could slide into an authoritarian regime without a real crisis ever taking place Eric Posner, University of Chicago

I think what people are worried about, when you look at other countries that have slid into authoritarianism, what has happened is that the leaders of those countries have proceeded incrementally, and so when he does some things initially that people didnt resist, that enhances his power. Once he has more power he can do more things, take more action.

And you could slide into an authoritarian regime without a real crisis ever taking place, and I think thats what people should be focusing on.

Things subtly changing

Shortly after Trumps election, Amy Siskind, a former Wall Street executive, started a website called The Weekly List, seeking to catalogue news stories documenting eroding norms under the current regime.

The site, which Siskind said gets up to a million visitors a week and which this year produced a book blurbed by current Trump target Samantha Bee, bears this tagline: Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so youll remember.

At my book events, again and again, people tell me youre keeping me sane, Siskind said. Theres such an effort at gaslighting, that this is not happening. Then at the end of the week people are able to sit down and read all the things that happened.



Two recent Trump provocations have proven particularly incendiary. First, he cooperated with Republican congressman Devin Nunes and others in a campaign that led to the disclosure of the identity of an FBI informant. Then, Trump ordered the justice department to investigate its own investigation  of him.

I hereby demand, Trump tweeted, that the Department of Justice look into whether or not the FBI/DoJ infiltrated or surveilled the Trump Campaign for Political Purposes  and if any such demands or requests were made by people within the Obama Administration!

David Kris, founder of Culper Partners consulting firm and a former assistant attorney general under Obama, warned that Trumps continued assault on norms of justice department independence rose to the level of a threat to the rule of law.

None of what were seeing in my view is at all normal and a lot of it is very dangerous, said Kris.

The norm of apolitical law enforcement, and the norm of intelligence activity under law, including honest bipartisan congressional oversight, as well as basic norms like conflict of interest and the White House staying out of particular investigations  all are essential elements of the even more fundamental value of the rule of law, Kris said. Which is itself essential to any modern functioning democracy. So the stakes are very high.

Goldsmith, who has diagnosed and debunked The Cycles of Panicked Reactions To Trump, said that there are bad things going on in our country but that the infrastructure of justice was holding up so far.

Despite Trumps onslaught, his political appointees, all of whom he could fire, have continued to support the Mueller investigation fully and the investigation carries on to Trumps intense displeasure, Goldsmith wrote. That is an amazing testament to justice departments independence.

Trump has certainly violated norms, but whether they erode will depend on what happens after Trump leaves Jack Goldsmith, Harvard Law

As for norms eroding, Trump has certainly violated norms, but whether they erode will depend on what happens after Trump leaves.

The question of the elasticity of norms  will they bounce back or are they forever dented?  is one that occupies Kris and others.

I think the answer depends a lot on what happens next, Kris said. I think we can count on President Trump to keep pushing as hard and as long as he can to do what he believes is in his self-interest regardless of these norms. And if in hindsight it is perceived that he ended badly in part because of that, then others will be deterred from using the same tactics in the future and we may even see a strengthening of some of these norms.

This is what happened after President Nixons misconduct in Watergate, the rule of law and independent norms were strengthened.

On the other hand, if Trump continues to profit, and is perceived in hindsight as having benefited from these quite radical norm violations, then we can expect future holders of the highest office of the land to engage in the sincerest form of flattery available.

It depends, in short, on how this comes out. Were engaged right now in a very high-stakes experiment.
Donald Trump Jr. and his son Spencer. (Photo: Instagram courtesy Donald Trump Jr.)

When Donald Trump Jr. shared a photo from his son Spencers pre-K graduation, he probably didnt expect it would be a controversial Instagram post. What could go wrong with an image of a young child finishing preschool? But at least one person took to the comments section on Trump Jr.s post to remind the presidents son that not every American family can afford to send their children to pre-K  and that his fathers proposed budget cuts wouldnt help.

Nice private school!!!! While public schools funding is being cut under Betsy D. and this pathetic administration!!!!! So sadBigly!!!, an Instagram user named evelynwilliams112 commented about the post.

The Instagram commenter may be referring to President Trumps proposed FY (fiscal year) 2019 budget, which, as New America pointed out, includes a 5.6 percent cut in funding for the Department of Education. The proposed budget also includes significant cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes early education programs such as Head Start. Head Start includes services for low-income families with children younger than 5, including childcare and pre-K programs.

As in the Trump administrations proposed FY 2018 budget, the FY 2019 proposal would effectively eliminate the Department of Health and Human Services grant program for pre-K, New America explains.

A Head Start pre-K teacher in New York City who asked to speak anonymously told Yahoo that her school doesnt have everything it needs to help students, particularly special-education students. We really dont have the resources to serve the children the way that they should be served, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. The teacher also says her school saw cuts to the special-education program after Betsy DeVos became the U.S. secretary of education. (She cant say whether or not the cuts are directly correlated to federal changes, though, because she receives funding from both the city and the federal government-sanctioned agency in charge of her school.) And the lack of resources for special-education students can take attention away from other pre-K students too, she says.

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When Betsy DeVos took office, the biggest issue that arose right away was special ed funding. We saw cuts across the board, the teacher tells Yahoo. And because special ed is handed from the feds down to the state, and then down to the city and individual agencies, we saw real-time stuff happening, like kids not getting service. Period. At all. That were entitled to services. And there were just not enough service providers. There were too many cuts.

And while many studies have shown positive effects of pre-K educations, at least one report has found that children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds stand to benefit even more from pre-K programs. The 2017 report The Current State of Scientific Knowledge on Pre-Kindergarten Effects, published by several early childhood experts, found that studies have shown that children who have had early experiences of economic scarcity and insecurity gain more from these programs than their more advantaged peers, NPR noted at the time. Budget cuts to programs like Head Start could affect children who rely on those programs in more ways than people might realize. Donald Trump Jr. certainly has the right to be proud of his son for graduating from pre-K  but its worth knowing about the current state of public pre-K programs too.

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President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have received their highest approval ratings ever in South Koreaeven though they went back and forth this week on whether a historic summit to discuss denuclearization would go ahead.

Related: Obama More Admired Than Trump in Every Country Except Russia: Poll

Trump has gained eight percentage points in the past two months to achieve a 32 percent approval rating from South Koreans, according to a Gallup Korea poll released Friday. Only 9 percent of South Koreans approved of Trump a year ago.

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The United States president is only slightly more popular than his North Korean counterpart. Kim over the past two months gained 21 percentage points for a 31 approval rating, according to the poll that was conducted from May 29 to 31.

While both Trump and Kims disapproval ratings dropped by double digits since March, they remain far less popular than South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who, a little over a year since taking office, received an approval rating in the high 70s.

06_01_18_TrumpKimPoll

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI,KCNA/AFP/Getty Images

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Seoul National University political science professor and polling expert Kang Won-taek told The Washington Post that it is very rare in South Korea for Trump to become more popular among liberals and conservatives.

When he first took office, he was the least popular American president here, he said. But he has totally changed the situation.

Meanwhile, Kims popularity hike was less surprising due to photos and videos that went viral of him and Moon joking, hugging and even holding hands.

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The Gallup Korea poll included 1,002 adults over the age of 19 and had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

On Friday afternoon, a week after the summit was called off, Trump announced that the meeting was back in the works for June 12 in Singapore. The change in heart came after Kims top envoy hand-delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to the White House.

After meeting with the envoy, Trump said of past nuclear war threats between the two leaders, "I think we're over that, totally over that.

He added: Now we're going to deal and we're going to really start a process. We're meeting with the chairman on June 12 and I think it's probably going to be a very successfulultimately a successful process.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
President Donald Trump said Friday that a planned meeting with North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un is back on after initially being called off last week.

The summit, set to take place June 12 in Singapore, would be the first-ever direct talks between a sitting U.S. president and North Korean ruler. Trump canceled the highly anticipated event after a diplomatic spat between U.S. and North Korean officials, but hopes were again raised that it would take place after one of Kim Jong Un's top aides, Kim Yong Chol, visited Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York on Wednesday.

Kim Yong Chol on Friday became the highest-level North Korean envoy to visit the White House in two decades and reportedly delivered a personal letter from Kim Jong Un to Trump. After what Trump said was about a two-hour discussion, the president officially announced that the summit would take place as scheduled.

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Leah Millis/Reuters

"We talked about a lot, and we talked about sanctions," Trump said after the meeting. He added, "We're not going to sign something on June 12."

"I look forward to the day when I can take the sanctions off of North Korea," he added. "This should've been handled not only by President Obama but by other presidents."

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Trump's is the latest administration to inherit a decades-long crisis on the Korean Peninsula, where North Korea technically remains at war with its U.S.-backed rival since their 1950s conflict. Under Trump, the U.S. has led a "maximum pressure" campaign of military drills and strict sanctions against North Korea, which has so far refused to abandon the nuclear weapons it believes are necessary to protect it from a U.S. invasion.

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Related: North Korea leader Kim Jong Uns personal letter delivered to Trump: Here's what it reportedly says

Kim Jong Un, however, has indicated he may indeed be willing to end his nuclear program and has already demolished his only known nuclear testing site last week as a gesture that he sought peace with the U.S. That same day, however, Trump canceled the talks after North Korea issued a fiery statement criticizing Vice President Mike Pence for threatening Kim Jong Un's life.

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Pence echoed national security adviser John Bolton, who compared Washington's approach to North Korea to the U.S. strategy toward Libya, which forfeited its weapons of mass destruction program in 2003, only to be rocked by a 2011 rebellion backed by the U.S.-led NATO Western military alliance. North Korea followed up, however, by sending trusted Kim Jong Un aide Kim Yong Chol, who delivered the letter from Kim Jong Un to Trump.

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KCNA/Reuters

At least one foreign government official has said the letter indicated Kim Jong Un's desire to get the summit back on track without talks of threats or concessions, but Trump did not discuss its contents. He referred to it as "a very nice letter" in the post-meeting press conference, but then revealed, "I havent seen the letter yet."

I purposely didnt open the letter. I havent opened it. I didnt open it in front of the director. I said, Would you want me to open it? He said, You can read it later. I may be in for a big surprise.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore may occur after all.

Well be meeting June 12 in Singapore. You people will have to be in Singapore, he told reporters at the White House. He said he had just met with Kim Yong Chol, North Koreas top nuclear weapons negotiator.

In long, meandering comments Friday afternoon, Trump said that he received a very nice letter from Kim Jong Un.

Later, he said that he had not read it yet: I may be in for a big surprise, folks.

Trump said he hoped the meeting would be ultimately successful but said he did not expect concrete results, like North Koreas denuclearization, stressing that the meeting is the start of a process.

Remember what I say, we will see what we will see, he said.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media after meeting with North Korean diplomat Kim Yong Chol on Friday. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Since Trumps abrupt cancellation last week of the historic meeting with Kim, theres been an international scramble to salvage the event  with rapid-fire diplomacy efforts in the U.S., on the Korean Peninsula and in Singapore, the Southeast Asian city-state hosting the summit.

Kim Yong Chol arrived in New York on Wednesday for talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The diplomat is the highest-ranking North Korean official to visit the U.S. since 2000, when Jo Myong Rok, the late vice marshal, met with then-President Bill Clinton in Washington.

In Singapore, Kim Chang Son, another of Kim Jong Uns top aides, met with Joe Hagin, a deputy White House chief of staff, earlier in the week to iron out the logistics of a potential meeting, including security, venue spaces and transportation, reported The Washington Post.

On Sunday, officials from North Korea and the U.S. met for talks at the truce village in the Demilitarized Zone that separates the Korean Peninsula. President Trump said in a tweet that officials were there to make arrangements for the summit. One day prior, South Korean President Moon Jae In  who was reportedly blindsided by Trumps decision to pull out of the summit  traveled to the DMZ for an impromptu meeting with Kim Jong Un. Moon later told reporters that the two leaders agreed the summit must be successfully held.

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South Korea's President Moon Jae-in says he plans to meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un whenever necessary as the Trump-Kim summit appears to be back on track https://t.co/I6pouGNQae #tictocnews pic.twitter.com/qCDnER6wAr  TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) May 28, 2018

With the summit now back on the table, attention will likely shift to the substance of the meeting and whether Trump and Kim will be able to get on the same page about how to best denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

Cho Myoung Gyon, the South Korean unification minister, warned this week that significant differences remain between the U.S. and North Korea on how to achieve denuclearization.

It will not be easy to narrow the gap and find common ground, he said, according to the Yonhap News Agency. Cho added, however, that it would not be impossible and said he was heartened by the diplomatic efforts undertaken by the two countries in recent days.

Now that the leaders of the two countries are engaging in talks in a top-down manner, I think the chances are high that common ground can be found, Cho said.

Marina Fang contributed reporting.

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers from the two parties forming Italy's new government coalition backed this week a rejected proposal to set up EU funds to help countries quit the euro, a sign of the Italian leadership's ambivalent position on the common currency. Their vote came as the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and far-right League were finalizing a deal to form an executive in Rome, under pledges that leaving the euro was not in their government program. The government was sworn in on Friday. An earlier attempt to form a government foundered after the parties proposed as economy minister an economist who had devised a plan for Italy's departure from the euro zone, prompting his rejection by the head of state. Despite the declared intentions to stay in the euro, all six EU lawmakers from the League and all but one of the 14 5-Star Members of the European Parliament voted on Wednesday for a document that called for the establishment of programs of financial support "for member states that plan to negotiate their exit from the euro." In a statement on Friday the 5-Star delegation in the European Parliament said their vote was meant to show support for countries that may find themselves in extreme economic situations, such as having to leave the euro. "To affirm the principle of collaboration with countries in difficulty does not mean at all to be willing to leave the euro," the note said. It added: "Italy does not want to quit the euro". Representatives of the League in Brussels were not immediately available for comment. The document voted on by their EU lawmakers called for compensation for "the social and economic damages caused by the euro zone membership." The document was an amendment to a European Parliament resolution on the EU budget for the 2021-2027 period. The proposal, advanced by three leftist MEPs, was backed by 90 lawmakers but was rejected by a majority of the 750 MEPs. Among members of the new government is economist Paolo Savona, who created a plan for Italy's departure from the common currency. Savona denied that the new government would seek to dump the euro. He was moved to the role of minister for the relations with the EU, after Italian President Sergio Mattarella vetoed his appointment as finance minister. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Toby Chopra)
San Francisco (AFP) - Google workers on Friday got word that the internet titan will retreat from a deal to help the US military use artificial intelligence to analyze drone video following an outcry from staff, according to reports.

The collaboration with the US Department of Defense was said to have sparked rebellion inside the California-based company.

An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of "the business of war" garnered thousands of signatures, and some workers reportedly quit to protest a collaboration with the military.

The New York Times and tech news website Gizmodo cited unnamed sources as saying that a Google's cloud team executive announced told employees on Friday that the company would not seek to renew the controversial contract after it expires next year.

The contract was reported to be worth less than $10 million to Google, but was thought to have potential to lead to more lucrative technology collaborations with the military.

Google did not respond to a request for comment.

Google has remained mum about Project Maven, which reportedly uses machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos for the Defense Department.

"We believe that Google should not be in the business of war," the employee petition reads, according to copies posted online.

"Therefore, we ask that Project Maven be cancelled, and that Google draft, publicize and enforce a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology."

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, an internet rights group, and the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) were among those who have weighed in with support.

"As military commanders come to see the object recognition algorithms as reliable, it will be tempting to attenuate or even remove human review and oversight for these systems," ICRAC said in an open letter.

"We are then just a short step away from authorizing autonomous drones to kill automatically, without human supervision or meaningful human control."

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Google has gone on the record saying that its work to improve machines' ability to recognize objects is not for offensive uses.

The EFF and others stressed the need for moral and ethical frameworks regarding the use of artificial intelligence in weaponry.

"The use of AI in weapons systems is a crucially important topic and one that deserves an international public discussion and likely some international agreements to ensure global safety," the EFF said in a blog post on the topic.
The Hawaii resident who allegedly drew a gun on a neighbor checking on his home destroyed by lava flows was charged Wednesday.

John Hubbard of Puna, who is a Leilani Estates resident, allegedly approached a man and his companions with a handgun Tuesday and demanded they leave the area in the neighborhood. The victim, who is also a Leilani Estates resident, told police that Hubbard assaulted him and fired shots at him. The victim was in the area near his home, which was damaged by the lava flowing through the neighborhood.

Several charges were brought against Hubbard on Wednesday night. Police charged him with two counts of first-degree reckless endangering, along with five counts of first-degree terroristic threatening. Hubbard was also charged with first-degree robbery, failing to register the firearm, failure to obtain a permit and more, according to a release from police.

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John Hubbard

Hawaii Police Department

Hubbard was in police custody following his arrest Monday and was being held on $220,000 bail. His initial appearance in court was scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Hawaii, according to police.

Fissure 8 of the Kilauea Volcano has been erupting for nearly a month and was actively releasing lava all week. At times, it spewed 200 feet into the air. On Thursday, the mayor of the island issued a mandatory evacuation notice for residents in several areas of the island, including parts of Leilani Estates.

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Prior to the evacuations, residents were allowed to return to their homes or land to check on their property. But as lava flows got closer to the only available route out for some people, the government issued a warning. The lava was flowing down Highway 132 and heading for the only road that would offer an escape, Highway 137, CBS News reported.

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In addition to dangerous lava flows, the eruptions from the volcano and the gases leaking from the ground posed a threat to residents. The gas sulfur dioxide is a regular byproduct of some volcanoes like Kilauea and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, throat and lungs of anyone exposed to it.

People with pre-existing respiratory issues may be especially vulnerable to the gases in the air, according to the United States Geological Survey. In addition to the gas, the risk of acid rain and Peles hairessentially volcanic glasswere evident for those downwind of the volcano and its active fissures.

GettyImages-963225128

Mario Tama/Getty Images

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Police arrested a man accused of threatening a neighbour with a gun and shooting it in a lava ravaged part of Hawaii.

Video footage appeared to show John Hubbard, 61, pulling the gun.

Officers said they were called at 12.21pm local time to the sound of a shot fired, Hawaii News Now reported.

The alleged victim Ethan Edwards, 32, told police he had returned to the lower Puna area to check his house.

Since the recent volcano eruption many people have evacuated but some stayed to protect their homes in case they were looted.

Talmadge Magno, of Hawaii County Civil Defense, told Hawaii News Now tensions were running high.

He said: "They've got this live volcano in their backyard.

"They feel like, they see strange people in their subdivision, whether it's people just wanted to go see lava or criminals, and they try to protect stuff.

"I could see it coming. I know it's something that happens in a lot of disasters, whether it's in the shelters or in the communities. A lot of stress, a lot of things are going on there. It's a hard time for those folks still in there."
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers the keynote address at the opening of the IISS Shangri-la Dialogue, Singapore, Friday, June 1, 2018. - AP

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, used a strong opening address at the Asia Security Summit to hold out an olive branch to China in a bid to reduce tension in the region.

In a powerful speech Mr Modi said development should be driven by the consent of all, not the power of a few and called for dialogue not force to settle disputes.

All nations must be treated equally, irrespective of size and strength, he said.

However, his thinly-veiled attacks on China are being interpreted as no stronger than necessary and a clear signal of mutual respect to Indias regional competitor.

Addressing delegates in Singapore at the summit, also known as the Shangri-la Dialogue, on Friday, Mr Modi said: The world has a better future when India and China work together and are sensitive to each other's interests.

In a swipe at Chinas determination to establish itself as the regional hegemon he urged: Each nation must ask itself are we building a new world or forcing divisions?.

Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, Senior Fellow for South Asia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), said Mr Modis emphasis on the rules based international order was a clear call for others to follow.

Mr Modi at the opening address of the Asia Security Summit. Credit: EDGAR SU/REUTERS

Since his election four years ago, Mr Modi has sought to nurture political and security relationships. He called India a bridge between south and south-east Asia and described fresh energy in relations with Australia and New Zealand. He pointed to relations with Japan as the cornerstone of Indias south-east Asia policy and said his countrys relationship with Russia had matured, to be special and privileged.

He firmly pointed out that his country had overcome the hesitation of history with the United States, a reference to the strained relationship during the Cold War when India was close to the Soviet Union whilst officially non-aligned. The two countries had a shared vision of an open, stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Mr Modi met US President Donald Trump last year in a meeting hailed a success.

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Profile | Narendra Modi

Whilst hinting at rivalries in the region he sought to assuage Chinese fears. Differences must not become disputes, he said and stressed friendships are not alliances of containment.

He promoted collaboration with middle-ranking powers and was a strong advocate for the Association of South East Asian Nations, the 10-member regional security body, which he described as an example and inspiration.

Shashank Joshi, Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said Mr Modis speech continued the work of the informal summit in April in Wuhan, China, when he met Chinas President Xi Jinping.

The coded criticism and the olive branch approach was in keeping with [Mr Modis] cautious style, he said. There were obvious rebukes to China, but overall the speech sought to wind down the tension between the two countries.

The summit, organised by the IISS, is taking place this weekend. 575 delegates from 40 countries are attending and Gavin Williamson, the British Defence Secretary, will be speaking on Sunday.
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran supports a Russian-led effort to impose Syrian government control over the south of Syria, a senior Iranian security official was quoted as saying on Saturday, amid reports that Damascus is preparing a major military offensive in the area. Russia said last week that only Syrian army troops should be on the country's southern border with Jordan and Israel. Syrian government forces, in their strongest position since the early months of the seven-year conflict, have driven rebels out of all territory near the capital Damascus this year. For weeks there have been reports that the government's next target would be the zone in the south, one of only two large areas left in the hands of fighters seeking to topple President Bashar al-Assad. Washington says any offensive in the area would violate a ceasefire it has jointly sponsored with Moscow for that part of Syria, and has warned it would take "firm measures" in response. Rebels control stretches of southwest Syria, bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, while Syrian army troops and allied Iran-backed militias hold nearby territory. "We strongly support Russian efforts to drive terrorists out of the Syria-Jordan border and to bring the area under Syrian army control," the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, told the Shargh Daily. He also repeated Tehran's denial that it has military advisors in that part of Syria. Israel says Iranians are operating in the area near its border and has called for Moscow to keep Iranian forces and their allies away from the frontier. "We have said before that Iranian military advisers are not present in southern Syria and have not participated in recent operations," Shamkhani said. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday discussed the so-called de-escalation zone in southern Syria, where the United States and Russia sponsor a truce, with Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman in Moscow. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin)
Zachary Keck

Security, Asia

By modifying some of its top ships.

Japan Wants Aircraft Carriers Armed with F-35s (And It Could Happen Fast)

Japans ruling party is officially calling for Tokyo to return to the aircraft carrier business.

On May 25, the Liberal Democratic Partythe party of Prime Minister Shinzo Abefinalized proposals calling for the country to refit its massive helicopter destroyers so that they can carry fixed-wing aircraft, according to a number of local Japanese news outlets. The party plans to submit the proposals to the government by the end of this month at the earliest, hoping that they will be reflected in the countrys defense program guidelines and medium-term defense program to be revised at year-end, one news article said.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) first hinted it was going in that direction when it released an outline of the proposal in March of this year. At that time, the proposal called for refitting one or both of Japans Izumo-class amphibious assault ships to be a multipurpose defensive aircraft carrier. Apparently, some members of the LDP objected to this wording since it evoked memories of World War II when Imperial Japan had a potent carrier fleet. Thus, the new proposal now calls the refitted vessels a multipurpose mother ship. The concept is still the same.

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As the National Interest previously noted, Japans massive Izumo-class helicopter destroyers could potentially be refitted to carry the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. That is the U.S. Marines version of the F-35 that has short take-off and vertical landing capability. The possibility of this happening was something many observers speculated about when the first Izumo ship was unveiled in 2013. At that time, some began to call it an aircraft carrier in disguise. It wasnt difficult to see why: the Izumos are roughly 250 meters (820 feet) long and displace twenty-four thousand tons. That makes them about 50 percent bigger (in terms of displacement) than Japans previously largest ship, the Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer. Others have pointed out that the ships are actually larger than Spain and Italys short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft carriers. The Izumos were also built with a hanger that can handle fixed-wing aircraft.

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Still, Japan has consistently tried to tamp down those expectations. When reports emerged last December that Tokyo was seriously considering refitting the Izumos to carry the F-35B, Japanese defense minister Itsunori Onodera offered an (admittedly half hearted) denial. Regarding our defense posture, we are constantly conducting various examinations. But no concrete examination is under way on the introduction of F-35B or remodeling of Izumo-class destroyers, Onodera said, local media reported. He added, however, that there is a need to always be considering various alternatives.

Despite that denial, Japans Ministry of Defense commissioned a study from the Japanese shipbuilder Marine United Corporation about whether the Izumos could really be converted into an aircraft carrier. A redacted form of that study was released publicly in late April of this year. Unsurprisingly, it found that such a refit was possible without enormous modifications such as a catapult launcher.

The whole exercise was rather disingenuous, however, as former Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) executives say that this was the plan all along. Speaking to The Asahi Shimbun in February, one explained that at the time the service was deciding to build the vessels: a consensus was reached privately among the MSDF that the Izumo should be considered for conversion into an aircraft carrier. But the MSDF couldn't explain the need publicly due to the governments view that aircraft carriers capable of launching large-scale attacks are equivalent to the military capability prohibited by the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.

Of course, the LDPs proposal hinges on Japan acquiring the F-35B. Currently, Tokyo is only purchasing the F-35A, which is the conventional take-off and landing variant. But the LDP proposal that calls for refitting the Izumos also calls for purchasing the F-35B from the United States. Currently, only a few services have signed onto buy the F-35B, including the U.S. Marines, British Royal Navy, British Royal Air Force and Italian Navy. Other countries like South Korea and perhaps Turkey have expressed interest in the F-35B as part of their own interest in transforming amphibious assault ships into aircraft carriers. If Tokyo goes forward with plans to transform the Izumos into F-35B carriers, this could have a profound influence on what at least South Korea does and perhaps Turkey as well.

The LDP proposal made a number of other potentially controversial proposals. For starters, it called for scrapping the informal prohibition on spending more than one percent of Japans Gross Domestic Product on defense. Instead, it wants to bring defense spending up to the two percent goal set by NATO members. Of arguably greater importance, the LDP proposal reportedly calls for acquiring an ability to strike foreign adversary bases and other installations as well as building cruise missiles. Tokyo has not developed a strike capability since this was viewed as offensive in nature and because it has committed itself to maintaining a purely self-defensive force.

Zachary Keck (@ZacharyKeck) is a former managing editor of the National Interest.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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A county judge in Iowa on Friday temporarily barred the state from enforcing an abortion law widely considered to be the strictest in the country, pending a potentially protracted legal battle.

Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed the bill into law last month, barring women from receiving an abortion if an ultrasound detects a fetal heartbeat, which usually appears about six weeks into a womans pregnancy.

The same day, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union announced that they planned to sue the state. They filed the lawsuit on May 15, challenging the bans constitutionality.

District Court Judge Michael Huppert said he will issue a temporary injunction on Friday to prevent the law from going into effect on July 1. Both sides agreed to the temporary ban, with the lawsuit still pending.

Similar abortion bans around the country have also faced legal challenges.

Supporters of the legislation see the Iowa law as a stepping stone to potentially overturning the Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade decision affirming a womans right to choose. Iowa is among numerous states that have passed or considered restrictive abortion laws in recent years, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which studies policies on reproductive rights.

The state is being represented by the Thomas More Society, a conservative law firm based in Chicago. Last month, state Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, refused to defend the bill.

The disqualification is based on the Attorney Generals determination that he could not zealously assert the states position because of his core belief that the statute, if upheld, would undermine rights and protections for women, Millers office wrote in a letter to the states executive council.

Womens rights groups and medical professionals have said that Iowas law is too restrictive because some women do not even know they are pregnant at six weeks.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The political arm of the Koch network, long reputed for championing conservative causes and politicians, has launched an ad campaign thanking a Democratic Senator up for reelection in a red state for her work in passing a financial deregulation bill.

The ad campaign, released on Friday by Americans for Prosperity, thanks North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp for her leadership role in working on the Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, which President Trump signed into law last month. The bill eases regulations on local and regional banks in order to improve their ability to provide loans and mortgages.

This was a bipartisan effort made possible by lawmakers like Heidi Heitkamp who put politics aside to work together, said AFP President Tim Phillips. While we dont agree with Sen. Heitkamp on everything, particularly her vote against tax relief, we commend her for taking a stand against the leaders of her party to do the right thing.

We hope to find common ground and work with Senator Heitkamp on other issues moving forward including making tax relief permanent, Phillips added.

Heitkamp is one of 10 Democratic Senators defending a seat in a red state that President Donald Trump won by double digits in the 2016 election. In November, she will likely face Rep. Kevin Cramer, who was heavily recruited by Trump, and was thought to be one of the Republican Partys bright spots in the midterm elections. (The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has the race listed as a toss-up.)

Heitkamps campaign issued a brief statement in response to the ad, stating only that the Senator would continue to rise above the partisan fray. The statement did not explicitly thank AFP for the support.

Heidi got results for rural North Dakota families and businesses who depend on relationship lending because she is and has always been focused on putting partisan politics aside to deliver for North Dakotans  and thats where her focus will remain, said Julia Krieger, communications director for Heitkamps reelection campaign.

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Although the group did not disclose how much money it had spent on this campaign, the decision to pinpoint Heitkamp seems significant, and not just because she is a vulnerable Democrat up for reelection, who AFP targeted three months ago with a $450,000 ad campaign in North Dakota that pointed out her vote against last years tax reform bill and derided her as a politician beholden to special interests.

Heitkamp was key to shepherding this bill forward; she had been working on writing and negotiating it since 2013. But four of her colleagues who are facing similar electoral predicaments  running as a Democrat in a red state where the President is exceedingly popular  also co-sponsored this bill and were active in negotiations. Donnellys campaign called him an architect of the legislation after it passed, and Testers office has emphasized how he broke with his party to push it through Congress. Donnellys campaign sent out a statement highlighting the Senators work on it, calling him an architect of the bill.

But Americans for Prosperity did not mention any of these lawmakers, in their announcement, although they made a point of thanking three other Democratic Senators  Colorados Michael Bennet, Alabamas Doug Jones, and Virginias Mark Warner  who had signed on and are not up for reelection. (Five Republican Senators were singled out as well.)

A representative for the Donnelly campaign said they were not concerned by being left out of the ad. AFP has also spent millions so far in ads in Indiana and Missouri highlighting McCaskill and Donnellys votes against the tax reform bill.

AFP may not be thanking Joe because Mike Pence has asked them not to. That doesnt really matter. Hoosiers are thanking Joe, said Will Baskin-Gerwitz, Communications Director for Donnellys reelection campaign.

(Disclosure: Time Inc., TIMEs parent company, has been acquired by Meredith Corp. in a deal partially financed by Koch Equity Development, a subsidiary of Koch Industries Inc.)
A protester poses with his homemade mortar during the latest protest against President Ortega's government in Managua - REUTERS

At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured as government forces opened fire on peaceful protesters in two cities in Nicaragua as anti-government demonstrations threatening to bring down the president continued.

Hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans had marched through the capital of Managua on Wednesday, many dressed in black to mourn the more than 80 people killed since protests began.

As marchers gathered around the end-point at the University of Central America (UCA), shots rang out a few hundred metres away. Families with children desperately fled the scene. The rector of UCA said thousands of people took refuge on its campus.

Footage shows that shots came from both snipers in plain clothes firing from surrounding buildings, and riot police on foot.

Katherine Martinez, 22 a stay-at-home mum, was with her husband outside the nearby University of Engineering when the shooting began.

Anti-government protesters take part in a march in support of "the Mothers of April" movement Credit: DIANA ULLOA/AFP

Riot police started advancing towards us, then suddenly shots came down from above, she said. I saw the man in front of me hit in the head.

Protests first broke out on April 18, after the Nicaraguan government, led by former Sandinista revolutionary Daniel Ortega, pushed through reforms cutting pensions and disability payments.

The demonstrations were initially spearheaded by pensioners and students. But they quickly escalated into calls for Mr Ortegas resignation after police and gangs shooting at protesters caused dozens of deaths.

Poorer urban neighbourhoods that were traditionally bastions of Sandinista support have turned against the president. Fierce street fighting took place in the indigenous borough of Monimbo, which in 1978 was the first civilian population to rise alongside Sandinista guerrillas against dictator Anastasio Somoza.

The welfare reforms were really social explosives that ignited pre-existing anger at government authoritarianism, said Monica Lopez, a Nicaraguan human rights lawyer.

For years the Ortega government has imposed its decisions and used violence to suppress any protest, she said. Theyve established total control over state institutions, to the extent that there is no access to justice for ordinary people, with all the seriousness that implies.

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These protests are the result of all Nicaraguan society, rural and urban, saying we have to dismantle this apparatus of repression.

The head of the Organization of American States on Thursday condemned killings in Nicaragua by "repressive forces and the armed forces," and called on the government President Daniel Ortega to stop the violence.

The appeal by Luis Almagro, secretary general of the regional security organization, followed bloody clashes Wednesday in which 11 people were killed, according to a rights group.

"We condemn the killings carried out by the repressive forces and the armed forces and we express our solidarity with the families of the victims," Almagro said. "We call on the state to stop the violence by these repressive factors."
Photo credit: Dodge

From Road & Track

There's a rumor circulating that the Dodge Viper was set to make a comeback in 2021, possibly without its trademark V10, and instead, a V8. Speaking to media today after Fiat Chrysler's Capital Markets presentation, Sergio Marchionne didn't totally close the door on a new Viper, but he didn't give us much hope for one either.

Both Automobile magazine's Todd Lassa and Eric Lawrence of the Detroit Free Press report Marchionne as saying a new Viper is "not in the plan." Marchionne added the last Viper didn't sell well and make much money. He also said the Viper wouldn't work with a "cute" European engine, which we're going to guess means a twin-turbo V6 or V8 from Alfa Romeo or Maserati.

New @Dodge Viper? Marchionne: "That's a great question. ... It's not in the plan, if that's what you're asking." Didn't make money, and wouldn't work with a "cute" Euro-style engine...@fcagroup #FCAFiveYearPlan @automobilemag - Todd Lassa (@AM_Lassa) June 1, 2018

Return of the Dodge Viper? Marchionne says it's not in the plan, but if FCA could find a way to get it done he would be happy. Says it never really made any money for the company. Didn't sell enough. #FCAFiveYearPlan #FCACapitalMarketsDay - Eric D. Lawrence (@_ericdlawrence) June 1, 2018

Viper production ended last August with the closing of Dodge's Conner Avenue assembly plant in Detroit.

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Later during the same press conference, Marchionne offered some details on a few future Dodge and RAM models.

First, he said the next Challenger and Charger won't use the rear-drive Alfa Romeo platform that underpins the current Giulia, as was previously reported. Instead, the Charger and Challenger will get a heavily reworked version of their current platform. Marchionne said the reworked platform will be so different, "[y]ou would not recognize it." Today's Charger and Challenger ride on a platform originally developed during the DaimlerChrysler days, which itself is based on the chassis of the 1995-2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Marchionne also confirmed RAM would create a new mid-size pickup to compete with the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon and Ford Ranger, and that it'll come to the US. That pickup will be built in Mexico, and it hasn't been announced if it'll revive the name of Dodge's old mid-sizer, the Dakota.

Fiat Chrysler's presentations today didn't offer much about the Dodge, Fiat, and Chrysler brands, leaving many wondering what the future holds for each. We'll have to wait to find out.

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Singapore (AFP) - China's military build-up in the South China Sea and its deployment of high-end weapons systems in the disputed waters is designed to intimidate and coerce neighbours, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday.

His broadside at a security summit in Singapore drew a sharp rebuke from a Chinese general, who lashed out at "irresponsible comments" on the contested sea and insisted Bejing was simply defending its territory.

Speaking just 10 days before President Donald Trump is due to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Mattis also said the US military continues to support diplomats pushing for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Beijing has deployed a range of military hardware including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jammers across the South China Sea, where it has built islets and other maritime features into hardened military facilities, Mattis said.

China has also landed heavy bombers on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands.

"Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion," Mattis told the Shangri-La Dialogue.

He also blasted Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea.

But Chinese Lieutenant General He Lei issued a fiery response, telling the summit that "irresponsible comments from other nations cannot be accepted".

"As long as it is on your own territory you can deploy the army and you can deploy weapons," he said.

"It is for the sake of defending ourselves," he added, and warned Beijing would take "firm measures" if other countries sent ships and aircraft close to what it considers its islands in the South China Sea.

China claims almost the entire resource-rich sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

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- Tariffs on close allies -

Mattis's address in Singapore returned to a theme that he and other senior US officials have hammered home since Trump took office -- that America is here to stay in the Asia-Pacific region and that allies should stick with Washington instead of aligning with Beijing.

But the message might be a tougher sell for Mattis, who is generally popular on the international scene, after his boss this week imposed metals tariffs on some of America's closest allies in the name of "national security".

Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin asked Mattis whether he thought it was unproductive for Trump to pick fights with allies on trade.

"Certainly we have had some unusual approaches, I'll be candid with you," Mattis replied.

"But I'm reminded that so long as nations continue dialogue, so long as they continue to listen to one another and to pay respect to one another, nothing is over based on one decision, one day."

In a dig at China, which the Pentagon has accused of using "predatory" economics to exploit neighbours, Mattis said the US supports the peaceful resolution of disputes, "free, fair and reciprocal trade and investment" and adherence to international rules and norms.

Despite frequent warnings from Washington about China's rising might and the pitfalls of its "Belt and Road" global infrastructure initiative, Beijing has faced few consequences for its South China Sea build-up and sweeping territorial claims.

One modest exception came last week when the Pentagon disinvited China from biennial maritime exercises in the Pacific. Mattis characterised this action as an "initial response".

But "there are much larger consequences in the future when nations lose the rapport of their neighbours", he warned.

"They believe that piling mountainous debts on their neighbours and somehow removing the freedom of political action is the way to engage them. Eventually these things do not pay off."

Delegates hoping for clarity on Trump's intentions for a scheduled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim did not get much from Mattis, though he said the issue of the permanent deployment of about 28,5000 US troops in South Korea will not be "on the table".

Mattis has tried to avoid weighing in on the summit, deferring questions to the State Department and Trump's national security team.

"On the Korean peninsula, we hold the line with our allies, supporting our diplomats who lead this effort," Mattis said.

"Our objective remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly signed a two-year lease for a new home on the Great Tew Estate in the Cotswolds less than two weeks after exchanging vows in a highly televised wedding ceremony at Windsor Castle. The decision comes as the newlyweds await renovations on their centuries-old Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.

It's likely Queen Elizabeth II will give them a house as a wedding present, as she did for Prince William and Kate Middleton, but since the house will probably need an update, the newlyweds will probably be spending their weekends at their Cotswold property, WestfieldLarge, about 90 minutes outside of London, as those renovations are put into place. It's reported that the couple also recently had security cameras installed around the perimeter of their property in the Cotswolds as well.

The home is located on the same 4,000-acre grounds as Soho Houses famous property Soho Farmhouse, as well as David and Victoria Beckhams country home. As the former Suits actress noted to Vanity Fair last year, shes good at knowing what elements she needs to fully decorate and make her new house feel like a home. When she moved to Toronto to shoot for the series, she decorated her Canadian residence with elements that reminded her of her Californian roots, including white linens, large works of art, and plants, and books dotting surfaces throughout. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, a California girl who lives by the ethos that most things can be cured with either yoga, the beach, or a few avocados, Meghan Markle once wrote on her former lifestyle blog, The Tig.

Related Video: Meghan Markle's New Life as Duchess of Sussex

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Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Europe Monday to push his uncompromising stance on Iran to leaders eager to salvage the nuclear agreement after the United States withdrew.

Netanyahu, a fierce opponent of the agreement and the Iranian regime, will meet in turn with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Germany, France and the United Kingdom are three of the signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between world powers and Iran, aimed at keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The European leaders have been scrambling to preserve the landmark deal after slamming President Donald Trump's May 8 decision to withdraw.

The fallout from America rejecting the accord is likely to dominate the talks, with Netanyahu expected to firmly oppose European efforts to sustain it.

"I will discuss with them ways to block Iran's nuclear aspirations and Iran's expansion in the Middle East," Netanyahu said on Monday of his European meetings, noting the issues were "crucial to Israel's security".

After years lobbying against the 2015 deal, the decision by close ally Trump to ditch the accord has been greeted as a major triumph by Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader has brushed aside European insistence that the agreement is the best option to prevent Tehran getting the bomb, claiming that it in fact brought Tehran closer to becoming a nuclear power.

He also argues that a cash influx into Iran following the lifting of international sanctions as part of the accord has fuelled the expansion of Tehran's military influence in the region, especially in neighbouring Syria.

-'No alternative'-

But while the US retreat from the deal is a personal victory for Netanyahu, it also represents a leap into the unknown for Israel and the broader Middle East.

While foes Iran and Israel have been kept at bay for decades, an unprecedented May 10 escalation in Syria that saw Israel bomb alleged Iranian targets after blaming Tehran for a rocket barrage, has sparked fears of open war.

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"An Iranian departure from southern Syria alone will not suffice," Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

"The long-range missiles that Iran is working to station in Syria will endanger us even beyond the range of several kilometres from southern Syria; therefore, Iran needs to leave Syria altogether."

The Europeans have acknowledged concerns over Iran's regional role and its ballistic activities, but sought to maintain the JCPOA while creating a separate arrangement on these issues.

Contrary to what the US and Israel say, Europe insists the 2015 agreement works and Iran has abided by it.

"There is no alternative," the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday.

Merkel, May and Macron are still waiting for the Israelis and Americans to present another way to curb Iran's nuclear programme, but are under no illusions it will happen in next week's meetings, according to a European diplomat.

Divided on other issues, the Europeans have emphasised their cohesion on the JCPOA, fearing that ripping it up could benefit hardliners in Iran and push Tehran to resume large-scale uranium enrichment.

If that happens, the fear is it will once again make striking Iran a real option for Israel.

On Thursday, a former Mossad chief said that in 2011 Netanyahu had ordered him and the military chief of staff to prepare an attack on Iran within 15 days.

According to Tamir Pardo's interview on the Uvda television programme, such a directive could either mean "he really means it", or be a means to deliver a message, for example to the US, and perhaps drive it to take action.

Other major issues look set to be left on the sidelines in the talks with European leaders.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the spotlight after the worst military flare-up in Gaza since a 2014 war raised fears this week of yet another full-blown conflict in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave.

The exchange of fire came after scores of Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops during protests and clashes along the Gaza border.

But along with other subjects, such as bilateral relations or the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, it will likely remain overshadowed by Iran.

Expectations of any progress on the conflict with the Palestinians are low.

Peace prospects remain as distant as ever and the diplomatic process in limbo as the sides wait for a plan long promised by the Trump administration.
Niall Ferguson resigned from a leadership position after moving to sideline a student in an attempt to uphold free speech - Chris Watt

Niall Ferguson, the prominent British historian, has left his role with a Stanford university free speech initiative after leaked emails showed him suggesting "opposition research" be carried out on a left-wing student.

Ferguson resigned from a leadership position on the Cardinal Conversations programme at at the institution in California, which invites guest speakers from across the political spectrum to give talks.

The academic said he had made an "error of judgment" but had been "deeply concerned" by the reaction on campus against a talk by Charles Murray, the controversial social scientist, who spoke on February 22.

Ferguson said he acted because he believed the Cardinal Conversations programme was being taken over by "elements fundamentally hostile to free speech".

His resignation from the programme's committee came against a background of controversy over free speech at universities in the US and UK.

Last month Sam Gyimah, the British higher education minister, warned against left-wing bias on campuses, "institutional hostility to unfashionable views, and the "danger of a mono-culture" where only certain views were accepted.

Ferguson's leaked emails showed him in communication with conservative students including the president of Stanford College Republicans Credit: Getty

In the US last year Berkeley cancelled speeches by two conservative political commentators after protesters set fires and caused $100,000 in damage.

Ferguson's leaked emails, published by The Stanford Daily, showed him in communication with conservative students including John Rice-Cameron, president of Stanford College Republicans, who is the son of Barack Obamas former national security adviser Susan Rice.

A subject of discussion was left-wing activist student Michael Ocon, who was referred to as "Mr O".

In one email Ferguson wrote that some opposition research on Mr. O might also be worthwhile" and a research assistant replied they would "get on the opposition research for Mr. O."

Opposition research is the practice of collecting information on a political opponent or other adversary that can be used to discredit or otherwise weaken them.

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In another Ferguson wrote: Now we turn to the more subtle game of grinding them down on the committee. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance."

Rice-Cameron, added: "Slowly, we will continue to crush the Lefts will to resist, as they will crack under pressure."

Ferguson suggested that the original Cardinal Conversations steering committee "should all be allies against O. Whatever your past differences, bury them. Unite against the SJWs (social justice warriors)."

He also indicated that someone with a position at a Christian student publication was "especially good and will intimidate them".

The Cardinal Conversations initiative was launched in January as a "thought-provoking community discussion of key issues across the political spectrum".

Ferguson, a senior fellow of the Hoover Institution, Stanford, and at the Center for European Studies, Harvard, said his emails had been prompted by the opposition to Murray's visit.

In a statement to The Telegraph he said: "I very much regret the publication of these emails. I also regret having written them.

"Having put a great deal effort into creating and organising Cardinal Conversations, I was deeply concerned by the events before, during and after the event that took place on February 22.

"It seemed to me that the Cardinal Conversations student steering committee was in danger of being taken over by elements that were fundamentally hostile to free speech."

He added: "It was, however, rash of me to seek to involve the Stanford Republicans, and reckless to use such inflammatory language. Realising subsequently that I had made a serious error of judgment, I resigned from Cardinal Conversations.

"I remain hopeful that Cardinal Conversations will continue to foster free speech on the Stanford campus."
Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has a reputation for playing it safe on burning political issues, showed a new level of grit in the face of two crises, and it may help him win re-election in 2019.

On Thursday, Trudeau hit back at punishing US tariffs on steel and aluminum with Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion) in duties on US goods, and accused American President Donald Trump of lacking "common sense."

His actions and words were in stark contrast to the charm offensive he launched after Trump's inauguration in 2016.

The amateur pugilist traded in his "sunny ways" for fighting words. He also launched the largest trade action that Canada has taken in eight decades.

Canadians, industry and even opposition parties applauded the prime minister's unusually pointed rebuke of Trump and retaliatory tariffs.

"Trudeau uttered some of the harshest words a prime minister has directed at an American administration in decades," said Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert, calling this a "watershed moment in the Donald Trump-era Canada/US relationship."

"It is not every day that a Canadian head of government pointedly notes that he is dealing with a US administration that is short on common sense" or "that a prime minister uses a news conference to dig in his heels in a trade negotiation," she noted.

Two days earlier the prime minister stuck his neck out to save an oil pipeline project, likely alienating environmentalists but picking up broader support with his defense of the energy sector.

University of Ottawa professor Patrick Leblond said in an interview with AFP that Trudeau's newfound swagger "will help the Liberals in the next election."

"I think people understand that this (trade row) is not the Liberals' fault in any way," he said.

"I think the Canadian government did as much as they could to avert this outcome, they've tried engagement and continue to do so. It's Donald Trump's failure to understand the implications for the US and world economy of his isolationist policies."

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- Punching back -

If the Canadian economy tanks as a result of a trade row, however, that may change. "We know that the incumbent party suffers (at the ballot box) when the economy is bad," Leblond said.

Since 2016, Canada and the United States have sparred over softwood lumber and aircrafts, while also endeavoring to negotiate, along with Mexico, a revamp of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Washington had granted Canada and Mexico an exemption on the metals tariffs to give the parties time to successfully renegotiate the 1994 continental trade pact.

But those talks are now bogged down.

On Thursday, the US announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from Canada and others, from Friday.

Canada responded with duties of 25 percent on US steel and aluminum, and 10 percent on consumer goods such as ketchup, orange juice, sailboats and washing machines, which will take effect July 1.

"The government of Canada is confident that shared values, geography and common interests will ultimately overcome protectionism," Trudeau told a news conference on Thursday.

"We have to believe that at some point common sense will prevail, but we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration."

He said Ottawa would try to convince Washington to repeal the tariffs, but the Trump administration has so far stood firm.

In a Twitter message, the American president lashed out at Canada for treating US farmers "very poorly for a very long period of time."

"If President Trump thinks this move will give him leverage in the NAFTA negotiations, I think Canada's response shows he's wrong," Leblond opined.

"Canada has negotiated in good faith, but at some point if you punch us in the face, we'll punch back," he said.

In the end, "this fight is not going to be resolved through diplomacy or at the G7 next week; it's going to be political developments in the United States," he added, noting that Canadian tariffs on US consumer goods aimed to sway voters in key districts in the upcoming US mid-term elections.
President Donald Trump was reportedly set to receive a personal letter from North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un via one of the young ruler's top lieutenants, who visited the White House on Friday.

Citing a foreign government official who was briefed on the letter's contents, The Wall Street Journal reported that the latest correspondence between the two leaders would be positive, yet straightforward. Kim was reportedly determined to get a planned June 12 meeting between him and Trump back on track after a recent diplomatic spat derailed an opportunity for the first ever face-to-face meeting between a sitting U.S. president and North Korean supreme leader.

Kim also reportedly said he wanted the meeting to take place without threats or concessions. The letter, delivered by one of Kim's aides, Kim Yong Chol, was due to be inspected by U.S. officials and, if cleared, given to Trump, according to administration officials cited in the report.

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Korea Summit Press Pool/Reuters

Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling Korean Workers' Party and a former intelligence chief, had dinner Wednesday with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York City. The meeting was the latest of several rare high-profile diplomatic interactions between the U.S. and North Korea in recent months and the latest since one U.S. official's historical comparison nearly dismantled what both sides have claimed could be the path toward denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

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Since 2004, now-national security adviser John Bolton has called on North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons in the same way Libyan leader Muammar el-Qaddafi did in exchange for better ties to the West. The analogy has come under scrutiny as North Korea has developed more advanced and ballistic capabilities and Qaddafi was overthrown in a 2011 uprising sponsored by the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

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Bolton repeated this claim in March, weeks after Trump accepted a surprise invitation for direct talks with Kim Jong Un. Trump appeared to dismiss the so-called "Libya model" in an interview last month, but Vice President Mike Pence brought it up again, threatening Kim Jong Un with the same fate as Qaddafi if he did not abandon weapons of mass destruction. A top North Korean official replied with scathing remarks that convinced Trump to cancel the upcoming summit.

Trump reconsidered after a well-received statement from North Korea and the recent meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol appeared to again raise hopes that the summit between the two leaders would occur as scheduled later this month in Singapore.

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Leah Millis/Reuters

Washington and Pyongyang have had little public contact since war broke out between U.S.-backed South Korea and Soviet-backed North Korea in the 1950s on the once-Japan-occupied Korean Peninsula split by the two Allied powers. North Korea has developed nuclear weapons to deter potential U.S. military action, such as in Iraq and Libya, but has indicated it may be willing to abandon them if Kim Jong Un's security was guaranteed.

Even as they approach what would be a milestone in their relations, U.S. and North Korea have indicated deep mistrust for one another. The official Korean Central News Agency showed just how closely officials in Pyongyang were monitoring to their counterparts in Washington in an article entitled "Now Is Time to Be Prudent about One's Language," which targeted unnamed "U.S. officials" who "openly incited hostility and war to strain the situation on the peninsula."

"We respect the freedom of expression but never tolerate the speech and behavior aimed at wrecking the present trend of peace and straining the situation on the Korean peninsula by misusing the pretext of the freedom," the commentary read. "It is also a political savvy to be able to properly face up to the trend of the times and weigh one's words, if necessary."

This article was first written by Newsweek

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And why so many people lost their lives.

Okinawa: Why World War II's Last Great Battle Was Hell on Earth

To the Americans, Okinawa represented a major stepping-stone toward the final defeat of the Japanese Empire. The successful occupation of the island by American forces would provide air bases and naval facilities that would allow for attacks on the Home Islands themselves. To the Japanese, the surrender of a base so close to the heart of the empire would seriously compromise the ability of their armed forces to defend the homeland. Capture of the island would also interdict the critical flow of petroleum to Japan from Borneo, Sumatra, and Burma.

Okinawa is the largest and most densely populated island in the Ryukyu chain, some 380 miles southwest of the Japanese Home Island of Kyushu. With a total area of 485 square miles, Okinawa is approximately 60 miles long with a width of 2 to 18 miles. The islands northeastern area is very rugged, mountainous, wooded, and lightly populated.

In 1945 the population of Okinawa was estimated to be approximately 500,000, two-thirds of whom lived in the southern one-third of the island. Unlike the north, the south had large open areas suitable for cultivation. Before World War II, the Okinawans maintained a largely rural, agricultural society. The islanders fished and raised sugar cane, sweet potatoes, rice, and soybeans. They tended to concentrate in small villages rather than in large cities. Ancestor worship dominated their religious practices, and the tombs of those ancestors dotted the countryside.

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The Japanese on Kyushu regarded the Okinawans as their inferiors. The Okinawans were a blend of Japanese, Malay, and Chinese ancestry. Although they spoke a Japanese dialect, communication between the two groups often remained strained. Okinawan labor provided most of the manpower for the construction of the elaborate system of defenses erected by the Imperial Japanese Army.

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Why did the islanders support the Japanese occupiers? First, the Army dealt brutally with anyone failing to cooperate. Second, the Japanese told the Okinawans that rape, torture, and even death would be their fate once they fell into the hands of the American Army. The Japanese Army also did everything it could psychologically to discourage civilians from surrendering to the Americans in the forthcoming campaign. They even advocated suicide by the noncombatants as the alternative to what they considered to be a dishonorable capitulation.

The sudden loss of the Japanese bases in the MarianasGuam, Saipan, and Tinianand the destruction of the Japanese 31st Army there in July 1944 necessitated the strengthening of defenses in the Ryukyu island chain, Okinawa in particular. Imperial Headquarters created the 32nd Army, led by three crack divisionsthe 9th, 24th, and 62nda force that would ultimately consist of over 110,000 men in infantry, artillery, engineers, and communications units, as well as naval and aviation personnel. Included in that number were 24,000 Okinawan males of the Home Guard, conscripted into the 32nd, whether they were willing or not. Some individual Okinawans were incorporated into the veteran Japanese infantry units as well. The original strategy called for defense against any invading force by Japanese air and naval units during the attempted landings, followed by a mop-up by the Japanese infantry of any enemy troops that successfully made landfall.

The Imperial Headquarters in Japan upset this plan early on by transferring the 25,000-man 9th Division from Okinawa to Taiwan. These men could have been used to repel the enemy troops that made it ashore during the initial landings. Moreover, an additional 5,400 men of the 6,000-man contingent of the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade were lost when the 6,000-ton transport Toyama Maru was sunk en route from Japan to Okinawa by the American submarine Sturgeon. Only 600 men from the 44th and the Toyama Marus crew survived the attack. The Japanese High Command was then forced to reconstitute the 44th Mixed Brigade with the addition of local draftees and other miscellaneous reserve personnel.

The Imperial High Command also promised the Okinawa defenders heavy support from squadrons of kamikaze planes and ships to disrupt the landings. Kamikaze pilots, successfully used in the defense of the Philippines, would crash their aircraft into the decks of the American ships. Small one-man submarines and torpedo boats, some 700 in number and stationed at islands within the Ryukyu chain, would also be employed to attack the incoming Americans. Once the American fleet had been decimated by Japanese air and sea forces, and the newly landed American troops were deprived of the necessary logistical support, the 32nd Army would begin a counterattack against the invaders.

According to the 32nd Armys senior staff officer in charge of operations, Colonel Hiromichi Yahara, the reduction in available ground troops, such as the 9th Division, required a major revision of the initial plans. Instead of meeting the invaders as they landed on the beaches and defending the airstrips in the beach areas, the Japanese forces elected to dig in on the south end of the island and destroy the invaders as they moved south against the heavily fortified island installations. These static defenses came to be known as the Naha-Shuri-Yonabaru Line, stretching from the island capital, Naha, on the west coast, to Yonabaru, a port city on the islands east coast.

The Japanese defense plan called for the creation of a series of strongpoints along a number of ridges and escarpments that surrounded the ancient walled city dominated by Shuri Castle. Concentric rings of fire zones permitted the defenders at the strongpoints to protect one another from the advancing Americans. All defensive positions were heavily fortified and contained deep subterranean excavations to protect the troops from enemy bombardment. The Japanese 62nd Division faced the Americans at Shuri. The 24th Division, remnants of the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade, and miscellaneous Japanese naval units backed up the 62nd behind the Shuri Line.

Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima arrived on Okinawa on August 11, 1944, to assume command of the Japanese forces. It was his method of operation to depend on the recommendations of his subordinates in carrying out the mechanics of the islands defenses, although he took full responsibility for them. This lack of direct involvement in tactical planning was quite common among the senior officers of the Imperial Japanese Army.

Major General Isamu Cho, Ushijimas chief of staff, practiced no such detachment. Cho had the reputation of being tough, decisive, aggressive, and forceful. He would demonstrate these qualities as the battle for the island proceeded.

Colonel Yahara provided the overall strategic plan for the Imperial Armys defense of Okinawa. Conservative and pragmatic, he chose to organize the Japanese Army into a defensive posture, ensuring that the Americans would pay the maximum price in their attempts to unseat the islands defenders. Yahara had to curb the impetuous General Cho, who sought to persuade Ushijima to launch an offensive campaign.

The preparation of the invading American forces would prove to be the most comprehensive in their history. Over 1,600 ships carrying 500,000 soldiers, sailors, and Marines along with their weapons and supplies headed for Okinawa prior to April 1945 from the Philippine Mariana and Caroline Islands as well as the continental United States. The bulk of the attackers had to cross almost 8,000 miles of ocean to arrive at their destination.

Operation Iceberg, as the Okinawan invasion came to be called, lay under the overall direction of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Ocean Area (POA), headquartered in Hawaii. His main striking force for the invasion would be the 5th Fleets Task Force 58, commanded by Admiral Raymond Spruance. Aircraft carriers and their support vessels dominated the task force. The tactics for the invasion itself called for two groups: the Covering Force of two fast carrier task groupsone American and one British under Admiral Bruce Fraserand the Joint Expeditionary Force, which included all of the naval elements and ground troops directly involved in the landings. Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner would be in direct command of the amphibious forces making the landings.

Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner would command the invading force ashore. Designated as the Tenth Army, it consisted of the XXIV Corps of the U.S. Army, which included the 7th and 96th Infantry Divisions and the III Marine Amphibious Corps, commanded by Maj. Gen. Roy G. Geiger. Geigers corps consisted of the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions, with the 2nd Marine Division held in reserve.

Buckner also had the 27th and 77th Infantry Divisions available in reserve. The American general thus commanded a landing force larger than the one employed in the Normandy invasion the previous year. Over 180,000 soldiers and Marines would be going ashore.

The American master plan called for a landing in force at the Hagushi Bay beaches in west-central Okinawa, followed by a drive across the islands narrow center. This action would be followed by a sweep both north and south from the center. The invaders also planned to seize the vital Yontan and Kadena Airfields close to the initial landing area as quickly as possible.

Prior to the invasion of Okinawa itself, Admiral Turner ordered an American strike force to seize a group of islands, the Keramas, off Okinawas southwest coast, as well as a small adjacent group called the Keise Shimas. The Keramas contained a substantial anchorage, which would prove to be an ideal facility for ships, either those waiting to unload off the Okinawan beaches or those that were damaged by the kamikaze attacks during the landings. A bonus for the Americans was the discovery of a large flotilla of suicide motor boats that the Japanese planned to use against the U.S. fleet.

D-day was set for April 1, 1945, and a colossal shelling of the Hagushi beach preceded the movement ashore by the Army and Marine assault troops. Carrier planes swooped down to strafe the beaches where the Americans were to land. The tremendous barrage and air attack accomplished virtually nothing as far as the Japanese were concerned, for General Ushijima had the majority of his troops safely hidden away in the caves and tunnels of the Naha-Shuri-Yonabaru Line.

The Marines of the III Amphibious Corps moved north after landing; the Armys XXIV Corps headed south. Initially, neither the Army nor the Marine contingents encountered any meaningful opposition. Some Okinawan Home Guard draftees had been stationed at the islands midpoint, but they quickly gave way and retreated when confronted by the Americans. The 1st Marine Division quickly crossed the islands narrow Ishikawa isthmus, cutting off any direct communication between the Japanese defenders north and south of the incursion.

The 6th Marine Division, under Maj. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd, headed north, moving to the mouth of the Motobu Peninsula without encountering any meaningful resistance. There, they faced formidable resistance from Colonel Takehiko Udo and his 3,000-man 2nd Infantry Unit of the reconstituted 44th Brigade, well dug in on Mount Yae Taki. It took the 6th, aided by heavy bombardment from naval vessels offshore as well as supporting air strikes, almost three weeks to secure the islands northernmost reaches, leaving only the heavily entrenched Japanese forces in the islands south to combat.

Meanwhile, Japanese Admiral Matome Ugaki had launched his air attacks against the American shipping anchored at Hagushi Bay. These attacks were an essential part of the Japanese strategy to defeat the invading American forces. Ugaki had over 3,000 planes, both conventional and kamikaze, under his command. At the close of Easter week, some 700 planes took off from Kyushu and Taiwan to raid Hagushi.

Known as Operation Ten-Go, Ugakis plan was to disrupt American shipping and prevent it from providing the necessary fire support, arms, and equipment to the Tenth Army ashore. Ugaki called the scheduled aerial strikes kikusui or Floating Chrysanthemums.

The American ships and aircraft fought the Japanese pilots with every means at their disposal, but defense proved difficult when an enemy flyer was prepared to commit suicide by diving his aircraft into his target. In their initial mass attack, the Japanese sank eight ships and damaged another 10.

Throughout the battle for Okinawa, the Japanese, employing their kikusui tactics, conducted some 10 massed kamikaze attacks and nearly 900 separate air raids against American forces. Japanese air strength was totally destroyed in the attacks, including approximately 1,900 kamikazes. In total, the Japanese sank 36 American ships and damaged an additional 368.

The loss of two particular ammunition ships to the kamikazes did temporarily impede the movement of Buckners forces in their attempt to dislodge the enemy ashore. The Hobbs Victory and the Logan Victory, sunk during these raids, carried the phosphorus incendiary shells and 81mm mortar rounds needed to flush the Japanese defenders from their defensive cave positions.

In response to the Japanese air attacks, Admiral Spruance ordered Vice Admiral Marc C. Mitscher and his Task Force 58 carrier air group to strike Japanese airfields on Kyushu. These attacks were designed to reduce the pressure of the kamikaze attacks on American shipping. Admiral Nimitz, from his Honolulu headquarters, also prevailed on the U.S. Army Air Forces to employ heavy B-29 bombers to carry out the same mission. The damage caused to the aircraft parked on Japanese airfields reduced to some degree the kamikaze threat to the American fleet stationed off Okinawa.

In Successive Waves the American Aircraft Torpedoed, Bombed, and Strafed the Yamato and Its Accompanying Cruiser and Destroyers.

In a vain effort to support the Japanese defenders, the Imperial Navy dispatched the cream of its remaining fleet, headed by the super battleship Yamato, to aid in the islands defense. On April 6, the Yamato, accompanied by the cruiser Yahagi and eight destroyers, steamed out of Tokyo Bay, bound for Okinawa.

The Japanese flotilla lacked air cover. American submarines cruising off the Japanese coast quickly spotted the task force and reported its position to Admiral Mitscher. The following morning the American admiral sent a huge force of aircraft to attack the Yamato and its consorts. In successive waves the American aircraft torpedoed, bombed, and strafed the battleship and its accompanying cruiser and destroyers. In a few hours, the Yamato, the Yahagi, and four of the eight destroyers were sunk. So ended any real attempt by the Japanese Navys surface vessels to aid in Okinawas defense.

The drive to Okinawas south, spearheaded by the XXIV Corps 7th and 96th Divisions, quickly encountered strong resistance, for it was here that the bulk of General Ushijimas 32nd Army troops awaited the American attack. On April 4, the 7th and 96th reached the Naha-Shuri-Yonabaru Line. In a three-day attack lasting from April 9-12, they attempted a direct frontal assault against a key Japanese strongpoint, the Kakazu Ridge. The Americans lost 22 of the 30 tanks committed to the attack. Failure to provide infantry support for the vehicles permitted Japanese suicide squads to move in and disable the tanks with satchel charges.

The Americans were repulsed in this attempt by determined resistance, operating from well- protected firing positions. It soon became apparent that direct frontal assaults against the Japanese defense line would prove to be expensive in terms of men, supplies, and equipment.

The Imperial Japanese Armys defenses consisted of more than a line, of course. The defenders had utilized every hill, escarpment, and ravine in front of Shuri Castle for some 31/2 miles to forestall the American advance. General Ushijima had his men dig far down into the earth, fashioning a series of tunnels, caves, and foxholes impervious to shelling by the heavy weaponry of the American naval forces lying off the islands coast. The 32nd Army had a formidable supply of weapons of its ownheavy artillery, mortars, and machine gunsto reinforce its defensive positions. It used huge 320mm mortars against the advancing Americans with deadly effectiveness.

Moreover, the rugged terrain precluded the successful use of American armor in many locales. Japanese maps captured during the battle convinced the American commanders that the Shuri defenses were the strongest yet encountered in the Pacific. Another tactic that proved productive for the Japanese was the stationing of their defensive positions on the reverse slopes of the hills they defended. From these positions they could lob heavy mortar shells on the Americans advancing up the face of the hill as well as targeting their enemy as they came over the crests.

General Cho, greatly heartened by the accomplishments of the 32nd Army in repulsing the Americans during their initial drive against the Shuri Line, prevailed on his commander, General Ushijima, to launch a counterattack. Colonel Yahara, Ushijimas senior staff officer and a proponent of defensive warfare, argued against such a move, but General Cho succeeded in winning his point with Ushijima.

On April 12, the Japanese 24th Division, together with the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade and the 272nd Independent Infantry Battalion of the 62nd Division, attacked the American positions facing the Naha-Shuri-Yonabaru Line. The Japanese failed to break through and lost over 1,500 men in the effort. The destruction of these front-line troops ultimately reduced the ability of the Japanese to maintain their existing defensive positions.

Chos ill-conceived plan conflicted with the original Japanese strategy to assume a fixed defensive position and thus maximize the losses to American forces trying to break through. As Colonel Yahara foresaw, when holed up in caves on the reverse slopes of ridges and escarpments the Japanese defenses cost the Americans dearly. But outside the caves, on the attack, the Japanese lost their tactical advantage and suffered extensive losses when exposed to the American heavy artillery, mortar, and naval gunfire.

On April 18, General John R. Hodges 7th and 96th Divisions, now strengthened by the addition of the 27th on their right, or western, flank, renewed their attack on the Japanese fixed defenses. Again, the forward progress of Hodges troops was stopped with little gain, the Americans sustaining 750 casualties in this second unsuccessful attempt.

The 27th sustained more losses than any other American division during that frontal assault. Moreover, it had not been at full strength when it had arrived on Okinawa. Buckner also had at his disposal the III Marine Amphibious Corps, now that the Marines had completed their other assignments in the islands north. Buckners failure to employ these experienced Marine divisions instead of depending on the less well trained and shorthanded 27th can only be ascribed, according to Marine historian Robert Leckie, to the generals desire to have Army troops credited with defeating the Japanese. Nevertheless, the Americans persisted in their frontal attacks against Japanese fixed emplacements. For the next five days, in hand-to-hand fighting, they attacked the Japanese entrenchments and stormed and captured the Kakazu Ridge. Finally, on the night of April 23, with the northernmost positions of his Naha-Shuri-Yonabaru Line breached in a number of key areas, General Ushijima retreated to his next line of defense.

On May 1, General Buckner substituted the 1st Marine Division for the battered Army 27th. He reassigned the latter to security duty in the occupied northern portion of the island for the balance of the campaign. The 96th Division was replaced by the 77th, available after completion of the takeover, in a bloody battle, of the smaller Ie-Shima Island to the north. Buckner also planned to substitute the 96th for the 7th, after the former had been rested and brought up to full strength.

The Total Japanese Losses in Their Fruitless Counterattack Reached 6,227 Dead.

General Cho had not given up his conviction that a forceful counterattack would blunt the American advance. He pointed out that now the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions would be thrown into the fight by the Americans. Once more, Cho convinced General Ushijima to authorize another even more complicated strike against the American positions. In addition to the direct frontal assault on American lines, Japanese troops would also utilize small boats launched from Naha to land troops behind them at night. At the same time, a powerful kamikaze attack against American naval units would be undertaken to turn attention away from the land offensive. Ushijima acquiesced to the plan.

On May 3, the second counterattack began. The Japanese 24th Division, charged with breaking through the American positions with a direct frontal assault, took a fearful beating. The Japanese failed to make any meaningful penetration of American positions, and their efforts to land infiltrators behind American lines by boat met the same fate. By May 5, it became clear to General Ushijima that the offensive had failed. The total Japanese losses in this fruitless counterattack reached 6,227 dead.

Seeing an opportunity to exploit these losses, Buckners subordinates now urged him to approve a landing by either Army or Marine units on beaches behind the Japanese defensive lines at Minatoga, a port on the islands south end. Pressure also came from Admiral Turner who wanted Okinawa quickly won to reduce the attrition being suffered by his naval units off Hagushi Bay. Marine Maj. Gen. Lemuel Shepard urged the use of the 2nd Marine Division. The Marine general pointed out that the 2nd could undertake a months operations with the supplies, both food and ammunition, that it had on hand.

Buckner continued to refuse the recommendations for the establishment of a second front, citing a continuing shortage of ammunition, the difficult reef conditions at possible landing sites in the Minatoga area, and a concern for the strength of the Japanese forces still protecting the beaches there. He continued to press forward against the still strongly defended Shuri Line.

The III Amphibious Corps, consisting of the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions, occupied the right, or western, flank of the American position, while the Armys XXIV Corps, consisting of the 77th and 96th Infantry Divisions, held the left, or eastern, flank. Buckners plan called for the two corps to swing in from both coasts, flanking the Japanese positions.

The battle broke down into a series of individual attacks by the Americans similar to the Kakazu action in which the Japanese had to be destroyed in each of their heavily fortified bunkers and caves by infantrymen attacking directly, aided by the use of flamethrowers and satchel charges. Neither heavy artillery from naval forces nor bombing could accomplish the task.

The 6th Marine Division sought to turn Ushijimas flank on the west by fording the Asa River and crossing the Kokuba Hills into the Kokuba Valley. The 1st Marine Division, operating east of the 6th, planned a direct assault on Shuri itself. They faced Dakeshi and Wana Ridges as their initial targets.

The Armys 77th Infantry Division opened up its drive to the south with an attack on the Japanese lines in the center of the island. Facing them were two fortified positions, one called Chocolate Drop, covered by fire from the other, Flattop Hill.

Finally, the 96th Infantry Division, occupying the extreme eastern wing of Buckners attacks, planned to break the Japanese flank that ran from Yonabaru. There they would be forced to take Conical Hill, protected by the Japanese 89th and 22nd Infantry Regiments. The Dick-Oboe Hill complex, also a critical target, lay ahead on the boundary between the two American Army divisions.

When the 6th Marine Division moved south to encircle the Shuri bastion, it encountered a well-defended position, Sugar Loaf Hill, protected on each side by Horseshoe and Half Moon Hills. On May 17, in a desperate struggle, the Marines took the three positions at the cost of 2,662 casualties.

The 1st Marine Division encountered the same type of resistance in its attacks on Dakeshi Ridge, Wana Ridge, and Wana Draw. There they had the support of tanks, protected by infantry this time, and heavy bombardment from naval units offshore. The Navy fired a half-million rounds into the disputed area even though the ships themselves were under constant threat from kamikaze attacks. On May 21, the 1st finally achieved its objective, but like the 6th, at heavy cost.

The 77th Division, charged with the capture of Chocolate Drop and Flattop, made slow progress. It took over a week to secure Flattop and several days after that to wipe out all resistance in isolated caves. The Chocolate Drop bastion fell to the 77th on May 21.

It was the 96th Division, operating along Buckner Bay, that finally broke the Shuri Line. The capture of Conical Hill opened up the city of Yonabaru to the Americans and allowed them to spill out into southern Okinawa. Attempts to completely encircle the Japanese positions around Shuri itself failed, though, due to the commencement of heavy rains that seriously impeded any progress along the front.

The Japanese High Command realized that continued resistance at Shuri would result in ultimate destruction despite their fanatical resistance. American staff officers believed that their opponents would remain at Shuri and fight to the bitter end. The Japanese had actually begun plans for the evacuation from their now untenable position before they found themselves surrounded. The continuous hard rains and overcast hid to some degree the Japanese withdrawal.

Japanese Directives Called for the Execution of all 100,000 Allied POWs Once Japan was Invaded. A Protracted Invasion Effort Would Certainly Result in the Deaths of Most of the Prisoners.

On May 22, the Japanese began their retreat. First they began to move their supplies and wounded. The new command post for the 32nd Army would be established on Hill 89 at Mabuni on the islands southernmost coast. By May 28, the bulk of the Japanese defenders had evacuated the Shuri area, leaving only rearguard elements to slow the advance of the American forces. Later, the American commanders admitted that Ushijimas retreat, despite substantial losses, had proven to be an impressive military operation. Unfortunately, those civilians that chose to accompany the Japanese troops paid a heavy price in terms of both injury and death.

By June 3-4, the Japanese established their final defensive position toward the southern tip of the island on the Yaeju-Dake Escarpment. A separate smaller segment, mostly naval troops, held positions on the Oroku Peninsula to the northwest of the newly established Yaeju-Dake defenses. The Navy men held out for 10 days before being overwhelmed by the 1st Marine Division. The Japanese commander, Admiral Minoru Ota, committed suicide along with his immediate staff.

At Yaeju-Dake, improved weather permitted more extensive employment of flamethrower tanks and satchel charges against the entrenched Japanese. On June 18, General Buckner, standing at a forward observation post, was wounded when a Japanese shell blew up a coral formation near him and a piece of the coral was driven into his chest. He died 10 minutes later. Marine General Geiger assumed overall command.

Finally, on June 21, formal Japanese resistance ended. For the first time in the Pacific War, substantial numbers of soldiers surrendered rather than continuing a hopeless fight. Not so Generals Ushijima and Cho. Together they committed hara-kiri, ritual Japanese suicide, on the heights of Mabuni overlooking the ocean, at 4 am on June 22. The fighting for the island ended after 82 days.

Total American casualties during the Okinawa campaign numbered 49,151. Deaths numbered 12,427, with 4,907 Navy, 4,582 Army, and 2,938 Marine personnel paying the ultimate price. Japanese deaths alone reached 110,000. The 32nd Army was virtually destroyed. In addition, some 160,000 Okinawan civilians perished in the conflict.

What did the Okinawa victory gain for the Allies? First, it provided them with a base only 380 miles from the Japanese Home Islands. From this close proximity to the heart of the Japanese Empire, multiple attacks by land, sea, and air could be launched in the anticipated invasion of Japan proper. The war could be brought home forcefully to the enemy in a matter of a few short months.

For the Japanese, defeat on Okinawa had been costly. They were now at the mercy of an increasingly powerful enemy at their doorstep. They had lost over 70,000 of their veteran front-line troops, plus the balance of their Navy and at least 20 percent of their remaining military aircraft.

The Allies experienced a preview of the fanatical determination of the Japanese, both military and civilian, to defend their Home Islands against the anticipated invasion. In the battle for Ie-Shima and elsewhere on Okinawa itself, female civilians donned uniforms and fought to the death alongside their male counterparts. Preliminary estimates of initial Allied losses in landings to be made on Kyushu were as high as 100,000. Japanese civilians had formed home defense units, often armed with nothing more than bamboo spears, and had pledged to fight until death. The ultimate subjugation of the Japanese Empire could cost in excess of a million lives to both sides.

Of further concern to the Americans would be the fate of the 100,000 Allied prisoners in Japanese hands. Japanese directives called for their execution once Japan was invaded. A protracted invasion effort would certainly result in the deaths of most of the prisoners.

The experiences of the Okinawa campaign weighed heavily on both the military and civilian leadership in the United States. Certainly the potential losses that would occur if an invasion of the Home Islands were to come about bore directly on President Harry Trumans decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Dr. Carl H. Marcoux is a resident of Newport Beach, California, and a World War II veteran of the U.S. Merchant Marine.

This article originally appeared on the Warfare History Network.

Image: USS Idaho (BB-42), a New Mexico-class battleship shells Okinawa on 1 April 1945, easily distinguished by her tower foremast & 5-38 Mk 30 single turrets (visible between the barrels of the forward main turrets). Idaho was the only battleship with this configuration. Wikimedia Commons

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TORONTO (Reuters) - The premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, conceded defeat on Saturday ahead of next week's election, but called on voters to vote for her party anyway to keep the next government in check. Kathleen Wynne, who has been premier since 2013 and whose Liberal Party has governed for 15 years, told reporters she will not be premier after the June 7 election. "This is a hard thing to do," 64-year-old Wynne told reporters tearfully, while urging party followers to vote for as many Liberals as possible to prevent the other two parties from forming a majority government. The decision comes as the left-leaning New Democrats have gained ground ahead of provincial voting, according to opinion polls, setting up a two-way race with the right-leaning Progressive Conservatives to take power. The Liberal Party has been trailing a distant third in recent polls, and Wynne's popularity has been low. Pundits have predicted a resounding defeat for the governing party, which could also deal a blow to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's federal Liberals, who are closely allied with their Ontario counterpart. Ontario is home to a third of Canada's population of 36 million and is the nation's economic engine and manufacturing heartland. The Progressive Conservatives are led by populist Doug Ford, who has been compared to U.S. President Donald Trump, and who has yet to release budget plans. The New Democrats, led by Andrea Horwath, have vowed to extend public funding for prescription medicines and dental care and increase the corporate tax rate for large companies. An Ipsos opinion poll released on Monday showed Ford's PCs with 37 percent support, while the New Democrats had 34 percent, and the ruling Liberals 22 percent. Wynne spent much of the previous weeks issuing dire warnings as to what might happen to the province should her opponents win. She would not endorse either party and would not say whether she will stay on as leader after June 7. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Edited by Bill Berkrot)
Jerusalem (AFP) - A Palestinian man who tried to hit Israeli soldiers with a small tractor in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was shot dead, the army said.

"The 35-year-old terrorist from Beit Ummar, northwest of Hebron, attempted to run over an (Israeli military) officer and soldier with a small Bobcat tractor," the army said, correcting an earlier statement saying the alleged assailant was driving a car.

The troops ordered the driver to halt, but "the terrorist turned around and continued driving with the intention to attack nearby civilians," it said in a statement.

A soldier on a nearby roof who saw what was happening then "fired at the terrorist, who was killed", it said.

Neither the Israeli army nor Palestinian officials published the alleged attacker's name.

Hebron, in the southern West Bank, is the only Palestinian city in the territory containing a Jewish community, comprising several hundred Israeli settlers under heavy military guard among some 200,000 Palestinians.

Separately, on Friday a 21-year-old Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border fence, where clashes were taking place.

Razan al-Najjar, a volunteer with the Gaza health ministry, was wearing the white uniform of a medic when she was shot in the chest.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, another 40 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli gunfire in Friday's clashes.

The Israeli army said Saturday that cases such as Najjar's, "in which civilians are allegedly killed" by Israeli fire, "are thoroughly examined" by an internal military committee.
Five dangerous predators - two lions, two tigers and a jaguar - which reportedly escaped Friday from a German zoo close to the Luxembourg border are back "in their cages", local authorities said.

Officials had earlier asked residents to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors shut as a massive hunt was under way for the big cats. A district spokesman would not immediately give details on the felines' escape or how they were returned to captivity.

Police killed a bear and were searching for the other animals that broke out of their cages in a zoo in Luenebach, western Germany on Friday.

Residents were warned to stay indoors after two lions and two tigers escaped from Eifel zoo in Luenebach Credit: Alamy

Police in nearby Trier said that all of the escaped animals were believed to still be on the grounds of the zoo near the border with Luxembourg and Belgium, but that area residents were being warned to stay indoors until they could be sure.

Local broadcaster SWR had initially reported that lions and pumas had broken out of the zoo, but police were able to determine that the missing animals were two lions, two tigers and a jaguar, the dpa news agency reported. A bear was shot, but dpa had no further details.

The flooded Eifel zoo in Luenebach, western Germany Credit: Oliver Berg/dpa via AP

The zoo did not pick up its phone and police did not have any further details about the developing situation.

It was not clear how the animals escaped nor exactly when they got out.
Santiago (AFP) - Pope Francis voiced "shame" that the Catholic church failed "to listen and react in time" to allegations of sexual abuse by Chilean clergy, in a letter to Chileans released Thursday.

Several members of the Chilean church hierarchy are accused by victims of ignoring and covering up child abuse by pedophile priest Fernando Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s.

Francis earlier this month promised "changes" to the Chilean church to "restore justice" after reading the conclusions of an investigation into the abuse.

"I must say with shame that we did not listen and react in time" over the allegations, the pope said in the letter, released by Chile's Episcopal Conference at a news conference.

The Argentine pope also announced a new trip soon to Chile by Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Father Jordi Bertomeu, who visited Santiago in February to talk to the victims.

Francis has apologized to the victims, three of whom he met with recently.

On Friday and Sunday, he is to receive seven more victims of Karadima, who was suspended for life by the Vatican.

On May 18, 34 Chilean bishops announced their resignation over the scandal, after Francis summoned them.

Since 2000, about 80 Roman Catholic priests have been reported to authorities in Chile for alleged sexual abuse.

Some analysts note that Chile's long tradition of having the church not subject to civilian law lent itself to impunity and cover-ups.
Oil company bosses will travel to the Vatican next week to discuss climate change with Pope Francis.

We look forward to the dialogue, and the opportunity to discuss how we can address climate change and opportunities in the energy transition, a spokesman for Equinor ASA, Norways largest oil company, said in an emailed statement on Friday.

BP Plc Chief Executive Officer Bob Dudley will also travel to Rome for a meeting arranged by the University of Notre Dame, according to people familiar with the talks. The Pope has made climate change a cornerstone of his papacy, saying in an encyclical letter that the science around the topic is clear and that the Catholic Church should view it as a moral issue.

A spokeswoman for BP declined to comment. Exxon Mobil Corp. and Eni SpA will also participate in the meeting, according to reports from Axios and Reuters. A spokesman for Royal Dutch Shell Plc declined to comment on whether its CEO would be involved.

The University of Notre Dame and a Vatican spokesman didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Vatican, which has diplomatic relations with over 180 countries and has permanent observer status at the United Nations, has strongly backed the Paris Climate Agreement. In December, the Popes leading adviser on climate issues called for the European Union or China to fill the void left by the U.S. after Donald Trumps decision to pull the country out of the agreement.
Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis will on Saturday meet five Chilean priests who were sexually abused by another priest, Fernando Karadima, in an effort to heal their wounds and those of the church, the Vatican said.

In a letter to Chileans issued last week, the pope had voiced his "shame" that the Catholic church had failed "to listen and react in time" to allegations of sexual abuse by Chilean clergy.

Several members of the Chilean church hierarchy are accused by victims of ignoring and covering up child abuse by Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s.

In a statement Saturday, the Vatican said the pope would meet the five Chilean priests shortly as part of efforts to heal them and the Church.

"With the help of the five priests, the pope will try to find a solution to the internal fracture of the community of the faithful.

"In this way, it will be possible to begin to rebuild a healthy relationship between the faithful and their priests, once everyone has come to terms with their own wounds," it said.

Last month, all 34 Chilean bishops announced their resignation over the scandal after Francis summoned them.

Since 2000, about 80 Roman Catholic priests have been reported to authorities in Chile for alleged sexual abuse.

The pope has apologised to the victims.

The Vatican suspended Karadima in 2011, requiring him to live a life of penitence for the harm caused.
By Philip Pullella and Dave Sherwood VATICAN CITY/SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Thursday promised Chilean Catholics scarred by a culture of clergy sexual abuse that "never again" would the Church ignore them or the cover-up of abuse in their country, where a widespread scandal has devastated its credibility. The pope issued the comments in a letter to all Chilean Catholics as the Vatican announced that Francis was sending his two top sexual abuse investigators back to the country to gather more information about the crisis there. The Vatican's most experienced sexual abuse investigator, Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, and Father Jordi Bertomeu, a Spaniard, had visited Chile earlier this year. In the letter released by Chilean bishops, Francis also praised the victims of sexual abuse in the country for persevering in bringing the truth to light despite attempts by Church officials to discredit them. "The 'never again' to a culture of abuse, and the system of cover-up that allowed it to perpetuate, calls on all of us to work toward a culture of carefulness in our relationships," he said in the eight-page letter. He described the Chilean scandal as a "painful open wound." Hours before the letter was released in Chile, the Vatican said Scicluna and Bertomeu would concentrate on the diocese of Osorno in southern Chile, seat of a bishop who has been most caught up in the scandal. A Vatican statement said the purpose of the trip, due to start in the next few days, was to "move forward in the process of reparation, and healing for victims of abuse". The two prepared a 2,300-page report for the pope after speaking to victims, witnesses and other Church members earlier this year. On May 18, all of Chile's 34 bishops offered to resign en masse after attending a crisis meeting with the pope in the Vatican about the cover-up of sexual abuse in the south American nation. Francis has not yet said which resignations he will accept, if any. In his letter, the pope said the renewal of the Church hierarchy on its own would not bring the transformation needed in Chile, calling for unity in a time of crisis and a deepening of faith. The scandal revolves around Father Fernando Karadima, who was found guilty in a Vatican investigation in 2011 of abusing boys in Santiago in the 1970s and 1980s. Now 87 and living in a nursing home in Chile, he has always denied any wrongdoing. Victims accused Bishop Juan Barros of Osorno of having witnessed the abuse but doing nothing to stop it. Barros, who was one of those who offered to stand down, has denied the allegations. During a visit to Chile in January, Francis staunchly defended Barros, denouncing accusations against him as "slander". But days after returning to Rome, the pope, citing new information, dispatched Scicluna and Bertomeu to Chile. Some of their findings were included in a damning 10-page document that was presented to the bishops when they came to Rome. In April, the pope hosted three non-clerical victims who said they were abused by Karadima, and this weekend he will be meeting with priests who said they were abused by Karadima when they were young. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Alison Williams and Hugh Lawson)
Europe was set to enter a new period of political uncertainty after two populist parties in Italy, the Five Star Movement and the League, agreed to form a new government together. The coalition was ultimately thwarted by President Sergio Mattarellas veto of the two parties proposed finance minister.

But Italy, the eurozones third and the worlds eighth-largest economy, came very close to finding itself run by two populist parties that have in the past expressed deep skepticism of Italys membership of the eurozone, as well as opposing EU policies on migration. And with a new election likely in the offing, a Five StarLeague government may only have been postponed by a few months.

Read more: Five things to know about Italys unlikely populist party pact

Italy is a country where the two major EU crises of previous years cross paths. Italy has suffered both from long-standing economic malaise, made more acute in the years of the eurozone crisis, and a mounting migration crisis in the Mediterranean. In both cases, Five Star and the League fostered the perception of many Italians that the EU not only failed to help but outright harmed Italy by imposing upon it punishing economic reforms and leaving it without help to manage the influx of refugees on its shores.

Ideally, Italys close brush with a full-blown populist government would concentrate the attention of EU elites on the effort to overhaul Europes economic governance and management of its external frontier, with an eye to developing more sustainable and equitable policies. Italy is indeed the final frontier of the decade-long governance crisis of the EU: a founding EU member, its fourth-largest country and traditionally a pro-European society, Italy faces very real policy challenges that are seen by its electorate as closely intertwined with its membership of the EU and the eurozone.

And yet the populist almost-coalition in Rome seemed to elicit a different kind of reaction. Political commentators across Europe were quick to frame the Five StarLeague partnership as one more episode in the long march of populism in Western democracies. After the defeat of Marine Le Pen in French presidential elections last year gave way to talk that the populist wave might have ebbed, Italys potential new government vindicated those who argue populism, illiberalism and even authoritarianism continue to be Europes main problem today.

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Of course, one cannot deny that these are testing times for liberal democracy in many parts of Europe. To the extent that populism has an ideological belief system, it is its understanding of democracy as a direct and majoritarian mode of political representation that supersedes institutional checks on the will of the many like independent regulators, central banks and the judiciary. Populism can indeed become a threat to democracy if populists in power undermine liberal institutions and enable the emergence of illiberal democracy that can, with time, degenerate into outright electoral autocracy.

Read more: The E.U. should be deeply disturbed by the role it played in pushing Italy toward the populist fringe

Yet the obsessive focus in much of the political, policy and journalistic debate on populisms challenge to liberal democracy misses an even more important aspect to the story: that in most cases the rise of populism feeds off very real policy failures and very legitimate popular reactions to them. This is particularly true in a context of continental integration that seems to be increasingly unbalanced between a relatively prosperous and sheltered core of northern and western European states and an increasingly powerless periphery bearing the costs of adaptation to economic hardship and the migration crisis.

Again, the point is not that populism does not challenge liberal democracy in Europe. It is rather that the electoral success of populist parties is not necessarily or even primarily a danger to democracy in all cases. Often the rise of populists reflects obvious policy failures and public frustrations that EU and national elites can ill afford to ignore. After all, very few believed that Five Star and the League would or could institute an illiberal democracy in Italy, a country with a notoriously sclerotic institutional setup that would frustrate any effort at concentration of power.

EU elites and mainstream commentators have long developed the habit of painting all challengers to the European order with the same brush of populism and illiberalism. It is obviously easier to philosophize about the future of liberal democracy from Brussels, Berlin or The Hague than to admit that, for many parts of Europe, participation in structures of economic and migration policy cooperation will soon be politically and socially untenable unless the EU seriously reforms its functioning in the direction of more burden-sharing and solidarity.

The real challenge that the would-be populist coalition in Italy was going to pose to the EU was one of policy, not of democracy. Yet conflating the latter with the former has long allowed EU elites and governments of Europes northern core to divert the conversation from their own obligations while holding the moral high ground as defenders of liberal democratic norms. Not unlike socialism in the 19th century and communism in the 20th, populism today is used not as a signal for necessary policy change but as a convenient excuse to dismiss social demands as incompatible with liberal democracy.

Given the size of its economy, popular dissatisfaction with domestic and European elites, and the urgency of the migration crisis on its shores, Italy is the biggest test yet for this elite tactic of dismissal and diversionmoving the discussion from popular frustration to an often barren and prevaricating debate about the future of democracy. As another election looms where Italys EU and eurozone membership may well be on the line, the question is whether the EU can realize the stakes in time and engage with the real policy failures that lie at the heart of the current democratic malaise in Europe.

This piece was originally published by Chatham House.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have another wedding to attend. Photo: Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are newlyweds, but theyve already got another wedding on the horizon. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will soon attend a wedding  and Prince Harry will reportedly be the best man.

According to Hello!, Londons Evening Standard reports that Prince Harry will be the best man for his childhood friend Charlie van Straubenzee. His pal is marrying filmmaker Daisy Jenks in the county of Surrey this August. Prince Harry and van Straubenzee have apparently been friends since their prep school days, so its no surprise that hell reportedly take on the pivotal role at the upcoming ceremony.

As Hello! explains, van Straubenzee reportedly had a role in Prince Harry and Meghans wedding too. While he wasnt the best man  that honor went to Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge  van Straubenzee and his brother, Thomas, were reportedly ushers at the wedding. Still, it sounds like the brothers are super close to the royal family. Thomas van Straubenzee is one of Princess Charlotte of Cambridges 12 godparents. Both Prince Harry and Prince William are close to the van Straubenzee family, so it makes sense that the prince might serve as his friends best man.

Hello! also reports that van Straubenzee gave a toast to the newlyweds during the small evening wedding reception at Frogmore House, teasing Prince Harry about their school days. The wedding speech also reportedly mentioned Prince Harrys mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. If Prince Harry is serving as the best man, hell have plenty of opportunities to get his friend back for that teasing at van Straubenzees wedding reception.

The wedding isnt the only one on the horizon for the Duke and Duchess, either. Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank are getting married on October 12. (Theyll also be married at St. Georges Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed, which will delight royal wedding fans.) And its safe to say the newlyweds, along with the rest of the royal family, will attend. After all, what better way for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to celebrate their own love than by supporting other couples too?

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Partially destroyed houses are seen six months after Hurricane Maria affected Puerto Rico in Fajardo: RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images

Hurricane season has officially begun in Puerto Rico, where some 11,000 people remain without power after Hurricane Maria storm hit the island nearly eight months ago.

Officials said it could take another two months to fully restore power to Puerto Ricos 3.3m residents, extending what is already the longest blackout in US history. Still others warned that the repairs to the power grid completed after the Category 4 storm would not hold through another hurricane.

The grid is there, but the grid isnt there. Its teetering, said Hector Pesquera, Puerto Ricos commissioner of public safety. Even if the next storm is a Category 1, he added, the power grid is "in such a state that I think were going to lose power.

The latest report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) said there was a 75 per cent likelihood of five to nine hurricanes occurring in the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, which stretches from 1 June to the end of November. There is a 70 per cent chance that as many as four of those could be Category 3, 4, or 5 hurricanes, according to the association.

To prepare for this likelihood, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has left some 600 generators on the island  more than six times the number stationed there before Maria hit. The agency has also stockpiled 5.4m liters of water and more than 80,000 tarps in preparation for the next storm. Officials have told residents to stockpile enough emergency supplies to live as long as 10 days without help.

Meanwhile, government agencies are pouring billions of dollars into fixing the existing power structure and creating a new, more efficient one. Walter Higgins, the new CEO of Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority, said the agency just awarded a $500m contract to MasTec to help with power restoration and the construction of a new grid. Cobra Energy received another $900m contract, and a third was being finalised.

The restoration effort has cost $3.8bn in federal funding so far. But one power authority worker said that 10 to 15 per cent of that work was not up to standard.

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The logistics were terrible. I give it an F, said Fredyson Martinez, vice president of the power authority workers union. Things need to be fixed.

The news came on the heels of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which found the death toll from Hurricane Maria could be as much as 70 times higher than official estimates. Harvard researchers said more than 4,600 people likely died in the storm  significantly more than the governments estimate of 64.

President Donald Trump previously gave his administration's response to the hurricane a "10 out of 10," comparing it to a "real catastrophe" like Hurricane Katrina, which killed an estimated 1,833 people.

Responding to the new death toll on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president took the situation in Puerto Rico "extremely seriously".

"The two Category 4 hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico were historic, and we've responded with the largest FEMA operation in history," she said. "And we're going to continue to work with the people of Puerto Rico and do everything we can to be helpful."

Mr Trump has yet to comment on the study,

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Geneva (AFP) - The Red Cross warned Thursday that Gaza was facing an "epic" crisis, after weeks of violence has left more than 13,000 Palestinians wounded, overwhelming an already disastrously weak health system.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was stepping up its assistance in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave, and was sending in two surgical teams, additional medical specialists and supplies to help face the crisis.

"The recent demonstrations and violent activities along the Gaza border... have triggered a health crisis of unprecedented magnitude," Robert Mardini, who heads the ICRC's Near and Middle East operations, told reporters.

At least 122 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the unrest that flared up at the end of March. No Israelis have been killed.

More than 13,000 Palestinians have been wounded, including more than 3,600 by live ammunition, some multiple times, and there had been nearly 5,400 limb injuries, ICRC said.

Mardini's comments came as calm appeared to return to the Gaza Strip and nearby Israeli communities following the worst military flare-up in the area since a 2014 war, raising fears of yet another full-blown conflict in the narrow strip.

Mardini said that in the seven weeks since the demonstrations and violence began "we have exceeded the wounded caseload of the August 2014 war".

- 'Brink of collapse' -

"This did not happen in a vacuum," he said. "This epic health crisis took place against the backdrop of multiple, protracted, chronic crises affecting all sectors of life in Gaza."

Warning that the Gaza health system was on "the brink of collapse", he said ICRC would boost its assistance over a six-month period to reinforce medical facilities "which are clearly struggling to cope".

Of the thousands wounded, some 1,350 people have complex injuries and will require between three and five surgeries each, Mardini said.

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That is "a total of more than 4,000 surgeries, half of which will be carried out by ICRC teams," he said. "I think such a caseload would overwhelm any health system in the world."

The ICRC has appealed to donors for a $5.3-million budget extension to fund a new 50-bed surgical unit in the Al-Shifa Hospital, medical supplies and other additional assistance.

That comes on top of its annual budget for its work across Israel and the Palestinian territories of around $49 million -- far less than half of which is funded.

But while Mardini voiced hope the boost in aid would help, he cautioned that it was far from a permanent fix for Gaza which has sky-high unemployment, limited supplies of electricity and clean water, and a sanitation system unable to cope.

"The whole Gaza is a sinking ship," he said.

And while health workers are focused squarely on "saving lives and limbs", other health services, for instance during child birth or to respond to a heart attack, are suffering, he said.
Top Republicans in Washington are increasingly skittish that heir apparent Kevin McCarthy lacks the support to succeed Speaker Paul Ryan atop the House Republican conference, paving the way for an ugly leadership fight that yields a dark horse candidate or a strident ideologue.

McCarthy is already working to line up support behind the scenes. But his ascension is unlikely to be smooth, according to interviews with 15 senior Republicans on Capitol Hill and their allies. These Republicans expect a challenger to emerge from the right-wing Freedom Caucus. More intriguingly, they believe that divisions among the GOPs Establishment bloc may create an opening for a compromise candidate such as Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, or Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina, the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee.

McCarthys office says repeatedly that there is no Leadership race to discuss because Ryan is still in the job. Ryan has backed McCarthy, the House Majority Leader, as his successor in what the Speaker called a seamless transition. The White House also seems to support him. McCarthy is close with President Donald Trump, whose daughter, White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump, will join the six-term California congressman at events in Los Angeles and Fresno, Calif., on June 18. McCarthy, already a respectable fundraiser, is making the rounds to assure deep-pocketed patrons that he can bankroll the party machine. McCarthy is well-liked and has plenty of support among rank-and-file Republicans. He carefully tends to younger members, in part by helping to ensure that every GOP newcomer successfully passes a piece of legislation, and spends untold hours replying to messages from members up and down the political ladder.

Yet there are nagging doubts about his candidacy. Some colleagues worry about the sincerity of McCarthys conservatism. McCarthy has amassed a staunchly conservative voting record, but he seldom criticizes Trump. Some Republicans arent sure that McCarthy is willing to buck a President who has trampled traditional conservative values. There is no Republican Party. Theres a Trump party. The Republican Party is taking nap somewhere, former House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday as he met with conservatives on Mackinac Island, Mich. A McCarthy Speakership, some Republicans fear, could further cement the Presidents takeover of the GOP.

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It is also lost on no one that McCarthy has tried for the job before and failed. In 2015, he tried to replace Boehner, but withdrew from the race suddenly on the morning of the vote, opening the door for Ryan to be drafted into a role he still says today he never wanted.

The reason for McCarthys withdrawal remains the source of much sotto voce speculation. The most plausible explanation is that, during days of private talks, members told McCarthy that he didnt have enough votes and a new candidate needed to step forward. At the same time, a whisper campaign against him started to get louder.

On the eve of the Speaker vote, Republican Rep. Walter Jones sent a cryptic letter to the No. 4 House Republican, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, that urged anyone who had committed misdeeds to step aside, lest they repeat former Rep. Bob Livingstons fate. Livingstons bid for Speaker in 1998 was derailed by the disclosure of an affair. (Jones told Politico at the time he was not referring to anyone specific.)

Then, on the day of the vote, a GOP donor sent around an email, obtained by The Huffington Post, threatening to expose an alleged affair involving McCarthy. That email also invoked Livingston. The message also contained no evidence to substantiate the rumors.

McCarthy and his aides have consistently denied the rumor, and no one has ever provided any evidence of an affair. McCarthys office, contacted by TIME, declined to comment. But the dramatic denouement to his first run hangs over many discussions of his current positioning for the job. Nine of the 15 people interviewed for this article brought up the unsubstantiated affair. Speaking of both the rebellion from the far-right and worries about his personal life, one top House Republicans adviser asked simply: What has changed since 2015?

McCarthys savvy as a politician, for one. Just hours before Ryan announced his resignation to fellow lawmakers, McCarthy asked to speak with fellow members of the GOP Leadership team. Accounts differ on the exact words exchanged, but it was clear McCarthy was asking for pledges of support from Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican in the House, and his deputy, Rep. Patrick McHenry. In exchange, the suggestion went, he would help them keep their place in the pecking order.

Later that week, Ryan indicated to reporters that Scalise was backing McCarthy. A more precise version of the meeting is that Scalise said he wouldnt run against Kevin, leaving himself wiggle room. Feeling boxed in by Ryan, Scalise put out an endorsement rather than inviting months of speculation about a brewing leadership fight. But there are signs that top Republicans dont believe him. When the White House summoned the Republican Leadership from the House and the Senate to dinner the night Ryan made his announcement, both McCarthy and Scalise were invited.

Many members think Scalise could still make a play for the top job. After all, Scalise survived an assassination attempt in 2016 and his treatment has gone according to schedule. Like McCarthy, Scalise is well respected in the conference, according to members, their aides and GOP donors. Scalise did a turn in 2012 as the recruitment chief for the GOPs House elections committee, which spent more than $156 million to defend the majority McCarthy helped to recruit two years earlier in the same role. Later, Scalise ran the powerful Republican Study Committee, a post where he won allies by pushing a fiscally and socially conservative policy agenda.

But while Scalise has made a tremendous recovery from the shooting, the Speakers gig requires near-constant travel to pick up checks, and many worry he wont physically be up to italthough few say so explicitly. Scalises allies dismiss this, noting he raised a record amount of money in the first three months of this year for someone in his position, is on track to do it again in the March-to-May window, including almost $500,000 last week alone. Scalises allies also note he led a 10-day congressional delegation to Morocco, Spain and Switzerland.

It wont be easy for anyone to round up the 218 votes needed to become Speaker once the race actually starts in earnest. And this assumes the GOP keeps its majority this fall. Republicans at the moment hold 235 seats, giving any winner a scant 17-vote margin for defections.

Thats where the hard-line Freedom Caucus comes in. Time and again, this group of 30 to 50 members has derailed the partys plansincluding McCarthys 2015 bid for Speaker, Ryans early attempts to repeal Obamacare in 2017 and this springs failure of an immigration plan and the massive farm bill. They could do so again in the leadership race.

Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, has told reporters he has given zero consideration to the Speaker role. But hes also crowed that its impossible to get to 218 votes without his members; the right-wing website Breitbart has dubbed Meadows the acting Speaker. It was Meadows who set in motion Boehners exit by triggering a procedural chain of events that would have forced the Speaker to weather a no-confidence vote. Its part of the reason why McCarthy and Meadows have worked to build a better relationship than the one Boehner had with his right flank. McCarthy partnered with Meadows on a Balanced Budget Amendment and is working with him on a possible second round of tax cuts.

Some Tea Party-styled groups, along with Fox News host Sean Hannity, have also pushed Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio for the Speaker role. (Hannity is particularly influential with the President.) Jordan says hes open to running.

The power of the Freedom Caucus puts McCarthy in a tough spot. If he tries to appease these rabble-rousersmany of whom he befriended when he ran candidate recruitment for the GOP in 2010s Tea Party wavehe risks alienating the partys moderates, whom he cant win a leadership race without.

Thats one reason why Republicans on Capitol Hill have increasingly been talking up other possibilities. Brady, the Ways and Means chairman, is one potential candidate. He helped guide the GOPs tax cuts into law and has shown a willingness to work across the party caucus, especially as it considers another round of tax cuts before Election Day. As head of the RSC, Walker heads up a group that counts about two-thirds of the conference as members. Another name could be Rep. Rob Bishop, a Utah lawmaker and former NRA lobbyist who says if he wins in November it will be his last term. If the GOP is looking for a transitional figure to steer the party through the 116th Congresswhen all eyes will be on the White House racesit could do worse than select a Mormon from a safe district.

How the drama ends is unknowable at this point. But the under-the-surface tensions speak to just how little unity exists inside todays Republican Party.
Russia probe special counsel Robert Mueller is looking at Rick Gerson, a New York hedge fund manager and close friend of President Donald Trumps son-in-law and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner.

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Gerson has come onto Muellers radar for closeness to meetings that some Trump campaign members and associates had with foreign officials. The meetings are a focus of the investigation, five people with knowledge on the situation told NBC News in a report published Friday.

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According to four of those sources, Gerson attended a secret meeting in late 2016 between Trump officials including Kushner and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (MBZ) of Abu Dhabi at a Four Seasons hotel in New York. Other officials present at the meeting were a United Arab Emirates ambassador to the U.S., Trumps then-chief political adviser Steve Bannon and the presidents former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in Muellers probe.

Weeks later in January 2017, shortly before Trump took office, Gerson was in the island of Seychelles off East Africa and met with the crown prince, the four sources said. Gerson also had contact with Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, who put together a hush meeting that Trump associate Erik Prince had with MBZ and other officials from Russia and the United Arab Emirates, a person familiar with the matter said based on a text message from Gerson.

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The report, if true, brings into question potential outside influence on Trump, and that he may be mixing government and personal business, former FBI executive assistant director Robert Anderson told NBC News.

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Gerson is the founder, chairman and chief investment officer of Falcon Edge Capital, LP. He had engaged in business with the United Arab Emirates before the 2016 presidential election.

Prior to that, he was a founding member and portfolio manager at Blue Ridge Capital, LLC, and oversaw investments in high tech hardware over 15 years, according to Bloomberg. Gerson also worked at Tiger Management. He went to the University of Virginia.

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Gerson's brother, Mark, befriended Kushner more than 10 years ago and invested in Cadre, a real estate technology company that Kushner's younger brother Josh started, according to The New York Times. In addition, Kushner's family foundation contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Mark Gerson's Israeli medical assistance group.

A spokesman for Rick Gerson would not disclose to NBC News any communications he had with MBZ, Nader and other officials in Seychelles.

"Mr. Gerson was on vacation in the Seychelles prior to the meeting you reference, the spokesman said. He knew nothing about the meeting, had left before the meeting was reported to have taken place, and has never met or communicated with Erik Prince.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
RFK opener

Robert F. Kennedy was killed 50 years ago on June 6the third in a trio of high-profile assassinations during that decade, the bloody coda to an era of political violence. Today, in our divided, uncivil time, its worth remembering that Americans survived the horrors of the 1960s and early 70s, which began with the murder of Roberts older brother, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. But 1968 was something of a watershed: The year that shattered America, as Smithsonian has called it, demolished the hippie fever dream of the 60s with an explosive cocktail of escalating war, racially charged riots, police brutality and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and then RFK.

There was no 24-hour news cycle back then. Social media was not spreading hate or forging divisive bubbles. The president wasnt fanning flames with regular tweets, covert Russian hackers werent propagating fake news, and books proclaiming the end of democracy hadnt become a lucrative sideline for publishersall of which exacerbates our current turmoil, which can feel intractable.

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And yet, in 1968 we experienced far worse. As strange and terrible as these times seemand they are indeed strange and terribleits hard for younger people who are despairing over Trump to imagine what it felt like to my generation, coming of age in the late 1960s, David Talbot, author of Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years, tells Newsweek. A hideous imperial war that kept grinding on and on, despite massive protests in the streets; long-repressed racial rage exploding every summer in our cities; a Washington power structure that seemed incapable of understanding these protests and eruptions, let alone do anything substantial about it.

Peter Goldman, who wrote for Newsweek at the time, remembers a widespread sense that we were in big trouble. The foundations of the country we knew were crumbling. Our popular culture was changing. America, Goldman says, seemed to have come loose from its moorings.

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Andrew Sacks/Getty

And Robert Kennedy was, for a moment, the man who could lead the nation out of darkness. RFK had been his older brother's attorney general and remained in that position for several months after Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president. But he left to run for the U.S. Senate from New York in 1964 and won the seat, veering further and further leftwell beyond JFK's more conservative ideologychampioning the poor, civil rights and labor activism and speaking out against the Vietnam War.

RFK entered the 1968 presidential primary late, announcing on March 16. He would challenge Johnson and Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, who was running on an anti-war platform. But unlike his rivals, the Ivy Leagueeducated Kennedy had a remarkable ability to speak to both black and working-class voters, creating a coalition in a time of intense political antagonism. What other reason do we have really for [our] existence as human beings unless weve made some other contribution to somebody else to improve their own lives? he said in one of his speeches, typically peppered with erudition and an almost ecclesiastic, Catholic compassion.

In an interview with Kerry Kennedy for her book, Ripples of Hope, commemorating the anniversary of her fathers assassination, Barack Obama (who turned 7 in 1968) says he took inspiration from RFKs ability to change his views, becoming more progressive on race and poverty. By the time he was running for president, you had a sense of somebody who had really gone inward and examined himself, Obama said.

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Frank Hurley/NY Daily News Archive/Getty

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The rich and privileged Kennedy was also remarkably opposed to the interests of big business (a 1968 Fortune article called him the most unpopular candidate since FDR). The gross domestic product, he famously said in a post-announcement speech in Republican Kansas, measures neither our wit, nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.

LBJ quickly realized the implications of Kennedys popularity; he pulled out of the race on March 31, leaving it wide open.

Footage in a new Netflix documentary series, Bobby Kennedy for President, shows his charisma. That, coupled with a nation still mourning his brothers death, led to profound public yearning. As he plunged into crowds, people would grab his hands, yelling, God bless you! In an introduction to her book, Kerry Kennedy writes that her fathers hands were rubbed raw and his shirt cuffs torn at the end of each campaign day.

The nation, meanwhile, was drowning in death. The Tet Offensive that started in January of that year led to the wars bloodiest period for U.S. troops, with 1968 its deadliest year: 16,592 American soldiers killed. The year would also see a peak of more than half a million men fighting the war.

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Tim Page/CORBIS/Getty

And then, on April 4, just weeks after RFK entered the race, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Anger and despair erupted in black communities across the nation, with riots in cities like Chicago, Baltimore and New York. Kennedy was campaigning in Indianapolis that night, and local police urged him to cancel his rally, held in a mostly black neighborhood. Kennedy wouldnt hear of it, speaking extemporaneously with a few jotted notes. He quoted Aeschylus, calling him my favorite poet: Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.

Sad-eyed but with a dazzling smile, Kennedy stumped across the nation through April and May. His chance of winning the Democratic nomination wasnt certain, but the likelihood was strong. Millionsprogressives and otherssaw in Kennedy the light and love that could, as King had preached, drive out darkness and hate.

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But on June 5, the night of the California primarythen the last one in the Democratic primary seasonany hope of salvation was destroyed. Kennedy was shot to death in the kitchen area of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles at what was supposed to have been his victory party. In the hours before his murder, as success became clear, supporters were ecstatic. It was like everything you could ever hope and wish for was going to happen, recalled labor organizer Dolores Huerta.

Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian incensed over Kennedys support of Israel, was convicted of killing Kennedy and remains in prison; the incident is considered by some to be the first act of violence on American soil stemming from the Arab-Israeli conflict. A few months later, benumbed Democrats nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey at a Chicago convention scarred by protests and police violence. Richard Nixon was elected president in November. Two years later, National Guardsmen killed four students at Kent State University in Ohio. By 1974, Nixon was facing impeachment and resigned.

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David Fenton/Getty

Author Talbot was 16 and a passionate supporter of Bobby Kennedy when he heard the news of the assassination on his car radio. That burst of gunfire not only mortally wounded RFK, it deeply damaged the dreams for a better America that had been embraced by millions of people like me, he says. For many in my generation, these wounds havent healed; we still have trouble believing in our countrys future.

Young Americans, energized by the enormous promise of JFK, RFK and MLK, were left reeling. Journalist Jack Newfield, present at Bobbys murder, eloquently summed up the feeling in his 1969 memoir, RFK: Now I realized what makes our generation unique, what defines us apart from those who came before the hopeful winter of 1961, and those who came after the murderous spring of 1968. We are the first generation that learned from experiencethat things were not really getting better, that we shall not overcome. We felt, by the time we reached thirty, that we had already glimpsed the most compassionate leaders our nation could produce, and they had all been assassinated. And from this time forward, things would get worse: our best political leaders were part of memory now, not hope. The stone was at the bottom of the hill and we were all alone.

That sense of despair, however, was not shared by all. Representative John Lewis, the longtime congressman from Georgia and a civil rights leader, tells Newsweek that he and other progressives fought to maintain faith in the future. During the 60s, in spite of [those three] assassinations, we never became bitter, he says. We never became hostile. We never hated. We kept holding onwe kept dreaming. Although something died in all of us, we kept the faith. We kept dreaming for a better day.

And better days did come. Fifty years on, the U.S. poverty rate is dramatically lower, and tolerance and equality are dramatically higher: Gay marriage is legal, and there is increased awareness of discrimination against women and minorities. Obviously, there is still much to be done, yet if we have learned anything, it is that Americans can turn again toward hope.

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AP Photo

Kennedy adviser and labor leader Paul Schrade was at the Ambassador Hotel and was shot in the head during the attack. His spiritual recuperation took much longer than his long physical recovery. He left his job as an organizer and went back to work in an aerospace factory for several years, because I wanted a quiet place, he tells Newsweek. But Schrade joined peace marches in the early 1970swhich he credits with leading to the end of the Vietnam War. And while he doesnt think the country has ever really come back from the era of assassinations, at 93 he still has unwavering faith in the power of progressive movements. I am as appalled at Trump as many people, but we are, I think, turning a corner with Black Lives Matter, the #MeToo movement, and with the students against guns.

Obama maintains his belief in the country that elected him as its first black president, finding lessons, even inspiration, in Americas worst moments, as RFK did. If were going to talk about our history, then we should do it in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds, not in a way that divides, he said at a rally last October. Thats how we rise up. We dont rise up by repeating the past. We rise up by learning from the past and listening to each other.

In spite of what is happening today, says Lewis, we shall, and will, overcome.

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SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
The Roman man was trying to flee the eruption of Mt Vesuvius when he was hit by a giant slab hurled through the air, possibly a door jamb

An unfortunate Roman who was decapitated by a giant slab of stone as he tried to flee Pompeii was carrying a treasure trove of silver and bronze coins when he died, archeologists announced on Friday.

The skeleton of the man, partially buried beneath by the 300kg rock, was found earlier this week, in what was hailed as a dramatic and exceptional discovery.

Archeologists believe the man, aged in his thirties, was attempting to flee the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in AD79 but was impeded by an infection in his leg bone.

As experts excavated beneath the skeleton, they found the remains of a leather pouch which he had been carrying, perhaps around his neck, when a flying stone door jamb hurtled through the air and beheaded him.

The pouch contained 22 silver and bronze coins which together were worth 80 sestertii, equivalent to around 500 euros in todays money.

The stone slab decapitated the unfortunate Roman, archeologists said Credit: Pompeii press office

It would have been enough to sustain a family of three for at least a fortnight, experts said.

The man may have been a merchant desperate to save a portion of his familys wealth as he tried to flee the burning hot cloud of ash that descended on the city after the volcano erupted.

Archeologists also found a key that may have come from the mans home.

He wasnt filthy rich but neither was he poor, said Massimo Osanna, the director of the archeological site south of Naples.

The money emerged as archeologists dug beneath the skeleton in an effort to remove it to a laboratory for analysis.

The coins and the decomposed remains of the leather pouch will also be analysed.

Some of the coins dated back to the 2nd century BC, while others were more recent and bore the likenesses of the emperors Augustus and Vespasian.

The skeletons of two men were found in the tomb on the outskirts of Rome Credit: Superintendency of Rome

In Rome, meanwhile, archeologists made another unusual discovery  an underground tomb, with skeletons and offerings to the gods, that dates back to the 4th century BC.

Apart from a small amount of subsidence, the tomb is intact and remains as it was when it was sealed more than 2,000 years ago.

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Archeologists described the find, which was made on the outskirts of the capital during digging for cables by an electricity company, as extraordinary.

Ceramic bowls and plates, as well as the remains of animal bones, were found in the tomb Credit: Superintendency of Rome

They have nicknamed the underground cavern the Tomb of the Athlete after discovering a pair of iron strigils  instruments with a curved blade that Roman and Greek athletes used for scraping off sweat and dirt after their workouts.

The tomb discovered in Rome is  virtually intact and dates back to the Republican era, said Francesco Prosperetti, a senior heritage official.

Weve called it the Tomb of the Athlete because of the two strigils which were used to scrape off sweat and animal fat after physical exercise.

Alongside the skeletons, archeologists found the remains of food offered to the gods, including the bones of rabbits, chickens, lambs and goats, as well as ceramic plates and bowls.

A bronze coin depicting Minerva was also found in the tomb Credit: Superintendency of Rome

They also recovered a 4th century BC bronze coin decorated with the helmeted head of the goddess Minerva.

One of the men was aged around 50 while the other was aged 30-39.

Finding a tomb that is intact is rare, because many discovered in the past are either damaged by subsidence or robbed of their artefacts by tomb raiders.
She's tweeting again.

Roseanne Barr has dominated the news cycle this week after tweeting a racist tirade early Tuesday morning, which quickly led ABC to cancel the reboot of her popular sitcom, Roseanne. Now, Barr has revealed that she "begged" Disney/ABC Television Group President Ben Sherwood not to cancel the show.

"I begged them not to cancel the show. I told them I was willing to do anything & asked 4 help in making things right," Barr tweeted Thursday. After her show was canceled, she said she tweeted racist remarks about Valerie Jarrett, a top adviser for former President Barack Obama when he was in the White House, while on Ambien.

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I begged Ben Sherwood at ABC 2 let me apologize & make amends. I begged them not to cancel the show. I told them I was willing to do anything & asked 4 help in making things right. I'd worked doing publicity4 them 4free for weeks, traveling, thru bronchitis. I begged4 ppls jobs.  Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 31, 2018

Barr also stated Thursday that she begged for the jobs of the crew working on the show.

"Will I ever recover from this pain? omg," she wrote.

He said: what were you thinking when you did this? I said: I thought she was white, she looks like my family! He scoffed & said: "what u have done is egregious, and unforgivable.' I begged 4 my crews jobs. Will I ever recover from this pain? omg  Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 31, 2018

Barr also admitted that she was "ashamed" that black child actor, Jayden Rey, who plays Mary Conner on the show, would think that she does "not love her" after she tweeted "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj."

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"It's the most god awful painful thing," she wrote.

I think I'll b better tomorrow. The saddest part of all is 4 Jayden Rey on the show whom I grew2 love so much & am so ashamed of myself that she would ever think I do not love her bc she is African American. It's the most gawd awful painful thing. I can't let myself cave in tho  Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) June 1, 2018

they wont stop til i die, i fear-pray for me!  Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) June 1, 2018

While Barr has since apologized to Jarrett, she also offered the world another apology via Twitter.

I end by offering everyone involved one more apology and prayers for healing of our divided nation. Tomorrow is Shabbat and I will continue to pray that everything for everyone goes forward & ends well for all. signing off twitter for a while. love u guys!  Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) June 1, 2018

It should be noted here, that this isn't even close to the first time Barr has said something offensive, and given her outspoken nature on Twitter, it probably won't be the last.

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For more celebrity news visit Yahoo View.


Photo credit: HI Sutton - Covert Shores

From Popular Mechanics

Russia is beginning development of a new, cheaper class of nuclear-powered attack submarines designed to complement more expensive subs. Russian state press says the first Husky-class submarine will enter service in 2027. The TASS news agency further says submarines of the class will be the first to use the new Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missile.

The Husky class was first reported in 2014 and was originally a company-funded design project by the St. Petersburg-based Malakhit Design Bureau. TASS, citing a source in Russias defense industry, claims construction is set to begin in 2023 with the first sub operational in 2027. The submarines are expected to be built by the Severnoye Machine-Building Enterprise in Severodvinsk.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Submarine authority H.I. Sutton, author of the Covert Shores submarine blog, explained the importance of the Husky class to Popular Mechanics. (Husky) believed to be a cheaper alternative to the top-end Yasen Class which recently entered service. If the Yasen can be likened to the US Navy's Seawolf Class, then the Husky will be the Virginia Class.

The Husky class draws inspiration from the older Alfa-class attack submarines built by the Soviet Union, with the same teardrop-style double hull. The Husky class has an x-shaped rudder arrangement instead of the Alfas cross-shaped arrangement and deletes the spherical sonar array and towed arrays, substituting them with chin-mounted and flank arrays.

Photo credit: Helen S. Richardson - Getty Images

According to Suttons World Submarines Covert Shores Recognition Guide the hull will have vertical launch system modules for cruise missiles. The Husky will almost certainly carry land attack cruise missiles in vertical launch tubes, Sutton explained. The Kalibr cruise missile system is the type Russia has been launching against targets in Syria."

TASS further claims that the Husky submarines will also carry Zircon hypersonic anti-ship cruise missiles. Little is known about Zircon, although The Diplomat claims it will achieve speeds of Mach 6 with a range of 270 nautical miles. The faster the missile the less time enemy defenses have to react and shoot the missile down.

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Mr Babchenko was doused in pigs' blood as part of the hoax - Yevhen Lauer/east2west news

The Russian journalist who faked his own death as part of an elaborate ploy to foil an alleged Kremlin assassination plot has hit back at critics who said the stunt would play into the hands of purveyors of fake news.

Arkady Babchenko, who was reported to have been murdered in Kiev on Tuesday night, has faced mounting criticism from fellow journalists and media freedom groups since he was revealed safe and well on Wednesday afternoon.

In his first detailed comments since the incident, he said the plot, which saw him doused in pig's blood and driven to a morgue, was the "only way" to thwart a genuine threat.

"Everyone who says this undermines trusts in journalists: what would you do in my place, if they came to you and said there is a hit out on you?" he said at a press conference in Kiev on Thursday.

"My goal was to stay alive and ensure the safety of my family. That is the first thing I am thinking about. Journalistic standards are the last thing I am thinking about now," he added.

Mr Babchenko, a former Russian soldier turned war reporter, said he had only reluctantly agreed to the hoax after the Ukrainian security services told him they had uncovered a plot to kill him a month ago.

Mr Babchenko was doused in pigs' blood as part of the hoax Credit: Yevhen Lauer/east2west new

"My first reaction was 'To hell with you, I want to pack a bag and disappear to the North Pole.'"

"But then I realised, where do you hide? Skripal also tried to hide," he said, referring to the former spy who was poisoned in Salisbury in March.

He said he put on a shirt that security agents had earlier fired bullets through and was doused in pig's blood by a professional make up artist to make the killing look as realistic as possible.

After the "shooting", he was bundled into an ambulance and driven to a morgue, where changed his shirt and turned on the news to see wall-to-wall coverage of his "murder."

Confirming that his wife Olga had been made aware of the plan, he said: "Those who needed to know, knew, but that was a very small circle of immediate family."

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Arkady Babchenko (C) reappeared at a press confence with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko (R) and SBU chief Vasily Gritsak (L) on Wednesday Credit: VALENTYN OGIRENKO/REUTERS

He had earlier publicly apologised to her for the ordeal, leading many to assume she had thought her husband was really dead.

Late on Thursday a Kiev court ordered the detention of a man who Ukrainian prosecutors say was involved in the plot and who had handed over $15,000 to a would-be killer.

The suspect Borys Herman, the co-owner of a weapons manufacturer, said he had been contacted by someone in Russia about plans to kill Babchenko but instead turned this information over to the Ukrainian authorities and worked on counterintelligence operations with them.

"I got a call from a longtime acquaintance who lives in Moscow, and in the process of communicating with him it turned out that he works for the fund of Comrade Putin precisely to orchestrate destabilization in Ukraine," he said.

"We knew perfectly well that there would be no killing," he said, adding his work was done "only for the benefit of Ukraine."

The Kremlin, which had called accusations of Russian involvement "the height of cynicism", said on Thursday it was glad Babchenko was alive, but found the staging of his death strange.

Borys Herman, who according to Ukrainian authorities is suspect in a plot to murder Russian dissident Arkady Babchenko, attends a court hearing in Kiev, Ukraine Credit: Reuters

Mr Babchenko said he had not seen proof of the plot but that he believed the Ukrainian security services claims.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), said the deception succeeded in securing the arrest of the man who they said had received $40,000 (30,000) from Russian intelligence agencies to organize hits on Mr Babchenko and 30 others.

But the claims have been questioned by media freedom groups and fellow journalists who have wondered whether the damage done to the credibility of reports of genuine murders outweighed the alleged benefits.

Sorry, guys, to me, it's crossing a line big time. Babchenko is a journalist not a policeman, for Christ sake, and part of our job is trust, whatever Trump&Putin say about fake news. I'm glad he is alive, but he undermined even further the credibility of journalists and the media  Andrei Soldatov (@AndreiSoldatov) May 30, 2018

"Arkady Babchenko is still alive and can continue to exercise his profession as an outspoken journalist: this is great news," Philippe Leruth, president of the International Federation of Journalists, said in a statement.

"However, by spreading false evidence about his murder, Ukrainian authorities have seriously eroded the credibility of information," Mr Leruth added. He called the lie "intolerable."

The Committee to Protect Journalists said the Ukrainian government had damaged its credibility and demanded clarification on a number of points, including how imminent and credible the threat to Mr Babchenko's life was, and exactly what evidence Ukraine had for blaming Russia.

A screengrab from a YouTube video posted by Ukraine's security service (SBU), which purports to show officers arresting the alleged mastermind a plot to kill Babchenko Credit: AFP PHOTO / Ukraine's security service

"Given the SBU is an intelligence agency, which engages in deception, obfuscation, and propaganda, determining the truth will be very difficult," Nina Ogianova, the coordinator of the CPJ's Europe and Central Asia program, wrote on the organisation's Website.

Ukrainian authorities said critics failed to grasp the realities of the situation.

Ukraine's embassy in London said in a statement: "The hybrid war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine demands unorthodox approaches while effecting countermeasures."

Ukraine and Russia have been fighting an undeclared war in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region since 2014, in which more than 10,000 people have died.

Staff at the ATR TV station where Mr Babchenko works react after learning he is still alive Credit: Social Media/REUTERS

The Kremlin, which has denied plotting to kill Mr Babchenko, said it welcomed news he was alive and said the incident was "very strange to say the least."

Mr Babchenko, 41, has emerged as a bitter critic of Vladimir Putin in recent years, and has regularly been denounced by pro-Kremlin and nationalist politicians.

He left Russia after he received threats over controversial comments he made about an air crash that killed dozens of members of the Russian army choir in 2016. He lived in Prague and Israel before moving to Ukraine last year, where he got a job with ATR, a Crimean Tatar channel.

Speaking at the press conference, he said he would not be deterred from criticizing Mr Putin in future saying: "I hate him."
Paige Patterson had been a towering figure among Southern Baptists. (Photo: Fort Worth Star-Telegram via Getty Images)

A prominent evangelical leader has been fired from a Southern Baptist seminary following weeks of criticism from evangelical women over disturbing statements hed made about abuse.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas announced Wednesday that Paige Pattersons termination is effective immediately and that the seminarys former president will be stripped of all the benefits provided by the board of trustees earlier this month.

After a May 23 meeting, the board had released a statement thanking Patterson for his service to the Southern Baptist Convention and granting him the title of president emeritus, ongoing compensation and an invitation to live on campus as a theologian-in-residence. Those benefits were retracted on Wednesday by unanimous decision of the boards executive committee.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary said it had been presented with new information about how Patterson handled an allegation of sexual abuse against a student while he was president of another seminary.

The boards latest statement did not reveal details about that new information. A seminary spokesperson declined to provide further comment to HuffPost.

A week ago, the seminary that Patterson led was still willing to title him "president emeritus," but no more. (Photo: Fort Worth Star-Telegram via Getty Images)

Patterson had been under fire since late April after the resurfacing of audio clips and videos stretching back to 2000 that highlighted some of his beliefs about women, abuse and divorce. He was caught on tape in 2000 advising physically abused wives to avoid divorce whenever possible. Earlier in May, he issued statements noting that he has counseled women to leave  albeit not divorce  abusive partners.

Last week, The Washington Post published the allegations of a woman who said she was raped while a student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina in 2003. The woman said that when she reported the incident to the seminary, Patterson, who was the president at the time, encouraged her not to go to the police and instead forgive the alleged rapist.

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On Monday, Megan Lively, a public relations professional in North Carolina, identified herself as the accuser on Twitter. Lively, who declined to comment to HuffPost, tweeted that she and her husband have forgiven Patterson.

I am the woman you read about, #SEBTS 2003, not afraid, ashamed, or fearful. I am proud to be #SBC, bc of how many have responded with compassion & love. Our history isnt our future. Ephesians 4:30-32, Romans 8.Please join us in praying tomorrow. #PaigePatterson #sbc18 #matthew5 pic.twitter.com/ZQNbL2zHip  Megan Lively (@megannlively) May 29, 2018

The current president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Danny Akin, told The Washington Post that he believes Lively was badly counseled and that the schools policy now is to report sexual assault to police.

Patterson was once a towering figure in the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. He served as president of the convention for two terms, from 1998 to 2000. Hes credited with helping to steer the denomination toward greater conservatism. Before moving to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2003, he was president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for 11 years and president of Dallas Criswell College for nearly 18 years.

Patterson is still scheduled to deliver the coveted convention sermon at the Southern Baptists annual meeting in June.

After his remarks about divorce and abuse resurfaced in April, thousands of Southern Baptist women signed a petition calling for decisive action in response to his damaging, sinful comments. On Thursday, many Southern Baptists chimed in on Twitter to reflect on his termination.

And now Im crying.



Thank you, SWBTS Board of Trustees, for standing for what is right. https://t.co/qfNIJJxssV  Karen Swallow Prior (@KSPrior) May 31, 2018

Relieved and saddened, yet hopeful. https://t.co/kGrXbxL8bF  Lauren Chandler (@laurenchandler) May 31, 2018

Beth Moore, a prominent evangelist who was raised Southern Baptist, wrote in a blog that she fully supports Pattersons removal, but without pleasure or personal satisfaction.

I only have sorrow for the excruciating pain the Patterson family is surely enduring. They will be in my prayers for a long time, Moore wrote. So will those who have suffered the double heap of pain in having been hurt then unheard, particularly by those who were in positions to be protectors.

She added that she hoped Patterson would take time to reflect on his mistakes before working to create a healthier church culture.

What full redemption that would be, she wrote.

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Rev. Karlene Clark

"It seems that in this election we are forced to say what should be obvious: Jesus would never be on the side of the sexual predator. Many of us feel betrayed by the Christian leaders who continue to endorse this candidate, realizing that for those prominent Christian men, women are less important than partisan politics, and the assault of women by powerful, predatory men is worth little more than a shrug. This Christian pastor will stand for the dignity, respect, and equality of women - because its the right thing to do, and because it is exactly what Jesus did."

- Rev. Karlene Clark, Wesley United Methodist Church

Rev. Jennifer Crumpton

"Christian women in particular have been deeply patriarchalized over the course of history, due to the male hierarchy of the church and the theology and doctrine that claims women were made secondarily by God for the service of men, and that men hold dominion not just over the earth, but over women and their bodies. Many Christian women have been forced to ignore, go along with, and even perpetuate misogynistic principles and behavior We are still fighting this undercurrent of male domination today. This election situation is a critical moment in time to stand up to this phenomenon and the willingness with which people dismiss it."

- Rev. Jennifer Crumpton, Femmevangelical

Rev. Traci D. Blackmon

"In 2 Samuel 13, the story of the rape of Tamar, the daughter of King David, is recounted. Although this is not the only rape story contained in scripture, in my opinion it is one of the most insidious ... Ever since reading this text early in my ministry life I have asked myself the question, 'Who will cry for Tamar?'

I believe it is my moral obligation to cry out against the sexual exploitation and violence perpetrated against women. It is my moral obligation to interrupt gender shaming and sexual misconduct wherever it is found.

Unfortunately for us all, these interruptions are currently needed in the inexcusable hateful rhetoric of one of our candidates for the highest office of this land. I believe if I do not speak out, no matter how many or how few are courageous enough to join me, that the harm done to women in our society will be irreparable.

I will never knowingly vote for any candidate who denigrates any human being, all of whom I believe to be created in the image of God. I implore others who profess to love God to join me in this pledge."

- Rev. Traci D. Blackmon, Acting Executive Minister, Justice & Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ

Rev. Loretta Ross

"I signed in order to stand in solidarity with my sisters in our shared faith in a loving God. We are each temples for the Holy Spirit. When anyone attempts to defile the dwelling place of divinity, we all suffer ... Recently, I had felt overwhelmed and deeply burdened by the implications of Trump's behavior. Standing up for goodness, truth, and justice gives me inner strength and peace for the work ahead in these times. I too, as well as my daughters, have been victims of sexual violence and abuse."

- Rev. Loretta Ross, The Sanctuary Foundation for Prayer

Rev. Linda Higgins

"I am a Christian woman who believes that we are all beloved of God and to treat any person as other or less than is the definition of sin. I am called as a Christian to love God and my neighbor as myself. I believe that mothers and fathers should not have to protect their children from the presidential race due to how nasty it is: the language, how it portrays women, people of color or people from other countries. We are all children of God and equal as such.I am also a woman who has lived through experiences of men thinking they could treat me as an object and do not believe any one should president with that view of women."

- Rev. Linda Higgins, St John's Richmond United Church of Christ

Rev. Kimberly Rogers

"The Church must be vocal, it is part of our call to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. None of these basic tenants of our faith are being adhered to when women are being degraded. Donald Trump is not 'the issue,' he is just one more symptom of a much larger problem in our country. I pray that the gift of his presence in this election is that we uncover the mask of sexism and misogyny that leads to rape culture, domestic violence, and inequality in the work place. To live in a world where Donald Trump is president terrifies me, I pray that all can come to understand the danger behind his words and ideology."

- Associate Pastor Rev. Kimberly Rogers, Central Presbyterian Church

Rev. Carol Howard Merritt

"When the news of the video came out, a wave of trauma rippled through my personal relationships and social media feeds. With shattered hearts, we confessed that we had been raped or violated. We knew the indignity of having unannounced and uninvited prodding hands clutching at our intimate selves. We remembered looking up in blurred confusion to see a powerful man lurching over us, devouring our weakness and mortification in order to sate his ravenous ego.

We may have been too bewildered to know how to respond when the assault happened. We may have been held captive, pretending that it didnt occur in order to avoid retaliation or to save our jobs. We might have filed away our indignity in the thickening folder that included all the other evidence of everyday sexism. But as Christians, we know women do not exist in order to titillate fragile egos in locker rooms. Women were not created so that entitled men can use us as objects for flippant fondling or heinous leering. We proclaim that women are God-bearers, and God has empowered us to bring good news to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, and set the captives free. Thats why I added my voice to this letter."

- Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, Author

Dr. Laura Levens

"As a Christian: Over and over and over again, I have witnessed a cycle of male leaders being easily forgiven for sexual indiscretion, misconduct, and assault, and I have had enough. Men are caught, men say they apologize, and then other Christian leaders exhort the rest of us, especially women, to forgive and continue to trust the man in power because he apologized. Im done with this message. The Christian message of forgiveness should no longer be co-opted to maintain men in places of power, especially not the office of the President of the United States. It is time that Christians begin speaking about the humanity and dignity of women, and of everyone. Christians are not here to teach the violated to forgive; we are here to stand with the downtrodden. That is what Jesus did."

- Dr. Laura Levens, Assistant Professor of Christian Mission, Baptist Seminary of Kentucky

Diana Butler Bass

"We cannot stand by and allow the Jerry Falwells and James Dobsons of the world claim to speak for God regarding Trump and sexism ... When this election is over -- and Hillary Clinton is the nation's first female president, I hope that we will finally get beyond the idea of 'Christian women leaders' being some special subset of Christian community. Women are the majority of Christians around the world -- we are the heartbeat of living faith. The media spends too much time covering male leaders -- and then a small subset of authoritarian conservative men -- as if they are the voice of the church. They are not. Women are. All the women. The women who preach, the women who write theology, the women who pray, the women who serve, those who hold the hand of the dying. Those who care for children, those who feed the hungry, those who embrace the poor and visit prisoners. Those who weep and mourn for the pain they've suffered. Those who find the God's love is more beautiful and trustworthy than those who abused them. That's the church -- a church that knows no facile forgiveness or partisan spin. But the church that understands grace, peacemaking, and mercy. And that church is rarely heard in public because it is too busy living its faith. Women are the high priests of that church."

- Diana Butler Bass, Author and Historian

The Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis

I am an African American, a Christian woman, a clergy person, I have a passionate vision for a world free of bias, discrimination, and hatred. I sign my name in honor of the God who called me into ministry, and in honor of my mentor, a Palestinian Jewish Rabbi we have come to call Jesus. I sign my name because men AND women are created in Gods image, and all human beings are fearfully and wonderfully made. I sign my name to insist on just treatment for every person. My faith demands it. And our nation requires it.

- The Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, Ph.D., Senior Minister, Middle Collegiate Church

Dr. Serene Jones

"As a devoutly Christian woman, I am deeply appalled and righteously enraged by the demeaning and hateful words and actions of Trump towards women - and towards so many others. As a Christian, I believe that God loves all women and girls and has created us with bodies and lives and hopes and dreams that are truly sacred. We are precious in God's eyes. So when Trump demeans and assaults women, I consider it flat out blasphemy; it's against God, it's death-dealing, not life-giving. God calls women to fullness of life and freedom. Trump, it's seems, wants to either grope or imprison us."

- Dr. Serene Jones, President, Union Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite

"I wanted to add my voice as a Christian woman to confront Donald Trump and his blatant manipulation of the Christian faith for political ends. He 'found Jesus' just as he was being nominated as the Republican presidential candidate, and that's only one example. Given his sexually aggressive behavior toward women, in his own words, this is an insult to the Christian faith itself."

- Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, Professor of Theology, Chicago Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Katharine Henderson

"As a Christian, I believe that all people are created in God's own image. The Republican candidate's repeated denigration and objectification of women offends not only me as a woman, but also my Christian faith that believes in the fundamental equality of all people, and demands that all be treated with dignity and respect."

- Rev. Dr. Katharine Henderson, President, Auburn Seminary

Rev. Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters

"Trump has claimed to be a Christian. He has even claimed to by a Presbyterian. I am an ordained Presbyterian pastor and a Christian ethicist. There is nothing about this man that speaks of Christian virtue or values. His attitude that his wealth and fame translate into the power and privilege to do whatever he wants is in marked disagreement with a faith that calls its followers to service and humility. This is a man who thinks that he has not done anything that requires forgiveness. Yet, we have seen time again that he has insulted, shamed, abused and denigrated women. These actions are not acceptable in society and they are certainly not in line with the Christian understanding that we are to love our neighbors. Given the overwhelming public message that 'Christians support Trump' its past time for a counter-narrative that there are plenty of Christians who find him unfit for office. "

- Rev. Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters, Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Elon University

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Jurmala (Latvia) (AFP) - Around 100 Swedish car enthusiasts drove chromed-up vintage American-built vehicles through the Latvian countryside to the Baltic seaside resort of Jurmala on Saturday, taking a trip in time back to the rocking fifties and sixties.

"It's a retro culture," Mikael Hellquist, manager of Sweden's Classic Car Cruise Parade told AFP of the US vintage car craze that has drawn thousands of Swedish aficionados who call themselves "greasers".

"The sounds, the music, lots of people are dressed like in the fifties, sixties," Hellquist added, referring to the optimistic post-war America of rock n' roll legend Elvis Presley and the massive gas-guzzling cars it built mostly in Detroit, Michigan.

"The cars are more like family members for the owners," Hellquist said.

The Swedes arrived in the Latvian capital Riga by ferry before cruising some 20 kilometres (13 miles) to the sandy beaches of Jurmala to show off their cars to locals and visitors before taking the ferry home to Stockholm.

Some vehicles hailed from as early as the 1920's, with few if any built after the 1970s.

"Greaser" meet-ups in Sweden draw thousands of souped-up classic cars and tens of thousands of their admirers.
Damascus (AFP) - Syria's foreign minister on Saturday linked any talks on the future of a rebel-held southern region with the departure of US forces from another area bordering Iraq and Jordan.

Regime ally Russia has called for a meeting with the United States and Jordan on the future of the southern provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

In recent weeks, Damascus has sent military reinforcements to the two provinces, which comprise some of the closest rebel-held areas to the capital.

President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu about proposed talks.

"We have not yet entered into negotiations over the southern front," Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said at a press conference in Damascus.

"The indicator will be the withdrawal of the United States from our land in At-Tanaf" near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, Muallem said.

The United States and its allies have used a base in the area to train a force fighting the Islamic State group.

"Don't believe anything that is said about an agreement on the south until you see that the United States has withdrawn its forces from the At-Tanaf base," he said.

"It must withdraw its forces from At-Tanaf."

"We have strived from the start to resolve the issue in the ways that we are used to, which are reconciliations," he said. "If it is not feasible, we will see what will happen."

Moscow-brokered reconciliation deals have seen rebels withdraw from several areas of Syria including opposition strongholds close to the capital, often after blistering regime offensives and sieges.

Last month, Washington warned Damascus it would take "firm" action if the regime violated a ceasefire deal for southern Syria that was negotiated with Russia and Jordan last year.

The warning came after regime aircraft dropped leaflets on Daraa, urging the rebels who control most of the province to lay down their weapons or face an offensive.

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The United States is also present in the north of Syria, where it has been backing a Kurdish-led alliance fighting IS.

Muallem also criticised a US-Turkish roadmap for "security and stability" in the Kurdish-held city of Manbij near the Turkish border.

The agreement came after forces led by Turkey, who considers Syria's Kurdish militia to be "terrorists", in March seized the enclave of Afrin west of Manbij.

That had raised fears of a confrontation between Turkish troops and American forces based in Manbij.

"Not just in Manbij but also in Afrin and on every inch of Syrian soil, we consider Turkey to be an aggressor," the foreign minister said.

"Neither the United States nor Turkey has the right to negotiate over a Syrian city," he said, describing any such deal as "infringing on Syrian sovereignty".
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian government wants to recapture insurgent territory in the southwest through a settlement in which fighters accept state rule or leave, the foreign minister said on Saturday. Walid al-Moualem also said the United States must withdraw from the Tanf base in the southeast. Damascus has not engaged in talks about the south, and any agreement over that region must include the pullout of U.S. forces, he said. The southwest, near the borders with Jordan and Israel, remains one of the big chunks of Syria still outside the control of the state, which has recovered swathes of the country with the help of Russian jets and Iran-backed militias. Rebel factions hold stretches of Quneitra and Deraa provinces in the southwest, bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, while Syrian army troops and allied forces control nearby territory. Since last year, a "de-escalation" deal, which Russia, the United States and Jordan brokered, has contained fighting there. Washington has voiced concern about reports of an impending army offensive, warning of "firm and appropriate measures" in response to any violations of the ceasefire. U.S. forces are based in a southern desert pocket further east at Tanf, a strategic highway border crossing with Iraq. Moualem said the Syrian military had dropped leaflets calling on insurgents in the southwest to either surrender their weapons and settle with the state, or leave. "We seek, initially, to solve this issue in the ways we have got used to working with, which are reconciliations. If it does not work, that's a different conversation," he told a news conference in Damascus. Russia has said that only Syrian army troops should be at the southern border with Jordan and Israel, which has waged air strikes in Syria to curb what it fears is Iran's expanding influence. Tehran supports Moscow's efforts to impose Syrian government control over the south, a senior Iranian security official was quoted as saying on Saturday. Moualem added that that Damascus had communicated with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces but no negotiation process had started over the fate of their territory in the north and east. He said Raqqa city, which the Kurdish-led SDF militias seized from Islamic State with U.S. support, "must be rebuilt and liberated" from any foreign presence. (Reporting by Ellen Francis; Editing by Andrew Bolton)
A televangelist who called for donations from his followers for a $54m private jet has said he will give away his old plane if supporters buy him a new one.

Jesse Duplantis, from Louisiana, sparked outrage earlier in the week after he posted a video on his ministrys website asking for donations.

I really believe that if Jesus was physically on the Earth today he wouldnt be riding a donkey, he said. Think about that for a minute. Hed be in an aeroplane preaching the gospel all over the world.

The Evangelical Christian minister, who has a reported net worth of $40m (30m), has now hit back at criticism and insists he did nothing wrong in imploring people to buy him an aircraft.

The 68-year-old said he required the luxury Falcon 7X for preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and that is had "nothing to do with luxurious.

Mr Duplantis, who was branded manipulative and greedy for his initial request, also sought to clear up media reports the new jet would be his fourth private plane.

"There was a misnomer on that one. I said I've had three jets, I don't have three jets," he said in an interview with ABC News' Good Morning America. "Two of them now are in other ministries. I only own one aeroplane now."

The pastor said his church, Jesse Duplantis Ministries, plans to donate its old jet if the congregation chips in for the highly sought-after Dassault Falcon 7X, which combines fighter jet technology with an elegant, whisper-quiet executive cabin according to Dassaults website.

Mr Duplantis said they would deliver the old plane to an organisation in need as soon as the new one arrives.

"The one we're flying now, I've had it for 12 years, it's a phenomenal plane and it's a blessing," he said.

Mr Duplantis, a prosperity gospel preacher, previously told viewers of a vlog on his website called This Week With Jesse the new private jet would save money and souls.

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He said the planes get him closer to God in a literal and figurative sense, and recounted a divine conversation in which Jesus asked for the new jet by name.

He told me: Jesse, you want to come up to where Im at? He said: Before you ask, Ill answer: Isaiah 65:24. He said: I want you to believe me for a Falcon 7X."

Mr Duplantis said he then wondered how he was going to pay for the jet before claiming God told him: Jesse, I didnt ask you to pray for it. I asked you to believe for it.

You know Ive owned three different jets in my life and used them and used them and just burning them up for the Lord, he said. Now, some people believe that preachers shouldnt have jets. I really believe that preachers ought to go on every available voice, every available outlet, to get this gospel preached to the world.

In an attempt to validate his choice of jet, he said: Now people say my Lord, cant you go with this one? as he pointed to one of his older jets. Yes, but I cant go at one stop.

He said he could fly cheaper with his own private jet because he has his own fuel farm and he can avoid all those exorbitant prices for jet fuel all over the world.

In the clip, Mr Duplantis shows his followers a photo of himself standing beside his other three jets: a Cessna Citation 500, an IAI Westwind II, and a Dassault Falcon 50. Beneath the portrait is a quote which he repeats: It's not about possessions, it's about priorities.

Mr Duplantis preaches a prosperity gospel  the belief that luxurious items like jets and cars are the Lords way of blessing people for a faithful life and donations to religious causes will boost ones material wealth or make God bless you more.

The American religious tradition ultimately sees God as an arch capitalist.

In 2015, megapastor Creflo Dollar, known for his controversial teachings regarding prosperity theology, faced a backlash after asking his followers for $60m (45m) for a Gulfstream G650.

Earlier this year, prosperity preacher Kenneth Copeland attained a Gulfstream V jet from director Tyler Perry which was paid for by donations from his followers.

Mr Copeland and Mr Duplantis talked about the need for private jets on a 2016 episode of the formers show, Believer's Voice of Victory, which saw Mr Copeland describe commercial air travel as being in a long tube with a bunch of demons.

The world is in such shape, we can't get [to followers] without [private jets]. We've got to have them, Mr Copeland said.

He noted that Oral Roberts, a televangelist who is deemed the godfather of the charismatic movement and one of the most recognized preachers worldwide, flew commercial but the people on the planes agitated his spirit with their requests for prayers.
SKOPJE (Reuters) - Several thousand supporters of Macedonia's opposition VMRO-DPMNE party protested on Saturday against changing the name of the country and to demand an early election because of the poor state of the economy, which contracted last year. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has promised to boost the economy and accelerate the country's accession to NATO and the European Union, moves that have so far been blocked by its neighbor and EU-member Greece in a row over Macedonia's name. People waving Macedonian and party flags gathered in front of the government building in the capital Skopje, with some of them holding banners that read: "Macedonia will win." Macedonia and Greece have been holding talks to resolve the long-running row over the use by the former Yugoslav republic of the name Macedonia, which Greece says implies a territorial claim because its northern province has the same name. "I am disappointed that they are negotiating to change of our name," said Kiril Stojanovksi, a 41-year-old accountant. "Our name should not be changed they must know that we are not going to get into the NATO and EU in the next 10 to 15 years why are they doing this?" Western countries see integration of the Western Balkan countries into the EU and NATO as a way to bring stability to the region that is still recovering from the wars and economic turmoil of the 1990s. VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski has called for an early election to be held next year. Mickoski told the crowd that the prime minister "will do irreparable damage from which there is no coming back. VMRO-DPMNE is against any change of the constitution with an aim to change our name." VMRO-DPMNE led the country for nearly 10 years until 2016 elections, which ended a two-year crisis. (Reporting by Kole Casule; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Edmund Blair)
By Lizbeth Diaz MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - In March, Daniel Trejo, a 41-year-old car mechanic in the Mexican northern border city of Nuevo Laredo, was violently pulled from his home at night by men dressed as Marines. It was the last time his wife saw him. On Wednesday, the United Nations cited "strong indications" that Mexican security forces were behind the disappearance of 23 people in and around the city between February and mid-May. The Nuevo Laredo Human Rights Committee (CDHNL), a group that documents accusations of abuse against security forces, has said there were more cases from that period and that if reports from January were included, the total would exceed 50 so far this year. "They came into my house, breaking the door. ... They pointed guns at me and my husband, and when they saw that I was an American citizen, I thought, 'They're going to kill me'," said Jessica Molina, Trejo's wife. "They took him without an arrest warrant, even though he showed them he was working all day in his garage in Laredo, Texas," she said, adding that no reason was given for her husband's arrest. The Navy declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. No official government source has confirmed that Marines were involved in Trejo's disappearance or other cases. Late on Friday, the Attorney General's office issued a statement saying it had begun investigations into 28 possible forced disappearances in Nuevo Laredo's home state of Tamaulipas where the Navy had been accused of involvement. Mexico's government issued a statement on Thursday that officials from the foreign ministry, interior ministry and attorney general's office met with Navy commanders after the U.N. report. The government said officials would coordinate with the U.N. human rights office, go to Nuevo Laredo to interview witnesses, find the victims and punish those responsible. Over 35,000 people have gone missing since the government first sent in the military to battle drug gangs almost 12 years ago. More than 200,000 people have been murdered in that period and the killings reached record levels in 2017, according to official data. The administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto received international condemnation in 2014 over the case of 43 trainee teachers who the government said were kidnapped, killed and incinerated by drug traffickers working with corrupt police. Only the remains of one of the missing students have been identified. THREATS During the last decade, Tamaulipas has become one of the most violent states in Mexico, convulsed by gangs fighting to control drug trafficking, extortion rackets and the exploitation of migrants. In March, 10 Marines were injured and an officer was killed during a battle with suspected gangsters in Nuevo Laredo. Three bystanders, including two children, died in the crossfire. "The following days were horrible for the community of Nuevo Laredo because they started to disappear people almost every day," said Raymundo Ramos, head of local rights group CDHNL. Sixteen people reported missing, including a 14-year-old boy, were later found buried in mass graves, he said. Over the past week, there have been reports of torture, kidnapping and death threats against witnesses of disappearances and relatives of the missing around Nuevo Laredo, Ramos said. "They want them to stop making complaints," he added. Ramos said he had documented 56 cases of forced disappearance and extrajudicial executions between Jan. 20 and May 21. Family members blamed Marines for the disappearances. "We want them to give our relatives back alive," said Molina, the wife of the missing mechanic. "We are all afraid, but that is not going to stop us." (Writing by Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Dave Graham and Richard Chang)
The number of tourists traveling across the border from China to North Korea is expected to spike this year as interest in the rogue nation peaks, according to reports.

While President Donald Trump prepares a potential meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and as leaders from South and North Korea discuss the denuclearization of the peninsula and the end of a long-standing conflict, more people are starting to believe the hermit kingdom will open its doors. With that in mind, some tourists are expressing interest in visiting the country before it opens up, and the number of people searching for North Korean tourist agencies has jumped. Chinese travel agencies in provinces bordering North Korea have also started promoting cross-border trips.

One tourism official from Chinas Jilin province told Chinese journalists that around 20,000 tourists traveled from Jilin into North Korea last year and that the number is expected to rise by up to 40 percent this year.

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However, the State Department continues to advise Americans against visiting the country. The high-profile case of Otto Warmbier, an American college student who died in 2017 after suffering a brain injury while in captivity in North Korea, only compounded the fear that the North Korean regime is too unpredictable to be trusted. In September 2017, the State Department issued a blanket ban against U.S. citizens traveling to North Korea due to the serious and mounting risk that they would be detained.

Individuals cannot use a U.S. passport to travel to, in, or through North Korea without a special validation from the Department of State, the departments website reads.

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Americans and travelers from other Western countries have chosen to visit the country in the past, and some said they felt unsafe during their journey. The North Korean regime often orchestrates the trips and keeps travelers under close watch.

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For now, the relationship between the U.S. and North Korea remains uncertain. Trump was expected to meet his North Korean counterpart in June but suddenly canceled the meeting after the Kim regime insulted Vice President Mike Pence. Now it appears that the talks may be on again.

North Korea sent an envoy to New York this week to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who had already met with North Korean leadership twice. Pompeo later said the situation was moving in the right direction.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
President Donald Trump salutes during a change of command ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 1. His lawyers have seemingly argued that, as president, he is above investigation by the Department of Justice. (Photo: SAUL LOEB via Getty Images)

Lawyers for President Donald Trump have argued for months that because he is president, it is not possible for their client to have obstructed special counsel Robert Muellers investigation, according to a confidential letter sent to Mueller and obtained by The New York Times.

The lawyers stated that Trump also cannot be compelled to testify in the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, arguing that Muller has everything he needs in the voluminous testimony and documentation already provided.

Using a broad interpretation of executive power outlined in the Constitution, the 20-page letter suggests Trumps team intends to resist questioning by Mueller, should the special counsel try to force the president to answer questions by issuing a subpoena. Mueller has already raised the possibility with Trumps lawyers, according to The Washington Post.

ABC News reporter Tara Palermi said Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor now working on Trumps team, confirmed that the letter published by the Times still represents their legal strategy. Should Mueller issue a subpoena, Giuliani said, were going to court.

Two of Trumps lawyers at the time, John Dowd and Jay Sekulow, authored the letter in January and delivered it by hand. (Dowd resigned in March.)

The question of whether the president will testify has been scrutinized for months. Mueller reportedly wishes to inquire about a number of topics, including Trumps firing of FBI Director James Comey and his campaigns possible coordination with Russia.

Trumps lawyers also suggested that the president could shut down any Justice Department investigation if he wanted to, although it is not clear whether they were referring to Muellers investigation.

Indeed, the President not only has unfettered statutory and Constitutional authority to terminate the FBI Director, the letter reads, he also has Constitutional authority to direct the Justice Department to open or close an investigation, and, of course, the power to pardon any person before, during, or after an investigation and/or conviction.

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The Times notes that Dowd and Sekulow may be claiming  through ambiguous wording  that Trump has the ability to pardon himself. The legality of such a move is not clear.

Trump addressed the letter in a tweet by once again stating, There was No Collusion with Russia.

Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? he asked.

There was No Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country. Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? Should be looking at Dems corruption instead?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 2, 2018

Trump said in early May that he would love to speak with Mueller because weve done nothing wrong, but said his lawyers were advising him not to do so.

Giuliani said weeks later that he doesnt want Trump to speak to Mueller because theres nothing to be gained.

Muellers Russia investigation has so far led to five guilty pleas involving three former Trump campaign staffers. More than a dozen others have also been indicted, including 13 Russian nationals, Trumps former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and a Russian troll farm that allegedly spread propaganda to help Trump win.

Related Coverage

Mueller Reportedly Investigating Ukraine Payment To Trump Foundation

Trump: Mueller Should Never Have Been Appointed

What Robert Mueller Reportedly Wants To Ask Donald Trump

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As the European Union braces for trade tariffs on its steel and aluminum exports to the U.S., imposed by President Donald Trump under his hardball America first economic policy, Europe is questioning the strength of Washingtons commitment to the transatlantic alliance.

Trump talked the talk during his first year in office, threatening to overturn old assumptions and agreements, but did little about it. Now, in his second year as president, Trump is walking the walk, putting his campaign rhetoric into action. And Europe is feeling the impact.

The EU said it will retaliate against Trumps punitive tariffs with its own, and accused his administration of bullying it on trade. Europe wants to avert a full-blown trade war, but the risk of a Pyrrhic escalation is real, something markets fear.

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The trade dispute between the U.S. and Europe is just one issue of many to erupt under the Trump administration, among them the presidents withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal, both of huge importance to the EU.

Trump Macron

LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images

He also scrapped the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a nascent free trade deal between the U.S. and the EU.

And Trump has made clear that NATOwhich he once called obsolete, though later affirmed his support of the defense alliancecannot rely as much on American leadership and resources as in years gone by, urging members, many in Europe, to up their own military spending.

So do the metals tariffs simply underline a new reality from Brussels to Berlin, Budapest to Bucharest: that Europe is no longer Americas premier ally?

The bonds between Europe and America are too strong and deep to be terminally threatened by the transient policies of single administrations, said Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri, head of the U.S. and Americas program at Chatham House, a foreign affairs think tank in London.

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But these intervening years will put a strain that relationship, one that may alter it for good, well beyond the Trump administration.

When you leave home for eight years, you dont come back and expect everything to be the same, Vinjamuri told Newsweek. But at the same time, the shared interests and the reasons for working together transatlantically are just so overwhelmingly strong, regardless of what anybody says about the economic opportunities in Asia and other parts of the world.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said America is no longer reliable enough to Europe as a partner and suggested that Europe forge its own path forward largely independent of Washington.

At a recent summit in Brussels, European Commision First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said that "some things in transatlantic relations that we never thought would change are being challenged: the issues of trade and security.

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"This is the first administration that thinks it is in the American interest to have a divided Europe rather than a united one. This poses a real challenge for Europe."

French President Emmanuel Macron made overtures to Trump during his recent visit to the U.S., and in a speech to Congress warned America away from isolationism lest the Western world inevitably and severely undermine the liberal order we built after World War II.

Europe still wants America as a robust partner. And in truth, America needs Europe to achieve its own strategic goals.

Dana Allin, senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy and transatlantic affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank, told Newsweek that of course some relationship will survive, its the character of the relationship that matters.

Allin said it was Trumps withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, agreed in 2015, that came as the biggest blow to Europe. It called into question the durability of American policy from one administration to the next, crushing trust and demonstrating that Washington policy is fickle.

You can see in the tone of European leaders that theyre not mincing words about it. They consider it almost as though the United States is acting like a rogue state, Allin said.

The Iran deal also exposes the negative side of American power in terms of European interests. Europe maintains that it is committed to the Iran deal even without American involvement. But in practice, the deal is extremely difficult to uphold without Washington.

A key element of the deal was sanctions relief, said Allin. America threatens to sanction European companies for doing business with Iran. And European companies look at the relative size of the American market and the Iranian market and say its no question, we have to appease the United States.

So these structural connections are elements of American power that are being misused in a way that is very damaging to European interests and foreign policy commitments.

Trump announces US pullout from Iran nuclear deal

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

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Though he believes its unlikely, Allin said Iran could now pursue a nuclear program, risking war with America. That would put the transatlantic alliance to its biggest test yet. And there is a recent precedent with Iraq, which divided EuropeFrance was strongly opposed, while Britain joined the fightand strained relations with Washington.

We return to the Iraq War scenario, except America will be in a much worse situation in terms of trying to gather European and other international support, Allin said.

Americas attempt to move away from Europe actually began before Trump. President Obama had set out to shift his administrations strategic focus toward Asia and reduce American involvement in the conflicts and crises of the Middle East, Vinjamuri said, but he did so with a subtlety that's uncharacteristic of the boorish Trump White House.

[Obama] didnt really manage to do any of those things, said Vinjamuri. But what he did do was he worked out that both of those objectives required working with Europe, certainly on questions having to do with the Middle East and Iran. So in the end, he came back to Europe.

There are also longstanding bilateral ties between the U.S. and the countries of Europe. Relations existed before the EU and it doesnt contain all the countries of Europe. Its just one mechanismalbeit the biggest and most powerfulfor relations.

Theres just so many layers that tie the U.S.-U.K., the U.S.-Europe, the U.S.-Germany together, the idea that it would be forever eroded by Donald Trump is, I think, fanciful, Vinjamuri said.

Bilateral relationships will remain strong. I guess the big question is the EU. For transatlantic relations, that is a very important question, but its only one question. Its not the only question.

Whats more, America and the EU are facing similar threats from populism and nativism. Trump himself is a product of that turbulence and shift in public sentiment.

Euroskeptic forces are on the rise in the EU, creating fears that others will follow the U.K. out the door in their own versions of Brexit, which Trump has supported vocally, to the chagrin of Brussels. Italy is the most recent concern.

But the challenge of overcoming these populist forces could end up pushing the U.S. and Europe closer together again in the coming years.

The solution isnt to defect from your closest friend who can help you get through and come up with manageable solutions. Its the reverse, Vinjamuri said. If the European Union were to become less than what it is, I think that would make Americas significance in Europe greater.

11_13_Trump_Merkel

REUTERS/Ian Langsdon/POOL

Allin pointed to long-term demographic changes in Americasuch as the growing number of hispanics, and millennials soon outnumbering baby boomersshifting its public leftward toward a European outlook on issues such as welfare, climate change and foreign policy.

Those trends still exist irrespective of Trumps rise and bring the potential for greater ideological and policy alignment with Europe. We didnt imagine those demographic trends. Theyre real, said Allin.

But with the populist upsurges on both sides of the Atlantic, from left and right on the political spectrum, there is the danger that both sides of the water will be pushed toward a less internationalist policy. And they may consider these ties less sacred than the postwar generation did, Allin said.

For now, Europe has to ride out the throes of Trumps presidency.

Its undoubtedly the case that Europe is going to spend the duration of Trumps presidency struggling to work out how to respond while keeping in place as much as possible the fundamentals that underpin that relationship, which is key, said Vinjamuri.

You cant walk away from America when America provides your security. And its such an essential economic power. Theres still something thats fundamental and shared at a much deeper level than just any two leadersand it will outlast them.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump all but rolled out the red carpet for a top North Korean official Friday, casting protocol aside and embarking on a characteristically high-stakes gamble.

A jet black US government Chevrolet Suburban rolled through the South West gate of the White House, up the scorching driveway and pulled to halt.

Hurriedly, and slightly anxiously, a phalanx of wiry North Korean security personnel disgorged -- one accidently closing the door on his colleague in the rush.

Then exited the more composed, much smaller and slightly less trim figure of Kim Yong Chol.

Spymaster, military general, envoy and apparatchik, the 72-year-old had become the most senior North Korean official to set foot at the White House in two decades.

Standard protocol would suggest an official of his rank -- particularly one who is under sanction and who represents a geopolitical adversary -- would be whisked, out of sight, into the bowels of the building for a closed door meeting.

Not in Trump's White House.

A fellow general was on hand to greet him -- John Kelly, President Donald Trump's chief of staff -- who escorted him along the White House colonnade and into the Oval Office for a presidential meeting, a rare honor for a non-head of state, much less one from a brutal regime.

White House aides had expected the sit-down with the president, if it happened, to be short, just long enough to exchange pleasantries and a letter from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

"That is something that had been considered from the beginning" one White House official said. "The president wanted to keep his options open."

In the end it ran almost 90 minutes. "We talked about almost everything. We talked about a lot," said Trump.

"It went very well. It's really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation."

Kim's White House visit was not on the official presidential schedule, but had been rumored for days.

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Then, shortly after midday, a small group of White House pool reporters -- including AFP -- received a cryptic email to meet at a designated point for an unspecified reason in seven minutes.

If allowing coverage of Kim's arrival was designed to send a signal, so too was the decision about who participated for the US side.

As Kim arrived, peering through a nearby glass door, was the familiar silvery mustache of John Bolton, Trump's hawkish national security advisor.

Having offended North Korea with comments that hinted at regime change, he largely stayed away from the cameras and stayed out of the Oval meeting, aides said.

A White House official cautioned against reading too much into Bolton's absence, but you can be certain Pyongyang got the message: Trump wants to play nice.

The president underscored that message again and again, when he was asked whether his campaign of "maximum pressure," which included sanctions and threats of annihilation, was over.

"I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore because I don't want to use that term because we're getting along," Trump said. "You see the relationship. We're getting along."

"We had hundreds of new sanctions ready to go on," he added. "I'm not going to put them on until such time as the talks break down."

Trump even admitted that he had not raised the issue of human rights, as he said he was looking forward to the Singapore summit with Kim Jong Un.

But as he stood side-by-side smiling with Kim Yong Chol outside the Oval Office, before waiving him goodbye, there was a small but poignant reminder of the scale of Trump's task.

On Kim's chest, just in front of his heart, sat a red flag pin featuring images of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the previous two leaders of the Kim dynasty and the current leader's father and grandfather.

One started North Korea's nuclear program, the other refused to give it up.

Trump is betting he can make a deal and that North Korea's current ruler will break with decades old family tradition. Friday's meeting showed he is willing to stake America's reputation on it.
A president who is obsessed with stopping leaks leaked extremely sensitive economic information about Mays jobs report Friday morning, over an hour before the report was officially released.

Looking forward to seeing the employment numbers at 8:30 this morning, President Donald Trump tweeted at 7:21 a.m., hinting the numbers would be favorable. Not only is that an hour before the reports release, its a full two hours before government appointees are legally allowed to say anything at all.

Looking forward to seeing the employment numbers at 8:30 this morning.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2018

Aside from the sheer hypocrisy of Trump, one, leaking and, two, playing up the importance of a report he used to dismiss as phony and one of the biggest hoaxes in modern politics, it also makes for deeply problematic economic policy.

Thats according to Justin Wolfers, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan and an adviser to the Congressional Budget Office, among other things. Wolfers said the presidents disclosure is unprecedented both in the U.S. and among his counterparts in other developed countries. And its unprecedented for a handful of really, really good reasons:

Trump is making America Greek again (i.e., bad things happen when data is politicized).

Its extremely important that the data we use to determine how healthy the economy is remain totally independent and free from political influence. Trump teasing and putting a political spin on numbers ahead of their release casts doubt on whether theyre accurate and honest.

The data in these reports are the result of countless hours of work by a group Wolfers characterized as nerds in basements. Markets trust number-crunching nerds who work for government agencies that operate above the political fray. They dont trust politicians.

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The reason for that is, in many tin-pot countries, autocrats start fiddling with the statistics, Wolfers said. When they start doing that, no one believes them, and you end with a situation like in Greece, where nobody wants to loan you money.

The original sin that led to the Greek crisis is that they were dishonest with their economic statistics, Wolfers added. This is a step toward undermining that. Theres nothing good at the end of that pathway.

Its illegal and undermines fundamental trading rules.

A fundamental principle of the economy is the ideal that everyone has access to the same information as everyone else. Information that could send markets skyrocketing, plummeting or even staying the course is tightly guarded, and doled out in a manner meant to ensure everyone has equal access.

Trump was one of a highly select group of people briefed on the jobs report ahead of time. By tweeting about it prior to its release, he turned the system on its head  and thats illegal.

If any public official under any previous administration had issued that tweet, they would get fired within the hour, Wolfers said.

Former President Barack Obamas onetime chief economic adviser Austan Goolsbee told Politico, If the president just tipped that the numbers are good, he broke the law.

Anyone armed with extra information  say a friend Trump told while chatting on the phone Thursday night, or someone who saw Trumps tweet at just the right moment  can use it to make a lot of money at someone elses expense.

If someone makes money in a casino, someone else is losing it, Wolfers explained, and thats likely yours and my retirement account.

Wolfers hasnt yet been able to dig into Fridays pre-market data and conclusively say thats what happened after Trump tweeted, but he said at first glance its highly suggestive.

If youre a financial market trader and you saw that tweet and you were aware the president has been briefed on the numbers, youd have to be a fool to not know what was up, he said. Traders with millions on the line are doing something.

Illegality aside, its just bad for the economy.

Its clear the president doesnt take his responsibility to treat confidential data seriously, said Wolfers. Now every time he speaks were going to be wondering, Did we just learn something? And if he sounds optimistic, well buy, and if he sounds pessimistic, well sell.

Thats extra volatility we dont need.

In addition to destabilizing the market, Trumps tweet undermines the White Houses own ability to send legitimate economic signals when they actually matter.

There are times when the White House needs to speak and be understood, Wolfers said. All of this confuses the White Houses message, not in the political sense, but in the economic sense.

So in the future, if Trumps economic adviser recommends broadcasting a message that seeks to either boost or cool down the markets, for example, economists may disregard the signal seeing it as Trump crying wolf.

When its time, Wolfers warned, the markets will respond less than they should.

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Donald Trump is set to receive a sealed, hand-delivered letter from Kim Jong-un on Friday as negotiations continue over the proposed summit.

The North Korean leader is expected to personally reply to the US president's own letter calling off the meeting scheduled for June 12.

Mr Trump's message on 24 May complained about the regime's "tremendous anger and open hostility" after its spokesman called vice-president Mike Pence a "political dummy".

Mr Kim's reply is being taken to Washington by North Korea's vice chairman Kim Yong Chol, who on Thursday dined on steak, pureed corn and cheese with secretary of state Mike Pompeo in New York.

"I believe they'll be coming down to Washington on Friday and a letter is going to be delivered to me from Kim Jong-un," Mr Trump said on Thursday.

"So I look forward to seeing what's in the letter, but it's very important to them."

The president said he did not know what was in the letter but added: "I think it will be very positive."

Mr Trump's deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley was unable to confirm whether the president would make Mr Kim's letter public.

"Im not going to guess on what hes going to do with the letter," he told reporters on board Air Force One.

Critics have been quick to speculate on its contents, with one Twitter mocking up a childish drawing below the message "Sleepover is cancelled!!".

the first draft of the trump letter to kim is touching  pic.twitter.com/3FlZgIRlwM  EL GLIKO (@ElGliko) May 24, 2018

Another warned Mr Trump to "have that letter checked before you open it", adding: "Not kidding Kim Jong-un poisoned his half brother."

Should Kim Jong-un's top spy really be hand delivering a letter to Trump in the White House? What if he were to assassinate Trump in his own Oval Office with VX nerve agent, and simultaneously launch an attack on Seoul? Sounds like a great season finale!  David Fry (@frydave) June 1, 2018

Mr Kim yesterday repeated that his "will for denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula still remains unchanged and consistent", according to the state news agency's report of the leader's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

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"He hoped that the DPRK-US relations and the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula will be solved on a stage-by-stage basis by founding a solution to meet the interests of each other through a new method in a new era and under a new situation and the solution of the issues will progress through effective and constructive dialogue and negotiation," it added.

The North Korean leader criticised his officials for "outdated diplomacy" after Mr Trump cancelled the summit, according to a report on the online newspaper Daily NK, which is based in South Korea.

He is said to have called on his staff to "take the leadership role in a sincere and practical manner in negotiations for the summit that are in line with the demands of this current, rapidly changing period."

However Mr Kim also described his diplomatic strategy as "protecting our nuclear power, the bastion of our socialist state, and making the Americans wave the white flag."

North Korea declared in April that it will halt all nuclear and intercontinental missile tests and last week demolished its nuclear site at Punggye-riu.

Mr Trump hopes to force Mr Kim to give up his nuclear weapons at the summit, but admitted it might take more than one meeting.

"I'd like to see it done in one meeting," he said. "Often times that's not the way deals work. But it'll get done at some point."

Mr Pompeo also told reporters: We made real progress in last 72 hours. We think there can be real progress made by the two of them meeting. I am confident we are moving in the right direction.

Our two countries face a pivotal moment in our relationship in which it would be nothing short of tragic to let this opportunity go to waste."

Kim Yong Chol is the highest-ranking North Korean official to visit the US in 18 years and was allowed into the country despite being on a sanctions list.
President Donald Trump talks with the media outside the White House as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo looks on: Leah Millis/Reuters

Donald Trump is not backing down from a decision to impose tariffs on allies in the European Union, Canada and Mexico, as the EU warns the US president is playing a dangerous game and the UK pushes to be permanently exempted from the move.

Speaking outside the White House Mr Trump said that he was looking to fix the unfair state of trade with the EU. That followed an early morning tweet where Mr Trump accused Canada of treating the US poorly and saying it needed to open their markets and take down their trade barriers. The White House released details of a conversation Mr Trump had with French President Emmanuel Macron where the president said he needed to rebalance trade with Europe.

The decision by the Trump administration to finally impose the 25 per cent tariffs on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium weeks after they were announced has sparked outrage among some of Washingtons staunchest allies with Theresa May saying: The EU and UK should be permanently exempted from tariffs and she is deeply disappointed at the unjustified decision by the US

Our steel and aluminium industries are hugely important to the UK, but they also contribute to US industry including in defence projects which bolster US national security, Ms May added.

The threat of a trade war has also spooked financial markets, which has global ramifications. Mr Trump has defended the measures, saying they are aimed at protecting US metal workers, who are vital to national security .

In a swift, and tough, response the EU took the US to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Friday to challenge the legality of the move, having issued a 10-page list of tariffs on US goods ranging from Harley-Davidson motorcycles to bourbon. Mexico and Canada have also vowed retaliation, with Canadas, foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland saying the country had also filed a complaint with the WTO.

Canada will closely collaborate with the European Union, which also filed a WTO challenge today, as well as with other like-minded countries, on opposing these tariffs, Ms Freeland added.

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The EUs trade commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, said that EU could not just take these tariffs and stay silent and that the US is playing a dangerous game.

At a meeting of G7 finance ministers in Canada, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Washington would only isolate itself over the move.

Mr Le Maire said he would tell US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that decision to impose tariffs was legally unacceptable, politically unfair and economically dangerous.

Unfortunately we are going to have a G6 plus one with the United States alone against everyone and running the risk of economic destabilisation, Mr Le Maire told reporters.

Trump administration officials have sought to play down the impact of the tariffs as nothing more than a family quarrel. This is despite UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox saying the levy on steel was patently absurd, adding: It would be a great pity if we ended up in a tit-for-tat trade dispute with our closest allies.

Mr Trumps chief economic adviser has said that he remains optimistic about the outcome of negotiations with Canada, Europe and Mexico in spite of recent escalations.

Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters: This is what I regard as a family quarrel and the conversations are wide open and could well be solved in the months ahead as the conversations continue.

The EU envoy Ms Malmstrom backed away from describing the situation as a trade war, because of the psychological effect it has  but suggested that the US would need need to withdraw the measures against the EU for talks to move forward.

We are not in a trade war, but we are in a very difficult situation caused by the United States, Ms Malmstrom said. I would not use the term trade war because it has a psychological effect.

The United States had sought to use the tariff threat to win concessions from Canada and Mexico in talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). But the Nafta talks are at an impasse  leading to the tariffs being imposed Thursday at midnight.

Germanys Volkswagen, Europes largest automaker, warned that the decision could start a trade war that no side would win.

It comes as the US commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, heads to Beijing for negotiations aimed at resolving a trade dispute with China over what the US says are aggressive attempts to challenge Washingtons technological supremacy. China has borne the brunt of Mr Trumps complaints that the US is being victimised by the rest of the world. Action on the US trade deficit was a central plank of Mr Trumps presidential campaign in 2016, and conversations with China have veered from joint proclamations to deal with the dispute to tit-for-tat tariffs and other punitive actions.

Many analysts have suggested that Mr Trump should be keeping allies like the EU, Canada and Mexico close as pushing them away at such a crucial time will only weaken their hand with Beijing. The European Union and China have already said they will deepen ties on trade and investment as a result of the move to impose steel and aluminum tariffs.

This is stupid  its counterproductive, Francis Maude, a former British trade minister, told the BBC. Any government that embarks on a protectionist path inflicts the most damage on itself.
Washington (AFP) - American President Donald Trump suggested Saturday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is deliberately leaking to the press documents about his probe into possible collusion with Russia.

"There was No Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country," Trump tweeted after the investigation passed its one-year mark last month.

"Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? Should be looking at Dems corruption instead?"

Earlier, The New York Times published a confidential 20-page letter the American president's legal team sent to Mueller in January, along with another sent in June 2017.

In the letters, Trump's lawyers sternly oppose attempts by Mueller's office to interview him, saying "under our system of government, the president is not readily available to be interviewed."

They also argue that Trump cannot be accused of obstructing justice because he has the constitutional power to end the investigation led by the Justice Department.

Mueller was appointed in May 2017 to investigate Russian efforts to tip the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor.

He has increasingly dug into evidence of alleged money laundering, fraud and obstruction of justice inside Trump's inner circle.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's lawyers argued in a letter to the special counsel investigating Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election that the president could not have obstructed the probe given the powers granted to him by the U.S. Constitution, the New York Times reported on Saturday. In the Jan. 29 letter to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Trump's lawyers contended that the Constitution gives the president the power to "terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon," and that meant he could not illegally obstruct the investigation, the Times reported. The 20-page letter was a response to repeated requests by Mueller's office asking to interview Trump. Negotiations between Trump's lawyers and the special counsel on a possible interview have continued since. As part of his investigation, Mueller is looking into the possibility the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow and that Trump subsequently tried to obstruct the probe. Russia has denied any interference and Trump has repeatedly said there was no collusion or obstruction. Mueller's office declined to comment, while the White House and the two attorneys who wrote the letter, Jay Sekulow and John Dowd, did not reply to requests for comment. Dowd left the president's legal team in March. Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who became Trump's lead lawyer in April, said last month that he wanted any interview of Trump to be limited in scope and length, suggesting it to be only 2-1/2 hours and not under oath. If the president does not consent to an interview and Mueller instead subpoenas him, the interpretation of executive powers by Trump's lawyers would likely be tested in court if they decided to fight the subpoena. In arguing that Trump has the power to end an investigation or pardon people, his lawyers left open the possibility that they were referring only to a probe into his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and not necessarily an investigation of the president, the New York Times said. Trump took what appeared to be a pre-emptive swipe at the New York Times report shortly before it ran in a tweet that questioned whether Mueller's office or the Justice Department leaked letters from his lawyers. "When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end?" Trump said in the tweet. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; editing by Tim Ahmann and Daniel Wallis)
A Pentagon official fired the latest salvo in a war of words between China and the U.S. regarding the South China Sea, which has become one of the most pressing strategic challenges facing the American military worldwide.

During a briefing on Thursday, Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff, told reporters that the U.S. had a long and successful history of capturing small islands in the Pacific.

China's construction of new islands and reefs in the South China Sea has drawn condemnation from its neighbors and the U.S. The islands were fortified to create a network of small military bases, enforcing Beijings controversial territorial claims in the region and giving the Chinese military de facto control of the waters.

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RTS1SKEN

Planet Labs Inc/Handout via REUTERS

Responding to a question about whether the U.S. was able to blow apart the bases, McKenzie noted that the military had a great deal of experience in taking down small islands in the western Pacific, referring to Americas bloody island-hopping campaign against the Empire of Japan in World War II.

When pressed on his comments later on in the briefing, McKenzie said such operations were a core competency of the U.S. military, telling reporters, You shouldn't read anything more into that than a simple statement of historical fact.

China has steadily been militarizing its South China Sea islands since construction began in 2014, stationing troops, electronic warfare systems and missiles there. Some bases are equipped to host Chinas most powerful weapons, with 10,000-foot runways, hangars to house fighter planes and deepwater piers for warships.

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GettyImages-946172734

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Last month, nuclear-capable H-6K strategic bombers landed on some of the islands for the first time as part of a training exercise, putting all of southeast Asia within reach of Beijings nuclear fleet. The Chinese air force said the drills were in preparation for the battle for the South China Sea.

In defiance of Chinas tightening grip on the region, the U.S. military conducted multiple naval and aerial freedom of navigation missions close to the islands, asserting its belief that the areain which Beijing's territorial claims overlap with five of its neighborsconstitutes international waters. Most recently, two Navy warships sailed close to the Paracel Islands, off the coast of Vietnam.

Such operations were criticized by Chinese officials, who accused the U.S. of trying to stir up trouble. On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said American officials were hyping up militarization in the South China Sea, describing Washington's stance as preposterous, just like a thief crying stop thief.

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Regardless, McKenzie said, we're going to continue to conduct freedom of navigation operations, as allowed by international law, and we're going to continue to do the things that we're doing.

I couldn't speculate as to what China's actions in the future might or might not be, he added.

Earlier this week, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Command and nominee for Americas next ambassador to South Korea warned that China wants to establish hegemony in Asia. Admiral Harry Harris said freedom and justice hang in the balance as a geopolitical competition between free and repressive visions of world order emerges in the Indo-Pacific.

Harris said that only focused involvement and engagement by the United States and our allies could stop Chinese domination of the entire region.

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James Mattis, the US defence secretary, has hit out at Chinas intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea and warned there would be consequences if it continued.

Mr Mattis accused Beijing of military build-up in the region and warned that the result of their actions will come home to roost if they do not stop.

Donald Trump appeared to endorse the comments, linking to them in a tweet and writing: Very surprised that China would be doing this?

But Chinese Lieutenant General He Lei issued a fiery response, saying that "irresponsible comments from other nations cannot be accepted".

The South China Sea has long been contested by America and China, with experts warning it could be the next theatre for geopolitical conflict in the coming decades.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis delivers his speech during the first plenary session of the 17th International Institute for Strategic Studies Credit: Yong Teck Lim/AP

Mr Mattis made the comments at an international security forum in Singapore - the site of Mr Trumps meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12.

Mr Mattis said: "Despite China's claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion.

He also criticised Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea.

China's reliance on military muscle to achieve its goals "is not a way to make long-term collaboration the rule of the road in a region that's important to China's future," Mattis said, when asked to elaborate.

"There are consequences that will continue to come home to roost, so to speak, with China, if they don't find a way to work more collaboratively with all of the nations who have interests," he added.

Responding to the comment, He Lei said: "As long as it is on your own territory you can deploy the army and you can deploy weapons.

Australia's Defence Minister Marise Payne, China's PLA Lieutenant-General He Lei and Canada's Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan listens to US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis' address Credit: EDGAR SU/Reuters

Delegates hoping for clarity on Trump's intentions for a scheduled June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not get much from Mattis.

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He has steadfastly avoided weighing in on the issue, deferring questions to the State Department and Trump's national security team.

"On the Korean peninsula, we hold the line with our allies, supporting our diplomats who lead this effort," Mattis said.

"Our objective remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States vetoed Friday an Arab-backed UN draft resolution calling for measures to protect the Palestinians but failed to win any backing for its own text condemning Hamas for the violence in Gaza.

The two failed votes at the Security Council came a few hours after a young Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border fence.

At least 123 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began at the end of March. No Israelis have been killed.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley declared that "it is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel," saying council members were "willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas."

Ten countries, including China, France and Russia voted in favor of the draft put forward by Kuwait on behalf of Arab countries. Four countries -- Britain, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Poland -- abstained.

Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the US veto "will increase the sense of despair among the Palestinians," fuel further violence and "feed the sentiments of hatred and extremism."

The Kuwait-drafted text had called for "measures to guarantee the safety and protection" of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and requested a UN report on proposals for an "international protection mechanism."

Haley told the council the measure was "wildly inaccurate in its characterization of recent events in Gaza" by condemning Israel for the violence and failing to mention Hamas, which rules Gaza.

"The terrorist group Hamas bears primary responsibility for the awful living conditions in Gaza," she told the council ahead of the vote.

- No support for US draft -

During a second vote, the United States failed to win support for its own rival measure calling on Palestinian militants to halt their protests in Gaza and condemning Hamas.

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Eleven countries abstained, while Russia and two others opposed it.

A draft resolution requires nine votes to be adopted in the 15-member council and no veto from the five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

The outcome deepened the deadlock at the top UN body over how to respond to the flareup of violence in Gaza that a UN envoy has warned is close to the brink of war.

"This session was another missed opportunity for this council," French Ambassador Francois Delattre said, deploring an "increasingly deafening silence" from the United Nations on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.

A barrage of rocket and mortars into Israel from Gaza on Tuesday was followed by Israeli strikes on 65 militant sites in the Gaza Strip in the worst flareup since the 2014 war.

Israel has fought three wars in Gaza against Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist organization.

After the failed votes, Arab diplomats said they were considering turning to the UN General Assembly to win adoption for the US-vetoed resolution.

It was the second time that Haley has resorted to US veto power to block a UN measure on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In December, Haley vetoed a draft resolution that rejected President Donald Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem after all 14 other council members supported it.
The United States has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israels use of force in seeking to squelch protests at the border with Gaza.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley rejected the Kuwaiti-authored resolution - which sought international protection for Palestinian civilians - as grossly one-sided and morally bankrupt, saying it failed to mention Hamass role in instigating violence.

Thousands of Palestinians were wounded and scores died as Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinians rushing the fences, some of them wielding flaming tyres or floating explosives on kites.

America has sided firmly with Israel in saying that Hamas, the terrorist group that governs the Gaza strip, provoked the bloodshed by urging civilians to try and breach the border.

The terrorist group Hamas bares primary responsibility for the awful living conditions in Gaza, Ms Haley said ahead of the vote.

Matching Americas veto, the security council subsequently show down a US-authored resolution that faulted Hamas and called on militant groups to cease all violent activity and provocative actions.

The Palestinian people deserve a better life that can only happen if we acknowledge and reject the terrorist actions of Hamas, Ms Haley said during a Security Council meeting ahead of the vote.

As the area around the border was descending into chaos, American officials were in Jerusalem celebrating the relocation of the American embassy - a change that followed Donald Trumps decision to break from decades of precedent and recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital.

The move generated a global outcry, with Palestinians saying America had tarnished its ability to serve as an objective negotiator to a peace deal. Palestinians lay claim to at least part of Jerusalem, and some officials predicted a resolution with a future Palestinian state was no longer possible.

In response to the diplomatic backlash, the Trump administration slashed aid to a UN initiative that assists Palestinians.
President Donald Trump on Friday talked warmly to reporters about the very nice and very interesting letter he received earlier in the day from North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un.

That letter was a very nice letter, Trump said at a White House news conference. Oh, would you like to see what was in that letter? How much? How much? he quipped with the press.

The letter was hand-delivered to the president by senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol. The two men posed with the very large envelope in the Oval Office. After Trump received the letter, he announced that the June 12 summit with North Korea was on again in Singapore.

When asked if he could offer a flavor of what the letter said, Trump said: It was a very interesting letter. At some point, it may be appropriate and maybe Ill be able to give it to you, maybe.

But mere minutes later, in response to another question, the president responded: I havent seen the letter yet. I purposely didnt open the letter. I havent opened it. I didnt open it in front of the director. I said, Would you want me to open it? He said, You can read it later.

He added: I may be in for a big surprise, folks.

.@POTUS @realDonaldTrump is presented with a letter from North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, Friday, June 1, 2018, by North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol in the Oval Office at the @WhiteHouse in Washington, D.C., followed by a meeting. (Official @WhiteHouse Photos by Shealah Craighead) pic.twitter.com/6a1PgFXS3v  Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) June 1, 2018

Check out the presidents letter versions in the video above.

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The White House is preparing for a summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Citing a senior administration official, the daily says that the U.S. ambassador in Moscow, Jon Huntsman, is helping to broker a meeting between the leaders, though planning remains in its initial stages.

Trump Putin

REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

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This has been an ongoing project of Ambassador Huntsman, stretching back months, of getting a formal meeting between Putin and Trump, the senior administration official told the Journal.

The summit would aim at resolving longstanding differences between the U.S. and Russia on issues including Syria, Ukraine, and nuclear arms control.

Trumps relationship with Putin has been the subject of speculation and concern, amid special counsel Robert Muellers probe into the alleged collaboration between officials working for Trump and Russia.

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U.S. intelligence agencies in January 2017 concluded that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election in a bid to secure Trumps election.

The meeting would be the third time Trump and Putin have met since Trump became president, with the two leaders meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, last June, and during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam in November.

Before being elected president, Trump posted several tweets claimed to have met or spoken with Putin but backed down from the claim in July 2016.

During a March 20 phone call, Trump invited Putin to Washington, the White House confirmed, after reports on the invite citing a Putin aide emerged in Russian media. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in April that Putin was prepared to meet Trump with one "possible" venue being the White House.

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By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have detected another exotic feature on one of the solar system's most wondrous worlds, a large field of dunes on the surface of the distant, frigid dwarf planet Pluto apparently composed of wind-swept, sand-sized grains of frozen methane.

The dunes, spotted on images taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its 2015 flyby, sit at the boundary between a heart-shaped nitrogen glacier about the size of France called Sputnik Planitia and the Al Idrisi Montes mountain range made of frozen water, scientists said on Thursday.

"Pluto, even though it's so far away from Earth and so very cold, has a riot of processes we never expected to see. It is far more interesting than any of us dreamed, and tells us that these very distant bodies are well worth visiting," Brigham Young University planetary scientist Jani Radebaugh said.

The dunes cover about 775 square miles (2,000 square km), roughly the size of Tokyo. Their existence came as a surprise. There was some doubt about whether Pluto's extremely thin atmosphere, mainly nitrogen with minor amounts of methane and carbon monoxide, could muster the wind needed to form such features.

Pluto, smaller than Earth's moon with a diameter of about 1,400 miles (2,380 km), orbits roughly 3.6 billion miles (5.8 billion km) away from the sun, almost 40 times farther than Earth's orbit, with a surface marked by plains, mountains, craters and valleys.

Methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, all gaseous on Earth, are rendered solid with Pluto's temperatures near absolute zero. Pluto's dunes were shaped by moderate winds reaching around 22 mph (35 kph) apparently blowing fine-grained frozen methane bits from mountaintops.

Pluto's dunes resemble some on Earth like those in California's Death Valley and China's Taklamakan desert, though their composition differs, Radebaugh said.

Dunes have been detected elsewhere in the solar system including planets Mars and Venus, Saturn's moon Titan and Neptune's moon Triton, University of Cologne physicist and geoscientist Eric Parteli said. Pluto's dunes probably formed within the past 500,000 years, and potentially more recently, Parteli added.

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"Given we have dunes on the scorching surface of Venus under a dense atmosphere, and out in the distant reaches of the solar system at minus 230 degrees Celsius (minus 382 Fahrenheit) under a thin atmosphere, yes, dunes do have a habit of cropping up in a lot of surprising places," University of Plymouth planetary scientist Matt Telfer said.

The research was published in the journal Science.

(Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Harare (AFP) - Padded out with babies, dead people and phantom voters, Zimbabwe's electoral roll has long been a contentious feature of its elections and is accused of being the rotten core of vote rigging.

The list of voters eligible to cast ballots in elections due on July 30 will be a major focus for foreign observers deployed to the country in an effort to ensure the vote's credibility.

In previous ballots, manipulating the voter roll has been one of the strategies used to fix results.

In 2013, observer group Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network described the voter roll that was the basis of former president Robert Mugabe's final election victory -- a 61 percent landslide -- as "a systematic effort to disenfranchise" voters.

They estimated that around one million electors had been robbed of their political voice.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over from Mugabe with support from the military last November, has vowed a break with the past -- promising an election free of violence, intimidation and fraud.

To allay fears of phantom voters, Zimbabwe has produced a new register featuring biometric voter data for the first time.

In recent weeks, voters have even been able to inspect and verify their details to avoid problems on polling day.

"The biometric voter registration process captures one's biometric details hence it is envisaged that it will get rid of multiple registrations and dead people on the voters roll," said Tawanda Chimhini, director of the Election Resource Centre, a non-profit poll monitor.

- 'Something to hide'? -

But poll watchers and opposition parties warn that will not be enough to ensure the election's credibility.

Demand for an independent audit of the register has intensified in recent weeks after voter registration closed on Friday.

"There must be an external audit of the voters roll," said Douglas Mwonzora, secretary general of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

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The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which organises elections, has so far refused to open the roll to public scrutiny, arguing that to do so would create confusion.

"It's rather sad that (the ZEC) have chosen not to do this because unfortunately it feeds the perception that they have something to hide," said Piers Pigou, the International Crisis Group's Zimbabwe researcher.

An independent audit of the voter register at various stages of its compilation is "the critical missing factor" in the much-anticipated and closely watched election, Pigou said.

"There is one fundamental problem that we are seeing here... and that is its failure to really invest and build credibility and confidence in this roll."

Sara Rich Dorman, a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh and author of the book "Understanding Zimbabwe", warned that Zimbabweans were hungry for transparency.

"We know that every voter roll since independence has been deeply flawed," she said.

- 'Old, problematic voter rolls' -

"The verification process this time seems substantially improved, but if the list is still based on old, problematic voters rolls, then we cannot be 100 percent confident," added Rich Dorman.

Activists also say that key constitutional changes adopted in 2013 have not yet been made law, which could threaten the constitutionality of the polls.

"A number of laws remain unaligned to the constitution of Zimbabwe, potentially threatening the constitutionality of our election including the independence of the ZEC... (and) the right to vote for the diaspora and prisoners," said Chimhini.

"The ZEC must be able to operate independently without the interference of the executive."

The opposition has complained that the ZEC is heavily stacked with former military personnel who could lean towards the ruling ZANU-PF power structure, and have called for it to be "demilitarised".

But for ordinary voters, the biggest concern will be that the elections are peaceful.

"People have to be very mature, no violence -- just cast your vote to build our nation in peace," said Victor Murembeni, 38, who registered to vote at the last minute.

Mnangagwa, 75, of the ruling ZANU-PF party will square-off against the MDC's 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa in the presidential race.

Chamisa replaced founding party leader Morgan Tsvangirai after the former trade union stalwart, who served as prime minister in a power-sharing government with Mugabe, died of cancer in February.

Former president Mugabe, 94, has not been seen in public in recent months, although he has been linked to a new political party made up of disgruntled former ZANU-PF members.

So there may yet be surprises to come in Zimbabwe's election other than the electoral roll.
The State of Israel won the lottery. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu picked the right numbers.

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After years in which Israel had no control of the international arena and was forced to maneuver between an impossible American initiative and an illogical European initiative, something changed.

US President Donald Trumps arrival at the White House was more dramatic than any other event in the Middle East in the past few decades. America is back to being a regional playerdespite its contradictory statementsand all of the things going on around us are the counterreaction: The embassies moving to Jerusalem, the Russian declaration on limiting the Iranian presence in Syria, and mainly putting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into the right proportions.

Netanyahu and Trump. Statistics say the chance of winning a large sum again is very small, and this also applies to Trump as a prize (Photo: Haim Katz/GPO)

Last week, I participated in three meetings with American political tourists. Israel is filled with students, journalists, professors, human rights activists, believers and others who arrive to see the news with their own eyes. Anyone walking around Jerusalem these days could find them on every corner.

Israel is an interesting story in every possible discipline. We have a developed technology and exact sciences here, archaeology and history under every building, theology in every corner, an interesting economy that is worth studying, innovative water desalination projects, philosophy of human nature, and of course countless angles on national and religious conflicts.

In each of these meetings, on all of these issues, Trumps name was raised at the very beginning and at the very end of the conversation. The Americans have stopped examining Israel through the shared values, the military aid, the interests and even the conflict. They are examining us through are you for Trump or for our adversaries?

Most of those who come here actually belong to the more liberal audience. They see Trump as a mystery and see his connection with us as a cause for concern. Its hard to say they are wrong about the mystery. Trump is a strange person. I wouldnt want him as Israels leader, but Im very happy hes in the White House.

Like others, I was wrong too. I was convinced Trump would do the opposite of what he said he would do. Every time he spoke about his ultimate deal for the Middle East, I was convinced he would clash with us at some point. Every declaration or action was accompanied by the great fear of the price tag on the day after. Today, Im no longer convinced of anything, apart from the fact that Trump shook the international conventions and benefitted the world.

Thanks to his insanity and late night tweets, something positive is happening in the North Korean arena , a country which played a critical role in Syria's nuclearization attempt. Thanks to erasing the Obama legacy, Trump nullified the problematic agreement with Iran . Thanks to his attitude towards Israel, we can understand for the first time how biased the attitude was until now. Thanks to Trumps allegedly irrational diplomacy, we can understand how distorted his predecessors logic about foreign relations was.

Thanks to Trumps allegedly irrational diplomacy, we can understand how distorted Obamas logic about foreign relations was (Photos: AP, Shutterstock)

But all these insights make no difference, because were not the focus here. We just won the lottery, were not the lottery enterprise. There are winners who receive the money, become millionaires overnight, but understand that there is a risk. They take a deep breath, carefully plan their moves, seek advice, and then invest anonymously. And there are winners who receive the money, show it to everyone, spend it and go crazy.

Statistics say the chance of winning a large sum again is very small. The same applies to the case of Trump as a prize. Liberal Americans hate him and see him as the source of all evil in the world, and the Democratic Party is radicalizing its views. In our context, its already alarming. If his moves vis-a-vis North Korea or Iran succeed, the attitude towards him will likely change. In the meantime, theyre there.

As the big winners, this means well have a problem with the Democrats on the day after. We can see it in their eyes, in their reactions, in the medias attitude. If they win the next elections, theyll erase the Trump legacy just like he erased the Obama legacy. Theyll take revenge. Its not us, its them; the American polarization psychology. The basic and perhaps only piece of advice when it comes to a large sum of money in such a win is investment diversification.
In 2007, Hamas staged a military coup against the Palestinian Authoritys legal rule in Gaza. Since then, we have been trying to deal with Hamas terrorism in every way, including three wide-scale military operationsCast Lead, Pillar of Defense and Protective Edge, the last of which lasted 51 days and claimed the lives of 67 IDF soldiers and four Israeli civilians.

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We imposed an economic blockade on Gaza. We reached a hudna with Hamas, which violated it shortly afterwards, of course. We invested billions in defense measuresthe Iron Dome system, uncovering tunnels, building a fence and a sea barrier. Nothing helped. The Hamas terrorism continued even after the organization imposed a horrible humanitarian reality on Gazas two million residents.

The thought that Gaze can be rebuilt and that its residents can enjoy some relief under the Hamas rule is baselessjust like the arrogant declarations made by prime ministers and defense ministers after every operation, that Israel dealt Hamas a decisive blow.

Hamas leader Haniyeh on Gaza border. The Hamas rule could have been eliminated in Operation Cast Lead (Photo: AFP)

The Hamas rule could have been eliminated in Operation Cast Lead. We were just 2 kilometers away from the Hamas leaders, who were hiding in the Al-Shifa Hospital. Then-defense minister Ehud Barak was against it, and he imposed his opinion on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who was at the end of his term. Since then, we have been dominated by the conception of co-existence, or rather co-death, with Hamas.

In 2009, several days before the elections, then-opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu stood at the gates of Gaza and firmly vowed to bring down the Hamas rule, unlike the weak Olmert government. That promise was one of the reasons Netanyahu won the elections.

After he was elected, he adopted Baraks stance and preferred to perpetuate the Hamas rule and the split between the PA rule in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza. Even during Operation Protective Edge, Netanyahu favored negotiations with Hamas over toppling the organization, although the world in generaland the moderate Arab states, led by Egypt, in particularcalled for an end to the Hamas rule. Even recently, when the PA demanded to restore its military and civilian control of Gaza, Netanyahu kept favoring the Hamas rule in the strip.

As we know, the PA has imposed sanctions on Hamas in Gaza. Not so long ago, Netanyahu warned the PA that if it didnt lift the sanctions, he would cut the funds the PA revoked from Hamas from the funds Israel transfers to the PA. Thats how devoted Bibi has become to the Hamas rule in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Devoted to the Hamas rule in Gaza (Photo: Reuters)

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states still want to remove Hamas and restore the PA rule in Gaza, but Bibi is standing strong against these trends and preventing cooperation with the moderate Arab states against Hamas. The reason is that hes afraid the PAs return to Gaza will make it politically stronger and then, God forbid, hell have to negotiate with one Palestinian entity representing both Gaza and the West Bank.

Many in the Right prefer a continuation of the current situation, arguing that Gaza is the Palestinian state and that there is no need to establish another Palestinian state, even if Gaza is controlled by a terror organization. The PAs return to Gaza will make their argument invalid.

The claim that toppling Hamas could lead to a worse rule (as if there could be anything worse than Hamas and Islamic Jihad) is ridiculous. Its perfectly clear that Hamas would be replaced by the PA and no one else.

The IDF waged a day of battle Tuesday against an ephemeral organization like Islamic Jihad, which operates under the auspices of Hamas. Its absurd. Israel, the country with the strongest army in the Middle East, is letting Hamas claim lives and make the lives of Israels residents in general, and the Gaza border area residents in particular, a misery for more than a decade now.

Weve already tried everything, apart from the only logical solutioneliminating the rule of terror, the Iranian branch in southern Israel. Eventually, well have no choice, and sooner or later well bring Hamas down, so why not now?
The violent round in Gaza seems to be over, at least until the next time, which will likely arrive soon. Eventually, we may get dragged into a wide-scale military operation, even if neither side really wants that.

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The reason is Israels disregard of the reality created in Gaza in the past 12 years. During those years, Gaza became a de-facto state for all intents and purposes. It has clear borders, an effective government, an independent foreign policy and an army. These are the exact characteristics of a state.

Moreover, the government in Gazathe Hamas governmentwas elected in relatively democratic elections in 2006, and is without a doubt an authentic representative of the residents.

An IDF strike on a Hamas post in Gaza. Eventually, we may get dragged into a wide-scale military operation which neither side is interested in (Photo: AFP)

Our policy should be chosen solely based on interests. Israel has no territorial, economic or political interest in Gaza. All we have is a security interestwe dont want them to fire on us for a long period of time, and we want to limit their development of new military abilities in the future as much as possible.

And what are the Gaza governments interests? Granted, Hamas vision is to destroy the State of Israel. But lacking the ability to implement that, it is settling for a much more modest interest for nowto keep ruling Gaza. For that purpose, Hamas desperately needs international legitimization and resources to rebuild the collapsing infrastructures.

Is the conflict between our interests and those of Hamas unbridgeable? I dont think so. Israeli officials say we are willing to offer financial aid to Gazas poor residents, who have been taken hostage by Hamas. Thats a somewhat sanctimonious statement. First of all, Hamas isnt al-Qaeda or ISIS, but a political movement supported by most of Gazas residents. Second, and more importantly, Gaza cant be rebuilt behind its governments back.

At the end of Operation Protective Edge, nearly four years ago, it was decided that an international committee would be established to handle the strips reconstruction. It was also decided that the move would be led by Egypt and that the money for this important goal would be given to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. Considering the fact that neither Egypt nor the Palestinian Authority is interested in rebuilding Gaza, they basically let two foxes guard the henhouse.

Its time to sober up and build the strategy vis-a-vis Gaza based on three principles. First, its time to recognize that its an independent state. Were not the ones who created the internal Palestinian split, so were not the ones who should be paying a (security-related) price to end this split.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Gaza cant be rebuilt behind its governments back (Photo: EPA)

Second, Israel would support any activity aimed at rebuilding the water, electricity and sewage systems and the homes in Gaza, and wouldnt object to this activity being done publicly and directly with the Hamas government. About two years ago, Turkey suggested a quick and efficient solution for part of the electricity problem: Placing a ship with a huge generator off the Gaza coast, which would be connected to Gazas electricity system and nearly double the electricity production. Israel opposed the plan for political reasons. Why?

Third, any financial aid to Gaza would be linked to defined projects, and the Hamas government would have to comply with strict supervision demands.

If such an activity is implemented, if the harsh humanitarian reality improves, if the Hamas government gains assets which it will be afraid to lose in the event of a military flare-up, the tensions will drop.

We should remember that from 1948 to 1967, all Arab states were committed to the idea of destroying Israel, yet the armistice commissions managed to guarantee a long calm, most of the time, in most areas.

Israel should therefore choose between the option of being right and the option of being smart. The second possibility is more worthwhile, definitely more than the opposite way suggested by different officials in the past two days: To reoccupy Gaza.
Japan's defense minister has urged the international community to keep sanctions and surveillance on North Korea, saying it has a history of reneging on agreements.

Itsunori Onodera says North Korea agreed to give up nuclear weapons as early as 1994, but has continued to develop them in secret and until last year threatened surrounding countries with a series of ballistic missile launches.

He says: "In light of how North Korea has behaved in the past, I believe that it is important not to reward North Korea solely for agreeing to have a dialogue."

He adds, "We have seen history repeat, where North Korea would declare to denuclearize, thereby portraying itself as conciliatory and forthcoming, only to turn around to void all international efforts towards peace."

Onodera told an international security conference in Singapore, which is hosting the June 12 summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, that the only way to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula is to "ensure that North Korea will take concrete actions towards realizing the (complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement) of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all flight ranges in accordance with the series of UN Security Council resolutions."
An IDF force foiled an attempted car-ramming attack in the city of Hebron Saturday morning, killing the terrorist in the process.

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The IDF Spokesperson's Unit stated that the terrorist tried to run over soldiers who were in the area, and the force responded with gunfire.

There were no casualties among the soldiers. No weapons were found in the possession of the attacker.

Scene of the attack

An initial investigation of the incident found that a 35-year-old Palestinian from Beit Ummar, a village near Hebron, sped with a "Bobcat" UTV towards a military force secuing a checkpoint leading to the Tomb of the Patriarchs from Kiryat Arba, which is the Jewish settlement in Hebron.

The soldiers ordered him to stop, but the suspect didnt heed their warnings and, after failing to hit them, made a U-turn and tried to attack Israeli civilians.

"An additional soldier who was positioned on top of the roof of a nearby building identified the threat to the civilians who stood nearby and, in response, fired at the terrorist," the IDF said in a statement.

Concrete blocks placed around the soldiers' position apparently prevented the driver from running them over.

The attempted attack took place while Jewish worshipers were passing by, and during a period when the IDF allows full freedom of worship for Palestinians in the West Bank, on the occasion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The easing of restrictions includes the opening of the entire Cave of the Patriarchs to Muslims only on Fridays of the holiday, as well as the freedom of movement for tens of thousands of Palestinians to reach the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

IDF soldier and Muslim worshippers at the Cave of the Patriarchs (Photo: Yoav Zitun)

The IDF intensifies its activities every year during Ramadana volatile month in which many terror attacks have taken place over the years. It is set to come to a close June 14.

During one such activity in the al-Am'ari refugee camp on the outskirts of Ramallah on Thursday, May 24, an IDF soldier was mortally wounded after a slab of marble was dropped on his head.

The soldier, 20-year-old Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky from the elite special operations force Duvdevan Unit, was operating along with his unit in the camp to act as a covering force working in conjunction with another unit tasked with finding and arresting "several terrorists who carried out attacks in the past" by the Shin Bet.

He succumbed to his wounds two days later.
Osama Abu Siam, who was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer during last Friday's violent disturbance in Rahat, denied any such attack and claimed he was only attempting to defend himself after a female policewoman beat him over the head with a radio transmitter.

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Abu Siam was determined by district psychiatrist to be unfit for trial due to a serious head injury he suffered in a past work accident. He was put on house arrest on Wednesday, along with the two other suspects arrested in the incident.

During his arrest, Abu Siam was captured being slapped by one of the officers leading him away. This raised questions, and Abu Siam was requested to give testimony Thursday at the Police Internal Investigations Department (PIID), along with the officer who hit him.

Abu Siam slapped by officer during his arrest in the incident in Rahat

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Abu Siam recounted that after the police arrived at his neighborhood and the confrontations began, one of the policemen insulted him, and then another attacked him from behind.

"The policeman called me a son of a bitch. I said, 'Why are you talking to me like that?'" he said. "Then a policewoman came from behind (me) and beat me (on my head) with her radio transmitter. I fell to the floor."

Abu Siam claims he panicked and tried to explain to the officers that he was disabled in an attempt to get them to stop beating him, but to no avail.

"I told them: 'Stop, I'm disabled!' They told me: 'You are not disabled, you are a criminal,'" he alleged. "They (continued to) beat me. I was hit in the head, in my mouth, everywhere."

Abu Siam also denied throwing stones or shouting "Itbah al Yahud" (slaughter the Jews) as the officers present at the scene have claimed, noting that in the past he even spent three years in the social educational organization "Aharai!" in preparation for IDF enlistment, which didn't pan out.

"What 'Itbah al Yahud'? I said nothing of the sort," he insisted, adding he "picked up stones for self-defense after the policewoman hit me" and stressing he didn't even throw them, and that they were taken from his hands by the officers at the scene.

Osama Abu Siam

Abu Siam's lawyer said that "the video clearly shows that there was no attack (on the part of my client). No criminal offense. He was attacked by the policemen, and as a result of the attack fell to the floor and picked up two stones. This is a fact that we do not deny. We believe this is reasonable behavior. Every victim would have behaved this way."

Abu Siam's uncle and caretaker, Sameh Abu Siam, said both of them "respect the police," who he says usually "do their job properly," but lamented how things escalated after the officers verbally assaulted his nephew.

Sameh said the officers began using improper language after arresting a man driving without a permit, lashing out on any passerbyamong them his nephew.

"Osama heard the police siren. He went to look like everyone else," Sameh said. "The police jumped at him and one of them said: 'Go away,' so he went, but then one of the policemen said to him, 'Go away, you son of a bitch.' Then the incident occurred."
A terror cell crossed the Gaza border into Israel on Saturday morning in the southern part of the strip and tried to sabotage security infrastructure on the Israeli side.

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An IDF force identified the terrorists and opened fire at them, prompting them to flee back into Gaza.

"The Hamas terror organization is trying again and again to turn the border fence area into an area of violence and fighting both underground and above ground," the IDF said in a statement. "The IDF will not allow this and will continue to act to ensure the safety of the residents of the State of Israel."

Clashes on Gaza border Friday (:  ")

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On Friday, thousands of Palestinians rioted near the Gaza border fence in several hotspots. During the clashes, terrorists opened fire at an IDF force, hurled grenades, explosives and Molotov cocktails, threw stones and worked to sabotage the border fence and other security infrastructure in several spots along the frontier.

IDF forces acted in accordance with the rules of engagement to stop terror attempts and efforts the sabotage defense infrastructure.

Infiltration attempt (Photo: IDF Spokeman's Office)

Infiltration attempt (Photo: IDF Spokeman's Office)

A large conflagration also broke out in the Kibbutz Nir Am area because of an incendiary kite. The fire was burning close to the kibbutz and firefighting teams were calls to the scene to stop it from reaching the community.

Earlier, an incendiary kite started a brush fire near Kibbutz Kissufim.

Grenade hurled at IDF troops (Photo: IDF Spokeman's Office)

During the clashes on Friday, a 21-year-old Palestinian volunteer medic, Razan Ashraf Najjar, was killed after being shot in the chest while running towards the fence, reportedly to treat wounded Palestinians. She is the second woman killed in the March of Return protests.

The Palestinians also reported over 100 were wounded in the clashes, 40 of them from live fire.

Pipe bomb hurled at IDF troops (Photo: IDF Spokeman's Office)

During the protests, an IDF vehicle came under gunfire. In addition, a suspect was spotted crossing the border fence in northern Gaza and putting down a grenade that went off as he was returning to the strip. There were no injuries among IDF soldiers.
BEIRUT - Syria's foreign minister said on Saturday that US forces must withdraw from the Tanf base in the south, and that Damascus had not engaged in talks over the country's southern region.

Walid al-Moualed also told a news conference that the government had communicated with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) but no negotiation process had started.

He said Raqqa city, which SDF militias control, "must be rebuilt and liberated" from any foreign presence.
DAMASCUS - Syria's foreign minister insisted Saturday that Iranian military advisers are embedded with Syrian troops but Tehran has no combat forces or fixed bases in the country.

Walid al-Muallem told reporters that Iran's presence is legitimate and based on an invitation of the government.

Al-Muallem said Israel is making false claims to try and pressure Iran, its archrival.
The United States has reportedly expressed reservations about the understandings reached between Israel and Russia on the withdrawal of Iranian and Hezbollah forces from southern Syria, the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported Saturday, citing Western diplomatic sources.

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According to the paper, the American reservations stemmed from the US desire to continue exerting pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad.

According to an earlier report in Asharq Al-Awsat, the Iranian and Hezbollah forces will initially pull back its forces to within 20 kilometers of the border, and later to a range of 60 to 70 kilometers, with Russia underlining the fact that this was a gradual process.

US President Trump, Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu and Russian President Putin (Photo: MCT, AFP, Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly wanted Israel to allow Assad's army to move southwards to the Jordanian border and secure all of the Syrian Golan Heights.

In return, the Russian president is willing to promise Israel that Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps and Iran-affiliated militias will not be present in the territories Assad's army takes.

Assad himself has rebuffed claims of an Iranian military presence in his country, while accusing Israel of launching attacks on his territory and of propagating lies about its massive aerial offensive launched earlier in May.

The embattled Syrian president told Russia Today that Iran's presence in his country was limited to officers who were assisting the Syrian army. Apparently referring to the May 10 attack by Israel, Assad said "we had tens of Syrian martyrs and wounded soldiers, not a single Iranian" casualty.

Syrian President Bashar Assad (Photo: Reuters)

However, Iran-backed militias, including Lebanon's Hezbollah terror group, have played a big role in support of Assad during the conflict. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have also deployed in the country, and scores of Iranian soldiers have been killed in battles with insurgents in Syria, including a number of officers.

Israel, which is deeply alarmed by Tehran's influence in Syria, earlier this month said it destroyed dozens of Iranian military sites in Syria, after Iranian forces fired rockets at Israeli territory for the first time.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem echoed his president's claims on Saturday, saying that Iranian military advisers are embedded with Syrian troops, Tehran has no combat forces or fixed bases in the country.

Muallem insisted to reporters that Iran's presence is legitimate and based on an invitation of the government, and that Israel was making false claims to try and pressure Iran, its archrival.

"There are Iranian advisers in Syria some of whom were martyred while working with the Syrian Arab army and their presence is part of an agreement and in coordination with the armed forces on where they should be," Muallem said. "There are no fixed military bases for the Islamic Republic of Iran and what Israel is circulating are lies."

"When the conspiracy against Syria began in 2011 our brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran came to help Syria in fighting terrorism," Muallem said adding that the Syrian people are "grateful" for this help from Iran.

"As long as there is war on terrorism, Syria as a sovereign state will cooperate with whoever it wants in fighting terrorism," he said.

Muallem denied reports that an agreement was reached between regional and other powers over the situation of southwestern Syria where the country's Golan Heights are located.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem (Photo: Reuters)

On Friday, Russia's ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzia said he heard from the news that an agreement was reached on "certain disengagement in the southwest of Syria and, I think, my understanding is that an agreement has been reached."

However, asked about Nebenzia's comments Muallem said no agreement has been reached for southern Syria, adding that Damascus is not currently involved in any negotiations over the area.

Earlier this week, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Syrian troops should be positioned on the border with Israel. The area between the southern province of Daraa and the Golan Heights has emerged as a flashpoint in a wider standoff between Israel and Iran, and the United States has warned it will take action to protect a cease-fire there.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported on Thursday that Iranian troops and members of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group are getting ready to withdraw from southern Syria.

A Syria-based official with the Iran-led axis of resistance denied the report.

Muallem reiterated the government's position that it aims to regain control of the whole country.

Syrian army tanks (Photo: AFP)

Syrian government forces, in their strongest position since the early months of the seven-year conflict, have driven rebels out of all territory near the capital Damascus this year.

For weeks there have been reports that the government's next target would be the zone in the south, one of only two large areas left in the hands of fighters seeking to topple Assad.

Rebels control stretches of southwest Syria, bordering the Israeli Golan Heights, while Syrian army troops and allied Iran-backed militias hold nearby territory.

"We strongly support Russian efforts to drive terrorists out of the Syria-Jordan border and to bring the area under Syrian army control," the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, told the Shargh Daily.

He also repeated Tehran's denial that it has military advisors in that part of Syria. "We have said before that Iranian military advisers are not present in southern Syria and have not participated in recent operations," Shamkhani said.
The IDF said on Saturday it was investigating the apparent killing by its troops of a Palestinian nurse on Friday during protests along the Gaza border.

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Health officials and witnesses said Israeli forces shot dead 21-year-old Razan Ashraf Najjar, a volunteer medic, as she ran towards the border fence, east of the south Gaza city of Khan Yunis, in a bid to reach a casualty.

The IDF said Palestinian terrorists had attacked its troops along the border with gunfire and a grenade.





Razan Ashraf Najjar treating wounded Palestinians on Gaza border

In a written statement on Saturday, the military said it would investigate Najjar's death.

Thousands of people attended Najjar's funeral in Gaza on Saturday, including some she had treated when they were wounded at previous border protests and hundreds of medical workers in white uniforms.

Najjar's body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag as the funeral procession started from the hospital and passed near her home in Khuzaa, a village near Khan Yunis that is close to the border and has served as one of five protest encampments across Gaza in recent weeks. She was the eldest of six siblings.

Najjar's funeral (Photo: AP)

"With our souls and blood we redeem you martyr Razan," cried mourners as the body was brought to her home for a last farewell before burial.

Fellow nurses at Najjar's funeral (Photo: AFP)

Residents said Najjar was a popular figure at the protest sites and pictures depicting her as an angel circulated on Palestinian social media.

"I want the world to hear my voice ... what's my daughter's fault?" asked her mother Sabreen, dressed in black and seated on a mattress in her living room. "She will leave a large emptiness at home."

Relatives weep at Najjar's funeral (Photo: AP)

Fares al-Kidra, a colleague of Najjar, said they were approaching the fence to evacuate a wounded man and, as they were leaving, three gunshots were heard and Najjar fell to the ground.

Al-Mezan, a Gaza-based rights group, said Najjar was 100 meters from the fence and wearing a clearly marked paramedic's vest when she was shot.

Social media videos, and one captured by Associated Press footage, showed Najjar and a cohort of medics walking toward the fence and raising their hands to reach a wounded man lying on the ground. Najjar wore a dark blue headscarf and a white coat with the logo of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, where she volunteered.

Razan Ashraf Najjar

Izzat Shatat, 23, a volunteering ambulance worker, said he and Najjar were set to announce their engagement at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. He said he was worried and asked her not to go to the border area Friday but she refused.

"She helped all people. She has never refused to help. She was the first to run toward anybody when he is shot," he said in tears.

After the funeral, dozens of mourners headed to the fence and started throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers on the other side. The Palestinian Health Ministry said five protesters were wounded by Israeli fire.

Condemnation

The UN Middle East peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov said on Twitter: "Medical workers are #NotATarget!"

"#Israel needs to calibrate its use of force and Hamas need to prevent incidents at the fence. Escalation only costs more lives," he added.

Israel has drawn international condemnation for its use of deadly force during the mass demonstrations.

Razan Ashraf Najjar on Gaza border

The Palestinians say most of the dead and the thousands wounded were unarmed civilians against whom Israel was using excessive force, while a Hamas official admitted many of the dead were members of the terror organization.

In a statement published by the Palestinian official news Agency Wafa on Friday, Health Minister Jawad Awwad condemned Najjar's killing and said it violated international law.

The IDF said in its statement: "The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) constantly works to draw operational lessons and reduce the number of casualties in the area of the Gaza Strip security fence. Unfortunately, the Hamas terror organization deliberately and methodically places civilians in danger."

Razan Ashraf Najjar treating wounded Palestinians on Gaza border

On Friday the United States, Israel's ally, vetoed a Kuwaiti-drafted UN Security Council resolution that condemned Israel's use of force against Palestinian civilians.

Later, a second, US-drafted resolution that blamed Hamas for the violence and upheld Israel's right to defend itself failed to attract any other country's support when it was put to vote in the 15-member council.
Four air tankers and 12 firefighting teams have been battling a massive blaze that broke out in the Karmia Nature Reserve on Saturday afternoon because of an incendiary kite flown from Gaza.

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According to initial estimates, between 2,000-3,000 dunams of the reserve and its surrounding area were damaged in the fire.

The topographical conditions in the nature reserve, which is located in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, combined with the strong winds blowing in the area, are making it very difficult for firefighting forces to gain control of the flames.

Fires rage in Gaza border communities (:  ,  )

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Thick smoke is covering the area, and there is concern the blaze might spread to the greenhouses of Netiv HaAsara.

Firefighters and farmers were also fighting Saturday evening to put out a fire that broke out in a wheat field near the Sapir College in Sderot.

Fire at Karmia Nature Reserve

On Saturday morning, an incendiary kite started a conflagration in the forest near Kibbutz Kissufim. Firefighting forces were able to gain control of the flames.

Shortly after that, a brush fire broke out near Kibbutz Nir Am, where the flames came close to the kibbutz's fence. Firefighters were able to stop it from reaching the community at the last moment.

Fire near Nir Am (Photo: Noga Benodiz)

In recent weeks, Palestinians have been flying incendiary across the border , which have been causing numerous fires on the Israeli side. On Friday, incendiary kites caused blazes in the Kibbutz Miflasim and Kibbutz Kissufim. No one was hurt, and firefighters were able to gain control of the fires.

Not merely farmers and agricultural land were targeted, however, as nature reserves and forests went up in flames as well. According to Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) data, more than 2,100 dunam (2.1 square kilometers) of woodland were torched, mostly in the Be'eri and Kissufim forests near the Gaza border.

Damage from fire at Karmia Nature Reserve (Photo: Tomer Ofri)

Not only the region's flora was hit hard, as the native fauna has also suffered. Torched wheat fields can no longer be used as birthing grounds for the area's gazelle population, while the reptilian populace of natural sites such as Be'eri Forest and the Besor Stream will take long to recover.

Southern district ecologists carried an initial survey of the region to attempt to assess damages, but the Nature and Parks Authority's experts realize full well the enormity of the disaster will only be graspedand repairedlater.

Fire at Karmia Nature Reserve

"The rate of fires is a nearly daily basis," the official added. "We have fires here and there normally, but the last one in the Besor Stream ate away 3,000 dunam (3 square kilometers) of the reserve. The damage is accumulating."

Damage from fire at Karmia Nature Reserve

"That means that the Besor Stream land is finished until the next rainy season, and grazing grounds are diminishing. This year it's a whole new playing field. It's still hard to say what its effects on nature will be. If it continues into the summer, we'll be in rough shape," the nature official feared.
NATO's secretary-general said Saturday the alliance wouldn't come to Israel's defense in case of attack by arch enemy Iran.

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Jens Stoltenberg told the magazine Der Spiegel that Israel is a partner, but not a member and that NATO's "security guarantee" doesn't apply to Israel.

Stoltenberg noted NATO isn't involved in Mideast peace efforts or in conflicts in the region.

Jens Stoltenberg (Photo: Reuters)

Stoltenberg's comments in the wake of recent clashes between Israel and Iran in the Golan Heights, and amid Israeli efforts to remove the Iranians and their Shiite allies, including Hezbollah, from the Israel-Syria border area.

Israel and Russia have reportedly reached an agreement that would see the withdrawal of Iranian and Hezbollah forces from the Golan, while troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad will take over the area.

According to a report in the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the Iranian and Hezbollah forces will initially pull back its forces to within 20 kilometers of the border, and later to a range of 60 to 70 kilometers, with Russia underlining the fact that this was a gradual process.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly wanted Israel to allow Assad's army to move southwards to the Jordanian border and secure all of the Syrian Golan Heights.

In return, the Russian president is willing to promise Israel that Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps and Iran-affiliated militias will not be present in the territories Assad's army takes.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported on Thursday that Iranian troops and members of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group are getting ready to withdraw from southern Syria.

A Syria-based official with the Iran-led axis of resistance denied the report.

Assad himself has rebuffed claims of an Iranian military presence in his country, while accusing Israel of launching attacks on his territory and of propagating lies about its massive aerial offensive launched earlier in May.

The embattled Syrian president told Russia Today that Iran's presence in his country was limited to officers who were assisting the Syrian army. Apparently referring to the May 10 attack by Israel, Assad said "we had tens of Syrian martyrs and wounded soldiers, not a single Iranian" casualty.
Firefighters and farmers are fighting Saturday evening to put out a fire that broke out in a wheat field near the Sapir College in Sderot because of an incendiary kite flown from Gaza.
A black woman who was filmed yelling and cursing at an Orthodox Jew on the New York Subway told the New York Post on Thursday that she does not wish to take back any of the things she said, apart from telling him "f**k you."

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Shauntaye King told the Post that the video, which is less than 2 minutes long, documents only part of the 7 minute confrontation between her and Yossi Wolfe and fails to tell the whole story.

The 31-year-old King, from East Flatbush in Brooklyn, said the argument was sparked during morning rush hour last week after another black woman wearing a traditional Muslim dress got onto the packed No. 4 train with her three children.

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"Every person on that train looked at that woman and didn't even think to get up," King said, noting most of the other travelers on the train were black men.

She decided to tell the passengers off for not offering their seat to the woman, telling them "You guys are a bunch of a**holes for not getting up for this woman, and if a Jewish family came on this train with their carriage and their children, I can guarantee some of you would have gotten up for them."

This, she said, prompted Wolfe, who was also on the train, to call her racist. "He just kept calling me a racist, kept telling me I'm anti-Semitic, and I told him I have a white mother," she told the Post.

"I asked him, 'What if I were to say Mexican, would you call me a racist then?' If I said anything else, that man would not say I'm a racistit's because I used the term Jewish that he had a problem," King asserted.

The 31-year-old Wolfe, a Wall Street Journal software engineer, can be heard in a video of the incident telling King to calm down, but to no avail.

King yelling at Wolfe

An enraged King is then heard telling him, "No, I need to calm down now because I'm schooling your a**. You guys think you're so f**king smart, but guess what? I'm gonna teach you a lesson on this f**king train today."

Wolfe is heard responding, "No, 'you guys.' I am a person. You are a person."

To which King answers, "No. We are different. Understand that. You know why? Because your people treat my people different in our community! You don't even rent to us. What the f**k are you talking about?"

King can also be heard shouting over Wolfe, telling him, "You need to learn the difference between race ... Judaism is not a race. It is a religion."

To the New York Post, King explained that Wolfe "verbalized that black people were not treated unfairly in this country, and that really set me off. His exact words were 'black people don't get treated differently than Jews.'"

She insisted that she "didn't say anything that would be considered derogatory or hurtful. My point in saying everything I said was not to say Jews don't get treated bad sometimes, but the majority of the Jewish race is white and they don't walk the streets we walk in. They don't have to worry about if they're gonna get rented to. They don't have to worry about getting welfare."

Before getting off the train, King turned to Wolfe and added "You'll never know what it's like if the police come in contact with your kid or your husband and if they're ever gonna make it home. F**k you!"

To the Post she said later, "I guess I shouldn't have said, 'f**k you.'"
BERLIN - The co-leader of the far-right nationalist Alternative for Germany party on Saturday dismissed the Nazi era as a "speck of bird poop" in German history, drawing swift condemnation from mainstream politicians and outrage on social media.

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Alexander Gauland said Germans must take responsibility for 12 years of rule by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party, but argued that it's only a small part of Germany's history.

"We have a glorious history and it, dear friends, lasted longer than those blasted 12 years," he told a gathering of the party's youth movement, according to the dpa news agency.

Alexander Gauland (Photo: Reuters)

"Hitler and the Nazis are just a speck of bird poop in more than 1,000 years of successful German history," he said to applause.

The party, known by its German acronym AfD, became the third largest in Germany's parliament after the 2017 election. It is also the largest opposition party.

The AfD has drawn its support from voters angry at Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision in 2015 to welcome about a million people seeking asylum.

Responding to Gauland, the secretary general of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Party, wrote on Twitter that "50 million victims of war, the Holocaust and total war are just bird poop" for Gauland and his party.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Gauland's comments reveal the true nature of a party hiding behind middle-class respectability.

Protest against neo Nazis in Berlin (:     )

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Katrin Goring-Eckardt of the Greens party called Gauland's comments a slap in the face to Holocaust survivors and their descendants and said they highlight the need to push back against a hate-filled minority.

"Those who say they understand the concerns of AfD voters haven't understood anything," she said.

Marco Buschmann of the Free Democratic Party said politicians who systematically play down the Nazi dictatorship and the Holocaust show how bleak their vision for Germany's future is.

Lars Klingbeil, general secretary of the Social Democrats (SPD), criticised Gauland for trivializing the Nazis. "It is a disgrace that such characters sit in parliament," he said.

Hours after the speech, AfD spokesman Christian Lueth sent another tweet, this time with a black and white picture of an angry-looking Hitler with his fist in the air and the caption: "By the way I find the idea of comparing #Hitler to bird shit quite charming."

Hitler and his party ruled Germany from 1933-1945, in later years engineering the genocide of Jews in Europe. Millions of people were persecuted or perished under Nazi rule, including six million Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
An Israeli diplomatic official denied Saturday night reports that Israel has reached understandings with Russia regarding Iranian presence in Syria.

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The official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and stressed to them that the Iranians must leave Syria completely, and not just withdraw from the Golan Heights.

Netanyahu also told Putin and Pompeo that Israel will maintain full freedom of operations against Iranian entrenchment in Syria.

Russian President Putin; the Israel-Syria border; Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photos: EPA, Avihu Shapira, MCT)

According to a report in Asharq Al-Awsat, the Iranian and Hezbollah forces will initially pull back their forces to within 20 kilometers of the border, and later to a range of 60 to 70 kilometers, with Russia underlining the fact that this was a gradual process.

In addition, Russia has reportedly given Israel a "green light" on operating in Syria's territory under the condition it will not harm Syrian regime centers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly wanted Israel to allow Assad's army to move southwards to the Jordanian border and secure all of the Syrian Golan Heights.

In return, the Russian president is willing to promise Israel that Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps and Iran-affiliated militias will not be present in the territories Assad's army takes.

On Friday, Russia's ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzia said he heard from the news that an agreement was reached on "certain disengagement in the southwest of Syria and, I think, my understanding is that an agreement has been reached."

But Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem insisted Saturday no agreement has been reached for southern Syria, adding that Damascus is not currently involved in any negotiations over the area.

Meanwhile, a Syrian war monitor reported that Iranian troops and fighters of Lebanon's Hezbollah group are preparing to withdraw from southern Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday Iranian advisers and Hezbollah fighters will be withdrawing from the southern regions of Daraa and Quneitra near the Golan Heights.
Hundreds of people protested against government corruption at HaBima Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, with demonstrators waving Israeli flags.

Others protested at Goren Square in Petah Tikva against what they say is Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's slow and hesitant handling of the investigations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Deputy Minister Michael Oren got into an exchange of condemnations on Twitter with the French ambassador on Saturday after France voted in favor of a Kuwait-proposed resolution draft on "international protection" for the Palestinian people.

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"Praise for the US for vetoing Security Council resolution on Gaza that didnt mention Hamas and condemned the IDF for defending Israel. Shame on France for supporting it. French government cannot say it's against anti-Semitism and vote for this anti-Semitic resolution," Oren wrote on Twitter.

Helene Le Gal, France's Ambassador to Israel, responded harshly. "Shame on you M. Oren for insulting France on the eve of the visit of your Prime Minister to Paris. You didn't read the resolution. It was not perfect but condemned all the violence against Israel. France is adamantly supporting Israel's security," she wrote.

Deputy Minister Michael Oren (Photo: Avi Moalem)

The Kuwaiti draft resolution, which was vetoed by the US, expressed "grave concern" at the increased violence and deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories and called for urgent steps to ensure a "durable and fully respected ceasefire."

It asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a written report within 60 days on ways to ensure "the safety, protection and well-being of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation," including recommendations about "an international protection mechanism." The measure also urges humanitarian access and seeks "tangible steps" toward reconciliation between different Palestinian factions.

France, Russia, China, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Peru, Sweden, and Equatorial Guinea joined Kuwait in voting in favor, while only the United States voted against. Britain, the Netherlands, Poland and Ethiopia abstained.

A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China to be adopted.

UN Security Council meets on Gaza (Photo: Reuters)

US Ambassador Nikki Haley called the resolution "grossly one-sided" for demanding that the IDF halt "the use of any excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force" while not mentioning Hamas, the terrorist group that controls Gaza.

"This resolution is wildly inaccurate in its characterization of recent events in Gaza" and "would harm any efforts toward peace," she said.

An alternative US resolution deleted the reference to Israeli force and protecting Palestinians. Instead, it demanded that Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups stop "all violent activity and provocative actions" in Gaza.

That resolution failed to pass. Only the United States voted in favor of the second draft resolution, while there were three negative votes and 10 abstentions.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - On May 31, 2018 at approximately 8:25p.m., the Yuma Police Department responded to a report of a Theft at the UPS facility, 2851 S 2 E.

Through the initial investigation, officers learned two male subjects attempted to steal packages from the facility. During the incident a handgun was pointed at employees and the suspects left with several packages.

The suspects fled the scene in a vehicle, described as a dark passenger car. Witnesses were able to obtain a license plate from the suspect vehicle.

Approximately 30 minutes later YPD Officers observed the vehicle in the area of Araby Rd and 24th St. A traffic stop was initiated at which time the vehicle fled. A pursuit ensued during which Stop Sticks were deployed in an attempt to disable the fleeing vehicle. The vehicle stopped on the 16th St exit ramp from I-8 where Officers performed a High Risk Vehicle Stop. The driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle, was taken into custody. He is identified as 23 year old Adrian Guzman, from Yuma.

The second subject in this case is still outstanding. He is described as a Hispanic Male in his 30s approximately 5-6 and 150lbs. He was last seen wearing a grey or black shirt.

There were no reported injuries reference to this case.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.
Islamabad: The Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Pakistan-China Institute have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a news source reported. Under the agreement, both the institutes will cooperate on research related to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The two institutes will also conduct join seminars and conferences to inform and educate the public, particularly the youth, about economic discipline, savings, and investment. The MoU was signed between SECP Commissioner Investor Education Shauzab Ali and Pakistan-China Institute Executive Director Mustafa Haider Sayyad at a ceremony in SECP Head Office.
- Number of how many were sent home has not been disclosed to the public

- The UN is yet to finish its investigations into the matter

The United Nations has sent home Ghanaian police peacekeepers who have been indicted indicted for sexual misconduct in South Sudan. The charge was brought against in February of this year and they were repatriated to Accra on May 30.

Officials did not give information on their arrival. As a result, the number of peacekeepers who were repatriated is not even known. What is also unknown is how much the investigations have revealed.

READ ALSO: Anas took $50,000 bribe to drop an expose on me - Tamale chief drops bombshell

However TV3 reports that details are soon to be made public according to Ghana Police.

COP Kofi Boakye

In late May 2018, the Director General of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards, COP Kofi Boakye, confirmed that the IGPs team to Sudan was done with its investigations. The team was therefore awaiting the results of the UN investigators.

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This wait for the UN was to enable them to compare notes in order to have a compete and comprehensive report.

On February 22 of this year, 46 members of the Formed Police Unit were recalled from Wau and confined to a base in Juba. They were members of the Ghana peacekeeping contingent accused of sexual exploitation.

READ ALSO: There was no other way, I am sorry - Anas apologizes to friends and family he has hurt

According to preliminary investigations from the UN Ghanaian personnel were allegedly engaged in transactional sex. This means the officers were involved in an exchange of sex for other gains.

This was against the UN's Code of Conduct that prohibits sexual relationships with vulnerable individuals.

At the time, Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, ACP David Eklu said:

The necessary administrative inquiry will be conducted upon their return and if theyre found guilty they may be reduced in rank or removed from the service.

The personnel arrived at the Kotoka International Airport in a chartered flight at exactly 1:30pm last Wednesday.

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Ghanaian owned United Kingdom-based, record label First Klass Music, has officially signed rising Afro-pop and Highlife artiste Obibini Takyi Jnr.

This is a record label under First Klass Shipping Company Limited thats a door-to-door shipping company from the UK to Ghana owned by a young enterprising Ghanaian Ashanti businessman, Michael Obeng.

Obibini Takyi has been working on a couple of music projects behind the scenes and this happens to be his first major deal.

Ghanaian Artiste, Obibini Takyi Jnr

The signing of this deal definitely opens a new lease in the music career of this singing youngster.

Obibini Takyi Jnr. happens to be the son of one of Ghanas most celebrated highlife music legends, Obibini Takyi Senior of Akosombo Nkanea fame.

Obibini Takyi Jnr. hails from Ashanti Akyem Atwedie in the Ashanti region.

The deal also comes at a time the artiste, Obibini Takyi Jnr. is working on his new music video from his single entitled 'Powder.'

The song powder is a classic danceable masterpiece with afrobeat rhythm produced by popular Kumasi-based Engineer, APYA and also mastered by Award Winning Dannybeatz in Accra.

Obibini Takyi Jnr teams up with another talented Artiste Luther on this powder track.

Watch out for more from this talented youngster.

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YEN.com.gh has sighted rare photos of Second Lady, Samira Bawumia praying in a mosque.

In the photos, the wife of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is seen in the midst of other women observing Muslim prayers

Dressed in a black and white dress with a white veil, Samira sat among on others on a mat as they prayed.

READ ALSO: Ebony's replacement Wendy Shay drops video of her first song featuring Akufo-Addo, Mahama

The Second Lady who shared the photos on her social media pages captioned them "Jummah Mubarak", a term Muslims used to refer to their Friday prayers.

It is not known which Mosque the Second Lady visited to offer her prayers to Allah but one thing was clear, she is a committed Muslim.

READ ALSO: Plane forced to land after 1 passenger's body odour makes others vomit and faint (PHOTOS)

After her prayers, the wife of the Vice President took time to speak to the ladies who attended prayers that day.

And some of the ladies, obviously excited by the presence of Samira, saw that as the perfect photo opportunity as they pulled out their phones to take some shots.

READ ALSO: Kennedy Agyapong's 'key 'witness' against Anas falls flat; was once caught for fraud

Since Samira shared the photos, her social media followers have been reacting with admiration with many of them wishing her God's blessings.

Interestingly, there was one follower, Annan Kofi who did not come to admire Samira.

According to him, Samira's prayer should be about forgiveness from Allah as she and her husband had deceived Ghanaians, apparently in reference to the role the two played in the 2016 campaign.

However, Annan Kofi can only be described as one of few as the Second Lady has been the toast of many Ghanaians since her husband and President Nana Akufo-Addo were sworn into office on January 7, 2017.

READ ALSO: Afia Schwar turns Anas, set to expose celebrities who have been secretly visiting Dr Obengfo

The 38-year-old's sense of fashion, especially, has often come up for discussion since the time and she has become a reference point for conversations on beauty and style.

Apart from being stylish, Samira is a brainy woman with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from GIMPA where she graduated as the overall best student in 2016.

It is these qualities of beauty, brains and her humility that have endeared her to the masses and it was no surprise that other worshippers wanted to take photos of/with her.

READ ALSO: These are the two real photos of Anas as confirmed by sources

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YEN.com.gh has sighted a photo of President Akufo-Addo posed with some ladies believed to be slay queens, or perhaps beauty queens.

The setting looks like the Jubilee House where the ladies had gone to see the President.

Interestingly, the ladies looks so tall in the picture that they overshadow Akufo-Addo, making him look shorter than it has always been thought of him.

President Akufo-Addo

READ ALSO: Anas took $50,000 bribe to drop an expose on me - Tamale chief drops bombshell

The photo has been commented on by some social media users, with most of them making fun of the Presidents height as he posed with the ladies.

READ ALSO: Junior Shatta Wale in the making as little boy raps Gringo from A-Z in latest video

Read some of the comments here:

aqua_yeboah: I mean... How can they dwarf my president like that erh?! .

naa_darkowaa_okine: Ahaha look at how they made my President became even more shorter. Hey girls be warned.

sarpong_vivian1: This height is beyond tall my dear .

alycia_292: theyre making our daddy look short but its them that are abnormally tall .

that_sikagirl: Aaah what picture is this .

teyeflowers: U can see Nana trying as hard to reach their heights... Ha! U need nimokafui to do that..

nana_abrafi__: They are normal girls.Nana is cute.

READ ALSO: I dont have the luxury to go on vacations and have fun like others do  Anas speaks about the 'real' him

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has claimed that corruption is reducing under his watch as President.

But some Ghanaians have disagreed with him on this claim.

Recently, the President ordered for the arrest of the GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi, following the latest investigative piece by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

READ ALSO: Photo of Anas meeting with Countryman Songo sets social media on fire

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READ ALSO: Akufo Addo will get the shock of his life after election 2020  Prophet Nigel drops prophesy

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YEN.com.gh has sighted a video making rounds on social media in which Kuami Eugene is so angry with some task-force men of Ayaloko bus.

The video was recorded by Accra-based UTV.

Kuami Eugenes car had been clamped by the taskforce, but he felt that was not right on their part.

Kuami Eugene

READ ALSO: Latest photo of President Akufo-Addo and some slay queens is causing a stir on social media

The action led to a scuffle between Kuami Eugene and the taskforce men; and when they were finally separated, he blurted out stupid man and entered his car.

But his fans on social media are divided over the action by Kuami Eugene and the Ayalolo men.

While some believe that Kuami Eugene is at no fault for insulting them, others think that he faulted in using such words at the men.

Still, others believe Kuami Eugene is not being humble because he has become famous and has gotten some cash.

READ ALSO:

READ ALSO: Junior Shatta Wale in the making as little boy raps Gringo from A-Z in latest video

Read some of the comments here:

bhrain_bamfo: Fadama boy come turn guy guy sek of .tchew ur borla tracks @kuamieugene.

ladymountbatten6929: Look at him... small boy chill wati. You no see proper money yet. You no reach no where yet. Be cool. Chill @kuamieugene.

elizabethyiadom819: Exactly he should be angry ,if it was me I will be angry also.what kind of nonsense is that.

richie_nell_browny: Eugene don't mind them kk.

lystical12: @gyanessah48 Ask dem again, because he is a celebrity he shudnt get angry?

julietosei1983: Those condemning @kuamieugene , what should he have done? Is it abnormal for a human being to express anger? Or would have said:"handsome man" to one that angered him? Who clamps a parked that have it's driver seated behind wheels??? #stop the jealousy infected hate plsssss.

READ ALSO: Anas took $50,000 bribe to drop an expose on me - Tamale chief drops bombshell

Kuami Eugene has risen among his peers to become one of Ghanas young influential musicians.

He has released hit upon hit songs including Angela, Confusion Hiribaba.

His latest collaboration with Shatta Wale and DJ Vyrusky, titled Adwenfi is making waves around the country.

READ ALSO: I dont have the luxury to go on vacations and have fun like others do  Anas speaks about the 'real' him

Ghana Trends: How Anas Aremeyaw Anas Caused a Stir With Latest Investigation | Yen.com.gh

READ ALSO: Akufo Addo will get the shock of his life after election 2020  Prophet Nigel drops prophesy

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by

It is difficult to detect any significant difference between one piece and another. Nor is there any relief from the dominant tone of uplift. The musical products of different parts of the Socialist Fatherland all sound as though they had been turned out by Ford or General Motors.

This October 1953 assessment of contemporary Soviet music, by Nicolas Nabokov in the premiere issue of Encounter Magazine, is fascinating for three reasons. The first is that Encounter, which became a prestigious organ of the Anglo-American left, was covertly founded and funded by the CIA via the Congress for Cultural Freedom, itself a CIA front. The second is that Nabokov, a minor composer closely associated with Stravinsky, was the CCF music specialist. The third is that his article No Cantatas for Stalin? imparts blatant misinformation. And yet Nabokov was shrewd. charming, worldly, never obtuse. He was also laden by baggage of a kind that was bound to skew his every musical observation.

Nabokovs verdict came weeks before Evgeny Mravinsky premiered Shostakovichs Symphony No. 10 with his peerless Leningrad Philharmonic. Some two years before that, Shostakovich completed a cycle of 24 Preludes and Fugues for solo piano. Neither work sustains a dominant tone of uplift. In fact, both are imperishable monuments to the complexity of the human spirit, arguably unsurpassed by any subsequent twentieth-century symphonic or keyboard composition.

A cousin of the famous novelist, Nabokov was born in 1903 near Minsk to a family of landed gentry subsequently dispossessed by the Revolution. He wound up a US citizen in 1936. In 1949, he conspicuously humiliated Shostakovich at the Peace Conference at New Yorks Waldorf Astoria Hotel  an adventure in Soviet cultural propaganda that provoked counter-measures; the CCF came one year later.

A decade after that, JFK joined the cultural counter-offensive with a series of speeches claiming that art could only flourish in free societies and casting aspersion on all political art. Here is some of what he had to say:

We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth. In free society art is not a weapon and it does not belong to the spheres of polemic and ideology. Artists are not [as Lenin put it] engineers of the soul. It may be different elsewhere. But democratic society  in it, the highest duty of the writer, the composer, the artist is to remain true to himself and to let the chips fall where they may. . . .

We know that a totalitarian society can promote the arts in its own way  that it can arrange for splendid productions of opera and ballet, as it can arrange for the restoration of ancient and historic buildings. But art means more than the resuscitation of the past: it means the free and unconfined search for new ways of expressing the experience of the present and the vision of the future. When the creative impulse cannot flourish freely, when it cannot freely select its methods and objects, when it is deprived of spontaneity, then society severs the root of art.

It all came to an end when in 1966 Ramparts Magazine outed the CCF as a CIA operation. A firestorm of controversy and consternation erupted. Scores of prominent publications and writers suddenly discovered that they had in effect been secretly employed as American intelligence agents. The best-known book about the CCF  Frances Stonor Saunders The Cultural Cold War (1999)  impugns the CIA for compromising the intellectual freedoms it sought to promote. But the ironies of the campaign against Shostakovich elude her and other writers on the CCF.

The penultimate event of the PostClassical Ensemble season at the Washington National Cathedral last week  Secret Music Skirmishes of the Cold War: The Shostakovich Case  attempted to make some sense of it all. We assembled a former US Ambassador to Russia, a former CIA staff historian, and Vladimir Feltsman, who as the most famous Soviet refusenik was beginning in 1979 notoriously banned from performing in public until escaping to the West in 1987. A formidable American pianist  Benjamin Pasternack  performed four Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues, as well as his still too little-known Second Piano Sonata of 1943. We also had an actor, Ashley Smith, delivering extracts from three of Kennedys culture-war speeches.

The Kennedy orations made a great impression. Their sheer eloquence nearly masked their indefensible content.

But Shostakovichs Olympian D minor Prelude and Fugue  in which the legacy of the Well-Tempered Klavier is fused with the Slavic pathos and grandeur of Mussorgsky (a more original creative feat, I would say, then turning Schoenbergs 12-tone method into a comprehensive compositional prescription) silenced all debate. Pasternacks riveting performance was amplified by the ambience of the Cathedrals great nave. It sounded like this (use headphones and turn up the volume).

How could Kennedy, his speech-writers and diplomatic aides, have so dismissed the caliber of such titanic music? The answer becomes obvious once the Cold War climate is recalled. A much-quoted review of Shostakovichs Leningrad Symphony by Virgil Thomson in the New York Herald-Tribune (October 18, 1942) ended:

That he has so deliberately diluted his matter, adapted it, by both excessive simplification and excessive repetition, to the comprehension of a child of eight, indicates that he is willing to write down to a real or fictitious psychology of mass consumption in a way that may eventually disqualify him for consideration as a serious composer.

Three years later in the same publication, another composer/critic, Paul Bowles, assessed the American premiere of one of Shostakovichs peak achievements: the Second Piano Trio. It was, Bowles wrote, by no means one of this most compelling works. Some of its melodic material gives the impression of having been made up of unused odds and ends left over from more inspired pieces.

As these and countless other samplings of the American musical press from the forties and fifties testify, Shostakovich (notwithstanding a flurry of high acclaim, pace Thomson, for the timely Leningrad Symphony) was viewed as a Soviet stooge  a composer whose great promise had been snuffed out by repressive ideologues. As important, the West had a musical orthodoxy of its own at least as potently repressive as anything the Soviets imposed: serial music, commanded by the likes of Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez. In fact, the criterion of worth adduced by Nabokov in his diatribe was not emotional veracity or elegance of form, but novel tendencies of which Soviet composers had at best displayed faint indications.

It took some courage to speak up for Shostakovich. One who did was Leonard Bernstein, in a 1966 Young Peoples Concert titled A Birthday Tribute to Shostakovich. Bernstein had performed Shostakovichs Fifth Symphony in the USSR. He had met the composer. Addressing a national audience on American TV, he said:

In these days of musical experimentation, with new fads chasing each other in and out of the concert halls, a composer like Shostakovich can be easily put down. After all hes basically a traditional Russian composer, a true son of Tchaikovskyand no matter how modern he ever gets, he never loses that tradition. So the music is always in some way old-fashionedor at least what critics and musical intellectuals like to call old-fashioned. But theyre forgetting the most important thinghes a genius: a real authentic genius, and there arent too many of those around any more.

At our National Cathedral event, both Nicolas Dujmovic, formerly of the CIA, and John Beyrle, a distinguished former US Ambassador to Russia and Bulgaria, defended the Congress for Cultural Freedom as an appropriate response to Russian disinformation. In fact, as even the Saunders book makes clear, the CCF was a sophisticated operation carried out by intellectuals on the left. One of the most fascinating episodes in her account is the CIA response to Joseph McCarthys loutish red-baiting, which the agency feared would undermine its nuanced propaganda efforts. And if Nabokovs attacks on Shostakovich werent nuanced, if Kennedys speeches werent credible, the charged musical climate of opinion was such that nobody noticed.

Vladimir Feltsman, speaking at the Cathedral, stressed the compatibility of great art and hard times. He also praised Soviet musical training at the Moscow Conservatory as the best in the world (a verdict Pasternack challenged, having studied with Rudolf Serkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski at the Curtis Institute). In a follow-up email, Feltsman added: No great art is ever produced by happy and healthy folks content with their lives, no matter where. He also wrote: The main difference between musical education in the USSR and the US was a lack of special training for musically gifted kids in the US. For the Soviets, starting in the 1930s with Stalin, the culture as a whole was a propaganda tool foremost and they wanted to prove to the world that their musicians, dancers, and athletes were the best in the world. That was the real reason for creating these special schools that were breeding future ambassadors for Soviet empire and proved the superiority of the most just and humane system of governance the world had ever seen.

I would add one more irony to this complicated picture: the iron curtain. It paradoxically preserved musical traditions shattered or diffused in the West. Shostakovichs Preludes and Fugues are an explicit homage to Bach. His symphonies build directly on the examples of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Mahler. A fascinating new window on the contradictions of Soviet musical life is Marina Frolova Walkers Stalins Music Prize (2016), which excavates previously inaccessible Soviet archives documenting how recipients of state musical honors were chosen. Ideologues promoting Socialist Realism did not always prevail over Shostakovich and other musicians of consequence for whom the ideals of a morally charged peoples art embedded in tradition were not merely cant.

Heres an addendum from my ongoing email exchange with Vladimir Feltsman: What is particularly sad in the Shostakovich case (Feltsman writes) is that the mischaracterizations of his music and personality in the US were intentional and planned. Music critics are known to miss their targets time and again, but their mistakes were their own, not commissioned and paid for.

The de facto State Department expert on Soviet music, Nicolas Nabokov was in retrospect a music analyst deafened by the opinions, assumptions, and loyalties of a dispossessed expatriate who deemed Stravinskys neo-classicism a supreme affirmation of artistic and aesthetic freedom. His writings on this topic fed the risible claims of Kennedys Cold War cultural orations.

What lessons, if any, can be extrapolated from this Shostakovich Case? Mainly, perhaps, that ideology and distance can greatly cripple our perceptions and assumptions. Is this finding, incriminating Cold War cultural propagandists on both sides, pertinent to the prosecution of the Cold War generally? To Cold War diplomacy as practiced under eight American Presidents? To our present-day understandings of Vladimir Putins Russia?

Its something to think about.
EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom addresses a press conference on the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum affecting the EU at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 1, 2018.[Photo: Xinhua/Ye Pingfan]

The European Union (EU) on Friday requested consultations with the United States on its steel and aluminum tariffs, under the dispute settlement framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), a WTO official said.

The WTO Secretariat received a request from the EU for consultations with the United States "concerning the Section 232 tariffs imposed by the United States on steel and aluminum imports", said the official who requested anonymity.

The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the EU may request adjudication by a panel.

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 EU's move came against the announcement on Thursday by U.S. President Donald Trump not to extend the temporary steel and aluminum tariff exemptions against the EU, Canada, and Mexico.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said this was because negotiations over the past two months have failed to result in a deal.

Regarding the dispute with the United States, the EU says in a document submitted to the WTO that U.S. tariff measures "adversely affect exports of these goods from the European Union to the United States."

The EU said the imposition of the tariffs is "inconsistent with the United States' obligations and rights set out in the WTO Agreement."
The fascist takeover of her native Czechoslovakia forced her to flee with her parents.

It is not difficult to see why this book has been on the New York Times bestseller list since it hit the stands earlier this year. Not only is it utterly relevant to our times but is also a surprisingly good read: history written with unusual flair and a lifetime of experience in the theory and practice of statecraft.

This is former secretary of state of the United States, Madeline Albright, at her brilliant best, highlighting the threat of fascism that continues to threaten democracies around the globe. For her, fascism is not mere history or a concept. She writes of how she has suffered its consequences: On the day fascists first altered the direction of my life, I had barely mastered the art of walking. The date was March 15, 1939. Battalions of German storm troopers invaded my native Czechoslovakia, escorted Adolf Hitler to Prague Castle, and pushed Europe to the threshold of a Second World War.

The fascist takeover of her native Czechoslovakia forced her to flee with her parents. England and later the US offered sanctuary and, eventually, opportunity to rise to high office.

Now in her eighties, Albright remains a remarkable intellect who does not hesitate to speak her mind and rail against all that she considers egregious, fascism being a primary target. She still takes classes on foreign policy at Washington DCs prestigious Georgetown University and speaks before eminent gatherings.

Albright believes in American democracy and fears the scourge of fascism that wrecked Europe in the 20th century could once again surface. The election of President Donald Trump added to her sense of urgency. The world, she believed, is tottering once again at the edge of a precipice.

As secretary of state, I was proud to join Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton in calling the United States the indispensable nation, she writes. I worry today that the country is, by its own choice, becoming less admired and less relevant in shaping world affairs. Partly for this reason, I believe that fascism and fascist policies pose a more virulent threat to international freedom, prosperity, and peace than at any time since World War II.

President Trump, she argues, is the first anti-democratic President in modern US history If transplanted to a country with fewer democratic safeguards, he would audition for dictator, because that is where his instincts lead. This frightening fact has consequences. The herd mentality is powerful in international affairs. Leaders around the globe observe, learn from and mimic one another. They see where their peers are heading, what they can get away with, and how they can augment and perpetuate their power. They walk in one anothers footsteps, as Hitler did with Mussolini  and today the herd is moving in a fascist direction.

To press her point about growing fascist tendencies in rulers around the globe, Albright devotes several chapters of the book to each of her favourite political villains, including the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarys Viktor Orban, American senator Joseph McCarthy, Serbias Slobodan Milosevic and North Koreas Kim Jong-un. There is a lot on President Trump too, although he is not labelled as a fascist.

A big chunk at the beginning is devoted to the rise and fall of two iconic fascists  Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler  who championed, defined and implemented fascism in its worst form. Mussolini caught Hitlers fancy, recounts Albright, because they both favoured the same machismo-laden rhetoric of daring, nationalism, anti-Communism, and war. They both knew that fascism appeals to the fear and confusion in people and once they had acquired power, they consolidated it ruthlessly through violence, intimidation and abuse.

Albright observes: We might want to remember the explanation that Hitler gave, in 1936, for his popularity: I will tell you what carried me to the position I have reached. Our political problems appeared complicated. The German people could make nothing of them I, on the other hand reduced them to the simplest terms. The masses realised this and followed me.

The problem therefore is also partly with the people who seek easy solutions to complex issues, react instinctively to challenges and stop thinking when problems seem insurmountable. This provides fertile ground for demagogues to exploit and prompts some among them to gradually acquire total power.

In the end, the people must constantly assess their leaders and pose the right questions. We should be awake to the assault on democratic values that has gathered strength in many countries abroad and that is dividing America at home. The temptation is powerful to close our eyes and wait for the worst to pass, but history tells us that for freedom to survive, it must be defended, and that if lies are to stop, they must be exposed, Albright writes.

While some of Albrights assertions in the book might be debatable  such as her belief that the US can avert the rise of fascism elsewhere  what is not is its intrinsic objective of provoking thought. And think we must, more so in this age of social media where we are repeatedly inundated with inane views, dodgy news and recycled platitudes. There are clear and present dangers emanant in todays world, even if they do not fit the classic fascist paradigm. This book is a timely and much needed warning.

Indranil Banerjie is an independent commentator on political and security issues
Under fintech policy state will tax benefits, financial incentives and cheaper electricity for industry players.

Mumbai: In its efforts to develop the financial capital into a fintech hub, the Maharashtra government on Saturday announced a 'sandbox' to aid startups in the space.

Maharashtra, the first state to have a dedicated fintech policy, is also planning to have a dedicated 'Fintech Officer' in the Department of Information Technology, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said at the inauguration of the Mumbai Fintech Festival here.

"The sandbox will be opened on Saturday. In this sandbox, all the startups will be welcome. They can register, they can open their APIs (application programming interface) and banks can consume," S V R Srinivas, Principal Secretary (information technology), said.

It can be noted that in a report released in February, a Reserve Bank panel had recommended introducing a "regulatory sandbox" to foster financial technology innovation.

Generally, sandbox is seen as a safe zone to test financial innovation which sees a limited rollout of new products to select customers. Srinivas exhorted banks and non-bank lenders to open their APIs in order to help the startups in the state.

The government is also starting a virtual fintech registry, the senior bureaucrat said.

Other states have shown interest in partnering with Maharashtra, Srinivas said, adding an agreement will be signed with the Government of Andhra Pradesh which is also working on developing Vishakhapatnam into a fintech hub.

Srinivas said Maharashtra's efforts are aimed at creating the entire ecosystem which will help the fintech industry flourish, starting with four accelerators.

Fadnavis said as part of the fintech policy, the state has given sops like tax benefits, financial incentives and cheaper electricity and Internet connectivity for industry players.

The state held a blockchain conference last year and lenders like SBI, Yes Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank have already entered into specific tie-ups on that front, Srinivas said.

As part of the two-day festival, the state government is also holding a hackathon, but Srinivas said there will not be more of such hackathons in the future.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has also summoned Air Asia group CEO Tony Fernandes for questioning on June 6 in regard to the case.

The investigative agency alleged that the AirAsia Group CEO lobbied with government servants for clearances, removal of existing 5/20 aviation rule and change in regulatory policies. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday registered a case of money-laundering against AirAsia officials and others for allegedly trying to manipulate government policies through corrupt means to get an international licence for its Indian venture Air Asia India Limited.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation has also summoned Air Asia group CEO Tony Fernandes for questioning on June 6 in regard to the case.

Earlier in the day, former Tata Group chief Cyrus Mistry slammed AirAsia India Director's Ramachandran Venkataraman for dragging his name in the AirAsia India scam case.

After the CBI booked Venkatraman in connection with the scam in AirAsia clearance, the latter on May 30 issued a statement refuting the allegation.

On May 29, the CBI booked Fernandes among others under the Prevention of Corruption Act for violating aviation rule to get international flying licenses. It also booked Venkatraman and DTA consultancy Pvt Ltd founder Deepak Talwar.

The investigative agency alleged that the AirAsia Group CEO lobbied with government servants for clearances, removal of existing 5/20 aviation rule and change in regulatory policies.

Under the 5/20 rule, a company needs a minimum of five years of flying experience and is also required to have 20 aircraft in their possession in order to become eligible for the license.
Party leaders negotiating seat-sharing pact in 3 poll-bound states.

The Congress is likely to give as many as 30 seats to the BSP in MP as Congress state president Kamal Nath was finalising the deal with top BSP leaders.

New Delhi: After the successful experiment in Karnataka where it formed a pre-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular), the Bahujan Samaj Party is now aligning with the Congress in three crucial upcoming Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan.

Sources said that top leaders of both parties were negotiating with each other and a seat-sharing pact was being worked out in the three poll-bound states. The Congress is likely to give as many as 30 seats to the BSP in MP as Congress state president Kamal Nath was finalising the deal with top BSP leaders.

Assembly polls in the three BJP-ruled states are being looked at as a kind of barometer test for the 2019 general elections next year.

Possibilities of a pre-poll tie up with the BSP came out in the open after a joint Opposition managed to trounce the BJP in three successive bypolls in UP in Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana.

In Kairana, RLD candidate Tabassum Hasan defeated BJPs Mriganka Singh. Ms Hasan was supported by the SP, BSP, Congress and Nishad Party. Similarly, in Noorpur bypolls, SP candidate Naim Ul-Haq won against BJPs Avnish Singh.

Earlier in Gorakhpur byelection, Samajwadi Partys Praveen Kumar Nishad defeated BJPs Upendra Dutt Shukla by 21,916 votes. Till then, Gorakhpur had been a BJP bastion with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath having represented the seat in Lok Sabha for a total of five terms. The BJP had also lost the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat which was represented by UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya. The SP candidates were backed by BSP and other regional parties.

The Congress on Friday officially said that it would work out different strategies with parties in states to ensure that there is no division of anti-BJP votes in the next general elections.

While there will not be any blanket approach in working out alliances or seat adjustments in various states, the basic object would be to ensure consolidation of anti-BJP votes, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

He, however, remained non-committal on putting up a joint opposition candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi, saying it is too early and it was up to political parties to decide.

The object will be everywhere, whether bipolar states or triangular and quadrangular states, to prevent vote division of the anti-BJP vote. This is what the BJP is terrified about, he said.
BJP alleged that the ruling-Trinamool Congress was behind the death of its party worker in Purulia.

32-year-old Dulal Kumar, who went missing on Friday, was found hanging by a pole in Dabha village of Purulia's Balarampur. (Facebook | Screengrab | Kailash Vijayvargiya)

Kolkata: The body of a BJP worker was found hanging from an electric pole in the Purulia district of West Bengal.

32-year-old Dulal Kumar, who went missing on Friday, was found hanging by a pole in Dabha village of Purulia's Balarampur.

BJP alleged that the ruling-Trinamool Congress was behind the incident.

West Bengal Police said the investigation of Dulal's murder has been handed over to Crime Investigation Department (CID).

Taking to Twitter, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that Dulal's murder is quite similar to the lines with that of Trilochan Mahato, a BJP activist.

Vijayvargiya said that he had called ADG Law and Order or Friday night and told him that Dulal has been facing life threats. He said he even asked the ADG Law and Order to save him from being killed.

According to Vijayvargiya, ADG Law and Order had told him that the police is trying to do its best in protecting Dulal and even he will be ensuring his safety.

Taking to Twitter after Dulal's death on Saturday morning, Kailash Vijayvargiya said despite the ADG's effort Dulal's corpse was found hanging in Purulia district.

Trinamool Congress leader and nephew of West Bengal Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is camping in Purulia where the second of such an incident took place in less than a weeks time.

Dulal death comes in the wake of the alleged murder of a 18-year-old BJP worker Trilochan Mahato on Wednesday.

Trilochan Mahato was found hanging from a tree near his home in Purulia district.

An unsigned handwritten note in Bengali found near the body stated that he was "punished for working for the BJP" during the recent rural polls in the state.

"Because you are involved with the BJP even when you are only 18 years, it has claimed your life. I have been searching for you since the panchayat elections and now you are dead," the note mentioned.

Read: WB BJP worker found hanging from tree, killers left message on his t-shirt

Incidentally, both the workers of BJP were found hanging in the same Purulia district.

Hundreds of workers and leaders of the West Bengal BJP on Friday held protests and demonstrations against the killing of Trilochan. Protests were also held outside several police stations by the party workers, who accused the state administration of failing to maintain law and order.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh had accused the Trinamool Congress of trying to obliterate the political opposition from the state. Ghosh, however, claimed that his party is capable of giving a befitting reply to the ruling party's violence.

In Purulia, the Trinamool Congress and the BJP had a close fight in the gram panchayat polls winning 839 and 645 seats respectively. Out of the 38 Zilla Parishad seats, Trinamool Congress had won 26 seats and BJP nine seats.
Top diplomats of China and the European Union(EU) on Friday pledged to deepen strategic cooperation and safeguard multilateralism.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini co-chaired the eighth round of the China-EU high-level strategic dialogue in Brussels.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini attend a joint press conference in Brussels on Friday, June 1, 2018. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

Reviewing the development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership established 15 years ago, Wang hailed a favorable situation featuring all-dimensional exchanges and cooperation covering various fields.

Noting that unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise in the international landscape, Wang said China and the EU, as two stable forces, should strengthen strategic communication, promote mutual strategic trust, and deepen strategic cooperation.

The two sides should jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard multilateralism and global free trade regime, he said, adding that both sides should make due contributions to tackle global challenges.

On economic cooperation, Wang said China is willing to promote mutual investment, and jointly construct the Belt and Road Initiative with the EU.

Mogherini, for her part, was on the same page with Wang on the importance of China-EU relationship.

She stressed that the EU is willing to work with China to uphold and strengthen the multilateral system with the United Nations at the core, and the rules-based international order.

Mogherini said the EU-China cooperation in various fields has reached unprecedented high levels after 15 years of development, with the two sides having similar positions and close coordination over a series of major international issues.

Mogherini highlighted the need to create synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's investment plan and strategy on connecting Europe and Asia.

"We agreed to explore complementarities and synergies in this field, that is crucial for both China and the EU," said Mogherini at a joint press conference with Wang following the strategic dialogue.

The strategic dialogue took place as the two sides are gearing up for the 20th China-EU summit slated for next month.

China stands ready to join hands with the EU to achieve results at the upcoming summit, thus sending out a positive signal of upholding and strengthening international order, said Wang.

Echoing Wang, Mogherini said the two sides have addressed a wide range of issues that lay the groundwork for the summit.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional hot-spot issues, including Iran nuclear deal, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, among others.
Intelligence sources told this newspaper that the stir might turn violent after 2-3 days.

Farmers spill milk on a road during their protest, in Pune on Friday. (Photo: PTI)

Bhopal: Operations of agriculture markets, called mandis in local parlance, in some parts of Madhya Pradesh were severely hit as the countrywide 10-day stir called by different farmers outfits to press their various demands began on Friday.

Vegetable supply to the mandis in regions of Bhopal, Indore and Vidisha particularly have been disrupted with farmers deciding not to bring their produce to the local agriculture markets for selling in support of the stir.

Fresh vegetables have failed to reach the mandis in many parts of the state following the Gram Bandh agitation called by different farmers bodies in MP, official reports reaching here said.

Panic buying of vegetables by people has led to rise in prices of the perishable commodities.

MP being one of the major suppliers of milk to Delhi, it is feared that the national capital may feel the pinch of the ten-day stir after 3-4 days.

Milk supply to Delhi from MP is going to be hit in coming 2-3 days, an office bearer of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh, spearheading the agitation, said here.

State home minister Bhupendra Singh however described the stir as flop in MP.

There is no impact of the stir by farmers in MP on the first day. No untoward incidents were witnessed in any part of the state so far, he said.

Baring stray incidents of protesters stopping farmers from selling milk at some places, the stir on the first passed off peacefully, an official spokesman here said.

Intelligence sources told this newspaper that the stir might turn violent after 2-3 days.

All the range IGs, DIGs and superintendents of police in districts have strictly been asked late on Thursday night not to overlook even a minor input on possible disturbances in their respective areas, a senior police officer here told this newspaper.
The letter, dated May 31, urges him to attend the death anniversary of a prominent leader of the state to woo a particular section of people.

Bhopal: A letter by Madhya Pra-desh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Kamal Nath to the AICC chief Rahul Gandhi urging him to attend the death annivers-ary of a prominent leader of the state to woo a particular section of people was on Friday leaked, causing huge embarrassment to the party.

The letter, dated May 31, suggested Mr Gandhi to grace the occasion to enti-ce people of OBC, to whi-ch the leader belonged, ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state, due in November this year.

Late Shri Subash Yadav was deputy chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and a prominent OBC leader of the state. His death anniversary is being observed on 26th June 2018 at 12.00 noon at Kasravat in Madhya Pradesh. MP has a huge OBC population and it is expected that a large number of people will attend this function. Being in campaign mode, this will be an important program-me in Nimad-Malwa regi-on covering 61 Assembly segments. I request you to consider attending the function which shall be called as Samvidhan Bachao-Desh Bachao. I consider your participation in this event.

Late Yadav is father of former MP PCC president Arun Yadav, who was sulking after he was replaced by Mr Nath in the recent reconstitution of the party in the state.

Ruling BJP took the opportunity to accuse Congress of playing caste card blatantly to harvest electoral gains in the poll-bound MP.

Congress is thinking of cultivating vote bank even on occasion of mourning of one of their leaders. This has crossed all limits of decency, state cooperation minister Viswas Sarang said.
The commission in a statement observed that the content of news report, if true, amounts to gross violation of human rights of the victim.

'Reportedly, a poster was also found affixed on the back of the body with a message written in Bangla -- "18 bachhor bayose BJP rajneeti. Ebar bojh" which means, 'BJP politics at the age of 18. Now take this',' the NHRC said, quoting from reports. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: The NHRC has sent a notice to the West Bengal government over an incident in which the body of an 18-year-old person, whom the BJP claimed as its member, was found hanging from a tree near his house in Purulia, allegedly after he was "mercilessly beaten".

The commission in a statement on Friday observed that the content of the news report, if true, amounts to gross violation of human rights of the victim.

It has issued a notice to the West Bengal chief secretary, seeking a detailed report, the National Human Rights Commission said.

The DGP of the state has been asked to intimate the present status of investigation in the case and the steps taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur, the commission said.

They have been given four weeks to respond, it said.

Read: WB BJP worker found hanging from tree, killers left message on his t-shirt

The NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that the youth, "belonging to the Dalit community in Purulia, was mercilessly beaten till he died".

Later, his body was found hanging from a tree.

"Reportedly, a poster was also found affixed on the back of the body with a message written in Bangla -- "18 bachhor bayose BJP rajneeti. Ebar bojh" which means, 'BJP politics at the age of 18. Now take this'," the NHRC said, quoting from reports.

Reportedly, he was a worker of BJP and he had called the family over telephone, saying he was abducted by a group of men on bikes, the commission said in a statement.

The rights panel also observed that India is a democratic country and difference of opinion and ideology are obvious in a multi-party democratic political system.

"Bloodshed in the name of political differences is neither desirable, nor acceptable in a civilised society. Brutal killings of party workers in such a manner are indicative of deficient law and order situation in the state, which does not allow rival political parties to exercise their political rights," it said.

The right to life of the poor Dalit victim has been grossly violated, which is a glaring instance that law enforcing agencies have failed to protect the precious human life, the NHRC observed.

According to a media report, carried on Thursday, violence continued in Purulia even after the Panchayat elections were over, it said.

"Several other local BJP leaders have been threatened after the BJP won many seats in the district.

The father of the deceased has alleged that his son was killed by the workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC)," the commission said, quoting from reports.

The incident has also invited strong criticism of the TMC government from BJP chief Amit Shah, who had said the ruling dispensation had "surpassed the violent legacy of the communist rule" in West Bengal.
'Even Mahatma Gandhiji had acknowledged the positive values propounded by RSS,' Naidu said.

The Vice President said that Mahatma Gandhi found that volunteers were living and eating together in the camp without trying to know each other's caste. (photo: File)

New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday recalled his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and said that the organisation is all about self-discipline, self-respect, self-defence, self- reliance, social reform, social consciousness, social movement and selfless service.

Delivering the Nanaji Memorial lecture in New Delhi, Naidu said, "From my association with RSS, I can assure that RSS is all about self-discipline, self-respect, self-defence, self- reliance, social reform, social consciousness, social movement, selfless service, all guided by the philosophy of supremacy of the nation."

After a controversy erupted over former president Pranab Mukherjee accepting an invite of the Sangh, Naidu said " I see no reason for anyone to have any objection with principles of RSS which are aimed at character development based on core ancient Indian ethos and values which advocated the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' meaning the world is one family."

While referring to Mahatma Gandhi's visit to a RSS camp in the 1930s, the Vice President said that even the father of the nation had acknowledged the positive values propagated by the Sangh.

"Even Mahatma Gandhiji had acknowledged the positive values propounded by RSS," Naidu said.

He quoted Mahatma Gandhi as saying, "When I visited RSS camp I was surprised by your discipline and absence of untouchability"

The Vice President said that Mahatma Gandhi found that volunteers were living and eating together in the camp without trying to know each other's caste.

A controversy had erupted after Mukherjee had accepted an invite from the RSS to be chief guest at its function on June 7.

Several Congress leaders have urged him to reconsider his decision.
Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered two FIRs against CRPF's Srinagar Unit over Nowhatta incident.

On Friday, a CRPF vehicle targeted by protesters in Nowhatta ran over three people in an attempt to get away. (Photo: H U Naqash)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered two FIRs against CRPF's Srinagar Unit over Nowhatta incident, wherein a stone-pelter was run over on Friday by a CRPF vehicle which was escaping a mob.

The FIRs have been registered under sections 307 (Attempt to murder), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 279 (Rash driving) among other sections including sections 149, 152, 336 and 427.

On Friday, a CRPF vehicle targeted by protesters in Nowhatta ran over three people in an attempt to get away. The incident triggered fresh protests and criticism for the government. One of the three who had received serious injuries, died later in the evening.

The incident in Srinagar's Nowhatta area, just days ahead of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visit to the valley, could dampen the centre's renewed efforts to reach out to Kashmiri youth after announcing the Ramzan truce with terrorists.

Alongwith reviewing preparation for the Amarnath Yatra due to begin on June 29, Home Minister Rajnath Singhs another major focus during the visit is to signal his intent to engage with all stakeholders including the Hurriyat leaders.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah questioned Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftis silence over the incident. "Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps," he tweeted, asking the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister if this was the standard operating procedure of dealing with protesters.

Earlier they tied people to the fronts of jeeps & paraded them around villages to deter protestors now they just drive their jeeps right over protestors. Is this your new SOP @MehboobaMufti sahiba? Ceasefire means no guns so use jeeps? https://t.co/42W6vGAPVi  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 1, 2018

But the Jammu and Kashmir police tweeted that "a selective picture" did not present the "whole scene", a reference to the videos and pictures that showed the aggressive mob attacking the vehicle.

Abdullah's party described the pictures of a man being run over by a CRPF gypsy "haunting".

"The gypsy was attacked - that's a fact - yes. However, it's a failure of the local police in the area to have allowed a CRPF gypsy to pass through an almost 200 strong hostile crowd," National Conference spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu tweeted, blaming the police for allowing the jeep to pass through a hostile crowd.

"Almost every single civilian casualty in Kashmir is due to continued, repeated failures at crowd control, sanitisation of encounter sites and policing blunders. It's not rocket science! You allow a CRPF gypsy to speed through a hostile crowd - didn't you know this could happen???," Mattu said.

Read: Mobile internet services suspended in Srinagar, Budgam

The separatists had called a strike across Kashmir on Saturday to protest against the recent civilian killings.

(With input from agencies)
The security forces fired teargas canisters into the violent mob, the witnesses said.

A CRPF Gypsy runs over a local youth during a protest in Srinagar on Friday. Three local youth were injured, two of them critically, after they were hit by a vehicle of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) during a stone-pelting incident. (Photo: H.U. Naqash)

Srinagar: Tension has gripped central Srinagar after three local youth were injured, two of them critically, after they were hit by a vehicle of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) during a stone-pelting incident in Citys Nowhatta area on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, four CRPF jawans, a J&K policeman and a civilian were injured in a grenade attack carried out by suspected militants in Khanabal area of southern Anantnag district on Friday.

The witnesses said that clashes between stone-pelting mobs and the security forces erupted at Nowhatta soon after Friday congregation was held at nearby Grand Mosque. Groups of youth, many of them wearing bandanas or three-hole balaclavas to hinder recognition while chanting we want freedom took out a protest but when confronted by the security forces they started hurling rocks at them. The security forces fired teargas canisters into the violent mob, the witnesses said. Some of the masked youth were carrying Pakistans national flag and also Lashkar-e-Tayyaba flag while chanting anti national slogans, a police official said.

While the clash was on, a CRPF Gypsy ran over three youth, injuring them, the witnesses said. They were rushed to nearby Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital where from the critical have been shifted to Srinagars Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS). The doctors said that one of them, identified as Muhammad Younis, is being treated for polytrauma. He is very critical and has been intubated, said a hospital official. He added that the condition of the other youth too is critical. The third injured youth is out of danger, reports said.

On last Friday also, the area had witnessed intense clashes and stone-pelting incident resulting into injuries scores of people and about ten police and CRPF jawans.

A report from Anantnag said that suspected militants hurled a grenade at a joint party of J&K police and CRPFs 140th Battalion at Khanabal suburb, injuring four CRPF jawans, a policeman and a civilian.

The injured CRPF jawans have been identified as Ravinder Singh of Uttarakhand, Muham-mad Siraj and Veer Singh of Uttar Pradesh and Vinod Kumar. The injured J&K constable is Abdul Majeed of Larkipora, Anantnag and the civilian Abdul Rashid of Tral (Pulwama district).
The chief minister, it was learnt, held a review meeting with state leaders who were given the charge of Kairana and Noorpur bypolls.

New Delhi/Lucknow: Knives are out in the BJP following the partys defeat by the united Opposition in both Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh with some MLAs even questioning chief minister Yogi Adityanaths leadership. A day after the crushing bypoll defeats, BJP president Amit Shah held a meeting of partys national general secretaries on Friday to discuss issues, including the bypoll losses in UP and the recently concluded Karnataka poll where the party failed to get a simple majority despite being the largest party.

Apart from hinting at a diminishing Modi magic, the margin of bypoll losses shows that the united Opposition parties have managed to transfer votes to their joint candidate, said a party leader.

Saffron spin doctors feel that if the going gets tough for the party in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan Assembly elections later in the year, it may have to bank upon Hindu consolidation to return to power. In both MP and Rajasthan, there are a significant number of dalits and OBCs.

While analysing the bypoll results, Union minister Prakash Javadekar denied that the Modi magic was on the wane and claimed that the BJP would return to power at the Centre even stronger after 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He said that those looking at the bypoll results as a reflection of public opinion on the Modi governments performance were wrong.

After the bypoll losses, Uttar Pradesh MLAs have started questioning chief minister Yogi Adityanaths leadership amid reports that the BJP cadre is not happy with the state leadership, including many ministers. The chief minister, it was learnt, held a review meeting with state leaders who were given the charge of Kairana and Noorpur bypolls.

Many state leaders admitted that despite knowing beforehand that the sugarcane price issue in the region could dent the partys poll prospects badly, and caste politics will play a crucial role, the partys poll managers did not take any measures.

A section within the BJPs state unit blamed the choice of candidate in the Lok Sabha bypoll. Fielding late Hukum Singhs daughter Mriganka from Kairana was not ideal when her opponent from the RLD was backed by the SP, Congress and the BSP.

The Yogi Adityanath-led governments failure to rein in the state bureaucracy was also said to be one of the reasons behind the BJPs continued poll losses after the Gorakhpur and Phulpur parliamentary seats in March.

In Kairana, jats, who had strongly backed the BJP in 2014 and then in last years Assembly polls in the state, tilted towards the RLDs Muslim candidate, who got the backing of her numerically strong community in the region. This has forced saffron poll managers to rework their caste calculations. Dalits, who had also supported the BJP earlier, also seem to be looking for options despite the saffron partys initiatives to reach out to them.

However, BJP poll managers still believe that the Opposition unity would not be able to make much impact in 2019 when every strategy by the joint Opposition will fail in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose leadership the party will go to polls.

However, the BJP has to face some serious questions from within after the bypoll losses with Uttar Pradesh MLA from Gopama, Shyam Prakash, posting a satirical poem on his Facebook page criticising the party leadership, apparently chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

The poem says, Modi ke naam par ban gaye raja, kar na sake janta man kaaj. Sangh, sangathan haath lagaam, mukhya mantra bhi asahay (helpless).

The MLA said, The poem reflects his personal opinion. Corruption is on the rise and that is the only reason. The chief minister should work harder and look into this. If the people at the top do not change their style, nothing will work in the future.

Another party MLA, Surendra Singh, blamed the ministers in the Yogi Adityanath government for the bypoll losses. Mr Singh claimed that most of the state ministers do not meet people or party workers who are the backbone of the party and alleged that the BJP has so far failed to give a transparent government in the state.
Naidu said, 'I know how to do, what to do and when to do. What I want is good governance.All leaders should strengthen their states.'

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said that he is not interested in becoming the Prime Minister of the country and only wants to serve the nation like a soldier.

He said, "I know how to do, what to do and when to do. What I want is good governance. All leaders should strengthen their states. Be it Mamata Banerjee, K Chandrashekar Rao or somebody else. I will work as a soldier. I played crucial role in coalition governments. But I am not interested in becoming Prime Minister."

Naidu further launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of resorting to foul play to win Karnataka polls.

He said, "Prime Minister Modi speaks of sincerity, but in Karnataka, they opted for all illegal means and tried to buy out MLAs. The defeat of the ruling party in by-polls yesterday is a reflection of the people's sentiment."

"Whether the Centre cooperates or not, development and welfare activities will not stop in the state. Centre did not cooperate with us in these four years. The centre is indulging in conspiracy politics, in collusion with some parties in the state," he added.

Naidu further underscored, "Awareness should be created among the public about those who are playing conspiracy politics against the state. We will assess who are performing well in administration and will appreciate them appropriately. All the officials should go to the grass root level, see that welfare and development activities be executed."

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government for not cooperating, Naidu said, "Had the administration and rule not been good post the bifurcation, the state would have become utter chaos, our position would have become worse than Bihar. Good governance and efficient administration are keeping Andhra Pradesh in numero uno position."

"We won't depend upon the Centre, at the same time we won't leave if it is about our rights. The Centre has denied our rights and we are fighting for them. Special Status is the commitment of the PM pledged in the Parliament. That is our right. As a senior politician, I am aware of compulsions in the national politics. In 2019 BJP won't come to power. Regional parties will rise. When people give power to a party but it does not deliver; people lose faith. That's what happening with NDA," he added

Further claiming that the state has seen a substantial drop in cases of corruption, the Chief Minister said, "In these four years, we could reduce corruption drastically. When compared to many other states, corruption is much less in Andhra Pradesh."
The animal welfare group has warned of legal action if rides are not stopped.

The notice comes fresh at the heels of the latest report after inspections authorised by the governments Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). (Representational Image/ Pixabay)

Jaipur: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India sent legal notices to Rajasthan Departnment of Archaeology and Museums as well as Forest Department asking them to stop illegal elephant rides at Amber Fort and Hathigaon.

The notice comes fresh at the heels of the latest report after inspections authorised by the governments Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) which reveals the shocking abuse faced by captive elephants, which includes among others the use of blind elephants and many suffering from tuberculosis (TB) for these rides.

Response to Notice

In response to their notice, PETA India received a letter from the Superintendent of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, who has forwarded a copy of the notice to the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of Rajasthan stating that since the department requires a health certificate from the zoo and a No Objection Certificate from the CWLW before granting permission for rides, the CWLW should determine whether the elephant rides should be permitted.

What the notice reveals

In the legal notice, PETA India pointed out that these rides are illegal because none of the elephants used are registered with the AWBI, which is in violation of the Performing Animals (Registration) Rules, 2001, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the 2010 order of the Rajasthan government which mandates that any use of elephants requires permission from the AWBI.

Furthermore, the report reveals that the elephants at Amber Fort are being forced to carry loads heavier than 200 kilograms, which is the legal maximum for these animals on hilly terrain, as per the 2008 "Guidelines for Care and Management of Captive Elephants" issued by the central government.

The legal notice further explained that the weight of the howdah combined with the safety gear and one mahout alone weigh around 200 kilograms.

PETA condemns act

Speaking about it, PETA India Senior Legal Associate Swati Sumbly said, "It's shameful and embarrassing that sick, elderly, blind, and TB-infected elephants are being forced to haul tourists through one of India's most beautiful historic sites.

She further added, PETA India is calling on the Department of Archaeology & Museums and the Forest Department to stop this criminal abuse of elephants and these illegal rides immediately.

Representatives of PETA India recently met with the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan and the Additional Chief Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Forests and submitted a copy of the latest AWBI inspection report to them.

AWBI inspection report reveals

According to the report, among the 102 working elephants examined in Jaipur, many were found to be more than 50 years old.

Ten tested positive for TB, which can be transmitted to humans, and 19 were observed to be visually impaired, rendering them unfit to give rides because of the danger posed to both themselves and the public.

All were found to be suffering from various foot problems, including overgrown toenails and bruised footpads, and many displayed stereotypical behaviour patterns, such as repetitive swaying and head-bobbing, indicating severe psychological distress. Additionally, the tusks of 47 elephants appeared to have been cut, in apparent violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, raising suspicion that the tusks may have entered the illegal wildlife trade.

The post-mortem reports for four elephants who died within a period of five months in 2017 indicate that most had been suffering from respiratory diseases  possibly TB  and a heavy internal parasitic load.

More than 100 travel agencies  including global operators such as TripAdvisor, The Travel Corporation, Intrepid Travel, smarTours, STA Travel, and TUI Group  have committed to not offering activities that exploit elephants.
AAP spokesman says Cong approached party, not other way around.

New Delhi: In a significant political development, the AAP has reportedly offered three Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in the national capital to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The move comes a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal praised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying that the country needs an educated PM like him. But the AAP offer seems to have not gone well with the Delhi Congress, whose chief Ajay Maken declined it saying, when the people of Delhi are continuously rejecting the Kejriwal government, why should we come to their rescue.

On Thursday, Mr Kejriwal had praised former PM Manmohan Singh. He had earlier reviled Mr Singh during his anti-graft campaign for the Lokpal and later during the 2013 Delhi Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. This led to speculations in political circles that the two parties were cosying up to each other to put up a united fight against the BJP.

Reacting to Mr Makens tweet, AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey said it was the Congress that had approached the AAP and not the other way around. Ajaymaken ji, some senior Congress leaders are in touch with the Aam Aadmi Party and they want our help in Punjab and Haryana, in return want a seat in Delhi, Mr Pandey tweeted responding to Mr Makens tweet.

Two AAP leaders ruled out talks with the Congress at this moment, saying that the two parties were currently fighting for the same set of voters.

The BJP in its response to the reports said that the news doesnt surprise the party. The tweets of Congress and AAP leaders in this context are a game plan towards creating a political atmosphere for a coalition. It shows that both the parties now real-ise that the BJP is the first choice. The Congress and AAP coalition will be an immoral one with a mo-tive to mislead the people of Delhi, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said.

Taking a jibe at the reports, rebel AAP leader Kapil Mishra said that the truth of the coalition bet-ween AAP and Congress has now been revealed. The AAP chief is himself calling the journalists and telling them to delete their tweets. Mr Maken has diluted his game plan, he tweeted in Hindi.

Formed in November 2012, the AAP won 28 seats in the 2013 Assembly polls, defeating the Congress which bagged only eight seats. The BJP bagged 33.07 per cent votes, while the Congress and the AAP secured 24.59 per cent and 29.49 per cent votes, respectively. In 2015 Assembly polls, the BJP could barely win three seats and its vote share was 32.19 per cent, a decline of 0.88 per cent in comparison to its show in 2013.

However, the Congress fared the worst as it secured only 9.65 per cent votes and could not even open an account, while the AAP got 54.3 per cent votes and bagged 67 out 70 seats.

The Bharatiya Janta Party in its response to the reports said that the news doesnt surprise the party. The reports of Congress and AAPs coalition neither surprise us nor distract us. The tweets of Congress and AAP leaders in this context are a game plan towards creating a political atmosphere for a coalition. It shows that both the parties now realise that Bharatiya Janata Party is the first choice of people of Delhi. The Congress and AAP coalition will be an immoral one with a motive to mislead the people of Delhi, Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari said.

Taking a jibe at the reports, rebel Aam Aadmi Party leader Kapil Mishra said that the truth of the coalition between AAP and Congress has now been revealed. The AAP chief is himself calling the journalists and telling them to delete their tweets. Mr Maken has today diluted his game plan, he tweeted in Hindi.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 2)  China had filed diplomatic protests to the Philippines over the disputed South China Sea, but Foreign Secretary Alan Cayetano would not provide details on these.

At his pre-departure briefing for South Korea on Thursday, Cayetano confirmed that the Philippines had sent a note verbale "several times" to China over its activities in the contested waters, and that China had done the same.

A note verbale is a diplomatic note raising issues of concern to the recipient country.

Asked if China reacted to the note verbales the government filed, Cayetano said, "Yes, of course. Sila din, nag-file several times. May reaction po tayo."

[Translation: They too, have filed several times. We also reacted.]

The Foreign Affairs Chief, however, did not outline what incidents were covered in the protests filed by China or what became of the exchange.

Earlier reports said the Duterte government filed its first note verbale to China a week ago, citing the installation of missile systems on artificial islands in the Spratlys, and the Chinese Navy's harassment of Filipino troops on Ayungin Shoal off Palawan.

Malacanang also confirmed that China filed several diplomatic protests, including a note verbale, and that the Philippines reacted to them.

"That's a factual report," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said, referring to Cayetano's statement, in a text message to CNN Philippines.

Cayetano repeated his explanation that a protest can either be expressed or implied, and either written or verbal.

"That's what I'm saying nga: may note verbale 'yan, mayroong Bilateral Consultative Mechanism, mayroong leader-to-leader: President Xi and President Duterte," he clarified.

Cayetano said the Philippines is doing a combination of diplomatic approaches to ensure effectivity.

"Because we want to be effective. So every situation, tinitignan natin kung ano mas effective (we're figuring out which is more effective) to influence their behavior," he said.

The Secretary earlier stressed that the government cannot divulge the contents of all diplomatic negotiations to protect national interest.

China's continuing activities in contested areas in the South China Sea prompted the Philippines to file 'dozens' of protests against Beijing. China refuses to acknowledge an international tribunal's ruling favoring the Philippines' claims over areas within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the country.

Other claimants in the maritime dispute are Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

CNN Philippines' Eimor Santos contributed to this report.
According to reports the 14-yr-old girl was allegedly detained by the police for eight days.

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh DGP over reports that a 14-year-old girl was allegedly detained by the police in Noida for eight days. The commission said she was also allegedly beaten, burnt with cigarettes and given electric shocks.

The commission observed that the content of the reports, if true, indicate cruelty of the police personnel for which they deserve exemplary punishment so that a message could be given that such inhuman acts by a public servant cannot be accepted at any cost.

It said that the law does not empower the police personnel to humiliate and harm innocent citizens.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that a 14-year-old girl was detained at a police chowki and a police station in Noida for eight days, the commission said in a statement. The commission has issued the notice to the director general of police of the state and sought a detailed report within four weeks.

He (police chief) is also expected to send the report about the steps taken for counselling/rehabilitation of the victim, the rights panel said.

According to a media report carried on Thursday, the girl, a domestic help, was detained after her employer accused her of theft. The girls family said that she was detained by the police on May 14 at the Salarpur police chowki, where she remained till May 16, the NHRC statement said, quoting from the report.

The statement said : They (family members) were not allowed to meet her and she was released on May 16. The police again picked up the girl the next day and this time her 17-year-old brother was also taken into custody. Both of them were finally released on the night of May 22, following the intervention by an NGO, Bachpan Bachao Andolan and an order from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

Reportedly, the CWC, on May 23, had also ordered a medical examination of the girl. The NHRC said : The medico-legal case report has revealed discoloured brown-shaped circular discolorations near her left and right wrists linking these to burnt marks. The report also mentions abrasions on the right forearm near the elbow and three discoloured abrasions on both the wrists. The report specifically clarified that all injuries are more than 10 days old, caused by hard and blunt object.

The SHO of the Police Station Sector-39, Noida has reportedly denied the allegations of illegal detention and torture. He has also claimed that the girl was not a minor. The medico-legal case, report, however, confirms that the girl is a minor, it said.
The Maharashtra ATS had arrested the duo for suspected links with terrorists in Dubai.

Mumbai: A special MCOCA court on Thursday remanded Faisal Mirza and Allahrakha Mansuri to judicial custody. The Maharashtra ATS had arrested the duo for suspected links with terrorists in Dubai.

Advocates Sharif Shaikh and Abhishek Pandey, who appeared for Mirza on behalf of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, filed an application before special MCOCA judge V.P. Awhad, alleging that ATS officers during police custody took Mirzas signature on some blank papers. The lawyers also claimed that the accused was apprehensive that the ATS would misuse these signatures. Mirza is innocent and he has not given any confessional statement. If the investigating officers come up with any confession, it would not be that of Mirza, said advocate Shaikh.

The ATS team arrested Mirza, an electrician by profession, from his house in Jogeshwari on May 11. Mansuri, a Gujarat-based man, was arrested on May 16. According to the ATS, the arrested accused were in touch with wanted accused Farooq Devadiwala alias Farooq Memon, who is Mirzas cousin. The ATS informed the court that Memon, in conspiracy with some Pakistan-based terrorist outfits, planned to target VIPs, crowded places and essential services in Mumbai, Gujarat and UP.

According to the ATS, Memon first called Mirza to Sharjah and arranged an air-ticket for Mirza for Nairobi via Karachi in Pakistan. The agency has claimed that instead of going to Nairobi, Mirza got off at Karachi and stayed there. It is alleged that he underwent terror training for twelve days at a terrorist camp and learned how to make bombs, handle arms, carry out suicide attacks, cause fire etc.
The timing is interesting as the RLD won the Kairana Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh last Thursday after teaming up with the SP, BSP and Congress.

Nearly two weeks ago, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had set the ball rolling for the year-end Assembly election in Chhattisgarh with a two-day packed programme, which included a public meeting in Pendra, a stronghold of party rebel Ajit Jogi. The former chief minister, who walked out of the Congress nearly two years ago and floated his own party (Chhattisgarh Janata Congress) had hit back and booked the meeting grounds for his party programmes. Given the bitterness between the two parties, it was, therefore, surprising when Mr Gandhi called up Mr Jogis wife, Renu Jogi, from the United States last week to enquire about the former Congress leaders health. Mr Jogi is undergoing treatment at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon for pneumonia after he was flown down from Raipur by an air ambulance last week. Not expecting a call from the Congress chief, Ms Jogi was puzzled when her phone rang and the caller identified himself as Rahul. Rahul who, she asked whereupon Mr Gandhi gave his full name. The phone call has naturally created ripples in political circles because it is being seen as a tentative move by Mr Gandhi to bring Mr Jogi back to the party fold, realising that he has the capacity to play spoiler in a three-cornered contest in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh.

As soon as it became clear last Thursday that the BJP scored poorly in the latest set of bypolls, the news set off speculation that the saffron party will further unleash the enforcement agencies against its rivals to pressurise Opposition parties from putting up a joint fight in next years general election. While former finance minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti are already embroiled in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case, the BJP believes regional leaders are vulnerable when it comes to corruption cases. It is no coincidence then that the CBI recently began inquiries against AirAsia head Tony Fernandes for paying bribes to get approvals for flying on international routes. It now appears that the probe is expected to extend to Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh who was the civil aviation minister during that period. The timing is interesting as the RLD won the Kairana Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh last Thursday after teaming up with the SP, BSP and Congress. The victory has obviously set alarm bells ringing in the BJP.

Now that the Karnataka Assembly polls and the drama over government formation is over, the BJP president is focused on planning for the year-end Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as well as the 2019 general election. Realising that of the three northern states, the BJP faces the toughest challenge in Rajasthan, Amit Shah is ready to set up base in Jaipur. He is said to have hired a house in the Pink City as he had done in Karnataka so that he can spend sufficient time in the poll-bound state and monitor preparations for the contest ahead. Predictably, Mr Shahs focus on Rajasthan has not gone unnoticed by the Congress, which is confident that it will succeed in dethroning the Vasundhara Raje government given the growing anti-incumbency against the chief minister. There is a buzz in Rajasthan Congress that Mr Shah will use all means (both fair and foul) in the run-up to elections to overcome the dwindling popularity ratings of the state government. It is expected that the state will witness a fresh round of religious polarisation in the coming weeks while the use of money and state power will be on full display to engineer defections in the rival camp. The word is out that the Congress in Rajasthan better beware as Mr Shah is arriving with his bag of tricks.

Smriti Irani was known to have easy access to the Prime Ministers Office during the period she was heading the high-profile information and broadcasting ministry. Given the nature of her work, she was required to interact with the PMO to fine-tune the governments communications strategy and messaging. This task is monitored closely by the PMO since the next general election is only a year away. According to the capitals political grapevine, Ms Irani is no longer a regular visitor to the PMO after she was stripped of the I&B ministry. Ms Irani, who is left with the charge of textiles ministry, has been keeping a low profile since then as it has been made abundantly clear that her stock in the party has plummeted. In fact, there is a talk in the BJP circles that Ms Irani may not be picked to take on Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in the next years general election as a high-profile contest adds to her stature. On the other hand, it will not be surprising if Ms Irani bounces back as she has done in the past.
Of the 15 agreements signed with Indonesia, two key ones are in defence and space.

The most encouraging signal to emerge out of Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore was the one from Indonesia. The two historically friendly maritime neighbours have decided to strengthen their ties further in elevating bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. From the early days of Sukarno in Jakarta and Jawaharlal Nerhu in New Delhi, the two have got along swimmingly. Today, Indonesia not only has the worlds largest Muslim population, but is also a leading economy in the region, and a democracy too with a moderate outlook. Given the commonality of interests, its up to the two to ensure that ties grow. The PMs visit may have enhanced the mood as he seems to have hit it off with Joko Jokowi Widodo, who told him that his grandson is named Srinarendra.

Of the 15 agreements signed with Indonesia, two key ones are in defence and space. Whenever India moves on its Act East policy, the elephant in the room is China. The Asean countries are wary, if not fearful, of Chinas dominance and of its sensitivities in the Indo-Pacific region. That freedom of maritime passage was stressed as Indonesia and India agreed to a Joint Task Force to enhance port-related infrastructure in and around Sabang is significant. This is strategically located on Sumatras northern tip, near the Malacca Straits, and is not far from Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, headquarters of the tri-services command and base for our blue-water Navy. Greater military cooperation may just help take ties to an even higher level.
Trump's announcement came at the end of a nearly 80-minute meeting in Oval Office of the White House with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol.

US President Donald Trump with Kim Yong Chol, left, former North Korean military intelligence chief and one of leader Kim Jong Un's closest aides, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Friday.(Photo: AP)

Washington: US President Donald Trump confirmed that his Singapore Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would take place on June 12, and said it would begin the process of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump's announcement came at the end of a nearly 80-minute meeting in the Oval Office of the White House with North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol.

Kim Yong Chol delivered a letter from the North Korean leader to Trump. "The meeting went very well. We'll be meeting on June 12th in Singapore. It went very well. It's really a get-to-know-you kind of a situation," Trump said at an impromptu press conference with the White House pool soon after the North Korean envoy left. Kim Yong Chol arrived in Washington DC after two days of talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York. Trump acknowledged that denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was going to be a long process.

"I think it'll be a process. I never said it goes in one meeting. But the relationships are building, and that's a very positive thing," he said. Confident that the North Koreans wanted to achieve this goal, he said they want other things along the line.

"I think they want to do that. I know they want to do that. And they want other things along the line. They want to develop as a country. That's going to happen. I have no doubt," the US President said.

Trump said countries in the region  Japan and South Korea  were also involved in this. "We're involved in terms of getting everything. Everybody wants the United States. So we're going to help in the process. Without us, it wouldn't happen. But I think that you see a lot of very positive things, including with China. I think you see a lot of very positive things happening with President Xi, who has helped me quite a bit with this. So we'll see where it leads," he said.

The President went on to confirm that the summit would take place in Singapore on June 12.

"It will be a beginning. I don't say and I've never said it happens in one meeting. You're talking years of hostility, problems and hatred between so many different nations. But I think you're going to have a very positive result in the end," he added. Responding to a question, Trump said he had never cancelled the meeting.

His letter to Kim Jong-un was in response to statements coming from them. "My letter was a response to their letter. The media forgot that. You know, the media said, 'Oh, you had a meeting, then you cancelled.' I didn't cancel the meeting. I cancelled it in response to a very tough statement. And I think we're totally over that. Now we're going to deal, and we're going to really start a process," he said.

"We are meeting with the Chairman (Kim Jong-un) on June 12 (in Singapore). It is ultimately going to be a successful process," Trump said.

The president described the letter as very interesting and nice. "It was actually very interesting because this was literally going to be the delivery of a letter, and it ended up being a two-hour conversation with the second-most powerful man in North Korea," he said.

"We talked about almost everything. We talked about sanctions," Trump added. Based on the talks, Trump said the North Korean leader was committed to denuclearisation. "I do think so. He'd like to see it happen. He wants to be careful. He is not going to run and do things. But I told him, to be honest with you, look, we have sanctions on; they're very powerful sanctions. We would not take sanctions off unless they did that. But the sanctions are very powerful. You're going to see how powerful sanctions are when it comes to Iran. You see what that's doing to Iran," he said.

The President said he looked forward to the day when the sanctions could be lifted Trump, however, said the current level of sanctions on North Korea would remain. "It's going to remain what it is now. I don't even want to use the term 'maximum pressure' anymore because we're getting along," he said. He said the United States was unlikely to offer much aid to North Korea, which would be taken care of by South Korea and Japan.

Responding to a question, Trump said he was concerned about the recent visit of the Russian foreign minister to Pyongyang.

"I didn't like it, but it could be very positive, too. I didn't like the Russian meeting yesterday. If it's a positive meeting, I love it. If it's a negative meeting, I'm not happy," he said. Trump said they also talked about ending the Korean war.

"We talked about ending the war. This war has been going on -- it's got to be the longest war -- almost 70 years, right? And there is a possibility of something like that. That's more of a signing of a document that it's very important in one way. Historically, it's very important. But we'll see. We did discuss the ending of the Korean War," he said.

The United States, Trump said, was going to ensure the security of Kim Jong-un. "We're going to make sure when this is over, it's over. It's not going to be starting up again. They have a potential to be a great country. I think South Korea, Japan and China are going to help a lot," he said.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister on Friday night.

Modi, who is in Singapore on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in Singapore, days after the Pentagon renamed its Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance to the US military.

Modi, who is in Singapore on the last leg of his three-nation tour, held a closed-door meeting with Mattis during which both sides discussed all security related issues of mutual and global interests, sources said.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which was addressed by the Prime Minister on Friday night.

In his keynote address at the Dialogue, Modi had said an "Asia of rivalry" will hold the region back while an Asia of cooperation will shape the current century. Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests, he had said.

"We should all have equal access as a right under international law to the use of common spaces on sea and in the air that would require freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law," he had said.

Mattis also addressed the dialogue where he stressed upon freedom for all and "reaffirmation for rule based order".

The meeting between the two leaders assumes significance as in his address Mattis has stressed upon both countries working together and with other nations for ensuring peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is only appropriate that waterways remain open for all nations," Mattis said. The meeting comes days after the US renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.

Read: In nod to India, US military renames it's Pacific Command as Indo-Pacific Command

The US move came in the wake of a series of measures by China that have raised tensions in the South China Sea. China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area.

The US also rejects China's claims of ownership of the area. The Pentagon's move is also reflective of the growing importance of India in US strategic thinking. India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector.

In 2016, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient.

Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.
Trump has long railed against NAFTA, condemning it as a job-killing 'disaster' that has decimated US manufacturing.

Washington: President Donald Trump floated the idea of replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement with two separate trade deals  one with Canada and one with Mexico  adding more uncertainly to trade talks between the three countries that appear to have ground to a halt.

Speaking with reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump said America's neighbours are "two very different countries" that perhaps should no longer be governed by the same trade rules.

"To be honest with you, I wouldn't mind seeing NAFTA where you'd go by a different name where you make a separate deal with Canada and a separate deal with Mexico," he said.

The comment was sure to further complicate talks that have been under way for months to renegotiate the landmark free trade deal that eliminated most tariffs and duties between the three countries.

The talks already were on tense footing when Trump announced this week that he would impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union, igniting global condemnation and threats of retaliatory tariffs that could badly hurt American producers.

Trump has long railed against NAFTA, condemning it as a job-killing "disaster" that has decimated US manufacturing. "It's been a lousy deal for the United States from Day One," Trump said Friday, dismissing objections from some of the country's closest allies. "They're our allies but they take advantage of us economically."

The comments came hours after Trump lashed out at Canada by tweet, accusing America's northern neighbour of treating "our Agricultural business and Farmers very poorly for a very long period of time."

"Highly restrictive on Trade! They must open their markets and take down their trade barriers!" he wrote. US Commerce Department numbers show the US recorded a trade surplus with Canada for each of the past three years.

The United States had sought to use the tariff threat as a cudgel to win concessions from Canada and Mexico in talks to renegotiate NAFTA, offering the two US neighbors a permanent exemption if they agreed to US demands. But Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said there was "no longer a very precise date" as to when talks would end and that the tariffs went into effect at midnight Thursday as a result.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that he'd offered to go to Washington this week to complete the talks, thinking they were close to an agreement, but that Vice President Mike Pence called him and told him a meeting with the US president would only happen if Trudeau agreed to put a five-year sunset clause into the deal.

Trudeau said he'd refused to go because of the "totally unacceptable" precondition. A White House official said a range of issues had yet to be resolved.

Trump's trade policies - and specifically the steel and aluminium tariffs - have drawn international denunciation.

Canada announced plans to slap tariffs on USD 12.8 billion worth of US products, ranging from steel to yogurt. Mexico complained the tariffs will "distort international trade" and said it would penalize US imports including pork, apples, grapes, cheeses and flat steel.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman.

Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the officers and sailors on board the Indian Navy's Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Satpura. (Photo: @MEAIndia | Twitter)

Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day tour to Singapore, today visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and Royal Singapore Navy.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman.

"25 years of uninterrupted naval exercises and growing naval cooperation! PM @narendramodi with Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman and other dignitaries on-board the RSS Formidable Frigate of the Singapore Navy," External Affairs Ministry Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

25 years of uninterrupted naval exercises and growing naval cooperation! PM @narendramodi with Senior Minister of State for Defence Md. Maliki Osman and other dignitaries on-board the RSS Formidable Frigate of the Singapore Navy. pic.twitter.com/uqzpVNvSy0  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 2, 2018

Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the officers and sailors on board the Indian Navy's Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Satpura.

"Proud to be with our naval sentinels! PM @narendramodi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region. A fitting finale to a memorable visit to Singapore!," Kumar tweeted.

Proud to be with our naval sentinels! PM @narendramodi on board INS Satpura which is visiting the Changi Naval Base as part of its deployment in the region. A fitting finale to a memorable visit to Singapore! pic.twitter.com/1OgXy1OR2e  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 2, 2018

India and Singapore have signed implementation agreement between their navies concerning mutual coordination, logistics and services support for naval ships', submarines and naval aircraft (including ship borne aviation assets) visits.

"India's armed forces, especially our Navy, are building partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region for peace and security, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Modi had said on Friday.
The number of injured has exceeded that of the 2014 war. MSF is working relentlessly in the face of enormous needs. Most of the injured will have consequences that will last a lifetime. Concern is growing over a planned protest for 5 June. For the Red Cross, Gazas health system has been overwhelmed and cannot handle the high number of patients.

Gaza (AsiaNews)  The number of wounded caused by clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops in Gaza over the past few weeks has topped that of the 2014 war.

According to Doctors Without Borders (MSF), since 14 May, when the number of casualties reached a peak, medical teams have been constantly busy with new victims of violence.

The medical NGO has been working non-stop to cope with huge needs, noting that most patients will experience the effects of their injuries for the rest of their life.

More than a hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers during protests on the border. Some 15 of them are children. To these must be added more than 13,000 injured, of which at least 1,000 are minors.

To face the emergency, the international NGO has had to open a new clinic and another will start working in the coming weeks.

Now all eyes are on 5 June, when a new day of protests and demonstrations is expected in the Gaza Strip.

In recent days, the two sides have exchanged heavy fire. Rocket fire from Hamas and Islamic Jihad has been met by Israeli air strikes, which have hit scores of military targets connected to Palestinian extremist movements.

The violence follows deadly protests and clashes that broke out along the Gaza border on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Nakba.

To stem the escalation the two sides have agreed to a kind of ceasefire, which came into force on 30 May.

The fragile truce seems to be holding, so much so that the rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups against southern Israel have ended, which, in turn, has stopped Israeli air strikes in the Strip.

Still, the humanitarian emergency remains. MSF has pointed out that the current flow of patients is unlike that of 2014. In 90% of cases the wounds, often very serious, are in the lower limbs.

In recent weeks, MSF teams have performed 315 surgeries, including 30 amputations, and have fixed 534 fractures. At least 900 people are in need of care and assistance.

To face the emergency, the Red Cross (ICRC) has also decided to boost its presence on the territory.

"The recent demonstrations and violence that took place along the Gaza border... have triggered a health crisis of unprecedented magnitude in this part of the world," said Robert Mardini, the ICRC's head of operations for the Middle East.

The local healthcare system, he added, is "stressed and overburdened" and it "simply can't handle" the high number of patients.
A bicameral panel will reconcile differences between the two versions. The Bangsamoro region will have executive, legislative and fiscal powers. A plebiscite will be held to determine which parts of Mindanao will be part of the new entity. For Duterte, the law is fundamental to continue the peace talks and stem Islamist advance.

Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The Philippines has moved closer to ending decades of conflict on its resource-rich island of Mindanao, after lawmakers approved a Bill that would eventually grant self-rule for the country's Muslim minority.

On Wednesday, the lower house of the Filipino Congress voted 227 to 11 with 2 abstentions to approve the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The Senate passed its own version on Thursday.

A bicameral panel will have to reconcile the two versions, which differ on many key provisions. But President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign the law before he delivers his State of the Nation address on 23 July.

The BBL is seen as key to lasting peace with separatist rebels and to stopping the rise of Islamist extremism in the Philippines' poorest and most dangerous region.

The BBL follows a peace deal signed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest Muslim rebel group, with the government in 2014 to end nearly 50 years of conflict that has seen more than 120,000 people killed and two million displaced.

The bill outlines the process to set up a self-administered territory in an area sometimes referred to as Bangsamoro (nation of Moros), encompassing mountains, islands and jungles that are home to at least 4 million people, mostly Muslim.

The previous administration had hoped to pass the Bill in 2015, but a disastrous raid to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Hir, alias Marwan, earlier that year gave its opponents reasons to derail it. In the operations, 44 police commandos died when they ran into a much larger MILF force.

Duterte has warned that failure to pass the BBL could favour other extremists like the Islamic State group, which last year inspired an Islamist alliance that besieged the city of Marawi for five months.

The battle for Marawi was the biggest the Philippines has seen since World War Two and stoked wider concerns that the Islamic State group had ambitions to turn Mindanao into a base for its operations in Southeast Asia.

In Marawi, the MILF opposed the terrorists and collaborated with government troops to fight the radical faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which had sworn loyalty to IS.

The Filipino president warned that the failure to approve the BBL could push the MILF and other separatist rebels to abandon the peace talks and declare war again.

Ghazali Jaafar, the MILFs deputy chairman for political affairs, said the MILF wants more than what is currently included in the versions in Congress.

The MILF had pressed for the Bangsamoro region to have its own police force. Lawmakers instead decided that the central government would continue to oversee security in the region. They also approved a lower subsidy for growth projects in the region.

Once signed into law, the Bangsamoro region will have its own executive, legislature and fiscal powers. The central government will continue to oversee defence, security, foreign affairs and monetary policy.

A plebiscite will be held to determine which provinces in Mindanao will be part of the new territory.

Mindanao, an island as big as South Korea, is the most underdeveloped region of the Philippines. But it is home to most of its nickel mines and the largest fruit farms, as well as vast areas that the government wants to convert into palm oil plantations.
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Relatives of the victims of the massacre write an open letter. "The June 4 tragedy is history now, but this disaster remains unresolved, and its wounds have yet to heal," it says. On the anniversary, members of the group are routinely subjected to checks, house arrest, forced travel in the company of security forces. The regime fears a group of fragile, sick and elderly people. At least 51 of them have died without receiving justice.

Beijing (AsiaNews/RFA)  The Mothers of Tiananmen, the group of relatives of the victims of the massacre carried out by the Chinese army on 4 June 1989, have written a letter to President Xi Jinping describing the mass killing as a "crime against humanity". In it they call on the president to pursue those responsible and to compensate the victims.

On the night of 3 and 4 June 1989, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army put an end to the movement of about a million students and workers who had occupied Tiananmen Square for more than a month to demand more democracy and less corruption in the Chinese Communist Party (CPC).

According to the most reliable estimates, between 200 and 2,000 people were shot down or crushed by tanks; tens of thousands were arrested in the following days and convicted as "counter-revolutionaries" because they were attacking the hegemony of the Party.

The Communist Party has always defended its action to crush of a "counter-revolutionary rebellion". Some of its leaders, like Jiang Zemin, have dared to say that the massacre was a minor evil, necessary to bring China to its current level of economic development.

"In the turbulent summer of 1989  the authorities sent in more than 100,000 fully armed and battle-ready troops to slaughter unarmed students and civilians in a massacre that was supposed to preserve national stability," says the letter of the Mothers of Tiananmen.

"This was a crime against humanity that seriously damaged our reputation as a nation. [. . .] The June 4 tragedy is history now, but this disaster remains unresolved, and its wounds have yet to heal."

For several decades the Mothers of Tiananmen have called for light to be shed on what happened, to have those responsible prosecuted, and to have those maimed and the families of the dead compensated. So far, they have not had any answer.

"During the past 29 years that this government has been in power, not one person has enquired after us, nor has anyone apologised," the letter says. "It's as if this massacre that shocked the whole world never even happened."

Originally, the group was made up of hundreds of parents and relatives. Now most of them are old. Many of them - at least 51 - have died without receiving justice.

Whenever the Tiananmen anniversary comes up, they come under police surveillance, placed under house arrest or given a "holiday", courtesy of the security forces.

"It seems that this hugely powerful dictatorship of the proletariat is afraid of a vulnerable group of sick and elderly people," the letter does on to say.

In a direct address to Xi Jinping, the letter tells him: "As the leader of a major country, you can't not care about the Tiananmen massacre that happened 29 years ago. Surely you must care about the people who were its victims."
by Vladimir Rozanskij

In the meeting with a Russian delegation led by Hilarion, the pontiff came out against the creation of an Orthodox Patriarchate of Kyiv, autonomous from Moscow, a goal supported instead by Bartholomew I. The pontiff expressed veiled criticisms of the Greek Catholics, who should not meddle in the internal affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church. A new meeting between Francesco and Kirill seems possible.

Moscow (AsiaNews)  The audience on Wednesday in Rome, in which Pope Francis met with the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate, has generated positive impressions in Russia. In the conflict with the faction in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv) that seeks autonomy from the Patriarchate, the pontiff has openly supported the pro-Moscow faction.

Receiving the group of Russians led by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), at the end of a brotherly visit to the Italian Church, the Pope said: "In your presence, especially in front of you, dear brother, I would like once more to emphasise that the Catholic Church will never allow acts on its part to provoke divisions. We will not allow this; I do not want this. In Russia there is only one Patriarchate, yours, and we will not recognise any other.

Francis remarks resonate solemn and meaningful, also because the question of "Ukrainian autocephaly" is causing a very serious crisis within the Orthodox world. The Ukrainian bishops most favorable to separation, such as the autonomous Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), but also many prelates of the jurisdiction linked to Moscow, are waiting for the Tomos of autocephaly that the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople should pronounce this month in conjunction with the celebrations for the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus' (988).

The position taken by Pope Francis seems to go against this possibility, counterbalancing the intentions attributed to Bartholomew, the universal "primate" of the Orthodox. What is more, in the audience with the Russians, the pope also reiterated in no uncertain terms that Uniatism cannot be considered an acceptable method to achieve ecclesiastical unity in view of todays relations between Orthodox and Catholics. Instead, the pontiff noted that only brotherly dialogue is the path to greater unity.

The pontiff's words also include a warning for Ukrainian Greek Catholics. "Catholic Churches should not meddle in the internal affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church, especially for political reasons. This is my position, and the current position of the Holy See. Those who act differently do not submit to the Holy See," the pontiff said in what sounds almost like an excommunication for those who disobey.

Just before he left for Rome, Metropolitan Hilarion, the right-hand man of Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow, spoke out against Ukrainian Uniates, who, in his view, are responsible for Kyivs attempt to achieve autocephaly, a goal supported by Ukrainian politicians and by President Poroshenko. According to Hilarion, " the rhetoric associated with the project for the so-called one local Church in Ukraine is often associated with a group, that of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainians, led by Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk. The latter continues to make statements in support of the project a single local Church, saying that the unity of this Church should be based on the successor of the Apostle Peter, that is the pope of Rome," the Metropolitan told the NTV TV channel. Pope Francis words thus seem to be a direct response in support of Hilarions statement.

The Metropolitan also denied that the Patriarch of Moscow could join Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew in the celebrations for Saint Nicholas in Bari, set for early July. In light of the "Ukrainian question", it is understandable that the Russian patriarch wants to avoid contact with his "big brother" Bartholomew, which the Russian press continues to describe, especially now, as the head of a marginal Greek Orthodox community in Turkey rather than the head of all Orthodox.

The controversy against the "Turkish Patriarch", as Bartholomew is often referred to in Russian media, is nothing new in the relations between Russian and Greek Orthodox. Two years ago, this was underscored by the Russian refusal to participate in the first historic pan-Orthodox council in Crete, thus causing it to fail.

At the same time, Metropolitan Hilarion has let it be known that a new meeting between Francis and Kirill is on the contrary desirable and the Russians recent visit in Rome are making it ever closer and more probable. For now, there are no indications as to when or under what circumstances the meeting might take place. What is clear however is that it will happen on neutral ground, thus neither in Moscow nor in Rome.
Former Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall died Saturday morning. He was well-known for spreading the mantra of "Unity in Our Community" as he he
Is the Lost Language of Iraqi Jews Really Lost?

Asir Salaam Shajaa, the third generation in his family to care for the tomb, dusts off the hand-sewn green cloth used to cover Nahum's Tomb (photo: al Qaisi). Between 1948 and 1951, the vast majority of Iraq's Jewish population of around 150,000 left the country, interrupting a remarkable literary and linguistic heritage. The Talmud, some of which was composed in Iraq, was written partly in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic, a literary dialect using the Hebrew alphabet. The Jews of northern Iraq spoke particular forms of Aramaic, closely related to the Aramaic spoken by their Assyrian neighbors. Ever-decreasing numbers of Jews in Israel speak those dialects--relics of obscure, mainly rural communities. Other Jewish Aramaic dialects are now only used in academic or religious study.

The predominant Iraqi-Jewish language was a particular form of Judeo-Arabic, a term encompassing forms of Arabic spoken by Jews in Arab countries. Geoffrey Khan, a professor of Hebrew at Cambridge University, has done pioneering work on the spoken Aramaic dialects of the Assyrians and Jews of Iran and northern Iraq. "Jewish Baghdadi is different in all levels of structure, phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon, from Muslim and Christian dialects of Iraqi Arabic," he told me. Regarding the influence of Aramaic in Judeo-Arabic, Khan noted: "There do seem to be some elements that have been influenced by an Aramaic substrate, though it is not always easy to prove it." As far as linguistic aspects that exist across Judeo-Arabic dialects, he selected as one case the pronunciation of the /r/ as in an uvular /r/, a feature of Judeo-Arabic both in Iraq and in North Africa.

Following the Arab invasions in the 7th century, Arabic supplanted Aramaic as the lingua franca of the region. As the importance of Baghdad rose, Jews established a strong presence there. By the early 20th century, Baghdad was about a third Jewish. Some communities of Jews in northern Iraq--like Assyrians and Mandaeans--continued to speak Aramaic, adopting Arabic or Kurdish only for external use.

Baghdadi Jews would imbue their own distinct heritage into the Arabic language. The phenomenon of Iraqi Judeo-Arabic mirrors the status of Jews in relation to Iraq, as a people whose culture and habits were deeply shaped by broader Iraqi society and politics, yet who lived in parallel to it. In that status, it joins not only other Jewish diaspora dialects, but a legacy of languages in the Middle East that bear the trace of communities who navigated all sorts of political transformations before the homogenizing cultural and demographic forces set in motion by the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of often-murderous nation states. The disappearance from Iraq of Assyrians, Jews, and other ancient groups like the Mandaeans, who also have a fascinating religious literature in their own Aramaic dialect, has only laid bare the lack of literature reflecting the linguistic richness and particular experiences of Iraq's various peoples.

"Like their Muslim and Christian peers, Jewish-Iraqi authors, poets, and journalists looked down on colloquial speech," the Jewish-Iraqi scholar Eli Timan told me. "Their definition of 'eloquence' was confined entirely to Fus'ha [classical Arabic]. In my opinion, this was a tragedy for our community and explains the dearth of Jewish-Iraqi documents in the field of literature."

It is eloquent of its ghostly status that some of the best fiction written in Iraqi Judeo-Arabic will likely prove to be the last. Samir Naqqash, an Iraqi-born Israeli novelist, wrote exclusively in Arabic. He refused to accept that he had lost Iraq and become Israeli, and refused to adopt Hebrew despite the decision ruining his career prospects. Naqqash instead wrote novels that conjured a vanished past of Iraq's dialectal and ethno-communal richness using the Judeo-Arabic (and other Baghdadi dialects) of his childhood that served as the keyhole to that past, and its only portable element. Since his death in 2004, no new literature featuring Iraqi Judeo-Arabic has been published.

The Dove Flyer (2013) became the first, and so far only, film shot in Iraqi Judeo-Arabic. Israeli actors, mainly descended from Iraqi Jews, learned the dialect for the film, switching to so-called Muslim-Arabic when in dialogue with Arabs, as Baghdadi Jews used to do. The film depicts a family experiencing both the imperiled material comfort and rigid social life of Baghdadi Jews in the final years of the Jewish presence in Iraq. As the gears of Zionism and Arab nationalism turn together, they increasingly become aware of their separateness, both seduced by and pushed towards making aliyah.

Since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, interest has risen in the Iraqi-Jewish heritage, although scant actual engagement with Iraq itself has taken place. Violette Shamash's Memories of Eden (2008), a memoir of Jewish life in Baghdad, features a Judeo-Arabic lexicon, including terms as diverse as loozina ("quince sweetmeat with almonds and cardamom") and slah ("synagogue," from Aramaic). Last Days in Babylon (2007) is an account of journalist Marina Benjamin's trip to Iraq in 2004. Her encounter with Baghdad's 22 remaining Jews ("too afraid to come together as a community, either for prayer or solace") is strange and haunting.

But the circumstances surrounding the trip, informed partly by the birth of Benjamin's child and the turmoil in Iraq, prompted a deeper investigation into the past, including into Judeo-Arabic. Conversations with other Iraqi Jews such as philanthropist Edwin Shuker, who escaped Iraq to London in 1971, transforms her consciousness of the power that the language she had resisted as a child growing up in London had once held. "You couldn't talk in public because as soon as you opened your mouth," Shuker tells Benjamin, "because of the Judeo-Arabic accent, someone might realize you were a Jew."

***

Eli Timan, one of the rare custodians of the Iraqi Judeo-Arabic heritage, is a member of the Iraqi-Jewish community in London. Timan left Baghdad for England at the age of 16, and has since spoken "a mixture of Jewish-Iraqi and English" with his family and the rest of the community. The proficiency of Jews in western languages, which had seen them well represented in the administrative and commercial activities of the British in Iraq, was an obstacle in passing Judeo-Arabic onto his children. "As their grandparents spoke English," Timan told me, "they did not have to communicate in Jewish-Iraqi."

Timan felt compelled to begin work on Judeo-Arabic in 2004 when, during an Aramaic class, he met a young student whose father was an Iraqi-Jew from India. Keen to learn the Jewish Iraqi dialect, the student encouraged Timan to write a Targum (dictionary). "The events in Iraq were daily headlines at that time," Timan told me. "I, like many Iraqi Jews, woke up to the fact that after 2,600 years of continuous existence, only a handful of Jews were left in Iraq and our heritage was completely lost, except in the diaspora where we spoke Jewish-Iraqi, listened to Iraqi music, and made Iraqi-Jewish food."

Timan applied successfully for a small grant from the then-newly formed Endangered Language Program at SOAS University of London, backed by the Swedish billionaire Hans Rausing. Since 2006, Timan has accumulated 100 hours of recorded testimony from Iraqi Jews living in the U.K., Canada, and Israel, around 10 percent of which has been transcribed and translated into English. The recordings include local history, Iraqi politics, and personal memories and narratives. "It is quite interesting to note," said Timan, "that the more educated make use extensively of standard Arabic. The same case applies to Jews who left Iraq after 2003." These observations further attest to the fragility of a language so tethered to the social and cultural life of a particular community that was already under sustained pressure.

Peter Austin, a distinguished linguist at SOAS, worked with Timan on the preservation of Iraqi Judeo-Arabic. He described Timan's work as a "single-handed attempt to record as much information about personal histories as possible before the last older speakers pass on." Austin expressed pessimism over the future of the language, especially owing to the dispersal of the community and the tendency of English and Hebrew to "suppress and destroy smaller immigrant languages."

Last November, Timan gave a lecture ("What is Jewish-Iraqi Arabic?") in South Hampstead, hosted by Harif, an organization dedicated to the history and heritage of Mizrahi Jews, and Spiro Ark, a Jewish cultural center. By the end of the event, attended by a mixture of intrigued European Jews and wearily nostalgic Jews from the Middle East, Timan's own downbeat take on the prospect of any Iraqi-Jewish Arabic revival was under siege from an increasingly enthusiastic and curious audience. This was especially true of the young parents in the crowd, many of whom had a background or familial experience with Arabic-Jewish dialects but had not yet encountered serious attempts to chronicle and revive it.

Having had no occasion in many years to ask what certain words and phrases from their childhood meant, they quickly set about forging new consensus on expired vernacular. One mother insisted on the importance of transmitting a capacity for Arabic gutturals to children at a young age; another claimed that although her parents had done so, she hadn't practiced any form of Arabic in London, and so was still struggling with the language phonetically in adulthood. Tentative arrangements were made to start classes.

The scholarly value of Judeo-Arabic was made clear during a tour of the Judeo-Arabic collection in the British Library. The collection contains thousands of manuscripts and texts, ranging from a version of Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed, copied in Yemen in 1380, to the mid-19th-century The Hebrew Gazette, designed for the Iraqi Jewish community of Bombay.

Ilana Tahan, a curator of Hebrew and Christian Orient studies at the British Library, told me that the portion of the archive containing published material (often published outside of Iraq) particular to Iraqi Jews, "spans more than 140 years, and covers a wide range of subjects such as Bible, religious law, liturgy, folklore, and literature." Both Ben-Gurion and Tel Aviv Universities have, as of the 2017-18 academic year, included Judeo-Arabic as part of new programs on Jews in the Arab world.

Iraqi Judeo-Arabic was particularly reactive to an environment that has irreversibly vanished, and the expulsion of Jews from that environment was so extreme as to threaten the memory of it, until the passage of time revived an archival and academic focus on the Jewish experience of Arab countries. It was the Jewish exile from Iraq--which was also a return to Israel, site of their original exile--which occasioned the need to give categorical and scholarly form to a language that was previously the reflexive province of an ancient community. The study of Iraqi Judeo-Arabic is a way of reclaiming a distinct Jewish experience before the remaining connections to it disappear forever.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 2)  The law permits government lawyers to receive allowances exceeding 50 percent of their salaries, the Solicitor General's predecessor said Saturday.

Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay pointed out that a 1985 circular of the Commission on Audit (COA) limiting allowances of all government employees to half of their basic salaries, cannot override a law. This was in response to the allegations that Solicitor General Jose Calida received millions of pesos in excessive allowances.

"While COA's circular may have the power to limit allowances of government employees in general, such power must yield to the power of Congress," Hilbay said in a statement.

Republic Act No. 9417 states that the Solicitor General, other state solicitors and the legal staff are "allowed to receive honoraria and allowances from client departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government."

Calida used the same argument in his statement on Friday, adding that the 50 percent cap "is not found in the laws authorizing the payment of said honoraria and allowances."

He added there is no basis in the COA report that he received excess allowances amounting to over P7.46 million in 2017.

"This issue is not new. It has been on-going for the past five years since the time of Solicitor General Florin Hilbay," Calida said.

Calida and Hilbay received in 2016 excess allowances of P1.12 million and P4.6 million, respectively, according to COA.

State auditors in their report maintained "the receipt of honoraria is not without limitations," insisting on the circular issued to clarify government officials and employees' receipt of extra compensation.

They said Calida was only allowed to receive P913,950 in allowance and honoraria based on his annual salary of P1.827 million. COA also found that 14 other lawyers of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) received allowances for their legal services more than the allowed 50 percent of their annual salary in 2017.

Hilbay: Allowances will retain good lawyers

Hilbay said allowances are necessary for the government to retain good lawyers.

"If OSG lawyers are so easily pirated by law firms and corporations, it will prevent the government from developing a good career bureaucracy that can litigate for the republic over long periods," he said.

He hopes the controversy does not affect the legality of granting allowances to government lawyers. "I also hope the people's moral approval or disapproval of the current SolGen does not affect this legal matter."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 2)  Be careful in criticizing the courts, an associate justice warned over a thousand new lawyers who took their oath Friday.

"[The] right to speak in criticism cannot be unbounded," Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin told this year's bar passers.

He was quick to clarify, however, that this does not mean members of the judiciary cannot criticize the Supreme Court or lower courts. He advised them that this must be done responsibly to avoid being disbarred.

"Judicial guidelines of when and how to criticize the courts, particularly the Supreme Court are clear. Consult those guidelines before you lose your privilege of membership in the Bar," Bersamin said.

He also called on new lawyers to be vigilant and protect the rule of law.

There was no mention of the case of Maria Lourdes Sereno, the first Chief Justice ousted by the Supreme Court. In a historic ruling on May 11, eight justices voted to grant the Solicitor General's quo warranto petition seeking Sereno's ouster.

One of Sereno's harshest critics, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, reminded lawyers of the sub judice rule, which states merits of a pending case should not be discussed in public.

The High Court said Sereno may be disbarred for violating this rule when she publicly talked about her quo warranto case, a legal proceeding where an individual's right to hold office is challenged.

De Castro told the bar passers, "If you lose your case on the merits fair and square, own up to it. Don't blame others and don't prop up your bruised ego at the expense of your colleague's hard-earned reputation."

In the motion for reconsideration filed by Sereno on Thursday, she insisted that six justices, including de Castro and Bersamin, should have inhibited themselves from hearing and voting on Sereno's case for being partial. She also accused justices Diosdado Peralta, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam and Samuel Martires of being biased.

CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1)  A United Nations (UN) expert flagged the Philippine's judiciary for alleged lack of judicial independence.

Diego Garcia-Sayan, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, said that Duterte's derogatory statements against the former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno constituted as an attack against the judiciary.

He added that these statements could have had a chilling effect on other Supreme Court justices.

"Not only do they constitute direct intimidation of the Chief Justice; they also appear to have had have a 'chilling effect' on other Supreme Court justices, who may have been deterred from asserting their judicial independence and exercising their freedom of expression," Sayan said in a statement.

READ: Duterte to Sereno: I am now your enemy

The Special Rapporteur explained that while Duterte has denied having a hand in Sereno's ouster, his threats against the judiciary could have been directly related to it.

"The unprecedented decision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines seems directly related to the threats made against the Chief Justice in relation to her professional activities in defence of the independence of the judiciary," Sayan said, referring to the Court's decision to unseat former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through a quo warranto petition, which was filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

Calida was appointed to his position by Duterte, and is tasked to defend the position of the administration in legal proceedings.

READ: Sereno: Duterte could have stopped ouster

"The use of such derogatory language against the highest-ranking magistrate in the country sends a clear message to all judges of the Philippines: in the so called 'war on drugs', you're either with me or against me," the human rights expert explained.

Sayan had already relayed his concerns to the Philippine government and said that he would continue to follow further developments in the judiciary.

Sereno had filed an appeal on her ouster on May 30, saying that she had been denied due process when the Supreme Court let six associate justices with alleged biases against her vote in the quo warranto petition.

READ: Sereno appeals ouster ruling, insists 'biased' justices' votes must not count
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 3)  President Rodrigo Duterte blasted United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur Diego Garcia-Sayan early Sunday, telling the expert on judicial independence to go to hell.

Sino 'yang rapporteur na 'yan? [Who is that rapporteur?] He is not (a) special person and I do not recognize his rapporteur title. Tell him not to interfere with the affairs of my country. He can go to hell, said the President.

Duterte was reacting to Garcia-Sayans statement that his pronouncements calling former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno his enemy and her eventual ouster are directly related.

The UN expert added that these statements could have had a chilling effect on other Supreme Court justices.

READ: Duterte to Sereno: I am now your enemy

Duterte reiterated that Sereno was the one who provoked him into making the statement because he claimed, he does not have a habit of interfering with cases hurled against his critics.

Alam naman ninyo bakit I exploded. Ang sinabi ko sa kanya, t***** ka, sinabi ko na sayo hindi ako nakiki- (alam) [You know why I exploded. Ive already told her, you child of a whore, Ive already told you I dont interfere],he said.

Duterte said Solicitor General Jose Calida acted on his own when he filed the quo warranto petition against Sereno, which led to her ouster.

"Calida is doing it because he's an Ilocano. He's hurt because of 'yung denials sa burial ni Marcos. Akala niya nakikialam ako. [She thought I was interfering], he said.

He also cited the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) involving the Aquino administration as one of the cases from which he choose to distance himself.

Ni hindi ko nga pinapakialaman yang DAP na yan. Sinong nagnakaw diyan. [I do not even interfere with the DAP controversy. Whoever stole money from that fund] I leave it to the Ombudsman, Duterte said.

As he prepared to leave the briefing, Duterte cussed out Garcia-Sayan.

Wala akong pakialam. Sabihan mo yang p********** rapporteur na yan, pumunta siya ng impiyerno. [I dont care. Tell that son of a whore rapporteur to go to hell], he said.

Some persons in the audience burst into laughter.
Both of Minnesota's major political parties are holding their state conventions this weekend. The DFL is cavorting in Rochester, while the Republicans are chilling in Duluth.

The highlight so far on social media so far is this gem from Republican State Chair Jennifer Carnahan, captured on Twitter by DFL comms maven Wilhelm Davis:

Cant make it up pic.twitter.com/S2zQHbuc3F  Wilhelm Davis (@WilhelmDavis) June 1, 2018

That visual dissonance was picked up by sassy Minnesotans on twitter:

Its worst than superb owl pic.twitter.com/g5Yv4diUPo  Koshin Jimcali (@KoshinJimcali) June 1, 2018

  Jeff Kolb (@jpkolb) June 1, 2018

I've never seen a better rendition of the cognition of whats wrong with the GOP. Now I am forced to pontificate on what color the sky is in the GOP mind. pic.twitter.com/yzpbt2QDMv  David Walker (@RealDLWalker) June 1, 2018

My guess is the red version looked like a veritable hellscape, which is apropos  MNlawmom (@MNlawmom) June 1, 2018

We'll be posting The Uptake's livestream of both conventions Saturday while we tend our vegetable overlords in South Dakota.

Photo: Yes, State GOP Chair Jennifer Carnahan owns two clothing boutiques, the Brainerd Dispatch reported in Lakes native goes from corporate America to owning her own business. Among the brands at the store:

She carries a variety of clothing lines such as, Color Block and See U Soon from France; Lavand from Spain; and Lumiere, Everly and Skies are Blue from Los Angeles.

Color Block indeed.

If you appreciate our posts and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.



Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen@gmail.com as recipient.
UNESCO Building Archives

The Representative of United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, UNICEF in Cameroon, Mr. Jacques Boyer, and the Director of the Regional Office of United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO for Central Africa and Representative for Cameroon, Mr. Salah Khaled, have both condemned the kidnap of education personnel and attacks in schools in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon.

In a joint outing dated June 1, 2018, they urged the kidnappers to release immediately all Education personnel who have been abducted in the South-West and North-West Regions of Cameroon, without delay.

UNICEF and UNESCO in Cameroon also aksed all stakeholders and leaders to immediately stop attacking schools, teachers and education officials and allow safe and unfettered return of all students to the classroom to continue with their studies and examinations.

I strongly condemn all killings and abductions of education workers and all acts of destruction of school infrastructure and violence perpetrated against students, schools and their staff, said Mr. Salah Khaled.

No intimidation whatsoever should be tolerated by all well-meaning partners that seek to promote the rights of children to quality education in a safe, protective and secure environment. No reason can be advanced to justify the un-warranted attacks on children.

The statement partially read, From the start of the conflict in November 2016, schools in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon have been targeted. The prevailing security situation is deteriorating with a profound impact on academic activities. To date, 40 schools have been burned down. Approximately 33,000 students are not attending school for reasons of fear of security, attacks and abductions. Several schools did not function during the past two successive school years (2016-2017 and 2017-2018).

They also said schools functioning lack the required supplies and materials and have also experienced looting and destruction of the few items that are available. As a result, girls and boys are vulnerable to sexual and economic exploitation and domestic violence.
Mengot residence reduced to ashes W. Musa

The over 140 Million residence of Victor Arrey Mengot, Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic, has been visited by wild fire set by unknown individuals.

The fire incident occurred early Saturday June 2, 2018 in his native village Mbinjong village in Upper Banyang Subdivision, Manyu Division in the South West region of Cameroon.

The main house was completely brought down to ground level but some pillars and the front view of the structure. Meanwhile another smaller house near the main one was partially brought to down.Victor Arrey Mengot is CPDM bigwig from Manyu Division and member of the Central Committee of the ruling party.

Fire Visits Shops in Mile 16-Bolifamba

Some shop owners in Mile 16, Buea Subdivision in the South West region woke up early Saturday in grief and bewilderment following the razing to ashes of over half a dozen shops in the area around the Okada Park.

The fire according to sources, started around 2:30 am Saturday but the origin is still unknown. It is however suspected that the inferno was as a result of the current Socio-Political impasse in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon which has seen the highest number of fire incidents in the history of Cameroon.

Meanwhile the abducted Principal of GHS Bolifamba, Sanga Georgiana Enanga has reportedly been released, one week after her kidnap around the school premises.

Hon Joness House Vandalized

The house of the former Member of Parliament for Ndu, Hon Tansah Jones was visited by unknown men Friday night at about 11pm.They destroyed windows simultaneously with his vehicle parked outside.He narrates that the act seems to be a well calculated move by the perpetrators.
| BY Kim Shaw |

Mobius Awards Lee Gluckman traveled from Los Angeles this week to deliver awards and a review of 2017 Best of Show winners at the office of VML Sydney.

The event honored the agencys three top wins for Snaplications. The digital app revolutionized job applications for McDonalds Australia. VMLs project received Best of Show-Digital/Mobile for unique use of media and also won two First Place awards in the overall competition, in Social Media Marketing and in Digital-Mobile.
Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 5:53PM

Sony gets inclusive and celebratory this June with a new theme for the PlayStation 4. Titled For All The Players, the new PS4 theme made its way to the PlayStation Store just in time for Pride Month. You get a stark white background with a double rainbow accent. But not only is it colorful, theres also a nice underlying message here that acknowledges that there are gamers of all walks of life and different orientations and anyone should be able to enjoy playing what they want. If you want to celebrate and play in solidarity, you can download the theme from this link.
guy39 said: It talks about the people,whose right to bear arms, shall not be infringed, so they may form a regulated militia. Get it right Click to expand...

Where does it say, "If I get pregnant, I have to have a baby"?Show it to me. And you show me that right now. I have just about had it with your shit.I have really just about had it with you telling women what they have to do. You're Ok with fucking them, but I have to seriously wonder if you're OK with the consequences.How about this dad? You knock a lady up, she does not want the kid. Will you take the kid and raise it? Or is it only her responsibility?Tell me that right now. And the last person you consider is the child. Who in the hell would want fucked up parents like yourselves? I certainly wouldn't. and given the choice of living with parent who didn't want me and being born? I'd choose not being born. You all are just not all that into the kid's welfare. All you care about is your own BS "values". Your concern is not about kids. Your concern is control over other people's morality. Don't pretend for one second you care about children. You don't.
Photo: Contributed

A well-known Kelowna sweet shop has shut its doors for good.

Until Thursday, Stickys Candy sold a selection of hard-to-find and imported candy from a small storefront in the Dilworth Shopping Centre.

Part of a Chilliwack-based franchise of approximately 15 stores, the Kelowna Stickys had been open in the city since the spring of 2014.

The closure appears to have happened quite suddenly, with the shop first announcing it on Facebook May 23.

For more on the shop shutting down check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge.
Madison Erhardt

Westbank First Nation marked its 28th annual Siya celebration on Friday.

The colourful celebration honoured the land, resources, and community achievements as well as the hard work of the students as they near the end of the school year.

The ceremony featured traditional Syilx dancing, drumming and singing. A number of local arts, jewelry and crafts were also for sale.

The first such celebration took place in 1990, when Westbank First Nation School, now the SEnsisyustEn House of Learning, first opened.

"We give thanks to all the living creatures and all the living things that give us life and have given us life for thousands and thousands of years," said Jordan Coble, cultural administrator for WFN.

"We honour our land and resources provided in order to ensure that we have a fruitful year to follow," he added.

For more information, visit www.sncewipsmuseum.org.
Margaret McCormick is not going to sit back and let the Ministry of Children and Family Development take her children without a fight.

The mother of four is pursuing all avenues to have her children returned that she said were unjustly removed from her home two months ago.

McCormick staged a protest near the Vernon MCFD office Friday morning with the support of a handful of friends.

McCormick claims the MCFD had no evidence to take her children and did so based on a couple of small bruises on her toddlers.

I do not hurt my kids and a proper investigation would show that, she said Friday.

McCormick now fears for the safety of her children.

McCormick claims when she visits her children, they have bruises on their legs.

My baby came yesterday with a black eye and a swollen face, she said. They are not telling me anything. They said I have no rights as a parent and they don't have to tell me anything.

McCormick, who is First Nations, said her children are being traumatized because they were taken from their home and are split up.

My family is being ripped apart, she said.

McCormick must now wait for a trial date to be set, and that could take six months or longer.

While we wait for the trial, I can't do anything to protect my babies, she said. This should not be six months down the road to prove that I am innocent. This is kids' lives. The first six years of a child's life defines the foundation and they (MCFD) are corrupting the foundation of my children, and that's what I wanted to prevent.

A spokesperson for the MCFD said they are bound not to discuss any matters regarding children in their care and that there are strict guidelines that must be followed before any children are apprehended.
William Shatner becomes the oldest man to go into space

Showbiz
If this is is fact the case, this president will be guilty of quite possibly the worst abuse of power in our history. And right wingers, don't seem to care. So much for law and order. Once again, that doesn't matter to them as long as they get what they want.
Photo: Contributed A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family of Jordan Mooney.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family of Jordan Mooney.

Mooney, 24, was last seen Sunday night, leaving a home in Kelowna's Dilworth Mountain area.

His abandoned Volkswagen Jetta was found in a rural construction area Wednesday night, about two kilometres up a dirt road.

An extensive search of the area for the former Vernon man is being conducted by authorities.

Coworkers of Jordan's mother have set up a Gofundme account to help the family.

Both his parents are off work while they search and we, Tammy's coworkers, would like to ensure that they can do everything needed to bring Jordan home without having to worry about money. We'd like to ask for your support so that they can find their son, said a post on the page.
UPDATE: 2:20 p.m.

Police have ruled out foul play in the death of 24-year-old Jordan Mooney.

Const. Lesley Smith says the investigation is now being led by the BC Coroners Office.

Kelowna RCMP have confirmed that there is no criminality in the death of the male located and therefore this investigation is being lead by the BC Coroners Office," said Smith.

Mooney was found dead early Saturday morning in the area of McKinley Landing by Central Okanagan Search and Rescue members.

Police say he was found in the vicinity of where his 2005 Volkswagen Jetta was found on Wednesday night.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mooney family and we ask that the public and media respect the familys privacy at this difficult time," said Smith.

UPDATE: 1:25 p.m.

A missing 24-year-old Vernon man has been found dead in McKinley Landing.

Jordan Alexander Mooney was last seen leaving a home in the Dilworth area late Sunday night.

Search and rescue crews along with RCMP asked the public for help in locating his 2005 Volkswagen Jetta on Wednesday.

His Jetta was found abandoned two kilometres up a dirt road off McKinley Road, just a few hours after RCMP asked for help.

Police said a passerby noticed the vehicle at about 9 p.m. and called RCMP.

Central Okanagan Search and Rescue had been scouring the area where his vehicle was found looking for any clues. An RCMP drone and police dogs were also involved in the search.

Tammy Mooney, the mother of Jordan, said after six long days of searching her son has been found.

He is now at peace. He will forever be in our hearts, she posted to Facebook.

She asked for the public to please respect their privacy as they grieve.

A GoFundMe has been created to support the family.

Police have not released a cause of death or said if foul play is believed to be involved.

ORIGINAL: 1:22 p.m.

The search for Jordan Mooney has come to a tragic end.

Castanet has been told the body of the missing 24 year old has been found.

Castanet will have more details as soon as they are available.
But commuting the sentence of Rod Blagojevich, the imprisoned former Democratic governor of Illinois  as Trump suggested Thursday he also might do  would be a mistake of an entirely different magnitude. It would be an outrage, a slap in the face to the justice system. While obviously allowed under the presidents broad pardon power, it would be entirely wrong and inappropriate to send such a misguided message about public corruption.

Perhaps Trump is hoping that Americans dont remember the seamy, sleazy spectacle of a sitting governor caught on secret recordings trying to use his power in the most self-serving ways imaginable. Ultimately, Blagojevich was convicted of 17 counts of wire fraud, attempted extortion, soliciting bribes and conspiracy.

In plain language, he was accused of trading his official acts as governor in return for hoped-for campaign contributions and jobs. For example, he pressed for a Cabinet post in the Obama administration for himself in exchange for appointing Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett (recently brought back into the limelight thanks to Roseanne Barrs racist comments) to the U.S. Senate, an idea that went nowhere. Obama and Jarrett did speak to a Blagojevich intermediary about the Senate seat, but no evidence ever surfaced of a quid pro quo. Another example: He extracted a campaign contribution from a racetrack owner in return for signing legislation that would benefit racetracks financially.
Poverty in the United States is extensive and is deepening under the Trump administration whose policies seem aimed at removing the safety net from millions of poor....

While welfare benefits and access to health insurance are being slashed, President Donald Trump's tax reform has awarded "financial windfalls" to the mega-rich and large companies, further increasing inequality....

Almost 41 million people live in poverty, 18.5 million of them in extreme poverty, and children account for one in three poor, he said. The United States has the highest youth poverty rate among industrialized countries.....

At least 550,000 people are homeless in America.........

There is no magic recipe for eliminating extreme poverty and each level of government must make its own good-faith decisions. At the end of the day, however, particularly in a rich country like the United States, the persistence of extreme poverty is a political choice made by those in power.
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"He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest . . . He wasn't injured. Then I think they also recognized it was Benedict and ran away."
My role is to oversee the contests administrative details, working with editorial coordinator Denise Hernandez. The contest is designed to ensure that each story is evaluated on its own merits. All entries are checked so that we are sure that no authors names are on the stories; the identities of winners are revealed after final selections.
Sometimes, when falling asleep, or brushing her teeth, or watching water boil, Jackie scrutinized which of her features suggested Olivia. What did Olivia even mean? She had known two Olivias in her life, and one had been extraordinarily wealthy. She wasnt sure about the other. Or did it have less to do with money and more with poise? Both Olivias had been queen bees. Was she like that? It seemed laughable. She commanded the attention of no one. That wasnt entirely true: these days she had no attentions available to command, but once, in an inexplicable aberration that had lasted a whole eleven months, she had shone: for the duration of her scholarship at Cambridge, people had looked at her, and she had been the end of their gaze. When they told jokes, they looked for her reaction; when there were parties, they asked if she would be there. When she stepped into a room, people knew. The giddiness, the elation of this attention, was unlike anything she had ever known. And then, just as mysteriously, like fog that receded in the night, it had ended. This Olivia business was barely more bizarre, just less enjoyable, more troubling.
To enable Murphy and his equity investors to qualify for the old tax credit before the new, watered-down version went into effect, county officials and the developer signed a 99-year lease for the hospital even though Murphys group had not yet finalized its financing. As a result, said Murphy, who closed on financing last month , the projects investors can expect to receive about $24 million in tax credits. Thats about $3.6 million more than they would have reaped under the new tax credit rules, he estimated.
She also believes that some of the simulations and virtual tools are superior to dissection. They allow students to learn at their own pace, and some have digital color-coding that makes the different anatomical parts easier to distinguish. They dont require chemicals that some detractors say are bad for the environment and, she said, they cost less.
Then, minutes before 9 p.m., two men were shot in a drive-by blocks away. The men, ages 30 and 32, were on foot in front of a home in the 4900 block of West Adams Street when someone fired shots from inside a passing vehicle, possibly a red SUV or truck, police said. Bullets hit the 30-year-old man in his right leg and the 32-year-old man in his left leg, police said. Both men are stable, with the 30-year-old taken to Loretto Hospital and the other man taken to Stroger Hospital, police said.
Montanez has been in the county jail without bail since May 19, when Cook County Circuit Court records show he was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a class X felony, and unlawful possession of a gun by a felon, a class 2 felony. In that case, police said Montanez was on foot chasing and shooting at a stolen vehicle in the area of the 6300 block of South Albany Avenue and one of the bullets he allegedly fired hit a house. He was arrested the next day in the 6400 block of South Sacramento Avenue, police said.
When Mell retired from the City Council in 2013, he told the Tribune that if he could do it over again, Blagojevich would never have got out of state rep. He would never have went to Congress. He would have been state rep until he decided to quit and be a lawyer or whatever.
Another agent said so many migrants were apprehended in the Rio Grande Valley in May that many were diverted to other sections of the border for processing. The Justice Department has reassigned additional prosecutors to the border region to increase the number of migrants it charges with federal crimes, but one veteran border agent said it was "too early to tell" if the tougher enforcement measures were giving pause to migrants thinking of making the journey from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
She believed that speaking of history was gigantically important in helping people understand what they (survivors) had been through, Blumstein said. She also understood there would come a time when the survivors would be gone and there would be virtually no one who knew and remembered and she thought that was unacceptable.
Hmm, guess we arent sure whether to frame this as a black comedy or a disaster movie. Loyal readers know weve already chosen a title: The Illinois Exodus. While lawmakers resist disrupting public employee unions and other favored constituencies in an election year, people are leaving this state or bypassing it altogether. Theyre discouraged by the job climate. They already see taxes rising. And they dont want to be here when all the obligations come due. Last year, for the fourth year in a row, Illinois lost residents. In 2017, a net of 33,703 people departed, dropping the state to sixth-largest, behind Pennsylvania.
Batavia Public Library Director George H. Scheetz said that an architectural firm in Japan came up with the idea (of PechaKucha nights) because they recognized that people had great things to say but they took too long to say them  which is true of us all.
Nine of the suspects were taken into custody Friday, when approximately 70 Aurora police officers and FBI special agents fanned out across the area and executed arrest warrants either at the suspects homes or places where they were known to frequent, police said in the Facebook post. Two of the suspects were already in jail and three remain at large. All are from Aurora except one. 
I love my two kids. Theyre in their 20s now. I look forward to the day when one of them tells my wife and I that we will soon be grandparents, like those giddy reveals in Americas Funniest Home Videos.
He was so strong about not letting me think I was better than other people, she said. I think once when I was a kid I said something that was elitist or snooty and he sat me down and he said, No, dont ever raise yourself up above someone else. Be the best you can be but dont put other people down.
Results of the investigation wont be released publicly nor will there be a conclusion or recommendation, Wolf said. Its the Cook County states attorneys decision to file charges against Jensen or go before a grand jury to seek an indictment, he said.
When proposed last year, the business at McLean Boulevard and College Green Drive  the first of its kind in the city  was controversial among both residents and the Elgin City Council, which approved it with a 5-4 vote. Several provisions were put into place as part of the deal, including the installation of special window glass for security.
Juarez said he was also concerned about how special education students would participate in such a program. Juarez is the father of a child with specialized needs who needs to be close to younger brother as means of comfort, he told school officials at the Thursday meeting. With the possible restructuring of the high schools in play, its possible his sons would be split up based on their pathways choices whereas they would be in the same school under the existing system, he said.
He changed his mind and it had nothing to do with us, Carter said. It was just him working with himself. Do you want to have some life? Or do you want to die? And I guess when it came down to it, he didnt want to die.
Grand Hotel Executive Chef Hans Burtscher has been with the property since 1983 and in the busy summer resort months, he works with his trained kitchen staff of 100 to feed as many as 4,000 guests a day. Of course, no motorized vehicles are allowed on the island, so ingredients and supplies are either grown on the island or transported from the ferry boat dock by horse or bicycle. In summer 2017, his kitchen served 9,000 pounds of prime rib, 102,500 pounds of potatoes, 5,500 pounds of rack of lamb, 6,400 pounds of bacon and 42,500 pounds of strawberries.
One of the plaintiffs, Margarito Castanon, was driving his work van when officers in an unmarked vehicle and wearing vests that read "POLICE" stopped him at the corner of 31st St. and Cicero Ave. in Chicago. The officers asked Castanon and his passenger for their identification, took their fingerprints, and photographed them. Without justification, the agents handcuffed them and took them away. Until they arrived to downtown Chicago did Castanon learn that the officers were not police officers, but ICE agents.
China on Friday unveiled two lists of a total of 117 wrongdoers who will be restricted from buying train tickets or taking planes.

China Railway Corporation said 31 wrongdoers banned from traveling by train include ticket scalpers, those caught smoking on high-speed trains or taking trains without tickets, and those who have disturbed the order of stations or trains.

The list will be published for a seven-working-day period, and the punishment will become effective if no effective objections are received during this time.

Those who take trains without tickets will be restricted from buying train tickets until they repay the ticket fare, while ticket scalpers, smokers on high-speed trains and those who disturb the order of stations or trains will be restricted for 180 days.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China published a list of 86 wrongdoers who will be banned from traveling by air for one year.

The list includes people who received administrative penalties after being found in airport safety inspections with objects against the country's laws and regulations, and those who received administrative punishments for using other peoples' identification certificates.

Earlier this year, China announced plans to impose tougher punishments on serious credit defaulters starting on May 1, restricting them from real estate transactions, as well as taking planes and trains.
The Chinese medical team in South Sudan on Friday offered treatment and food donation to children at the state-owned Juba Orphanage during an event to mark the International Children's Day.

The sixth batch of Chinese doctors treated children with eye and skin infections and also donated foodstuff to boost their nutrition status.

"Children are the hope of a nation, they have great potential. We the Chinese say, when the young are strong, the country is strong. So children should get care from the society," said Sun Yaxi, head of the China medical team in South Sudan.

"We are really happy to see that China and South Sudan enjoy a close and lasting partnership," Sun added.

Angelo Kenyi, Director of the Orphanage in the capital, Juba, appreciated the Chinese doctors for their consistent support to the children's home in the last five years.

Kenyi appealed to donor agencies to support the orphanage since it lacks basic necessities like food, medicine and learning materials.

Since independence of South Sudan in 2011, China has dispatched five medical teams with a total of 66 members to offer specialized medical care and surgeries to about 50,000 patients across the east African county.

Isaac Maker, Medical Director at South Sudan's biggest public health facility, the Juba Teaching Hospital, hailed the role played by the Chinese doctors.

He said the people of South Sudan have benefited a lot from the Chinese doctors in the last five years.

"I really thank the Chinese medical team not only for coming here to donate something to the orphans, but also for coming all the way from China to give medical service to our people," said Maker.

"Your feeling towards these children is appreciated. What you are doing will change the lives of these children. They will always remember the Chinese people," he added.
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The Wanshou Forum themed reform, development and modernization of state governance was convened in the birthplace of the country's rural reform, Xiaogang village in Fengyang county of east Chinas Anhui province, on June 2.

Nearly 200 international political party representatives of 66 political parties from 45 countries and regions attended the forum and shared insights on China's reform practice and experience.

The year of 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up policy. At the forum, the attendees discussed reform in China, rural vitalization, and global governance.

Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, spoke about Chinas achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

He said, in the past decades, China has lifted around 700 million people out of poverty and contributed significantly to the world economy.

Data shows that between 2013 and 2016, China contributed around 30 percent to the world economy, surpassing the sum of contribution rates of the U.S., the Eurozone, and Japan, ranking first in the world.

China's achievements of development benefit from its reform and opening up policy, said Zahira Kamal, general secretary of Palestinian Democratic Union, adding that she would like to bring the experience of China to Palestine to attract more investment and promote technology transfer.

She also said that she has seen firsthand the development of Anhui province and Xiaogang village, and other signature spots of reform and opening up like Shenzhen, the vanguard city of Chinas reform and opening up in south Chinas Guangdong province.

China's reform is people-oriented, which is a sign of healthy and sustainable development, said Juan Castillo, general secretary of Communist Party of Uraguay. Communist parties in Latin American countries also hope to implement such practices to enhance people's livelihood and promote social equality.

Sayed Abdelghany, chairman of the Arab Democratic Party of Nazareth, also echoed the people-oriented reform of China in his speech. He said this is an approach that political parties across the world should consider, and that socialism with Chinese characteristics has so far been successful.

On the selection of the forum venue, Luan Jianzhang, director general of the Research Office of International Department of CPC Central Committee, said that Xiaogang is the birthplace of the rural reform.

In 1978, 18 farmers in Xiaogang village signed a secret agreement to divide their communally-owned farmland into individual plots at the risk of being labeled "counter-revolutionary," inadvertently beginning a series of rural reforms across China.

The Wanshou Forum was initiated by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in 2016 as a platform for international exchange and dialogue.




Background

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, by the People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2017 India and Pakistan also became members.

Together the group accounts for almost half the world's population, one quarter of the world's GDP and about 80 percent of Eurasia's landmass.

The main goals of the SCO are:

i.strengthening mutual confidence and good-neighborly relations among the member countries

ii.promoting effective cooperation in politics, trade and economy, science and technology, culture as well as education, energy, transportation, tourism, environmental protection and other fields

iii.making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region

iv.moving towards the establishment of a new, democratic, just and rational political and economic international order.

Its governance is by consensus and eschews the corporate voting model favored in the West. It makes movement slower, but less fractious. This aspect of governance is difficult for most in the West to understand, as it seems like an open invitation to block anything that goes against self-interest. There is not much understanding of the nuances of "face" and peer pressure that are integral to the Asian sense of negotiation. Be aware, this applies more to the way seasoned political leaders act, not hard driving Asian entrepreneurs.

Security

To date, much of the foreign perception of the SCO has focused on its military exercises and regional anti-terrorism, separatism and extremism activities. Alarmist suggested that the SCO was attempting to create a new counterweight to NATO. Others have said it's an extension of the Russia and China power relationship, aimed at carving up interest areas, or a deadlocked organization which has outgrown its focus.

None of these explanations seem to explain the reality of the SCO, especially as it embraces India and Pakistan. So, while there have been five joint military exercises since 2005, there have been none since 2010; more emphasis has been on the intelligence sharing and anti-terrorism, which, according to The Diplomat as of 2017, has foiled 600 terror plots and extradited 500 terrorists. There will be a September 2018 joint military exercise in the Ural Mountains of Russia, but it seems aimed primarily at getting India and Pakistan to work together.

Stability

As actions speak louder than words, this indicates a clear de-emphasis of the SCO as an offensive, or defensive, military bloc, in favor of its anti-terrorism, separatism and extremism activities. But this is only half the story. Ultimately, it is understood and agreed by all members that the key to regional stability is regional prosperity. A vast area with rich resources and 45 percent of the World's population has only 25 percent of its GDP, 10 percent if you take out China.

This year the 13th SCO summit in Qingdao will emphasize the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, but the long term solutions to this struggle will be settled, not on the battlefields, but in the pockets of consumers and the cash registers of supermarkets and grocery stores. Their future will depend in turn on trucks, trains, ships and airplanes.

The trade and logistics of the SCO

In 2017 SCO members signed an intergovernmental agreement on facilitating international road transportation which will allow physical access to SCO member countries. As all members have already ratified the UN TIR Convention, this means that bonded sealed containers can now traverse the new roads and rails being built for the Belt and Road Initiative, free from unnecessary inspections and delays. Studies have indicated it could decrease transportation times by 80 percent and cut down on transport losses significantly. So, while China continues its infrastructure investments in its Belt and Road Initiative, the SCO is the means by which goods will be transported to Asia and Europe.

TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) is a global customs transit system for moving goods across international borders. For more than 60 years it has been supporting trade and development, by allowing customs-sealed vehicles and freight containers to transit signatory countries with minimal border checks. It is governed by the United Nations TIR Convention and managed by the world road transport organization, IRU. China joined in 2016, and its national issuing and guaranteeing association is the China Road Transport Association, and it began TIR issuing and guaranteeing activities on May 18, 2018.

Modi-Xi meeting

While the SCO's quiet advances in trade will be in the background, the foreground will be dominated by the sideline meeting between Xi and Modi, the next chapter of China and India's "informal" visit. The various ministries from both sides have been working overtime and there is expection for a stronger expression of cooperation, as these two consumer market giants realize their interests are more aligned than divided. There may be announcements about the Nuclear Suppliers Group and a rail connection through Nepal, which would link Asia to East Africa and the Middle East.

Summation

Driving this, ironically, is the growing uncertainty about the U.S. administration's direction and policies, as it tries to "Make America Great Again." Unilateral trade tariffs against friends and foes, hostility towards the world's existing order and the lack of clear policy goals, linked to means and methods, have left countries from North America, Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia scratching their heads.

As business and diplomacy depend on predictability it seems increasingly the rest of the world is forming new political and trade linkages. It is a kind of political and economic realism which is pitting Sino Synthesis, a non-ideological process based approach that uses physical linkages and trade as the basis for stability vs. American Exceptionalism, an ideological tautology which insists on one nation's hegemony. The SCO is just one part of a new picture that is emerging from the post-Cold War era. It appears to be a multilateral reality which will be an adjustment for some, but hopefully an opportunity for many.

Einar Tangen is a political and economic affairs commentator, author and columnist.





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
 Flash

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will meet with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore as originally scheduled after recent twists and turns.

Trump made the remarks at the White House after his almost two-hour meeting with a senior official from Pyongyang who delivered a personal letter from Kim Jong Un to Trump.

Washington and Pyongyang are going to start a relationship and it will start on June 12, Trump told reporters after his talks with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee. The high-level DPRK official held a two-day meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York before heading to Washington on Friday.

Trump also described the widely anticipated summit as a "get-to-know-you" situation, saying that it "will be a process" and he believed the DPRK "wants to do the denuclearization."

"I think you're going to have very positive results in the end," said Trump, who also noted that probably more than one meeting was necessary after "years of hostility" and "years of hatred" between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Trump revealed that he talked about the sanctions imposed by Washington upon Pyongyang during his meeting with Kim Yong Chol.

The White House host told reporters that he did not want to use the term "maximum pressure" any more as the two sides were getting along with each other.

Washington has kept the maximum pressure campaign against the DPRK, including slapping severe economic sanctions on the Asian country.

The back-on-track summit followed recent twists and turns and the whirlwind of diplomacy over the weekend.

Trump announced cancellation of the meeting in a letter to Kim Jong Un last week, citing "tremendous anger and open hostility" displayed by Pyongyang recently.

In response to Trump's letter, the DPRK's First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan said last Friday that the country is ready to sit down with the United States any time in any manner for talks to solve the problems existing between them.

Trump then reversed course, saying both sides wanted the meeting to happen and it could still go ahead after productive talks. He also confirmed on Sunday that a U.S. official team had arrived in the DPRK to talk about preparation for the talks.




 Flash

Top diplomats of China and the European Union(EU) on Friday pledged to deepen strategic cooperation and safeguard multilateralism.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini co-chaired the eighth round of the China-EU high-level strategic dialogue in Brussels.

Reviewing the development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership established 15 years ago, Wang hailed a favorable situation featuring all-dimensional exchanges and cooperation covering various fields.

Noting that unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise in the international landscape, Wang said China and the EU, as two stable forces, should strengthen strategic communication, promote mutual strategic trust, and deepen strategic cooperation.

The two sides should jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard multilateralism and global free trade regime, he said, adding that both sides should make due contributions to tackle global challenges.

On economic cooperation, Wang said China is willing to promote mutual investment, and jointly construct the Belt and Road Initiative with the EU.

Mogherini, for her part, was on the same page with Wang on the importance of China-EU relationship.

She stressed that the EU is willing to work with China to uphold and strengthen the multilateral system with the United Nations at the core, and the rules-based international order.

Mogherini said the EU-China cooperation in various fields has reached unprecedented high levels after 15 years of development, with the two sides having similar positions and close coordination over a series of major international issues.

Mogherini highlighted the need to create synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's investment plan and strategy on connecting Europe and Asia.

"We agreed to explore complementarities and synergies in this field, that is crucial for both China and the EU," said Mogherini at a joint press conference with Wang following the strategic dialogue.

The strategic dialogue took place as the two sides are gearing up for the 20th China-EU summit slated for next month.

China stands ready to join hands with the EU to achieve results at the upcoming summit, thus sending out a positive signal of upholding and strengthening international order, said Wang.

Echoing Wang, Mogherini said the two sides have addressed a wide range of issues that lay the groundwork for the summit.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional hot-spot issues, including Iran nuclear deal, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, among others.




 Flash

China welcomes clarification from the United States on the unaltered visa policy towards Chinese citizens, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

It was reported Tuesday that the United States was planning to shorten the length of visas issued to some Chinese citizens.

According to media reports, the U.S. State Department on Thursday announced that the U.S. visa policy towards Chinese citizens has not changed. Chinese students who go to study in the United States can still receive visas with a validity of up to five years.

The U.S. State Department stressed that the United States welcomes more and more Chinese citizens to visit the country.

China welcomes the U.S. clarification, said spokesperson Hua Chunying at a routine press briefing.

"Personnel exchanges are the foundation to boost cooperation in all fields between China and the United States. The facilitation of visas between the two countries is reciprocal and serves the common interests of the two peoples," she said.

Both sides should take more positive measures to make the personnel exchanges more convenient, and thus create better conditions for exchanges and cooperation in various fields, Hua said.
 Flash

The first Shanghai Cooperation Organization Media Summit was held in Beijing on 1st June, 2018. The media summit was attended by leaders, representatives, diplomats and media delegates of member and observer states of the SCO.

Mr. Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC delivered President Xi Jinpings message in his key note speech and termed the event as an iconic occasion, made possible due to President Xis commitment to enhance media co-operation amongst SCO member states. He said that given the destabilizing environment faced by the world, development of a mutually beneficial strategy to address our common concerns, aided through pivotal role of media, is the need of the day.

Mr. Shafaqat Jalil, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, leading Pakistani delegation, congratulated SCO member states representatives for successfully organizing the media summit.

Media, he said, can play a positive role in promoting inter-SCO harmony for maintaining peace, security and stability in the region and SCO provides the perfect platform.

He termed Pakistani media as vibrant with potential for tremendous growth through collaboration of media organizations under the SCO umbrella.

Mr. Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of the Publicity Department of CPC, conducted the proceedings of the 1st SCO Media Summit hosted by China.

Ambassador of Pakistan Mr. Masood Khalid and Mr. Rashid Alimov, SCO Secretary General were also present on the occasion.

The summit concluded with launch of the 1st Shanghai Cooperation Organization Media Summit Initiative on Strengthening Media Exchanges and Cooperation followed by signing ceremony of MoU and agreements.












Held from 20th to 27th May 2018, the prestigious programme was conducted by JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency) in association with the Government of Japan. The Sakura Science High School Programme (SSHSP) aims to deepen the knowledge of the Asian youth in Science and Technology thus contributing to the promotion of innovation and development in the subcontinent. JST directly invited and sponsored 68 participants from India and 18 participants from Philippines in co-operation with the relevant government agencies.





The Sakura Science High School Programme included an enlightening lecture and experiment class by the Nobel Laureate Prof. Hideki Shirakawa, for fabricating a conducting polymer EL device at the Rikkyo University.



The Sri VIS team also had the privilege of visiting the Nippo Steel and Sumitomo Metal Cooperation, where they saw the making of steel sheets at very high temperatures. However, the most awaited visit was to the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miriakan) where students met the ex-astronaut and Director of the Museum Dr. Mamoru Mori and gained through an exchange of ideas and sharing of the life experiences in the space of the astronaut. The museum is engaged in futuristic science like Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Humanoid and much more.





Students were fortunate to witness the magnificent Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) where they saw the Space Control station of Japan & understood the Astronauts training program. Sri VIS students enjoyed the hospitality and warm interaction with Japanese students at the Namiki Secondary School. Students of the school in Japan were gracious enough to teach the group origami, as a timer ticked on by their side. A visit to Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo allowed a firsthand experience to see the various departments and super conductors personally.



Team Sri VIS left the University for the JST office where a closing ceremony was held. A representative each from Philippines and India thanks the SSHSP Coordinators and appreciated the initiative and hospitality of all involved including the Ministry officials, Scientists, JST team and JICE officials.





Apart from being a technologically advanced country, Japan has a very strong and vibrant culture. Visits to the Mejii Jingu shrine and the Edo Tokyo Museum made the group familiar with the exotic history and ancient culture of Japan.



This programme provided the group with the opportunity to unfold the ingenious realms of Japanese culture. Awed by the humility and the courtesy shown by the Japanese Nationals, they brought back rich memories. Sans any prejudice, the people in Japan always greet each other graciously with utmost respect. An extremely punctual race, they are never late even by a minute. This habit is a legacy they pass on to their children.





The warmth and the cheerfulness of the Japanese won the hearts of Sri VIS group and the knowledge gained was priceless. The group hopes to be more innovative and focussed to adopt and reflect on Science and Technology Projects in school and outside. The trip was a rich learning experience that motivated the young students while strengthening the Indo-Japanese ties. We hope to see more students pursuing their higher education/research/career choices in Japan and experience its world class infrastructure and work ethics.



Undoubtedly the group with a sense of koi no yokan that a future connection is inevitable after the first meeting' with the Japanese intelligentsia.

According to a Japanese quote "the three sources of happiness in a person's life is when we have something to do, something to love and something to hope for". For the six students of Grade XI  XII, Om Pathak, Abhishek Solanki, Shivay Madan, Esha Pillewar, Vatsala Hira Divyajot Kaur and the HOD Physics  Mrs. Manisha Agarwal, the learning exposure during the trip for the sponsored Sakura Science High School Exchange Programme of Japan, proved to be such and much more.
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